"Rodney, is there a reason why you're fidgeting?" John tried to keep the smile from his face as he watched Rodney wriggle his shoulders. He looked back toward the gate-room stairs as Elizabeth descended them and approached his team.

"Oh, I don't know, could it be the wool blend I'm wearing?" Rodney snapped back. "Did I not tell you I was allergic to wool?"

"I am sorry, Dr. McKay," Teyla tried to reason, "but that is the softest blend our people have."

"The things I do for this city…," Rodney muttered.

John shifted his knee length duster forward on his shoulders, feeling his holstered nine-mil rub on the underside of his arm. He'd never liked shoulder holsters, always preferring to have his side arm handy at his thigh, but the key here was concealment. He had to admit, the rich brown tunic he wore was slightly itchy; he'd grown used to the nice cotton t-shirts common in Atlantis' standard issue. But as he shifted his weight, he had to admire the soft flexibility of the calf-high boots, despite their sturdy soles that protected his feet. The light brown trousers were nice too, not too heavy, even if they were a little more form fitting than he liked.

Ford and McKay were attired similarly, as were Teyla and Sora, save their shirts, which were midriff length. Everyone wore knee length dusters to conceal the shoulder holsters and nine-mils they carried. The exception was Sora, who was unarmed but wore a duster anyway. Inside pockets on the dusters held extra clips for their guns, radios and their GDOs. The clothing was vague enough to belong to any number of worlds in the galaxy.

Sora's gaze, directed at where his gun hung, concealed, grabbed John's attention. "I still think I should…," she started.

"Nope," John cut her off. "Not gonna happen. You're not getting a gun." He arched an eyebrow at her. "I'm trusting you, Sora, but there are limits."

She sighed loudly before nodding. "In your place, I think I would have the same reaction." She frowned. "I still do not like it, Major."

John's other brow joined the first. "Get used to it." He looked away as Elizabeth approached the group.

"Major, all set?" Elizabeth looked around at the team, unable to completely hide the hesitation from her expression.

John nodded. "Yeah, ready as we'll ever be. We'll let you know when we know something." He watched Elizabeth's eyes travel from one of them to the next, her gaze lingering the longest on Sora. She looked back at him.

"Be careful, Major." She looked around again. "That goes for all of you."

He smiled. "Keep the porch light on." He looked back at the gate as the last chevron locked and the wormhole flushed into existence. Taking a deep breath, he led his team through.

John stopped just as he emerged from the wormhole, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the gathering darkness of twilight. He cautiously walked forward a few steps while the rest of his team emerged behind him and the gate deactivated. "Ford?" He questioned.

"All clear, sir," Ford immediately responded.

John glanced at Sora. "Which way?"

She looked around for a moment, before pointing to a narrow path just left of the gate. "This way."

"You're sure?" John asked.

"Because getting us lost would be so not good," Rodney hastily added. "Ow!" He fell silent as John poked him in the bicep.

Sora nodded. "It has been a while since I have been to this planet, but I am sure." She started off only to be stopped by John's hand on her arm.

John's patient smile was barely visible. "You're behind me. I'm on point." He looked back at Ford. "Lieutenant, you're on the six. Let's go." He started down the path, which washeavily overgrown. John counted it a miracle that he could find his way at all as every branch he pushed back seemed to be replaced by another as he made his way down the narrow, winding trail. "How long until our first stop?" He briefly looked back at Sora, before returning his attention forward.

"It is not far," Sora reassured him. She was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I know where we are going, Major. It is I who should lead."

John smiled and shook his head. "Nope. Anything we run into runs into me before my team."

"I am not a member of your team."

John smiled at the puzzlement he heard in her voice. "Here and now, you are." They walked on in silence, and John found his thoughts dwelling on the Genii that followed quietly behind him. Had he not been all business at that moment, he would've chuckled at the entire situation he found himself in. A few months ago, had anyone told him he'd be leading a team with a Genii on it, relying on her for intel, and even for the safety of his team, he would've soundly told them they were wacko. But here he was, traipsing through a dark forest doing exactly that. He sighed quietly, his moment of ironic humor fading. Deep down, he felt he'd read her right, but hell, he'd thought he'd read Elena of Dagan right, and yet now he was leading a risk-laden mission trying to recover the Potentia. John pursed his lips. You better not be double-crossing me, Sora.

Teyla's quiet voice derailed John's thoughts. "Can you trust this Zenel, Sora?"

He heard Sora snort softly.

"He is a spymaster, Teyla. You never truly trust a spymaster."

"Somehow, that isn't reassuring," Rodney quipped.

"He was a lifelong friend of my father," Sora continued. "I trust him as much as possible."

"That's pretty vague." John cast another quick look over his shoulder, before returning his attention to the path.

"Yes, it is." Sora admitted without hesitation, before falling silent again.

It wasn't long until John felt Sora's hand on his shoulder. He stopped and looked back at her. "What?" he whispered.

"We are close." Sora stepped around him. "It would be best to let me go first."

John pursed his lips. "You're sure you know the password?" Even through the near darkness, John could see Sora's cynical smile.

"No, but I hope I do. It could get… serious if I am wrong."

John stared at her a moment. "I'm going with you in case things get… serious." He looked back at the other three. "Cover us. If this blows up, we'll need to beat a hasty retreat."

"Yes, sir." Ford nodded and drew his sidearm. "We've got your back."

"Great," Rodney muttered, but he grabbed his concealed gun anyway.

Teyla also drew her gun. "Be careful." She nodded at John and then Sora. "Both of you."

"Always," John replied. He followed as Sora continued down the path and into a clearing surrounding a small cottage on the edge of the village. Two men loitered just outside the cottage, both stiffening as Sora and John emerged from the treeline.

John's instincts sharpened as he noted the alert stature of both men. He followed close to Sora, his heart beating faster as adrenaline surged through him, but he held onto his relaxed demeanor. He glanced at Sora, nodding slightly in approval at the way she also appeared relaxed and confident.

"Who are you?" the first man demanded. He had a Genii-style handgun held close to his side.

John risked a glance at the other man, who sat on a log near the building, another handgun well within his reach.

Sora stopped and stood with both hands on her hips. "My identity is none of your concern. I am a member of Commander Kolya's strike team and that is all that you need to know."

Mildly surprised at her tone, John nonetheless played along. He hardened his gaze and glared at the second soldier before meeting the gaze of the first one.

The first guard cocked his head. "What's the password?"

"Tunnen grass." Sora replied immediately.

John stared hard at the first guard, looking for any sign that they'd been discovered.

Slowly, the guard relaxed and nodded. "You may pass, Genii loyalist."

Sora nodded once, curtly. "Your vigilance will be noted." She looked at John. "Bring the others."

"Others?" The guard stiffened again and John's gaze quickly returned to him, but Sora remained in a relaxed stance.

"Of course. You did not think I would bring in my people before I had assessed the situation? How did I know whether or not you were loyal?" Without waiting for a response, she again looked at John. "Signal them."

Internally resisting the order she gave him, John glared at her a moment, before arching a brow at her smug expression. "Right away." He turned and waved at the tree line.

Before long, Ford, Teyla and Rodney emerged.

Sora walked to the door. "We require guns and ammunition. Stand guard here and alert me if anyone else approaches."

John looked at Ford. "Stay here and keep a sharp eye out." He cast a suspicious glance at the two soldiers, before turning a mildly cynical look at Sora. "If that's okay with you?"

The smugness on Sora's expression deepened slightly. "Of course it is." She looked at Ford. "Stay here."

Ford's face was momentarily confused as he looked from Sora to John, who nodded slightly. Ford grimaced slightly and looked back at Sora. "Yes… ma'am."

John, Teyla and Rodney followed Sora inside the cottage. John stopped just inside and looked around. The small cottage put Atlantis' armory to shame. Weapons of all types lined the walls, and boxes, presumably full of ammunition for all the weapons, were stacked all around him. "Damn," he muttered. "Only two guards to watch this?"

Sora nodded as she grabbed a Genii side arm and handed it to Rodney. "Outwardly, yes. Trust me, had they fired even one shot, more would have descended on us before we were been able to react." She handed each of them a handgun, before quickly rummaging through several boxes. "One of these must have extra ammunition for the guns, we need to find it…ah!" She pulled out several thigh holsters and passed them out.

John secured an extra weapon and thigh holster for Ford, and slung it over his shoulder. Then he took a moment to wrap another gun belt around his waist and tie the small length of rawhide binding around his thigh. He holstered his Genii gun, and started looking through some of the other boxes. "I feel like a mercenary," he muttered, as he rifled through a box.

"You look like one," Sora commented as she rummaged through another box.

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not," John replied.

"I'm pretty sure it's not," Rodney piped in as he opened another box. "It's so ironic. Dr. Rodney McKay, one of the foremost experts on wormhole physics and, well, just about anything, reduced to common thug."

John rolled his eyes. "Just pray they don't call your bluff, McKay. Somehow I don't think nagging them to death is very intimidating."

"Hilarious." Rodney snapped.

"Sora?" Teyla's quiet voice ended the verbal sparring between John and Rodney. "I believe this is what we are looking for?" She held up a clip of ammunition looking surprisingly similar to a nine-mil clip.

Sora nodded. "That is it."

John's attention returned to Sora just in time to watch her holster a side arm and wrap the holster around her waist. She paused as she buckled it and met his stern gaze with a challenging one of her own. He glanced at the other two, who were watching the silent exchange, before looking back at Sora.

"Major, it would hardly fit our cover if I left here unarmed," Sora reasoned quietly.

John shook his head and sighed loudly. "All right. Fine." He stared hard at her. "Don't make me regret it."

Sora nodded once and finished securing the holster to her leg.

Teyla handed out extra clips to each of them, and handed two more for Ford to John, before closing the box. Sora headed for the door, and John followed right behind her, fighting the knot in his gut at her being armed. He didn't see that he had much choice: she had a point about their cover, and it wasn't like they could fight it out right then and there. In the back of his mind, he wondered if she'd planned this all along. Damn it, I knew she gave up on the nine-mil argument too easily! He found himself wondering what else she had up her sleeve.

Outsite, he stared pointedly at Ford as he handed the lieutenant the extra sidearm and clips.

"All's good here," Ford answered. "We were just starting to get along." He flashed a tense, cold smile at each guard before wrapping the sidearm holster around his waist.

Sora nodded at both guards. "You have done well. I will be sure to inform my superiors. Carry on." Sora confidently headed for the village.

When they were out of earshot from the cache house, John grabbed Sora's arm, stopping her. He smiled smugly. "I'm on point, remember?" He let go of her arm and started across the clearing towards the not so distant village. "There?" He pointed at the faint lights.

"Yes." Sora followed closely behind him. "Zenel's inn is on the far side of the village square."

It didn't take them long to reach the village. As they crossed the square, Sora pointed at a building.

"That is it," she confirmed.

John approached the building and stopped. He glanced back at his team. "Stay sharp." Without another word, he opened the door and walked inside.

The main room was dimly lit, the majority of the light being supplied by a large fire pit in the center of the room and a fireplace on the far wall. A few people mingled around, sharing drink and food, but the place was far from what John would call busy.

Sora stepped around him, her gaze traveling over the room until it settled on a graying man standing just behind the bar. She glanced at John and nodded slightly. "That is him. It would be best if I went alone."

John shook his head. "Nope. No way."

"Major," Sora hissed, "You do not approach a spymaster in hordes. There are too many of us. He will be uncomfortable, regardless of who I am."

John sighed. "All right." He looked back. "Ford, Rodney, Teyla, you three find a table and wait."

"Great," Rodney muttered, "leave the scientist in the dark…."

"McKay." John's glare ended Rodney's protest. While the other three found a table, John followed Sora across the room.

Sora stopped at the bar and smiled at the man. "Zenel," she said quietly.

The man stared at her for a moment, before smiling back. "Sora, daughter of Tyrus. How long has it been?"

John stood quietly behind her. He glanced around the room, before looking back to Zenel.

Sora crossed her arms on the bar. "Too many years, Zenel."

Zenel's smile faded. "I heard tell of your father, Sora, I am sorry." His gaze hardened. "If Lanteans come through here, they will not escape. Your father will be avenged."

John stiffened, struggling to hold onto his neutral expression as his gut clenched in anger and alarm. He never expected the spymaster to be exactly nice about him or his people. In fact, Sora had made it plain he probably would want to kill his people on sight if he learned of their identity. But to hear it from his mouth and see the spite in his eyes tripped all kinds of alarms in John's head. He'd been a target before, this was nothing new, but it didn't mean he liked it. He looked back to Sora, but she seemed to be unsurprised.

She nodded once. "I have no doubt of that, Zenel. The Lanteans will be dealt with, as any other enemy of the Genii. Their continual threat and deception will not be ignored."

John's internal alarms rang louder as he watched her impassive expression.

Zenel leaned in close to Sora. "Your father would be proud. If any Lanteans come through here, they will not leave alive."

Sora smiled coldly. "That is good to know, Zenel. I wish you good hunting. Though, I think Cowen would disagree with your… disposing of them. At least immediately, before they could be interrogated."

Zenel shrugged. "Not even Cowen could disagree if we were forced to kill them in self defense. The Lanteans would fight." His expression turned dangerous, "We would not give them a choice."

John clenched his jaw, knowing a hard look had crept over his expression, but allowing it anyway. There was a dangerous edge to the man's bearing. A life-long soldier, John knew a killer when he saw one. He stared evenly back as Zenel's eyes met his.

"Zenel," Sora's words grabbed the spymaster's attention, "I need information."

Zenel glanced at each of John's team before once again looking at Sora. "About what?"

"The Potentia," Sora replied immediately.

Zenel nodded thoughtfully. "Kolya has moved quickly for you to be here so fast. I only sent word on to the home world yesterday."

"Has anyone gone after it?" John ventured, earning himself a glare from Zenel. The spymaster looked at Sora for a moment before coolly meeting John's gaze. "I have been informed that Cowen has already dispatched men."

"Zenel," Sora interjected quietly, "we need to know where it is."

Zenel stared at her for a moment before nodding slightly. "Join your companions at the table. I will bring you some food." Without another word, he turned away.

Sora glanced at John and nodded before she headed for the table occupied by the other team members.

John took a moment to sigh quietly and then followed her.

They had no sooner sat down than Zenel brought them a tray of what looked a lot like the Pegasus equivalent of sandwiches, and mugs of a robust drink that to John smelled a lot like ale.

"I wonder if…?" Rodney started.

"Probably not," John interrupted with a smug smile.

"What?" Rodney glared at John.

"Citrus," John immediately answered. "I doubt it has any citrus in it."

Rodney's grunt was annoyed as he grabbed his cup.

John looked at Sora as she carefully wrapped the right hand half of her sandwich in a cloth napkin and slid it into her coat pocket. She looked at him and nodded once, before taking a sip of her ale.

"Eat," she muttered. "Then we will leave."

Whether it was nerves, or no one was hungry, the entire team, including, surprisingly enough, Rodney, only nibbled at their food. Apparently convinced form had been served, Sora glanced at John and stood, waiting for him and the rest of the team to follow her lead. As he rose, she looked over her shoulder at Zenel and nodded once at him before she headed for the door. John also glanced at Zenel, feeling the hairs on his arms stand up at the man's icy gaze. Without a word, he led his team after Sora and out of the inn.

As they left the village and headed for the gate, John slowed and walked beside Sora. He eyed her suspiciously. "Pretty convincing argument for killing us on sight," he said quietly.

Her smile was calculated as she arched a brow at him. "It is part of the cover, Major. Or do you think he would have been so free with information if he doubted my resolve?"

John pursed his lips as he mulled over her words. His gaze hardened as he again looked at her. "I hope that's all it is." Sora looked away from him, but said nothing, an action that didn't really instill confidence in him. He sighed. "Right."

Silence fell over the group as the left the village.

Rodney finally spoke. "Okay, correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we just leave without getting the information we came for?"

"You're wrong," John replied smugly. He looked at Sora. "It's in your pocket, isn't it?"

Sora smiled, stopped and pulled the half sandwich from her pocket. "Light?"

John glanced at Rodney. "Light?"

Rodney rummaged through his coat pockets. "Rodney, light. Rodney fix this. Rodney, explain that…"

"Rodney." John interrupted the doctor's quiet mini-tirade.

"What?" Rodney's tone was annoyed.

"Light." John smiled mischievously, his smile only deepening at Rodney's exasperated sigh.

"Fine!" Finding a small penlight, Rodney twisted the end, deftly providing a thin stream of bright light.

Sora carefully unwrapped the sandwich, lifted one end, and pulled a small piece of parchment from under the meat. She tossed the sandwich into a nearby bush. Gently unfolding the scrap of parchment, she held it under the light.

"It's a gate address," Ford commented.

"No kidding, Ford," Rodney shot back.

John raised his hand at Ford, who was on the verge of a response.

"Does anyone recognize it?" John's gaze traveled from Rodney to Teyla to Sora as each one shook their heads.

"Great." John muttered. "Okay, if Cowen already has people there, then we don't have time to go back to Atlantis. We need to gate there and at least assess the situation." John glanced at Ford. "Lieutenant, you're on point. Double-time it for the gate. I'm on the six. Let's go."

Without another word, the five of them ran off through the woods.

Approaching the gate, John stopped and looked around, his gaze trying to pierce the darkness. He glanced at Rodney. "Anyone home? And," he raised his hand, stopping Rodney from pulling the LSD from his coat, "be discreet about it. That thing is a dead giveaway."

Rodney reached inside his duster and fiddled with the LSD, its muted beeps still escaping from under his coat. He craned his head to peer under the coat's lapel and grunted. "Not that I can tell. Doesn't mean they're not out of range and still around…."

"Damn," John muttered. He turned towards Sora. "Is there a chance anyone is monitoring the gate?"

He sensed Sora's thoughtfulness in the silence that preceded her response.

"It is possible, especially if Cowen has already dispatched men to retrieve the Potentia… and if we were observed speaking with Zenel or approaching the cache house without us knowing it."

John looked around, frustration welling in him. "Just because the LSD can't pick them up in range, doesn't mean they're not there, right?"

Sora sighed. "That is correct. We could be being observed through a distance viewer, or even have radio signals intercepted." She straightened slightly in pride. "The Genii do have the technology."

John shook his head. "We can't risk someone picking up the radio signals or even seeing us dial Atlantis. That damn DHD lights up like a Christmas tree. Pretty easy to see the address through binoculars. We blow our cover, and this whole thing is screwed." He nodded once at Rodney. "McKay, dial the planet. Elizabeth is just going to have to wait."

John watched the gate hum to life as Rodney entered Zenel's address. He shook his head. He didn't like going to another planet without letting Atlantis know where they were, but he didn't see how they had any choice. He glanced at Sora, who looked back at him, her expression neutral. You better be on the level here. His attention returned to the gate as the wormhole flushed into existence. Without a word, he led his team through.

Once again, John emerged from the wormhole first. Where it had been the pitch dark of night on the planet they'd just left, the full daylight sun greeted him. He walked a short distance from the gate and waited for the rest of his team.

Squinting as his eyes adjusted, he looked around. Open grassland met his gaze, with rocky hills and cliffs beyond. Where the first planet had been densely forested, not a single tree graced the vista here. The soldier in him felt uncomfortably exposed. He made a final sweep of the open horizon, senses sharpening, before he glanced at his team. "Spread out. Hopefully there's some clue on where to go around here… somewhere…." He let his voice trail off as his team fanned out, searching the area around the gate.

It didn't take long before Teyla's voice grabbed his attention. "Major? I have found something."

John walked over to Teyla's position, and the rest of his team joined them. He looked down, his gaze fixing on a small stone tablet hidden in a natural cluster of rocks not far from the gate. Ancient runes covered the top half of the stone, while the distinct symbol of the Brotherhood dominating the lower half of the tablet. Unlike the relics on Dagan, the tablet wasn't worn with the passing of millennia. Each symbol and letter was crisply carved, and it was abundantly clear the tablet had been made only recently. Its coloring was almost identical to the rock formations around it, which provided impressive camouflage. It was a wonder Teyla had spotted it in the first place. He smiled at her. "Nice catch, Teyla."

She nodded slightly back at him.

John glanced at Rodney. "That's obviously the sign of the Brotherhood, so we're on the right path. Have you any idea what the Ancient writing says?"

"Huh," Rodney grunted before he translated the writing. "It says 'Blessed be the Ancestors. Their splendor is remembered through the crumbling pillars of time. What once was great now lies asunder, but the might of the Ancestors hides within.'"

"What does that mean?" Ford asked, his confusion echoed by the others expressions.

"The might of the Ancestors could be the Potentia," Sora ventured thoughtfully.

"Asunder," John mused quietly. "Broken, tore apart, ruined…". His gaze widened as the pieces suddenly came together in his head. Rodney, it appeared drew the same conclusion, as his voice joined John's.

"Ruins!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Of course!" Rodney went on excitedly, "it makes perfect sense! Their splendor is remembered through the crumbling pillars of time! What was once great now lies asunder! That has to be the ruins of a city, or building, or something Ancient!"

"And 'the might of the Ancestors hides within' means the ZPM is hidden there," John supplied.

"Yes!" Rodney's expression deflated slightly. "Of course, we could be entirely wrong."

John arched a brow, "Try to stay positive, Rodney. You have to admit, it'd be one hell of a coincidence if we're not right."

"Well… true." Rodney shrugged slightly.

"So, where are the ruins?" Ford interjected, his simple question silencing all of them.

John sighed. "Good question, Lieutenant." He glanced around. "Okay, we have one clue, there have to be more. Keep looking."

Again, his team spread out around the gate, but this time it was Ford who made the next discovery.

"Sir," he waved at John, "over here."

John crossed the large space in front of the gate and looked over Ford's shoulder. Fresh boot treads marked the soft dirt and led off into the grass. John glanced at Sora. "Look familiar?"

She stared at the tread for a long moment before shaking her head. "I'm not sure. Tracking was never something I was good at." Her expression turned slightly embarrassed.

"Great." John sighed before nodding once. "Okay. It's worth a shot. Let's go." Taking point, he started through the grass, periodically glancing down, his eyes finding scattered boot tracks along the way.

"Excuse me," Rodney's voice was typically annoyed, "but did you stop to consider this could be completely unrelated?"

John smiled slightly before looking back. "Look, Cowen's people are looking for the same thing we are. These could be their tracks, in which case we need to know what they're up to. They could lead to the ruins. Or they could lead to other people, and we can ask them if there are any ruins in the area."

"In other words, a wild-goose chase." Rodney glared at John, who arched a brow.

"I prefer to call it a lead." John smiled briefly and returned his attention forward.

"The land certainly is… flat," Teyla commented softly after a while as she followed behind Rodney.

"Not a lot of cover to work with," Ford muttered.

John looked back at his team. "Not an easy ambush either," he pointed out. His gaze momentarily found the Stargate as it disappeared on the distant horizon.

"Major."

John looked forward again, spurred on by Sora's voice. He nodded quietly to himself, before flashing a smug smile at Rodney. "Wild goose chase?"

Rodney's expression soured. "Lucky shot."

Just becoming visible on the horizon was a huddle of ruins littering the wide-open valley. They were overgrown and disintegrating, and not much was left of the stone pillars, but it was clear that at one time, long ago, the scattered pieces of rubble had formed an impressive structure.

John walked forward a few more steps and looked around. "I've lost the tracks. Anyone see anything?" He grimaced as each of them looked around before shaking their heads. A faint alarm went off inside him. He sighed. "Don't really like disappearing tracks…." He stared at the distant ruins for a moment, before starting towards them.

As they drew closer, he stopped, his eyes moving from one piece of rubble to another. He momentarily looked back at Rodney. "McKay?"

Rodney pulled his LSD from his coat pocket and tapped a few keys. He shook his head. "Nothing. No life signs in range of us."

"And range would be…?" John questioned pointedly.

Rodney shrugged. "About a hundred yards."

John nodded silently. His hand settled on the Genii sidearm strapped to his thigh, its wide grip feeling strange against his palm. He started forward again. "Any sign of the ZPM?"

"Not sure…." Rodney's voice trailed off and John looked back at him, his gaze narrowing.

"It's a ZPM, what do you mean you're not sure?" he questioned.

Rodney glared at him. "I mean I'm not sure! I'm getting some strange readings, almost like interference. I can't pinpoint it."

John's gaze intensified. "Natural or artificial interference?"

Rodney shook his head. "I don't know. I'm still not reading any life signs though."

John stared for a moment at Sora, suspicion rising in him. She met his measured look with an innocent one and shrugged in response. Unconvinced, he still nodded slightly. "Okay. Sora, you're with me. Everyone look around, but stay sharp." He walked further into the ruins with Sora as his team moved away, each covering a small sector.

"Major?" Sora offered as she looked over a nearby crumbled pillar. "I am not deceiving you."

He had been bent over another stone, but her words grabbed his attention. He straightened and gave her a very direct look. He kicked a small stone. "I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." He rubbed his hands together briskly, brushing the dirt from his palms. "I hope you're telling me the truth."

She nodded, her expression neutral as she accepted his frank statement. "I am, Major."

"Ah ha!"

Rodney's exclamation ended their conversation. John walked briskly across the span of the ruins to where Rodney was bent over a large stone, his gaze focused on his LSD. From opposite directions Ford and Teyla joined them. John peeked over Rodney's shoulder at the runes on the surface of a large stone block. Although it was inverted, an all too familiar symbol was etched on it. Again, the edges of the symbol were crisp and new.

"The Brotherhood." Teyla stated frankly.

John smiled slightly as he glanced at Rodney. "McKay?"

Rodney nodded emphatically as he passed the LSD over the surface of the stone. "I'm getting energy readings."

"The ZPM?" Ford interjected, his voice filled with hope.

"Not sure." Rodney tapped another key on the LSD. "These readings are vague to say the least." Rodney tapped the screen of the Ancient devices a couple times. "I think I need to run a diagnostic on this thing…."

John craned his head and looked all over the stone. "It's just a rock, if there is a ZPM here I don't see how…" His voice trailed off as he stared at the symbol. He cocked his head slightly. "Is it just me, or is that symbol upside down?"

Rodney sighed in exasperation. "From this side of the stone, yes! That doesn't mean anything."

John pursed his lips. "Doesn't it?" While resting flat on the ground, the stone was backed up almost against a fallen pillar and only accessible from the angle that they had approached from. "You'd think," John mused out loud, "that if someone was going to go to all the trouble of carving the stone, they'd make the symbol was right side up from the only direction anyone would be approaching it…"

"Unless they didn't want it to be recognizable to the casual observer," Rodney added as he tapped a few buttons on his LSD.

"True," John muttered, his voice distracted. "But if you were to lift the stone ninety degrees…."

"The symbol would be right side up, even if you'd have to be on the other side of the stone to see it." Ford finished John's thought.

John smiled. "Yep." He arched a brow at Rodney. "Have to be able to find the thing without a LSD." He shook his head. "Could it be that simple?"

Sora walked up and pushed on the stone gently. "Sometimes the best way to hide something is the simplest way."

"Exactly." John pointed briefly at her.

"You're saying the ZPM is under the stone?" Rodney's expression was unconvinced.

"Yep." John pushed experimentally on the piece of rubble. "Give me a hand here."

Sora, Teyla and Ford all joined him, but Rodney held back. "Physical labor so isn't my thing…." He crossed his arms.

"McKay, get your lazy butt over here and help us." John glared in annoyance at the scientist, and kept his gaze on him until Rodney shoved his LSD in his coat and joined them. John tensed. "On three. One, two, three!"

As one they all heaved the stone ninety degrees and up on the back edge.

John's smile deepened as his eyes found another Brotherhood symbol showing clearly through the damp dirt that clung to the underside of the stone. This one was right side up. "Bingo," he muttered.

As one, they pushed the stone further back, leaning it against the pillar behind it, and out of their way. John knelt and dug through a thin layer of dirt until his hands met something smooth. "I've got something."

The others crouched next to him as they all cleared away the dirt from what looked like the lid to a large metal box. Finding the edge, and a clasp the secured it shut, John carefully opened the top. What met his eyes wasn't what he was expecting to see.

"What the hell is that?" Rodney looked over John's shoulder.

Instead of a graceful, golden ZPM, the box was empty, save for a small inscription on the bottom. John squinted, the writing unfamiliar to him.

"It is a Genii Storntu," Sora whispered. "A traitor's warning." Her eyes widened as she met John's gazes. "Major…."

John shot to his feet. "Damn it! We've been had!" He looked around warily. "Back to the gate, now!"

"I knew it!" Rodney glared at Sora, "I knew we couldn't trust her!"

Sora's eyes were large and round with shock. "I did not do this! I do not know what is going on!"

"Now's not the time!" John forcefully interrupted the argument. He stared coldly at Sora, grabbed her upper arm with one hand, and relieved her of her sidearm with the other. "You're with me." He looked away from her, his gaze quickly passing over his team. "To the gate! Move it!" He managed two steps before a puff of dirt right in front of his feet stopped him cold. It took a moment for him to link the small puff of dirt with the snap of a gunshot that echoed around them. Another puff of dirt almost immediately followed the first. Again, gunfire echoed around them.

"They're shooting at us!" Rodney's voice cracked.

"Cover!" Even as John shouted the order, his team was already scattering, racing for shelter. John dragged Sora with him. He dodged behind a large piece of rubble and pushed her down. "Stay put."

"Major," Sora started, her voice determined. "I did not do…"

His gaze turned cold. "Not now." He pointed at her. "Just stay quiet and stay there." Squatting next to her, he peeked around the stone, before lifting his head slowly over the top. He was rewarded with a resounding crack as the sniper landed a bullet in the dirt barely a foot away from him.

He ducked back down. "Crap! He's good." He jumped slightly as the radio in his jacket pocket crackled at him.

"We got company…." Rodney's voice was rushed and tense.

John pulled his radio out. "What the hell are you doing on the radio? The signal's probably being intercepted!"

"Oh I don't know!" Rodney's voice took on an annoyed air, "I thought maybe you'd want to know about the person coming our direction?"

John opened his mouth to reply, but was silenced by a distant, unfamiliar voice.

"You are surrounded! Come out now and you will not be harmed!"

John hesitated. "I don't think so," he muttered. He glanced at Sora, who shook her head.

"Major, they will kill you if you don't do what they say."

He grimaced. "They'll probably kill us anyway, and you know it."

"True," Sora nodded, "but they will not kill us immediately. They will want information. If we comply, we stay alive and have a chance to escape."

Distrust shouted at John and worked its way into his expression. He hesitated, his gaze narrowing at her.

Sora's attitude turned angry. "Fine. Do not believe me. But they will kill you, your team and me, where we stand, if you do not listen."

John flinched as a warning shot ricocheted off a piece of ruined column uncomfortably close to him.

"That was a warning! Next time one of you dies!" The voice sounded sincere in its coldness.

John pursed his lips and shook his head before slowly standing. He dropped the gun in his hand, and the one in his thigh holster in the dirt at his feet and stood with his hands in the air. From different directions, each of his team emerged from cover and followed his lead.

Standing not fifty feet away, a Genii soldier stared impassively at John over the barrel of a handgun pointed directly at John's head. The soldier pulled a radio off his belt and lifted it to his mouth. "Jamon, Trex, Almer, come down. We have them. Brahan, head for the gate and contact Hydus. Update him on the situation."

John's attention was focused on the gun aimed at him, and the soldier that wielded it, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed Sora stiffen in recognition of the last name the soldier mentioned. He glanced at her, cold dread passing through him, as her expression looked anything but calm. She covered it quickly, before any of their captors saw it, but that brief glimmer spoke volumes to John.

John briefly assessed the position of his team members. Sora stood just to his right, with McKay not far away on the other side of her. He looked left to Teyla then Ford, both of whom were at least twenty feet away, but standing near to each other.

John kept his hands up, but close to his body, hiding the concealed 9 mil that still rested under his arm. His team did the same. Carefully, discreetly, an escape plan whispered to him. It was a wide-open, long run to the gate; a run that would prove suicidal with no cover. John glanced around. Not far from them, the rocky hills that led up from the valley would provide them with ample cover until night when they could make a move on the gate. All they needed to do was get away….

John returned his attention to the Genii soldier as three more emerged from the rocks and headed towards the group. As they approached, they fanned out, surrounding John's team. One stood behind him, while another, on the far side of Sora, stood right behind Rodney. The third one stood behind and between Ford and Teyla.

John glanced at Teyla, catching her eye. Intensifying his gaze he stared hard at her. Please get what I'm thinking…

After a moment, Teyla's eyes widened a little. Her expression turned cunning. Her nod was barely recognizable as she looked away from him. Glancing casually around, Teyla eventually met gazes with Ford.

The first soldier walked up to John, his gun never wavering. "I am sure there are many interesting things you can tell me."

John quirked a brow. "Football stats? Everyone says Namath was the greatest quarterback of all time. Me? I prefer Marino, Montana, Young…."

The soldier smiled coldly. "You will not be so flippant when Hydus is done with you, spy."

John's surprise was genuine. "Spy? I'm no spy."

The soldier chuckled. "All spies say that."

John pushed away his confusion. "Yeah?" He lowered his hands slightly, and discreetly shifted his weight on the balls of his feet. "Well, I mean it." Suddenly, he lunged, catching the soldier off guard as he grabbed his gun arm. Before the soldier could react, John twisted his body and elbowed the man in the face, grabbing his hand and forcing him to fire three shots into the guard that had been behind John.

Simultaneously, John's team sprang into action. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Sora dashing behind McKay and soundly knocking his guard cold with a roundhouse kick.

John wretched the gun from his opponent's hand and felled him with a vicious right cross. He jumped over the unconscious man and looked up, just in time to see Teyla and Ford handily dispose of their guard. "Weapons." John curtly pointed around at the unconscious men. He turned towards Sora in time to see her relieve Rodney's guard of his side arm. Tensely, John watched as she straightened and made eye contact with him.

She stood motionless for a moment before grabbing onto the barrel of the gun and extending it to him.

John cautiously took the gun from her and nodded once, before tucking it into his belt. He looked back at Sora just in time to see her eyes widen in shock.

"Watch out!"

John spun, his eyes instantly fixing on a figure that emerged from the trees, gun drawn. He pulled his holstered gun, just as the emerging soldier fired his. From the corner of his eye, he saw McKay drop like a stone, before he and Ford simultaneously fired, leveling the soldier.

His heart pounding, John motioned his head at their attacker and glanced at Ford. "Check him."

Ford nodded once and cautiously approached the downed soldier.

Teyla was already kneeling over Rodney as John ran up. He let out a small sigh of relief as he saw Rodney's conscious face staring back at him. "McKay? You all right?" John's voice was filled with worry as he looked the doctor over.

"I've been shot! Do I look all right?" Rodney spat back. He winced in pain as Teyla pressed a pressure bandage into a wound on Rodney's thigh.

John knelt next to Teyla and nodded at her. "Lift it."

Teyla peeled back the bandage and John got a good look at the wound. He smiled in relief. "Relax, Rodney, you're only grazed. Hurts like hell, but I think you'll live."

"Unless my leg falls off from a secondary infection! You know I'm really prone to…."

"Rodney." John cut off Rodney's spooked rambling and gave him the most reassuring look he could muster. "You'll be fine." With Teyla's help, he quickly bandaged Rodney's leg and got him on his feet. John glanced at Ford as the lieutenant trotted back to them. "Ford?"

Ford nodded once. "Dead."

John looked around. "These guys aren't going to be out much longer, and I'd rather not be around when they wake up." He met gazes with Rodney. "Can you walk?"

Rodney grimaced. "Do I have a choice?"

A small, cynical smile crossed John's face. "Not really." He motioned at Ford. "Give McKay a hand."

Ford took one of Rodney's arms over his shoulders.

"Easy… easy!" Rodney spat at the lieutenant.

"Relax, McKay," Ford said placatingly. "Just lean on me, but I'm not going to carry you."

"Right. Fine. Whatever," Rodney muttered.

John drew in a deep breath. "We'll hide in the rocks and work our way back towards the gate. If we're careful, the rocks should provide us with enough cover so we're not detected. We'll wait for dark, then make our move on the gate." He looked back at the team. "I'm on point, Teyla take the six." His hardened gaze settled on Sora. "You're right behind me." Genii sidearm held firmly in his hand, he started off towards the rocky hills, his team right with him, leaving three unconscious and two dead Genii soldiers behind.

Zenel watched the last of his patrons leave the inn. Closing the door behind the final customer, his thoughts, as they had many times that day, turned to Sora. Go bravely, daughter of Tyrus.

Passing the entry to his darkened storage room on his way to finishing clearing up, he felt someone close by. He stopped and looked around. A spy all his adult life, he listened well to his instincts, and right now they were screaming at him. He cautiously peeked inside the dark room, only to run face first into a roundhouse punch. He staggered, blood seeping from his nose, and before he could recover, he found himself in the grips of two strong men, who pushed him to his knees.

"Zenel… what will we do with you?"

Zenel's gaze fixed on the darkened storeroom, his heart turning cold as he recognized the voice. "Hydus," he whispered, naming the head of Genii Intelligence.

A tall, strong man stepped from the shadows and into the light of the room. His calculating expression was cold as he stared impassively at Zenel. "You have been betraying us for some time, Zenel." Hydus stopped in front of the spymaster.

"No," Zenel shook his head. Even for a man like him, who had killed many times, the sight of Hydus and his personal team sent a cold chill through him. "I am loyal to the Genii." He barely completed his sentence before Hydus backhanded him brutally.

"Do not lie to me! We have known for some time, Zenel. We did not move on you until we could flush out a lead on who you were working for. They will, of course, be dealt with appropriately, starting with the agents that left here earlier."

Zenel's mind raced. "The address was a plant…."

Hydus' smile was more chilling than his frown. "Of course. We have operatives waiting for them. They will not escape."

Zenel broke into a cold sweat as Hydus slowly pulled a large, sharp knife from his belt sheath. "No…." He pulled against his captors as Hydus pointed the knife at him and walked close.

"I am sure there is much you can tell me, Zenel, with the proper motivation." Hydus brought the knife close to Zenel.

Light flickered through the windows from the inn's fire pit for most of the night. Somewhere near dawn, a single gunshot rang out. On its heels, the light of the fire was replaced with darkness.

Elizabeth emerged from her office, her brow creased in concern. It had been six hours since Johnand his team had left, and while Elizabeth knew they weren't exactly in the position to check in regularly, the delay troubled her. She stopped just outside her office and stared at the inactive Stargate. There were so many unknowns. Could they trust Sora? The spymaster? Any intelligence? Were her people walking straight into a trap? She shook her head slightly. If anyone could smell out a trap, her money was on John Sheppard. But still….

She walked into the control room. She nodded at Grodin.

He nodded back. "Dr. Weir. No word from Major Sheppard's team yet."

Elizabeth's smile was grim. "Thank you, Peter." She looked back at the gate. She had a bad feeling about this. There was no rational reason for her to think something was wrong, other than anything she already knew when she let them go in the first place. But in her gut, she couldn't deny the unease she felt. She arched an eyebrow and looked right as Sergeant Bates crossed the control room and stood next to her.

"Sergeant," she acknowledged softly.

"Ma'am," he replied. He looked at her for a long moment before he too stared at the gate.

"I don't like this, Sergeant," she admitted.

He grunted. "I never liked this from the beginning."

Mildly irritated, she nodded slightly.

"But…," he sighed.

She looked at him as he let the silence linger a moment.

He smiled slightly. "Given the circumstances, I understand why you did it." Something akin to a look of understanding crossed his face.

Elizabeth leaned on the railing and dropped her head for a moment, before looking out over the gate room. "Your file says you have considerable experience in covert ops."

He nodded once. "Yes, ma'am. I spent two years on off-world teams in the SGC as well."

Her gaze lost focus as she considered her options. How did she know sending more people to that planet would help? Would she just be throwing them into harm's way as well? She shook her head slightly. There were so many unknowns, and she chafed at the thought of making such weighty decisions without more facts.

"I can have a team outfitted in native clothing and ready to go in 30 minutes." Bates ventured, his voice low but determined.

In spite of the situation, Elizabeth smiled slightly. "Is it that obvious?"

He returned the small smile. "Yes, ma'am." His smile faded. "The Major should've checked in by now."

Elizabeth pursed her lips and nodded once to herself, determination taking over. Not long ago, she'd listened to her gut and sent a team after John and Rodney even when she didn't know for sure they were in trouble. There had been no way she could've known they were fighting a living, breathing Wraith on that planet, yet her gut had told her something was wrong, and it proved to be true. Had the situation not been serious, she would've laughed at the irony. Going by her gut without knowing all the facts… isn't that what she sometimes criticized John for?

She looked at Bates. "Get your team together and be ready to go. If we don't hear from the Major's team in the next hour, I want you to go after them."

He nodded once, approval flickering in his brown eyes. "Yes, ma'am." He turned smartly and quickly crossed the command deck to the back stairs.

Elizabeth returned her attention to the gate room. Was she doing the right thing? Her mind agonized over the decision, but nowhere could she find an answer. Bates seemed to agree, but he was a soldier and, differences aside, the Major was his commanding officer. It was natural for him to want to go after John, regardless of whether it was dangerous or not. Making these kinds of choices wasn't something she was familiar with. Sure, she'd had to make split-second decisions before, but those were in diplomatic proceedings where she'd had weeks and sometimes months to prepare. That was a long walk from something like this; something where the details were sketchy at best, completely absent at worst, and yet she was forced to make a judgment call.

Elizabeth pushed away from the railing and slowly walked back to her office. She just hoped her judgment was correct.

John stepped down off the steep boulder he was standing on and into a large crevice surrounded by rock formations. As his team joined him, he peeked over the edge at the distant valley they'd just left. He could just make out the Genii they'd escaped from milling about, checking the dead soldiers, and apparently talking amongst themselves. He looked back at his team, his gaze fixing first on Rodney. "How you holding up, McKay?"

"Besides being shot?" Rodney snapped back.

John hardened his gaze slightly. "Rodney."

Some of the annoyance faded from Rodney's expression. "Okay. I'm okay."

John nodded slightly as his gaze settled on Sora. His eyes narrowed slightly and he sighed quietly. He wanted to believe her, wanted to think that she was really trying to help them, and not doublecrossing them. But the trap had been perfect; and he'd fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Then again, she had warned him and probably saved him, or another member of his team, from being seriously wounded or killed.

Sensing his stare, Sora met his gaze. "I did not know about any of this, Major, I promise you," she said quietly.

"Well, forgive us for not believing you!" Rodney spat.

John shook his head slightly and looked back at the group of Genii in the distant valley. "I'd like to believe you, Sora, I really would. But, I'm not sure I can." He glanced at her as she nodded thoughtfully but said nothing more.

He returned his gaze to the valley, watching as the group of Genii started moving towards them. He pushed away from the rock. "That's it, they're on the move. Come on." He led his team through the hills, in a rough direction towards the gate.

"Major, if we stick to the rocks in these hills and do not go back to the soft grasslands, the Genii will not be able to track us." Teyla's voice was confident.

"I know," John agreed, "but they'll know we're headed for the gate anyway. Where else would we go? We're going to have to stay ahead of them, at least until dark, then make a break for the gate."

"Well, I hate to be the wet blanket here, but I'm not 'breaking' for anything anytime soon," Rodney observed as he limped along, supported by Ford.

"I know, McKay." John answered quietly. "We'll manage."

"I'm just saying…," Rodney started only to be cut off by John.

"Well, we could always leave you behind." John's small smile was cynical. He didn't need to look back to know Rodney was giving him an acerbic glare.

"Yeah, you could nag them to death," Ford quipped. "Give us plenty of time to escape in the distraction."

John's smile turned to a grin as he heard Rodney's loud, annoyed sigh.

"Fine! Pick on the hurt man!"

John's amusement faded as the rocky path turned into a steep decline. "Heads up, rough spot." Returning to business, John picked his way down the rocks, his team right behind him.

They continued following the foothills, gradually working their way back towards the gate, while long shadows from the afternoon sun followed them.

Elizabeth stood to the left of the active Stargate as Bates and his team came down the gate room stairs. Dressed in native garb, each carried a concealed 9-mil sidearm, and plenty of extra clips, but no P-90s. Sora's warning echoed in Elizabeth's head.

You would be recognized on sight, especially by a spymaster.

Elizabeth sighed. How did she know that this wasn't all part of the plan? No P-90s? Even as a civilian, Elizabeth knew going into a potentially dangerous situation without automatic weapons put her people at a serious disadvantage. Bates hadn't been keen on the idea either, but he had understood the reasoning. She smiled grimly at him as he approached her. "Given the circumstances, I want you to check in every three hours, Sergeant."

He nodded once. "Yes, ma'am." His expression sobered, but he said nothing more.

Elizabeth didn't need further words from the sergeant. His face spoke volumes. If she lost contact with him, he didn't want her to send anyone else. Atlantis's scant military infrastructure couldn't handle losing any more personnel. Not that he'd mention it out loud. Elizabeth had been around military types long enough to know any talk of not coming back was just not the done thing. She managed to add some warmth to her smile. "Be safe, Sergeant."

He nodded back, his own expression warming slightly. "Yes, ma'am." He turned to his team. "Move out."

Elizabeth watched, worry shrouding her, as his team disappeared through the wormhole.

Again, as he'd done several times before, John stopped just below a high spot, crawled up on the highest rock and peeked over the top, scanning the horizon for any sign of pursuit. "I'd give good money to know where and how close they are," he grumbled.

"Yes, sir," Ford agreed as he looked up at John.

Sitting next to Ford, Rodney poked at his LSD. "Well, this thing is useless. I think it's safe to say the interference is natural. It's something in the rocks. To use a metaphor, it's like they're one big mirror reflecting the LSD's signals back at us. I'm getting shadows and sensor echoes all over the place." Rodney dropped his head in exasperation before shoving the LSD back into his coat pocket.

"Great," John muttered.

"Major," Teyla silently crawled up next to him. "Perhaps I could backtrack and try to ascertain how far behind us the Genii are?"

John was dubious as he glanced at her. "And not get caught?"

Teyla smiled tolerantly. "Major, I have been a hunter all of my life." She looked around. "This terrain is… difficult, but not impossible." She fixed him with a determined, confident look. "They will not see me."

He stared at her a moment before shaking his head and scanning the horizon again. "If it comes to that, I'll consider it. Right now, I don't want to split the team up."

"Major…," Teyla objected.

"No, Teyla." He cut her off, his tone and expression serious.

Teyla nodded silently.

He arched a brow at Sora. "I'm betting there'll be guards at the gate?"

Sora nodded. "It is likely. Especially if this Brahan has summoned Hydus, and there is every reason to believe he has by now."

John waved his team on as he edged away from the rock and started walking again. He risked a brief glance back at Sora. "Who is this Hydus?" Silence met his question and his eyes narrowed in irritation. He stopped and faced her. "Sora?" His voice carried as much warning as his expression, but he felt some of his anger melt as he saw how pale Sora's face was. He stared intently into her brown eyes. "Sora?" he repeated, his tone more tempered.

She looked away. "He is the Head of Intelligence," she replied quietly. "Hydus is a man to be feared. Even my father, who was highly placed in the Genii military, would not cross Hydus."

John felt his concern intensify as she once again found his gaze. Something akin to fear shadowed her expression, and John took no comfort in it.

"I believe, as did my father, that if not properly controlled, Hydus could and would overthrow the leadership. He has the ability, and the resources." Sora swallowed hard.

"Why keep him around then?" Ford wondered aloud. "If he's that dangerous, why don't your leaders, I don't know, arrest him?"

Sora's half smile was cynical. "At that level of the Genii government, no one is arrested. They are… disposed of." She shook her head. "You do not kill the Head of Intelligence casually. He carries a lot of political weight and influence. It is a… delicate matter. For one thing, his men would see to any retribution, and their methods can be barbaric. There are not many people that would go against him or his men, regardless of their rank or influence. That is how he has stayed in power so long."

"Sounds like the Gestapo." Rodney muttered.

John caught Teyla and Sora's confused looks. "Secret police," he supplied. "They enforced dictatorial rule through violence, fear and brutality. Enemies of the government were dealt with, whether they were guilty of any crimes or not."

Sora nodded thoughtfully. "Then yes, to an extent, they are similar. But Hydus and his men rarely act against the Genii population. They do ensure the loyalty of the spy network, though… by any means necessary."

Part of John was appalled as he started walking again. "You think Hydus is here?"

"Yes," Sora replied. "If the matter is important enough, he would attend to it personally."

"Important enough as in a lead on us?" Rodney's voice was cold. "This is all very interesting, but how do we know you're not lying to our face? Or, for that matter, how do we know that you didn't somehow tip off Zenel or the Genii about our real identities?"

John stopped and turned quickly as he felt the absence of Sora right behind him.

She was descending on McKay, her face scant inches from his. "I did not betray you! What interest Hydus has in this planet, or us for that matter, I have no idea. I cannot explain the trap or the ambush or anything that has happened! If you do not believe me, then there is nothing I can do about it!" She inched closer to him. "But, I will not stand here and take your insults any longer!"

John was mildly surprised that McKay didn't back down. He reached out and grabbed Sora's arm, pulling her back. "All right, that's enough!" Sora pulled against him, but John held fast. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to face him. "Knock it off! We have enough to worry about without this crap!" Anger sparked in his eyes. "Stand down."

Sora backed away and nodded once.

John took a moment to glare at Rodney. Uncharacteristically silent, Rodney wouldn't meet John's gaze, but his expression was anything but cowed.

John sighed. "Let's go."

Bates' senses instantly sharpened as he emerged from the wormhole, his team right behind him. His hand slid under his duster length coat and latched onto the grip of his sidearm while he looked around, wary of any sign of trouble. Behind him, the wormhole disengaged. Bates glanced at Walker. "Any idea where to go?"

Walker pulled out an LSD and tapped a couple keys. "Four life signs coming our way through the trees," he pointed left, "from that direction."

Bates nodded once, curtly. "Cover." He led them into the thick underbrush not far from the gate's DHD.

"With any luck, it's the Major, and we can all go home," Corporal Jackson muttered.

"Since when are we ever lucky?" Sergeant Miller quipped.

Bates silenced both of them with a cold glare, before again looking at the gate. They didn't have to wait long: a faint rustling in the trees produced four men. His gaze narrowed. Their uniforms were distinctly Genii, but different than Bates had seen before. They all had the look of dangerous men, even killers, but the one in the lead worried Bates the most. His gaze was cunning, and his expression showed a cold dispassion that tripped all kinds of alarms in Bates. The man was lethal, of that, Bates was certain. And if he's after the Major….

"Damn. Genii," Walker whispered.

Bates nodded. "Can you see the DHD?"

Walker pulled out his binoculars. "Yep. Clear as day."

"Get the address they dial," Bates ordered curtly.

"Sir?" Jackson whispered.

"Those aren't ordinary Genii, Corporal. Look at them. Besides, the Genii being here is too much of a coincidence for me." Bates kept his voice low. "We may need to know later where they're going." He watched as the Genii dialed the DHD and disappeared through the Stargate.

"We gonna follow them?" Miller asked.

Bates shook his head. "Not until we're as sure as we can be that the Major and his team aren't still here somewhere."

"Then I need something to write on," Walker's voice was distracted, as he seemed to be concentrating on remembering the dialed address, "I can't remember these symbols forever." He broke off a nearby stick and quickly scratched the address into the soft dirt on the ground next to him.

"That's a problem," Miller sighed. "We all left our flak vests behind. I don't have anything…."

"None of us do," Bates frowned. He glanced at Walker. "Anyone else around?"

Walker scanned his LSD and shook his head. "Nope, we're clear."

"Ahh, time to think outside the box," Jackson stood and emerged from cover, looking around carefully. He stared at a nearby tree for a moment, before smiling smugly.

Bates and the rest of the team followed him, as Jackson pulled a knife from his belt sheath and cut into the thick bark of the tree. "Jackson?" Bates questioned. "What the hell are you doing?"

"We need something to write on, don't we?" Sheathing his knife, Jackson pulled off a thick piece of bark, about six inches long. He handed it to Walker. "Use your knife and carve it into that."

Walker smiled, took the bark and returned to where he'd written the address in the dirt.

Bates looked around, his gaze fixing on the faint trail the Genii had come from. He pointed to it. "Once Walker has the address, we'll see where that takes us." His frown intensified. The lead was thin, and he knew it. It was a big planet, and the Major and his team could've gone anywhere once they'd arrived. But his gut instinct told him that seeing the Genii returning from that direction was more than a coincidence. With no other viable options, he didn't think they had much choice but to follow his instincts.

After a minute, Walker returned. He smiled and faced the bark toward them. Distinctly carved into its surface were seven chevrons.

Bates nodded. "Keep that safe. I'm on point, Miller take the six. Move out." He strode confidently across the small clearing and headed into the woods, following the only lead they had.

Brahan nodded respectfully as Hydus and his men emerged from the wormhole. "Commander Hydus."

"Brahan."

Brahan suppressed a shudder at Hydus' cold smile. "The traitors…."

"Yes, I assume your strike team has them in custody by now?" Hydus walked away from the gate and past Brahan and looked around. "Such a boring landscape."

Brahan bit his lip and swallowed hard as Hydus looked back at him. He couldn't meet the commander's gaze, and he knew that betrayed him.

"You have lost them." Hydus' voice lacked any questioning.

"I… I only received word a few moments ago. The traitors took the team by surprise and overwhelmed them. Two of the team are dead, the other three are in pursuit as we speak." Brahan stared at the ground, part of him waiting for the commander to kill him. Cold sweat tickled his neck.

"Look at me, Brahan. I cannot stand a coward."

Brahan swallowed at Hydus' blunt statement and tentatively looked up. "Commander?"

Hydus' gaze was cunning and dispassionate. "Had you been party to losing the traitors, I would kill you where you stand. Failure is not something I tolerate."

The chilling and factual way Hydus discussed his execution sent chills up Brahan's back. He nodded. "Yes, Commander."

Hydus looked at his men. "We will stay here for a while."

"Commander?" Brahan was confused and his voice showed it. He wilted under Hydus' glare.

"It is no wonder you have not moved up in the ranks, Brahan," Hydus chided, "you do not have the intelligence for it."

Brahan flushed in embarrassment, the insult stinging him, but fear stole his voice and he remained silent.

"They have nowhere to go but through the gate, Brahan. I see no reason to chase them, when they will come to me. What is left of your pitiful team is pursuing them, and I am waiting for them here." Hydus smiled coldly. "They will not escape."

The sun was slipping below the horizon as John crouched behind a tall pillar of rock and peeked out at the Stargate. It was considerably farther away than he would have liked, but the rocky hills ran parallel to its position and there was no way to get closer without leaving them and heading into the open plains; something he wasn't willing to do until he had the cover of darkness.

He squinted and just about managed to make out five Genii guarding the gate. "Reinforcements," he muttered.

"Not just any reinforcements," Sora shook her head. "I believe that is Hydus on the left, and three other of those men are dressed in the uniforms of Genii Intelligence."

John stared hard at a tall Genii standing motionless just to the left of the gate. "Hydus and his trained thugs?" He sighed. "Great."

"The sun is behind us, Major," Teyla observed. "As soon as we emerge from these rocks, we will be visible against its light."

"They'd see us coming way before we had a chance to do anything," Ford added.

John nodded. "We wait for darkness… and hope our pursuing friends don't find us before then." He glanced at Ford. "Lieutenant, keep a sharp eye out behind us."

Ford nodded and turned his attention in the direction they came from.

John settled back against a rock, his 'take action now' side chafing at the wait. He knew it was only a matter of time before the Genii pursuing them caught up. With Hydus and his men waiting at the gate, John felt caught between a rock and a hard place. He scratched the back of his head absently as he tried to form some plan for escape.

"Major?" Sora asked, her voice tentative.

John looked at her, and arched an eyebrow at her hesitant expression. "Yeah?"

Sora looked around. "Considering the situation we are in, would it not be prudent to let me have a gun?"

Rodney's snort beat John to a reply. "Are you kidding? Why don't we just surrender now and save everyone the trouble!" Rodney snapped sarcastically.

Sora glared at him, all hesitation gone from her demeanor. "You need all the help you can get if we all want to get out of this alive."

"Sure! We give you a gun so you can shoot us in the back!" Rodney's voice rose slightly in anger.

"Dr. McKay," Teyla interjected quietly, "you are not helping."

"Teyla's right." John plastered a look of command on his face. He glared at Rodney for a moment, before turning his attention to Sora. His gaze narrowed as he studied her. If she was telling the truth, they definitely could benefit from her being armed. She was a skilled soldier. But if she was deceiving them…. "Aw, hell." John exhaled loudly. He pulled the spare Genii handgun he was carrying from his belt, grabbed the barrel and held the grip towards her. He held fast as she took hold of the weapon. "You follow my orders to the letter. Understand?"

"Yes, Major," she answered.

Her tone was respectful… but it only tempered John's unease slightly. He nodded back and, after a moment, let go of the gun, relinquishing it to her.

"Great," Rodney muttered.

John ignored him as he set his head back against the rock, wracking his brain as he tried to find a means of escape. He grimaced. "We're never going to get close to the gate without them seeing us. If we wait for darkness, then we can't see them either." John shook his head in frustration. "I don't think our pursuing friends are going to give us the time anyway."

"So stop hiding." Sora suggested.

John's brows furrowed as he looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Hiding has gotten us this far, but I do not believe it will help us anymore. But we could pretend that you are my prisoners. I can escort you to the gate at gunpoint, under the guise that you have surrendered…."

"What! You've got to be joking!" Rodney interrupted. "You want us to give you our weapons and let you take us out into the open unarmed?"

John shook his head. "McKay's right. Sorry, Sora. I'm still not convinced I can trust you at all, much less with the safety of my team."

"We will have to find another way," Teyla affirmed.

John recoiled slightly from the expression that overtook Sora's face as she shook her head vehemently. "Look around you, Major," she hissed. "There is no cover between here and the gate. The only way you are going to get close without alerting Hydus and his men is by a ruse." She froze, her stare piercing his. "It is the only way."

"Sir," Ford's voice interjected. "We're not gonna be alone for long. If we're going to do something, we have to do it soon."

John stared hard at Sora. His gaze searched her expression, looking for any clues on her real intention, but found none. He looked away, pursed his lips and nodded once. "Okay. We do it your way." He glared at her for a moment and his voice took on a dangerous note. "Don't double cross me, Sora." He held her gaze, watching as she swallowed hard, his unspoken threat clear to her.

He looked at each of his team. "Give her your side arms, but keep the concealed nine mils." He looked back at Sora. "I'm not going into this completely unarmed."

He handed her his weapon… praying he hadn't made a fatal mistake.

The earlymorning sun warmed his face as Bates led his team into the village. Around them, people bustled, going about their business, but his gaze was fixed on the inn just across the courtyard. "Ma'am?" his voice stopped a village woman who was walking past them.

She looked at them suspiciously, clearly wary of strangers.

He tried a small smile. "Is that the only inn in the village?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Yes, but it does not open until midday."

He stepped back. "Thanks." He looked at the inn as the woman walked away. "Lets give it a try. This Zenel could be there already." He led his team across the courtyard.

"Sergeant, what makes you think this guy'll talk to us?" Walker asked. "Sora seemed pretty adamant he wouldn't talk to strangers."

Bates shook his head and strengthened his resolve. "We'll have to be really persuasive then. I have a gut feeling the Major is in trouble, and we're going to do everything we can to help." He glanced at Walker. "And if that means I have to ruffle a few feathers along the way, I don't have a problem with that."

Walker nodded back, a faint smile creasing his mouth. "Yes, sir."

Bates stopped at the doorway to the inn, his senses sharpening at the partially open door. He looked back at his team, a wordless order passing between them, as all four men drew their side arms and cautiously entered the inn.

Everything seemed in order: there was no sign of burglary or forced entry. Bates looked at Walker and Jackson and motioned his head right.

Both men nodded and started around the right side of the room, while Bates and Miller circled left. Slowly, Bates approached the bar and peeked over it. He blanched at what he saw and, despite being a hardened soldier, looked away. "Think we found him," he croaked.

"Damn," Miller whispered, as he too caught sight of Zenel's body.

Jackson and Walker crossed the room and looked over the bar.

"Aw, hell," Jackson muttered. "So much for that lead."

Walker's face wrinkled. "They didn't kill him quick, that's for sure. I've seen torture but that…." His voice trailed off.

Bates holstered his gun and looked around. "Okay. The only thing we have left is that gate address. Let's go." Swiftly crossing the room, he led his team from the inn.

As they cleared the village and started into the woods, Bates broke into a brisk run, and his team followed his lead.

The shimmering wormhole did little to soothe Elizabeth's nerves as she tapped her headset. Her stomach was in knots, and had been ever since Peter informed her Bates was checking in from off world. "Sergeant? What did you find?"

"Ma'am," Bates' voice came over the radio immediately, "Sora's contact is dead. Looks like someone tortured him for information then killed him."

Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment. If she'd been unsure the Major and his team were in trouble before, now no doubt was left within her. "Major Sheppard and his team?" she asked, unable to keep a note of hesitation from her voice.

"No sign of them, ma'am," Bates replied curtly, "or Sora for that matter."

Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully at the implication of Bates' statement. Did Sora betray them? It was a question she still didn't have an answer to. "Understood Sergeant. Recommendations?"

"We spotted a group of Genii leaving shortly after we arrived. Jackson got the gate address when they dialed out. I say we follow up on that lead."

Elizabeth rubbed the bridge of her nose. "What makes you so sure Major Sheppard and his team aren't still on that planet?" Even over the radio, she could hear Bates's sigh.

"It's too much of a coincidence for me, ma'am." Bates answered. "A group of Genii soldiers, in uniforms I've never seen before, 'gating off-world when we know this spymaster probably had intel on where the Potentia might be and the Genii leadership are probably hunting the Potentia as well? The spymaster hasn't been dead for long, so it's a pretty good chance they were the killers. Maybe there's some sort of anti-government faction at work here?" He sighed again. "I don't have any hard facts, ma'am, but with the spymaster dead, and no sign of the Major's team, my guess is they got out of here just ahead of the Genii. In which case, there are some pretty dangerous characters on their tails."

"Why would the Genii kill the spymaster?" Elizabeth wondered out loud. "Do you think our people's identities were discovered?"

"It's possible. I really have no idea, ma'am. Like I said, it could be some sort of anti-government faction after the ZPM too." His voice took on a hard note. "There's something else going on here, I'm almost certain of it. My guess is the Major and his team landed smack dab in the middle of it. If that's the case, they're gonna need some backup."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Sergeant, I appreciate you wanting to help the Major, but we don't have any facts here. How do you know you're not going off on some wild-goose chase?"

"I don't." His answer was curt. "But right now, it's the only lead we have. Like I said, it's too much of a coincidence for me."

It was Elizabeth's turn to sigh. Leaning on the control room railing, she drummed her fingers on its smooth surface, as her brain tried to sort through the bits and pieces of intel she had to work with.

"Ma'am?" Bates questioned after a long moment of silence.

Nodding once to herself, Elizabeth looked up at the active gate, determination taking over her expression. "Go, Sergeant, but be careful. Routine check-ins please."

"Yes, ma'am," Bates immediately responded. "We'll do our best to keep you apprised of the situation. Bates out."

Elizabeth frowned but nodded anyway. They had no idea what situation they were going into, and there were no guarantees that anyone could check in with her on a regular basis. "Understood, Sergeant. Weir out."

As the wormhole disengaged, Elizabeth turned and headed towards the exterior door leading to the Deck. Her face showed her hesitation, and she knew it. She needed a few minutes alone to organize her thoughts.

Stepping out into the bright sunshine, she slowly crossed the Deck and stopped at the railing. Resting her hand on one of the vertical columns, her gaze traveled over the peaceful city that surrounded her. A deep, almost motherly, sense of protection welled within her. In the months they'd been in Atlantis, the city had grown on her. And now, with the Wraith less than two weeks away, she found herself in a position where she'd risk much to protect the city – and her team – from them. She knew she wasn't alone. John's words echoed in her head.

Before you ask me if any of this is desperation, I'll answer you. You're damn right it is, at least partially. I wouldn't even consider doing this if the Wraith weren't knocking on our door and that ZPM could be the one thing that stands between the destruction of Atlantis and our survival….

They all felt the kinship… the need not only to protect each other, but the city itself. Before arriving in Atlantis, she would never have considered doing something so…. She shook her head cynically. Just call it what it is, Elizabeth….

Desperate.

She didn't believe for one second that any of them were going off half-cocked, but this was beyond the boundaries of safety that she'd always tried to adhere to. If it was anything but a ZPM….

She sighed and found her composure. At this point, she'd settle for having all her people back safely, ZPM or not. Hiding her hesitation behind a mask of confidence, she turned and re-entered the control room.

Sir," Ford whispered, catching John's attention.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" John watched as Ford nodded his head behind them.

"It's them. About a hundred yards off, by my guess." Ford's words only reinforced John's decision.

"We're out of time. Let's do this." He stood and watched Sora as she pulled one of the four Genii side arms tucked into her belt and pointed it at him.

She arched a cold eyebrow. "Go."

John felt the pinch of uncertainty in his gut, but gave her a dangerous look anyway. "Be careful where you point that thing," he quipped dryly.

He and his team picked their way out of the rocks and started across the open plains towards the gate. As he suspected, it didn't take long for Hydus and his men to spot them.

The four Genii with Hydus instantly drew weapons, but Hydus himself stood quietly as Sora marched John's team towards them.

"Move it," Sora hissed, as she pushed roughly on Rodney's shoulder.

"Ouch, hey!" Rodney protested, his outburst dying as she pointed the gun at him in a no-nonsense way.

John glanced back, his jaw clenching in concern at her cold expression. He saw Sora glanced at Hydus then back at Rodney. "I said move!" she spat at him.

Rodney waved his hands. "All right, okay!"

Sora turned her cold glare at John. "Keep moving."

Anger welled inside John at her spiteful expression. Damn it….

As they approached Hydus and his men, Sora moved around beside John's team, her gaze and her gun never leaving them. "I believe these are the men you are looking for, Hydus?"

John shifted his gaze to Hydus, watching as the spymaster's eyes widened slightly in recognition as he looked at Sora. John's jaw clenched painfully. The cold, calculated hate he saw in Hydus made a killer like Zenel look like an altar boy. Capture and captivity by Hydus was something John didn't even want to consider, for before him stood a man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

"I already told you. We're not going to torture you, Sora."

"It would not be the same if our positions were reversed."

Hydus's voice broke into John's thoughts.

"Sora, daughter of Tyrus? But you were captured by…." Hydus' voice trailed off as his gaze found John's. His eyes lit with a cold, almost maniacal joy. "Lanteans." He slowly walked forward and stood toe to toe with John. "This is indeed a pleasant surprise." His eyes passed over John's team, taking in their appearances. "Of course," he muttered. "The team is all too familiar." He looked again at John. "You must be… Major Sheppard."

Sora beat John to a reply. "He is," she spat.

"You double-crossing brat!" Rodney's outburst grabbed Sora's attention. "I can't believe we fell…."

Sora pointed the gun directly at his head. "Be quiet, or I will silence you permanently."

"And you," Hydus turned his attention to Rodney, "must be Dr. McKay." Hydus waved at Sora. "No, Sora, do not kill him. The Genii will gain much from his knowledge." Hydus stepped around John and stood close to Rodney. "When he is properly motivated." He gave Sora a brief smile as he walked back to face John. "Your father would be proud." He turned, signaling his men. "Very proud. This is a fortunate day for the Genii."

John sent a scathing look at Sora, barely containing the fury inside him. He ground his teeth in frustration. How could he have read her so wrong? She'd been playing them from the beginning…. His attention returned to Hydus, who stepped aside and gestured towards the Stargate.

"Move. We return to the home world immediately."

John's gaze switched to the soldiers that walked towards him. The reality of what he and his team faced turned his blood cold. He'd been here before… knew what men like Hydus did to men like him and his team.

Despite the desert heat, the Taliban prison was cold at night. He sat in the near complete darkness, huddled in the corner, trying to ignore the pain in his ribs and the throbbing from his cheek and nose. He glanced down at Lieutenant Sevcek's head resting on his shoulder. "We'll get out of this, Checky," he muttered, not sure if his co-pilot could hear him or not. He kind of hoped the lieutenant didn't hear him; John had a hard time believing his own words. For three days, the Taliban had interrogated him and Checky…. John snorted. Interrogate, hell! Half the time they never asked a single question.

Over those three days, John found himself swaying between moments of optimism, when he believed that they'd be rescued, and pessimism, wishing the RPG that brought down his 'copter would've killed all of them, sparing him and his Rio a slow death in this Taliban hellhole.

At first the faint scuffling sounds from the outside corridor didn't register with him. By now he was used to hearing other prisoners being taken away by Taliban guards. Some left on their own two feet, only to be dragged back and thrown helplessly into their cells. Some didn't come back at all. But as a heavily armed soldier ran through the door and to his cell, John gently pushed Sevcek's head off his shoulder and stood, determined to meet whatever fate he faced with strength. The soldier pulled down a set of night vision goggles.

"Major Sheppard? We're here to get you out, sir."

John shook off the memories and forced himself to focus on the situation at hand. But, the nightmarish memories stuck with him. He'd been lucky… damn lucky the SF team had found them. From Ford's file, he knewthe lieutenant had no POW experience, and it was a given that Teyla and Rodney didn't either. John clenched his jaw. He damn sure wasn't going to let any of them find out what it was like.

"What about the others?" one of the soldiers questioned.

Hydus shrugged. "They can return and answer for their incompetence later… if they have the courage to do so."

The four Genii fanned out behind John's team. He felt the cold barrel of a gun in his back, accompanied by gruff words.

"To the gate."

He stumbled slightly as the soldier roughly pushed him. John risked a glance at Teyla, instantly recognizing the hint of fear she couldn't quite hide. He doubted anyone but he noticed it; it was carefully masked. But John had known her long enough to see it. The cold cramp in his gut intensified. Instinctively he knew that in the custody of a man like Hydus, for Teyla… a woman, it would be worse than for him or the others. John felt the fire of raw, determined anger. He couldn't… he wouldn't stand by and let that happen.

John caught her eye and poured as much reassurance as he could into his gaze. After a moment Teyla nodded back, her expression understanding.

His gaze touched on Rodney, a civilian and even less prepared for something like this, even if, deep down, John was convinced Rodney harbored a strength and measure of courage that he didn't even know he had. The Genii wanted Rodney's knowledge… his expertise, and John had a sinking feeling that once Rodney realized it, he'd redefine the concept of leverage, sacrificing himself for his team. It was a position John wasn't about to let Rodney end up in.

John sucked in a quiet, deep breath and again vowed he wouldn't let this happen to any of his team. He knew that if Hydus managed to take them through the gate, they'd never escape the Genii home world alive, not without help, and he doubted a strike team from Atlantis would have any success at all. His frown deepened. Atlantis already had precious few soldiers, especially without him and his team, and they couldn't afford to lose any more on a futile rescue attempt. Negotiating a release was also out. The Genii made it plain they wanted McKay, the price would be too steep, and he'd never put Elizabeth in the position of choosing between them and Atlantis.

John glanced at Ford. The young Lieutenant's gaze held the unasked question. Now or later? He nodded slightly, his expression darkening, and he knew the unspoken order came through loud and clear. Killing was always a last resort for John, but sometimes it was unavoidable... and this was one of those times. It was the lives of his people, or the Genii, and John knew his team would come through.

He waited… biding his time, looking for the right moment, while adrenaline surged through him. Sora was an unknown factor, but John couldn't afford to delay because of her.

Hydus dialed the DHD and waved at his men. "Take them through."

He drew in a deep breath an instant before he threw his elbow back as hard as he could, catching the soldier guarding him square in the midsection. Instantly, the rest of his team sprang into action, with the exception of McKay, who immediately dropped to the ground. In one, smooth motion, John pulled his concealed nine mil and sent two shots into the Genii's chest.

John spun towards Hydus, unconsciously flinching as Hydus was propelled backwards away from the DHD by the force of several bullets. John tore his gaze from Hydus and, for a moment, stared in shock at the spy's executioner.

Cold calculation shadowed Sora's expression as she fired one more shot into Hydus.

John's gaze found Teyla as she ducked under the swing of another Genii and spun behind him. Grabbing his head, she twisted it, breaking his neck and killing him instantly.

Another gunshot grabbed John's attention, and he turned his head just in time to see a fourth Genii fall. Ford stared at the Genii dispassionately over the barrel of his nine mil.

Then a warning shout from Rodney reached his ears. "Major! Watch out!"

John spun, his gaze finding the final Genii soldier pointing a weapon at him. He heard another gunshot even as a heavy weight barreled him to the ground. He rolled away easily, coming up in a kneeling position, his gun ready, but there was no need.

The Genii who had fired on him convulsed and fell backwards as Ford took him down with several shots. John held his gun ready. "Are we clear?" he shouted.

"Yes, sir!" Ford immediately responded.

John lowered his gun. "Everyone okay?" Hearing the affirmative answers from his team, he glanced behind him, his eyes widening at Sora's prone form. She was breathing heavily, her face contorted in pain, and blood was rapidly seeping around her fingers as they grasped her left shoulder.

"No…," she gasped.

"Damn it." John crawled over to her, sparing a moment for the rest of the team. "Teyla, Ford! Watch the perimeter. All that gunfire is going to bring our friends out of the hills pretty quick! McKay! Shut down the gate and dial Atlantis!" He nodded once at Sora as he put his hand over hers. "Take it easy." He pressed her hand firmly over the wound, wincing as she gasped in pain, her eyes squeezing shut. "Sorry." He glanced up, suspiciously eyeing the foothills, before looking down at her again. "Can you move?"

"I think so." She tried to sit up, but fell back with a strangled cry.

"Whoa…." John's voice trailed off, his gaze narrowing as movement from the foothills caught his attention. Gunfire erupted. "Take cover!"

He wasn't far from the gate, almost the only cover available. Grabbing Sora, he hauled her to her feet. Shutting out her pained cries, he threw her uninjured arm over his shoulder and half carried her towards the gate. Behind him, Teyla fired repeatedly, along with Ford, who had already taken shelter behind one side of the gate. Their combined gunfire forced a momentary retreat by the Genii, and provided cover as John dodged behind the other side of the gate. He laid Sora in the tall grass, and then peered back around the gate. "Teyla?" His gaze searched for his Athosian team member, before his eyes fixed on a barely visible form lying in the tall grass adjacent to the gate.

Teyla turned her head slightly and nodded once at him.

In spite of the serious situation, John smiled for a moment. A hunter all her life, Teyla knew how to hide well, and the browns of her clothing provided the perfect camouflage. He was barely twenty feet away from her and could hardly make her out through the thick grass. There was no way the Genii over one hundred yards away would be able to spot her.

A gunshot hit the ground near him and John ducked back behind the gate. He looked down at Sora's pained face. "Stay still." He let a slight smile play at one corner of his mouth, and nodded slightly at her, as she pulled her sidearm from her thigh holster and held it close.

He returned his attention to the task at hand. He let his head rest against the gate. "McKay!" He shouted, "Why aren't you dialing?"

"I'd rather not get my head blown off, thank you!" Rodney's annoyed voice answered.

"Sir," Ford interjected, "McKay's pinned down."

John risked a glance around the gate and at the DHD. Rodney was huddled behind the Ancient device, with no access to the keypad to dial. "Crap," he muttered. He ducked back behind the gate as another shot rang out. "This could be a problem!" he shouted.

"Oh really? What was your first clue?" Rodney shot back. "Even if I could dial, you have to get away from the gate, or the forming wormhole will kill all of you!"

John's gaze narrowed. "McKay! We're behind the gate! The wormhole is going to flush away from us!"

"I know that!" Rodney's voice cracked. "The wormhole will…. Look, do you really want me to explain this to you right now?"

"Okay!" John conceded, "I get the point!"

Another gunshot rang out. "That was close!" Rodney yelled. "Whose brilliant idea was this anyway?"

"Pipe down, McKay!" John shouted. He looked around. "We…." John's voice trailed off as he felt a strong vibration from the gate resonate through his back, an instant before the first chevron lit. "Damn it!"

"It's an incoming wormhole!" Rodney yelled. "Get away from the gate!"

"No kidding, McKay!" Ford answered as he dove away from the gate, and into the tall grass. Multiple shots rang out as the Genii tried to hit him.

From her cover in the grass, Teyla returned fire. After a moment, her shots were joined by Ford's.

Ford glanced at John. "Go, sir! We got your back!"

John looked down at Sora, who dropped her gun and extended her good arm at him. He nodded once at her, grabbed her forearm and sprang to his feet. He pulled her with him as he threw himself into the tall grass to one side of the gate an instant before the wormhole flushed into existence.

Despite her best attempts, Sora cried out in pain as she was jostled and fell heavily to the ground.

John rolled away and lay flat on his stomach. He looked back at her, his words stopped by her weak wave.

"Had no choice…," she gasped. Her eyelids grew heavy.

"Hey!" John poked her good shoulder roughly. "Hey!" He stared hard at her as she fixed glassy eyes on him. "Stay with me, Sora. Stay awake."

"Is that… an order, Major?" she muttered.

John trained his gun on the shimmering event horizon. "You're damn right it is." He squinted at the wormhole. If it's more Genii, we're screwed….

Gunfire immediately erupted from the Genii at whoever was coming through the gate.

"Hit the dirt!" one of the newcomers shouted. The men scattered and dove into the tall grass.

John's eyes widened in recognition as he too returned fire at the Genii.

The wormhole dissolved and John risked a look sideways. "Bates? I love your timing!"

Bates eyes widened as his gaze found John. "Major?"

John quelled a moment of humor as he watched Bates pushed away his surprise. He turned back towards the hills, spotting one of the Genii, but before he could fire, a gunshot from Ford's direction leveled the man. John arched a brow at Ford. "Nice shot, Lieutenant."

Ford nodded back. "Thanks, sir."

"Think you can do it again?" John questioned.

"Only if they stick their heads out," Ford replied.

John looked back at the Genii, pointedly noticing the lack of gunfire. "Looks like your arrival and Ford's aim is making the two of them think twice, Bates. What do you say we get the hell out of here before they change their minds?"

Bates cracked a small smile. "Yes, sir!"

John waved at Rodney. "Go, McKay!"

Wasting no time, Rodney ducked out from behind the DHD and quickly dialed Atlantis. "Entering my IDC now!" he shouted. He dropped to his knees as a bullet hit the dirt close to him.

"That's it!" John shouted. "They're done thinking!" He pulled out his radio. "Atlantis! This is Sheppard! We're coming in hot! Have security and a medical team ready!"

The extra men and ammo tipped the tide as John and his team, along with Bates and his men, staggered their fire. The continuous stream of shots in the direction of the remaining two Genii gave them no choice but to take cover, unable to return fire.

"Major?" Weir's voice sounded concerned but relieved. "The shield is down and security is in place. Beckett and his team are on the way. Come home."

"Copy that!" John waved furiously at his people. "Fall back!" He looked down at Sora, her expression distant and shoulder still bleeding freely. Her glassy, brown eyes met his. He crouched, gently slid his hands under her and slowly picked her up, before turning and heading for the gate. Bates was right next to him, providing cover fire, as the rest of his people filtered through.

Holding tightly to Sora, and convinced that Bates was right with him, John backed through the wormhole. He staggered slightly as he emerged in the Atlantis gate room, Bates right next to him.

"Raise the shield!" Bates shouted, beating John to the command.

The shield sprang to life for a few seconds, before the wormhole disengaged.

John carefully laid Sora on the gate room floor and pressed one hand into her bleeding shoulder, while the other found her carotid pulse. He looked at her closed eyes. "Sora? Can you hear me?" He shook his head. He felt like his emotions were on a roller coaster. First trusting her, then thinking she'd betrayed them, then seeing her kill Hydus… and saving his life. "Come on, stay with us…," he muttered.

He looked up, finding the gazes of each of his team members. Suspicion no longer showed in their eyes, only concern. The exception was Bates, who looked confused. "She saved my life," John explained quietly.

Bates expression turned from confusion to shock, but he said nothing.

John returned his attention to Sora's unconscious face. Even when he'd trusted her, he hadn't really trusted her, not completely anyway. But, as he stared down at her, all the suspicion within him faded. She'd saved his life, risking hers to do so. In his book that was all the proof he needed.

"Major!"

John looked up, watching Elizabeth hurry down the gate room stairs, taking them two at a time. His attention was pulled from her as Carson and his team rushed into the gate room from the east entrance.

"Ach!" Carson knelt next to Sora. He looked up at John. "All right, Major, give us some room."

Carson's statement was no nonsense and John backed away as he and two other medics tended Sora, while another saw to McKay.

"Ouch! Hey! Careful!" Rodney protested loudly as one of the medics helped him onto a gurney. "Easy!"

John's attention returned to Elizabeth. He smiled slightly at the look of relief in her face. His smile faded. "No ZPM."

Elizabeth nodded once. "I'm just relieved to have you all back safely." She looked around and sighed, before smiling at the group. "I'd love to know what happened, but that can wait. Get to the infirmary and get checked out. We'll debrief later." Her smile faded a little as she looked down at Sora for a moment, then back to John.

John nodded at the unspoken question in Elizabeth's eyes. "She did good." He also looked down at Sora as Carson's team lifted her onto a gurney. "Real good." He flashed a half smile at Elizabeth, but that was all he had time to spare. As Carson and his medics wheeled Sora and McKay from the gate room, John was right with them.

"You know? I could've been killed by this little stunt," Rodney groused as he punched a pillow and threw it behind his head. "I can't believe Beckett is only keeping me overnight."

John rolled his eyes and gave Rodney his best cynical look. "You were only grazed, McKay. Don't be so dramatic."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Air Force Hero!" Rodney snapped. "You macho military types get shot at the drop of a hat, but those of us who use our brains instead of our brawn have an aversion to certain death!"

John stared dryly back. "You're alive, aren't you? Besides," he rushed on, "we had a chance at a ZPM." His humor faded.

Rodney's protest died on his lips. He looked away and nodded. "Yeah, we did."

John sighed, the tension brought on by the approach of the Wraith redoubling in him. The Wraith armada crept towards them, only eight days away now, and they were no closer to finding a viable defense than they were six days ago. He shook off his gloom. "Well," he smiled in a challenging way as Rodney once more looked at him. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

Rodney's expression soured. "Right. I'll think of something."

John quirked his brows at Rodney, before turning and walking away. Crossing the infirmary, he stopped a short distance from Sora's bed and smiled briefly as Carson walked over to him. "How is she, Doc?" he ventured quietly.

Carson smiled. "She'll be fine. The bullet passed clean through her shoulder. With a little time, she'll recover." He tilted his head towards Sora's bed. "She's awake, and asking to speak to you, Major."

John nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

"Not too long, Major." Carson warned. "She needs her rest."

"Right." Turning away from Carson, John grinned as he walked up next to Sora. "Guess I owe you a thanks."

Sora weakly returned his smile. "You are welcome, Major." She glanced at Carson, hovering at the end of the bed. "I wish to speak to the Major in private, Doctor."

Carson nodded. "Aye, but keep it short."

"I'll make sure of that, Doc," John reassured him. He returned his attention to Sora as Carson walked away. He sighed and sat down on a stool. "I gotta admit, you had me fooled for a moment back there." He stared intently at her. "I thought you double crossed me."

Sora looked away for a moment. "I would be lying to you if I said I did not consider it," she replied quietly.

John's gaze narrowed. "Why didn't you?"

Sora looked back at him, her expression neutral. "It was a chance to eliminate Hydus without retribution from his men. He has manipulated the leadership to his advantage for a very long time. The Genii are better without him."

John tensed slightly. "And if it had been anyone else? If Hydus and his men hadn't been been such a threat to the Genii?"

Sora gave him a direct look. "Then I would not have killed them. Wounded? Yes. But not executed them."

John felt frustration build within him. Since her capture, he'd carefully fostered what he thought was trust between them. Hearing her matter-of-fact response disheartened him. "Fine. But, that still doesn't explain why you saved my life, Sora," he pointed out quietly.

Her gaze softened. "No. It does not."

Slowly, John smiled, his frustration fading. "So?"

She shrugged, wincing as she jostled her shoulder. "You were the commander of the team. It was my duty to protect you."

Part of John was disappointed. He was grateful she'd moved to save his life, regardless of her logic, but part of him wished she'd done it for a better reason than strict adherence to duty and nothing more. He'd believed that saving his life was all the proof he needed to trust her, but now he wasn't so sure anymore. He slapped both hands on his thighs and stood. "Well, whatever the reason," he took a moment to look her in the eye, "thank you. Doc wants you to get your rest so I'll leave you to it." He turned away, stopped only by her soft voice.

"Major?"

John turned back. He caught her gaze and was unable to tear his eyes from hers. For the first time since she'd been on Atlantis, there was a level of sincerity in her brown eyes that begged him to trust her. "Sora?"

"Killing Hydus was best for my people," she ventured quietly. "Saving your life, and helping your team, was best for your people." She took a deep breath. "If Atlantis falls to the Wraith, no one will escape them." She absently picked at her blanket. "When Commander Kolya organized the strike on Atlantis, I believed we should have brought a full company and seized the city, instead of just raiding it. He disagreed, at least at first."

John waited silently as she looked up at him, her sincere gaze tinged with a little shame.

"Now," she continued, "I am glad that we did not succeed in taking Atlantis from you."

He smiled slightly. "Why?"

She sighed. "I would like to believe that in the hands of my people, Atlantis would be a mighty weapon that would ensure our victory against the Wraith." Her voice trailed off as she once again lowered her eyes, apparently unable to look at him. "But it would not be that way. Atlantis would become the tool of petty ambitions and corrupt quests for power. It is…," she swallowed hard, "it is what drives my people." She looked up at him, some spirit returning to her eyes. "Your people are not perfect, Major, but in your hands, Atlantis is a tool to help all of us, including the Genii."

A blush crept up John's cheeks. Countless times since he'd met her, he'd yinged and yanged between trusting her and not trusting her. As he stared at the sincerity that radiated from her, any distrust he felt faded away once and for all. He'd won her over: made her see a much bigger picture than just Genii interests. She had intense loyalty to her people and her way of life but, in the end, John had won a piece of her loyalty not only for himself but for all of them.

She must have seen everything in his expression, for her slowly forming smile was genuine.

He cleared his throat. "You know, with your knowledge and training, you could help us help everyone. Teyla does, and she's invaluable." His head dropped slightly as he arched his brows at her.

Sora's smile deepened, but after a moment she shook her head. "No, Major. I cannot." She sighed deeply. "I am Genii, and I have an obligation to my people that I cannot ignore. I must some day return to them, if you will let me. Perhaps even to try and change them, in some small way."

John smiled and nodded. "Kind of thought you'd say that." His gaze narrowed as respect flowed through him. "But the offer stands." He nodded once in return to her renewed smile and left the infirmary.

Five days' later, John's relaxed strides carried him easily down the long hallway that led from the infirmary to the Gate room. In front of him, Sora walked freely along, her arm suspended in a sturdy sling. Carson judged her well enough to leave the infirmary, as long as she took it easy.

John's mind drifted back to his conversation with Elizabeth two days ago.

"What are you saying, John?"

He grimaced at Elizabeth's no-nonsense stare. "Let her go."

Elizabeth arched a brow. "Sora?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "In six days the Wraith will be on our doorstep. I don't think it's fair to keep her here. Even though we didn't get the ZPM, she tried to help us. We… I owe her one." He stared at Elizabeth as he fell silent.

She settled back in her chair. "I was hoping to trade her for something that would help us."

John shook his head, his gesture answering her before his words did. "The Genii have written her off. They won't trade anything for her." He watched as Elizabeth sighed deeply before nodding.

"All right. When Carson says she's strong enough to be released, we'll send her home."

"Why are you doing this?"

Sora's questioning voice pulled John from his thoughts. He stopped in his tracks as she halted and turned to face him. He smiled. "Because it's the right thing to do." His smile faded. "Sora, the Wraith are four days away. It's not fair to keep you here."

"I am not helpless…." Her voice trailed off as she shook her head, realizing that she wasn't even convincing herself, let alone John.

"But," he supplied, "you belong with your people." He knew his words finished her thought. She nodded silently. He followed as she turned and once more walked down the hallway.

Entering the Gate room, John saw her step falter slightly as she noticed a group of people waiting by the inactive gate. He followed her as his gaze passed quickly over Elizabeth, Rodney, Ford and Teyla.

Sora stopped in front of the group. She seemed at a loss for words, something Elizabeth, apparently, picked up on first. John smiled as the leader of Atlantis stepped forward.

"Sora," Elizabeth's smile was slight but warm. "Thank you for trying to help us."

John's gaze switched from Elizabeth to Sora as the latter inclined her head respectfully. His eyes widened slightly at the gesture, one he never thought he'd see her give Elizabeth.

"You are welcome, Dr. Weir," she replied. The respect she'd shown in her nod, stayed with her expression. "I will not look upon civilian diplomats the same way again."

To her credit, Elizabeth said nothing, but held her smile and simply nodded in acknowledgement.

Sora stepped in front of Teyla, who extended her arm, palm up and also smiled. Sora returned the expression and grasped Teyla's forearm.

"Go safely, Sora," Teyla stated quietly.

Sora nodded back. "And you." She held Teyla's arm a moment longer. "I believe the air between us is clear, Teyla Emmagan."

John studied first Sora's expression, then Teyla's. Both held a note of respect and understanding. John smiled slightly. He had thought the hatchet had been buried once and for all between them. Teyla's reply only confirmed his suspicion.

Teyla inclined her head. "I would agree, Daughter of Tyrus." She let go of Sora's forearm and stepped back as Sora turned her attention to Ford.

Ford's smile was small, but relaxed as usual. "Watch your six." His smile faded slightly at her confused look. "Uhh, I mean watch your back."

Sora nodded. "And you, Lieutenant Ford." Her gaze shifted to Rodney. "Dr. McKay. You would still be of great use to the Genii."

John stifled a laugh as Rodney's expression turned suspicious for a moment, before he shrugged. "Huh. Yeah, well I'm invaluable everywhere, why would the Genii be any different?"

"McKay," John rumbled glaring at Rodney.

"Okay, fine." Rodney stared defensively back. His gaze settled on Sora again before he pointed at her sling. "How are you going to explain that?"

She took a step back, allowing her to see all of them, including John, easily. She looked down at the sling, and then back up, her eyes passing over all of them before stopping on John. "To a trusted few, I will tell them the truth… most of it. To everyone else, that I was wounded trying to escape. As soon as I was strong enough to travel, you sent me back, because I was too dangerous to keep around."

"There's a lot of truth to that," John quipped. She smiled as she realized he was making fun of her.

"I tested you often enough, Major," she replied. Her smile faded as she stepped closer to him.

He raised a hand. "Before you say anything," he reached behind his back and under his coat, pulling out Sora's knife, securely sheathed in an ornate Athosian holster. "Here. Thought you might want this back."

Sora's eyes glistened as she reached out with her good arm and took the knife from his grasp. She stared at it silently for a moment, before giving him a long, grateful look. "Major…," she began tentatively. She looked away, shaking her head, apparently at a loss for words again.

John's smile turned understanding. "You're welcome," he replied.

She looked back at him, and nodded slightly.

"Turn around," John took the knife from her grasp. "We can conceal it in your waistband and cover it with your shirt. Probably would blow holes in your cover story to come back armed."

Sora smiled, relinquished the knife and did as he asked.

"Besides," John continued, as he tucked the knife in her waistband and pulled her shirt over it, "I should be thanking you too. Not for saving my life, although thank you very much for that, but for teaching me a little bit about the Genii." John arched a brow as she spun around and gave him a surprised look. "I may not trust your people, but at least I have a little better understanding of them." He held her gaze as a smile slowly formed on her face. He extended his hand, palm up, and she slowly took it. "Take care of yourself, Sora."

"And you, Major," she said quietly. She looked around at the Gate room and the assembled group before she once more looked at John. "The Genii have a saying: 'You are not dead, until you are.'"

John chuckled. "Never give up. At least our people have that much in common." His smile faded. "We won't give up, I can promise that."

"He's right, Sora," Elizabeth affirmed. She looked up and waved at Peter. A moment later the gate began its dialing sequence.

The wormhole flushed into existence and Sora walked towards it, her stride purposeful. Inches from the event horizon she stopped and looked back. "My people must see the error of their ways, or we are doomed to forever suffer under at the hands of the Wraith. I will do my best to help them see that." With one last nod, Sora turned away and disappeared through the wormhole.

John continued watching as the wormhole shimmered for a moment longer and then dissolved. The gate went dark, but it still held his gaze.

"Do you think she means it?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

John smiled, the sound of her voice drawing his attention away from the gate. He looked at her for a long moment, before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I think she does."

Epilogue:

Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard quickly walked into the gate room, his expression guarded as he approached two people standing in front of the active Stargate. He smiled tensely at Elizabeth, before staring suspiciously at Ladon Radim. He looked back at Elizabeth. "You wanted to see me?"

"Actually," Ladon interrupted, "I did."

John arched his brows and stared coldly at the new Genii leader. "You did? I can't imagine why you'd want to talk to the Errand Boy." He gave Ladon a cynical smile, one that Ladon returned. "Especially since, if you sister hadn't been here on Atlantis and been able to be cured by Beckett, we would've been vaporized along with Cowen."

"Fair enough," Ladon nodded. His gaze was calculating as he stared back at John.

John hated the verbal chess match he found himself in. Time to knock over a few pawns…. "Out with it. What do you want?"

"Now, that is hardly the way to address the new leader of the Genii people," Ladon admonished lightly. "Are you not even slightly curious why I trusted your word and let you go?"

John's gaze narrowed. He glanced for a moment at Elizabeth's confused expression before turning his attention back to Ladon. "Because we could cure your sister."

Ladon nodded slightly. "Yes, but why would I trust you were telling me the truth? For all I know, you could have been lying to save yourselves."

"O…kay," John drew out the word. "So why did you trust us?"

Ladon's expression sobered. "Because as soon as you said it, I knew you could be trusted."

John felt his impatience rising at the cryptic statements Ladon was making. "So, you can read minds now?" he quipped sarcastically, but Ladon didn't bite. The Genii's expression remained sober. John's irritation was replaced with curiosity.

"No," Ladon replied. "I was drawing on the experience that someone… a trusted friend once told me about."

Abruptly, John's confusion gave way to instant, shocked understanding. His eyes widened as he glanced at Elizabeth, who shared his amazement. He tried to hide his shock under a calculating gaze as he looked back at Ladon, who smiled knowingly.

"Yes, Colonel, it was Sora," Ladon confirmed. "You do not need to worry about betraying her confidence." He sighed. "Not long after her return from here, Sora told me all about her time among you." He straightened slightly. "I do not expect that I have the level of trust that you placed in her, nor do I trust you completely either. But then again I did not experience what she did."

"Where is she?" John asked quietly. "Is she all right?"

Ladon arched his brows. "As far as I know, yes. She is with some of my operatives off world, securing the way for my new Genii government."

"She's part of your coup?" Elizabeth interjected.

"Yes, Dr. Weir." Ladon turned his attention to Elizabeth. "Not long after she returned from her time here, Sora told me all that she had experienced."

John kept his expression neutral as Ladon looked back to him. "I do not agree with everything that Sora believes, but there are places in the Genii government that could…," Ladon sighed, "stand to be improved."

John licked his lips and stared silently back as Ladon's expression turned measured.

"Sora showed me how misled Cowen and our leadership were. I suppose I would have never led this coup without her influence." He shrugged. "I do not trust you, but at least I understand a little more about your people." He glanced at Elizabeth then back to John.

John nodded. "Funny, I said almost the exact same thing to Sora when she left."

"Ladon?" Elizabeth interjected. "Let's take this small understanding and build something out of it, shall we?"

John watched Ladon closely, but the Genii leader's expression remained carefully neutral. "Perhaps, Dr. Weir. Perhaps. Your offer to help those of my people that are sick goes a long way towards that ideal, but not all the way."

Elizabeth nodded silently.

"Ladon," John recaptured his attention, "give our best to Sora."

Ladon's expression remained neutral for a moment longer, before he smiled slightly. "I will do that, Colonel." He nodded once at John, before doing the same to Elizabeth. Without another word, he turned and disappeared through the wormhole.

John took a few steps to his right and closer to Elizabeth as the wormhole dissolved. "I'll be damned," he said quietly. He smiled as Elizabeth shook her head.

"I can't believe it. Of all people: Sora."

John shoved his hands deep in his pockets. "Damn, I'm good," he teased, his smile broadening as Elizabeth's stoic expression broke.

She laughed quietly. "Don't get too cocky, Colonel." She turned and walked away, leaving John to stare at the inactive gate. His grin faded to a half smile, as he reflected for a moment on Sora.

"My people must see the error of their ways, or we are doomed to forever suffer under at the hands of the Wraith. I will do my best to help them see that."

John's smile faded completely. He didn't entirely trust Ladon Radim. Then again, he didn't trust the Genii in general, so Ladon was about par for the course. But, in a convoluted way, John found himself in a position where he felt he had to trust Ladon at least a little bit… because he trusted Sora, and Sora trusted Ladon enough to talk frankly to him. That tertiary trust was foreign to John, and was something he felt he'd need time to get used to…and Ladon has to keep up his end too.

He sighed and stared for a moment longer at the gate. Take care of yourself, Sora. Slowly, he turned and walked away.

Author's Notes:

This is a story I've wanted to write for a long time… well pretty much since I saw The Eye and then watched Sora drop off the radar, her storyline never resolved.

I want to thank TanaquiSGA for all her insight and the conversations we had, also for her patient and exceptional beta reading skills.

Thank you to all my friends for their constant encouragement.