Part four – Control

"This makes no sense," Sam said. "Why would someone set a naquada reactor to overload? If they wanted to destroy the base, the explosion would've only taken out the levels around my office."

"You're sure it was deliberate?" Hammond asked from the head of the briefing room table. "There's no chance it could've just gone off accidentally?"

"No chance at all," Sam affirmed. "All my reactors stay locked down when not in use, and none of them were left out on the table. Security found fingerprints on the reactor casing that don't match my own or any of my assistants' but they were too smudged to analyze."

"Could it have been our assassin or one of his buddies?" Jack asked.

"The man who attacked DanielJackson remains unconscious," Teal'c denied. He eyed Daniel with respect. "Such a powerful blow has left him incapable of carrying out any other actions against the SGC."

Uncomfortable with the idea of his new strength, Daniel changed the subject. "I don't know who did it, but when I entered the lab there was this strange smell. I don't know how to describe it...but it was everywhere. And it smelled human."

As per usual whenever new symptoms of the so-called werewolf virus showed up, all occupants of the room eyed him carefully. "I didn't smell anything," Sam said, sounding intrigued. "Um...I never thought I'd be asking this question, but...do you think you could track our culprit?"

Daniel, in turn, had never imagined he'd be asked that question. "Very doubtful," he said after considering it. "The security team tracked in a lot more scents, dusted for fingerprints...the scent I noticed is probably quite masked by all the activity. It's kind of like trying to find a needle in a haystack, after the haystack has been covered in paint. I suppose it would be possible, but the time it would take...I'm sorry. I could try, but I don't think I can do it."

"It's all right, Dr. Jackson," Hammond assured him. "We'll just have to catch this culprit the old-fashioned way. What about the security tapes?"

"Those are a dead end too, sir," Jack reported. "The lab cameras 'conveniently' glitched for approximately 45 seconds. The only personnel who could be identified from the tape are Carter and Daniel a few minutes later."

"Whoever it is, they're probably long gone," Sam said regretfully.

"Whoever did this, you can be sure they're going to try again," Hammond pointed out. "I want this whole base to be on alert for any suspicious activity." Turning to Daniel, he added, "And Dr. Jackson – if you catch any whiff of that scent again, I expect you to report it immediately."

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Janet insisted on examining Daniel again as a follow-up to the assassination attempt, and discovered that the bullet was entirely gone, as were Daniel's allergies. "The virus has somehow boosted your immune system," she explained, "allowing you to recover from injury much faster than an ordinary, uninfected human. It's almost like the healing power of a symbiote, except a lot stronger. Even a Goa'uld host couldn't survive a bullet through the heart like you did." She shone her penlight in his eye, ignoring his annoyed growl. "How are you adjusting to the heightened senses?"

"It's getting better," he admitted. "Though sometimes it is rather disconcerting to be able to hear conversations ten levels away." He cocked his head to the side and grinned. "Siler's talking to Bessie again."

"Bessie?" Janet asked, baffled.

"His giant wrench," Daniel said, smirking. "Sometimes he sings to her when he polishes her. Calls her his Wrench Wench."

Janet stifled a laugh. "Daniel! I do hope you aren't about to go around telling everyone's secrets."

"Don't worry," he assured her, "I may be the ultimate eavesdropper, but my lips are sealed."

The off-world activation sirens suddenly sprang to life, blaring loudly in Daniel's enhanced hearing, and he jumped in surprise. They continued for a few more minutes, then silenced as the Gate closed. Daniel listened intently for any signs of trouble, but it was only SG-10 returning from a mission. Satisfied that there wasn't any emergency, he brought his attention back to Janet, who was watching him. "What?"

"You didn't transform this time," she pointed out. Daniel looked down at himself and was relieved to see that he had indeed retained his usual human form. "Looks like you may be allowed offbase soon," she said with a smile. "Do you mind going through a few more tests?"

"Janet, I'm all yours!"

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Jack looked up from a mountain of files and folders just in time to see a rather bouncy Daniel enter his office. "Well, what's got you in such high spirits?" he asked.

"Jack, my friend, you are looking at a free man," Daniel announced with satisfaction. "I can control my transformations enough to go offbase, as long as I'm escorted. Janet signed the paperwork a few minutes ago."

Jack gladly abandoned the memos and survey reports. "Sweet! I knew you could do it."

Daniel gave him a relieved look. "Would you mind 'escorting' me back to my place? I haven't been home in weeks and I'm sure my fish miss me."

"I'll do better than that," Jack promised. "How about we all go out to dinner as a team? My treat."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up. "Where at?"

The colonel acquired a somewhat guilty yet sneaky look. "How about O'Malley's?" he asked, trying to subtly steer Daniel towards the elevator.

"O'Malley's?" Daniel repeated skeptically. "Jack, in case you've forgotten, we got banned three years ago after you started a bar brawl."

Jack acted indignant. "I did not! That was all you."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was. You gave me that look."

"Which look?"

"The 'start a fight' one, obviously."

Daniel scoffed. "I did no such thing."

"Yes, you did," Jack insisted. "Those guys called you a geek, I backed you up, and then you telepathically told me, 'Let's kick ass, Jack'."

"That would never hold up in court."

"So you admit it?"

"Don't make me bite you, Jack."

End part four.