Chapter 8

Major General Hank Landry was sitting behind his table looking at the folder in front of him. There were probably important papers inside the folder but he wasn't in the mood of doing any paperwork. He wanted to be with his family the day before Christmas but work just didn't let him have that luxury. He had to face the fact that without off world teams the probability of anything happening on the base was close to zero.

He ran his hand through his gray hair, leaning back in his chair. He closed his eyes and tried to find anything to do but the only option he could find was the folder laying on his desk. Landry opened his eyes and looked at the clock on the wall. It read 10:37.

'Oh, please.' He murmured. It was eight o'clock when he arrived and the two and half hours that had passed since then seemed to him like forever. Time passes slow when you are bored.

He let out an exasperated sigh and pulled his chair closer to the desk. On the folder huge red letters warned him that the files inside were classified IOA files. Fortunately he had the highest clearance so it wasn't too hard for him to open the folder. He ran through the papers first but couldn't find anything interesting among them.

It doesn't matter if I like them or not, I'm going to have to read them anyway, Landry thought to him and turned to the first file. He checked the clock again and started reading.

He didn't find much joy reading the files and started to get more and more sleepy page after page. Those things must have been important if they were sent to him to deal with but it just wasn't the right time.

Landry started to feel hungry and he remembered he hadn't eaten anything since he left home. He wasn't worried about leaving his office since he knew nothing was going happen while he was gone.

He decided he could return to the files after eating so he stood up, heading for the cafeteria when the phone on his table started to ring. General Landry was quite surprised since he wasn't expecting anyone to call.

'Landry.' He answered the phone.

'This is O'Neill. I wasn't sure I'd find you there.' The familiar voice said.

Landry could hear in Jack's voice that he wasn't quite in a happy mood and he started to worry. There weren't too many people who were not happy at Christmas, much less who would call the Air Force. There must have been a reason why Jack did that.

'Well, I have to stay here for the day so I'm very available. What can I help you with, Jack?'

'There's a bit of a problem here.' Jack told him.

Landry now could definitely hear the worry in Jack's voice so he thought it would be better to take it seriously.

'What kind of problem?'

'We got together with SG-1 here at my place to have a little relaxation. Only we didn't have too much time to relax because we've been attacked.'

Jack would have continued if Landry didn't cut him off.

'Attacked? What are you talking about?'

'Some sort of alien wolf-like creatures appeared in the forest. We don't know what they are, we don't know where they had come from, and we don't know a damn thing about them. Only that they are a difficult to kill.' Jack explained quickly almost rumbling. That wasn't Jack-like.

'What? How's that possible?' First Landry didn't fully believed Jack though he had seen a lot of things during his life.

'I don't know. They just appeared when the guys arrived. If you haven't heard of them I assume that means they hadn't gone over the limits of the forest.'

'No, I haven't heard anything like that. Actually I haven't heard anything but the voice of the air conditioner in the past four days.' Landry was truly worried about Jack. If what he said was true they would have a difficult time neutralizing them.

'Great. I think that they are after us. I mean the facts point that way. They appeared when everyone arrived, they don't move out of the forest and they take the members of SG-1.' Jack thought out loud, putting the pieces together.

'What? What do you mean they take a member of SG-1?' This phone conversation was getting more and more frustrating.

'While we were out hunting them they attacked and took Vala. We don't know where she is and nobody saw which direction she had been taken.'

Landry had totally forgotten about the IOA files in front of him, he only focused on Jack's problem.

'Ok, Jack, just tell me what you need and it will be there in five hours.'

'We need reinforcements. A lot. And some weapons as well. We've almost gone out of ammo.'

'Agreed. Five hours Jack. Until then try to stay out of trouble.'

'Stay out of trouble? Those goddamn things have taken one of your best people and one of my friends. It's the least we can do to try and help her.' Jack said angrily, raising his voice more than necessary.

Landry could sympathize with him and wasn't angry at Jack.

'I am as worried as you are but believe me it wouldn't do much good.'

Jack didn't answer; he was trying to calm down first as much as possible. 'I know and I' sorry. It just seems so impossible. This whole thing'

'I know. Reinforcements are on their way, Jack.' Landry said as a final statement.

'Yes, sir.'

Landry heard Jack put down the phone so he followed his example. Instead of going to the cafeteria he reached for the red phone on his table with hope that he would be able to mobilize enough people in time.

oOo

Jack put down the phone and sat down on the couch. Cameron and Teal'c were sitting on two chairs looking at the floor in front of them, lost in their thoughts.

'Reinforcements are on the way. Landry said five hours or so and they will be here.' Jack's look was still concerned but Cameron could see something else in Jack's eyes, something that was similar to hope.

'Five hours, huh?' Cameron asked quite surprised. 'Wouldn't it take only two hours for them to get here?'

Jack understood his point.

'Normally it would. But it's Christmas you know. Most soldiers are now home with their families enjoying the time they can spend together.'

'True.' Cam replied briefly.

'How you feeling?' Jack asked after a short time of silence.

'Good. The pain had almost fully gone; only a little headache's what's left.' Cam explained.

'That's good. We're going to need you out there.

As Jack finished the sentence the front door opened and Sam entered the house followed by Daniel.

'Sir,' Sam called when she saw that Jack had finished talking on the phone.

'Carter,' Jack replied waiting for her to continue.

'What's the news?' She asked as she joined him on the couch.

'Oh, five hours and we'll be saved.' Jack answered with fake enthusiasm.

'That's a long time.' Daniel said.

'Yeah.'

'Sir, we have a plan to capture a beast.' Sam informed Jack since he was the only one who hadn't heard about it yet.

'You do? Let me hear it.' Jack said and listened as Sam exposed her quickly set up plan.

~TBC

I know this chapter is quite short but I only had time for this today. Hope it's not too disappointing. :)