Title : The Keesler AFBTriangle
Author : Tels
Fandom : Stargate SG1/X Files
Pairing : SG1/Mulder/Scully
Rating : PG13
Word count : 7053
Prompt : #42 – Triangle
Summary : when Major Gen Jack O'Neill vanishes SG1 and the FBI are assigned to find them.
AN : This is pre Katrina. Has nothing to do with anything other than an airbase I was given in the plot bunny. Said plot bunny was – Keesler AFB has an area shaped like a triangle. Do with it what you will. I know nothing more about the geographical location other than it is somewhere in the USA !
The Keesler AFB Triangle
By Tels
General Hank Landry looked at the phone in disbelief. “You want me to do what Sir?” he asked. He listened incredulously and then sighed again. “Sir I realise that but this doesn't fall within either our jurisdiction or theirs. And it's definitely not something an SG team should do. I'm sure the SF's on Keesler are more than capable of…” He broke off. “I see… Yes Sir. I'll contact them of course. SG1 will be airborne within an hour.” He put the phone down and closed his eyes.
Ten minutes later after a very strong coffee, he looked at SG1 sat round the briefing table. He'd far rather have had a strong something else but for one thing it was only 10am and for another he was on duty. He took a deep breath. “Your mission to P5X-9RQ has been cancelled. SG4 will go in your stead. The President wants you to report to Keesler Air Force Base immediately. He wants your expertise to assist down there.”
Col Cameron Mitchell, leader of SG1, looked at him. “You're joking. Keesler AFB? Biloxi? Mississippi?” He looked at his watch. “Not April 1 st is it?”
Landry looked at him. “No Colonel, this is not a joke. They have a situation down there and he thinks SG1 are the best equipped to deal with it.”
Daniel looked intrigued. “So what's happening down there? Some kind of first contact? Alien artefacts? Thor drop in for a visit?”
Landry shook his head. “I wish it were. Major General O'Neill flew down yesterday in his official capacity as the head of Home world Security to do the swearing in ceremony for the new intake of recruits. He was crossing the grounds when he suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.”
Teal'c raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps Thor?” he began.
Landry cut him off. “No… The Asgard haven't got him. I checked. And yes I am aware of the Loki incident and he's not there either. The Tok'ra haven't contacted us in months but I did check with Malek and they haven't heard anything. Nor is it the way the Ori operate.”
Sam looked across at him. “Is it just the General who's missing?” she asked.
Landry shook his head. “No… there have been several reports over the last few days of disappearances at Keesler. General O'Neill makes 10. With him being so high up in the government we can't keep it under wraps as much as we'd like. The President wants you to work with the FBI and the SF's.”
“Two questions. Why us? Why the FBI?” Mitchell asked. “Can't the SF's handle it?”
Landry slid the reports over to them. “That's three questions. These FBI agents specialise in cases most people won't touch,” he began. “They have many years experience working with unexplainable phenomena.”
Daniel looked up. “The X Files,” he said. “They sending Mulder and Scully?”
Teal'c looked at him. “That is a television programme.”
Mitchell laughed. “Yeah… just because Wormhole Extreme is real, doesn't mean every TV programme is. You'll be telling me that Ghostbusters really exist too.”
Sam looked at Daniel. “Well actually…” she began.
Landry cut them off before Mitchell decided to debate the issue. “You will report to General Jameson on Keesler by 1100 hours. I want you to co-operate with her, the SF's and with the FBI. Just remember that you can't say more than is warranted to anyone… and that includes General Jameson.”
--- -- ---
Mitchell grabbed his pack, deciding he'd take the whole thing rather than unpack and repack. He had no idea what his team was going to be walking into anymore at Keesler than he did on P5X-9RQ. He'd far rather be going off world than back to Keesler but orders were orders. Hopefully Staff Sgt Merrick was no longer stationed there. He had made Mitchell's tech school life hell and he had no desire to see him again anytime this millennium.
The rest of SG1 were worried about their former CO. They had quite literally gone to hell and back several times over the years. They knew he could take care of himself but they owed him. He was family and even if he wasn't they weren't going to leave him behind. Not again. He was one of their own, always would be and they would find him no matter what it took.
--- --- --- ---
Keesler AFB
Mulder showed his pass at the gate and got the nod to go through. He followed the directions to the main complex. “Looks just like any other military complex,” he said dryly.
Scully nodded. “All full of men in uniform,” she said looking out of the window.
Mulder smiled. “You like men in uniform?” he asked.
She looked at him. “Doesn't everyone?”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Can't say I ever look at the men that way.” He parked the car and pulled out the keys. “The women however…”
They made their way over to General Jameson's office. As they were shown into her office both FBI officers reflected on what they had read about her. One of the youngest officers to ever make Brigadier General, Kaylana Kathlyn Jameson was just shy of her 40 th birthday. She was well decorated having served in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Europe to name a few. She commanded the utmost respect of her peers and her subordinates. Her record and that of her base were flawless.
Jameson shook their hands. “Please sit down.” She wasn't happy about this investigation being taken out of her jurisdiction but orders were orders. She demanded that her officers carry out her orders without question and she led by example. So she would do what she could to get her missing officers, not to mention the missing head of home world security back. She and Jack O'Neill went way back, which was why he had come to do the ceremony for her. His official capacity and a personal favour for an old friend. She therefore took his disappearance on her base personally. “Can I get you some coffee while we wait?”
Mulder looked at her. “Actually we'd rather just get on and…”
Jameson cut him off. “Agent Mulder I would rather just go through this the once. Colonel Mitchell's team is due to touch down in the next ten minutes. I am sure that won't make much difference to your investigation.” Her tone was probably sharper than it needed to be, but she'd learnt early on in her career that in order to get the respect she wanted she had to put her foot down and stick to her guns.
Mulder just nodded. “Coffee would be good, thank you.” According to what he'd read this general had two nicknames. KK, which only a select few of her peers called her; to everyone else she was the Ice or Iron Maiden. One of the toughest to work for but someone who stuck by her men no matter what, the type of warrior you were glad was on your side.
--- --- ---
Mitchell led the others down the corridors. “This place hasn't changed,” he commented.
“Been here before?” Daniel asked.
“Tech school,” came the reply. “I know the triangle like the back of my hand.”
“The triangle?” Sam repeated.
Mitchell nodded. “Student area. So called because from the air it looks like one. Tell you my instructor was one tough SOB. If you got on the wrong side of him you'd know it. His favourite…”
“Airman Mitchell!” came a voice. “Fancy doing another 20 laps in full BDU's with a 75lb pack?”
Mitchell rolled his eyes slightly then turned smiling. Even if it didn't reach his eyes. “Actually that's Lt Colonel, Captain,” he said, catching the rank insignia on the other man's shoulder.
“And still answering back,” Merrick commented.
Mitchell saluted and then introduced him the rest of his team. “This is Captain Merrick, said instructor.”
Sam saluted him.
Merrick returned the salute. “So what are you doing back here Mitchell?” he asked. “They fed up with you at NORAD already?”
“Not exactly. Just following orders.”
--- --- ---
Jameson looked up. “Come in.” She watched as the door opened and four people came in. Two in dress blues and the other in plain green BDU's. She stood up and returned the salute two of them snapped off. “Colonel's Mitchell and Carter I assume?” she said. “And Dr Jackson and Mr Teal'c.”
Mitchell nodded. “Yes Ma'am.”
“Have a seat,” Jameson indicated the other chairs round the desk. “Can I get you some coffee?”
SG1 nodded and Jameson poured the coffee while introducing the FBI officers.
Teal'c looked at them closely, concluding they looked nothing like they did on the TV.
Mulder looked them over then turned back to the General. “So General… what can you tell us about General O'Neill's disappearance and the other ones?”
Jameson picked up her coffee and began speaking. “The first disappearance was just over a week ago. It started with little things, the odd piece of equipment, that kind of thing.”
“Do you keep records of who takes what out?” Scully asked.
Jameson nodded. “Each piece of equipment was logged out to the same group of cadets.” She slid a series of folders across the desk, making sure everyone had one. “Each cadet's file is in there. Each one denied losing the equipment and even punishing the entire group seemed to have no effect.”
Mulder looked up from the photos. “Punishing them how?” he asked. “Cat o'nine tails?”
Jameson smiled slightly. “We don't flog people here Mr Mulder. That's the navy. I have far more effective ways of doing things. Restriction of privileges for one thing.” She paused. “More equipment went missing. Then on Saturday AB Steven Tyler vanished.”
Mitchell looked up. “Says here he's a grade A student. Graduated university with honours, never set a foot wrong. Possible officer material.”
Jameson nodded. “That's what we thought. But the last few days, before he vanished he'd been moody and irritable.” She tapped her pen against her coffee cup. “When he vanished we assumed he had gone AWOL and the case was dealt with as such.”
Mulder nodded. “Where was he last seen?”
“Crossing the Triangle on the way back to his quarters. Ten hours later AB Tayca Kaminski vanished. Followed at ten hour intervals by the rest of the group. Each one was crossing the triangle alone at the time. With General O'Neill however it was different.”
Teal'c looked at her. “Different how?” he asked, ignoring the scowl Mulder sent him.
Mulder repeated the question, adamant this was his investigation and he'd handle the questions.
Teal'c opened his mouth to protest but Sam laid a hand on his arm. “Leave it,” she said gently.
Jameson watched them for a moment then answered the question. “General O'Neill was being escorted by three armed SF's when he disappeared.”
Mitchell shook his head. "He just vanished?" he said. "No beams of light or little grey men with no pants on or rings or glowing eyes?" He ignored the looks Mulder gave him, instead focusing on Jameson and her incredulous reaction.
“I beg your pardon Colonel?”
Mitchell looked at her. “The question stands. There is a fair chance that there is more going on here than you think. There are a lot of things happening that you couldn't even imagine in your wildest dreams…”
Keeping her shock off her face Jameson cut him off. "I don't quite know what goes on at NORAD Colonel, but I can assure you that there is nothing like that here!" she told him. "And I would appreciate you not making smart Alec remarks!”
Sam looked at him and put a hand on his arm. “Colonel…” she began.
Mitchell shook her off. “There are a lot of ‘bad guys' out there” he said using his fingers to put quotes round the words bad guys, “who would like nothing more than General O'Neill's head on a platter. And that includes our own government!”
Mulder and Scully exchanged glances but said nothing.
Jameson looked at him. “I am aware of General O'Neill's record Colonel. However I was assured that the team that came to help was the best at what they do."
Mitchell nodded. “We are.”
Jameson pushed her chair back, standing up and pacing over to the window. From her office she could see a fair portion of the base. "There was no light or aliens I can assure you of that. One minute he was there and the next he was gone. My men searched the base several times. He is not here."
Mitchell stood up. "General with your permission I'd like to get down there."
Jameson looked at him. "I had hoped you would have mellowed Col but I see you have not. Sit down."
Mitchell looked at her. "Ma'am?"
"I said sit down Col. I don't know if you treat General Landry this way back at NORAD but there is no way in hell I am going to take it from anyone here!" She paused noting he hadn't sat down. "While you are here you are under my command. You follow my orders or you will end up in the brig just like any one else would. Do I Make Myself Clear Colonel?"
Mitchell nodded and sat down. "Yes Ma'am."
Jameson watched him for a moment then took a deep breath. She looked at Mulder. "Was there anything else you wanted to know?"
Mulder had watched with interest as Jameson had put the upstart officer in his place. He looked back down at the file. "Was there a pattern to the disappearances?"
Jameson shook her head. "No... Well apart from one. The newest piece of equipment vanished first. Newest to the oldest. Same with the students. The oldest being Jack.”
Mulder looked at her. “You know General O'Neill?”
Jameson smiled. “Yeah, Jack and I have been friends for many years.”
Daniel looked at her. “And yet he never mentioned you.”
She looked at him. “Did you mention all your friends, lovers and deep dark secrets to him Dr Jackson?”
Daniel smiled. “No.”
Jameson nodded. “No. Just accept that we are old friends and we are on the same side here. I want him back as much as you do.”
--- --- --- ---
Having left General Jameson's office, Mulder and Scully headed the opposite way to that which SG1 had taken. “What do you think?” he asked her.
“Do I think that Colonel Mitchell really believes in little green men?” Scully asked.
“Grey,” Mulder corrected, just as Scully had known he would. “Little grey men.”
“He seemed pretty sure of what he said. And he didn't appreciate being told to shut up either.”
Mulder shook his head. “No he didn't. Even to the point of disrespecting a superior officer.”
Scully smiled. “I know someone else like that.”
He grinned. “But you're improving with age.” He paused. “I want to see the files on the four of them. And General O'Neill. Find out what he did to annoy the government enough for them to want his head.”
She nodded. “I'll put the request in. Kind of an odd group though.”
“Odd?”
“Mmmmm. Part military, part civilian and yet all working for the Air Force.”
Mulder nodded. “Question is… doing what?”
--- --- ---
Mitchell walked out of Jameson's office. He was furious but doing his best not to show it. The others followed at a safe distance, not wanting to rile him any further. Once they were out of earshot he spun round. “We are not going to discuss it so don't bother.”
Sam and Daniel nodded not saying anything.
Mitchell spun round again heading for the exit.
Daniel looked at Sam. “Oops,” he mouthed.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow. “Oops indeed. Perhaps Colonel Mitchell got out of the wrong side of the bed.”
Daniel shrugged. “Well whatever's bothering him… lets just find Jack and get out of here.”
They followed Mitchell out into the bright sunlight and onto the triangle. They saw the two FBI agents coming across towards them from the other way and Sam raised a hand in a wave to them. She could see Mitchell out of the corner of her eye. Then suddenly she stopped and turned looking at him fully. There was a shimmering around him. “CAM!” she shouted and started running. But it was too late. Before she had even got three paces Mitchell had vanished.
--- --- --- ---
Mitchell turned round to glare at Sam. “What now?” he began. Then stopped short as a wave of dizziness made him fall to his knees. “Oh…” he gasped. He felt strong arms grip him and helped him up and over to a chair. Then his head was pushed between his knees.
“Deep breaths Colonel,” a voice told him. “The disorientation will wear off in a few.”
Mitchell just sat there feeling sick and totally stupid. He was a fighter pilot and he felt as sick as a kid on his first attempt at 3 G's. Finally the nausea passed and he opened his eyes. “Where…?” he began looking up. Then he did a double take. “General O'Neill Sir.”
Jack nodded. “Colonel Mitchell. Well it's not much but welcome.” He indicated the room.
Mitchell looked round, taking in the others in the small room. He nodded to them. The missing cadets he thought to himself. Unfortunately that meant that he was now missing too. He looked at Jack. “I take it there's no way out,” he said.
Jack shook his head. “Nope… well not that we've found yet. But we're still looking.” He lowered his voice. “I assume they sent all of SG1?”
Mitchell nodded. “Yeah. Could have done without the FBI though.”
“FBI?”
“Apparently you qualify as an X File now Sir.”
Jack laughed. “Fancy that.”
Mitchell looked at him. “So just how do you know General Jameson Sir? She said you were old friends.”
--- --- --- ---
The five of them stood in the middle of the triangle. Mulder took a deep breath. “Okay I'll say it. He just vanished right in front of our eyes.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah… kind of shimmered first.”
“Shimmered how?” Scully asked taking notes in her little black book.
“Like in the desert or when looking at the engines of an airplane, kind of a heat haze.”
Mulder looked thoughtful. “So whatever is making these people vanish uses a tremendous amount of energy.”
Sam nodded. She looked at Daniel. “Shame we can't call in the cavalry. Some of the technology might be very useful about now.”
Daniel nodded. “Oh yeah.”
Teal'c came back over to them. He had been scouting the area. “Colonel Carter,” he said suddenly. “What time does your watch say?”
Sam looked at it. “It's stopped,” she said. “Must be the battery.”
Mulder looked at his watch. “Strange… so's mine.”
Scully and Daniel checked their watches too. They had also stopped. “That's interesting,” Daniel said. “That's almost the exact time Mitchell disappeared.”
Mulder looked at Teal'c. “Why did you ask about the time?”
“The clock on the tower has also stopped,” Teal'c pointed out. “According to the cadet I spoke to it stopped working a week ago. When the first disappearance occurred.”
Mulder looked at Scully.
She shook her head. “It's not aliens,” she told him. “That's always your first thought and it never is. There is a perfectly reasonable scientific explanation for this and you know it.”
He sighed. “And you'll find it,” he said. “Or you'll think you find it.”
Teal'c looked at her. “Why discount aliens?” he said. “Do you not believe in the existence of life on other planets?”
Scully laughed shortly. “Just because they exist on the TV doesn't mean they are real.”
“Until this morning I believed the X files was merely a TV programme,” Teal'c said.
She shrugged. “The truth's out there,” she said.
“Trust no one,” Teal'c responded.
Sam shook her head and turned to Mulder. “It would take an awful lot of electromagnetism to do this,” she said thoughtfully.
Mulder nodded. “They'd need a transmitter or something.” He looked round wondering where it would be.
Sam pulled out her phone. “Let me just check something.” She moved away three paces and dialled. “General Landry… Colonel Carter. I need you to check something for me please Sir…” She moved away a little, her face mirroring her expressions.
Daniel moved over to her side. “Sam?” he asked.
She put a hand over the phone, filling him in quickly. Just as she got to the interesting part she gasped slightly dropping the phone.
Daniel watched helpless as she vanished, crying her name as she did so. He picked up her phone. He could hear Landry calling her name. “Uh Sir, its Daniel. Sam's just vanished. Just like Mitchell and the others did.”
He moved the phone away from his ear slightly. “Yes Sir. She told me some.” He listened and then nodded. “Will do. Thank you.”
He closed the phone and then went back over to the others. “Landry is going to triangulate the signal for us.”
Mulder looked at him. “From Cheyenne?” he asked.
Teal'c nodded. “Deep Space Radar Telemetry,” he intoned.
“Yeah right,” Mulder said. “Your cover story needs a little work.”
Daniel laughed. “That's what Sam's Dad says. He's on his way over incidentally.”
Scully looked sceptical. “Colonel Carter's father is coming?”
“Major General Jacob Carter is indeed the expert on such matters… after ourselves.” Teal'c looked at her, almost daring her to argue.
Mulder nodded. “And he'll be here when?” he asked.
“Within an hour,” Daniel said.
--- --- --- ---
Sam came too to find herself lying on her side with an all too familiar face peering down at her. “First time for everything Carter,” he said.
Sam pushed herself up slightly holding her head. “For what Sir?” she asked.
“First time you ever threw yourself at my feet.” He paused. “Joking aside are you okay?”
She nodded. “Headache but I'm fine.”
Jack helped her up and over to a chair. “I assume you know Col Mitchell.” He swiftly introduced the cadets to her. “This is home such as it is. We get brought something to eat twice a day, let out to use the restroom twice a day and get a shower once every other day. So as far as being held captive goes it's pretty good.”
Sam looked at him reading between the lines. “Yes Sir.”
Mitchell looked at her and then came over. “Sam I…”
Sam looked at him. “What is with you?” she hissed. “Get out the wrong side of the bed or something?”
“I'm sorry… bad day. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. This place just has some very unhappy memories associated with it that's all. Merrick for one thing, he has the ability to make me feel six inches high.” He raised his voice slightly. “Glad you're okay.”
--- --- --- ---
Jameson watched them from her office window. She'd seen the other two vanish and knew things were only going to escalate. A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie. “Come.”
Jacob opened the door and went in. “General,” he said formally, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth.
Jameson beamed. “Jacob,” she said moving over to him. She hugged him forgetting for a moment he outranked her and both being in dress uniform a salute would have been more appropriate. “It's good to see you,” she said.
Jacob hugged her back. “You too KK,” he said. “You don't look a day older.”
“Flatter,” she said. “How many years has it been now?”
Jacob shook his head. “Too many,” he told her. He looked at her trying to work it out.
Jameson looked at him. “Try 10,” she said. “That awful function at the Pentagon. Horace over did the punch too much.”
Jacob laughed. “I remember.” He sobered slightly. “I was sorry to hear about your Dad hon.” He had served with her father in Nam and kept in touch with him and his family.
Jameson nodded. “It was very sudden at the end. How he would have wanted it.” She paused. “So what brings you down here if not to catch up then?”
Jacob looked at her. “I need to know what's happening here.”
She filled him in as much as she could.
He nodded. “I'd best get down there. Hopefully with this equipment I have we'll find them quickly.”
Jameson nodded. “I hope so.” She paused. “Is Colonel Carter…?”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah she is. I'll keep you posted.” He left the office. <Sel?>
<She's not hiding anything> Selmak replied. <I'd bet a month's chocolate ration on it.>
Jacob laughed. <Against a month of coffee?> he said hopefully.
Selmak replied with something very rude and unrepeatable.
Jacob made his way out to where the others were standing.
Daniel introduced him to Mulder and Scully and then filled him in.
Jacob tucked his emotions firmly away. He'd been worried sick when the message came that Sam had vanished. Selmak had done some to calm him but all he wanted to do was find her. He'd come by gate and then used one of the death gliders that the SGC had to do a reconnaissance of the area. He'd then flown one of the jets down from Peterson.
He pulled the scanner from his pocket and turned it on.
Mulder looked at him. “What's that?”
“Picks up strong electromagnetic fields… over there.” He pointed with his free hand. “There's your transmitter.”
Daniel followed his gaze. “The clock tower?” he said.
Jacob nodded. “We knew it had to be here on the base from the readings we took on the way here.”
Teal'c looked at him. “Then we should check out the clock…” Suddenly his form shimmered as did Scully's and the two of them vanished.
“Oops” Daniel said. He looked at Jacob. “What does the reading say?”
Jacob looked at the scanner. “Increase in EM field, this one is strange… it's almost as if…” He glanced up at the office building.
Jameson noticed him watching her and drew away to one side.
Jacob looked back at Daniel. “We're being watched,” he said. “And I bet overheard too. I guess the others vanished when they discovered or worked something out am I right?”
“Sam was yes… the others I don't know.”
“We need to move… Now!”
The three men moved quickly as the air around them shimmered and a blast of heat swept towards them.
<That was close!> Selmak commented.
Mulder took a deep breath. “I think its time we talked to General Jameson again.”
Jacob nodded. “It is.” He looked at Daniel. “Take this and go and check the clock tower.” Jacob headed back across to the office. It was time someone started telling him the truth about what was going on.
--- --- ---
Daniel swiftly made his way to the clock tower. The scanner indicated that the signal was there and getting stronger the closer he got to it. The door to the clock tower was unlocked and he swiftly climbed the stairs. There was at least one guard on the upper levels that he could see. He drew the zat from under his jacket and activated it. Then he moved swiftly up the stairs taking out the guard he knew was there and the other two he had expected but not seen.
Then he pushed the door open… to find an empty room. He looked round. No sign that anyone had ever been here. He searched for the source of the signal and found it located behind a panel in the corner of one room. He deactivated it quickly and then headed back across to find Jacob.
--- --- ---
Jacob looked at Jameson. He heard Mulder come in behind him and shut the door.
Jameson looked at the two men. “What can I do for you?” she asked.
“I want the truth this time,” Jacob said.
“I told you all I know,” she began.
Mulder looked at her. “Well I don't think you did,” he said. “Your relationship with General O'Neill for one thing.”
Jameson looked at him. “My relationship with Jack is none of your business,” she snapped.
Mulder leaned on the table. “I disagree,” he said. “General O'Neill comes here to do a ceremony for you and vanishes. He's head of homeworld security. The President is concerned. I have to find him. You and he have a past….”
“We know each other,” she replied evasively.
“Obviously,” Mulder replied sarcastically.
Jacob looked from Mulder to Jameson. “KK just be straight with us,” he said quietly.
Mulder shot him a look then returned his gaze to Jameson. “Know him as in…” he asked.
“As in the Biblical sense of the word,” Jameson said. “Is that what you want to hear?”
Jacob intervened again. “There's no need...” he began.
“How long ago?” Mulder asked.
“Before he was married,” she told him. “We remained friends… close friends. A few times since his divorce… you want the dates and times too?”
Jacob smiled inwardly as he noticed Mulder shake his head. “Was that the reason you asked Jack to the ceremony?” he asked.
Jameson shook her head. “No I'm seeing someone else now. He did it as a favour for old time's sake. Plus I think he was pleased to get out of his office for once.”
Mulder wandered over to the window. “Nice view… you can see the entire triangle from here.” He paused. “So General O'Neill is an old friend and General Carter is…”
“A friend of her fathers,” Jacob said firmly. He moved over to Jameson. “KK is there anything else?”
Jameson paused. “Well… thing is …”
Mulder turned round and looked at her. “Go on…”
There was a knock on the door. Jameson looked up. “Come.”
Daniel came in. “I thought I should tell you what I found,” he said.
Jacob nodded. “Sure.”
Daniel filled them in on what the clock tower contained. “I deactivated it for now, figured at least that way no one else will vanish.”
Mulder nodded. “Good idea. Any idea who could have done it?” He looked at Jameson. “Who has access to that area?”
“Maintenance but its not off limits,” she said. “It's sometimes used for training…” She walked over to the files and pulled the drawer open. “This goes no further than this room,” she said. She waited until the three men nodded before crossing over to the desk. She laid the file on the desk.
Mulder looked at the name on the file. “Who's this?” he asked, starting to flick though it.
“Captain Gavin Merrick, he's been one of our training officers here for years.”
“Merrick,” Daniel said. “Met him earlier. He and Colonel Mitchell knew each other.”
Jameson nodded. “Mitchell did his tech school here. He would have trained under Merrick.”
Jacob looked over at the clock tower. “Is that him?” he asked.
Jameson crossed over to him. “Yeah… he has no reason to be there now though, he is meant to have a class now.”
“Maybe he's checking something in the tower,” Daniel said. “Have you got his duty rota for the last couple of weeks?”
Jameson nodded and pulled out the folder. “Here.”
Mulder picked it up and looked at it. “Interesting,” he said. “Can I cross reference this with the file of the times people vanished?” He took the file Jameson offered.
Jacob watched as he read and compared the two. “What?” he asked wondering if they were thinking the same thing.
Mulder laid the files on the table and the three men poured over them for a minute. “Here, here and here,” Mulder said pointing.
Jameson glanced over at them and then watched as Merrick came out of the clock tower looking rattled. She glanced over at Daniel. “How exactly did you disable it?” she asked.
Daniel smiled slightly and pulled a chip from his pocket. “Like this,” he said.
Jacob laughed. “You been hanging around Sam too long,” he said.
Merrick glanced up at the office window and then pulled out his cell phone. When it connected he spoke quickly. “This is Merrick… put me through to him… I don't care, put me through now.”
Jameson watched him. “Can you get a tap on a phone done fast?” she asked.
Mulder looked out of the window. “It will take a while to set up but yeah… I can also get his call records.”
--- ---
Jacob sat in the car outside the officer's quarters. He looked at Mulder as he got in the car and held out the cup. “Thanks,” he said taking it. He took the lid off.
“It's chocolate,” Mulder said. “Dr Jackson said you were allergic to coffee.”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah, thanks.” He sipped it. “So what's next?”
Mulder took a long drink off his coffee. “Well once the phone records arrive we can find out who he was calling and…” he broke off as there was a tap on the window.
Daniel handed him a file through the window. “Just came in,” he said. “Thought you'd want to see them.”
Mulder looked at them. “This makes no sense…”
“May I?” Jacob held out a hand.
Mulder handed the file over.
Jacob rolled his eyes as he read the paper. “Just what we need,” he muttered.
Daniel nodded. “That's what I thought.”
Mulder looked from one to the other. “Did I miss something?” he asked.
Jacob looked up. “Merrick's NID,”
“And I bet General Jameson doesn't know,” Daniel said.
“We go now,” Mulder said.
--- ---
As the door opened, Mulder barrelled through grabbing the man standing there and pushing him against the wall. He put an arm across his throat, taking in the fact he wore a towel round his waist and nothing else.
“Gavin?” called a voice from the direction of the bedroom. “Who is it?”
Merrick grunted slightly trying to move Mulder's arm from across his throat. “Everything's fine honey,” he managed to reply.
Mulder pushed harder. “Get rid of her and get dressed,” he told him.
Merrick just looked at him defiantly.
Jacob stepped into his field of view. “That's an order Captain,” he said using the tone of voice that usually had the lower ranks running for cover.
Merrick was no exception. He nodded. “Yes Sir.”
Mulder let him up. “Leave the door open,” he told him.
Jacob watched as the young female airman left the apartment, her cheeks burning. He noted how much younger she was than Merrick and was half tempted to say something but it wasn't his place to do so. He'd let Jameson handle her in the morning.
Merrick reappeared, tucking his shirt into his pants. “So what do you want Agent Mulder?” he asked.
Mulder fixed him with a steely glare. “Where are the missing cadets?” he demanded.
“I don't know what you're talking about…”
“Don't give me that! You went to the clock tower then made a phone call when you realised we'd deactivated your equipment.”
“So what if I did?”
Jacob took a deep breath. He was fighting the desire to flatten Merrick against the wall. Selmak wanted to do the self same thing, only she wanted to go one further and do it herself, glowing eyes and all. Jacob managed to persuade her that was a bad idea but she still didn't see why she couldn't. “Just tell us where they are,” he said.
“Or you'll what General?” Merrick taunted. “I know who or should that be what you are.”
Selmak pushed fore and moved swiftly over to Merrick pushing him up against the wall hard, hand tightly round his throat. Using Jacob's voice she hissed in a low voice “Then you know I have friends in high places Captain. You will be best advised to co-operate otherwise things are going to become very uncomfortable for you in the near future.”
Merrick gasped for breath. “Are you… threatening me…?”
“That's a promise… not a threat!” She pulled the gun from her pocket, pressing it against his side.
Daniel moved over to Selmak knowing it was her fore. “Jacob,” he said. “Killing him isn't going to get Sam back.”
Selmak nodded slightly and eased up on her grip. “Then he had better tell me where she and the others are.”
Merrick looked from one man to the other then back at the figure holding him. “No…”
Jacob pushed himself fore. “Fine, then I offer myself in exchange. You know full well I am worth more to you than they are.”
Merrick smiled. “Done.”
Mulder shook his head. “Wait a minute… You can't do that.”
Jacob looked at him. “Yes I can.” He handed Merrick his cell phone. “Make the call.”
Mulder started to argue but Daniel cut him off. “Jacob knows what he's doing,” he said. “Let him do this.”
Merrick dialled the phone. “Yeah this is Merrick. Let me speak to him.” There was a short pause. “Foster… yeah. Yeah I have. He's offered himself in exchange for the others… Of course.” There was a slightly longer pause then he nodded. “Of course.” He closed the phone and handed it back to Jacob. “The triangle now.”
Mulder drew his gun. “After you.”
--- ---
They stood in the centre of the triangle, the only light coming from the few streetlights on the edge of the path.
“Now what?” Mulder asked.
“You'll see,” Merrick said.
There was an immense rush of heat that had all four men dive to the floor to avoid it. When Mulder raised his head Jacob and Merrick had vanished and the missing cadets stood there. Along with the remainder of SG1 and Agent Scully. He scrambled to his feet. “Where's O'Neill?” he asked.
Mitchell looked round. “Not here… where are we?”
Daniel looked at him. “Jacob offered himself in exchange for you guys. Jack was meant to come back with you though.”
Sam looked at him. “Dad did what ?” she asked.
Daniel held his hand up and looked at Mulder. “Now,” he said.
--- ---
Jacob got to his feet slowly. <Sel?> he asked.
<I'm fine… and did you really have to …> she broke off as an all too familiar voice said “Jacob?”
Jacob looked up. “Jack.”
“Where did everyone go?”
Jacob sighed. “It was meant to be me in exchange for all of you.”
“You did what?” Jack asked. “Of all the stupid insane idiotic…”
“Have you finished?” Jacob asked. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Okay let's get out of here.”
Jack looked funny at him. “Don't you think I already tried that one?”
Jacob just smiled. <Go for it.>
Selmak grinned. <My pleasure.> She came fore and raised her left hand and aimed it at the door, blasting it off.
Jack looked at her. “My you're a sneaky one… how long have ya had the ribbon thing then?”
Selmak shrugged. “Never leave home without it,” she said. “We should go.” She headed out into the corridor, Jacob's gun in her right hand. Part way down the corridor she heard someone coming the other way. “In here,” she whispered. She pushed open a door and pulled Jack inside.
A couple of moments later two people walked past them. “You took a huge risk,” one of them said.
“It was an acceptable one. However my cover there is now blown. You can bet word will get back to Jameson.”
“I can handle her. We can ensure her silence and co-operation on the subject.” There was a pause. “There is the slight matter of her son she doesn't want to get out into the public domain.”
Merrick paused. “She has kids?”
“Yes… not that she wants anyone to know. We know where he is and if need be will use him to ensure her silence.”
“Wow. How old is he?”
“Coming up for seven. Cute kid. Doesn't have her eyes though.”
Jack closed his eyes and swore silently.
Jacob looked at him. “Want to tell me something?” he asked.
Jack took a deep breath. <Dates fit> he thought. He shook his head. “No, there isn't.”
Jacob didn't believe him for a moment but respected the other man's privacy. “Alright.”
Jack nodded his thanks and on a count of three they burst into the corridor, taking down the two men standing there.
--- ---
Within minutes the place was swarming with SF's and both Merrick and Foster were in custody. Jameson stood talking quietly to Mulder and Scully and Jack, Jacob and SG1 were standing talking. “That was a big risk you took Dad,” Sam told him.
“It worked kiddo,” Jacob said. “Besides the stakes were high enough to warrant it.” He looked at Jack. “I assume you'll make sure they get locked up.”
Jack nodded. “Planning on throwing away the key,” he said. He glanced over at Jameson. “If you'll excuse me…” He moved over to her.
Mulder and Scully moved over to the others. “So just how did they make people disappear?” Mulder asked.
“Classified,” Jacob said.
Teal'c looked at him. “A modified teleportation beam,” he told him, knowing full well no one would believe him.
Mulder nodded. “Of course it was.”
Daniel smiled. “Need a better cover story huh?”
Jack and Jameson looked at each other. “Why didn't you tell me?”
“What makes you so sure he's yours Jack?” she asked.
Jack shrugged. “You don't seem the type to mess around.”
Jameson smiled slightly. “He's happy as things are now. He adores Rob and Rob adores him.”
Jack nodded. “Well if there is anything I can do…”
She nodded. “I have your number… actually I do have a ceremony coming up in a few weeks. I was wondering if maybe…”
Jack laughed. “Yeah sure…”
Jacob wrapped an arm round Sam. “So how about a nice hot meal?” he asked.
“You paying?” Mitchell asked.
Jacob shook his head. “Selmak is…”
Mitchell did a double take. “He gets paid?”
Jacob laughed.
Sam nodded. “Sure Dad… let's go.”
Fin
© Tels Sept 2006.