Disclaimer: We don't own any of the rights to Stargate: SG1 or National Treasure. Thank SciFi, Disney, Gekko and all those other wonderful people for creating them. And for putting them on the screens, both big and small.
Author's Note: In this chapter, Ian gets to meet the team. And you'll get a little of the back story behind Ian and Jack's friendship. We know this might seem a little slow to develop at first, as far as action goes. But we think it's very important to establish relationships first. And we really ARE going somewhere with this. Honest, we are! I wouldn't lie to you.
SHOUT-OUTS: (My favorite part)
Shieldmaidenofrohan: Nope. Haven't gated off the face of the Earth…..yet. If I did, you can rest assured that I went to the Pegasus Galaxy to be with Carson Beckett. Jack being friends with Ian was the idea from LadyDeb1970. And she's written the entire back story for the two of them. So I hope you enjoy! And thanks for the flames! It was fun to watch Jack scream about the rum being gone.
Elenhin: Thank you! We're very glad that you like this so far. It is easy to see Jack sticking his head through his office door to say 'dismissed'. It's just so……Jack! Hope you like the interaction between Ian and Jack in this chapter!
Laer4572: I was so glad to get your review! And pleased that you liked this new story. Enjoy this chapter!
Mercury Gray: Brilliant? Wow. Thanks! I do seem to work almost exclusively in crossovers, don't I? I wonder if that means something. And don't worry about Ian. I have given him strict instructions to ask you before coming over here again.
Dreamstrifer: Fifth grade lingo rocks! Like, totally. And now I've given away my age. It's funny, we already know where we're taking it. It's just the matter of GETTING there. All the in-between stuff. Hope you like the journey AND the destination. Wow. That was deep. Daniel must be rubbing off on me.
Dread Lady Freya: As Teal'c would say……indeed. How can you get much yummier than Sean, Michael Shanks, AND Richard Dean Anderson! Woohoo! Glad you weren't in mid-drink. That wouldn't have been good for your computer. Enjoy the Jack-Ian friendship.
Jason Barnett: Thanks for your review! You are probably right about that Stargate. I came in late to the series and I'm still trying to catch up on Monday nights. Thanks for your information!
Xandria: Don't worry about Daniel and Ben. I think they'll get along just fine. Sorry about the delay. But work keeps hampering both our lives. Oh, for a life of leisure where we could do nothing but write fanfiction. Now THAT would be great.
Technetium: Your review reassures me that I'm not insane. Thank you for that. The feeling should probably last until the next time I sing 'Amish Paradise' with my brother and sister straight through, without the cd. And the 'National Treasure' plotline just seemed to 'mesh' with Stargate so well. Ancient treasure? Like, from when Ra was still holding court on Earth? It was just too easy to pass up.
Reason4Life: Everyone seems to approve of the idea of mixing Stargate and National Treasure. I guess it's really not that far-fetched! Thank you so much for your review. We're very glad you liked it. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.
The Woods Witch: If only someone had gotten this idea for a movie! That would've been cool. Now, the results of SG1 plus Ian Howe might not be what you expect, but I think you'll like it. Again, sorry about the delay. Real life stuff is so pesky, isn't it?
Angoliel: Even without seeing the show or the movie, you like it! What a wonderful compliment. Deb and I are happy that you enjoyed our writing that much. Thank you!
Julia: Yeah, I've been out of the loop for a while. But, hopefully, things will start going back to normal soon. Hope you like this chapter! And thank you so much for the lighters and the rum. Captain Sparrow was very happy. Um……until I burned the rum. It's just too funny to watch him panic about it.
Queen of the Elven City: I LOVE your pen name. You're right. It can't get any better than the cast of characters in this crossover. I don't think. Again, I apologize for the delay. I hope this gets you up to Cloud Ten. Or at least part of the way. And thanks for the flame!
Chapter Two: Getting to Know You
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""Two days later: Denver Airport – Baggage Carousel
There were a disturbing number of people in the area to pick up their luggage. At least that's what Jack thought. In reality, there were only about thirty in the large area, which wasn't really that bad for a weekend flight. But thirty was about twenty-nine too many in Jack's opinion. He cursed under his breath about stupid Englishmen who couldn't find flights into less crowded airports.
"You really shouldn't use language like that, you know. One would think you were a Marine instead of an Air Force Colonel."
Jack whirled around to find Ian Howe standing behind him calmly, the expression on his face more than a little amused. Jack called upon years of self-discipline to keep a straight face, especially when he saw the way Ian's eyes were twinkling.
"Yeah, well……..anything the Marines can do, I can do better. And it's General O'Neill now, thank you very much," Jack retorted, lifting his chin ever so slightly.
"Who'd you bribe to get that promotion?" Ian teased, already falling back into old patterns.
"No one. I got it for charm and good looks," Jack answered, just to see how his friend would react.
True to form, Ian shook his head in amusement.
"Of course you did."
The two stared at each other for a moment before Jack, surprisingly, reached out and pulled Ian into a hug.
"It's good to see you, kid," he said as he released Ian.
"Hardly a kid, Jack," Ian protested as he watched the baggage carousel for his suitcases. "I'll be forty in just a couple of months."
"Yeah, well, and I just turned forty-nine. So……you're a kid."
Ian raised an eyebrow at this odd reasoning, but knew from experience that he shouldn't argue with the man standing beside him. The man liked to pretend he wasn't very smart, but it was just that. . .a pretense.
"Why am I here, Jack?"
"At the Denver Airport? Because you weren't nice enough to find a flight that would take you into the Colorado Springs Airport, thereby saving me the trouble of driving an hour to get you."
Again the eyebrow cocked.
"Did you just use the word 'thereby'?" Ian shook his head. "Who have you been hanging around with for the past nine years, Jack?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Jack retorted. "And you'll meet them soon enough anyway. Where is your luggage?"
Ian paused for a moment before finally locating his three suitcases and pointing them out.
"Oh, for cryin' out loud. How many clothes did you think you would need for this, anyway?" Jack asked in irritation.
"Well, it would've helped if I'd known what exactly I was packing for," Ian pointed out reasonably. "Which brings me back to my original question. Why am I here, Jack? And no sidestepping this time."
Jack sighed as he reached out and grabbed one of the suitcases off the carousel.
"Not here, Ian. Let's go somewhere else."
Ian nodded, understanding that whatever Jack had to say would have to be said in private.
"So where are we going?" he asked.
"My house," Jack answered as they made their way through the steadily growing crowds of people.
"Oh. It'll be good to see Sarah again," Ian commented off-handedly. The silence that immediately followed this statement made Ian cringe inside.
"I'm sorry, Jack," he said.
"Don't be. Nine years is a long time and Sarah and I were still together the last time you heard from me. You couldn't have known, Ian."
Ian nodded, but he still felt as though he had opened old wounds for his friend. Silently, he wondered how long Jack and Sarah had been divorced, and if Charlie's death was the main factor in their split. Ian shook his head nearly imperceptibly. What must it be like to lose a child in such a final and heart-wrenching way? Ian's thoughts drifted towards the East Coast as he and Jack made their way out of the airport. And he hoped fervently that he would never find out the answer to that question.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''House of Jack O'Neill – Later that morning
"Nice decor, Jack."
"Well, I do what I can," Jack shrugged as he ushered Ian into the guest bedroom. There was very little conversation between the two men during the drive to the house. Ian was exhausted from the flight, and there were certain topics that neither was willing to touch with the other.
"I especially like all the little 'Simpsons' figurines you've got in here," Ian smirked.
Jack scowled.
"I save 'em up for Christmas presents."
"For whom?" Ian inquired innocently.
"For…..for…..for orphans," fumbled Jack.
"What orphans?" Ian asked next, trying very hard to keep from grinning. As ever, it was entirely too much fun to hassle Jack.
"Oh, shut up," Jack glared at Ian, but his guest knew better than to think he was actually angry. Ian grinned, which made Jack scowl even more.
"You want something to drink?" he asked as he led Ian towards the kitchen.
"Coffee," declared Ian. "Lots and lots of coffee."
Jack made a noncommittal grunt and started muttering under his breath as he moved around the kitchen, getting the coffee started. Ian wasn't certain, but he thought he heard the phrases 'java junkies' and 'more caffeine addicts' somewhere in the low-decibel rant. He shook his head and let Jack continue with his raving.
Once the coffee was done, they retreated to the living room. Ian took a sip of the brew as his eyes wandered around the room. Several pictures decorated the walls and they all seemed to be of the same people. Ian frowned speculatively, trying to work out what these people meant to Jack. And why the extremely large man in the pictures had such bizarre taste in hats.
"My teammates," Jack spoke up, watching Ian's movements. "You'll meet them later. But I wanted to talk to you in private."
"Teammates? What kind of-." Ian broke off as one particular photograph caught his eye. He stood up and walked over to the picture to examine it closer.
"Is that Dr. Daniel Jackson?" he asked, looking at the picture of Jack and Daniel that Teal'c had taken during a barbecue six years ago.
Bah. Jack had really hoped Ian wouldn't still be so crazy about archaeology that he would know Daniel by sight. He sighed slightly. There was no sense in denying it. Especially since he would be introducing Ian to the rest of SG1 tomorrow.
"Yeah, that's him."
Ian turned to face Jack, confusion written all over his face.
"Jack, what are you doing that would require you to work with Dr. Jackson?"
"Well, that's a long story. Unfortunately, it's also a classified story. So I can't tell you all the details. But here's the thing. As far as we're all concerned, and if anyone asks, I work in deep space telemetry."
Ian's expression went from confused to amused.
" 'Deep space telemetry'? Jack, you've got to be kidding. You? Working with scientists? You hate scientists."
Jack shook his head.
"I've found that some of them aren't so bad. Archaeologists have their place, too. We live in peace together."
Ian snorted as he sat down.
"You sound like a bad Hallmark card. Now do you really work in deep space telemetry?"
"No. And the only reason I'm telling you that is because of the reason I brought you here. And because I have clearance to do so."
Ian leaned forward, his green eyes studying Jack intently.
"So what's the real story?" he asked.
Jack's mind raced, although he kept his expression perfectly neutral. During the past two days, he had worked out in his mind just exactly how he wanted to explain things to this friend of his. Only certain things could be revealed. The Stargatewas stilltop secret. But looking at Ian right now, Jack found that he wanted to tell the entire truth more than anything in the world.
"Our team specializes in the deciphering of ancient writings," Jack began, wincing when he said the word 'ancient'. "Sometimes, these writings contain hints or even exact locations of artifacts that wind up being……very important."
"Important to whom?" Ian asked, his face scrunching up slightly in disbelief.
Jack sighed inwardly. He was screwing up this entire explanation. Next time they had to bring in an outsider to help them track down Ancient artifacts that might be buried with a possibly mythical treasure he was going to get Daniel to do this part of the mission. After all, what was the good of having a linguist if he didn't……..linguisize?
"Important to people in the government," Jack finally responded. Upon seeing Ian's expression, he held up one hand. "The President mainly. Not everyone in the government knows about us. Unfortunately, we've had run-ins with some…….kinda bad people."
"What sort of bad people?"
'Oh, bad people who have glowing eyes and pretend to be gods in order to enslave entire races of people,' thought Jack. SAID Jack, "Just some people who have made it their business to try and stop us. They want some of the artifacts that have been uncovered. To use them for their own reasons."
Ian frowned in concentration and Jack could tell another question was forthcoming, so he spoke again before Ian could ask anything. He hated playing dirty, but it would get the point across. He added, "The kind of people who would attack an innocent girl because they have a grudge against her boyfriend." Ian paled at this statement, and Jack said, "If these people get their hands on the artifacts I've mentioned, there will be no safe place. Not England. Not Colorado. Not North Carolina."
"But they're safe,for now?" Ian asked hoarsely. Jack nodded, and Ian continued, "And this project that you're working on, the reason you work with Dr Jackson. . ."
"Is a large part of that. I can't tell you everything, kid. I don't have the clearance to tell you everything. Just. . .we can't let this stuff get into the wrong hands. A lot is riding on this. Will you trust me?" Jack asked. Ian smiled without much mirth.
"Has there ever been a time when I didn't trust you?" Ian asked, though Jack could tell from his friend's haunted expression that Ian was still reeling from the reference to the attack.
"Well. . .now that you mention it. . ." Jack began. As he hoped, Ian took the bait.
"Now, I explained about that, Jack! It was a perfectly logical conclusion," the Englishman began, his expression lightening as Jack brought up the old misunderstanding between them.
"Logical? C'mon, Ian! I've been accused of a lot of things, and usually for good reason. . .but for one of my guys to be messing with one of your guys, in full view of the friendly local SAS troop? That's not crazy, that's just plain stupid!" Jack retorted. Ian actually flushed, and for a moment, Jack saw the young soldier he met nearly fifteen years earlier, during Desert Storm. Jack asked, not wanting to bring up any painful memories, but wanting to know the answer, "Did you ever tell. . .?"
Ian's eyes reflected a strange combination of pain and embarrassment, as he replied, "No. Shaw did, though. And he took great pleasure in relating that story as well." Jack smirked. Ian had been twenty-six when he and Jack met, a young man who was struggling to move beyond his criminal past. He and the men in his unit were very close-knit. . .particularly Shaw, Ian's second-in-command, and his closest friend. Ian had just returned from a meeting with one of his superior officers when he observed one of the men in Jack's unit tussling with Powell. In Ian's defense, Jack had to admit, he would have done the exact same thing. And it wasn't Jack or his men who convinced Ian that it was just friendly rough-housing, but Shaw.
They were, of course, fortunate that none of the higher-ups saw what was going on. Jack knew, but he also knew that tension had to be relieved. He was keeping an eye on things, to make sure nothing got out of control. Jack asked softly, "Any particular reaction?" Ian gave a short huff of laughter, some of the pain easing from his eyes.
"What do you think?" the younger man queried.
Jack pursed his lips, then replied, "If I know her half as well as I think I do, she probably laughed her butt off, then told you more or less the same thing I did." Ian laughed again, sounding genuinely amused this time, and Jack figured he got it right. Or, at least, was in the right ballpark.
"Down to the comment about the SAS. Powell told her about the SAS, I think. She responded, something to the effect of, 'oh, then they're like our Special Forces.' I didn't ask her how she knew about them. I learned a long time ago that I probably didn't want to know the answer," Ian replied. Jack nodded. Yeah, he figured it was something like that. Ian looked up at Jack, saying softly, "I trust you, Jack. I trust you with my life. . .with the lives of my men. . .and everyone who means anything to me. I'm in."
For a moment, the façade of sarcasm and gruffness that Jack generally kept up faltered. That Ian trusted him so completely meant a lot. Ian was treated to one of those rare smiles Jack O'Neill possessed. The smile that he generally reserved for the members of SG1 only.
"I'm glad you feel you can trust me like that, Ian."
Ian nodded silently and the two men sat in silence for a few minutes. Jack was watching Ian surreptitiously and he noted that the Englishmen kept letting his gaze wander around the room, looking at all the pictures.
"You went to Disneyland?" Ian said suddenly as his eyes settled on one of the pictures. His voice was full of disbelief. Jack O'Neill, hardened Air Force officer, in Disneyland. Even better……
"Are those mouse ears on your head?" Ian got up and went to examine the picture more closely while Jack scowled. Sometimes, he really wished he could bang Daniel's and Carter's heads together.
"It was not MY idea to get them," he muttered, going over to stand by Ian. "There are a couple of things you should know about my team before you meet them, Ian."
"Such as?" prompted Ian, still staring at the picture of Jack with mouse ears on his head and a big, silly grin (not to mention the crossed eyes) on his face.
Jack pointed to each of the members of SG1 in the picture. The trip had been taken not so long ago, actually. Before the Atlantis expedition had set out, Jack had managed to finagle a week's worth of leave for all of SG1. Teal'c had been dead set on going to Disneyland because he 'desired to see if it was indeed the Happiest Place on Earth'. Jack had tried to argue that his cabin in Minnesota was a very happy place, but Teal'c (having beendown that roadbefore) would not give in. Eventually, he brought Daniel and Sam around to his side and Jack couldn't stand against all three of them. They had made the trip to Disneyland and, in spite of his earlier words, Jack had enjoyed himself thoroughly. Right down to the mouse ears Sam and Daniel had insisted he buy and wear.
"This, as you know, is Dr. Daniel Jackson," Jack's forefinger jabbed at Daniel's head rather viciously. "He tends to go on forever about rocks and dirt. Try not to let him bug you too much."
"I'll make an effort," Ian replied, hiding a smile.
"And this is Maj-um Colonel Samantha Carter. Very brilliant scientist, but she tends to go on about her doohickeys just like Daniel and his rocks. It all gets very boring very quickly. Unlike Daniel, though, she'll respond to a command to shut up. Must be the military training."
"'Doohickeys'?" inquired Ian, wondering what that word translated to in 'Jack-speak'.
"You know……gadgets and gizmos, whatchamacallits…..doohickeys!" Jack explained, waving his hand with more than a little exasperation.
"Ah, I see. Thank you so much for clarifying that. So nice to know that you've memorized the names of these scientific devices," Ian replied dryly.
Jack scowled and moved on to Teal'c.
"And this is Teal'c."
Ian stared at the imposing man in the picture. He was impressed. And what made him all the more impressed was that the man still looked quite dignified and almost regal, despite the absurdly long, pointy, bright blue wizard's hat that sat on his head. And the huge bundle of pink cotton candy that he held in one hand.
"Teal'c? That's an unusual name," he finally said.
Jack groaned inwardly. So much for the 'Murray' cover story. Well, on to Plan B, then.
"He's not from around here. We met him on our first dig in Africa and he saved our lives. We asked him to join our team. Teal'c is……well, I don't think I can explain Teal'c. You'll just have to meet him. And don't mention his tattoo. He's sort of sensitive about it."
Ian turned to Jack and studied him for a moment.
"They're more than your team, Jack. They're your family."
O'Neill nodded, knowing it would be useless to deny such a thing to Ian, who was one of the most perceptive men he ever met (except when it came to certain people, of course). Besides, why would he want to deny it anyway?
"We've been through a lot together for the past eight years. I guess our situation is proof that blood ties don't necessarily make a family."
Jack's tone was soft, almost as if he were speaking to himself. Ian watched his friend closely, knowing that it was very rare for O'Neill to let his guard down, exposing his emotions to others. Even at Charlie O'Neill's funeral, the last time Ian had seen his friend, Jack had not cried. But to Ian, and to several others, the empty expression on his face had been more heartbreaking than tears could ever be. Silently, Ian wondered if Jack had ever really allowed himself to grieve over Charlie's death. Oh, he had brooded. Ian had no doubt about that. He had wallowed in guilt over the whole ordeal, consumed by self-condemning thoughts, most likely keeping uppermost in his mind the false idea that he was responsible for the end of his son's life. But had he ever truly grieved?
Looking at Jack now, Ian realized that he probably had. In spite of the fact that he was nine years older than when Ian last saw him, Jack looked better now than he had ever looked. Oh, there were a few more wrinkles…..several more gray hairs. But his eyes no longer looked so haunted, so empty. Part of that was the passage of time since Charlie's death, Ian knew. But part of it went much deeper than that. Ian found his gaze drawn back to the photo of Jack's 'team'. Somehow, he had the feeling that they were largely responsible for the change in his friend. And for that, they would have his lifelong gratitude.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Next morning, Cheyenne Mountain Complex – 0800 hours
"Daniel, I'm pulling up in my truck right now. Andyou better beup in that briefing room by the time I get there."
There was a brief pause as Daniel Jackson spoke to Jack, obviously very excited about something. Ian could hear the archaeologist's voice clearly on his side of the truck. He couldn't make out everything that was being said, exactly, but it was clear from some of the words that Daniel was not enamored of the idea of going to this 'briefing room'. Honestly, Ian couldn't blame him. His own body was recovering from jet lag, and he was up at six am this morning.
"I don't care what rocks they found. Rocks are rocks to me, Danny, and you're not going to convince me otherwise. Especially right now. You'll have time to play with them later, I promise. Right now, I want you in the briefing room."
Ian did hear what came next this time and he nearly spit out the coffee he had brought with him. Daniel Jackson's voice came through Jack's cell phone loud and clear.
"Why, Jack, I never knew you cared."
Jack's face flushed crimson and Ian was quite amused to see that General Jack O'Neill, sarcastic wit extraordinaire, didn't seem to have a witty comeback for that one. O'Neill finally recovered his ability to speak and he didn't waste any words.
"Briefing room. Level 12. Five minutes."
All Ian heard was Daniel's voice saying, "Level 12? Why Le-," before Jack flipped his cell phone shut. The Englishman shook his head and turned away, not wanting Jack to see the grin that was rapidly spreading across his face. He tried to bite his tongue, he really did. But he just had to say it.
"So……anyone on your team that you're 'particularly' close to, Jack?" he asked innocently.
Jack glared at him with such intensity that Ian was slightly taken aback. Obviously, he had been kidding. Why would Jack take him so seriously? Was there really someone on the team that Jack was 'particularly' close to? Ian knew Jack well enough to know that not only were Teal'c and Daniel impossible, they were laughable. His mind drifted to Colonel Carter. He tried to remember if there had been anything different about Jack's expression, his tone of voice as he had briefly discussed Colonel Carter last night. But he came up with nothing. Shaking his head slightly, he decided to drop it for the moment. Jack seemed to have eventually shrugged off Ian's comment, or he didn't know just exactly how intense his glare had been.
Ian managed to keep from laughing as the guard at the gate gave Jack a sharp salute. Even in Iraq, Jack had been rather lax on that kind of formal show of rank. It made him uncomfortable, Ian knew, although all Jack had ever said was that it was a waste of time, especially when one was in the middle of a war.
"So this is Cheyenne Mountain Complex," Ian spoke up as they drove through the gate. "Which level do they keep the President on when he comes here?"
Jack gave Ian a sharp glance and didn't even bother to deny that the President of the United States used Cheyenne Mountain as a secured area if there was a threat to his safety.
"How did you know that?" he asked, already suspecting he knew the answer.
"Discovery Channel. 'Secrets of the Military'," came the reply.
Ian smiled as they got out of the truck and he heard Jack grumbling about reporters not being able to keep their mouths shut. Truthfully, Ian agreed with him wholeheartedly. Some things just shouldn't be broadcast to the public at large. But the show had been very interesting, nevertheless.
"Which level is YOUR office on?" he asked cheekily.
"That's classified," Jack replied with a smirk, emphasizing the word 'classified'. Ian scowled at him, which turned the smirk into a full grin. "Come on, kid. Let's get you to that briefing room."
Cheyenne Mountain Complex – Level 12 briefing room
"Sir, why are we meeting on Lev-," Colonel Samantha Carter stopped mid-sentence when she entered the briefing room with Teal'c and saw Ian. For a moment she looked confused, but she recovered nicely and held out her hand in greeting.
"Colonel Samantha Carter," she introduced herself.
Ian took the hand that was offered to him and shook it firmly.
"Ian Howe. It's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel Carter," he smiled as he released her hand. Turning to Teal'c, he held his hand out again. "And you must be Teal'c."
Sam barely concealed her surprise and Teal'c raised his eyebrow to what Jack called 'Level 9' when Ian called the Jaffa by his true name.
"I am indeed," Teal'c finally replied, taking Ian's hand.
"Well, kids, now that we all know each other, let's take a seat," Jack motioned for the others to sit as he took the chair at the head of the table. Sam and Teal'c sat on either side of him while Ian sat down next to Sam.
"Where's Daniel?" Sam asked suddenly, just as Jack opened his mouth to begin explaining Ian's presence.
"Aw, crap," Jack muttered. "Well, I really don't want to go through this whole thing more than once, so why don't you three just……get to know each other. I'll be back soon."
Ian watched, slightly confused, as Jack headed out the door.
"Sir?" Sam called.
"Carter?" Jack's disembodied voice floated back into the room.
"No armed SF's this time," she said, earning a surprised look from Ian.
"Overkill?" the disembodied voice inquired.
"Yes, sir."
"Gotcha."
Ian shook his head slightly, not quite sure what to make of the somewhat odd relationship Jack seemed to have with the members of his team. Sam smiled at him and quickly engaged him in conversation. Teal'c threw in a few words every now and then. And Ian, who had actually been slightly nervous, quickly relaxed in the presence of these two. It was around ten minutes later when they heard voices coming from down the hall.
"I was working on something important, Jack!"
"You always are, Daniel. But I need you here now. And don't even think about saying it!"
Ian turned to Sam.
"Are disembodied voices common here?" he asked.
"More than you know," Sam replied and Ian did not miss the slightly amused look that flitted across Tealc's face. Confused, he turned his attention back to the conversation in the hallway. Maybe he shouldn't ask any more questions right now. There was the definite possibility that he didn't want to know the answers. On the other hand, maybe he should have realized that was the case with Jack O'Neill.
"What's this about, Jack?" Daniel was asking.
"You'll see, Daniel. It's something very near and dear to your little archaeologist heart. Now, let's go! I want this over and done with soon."
A few seconds later, Jack walked into the room with Daniel in tow. Ian wasn't sure what he had expected when he met Daniel, but he didn't expect his current appearance. He had attended an archaeology 'conference' of sorts about ten years ago in Chicago. It was then that he had heard Daniel Jackson give a lecture with crazy ideas about the Egyptian pyramids actually being landing pads for spaceships. Truthfully, the young man had fit the word 'geek' quite nicely. Overly long hair that had constantly fallen over his eyes, glasses, and one of those suits that had patches on the elbows of the jackets. But the passion with which he made his presentation had made a lasting impression on Ian. He had admired Dr. Jackson ever since for staying true to his own ideas even when the world of academia shunned and ridiculed him.
This Daniel, while still wearing the glasses, was just not the Daniel that Ian remembered. His hair was considerably shorter, for one thing. But Ian was fairly certain that most archaeologists didn't wear military garb. Daniel was dressed in it from head to toe. Is that why he had seemed to disappear of the face of the Earth? Because he had joined the military?
"Um……hi," Daniel said, doing a double take when he saw Ian. He held out his hand and Ian rose while he shook it. "Daniel Jackson."
"Ian Howe. It's an honor to meet you Dr. Jackson. I've been an admirer of your studies for a long time."
"Really?" inquired Daniel, his eyebrows raised. "Thanks. And call me Daniel."
"Kids, I hate to bust this up, but I'd really like to get going on this," Jack interrupted them impatiently.
"Sorry, Jack," came the reply of two simultaneous voices. Jack rolled his eyes. Geez, it was almost like having TWO Daniels around. He didn't want to think about what kinds of trouble Ian and Daniel could get into together. Cassie Frasier often called Daniel the 'owie-magnet-in-residence.' Jack only hoped that Ian didn't take into his head to follow Daniel in that respect.
"What's this all about, sir?" Sam spoke up, smiling at the 'in stereo' apology Jack had just received.
"Well, you know that 'Template Treasure' all of you were going on about the other day?" Jack asked by way of answer.
"It's 'Templar' Treasure, Jack," Daniel corrected him, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Ian, sitting across from him, didn't even bother to resist the urge. And Sam, who could see them both, managed to resist her own urge to break up laughing.
"Whatever," Jack dismissed the correction with a wave of his hand. "At any rate, we're going to go after it."
"We are, sir?"
"When, Jack?"
Sam's and Daniel's voices blended together and Jack closed his eyes.
"Can we stop the 'live and in stereo' thing? It's creeping me out. Yes, Carter, we're going to go after it. No, Daniel, I don't know when. That's all up to my old buddy, Ian."
Ian found himself on the receiving end of four piercing stares. And all he could do for the moment was sit there, shocked by the bombshell Jack had just dropped on him. Templar Treasure? This was why Jack brought him here? He thought back to what Jack told him the previous day, about the search for antiquities. At last, the Englishman found his voice and asked weakly, "Me? I mean. . .why? I. . ."
He shook his head, trying desperately to regain his composure. And fortunately for him, Jack knew exactly what he was asking.
"Because we can't, kid. Because of the nature of those things, the US military. . .the US government, for that matter, cannot officially be a part of the hunt. But you. . .you're another story. You've got the funding for it, as well as other skills," Jack replied. Ian smiled bitterly at this reference to his criminal past. Jack added, "And I meant what I said. These people who want this stuff, too. . .they're really bad news.
Ian sank back into his chair again, his mind working in spite of himself. The Templar Treasure. He heard about it. A treasure beyond imagination. Could they pull something like this off? Ian's heart sped up as he mulled it over. Why not? In some ways, it was the ultimate heist. The ultimate challenge, something Ian loved. He looked up at Jack, asking next, "I'm guessing that you have some semblance of a plan. . .you're not one to leave someone twisting in the wind."
"In the unlikely event that you get caught. . .and I know how good you are, Ian. . .I won't leave you to rot. And I won't let you, or your team, take all the risks. Some of the work has already been done. Guy's name is Benjamin Yates, and his family. . ." Jack began.
"Gates," Daniel Jackson interrupted. Both Ian and Jack looked at him, with varying expressions of confusion, and the archaeologist elaborated, "His name is Gates. Benjamin Franklin Gates. He's been searching for the Templar Treasure for his entire life, and he's starting to run out of funds. That's your entry point. You have money of your own, I'm guessing, and we want you to finance him. When you approach him, don't tell him why you're interested, but stipulate that you want to be there for all major finds, and. . ."
"It's all right," Ian said, holding up a hand, "I understand. So, I'll be playing the role of the wealthy investor who has a healthy or unhealthy interest in history and in this particular treasure." He was already planning it out in his mind. When he was a thief, back before he ended up in the British Army, part of what made him such a good thief was his ability to play a role.
"Right. Sorry. But yeah. Exactly. Can you do it? Can you convince this guy, who used to be a diver for the Navy, that you're a ruthless investor, who's willing to do whatever it takes?" Daniel asked. Ian allowed himself something of a feral smile. Slipping into that persona wouldn't be difficult at all. He was very good at bluffing, and he was even better at diverting attention away from himself while he studied the opposition. After a few meetings, he would be able to tell what persona would work best with this man.
"I'll be just fine with it. My question is, what happens when my own funds run low? I mean, yes, I have a great deal of wealth, but I don't have unlimited funds. Will you be able to back me up on that? I mean, obviously, the United States government cannot openly fund me. . .but. . ." Ian's voice trailed off as he looked at Jack expectantly. His old friend merely smiled at him brightly. Uh-oh. That smile was scaring him. It was a dangerous smile. Dangerous like Shaw just before his second in command beat the stuffing out of someone who insulted the few women Shaw genuinely respected.
"We have that covered, kid. Trust me. Just trust me," Jack replied. There really wasn't much Ian could say to that. He did trust Jack, and he already told his friend that he was in. If these people were a threat to those whom Ian loved, then he would do whatever it took to ensure Jack's organization had custody of these artifacts. If they needed him to play the ruthless investor, then that was exactly what he would do. Slowly, Ian nodded, allowing himself a faint smile.
"I'm in. I'm in all the way. So tell me. . .how do I go about contacting this Ben Gates?" Ian asked. Even as Jack's eyes lit up, Ian was making plans of his own. He would have to contact Shaw, and make sure all of the passports were up-to-date. One thing he asked of his team was that they kept their passports current. However, sometimes, people forgot. . .Ian brought three suitcases with him, because he didn't know how long he would be here. It would be best if he remained here. That would give him time to plan with Jack. . .and catch up in earnest.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''TBC
Author's Note: Just a few more things. Thank you to all those who are reading. We're flattered that you find our story worthy of your time. If you can at all, please review. As Will Turner once said, 'A craftsman is always pleased to hear that his work is appreciated'. Same idea applies to writers.
I meant to say this in the last chapter. To get to LadyDeb1970's profile, you can just click on my name at the top of this screen and find the link to her profile in my 'Favorite Authors' section. Take a look at some of her stories! Especially the ones about Ian.
And I want to give credit where credit is due. The part in this chapter with the photograph of the team at Disneyland was inspired by a story in the 'Birthday Traditions' series authored by Kate McCaye. She's an extremely gifted writer and is excellent at capturing the essence of each character in the 'Stargate' universe. You can also find her in my 'Favorite Authors' section. Check out her 'Birthday Traditions' series or her collection of ficlets 'A Series of Inordinate Events'. They're my favorites by her. Trust me. It's well worth your time. Thanks for reading! And please review!