Chapter 3 of 8
"Daniel-san."
He shot up in bed, hand reaching for the light switch, flooding the room with its pale glow. There was nothing there. Sliding open the bedside drawer he removed the gun he had taken to keeping there. Throwing back the covers, ignoring the robe hanging behind the door in his haste, he padded naked through the apartment, checking room by room – nothing. He returned to the living room and glanced down at the table, once again the netsuke were scattered across the top and he knew, dammit, that he had left them perfectly aligned when he had retired that night.
Running his fingers through his hair he cursed long and fluently in as many languages as he could summon up, trying to vent some of his frustration.
"Okay, someone is playing games with me." His eyes travelled around the room once more. Maybe there were speakers hidden away, if so he'd find them, starting with the bedroom. Feeling suddenly vulnerable in his nakedness, he dressed quickly, tucking the gun into his waistband. For the rest of the night Daniel virtually tore the apartment to pieces, removing every item from every shelf, checking behind mirrors and artefacts on every wall, even down to unscrewing the fittings – there was nothing.
By the time the sun rose Daniel was coming to the belief that there were no hidden devices and nothing technological to explain the whispering voice or the moving netsukes. Which left him with only two options, either he was imagining things - and that was a worrying thought, or he was being haunted. He was a scientist and he did not believe in the paranormal, which left him prey to doubts. Frustrated he finally fell into the shower and then made his way back to the mountain to start another day, determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
It was the rhythmic tapping that attracted Teal'c's attention first. Pausing outside the partially open door to Daniel's laboratory he listened to the rap, rap, rap, head tilted to one side as he tried to decipher what was causing the sound. Something behind the door fell with a loud thud, followed by a string of expletives, unusual enough behaviour from the normally controlled linguist that he pushed open the door. He caught Daniel getting up from the floor his arms laden with a jumble of papers; more lay scattered all around him, along with folders of various shades. Even a book or two had made it to the ground, something Teal'c had never expected to see in this room.
Jaffa and Archaeologist contemplated one another for a long moment before Daniel dumped his load on the desk, straightened his glasses and grimaced.
"I suppose you're wondering what happened?" Daniel began, crossing his arms almost defensively across his chest.
"Something has disturbed you, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel's eyes shifted from his friend's steady gaze to travel around the room until it was impossible to ignore the unspoken command to talk. He moved to sit on the stool indicating to Teal'c to take a seat also. For a moment he fiddled with the papers on his desk, marking time. It was ridiculous, he had to face this problem head on as he had every other, but the thought that he might be losing his mind was a terrifying one.
"Teal'c, you know me pretty well by now, right?"
A stately inclination of the head.
"Do I believe in ghosts?"
"You do not," came the reply. Rather more emphatic than Daniel would have liked.
"Then what would you say if I told you I thought I was being haunted?" Tension thrummed through every molecule of Daniel's taut body.
The Jaffa seemed to give consideration to the question before replying with more conviction than Daniel had really wanted to hear.
"I would be most surprised. You have never evinced any belief in the world of spirits."
Something in the other man's tone caught Daniel's attention. He didn't think they had ever had a conversation regarding the paranormal and he had no idea if Teal'c held any beliefs in that direction. He didn't want to offend the Jaffa should he hold strong feelings on the subject.
"I don't. At least I didn't think I did - now I'm not so sure. The only other explanation I can come up with doesn't bode well for my future."
The dry, ironic tone was not lost on Teal'c. "Will you not share your concerns?"
Well there really was only one way to tell this story, Daniel thought. "I'm hearing voices, or at least I think I am. And things are being moved in my apartment." There, it was out for the Jaffa to make of what he will.
"Is it only in your home that this occurs?"
The calm reply went some way to allay the fear in the linguist's stomach. Still, he had to admit now to having heard that same voice on their last mission.
Teal'c observed him for some moments before replying. "You have searched your home for devices?"
Daniel's wry smile was answer enough but he spoke anyway. "I took the place apart last night and I couldn't find a thing. I don't think there is anything to find."
"Could this be memories resurfacing? Something from your time as an ascended being?"
The question was a logical one, practical as always from his friend, but again he had to deny the premise.
"I don't think so. Why would the netsuke move? Unless of course I'm sleepwalking as well as hearing voices!"
"Netsuke? I am not familiar with this term."
Daniel flicked on his computer screen and showed Teal'c what he had been researching. Not that he had had any success in tracking down all the figures that currently resided on his table. One still eluded him, the figure of a woman dressed in white. There were others, female, who almost but not quite fit all the criteria. His failure to solve even this comparatively simple mystery was frustrating the hell out of him. Research was his forte; this should not be defeating him.
"How did you acquire these items?"
Daniel's eyebrows rose in surprise. "They were with the rest of my stuff you guys packed up. You don't remember seeing them before?"
"I do not."
Both sets of eyes returned to the screen in contemplation.
"I believe you should share your concerns with O'Neill. If your security has been compromised then he must be informed."
"Informed of what?" Jack's voice caught both men by surprise.
Before Daniel could open his mouth the Jaffa was speaking. "Daniel Jackson is hearing voices. It appears his home could have been breached." He paused for a moment, and then added, "Or he is being haunted."
It all went downhill after that. It was hours later that Daniel, with the colonel and Sam, entered his apartment. The state of the rooms told its own story. He hadn't been kidding when he said he had taken the place apart.
Sam's soft, "Wow," did little to mediate Daniel's discomfort as he surveyed the damage he had caused just a few hours before.
Jack gave Daniel a searching look, and then began issuing orders. "Right. Carter, get the equipment out. Let's do this the professional way."
Daniel moved to the window, propping himself against the sill, and watched as his team-mates went over every inch of his home. He was pretty sure they would come up empty handed. Two and a half-hours later his confidence was justified, not that that was any consolation.
They were all edgy, O'Neill in particular it seemed. He picked up one of the netsuke and turned it between his fingers. "And you say it all started when you unpacked these?"
Daniel nodded. "I left them all standing upright and when I got home they were scattered across the table. The night before I had the distinct impression there was someone here. There wasn't. I checked."
Sam picked up another of the small carvings, her forehead creased in a frown. "I'm sure I've seen these in an inventory somewhere, something brought back by one of the other teams." Her eyes suddenly opened wide as she recalled where. "SG7. These came from…"
All four were immediately cast back in their minds to the temple set in beautiful gardens. The eerie quiet of the place.
"We have to go back!" Daniel's voice sounded loud in the sudden silence.
Jack's voice of reason did not appeal to Daniel's sudden overwhelming need.
Two days of psych evaluation only confirmed Daniel's opinion of McKenzie. The man was an idiot. And after wasting all that time the man had agreed that Daniel was mentally sound - all things considered.
Daniel had stood over the doctor while he typed up the report, snatching it out of the printer when he was done, and promising to deliver it personally to General Hammond.
For two nights now, Daniel had woken to the sound of a soft feminine voice whispering his name in the darkness. He had put the Netsuke behind glass the first night, only to find them on the floor the next morning. He had gritted his teeth and returned them, this time locking the sliding glass doors. It made no odds. The next morning the doors had been open, and the figure of the lady in white had been lying on the floor at his bedside.
Daniel rapped on Hammond's open door and stepped in, McKenzie's report in his hands. "General, can I see you for a minute?"
Hammond laid down his pen and indicated for Daniel to take a seat.
Wordlessly Daniel handed over his psych review and watched the general's face as the older man read.
"There's nothing wrong with me. I'm not going mad. I'm not stressed. I am frustrated at the fact that no one seems to believe me when I tell them strange things are happening in my apartment. Things that I strongly believe are linked to P95 KL8."
Daniel was about to continue but General Hammond raised his hand.
"You have to understand, Doctor Jackson, that we have no corroborative proof that these things are happening."
Daniel was stunned. Tone rising he stated firmly, "You have my word, general."
There was a significant pause while the general seemed to consider his answer. "Until you can bring me something more concrete I can't authorise the expenditure. The resources of this facility are not unlimited."
The finality of Hammond's tone left a chill inside Daniel. The general wanted proof? The general would get proof.
