A/N: Two chapters tonight. But only because one is really short. And I think I needed to shower after the cliffy from last time, lol.
The Puppet Master
Chapter Eleven - Surprise
Grodin had been surprised to see a bedraggled looking McKay storm through the control room into Dr Weir's office. He had tried calling out to the man, but was ignored, and had the door shut in his face. Confused, Peter returned to his console and had sat for a few minutes, trying to look busy and not like he was futilely eavesdropping, when an even wetter Major Sheppard appeared, running through the control room and calling for Bates.
"Seen McKay?" Sheppard demanded, taking the stairs two at a time. Water had plastered his hair flat to his head, and Peter could see a trail of small puddles marking the Major's path from the corridor beyond.
"He's talking to Dr Weir," he supplied. "What happened to you?"
"Is the door locked?"
Peter blinked in surprise, then glanced down at the screen on his desk, running his hands quickly over the Atlantean keyboard. "Yes, but I can override it. Why –"
"Do it," Sheppard ordered, looking across at Bates. "Sergeant –"
"Right behind you," Bates answered, already moving towards Weir's office.
"Major," Peter protested, confused by the man's demands, "If I knew what was going on –"
"Just open the damn door!" Sheppard growled, and Grodin was shocked to see fear in the man's eyes, provoking his own sense of sudden dread.
His fingers dashed across the controls, driven by Sheppard's hot breath over his shoulder. In only a matter of seconds he had the door open and was rising from his seat, following the two soldiers as they raced through into Weir's office.
Elizabeth was forced up against the wall, McKay's hand around her throat, her eyes rolling back up into her head. McKay never moved a muscle, not when they burst through the door, not as they ran towards him, not even to stop Sergeant Bates from tackling him to the floor – though then the change was instant. The scientist started kicking, punching, yelling angrily as Sheppard and Bates dragged him across the room.
Elizabeth had fallen to a crumpled heap on the floor and Peter dropped down beside her, gently reaching out for a pulse. He pulled back at the sound of a wheeze and instead his hands slipped under Weir's shoulders, bracing her as she struggled onto all fours. He could hear her gasp, horrible dry sounds from her mouth as she drank in all the oxygen she could, her chest shuddering uncontrollably.
McKay was still screaming incoherently, bucking against his captors with incredible strength. Twice he slipped from Bates and Sheppard's grasp, though they grabbed him by the arms and hauled him back. Grodin could hear Sheppard, pleading for the scientist to stop.
"McKay, for god's sake –"
"Major, his arm –"
"I got it – Rodney, just stop –"
And then the sound of a crack as bone hit bone. Sheppard's fist collided neatly with McKay's jaw and the man slipped backwards. Bates caught his weight and together he and Sheppard manhandled the unconscious scientist to the floor.
Weir was still struggling for breath, but though her chest still heaved the wheezes were now gasps, and the blue tinge to her lips was fading. Grodin helped her lean on him as she sat up, gripping her shoulder tightly as she shook, her eyes scrunched shut.
He glanced at Sheppard. "We need Dr Beckett."
Sheppard was kneeling beside McKay, his hand resting gently against the scientist's face. He looked up to meet Peter's gaze with a resigned, grief-stricken expression. "I know."
