7. Revelations
"You should let Teal'c and me do the interrogation on our own," O'Neill said.
"That is not going to happen!" Gibbs said. "Sergeant Peterson is my prisoner."
"He may have information that is secret. National security," O'Neill insisted.
"National Security? He's just a cop from Metro PD!" Gibbs exclaimed.
"Who is clearly working with Selkhet, who is a threat to national security."
"That may be, but then you'll just have to read me into this secret project of yours," Gibbs said.
O'Neill shook his head. "I can't make that decision. You'll have to talk to General Hammond. Until then..."
"Until then we both go talk to Sergeant Peterson."
O'Neill sighed. "All right. There's just one thing. You should be aware that being host to those snakes makes people a bit... weird. He's bound to say some crazy stuff."
"At this point, I doubt he will be able to surprise me," Gibbs mumbled.
"Well, I can only agree - he did sound pretty off his rockers!" Gibbs said when they had left the interrogation room. "Still, he said some things that raises questions."
"Questions I can't answer. You know that," O'Neill said.
"And then there's the voice and the eye flashes. You really want me to believe it's a side effect of being host to those symbiotic creatures?" Gibbs said, skeptically.
"Oh, yeah."
"Go tell the others what little we learned - I need to talk to DiNozzo," Gibbs said, spotting Tony.
"Sure."
"Boss?" Tony asked.
Gibbs threw a look after O'Neill, and when the door had closed behind him, he turned to Tony, a plan in the works. "DiNozzo... I want you to work with me on something..."
"You took down one of those huge guys all on your own!?" Abby asked upon hearing about Freya killing one of the Jaffa.
"I did," Freya confirmed, smiling a little proudly.
"Oh, that was so impressive! You didn't get hurt, did you?" Abby asked, suddenly worried, and threw both her arms around her, giving her a big hug.
Freya returned the hug, a little surprised. "You need not concern yourself. I was not injured."
"Good," Tony said, walking into the squad room together with Gibbs.
"Tony!" Abby exclaimed, running to him and giving him a hug as well. "You were shot at!"
"Relax, Abby. No one hit him," Gibbs told her. He turned to Freya. "Any ideas why Selket wants an ancient Egyptian artefact?"
Sam jumped in before Freya could say anything. "Hadn't you decided it was because they wanted to use the... unknown element for the symbiotes, so they could create more enhanced warriors?"
"I considered it for a short time, but I think we all know that's not why. No. I am sure it is something else - given how interested the Air Force is in it."
"In fact, we think those unfortunate 'Jaffa' - or whatever you call them - and Sergeant Peterson... possibly Selkhet as well, are victims of some experiment you've done on them," Tony said.
"You're accusing us of lying - and of being in league with Selkhet?" Martouf asked, disbelief in his voice.
"Oh, we are - in fact, I'm sure Freya-with-no-last-name here is the one behind it all," Tony said.
Freya's eyes flashed as Anise took control. "How dare you accuse me of this!"
O'Neill groaned and hid his face in his hand. He turned to Sam. "With everything else that has happened, I think this is the time when we pull out the non-disclosure agreements?"
"Ya think?" Gibbs said sarcastically, as Carter nodded her agreement.
"Aliens?" Abby asked, excitedly.
O'Neill sighed heavily. "Aliens."
"I knew it!" Abby exclaimed. "Oh, goody, goody! I am going to be so published!"
"No, you're not. That's what non-disclosure agreement means."
Abby sulked.
"OK. Let's hear it, then," Gibbs ordered.
O'Neill sighed again and looked towards Sam and Daniel. "Do you guys want to have the honour?"
It was mid-afternoon the day after, when O'Neill was contacted by General Hammond. He did not look happy when he hung up.
The others looked at him.
"What did the General want?" Sam wondered.
"Apparently Selkhet is getting impatient. She has informed General Hammond that she has placed the bomb some distance from an 'enormous city on the western part of your continent', near the coast."
"Uh, Los Angeles?" Daniel suggested.
"Most likely. With the San Andreas Fault not far away, the bomb she's brought could probably trigger an Earthquake. At least a minor one, making the effects worse," Sam said.
"That sounds excessive. What kind of bomb are we talking about?" Gibbs asked.
They looked up as Abby entered the room, followed by Tony, Kate, and McGee.
"What's this about a bomb?" Tony asked.
"Selkhet has activated the bomb she has threatened us with," Lantash told him, not caring to hide the distortion in his voice now when the NCIS team knew.
Tony stared at him. "You know, that voice is really unsettling."
"I think it's kind of sexy." Abby smiled. "But it's just so weird! You guys are really aliens!"
"Not all of us," O'Neill said.
"No, but three of you. You all look so human!"
"Except for some adjustments and enhancements done by the symbiote, the host is still - mostly - human," Lantash said, smiling. He was clearly pleased Abby thought he sounded sexy.
"Could we return to the business about the bomb?" Gibbs reminded them, an edge to his voice.
"Where's the bomb?" Kate asked.
"We don't know precisely, but probably along the coast, somewhere outside Los Angeles," Sam said.
"Outside? By the coast? Can't we just evacuate and let it blow, then?" Tony asked.
"Undoubtedly Selkhet has scanned the surrounding area and placed it in a location which will affect the underlying fault lines maximally," Anise said. "With the size of the bomb - ten thousand uten'sau - it will likely crack the crust down to the magma layer and evaporate the ocean in a radius of several kilometers."
"Oh..." Tony looked shocked. "That's... not good."
"No," Anise said.
"What kind of bomb can do that? Is it a nuclear device?" Gibbs asked.
"No, it is a naquadah bomb," Lantash explained.
"That's the unknown element you found, Abby," Sam said.
"Crap," O'Neill said.
"Can you find it and defuse it in time?" Gibbs asked.
"Possibly," Anise said.
"How many hours are left before the deadline?" Gibbs asked.
"Just under 18 hours," Sam said.
"Plenty of time," O'Neill said.
Gibbs nodded. "Perhaps. This Selkhet, she sounds like she's the impatient type. What's the probability she'll decide to shorten the period?"
"It is possible, but unlikely," Lantash said. "While Goa'uld are often untrustworthy, she has little to gain from breaking her word."
"True. The moment the bomb as been blown up, she loses her bargaining chip," Gibbs mused. "All right. I need to talk to my superiors. I'll be back soon."
"What's the word?" O'Neill asked.
"We'll travel to L.A. and try to find the bomb and defuse it," Gibbs said.
"Good - then let's get this show on the road!" Tony grinned.
"Wait! We have until tomorrow morning at 8AM Eastern time. If we haven't found the bomb by then, my superiors - and yours, by the way - wants to give the artefact to Selkhet," Gibbs said.
"That would be a mistake," Martouf said.
"I agree. If Ba'al gets his hands on it then we're all doomed!" O'Neill exclaimed.
"This is not up for discussion! Earth will have to come first in this case. It's up to you to stop this Ba'al fellow before he attacks us."
"Wonderful!" O'Neill grumbled.
"I suggest we get started. A plane is waiting for us at Andrews." Gibbs looked to Abby and Freya/Anise. "If I were you, I'd bring an extra coat."