Sneak

“O’Neill, I am the bearer of bad news.” I crouch down behind a nearby tree.

“Crap! What now?”

“I fear Daniel Jackson has been captured by the enemy.”

“Dammit, Teal’c. He was your responsibility!”

I hang my head in shame. “I confess that I fell prey to the same misconception as you, underestimating the enemy.”

“Where’d they take him? Can we mount any kind of a rescue?” He is adjusting his night vision goggles.

“When last I saw Daniel Jackson, he was restrained and being led to the enemy hiding place. I fear a rescue would only endanger us and would, in all probability, be doomed to failure.”

“Well, we gotta try before they get him to talk. God know what kind of torture they’ll use on him.”

We captured him so easily that I was certain it was a trap to get us to lower our guard. The use of a young girl was exactly what this situation called for; he walked right over to her when she beckoned him. He put up a fight but it was obvious he was holding back, probably afraid he might injure one of us. I restrained him, making sure his bonds were good and tight, earning me a black look, which I ignored before hurrying him to the cabin.

“Can we untie him?”

“No, we cannot untie him, he’s the enemy.” I ignore her pleading look; after all, this is war.

“How about a drink of water?” He asks engagingly. “You know, on humanitarian grounds.”

My partner immediately steps toward him and I fling my arm out to stop her. “I was just going to check if he’s tied too tightly, he might be injured.”

“And he might be playing on your sympathies.” I give him a stern look. “You can just put the dimples in your pocket, buster, they won’t work on us.”

“Won’t they?” His lashes flutter.

I circle him slowly. “You let us capture you, didn’t you?”

“Damned right I did.” He nods vigorously.

“Why?”

“Because Jack wouldn’t let me bring any coffee and I knew you all had some. I’m not going anywhere,” his sad eyes zero in on our weakest link, “please?”

“Please?” The child, in turn, gives me the puppy dog look.

“Oh, hell, go ahead. But don’t untie him! I’m serious. We’ll use him to capture the other two.”

“O’Neill, I fear they are torturing Daniel Jackson. The child is forcing him to consume what appears to be coffee and doughnuts.”

“How fiendish! I can feel his suffering all the way out here.” The colonel snarls.

“That’s funny, because what I feel is you two putting down your weapons and reaching for the sky.” An ominous voice whispers behind us.

O’Neill curses and, after a few nudges, relinquishes his weapon. The taller of the two holds an amazingly large weapon on us while her companion restrains us. “Go on, move it.” She commands. We have no recourse but to obey.

Daniel Jackson is still restrained but is seated on a comfortable looking sofa while the child plies him with refreshments. “Hey, guys, I got captured!”

“Daniel, you even suck as a hostage!”

“I got coffee and doughnuts and I didn’t even have to lift a finger. I think that’s pretty smart.”

We are forced to sit on hard wooden chairs while our captors share a dance of victory before coming to stand expectantly in front of us. “I believe the losers have something to say.”

O’Neill seems to have been struck silent. “It is indeed the women who are the better warriors and we men pale in comparison to their skill and ingenuity.”

“Can I get that in writing?” Major Carter smiles in triumph.