A/N: I'll be jumping back into the hopeless SHEYLA angst I know you all know and love, be sure to check out A Prophecy (SG-1), the super cool sequel to Inner Demons.

Ronon glanced back the way he came. He'd only been on his own for a few minutes, but he knew that he was way out of league, which scared him considerably. He was a runner; he was tougher and faster than anyone in the military contingent on Atlantis. The only thing he couldn't understand was how someone was stocking him.

A shot whizzed past him, hitting the wall just in front of him. He spun and fired a burst, while ducking into a nearby room. He never saw who was shooting at him. He stopped and glanced around the room. There were two doors. He took the left one and raced down a narrow hallway, his footsteps silent in the incredible stillness of this part of the city.

As he raced down the hall, he checked the spring pistol he'd brought with. It was still fully-loaded and cocked, ready to fire at a moment's notice. He to an immediate right at the end of the hall and found himself in a large room.

Not pausing for an instant, he quickly bounded up the stairwell and onto the second level. He glanced back the way he came and held his breath. Nothing, not even a pin drop could be heard.

Knowing it was stupid to stand still any longer, he got up and walked to the other side of the second floor. Opening the door, he stepped into the next room. It was a room with a high ceiling and some dangling lights. He ducked behind a console on the far side, checking his equipment and holding his breath again.

He heard the door open. He glanced above his cover for only a second and saw nothing, but a shot whizzed right past his head, forcing him to duck again. He swore in his own language, knowing he was now cornered.

That was when he felt the muzzle of an air-soft gun press against the back of his neck. He swore again, dropping his weapons.

"Hello Ronon." Elizabeth replied, taking his guns.

XXX

John knew they were in trouble when he lost contact with Lorne's team. He'd quickly dropped back from advancing, knowing that something had gone horribly wrong. He paused at the entrance to a stairwell, listening quietly.

"Something is not right." Teyla commented quietly.

"No kidding." John replied, forgetting the idea of even bothering with the stairwell.

He headed back the way they'd came, heading straight for where he was sure the civilians would be held up. Teyla brought up the rear, a silent shadow. He paused just outside the door to the large area. He knew he and Teyla where entering from a balcony.

He held up a hand and motioned for her to enter and then follow him. He then opened the door. Teyla instantly ducked into the room, opening fire with an electric P90. The two scientists that where on the balcony threw up their hands in surrender. John then surged into the room, firing madly into the crowd.

The majority of the scientists where packed into the center area, firing sporadically at them, but not really hitting trained soldiers. John stopped bothering with the scientist in the center as a shot pinged off the wall next to him. He spotted Zelenka, shooting from across the room.

He dropped into a prone position and reached for his spring pistol. He got hit in the arm almost immediately. That didn't stop him from firing off a shot that pegged Zelenka in the head. Zelenka threw up his hands. John came up and finished off the last of the civilians. He did a quick head count, the only one missing was Elizabeth.

He suddenly realized that Teyla was being shot at. Teyla leaped over the rail to avoid in incoming hail of air-soft pellets. John rolled behind a pillar to escape another hailstorm of pellets.

Teyla screamed. Forgetting caution, John leaped from behind the barrier and to the lower level. Teyla was clutching her ankle. He ducked again and returned a burst of fire to the balcony from which he was being shot at.

"You all right?" He asked her, his voice knit with caution.

"I'm fine." She replied. "Look out."

John swore, realizing he'd just been shot as he felt a ping from his neck. He dropped his gun, and then turned around to face his assailant.

She walked down the stairs, a slight swagger in her step, and a merciless smile on her face. Elizabeth holstered her weapon. "You never figured I'd be better at this than you."

"No," John replied, "but maybe things would've been different if Teyla hadn't twisted her ankle."

"Maybe, you game for a rematch?"

"Not until we've had a chance to change the teams." John gave Teyla a hand standing up. "But you'd better watch out next time."