The streets were empty again, as Gallagher and Teal'c moved along at a steady pace. The feeling of being watched was strong and Gallagher kept looking in every direction. He could see faces looking at them through curtained windows and half closed doors and he wondered what they were afraid of.
Gallagher found himself hoping to see Treya when they passed the building they saw her at yesterday, but there was no movement at the windows or doors and he figured she was sleeping. It had been pretty late when she left his room.
He frowned as he thought about Toran's obsession with what Gallagher and Treya were doing last night, as if it were any of his business, Gallagher snarled. He had already come to the conclusion that he flat out did not like Toran.
He found himself heading toward the building where they were ambushed yesterday and noticed Teal'c was almost there, their instincts telling them that this place could tell them something. Gallagher put his back to the wall of the building, looked around the corner and then glanced at Teal'c. He saw Teal'c nod and they both began their descent down the alleyway. Gallagher stepped carefully; his ears attuned to even the slightest sound as he worked his way to the back of the building.
He met up with Teal'c in the back alleyway, where they both began a meticulous search for anything that could tell them who attacked Teal'c.
They came up with nothing aside from the rocks littering the ground and they began moving back toward the front of the building. They spent the rest of the morning investigating each and every alley and building, looking for anything that could tell them something.
The search moved out to the meadow and the woods surrounding it. Gallagher and Teal'c kept in radio contact with Carter every half hour. Gallagher was slightly worried that the feeling of being watched continued even away from the windows and doors of the buildings in town.
They continued their search, stopping only to munch on a granola bar midway through the day. Not long after they ate, Teal'c stopped and raised his hand to stop Gallagher, as well. He was staring at a log that had fallen and Gallagher moved slowly to get closer to see what could have caught the Jaffa's attention.
He had his gun at the ready and he knew Teal'c was moving closer to the log from the left. Gallagher saw something familiar and called out softly, "Trant?"
The little boy stood up and stared at Gallagher with a sadness and fear that stilled his heart. "What's wrong?" he asked. God, had something happened to Treya?
"They took my mother," the boy said, visibly trembling now. "I think they are going to kill her like they did my father."
"Who took your mother and where?" Teal'c asked as Gallagher held his hand out to the boy.
"Toran and his guards," Trant said, tears springing to his eyes. He wiped them away viciously and straightened his shoulders. "Mother said you might help us," he said.
"We will," Gallagher said as he pulled the boy to him. "Where did they take your mother Trant? Do you know why they took her?" he asked urgently as he looked into the child's eyes.
"To the lockhouse," Trant said, "I went by there this morning and she had been chained to the wall. I don't know why they took her though," he sniffled.
Gallagher's heart and face turned to stone as the boy told him the condition his mother was in. "Where is this lockhouse?" he said, releasing the tight hold he had on the boy's arms.
"On the other side of the town, behind the temple," Trant said and Gallagher could see the hope springing into his young eyes. "Please, we have to help her."
"We will," Gallagher said again. "Teal'c," Gallagher said, "did you see anything that resembled a temple?" he said as he got up to lead the way.
"I can show you where it is," Trant said, already walking toward the way they had come.
"No, you are not going with us. Just tell us how to get there," Gallagher said stopping the boy with a hand on his shoulder. "We'll take care of this."
"But I want to help get her out. They are going to kill her!"
"Just hang on there, Trant," Gallagher said. "Teal'c and I are better equipped to handle this and I don't want to have to worry about you getting in the way. Just tell us where she is and we will go get her."
"The temple is at the other end of town," Trant said resignedly. "It's the round building that has a big window over the door. The lockhouse is behind it and is fenced off. There is a place in back of the lockhouse where the fence has been cut. It's close to the ground and you'll have to crawl through it. I'll show you where it's at," he said once more.
"Uh uh," Gallagher disagreed. "You are not going to be anywhere near that place when we get there, understand?" He had put on his most menacing face for all the good it would do. The boy just glared back sullenly.
"Trant?" Gallagher tried again. "Understand?"
"Just bring her home, my sisters need her," Trant gave in.
The temple was a building that Gallagher had noticed during his past trips around town, he just hadn't recognized it as a temple. The building was fairly nondescript other than it was round. The window above the door looked down at them making Gallagher feel like he was being condemned. He shook off the crazy feeling and nodded at Teal'c as he walked toward the building.
"Teal'c," Carter's voice sounded over the radio. "Come in."
"I am here, Colonel," Teal'c replied.
"We're heading out to tour the hospital and some of the homes of the sick and dying. Meet us at the common room in 5 minutes," Carter said.
"Colonel," Gallagher said in his own radio. "We have a situation here. Request permission to follow through on it." Come on, Sam, please, he silently begged.
"What kind of situation, Gallagher," Carter replied.
"It won't take long," Gallagher pleaded wondering if Toran put her up to this.
"What's your situation?" Carter asked again.
Gallagher rolled his eyes and said to Teal'c, "She gets mad when she thinks I am trying to take over, Teal'c. She won't get upset if you talk to her. Just tell her something that won't tip off Toran."
"Colonel Carter," Teal'c said into his radio. "I believe that this is something we should look into. However, I'm sure it can wait," he continued while giving Gallagher a look that told him to have patience.
Gallagher just glared at his old friend and turned to stomp off toward the building where he had to meet Carter.
"Gallagher," Teal'c called after him. Jack just kept on walking not stopping to look back, the worry eating at him as he thought about the dark haired beauty he had held in his arms last night being treated the way she was. He'd kill Toran if Treya was hurt.
The coolness of the building did nothing to cool down his frustration and he was fighting down the urge to slam his fist into the first person he saw, who just happened to be Toran.
"Thank you for joining us," Readon said. "I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience?"
Gallagher just ignored him, still trying to tamp down the anger he felt at being forced to be standing here while Treya was waiting for death, or whatever they had planned for her. Gallagher did not want to even think about what it was they had planned for her.
"Shall we go," Raedon asked. "Our first stop will be the hospital where you will meet some of the worst cases. We'll stop at some homes afterward to visit with more of the sick and then return here for dinner. Please, this way," he said with his hand indicating the way.
"After you, Mr. Gallagher," Toran said with a slick smile. Bastard, Gallagher thought.
"I'm not feeling that well," Gallagher said putting his hand to his stomach. "Colonel Carter, ma'am, may I sit out this tour? It must have been something I ate, or maybe some after effects of that dart," he said. It was worth a try, he thought grimly, knowing deep down it wasn't going to work.
"I think you will be just fine, Gallagher, once we get moving," she said, her eyes showing her disbelief and held a warning in them. "Gentlemen, why don't you all go on ahead while I make sure Gallagher is well enough to go through with this?" she said to the others. "Daniel?"
"Yes, I would like to meet the others in your community," Daniel said as he took Raedon's arm to lead him out the door. "I wonder, would it be possible to examine some of your buildings as we go? I am an archaeologist by trade and old buildings hold a fascination for me."
Of course," simpered Raedon. "I'm sure you will find some very interesting…." Their voices faded as they left the room and Gallagher waited for the Colonel to start in on him.
"Well?" she asked.
"Ma'am?" Gallagher responded, he had thought she was going to start yelling at him.
"What is this situation you plan to sneak off to the minute my back is turned," she said. He couldn't read the look on her face and it was unsettling to realize that he was just a little bit concerned by this.
"Treya has been taken prisoner by Toran and his guards and I wanted to go get her out," straight to the point.
"Who's Treya?" she said still looking at him with that same expression.
"The woman who visited with me last night," Gallagher said. "Her son came and told us that she had been taken and he was afraid they were going to kill her." What was wrong with Carter, he wondered as her face took on a look that told him she was trying to hold back her anger.
"I see," she said.
"You do?" Gallagher asked. "Can we go and try to help her?" he did not like that look on her face.
"Gallagher, I'm sorry, but I think…." she stopped and looked away. "Let's get this tour out of the way and we'll do something for her later." She turned and started to walk toward the door.
"Toran put you up to this?" Gallagher asked, hoping to make her see that he needed to help Treya.
"It was Toran's idea that you and Teal'c join us, yes." She had not turned back to look at him and this worried him.
"Colonel?" he said. "Something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong airman. Let's get this tour over with so that we can go help your friend." With that she walked out the door leaving him standing there. No use trying to figure out women, he told himself with a shake of his head.
The tour was depressing for Gallagher and he was still very worried about Treya. He noticed that Toran was watching him, hopefully worrying about what Gallagher was going to do to him, Jack thought with a grimace. Bash his head in if it were left up to him.
Not yet, Gallagher thought to himself.
The homes they visited were decorated lavishly and Jack knew in his heart that Treya's home was probably in the poor part of town. The rich folks were going to be treated first and then the poor, if they were lucky. Gallagher found himself imagining turning Toran over to Ba'al with a note that Toran was a Goa'uld spy trying to bring Ba'al down.
They finally made it to the common room where another feast had been set up for the guests of honor. Gallagher couldn't sit still, he was desperate to go find Treya.
Carter finally took pity on him and whispered for him to take Teal'c and check out the town to make sure everything was secure and that she and Daniel would meet them in an hour at the temple. They would lay down a plan when she got there.
Gallagher gave her a relieved grin and tried not to run out of the room. He knew Toran was watching him and was probably sending his guards out to keep an eye on them even as he thought this.
He and Teal'c headed in the direction of Treya's home hoping to fool anyone who might be following them. Gallagher knocked on the door and waited, wondering if anyone was going to answer. The door opened and Trant glared at him with contempt. "You promised to help my mother," he said angrily.
"We're going to," Gallagher said as he pushed the kid aside and walked in the house. The interior of the house was a shock to him and Gallagher realized that his first impression of a store was dead on. Except the shelves were stocked with clothing, linen and other items those in the household would use. There were no cupboards, just shelves all up and down three of the walls, with a couch and a table to eat on near the window gracing the fourth wall. The only light in the room came from the window and since the day was almost over, the interior of the building was dim.
Gallagher turned back to Trant and noticed a little girl staring at him from a door that led to a different part of the house. Her mother's green eyes stared at him and he felt his heart contract. This was one of the dying children Treya wanted him to save. He smiled at her and she continued to stare at him, her eyes never leaving his.
"My name is Jack," he said, reaching out to her. The child turned and ran into the other room and Gallagher was left with an empty spot in his heart. He couldn't let that little girl die, he couldn't.
"That's Martea," Trant said. "Why haven't you helped my mother yet," he accused, his eyes shining with the tears he was not going to let fall.
"Something came up, but we are here now," Jack soothed. "Is there a way to the temple where no one will see us?"
"You could go through the alleys," Trant said with a thoughtful frown. "But the rebels sometimes hide out there at night and you might not make it."
"Just tell us the way and we will chance it," Gallagher said. "My friend and I can take care of ourselves."
Trant gave them the directions and Gallagher told him to stay where he was to take care of his sisters. Trant tried to object, but Gallagher was insistent and the two men left through the back door.
They had no trouble on their way there and this worried Gallagher for some reason. He wondered if the rebels knew what his mission was and left him alone to get at it. The temple rose up at him soon enough and Gallagher stopped behind Teal'c to determine the next move.
They decided to go check on Treya while they waited for Carter and Daniel to show up and Gallagher moved stealthily toward the lockhouse, keeping his eyes opened and looking in all directions in case something decided to ruin his plans. He reached the hole in the fence that Trant had told him about and he laid down on his stomach to crawl through. Reaching the other side, he crouched down with his gun ready listening for anything that would tell him he was in trouble.
He moved toward the lockhouse as slowly and silently as he could and pressed his back into the wall when he reached it. He saw a window to his left and went over to look into it. The room was empty, but he felt a chill move down his spine as he saw the chains hanging from the wall.
He continued to move along the building until he came to the next window and he swore when he saw Treya manacled to the wall with chains that held her hands over her head. She looked up at the sound he'd made and he saw her eyes widen in recognition. In the dim light, he could see the bruises on her face and on her arms where the sleeves drooped down. His eyes moved over the room noting where the door was, that there were no other windows and that there was nobody else in there with her.
He looked at her once more, telling her with his eyes that he will get her out of this. He saw her nod and he moved away to head back to the hole in the fence, moving the same way he did when he came in.
He didn't make it this time, however. He was almost there when he felt a prick of pain in his arm and he look down to see a dart sticking out of it. No, his mind screamed. No! He dropped down and dragged himself closer to the fence hoping to make it before he got caught. "Teal'c!" he said into his radio. "I'm down."
"Gallagher!" he heard Teal'c say through the radio, but Gallagher just laid there, his gun aimed at the man standing over him grinning like a madman.
"Back off, asshole," Gallagher snarled at the man. His vision was blurring and Gallagher knew he wouldn't hold out much longer. He pulled the trigger as the darkness over took him and he heard the man laugh as the bullet missed.