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NOTHING IS EVER THAT SIMPLE
By LetitiaRichards
Previously:
Hammond leapt to his feet and hurried into his office. He shut the door behind him and they could hear him on the phone to someone. Sam guessed it was to the Pentagon and Major Davis.
Chapter 9 – Where is Jack?
Daniel's office was filled with the sound of inquiries.
Sam replaced the phone again and picked the next number on her list and dialled, hoping that this time, she would be lucky. So far none of them had had any luck in locating the Colonel. She had been given all the listings for Salem, while Daniel was ringing all the numbers in Portland. Teal'c was calling those numbers in Eugene, whilst several others were trying the smaller towns. Ellie was helping Daniel go through his list, Portland being the largest city in the state.
Ellie was kicking herself for not taking more notice of the name of the care facility where they were sending Jack. Her thoughts were interrupted by Janet who was on the phone to a small town nursing home just outside of Pendleton. Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen in on the conversation.
"That's right," Janet was saying, laying on her thick southern accent. "I feel such a fool for losing your address, but I just knew it was in that area somewhere. Why, thank you Miss Stratton, that's real kind of you. That's right, he didn't want to see anyone, except his family of course. My brother always was a bit of a hermit, and now he's just climbed right back into his shell. I promised our dear mama that I'd keep my eye on him; god rest her soul." Janet rolled her eyes at the others while listening to the woman confirm that Jack was a patient there.
Sam sniggered, but held the bubble of excitement and anticipation in check, waiting with bated breath for Janet to finish so they could get going.
"Jus' let me write that down now a'fore I done go and forgit it agin."
She found a pen thrust into her hands and a piece of paper shoved on the table ready. She wrote an address down and then tried hard to get rid of the Miss Stratton. That woman could talk the hind leg right off a donkey.
"Janet," Sam called.
"There now, my daughter is callin' for me. I have to drop her off at her friend's a'fore I leave. She's staying with her girl friend for a few nights. Bye now!"
Janet dropped the phone with a sigh of relief, and to a round of applause for her acting abilities.
"So, where are we headed?" Daniel asked quickly.
"It's an institution for the severely disabled south of Pendleton on route 395. Miles from anywhere. They certainly didn't want us to find him."
"Yeah, well let's hope we have," Daniel sighed. Now all they had to do was get there and convince Jack to come back. That is was all a stupid mistake...well, more than that really, but that was neither here nor there right now. All that mattered was that they got to him before any could happen to him.
Teal'c, Sam, Daniel and Janet made a bee-line for the door, ready to leave with Hammond's blessing. They had a special medically equipped helicopter on stand by for their expected journey.
Ellie felt miserable. She had heard the name, but it hadn't register until Janet mentioned where it was. She was left with a guard watching over her, and she wondered what they would do with her now.
Sam poked her head round the door again.
"Ellie?" she said, "You coming?"
Ellie brightened up at the prospect.
"Can I?"
"Of course. Jack knows you and you might be the only one he'll listen to right now. You may have to convince him it's all been a hoax."
Ellie nodded and hurried after Sam and out into the sunshine. They piled into a transport and were driven to Peterson, straight to where the fully equipped CH-47 Chinook helicopter was waiting."
OoOoOoOoO
The building was impressive, a huge red brick Victorian edifice standing in beautifully tended grounds.
The hired ambulance followed the sedan, and the hummvee waited by the gates as they made their way up the sweeping driveway until it reached the imposing arched doorway. It was decided that they used a civilian ambulance and sedan so as not to arouse suspicions.
The little cortege stopped at the main entrance and Janet climbed out along with Ellie. They thought that perhaps it might be easier if just the two of them went in to see the Colonel first. The others would wait in the car for further instructions. In her black bag Janet also carried a radio should she need to summon help in a hurry.
Janet put on her southern accent again when they were greeted in the entrance hall.
"Can I help you folks?" the middle aged woman asked almost as soon as they stepped through the door.
"Well, I'm sure you can, honey, yeah. I spoke to a Miss Stratton on the phone 'bout my brother," Janet said with a wide smile.
"Miss Stratton isn't here right now, perhaps I can help? I'm Dr. Jessie Appleby. I'm one of the junior directors here."
"We've come to see Jack O'Neill. I understand from Miss Stratton that he was transferred here recently. I kinda lost track of him and then out of the blue I had a phone call to say he'd been in a real bad accident. I'd really like to see him just to make sure he's being well cared for."
"Oh yes, I know the poor man. If you'd like to follow me, I'll take you to his room. He's settled in quite quickly, though he's been very lonely. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you. He was quite adamant that he didn't want to have any visitors, but I think this will be a nice surprise for him, after all, you are his family."
Janet smiled sweetly and she and Ellie exchanged glances behind the woman's back, hoping that they could persuade Dr. Appleby to allow them to enter his room alone. It could be extremely awkward if she was to hover in the background.
They took the elevator to the second floor and walked along the wide corridor until they reached a room on the far left. There was a small square window set into the door and Janet had a quick peek through it to see the layout of the room.
Jack was lying in a specialized bed, and was facing the window so he hadn't seen her glance in at him. He appeared to be asleep. She could see the tube attached to the ventilator and cursed Dr. Andrews and whoever else it was that had done this to her friend.
"If you don't mind, we'd like to see him on our own," Janet said shyly, smiling sweetly up at the taller woman and batting her eyelids.
"Of course my dear. I'll leave you to it. There's a call bell to the side of the bed, just buzz if you need any assistance."
"Thank you, but I'm sure we'll be just fine!"
They waited for the woman to disappear round the corner before Janet dared to enter the room. She felt like she was entering the lion's den. Any minute now Jack would turn and see her and then she would probably have a fight on her hands to stop him reacting badly.
Ellie was the one who stepped up to the bed and touched his cheek, drawing his sleepy attention from the view outside.
His eyes tracked back to see the nurse standing there with a wide smile.
"Ellie?" he gasped unsure if he was dreaming or not.
"Hi Jack. How're you doing?"
He could see there was someone hiding behind Ellie, but he didn't ask who it was, thinking that it was just another nurse.
Jack sighed, closing his eyes.
"Okay I guess. What are you doing here?" he asked painfully slowly thanks to the tube's pumping action.
"Actually, I've come to tell you a story," Ellie began. Jack looked up at her with a frown.
"What?"
"It's a story about a really nice guy who had an accident one day, and was told by the doctor that he would never be able to do anything for himself again."
"Ellie," Jack sighed. "I already know this one. Why are you really here?"
"Because we've been looking all over for you Colonel," Janet said, coming out from behind Ellie.
Jack cried out, shaking his head in denial.
"Nononono Doc. Leave me alone. For cryin' out loud, just leave me in peace will ya! I don't need your pity or..."
"Colonel!" Janet said using her best commanding voice. "I know what you said about not having visitors, but this time it's different. Just hear me out will you! Please Jack!" her voice softened with the plea.
Jack closed his eyes and wanted to put his hands over his ears but of course he couldn't move his hands up to do that. He couldn't move at all. A tear leaked from each corner of his eyes, and he turned away, but Janet dropped her voice to one of the caring friend, and she cupped his cheek in her palm, bringing his face round to meet hers once more.
"God, Jack. What have they done to you? Sir, this isn't real!" she whispered, making him frown. Pulling herself into professional mode so that she could do this, she began to explain.
"Colonel...Jack," she sighed sorrowfully. "This is all one very big deception. You. Are. Not. Paralysed. Do you hear me? These people have been drugging you with a sedative of some sort to make it appear that way. That's why you can't move. We need to get you back to the SGC so that we can counteract the drug and allow you to recover. At this point I don't know how much damage the actual accident caused, but you are not staying here. I have Teal'c and the rest of your team plus a few SF's waiting outside for my word."
He listened, only because he had no choice, but the words didn't make any sense. This was all a hoax? How? Could he...how could they have done that? Why? Who would do such a thing?
He opened his eyes and looked up into Janet's face wanting to know if she was just placating him into agreeing to the move, or if she was telling the truth. Was his body really okay? He was sure now he was just dreaming, or was it wishful thinking? Yeah, that was it. Wishful thinking. He was gonna wake up any minute and find out it had been nothing more than a dream.
"Doc?" Was she real or was she a figment of his imagination?
"It's true Jack. I was there when they moved you right?" Ellie added.
He nodded. He remembered her being sent away for some reason. He'd never gotten the chance to say goodbye to her and that too had hurt. He liked Ellie; she was a good nurse.
"They hurt you. You cried out in pain. Dr. Andrews said it was because your neck hurt, but you yelped only when one of the men jarred your legs. Think back Jack. Your fingers twitched in my hand. Can you remember feeling that?"
Jack closed his eyes and tried to recall that day. He'd been sedated for the journey, but now he thought about it, he could recall the sudden pain, but he was woozy at the time and it didn't register.
His eyes widened with realisation and disbelief; a wild hope igniting in his chest, but it was quickly smothered by fear.
"They knew?"
Janet nodded sadly.
"What if you're wrong? What if you get me back only to run your tests and find out they were right?" he asked worriedly. Deep down he was afraid to learn the truth.
Ellie took his hand and rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, not that he could feel it.
"Trust me Jack. That's all I ask, that you put your trust in me and your friends to know what's for the best. You're not alone any more Jack," she said with a warm smile as her tears fell silently down her cheeks. "Your friends are here to help you. And me too!"
Jack was moved to agree.
"Okay Doc," he said, his voice wavering with emotion. "Take me home!"
TBC
