AN: Thanks to my one and only reviewer, Adela! I hope you like this one. To the rest of you non-reviewers: feedback please!
Chapter Three
The man fell to the ground, the boy's knife sticking out of his neck grotesquely. John watched apprehensively as the boy stared down at the fallen man, breathing slowly, barely even tired after taking on the three grown men. As the boy continued to stare at the dead man, his back to John and the team, John began to worry that the boy was too traumatized by the act of killing the man, rather brutally, to act. Although, judging by the way he took out those three, this probably wasn't the first time he'd taken a human life.
Where does someone so young, even in this galaxy, learn to fight, to kill, like that? John wondered. He pushed the disturbing thought out of his mind and focused on the task at hand: escape. There were still the other two ambushers unaccounted for. If what the leader, Sekez, said was true, and they were Wraith worshippers, then the other two had probably gone to get the Wraith. Which was bad. They needed to get out of there, and fast.
He turned to Ronon, on his left. "Any luck getting those ropes lose?" Ronon's only answer was a frustrated grunt and a jerk of his arm, which effectively jerked all of their arms, as they were tied to together back-to-back.
"How about you, Teyla?"
"No, Colonel Sheppard," she answered, also frustrated. "The knots are extremely efficient. Perhaps he," she indicated the boy with a nod of her head, "will be of some help.
"I'm not having any luck either, thanks for asking," said Rodney in is usual nobody values my opinion even though it's obviously the most important one voice. John ignored him and turned his attention back to the boy, who had moved to inspect the jumbled pile of belongings the attackers had taken from them. He moved quickly and efficiently, strapping a large, sheathed blade to his waist and slinging what looked like a bow and a quiver or arrows across his back. He also pulled several more smaller blades out of the pile and hid them away in various places in his clothing. Clearly, he was getting ready to move out. All the weapons, and the familiarity with which the teenager handled them made John wonder again who this boy was and what his life was like. John called out to the boy, hoping he'd at least untie them before he left.
"Hey, kid. You think you could give us a hand here?" he asked, trying to sound both commanding and nonthreatening. The boy turned to him, regarding the team with a thoughtful look. He glanced around the clearing, gaze touching briefly on both of the still unconscious men, the turned to look in the direction of the gate, before finally looking back at the four still on the ground. Apparently coming to a decision, the boy mumbled something under his breath, then came towards them in smooth, quick strides, obviously in a hurry to get out of the area.
He pulled the large knife, almost a sword really, at his belt as he came. John and the other tensed. The boy noticed.
"I won't harm you," he said quickly, his words slightly accented. "But before I free you, you must promise the same." He had stopped a few feet in front of them. As he spoke he looked them over, eyes lingering on Ronon, the obvious warrior, before landing firmly on John, the equally obvious leader. John met his almost fluorescent blue-green eyes squarely.
"You don't attack us, we don't attack you," he said curtly, not wasting time. "You have my word."
The boy only hesitated a second more before moving forward again. He deliberately went to John's right side, opposite Ronon, and freed John first. Next was Teyla, and then Rodney. John was impressed by the boy's ability to perceive Ronon as the most obvious threat to him. But they didn't have time.
"I gave you my word," John said impatiently as he moved to stand. "We won't harm you. He's really just a big teddy bear anyway," he joked. The boy gave in an cut the ropes binding the large Satedan's hands, but he wasted no time in backing away from the threatening man.
Ronon was on his feet in a second, turning to face the boy. He eyed him distrustfully, but after a moment he turned away to gather his weapons and gear with the others.
John immediately jumped into action mode once he was sure Ronon and the kid weren't going to be at each other's throats, at least not any time soon.
"Alright," he said in a commanding voice. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible, preferably without being seen. Rodney, anything on the Life Signs Detecter?"
"Nothing between us and the gate," the scientist answered.
"Good, hopefully we can make it back to the 'Gate before the Wraith turn up. Ronon, you take point. Teyla, keep an 'eye' out for the Wraith," John said, giving her a meaningful look. They usually avoided telling anyone about Teyla's latent Wraith DNA and her ability of sense and sometimes enter the minds of them. Most people in Pegasus would sooner kill anyone with any sort of connection to the Wraith than listen to explanations. John turned to the boy.
"It'd probably be safest if you came with us for now," he said, trying not to order the boy around, but it was hard not to since he was only about fourteen.
The boy looked like he wanted to resist, but just nodded in acceptance. John gave a curt nod in response, and then the set out for the 'Gate at a brisk jog.
Aryn didn't like this. Not at all.
He wasn't bothered by killing the man. Wraith Worshippers often killed other humans in horrible grisly ways, so Aryn knew the man deserved his death. And he wasn't bothered by freeing the Colonel Sheppard's team. They seemed like okay people, and he wouldn't leave anyone to suffer the Wraith. Not even the big guy who kept glaring distrustfully at him. No, what Aryn didn't like was the idea going through the Ring of the Ancestors with people he didn't know or trust to a place he didn't know while he had a great bleeding wound in his side from a damn Wraith Worshipper's sword.
His dark shirt hid it well, and he doubted the others had noticed, but it hurt like hell and the loss of blood was starting to make him dizzy. But this John guy was right, and they needed to leave, fast. Aryn would just have to go through the Ring them, then ditch them as soon as he could. He might never be able to come back to this planet and get the rest of his stuff, but it was all replaceable. Well, mostly. His journal wasn't really something he liked the idea of losing, but he'd survive. He always did.
They were only about half way to the Ring when Aryn's blood ran cold. He had that now familiar feeling of ice and fire running through his veins, and the uncomfortable pinprick of pressure in that corner of his mind. Wraith. They must have come through the Ring! Aryn quickly pushed into the pressure in his mind, careful to hide his presence, but needing to know how many there were. It took less than a second for him to know. Six warriors and one elite. Years of practice made him positive. Damn. Aryn was just debating whether or not to tell the others, and if so what, when the woman, Teyla, stopped in her tracks.
"Stop," she ordered. The other three turned to her, stopping instantly. "The Wraith, they're here."
"How many?" asked the scholarly man, Rodney, Aryn thought his name was.
"I can't be sure," the woman said. "More than one, but no more than ten, I think." Aryn's mind was spinning. She could sense the Wraith, just like he could. Well, not just like, she seemed very unsure about the number and it had taken her a bit longer to notice them, but she could definitely since them. Maybe…maybe they won't try and kill me. Maybe I can trust them. Coming to a decision, Aryn spoke up.
"There are seven," he said confidently. "Six warriors and one elite. They're coming this way, using the same path you used when you came. The other two worshippers from the ambush are with them." Aryn maintained a miniscule link with one of the warriors. They were less intelligent, and therefore less likely to notice his presence in their mind. This way he could keep track of them. It was a skill he had perfected over the years, with many near-fatal mistakes along the way.
The four teammates stared at him, temporarily baffled. But they were battle-hardened warriors themselves, Aryn was coming to realize, and recovered quickly.
"You're sure," Sheppard asked.
"Positive," Aryn responded. "We don't have to fight our way out," he went on, not fancying another fight in his current wounded condition. "I know a way around them. We can just wait until they pass us, then leave." He knew these weren't the same as the Wraith who tracked him, so sneaking around would work.
"Why run and hide? There are five of us, only seven of them. We can take 'em," Ronon said.
"I vote for the way that doesn't get us killed or possible fed on," said Rodney in a nervous voice.
John thought for a moment, then nodded to Aryn. "Sorry, Ronon. But we can always fight another day. Let's just get out of here. Lead the way, kid."
John and his team struggled to keep up with the boy as he jogged through the trees. He was obviously accustomed to moving through forests like this, and obviously knew where he was going. He led them off the trail in a wide loop, circling nearly back to the 'Gate before ducking out of sight. John slowed, the stepped forward hesitantly. Looking closely, he could barely discern the mouth of a cave, hidden as it was by vines draping over the entrance. Good hideout, he thought. He motioned for the team to follow the boy inside, going last only after doing a quick check around to reassure himself.
John didn't know what to think of the boy anymore. He obviously knew how to fight, and how to navigate in the woods. He seemed to be on his own, but not bothered by that fact, which told John he had been on his own for a while. He was hesitant to trust them, meaning he had probably trusted and been betrayed in the past. But he was also willing to help them, instead of just disappearing into the trees and leaving them to fend for themselves, so he hadn't lost hope in all people. That was good. And now he could sense the Wraith, like Teyla. Which meant he had Wraith DNA in him, somehow. Another experiment gone wrong? he wondered.
In the cave John saw a few belongings spread about. A spare shirt and some type of book. There had been the remnants of a small fire outside, so the boy had been here probably at least a day, but not long. John glanced around in the gloom, waiting for his eyes to adjust. He found the boy leaning against the opposite wall, rummaging through a bag.
"How far are they," John asked in a hushed voice. The boy didn't even pause as he stuffed his few possessions into what appeared to be his only bag.
"Far enough that we can speak without fear of them hearing. Not far enough that we can risk heading to the Ring yet," he answered.
"We should be gone before they get to that clearing," John said insistently. The boy nodded absently, leaning back against the wall with the packed bay between his feet.
"We will," he said in a tired voice. "They are moving slowly, taking their time. Once they are about half way there, we will go." As he spoke he slid slowly down the wall, stopping only when he was fully sitting on the earth floor. His eyes drifted shut, then fluttered lazily back open, as if he was struggling to keep them open. John was suddenly very worried about the boy.
"Teyla," he said tensely. "Come up here and keep an eye out," he ordered as he moved to the boy's side. He knelt down and reached for the boy, checking him over for wounds. His hands came away from the boy's side sticky with blood. They hadn't noticed it through the dark material of his shirt, but the boy must have been wounded by that worshipper's sword. Lifting his shirt, John could see a long gash in the boys right side.
"Damnit!" he swore, pulling his pack off his back so he could get out a bandage. "Rodney, give me a hand here." Together they moved the nearly unconscious boy so he was lying flat and John wrapped his side with the heavy gauze pad over the deepest part of the wound with the skill born of experience. The boy moaned as he put pressure on the wound.
"Easy, kid. You're gonna be fine," John said, trying to sound soothing. "We know a guy that can patch this right up, no problem." The boy's eyes opened to stare into John's, full of fear and mistrust and pain.
"The Wraith," he struggled to say. "They…hunt me. Follow me. Not safe. They'll come. They always come." John's eyes widened and he looked up at his team. Rodney looked terrified and confused. Teyla was still watching through the mouth of the cave, but John could tell she was tense. Ronon's face was unreadable, which John had taken to meaning he was extremely upset. He met John's eyes. They both knew what that meant. The boy was a Runner, just like Ronon had been. Gently, John rolled the boy onto his left side, careful not to hurt him, and lifted his shirt. There, on his back, between the right shoulder blade and the spine, was a jagged, angry looking scar. The boy had a Wraith tracker in him.