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She was taken back to the room where she had first spoken to Zinder. He was there, sitting where he had been. He motioned for her to sit down.

"I don’t suppose you’d consider untying me?"

He smiled. "No, I wouldn’t. Sit."

She perched on the edge of the chair opposite of the handsome man. "I guess me being here means you’re going to take me up on my offer?"

Gray eyes studied her coolly. "Do you know where Ba’al is?"

Her heart jumped in her chest. If Zinder really did know where the Goa’uld was, he was testing her. If he didn’t… "I’m not sure exactly. You can find out, surely."

"Surely." The reply was soft.

She watched him, watched as his fingers toyed nervously with the glass in front of him. His eyes were guarded. But there was something… "I might have an idea where we can start to look for him," she said.

He nodded slowly. "Why?"

She didn’t need to ask what he was talking about. "To save him."

Another nod. "I could still kill them all. Or just him."

"You won’t. You harm so much as a hair on his head and I won’t help you. You’re in trouble, Zinder. You’re not quite as smart as Framone, not as…conniving…as he was. Without Doria and the Hathor drug, you haven’t been able to make the deals you want to make, or need to make. You have enemies right here on Alteria. You’re desperate, Zinder. You need my help to just survive."

"So you think," he replied.

"If I were wrong, this ship would be at the port in Alteria. If I were wrong, we’d already be dead." She leaned forward slightly. "You need my help, Zinder. Let my Husband and friends go. Let me see for myself that they go through the ‘gate unharmed. Then I’ll help you."

The dark haired man stood to his feet. He had just received word that all but two of the seven men who had been in the city were dead. Three more had just deserted, leaving on a freighter not more than an hour ago. Two of the remaining thirteen men who worked for him he suspected of being spies for one of his several enemies, although he was uncertain as to just which one that might be. That list was growing by the minute. He was indeed desperate. He wasn’t about to let this woman know that, however. "You must love him a great deal to offer yourself so freely."

"All I’ve offered is information. Nothing more."

The man smiled down at her. She had the most amazing green eyes. He could understand how Framone could become so obsessed with her. Something he had no intention of becoming. He would contact Ba’al, and make a deal with him. "Tell me where to contact this Goa’uld."

Casey had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning. "Okay…give me a minute here…I have to try and remember the report I just read," she said, stalling for time.

"Five minutes."

She nodded. ‘Daniel?’

‘Right here, babe. Are you okay?’

‘Fine, sweetheart. Quick, where should Methos aka Ba’al meet Zinder?’

She could hear the chuckle. ‘He fell for it?’

‘Hook, line and sinker. I don’t have much time, love.’

There was a pause, she knew that he was talking to Jack, Sam and Teal'c. ‘T says there’s a planet where there are a few Jaffa who will be willing to play the part of Ba’al’s Jaffa. Can you write down the ‘gate address?’

‘Give me a second.’ She stood up and looked at the Immortal. "I can remember a gate address. I need to write it down before I forget it."

The man studied her, then untied her hands and arms. She rubbed them gratefully while he found paper and a pen.

‘Okay, Sweetheart, I’m ready.’

Daniel sent the address to her. ‘Be careful, babe. Love you.’

‘Always, My Heart. Love you, too.’ She handed the paper to Zinder. "Now, let them go. Let me see them go through the ‘gate unharmed."

He shook his head. "You’ll just have to trust me."

"Not easy to do. You could kill them, and I would have no way of knowing. If you want my help, this his how it has to be."

"You are in no position to make any demands." He motioned, and two guards entered the room. "Take her to Doria’s old room and lock her in. Then take the prisoners back to Alteria City. Make sure that they go through the Chappa’ai." He turned to look at the beautiful blonde woman beside him. "We’ll go back to Lodonia and use the gate there."

Lodonia? PX3-695! Immie Central! She could barely contain her excitement. She followed the guard, tried to keep from smiling. She waited until she heard the lock on the door, then bounced onto the bed. ‘Daniel?’

‘I’m here, Angel.’

‘He’s taking me to PX3-695 to use the gate there! Can you believe it?’

‘You’re kidding!’

‘Nope. Guess that’s the only safe place for him to go right now. I’m thinking that he has a lot of people pissed off at him.’

‘Sounds like it…hang on babe, the guard is taking us out of the cell.’

‘You’re on your way back to the ‘gate. Let me know the minute you go through. I want him to know that I have my ways of knowing things.’

‘Be careful, babe. Don’t reveal too much of yourself.’

She smiled. ‘That sounded like a double warning.’

Again he chuckled. ‘Hadn’t thought about it that way, but now that you mentioned it…keep away from him.’

‘As much as I can, Sweetheart. Love you.’

‘Love you, too, Angel. I still hate this, by the way.’

‘I know. With luck it will all be over in a day or so. Be sure that Methos knows enough about Ba’al to be convincing.’

‘Will do.’

‘Daniel?’

‘Right here, Angel.’

‘Miss you.’

‘Miss you, too.’

She laid back on the bed, her hands behind her head. ‘When you get home, you need to go by the store and pick up milk. And the dry-cleaning. Make sure they got that ketchup stain out of your black jacket. And hug Emmie for me, and tell her I’ll be home soon.’

‘Okay, babe.’ She could hear the amusement in his voice.

‘So are you all right?’

‘We’re fine. No Bedouins in sight. As long as it stays that way, we’ll be okay.’

The lock on her door had been activated. ‘Somebody's coming. Talk to you in a few minutes.’

‘Please be careful, Casey. I love you. I don’t want anything to happen to you.’

‘I promise. I love you, too.’ The door opened, and Zinder stepped inside. She stood to her feet.

"I have a little job for you to do. To prove that you’re serious about helping me." He held out a small bottle of perfume.

"The Hathor drug?" she asked, not taking it.

"Yes. Go through that closet. Find something…appropriate…to wear. Put this on. When you’re ready, knock on the door." He put the crystal bottle on the table beside her. "Refuse, and I send the Bedouins after your friends and husband."

The color drained from her cheeks. She nodded slowly. "What if I can’t find anything that fits?" she asked, nodding at the closet. Doria had been a good two inches taller, and much - bustier.

Zinder smiled. "I’m sure you’ll be able to find something. You have twenty minutes." He turned and left the room.

With a sigh, Casey opened the door to the large closet. She searched, and eventually found a gown similar to the one she had worn for Ba’al. She smiled to herself. Let’s see how immune Zinder was to good old-fashioned tits and ass! She pulled off her BDU and stepped into the gown. It fit like a second skin. Evidently Doria wasn’t the only woman that he had used. She dabbed on the perfume. She opened the drawer in the table, found an assortment of cosmetics and combs. When she knocked on the door of the room, she was absolutely stunning.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Zinder stood to his feet when she entered the room, totally awed by the transformation. There were three men with him, two of them Bedouins, leaders most probably, she assumed. They were all gaping at her. Zinder crossed the room and offered his arm to her. "You are beautiful tonight, my dear," he said softly.

Good grief, was she to be presented as his lover? "Thank you," she said softly. The men were on their feet, smiling broadly at her. She had to fight to keep from laughing out loud. She would use all of the seduction techniques that she had learned from Tessa and Carly. With luck, Zinder would be as much under her spell as his guests were.

"You have exquisite taste in women, my friend," the tall redheaded man said, his eyes moving over Casey’s body. "Very…exquisite."

Zinder shrugged. "She has just recently come into my life." He ran a finger from her shoulder to her wrist. "I’m sure she would be more than willing to…entertain…you."

Casey started. She'd just been offered to this man! "I am not a plaything, Zinder," she said coldly. "I agreed to help you. Nothing more. The first man that puts his hand on me will pull back a bloody stump."

All four men stared at her. Zinder smiled, although the action was one of malice. "Shall I make a call to my men? I doubt that your friends have made it safely out of the desert yet."

She lowered her eyes, shook her head slightly.

"She will bring a great deal of money in Darteen," one of the Bedouins said, grinning at her.

"Yes, she will," Zinder agreed. He looked at her, noted the surprise in her eyes. "I have all the information I need from you. Ba’al will be informed as to where he can locate you. After I have what I need from him."

She felt as if she had been slapped. Her mind began to spin, desperately trying to think of something to prevent him from being the one to take her to Darteen. "I doubt that Ba’al will be interested in talking to you if I’m not there."

Zinder looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Look, he was set to make me his Consort. If he finds out I’m at a slave market, that I've been...used...he’s not going to want me. And if he doesn’t want me, he’s not going to give a rat’s ass what you want." She hoped that she sounded calm.

"You didn’t tell me that," Zinder accused.

"You didn’t ask."

He motioned to the guard that stood near the door. "Take her back to her room. See to it that she’s not…disturbed."

The guard nodded, took her by the arm and led her from the room. She glanced back, noted the looks of disappointment on three faces. Zinder’s face and eyes were unreadable. All she had done was buy herself some time. And maybe changed things enough that Darteen wasn’t going to be her ultimate destination.

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