A/N: FINALLY, the mental block is gone! You have no idea how hard this chapter was to write – I almost gave up on the entire story.
Chapter 9 – Interlude
"How can you just turn Buffy over like that?" Faith screamed at Jack, ignoring the various guns.
"Indeed, it does not seem to be in character, O'Neill," Teal'c intoned.
"And who the hell are you guys?" Faith said, turning on the three members of SG1 in frustration.
"We're friends of Jack," Daniel replied, trying to calm the girl.
"And does anyone want to explain who Jack is?" Xander interrupted, eyeing the colonel suspiciously. The Pack growled at the boy, not liking his tone. Xander ignored them and continued.
"We just saw a friend of ours be taken off by some doctor to who knows where! I think we deserve some answers."
"Then you should ask Buffy's mother," DKG shouted angrily.
The Pack mumbled their agreement but quieted under Jack's stare. He understood their protectiveness towards Buffy, but to him not everyone outside the Pack was an enemy.
When Colonel O'Neill had accepted the Full Moon assignment, he hadn't known the specifics of the project; only that he would be training young recruits to be assassins.
After his debriefing, Jack thought the whole project would be a joke. That is, until he saw the results. Though Jack wasn't in charge of training the recruits –rather the trainers themselves – he had watched the first subject evolve.
They went from confused, and uncontrollable into disciplined soldiers. But Jack had begun to have doubts, even before the seven deaths. It wasn't the fact that the teenagers were exhibiting wolf-like behaviour or that they were being trained to kill; it was the fact that no matter what they were imprinted with they would still be human.
Humans kill to torture and terrorize while wolves kill to eat and defend.
And they wouldn't be sent on missions to defend.
So when Jack received his own recruits, he took advantage of the opportunity. Training them to kill only when necessarily, quickly as possible, and only when it serves a purpose. But Dr. Hathaway wasn't satisfied with his training, even though his recruits were smarter, faster, and deadlier than any of the others -- except they weren't willing to torture.
They themselves were tortured – so they could better understand their victim's terror. And like with everything else, he personally trained them.
Even though Jack hadn't been 'trained', it didn't mean he had escaped unscathed.
Jack shook himself free from the memories. For the most part the Pack acted with the practicality of wolves. But whatever humanity was left within them wouldn't let Dr. Hathaway die easily; and he wondered how much of that humanity would be left afterwards.
"I met Buffy in Los Angeles a few years ago…" he began before Willow interjected.
"In a mental institute"
Jack nodded slightly; Buffy had said the girl was good.
"But that's impossible!" Carter exclaimed, "Your records state that you were in Iraq during that time."
"Jack O'Neill might have been in Iraq – but Jack O'Connor was working as the head orderly at the Los Angeles High Security Mental Clinic," Willow explained, eyeing Jack defiantly, "where he brainwashed Buffy!"
That set the Pack off laughing.
"Jack, the evil genius!" Lambert joked.
"Maybe as an idiot savant," Jammie added, clutching at her side.
"Look, I don't know anything about Jack working as an …orderly but I'm sure he hasn't brainwashed anyone," Daniel interceded.
"There, space monkey believes me, and he's trustworthy. He's got that whole that whole boy-next-door puppy dog thing going for him," Jack announced.
"I do not."
"Do too."
"Not."
"Too."
"Not."
"T…" "Colonel!"
"Carter?" who just sighed in frustration.
"However amusing this banter is, it does not help us retrieve Buffy," Giles said, rubbing his temples. Jack waved the comment aside.
"Oh, don't worry about that, Buffy will be back," checking his watch, "in a few minutes."
Those at the table stared at Jack in astonishment.
"I didn't tell you guys? Must have slipped my mind with all the yelling," Jack said nonchalantly.
"It must be the age catching up with you," Buffy gibed, walking into the library. "What did you tell them?"
"Only that we met in a mental hospital, as your hacker friend pointed out. Are we still under surveillance?"
"Nope, they're too busy taking care of the bodies."
"Bodies? What bodies?" Giles asked suspiciously.
"Oh, the orderlies, guards…Snyder."
"You killed Snyder?" Willow squeaked, as the Scoobies looked at Buffy in horror. The slayer just shrugged, and turned her attention back to Jack.
"The Sixth Pack is taking Dr. Hathaway to their headquarters as their…present and the rest are hiding just in case." Buffy gestured towards the group, "What do you think we should tell them?"
"Well, your best friends think I've brainwashed you, and I'm my team knows that my records have been falsified – but they don't know anything right now that could get them killed."
"Not killed is good, I like that part," Daniel said emphatically. Teal'c raised his eyebrow and Jackson mouthed 'what?'
"I suggest you kiddies go home," Jack said to his teammates.
"We will not leave you while you are in danger, O'Neill," Teal'c replied.
"Besides, sir, what are we going to tell Hammond?" Carter asked.
"Oh, I'm sure someone else is going to do that for you, Major," Jack called out as he and the Pack left.
******************************************
General Hammond's phone rang.
"Yes? Oh, Hello, sir. What can I do for you today, Mr. President?"
"Yes, sir, a small squad would be able to infiltrate a Goa'uld stronghold, but even if they managed to complete their mission it would be suicide."
"The Pack? I don't believe I've ever heard of a military group codenamed that. Whom do they serve under?"
"General Craig? Yes, sir, I have heard of him. He's a strong military strategist, but I still don't believe that any military group, no matter how well trained, could do what he's suggesting."
"Yes, sir, I understand. When can I expect their arrival?"
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir. We'll be prepared."
The general hanged up the phone and sighed heavily. He picked it up again and punched a few numbers.
"Sergeant, has there been any contact with SG1? All right, get a hold of them as soon as possible and tell them to get back here."
Hammond leaned back in his chair, thinking.
General Craig was also the one in charge of the Full Moon project. What are his plans for the SGC and Colonel O'Neill?
**************************************
Joyce sat on her couch thinking. It had been almost two days since she had last heard from Buffy; Giles hadn't called her either. For the second time, Buffy had run away from her; this time Joyce if she would one day open the door to find her daughter standing there.
The doorbell rang and she launched herself from the couch. In the doorway stood her daughter's friend and Watcher.
"Joyce, I believe we need to have a talk."
TBC
Man, am I glad that's done. The story should pick up from now on – I hope.