Jack could feel himself begin to get tense as soon as they landed in Chicago. They'd kept the fact that they were going to the 'windy city' a secret. As far as they knew, only Walter had any idea although Jack suspected that Hammond knew but was keeping out of things so he could claim 'plausible deniability' if any of his superiors, or the NID, asked about Sg1.

Still, Jack felt unusually nervous and out of sorts as they grew nearer the city. They'd flown in a small, private plane that they'd rented under assumed names. Sam had flown with him beside her in the co-pilot seat. It was a good thing that Carter had been in control, he decided. He definitely wasn't at his best.

It didn't take them long to deplane and make their way to the car rental terminal. After they'd rented an SUV (both Jack and Teal'c refused to ride in a smaller car), they headed to their hotel. They'd start their search tomorrow.

That evening they sat in Jack's room and compared notes, probably for the 10th time. Jack ignored most of the conversation as there really wasn't anything knew. Instead, he looked out of the 25th floor window of the hotel at the lights of the huge city.

Chicago was an amazing place and normally Jack loved it. He'd been born in Chicago and had spent many summers here, visiting relatives and friends. He knew it well, although he hadn't visited in a long time – at least, not that he was aware of.

It was that lack of firm knowledge that was driving him crazy. Coming here, looking for the place he'd been held for so many weeks, was bringing back too many bad memories. Oh, he wasn't in the shape he'd been in before the Nox had helped him – this was within the realm of 'normal' but still, it was the stuff of nightmares.

Looking back on his time in captivity, Jack realized that the torture had been as much psychological as physical. His kidnappers had used classic well-proven methods to keep him confused and off balance. That, added to severe lack of sleep, starvation and dehydration – plus frequent trips into excruciating pain – made for some pretty horrific nightmares. He really didn't know if he wanted to find the place he'd been held or not. He was rather afraid of what it would do to him.

"Everything okay Sir?" Sam asked. He could see the concern for him written plainly on her face. Although his teammates had been relieved that he'd returned in much better shape after his Nox holiday, they still watched him for any signs that he might be going – well – crazy again.

"I'm fine Carter. Just thinkin'", he answered. He stepped away from the window. "Anyone hungry? I feel like a good ole' fashioned Chicago pizza!"

That instantly cheered everyone up! Not that they cared that much about pizza but rather they were relieved that Jack was hungry and wanted to do something normal.

They ended up walking to a small, highly recommended pizza parlor close to the hotel and enjoyed a quiet evening of friendship and camaraderie. He could tell his team intentionally kept things light, and off the subject of the kidnapping. He was extremely grateful to them and realized, once again, how much he owed these three.

"Okay guys", Sam said as they all sat at breakfast the next day. "I'll do the driving. Sir, you can navigate as you know the city the best -"

"And I have the best sense of direction!" He looked over at Daniel at this.

"Yes, there's that Sir."

"Hey, I have a good sense of direction!", Daniel exclaimed.

"You do not Daniel Jackson", Teal'c said plainly.

"Teal'c, since when have I led you astray?"

His large friend did the Jaffa 'eyebrow lift'. "We do not have time for me to enumerate the many occasions in which we ended up in places other than where we were to be as a result of your navigation."

"Huh!" Daniel said in disgust. "Betrayed by my own friend!"

"Don't mind him Daniel", Sam patted his arm gently. "We all still love you", she paused, "even if you have no sense of direction."

It was almost 9:30 by the time they got on the road. The good news was that Jack was feeling much more relaxed. The banter – the harassment of Daniel – had all gone a long way to making him feel much better.

They'd seen five of the eight locations picked by Sam and Walter and they'd had no luck. Jack knew instantly, when seeing the first three areas, that they were wrong. There was just something different about them from what he remembered. The next two took a little while longer, and he spent time wandering through some of the streets.

After about half an hour in one of the locations he heard the roar of a jet overhead. He instantly knew they were in the wrong path. "It wasn't in a jet path", he explained as he headed back to the car. "I would have heard."

By the time they'd finished those first five it was getting so they headed back to the hotel, although they decided to go out for dinner and stayed up talking again, until late.

Sometimes Jack would have to shake his head in wonder at the fact that four so disparate people could enjoy each other's company so much and seemingly never get bored. It wasn't even as though they were discussing missions or anything related to the Stargate. They simply chatted about anything and everything.

Maybe it was because they were so different that they got along so well, he pondered. Individually they were all pretty strong, determined people. If they'd been too much alike he was pretty sure they would have butted heads more than they did. Although he grinned when he thought about some of the arguments he and Daniel got into.

He started thinking a bit about Daniel and Sam. He'd always kind of wondered why the two of them never seemed to have any kind of feelings for one another, other than those of friendship. Oh, that it was a very close friendship he knew – but there certainly had never appeared to be any kind of romantic feelings between them. He was pretty sure that would have killed him if they'd gotten together – although he never, ever would have let on.

No, he thought, it wouldn't have worked between them. Although they could work well together as friends, he was pretty sure they'd drive each other crazy as lovers. They could both become totally obsessed with whatever they were working on at any given time. Both of them sometimes had trouble seeing the forest for the trees (he grinned to himself, knowing they'd give him trouble if they ever heard him use that cliché). They needed someone else – someone different – to pull them away and make them see beyond their area of focus.

Besides that, he pondered, they both needed someone who could laugh at them – and with them, someone who could prick their bubbles on occasion. He was also pretty sure that the military side of Sam, the side that needed order and rules and precision would have driven Daniel up the wall on a day to day basis.

"Jack, what are you grinning about?" Daniel asked him from across the table. "You're looking very pleased with yourself."

"Who me? Nah, I'm just – thinking about – uh – a show I was watching on TV."

"Really? What was it?"

"Don't remember the name Daniel. You know me and names."

Daniel looked at him with narrowed eyes. He knew the Colonel much too well. Oh well, it was great to see Jack smile. He wasn't going to bug him about it.

The next morning was cold and grey and everyone seemed in a somber and nervous mood. Jack didn't want to talk – he just wanted this to be over. Even the normally imperturbable Teal'c seemed less that sanguine today. He still wore his knit hat, pulled down low on his forehead, but today he looked more scary that cuddly in it.

The first place was an immediate bust. It was a family neighborhood with quaint houses and kids and dogs and families. Definitely not the right 'ambiance', thought Jack with a grimace.

The next place they went to was an old area, full of dilapidated buildings and factories. There were a few people on the streets, but most looked as if they were there because they had no place else to go rather than because they wanted to be where they were.

They drove to the little 7-11 and looked at the pimply faced teenager outside, drinking a huge slurpee. There was no one else around.

"What do you think Sir", Sam asked softly, glancing at the stone-faced man beside her.

"Don't know Carter", he said shortly. In fact, he wasn't quite telling the truth. He was almost positive this was the area. There was something in the air – some smell or something he couldn't place that made him pretty sure this was it.

"What is that?" asked Daniel, a few seconds later.

"What's what?" Jack swung his head around to look at the younger man in the back seat.

"That smell. It reminds me of something but it's so faint I can't tell what it is."

"It is chocolate", Teal'c answered with surety.

"Chocolate?" Jack was ready to scoff but suddenly a sharp breeze brought a strong blast of chocolate flavored air. "My God, he's right! Chocolate, I could never figure out what it was."

Sam's startled expression turned towards him. "You recognize this place?"

"Not the place so much as the smell. It was very faint, which is why I couldn't figure it out but now that I know what it is – I remember it pretty clearly."

"Where is it coming from?" Daniel asked.

"There's a chocolate factory about 10 blocks from here", explained Jack. "It's really well known here in Chicago and if we were closer the smell would be really strong. I can't believe I didn't figure it out!" he exclaimed, frustration in his voice.

"Uh maybe because you were dealing with a few other things", Daniel said gently.

Jack snorted but began to look carefully as they drove down the streets. He really didn't have any idea what to look for and it could be anywhere. Still, his team had gone to this much trouble so he might as well look carefully.

Just then the L Train drove on the tracks overhead. "Okay, this isn't it. I didn't hear the train, at least not that loudly", he said. Sam nodded and turned left, away from the tracks.

They'd driven around for a couple of hours, going up and down the streets slowly. So far there had been nothing that had struck a chord with him and he was about ready to tell Sam to head back to the hotel.

"Look at that place Jack", Daniel pointed to a darkened factory. It looked like it had been closed for a while.

For a second he wondered if a Goa'uld had taken up residence his stomach. He felt a strange heaviness in his gut and a feeling that he was out of control. "Stop", he finally croaked out. Sam looked at him and then hit the brake, so suddenly that Jack felt the seatbelt tighten across his chest.

"What is it Sir?"

"This – place." He undid his seatbelt and opened the door to the car and got out. He stood looking at the building for a long time. He vaguely heard the sound of doors opening and his friends getting out of the car.

"Is this it Jack?"

"I don't know", he replied, although he didn't look over at Daniel. He didn't know what it was about this place but it was definitely making him feel strange. He tried to remember back to the moment when he'd been taken away and stuffed into the trunk of the car. He slowly turned around, trying to see something, anything that would look familiar.

There! There it was. The building across the street was red brick but someone had painted the shutters green. The color contrast stood out and brought back a sharp memory of being dragged from the building. He remembered trying to lift his head, trying to find some help from anyone, and seeing those green shutters.

"This is it", he said, taking a slow step forward. After a couple, however, he stopped and froze. He couldn't go in, he couldn't bear to see – that room.

Suddenly, a warm hand reached out and took his. "It's okay sir. We're here. You're not alone Jack."

He squeezed her hand, needing the human touch, the knowledge that his friends were here, with him. He took a deep breath and then glanced at her and smiled. "Let's do this then."

They entered the building, with Teal'c's help. The doors were locked so Teal'c had climbed through a broken basement window and had come around and let them in.

The smell of the place instantly hit him as he walked in. Oh yeah, this was the place all right. He turned right down a long hall and kept walking, the memories rushing in. He was so lost in the feelings and sensations that he didn't realize that Sam continued to hold his hand.

"Here", he stopped. "This is where -" He couldn't go on, couldn't tell them that this is where he'd been brought, day after day, to be questions and humiliated and tortured. He started to feel weak and sick and would have collapsed if Daniel hadn't reached over and supported him. Sam called his name, but he heard it as if through a long tunnel. He felt himself fall slowly to the ground, still supported by Carter and Daniel.

The next thing he knew, he was lying on the ground, his head in someone's lap. He just hoped it was Sam's and not Teal'c's! It only took him a second to confirm it was indeed Sam and that she was looking down at him in concern.

"Must have -" he had to clear his throat, his voice was practically non-existent. "Must have had low blood sugar – or something."

"Or 'something' Sir", she said softly.

"You okay Jack?" He turned his head to see Daniel kneeling down beside him, Teal'c at his side.

"Do you need assistance O'Neill?" The big Jaffa asked, concern running through his voice.

He could try and bluff his way through this, which is normally what he'd do, but somehow he knew his friends would see through that, and it would belittle their concern and care. So, with a sigh, almost a groan, he pushed himself up and off of Sam's lap (much to his regret).

Once he was sitting, more or less on his own, he turned to the three who were looking at him with both fear and concern. Rubbing his hand over his face he thought for a second and then began to speak.

"Sorry guys. I guess this place got to me a bit. I didn't mean to do a face plant on you."

"God Sir, don't apologize. We are the ones who should be apologizing to you. We shouldn't have made you come back here."

"No, it's alright Carter. I think it was good actually." He smiled at Teal'c. "Help me up buddy?" Once he was standing he reached down and offered his hand to Carter. Once they were all standing he looked at his friends with affection. "I really am okay, you know. It was just the smell and the site of that door – they kind of overwhelmed me for a moment but I'll be okay. I think coming back here will help me lay to rest some remaining demons."

"I did not know demons required rest O'Neill", Teal'c said seriously. Jack looked at him, not really wanting to explain, when he realized that Teal'c was simply trying to lighten the mood. The slight gleam in his eye gave him away.

"Not so many now Teal'c, just a few." His friend nodded in understanding. "Okay everyone, let's check this out and see if we can find anything."

Showing more confidence than he felt he stepped forward and reached for the door knob. If the others noticed his hesitation, no one said anything. Feeling like he had been catapulted into some kind of horror movie, he slowly turned the handle and opened the door. Nothing jumped out at him, there weren't the faces of his torturers or any of the implements they used waiting for him. In fact, there was nothing there - nothing that disturbed or that frightened him. If anything, it was anticlimactic to walk in and see – absolutely nothing. The room was totally bare.

"It looks clean", Sam said, looking around.

"Yeah, too clean", Daniel walked up and touched the walls. "Someone's been in here." He leaned forward and sniffed. "They've used bleach to clean everything. We won't find anything here."

Jack just stood and looked at the room until his heart slowed down from its racing speed. The silence finally reached him and he discovered his friends were again looking at him with worry in their eyes. "Let's check out the other room. This is where they carried out their interrogation. I was kept in the room down the hall."

As he exited he acknowledged his fear but also recognized that he was dealing with it. Seeing it in reality had taken away some of the horror. That didn't stop him from hesitating again when he reached what had been his 'cell' for so many weeks. He could see the holes on the outside of the door where the bolt had been. They'd even removed that, he thought disgustedly. He figured it probably was new and could have been traced. The NID were certainly behind the clean-up, he thought. They knew how to be thorough.

The second room was much like the first, completely devoid of anything and it had been cleaned with bleach. The toilet remained but he was pretty sure they'd dumped gallons of bleach down it to remove any traces of anything.

"Well, this was a wild goose chase", Daniel snorted. "Were you anywhere else in here?" he asked.

"No, only these two rooms", he answered quietly. He didn't see the expressions of anger and dismay on his teammates' faces. "Let's go", he walked towards the door. "There's nothing here."

It was as they were leaving, all feeling frustrated at the lack of anything which would help them, when Sam stopped. "What about outside?" she asked.

"Outside?" Jack looked at her, a frown on her face.

"Well, if they were stuck here for weeks with you, in these little rooms, I expect both Abel and Gerry would have gone outside for some fresh air."

"Yeah, okay", he said, not following her.

"Well, you said Abel smoked and Gerry drank those big drinks?"

"Yeah, Big Gulps."

"Well, they may have left traces behind."

"The NID would have found anything they'd left."

"Maybe, maybe not", she said. "I think it's worth a look."

"All right", he shrugged. He really didn't think it would be of any use but they might as well check. "So, out front?"

"Is there a back?" Sam looked at the three men. Jack shrugged again, this time because he had no idea. "I don't suppose they would stand around out front too often. It would be too easy to be seen."

They all stopped and turned around, looking for another way out. It took some searching through the maze of old, musty corridors, but they finally found a door that led to the back alley. The door, although it creaked, opened without difficulty.

The alley was full of garbage, some which had been dropped; the rest had probably been blown or washed in.

"Doesn't look like the NID have been here", Daniel commented.

"No, I do not believe they have Daniel Jackson. It is an opportunity for us."

Daniel looked at all the crap piled in the alley and sighed. "Yeah Teal'c, an opportunity!"

They spent the next hour sifting through all the garbage. Fortunately, most of it was dried cartons and papers from fast food restaurants, old newspapers and other bits of refuse. Teal'c did find a dead mouse and Daniel came across someone's left over lunch, which produced an 'eww', from him, but otherwise most of everything was innocuous – and useless.

"Well would ya look at that!", Jack was squatted down by a small window well. He took a pencil from his pocket and carefully lifted something. Sam moved closer until she could see what it was.

"Pall Mall", she exclaimed. "Abel's cigarette brand."

"Yeah, and there are some butts as well."

She looked down to see a small pile of almost totally smoked cigarettes. "Daniel, give me one of your sample bags." He handed her one of the bags he had brought in case they were able to find anything. She knelt down beside the Colonel and they scooped their 'find' into the baggy and sealed it up.

"You don't think we should leave it here and call someone?" Daniel wondered.

"No. The NID will simply make sure everything get's 'lost'. No, this way we can take the stuff and have in analyzed."

"What good will that do?" the archaeologist asked.

"It may help us to trace Abel", Jack answered. "If we can find him – then we can get Samuels."

"Then let's get this stuff analyzed", Daniel replied calmy, "cause there's nothing I want more than to catch that bastard!"

"You and me both, Danny. You and me both!"