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Chapter Eight

Rodney could hear everyone shouting his name as he disappeared over the edge of the ramp. John went down with him and landed flat on the ramp; it was his hand that prevented them both from plummeting to the ground as it held Rodney's in a death grip.

John tried to pull McKay up, but his legs were flailing about and it wasn't easy. "McKay. Stop struggling so I can pull you up!"

McKay looked down and that proved to be a mistake, for he immediately felt dizzy and closed his eyes. He felt another pair of hands grab his arm and he was pulled up onto the ramp.

Opening his eyes he could see it was Teyla who had helped John.

John patted him on the shoulder and ran to the front of the ship. "We're going back to the Genii home world."

Bates looked confused and spun round to face him. "Sir, with all due respect that planet has already been searched."

"I know, and that's why they've gone back there. Trust me." He turned to face the pilot. "Get us out of here."

The pilot looked behind him to make sure the ramp was clear before raising it and setting a course back to the gate.

John sat down in the seat behind.

After a few minutes the gate came into view and the pilot started punching in the Genii address on the ship's DHD. "ETA 1 minute, sir."

--

Elizabeth was sitting in the corner of her cell when her door suddenly burst open and an irate Kolya stood over the threshold. It was then that she could hear gunshots being fired in the near distance, and cries of anguish soon followed. She knew instantly her team had found her; it had just been a matter of time.

Kolya stormed into the room. Nervously, Elizabeth got up and pressed her back against the wall in a vain attempt to keep away from him. The minute he was within reaching distance he grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the exit.

Elizabeth immediately dug her heels in. She knew she only needed to stall him for as long as possible for John and the others to reach them. "Give it up, Kolya. You've lost."

Without warning he turned round and backhanded her across the face. "Not yet I haven't. I'm not going to be beaten until I've had revenge on Sheppard."

With her free arm Elizabeth wiped the blood away that was trickling down the left side of her mouth and looked at Kolya coldly.

"Get used to it. Unless you want to suffer more?" spat Kolya as his eyes diverted towards her unborn child as a way of persuasion.

Her right hand automatically moved from her lips to her stomach protectively.

With his point made, Kolya continued to pull Elizabeth from her cell, and it wasn't long before they rounded a corner and clashed into John and his team.

John was at the head of the group, with Teyla and Rodney bringing up the rear. He immediately signalled with his right hand when he saw Elizabeth. He didn't want any stray bullets hitting her, so he gave the order to stop firing. "You've got nowhere to go, Kolya. Let Dr. Weir go before you regret it."

As well as John and company, at a quick glance Kolya could see at least five enemy soldiers aiming their weapons at him, and only half of that left standing on his side. "Let me guess, Sora gave our position away, did she?"

"She didn't need to. Your reinforcements on Ca'lone were a good enough indication that you would be here. Sora just confirmed it for us."

"Remind me to have a word with Sora when this is over," mocked Kolya as he looked around to see if he could spot her anywhere.

"Sora is dead, Kolya," replied Teyla as she stepped forward. "Her last act was to correct the mistake she had made."

Elizabeth looked John in the eye when she said that, and he could see her frown creased with sadness at Teyla's words, knowing full well too many people had died from this dispute.

"One less troublesome person for me to deal with later." Kolya moved Elizabeth in front of him as a show of force. He pulled a knife out from his belt and placed it against Elizabeth's throat. "Now move aside if you don't want to see the good Doctor here dead."

Right then Rodney would have given anything to take Elizabeth's place, like he had done once before. But this time there was no room for manoeuvre, so instead he kept his weapon trained and waited for a clean shot.

On the floor, a wounded Genii solder struggled to remove the clip from a grenade when he saw the standoff. With his last act he tossed it towards Sheppard's team.

"NO!" screamed Elizabeth when she saw it land by John's feet.

Surprised, John took one look at the grenade. "Oh. Shit." Quickly he turned round and waved everyone back, moments before it exploded.

TBC

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