Argrose was frustrated. With the tight sweeps the search teams were using, Argrose had to constantly reroute. On top of that, Sheppard hadn't tried to escape again. True he was pretty well bound and looked for all the world like he was falling asleep. However, Argrose wasn't fooled so easily, he noticed the observing looks John Sheppard would cast every couple of seconds. Though he would never admit it and did his best to hide it, those looks made Argrose nervous and tense. If he were to slip, drop his guard for only a moment, he was sure Sheppard wouldn't hesitate for a second. Tied up or not, Sheppard was one of the few people Argrose had ever feared. Argrose methodically filled the small pack he held with Avb. His thoughts were elsewhere though. He thought over the other people he feared, or rather had feared. His combat teacher for one, his mentor had scared him from the moment Argrose had laid eyes on him. Even after Argrose got to the point where he could beat him.
Argrose head exploded with pain from the back and the room blacked out. Ironically Argrose had done exactly what he had feared he would by thinking about it. Argrose had dropped his guard.
Argrose was distracted, John could tell easily from the way Argrose stared blankly at the sack. Quietly, slowly, John moved his hands towards his feet. It was difficult since his hands had to start from behind his back. Reaching forward without taking his eyes off Argrose, John loosened the rope holding his ankles together. Hoping for the best and expecting the worse John crept up behind Argrose. He held his breath for a moment than swung. Argrose jerked and fell to the floor. John then found the keys and freed his hands, clipping the cuffs around Argrose wrists, though doubting that it would make much of a difference. Since he didn't want to make the same mistake of sticking around as before, John took the stunner, smashed the bottles of Avb, and left hurriedly. He didn't bother being discreet, he wanted to be found. For a moment he wondered how long Argrose would be out but then pushed the thought away as it was useless to estimate. At first John only put as much distance between himself and Argrose. Then stopped to think about what he should do next. He had no idea whatsoever of where he was in Atlantis and he still couldn't talk to her. Wander around he supposed. Once the drug wore off the sensors would pick him up and he could go home. Something else drew his attention. He was thirsty. John didn't know how long it had been since he'd had a drink thanks to the numerous unconscious occasions. John sighed and kept walking, wanting nothing more to find his bed and fall asleep, murderous villains aside. However, he knew he couldn't. Argrose would be up and about soon and John didn't want to be around when he was.
What have you found? Dr. Weir's voice asked in response to Lorne's call.
"Smashed bottles, little bit of blood." Lorne listed. "Guess Colonel Sheppard got the drop on our elusive little felon." Lorne smiled a little at that.
Good, any sign of Colonel Sheppard? Lorne could hear the smile in Dr. Weir's voice.
"Not yet." Lorne admitted regretfully, then, with a bit of optimism, he added. "But, if Colonel Sheppard is abroad, then Argrose won't be able to administer the drug and the Colonel will appear on our sensors once more."
Good thinking. Keep me posted. Good work major. Dr. Weir said through the radio.
"Alright lets keep moving people!" Lorne called out to the rest of the search team. There was a collective 'yes sir' and they set out. The other three members of this particular team had cycled in and out with fresh men every twelve hours. Lorne, however, had stayed. He was now coming up on thirty hours. He pushed away the little voice of exhaustion and strode forward with new confidence. He contacted the other search teams via radio and redirected them toward himself. He had moments useless (or so he thought) wish that he could ask the walls if Colonel Sheppard had gone this way. Lorne mentally rolled his eyes at himself. Fantastic Evan. Your going crazy and you've only been awake thirty hours!Despite telling himself he was crazy, the thought kept resurfacing, pushing itself through Lorne's concentration. In response, Lorne tightened his grip on his P-90 and stared hard at the walls, floor, and ceiling. He had to find Colonel Sheppard and thinking about talking walls wouldn't help.
John made a habit of stopping every twelve strides to listen for Argrose or search teams. Preferably the latter. He limped with one hand holding the stunner and the other brushing the wall for any possible contact with Atlantis however miniscule. It felt good to be out of restraints and walking. Even though he was tiring unusually fast thanks to dehydration and a thorough beating. He stumbled blindly along as he started to lose focus and his vision narrowed. He'd lost the stunner a ways back, at some point his fingers had decided to let go without telling him and his ears hadn't bothered to inform him either. John struggled to hold onto consciousness with only the thought that the longer he stayed awake, the longer he stayed away from Argrose, the longer he went without whatever-it-was-Argrose-kept-injecting-him-with, the sooner he would be found. His walk had turned into a stumble, then a shuffle, until he was certain snails would laugh at him for being slow. John leaned against the wall before sinking all the way down. He hadn't seen much in the way of hiding but he didn't think Argrose would simply pass him by. There was also the fact that John couldn't see much anyway at that moment, his hiding skills would be a bit sloppy right now. Just as blackness started to dominate him, John felt a pair of strong hands grip his jacket in the front and pull him off the floor. John managed to blink back unconsciousness for a moment and open his eyes slightly. It revealed the enraged face of Argrose with a satisfying clink of metal restriction. A small smile graced John's face at the sight, even the tiniest chortle, as he passed out.
John awoke to find his thirst more or less quenched. He sighed heavily. He left his eyes closed and tried to go back to his dream. His dream of being in bed and dreaming. John remember the soft feel of his mattress all too well at that moment. He scolded himself, You're a solider, buck up John!
His hands were bound in front him for a change, John was laying on his back. He cracked open an eyelid enough to see Argrose lounging on of the chairs with his stunner in one hand and his eyes focused on John. John shifted onto one of his elbows so he could look Argrose more or less in the eye.
"Nice try." Argrose commented dryly after a moment.
"Of course it was nice, would you expect anything less of me?" John snapped, feigning hurt.
"No, I expected better." Argrose sneered.
"Well, if you want better, you'll have to quit trying to stop me." After a moments consideration John said, "If you were going to try to get off this planet you could have already."
"True, that was my first intent." Argrose agreed, eyes never leaving John.
"Second intent?" John asked.
"I am the last ancient yes?" Argrose didn't wait for John to answer. "Atlantis is the city of the ancients. I'm an ancient. Why not take the city back?"
"One man to run the whole city?" John drew his eyebrows up and together, wondering if ten thousand years in stasis had done a little something to Argrose reasoning.
"Oh I'd find some people to help me run it. I'm sure there are more than a few scientists who would work for me."
"In fear of their lives, of course." John said.
"Of course." Argrose repeated smiling a little. "You for instance could be one."
"Why not?" John pretended to contemplate the offer. Sarcasm flooding his voice, John answered his own question. "Oh, yeah, now I remember. You've beat me up, tied me up several times, and you're a criminal. Sorry, no can do Darth Mal."
John saw before he felt Argrose boot in his stomach. When he'd gotten his breath back he stopped for a half-minute dramatic pause and drawled, "Ow." His eyes didn't need to be open to know Argrose was glowering at him.
Argrose pulled John up by the back of his jacket, "Walk." John hung limp, there wasn't a chance he was going to make it easy on Argrose. "Nope." He replied stubbornly. Argrose gave him a cold, hard stare. John had the feeling that a bit of pain was in his future. He might have walked to avoid pain, however, John being John and defiance being his middle name, hung slack and returned Argrose's glare with his most intense "Death Glare." (Rodney had nervously called it that when he'd purposely spilled his glass of water over John in front of Dr. McKenzie.) John could of sworn Argrose's gaze wavered, but didn't have much time to tell correctly before Argrose's fist hit him in the stomach. John let out a groan. Then another one as Argrose pulled him into a headlock and put John's knife to his throat. John's eyes focused on the most welcome sight he'd see in... he really wasn't sure how long. Ronon and Teyla with two armed marines faced them with weapons at the ready.
"Let him go and you might get through this with your head." Ronon threatened, glaring hard enough to make John extremely grateful he wasn't being glared at.
"You shoot, and I won't hesitate to slit his throat." Argrose emphasized his point by pressing the knife enough for a small trickle of scarlet blood.
Ronon didn't lower his blaster but didn't fire either.
"Why don't you tell us what you want and we can work something out." Teyla suggested in her most diplomatic manner and held up her hand in a nonthreatening way.
Argrose started to back away slowly, John did everything he could to slow him down but it didn't really help matters. Argrose continued backing and the knife continued to elicit a few drops of blood. As they rounded the corner he heard Teyla, Ronon, and the marines come closer, but they didn't come around the corner until Argrose had gotten a good fifteen paces between them. John grunted as he was lifted into a transporter.
"Press it." Argrose hissed in John's ear. John was briefly confused as to why Argrose wouldn't just press it himself, but then attributed it to Argrose trying to maintain his hold on John. Catching Teyla's eye he glanced at the far corner of the panel then back. Teyla blinked slowly in understanding. John reached back and slowly pushed the button closest to the bottom right-hand corner. The doors closed and there was a flash of light and the transporter doors opened but Argrose made no move to leave. John sighed, realizing Argrose's plan.
As soon as the transporter's doors closed the search team sprinted forward. Teyla pressed the same glowing dot Sheppard had. They transporter flashed and the door slid open. They stepped out. No sign of Sheppard.
Ronon frowned, "Where'd they go?"
Teyla sighed. "They transporters are two way, it looks as if Argrose did not vacate the transporter before we came. He will undoubtedly be in another transporter by now."
I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Shep is up to six now, I'm not going to count Ronon and Teyla trying to rescue him 'cause then the end of the story would come quicker. Please review! Reveiws motivate me to write better ad help me come up with ideas. Even if you're saying you just like it. This chapter has been fixed up a little due to a few reviews. So I hope I have answered most questions successfully for the moment. Thank you :)