Summary: Sheppard has a run of bad luck or is it something more sinister? Shep whump with team and Carson.

Warnings:- Some violence and a little bad language

Disclaimers:- SGA isn't mine if it was it would be on its 6th Season by now

Thanks so much for the reviews, please keep them coming as it does inspire me to keep writing.

THE ENEMY WITHIN

CHAPTER 7

Rodney couldn't sleep and it wasn't just because of the 2 hourly checks, there was something about the arrest of Dr Airth that was bothering him...

It just didn't add up. Although Helen was a competent enough scientist the truth was Rodney didn't think that she was smart enough to develop something as complicated as that virus also he remembered Carson had said that Sheppard had started to become sick before he left for the mission...

Marie heard Dr McKay's buzzer for the 6th time that night and it was only 10pm...

"Yes Dr McKay, I heard you the first time – what's the problem now?"

"Oh, I'm sorry – did you have something better to do that see to the sick man? Never mind, I need to see Dr Beckett straight away"

Marie liked Beckett and didn't want him disturbed "Dr Beckett is off duty and probably sleeping in his quarters. What ever it is will have to wait until morning."

"If you don't get him now, I'll get him myself" – Rodney started to get out of bed but nearly fell as the room started swaying

Marie was exasperated but knew it must be serious for Rodney McKay to pull a stunt like that

"Dr McKay, are you trying to hurt yourself further?...If its really that important I'll go get him for you"


All Sheppard could hear was Ava's voice in his head.

John was walking through the corridor and greeting the people he met but it was as if he was a bystander in his own body. When they reached his quarters Ava escorted Sheppard inside and commanded that he sat on the bed. John tried to resist but when he did pain exploded through his brain and he had no choice but to comply.

Ava seen the sweat from on Sheppard's brow and knew he was trying to resist the mind control drug

"Come now John, you wont be able to fight this drug and it will only cause you pain if you do. Just do as you're told like a good little Colonel and this will go so much easier for you. Now, you need to put your right arm out for me"

Sheppard could feel the pain as the knife slid into his arm and connected with his transmitter. As Ava took her time digging it out John wanted to cry out but nothing about his body worked for him any more, including his voice...

Finally the transmitter was out but instead of disabling it Ava left it on the bed and cleaned up Sheppard's arm before instructing him to follow her out the room and down the hall.

Sheppard tried to focus on where she was taking him but it was as if his brain couldn't register what he was seeing. One think he was sure of he was well and truly screwed...


"Carson, well its about time – what kept you?"

Beckett was not a happy man getting dragged out of bed at this hour "What do you want Rodney?"

As McKay started to tell Beckett about his concerns Carson realised as much as he hated to admit it, that Rodney was right. Sheppard had been infected with the virus well before he went off world which meant the assailant didn't have to be on Atlantis at the time – there were several suspects that weren't looked at properly because they were off world and If Rodney was right then the wrong person had gone to prison and the assassin was still out there..

Beckett clicked his radio " Control room, can you give me a fix on Colonel Sheppard's location please?"

Chuck answered "Colonel Sheppard is in his room Dr Beckett"

"Colonel Sheppard, this is Dr Beckett could I have a word with you in the Infirmary please? - no answer – John, this is Carson, please respond..." Still nothing...

"Ronon, Teyla are either of you still up – its Carson"

Torren had been having a bad night so Teyla was trying to settle the child down when the call came through "Its Teyla Dr Beckett – is Rodney alright?"

"Rodney's fine Teyla – Rodney pointed to his head and glared at him – Look I know its a strange request but could you check on Colonel Sheppard's quarters please?"

"Certainly Carson, Torren could do with the walk anyway, is there something wrong?"

Carson and Rodney shared a concerned look "I hope not love, I really do.."


Sheppard came back to full awareness lying on a painted board with thick leather straps securing his neck, wrists, ankles, upper arms and legs. John tried to move but the restraints had done their work too well – he couldn't move.

Dr Mitchell appeared at the side wall and with a flick of a switch the board was slowly raised so that he was now off the ground and was eye level with the syco bitch from hell – If he ever got out of this alive, women were definitely off the menu from now on..

Ava smiled "Its nice to have you back John. How did you like my mind control drug? - Effective isn't it... It certainly worked well on the men from MXZ91 who I sent to kill you on Colonis. However you know what they say, don't ask a man to do what a woman can do better – right? I'd met their leader a couple of weeks before while I was doing a survey there and I knew that I had found the perfect test subject for my drug. If you had been a bit more interested in your book the virus would have been so much more effective and the attack would have been unnecessary. Why War and Peace anyway? I would have thought you were more of a Robert Ludlum kind of guy.

Anyway... when you hadn't succumbed to the virus as quickly as I'd hoped it was on to Plan B – I drugged Francus and his men and instructed them to go to Colonis and kill you but make it look like a kidnapping gone wrong. However as you know things didn't go quite as planned...When they were captured and brought to Atlantis, I couldn't risk them talking so I used the drug on the Marines keeping guard and slipped the poison capsules to the prisoners in their meal..

I have to confess that the fall you took was all down to me.. Up until then I relied on others to do my dirty work but I really did want to cause you just a little bit of grief myself, so when I heard Dr McKay speaking to you I timed the spillage just right – Honestly John, you don't know how hard it was to keep a straight face as you flew through the air – it was so funny!" Ava laughed...

"Lets see what was next, oh yes the fire. Well I really can't take credit for that as it was pure coincidence that I passed by and seen that Marine having a smoke while on duty – does'nt he know that smoking can kill? - Any how, I decided to take advantage of the situation and when he left I lit was was left of the butt and left it against something flammable so that the fire would take hold. All it took was a dose of the drug to Amelia - that girl does love her chocolate - and the sensors to the corridor were disabled. You see Sheppard, the beauty of the drug is that it leaves the person with virutally no memory of what they've done during its influence – you'll know that yourself John as you can't remember much of the last couple of hours - can you?" – Looking at Sheppard's confused look was confirmation enough

"Finally as you simply refused to die I rigged the electrical discharge on the jumper and that should have done the trick but my oh my...you do have some people who care for you John, I for one would never have thought the great Rodney McKay would push you out the way.."

Anger gripped Sheppard like a vice.

" Look lady, I can understand why you might want me dead but manipulating and killing innocent people not to mention endangering the lives of Carson and my team is unacceptable, what kind of a creature are you? I,m sorry about Gall's death, there isn't a day goes by that I wished I hadn't given the order to land on that planet. Its not an excuse but the fact is we knew so little about the Wraith back then and the last thing I expected was for a 10,000 year old Wraith to survive down there. While I know that's no consolation to you or your family I am sorry for your loss but Ava.. the killing really needs to stop now"

While Sheppard was talking Ava started to unwrap a series of 6 knives which had blades 3 inches in length and an inch wide. Each knife also had a 4 inch silver handle. When she had finished checking each one for sharpness she finally replied … "You don't need to worry John, the killing will stop... after you're dead"

John could feel his heart thumping against his chest as he knew what was going to come next.. He watched as Ava tied her hair back with a band and came toward him with a black handkerchief.

"Lets see, Its been a while since I've practised with the knives so I had better not use the blindfold on myself – Ava smiled at John- I don't really want to use it on you either as I want you to see every knife that is coming towards you.. So what does that leave? - moving towards Sheppard she tied a not in the hanky and shoved the make shift gag firmly in his mouth and tied it tightly behind his head – Now that's MUCH better..I know that you have the reputation for having a high pain threshold but this is going to get nasty and I cant risk you calling out and giving away our location. Now I think it time to begin.."


Within minutes of reaching Sheppard's quarters Teyla found the bloody transmitter lying on the bed and called out the alarm.

Beckett looked grim when he got the news and Rodney knew that their suspicions had been correct and now Sheppard was in the hands of the assassin.

"Rodney, did Colonel Sheppard tell you if he had any plans for this evening?"

McKay head was starting to hurt big time but he searched his brain for some clues...

"Sheppard looked really pleased with himself and I asked him if he had a date but he just smiled"

Carson had a hunch, there was a lot of people left on that list but only one pretty bio chemist..

"Beckett to Major Lorne, could you check Dr Ava Mitchell's location – she was one of the other people on the list and I think we should start with her" - It was only a hunch but Carson just hoped he was right..


Sheppard was in a world of pain....

The 1st knife had flown over the board and for a second John hoped that Ava aim was going to remain that good.

Ava smiled when she realised what he must be thinking "My father bought me these knives when I was only 8years old.. that's the reason they're so small, for a child's hands. When he died I inherited his knives of course but these hold particular sentimental value..Anyway its not my intention to kill you with the knives Sheppard - at least not in the way you think. No I want you to suffer before you die just like Brendan did. I intend to leave you pained and blooded so that you will beg me to take your life just as Brendan took his"

To prove her point the 2nd knife sliced into the arm where the transmitter had been and John nearly choked on the gag as sharp pain seared through his arm setting his nerve endings alight... He started to pant and could feel beads of sweat form on his brow as he saw that there were 4 more knives to come...

Knive No. 3 speared into his left forearm like a red hot poker but John didnt get a chance to recover as No 4 dove deeply into his right thigh causing a mass of rippling fire along his leg that nearly sent him into convulsions. Sheppard didnt know how much more of this he could take when Ava released yet another blade which just missed its target by nicking the skin on his left leg.

John's vision was starting to grey out. Sheppard was trembling and knew that besides the overwhelming pain he was also losing a lot of blood, Ava was right, his injurys may not kill him but the blood loss would. With his transmitter gone Sheppard knew that he wouldnt be missed until morning and by then he would probably be dead and didnt that just suck....

Ava picked up the final blade and turned it over contemplating her next target. Looking at John straight in the eyes the blade flew out of her hand and with sickening clarity Sheppard knew where it was headed and was powerless to stop it. As the sharp blade tore deep into his side. Searing Pain radiated like waves through his body and Sheppard would have doubled up if it wasn't for the restrains denying him even that small relief. John screamed into his gag and felt himself start to pass out but when Ave came walking towards him Sheppards eyes flew open with fear - he knew exactly what the sadistic bitch planned to do next...but just as she reached to turn the handle of the knife deeper into his insides the door suddenly burst open and a burst from Ronon's blaster toppled the woman to the floor


Thanks again for the reviews – please keep them coming I love to know what you think!