In Restless Dreams I Walk Alone10
It had been so easy.
Child's play. Satisfying. The memories flooded back to him. The way he had stalked her. Followed her. Tracking her by scent. Several levels above her, in the shadows, yet able to see her clearly, hear her clearly. Stealthy as a predator when instinct took over as he pursued her. Patiently waiting for an opportunity when she would be alone. When he could confront her about upsetting his son. His little boy. Causing tears and only adding to his shyness.
He had only intended to talk to her.
He shadowed her as she went about her daily tasks, oblivious. Checking with a technician over some computer problem. Eating lunch with some friends. Women chatting over nothing, about nothing. Nonsense to his ears. Sighing after Rodney as he was eating his lunch with that blond doctor again. John found her longing amusing. Pitiful, when she was the one who had broken up with Rodney. She was the one who had rejected his proposal, however ill-timed. She was the one who had thrown him towards another woman. He felt anger over that. The heartbreak of his friend. Yet another crime to be laid at her door.
Another reason to confront her.
All the while John waited, waited. Waited for the right moment. The image of his crying son fresh in his mind. The image of Rodney's sorrow. But it was when he heard his wife's name from her lips that the pent-up rage took over. The fury unleashing in him. A violent storm of anger and hatred and defense at any cost. At all costs.
She never should have talked about Moira.
"Daddy?" Johnny was in his room. He turned as his father approached. An oddly cloaked figure but his daddy nevertheless. He felt the weird resonations that told him daddy was different somehow. But still daddy. Mommy had said so.
John eyed his son. "Junior. What's wrong with Seamus?"
"Huh? Oh...you mean...why he don't play?"
"Yes, why he won't play. I saw. Are the other boys mean to him?"
"Sometimes, daddy. But I look after him."
"Good boy. What happened today?"
"Today? He...um...he didn't want to play ball 'cause it's too rough. Kick hard. I scored! And we play catch then but he wouldn't 'cause he's not good. Clumsy."
"I see. And the other boys make fun of him and laugh, right?" Johnny nodded. "That's only to be expected, and he must learn to face up to them. What about the adults? Do they laugh too?"
"Um...um...yes, sometimes when he, when he stutters."
"I see. And that makes his stammer worse, doesn't it" Johnny nodded. "And he gets all shy and confused and unhappy. Of course he does. What did Katie say to him? She laughed at him."
"I...um.."
"You can tell me, son. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. So?"
Johnny hesitated. Uncertain of his father's mood, although his voice was level. "Um, she was trying to talk to him. Make him play with us. Said he, um, he was being a baby. Made Seamus cry 'cause we were all staring at him and he hates that. He does! And then he tried to talk but stammered so bad...they laughed. She laughed but it wasn't mean. She tried to, to be like mommy but she's not mommy so Seamus ran. Where is he, daddy?"
John tensed. It took all of his self-control not to lash out, not to yell. A rage filled him. He forced it aside, not wanting to frighten his son. "With mommy. He's fine. Run along to them now, buddy. Bio lab. Don't you worry. Daddy will take care of this. Don't you worry."
"She should leave him." Katie turned, vial of amber liquid in her hand. "I'm serious, Julie. At least temporarily. Moira can't handle both him and the children. It's too much to ask of her."
Julie Armstrong shook her head. Blond hair bouncing. "She'll never do that. They'll find a cure. Moira won't stop until she does."
Katie shrugged . "And if she doesn't? I'm just saying it's taking a toll on her. On the boys. You can see that. We all can see that. Perhaps it would have been best if they had left him on the Alpha site. This is the last of it. We have no more enzyme of any kind."
Julie took the vial. "Then I hope that Carson can perform a miracle. Moira won't stop, Katie. She won't. And don't even suggest that she leave John. She won't take it kindly, however intended."
"I know." Katie sighed, pushed a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "She can't see the bigger picture because she is too close to it." She turned back to the table. "I might have something else. I'll check the plants here. A stronger sedative or mild dosage." She kept talking as Julie left her. "If the enzyme doesn't work I don't have many options. It is a unique plant but we don't have an endless supply of it and–" She cried out as a Wraith hand grabbed her arm.
John spun her round. "Where?" he croaked. "Where's Moira?" He had been listening. Plotting his words, his moves, but when he heard her talking about his wife, about taking her away from him any reserve he had broke. Any reason snapped at the thought of someone, anyone taking his wife from him. Taking his sons. Taking his life. Breaking his little circle.
"I...I don't know!" Katie exclaimed, but it was hard to speak as John's mutated hand went around her throat. Her eyes widened in shock, in terror.
"Where is she?" he growled.
"I don't know! Colonel, please, we are trying to help you!" she strained. Gasping for breath as his grip tightened. She pried at his alien fingers uselessly.
He tilted his head. Eyes slitting. "Help me? I don't want your help! I want Moira! You will not take her from me!"
"I don't know where she is! Please, you're hurting me!" she cried, struggling. Her hands dropped to her sides as his grip tightened. Tightened. It was difficult to breathe. And the sight of the mutations this close, the sight of the hostile irrationality in his eyes scared her.
"Hurting you?" he mocked. "You are the monster, not me! Not me! You made my Seamus cry! My youngest son shattered by your laughter! You broke Rodney's heart! My best friend devastated by your callous disregard! You told Moira to leave me! You told my wife to leave me! That will never happen! Never!"
"Colonel..." Katie rasped, as she was being lifted, lifted. Her feet left the floor. Dangling helplessly as he held her against the wall, higher. Grip tightening. Pure fury glinting in his alien highs. Pure strength in his alien hand, his alien arm. Instinct driving him to protect. To eliminate all threats. Any threats.
His long, sharp nails dug into the tender skin at her neck. As his grip tightened, choking the last breaths. Strangling the last words. Her eyes were bulging. Her face turning blue at the lack of oxygen. The pain a hot slice on her neck. The puncture marks from his nails producing spurts of blood. Crimson against her pale, pale skin.
John was squeezing, squeezing without even being aware of it. H is mind a black fury. He didn't even recognize Katie anymore. She was just the enemy. A threat to his son, to his wife, to his friend, to himself. A nobody who didn't even possess the ATA gene and therefore was of no use to the city. He adjusted his grip. Turned his thumb. He heard the satisfying crunch of bone.
A single snap. Severed vertebra. Death was instantaneous. Quick. Painless.
Over.
Her head lolled to one side, tongue beginning to protrude. Eyes still bulging. He heard a sound behind him, a noise caught between a gasp and a scream. John dropped Katie like a rag doll. The body fell lifelessly to the floor. He turned. Turned to see Moira staring, frozen in place. Aghast. Her mouth open. Eyes wide.
"Moira. Moira?" He began to move towards her, his anger evaporating as the sight of her calmed him. Restored him, and he felt a wave of uncertainty. Could not remember what he had just done, why she was staring at him with such abject horror. But marines were rushing past her now. Shooting at him. The Wraith stun blasts hitting him once. Twice. Three times. The fourth finally brought him down. Enveloped him in a blue frenzy of electrical shock. He fell to the floor. Darkness taking him.
The cafeteria was silent. Solemn. Moira kept her sons close. Johnny sat next to her. Seamus sat on her lap. The boys were eating their dinner, subdued, curious. Wondering at the atmosphere. Moira had no appetite. The image of John snapping Katie's neck like a twig killing any hunger. His furious expression melting into a haunting one of need, of confusion before he had been stunned imprinted on her mind. Her hand shook. She stilled it. Nibbled on a piece of toast if only to keep her strength up for her sons. For her husband. For herself.
She looked up as Evan took the seat across from her. His expression grim. Pained. But he smiled at the little boys. "Hey, guys."
"Hey, Uncle Evan," Johnny replied quietly. Glancing at his mother. Seamus was silent.
Evan waited until the children were distracted by the chocolate cake he had brought them. Two big slices which he placed near their trays. "Tomorrow. They're sending her back to Earth tomorrow. After a, a brief memorial service."
Moira nodded. Felt the burn of unshed tears behind her eyes. "Is, is Rodney–"
"No. He refuses to go. Woolsey's not going to force him by any means. But Woolsey's going, of course. As is Julie. Some other botanists."
"Leaving you in charge of Atlantis," she stated.
"Yes."
"Daddy in charge of Atlantis," Johnny stated.
"Yes, Johnny, he is. But when he's not I am," Evan explained.
"And, and John?"
"Imprisoned, for now. Out like a like. It took four stun blasts, Moira! Four!" Evan sighed, ran a hand through his hair. "It's...unprecedented."
"I...I should go, go talk to Rodney..." she realized, blinking back tears. "But I can't leave them."
"Don't. He knows."
"Mommy, can I have piece?" Seamus pointed.
"Yes." Moira scooted the piece of chocolate cake closer to her younger son. Johnny was already devouring it in big bites. "There you go, honey."
"Daddy in charge of city and the city knows it," Johnny asserted between bites.
"Yes, darling, it does, and he is. Don't you worry now," she soothed. Sighed. "Once the boys are settled I'll go help Carson. This doesn't make any sense, Evan! To lash out that violently, for no reason? Something has changed, drastically changed!"
Evan nodded. "If you can't narrow it down I'll have no choice but to exile him to the Beta site. I'm sorry, Moira. He's left me no other option now." He stood. "Boys, take care of your mother."
"Yes, Uncle Evan," they chorused. Faces smeared with chocolate icing.
Evan smiled at them. "Good lads." He met Moira's gaze, held it a moment. Then was gone.