It was dark. A blanket of stars were staring to appear in the hazy sky and the world was beginning to loose its silence to joyful croaking of the night's creatures. There was no joy in Carter and Teal'c's situation. They had managed to escape their confinements and were somewhere in the village, desperately searching for a way out.
"Teal'c, we've been past that...floral arrangement ten times now." Carter crouched behind a low wall.
"I agree. We are going in circles." Teal'c moved beside Sam to take a look over the wall. In the village, the streets were quiet. Lights were on in the houses, taverns and public bathing places and every now and then the pair could make out silhouettes walking past the open windows. The night was warm and a little humid, but it was pleasant.
So far there was no sign of anyone out looking for them. Sam had put it down to the possibility that the four guards and Rhadamanthus hadn't been found yet. Both of them hoped that it would stay that way; at least until they could find a way out.
"Major Carter, I see a way out."
Sam lifted herself to look over the wall. Teal'c was pointing to a small crack in the side of the fortified structure that surrounded the perimeter. It looked like it was just big enough for a person to squeeze through.
"How did we miss that?"
Teal'c almost smiled, "If we had been looking for something similar, we would have seen it earlier."
"Right. I was looking for a gate or something."
"As was I."
Sam grinned. "Okay, let's go."
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Rhadamanthus stood, the discs in his crooked back grinding with each move.
He stared at the four bodies on the floor. Spitting the blood out of his mouth he snarled,
"Incompetence!"
He straightened his body and began to move towards the stairs. Making it half way up, he stopped when he noticed someone coming down the stairs.
"Who are you?" The staircase was well lit, but his vision was blurry
"My Lord, I have come to let you know that the two scouts you sent to look for Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson have not yet returned."
Rhadamanthus wrinkled his forehead and shuffled a little further up the stairs.
"I am going to have many....many Significants this time around..." He mumbled.
"My Lord, you are injured. Is there something you wish me to do?" His vision beginning to return, Rhadamanthus finally worked out who was speaking. The young, muscular man stepped back to let Rhadamanthus continue his climb.
"Telamon... there is a job you can help me with. My son, you are probably the only man alive who I can depend on."
Telamon took his father's arm and walked him to his bedroom. He was having difficulty holding in the feeling of anger. He had never seen Rhadamanthus bleed before. Never. There hadn't been a war or fight in his lifetime that had affected Rhadamanthus physically. Now, seeing him like this, a rising anger was brewing in his chest. Once he had his father seated, he knelt before him.
"Father...your nose. I shall fetch some water." He stood up to leave, but was stopped.
"No. There are more important matters to attend to. Sit beside me. I shall tell you what I need you to do."
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"Hey, are we there yet?" Jack flicked a leafy branch out of his face and squinted into the darkness. Filtered through the trees, there was a light glow up ahead. On second glance, Jack noticed that the glow was a lot higher up than he thought. He scratched his head.
Ajax smiled, "Elysium. We are almost there."
"You're gonna make us climb that...mountain aren't you."
"It is no mountain compared to that which is home to Rhadamanthus. We will be outside the gates after a short, steep climb. No more."
10 minutes later, they were outside the fortified perimeter looking for a way in.
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On the other side, Carter and Teal'c were making their way to their "exit". Flattening themselves against the smooth stone wall, they did their best to stay in the shadows. Finally, Sam's fingers ran over a rough patch and she turned slightly to peep through the crack.
"Found it." She glanced back at Teal'c. "You first Teal'c. If you get stuck, I'll find another way out."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side, failing to see the humour in the situation. Never-the-less, he slipped past Sam and began to squeeze through the crack, shoulder first. Sam took the opportunity to pass her gaze over the city. Still no-one out looking for them, she thought. She could hear muffled grunting from beside her. Poor Teal'c was almost through, but his muscular limbs were protesting against the pressure.
"Teal'c, you okay?"
"I am through Major Carter."
Sam took one last look behind her, then slipped through the crack. She had a little less trouble than her Jaffa companion, which she was utterly thankful for. She imagined Teal'c would have a few scratches to comply with after his trip.
Safely outside Elysium, Carter and Teal'c made their way along the wall, trying to find a less tree-dense area to navigate through.
Teal'c was walking ahead of Sam, perhaps a little too far ahead. Sam wasn't worried, as long as she could see him. She had to admit that, although the night was warm and pleasant, the silent whispering through the trees and the call of the unnamed wildlife had her slightly unnerved. It was just too quiet, and there were too many darn trees. So many in fact, that she failed to see nor hear the shadow that was following them....and all of a sudden, where the hell was Teal'c?
Sam stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears were straining to hear him, but there was nothing.
"Teal'c?" She called out softly.
There was no reply.
Instincts told her to press on. Hopefully Teal'c was just up ahead, waiting for her to catch up. She started to move again only to hear a faint snap behind her. She froze and slowly turned around.
"Teal'c?"
After a few long moments she breathed easily again and chastised herself, "There's nothing there Major what the hell are you doing?"
Turning back once more, she knew she'd have a hard time catching up with Teal'c now. She quickened her pace, trying to keep her footsteps light and silent.
After a little while, she came into contact with something hard. Stone. The wall must have changed direction. She turned in the direction the wall was running in. She'd have to venture straight into the forest now. Great, she thought, just when I was beginning to catch up.
There was another snap. Louder than before...and closer too.
"Teal'c? For Pete's sake is that y-" Sam didn't get to finish her sentence, nor did she get time to cry out for help.
From behind her, a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist, a rough hand was clamped over her mouth and she was pulled against someone. She struggled, but there was no way her captor was letting go.
"I will make sure that you are very, very sorry for breaking my father's nose."
Sam froze, recognising Telamon's voice.
He slid his hand off Carter's mouth and reached into his pocket.
"Telamon. Look I'm sorry about your dad's nose but he-"
"Spare me Major." Telamon wasn't going to be swayed by diplomacy, pulling an object from his pocket and embedding it just above Sam's collarbone.
Just like before, her world began to spin. The few colours that she could make out in the dark began to merge and her ears began to ring. She felt the dart being pulled from her neck. She felt rough hands at her waist, turning her around. The last thing the drugged Major recalled before she blacked out, was the sharp jolt of her almost lifeless body being thrown over Telamon's shoulder.