Jack? By Teri

Part VII - The Truth Shall set you Free

Daniel could hardly move. It was Jack, but it wasn't. This man had long hair, which was mainly blonde, with some gray but not so much as Jack. But it had to be Jack, but why was he here? He had retired. 'What was going on here?' "Jack?"

MacGyver too was shocked to see his friend. 'Of course Daniel would be in the rescue party' he shook his head wondering how he ever thought differently. 'Now what?' His contemplation was brought to an end by another voice.

"Mac! Seems like you were on your way to escaping. Nick said there wasn't a situation in existence that you couldn't manage. I guess he was right, too bad that means I owe him $5." Adam chucked.

Daniel felt like he had been hit in the stomach. 'This is MacGyver? I don't understand surely this is Jack.' Daniel felt his world spinning.

"Well DJ, it looks like you finally started to use those breath mints I gave you. So, now I have the pleasure of introducing you to MacGyver. Mac this is Dr. Daniel Jackson." Adam said he thought it was funny that it took all of this for the two of them to finally meet.

"Dr. Jackson," Mac said nodding his head. He didn't kid himself into thinking that Daniel didn't know this was him, but he hoped he wouldn't get into it here in now - in front of Adam.

Daniel was in shock. He decided he would play along for a bit. See what is was that Jack was up to. In a way it was funny Jack with the long hair pretending to be an academic - a physicist with a passion for archeology, not to mention an electronics and mechanical genius. He began to wonder how on earth Jack had pulled it off. 'Sure he is a good actor' he thought remembering when Jack had convinced him to leave him alone when he was really on that 'damned' mission. 'But I had heard of MacGyver before I ever met Jack. What is going on here?'

"DJ?" Adam asked knowing that silence was never one of DJ's usual behaviors.

"Huh? Oh sorry. Mr. MacGyver." Daniel said offering his hand to Jack. Mac/Jack gave him a little smile. 'When I get him alone . . . I will find out just what s going on here.'

'Why do I have a felling I will be in worse trouble when Daniel gets me alone then I ever was in with Neferteri?' Mac grumbled to himself.

All of a sudden the room began to shake.

"For crying out loud! Now what!? Mac shouted as he rolled his eyes.

'If that isn't Jack then I really am a spacemonkey's uncle.' Daniel thought, but said aloud, "It feels as though the ship was taking off."

"Ship? We are on a ship?" Adam asked surprised. He had no idea he was on a ship 'Your slipping old man!'

"We better see about getting of this floating barge," Mac stated.

"I think we better gather everyone together first." Daniel said as the color drained from Mac's face. "Others? Oh, Nick? Makepeace?"

"Yeah Mac, Nick is here along with Makepeace and some other military types." Adam replied. "I guess we better contact them all." He pulled out his communicator and informed them that they found Mac and they should all meet in the ring room.

Elsewhere, Makepeace was glad that they had found Jack, but was disappointed that he missed Daniel and Jack seeing each other for the first time. He would have paid money. 'Hell, I would have sold tickets!'

As Adam, Daniel, and Mac made their way silently to the ring room, Adam noticed that Daniel keep giving MacGyver odd looks and when ever Daniel looked somewhere else Mac gave him surreptitious looks. He was about to ask what was going on when he heard sounds that reminding him of a 'Star Wars' flick.

Daniel and Mac heard it too. Daniel pulled some sort of weapon that Adam had never seen before. Mac looked like he was trying to draw a weapon having forgotten he didn't have any. 'He looked so natural like he knew how to handle a gun' Granted he hadn't know Mac for a long time but Nick had and Nick at told him that MacGyver didn't like to be anywhere near guns 'but that is not what the evidence looks like.

'Later old man, focus on what's going on' he chided himself as he drew his sword and pulled out two of his hidden pistols, one of which he tossed to Mac who accepted it gratefully. 'There were times it was handy to be a walking arsenal.'

Suddenly, they were surrounded by at least twenty --men? They had golden helmets that looked like dogs. Mac and Adam shot off their guns and Daniel used his zat. Several fell, but ultimately it was not enough and they were soon captured.

They were escorted to a holding cell. Mac looked around. The first cell held Nick and Janet who looked uninjured, although Nick was looking worriedly at Janet. The next cell held Sam and Teal'c. Daniel called out to them, but they didn't move. He was relieved to note that they were breathing so perhaps they were drugged. The next cell held Makepeace who gave Mac a small smile. At least that is what it looked like, it was hard to tell his face was so bruised.

The guards opened Makepeace's door and threw Adam in with him. The Jaffa then shoved Jack and Daniel into an empty cell. Daniel noted to himself that Alex was not present. He hoped that meant he was out trying to get help, but worried that he may not be that lucky.

Once the Jaffa shut the door, Daniel began to yell something to Adam and Makepeace. He quickly realized that the cells were sound proof. 'Great! Of course there was one benefit. It would give him and Jack some quality time'.

* * * * *

Nick sat on the floor of the cell holding an unconscious Janet

"Janet?" Nick asked worried. She still had not woken-up yet but was beginning to stir. "Janet?"

Her eyes opened and saw who was holding her. "Stay away from me!" She yelled as she crawled to the furthest corner of the cell away from him.

He looked down at his hands. He knew why she was so scarred of him. She saw him when he was trying to fight off the soldiers.

"Who are you?" she hissed out.

'Not what are you? I guess that is good, isn't it?' he wondered. "I am the same man you met at the Dig."

"Look I know better than that. I saw your eyes glow. I know you are a Goa'uld! I just want to know when you got to Nick. When did you have the chance to attack him!" She had liked Nick. He seemed like a sweet guy and was angry that this Goa'uld had possessed him.

"A Goa'uld? Like the thing that took Andie? It was called a Goa'uld and you think I am a one?" He would have chuckled if it weren't so series. "Janet. I am not a Goa'uld. I am a vampire, well actually more of a reformed vampire, but . . " He looked up at with a small self -depreciating grin.

"What?" 'What did he just say?' Janet was stunned. "You're a vampire? I saw you in sunlight."

"Well, I was cured. I . . . well it is not important how. Now, I am not a slave to the beast. I can be out in the sun. I am warm to the touch. I can eat real food. But, I have retained some vampire-like qualities. I can still vamp out as you saw" he grinned again. "I also have retained my strength, speed, agility, and night vision. I am also am extremely hard to kill and I don't think I have started aging yet." He looked up at her to gage her reaction.

"So you are not a Goa'uld. What a relief." She said as she smiled. "I am sorry after seeing your eyes glow and waking-up here . . . I am sorry."

He was amazed by the way she was taking all of this. Then it crossed his mind that after dealing with the Goa'uld a vampire ..er former vampire may not be a big deal. "Thank you!"

"So, just how old are you?" she asked with a mischievous grin. Nick rolled his eyes and smiled at her. 'At least her first thought wasn't to study me.'

* * * * *

Sam and Teal'c both awoke about the same time. They immediately started to try to find a way out of their cell.

* * * * *

"What are you staring at?" Robert finally said annoying with the way Adam had been watching him.

"I was just assessing how badly you are hurt. I am going to regret this, but let me examine you. I think there maybe more injuries than just the cuts and bruises." Adam said already sounding like he was regretting the offer.

"What would an archaeologist like you know about these kind if injuries?" He asked tiredly.

"Linguist, I am a linguist not an archeologist. Besides you would be surprised what I know about battle injures." He said as he moved over to Robert. "Now let me take a look at you."

Adam examined him. Finally he stopped. "Well we are going to have to get you out of here quickly. I was right you do have internal injuries and a few cracked ribs. What I am most worried about is that I think you may have punctured a lung."

"Great, you are just full of good news!" Robert smirked at him.

"Yeah, just like you brought with you to the dig." He said flatly. Robert didn't say anything so Adam pressed on. "So now, are you finally going to explain to me about the parasite that took Andie and why we seem to on some kind of space ship?"

"How did you know it was a parasite?" Robert asked.

He decided now was not the time for deception, "I am an expert on ancient cultures and I had read stories about worm-like creatures that could possess people." Well maybe it wasn't a time for deception but it was hardly the time for the complete truth. Like I am going to say, 'Hi I am five thousand years old and I heard legends back in the good old days and now having seen a few I think I may have met one back when. Right, and Cassandra is president of my fan club. As if?'

"Really? Well you are dead on. There is a race of creatures called the Goa'uld that take humans as hosts to survive. I work for a special command of the Air Force that is dedicated to trying to keep the world safe from them." Makepeace told Adam. It wasn't the full truth, but he didn't rust this man. There was no way he was going to tell him the rest.

Adam realized it wasn't the full truth, but it was enough for now. Finally he decided to ask the questions that were bothering him most. "Fine, but I have a few more questions."

"What?" Makepeace asked worrying that he was going to ask where the Goa'uld came from or how long as the government been keeping this a secret.

Adam surprised him by asking, "So where exactly does MacGyver fit into all of this. I got the impression he knew more than he was saying. How do you know Daniel and most importantly why do Daniel and Mac keep looking at each other funny?"

Makepeace just started laughing. 'Yeap those are the most important questions!'

Adam just stared at Robert wondering what was so funny.

* * * * *

"So Jack, I like the hair." Daniel said hesitantly.

He looked over at his friend. There was no use denying it. "Well, you should. Yours use to be just as long - once upon a time." Jack said.

"Yeah and yours use to be just as short - once upon a time." Daniel replied.

"Yeah." Jacks said with a small smile. 'So far so good.'

They sat silently for a few minutes.

"So, care to explain all of this to me JACK?" Daniel asked finally starting to lose the battle with his anger.

Jack didn't say anything.

"Oh I am sorry. I understand my mistake. I should have said, 'Care to explain all of this to me MacGYVER.' Sorry about that, my error, you just look so much like my friend Jack" Daniel said his voice strained.

"Daniel," Jack began but Daniel cut him off.

"You really are Jack. I knew it, but I didn't want to believe it. I was mad enough at you for disappearing like you did before. Now I find you here on a Goa'uld ship pretending to be some guy named MacGyver. What is going on?" Daniel practically shouted.

Jack looked at his friend. He really needed to tell him. He had missed Daniel. He had always wished he could sit down and have an intelligent conversation with his friend. In fact for a while, he and Daniel had some good discussions - on-line, of course Daniel never knew it was him. He decided that trying to cover-up now would only make it worse, beside he really hoped that they could work it out.

"Daniel, I am not pretending. I am MacGyver." He began, as Daniel started to look sick.

"Jack . . . it isn't funny. Where is the real MacGyver?" Daniel asked.

"Right in front of you. Daniel, I am sorry, but . . ." Jack tried to explain, but again Daniel cut him off.

"Jack! I have heard about MacGyver. He is supposed to be a genius. He is a physicist and amateur archeologist although he supposedly knows more about the field than most experts do. Jack you know that you usually get lost when Sam gets to the second sentence of an explanation. Besides you always give me a hard time about my 'rocks'. Supposedly he can fix anything mechanical and you know that you are no good at technical stuff. Nick told me that Mac doesn't like guns and well, you know, you do. I mean . . " Daniel began to babble. He realized that what Jack . . no Mac was saying was true, but he didn't want to believe it. He just couldn't. 'Jack?'

"Daniel, I wanted to tell you for a long time. It was just that - being Jack snowballed and finally I never thought I would go back, but six months ago I got a call from Michael. He was the son of an old friend. He told me that Pete, my friend, his father, was dying in a hospital bed. He told me that Pete needed my help. I knew it had to be serious, because I had left my number to Pete to use only in an extreme emergency and some how Michael got it. I had to go, I owed Pete so much." 'Actually it was a number that relayed to a number that relayed to my number, but Danny doesn't need the details.'

"That doesn't explain why you are seemingly two completely different people! Who are you really?" Daniel started to yell.

"Daniel, for crying out loud, look you know me we have been friends for a long time." Jacks started. He was getting frustrated, he wasn't two different people.

"No, I was friends with a fictional character who doesn't exist." Daniel was so angry.

Jack just looked at him hurt. "Daniel, I'm still the same man I have always been."

"No, you're not. My friend may have been a private person, but he never would have done anything like this." Daniel said tears finally starting to form in his eyes.

"Danny?" Jack started.

"Don't call me that. Only Jack was allowed to call me and you are not Jack. He is dead, MacGyver - leave me alone!" Daniel said as he withdrew into himself, he just put his head on his knees.

Jack/Mac didn't know what to do. He decided he should see about getting them out of here. 'That went well!'

* * * * *

A few minutes later, Mac heard his cell door start to slide open. He and Daniel both jumped up and stood on either side of the door. Mac was just about to clobber whoever was coming through the door when he heard, "Daniel?" He immediately realized that the person was Sam Carter.

After seeing Daniel, she turned to see who else was in the cell with him. She just starred at him for a minute. She was shocked, he looked like the Colonel, but he didn't. She looked at Daniel for some clue as to what was going on.

Daniel knew what her unspoken question was. He was still hurt. So he spoke-up, "Sam Carter meet MacGyver - He just looks like Jack. Trust me he is nothing like him." He walked out of his cell.

Carter could tell Daniel was hurt, but she didn't have time to think about that now. There were more important thinks to take care of now. So she nodded her head at 'Mac' and followed Daniel.

Mac just rolled his eyes and followed the duo out of the cell.

In the hallway Teal'c stood eyeing the new comer. He raised an eyebrow and gave a small smile. "O'Neill"

At this Janet who was coming out of her cell quickly turned around and saw him. She was so relieved. She had missed him and knew that if he were here they would be safe. She started over to give him a hug, when Daniel stopped her.

"It's not Jack. That is MacGyver." Janet looked at Daniel in confusion. She started to ask what was going on when she heard Nick call for her. He was in another cell knelling besides Makepeace and Adam. Adam filled her in on what he the injuries were and she quickly agreed with him.

For the first time since the doors were opened Mac spoke-up. "So is this everyone?"

"Lt. Alexander is missing" Teal'c stated.

"OK, so we have one missing team member, one seriously injured team member, and we have to find our way out of here before Neferteri and the Jaffa find us. Does that about sum it up?" He asked sounding every bit the military man he had been for years.

Nick was surprised. This didn't seem like the Mac he knew. Then he realized he had the same thought when Mac was giving that odd excuse about project blue book before. Now he knew Mac was hiding something.

Adam wasn't that surprised. He already knew there was more to the man than he had admitted. Not that he could fault him for it, 'after all that would be awful hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?'

Carter instinctively responded, "Yes Sir, but we have another problem."

"Well?" he asked impatiently, "enlighten us."

"When I was trying to get the doors opened I accidentally caused a leak. I also can't get the main doors opened." She said nervously.

"So?" Daniel asked not understanding why this was important.

"What kind of leak was it?" Jack/Mac asked. He realized that by the way she was acting it was definitely not something he wished to be trapped in a room with.

"Sulfuric Acid" She said. Janet and Adam immediately understood "And I just don't have a way to stop it."

Adam looked at the Major and said, "well why aren't you working on the main door?"

"I had rewired the cell doors with my fingers. The panel by the door is to small, I would need a tool or something and we just don't have one." She said wondering how they will get out of this.

"Major, try this." Mac said as he tossed her his knife. "Anyone have any chocolate?"

"I do" Janet volunteered as she handed him a candy bar. She had no idea why he wanted it, but why not.

"Chocolate? You want Chocolate?" Robert asked incredulously

"Chocolate! Do you want some, too?" Mac asked with his best disarming Jack grin.

"No, thank you!" Robert replied

"How can you get an appetite for chocolate now, have you forgotten that our chances of getting out of here alive...." Daniel began. He really didn't understand what was going on. He couldn't believe Jack would be so cavalier about this latest threat. 'Of course he isn't Jack is he?'

"I know our chances, " Mac grinned taking a bit of the chocolate bar, "but I don't think a little additional energy will hurt, - who knows, what'll happen next".

"You have got to be kidding!" this time it was Adam.

"Actually, I am." Mac held up the candy bar and continued, "for us it seems to be milk-chocolate, but for the acid it will be C12+H22+O11. When the acid reacts with the sugar, it will form into a type of carbon-based sticky, tough residue. It should be good enough to close the leak. Temporarily, at least."

Sam's jaw dropped 'How?'. Janet, Daniel, and Robert mirrored the action. Nick grinned, 'at least that seems like MacGyver'. Adam grinned as well 'ingenious'.

"What?" Mac said when he realized they were all looking at him.

* * * * *

I really hope everyone is still enjoying this. Please let me know. Thanks!

Teri (Garnet_TM@yahoo.com) 5/24/02