This is a slight re-edit of this chapter and I'm hoping to get some more chapters up soon. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update this, I lost all muse for it until I recently watched 'The Lost Boys' on television. Let's hope I can get this finished soon! Thanks for your reviews, favourites and story updates and I'm sorry I've made you wait so long!
John stepped out into the clearing, and his grip tightened on the P-90 he was holding. There was something in the air, something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Above the trees he could still see the black smoke curling up into the air, and his curiosity peaked. In front of him he watched as Ronon and Teyla scoped out the area, both warriors using all their senses to make sure that there was no danger nearby. John knew that he should really be doing the same, so after a few more seconds of staring curiously at the smoke and trees he turned his attention to the world around him.
"Coast looks clear." Ronon stated, walking closer to the trees his hand resting on his blaster. Teyla nodded her agreement, but her head kept turning around, looking at every single shadow in the forest around them. John guessed that she was making sure that she didn't sense any Wraith, 'cause the first whiff of those buggers and they'd better skedaddle.
"Okay, let's head towards the smoke. Best to see what's happened here." John headed towards Ronon, and soon passed him to enter the forest. He was silently hoping that McKay had caused the explosion and a part of him was saying, very loudly, that it seemed like a desperate McKay plan.
'Please be Rodney. Please be Rodney.' He kept repeating those three words over and over again, as he started his walk through the forest. Behind him he could hear Ronon and Teyla walking swiftly, each no doubt doing the same thing; praying that Rodney was okay and looking out for any sign that he was still here. Suddenly a noise caught their attention. It sounded like a gun being fired, and it wasn't just any old gun. No, John recognised that type of gun, it sounded like a Genii gun.
'Shit.' He thought, as he began to jog towards the sound. If the Genii were here then that really wasn't good! They had no way of knowing if this was yet another rebel faction, or if this was part of the group they'd become 'allies' with. Well John didn't call them allies; no he called them 'backstabbing, low life, good for nothing bastards' but Elizabeth had thought that that wasn't exactly the best name to present them with.
The firing was growing louder, and suddenly slightly maniacal laughter floated through the air. John's jog turned into a full out sprint, and soon Teyla and Ronon were on either side of him, all running full pelt towards the sounds. All hoping against hope that this time they'd find their scientist.
"You can't hide forever, Doctor McKay." John's eyes widened, he recognised that voice. Oh God, not that voice! Any voice but that one!
"Koyla." He heard Teyla mutter and his eyes narrowed and he felt anger rise in his stomach. That bastard had McKay, and now he was going to pay. As they neared the firing they slowed and finally stopped, crouching behind some bushes that offered sufficient cover. The gunfire had stopped and all three of them poked their heads around their hiding place, and tightened their holds on their guns.
"Doctor McKay, come on out. Don't play games with me." John wanted to just jump out of there, all guns a-blazing but he knew that if he did that not only could he endanger McKay's life but the rest of his team's as well. He wasn't about to put them at risk, and there was also the hope that McKay had some brilliant plan that would get him out of this.
"Oh, no…no games. No, just you know running and hiding. Actually I suppose it is a game, 'cause you're trying to find me and I'm hiding. So maybe hide-and-seek? Hmm, yeah suppose it's like that, yeah must be." Rodney was talking very fast, and he was babbling. This was not a good combination, when the scientist babbled it generally meant that he was scared. Well terrified would be the better word to use.
"Well, Doctor McKay, maybe you should stop hiding."
"Oh, why? So you can kill me with the big gun that you're holding, oh no I don't think so. I like it up here…oh bugger I just told you where I am. Stupid, stupid McKay! Sometimes you just can't keep your mouth shut can you?"
"He's in a tree?" Ronon whispered incredulously, it would appear that he like the other two had never known that McKay could climb trees. He didn't look like he had the strength or the right build to be able to even get up on a branch.
Kolya also seemed taken aback that McKay was up a tree, and he was glancing around at the branches above him quickly trying to find him before the scientist got an advantage.
"You know, if self-preservation wasn't so high up on my list then I'd show you where I am…but what would that achieve? You'd just shoot me, and that wouldn't be very good…no best that I hide and then you won't be able to find me…but if I keep on talking then you could follow my voice and find…oh bugger…" John's eyebrows knitted together in concern, McKay never rambled like that, not even when he was petrified. Something was wrong, and they had to act now. He glanced at the other two, and nodded once. They both raised their weapons and were about to step out from behind the bush, when something heavy dropped from a tree behind Kolya.
"Now it's my turn." John froze as he saw Rodney straighten up and lunge at the Genii, this couldn't be right. The scientist tried to stay out of trouble and away from danger whenever he could help it, so why was he jumping one of the most feared faction leaders of the Genii?
"We should help him." Ronon said, his eyes trained on the two figures before them. Teyla was nodding fiercely, and John saw no reason why they shouldn't weigh in. He nodded once more at his teammates, and they stood up from behind the bush, their weapons held high.
In front of them, they two men were fighting ferociously. Rodney was punching, kicking and even biting Kolya as he tried to win control of the fight, and what was even more worrying was the fact that he seemed to be winning.
Ronon practically ran towards the two men, and with a great effort dragged the scientist off of the old Genii warrior. John and Teyla both pointed their P-90s at Kolya, but it didn't look like he'd be getting up anytime soon. Kolya was panting on the ground, with blood pouring from his nose, a cut on his forehead and other scratches that the scientist had inflicted.
"Go, McKay." Sheppard whispered, as he looked Kolya up and down. Suddenly he heard Ronon curse loudly, and he turned to see the scientist pulling himself free from the Satedan and making towards Kolya once more.
"NO!" It was Teyla this time who tried to stop him, she stepped right in front of him and placed a hand on his chest. The scientist looked down at her, before he pushed her to one side. The Athosian was thrown against the bush they'd just been hiding behind, and McKay continued his advance.
The reaction was instantaneous; Ronon jumped forwards and hauled McKay off his feet before pressing him against a tree. John looked over at Teyla who was staring incredulously at McKay, her eyes seemingly asking why he'd done something so violent. None of them had ever thought he could be that strong, he could barely hold his own in a stick fight with Teyla so how come he was suddenly able to launch her across a clearing?
"You okay?" He asked, his eyes full of concern as he looked down at his teammate. When the young woman nodded and began to rise, the Colonel turned to gaze at the struggling scientist. This wasn't right, something was dreadfully wrong with this situation. His gun was still trained on Koyla who was clutching at his bleeding nose, apparently unable to stand as of yet. Once Teyla was back on her feet her attention turned from the scientist to the Genii and she raised her gun once more to point it directly at Koyla's heart.
"Rodney?" The Chief scientist was struggling hard and viciously against Ronon's grip, but he wasn't having much luck against the Satedan. "McKay?" John stepped forwards until he was standing in front of McKay, basically forcing the scientist to look up at him. The blue eyes, normally shimmering with excitement about some new discovery, were wild and the pupils looked strangely dilated.
"What have you done to him?" He rounded on Kolya, who had managed to lift himself onto his elbows, his gaze furious. What the hell had he done to him? Rodney looked as though he was drugged…His thoughts trailed off as he turned back to look at McKay, and then back at Kolya.
"You bastard!" He spat, and began to walk menacingly towards Koyla. He'd seen for himself the effects that Wraith enzyme had had on Teyla, Ronon, Ford and the others in Ford's little gang! He hadn't been present when McKay had had an overdose of the enzyme, but he recognised the symptoms of drug usage. Suddenly before he could raise his gun Teyla was in front of him, one hand on his arm. Her calm, brown eyes were looking straight into his and he nodded slightly. It would do no good to kill Koyla…yet.
"Sheppard, we'd better get him back." Ronon said, trying to keep a good hold on Rodney, which was proving quite difficult as the scientist was still struggling. John looked up at the Satedan and nodded again. They needed to get McKay back to Beckett then the good doctor could check him over and tell them what needed to be done. With a heavy heart he walked over to Kolya had dragged him to his feet, Teyla went to the Genii's other side and they began to pull him back towards the 'gate.
Rodney seemed to be calming down at the sight of Koyla being held at bay by two of his teammates, and Ronon was able to guide him through the forest quite easily. Koyla remained silent as they marched him through the trees, no doubt hoping that he would be able to make an escape attempt soon. John was not going to let that happen! Not when the guy had drugged his scientist, and then tried to kill him!
As they moved through the trees John could hear a variety of different sounds, ranging from birds singing in the trees to creatures skittering across the ground by their feet. It was amazing how some worlds could be so similar to Earth, in appearance and in the wildlife that lived there. When he'd first arrived in the Pegasus Galaxy he'd expected to be confronted with different species of both people and animals, but instead he'd found that most of the people that lived on these planets looked the same (as they all seemed to have come from the same gene pool i.e The Ancients.) and all the animals seemed to have the same characteristics. It kind of made each planet seem like home, which was nice when you were so often surrounded by the unknown and unfamiliar.
Finally the 'gate come within sight and John felt his heart swell with happiness, soon they'd be home and Carson could look after Rodney and bring him back to his old self.
"Okay, Teyla dial home." He said, watching carefully as the Athosian moved towards the DHD and began to dial Atlantis' co-ordinates. His eyes travelled back to Koyla, who was staring resolutely ahead. Rodney still seemed relatively calm as Ronon kept hold of him, but his gaze was also on the Genii. John was slightly surprised by the level of hatred that was on the scientist's face, it was beyond anything he'd seen before and he never wanted to see it ever again.
