CHAPTER 19 – DESTROY THE ENEMY

John and Ronon left through the stargate not long after, John feeling a mixture of fear and anger over what Dani had done. Ronon flicked concerned glances at him as they exited the gate area and left to meet the soldiers in the village as planned. "You gonna be able to focus on this Sheppard? We can't afford any distractions, you know that!"

"Damn it Ronon, I don't need any lectures from you. This move of hers was plain stupid – just who the hell does she think she is? She's likely jeopardised the whole mission and not to mention putting Lorne and those marines in danger."

"You're angry Sheppard, but more than that – admit it. You're scared for her, so you can't let those feelings get in the way. Deal with them later, hope she comes out of this in one piece, then sort out your feelings for her later."

Ronon turned his gaze frontward again and strode slightly ahead of John. He had said what he needed to say, but was not sure whether John would hear it.

They arrived in the village and found the soldiers already there. John's anger, already simmering to near boiling point, went up just another notch and he had to physically pull himself back from the brink of wanting to kill, right here, right now.

It was the Colonel who came up to them, two other soldiers hanging back just a little. John noticed that Ted and Eric were not with them, and remembering what Lorne had heard, felt a new surge of anger. If Dani had been captured, then it was likely that it was by the missing pair, and if they got their hands on her again, it seemed unlikely that they would not finish what they started this time.

"We've been over your map and have planned where we will begin our offensive. As we speak, four of my soldiers are already setting up ground weapons, bombs, other devices that will incapacitate the inhabitants of the village. We are expecting a high kill rate – the message we intend to leave with them, is a strong one and they will not question any of your suggestions again. We will ensure that you have full cooperation from them from this point on. And of course, in return, you will immediately commence your mining of the ore so that we may begin to take payment for the work that we do."

Ronon's face remained impassive but John, fully attuned to his body language, felt the slight tensing in his posture and knew that the news they had just received indicated that they were going to further lengths than they had been led to believe. John hope that Lorne could get his marines to begin neutralising the intended threat to ensure that the people of the settlement did not suffer. As soon as the soldiers left, John and Ronon would join them.

To the soldiers, Ronon just nodded, and the Colonel after giving both men a hard look, turned and left.

"Crap!" John had turned and was intending to head out of the village in the opposite direction, then circle around to where he knew Lorne had headed. "This could end badly Ronon. I hope I didn't make the wrong call in letting it go this far. We may outnumber them, but we still don't know where they have secured the ground weapons." He activated the small radio that had been hidden in his vest pocket.

"Lorne, come in. Give me your location." There was a slight cracking then Lorne's voice came back. "We have eyes on five soldiers, I repeat, five soldiers. They are laying perimeter fire around the settlement here. No sign of Ted and Eric, nor have we found Dani. I have to assume that they were the ones who took her. How many have you got at your end."

"We had three here for the meeting and they're heading your way now. That means all soldiers, except Ted and Eric are accounted for. Can you neutralise the weapons without being seen?"

Another crackle from the radio. "Roger that Colonel. They are leaving the immediate area now, they have hand weapons and are going into the buildings – it looks like they are going to round up some of the men of the village and bring them out. We need to act now."

"Do it Lorne. We'll be with you soon."

Ronon and John broke into a jog. It would take them at least a half hour to get to the other settlement, even at this pace and John trusted that Lorne would be able to hold things tight at their end until they got there.

Arriving on the outskirts of the settlement, breathless, John immediately activated the radio to check Lorne's location and status.

"All ground weapons have been taken out Colonel. We have a standoff in the centre of the village. The Colonel arrived minutes ago with the other two soldiers and they have a group of 20 village men, all lined up on the ground kneeling with their hands behind their heads. It looks as though they are going to execute them. We need to move now. I have marines in position totally surrounding the square."

"Take them down Lorne, now!"

Several things happened at once. Just as John gave Lorne the order, they heard the sound of automatic weapon fire, P90's and knew that Lorne had opened fire on the soldiers,firing for a wound only, not a kill. At the same time, John and Ronon felt the cold snub of a small weapon jam into their necks and knew that they had just found the missing soldiers.

Aahh, and you would be the elusive Ted White and Eric Baines - I believe we have had the rather dubious pleasure of meeting you under different circumstances?" John chose flippancy to combat the anger that was coursing through him. The snub of the weapon pushed harder into his neck in response and he heard the voice of Ted White growl into his ear.

"And just who in the hell are you two really? Not simple village men, are you. Not with those weapons. You wouldn't have come from Atlantis by any chance? You, my friend, bear a striking resemblance to a Colonel John Sheppard, whom while I have never met, has been introduced to me by way of a photo. Looks like Dani managed to get some troupes together after all. Shame really Colonel, it's a case of too little too late... don't you think?"

"Damn you White... where the hell is she? If you've touched her again, I won't just kill you, I'll dismember you piece by piece and just when you think it will all end, I'll stick you back together and do it all over again." John struggled briefly as he felt a hand reach around to take his weapon that he had tried to secure in his pocket.

"Sounds like you may have let her get under your skin Colonel. Not a good thing really – tried that and the little bitch just finds ways to bring you down. Would have thought you had more sense than to fall for someone like her."

John didn't give himself time to think, he just reacted. Driving his elbow with brutal force into the hard stomach of the man standing behind him, he waited until he heard the whoosh of wind leaving his stomach, then kicked back briefly and sharply into his knee, causing him to buckle slightly and the gun that had been at his neck to slip. That gave John all the break he needed and Ronon, hearing that John was fighting back, took the same opportunity to take out his own guard.

When White had stumbled, John whirled and was on him in moments, jabbing another elbow, this time to the chin, then following it with several punches in a row that kept him heading down towards the ground. John took his weapon,shoving into his face, eyes glittering dangerously now.

"Where is she White, I'll ask you one more time, then parts will start flying..."

White spat in his face, assuming that death would come one way or another. With lightning reflexes, John smashed his elbow again into his nose, causing the man to cry out in pain, then taking the gun he fired once, aiming lower towards the top of his thigh, bringing another scream of pain. Ronon had knocked his assailant unconcious, and now moved over to where John was, placing a cautionary hand on his arm.

"Enough for now John. We need to get to Lorne and his men and make sure they have everything under control there. Bring these two with us and secure them all."

"We need to find Dani Ronon!"

"We will find her John, we will find her."