The Heart's Refusal to Believe – Ch. 9

Thanks to NG and TZMaverick for your suggestions and editing this chapter!!!

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"General Hammond, this is Captain Winters of the Colorado Springs Police Department. You left me a voice message to call you."

"Yes of course. I wanted to let you know that we picked up one of you're detectives for the disappearance of one of my officers."

"Really?" Captain Winters was shocked.

"He will remain in our custody until we have finished interrogating him."

"So you're questioning him now?"

"Actually we have already questioned him, but we are hoping to get more out of him."

"If you like I would be more then willing to come and question Shanahan for you. He may be able to tell me more as his Captain then he has told you."

"You know that's not a bad idea. Can you come over now?"

"Sure. I'll do anything I can to help you."

"Good, then I'll let the guards know to expect you so you can gain clearance to enter the facility." With that the two men hung up the phone. General Hammond shook his head and spoke out loud. "Shanahan huh?"

"Sir?" Jack asked as he entered his office looking at General Hammond.

"I think I know who the sniper is."

"Really, that was fast! Do tell Sir."

"Captain Winters said he would be more than willing to come down and question Shanahan for the disappearance of one of our officers."

"So?"

"I never told him which detective we had for questioning."

"Ohhhh. So he is coming over?"

"Yes, maybe we will be able to beat him at his own game."

"Not that I really care Sir, but do you really think Pete is going to be safe with Captain Winters?"

"Of course not, that is why he will be thoroughly searched before entering the base."

"We can use the Conference room on sublevel three. There are four security cameras that have just been installed. I don't think he will try anything with all the cameras. What is you plan, General?" Jack asked curious.

"I think Kinsey would stay in contact with someone here on Earth. He is too much of a control freak. He would want to know everything that goes on."

"So you think that he is in contact with Captain Winters to ensure that the plan is carried out. If we can feed Kinsey false information then maybe we can catch them before they make it to the Aschen homeworld?"

General Hammond nodded his head in agreement. Then, along with SG-1 they began to formulate a plan to bring Sam home.

Jacob returned to the Tok'ra homeworld in hopes of finding a ship to go after his daughter. He knew with the current strained relations between the High Council and himself they could deny his request for a ship. Dreading the encounter and fearing his temper would get the better of him Jacob allowed Selmak to take control as he spoke to the High Council. After a several hours of debating the issue and the arrival of an old friend of Selmak's, the scale was finally tipped in Selmak and Jacob's favor. They were granted a Tel'tak ship to rescue Sam.

Jack, Teal'c and Daniel were on their way to the brig to visit Pete Shanahan. They came up with a plan to get Pete's help. Knowing Shanahan's hatred toward the SGC and his loyalty to his fellow police officers, Pete would not willingly help them trap Captain Winters.

The three men walked into the brig to find Pete, the single occupant, sitting on a bunk.

"I've already told you everything I know," Pete said as he saw them enter.

"We just thought you would like to know who the sniper is that killed Jameson," Jack said evenly.

"Who is it?" Pete said as he stood up.

"Captain Winters."

"That's insane. Captain Winters is not involved. First, you try to tell me the Vice-President is involved and now you're trying to convince me that my own boss is involved in all of this too. You guys are paranoid."

"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you." Jack turned to leave the room.

"Jaaack?"

"What, Daniel? I tried. I can't help it he doesn't want to listen."

"O'Neill will Pete Shanahan's life not be at risk if we do not inform him of the dangers he is about to encounter."

"Hey Teal'c, he's not my problem anymore. It will actually save us a lot of hassle if Captain Winters eliminates him as well."

"Alright! I'm listening, what makes you so sure that Captain Winters is involved in all of this and how is my life in danger?"

"Captain Winters is on his way here to question you."

"So?"

"So, we told him that we were questioning one of his detectives about the disappearance of one of our officers and he immediately knew we were talking about you. Now how could he know that if he wasn't involved?" Jack questioned him.

"That doesn't necessarily mean he is the sniper, maybe it just means that he knows what's going on," Pete said hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.

"Keep telling yourself that. I would suggest that you don't allow him to get too close to you while he is here."

"Even though you suspect he is the one that killed Jameson you're still going to let him question me?"

"Like you said he is you're boss."

"We wouldn't want him to get suspicious," Daniel added

"Are you going to at least give me something to protect myself?" Pete asked starting to worry about his own safety.

"That would be most unwise."

"Teal'c's right. Don't worry; we'll be watching on the security cameras and if it looks like he is trying to kill you we will let the SF's know about it."

"If he does try anything we would have solid proof that he was involved. That would help our case tremendously." Daniel was trying hard not to grin as Pete's face began to pale.

"So you're going to use me as bait?" Pete said sounding defeated.

"I believe you would suffice for this endeavor. We would not wish to sacrifice one of our own if something were to go unfavorable."

"Right you are Teal'c." Jack looked down at his watch. "Hey we need to get going, the ship should be ready by now."

"A ship? Are you going after Sam?"

"Classified," Jack said to annoy Pete.

"I have a right to know," Pete replied sternly, obviously forgetting where he was and what he was involved in.

"Excuse me?" Jack was irate. "Did you not hear the SF's when they instructed you of the charges against you? Do you remember anything about conspiracy and conspiracy to kidnap a United States Air Force Officer?"

Pete gripped the cold steel bars that separated them so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Perhaps he could help Jack," Daniel said following their plan.

"I don't want him to know what we have planned for Kinsey."

"Would Captain Winters not try to gain information about our efforts to rescue Colonel Carter?"

"You still believe that I'm involved with Sam's disappearance?"

"Well it was you're original plan to kidnap her. Now thanks to you she is on a ship heading to another galaxy."

"All I want is Sam to come home safely. I never meant to hurt her."

"And you don't think your actions will hurt her? You have no idea what you had." Jack said letting his own anger show.

"I do know. I was just …"

"Jealous … selfish?" Daniel said helping Pete.

Pete just glared at him.

"Perhaps you are right O'Neill. Pete Shanahan does not appear qualified to aid in Colonel Carter's rescue."

"Just tell me what you want me to do!" Pete was angry that they thought because he wasn't a member of the SGC he wasn't qualified to help his own fiancé.

Jack had turned away from Pete so he couldn't see his grin. He knew Pete wouldn't help them unless they got him angry enough. Jack wiped the smile off his face before he turned around toward Pete with a stern look. "Tell Captain Winters you overheard us talking about setting up traps on PXR-277 and PMK-133 to intercept Kinsey. You think you can do that?"

"Yeah! Traps on PXR-277 and PMK-133. What kind of designation is that?"

"The less you know the better job you will do. You think you can convince him without letting on that we suspect him?"

"I know how to do my job!"

"Apparently not very well!" Jack said looking around the room indicating his current incarceration.

The three men left the brig feeling confident that Pete would convince Captain Winters of their hoax. They wanted to divert Kinsey's path forcing him to go in the direction that they wanted. They were hoping Kinsey would try to avoid any and all ships as they made their way to the Aschen homeworld. That would allow SG-1 to set up a trap for Kinsey along the only other path he could go. The Tel'tak Jacob was able to get would not be a match for the Al'kesh. However they would have the element of surprise and the Prometheus' fire power once they arrived, which would be about the same time as the Al'kesh. If Kinsey didn't buy their bluff then the Prometheus would be able to track them with its long range scanners and inform General O'Neill of Kinsey's direction.

Jacob returned to the SGC, as he said he would, to get SG-1 along with Jack. They would gate off world to a planet where a member of the Tok'ra was waiting for them. Since it took them an entire day to get the information and a ship, they would still need to travel 4 days to reach their destination. They estimated they would probably arrive a day before Sam. That would allow them to scout the area and remain cloaked waiting for Kinsey, hoping he took the bait. They left General Hammond to watch over Captain Winters and Pete. He would contact them once he knew if Captain Winters bought Pete's story or not.

Jack knew their biggest advantage would be to rescue Sam before they reached the Aschen Homeworld. If they didn't then they would have bigger problems on their hands. The Aschen would know their biological weapon didn't make it through the gate, and Earth will have made another powerful enemy. What Jack and the rest of SG-1 didn't know was that Kinsey had already made contact with the Aschen before they kidnapped Sam.

TBC