Amelia looked up at the gap in the foliage, watching as Genii soldiers ran past. She breathed slowly, afraid of making any sound. Underneath her, Todd lay motionless, his eyes on the passing Genii as well. Laying across his other arm, Keller watched Todd, fearful at the Wraith's close proximity. His arms were still wrapped around the two women, and while Amelia didn't seem bothered. Keller's skin crawled, and she fought down a shudder, feeling as though she were cuddled up with a particularly venomous snake.
Above them, the forest grew quiet, the only noise coming from the Genii gathered around Todd's ship some distance away. Todd shifted slightly, and tapped the two women gently with his claws.
"While I would normally enjoy the close company of two lovely females," he murmured, "I think it is' best we leave now. Do you mind letting me up?"
Keller shoved away from him quickly and pressed her back against the trunk of the tree, watching him warily. Amelia sat up and rubbed her cheek. Her bruise was throbbing painfully, and she suspected Stubby's blow had done more damage than she first thought.
"Does it hurt?" Todd asked, touching her face with a fingertip. Amelia shook her head.
"It's okay," she said. "I think there may be a slight fracture, but I'll live. I'm sure the doc can fix me right up when we get back."
"Are you sure?" he asked, looking concerned. Amelia felt oddly touched.
"Really," she assured him. "It's nothing a few Vicodin and a shot of whiskey can't fix."
Todd looked unsure for a moment, then shook his head, and balled his feeding hand into a fist. "If you are sure," he said. "But, please do point out the human who struck you."
He slowly made his way through the thick bushes and vines, holding stubborn foliage aside for Amelia and Keller. Amelia moved carefully, aware of every sound around her. Keller was surprisingly quiet as she picked her way through the brush behind her, but then, she had been in forest pursuits before, Amelia remembered. In front of her, Todd moved in absolute silence. How the hell does he do that? she thought. He's creeping through a forest in an ankle length leather coat, and doesn't snag so much as a twig!
Todd paused at the trail's edge, listening carefully, then beckoned Amelia and Keller forward.
"Most of the Genii are waiting by my ship," he whispered. "But there are still a few standing guard at the camp. Remain silent, and stay behind me."
A loud explosion lit the woods momentarily, followed by cheers. Todd closed his eyes and sighed. "Can I not keep one blasted ship whole for more than a few days?"
As he led them down the trail, Keller touched Amelia's arm.
"What are we doing?" she mouthed silently. Amelia shrugged and gestured toward the Wraith in front of them.
"I don't know if we can trust him," Keller mouthed.
"We don't have much choice," Amelia mouthed back. "Sora will kill us."
Keller threw a nervous glance toward Todd, and Amelia realized the normally confident doctor was afraid of him. Why is she so scared of him? She's worked alongside him several times. He's been with us for some months now, and he's never hurt any of us. Hell, he's been working with McKay, and if he was going to snap and hurt someone, it would be him! She watched the Wraith's back, almost invisible in the dark, and frowned. He reminded her of the tigers her uncle rehabbed at his preserve; sleek and graceful, almost affectionate at times, but still dangerous. But, is he a danger to Keller and me? Is this a scheme to get us to leave with him quietly, then feed on us when our guards are down? She remembered the easy hour they had spent on the mess deck, sharing grapes and chocolate, and teasing an increasingly bemused McKay. No. No, I don't know why he's helping us, but I don't think he's going to turn on just need to trust him.
Todd stopped abruptly, and signaled for them to remain still. Amelia and Keller froze. Faint light showed through the leaves ahead, and voices carried on the breeze. Amelia could smell food cooking, and realized they had circled around back to the camp. Todd gestured for them to follow, and stepped off the trail, into the trees. Amelia and Keller looked at each other, uncertain, then followed him into the dense vegetation. Amelia pushed forward and grabbed his wrist. He stopped and looked at her in surprise. She stood on her toes and brought her mouth to his ear.
"We're nearly back to the camp," she whispered. "What are we doing?"
Todd brushed her hair away from the side of her face and lowered his head to hers. This close, she could smell the leather of his coat, and the odd, not unpleasant astringent scent of his skin. Fine, ice-white hair tickled her face, softer than she had expected.
"With my ship gone," he whispered in her ear, "the only way off this planet is through the gate near the camp. I will hold the remaining guards off while you and Dr. Keller dial Atlantis."
He stepped back quickly before she could argue, and slipped through the trees. Amelia glanced at Keller and shrugged. His plan would work, or it wouldn't. It's not as though they had a choice.
The camp wasn't as empty as Amelia had hoped. Once they reached the edge of the forest closest to the gate, she spotted close to two dozen soldiers still there. Todd unholstered his stunner, smiling grimly.
"What's the plan here?" Keller asked.
"Dial the gate," he replied. "Don't die." His bright eyes scanned the camp. "They are paying no attention to the gate. You and Amelia go now. I will cover you from here."
Keller and Amelia crept toward the DHD, moving slowly so as not to attract notice. Fortunately, most of soldiers' attention was focused on the heavy plumes of smoke from Todd's destroyed ship. They reached the short console and crouched down low. Amelia reached up to begin dialing, when a shout stopped her. Six more Genii spilled out of the woods nearby, catching the attention of the rest of the camp.
"Dial the gate!" Amelia ordered Keller, and ran to meet the incoming soldiers. Behind her, she could hear Todd discharging his stunner at the camp guards, buying Keller time to dial. Keller reached up, then flinched as a bullet gouged the edge of the DHD. Fragments of debris cut her arm, and she hissed in pain. More bullets pinged against the back of the DHD, and she crouched down. A brief lull in the gunfire allowed her to spring up and press several glyphs, but more flying bullets drove her back down.
Amelia hit her guards hard and fast, using fists and feet. The guards had not expected her to fight back, and had come at her with lowered weapons. She didn't give them a chance to raise them again. The first two she took down easily enough with blows that collapsed tracheae. A third she brought down with a kick to the temple. The last three were warier; they avoided the worst of her blows, while driving her back toward the DHD. One of them was able to reach past her guard, and hook her ankle with his foot. She fell hard to the ground, and he pulled his pistol from his belt. A bright beam from Todd's stunner hit him in the chest, and he fell to the ground with a pained grunt. Amelia, still on her back, kicked up, catching one of the remaining two guards in the nose. She felt the cartilage crunch under her boot, and blood spurted across her face. The guard staggered back, cursing loudly. The other threw himself on top of her, and tried to pin her with his body. She brought her knee up sharply into his groin, then followed through with a solid blow to his solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him. She sprang to her feet, eyes fixed on the guard with the broken nose.
"You almost done there, Doctor?" she called.
"Almost," Keller yelled back. "Just a few more!"
The guard brought his hands away from his broken nose, and snarled at the sight of the blood staining them. With an inarticulate roar, he rushed Amelia. She centered herself, and let the force of his impact pivot her around. Her shoulder dug into his chest, and as she turned, she heaved his body into the air. The guard flew several feet, landing on the DHD. The last chevron locked into place, and the gate activated.
"Todd, come on!" Amelia yelled. The wraith was already sprinting across the clearing, firing blindly toward the incoming Genii. More soldiers were pouring into the camp, drawn by the gunfire. Keller kept her head under the DHD, grimacing at the sound of bullets whistling past her. Amelia skidded to a halt beside her.
"Ready?" Amelia asked. Keller nodded, shoving the unconscious Genii off the console.
"Ready as I'll ever be," she said. "On three?" Amelia nodded.
"Okay, one, two, three!" The two women jumped to their feet, and Todd, reaching the DHD, grabbed them around their waists and swung them around, placing himself between them and the Genii. He growled deep in his throat, and Amelia felt his body jerk as several bullets hit him. He shoved the two women forward and through the event horizon, taking on more wounds in the process. With a final glare behind him, he followed Amelia and Keller through the gate.
oooOOOooo
Sora studied the gate console, and felt a smile lift the corners of her mouth. She touched the bloody hand print covering one of the glyphs, and chuckled nastily. Wherever her prisoners and the Wraith ended up, it wouldn't be Atlantis. She turned her attention back to her soldiers.
"Two women and a single Wraith," she stated cooly. "And yet none of you could prevent their escape. Words fail me." Her gaze fell on the camp guards, who stood off to one side, staring at her in abject misery. "However, I am willing to offer you all a chance to redeem yourselves. You will follow them to whatever planet they landed on, find them, and bring back their heads. Any questions? No. Good." She touched the glyphs, spelling out the address to Atlantis until she reached the last glyph. She touched the bloody glyph again, and pressed. The chevrons locked. "Go. I have work to attend to."