Chapter 4:

Against the Odds

Pacing back and forth, Daniel has his hands folded across his chest; Teal'c is sitting at the end of his bed with all of his gear on. "Colonel O'Neill will be here shortly, do not let your mind be clouded by thoughts of what Major Carter could be going through Daniel Jackson. We must keep our minds clear and focused" Teal'c spoke and finally the room door opened for Jack to hurry in.

"Sorry I took so long, didn't want anyone to see me come in" O'Neill explained, all of his gear on. P90 in his arms, ready to threaten anyone who gets in his way of rescuing Carter.

Teal'c got to his feet then and grabbed a hold of his staff weapon that was leaning against the wall next to his bed. "I am ready" Teal'c said for O'Neill to look at Daniel, knowing that he doesn't need to ask him. Opening the door behind him the three then hurried out of the room, down the rest of the short hallway, through the main area of tables and chairs with bookshelves lining a fair few walls but scrolls instead of books.

Stepping outside to see Stephan with a young man next to him, the young man is taller than Stephan with medium length blond hair, parted down the middle, layered at the ears and cut down the sides. A pointed nose, dark blue eyes and a small patch of a beard on his chin. Wearing the same sort of clothes as Owen.

"Why all dressed up friends?" Stephan asked as Cillian came rushing out of his little condo of a home to the left of the restaurant.

"We are leaving to go and get Major Carter back from the false god you worship!" O'Neill stated, not hiding his anger.

Pointing his right index finger at O'Neill, "he is a powerful god! And you are going nowhere!" the man retorted for the guy next to him to step towards the three. O'Neill then raised his gun at Stephan.

"Get out of our way or I will shoot you!" O'Neill threatened and Teal'c then aimed his staff at the guy, Daniel pulled out his handgun and aimed it at Stephan.

Cillian then looked at the Colonel, "please, don't… he went to a planet and met a man named Administrator Calder who spoke of you and of what you did on his planet" he explained how they got the drug. Turning to Stephan, "let them go!"

Stephan looked at Cillian in the corner of his eye, "on that planet you stopped perfectly innocent people from living their day to day lives" he stated.

"Only because those giving the power to the city above them thought that their planet had frozen over, we gave the workers new lives!" Daniel rebounded on Stephan and O'Neill then aimed his gun down and fired three shots into the ground at Stephan's feet. Showing that his frustration at not being able to get to Carter is on a thin line, causing the people watching and the three men in front of them to jump. Surprised by what the weapon does.

"MOVE IT!" O'Neill ordered as he aimed it as Stephan's chest, shock on the man's face with a hint of anger.

Stephan and the boy next to him took steps back and away, letting the three walk past to jog up between the fields of crops and into the forest.

"Daniel, I hope that kid gave you good directions" O'Neill said as they all jumped over a tall fallen tree, weapons in hands and bringing out flashlights to be able to see where they're going.

"He did… gave me landmarks too, may be a little tricky to spot them in the dark but I won't let that stop us from getting to Sam" Daniel answered as he shifted on his feet to move around a tree. "The place is four miles from the village," Daniel added, adding to each of their minds the urgency of getting there as soon as possible.

Forty minutes later the two Gua'uld came into the small room where Carter is being kept, setting the recording device down again and turning it on. A small bucket of water got set down with a large cup as to not use all of the cold water at once.

The hair along her hairline is wet from sweat, legs feel dead and arms are lead weights just waiting to fall. Head hanging low, tired and not even looking up to see the men walk in. Physically and mentally exhausted but far from giving them what they want.

"Now things are going to get painful for you, if you don't tell us the symbols for your planet" the smaller guy said, holding a long dagger in his right hand.

In a low tone but loud enough for them to hear it, eyes closed, "I will never tell you them" Carter answered, before moving her head up to look at them. Not having seen the dagger that is positioned at her left side of the lower abdomen.

"That will not do" the bigger guy said from behind his partner, the smaller one pressed the cold tip of the blade to her making Carter flinch and then her jaw clench.

He presses the dagger in a little harder until he knows it is going through the shirt and going into her a bit, pulling it up to her mid abdomen. "What are the symbols to your planet?" he asked again, pausing the dagger.

Looking at him she says nothing, in return her presses the dagger into her more before continuing to move it up at an angle to the other side of her lower chest. Watching her cringe before he pulls it out. Blood on the tip of the dagger.

"Just tell us what we want to know, and your life will be spared" he partially lied as he did a side step away to hand the dagger off to his partner.

Letting her head hang a little bit, eyes closed, "no matter what you do… I won't talk" Carter stated, the small guy went to the bucket and scooped up a large portion of cool water.

The one before her pressed the dagger into her shirt at her right side, mid height of her abdomen. Slowly moving it across and then to pull it out as where his friend had moved it up to crouch down a little and with a quick thrust, stabbing the outer left side of her left thigh.

A cry of pain came out of her, her leg bleeding instantly and burning with pain from how deep it got. The big guy then went into her face, "what are the symbols to your planet?" he asked, Carter closed her eyes to not look at him.

The smaller one stepped up and tossed the water to her face, the cool water catching her off guard into gasping and coughing. "What are the symbols to your planet?" the small guy asked as the big one prepared to yank the dagger out of her leg.

Swallowing she opens her eyes to look at the small guy, "your starting to sound like a broken record" she couldn't help it, she had to say it. Hearing that question over and over again was getting to be tiring on its own.

The two guys looked at one another, confused by what she'd meant by a record and the big guy yanked the dagger out of her leg for her to give a short cry out of pain and wince. Closing her eyes shut tight, moving in her restrains from the pain coursing through her leg.

Placing the tip of the blade to her throat, Carter opened her eyes a little to look at him. He opened his mouth to say something when gunshots going off from somewhere in the building got their attention.

Looking to one another, the short one motioned with his head for the other to take a look. More gunshots went off and the door then opened as the big guy was about to open it for a set of gun shots to go off in killing him, the big guy falling down in the doorway with the dagger clattering to the floor.

O'Neill and Teal'c both then stepped inside for Teal'c to immediately shoot the other Gua'uld down. The moment that they both set their eyes and took in her condition, both felt panic and worry. "Teal'c get her arms free" O'Neill said as he set his gun to hang free on his shoulder as he moved to stand in front of Carter.

Gently placing his hands to cup her face and hold her head up, he watched her eyes come up to meet his. "Where are you hurt?" he asked softly as Daniel came up to the door finally, having been running down the hall.

Feeling his heart go up and into his throat, Daniel stood at the door, gun in hand watching as Teal'c grabs the keys for the cuffs around her wrists.

Swallowing and in a weak voice, "left thigh… stabbed… stomach has some deep cuts… sir?" she said as Jack went into one of his pouches to pull out a roll of gauze.

"Major, don't talk if you don't need to, save your strength" O'Neill said and he looked over his shoulder at Daniel while he got the gauze ready to wrap it around her leg wound. "Keep watch while I get Carter bandaged up" O'Neill instructed and Daniel took a deep breath before turning to the hallway in time to see two Gua'uld approaching for him to shoot them down. Using the doorframe as cover.

"Colonel O'Neill, can you hold Major Carter while I free her form the restraints?" Teal'c asked as Jack realized it would be better to bandage her while she is laying on the ground.

Standing up O'Neill moved over to her right side, carefully moving his right arm in behind of her knees and left arm taking hold of her upper back. Teal'c unlocked the cuffs while holding her arms and set each of her arms down instead of letting them drop. O'Neill slowly set her down onto the floor, trying to be as gentle as possible to take his gun off of himself, "Daniel! Use my gun" he called and tossed it over for Daniel to catch and just in the nick of time as three Gua'uld came up for him to shoot down. "Watch his back T" O'Neill further instructed and Teal'c went to the doorframe to watch the other end.

Going over to her other side he takes the roll of gauze and wraps it around her left legs thigh, making sure to wrap it on tight before doing a good naught right over it. "Okay and your stomach?" he asked to notice that her eyes are closed.

"Yes" came a low and drained answer, feeling relief that she is still conscious at least. Lifting the bottom of her shirt a little to see the cuts made.

"Looks like some of these cuts are already healing a little… I'm not going to have you walk" O'Neill stated as he heard shots being fired by both Teal'c and Daniel. "I'm going to carry you." With that he waited for no gunshots to go off, "Daniel, help me get Carter onto my back!"

Wasting no time Daniel hurried over and slung the gun over his shoulder, "I'm going to lift you up, Sam, okay?" he asked, not really wanting an answer but wanting her to know of what he's doing as her eyes are still closed. Taking her by her under arms, Daniel pulled her right up while Jack crouched down and angled himself towards Daniel for him to carefully move her over his shoulders. Right leg over Jack's right shoulder. "Got her?"

Jack stood up straight and nodded, "yeah, I've got her. Now lets get out of here," O'Neill stated for him to then pull out his handgun, ready to shoot down anyone who stands in his way.

With Daniel behind him and Teal'c in front of him, all three went to the hanger to get into some ships.

To Be Continued...

Now what you might ask? Well nicer things, no torture, just... gah I cannot spoil it. Have to wait and read to find out. Please Review, I want to read your ideas, suggestions and all of your thoughts on this. I love reading reviews to know of what you think.

By: SLITH