Chapter 46

By the next day, Jack was grumbling from his bed on the Europa, insisting that he was fine and he wanted to go home. He’d make it an order, if he needed to. Dr. Warner reminded him that medical orders out-weighted those of grouchy old men. Jack glared. Sam and Daniel sat back and let Jack’s grumbles go in one ear and out the other. The baby pointed a finger at him and babbled. Jack pretended to eat the finger and Olivia screeched. Jack winced and pulled at his left ear.

“Wow, the decibels,” he commented.

“You are staying put, Jonathan,” his mother informed him. “My orders out-weight yours, too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Maggie made herself at home on the ship as she took care of Jack. He drew the line at allowing her to give him a sponge bath.

“I bathed you for years,” she informed him. “You’ve got nothing I haven’t seen before.”

He took the washcloth from her and flung it across the room before yanking out all the tubes, pulling a sheet around himself, and shuffling to the shower. He hadn’t been under the warm stream for two minutes before Warner was pounding on the door.

“This isn’t funny, General!”

Jack felt better, though, and the techs had put fresh sheets on his bed by the time he returned. His partners had showed up a few hours later, let the children see that he was fine, and sent them to the rec room while they listened to Warner tattle on his patient.

Sam looked at Jack’s chest. The bullet hole was completely closed with new, healthy pink skin.

“How’s his lung?” she asked. Warner shoved the chart under his arm.

“That isn’t the point, Colonel,” he sputtered.

“Isn’t it?” she interrupted. “If your patient is healthy, what’s the point in keeping his lazy butt in the bed?”

“Yeah!” Jack spouted. He then thought about what he was agreeing to.

“He shouldn’t be healthy,” Warner tried to reason with her. “We need to know….”

“Ah, HA!” Jack pointed a triumphant finger into the air. Olivia pointed, too. “I am not a guinea pig! If my lung is working, all the holes are fixed, I want to go home.”

They called Dr. Lam. “If he wants to die at home, let him,” the CMO told them.

Warner stormed out of the infirmary and Jack sent everyone except his partners out as he dressed in the clothes that were brought up for him.

“Jack, you do understand that about forty hours ago you were shot in the chest, collapsed a lung, arrested twice on the table, and we have only your word that you feel alright,” Daniel said as Jack pulled socks on.

“I’m fine, Daniel,” Jack said. “Don’t ask me to explain it, just trust me that I’m fine.”

They found Belarus, thanked him for his hospitality, and rounded up the kids to beam home. They quickly threw on full-dress and had Europa beam them to Washington. Heavily armed SF drove them to the church and they entered silently. Many people, who had turned to see who was coming in, were shocked to see Jack up and about and assumed that the press had been their usual hyperbole selves. Jack did have to admit that he was out of breath by the time they arrived and maybe he should have stayed in bed for another day. They ignored the rustling at their entrance, found seats next to Paul and paid attention to the speakers who stood to praise Vidrine.

One person after another stood and spoke, sometimes a favorite hymn interspersed the speeches. Hammond and Maynard carefully avoided giving Jack more than a cursory glance. Both Sam and Paul spoke, having worked closely with the deceased. Gavin Taylor, formerly the CO of Area 51, newly made general, also spoke. Some liberties were taken, assigning Vidrine the title of hero, saying that he had been the spine behind all the alien technology when actually he understood only about one percent of it. He pushed the paper and was good at management, allowing his people to do their jobs and not micro-managing.

Glancing unobtrusively around the church, Jack spotted a face he was sure he knew. A young man. Jack recognized the position of the young man’s seating; he could see every person in the room from that position. Hammond caught Jack’s eyes for a moment. Grant Kendrick. Jonathan’s AF academy friend. Jack lifted an eyebrow, but otherwise didn’t make a reaction.

Vidrine’s wife and children were teary and holding themselves proud, as befitting the family of a Pentagon General. Curious, Jack reached. Curiouser and curiouser, he thought to himself, pulling back.

“Isn’t it?” he heard in his head. He looked around and saw Kendrick staring at him. “I find Baker to be interesting, also.” He sent some interesting information Jack’s way. Jack sent a feeler at the Secretary of Defense. And snarled to himself for not doing it earlier.

He stood to take his turn at the podium and paused to lean on the edge of the pew. He jerked his head and Daniel hurriedly stood to offer his arm. They walked slowly, carefully to the front of the church. Jack leaned on the podium as Daniel stood to the side.

“I apologize for our earlier interruption,” he began, making a face as he touched his chest. “General Vidrine’s death was a shock to us. Our hearts go out to his family. Without General Vidrine’s support, the Research and Development department would not have survived. He pushed continually for funding, understanding and stressing the importance of the work as it related to the defense of this country. He was among the leaders that I looked to for guidance, and I have seen his hand in the personal growth of others.

“When I first met General Vidrine, he had come out to our testing facility to witness the first glider we had come up with, the X-301. Unfortunately, there was a serious flaw with the glider and I almost died in space, along with a close friend and team member. General Vidrine stayed on hand to witness our dilemma, and our eventual rescue, and I am grateful for the prayers he offered during the incident. I’m sure someone was listening from on high, and I feel safer knowing that he is now helping that Someone to take notice of all that is happening down here and maybe help to set an example to those of us who still find ourselves in need of his guidance.”

Jack stumbled slightly as he caught Daniel’s arm again, his hand waving to catch his balance and then going to his chest once more.

“Do you need to….?” Daniel whispered in concern. Jack shook his head and they went back to their seats. Sam leaned over to him, also very concerned. Jack shook her off and paid attention to the next speaker.

After the memorial, they stood in line to offer condolences to the family. The crowd was polite and moved in an orderly fashion, despite the elbow to shoulder squeezing. Several people leaned in to quietly ask Jack about his health. He assured them he was fine, just a little weak from the surgery.

“Jack, should you be out of bed?” Hammond asked when they crossed paths.

“Not according to Weiner,” Jack whispered. “I’m fine. How’s the Missus?”

Hammond had the decency to pink up a little. “She’s fine, thank you.”

“I think I want your little monkey off-world, George,” Jack whispered again. “I think I want him on Kalam. He needs special training.”

“I think so, too,” Hammond said, slightly grim over losing a talented cadet.

“They’re in orbit. He can go back with them,” Jack said. Hammond agreed.

They came to the family and shook hands, murmuring appropriate offerings. Jack looked around as they left the building. Hayes and his wife were already gone, as per Jack’s silent orders. They caught up with Maynard who excused himself from his wife’s side.

“My wife sometimes uses this,” Maynard said, handing Jack a walking cane. “Arthritis.” Jack thanked Mrs. Maynard and used the cane to walk away from Daniel and Sam.

“Mr. Baker,” Jack called out as they approached the man. “Can we talk for a moment? I was out of line the other day, and I’d like to apologize. Please.” The Secretary of Defense was still slightly ruffled, but he agreed to walk with them.

“Ah, Ken.” Jack looked up at the darkening sky and breathed in the cool evening air. “You’ve been a naughty boy, Ken. Ah ah. Walk with us, Kenny.” Jack took the man’s struggling arm in a friendly grasp.

“What’s the meaning of this, General?” Baker asked, keeping his voice low. “You’re already treading thin ice.”

“When we turn the corner, you will be arrested, Kenny,” Jack told him. “I’m afraid I need to insist. The charges are murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, and treason. By the time you get to the holding cell, all the evidence will be on General Maynard’s desk. In about a week, when people begin to notice your absence, those charges will be leaked to the press. But don’t worry, you won’t be alone; Mrs. Vidrine will be joining you.”

Baker stopped. “You’re insane, General,” he hissed, looking around.

“That’s a possibility,” Jack agreed. “The evidence is real, however, and so are the charges. Ah. Your chariot, sir.”

As they turned the corner, Baker paled at the sight of four men that were waiting for them. All the men were in black suits, standing with their feet spread and hands clasped over their belt buckles. Jack halted and turned to Baker.

“You’re an archaeology buff, Mr. Secretary,” Jack said. “You met privately with a certain dead professor in Florida, you brought visitors back to DC, infected Mrs. Hayes and Senator Friedman, as well as sending the visitors around the globe to infect others. Why did you not carry one, yourself, I wonder? Mr. Kendrick?”

The cadet stepped out from a dark car and slowly approached.

“It’s okay, son, go ahead,” Jack nodded. Baker wasn’t sure what the boy was doing, staring at him.

“Leverage, sir,” Grant said, staring into Baker’s eyes. “He knows about Colonel Carter and knows that if she got near him she’d sense him if he was holding a … visitor. So he convinced them to let him stay unattached in exchange for….. his own territory.”

“Territory?” Jack and Maynard both questioned. “What territory? There are no ha’taks in the area, so how would he get there?”

Baker lifted his chin and glared at them. “There is a mothership hidden in this solar system, but you won’t find it, General….”

“On Mars,” Grant reported. Baker panicked and tried to pull away, wondering who the hell the kid was.

“No, there isn’t,” Jack said. He pulled his cell phone out and dialed. “This is O’Neill. Point that thing at Mars and tell me if you see anything.” He waited. “Thank you.”

“Nothing on Mars except dust,” he said. “You’ve been had, Kenny-boy. I’ve said over and over not to trust those sneaky snakes.”

“Sir?” Grant interrupted. “The promised territory was Earth.”

“Idiot,” Jack informed the man. Desperate, Baker lunged at Jack, caught his right arm, pulled it behind his back and held a knife at his throat. Guns were instantly produced and pointed.

“Come on, Ken,” Maynard tried reasonably. “You know you won’t get out of this alive.”

Jack slammed an elbow into Baker’s side and slid out of the hold to turn and punch the man. “You don’t sneak up on a man like that,” he informed Baker. “I’m not well, if you haven’t heard.” He slammed the heel of his hand at Baker’s head and the man went down. Maynard nodded to the men in black that were waiting. Baker struggled and was escorted by insistent secret service.

“Mr. Kendrick.” Jack slung an arm around Grant’s shoulders.

“I know, sir,” the young man said, not liking it.

“Yes, you do, son, and that’s the problem,” Jack said gently. He touched his comm. “I need Ninurta and Jonathan, please. If they are available.”

When the two were front and center, Jack had a quiet talk with them. Ninurta agreed that it was in Grant’s best interest to be off-world. He promised the young man a chance to see his family and to tell them that he was on an off-world mission and he’d be back. In the meantime, he could help with the emergency. All hands were needed.

“We come around all the time,” Jonathan assured him. “Don’t worry, you’ll see them soon. You’ll like Kalam, I guarantee it.”

“Your records will reflect that you graduated with honors, son,” Maynard told Grant. “Your records will be classified as Security Level 8 under HomeWorld Security. That is the max. Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson are Level 8’s, if that offers you perspective. No one should be asking you any questions. You will officially hold the rank of lieutenant as of this moment. Once every five or so years, you will be promoted. Your paychecks will be automatically deposited and available to you when you are home. If you would like someone specific to have access to your accounts and use of the money, we can see that it happens. See General O’Neill, if you have any problems. Of course, this all happens if you remain in the Air Force. You do owe us some time, which you can work off off-world.” The young man stood nervously as he accepted his fate, and offered them salutes before heading off with his friend, Jonathan. Ninurta was amused at the gloom and doom emanating from his new recruit.

Maynard and Jack walked back to the church after seeing Grant beam out with the other two. Jack kicked the cane around, swinging it back and forth.

“That was very sneaky of you, Jack,” Maynard commented. “Using hand signals to notify us. Were you really shot?”

“Yup, I was,” Jack nodded. “Ask Dr. Warner. He’s very pissed that I’m not in bed.”

“I’ll bet he is and I’ll be hearing about it. And Mrs. Vidrine was involved how?” Maynard asked. “I should probably know in case someone asks me.”

“They were having an affair,” Jack said. “She was going to be his queen. Vidrine’s autopsy showed several blood clots in his brain and small puncture wounds on his body. He was injected. They hired a sniper to take me out because my death would have caused enough of an upset that they would have gotten away with the planet. Not to toot my own horn, mind you.”

“And how did that body get on my lawn?” Maynard asked.

“Sorry,” Jack shook his head. “You’ve got me on that one.” Someone in black leather, with green eyes was probably to blame, but Jack wasn’t going to push the investigation of it all.

Maynard shook his head in time with Jack’s. “It’s probably a good thing Mr. Kendrick is leaving,” he said. “When I think of all the information flooding into his head….”

“Yes,” Jack agreed. “He’d be assassinated a month after knowledge of him got out. The Anunnaki will teach him how to control it. I can’t, I’m just getting the hang of my own stuff and more is happening.” He stopped and turned. “Kendrick said all the evidence will be on your desk. Francis, this won’t go to trial,” he warned.

“I know,” Maynard nodded, grim. He looked at the ground for a moment and then at the church. “Jack, whatever happens, it cannot touch my office.”

“Don’t worry,” Jack said, “you can honestly say you have no idea how it got there. I have a feeling it won’t be touching any office. You just concentrate on spin control.”

They watched Sam and Daniel pacing by their rental, waiting for him.

“Jack, are you sure you can trust the Anunnaki? Furlings? Whomever,” Maynard asked. “We don’t really know them. How can you be sure of them?”

“I can’t,” Jack admitted. “I know that they haven’t let me down yet, and even the lies have a truth in them, if I listen close enough. It’s a game for them. Teaching me how to listen. I do trust Jonathan, though; if something starts to happen, I trust that he will get a message to me. I trust Teal’c and Bre’tac to call me. I trust Malek, as strange as that sounds. The Asgard trust the Anunnaki, and I trust the Asgard.”

Maynard was silent for a moment. “I know he isn’t really your son, Jack. Vidrine gave me the report. It has since been accidentally destroyed.”

Jack pursed his lips for a moment and then gave Maynard a lazy salute before handing him the cane and walking to his partners. He dipped Daniel over the hood of a car and kissed the breath from him.

“Hey,” Sam poked them. “Church. Mind your manners.”

“Yes, about that,” Maynard said. He took an uneasy step. “One of my kids…..”

“Just go with the flow, Francis,” Jack told him. “Love is a good thing. Keep telling yourself that. Paul!” He motioned to Davis who had been waiting. “Is Alvin still around?”

“Yes, sir, at Andrews where it was left,” Paul told him.

“Good. Can you get home another way?”

Sam and Daniel rolled their eyes and leaned against the car, hands covering their eyes.

“Yes, sir,” Paul said blandly.

“Who is Alvin?” Maynard asked. He noticed his wife waiting and he nodded. She slowly approached.

“My al'kesh,” Jack told him. He whistled to a passing MP Jeep and it stopped. “Francis, if you will excuse us? It’s been about a week and I’m going into withdrawals.”

There was silence in the Jeep for a moment after Jack gave the driver their destination.

“Hold out your hand,” Daniel told him. Jack looked at him. “Hold out your hand.”

Jack held his hand out. Daniel turned it over and smacked two fingers across the top of Jack’s wrist. “Bad boy.”

Jack chuckled and tossed an arm across the back of the seat. He winced and rubbed at his chest.

“Are you really alright?” Sam asked.

“Yes, I am,” Jack nodded. “I’m a little winded, but the wound itself has healed. Sometimes the new skin stretches and that’s what stings a little.”

Their driver took them directly to the al'kesh, putting them at the door.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Jack said.

“You’re welcome, Sir,” the driver said, standing tall next to the driver’s door. “Ma’am?” Sam stopped and turned to him. “Rumor has it you are the new CO in Nevada?”

“Yes, I am, Lieutenant,” she confirmed.

“Congratulations, ma’am. I’ve put in for a transfer to that base, ma’am. I have one of those ‘talents.’ I’m hoping it can be of use.”

All three paused and looked at the enterprising guard.

“Oh? Which talent is that, Lieutenant?” she asked, and looked closely at his uniform. “Lt. Fox?”

Fox’s partner tried to disappear and keep any mistakes from latching onto himself.

“I can smell minerals, ma’am,” Fox told her.

“Excuse me?” Sam tilted her head.

“I smell minerals,” Fox repeated. “I don’t know how, but I’ve always been able to sense mineral deposits. Different kinds of minerals. Like a dousing rod in my head. I even found underground water for my family’s farm. I’m from Altus, Oklahoma, ma’am; water is a hard commodity to find out there.”

“Geronimo country,” Daniel commented as he looked over the man’s dusky features. “You’re Apache.”

“Yes, sir,” Fox proudly said.

Sam looked at the men. She took her new bracelet off and held it out.

“What is this?” she asked. Fox took it from her and smelled it. Confusion began to cross his face and he held it close again.

“Almost…..  no. I’ve never….. It almost resonates as gold but there is something different about it.” He handed it back to her, embarrassment on his face. “I’m sorry for wasting your time, ma’am. You stumped me with this one. I’ve never sensed this one before, and I thought I’ve smelled all of them. The gold is almost gold, the diamonds are almost diamonds. Almost a cross between diamond and ruby, if gems could cross-breed. Neither is quite, though.”

“What’s your first name, Lieutenant?” she asked. Fox felt a report coming.

“Arnold, ma’am.”

Jack took his cell phone out and dialed. “Colonel, there is a transfer request in the system for a Lieutenant Arnold Fox. Process it ASAP and get it over to Sam’s office. And have his security level changed right away. HomeSec Level 4.”

“Don’t worry, Lieutenant,” Sam told the surprised man. “Your sniffer isn’t off. If you have a wife and family, tell them to start packing. Welcome aboard.”

“Uh, fiancé, ma’am,” the guard said, not believing what was happening. “Thank you, ma’am. Sir.”

Fox’s partner stared at him in disbelief.

“You snooze, you lose,” Fox told him.

They had barely gotten the door closed when Jack pushed Sam up against a wall. Daniel smiled and shook his head as he went to get the al'kesh into the air.

“Daniel, hover in orbit for a while,” Jack called out. “Over…. mmmm…… Niagara Falls.”

“Jack, how romantic of you,” Sam said as her pants were abruptly dropped.