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“Do you have it?”
“Not yet!” she yells back before she winces.
All she can hear are alarms and the sounds of guns firing and staff weapon blasts and explosions battling around her, but it is the yelling of orders and the screams of pain from those she’s known that will haunt her for far longer than any of the destruction.
She tries, impossibly, to tune it all out because she doesn’t have a lot of time to focus and get the information she needs before they blow the lab to pieces.
She doesn’t care if the paperwork is of no use, or the computer systems are unworkable to the enemy; she wants absolutely nothing to fall into their hands. The files are still transfering to the data stick so she glances around the lab. Her research remains scattered across the surfaces of the desk, there’s calculations scribbled along the whiteboards, the books stacked unevenly on the shelves, framed photos of her family tucked in alongside… and then her gaze falls to the spare chair that sits in the corner. It’s the General’s chair, for whenever he decides to drop by for a visit. She takes a shaky breath. None of these things belong to the enemy and they’ve already violated so much of her world, she refuses to give them anything else.
With renewed determination, she turns back to the computer and silently urges the download to go faster. Unfortunately, she’s so focused on her task that she misses her companion’s movements as they slyly stick another block of C4 beneath the desk and start the countdown.
“Come on,” they urge. “We’re almost out of time.”
She glances over her shoulder at them, then back to the computer screen.
“I need ten more seconds.”
A curse comes from behind her.
“What is it?”
“Nothing,” they say brusquely as they rush to the far corner of the lab and pull a piece of paper from a box. They then shove it into her hand and tell her to keep it somewhere safe.
Their gazes clash.
“Why do I –”
“It’s another copy,” they interrupt. “Just in case.”
She doesn’t ask what they mean because, deep down, they both know what it means. She swallows the lump in her throat.
A beep sounds from the computer and she turns. The download is finally complete, so she taps a few more keys, removes the data stick and places it inside her pocket with the piece of paper. They feel heavy against her heart. She hits another button on the keyboard and watches as all the files on the computer are wiped.
Without warning, an explosion rocks the corridor and they both dive for cover as smoke and debris billow into the room. Her world is literally collapsing and burning around her and she wonders if this is it; if this is how her story finishes – by hiding in the corner of a science lab, waiting for the end to come.
A hand settles on her arm and she realizes, at some point, that some tears have escaped.
“Go,” they shout, “I’ll be right behind you.”
“I’m not –”
“I’ll cover you. Just – go.”
With more strength than she knows she has, she pulls herself to her feet and carefully makes her way towards the door. The immediate area is clear, but the sound of explosions and firefights continue to echo loudly nearby and she knows she won’t be alone for long.
“GO!”
She takes off at a run but then she hears the unmistakable click and hiss of a blast door closing. She turns to find the science lab disappearing from view and she runs back just as the door closes tightly.
“No,” she whispers, then fear sets in and she starts pounding the door with her fists. “NO!”
Movement in the periphery of her vision gives her no choice but to run as a series of staff blasts whizz overhead but as she ducks around the corner she collides into another body and it knocks her to the ground. It’s Jack and he quickly reaches for her hand but she’s only halfway to standing when a further explosion comes from the lab she was just in. She can’t help it; the shock, the sickening reality of what’s just happened, becomes too much and she loses what little food was left in her stomach.
“What the hell was that?”
She wipes the back of her mouth with her hand but she’s unable to answer Jack’s question. Everything feels fuzzy. She’s pulled to her feet for a second time and a hand lands firmly on each shoulder.
“The lab – it’s – she –”
Jack’s eyes turn dark, tormented and he swallows hard. He doesn’t need to know anymore; he knows what just happened.
“Are you OK?”
His question pulls her back from the edge and as he holds her gaze all she wants is to cry because, despite everything, he is still with her; he’s someone who has kept her safe for as long as she can remember and brings her a modicum of comfort.
“Look at me,” he urges. “Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head but finds herself looking back, as if expecting someone else to walk around the corner. Like they promised.
I’ll be right behind you.
His gaze follows hers and he shouts over the increasing sounds of firefight.
“Did you get –”
He gets no further with his question as a staff blast hits the ceiling light over their heads, causing sparks and plastic and metal to rain down on them.
“C’mon,” he says, as he grabs her upper arm and starts to run in the opposite direction of the labs. “We gotta get you out of here.”
They round another corner to find four Jaffa approaching from the other end so Jack quickly shields her as he simultaneously presses a zat gun into her hand.
“It’s all I’ve got,” he yells as he starts returning fire and she doesn’t need to be told twice.
They take down two of the enemy while Teal’c emerges and shoots the final Jaffa from behind. They meet in the middle of the corridor.
“Nice timing,” Jack quips before his mood turns. “Where the hell is Charlie?”
“In the Briefing Room as instructed, O’Neill.”
“Thanks, T. Let’s go.”
They’ve been able to hold the Jaffa back as much as possible, but the numbers are now too great, pushing the SG teams deeper into the complex and towards Level 28. So far, the SGC has also been able to hold the gate to stop the enemy from dialing in, but as Jack glances at his watch he knows their latest 38-minute window is almost up.
He talks to Teal’c quietly, giving him instructions, while the other two glance at the display screens – emblazoned with large red numbers, counting down ever closer to zero. With a nod, Jack takes a deep breath. They’ve only a few seconds and if they don’t make it, nothing up to this point will have mattered. The gate is due to shut down in less than twenty seconds and the plan is for the SGC to dial out once more to let the others escape; when that happens, the Stargate will shut down for one final time and the base’s self-destruct will activate.
“Okay, kids,” Jack calls as his watch beeps, signaling the 38-minute window. “We gotta go.”
They head for the staircase and he yells for Walter to dial the gate, before they continue on to the Gate Room, the sound of fire exchange now unmistakable. By the time they reach the gate, half of the chevrons are engaged and Jack and Teal’c are stationed at either door to the room.
“Chevron 5 encoded.”
“O’Neill!”
Teal’c’s shout comes a second before he aims his staff weapon and fires off a few shots, while Jack also spots a few Jaffa approaching from his side of the base. He’s able to get in a few early shots.
“Chevron 6 encoded.”
“C’mon, c’mon,” Jack murmurs, as he takes a step towards the gate and towards those he needs to protect.
“As soon as the gate stabilizes, you run,” he says as he reloads his ammo. “Don’t stop for anything.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“But –”
“This is not up for discussion,” he yells. “You and Charlie head for the Stargate. That’s an order.”
“Chevron 7, locked.”
They watch as the vortex leaps out and retracts on itself and she finds herself marveling at its beauty amidst the horror that surrounds her.
“GO!”
The order snaps through her thoughts and Charlie grabs her arm and pulls her up the ramp.
“Don’t look back,” he shouts in her ear.
They are so close to the event horizon when the weight on her arm vanishes and she spins to find Charlie lying beside her.
A chorus of shouts fill the air.
“No!”
“Charlie!”
She reaches for him and he tries to push her away.
“Go.”
She shakes her head. “Not without you.”
Charlie’s leg is red and bloody but she manages to get him to his feet before she meets Jack’s eye from across the room.
“GO,” he roars before his expression darkens and he turns his gun on the Jaffa that continues to fire into the gate room.
Another staff blast just misses her as they jump through the gate.