Head Trip – Chapter 22 "Murphy's Law"
General Jack O'Neill turned his attention to the readiness of his teammates for the undertaking that lay ahead. He could see that Daniel's latest bout with his allergies had left him weak and shaken, even though the young man insisted that he was "good to go". Teal'c, on the other hand, was battle ready and fully alert.
"Daniel, I'm going to reconnoiter the perimeter and Teal'c will stand guard here with the wave disrupter. We don't want to be surprised by any more unexpected parades on the highway. It's been quiet since daybreak, so I think one guard will do fine. Why don't you try to stretch out and get some rest? From his position along the trench, 'T' can cover us both." Teal'c nodded in agreement.
"Jack, let me go with you … two of us can cover twice the ground twice as fast," pleaded the somewhat recovered archaeologist as he determinedly hoisted his backpack to his shoulders.
O'Neill knew time was a factor now that they had reached their target. He wanted to survey all sides of the citadel, assessing possible threat levels and points of entry. Daniel was right; he could use another pair of eyes and feet to make this go as quickly as possible.
"Okay, Daniel, but chuck the pack. We need to travel light and swift: weapons, radios, and binoculars only. The rest of the gear can stay hidden here." Following the command, Daniel dropped his backpack into the grass, and retrieved the only necessity that he could not afford to be without – his allergy pills. In fact, he popped a few more into his mouth, just to forestall any future attacks.
Jack was busy checking his ammo, and only Teal'c watched as his comrade took the additional meds. He raised an eyebrow in concern. Did not Daniel Jackson realize that those pills had been mixed together when they fell? Was he quite sure of what he was taking? Even with his better eyesight, Teal'c had trouble differentiating the two strong medications when he retrieved them earlier from the grass. He had assumed that Daniel would sort them once he recovered from the severe attack. The way he had gulped down the initial dose seemed to control the swelling and lessen the symptoms, but … just how much of the antihistamines had Daniel consumed? Teal'c looked at his comrade and was about to speak when Jack interrupted.
"Come on, Daniel, let's move out!"
Daniel brushed past Teal'c as he followed Jack's lead, the two men once more hugging the incline at the side of the road with assault weapons up and ready.
Funny, thought Jack, a beautiful day for a picnic. Ants on a blanket seemed so welcomed compared to the bugs that lay ahead.
The men moved rapidly and were soon approaching the citadel. Jack motioned for Daniel to halt, as he crawled up the embankment for a better look at the building. Raising his binoculars, he saw that the glare was caused by the stronghold's metallic surface which, from this vantage point, appeared impenetrable. There were no visible means of entrance, no doors nor windows, just row upon row of shining metal.
"Damn! We need a giant pair of wire cutters!"
"Excuse me?" came the reply as Daniel looked up at his disgruntled leader.
Jack scowled back. "The whole building looks like an Erector set!"
As he scrambled back down the slope, Jack decided on a plan of action. "Daniel, we know that those large cargo containers had to go somewhere … maybe there's a back door to this operation. You take the left side; I'll push forward and come around the right. Let's see what's in the backyard. I'll cover you now as you cross the road; stick close to the trench, and get to the rear as fast as you can. No matter what you find, draw back and wait for me to appear from the other end. I'll signal you when I turn the corner. Got that?"
Daniel shook his head in agreement, and cautiously climbed the incline with Jack matching his every movement. Once they determined that there was no activity of any kind on the highway or in front of the citadel, Jack gave the signal and Daniel sprinted across the roadway and jumped down the far slope.
O'Neill continued to advance in the trench on his side of the highway, working his way to the right end of the building. As he drew nearer, he realized that the incline was receding and he was soon almost level with the road. Just what I need … might as well hang a bull's-eye on my shirt.
When he darted across the gravel roadway, Jack observed that the road turned left with him and seemed to circle the building. Bracing his back against the gleaming side of the stronghold, even though he knew the risk, Jack was ready to follow this yellow brick road right into its final destination. He knew that he was about to find his one opening, one chance, to gain access to the citadel. What he didn't know, at that very same moment, was that his lethargic teammate was having some trouble arriving at the same destination.
The fast pace of their trek, and Daniel Jackson's sudden dash across the highway, had begun to take its toll. As his adrenaline rush began to fade and the side effects of way too many antihistamines began to mount, Daniel started to get very, very drowsy. He vaguely remembered that Jack had given him an order to reconnoiter the rear of this building. But new, more pleasant sensations forced themselves upon his waning consciousness. The glittering metal blocks reflected the warmth of the late-morning sun. They felt so cozy against his back as he moved cautiously towards the corner. The bright sun warmed his face as the comforting heat of the building warmed his back. He found himself a bit woozy and chuckled at his sudden loss of coordination. Oh, what the heck … just slide down here a moment … take a short break … feels so warm … so nice … so tired ….
Jack rounded the corner quickly, hand on the trigger of his P90. Yes, he did not want to shoot if at all possible, but he also felt that he would now be close enough to Carter to take that risk if it happened. His hunch had been right – the worn tracks of the gravel highway traveled halfway down the back of the building and then turned in. He had expected to see Daniel coming up from the other direction and was surprised by his absence. Perhaps he had already scouted the position, and returned to the far side. Jack waited a few more minutes, his eyes on the corner where Daniel was to have appeared.
Reaching for his radio, he whispered "Daniel, come in." No answer. Once more, "Daniel, come in. What's your position?" His urgent inquiries were met with silence.
Teal'c scanned the highway once again, noting that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A fly buzzed around the Jaffa's nose and, as he swatted the insect away, his radio came to life.
"Teal'c, come in. Have you heard from Daniel?"
"No, O'Neill. All is most quiet at this end. Do you require my assistance?"
"I think we may have a problem. Make sure our gear is concealed and move forward with the rest of the ammo and explosives. Keep the wave disrupter ready to fire, but don't fire without my order. I found my point of entry at the rear of the citadel. I'm now going to draw back to Daniel's suspected position. Advance quickly along the slope of the highway; when you get within 50 meters of the citadel, cross the road and proceed to the left side of the building. That's where we should find Daniel. I don't know what happened to him. Be aware and be prepared. I'll meet you there."
Teal'c advanced as ordered, while Jack retraced his steps.
Daniel, on the other hand, was peacefully dreaming of ancient tombs and artifacts ….