Chapter 12: Shot Through the Heart and You give Love a Bad Name
Walter looked at his Tahoe's clock, 2145hrs. He picked up his phone speed dialing his source. A woman voice answered the call as she dried some left over tears. "Hello Hustler!" The Hustler was Walters's favorite character in the movie 'Kelly's Heroes'. He chose this code name to pay homage to Don Rickles.
Walter sensed something was wrong but thought better to ask about it. "Needles, I suspect that the mistake has been corrected" he stated. "It has." the informant replied. "I also sense that the dam has developed deep cracks" he inquired. "the dam will not hold the water back any longer, time is short before water flows freely" she replied in code.
"OPERATION: Hitch is still in standby. Do you recommend we re-initiate it?" he asked crossing his fingers. Last time the plan had interference from the mistake. "That's an affirmative." Needles said with confidence. "I copy, Hustler out!" Hustler replied happily. He really loved all this cloak and dagger stuff. It brought back his childhood dream of being a spy.
Walter made one more call before heading home "Operation: Hitch is recommended for reactivation. Interference has been taken care of." he said and hung up leaving a voice mail. "My work is done here: Chaos, Mayhem and disorder shall follow." he spoke out loud while smiling all the way home.
0247hrs in an ordinary looking house that was anything but ordinary. Harry Maybourne sat drinking his third cup of coffee thinking 'this new code is a pain in the arse, I hope it breaks real soon.' A little later the ex-NID agent was returning from the restroom when the computer beeped. His computer finally broke the fire wall. He began to read the file as his face went from joy to worry quickly. 'I've got to warn Jack.' Harry said out loud.
Harry reached for his cell phone when the hairs on his neck stood up. He then reached for his suppressed Sig Saur P220 and twirled to a crouching position. Facing him was a man standing 6' tall with red hair, a man that Harry new well. "Jeffery Rollins" he said in a low growling voice. Jeffery just smiled while pointing his suppressed Glock 21 at Harry.
"Long time no see Harry, I thought I'd drop by and see my old friend." the rogue NID operative replied. "You should have called. I could have put out the un-welcome mat for you." he said smiling his patented grin.
Rollins started moving about the room with Harry mimicking each step. "I'd rather avoid your welcomes Harry, claymore mines say just the opposite." he replied. "And here I thought you'd appreciate my thoughtfulness, I'm hurt" Maybourne said in jest placing one hand over his wounded heart.
"This is a new development, you having a heart" the tall man spoke evilly then continued. "Were you going to call your new friend Colonel O'Neill? I can't have that now. I need him to suffer along with his non-girlfriend. If you warn him that can't happen now can it." Jeffery sneered. Harry made his way to his laptop effectively blocking his former colleague.
Rollins stopped then started back towards the same door he came in. "So, you still into all that physical fitness, especially running!" Maybourne asked Jefferies ignoring his attempt at getting information. Realizing that he wasn't getting under Harries skin, he changed tactics
"Yes, running is very healthy. Agents need to stay in shape. Looks like you need to start running again." He ignored Rollins last comment with a shrug. Harry was thinking how he could end this quick. He had to warn Jack! "I see you still have a like for young women. Did she put up a fight." he asked trying to throw his enemy off.
"You mean that pretty young thing that was killed on the jogging trail. Sandra Keller was her name. I didn't have time to enjoy her, shall we say resistance." Rollins admitted without remorse. Harry boiled over with anger. Jefferies was a cold blooded killer who did it for fun. Rollins saw his former colleagues' reaction and smiled internally. "I could have had so much fun with her too." he pressed.
"Now, let's get back on track. I'll give you access to $20,000,000 in a Swiss bank account. All you got to do is just walk away and let the plan unfold. This is a onetime offer." the NID operative said. Harry knew he was lying. Rollins would never let him live with what he knew. He knew there was a WET (witness elimination team) team waiting outside waiting for the signal.
"Na, I'll pass. Knowing you it's all monopoly money anyways." he said with a smirk. "You know me so well my friend. What do you say we settle this like men then? I always wondered who was better at hand to hand. Last I recall we each won two matches. Aren't you the least bit curious who's better?" Jefferies asked waving his Glock around a bit.
The next sounds heard was small "Pops" from the primers going off along with the slide moving. Harry fired two more times then looked down at the now dead Jefferies. He had one bullet in head and two more in the heart. "No, I wouldn't Jeffery you arrogant fool... You were always better at hand to hand. I was better at marksmanship and knew never to take your sights off the target."
Maybourne then quickly went about gathering his laptop and other information pertaining to the current situation. Harry had very little time before the WET team made their appearance.
Once everything was ready he left the house through a false closet as the WET team entered. While on his way out he pressed a button by the door. This action started a countdown that resulted in an explosion collapsing the house in a fiery blaze.
News papers would later report finding the remains of seven armed men inside the house and no clues as to why (0325hrs). Pete and Jessie watched O'Neill crumple to the ground in a heap. Sam's reaction was that of disbelief followed by panic. They watched as she tried to stop the bleeding until the team medic arrived. "Well, our part is done now. Let's take the equipment to the garage for disposal." Jessie said getting up. The two of them carried their equipment out to the garage and set it in one pile.
Jessie hugged Pete then kissed him on the cheek "Nice shooting honey, now go get our bags ready. I'll join you in the shower shortly." she spoke with a hint of mischief. He smirked letting his hand linger on her arm. Pete looked down at the equipment them wondered out loud "I am a Marine qualified sniper after all. What I don't understand is why they just didn't let me kill him outright." Pete replied hugging her close to his body enjoying the simple contact. "You know what happened to the last sniper. We follow orders without question for that very reason babe." She answered. " I know, I just can't help but wonder sometimes."
Pete released her arm then asked as left. "I still wonder how you get rid of the evidence so easily" he inquired. "Pete, a girl has to have some secretes." she slyly answered. "Now shoo," Jessie finished turning him around and slapping his butt playfully. Once her boyfriend had left she closed the kitchen door still smiling.
She walked over to a cluttered part of the garage pulling out a small box that was hidden. Jessie then walked back to the equipment. Jessie opened the box pulling out what appeared to be small metal cobra in an 'S' shape. The NID operative pressed a button on the cobra and it expanded. She then aimed it at the pile of equipment firing three times making everything vanish as if it was never there.
Jessie put the energy weapon back in the box then pulled out a silver looking eight ball. She set the sphere on a stand and got into a kneeling position. A hologram appeared of a well dressed man.
"Drae'ma, you're reporting in early. I hope you did not fail me for I'm not in a forgiving mood!" the goa-uld dressed in an Armani business suite said. Jessie's eyes flashed gold then spoke in a metallic voice. "My lord, I did not fail. You will have the information from Colson Industries soon. Their security protocols will be easy to breech. I'm contacting you for different reasons." the goa-uld infesting Jessie explained.
"This had better be important Drae'ma, I was about to indulge myself in picking a queen. It's unfortunate that Samantha Carter is not receptive or currently available." the over confident snake head said in a sneering voice.
"Osiris has been captured and thus failed in her mission." Drae'ma reported hoping not to be blamed by proxy. The man dressed in the suite was furious momentarily before he let out an evil laugh. "Anubis will not be pleased with her. He has made many a plan based on Osiris's promises. Anubis will have to take other measures finding the ancient city and its secretes." he said while thinking how this could be used as leverage.
"There is more news my lord, news that will please you much." the minor goa-uld informed her master. The system lord folded his arms behind him waiting for Drae'ma to continue. "Your nemesis, Colonel O'Neill was targeted by the Trust for elimination. My boyfriend completed the contract 8mn ago. They wanted O'Neill to suffer so they equipped us with a poison coated bullet. His vital organs will shut down painfully in 72 hours." she finished without emotion.
"The Trust is fools for not killing him outright! O'Neill has a way of surviving due to his stubbornness and friends! Tell me their plan." he demanded with anger. "Their plan was to have Pete shoot O'Neill in the right shoulder causing massive damage. The trust gambled that he would not die from the injury and instead die in agony." Drae'ma told the man. "They also wanted O'Neill shot while in the presence of Major Carter causing her pain as well." She finished.
The system lord thought over what his subordinate had said. He smiled internally at the treachery of O'Neill's fellow Tau'ri. He hoped that their ill conceived plan did work. Smirking inwardly Ba'al came up with an idea.
"Drae'ma, do you love the tau'ri named Pete Shanahan or allowing yourself to be influenced?" the man asked currishly. "I have come to love him as well. Pete may be a tau'ri but he's one of us at heart. My host enjoys the power she has gained by our joining. Jessie believes Pete will too." Drae'ma said in hopes of having her love implanted in Pete. "Complete your mission and I shall allow your mate to be implanted in this… Tau'ri. Your reunion shall be your reward. Fail me and…" he trailed off leaving a veiled threat.
"You will have the information as soon as I have it my lord BA'AL! I will not fail you for I long to be with my love once again. We will be your most loyal servants and do your biding without fail." She answered with hope swelling up in her. It had been over 200 years since she had been with her love, Sha'mus. "Good, I will only wait so long after the deadline. Make sure you do no fail. Sha'mus may be my ally but I won't hesitate to kill him" Ba'al said menacingly. "Understood my lord" Drae'ma replied as the communication device shut off.
She switched back control to Jessie as they conferred on their plan of action. Once the goa-uld technology was put up they went back inside. They heard Pete singing in the shower to their dismay. They covered their ears as Jessie tapped on the shower door getting his attention. She held a finger up to her lips in a shushing motion. Pete watched as his girlfriend shed her clothes then stepped in and joined him.
While they shared an intimate shower controlled chaos was happening around them. Agent Johnson ordered the local police to halt all traffic coming in our out. Colonel Dave Dixon locked down the area around the medics working franticly on his superior.
Major Carter went into shock only to be sedated by Sophia. The major had been rocking back and forth on her knees looking at her blood covered hands. Dave knew that Jack and Sam had deep feelings for each other. He also knew this was a nightmare in the making for the two.
Sophia had the major laid out on a stretcher for when the time came to move her. She watched as the air force Para-medics worked on the colonel. Sophia was hoping for a miracle that probably wouldn't come since they already lost him twice. She thought out loud 'May God have mercy on the shooter because we won't!"