Supporting Rumors - Part 38

Jack felt a sudden wave of weariness pass over him. It was all a stupid mistake – his career and any chance of helping to defend Earth had been ruined, not by a Goa'uld or some other alien race, but by a crazy man here on his own planet. It was just so damned pointless!

"Get him out of here," he spat.

Teal'c acknowledge Jack's order with a quick incline of his head and moved silently, his massive arms encircling Minucos, scooping him towards the door which opened to show the officers ready to take charge of the prisoner.

Jack felt confident that anything further Minucos said could be dismissed as the ravings of a madman … and he had now fully admitted attempted murder.

Within a few seconds the room was empty. Jack sighed heavily and collapsed against his pillows. God – who would have thought he could owe his life to Harry Maybourne – in more ways than one! That he was here alive was a plus ... that the bullets had crippled him, instead of killing him ... Jack felt sick. His head swan. To think the nutter had believed Maybourne's stupid little joke - hand on heart - yeah, right!

He became dimly aware of people entering the room. The quiet murmurings showed it was more than one person, but he didn't have the energy to open his eyes. Fingers brushed softly at his forehead and a few comforting words were all he could distinguish as he felt the prick of a needle in his arm.

The telltale signs of a sleep inducing drug were soon cascading welcomingly through his veins and he gave into the languid lull and flowed with the restful tide.

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"We'll move him back to his room while he's out, then he can wake in his own time. This has certainly placed a great deal of strain on him that he just doesn't need right now." Doctor Hill made no bones about how she had objected to all this, but it was her patient's best interest she had at heart.

"It's over now," said Daniel. "We can put the shooting behind us."

Sam sighed heavily, clearly in agreement, as she stroked her fingers through her husband's hair. "Thank God."

Doctor Hill could admit to that at least, if somewhat grudgingly. "I suppose."

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Officer Jolen, his partner Dow, and the two men who had escorted Minucos to the hospital, positioned themselves outside the General's room as soon as they heard the General's instructions to remove Minucos. Doctor Hill and Mrs O'Neill, along with Doctor Jackson, had not been far behind them and as Jolen watched Minucos being manhandled towards them by the General's 'aide', both women and the man, had rushed past into the room.

Minucos glared at their backs as he was cuffed between the two men escorting him. "He's not what you think!" he exclaimed. "You are all part of this aren't you?"

"Save it for the judge," growled Dow.

"Hold him there, I won't be a moment, need to check when I can speak to General O'Neill," instructed Jolen.

He was aware of the man mountain, the General's aide, close on his heels as he tapped briskly on the General's room door before he entered.

Neither of the women seemed to take any notice of him until he spoke, but Doctor Jackson was watching him carefully.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," he began, then broke off as he caught sight of just how ill the General looked.

"I've had to sedate him, I'm afraid," warned the Doctor.

"Is he okay?" Jolen's concern was genuine, and it must have reflected in his voice, as it earned him a gentle smile from Mrs ... Colonel O'Neill.

"This is all too much you know. It's really not what he needs at the moment. He has a long way to go before he heals from the injuries, let alone coping with the effects of the long term damage," complained Doctor Hill.

"I'm sorry, but it was necessary," he apologized, not surprised to find that he really meant that. He'd had to investigate a little of the General's history, his service records, and although much of it was classified way beyond his clearance, he found he admired the man's integrity and continued service to his country. He'd read the citations and seen the honors and medals the General had earned during his service and it angered him that someone like Minucos had ruined not only the man's career, but in all probability, his life. It wasn't often, especially in his line of work, that you got to meet a real life hero, the genuine article ...

"I would like to get the General settled back into his room as quickly as I can, whilst he's out of it, if you could assist? I would rather not have to wait until the orderlies are allowed back in," asked Doctor Hill, breaking into his thoughts and giving him a somewhat irritated glare as if he was solely responsible for the security clamp down.

"Certainly."

The General's aide, and, if he remembered rightly, former team member and friend of the General, helped him to maneuver the foot of the bed carefully out of the room. Doctor Jackson guided the bed from behind with the General's wife, Doctor Hill maintained her step beside the bed, a watchful eye on her patient.

As he drew level with Minucos, who had been pushed firmly against the wall, the man pulled against his restraints.

"He's faking it!" he yelled, his sudden movement forward throwing his captors off balance.

"You're all aliens, you're all trying to take us ..."

Minucos's words were abruptly choked off as Jolen released his hold on the bed, threw his forearm up and smashed it against the man's throat, pushing him back against the wall.

"You stupid bastard!" he spat, the rage boiling his blood. "You've ruined a great man's career, his whole life, you no good ..." The red mist of anger that rose inside him wanted to choke the life out of the lunatic and he pushed harder.

Minucos gave a strangled cry, his breath a choked gurgle.

The large firm hand that clasped Jolen's shoulder had little effect on him, however the quiet deeply timbered voice that spoke close to his ear was able to penetrate his rage.

"You must not. It is not your place to avenge O'Neill. Justice will be done."

Breathing harshly, he pushed harder then withdrew his arm suddenly.

Minucos slumped a little, his cuffed hands clawing at his throat as he drew a wretched breath, his face quite red.

Jolen stood back, shocked at his own actions. He glanced at the faces of his colleagues to find their expressions carefully neutral, and he knew that each of them would have liked nothing better than to do the same.

Quickly the officers gathered themselves together and drew the coughing prisoner none too gently down the corridor, retiring to the private waiting room for the time being.

Jolen drew a few deep breaths and turned to face the General's people. "Sorry," he muttered.

Doctor Hill glared at him before casting a concerned look down to her patient, however he got the feeling that what he had done hadn't sat completely on the wrong side of her.

Mrs O'Neill's attention was also on her husband. It was Doctor Jackson who gave him a brief tight smile and a nod.

As they moved on, he could have sworn he heard the doctor's hissed whisper …

"You should have let him finish him!"

Jolen shook his head, wondering at it always being the quiet ones that surprised you.

As he watched the General safely returned to his old room he made the man a silent promise that every single 't' would be crossed and every 'i' would be dotted in this case. Yes, justice would be done.

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Jack in fact, stayed asleep for several hours. Teal'c elected himself to remain on watch while Daniel persuaded Sam to go and get some much needed rest, the impending visit from Minucos having ensured no-one had slept much the previous evening.

As Jack began to stir softly, Teal'c moved his chair slightly away from the bed. He did not want to startle O'Neill with his presence.

A sudden movement at the end of the bed caught Teal'c's eye and he stared disbelievingly for a moment.

There it was again.

O'Neill's foot had moved twice!

The flicker of movement held Teal'c's attention and he waited, unconsciously holding his breath, for more.

Disappointingly nothing happened further.

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Teal'c was so preoccupied with watching for further movement, he didn't notice that O'Neill was finally awakened until the hoarse voice startled him.

"Teal'c?"

It took not just a little effort for him to refocus his attention and he managed to face O'Neill.

"Are you okay T?" whispered Jack, giving his friend a puzzled stare.

"I am fine O'Neill." Teal'c decided against saying anything about the movement he thought – no – he had seen! "I was a little distracted, I am sorry. How are you feeling, should I fetch the good doctor?"

Jack shrugged. "There's a bad doctor too?" he asked.

Teal'c leaned a little closer to the bed. "I did not mean to ..." He broke off and nodded, smiling. "You did that on purpose O'Neill."

Jack nodded back. "Darn right."

"Touche." Teal'c acknowledged him with a bow of his head.

Jack took a moment to glance around the room, seemingly satisfied he was back in his old one. "Where's Sam?"

Although Teal'c knew O'Neill meant to sound casual, there was a wealth of emotion in that simple question, so Teal'c did not hesitate to answer.

"Daniel Jackson persuaded her to rest. You were not expected to awaken so soon. I shall have her summoned."

He began to rise, only to have Jack lift a hand, stopping him.

"No, leave her. She needs it."

"Indeed." Teal'c sat back down. "As you wish, O'Neill."

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Jack nodded. His eyes were already beginning to close again. Not just the meeting, but the stress of the whole situation had drained what little energy he had managed to summon up. He felt quite disoriented and although he knew it was caused by whatever the doctor had slipped him, it was still very disconcerting. He tried to fight the sleep that was calling him, puzzled by Teal'c's preoccupation.

"Something wrong?" he whispered again.

"No, O'Neill, everything is alright, please, rest. Samantha will be beside you before you should know it."

Jack's eyes flickered open. He couldn't help the look of surprise on his face. "You called her Samantha!"

"Is that not her name, O'Neill?"

Jack peered up at the large man, searching his face for ... for what – well, he wasn't sure actually. "Try saying Jack."

"That is your name, O'Neill," deadpanned Teal'c.

"Oy ..." Distraction technique – he knew that, quite a hobby of his in fact ... and it seemed Teal'c had learned from him.

"Sleep well, O'Neill."

"You ... wait," whispered Jack, fast losing the will to stay awake.

"I will indeed."

"Darn ... it ..."

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Teal'c looked down in satisfaction that his friend had succumbed to what he needed most at the moment. Turning the tide on O'Neill diversionary tactics had wrought him immense satisfaction also.

For a man of action Teal'c had remarkable patience ... but he was itching, as the Tauri called it, to go and tell someone – anyone - what he had seen. He wasn't sure if it was something good, or in fact, was just something that could be expected occasionally. However, he was certain that no one had mentioned the possibility to him. He wasn't quite sure why he had not shared it with O'Neill, but his instinct told him to speak to the doctor first.

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TBC