Alison arrived before Sheppard managed to get in touch with Carson again. She came through the door he'd unlocked and found him sitting in his easy chair, head leaned back as he tried to ignore the panic rising in his stomach. "Carson!"

He opened his eyes and sat up, the clammy feeling having subsided as he'd adjusted to the condition of his body. "I'm sorry, love," he said softly.

She smoothed his hair from his face, letting her fingers linger in it. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, I feel like a dog's breakfast, but I'll be fine." He pasted a smile on his face. "Colonel Sheppard is on his way with more serum, an' then we'll figure out what happened."

"Carson. . . ." She let out a deep breath, clearly frustrated with herself. "What do you need?"

He truly smiled at that and took her hand. Scooting to one side of the large chair, he pulled her into his arms. "The last time I felt like this, I wound up in a stasis pod. I found out I wasn't who I thought myself to be, that I was dying, and that the people I trusted had no idea what to do to help me. It's different, now, but. . . ."

"It brings up the memories," Alison finished what he'd been saying.

"Aye." Carson smiled as she wiggled her way into a more comfortable position next to him. "I guess I panicked a bit on some level when I couldn't find the serum."

She wrapped her arms around his middle. "It's going to be okay," she said firmly, sounding a bit like Dusty.

"I know," he said as he hugged her close. He'd never seen himself as needing another person around, but just having her there meant everything would be okay. His body might be failing him, unable to renew the cells he needed to survive, but he had what he needed to stay calm. It was as if his entire world was made better by Alison's presence.

Neither one of them spoke for a long time. Carson sensed the tension in Alison and rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to soothe it. But he knew that she wouldn't relax until Sheppard had arrived with his serum. Only then would she feel free to either fall apart or get on with the investigation.

The investigation! "Oh, God!" He couldn't keep the alarm from his voice.

Alison's head popped up. "What is it, Carson? What do you need?"

"Nothing." He smiled at her. "I just thought about what this is going to do."

She frowned. "It means someone stole your serum, and Sheppard's going to want to know. . . .Oh."

"Aye." He shook his head. "I'm going to need to figure out who took it, what effects it would cause, an' try to do it without alerting Jorge." Thinking about the DEA agent masquerading in his clinic, Carson ran a hand over his face. "That might not be possible."

Alison sat up on the edge of the chair, her movements slightly awkward given their nearness. "What do you need for now?"

He also sat up. "My computer. The quicker I figure out what this serum might do to a normal human, the better. It's based on Wraith medicine, so it'll likely have a similar effect as the Wraith enzyme has on. . . ." His face crumpled as he thought about his return to Esperanza.

Alison frowned. "You have an idea, don't you?"

"Aye." He hurried into his office, his mind already working through the possible complications. He thought about Katie, about her reaction to him and how hyperactive she'd been. Opening his secure laptop, he signed in through several layers of security before pulling up Dr. Keller's research on the serum that kept his cells stable. Alison appeared in his office door, carrying two cups of coffee that he'd forgotten he even brewed. She set his next to his hand as she sipped from her own cup. He gave her a grateful smile and allowed the coffee to warm him from the inside.

For the next hour, the two of them hovered over the computer. Carson took the time to thoroughly study all the results Jennifer had figured out. His cells were dying, not renewing fast enough to sustain tissue function. But, in a healthy human being, the serum that helped his body renew those cells would, conceivably, create bigger problems. Cells that normally died off in a healthy human being wouldn't die off. The person's immune system wouldn't see them as a threat, though the body's natural functions would be kicked into overdrive. Everything, from metabolism to libido, would speed up to the point that it could overload the heart. Or worse. Carson sat back in his chair. "Dear Lord!"

"Carson?" Alison frowned and then stopped when a knock sounded on the door. She went to answer it, returning with Sheppard and his entire team.

Sheppard held up the precious silver vial. "Sorry to take so long, Doc. We didn't want to just drop in."

Carson accepted the vial and rolled up his sleeve to inject it. The burning sensation that typically accompanied the vial settled quickly, and he let out a deep breath. "Thank you, Colonel, and just droppin' in wouldnae ha'e been a problem." Then, he frowned. "Rodney? Wha' are you doin' here?"

McKay, who wore civilian clothing along with the rest of the group, frowned. "I can't come help my best friend?"

"No, it's just that. . . .Never mind." Carson shook his head. "If I'm right about what the effects may be on a normal human body, we may have bigger problems than just someone stealin' my serum, Colonel."

The reactions to that were varied. Sheppard frowned. "Why do you say that, Doc?"

"Because there's a DEA agent workin' in my clinic." Carson met Sheppard's eyes, hating the way the team's expressions hardened. "An' whoever stole my serum may have already taken it or sold it on the street."

oOo

Getting a call from Doc Beckett wasn't unusual for Jorge. Being invited to the doc's house was. Jorge hung up his cell phone and looked around the empty clinic. He'd arrived for work that day and was surprised to find that Katie and Beckett weren't already there. The weekend break had been wonderful, allowing him to head home and see his family for a change. But, now, senses honed by too many years undercover told him something was wrong.

Grabbing his jacket, Jorge left the clinic and headed for the doctor's home. He liked Beckett well enough and recognized the tension in his voice. Something had happened, and it wasn't good. At Beckett's place, Jorge parked on the street and hurried to the door. He wasn't worried about being seen here, especially since the man was his boss. What he was worried about, however, was the large group of people he'd seen through the front window.

Alison Porter answered the door with a tense smile on her face. She let him in with a quiet word to the others, and Beckett appeared in the doorway. Jorge frowned. "Doc? What's goin' on?"

Beckett put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him to the side. "Jorge, we have a situation that involves your investigation, an' we may need to step up whatever your plans are for acting."

Jorge glanced at the people behind Beckett. Every single one of them were trying to look as if they weren't listening, and three of them succeeded. The balding man with downturned lips failed miserably. "What happened?"

"You know I take injections on a regular basis?"

"Yeah, insulin to cope with your diabetes."

"Not insulin. It's a rare genetic disorder that prevents the cells in my body from renewin' fast enough to sustain tissue function. I take a weekly injection to treat it and stabilize my system." Beckett met his eyes. "My medication's been stolen, an' I think it may be on the street somewhere."

Jorge blinked at the revelation and then closed his eyes. He didn't need to consult with his handler to know what this meant. "These people?" he asked, nodding to the group gathered. "They're part of whatever you did in the past that has your work so classified?"

"Aye."

Making an instantaneous decision based on how his superiors had acted when he'd asked to get Beckett involved, Jorge let out a deep breath. Stepping around Carson, he headed for the messy-haired man who appeared to be the leader. "I'm Agent Jorge Dominguez, Drug Enforcement Agency."

The messy-haired man blinked and then shook his hand. "Colonel John Sheppard, Air Force. Behind me is Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, and Rodney McKay." He nodded to each person in turn. "Carson's told you what's happening?"

"Yeah." Jorge ran a hand over his face. "How can I help?"

oOo

Something was wrong. Katie stopped mid-stride and frowned. Where was she going? She should know where she was headed. The confusion disappeared as quickly as it had shown up, and she continued on her way. She was going to the clinic to see Carson and apologize for her behavior the day before.

Now that she thought about it, Katie wondered exactly what had caused her to be so snippy. She'd felt great ever since taking the drugs she found in his home. No wonder the man was perpetually happy. He had chemical help. The blackmail she'd found on him thrilled her, but she found herself loving the effects of the single vial she'd used so far.

Last night had been incredible! Katie smirked as she let herself into the empty clinic. She'd met up with Doug Engleside and had spent most of the night letting him fulfill her desires. She never seemed to be satiated, and he thought himself just that great of a lover. In truth, Katie enjoyed the encounter more because she spent half of it in a drug-induced haze. Not that Doug knew that. He just thought she'd gone so long without that she was desperate to fulfill her body's basic needs. Once he'd left, she'd gone to the kitchen and ate everything in sight. Her metabolism had increased, as well as her energy levels, and she hadn't slept a wink since taking the drugs.

Finding no one in the clinic, Katie shrugged and headed back home. She had enough stuff to keep herself busy for the remainder of the day. In addition to working at the clinic, she had decided to clean out her small apartment. It was only a matter of time before she saw Carson again and used the vials she'd taken from him as a tool to get what she wanted. If she had her way, she wouldn't live in this rinky-dink apartment for much longer. She'd be happily ensconced in Carson's home, grinning every time she saw Alison Porter.

Dropping into a chair, surprisingly exhausted and with her right side tingling, Katie grinned. Victory would be so sweet!

oOo

Katie wasn't at the clinic. Carson stood in the waiting area, looking around and trying to figure out where the receptionist would have gone. She was obsessive about her work schedule, primarily because she worked to seduce him every chance she got. Pushing aside his distaste for Katie's methods, he walked carefully through the clinic. Jorge followed him, as did Sheppard. The rest of the team and Alison waited in the front portion of the clinic. When he found it empty, Carson turned to the two men with him.

Sheppard frowned. "Where would Katie go?"

"I don't know." Carson shook his head. "I don't know the woman well, other than her insistence on tryin' to seduce me."

Sheppard smirked. "Never thought I'd hear that tone of voice from you, Doc." He chuckled at Carson's pointed look but turned to Jorge. "Do you know where she'd go?"

"No." Jorge shook his head. "I know where she lives and works. Quite frankly, until now, she was never a viable suspect. There were enough inconsistencies to make me look elsewhere."

Carson put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, we need to find her now. Yesterday when I was here, she was hyperactive, pupils dilated, an' slurrin' her words."

Jorge nodded. "Classic signs of amphetamine use."

"Aye." Carson met Sheppard's eyes. "An' the serum may cause bigger issues. If her body isnae able to break it down, it could kill her."

Sheppard sighed. "That's not good. We need her to answer some questions."

"Aye," Carson said again.

"Alright." Sheppard looked around. "What could we be walking into?"

"Well, I don't know." Carson moved to his office and collected his medical kit. "We could find her in any situation. Yesterday, she was hyperactive and defensive. Today, she could be violent or unconscious. I just don't know what the serum will do."

"We'll figure this out, Doc," Sheppard said as he headed for the front of the clinic. Once there, he looked at everyone. "Okay, we're heading to Ms. Summers's place."

For once, even McKay didn't argue. He simply rode along in the car while Carson and Jorge led the way in Carson's truck. The doctor drove carefully, trying to get to Katie's home in one piece but also with his head in the game. The concern he felt for Katie grew with every passing moment, and he ran through worst-case scenarios in his mind. If she did break into his home and steal his serum, it meant that she was likely stealing from the pharmacy as well. She'd deceived him all along, and that stung. But, if she'd simply purchased the serum rather than stealing it from him. . . . He snorted at his own naïve thinking. With all he'd seen in Pegasus, he knew better than to think that Katie was an innocent bystander, not with the way she'd been acting.

At her home, Carson grabbed his medical kit and ran to the door. Sheppard had brought one of Atlantis's medical scanners, and he'd managed to tuck it into the kit without Jorge seeing it. If it were necessary, he'd tell the DEA agent it was new tech that the Air Force was doing trial tests on, and he got the chance to put it to good use. It was as good a cover story as any given how thin the current one was.

Katie didn't answer their knocks. Jorge immediately began to pick the lock, jumping out of the way when Ronon spoke. "Stand back." The Satedan lifted one enormous foot and almost casually kicked the door open. Then, he walked into the apartment as if he'd been an invited guest: an armed guest.

Carson followed him inside, frowning at the huge pile of stuff next to the door. "Katie?"

No answer. He took a few more steps, smelling bleach and other chemicals. The place was immaculate except for the pile next to the door. The carpets were old, and the walls a sickly shade of fifties-green, but the apartment showed signs of a more modern occupant.

"Doc!" Jorge's startled shout brought his head around. He blinked at what he saw. Katie sat on a worn-out couch, her head lolled back against the wall. Jorge had his fingers on her neck, shaking his head. "Pulse weak and thready, respiration shallow."

Carson reached into his pack and pulled out the scanner. "No outward signs of trauma?"

"None." Jorge rolled her arm over and frowned. "Save one."

Carson blinked at the angry red injection site on Katie's arm. He'd never had that reaction to the serum before, but he couldn't know what it would do to a human body that didn't need it. A quick scan with the "experimental scanner" showed something he didn't want to see.

Sheppard stepped to his side. "What is it, Doc?"

"She took a very big dose of the serum." He shook his head. "Almost two week's worth, Colonel. I'm seein' signs of seizures, an' she's suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage." At the colonel's blank look, Carson sighed. "Stroke, Colonel. She's had a hemorrhagic stroke. At this point, I don't know if I can save her."

~TBC