"First, I want it to be absolutely clear that this information is classified. Nothing that I tell you is to be repeated ever again. As a matter of fact, forget about it the minute you leave this room." They had already done the debriefing, and Hammond clearly was uncomfortable. Now Teal'c, Carter, Daniel and Jack, joined by Doctor Frasier sat around the table. Carter and Jack on one side, the doctor, the Jaffa and Daniel on the other. Lines drawn.

"It better be telling us that Baker is unfit for duty and you're shipping her out." Jack sat back in his chair. "She tried to kill me- and Teal'c! I can't keep my team safe when there's a threat from people supposedly on my side."

"Listen to me, Jack. Here is where things stand. I just got off the phone with the President. He informed me in no uncertain terms that I am to make sure Major Baker is taken care of." Hammond stared at them one by one. "This is a special request, meaning an order."

Jack stared around the table. For one second, Jack couldn't remember what they'd been talking about. "OK." He glanced around, the various expressions of confusion telling him that was the wrong thing to say, or at least for him to say. Oh, he remembered. Baker. He scowled and rubbed his head.

"He wants her home in her own bed tonight, and back at the SGC in the morning. Now," he held up his hand at the colonel. "She won't be on any away team, but will a part of this program. He wants her here for something, and now she's listed as on a special assignment." His voice rolled with frustration.

"Sir, this is absolute crap and you know it. I can't see him ordering you to ignore a marine attacking a commanding officer!"

"Jack!" The general's voice snapped. "Dr. Frasier, please."

"Thank you, sir. First of all, let me tell you that I'm only revealing this information because I think it's in Anna's best interests." Janet let that sink in for a moment. "I'll give you a bit of background. You all know Major Baker was involved in covert operations. Not long after the Stargate program was restarted, she was transferred to Area 51 and gained the trust of a few NID higher-ups. She was all set to begin going off-world for Maybourne. But then she disappeared for 8 months."

"So I was right. She was working for NID." Jack didn't bother to hide his disgust.

"Actually, Colonel," Janet sent him an icy look, "it was by presidential order that she was assigned there. And she was there to assess the security of the facility, reporting directly to the President. When she relayed her suspicions about the rogue group, he asked that she attempt to gain access. But someone knew about her and she was taken prisoner. She was beaten and" Janet's voice faltered "tortured. After 4 months of interrogations, they found a better use for her. As a test subject. Well, at least the NID agent who tortured her died in a car accident."

Her statement was met with silence. Janet Frasier was a compassionate woman, not a vindictive one. They all knew he had to be a monster for her to voice such a feeling. After a few tense seconds, Sam questioned, "What kind of tests?"

"Memory. Apparently they somehow modified a memory device so that it implanted memories, rather than extracting them. NID had a Goau'ld in custody- no one important, according to the report, but he knew enough to create this device. And he was the only one who knew how to make it work. He was given free reign with his experiments."

"To what purpose?" Teal'c questioned.

"I don't know." Janet sighed.

"Where did they find and grab a Goau'ld?" Jack wanted to know.

"On one of their illegal off-world missions. His name was Ramtek and he's dead now, killed by Anna in the escape."

"That would exlplain the headaches. The device." Daniel sent Jack a look and waved his hand. "And the whole knowing languages we don't. That would make an excellent resource for the SGC. Teams wouldn't have to spend the time learning something, they can just, uh, download what someone else knows."

"Correct. But there are side effects. Some of the other test subjects suffered severe brain damage. The human brain can only hold so much. We learned that when the Colonel had the knowledge of the Ancients inserted in his brain." Janet cleared her throat. "That's really all there is in the medical file."

"What, we're supposed to be OK with the way she is because she was tortured?" Jack snorted. "If that were the case, we'd all be allowed to do whatever we want."

Hammond's voice slapped him. "Colonel. She is here to see if she recognizes things from these... memory additions. She has knowledge of technology out there that could help us fight the Goa'uld. " His voice softened. "Please. Just try to behave."

"Ok. Geesh."

"Doctor, is letting her go home going to be a problem? Health-wise, I mean." The general pursed his lips. "I don't need another presidential ass-chewing." Everyone in the room stared at General Hammond with expressions of surprise.

"I don't see why not, as long as she has someone there with her. Her wounds," she glared at Jack, "weren't treated quickly and I would prefer to have someone there to make sure she takes her medications and monitor her condition."

"I'll do it." Everyone's eyes jerked to Daniel. "Well, I think I'm the only one, besides Teal'c, who's made any effort to get to know her, so..."

"I am not letting you go by yourself with that lunatic!" Jack growled at Daniel.

"See, it's kinda, oh, infuriating when you call someone a lunatic. You're just so quick to believe a person is insane." Daniel waved his fingers in front of his face. He knew it was a low blow. It immediately put Jack on the defensive.

"That's not what I meant. I just don't think you know what you're getting into."

"Jack, I'm not a child!"

"Daniel."

"Jack!"

"Daniel, I mean it."

"Gentlemen! Dr. Frasier, do you have a problem with this?" Hammond interupted. "Maybe another female would be more appropriate?" He was worried about regulations.

"Not at all, sir. I think Daniel is the best choice. Anna won't be uncomfortable with him." She smiled at the archaeologist.

"Then it's settled. Dismissed."

888888888888888888888888

When he pulled into the driveway, he wasn't surprised to see Jack's truck parked along the road. Shaking his head, he went around to the passenger side. Jack hovered as she went inside, set the alarm on the door, told them to make themselves at home, and went upstairs. She didn't look at either of them once.

"So, Daniel, want to tell me why you volunteered for babysitting duty?" Jack appeared casual while he craned his neck around to look at everything.

"Because it was the right thing to do."

"Oh come on, Daniel. She's dangerous."

"Even knowing what you do, having lived through some of what she did, you still won't give her a chance." Daniel shook his head. "You gave me one, in the beginning, what's so different about her?"

"You're different. She's not like you. She's nuts, er, unstable... Aw, you know what I mean." Jack set his jaw.

"How do you know what she's like, Jack? Have you made any effort at all to find out?"

"Hell, no! Why would I do something like that? I have enough junk in my own head. I don't want to peek into hers. You know me."

"Jack, I don't know who you are. " Daniel's eyes were sad.

"Aw, Danny..." Jack hated that look in the younger man's eyes. It cut right to his heart. So disappointed. In him. But he couldn't help it... He'd followed him without actually making the decision to do so. He just couldn't think straight. He almost came right out and told Daniel, but he didn't know what was actually happening to him.

"I don't think you should be here, Jack."

"I don't think you should be here."

"She needs help. I'm going to help her." Daniel sighed. "Why can't you just trust me?"

"Daniel, I told you. I can't trust her." Jack put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I can't. The team's safety is more important. You're safety is more important."

Daniel gritted his teeth. "Look, I'm tired. You shouldn't be here. I think you'd better go."

Jack dropped his hand. He knew that look. Nothing he said was going to change Daniel's mind.

"And leave you with her?" Jack snapped. "May as well make ourselves comfortable. I'll see what's on the tv." He went to the living room to see a huge television. Finding the remote, he dropped into the couch and turned it on.

He could hear Daniel moving around in the kitchen. There wasn't anything on tv, and all her books appeared to be either romance novels- who'd have thought?- or history books. He sighed. OK, Daniel was mad. And he guessed he'd be pretty angry, too, if his best friend suddenly seemed to have no respect for him, but he was afraid. After all the times he'd hurt thinking Daniel was dead, he was afraid to hurt that much anymore. He turned off the tv and went into the kitchen. He needed to be physically near Daniel right now.

"What're you up to?"

Daniel turned from the stove. "I'm cooking. Well, actually, I'm just heating soup, but I really don't feel hungry anymore."

"Daniel..." Jack wasn't sure how to start talking to the younger man. He'd been so worried, his emotions all over the place... Was he having some kind of mid-life crisis?

"Don't Jack. Don't tell me you're just looking out for me." The archaeologist stared hard at him. "I'm not a fool or a child. And I won't let your own issues prevent me from helping someone, or befriending them."

"What issues?" Jack regretted the words the second they left his mouth. Daniel knew him better than anyone else. He couldn't fool him. Not for long.

"Listen, I know you have, well, bad memories. You've done things... " Daniel gave him a look full of sympathy. "Do you think you're, I don't know... maybe there's something going on we don't know about."

"That's the stupidest- Damn it, Daniel! Even Maybourne doesn't want anything to do with her!"

Daniel licked his lips. "Yeah, see, I like to think I'm nothing like Maybourne."

Jack had nothing to say. "Soup's done."

"Yeah, listen, I'm going to go upstairs and sleep a little." Daniel turned off the stove. "Don't snoop."

"Who me?"

"Jack, don't."

"Alright! You go sleep, and I'll" he waved his hand, "find something to read or... something."

Daniel nodded. "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing. G'night."

"Yeah, see you."

Jack wandered around, checked the books again- hey, a fish cookbook, looked interesting. He tried to get into her computer, but it looked like it'd take Carter and a whole team of computer techs to get anywhere. She had no photos of friends or family. There was no artwork on the walls. It was more like a motel than a home. Finally, he found a stack of manuals. Medical manuals, tactical manuals. Some light reading? Grabbing one, He took it to the kitchen and got a bowl of the soup. After a while, he saw it was time to give Baker the medicines Janet had sent with them. Damn. He didn't want to wake Daniel. He knew how tired he was, and Daniel slept less than him.

But since he didn't think the younger man would appreciate him doing it, he woke Daniel anyway.

It seemed to take hours to wake her, but in fact it was only minutes, before she stiffened. "Damn, Janet slipped me a sleeping pill. I feel so groggy."

Just then the lights went on in the back yard. A small crack sounded through the house, followed by another. What the -! Jack ran down the stairs, seeing the door had been smashed open. He could see three men coming in from the kitchen, two from the front with more outside. He ran back upstairs. Baker was pulling on sweats and a t-shirt, Daniel was helping her balance herself while keeping his eyes closed.

"Crap, that hurt." She was standing, but she was swaying. "Let's go."

"Wha- oh, yeah."

They ran down the hallway to the other bedroom. She opened the window and hit the window sill, hard. A ladder unrolled. Oh,one of those rope fire escapes. Daniel was trying to ask Baker about her injuries, but she waved him off.

"Go ahead. I'm gonna give her a hand." Yeah, and my knees feel fine, thanks for asking, he thought, a bit piqued, then brushed it off. He began climbing down. The ladder was about six feet short of the ground, but he managed.

Baker was panting, and he saw her leg and side had been bleeding. "Phone?"

Jack grabbed his keys and ran to his truck, keeping his head down and himself to the shadows. He rummaged in the glove box, found it and dialed SGC. When he got through, he gave the address.

"Stay quiet." There didn't appear to be anyone left around, but with the NID, you never knew.

"SGC's sending out the SF's. Fifteen minutes." He looked at Daniel, who had slumped next to the marine against the car.

"Jack, you alright?"

"Yeah, fine. You?"

"Good." Daniel tilted his head. "That was weird."

"Ooooh, yeah. We gotta make sure we stay hidden until they get here."

She jerked. "Watch them. Not safe."

"Not yet, but soon, if those damn MPs get here fast enough." Jack looked back at the house. "Who'd you piss off?"

"Colonel, I'm sorry. You don't know." Her voice was rough, her face pale. Her nose started bleeding. "They changed samples. Tests were never clean."

"Who?"

"Jack.. let her rest."

"'M OK." Her eyes were unfocused. Her body started to lean, and Daniel grabbed her. "Sorry. Sorry. I wanted to tell you... tell someone.""

Daniel watched Jack. Jack was staring at Anna, very intently. Actually, Daniel thought, he looks like he's working something out in his mind.

"Care to share?"

"Uh, Daniel, I don't think so. Not yet, at least."

They heard the sound of a car. Jack cautiously peeked around the fender. Black cars, SF's. Should be good to go. "Cavalry's here. Let's go." He helped Daniel pull Baker up. Just as they got clear, Baker jerked out of Jack's grip. What now? She was trying to drag Daniel towards the tree line.

"He was NID." She gasped it out.

Jack grabbed her arm, stopping her. "What the hell are you talking about? That's Sgt. Alvarez, I know him!" Her knees started to give, and Daniel supported her.

"Anna, we called the SGC."

"No, he's a mole." She was swaying on her feet, only Daniel's arm keeping her from falling flat on her face.

"Uh, Anna, are you sure?" Daniel peered down at her, his glasses making his eyes appear slightly off from his face.

"Yes, positive." Her face was ashen. They just had time to notice the zat guns.