Chapter 14: Theo

Stepping into the center with someone accompanying him was a little unsettling.

The last time he had come along with someone had been when Byrne was first enrolling him in the program. There had been some extra special hoops to jump through, since this was technically a service used by ex-special forces and other military types that had access to ultra classified secrets. And he had still, technically, been a minor at the time. Not quite emancipated.

Alex shoved his hands deeper into his pocket, not quite sure what the reception would be like. He wasn't sure what, if anything, Theo knew, but… it would be nice to say good bye to the one person that had actually made a difference in the past year.

"Cozy place," Sheppard muttered, taking a seat across from him in the waiting room.

Alex glanced around, seeing it with new eyes once again. The stark white and bright lighting was a little off putting and the chairs weren't the most comfortable, but the offices were much better in his opinion. And since Alex spent as little time in the waiting room as possible…

"Alex?" One of the secretaries called him from behind the front desk. "Is your… friend going back with you?"

"Yeah."

She frowned slightly, before nodding. "Alright, you can go on back. He's expecting you."

Alex let himself through the waiting door, holding it open just long enough for Sheppard to get through.

"They just let you… huh." Sheppard shook his head, then motioned for Alex to lead the way.

The usual door.

The usual room.

Third door on the right.

He knocked on the door, alerting Theo that they were there, then let himself in.

Inside, it was just like every other time. The softer lighting. The slight warmth compared to the rest of the building. The settled feeling in his psyche.

Safety.

Security.

Exactly what he hadn't felt in the past few days.

Crossing the threshold was like a reminder that safe places still existed.

It would be strange to not return to this refuge.

"Colonel Sheppard!" Theo stood up from his desk, clearly in shock. And clearly knowing Sheppard.

"Sergeant…"

"Chadwick, sir!"

Betrayal bloomed in Alex's chest. They knew each other.

All facets of his life were, once again, running together.

"Retired, though." Theo rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Alex. "When they said you had a guest, I was expecting Mr. Byrne."

"Oh, just doing a favor for an old friend," Sheppard said, casually. Just the barest hint of bite to his tone.

Alex shot him a look.

He didn't know Byrne. They weren't old friends.

"I'm glad to see you're okay," Theo said, turning his full attention to Alex. "Mr. Byrne sent several of his agents through here a few days ago, and when you missed your session Monday, I feared the worst."

Alex shrugged, letting himself wander toward the far wall. As he usually did. "Things got a bit complicated there."

"Oh, well, I'm sure the Colonel will keep you safe."

"Had a bit of shore leave," Sheppard said. "Byrne needed another pair of eyes on the situation. I'm sure everything will go back to normal soon enough."

Right.

That wasn't the plan in the slightest.

Alex let his gaze wander across the shelves of trinkets, cataloging each and every one, and its location. Nothing was out of place compared to the past few months. The newest trinkets were still toward the front.

The glass sculpture looked as ugly as ever, but the tinge of color seemed almost familiar.

Like he had seen it somewhere before.

"I was a little surprised Mr. Byrne arranged an emergency session on such short notice."

Alex rolled the words over in his head, trying to think of the best approach. Sheppard clearly wasn't comfortable with this. Had alluded that they had much different plans than what they had gone in with.

If that wasn't a red flag and a need for regrouping, he wasn't sure what was.

"He was worried that this past weekend was a little more taxing than it seemed." There. That ought to spark some interest. Now he just had to get Theo off the trail…

"Oh?"

"Made some impulse decisions." Alex turned his back on the others and rolled his eyes heavenward. Forgive me now. "Went to see Jack."

"In Virginia?" There was a heavy note of skepticism in his voice.

Alex turned around slowly and put on his most morose face. "Well, yeah. It was… the anniversary of when she moved in with us." It wasn't. That had been back in April, but he definitely hadn't told Theo that detail.

"Okay…"

And now Sheppard just looked puzzled too. On guard, but puzzled.

Alex glanced back at the shelf of trinkets.

That blue glow.

It was so…

Familiar.

An ancient device.

Fuck.

Alex stepped carefully in front of it, blocking it from Theo's view. Thought off, off, off. And the baseline humming disappeared.

Sheppard's spine straightened, ever so slightly.

He had noticed too.

Somewhere, there was an ancient artifact in the room, and Alex was going to bet his savings that it was the little glass figure on the shelf.

But it wasn't the only one.

"And you didn't tell anyone?" Theo just sounded puzzled. "Alex, are you sure you realize how out of character that is for you?"

Alex tried to shrug, nonchalantly. Of course it was. It was why it hadn't happened. "You don't think it's two steps forward and all that bullshit?"

Theo stepped around the desk, coming closer to him. Placing Sheppard firmly behind him.

Sheppard sent him a what the fuck look, but Alex didn't have time to explain.

Gut feeling, 101.

Something was not right here.

"Well last I knew, you had an aversion to public transportation and crowded spaces, so yes, I'm wondering if you had a personality transplant."

Which.

Huh.

Maybe what he had needed all along was another kick into the thick of things. A reason for living that was more than just surviving.

Maybe Atlantis would give him that.

"Perhaps that's why Mr. Byrne insisted you stop here before going anywhere else," Theo said, taking another step closer like he was trying to tame a wild animal. "Of course, if we're actually going to talk about things, Colonel Sheppard should probably leave. For your privacy."

Alex caught Sheppard's wild eyed stare, then nodded his head slightly. "Yeah, maybe…" He turned back to the shelf, looking over the various trinkets with a new eye. Theo's friends had given them to him. From their remote location. Their base that they wanted him to return to.

But if any of the pieces were of interest, there was no way the SGC was letting them out freely. Not to someone who had moved into civilian work.

Unless…

Some of the tarnished pieces no doubt held some sort of secrets – Jackson had mentioned other cultures, after all. Not just Ancient.

Surely those had technology that got plundered at times too.

"He can find his way out to the waiting room," Alex said, dismissively. Hopefully Sheppard would know not to actually go that far. All the warmth, welcoming, and safety feelings in the room were rapidly fleeting. And getting rid of the one person that might be protecting him seemed foolish, but… "You don't mind, right?"

"Alex…"

"You can find the route to Sab's house." He wasn't going to try anything as obvious as flashing hand signs at Sheppard, but he sincerely hoped he was as sharp as everyone made him out to be.

Or Alex was probably going to end up dead.

"Okay… sure. I'll just be…" Sheppard jerked a thumb over his shoulder, before taking a cautious step backwards. "It was… nice seeing you again Sergeant Chadwick."

"Sir," There wasn't a hint of insubordination in his tone.

Alex kept studying the trinkets, trying to reach out with his mind to each one, without actually touching it. Sheppard had warned him about the dangers of turning on unknown devices, but…

"So, how'd you actually meet him?" Theo asked, getting closer. Pushing into his personal space. Suddenly seeming more relaxed.

"He was with Byrne when they caught up to me."

That one, there. There was a soft hum in the back of his mind as another trinket turned on. He couldn't get a good read on it, but it at least didn't light up with visible colors.

"Mr. Byrne doesn't just get Lieutenant Colonel's to babysit teenagers on a whim."

Alex spun around and scowled at Theo. "Not babysitting." He used the movement to inch closer to the strange object. Something was niggling at the back of his mind that this was important.

This is hinky.

"Alex?" Sheppard's startled voice broke into his thoughts.

No.

It was a part of his thoughts.

"What are you doing in there?"

Alex stared at Theo, challenging him for a comeback. Everything about this situation was wrong.

"What the hell are you doing, Alex? How did you get telepathy?"

It was a good question, but Theo, normally the most laid back person Alex knew, was all but invading his personal space and baiting him.

Something isn't right here.

"No, shit Sherlock." Sheppard sounded a mixture of relieved and exasperated. "And running me out of the room, not the brightest idea."

"Alex, this isn't you." Theo stepped closer and Alex stepped back. "You've got to be more careful. Mr. Byrne is watching. If you screw up…"

What.

The.

Fuck.

If he screwed up? Screwed up what?

It wasn't like they could un-emancipate him.

It wasn't like Byrne was going to press him into service if he started acting slightly out of character.

"We've got a lot riding on this. Just keep your cover for a little bit longer. Lose the Colonel and you'll be home free."

We.

Cover.

Home free.

He thinks I'm someone I'm not.

"What?"

Alex repressed the flinch, having already forgotten about Sheppard. In his mind.

Ancient technology was weird, man.

"Byrne must suspect something if he's got the Colonel watching you." Theo leaned close, seeming to attempt to check Alex for something. "We can get you a cover story if you don't want to stick with him."

Alex swallowed. Should I keep playing along?

"Play along! Fuck. Play along, kid. And get out of there in one piece!" Sheppard's thoughts were almost frantic.

Theo's eyes landed on something just over Alex's shoulder and he smiled. "It worked, didn't it. You've still got the gene."

Still.

Fuck.

The gene.

"Ye-yeah."

"I'm sure it feels amazing." Theo's eyes glowed gold for a moment, before settling back on Alex. "Just a matter of time now. Atlantis will be ours."

Uh, do glowy eyes mean something?

"Fuck! Get out of there. He's goa'uld."

One of those snake thingies?

Someone had taken over Theo?

When?

Why hadn't he noticed?

Weren't there supposed to be signs that someone you knew was actually a megalomaniac alien – or at least, being possessed by one.

Alex swallowed. "Sheppard is going to get suspicious if I stay here too long," Alex did his best to keep the tremor out of his voice. Because this snakey being thought he had been implanted. That he was one of them.

"We can take care of him."

Alex shook his head cautiously. "No, no… He needs to… reassure Byrne that all is well. I'll… do better. The limitations of being a teenager." He tried to project some annoyance into his voice and it seemed to do the trick.

Theo straightened up, a slow smile curling across his face. "Very well, we'll play by your rules. I'll see you in a few days for your next session." He reached behind Alex and pulled the little oblong metal object off the shelf. It had been there since the first day he had come in to therapy.

It was whatever was buzzing at the back of his mind now, letting him talk with Sheppard.

"We've had this piece for quite a long time. Bring it back with you the next time and let me know if you figure something out – Ba'al found it along with some communication stones, but could never figure out its use. Maybe you'll have better luck."

Ba'al. That was a name he recognized.

"Ba'al!" Sheppard's voice all but shouted in his mind. "I'm coming back in!"

No—wait. Stay there. I'm almost out.

There was a distinctly disgruntled feeling coming across from Sheppard.

Theo – or whoever he really was – held out the object in his direction.

Alex almost hesitated taking the object – it was a science fiction life now, maybe they had rigged it as a transporter, or something equally nefarious. But he couldn't reject it either. Not without completely blowing any semblance of a cover.

He would like to live, after all this trouble.

It was smooth and cool in his hand, but the buzzing intensified slightly. Welcoming him.

At least it wasn't immediately killing him.

Theo met his eyes with a grin. "I've plenty more where that came from."

Alex stared down at the device, trying to feel it out. It wasn't clear what, exactly, it was. But he knew he would be expected to hide it from Sheppard, so he stuffed it into his pocket. As if that would actually work if Sheppard actually suspected him of something. There was no way he wasn't going to immediately show it to Sheppard once they were in a secure location.

Which, was the city even halfway safe for them?

Or would it be fine, because they apparently thought they had been successful?

That they had their gene carrier under their thumb.

"Have the next pieces ready when I come back," Alex said, trying to put more determination in his voice. There was no telling whether he was acting right, so he hoped Theo was just chalking it all up to being in a strange body. God. He was masquerading as an alien.

"Of course. Don't miss your check in."

Alex nodded, as if he had any clue what that meant, then gratefully escaped out the door. Any sense of ease he had gotten from the place was long gone.

Sheppard was pacing down the hall, far enough away that he probably could've pretended he was coming back inside looking for Alex – without actually having left the hall. He opened his mouth to say something and Alex shook his head sharply.

There was no telling what all was listening to them in these halls.

Alex stopped by the front desk, going through the charade of scheduling his next appointment. All their plans had gone out the window the moment they had crossed the threshold into Theo's office. They just had to keep up the front.

It was tempting to just flee from the Center, but Alex took his time, dragging his feet like any other teenager not so keen on going with whoever they were with.

All a charade.

Once they got into the car, Sheppard was practically white knuckling the steering wheel.

We should go to a busy park, turn on your anti-bug devices.

Sheppard flinched, then pulled out of the parking lot. "Or you could just tell me now."

I don't… trust this completely. Because in truth, he had very little idea of what it was actually doing. And the thought of being psychically linked to someone was a little unnerving.

Sheppard clearly thought so too, because he didn't ask any more questions.

The moment Sheppard activated the anti-bug devices, it felt like a small wave of pressure washed over him. Like the air burst in his ears.

Alex leaned forward, resting his head in his hands, and let out a long breath. "Well, fuck."

"You can say that again."

"Fuck." It was so messed up. Theo, who he thought had been on his side all along, was quite definitely taken over by an alien. "He's goa'uld."

Sheppard blew out a long breath.

"He's the reason the Trust knows about me. Practically gave me to them on a platter." Fuck. Alex rubbed at his forehead. The only reason he had gone out running was because Theo had encouraged it. Had encouraged him to do something different for once. Live his life.

And it had almost resulted in ending his life as he knew it.

"He thinks they succeeded, too." Alex turned to Sheppard, still trying to wrap his mind around that. "That they… implanted me or whatever."

Sheppard's face screwed up at that, clearly hating the idea as much as Alex did. "He thinks you're one of them?"

"Magic gene and all." Alex waved his fingers, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the device. "I'm supposed to figure out what this is before our next session."

"Well… let's start by turning it off."

Alex let his eyes shut closed as he thought off at it. It took a couple of convincing tries, before it shut off all the way. The hum disappeared and a sudden headache bloomed at the back of his head. "Ugh…" He opened one eye to see Sheppard similarly wincing. "Right, let's not… turn that back on any time soon."

"Prototype," Sheppard said, leaning forward and letting his head rest against the steering wheel. "Gonna guess, had side-effects, so the project was scrapped." He reached into the backseat, one hand rummaging around in his duffel before pulling out an all too familiar bottle of pills. And an ancient looking cell phone.

Well, not Ancient.

He held the bottle out to Alex and he reluctantly took a couple. Sheppard downed several as well, before massaging at the back of his neck. "And that probably just earned us another brain scan by Dr. Lam."

Alex grimaced. He had avoided it the last time, but… there probably wasn't a way to sweet talk them out of it.

"We need to call O'Neill."

And there, the part Alex was dreading. Because he just wanted to get his things – not be sent off to another galaxy without so much as his own clothes.

"Hey—if they think they succeeded, there's no reason we can't finish what we came for."

Alex sighed, then nodded. It was probably for the best.

A/N: Now seriously, did anyone see that coming? Poor Alex… Perhaps poor Theo as well. Thoughts and predictions? What will O'Neill think about this development…