Part Three: On the Road Again
"O'Neill." Jack answered his phone curtly. He was just walking his lady friend to her front door. The evening had been different. It was the best description he could think to apply.
Ellie hesitated on the front porch while he listened. It was dark and frigid. She wanted to go inside. But Ellie knew Jack would want to investigate again. She was tired and in no mood for an altercation. He would not understand. Of that she was certain. Having seen her computer room the night before, he would want to find an excuse to go in there again. She had cleaned up in anticipation. It was secured. But still, she was very annoyed with him over his snooping. He was a jerk. But he was her jerk at this point.
Jack flipped the phone closed. He frowned as he put it in his pocket. "Trouble at the base. I have to go. Sorry." He gave her a peck on the cheek and turned to go. Ellie turned to put her key in the lock. Jack stopped came back up the steps and grabbed her up planting a long sensuous kiss on her lips. "That's better." He smirked and galloped down the stairs and off to the truck. Ellie turned the key and entered, grateful for the warmth inside. Thankfully, he would not be making a scene tonight.
Her messages were waiting for her. The reports had been received and a few action items were left in her inbox. Ellie spent the rest of the evening dealing with the administrative matters before she could think about going to bed. The Eldridge group had left in a hurry. It was not Ellie's assignment, but she had to take the position. A person of her rank and experience should not be assigned to a field researcher's post anymore. But, events at home were making all this accelerate. A decision would have to be made soon. So the Directorate sent her before she had been fully briefed. Playing catch-up real time was exhausting. All the previous files from the past four years from the Eldridge group had been left for her. It was an extensive collection. In three weeks, there had not been enough time to both read and digest what information needed to be applied to the situation and to use it to adjust the assignment to the new parameters. In short, Ellie was working on the fly.
It was a whole month before Ellie heard from Jack again. He loped across the street and up the steps in two bounds to knock at the front door. Ellie sighed. She hoped he had forgotten about the computer. Once the door was open, it was obvious he was just glad to be there. Apparently, he had been in a warm climate. His face and neck were tan. He regarded her carefully before scooping her up in his arms. Ellie threw her arms around his neck and received him. He was leaner than she remembered. Whatever he had been doing, he had lost some weight doing it. Her silver-haired warrior was fit. But surely, it was coming to a time when he would have to give up these adventures in the field.
No words were necessary. The evening was spent in bed. As far as Jack was concerned, this arrangement was optimal. She was convenient. She was not connected to anyone at the base. And, she didn't yammer at him. After spending time with the scientists on his team and on the base, it was a blessed relief. They sent out for Chinese food. It was way too cold to Ellie's taste for any outdoor expeditions. Oh, she offered to cook, but he had better uses for her talents. It was snowing again anyway.
"Ellie, I have a week of leave coming. Feel like taking a trip to someplace warm? Hmm, how about it?" Jack picked at the last of the kung pao chicken. Ellie had carefully piled the chilies to one side. After she had caught one of them by mistake and swallowed both glasses of water, and a fair amount from the sink, she decreed them the 'little red nasties.'
"Jack, are you sure these aren't poisonous?" Ellie eyed the red pile suspiciously. "Why would anyone do that to his food?"
Jack sat back and considered how to answer her. So, she had never tasted chili peppers. Her cooking was fairly straightforward with few spices. Well, Scandinavia was not known for an excessive use of flavorings. Come to think of it, there was lots of snow in Scandinavia. She must have lived elsewhere for sometime.
"Many people love these things. Your body produces chemicals called 'endorphins' when it tries to suppress the pain these babies cause. Endorphins are 'feel good' chemicals. After a while, some people eat chili peppers just to make the extra endorphins. We call those folks 'chili heads.' Anyway, in time you get used to the heat and it takes more and more to make you feel any pain." Jack frowned, running out of explanation. Clearly, she knew something about body chemistry. Her head was bobbing up and down in understanding.
"I understand now. Thanks. Just, please, never do that to me again. Okay?" Ellie pushed the plate away. Jack smiled and popped a whole one in for bravado.
"So, what about my idea?" He leaned back and propped up his feet on another chair.
"I would love to get out of this cold, as you well know. Where to?" Ellie grinned. "It had better be as hot as those chili peppers, fella."
"Oh, I think I can arrange that. Do you like the desert?"
"If it's warm, sure."
"I have some business at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on Monday. Let's take a few days and do Las Vegas?" Jack grinned. If she thought the local mall was an experience, the Strip in Las Vegas would blow her mind.
"I am sure wherever you take me it will be most enjoyable, Jack. What do I have to do?"
"Well, I have to take a military plane. So we have to get you at ticket on a commercial flight there." Jack saw her blanch. "What?"
"Um, you mean fly in one of those contraptions?" Ellie pointed up over her head. She turned white.
"Yeah, that's the usual way one flies, in an airplane." Jack couldn't believe she would be afraid of flying. How the heck did she ever get here from Scandinavia? "Um, Ellie, if you are afraid of flying how did you get here?"
"I took ground transportation," Ellie deadpanned.
"We can send you by train. You'll have to catch it in Denver, though." Jack thought for a moment. She hadn't exactly answered his question though. "Ellie, to come to America, did you come by ship?"
"Yes. I did. How did you guess?" Ellie was a little nervous at this line of questioning. How did he know she came by ship?
"Well, there are only so many options." He saw the worry on her face and reconsidered. "I have a better idea. "How about we leave in the morning and drive there?" Yep, that was the answer judging by the look of relief on her face. "Then we can drive back and see the Grand Canyon. Would you like that?" Her face said it all. Oh boy, that was definitely the right thing to say. Good call, Jack. Touchdown.
"I packed us some snacks. Where do you want them?" It was barely light when Ellie handed off two packages and a thermos to Jack. His extended cab was convenient. Both packed light. But the food had to be stowed so they could reach it during the ride.
"Whatcha got there?" Jack wanted to peek. Instead he stuffed it in the place in between the front seats and just behind. The thermos he set to ride up front with them.
"Sandwiches, fruit, chocolate, carrots, crackers, cheese. I think that's it. You said you didn't want to stop too often." Ellie waited for Jack to help her up to the front seat. The door was heavy and the running board was awkward for her.
"Sounds great. Let's roll." He helped her adjust the seat belt and carefully shut the door. Something about her said she needed the extra care. Obviously, she was not accustomed to riding in a big honkin' truck. 'Thank you,' Jack mouthed to the sky. It was still early, but they had nearly 800 miles ahead of them that Saturday morning. The early part of the trip took them through the snow packed mountain passes. He hoped they would be cleared by the time he reached most of them. All in all, Jack figured they would be there sometime Sunday afternoon.
Fortune and the sun shone brightly that Saturday morning. Nevertheless, Jack decided on the southern route to avoid most of the snowstorm that had hit the night before. And he knew that way would be more scenic as well. So he headed south down Interstate 25 and then turned west at Walsenberg, heading out west toward Durango. The last pass to worry about after Durango was over the San Juan Mountains to Mancos. Then it would be clear all the rest of the way to Las Vegas. Maybe it would cost them a little time, but the route was much prettier with many more choices if they had to spend the night somewhere out in the back of beyond. He had a feeling Ellie had not seen any of it. This was gorgeous country. Jack enjoyed a good road trip.
Flipping on the radio, Jack caught the traffic report. Yep, the passes were open. It was a good sign. Ellie seemed entranced with the whole expedition. He gave her the map to study. To make the route easier, he had highlighted it for her. She diligently followed along holding it in her lap. Both smiled at the other and all was right with the world. Boy would that change.
In Pagosa Springs, there isn't a whole lot. But there are a few nice restaurants serving terrific steaks and affording clean bathrooms. Jack filled up the tank while Ellie sorted herself out after a cup of coffee and a slice of pie. He wondered about asking her to drive for a bit. But decided he would wait until after the last pass. They were making good time. He was hoping to clear the last pass in the daylight.
"Ready?" Jack finished wiping off the windshield as Ellie walked up.
"Oh, yes." She hopped in contentedly. "That was good pie. I like exploring. Life is good." He got a big smile.
"Ah yes, I want to live. I want to explore the universe. And I want to eat pie." Jack intoned remembering a certain someone.
"Who doesn't?" Ellie snarked back. Jack grinned.
"Stealing my line."
He pulled into traffic. The miles rolled along. The truck was climbing. He could feel it pulling. The summit was coming as they approached Hesperus. And then the view of the flat mesa beyond opened to them coming down the pass into Mancos. The mountains were covered with a dusting of snow as far as the eye could see. Below stretched the curvature of the earth and the plain just in front of them. Ellie gasped in awe. He had to admit. This was God's country. It had such an open clean feeling to it.
"Ellie, if you look ahead to the left, you'll see the flat top mesa where Mesa Verde National Park is. Indians used to live up there. Their cliff dwellings are preserved up there. A race of Indians known as the Anasazi built the first pueblos and then mysteriously disappeared around 1300 A.D." Jack wondered whether the Goa'uld had snatched them away. Probably, he admitted. Funny how he now saw things through the prism of the new reality his planet faced and almost no one knew.
"I'll just bet people think aliens got them." Ellie remarked off-handedly. Jack almost sucked in his breath at that statement. "I read the craziest things in the newspapers from the market. People can be so gullible." Jack had no answer. He tried to see her face. It was getting dark. "What?"
"Nothing. I just wondered what brought that up." Jack tried to make it sound casual. She just shrugged and looked out the window. "Feel like some dinner? I need a rest."
"That's a good idea. Me too." And it was settled. The dinner stop was in Cortez, Colorado. Cortez has grown up in the last decade. It used to be a town of cowboys and Indians. Now it is in the outer suburbs of the fancy ski resorts of Telluride, Colorado. It doesn't hurt that it has a small regional airport with regular flights from Durango, Denver, and Albuquerque. There are many nice accommodations and places to eat. Jack found a place and pulled into a space on the main street.
"Um, Ellie, let me order. A lot of the food here has chili in it. Ok?" She nodded and took his arm. Dinner went well with the discussion pertaining to what she could expect to find in Las Vegas and why gambling was the big industry there.
Someone put a quarter in the jukebox and an impromptu dance floor started up. Couples in cowboy regalia and boots did country line dancing to the twanging cadences. Ellie was entranced. Jack offered and they took a turn. It was going well until some yahoo decided to cut in. Ellie was appalled. Jack saw her get upset. The buffoon had had too much to drink as well. A hard day on the skislopes hadn't slowed him down. Jack protested and an altercation started. The man realized manhandling a Black Ops Colonel was a bad idea when he landed face down on the hardwood floor after a table collapsed under his weight on the way down. Jack pulled Ellie clear and threw a few bills on the table desperately trying to make an exit. It was not to be. Everyone made a trip to the local sheriff's office. It took two hours but the matter was straightened out with Jack having to pay the damages to the restaurant, bail for the two of them, and leaving his insurance information with the desk clerk for the yahoo with the split lip. It really didn't help that Ellie's driver's license could not be found at that moment. But all charges against her were dropped.
At that point, Jack decided to call it quits with Cortez. And off they went toward Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. There is nothing in Teec Nos Pos to write home about. But it wasn't Cortez. And that fact counted for a lot after nearly an hour of driving along in silence. With 210 miles from Cortez to Page, Jack realized he would have to let her drive. He had never seen her do it. This was his new truck. But fatigue won out. They changed in Teec Nos Pos on the Indian Reservation. Ellie hesitated and then made all the necessary adjustments. Jack relaxed. Apparently, she could drive. After all it was automatic drive until it had to switch to 4WD. And she shouldn't need it the rest of the way. But he had had enough, so he made a call to the Holiday Inn in Kayenta and was lucky enough to get the last room for the night. It was too dark to see Monument Valley. And he didn't care at this moment. All he wanted was a shower and a bed.
Ellie looked over at him marveling at how lucky that yahoo was not to get himself killed by the great Jack O'Neill. She remembered the old saying that God looks after children and drunks. At least this man beside her could control himself. That had been one of her questions. Jack performed really remarkably well in the fight, all things considered. Here, he fell asleep nearly immediately. She stared at the ceiling wondering just what she had gotten herself into, riding around in the wilds of this place with a man like Jack O'Neill. Well, whatever happened, it would certainly be interesting. And then she too drifted off to sleep.
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