Vegas in Red: I Won't Back Down3
John waved off the guards. He approached the cell alone. Boots clomping on the floor the only sound as he stepped from darkness to darkness to finally reach the bluish light showering down from the ceiling. He tapped the earpiece given to him by Rodney. "Kill the camera." He waited, half-turning to see the little blinking light in the corner.
Blink. Blink. Blink. Then it was dark. Consumed by the darkness surrounding it.
Satisfied John turned back to view Todd. The alien stood in the middle of the cell, arms at his sides. Expression serene. The blue light pouring down on him like an alien sun from an alien sky. Turning his blue jumpsuit darker. Turning his pale skin and hair even ghastlier. "It's just me now, Todd. You can quit the act. We're still cutting up your buddy, by the way. Your proxy. One of, oh, let's see…one of three, right?" John allowed himself a smile at the quick flash of surprise in those slitted, yellow eyes. "Yeah, thought so. We are finding out exactly what makes you tick. And what will make you talk."
Todd rushed to the Plexiglas wall of the cell, rage on his face, hand upraised to reveal the protruding sucker. John stood his ground, confident. But he did reach for his gun. Except it wasn't there. Instead a Wraith stunner was in his holster. It was awkward, heavy. But much more effective, although it wouldn't kill the prisoner. Only cause pain.
"John Sheppard. You can't guard your flock forever."
"Oh, I can. And I will kill every one of you things that threatens my world." He drew the weapon. Showed Todd. "This won't kill you, but it will hurt like hell. And I know a few things that will hurt more. So…let's say we have that little chat now, shall we?" He sidestepped to the panel. Keyed in the code that opened the cell.
Todd stood, staring. Surprise on his face. Stunned that he was being offered a meal so easily. That his nemesis was being delivered straight into his hands. He smiled, but when the electric jolt hit him pain encompassed his body. He growled, rushing for Sheppard but the man shot him again, again. Bolts of pale blue energy sizzling along every nerve, every fiber. Grimacing Todd fell to his knees next to the chair.
John advanced, cautious. Gun at the ready. He pulled some rope, a pair of manacles from his pocket and quickly set to work.
"Are you sure about this?" Richard asked. He was pacing, pacing across the expanse of the small room. He kept glancing at the blank monitors. The screens were black since the camera was turned off and it worried him to no end.
"Yes. I've got audio," Rodney assured. Hand to his earpiece as he listened. Staring at nothing except the blank notepad that sat in front of him. A pen was poised in his hand. So far he hadn't needed it.
"What if he goes too far?"
"That's why I gave him the stun gun," Rodney assured.
"Even so, he could still kill Todd. I don't trust him, and apparently he doesn't trust us. Turning the cameras off is a very, very bad idea, Rodney!"
"He's been trained for interrogation. He might be able to get what we couldn't," Rodney reasoned. He glanced at Richard. "I need to concentrate on this, so either sit still or leave." He regarded the pad of paper, ignoring Richard's ire.
"Fine." Richard sat across the room. Staring at the blank monitor. Clearly unhappy and upset that Rodney didn't seem to care. "If this goes south you will be to blame."
"Fire me, then," Rodney said, knowing full well that was the last thing that would happen.
Todd jerked awake, snarled. Struggled. He was tied to the chair, trussed like a lamb to the slaughter. He felt his wrists encased in metal handcuffs behind the chair. He snarled again, glaring pure hatred at the man who stood in front of him, tossing the stun gun from hand to hand as if it was a toy. As if this was a game to him. "You dare to treat me like this?"
"Yeah, I dare." John smiled. "As I said, I will kill every one of your kind that dares to step foot on this planet. Starting with you if you don't cooperate." He holstered the gun. Produced a long, sharp knife from a sheath at his hip.
"I know. I saw it in your mind, John Sheppard. I saw many things when we were joined."
"Whoa, pal, there was no joining! I don't swing that way."
Todd chuckled. "You pathetic human. You can't stop me. Why even try? You are already doomed, but your simian brains can't comprehend it yet."
"Whatever. I can and I will stop you. You're all alone now. Stranded on this planet. Nowhere to go. Whatcha gonna do?"
Todd's hands closed into fists at his back behind the chair. He felt the strength of the metal around each wrist. The ropes were tight against his chest, his torso. He smiled. Spoke in a sing-song voice, "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpy had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again."
John slapped him across the face. "Can the nursery rhymes, God damn it! Don't start pulling that crap on me again!" He hefted the knife. Ran the sharp, sharp blade along Todd's pale face. "I will give you another tattoo, pal. Tell me what your plan is?"
"I just did, John Sheppard."
"And stop saying my name!" he flared, more unnerved than he let on. He drew the blade along the skin. Cutting the flesh. Red blood bubbled as he drew the knife right up to Todd's eye. Paused. Todd didn't flinch. A breath of air hissed between his lips. "What is the plan? Tell me now or you lose the eye!"
Todd shoved himself forward, into the knife. John jerked backwards, the blade narrowly missing the alien's eye and instead cutting into his brow. Todd laughed. "I will feast on you as I did before, only this time I will savor your defiance to the last breath that you take."
"What the fuck is the plan?" John snarled, grabbing Todd's hair and yanking back his head to expose his throat. John held the blade there. "I will kill you now if you don't tell me!" He stabbed the point of the blade into Todd's neck. Blood spurted. Todd made a sound of pain. Surprise. "Tell me!" John ordered. He could hear Rodney's voice in his ear, ignored it.
"Contact! Location! Coordinates! Information!"
"When? When?" John could hear Rodney's frantic voice. He could hear boot steps running towards the room. Men preparing to stop him. To intervene. John slid the knife down to Todd's crotch. Held it there as he leaned close. Lips almost touching Todd's ear. "I don't know if you even use this thing but I will cut if off and fucking geld you if you don't answer me! When?" He jabbed the knife.
Todd squirmed, hissed in pain. He struggled against the bonds, the cuffs. "The eclipse of the moon when the signal will be strongest!"
"John! God damn it, John!" Rodney shouted.
John withdrew the knife, freed Todd and stepped away, sheathing it as men flooded the room, Rodney at their head. "I'm done here. He's all yours."
Men entered the cell, guns at the ready. They untied Todd, removed the cuffs. Instantly Todd was on his feet but instead of attacking he touched his face, moving away from his captors. Injured. Furious. But patient, so patient.
"Damn it, he needs medical! Stun him and get Jen down here!" Rodney ordered. As Todd fell to a blast of energy he rounded on John. Shoved him bodily away from the cell. "What the fuck were you doing?"
"Getting answers, Rodney, like you wanted but didn't have the balls to do."
"And? And?"
"And whatever is coming, it's coming soon. When is the next eclipse of the moon?"