DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the goa'uld and all other characters that have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of the people who made them up. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Manifestations

Part four

As he drove towards the hospital, Jack was glad that he had planned for the possibility of being tailed. Frequent glances in the mirror revealed two cars playing hopscotch with each other, but at all times one of them was a couple of spaces behind him. Grinning, he decided to have a bit of fun with them.

Taking a sharp left into a side street, he raced to the end and then took a right and continued to alternate with left and right turns until he had managed to lose both cars. He then pulled back on to the main route and followed the signs to the hospital where he was greeted with the sight of both cars racing up behind him, slowing right down as soon as they saw him turning in. Grinning widely, he waved at them before sliding into a parking space, hoping this would have put them off the scent.

XOXOXOX

When SG1 plus Janet and Cassie came out of the hospital entrance half an hour later only one of the cars remained, apparently satisfied that Jack had gone where he said he was going. Jack didn't relax his guard however, being fully aware that a second, third or even more cars could be made available in response to a single call from the one car left behind.

Ignoring the car they had arrived in, leaving it for someone from the base to collect later, they climbed into two waiting cabs which promptly raced away from the hospital, the car tailing them following close behind, figuring that as they knew they were being followed there was no point in hiding any more.

After five minutes, one cab took a different turning and while their tail continued after the first cab, he hastily spoke into his cell phone to call for backup. In due course, the first cab pulled into Nellis and Jack, Sam and Cassie got out, heading straight towards an aircraft waiting to take them back to Peterson air base and the SGC. They were intercepted by an irate Maybourne who had been alerted by constant updates as to the progress of Colonel O'Neill and the others.

'Jack,' Maybourne greeted them, a false smile plastered on his face. 'Nice to see you again so soon. Where are the others?' He looked around, hoping to see the second taxi pulling up.

'Not here.' Jack replied abruptly, not slowing down at all.

'How's Dr Jackson?' He tried another avenue of enquiry. 'I do hope he's not too ill?'

Jack resisted the urge to hit Maybourne, giving him a tight smile as he responded without slowing down. 'He's going to be just fine. Dr Fraiser didn't want to risk aggravating his allergies so she's driving back to the base with Daniel and Teal'c.'

'That will take hours - wouldn't it be better if you stayed here until Dr Jackson is fit to travel with you?'

'I don't think so.' Jack stopped abruptly and turned to face Maybourne. 'Let me make myself clear. We have had enough of your interfering to last a lifetime. Unfortunately I don't think we'll be lucky enough to get away with never seeing you again, but in the meantime, why don't you just crawl back under whichever stone you came from and leave us alone. I don't think any of us wants to stay here longer than we have to, and when I gave Daniel the option of staying here a while longer he was extremely clear that he would rather endure a fifteen hour drive than stick around you any longer than he had to.' Saying nothing further, Jack ushered Sam and Cassie ahead of himself into the plane and ten minutes later they left.

Maybourne, ignoring Jack's words, smiled softly to himself as he realised Jack had given himself away. In order to get back to Cheyenne Mountain in fifteen hours there was only one route the others could have taken. His men had not been able to find the other cab as yet, and he assumed they weren't planning on going all the way to Colorado in a cab and would therefore be switching cars at some point, but now he would be able to send his own cars in the right direction and sooner or later they would find them and make sure there wasn't anything untoward going on.

He headed back toward his waiting car, his frustration at the delay in getting back into the lab lessened slightly. He wasn't entirely convinced that Sergeant Brown and Alysha had died in the lab, and if they had somehow escaped then he was certain SG1 had something to do with it. He knew that the three on the plane were unaccompanied by any additions to the party, that left Dr Jackson, Teal'c and Dr Fraiser - and he had no intention of letting the matter drop until he was satisfied that they too were by themselves.

XOXOXOX

'It should be around here someplace,' Daniel was studying the map Teal'c had handed to him as soon as they had got into their hire car. 'Yup, that's it just there on the right.'

Janet, carefully keeping an eye on the deserted road behind her, pulled into the motel as directed by Daniel. Leaving the other two in the car, Janet approached the desk clerk, trying to avoid grimacing as she spoke to him.

'I'm looking for Lisa Simpson, can you let her know I'm here please - Patty Bouvier.' Janet hoped that the clerk wasn't a Simpsons fan as that would give them away in a moment, but the elderly woman behind the desk merely picked up the phone and spoke in a bored voice before turning back to Janet.

'Number 73, dear. Around the corner and right at the end. She's waiting for you.'

Glad that was over, and cursing Colonel O'Neill under her breath, she got back in the car and headed in the direction indicated.

'What's wrong?' Daniel looked at Janet as she continued muttering to herself.

'Whose idea was it to leave the names to Colonel O'Neill?' Janet snapped. 'You should have known he would have gone for something stupid - Lisa Simpson and Patty Bouvier?'

'There wasn't exactly a lot of time, and anyway, motel clerks are used to hearing made up names, must make a change from Mr and Mrs John Smith.'

'I guess. Anyway, here we are.'

Daniel knocked on the door, then again, then repeated the same sequence of knocks for a third time. The door was cautiously opened, the chain providing some level of protection and at last was opened when the person inside saw Teal'c.

'Sergeant Brown, Alysha, I am pleased to see you are both well.' Teal'c bowed gravely as he acknowledged the presence of the two people in the motel room. Alysha was peering out from behind the bathroom door, cautiously emerging when she saw a face she recognised but scooting behind Sandra when she also saw two unfamiliar faces.

'This is Dr Fraiser and Daniel Jackson,' Teal'c performed the introductions. 'They are friends and will not harm you. Colonel O'Neill has made arrangements for your safe transport to Cheyenne Mountain where we can provide you with further assistance.'

'Thanks,' Sandra said nervously. 'What happens now?'

'Well, we picked you up some clothes, we figured you'd blend in more wearing something other than military fatigues, then we head for McCarran airport and get a flight to Denver, Colonel O'Neill is arranging for someone to pick us up at the other end.' Daniel smiled as he finished speaking and Sandra accepted the bag handed to her, leading Alysha into the bathroom to change.

While the other two were changing, Daniel handed out sandwiches and drinks, passing some to Sandra and Alysha when they emerged from the bathroom after a surprisingly short time. Alysha was still clinging to Sandra's arm but her eyes lit up as they fell on the food, snatching her sandwich and bolting it before anyone could take it away from her. She sniffed suspiciously at the bottle of juice but then drained that in one go, this all before Sandra had barely unwrapped her own sandwich. Now that her initial needs were satisfied, Alysha was content to observe what was going on.

It had all been so confusing, and although Sandra had told her that these people were helping them and they didn't feel bad like those others had, she was still overwhelmed by all that had happened and this world seemed so strange compared to her own home.

'Sergeant Brown,' Daniel spoke first.

'Sandra,' she interrupted. 'Please call me Sandra - it's what Alysha is used to hearing and may make her feel more comfortable around you.'

'Ok, Sandra,' Daniel tried again. 'Are you sure you want to go along with us? It's not too late to salvage your position at the base.'

'I don't think I want to go back there.' Sandra frowned as she recalled some of her experiences there. 'It's not the best place for someone to be posted if they have scruples. I'd only been there a couple of months and I don't really know what goes on but I do know that odd things have been happening and people behave very strangely. I'll resign if I have to but I'm not going back there.'

'Good,' Daniel smiled at her. 'In that case, I guess we better get going. They're going to find out sooner or later that you two weren't in that fire and we want to be in the safety of Cheyenne Mountain before that happens.'