A/N: For here on out is where the darkness starts. Please don't continue if torture and overall abasement of Colonel Sheppard bothers you in any way. I had this briefly beta'ed but if there are still spelling errors feel free to let me know.

Brief Beta-er: Sliverofwingless

... .LV. ...

Going Commando

Aftermath – Part 6

By Lady Valmar

10:00 pm

Groaning, he peeled his eyes open only to find his vision blurry and the room spinning. To keep from vomiting, he focused on an insect sitting on his hand. It was a small fly or at least he thought it was. The little thing buzzed up as he wheezed out air through his teeth, and zoomed to the table some distance from him only to be caught in a spider's web.

Watching, he saw a purple colored spider scamper down the web from a dark corner and sink its fangs into the fly until it stopped moving. It then proceeded to wrap up its morsel in white spider thread.

What a metaphor or foreshadowing… Thought Sheppard, his smirk fading as her voice brought him back to reality.

"Try to relax, the effects are only temporary. Soon you will be feel better and then…"

"Yeah, yeah. I know," said Sheppard, spitting out mucus onto her shoe.

"Oww feisty but I'd prefer you powerless and in my control. I would have put a sedative into you but I think this will do better" said the woman, her hands curling around his chin, before she walked around behind him and she sat on his back before rubbing her face on his neck. "So how does it feel to be powerless? To have a woman have total control over you? Degrading? Humiliating? Exciting?"

He could feel her weight pressing down on him, it didn't help his back was still sore from that slip and slide in his room earlier. He ignored her taunts as images of blue soaked clothing temporarily took his mind away from his kidnapper. Though he could not ignore the blade the woman was dragging across his breast. It was just enough to leave a thin cut in his shirt but not enough to open up his skin.

"So tell me how do you like it? Top, bottom or sideways?" hissed her voice in his ear, as she grabbed a tuft of hair and proceeded to cut it with a saw like motion.

Grunting, he clenched his eyes that had begun to water, feeling his scalp burn. It was all he could do not to say something. He knew her whole point was to try and get a rise out of him and he was not going to satisfy her an inch.

Her hands traveled up his spine before the knife caught the edge of the rest of his shirt in the back and slide upwards cutting open the back of it. Then with her icy fingers, she ripped the rest of the shirt until it was in a pile, on the floor, all around him.

"Now hold still," said the woman, her tongue trailing up his spine before her needle-like teeth clamped down, hard, on his neck.

Feeling pain and bursts of light, as he tried to struggle free, he clenched his teeth. The scent of copper drifted to his nostrils, as it seeped out of the teeth marks she'd left. Stinging and burning, the wound throbbed, leaving him with a sickening realization that maybe she wasn't going for necessarily kinky.

He silently wondered what he would say later, if she did indeed take advantage of him in his vulnerable state. His wonderment wasn't left unnoticed, as she licked his cheek and quickly scratched it. Leaving a thin trail of blood in its wake.

Jerking his head out of her outstretched hand he gritted his teeth, as her hot breath dusted his face. Looking deep within her toffee brown eyes, he tried not to let the snaking fear worming it's way in his stomach show. "Come on…ask me. I know you want to. Will you feel ashamed and humiliated if I do? Is it fear of being submissive? Come on ask me! Why did I do this to you? Of all candidates? Why not that lovely Scottish doctor or the astrophysicist? ASK ME!"

In an instant her callused, flat palm connected with his wounded cheek. He immediately let a strangled yelp from his throat. His cheek stung painful, as the blood dribbled down his chin. He kicked himself mentally for the sound. He had given her what she wanted. Glaring at her, his eyes inky in the pale, muddy light, he spat blood our of his mouth onto her chest. It was the least he could do.

However the movement awoke the wound on his neck, making it bleed again. Thankfully she hadn't bitten him anywhere near his jugular. Jerking on the restraints he clenched his teeth before responding. "When my team gets here you're going to…"

"What be sorry? What's wrong afraid I'm going to sterilize you by cutting something off?" said the woman, accenting with a scissor-like motion with her hand.

Before he could respond, she pulled another gag out from her sepia-colored coat and stuffed it in his mouth. Immediately the smell of something pungent made him flare his nostrils. His head flopped forward, as she went to her bag, weakly he tugged on his restraints. If he could only move it a little more…he might be able to move his wrist to undo the knots.

The room was becoming so dark. His mind was wandering. What was he suppose to do again.

"I guess a sedative was a better idea. For now anyways."

Looking up, he managed to focus on a black object she'd pulled from her bag. It was a cat o-nine tails. A fine, kohl, black with braids all the way down each tail. A devious smile teased her thick lips and he roused himself into yanking hard on the restraints again. It was hopeless and she knew it too.

10:30 pm

"How is the search coming so far?" asked Rodney, a Madeleine cookie hanging in his two fingers, just inches from his lips.

The whole situation had been fine for awhile until him and Radek discovered a hitch in their tracing program. It couldn't by pass several intricate firewalls and it also seemed to have a problem with a few small things. Such as it traced old emails and other things that had nothing to do with what they were looking for.

Thankfully, at least, they had managed to fix the problem somewhat and were working on each firewall carefully, so as not to cause any errors in the system or anything else that might disrupt the network.

Elizabeth shook her head, her coffee mug held tightly in her hand. "No. Have you found anything yet?"

Rodney frowned back. "So far no. The progress is slow but we've managed to trace every suspicious file and firewall there is and nothing so far."

"Well that is if you want to include porn and love notes as something," added Radek, smirking as he read a love note sent to Carson.

"Wait a minute is that a love note sent to Carson? Let me see that…"

Scrambling over to Radek's computer, the two laughed and talked about the email until Elizabeth cleared her throat and they looked up.

"Gentlemen can you get back to the problem at hand. I don't have to remind you how serious this situation is. We can leave Beckett's admirer for another time I think," said Elizabeth, giving the two a glare before returning to her office.

"Well we've managed to also narrow down possible search areas for the security teams," added Radek after she'd turned her back.

"Good. Keep working on it. Major Lorne?" asked Dr. Weir into her radio.

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Have you found anything yet?"

Lorne turned to the room, he and his men had stumbled across, while searching for Kimbal who had disappeared around 9pm. She'd decided to take a different route and hadn't reported back yet. Sadly after the room had been checked her body had turned up. "Yes Ma'am I think we have. Its not Colonel Sheppard but we now know its not Kimbal."

"Okay?"

"We found her body, Ma'am."

Elizabeth lowered her eyes.

"What's going on?" asked Dr. Reeds just entering the lab.

"It's Kimbal, she was found dead."

Dr. Reeds put a hand on one of the tables. "Lisa…my god…"

11:00 pm

"Okay, Okay. Let's try this again. Run the program," said Rodney, hitting a key on his laptop.

Radek pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. "Rodney it will not work. We've already tried it three times. There is too much missing data…"

Rodney frowned as he watched the computer screen and following pop up windows spell out what they already knew. This person couldn't be a Gou'ld, they were no doubt a professional at computer networking and apparently any technology they came across, but the IMO as he'd learned from Dr. Reeds, was not consistent with a Gou'ld.

They had to be a private contract. Maybe part of that rogue group of N.I.D. agents he'd had the chance to learn about after Caldwell had played host to a Gou'ld.

Rodney decided he should confer his thoughts with Elizabeth and left the lab, coffee mug in hand and Radek trailing behind him. "Rodney…!"

As they neared her office, Rodney could see Dr. Reeds seated near Elizabeth's desk, going through papers in a folder and making notes. Elizabeth's voice brought Rodney out of his thoughts. "Well Gentlemen, you can eliminate one of the possible suspects."

Radek and Rodney looked up at her in unison. "What happened?" asked Radek.

"I was about to ask that," snapped Rodney. He was holding his coffee mug mid air as he waited for her reply.

All around them, people slowed or pretended to do something else to listen in on the conversation. Several technicians that had been working looked at them.

"They found Investigator Lisa Kimbal. She was…mutilated. Major Lorne could barely identify that it was her. Well I don't think I have to say anymore," said Elizabeth.

Rodney exchanged concerned looks with Radek. "Are you sure it was her? Did Carson…"

"He's checking to be sure but he's certain it's he. We'll know more once the DNA tests comparisons come back," said Elizabeth, looking down for a bit. Her arms were crossed snugly across her chest as if to shielding herself.

"So this person who took Sheppard…I've been thinking maybe they aren't after Sheppard but maybe something he knows," said Chuck, the gate technician, who hadn't really been paying attention to their conversation. He handed Elizabeth her a mug of coffee.

Rodney shook his head, as Elizabeth took the mug and sipped. "Well obviously…Chuck," said Rodney.

"Okay sor…ry," said Chuck, leaning against one of the consoles, which merited him a glare from Rodney.

Rodney thought about it for a second. "It would make sense but it has to be something more than that. Whoever this person is we're not just dealing with an average Gou'ld. They have to be connected to N.I.D. somehow, maybe the Gou'ld but I'm beginning to doubt that or they could be some rogue agency either in this galaxy or from Earth. There is always the rare chance this person might have a cloaking technology, it would make sense because they could say…make themselves look like Kimbal maybe."

Dr. Reeds had just been about to go back to her office when she stopped near Elizabeth, folder in hand. "Okay first off…if there is any chance the N.I.D. are involved in this we need to know now. Find proof first, if it's the Gou'ld…well that's nothing new. If it's someone else we still need to know. As for this possible cloaking technology…that's just a theory."

Elizabeth smirked at Rodney as he puffed up indignation. "Well it's a good theory," said Rodney, bobbing his head a bit.

"Is there any way to pick up on the device if they're using it?" asked Chuck, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Radek turned to look at Rodney. "Couldn't we…?"

Rodney shook his head. "It wouldn't work besides like she said it's just a theory."

"We can at least try."

"Try what?" asked Elizabeth, watching the two scientists eyeing each other.

Rodney crossed his arms glaring at Radek. "I highly doubt it."

"Gentlemen!" asked Elizabeth.

Dr. Reeds raised her eyebrows then she frowned. "Couldn't you just use Atlantis's internal sensors to pick up any signature or use a heat sensor to find them?"

"We already tried that it didn't work," said Radek, "But we have some other ideas that might work."

"What other ideas?" asked Elizabeth.

"Rodney?" asked Radek.

All present turned to look at him. "Okay fine. We could possibly…boost the sensors temporarily but I doubt this person still has the cloaking device on, if they have a cloaking device, let me remind you and let alone whether or not…"

"Do it," said Elizabeth.

"I concur," said Dr. Reeds just after Elizabeth.

"But…fine," said Rodney, rolling his eyes at both women.

"I thought you said it was just a theory," Chuck retorted at Rodney.

Rodney rolled his head over and sneered. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" Before he traipsed back to the lab, Radek shrugging again behind him at all present.

11:36 pm

"Major Lorne have you located anything yet?" asked Teyla into her com.

"Nothing yet. You guys?"

Teyla turned to Ronon, who was frowning. "We've found a blood trail but it leads to a dead end. We will keep searching. Ronon believes we are close."

"Alright keep me posted, Lorne out."

Teyla lowered the radio from her mouth, turning to Ronon. It had been a short while and they weren't giving up on Sheppard but the blood and after hearing news about Kimbal…

"We'll find them," said Ronon and he meant it.

She didn't doubt it but would it be in time?

12:45 am

"Elizabeth?" asked Rodney, pulling open her door to her office.

He could see two coffee mugs, sitting empty, on her desk. She had a stack of papers nearby and she had a half eaten donut on a napkin.

"Am I interrupting?"

Elizabeth looked up from the document on her laptop. She looked weary and tired, just as they all felt. Giving a faint smile she waved to a chair. "No, have a seat."

Pulling up one of her office chairs he sat down. "So what's the news? Or should I be asking – found anything yet?" Elizabeth asked, waving in Dr. Reeds who picked up another folder and quickly left.

Shaking his head he looked down. "Nothing yet. We used as much power as we can, to boost the sensors without causing any power failures. Now it's just a matter of waiting for it to pick up anything down there."

"Oh."

Look around her office he saw a new statue sitting on her desk. "Athosian?"

Elizabeth smiled and picked up the little tiki looking statue. "Yes, one of the children on the mainland made it and Teyla gave it to me."

"Its…ah…interesting."

"This whole mess is giving me a headache," replied Elizabeth, putting the statue down. "I just can't believe after all the new measures the Daedulus put in and the safety procedures…"

"We'll find them," said Rodney, "If there is one thing I say is that John and I have a save each others ass thing going on. Well I better get back to the lab and see what Radek has if he has anything on the tracking screen."

Elizabeth nodded. "Rodney…"

"Yes?"

Suddenly Radek's voice shouted fro Elizabeth's doorway. "Rodney," startling both Rodney and Elizabeth. "The sensors picked up something on one of the lowest levels of Atlantis."

Immediately, Elizabeth and Rodney jumped up to follow Radek to the laptop. Radek moved aside to let Rodney do a few adjustments. "Their on Level 4 deck C of the lab compartments. One of the areas we haven't search yet due to lack of power."

"Major Lorne, this is Dr. Weir."

"Yes?"

"Their on level 4 of Deck C of the lab compartments. I suggest taking flashlights that area has no power."

"Thanks I'll keep that in mind. We're on our way, Lorne out."

Elizabeth nodded at Rodney with a faint smile. "Good work, both of you."

1:05 am

"Lorne to Teyla."

"Yes Major?" asked Teyla, watching as Ronon punched the wall. There was another body. This time of an Athosian. Ronon and Teyla had known her personally. In fact they had trained with her this s'morning.

"Dr. Weir just informed us of the location of where our kidnapper is and Sheppard. We're heading there now. Level 4 Deck c of the lab compartments if you're wondering."

Teyla exchanged looks with Ronon. "We have stumbled across a body. An Athosian."

"What's your position?"

"Level 3 Deck 3-6," read Teyla, from the bulkhead nearby. It was grimy and filthy but the letters were clear enough. Despite being in Atlantean Teyla was able to discern what it said.

"Okay I'm sending another team to that position. Stay there until they arrive. Lorne out."

Teyla shook her head. "Perhaps there are more than one?" asked Teyla.

"I don't know but I'm about to find out," said Ronon, pulling out his gun.

"Ronon, we must wait here…RONON," shouted Teyla, as he ran to the door.

Ronon stopped at the door before turning back. "Your welcome to stay here but I have a feeling Lorne is going to need all the help he can get."

Teyla turned back to the woman's disfigured body. Making a quick decision Teyla left her com open on the floor and raced after Ronon.