A/N's: Oh, you guys, I have to go away tonight, so luckily I remembered that I had to post a chapter! I will get to answer reviews later, I really have to hurry, but here you go, another chapter before the weekend...
Around five that afternoon an exhausted group of Americans carrying one of their own on a stretcher crossed the border between Tyberia and Turkey. Although not entirely safe yet, Bayfield allowed the group a longer rest.
"Now what?" asked Daniel, when they'd found a spot to rest a couple of miles north of the border, out of sight of possible passing Elite troops. They had lowered the stretcher with a now sleeping O'Neill to the ground, leaving Janet to treat his wounds, while the rest planned their next move.
"Now we hope O'Neill's friend, who promised to wait near the border, finds us, so we can travel faster," answered Bayfield.
"Why don't we use our radio to call for back-up?" Daniel asked.
"How far away from civilization are we here, Doctor Jackson?" Bayfield asked. "We may be across the border, but if the Elite Force picks up our radio signal, and send some troops here to capture us, who do you think is going to stop them?"
Daniel lowered her eyes. "I haven't thought about that," he apologized.
"That's okay, son. You couldn't have known. We just have to get away from the border, and head further to the west. We'll be safer then. Hopefully this Abdul Radzir finds us soon, which would spare us some hiking." He rose to his feet. "Get some rest, people. We'll hike some more before dark."
He moved over to where Doctor Fraiser was working on O'Neill. "How is Colonel O'Neill doing, Doctor?"
She finished re-dressing his arm and looked up. "Asleep for now. His fever is rising again, so we're in for another restless night, I'm afraid. I just re-opened the infected areas, which should help. Apart from that, there's nothing I can do right now."
Bayfield nodded and patted her arm. "You're doing great. One more night, Doctor. We'll have him in the hospital tomorrow."
"Yes, Sir," she answered.
That evening an open truck approached, bumping over the unpaved and uneven road. Although it had its headlights turned off, the sound of the engine alerted the small group. While the others kept out of sight, Daniel crawled forward to get a better look at the driver behind the wheel. It took him awhile because it was already getting dark and he'd seen the man only once, but then Jackson recognized the silhouette of Abdul Radzir.
The archaeologist jumped up and waved with hands to draw the man's attention. Radzir seemed to have recognized the man next to the road as well as he quickly pulled his truck off the road, parking it out of sight.
"Daniel Jackson," Abdul Radzir greeted him.
Daniel's face lit up with excitement. "Abdul Radzir. You've kept your word! Thank you. We really need your help."
"Where is Major Jek?" Radzir demanded, his eyes searching the area.
Daniel used an outstretched arm to guide the Turkish man into the direction of the other Americans. "He's right here. He's hurt and we need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible."
Radzir walked up with Daniel and soon shook hands with Colonel Bayfield, Teal'c and Major Carter. He glanced worriedly into the direction of the prone form of O'Neill, and the woman rinsing a piece of cloth to place it on the injured man's brow. "I told him it was too dangerous. He still had to go," Radzir stated, shaking his head. "Not that that surprised me. Nothing can stop that man when he has set his mind on something. Will he live?"
Carter smiled at the apt description the man gave them of the Colonel. "Yes. But he needs more medical care."
"How far is it to the closest city?" demanded Bayfield.
"We can drive that way," Radzir pointed with his hand, "for about two hours. Then it will be safe to use the radio and call the American base in Adana. They can send for transportation. But we will have to wait until dawn. It is too dark to see the path."
Bayfield nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a plan. If we leave first thing in the morning we can have O'Neill in the US Army Hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, by the afternoon."
Radzir joined the group of Americans, shared coffee with them and soon, after some questions from Carter and Daniel Jackson, was talking about how he'd met O'Neill and why he was helping him.
"He saved my brother's life," Radzir said simply. "So I owe him."
"Your brother?" Daniel glanced at the man who was staring into nothing, lost in his memories.
"What happened?" Carter asked gently, curious for any information about her CO's past. They didn't often get the opportunity to talk to somebody who knew bits and pieces of the Colonel's background.
"My brother, his name was Cetin, was a Major in the Turkish Military. He was older than me; I was a Lieutenant back then, serving in the same unit. After the Gulf War, the Turkish government needed to develop a border security system between Turkey, Tyberia and Iraq. They requested the United States for help. The United States have experience with such systems with the border with Mexico. Your government assigned somebody to help us explore the border, set up a basic monitor system and test it." Radzir turned his head into the direction of the restlessly sleeping man, slightly nodding to point him out.
Sam and Daniel exchanged looks of understanding.
"Cetin paired up with Major Jek and they came up with an additional plan, based on suggestions from Major Jek. According to him the landscape near the borders demanded another security system. He used methods used in the so-called Bosnia model instead. I, too, was helping,
along with three other men. Major Jek taught us how to use electronic sensors, barb wires, all that stuff," Abdul Radzir continued.
"What about surveillance from the air?" Carter queried.
"That would become part of the final plan, but was not used in the test phase," Radzir explained. "It was all very experimental. We needed something to proof to our government that such a security system would be affective. You can imagine a fully operational border security system would cost a lot of money."
Carter nodded. "They wanted results before they made a large investment."
"Yes. They wanted us to find out if the system had the desired result. Namely detecting anything or anybody that would cross our border."
"What went wrong?" Daniel tried to get to the point.
"Cetin and Major Jek went on a mission into Tyberia. I was to test the system. They would check if the electronic sensors could be picked up by the Elite Forces from a distance and would try to cross the security system without being spotted," Radzir told the two attentively listening Americans.
"Oh, God," breathed Daniel.
"Something happened across the border," concluded Sam.
"They did not return," the Turkish man said, raising his hands in the air. "We did not know where they were. We had no idea of what had happened."
"Did you send in another team?" Carter asked.
"No. Maybe the Elite Forces had picked up on our activities. They were suddenly heavily patrolling near the borders. We could not risk it. We were ordered to stay put." Radzir fell silent, his eyes dark and his face grim from the memory. Taking his canteen, he slowly sipped some water, while Sam and Daniel impatiently waited for the rest of the story.
"Unfortunately, my brother had fallen down a cliff and was badly injured. Major Jek managed to get Cetin out and kept him alive. He splinted both my brother's broken arm and leg, and treated his other wounds. He made something for my brother to lie on and dragged him through the mountains. Because of the troops, Major Jek was forced to head into other directions and hide. It was six days after their leave that they returned to us."
"Wow," was all Daniel could come up with.
"That must have been awful," Carter searched Radzir's face, softly placing a comforting hand on his arm.
Radzir looked back at her. "I still do not know how Major Jek has done
it. They had not enough water for six days. He managed to find enough to keep them both alive."
"Colonel O'Neill is very resourceful," Carter told him, a touch of pride shining through in her voice.
"He gave almost everything to my injured brother. Major Jek ended up in the hospital in a more serious condition than my brother. He was badly dehydrated and suffering from a heat stroke. He just collapsed at my feet, as soon as he knew Cetin was safe," Radzir's voice trembled, filled with emotion.
"Yeah. That's Jack for you," Daniel commented, not really surprised but still slightly impressed.
Falling silent, they all watched as Doctor Fraiser was working hard to keep her patient's temperature under control by cooling him with pieces of damp cloth.
"Who was he saving this time?" Radzir broke the silence after a long time.
"A team of four was captured by the Elite Forces," Carter informed him. "The Colonel managed to rescue three of them. The fourth man, a personal friend of him, unfortunately didn't make it."
A concerned frown appeared on the Turkish man's face. "He will blame himself for that."
Daniel looked up in surprise. "You know Jack pretty well," he concluded.
Nodding, Radzir looked down. "It was an honor working with him." He glanced at his watch. "It will also be an honor to help you get him to safety."
"Thank you," Daniel said sincerely. He hesitated briefly before asking, "What... happened to your brother?"
"He died, on a mission last year," Radzir said, leaving it to that. "I'm sorry," Carter responded.
"Me, too," came the soft reply as Radzir scrambled to his feet. "Now, let's get some rest. It will soon be time to leave."
That night three SG-1 team members took turns in sitting with their CO, trying to keep him in the here and the now, although they weren't really succeeding. Janet Fraiser did what she could by keeping the infected wounds open and draining; although the fever plus the psychological condition still caused delirious dreams and frightening nightmares.
Early in the morning Abdul Radzir started his truck. Teal'c carefully lowered the now silent O'Neill in the back. Bayfield took the seat next to the driver while the rest crawled in the back, leaving enough room for Fraiser to watch over the sleeping man.
Two hours later Radzir stopped the truck on a hill. Bayfield went to work to gain radio contact with the US Air Force base in Adana. It took the helicopter only twenty minutes to get there.
Radzir watched how the man who'd once saved his brother's life was being carried inside the chopper. He turned to the female physician, held out
his hand until she took it, shaking it gently. "Please, take care of him, Doctor" Radzir said simply. "Tell him he can come back and ask for my help anytime."
Fraiser smiled tiredly at the man in front of her. "I will do that. Thanks for the transportation." With that, she turned to climb into the chopper.
The flight back to Adana was only fifteen minutes, and another plane was waiting there for them to fly them directly to Ramstein Air Base.
Another chopper got them to Landstuhl, where, eleven days after he was captured by the guards in Camp Ockeloen, O'Neill finally ended up in a real soft, comfortable bed in the safe surrounding of the Army Hospital. Doctor Fraiser wasted no time and immediately started preparations for the much needed medical treatment.
General Hammond stood up, the receiver of the phone still in his hand. His face showing the widest smile he'd had the last couple of weeks, he thanked the person on the other end of the line and placed the receiver down.
Leaving his office, Hammond walked through the corridors of the SGC to the guest quarters and knocked on General Jacob Carter's door. "Jacob!"
Carter opened, hopefully glancing at his friend. "You have some news, George?"
"They're coming home. They're safe," Hammond said, smiling widely.
Carter sighed in relief. "Thank God," he breathed. "Everyone's all right?"
"Unfortunately they weren't able to save Major Crook," Hammond reported, his smile fading as it was replaced by a look of sadness. "They got Colonel O'Neill out, though. They're being transported to the Army Base Hospital in Landstuhl as we speak. As soon as Doctor Fraiser declares Colonel O'Neill stable enough for traveling, they'll be flying home."
A shadow darkened Carter's face. "So Jack has lost his friend. Damn... How about my Sam?"
"Apparently she was shot through the arm, but I've been assured she's fine. We'll get all the details later."
Carter carefully examined his friend, noticing the exhaustion shining through in Hammond's features. The commander of the SGC probably hadn't gotten much sleep lately, with his first team once more out there in another life-threatening situation. "Why don't you get some rest, George," he said, gently placing a comforting hand on Hammond's shoulder. "I'm sure you can sleep now, knowing they're safe."
A/N's: yes! he's safe! Woohoo, happy now?
but... all is not finished, I still haven't gotten him home. So, see you guys on Monday.