She slammed the phone down so hard her MIU teammates jumped. Colonel Andrew Mason, US Marines, and Captain David Riley, US Air Force, raised their eyebrows but said nothing, continuing with their assigned tasks of setting up the conference room for the full debriefing of the extended team once the rest of the MIU agents arrived with the token FBI and CIA agents Sam had no choice but to approve for the investigation.
Former Commander in the Navy, Caitlin Adams, and former Colonel in the Air Force, Annie Bartley, exchanged slightly more sympathetic looks but Caitlin remained where she was, setting up the various pieces of computer equipment they'd brought with them. Annie moved away from the computer she'd been sitting at and walked over to the white board where Sam had been sticking up pictures of the victims.
Pictures of people they'd all known somehow, most of whom they'd actually met once or twice.
There were four photographs currently on the board and Annie knew them all personally, knew Sam had known them all personally. Three were MIU agents she'd worked with. The fourth was the second victim's wife.
"I'll finish up here." She eased the pen Sam had been writing with out of the clenched fist and moved forward to start writing the names and ages of the victims beneath their photographs. Like Sam, she didn't need to check the files. She already knew what to put. "Go and sort out whatever you need to sort out so you can come back and focus on the mission. You can't afford to be distracted, Sam, not now they've chosen you."
"I know but that's not going to be easy." Sam sighed deeply, the action of expelling her breath reminding her of the dull ache in her chest. The tension she knew she was stuck with until the investigation was over. She stared at the board, at the names appearing on it and sighed again. "They've asked Jack to come back to the SGC."
The pen stopped mid-name. Annie glanced back at her over her shoulder. "You started your relationship when he was still your Commanding Officer."
"Something I'm not proud of and really didn't want to do again. Something I won't do again." Sam rubbed her face with her hands before crossing her arms over her chest. "He's investigating several complaints made against General Landry."
"The jerk harassing you? Good." The look on Annie's face was one of satisfaction.
"Not so good when I have to make a statement." Sam bit her lip and glanced away, focusing on the pictures on the board. "Not when I hadn't told him what was going on."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Oh." Sam sighed again. Straightened. "I better get it over with. Try and get past it so we can get these bastards."
She left after shrugging her shoulders, a failed attempt at ridding herself of some of the stress resting on her shoulders.
Annie watched her go, chewing her lip. She glanced back at the pictures on the board. Imagined a fifth image joining the four already there. "Let's hope we get them before they get you."
Eight minutes after slamming the phone down, Sam reached the General's office.
Jack's office.
She stood outside for another full minute, contemplating whether to knock or just walk straight in. She settled for knocking sharply and pushing the door opened before he could respond.
The sight of him sitting behind the desk temporarily knocked the breath from her lungs and she stopped just inside the doorway.
He was her commanding officer.
Again.
She turned to close the door behind her so she could swallow the lump in her throat without him seeing her reaction. Then she turned back to face him and took a step closer to the desk, standing stiffly in front of him. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"
"Sit down."
No Sam, no Carter. Not even a Colonel. Still, she took the seat across the desk from him and crossed her legs, folding her arms almost primly over her chest as she waited for him to speak.
"General Landry made several notes in your file. Four complaints that you disobeyed orders, three that your behaviour towards him was inappropriate. Were you aware of them?"
"He said he was going to put something on my record. I can't say I'm particularly surprised."
"Do you know why he would put those complaints in your file?"
"Probably because I disobeyed orders and behaved inappropriately towards him by refusing to sleep with him to further my career. Because even when he asked to speak to me alone I allowed the other members of my team to be present." Her hands gripped her arms but it was the only sign of agitation she'd allow to show through the calm façade.
"There are no complaints in anyone else's file. Not Teal'c or Daniel's."
"They're not military, it wouldn't affect them. Besides, they're not the ones he wanted to punish. They're not the ones he wanted to sleep with unless there was something going on I don't know about."
With a great deal more composure than he felt he should have, Jack closed the folder and let his hands rest atop it. Clasping them together until his knuckles ached. "Eight members of staff made complaints against him, six women and two men. Your name isn't on that list. If he harassed you, why didn't you make a complaint? Put a statement in your file to contradict what he said?"
"I didn't see the point, Sir. With all due respect, you have no idea what it can be like to be a woman in the Air Force. I don't want to play the gender card but in my experience women who make complaints generally don't last long in the military."
"You should have said something."
"I've just explained why I didn't."
"I meant to me."
"You weren't my commanding officer at the time, Sir. If you had been, General Landry wouldn't have been here and there'd be seven less complaints in my file."
The nerve in his jaw jumped. "That's not what I mean, Carter."
"Then what do you mean, Sir?"
"Damn it, Sam!"
To her credit, she managed to compose herself quickly after the paperweight that had been on the edge of his desk hit the floor with a bang.
Shattering into thousands of tiny pieces.
'Kind of like our relationship,' she mused inwardly.
"You should have told me. You should've said something so..." He broke off. Raked a hand through his hair in frustration.
Sam sat calmly, unfolding her arms to rest her hands on the arms of her chair. "I should've told you so you could defend my honour? Protect my reputation? So you could've said something, pissed off the wrong person and got us both into trouble? My reputation, my credibility, was damaged the moment we moved in together. Those who didn't already suspect we were involved while I was under your command started suspecting it. Landry was no different. I didn't need to tell you because I was handling it."
"Yeah, you were really handling it. That's why there are two statements from witnesses expressing concern for you. Witnesses who saw him behave inappropriately towards you. People are asking questions, Carter. They want to know why you didn't say anything. They want to know what you had to hide."
"And you're worried that's going to reflect badly on you? That they'll find out we were breaking regulations and decide they don't want you back?" Her hands tightened their grip on the chair. "The President is probably already aware of that, Sir. General Hammond knew, the Joint Chiefs probably knew. You're listed in my MIU file as next of kin and I know I sure as hell didn't change it. So don't worry, your position is safe as long as we put an end to our relationship before you're officially reinstated. No one will have any grounds for complaint then and they won't waste time going back to investigate the past."
"I haven't decided to come back, Sam. This is just a temporary thing..."
"A temporary thing you agreed to without consulting me."
"Like you agreed to go back to the MIU without consulting me."
"My position with the MIU doesn't affect our personal relationship." She sat up a little straighter in her chair. Swallowed the lump in her throat. "This does. This means it's over, temporarily or not. I guess it's a good thing I'll be moving out for the time being." She stood up, feeling his eyes on her. "Since you have witnesses, I assume you don't need me to go into details right now about any instances with General Landry. With your permission, Sir, I'd like to return to planning my briefing."
Jack stood, walked around his desk and stopped a foot away from her. He ran a hand through his hair and let his arm drop to his side. Itched to reach out and take her hand. "I don't know what to say to you."
"You don't need to say anything. Actions speak louder than words." She smiled, a sad smile that didn't last. "I knew all along that you missed it. Missed being involved in the action. I'd like to say I'm surprised but I guess I'm not. Hurt, maybe. A little disappointed given how determined you were not to let me walk away from this. From us. But I'm not surprised, Jack. I told you all along I'm no good at the relationship thing."
She walked to the door and opened it, took a small step over the threshold. As she had her back to him, she let her eyes close momentarily. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not being enough for you."
He might have gone after her had Sergeant Harriman not appeared the moment she walked away.
Walter Harriman glanced in the direction the Colonel had gone before glancing to General O'Neill, his expression apologetic as he held up the tape in his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Sir, but I have the security footage you asked for. It's quite clear on the tape that General Landry was harassing Colonel Carter but we've found nothing to back up the claims of the other female personnel." He entered the office when the General motioned for him to, closed the door behind him. "If I could speak freely, Sir?"
"Go ahead, Sergeant."
"I think it's possible the other women may have exaggerated their claims, General, because they were witnesses to what was going on with Colonel Carter and knew she wouldn't say anything." Harriman stood at attention, his shoulders squared as Jack retook the seat behind his desk and stared at him curiously. "Colonel Carter believes she isn't very well liked by the other personnel at the SGC, particularly since you retired, Sir. I've observed that one or two members of staff seemed to begrudge her for it, that they may have blamed her for your deciding to leave and for General Landry's assignment here but that's all in the past now. Particularly now he's gone."
"You didn't like him, did you, Sergeant?"
"No, Sir." He held himself slightly taller. "I didn't think he was right for the position."
"And you didn't like the way he was around Carter? That's why you put in the complaint about him, made the statement?"
"I stand by my statement, Sir. One of the instances I mentioned, that I witnessed, has been caught on tape, Sir. You might be interested in watching it before you submit your report."
Jack stared at him for several long moments. Forced himself to push his personal feelings out of the way, to focus on the matter at hand.
He didn't like the thought of any of the officers under his command being the victim of harassment at work. Hated it even more when the victim in question was the woman he was involved with and hadn't trusted him enough to tell.
"Can you get a VCR and TV set up in here? I don't want to watch it in the briefing room in case someone comes in. The fewer people who know about this the better."
'For Carter's sake.'
Her team consisted of eight MIU agents, two FBI agents and a CIA agent who had experience of working with the SGC and had volunteered to help when she'd heard something was going on. CIA Agent Kerry Johnson was aware that the MIU existed, had crossed paths with them before and had jumped at the chance to work with the agent who worked under the codename Phoenix. She'd been surprised but not disappointed when Colonel Carter had moved to the front of the room and introduced herself as the MIU agent in question.
"We have three dead MIU agents. Two were assassinated in cold blood, one while undercover. The third was retired. He and his wife were killed in an arson attack on their home that these people have since taken responsibility for. So far we don't have a motive, a reason why these individuals were chosen. Those of you who have worked with me before will know that I don't like that. When I'm working on a case, I want to know the ins and outs, the whys and whens. Nothing about this is random. There's always a reason why and right now, that is our priority. I want to know why these people died. Why them in particular." Sam stood in front of them, her gaze travelling to rest on each and every member of her team. "We'll be splitting you up into three groups of three. Agent Bartley and myself will be overseeing the investigation. I want each group to focus on one of the victims. Do some digging into their backgrounds, into the projects they worked on, the cases they were involved with prior to their deaths. There's a link between them and we need to know what it is if we're going to keep this from happening to anyone else. Agent Bartley will give you your assignments and tell you what we know. Annie?"
With a brisk nod, Annie moved to stand beside Sam, making sure the victims photographs were still visible. She wanted their faces to be seen, to be remembered. To become as important to the people sitting in front of her as they were to her and Sam. "Our first victim was Major Ryan Marsay, an officer with the marines. He was based at the Pentagon, worked on a number of projects for the MIU. At the time of his death he was working undercover with the FBI which is why they'll be working with MIU agent Major Trident on this matter. Louise will be able to get easy access to Marsay's MIU records." Annie waited until all three members of the team nodded in acknowledgement before continuing. "Captain Riley will be working with Captain Alexander and Colonel Robb in the investigation into the death of Colonel Jeremy Bowers, a Colonel with the Air Force based at the Academy. His main role was the liase between the Air Force and the MIU Board of Directors. He often recommended Academy graduates for possible induction into the MIU but kept as far away from active cases as possible. Agent Johnson of the CIA will be assisting Agent Adams and Colonel Mason with the investigation into the murders of Paul and Charlotte McKellan. As two of the three teams victims lived in the Colorado Springs area, this will be our base of operations. The three of you who will need to relocate to DC will work out of the Pentagon. They'll make room for you there, assist you in any way you can. If there are any problems don't hesitate in contacting myself or Colonel Carter either here or on our cell phones."
Sam watched them digest the news, made a mental note regarding some of their reactions and stiffened instinctively when she noticed the uninvited guest who'd slipped in at the back of the room. "Does anyone have any questions before we split up?"
Somehow she was unsurprised when Belle Alexander, an MIU agent and Captain with the Air Force, held up her hand. The two women hadn't worked together before but Sam made it her business to check the backgrounds of those she worked with and Agent Alexander was someone who's record was slightly more colourful than someone she would have chosen to work with.
"Yes, Captain?"
"Since all of the victims have been MIU, why are the FBI and CIA involved? This is out of their jurisdiction."
"They're involved because they volunteered to help us find the people responsible for murdering three of our colleagues. Their support in this matter is appreciated by myself and the Board of Directors."
"But they're not even military." The disgust was evident on her face. "Let alone MIU."
Sam didn't even blink, just met Belle's gaze with her own and held. "That's irrelevant. The MIU currently consists only of military based personnel but as you are well aware the MIU investigate all government funded agencies. The FBI and CIA are our colleagues. I am aware that there is some long-standing tension between the three organisations but that's ancient history as far as the Board of Directors, this investigation and myself are concerned. If you have a problem working with them on this case, just say so and I'll have you reassigned." Belle remained silent but continued to scowl. Either at the external agents or at her words. Sam wasn't sure and didn't particularly care. "And for the record, I have heard from a reliable source that the MIU may soon start inducting external agents into the fold. You may soon find yourselves working on the same team on a permanent basis."
She sighed, knowing it would only take hours for the news to spread and debated with herself. She knew there would be MIU agents who objected, some who would threaten to walk and decided to minimise the chances of those reactions jeopardising her investigation. "Another thought for you to bear in mind. The people doing this, the ones responsible for the murders of the four people on the board behind me. They knew exactly where to find their victims, even our undercover agent. That information, the details of their whereabouts was not only confidential but need to know in some cases. The MIU isn't as perfect as some of you would like to believe. It has its problems and it has its leaks. Don't assume your enemy is someone from an external agency. That assumption might get you killed and might mean the next picture up on the board is yours."
With the warning issued, Sam called the briefing to a close. She let Annie deal with the task of dismissing the gathered agents, paid little attention to the distribution of the files she and her team had hurriedly gathered prior to the briefing and all but ignored the looks she received from the other members of her team.
She would have to explain herself to the Board of Directors on two accounts. She knew that. She'd have to explain why she'd let the cat out of the bag regarding the possibility of the MIU opening their doors to operatives outside of the US military but she figured she could handle that one by explaining Belle's reluctance to work with the FBI and CIA.
Hinting that there was someone inside the MIU helping out the people targeting agents was another story. A delicate, somewhat touchy subject made even more so by the not so recent exposure and death of an NID agent who had infiltrated the MIU some years ago. An agent who'd been her mentor, who had trained her.
An agent who had killed her partner and who had later died at her hand.
The MIU had only just recovered, only just rebuilt its reputation and started to trust its operatives wholly. Now thanks to her the distrust would start to spread again.
It hadn't been her intention and the thought hadn't occurred to her until halfway through Annie's speech when she'd realised what had been bothering her since she'd first been briefed and brought in on the investigation.
MIU agents were careful. They were trained to be constantly aware, constantly on the look out. Only another MIU agent or someone who knew one would have been able to not only locate the victims but slip passed their guard and get close enough to kill them without creating too much suspicion.
Without someone noticing sooner that the deaths were linked and not just a tragic coincidence resulting in the loss of four lives, of one innocent bystander.
Lives that had been taken too soon.
She didn't class MIU agents among the innocent though her heart ached for them and she cared a great deal for her colleagues. She was one; knew better than anyone how guilty they were. How much blood stained their hands even in the name of justice. She had killed, murdered, and although she always took care to assure herself the people she killed needed to be taken out of the equation she knew she wasn't innocent by anyone's standards.
There was black, there was white and there were all sorts of shades of grey. MIU agents were in general somewhere in the middle. Some she knew were closer to the darker side of the spectrum, some like the deceased Agent Bowers were firmly fixed near the white.
Her own position changed but was usually always near the line in the middle. Almost always a millimetre closer to the light side though sometimes she slipped.
Sometimes she couldn't convince herself what she'd done was right even if it was necessary.
"I want to talk to the guy we brought in this morning." Her voice took even her by surprise, as did the realisation twenty-four hours were yet to pass. "I want to know what he knows about the people he was working with, the one he was working for. There's a leak in the MIU. There has to be."
Annie and Jack were the only people left in the room with her, the others having left to start their own investigations. Annie sighed and shook her head. "I'll arrange it for first thing tomorrow morning. There are other matters that need your attention this afternoon. The Board will want to talk to you as soon as work reaches them that you think there's a leak. The President, too. He's taken a personal interest in the MIU since the Locksley incident."
"I'll deal with them." Sam took a deep breath, glanced passed Annie to the man standing with her. "Arrange it for tonight. I'm not going to sit back and take it easy when the others are out there working till the small hours. Besides, if there is a leak, the guy we brought in this morning might not be there tomorrow. I want him moved here, to a holding cell. I want him under armed guard and I want to speak to him tonight. No arguments, Annie. It's on my head. My hands if they get someone else."
"They don't want anyone else. They want you." Annie crossed her arms over her chest. "You'll make yourself an easy target if you wear yourself into the ground, Sam."
"She won't wear herself down, not while you're based in the mountain." Jack cut in before an argument could break out between the two women. He saw the question in Annie's eyes, the suspicion in Sam's. "There are a lot of people who'll be making sure of it, Annie. I promise."
Annie nodded, her expression changing to one of mild approval. "Good. See that she takes at least an hours personal time."
Turning on her heel, Annie left the conference room to work from the small office adjoined to it.
Shutting the door behind her discreetly.
"You have no authorisation over this investigation," Sam started, her eyes narrowed. "This is MIU territory. My territory. You can't just walk in here and gatecrash my briefings..."
"I can and I will." He crossed the gap between them in two easy steps, grabbed her arms and pulled her closer with a little less gentleness than intended. "You are mine. My territory, my responsibility." He pressed his lips against hers, the kiss a little harder than usual. "You promised to keep me involved."
Reeling slightly from the kiss, and the embrace she couldn't get herself out of, Sam did her best to glare at him. "That was before you became my commanding officer."
"Actually, I'm not." He tightened his hold on her, a small part of his mind enjoying her struggle. "I just got off the phone with the President. He's agreed to let me take over, temporarily, on a civilian basis. And since you're assigned to the MIU for the duration of this investigation... I can do this as much as I want and no one can say anything about it."
He kissed her again, thoroughly. Kept on kissing her until the hands pushing against his chest moved so one was clutching his shoulder and the other was playing idly with his hair.
"Maybe I will take a break. For an hour or so." She looked at him, feeling some of the stress ease from her stomach, replaced by tension of a different kind. Replaced by hope. "I should warn you in advance I'm going to be unbearable until this investigation's over. I'll be distracted and short tempered and I'll be working long hours and if we make plans, I'll probably end up forgetting about them..."
"Same as usual, then." He loosened his hold slightly, leaned in to kiss her forehead tenderly. "About before..." The humour, the relief faded from his expression. "When you apologised for not being enough..."
"Forget about it." She covered herself with a smile he knew was too bright to be genuine. "You know how I get about relationships. I'm not the securest person in the world. Just forget about it. It doesn't matter."
He thought it did but chose not to push it. Instead he released her and ushered her from the room, from the faces looking at them from the white board in the centre. They would talk about it later, about everything later, when she wasn't so distracted with a case that could cost her her life.
