Author's Note: Okay, found five minutes to post, or forced myself to, cause I probably won't be posting tomorrow night... or Wednesday night (booze cruise) or Thursday night (Nott night) and possible not Friday night (might be going to see a friend). I will try, cause I hate making you guys wait, especially seeing as you all say such nice things to me! But when reality calls...
I know, kinda sound like a broken record, but wanted you guys to know.
On with the story then!
Chapter 12
"Control tower, this is Sheppard. What the hell is going on?"
Gibbs wanted to know the answers to that himself. He glanced from Woolsey to the technician, Amelia. She looked lost though, spreading her arms wide.
"It's a level three quarantine," she told them. "But that's all I know."
"Control tower? Do you copy?"
Sheppard sounded slightly panicked. Woolsey leaned down to put him out of his misery. "Colonel Sheppard, this is Woolsey -."
"Don't give me a heart attack like that!" Sheppard snapped, interrupting him. "What the hell is happening?"
"We're not sure yet, colonel," Woolsey told him. "It seems the city has initiated a level three quarantine."
"Why?" Sheppard demanded. "Don't we have everyone infected quarantined? Else it would have gone into quarantine immediately, wouldn't it?"
"The city seems to be experiencing some… malfunctions," Woolsey sighed, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses. "And it seems three men slipped under its radar in the meantime."
"You mean three men from the alpha site." Sheppard growled under his breath. "I'm coming up there."
"How?" McKay interrupted. "Level three quarantine means we can communicate, but all sections are sealed shut. You'll be able to move around a few corridors away from the infirmary, but any access to the control tower will be barred."
Sheppard growled again. "So what are we going to do about the three men running lose when they're infected by a virus that apparently makes them homicidal?"
Before McKay could even answer, Woolsey leaned in. "We are going to do nothing, Colonel Sheppard. You are unable to get to us, and what's more, you're injured. Let us do our job without further interruption, please."
There was no please about his tone, nor any about the way he slammed his finger down on the communications button, effectively shutting Sheppard off from the control tower. Then, sighing, Woolsey looked up at those surrounding him.
"Okay. What are the options?"
McKay backed away, going over to a console where a laptop sat unused. "Level three means those men are sealed off in sections with others. I'll take a better look at this quarantine, see if the system gives us a reason, or better yet, a way to counter the quarantine."
Noticing a distinct lack of military minds in the surrounding area – not including Ronon, of course – Gibbs stepped forward. "You need to contact your marines, see who might be in the same areas as those marines who have the virus. Those infected men need to be taken care of."
"What, and risk infecting further people?" Woolsey demanded. "I'm not putting more lives in danger!"
"It has to be done," Gibbs snapped. "You can't have those three men running around making people panic." Seeing Woolsey about to baulk anyway, the NCIS agent added, "Besides, according to the timeline Mills gave us, it's taken, what, at least… twenty-four hours for these symptoms to manifest in these marines, from the time they met up with those who went to the lab, to now. Which means you would have time to find a cure for those men. Tell them to hunt down these men, subdue them, and then each and every man needs to be quarantined."
"Besides, not everyone seems to be infected," McKay piped in from his console. "Sheppard brought back eight marines when he brought back Holt and Lorne this morning. Only three of them have gone… AWOL."
Woolsey didn't say anything for a minute. And then he sighed, rubbing his eyes again. "You're right. Dammit, why didn't I think of that?" He didn't let Gibbs point out the obvious, just turned to Amelia. "Get in touch with every marine and locate them," he ordered. "Tell any within the sections where the infected men are to do what they can to subdue them. I want non-lethal force though – they're sick, not enemies."
Amelia got to work instantly, while Woolsey turned once more to the NCIS agents. "You were right, Agent Gibbs. Sometimes we need to take risks." He turned around to where McKay's jaw had nearly hit the floor. "Doctor, hand that over to Doctor Zelenka. You're flying the jumper to check out this Ancient lab."
"I am?" McKay asked, eyes going wide as well.
"He is?" Gibbs and Zelenka added together. The Czech continued. "Sir, what if Rodney's been infected as well?"
Woolsey nodded firmly. "I am aware of that possibility, Doctor Zelenka," the commander told him. "But we're in the middle of a quarantine, and he's the only one in the control tower both with the Ancient gene, and with enough flying experience to get there and back inside the time limit he would have before he goes. It's been just over ten hours since you were at the alpha site. That still leaves fourteen. He's the only option"
"Oh, God, I am, aren't I," McKay muttered, standing up. "Don't you have like, some marine who can drive?"
"I'm beginning to think I need every marine I can have, here, Doctor McKay. Besides, aren't you the smartest man here?"
Grumbling, McKay stepped down heavily from the platform. "Why does everyone always chuck my words back in my face at the worst possible time? Okay, okay, I'll do it!"
"There wasn't any choice about it, McKay," Ronon told him. "I'm going too."
"Yes. Take a team of marines as well, ones who haven't even thought about the alpha site. And you're going to take a doctor, as well."
"And my team," Gibbs interjected.
McGee nodded in support, somewhat too quickly, but he squared his shoulders and managed to even look calm. "Are we able to get any gear?" he asked. His voice betrayed only the slightest worry.
"There's gear still in jumper three," McKay told them all absentmindedly. "The real question is, how do we get a doctor up here? Won't they all be quarantined in the infirmary?"
As if she knew they were talking about a doctor, Biro's voice suddenly broke over the radio. "Mr Woolsey, I need to speak to you."
"We're sort in a crisis at the moment, Doctor. Just wait a moment." Woolsey went to turn away but Biro's voice interrupted again, sounding anxious.
"No, I can't," she declared. "Sir, I need to talk to you about -."
"Can't it wait, doctor? We've got people -."
And for the second time that day, the good doctor spoke right over him. "No, it can't wait. You need to hear this."
Apparently Woolsey disagreed. "Well, it will have to. Just give us a moment." And he turned back to his team. "There's got to be someone," he half-asked. "I mean, it's the control tower. There's always someone in it."
"Actually, sir," Amelia interjected. "There isn't. All the doctors are either in the infirmary or in their quarters."
"What?" the commander demanded. "You're kidding me? There's no one… no doctors to handle any injured, and no marines to stop those men."
"No, there's plenty of marines in the same sections as the three infected. They're already starting to try to round them up. Teyla and Agent DiNozzo are aiding them."
"What about Ziva?" Gibbs asked, knowing she was probably the better at handling this type of volatile situation. What could he say, there was something about being a Mossad officer that just helped one prepare for these kind of occurrences.
But the technician shook her head. "She's stuck in the infirmary."
It wasn't looking good. Gibbs didn't like being separated from his team when three men – sick or not – were walking around as potential ticking bombs.
Glancing at Woolsey, he decided he also didn't like the fact that there weren't any marines in the control tower who could guard entrances, keep the peace and stop those potential ticking bombs from entering the control room and potentially killing a bunch of civilians.
"McGee, you go with Ronon and McKay," he ordered.
Both the probie and the Atlantis commander didn't like that idea. "But, boss -," McGee began, before Woolsey talked right over the top of him.
"I know what you're thinking, Agent Gibbs -."
Gibbs gave him a taste of his own medicine. "Good. Then you know that if both Ronon and I go you won't have any military personnel who can direct your marines. I served in the Corp, Mr Woolsey. I know how to handle your men."
"So what, only three of us go to the lab?" McKay asked, sounding worried about that. "We've all been to the alpha site," he reminded the leader. "What if… it hits us all?"
"It's a risk we have to take," Woolsey snapped, seeing Gibbs' point. "We don't have anyone else, Dr McKay. Now, go. I want you back within seven hours. If this remains consistent, that will leave plenty of time for us to find a cure from any data you retrieve."
"You mean before we go homicidal," McKay muttered as he walked off, Ronon and McGee on his tail. Watching them go, Gibbs took a deep, mental breath before turning back to Woolsey and the technician.
"Okay, I need to know where everyone is, and what they have on them."
"Son of a bitch!" Sheppard shouted as Woolsey cut him off from what was happening. Then, frustrated beyond all reason, he grabbed the radio from his ear and threw it as hard as he could against the far wall.
And got a spike of pain through his ribs for his efforts.
Leaning over, he took a few deep breathes, ignoring the smaller spikes that caused, and trying to ignore Ziva's smug smirk and Keller's reproachful glare.
"I know," he told them both. "You don't have to say a word."
"Good," Keller said sternly, uncrossing her arms. "There's nothing you can do, Colonel."
"I should still be up there," he snapped. "Damn jumper, why the hell would it die like that? I need to talk to Zelenka. He was working on it, wasn't he? Does he know something yet?"
"Colonel!" Keller cried with exasperation. "How would I know? I've been here, looking after you, remember? And I think now he's got something bigger to think about. As do I. Don't make me come in here again, please? I need to run these tests."
"Sorry, doc," Sheppard apologised. It sounded sincere enough that Keller turned and walked back to her station, ordering her staff as she went. They responded immediately, beginning to set up for any influx of patients. Further influx, John amended as he took in the lack of empty beds.
When he looked back Ziva was still smirking at him with a smug grin. "What?" he demanded.
"Nothing." She got down from her stool. "Do you want another radio? You can still listen in, can't you?"
Trying to understand her effort, he nodded, leaning back in his bed. She grabbed another radio and returned, sliding it into place in her own ear.
"On second thought," she told him. "I don't think Captain Dawson would like you throwing another radio at his head."
Sheppard refused to even glance at the suddenly busy captain across the aisle between beds, understanding Ziva's earlier show of compassion.
For all the calm on her face, she wanted to be out there, helping and knowing just as much as him.
The amusement he felt at that died as a look of worry came over her face. She shook her head. "Three men from the alpha site have started attacking people," she told him. Apparently Keller had just heard the same news over her own radio, because she was suddenly abandoning her computer and getting up to help her people set up the infirmary for any injuries. Ziva continued. "The city is cut off into sections. Teyla is leading a team of marines through the East pier after two of the men. Tony is with another team after the other marine."
Sheppard tried not to hit the bed again – it had being taking a lot of the brunt of his frustration already – and instead gripped the sheets hard, grinding his teeth. "You mean, before they realise they're attacking their own people and become depressed enough about it to try and kill themselves."
They both avoided glancing at the two cubicles cut off by curtains. Behind one, Reilly was somehow still clinging to life, while apparently Lorne was just getting worse as the virus ravaged his body and his temperature climbed.
"Woolsey is finally letting a team go to the lab," she told him. "McGee, Ronon and McKay are just going through the gate."
"What?" Sheppard demanded, bolting upright. "No. That is not…" He swallowed what he had been about to say and shook his head. "If they can go, I can. It's just a few broken ribs, and Rodney really isn't the best -."
"You're not going anywhere, Colonel Sheppard," Ziva ordered in her best authoritative tone. "You're injured."
"So are McKay and Ronon!" he told her, in a voice that made him sound like a petulant child in comparison to Ziva's command. He threw back the covers, ready to disembark.
"Not as badly as you," Keller interrupted from nowhere. "Colonel, do I have to sedate you?"
The threat was clear, but still Sheppard hovered in that motion that came only an instant before getting up. He was ready, and only pausing to weigh Dr Keller's resolve in his mind.
Ziva decided to stop him from doing something he was likely to regret. "Are you forgetting, Colonel Sheppard, that the city is under quarantine? Could you even get to the control tower, or the jumper bay? According to what I am hearing, the transporters are offline, and the city is -."
Suddenly she paused, while beside her, Keller went still, shock clear across her face. Sheppard waited, impatiently, before swinging his legs over the of the bed, Keller's threat be damned.
"What is it?" he asked in a challenging voice. "Doc? Keller? Jennifer!"
Keller shook her head, clearing her throat before she could even speak. "A report from a team of marines who were going after two of the marines from the alpha site. They just escaped from the quarantine of the East pier."
"What?" Sheppard asked, his voice less challenging and more confused. "They got through a door somehow? Do you know how hard it is to get through those doors?"
"For them it was easy," Ziva told him, recovered from the shock. Maybe because she didn't know Atlantis like he did, or maybe because she was just better at handling stress than Keller. Either way, she just sighed. "The doors opened for them, just like there was no quarantine at all. And then closed right behind them. Only Teyla managed to get through to follow them."
Sheppard felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Is she all right? Someone needs to tell her to back off!"
"She's fine, John, she stopped following as soon as she realised she was alone," Keller told him. "The problem is that she saw them get in a transporter as well. Apparently the quarantine doesn't apply for them."
Her words had the sense of being unfinished. "What is it?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to know.
Keller and Ziva shared a glance, before the doc looked down, and the agent looked at him. "According to Teyla they're very annoyed that their own men are hunting them down." She and Keller shared another look. "And they're headed this way."
Oo, sorry... I swear, I'll try to post... no promises... whoops...
