~ 21 ~

Teyla hides in the bathroom as Ronon keys open his door to Col. Sheppard. The man's face is pale and his eyes full of pain. He's out of breath and sweat beads on his forehead. "It's Jax," Sheppard gasps. Ronon's heart slams so hard against his chest he's surprised it doesn't burst right from his body.

"Teyla," Ronon calls, his own voice a handful of breaths.

She appears fully clothed. When her eyes lay on them, her face immediately falls and the warrior returns. "What has happened?"

They make it to the infirmary within minutes, all three out of breath. McKay's lying on a gurney cradling his right arm which appears to be longer than his other. He's obviously medicated because the man is babbling about someone named Xena, but he's not complaining about any pain. Dr. Weir paces frantically, her arms wrapped protectively around her middle.

The moment Dr. Beckett sees Sheppard and Ronon, he motions them over. "He's ready." Beckett instructs Ronon on what he needs to do then motions to Sheppard to help hold McKay down. It takes just a few seconds and a loud pop to get McKay's shoulder back into its socket. That's when the man screams. Dr. Beckett administers more pain medication and soon McKay is relaxed.

Sheppard leans over him. "Rodney. What happened to Jax?"

"I understand now, Colonel. She's beautiful. Not that I didn't see it before, I mean physically, let's face it, she's really…wow! But she's Xena, man, or Wonder Woman. She's just…hot when she's pissed off!" McKay's eyes swim in his head. Ronon can tell the man is trying his best to focus but the drugs are making it nearly impossible. Suddenly he stares directly at Sheppard. "Kolya!"

Sheppard's eyes meet Dr. Weir's and then Teyla's. "Kolya?" They all say together.

"She said he was nice to her…" McKay's near tears as the memories surface or from the pain, it's difficult to know with this man. "And was going to kill her… because of me. He wanted to take me back to the Genii." McKay grips Sheppard's hand. "I'm so sorry." He glances up. "Ronon. Please don't kill me." Ronon can see the man is clearly afraid of just that.

Dr. Weir moves in and places a hand on his left arm. "Relax, Rodney."

"Where is she?" Ronon growls.

McKay shakes his head. "She could've been a Rockette." Everyone exchanges confused glances. Even in his drugged state, McKay must realize he's not making sense. He takes a deep breath and stares straight ahead. "Two plus Kolya. Killed Elliot and Fisk."

"We know, Rodney," Dr. Weir says softly and McKay looks confused that she should have this information already. She gives him a pat on the arm. "You were holding their dog-tags in your hand."

"That's what she gave me," he says to himself. McKay's eyes hit Sheppard's again. "She knew something was wrong…but it was too late. Then he came in." His eyes and mouth open wide and he shakes his head. "She was so fast. And then we ran. She could have gotten away…but she waited for me." He looks to Dr. Weir. "Why'd she do that? She could have gotten away!"

Ronon sees the confusion in the man's face. He's confused because he doesn't truly know Angela, never has. Ronon understands completely. There was no way she'd leave McKay behind. Not because he's important to Atlantis or that she even likes the man, but simply because she wouldn't leave anyone behind just to save herself. That's not who she is.

Sheppard leans in. "Rodney, focus."

He nods slowly. "The gate opened. I waited and she was running. Another one…the one who came through, grabbed me. She kicked him in the head and we fell into the gate…but he shot her. She's…dead."

"She's not dead!" Ronon growls loudly. All eyes turn to him. "I'd know if she is dead." Sheppard looks at him, their eyes locking. The Colonel nods in agreement. Ronon heads for the door. "I'm going now, she could still be there."

"Ronon wait," Dr. Weir calls.

"We've waited too long." He narrows his eyes on her. "You won't stop me."

She holds up a hand. "It's what Kolya would expect. You'll be walking right into an ambush."

"They don't know me."

Dr. Weir shakes her head. "But if you show up not ten minutes after it happened?"

Ronon takes threatening step toward Dr. Weir. "It should have been ten seconds!"

Sheppard's in his face immediately, blocking his path. "She's right, Ronon."

He grabs Sheppard by the collar and slams him against the nearest wall. "Why did you hesitate to retrieve her? You could have gone—"

Both Teyla and Dr. Weir try unsuccessfully to pull Ronon off Sheppard. The Colonel's gaze locks onto Ronon's and there's regret, guilt and pain in the multicolored eyes. "She could have been in the path. Gotten hit with the wave." Ronon loosens his grip and Sheppard sighs. "I wanted to…believe me. But I couldn't take the chance." Ronon can clearly hear pain in his voice. He looks at the Colonel…maybe for the first time, really seeing another man who loves Angela. Almost as much as Ronon does. Almost…

"If she's alive," Dr. Weir starts. "Kolya has no reason to hurt her. She's a civilian."

"Nononono," McKay sits up suddenly, fighting the effects of the medication. "He was ready to kill her because of that!" Dr. Weir's eyes widen in shock. "She wasn't important enough," he adds, his eyes once again swim in his head and he drops back to the pillows. "But he won't believe that now…"

"What?" Dr. Weir asks. "Rodney, what do you mean?"

His head rolls over the pillows, his eyes getting heavy. "She took him and two of his men down in less than a minute, Elizabeth. Killed one."

"She what?" Her gaze shoots around the others, landing on Sheppard.

But it's Ronon who has the answer she's looking for. "She was trained by one of your Earth government agents."

"And by you," Sheppard adds. He seeks out Dr. Weir's eyes. "If she's alive—"

"She is," Ronon says firmly.

"He will hold her for interrogation," Sheppard finishes.

"Oh god." Dr. Weir turns her back on them and Ronon can see the shudder she's trying to quell and the gasp she covers with a quick hand to her mouth.

"Elizabeth," Sheppard whispers, his eyes blazing. She turns to face him and Ronon can see tears threatening to spill. Sheppard stands. His voice deepens with restraint. "You do realize Kolya's not above hurting her…as he did with Rodney—"

Dr. Weir drops her gaze and shakes her head. "I know, John…but—"

Sheppard circles the bed in three large steps, closing the distance between him and his commander. The energy radiating from the Colonel puts even Ronon on edge. Though his body is practically screaming for action, Sheppard's voice remains low, intense. "He's going to torture her for information she doesn't have."

The built up tears spill down the woman's cheeks. Ronon realizes at that moment that he and Sheppard are not the only ones affected by Angela. She holds a great many hearts within her grasp…and probably doesn't even know it.

Dr. Weir's spine straightens and she wipes away the tears. She leans over McKay and turns his face toward hers. He's almost unconscious. "Rodney." She lightly slaps his cheeks. "Rodney. Can a jumper go through to PXT-705?" His head rolls side to side, then a moment later changes direction and he's nodding.

She straightens and locks eyes on Sheppard. "Go in stealth. If they're watching the gate, which I'm sure they are, the moment you come through, Kolya will know. That fact alone should convince him that Jax is worth keeping alive…for the time being." Another shudder hits her body making Ronon wonder what happened to Dr. Weir at the hands of this man Kolya. He's never seen her so unnerved before and it makes him worry all the more for Angie.

"Use the sensors. Try to get as much detail of the land as you can."

"They're like rodents…burrowing underground," Sheppard grunts.

"Energy…" McKay mumbles.

Sheppard nods. "Right." Ronon raises his brows and Sheppard quickly explains. "Energy signatures in unusual places…could locate a hideout."

Dr. Weir continues: "Get as much intel as you can. Radio us back. Following that, Ronon, we'll send you through on foot as just another traveler."

"And Teyla and I will still be in stealth mode to cover your six," Sheppard says. He looks to Dr. Weir. "When we dial out, they won't know if we've actually left or not."

She nods. "Go." Sheppard nods once and Teyla follows him out after giving Ronon a reassuring squeeze on the arm. Ronon follows but Dr. Weir catches him in the corridor.

"Ronon, a moment please." He stops and faces her. He doesn't like the look she's giving him, defeated is the only word he can use to describe it. "She's not expecting a rescue, is she."

"No."

Elizabeth stands at the top of the stairs with her hands clasped behind her back. She looks over the crowd gathered in front of the Stargate.

She made a city-wide announcement to all military personnel ten minutes ago. She asked them to come to the gatrium as quickly as possible. When she came out of her office, she found the area downstairs completely packed. Even some of the civilians had joined the impromptu meeting, probably to see what all the brouhaha was about.

John and Teyla had left before she made the announcement and Ronon is pacing in her office, awaiting the results of what she is about to ask.

Raising her chin and swallowing hard, Elizabeth clears her throat. "We have a situation. Commander Kolya of the Genii task force that tried to take the city from us last year has killed two of our off-world soldiers and taken someone hostage." A collective gasp mingles with grunts of rage. She raises a hand to silence everyone. "The person being held is a civilian and therefore, I cannot order a military rescue mission where lives could be lost strictly to retrieve one—" her voice audibly cracks, "lay person." Elizabeth has to take a moment to regain composure. She never expected this to be so difficult. She takes another deep breath. "The reason I've called for this meeting is to ask for volunteers—"

As if banging a drum, there's a concussion of feet stomping forward. Elizabeth's eyes widen as she sees all the military personnel ready and willing to take action…for someone they don't even know. She hasn't even told them who it is. Elizabeth finds herself at a loss for words suddenly. She's spent her whole life trying to curb military use, find other ways to solve conflicts, but here she is…begging for help to save one person. One young woman. And the military is ready, willing and able to do just that.

She sees Major Lorne at the base of the stairs. "Major?"

He rushes up the steps. "Yes ma'am."

"Could you put together a team to help Col. Sheppard in this matter?"

Major Lorne nods. "Already done ma'am." He motions to the six people he was standing next to.

Dr. Weir recognizes Lt. Cadman and Sgt. Sharon "Maddog" Fuller standing front and center of the group, they nod to her. Elizabeth turns to the Major. "You know."

"Yes ma'am. Everyone does." He offers a weak smirk. "Atlantis' rumor mill is nothing if not efficient."

Elizabeth can't hide her shock. "I know the motto: leave no one behind. But…she's a civilian."

Major Lorne shakes his head. "No ma'am. Like everyone else on Atlantis…she's one of us."

Elizabeth swallows the lump in her throat and nods her thanks.

~ 21.5 ~

She was conscious, though barely, when he arrived at the ring with Lucia. For every step she stumbled toward the dialing device, she fell to her knees only to get up again. He didn't understand at the time, given the location of the wound in her right shoulder she should have been able to move faster, get away before they arrived.

However, once she dropped unconscious just short of the device, he discovered the second wound. She must have hit the side of her head on the altar steps as she fell back because blood stained the right side of her face and neck, almost as much as the gun shot did her front and back. Her strength and resolve astounded him as much as her previous lack of fear in the face of certain death.

Perhaps because she realized I'd underestimated her.

She'd managed to not only knock him and Lucia unconscious but to break Lucia's arm and kill Stipple. Not that Stipple was a harsh loss; the boy could barely walk a straight line. Still, she killed one of his troop—of which he did not have many to spare—which meant he had to take her life in exchange.

They'd made it to the edge of the trees and watched as she struck Binnet, sending him through the ring with McKay. Acastus' heart leapt into his throat when he saw her fall back, believing she'd been killed. In the brief time he's known her, she's weakened him. That must be redeemed. That is why he did not finish her off at the Ancient ring.

He must prove not only to his men, but to himself that he is not corruptible by a simple female. He must punish her…interrogate her as he would any other soldier, for she is not as simple as she appears. Obviously a personal guard assigned to Dr. McKay and very proficient in her duty. The strange attire, attitude, wariness…it all becomes clear in the aftermath. Acastus curses himself for not seeing it earlier. He was distracted by her pretty face…by a memory…

Not anymore.

They're situated within the hills outside the town. The defunct mines were abandoned many generations ago once the ore dried up. Acastus and his troop added re-enforcements to the walls and ceilings as well as many doors for privacy. No one comes to this place except him and his men.

Angela is the first female to join them. Even unconscious, she receives many interested glances from his troop. He carried her himself, cradling her as he had Mylea on several occasions. But then he dropped her unceremoniously onto the dirt floor of the small room that would soon become her cell. As she lay there bleeding, four of his men erected a solid door which could only be opened from the outside.

He sent one of his men to retrieve Girsh, not only the spirit house tender, but the medicine man as well. Those wounds must be tended to so that Acastus may interrogate the prisoner without the threat of imminent death.

Oh, she will die, but not before he gets the answers he wants.

Girsh asked for a table and light so those have been added to the cell. The large man seemed shaken when he first laid eyes on the woman. For a man so gruff in the spirit house, he is surprisingly gentle when he ministers to the ill. He picked her up from the dirt and laid her on the table to examine her wounds.

Acastus watches as the man cuts away only a portion of Angela's top where the wound actually is. The large man with the huge, rough hands seems timid when it comes to touching the soldier. Of course, he does not know her as a soldier, only as a female.

Girsh is a weak man. Easily intimidated and trained by women. Acastus has met the man's wedded mate, a vile creature with an exceptionally shrill voice. Not a woman who makes men look in her direction either.

Unlike Angela.

Acastus has seen several of his men looking through the hole in the door, trying to get another glimpse of the young woman. It makes his stomach boil at the sight. They will not be led astray. "Commander," a voice says over his communication device.

"Yes," he replies.

"The Ancient ring activated and something came through…but then vanished."

Acastus grins. One of the Atlantian ships, has to be. Perhaps the rumors are untrue. Perhaps Atlantis remains. Or the survivors escaped to another world with their ships. The planet Angela mentioned…I-zoola. She was truthful about that place. He will have to get the address from her…one way or another. "Understood. Maintain watch."

"Yes Commander."

He moves to the opposite side of the table to where Girsh is working on cleaning the bullet wound. Acastus sees that Angela is present enough to feel pain. Her brows wrinkle and her lips quiver as Girsh continues. Tears slip past her dark lashes and she murmurs something he can't understand. He leans in and hears what she's mumbling. "Hurts…Daddy…help me."

Acastus jerks back, staring hard at the woman who killed one of his men. He must remember that. She is a killer. She is not some helpless—the look on her face makes his heart thump faster. "Give her something."

Girsh looks up from his work. "Commander?"

Acastus glares at the incompetent fool. "For the pain."

Girsh shakes his head. "The head wound is too severe. It is dangerous."

"She's going to die later anyway. Risk it." Acastus would laugh at the horrified look on Girsh's face if his own gut wasn't twisting in knots because of his words. But the man does as instructed and injects something into Angela's arm. A moment passes and her head rolls to the side, her face a mask of death. No more murmurs of pain. Girsh presses his listening device to her chest then two fingers to her throat. "Well?"

"She's alive…for now." Then he returns to his task.

When Acastus sees her a few hours later, she's alert.

After Girsh finished, they left Angela lying on the table to come around on her own. Girsh stitched up the shoulder wound and treated the cut on her head. There had been so much blood it was almost impossible to tell where it originated from. Girsh seemed uncertain about the damage her mind may have received.

Sitting in the dirt, her back against the far wall, knees drawn up, her eyes never leave the door. Acastus looks through the porthole and stares at her. She stares back. Her face an impenetrable blank slate but her eyes are cold…angry.

Good. Clearly she remembers him. He motions to the guard and the door is opened. She doesn't rise or cower as he enters. She merely stares at him. "How are you feeling, Angela?" Her eyes narrow considerably but she says nothing.

The guard brings in a chair as Acastus requested and places it next to the table. Acastus sits, crossing one leg over the opposite knee. "Are you hungry?" She stares, not even blinking. If her eyes did not follow him, he would not be certain she is alive. He can't even perceive her breathing, she's so silent.

"If you are in pain, I can see about relieving that." This sparks something in her and a slow smile pulls at her lips as her gaze on him softens and then drops. After a few moments, she meets his eyes again and he can see from her expression she is not in any pain. Somehow she managed to disregard it entirely. She is an astounding woman. "I see you are a very good soldier, Angela." That gets him a grunt and a low chuckle. "I said something amusing?"

She blows air out her nose. "I'm not a soldier. I'm a masseuse."

"Do not bother lying to me again." She shakes her head, her eyes revealing nothing. Acastus opens his hands in friendship. "You are too skilled in combat to be anything other. You killed one of my men."

She takes a deep breath and her eyes drop from his. "Sorry."

Acastus considers her for a moment. He believes her. "You're forgiven." Her eyes meet his; she seems shocked by his words. Acastus spreads his hands again. "I'm not an unreasonable man, Angela." He rises then and moves to stand in front of her, towering over her. She looks up at him and he sees that she's cradling her wounded arm against her chest. "It would be best if you cooperate."

Angela stands by pressing her back into the wall and pushing up with her legs. She's much smaller than him, but her presence is large. She radiates energy, vitality and strength. He once again finds himself drawn to her, wishing she could truly be his lost Mylea. Her sharp gaze locks onto his. "I'm not that bright. And I have a lousy memory." She shakes her head. "Doubt I'll be much help."

Acastus lowers his face close to hers and whispers. "If you think you can hold out until a rescue, you're sadly mistaken."

Her mouth twists into an ugly grin. "McKay was right. I'm not important enough. You're wasting your time."

"That's exactly what I expected you to say." Acastus turns from her, clasping his hands behind his back, he slowly paces toward the closed door. "Tell me…how did Atlantis survive the Wraith attack?"

"Atlantis is gone. Poof. She go boom."

Acastus grunts. "Where is your shield device?"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"The device for your code…to open the shield that covers the Ancient ring."

She sighs. "Sorry. Drawing a complete blank on that."

They spend several minutes going over similar questions. Her answers remain the same, the same tone, same inclinations…very well trained. He cannot shake her story. Acastus knew this would be the case. He is not a fool. The moment he stepped into this room, he knew what it would require to make her speak. She will have to be broken.

The thought turns his stomach even as it intrigues him. When it comes to a soldier of such spirit, breaking that spirit will most definitely be a grueling task. And yet, part of him is looking forward to it. He wants to see her helpless, hopeless without that fire burning in her eyes. Though, removing that fire would make her less like Mylea. He will lose his last connection to her memory.

"If Atlantis is truly gone, where did you send Dr. McKay in such a hurry?"

"I-zoola. Want the address…you can walk right through and get him yourself."

Acastus turns on his toes and slowly retraces his steps back to her. "I don't believe so."

She raises a single eyebrow—a show of defiance if he's ever seen one—then she points to her face. "Does this say 'I care'?"

He lashes out with the back of his hand, hitting her hard across the mouth. Her whole body turns with the blow. She works her jaw as she returns to her previous position, leaning heavily against the wall. There's a trickle of blood on her cut lip. Her tongue darts out and she licks the blood then spits it at him. He hits her again in the same way.

The next time she locks her eyes on his, she lets the blood drip. "Feel more like a man now, Commander?"

Acastus steps away from her. He slowly opens the latches on his jacket, peels it off and carefully hangs it over the back of the chair. He returns to stand in front of her again. Her eyes are full of fury. "Tell me what Dr. McKay was doing in the ruins. What was so important? What did you find?"

With the back of her left hand, she smears the blood across her chin. "Wow. Those are three tough questions. Let me think." She tilts her head and narrows her eyes. Her tongue plays at the cut on her swelling lip. "Hmm." She holds up one finger for each word she says. "Go. To. Hell."

Acastus punches her in the stomach. She instantly doubles over, gasping. He yanks her upright by her hair, slamming her into the wall and shoves his right forearm against her throat. He presses his weight into her and her gasps grow weaker. He lets up a little. "My soldiers are also trained to withstand many forms of interrogation," he says coolly. "Do you wonder why I don't have any females?" He doesn't get an answer, not that he expected one considering her voice is under his restraint. "I've found females are more easily broken." His left hand drops to the whole in her top and he rips it open, exposing her under garment. Acastus grabs her breast and squeezes hard. "I have several men here, Angela. I could give each of them a turn with you."

And she laughs. She laughs enough to send a flash of pain across her face. Acastus is thrown by her and he backs away. She doesn't attempt to cover herself, she simply laughs at him. "Men! You all think with your dicks." Her heated gaze burrows into his. "You're a fool, Kolya. Do you really think threatening me with rape is going to get me to talk about stuff I don't know? I can't tell you anything. I'm a nobody!" And she laughs again, her eyes wide with amusement. "I know nothing."

Acastus suspects the head wound has driven her mad. She rambles about being a masseuse, tending to injured muscles. She talks about cleaning dishes and picking up dead bodies. "You're dead bodies, by the way, if you're at all interested. The ones Col. Sheppard took down during your futile hostile take over."

Acastus' blood boils at the mention of that name. He's never been so enraged by a man before. But that man is no soldier. He has no honor! Killing over sixty men…

"Boy, did you piss off the wrong man," she laughs again. "Younger, smarter…better than you on all counts." He locks his forearm against her throat again, banging her head into the wall as before and the laugh cuts off into choking. But she doesn't struggle to pull him away. She glares at him. Realizing the threat of violation and pain did not persuade her; Acastus chooses to use the real thing. He slams his left hand into her shoulder, pressing on the wound until she screams. Her scream subsides into a caustic cry. "Son-of-a-bitch!" He eases the pressure and she locks her eyes on his again. Her breathing's rapid, pained. "I'm gonna fucking kill you…I promise!"

Acastus smiles. He believes she believes that. The look in her eyes actually makes him pause and lighten the pressure on her wound even more. "There's the good soldier." He doesn't drop his arm from her throat, but does release the pressure to allow her to speak without straining.

"Not a soldier," she says hoarsely. "Just a chick from the wrong side of LA."

"What is LA?"

"Los Angeles, California. Home of the Lakers, LAX, and drive-by shootings. I've lived in places crappier than this stink hole. And I've seen scarier things than the Wraith."

"Nothing is worse than the Wraith."

"You've never been to Hollywood."

"Stop talking nonsense. Tell me what I want to know. Tell me about Atlantis!" He crushes his palm against her shoulder again. He can feel the blood starting to flow. She screams: a low guttural roar and tears finally drop from her eyes. "I will break you, my dear."

Through clenched teeth, she spits. "Somebody already beat you to that."

And suddenly there's a massive pain in his face and he's stumbling back from her. Acastus opens his watery eyes, not realizing he'd closed them, and brings his hand up to his nose. Pain shoots through his face and there's blood on his fingers. His blood. How did she manage this? Once his vision clears he sees her leaning against the wall, a look of triumph on her face and a smear of blood on her forehead.

Closing the distance fast, Acastus crashes his fist into her jaw and she crumples to her knees. She spits blood into the dirt then looks up at him, smiling again, her teeth tinged in red. "If she could see you now." She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and stands up, wavering until she leans against the wall. She doesn't have much fight left, he can tell. But her eyes have a fierceness that he's only seen in the deadliest of soldiers. "She'd choose John Sheppard's command, his honor, over yours any day." His rage boils and he wraps his hands around her throat. She clutches at his wrists in reflex but does not truly fight except to speak. "I'm so disappointed in you…" The final word comes out as a whisper, "Daddy."

Acastus breaks his hold immediately and she drops face down into the dirt, not moving. He stares at his hands, seeing her blood then he looks down at her, not seeing a soldier or even a stranger…but his long, lost daughter.

No! It's a lie. She's a lie.

She made him angry…he doesn't get angry, lose focus. He's the Commander. He knows how to handle soldiers, deal with interrogation. He doesn't lose control. Not ever! Why with this…woman, with her babbling nonsense and her fiery eyes. She's nothing like his beloved Mylea. And yet she affects him, weakens him…

He kicks her hard in the side, hearing something crack. But it doesn't make him feel better. Instead, he feels sick to his stomach. He drops to his knees and turns her over, searching for a breath, hoping he has not stolen the last of her life yet again.

No…it's not her. Mylea is gone. This is Angela…a soldier.

And yet her voice plays in his mind. Reminding him…Our names have similar meanings.

He has to get away. Rethink his tactics. He will break this soldier. He will get his answers. And then he will give her the death she clearly craves.

Acastus steps out of the cell and locks it, taking the key. He looks to the guard. "No one touches her but the Girsh. Understood."

"Yes sir!" the guard salutes.

Yes, he will send Girsh right away to check the wounds. He can't have her bleed to death just yet.