Archive of Our Own ^beta

Protecting the Assets

"Would you come with me, please sir?"

Charlie looked up squinting at the man who stood silhouetted against the afternoon sun. The park he was sitting in was public, so he wasn't overly concerned by the man in the dark suit bearing over him.

"You must have me confused with someone else," he said.

"Dr Charles Epps?"

"That's me, but you can't be here for me."

"My name is Agent Bryant, and I have orders to collect you for an appointment."

"I don't have any appointments," said Charlie, laying the book he was reading next to him on the bench. "I'm on sabbatical."

"My orders were very specific sir, and I was told you understood the procedure."

"I do understand," Charlie sighed, "but do you understand that I was charged with a felony, and no longer have security clearance to do anything that requires that procedure."

"Your clearance is not in question here, sir. Please come with me, and I'm sure everything will be explained."

Charlie scowled at Bryant, he'd been enjoying his afternoon in the park, and now it was ruined. He stood up grabbed his satchel and looked expectantly at Bryant.

"This way, sir," said Bryant.

"Don't think I didn't notice that you haven't told me what agency you work for," Charlie scowled again as Bryant crowded in next to him, nearly shoving him back down the path to a waiting black sedan.

***

Larry sat by the fountain on campus at Calsci, contemplating the mathematical equations that governed the ripples of the pennies he was tossing in at intervals.

"I knew Professor Epps wasn't going to let them take his work away from him," said a student walking by Larry recognized him as James from a class he'd had last semester.

"Why?" asked his friend, a serious looking brunette.

"He's too smart, and he was innocent of what they accused him of, that's why they let him go."

"Why are you so sure he's gone back to working with the government?"

"I just saw him sucked up by the men in black a few minutes ago," said James sounding smug.

“No kidding where?"

"At Jessop Park, I saw a big creepy man in a black suit and Professor Epps was just sat there reading and this guy walked up to him, they said a few words and Dr Epps just got up and walked with him to this long black car."

"I'm sorry," said Larry getting up suddenly, "Did you say you saw a man take Dr Epps?"

"Dr Fleinhardt," said James, "Yeah, they both just got up and left."

"That can't be right," Larry said to himself more than the students, "When was this?" he asked.

"About an hour ago, is everything alright Professor?"

"Yes, yes I'm sure it's nothing," he looked up at the boy, "James? Isn't it?"

"That's right, James Breton."

"Sorry to interrupt James," said Larry, "I've got to go."

"That's okay, Professor," said James, but Larry was already gone.

***

Don looked across the bullpen and saw something that he hadn't seen since Charlie had lost his security clearance two months earlier. Larry Fleinhardt was making his way from the Bullpen to the area of cubicles occupied by Don's team.

"Larry!" called Don smiling.

"Don," Larry sighed, "I hate to intrude, but have you heard from Charles recently?"

"I haven't really seen much of Charlie lately," said Don, "I had dinner at the house last night, but he's been camped out in the garage for the last few weeks."

"You haven't seen him today?" asked Larry hopefully.

"No, he's been spending a lot of time on his cognitive emergence stuff like I said, what's wrong?"

"It's probably nothing," said Larry deflecting, "I should try his cell-phone again."

"No Larry, if it was nothing you wouldn't be here."

"Yes, well you know that until recently Charles had one of the highest clearances in the government."

"That was Charlie's choice Larry," said Don stiffly, Charlie’s loss of his clearance was still a sore subject between the two brothers.

"I understand, I do but I don't think Charles really considered the ramifications of losing that clearance. You don't know this, but Charles has disappeared on a handful of occasions."

"What do you mean disappeared?" asked Don.

"I mean puff gone, off the street, pulled out class not to be heard from for several days only to return as if nothing had happened."

"And no one ever reported him missing when this happens?"

"No, the chancellor of the university gets a call, 'Dr Epps has been called away on government duty' No questions asked, highly top secret stuff."

"How come I've never heard of this?"

"It's never come up while you've been around," said Larry, "and like I said it's only happened a few times in the last ten years."

"Charlie never tells you where he's gone?"

"He can't, you know he takes his clearance seriously--took, it seriously."

"Why bring this up now?"

"One of my students saw a man in a dark suit talk to Charles in the park, and he saw the man take Charles and get into a large dark colored car."

"But Charlie, doesn't have clearance to the top secret stuff anymore," Don pulled out his cell phone, and speed dialed Charlie.

"Which is why I am concerned, I had hoped it was one of your people," said Larry. Don frowned as he listened to his cell. "What is it?" Don put the phone on speaker.

"Hi you've reached the voice-mail of Charles Epps. If it's important leave a message, I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks. *beep*"

"That's the message I got an hour ago," said Larry.

"Have you called Amita?" asked Don, "Maybe they went away together?"

"Amita is at a conference all week. I already left her a message to call."

Don dialed again, "Dad, have you seen Charlie?" ..."How long ago?"..."No, it's okay, just have him call me when you see him." Don hung up and sighed, "He went to the park, early this afternoon."

"I'm sure it's the same as it's always been," said Larry, "Just because he lost his clearance doesn't mean they didn't give it back."

"Larry, if you really believed that, you wouldn't be here."

"I know, and despite the lack of rational evidence of foul play, something tells, me it isn't that easy."

"I know me too."

****

Charlie was getting a bad feeling as he slid into the sedan followed snugly by Agent Bryant.

"I'm telling you I don't have security clearance for this stuff anymore."

"Now, now Dr Epps you don't really think we'd let you go just for something little like that now would you?" said a man from the front passenger seat.

A chill ran down Charlie's spine, when he saw who it was.

"Paul," he said, coolly, "I didn't expect to see you."

The man turned in the front seat facing Charlie, "Now, now you know we had an agreement, and it's Agent Grey."

"I lost my security clearance Paul," said Charlie, Grey's left eye twitched infinitesimally whenever Charlie used his given name, it was a small victory of insolence, but Charlie would take every chance he got.

"You're a principled man Dr Epps," Grey continued, "We don't fault you for that, in fact that's why we're so interested in pursuing a relationship with you."

"As usual you aren't listening to the point, Paul. I lost my clearance you can't show anything to me without breaking National Security and committing treason."

"I have special dispensation," said Grey.

"I don't care," said Charlie, "You don't get to do this, that's not how it works. I was stripped of my clearance, because I helped a colleague finish his work that will save millions of lives, neither of us should have ever been arrested, but because I couldn't be seen to get away with pointing out your error, I was label a security risk and you lost the ability to call on me for anything."

"I'm sorry Dr Epps," said Grey, almost smiling, "You seem to be under the impression you have a choice here," Grey's face closed like stone, "You don't."

Bryant reached out and covered Charlie's mouth and nose with a cloth, Charlie struggled briefly, and then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.

***

Don hung up the phone with a sigh as a terrible feeling built up from the pit of his stomach. Charlie was gone, vanished off the face of the earth as far as anyone knew. The university had put Charlie on sabbatical for two months, so they could reorganize the projects that he could no longer work on. Charlie had been taking it all in stride working more with students one-on-one, updating his cognitive emergence theory work, and basically decompressing from the life he'd been leading since being recognized as a genius. Don knew that Charlie missed working with him, and didn't want to impose on his brother for his choice. He dealt with this mostly by totally ignoring Don's job, he didn't visit the office anymore, he didn't ask about the latest case, but he did invite Don and his team over for meals on a regular basis. It was a difficult transition for them all to make especially, since they'd lost Megan as well. Things were settling in though, getting back into a routine similar to before they had Charlie to turn to but it was slow going.

When it happened, Don was mad, at Charlie, at his own government, at himself for not listening but also part of Don was glad his little brother was out of the picture, he'd been getting too much involved in cases recently, becoming too much FBI and less Teacher/Math Genius. It had been getting dangerous, and Don had been looking for a way to get Charlie away from that for months. Now he was gone, and it had nothing to do with the FBI and everything to do with Charlie, a friend of Don's higher up in the agency had managed to get a look at a few memos circulated recently regarding Charlie's status, a key phrase had popped out at Don when he read them. "Highly desirable asset to be maintained at all cost."

********

Larry was standing alone in the park, when Don walked up to him.

"What's up Larry?" asked Don.

"This is where James said Charles was taken from," he said, clearly becoming more worried as the day wore on. "I found this," he gave Don the book Charlie had been reading.

"What is it?" asked Don.

”It's a book, I loaned to Charles a while back, he and I were discussing using astrological data, as key for a cipher program he was using. There's a note inside."

Don opened the book where it was marked, across the page written in quickly sprawled numbers and equations.

"What does this mean Larry?" Larry took the book back and pointed out the words.

"Bryant, procedure 17, and...." Larry paused looking at the numbers.

"What?" Don asked.

"It says, 'Sorry Don'," said Larry.

"He knew that something was up, but he went anyway."

"It certainly looks that way."

"Why would he do that?"

"Speaking from experience, when you are called to 'duty' as it were, you don't actually have much choice in the matter. The fact that Charles was able to stall long enough to write this and this agent was lax enough not to notice it was left doesn't bode well."

"Why?"

"Government agents chosen for this kind of duty are generally fastidious about the secrecy involved. They would have noticed."

"Charlie was testing him."

"Yes."

"This is bad, isn't it?"

"If you have any friends in highly top secret government positions, I'd call them now."

*********

Charlie was warm, and comfortable and sleeping peacefully, or at least he was until the noise. The noise was a scream, or more precisely a loud piercing furious yell that echoed down the corridor outside the room. Following the noise were footsteps running flat-out slapping on the concrete floor. The footsteps, passed by and then there was a shot, BANG! The footsteps staggered with a cry, continued for a few more steps, before stopping with thud.

"Why you sonofabitch!" someone roared from the direction the footsteps had come.

"Bryant!" the reprimand was sharp to the point and Charlie knew it was Grey. "Damn it! I told you he was not to be harmed."

"He broke my fucking nose!" said Bryant. Both men were stood directly outside Charlie's room and so perfectly audible despite the thick door in the way.

"I told you to be careful," said Grey.

"You told me he was an archaeologist!" Bryant cried, "How was I supposed to know he'd fight the grab."

Grey sighed, clearly running low on patience, "Get some bandages and put him in with the professor, I'm sure they'll appreciate each other's company."

Shortly after that Bryant, sporting a bloody nose and two rather large men Charlie hadn't seen before came in dragging a tall man with sandy brown hair, his left shoulder was saturated in blood but he was still struggling against being held, he was thrown without ceremony to the floor. A selection of bandages, cotton pads and tape were tossed on the bed where Charlie was now sat.

"Here," said Bryant his voice sounded wet and nasal, "help him."

Charlie scowled at him, but said nothing.

"Suit yourself," said Bryant, "but he's losing a lot of blood and either way you're both staying in here."

Charlie visibly shivered at the thought of having to sit and watch this man die and then be left with his dead body. Bryant smiled, and turned to leave, he gave the man on the floor a vicious kick to the ribs, before finally walking out with his men. Charlie stood up immediately collecting up the medical supplies and knelt next to the man.

"Are you okay?"

The man rolled over on to his back with a groan, "I'm just peachy," he said with a grimace.

"Right," said Charlie, "Stupid question." The man was wearing a loose white shirt that was almost half covered now in blood. "This will hurt," said Charlie as he pulled the shirt aside and pressed one of the cotton cloths to the wound. The man groaned and gritted his teeth; his shoulders came up off the floor in reaction. "The bullet went right through, so I'm going to have to bind your whole shoulder to try and stop the bleeding," The man nodded through his grimace. Charlie tended to the man's wound in silence then and when he was done he sat back looking at his fellow prisoner. He was pale, from the blood loss and trying to hide how much pain he was in, but Charlie could see it was a lot.

"This is good," said the man flexing his arm slowly.

"I work with the FBI, I took First Aid," said Charlie.

"FBI?" he asked cocking an eyebrow at Charlie.

"I consult, did consult, I'm a Mathematician."

"A Mathematician that works with the FBI?"

"Yeah."

"No stranger than an Archaeologist that works for the Air Force I guess," he said with shrug. Charlie blinked. "Okay, maybe mine's a bit stranger," He flexed his arm again looking around the room.

"I'm Charlie."

The archaeologist looked back at him his expression blank, "Daniel," he said.

"Why don't you sit up on the bed, it's a lot more comfortable than the cold floor," Daniel looked carefully from the bed to Charlie and back again and then nodded. He managed to get himself to his knees but he had to lean heavily on Charlie to stand up and he was very pale and out of breath when they finally made it to the bed.

“So what are you in for?” asked Daniel, with deep sarcasm.

“I’m a security risk, and an irreplaceable national asset.”

“Wow,” said Daniel, “I’m just a pain in the ass.”

Charlie grinned at him and sat on the other end of the bed. “I think I got that from what you did to Agent Bryant.”

Daniel, paused as if trying to figure out what Charlie meant, and then it dawned on him, “Oh, Bryant, was that his name? We never did get to the introductions, but as for the bloody nose, well you jump a guy in the street, especially one who’s been doing what I have for the last ten years and you can’t expect him to just go down.”

Charlie looked down at the covers and tried to pick some imaginary lint off the covers.

“Oh, sorry,” said Daniel, “I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay, I wasn’t attacked, but the protocol was off, there wasn’t a lot I could do about it, I hoped it was a mistake that no one had told them. I should have known better.”

“Oh, you’re one of those ‘it’s a matter of national security’ scientists they pluck off the streets now and then.”

“Yeah,” said Charlie, “but I lost my clearance, I should have been struck off those lists.”

“You lost your clearance?”

“I consult with my brother at the FBI, they had a case involving supposed Terrorism, in the mix of it a colleague of mine got falsely accused of sending dangerous information overseas, they refused to see differently even when I proved that the terrorism link was false, so I finished my friend’s work by sending the remaining information to the same places. I was arrested but I proved that the information wasn’t dangerous, that it would save lives.”

“But even though you were innocent they had to punish you for questioning them, so they took away your clearance,” Daniel sighed, “but now they have something for you, and they’re realizing that the clearance is a bigger loss for them than it is for you.” Daniel smiled, “The US government hell bent on biting the nose off to spite the face.”

“I guess so,” said Charlie, “Except now I’m here, this isn’t like any other time I’ve been brought in to help.”

“I would imagine not,” said Daniel, “officially, they can’t trust you with the secrets anymore, but they still want your expertise. They can’t admit fault, they can’t give you back the clearance, and trust you to return to your life.”

“So?” asked Charlie.

“So, they won’t let you,” said Daniel, he looked at Charlie his eyes full of sympathy and understanding.

“They can’t do that!” cried Charlie, “I have rights!”

“I have learned in my tenure, that the United States government can and will do whatever it pleases as long as, A) The cost to benefit ratio is heavy on the benefit, B) No one knows about it and/or C) There are big shiny weapons involved,” Daniel said pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, you’ve gotten involved in this Charlie, and I’ll do my best to get you out.”

Charlie looked at Daniel incredulously, the man was pale, and sweating from his exertions and despite the bandage now staunching the flow of blood, there was a not inconsiderable stain of blood on the floor the cell. “You’ve lost a lot of blood,” said Charlie, “Maybe you should lie down.”

“Oh, this?” Daniel snorted, “I’ve had worse, and in fact I was shot in the same shoulder, two years ago, by my best friend no less,” Daniel seemed to find this funny, but Charlie was a little disturbed. “He had a good reason for it,” said Daniel, “but I can’t tell you, about it, that’s classified.”

“I’m sure, your friend had a good reason for shooting you,” said Charlie, he stood up and seeing Daniel was about to pass out he helped him lie down. Daniel’s eyes were drooping, but he was fighting the fatigue.

“If he hadn’t I’d be dead,” he whispered, “Sometimes I wish he wasn’t such a good shot.” A final sigh escaped as Daniel lost consciousness. Charlie sat at the end of the bed, by Daniel’s feet, and tried to reconcile the man with his words. An archaeologist, working with the Air Force, in secret, where his friend had to shoot him so he wouldn’t die and having had worse injuries than being shot. Charlie looked at the unconscious Daniel and only a saw a very tired injured man, about the same size and age as his brother.

*****

Major General Jack O’Neill sat in his office, a plush suite in the D-ring of the Pentagon, and went about his morning business, which was mostly reading files and signing that he’d read the file and understood what it said. Jack worked diligently as he tried to get through as many files as he could before the phone rang, and it would ring, it always did. It was actually a good two hours before the intercom buzzed and his assistant told him that he had a call, from General Landry, Jack glanced at his watch in wonder, it was almost a record, he thought before accepting the call and hitting the speaker button.

“Hank,” said Jack warmly, “what can I do for you today?”

“You can tell me what the hell is going on Jack!” cried Landry.

“You’ll have to be more specific, Hank, there’s a lot of stuff going on, I’ve just been reading all the fascinating files you guys like to send me.”

“Why do I have to hear about Jackson’s transfer, only after he’s been put on the plane?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I had a Major Bryant of the NID in here telling me that Dr Jackson had been reassigned effective immediately!”

“Reassigned to where? I haven’t heard anything about this!”

“I don’t know the papers I have are non-specific only, that ‘due to the now neutralization of the Ori threat, Dr Jackson’s position has been reassessed’. That’s verbatim Jack, Bryant said they’d picked Jackson up this morning and put him on a flight to his new assignment. You’re telling me you don’t know anything about this?”

“Hold on a second Hank,” Jack hit the intercom button on his phone, “Marie, I’m going to need a car and a flight to Colorado in the next few hours, please. Oh and I’m going to want to speak to Agent Barrett and Lt Colonel Davis before I go.”

“I’ll arrange it sir,” said Jack’s assistant. Jack started going through his inbox.

“What are you thinking Jack?” asked Hank. Jack pulled out a folder from the stack and glanced through it.

“I’m thinking we got played Hank, and we need to figure out who has Daniel and why, and we need to find out fast.”

“Why?”

“Because I just found the last evaluation sent to me by the IOA, it expounds the great Dr Jackson and his irreplaceable skill sets.”

“So?”

“There’s a final note from the Chinese Ambassador complementing Dr Jackson’s open mind and willingness to work outside military mindset, and outside of its control.”

“You’ll have to translate that one Jack; I’ve been negotiating with aliens more than Washington politicians lately.”

“It means she thinks he’ll work with anyone, as long as he can do his work. I know the Chinese were interested in taking control of the gate, she may have approached him and knowing Daniel he’d tell her about how much the gate is an asset to humanity, and not just one nation.”

“They think he’ll jump ship, if he can’t work with what we’ve got.”

“They think he’s a threat, but still a valuable asset, they’ve put him in storage Hank and we need find out where.”

“Where would you put an errant and highly intelligent scientist, who you couldn’t trust?”

“Damn it!” Jack cursed, and shuffled around with more of his folders. “I got a memo from the DOD about reallocating some of the SGC’s assets to one of their sites for more in-depth research,” Jack scanned, the page, “They used Daniel’s ID code instead of his name.”

“Does it say where they’re reallocating him to?” asked Hank his voice dripped with distain.

“No, but the report indicates a second asset due to be reallocated.”

“Is this asset another person?”

“It was scheduled for pick up outside Calsci University yesterday, so I’m thinking yeah, it’s another hapless security risk too smart for his own good.”

“Can you find out who it is? Maybe someone saw something on their end.”

“If they’re any good there’ll be no trace, but it depends on how sanctioned these acquisitions are, I’ll look into it.”

“Jack, let us handle it, send the information and I’ll have Carter do the search.”

“Why? I can do it.”

“Isn’t it going to look a bit funny that you’re looking into DOD transfer records? Jack we don’t want to tip them off.”

“It’s Daniel; I have to do something.”

“Give us the other asset and you can follow up on the memo, find out if the orders were above board, which we know they aren’t because we’re talking about people here, but there’s always a paper trail and your position will give you avenues we can’t explore from here.”

Jack sighed, “Tell Carter that she’s going to get leave to visit her brother, in San Diego, but to expect a long layover in LA. What about Teal'c is he still aboard the Apollo?”

"Yeah, he wanted to get a better feel for flying human space vessels, they're on the way back from Atlantis now."

"How far are they out?"

"At least a week, and the Daedalus is still at Atlantis."

"We have no way of tracking his locator without a ship in orbit," Jack sighed again, "Tell Carter to do what she can and I'll see what I can do from here."

“It’s the right thing to do Jack, we’ll find him.”

“You better,” said Jack and hit the hang up button. Then he turned to his computer that stored all the electronic copies of all the memos on his desk and quickly e-mailed the necessary information to Landry’s secure address. Then he ran a scrub program that Sam had given him for his birthday that erased the outgoing mail and replaced it with a couple of innocuous looking memos. Jack’s intercom sounded and Marie’s voice came through the machine.

“General, I have Colonel Davis on line two and Agent Barrett on line four; do you still need a car?” Jack smirked, the woman was too good at her job.

“Thank you Marie, but no, not right now anyway, make arrangements for me to visit the SGC sometime next week, there’s some personnel issues I need to go over with General Landry.”

“Yes, sir,” said Marie and disconnected.

*****

Colonel Samantha Carter sat in the back of a cab and re-read all the information she’d managed to dig up regarding Dr Charles Epps and his FBI agent brother Don. Dr Epps was no less than brilliant, and at first Sam was surprised that he hadn’t been offered a position at the SGC or even in Atlantis, and then she’d found the report on his background check, too many worldly ties, that would prevent him from making the necessary commitments to the program, ties that included an ailing, now deceased mother and grieving father and a newly un-estranged brother.

Sam closed the file and stepped out of the cab, she had also found that brother Don had been looking in some very high places for his baby brother, and risking a lot to do it on company time. Sam made her way through security and up to the floor where she knew Agent Epps ran his team. She wasn’t surprised when Epps was there to meet her, when the elevator doors opened.

*******
“What can I do for the Air Force?” asked Don, his arms crossed over his chest.

Sam who had been beating her head against this kind of misogynistic brick wall for most of her adult life, smiled, and said, “You can help me find my friend and your brother, or I can report to your superiors that you’ve used government resources to try to gain access to classified government assets.”

Don froze, and then he frowned, “What do you mean, help you find my brother?”

“And my friend,” said Sam quickly checking her watch, “why don’t we go for a walk?”

“Why don’t we talk in my office?” asked Don, trying to regain his footing.

Sam sighed, “Look I have a localized signal jammer going, but any device manufactured after 1986 is going to be able to break through the static in about 60 seconds I prefer we talk about this stuff on the move.”

“You’re going to have to explain that last statement to me.”

Sam checked her watch and started walking towards the stairwell; Don had no choice but to follow. “My scans indicated this whole building is wired for sound and a good portion for video too.”

“You mean…” Don trailed off as they started down the stairs at a quick pace.

“Every light fixture, every wall socket, every computer, and every phone line, most of them are domestic, NSA, CIA, FBI, but…”

“Wait, FBI? We’re bugging ourselves?”

“Why are you surprised?” asked Sam looking back, “Last year you had a triple agent on your team.”

“Agent Granger is a good man he acquitted himself well in a bad situation.”

“Yeah,” said Sam, “he’s one of the good ones, one of the smart ones.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He got out.”

They finally reached the ground level and walked out the emergency exit door, into the street outside. “Come on, I want to get as far away from here, as possible.”

“We can take my car,” said Don pointing back to the garage.

Sam rolled her eyes, “Have you just ignored everything I’ve said?”

“You mean my car is bugged?” Don hissed.

“You have a built in GPS?” asked Sam and Don nodded, “You have a cell phone?”

“Of course,” said Don.

“Give it to me,” said Sam holding out her hand, Don took his cell out but hesitated, “For crying out loud,” said Sam and grabbed the phone, she pulled the battery pack and took out the SIM-card, and then she peeled a paper thin film off the card.

“What is that?” asked Don.

“That is what I was afraid of,” Sam sighed she let the film float away, and reassembled Don’s phone. “Leave it off,” she said as she handed it back to him, “it can still be tracked the old fashioned way, but only if it’s turned on,” Don took the phone back slightly horrified by the situation, and would have said something to Sam, except she was already off and down the street. Don followed her quickly. They were three blocks over before he caught up and only because she stopped, in front of a tiny, off-brand coffee shop.

“Will you quit walking off like that,” Don growled as he came up beside her.

Sam smiled, “Want a coffee?” she asked.

********

Daniel groaned and rolled over, almost rolling off the cot he was lay on. There was a jarring clang, and Daniel looked up. A man, stood behind the bars looking at him, he was tall, slim had blond hair and a kind face, but what was most important to Daniel was he was drinking something.

“You awake?” asked the blond man.

Daniel blinked and tried to get himself more awake than he was, “Is that coffee?” he asked, his nose twitching. The man behind the bars smiled.

“You know that’s practically the same thing I said when I first got here,” Daniel forced himself to sit up, the pain in his shoulder was surprisingly less and he realized, first he’d been changed into a grey overall, and second he was in a cage, in a rustic looking building.

“Where am I?” he asked. The man, who Daniel now realized was wearing a tan uniform, looked as if he were about to answer when another man in a dark suit, with a large white bandage across his nose came in.

“That’s classified,” he said in a painfully nasal voice.

“Since when is it classified to people who are recruited?” asked the man in uniform.

“Since I said so, Sheriff,” said Bryant, Daniel remembered that was what Charlie had called him. Charlie! Daniel suddenly remembered his cellmate.

“What happened to Charlie?” he asked.

“He’s none of your concern,” said Bryant.

“Who’s Charlie?” asked the Sheriff, “Is he another recruited researcher for GD?” Then Daniel got it, he’d been taken to one of the DOD’s isolated research posts, in the middle of nowhere, complete camouflage from the outside world and no witnesses if anything went wrong, or right, he thought it depends on which side of the bars you’re on.

“So,” said Daniel, leaning back against the wall, “I’m a researcher am I?”

Bryant smiled coldly, “I think that we have a place for you.”

“I think you have a cage for me,” said Daniel.

The Sheriff frowned, “What does he mean?”

“Dr Jackson is reluctant to work for his country,” said Bryant.

“Dr Jackson was willingly working for his planet when he was abducted off the street, beaten drugged and shot!”

“Hey, now!” said the Sheriff, “You said he was shot by local police, because they didn’t know why they were chasing him!”

Daniel snorted, “I was shot trying to escape at their facility, when they told me what my new assignment would be.”

“And what is that?” asked the Sheriff.

“I’m what you’d call a person of interest,” he said.

“So you’re not a researcher?”

“Not to them, I’m not, to them I am the research,” Daniel sighed shaking his head at the man’s naiveté, “They’re going to study me,” he said, “then when they’ve learned all they can, they’re going to kill me, and study me some more,” The sheriff looked horrified, genuinely stricken, Daniel was gratified to meet at least one person who still thought of him as a person.

“Is that true?” asked the Sheriff.

Bryant shrugged, “I don’t have clearance to know the exact details of Dr Jackson’s new position, but I do know that there are several people interested in what he can do.”

The sheriff frowned at this non-answer, “This is starting to stink a bit much for me,” he said, “I’m going to have my deputy double check your orders, in the meantime, Jackson stays here.”

“I have orders to get him moved on tonight!” cried Bryant.

“Tough,” said the Sheriff, “I’m not in the business of helping kidnappings or murders, not even on the government tab.”

“You can’t do that!” Bryant roared his face was turning wonderful shades of purple and pink.

“I am the Sheriff of this town; this man is in my custody until such time as I know his safety can be assured.”

Bryant took a deep breath and drew his weapon, “He is my prisoner, and you will release him to me this instant.”

The Sheriff took a step back and raised his hands. “That’s just such a bad idea,” he said.

“Unlock, the cell,” said Bryant.

“You’re not walking out of here with him,” The sheriff walked over to a desk and hit a button on it. The cell door unlocked.

“You’re wrong about that,” said Bryant, “walk to me,” he said to Daniel keeping his gun trained on the Sheriff.

“Why would I do that?” asked Daniel, standing, but keeping well back from the door.

“Because if you don’t come with me quietly and quickly, I’m going to shoot the Sheriff.”

“Fine,” said Daniel walking slowly out of the cell, he held his shoulder as it had started to throb again. “Just don’t do anything stupid,” he took another step and risked a glance at the Sheriff, “Well anything else stupid.”

Bryant suddenly went stiff his eyes grew wide and he dropped silently to the ground, revealing beautiful young female deputy holding a huge gun.

“You want to try something?” she asked Daniel cocking the weapon again.

“Definitely not,” he said raising one hand in surrender; in fact he was suddenly very dizzy.

Sheriff Jack Carter watched as Jackson went extremely white, and managed to stride across the room just in time to catch him and lower him to the floor. A hand on the left shoulder that the man had been favoring produced a mild groan, and came away covered in blood.

“Get Allison over here and ask her if Eureka has a cure for a gunshot wound and severe blood loss.”

********

Charlie was in heaven, if heaven were a massive math equation, this was it. He floated along playing with variables, tweaking equalities and basically having the time of his life. Some part of Charlie’s massive brain knew that such calculations required a super computer and there was no way he was manipulating the data in real time just by thinking it, but that part was small and quiet and would be ignored in favor of heaven.

****

Tony, the lab tech tweaked the dials on the monitors, and smiled at the data spilling on to the screen. In the middle of the room, Charlie lay floating in a greenish liquid several dozen leads poked out from the tank and in to the equipment Tony was monitoring.

“He’s amazing,” he said to Grey standing behind him.

“Has he cracked it yet?” asked Grey.

“No, but his stats are off the charts, he has the potential to do this very quickly.”

“That’s good, because I need it in a week.”

“That’s not possible,” cried Tony, “We can’t keep him at these levels for that long, he needs a break.”

“Why?”

“Because, we have no real idea what this is doing to him in the long term, keeping him under longer will just increase the risk we have of causing him permanent brain damage. I recommend limiting the time so we can study the cumulative effects, and avoid burning him out before he finishes.”

“You’ve got three days, if he’s not more than half done by then we’ll need increase his time under.”

“I’m not sure, I’m comfortable with that,” said Tony.

“You’d better get comfortable, or I’ll find someone who is.” Grey glared at the lab tech and stalked out of the room.

**********

Don and Sam sat in the back of the coffee shop, and sipped double shot espressos. Don looked warily at the woman in front of him, she sure didn't look like an Air Force spook, but hell looks can be deceiving, Charlie sure as hell didn't look like a math genius until you heard him talk.

"Daniel would love this place," said Sam suddenly, "He's a connoisseur."

"Daniel?"

"He's my friend, and we work together he was grabbed yesterday morning."

"Charlie was taken, two days ago, what makes you think the two are connected?"

"We were able to link them through a confidential memo sent by the DOD. The memo details the reallocation of certain important and sensitive government assets."

"Government assets? My little brother is not property!" Don practically growled.

"Preaching to the choir here Agent Epps," said Sam, "They pulled a fast one, used the alphanumeric code assigned to each man to get approval for the transfer."

"I don't understand, they took Charlie's clearance, he shouldn't even be involved in this stuff anymore."

" I reviewed his case prior to coming here Dr Epps is a brilliant and principled man. I'd have recruited him myself if his ties to LA weren't so strong." Sam took a long sip of her coffee. Her eyes scanned the room behind Don.

"What do you mean recruited?"

"I'm part of a project in Colorado; Charlie would do very well there."

"How do I know your people haven't snatched him?"

"We checked," said Sam with a grimace, "this is a civilian operation."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry, I've been living under a mountain for ten years, I forget myself sometimes," She flashed him a sheepish smile, "The reallocation memo was issued from the DOD, they don't have clearance for what we do."

"How does the DOD not have clearance for a military operation?"

"We report directly to the White House and the Joint Chiefs."

"What is it you've got my brother mixed up in, Colonel?"

"Don't forget that, my friend has been taken too, and unlike Dr Epps, Daniel didn't go quietly."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that Daniel knew that he wasn't getting away from these people through proper channels, he put up a fight, we found blood and hair at the scene, as well as a message."

"Charlie left a message too," said Don.

"Really what did it say?"

"Bryant, procedure 17,"

"Bryant you're kidding?" asked Sam surprised.

"Yeah, why?"

"That's the same stooge that snowed the General."

"You had this guy and let him go!" cried Don.

"We didn't know what was happening, it's not like they tried to take him on base! Bryant was a fake, it wasn't until he was gone did we realized they'd grabbed Daniel off the street in front of his building."

"Pretty gutsy," said Don.

"Pretty sloppy, if you ask me, Daniel dropped his cup with a chunk of hair off one of his attackers, he also managed to call our emergency line, it activated his tracking beacon, but the signal went dead."

"You lost him."

"We have one other method to track him, but it's going to take another week to get here."

"So what's that?"

"Classified," said Sam, a little smirk on her lips. Don shook his head in disbelief. "Can't be helped I'm afraid, I'll let you know some stuff, but only on an as needed basis."

"I hate this cloak and dagger, stuff," said Don rubbing his face.

"Yeah, me too," said Sam draining her cup, "Come on, we've got to go."

"Where?"

"Show me, where Dr Epps was taken from, and then we'll see."

"There's nothing there, we've been over it."

"I'm a hands-on kind of gal, let's go."

*********

Daniel woke up painfully aware that while it looked like an infirmary and smelled like an infirmary, it wasn't his infirmary, he wasn't waking up from some horrible alien induced nightmare. He was waking up into the middle of it. His wound had been well cared for and his arm was now strapped to his chest, he was actually feeling a lot better than he'd ever felt after having been shot recently. The curtain surrounding his bed was abruptly drawn back to reveal the Sheriff.

“How long have I been out?” Daniel asked.

“Since yesterday,” said the Sheriff, “Feeling better?" he asked smiling.

Daniel nodded and blinked at the man, and looked around him slowly at the bag of liquid above the bed, "These must be the good drugs," he said, as brunette walked into the area behind the Sheriff.

"Drugs and artificial blood," she said, "Eureka has the best there is."

"Eureka?" asked Daniel frowning.

"That's where you are," said the Sheriff, "The town of Eureka."

Daniel sighed and tried to sit up, the woman put her hand on his good shoulder and hit a button on the table to raise the bed, "Thank you," he prompted the woman.

"Allison, Allison Blake, I'm the head of Global Dynamics."

"Thank you, Miss Blake," Daniel smiled.

"Call me Allison, please," she said.

"Allison, I'm Daniel."

"And I'm Jack Carter," said the Sheriff loudly.

Daniel blinked and turned his attention to him, "You're kidding?" he said.

"No," Carter frowned, "why?"

"No reason, the universe has a sick sense of humor that's all," said Daniel.

Allison shot Carter a look, but the Sheriff just shrugged, "Do you feel up to telling us what happened?" he asked.

"I was kidnapped, off the street in front of my apartment," said Daniel, "I fought them as hard as I could but they managed to tazer me. I came to in some kind of facility, I fought them again made a last ditch run for it and got shot for my trouble."

"What happened then?"

"I was tossed into a cell with someone else, a kid named Charlie."

"Charlie, you mentioned him before," said Carter.

"Yeah, he said he was a Mathematician and he consults with the FBI. Bryant didn't bring him here?"

"He didn't bring him to me," said Carter, "I'll look into it though. How many math geeks work with the FBI?"

"How many archaeologists work for the Air Force?" asked Daniel, "For that matter, how many Sheriff's offices have automatic cell doors and routinely stock, non-lethal riot guns?"

"Point," said Carter, "I guess, you're wondering what's going on."

"Can I guess?" asked Daniel.

"Knock yourself out," said Carter with a smile.

"This is some kind of DOD sanctioned scientist's colony, you live and work in the town filled with the best the brightest and the most expensive toys. Global Dynamics is the legitimate face of this town’s endeavors," Carter and Allison, looked stunned. "Am I at least close?" asked Daniel.

"Who are you?" asked Carter shaking his head in disbelief.

"Daniel Jackson," he said, "Pleased to meet you," The other two seemed a little stunned, so Daniel looked around a little and sat up a bit better, "So when can I get out of here?"

"What's your hurry?"

"I was kidnapped, I need to let my friends know I'm okay, before they start an intergalactic incident," Daniel suddenly grabbed the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "Oh, my god, Jack," he moaned running his fingers through his hair.

"What?" asked Carter.

"Sorry, not you, my Jack, those guys had too many resources for a rogue group gone solo they had something sanctioned, which means they got something by Jack," Daniel shook his head.

"Which mean?" asked Carter.

"Which means he's going to be pissed," Daniel almost smiled and then he stopped as if something occurred to him, "Wait, I was your prisoner didn't you scan my fingerprints?"

"That guy Bryant, wouldn't let us near you, said you were too valuable for us to mess with."

"Scan my fingerprints," said Daniel, "They'll verify my identity and it will get the right people moving in the right direction," Allison pulled out what looked like a silver pen, grabbed Daniel's hand and waved the pen over it, a light scanned the pads of his fingers and flicked off. Daniel blinked.

"The best and most expensive toys," said Allison, pulling out what looked like a silver business card, "Dr Daniel Jackson, Born July 6 1965...."

"What else?" Carter leaned over Allison's shoulder.

"That's it; the rest is blacked out, top level clearance only."

"Don't you have top level clearance?" asked Carter.

"Not top enough evidently," Allison shrugged, "I'll make some inquiries."

"Can one of those inquiries be to General O'Neill, USAF, at the Pentagon?" asked Daniel, "Though if I know Sam, they're already on the way here."

"How can they be on the way, we can't even see any contact information!" cried Carter.

"Trust me, pulling my file sent up at least a dozen red flags. If they haven't already back traced you, they will have soon," said Daniel.

"The GD computer system is completely secure, there's no way to hack the system, or at least not that fast," said Allison.

"Didn't Fargo and Zane, hack the system a couple of months ago?" asked Carter.

"Technically, yes, but they already had access to our mainframe, and were familiar with the software," Allison's phone rang, "Allison Blake, yes, what? What's the timetable on that? Great keep me posted," she hung up, with a sigh, "There was a firewall breach, someone spiked my entry into your secured file, and now I have a General O'Neill, on his way from the Pentagon, and a Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, accompanied by FBI agent Don Epps."

"That's where I knew him from!" cried Daniel, "Dr Charles Epps, he's the Friendship Equation guy!"

"The what?" cried Carter.

"Charlie, the guy I was in a cell with, he said he was a mathematician, and that he worked with his brother at the FBI! I knew he looked vaguely familiar, I read an article about him in Vanity Fair ages ago!"

"So Special Agent Epps is Charlie's FBI agent brother," said Carter.

"Exactly, Sam must have made connection between our disappearances."

"Charles Epps? Yes, I have heard of him, he's brilliant," said Allison, "his signature work The Epps convergence, was amazing."

"So why hasn't he been asked to come to Eureka?" asked Carter. Allison referred to her PDA then pulling up Charlie's file.

"We vetted him along with all the up and comers a few years ago, but he's too deeply ingrained in his life in LA."

"That's probably why we didn't get him either," said Daniel.

"What is it that you as an archeologist would do with a mathematician?" asked Allison.

"You'd be surprised," said Daniel, "and I'm not just an archeologist, I'm a linguist too."

"Oh, I get it," said Allison, "You're a cryptographer."

"I've been known to break a code or too in my time," said Daniel smiling.

***********

Sam and Don walked out of the Coffee-Shop just as her PDA buzzed.

"Yes!" cried Sam.

"What is it?"

"They ran Daniel's file."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, I have them."

****

Daniel marveled at the lack of pain in his injury. He flexed his shoulder, and smiled at the nurse as she removed the IV insert and put cotton ball in its place.

"Last time, it took a good week before I could even go without the sling for more than a minute."

"The existing scar tissue served as a partial barrier, and we accelerated the healing with nanite technology."

Daniel grabbed his shoulder suddenly, staring at the woman, "You put nanites in me!" Daniel cried.

"Don't worry, they're perfectly safe and were removed as soon as your tissues began repairing themselves."

"They're gone?" asked Daniel, eyeing the Nurse suspiciously now.

"Completely," she said.

Daniel took a deep breath to calm himself, "Don't you have to warn a guy, when you inject him with experimental medical procedures?" he asked.

"You were unconscious at the time," said Allison as she came into Daniel's bed area, the nurse took the opening and fled, "and the treatment is perfectly safe."

"I just have a phobia of microscopic robots," said Daniel.

"That's very specific," said Allison.

"Are my friends here yet?"

"It's not as simple as that, as I'm sure you know there are procedures."

"Procedures! I was kidnapped!" Daniel cried.

"This is a secure facility, we can't have people just walk in off the street."

"These are people who have the ear of the Joint Chiefs and the President!" said Daniel, "How hard can it be?"

"This is the government we're talking about," said Allison.

"Yeah, the government that probably sanctioned my kidnapping," Daniel looked up at her suddenly, "That's it! They're stalling!" Daniel threw off the covers on his bed, "I have to get out of here."

"You can't leave!" cried Allison, "You've been shot!"

"I know," said Daniel, "I was there," Daniel looked down, he was wearing only pale blue scrubs, "Can I have some clothes, please?"

Allison smiled. Daniel scowled.

"So I'm your prisoner now?" he asked.

Allison's expression softened, "Of course not."

"Well then," said Daniel.

Allison sighed, and stepped back out of the curtained area. There was a brief conference with another person stood there and then she ducked back in. "I'll be right back," she said.

Daniel grinned and sat back in the bed, just then another smaller figure popped through the curtain around his bed.

"Hello," said Daniel to the young boy who stood at the foot of his bed. The boy grinned. "I'm Daniel,"

"I know," said the boy, "man in the stars," Daniel blinked in surprised then he realized that the boy looked slightly altered.

"What's your name?" asked Daniel.

"Kevin Blake," said the boy.

"Really?" Daniel smiled, "Is your mother Allison Blake?"

"She's worried about you," said Kevin.

"Why is she worried about me?" asked Daniel.

"Men have come to take you away."

"Ah, for crying out loud," Daniel sighed, "Hey, Kevin, do you know where to find some clothes for me to wear?"

"There are exercise clothes, in the cupboard."

"Could you get some for me?"

"Your shoulder is hurting," said Kevin.

"It's fine," said Daniel, wondering how the boy knew his wound had started to throb, "Could you get those clothes for me, please?" Kevin blinked and walked out of the enclosure. For a minute Daniel wondered if the boy had just run off back to his mother, until he came back holding a set of blue sweats. "Thank you, so much," said Daniel.

"Put on the robe and go to the bathroom to change," said Kevin, "The men don't like you."

Daniel laughed, "Thanks for the tip," He bundled up the sweats under the thin robe and walked to the bathroom on the other side of the infirmary. He slid inside unnoticed and latched the door. Just then an alarm sounded overhead.

*******

Don looked from Sam, to the road speeding passed, and back at Sam, her face a pale grim stone.

"Tell me again," he said if only to get the situation clear in his head.

"This place is some kind DOD testing ground, they have a restricted airspace. We can't fly in without permission."

"So? You're the super secret spy person can't you sneak us in?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" snapped Sam.

"I don't know!" cried Don, "You threw us into that dinky little plane of yours and flew us to an even dinkier airstrip and now we're driving in the back woods of beyond, and you won't even tell me where we're going!"

"I don't know where we're going!" cried Sam.

"What!"

"This place is highly classified half the people who know about its existence don't know where it is! That's why they think they can stop us from getting there if they stonewall us about the air-clearance."

"But if you don't know where it is, where are we going?"

"We're going to where the signal came from."

"The signal?"

"I tagged Daniel's file, and I tagged Charlie's file, if anyone accessed them I would get an instant feed from the terminal. I got a hit while we were having coffee."

"I remember," said Don.

"Well, about an hour later they pulled Charlie's file, the combo-hit allowed me to get an approximate location of the main-server terminal on the network."

"Huh," said Don, "With this being such super secret government facility I didn't think it would be that easy to track them."

"That sounds easy to you?" asked Sam laughing.

********

Kevin walked into his mother's office and sat down on the couch, the coffee table in front had a note pad on it he picked it up and started drawing. Allison found her son drawing pyramids and circles.

"What's this Kevin?" she asked picking up the drawing of Daniel wearing glasses and a long robes standing in front of a pyramid.

"Man in the stars," said Kevin.

******

Daniel peeked out into the infirmary and saw that the alarm wasn't for him. Some guards had walked straight passed and hadn't even glanced at any of the beds. He snuck out of the bathroom and down the hall, now wearing the dark blue track suit that Kevin had brought him, and unfortunately, barefoot on the cold concrete floor. Daniel was quickly coming to the conclusion he wasn't getting out of the building in a hurry. This place had tight security the doors were all locked with either a card reader or a thumb scanner. He quickly back traced and went into a locker room he'd spotted earlier. A man was in the showers alone Daniel scanned the clothes lay over the bench and quickly dismissed them as too small, including the shoes, he thought with a grimace, but there was an ID swipe card.
Douglas Fargo, Daniel read, and sighed, he'd have to disappear for a while. Daniel collected up all the clothes and threw them into a vacant shower stall and started the shower. "Sorry, Mr. Fargo," Daniel grimaced as he exited the room swipe card in hand.

*****

Sam and Don drove into town, early in the morning, both were exhausted from the all night drive, and both were irritable that all they'd found so far was this sleepy little hamlet, ironically called "Eureka!" Sam's phone suddenly started beeping itself into a frenzy as the two weary people walked into the local diner, Cafe Diem.

"What is it?" asked Don as they sat down at the counter and he ordered coffee for them both. Sam blinked in disbelief at the read-out on her phone.

"Either a really big glitch," she said double checking her results.

"Or?" asked Don.

"Or, we're in the right place," she said smiling at the portly server behind the counter as he set down two cups of steaming coffee in front of them.

"The right place for what?" he asked smiling back. Sam sipped her coffee.

"Wow! The best cup of coffee I've had in two hundred miles!" she said. The man beamed.

"Well, I'm Vincent, this is my place order anything, on the house."

"That's very kind, of you but,"

"But nothing," said Vincent, "anything you want, I can make it."

"Waffles," said Sam, thinking of Daniel, "blueberry waffles, and maple syrup."

Vincent smiled, "Coming right up, anything for you sir?" he asked Don.

"Waffles, sound great!" said Don, "hold the blueberries though."

"I'll be right back!" said Vincent. He zipped away.

"So what's all the beeping about?" asked Don.

"Power readings," said Sam, in a lower whisper, "This town is a mass of energy in constant flux."

"Isn't everyone?" asked Don.

"Not like this, this is fission energy, and I think it's in this building!" Sam hissed, excited despite her exhaustion.

"So you folks just passing through?" asked Vincent appearing with a two plates of perfectly golden waffles and passing back with a coffee pot of refill their cups.

"These look gorgeous," said Sam breathing in the aroma, as Vincent stood by expectantly. "We're actually looking for someone," she said cutting into the waffles reverently

"I know everyone in town," said Vincent, "Who're you looking for?" Sam pulled out a head shot of Daniel, and Vincent picked it up, "Nice," he said, "Boyfriend?" he glanced at Don.

"We work together," said Sam watching Vincent, eyeing the photo.

"Jo," he called to a woman at the other side of the counter, she looked up from her coffee and Sam realized she was wearing a law enforcement uniform, Vincent took the picture to Jo, "This that guy from the other day?" he asked. Jo took the picture, stood up, and walked around to Sam and Don.

"Deputy Jo Lupo," she said, and then held up the picture, "You know this guy?" asked Jo.

"He's my friend," said Sam, "he's missing." Jo stared at Sam for a full minute as if trying to decide something; Sam stared back, without flinching. Jo looked away and pulled out a cell phone.

"Carter," she said making Sam frown, "we've got two more for your party," she paused listening, "How'd he manage that?" she snorted, "Typical Fargo, do they have a bead on him? The place is crawling with cameras! What'd you want me to do with the new comers?" She glanced back a Sam, "They seem different to me. Okay, I'll bring them over." She hung up and turned back to the counter, "Vincent can you pack them up to go, we're meeting in the Sheriff's office in ten."

"Can do," said Vincent and pulled out a couple of boxes for the two meals.

"Who are we meeting?" asked Sam.

"This guy's very popular," said Jo.

"Someone else has been asking about him?" asked Sam.

"Not asking, more demanding their right to him."

"I don't understand," said Sam, "They took him."

"And we took him back," said Jo, "I'll explain when we get over there." She gestured them to leave.

"Here," said Vincent, "I packed you up, and I did you both coffees to go."

"Thank you, so much," said Sam, "What do I owe you?"

“On the house,” said Vincent, “Just come back for dinner and I’ll be happy.

*******
Daniel had to concede the truth-he was lost, he was hopelessly, and utterly lost. This place was a rabbit warren of corridors and tunnels and lab spaces and the more he wandered the more he saw and the more he saw the more he really hoped he was going to find a way out soon! From what he'd seen Daniel thought this place was almost weirder than the SGC! There were robots and clones and animal testing, and human testing and plant testing! There were massive labs filled to the brim with things Daniel didn't even want to know what they were. He shuddered out of one lab and slid his stolen card through the next lock. On the bright side, he seemed to have found a pretty high level security card, there wasn't a door in the place Daniel had been denied access. After seeing some of that stuff Daniel wasn't sure if that was such good thing.

*******

Charlie was dreaming. It was a wonderful amazing dream and he was loving the hell out of it but, he knew that it wasn't real and that he needed to wake up. He didn't want to wake up he'd finally found a world that operated on his level and he loved it! So much, it hurt to think of leaving, but the nagging part of his brain, that sounded suspiciously like Don, said it was too much to be true and it was it so was. The pain as he dragged his mind away from the math was excruciating, his head, as he became aware of it was massive, swollen and sore. His whole body ached with the loss of the numbers, his thoughts ran slow, and slipped by him so fast he couldn't grasp them. He reached as if he could hold on to his thoughts, but something stopped him grabbed him, held him so gently. He couldn't see, Charlie realized, something covered his face gluing his eyes closed, whatever had grabbed him, or who as the Don-voice, supplied was wiping him of the goo, covering him as he shivered in the cold room.

"I'm sorry," a voice from above whispered, "oh, Charlie, I'm so sorry.”

*****
Tony found the lab empty, a puddle of suspension fluid on the floor by the tank. He hurried to the computer terminal and brought up the video feed, he watched as Daniel brought Charlie out of the liquid and took him out of the room on a gurney. Tony checked his watch Grey wouldn’t be back for several hours. He looked at the empty tank for a second and then back to the door. He quickly typed a few commands into the terminal and the screen abruptly went blank.

“Good Luck,” he said with a sigh as he switched out the lights and left the room.

*****
Daniel laid Charlie carefully down on the cot, the young man hadn’t stirred, he seemed to be drugged and Daniel hoped it wasn’t permanently disabling. He flexed his shoulder, the wound was throbbing again, and pain sparked through him at random intervals. Running around dodging patrols not twenty-four hours after being beaten and shot didn’t help, but the alternative if he was caught was much worse than opening up his wound a bit. He looked down on Charlie and pulled together his exhaustion, pain and anger and focused it. He would escape this place and take Charlie with him.

******

Sam, Don, and Deputy Lupo left Cafe Diem and went across the street to a rustic looking Sheriff's office, inside; stood two men dressed in crisp black suits and looked every bit the creepy government spook. Sam and Don looked downright disheveled beside them, in casual clothes crumpled from traveling. Sam did a double take at the two men.

"Cross?" she said addressing the taller of the men. The man turned slowly and smiled.

"Colonel Carter, so good to see you," said Cross, his voice, slick and slimy, matched his smile. Sam scowled at him and crossed her arms. "How long has it been? Three, Four years?"

"Five," said Sam, "Ever since, we bailed you out in Oregon."

"Bailed us out!" cried the other man speaking for the first time, "We had everything under control!"

"That's highly debatable," Sam snorted. "Now, what the hell are you doing here?"

"We're here to collect a valuable government asset," said Cross.

"We're talking about people here!" cried Sam.

"And that makes you the grand prize winner," Everyone in the room, turned to see who had spoken. Jack Carter waved at the assembled people and smiled. "Sheriff Jack Carter," he offered his hand to Sam, who took it slightly dazed.

"Colonel Samantha Carter," she said. The Sheriff looked impressed and moved on to Don.

"Special Agent Don Epps, FBI."

"Daniel told me you'd be coming," said Carter.

"You've spoken to Daniel?" asked Sam.

"What about Charlie?" asked Don, "Have you seen him too?"

"Daniel was with him until he was brought here," said Carter, "I haven't seen him, I'm sorry."

"Where is Daniel, now?" asked Sam.

"He's being treated at our medical facility," said Carter.

"Was being treated at our medical facility," Everyone turned as Allison came in behind Carter, who looked just as surprised as everyone else. "I just got the call. He was supposed to be moved to a private room and given clothes, but he walked out of the infirmary sometime in the night."

"You lost him!" cried Sam, "And who the hell are you?"

"Allison Blake, Head of Global Dynamics."

"What about security?" asked Don, "Surely a place like this has guards and surveillance up the yin yang."

"We have the most top of the line security conceivable he shouldn't have been able to leave the infirmary level, without clearance," said Allison.

"But you think he has?" said Sam.

"We've already done a thorough search of that level, there's no way he's still there," said Allison.

"I don't understand, Daniel trusts you enough to tell you about us, but slips passed security anyway?" said Sam.

"I don't understand it either, especially for a man in his condition it's inconceivable that he'd just walk away without good reason," said Allison.

"A man in his condition?" asked Sam.

"He was shot," said Carter, "before, he got here, he said it happened when they told him what his new position would be, he ran."

Sam closed her eyes collecting herself, "How bad was it?"

"Through and through in the left shoulder, lost some blood, but we have some pretty good doctors here," said Carter.

"He was stable the last time I checked on him, the wound had closed and we'd replaced the blood-loss," said Allison.

"Dr Jackson must be brought back into custody," said Cross, "his contribution to our project is integral to its success."

"I'll bet," Sam glared at Cross, and turned back to Sheriff Carter, "We need to find Daniel, make sure he's okay, and you should check your records for any incoming shipments containing these code numbers," She pulled out her PDA and Allison did the same.

"One second I'll run a search," she said, "Okay, I've got two memos, with both numbers on them, standard DOD fare, they transfer projects here all the time, when they become too sensitive to be run in the open."

"Those numbers are the code names assigned to Doctors Jackson and Epps," said Sam.

"These transfer orders, use one of those numbers," said Jo glancing over Allison's shoulder and comparing it with papers she'd retrieved from her desk.

"Can I see those?" asked Sam, Lupo handed them over, "That's Daniel."

"What about Charlie?" asked Don.

"This states that he was transported to GD at the same time as Jackson was brought here," said Allison, "But I have no record of personnel transfer."

"There wouldn't be," said Sam, "They aren't personnel, anymore," she glared at Cross, "they're projects."

"What the hell does that mean?" cried Don, "Where is Charlie?"

"I don't know, but he's in there," said Sam.

"That's impossible!" said Allison.

"You accepted the transfer," said Sam, "but did you actually check to see what came in?"

"The forms were in order," said Allison, "Security checks incoming shipments. If there's a problem I'd have been notified."

"This is the same security that can't find one archeologist-I'm sorry- one injured archeologists in a secure DOD facility?" asked Sam.

"I'll order a review," said Allison.

"I can see there will be difficulties locating Dr Jackson today," said Cross, "and we have other appointments, if you locate him call us," he handed a business card to Sheriff Carter without so much as a glance as Sam's murderous expression.

"The only way I'm dialing this number is if Dr Jackson, asks me to," said Carter.

"So be-it," said Cross and he and his partner left without another word.

*******
Daniel laid another blanket on top Charlie's shivering form. He'd trusted Allison and Sheriff Carter and then he found out what they'd done to Charlie. The young man in the cot convulsed and moaned, whatever drugs he'd been given were wearing off, slowly, but he'd yet to regain full awareness. During the night Daniel had managed to slip into one of the empty security stations, all the guards had been mobilized in a full floor to floor search. Moving from the medical wing outward, which is why Daniel had taken the risk and moved Charlie into an un-used storage room, on that floor.

Daniel figured that they wouldn't come looking in the same place he'd disappeared from. In the security office Daniel had found a couple of spare uniforms, including, finally, a pair of boots in Daniel's size. With the security cap pulled down low over his face Daniel managed to make the trips to and from his hiding place unnoticed. As a child Daniel had learned quickly the penalty for standing out, was severe and he found his old habits easy to slip back into, no one ever gave him a second glance. The trip to the security office yielded a lot of useful things, the uniforms, building plans including security measures on each floor and door, and a copy of the security schedule. Daniel even managed to print out a couple of photo ID's from the database. With only a few details that needed to be fine tuned, Daniel believed he had the makings of a good escape plan for both him and Charlie, just as soon as he was well enough. Sooner, would be better though, thought Daniel as he slid back into the room with a sleeping Charlie.

*******

Sam groaned in frustration Daniel had been missing for near a week now and they were no closer to finding him in the huge facility that was Global Dynamics. Security was tight, but not fool-proof, and it seemed that once you were inside there was a great ability to slip through additional measures, like coming in with someone who has a badge or stepping off the elevator at the same floor as someone with iris clearance. A mug appeared in Sam’s line of sight and she grabbed it like a lifeline.

“Bless, you,” she mumbled into the cup. Carter sat down next to her and looked at the screen.

“Any luck?”

“None of it good,” said Sam.

“So, Oregon?” asked Carter.

“What?” Sam asked frowning at the screen.

“You said you knew that guy Cross in Oregon.”

Sam sat back with her cup and sighed, “That’s a long complicated and highly classified story.”

“That’s going to be theme for us isn’t it?” He smiled.

“Look, Sheriff,”

“Jack.”

“What?”

“You can call me Jack.”

Sam made a strange face and then seemed to reconsider. “Sam,” she said.

“Cool,” said Carter, “You know Jackson made a crack at my name too, I’m starting to get paranoid.”

“Really? What did he say?”

“He said the universe has a sick sense of humor.”

Sam snorted, and almost choked on the dregs of her coffee, “He would know,” she said smiling. Carter didn’t get it, but he smiled anyway.
*******

On his third trip out as a security guard Daniel hit pay dirt, a storeroom filled with PDA’s and laptop computers. He brought out one of each and took them to Charlie, who had been conscious and lucid for longer periods over the last few hours.

“Daniel this is great!” Charlie enthused opening the laptop box and dragging the computer on to his lap, “I’ll be able to access the base schematics and work out those camera angles for you in real-time and plot us a way out.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Daniel unloading some food he’d managed to pilfer along the way, “Hey can you access the internet on that thing?”

“Sure,” said Charlie, “this whole place is a giant Wi-Fi hot spot.”

“Yeah, but can you do it without them pinging us and finding out where we are?”

“On the base intranet no problem I masquerade as someone other employee’s computer, on the internet it’ll be a bit tougher I should be able to slow down a trace for a little while though leapfrog us through all the nodes on base and in town and the state.”

“How long?”

“Few minutes if they’re good, one maybe if they’re really good.”

“Let’s assume they’re really good.”

“Why do you want to get online?”

“Send a message to my friends maybe get us out of here more quickly, get you some help.”

“I told you I’m feeling a lot better, at least I’m properly awake now,” said Charlie.

“Can you walk?” asked Daniel.

“I can move my legs now,” said Charlie, “that’s a big improvement of only a few hours.”

“You have to be able to walk,” Daniel sighed, “we can’t walk out of here as security if I’m supporting you the whole way.”

“I just need some time.”

“Time is one thing we can’t rely on. We risk being found every time I do a food run or scout one of the exit routes,” Daniel took off his jacket and cap and sat down next to Charlie on the bed.

“What do you think your friends can do storm the place?” asked Charlie.

“Probably not, but maybe if I get a message out they can send a helicopter or something, the med-evac landing pad is only one floor up, I could take you as a patient in wheelchair.”

“That won’t work; they won’t have clearance they won’t get through.”

“These people are bureaucrats they won’t shoot down an unarmed helicopter.”

“They won’t have to they just leave the EM barrier up.”

“Electromagnetic Barrier,” Daniel sighed.

“Disrupts all electronic signals coming through from above,” said Charlie.

“I know,” said Daniel, “Would it block an outgoing signal?”

“Depends on what kind of signal, Why?” Charlie frowned.

“Just an idea, I had. Can you disable it?”

“Maybe for a minute or so, but that’s not enough time to land a helicopter.”

No, but it might work for something else. If I give you the message and the e-mail would you be able to send it without red flagging our position?”

“Sure give me a minute to work out the specifics.”

Daniel left Charlie alone to work on sending the message, and pulling down the EM Barrier. He ducked into the bathroom next-door and pulled off his T-shirt. His chest was a rainbow of bruises, and his shoulder wound was a seething mass of red infection, that seeped blood and a little puss. Daniel pressed cotton wadding onto the wound, and cringed sucking air through his teeth. His vision wavered and he knew he was running a fever, he checked the time and sighed it was almost time.

**********

Jack O’Neill came into his office around three am, after leaving only a few hours earlier. He’d been too worried about Daniel to sleep and thus had not only been able to lean on those blocking his attempts to get permission to fly into the DOD facilities air space, but he’d been able to collect dossiers on half a dozen fringe agents who had not only the access, but the inclination to try something like this. He’d also managed to track a couple of different attempts they’d made to do the same thing, but it had back-fired. The scrutiny those documents got before reaching the level necessary had stopped them in their tracks. Then there was Daniel and the fact that everything he did was so classified that only a few people were even cleared to know he existed. Jack’s computer pinged at him.

“Who is going to E-mail me at this hour?” he grumbled turning to the monitor and clicking on the message. The message was short and to the point.

Beam me up Scotty! 0455.
Jack checked his watch and grabbed his phone.

*************

Sam jerked herself awake at the sound of her cell phone chirping near her ear.

“Carter,” she croaked into the speaker. She sat up from where she’d fallen asleep at the computer in the Sheriff’s office.

“He’s done it again Carter,” said Jack.

“You’ve heard from Daniel?” asked Sam.

“Sent me an email on my secure server, he wants us to beam him up.”

“Apollo?” asked Sam looking around keenly aware that the others were listening in.

“Just coming into orbit, we haven’t been able to pick up his signal.”

“I managed to get a look at their main facility’s security specs,” said Sam, “They have an EM barrier over the whole building.”

“EM barrier?”

“Disrupts electrical signals, sir.”

“Daniel’s going to bring it down at 0455. We’ll be ready to get him then.”

“What about Dr Epps?”

“He’s at that facility somewhere,” said Jack, “I’ll beam you down a couple of squads you can do a search room by room if you have to.”

“That’s what the security teams have been doing to find Daniel, but they haven’t found either of them.”

“We both know that if Daniel doesn’t want to be found he won’t be,” said Jack, “He’s obviously got the run of the place or he wouldn’t have been able to send me this message without risk of being found.”

“Security inside the building is pretty lacks,” said Sam, “we figured out he stole an ID early on.”

“So why aren’t you tracking his access?”

“Poor guy was in the shower at the time, Daniel soaked his clothes and by the time he was found, Daniel had already switched the ID for someone else’s. After tracking after six different people we figured it was impossible to know whose badge he has now.”

“Doesn’t matter now,” said Jack, “we’ll have him as soon as we’re sure this EM thing isn’t going to mess up the beaming signal.”

“The Apollo sensors aren’t the problem sir,” said Sam, “it’s the subcutaneous transmitter, it’s susceptible to the same things all home grown technology is.”

“Yeah, Teal’c told me something similar, the Asgard sensors will pick up the life signs of everyone in the building, but the EM thingy must be blocking Daniel’s signal.”

“Exactly sir.”

“Well Carter, it looks like Daniel’s saved himself again, and if he’s gotten enough access into this place’s records that he can drop their security net, he might have some idea where they’re keeping Dr Epps,” Sam looked over at Don dozing fitfully on the cot in the Sheriff’s cell. He’d only just gone to rest having sat up most of the night going over the security videos with Sam, the Sheriff and his deputy.

“I hope so, sir,” she said, “I don’t think Agent Epps will accept anything less.”

“Another hour and we’ll know. I’ll have Daniel call you when we get him.”

“Thank you sir,” Sam sighed tiredly.

“Get some rest Colonel, you sound beat.”

“Have you slept since we found out?” asked Sam.

“I’ll sleep when I see him safe,” said Jack.

“So will I sir.”

“Goodnight, Carter.”

“’Night, sir,” She hung up the phone the beginning of a smile on her lips.

“Good news?” asked Don, sitting up.

“We expect to pick up Daniel in about an hour.”

“You found him?” cried Don walking over to her, “That’s great, where?”

“Actually, he found us. He sent a message to our commanding officer, to let us know a time and a place where he can be picked up.”

“Did he say anything about Charlie?”

“No, I’m sorry, but I have a couple of teams on the way, we’ll tear the place a part if we have to, but we’ll find him.”

*******
Fargo’s fingers flew across the keyboard as Allison paced behind him her cell pressed to her ear.

“I’ve got Fargo checking the system for breeches and I’m sending you the feeds from all the external exits in the last four hours,” she said into the phone and placed it on the speaker box.

“Anything yet?” asked Carter on the other end of the line.

“I’ve found some breadcrumbs and I’m following them now,” said Fargo, “I thought you said this guy was an archeologist,” he said tying in a few commands.

“He is and to get that much I had to resort to public record,” Carter’s voice came out of the speaker.

“Public record?” asked Allison.

“I googled him,” said Carter.

“Did it say he’s an archeologist who’s a computer genius on the side?” asked Fargo.

“No mostly it said he was a genius linguist who lost it and some nonsense about aliens.”

“Well he’s in the wrong field, whoever he is, he’s hacked our system but good,” said Fargo, “It’s going to take me some time to track the source.”

********

Daniel sat next to Charlie at 4:50 as the Mathematician finished inputting the commands that would drop the EM barrier long enough for them to find his transmitter and beam them out. He hoped that the Apollo had gotten back from their test flight and that Jack was still getting all his E-mail forwarded to his phone. Charlie finished typing and hit the enter key.

“Done,” he said, “the barrier’s down, but for how long I don’t know, are you sure your friends can get their chopper or whatever through in time?”

“If Jack got my message in time,” Daniel sighed, “Why don’t we get you ready?” He stood and helped Charlie out of the bed to stand facing him their arms braced between them.

There was a knock on the door, to their storage room.

“This is security! We know you’re in there come out and you won’t be harmed.”

“They found us!” cried Charlie in alarm,

Daniel felt the rush of the beam a second before he knew that neither of them had the balance to stay standing for long. They over-balanced and fell, landing with a thump on the floor of the Apollo’s bridge.

“Medical team to the bridge!” A voice above them commanded. Daniel lay back with an exhausted smile, his shoulder throbbed from falling on it, but otherwise he felt pretty good.

“Daniel Jackson!” Daniel opened his eyes, and looked up to see the blurred but still concerned face of his favorite Jaffa.

“Perfect timing,” he said reaching out a hand for help standing up, Teal’c grabbed his forearm and supported Daniel on to his feet.

“Are you okay, Daniel Jackson?” asked Teal’c looking deeply into his friend’s tired face.

“I’ve been kidnapped, beaten and shot,” said Daniel with a sigh, “I’m fine,” he smiled, “Just another day in the life for me. You should have them look at Charlie. They were doing some kind of experiment on him. I don’t know what but he took a while become coherent and as you might guess his equilibrium is totally gone.”

“We will take care of you both,” said Teal’c, leading Daniel off the bridge following the gurney they’d lifted Charlie onto. Daniel nodded, he was too tired to argue, and truth be told it felt good to lean on his friend and allow him to take care of him.

*****

“They got them!” said Sam grinning widely.

“Them?” asked Don.

“Daniel found Charlie and helped him get out too,” she said, “They’re both exhausted, but they’re going to be fine.” Don suddenly felt a huge weight lift from his chest, he looked around almost expecting to see everyone realize how much easier it was to breath now.

“He’s safe,” he sighed, “When can I see him?”

“They’re going to drop him off at a hospital in LA, and we have a Cessna waiting to take us directly there.”

“Fantastic!” Don grinned, “You’re sure he’s alright? Why are they taking him to hospital?” he frowned.

“He was drugged,” said Sam, “out Doctor says he’s fine but wants to keep him under observation, just as a precaution.”

“Why can’t we travel with them?” asked Don.

“They’re already on the way. They didn’t want to lose time stopping to pick us up.”

“You guys are leaving?” asked Sheriff Carter, “Did I hear that right, you found your people?”

“Daniel got a message out, my people picked him early this morning,” said Sam.

“How exactly did he manage that?” asked Allison walking in behind Carter, “We have satellite surveillance of the facility continuous from the time we realized he was there, no one we haven’t cleared has gone in or out of that building since.”

“Daniel’s pretty good at what he does,” said Sam.

“Which is what? Hack computers, mess with our EM barrier do you know the damage he could have done by pulling it down for the brief seconds he did?”

“Daniel would never risk anyone else’s life to save his own,” said Sam, “and I notice you said could and not did.”

“It was probably Charlie who hacked the computer anyway,” said Don, “he’s good with that stuff he wouldn’t intentionally put anyone in danger.”

“But why would he drop the shield anyway?” asked Allison, “There’s been no aircraft activity for more than 36 hours.”

“That’s classified,” Sam snapped, her own exhaustion wearing her nerves, “Expect a team from the JCS, they’re going to do a thorough review of this place. To discover how it happened that not only were you housing a highly illegal experiment involving the kidnap and assault of a brilliant man, but your security forces were unable to locate one injured archeologist hiding within your own facility.”

“We know he sent a message out,” said Allison, “and we were able to track the computer breadcrumbs, we found the storeroom where they were hold up.”

“Storeroom?” asked Don.

“Next door to the infirmary,” said Carter, “about twenty feet from where Jackson disappeared from.”

“Sounds like Daniel,” Sam grinned.

“We also found this,” said Allison handing over a security pass.

“This is Daniel,” said Sam, handing the laminated card back to Allison.
“It seems we couldn’t find him, because Dr Jackson had assigned himself to the search,” said Allison. Sam turned away biting her lip to keep from laughing.

********

Teal'c regarded his friend with concern as he lay far too still on the crisp white sheets in the Apollo infirmary, Charles Epps lay sleeping in the bed across the way, but unlike Daniel Jackson his sleep was a restful one. A nurse came to adjust the IV feeding fluids into Jackson's arm.

"His temperature increases," said Teal'c.

"By a couple of degrees," said the Nurse, "We're monitoring him closely, it's quite a severe infection he's got."

"How is Charles Epps?" asked Teal'c.

"Whatever they gave him, hyper stimulated his neural function to the exclusion of his motor functions. He's lucky his respiration resumed once he was removed from the life-support machines that Dr Jackson described."

"Will he be fully restored?"

"The drugs are almost completely metabolized into his system," said the Nurse, "the face that he had regained the muscle function he did before he collapsed speaks well of his prognosis. We're monitoring his tox-screen and administering a drug we just received from Atlantis meant to cleanse the body of toxins, it seems to be working. He's sleeping peacefully and that's the best thing right now," Teal'c nodded, and the nurse left her rubber soled shoes squeaking on the decking.

********

Sam drove the rental car out of Eureka and smiled again tickled by what Allison had found out. She'd be very interested to know how Daniel had managed to secure himself a position on a security team and avoid all the cameras in the facility. Don sat quietly beside her subdued, but still free of much of the tension that had weighed on him since they'd started out from LA. Sam saw the incoming escort team and pulled over to the gas-station nearby. Two agents met them as they got out of the car.

"Why are we stopping here?" asked Don.

"These men will take care of the car, and your bags," said Sam.

"Okay, not answering my question," said Don.

"I've always been more of a fan of show than tell," said Sam grinning. A bright light flashed around them, Don turned away to shield his eyes and found himself staring out a window into a night sky.

******

Jack tidied his desk up and finished the last of his coffee. He had one more meeting and then bed. He would sleep well tonight of that he was certain. He stood up and put his jacket on and slipped his cap under his arm. A light flashed and Jack walked at a brisk pace down the corridor of the Apollo following the raised voices, he could swear he'd heard even as he was being beamed up.
"Dr Jackson!" cried a distressed female, as Jack rounded the corner into the infirmary, "I am allowing you to attend the briefing on two conditions, one you take your medication, and two you allow the airman to escort you in the wheelchair," Jack entered the infirmary at a stroll that belied his brisk trot up the corridor. He saw Daniel and smiled. Daniel was sat scowling on the bed above the covers dressed in blue scrubs and a blue bathrobe.

"Daniel be a good boy and take your medicine," said Jack grinning. Daniel scowled deeper, but grabbed the paper cups the doctor held out to him, he chugged one then the other and glared at Jack. "I can see a week on the lamb hasn't changed your sweet disposition much," said Jack.

"I'm fine," said Daniel through gritted teeth as a medic rolled up with a wheelchair.

"Well I'm not," said Jack, "I was worried sick. Do you know what happens after you turn a person's hair white?" Daniel's eyes flicked to Jack's head and back down to his face, Jack glared at him, "Trust me, you don't want to know," Daniel rolled his eyes and with help from Jack and the core-man managed get off the bed and into the chair without falling on his face.

Daniel remained silent as he was wheeled out of the infirmary by Jack. "Are you really okay?" asked Jack once they'd gotten a good distance from the doctor and her minions.

"I was beaten drugged and shot Jack, then I spent three days wandering around a very scary place, trying to avoid being experimented upon."

"Business as usual then, "said Jack.

"It's not something I expect to have to deal with on earth," said Daniel, "I mean you should have seen what they did to Charlie! Let alone what Bryant hinted was in store for me," he shuddered, "I'm so tired."

"I'll get you back to the infirmary, as soon as possible," said Jack, wheeling them into the conference room.

"That's not what I mean," said Daniel, quietly, "and you know it."
*****

Sam rushed up as the two men enter the conference room, "Daniel," she hugged him close, "I'm so glad you're alright." Daniel cringed a little and sucked in a breath, "Oh, oh I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" asked Sam easing back.

"I'm fine, Sam," said Daniel forcing a smile, "Just a bit sore that's all." Sam stepped back and allowed Don to come forward.

"Don Epps," he said putting out his hand, "I want to thank you for saving my brother, Charlie." Daniel took his hand and shook it.

"I didn't do anything anyone else in my position wouldn't have done," said Daniel, "and Charlie really saved me, I couldn't have avoided the security as well as I did without him to figure out the camera angles for me."

“Daniel learn to take credit where’s credit’s due,” said Charlie from his seat across the briefing room table, “You saved my life, I’ll always be grateful to you for that,” Jack rolled a blushing Daniel up to the table and took a seat next to him.

“If you hadn’t helped me in the cell then I might have bled to death,” said Daniel looking at Charlie.

“I couldn’t just leave you like that, not when I could help you,” said Charlie.

“Neither could I,” said Daniel smirking.

“Let’s get this debriefing started,” said Jack, the others moved to the table and took their seats.

The two men began their story each detailing their capture and how they came to be in the cell together for the first time.

“Shortly after Daniel passed out,” said Charlie, “one of Bryant’s men came and stuck a needle in my arm. Things get kind of fuzzy after that.”

“Just tell us what you remember,” said Jack gently.

“I was floating,” said Charlie, “floating in the numbers and it was great, I could see the equations and I could manipulate them just by thinking about it. It wasn’t right. I got caught up in the math and,” he looked over at Don sheepishly, “part of me kept screaming that it wasn’t right. But I couldn’t let go of the numbers,” Don reached over and squeezed his brother’s shoulder comfortingly.

“We all get caught up,” said Daniel.

“Besides you were being fed that drug the whole time,” said Sam, “that’s some nasty stuff. I wish I knew what equation they wanted you to work out.” Charlie handed her over a sheet of paper covered with equations.

“I’m afraid it doesn’t make much sense without my amazing super math-sense,” Charlie grinned abashed. Sam scanned the page.

“This is amazing,” she said.

“What is it?” asked Daniel.

“This is base eight math,” said Sam. Daniel raised his eye-brows.

“As in….”

“As in really old kind of math,” said Sam.

“Used by those really old guys,” said Daniel, “Amazing,” he shook his head, “can you tell what it’s from?”

“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s an algorithm for deciding something,” said Sam.

“Deciding something?” asked Daniel and then froze, “Like maybe what the truth is?”

“Maybe,” said Sam. Daniel let out a brief slew of violent incomprehensible curses, “I can’t be certain,” said Sam.

“Near enough,” said Jack, “I’d have to check but it’s probably just another asset that’s been relocated.” He shook his head in disgust.

“So that’s how they got it passed you,” said Daniel, and then continued when he saw the puzzled expressions, “This was too big for them not to have wrangled a way to sanction some of the resources they had.”

Jack scowled, “I’m having my reports include a key for all serial numbers and code names used.”

“They used our serial numbers,” said Daniel understanding dawning, “The secret nature of what we do meant that the memo circumnavigated all the normal channels that would have caught that.”

“That’s what we figure,” said Sam.

“Let’s put that aside for now,” said Jack, “it’s being dealt with and I want to finish this debriefing. Daniel why don’t you pick up from the next thing you remember.”

“Well, I woke up in a cage, being watched by the Sheriff…”

“…I managed to steal the laptop, Charlie sent the message and that’s all she wrote.” Daniel took a deep breath and then reached to the middle of the table where a pitcher of water and glasses had been set, he poured himself a glass, took a swig and sat back clearly finished speaking. He was exhausted and it showed, in the pale pallor of his skin and the deep bruises under his eyes.

“Okay,” said Jack, “I think that’s good enough, time for certain patients to be returned to the infirmary,” it was a testament to his condition that Daniel didn’t protest, when an orderly came to push his chair back to the medical bay. Once Daniel had been taken, Jack turned to his two other guests. “As for you two,” Charlie flinched slightly, and Jack’s expression softened, “you have the sincerest apologies from both me and the President. He’s told me that your security clearance has been reinstated and raised,” he told Charlie, “and he’s given assurances that you won’t be pulled for any super secret math projects without advance notice and your express permission,” Jack smiled kindly if a little sadly, “I can’t thank you enough for helping Daniel back there, I don’t know what I’d do if he died again.”

“But, it was all him I didn’t do…” Charlie frowned, “again?”

“Don’t think about it too much,” said Sam smiling too.

“I’ve arranged to beam you back down, just outside of LA, I’ve got a motorcade set to take you to the local hospital for a quick check up and then you’re done,” Jack stood up, “you’ll have to have your cover stories memorized by then.”

“Cover stories?” asked Don suspiciously, moving closer to Charlie.

“Relax you’re going to be heroes,” said Jack, “You, Dr Epps, were kidnapped, by terrorists, who erroneously thought that the formulas you sent to Pakistan really were plans for biological warfare and they want to try it. You, Agents Epps, got a tip off that something had gone south and traced it back to Charlie’s disappearance. You get a call from an old friend, Carter,” he pointed at Sam.

“Old friend?” asked Don.

“The only way to sell my involvement is that we had a prior acquaintance and discovered Charlie’s involvement in a group of scientists the Air Force is investigating. I contact you and we work the case together, find Charlie drugged out in some out of the way place, we discover not only has he resisted interrogation, but he’s sent his captors on a wild goose chase. You’ll take Charlie to the hospital get him checked out give a statement to the press and go home.”

“It’s that simple,” said Jack as he left the room.

“But that’s not fair,” said Charlie distressed, “What about Daniel? He did everything! He fought off his attackers, he escaped he freed me, and managed to evade capture in one of the most heavily secure facilities in the world. He saved me, he’s the hero.”

“Charlie, Daniel is a pariah and an outcast and a laughing stock, at least as far as the world is concerned,” said Sam.

“But…” said Charlie.

“You and I both know that’s he’s none of those things. His theories have all been vindicated several times over, he’s a brilliant amazing person, a genius and a hero in the truest sense of the word and no one but a few people know about what a truly extraordinary person he is. Yet he was still kidnapped, still coveted by those who use his gifts for their own gains. If the world knew who Daniel was, if they realized that the whole planet owed its existence to him more than once, what do you think would happen?”

“He’d be honored, revered,” said Charlie.

“He’d be targeted,” said Don.

Sam nodded, “Daniel lives as normal a life as someone who does what we do can, but if the world truly knew the gift that Daniel was, he wouldn’t be able to go outside again. Keeping Daniel out of this is our way of protecting our assets.”

“He’s a grown man who’s able to take care of himself,” said Charlie, “Not a small child you need to shield from the world.”

“You’re right,” said Sam, “and you’re wrong. Daniel is the best of us, always has been and he’s survived more than anyone has a right to have survived, and he’ll keep doing it. But just because you can survive being shot in the arm doesn’t mean I should take out my side arm and do it. He’s one of my best friends, Charlie I’d trust him with my life and with the lives of everyone on the planet below, and I have several times. Daniel would be the first to lay down his life to save someone else, but what he doesn’t understand and you don’t know is that everyone who knows him would do the same for him in a heartbeat.” Sam slid two folders over the table to the two men, “Your cover stories, read it learn it leave it, you have two hours until beam-out,” She stood up nodded to them and left.

*****

Larry looked up from the chess board when first Charles then Don walked in the house. Both men looked exhausted but they were walking under their own power and they were smiling as they talked.

“Charlie!” Alan rushed into the living room, “Oh my god I just saw the news! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Dad, I’m okay,” said Charlie, allowing his father to grab him and hold him. Alan hugged him and then drew back to hold Charlie at arm-length he looked at his son’s face closely.

“Are you sure? You look a little pale. What happened?” he turned to Don, “What happened, Don? The news said something about terrorists,” Alan shook his head as if he couldn’t really grasp what he was seeing.

“He’s fine Dad; didn’t the Air Force call you?”

“Yes, yes,” said Alan, “I spoke to a nice young woman who told me you were being released and would be home within the hour. But the news,” he gestured back to the kitchen when he’d seen the report.

“They always blow these things out of proportion,” said Charlie, “I will tell you though, I’m exhausted I’m going to hit the hay.” With that he waved to Larry, who was still sitting by the chess board, and walked to the stairs.

“Goodnight, Charles,” said Larry, “I’m glad you’re okay.” Alan watched him go a little askance.

“Is he really okay?” he asked Don. Don walked into the sitting room and collapsed into a chair.

“He’s fine, a little tweaked, but fine. The doctor wouldn’t have let him go if there was anything worry about.”

“But what happened?” asked Alan.

“A lot of this is classified,” said Don, “but the long and the short of it is; he was taken by some people who thought he knew something to help them. With the help of a friend from the Air Force I was able to track him down and get him out before they did much more than give him a sedative.”

“But it’s been days Donnie, we were so worried,” said Alan.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t call it would have compromised our position.”

“I understand, but I don’t like it.”

“I know, but it all worked out, we caught everyone involved, the Air Force was so impressed with how he handled himself they’re going to work on getting his clearance back.”

“We always knew they’d want him back,” said Larry, “He’s too valuable an asset for them to continue with that particular punishment.”

“He’s much more than an asset, though Larry, if this experience has taught me one thing it’s to not take him for granted as the go to guy to solve the problem. God,” Don shook his head, “those people they didn’t even see him as living person, just an asset a receptacle of knowledge that they could mine. It was too close.”

“Are you okay Don?”

“No, I’m really not,” said Don, he sighed and rubbed his eyes, “Sorry, I’m just tired it’s been a long couple of days, I’m going to go check on Charlie and crash in my old room,” he stood up and left the two men with their chess board.

“Do you think we’ll ever get the full story of what happened?” asked Alan.

“Probably not,” said Larry, “but we can take solace in the evidence presented to us here. They are both here alive and physically unharmed. The rest we merely need to allow to take its course, they will recover from whatever shock they suffered and judging by Don’s insight they may be the better for it.”

“I hope so,” said Alan, looking up as if to see his two sons through the ceiling.

“If at the end of a long day what we are left with is hope, then I believe it has been a good day,” said Larry, looking back to the chess board.

“I think I’m just going to go up and check on them,” said Alan getting up.

Alan opened the door to Charlie’s room and smiled. Charlie was lay sprawled on his bed sleeping peacefully and Don was sat in the chair by his side also fast asleep.

Epilogue

Daniel was sat in his office going over a few last minute details in his report.

“So that extraction ceremony was a bit of a let-down,” said Jack walking into Daniel’s office dressed in civilian clothes.

“It is what it is Jack,” Daniel sighed closing his folder.

“Okay, what’s up?” asked Jack leaning against Daniel’s desk.

“It’s nothing, I’m just tired.”

“Come on Daniel I know you,” said Jack.

“When can I go back to my apartment?” asked Daniel, “For that matter when I can I leave the mountain without an escort?”

“Daniel we’ve talked about this, we need to track down the rest of Grey’s group.”

“It’s been weeks already it could be months or years before you get them all if you ever do.”

“We still don’t know why they wanted you.”

“Bryant teased me with the threat of studying me, dissecting what ten years of alien contact has done to me, but I remembered something else from when they were transporting me to Eureka.”

“What was that?”

“They said they were taking me to cold storage.”

“What does that mean?”

“They thought I’d served my purpose with the SGC, but I was too valuable and too dangerous to be left on the street. They were going to put me in stasis until I was useful again.”

“How very cost effective of them,” Jack grimaced, “But that’s not to say they won’t try again.”

“So I get to be a prisoner here instead,” said Daniel.

“It’s only temporary, Daniel.”

“You don’t know that.” He stood up with his file.

“What’s that?” asked Jack.

“I’ve got a briefing with Landry,” said Daniel walking to the door.

“I know, I was going to sit in,” said Jack falling in to step beside him. “So what is it?”

“A get out of jail free card,” said Daniel. The men walked in silence to the briefing room. They sat down waiting for Landry to join them.

“So you want to give me a hint?” asked Jack.

“You remember the Ancient inventor Janus?” asked Daniel with a grin.

The End.