Sorry for the delay my friends. Real life has been rather hectic of late. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.
oOoOoOo
Elizabeth sat in her office, gazing vacantly into space; fiddling with a pen that she was holding idly.
It was one of the areas of her work that she hated, the waiting around. As a diplomat, she had had to learn patience. It was one of the greatest skills. But then it was only issues that were involved. There weren't lives at stake. She couldn't get her mind away from what her people, her friends, were going through.
She didn't know what was happening to Carson and Rodney. That hurt her. She couldn't bear to think what Carson, in particular, might be going through at the hands of Michael. The doctor had an inherently gentle nature, and that he might be hurting physically or emotionally wounded Elizabeth.
Rodney too, was not as strong as say John, or Ronon, or even Teyla. But even with them, she was very aware of how vulnerable they could be. And every time they went through the 'Gate, she was aware they might not return.
Before her thoughts could become even more maudlin, she heard a sound at her door. She looked up to see Radek there. He looked apologetic as he entered her office, properly.
"I'm sorry, Dr Weir," he said, wringing his hands as he spoke. "I didn't mean to interrupt you."
"No problem, Radek," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. "Please, take a seat."
Radek sat down, but the frown on his face didn't fade.
"What's the problem, Radek?" she prompted him.
"You know the things that have been going missing," Radek started. Elizabeth nodded. "Well, I have been investigating it further."
Radek hesitated for a moment, obviously not sure if he wanted to go on further.
"I have tried to find the solution," he said. "But there seems only to be one person who has been there on each occasion."
"Who is that?" Elizabeth asked, though from the look on Radek's face, she felt she would not like the answer.
"Jinto," he said, reluctantly.
Elizabeth closed her eyes, and then sighed.
"I'm sorry," Radek said, his face showing his discomfort.
"It's not your fault, Radek" Elizabeth reassured him. "It is just this makes things rather awkward. Halling is on a trading mission, and Teyla is also away, and to suddenly accuse the boy of stealing, well . . ."
"I do not accuse him lightly," Radek said. "The evidence is overwhelming."
"It just seems so unlikely," Elizabeth said with a frown. "He has always got into mischief, but nothing serious, like this."
"What is that saying of Sherlock Holmes?" Radek asked, thoughtfully. "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
Elizabeth looked at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
"I liked detective novels as a young man," Radek said by way of explanation. "But what I was trying to say is the only possible answer to the stealing question is young Jinto."
"Well," Elizabeth said, getting to her feet. "We'd better go and see what 'young Jinto' has to say for himself."
oOoOoOo
As John and Teyla made their way towards the sound of Rodney's cry, they realized just how many Wraith there were in the complex. They were constantly having to halt their progress to find a hiding place, as yet more Wraith seemed to be intent on some business or other.
"Can you sense what they're thinking?" John whispered to Teyla.
She shook her head, a frown forming between her eyes. "It is strange," she replied. "I can sense something, but it is not clear. They are not like any other Wraith I have encountered before."
"In what way?" John asked, curious.
"They are more individual, more human," she said.
"Seems to confirm what Stanton suggested," John replied. "Damn, that is going to make them mad as hell."
"Mad enough to kill Rodney?" Teyla asked, remembering the cry they'd heard.
"Or maybe Carson," John said, his eyes troubled. "Come on," he continued. "We've got to find them."
oOoOoOo
Although Ronon's focus appeared to be on the Wraith in front of him, he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Sheppard and Teyla had managed to escape into the complex. He smiled inwardly, as he thought of what damage they could inflict on the Wraith this time. Unlike Carson, he had no qualms about destroying their enemy. He had seen how evil the Wraith were. His insight had come from his far too frequent encounters with these creatures, and a far too intimate knowledge of the suffering they could cause.
Turning to face the Wraith, Ronon gave his full attention to the scene in front of him. The tall, white-haired figure held the little girl effortlessly under his arm. The child was silent but the tear tracks that streaked her face were testament to her earlier fear. Her brother stood before the Wraith, half the height of his foe, but just as fearless.
"Leave her alone, you big galoot," the boy said, hitting the Wraith's chest as he did so.
Ronon hid a smile. That sounded like something Carson might say. The big man's smile faded as he thought of the doctor, and what he might be going through at the hands of the Wraith they had called Michael. Ronon had never been in favour of having anything to do with the Wraith. The only good Wraith was a dead one as far as he was concerned. And he never fully understood what benefit Beckett and Weir had thought they might gain from their little experiment. All Ronon could see was possibilities for disaster, and, unfortunately, he had been proven right.
The Wraith reached down to the boy, and seemed to be going to feed. Ronon jumped forward, and stabbed the Wraith's hand with one of the many knives he hid around his person. The Wraith's focus switched from the boy to the man, and a snarl escaped his lips.
He dropped the girl to the ground, swiped the boy out of the way, and lunged at the man. Ronon swiftly side-stepped the Wraith, and plunged his knife into the creature's back. Before the Wraith could get to his feet, about 10 of the villagers all pounced on him. One of the others grabbed Shela and Ronon picked up Stanis. Ronon then pushed Stanis behind him, and turned to face the Wraith. The creature was under a pile of villagers, who had all thrown themselves on top of their foe. With an almighty roar, the creature rose, throwing villagers off him like rag dolls. But then he did something that surprised Ronon. Rather than turning and fighting, as the Satedan expected, the Wraith ran. Ronon had never seen such behaviour in a Wraith before – running from a fight. Only momentarily distracted, the tall man turned to check none of the villagers were badly hurt, then silently, and stealthily, he followed the Wraith into the complex.
oOoOoOo
John and Teyla were making increasingly slow progress. As they got deeper into the complex, they seemed to encounter more and more Wraith.
"Just how many of them survived?" John asked, not really expecting an answer.
"More than enough," Teyla replied, earning herself a look from John.
"I almost wish Rodney would cry out again," John said with a sigh.
"You wish him to be hurt further?" Teyla asked, her face reflecting her surprise.
"No, of course not," John replied emphatically. "But, if he did, at least then we might be able to find him."
"Is the life sign detector not working any more?" Teyla asked, looking at the device in John's hand.
"With so many people here – if you can call Wraith people," John replied. "It's not a lot of help."
"Just a minute," he continued, stopping suddenly, causing Teyla to almost crash into him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"There's a room here with three people in it," John said, a lift in his voice.
"What makes you think it might be them?" Teyla asked.
"What do you smell?" John asked cryptically.
"It does smell familiar," Teyla said, a frown on her face as she tried to place the smell.
"It smells like the Infirmary," John said, a note of triumph in his voice. He hadn't realized that all those hours spent in that place, recuperating, might actually have an upside to them.
Before either of them could move, their ears were assailed by another cry, again emanating from a certain Dr Rodney McKay.
Without thinking any further, John went to shoulder charge the door, but before he could do so, Teyla put a restraining hand on his arm. She nodded towards a covered hatchway in the wall.
"I believe this may have been some kind of observation room," she said, answering his questioning look.
She carefully lifted up the hatch, giving them both a clear view of what was going on in the room. It was not reassuring.
Michael stood in one corner of the room, holding Rodney firmly round the shoulders, a knife held to the scientist's neck. A trickle of blood running down Rodney's neck was evidence that the knife had already been put to use.
Carson stood at the workbench, a determined look on his face.
"Just what are you planning to do Michael?" he asked. "Even if you kill Rodney, I still can't work any faster. And if you do kill him, then what makes you think I'll carry on helping you?"
"I don't plan to kill him," Michael said, an evil grin spreading across his face. "Just to hurt him a little."
"Fine," Carson said. "Go ahead."
Rodney gurgled in protest.
"But," Carson continued. "I still can't go any faster. Do you think I want to be stuck in this place any longer than I really have to be?"
"I know just how stubborn you can be, Dr Beckett," Michael said menacingly. "Remember, you have very few secrets from me. We are linked, you and I, in a way you can never really understand. But you will do what I ask, my stubborn friend. Because if you don't, then I will make sure that your suffering will last beyond life, and into eternity."
With those words still echoing in their ears, John and Teyla watched in horror as Michael released Rodney, allowing the scientist to sag back against the wall in relief. He then advanced on Carson, maintaining eye contact with the Scot the whole time. As they continued to watch, Carson's face set into a determined grimace. Then, as Michael stood before him, their friend fell to his knees, clutching his head. Then he let out an agonizing groan, before slumping to the floor, unconscious, or worse.