Chapter 4

It was early morning and the sun blazed over the ruins. The temperature had started to rise and it once again felt hot and humid deep down in the caves.

"Could it be a forcefield?" Teyla asked.

"Impossible the power must have run out ages ago." Rodney said tapping on his life signs detector. Their flashlights weren't useful anymore so they worked in the semi-dark.

"The jumper shutting down was also impossible McKay." Sheppard said sarcastically as he heaved himself up from the floor. He was stiff and his shoulder wasn't exactly better. He must have damaged it internally during the disconnection with the jumper because it felt swollen and was hard to move.

The scientist turned to him annoyed. "Fine, it may not be impossible."

Ronon suddenly picked up his gun and fired tired of waiting for something to happen. Sheppard rushed forward. "No hey Ronon wait!"

The sound echoed in the tunnels vibrating in the walls and a rumble could be heard.

"No not collapsing building again!" Sheppard said.

"Listen!" Teyla said.

"No I have heard enough." John answered as the rumble took a turn for the worse and small rocks tumbled down on them.

He was just about to get himself and his team out of there when it suddenly stopped.

"Something sparkled." She said.

"I heard it to." Ronon said as he watched McKay moving forward with a scanner.

The colonel stepped closer to the cave wall reaching out to it. The wall suddenly disappeared displaying a tunnel that seemed to end further down.

"Well voila!" Sheppard said triumphantly.

Rodney turned to him annoyed his eyes narrowing. "Couldn't you have just tried that before Conan the barbarian here tried to blast us all to the sky?"

Ronon smiled mischievously. "You are welcome McKay."

oooooooooo

A couple of hours later they where exhausted and the temperature had done nothing but rise and even though they where somewhat shielded from the sun every breath made their throats dry. The water canteens had almost been emptied and their bodies ached from the jumper falling down and from their long walk.

They had followed the tunnel and taken several turns as it split up in other corridors in what seemed to be a mountain near the ruins of the sister city to Atlantis.

Teyla watched her surroundings carefully as Sheppard had taken over the lead from Ronon with McKay to bring up the rear this time.

"These walls seem familiar somehow." Teyla said softly.

"Oh great we are going in circles." Rodney complained. "By the way why is Sheppard going first he could get lost in Atlantis."

The colonel suddenly stopped and turned around; slowly casting a long glance at McKay.

"What? It's true." McKay said in defence.

"If I would seem to take a bad turn wouldn't you correct me since you have a scanner in front of your nose?" He returned smugly.

"Let's go." Ronon said and moved towards Sheppard.

"No that's not what I meant." Teyla said. "We have never been here before but I recognize something like this from old tales we where taught as small children."

"Oh let me guess Wizard of Oz?" Rodney asked.

"Where did Ronon go?" Sheppard asked turning around.

"To your right I have found something."

Sheppard moved over to a smaller cave formation in the tunnel wall.

"Yeah you have definitely found something."

oooooooooo

To be continued, sorry it's been taking so long.