Silenced Screams

Chapter Fourteen

“Why is Dr. Jackson talking with Mr. Issac? And what possible reason could he have to be in the SGC?” Dr. McKenzie asked dropping into his seat, and tilting his head from side to side as though, somehow, that would make what he was seeing clearer. He finally turned to the Colonel meeting his eyes and then on to Teal'c, the question still hanging between them. As focused as Teal'c and the Colonel had been on Daniel's conversation they were both now as stunned and confused as McKenzie seemed to be. It was several seconds before anyone was able to answer, Teal'c found his voice first.

“You know this man, how is that possible Doctor?” Teal'c finally ask, one brow raising as he awaited his answer.

“Ah...yes...well, his name is Adam Issac, he's been a patient of mine for some time now.” Looking between both men he turned to regard Jackson and Issac in the room below them.

“And exactly how is it that the SGC shrink knows a homeless man we picked up in Carter's neighborhood?” Jack asked, sounding as though he was accusing the doctor in some way of duplicity in the attacks on Sam.

Sensing the doubt and suspicions growing in O'Neill the doctor rushed to explain. “I volunteer twice monthly at the state mental facility just outside of town. Adam Issac is one of the patients I meet with during my visits. He's been in and out of that facility for sometime now, if I remember correctly.”

Dismissing the doctor momentarily, Jack turned his attention toward Teal'c, questioning “Has Daniel even been able to get a name out of this guy?”

“I do not believe so. It has been most difficult to get an answer to any direct questions DanielJackson has put to him.” Teal'c confirmed.

“You can't honestly believe this man had anything to do with the attacks on Major Carter.” McKenzie asked in total disbelief. “I've spent quite a bit of time with Mr. Issac, he doesn't fit the profile for a rapist. As a matter of fact, he doesn't fit the profile for any type of violence.” McKenzie was quick to add.

“No. Daniel thought he might have seen or heard something last night that could help us find the man we're after.” Jack clarified. “But I guess that angle just went right out the window cause if he's a mental case, you won't be able to trust anything that comes out of his mouth.” He said in total defeat, knowing that they truly were back to square one and that now the threat to Sam was even greater. He had known that getting any kind of lead from this man was a long shot at best, but since it was their only lead, Jack had been willing to allow Daniel all the leeway he wanted to follow through. But now, thanks to McKenzie's revelation they didn't even have that. And Jack knew there was no way he was gonna sit back and allow Sam to put herself in the kind of danger they had the night before. No, they'd have to find another way to flush their 'perp' out into the open. Although, Jack couldn't think of another plan at the moment. In the mean time protecting Sam had become his number one priority.

“If it would help, I could have his file sent over and see if I can get him to talk to me. You know a familiar face, as it were. If I remember correctly he can be quite lucid when he's on his medication.” McKenzie explained, willing to offer his services any way possible. “It may be as simple as treating him for a few days until his medication levels can be stabilized, then he should be able to answer any questions you have.”

Frustrated at the hopelessness of it all, Jack turned his back to both McKenzie and the useless drama below them. He was a realist and he would not waste another minute of his time chasing 'ghost', 'hopefuls' and 'maybes'. After years of dealing with the Colonel, his dismissive, gruff attitude did not offend the doctor as he moved to the phone mounted on the wall and requested an 'outside' line. The reason for his initial intrusion completely forgotten.

Recognizing the fury building inside O'Neill, Teal'c allowed him time to come to terms with this latest revelation. He didn't have a very high opinion of Dr. McKenzie either, but he had seemed eager to offer his assistance anyway possible to aide in capturing MajorCarter's abductor. After O'Neill's abrupt exit from the Observation booth, he had remain as Dr. McKenzie moved to join DanielJackson and add any help he could in questioning their witness...Mr. Adam Issac. His skill and familiarity with the man had revealed several pieces of information he felt sure would have remain buried forever. Issac and the doctor had talked for well over an hour. It would be slow going with Mr. Issac, but he felt sure this man held the key they needed in locating their suspect. After spending the last few hours in the gym he was sure O'Neill had not been made aware of these bits of information.

Teal'c watched as Jack went through his 'cool-down' routine, allowing his mind to wander. He would never understand the Tauri ways and customs. They were simply too different from his own Jaffa mindset and upbringing. The Tauri treated men like MajorCarter's attacker and Senator Kinsey as though they had been wronged, never seeing what, to him, was clear. These men had no honor. The Tauri did everything within their power to offer these men a second chance and forgiveness for any transgression they may have made. They allowed them to continue as the 'cancer to society' they'd proven themselves to be. While they took hero's such as O'Neil and put them behind bars for crimes they did not commit. He remembered how Kinsey had reviled in the power and control he had over O'Neill after his attempted assassination. He had even gone so far as requiring O'Neill stand by his side on national television. And not even O'Neill's argument that he needed to keep a low military profile had been enough to save him from his nationally televised appearance at Kinsey's side.

O'Neill had attempted to explained a few nights ago how the justice system worked. He had explained that even after MajorCarter's attacker was arrested there would be very little in the way of 'true justice' for him. He explained that the crimes of 'abduction' and 'rape' were viewed as 'redeemable crimes' and that every possible effort would be made to show him the error of his ways, re-educate him and prepare him to return a 'productive member of society'. The Jaffa way was simpler. He would die...by the hands of the one wronged or their protector. Plain and simple. He would die. He could see that same mindset in O'Neill's eyes. He would ensure MajorCarter's attacker paid for the pain and suffering he'd caused her. He would be made to pay. His crime demanded no less. He had forfeited his life when he harmed her, and it only remain to capture and carry out that punishment.

With no other real leads to follow he and O'Neill had returned to MajorCarter's neighborhood in the hopes that with a clearer head and new resolve they might find some clue missed from the day before. It all came down to the alley. Their dead-end alley. He had been with the team who'd spotted the man running from MajorCarter's house. They had him in sight until he'd turned into the alley. He had done is own check of the neighborhood before their stake-out and had known when he turned down that particular alley there was no place for him to go. And yet somehow he had found away out. He and O'Neill again stood in the alley where no visible means of escape presented itself. They had searched every inch of the area. Brick for brick hoping to find some secret hide-out invisible to the naked eye. But still nothing. If there was a secret in this alley they would have to depend on Mr. Issac to reveal it.

They returned to the base less than hopeful. Dr. Fraiser and McKenzie did little to raise those hopes as they revealed the findings of their initial examination, both physical and psychological, on Mr. Issac. Dr. McKenzie, true to his word had been able to get Mr. Issac's file released and now everyone had a better picture of the man they were all pinning their hopes. It was not a picture that inspired great confidence. If in fact he had the answers they were looking for, it would be a long, slow process getting to it.

Although Dr. McKenzie had only known him for a short time, his records showed a history of mental problems stretching back several years. He had been in and out of the facility McKenzie had treated him for over a year, but before that his record showed he had done the same in several other facilities around the country.

McKenzie had been able to pull together the last fifteen years of mental evaluations on Mr. Issac. He had lived in this area ten years ago then for some reason moved away only to return last year. Notes from several Psychiatrist suggested the possibility of multiple personalities, but due to funding issues those avenues had never been fully explored. McKenzie felt it might be in their best interest to explore it now. Reasoning that another personality, not the one dominant now, might hold the answers they sought. He felt that would explain his strange disjointed memory every time he was questioned concerning the alley and what had transpired in it that night. He was recalling only the parts he had been dominate during.

As disheartening as McKenzie's report was, it was Frasier's report that shocked everyone the most. Any hope that Jack secretly held were dashed by her findings. Although he had never voiced his suspicion, on some level O'Neill had believed they would discover Mr. Issac was the man they were after. He had commented several times about 'the simplest solution...' Dr. Frasier's report put an end to any hope along those lines. After her full examination, the full battery of test and blood work she revealed the true extent of his physical state. She comment at one point that his injuries fell more toward torture. She had discovered several broken bones, all healed poorly. His leg had been broken and had healed in such a way he was left with a very noticeable limp. He had missing fingers, severed in a way that could only have been done as torture. Because he always wore his skull cap it wasn't until her exam that she'd seen the burns and scars on his head where it looked as though his hair had been burned from his head. But by far, the worst of his physical problems turned out to be the mechanical voice box that had been surgically implanted after his vocal cords were severed.

After her long list of horrors this man had been subjected to the room was stunned into silence. The sheer amount of physical torture this man had undergone boggled the mind and went a long way toward explaining his current state of mind. He had been tortured in ways that not even POWs were tortured. It also made them wander why none of her findings had shown up in any of the reports they'd received from the various facilities he'd resided over the years. It wasn't possible that much physical damage could be missed, but not one hospital had made mention of it. McKenzie's only explanation had been 'it wasn't within the scope of the assistance he had been there to treat'. Injuries the likes of Mr. Issac had also seem to point to previous military service.

But Mr. Issac, Janet told them had insisted he had not been in the military, but also couldn't remember when or how he had acquired his many injuries. Just to be safe she'd had Military Records double check his identity and they had not turned up a record of his service. The cause of his injuries might never be known. But Daniel being Daniel, decided to take it upon himself to solve the mystery that was Mr. Issac. Explaining to Jack that you could never tell what piece of information turned out to be critical and the more they gathered the better.

But Jack was a man of action and for all the talk the doctors had done, they were no closer to Carter's attacker than they had been before. The hope of getting help from this man was thin at best considering he spent his days talking to the people who lived in his shoes.

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Jack could hear her indignant voice even before the elevator doors opened. She was reaming some poor airman a new one. Her frustration was evident, she had been so close to actually getting away, out of the mountain without anyone knowing and wanting to baby sit her. She had made it all the way to the last check point. The airman on duty there had been given direct orders not to allow her to leave. Jack had known she'd try as soon as Janet released her. Oh, he had to give her credit she'd played her part well all day. She'd avoided all mention of going home...she'd worked hard in her lab all day. She'd even shown up early for her appointment with McKenzie. In every way, it had been a normal day, like so many before it. So normal that sometimes you could almost forget all the trauma, pain and suffering she'd been through. You could almost forget that the madman who'd done those horrible things to her, was still out there, free to do it again and again. But Jack hadn't forgotten and never would. And while she might fool everyone else, she was not gonna fool him. Whether she liked it or not, he was not gonna let his guard down. He would protect her, keep her safe, even if she hated him for it. At least, he reasoned, she would be around to hate him.

“I've got it airman. I'll take it from here.” Jack could see the relief in the young mans eyes as he handed over the responsibility of detaining Major Carter to the author of said order. Without missing a beat she turned her fury to him only marginally less threaten due to their rank.

“What's the meaning of this Sir?” Jack was always amazed at how much she could put into those three little letters. Like now...if words could kill, he had no doubt he'd be a goner. “I have not been confined to base. Janet has released me from the infirmary, there was no reason for this airman to detain me.” She practically shouted, turning her steely gaze back to the airman. It wasn't often she used the full weight of her rank against those who served under her, but there was little doubt of what she was capable, and this poor nameless airman, who'd drawn the short straw and ended up as her last obstacle in her escape was sure he was gonna end up singing soprano...if he was lucky.

“So where ya think you're going all alone Carter?”

For some reason Jack didn't seem to realize the danger he was in as Sam turned all of her fury on him. The airman marveled at how calm and collected the Colonel appeared facing the killing wrath of one very pissed off Major Carter. He couldn't tell if it was just that the Colonel had somehow missed all the clues of her rage or if he just felt there was no real danger behind the Major's words. Either way he wanted very much to be anywhere else other than right here. He was sure there had to be some latrine somewhere maybe the North Pole or the Antarctic that just needed the cleaning that only he could give them. There just had to be. He continued to watch as the Colonel's attitude fed more and more fuel onto the fire that was Major Carter. Boy don't let her quiet, meek, reserve appearance fool you. He was living witness to the rage she kept bottled inside.

Airman Rogers send up a special 'thank you' to any god who might be listening as the Colonel and Major disappeared out of sight still arguing over her right to leave the base.

“I don't care what you want Carter. I don't care how 'gung ho' you are to get your hands on this lunatic. You are not going back to your house alone. As a matter of fact, you're not going back to your house period.” Still using that calm reasoning voice that Sam realized grated on her every nerves more than anything in her life every had.

“But Sir...” She knew her own voice had moved up a notch and was boarding closely on 'whining'.

Sam wasn't sure exactly how it happened or for that matter when it happened, but somewhere along the way she had lost control and her right to choose her destiny. One minute she was going home to rest, sleep in her own bed and enjoy a little quiet time...and the next things she knew she was standing in the Colonel's spare bedroom staring at a closed door.

She heard him call to her, remaining her to hurry before their pizza turned cold, still using that infuriatingly calm voice. She could so see her hands around his throat about now, choking that stupid smirk right off his face. She was not some helpless victim who needed a 'knight in shining armor' to ride to her rescue and save her from the the big bad villain. Damn him, she was a Major in the United States Air Force and she was more than capable of defending herself. No matter what the Colonel said she was confident she could take care of herself. Hell, hadn't she proven that just the other night. Well she might not be able to control where she was, but that didn't mean she had to take any of this laying down.

Jack knew stubborn when he saw it. Carter was not happy with his high handed handling of her life. He had been expecting it, if truth be told. But this was not how he had envisioned their next time alone. Somehow, that dream had always seen them with far less clothes on. Maybe even being civil enough to at least talk to each other without the need of a door between them. Boy this was so not what he had in mind. He had heard her moving around in her room. He guessed getting comfortable and ready for bed. Her stubbornness had kept her from even coming out long enough to eat. Her lost. He had ordered all her favorite topping, but he figured the hunger would drive her out in search of food when she was hungry enough.

Tidying up after his evening of pizza and beer he locked up and dragged himself to bed finally. It seemed like ages since his last good night sleep. He would sleep well knowing she was just across the hall from him. She was safe. No harm would come to her locked up safe and sound in his home.

That was the last thought he had as he drifted off to sleep. Her laying peacefully asleep only a few feet away. And it was a dream he would be able to hold on to until it was shattered several hours later by the bloodcurdling scream that tore him violently from his sleep.


To Be Continued...


~~Please take a moment to tell me what you think. Reviews are very much appreciated.
~~Zhaan