Chapter Four

Marie went to hug Carson for a big welcome home in her dream, then jumped when the dream faded away suddenly, waking herself up in the process. Her head vibrated with pain from the abrupt movement and she put both hands to her temples.

"Easy," a familiar voice said, then someone patted her on the shoulder.

She glanced around, completely disoriented, but then she recognized Major Lorne and relaxed as he said, "You passed out a little while ago. Just take it easy. Don't move too fast."

He pulled out a canteen and opened the lid for her. "Do you feel up to drinking some water?"

Marie shook her head. Her stomach couldn't tolerate it at the moment. And the minor shaking motion had escalated the pounding in her head. She swallowed hard and took some deep breaths. Finally, she glanced around. "We haven't been rescued yet?"

Lorne shook his head as he settled down beside her. "Not yet."

She fingered the angel pin on her scrubs top and Lorne noticed it. "That's nice. An angel for good luck?"

"A birthday present from Carson."

"Well, we all could use an angel watching over us now and then."

"Especially today... How long was I out?"

"An hour or so."

"An hour?" she asked, more than a little disconcerted. The odds was no avoiding the fact she had sustained a significant concussion.

She couldn't just sit around, though. People needed help. She started to sit up, but stopped when Lorne pushed her back down. "I said take it easy. You must have taken a harder knock to your head than we first thought."

Marie nodded, and then she realized her cheeks were wet again. Tears? Why? The remnants of her dream came back to her. It was the reason she had jarred herself awake.

Lorne handed her a gauze pad to wipe the tears away. "You know, it's absolutely none of my business, but if you want to talk about what's causing those tears, I'm here," he said nonchalantly as he fiddled with his canteen again.

Marie swallowed again. "It was nothing. I was – I was just remembering the first time I saw Carson after his return from Michael."

"Oh, that explains what you were murmuring."

She raised her head, a little afraid to find out. "What was that?"

"You kept saying, 'You're alive'. Over and over."

Marie let out a long breath. "Back then, I was in shock. I mean, I'd heard that Carson had been found, but to see him alive and well right in front of me stunned me deeply. I think I cried back then, too."

"You and most of Atlantis... I mean, the stunned part, not the crying... at least my Marines won't admit to that," Lorne said with a grunt. "Beckett's awake now, in case you're wondering. He's looking after the corporal."

Marie carefully raised her head and found Carson was right where Lorne had said. "He's okay?"

Lorne shrugged. "For the most part. You'll have to check it out for yourself when you're up to it."

"I'm up to it," she said as she started to sit up.

"Go slow," Lorne warned and helped her to sit up.

She rested against the wall for a moment, waiting for the dizziness to pass. Lorne leaned closer to her. "You might want to lie down again. You just went about three shades short of deathly pale."

She carefully shook her head. "I'm fine. I'll just rest here for a moment."

"You do that," Lorne said as he straightened as he saw the others heading out of the area where they'd been working to remove the rubble. "We're not going anywhere... at least for a while. Speaking of which – "

Lorne raised his voice as he looked toward the cave's passageway. "Hey, guys, why did you stop? Do you need some help?"

"Just taking a break," Martin called back. "Getting something to drink and a power bar. Don't worry, we'll be back on it in a moment."

Melloni walked closer with a canteen in his hands. "Check it out. We're about halfway down the passageway. Our guys can't be too far away."

Lorne carefully stood and walked toward the entrance.

"If they are still alive. We haven't heard a peep from them," Martin muttered.

Lorne walked over to him, irritation heavy in his tone. "Ever think that maybe they might be in need of a rescue from us? We need to keep at it. I'll work for a bit while you guys take a break."

Martin shook his head. "No, I'm ready to get back to work. Sorry for letting my mouth get in the way of things."

"Don't worry about it," Lorne said. "It's gonna take all of us working together to get out of this thing before next year."

Marie watched them talk for a minute before her gaze slid over to Carson and Hopkins, then to Hector and Wellers. There were others huddled around the cave, but the ones who could work were busy at it. Carson sat with his eyes closed and holding his head with one hand. Marie knew how he felt. Her head was pounding with a vengeance.

Marie took a deep breath. It was time for her to get to work, too. She scooted closer to Carson. Carson must have heard the movement because his eyebrows went up when he opened his eyes. He leaned over to pat her on the shoulder. "What a pair we make, eh? I bet you're wondering what I've gotten you into."

"Well, it certainly hasn't been boring." She smiled at him. "It's good to see you up and about."

He winked at her. "Yes, well, I figured I'd been napping long enough."

With that, the dire nature of their situation seemed less so. Carson was back to his usual self and Marie found she could breathe a little easier.

"How's our patient?" she asked as she moved a little to be at Jesse's side beside Carson.

Carson gingerly leaned down and took Jesse's pulse. "I have to say amazingly well. I don't think that slab crushed his leg. I think it's only trapped in there."

Marie nodded, looking at her watch. "I thought the same thing myself. But it's been nearly three hours since he was trapped. If we are wrong, we only have a window of six hours before his body will start poisoning his system with crushed limb syndrome."

"Aye, that's true, but without help, there's no way for us to move that slab and I'd rather not take his leg if I don't have to. Let's give him as long as we can before we act."

A sudden breeze whipped through the cave, catching everyone's attention. Carson and Marie were on their feet, looking at the rear of the cave, by the time Lorne and his men reached them.

"There's got to be an opening back there," Carson said, saying what they'd all been thinking.

"That appears to be true," Lorne said. "The real question will be how big is the opening and can we reach it?" He motioned to his men. "Come on, let's see what's back there."

Lorne took one of the torches from its perch and started toward the rear of the cave. There was a distant noise from that area. Marie thought it could have been rock settling, but Lorne had his weapon drawn and aimed before Marie could gasp with surprise.

"Major?" Marie said quietly.

"Stay here with the injured," Lorne told Marie and Carson.

Gesturing with his gun, he said to his men, "Spread out and make sure you have cover if you need it."

It was torture to wait with Hopkins and Carson while the others explored cautiously and Marie could tell Carson felt the same by the way he was fidgeting. "Bloody hell," he muttered and started walking toward the others. "Stay here," he said to her over his shoulder.

Before Marie could argue with him or even call him back, Lorne shouted, "Over here!"

Marie followed Carson and the others to Lorne's location. At the very back of the cave, there was a narrow opening about four feet tall that was hidden in the shadows. It didn't directly open up to the outside, but Marie could feel the breeze more easily as she approached and it caused the torch's flame to shift around with its erratic movement. The wind was strong, and then Marie remembered one of Lorne's men saying a storm was brewing. Maybe it was here.

"Melloni, you're the smallest of us. See if you can squeeze through here," Lorne said as he motioned with one hand.

Melloni came forward and started to move into the opening when Lorne stopped him. "Draw your weapon," he warned. "You don't know who's out there."

Melloni's expression tightened and then he nodded.

"Better take off your tac vest, too," Carson offered. "You might still be too wide to fit through there. It'll be a tight fit at best."

Melloni removed his vest and took a deep breath to make himself as thin as possible as he leaned into the opening, but Carson was right. Melloni was too big.

Carson licked his lips. "I might be smaller than you, Arthur," he volunteered, looking at Melloni, and then at Lorne. "At least, let me try it. If nothing else, I could radio for help once I'm outside of this cave."

Lorne silently debated the issue until Marie shook her head and said firmly, "No, Carson, you're not going."

Carson looked surprised by the intensity of her response, but for some reason, Lorne didn't.

"You can't go," she said more softly.

"And why is that?"

"Because I said so."

"Of all the crazy notions in the world... " Carson shook his head. "It's the only way. Now, stand aside and let me – "

Marie straightened and met Carson's gaze. "You left once, saying that you'd be right back, but you never came back. I will not allow that to happen again. I will transport the package this time... or the radio as the case may be."

Carson was already shaking his head, probably before he'd even fully considered her words. "I cannot just – "

"Yes, you can," she said with determination. "I don't think Atlantis would survive your death twice. Besides, it's not nearly as dangerous as you may think and I can run faster than you. At least that's what you say to me whenever there's an emergency in the infirmary. And I'm smaller, too."

"You've got a head injury."

"So do you."

She looked at Lorne for support. Lorne chewed on his lip for a long moment before nodding. "She's right, Doc. She's smaller than you and more able to move around in that tight space."

"Bloody hell! Is everyone daft here?"

"No, we're using our heads, Carson, as should you," she replied.

"She's got a bloody concussion and has no field experience with weapons. You might well be sending her out to her death!"

"And we might be sending her out to save us all."

Carson wiped his hand over his mouth and then pointed a finger at Marie. "You better be careful, Marie, or else you'll have me haunting your every minute."

Marie nodded and the full weight of what she was about to do sunk in as soon as Lorne handed her a 9-mil. "Be careful, the safety's off, ma'a – I mean, Marie."

She took the weapon in one hand, thinking how it seemed twenty times heavier than it really was. Carson patted her on the shoulder. "Be careful, love. Just get out, radio Atlantis, and get back in here. We don't need any more heroes here. We've got a cave full of them as it is."

She nodded and bent down to fit into the opening. Lorne was right. It was a tight fit, even for her. Her head pounded with the downward angle, but she ignored it, as she did the distinct sense of claustrophobia that closed in on her. At least, the night air seemed to revive her as she slid along the narrow opening. She had to move around a large rock on her way to continue. It seemed to take forever. Her heart was pounding with adrenaline and it made her head throb in rhythm, but that didn't matter. The others were depending on her.

Then, for a moment, she thought she was stuck, but it was only her shirt that was caught on a rock. Pulling herself free, she slid along until she finally saw the night stars shimmering through the clouds outside.

When she finally emerged from the opening, she looked around carefully for danger. She put a hand on the stone hillside for balance as she scanned the area. Her breath was rapid and ragged. Apprehension had her shaking. Fortunately, nothing moved except the wind and that seemed strange, given their previous situation.

Where were the Samjo clansmen? Where were Sheppard and his people? Where was anyone? Tightening her grip on the gun, she took a step away from the opening and tapped her radio.

"Atlantis, this is Marie Chan. Do you read?" she said in a loud whisper.

"What do you see?" Lorne called out quietly.

"Nothing," she answered in a louder whisper. "I don't see anyone."

"Try raising them on the radio."

"I did, but there was no response."

"Get further away from the cave and try it again, but be careful."

Taking a big breath, she moved about six feet away to stand behind a tall tree, praying there weren't native marksmen waiting to take her down, and then she tapped her radio again. "Atlantis, this is Marie Chan. Do you read me?" she asked in a louder voice, risking everything to reach Atlantis.

Colonel Sheppard's voice came on immediately, though the signal was broken up by static. She could still make out enough to hear him say, "Marie? Are you guys okay?"

Swallowing, Marie responded. "The others are still trapped inside the cave. We have injured, but the majority of us are okay."

"Still trapped inside the cave? You mean, you're out of the cave?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

She looked toward where she guessed the cave opening was and saw flashlight beams whipping around in a 360 degree circle, cutting through the darkness, apparently looking to catch sight of her.

"I see your flashlights!" she exclaimed.

"Wave your own flashlight, so we can get a bearing."

"I – I don't have one. It's back inside the cave."

"I don't suppose you'd have a flare on you instead?"

"No, I don't even have my tac vest."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sending people out along the outer cave wall. We'll find you. Just hold tight."

"Marie? What do you see?" Lorne called out. Marie could just barely hear him. She didn't want to interrupt her conversation with Colonel Sheppard.

"What about the Samjo clan?" she asked in a more hushed tone after she realized she shouldn't be talking so loudly if there might be adversaries afoot.

"Woolsey's smoothed that one over. We are on at least speaking terms with them again. In fact, there's a few of them here to help us dig our way to you. Just hold on a sec."

Lorne shouted to her again. "Marie! Damn it, respond!"

This time, Lorne's voice was louder and angrier... or maybe there was fear instead of anger. Whatever it was, Marie knew she had to answer him.

She returned to the opening in the hillside and said, "I'm right here. I have reached Colonel Sheppard. He's sending people out to find us as we speak."

"Oh, thank God," she heard Carson exclaim.

"Yes, thank God," she whispered as a set of flashlight beams caught her where she stood. She waved and the people holding the flashlights began to jog to her location.

"She's over here, Sheppard," Ronon shouted back toward the cave opening.

"On my way," Sheppard said from near the cave entrance, sounding like he was running now. "Come on, people, let's move it!"

Marie turned back to the opening. "They are on their way, Major."

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes with a big sigh, grateful to be out of that cave. Freedom never felt so good.

oOoOoOoOo