Chapter 21: Freeing the Strength

"I need to see Prime Minister Kellan right away." Rodney stated as he approached the front desk of the Telarian central administrative office.

"I am sorry," The woman, Kellan's secretary apologized as she looked up from her papers. "But the Prime Minister cannot be disturbed right now and-"

"It's alright Delnara," Kellan interrupted as he stepped out of his office. "Dr. McKay can come in."

Silently, though sneaking an 'I'm better than you,' glance at Delnara, Rodney stepped into the Prime Minister's office. It was a simple looking room, with no windows and very bright lighting. Rodney noticed that Kellan had two chairs on either side of his glass desk and that he had alright sat down in one. Therefore Rodney took the other one.

"What can I do for you Dr. McKay?"

"You can let my friend go."

"You know that I cannot do that." Prime Minister Kellan argued. "You know what he has been convicted of."

"Yes, I know." Rodney agreed. "But you need to check the blood sample that I've brought with me with the woman that is in your morgue. It's not Elizabeth."

"That's not possible."

"That's what I thought." Rodney began, his pace increasing as he began to speak. "But John- Colonel Sheppard now remembers being ambushed and given a memory inhibiting drug. He was ambushed by Jal G'dan-"

"Jal G'dan is dead and-"

"-and I know that." Rodney interrupted frustrated. "Don't you think I know that?" He sighed and tried to calm down. "See it wasn't the real Jal G'dan, it was a man named Kolya- or at least, that's what Sheppard says and it was Kolya who kidnapped Elizabeth and implicated the Colonel in her murder."

"That is a highly unlikely story." Kellan dismissed.

"That's what I thought but something about this never made any sense," Rodney explained, trying to get the Prime Minister to see reason. "I knew that there would be NO way that Sheppard would ever kill Elizabeth—which is why when he was found in her room with 'her' blood on his clothes I well-"

"What are you trying to say Dr. McKay?"

"What I'm saying," Rodney began. "Is that no matter how much had to drink he would NEVER kill Elizabeth."

"Why?"

Rodney pondered the question and then spoke the simple truth. "He loves her."

"I beg your pardon?"

"He loves her." Rodney repeated. "He always has- at least, I think he always has..." He shook his head. "But that's not the point. The point is that Sheppard remembers what happened to him and we know now that the blood of that young woman in the morgue is not our Elizabeth."

"So what do you propose that I do?"

"Let John go." Rodney stated simply. "Let him go under the pretence that he has to find the murderer of the real Jal G'dan. We know that your Minister of Peace was murdered three weeks ago and yet, we all saw him at the ball a couple of days ago. Tell your people that if John finds the real culprit you will let him go-"

"And what if he doesn't find the real culprit?"

Rodney was at a loss for words, he hadn't thought that far. He was about to suggest something when a deep voice interrupted from the doorway.

"If Sheppard doesn't find the real culprit then kill him." It was Ronan and he closed the door behind him as he entered the office.

"Are you crazy?" Rodney asked standing up. "We can't let them kill Shep."

"I know." Ronan agreed. "That's why you make it look like he was killed." He turned to Kellan and explained. "If we can't find Kolya, then make it look like we tried to flee and that Sheppard was killed in the process. That way, you keep face and our lives continue as normal."

"And what of Dr. Weir?" Kellan asked curiously. "If she truly is alive then-"

"Oh she's alive." Ronan interrupted, holding out a data disk. "I found this in the hallway leading to Elizabeth's room. It seems as though someone must have dropped it."

"Does it prove John's innocence?" Rodney asked, intrigued at Ronan's find.

"Oh it proves more than that."

Ronan then handed the disk over to Kellan who placed it on the monitor screen behind his desk. They all watched with utter horror and fascination as they saw Jal G'dan and three men sneak into Elizabeth's rooms followed closely by Elizabeth herself and John. Though there was no sound, they could vaguely see into her room and saw Jal G'dan morph into someone else. Then it was all over and the three men exited carrying Elizabeth followed by...

"Kolya." Rodney breathed starting at the screen. "Sheppard was telling the truth."

"You didn't believe him?" Ronan asked, turning to the scientist.

"I uh-"

"This sufficiently proves Colonel Sheppard's innocence." Kellan interrupted as he pulled a key from the drawer of his desk and handed it over to Ronan. "Take this key to our prison, and give it to the guard. It is the symbol for freedom in our society and it will let Colonel Sheppard go free."

"Free to find Elizabeth." Rodney muttered.

"Your people won't give us any trouble in the search?" Ronan asked as he pocketed the key.

"Anyone of our soldiers or security personal will be more than glad to help you."

And with that, Rodney and Ronan made their way down to the prison and let John out.

"Good work McKay," John thanked as he stepped out of the cell that had been his home for the past couple days.

"Are you sure that you're up to this?" Rodney asked, indicating to John's unkempt appearance.

"I'm sure." John answered with steely resolve. "That son of a bitch has Elizabeth and I am NOT going to let him get away with that."

A/N- Sorry for the long delay. I give you no excuses...just be prepared for another long wait 'cause this story is becoming a bugger to write. Thank to to Gingercake, JenniDinoRobot, lemons and wraith and HopelesslyEscaflowne for reviewing the last chapter and please take the time to review this one too.