Carter was beginning to understand just how crappy death by crucifixion really was. With most of her weight hanging by her arms, it was getting harder and harder to breathe. She was pushing herself up by her toes as much as possible, but the lack of air was making her weak and, in turn, making it harder to lift herself. It was a vicious, vicious cycle, she thought, and it sucked royally.
To make things worse, though the night had passed and the sun was rising, it was freezing in that cell. Being chained up against a stone wall wasn't helping. And only because she was pretty sure she was more valuable to him alive than dead did she think she wouldn't die that way. But she couldn't be sure of that, as she was quickly losing the ability to move her toes.
Just as her vision was starting to blur, a figure came through the door.
"How are you feeling this morning?" It was Sileem's voice. Great. When she didn't – couldn't – respond, he stepped up beside her and released her arms. She fell to the ground like a rag doll. It hurt, but at least she could breathe again.
"I asked you a question," he murmured, kneeling down close to her.
"That… wasn't nice," she gasped.
He grabbed her arm and stuck a needle in it quickly, drawing a vial of blood.
"Wha…?"
"I have a responsibility to make sure you're healthy, you know," he explained. "I run a reputable business here. It wouldn't do well to pass diseases to my clients."
Sam really, really wanted to throw up.
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It had taken nearly a full day for them to extract a name and location from the man they'd captured in the warehouse. While they'd played as nice as legally required, they had threatened the man with a fairly dismal future. Jacob's flashing eyes hadn't hurt, either.
Several Gateless planets in the system had their own type of transporter devices – platforms like ring platforms that could go from planet to planet. Rather than arouse suspicion by putting a ship like Prometheus in orbit over the planet that held Sam, they planned to send Jack through the transporter. Prometheus would arrive after Jack was already in place.
"Okay, Trin," Jacob said to the man, "Now that we've found her, how do we get her out?"
Trin laughed. "I don't think you understand. Sileem runs a fortress. There is no out, only in."
"Then how do we get in?"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
Jack stepped in, perching on the table. "Money."
"What?" Jacob asked.
"Sileem runs a… a whorehouse, right? We get in with money."
"You don't mince words, do you, Jack?" Jacob told him angrily. "And where do you plan to get that much local currency?"
Jack turned to Trin and shot him a grin. "Him. Unless I miss my guess, he got a pretty good chunk of change for selling Carter. And we're gonna use it to buy her back."
Trin bristled. "I will be no part of this."
"Sure you will!" Jack told him cordially. "Or remember what we told you about prisoner of war camps? The Goa'uld? I'd be more than happy to put a snake in your head and make you do it." They hadn't exactly told him the whole truth about the Goa'uld. Or anything else, for that matter. To get Carter back, they'd terrified the man as much as possible.
"That would take time," he sneered.
"Not at all. In fact, I'm sure Selmak would be more than willing to help."
Jacob's eyes flashed as Selmak jumped in. "Indeed. It is, after all, Jacob Carter's daughter. Trin, I will need you to turn around."
"No." He clearly started to panic as Jack grabbed him and shoved him face first into the wall. "No! No! I'll do it!"
The colonel slammed him back down into the chair. "Now, this is how it's going to work. Have you gotten your cash yet?"
"No. He pays me at the end of the month."
"Good. You're gonna tell you him you need a little advance."
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"Jack, there is no way in hell I'm letting you do this. I'm going," Jacob insisted, tearing down the hallway after the colonel.
"And I told you, there's no way in hell I'm letting you. Discussion over, Jacob."
"Don't you even try to pull rank on me, Colonel O'Neill," the older man – and former general – spat.
Jack whirled around to face him. "Listen to me, Jacob. You cannot go down there. If she's hurt, you know as well as I do that you'll lose your temper and it'll all be over."
"And we'll beam her out of there and that will be that!"
"And if we can't? We know they have some sort of blocking technology already!"
Jacob let out a sigh, his face drawn. "Jack, she's my daughter."
"I know that, Jacob," he said softly. "And that's exactly why you can't do this."
"Then send someone else. If you don't think I can handle it, I…"
"You what, Jacob?"
"I don't want you with her," he said through clenched teeth. "Not like that."
Jack took a deep breath. "I'm gonna pretend you meant that in the best possible way, Jacob, and not that you don't trust me."
"It's not that, Jack, I just…"
"Who would you have me send, Jacob? They might have seen Daniel's face. Teal'c can't lie worth a damn. I should send Pendergast? Or some idiot Airman?" He scrubbed a hand across his face. "Look, I get that you don't really want me to see her… how she might be. I don't wanna see that, either. But you don't really want to send some random guy after her, do you? Give me a better choice!"
"I don't… have one," the man mumbled.
"Then we're wasting time, Jacob. The sooner I'm on that planet, the sooner I can find her and bring her home."
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Carter scrambled to her feet as Sileem entered her cell. "Congratulations," he announced, "you passed."
That wasn't actually a good thing, but she didn't answer.
"So this could be a big night for you."
Carter smirked. "And here I thought your business depended on repeat clients. You can bet they won't be back if they're dead."
"Oh, I have my ways. It all depends on the evening's clientele, I suppose."
She bit her cheek.
"So do you intend to cooperate, or do I have to force you?"
"You have to ask?"
"That's rather what I thought." He pulled the stick weapon from the back of his belt and approached her. Unfortunately, Sam was concentrating so much on the weapon that she didn't see the needle in his other hand until he had buried it in her arm. Her mouth fell open as she collapsed at his feet.
And then, just because he could, he jabbed her with the weapon anyway.
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Jack sat confidently across from the man named Sileem, looking rich and powerful in his dress blues. Having already waved a massive bag of coin in front of his face, Sileem was ready to give him anything he wanted.
"I'm a very picky man, Mr. Sileem."
"Of course, Colonel O'Neill. I assure you that I have the widest selection of options."
"So I've heard. But I'm here not just for the girls. They tell me that you run a clean, decent place. That's important to me."
"They are most correct, Colonel," Sileem gushed.
"I'm glad. I'll be here for nearly a week, and I'd like to be sure that the woman is mine and mine alone while I'm here." The term 'sloppy seconds' came to mind, and it made Jack mildly nauseous.
"Of course, Colonel O'Neill. My reputation is very important to me."
"Good."
"Please, tell me what you're looking for."
"All right." He pretended to think for a minute. "Blonde. Tall. Thin. But most importantly, strong. I like a challenge. I don't want some broken-down woman who's been doing this for years."
The man across the table gave him a wicked smile. "I believe I have exactly what you're looking for."
After finishing up the details, Sileem led him down a long hallway and stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. "If you have any problems, Colonel, please come to me. Otherwise, enjoy your stay."
Jack dismissed him with a nod, but hesitated at the door, unsure what he would find behind it. Taking a deep breath, he turned the knob, stepped inside and quickly yanked it closed behind him. He stopped, breathless.
She was… stunning. Pale, creamy legs up to heaven – and by heaven, he meant the most incredible blue lingerie he'd ever seen. It set off the fire in her eyes in the most stunning, arousing way.
Of course, there was the fact that she was tied to the bed and clearly scared to death to mitigate the whole arousal thing.
Or the bigger problem.
She wasn't Carter.
And he was stuck.
Crap.