Chapter 29: Revelations
A feeling of confinement startled her awake, arms holding her securely, and Sam fought reflexively, even before she took in the familiar sights and smells around her and realized she was being carried, not restrained. "Sam, take it easy, you're safe," Daniel told her. She took in his worried look, and then examined her surroundings, taking in the recognizable gray concrete block tunnels, and the deep, almost subliminal hum that was Cheyenne Mountain. Teal'c stood nearby, silently watching his two younger teammates.
"Sorry," she apologized again, and Daniel patted her back, looking worried as the two men resumed their walk. Belatedly, she realized where they were heading, and squirmed. "I'm fine, I don't need to go to the infirmary," she protested.
"I'll be the judge of that," spoke a new voice as they crossed the doorway.
"Janet!" Sam exclaimed, turning a look of accusation on her two team mates.
Arms crossed, Janet surveyed the group while they filed past. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Sam was tortured by a group of adolescent psychopaths," Daniel explained grimly, setting her carefully on a bed and gently tugging up the hem of her t-shirt to reveal a few inches of bruising. Janet gasped, tearing her eyes from Sam's abdomen to study Daniel's serious face, and Teal'c's posture of barely contained menace. "They would have done worse if they hadn't been interrupted."
"Worse?" Janet managed. None of them replied, but Daniel looked ill, Teal'c crossed his arms and set his jaw, and Sam avoided everyone's gaze. "I see," she said, abruptly taking charge. "Out. Both of you out. And see that you keep the Colonel from charging in here." The two men beat a hasty retreat, though Daniel sent her a troubled look over his shoulder.
After they had made themselves scarce, Janet pulled the curtains around, and turned back to Sam, indicating with a gesture that she should lie back and pull up her shirt. Too tired to argue, Sam complied, turning her head to avoid seeing the shocked look on her friend's face. For her part, after her initial reaction, Janet hid her feelings behind professionalism, asking questions and palpating gently. Sam answered in monosyllables as Janet turned to the scrape on her face, carefully cleaning the dried blood away and applying antibiotic ointment, announcing that the cut was too shallow to require stitches and was unlikely to scar. Finally, the cool mask slipped, and Sam felt the bed sag next to her. A warm touch on her cheek forced her to turn her head. Janet regarded her, her concern plain. "Sam, what happened?" she asked.
At the simple question, Sam felt her chin tremble. Wordlessly, Janet gathered her into her arms, and the tears that she had somehow managed to hold at bay in front of the rest of her team broke free. Gradually, her sobs turned to hiccups, and Sam was conscious of Janet rocking her gently, making soothing noises. Impatiently, Sam brushed away tears and apologized. Gripping her by the arms, Janet pushed her away, her eyes angry. Sam blinked in surprise.
"You have nothing to apologize for Samantha Carter, nothing," Janet said fiercely, and held her gaze until she nodded hesitantly. "Oh Sam," she said, gathering her in for another hug. This time, Sam returned the embrace.
Finally, the two broke apart. "Now, tell me what happened," Janet said again.
Hesitantly at first, and then as Janet remained impartial, Sam recounted the afternoon's events, taking strength in Janet's quiet presence during the more difficult parts. The afternoon's events came clear in fits and starts. She explained how Curtis was connected to Seshat, and how the boy had been willing to hurt her to keep his meeting secret, seemed to enjoy it even. It was hard to tell Janet about how helpless she'd been at the hands of a few adolescents, but somehow, she just couldn't stop talking once she'd started, as if once the gates had opened, there was no shutting them. At last, she was done, and leaned tiredly against her friend, vaguely aware of various aches and pains. Janet sat by her side in silence for several long moments, before giving her shoulders a squeeze. "Wait here," she said. Sam blinked, acutely missing her friend's embrace as she stood and slipped out of the cubicle. The doctor's heels clicked away.
Sam had drawn her knees up despite the discomfort in her abdomen by the time Janet returned, bearing a small oral syringe and carton of juice as well as a small bundle of cloth. Janet frowned when Sam didn't make her customary grimace as she took the medication with a questioning look.
"Motrin for the pain, and a little something to help you sleep. No arguments, you need rest." Janet only looked more concerned when Sam swallowed the dose without even a token protest, automatically reaching for the juice. "Here," she said, deciding for the moment to let Sam's passiveness slide. It might after all just be fatigue.
Shaking out the cloth, Janet revealed an article of clothing. "This should do as a nightshirt," she explained. She shrugged at Sam's puzzled frown. "Never hurts to collect a few loose items now and again," she said. Sam took the offered adult sized black t-shirt, but when Janet turned to leave, Sam caught her sleeve. Almost immediately, she let go, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
Janet studied her. "You don't want to be alone do you?" she asked. Sam looked down and shook her head. "That's understandable. Why don't I stay until you fall asleep? After that, I don't think I'll be able to keep the rest of SG-1 out of here, and they'll probably take it in turns until you are feeling more yourself."
Sam swallowed, and then nodded. "Thanks Janet."
Her friend smiled. "That's what friends are for. Let's get you more comfortable." Before long, Sam was tucked into the bed, Janet settled in a nearby chair, writing in a chart. As much as she worried over what her dreams would hold, Sam could no longer win against the battle to stay awake.
Gazing down at her friend, Janet watched Sam's even breathing. Aside from the bruise on her chin and the scrape across one pale cheek, Janet could almost forget the struggles the woman turned child had endured earlier at the hands of some sick teenager and his pack of cronies. And then she remembered the collection of odd symmetrical pairs of purpling bruises scattered over Sam's small stomach, curious tiny ridge marks imprinted in places on the skin where burst blood vessels hadn't filled them. She recalled the ill look on Daniel's face, and the way Teal'c had seethed with barely contained anger. Of Sam's faltering speech as she described the cold look of pleasure on the boy Curtis's face as he hurt her, and how much further he may have gone if Daniel hadn't come looking for her. Some clinical part of her mind diagnosed the boy with antisocial personality disorder. It fit after all. He hadn't seemed the least remorseful according to Sam's description, and he possessed a level of charisma that brought him followers, like moths to a flame.
Shaking her head to dispel morbid thoughts, Janet stood, one hand hovering over her sleeping friend. Fear of waking Sam stayed her hand though, and Janet again was struck by the innocence of Sam's child guise, horrified in a detached way that anyone, even a sociopath, especially one still himself a child, could harm her. Could harm a child, let alone take pleasure in it.
Pausing at the curtain, Janet gave Sam one last look, and slipped out. She found the rest of SG-1, including Colonel O'Neill, waiting in the hall outside the infirmary. Teal'c looked only marginally calmer to the trained observer, but his crossed arms and stiff posture would no doubt send all but the most serious patients running in the opposite direction as he leaned against a wall, glaring at nothing. Daniel slumped in a plastic chair, face buried in his hands. Jack paced, pent up energy forcing him into useless motion. At her approach, three sets of eyes turned on her, and Daniel jumped to his feet.
"She's ok," Janet told them, holding up a hand to forestall them from rushing into the infirmary. "She's sleeping," she said, her tone hinting at dire consequences should any of them wake her. The three men hovered, as if held back by a rubber band. Her countenance softened. "I'll let one of you, and only one of you in at a time, and only because I think she needs someone nearby when she wakes. The rest of you should talk to General Hammond before he ends up down here as well." She could almost see the restraining band growing taut, as the three exchanged looks, words passing without the benefit of speech.
Finally, Daniel swallowed, wetting dry lips. "I'll go, I found her."
"I will accompany you, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c volunteered.
Jack released a pent up breath. "Ok, guess I'll take first watch then," he said. The men relaxed, and Janet stepped aside, letting the older man pass, needlessly pressing a finger to her lips. Daniel and Teal'c headed off in the opposite direction, both shooting looks over their shoulders as if hoping to catch a glimpse of the female member of their team. Janet sighed, left alone in the hallway. Giving herself a shake, she headed for her office. She had a report to write.
Jack forced his clenched fists to relax. The briefing wasn't going well. SG-1 was scattered around the briefing room in various stages of agitation. Before they had begun, Hammond had sensed he'd get little of use until all of them had laid eyes on their teammate, and granted them time, including himself, to do so, before ordering them to return to the briefing room with the addition of Dr. Fraiser. The doctor had come only when Hammond had drawn out of her the concession that it was unlikely Sam would wake for hours. Still, the woman had taken the precaution of detailing one of the nurses to Sam's bedside, just in case. With an air of forced detachment, Fraiser had imparted to the rest of them just what had gone on in that basement room of the school, an edited version of what Sam had told her.
It was all Jack could do to keep from leaping up and charging from the room, to look for a certain smug teenage face to pound flat. The rest of them didn't look much better to Jack's eye. He'd only once before seen Teal'c take on that look that screamed revenge, and Daniel alternated between barely controlled anger and looking like he needed to go throw up. Jack had to admit he felt similarly, only his urge to beat the crap out of something, or someone, was much stronger than his need to be ill. He'd better hit the gym after this briefing. A few rounds against the punching bag, and maybe pumping a little iron would work to control his fury; at least enough to keep from doing something that would jeopardize the mission.
And that was the rub.
All of them quivered with an anger that begged to be released, as well as a desire to protect. It was unlikely that Sam was the first, or only victim of this deranged boy. Each and every one of them ached to prevent a recurrence of the day's events just as much as they yearned for vengeance. Until Hammond had pointed out in a quiet voice if this wasn't the evidence they had been looking for.
Sam's revelation that Curtis and his little band of juvenile delinquents were connected in someway to Seshat somehow didn't surprise them as much as it probably should have, given that the group was little more than children. Not to mention, the knowledge seriously hampered any thoughts of revenge, whether through legitimate channels, or some other clandestine fashion. Not that Jack wouldn't have done more than scare the crap out of the group. Maybe. Sharing a sideways look with Teal'c, he might just have reserved a little something special for Curtis. Nothing that would harm the boy permanently of course, but Jack had plenty of ideas…
Without any other link to Seshat though, they needed Curtis. His desire to leave the boy duct taped, naked, on the school steps with a note explaining his misdeeds stapled to his hairless chest would have to wait.
Unfortunately, the most likely person to keep tabs on Curtis was Sam. And he most certainly didn't want Sam anywhere near the miscreant, at least not while she was still small. Zap her back to the Major Carter he knew and missed, and he'd reconsider. Judging by the comments and feelings sizzling around the room, the rest of SG-1 felt similarly.
But they had much bigger fish to fry.
As much as they hated to admit it, they needed Curtis because he could lead them straight to Seshat. By Sam's report, the boy had just come from a meeting with the Goa'uld, and if there were one meeting, there likely would be more. And they needed Sam, both because of her unremarkable identity at the school and for her ability to sense Goa'uld symbiotes. But he didn't have to like the idea of letting Curtis go unpunished, and Sam get near him again, and the rest were finding the idea equally unpalatable.
"It doesn't feel right," Daniel protested, yet again, frowning fiercely at the pen he held. "I mean, what if he were some kind of pedophile? We don't know what he would have done if I hadn't interrupted. Don't we have an obligation to alert the proper authorities about what happened?"
Hammond narrowed his eyes slightly, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "Dr. Jackson, while ordinarily I would agree, in this situation, I believe we have an even bigger obligation to protect Providence, and the people of Earth from Seshat."
"Seshat poses an even greater threat to Providence School than Curtis," chimed in Teal'c, looking rather like he'd just bitten into something sour.
"So, what, we just let the punk walk?" growled Jack. Angrily, he crumpled up the piece of paper he'd been doodling on.
"I am not suggesting that," interjected Hammond quietly. "I've made a few phone calls. The R&D department believes they have something that could help. They have recently finished a device that will allow us break through the electrical interference surrounding the school and tap into security feeds within a certain distance. Using this technology, I believe we will be able to keep a discreet eye on activities at the school."
"Surveillance?" asked Teal'c.
The General nodded. "I am putting together a team to man a vehicle. From my understanding, there are cameras in all public areas of the school."
"Not enough in my opinion," grumbled Jack, thinking of all the gaps in the non-public areas they'd be left with.
"It will have to be enough, Colonel," said Hammond, frowning slightly. "People, I don't think I need to remind you that our mission has always held a certain bit of urgency. Major Carter has found solid evidence that Seshat is interfering directly with the population of the school, and we need to neutralize her before she can make anyone else disappear."
Daniel's jaw tightened as he visibly struggled to weigh the needs of many versus the needs of one he counted as a friend. "And what about Sam? Obviously, even with these new security precautions, she's not safe." His declaration met a contemplative silence. They were all thinking the same thing.
Just then, an airman approached the General before he could reply, and whispered in his ear. Hammond straightened and beckoned to Janet. After a brief whispered exchange, Dr. Fraiser retreated to Hammond's office, answering the phone. During the moment of distraction, Jack took it upon himself to answer Daniel's speculation.
"We knew it wouldn't be safe to start with, Daniel," Jack said dryly. It was a lesson that he had had to learn himself, and if he were honest, one he wasn't particularly pleased to reconcile himself to, especially now that the proof was before them. Daniel turned in his direction in surprise.
"Jack?" he asked.
"Hello? Goa'uld? Unknown minions on the loose?" Jack shrugged, forcing his body to relax in a way he didn't feel as he tilted his chair back. "Carter knew what she was getting into." Dimly, he heard part of Janet's conversation through the open doorway. "She's what?" the doctor demanded. "How long? What do you mean you don't know?" He had little time to puzzle the meaning out, needing to focus on the debate.
"Yeah," Daniel agreed, somewhat reluctantly, "But the watches were supposed to alert us when she was in danger."
"Well, obviously, they need a little work," Jack grumbled, giving up his feigned relaxation and leaning forward again with a thump, equally put off by the failure of their main security device.
Daniel set his pen down, leaning forward with his hands folded together. "Look, I'd be the first to say Sam can normally take care of herself, but this is different. Maybe we should step back, reconsider things."
"Daniel Jackson, we are far too immersed to withdraw now," argued Teal'c.
Jack sighed, shaking his head. "Look, if I thought we could do it without Carter," he started to say.
"You can't do it without me," interrupted a small voice from the doorway.
"Sam!" Daniel stood, looking both worried and relieved to see his teammate. Sam's hair was damp, and she'd changed into her child sized BDU's. She stood in the doorway, arms crossed, with a frown on her face.
"You aren't doing this without me," she repeated, lifting her chin slightly. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the shower she'd obviously taken, but the bruise on her chin and the thin red scrape stood out starkly against her otherwise pale skin.
"Sam, you should be in the infirmary," Janet announced, coming out of the office and looking flustered.
The slight flush to her childish cheeks deepened, and Sam shrugged slightly, giving the doctor a wry look. "I guess we don't have the level of sedative right. I wanted a shower, and when I didn't see anyone around, I figured I'd find everyone here." Her face said she was thankful she had come looking.
Janet ignored the somewhat accusing stare. "You gave my nurse a near panic attack. She just called and said she left you to go tend to an unexpected patient, and when she got back half an hour later, you were gone."
Sam shrugged again. "Sorry," she said, her tone anything but repentant. Janet sighed.
"Fine, stay for now, but you're going back to the infirmary after the briefing," she decided. Sam nodded, and relaxed marginally, joining the rest at the table, taking a seat next to Daniel.
"Major," Hammond greeted. "I know you've told Dr. Fraiser, but do you feel up to telling the rest of us what happened today?" he asked gently.
Sam swallowed, looking down and closing her eyes briefly, and then nodded, looking back up with a firm resolve noted in the set of her features. Taking a deep breath, she began. To her credit, her voice only wavered during the most difficult parts. Daniel reached out and touched the back of her hand, and Sam glanced over, taking strength. At other times, she met Teal'c's eyes, calming her nerves. Occasional restless movements from the Colonel's direction reminded her that Jack was there; ready to fight alongside of her.
When she finished, a brief silence settled over the room. Eventually, Hammond cleared his throat. "Major Carter, are you prepared to continue with the mission?"
Pausing, Sam looked around the table. Teal'c returned her gaze calmly, but she could see that he was prepared to do whatever necessary to see the mission to its end. Jack's eyes were hard, calculating. Trusting. Janet was caring, if a little worried. Hammond professional, leaving the choice to her, but she sensed that he would be supportive no matter what she chose. Daniel…
Too many emotions played across the young man's face. Concern for her, helplessness, and frustration at the situation all warred for control. But most of all, his affection and respect for her were clearly present. And Sam's resolve grew from that fact.
Whatever happened, she would not face what was to come alone.
"Yes, sir," she answered firmly, without a hint of hesitation. Around the table, a feeling of tension was released, like a breath exhaled.
"So be it," declared the General, rising, and the rest followed suit. "SG-1, Dr. Fraiser, you are dismissed."
And so the mission continued.
A/N: I am glad I have not lost many of you from the last chapter. I hope this chapter helps, even if there's no dire revenge taken against Curtis. Unfortunately, he is needed for now. Be sure he'll be dealt with, later. There's some more touchy feeliness I'm working on for the next chapter, and then back on with the show.