Argrose paced in his cell, waiting for the Lanteans to figure out that they couldn't shut down the system. For a brief moment Argrose thought that maybe he'd underestimated these people, but quickly dismissed the idea. These people clearly were not the original Lanteans. He could tell by their clothing and weapons, Argrose had put every safeguard he knew of and a few more on there. He was absolutely certain they wouldn't be able to turn it off any time soon. Argrose knew his plan would be no small feat considering there was only one of him and a whole lot more of them, but soon he would even out those odds.

"Rodney, have you figured it out yet?" Elizabeth asked upon her arrival. Carson was checking over John, who lay on strange-looking table.

"By 'figured it out' do you mean what it does or how to turn it off?" Rodney asked looking up from the tablet he held.

"Well both would be nice." Elizabeth said, tilting her head a little.

"Well I can do neither. Mr. Super-Smart criminal has this," Rodney waved his hand to encompass the console in front of him and the table on which John lay. "so booby trapped and safeguarded that its going to take a while before I'll even know what it does."

"Alright. Carson have you tried waking him up?" Elizabeth asked.

"Aye, but the stimulant I gave him didn't have any effect." He waved Elizabeth over. "I'm guessing that this is what is connecting him to the machine." Carson indicated a circular, blinking, piece of metal about the size of her fist that was attached to the side of John's head. Elizabeth hadn't noticed it before.

"Is it doing anything to him physically?"

"No, it doesn't appear to be doing anything yet. That could change though."

"Maybe he is he dreaming?" Teyla suggested stepping forward.

"That's a good guess but, like I said, we won't know anything for a little while." Rodney replied.

"I'll send Zelenka down to help, meanwhile we'll see if we can get anything from our prisoner." Elizabeth turned to leave and noticed Major Lorne staring off into space.

"Major Lorne... Major."

Lorne snapped out of his thoughts. "Uh, sorry, what is it?"

"You should get some rest, you look exhausted."

Lorne nodded and left.

John stood there for a few minutes before deciding that standing there was going to get him nowhere. John looked at the blanket of fog to his left and the dense forest to his right. John personally preferred to be able to hide so he went right. It wasn't easy going through the forest with it's protruding roots, sturdy bushes, prickly thorns, and large rocks. Most of all there were trees ranging in all sizes, some were several feet in diameter while other were mere centimeters. Sometimes it was impossible for him to get through and he had to go around to keep moving forward.

Suddenly someone called out his name. John looked around and found there was a woman standing about fifteen feet behind him.

"Who are you?" John asked, turning away from the trees he had just been trying to get through.

"I am Atlantis." She answered.

John looked her up and down disbelieving. She had dark blonde hair and a white pair of boots, pants, and a white shirt. She did have the ancient colors. "Atlantis is a city."

"Yes, a sentient city. You are in a virtual environment that was created for teaching experience without harming the physical body."

John realized that his leg hadn't been hurting. Looking down he saw no wound, only a clean pair of BDUs. "That might explain a few things."

"I have been able to get through Argrose Bolue's safeguards but Dr. McKay is having trouble reaching it from the physical world." Atlantis explained further.

"So what is this." John gestured expansively, meaning the entire world he was in.

"This is the world Argrose Bolue chose for you. The program has many levels. One level was for getting a first hand experience with plants, some for animals, some for their work on Stargates–"

"Okay, okay I get it. Lots of levels. Which one did Argrose put me in?" John cut in.

Atlantis looked down at her clasped hands and hesitated.

"Atlantis." John drawled.

"He put you in the one which was designed to teach Lanteans going on dangerous outings how to resist torture." Atlantis answered.

"Like mild torture, a thorough beating, really really bad torture." Ignoring the small feeling of dread building up.

"Argrose left it on the highest setting." Atlantis answered, still hesitant.

"The highest you say." John raised his eyebrows, dread had officially reaching screaming point. "I can't physically harm me though."

"Well Argrose was changing the system quite a bit."

"Changing it?"

"Yes but I can't tell you what the changes were. In any case you may be able to avoid it for a little while. This program was designed to help the learn how to escape and evade as well."

"For how long? I'm assuming it won't let me just evade forever."

"No, it randomly chooses when you stop evading. I will do what I can to help slow that down but aside from that there is not much else I can do but be here with you."

Curious, John asked, "What can you do here?"

"I can be here as if in a physical body, this is all in your head. It is as real as the time you were in the Aurora. I have placed my A. I. In the system with the appearance of an Ancient." Atlantis elaborated.

"Ah." John heard a twig snap lightly. Now would be a good time to evade. John heard the thought. John looked at the place where Atlantis had been but she was gone. John's brain switched into survival mode, Okay, somewhere to hide.

"Rodney, you said you made some progress." Elizabeth stated, her eyes didn't go to Rodney though. Carson had hooked John up with an IV and a heart monitor.

"Yes well, I know what it does but that was the easy part." Rodney sighed and hunched over in his chair, tired.

"Well, that's a start."

"It is a program to teach the Ancients what they needed to know before they went out and did it."

"It can't harm him physically can it?" Teyla asked.

"Its not supposed to... but it is a possibility." Rodney said.

"Rodney, why don't you take a break and we'll have Radek look at it." Elizabeth suggested, Rodney looked at her like she was crazy for even letting that thought cross her mind.

"I guess we'll stick with coffee then?" Elizabeth suggested alternatively. Rodney nodded to that.

John sunk down behind a tree, breathing heavily, and licked his dry lips. The evasion part was getting hard. He jumped as a stunner blast hit the tree behind him. Moaning, John took a deep breath, pulled himself to his feet, and resumed running.

"What have you done to Sheppard?" Ronon growled, not breaking the staring contest he had been having with Argrose.

The man didn't answer at first, he seemed to be contemplating his answer. "I will wait for your scientists to affirm that they cannot turn it off. Then I will speak to your leader." Argrose looked at the warrior in front of him with distaste. He was relying on intimidation and brute force. Neither of those worked on Argrose. Argrose wondered if John Sheppard would have been able to get under his skin enough to make him tell, then shook his head. No, Sheppard was smarter than that. He would've bargained, made it seem as though it was in his best interest to agree. Argrose smiled a little, maybe everyone else wouldn't be so smart and he'd be able to carry out his plans.

Atlantis, how's that slowing down coming. John thought, he stopped to catch his breath but stayed standing.

I've slowed it as much as I can. Atlantis responded.

I'm slowin' too. John scanned the trees for any sign of his pursuers. He could see nothing but that didn't mean they weren't there.

I am aware. You will simply have to continue as long as you can. The more time you spend evading, the more time Dr. McKay has to fix it, the less time you will have to spend at the highest torture setting.

Got it. John thought, he stumbled forward and hit his knees painfully when they reached the ground.

"Let us try this." Atlantis' physical form appeared at John's side and hauled him to his feet.

Rodney tapped the keyboard again. Things were coming along. At a snail's pace but a pace nonetheless. Something caught his eye. "Hmm. Interesting." He murmured to himself.

"What is it?" Carson stood up from his chair by Sheppard's side and stepped back to Rodney.

"Well, there seems to be an option to put on screen what Sheppard is seeing. Argrose evidently didn't think it worth putting as much safeguarding on so it is pretty easy to get to." Rodney answered without looking up from his laptop.

"Like seeing it from his eyes or seeing him as well?" The doctor questioned further.

"Through his eyes... ah-ha!" Rodney looked expectantly at the screen, which turned on to reveal a dense forest. Stunner blast were flying through the trees. "Still doesn't help us find him though." Rodney sighed and returned to his original task.

"Elizabeth!" Rodney jogged slowly toward the expedition leader's office.

"Have you figured out how to disconnect him?" Elizabeth asked upon his entrance.

"Yes and no. I have finally gotten through all his viruses, safeguards, booby traps, etc."

"But?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow for him to give her the bad news.

"But, there is a pass code to change any of the settings or disconnect him. I have been trying to crack it but this isn't one of our systems that I can find a back door to. I don't know if I'll be able to get past this." Rodney sound depressed at the admittance that he wasn't smart enough.

"So, looks like we'll have to bargain with our felon." Elizabeth rose from her chair. She had really been hoping to avoid that part. It seemed, however, that she was not fortune's favorite.

Please review, if only to say you like it!

I know there haven't been any escape attempts recently but never fear, they're coming!