Chapter Twenty Five

As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many won't get the chance to say good-bye
But its too late to think of the value of my life

Rhianna – Russian Roulette

To say that John Sheppard was pissed was an understatement. Pissed was a curse word that didn't even start to cover the rampaging emotions that were exploding like nukes within his gut. The rage was fiery and his thirst for blood unquenched. His fists were clenched as he listened to the conversation between the Genii, Weir and Rodney over the radio channel. There was so much fury in him right now, John had never felt such a powerful surge of emotion before.

This was his City and now his people were in danger, it had made his blood boil underneath the surface of his skin to know that the Genii had used their weakness against them. He should have known that Callen was an opportunist. Someone had leaked the information that they were vulnerable and the results of that betrayal were proving costly.

Already from what he could gather their Control Room had been swamped with a small strike team of Genii shoulders whose main goal seemed to be to over take the city. Rodney had rather cleverly managed to alert John to their demands without making the Genii aware of his presence by leaning on the control panel that activated the comm system. It had worked only for a few minutes but John now had some leverage to work with.

"For God's Sake Elizabeth it's not worth our lives, just give him the C-4, the medical supplies and the Wraith Device." Rodney's irate voice had exclaimed over the radio attached to John's ear.

He had four hours until the storm hit, three hostages to rescue before the corridors became electrically charged and God knows how many Genii standing between him and the survival of this city. The odds were not good but the stakes were high, higher than they had ever been for him. Weir, Rodney, Cass...

John felt his chest tighten at the thought of her in the hands of the enemy. It had been days since they had spoken about what had happened to her back in Afghanistan but still her words were fresh in his mind, her abuse antagonizing every step he took. Jesus it was tearing him up inside not to rush in and be her knight in shining armour yet that would be unproductive and the only thing that would come of that was failure. He couldn't stand the idea of her vanishing from his life. Now that he'd had her letting her go again was not an option.

If Cass died then his own destruction would surely follow. His soul would fracture and fragment and before anyone knew it John Sheppard would be no more. He couldn't guarantee he wouldn't do something stupid if she was harmed during this venture. He knew himself well enough to understand he would lose control completely and revenge...

He had never believed it was a dish best served cold.

Trust was never something he gave freely, it took a long time for people to earn it but now John Sheppard was putting his faith squarely not only in Cass's hands, but in Rodney Mckay and Elizabeth Weir's too. He couldn't allow his worries to override what needed to be done here no matter how much it killed him to think of them trapped amongst the Genii.

Cass's words were ringing in his mind as he stood stationary for a second gathering his thoughts and developing plans on the knowledge he had at hand. Her whisper against his heart, echoing in the darkness as they lay entwined in each other.

"You need to know that I will do anything necessary to come back, anything to survive."

John ran his calloused hands over his rugged features, even more infuriated by his position. If there was ever a time to start believing in something it was now. It was time to let all of his reservations go, he couldn't hold onto them any more. There was a moment of fear, a fear so intense his throat physically hurt as he swallowed as hard as he could past it before he released every concern that knotted up deep inside him.

Courage was being the only one that knew you were afraid, he remembered his mother once telling him.

It was surprising how at a time like this her words always came back to haunt him like the spectator he had once wished for as a teenager.

The Major took over once more, his interior armour slotting into place as he built up his shields like a fortress at the forefront of his mind. He ran his assets through his brain cataloguing each of them and labelling their priorities as he began to build a plan and explore the possible tactics for a situation with this many hostile. He had the home advantage and the element of surprise, he had to make them work in his favour.

There was too much at stake for him to lose this game of Risk.

Rodney as it turned out could not lie, or at the very least he wasn't very good at it. It hadn't taken more than five seconds for Commander Koyla to work out something was afoot. While Weir was away collecting the Wraith device they had snatched from the Genii the first time around Koyla had decided to question Rodney on the real reason a scientist of his calibre would still be residing in the city. When he hadn't gotten the answers he sought he had unleashed a younger, more aggressive looking Genii upon the scientist. Cass had been forced to watch as Koyla pinned Rodney's wrist to the control panel allowing his soldier to use the serrated edge of his combat knife to pierce the flesh of the scientist's forearm.

There were many times she had treated Doctor Rodney McKay over the past few months, most of his illnesses had been episodes of hypochondria. Cass thought even with being a genius you had to have a few faults. His ability to convince himself of many fictional illnesses was one of them. Yet Cass would never forget the whine of agony that escaped his mouth when that wicked blade has plunged into his skin.

Rodney had spilled every single one of the details of their plan to save the City, yet somehow he had managed to withhold the fact that John was still running around inside of the City. Something Koyla was now well aware of since John had intentionally left a radio in the Armoury for the Genii to find after he had hidden the C-4. Cass understood his main goal at the time had been to strike up a bargain, the hostages go free through the Stargate and John, himself would fly out the Genii, the C-4 and whatever else they wanted out of the City on a Puddle Jumper.

Instead Koyla had threatened to kill them and there had been radio silence ever since from John Sheppard. Cass had no doubt he was still out there somewhere wrecking havoc upon the Genii. The majority of the strike team had been dispatched around the City in search of the C-4 and John, leaving Sergi and a small team of others guarding the Control Room. Koyla had now taken residence in Weir's glass office above them and it seemed to Cass that he was proceeding to make himself at home.

Sergi had dogged everyone of her actions since he had returned to the Control Room from his brief exchange with Koyla in Weir's office. It didn't take a genius to work out what they were talking about and she hoped to God if she was the first one to die they did it quickly.

Currently Cass was on her knees beside Rodney who was sitting with his back pressed against the wall of the lower level of the Control Room. The grey sleeve of his uniform was stained with vivid red blood as Cass clamped her hand over it while gesturing for Sergi to hand over a cotton pad. He had confiscated it over an hour ago from her person, taking great care to work his fingers under the strap that fell across her body. The possibility of using her scalpel as a weapon was gone and apparently he seemed to think she was equally as dangerous with a needle and thread so instead of suturing Rodney's would as required she was forced to make do with temporarily stifling the bleeding.

Cass held her hand out for the wad of bandages as she kept on hand firmly applying pressure to Rodney's cut, it wasn't deep as she has originally suspected but it was long and it was going to scar. She had emitted that information when she had explained what she was doing to Rodney. Somehow she doubted the scientist would take very kindly to the news. Rodney held his arm out to her as she wrapped the bandage over the cotton pad before firmly securing it to his arm with medical tape.

It had been impossible to talk with Sergi lingering so close, so she had let her empathy show through the kindness of her touches as she wrapped his arm. Rodney had met her gaze as she leaned in close, taping the bandage tightly to his arm and she could feel his gratefulness in those eyes of his. She didn't know that he had expected her to roll her eyes at his injury, to brush it off and say she'd seen worse. He appreciated her care in the direness of their situation, it was good to have a comrade in arms so to speak.

"Your finished with him?" Sergi questioned gruffly from behind Cass, raising to his feet as he spoke.

Rodney watched his motions with a curiosity that irked him. When it came to physics, maths or computers he was the guy you went to, a self certified genius. Yet when it came to social skills or studying people's behaviour Rodney didn't get it at all. For the past hour he had watched this svelte soldier stalk Cass like a Lion in the Serengeti and he found that completely unnerving.

There was something in the air, it was convulsive and potent, the awful feeling growing when the other man looked at the doctor. The fact he was touching her so much was another thing that was sending Rodney's brain into hyperdrive. There was no real need to clasp the back of her neck the way he had when she'd knelt down beside Rodney, no reason for him dig his finger tips into her shoulder or stand so close.

The expression on Elizabeth's face at Koyla's mention of Sergi had been what had set him on this trail in the first place. As soon as the word had been uttered, her features had contorted into dismay as her gaze shot to Cass. Something had happened between these two last week in that Genii bunker, he knew it. It had been the reason that John had been so irritant and bad tempered throughout the whole mission, why he had guarded her like his own personal treasure in the days after.

"Just about." Cass answered Sergi, barely bothering to keep the resentment out of her voice.

The other man prodded the back of her skull with his weapon once more, his free hand already seeking out the hair elastic that was holding her hair in a messy bun before he tugged it out. Rodney watched as Cass's entire body tensed at the intimateness of the gesture as her dark hair spilled out to her shoulders, framing her pale features. Every single alarm bell inside Rodney was ringing loudly as Sergi ran his fingers through her kinked hair causing Cass to clench her jaw against the feigned caress.

"What are you doing?" Rodney spat, unable to help himself.

He wasn't a brave man but he couldn't stand to see this any longer. It was intolerable to watch this bizarre display of affection taking place in front of him. Despite how irritating he found Cass most of the time, with her self righteous arguments about how he seemed to lack manners and social skills, she was still his friend and it sickened him to see her being mistreated like this. He knew without a doubt that Sergi was dead if John ever got his hands on him.

"It looks better down." Sergi sneered at him, his malevolent glare fixating on the scientist as he continued to stroke Cass's hair as if she was some kind of pet.

"You know we would probably get on a lot better if you stopped poking me with your gun every chance you get." Cass snapped as her patience at the situation finally began to waver.

Rodney had no idea how she'd managed to sit through that for so long without biting the guy's hand off. He'd seen her in the field and while she was nowhere near the same calibre of fighters as the Marines or Teyla, she was a force to be reckoned with when they were backed into a corner.

Sergi's fingertips raked her scalp as he grasped her hair in his fist and tugged her head back suddenly causing Cass cry out in pain.

"You should have more respect for me." Sergi told her, jamming the gun under the hinge of her jaw roughly.

It had to hurt but Cass barely made a sound. Rodney had felt the tremble of her hands when she had fixed his bandages so he knew that she was scared. Cass was just better at hiding it than he was and he understood the notion of not wanting to give this brute the satisfaction.

"Maybe we can all just calm down and stop prodding each other with weapons." Rodney said, holding his hands up in surrender to remind the Genii that he was not armed.

Sergi was already wrenching Cass to her feet by the grip he had on her hair, she had no choice but to comply as he tugged her against the length of his body. His mouth was near her ear, his breath tickling her neck as he inhaled deeply. Cass rose her eyes up to the ceiling, feeling her chest tighten as he used the gun to trace the outline of her waist.

"I think it's time we finish what we started don't you Doctor?" Sergi murmured, his voice was low and full of intent.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Rodney said, raising to his own feet in indignation at the other man's words.

It was rare that he acted before he thought but in this situation it was understandable. He was never one to be ruled by emotions and usually the only instinct that he followed was hunger but he couldn't let this continue. He wasn't at risk the same way Cass was. He was invaluable to the Genii because he was the only one that could teach them what to do with the C-4 and how to develop their nukes. Cass was punishment for John's defiance in the face of adversary. Killing any of them would warrant a fury that Rodney didn't even dare to consider and if it had to be Cass...

Rodney severely doubted that any of the Genii would be getting out of here alive.

"I can't let you take her." Rodney proclaimed with the shake of his head. "If you do this you are ruining any chance of alliance you could have had with us."

"We're taking over your city. There is no alliance." Sergi informed the other man, as he pointed his weapon at Rodney's kneecap. "Now sit back down before I shoot you."

"Rodney, seriously it's ok." Cass soothed, trying to pacify not only her captor but her friend as well.

They couldn't afford for Rodney to be injured, he was the driving force behind saving Atlantis. All of his theories and plans had saved so many people's lives over the past months. If one of them had to die it should be her, Rodney McKay was simply too damn important to the cause.

"She's a doctor, you can't just take her. You may need her and she's a really good trauma surgeon, she once saved someone's life with a Bic. You can't pass up those kind of skills." Rodney bargained, gesturing wildly with his hands before sighing at the blank look on Sergi's face. "It's a pen, look she has skills that you could need."

"We have our own doctors." Sergi reminded the scientist stonily. "She has no purpose."

Cass could see the logic in his words. The Genii didn't believe the Uranium was harming them and putting one of their own lives in her hands was practically giving her a bartering chip. They couldn't take that chance, she was useless as a pawn to them.

"That's not true." Rodney argued, seething with frustration. "She has medicines, she can cure people."

"The order has already been given." Sergi confirmed their unspoken suspicions. "The disruption your Major has caused can not go unpunished."

Hearing the words out loud was like a bullet to the heart as Cass reviewed her own mortality. She did not want to die, the desire to save herself had never been as strong or as desperate as it was now. She had too much to live for, friends, family, her lover. She couldn't bear the thought of being ripped away from him like that, not when they had just found each other. It wasn't fair that he be punished for doing his job, for saving other people.

Cass didn't intend to die here, she would look for an opening, an opportunity to survive. She wouldn't allow herself to be the willing hostage that Sergi was expecting. She would not willingly stand by and let him kill her. He had underestimated her the first time and she thought he was making the same mistake yet again. Just because she had been so placid while he abused her did not mean that she would go down without a fight. It was simply a matter of biding her time.

"You can't do that." Rodney protested with an expression of outrage. "She is not responsible for..."

The gun came out of nowhere, striking Rodney across the face so hard it knocked him to the ground. He groaned clutching at the side of his face as he lay on the floor trying to breath through the pain that exploded along the line of his jaw. This was why he didn't embark on acts of heroism, he had a low threshold for pain and they tended to get you hit.

"Stop, just stop ok?" Cass erupted shrilly, a twinge of panic in her voice as she turned around to face Sergi, making sure she was between the brutal soldier and the courageous scientist.

It endeared her completely that Rodney was stepping up for her, she knew how much it cost him to actually make a stand but she couldn't allow this to continue. Sergi wouldn't spare a thought to putting a bullet in a limb if it shut him up, she couldn't let him go through that. She couldn't stand to watch Rodney hurt any more than he already was, he had already done to much for her. More than she had ever imagined he would.

"I will do whatever you tell me to do just stop hurting him." Cass promised Sergi meeting his evergreen eyes with a resolve she struggled to erect.

Already she was fortifying herself against the possibilities that loomed before her. She would kill Sergi if she had to. There would be no pleasure in his death but if it came down to it she could do it, the only problem was how. She had no weapon but she had made a promise to fight, she would do whatever she could to walk away from this. It wasn't going to be easy, he was a trained soldier, one of the best if he was part of Koyla's strike force and she was under no illusions of grandeur regarding her own skills.

"Don't you understand?" Rodney rebelled as he managed to drag his aching frame into a sitting position. "He's been ordered to kill you."

Cass's gaze never shifted from Sergi's features as she framed the words on her pert pink lips.

"I'm just another casualty of war right?"

Sergi's mouth curved into a cruel sneer as he regarded her with those cold dead eyes. His expression said it all, she was worthless to him, a commodity. There was no need for niceness between them, he had her exactly where he wanted her, manageable and compliant. He could do anything he wanted and there wasn't anything she could do about it. The moment he saw the defiance die in her eyes was the minute he decided he couldn't wait any more. There was something so special about demoralising someone, about stripping away every single hope they had in the world until they're faith was mutilated. There was no escape and the doctor had finally accepted that.

"Are you going to be a good girl for me or am I going to have to find a way to make Doctor McKay extremely uncomfortable?" Sergi drawled, gesturing to Rodney who looked nauseated by the exchange.

It was demeaning the way he spoke to her and he enjoyed seeing her shoulders sag in response to his words. She was nothing to him and he wanted to make sure she knew it. In time to come he would degrade her and show her how degenerate she really was. He held all the power and she was about to discover what it was like to be a slave for him.

"You don't have to do this." Rodney asserted, there was a pleading in his voice.

They both knew what was going to happen the minute he led her out of his room. Goodbye, she wanted to tell Rodney. Thank you and goodbye, just in case.

"Tell him..." Cass said finally. "Tell him 'I love him' ok?"

It was so acutely personal and the irony wasn't wasted on him. She was asking the most socially defective person on Atlantis to relay her last message. It hurt, Rodney hadn't expected it to hurt so much but it did.

"Bye." he forced himself to speak past the excruciating lump in his throat.

Cass cast him one last watery smile over her left shoulder before she was removed from the room.

Hey guys, I have a busy day ahead of me today full of wallpapering, painting and all sorts of insanity so I thought I'd pop this chapter up for you in case I don't get a chance later.

I have to admit when I wrote the first draft of this I had no idea Rodney would become such an integral part of this chapter. In the second draft he completely took over and I have to admit I'm happy with the way it turned out.

KAT: No worries, I admit I am a terrible reviewer at the min, there's so much going on in RL! I can appreciate how busy you are and I really am grateful for the time you've taken to review!

Brn: lol you wouldn't love me if I didn't leave you hanging! This becomes one of those duty over love arguments, what will John do? I love keeping you in suspense! Thanks very much for the review :p

Shippo: I am the cliff hanger queen at the moment! I am glad your enjoying the story so much! Thanks for the review.

Lan: LMAO! Loved your review was so simple and I achieved exactly what I wanted to with it! Thankies for taking the time to review!