Ten: A Day in the Life of a Hacker

- - - - - Elizabeth's POV - - - - -

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I hate my life. Its official now. The fates are definitely out to get me. I have managed to live my life in the presence of aristocrats and keep my dignity. I have survived a Goa'uld onslaught. I have helped save Stargate Command from an invading enemy - - okay, that was mostly SG-1, but they wouldn't have been able to do it without me. I don't think. That; however, is beside the point. I have done many things, and managed to get out of all kinds of situations.

Until now.

"You sons-a-bitches, you let me go!" I screamed, kicking at the wall with my feet. My captors had threw me in a little room with my hands and feet bound. They were the epitome of cliché. Cliché makes me sad. These people made me even more sad. I hadn't been grabbed by our normal enemy, the Goa'uld, or even the NID. Who kidnapped me?

A bunch of G-thug wanna-be gangster hoodlums.

Oy.

This was embarrassing. How could I let myself get caught by them? I'm a fragging professional! The bad thing about everything is that Lynn and all my friends thought I was on some mission with SG-1, but the mission had been canceled due to some weird phenomenon happening on the planet. Sam explained it, but I was too busy playing tic-tac-toe with O'Neill. Therefore they think I'm at home with my friends, and I don't think I would be called in for a while. They told me to take a few days off. I don't think I have a few days.

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- - - - - Elizabeth's POV - - - - -

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I decided to do some Christmas shopping. We had a few weeks left, but I had just gotten a fresh check from the SGC so I thought what the hell. I had to buy for Lynn, Daniel, and Jack. I had gotten Sam's a few weeks before. It was this cute little globe-like clock that displayed the time in mathematical equations. Well, I thought it was cute. Teal'c was surprisingly easy to buy for. I dropped by my favorite bookstore and grabbed up a few volumes of stuff I thought he'd like. It was annoying how the hardest people to buy for were the ones most closest to me.

I didn't find much, and frankly what I did find were things I wanted for myself (damn, can't have!) and I was getting frustrated so I left. The parking lot was deserted for the most part. It was dark and near closing time. I guess only I was dumb enough to be out shopping that late. Dumb, I say, for what happened next. You see, when you are all alone in the dark, and not paying any attention to your surroundings, it is very easy for bad things to happen.

I didn't see the quite obviously suspicious white van sitting suspiciously close to my jeep. You'd think I would have, I mean, hello, I'm the most paranoid person ever. I think I'm even more paranoid than Colonel O'Neill, which is saying a whole hell of a lot. Don't you think? Anyway, as I was shoving my measly purchases into my vehicle the van threw itself in drive and hauled ass over to my position. I was too shocked to do anything until after the doors had been thrown open and someone had grabbed me. By then it was too late.

…and someone stuck a friggin needle in my neck. When I find out which one did it their ass is mine!

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Lynn's House

Lynn was half-asleep when her bed-side phone began to ring. She groggily rolled over and pulled it over to her ear, jamming her head back into the pillow. "Hello..?" Who the heck would be calling her this late? It couldn't be Kiefer. He was visiting his Dad in New York. The voice that answered surprised her.

"Lynn? Is that you?"

It was Samantha Carter. "Uh, yeah." Lynn said, suddenly sitting up. Any of the weariness that had been in her had vanished. "I thought you guys were supposed to be on a mission."

"We were, but it was canceled. There was a major upset on the planet's surface due to solar interference. We have to wait. Liz left her bag here, and I called to tell her, but her mother said that she was probably over at your house because she hadn't been home since yesterday. Can I speak to her?"

This worried Lynn. It was very unlike Liz to not return home, no matter how much she hated her mother. "I'd love to help you out, Sam, but I haven't heard from Liz since yesterday morning when she called me and canceled a get-together we were supposed to have this weekend due to the mission. She promised she would contact me if she got back early."

"That's odd."

"I know. Have you checked everywhere else. Maybe Daniel's? You know she likes to hang out with him sometimes. And her cell phone?"

"Her cell phone says out of service. And Daniel's? This late?" Sam asked. "I don't believe so."

"True. Liz loves Daniel, but she wouldn't wear out her welcome. She would have been long gone by now. What should we do?"

"Maybe she's out late. Liz does that sometimes, right?"

"Yes." Lynn said slowly. "Sometimes she does. And I think she said she had some shopping to do."

"Maybe that's it. If you don't hear from her by tomorrow call me back. Okay?"

"Definitely." Lynn agreed. If they didn't hear from her soon that would mean something was really bad wrong. Liz wasn't the type to just run off without saying a word. She did lots of dumb things, but she wasn't that stupid.

"And tell her I have her things if she thinks she's lost them. You do have my number?"

"Oh, yeah, I believe so, but I know I have Daniel's, so if I can't find it I'll just call him and get it. I will pass your message off to Liz. I hope she's all right."

"Me, too." Sam said, and hung up. Lynn waited a moment to follow suit, her mind spinning. She had a really bad feeling. She didn't believe Liz was just out running around. She liked to be at home, or at least at someone's home. She didn't usually cut herself off. And her cell phone; it always worked. Liz was too paranoid to let it stop…

Liz, you better be okay…but if you're not…

If you're not then I just guess we'll have to send in the cavalry.

Lynn didn't know just how right she was…

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- - - - - Elizabeth's POV - - - - -

The Next Day - - Morning

I woke to the sounds of loud voices and bad music. (You know the kind people bounce cars to?) I heard something about a 40 and 'hittin' that.' It was the kind of crap Simon listened to while he was at home just to he could blast it loud enough to bother me. (A/N: No offense meant by this comment if you like that sort of thing. It's just fiction) I groaned and forced myself up to a sitting position against the wall.

As soon as I was comfortable I took in my surroundings. I hadn't really been able to see anything the night before when they brought me in due to the darkness, but now I could plainly see that I was in a windowless room. Probably some kind of storage. We had big storage rooms like this at the SGC, except there we actually had stuff in them. That still didn't answer my biggest questions. Where was I? Where had these uncivilized baboons taken me? What did they want with me?

As if on cue the door to my holding cell - - well, what else was I supposed to call it, the presidential suite? - - banged open and one of the jerks from the night before came prancing in. "Mornin, sweetheart." He said mockingly, "hope you slept well."

"Actually the mattress was a little hard, but--"

"Shut up!" He snapped, glaring at me. Oh, I know this game. He can say anything he wants, but I can't say a damned word.

"Well, you asked." I don't play that game.

"It would be smart of you to keep your lips zipped."

I raised an eyebrow. He was trying to sound intelligent, but the rhythm of his voice and usage of words made it painfully obvious he was just a moron. Oh please, don't let them all be this way…

He unceremoniously yanked me to my feet and dragged me into another room. It was huge. Then it hit me. We were in a fucking warehouse. I knew these guys were cliché, but damn. You couldn't get any worse than the hostage in the warehouse scenario. Boy, I couldn't wait to tell O'Neill about all this stupid business… If I got out of here that is.

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Stargate Command

When Elizabeth didn't check in with anyone they knew something was wrong. Lynn called Sam just as she had said she would and the two decided to check around places for her. They didn't have to look far to find what they needed. They dropped by the mall and immediately saw something out of place. It was Elizabeth's car. The cops were already there. Apparently one of the employees on their way to work had found the vehicle. One of the doors were open and the keys were in it, but the car wasn't on.

Sam informed the officer in charge that she knew the girl who owned it. After some discussion it was concluded that they (as in the SGC) would continue the investigation. The police were a little suspicious. Who wouldn't be? What did the disappearance of a nineteen year old have to do with the air force anyway? However, there were no arguments, and the two of them took what they had found back to the others.

Jack was the first to comment. "Damn. You mean Dominic's disappeared?"

"It looks that way." Sam said worriedly. "And it also looks like she was forcibly taken."

"Kidnapped? But why would anyone kidnap Elizabeth?" Daniel asked, pushing his glasses up. It didn't make sense. Then again, a lot that happened to Elizabeth didn't make sense.

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- - - - - Elizabeth's POV - - - - -

Meanwhile

I was shoved in front of a computer. Usually I found comfort in working with computers, but I could feel nothing but dread as the main goon arrived. He tossed off his hat and it landed squarely on a peg a few yards away. "I hope you don't expect a standing ovation for that little performance." I said sarcastically, shrugging off the hand that was clamped tightly on my shoulder. I didn't like being crowded.

The man just laughed, and he was a man. He wasn't a little boy wanna-be like my kidnappers. This man meant business. "Why, pleased to meet you, too, Miss Dominic. I have heard much in the way of your work. I hear you are now working for the Air Force."

"Kinda, but not really. However. That's classified. You know how that goes." I said, professionally folded my hands on the table in front of me as if this was just another briefing at the SGC. I tried to talk to him like I would talk to Hammond or O'Neill. With no fear and no problems, but there was a problem, a big one.

"Leave us." The Man ordered the lackeys. They looked like they were going to argue, but he shot them a harsh, if-looks-could-kill-they'd-be-in-rigor-mortis-already gaze. They quickly turned and left. When they were gone he turned back to me. "I would advise you cut the stage theatrics with me, Elizabeth." He said, then began flipping through a notebook. "I know exactly who you are. Graduated High School just last year. Started college fall semester. In your off-time you play little hacker girl. You see, you may act like its just for fun, but I think we both are aware that hacking is your gift, your calling. You are more than just a quasi-interest type of girl. You could hack into the president's files if you wanted and not be detected. You're that good."

I didn't say a word. It was all true.

"In fact, you're so good that I cannot believe you would allow yourself to be caught by a measly little base security system. There's more to this, am I right?" More silence. "You orchestrated the whole thing. You didn't know how it would play out, but you knew it would play, didn't you?" He accused. "You meant to become involved with them, and my, we have done a nice job haven't we."

"I only wanted to know what they were doing." I defended myself.

"Yes, that's right, but something happened that you didn't count on didn't it?"

I said nothing, but looked away.

"You got emotionally involved. They hired you."

"How do you know all of this about me?" I demanded.

He only smiled. "I have my ways. I also know your best friend's name is Lynn. Your favorite brother is Benjamin. You also have a love interest, but he currently resides on another planet, am I correct on this?"

My eyes widened. Who the hell was this guy? My dark fucking shadow. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're talking about." I sat back coolly, finding my center again. I couldn't let this guy know he was getting to me. I knew he would never believe my innocent act. He knew too much about me to buy that.

"Pretend all you like Elizabeth, but its time for your little charade to be over. You will help me, or your dark little secret will be revealed. Your new friends, the ones you have come so much to admire… they'll turn their backs and you'll be alone. Alone, again, Elizabeth. You don't want to go back to that, now do you?"

"I'll never help the likes of you." I snapped.

"Oh, I think you will…"

to be continued...

I didn't mean to get so involved in Liz's past - - or even make a past of the sort out Mystery Man is implying. If you're confused, don't worry, I am, too. I'll try to make her dirty deed (which isn't as bad as it seems) quite clear in the conclusion of this chapter.

I'm making a habit of cutting chapters in half, aren't I? I need to stop that and just complete them and post them fully, but hey, I haven't update this for a while, so here it is. I'll try to have the next part up as soon as I can. Well. Gotta scram. Watching Stargate (big surprise, huh?) It's "Meridian." I'm off to cry now…

R&R (why do I even type this anymore...)