When things go South
Warnings: This story has a lot of violence and several chapters will have torture.
Author's notes: Thank you for your lovely reviews. I seriously appreciate all of them and it helps to motivate my writing. I have big plans for this story, just wait and read. *wink*
Thanks to CelticKnot!
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Gain something, lose something
It was easier to endure the torture with the two guards.
When he regained consciousness, Dean had found the two Genii soldiers with him and no trace of Kolya. They kept asking questions about who he was, what his role was in the Atlantis team, and what he knew about the City. Despite his terrible predicament, he was able to irritate them so much that they resolved to hit him over and over. They hadn't Kolya's imagination, and they didn't try any other methods to get the answers out of him. Punches in his face and his stomach were much more bearable than what Kolya had forced on him. The taste of blood in his mouth, the aching pain in his ribs, and the dizziness due to a concussion were manageable. The lack of oxygen, and the instinctive fear that overrode all his control–not so much.
The bulky, short soldier on the left turned his head around. "I'll ask you again, scumbag. What's your name?"
Dean spat in his face. "How many time do I have to tell you, dumbass? It's Han Solo."
After the third alias, Dean had just decided to stick with the last one. He may have said something about snakes and whips after affirming he was Indiana Jones, but these guys didn't catch his reference. They kept hitting him like he was their personal punching bag. Being in another galaxy was making his movie references and jokes hard to catch, anyway.
"What is your rank?" Before he even had the chance to open his mouth, the guard with the broken nose kicked him.
"Son of bitch! I told you! I'm Captain Han Solo, asshole!" No matter how many time he told them the same thing, they kept throwing their fists at him.
Like a Swiss clock, every three hours Kolya had come back to torture him. Each time he had used the same method: first the Genii stabbed him, then he choked the air out of him. During those "sessions" Kolya didn't ask anything, he just stared him in the eyes. A couple of times, Dean had passed out, only to be brought back to consciousness by the cold water they threw over him.
They had to have been in that room for at least two days: he was dehydrated, his body kept shaking, and he was dead tired.
When Kolya was once again in front of him, he cursed loudly. The man approached slowly, his gaze roaming over the bumps and cuts on his body, like he was studying him. The Genii took his jaw in his hand, moving his face. A little spark of fear ran through Dean. He stood still, not daring to let out a single gasp.
Kolya seemed to notice his fear, because he gave an obnoxious smile. "Are you enjoying your stay in this room, Atlantean? Maybe you want to tell me one more time: what is your name and rank?"
Dean was about to speak when he was stopped: once again a hand was covering his mouth and the other was pressed not-so-lightly on one of his wounds on the ribs. Panic threatened to rise again. Dean didn't know how many more times he could resist if the commander opted to resume his torture.
"If I don't hear the truth, I might consider asking Doctor McKay… There is enough room for the two of you in here." The Genii let him go.
Dean's head slumped, and he breathed a few times to recompose himself. He couldn't let McKay get hurt for his stubbornness. He had to give them something. If it was just this basic information, it wasn't anything valuable.
He could do it.
Nevertheless, he felt like he was failing Doctor Weir and Sheppard by spilling the truth. "…Dean…Dean Winchester…I'm not in the military, I have no rank."
His voice was weak and barely audible, but Kolya nodded and patted his head. "There, that wasn't so hard."
Dean flinched, but didn't move away. He was too tired to do anything. The Genii's hand left his head, and he strode to the door. Relief washed over Dean to found out he wasn't asking anything else.
At least for the moment.
Kolya stopped on the threshold and turned to one of the guards. "Let's return Winchester to his cell. Doctor McKay must feel lonely down there."
The bulky guard opened the chains on his wrists and Dean crashed on the floor. He had been held upright for so many hours, his body was weak and unsteady. The two men took him without effort, and dragged him into the tunnels. Dean felt a little light headed by the sudden change of position, and couldn't muster the strength to move a finger, let alone fight his captors. Soon they arrived at a familiar block. In their cell McKay had almost worn a furrow in the ground, pacing back and forth in an attempt to blow off his anxiety.
"Winchester!" McKay shouted. Once the guards dumped him in their cell he rushed to his side. The doctor must have seen all his wounds, because he paled in horror. "What the hell did you do to him?"
The commander was there, observing the whole thing. "At least he told us the truth."
McKay had a bewildered expression on his face. "Kolya, what's the meaning of this? Are you insane?"
"Relax, Doctor McKay, he is alive." The Genii didn't seem fazed by his outburst. "And he will keep breathing as long as you help my scientists with the decoding of the Wraith device."
Dean saw McKay's eyes moving back and forth between him and Kolya.
The silence was interrupted by the Genii's threatening voice. "I'll ask you again tomorrow, Doctor. Let the night be your advisor."
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A faint smell of clean sheets and a soft bed under him was the first thing he felt when he woke. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the medical bay.
It was past midday.
Sheppard got up from his bed and took the uniform near his bed. He remembered the explosion, and he had to know if the other two members of his team had made through it or not. A little ringing in his left ear was the only remaining injury that nagged him.
The doctor rushed over his patient to check on him. "Where do you think you're going, son?"
"Not now, Carson. I'm fine, where is everyone? Did Rodney and Dean make it?" Sheppard demanded briskly.
Doctor Beckett checked his pupils and looked away. He had a pained expression, and Sheppard knew what was coming before he heard the Scot say, "I'm sorry, Colonel–they're missing."
Sheppard put the t-shirt on and walked away from the medical bay without another word. He marched straight into the Control room. Ronon, Teyla, and Major Lorne were in Elizabeth's office, talking with the leader of Atlantis expedition. John was almost furious they hadn't woken him for the sitrep. He entered the room in a rush.
"Colonel," it was the respectful greeting from Lorne, while Ronon and Teyla just nodded at him.
Just like him, the other two members of his team had some bruises, and Ronon was favoring one side. By the way he was looking, he probably had some cracked ribs. The three of them were really lucky they hadn't been injured worse by the explosion.
"John… shouldn't you be in the medical bay?" Elizabeth asked, concerned.
Sheppard waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine, Elizabeth. What's the status? Did you already send a team to the planet?"
"Yes, sir," Lorne replied, all clipped military professionalism. "I'm just returning from there. No sign of McKay or Winchester. There were several marks on the ground, looks like at least a dozen soldiers were walking around the 'Gate." His face was grim. "We followed several leads on the ground. The rescue team searched the village, but even with the jumper we didn't find any trace of McKay's locator on the planet."
"I sent Doctor Zelenka to the planet." Elizabeth added. "He thinks he can retrieve the list of addresses that were dialed from that 'Gate; hopefully we can find out which planet they took them to."
John clenched his fists.
The only good news was they hadn't found their bodies. Even with the coordinates for the planet, there was no way to know for sure if it was the right one. Days had passed, and they could have moved McKay and Winchester to a couple of different worlds before reaching one of their secret bases. They were Genii, every subtle tactic was possible with them.
The face of that cold-blooded Genii with blue eyes popped in his mind. "What about Ladon Radim? We should call him and see what he has on Andrei Dalca."
"The man who captured you, sir?" Lorne asked, his tone carefully neutral.
Sheppard turned to his XO. "Yes, he was in charge of that unit. I don't know if he is also the brains of this faction. Radim must know him."
Ronon took out his gun. "I say, we go to his planet and ask him directly." His line of thought was clear.
"I already sent a message, gentlemen. I'm waiting for his response." Elizabeth's tone reminded to all of the men in the room that they were still in her office, and she was still in charge.
A brief minute of silence passed.
Teyla tried to break the tension. "Perhaps we should contact the people of Thetasis, Doctor Weir?" she suggested. "They said they were ambushed before; it may have been the Genii. We could acquire more information if we talk to them."
"That's a good idea, Teyla. You and Ronon follow that lead after Carson releases you all for active duty. Major, contact the Genii homeworld, explain our situation if you must, and ask for a meeting with Radim." Elizabeth turned to face Sheppard. "John… I need your help in changing McKay's passwords and accessing codes. We can't take any chances."
He was about to protest, but then he just closed his eyes and nodded. Elizabeth is right. They needed to secure Atlantis first, and changing the security codes was a top priority. The abductors could interrogate McKay and Winchester for that kind of information. Protocols were in place for this kind of thing; he and Elizabeth had to be ready. The only problem was that, in terms of data and usefulness, McKay had much more value. Winchester was a liability; they could kill him anytime.
Sheppard closed his eyes for a moment, and sighed. One thing he knew for sure: the kid would try something on his own. That's what Sheppard would do. He just hoped they could arrive in time to rescue the two of them.
"Let's get to work," prompted Elizabeth.
The people in the office dispersed to attend to their duties, while him and Elizabeth stayed behind. He sat in the chair she offered him. By the look on her face it was clear they needed to "talk."
"John… Ronon and Teyla already debriefed me. You must know this isn't your fault."
"Yes, it is, Elizabeth. I took the team straight into a trap," he shot back angrily.
"The Thetasian people didn't set you up."
"I know, but I should have checked the perimeter…and I should have called the whole thing off the moment they told us they'd been ambushed by people who pretended to be us."
Elizabeth frowned. "You couldn't possible have known they were there."
In a sudden fit of rage, Sheppard shot to his feet, his chair toppling over to hit the floor with a crash. "It's my duty to know this kinds of things, Elizabeth!" he roared.
Elizabeth sat perfectly still. Silence filled the air.
John felt ashamed of his conduct. He wasn't angry at her, he was angry at himself. His mind was replaying the moment when the bomb hit the ground between them, and the horror on McKay's face.
He hadn't done anything to help his friend back then.
"Sheppard, I know you think it's your responsibility as leader of your team to watch out for them." Elizabeth's tone was calm and collected. "However, McKay and Winchester need you now. Don't dwell on things that were out of your control."
"Right. Yeah." He took the chair from the ground and set it back in its place. "Sorry."
"Let's find them, John. We'll work on your manners later."
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Doctor Rodney McKay wasn't known for his good manners.
As soon as the Genii guards left them alone, he helped his stupid cellmate to rest on one of the cots. The man crashed on it and didn't move for a while.
Rodney began to berate him. "You just had to poke him, didn't you?! You and your foolishness… are you going to die on me now?"
"McKay…" His voice was barely audible, and Rodney shut his mouth for a moment, and listened what the other guy had to say. "...I'm ok…"
"You're OK!? Have you seen yourself? You're not Captain America, you idiot!"
"You don't need… to worry." It seemed every word was an effort.
"Worry!? Who said I was worried? I just have a brain, unlike certain people…" He circled their cell, waving his hands around. "Do you think you can go anywhere now that they've beaten the crap out of you? For God's sake, think for once!"
"I saw half the layout of this level….I think… I saw an exit."
That stopped Rodney in his tracks. "Well, why didn't you said that sooner? Was that the only way you came up with to find a way out? By getting yourself punched to death?"
"McKay…" He let out a sigh. Slowly, Winchester started to draw what looked like a map on the dusty floor. "There are other two tunnels here and there… the middle is a sort of chamber… on the right there is a door that leads to a main room….I think… I saw a flight of stairs heading to the roof."
The younger man closed his eyes, and Rodney took a moment to observe him: he was clearly tired, probably from lack of sleep, and the bruises were a nasty shade of purple. The cost for this information had been high. "Did you see any other prisoners?"
"No, just us. A couple of guards at each intersection, and at the end of this tunnel…here." He pointed at each spot on his drawings as he spoke. "I don't know if there are others."
"And even if we were able to open this cell and take out those soldiers, which we can't , we still have to assume there are soldiers patrolling the Stargate and the area around the exit." Rodney set heavily on the ground in despair.
There was no way they could save themselves on their own. Kolya would be there in the morning to threaten them again, and they had no way to escape.
Winchester interrupted his hollow thoughts. "McKay, how long do you think you need to decode that device?"
The question startled him. "What? The Wraith device? I don't know, five, six days. Maybe less in my lab. It depends on what's on that thing."
"Shit. McKay, listen to me… when the time comes… you need to delay the decoding… as much as possible."
"Winchester, what are you talking about?" Rodney frowned at the way he was talking. Did he have a concussion?
"We'll live as long as you are useful. We need to buy time."
"Oh, right… well, I can double it, make up some glitch and buy us some time… wait, what you mean, when the time comes? I have to accept Kolya's offer tomorrow!"
"No, you don't. You'll refuse to cooperate…"
"But that's insane, they'll torture you again! And that's a galaxy Sheppard has to search, not a single system–"
"Damn it! Listen to me! That's why we need to give them time to find us!"
"And what!? Let you go on a daily session of torture with Kolya? Do you really want to die?!"
"…Rodney, please…I can take it, and you need to do it."
It was the first time since this nightmare begun, that the guy called him by his first name. Rodney watched his bloody face and his green eyes. He saw the determination and the plea he held in it. The worst thing was that he was right. That course of action was actually the most rational one to take in their predicament. The scientist sighed–– he wasn't good in this kind of situation. The other man was asking him to help in a suicide mission. He tried once more to dissuade him. "You're not in the military. I know you like to play the little soldier, but you don't know what you are asking me to do."
"I know, Rodney, I've been there. I'm sorry, ok? But you need to stay strong and do it, man."
Rodney huffed in exasperation. "You don't have to do this… I can delay the full decoding for several weeks."
Winchester shot him a tired smile. "They'll watch you, Spock. Those scientists will probably figure out if you delay it too much. We need to stall in both ways without letting them know it."
Rodney capitulated, and they both kept their mouths shut when a guard came to deliver a small dinner. He just nodded to the injured man. From the way he slowly moved to eat his food, Rodney didn't know if Winchester would be able to hold more than a couple of days under Kolya's torture.
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Kolya watched the footage of the interrogation. He had to give credit to the people from Atlantis, they were able to bear an interrogation with honor. The man was young, but he saw the fierce look in his eyes and his foul remarks. It was only the threat to harm Doctor McKay that led him to give up his true name. Regardless of his own grudge with Sheppard, Kolya could recognize a fine soldier when he saw one. This young man had potential.
Just like Idos had.
His loss still burned him. Even after a year and half from that cursed day, when Cowen had ordered him to send his elite team to Atlantis. Sheppard, in his attempt to stop the invasion of the City, had activated the force-field around the Stargate. That had prevented the reinforcements from arriving, stopping their re-materialization. He had killed fifty-five of his men in a single strike. Including the young captain, Idos, the son of his younger brother. He had been one of the most loyal men in his unit, and under his tutelage from when he was a child. Idos was like a son to Kolya. Winchester reminded him of Idos, with his blond hair and his stubborn attitude. Aside from his resemblance, however, he was one of Sheppard's men and Kolya wanted to break him just to hurt his enemy. Nevertheless, he had a mission, and that took priority over any personal revenge. The Genii needed the two prisoners to cooperate, especially after the last reports of Wraith attacks on their home world.
The next morning, Kolya went to visit them along with other two guards. Doctor McKay and Winchester were up and in the middle of the cell when he entered. From their faces, Kolya could tell the prisoners had something in mind. The scientist kept fidgeting and watched the room without laying his eyes on his cellmate, who instead was watching them with a disrespectful expression and was slightly pushing the doctor behind himself. The Genii could guess just by his stance that he had chosen the role of protector.
Kolya was amused that, even with all his injuries, Winchester kept facing them. "I'm expecting an answer from you, Doctor. I assume you're enough clever to know what will happen if I don't like your answer."
"Uhmp… yes, you already told us yesterday: pain, excruciating pain and oh, let me guess…more pain. The answer is still no." The high-pitched tone of his remark told him that the scientist was well aware of the authenticity of his threats.
However, Kolya didn't hear the answer he was looking for. With a nod of his head the guards seized the prisoners, securing their hands behind their backs. "Am I to assume you prefer to hear the screams of pain from Mr. Winchester here instead of working with our scientists?"
The doctor's face blanched in a second, but he didn't say anything.
"What? You're already bored with me, dickhead? And who are they? New douchbags? Just because I broke the other guy's nose–" Winchester didn't finish the sentence because one of the guards hit him with the back of his pistol from behind. It was so quick the man didn't have time to react.
He fell to his knees. "Son of bitch!"
"Dean!" McKay shouted.
"Very well. It will be a pleasure to teach to your friend some manners, Doctor." McKay was pushed to the ground and his hands were freed. Before he could drag himself up, the commander ordered the soldiers to take the prisoner to the interrogation room.
Kolya closed the cell but left a portable radio on a shelf, out of McKay's reach, and turned it on.
He smiled without any trace of pity at the scientist on the floor. He would suffer, too, for his impudence.
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Rodney couldn't fathom what the Genii commander was plotting until he heard a noise coming from the radio. "Doctor, I am assuming you can hear us."
"Kolya…" he whispered. A shiver ran down his spine.
"Unfortunately for Winchester here, he can't hear you, but I don't think he'll mind it very soon." Rodney heard strong statics coming from the radio.
At one point there was a loud crack. He knew that sound: it was the same two wires charged with electricity emitted when they touched each other. He gulped in horror. He knew what would happen in the other room.
When he heard the first shout, he shut his eyes. They were torturing Winchester with electricity, and he could hear the cries of pain. The yells kept coming from the radio for a few hours. There were times when his screams seemed muffled, as if he was trying to hold them back.
Rodney used his hands to cover his ears, cursing the Genii and his teammate for ever agreeing to his plan.
At one point they stopped, the radio went quiet and Rodney watched the Genii device with dread. "For today, I'm afraid your chance to abide my request is over, Doctor. Let this be a reminder for tomorrow."
The screams started again and McKay launched himself onto the jail bars, yelling at Kolya to stop it. However, no one was there to listen his cries.
When they finally took Winchester back to the prison cell, Rodney was huddled in a corner, his head hid behind his knees. He had stopped pretending to cover his ears. However, as the guards opened the door, he attacked them in a fit of rage. It was useless, of course, and he was hit back for his attempt.
After the guards left, he checked his injured teammate.
Winchester was unconscious; his pulse was weak, barely detectable. Rodney cursed and tried to hydrate his lips with the leftovers of their previous meal. Winchester didn't wake up at all.
The next day, when Kolya entered the cell, Winchester was on the cot, still out of commission, and Rodney was up and standing before him, protecting his cellmate.
"Are you ready to work, Doctor? Or should I entertain myself once more with Winchester?"
Rodney's eyes were full of hate. "I'll work on the Wraith device, you let us go unharmed, that's the deal."
"We'll see, Doctor. I can give you my word that your teammate will keep breathing as long as you'll behave."
"Sheppard should have killed you," Rodney spat.
Kolya gave him a glacial smile. "I assure you, the feeling is mutual."
They took him on a secondary laboratory, where three other scientists were working on the Wraith device with old and mismatched equipment. Rodney sighed. Even if he wanted to, with that kind of technology it would take him weeks to decode something useful. He said as much to Kolya.
"I'm sure you'll work as fast as you can, Doctor McKay." The Genii's smile didn't promise anything good, and the scientist turned around, afraid of the unspoken threat.
Kolya left, leaving behind a guard on the door and the other three genii scientists with him. Rodney looked again at the equipment, hoping to find something he could use against those bastards. They needed a miracle to escape, and right now Rodney was the closest of the two of them to anything that may be capable of reaching Atlantis.
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In his personal office, Kolya reviewed his strategy. The day had been eventful: he had acquired new information from his spies on different trading worlds, and McKay had finally decided to work on the Wraith technology. Soon, he would have enough data to strike their mortal enemy and push away some of those life-sucking aliens from his homeworld.
The Genii scientists had orders to watch each of McKay's actions, learn from him and keep an eye for any false moves. The three men were eager to prove to their Commander that they weren't incompetent as he thought. However, the scientists had agreed with McKay's statement, the decoding would take at least a few weeks or more to actual be of any use.
While Kolya pondered if McKay was trying to delay them, someone knocked on the door. "Come in."
A tall doctor entered the room. Of all the scientists on his base, this man was the only one Kolya regarded with a certain respect. He had been pushed away from the Genii scientific community a few months prior for his bizarre experiments. However, since some people still thought his research was worth pursuing, they had given him a secluded lab on a distant world, so he could keep continue his studies without being bothered.
Only a small group of people knew of his existence, and Kolya had recruited him when he left. He only appeared rarely out of his laboratories, asking for raw materials for his projects.
"Commander, may I speak with you?"
"What's the matter, Doctor?"
"I heard we have another prisoner." His voice was toneless as ever.
Kolya paused for a moment. "Yes, it's true."
"May I request him for my experiment?"
He frowned in annoyance. "I already give you four prisoners, what happened to them?"
"I'm afraid they weren't ideal test subjects. Too weak, and in one case I may have exaggerated with the dosage, but those errors will not repeat any further."
"What changed?"
"I think I found the perfect balance in the formula. It will work."
"And you want to test it on our Atleantean, is that right?"
"Yes… I saw the footage of his interrogation, he is young and strong. The perfect candidate."
"I want him alive, Doctor, and I want results. No more errors."
"Of course, Commander Kolya. May I take him now?"
Kolya pondered the scientist's request. If he was right…If he could make it work, it would be a great achievement for the Genii. Especially for him.
He nodded. "Do what you have to do, and keep me updated."
The scientist saluted the commander with a respectful "Yes, sir," and left the room.
His enemies would be on their knees. Kolya wondered what face Sheppard would make if he ever found them. Just that thought was enough to entertain him.