Content warning for this part – language.
The Coldest of Hearts – Part Three
xoxoxoxo
Jack crept forward, his pace slowing and getting quieter as he approached the road. He hadn't heard the sound from the motorbikes for a little while now and it made him even more cautious to think they might be checking on foot.
He held the knife ready in his hand. If the only way to get Cassie safe was to take out each and every one of them, then he would do it. None of these men were innocents here and he had no qualms about killing them if he had to.
The road was a little down from his current position and he moved stealthily amongst the trees and rocks. He heard the whine of a motorbike in the distance – just one – and nothing else.
The road began to grow further away from him, the bank down to it steep, now almost a ten to twelve foot drop. He knew the further down he went the drop would become worse and Cassie wouldn't be able to climb down it in the dark without ropes. He weighed up whether he could go just a little further and then crawling on his belly to the edge, he scanned the scene in front of him. The moon was hovering in and out of cloud, making it easier to see the road, but also easier for him to be spotted.
The road bent around out of sight and he sighed silently and squirmed further along until he had an unobstructed view.
Sure enough the truck was sitting on the road, dark and silent - waiting.
Jack carefully crawled a little closer. He could now make out hushed tones, no words, just two men whispering something. The loud sudden burst of static from a radio interrupted them and he heard the radio break into speech.
"Christ, turn it down," squawked one of the men, his words clear in the night air.
"Si, you spot them?" asked the other man, obviously ignoring the plea from his companion.
"No sign of them down here. I'm coming up to join you. Did Brinks spot anything?"
"Nah, he's on foot above us, but nothing yet."
"Okay – be with you shortly. Out."
Jack's heart thumped with the words he'd overheard. That meant Brinks was somewhere behind him ... somewhere near Cassie possibly. He quickly weighed up his options. He needed to clear the road and get back to Cassie ... he just wasn't sure how much time he had. He opted for getting back to Cassie first. He wasn't going to take any chances he didn't have to with her life.
xoxoxoxo
Cassie heard the twigs snapping again. It wasn't far away from her and she raised herself slightly, trying to peer around the rocks.
"Jack?" she whispered faintly.
The moon's rays didn't give her much light because of the trees, the shadows very dark and menacing.
The noise came from behind her now and she spun around in the dark. Her heart was beating painfully and her mouth felt so dry she found it hard to swallow.
She felt so close to tears. It had been easy to keep them at bay while Jack was with her. Despite their situation, as long as Jack was close by she had still felt safe, protected. Alone and in the dark she was very afraid.
Another noise came from close by and she stood in alarm, ready to bolt.
She backed away from the noise slowly, heart hammering madly, threatening to burst and she suddenly felt herself being snatched backwards. The scream she uttered was stemmed in mid flow by a hand jammed viciously across her face and as she felt it make contact she bit hard.
"Ow, you bitch!" snarled a voice in her ear. The hand withdrew suddenly and landed back on her face with a slap that made her teeth rattle. Her right arm was drawn up behind her back in a painful grasp, snagging her hair along with it as she struggled.
She found herself turned around and the smell of grease and body odour made her want to gag.
"Hold still, bitch. Where is he?" the man shook her viciously and when she didn't answer he slapped her across the face again.
Tears and rage boiled within her. She didn't have the distance to use a knee, so she used her feet to lash out as she struggled. She drew her head back, just as Jack had taught her - when you couldn't use your knees, use your head!
THWAK!
"Fuck!"
The man screamed in pain as she connected with his face. Finding herself free, Cassie ran stumbling into the dark.
The man's angry shout from close behind made her gasp for breath. Within seconds of freeing herself she was tackled and thrown full length on the ground.
She fought like a wild cat, but the man's strength overpowered her and despite her efforts, she was turned and pinned beneath him, his breath so close to her face she wanted to gag.
The moon chose the worse time it could to appear in full strength and she saw her attacker's face clearly, the rage in it showing even in the dim moonlight.
"Bitch!" he snarled. "Fuckin' officer's brat!" He slapped her across the face before swiping at the blood that ran down from his nose.
He grimaced in pain. "You broke it!" he howled in rage and pain and slapped her again.
His eyes suddenly lit and he licked his lips. "I ain't ever screwed an officer's daughter ... and a Colonel at that ... would have been better a General's but ..." he laughed as her eyes widened in terror.
"No," she whispered from her painfully dry throat.
He snarled. "I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget." Pinning her wrists above her head with one hand, he pulled at her coat with the other.
Cassie struggled, but her attempts only seemed to fuel his ardour. He laughed and grabbed at her breasts painfully. "Jack," she whispered as tears crept down her face.
"Jack? He ain't your daddy then? Don't tell me the old bastard's knocking you off? Even better ..." he grunted and moved back from her a little, fumbling at his waist.
The terror she felt rose in her and she put her head back and screamed.
xoxoxoxo
Jack was cautious on his way back to Cassie. He knew he would be of no use to her if he was caught. The moonlight wasn't helping much and its sudden appearances would only help to light him up for anyone in the vicinity.
He judged he wasn't far from where he'd left Cassie when he spotted tracks in the snow. His instincts were urging him forwards, his military mind urging caution ... and as he moved his pace began increasing as his senses raged.
The scream that broke the silence of the night was suddenly cut off. His heart leapt into his throat. "Cass," he whispered hoarsely hurrying even more.
Panting, he arrived at the spot where he'd left her. The snow showed signs of a struggle and dark patches of blood were scattered on its surface, frighteningly vivid against the white.
"Oh God ... no please not Cassie," he moaned quietly, instinct pulling him forwards, following the blood splatters and imprints in the snow.
"Not another child, please God," he prayed.
The second scream flared his rage. He shot forwards, knife brandished, no coherent thought other than she was alive and being hurt ...
xoxoxoxo
Cassie felt the man's hands at her neck in a bid to cut her scream. She choked and the scream died in her throat. She felt his full body weight on her, his arousal pressing against her thighs, and bile rose as she sobbed, fighting to breathe.
A buzzing sound grew in her ears, and just as she felt herself beginning to slip into darkness, the pressure on her throat was suddenly released. Drawing a heaving choking breath she opened her eyes as her attacker was suddenly pulled from her.
She watched mesmerized as he was pulled up, saw the terror in his eyes as he realised just what was going to happen as the strong hand clamped over his mouth. His eyes widened and Cassie watched in horror as the knife slid across the man's throat, the dark blood spurting, spattering her face and clothes, as the blade completed its deadly task and yet she continue to stare, as if in deadly fascination as the light went from his eyes before he slumped and was released, his body falling as if in slow motion.
Cassie scrambled to prop herself up, her feet finding no purchase to push her away from the body at her feet. The moonlight hideously lit on the bloodied knife in her rescuer's hand and she sobbed wildly.
"Cass ... oh God, Cass, are you okay?" Jack threw the bloodied knife as far as he could from them as he saw her terror. He launched himself beside her onto his knees, blocking her sight of the body.
"Cass, hon, are you okay, talk to me? Did he ... did he touch you?"
Cassie looked up to see Jack's face. The anguish on it shocked her. All she wanted was to feel his arms around her, to feel safe and she held her arms out to him.
xoxoxoxo
Jack's rage at seeing the man on Cassie knew no bounds. He knew what the man was attempting to do and his guts twisted with such hatred he wanted to kill the man ... not stop him, but kill him! He acted on sheer instinct and despatched the man in the efficient way he was trained.
Only as he let the body drop did he realise just what he had further exposed Cassie to and the shame rose in him like bile ... another young life he had contaminated with horrors ... forgetting for the moment that in her young life she had seen much horror ... the shame rose in him vying for attention with the rage against their enemies.
He wanted more than anything to hold her, comfort her, take that look of horror from her face, but he couldn't. It seemed as though her terror was directed at him and when she scrambled to get away his heart began to shatter.
Still trying to offer comfort he knelt beside her, frightened to touch, to hold ...
When her face turned to him, shock clearly written on it, it nearly undid him. Then when she held her arms open to him, silently begging to be held – he crushed her to him, rocking her close, the trembling rising until he wasn't sure just exactly who was trembling the most.
The damn broke from her and her heart wrenching sobs rose and she shook and sobbed in his arms ...
xoxoxoxo
Janet Fraiser paced the corridor outside General Hammond's office impatiently. The time had long since past for anger. At first she'd been annoyed when 1800 hours had arrived ... and no sign of the wayward pair she'd waved off early that morning.
Her friend had arrived and she was distracted for a couple of hours and her anger rose. She excused herself and tried ringing the Colonel's cell phone – only to find it switched off.
"If you've gone to the movies Jack O'Neill, your butt will be black and blue come Monday!" she spat into the automated voice mail. Then she cringed when she realised she'd just physically threatened a superior officer ... She could only hope the officer in question feared her needles enough to not report it ... and take it in the light of a mother's frustration.
Her friend departed shortly before 2200 hours and there was still no sign of her daughter. She called a couple of the rinks she knew the Colonel frequented and drew a blank. Most of the staff knew the Colonel and reported they hadn't seen him at all - now she was very worried! She knew Jack wouldn't be so irresponsible to be so late without word. She sat and began dialing the base. She knew if there had been an accident his dog tags, which he never removed, would ensure the base being notified.
Her enquiry drew a negative response. She began pacing restlessly, wondering where to try next ... it was 2230 hours ... The phone's ringing made her grab for it breathlessly and she was disappointed to find it was Colonel Harrison from the SGC – surely they weren't calling her on duty ...
"Doctor Fraiser, I understand that Colonel O'Neill is with your daughter. Do you know where they are?"
"Sir, no ... I expected them back by 1800 hours and I've had no word."
"Colonel O'Neill failed to report for duty at 2200 hours and we haven't had any luck contacting him either. Do you know where he was heading?"
Janet thought for a moment. "Not really," she winced, gee that sounded like so bad a mom ... "Colonel O'Neill made arrangements with Cassie to take her skating. I've called where he usually goes and nothing ... they've not seen him at all today."
"I see. I'll call the rest of his team and see if they can shed any light on his whereabouts. Are you staying at home?"
"They'll show up here if everything's okay, so yes I'll be here."
"I'll be in touch Doctor."
Janet replaced the receiver and continued pacing. If the Colonel hadn't reported for duty then there was something serious preventing him ... "So help me Jack O'Neill ..." she threatened. She sat down and began dialing the hospitals and used her influence to get any admissions that day checked out ...
xoxoxoxo
Jack was aware of Cassie's sobbing drying to hiccoughs. The trembling in his limbs was dying down and he drew back slightly from her. "Cassie, we've got to go. Can you walk?"
Cassie nodded, not trusting herself to speak just yet. Gently Jack drew her to her feet. Rather belatedly he realised that he no longer had the knife and he cursed his lapse. He knelt down beside the body to search for a weapon and found only another knife ... quickly he pocketed it and rose to urge Cassie to come. He kept himself between her and the body and guided her away from it ... taking a slightly circular route to get them back on track.
When they had put a little distance between the dead man and them, he stopped. "They're waiting on the road. We need to get past them somehow and then you'll be able to make that call. Do you remember what you need to say?"
Cassie nodded and brushed the hair from her face, grimacing as she realised the matting in it was probably blood. In fact, as she looked up at the man next to her, she realised that they were both covered in splatters of thick, red blood. Her coat, where Jack had held her, was the worst, blood from his hands staining the pale blue surface. She flinched, nausea almost overwhelming her for a moment.
Jack saw the action and pulled her closer. "Are you hurt?" he whispered.
Cassie shook her head, swallowing and pushing down her revulsion.
Jack heaved a sigh of relief. She wasn't ready to speak yet and he could understand that - he just hoped she wouldn't go into shock ...
xoxoxoxo
Janet's enquiries drew a blank. Her cell phone ringing dragged her from her latest enquiry and she answered it quickly.
"Doctor Fraiser, I need you to report to base. I'm sending two SF's over to your house in case there's any contact made there. We need to consider the fact that the Colonel has been compromised and a situation has occurred."
Janet's heart thumped at his words, but at least now a proper enquiry would be started. She knew the civil police would take no action for at least twenty-four hours from 1800 hours and that might just be too late.
xoxoxoxo
Jack's heart sank when he saw that the men had converged at the truck. Five of them were pacing on the road, guns at the ready. He felt Cassie squeeze him arm tightly.
"We'll never make it," she whispered.
Jack realised this was as far as they could go if Cassie was to make it down to the road safely. Even just a few feet further on the sides fell away too steeply, too long a drop.
Gently he drew her back from the edge to where they could talk in safety for the moment.
"Cass, we need a distraction to get them from their position. When they move you get down and run as fast as you can down the road and make that call okay?"
Cassie's eyes widened as she took in his words. She shook her head, tears already beginning to form once more.
"Cassie, I need you to be brave. You can have help on its way within an hour, maybe less. The longer we stay here, the more chance we have of being caught, and I don't think they're going to leave us alive now." Jack held onto her shoulders, his eyes locked onto hers as he spoke.
"I c...can't leave you," she whispered tearfully.
"Please Cassie, you're the only hope we've got of getting a team in here, our only chance of rescue." 'Way to go O'Neill ... no pressure huh!'
"I don't want to leave you."
"You won't be that far and maybe I can double round and get down. Look, it's really important that that missile doesn't leave this country."
He took the small box from his pocket, turning it over in his hands, and as if reaching a decision, suddenly scraped some of the snow from under a nearby tree and buried the box. Turning back to face her, he continued.
"I've disarmed it and for the moment it's useless, but given the time they can fix it. Chances are it's being sold overseas and it's going to end up killing thousands of innocents. I know you can do this Cass, I'm counting on you. Get down that road as fast you can and make that call. Keep to the side of the road and keep going."
Cassie starred at him mutely, the tears tracking down her face, through the dirt. "Jack ..."
Jack saw her waging the battle with her conscience. He watched her eyes and knew she'd decided ... "Good girl. Now let's get you back there ... stay down until they move."
"What if they won't ...?"
"They will," he promised ... 'if I have to dance on the road naked they'll move,' he vowed silently.
He guided her back to the road and gave her a hug. "See you later kiddo," he whispered, and disappeared into the trees before she could object.
xoxoxoxo
Cassie rubbed at her face, trying to dry the tears that continued to fall silently. She was cold, frightened ... she wanted her Mom, but most of all at that moment, she wanted Jack safely at her side ...
xoxoxoxo