"Radek!" Sheppard jogged after the scientist who, like most of the scientist on the station, had his attention stolen by the portable data pad. His head jerked up as the colonel grabbed his shoulder.

"Colonel!" he gasped. "You startled me!"

"One of these days you're going to keep walking and end up lecturing the sharks." He let his hand drop from Radek's shoulder, planting himself in front of the smaller man so that he couldn't continue his journey toward the stained glass window.

"McKay lectures. I merely inform people of the facts." His head bent back over his work as he turned to continue walking.

"And do you have any new facts as to the whereabouts of our esteemed friend?"

Radek didn't look up. "No. Not really."

Sheppard walked alongside him, his lips tight in frustration. "Yeah." He popped one fist into the palm of his other hand and stopped.

"Perhaps you should check his quarters again. I know he has been very tired lately and . . ."

"He's not in his quarters, he's not in the lab, dammit he's not anywhere! And neither is Beckett, and right now I'm worried that both of them took an unscheduled swim!"

Radek frowned, eyeing him from several paces further down the corridor. "You don't believe that."

Sheppard sighed. "No, of course not, but what else can I think?"

"You are still checking the city?"

"There's no where else to check. But I'm telling you, I don't think they're here."

Radek started walking again. He looked back when he noticed Sheppard wasn't following him. "Come. I'll show you what he has been working on, maybe it will give us a clue."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I say we let Mr. Science here go this time," Abrams said.

They had fallen to the side, and all were eying the opening right above them. Had been for quite some time.

"Shouldn't we just stay where we are?" Rodney asked hesitantly, but Abrams' pointed look was all the incentive he needed. "Fine, I'll go." He schooled his face, preparing himself, and was stopped by a low voice.

"Rodney, no, wait. I'll go." Carson was on his feet, weaving slightly.

Rodney couldn't even answer, not for several moments. He slowly turned to face Carson, slowly walked over to him. "Are you nuts?" Even his question sound slow, dragged out by disbelief. His eyes pinpointed the bandage on Carson's head, stained with blood.

"No more so than you." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, continuing in a stronger voice, "You have a better chance of getting us out of here, we can't risk anything bad happening. Now move and let me through."

"Whereas losing our only medical doctor is a grand idea! No way am I letting you go. That dipshit, " he pointed at Abrams, "he can go."

"He's our protection."

Rodney leaned in privately. "Against what? HUH? What the hell good is he?" His question was forced under his breath, but not low enough, and he saw Abrams bristle.

"Rodney," Carson replied softly, "I have to go sometime. It may as well be now." He looked to the major, who nodded and threaded his fingers, ready to give Carson a boost.

"But your head . . ."

"All the more reason to go now. I may not be able to later."

"All the more reason to stay here!" But Carson pushed past him.

Rodney passed alongside Abrams on his way to the far wall, locking gazes with a man twice his girth. "You are an ass."

"Let the man make his own decisions, will ya?" Abrams grunted as he pushed Carson up. His muscles bulged under the strain, and his breathing seemed to stop as he steadied himself. His violent eyes were fixed on Rodney, using him as a focal point.

Carson reached up through the opening and propped his arms on the ledge, eyeing the room he was about to enter. He glanced down. "Give me something to toss in there."

"What about this?" Burkes quickly dug around in his vest and pulled out a powerbar.

"Wait!" Rodney snatched it away and eyed the wrapper before handing it back. "Forget it. This flavor deserves to be sacrificed."

The bar was passed up, and flung in. They waited.

"Well?" Abrams pressed as he shifted slightly. "You ain't getting any lighter."

"Problem, big man?" Rodney asked. "This was your idea, remember. He could be holding you up."

"He's too heavy," Carson said, glancing down at them once again. "I think it's okay," Rodney gave a reluctant nod, and Carson pulled himself up into the room.

The new room seemed sharper to him. The faint light from below cut the room into angles that shouldn't have been possible, not within the curves of the wall. The light that filtered through the opening slashed across the floor and rose vertically in a thick stripe. The line shifted as Abrams poked his head in, held up by Burkes. "Well?" he asked again.

"Seems well enough," Carson said, then paused as he heard a click.

Rodney heard it too, from below. "Carson . . ." he called up.

"Shhh."

The men below him froze. Behind them, Lenore backed into a corner.

Rodney tapped Abrams' leg, as he propped on Burke's shoulders. "Lemme up there."

"You can wait!"

"If you want to know what's going on I need to be able to see, now get down!"

Abrams scowled, but held on to the edge of the opening as Burkes moved from under him. The poor man looked relieved to be rid of the weight. Abrams dropped heavily to the floor, and braced himself against the wall. "Whatever you say," he muttered with as much disrespect as he could cram into three words. His eyes glinted in amusement at Rodney's hesitation. "Come on, don't be so pussy whipped!"

"Excuse me?" There was another click, this one louder.

Rodney winced against his fortune. "I must have a death wish. That's it." He rubbed his hands together, and grabbed Abrams' arm. One boot braced itself on the major's bent knee, and he pressed his hand against the wall, awkwardly managing to swing himself onto the major's shoulders.

"Christ, McKay," Abrams' grunted as he cautiously maneuvered himself underneath the hole. "You eat hippos for breakfast everyday?"

"Oh, just shut the hell up and be still, for Christ's sake!" Rodney snapped as his hands slapped against the ceiling for support. He was maneuvered underneath the hole, peered in, and watched in horror as Carson slowly walked to the center of the room. "Wh-what are you doing? Carson!"

Carson was turning slowly, his eyes following his flashlight. "If something happens, I want to see it coming. I can't see beside the wall."

"There's nothing to see!" And below him, a whirring sound pierced the air. Carson's light found Rodney's face right as Rodney looked down in panic.

Panels in the walls shot open, shooting long spear-like needles across the room. There was a yell, and Rodney felt nothing but air beneath him. He landed hard on his back right as a needle whizzed over his head, imbedding itself into Abrams' arm. The man yelled out, more in anger than in pain, and pulled it out.

Carson was leaning in from the opening. "Get up here!" he roared as he reached out for them. "The trap is in there, get up here now!" More panels opened, and his panicked eyes instantly noted their position, and his friend's. "Rodney, get down!"

Once again Rodney hit the deck, bringing Abrams down with him. Lenore was curled in a corner, screaming into arms wrapped protectively around her head. And Burkes had chosen that exact moment to jump for Carson's grip.

The needle shot out of the wall like a cannon projectile. It caught him through the upper right side of his chest, impaling him against the wall. Three more jutted out of his abdomen.

"Burkes!" Abrams barreled across the small room, pulling at the needles that wouldn't budge. The dark eyes that looked back were teary, scared, and fading.

Rodney wasted no time in grabbing Lenore's hand "Major! Get her up there!" He shoved the woman at him. He complied, despite the pain in his arm, his eyes never leaving his younger companion trapped against the wall, his body going limp.

Carson caught hold of her and pulled, rolling her to the floor beside him. He was back at the hole in an instant. "Rodney! Abrams!"

"Just a minute!" Carson heard Rodney and cursed, fighting off the woman who tried to pull him away from the danger. He could see his friend gripping the needle that impaled Burkes.

"There's nothing to hold on to!" Rodney's voice was high with panic. To the other side of him, Abrams was digging in the only pack that was left to them. He pulled out a large knife.

"I'm coming down!"

"No! Stay right where you are!" Rodney's voice was unnaturally stern, breaking with fear. Carson stared to swing his legs through the opening when Lenore set on him with a yell, dragging him back and holding him down. He fought back, but couldn't see enough to fend off her rather clever attacks.

"Move it!" Abrams pushed Rodney aside and grabbed the needle with his left hand, his other poised to strike a blow with the knife.

Rodney grabbed his wrist. "That'll never work, are you crazy?" He was shoved back, and jerked away from the yell that Burkes gave when the large knife swung down to slice the needle. The vibration jolted through the tormented man, and the whirring sound was heard again.

"Rodney!" This time Abrams sounded almost panicked.

"I hear it!"

"Go," Burkes muttered, blood streaming from his mouth. "Just . . ."seemingly from nowhere another needle pierced his chest. One more caught Abrams in the back.

"Gah – Dammit!" Abrams reached behind him as Rodney grabbed him and shoved him underneath the opening.

"Get up there!"

"No . . ."

"There's no time for this, now go!" He threaded his fingers together for a foothold, standing beside the wall.

It took a lot of struggling and cursing, but Abrams managed to climb onto Rodney's shoulders. He growled with effort as he unsteadily walked underneath the hole, grimacing at the weight and the yell of pain as Lenore and Carson reached through for him. Rodney sighed and slumped as the weight was lifted, and ducked as the sound started again.

"Rodney! Come on!" Carson was reaching for him.

But there was a problem. "How?" Rodney just stared up at him. "I can't make it up there!"

"Rodney, you can, just come on!" He leaned forward as far as he could.

"How?" The question was a squeak.

"I don't know, just . . .come on! Jump up or something, I'll grab hold of you!"

"There's no time." Rodney's eyes widened as he took in a view that only he could see.

"Rodney? No . . . nonono come on! Come on, damn you!"

There was a hiss, and the door shut between them.