Now:Jack rolled and looked at Teal'c with complete disbelief written across his face. Daniel reacted more verbally.
"Teal, ow cud u? It am!" Daniel was still holding pressure to the cut on his tongue so his speech sounded oddly funny.
"She was obviously not in her correct mind. I had no choice but subdue her so we could return her to the SGC for treatment." Daniel was about to protest but Jack reached out and stopped him.
"He's right Daniel. Let's get her out of here and let the locals deal with the rest of this." Ted had listened to the whole exchange.
"Take your friend and go. We have already alerted our new chancellor of the conditions within the prison. He will be sending help soon." Jack thanked Ted. Jack helped Teal'c lift Sam across his shoulder. Daniel led the way out of the prison. The sun was just rising, giving them enough light to negotiate the quiet streets. Jack radioed Reynolds and told them they'd found Carter and were getting her home. They'd been walking for twenty minutes and were within a thousand feet of the gate when Teal'c stopped walking.
"She is beginning to stir." Teal'c lowered Sam as Daniel knelt beside her. Jack watched the perimeter of the clearing, listening for any signs of movement within the forest.
"Sam, it's us. You're out now. We're on our way back to the SGC." Sam didn't respond. Daniel reached out to lift her hair away from her eyes. She kicked out with her leg, kicking Daniel in the shin.
"Oh, God! Jack, her eyes!" Jack spun on his heel as Daniel scooted away from Sam. Sam began writhing and fighting Teal'c.
"I have her arms O'Neill. Can you get her legs?" Jack lunged for her flailing legs.
"Watch out for locals, Daniel." Jack was breathing hard as he and Teal'c struggled to stand and begin walking, with Colonel Carter fighting their every step. When they were less then two hundred yards from the gate Jack told Daniel to go dial and send through the code. The men left to guard the gate watched in muted shocked as Jack and Teal'c carried a furiously writhing Colonel through the gate.
Sam knew the feel of gate travel. As the three joined teammates arrived in the gateroom her movements stilled. Teal'c and Jack breathed a sigh of relief and slightly relaxed the tight hold they had on her torso and legs. The CMO rushed through the blast door with a gurney as Sam's began to shake uncontrollably. A muted cry left her throat as the medics reached for her.
"Restrain her!" The doctor gave the medics enough time to strap down her wrists and ankles before pushing the gurney out the door, leaving Daniel, Teal'c and Jack standing at the foot of the gate.
"Did you see her eyes Jack?"
"No, why?"
"I don't know what they did to her but it was bad, real bad." Daniel shivered at the memory of her eyes. Jack moved towards the locker room. They all knew they wouldn't get to see her until the doctor was finished so they took five minutes to go to the locker room and remove their gear.
The three men paced outside the infirmary, listening to the screams emanating from their friend. After twenty minutes they were joined by General Landry, who was no more successful then Jack at trying to get into the infirmary. It was almost a full hour later before the doctor opened the door and let them enter. They went straight to Sam's bed. There were bandages over her eyes and stitches across her right temple. Jack thought he saw some stitches peeking out above the hospital gown across her collarbone also. She wasn't moving but her wrists and ankles were in restraints.
"I had no choice. She wasn't rational and I had to sedate her."
"We understand, believe me." Jack grimaced as the doctor looked up at him. "What'd they do to her?" The doctor winced. Her discomfort was palpable.
"Her eyes are covered in scar tissue. If I had to guess I'd say they dripped acid in her eyes." Jack gripped the edge of the bed. Daniel paled and struggled to not throw up. Teal'c flinched and General Landry's eyes widened.
"There's also scar tissue across her eardrums, rendering them immobile. She was whipped across her back and stomach. There were several places where stitches should have been used but too long has passed. I taped them up as well as I could but they'll scar. I'm worried about infection so I have her on a powerful antibiotic cocktail. She's riddled with bruises but there's no sign of internal bleeding. Whoever did this knows just how far they can push and keep a person alive."
"What can you do about the scars on her eyes and in her ears?" Jack reached out and held her hand as he asked his question.
"I don't know of any treatment but I'm going to do research. I expect that's why she reacted to us like she did." Jack nodded his agreement but Daniel crinkled his nose in confusion.
"I don't understand."
"She's blind and deaf, Daniel. She didn't know it was us. She was trying to protect herself and not get hurt again."
"It speaks well of Colonel Carter that she was still fighting." Teal'c reached out and touched her toes under the light hospital sheet.
"Yeah, yeah it does. How long do you expect her to be out?" Jack stared at Sam as he spoke.
"At least three to four hours."
"We'll stay."
"I thought you would."
"We need to remove the restraints." Jack ran a thumb over the leather band circling her wrist.
"I'd advise against that sir. We have no way to know how she'll react when she wakes. The drugs will cloud her mind, making her even less predictable."
"If she wakes and feels the restraints she's going to think she's still a prisoner. She'll fight and we'll never convince her she's safe." Jack looked up at the doctor, daring her to contradict him. "We'll be here when she wakes. She can't over power all three of us, at least not in her present condition." The doctor looked over at General Landry.
"I'm more concerned she'll hurt herself, sir. I recommend she remain in restraints." Daniel fumed.
"After everything she's been through we can't add more trauma by tying her down! We'd all react poorly to being restrained, especially after being beat and imprisoned for weeks!"
"Relax, Doctor Jackson. I agree with General O'Neill. Remove Colonel Carter's restraints and allow them to try and gain her trust." General Landry turned from the doctor to Jack. "If, however, the doctor feels Colonel Carter is about to harm herself or others she'll have no choice but restrain her."
"Thanks Hank." General Landry nodded at Jack before walking away with the doctor to her office. Jack released the restraint on her left wrist while Daniel released the buckle on her right wrist. They both left the leather bands attached to the bed frame, in case they were needed again. Teal'c left the ankle restraints hanging off the edge of the bed as he freed her.
"How about go get us some coffee, Daniel. It's going to be a long day." Jack pulled a chair up next to Sam's bed. Teal'c spread his legs and stood at the foot of her bed.
"Sure. Can I get you anything Teal'c?"
"Prune juice."
"Prune juice?"
"Indeed, I have found it to be very delicious and nutritious." Daniel smirked and left the infirmary.
"Prune juice...really?" Jack looked over at Teal'c and cocked his head to the side, a grin creeping onto his lips. "You're not just trying to get us to laugh, are you?"
"I do not understand why you would find prune juice humorous. It is excellent for preserving one's healthy balance."
"Do you mean keeping you regular?"
"I believe that is how the television described it." Jack couldn't suppress his chuckle as he shook his head.
"Thanks Teal'c, I needed that."