Chapter Six: Up, Up, and Away
Jack knew if he left now he'd make it out of the funeral home without being caught but that would put Sam's life in danger. Once Ba'al knew they were onto him, he'd get rid of Sam and run for it. Jack wouldn't leave Sam but if he disappeared without a word he wouldn't have helped her much, especially if failed to get her out. Jack placed the oval stone on the squiggly square symbol and pulled out his cell phone.
"Daniel. Just listen and do what I tell you." Jack watched the blips indicating life forms on the screen moving as he spoke.
"What's going on, Jack?"
"Daniel!" Jack hissed. "Didn't I just say listen? I'm in Ba'als headquarters. There's definitely an Asgard ship in orbit, and I'm going to transport myself there."
"You can't! We still don't have any way to detect it. Just give Loki two days!"
"I can't. I had to disable a few guys to get in here and there's no way to cover my tracks. If I leave now Sam will pay the price. Tell the geeks to watch for an energy pattern leaving Chicago and going up. That's where the ship will be."
Jack could here Daniel panting as he raced out of his lab and down the hall. "Give me ten minutes."
"You have five if I'm lucky." Based on the screen blips Jack located a quiet hallway with two escape routes to which he could transport. He knew if anyone on the ship were monitoring the transport system they'd see him arrive, but he had to take the risk.
"Good luck, Jack. Bring her home." Daniel puffed his best wishes.
"Easy as pie." Jack hung up. He studied the blips and checked his watch. Jack paid attention to which blips moved and which stayed in place. He gave Daniel six minutes. When he heard footsteps coming down the hall, Jack placed the oval stone on the three triangle symbols and vanished from the room in a flash of bright light.
Jack arrived on the Asgard ship holding the zat in front him ready to fire if necessary. He listened carefully and didn't hear anyone. He looked around to try and orient himself, which is difficult on a ship with an all silver interior and few distinguishing marks. Based on his observations of the blips, he deduced that Sam was being held in a room two floors up and to his left, near where a small number of Asgard seemed to be imprisoned.
Jack checked around every corner and carefully made his way up two levels. Jack knew the lack of blaring ship-wide alarms didn't mean they weren't looking for him. It just meant they were being quiet about it. If they knew he was here, then they knew where he was headed and things would get more difficult the closer he got. Twice he ducked into empty rooms to avoid patrols, but after fifteen minutes of slow progress he was on the right floor and within one hundred feet of where he hoped to find Sam.
Jack listened but he couldn't hear her voice, just silence. He would have felt better if he'd heard her and knew he was headed the right direction. Jack peered around the last corner and saw one man walking down the hall. As he reached the end he began to turn and Jack pulled out of sight. At least Ba'al had enough brains to station a guard near the cells. Jack thought too many Goa'uld never paid enough attention to Earth tactics and kept letting SG-1 easily escape. In a weird way he was glad Ba'al seemed to have been paying attention
Jack waited for the guard's steps to get close and then he flew around the corner aimed and zatted the guard. The guard went down with only a loud thump. Jack stepped over him and began searching the rooms for Sam. Usually he hated the fact that Asgard rooms were doorless but on this occasion it made his job much simpler. The first room was empty of occupants.
In the second room he saw a body curled up on a metal cot. Jack crept closer to the cot, surprised there wasn't a force shield of some type keeping him away. The blond hair above the thin blanket was the first sign he'd found Sam.
"Sam." Jack whispered her name and he knelt beside the cot. She didn't respond. He reached out and touched her shoulder. Her skin was chilled but warm enough to let him know she was alive. He pulled gently on her shoulder as he whispered her name again.
Sam rolled over. Her eyes blinked and then settled open in a squint. She frowned and tried to roll away. Jack didn't let go.
"Sam, I'm here to get you out." Jack whispered again.
Sam slightly shook her head and closed her eyes. She snorted a small puff of foul smelling breath hit Jack's face. He grimaced. Sam wasn't reacting like he expected, making him both frustrated and worried.
"You already put this stupid thing in my head. Why must you insist on playing games? I'm not going to tell you anything you can't just download." Sam sighed and another blast of foul breath hit Jack.
"I didn't ask you any questions and I'm not interested in interrogating you. I'm here to rescue you and like it or not you're coming with me." Jack pulled Sam to a sitting position. She didn't fight him but she also didn't help.
Sam sighed again as Jack stood to his full height and tried to get her to stand up. "This is a new low for you Ba'al. We both know I'm never leaving. You made sure of it, didn't you?" Sam pulled away and slumped back down on the bed. "Now leave me be."
Sam kicked out at Jack. Jack pulled back before she made contact. His eyes widened as he tried to process Sam's statement.
Jack pulled Sam back up to her feet and threw her over his shoulder. "Don't make me knock you out."
Sam stiffened and Jack let her slide back down so her feet touched the floor. She reached up and touched his cheek with the tips of her right fingers. Tears appeared in her eyes. "Oh my God. You're real."
Her words were emotion filled whispers of joy. "I can't believe you were really stupid enough to come after me." Sam looked around. "Are you alone?"
Jack grinned at her insolent tone. "I'm alone and I resent being called stupid."
Sam paled and pushed Jack away. "You have to leave now. Run! Please!" The fear on her face scared Jack.
"There's no way I'm…" Alarms began to blare. Jack turned towards the hall. Sam pushed on his shoulder, trying to get him to run. He turned back towards her.
"Don't you get it? That's why there's no force field and only one guard. He put a mind reading device in my head! He knows everything I know! He knows you're here!"
Jack's jaw tensed. "I'll be back." He backed away.
"Just go!" Sam took a step towards him and pushed hard. Jack stumbled to the edge of the room and peered out into the hall. He didn't see anyone so he pushed off the wall and started back down the hallway. He was almost to the corner when he heard Sam grunt. Jack spun around and saw Ba'al and Sam in the hall. His arm was tightening around Sam's throat.
Jack stopped dead in his tracks. He stood tall and smiled. "Long time no see Ba'al boy." Jack opened his arms as if he was welcoming home a long lost friend.
"It's good to see the desk job hasn't robbed you of your humor. It was always your humor I liked the most." Ba'al pointed a hand towards Jack and three huge men came from behind Ba'al and headed towards Jack. Jack dropped the zat and put up his hands in surrender. Ba'al relaxed his grip on Sam.
Ba'al pushed Sam back into her small room. Ba'al's men patted Jack down and threw him in after Sam. Ba'al touched a screen on the wall. The blue glow of the force field momentarily lit up as it was being activated. Jack snarled as Sam sunk back onto the cot.
Ba'al grinned his cruel sadistic grin. "I'm sure we'll enjoy each other's company...again."
"Haven't I always been the perfect guest?" Jack yelled as Ba'al retreated down the hall. Two of the massive men stayed behind as replacement guards. The third guy helped the guard Jack had stunned to stand up and walk down the hall and out of sight.
"So what's plan B, sir?" Jack sat on the edge of the cot as Sam lay down fully. She looked up at him and squinted. She was rubbing the side of her forehead with her left fingers.
"I'll let you know later. Does your head hurt?" Jack moved her bangs away from her eyes.
"Not too bad." The way Sam grimaced let Jack know she was lying.
"When you're in too much pain to lie convincingly I know it's bad." Jack caressed her face and she weakly smiled. "Rest."
Thanks to my beta nibikko. This time I am getting her name correct! Now you really ought to check out her website at nibikko(dot)com.