Part Nine

Elizabeth had just finished speaking to Lt. Mayhew, the reason for the urgent summons, and was now waiting for Dr Beckett to arrive.

'We have a situation with Lt Mayhew's team,' she began as soon as he appeared. 'I need you to take a medical team to the village they were visiting. They've been hit by something that looks like measles and the villagers seem to think our people had something to do with it and are refusing to let them go unless we can remedy the situation.'

'It would be better if Dr Machin took this one,' Carson told her.

'You wouldn't just be trying to avoid going off-world again, would you?' Elizabeth asked suspiciously.

'Not this time, no,' Carson replied with relief that at least on this occasion he had a genuine excuse. 'Dr Machin is a virologist and was working at NIH before she joined us. She is the best person for this.'

'Very well,' Elizabeth conceded. 'Get the team together, I need them ready to move out in thirty minutes. Lt Mayhew will meet them on their arrival but I'll send another unit with them as well for backup. If nothing else, they can help carry the equipment.'

'I'll get right on it.'

Beckett arrived in the infirmary at the same time as Dr Machin, who he had spoken to on the radio and given her a brief summary of the situation as he left Dr Weir.

'You've been wanting to go off-world since you got here,' Beckett got straight to the point, smiling at the eager new arrival. 'Well now it seems you've got your chance.' Rapidly he explained what would be required before allowing her to select the other members of the medical team she would take with her and gathering the equipment that would be needed.

For the next twenty minutes Beckett was kept very busy, responding to questions and giving orders to his people who showed how well they worked as a team. Making a mental note to tell them what a good job they were doing at the first opportunity, he was interrupted by the infirmary's duty nurse who had been hovering for some time, waiting for an opportune moment to talk to him.

'What is it?' He asked, sensing that something was not right. 'Is it Dr McKay – is he worse?'

'I think his fever's up again, but there's something else,' the nurse told him, getting straight to the point. 'He said that little girl came to visit Colonel Sheppard. Apparently there was some kind of misunderstanding and she ran off. I spoke to one of the SO's and he's got people out looking for her – she can't have gone too far but they haven't found her yet.'

'Ok, I've got it now. Dr Machin,' he called out as she went to pass him. 'Something's come up that I need to deal with. Good luck with the mission.' And with that he headed back to the main ward to find out what had happened, speaking to Elizabeth as he went so she could widen the search for the missing child.

'Thank god,' Rodney said with relief as soon as Beckett appeared. He had been waiting for hours, at least that's what if felt like, referring to the picture before him as a constant reminder of the urgency of the situation. 'I didn't realise…I never meant…'

'Slow down and tell me from the beginning,' Carson calmed the agitated scientist down, making him drink some water before he continued. 'There are search parties already looking for Mya.'

'That's good,' Rodney said with relief. 'She woke me up when she couldn't find Sheppard. I hadn't realised he'd already left. Wasn't he supposed to leave this afternoon?'

'Rodney.' Beckett's voice jerked McKay away from his fevered ramblings, bringing him back to the present.

'Right, of course. I told her he'd gone, then she said…what was it…something about her mum and dad being gone and then she ran off. I didn't realise straight away what she meant and that she'd misunderstood me. I tried to go after her but my stupid legs wouldn't work and then the nurse said she'd speak to you as soon as you were free. She dropped this.' He held the picture out for Beckett to look at.

'You know it's not your fault, don't you?' Beckett reassured Rodney who was beginning to look decidedly upset and flushed, placing a thermometer in his mouth. 'That's what I thought,' he continued as he removed the thermometer. 'You're temperature's up again, you need to get some rest. Now.'

'But…'

'No buts,' Beckett spoke insistently as he returned with a syringe in his hand. 'You're going to make yourself worse if you're not careful.' He injected the contents of the syringe into the tube attached to Rodney's arm and within a few moments Rodney's eyes slid closed and he fell asleep.

'What happened?' Elizabeth arrived, anxious to know what had caused Mya to run off. Beckett quickly related what had happened.

'Any sign of her?' He asked as he finished up.

'She was spotted using one of the transporters,' Elizabeth told him. 'She was probably trying to get back to Teyla's quarters but she didn't arrive there. She hasn't been seen anywhere else and she hasn't been picked up on the life signs detectors. There have been problems with the power relays in the lower levels and the detectors aren't working there so we're assuming that's where she must be, though we haven't stopped looking in other areas. Major Lorne was already there running several of the teams through some manoeuvres and he's got them searching for her.'

'Should we bring Teyla back?' Beckett suggested.

'She's due back first thing in the morning,' Elizabeth considered this. 'I'd like to leave her where she is if possible. What about Colonel Sheppard?'

'He's resting in his quarters – at least he's supposed to be.' Carson smiled wryly. 'I told him I'd be checking up on him from time to time just to make sure, so it's possible that's what he is doing.'

'We really ought to let him know,' Elizabeth said, looking to the doctor for confirmation that she could do so.

'I know, but it's not going to be easy.' Carson sighed as he considered the situation.

'I'll come with you. Something tells me he's not going to handle this very well.'

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'Where do you think you're going?' Carson stood between John and the door. Elizabeth's prediction had become very real. The moment John had heard the news he got up from his bed where he had been resting much to Beckett's surprise, and headed for the door.

'I'm going to look for her,' John snapped, trying hard to control his temper. 'Get out of my way – I don't want to hurt you.'

'No you're not, son,' Beckett said firmly, unswayed by the threat of violence. 'Major Lorne has already got his team in the area we think she's in, as soon as she's found we'll have her brought here. If you want to help her, you need to stay here and rest.'

'You have got to be kidding,' John forced himself to calm down. 'I am not going to lie around here while that poor kid gets scared out of her wits by some stranger chasing her all over the place.'

'She is familiar with Major Lorne,' Elizabeth told him. 'He will do whatever it takes to make this as easy as possible for her.'

'But…'

'If you don't do as I ask, I will sedate you,' Beckett silenced John's protests firmly. 'Look,' he continued in a gentler tone. 'I know you feel responsible for her but you'll have your work cut out for you when she is found and you're going to be no good to man nor beast if you wear yourself out by running around the city.'

'Ok, but you better make sure you let me know the moment she's found,' John gave in at last, unwilling to admit that in spite of his protests, he was feeling extremely tired.

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'You have got to be kidding! Zelenka, tell me you're getting this sorted.' Lorne growled into his radio as the lights flickered again and finally went out. Waiting for the emergency lighting to come on, he switched on one of the flashlights they all had to hand since the lights had first started playing up. Listening to the response he got, he nodded before addressing the search teams. 'Everyone ok? This is the last section to check but it looks as though we'll be without light for the time being so mind how you go. If anyone catches sight of her, let me know immediately. Let's move out.'

There were twelve of them searching the area, covering the ground thoroughly and efficiently but as yet no-one had caught sight of the little girl they were searching for. They all knew about her by now, word spread very quickly around Atlantis, and they also knew that it was extremely likely she would try to keep away from everyone looking for her except Major Lorne.

'Andrews to Lorne, I've just seen movement in the farthest lab.' At last they had a firm sighting of her, Lorne was beginning to think the information they had received from the control room must have been incorrect, now he breathed a sigh of relief that at least the search was drawing to a close.

'Do not pursue any further, I'm on my way. Lorne out.'

A few moments later, Lorne joined Andrews where he was waiting at the entrance to the lab currently being used as a storage room. 'Zelenka, we could really use some lighting here. What's going on?'

'We are working as quickly as we can but there are problems with circuitry,' Zelenka's voice responded to the appeal for information. 'We have to bypass many circuits but it is going to take time. I am sorry it is not better news.'

'What about the emergency lights – we're working in the dark.'

'I know, but the fault is affecting all systems in that section.'

'I'd better let you get on with it then.'

'Yes, very good idea.'

Lorne turned back to Andrews and several others who had finished their own search area and had now arrived here.

'Ok, I'm going in on my own. Andrews, Taylor, I want you to keep watch on this entrance to make sure she doesn't slip past me, everyone else fall back to the main stairway. If she does get out again, I don't want her having to face up to a large group of armed men.'

Lorne entered the lab using the flashlight to get his bearings, noting there were a number of rows of storage bins and workbenches and Mya could be hiding behind any of them.

'Mya, it's Major Lorne – Marcus,' he announced his presence into the darkness. 'If you can make a noise to let me know where you are, I'll come and find you as quickly as I can.' He fell silent and waited for a response. After a few minutes, he thought he heard a faint sound coming from somewhere in the middle of the room but couldn't be certain and knew he would have to do this the hard way, searching each of the aisles in turn.

He had searched just over half the room when the beam from his flashlight fell on something lying at the end of one of the aisles. Hurrying forward, he bent down and retrieved a teddy bear, recalling that Dr Weir had given one to Mya and that she must have dropped it in the dark. Hoping this meant he was getting close now, he moved more warily, unwilling to frighten Mya even more than she must be already.

As he reached the last aisle, he breathed a sigh of relief as he caught a glimpse of the little girl at last. She was crouching, half hidden behind a crate and seemed ready to flee as soon as she caught sight of him.

'Mya, it's alright. I'm here to help you,' Lorne spoke softly. 'I think you dropped something, I'm sure you want it back. I'm just going to sit down here and you can come and fetch it.'

Suiting his actions to his words, Lorne backed up against the nearest wall and sat down, placing the bear a short distance away from him so Mya wouldn't feel threatened. He laid the flashlight on the floor beside him, illuminating the area without being blinding and waited.

Several minutes passed before he noticed a movement at the end of the aisle, the sensation that one section of darkness was making its way toward him. Her progress was slow as she paused every few steps to assess the situation, gradually becoming faster as she perceived no threat and no movement from himself. At last he could make her out in the dim light as she approached the bear hesitantly, stooping down to pick it up before hugging it close to her with both arms, watching him as she did so but not retreating again.

'What's his name?' Lorne pointed to the bear, trying to get Mya to relax.

'Liz'beth,' she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.

'That's a good name. I expect you'd like to get out of here, wouldn't you?'

Mya looked at him thoughtfully, part of her trusting him as she had before, the other part not wanting to get too close to anyone and risk getting hurt again. Before she could make up her mind a noise distracted them both and as Lorne got to his feet, Mya raced forward the last few steps and grabbed his hand. Relieved that there was one less problem to deal with, he led the way to the doorway to find it was now sealed off.

'Andrews, what's going on?' He snapped into his radio. All he received in response were a few isolated words and a lot of crackling as something interfered with the transmission. 'Lorne to Zelenka. Lorne to control. Can anybody hear me?' Giving up on the radio, he moved up to the door itself to see if there was any way he could get it open, or failing that, communicate with those on the other side of it.

As he drew close to the door, he jumped back as something gave him a shock. He studied the door more closely, realising a force field was protecting it from tampering and preventing him from getting close enough to the control panel and figuring out a way to get it open.

'Hello? Andrews? Taylor? Can you hear me?' He yelled as loud as he could, but other than the faint sound of voices on the other side was unable to establish any kind of communication. He turned to Mya who was looking up at him, fear in her eyes at the sudden change in their situation.

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To be continued…

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