Sorry about the delay in updating. Things have been pretty chaotic for me lately. I haven't had much time to write and probably won't for a little while, so the next couple of updates while probably be delayed as wel. Sorry again.

Road to Nowhere

Part 21

Daniel dropped his coffee and nearly dropped the books in his arms in his effort to get to the phone in his office. It wasn't the first time he'd done it since Sam and Jack had disappeared. He always hoped the ringing phone would bring news of his friends, so what was a little spilled coffee. "Daniel Jackson," he said into the receiver a little breathlessly.

"Daniel? Are you alright?" Catherine Langford's concerned voice came over the line.

"Catherine." He sighed in disappointment. "No, not really. I nearly broke my neck trying to get to the phone hoping it'd be Sam or Jack."

"Still no word?"

"No. The NID's still investigating. Their latest theory is that Jack finally snapped and kidnapped Sam for some nefarious reason. Rape, murder, you know that kid of stuff."

"That's ridiculous. Jack would never do that."

"No, he wouldn't. I don't care how nuts he went, Jack would never do anything to hurt Sam. He- uh- cares a lot about her."

"I know, Daniel."

"Anyway, I think they're running from something or they've both been kidnapped. Or killed." Daniel really didn't like to consider those possibilities but it had been over a month with no word. "So, Catherine. How're things with you?"

"Good. Very good. There's been some very interesting pieces donated to the Met recently. I think you would find them fascinating."

"I'm sure I would."

"I think you need to come out for the weekend. You haven't visited in quite a while. Ernest has been asking about you."

"Oh, Catherine. I'd love to. Really. But I can't leave. I need to be here in case something comes up."

"Daniel, you need a break. In fact, General Hammond agrees with me. Your plane leaves at 7:00 in the morning."

"Catherine…"

"You need a break. Do you think Sam and Jack would want you to make yourself sick over them."

"No," Daniel replied grudgingly. In fact, Jack would have already thrown him off the base if he had been there. Jack being there would have solved the whole problem though.

"See you in the morning."

---

Daniel was left to his own devices while Catherine spoke to the curator. His feet inevitably led him to the atrium housing the Temple of Dendur. He was pleased to find the room free of tourists. The morning sun filtered through the trees outside the skylights and dappled the stone in shadow. Daniel as always stood before it in awe and grief stricken. It was beautiful, but he had watched his parents crushed to death by the pillars and stones of this temple. He walked slowly around the outside of the temple studying the carvings on the wall, images of Isis, Osiris, and Horus. This temple had been carved long after the Stargate had been buried though when the Goa'uld represented where nothing other than a legend.

"Doctor Jones?"

Daniel gave a deep sigh shoving the memories back in the box in his mind. "Actually, it Jackson." He turned and came face to face with the last person he expected to see, but the first person he should have expected. "Maybourne!"

"Actually, it's Parker. Robert Leroy Parker."

"What in the hell took you so long!"

"Keep your voice down," Maybourne said glaring at him.

"Fine. Where are Jack and Sam?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Daniel asked in disbelief.

"No, and I don't want to know."

"It took you a month to get back to tell me that?"

"Listen, Dr. Jackson and listen carefully. You're being watched and followed. All of you. I had to wait for the heat to die down a little bit and get you away from Colorado Springs."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Daniel agreed grudgingly. "So what have you got?"

"Elements of the NID want Major Carter for study and frankly they wouldn't mind seeing Jack dead as well. He's always been a major pain in their ass."

"Sam? Why would they want Sam?" He asked in confusion. Daniel could understand them wanting to take out Jack, but Sam had never been a threat to them.

Maybourne looked irritated that he wasn't catching on quickly, but managed to say patiently, "The same reason Adrian Conrad wanted her."

"Oh, God. Do they have them?"

"I don't think so or they wouldn't still be looking so hard for them."

"Point," Daniel nodded. "Why don't you know where they are?"

"Because Jack is very good at what he does. He knows how to disappear and he's done a good job of it. The NID is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It's kind of funny actually." Maybourne chuckled at the thought of his befuddled former associates.

"Okay, so Sam and Jack are in hiding. Why wouldn't they try to get in touch with us once there safe?"

"What part of 'you're being watched' don't you understand, Doctor Jackson?" Maybourne demanded allowing his irritation with the archeologist show.

"Right." Daniel felt silly. He really wasn't very good at this cloak and dagger stuff. He turned away from Maybourne and stared at the Temple again. These were the things he understood. "Isn't anything we can do to help?"

"Just let them disappear. Forget about them. That's the only thing you can do to help them."

Daniel turned back to Maybourne, but he was no longer there. That man could be downright creepy. Daniel sat down on the steps of the temple and waited for Catherine to return. He thought over what Maybourne had said. He was glad that Jack and Sam was relatively safe at the moment, but the thought of never seeing them again made him heartsick.