When A Hero Falls - Chapter 3
by Lesleyp
Author Notes: Would love feedback (good, bad, indifferent) please. I'll try and get the rest posted tomorrow. There was an alt. ending, but I've scraped it, so have to tweak the ending a bit. Thanks to those who kindly reviewed. This is for you.
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The team sat quietly watching the static ripple over the computer screen, waiting for whatever was to happen next.
Landry spoke softly, "Keep in mind he's probably out there somewhere still listening."
Sighing heavily the General continued. "The woman's name was Mary Ashton. She was a former CIA agent, who, after she'd joined forces with Guierra, was directly responsible for the deaths of approximately two dozen undercover federal agents, and a threat to many more. I can't tell you much more, other than that she was a hand to hand combat expert with a peculiar preference for knives."
Hank hung his head. His efforts to free himself of his binds had been fruitless. Whoever had tied them up was a pro. Now that the movie' was over, he knew what was to happen next. And for the life of him he didn't know how the hell they were going to get out of it.
"Guierra," Hank went on, head still down, "was the head of Colombia's largest drug cartel. It was responsible for most of the drugs, and a lot of the illegal weapons brought into the United States. It was rumored that Guierra had politicians to leading military personnel on his payroll. After his death, or believed death as the case would now seem, the CIA had to regroup. Evidence was gathered and a lot of secret arrests were made, including a General in the Marine Corps. Obviously, we still have a security problem."
Landry was cut off by Daniel.
"So what...what...what are you saying?" Daniel hissed out, obviously shaken and angry by what he had just watched. "That because he's a bad guy, granted a very bad guy, we sent our military in to murder and rape his family?"
"Daniel, please," soothed Sam in an almost inaudible whisper. "Things are not always as they appear. You should know that by now."
"Agreed," joined Teal'c quietly. "Am I to gather that you are alright then Colonel Carter?"
"Getting a little stiff," she tried to joke. "Afraid I'm getting that urge to go to the bathroom now too though."
Colonel Mitchell saw Daniel stiffen and cut him off before he could form a word.
"Daniel, we'll explain later. If we get the chance, but for now, you know the man better than me. Don't ever doubt him. I don't," Mitchell whispered from the corner of his mouth. "Trust us. Just stay quiet. Your reaction is exactly what this nut is looking for."
Landry looked down the line, feeling very proud of the people serving under his command. They understood. Except for Dr. Jackson, but he could be forgiven. Even having served so many years with them, he was after all still a civilian and never under went the training the others did. Hopefully he would trust his team, and keep his faith. Or at the very least, keep his doubts to himself from this point on.
Teal'c, although not US military trained, had fought his own similar battles.
"Before the lights went out did anyone else observe the small camera on the wall? Above the door?" asked Teal'c, barely moving his lips.
"Yup," whispered both Landry and Sam at the same time.
The lights went on and the steel door opened. As before, there stood Emilio with his two goons. Guierra took a few steps toward them and smiled happily, taking his time to look each one over. Mitchell was looking around, refusing to meet Guierra's eyes. Daniel was pale and visibly upset, but said nothing as he stared at the still snowy computer screen. Sam kept her eyes downcast, as did Teal'c. Only Landry met the mad man's gaze.
"So? You enjoy your little movie? Whatchu think of your hero now, eh?" he asked with flourish. Then he turned his attention toward the General.
"You lie to me. Not nice. And here I was believing you. You know more than you say before. What else you know?" Guierra asked in a threatening tone.
"That's about it. Figured you were listening in though. Nice to have that confirmed," Landry retorted.
"You a smart man eh? Maybe I don't need you so much anymore," Guierra said, as his hand slid into his suit pocket.
The sound of running and shouting in Spanish could be heard in the outer hallway. Another goon dressed and armed as the two with their host, appeared before the door speaking very animatedly in Spanish.
"Impossible," replied Guierra in English as he turned to speak to the new goon. His tone clearly disbelieving.
Guierra uttered orders to one of his original goons then took off with the two others at a run. The goon looked them over and smiled, showing rotting teeth. Then he closed the door.
"Well?" asked Cameron, looking at Daniel.
Daniel didn't move his eyes from the computer monitor. With the lights now on Sam could see that Daniel was barely keeping back the tears. It had hit him hard. She made to speak but Cameron beat her to the punch.
"Come on Danny boy, could use a little of that translating service about now," Cameron chided.
His voice dead panned, Daniel translated, "There have been intruders spotted in the forest. The guy that came running in says they are masked and in black, just like..." Daniel nodded his head at the computer. "Seems our rescue party has arrived. Guierra has gone to check it out himself, but told the one who closed the door to stay behind...and if Guierra contacts him he's to cut' us down."
A tear fell from Daniel's cheek.
From somewhere in the distance they heard the unmistakable sound of automatic gun fire, and then an explosion.
"Don't. Daniel, please," begged Sam, if they were to die, she didn't want Daniel doubting Jack. And if this was being recorded, she couldn't bear the thought of Jack watching it later and thinking his friends had lost faith in him.
Daniel turned on her. "You! You of all people! How can you be so calm? Was I the only one that actually watched the damn thing? What Sam? You can just accept this? Without question?"
"No Daniel, I have a couple of questions," Sam answered gently. "My first is: what did she have strapped to her thigh that worried him enough to make him struggle for his life? Was it a gun or a knife?"
Daniel looked at her in astonishment as the realization hit him. He tried to review the etched memory of the pictures in his head. She could see he wanted to believe her but was still struggling.
Sam smiled reassuringly at him before continuing, "Come on Daniel, have you ever tried to get our base uniform pants done up with one hand? Seems to me when he moved away from the sofa his fly was intact."
Sam let out an embarrassed laugh as she gave him a questioning look.
Teal'c only nodded, a smile on his face, impressed with his friend Samantha Carter's observations.
Hank too smiled, but his was more in relief. Jack was a lucky man.
"What about the baby?" Daniel asked, now almost convinced he'd been wrong to doubt Jack, but needing more than anything for an explanation about that.
Cameron answered that one. "I know, I know, I thought for a minute there he fired his gun too. Was a little worried for awhile I have to admit. But I knew the rape scene was bogus all along. It was when the other guy came down the stairs at the end. The bag shoulda been empty. It was the way he was holding it, and the way he passed it to General O'Neill. So... the only thing I could come up with was...the baby was in the bag Daniel."
Daniel hung his head down, in relief and in shame. It made sense. It all made sense. Jack arguing with the guy at the bottom of the stairs, probably his superior. Then mouthing I'll look after it', when one of the others handed him the bag. Jack wasn't leaving without the infant knowing they were about to blow the house.
The gunfire was closer and they could hear yelling in Spanish, and then some in English. A few more explosions, and then there was silence. It didn't last long. They heard Guierra's voice yelling. The steel door suddenly swung open, and the goon stood just outside. But rather than facing the hostages he had his gun pointed down the corridor.
Guierra came wheeling into the room at a full run. His suit was torn and there was blood running down his face. His eyes looked at them wildly before he spun and ran around the row of chairs, coming to a stop behind Colonel Carter.
They heard a single shot and saw the goon outside the door drop. Sam felt the business end of a hand gun pressed to the back of her head with such force it caused her to wince. Within seconds, two masked men all dressed in black combats, slowly and carefully entered the room, guns raised and ready. One lowered his P-90 and withdrew his side arm, taking aim at Guierra.
"You go to shoot me and she is dead," Guierra growled in a thick accent. "You call your son of a bitch in Washington, and you tell him. You tell him she will die! You call him and get your orders!"
Another man, again masked and dressed in black, slowly came around the corner and walked through the two holding the door. His weapon hanging down. Resting one hand on the end of the P-90, he brought the other up to the edge of his mask and slowly removed it.
"Tell me yourself," Jack growled back, his eyes showing black between two narrowed eyelids.
They heard Guierra gasp. They couldn't see his eyes pop open in shock or his mouth working, trying to form words. Emilio Guierra could not believe his eyes. It was not possible, there had not been enough time for him to get here. He struggled to compose himself. This was a life and death game now that he was no longer in full control of.
Sam tried to catch Jack's eye but he was refusing to look at her, or at any of them for that matter. He kept his gaze solely on the mad man with the gun pressed to her scalp. She wanted to say something, to tell him, but she knew this definitely wasn't the time to distract him. She only hoped there would time later.
Finally bringing himself under control, Guierra flashed Jack a big smile.
"Jack, ole buddy, what a surprise. You are better than even I thought my friend," Emilio complimented the object of his hatred. "My my my though, you have gotten old."
"Yes, well," replied Jack congenially, "happens to the best of us. I like to think though that I'm like a fine wine. I just get better with age. You though...hey...you're looking...scar'd."
Guierra laughed, then said, "Yes, yes, not sure which one of you murdering bastards I have to thank for that one. I know it wasn't you. You were too busy pleasing yourself with my wife. So, you mind telling me?"
Sam saw Jack wince slightly at the barb. She knew it was more for the pain he thought they were experiencing and not for himself. His eyes stayed glued to the quarry behind her.
"Na, it's still classified," Jack shot back. "So, Emilio, seems we're at a little impasse here. Whatcha wanna do about it?"
"Well, what can you do, eh Jack?" Guierra answered. "I know, you tell your people to put their guns down, and then you tell my guests here what you did."
"That's it? That easy? Sure, no problem. Stand down," he ordered, and the masked SFs, immediately lowered their weapons.
Then roaming his glance just above their heads, but stopping to meet Hank's eyes, Jack stated, "I killed his wife, thought I killed him too. Appears I missed."
"My baby, tell them about my baby!" Guierra screamed.
Jack brought his eyes back to Guierra.
"And I killed your son," Jack admitted casually, for the first time a flash of pain and regret showing in his face. "Now what?"
Sam felt Guierra's rage as the hand gun shook painfully against her. For a brief flicker she wondered if she'd been wrong about the infant's fate. She saw from the corner of her eye that Daniel was staring at Jack in confusion. She hoped he would stay quiet.
"Come on Emilio, you got what you wanted," Jack soothed. "Now lower your weapon and step back."
Mitchell noticed that General O'Neill's mouth was moving ever so slightly. He guessed the General was whispering something to the SF's on his flanks. Then he gave a barely perceptible nod.
Guierra remained unmoving, his gun hand though still shaking.
"What?" Jack spoke again, now thick with sarcasm. "You want me to beg...for what?...for forgiveness? For her life? Sorry, not my style."
"I'll kill her. I'll put a bullet through her head and watch her brains splatter all over your arrogant thieving face," Guierra spat out in a rage. "You stole everything! Everything! From me! Emilio Guierra! You think I won't punish you!"
"Actually, I just really want you to move away so none of your blood gets on any of their dress uniforms. I'm already in enough trouble with my department's dry cleaning bill being way...way over budget," Jack quipped with a comical smile.
"Ha! Very funny. You don't think I will do this?" Guierra sneered menacingly as his finger tightened on the trigger.
TBC
DISCLAIMER: "Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis," and its characters are the property of MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp., Showtime/Viacom and USA Networks, Inc. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations and story are the property of the author(s), and may not be republished or archived elsewhere without the author's permission.