Chapter Four

Ronon's attention was fixed on the ground in front of him as they continued along the dockside area, so he didn't spot the body that lay ahead of them immediately.

He could almost taste the blood that was spattered on the gravel surface in front of him and, studying the patterns, he was pretty sure that there were actually two different tracks. The trail that he was following appeared very distinct to his practiced eye and he didn't need to be told that there were now two people losing blood and that their injuries were pretty serious.

It was Teyla who was the first to spot the crumpled body in the encroaching mist and she found herself unable to stop her hand raising to her mouth in fear as she stopped in her tracks.

"Is that…" Rodney hesitated, not wanting to speak Sheppard's name in case it proved to be right.

"Doesn't look like him, clothes aren't right." Ronon's simple statement encouraged them to move forwards towards the still form and as then neared the figure it became glaringly apparent that it wasn't the body of their friend.

Ronon reached the body first and crouched down beside the man's still form.

"Anyone recognise him?" he looked up at his two team mates as he spoke, but both shook their heads.

"As if anyone could recognise him the state he's in! That is a truly disgusting mess," Rodney pointed to the crushed nose and lips of the dead man, "Do you think Sheppard did that?"

"Rodney, if Colonel Sheppard was attacked, then he may have been forced to defend himself at all costs." Teyla crouched beside Ronon as he studied the body.

"I do not remember seeing this man during any of the meetings that we attended."

"No, but I think its possible we were probably well known to him!" Ronon stood up from his crouched position and held out the identity card that he had removed from the pocket of the man's blood tarnished jacket. The face on the ID was certainly that of the man on the ground, but what shocked the group was that the ID card was from the town's security council and stated that the dead man was a sector chief based in the security council's headquarters.

"His name was Stavin," Rodney studied the card that Ronon had handed to him, "What on earth has Sheppard gotten himself caught up in now! Can that man never stay out of trouble!"

"Rodney, until we find Colonel Sheppard we cannot assume anything. All we do know is that there was an incident and it appears that both men were injured." Teyla looked back and forth between her two team mates as she spoke. "We need to find out what has happened before we 'jump to any decisions'

"That would be 'conclusions' Teyla, jumping to conclusions," Rodney couldn't help himself from correcting her grammar.

"Rodney "she gave him a stern look as she continued, "we need to find the Colonel as quickly as possible if we are to find out what actually happened."

Ronon studied the ground around the dead body, then let his eyes track off into the distance, "We better hurry if that's Sheppard's blood" Ronon pointed to the splatters of deep red blood that led off into the mist, "if he's hurt and loosing that amount of blood, we're gonna need to find him fast," Ronon rose onto his feet from his crouched position by the body and turned to Rodney, "Is he alone or has he still got company?"

"What, oh right," Rodney tore his eyes away from the dead body and looked back at the scanner screen, "He's still got company, close company and they're not that far ahead of us, "he turned as he consulted the screen, "in ..that direction!" he pointed along the wharf.

"We need to go." Teyla couldn't hide the worry that she felt as they started off in the direction that Rodney had indicated. Ronon, who had walked off in the long loping gait that seemed to carry him two steps for their one, set a hard pace as they headed off in the direction of the mist shrouded town.

He led them along the wharf for about two hundred metres before slowing to a halt, holding up his hand in a gesture of caution. He had noticed that the ground in front of him had been disturbed and he could clearly see the signs of a struggle having taken place. The gravel was scuffed roughly around and as he crouched again, he placed his fingers in the pool of thick blood that he had noticed on the ground. The blood was still fluid, fresh and he felt the flush of dread pass through him as he considered the sort of injury that could have lead to that amount of blood loss.

"Is that what I think it is!" Rodney looked intently at the red stain, a mixture of disgust and worry evident in his strained voice.

"Yeah, more blood and we're getting closer, this is very fresh!" Ronon stood and looked towards the grain silos. There was a definite trail leading towards the towering buildings. The gravel was displaced and strewn around and Ronon could see that somebody or something had been dragged away towards the warehouses.

"Well there are still two signals and they're very close together …..whoa, whoa," He looked up at the other two, "They just vanished altogether, this is not good!"

"They cannot have both vanished, Rodney are you sure?" Teyla turned to the scientist.

"Well, let's just say that both of the signals just disappeared, or is that not succinct enough for you!" Rodney could feel the stress building in his body and the sarcasm came out as an automatic reaction. He looked back at the scanner and stabbed viciously at the small screen before turning his attention back to his two waiting team mates. "As I just said, the signals aren't there anymore but, I am detecting a build up of energy coming from the direction of one of those grain stores."

"Then I guess that's where we start." Ronon didn't wait for a response to his statement, but started off towards the towering buildings.

"Ronon, we need to be cautious. If the security council is involved in whatever has happened, we cannot trust that there will not be more of them waiting for us inside"

"Sheppard needs us Teyla, he's in trouble. There's a good chance he's hurt pretty badly if that blood is anything to go by," he pointed at the congealing stain in the gravel.

"Ronon, I am only indicating that we need to be cautious, that is all" Teyla's eyes flashed in anger as she spoke to the Satedan, "we are all concerned, but it will not help Colonel Sheppard if we are captured or injured ourselves!"

Ronon pulled two knives from their hidden sheaths under his jacket and held one out towards Teyla, "I'm pretty much prepared." Teyla raised an eyebrow at the Satedan, but took the proffered weapon, twisting it in her hand, testing the balance.

"Wait, we're going in there with just two knives! ..are you completely mad. We have no idea what's waiting for us in there!" Rodney indicated towards the buildings.

"Well, we'll find out when we get there, won't we." Ronon had decided that enough was enough and turned towards the looming grain stores. Spinning the knife in his fingers, he responded to Rodney's outburst as he started forward "All I know is that, as far as we know there's only one other person in there with Sheppard, so the odds are pretty much stacked in our favour," and he started towards the building.

"Oh god, Conan is going to get us all killed!" Rodney looked towards Teyla, but she had already started after Ronon, the long knife visible in her lowered hand.

"And the scientist goes last…," Rodney muttered to himself as he followed the other two towards the last known position that they had for their missing CO.