Chapter 10

… Back to Reality …

"This is Daniel," he said as he answered the phone.

"Where are you?" General Hammond enquired.

"I'm in my jeep, why?"

"Have you found the Colonel?" Hammond asked him in impatience.

Daniel smirked as a lie came to him, "I found him at a liquor store trying to buy some beer."

Jack smirked over at Daniel as he listened to the part of the conversation that he could hear. No one needed to know that Daniel had found him right at the tunnel entrance of the base.

"Well, bring him back, there's some new information."

"Yes, I'm on my way," Daniel said then hung up the phone. "We need to get you back to base," Daniel said quietly.

"What? Why?" Jack sounded agitated.

"Don't know," Daniel shrugged as he turned the engine over, "Hammond said there's some new info on your case."

"Did he say what it was?" Jack asked impatiently.

"Nope," Daniel replied shortly, "We're headed there now."

"Look," Daniel said after a long moment of silence, as they started heading back toward the base. "I will tell you this. Whatever happens, I will be there for you, Jack."

"Do you know many Immortals in young bodies?" Jack asked curiously.

"I know a few," Daniel replied quietly, "Most don't last long. They're usually picked off by head hunters at a very young age."

Jack frowned at the idea, but remained quiet.

"But," Daniel continued, "I know two who stay out of the Game and they're much older than you'd think."

"Such as?" Jack asked.

"Well…" Daniel began as he stopped the car once more. "Tobias the Younger is roughly 3500 years old and looks about the age you look now. And, Marus… she's probably about 900 years old and looks even younger, maybe about 12."

"To be eternal children," Jack shook his head in wonder. "That's gotta suck. Imagine never being allowed to buy beer."

"Yeah," Daniel replied quietly as they continued heading to the mountain. "Too young in body to be considered mature. Too young to drive. Too young to copulate."

"I wasn't even gonna go there, Daniel!" Jack protested vehemently.

Daniel looked at Jack with a smirk, "Most wind up begging for the end."

"So," Jack said as they pulled through the security gates. "What does it really mean to be your student?

Daniel eyed the young man with intense hazel eyes as he parked in the parking lot at the base. "It means that you'll survive. Being my student means that I'll keep an eye on you until you're capable of surviving on your own. I'm offering you protection that you shouldn't pass up, Jack." Daniel said with a frown. "But, if a head hunter was to come after me, or if the Watchers found me and realized I'm Immortal, it could be very dangerous for both of us."

"Are you saying that you have people after you, Daniel?" Jack asked as a frown marred his brow.

"No, not at the moment, but some young upstart, trying to make a name for himself might see bookish Dr. Daniel Jackson as an easy target; they'd be surprised, because I'm not an easy target. But still, he might be followed by a Watcher who would recognize me."

Nodding, Jack said, "Your sword collection."

"You know, I didn't even realize that swords had any significance other than that they were sharp, old and looked neat. It was a novelty at the time…" Daniel trailed off in thought.

"So, I'd learn sword fighting?" Jack asked.

"That's crass," Daniel said as they headed toward the underground complex. "Fencing is the more appropriate word. Swordsmanship encompasses more than one style. But, yes, I'd teach you if you were willing to learn."