Evan's lips hovered a breaths distance from hers, when a voice jumped between them, and Jen leapt back with a squeak. Evan's head shot up, filled with the intent to strangle, maim, kill who ever had the god-awful plan to interrupt.
"Get a room…" Marks taunted out of the corner of his mouth as he brushed past them, moving slowly through the dancers. The yellow lettered security patch was easily visible on the sleeve of his black shirt. He adjusted his belt and nodded at Evan, giving him an I-know-what-you-were-doing sneer. "Phone call." He added as he moved by, weaving through the crowd and disappearing.
Jen groaned and dropped her forehead onto Evan's shoulder. "I could go stab him…" She offered.
"Tempting." Evan grinned, glancing at the Athosian sticks crossed through the back of her hair. "But it would mess up your hair."
"Not necessarily." She lifted her head slowly, "I do have two…"
"Come on." Evan smiled, lifting Jen's hand and leading her off the dance floor. He maneuvered them through the tables, heading in the opposite direction Marks had gone. "We've got fifteen minutes until the auction."
"Where are we going?" She asked, following him through the room, weaving around people and chairs.
"Someplace secluded." He said over his shoulder.
"To do… what…. exactly…" Jen raised an eyebrow.
He glanced over his shoulder, and the dark, intense look he gave her sent a shiver right down to her toes. She stumbled.
He grabbed her arm and steadied her with a slow grin. "Trouble walking, Mrs. Lorne?"
She shook her head slowly. "Not as long as you quit looking at me like that, Mr. Lorne."
"Looking at you like what?" He said innocently.
"Like I'm naked."
Evan toed the leg of a chair and stagger stepped, then quickly straightened. He exhaled sharply and glared at her.
Jen blinked, then smiled innocently. "Problem walking, Mr. Lorne?"
He shook his head and kept going, with Jen's light laughter following behind him. He led her to towards the black, curtained walls that hid the auction items. After a quick survey, he chose a narrow alcove, set back between a pair of sculpted marble statues. He pulled her into the shadowed opening, tucking her in against the wall. "Put your arms around me." He ordered quietly, his eyes roaming the room to make sure no one was paying them any undo attention.
Jen blinked.
Evan looked towards her and laughed at her expression. "You … have a dirty mind." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a com. "I need to whisper sweet nothing's into your ear."
"Kinky." Jen snorted, but complied, lifting her arms up around his neck.
Evan hooked the com over his ear and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her against him, snuggling them both into the corner. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her ear, making her shiver.
"Behave." She whispered.
He grinned against her neck. "You're the one who ordered me to kiss you…"
"Yeah… well…." She muttered. "I'm rescinding."
"You smell good." He admitted.
Jen snorted. "It's called soap."
Evan shook his head with a laugh, then triggered the com. "Daedalus this is Major Lorne."
"This is Colonel Caldwell, Major." Came the immediate reply. "We've located the container but removing it is going to be an issue. Dr. McKay has a solution but we're going to need a distraction."
"Distraction?" Evan frowned.
"We're beaming the entire unit to engineering, swapping the containers, then beaming it back."
"Understood." Evan nodded, then abruptly shuddered when Jen kissed the side of his neck.
"We have company." She whispered, sliding her fingers into his hair.
Evan lifted his head slightly, catching sight of the security guard weaving his way towards their end of the room, about to make his rounds through the display area.
"How much of a distraction?" Evan asked.
"Dr. McKay says three minutes." Caldwell's answer chirped in his ear.
"How soon?"
"Now, would be good."
"Tell McKay he has his distraction." Evan watched the guard's approach. The man hadn't seen them yet, which would work in their favor. "Have him standing by and await my signal."
"Excellent. Caldwell, out."
Evan reached up and pulled the com out of his ear, dropping it back into his pocket. "We need to create a diversion."
"A diversion?" Jen blinked.
He angled his head towards the security guard. "We need to keep him out from behind the curtain for three minutes so McKay can switch the containers."
"How?"
"I'll think of something." He said, moving forward. "Stay here."
"No, wait." She grabbed for his arm. "You just need him distracted for a couple of minutes?"
He nodded.
"I'll do it." She took a step forward.
"Like hell you will." Evan hooked her arm and pulled her back.
"He's not your type."
"What?" Evan frowned, watching as the man stopped to wait for an older couple to settle into their chairs before moving forward again.
"Trust me." She said quickly. "You said it yourself. This dress is awfully distracting."
"I said… Whoa, whoa, now wait just a minute!"
"I'll be fine. You make sure no one else comes by. Just tell McKay to hurry." She stepped away and turned, making a beeline for the security guard, the sparkling buckles that were holding the too-tiny backside together glinting as she walked.
Evan cursed… then cursed again. Damn strong headed woman. And damn that dress. He tucked the com over his ear and hid his face in the shadows, his eyes never losing sight of Jen.
"Colonel, tell McKay he has his three minutes, starting now."
"Thank you, Major." Caldwell answered.
"Laser torch?" John frowned. "What's to keep it from slicing right through the container, too?"
Sergeant Davis shook his head and held up a small, thin, tube, roughly two inches in diameter, with a narrow control panel cut into one side. "Won't cut through walls but it will slice through metal up to a width of 3/4 inches. And we're able to regulate the depth of the beam based on the chemical compound it's cutting through. As long as the container inside isn't partially made of lead as well…" He looked at McKay for confirmation.
"Ancient biotech. No lead." Rodney shook his head.
"And we can reseal it?" John asked.
"Without any visible traces." Davis nodded.
"Colonel Sheppard, you have your distraction." Colonel Caldwell's voice cracked in John's ear.
"Understood." John answered. "Beam it directly to engineering."
John, Rodney, and Davis moved towards the workbench in the middle of the room.
John glanced down at his watch. "You'll have exactly three minutes, Sergeant."
Davis nodded. "Understood, Sir."
With a flash of white, a large, replica horse with large, distinguishable wheels in place of hooves, appeared on the table. The metal was dark, almost black, the surface dull and scratched.
Davis immediately stepped forward, attaching a small, suction cupped hook to the side of the statue. With a nod, he slipped on a pair of tinted goggles and triggered the laser. A short, red beam extended from the end. He made a minor adjustment and the beam narrowed and shortened, darkening to a burgandy hue. With a slow, precise movement, he cut a large straight line through the metal along the side of the horse's belly.
"Two thirty." John glanced at his watch.
Davis nodded, and made a second incision, then a third, slowly completing the edge of a large rectangle. He shut the laser off and set it on the table. Reaching for the hook that was attached to the horse's side, he wriggled and pulled, lifting the piece away.
"One fifty-five." John announced.
Rodney stepped forward and reached inside the statue, angling his hands in to lift out a large, silver container. "Gotcha." He said, turning to set the containment unit on a table by the wall. Picking up the replacement, he returned to the horse, and slid the backup inside.
"One thirty five." John called out.
Davis stepped forward and gently reset the missing piece. He picked up the laser, making a calculation on the control panel which turned the beam to a short, wide, shining blue, then he proceeded to painstakingly reseal the edges.
"Twenty seconds." John counted down.
Davis edged the fourth side and shut off the laser. "Done." He raised the goggles to his forehead.
John leaned over and examined the side of the horse. "Nicely done, Sergeant."
Davis nodded.
Rodney stepped forward, a tiny transmitter in his palm. "And for the grand finale…" He leaned right over the surface of the table, and attached the transmitter to the underside of one of the giant wheels. "Voila." He straightened. "We're good to go."
"We're done, Colonel." John said into his com. "Send it back."
"Understood." Caldwell's voice clipped as the statue disappeared.
"Major Lorne, this is Colonel Caldwell. We've made the switch."
"So we're good?" Evan straightened, straining to see the doors to the main lobby.
"We're good." Caldwell announced. "Dr. McKay has confirmed the transmitter signal. We have co-ordinates, and live audio on the statue. See Dr. Keller back to the hotel and contact us once you've arrived."
"Roger, that."
"Daedalus, out."
Evan unhooked the com and dropped it back into the pocket of his jacket, making a beeline for the lobby to find Jen.
While he'd spent a long, agonizing, three minutes standing in a dim alcove, she'd somehow convinced the security guard to leave the room with her. Evan had no idea what she'd said to the man, but it hadn't taken her more than ten seconds to have the guy following her like a lost puppy.
Damn dress.
He hit the lobby and searched past the piano bar, around the fountain, scanning the crowd of boisterous groups who were schmoozing amongst the artwork and statues.
It took her three minutes to disappear, and nearly eight minutes to find her, and only because he recognized her laughter. Heading past one of the massive statues, he turned towards a hallway signed Staff Only, and caught a flash of blue as she entered the corridor from the far end, shadowed by the burly security guard.
Jen smiled and waved, and Evan moved quickly down the hallway to intercept.
"There you are." He said, sliding in beside her.
Jen hooked her arm around Evan's waist and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Sorry." She said quickly, settling in against his shoulder. "Christopher, this is Evan. Evan… Christopher." She said with a smile, making introductions.
Evan shook the man's outstretched hand.
Jen smiled and held up her index finger, now sporting a band-aid. "Christopher was kind enough to point me in the direction of the first aid kit, and get me a band-aid."
"What'd you do?" Evan frowned.
"Paper cut." She said sheepishly. "You know me… never a dull moment."
"Wouldn't want to get any blood on that lovely dress." Christopher said with a smile.
Jen laughed. "Does Carol know you're such a flirt?"
Christopher shook his head and grinned. "Why do you think she married me in the first place?"
"Honey, maybe we should let the man get back to his work?" Evan suggested, wondering just how Jen managed to get on a first name basis - and obtain a life history – so quickly. Instead he just smiled and guided Jen out of the hallway and into the lobby.
"Oh, yes, of course!" Jen laughed, then apologized to the guard. "I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't keep you from your… rounds… to long."
"It's fine." He shrugged. "All in a day's work."
Jen pointed at him. "Now you remember to tell Carol what I said."
The man nodded and patted the front pocket on his jacket. "Got your instructions right here."
"Good." She smiled, and with her arm still wrapped around Evan's waist, stepped out of the way.
"Have a good night, folks." Christopher gave them a polite wave, and headed across the lobby and back into the main dining room.
"Christopher?" Evan said with a smirk.
She laughed, then shook her head. "People find out you're a doctor and they can't talk fast enough. His wife has insomnia and their HMO won't cover her meds. I just gave him a few recommendations... some holistic options."
"And here I thought you were stepping out on me."
Jen laughed, and pulled away, performing a quick spin on her heels. "You don't think I wore this just for your benefit, did you?"
Evan rolled his eyes. "You're not going to let me forget that, are you."
"Nope." She shook her head, then her smile dropped and she leaned closer. "Did everything… work out?"
Evan nodded, and walked with her across the lobby, his voice low in her ear. "McKay made the switch."
"So now what?" She asked.
"Now… I take Cinderella back to the hotel, and make sure she doesn't turn into a pumpkin."
"Cinderella?" Jen smirked. "But it's not midnight, and I still have both my shoes."
"Come on." He laughed, pulling her towards the courtesy phone in the lobby. He made a quick call to the limo driver and arranged for the car to meet them out front. Heading towards large glass doors leading to the street, he reached for her hand, holding up her band-aid wrapped index finger. "Paper cut?"
"It was the best I could come up with on such short notice."
"You didn't really give yourself a paper cut, did you?" He asked, releasing her hand to guide her out the door and into the cool night air.
"No." Jen shook her head, then shrugged. "Actually, I stabbed myself with one of my earrings."
Evan snorted, angling his head to look closer at the small diamond studs that decorated her ears. "Really?"
She nodded.
He gave her an appreciative stare. "Very inventive." Then he crooked his arm out and she placed her hands around it.
"Why do you sound so surprised?" She blinked, walking with him down the large, stone steps to the sidewalk. "Didn't think I was smart enough to come up with a viable distraction?"
"Well I didn't exactly marry you for your brains…" Evan whispered in her ear, then had to grab her hands so she couldn't whack him.
Jen gasped. "Oh that is so going to cost you."
"Yeah, yeah." He laughed, wigging his eyebrows. He walked backwards, leading her towards stretch limo pulling up to the curb. "Promises, promises."
.
.
.
Author's Note: 'Come on.... you didn't think I was gonna let him kiss her yet, did ya? :P Don't worry. I have a feeling the night isn't quite over yet. - Nika