Chapter Four
"Here we go again." Sheppard led the way down the short corridor and into the large lobby.
The darkness completely surrounded them. The smell of dampness and mustiness assaulted Rodney's nose. The crackle of rubble falling didn't fail to make him nervous.
One of these days this place is going to tumble to the ground. Hopefully not while we're still inside it.
"Spread out and start searching." Sheppard headed for the large desk tucked into the corner on their left.
"Any idea on what we're looking for?" Ronon looked at Rodney with what he could only term an impatient expression.
How should I know? "Anything and everything. We need to know why I keep getting brought here."
Ronon spread his arms out and sauntered across the lobby to the far wall.
Rodney strolled to a set of double doors on the left wall. He pushed against them, but they refused to open. He pulled on them, but still didn't open.
"Elevator's busted." Ronon barked from the other side of the lobby.
"Thanks, Chewie." Sheppard joined Rodney at the doors. "How the hell are we going to get upstairs?"
Rodney shook his head, his eyes on the doors. "I woke up already upstairs."
"Found the stairs. They're blocked by debris." Ronon joined them by the door.
Rodney gritted his teeth. "Thanks for the play by play there, Butch."
"Don't make me separate you two." Sheppard snapped.
"Perhaps we should try to find another way upstairs." Teyla's soft voice killed the tension in the air.
"I'm all for it, but how?"
Ronon stepped back and planted his foot in the center of one of the doors. The bang echoed through the building. The door remained closed.
"Let's try to remove that rubble." Sheppard headed toward the stairs.
Rodney stared at the debris, mostly large pieces of ceiling. He looked up and saw the hole the portions fell from. He shivered, hoping the rest stayed up there.
Ronon and Sheppard heaved, shoved, pulled and dropped the rubble until the stairs were cleared. Lights pointed up the stairs and Rodney breathed a sigh of relief. The stairs appeared solid enough and went all the way to the top.
"Let's take it easy in case the stairs aren't stable."
The stairs creaked with each step taken. Rodney cringed, fearing his next step might send him through the staircase. He wanted to hurry up and reach the top before the whole thing crumbled.
He jumped the last two steps and landed on the top. He took several deep breathes, ignoring the strange and annoyed looks the others gave him. Let them try this place alone and they'd understand.
"You good now?" Ronon's voice sound more annoyed than concerned.
Rodney glared at him, but said nothing. He turned on the light to his P-90 and headed down the corridor. Insects scurried along the floor, up the wall, and into large holes in the wall. He shuddered and made his way down the hall. A door on his left was blocked by rubble. He tried the door on his right, but it was locked.
"Stand back." Sheppard's voice startled him.
He moved out of the Colonel's way. Sheppard kicked the door in and it banged against the wall.
"I could have done that." Rodney groused.
"Then why didn't you?" Ronon asked, stepping into the room.
"Children, behave."
Rodney rolled his eyes and followed Ronon into the room. A dirty mattress lay slumped up against the far wall. A dresser stood near the right wall. The wallpaper peeled off the walls and a musty smell permeated the room.
"Nothing in here." Sheppard dropped the mattress back against the wall.
"So we destroyed a door for nothing. Great. I'm going back down the hall."
Rodney left the room, frustration trumping his fear. He stalked down the corridor and tried the door on his left. It opened without trouble. His heart in his throat, he stepped into the room.
"Hold up, Mr. Impatient." Sheppard's voice raked across his nerves.
He blew out a breath to release the pent up tension building within him. He listened to their footsteps hurry toward him.
"You could fall through the floor and we wouldn't know about it."
He glared at Sheppard. "My screams would alert you."
He stepped into the room, his light illuminating the scarce furniture. A whole bed rested in the middle of the room, flanked by two nightstands. A piece of paper lay on the stand on the right. He went to it, hope rising.
"What'd you find?"
"Shh." Rodney read the note. "My frustration is growing. I can't leave this room. It's locked from the outside and the key I have doesn't work. I can't even open the windows to climb out."
"Well, that's creepy."
Rodney tossed the paper onto the table. "And useless."
"Let's keep searching."
A chill swept over Rodney at the thought of not being able to leave the room. What must have the person gone through? Did they even find a way out before this place became abandoned?
Don't think about it. Let's just find answers to my problem.
Shaking his head, he followed the others out of the room and down the hallway.
"Damn it!" Sheppard's angry shout brought Rodney up short. He aimed his P-90 and the light revealed a hill of rubble and debris blocking their way. They wouldn't be able to climb over it.
Rodney tried the door on the right, but it was locked. He checked the left and it swung open.
"This way." He rushed into the room and spotted a hole in the wall leading into another room.
He squeezed through the narrow opening and was greeted by insects flying in his face. He swung the butt of his gun, sending one smacking into the wall on his left. The other landed in front of him and he stepped on it.
"Can we come through or are you going to stand in the way?"
Rodney turned to glare at Ronon, who only stared at him. He rolled his eyes and moved from the gap. He turned his attention to the room. It looked the same as the other they'd just been in, except the bed was propped on its feet against the wall. One nightstand remained and a large dresser stood in the corner to his left. Insect guts spattered it.
He made his way to the door and it swung open. His radio went off, giving him static. He groaned and closed the door.
"Let's find another way around."
"There is no other way around." Sheppard pointed behind him. "We're going out that door."
Grumbling, Rodney went to the door and opened it. The static grew louder and he heard the distinct clicking of metal against wood. He closed his eyes, knowing what monster that sound belonged to.
"Move." Ronon's impatience grated.
Rodney stepped out into the corridor, the pile of rubble behind him. He aimed his P-90 down the hallway and the light revealed the creature coming at him. He opened fire, but the thing blocked the bullets. Blood splashed the walls were he was able to hit. He stepped closer and continued to fire.
"What the hell is that?" Sheppard's surprised voice brought a smirk from him.
"What I was talking about." The creature jumped onto the ceiling to avoid the gunfire. "Crap."
Red energy zipped by him and hit the monster in the back. It screeched and fell to the floor. It got up and scampered toward them. Rodney jumped back. It reared up and slammed its blade like feet into the floor where he was a second ago.
It swiped at them and Rodney leaped out of the way, landing behind the creature. He scrambled to his feet, but the beast focused on the others leaving itself open to his fire.
"You're going down." He aimed and fired into the monster's back. It screeched, jerked in an attempt to get out of his way. It turned around, but it was riddled with wounds and it collapsed to the floor.
"Ok. That wasn't easy."
Rodney took a deep breath and cocked his head to the side. "Really? I thought it was."
"All right, you two, knock it off." Sheppard moved to take the lead once again. "Let's keep moving."
Insects scurried inside the walls and Rodney aimed his weapon at them, but nothing burst through. His heart hammered in his chest and he fought not to jump at shadows.
A door on their right stood wide open and Sheppard cautiously led the way inside. Rodney glanced in the bathroom on his left and gagged. The coppery smell of blood overwhelmed his senses. Blood covered the walls and bathtub. He averted his eyes and moved further into the room.
"Looks like we're going up." Sheppard stood in front of a pile of rubble topped with an old dresser and bed. The mess drew the eye to a hole in the ceiling.
"Oh, joy."
Sheppard climbed the pile, over the desk, and heaved himself up into the room above. He turned around and helped Rodney up.
"I'm beginning to think this was a bad idea."
"Just beginning? I've thought this was a bad idea when we stepped inside."
Rodney glared at the man. "Then why did you suggest it?"
Sheppard shrugged and helped Teyla up into the room. "Because I hoped there might be something like last time."
Rodney rolled his eyes. There wasn't anything in this room thanks to the huge hole. He stepped to the right and checked the door. It wouldn't budge. Growling, he turned and joined the others.
"Door won't move." He turned to glare at the door then spotted a gap in the bathroom. "Nevermind. This way."
He entered the bathroom, ignored the bloody sink and toilet and squeezed through the wall. The moment he stepped into the hallway, his radio blared static. He closed his eyes and groaned, fed up with the creatures.
"This is so getting old." He opened his eyes and aimed his P-90 down the corridor. A flash of pink and a glimmer of a knife announced one of the woman-like creatures shuffling his way. He marched down the hall and when he caught a glimpse of it, opened fire. The thing jolted then fell to the floor.
Ronon smacked him on the back. "About time you stepped up."
"I'm going to throw you down one of those holes."
Ronon actually smiled at him, causing his ire to radiate through his body. He glared at the man through his lashes, but said nothing. It wasn't worth it.
One their left, a door hung on its hinges as if refusing to fall. Rodney stepped into the room and spotted a book laying on top of a worn out bed. Trying not to get his hopes up, he picked up the tome and used Sheppard's light to read it.
"Another journal."
"Great, let's take it with us and read it back at Atlantis. We're getting out of here."
Rodney stared at Sheppard. "We haven't searched the entire place. There might be more."
"This place might come down around us at any moment. We're leaving, McKay. Let's go."
He wanted to scream his frustration, but didn't. He knew the Colonel was right. Debris trickled down around them and there was no telling when one of these hole infested floors will come tumbling down. It was best to leave while they still could.
The way out turned out to be a lot easier than the way in. The monsters were no where to be seen. That only made Rodney even more alert in case one of them decided for one last attack.
They finally made it back to the lobby, but where greeted by one of the black glowing creatures. It scuffled toward them, twisting its body with each step it took. The gurgling noises it made were loud in the silence.
"Enough of this." Ronon stepped in front of the group, aimed his gun and fired.
Red energy flew through the air and hit the monster in the chest. The thing stumbled back, but didn't fall. It continued forward and Ronon shot again. The creature flew back, landed on its back, and didn't get up.
"Can we get out of here now? Please?" Annoyance coated Sheppard's voice.
"Don't need to tell me twice." Rodney led the way through the lobby and down the short hallway to the front door. He'd never thought he'd be glad to see the foggy streets. He breathed in the fresh air, surprised it even smell normal. Moisture still hung in the air.
"Let's not stand here." Sheppard hurried down the street back to the metal fence.
Rodney groaned. "Forgot about the fence."
He hurried after the others, stuffing the journal in his backpack at the same time. He zipped it up when static assaulted his ears.
"Oh, come on!" He turned, P-90 aimed. Black smoke shot out toward him and he jumped back. He opened fire, not caring if he hit the thing or not. His gun clicked and he wanted to throw the weapon away in anger.
"Hurry up, McKay!"
Rodney raced toward the fence, the black smoke becoming lighter only to be replaced by fog. At the moment, he much preferred the mist. He tossed his empty gun over the fence then climbed up. He chanced a look behind him and saw the glowing monster shuffling toward him. He took a deep breath and swung himself over the top and jumped the rest of the way down. He landed hard on his feet, stumbling to keep from falling.
"Nice. Let's get out of here."
Sheppard tossed him his gun and he caught it. He followed the group up the hill, wanting this nightmare to end.