When You Least Expect It Part 5

Disclaimer: I don't own them

Thanks to Neuroscpr for reading



Darion was not out for long. He slowly got to his feet massaging his jaw where he had been kicked.

Looking around the room he saw the open window and hurried to it. "Frell!" He said out loud. 'No sign of him.' Darion knew he couldn't have gone far in his condition.

'Run all you want, John. I will find you and end this!' Darion thought to himself with anger in his eyes.

He ran from the room and gathered up his men.

"The prisoner has escaped. Find him!" Darion said angrily.

"Sir why not just let him go. He is not a Peacekeeper. He didn't come here to harm us," Travor said challenging Darion.

"He has friends who may cause us trouble because of what happened. He finally told me he was not alone. That seals our decision. He must not be allowed to contact his friends or leave this planet."

"But sir," Travor pleaded. "This is not how it is supposed to be. Our vow is to keep Peacekeepers away, not hurt innocent beings."

"Enough Travor! The decision has been made. Find him now!"

The men dispersed in units going in different directions. The hunt was on.

John ran as fast as his body would allow. He stumbled but knew he had to keep going. His life depended on it.

His breathing was becoming shallow. He was sweating so profusely it was impairing his vision.

'Man I gotta rest. Gotta find somewhere just to rest for a microt,' John thought to himself grabbing the nearest tree to keep himself from falling. Leaning against the tree he tried to catch his breath.

It was then he heard the voices coming in his direction.

'Oh hell,' he thought with his hands on his knees, 'can't I ever get a break!'

John was on the move again heading deeper into the woods. He had to find somewhere to rest before he collapsed.



xxxxx



"Pilot anything?"

"No D'Argo," Pilot said sadly. "I am starting to feel that perhaps John is in trouble."

"I've got the same feeling Pilot. Ask Aeryn to meet me at the transport pod. It's time we headed for the planet."

D'Argo headed to command to see Chiana and Rygel before departing.

"Chiana, Aeryn and I are leaving for the planet now. Don't leave this ship unless we call you. That goes for you too Rygel. We'll contact you when we can."

"Right D'Argo," Chiana said, her voice filled with worry. "D'Argo, please bring Crichton back."

"I intend to Chiana."

"D'Argo,"Aeryn commed. "The transport is ready."

"On my way Aeryn," D'Argo said looking in Chiana's worried eyes.

D'Argo reached the transport pod and gave Aeryn the go signal.

"Pilot, open the bay doors. We are ready to depart."

Pilot did as he was asked. "Good luck to both of you."

"Thank you Pilot", Aeryn replied as she piloted the craft through the doors.

"Aeryn, I think we should go in undetected and land away from the city," D'Argo offered feeling the same way Pilot did. Something was wrong.

"Agreed D'Argo."

"Aeryn?"

"Yes D'Argo?" Aeryn asked quietly, lost in her own fearful thoughts.

"What if we are too late?"

"Then someone shall die." Aeryn said as a fact. She left no question about what would happen if John had died at their hands.

Aeryn maneuvered the transport to land well outside the city. She powered down the transport and they both left the vessel.

xxxxx

John could feel the men closing in on him. The voices were getting closer. He saw the thick brush out of the corner of his eye. John appraised his situation. 'Hell I gotta hide. I sure can't outrun them. The brush is as good a place as any' he thought taking cover behind it.

The voices sounded as if they were on top of him now. John tried to even out his breath so as not to give away his position. He held his breath as one of the men stood just beyond his cover. It sounded as if the men were going through the whole area as if they knew he had been there.

Just then one of the men yelled, "He's been here. There are traces of blood here," he said pointing to the bark on the tree.

'Frell' John thought to himself, 'why not leave a trail for them Johnny boy!'

"Any idea in what direction he went?" one of the others asked.

"There doesn't seem to be anything else. Only that he has been here."

"Lets proceed deeper into the woods. That's the only way he could have gone."

John heard the men leave. He turned on his back, closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. 'Man that was close. Rest a little. Let them go in deeper.' John lay there realizing how exhausted his body really was. His adrenalin was starting to drop, making him feel weaker than before.

John felt more than saw someone standing over him. He looked up startled and tried to spring to his feet, but with no luck. He couldn't move a bone in his body.

"Get up," the man said.

xxxxx



Aeryn and D'Argo were surveying the town, being careful not to be seen. There seemed to be something important going on. There were men coming and going in groups. They all were going to one particular establishment, the local bar. Whatever it was, the person in this bar must be the one in charge.

All the tents in the market square were closed down, which was even more peculiar.

"Well D'Argo, it looks like we start with who ever is in the bar."

"Agreed Aeryn."

D'Argo definitely had a bad feeling about this place. He felt a shiver go up his spine as they proceeded to the bar.

xxxxx



"Hey, I'm really not a Peacekeeper. You gotta believe me. I didn't come here to harm anyone." John said through clenched lips. The pain was starting to return.

"Get up now! We must leave before they come back," Travor said reaching out his hand to John.

John was hesitant. "Is this a sick joke? All you've wanted to do is kill me and now I'm supposed to trust you?"

"If you want to live you don't have a choice. Let's go," Travor said in a rushed voice. "I don't know how long it will be before they come back this way."

John let him help him to his feet, only to fall to his knees as a wave of nausea and dizziness enveloped him. He bent over grabbing his midsection as he wretched.

Travor bent down to slowly help him up as the wave subsided.

"I am sorry. We must go now." He said as he wrapped John's arm around his neck for support. "I have a place we can hide until we can contact your friends."

John nodded, too tired to talk. It was enough of an effort to walk.

After several arns Travor knew John needed to rest. He could feel him stumbling more and more. He sat him up against a tree, and tried to give him water.

John turned his head. "Naw, don't really want any."

"John, you must. We have a few more arns to go before we get to the place I spoke of and you need something to keep you going."

John nodded and took the water only to wretch after the first sip. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree.

"Why.are you.helping me?" John asked in a whispered voice.

"It is complicated John. I vowed to protect us from the Peacekeepers. I can no longer be a part of this. Darion has lost all concept of what our vow means. I will not stand by any longer and watch people die for no reason."

John nodded understanding. He looked up at Travor and simply said, "Thanks."

"Time to go John." Travor helped him to his feet, wondering if he could keep him alive long enough to get him to the place and contact his friends. It wasn't looking good.



xxxxx



Aeryn and D'Argo entered the bar. The bartender greeted them.

"Welcome to my establishment," Darion said. "What can I get both of you weary travelers?"

"Answers," Aeryn said eyeing the crowd in the bar. "We are looking for a friend who came to this planet over 24 arns ago."

D'Argo had his back to the bar watching the patrons while Aeryn did the talking.

"We know he came in here, and we want to know where he is now." Aeryn said bluffing her way. "He should have been back on the ship, but is overdue."

"Ah, let me think," Darion said totally taken aback. "I don't recall anyone in the last 24 arns other than the locals."

"Wrong answer," Aeryn said pointed her pulse pistol at Darion.

She looked Darion in the eyes, "Perhaps you didn't understand me the first time. We know he came here."

Darion swallowed hard. "Oh the drifter. He came in here for a drink and asked for a place to stay for the night. I told him we didn't have anyplace to accommodate travelers.

"Where did he go?"

"I assume he left," Darion said. "We haven't seen him since."

D'Argo now turned and looked Darion in the eyes. "If you should be lying to us, I will be back."

Darion grabbed onto the edge of the bar, sweating profusely as the two left. His greatest fear had come true. If he didn't find John soon he knew he was a dead man.