Chapter 27
Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, Harm and Mac had been going over the list of people Mac and Harm had interviewed; they had only managed to cut the list by about a quarter. Jack realized that he had to keep the people in the mountain so he had Hammond lock down the mountain not letting anyone leave; he knew this would raise the suspicions of the mole, but they didn't see any other way of keeping the mole confined.
"So now what?" Daniel asked, running his hand through his hair.
"Well Daniel we find the damn mole." Jack said feeling irritated it was taking so long.
Janet had come and gone giving Sam the extra medication she needed which was responsible for her current condition; sleeping comfortably. Jack kept glancing over at Sam while they continued to go over the list.
"Teal'c I think it would be good if you sat in on the interviews in case he gets desperate." Jack said.
"What about guarding Major Carter?" Teal'c asked, he usually didn't question O'Neill but he felt it his duty to protect his friend.
"I'll make sure she's safe Teal'c." Jack said then looked back at Sam yet again.
"Very well O'Neill, if you believe this is best." Teal'c said then bowed his head.
"Well I guess we should get set up then, we'll use the same room as before." Mac said then got up and was followed by Teal'c.
Harm held back a few minutes to talk to Jack keeping his voice very low. "Look Colonel I know we're getting close to catching this guy, but unless he confesses to the attack on Stan, Teal'c and Jackson are still our prime suspects."
"You've got to be kidding." Jack said a little louder, then noticed Sam stir a little and quieted down. "Doesn't all of what happened prove the mole is the one who attacked Stan? After all he only went after Carter when he thought she could identify him, so he most likely went after Stan for the same reason."
"It makes it a possibility but without proof or a confession it's just as likely Teal'c and Jackson did it." Harm said still keeping his voice calm and quiet, he didn't want Sam to hear him and get upset.
"Well then we need to catch him alive then get him to confess." Jack said keeping his voice just as cool as Harm's.
"Well then I guess I'd better go help Mac, will you and Jackson be okay guarding Sam?" Harm asked concerned.
"Yea, it's not like we're alone we do have two guards outside the door." Jack said jerking his head towards the direction of the door.
"Okay then, keep safe, all of you." Harm said as he went out the door then heard it lock behind him.
"So Jack what was that all about?" Daniel asked, after all he wasn't the type of person to eavesdrop.
"Nothing Daniel, he was just wondering if the two of us were enough to guard Carter." Jack said not looking Daniel in the eyes.
"I sure hope we are Jack." Daniel said wondering the same thing, for the first time in a long time he doubted his abilities
"We'll do fine Daniel, I'm sure if Carter was awake right now, she'd feel the same way." Jack said reassuring his friend.
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Harm and Mac had set up the room so they could secretly tape the conversations, that way if they had any doubts they could compare the two voices using a computer audio program.
"Okay let's get started, send in the first person." Mac said turning on the recorder.
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He was wondering what the hell was going on at the base; why had Hammond ordered it locked down? He didn't have time to ponder the situation, he was due at his post in five minutes and he had to figure out how he was going to get at Cater now that she was being guarded by the rest of SG1 in a private room. It's not as if he could stroll up to armoury and make another bomb, no Hammond had put extra security there. It had taken all he had to be able set up the last bomb, not to mention not getting caught when he sabotaged the gate. Now that took skill. 'Well I guess I'll have to make due with what I have and hope an opportunity presents itself.'
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Jack was getting antsy, he knew that they were getting so close to catching this guy and now was not the time to relax He had to remain ever vigilant especially now that he had sent Teal'c to help the others. He checked his gun yet once again but then thought if he shot him, he might kill him, then where would Daniel and Teal'c be. No, he had to make sure this SOB stayed alive. Well only long enough to be questioned that is, then who knows maybe he'd have an accident.
"Jack how many times are you going to check your gun?" Daniel asked he had watched Jack take his gun out check the bullets and reload it over and over again. If he thought, the pencil was annoying this was much worse.
Jack looked up from his gun, "Oh sorry Daniel, I just want to make sure I'm ready for anything." He got up and paced around the room then sat down in front of the security monitor making sure the hall was clear and everything was as it should be. He sat there for about five minutes before he got up again this time going to check on Carter.
Daniel watched Jack, he wasn't' sure if it was a good idea after all Jack was wound up tight as it was, but he went and poured two cups of coffee then took one over to Jack.
Jack heard Daniel come up beside him and took the cup he offered. "You know Jack, Janet says she's going to be alright. It may take some time, but she's going to pull through this."
"I know Daniel, its just I can't shake this feeling that something terrible is going to happen."
Daniel put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Maybe it's just you feeling guilty because you feel responsible that you couldn't keep this from happening to Sam. I know I feel guilty, even though I know there's nothing I could have done."
"Thanks Daniel, but I should have been able to do more." Jack said putting his cup down and moving away from Sam's bed back to the security monitor.
Daniel watched him go and sighed, he looked down at Sam and wondered; no he was quite sure there was more between Jack and Sam than the military would allow. Now he was seeing how it was tearing Jack apart. He knew what Sam went through when Jack was missing and how she worked so hard to get him back, and how hurt she was when he turned away from her to go to Laira's arms she wouldn't admit it but he could see how devastated she was. Now here they were, both needing each other but unable to share that connection. He gently stroked the hair away from Sam's eyes before going to join Jack.
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"So Harm, how many does that make it?" Mac asked stretching her neck.
"Oh, I'd say we're about three quarters through the list." Harm answered, they had been at it for hours re-interviewing the suspects on the list.
"Well at least we only have five possibilities so far." Mac said, this time getting up to walk around and stretch her legs.
"I do not believe those on the list match the…" Teal'c looked up for a moment raised an eyebrow, then continued. "mole's voice."
"How can you be sure, these five come very close?" Harm stated.
"They may be close, but they are not a match." Teal'c stated once again.
"Well we still have at least twenty more people to interview." Mac said.
"I think a break is in order, don't you?" Harm said getting up from his chair.
"Sounds good to me." Mac said, following Harm out the door, leaving Teal'c in the room still pondering the question of who had tried to kill Major Carter.
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"Sir." called out a quiet voice, just waking up.
Jack's vision was starting to blur from watching the security monitor when he heard Sam call. "Hey Carter, how'd you sleep?"
"Pretty good actually, so any news?" She asked hopefully.
"Not yet, sorry Carter." Jack said shaking his head.
"It's alright Sir, you know plan's A and B never work out quickly; I just hope we don't have to come up with plan C." Sam said smiling slightly.
"Ain't that the truth Carter. So is there anything I can get for you?" He asked sincerely.
"Some water would be nice Sir."
Jack filled a glass from the pitcher and it took it too her keeping his arm behind her shoulders while she drank. "You know Carter, Daniel made a pot of coffee, I'm sure he'd be willing to share a cup with you."
"That's okay Sir, I don't really feel like coffee right now." She said settling back down onto her pillows.
"How's the pain level?" Jack asked looking at her as she manoeuvred back onto the pillows.
"Not as bad since Janet gave me the extra meds to help me sleep, but now I'm kind of anxious to see this come to an end."
"So you can get your life back."
"Yea." Sam said looking at her hands.
"It will be over soon Carter, I'm sure." Jack said looking at her but not making eye contact since Sam was still looking down at her hands.
"Okay let me know if you need anything else." Jack said heading towards the washroom, thinking right now she might want to be alone.
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Lt. Simms and Sgt. Parker stood at their post outside Carter's room; they noticed a nurse coming down the hall with her arms loaded with supplies. "Good afternoon Lt. Belle, here let me get the door for you." Simms said smiling at her.
"Why thank you lieutenant." Nurse Katie answered smiling back at him.
Lt. Simms knocked on the door and waited for it to be unlocked.
Daniel watched the monitor and saw that Katie was headed their way, when he saw her approach the door he got up to open it hearing a knock first.
Jack was coming out of the bathroom when he heard the knock at the door and saw Daniel opening the door.
"So Katie, I look forward to seeing you on the next brake." Simms said holding the door open for her as she brushed passed him.
Jack took a double take furrowing his eyebrows then looked at Daniel who looked at him in shock. Jack reached for his gun and pulled it out.
Simms noticed the look on the Colonel's face and quickly grabbed Katie her supplies dropping out of her hands, he used her as a shield as he drew his gun out and kicked the door closed.
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"Well Mac that's everyone on the list." Harm said shaking his head.
"At least we have it narrowed down to what ten people." Mac said sounding a little hopeful.
"I do not believe any of those interviewed is the person we are looking for." Teal'c said.
"It has to be Teal'c; I know I recognized his voice from somewhere." Mac said exasperated.
"Have you not talked with other personnel from the base?" Teal'c asked.
"Well yea, we did talk to the guards who were on duty when Stan was attacked." Mac said.
"And then there were the guards that came to Sam's house when Kennedy was shot." Harm also answered.
"Then is it not possible that the person we are looking for is one of the guards?" Teal'c said raising his eyebrow.
"Damn I think you're right, we should warn O'Neill." Harm said getting up and rushing to the phone.
"Drop the gun Colonel." Simms ordered.
"Why so you can shoot all of us?" Jack said keeping his voice calm and steady.
"Well Colonel, you can't shoot me without shooting this lovely nurse first." Simms said sounding nervous.
Jack slowly moved towards Sam's bed so he was in front of her, all the while keeping his gun aimed at Simms. "So tell me Lieutenant, how do you plan on getting out of here?"
"Oh I don't know, maybe I'll shoot all the witnesses first." He said squeezing tighter onto Katie as she started to squirm.
'Damn if I was only a little shorter like Dr. Fraiser then Col. O'Neill could get a shot at him.' Katie thought to herself.
Jack inched his way closer to Sam keeping his back to her hoping she would be with it enough to know what to do.
"Colonel, why do keep going towards Major Carter?" Simms asked angrily.
"She's been through enough, just making sure any stray bullet doesn't get her." Jack said trying to sound convincing, all the while thinking 'come on Carter, you know what to do.'
Simms chuckled a bit. "You know this is all her fault. She was supposed to be the only one who died."
"Why is that?" Daniel asked speaking up for the first time, keeping his hands raised in a non-threatening way.
"If she just minded her own business and didn't try to catch me, she would be sleeping peacefully in her own bed right now."
"You were there, you saw the body in her bedroom, do you really think she would be sleeping peacefully in her bed?"
Simms had to snort at that. "When I saw Kennedy lying dead on the floor, I thought I was home free, no one else could finger me; but then I saw the major working in her lab, and I knew she was working on a way to find me."
"So you decided to blow her up?" Jack said angrily.
"Hey I had to improvise, make sure I was no where in the area when it happened. I still can't believe you managed to pull her out of there."
"Not unscathed." Daniel said his voice showing a small amount of anger in his voice.
"You still haven't answered the question on how you plan on getting out of here?" Jack said.
Simms tightened his grip around Katie's neck making her move slightly until he could get a good aim at Sam. "Now Colonel, if you would please put the gun down, or do I have to start putting bullets into Major Carter one at time, I know you're in the way but I still have enough targets to aim at." He said coolly.
"Well I guess I don't have an option." Jack said bending down placing the gun on the floor.
"Kick it under the bed." Simms ordered waiting until he saw O'Neill do as he was told.
Just then the phone rang, Simms being as jumpy as he was held onto Katie tighter (if that was possible) and kept his aim on Jack. "Don't even think about answering that!" He yelled.
"Okay, but if we don't suspicions will be raised?" Jack said, wondering if this distraction would give them any type of advantage.
"Alright, but Jackson answers it. No funny business or I start wounding the women."
'Is this guy for real?' Katie wondered, as she still tried to struggle in his grip.
"Okay, just take it easy, no one has to get hurt here." Daniel said as he slowly moved to answer the phone. "Jackson."
"Yea Jackson it's Rabb, I need to speak to O'Neill."
"Um, I'm sorry Jack can't come to the phone right now he's indisposed." Daniel said looking at Jack seeing him shrug at him.
"Okay then this is important, let O'Neill know that we think the mole is one of the guards; so be very careful."
"Yea okay thanks Harm, will do." Daniel said then hung up the phone.
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"Well that was odd." Harm said putting the phone down.
"What is Harm?" Mac asked concerned.
"That was Dr. Jackson; he said O'Neill was indisposed…."
"That's nod odd Harm, there is a washroom in the room." Mac said.
"Uh, no it's not that, it's just I don't know he seemed nice on the phone."
Teal'c raised his eyebrow looking very perplexed, "Why does this make you suspicious?"
"Ah, because Teal'c, since we put you and Dr. Jackson on the top of our suspect list, let's just say Dr. Jackson's feelings towards us have been anything but nice." Harm said.
"This is true; therefore I believe Daniel Jackson, Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter may be in some danger." Teal'c said in a calm voice.
"Well let's get down there and check it out." Mac said as she headed for the door, followed by the rest.
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"Who was it?" Simms asked nervously.
"That was Commander Rabb; he called to warn us that they think the mole is one of the guards." Daniel said feeling things might be turning to their advantage.
"Really?" Jack said smugly. "Looks like they're finding your trail."
"Not yet, I still have time. All I have to do is get rid of the four of you and blame it on Sgt. Parker out there."
"I'm afraid that's not going work." Jack said grinning.
"What, why not?" Simms said angrily.
"Oh, did we forget to tell you…" Daniel said getting in on annoying the man.
"Yea Simms, it seems that even though you tried to blow up Carter, she still managed to get a recording of your voice talking to Kennedy." Jack said grinning
"And all they have to do now is compare your voice to the recoding, then it's the end for you." Daniel added in on the tag team attack they were doing to Simms.
"Then I guess I'll just have to take you guys down with me." Simms said straightening his arm aiming at Jack, his fury showing on his face.
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Teal'c came running to the VIP suite, grabbing Sgt. Parker by the collar. "Where is your partner?" Teal'c said angrily, referring to the fact that there were to always be two guards at the door.
"He's ah in the room with everyone else." Parker answered nervously.
Harm and Mac heard Parker's answer and the realization hit them that the mole was in the room with them. They ran to the door and started pounding on it. "Open the door!'
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Sam couldn't believe what was going on, that it was the guard the whole time. She watched in horror as the situation unfolded in front of her. She only hoped she would have the strength when the time was right.
There was a loud banging at the door and voices could be heard yelling.
Simms looked quickly towards the door; Katie took the advantage and rammed her elbow into his solar plexus diving out of the way as he loosened his grip. He took a step back raising his gun when he was overcome by blue electrical shock zapping him; he twitched for what seemed to be endless moments before he hit the ground. Daniel and Jack pounced on Simms; making sure, Simms and the gun were secure. Katie got up and rushed to open the door.
Mac, Harm Teal'c and a stunned Sgt. Parker all rushed in the room taking in the sight of O'Neill crouched down with one knee in the centre of Simms' back, while Daniel held a gun on the unconscious man.
"What the hell happened?" Hammond yelled as he pushed his way into the room. He had rushed down to the room after being advised by security of the strange goings on they witnessed on the cameras.
"We found the mole Sir, and thanks to Carter's perfect aim we were able to subdue him without anyone getting hurt." Jack said taking the handcuffs from Parker and placing them on Simms, who was starting to come around.
"What, how did Sam manage to shoot him?" Harm asked.
"Well I'm just glad Carter noticed the bulge in my pants and knew what to do." Jack said innocently.
Jack noticed several heads turn and almost snap as they looked at him. "What?" Hammond said shocked.
"Huh, I made my way over to Carter keeping my back towards her, I had a Zat gun in my waist band, but my jacket was covering it. What did you think I meant?" Jack said looking puzzled at the general.
"Oh, ah nothing Colonel." Hammond said a little embarrassed.
"So you're sure he's the mole?" Mac asked.
"Oh, yea he admitted it, as well as planting the bomb in Sam's room." Daniel answered.
"Well get him out of here, put him in a separate holding cell." Hammond ordered the security guards who had followed him.
They came in the room roughly got Simms to his feet and led him out into the hall. "Colonel, I want a briefing in an hour." Hammond said looking around the room at the faces of everyone involved and noticing that Sam still had the Zat in her grip lying on the bed. Then he motioned with his head to Jack to look at Sam. Jack nodded and headed her way.
"Hey Carter, nice shooting." Jack said noticing the light sheen of sweat on her face and the death grip she had on the weapon. He gently placed his hand on hers.
"It's okay, you can let go of it now, everyone's safe." Jack said calmly while taking the Zat from her hand.
"You're sure?" Sam asked through gritted teeth.
"Yea Carter it's over." Jack said gently rubbing his hand up and down her arm.
"Katie are you alright?" Daniel asked standing next to her taking one of her hands into his.
"Yes, doc…Daniel I'm fine. Just a little shaken that's all." She said feeling the adrenaline rush now fading.
"Here why don't you sit down for a minute, catch your breath." Daniel said leading her to the couch and sitting next to her.
"I should really check on Major Carter."
Daniel looked over and saw Jack talking to Sam, "I think she'll be alright for a few more minutes.
Teal'c saw the exchanges going on and decided to call Dr. Fraiser to check on Sam.
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"Okay Sam, now that the excitement is all over and we now have you back in our lovely infirmary maybe you'll get the rest you need." Janet said adding more of the sedative to the IV then walked over to Jack, Daniel and Teal'c who were waiting patiently.
"Well she'll be asleep for awhile, rest is what she needs the most.'
"So no more private room?" Jack asked sounding a little disappointed.
"Sorry Colonel, but now that the dangers past we'll be able to keep a closer eye on her here." Janet explained to him, again since he wasn't keen on the idea of moving her back to the infirmary in the first place.
"Well we'll be back later Doc; we have a briefing to go to." Jack said not liking to have to go to a meeting after what they had all been through. He just wanted to stay near Sam to be able to feel her presence near him. He was afraid he was getting too used to having her close by.
A/N: So there you have it the mole. I just wonder if any one guessed who it was. You didn't really think I'd make it Janet did you?