The Sentinels: Chapter Fourteen
Summary: SG-1 has learned that not all the Ancients died out. Jack O'Neill is one of them. As enemies rise and fall the Sentinels are forced to come out of the shadows and take the stand as the Greatest Race impacting the course of history like never before. Slash
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Words: 6,735
Chapter Fourteen
"Anything new come in while I was away?" Pete asked as he sat down in his desk at the Denver Police Station.
"Nice to see you too, I'm fine thanks," his partner Andy Travis said with a smile. He made it sound like he was annoyed but Pete knew he was just joking. They were always like this after vacations. "How was your trip with the potential Mrs.?"
Pete rolled his eyes, "Relaxing. We went up to Mark's and did a little San Diego sightseeing."
Andy nodded, "You needed it Pete, this case has been getting to you."
Pete scowled. The gang activity had been getting worse, but lately there'd been a string of murders, all of the victims from different gangs, but all seemingly by the same. He'd entertained the possibility of a single killer but two of the murders had happened only ten minutes apart and at different ends of the city. He and Andy were the leads on the case, yet they'd come up with nothing.
"Anything new?" he asked again.
Andy sighed, "Yes and no. Our killer hasn't struck again but the gangs have started killing each other at an escalating rate. If this keeps up the guy won't have any more people to kill."
Pete snorted, "As nice as it would be not to have the gangs around that's not a comforting though. Have we gotten anywhere with the evidence?"
Andy shook his head, "Our killers leave nothing behind Pete, you already knew that."
Pete powered up his computer and sat back in his chair to wait. Andy was right about this case getting to him. Ten deaths over a period of six weeks and the more he looked into it the more confusing it became. He was determined to solve this case though, by any means possible.
Andy's phone rang. A minute later he set it down with a sigh, "We've got another one."
Pete nodded and grabbed his stuff, "Where?"
"City Park."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
His knees hurt, they always hurt now but he never complained about them. Especially not to her, with her beautiful red hair, soft complexion which was an oddity, and expressive, loving sapphire eyes. He could never complain to her, not about anything. She was perfect, the most perfect woman out there with a smile that could light up a room and a personality that charmed everyone, even the people who she shouldn't have charmed. It wasn't her fault though, it was never her fault.
His eyes and his heart hurt him too. They would never stop, because the pain of never being with her again would never leave him. Every day he knelt at her grave, and every day his heart broke again, the tears fell from his eyes and the need to avenge her grew stronger.
Kneeling at her grave he traced the letters of her name with his right hand and his eyes fell on the three new rings he now wore. He'd found them in her apartment while cleaning it out; he'd seen them only once before and she'd told him they were family heirlooms. They were beautiful; silver banded each with a single, different jewel and an inscription around the entire inside of the band in an ancient text. He'd tried to find out what they said but there was no record of the script in any database. The gem in the first ring was a blood red ruby, the second had a yellow topaz and the third had an amethyst. He wore them as a constant reminder of her along with the necklace that had come with them, a small diamond hanging off it.
His hand clenched into a fist, the sunlight bouncing off the gems making them glow unearthly. He had work to do, work he didn't like but felt was necessary since no one else could do it properly. He stood and walked away from her grave, fire in his eyes.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
He pulled on a pair of latex gloves the scene analysts had given him and surveyed the crime scene from a distance. Crime scene tape surrounded a small open grove; their body was in the center in a supine position, head angled to the left and nothing but small bushes. He wore a dark, blood stained hooded sweater and bloodstained baggy jeans. The coroner was already there, inspecting the body to develop the initial findings, and the analysts were already collecting the evidence.
He and Andy slipped under the tape and carefully made their way to the body. "What have we got?"
Their M.E., Alice Dobson, briefly glanced up at them with hazel eyes, "Caucasian male, late teens, COD looks to be from his broken neck here. He was in a fight, probably with his killer, there are several lacerations on his arms, chest and face and his right leg was broken. Found this on his neck."
She held up a small five centimeter yellow cut out star in an evidence bag that seemed to be the calling card for their killer. It was on every body, always on their neck and always yellow. Pete knew it held some significance, some insight into their killer but it eluded him. Andy took the evidence from her and held it up, turning it to look at from all angles.
Pete knelt down. "May I?" he asked, indicating the body.
Alice nodded, "Go ahead Detective."
Pete smiled and looked through the boy's pockets to find an ID. His wallet was in the right front pocket of his jeans. "Riley Jenkins," he read off the ID. "Seventeen, lives about five blocks from here. Probably was attacked on his way home."
Andy came back from having wandered away, "Witness who found the body says she didn't notice anyone around the area at the time. She lives a block away and hasn't noticed anything unusual going on."
Pete nodded, "Have the analyst found anything out of the ordinary?"
Andy shrugged and looked around, "Doesn't look like it. We'll find out once their finished processing the evidence.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"Riley Jenkins runs with the East Street Boyz. They're one of the newer up and coming gangs that have been making it pretty big lately. According to his juvie record he's been in for mostly minor stuff. Whether or not he's committed anything worse, only his gang knows."
Pete sighed as Andy read off the stats. Another body and still nothing that could lead them anywhere but in circles. This was the part he hated most about cases, when they had nothing to go on, but the case was still pushing them forward.
"Detective Shanahan?"
Pete turned in his chair and smiled, "Corrin, how are you today?"
Corrin McCormack rolled her chocolate brown eyes and handed him a file folder. She was the newest crime analyst the department had, mid thirties, averaged size and very beautiful. But she was married and one of the only people Pete was afraid of. She was scary when angry and thankfully that wasn't often. Pete took the folder and flipped it open, quickly leafing through all the reports.
"So far nothing we've collected from the scene of young Mr. Jenkins's death is out of place," Corrin said. "I find it odd that this killer is still leaving nothing of himself behind, none of the deaths have the mark of a professional and an amateur wouldn't be able to cover his tracks so well."
"Yeah," Pete agreed. "Troubling isn't it? What bothers me the most is that we still have nothing that connects the victims other than their gang affiliations."
"I might have something," Corrin said to that. "It came to me while I was processing the victim's clothes. Before these murders had started, all the gangs involved had been in the news."
Pete threw the folder on his desk and straightened, "Really? That's odd, but it would make sense that someone not in the gang scene would go after the ones that were in the news. Thanks Corrin, you're a doll."
Corrin rolled her eyes and smiled, "Yeah, only when it's good for you."
Pete laughed as Corrin walked back to her lab. He turned back to his computer. Across from him Andy was looking at him strangely.
"What?"
Andy shrugged, "You have a girlfriend."
"Well, yeah," Pete said bewildered.
"You flirt with Corrin like you want to fuck her."
Pete blinked, "She's married. I have a girlfriend."
Andy grimaced, "Hasn't stopped you before."
"Hey!" Pete said sharply. "We're not talking about that remember?"
"I didn't talk about it, just alluded to it."
"Yeah well none of that either," Pete snarled.
He started a search of all the newspapers in Denver looking for articles related to the gangs and ignored Andy. He loved his partner, in a completely manly work related way. They worked well together, better than how Pete had worked with previous partners, which was saying something. They were opposites, but not so much that they didn't know where the other was coming from. Andy's moral compass was different from Pete's as well. Though he didn't oppose the use of some of the Force's more devious tricks to get the criminal he was less likely to use them, less likely to be as aggressive as Pete, whose aggressiveness sometimes bordered on violent. They balanced each other out, but sometimes Pete hated it. Sometimes he wished Andy wouldn't be his voice of reason, and in this instance, bring up things he didn't want to think about.
About a month before he started seeing Sam, he's started seeing a woman he'd met on a case. She wasn't a witness or even a part of the case but they'd met while the case was active. She'd been married, he'd known that too, but she was beautiful and exactly his type. That was his first mistake, because she wasn't actually his type, just a good actress. Though he'd never met the husband he'd learned later on that he was tied up in crime, and had 'planted' his wife with Pete in order to learn if he was under any surveillance, or if the police were even aware of him. His second mistake was believing the woman didn't truly care for her husband. His third mistake was still being with her when the shit hit the fan.
He'd been on probation when he'd been sent to the Springs and Mark had set him up with Sam. Best blind date he'd ever had, and the only one he wanted to keep seeing. Andy had set him up with someone once and though she'd been a nice woman she was really more Andy's type than his. It's why he didn't like blind dates, he had to go through with it out of a sense of obligation.
Andy knew not to refer to that ex-girlfriend, people who did used it against him and it hurt every time it happened. He felt like shit all over again and they didn't want to damage their friendship/partnership by referring to it. The fact that Andy had brought it up hurt worse than he would have thought possible, especially since it had been over a year ago. He hated it; he should be over it but, and he hated to admit it, he wasn't. He wasn't one to make mistakes that big, he avoided negative life altering events like the plague, like everyone else, but more so.
He'd seen what a bad career/life choice could do to a person and their family if they had one. He saw it every day on the job, but he'd been exposed to the harsh reality early on in life. His father had……he couldn't remember what his father had done but he'd lost his job because of it, lost any chance of getting another respectable, good paying job again and it sent the family to ruin. So Pete avoided doing that to his life, despite his tendency to be aggressive, because he knew what would happen and he didn't want that. It scared him to think that he may one day end up like that if he wasn't careful.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Malek crossed his arms and stared down at the set of technology Anise was presenting to himself, Selmak, Delek, Per'sus and Garshaw. They looked familiar to him, probably something his host had encountered but since it was vague familiarity he assumed it was from when he was young. Though young and old were all relative to the Sentinels given their immortality.
"I haven't been able to make many conclusions about the race that created these, the text on the inside of the bands are like nothing I've seen before. However, given their purpose, which is very similar to the Atoniek armbands, and just as old. I think they may have been created by a relation to the Atoniek. Possibly a different sect, one that split off and developed their own language and text but still remains similar to their kin."
"You're saying these rings do the exact same as those armbands?" Selmak asked darkly.
Anise shook her head, "Not at all, though they are similar. Each ring enhances one physical attribute, with no apparent side effect that my studies have found. This ruby jeweled ring enhances the wearer's strength, the amethyst ring speed and the topaz adapts the body in order to handle the physical changes."
"Something those armbands didn't do," Selmak grumbled. Malek would have sworn Jacob was talking if it weren't for the deepness of his voice.
"I can't tell you what the necklace does yet, so far it hasn’t responded to any of my tests," Anise said ignoring Selmak. She was use to him by now. "I've reviewed over half my data on the Atoniek but I've been unable to find anything that helps."
"These are not of Atoniek make," Malek said. Everyone turned to look at him surprised. Never before had he gone against Anise's Atoniek findings, mainly because she was right (or on the right path), so this was odd behaviour for him. "I've read all your findings Anise, these are not Atoniek. If they were those armbands would have been perfected."
"As I said before, I believe it is a different sect -"
"Doesn't explain the textual differences," Malek argued. "There are not similarities between Atoniek script and the one on the bands. They're two completely different styles; a sect would not have suck drastic differences."
"If this is true," Garshaw spoke, "then who created these devices?"
Malek shrugged, "I can't say. Could be from a civilization older than anything we've known, like the Ancients."
Per'sus scowled, "Why do you insist on studying a race that has left us nothing but false hope?"
Malek was really glad he was in control because his host would have flipped. He was, in fact, flipping out right now with some very infinitive curses about Per'sus. "False hope in what? Ascending to a higher plane of existence? Finding the Clava Thessara Infinitas? Tell me Per'sus why do you hate the greatest race ever to walk this galaxy?"
Per'sus's eyes flashed (literally), "If these Ancients are so great then why are they gone? Shouldn't a race as old as theirs, one that has been around for millions of years, as you say, still be here? Where are they Malek?"
"They Ascended!" Malek snapped. "You know this, have proof of it with Anubis yet you refuse to believe it. They're all around us, watching as we go through our lives, holding the knowledge of the universe."
"Are these rings Ancient then?" Delek interrupted.
Malek shook his head, "I don't know what race made them."
~I do~ Malic informed him. ~They shouldn't be used.~
~Given what happened with the armbands I doubt Selmak will allow that to happen.~ Malek replied.
~I hope so. They could make any loyal Tok'ra like the Goa'uld.~
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"So, I've been thinking-"
Pete gasped, "That's dangerous!"
Andy rolled his eyes and resumed his pacing, "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we know the killer is targeting every gang, which rules out the possibility of gang rivalry and leaves us with the rest of the population of Denver because no gang would go after their own like that."
"So, you want to question every citizen of Denver?" Pete asked grinning.
Andy ignored him, "Our culprit has to hate gangs for some reason, and all of them too. I think whatever triggered him happened recently, probably just over a month and a half ago."
Pete nodded in understanding, "a violent incident then, enough to push someone over the edge."
Andy smiled, "That's what I've been thinking."
"Alright, let's cross reference every gang activity that happened a month prior to the first death. If that turns up nothing we'll go with two months, etc."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"Here look at this," Pete said motioning Andy towards him.
Andy came around their desks and read the incident report about a young woman killed in gang territory, though they didn't know which gang was responsible. It had been a pretty brutal killing too, one not usually associated with gangs but one too many pieces of circumstantial evidence said it was gangs.
"Kari Yakima," Andy murmured, "Pull up the file on her."
Barely a click and Pete had her file up. Andy rolled his eyes and quickly scanned it. "Red head? That's not exactly normal. Talk to the boyfriend?"
Pete nodded, "Best lead we've had."
Kari's boyfriend, unlike Kari herself, was a born and bred American and was still very hung up over her death. Pete recognized the anger in his eyes, could see it clearly among the pain and grief and he instinctively knew that Kyle Manning was their killer. Thing was, he had no way to prove it and if things continued to go the way they were, he never would. They young man was about thirty, with tussled sandy blond hair, expressive green eyes and a medium build, though he was a bit on the tall side.
The interview had gotten them nowhere, which Pete had expected. However he did learn that Kyle was, as well as angry, bitter over Kari's death. He hadn't been sorry at all to hear about the deaths, said it was a good thing someone had the balls to do it. But he denied having ever been involved with the entire thing, said he couldn't have done it. Pete though that was bullshit and about all else he wanted to prove it.
"Did you see those rings?" Andy asked him as they drove back to the station.
Pete nodded, "Expensive shit, I don't think he has the budget for them."
Andy hummed in agreement, "I'll see if I can find any information on them."
"You sure?" Pete asked. "It is the less interesting task."
Andy rolled his eyes, "To you maybe. I'm actually quite curious; they looked old."
Pete shrugged, "Whatever."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
As soon as he knew the cops were gone Kyle lost it, threw his glass against the wall, not caring that it shattered into hundreds of pieces. He'd underestimated them, completely. Somehow, with no evidence they'd come to question him. Something let them to him and that pissed him off because he knew he'd left nothing behind. Despite all of this he knew Detective Shanahan though he was the killer; was in fact convinced of it.
He had work to do then, kill a few more gang members and then take down Detective Shanahan.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
The Next Day - 0700h
"Just under two months ago, while doing a routine scanning the Prometheus picked up a small anomalous energy reading. However it only registered for a few seconds before disappearing. Since then we've picked up the reading almost two dozen times." Sam presented to Jack and her team. "I'm analyzed the readings thoroughly; they originate in Denver and almost half of them coincide with the registered time of death of a series of serial murder victims."
Daniel raised a question, a frown on his face, "Is it something or someone killing these people?"
"Someone," Sam assured. "Whomever it is, is using an alien device to enhance his or her ability to kill with their bare hands. I cannot tell you anything more because I have been unable to get the specifics on the case."
"Any idea what this device is?" Jack asked.
Sam shook her head, "I’m sorry Sir I have no idea. Although I don’t think it'll be too hard to find out given who's the lead on the case."
Jack raised an eyebrow, "Let me guess, Lover Boy."
Sam blushed and nodded, "Yes Sir. He won't mind cooperating with us once he learns what's going on. Unfortunately I can't say the same for his partner, for I have no idea how he'll take us coming in to take over."
Jack nodded, "I'll let Pete deal with him. Looks like we're going to Denver kids."
"You're coming with us Sir?" Sam asked.
"Killer using an unknown alien device? Of course I'm coming. I was pretty sure we'd collected all the alien devices that weren't buried or entombed, so I really want to know what the hell this guy is using."
The others said nothing, understanding from the look in his eyes that this was not a topic he wanted to discuss. And they understood why he and his children would have collected any stray artifacts; many of them were too dangerous, especially for those who didn't understand them. Anyone with an alien device could have used it to gain power he or she shouldn't have had, and history would have been terribly different.
Daniel wondered if something like that had happened, only to be covered up by Jack and his family because they weren't ready. He didn't like the idea of there being a piece of their history that they didn't know because someone had erased it. It was wrong on so many levels.
"Get everything you'll need for the trip," Jack said. "I don't know how long we'll be so be prepared for everything. We leave at 1100h, meet me up top."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Malic paced his quarters in the current Tok'ra base. His symbiote had been right, Anise's new little project had been familiar and upon a memory searching meditation he knew why, and it wasn't good. Those devices had causes the destruction of many races in an ancient war. The question now was what to do about them. Once the war had ended the Ancients had completely destroyed the enemies facilities, cities, ships; anything that belonged to them. They wiped them from history, or so he thought.
~Malic make up your mind~ Malek snapped.
Malic growled and left his quarters. He went to the ring room and took them up to the surface. He nodded to the sentry and casually headed to the Stargate.
~What are you doing?~ Malek asked annoyed.
~Anise said that the chamber she found those rings in might lead to others. If that is true then how many other facilities do you think we missed? What other technology is sill left over from that war? We're going to Vaclus."
~You will get us in trouble without telling the High Council.~
Malic paused, ~Do you wish to inform them?~
Malek was silent for several moments, ~It's better that we don't. Let's continue.~
Malic nodded. He continued to the Gate, hoping that there would be no more resurfacing of Luanean technology.
~You still keep the information on the Luan from me.~ Malek commented impassively.
~There are a lot of things within my memory and knowledge that you do not know. Some of it is meaningless, the rest, it doesn’t matter what it is, it just shouldn't be known. I know you've been through some horrible things, but I'd still rather spare you from some that I've been through.~
~The Luanean War being one of them?~
~Yeah. The Luan committed many atrocities I wish never to see again. You're better off not knowing.~
Malek fell silent as the approached the DHD. Malic input the address for Vaclus, then stepped through the wormhole without a look back once it stabilized. Had he looked back he would have seen Jacob standing several yards back and watching with a grim face.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Pete got a sinking feeling in his gut when a huge black SUV pulled up to their latest crime scene. It only got worse when he saw Sam and her team get out, not to mention General O'Neill. They walked through the crowd and under the crime scene tape like they owned the place, which they probably soon would since they would only be here if alien technology was involved. Pete didn't know how though, unless it was the reason they couldn't get any evidence on their killer.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Andy, who was closer to them, asked angrily. "This is a crime scene, you're not authorized to be here."
Pete made his way to them quickly, not wanting a fight to break out. He didn't hear what O'Neill asked Sam but it was straight forward enough so that a nod could be the answer.
"General O'Neill," Pete said, interrupting whatever Andy was going to say. "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
"You know these people?" Andy asked calmly, though Pete could tell that he was not happy. He didn't like it when Feds took over their cases anymore than Pete did.
Pete nodded, "Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, Doctor Daniel Jackson and….." Teal'c.
"I am Murray." Teal'c filled in.
"Right." Pete said a little sheepishly. "I can never remember your name."
Andy frowned, "No wonder. Kinda weird don't you think?"
O'Neill, Sam and Daniel all smiled but said nothing on the subject. Pete knew that O'Neill had been the one to give Teal'c the human name, more as a little inside joke, but it had stuck.
"We your case is somehow connected to our work," O'Neill said in answer to Pete's and Andy's first question.
"And what kind of work is that exactly?" Andy asked.
"Classified," O'Neill answered him shortly. "Until we uncover the cause for our concern we'll be working with you, and then most likely taking over. You have no choice but to cooperate."
"Of course we will." Pete said, thankful for once that he was the senior partner and had to deal with this kind of crap.
"Hold on a sec," Andy said. "Is Col. Carter your girlfriend Sam Carter?"
Pete nodded, making Andy scowl and say, "No wonder you've rolling over so easily."
Pete growled as Andy walked away. He looked at the SCG group, "You can look around but stay out of the analysts way and don’t touch anything unless you are wearing gloves and have their permission to touch it. If there is no classified material involvement then I can't have a killer walk on a technicality you caused."
He turned and followed Andy. Before he was out of earshot he heard O'Neill mutter "touchy" but didn't care. He had a little damage control to see to first. Then he could tell O'Neill where to shove it while he was the lead on this case.
He didn't like O'Neill, though he could respect the man to some degree. Sam had told him about his relationship with Daniel, except that wasn't the reason. What Pete didn't like was the way he played with Sam's feelings (and probably Daniel's) before he made up his mind. And yet, while he as seeing Daniel he hadn't given Sam any indications that her feelings for him couldn’t' be returned. He'd disregarded her feelings completely, and Pete couldn't forgive him for that, even if it was before he came into the picture.
"Come here," Pete said as he caught up to Andy and dragged him a few feet away from everyone but still within the crime scene tape.
"I don’t want to talk to you," Andy snapped.
"Well that's good because I don’t want to you to talk." Pete retorted. "Just hear me out ok?"
Andy nodded, expression neutral but eyes blazing.
"Yes, I rolled over faster than I ever have before, but that's because I know why their work is classified. I stupidly got into the middle of one of their cases and nearly got myself killed. If there is in fact cause for them to be here, then it's a damn good thing they are because they are trained for this, not us. I don't expect you to like them, but I would like you to be able to get along with them."
Andy was silent for a moment before he nodded, "Your call."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"Well, that was…unsatisfying." Daniel said as they set up in a meeting room. "Was that how every crime scene was?"
It was Andy who answered him, "Unfortunately."
"We do have someone we're looking into however we have no evidence; just gut feeling," Pete added.
"What's your suspect's name?"
Pete explained the aspects of their case and their suspect. "The guy has money, or something. Both Andy and I noticed some strange and expensive looking rings on his right hand."
They heard the ringing of a cell phone. "Excuse me a minute," O'Neill said withdrawing a Bluetooth headset and leaving the room.
"Why are the rings important?" Teal'c asked.
"Kyle Manning doesn't appear to have the money to afford something that expensive looking, and I've not doubt they're real. What I can get on his family history doesn’t show any opportunity to acquire them."
"What about his girlfriend's family?" Daniel asked, "Couldn't it be something of hers he took possession of?"
Andy nodded, "I've been looking into that as well. So far: nothing. I don't have many records to go by though, her family immigrated two generations ago."
"Let's assume they were hers," Sam said, "and that Manning is wearing them as some sort of memento. If they're old enough and you have a good enough description, Daniel might be able to date the. They could be what drew us here."
Andy frowned but couldn't say anything as O'Neill came back in. "What have we got?"
Daniel quickly filled him in. at the rings O'Neill frowned but didn’t say anything as they all figured out what they needed to tackle next. Nearly an hour later Pete and Andy returned to their desks, leaving Jack to talk to his team.
"We have a big problem," he told them.
"In what way?" Daniel asked.
"Those rings. They're more than what they appear to be. They are what's emitting the energy waves but I'm not allowed to tell you much."
"What can you tell us?" Sam asked.
Jack sighed, "Contact your father. Somehow you'll have to convince both him and Anise to come here."
"Why Anise?" Daniel asked warily, for good reason since none of them really trusted the female Tok'ra.
"That was Jeremiah who called. Malic has informed him that Anise has discovered another set of those rings." Jack growled. "If you want to learn about the rings you'll need them on this, however under no circumstances am I allowing you to use them."
"Are they that dangerous?" Sam wondered.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"I'm not backing out of this!" Andy snapped.
"It's become classified Detective," O'Neill said calmly but with authority. "You knew this was going to happen sooner or later."
Andy glared and walked away. Pete wanted to say something but knew it wouldn't be welcomed so he followed O'Neill into the meeting room. They had two new people consulting with them not, technically four if you counted the aliens in their heads. Pete shuddered, unable to understand how they could live like that.
"Human clothes are very uncomfortable," the woman, Anise said adjusting her shirt.
Pete refrained from showing his humour, not knowing how she'd take it. He took a seat beside Sam and listened to what the Tok'ra had to say about their apparent alien artifact. She'd even brought the set she'd recovered, once she'd learned what they were dealing with.
"Maybe the necklace is some kind of trigger that allows the rings to work together without any imbalances," Sam suggested.
"Isn't that what the topaz ring does though," Daniel countered. "Why have two devices that do the same?"
Sam shrugged, "Power source?"
Anise shook her head, "Each ring has its own power source, as does the necklace but I still don't know what it does."
"Must really piss you off," O'Neill muttered. Anise glared at him but chose not to comment.
"This text is unlike anything I've seen before," Daniel muttered holding one of the rings and examining the inside. "I don't think I would even be able to reference it to anything, even with the languages I know."
"Strange isn't it?" Anise agreed. "Even a race that died out long before the Goa'uld has some history left behind, but there is nothing on these people."
"What if that's a good thing?" Pete asked.
Daniel and Anise looked at him surprised, the others were curious except O'Neill. O'Neill looked impressed.
"I mean," Pete said a little embarrassed. "What if they deserved it? Maybe everything they did revolved around total annihilation, and in order to be completely rid of them and their influence everything of theirs had to be destroyed."
Anise was not happy with his theory. "You have no grounds to make such an accusation."
Pete snorted, "Why else would you make devices such as those rings if not for war? Strength, yes that could be used for other things but the two together? They're definitely tools of war."
Everyone who wasn't Anise was quite impressed with his insight. "Man Carter," O'Neill said. "Once again you picked a very interesting boyfriend."
"Thanks Sir," Sam said, "I think."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"With Anise's help I've been able to get a track on the rings Kyle Manning is using," Sam announced. "It's a very low level frequency that I wouldn't have been able to detect had we not already had a set here."
"So we'll know if Manning's left for another kill?" Pete asked, pleased with Sam's work.
Sam nodded, "With the information you've provided us about him, his current position is home."
"We need to take him out before he kills again," Jacob said.
O'Neill nodded, "Shanahan, find the most optimal abandoned warehouse district for this to go down in. Make sure it's in an area people wouldn't choose to go to. Jacob, how good are you at taking a long ranged shot?" he added as Pete left.
"In what context?" Jacob asked.
"Sniper."
Jacob shook his head, "Not my area of expertise. Anyone in the SGC?"
O'Neill scowled, "Unfortunately no. I'm working on getting a few though." He sighed, "There goes that idea."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Jack crouched low on the beam above the room they intended to take Kyle Manning down in. Once they stopped Kyle, whether or not that meant killing him, he'd have the rings and necklace destroyed. He'd also be ordering Tavien to destroy Anise's, if he didn't get the job done first. He would have asked Malic but Jacob had ended up telling them (on the way to the warehouse) that they had pretty much pegged him as a Goa'uld spy.
That shocked Jack but it made sense with his abrupt departure several months earlier and his leaving for Vaclus the day before. He wished that Malic hadn't brought that suspicion onto himself because it tarnished his name and everything he'd worked for. It also put Tavien under suspicion because of a bond the two had that none of the other Tok'ra but their symbiotes understood. Thankfully, Malic had already been informed via Caius, and wouldn't be returning to the Tok'ra.
Below him and in position, Sam and Pete were together, Jacob and Daniel had the other side and Teal'c had the back exit covered. Once Manning's arrival had been confirmed four other SG Teams would be taking the perimeter. They were all armed with the most powerful weapons he could give them because if Manning left, they would need it. Both Sam and Jacob had hand devices as well as what they normally carried, Pete and Daniel were using zats and side arms and Teal'c had a zat and a staff weapon.
And though Jack had his own human and Goa'uld weaponry, it was just a ruse. He would be attacking Manning in an entirely different manner. It would cost him, the Alterans - while allowing him this - weren't letting him get away with it. However he didn't know what they were making him pay and for the moment he didn't much care.
Anise was with the SG Teams, coordinating everything from the SUV and telling them when the energy in the rings started to rise. She had the set of rings she 'owned' hoping to learn the purpose of the necklace from the fight. Jack hoped she would learn its purpose and come to the conclusion that it shouldn't be used, not that she would get the chance anyways.
"He's coming, estimated arrival is fifteen seconds," Anise told them.
Kyle was wearing all black, slacks, boots, and a long sleeved shirt. The rings glowed eerily, as did the necklace, which stood out against the dark colour of his shirt.
"Detective Shanahan, what a surprise," Kyle said, not surprised at all. "Who's the pretty woman you're with?"
"I’m Lt. Col. Samantha Carter," Sam answered bringing the hand that had the Goa'uld device on it. "Do you understand exactly what you're wearing?"
Kyle laughed, "More than you Samantha. You may be beautiful, but you're not smart enough."
Jack found some humour in that, for he knew the kind of reaction those comments got. Both Jacob and Sam used their hand devices at the same time. The energy waves, while not meeting head on, clipped Kyle on each side sending him forward and back in a spin.
Daniel used the zat but it had no effect, like Jack knew it would. Even though the rings weren't in full use it still affected the body, rendering most stun weapons ineffective.
"Where did you get those?" Kyle asked as he stood up.
He was answered with another attack from Jacob which sent him flying into the opposite wall.
"Power levels are rising!" Anise informed them.
They took immediate action, shooting not to kill with another energy wave from Sam's hand device but they had underestimated the amount of time it took to have the rings adjust to changing the body.
Jack was the only one able to see him move, and even the he was just a blur. He went after Daniel and Jacob first, throwing them both into Teal'c. Jack used some of his abilities to cushion their impact but otherwise stayed hidden. When Kyle went after Sam and Pete, he ignored Sam altogether, disarmed Pete and grabbed him, making him experience the speed at which he could move even though he couldn't handle it. Pete screamed, but it was like an echoing sound because it could be heard all over as Kyle rand around the room, faster and faster, placing an inhuman strain on Pete's body.
That's when Jack attacked, invading Kyle's mind and torturing him. Had he tried to match Kyle's speed he would never have been able to, so he went with the next best option. Kyle stopped and dropped Pete, clutching his head and screaming in pain and frustration.
"What's going on?" Anise questioned. "He's not moving but the rings are still active."
Jack ignored her as he progressively broke Kyle's mind, cutting away at everything that made him who he was, the anger and aggression that was fueled and enhanced by the necklace because that's what made people addicted to it. Coupled with the rings it felt amazingly good, like a drug that allowed you to do whatever you wanted and that you never wanted to get rid of. Jack broke that down and everything else about him.
He was barely aware of Sam running to Pete, calling his name, kneeling at his side, checking him over then trying to resuscitate him. He was barely aware of Teal'c, Daniel, and Jacob joining her, Jacob talking to Anise and Daniel trying to get his attention.
"You may try to stop it but here will always be a part of you that identifies with us. A part of you that is exactly like us." - Jaxarl; Luanean General.
Chapter Fifteen
Sentinels Guide