"Shall we?" Jack O'Neill nodded to the empty boardroom table.
Once everyone was seated, with the exception of Agent Marks, Wilsher waved his aids away with the flick of his hand. Both young men scurried into the hallway, and closed the doors behind them.
"Aren't they well trained." John remarked under his breath to Evan, who snorted.
The Director ignored the barb and flicked his chin at Marks, who was standing at the back of the room near the video screens.
"As you're all aware," Marks began, leaning against the corner of the table, balancing a tablet in his lap. "We believe a sample of the Wraith enzyme has found its way to Earth and is currently being used to create a synthetic copy. And what we do know, is where." He punched a few keys on the tablet and the screen flickered to life, revealing a aerial view of what looked like an abandoned airport. "Holdman Airfield. North Dakota." The images flipped past close up shots of the run-down buildings. "According to locals, its been boarded up for years. And from all observances, it certainly looked abandoned. Until you moved underground."
The next round of images showed a high-end laboratory with extremely expensive equipment, private rooms with observation areas and operating facilities.
"A couple of small time insurance agents were following up on a cold claim stumbled across the lab. They managed to get these photos before they triggered a self-destruct. Luckily they made it out before the whole place was destroyed. We're currently digging deeper into their case to see where the connection lies."
John frowned. "How much is left?"
"We're still sifting through the rubble, but we did manage to salvage those." Agent Ryan turned towards Wilsher, and pointed to the box the Director's aid had left on the chair.
"Dr. McKay?" Marks looked at Rodney, who stood up and moved to the box. Flipping it open Rodney used his thumb and index finger to pick up a black metal box, charred and scratched.
"Nice…" Rodney muttered, dropping the object into the box.
"It's all the hard-drive's we could pull out." Ryan shrugged. "We're told if anyone could find out what's on them, you can."
Rodney scowled at the box. "Yes well of course I can. Provided there's anything left to work with."
"So who owns the lab?" Evan asked.
"That, we're still looking into." Marks answered. "Ownership of the property is buried behind a dozen fake holding companies. All international. All well set up."
"So you don't really know anything." Rodney questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.
"McKay." John warned, then leaned forward in his chair, angling his head towards Marks. "What do you know?"
Marks crossed his arms and turned towards Jen. "Thanks to Dr. Keller, we can confirm that someone has indeed created a synthetic version of the enzyme which they are, or were, testing on human subjects. We also know there has been an increased chatter through our contacts about a high-end black-market auction."
"Auction?" Jen straightened in her chair. "They're selling the enzyme?"
"We believe so." Ryan confirmed. "Someone's advertising a designer drug that will turn an ordinary soldier into a fighting machine without enhancement. It's an enticing offer. Bidding on the formula starts at 1.7 billion."
Evan whistled.
"But as far as we know, they only have one vial." Jen glanced at Rodney, then back over to Agent Ryan.
"Vial, vial. Enough with the vial already. They're not selling the damn vial." Wilsher snorted. "They're selling the recipe."
"Oh, well, then I guess since you've got it all figured out, there's no need for us to stick around." Rodney scowled and moved towards the door. "Which is good 'cause I have much better things to do than sit here and listen to a pomp-"
"McKay!" John cut him off.
Rodney hesitated, but turned around, and glared at Wilsher.
"We believe someone is planning to auction the formula off to the highest bidder." Agent Ryan said quickly. "If what we know about the effects of the enzyme to be true, it is our belief that they're marketing it as a way to create a super-soldier."
"They can't." Jen shook her head, confused.
Wilsher snorted. "You've been in space too long, missy. This is Earth. Everything's for sale."
Jen rolled her eyes, willing the man to grow a huge wart on the end of his red, bulbous nose. She looked across the table at General O'Neill, confused as to why she seemed to be the first one to bring the fact up. "They can't just sell the recipe. It's useless."
"How the hell can you know that from looking at a piece of paper?" Wilsher barked. "It took my people two weeks to even figure out what it was."
"Two weeks!" Jen gasped.
"You've been sitting on this for two weeks?" John practically shouted, his chair rocking as he snapped forward.
"Colonel. Doctor." O'Neill warned. "Will's already admitted his people don't know squat. That's why you're here." Then he turned back to Jen. "You were saying, Dr. Keller?"
Jen looked at Rodney for confirmation before continuing. The expression on Rodney's face suggested he was coming to the same conclusion. There was no way someone could just sell the formula and make it work. The scientist nodded, and moved to the end of the table, taking the tablet away from Marks.
Jen stood up, and walked around the table to stand next to Rodney. Within seconds, Rodney pulled up the chemical breakdown they'd each been sent and displayed it on the monitor. Jen took a deep breath, and tried to think of the easiest way to explain what she needed to say in non-medical terms. She glared at Wilsher, daring him to comment. It was going to be difficult enough trying to explain this to a room full of non-scientist types, she didn't need him interrupting with insults every two seconds. He glared back, but kept his mouth closed.
"The Wraith enzyme does not work from one dose alone." She began. "It needs to build up in the system over time to be completely effective. Days. As long as a week."
"Can't you just double down?" Marks asked.
"Bad idea." Rodney shuddered, and Jen knew he was remembering the after affects of near death, then the painful ride coming down from the massive dose he'd consumed once. "Really bad idea."
"No." Jen answered Marks. "In order for the body to sustain functional ability, you need to keep taking it, at regular intervals."
"So they'll just make more." Wilsher interrupted with a disgusted snort.
Jen ignored him, and concentrated on the others. "The enzyme is highly addictive, and the human body is not designed to adapt to the long-term effect. A person will become so addicted they can not function without a continual dose. Yes, it increases strength, agility, and stamina, but without an ongoing supply, it's useless."
"Like I said." Wilsher's voice was louder as he leaned forward in his chair. "They'll just make more."
"They can make all they want." Jen stared down the length of the table. "The only way it will work is if you use active elements in each primary batch. Any subsequent rendition will be too diluted to be of any use to anyone. "
Confused looks met her and she pursed her lips, trying to think of a comparable example.
Rodney stepped forward with a sigh. "Every new dose is a watered down version of the original. Eventually all you're going to get is-"
"Water." Jack interrupted.
Rodney clasped his hands in mock excitement. "Give the man a prize."
O'Neill elbowed Sheppard. "I get a prize."
"So you're saying that unless they have the real deal," Agent Ryan sat back in his chair. "The recipe is useless."
"Yes." Jen nodded, then rolled her shoulders. "You can't have one without the other. And without more of the enzyme… or… god forbid… a live Wraith… their formula is useless."
"So the recipe is garbage?! You couldn't have just said that without all the damn drama?" Wilsher exclaimed, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Thanks for wasting my time. God damn doctors. It's the same no matter where you are."
"I said the recipe was useless." Jen called after him, noting with some satisfaction to see his shoulders stiffen before he turned back around. "I didn't say the enzyme was useless." She finished.
Wilsher glowered, his face, if possible, was even redder than before. "What?" He blinked.
"Oh give it up, Will." O'Neill ordered. "And sit down."
Wilsher glared at Jen and grudgingly returned to his seat.
"Meow." Evan whispered. Jen had to force herself not to smile at the way he was giving her an approving once over.
Instead she pursed her lips and turned back to Jack and John. "The recipe is able to duplicate several elements of the enzyme, but without a portion of the real thing with each dose, it has about as much power as a can of Red Bull. Even with the dose, there isn't enough enzyme to really make it effective because it would be so diluted. So… it's not the recipe that's important." She glanced quickly at Wilsher who was tapping his fingers on the table top. "The container that was removed from our vault contains a highly concentrated form of the enzyme. Based on the volume, there's enough pure enzyme in there to create over… what…?" She looked intently at Rodney. "Three… three and a half?"
Rodney glanced at the ceiling, made a quick calculation in his head, then nodded. "Three point seven two five units."
Jack made a face. "And in non-medical speak that means?"
"There's enough enzyme to fully juice a small army for at least six weeks." John answered quietly.
Silence.
"So what you're saying is," Ryan looked at Jen. "We need that vial."
Jen nodded. "Definitely."
"Damn vial." Wilsher muttered.
John cursed, and looked from the General to Marks, who was taking the tablet away from Rodney.
"So where do we start?" Evan asked.
"With him." Marks added a new photo to the video screen, and everyone turned to stare at the grainy, black and white shot of a man getting into the back of an airport limo. Tall and thin, with dark hair and a fair complexion, he was dressed in a white suit and wearing dark sunglasses. Beside the photo appeared a black and white close up of the man's face, minus the glasses. Jen thought he was reasonably good looking, in a typical-TV-bad-guy kind of way. Middle aged, with dark hair, narrow eyes, and a five o'clock shadow, he looked like he was trying to glare through the camera right at her.
She shivered and looked away.
"Michael Franks." Marks angled his chin. "Weapons dealer and black market supplier for anyone with cash to spend or a country to overthrow. He'll take anyone's money. And, lucky for us, he fancies himself an art collector. He's currently in DC, planning on attending a gala fundraiser for Doctors without Borders at the Pollock Gallery. They're holding a very high-end, invitation only, art and antiquities auction. We believe that's where the auction is going to take place, and with the bankroll he's got going, we're pretty confident he's going to come out the winner."
"That, and the fact that he tends to kill off the competition in lieu of betting against them." Ryan added.
"Of course he does." Rodney mumbled.
"Most bidders drop out the minute they hear Franks is interested. The one's who stay in? Well, no one ever said crooks were smart." Ryan finshed.
"Actually, that could work in our favor." John raised an eyebrow.
Everyone turned towards him.
"Let him scare or kill the other buyers off, and when he wins, we grab him, grab the vial, and Bob's your uncle." John shrugged.
"And if I don't have an Uncle Bob?" Jack whispered at John dramatically.
"We'll buy you one with the 1.7 billion you're saving by not having to put an agent in on the auction." John suggested.
"It's as good a plan as any." Ryan nodded to the Colonel. "But we still need the seller."
"If we find the vial first, then Franks is going to bid on an empty item." Marks surmised. "He is not going to be happy when he realizes he's been double crossed. I highly doubt he'll take it well."
"So. We just have to find the container, replace it with a fake, tag it, let the auction proceed, then follow Franks to the source." Evan mused. "Then, we just have to find the traitor who stole it in the first place and everyone's home for dinner."
"Sounds simple enough." O'Neill nodded. "I like it."
"Simple." Rodney muttered, shaking his head.
"When's the auction?" John asked.
"Tonight." Marks grinned.
Rodney snorted. "It would be."
"Plenty of time." O'Neill grinned. "It's barely oh-nine-hundred."
"Damn morning people." Rodney shuddered with disgust.
"It's our belief that both the recipe, and the enzyme, are going to be hidden inside one of the auction items." Agent Ryan continued, rocking back in his chair. "The question is… which one? There are potentially hundreds of items, ranging from antiques to paintings. However, since Dr. Keller is suggesting the recipe is a bust, we should concentrate on the vial."
"It's not just a vial." Jen looked around the room. "It's a conainment unit. It's not small. And it's heavy. Easily fifteen pounds empty."
"Describe it?" Marks asked.
Jen nodded. "It's a miniature stasis pod. Cylindrical. About the size of a two-liter pop bottle. Silver, with a self-generating power source that kicks in the moment it's removed from the master vault. Red lit read-out on the top confirms when it's active. The vial is inside the cylinder. It needs to be stored inside the unit at all times to keep the sample from degrading."
"So the entire container would have to be inside something pretty large." Ryan asked. "Do you have any way to detect it?"
Rodney snorted. "Of course."
"Do you have it here?" John looked knowingly at the scientist.
Rodney crossed his arms and tried to look innocent.
"McKay!" John ordered.
"Maybe." Rodney looked away.
"I thought I told you no Ancient tech." John muttered.
"They why did you ask if I had it here?" Rodney shook his head haughtily.
"Because I know you." John shook his head.
"Okay." Jack interrupted. "So… even though the recipe is a dud, we need that container."
"Dud." Wilsher grunted. "I still want proof of that, missy."
Everyone ignored him.
"So what's our first move?" Evan asked.
O'Neill stood up, and everyone quickly followed suit.
"Dr. McKay, you'll have full access to Colonel Carter's lab since she's off world. We need to know everything you can find out from those hard drives. You'll also assist Colonel Sheppard," Jack turned towards John. "Who will be coordinating the search and retrieval efforts from the Daedalus, which is currently in orbit awaiting your arrival."
John nodded.
O'Neill turned towards the two agents. "Marks and Ryan will be undercover at the fundraiser."
"I'll be working security." Marks looked at John. "We already have all the floor plans, blueprints, personnel list, and the guest list which is currently being cross referenced to anyone with anything in their background as small as a parking ticket. I'll get your people copies of everything we've found so far."
"I'll be behind the bar." Ryan added. "It's set up on a balcony so I'll have an good vantage point of the auction items. As well, we have internal sensors and cameras trained on the entire auction area which can be monitored on location, as well as both here and from the Daedalus."
"Which leaves us with the icing on our proverbial cake." Jack smirked, and turned towards Evan.
"Why don't I like that look?" Evan's gaze narrowed as Jack's grin increased. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"
"Now, Major." Jack stepped forward and dropped his arm around Evan, then reached over and wrapped his other arm around Jennifer's shoulders. Standing with the two of them on either side he grinned from one to the other. "It can't really be all that bad. People do it all the time."
"Do… what?" Evan asked cautiously.
Jack smiled broadly. "Congratulations Major. Doctor. You just got married."