Silenced Screams

Chapter Nineteen


The next few days felt like 'old times'.

At Janet's recommendation, SG- had been returned to 'active duty'. With the stresses the team had been put through in recent weeks, a simple off-world recon mission was just what the doctor ordered.

Shipping out at 1100 hour day the morning after Adam's breakdown they had three days to scout the planet that initial MALP readings had shown was uninhabited. They'd found evidence of a centuries- old civilization not too far from the gate, and Sam had even seen evidence of several impressive veins of naquadah in the nearby hillside. For once, luck was on their side and no nasty Jaffa showed up to ruin anyone's fun. A nice quiet, boring planet with trees, trees and more trees. Even Jack couldn't find fault as he lounged around keeping watch while his two scientist played in the dirt.

Everyone returned far more relaxed and at ease than they'd been in a very long time. Everyone's post-mission physicals went smoothly. For once, Daniel hadn't so much as broken a nail. Jack even commented that for once their debriefing was actually...'brief'. Everyone filed out of the briefing room, a full day's work ahead of them, before heading home for a nice peaceful weekend. Jack reluctantly entered his office to at least make a show of working on his reports. Much to his surprise what he found was a message from Harlem. It had to be urgent for him to try reaching him at this number. He was almost afraid to return his calls when he discovered just how many messages he'd left. Someone at the switchboard had delivered over a dozen messages from him. Oh well, sticking his fingers in his ears and humming loudly wouldn't make them go away. So shoring up his nerves, he made the call, sure that everyone's 'happy bubble' was about to be burst.

Jack rushed through the halls of the SGC hoping to catch everyone before they had a chance to get too deep into their own work. It would be so much easier to fill everyone in at the same time instead of having to re-tell his story over and over again. He found Daniel and Janet in the commissary discussing their evening plans. Dragging them along he added Teal'c to their number as they all headed toward Carter's Lab.

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife as they each braced for more bad news. Jack had had a few minutes to think about everything he'd learned but he still wasn't sure how to deliver the news. So much had happened that he hardly knew where to begin.

'Okay, I just got off the phone with Harlem. Lot's happened while we were off-world." Jack explained as everyone fidget about with nervous energy.

Jack met Sam's eyes and held them as he dropped his bombshell news.

"Hanson's dead."

Everyone froze...all sound ceased after a statement like that. No one seemed to know where to start, what to say, what questions to ask first. Jack still hadn't broken eye contact with Sam. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she worked out the full implication of his revelation.

"When? How?" Sam breathed out her eyes growing larger and larger as she assimilated the meaning of his statement.

Her first tentative question open the floodgates for everyone else and the room came alive as everyone began asking questions at the same time. Before Jack could answer one question he was being hit with another. Finally giving up he collapsed into the nearest chair. He could still see Sam staring unfocused at some spot over his left shoulder. He had to scream to be heard over everyone.

"If you'll just cool your jets for a minute I'll try to fill you in on everything I know so far. The room slowly quieted as they all tried to hold their questions until they'd heard everything he had to say.

"Okay, Harley said they found Hanson's body yesterday. He said he'd had drinks with Hanson's CO a few nights ago. Seems they go way back. Anyway, he was more than willing to tell him everything he knew about Hanson. He said Hanson had been a 'nut case' even before he was transferred into his unit a few months ago. But he'd gotten worst. Said he was always going on and on about one conspiracy theory after another...about government cover-ups...aliens living among us, traveling to other planets that kinda stuff. He told everybody aliens had killed his brother and was obsessed with some woman name 'Samantha'. Always talking about all the things he would do to her when he got his hands on her. Blaming her for his brother's death. He said he was gonna make her pay for the things she'd done to him."

Jack paused knowing Daniel wouldn't be able to hold his questions much longer...and right on cue he began.

You could set your watch with his predictability.

"Oh my god! He's been telling everyone about the Stargate Program. There's no telling how much classified information he leaked and we had no idea. He could've compromised the entire program for all we know."

"Well, he's been telling them, but no one believed him. Just thought he was crazy, apparently. And the more he talked the crazier they thought he was."

"How could..."

Before Daniel could rattle off anymore questions Teal'c baritone voice spoke over his with a far more pressing question.

"Is not the main question 'how this CaptainHanson learned of the StarGate Program in the first place?'"

"Jonas." Sam answered speaking barely above a whisper.

"Yea, that'd be my guess too." Jack agreed hoping to ease some of the worries he could see on everyone's face.

All eyes turned to Sam to gauge her reaction to this latest news. Even with the knowledge of his death you could easily see the fresh fear that this revelation had on her.

"He'd gotten so bad they'd ordered him to see the base shrink. But before his first appointment he went AWOL. They couldn't find him. Don't think they looked too hard....just figured he'd turn up one day with more alien abduction stories and he'd be discharged on a section eight."

Pausing to gather his thoughts before he plunged into the rest of his story, he allowed everyone a moment to come to terms with everything he told them so far. Finally he continued.

"The CO didn't think much of Hanson's disappearance or threats until Harley told him the 'Samantha' was Major Samantha Carter also stationed in 'The Springs' and the threats that had been made against her." Locking his warm chocolate eyes with her intense blue ones Jack continued. "They made some interesting discoveries when they started digging into his belongings. First, even though he lived in base housing they found out he had a place off base also. He'd been renting a house off base that no one knew about. Just a few blocks from your house."

Jack could see the struggle Sam was going through to mask the fear and worry this news was causing her. He desperately wanted to protect her from the worst of Hanson's behavior so he plowed on with his story,

"But there was still no sign of Hanson." Jack finished, no longer able to meet her eyes for the first time since he'd began.

"What aren't you telling us Sir?

Sam enunciated each word slowly and distinctly making it clear she did not want him keeping any information from her.

"I want to know everything...I need to know." Sam finished trying hard to meet his eyes again to judge if he was giving her everything.

Blowing out a long sigh of resignation Jack continued on. "They found pictures...of you...all through his house...hundreds of them...some obviously taken of you inside your house."

Jack allowed that statement to hang in the air several heartbeats. The full implication of its meaning slowly dawning on everyone.

"He'd been stalking you for months." Raising his hand to forestall all the questions he knew were on their mind he continued. "They passed he picture around the neighborhood...and got lucky when someone on the street recognized him and led them to an abandoned building at the end of one of the allies. That's where they found his body."

The implication of everything they'd just learned left them speechless and reeling.

So many questions answered. So many things finally falling into place. Things were finally starting to make sense.

Daniel was the first to find his voice, stating a loud the conclusion everyone had reached.

"Does that means it's finally all over now?"

You could hear the disbelief in his voice. The nightmare they'd all lived these past few weeks was finally over. "Was it the same alley we chased Sam's attacker? That would explain why there have been no more attempts. He's been dead all this time."

"Sir, have they given you a 'time of death' yet? Janet asked, ever the level-headed physician of the bunch. "Did they give a 'cause of death'? Or exactly when he went AWOL?"

"From what Harley told me it was around the time of Carter's first abduction. As for the rest I'm not sure." Jack answered still trying to read the emotions playing over Sam's face to see how she was holding up under everything she'd heard.

"I'd like a copy of his final autopsy report to attach to my file, so that my reports are complete before I close this case in Sam's file." Janet asked already making notes to be included for the General.

"I'll get back to Harley. I'm sure it can be arranged." Jack assured her.

Like everyone else he was just glad the whole nightmare was over. In the end the solution had been so easy. Now they'd be able to put this behind them. They could get back to the life they had before Hanson destroyed it with his obsession and hatred of Sam.

"Is there a problem?" Teal'c inquired, pulling Jack's mind away from the elusive thoughts and feelings which currently plagued him. Thought's he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was probably nothing more than a feeling of disbelief that their nightmare was finally over after everything they'd been through. Caught a bit off guard by Teal'cs' question and unsure how to express his feelings he quickly assured him that everything was fine.

Everyone continued to sit - too stunned to fully process all they'd heard. After the worry and fear they'd lived the past few week it felt somehow anticlimactic to have it all end this way.

"Oh my god. That means one of us killed him and the police are gonna want to talk to us." Daniel fear rang clear.

"Well, for now I doubt they have a true cause of death. If he was out and exposed to this kinda weather it's just as likely he died of exposure. We just won't know until the report comes back." Janet said, trying to reassure him.

"Beside Hanson was military. They may decide they want to handle this 'in-house'. And given what they already know about him, charges are very unlikely. But right now all we can do is wait." Jack answered almost off-handedly still more worried for Sam's well being than any criminal charges they might have to answer to later.

Sitting around speculating about all the 'what ifs' would gain them nothing.

Before long their little gathering broke up. Still slightly dazed, everyone headed off to their various responsibilities. They were 'at work' after all and this melodrama had interfered more than enough with their work duties. It was proving to be harder than anyone imagined to remember there was no longer anything to worry about. To remember that the villain of their 'Soap Opera' was now dead and that now to varying degrees 'everyone could live happily ever after. Well almost everyone. There was still the matter of Adam Issac/Joe Turner identity. Before Janet could sign off on his case a few questions needed to be answered so that she could release him to the correct authorities for further care.

She was sure he'd fight her tooth and nail but there really was no other way. It was his insistence that he could not be the person all the military records showed him to be, that was causing the problem in the first place.

And she wouldn't even have to track him down to make the request. Delivering a sizable stack of folders to the General's aide she ran into the Colonel leaving the General's office.

"Colonel! I'm so glad I ran into you. When can I expect you to talk with Captain Turner? I'd like to be able to close his file and have him relocated to 'Veterans' as soon as possible" she stated, coming to stand with the men just outside of Hammond's office.

"I've already told you that man down there is not Joe Turner. Beside I thought he'd been moved days ago."

His voice hadn't reached 'whine' level yet, but it was only a matter of time.

"Well, he would have if his identity weren't in question" she replied, an evil grin ghosting across her features as she closed her trap - guaranteeing his help in the matter. "He can't be moved until all questions of his identity are settled. And as it turns out Dr. McKenzie should be meeting with him in a few minutes and it would be a prefect time to answer any doubts you have."

Conceding defeat he dropped his head and mumbling under his breath he followed her down to the infirmary. The sooner this was over the sooner he could put this whole incident behind him.

"Doc I don't care what anyone says, he is not Joe Turner." Jack stated for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Colonel, all of our records say he is." Janet was tired of going around and around with him on this issue.

"Not my problem. He's not Joe Turner." He stated again with finality.

"I swear you're the stubbornest man I've ever met" Janet breathe, almost at the ends of her tether with him.

"Why thank you ma'am." Jack replied tongue and cheek, knowing how annoying he was being at the moment.

"Colonel." She dragged out his title through gritted teeth.

"WHAT? He's not."

He loved moments like these, payback for all those big needles she was so fond of using on him.

"You were a holy terror as kid weren't ya?" she concluded as they neared their destination.

"How could ya tell?"

Still grinning. Score one for O'Neill.

Janet sent up a silent 'thank you' to any god listening as they finally reached their destination.

Wasting no time she swiped her card and entered the room, Jack trailing behind her still mumbling.

To Be Continued...


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