A/N: Lot of back and forth in this one, so read carefully.
Part Seven
Hazardous to One's Health
Ilian's home was – for lack of a better word – opulent. Inside was a menagerie of artifacts and technological devices set on glass shelves, in wall nooks or hung pristinely on the wall. Blindingly bright rugs woven in such intricate geometric patterns to have Rodney gaping covered the vast majority of the hard-wood floor, and the arrangement of art-deco mingling with crudely crafted furniture actually worked to form a pleasingly aesthetic balance. Every room was like this, including the guest quarters reached by transporter rather than stairs – a massive relief to the Atlantis team since none were too keen on having to carry John bodily up any steps.
Once in the room with its thick red rug that felt like walking on a marshmallow, Beckett, Rodney, and Teyla methodically relocated Sheppard's body to the bed covered in a red, gold, and violet blanket. Carson did another passing sweep for broken bones and another listen to heart and lungs, shaking his head and lining his brow, then Teyla pulled the covers up to John's neck. The Colonel had yet to stir, but it couldn't be said by any of them that he was sleeping peacefully. His brow was deeply furrowed in, his eyes darting rapidly in REM sleep, and sweat beaded all over his face. He was also breathing fast, but shallow, and had started another round of shivering until the blanket was pulled over him.
Beckett had come prepared with a small bag of assorted and needed items; stethoscope, syringes, various medicines, first aid kit, IV items say for the pole itself – but the most disturbing item of all was the small, portable defibrillator.
It spooked Rodney on spotting it as Carson rummaged through the bag, pulling out a small box where syringes were nestled in blue foam.
" Please tell me you don't expect to use that," Rodney said, pointing at the mini-machine. Carson, readying a needle to stick in John's arm, glanced at Rodney, then the box.
" Just a precaution," he said. " Never hurts to play it safe." He turned back to Sheppard and stuck the needle into the vein within the crook of his arm. Blood filled the syringe like a well contained geyser. Carson removed it and placed a small pad over the pin-prick hole. He then handed Teyla a wash cloth and told her to go wet it with cool water. Nodding, she exited the room toward the wash room down the long hallway. Ilian's place might have been luxurious, but it still wasn't the Ritz. No individual bathrooms for guests.
Speaking of the weirdo... Rodney began, glancing around at a room vacant of Ilian and his goon-squad.
" He's off to be the wizard, Rod," CJ said, still decked out in John's healthy form, leaning against the door frame.
" Huh?"
CJ pointed down. " He headed into the facility. Said something about setting up the lab."
" Good," Carson replied, snapping the clasps of a small black box then standing. Teyla returned with the wet cloth, and knelt by the bed as she proceeded to wipe John's brow. Carson nodded in approval.
" Good, lass. You keep him cool. I'm going to find Moranga, see if I can't start an analysis on this blood. Rodney, you should start preppin' some of the devices down there. You think Ilian got that X-ray machine to work right?"
Rodney's blood dropped like sand to the bottom of his feet. Mere mention of the machine sent cold shooting through him like wraith darts. He shook his head vehemently. " Oh no, uh-uh, I am not sticking John back into that thing."
" Rodney, you really need to get pass the blame-game here. It wasn't your fault..."
Rodney raised both his hands. " No! That's not it," he snapped. " Look, it's not a matter of blame anymore. I made a promise to John that I wouldn't stick him in any more devices, and I plan to stick by it. We're trying to win back his blasted trust, here. What do you think'll happen if he wakes up and finds himself lying on that glass, or strapped to some table? He'll flip, that's what! He'll flip and either die of fright or gut the hell out of us, and either way I'm not willing to take that chance."
" He's right, doc," CJ said. " You don't know how long John'll stay sedated. If you wait for him to wake up, you'll never be able to put him out again."
Carson looked ready to argue, because he wanted to argue. He opened his mouth, took a breath, then sighed. " Bloody-hell, you had to make a good point. We should've X-rayed him before we left. I'm worried about the extent of bone-density loss. We're going to have to move him as little as possible, so I guess that means devices are out of the picture."
Rodney nodded, half relieved and half a little regretful. Some of those devices could have been useful. But the lab showed signs of promise – filled to bursting with equipment that would have Carson salivating.
Rodney gestured to the Colonel. " Look, I'll stay here with him until he wakes up, then meet you in the lab in case you need help figuring out how to use anything. Sheppard's blood should help activate it all."
Carson nodded. " Aye, sounds like a plan... so far." His tone was teetering on unease.
" I'll keep an eye on our host," CJ said. " And see if I can't find the secret to his mental parlor trick."
Carson swallowed, then headed from the room. " Call me immediately should anything go wrong with John," he said on departing. Once out, Rodney moved to stand beside John's bed.
" His skin feels too warm," Teyla said. John coughed, hard, and Rodney tensed in waiting for John's eyes to snap open.
" He's still in wicked Wonderland, McKay."
Rodney jumped when CJ's Sheppard-clad form moved to also stand beside the bed.
Shouldn't you be Ilian watching?
" Relax. Doc isn't to the facility yet, and like you I need to be here when Johnny wakes up. It's not going to be pretty when he does." Suddenly, CJ turned. " Hey, will you look at that."
Rodney also turned in response, and his skeleton nearly leaped from his skin. The snake-like little power-bar snatching rodent was in the doorway, sniffing the air with a twitching nose and seeming whiskers. Satisfied with what it smelled, it scurry/slithered into the room and rose up onto its muscular tail to place its stubby paws on the bed and lick John's hand. Teyla stood abruptly and slipped out her knife, and Rodney took a step back.
" Relax," CJ said. " It's just Little Jim. Show a some consideration, Rod. That rodent saved Johns life. Although when I told it to stick with him I didn't mean like glue. Crap, these things are worse than dogs. And tell Teyla to put the knife down."
Rodney snapped from his alarm to see Teyla stalking closer to the creature with knife raised.
" Whoa, whoa, Teyla! It's all right. It's... a, um... friend of John's."
Teyla stiffened and looked at Rodney. " How do you know?"
Rodney shrugged helplessly. " Um, well... I think he made mention of it, one day. And the fact that it's licking his hand, not eating it... kind of a give-away, I guess," he finished lamely. Teyla looked from Rodney to the creature, then resheathed her knife and resumed her place by the bed at John's head, wiping his face with the cloth without taking her eyes from the otter-thing.
Little Jim went from licking to nuzzling John's hand while making small grunting sounds. A finger twitched.
SGA
Wraith attacks, wraith culls, Iratus bug, mutations, chairs, lights, burning, pulsations, pain, suffocation, people taken, Sumner's death, Ford lost, Ilian, Ilian, that SOB Ilian was here. More experiments, lab-rat... he was nothing but a lab rat, time to be dissected, bring out the scalpel, start at the neck, cut, peel the skin, saw the sternum, split the ribs... or better yet, put him in the machine that'll do it all. Cut, peel, crack, snap... oh my, look at all the blood, watch the heart beat, cut his throat to stop the screams, the pleas, that annoying sobbing... That's it, shut-up little rodent... Drown in blood you filthy rat...
John screamed, and threw himself from whatever his was lying on, only to have several hands push him back. He tried to shove the hands away but it was like trying to shove a mountain back. His arms were rebelling. So he jerked to pull away, only to have his back hit something solid and create an explosion of pain throughout. He screamed again, arching his spine as hands shook him and voices called to him. He reached out, clawing the air, trying to rip through the darkness and the agony until his hands found purchase in the hands of another. So he pulled himself to that other, clinging to cloth and a shoulder.
' Wakey, wakey, John. Open your eyes.' The voice was infuriatingly familiar, and a lot clearer than the garbled voices shouting out a coalesced mess of words.
" John!"
John pulled his eyes apart, and stared into a face that caused him to do another jerk back, only this time falling onto something soft rather than into something hard. Teyla's face made his mind scream. The whole room made his mind scream. He didn't recognize it – its elaborate furnishings, white walls, lavish rugs – it was all too messed up. No metal, no sterile smells...
Where am I! Oh gosh, where am I! They took me! who took me? They took me! They have me!
" Where am I!" he screamed, trying to rise, then falling, then trying to rise again against a body being just as rebellious as his arms. Terror and confusion threatened to make his heart hammer itself to death against his throbbing ribcage. He tried to move away from Teyla who was kneeling before him, and Rodney standing next to her, and... his mind actually stumbled over itself on seeing CJ, standing next to an upraised Little Jim.
" What the hell is this?" he moaned miserably, dropping onto the bed when his body finally refused to take any more punishment. He panted, coughed, kept panting, and coughed some more, sucking in ragged and hindered breaths in between. " This sure as hell better be one twisted up dream."
Rodney sighed. " Crap. Um, John? This... I mean you're – not dreaming. We sort of, kind of, in a way... brought you... tooooo..." Rodney winced, grimacing and taking a step back. " Ilian's place."
John's eyes went wide enough for the lids to rip. A tsunami surge of terror, anger, and betrayal had him bolting up right and trying to scramble from the bed, managing only to turn himself and drop with his back against the wall.
" What the hell McKay!" he screamed, positioning himself with his feet beneath him and his hands on the bed in a ready-to-lunge-at-McKay stance, only to collapse onto his side, gasping against the constriction in his lungs. He coughed, even though it hurt so much. " I'm... gonna kill you McKay. You promised. You freakin' promised!"
" John," Teyla said, wiping his sweat-plastered hair from his forehead. He was lying prone on his back, one leg drawn up, the other stretched out, and energy sucked from him to the degree that no amount of fury was going to help him rise again for a little while. The room spun wildly, so he squeezed his eyes shut, and another wave of images drowned out his reality.
Ilian watching him, Ilian looking at his lab rat, McKay yelling at Ilian, McKay standing between Ilian and John. McKay would be in trouble for that.
" Ilian's... gonna kill you... McKay. We can't let him... We..." He opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling.
Where am I? He rolled his head to the side to look at Teyla and McKay. Little Jim was pawing his thigh, grunting in agitation. CJ was staring at John without masking his expression of sadness. It was all so wrong, so out of place. He was supposed to be in the infirmary. McKay had promised not to let Ilian near him. What was going on? Something was wrong, maybe this wasn't real, but hallucinations tended not to feel so horribly tangible, and John was hurting everywhere. It was hard to breathe, and thinking straight was so far beyond his reach it seemed like a myth. Too many thoughts, ideas, images, memories, and emotions collided with each other until he thought his head might explode with them.
" Look at Little Jim, John, Concentrate on him. Just watch him, don't think. Just watch. The answers will come later, you know they will. Focus on that."
John looked at the otter-snake still pawing John's thigh. It yipped, grunted, and then attempted to crawl onto the bed, only to slip off. As John watched, the flood in his mind abated enough to give him some mental breathing room, and he felt his heart descend from its mad rapidity to a lesser pounding. But he didn't dare close his eyes, no matter how much he wanted to. Something was wrong. He had to be ready...
SGA
McKay felt ready to pass out with relief. He'd never thought watching the fight drain out of John would surpass as being the most beautiful sight in the world. Sick, really, but Rodney couldn't deny it. John truly had been ready to rip McKay a new one. Now it was as though someone had shot a miniscule dart full of Prozac into him, and McKay involuntarily glanced over his shoulder to see if Ilium had decided to make an appearance.
" This won't last long, McKay."
McKay looked at CJ, who stared back at Rodney. CJ jerked his chin at John.
" You need to talk fast, in case Ilian pops in. The moment John sees the little twerp – well – I think John might manage to dredge up the energy he needs to pounce the runt and strangle him. This is practically the enemy's stronghold in John's mind, and his brain's pretty much on red alert, so... be reeeaallll careful what you say."
Rodney's relief was officially short-lived, and though tension made a come-back, he slouched. " Oh crap."
" What?" Teyla asked. Rodney forgot that CJ hadn't shown himself to her.
Rodney shook his head. " Nothing. It's just... we need to be careful. John's scared... and, apparently, a frightened John is hazardous to the health of everyone around him. Um..." cold crawled like clawed fingers up Rodney's back. " J-John? John, listen, you're all right. Nothing's going to happen to you. We just brought you here to use Ilian's equipment. Oh! No devices though. None. Nada. Zip."
John's glassy eyes rolled from Little Jim to Rodney, and Rodney stiffened. " Um, Yeah, no devices. I promised no devices, remember? And I stick by that." It was then that Rodney recalled Ilian's mentioning of John needing to be quarantined. It was going to be hell moving him into the room or whatever it was...
Realization struck like lightening, and Rodney exchanged alarmed looks with CJ.
" You know," CJ said, " that does seem kind of weird. If Ilian was so bent on having John quarantined, then why bring him into this house, in this nice room. And no, I don't think this room counts as a quarantine zone or you and Teyla wouldn't be in it."
Rodney looked away from CJ to stare at the wall, take a deep breath, and compose himself. Something was wrong, very, horribly wrong. But he couldn't say anything and let John know, sending the man spiraling into another hell-bent flurry of rage and terror. Rodney cleared his throat, then slowly knelt beside the bed, forcing the muscles of his face to turn his mouth up in a small, pathetic grin.
" Hey, John," Rodney said. John's glassy eyes rounded over, and he scrambled away from McKay until his back was blocked by the wall.
" S-Something's wrong. Something really is wrong," he said in a cracked, strangled voice as his breathing returned to being ragged pants. He shrank against the wall, shivering. " McKay? What's going on?"
Rodney rolled his eyes and dropped his head into his hand. " I knew this was a bad idea. Well, John knew. But I knew too... eventually."
" What is it?" Teyla asked, looking from McKay to John. Rodney shook his head.
" I don't know. It's just... too many things are off." He looked over at her. The woman looked ready for a fight, which was rather reassuring, although a little humiliating since Rodney wanted nothing more than to lie down and pretend all this wasn't happening.
" Listen, whatever we do, what ever happens, one of us should stay with the Colonel. We can't let Ilian near him. I'd suggest we just gather Carson, get John into the chair, and high-tail it, but Ilian wasn't kidding when he said he had the means to help John. The equipment in that facility makes Carson's toys look like – well – toys. Anyway, ignore the fact that I'm feeling a little edgy, and pretend that everything's fine. But stay alert and, you know, keep Sheppard safe." Rodney then looked at John, who had fallen back onto the bed without ever taking his terrified stare from Rodney.
" It's all right, John," he said, feeling suddenly a little too heavy in the limbs with weariness. " I said I wouldn't let Ilian near you, and I won't... even if you are in his house."
John's only response was to cough fitfully and wince.
" He's having a hard time with his thoughts," CJ said. " But, lucky you, most of his terror is focused on Ilian, and not as much on you. I know it doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it might come in handy should worse come to worse. Let's just hope it doesn't come to worse."
" He'll kill you McKay," John rasped. " You got in the way. He's going to kill you for that."
Rodney dropped his chin onto the bed. Beside him, Little Jim attempted another go at getting onto the mattress, only to slip off and fall to the floor with a thump.
" John, I really wish you hadn't said that."
SGA
Carson felt like a kid in a candy store about to go into mental overload. The lab's assortment of devices made his head spin, and he fingered the vial of John's blood nervously while passing his gaze from one device to the next. Had he been given a week to look the lab over, he would have been in heaven. But he only had hours – if even that – so sadly it was more like hell. And as with any awkward situation, Carson had no idea where to begin.
Moving would be a start. He walked further into the lab with its maze of tables and equipment, some small and hand held, others large and rather frightening since their purpose was at the moment being left up to the imagination. Carson sympathized with John's reluctance to test Ancient machines. Whenever the vial of blood was brought unwittingly close to a device, it would hum to life and light up like a psychotic Christmas tree, causing Carson to jump. The noises, and the construction of some of the devices, were unnervingly reminiscent of torture devices – again, imagination at work.
Carson stopped and sighed. " All I need is a bloody scanning device." The next logical course of action would have been to try out some of the smaller devices on John's blood, but Carson didn't want to risk any accidental evaporation. He doubted he'd be able to get a second sample.
SGA
" What the hell is taking Carson so long? I though he'd at least call back about finding something in the blood."
Rodney had his back to the bed, despite the exposure it presented since John was behind him. But he'd long ago (more like minutes ago) stopped caring about possible violent reactions. John was down for the count, at least for the moment. Alert, still able to move, yes, but lacking the strength to do so. His recent panic bout had worn him out, leaving him next to immobile say for the rapid rise and fall of his chest, and the constant shivering even though Teyla had covered most of him with the blanket. She was wiping his brow even now, and John's eyes were fixed to the door.
CJ was right, all John's terror was centered on the little man and his meat-head cronies. According to CJ, the bad memories were taking a turn into false memories and hallucinations. There was still a tiny modicum of control to be had, but it was a grain of sand compared to the pebble of control Sheppard had had yesterday.
" We have to get out of here, McKay," John murmured. Rodney rolled his eyes.
" I told you, we can't yet. We have to wait for Carson, and Carson can't come back until he's discovered what we came here for, or else coming will have been one big-ass waste of time."
He felt CJ staring and him, and turned to stare right back.
" Play nice McKay," CJ said.
" Oh... turn into a monkey and go climb a tree."
A wicked smirk lit up on CJ's borrowed face. " Better idea. How about a nice little chat concerning all those dreams involving one Samantha Carter..."
Rodeny stiffened, then jabbed a finger at the entity. " Don't you even!"
" Who are you talking to?" Teyla asked. Rodney stiffened again, and CJ grinned.
" Gotcha."
Rodney turned slowly to look at Teyla, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. " The... um... otter-thing."
" Ohhh, nice save."
Indeed it was. The creature known as Little Jim (where the hell does John come up with these names?) was bound and determined to fish another power bar from Rodney's pocket even after having already made off with one. Rodney shoved the otter away with one hand when it attempted its eleventh try.
Telya gave McKay one of her slightly troubled looks.
She must think all earthlings are nuts.
" No, not nuts, more like cryptic," CJ replied.
Get out of my head!
" Make me."
You're worse than John.
" No, I think John would be a lot worse if he could read your mind. I mean, think of all the stuff in your head he could use against you, like your Carter dreams..."
Rodney ground his teeth. I swear I'm going to build a device that'll evaporate you.
CJ just chuckled.
A rasping, hacking, coughing fit caused Rodney to turn his head to see John rolled on his good side and curled into himself as he coughed every last breath from his body. Following that was a liquid-sounding inhale that made Rodney cringe.
" W-Water," the Colonel rasped, his tone some where along the lines of a beg. Teyla removed the canteen she was carrying from her shoulders, unscrewed the cap, then placed her hand beneath Sheppard's head to lift it slightly. She put the canteen to his mouth and gradually tilted it. The moment the water hit John's mouth, his hand shot up and grabbed the canteen to tilt in more, his throat in constant motion as he gulped liquid. On finishing, he dropped his hand and turned his head away, gasping. Teyla lowered his head back onto the pillow and capped the canteen.
" Better?" she asked.
" Yes," he rasped. His voice was getting harder and harder to hear each time he spoke. He was so soaked in sweat that should someone not aware of the situation walk in, they would have thought John had just been doused with water. Teyla went back to wiping his face that refused to dry.
" I – I'm... sorry," he whispered, audible in the heavy silence of the room.
Teyla paused. " For what?"
" T-thinking you hated me. I know... I know you don't..."
Teyla smiled. " I'm glad."
John looked over at CJ, but CJ shook his head.
" His fear is pin-pointed. He's so focused on Ilian that the rest of his fears have been shoved back. Right now, he's calm, so the thoughts aren't so bad. It doesn't mean he's getting better. Oh, and I think you need to head down to the facility and help Carson out. He's a little confused at the moment."
Why am I not surprised, Rodney grouched. He turned to Teyla. " Listen, I'm going to help Carson out which I probably should have done ten minutes ago. Remember, stay with John."
Teyla nodded. " I will not leave him."
Rodney was reluctant to leave himself, which explained why he wasn't already down in the facility with Carson. He pushed himself painfully to his feet and headed to the door.
" Rodney... No!"
Rodney whirled around in shock. " What! Why?"
John was staring at Rodney, wide-eyed and terrified, trying to push himself up. " He'll – kill you..." John said, only to be silenced by more coughing. CJ moved over to kneel by John and said something to him. Within a second, John had dropped back onto the bed.
" Be careful," he wheezed.
Rodney let out a sharp breath. " Yeah, careful." He knew John was being protective out of paranoia. It didn't help that Rodney was feeling paranoid himself. He left the room with the image of John's sickly, haunted visage burned into his brain, as though the next time he saw John, the Colonel would be dead. He looked about ready to keel over any time now, and the thought grafted itself to Rodney's paranoid fantasies.
Leaving the house, walking down the path through the thick, humid jungle, and being zapped down into the facility, Rodney had not run into Ilian or any of his assistants in all that time. Memory guided him through the maze of metal corridors to the lab where he found Carson still wandering around, leaning in close to this or that without touching it. Rolling his eyes, Rodney strode quickly toward him.
" Look, just because you almost killed Sheppard and General O'neil with that chair doesn't mean it's going to happen again. We don't have time to play nice to your fears right now, Carson."
Carson jumped slightly and nearly stumbled on turning. " Rodney!" he gasped, placing his hand on his chest over his heart. " You bloody scared me man! And that's easy for you to say since you weren't the one to nearly blow them out of the sky in the first place."
Rodney joined Beckett in looking devices over. " No, but I've had my share of nearly killing John experiences myself. What is it you need?"
Carson held up the vial of blood. " Something to analyze this or at least look at it."
Rodney nodded, then waved for Carson to follow. " This way, got the perfect little item over here." He took Carson to a flat, rectangular box-like device with a glass top like a scanner.
" Put a drop of blood on that," he said. Carson did so, and the thing immediately lit up. A holographic display of blood cells and the virus appeared up above the device, and readings in Ancient scrolled down slowly on either side.
" Damn-it!" Carson cursed. " The virus is multiplyin'. Can you get this thing to move in close to one of the little buggers?"
Rodney tapped the small console next to the glass scanning bed. The holograph zoomed in on one of the viruses, and Beckett nodded.
" Good, seems it isn't tryin' anymore changin'. But the fact that there's more of these bugs in John's system has me worried."
" How worried?" Rodney asked.
" Very worried."
SGA
Teyla poured a little water from the canteen onto the cloth then returned it to John's face. He hardly blinked, and was gripping the blanket so tight his knuckles were white and his hands were shaking violently.
" We have to leave," he whispered, and coughed. Saliva flew from his mouth in silver strings, and blood flecked his lips from a throat rubbed raw.
" I know," Teyla said. " But we must wait for Carson and Rodney."
The creature Rodney had called Little Jim was sniffing around the room, poking into nooks, rising on its tail to study the small writing desk on the right of the room, but never leaving the room. It bounded back to the bed and rose on its tail to try and scuttle onto the mattress. This time, it succeeded, and moved up to John's face to sniff at him.
" Hey Jim," John mumbled without looking at the creature. Jim moved around John and began burrowing beneath the blankets as though searching for something. When it didn't find that something, it gave up and slid off the bed. It reminded Teyla of the little animals the children of her village liked to bring home and tame. She had been one such child in her youth, once taming a clilt, an animal John had once said looked like an earth creature called a Tasmanian devil, only smaller and with less of a nasty disposition. Clilts, in general, were most amiable as long as they were fed, and very loyal if brought up when they were still small.
This Jim's loyalty amazed her, and she wondered if John had been raising it in secret for some time, or if it was just the creature's nature to become so easily attached.
Suddenly, Jim squeaked and bounded beneath the bed. Teyla started in surprised, pausing in wiping John's forehead. She then felt a slight pressure on her wrist and looked at it. John had his hand wrapped around it, but was looking past her, breathing even faster.
" Miss Teyla."
Teyla snapped her head around to see a tall man with dark skin similar to Ronon's in tint, and straight black hair pulled back in a tail. Like the assistant called Jy, the man was dressed in a tight-fitting white tunic that looked ready to burst from the strain of so many thick muscles.
So many giants, she thought suspiciously. " Yes?"
" Ilian has made a request, but wishes me to speak with you in private so that the one called John will not be disturbed."
The grip on Teyla's wrist tightened unsteadily.
" No," John gasped, pleadingly. She looked back at him, and her heart ached at the terror on his pale face.
" I will only be just outside the door. I will not go far," she said, taking his hand from her wrist and squeezing it encouragingly. She stood, but John refused to relent the hold, refused to let her go. She had to pry his weakened fingers from her hand, and laid it gently on the bed. John lifted his head.
" Teyla? Don't. Don't leave. They'll kill you..."
Teyla looked at the hulking man, narrow eyed. " We must make this quick."
They stepped out of the room, still within hearing range of John's hoarse, fear-filled calls. It sickened Teyla to hear them, and she glared at the tall man, irritated that he had pulled her out and left John alone.
" What?" she snapped.
" Master Ilian wishes the one called John to be brought down into the facility. There is a device that may help in finding a cure for John's illness."
It sounded like a lovely little hope, but Teyla recalled John's panicked rants about not going back into a device, and Rodney's promise that he did not have to go back. This was not Teyla's call, really, but John's, or more like Rodney's since John was not in his right mind.
" I'm afraid Ilian must wait. Dr. McKay is with Dr. Beckett, and he needs to be present to assist in keeping John calm. Besides, I believe Dr. McKay does not want John to be subjected to any devices. The distress it would cause John would result in injury, and we do not want to risk it."
The tall man's face was blank as a stone wall, and it actually gave Teyla chills.
" Master Ilian wishes not to wait. He says the disease is progressing rapidly and will soon become contagious. You are endangering us all."
" Teyla?"
John's desperate call was pulling at her, heightening her frustration with this man and his master. " I will not have John moved, not until Dr. McKay has returned. Perhaps things would move quickly were you to go and fetch him. But until then, John is to remain here."
Teyla turned to head back into the room.
' Look out!' an odd voice – remarkably like John's – screamed in her mind, but she was given little time to ponder it when pain exploded through her skull and she began to descend as darkness swallowed her like a giant maw. The last thing she heard besides the John voice in her head was the John voice for real, screaming.
" Teyla!"
SGA
The machine was adept at showing them the virus, but not analyzing it. Rodney continued to fiddle with the console, bringing up images of the blood-cells and virus, but that was it.
" This thing's just a glorified microscope," Rodney grumbled. " I haven't really studied everything in this place, so I don't know which one's a scanner."
" Perhaps if we tried drops of blood..." Carson began.
" Hey, guys?"
Both turned and flinched at the same time on seeing CJ standing behind them, scowling (which on John was a very unnerving look). " We've got a problem. One of Ilian's thugs just took Teyla. He's dragging her to some holding cell in this facility. Rodney, you need to go find her. Carson, you need to get back to John, now. He's panicking. Rodney, follow me."
The two men exchanged confused looks.
" Now!" CJ barked.
" All right, I'm coming," McKay said, and followed CJ from the lab. Beckett ran out seconds later, rushing to the portal that zapped him back to the surface. He then took off at another run up the dirt path, sweat soaking him and the heated humidity nearly suffocating him. Animals shrieked, called, chattered, and squawked, the sounds stabbing into Carson's ears. On arriving at the house and entering, cool air hit him like an arctic blast. He could hear strangled cries from above. Panting, he forced himself to run to the portal and was shot up to the second floor. He hurried into the room and nearly had a heart-attack on seeing John on the floor, trying to crawl to the door.
" John!" Carson cried, dropping to his knees by the struggling man.
" They took Teyla!" John cried out, then coughed several times.
" I know lad, I know. CJ told us. You need to calm down son, slow your breaths. Here, let me help you up."
He took John by the bicep and aided him into a sitting position with his back against the bed. John's head dropped back against the mattress as he sucked in air. Carson placed his fingers on John's neck and felt the madly racing pulse. The skin was also hot to the touch and slick with sweat.
" They have... they took... they..." John panted.
" I know, I know," Carson replied, his own heart rate about to match John's. He swallowed hard at what he knew he had to do next. " Listen, lad. I need to get you out of here. I'm going to need you to stand so I can help you into the wheel chair, all right?" Without waiting for a reply, he placed John's arm around his shoulders and wrapped his own arm around John. Even through the shirt and bandage he could feel the man's ribs, and it made bile burn in Carson's throat. He could not remember which rib was the broken one, but it didn't really matter since any one of them could snap like a dried twig. Of course, better one of the lower ones and not those caging the heart.
" Come on, John. You need to help me out now. We're getting out of here, just like you wanted."
Carson stood, taking most of John's weight until John complied enough for Carson not to have to put as much pressure on John's flank.
" R-Rodney... Teyla..." John gasped, then grimaced and moaned as they rose into standing.
" I won't leave them, lad. I just need to get you someplace safe. You're no good to anyone like this. Sorry lad, I know that burns you."
The moment they were finally standing, a massive figure filled the doorway. It was another of Ilian's 'assistants', this one just as muscular as the rest, but with a bald pate and cold blue eyes.
" Are you bringing him?" the man asked.
Carson could feel John start into another trembling fit.
" Bringin' him where?" Carson asked. He knew they were screwed. Even were John healthy, Carson doubted he would have been able to take down the wall of flesh and muscle standing before them. And Carson knew sure as hell he couldn't do it.
" To the facility."
Carson swallowed hard, then took a step back and gently lowered himself and John onto the bed. He removed John's arm from around his shoulders, and moved his own arm to support John's back so he wouldn't have to drop onto the bed. Carson was only partially aware that John was managing to remain sitting up.
" Um... he can't right now. He really needs to rest..." Carson said lamely. The man was as impassive as ice.
" Ilian grows concerned. It must be done now." He stalked toward the two, making for John. Carson stood and placed himself between the bald hulk and his sick friend.
" No," Carson said, his heart beating fit to explode and his own body taking to shivering fits. " He's to stay here. Who the bloody hell do you think you are...?"
The big man shoved Carson aside, sending him sprawling to the floor. In that same moment, John leaped from the bed with a surprising burst of energy, jumping onto the man's back when he turned toward Carson.
" Run Carson!" John screamed, but Carson was frozen in place by shock. The big man grabbed John's arm, flipping him over his shoulder and onto his back. A cracking sound, and John's ear-ripping scream, made Carson's insides turn to ice.
" No!" he screamed himself, the voice drowned out by John's howls of agony. Carson scrambled over to the prone and writhing man. By the way John's legs kept moving, it was safe to say that the Colonel's back was still in once piece, but something certainly was not. John was arching his back, and kept arching, grimacing, and writhing as Carson lifted him up into a sitting position, then leaning John against his shoulder. It was a sick thing to think, but Carson was glad that John's ribs were so discernible. He felt along each until he came to the middle and John screamed again, trying weakly to push away. The original break had returned, joined by two others – one above and one below. Another was broken on the other side.
" Oh John," Carson said sadly. " Why'd have to go and play bloody hero again?"
Suddenly, the big man grabbed John's arm and began dragging him from the room. Carson stood, fear being literally beaten down by fury.
" Are you some bloody gorilla! If you're so damn keen on takin' him, I'm aware I can't stop you, but at least let me ready the poor man. He's got four bloody broken ribs thanks to you! You drag him around like this, it'll kill him, and I don't think Master Ilian will be too happy about that."
The man stopped, and Carson almost smirked.
Gotcha there, lad.
The man looked over his shoulder at the doctor, then down at the feebly struggling John trying to pull away, his breathing far too labored for Carson's comfort. Finally, baldy dropped the Colonel, who gasped at the fresh pain.
Carson grabbed his bag of medical goodies and dropped to his knees by John. He lifted John's shirt, then loosened the bandages enough to retighten them. John gasped again and tried to pull away.
" Easy lad," Carson said kindly. " This'll help dull the pain and keep the bones in place." He looked into John's eyes, and John returned his gaze. The Colonel was silently pleading – for help or for Carson to run, Carson couldn't say. It was such a desperate, frightened look that it made Carson physically ill.
Carson looked away and pretended to rummage through his bag in search of something. He opened the small case containing scalpels with one hand, and slipped one into his sleeve. He took another and slipped into John's sleeve as he feigned checking John's pulse through the wrist.
" Feel that lad?" Carson whispered, going back to his bag. " Stay aware of it. Know it's there. You're not unarmed."
Finally, he closed the bag, lowered John's shirt, then repeated the process of getting John to stand and move into the wheel chair. Once in, Carson dusted his hands for effect. " There. Now was that so bad?"
" Carson!" Johns' voice, two of them. But Carson didn't get to respond when something stung his neck. His body became like a rock, forcing him to the floor, darkness being pulled like a shade over his eyes. He saw John staring at him, and CJ, their expressions of horror mirror images, say for one face was white, and the other healthy.
Bloody hell...
SGA
A/N: Shazbot! " Behold my fiendish masterpiece, from the bowels of hell!" (Quote, source unknown) i.e. the vile, vicious, and vociferous cliffhanger! Mwhahahahahaha!
Okay, I really thought this was going to be the last chapter, but there's so much left that I couldn't fit it all into one. That, and the cliffhanger was just beckoning. Mwhahahahahaha! Ha-ha, ha... ha... Oh, wait, I'm putting up two chapters. Darn!