Here we go again!
Enjoy!
M.
Chapter XII.
March 20th, 2004
Underground Sanctuary
Sam's POV.
It's incredible how fast the woman can walk in heels. I can hear them like a faint heartbeat of sorts, and I wonder, how is possible for a lady who has lived as long as she has to wear stilettos just for the sake of wearing them? I mean, I know if I didn't have to be on combat boots most of my day, I would be in running shoes or barefoot. Will smiles at me, and I'm suddenly utterly aware of his extreme perception gift.
"She does look great on them," he whispers, "the heels?"
"Ah, yeah. I guess."
"I never dared to ask," he shrugs.
"That's something you didn't ask?" I ask in surprise, and he nods sheepishly.
"I like how she dresses," he excuses himself blushing and shrugging, and I must bite my lips to stop myself from giggling.
I see Jack, nodding towards Daniel, with an expression I know too well. It's his 'and?' Face from those rare occasions in which he wants to learn more about the situation at hand. Daniel nods back and hurries his step.
"Uh, where are we going?" He asks, and by the tone of his voice, I can tell he is starting to feel anxious, and I understand him.
Yes, I know the background, Helen is old, Tesla's a vampire, and I've seen Ashley's trick, but I still feel the anxiety lump at the pit of my stomach.
"As you can already start to see, the level two locking is getting annulled," she comments, pointing to the windows which are slowly opening.
"I don't like how this looks," The Colonel mutters loud enough for us to hear. And what can I say, it doesn't look that good. We are military people; we don't just go to an unknown place unarmed if we can avoid it.
We reach the end of the corridor, and she turns around with a smile, if I should say something about it, I know she trusts in my team as much as my team believes in her. Although, Teal'c does look a little fond of Helen and he's a rather good judge of character.
"Please," She waves in front of the open doors of the elevator I hadn't noticed in there. Strange, how many lifts are? Do they get you to the same place? We look around, the thing doesn't look new, and Daniel is inspecting it as if he had never seen one before. William nods at me before he whispers something in my mother's ear, and she nods back.
"Looks like such an old elevator," Daniel comments. Well, it does looks right out of a steampunk novel.
"I am fond of antique things," she explains, "to answer your former question, we are going to the Sanctuary."
"I thought you said we were at the Sanctuary," he says as the elevator stops.
"We are now," Magnus says and steps out, I need to figure how to call her. We walk out into what looks a never-ending corridor.
"For what Teal'c told us, we were in a building somewhere in Colorado." Daniel continues. "But this, the whole thing doesn't look like just a building to me, where exactly are we?"
"Oh, it's because we are not in Colorado. We are several floors beneath it."
"But the sun?"
"Doctor Frasier, are you familiar with the science called Xenobiology?"
"I am."
"What about Cryptozoology?"
"It's a pseudo-science…" Helen stopped and smirked.
"And Teratology?"
"I haven't heard of that, no."
"Like from the Greek Teratos?" Daniel asks, and Helen nods, "It means: deformity, hideous creature, unknown being."
"That's entirely accurate and precisely the reason why we chose to call it that." She smiles and presses her palm against a surface on the wall. It glows, and a corridor opens. "Here, at the Sanctuary, we gave, give and will continue to provide a home to all the unique inhabitants of the world. The walls of the Sanctuaries, around the world and over the years, have seen many specialties born. Those above mentioned included."
"That's why you have all the patents," Janet comments.
"Indeed, there are developments we needed to create to be able to explain the, by then, unexplainable. Sciences are taken very seriously inside our walls. If I was to put myself as an example, apart from being an experienced Physician, among other things, I am considered the foremost expert in Cryptozoology, xenobiology, and teratology."
"I thought you were the most skilled Xenobiologist out there, " Daniel whispers to Janet, the Doc smirks.
"I am, Daniel," Janet rolls her eyes. "You can ask any real xenobiologist; they all have agreed to it."
"Xenotech, XBSinth, Xenos, or the communities?"
"Xenotech and Xenos," Janet frowned. "How do you know of them?" Nikola chuckles
"Those companies fall under the Sanctuary protection and teaching protocols. Doctors Young, White, King, and Marshall are all Helen's students." Nikola adds as we come to a stop. And it's once the silence finally sets when we look. Two things caught my eyes, the watery reflection of one cage, and the fire like a reflection of another one.
"Welcome to the Sanctuary," she smiles and looks up and around. I can see all the floors we went down and probably another two up, they look like piled cages or those containers used to move stuff from one port to another. "My House is one of the most complexes; it has the capability of containing the most diverse species, like the ones you've encountered. And it's the home of at least a million of different species which can roam free."
"Why are they caged? You are some zoo?"
"Far from it, but sadly the creatures in this area need a specific habitat to survive. One that, in many cases, no longer exists outside these walls" is then when something in the one with the watery blue content gets all of our attention.
"Is that a mermaid?" Janet says, bewildered. The creature gets near the glass wall. She is blue, beautiful, and has a tail, and I feel attracted to it, her.
"She's not dangerous." I hear Helen calming voice as not only I, but Daniel and Janet walk closer to the cage. I see her placing her hand on the glass wall. And I can't help but follow her lead when I turn around, and I see the small nod my mother gives me.
"Are you Helen's lost daughter?" She asks, and I feel her in my head. I nod, thinking how strange it is to hear her voice inside my head, then I listen to a laugh, "Don't worry, Samantha, telepathic communication always seems weird, at least the first time. I've must say, Helen pulled a lot of strings to find you, my kind tried to find you, but you weren't at sea. We were all starting to lose faith. She is a remarkable person once you know her," she nods at me, her eyes on mine. Then she looks around, "It's better if I leave you now, I'm probably scaring this crew," and as the mermaid swims away, I see Magnus knowing smile.
"My team calls her Sally, after a while, she agreed with the name," she looks at Jack who's nearing the bright red room. "I wouldn't get too close if I were you," she warns, but he does it anyway. And the place gets fired up, Helen sighs. "Are you familiar with the 'elementals?'" she asks
"Elemental? That's folklore…" Daniel laughs, we all frown, "Elementals beings were described by Paracelsus during the Renaissance. He described them as out of the reach of the common form and divided them into four: the Gnome for Earth, the Undine for water, the Sylph for air and a Salamander for fire…"
"Well, my dear Doctor Jackson, you should explain to our easily scared by strangers Salamander why he is not real," Tesla smirked. "I'm pretty sure Afra is going to find it hilarious."
"Why do you keep these things?" Jack asks in a mix of bewilderment, worry, and disgusts or maybe is fear.
"They are not things; there are living sentient beings. We call them abnormals, and we have the dual obligation to study and protect them. We learn from all of them and make the knowledge available to the world without them knowing of their existence. "
"Holy Sh..mucks!" Janet exclaimed I'm not too sure if it was in awe or concern. "Wait, Doctor Zimmerman mentioned many sanctuaries around the world. How many of these you got?"
I see her point. How many of these creatures exist? Does the Goa'uld know about them? Did they move these to another planet? I have too many questions.
"This is the only one of this kind. There are many more Sanctuaries in several places; all of them created to help the many species which are in desperate need of our protection. I could have shown you the beautiful part of my building, alas, you wouldn't be too convinced if I was to show you our plants and reptiles and such. Shall we go back?"
"Yes, this place gave me the willies," Jack says, and I would agree with him. However, strange as it might sound, I feel comfortable here. She smiles at him knowingly.
"That's one of the reasons behind our secrecy. The world is not ready to know about the real situation of their 'monsters.'" She quoted, "They are barely a notion for the sci-fi and cheap news when the reality is, they've been around for a long time. We do hope that someday normal and abnormals can live in harmony again."
"You are telling me that these things are running free around the world? Walking next to humans? We should get rid of them all; it's too dangerous," Jacks says, what would he say if he knows that I am abnormal? Will he want me dead too?
"Don't you think you are rushing that conclusion, Jack?" Daniel says, pointing to Teal'c. At least I know I can count on Daniel. Maybe.
"Excuse me, Daniel, but haven't you seen what's in that box? Haven't we enough issues with what we go through regularly? Should I remind you we are in some quarantine because of them?"
"I'm sorry, Colonel. I must intervene in here; the paloraevius is a peaceful species. Like any other, they don't like to feel endangered; we attacked them in their nests." She's talking with Jack, but she is focusing behind him. I follow her line of sight, and I find she is looking at Teal'c with particular interest. Maybe she knows he is different. "I'm very sorry if that's what you feel about my work." She walks a couple of steps closer to Teal'c."There's much more to learn about all creatures beside of how dangerous they can be. And as I've said earlier," she trails and stops closer to Teal'c, eyeing him cryptically. What is she planning? "You can go, the health risk is yours. You can't talk about what you've heard or saw, or even mention my name, but you are free. As for us, the Sanctuary Team has a date marked for a visit to the SGC," she never gets to finish it. And it seems she didn't intend to because she is holding our big guy in her arms now.
"Teal'c!" I exclaim, making Daniel and Jack turn. They walk and grab him from her arms; they look more disturbed by our friend's weight than Helen did. But I try not to analyze that, and instead, I turn to Janet.
"Do you know if he has some Tretonin with him?" She asks, frowning. We all nod no, "we need to get him to the infirmary!" Janet screams then. And actually, we all know Teal'c is a massive dead weight. The guys are trying to pull him up when someone pulls him over his shoulder as if he's just a bag of feathers.
"Nikola!" Helen sighs alleviated, "we need to take this man to the infirmary," she says, Nikola nods and starts to walk. "Will, Ash we are heading to the infirmary. Come as soon as you can." She says to the radio I hadn't seen on her, and I just noticed then that William wasn't with us anymore.
Not surprisingly for me, Ashley is already there when we reach the infirmary. "What's wrong with him?" she asks calmly.
"He has problems with his immunological system. He depends on a drug to replace his immune system functions. From what I can see, he is out of it," Janet explains to her surprising us all.
"Did you bring some with you?" Daniel asks, hopefully to Janet.
"I didn't know where I was going;" she shook her head, before disappearing into the room where Teal'c now is. Helen and William are inside, and for the movement I see, they are helping Janet with all the things she needs. I look around, but I can't find Tesla anymore.
"He is stable for now," Janet announced.
"If this thing he needs is in your base, then we have around three and half hours between going and returning, plus whatever it takes for you to get what you need," Will explains. I pinch the bridge of my nose.
"The Prometheus is not in orbit and with that time it should be 5 hours before we can get it from the SGC," I say out loud, thinking of possibilities.
"I can organize a pick up from someone closer to your base. I don't know how long will take you to get permissions granted to someone outside your," Ashley waved at our uniforms, "organization. But if you said it's an hour and a half for you to pick it, I'd say we can bring it back in three hours if your people collaborate a little," she explains, and Will nods.
"He doesn't have 3 hours," Janet adds
"Care to tell me about this Tretonin?" Helen asks, "Do you know the components? Maybe Nikola and I can synthesize something similar for you."
"I don't carry the Tretonin formula around," Janet points defensively.
"If you left me, I could try and help your friend." Helen offers, and I can see the sincerity in her eyes. I can see why she does this. She cares, she truly cares.
"Sorry, Doctor Magnus. Even if you are as good as you believe you are there are things you don't know," Janet says harshly. I look at Magnus, and I want to ask her how the hell she does to keep such a calm composure; she doesn't flinch, not even a hair moves. Maybe the years do make you wiser and patient. She grins.
"I do know more than you can think of, Doctor Frasier. I'm quite aware that your friend is not human nor abnormal. I know he is what the Egyptians used to call a Jaffa, and according to our years of research, all of them perished when the self-called Gods claimed their children when they reached maturity, and they didn't replace the larva."
"How? How do you know all this?" Daniel asks
"Archaeology is one of the biggest hobbies of the Magnus family," Tesla comments, "So I was correct, and you knew," he asks Helen, she nods curtly. "He is indeed a Jaffa! Amazing! Do you think it would work?" He asks her, and I'm sure as hell I have no idea about what they are talking.
"I don't know," she sighs defeated. "I can't be sure if I don't run tests. We can only try."
"For crying out loud! You can only try what?"
"A cure for your friend, of course," Nikola huffs.
"That's not possible, how on Earth you can have a cure for our friend?" Janet frowns.
"We might have one; we won't know until we do some tests, for that I require a sample. Can I take it?" We exchange a glance before all nod. "Thank you," both of them smile, then Helen goes into Teal'c's room, takes a sample of blood. Then she and Tesla start to walk away. "William, will you please contact line 1 and see what can be done to get this medication here a.s.a.p," he nods and walks away in a different direction.
"If you all follow us, please, that way you can see we don't just wait until he perishes," Nikola says over his shoulder. I hear her chastising him, but he shrugs dismissively. Ashley offers to stay behind, outside the room to keep an eye on Teal'c. While we follow their lead down a corridor, doors open when we get near, we get to a couple of stairs and go up and soon we are in a round room. There's a ring of TVs and mechanical arms hanging at least two floors above our heads. They have now gloves, and lab coats, and they look very scientific to me as they divide the sample into several containers.
"As for your questions, Doctor Jackson. Many years ago, we were on an excavation site. Among the artifacts we encountered, there was a sealed pod. We noticed the seal was broke, and inside it, there was a snake-like creature. It didn't look menacing. However, the protocol was applied, and we had to seal the place. Only two abnormals remained inside. This creature, a Goa'uld, went inside of one kind of abnormal in which they cannot survive on." Helen recounted, and for some reason, I knew she was talking about Nikola and probably herself.
"As the survival instinct kicked in, the creature got out of this abnormal and went to the other one. A different kind of abnormality, in which it also couldn't survive, and it left the second too. In an attempt to save it or help it, those two took the creature and brought it back to one of the Sanctuaries; there was a tremendous effort on keeping it alive. However, the genetic damage already caused couldn't be undone." Nikola added, and that's all I need to know to confirm it was them.
They aren't bothered by giving this information away; they move around starting a series of analyzing, measuring, changing, and adapting stuff around the screens and the samples. We stay quietly looking at them working; I don't know if it is because of the history or the way the mechanical arms move around them as they were some Dr. Frankensteins live version. Or if it's the way they move around which looks like they've been doing this sort of stuff forever. Well, of course, knowing each other for 100 plus years probably help.
"A few days later, the creature died. After that, a Sanctuary team was dedicated to investigate and analyze it, and what had caused it to perish. There was a compared DNA analysis for both the abnormals and the creature. And something amazing was found: to create the symbiosis it needs to survive, the Goa'uld kills the immune system of the host and gains the responsibility of keeping the body intact, and thus they made themselves irreplaceable."
"Now, the DNA of those abnormals we mentioned is different; it keeps regenerating itself, no damages, no errors. When the Goa'uld added itself to the mix, it started the process of eliminating their immune system. Unable to avoid it, they kept regenerating cells faster than the larva could eliminate, and at the same time, they absorbed the part of the DNA of the creature into their own."
"And by doing so, they altered the basic structure of the Goa'uld genes in such a pace that the poor thing couldn't save itself."
"That's how you knew about the Naquadah?" Janet asks.
"Not quite," Helen trails. "But if we are correct."
"We always are correct," Tesla smirks making her roll her eyes
"He is always this humble. What we believe is that the change which happens in a Jaffa and any former host is reversible using part of what makes the blood of those two particular."
"Wait for a second; when you say reversible, you mean he won't need his drug anymore?" Daniel asks. And I cross my fingers while we wait for the answer. They turn around, looking at us for the first time since they've entered this room.
"Yes." They both say at once before moving on again and continuing with their tasks.
"But?" O'Neill asks.
"We cannot know for sure if this cure will affect him in another way." Helen sighs.
"We are verifying that levels of stuff. You know, genes and such that we need to remove against Teal'c current blood sample. Once our calculations settle, then we to pour some blood samples of the two, and this thing will make it work," he said patting the computer in front of him.
"And the blood samples of said abnormals?" Daniel intervenes
"My dear Helen, please tell me you have samples," he whispers, and I see her writing something down, and then she stops and chewing her lower lip, she says: "Good Heavens. No; we don't have any left."
"I was afraid you might say that," he sighs.
"Well, yes. There was John's rage," she grimaces.
"And the Lazarus virus," Tesla rolls his eyes
"And getting her under control," she whispers.
"Crap, why it is never easy?" Nikola finishes dramatically.
"Let me get this straight. You don't have a sample?" I said my eyes are widening; I can see Nikola and Magnus shook their heads no. Damn
"Can you get the sample?" Daniel always asks the polite one
"Yes," both said
"Well, how long for getting the samples?" O'Neill intervened.
"It depends, how good are you at getting blood out? " Magnus asks, "Henry and Kate will pass out at the sight of the needle. I can recall Ashley and Will, but your friend will be unsupervised. And I can call a medical team, but that probably will take some time."
"Janet is good; I'm not MD. But I know basics."
"That will do," She nods.
"I'm not letting her drawing blood, Helen!" Nikola warns her.
"We need to keep working Nikola," she points, tapping her keyboard, "I cannot type and extract blood at the same time. But we certainly have the ability of typing and get someone else to take it."
"Wait a minute, you two! God! You are even worse than the Colonel and Daniel arguing about nothing," I roll my eyes ... my parents ... stop talking for a minute, but they continue fast typing as mechanical arms move quickly above our heads
"Yes?" They simultaneously said as if they were speaking with all sense in the world. From what I understand they are the ones we need to draw blood from
"I can barely insert an IV on a human being; I certainly cannot draw the blood of an abnormal, how could I possibly know from where to draw the sample?"
"Oh, dear! That's the easy part!" Nikola says, not amused. One of the arms puts something in a tray, "I take Dr. Frasier."
"Oh, I knew you would," she mocks reprimand him, "Dr. Fraiser, Sam, would you two, please take the objects that were just laid on the tray and come closer." We do what she asks with a degree of uncertainty.
"So? Where are those two?" Janet asks, looking to the arms. I think she is half expecting for an abnormal to fall from the sky attached to one of the mechanical arms.
"Oh, here goes nothing. Helen, care to tell them, or you want me to do it?"
"Well, Dr. Frasier, you will be extracting Nikola's blood. Sam, you will be obtaining mine. You will need to get it from the leg though."
"You're kidding, right?" I heard Jack asking
"I think they are not kidding Jack," Daniel says, while I kneel and adjust a rubber band a little under her knee.
"Can you see a vein?" She asks me
"Yes!"
"Then, that's from…" I try to push the needle, but it barely scratches the skin, "Oh, sorry. Now," and she inhales deeply, and the needle moves along her vein. "Just draw a full sample."
"That would make you dizzy," Janet adds, then I hear Nikola saying
"Just draw the damn blood! I am an Abnormal; I don't get dizzy if I get dizzy I'm way too sick."
"Done!" Janet says, standing up. I follow suit.
"Already? I didn't feel a thing! You are good Dr. I like you…" I see Nikola grinning quickly to Janet. I give the syringe to Helen and can't help to ask
"Why from the leg? if I may ask?"
"Logistics, my dear," Nikola answers me, "we cannot type if you are trying to draw blood from our arms."
Seconds later, one arm took both samples and put it on a machine. For what I see is some filtering process. We stand there while machines beeped, mechanical arms moved from one side to another. Time passes slowly in what it seems like an eternity. They point to one of the many monitors above our heads. In them, I recognize the name of some of the immune system cells and a number rate growing. I look down just in time to see Nikola storming out of the room.
"Where he is going?" I ask
"He is going to have your friend scanned; you can go with him if you …" she didn't finish the sentence before Jack and Janet stormed out of the room. Daniel looks to Magnus and then at me. Then he looks around, and after some thinking, he sits down on the floor.
"It's all arranged, Helen. Marcus will be picking the drug, and it will be here in an hour and a half tops. What's happening?" Will asks while entering the room.
"Many things," I say, I am not too sure of how someone would explain all this.
"Scan completed," Nikola says coming back to the lab, "it's such a shame the holographic monitor isn't ready yet."
"What was that?" O'Neill asks
"We need the actual structure of his body, to check for changes which may or may not happen. Thankfully, we got a brand new and oh so expensive software that can show us how the body is composed and give us a better idea of how it works," Helen says.
"We use this software to analyze and try to understand the unique abnormals like Sally who are the last of their species and very much alive," Will adds pointing to one of the screens above our heads. Soon two monitors are turned to where we all are standing. There was Teal'c structure; I can see Nikola making a couple of notes and then, he fixes his eyes on the screen too
"It's that…?" I ask marveled
"Immune system cells being created?" Janet completes
"Yes," Helen says, I look at her, and she has this huge smile.
"Does it have any other effect? " The Colonel asks.
"I believe not; we removed everything unnecessary. The only genes left from our samples are the ones which affect the immune system."
"So you just go a cure for every disease of the world?"
"No, actually this only works for re-enacting immunological system cells on someone of his species. But as helpful and efficient our simulation can be; the only way of knowing for sure is trying. You think he will agree with being a test subject?" Magnus asks. "I won't put anything on him if he doesn't agree. I will try to keep him stable until he gets his drug."
"I think if this works for everyone out there, he will gladly test it, even if it goes wrong," Daniel says, and she turns around to check what we say. Jack keeps her eye for a while, both unwavering. Then he nods.
"Taking into consideration that I don't know how many of them are still left and clarifying that we can't promise we will save all," Helen glances at Nikola, and he nods, "if this work we can provide you with this, for an indefinite time. However, I do believe Mister Teal'c needs a chance to answer himself if he wants to risk himself."
"But waking him up won't make the situations worse?"
"Not if it's only for a moment and we manage to put him to sleep again. And definitively, not if this works."
"Kay… let's do it."
It was easier said than done, but, somehow, she manages to bring him back. I have no clue what kind of combinations of things she has put him to make him sleep. I'm sure Janet watchful eye was over her the whole time before, as it was the full-time now. But then, we all take a deep breath when Teal'c's eyes start to flutter.
"Teal'c… Teal'c? Can you hear me?" Daniel tries.
"Indeed, Daniel Jackson, my hearing is quite good," he answers and sounds so tired, even if he just said one of his jokes. "Has my time come?"
"No," I say, between tears I don't even know for sure why I am shedding, "Teal'c, you will not, Dr. Magnus and Tesla found a cure for your problem. If this works, you will not depend on the tretonin anymore," I explain to him as naturally as I can.
"Are you certain of this, Major Carter?" He asks, opening his eyes to watch me.
"They believe it will. The test results show a full recovery in your way."
"It's… even with all the results, it's not possible to be 100% certain there won't be any side effects." Janet explains.
"They said it wouldn't," I add as if that will change it everything. Teal'c smiles at me.
"If it works, it will be a real cure? No more tretonin, no more experimental drugs? Will this be available for my family?"
"Yes," Janet said
"Then proceed."
"Why I knew he would say that?" Jack asked from his point in the corner, Teal'c searched for him and nodded, "you heard the man, he wants it."
"Teal'c we are going to put you back to sleep. In case this doesn't work, tretonin is on its way."
He nods tiredly and closes his eyes again. Janet walks to his bedside and applies the sedative she prepared before. We walk out.
"He is willing to give us a chance," Helen affirms and we all nod. "We all want to be free of our prisons," she says cryptically, before going back to the lab
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The Colonel wonders out loud.
"When he had Junior, even when free, he depended on him to be healthy. He was a prisoner in his body. Now, he doesn't have Junior, but he depends on Tretonin, which is a different kind of prison, but he's a prisoner nonetheless," Daniel whispers. "Why she said that is beyond my understanding."
With Daniel's last words, my mind provides me the image of her inside her room, I see Magnus real face and wonder if she feels her skin as a prison. Or if she is talking about all the secrecy and responsibilities she has burdened herself with since her 15 birthday. But before I can conclude anything, she returns.
"Doctor Frasier," she calls from the door, and Janet nods. They both go in, Helen gives the needle to Janet, but I can see Janet weariness to do it from here. Magnus gives her a reassuring smile and retakes the needle. She risks a glance toward us, but when Nikola gets in the room, I know who she was searching.
"I'm sorry, Teal'c," she whispers to our alien friend, "I can only hope you won't feel any pain with all the sedatives you have," we all watch with widened eyes as Nikola brings a crash cart closer to the bed. And once both the crash cart and Nikola are close enough to her, she pushes the liquid into his vein.
"What now?" Daniel asks
"Now, we wait and see," she sighs. And she starts a countdown, for the way they are looking at him, it gives me the impression they did this before. When they reach one, Teal'c's heart rate goes up to the sky; his body starts to shake uncontrollably, and I understand why she called Nikola in. The guys rush to help, but they find the door was closed.
"Open up," Jack says as Nikola places his hands on Teal'c's shoulders, and he fully immobilizes the top part of his body. He has his eyes closed, and by the amount of strength one would need to stop Teal'c's movements and the lean figure that's my father, I know his closed eyes have to do with this vampire side.
"I'll open it in a minute," Helen says as she checks Teal'c's vitals as if nothing wrong is going on in there, and maybe it isn't. But I feel my nerves skyrocketing, and her eyes make contact with mine. She winks at me, and somehow, I'm reassured. Then he dies, he does. His heart stops, but his body doesn't stop forcefully shaking. And I see the crash cart finding its way under Nikola. They exchange a glance, and she turns it on.
We don't see the jump of Teal'c body when the current goes through him. Nor Nikola seems fazed by having been electrocuted by my mother. But we don't understand all this; we don't even question how is possible for Nikola to be alive. Because then, we hear the monitor beeping calmly now. They glance at each other again, he releases Teal'c and walks out of the room. She opens a new needle and gets a fresh sample.
"Nikola, will you.." she starts, and he shows her what he went to search. She smiles as he adds, "I'm on it."
"Should we go to the lab?" Janet asks. Her eyes still not quite believing what she just witnessed.
"No, every single room here has everything we need," Helen says as she divides the sample and places the containers in different parts and machines.
"The main lab is better when we need many hands," Nikola explains as he scans Teal'c's body. Helen chuckles.
"We can all breathe now; his DNA is correct." I can't avoid the sigh of relief that leaves me, and apparently, neither can them, because both sigh happily.
"But did it work?"
"Of course, after all, I did it," Nikola grins, "well, Helen and I did it." He corrects himself rolling his eyes. Janet raises her eyebrow, and he shrugs and points to one monitor. "That's the new scan; that's the old one." He explains, "Now if we compare both…"
"That's…"
"Yes, Teal'c's immune system is starting to work."