So glad to know you're all following the story eagerly. Thanks for all those lovely reviews.
I hope this longer chapter satisfies your curiosity somewhat, and that you enjoy the fun as it unfolds. More fluff coming soon!
NOTHING IS EVER THAT SIMPLE
By LetitiaRichards
Previously:-
She did her best to comfort the puppy, but he was inconsolable, unable to understand why he had been separated from Jack. All she could do was to keep him close, and reassure him that he would see Jack again very soon.
Chapter 23 – Hook, Line & Sinker.
Hammond sat in his office, the door open; personnel coming and going as normal, but their faces were glum. The people of the SGC hadn't taken the news of Colonel O'Neill's death at all well.
His own face was serious; and he wanted nothing better than to tell them that it had all been a ruse to trap the real person behind the attempts to take the life of his best officer.
Lacing his fingers together he was lost in his thoughts when the phone rang, startling him from going over everything in his head once more, making sure that the plan would work. It had to; Jack was relying on it.
He was here, and right on cue. And there were no prizes for guessing who was on his way down.
He dropped the phone back onto it's cradle and summoned SG-1 and Janet Fraiser to the briefing room. They each knew their part in the little fiasco about to take place. Sam had hold of Mac on his leash.
They arrived a few minutes before Senator Kinsey, who barged into the room as if he owned the place, causing Mac to growl, baring his teeth at the man.
"Senator Kinsey? What a surprise! To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Hammond asked through a false smile and gritted teeth.
"General Hammond. I just heard the news about Jack O'Neill. I wanted to learn for myself if this was in fact true; that's if it's not too inconvenient for you General. I know you people; you seem to overcome death with regular monotony. Is it true? Jack O'Neill is actually dead?"
Hammond cast a look at the solemn faces of the rest of SG-1, then trying to fight his anger, he replied.
"I'm not sure how you found out Senator. I've only notified the President so far, but if you'd like to see for yourself, you're welcome. Do his team look suitably upset even for your satisfaction?"
Kinsey swept his gaze around those seated at the table; Daniel's eyes were red, thanks to Janet's prescribed eye drops. Sam was sniffing back the tears, which were overflowing thanks to peeling an onion a few minutes ago. And Teal'c, well as far as the Senator was concerned, he always looked sombre, so Kinsey couldn't be sure of any difference. Even Janet had taken a whiff of the onion so her eyes were red and watery too.
"If you wish Senator," Hammond continued, playing along, "you may view Colonel O'Neill's body just to be certain." Hammond fisted his hands at the sheer gall of the man, while still trying to appear calm. "I am sure you would want to pay your own personal respects? After Colonel O'Neill was a hero!" Something which you will never be! he added silently. "I believe Dr. Fraiser would be willing to show you to the morgue where his earthly remains lie for the present."
"I would, thank you General. I would wish to pay my last respects."
Janet stood up, barely able to control herself from hitting the smug bastard. He was so damn eager to see the result of his dreams come true. She was still reeling from the thought of 'killing' the mindless clone. It had been harder for her to do than shooting at the enemy, all because the clone had borne her friend's face. Now if it had been Kinsey's face... that would be another matter. No qualms there.
"If you'll follow me sir!" she snapped, trying to maintain a professional façade and keeping her back straight and her fingers from reaching for a huge hypodermic full of Novocaine or Epinephrine. She'd love nothing more than to give him an overdose. That way, he'd be put out of everyone's misery.
Sam snorted with disgust, but could hardly contain her laughter at General Hammond's outstandingly sombre performance.
"Worthy of an Oscar sir!" she chuckled along with Daniel, a few minutes after Kinsey had closed the door behind him.
"Pay his last respects," snorted Daniel, "my ass! He couldn't wait to be rid of Jack."
"The fun hasn't yet started people shall we join them?"
Hammond led the team along with Mac to the Morgue, giving a little time for the 'fun' to begin.
OoOoOoOoO
Senator Kinsey approached the draped body and yanked the sheet back from the face. He almost smiled predatorily until he remembered Janet was still in the room. But it was definitely O'Neill who lay there, a bullet wound to his head. There was no way he could have survived that.
"Excuse me Doctor Fraiser, but do you mind if I have a moment alone with this hero's remains?" Kinsey tried to keep the sneer from his voice, but Janet knew it was there.
"Of course not Senator. I'll give you a few minutes."
Janet turned her back and left the room, barely making it outside before she stuffed her hand in her mouth to stop herself from screaming in anger. Damn the man!
"Thor! He's all yours!" she whispered into the opal like stone that served as a communications device for the Asgard.
Kinsey stood over the body, it did feel icy cold. Next, by using a small mirror, he tried to catch a hint of breath from the inert body. Still not satisfied, he pulled out an extra long, evil looking pin and stabbed it hard into the top of the body's arm, and then the cheek. There was no response to either of these jabs.
"I knew I'd get you one day you smug bastard!" he crowed with delight. "At last I'm rid of you!"
"Did you say something Senator?"
Kinsey whipped round to see the shadowy figure of Jack O'Neill as it wavered and faded in and out not two yards away. He gave a shriek and turned round to look and see if the body was still there. He'd never seen a holographic image of a real person before, so he didn't know the difference between that and what appeared to him to look like a ghost.
It was still lying there, unmoving, so he turned back to the blurry figure behind him only to see an empty space. He gasped in horror, looking all round the room, settling back to stare at the dead body. Then Jack's voice came from behind him again.
"What's the matter Kinsey? Afraid of ghosts?" Jack taunted in a sing song voice.
"No!" Kinsey yelled, swinging round. His face was pale, and he was breathless; his heart beating double time. He wasn't scared; no sir. He proved it by swishing his hand through the holographic image. "You're not real. You're dead. I damn well had you killed you bastard!"
Jack's image flickered again and Jack laughed before disappearing.
Kinsey tried to calm himself, but Jack kept spooking him, making him spin round so many times the Senator became dizzy.
"I'm going to haunt you Kinsey, for the rest of your life!" Jack laughed hideously, his voice fading as did his image.
Kinsey tried to calm himself by grabbing hold of the marble slab, whilst not touching the body. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath trying to slow his heart-rate down.
Suddenly the door opened and Hammond entered the room followed by all the others. Kinsey jumped away from the table as if burned. One look at Kinsey's face and Hammond could tell the man was scared; his face was ashen and he was sweating and probably trembling too.
"Do you have something you wish to admit to me Senator?"
Kinsey floundered for a moment, trying to recover his bluff.
"Should there be General?"
"I am absolutely certain I heard you say that you were responsible for Jack's demise!"
Kinsey pulled himself upright, puffing out his chest.
"That is a slanderous statement General. I demand an apology..."
Suddenly he had an eerie feeling; the hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention. He began to turn round slowly.
"Boo!" cried Jack spookily, tapping the Senator on the shoulder and making the unfortunate Kinsey scream, fall to the floor and scamper away on all fours in fear. He turned round to see Jack laughing. Kinsey's eyes were wide in his terrified face; his hands held up in defence of his body as he cowered in the corner of the room.
"Nonononono! I had you killed; you can't be here!" Kinsey muttered.
It was as much as Daniel, Sam and Janet could do to stop themselves from giggling.
"Did ya get all that General?" Jack asked, still standing there, but this time his body didn't shimmer. Mac was delighted and Sam let the dog loose. He was scooped up into his master's arms, licking him all over.
"Every word Colonel. Good job!"
Teal'c and Daniel moved past the quivering Senator to assist Jack, knowing it might be difficult to keep standing for him.
"You can't be real!" Kinsey yelled hysterically.
"I'm as real as you are!" Jack retorted with a grin, fending off more licks.
"Then...wh...who...who is that?" Kinsey cried in disbelief, pointing to the body lying on the slab.
"Him. Ah, that's me too! Thanks to Thor's little cloning device. We made a copy, only we didn't plant my consciousness into it. It's just an empty shell."
"Bbb...but...but..."
"Tsk!" Jack sighed in pity, "Bad stammer there Senator. Good job you're retiring from Politics now isn't it?"
Kinsey gulped and picked himself up, trying to recover his senses.
"Who said I was giving up. I'll have you know..." He wasn't scared. O'Neill wasn't a real ghost any more.
"The only place you're going Senator is to jail. No passing 'Go' either, by the way! Oh, and before you leave, I think you might wanna change your underpants," he added in a self-satisfied whisper.
Kinsey spluttered indignantly, but reddened with embarrassment when he looked down at himself.
"I have everything on tape Senator. We'll give you an option. Admit your guilt and face the courts, taking your punishment like a man; or, disappear to an uninhabited world where you will be on your own and unable to return to Earth until such time as you wish to confess. What will it be Kinsey? Thor's waiting and he is one very pissed Asgard." General Hammond stood there with his hands clenched by his sides, barely holding onto his temper.
Kinsey knew when he was beaten, and his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"We also have someone who is willing to admit that he was paid by you to kill Colonel O'Neill." General Hammond added more fuel to the fire.
"Then it looks as if I don't have much of a choice. For now," he sighed, glaring at Jack, adding in an undertone, "I've not finished with you O'Neill. I have friends in the most unlikeliest of places..."
There was a bright light and the Senator disappeared from the room, leaving everyone in doubt about what Thor thought of the Senator's newest threat, and wondering how Kinsey's goons and his family would react when they discovered the Senator missing.
Jack shrugged and leaned against his friends. Janet was instantly there with the wheelchair.
"No!" he said, stopping her. "Thor fixed me, but I'm really tired doc. That's all."
"Well sir. Sit down and we'll get you back to your quarters for a nap."
"Get some rest son. You did well Colonel." Hammond patter Jack on the shoulder, more than pleased with the way things had turned out.
"Thank you sir."
"Colonel?" Janet gave him that, 'disobey at your peril', look.
Jack shrugged, too tired to argue, 'what the heck!' he thought, and so he slumped into the chair and was pushed back to his room, Mac riding along on his lap.
"Fine, fine!" he capitulated.
Thor appeared moments late in a bright light.
"Greetings General Hammond. I take it that Senator Kinsey would be willing to spend some time alone whilst thinking over his future."
"Thor, I can't thank you enough for your help in this matter. And for taking care of Colonel O'Neill."
Thor blinked and turned to face his friend, while still speaking to Hammond.
"O'Neill would be wise to rest. I have healed his wounds, but the process was a tiring one for him. If it wasn't for the need to end the Senator's madness, I would have allowed him to sleep on. He insisted there was no other way."
Jack yawned and Thor blinked again.
"I shall leave now to deposit the Senator on Kanis Primus, and return to him in a few days to discover his plans." With that Thor was gone.
Hammond patted Jack on the shoulder.
"Go get some sleep son."
Teal'c pushed Jack from the room towards his quarters.
The look on the faces of the soldiers they passed along the way was priceless, but Jack couldn't help wondering what would have become of the SGC if Kinsey had succeeded. Mitchum, the young man who had tried to shoot him, had turned state's evidence in order to help the SGC catch the spy among them, who had been passing details of missions as well as the comings and goings of SG-1 and Hammond, who it turned out, was next on the Senator's list. Mitchum had sung like the proverbial nightingale. The result was that one of Hammond's own staff had been taken away for questioning, accused of passing on secret documents for the President's eyes only, to a certain 'Ex'-Senator.
TBC
