Blood Ties

Chapter 18: What now?

Disclaimer: wish I did.

Two people walked down an empty corridor. Their steps echoing down the hall their shadows dancing on the harsh concrete walls. Neither speaking, the taller busy mentally plotting the downfall of the SGC the smaller trying to figure out a way to get out of this mess without it ending in bloodshed.  They stopped before a simple door. A door that to them meant everything behind that door laid the destiny of everyone.

~SGC~

"Anything?"

"Nothing."

Both men sighed. General Hammond had tired again and again to determine just who had leaked the information to Kinsey and Anne but to no avail. Hammond folded his hands on his desk. SG-1's mission was all for not if the leak couldn't be found. He looked up and stared into the brown eyes of the airman in front of him.

"What are we going to do Wallace?"

Wallace looked at the commander. "I have no clue. When I signed up for this I never expected to locate a leak from the inside. It's harder. Loyalties hold strong within ranks, juniors taking the fall for their commander."

General Hammond stood up. "Col. O'Neill and his team are out there as we speak rescuing the Carters and bringing them back before damage can be done. Before they return I want answers Wallace! I want this base secure!"

Wallace's head shot up "You've found the Carter's?"

"Yes I believe that's what I just said. Now find me that leak! Dismissed!"

Wallace knowing that he had pushed the General's patience left with quick salute.

~

A figure walked down the corridor. He was quick to report what he had heard.  The Carter's location had been found; the whole operation was in jeopardy.

~    ~    ~

O'Neill and Jackson were silent as the van approached the White House. Teal'c driving was ever vigilant of the things going on. Janet however watched the brooding pair with interest. She had guessed that Jack and Sam had feelings for each other so it was logical that he be troubled with her fate, but it was not like him to take it quietly, she would have guessed him for barging into the White House demanding that Kinsey's head be produced for him on a sliver platter and leave with Sam in his arms dragging Andy behind him. However this silent subdued Jack was something new to her, being engaged and meeting Andy have more of a profound effect on him than she could have guessed, however she was only one in the van that seemed to notice. Daniel himself had become rather attached to Andy. He had lost so much that when he found someone like him that he took her under his wing. She could tell that loosing her too was not an option for the man. In reality if Janet didn't know better she would have guessed that Daniel was falling-, no that wasn't the Daniel she knew. No Andy was just an important friend to Daniel.

"We are here." Teal'c spoke from the driver's seat knocking Janet out of her contemplation.

"Now what?" Daniel asked looking out at the White House.

"We knock?" Suggested Jack. Everyone stared at him. "What?"

"Didn't you have a plan?" inquired Daniel.

"That was it." He informed them. They just stared in shock at him. "Come on Hammond phoned in advance. We're going in under the guise of making a final plea before the president for the SGC and it's opponent."

"Kinsey." Janet stated

"Kinsey." Jack confirmed.

They exited the van and walked up to the entrance. Two armed guards stood in their way.

"I'm Col. Jack O'Neill, this is Dr. Daniel Jackson, Dr. Janet Frasier, and…" He looked at Teal'c for a moment "and Murry from the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. We have a meeting with the president."

The two looked them over and had them sign they clip board they carried and let them through expecting them and knowing that urgency was needed as the president was already waiting. They hurried to get to the president before Kinsey could implement his plan.

~    ~    ~

"Well Miss Carter it appears that where here."

Andy looked around the dull hall and looked once more to the door. She decided that if she was as good as dead she might as well be an ass on her way out. "And here is where? An ugly corridor with no taste and I thought you brought me to the White House. Don't tell me that they let you do the decorating? This seems like your touch though. What where they thinking?"

He grabbed her and shoved her against the wall forcibly; the blow left her dazed and angry. A few of the pins on Kinsey's uniform wobbled ever so slightly.

"It seems that the drug is wearing off. We need to get this done and soon."

She stared at him hoping to buy some time she ran with what she had. "Why do you hate him?" He looked down at her confusion written over his face. "The president. Why do you hate him so much that you would have me kill him?"

"I don't." Came the reply. As soon as it was out of his mouth he became angry. He didn't answer to anyone! "Listen you either you do this or your aunt dies, and I will personally see that every member of the SGC I can implicate goes down as well."

Andy stared hard at Kinsey, her eyes locking onto his, relaying her contempt and hatred for the man before her. The light above them dimmed a little before coming back to full power.  She knew that minutes only separated her from her freedom, but minutes often mean the difference between life and death, between freedom and captivity, they were minutes that she no longer had. Kinsey released her, she stood to her full height and straightened her black shirt and folded her arms across her chest.

Kinsey reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun. "It has one shot no more no less." He faced the handle out towards her. Cautiously took it, pulled the safety off and cocked it.

"What's to stop me from using this shot on you? Right here, right now?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You can shoot me here in cold blood. But there are cameras all along this corridor." He nodded up to the corner and there hidden out of the way was a small camera. "Shoot me and it will be on camera. You still kill a man and your aunt dies. My men who will have the tape have been given a cover story. So kill me now and you loose everything. Kill the man behind the door; you only loose your freedom." She knew he was right. Pulled the gun back. "Good girl. All right the president has 5 minutes till an emergency meeting. You are to spend those minutes making it look good for the cameras placed in there then when your time is up and you hear them approach outside you shoot. I'll be able to see the whole thing so don't you even think of deviating from it."  He unlocked the door and pushed the girl through.

~    ~    ~

Jack, Daniel, Teal'c and Janet were waiting in a hall they had a few minutes before their meeting. Janet took note of their surroundings, Jack and Teal'c were standing a few feet away both looking very stern and unapproachable, Daniel stood next to her on the other side of the hall tapping his foot. After a few moments of this Janet couldn't take it any longer unfolded her arms and quietly asked Daniel "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He abruptly whispered back.

"Nothing? Don't give me that shit Daniel. You've been like this since we left the complex spill it!" Janet demanded.

"She doesn't deserve this kind of life." He whispered so quietly after a moment that Janet barely caught it.

"Who?" She asked afraid of the answer.

"Andy. Sam knew what she was getting into, knew the dangers that the Stargate posed to her. Andy didn't. She didn't ask for the Asguard to come and take her away. She didn't ask for the government to find out. She was just thrown into all of it. No warning no training no nothing."

"She knew Daniel." Janet placed a hand on Daniels arm. "She knew maybe not at the beginning but she knew when she ran what she was getting into. Maybe she didn't want us involved, maybe after she knew us she did. I don't know. Your right this is no life for her, she deserves a better one and maybe once this is all over we can give that to her."

"How? What kind of life can we give her?" Tears appeared behind his glasses.

"We can show her a life at the SGC. Show her what lays beyond this world. Train her to use her powers to help others and us. She can make a difference, she can be accepted."

"We aren't even helping her right now!"

"Yes we are. We're helping the only way we can. By making sure that she has some place to come home to."

~    ~    ~

"You're sure that the location has been discovered?" Kinsey paced the floor talking on his cell.

"Yes sir. Apparently a rescue mission had already been launched." The voice over the phone replied.

"That means that we have a limited time before they're lead here. If they come they'll want to talk to the President. But that'll take pretty high clearance soon. They'll try to arrange an emergency meeting-" Kinsey paused. He realized that he had no idea who had asked for that meeting.

"Sir?" The voice asked after a pause.

"Wallace I have to go. Keep Hammond running in circles. I've got a problem on this end."

"Yes sir."

Kinsey closed the cell connection. He had answers to find and fast before everything fell apart.

~    ~    ~

In the moment between the hall and the office Andy realized one thing, there was one bullet and two targets in the room. She couldn't kill Kinsey without harming her Aunt, but if she could waste enough time 'making it look good for the cameras' she could die by that bullet just as easily as the president could.