A/N: Sorry that it's taken me a while for this update but I've experienced some annoying computer problems since the last chapter update. I had to do two instant recoveries on my computer within the same week since it kept malfunctioning pretty much all the time. And so I had to re-install all the important programs onto the computer again; including my beloved Microsoft Word. My internship has also taken up a lot of time lately but I'm finally back again and hoping to continue my weekly updates on time. This chapter is ironically also another short one, which is starting to bug me since I expected these last few chapters to be longer. Anyways, hope you all find them entertaining and don't hesitate to let me know if I've gotten any of the Stargate info wrong since I haven't watched many episodes of the show before Prometheus Unbound. Happy reading folks!

CHAPTER VII

"I still say something's up."

"Give them a little more time. I'm sure it's not easy locating the crystal."

"According to Vala, it'd only take minutes. I'd say we've given them overtime by now!"

Sam met Cam's stare and gave up trying to convince him of otherwise.

"Fine. We'll go and check on them," she said.

"Good. Teal'c, I need you to stay here and keep an eye out in case any of the villagers decide to get back early from the neighborhood barbeque," Cam said and Teal'c bowed his head in silence.

Sam and Cam headed into the village, guns ready in case they were surprised by someone who wasn't Daniel or Vala. The village appeared to be completely empty and as they got closer to Alias' house, not even Cam noticed the man watching them from afar. He studied their movements as they walked up to the house, a pleasant look on his face.

Daniel and Vala stood with their backs to the windows and the door, remaining frozen on the same spot. Baylore still had his gun on stand-by, watching them like a hawk.

"I don't know about you, but my feet are starting to hurt," Vala suddenly blurted out and sighed. "We gonna stand here much longer or do you plan on taking us somewhere else?"

Daniel looked over at Baylore, thinking the same thing himself.

"My orders are to keep you here until Alias return. As far as the standing goes, I never said you couldn't sit. Since I'm the one with your weapons you're no longer any threat," Baylore said with a confident smirk. Daniel and Vala shared an annoyed look while moving over to the nearest chairs. As they walked past the door, Daniel caught a glimpse of something in the corner of his eyes. He glanced out the window while slowing down his pace and suddenly spotted Cam signaling him to remain silent.

Vala sat down on the chair with a relieved sigh, stretching out her sore feet in front of her. Daniel kept his eyes fixed on Baylore as he took a seat next to Vala.

"You really expect to get away with this? Even if you manage to defeat our friends, which I doubt you will, others will come through the ancestral ring once we don't return as planned," Daniel said and Baylore walked over to them with a look of smugness on his face.

"If more of your people come, they'll find nothing here. These villagers are innocent farmers who know nothing about any offworld visitors and thanks to Alias no one can prove otherwise," Baylore said Daniel once again got an ominous feeling at the sight of Baylore's certainty.

"But what makes us so special? I'd assume Alias would gladly kill us or at least let us leave and not keep us alive," Vala said and Baylore leaned in closer to her with a sinister smile.

"Who said anything about keeping you alive? Alias made it clear that using violence while apprehending you wouldn't be an issue so don't try my patience," he whispered and Vala glared up at him, feeling the anger building up inside of her.

"Thanks for the warning," she muttered and was just about to give Baylore a black eye to go with his swollen nose when the door was kicked open. Cam and Sam quickly entered the house with their weapons aimed at Baylore, who immediately responded in the same manner.

"Put the gun down," Cam ordered while slowly edging closer towards Baylore.

"I don't think so. I have my orders and I'm planning on follow through with them," Baylore said sternly with his gun aimed directly at Cam. Vala and Daniel remained seated for the moment, unsure of how the standoff would end.

"Same here. Only difference is it's four of us and one of you, so I'd say you're screwed either way," Cam said and signaled Vala and Daniel to get up.

"Without the power crystal you're stuck here and as you've probably noticed the woods isn't a safe place at night, so how are you planning on returning home in one piece?" Baylore said, glaring at Vala and Daniel as they walked past him over to Sam and Cam.

"You okay?" Sam whispered to Daniel.

"I would be even better if we had that power crystal," he whispered back.

"Oh, I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement," Cam said sarcastically and Baylore narrowed his eyes.

"You honestly expect me to have the power crystal on me? And even if I had, I certainly wouldn't hand it over because the truth is, I just don't like you people."

"Well we're not too crazy about you either. Which is why I won't have a problem shooting you, but we actually try avoiding shooting people," Cam and edged even closer to Baylore.

"Like I said before, I'm not gonna –"

"Give us the power crystal willingly, yeah I got it. But since I'm in decent enough mood at the moment I'm gonna count to ten and then I do expect you to hand over the damn crystal!"

Cam and Baylore glared at each other in silence, none of them standing down.

"One."

Baylore remained unsettled as Cam started counting down, both men ready to push the trigger at any moment if necessary.

"Two."

Cam definitely didn't like the situation he was getting himself into but they were out of options at this point.

"Three."

Vala looked from Sam to Cam to Baylore and felt the tension building up in the room.

"Four."

Sam had her P-90 aimed at Baylore, not daring to utter a word at the time being.

"Five."

Cam sighed inwardly, about to call it quits when Baylore suddenly was struck by a zat beam and fell to the floor with a loud thud. Cam quickly turned around and saw Vala standing there holding a zat, looking somewhat relief.

"What the… where did you get that?!" Cam sputtered and Vala shrugged.

"I just felt like bringing it along. To be honest, I'd forgotten all about it until now," she said and noticed that Daniel and Sam were as surprised as Cam. "What? There was no way of telling what could've happened once Mitchell's little countdown finished. I personally only count to three at the most; it gets far too boring otherwise."

"Good thinking," Cam said with a quick nod and stepped over to Baylore's motionless body.

"Yeah except maybe a heads up isn't too much to ask for?" Daniel said as he walked over to Cam.

"I'll try, but these things usually work best when I'm impromptu," Vala said nonchalantly and tucked away her zat, unable to hold back a smirk.

"What makes you think he actually has the power crystal?" Daniel asked, looking down at Cam who was busy searching Baylore's pockets for the missing crystal. "Alias strikes me as smarter than that."

"Well in that case…" Cam began, drifting off momentarily as he took out the crystal from one of Baylore's pockets. "I guess he must be losing his touch."

Daniel stared at the power crystal in Cam's hand, unsure of what to say at first.

"Okay, that was way too easy," he stated and Cam shrugged.

"At this point I really don't care. I just hope this little sucker can guarantee us a trip back to Earth," he said and walked over to Sam, who took out her radio to contact Teal'c.

"Teal'c, it's Sam. We got the power crystal and we're heading your way. Everything clear?" Sam said into the radio and releasing the com button, letting through momentarily static.

"None of the villagers have yet to return, Colonel Carter."

"Alright, good to know. Carter out."

Vala shrugged on her backpack again, reaching down for her P-90 as Daniel picked up his gear off the floor as well.

"You know, this is getting tiresome," Vala sighed and Daniel turned to face her.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing… only I had another reason in mind," he said sarcastically and Vala narrowed her eyes.

"Careful, darling, or I might just accidently zat you if you don't behave," she said and Cam loudly cleared his throat, stepping in between the two.

"Hey, lovebirds, how about getting outta here before Sleeping Beauty wakes up and starts causing trouble again," he muttered and pocketed the power crystal. Daniel and Vala both turned to stare at him, about to object when Cam quickly waved them off. "Come on, let's go!"

Vala glanced over at Daniel before turning on her heels and falling into line behind Sam and Cam. Daniel quickly stepped over Baylore's unconscious body, keeping his distance from Vala. And yet, as the team were making their way through the village over to Teal'c, Daniel's eyes never wandered far from Vala.

TO BE CONTINUED...