Author's notes: sadly enough this is almost coming to an end. We can go on forever putting Jack in trouble, but then again, every storyline needs an ending at some point and this one is nearly reaching it! Are you sad? Grin.
For now: let's continue. Teal'c is desperately looking for a place called Bradfort and Sam and Daniel are desperately seeking their missing teammembers. And Jack? Hmm... Jack is otherwise occupied. Will he be looking for something as well?
"Damn it!"
"What?" shot Daniel, surprised by the sharp words coming from his female teammate.
"I can't find anything!" Sam helplessly raised her hands up before dropping them on the table. "How is that possible?"
"What did you expect?" Daniel asked, frowning. "I mean, wouldn't it be a little strange if you could just log right in and find what we need?"
"I know, Daniel," Carter sighed. "But I'm using a couple of different approaches, combining files that are not logical to use and still, I come up empty."
"How empty?" Jackson wanted to know.
"Well... Colonel Simmons' record is all clean. I can't find anything wrong with it. All honorable, heroic stuff which earned him the rank of Colonel in the first place... They all checked out. I can't find any connection of what-so-ever to Colonel Kennedy or Senator Kinsey..."
"Didn't Jack say he had?"
"Yes. I don't know where he got that from, though. Guess the Colonel knows other ways, plus he might have a higher level of security clearance, allowing him to see files that I can't." Carter stared at Daniel, frustration evident on her face.
"And?" Daniel wondered.
"And, I also ran a background check on NID personnel and was unable to find anything amiss... Whoever covered this up, did a pretty good job. I have no way of knowing who is playing fair and who isn't."
"So he has some contacts in high places," concluded the linguist.
"You're damn right," agreed Sam. "I also found a list of NID safe houses, as they are called, but I doubt it they would have taken them to one of those..."
"That would be rather stupid," Daniel nodded in understanding.
"Yes. There are only two places in the immediate area, but I don't think we even have to check them out."
"What do we do now?" Daniel asked, raising his brows as he glanced at his friend.
"Now we hope for Teal'c or the Colonel to manage to do something," Carter sighed. She didn't like it, the being unable to actually contribute to a situation. "Maybe the General has some ideas."
"Bingo!" the man from the gas station triumphantly tapped with his pointing finger in one of the telephone books.
Teal'c stepped closer. "What is it that you have discovered?"
"There is a lake up east. Lake Bradfort. It's not big, that's why I've never heard of it. Could that be what you're looking for?" The man opened up a drawer and gathered a map of the area. He spread it out on the table after removing the book. He ran with his fingers over the map, first locating his own position and from there searching. "Here... See? You'd miss it if you wouldn't know it was there...."
The Jaffa bent closer. "This is indeed the possible location. How do I reach it?"
The man studied the map, then slowly gave directions. "It might be a three hours' drive or so," he finished. "You can take this map with you."
Teal'c slowly bowed his head. "Thank you for your help. I am in your debt."
The man just smiled. "Go, and find your friend. I hope he is okay."
"As do I," the Jaffa responded, then walked out of the store and headed for the truck.
"Are we leaving?" one of the men asked.
"Yes. We're done," said the one who was wearing the black mask.
"What about him?" The third man pointed with his thumb over his shoulder into the direction of the second room.
"We'll leave him here. He'll wake up sometime tomorrow and find his own way home," the leader stated.
"I don't know..." shrugged the first man, uncomfortably. "What if he's hurt too bad?"
"Getting sentimental?" the man with the black mask snorted. "Don't worry, he'll survive. He's the most stubborn SOB I've ever heard of. Did you remove the ropes from his wrists and ankles?"
"I did," confirmed the second man. "Do you think it worked?" he asked doubtfully.
"No. Not really," the leader said simply. Taking in the surprise on his partners' faces, he explained. "Somebody with the background of this man isn't scared off that easily. All we did was push him around a bit and threatened him. He'll watch his back, he might dig into it but won't get very far. But he won't step aside and give us what we want."
"So... this was all a waste of time?" the first man frowned, wondering why the hell they'd gone through all the trouble to do this.
"No. I'll get what I want. Eventually. I want him to consider this as a warning. He'll realize soon that I wasn't merely threatening. I will do whatever it takes. I just need a bit longer to plan ahead and arrange some things. Work on my contacts, gather the right people. Patience, my friends. Patience."
The trio left the cabin, heading for the car. They all got in and removed their masks, the driver turning on the engine and switching on the headlights. Without looking back, they left the area.
Teal'c had been driving for a couple of hours when he finally reached the first signs pointing out the direction to Lake Bradfort. It was pitch dark, but the observant Jaffa noticed the signs as the headlights of the truck shone on them when he passed by.
A couple of minutes later, the road came to a T-junction and the two beams of light coming from the truck reflected on the still water of the lake in front of him.
Teal'c stopped the truck and got out. He allowed his eyes to get used to the dark after turning off the lights and searched the area. He tried to find indications, clues, anything that could point out the location of his missing friend. It took him awhile, but then, to the left, he could make out the dark silhouette of a small building in the distance. A house, cabin, or barn, he could not be sure but it was worth checking out.
The Jaffa was cautious.
If O'Neill was there, he probably was not alone.
It was better to leave the truck behind and continue his trek by foot.
His decision made, the man from Chulak parked the vehicle and headed into the direction of the building to the left taking nothing but his canteen filled with water and a flashlight. He chose his path carefully, making sure he was staying out of sight of possible guards. He moved as quickly as possible, certain that he would be aware of the presence of human beings before they would spot him.
It took him another half hour to reach the building. He slowly approached it, confirming that it was some sort of wooden cabin. There were no lights on, indicating it was deserted. After inspecting all around the outside of the cabin, Teal'c felt confident that nobody was watching him. He took a closer look at the front and knelt beside fresh tire tracks. At least somebody had been here by car recently, he knew.
He stepped on the porch and carefully turned the door knob. It made a soft squeaking noise. Stopping in turning it further, the Jaffa stood still and listened carefully.
Nothing disturbed the silence.
This time he switched it and felt the door opening. Quickly stepping aside after pushing the door open, he listened again. Nothing moved, no sound was heard. Teal'c stepped inside and immediately pressed his back against the wall.
Nothing happened.
Slowly, the Jaffa searched what appeared to be the hallway, then the first room on his left, which seemed to be the kitchen. It was deserted. The next room followed, and came up empty as well.
As soon as Teal'c opened up the door to the third room, he knew it was not empty. He heard the labored breathing of a person before he peered inside. A bundle in the middle of the room indicated that somebody was lying there.
The Jaffa frowned. Nobody would voluntarily lie down in the middle of an empty room to catch a nap. Without dropping his alertness he scanned the room before stepping closer to the human being lying in a heap on the cold floor. Even before he knelt next to the unmoving figure, Teal'c had recognized his friend.
"O'Neill," he spoke softly. His fingers already found the appropriate spot in his friend's neck. A pulse, irregular, weak, but there.
The lack of response worried the Jaffa. An angry frown formed on his face as he rose. His friend needed help, but he had to make sure they were alone in the cabin and continue his investigation first.
He carefully completed his search, until he was sure nobody else was present. Only then, Teal'c allowed himself to switch on the flashlight he had brought from the truck and rushed back to the room where O'Neill was.
Teal'c dropped to his knees and shone the flashlight's beam over the body of his CO. O'Neill lay on his side, knees drawn up. Teal'c soon discovered the dried blood on his friend's face and at the back of the head. Putting the flashlight aside, the Jaffa started checking his friend for injuries by touching him with both hands, starting with the head. He found bumps and bruises under dried blood but luckily nothing still bleeding. Moving his hands along the neck towards the shoulders, Teal'c carefully probed and prodded, getting no response until he reached O'Neill's chest. There, his actions caused the unconscious man to moan softly. Whispering a soft apology, the Jaffa continued, checking the man's ribcage for spots giving away where they should not. He did not like what he discovered. The rest of his search luckily ended up with nothing dangerously damaged.
He pondered picking up his friend and carrying him back to the car, but was reluctant to do so as he feared internal damage. Moving the injured man around could harm him further instead of helping him. Leaving O'Neill behind to go and get help was not appealing either, although it seemed the only logical solution. Teal'c decided it was best to go, but he would make sure O'Neill was as comfortable as possible first. Another search through the cabin resulted in an old dusty blanket, which he carefully draped over his friend to keep him warm. He then tried to drop small amounts of water into his CO's mouth.
O'Neill responded by moaning while slightly moving his head.
Teal'c was immediately alerted by this sign of wakening and placed his hand on his CO's shoulder. "O'Neill. Do not move," he warned.
"Arrggh," complained the man on the floor. "Teal'c?"
"It is I, O'Neill. You are suffering from a possible concussion," the Jaffa stated softly.
"What gave it away?" O'Neill grunted. He slowly opened his eyes, one only opening a bit, but quickly closed them again as the world around him started spinning. One arm moved, and then the Colonel rolled onto his back before pressing a spread out hand over his chest.
"Your ribcage appears to be damaged as well, O'Neill. You should refrain from moving," Teal'c advised.
"They should have refrained from using me as a punching bag," Jack groaned in response.
A slight smile appeared on the Jaffa's face, although the statement only fuelled his anger. Whatever they had done to his friend, they had not been able to kill his spirit and for that, Teal'c was glad.
"Where are they?" O'Neill asked, as he attempted to lift his head and look around. The action only made his dizziness worse and he sunk backwards as he gasped for air. Stubbornly opening his eyes again, he searched the Jaffa's face. "You okay?"
"I am unharmed, O'Neill. We are all alone here.."
"Good. You look silly," Jack sighed.
Teal'c raised his brows in surprise.
"You've grown another head," O'Neill explained then motioned with this hand. "Two heads are better than one, so they say. Help me up..."
"I do not think that is wise, O'Neill," Teal'c protested, worried as he was about the condition of his friend. "I suggest you stay still while I go and get help."
"Where... How did you get here?" Colonel O'Neill frowned, suddenly questioning his whereabouts and the arrival of his alien friend. He pushed himself up to a sitting position but had to gasp for air as his chest tightened, sending waves of pain through his torso. "Aarggh," he hissed, closing his eyes again to stop the world from looping. It didn't work though and he wavered, disoriented and dizzy.
Teal'c watched how his friend struggled to draw slow breaths and how he fought to remain seated. It was obvious that the task was almost impossible and quickly the Jaffa moved his hand, grabbing his CO by the shoulder to steady him. Gently he supported the swaying man as he lay down, until he was lying on his back again. "As I said I do not think it is wise for you to move, O'Neill," the Jaffa repeated stoically. "I was able to locate you in a cabin at Lake Bradfort. I have parked your vehicle two miles back."
"My truck? You found me?" Jack looked up, confusion all over his face. "How did I get here?"
The Jaffa frowned worriedly. His friend obviously had trouble remembering and comprehending, another signal that he needed to get help as soon as possible. "It is of no importance now, O'Neill. I shall go and fetch help."
"There..." O'Neill struggled to concentrate, but it was getting harder as his head was pounding unmercifully. His stomach was churning and he fought to keep its content down. "My cell phone is in the truck..."
Teal'c's face lit up. He had not considered the option of using a cell phone. "I shall return shortly, O'Neill. Remain still and try to rest." Confident that he would be back soon, Teal'c got up and left.
"I don't like this at all," Daniel murmured. The linguist of SG-1 leaned back in his chair, with his feet on the edge of another one, folding his hands behind his neck. He searched until his eyes met the worried gaze of his female teammate. "So Hammond had no ideas either..."
"No." Frustrated, Sam hit the table with her fist. "It's after midnight, so he can't go about and call some people without raising suspicion. He's going to meet somebody first thing in the morning, though..."
"By then they could be dead, for all we know," Daniel said. "What else is there for us to do?"
"If only I knew..." Carter let out her anger by hitting the table with her fist. "Why can't I come up with something? It's my job to think of a solution, damn it!"
Jackson dropped his feet back on the ground as he shot up straight. "Stop that, Sam! It's not your fault!"
The blonde Major sighed and nodded slightly. "I know... but we need to find them, Daniel. They need us..."
"We *will* find them. It's just taking a bit longer than we hoped," Daniel spoke softly. "I don't..."
A soft ringing interrupted whatever he was about to say.
Sam's eyes widened then she quickly bent to fetch her cell phone. "Major Carter," she announced when picking it up. Her whole expression changed, as she cried out. "Teal'c!!! Where are you? How are you?"
Daniel glanced at her in surprise, not being able to hear the whole conversation. His face lit up as he realized who was on the other end of the connection. He tried to make out what was happening by the parts he could hear.
"Lake Bradfort? Never heard of it..." Carter quickly waved a hand into Daniel's direction. "Get me a map of the area, Daniel... What? ... You're fine, good. Where is Colonel O'Neill?"
Jackson sprinted to the bookshelf and grabbed what he needed. Spreading the map out on the table he stroked it flat with the palm of his hand.
Sam rushed forward. She used her pointing finger to orient herself and searched. "In a cabin... Is he all right?" Her finger moved from the location of the mountain into the wanted direction. "There!" She tipped on the map to indicate the position. "Got it! How is he?"
The linguist grabbed a pencil, found the lake Sam had pointed out and drew a big circle around it for easier finding.
"Ok. Go back to the Colonel and keep him still. We'll be with you in no time... Yes. We'll do that. Be careful." Carter broke off the connection and smiled at her teammate. "Got them. They're in a cabin at this lake. We need a chopper and a medical team... We could be there in twenty minutes."
"Medical team?" Daniel frowned worriedly. "How's Jack?"
"Banged up, possible concussion, broken ribs..." Sam said shortly, not wanting to lose any more time. "Go and get Janet while I arrange transportation." She grabbed the phone, not even waiting for Daniel to spurt out of the room.
Jack stirred, stifling a groan as the motion caused his head to pound unmercifully. He tried to remember what had happened but only parts of the puzzle came to mind.
"Teal'c?" he croaked.
The images were vague but somehow he seemed to remember his friend had been with him. Then he recalled a shooting but didn't immediately know the details except that he had been separated from the Jaffa. When he got no response, Jack pushed himself to a sitting position. The stabs of pain shooting through his chest were unbearable and the dizziness almost forced him to lay back down again.
"Teal'c?" he tried again, a little louder this time.
Damn it. Still no response.
He hated the not knowing. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember where he was and how he got here. The only thing he knew was that he'd been worrying about Teal'c after they were somehow captured and although he also had images of his friend being with him, it deeply concerned him that the Jaffa wasn't answering to his call.
Jack fought to keep the nausea down and softly probed his head with one hand, looking for the source of the hammers that were trying to break through his skull. His searching fingers soon found several sore spots with patches of dried blood and he involuntarily shivered as he touched an extremely painful damaged place behind his ear.
Not good, he figured, not liking the effort it took for him to concentrate on using his memory. Even moving parts of his body seemed hard, as if his muscles and nerves weren't receiving the commands his brain was giving them.
Next, O'Neill moved his attention to his chest. Slowly flexing it by shifting his shoulders a bit forward and backward followed by gently pulling his stomach muscles he knew where the damage was. Still leaning on one hand to steady himself he moved his other hand and inspected the ribcage with his fingers. Although he was very careful, the pain that shot through his torso still made him gasp.
Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Jack concentrated on drawing small breaths. Inhaling too deep only exacerbated the pain in his chest. After a while he was breathing in a slow regular rhythm and he figured to be strong enough for the next piece of action.
He had to find Teal'c.
Jack cautiously moved his head, letting his eyes scan the room. His vision wasn't clear and the room was still making him believe he was in a ship's cabin bobbing on the high seas, but after a while he was positive that he was alone in the room. Wherever that room was.
Pushing aside the blanket that was covering his legs, O'Neill slowly rose to his feet. Staggering and swaying dangerously he stood, waiting for his body to get accustomed to the standing position. He wrapped one arm protectively around his midsection and then shuffled his feet, moving slowly, carefully, into the direction of the door.
Reaching the door was one thing, but before opening it, Jack had to lean against the wall and rest. A couple of minutes later he went to softly try the door-knob. The Colonel used his foot to push the door open, so he could remain safely behind the wall. He had no way of knowing whether to expect any danger, so he was prepared for anything, and ready to duck aside if needed.
Nothing happened.
A flashback of masked men kicking him in the abdomen sprung to mind. At least that explained how his ribcage got damaged. Jack bit on his lip. What had become of his team? For some reason he wasn't sure whether Daniel and Carter were involved. Maybe that was why he was only worried about Teal'c.
Teal'c had been here and could be in trouble so he needed to find him.
O'Neill slowly stepped out of the room into the hallway. He didn't recognize the place and luckily the moon was out, shining through some windows of the building so he could at least see something of his surroundings. Was he off world? He couldn't remember. His trained mind had taken in two other doors beside the one that had to be the entrance and instinctively he picked the one to the right to check out first. Staggering forward, Jack fought to reach his destination, but the pain in his head was intensifying and it became harder to keep his balance.
Repeating the procedure, Jack hid behind the wall and opened the door using his foot. When nothing happened, he sighed softly, allowing his body a brief rest with his shoulder leaning against the doorframe. Then, he stepped inside the room. "Teal'c?" he whispered.
Struggling to focus he couldn't make out the whole room from his position at the door, so he hobbled carefully, crossing the room until he was sure Teal'c wasn't there. Although he moved slowly and cautiously, his turning around was too much for his aching head. O'Neill dropped to his knees as the world started looping and only barely managed to not fall down flat on his face as he caught his balance, using one hand to lean on. His stomach rebelled and then a wave of heaves racked his body. Quickly, Jack placed his other hand in front of him as well and was just in time to lean forward to empty his stomach on the floor.
A couple of minutes later the heaves subsided. Unfortunately, the pain flaring across his chest hadn't. Moaning, the Colonel wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. At least he could be pretty sure his attackers were gone, or they surely would have heard him by now.
What was he doing here anyway?
Locking his eyes on the door as his subconscious somehow tried to tell him that reaching the hall was important, Jack forced himself to rise again. He was exhausted and the thought of just lying down and give up was tempting, but he couldn't do that. He had to move on.
Suddenly he remembered why. He had to find Teal'c.
This time, staying on his feet was next to impossible. O'Neill staggered, swayed and stumbled, took some steps into the direction of the door opening but didn't make it that far. The black spots that were dancing in front of his eyes were spreading and just as he thought he'd reached a wall to lean against, he felt it moving. It actually was the door itself and under the weight of the Colonel's body, the door slammed shut. O'Neill slid to the floor against it without even knowing that his lights had finally gone out.
Well, help is finally on the way.... Tomorrow the conclusion, I promise. Hope you have enjoyed the ride so far and if you haven't yet, please drop us a note, we'd love to hear what you think!