MGM owns all characters except OCs.

A/N: Thanks for the positive feedback. I'll see if I can keep up the suspense. Please let me know if this is scary since I'm trying something new.


Rodney finished putting some cream on Jennifer's cheek as Sheppard and Lorne checked their life signs detectors. By the looks on their faces, they got nothing.

"Okay, we need to find out what happened to Dixon, Neil and Doctor Taylor and get word back to Atlantis," Sheppard explained.

"We also need to check on the villagers," Jennifer said as Rodney helped her up. Smiling and speaking softly to him, she said, "Thank you, Doctor."

He smiled back and turned slightly red. "No problem."

"Roberts and Warrington, take care of Mister Meeks. Lorne, get back to Atlantis and bring in a full team," Sheppard said to his 2IC. "Doctors Patel and Keller, you'll accompany them back to the gate."

"No way," Jennifer said crossing her arms and glaring at the Colonel. "The number one rule in unknown monster scenarios is never split up."

"I realize that, but we need to find out what happened to the villagers," Sheppard said. "I'm taking Richards, Wagner and my team to the settlement."

"Then I'm going too," Jennifer stated resolutely.

"No way," Sheppard growled. He stepped close to her trying to intimidate her with his height over her petite frame.

"People could be injured. If you're going on, I owe it to those people to accompany you." Jennifer stood at full height and stared into angry hazel eyes. "If someone can spare a sidearm for me, I'll be ready to go right now."

"Jennifer, you really shouldn't…" Rodney started.

"You're not returning," Jennifer said as she caught his blue eyes, which were getting angry.

"I've been on a gate team for years," Rodney said as he too drew himself to his full height.

"I've been shooting since I was seven. I've fired plenty of guns in my lifetime," Jennifer explained. "I can handle myself."

"Major Lorne, has Doctor Keller checked out on any weapons on Atlantis?" John said glaring at her and speaking to the Major.

"Not yet, sir," Lorne said as he came to stand near them. Gunny Richards stood to her immediate left and remained silent during the discussion.

"I want you to explain to my family, in person Colonel, that the reason some creature tore me to pieces was because I didn't sign a form giving me a firearm on Atlantis to defend myself," Jennifer spat, as she clenched her fists. This is ridiculous.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are the biggest pain-in-the-ass ever?" Richards' deep baritone said from her left.

"I strive to be the best at whatever I do, Gunny," Jennifer said looking at him as he handed his P90 to her and then put his right foot onto a rock nearby exposing a 9mil in a boot holster. If he's here for what I think he's here for, he can't let me out of his sight.

"Take this," Gunny said handing the gun to her and then he looked at his CO. "I'll take responsibility for the Doctor's safety, sir."

"Well that's really sweet, Gunny, but she's going back," Sheppard said with finality in his voice.


An hour later, Jennifer, Ronon, Rodney, John and Sergeants Richards and Wagner crested a hill overlooking the settlement. It was past mid-day by the location of the sun and the village looked deserted. No people or children were in the fields outside of the town or on the streets. The building with the communications tower rising out of it sat on the opposite hill from where they stood and looked intact.

Jennifer pulled her water bottle out of her pack for a quick drink. She kept her eyes on the terrain in front of her and her mouth shut. Colonel Sheppard, Ronon and, even Rodney, were pissed that she was with them. After Sheppard made his edict, Gunny pulled him aside and obviously revealed something to the Colonel that caused him to stare at her with big eyes. She knew Richards would never reveal the truth about her, but he probably told the Colonel that he was told to watch out for her by someone higher up the chain of command. Gunny Richards was too important to send back to the gate to call in the cavalry, so she had to go where he went.

Normally, Jennifer would be furious with her Uncle for his meddling, but that creature scared her and having Gunny Richards close by calmed her.

No sign of it since it killed Meeks. That's weird. Jennifer glanced down at the blood on her pants and sighed in relief that the smell of the dried blood did not draw the creature to her. Once they got to the village, she was going to change into the extra clothing in her pack. Since they were no longer vaccinating anyone, the vaccines were removed and extra food, water and supplies were put in her pack. After arguing with Richards that she was capable of carrying a twenty-pound pack, she was left with all the supplies except for the ammunition.

"I need to check the communications building," Rodney said breaking the silence.

"Richards, Wagner and Keller, go with Doctor McKay," John said practically spitting when he said Jennifer's name and shooting her a look that said better stay out of trouble.

"Yes, sir," Richards said and moved off to take point with Jennifer and Rodney behind him and Wagner in the rear.

They set off directly across the field, which was full of thigh-high grains. Jennifer grew up in farm country and knew that these plants should have been cut weeks ago.

"I don't think they've been here for a while," Jennifer said quietly.

"Why would you say that?" Rodney asked looking at her. It appeared he was not angry that she was with them any longer.

"Well, I grew up in farm country in Wisconsin and this grass looks like wheat. It should have been cut by now. The grains are starting to fall off the shafts," Jennifer explained as she pulled the top off a plant as they walked by, shook it and caused the grains to fall off.

"They're supposed to check in every month, but they miss them all the time. When Elizabeth called us about the mission, she said they missed their call last month and then this month. They'd never done two in a row before," Rodney explained looking with trepidation at the silent, still village that Ronon and Sheppard were finally entering.


Jennifer and the men climbed up the small hill to the communications building, which sat nestled against the forest. A large metal tower rose up next to the building to help boost the signal. Richards nodded to Wagner, who took up a position to the right of the door with his P90 aimed at the doorway. Gunny then motioned for Jennifer and Rodney to move behind him on the left side of the door. Jennifer drew out her handgun from the holster Rodney had given her, as the Head of Science lifted his P90 into his hands.

I guess Richards isn't taking any chances, Jennifer thought. She felt Rodney's shoulder brushing against hers. Glancing up, she noticed he had a look of fear on his face, but was staring at the doorway as Gunny prepared to open the door.

Jennifer swallowed and looked at Richard's back, which was directly in front of her blocking her view of the door. Rodney stood immediately to her right, so both men and the wall basically caged her in. Taking a deep breath, Jennifer gripped the Beretta with both hands and tried to calm her racing heart in case she had to shoot.

Richards turned the doorknob and then kicked the door as he lifted his P90 into firing position and flicked on the light. Nothing jumped out at them and no sounds were heard except the door bouncing off the wall.

After Richards disappeared into the building, Rodney took up his position in front of Jennifer. She could not hold in the smile that formed on her lips at the thought that the physicist was trying to protect her. I'm really glad I decided to share my power bars with him.

"Clear," Richards yelled from inside the house.

"Go on," Wagner said as he stepped away from the side of the building and motioned for Jennifer and Rodney to enter.

Jennifer nodded to the young German soldier and walked between him and Rodney to enter. The inside was dark. It appeared as if someone left in a hurry because a chair was lying on its side.

"Looks like they left suddenly," Rodney said stating the obvious.

Richards was looking into a cup on the desk when a sound from outside caused all of them to look toward the door. Wagner had spun around facing away from the building with his weapon raised. The older Sergeant moved around the desk and headed for the door when a horrible sound echoed from outside the building.

Rodney raised his weapon pointing it at a window to the right of them.

"Get inside!" Richards yelled but it was too late. Something black and snarling smashed into the young man outside, knocking him away from the open door.

Richards kicked the door closed and yelled at Rodney and Jennifer. "Get together in the middle of the room. Stay away from the windows."

Richards shoved a cabinet in front of the door. Jennifer moved so her back was pressed against Rodney's. There were three windows in the building, one on the back wall and to the right and left of them. Her eyes flashed between the two windows she could see as she felt her heart race and a shudder go through her body.

"What the hell!" Rodney yelled as she felt a shudder pass thought the physicist as well.

"Quiet!" Richards was prowling around the two of them staying away from the windows, but still looking closely outside.

"The radios don't work do they," Jennifer asked quietly of Rodney as she waved her shaking gun between the two windows.

"Of course not. Whatever's interfering with scanners is interfering with all frequencies for radios, too," Rodney said angrily.

"I said, Quiet!" Richards barked as they suddenly heard that sound again from outside the front door.

Jennifer and Rodney turned to face the front door with their weapons raised. Richards stood behind them with his back facing them and his weapon facing the window on the back wall.

Jennifer swallowed and waited for something to come crashing through the front door. She saw the P90 next to her shaking and ventured a quick glance at Rodney's face.

The physicist was trying to stay calm, but his rapid breathing, the perspiration on his face and his wide-open eyes conveyed to her that he was losing the battle he was fighting against the rising panic.

"Deep breaths, Doc, and aim for the head," Richards said calmly from behind the two geniuses as a sound of something scraping against the outside wall in front of them echoed through the small building.

Gunfire could be heard from the village in the distance. Looks like there are more than one of these things after all.


A/N: I was going to leave the identity of Jennifer's uncle for much later in the story, but I couldn't get Sheppard to let her go without some intervention by Richards. I think most folks can figure it out. This is an AU, so anything can happen.