CHAPTER 12 – FROM OUT OF THE MIST

She was still unconscious when he fumbled with the ropes, removing them from around her and lifting her carefully into his arms. The scientist's words echoed through his head and he gave himself a mental shake, trying to dispell the overwhelming thought that he had nailed it on the head. The mist did seem to have lifelike properties and John could also feel the long, damp fingers as they wound uneasily over him and felt a mild sense of suffocation as he fought to take deep, even breaths.

"We gotta get back to the jumper – now. I'm getting some really creepy feelings here and the longer we stand around here and let this stuff close over us, the wierder I am feeling. If that's not technical enough for you, tough! I'm calling it as I see it. Let's get the hell out of here!"

He felt, rather than saw the scientists ease in closer beside him and knew that they were picking up the same uneasy vibes that he was. Unexplained. He had been on enough alien planets to know that there were things out there that defied the normal laws of humanity, because hell – most of what they came across was simply not human.

He heard the rasp of his own breath echoing through the damp air and pushed through the undergrowth, feeling the tug of branches and leaves. A trickle of damp moisture ran down his neck and he had the overwhelming urge to reach back and brush it away. It felt both cold and oily, and he forced himself to push away the panic that was threatening to reach out and embrace him.

"Peter? Can you get another reading on that stuff that's around us. Mist, whatever... it is." His breathing was becoming slightly laboured. Nicole was only a slight woman, but with the increased oxygen in the air, it was becoming harder to breathe and as he spoke, he felt the tangible texture of the air seep into his mouth, threatening to choke him. He stopped momentarily, so that Peter could perform his task, and he could lift Nicole more securely into his arms.

Peter's voice was more than just a little alarmed. "Colonel? This reading is off the scale. The oxygen levels haven't changed since the last reading, but there are new properties in the air and I can't identify them. Neither can my database. It would appear that the ancients have not encountered this particular quality before or they would have programmed something into the database." He punched more buttons and glanced around him in trepidation. "Can you feel it Colonel? Can you hear it?" One of his arms starting swatting at something in the air around him and John turned sharply, trying to see what it was that he was seeing.

"Peter! What is it, man? I can't see anything...! Damn it!"

"Colonel! There, in front of you – holy crap, it's huge! Can't you see it? It looks like some sort of... werewolf. The eyes, they're glowing... oh my god... run Colonel. Michael – run...!"

Peter dropped his hand held computer and stumbled slightly.

"Michael! Grab him now. Damn it Peter, there's nothing there. You're hallucinating. Remember Nicole and the way she suddenly took off? We're all seeing things that aren't there. Come on man, fight it..."

John saw Michael reach out and attempt to restrain the other scientist and breathed a sigh of relief. He forced himself to breathe evenly, told himself that there was nothing out there - that the feeling of something alive sliding down his neck and under his shirt was all imaginary and gave a shiver.

"Michael – hold him secure. I'm going to try and get Nicole back to the jumper then I'll come back and get the two of you. If you think you see something out there, push it away. Mentally. There is nothing out there. Just mist. Not alive. I think there is a hallucinary property in the mist, the same as in the flowers that Nicole was photographing. Got that?"

John saw brief movement beside him and knew that Michael was attempting to nod his head.

"Good man. Remember – there is nothing there. Trust me."

"For god's sake, hurry back Colonel. I hear what you're saying, but this is scaring the crap out of me. Bravery is not a part of our job description... not what I signed up for, either!" John gave a small bark of laughter at the unexpected humour from the scientist, and resolved to spend the time getting to know him a little better when they finally got back to Atlantis.

"I'll do my best Michael. Keep him secure. Don't try and get back to the jumper, you'll likely get yourself turned around in this mist and that will make my job harder trying to find you. Sit tight and wait for me."

Not waiting for a response, John tucked Nicole more tightly into his arms and headed in the direction he believed the jumper to be, hoping that he was not being led around in circles. Whispers came out of the mist as he walked, voices that did not speak but made unintelligible sounds and his ears strained to hear what the whispers said. When a loud hissing noise burst out of the mist beside him, he stumbled, dropping to his knees and placing Nicole on the ground, resting his body protectively over hers and closed his eyes. He waited a full minute before opening them and peering off to the left where the hissing noise had come from. He saw movement. A dark shape that shifted and swirled within the mist, taking substance and form, then changing until all he saw was gray smoke.

"Damn it to hell. I know you're not real. I know there's nothing out there. Try and trick me – I dare you! Give it all you've got, and I'll grab you by the balls and wring you out like a wet tshirt." His voice echoed loudly around him and he thought he heard the sound of Michael's voice behind him, but ignoring everything around him and trusting nothing, including his normally impeccable senses, he picked Nicole back up and moved forward, feeling the pull of something cold that immediately wrapped itself around his leg.

Kicking out and muttering a loud curse he laughed briefly as a pained cry was heard from the place where he had aimed his kick.

"Real or not? Eh? I can still hurt your imaginary form. So come and get me."

Keeping his eyes front and centre he surged forward, not sure whether it was simply bushes or something more sinister that pulled insistently at his clothes and was at last rewarded with the dark shape of the jumper looming out of the mist in front of him. Not until he was standing close enough to reach out a foot and kick it's solid form, did he breathe out a sigh of relief and move around to the back, stepping into the open cargo door and into the interior. He quickly closed the door behind him, shutting out the swirling tendrils of mist, and moved through to the front of the jumper so that he could put Nicole gently down onto the floor, covering her with a warm blanket that he had picked up on the way through, shrugging off his tactical vest so that he could remove his jacket, wadding it up to use as a pillow which he carefully placed under her head. Patting her cheek gently, he attempted to wake her.

"Nicole... come on honey, wake up. I need to leave you for a few minutes..." He saw her eyes flutter slightly and as they opened, saw also the instant spark of pain that registered there.

"Nicole... hey. I've brought you back to the jumper – you fell down a hole and had a dislocated shoulder, which I managed to set for you. Hence the pain... Long story babe, but there is some of narcotic quality in the mist that's causing us to see and feel all sorts of things that aren't there. I left Michael and Peter a little way back, they're having a little trouble and I'll have to go back and help them. You with me?"

He peered down at her, watching as comprehension came into her eyes. "John... crap. I hurt."

"I know sweetheart, but the alternative was worse, believe me. You ok here for a few minutes while I go and help the others?"

Nicole struggled to sit up, but he gently pushed down on her good shoulder, trying to keep her on the floor of the jumper.

"Don't move around. At least until Carson can take a look at the shoulder – or you'll do more damage to it – you might have some sort of head injury as well, so best you stay still. Ok?"

"Jesus, John... let me come with you. I saw something out there also... before I fell into the hole. Something grabbed me, pulled me down. What if it followed us in here?" One of her hands reached up and grabbed for his shirt, pulling him back down toward her. He reached out his other hand, closing if over her one in an attempt to calm her.

"Listen to me Nicole. There IS nothing out there. You have to trust me on that one. The flowers that you were photographing released some sort of narcotic property into the air and that same property is present in the mist that has been swirling around out there. I'm willing to stake my life on that fact. There is nothing there. I can't take you with me – the other two are also fighting the effects of the hallucinations, and as soon as you get out there, you'll be in trouble again. I'm barely keeping my own head above water..."

He watched her carefully, noting the fear that blossomed in her eyes and wanted nothing more than to stay and reassure her. But he had others to look out for, and they had been out there alone long enough. He kept his voice firm. "You need to stay here... no argument, and I need to go now. You'll be safe in here if you just stay calm until I get back."

Not waiting for her response, knowing that the longer he stayed, the harder it would be to leave her – he turned and went to the back of the jumper, throwing a last look over his shoulder as he opened the rear jumper door. He ran out into the mist, but not before taking a long deep breath as though he was about to submerge himself under water.

A cry rang out in the mist and he increased his speed, aiming himself in the direction of the sound.

"Michael? Peter! I'm on my way back to get you. You guys ok?"

It was Michael who answered and John took a relieved breath. "Colonel, we're over here. Hurry. I can't hold Peter down much longer. He keeps moaning about something that is trying to grab him and I'm not so sure he's wrong. I'm seeing it too, Colonel. It's huge, and I think it is near... please, hurry."

John heard real fear in his voice and called out to reassure him. "Michael... there's nothing there. Trust me on that, please. Shut your eyes if you have to, think of something else, something from earth. Block your ears, whatever it takes. You and Peter are the only ones there right now. We've checked for life signs when we arrived and the whole planet was scanned the first time we were here. We're alone."

John moved through the mist, and saw the outline of the two men who sat huddled near the ground. He was at their side quickly, and reached down to secure Peter's arm so that Michael could stand, watching as the scientist ran a hand over his eyes. John placed a hand on his shoulder, aimed him in the direction of the jumper and urging Peter along he sought to ignore the constant feeling of being tracked by something unknown in that eerie mist.

When at last he had his charges back at the jumper, he breathed a sigh of relief when he could finally close the jumper bay door, point the scientists in the direction of the rear seats and hurry forward to where Nicole had pushed herself upright on the floor, clutching her injured shoulder. He saw the look of relief in her eyes when they entered the front of the jumper, and he crouched down in front of her, reaching out a hand to gently cup her chin.

"Hey, you ok? I'll help you into the second seat if you're up for it, and we'll get the hell out of dodge. I'm thinking we've all had enough of this place... here..." He reached around and grabbed the camera he had managed to retrieve from the clearing before heading back to the jumper to grab the climbing gear, and passed it to her. He waited beside her while she fired it up, curiousity blooming in him as he saw the startled look come into her eyes.

"John..." Her voice was soft and she turned the camera so that he could look into the viewfinder and see what had brought the look into her eyes. The brilliantly shaded flower took up most of the viewfinder, resplendent colours beautifully portrayed by the photographer. But it was the dark shadow that took up one corner of the photo that had him peering closer. Wanting to see what the camera had tried to capture. A face... eyes...a dark shape.

He flicked his own startled gaze to hers. Can one's imagination be captured in a photo? He thought to himself, not wanting to voice aloud the thought, he struggled to push it away.

"That could be anything, Nicole... a mark on the lens, trick of light... any number of explanations." He gave his shoulders a slight shrug, wanting to appear casual. All the while his mind was working quickly, processing, formulating and putting pieces together. And his eyes were drawn involuntarily to the front window of the jumper and he saw the dark shape within the mist. Not a hallucination. Not his imagination. He stood quickly, attempting to busy himself with the consoles of the jumper, checking to see that Nicole was secure and taking her focus away from what he had seen.

"Let's get back to Atlantis, get that shoulder looked at and have Carson give you a full check over. Definitely in need of some downtime... oh yeah..." He muttered these last words, feeling her puzzled gaze on him and kept his own focus on flying the jumper. And knew they'd likely have to come back and find out what really kept it's face hidden in the mist.