114
Half an hour later the first chopper arrived with food and more bedding. There was a paramedic on board and once the patients were all on board, the first one lifted off and they continued evacuating patients three more times. Once the last chopper lifted off, they went inside to sort out the supplies.
"Jack" he turned to see Jacob holding a radio and he walked over and turned it on.
"Calling Sierra Golf Charlie, this is O'Neill."
"Sierra Golf Charlie, read you loud and clear, Jack"
"Hi sir, thanks for the food and blankets."
"No problem. How are you all holding up there?"
"Ok at the moment; how are things where you are?"
"We are on emergency power right now."
"Ok, what is the latest on this weather?"
"Long range is fine but cold. It looks like we are over the worst of it but there is another cold front heading this way. Hopefully we will have all the patients and you guys out of there before it reaches us."
"Thanks; how bad was the storm?"
"Worst storm in over one hundred and fifty years."
"Ok; call me tomorrow with any more details, O'Neill out" then he turned it off. Everyone had heard his conversation.
"Sir, they sent us a radio."
"Turn it on" Jack said.
He turned it on and they heard the latest weather forecast and that it was clearing up but that the snow would take weeks to melt and that the National Guard was being airlifted in to help rescue people who were trapped in their homes. They would be able to get them to a central evacuation area where there were groups of volunteers helping to continue airlifting patients from the other two hospitals, as well as rescuing the elderly from their homes and rest homes.
Snowploughs and other heavy equipment, including dump trucks were being brought in from all over the state to start clearing the interstate first and then clearing the county roads, and city streets. That was all the news for the time being and then the station returned to their usual music format.
"At least we know what is going on out there" Jack said.
He turned and walked down to the room he and Sam had been sleeping in. She was still asleep and so were the boys; he took his jacket and boots off and climbed into the sleeping bag and Sam snuggled up to his side. He pulled the covers over them and kissed the top of her head before closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.
Three days later all of the patients had been air lifted from the hospital including Brian, who was the last. Laura went with him, leaving Mark and the girls behind. Two hours later Jack called the SGC.
"Jack, good news. We have enough time, before the next storm front blows in, to get the rest of you and all of the medical supplies out of there. A chopper has just left to pick you up but there is only one chopper available at the moment."
"Thanks sir, we will be ready."
"I will see you when you get here, Hammond out" then he turned it off.
"You heard the man, let's start packing" they started packing things up into boxes and then they heard the chopper approaching.
"Sam, I want you and the boys on the first flight."
"What about the generators?"
"Show Dad what to do."
"Ok."
Jacob and Sam went the generator room and Sam showed him what to do to disconnect them. When the chopper landed Sam, the twins, Karen, Joan, three nurses and boxes of medical supplies were air lifted to the SGC. Jack kissed Sam and his son's good bye. He watched as the chopper lifted off and then he headed back inside.
They finished packing everything up and twenty minutes later the chopper returned, taking six more nurses and more medical supplies. Five hours later Jacob, Jack and the two police officers were the last to be airlifted. The chopper had just lifted off when Jack saw two people approaching the hospital and the man was waving his arms. He ordered the chopper back down. Jack opened the door and ran over to them and realized that the woman was in labour.
"Can you help us, please?"
"Come on, that storm is going to hit soon" they made it to the chopper and got it and then they where off again.
"How long have you been in labour, miss?"
"Two hours; this was the closest hospital."
"You were lucky I spotted you."
"Thank you" then Jack put on the radio headset.
Sierra Golf Charlie, this is O'Neill. We will need a medical team on the surface to pick up two persons, one is a woman in labour, copy, over… roger that, O'Neill out" then he took the headset off.
"Are you army?"
"Air Force" the guy nodded and then they were rocked by the wind.
"The storm is starting" Jacob said.
"Yeah" a few minutes later they landed on the SGC helipad and everything was taken off the chopper.
"Where are you guys going?" Jack asked the two pilots.
"We heading back to Petersen" the wind was really picking up.
"Negative; shut down this bird and you are staying with us and that is an order."
"Yes sir."
They shut it down and got out. Some SGC airmen came out and helped them tie the chopper down and then they all followed Jack inside the mountain. He closed the door and then the pilots followed him down the stairs until they reached the elevators.
"Sir, we need to report in."
"Don't worry; I'll let your CO know that you are staying with us."
"Thank you, sir."
They got into the elevator and Jack pushed the button for the 25th floor and when it opened they walked out and followed him into the mess hall.
"Get yourselves a drink and if you need to pee ask one of these guys to show where the men's room is."
"Thank you sir" Jack turned around as Daniel walked in.
"Jack, you made it."
"Yeah, where's Sam?"
"In your quarters."
"Thanks" he went to see Hammond first.
"Sir"
"Jack, I'm pleased to that you made it."
"Same here. The pilots that came and got us are here also."
"Yes."
"Would you call their CO and tell him that they are here."
"Why couldn't they fly back to Petersen?"
"They had enough problems trying to get the bird on the ground, let alone trying to get to back to the base; they wouldn't have made it."
"Ok, I know their CO."
"Thanks, I'm going to see Sam and the boys and I will talk to you later."
"Ok" Jack walked out and headed to their quarters. When he walked in Sam was just putting one of their son's down.
"Hey"
"Hey, what is it like on the surface?"
"Terrible, we just about made it." they hugged and kissed.
"I'm going to have a shower."
"Ok, I'll be in bed."
"Ok" they kissed before he went to have a shower.
Sam crawled into bed and fell asleep. Ten minutes later Jack walked out of the bathroom and joined her in bed. She snuggled up to his side and he was asleep a few minutes later.
The storm lasted all night but by morning it had blown over. Everyone who was on the base had already been there for three weeks and this would be the first chance to go outside. The chopper was still there but covered in snow.
They saw the news and the pictures of Colorado Springs showing what it looked like covered in snow. They were shocked when they saw how high the snow had accumulated. It showed the Air Force Academy hospital and Jack saw the top of his truck. Then they showed other parts of the city and suburbs; totally white.
The news report said that it would take months before Colorado would be able to return to normal after this series of winter storms. They estimated that the cost to recover would be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Jack and Sam watched the pictures and they saw that they were flying over their home. It looked ok, still standing up. They saw the snowploughs working their way down the main street, removing tons of snow.
They realized that it would be weeks before families could return home. Jack went to speak to the pilot of the last chopper about dropping the two police offices and the young couple and their baby off at one of the rescue centres and then to take him to his house so he could pick some things up and check out the other's homes. They said they would and they left half an hour later.
After dropping the others off at one of the rescue centres, they headed to Jack and Sam's house and when they landed, they watched him climb on to the roof of his house. He wanted to check the roof and noticed that the shield was still on. He turned it off before opening the door and going inside.
He quickly checked the house over before heading upstairs and went to their room and packed two duffle bags of things for him and Sam. Then he went to the boys' room and packed two bags, as well, before leaving. He went back up on the roof and waved to the pilots and one ran over to him.
"Here, put these in the chopper; I'll be right back."
"Sir, whose place is this?"
"My wife's and me."
He ran back inside and packed Mark and the family's clothes and then he threw the bags down to the pilot, from the roof. Then he went back into the house and went downstairs to turn the shields back on before locking the front door and leaving. He picked up the other two bags and then they left. On the way back to the base, they checked on the others' homes and then headed back to base.
Jacob, Daniel and Teal'c were waiting for him when they returned. The chopper dropped him off, along with the bags he had packed and then the chopper headed back to Petersen.
"Jack, what were you doing?"
"I got Carter and the kids some clothes. If you notice the clothes they are wearing are too big and I picked up baby clothes for the twins."
"Oh"
"I've check your homes, they still standing"
"That's good"
When they reach the VIP quarters, they drop the bags off got the family then Jack went to his quarters. Sam was still asleep so he put the bags down and gave her a kiss and check on the boys before leaving the room.
Jacob return back to the Tok'ra he told them what was going on and how Mark would be wondering here his dad disappears to, the granted his approval. He shows them photos of the boys; they all smile and hopeful meet them in person, soon. When Jacob return back to the SGC he spoke to jack and Sam and told them what the council said, they smiled and looking ford to it them selves.