Part 22

They were here. I let out a breath and closed my eyes with relief. Our nightmare was almost over. All we had to do was to wait for them to move in.

Murphy started to scan the building for anything out of the ordinary. She focused on the north side of the building and was looking at the window.

"Cassie, come closer to me. Major Carter, cover me from the other side and tell me if anyone is coming. I have to signal to them our situation. We don't have much time, and if they're going to storm the building, they're going to have to come in fast and accurate.

There's too many targets here, and the risk of you or Cassie getting hit by the cross fire is high."

Cassie came closer and as I kept an eye on the guards, Russell and Kehr.

It had only been a few minutes, but I wanted to see what information Murphy was giving her team and what their next move would be. I tried to turn around, but Murphy whispered she needed more time. As I looked around, I noticed we were still alone except for the one guard who was too busy listening to Russell complain to Kehr to really notice us.

At least we were still in Colorado Springs. That's how Murphy's team had found us so quickly. I started to pray that we would get out of this safely, but when people were in desperate situations, things always went from bad to worse. I waited for Murphy to say something, but ended up asking if she had relayed all her information since it looked like Kehr and his group were ready to leave, with us in tow.

Murphy suddenly whispered. "Everyone is here. They've taken care of the guards out on the hills and the road. Most are outside the main door preparing to leave. It's going to get really ugly. We've got to be prepared to run at anytime."

I asked what she meant by everyone. She smiled and said the first thing she had spotted had been one of her team members through one of the outside windows. He had signaled her to look around for the others. As she started to scan the room, he signaled her to let him know how many guards were inside. He also asked if anyone else was injured. They obviously could see that Murphy had been hurt. She said that her team had to convince SG-1 to hold their ground. They obviously feared that I was in the same shape as Murphy. She gave him the layout of the building and informed them that the roof that had sky lighting that would give them a big advantage.

"I told them to hurry, that they were preparing move soon. I've trained my team well. We've just got to hold on until they set their plan in motion to get us out of here."

I asked Murphy if I had heard her right. Were SG-1 and SG-3 here? She nodded yes and said it was Ferretti and Colonel O'Neill who had to be convinced to hold their ground.

Jack was here.

That's all that kept going through my head. I tried not to smile, but failed. I wanted to go to him right then and there. I wanted him to hold me and make me feel whole and safe again. He had found us and was here to rescue us. I found myself wondering if he had heard my phone call. Then I winced at what he must have felt hearing me with Russell at my house when he thought I was safe and sound at his home. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. He was not going to be very happy with me for disobeying a direct order by leaving and getting caught by Russell and Kehr.

I tried to scan the room to see if I could find him, but was stopped by Murphy. She grabbed my hand and nodded no, saying we couldn't tip them off that they were here and we need the element of surprise for this to work.

Cassie commented that more men had come in from outside and one had gone to speak to Russell and Kehr. Murphy said that we had to have a plan on what to do when her team and the guys made there move. She said that she would cause a distraction. And when the time came, Cassie and I should try to run for the back door. I scanned the room and spotted the door by some of the equipment that was packed away. I told her that I didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't feel comfortable leaving her behind since she was injured. She said it was the only way to guarantee that Cassie would get out of there safely.

"Remember Major, I made a promise to you and everyone else that I would keep Cassie safe and I don't break my promises. Besides, my team's here and they're not going to let anything happen to me. I'm as good as home."

"I don't know, Murphy. It's risky leaving you vulnerable. We don't even know how many men are around the perimeter. If they find out that they're surrounded, things are gonna get bad. We should try to get out together."

"No Major. You two get out of here. Cassie still has the transponder. All you have to do is run and keep running. They'll find you with that. Please don't be a hero. Your job is to get Cassie safely out of here."

I wasn't happy, but I knew if we tried to get out together it could prove disastrous. I was still feeling the effects of whatever Kehr had injected me with and asked Cassie how she was feeling. She said it wasn't as bad as when he initially injected her, but she was still feeling woozy.

Cassie started to ask her a question when Murphy held a finger to her lips. We looked to see what she was staring at. Kehr and Russell were off to the one side speaking in hush tones. She was concentrating on their lips. She stopped when they turned around to look at us. I asked if she knew how to read lips. She said yes, that all of her team was required to learn that skill for situations like this. She then said that we didn't want to know what they had planned for us.

She stopped and closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. I could see it was getting harder for her to breath and asked her to tell me how hurt she really was.

She looked up. " I have a couple of broken ribs, and my wrists are killing me. I'm starting to get dizzy whenever I move to fast. I think one of my lungs is either punctured or collapsed and then there's my bullet wound."

She then said she needed to lay down, that the room was beginning to spin again and she needed to save her strength.

There was no way I was going to leave Murphy to fend for herself. I would get Cassie out of the building and headed towards the mountains and come back to get Murphy. I then asked her what Kehr and Russell had in store for us.

She explained that she had read Kehr's lips and that the drug that they had injected into Cassie and I should have knocked us out. Since we were still conscious, it was safe to assume the naquada in Cassie's blood and the protein marker in mine was having an effect on how much drug needed to be used. Kehr apparently had found this fact
fascinating. He wanted to start his research to find out how naquada and a Goa'uld protein marker could be use in our own soldiers immune systems if they were ever captured by the enemy. Since they didn't have any handy, they were going to try and take it from my blood, using me as a lab rat.

She also said that they were going to chain our hands and feet, and that we would each be injected with a more powerful drug.

"I don't have anything like that in my system so it's going to be lights out for me as soon as I received it. Major, we can't let them inject any of us. It will only hinder our escape."

I agreed with her. We had to give the guys more time if we were to be rescued.

We heard Russell tell the guards to check on us to see if we were ready to leave. Reinforcements were on they way, as well as our transportation. He wanted to leave as soon as it was here.

We couldn't leave. Not yet when we were so close to being rescued. Murphy kept scanning the building to see if she saw any sign of her team. She looked up the skylights and asked me to come closer. She needed to send a message to her team of the developments and to see what they're plan was. Cassie and I gave her cover and she started to send out hand signals. Murphy let out a groan and indicated things were going to get worse. Her team had spotted three Hummers on their way up the mountain and they didn't know if they were friend or foe.

"I let them know they're foe. That's our transportation. I told them they have to act fast. Kehr and his men were getting ready to tie us up and drug us. By that time the Hummers would be here. He said he understood that they were waiting for reinforcements themselves, and that we needed to give them more time."

The guards were done with packing up all the equipment, and Russell and Kehr were on they're way over to us. Murphy said to play along and to go with whatever she did.

"We've got to give them more time to get reinforcements here."

She closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious. Cassie had Murphy's head on her lap and was using the cloth to wipe away the blood from the cuts to her face.

Russell came down to our level and nudged Murphy on the head. "I thought she was conscious? It doesn't matter. We'll be leaving as soon as our ride gets here. I'm going to ask nicely that you ladies cooperate. I don't want any trouble, but if I have to use this I
will."

Russell showed us the Gou'ld pain stick and started to wave the other guards over and instructed them to tie our hands.

I had to think of something but nothing came to mind. Cassie let out a gasp. "Sam, I don't think she's breathing".

I looked down at Murphy and then to Cassie. She was quick. I pretended to check for Murphy's pulse and put my head to her chest.

"Murphy! Come on, you've got to breath! Cassie, help me start CPR," I yelled loudly, hoping that her team had heard me.

Cassie began to get hysterical, yelling at the guards to help me, that if Murphy died, then her death would be all their fault.

Kehr cursed and pointed at Russell, telling him if she died, then he would be held responsible for not obtaining the report that Kinsey wanted. Russell yelled back that she was fine. He then decided to give her a shock with the pain stick.

One of the guards tried to move Cassie out of the way, but she refused to let Murphy's hand go. I was performing CPR on Murphy while Russell and Kehr were pointing fingers at each other. I put my ear to her lips and heard her whisper to scan the room and to see if I could spot anyone trying to signal us.

I continued to pump her chest and scan the room. What I saw was the most wonderful sight.

It was Jack, signaling that they were about to come in and he motioned at the skylights. They were going to come through the skylights and front doors with flash grenades. I nodded, indicating I understood.

I put my ear to Murphy's mouth and heard her ask if I had been contacted. I whispered back yes and to get ready to move. Cassie had heard me and nodded. She began to scream hysterically pointing her finger at both Kehr and Russell, saying that they had killed her.

Kehr and Russell were about to come to blows when Russell comprehended what Cassie had just said.

"She can't be dead! Get that brat away from her. I'll bring her back. She isn't going to screw up my plans," Russell yelled.

One of the guards tried to pull Cassie up from the ground. Another came down and started the compressions on Murphy's chest. Cassie finally let go of Murphy and was being held by the guard.

I looked around and saw my chance at grabbing one of the guard's weapons. I waited and Murphy finally started to gasp for breath. The guard stopped and Russell crouched down close to her.

Russell started to smile and yelled to Kehr that they had revived her.

"Thought you got away didn't you Murphy? But I'm going to be the one who gets to kill you."

Murphy opened her eyes and looked up at the skylights. Then she looked at me and nodded.

Everything happened in slow motion after that. Flash grenades where thrown into all the windows as Murphy suddenly yelled at Cassie and I to get down. I grabbed for the guard's gun and surprised him with an uppercut punch to the face. Cassie used her training well. She stomped on the guard that held her foot and then threw her head back
to hit him on the nose with her head. Howling in pain, he let her go.

Three men suddenly repelled through the skylights. Glass was falling everywhere. Shouts could be heard from Kehr to shoot them. I looked around for Cassie and found she had crawled over to Murphy. She motioned me to come over to them.

"Major, you've got to move now. Get her out of here." She had taken one of the guards down and now had his gun. Without flinching, she moved me to the side and shot the guard that was coming upon us. He fell forward right into Cassie. I pushed him away, knowing that Murphy had killed the man. Murphy said she'd provide cover for us.

Cassie was in shock, but I took her hand and started to pull her towards the back door. Murphy moved behind a box and started providing cover for us. We turned around as we got to the door to see Russell coming up behind Murphy. Cassie scream at Murphy to watch out. She moved in the nick of time as a bullet ricocheted off the box.

We could see the fire fight between our captors and our rescuers. I tried to find Jack but couldn't. I tried to pull Cassie through the door, but she resisted.

"Sam, we can't leave her there. She's hurt and she could die. I can't live with her death. If she dies, it's because of me."

I told her to remember what Murphy had said, that I was to get her to safety. I reassured her that she would be okay. As I pulled her towards the outside, I heard my name.

"Samantha, where do you think you're going?"

It was Kehr. I pushed Cassie down as I dodged a bullet from his gun. I told Cassie to run and we started to go through the forest. We had to get away; he would not stop until he had us back in chains.

I could here him yelling from behind us. He had two guards with him and they were right on our tails. Cassie slipped and fell, and as I pulled her up, I told her to keep running. They weren't far behind.

It seemed like we had run forever, and we didn't hear any one following us. Cassie begged me to stop. She needed to catch her breath, and we had not heard Kehr or the other guards for sometime. I turned around and could not see any movement. I motioned for Cassie to go behind the boulder we had stopped by. I proceeded to get on top of it to see if I could locate them. I didn't see any movement. I pulled the gun out of my pocket and started to get down when I felt a sharp sting on my back by my shoulder.

I reached behind me and pulled out a dart. It looked exactly like the one that had been shot at Cassie at Jack's house. I started to feel dizzy and lightheaded. I staggered off the boulder and told Cassie to run I'd been shot. Cassie bent down and pulled me up. I told her to leave me. We heard a voice calling out that they had found us. I stood and pushed Cassie behind me when I heard the guard running through the brush. I aimed and shot him. He went down with a cry and a large thud.

I lean on the boulder for support. I looked at Cassie and begged her to leave.

Cassie simply looked at me. "Sam, remember, no one gets left behind. Now you're going to have to help me here and fight the effects of the drugs."

I told her okay. At least I still had my gun. But where were the guys? Where was Jack? I needed him now more then ever.

We started to run again, but all I really wanted to do was sit down. I could see I was slowing Cassie down. We stumbled once but didn't fall. But the second time we weren't so lucky. We were by the ledge of the mountain and the terrain was getting steeper. We need to get down but they kept chasing us up the hill. They were trying to cut off our escape. I knew by that point I was functioning on adrenaline only.

We stumbled suddenly and went over the ledge. Cassie screamed out my name as she came over the ledge. I grabbed on to her hand and with my other hand held onto a stump that was jutting out of the ledge. I looked down and could see nothing but bushes and rocks. I didn't realize how high we were. I told Cassie to hold on to me with both hands. She managed to grab on to my leg with her free hand and found a place for her foot. She said she was pretty sure she had broken her right ankle when she had stumbled over the edge.

I had to get help. Knowing Kehr was close by I closed my eyes and started to yell for help.

"Cassie, the guys are close by. They'll come, I promise. We've just got to get off of this ledge before we both fall. I don't know how much longer I can hold on before the drugs take over my system."

I could feel dirt starting to rain down on me, and when I looked up, I saw Kehr and two of his guards.

"Samantha, is there something I can do for you? It looks like you two took a nasty fall. Could it be the tranquilizer finally kicking in? I am so looking forward to examining you inside and out. This protein marker in your system could be the next revolutionary discovery in medicine, and I'll be the top scientist in the field. I can see all the awards and prestige already."

I told him if he didn't stop gloating that I would let go. He motioned the two guards to pull Cassie and I up. They reached for my hand and started to pull. I told Cassie to hold on and not to let go.

We were finally pulled up and I bent down to see to Cassie's ankle. I started to feel around the bone and could see that indeed it was broken. I informed Kehr and he motioned one of the guards to pick her up. I tried to stand up, but everything started to spin. I staggered and was grabbed by Kehr.

"You're a strong woman, Samantha, but not that strong. Come on. We have to meet up with our transportation." He told the guard to call and give them our location. Kehr still had a hold of me, and I could feel the drugs starting to take effect. But I had to stay awake for Cassie's sake.

I struggled with Kehr to get him to ease his grip, and was rewarded with a blow to the face that knocked me to the ground.

Suddenly, there was movement from the distant bushes. Trying to see what it was, I turned on my back and was greeted by a wonderful sight.

Jack had jump out from behind one of the bushes and was charging after Kehr, who was running the opposite way.

Daniel came right behind Jack and zatted the guard that had just made the call. He turned to the one holding Cassie. Putting her down, he tried to use her as a shield, telling Daniel to back off or he'd kill her.

Daniel tried to reason with him, telling him there was no way out and if he thought that he was going to let him hurt Cassie, he was dead wrong. The guard motioned for Daniel to put down his zat. He did and started to move back by me. What the guard didn't know was that Teal'c was behind him. But Cassie sensed Teal'c's presence, and decided to take things into her own hands.

The guard never knew what hit him. She used one of the self-defense moves Teal'c had taught her to free herself. Teal'c moved forward and finished the job by knocking out the guard.

Daniel ran forward and scooped Cassie up into his arms.

I turned to see were Jack had gone when we suddenly heard gunshots.

"Oh my God! Teal'c, please help me up. We have to go check on Jack to see if he's alright."

Teal'c nodded no. "Major Carter, you must stay here with Daniel Jackson and Cassandra Fraiser. It is not safe to go back into the forest. There are others still looking for you and her. I will go and see if Colonel O'Neill needs my assistance.

Daniel brought Cassie over and asked if I was okay. I told him about the dart and said I could not stay conscious much longer. He asked Cassie if she was okay and she said she was fine except for the ankle.

I was getting ready to ask Daniel about Murphy but stopped when we heard rustling in the bushes. I picked up my gun as Daniel picked up his Zat. I tried to stand, but it was not possible. Daniel moved protectively in front of me.

It was Teal'c and the Colonel. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief. I leaned into Cassie and told her she was safe, that we had not let her down and that she was going home. I felt a hand on my shoulder and thought it was Jack but it was Teal'c. I scanned the area for Jack. Teal'c said he was using the radio to see if all was clear back in the building we had been held at. He handed me his canteen of water and I took a sip. I then started to drift to sleep, but before I did, I heard a faint whisper of my name.

To be continued