Murus
Chapter Six – Seeking Sheppard
A/N …ok, let's see what the gang and Mahonet were up to whilst John and Bee were on the run…
SGA SGA SGA
Carson reclined in the co-pilot seat in the parked puddle jumper, occasionally sitting up straight when he thought he saw someone walking towards them and then sink back down into it again when it was just another one of the large deer-looking creatures they had set up a trade for a few days ago – well before the trade went pear shape and they were now left confused at the turn around with Sheppard's disappearing act.
It didn't matter that the weather outside looked lovely or that the countryside was pretty. It didn't even matter that he was away from the hustle and bustle of running a busy Infirmary for a few days – damn, make it only be a day! No, all that drew Carson's attention and bit into his reverie, was the fact the Sheppard had mysteriously disappeared and as of yet, they had no clues to his whereabouts
He moved about in his seat again until Rodney grew uptight.
"Relax Carson, we have radios in our ears, Teyla will contact us if she needs us and besides, we are cloaked remember, no-one can see us here."
Carson looked at Rodney. "I am well aware of all these things Rodney, but I'm not used to be off-world like you are, so cut me some slack if I am a bit bloody jittery!"
Carson fumed at his little regard for his state of mind. He was fraught with worry for the missing Colonel and friend. Where was here?
After the superfast autopsy overnight, Keller and he had discovered the man pretending to be John Sheppard was approximately the same age and height as him but that is where the similarities stopped. The cadaver had diseased organs and had been a very ill man but the poison that was discovered in his blood had no doubt caused his shortened death, and unfortunately the Atlantis database did not recognise it. Carson had left Keller working on it in his absence in case an antidote was needed for John if he had found himself in the same predicament. Experience had taught him that when the Colonel was involved, all things were possible.
He pushed himself back in the seat once more and thought on the events of only yesterday when Sheppard's team minus the man himself had arrived back in Atlantis, holding up, what everyone thought of at the time was the Colonel, in a state of unconsciousness. His heart had leapt in his throat when he remembered working on the lifeless body, knowing without a doubt that the results and readings were showing a rapid decline in his health and death was imminent. When it had happened, he looked down at the body, and had felt a coldness come over him like nothing he had ever experienced in his life. This had hurt him more than any death and the deep loss he had felt at losing Sheppard then, still resonated around his heart now.
Looking at Rodney now and Carson belatedly realised he was not the only one feeling the pressure of needing to get Sheppard home and he immediately felt sorry for snapping at him as he must be feeling it more being as close to him as he was, both as a team mate and friend. Another quick look at him and Carson noticed the reflection of his face clearly in the window. Rodney's lips were tightly shut and his jaw held so tight it threatened to snap. His eyes were focused ahead through the puddle jumper's window like he was willing some useful information back from Teyla and Ronon or thinking about John, he couldn't tell but he would watch him carefully for signs of stress.
"Sorry Rodney. I shouldn't have snapped." He apologised.
"Eh, what?"
That was the thing about Rodney. He had not taken Carson's short temper to heart so Carson didn't encourage a further reply. For the umpteenth time, he went over his medical supplies that he had brought with him. The defibrillator had been one of the first things he grabbed and he held it in front of him now with sad memories of past times he'd had to implement this life saving apparatus on Sheppard.
So engrossed in his memories, he had not noticed Rodney come and stand beside him until he put the defibrillator down and crouched down by one of his large black leather bags.
"I hope you don't need to use any of this on John this time."
Carson looked up and noticed his friend looking down worried at everything Carson had brought.
"I'm ready for any outcome Rodney. That's why I'm coming with you this time. The speed that fake Sheppard died has got me anxious. Goodness knows where he is and what ever has happened to him. Speed may be of the essence and I'm going to be there the minute we find him if he needs me."
Rodney shook his head but remained unnaturally quiet.
Carson stood up and studied him, noticing the stiff posture and pursed lips, one hand on his hip as his eyes searched the contents of the open bag.
"You ok son?
"What?...oh…um, yeah." He scratched his head. "He was so ill Carson, I've never known him to take to his bed so readily. He never even tried to resist when they took him away from us."
"Aye, well from what Teyla told me, he has some pretty heavy symptoms going on with that virus, whatever it is. Hopefully, as their doctor said, he will get better from it soon eh!"
He continued to look at the forlorn Rodney. "What else is bothering you?"
"I just hate the fact that Teyla told us to stay here. I'm sure I could have gone with them and I can't stop thinking about who would go to so much trouble to capture Sheppard?"
"Now, it's not Teyla's fault remember, Woolsey said that he didn't want us antagonising the people Teyla had instigated the trade with any further than the last time you were there."
Shifting about on his feet Rodney's anxiousness was threatening to bubble over." I know that Carson, but Ronon started it I'm pretty sure when he…"
Both men put their hands to their ears when Teyla's voice interrupted them.
"Rodney, Carson, could you come to our position please. Fursan has something interesting to tell us?"
Carson stood up as Rodney replied. "Coming Teyla."
Rodney swept up his jacket and made sure his gun was holstered against his thigh.
Carson raised an eyebrow. "Expecting trouble?"
"Always."
"Oh and Carson, could you bring your medical bag please?" Teyla's voiced buzzed in his ear.
He gulped. "Yes love, is everything ok?"
"Yes. Just to be on the safe side."
Carson swept up his bag and looked at Rodney.
"See what I mean!" He said.
SGA SGA SGA
When they arrived at the town square, they hurried over to where Ronon was sitting on a wall, occasionally dabbing at his forehead and then looking at his fingers.
Carson reached him and lifted his head up by his chin to have a better look and noticed a thin stream of blood slowly seeping out from a cut and down the side of his face.
"Lad, what happened here?"
"Not my fault Doc."
Carson looked from Ronon's face to Teyla's where he knew an honest answer would be forthcoming.
"Not strictly true Ronon."
"Well, it's not deep and the bleeding seems to be slowing. I'll just put a small bandage on it." Carson said, knowing what would happen next.
Ronon pushed his hand away and stood up. "Leave it, it'll be fine."
Carson sighed. Ronon was as bad as, if not worse than John from refusing treatment, but as it was minor he didn't force the issue.
"So what happened?" Rodney asked.
"We had just started walking towards Fursan when he spied us and he and two others came towards us a bit too swiftly for Ronon's liking and he got, well, defensive shall I say."
Both Carson and Rodney knew exactly what she was meaning. "Great Conon, start on them the minute you arrive."
Ronon just glowered at him, refusing to be reduced to verbal violence by Rodney's characteristic dressing downs.
"Rodney!" Teyla admonished, but continued. "Fursan threw a book he was holding towards Ronon, but probably by accident." And she looked at Ronon, hoping for conformity. He resigned his fight and nodded.
"I suppose he was just aiming at dropping it down on the wall here. He looked like he got a fright when he saw us, but the book met with my forehead instead."
"Your head?" Rodney said, confused.
Carson looked at Teyla again for the answer. "Ronon might have looked like he was going to head butt Fursan…it all happened so fast and it's all been resolved… hasn't it Ronon?"
Ronon growled but nodded and wiped away the last bit of blood off his face and smeared it on the wall, noticing Teyla shake her head at him but it amused him very much.
Fursan came back to be with them with a wet cloth and a sheepish look on his face. "I am sorry Ronon that I hit you, please use this cloth…"
"I don't need it" and then upon a minute's reflection. "Thank you…"
Fursan lowered his head and then handed the cloth to Neev, who just placed it on the wall. It was him that broke the silence that had followed by coughing into his hand. "Welcome back Dr. McKay, we were just explaining to Teyla that we are so very sorry to hear of Colonel Sheppard's disappearance. You must be mad with worry?"
"That we are. Now what did you do to…"
"Rodney, do not be so quick to judge what has happened here. As Lorne already told us when he came to speak to Fursan after we didn't come home on time, it turns out that most of the office were held at gunpoint and told to be quiet and face the wall or they would be killed when we arrived. Fursan and Neev and two others, who were in the main office and separate from the others at the time were even knocked unconscious as they were met first as the kidnappers entered the door. The men we met when we came to finish our trade agreement with Fursan a few days ago were not from this town but pretended to be so to us when we arrived. I think they deliberately caused us to argue about the caves to purposely split us up for easy capture then they knocked us out and kidnapped us and that's how we ended up in these cells. They must surely have been ordered by somebody to take us. It was too well orchestrated. Fursan, can you add to anything I've missed out?"
"I'm afraid I was unconscious at that time as I said to Major Lorne. We are just shocked that this has happened in our town. Why would someone do this to you?" Fursan wrung his hands."
"So you are telling us that you have no idea who they were?" Ronon was getting frustrated by the lack of any useful information.
"No, we have never seen them before. Their clothes were very plain, just dark blue trousers and jackets; that's all I noticed.
"So they would be unrecognisable."
Carson came forward. "I'm Dr. Carson Beckett, were any of your people hurt?"
"Welcome Dr. Beckett. Thank you for your concern, but thankfully, no, we were left unharmed."
"This seems like a well organised kidnap attempt." Carson said.
"And we know from the letter the Doctor sent us, that it was all for the sake of whomever arranged the kidnap, to sell Sheppard on and that we would think he was dead." Rodney added.
Fursan picked up the book that now sported a red stain, courtesy of Ronon's forehead. "As you know, we expect everyone who comes through the Ancestral Ring to record their names in this book, as you have faithfully adhered to every time you came here. I wondered…"
"Let me see?" Rodney demanded impatiently. "You think their names might be in here, seems a simple method to keep your records."
"We are simple people Dr. McKay, I am sorry if our ways are not to your liking!"
Level headed Carson took a step forward and held on lightly to Fursan's arm. "Ignore Rodney, he is just concerned for his friend and it makes him…well…"
"Extremely rude."
"This unfortunately is the case..." Teyla soothed whilst throwing him a look of back down. "…in times of distress. Please Fursan, may we have a look?"
A hush surrounded the friends as they were about to look in the book. It might just be the very first clue they needed to track Sheppard down but as Rodney was kindly handed the book by Fursan, which he took with a slight grimace at the blood stain, he knew that it was highly unlikely that their kidnappers would actually leave their names.
Rodney opened the book at the last page and when he didn't say anything, Ronon stomped over to have a look and his look of disbelief matched Rodney's."
"What the…?"
"Ronon what is it?" Teyla pulled his arm back from holding down the page and read, with horror, what it said. She remained speechless as well and put her hand to her mouth as Carson looked over her shoulder to read the words that were printed on the page:
YOU WILL NEVER FIND HIM
Stark, bold and glaring out at them, were these five words. It was as if it had neon lights and an arrow drawing attention to the suffocating words. Teyla felt an unbearable sense of loss and despair and didn't know she had taken a step back until Carson steadied her.
"Easy lass, are you ok?"
Teyla closed her eyes and for a moment just pictured John alive and vibrant as she always thought of him. But this time, her subconscious pulled her back to seeing him lying ill back in his cell and mingled it with the 'John' back in Atlantis and reliving the horror that was his fake death only yesterday.
"I will be." Then, feeling everyone's eyes on her, she opened hers and choked back the tears. "What are we going to do now?"
"I still have the last gate addresses to shift through…if you will allow me Fursan?" Rodney said.
It was the piece of positive news that jolted Teyla back to the present.
"Of course you can, although, there has been several travellers through the Ancestral Ring since these men would have come through."
"Then I have a lot of work to do, excuse me."
Rodney walked fast towards the 'gate, already setting up his tablet for whatever it took to download the addresses.
Teyla looked at Ronon and he dropped his shoulders before moving off to follow him at Teyla's unspoken request.
"These people really don't want him found, who ever took him." Teyla turned round to say to Carson."
"Seems that way…and you, did you notice any unusual activities coming through the 'gate…Ancestral Ring these past few days Fursan?"
He shook his head, "Unfortunately I was involved in securing our trade agreement, so I was not the one who recorded the books signatures."
"Can you take us to who did?"
Fursan ushered Carson and Teyla forward. "He is in the office now, come this way."
"Once again, please accept my apologies Teyla for this unfortunate business. We would have prevented your kidnappings if we'd had an inkling something was wrong."
"I am well aware of that Fursan, you have no need to apologise."
"I feel I have to apologise too." Neev said whilst following on.
"Neev, please, we do not blame you." Teyla calmed.
"No, you don't understand…please stop walking for a moment?"
"Neev, what is it you have to say?" Fursan put his hand on his shoulder to steady him.
"I haven't said before because I was afraid you would find me weak that I did not do anything to stop them taking you."
"What do you mean Neev, speak up?"
"Fursan…I…Teyla, I …"
"Take a deep breath Neev." Carson instructed.
Neev did as instructed and looked at Teyla with a look that warranted her holding his hand. "What is it Neev, tell me?"
"I woke up from the stun just as they were leaving, I only got a slight stun, you protected me with your body Fursan, for most of it…but I…I knew I would be no match for these men so I pretended to be unconscious. I'm sorry that I didn't do more to help Teyla."
The man vividly shook and looked so troubled that Teyla pulled him towards her for the traditional Athosian forehead to forehead greeting and then stepped back, "Do not concern yourself any further Neev, you were correct. These men were professionals and you would surely have been killed should you have attempted to intervene. We are alive, unhurt and we will find John, trust us on that."
Neev looked at Carson. "I should have spoken out sooner."
Teyla held a breath before speaking. "Did you hear them say anything?"
"You have to understand, I was still woozy…"
"Anything Neev?" Teyla pushed.
Neev bowed his head. "I understand how important this is but all I could make out was mention of the market on Tarahatt and then I heard someone telling him to be quiet in case we woke up and as they shut the door, I heard someone mention that Mahonet will be very pleased his plan worked."
Neev smiled nervously, "I have heard of Tarahatt. It is a rough place that deals in all types of food and houseware and armoury but behind the scenes it is also a place to hire killers and well, anything you want like that."
"It is highly unlikely they took you all there immediately after leaving us though." Fursan piped up. "As Neev said, at this time of year it will be very busy. We do not trade there anymore. It has become too violent a place. Well, done Neev."
"Do not thank me, I am ashamed I kept this to myself for so long."
"We know now that is the most important thing." Carson said, feeling a bit lighter as they had more to go on.
"I have never heard of Tarahatt or a Mahonet, I will ask Ronon. Have you heard of Mahonet Fursan?" Teyla said.
"No, but I am guessing he must be a very influential man if he organised all these men and your kidnapping."
"Mm, you are right." Teyla said in thought. She clicked her ear piece. "Ronon, there has been a development, we are coming to your position."
A click in Teyla and Carson's ear confirmed he had heard and after leaving Neev to face a red faced Farson, they walked towards the 'gate to join them.
"This is good Teyla, we have more to go on." Carson said as they walked.
"It is something, but I fear not enough. I have known of many markets such as the one Neev mentioned. They are very dangerous places and no-one there will be willing to divulge too much information about someone else in fear of reprisal that I can assure you of. If we go there, we will have to be very discreet."
Carson felt the excitement of new information sink like a stone in his stomach with the thought of the criminal market. With every passing moment, Sheppard was somewhere else away from his friends. They already knew he was ill with a virus and goodness knows what other treatment he was going through. The fact that somebody had went to so much trouble to convince them that he was dead, sacrificing another in the process, had his mind in a whirl. Did they not know about autopsies? Did they think them so foolish as to not investigate further when they found out the truth? Carson seethed.
"Ronon will want to go immediately."
Teyla laughed. "I know…me too."
"Sure you do lass, sure you do. Why do you think they took him Teyla?"
"I do not know Carson, I find it strange indeed but John had…has…many enemies and either one could have wanted to kidnap him for his ATA gene or some twisted personal vendetta."
"It's a sad fact. The man has a heart of gold but that seems to attract the worst of enemies."
Ronon stood impatiently at the gate beside a crouched Rodney, his foot tapping on the ground, obviously frustrated at the lack of progress Rodney was making. Today was just another bad day and Rodney spouting forth incoherent words and not replying to him was just showing signs it was only going to get worse.
Sheppard.
The last time he had seen him, he was being unceremoniously dumped onto a stretcher to be taken for a supposed scan and then he had vanished, only to be replaced. He would never forgive himself for that mistake of his. Teyla had been upset about that as well and he knew it was something he had to move on from if he was going to be of any use in the search to bring him home. The state of ill health they had left him in was greatly worrying Ronon. Sheppard was a fighter, he knew that from all their previous missions but a virus was disabling and could incapacitate the strongest of men, leaving him weak to face the battle on his own.
He nodded to Teyla and Carson as they approached. "What's up?"
Teyla updated him and his eyes narrowed at the mention of Tarahatt.
"Yeah, I know it. Passed through it as a runner once to get supplies. They didn't like it when they discovered I was a runner. I was told to leave."
"Which you did nicely I suppose Conon?" Rodney said sarcastically.
"Yeah."
He shifted his feet and then looked left. Carson smiled to himself when he noticed the angle his eyes took. Looking left meant you were lying in body language land; that, and knowing Ronon anyway proved his deduction true.
"I've never heard of Mahonet though."
"Rodney, have you downloaded the last few addresses yet?"
"I have now. I can go over them in the jumper. We should get going."
Ronon narrowed his eyes at him. "You behave when we get there."
"I know you are familiar with that type of place Ronon but I have my own tactics that can be implemented that does not comply with your rules and have proven to be quite resourceful in the main… at times."
"When?" Ronon said, crossing his arms.
"There was that time on…"
"Gentlemen." Carson intervened before it got heated.
Teyla pushed Ronon forward and Carson, Rodney as they made their way back towards the town to say goodbye to Fursan and Neev before boarding the 'jumper.
"Nothing gentle about him." Rodney couldn't help but get the last word in.
Carson had heard him though. "Enough! Finding John is all we need to focus on just now, not bickering at each other."
"Welcome to my world Carson!" Teyla said.
SGA SGA SGA
"Neev looked pleased to see us go." Rodney was not finished with his sarcastic remarks.
"That's because he was feeling bad for keeping things back from us." Teyla said as she took her usual seat in the 'jumper. "Do not hold it against him, some men are very prideful.
"Maybe so but Lorne could have investigated this further during the days we were missing when he went to visit them to find out where we were. It could have made all the difference.
"Please Rodney, do not dwell on what cannot be changed."
"How far away is Tarahatt?" Carson intervened, clipping Rodney's wings further.
"It's on MC20 TXT, a joyful five hours flying time."
Teyla threw an exasperated look at Ronon but found him to be grinning and clearly enjoying Rodney's discomfort at realising they had more travelling time together in the cramped 'jumper.
She couldn't help but grin also and when Carson looked back with a horrified expression it just made them both laugh out loud, Carson soon joined them and even Rodney allowed himself a hint of a smile. A small release of pent up emotions was just what they needed before the long journey to the market of Tarahatt where they hopes to gain more clues to who Mahonet was and what he done with Sheppard.
"If they were trying to convince us he was dead, why did they write that message in the signing in book?" Carson puzzled.
"Just in case we figured it out and to annoy us!" Ronon said. "And it worked." At that he leaned forward. "But they will regret the day they kidnapped Sheppard, that I will tell you!"
Nothing else was needed to be said after that statement and all four became absorbed with their own thoughts for Sheppard's rescue.
SGA SGA SGA
Mahonet was mad.
He paced in front of his large window and looked down at the cells below. Some more prisoners had become his guests earlier but the larger enclosure, not long occupied, remained empty and its previous residents were upper most in his mind. The failed exchange of one of its prisoners to his customers had left a bad taste in his mouth. His reputation was long standing as one of the best, if not THE best, bounty hunter in the business, as were the all the hand-picked men that worked for him. To have Sheppard escaped from the building sullied that reputation and tainted a promise to his customers.
Then there had been an explosion in the elevator and it took out most of the lobby and the front door, killing the doctor inside it and almost his customers who were waiting on the elevator to take them down to the lower levels. Thankfully they had been slow to get there and he was glad they had not been in it at the time.
He continued to pace as he heard the door knock. Without turning round he shouted on whomever was there to enter.
"Sir.."
Heavily booted footfall could be heard and Mahonet understood it to be his chief guard and his silence disturbed him.
"Well?"
"Sir, the explosion is still being investigated…"
"I don't care about the explosion! Where is Sheppard? I have customers waiting."
"He is nowhere in the building… Sir, we have searched everywhere…"
"Not what I need to hear guard. Hours are slipping by and with these hours my customers are unhappy and my money is going down and my reputation is threatened. Need I go on?"
"Sir, no."
The guard was big and burly and ordinarily knew no fear, he was more the type to dish it out himself, but this even bigger man than him scared the life out of him and especially when he got upon himself the quiet madness he had now. It was more dangerous than when he shouted because this mood was the beginning to an end of whomever was annoying him the most. In this case, he had to take full responsibility in securing the escaped prisoner and as of this visit to his office, he had failed. Unless.
"I have a possible witness Sir, I have not had time to speak to him yet…"
"Is he here?"
"He is outside the door waiting on me."
"Bring him in."
Mahonet watched the man's reflection in the window retreat and then bring in someone he recognised as one of the ground patrol guards. Stane.
"What have you to say?"
"I…um…don't know anything about a missing em, prisoner but when the explosion happened I let one of your workers in a side door so she could get to her station and maybe I, em, somehow left the door open, although I don't know how I could have done…but um, anyway, I am sorry."
Mahonet remained quiet for a time, mulling over the words.
"What is the woman's name you let in?
"Bee, Sir."
Mahonet's eyes grew huge in the reflection that the two men were watching and they felt themselves cower awaiting an explosion. Mahonet's fists curled and then he spoke slow and firm.
"I know that worker. Her husband's name is Pauley, he is one of my assistants and is probably home now."
"Bee was reported missing this morning when she did not show up to her work"
"And you did not see it fit to tell me one of my staff is missing!" Mahonet bellowed and spun round, walking towards them so fast the room shook.
The guard took the brunt of his anger as Mahonet wrapped his huge hands around his throat none too gently.
"I want you to find her. The prisoner is dangerous and may have taken her captive." He threw the man back. "And send her husband to the holding cells, I do not wish for him to start a search for her and bring more people into this circus."
"Yes sir, I will get on it immediately."
Mahonet looked over at Stane and he gulped.
"What kind of idiot were you to leave a door open?"
The kind that's about to get killed, he thought.
Mahonet continued to stare when he did not answer. "I didn't want to get Bee into trouble for missing her shift, Sir."
At the mention of her name again, Mahonet looked preoccupied.
"Leave; go with the guard. Next time, I will not be so tolerant of your mistake."
Stane was stunned that he had been given permission to leave, so didn't push the Agents temper any further by hesitating to obey. He swiftly followed the guard out of the door leaving Mahonet walking towards his desk, where he slowly sat down and unlocked a drawer. He looked in at its contents and then closed it again swiftly as if the contents had angered him further.
He curled and uncurled his fists and prepared himself to update his disappointed customers. He knew they were sending some of their own men to look for Sheppard as well but he willed his men to beat them to it for obvious reasons, after this update, he would send out all his guards in the search to find the missing two.
But the game had changed for Mahonet and he was as mad as he had ever been in his life. The guards were out and he would send out the aerial drones to look for them as well. He had everything to lose if the missing two were not found soon.
SGA SGA SGA
TO BE CONTINUED.