Ahhhhhh! It's the last chapter and it puts the story over 40,000 words! I can't believe this one's finished. Wow. I just have to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorite-ed this story. I'm so glad so many of y'all have been able to enjoy the world I've created. I love letting these guys all play in the same sandbox, and thank you for all your comments, support, and encouragement! I really had a hard time writing this chapter, because I don't want it to end! Once again, thanks to twin who let me steal her identity and make her undead. I appreciate it! She was so much fun to write!
There is a third story in the making which I plan to start this summer. I just can't leave this world alone, but I got to get through finals and Summer Secret Santa on JelloForever first! I hope to take more time to plan it out, but since I did leave this story with a cliffhanger, if you'd like to know the outcome and don't want to wait, feel free to let me know in your review, and I'll fill you in! I don't want to be too mean! I know it does end somewhat abruptly, but it sets up the next story perfectly! Also, please let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in the next story!
Thanks to: ELODIEWOLFE, TROMANA, WILD DAISIES, KAYAMIRA, CHARLIE BLUE, NELLIE, and TIGERLILLY for reviewing the last chapter! Hugs for everyone! Now don't be too mad at me!
*runs and hides*
Chapter Twenty One
Teresa Lisbon froze when she saw Jane's limp form tossed to the ground in front of them. Her breath caught in her throat, and although she tried to conceal the effect he had on her, she was sure Maldonado had caught a glimpse of emotion across her face. Gritting her teeth, she analyzed the situation they were stuck in. The room was rather spacious, with large columns lining the marble floor. The main staircase was to their right, and Elina and her guards had approached from their left. She knew it was possible for Elina to signal her guards to attack and they would probably capture Maldonado and his men, especially since they outnumbered them. Unfortunately, it would more than likely resolve in heavy casualties in their little group, seeing how each person was flanked by Dream Spirits on either side.
She calmly watched as Maldonado studied them, his eyes trailing along each figure. His lips curved into a small smile, as he glanced towards the large windows. The sun was beginning to rise, and a small sliver of light appeared to the left. She wasn't sure how long it would be before the entire room was bathed in light, and she could see Tracie nervously noting the same fact. Worried about the two missing vampires, she hoped they had just disappeared while they could, but she had a feeling Divinia wouldn't leave them trapped in a situation she blamed herself for. Clearing her mind, Lisbon's eyes snapped back to the Dream Spirit as he nudged Jane in the torso with the toe of his boot.
"He's unconscious, for god's sake," she called out, trying to deflect attention away from Jane.
"Are all your women so feisty?" Maldonado asked as he approached them.
Jack instantly tensed beside her as the Dream Spirit eyed Lisbon and Sam once more. Reaching out, her grabbed Lisbon's chin and lifted it, turning her head roughly from side to side. She didn't make a sound. He smiled and released her, before turning his attention to Van Pelt. The red head tried to hold his gaze, but eventually dropped her eyes to the floor causing Maldonado to burst out in laughter. Lisbon let out a faint sigh of relief as he took a few steps backward. She knew better than to underestimate the man in front of her. He seemed to have a problem with women, and if given the chance, she knew he would not hesitate to remind them.
"I know you're here, doll," he stated. His voices echoed throughout the room as he eyed the shadows. "I have something that belongs to you, and you may want to hurry or things might get painful…"
"Leave them alone," a woman's voice answered, and they all swung their heads around to find the source.
Divinia stood at the top of the stairs. Her knife was pressed against the throat of one of Maldonado's guards as she forced him to walk forward. Her eyes glittered dangerously as she looked down on the scene before her. Her eyes locked onto Jane's unconscious body, before quickly surveying the others for injuries. The man in front of her sneered as he fought her grasp. She twisted his head slightly and he immediately calmed. There was no illusion that the vampiress would not hesitate to snap his neck if she so desired.
"Hello, my dear, or should I say, Your Highness." Divinia's lips tightened as Maldonado let out a small chuckle. Lisbon noticed several of the guards lower their weapons ever so slightly as they looked from Divinia to Elina.
"Your move," Divinia stated with a quirk of her eyebrow.
"Now doll, although your choice of apparel is interesting, you know what I prefer. I'm sure you could find something more suitable. I'll even release some of your acquaintances as a show of my goodwill."
Lisbon warily watched as Maldonado grinned, his eyes lingering along the vampiress' figure. With interest, she noticed that Divinia's expression remained impassive. Without warning, she smacked the guard's head into the railing and sent his unconscious body tumbling down the stairs. Lisbon drew in a sharp breath as she waited for the Dream Spirit to retaliate. They all were surprised when he burst into laughter, obviously enjoying his game of cat and mouse.
"And you know that I hate being blackmailed," she retorted rather flippantly.
Waving his hand, Lisbon watched in surprise as Van Pelt, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and Rigsby were shoved towards Elina's guard. She found it rather odd that he was a man of his word, and she wondered just what sort of dangerous game they were enveloped in. Whatever it was, she knew it wasn't as it seemed, and a quick look at Jack told her they needed to be ready to move at a moment's notice.
"I'd hurry if I were you. It's only minutes time till the sun rises, and I don't think your mate would appreciate the sudden burst of light…"
Divinia growled before disappearing down the corridor towards their sleeping quarters. Minutes ticked by and Maldonado seemed content to wait in silence- his eyes trained on the top of the staircase. At his feet, Jane began to stir. Lisbon watched as he coughed and shifted slightly, and she silently urged him to stay still. Her hands trembled with the rush of adrenaline and she slowly wiped her palms on her pants. Jane's eyes flickered open and he groaned while he tried to recognize his surroundings. Their eyes locked, and he settled. She was thankful he avoided any rash action.
A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned her head. Divinia stood at the top of the staircase in an off-the-shoulder brown dress. The corset bodice was trimmed with lavender ribbon, and Lisbon was amazed at how different the vampiress looked. She stood with a regal air, her silver hair loose, but pinned back from her face. She looked every inch her parents' child, minus the combat boots peeking out from under the hem. Lisbon fought back a grin at that addition.
"Where is he?" Divinia seethed as sunlight began to spill across the floor.
Without another world, Maldonado glanced at the guard to his right who promptly disappeared. He returned a few seconds later leading two more Dream Spirits who were supporting a bloody figure between them. Cayt's head hung down, a thin trickle of blood dripping from his hairline. His clothing was in tatters, and he didn't seem to have the energy to protest the rough treatment. He raised his head weakly and wordlessly communicated with his lover. The level of understanding the two vampires had never ceased to amaze Lisbon. Glancing at Jane, she hoped he's understand the importance of not doing anything stupid as Divinia slowly made her way down the stairs.
As she slipped past them, Lisbon felt her softly brush against her side sending a shock right through her. It was as if the vampiress had spoken to her directly. Get to the Stargate as quickly as possible. It's going to get a bit chaotic. Lisbon glanced at Jack, and wondered if she'd need to relay the message. He had also obviously heard the vampiress, and casually glanced at Daniel who quickly disappeared off to the side. She exchanged a look with Sam who was biting her lip as she appeared to analyze the room schematics, obviously looking for anything that could give them an advantage.
General Hammond sighed as the klaxons began to blare, red lights flashing throughout Stargate Command. He reached the gate room in seconds, and quickly looked to Walter for details. Although there were a few SG teams out on missions, the clenching in his gut told him that in was most likely his flagship team.
"Unscheduled Off-world Activation," Walter urgently announced. "It's SG1's IDC. They're coming in hot."
General Hammond paused for a moment, before shaking his head. "Lower the Iris," he called as the marines lined the gate room to ensure that no unwanted visitors got through. The point of origin locked, and the gate opened. Daniel Jackson ran through a few minutes later with some of Agent Lisbon's team behind him.
"Dr. Jackson, report!" he called as he looked down from the observation room.
Divinia stopped a few steps away from the Dream Spirit and cocked her head to the side in a slight challenge. She remained unflinchingly still as Maldonado's eyes racked over her body, obviously pleased with the change in apparel. The others watched in tense silence, as another guard came up beside the vampiress with a familiar band of metal in his hand. Once he was within reach, Divinia snatched a knife from under her loose dress and swung at his chest, instantly killing the guard. Maldonado's eyes narrowed as she spun around, but he remained motionless as more guards began to approach.
"Go now!" she called as both groups descended into chaos.
Lifting a hand, she raised a shield around both Cayt and Jane, unable to concentrate on too much at once. Jack instantly broke into action with a sharp glance towards Sam, and Lisbon felt herself being dragged towards the back of the room. Struggling, she stilled with a glare from her childhood friend.
"I'm not leaving without him," Lisbon hissed. "Take the others first."
With a quick nod, Lisbon watched as Sam directed the rest of her team back towards the Stargate that rested in the adjoining room. Keeping an eye on the fight in front of her, Lisbon watched as Jack and Teal'c quickly sprinted towards Divinia's side. The vampiress looked exhausted already, and beads of sweat were lining her forehead. As occasional blows hit, her shields would flicker, but they remained standing. Elina's guards ventured closer, but still seemed unsure of jumping into the fray. There was still too much risk, but they started to eliminate the Dream Spirits on the outside.
Silently, Divinia dropped the shield around Jane, and Teal'c quickly rushed in to pull the blond out of the middle of the fight. Jane looked a little queasy, but was able to stand on his own two feet for the most part. Lisbon slipped an arm around his waist in support, and they hobbled towards the door, as Teal'c headed back towards the vampiress.
Lisbon grimaced as they traveled through the wormhole. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to breathe as they emerged on the other side. She wasn't sure how anyone could get used to that feeling. Glancing towards the others, she was relieved to see that for the most part, her team remained uninjured. Trudging down the ramp, they joined the rest of the group to wait for the others who were staring at the gate uneasily. She knew it was unusual for SG1 to be this split up coming back from off-world, but this mission had blown every rule out of the water. Looking at Jane, she fought back a smile as he appeared to study his arms and legs for sources of pain and discomfort.
Sensing the failure of his plan, Maldonado started to get more reckless with his attack, and centered in on Divinia. A loud explosion ripped through the room, sending everyone flying towards the ground as chunks of plaster began to fall from the ceiling. Distracted, Divinia cried out as Maldonado's knife sliced at her side, ripping fabric as he tried to twist the blade. Kicking out with her foot, she caught him in the knee which made him drop the knife as he howled in pain.
Her shield fell, and Jack grabbed the dazed vampire. Elina's guards moved in at that moment, and Divinia backed off still clutching her left side. Teal'c grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the gate. With a nod towards her sister, Divinia didn't fight the Jaffa's grasp as shots echoed around them. Practically skidding into the next room with Jack and Cayt close behind, the welcoming blue pool of the connected Stargate greeted them. Looking around the room, she realized the others had already gone through. Running towards the ramp, she stumbled, and smiled appreciatively as Teal'c caught her elbow. As soon as they were in the clear she knew her sister and the palace guards would have full control of the situation.
Climbing up the ramp, she froze when a gunshot rang throughout the room. Turning, she saw Jack stumble as a wave of pain erupted in her mind. Cayt grimaced before looking up at her. His face hardened and his eyes moved from her face over to the Jaffa, and she knew what he intended to do. Trying to turn back, Teal'c practically picked her up as another shot rang out, shattering the DHD beside the Stargate. Gasping in pain, she fought as Teal'c continued to pull her through the Stargate.
"Get her out of here," she heard Jack call out. Her eyes locked with Cayt's once more as he pressed his hand over his bloody bicep. The last thing she saw was Jack and Cayt hit the floor to avoid another onslaught of bullets as she was roughly pulled through the wormhole.
"Three minutes remaining," Walter told the apprehensive group crowded in the gate room.
Sam Carter's eyes were nervously locked on the gate although she tried to retain her military mask. Jane batted at the nurse who was trying to get him down to the infirmary, obviously unconcerned with his own well-being. A glare from Lisbon convinced him to at least sit down and get looked at. Tracie was huddled close to Cho in the rear of the group, as she looked wide-eyed at the room around her. She warily eyed the guards lining the room, M14's in hand.
"What happens if time runs out?" Van Pelt whispered to Daniel.
"The gate can only remain open for thirty-eight minute windows. It'll have to be shut down, and then the address will need to be redialed. It will leave the other four stranded if they don't make it in time, and if it shuts down when they're in mid-transportation…" his voice trailed off, and Van Pelt gulped.
Without warning, Divinia and Teal'c came tumbling through the gate, and upon finding his feet the big Jaffa grabbed the vampiress with all his strength as she tried to bolt back towards the gate. She seemed unaware of the open wound on her side, as Teal'c dragged her down the ramp.
"No, no, no, no…" she cried out as she struggled against the tall man. The sweat lining his face was testament to the woman's strength. She would have easily broken through anyone else's grasp.
"Let me go! We have to go back," she yelled as she slammed her fists into Teal'c's chest. The Jaffa grimaced as he tried to contain her anger. Suddenly, the gate deactivated and the others could only stare in stunned silence.
"Redial the gate!" Sam urged. No one moved as Walter silently dialed the address. Only six of the chevrons would lock as the ring rotated around. The gate would not engage.
"Dial it again!" the vampiress cried. The others averted their eyes, as she sunk to the ground, no longer struggling against Teal'c.
"It's not connecting on their end," Walter said softly after obliging Divinia's request. "There's nothing we can do at the moment."
The next few moments passed in a blur, as they were ordered to the infirmary with a debriefing to follow. The marines had filed out in silence out of respect for the missing SG1 leader, unsure of how to respond to the visitors. Hanging back, Lisbon watched as Jane slowly approached the vampiress who remained curled up on the floor, her eyes fixated on the inactive gate. He slowly reached out his hand, and she visibly flinched.
"Don't touch me," she spat vehemently, her eyes flashing with grief and anger. Cradling her head in her hands, she was slowly bathed in a pale green light as she started to self-heal. Backing up, Lisbon touched his arm before linking her hand in his. Pulling him towards the infirmary, she cast one sad look back at the upset vampiress. She wasn't sure what to do, but she knew Jane needed medical attention. Hell, they all did.
From above, General Hammond watched as the blonde astrophysicist tried to maintain her appearance. Daniel lingered by her side, and although, neither of the two officers would admit to anything, it was clear to him that there was something between them. Then again, SG1 was extremely close, and with the unknown status of their leader they had a reason to be upset. The CBI agents followed behind, seemingly unsure of how to react to this unknown situation. Running a hand across his forehead, he looked back to the room below him and stared at the strange woman who was glowing green. Signaling Walter to make sure no one disturbed her, he headed back to his office to alert the President. A rescue mission would need to be authorized immediately. Until then, there was nothing anyone could do but wait. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the red phone.
TO BE CONTINUED…