17 - A Leak
~*Martouf*~
Martouf? Lantash's voice is tender.
I close my eyes, knowing that tone.
I love you.
Tell me, I urge.
You killed one of the prisoners.
He attacked me, I reply bitterly.
No, my love.
Can you not look into my memories and see what he wanted to do with us?
He never threatened you. He fishes through the memories, distinguishing between them.
It feels like a fog when he does this. What I know to be true is picked at until it does not make sense. The first is the identity of my attacker. A slave.
Slaves have attacked on orders or out of desperation.
Then I see as his skin pales. I hear the tremble in his voice. I smell his fear.
Bit by bit, what felt so real crumbles away, and I drop to the floor as the true memories come to focus. I ran into him. I grabbed him. People ran away, screaming as I crushed his throat.
I killed…again.
It wasn't your fault.
The man was a slave who was barely surviving. He had never hurt anyone.
I murdered him.
I feel warm vibrations in my skin. Lantash? Did…? Did I kill anyone else?
I don't know, he admits.
Samantha?
…I don't know.
I put away my pens, then go to find Samantha. I retreat, giving Lantash control. Even with that, people keep a distance from us.
If I…
Let's see if we find her first, Lantash thinks, keeping his sorrow from me.
If I killed Samantha…
He stops by our room, hesitating to go in. My heart is pounding hard, and it takes Lantash a few seconds to slow it down.
Do you want to sleep?
No. I need to know.
He steps through.
She's alive!
Lantash takes a large, relieving breath as Samantha and Pete look at us.
"Are you alright?" Samantha asks with worry.
"He doesn't remember what he's done."
"Did he…?"
Lantash looks to my hands. "One death." He sounds so clinical, but that's for my sake.
~+~+~.
Pete is kicked out when Amb returns.
"Is Malek awake?" Lantash asks.
"No."
"Water?"
"Not now."
"I'm going to clean you."
Amb hisses in pain as he closes his eyes.
We work with Sam to clean him. Lantash gives her specific instructions, both because Amb is a Tok'ra and due to his own preferences.
"I'm sorry," she says after Amb can relax.
He opens his eyes, looking to her. "We made…our choice…together…" He inhales sharply as he winces.
She holds his hand after.
"Try to sleep," Lantash says gently as he strokes his hair.
Amb closes his eyes again, but he is hurting and softly crying. Lantash whispers words of love and admiration, and that makes our love smile briefly. After several minutes, he falls asleep.
Lantash waits until small noises won't wake him, then gets up. He finds Pete waiting outside, looking very nervous.
"Do not wake him," Lantash warns sternly.
Pete nods, and he follows us back in.
~*Mark*~
The phone rings, but I don't know the number.
"You should probably answer it," my wife, Betty, says.
Yeah. I pick it up. "Hello?"
"This is General Forest, calling for Mark Carter."
My heart stills. "General, you know me. You know my dad. Cut the professional crap and tell me what happened to him." My voice breaks.
I hear a soft sigh before he speaks.
"To be honest with you, Mark. I'm just about in the dark as you are…but it's not about your dad."
Sammy?
"She and a civilian named Pete-
No.
"-Shanahan-"
How?
"-have disappeared. The local authorities believe they were kidnapped on January 4th at approximately zero six hundred hours."
"That was eight days ago!"
"Their disappearance was not immediately noticed because they were both taking time off work."
"Then how do you have a time?" I asked.
"Elevator security cameras spotted a delivery man getting off on Shanahan's floor. His uniform was obviously a fake. One witness said they heard what might have been a commotion soon after."
"So…this has nothing to do with her work. She was just…kidnapped?" This doesn't feel real.
"I don't know."
Something about his tone implies that he suspects more is going on.
"It looks like you know this Pete?"
"Yeah. He's a friend. He lived around here with his wife. She divorced him."
"Could she be involved?"
"No. She has no resentments. They still got along, at least at first."
"But…"
"No fights or anything. She started seeing someone new. He moved to Colorado because…it was too soon for him. That was about it."
"How did Sam meet him?"
"He was single. Sam was single, so I thought... I offered to set her up with him which was…two years ago? But she was already seeing a guy."
"I'd still like to question the ex-wife, and who is this other guy."
"I think he's dead, but…" I trail off.
"What's his name, Mark?"
"Malek. I-I don't even know if it's a first or last… There are two other exes. Amb, who also died, and Martouf. I don't know anything about them." My voice breaks. "I hardly know anything about my own sister."
"I know, but Jacob told me it's been better, and they are both so damn stubborn and secretive."
That makes me smile.
"This wasn't your fault."
I nod. Of course, he can't see it, but I'm really trying not to cry.
"Is there anything I should know?"
"Pete was…" I lose it.
Betty takes the phone from me. "General." She hugs me. "I can talk to you." She sighs. "Pete seemed concerned about the exes. We thought it might have been jealousy… You know, after his wife left him?"
"Yeah."
"Mark started mentioning it to her, but she just sort of changed the topic, so he dropped the subject."
"Do you think he knew something he didn't share? Possible danger?"
"I don't know," Betty adds. "Maybe it's nothing, but we do have something. Pete wanted to know if we had ever met them."
They keep talking.
~*Jack*~
Someone has Sam.
In the conference room, I fiddle with a pen.
Someone took Sam.
"We will find and kill the one who kidnapped General Carter and Mr. Shanahan," Teal'c says bluntly.
I probably should tell him that we don't deal with criminals that way. Of course, he knows, but he's Teal'c, and this is Sam.
Teal'c and I are both waiting for Captain Paul Thorn.
And Daniel.
Not sure why Daniel is late.
"Why is Captain Thorn involved?" Teal'c asked.
"He's good with computers and cameras. Surveillance. He was ordered to look over the apartment cameras and Pete's computer."
Thorn finally comes into the room. Daniel follows with a folder, a computer, and a…teddy bear? I almost make a remark about the bear, but his expression tells me that something is very wrong.
"Find something interesting?"
"They were taken by a Goa'uld." Daniel replies in worry as he sets the computer down.
My heart sinks.
"How do you know?" Teal'c asks.
"This is Pete's computer." Daniel opens it up. " He had a camera…hidden in his bedroom…complete with sound…"
"You mean, he was…"
"Yeah."
Teal'c follows along, saying nothing. The full meaning takes him a second to register, and his expression, somehow, hardens.
"Is it possible Sam knew?" I ask.
Daniel lifted the teddy bear.
"That's the camera."
"Yes," he replies uncomfortably.
"Sam isn't the only one he recorded," Thorn adds, "though it at least seems like the other women are all pre-Sam."
"Oh, good. At least the creep wasn't cheating on her," I reply sarcastically as Teal'c raises an eyebrow.
"The Goa'uld." Daniel brings up a video. "Teal'c?"
He watches.
I watch a Goa'uld and a Jaffa come into the frame. The Goa'uld gives an order.
"Find his secrets," Daniel translates, which tells me why Thorn was working with him.
He and the Jaffa begin searching, clearly looking for something.
"Zar," Teal'c informs.
"The one who killed Malek?" I ask in worry.
"Yes. He is known for being particularly sadistic, encouraging his Jaffa to abuse the prisoners." Teal'c curls his lip slightly in disgust. "The Jaffa Nation has not been able to get through to any them."
I feel acid in my chest as he speaks.
On the screen, the Jaffa breaks open a drawer and pulls the same folder that Daniel now has. The folder labeled "Sam" with Pete's writing.
"My lord," Daniel translates when the Jaffa speaks.
Zar examines all the pages.
"He knows, my lord," Daniel says as the Jaffa speaks again.
Zar drops all but two of the pages. What could possibly be in that folder that would interest a Goa'uld? I back it up.
"He took photos." I realize. I can't see what is on the photos, but it was definitely photos.
"Sir, we have a serious problem," Thorn adds.
"Besides Zar?"
"We have a leak."
"What?"
Daniel taps at the computer some more, then he gestures for me to continue. "Check the video."
I open it up and see Martouf in the gate room. "What the hell?" I watch the man die…again. "Why and how would Pete even have this?" Thorn is right. We have a leak.
"I apologize, sir," Thorn says. "The only ones who have this sort of access are the surveillance crew. …My team." His face scrunches slightly, and he takes a breath. "Under my nose. I failed the program, sir."
"This happened under all our watch, just find out who did this."
"Yes, sir."
"I don't know how, but as for why?" Daniel gestures to the folder. "Pete was stalking Sam."
I open up the folder and see way too much information. Information that she obviously didn't know he had. I go through, reading everything, frowning. Then get to a picture of Martouf. He is somewhere outside, which meant he isn't on Earth.
"What is this guy's deal with Martouf?"
"It's not just Martouf."
I went to the next page and see Malek. The blue crystals of the Tok'ra were clearly behind him. "Dead Tok'ra?"
"Just them." Daniel brings up a folder on the computer. "Essentially, her exes, but especially those two. Those four?" Daniel frowns.
"General Carter was never involved with Martouf or Lantash," Teal'c says.
"No, but I'm guessing Pete thought otherwise."
"Right," I reply. "Wait. You knew about Malek?"
"They courted," Teal'c replies matter-of-factly.
"I don't think it was that serious," Daniel adds.
"You both knew? She said you didn't know."
"It was kind of obvious," Daniel says with an amused and bewildered look.
"Indeed," Teal'c adds.
"Oh." I feel foolish, then look to Thorn. "You didn't know."
"Cameras, sir," he replies with a blush.
Oh. Right. That was how Parker developed her Malek fetish.
"Now Pete…" Daniel gestures to the folder. "He has something on all her exes. I suspect that Pete was getting into dangerous information without realizing it. Now…" He brings up a folder in the computer. "The Tok'ra believe Malek is dead?"
"Aldwin said it was confirmed."
"So…why would Zar want his photograph?" He taps. An image of Malek comes up.
"He would not," Teal'c stated.
"That's one of the photographs he took?" I ask with a frown.
"It's fuzzy, but you can see it in the video."
"But he knows what Malek looks like." I frown, shaking my head. "You're a Goa'uld. You have a Tok'ra prisoner. He might give you information. He's declared dead. No one is even looking for him. Then…somehow, don't know how, you learn that some nut job is investigating your prisoner."
"I would think I had a spy," Daniel replies.
"And they do have a spy. That spy is in danger." I gesture to an airman in the room. "Contact the Tok'ra now."
He leaves.
"Alright, so he took Pete because he thinks he knows more than he does. Would he still think he has a spy if Malek was dead?" I frown. I honestly don't know, but why would it matter.
"I do not know," Teal'c admits with the slightest frown. "If Malek were dead, he should not matter to Zar. The other possibility is that Malek was never taken by Zar, and he seeks to take him for himself from another Goa'uld."
"I don't know either," Daniel replies. "I don't think he would, but…" He taps. "There is one other missing photograph, and that's…"
He brings up an image of Martouf. I check, and it is definitely not in the photos.
"Martouf has been dead for years. Why would he matter to Zar?" Daniel asks.
"Are you sure he took that photo?" I ask.
We watch the video again. Daniel is right. They are fuzzy, but that is definitely Malek and Martouf.
"Could Martouf have been alive all this time?" I frown.
"It's flimsy evidence at best, but there is definitely something unusual about this. Zar thought Pete knew something."
"Yeah." I keep going through the photos. "How did he get pictures of them in their own tunnels?"
"I think we can thank Jacob for that one. He gave them to Sam after Malek's supposed death."
"She kept them in a locked box in a locked drawer," Teal'c adds. "Pete has clearly invaded her trust. He is not a worthy husband."
"You won't get an argument from me," I reply as I go to the next photograph. I do not know why, but I am surprised to see Martouf and Malek in the same photo. "Oh. They knew each other." They were both Tok'ra. Why should that be surprising? I flip to the next photo. "They knew each other very well. Huh. I'm surprised."
"Jack," Daniel says with annoyance.
"No. I just mean… Malek seemed too serious for Martouf."
"They were together when Martouf was believed to have been killed," Teal'c adds.
"Oh?" Lantash and Malek I could see. Martouf didn't seem to go for the "serious, condescending, never-meet-my-host" type.
Then again.
Sam cared about him.
What was I missing? He was arrogant and rude.
I see Teal'c looking at me with a slightly quirked eyebrow, probably wondering if I wanted him to elaborate on his knowledge or not.
"What? Was that also obvious?" I ask.
"Martouf informed me just before the treaty."
"He told you stuff? He never told me anything."
"Interesting," Daniel says. "Anyway-"
"Are you changing the topic?" I ask.
"I should warn you, uh, Sam and Malek also knew each other very well."
"I know that." I glance to the photos. "Oh." I do not want to see that, but… Kind of have to. I keep going.
Sam on Malek.
"That is their privacy," Teal'c states.
"Believe me, I am not enjoying this." I don't need to know details. I note the date and time, then briefly flipped through, not wanting to invade her privacy. This is all one night.
I go back to one photo that caught my attention. I'm not sure why. It seems gentler…somehow. She's undressed still, but that doesn't even phase me. We've all changed in front of each other so many, many times.
He is holding her, and his expression is soft. He looks so happy. I look back to the photo of him kissing Martouf's head.
"Jack," Daniel says.
The man kissing Martouf's head. Definitely Malek. The man holding Sam…
"It's the host." I smile, then show Daniel and Teal'c the picture. "I never met his host. This is him."
"I never met him either," Daniel replies.
Teal'c is quiet, but his interest tells me that he never met him either.
Thorn just looks bored.
"Sam said his name was Amb." I had trusted that Sam had met him, but I had assumed it was rare.
I look back at the photos that Jacob had originally brought. I realize the he's in half of them. Malek is the one kissing Martouf, but Amb is the one smiling down at him. He was very much involved with both relationships.
With guilt, I realize that surprises me. I just assumed Malek dominated in all relationships. I saw him on a regular basis for over a year…and I have no idea who he is.
~+~+~.
Of all the Tok'ra…it had to be Delek.
"I'm not asking if you have a spy, I'm saying that if you do, he's in danger."
Delek makes no response, looking at me with bored arrogance.
"Teal'c has identified the Goa'uld as Zar. What can you tell me about him?"
"He's a minor Goa'uld who previously worked for Anubis. After Anubis was defeated, Zar slowly gained power."
Now for the embarrassing part.
"He showed an interest in photos of…Tok'ra. Specifically, Malek and Lantash."
"Them or their hosts?"
I admit, he had me there. "Amb and Martouf. The civilian he kidnapped had their photos."
"How?"
"He stole them. Believe me, we are still investigating."
"Malek died over a year ago. Lantash has been dead for over four years. There is no reason that Zar would have any interest in them."
"Unless, they aren't dead."
He frowns. "I do not understand your humor, but it's disrespectful."
"Alright…so why would he take photos of them?"
"He would not."
"He did. I can show you. Right here." I have a copy of the video ready to play. He frowns as he watches. I show him the missing pictures.
"I watched Malek die."
"Sarcophaguses exist."
"The method would have destroyed him and Amb's brains."
"How?"
He looks annoyed by the question. "Lantash would have been killed instantly by the poison."
"Sarcophagus."
He doesn't reply.
"Was Malek anywhere near Zar when he disappeared?"
"That's not your concern."
"And Martouf? Did you ever find his body?"
"This is depraved and insulting," he replies angrily with flaring eyes.
"Did you find his body?"
He glares. "The Goa'uld were there for several months, picking at it. We sent people in after we felt it was safe."
"And?"
"They were not identified."
"And you're telling us this now?"
"It had been several months. No one was personally identified. The bodies were burned to give a burial."
"That's why you need dog tags."
"We are not dogs," he replies in offense.
"I don't mean actual…" I show him mine. "To identify soldiers."
He hesitates. "We have an equivalent."
"So…?"
"They are made of soft leather. They were unreadable by the time we could return."
"Metal is good."
"They are biodegradable so that we can easily destroy them if need be."
"Okay, so this all means that you don't actually know if he died or not. Maybe I'm wrong, but what if I'm right? And if he took Martouf, maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the only one."
"Your evidence is flimsy at best." Delek frowns. "There could be a number of reasons as to why he took the images. The fact is Malek, Lantash, and their hosts are dead. I saw Malek and Amb die, and Lantash would not have allowed himself to be taken alive."
"Don't give me that Tok'ra crap. Lantash could not even walk on his own. Then he was in the middle of a huge dose of poison."
"Yet, you believe he survived."
"I'm saying it's possible."
"Might I remind you that he released that poison so that you could escape?"
Which is why I feel guilty. "As did Tok'ra who managed to get out and escape. As I recall, one of them was you."
He doesn't respond.
"How does Zar treat his prisoners?"
He tilts his head.
"He might have your people. He has one of mine…and an asshole…but he's also a civilian." I put my hand up as Delek is about to protest. "I have a right to know. Please. He has Sam."
Delek seriously seems to be considering whether or not to answer. Finally… "He's violent."
"How violent?"
"If Lantash and Martouf were still alive…" He shakes his head. "They would not be the men you knew."
I almost fall to that. "What?"
"I must take my leave."
That reply is haunting. I don't even realize he left until after he is gone.
~*Garshaw*~
Per'sus and I are talking when Delek returns.
"It sounded urgent," Per'sus says.
"They believe Selmak may have been compromised."
"How? They would have no way of knowing where Selmak is."
"Zar invaded the home of a civilian who…stole photographs." He frowns. "They are still investigating the matter."
"I'll recall Selmak. If Zar knows what they look like…" I sigh. "Jacob is becoming too well known to be sent out."
"Much sooner than usual," Delek adds.
What is that supposed to mean? Yosuuf wonders to me.
I honestly do not know. Some sort of veiled insult…somehow.
"That's because his missions are short and frequent," Per'sus replies.
He should be more respectful, Yosuuf thinks.
The young are often arrogant. The years will mature him.
"If I understand right," I continue, "Zar went to Earth and risked breaking the treaty with the Asgard to…steal photographs?"
"The recording devises are not as obvious as the ones in Stargate Command. He does not know he was caught."
"Who's home did he invade?" Per'sus asks.
"Someone named Pete who lived in a complex with many others. Thankfully, no one was home at the time, and his actions would indicate that he was avoiding having witnesses."
I nod, then at Yosuuf's prompting, I ask, "Why would this Pete steal pictures of Jacob?"
"I heard some of the Tau'ri speaking about him. Pete was to be mates with Samantha. As her occupation forced her to keep secrets, he began stalking her. As I said, the matter is still being investigated."
"I would like you to follow up on this," Per'sus orders.
"Very well."
"Is there anything else?"
"No."