The long-awaited Chapter 7

Summer screwed up her eyes, and dug her fingers into Cam's. He grimaced, and tugged harder. "Daniel!" he yelled. "Get over here and help!"

Daniel sprang up and ran to them. He grabbed Summer's arm, and began hauling, but it was no good. She was trapped. "They must have some device on the other end!" he yelled. "Like a mouse-trap or something!"

"Mouse-trap!" screamed Summer. "That was the best you could come up with! Mouse-trap...my...ass!!" She lifted her foot with great effort, and slammed it further down the ramp. She glanced at the DHD, then the wall, and she saw a large, crystal power-conduit. She followed the wires that led from it and saw that they came to...

"Mitchell!" She screamed, and he looked at her face. She glanced quickly back to the conduit. He saw what it was. "No..." he breathed, and pulled harder.

"Cam!" She yelled. "You have to."

He looked into her eyes, and saw there, desperation, and fear. He knew he had to, but he just couldn't do it. He grimaced, and she gripped his hand tighter. "Do it!" she whispered into his ear.

"Sam!" he called. "Cut the power to the gate!"

She gasped. "But..."

"I know!"

She paused for a moment, then ran to the wall, scanned the device with her eyes, then, prompted by a scream from Summer, she wrenched the crystal out of it's socket.

The Gate shut off, and Summer fell forwards. Cam picked himself up, and scrambled over to her. "Are you ok?" he gasped.

She sat up painfully, clutching her hand. Or what was once there. But what was a fully functioning hand, was now a smoking, raw, bleeding stump. Cam flinched, and tore off a part of his sleeve to make a bandage.

"Thanks," Summer breathed, and carefully wrapped it around the arm. She looked up at Cam, who was crouching beside her. "Thank you," she said. "Thanks for...saving my life." She managed a painful smile.

He touched her lightly on the shoulder. "That's ok."

Sparks flew from the conduit, where Sam stood, watching them. Daniel sat up, rubbing his head, and smiled at Summer. Sam smiled too when she saw how Cam was looking at her. Like he was seeing her properly for the first time. Which he probably was.