Jack smirked, "Well, I wasn't going to say anything."
Sam flashed a wry smile and shook her head as she turned towards the door with a roll of her eyes, "I'll grab Mike."
"Mike?" Harry's hoarse whisper turned into a cough, making him groan as he pulled his left arm up.
Jack grabbed his wrist to stop him. "Ow! Hey, watch it…we're hooked up here."
Harry turned his head, eyeing up the tubes suspiciously.
"What? You needed blood and you're damn lucky I'm O neg. Mike is the vet who saved your ass by the way."
"Vet?"
"Well you said no hospitals so…" Jack shrugged.
Nodding, Harry managed a wheezy chuckle. "Better than a dentist I guess."
Jack let out a short laugh, then looked over at him, eyeing him up. "So, who was it Harry? And how the hell did they find us? There's no way we were followed, which leaves you.
Harry winced as he turned his head to meet his eyes. "No idea Jack. Someone associated with Knight I'm guessing, but I have no idea how they found us…I've been careful…."
The sound of the swinging doors filled the room and Mike walked in with Sam and Chaunte in tow. "How's the patient?"
Jack smirked, "A real pain in the ass, but he's house-trained so I guess we'll keep him for now." He raised his arm, "We really should get going though."
Mike stepped around and started disconnecting the two while Chaunte turned to Sam near the door, "So, you and Jackie are an item huh?" Her hushed tone and giddiness made Sam grin.
Sam looked at Jack talking to Mike and took in his sharp stubbled jawline and dark brown eyes before smiling wistfully. As if sensing her, he glanced over and held her gaze. Her stomach fluttered as he stopping talking mid-sentence to smile at her before pulling his eyes away. She nodded. "Yep...finally," she breathed.
Chaunte crossed her arms as she followed her gaze and shook her head, "Girl, I'm not gonna lie. That man is a tall drink of lemonade." She paused and eyed up Sam conspiratorially before leaning in and whispering, "He's good, isn't he?"
When Sam let out a shy laugh, dipped her head and blushed, Chaunte waved her hand dismissively, "Aww, that's okay, you don't have to tell me."
Then Sam glanced back up, quirked an eyebrow and bobbed her head with a wide grin.
Chaunte started fanning herself. "Mmm! Damn, I knew it!"
A sudden silence in the room stilled them immediately. And when they slowly turned their heads towards the guys, they found all of them staring back at them curiously.
Caught, Sam and Chaunte faced each other and giggled while Jack's eyebrows crooked up amusingly. But when it became obvious they weren't going to be let in on the joke, he gave up with a nonchalant shrug and Mike continued with the breakdown of Harry's aftercare.
As they were getting ready to go, Sam ran outside and opened the trunk of the car to retrieve a couple of fresh polo shirts from Harry's bag for the boys to change into. Next to the clothes, she spotted Harry's handgun and a couple boxes of ammo, along with an envelope similar to the one he had given them containing their documents.
But what caught her attention immediately, was what was sitting next to the bag; a soft black leather laptop case. Her fingers itched at the chance to get her hands on the computer inside. She grabbed the case and put in on the back seat before laying the front passenger seat flat for Harry and heading back inside with the shirts.
Twenty minutes later, changed and ready to go, Mike and Jack got Harry to the car and eased him inside gingerly. Then Jack walked around and reached inside from the driver's side to help Sam secure the seatbelt around him.
When Jack looked up, she met his eyes and leaned over with a grin, whispering something into his ear. He gave her a confused look when she pulled back and then followed it up with a lopsided smile; acquiescing with a shrug.
When it came time to say their goodbyes, Jack shook Mike's hand, thanking him again…and then swept Chaunte into a big hug before plastering a kiss on her cheek. She squealed with delight and when he let her go, he flashed her a big grin as she slapped him on the chest playfully, "Ooo Jackie…if I were ten years younger, you'd be in trouble child."
He laughed and headed to the car as Sam finished her hug with Mike and moved in to give Chaunte a knowing smile and a squeeze. "Thanks for everything."
Sam headed for the back door and they climbed in, Chaunte waved, "You all be careful hear? Jackie, you take care of my girl now."
"Always." He dipped his head and closed the door before starting the car and heading back through the alley.
They didn't get far before Harry opened his eyes and told Jack to stop the car. "We have to check for trackers. I have a bug sweeper on the side pouch of the laptop case."
Sam picked up the case and unzipped the side pouch as Jack pulled into the rear of the McDonald's parking lot heading out of town.
After locating the RF receiver, she pulled up the silver antenna and flipped the button on the side to turn it on. After a solid beep sounded indicating the device was activated, there was silence. As soon as Sam got out of the car, there was a beep. When she walked to the front of the vehicle and no sound followed, she headed back, slowly passing her door and edging towards the rear bumper. As soon as she rounded the other side, the beep quickened, and when she walked past the passenger rear wheel well, the thing went berserk. Sam switched it off and bent down to peer inside the well, seeing nothing. It wasn't until she ran her hand gingerly along the inside rim, that her hand landed on the device. It was about the size of a credit card and just over an inch thick. The magnets on the back of it were so strong, it took both of her hands to pry it off.
Jack got out of the car and walked around to her. As soon as he saw the box, his jaw clenched as he raised his head and scanned the area warily. Instinctively he reached out for her; his fingers gripping her hip and pulling her into him protectively.
"Well, that's not good." Sam muttered as she pursed her lips. "So, if we were being tracked all of this time, why not go after us while we were at the clinic? It would have been the perfect opportunity."
Jack shook his head worriedly, indicating he didn't have a clue, and held out his hand. When she placed the box on his palm, he flipped it over in his hand absentmindedly as he searched the lot. His eyebrows rose and fingers stilled when he spotted a green city trash truck parked further down on the right, with two workers eating in the front cab.
He lifted his head towards it, "Think you could distract those guys for a minute or two?" When Sam looked over, she smiled. "Sure."
After tossing the receiver back into the car, they separated and Sam sauntered across the lot, slowly approaching the driver's side of the cab as she watched Jack in her peripheral making a wide circle to her right; coming up from behind through the neighboring funeral home parking lot next door.
Once she was within twenty feet of the truck, she noticed that both of the men had stopped eating and were staring at her curiously. She put the driver in his thirties. A big burly type with a full beard and mustache, which he started fingering through as she approached. The sleeves to his grey coveralls were rolled up and he rested his bulky forearm on the edge of the window nonchalantly, poking his head out a little to get a better look at her as she stopped.
Sam shaded her eyes from the sun as she flashed a friendly smile up at him, "Hey there. I was wondering if you guys could help me."
The driver grinned slyly, "Depends." The passenger, a smaller wiry clean-shaven kid in his mid-twenties, scooted over to get a better look and elbowed the other with a chuckle.
Sam dipped her head and looked up at him coyly, flashing a flirty grin "On?"
"On the chances of getting your number afterwards."
She stifled a groan at the lame line and did her best to keep her voice soft and playful. "Why don't we just see if your help is worthwhile first."
His eyes widened and now the passenger's elbow was bumping the driver's shoulder with gusto in encouragement. The driver winked at her, "Ask away Babe, I'll help you with whatever you need."
Her stomach lurched at the same endearment Pete had always used. No matter how much she had tried to get used to it over the years, it had always made her teeth itch. Recovering quickly, she poured on the buttery charm, "Actually, I was just hoping for directions to the trailhead on Chayenne Mountain."
The driver smirked. "How about you get a drink with me tonight and I'll be your personal guide tomorrow after breakfast." She heard a wet snicker from his buddy as Jack approached from the front.
"Carter."
Sam figured he must've taken a wide arc around the other side of the truck after planting the device, because from the angle he was walking, it made it seem as though he had just strolled out of the McDonalds.
She twisted her head back to the driver and waved as she walked towards Jack, "That's okay, never mind…thanks anyway though."
The driver's frowned at Jack, obviously annoyed at the interruption. "Hey Babe, what's with the old guy?"
Sam registered the flash of anger in Jack's eyes as he changed his trajectory from her towards the truck. Sam stepped in front of him as his mouth opened, no doubt primed for a sarcastic comeback, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Once she leaned up and captured his lips possessively, the guys in the truck were immediately forgotten.
With a surprised grunt, Jack wrapped his arms around her; his big hands spanning over the length of her back as she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and rolled her hips teasingly against his length. He groaned and she felt a flash of heat in her center as he slid his hands down to her ass and pulled her against his growing arousal, his tongue slipping through fast and insistent.
When they pulled away reluctantly, her face was flush as she flashed him a big grin, "All good?"
"Huh?" His eyebrows rose, as he stared at her blankly. Then his brain caught up and a corner of his mouth curled up in recognition. "Oh yeah, all good."
"Excellent." She winked and eased her arm in the crook of his as they turned to walk back to the car. Jack glanced back over his shoulder, noticing the guys in the truck staring with their mouths hanging open, and gave them a lazy two finger salute before looking back at her.
"You just had to flirt huh?"
"Actually, I was just going to ask for directions but the guy went another way …so I went with plan B." Sam slapped his ass playfully as he chuckled and opened her door.
As soon as they slid in, Harry shifted. "Okay, so why didn't the sniper set up on us at the clinic?"
Jack caught Sam's eye in the rearview mirror, and she shrugged, "That's what we were wondering. Maybe I got off a lucky shot?"
"Assuming they were operating alone." Jack finished.
"Assuming." She agreed.
Jack turned out of the lot and headed out of the Springs. "Well, I figure we'll head to Salt Lake. Maybe stop at a Walmart up there to replace the stuff we lost?"
Harry nodded, "I only have the rental until tomorrow morning anyway."
Jack huffed a laugh. "Well I hope you got the insurance," he thumbed over to the blood in the back seat, "because this thing it's covered with your DNA."
Harry smirked, "Oh I'm not returning it Jack. It's under an alias. Once you guys head out, I'll get rid of it and get another rental under a different name. I still have a few I can use."
They rode for a few minutes before Harry broke the silence.
"So, I've been thinking on how I was tracked, and I can only come up with one solution. It had to have happened when I was talking to Daniel this morning."
Sam pulled forward in her seat quickly, "Daniel?"
Jack glanced at him, "Wait, you talked to Daniel? How? I thought you said it was too risky."
He rolled his eyes and raised a hand to stave off the questions, "Hold on, I'm getting to that."
Harry shifted and moaned before starting in, "I figured his place was wired and his phone was bugged, so I followed him to that coffee shop near the base, you know 'The Common Grounds?' I went through the back and pulled him into the john before giving him a rundown on things. Told him not to tell anyone but Teal'c, and to make sure he did it somewhere safe.
Sam looked at Jack, "What did he say?"
"Well, he asked a million questions about you guys that I didn't have time to answer, and then he said something about the Asgard. Wondered if Thor would be able to get you two somewhere safe off-world. He just didn't know how to go about contacting them with the SGC being under such heavy surveillance."
Sam canted her head, "Well, the thought was nice anyway."
Jack nodded, "Yeah, tell me about it." He glanced back at Harry, "And you think that's when the sniper planted the GPS tracker?
"Come on Jack, you know how careful I am. They must've been following Daniel and saw me go around back. Maybe had a tracker on his car. Whoever it is, their good...I was only in there for five minutes max."
Jack thought about it for a moment, "And they just automatically knew that you were going there to talk to Daniel?"
Harry half-shrugged, "Going around back might have looked suspicious. I don't know…best guess."
Sam met Jack's eyes in the mirror. The corner of her mouth rose as she gave him a sad smile, "Well at least Daniel and Teal'c will know the truth."
Jack held her disheartened gaze for as long as he dared. His chest tightened and he resisted the urge to pull over and gather her into his arms. Reluctantly, he fixed his eyes on the road instead; shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he tried to focus on the nine-hour journey to Salt Lake City.