Chapter 17: Atlantis
Sneaking back into the SGC hadn't been high on Alex's list of possible next steps to fleeing from the Trust. Again.
Though given how last minute it was, either O'Neill wanted no chance of their movements to slip out or something had happened.
Alex had a feeling it was the latter.
Mitchell got them into the base with little fanfare and by the time they unloaded from the truck bed, Alex was a little more awake. Mitchell handed them both base jackets to wear, toning down how much they stood out with their civilian clothes. Even then though, he doubted anyone getting escorted by the general of the base would be able to really pass by unnoticed.
They were escorted into a small room – smaller than the conference room they had been in before – and Mitchell left saying he would be back with breakfast and answers momentarily.
Alex dropped his belongings into a pile next to a chair, then plopped down himself. There was always a lot of hurry up and wait, but he liked to think that they were a little more protected within the depths of the base. Though on the space ship had seemed like a relatively safe place as well – it was impossible to miss the rumblings that the Trust had infiltrated more than anyone was comfortable with.
Sheppard slumped into a chair next to him, hair ruffled from the impromptu diving under the tarp to avoid detection. "Is this what your life has been like the past couple of years? People dragging you here and there without actually explaining anything?"
Alex shrugged. It was, in some ways, eerily familiar. There was no blackmail this time though. Just people who were, for some reason, trying to keep him alive. Though he wouldn't wish the fate of a goa'uld on his worst enemy. His worst enemy might just become worse…
"Gonna be honest, never expected to run into a goa'uld on earth though." Sheppard shook his head, as if he couldn't believe their luck. "They really want you."
Unease settled in Alex's stomach, because, what if these protections weren't enough. What if someone still got through? He doubted his technique for bashing the symbiotes against each other was going to work again. They wouldn't even give him the chance next time.
The door opened suddenly and O'Neill strode in, looking far more tired than he had the last time Alex saw him. He had a plastic case in his hand and a couple of the electric gun thingies – zats – in his hand. "We've got a problem." He slapped one of the zats down on the table, then set another one down next to it. "Any idea what the difference between these two zats are?"
Sheppard leaned forward, clearly studying them closely.
They looked exactly the same to Alex. Down to the very strange shape, with every little curl. Looking at it closer, he wondered how he could have ever thought they were made by humans. It just looked otherworldly.
"Not a clue, sir," Sheppard said, sitting back.
"One's a Trust zat and one's from our base supply. And that's the only difference."
Sheppard scooted slightly further away from the one O'Neill had identified as a Trust zat. "Okay…"
"Internals, schematics, function, everything else except their point of origin are the exact same." O'Neill slapped his hand down on the table. "Over 50% of the zats held within this base have been upgraded. No one knows how or why, just that all of a sudden we've all got zats that knock out our ATA carriers, worse than anyone else."
The gene.
"And Dr. Lam is finding that prolonged and repeated exposures to the Trust modified zats is resulting in brain damage in non-gene carriers. Paranoia, impaired decision making—"
"Stadler," Alex breathed.
"Exactly. He was compromised weeks ago. Not from working with the Trust, but from working against them he got hit with enough zats to fry his brain. Major Brigham just took advantage of an already existing situation." O'Neill turned to pace on the far side of the room. "So now, not only are 50% of our zats compromised, but it's a threat to all personnel – ATA or non-ATA. Dr. Lam is setting up screenings, but—that's not why we're here. Daniel's searching the archives, but all he's found so far are references to the Ancient Killers. Devices that slowly degrade the abilities of those who have the ATA gene. For some reason, research was stopped and the devices vanished."
Alex shuddered.
O'Neill hefted the plastic case onto the table and undid the clasps. Inside, there were at least a dozen of the zats, safely packed away. "Don't lose this."
"Sir?" Sheppard had pushed away from the table. "Doesn't that seem a little—"
"Keep it under lock and key. Only those that you – or McKay, I suppose – absolutely trust should be aware of this box's existence. Six originals, six new. Daniel is creating a briefing to send along with you – but the main thing is, we need to find out if there's a way to reverse the upgrade. If not… we'll need to scrap all the zats and find a way to shield against them."
Sheppard opened and closed his mouth, but eventually he nodded. "McKay's going to be thrilled, sir." There was a distinct note of grudging reluctance in his voice.
O'Neill snapped the lid shut again, this time locking it with a key. He handed both over to Sheppard. He clapped his hands together, glancing between them both. "Now, the fun part."
Alex raised an eyebrow, because this man could go from serious to nearly gleeful in a moment's notice.
"Getting you to Atlantis obviously can't wait for the Daedalus to make the trip. In fact, they're being recalled for a thorough review and once-over. It'll be at least another three months before you get your replacements, Sheppard. I'll personally make sure they all stay clear." He sketched a glance in Alex's direction. "And as far as everyone's concerned right now, you don't exist. That means the gate is going to be open just long enough for us to send a code through and for you both to sprint through it – hopefully without any of our Trust friends noticing."
The gate.
He was going to go through the gate.
He hadn't even seen it, aside from Dr. Jackson's pictures in the slide show.
"We've got a dial up scheduled as a test of the emergency system, and the guards from the gateroom are going to be on standdown. You'll have a window of about 15 seconds to get through." This time, he looked fully at Alex, a grin on his face. "Trial by fire, but I'm sure you're going to love it. Just don't hesitate."
The video of the rippling water like substance on the gate had been enough to pique his interest. But going through it all at once… that was a little more nerve wracking.
"Mitchell will come down to get you." O'Neill cast one last glance around the room. "Make sure you have all your belongings. It'll be a bit before backup comes through."
Sheppard glanced in Alex's direction quickly. "And my explanations to Woolsey?"
O'Neill just smirked on his way out. "I'm sure you'll figure something out."
Once again, they were sneaking through the base with Mitchell as their guide. Alex really wasn't sure how anyone was expected to navigate the base, because it all looked the same to him.
Same gray floor.
Same gray walls.
Same multicolored pipes running overhead.
Same blast type doors blocking off different sections.
If it weren't for the few markings on the walls designating different levels, Alex wouldn't have been convinced that the place was much larger than a floor or two. Apparently they were all the way underneath a mountain.
Mitchell pushed him back into an alcove, arm pressing against Alex's chest.
A moment later, two off duty marines ambled by their position, more engrossed in their conversation about football scores, than anything that might be going on around them. After a moment, Sheppard sidled up beside them, having taken up the rear.
"You've sure got an unobservant bunch, Mitchell."
Mitchell huffed. "Oh, this is giving me great plans for when we do another foothold scenario." He poked his head out of the alcove, waiting for a moment – and really, who built an alcove here? – then waved Alex further down the hall.
They crossed through another couple of halls, before Mitchell pulled them both into a small side room. A closet, really.
"We're about two doors out from the gateroom. I've got my people on these, but you'll have to give me a moment to get them to turn away. Give me sixty."
Sheppard nodded, then hefted the awkward plastic case a little higher. "Should've asked for a strap."
Mitchell grinned, clapped him on the shoulder, then took off down another hall.
Alex nervously worried at his lip. Just getting to the Stargate was a little more of a chore than he had anticipated. They were literally hiding from everyone else on the base. Assumed all possible contacts were hostile.
High alert 100% of the time.
It was also absolutely thrilling.
He was a bit of an adrenaline junkie, after all.
"Come on," Sheppard nudged his shoulder. "It's been a minute."
Apparently, that give me sixty was literal.
They kept moving along the hall at a fast clip. Alex was glad they had taken the moment in the room to stuff the pillow through some of the straps on his pack. The duffel bag was awkward enough, with it banging against the back of his thigh with every step he took.
Sheppard paused at one of the doors, hand hovering over the gun strapped to his thigh – and Alex wished they had trusted his abilities enough to give him a gun – before waving his other hand over the sensor. It slid open and the only person on the other side was a grinning Mitchell.
"They're going to dial it up." He pressed a button on his radio. "Package has arrived."
"Initiating dialing sequence test." Came the disembodied voice across the open line.
Mitchell patted the last set of blast doors that apparently separated them from the Stargate. "They're going to simulate an error, but it's actually going to establish a wormhole with Atlantis. Sam will send the emergency override codes through as soon as its connected. As soon as those are sent, I'll open the door and you two will run like hell. If all goes well, no one will be the wiser."
There was a loud whooshing sound from the other side of the door – just like the video. Alex could almost picture it.
"Hopefully they lower the shield for us," Sheppard muttered.
"The what?" Alex jerked to stare at him. "And if they don't?"
Sheppard slanted a grin in his direction. "We go splat."
Alex swallowed. That would be a fitting end to it all. Though, he wouldn't know so…
Mitchell slammed his hand on the door opener. "Go, go, go!"
Sheppard grabbed Alex's elbow and all but pulled him through the gateroom. He tried to get his feet underneath him, but…
It was so big.
Huge.
Like a puddle of water.
Mesmerizing.
But it could kill him if things didn't go right.
There was no option though, not with Sheppard's insistent hand pulling him up the ramp and right up to the edge of the surface.
No hesitation.
No pausing.
Sheppard pulled him through at a run—
—and they were still running on the other side.
In a glowy, buzzy, glittery place.
"Raise the shield!"
And guns.
Pointed at them.
Raised and ready.
Alex couldn't help the flinch, the automatic reaction to all but hide behind Sheppard.
There was a schnick sound behind him and the reflected light from the Stargate vanished.
They were here.
They had arrived.
He was on Atlantis.
"Colonel Sheppard!" The guns around them never wavered, but a sharply dressed man started coming down the stairs in their direction.
The glowy, shiny, warm stairs.
He knew he wasn't supposed to think on to things – but there was so much. So much just waiting for him to do whatever he wanted.
Was this what Sheppard had meant? That Atlantis was everywhere at once?
"Sorry about the entrance. General O'Neill sends his greetings," Sheppard acted as if there were no guns in the room. No one pointing anything at him. "Had to make a bit of a quick getaway—"
"Do you realize the power consumption that cost them?" A man all but flew down the stairs, looking spitting mad. "Even, even a wormhole for as short as fifteen seconds would have cost them—"
"Nice to see you too, Rodney." Sheppard all but drawled. Then he held out the plastic case. "I brought presents?"
His mouth slanted into an unhappy frown. "Unless that's a ZedPM, I'm not sure it's worth it."
"And here you were all but begging me to bring you back some new toys to play with."
Rodney's eyes alighted on Alex, narrowing in suspicion. "I see you've brought more than just presents. Did your secret love child finally grow up?"
"Secret, love—Rodney!" Sheppard sounded scandalized and yanked the plastic case back toward his chest. "Okay, last time I try to bring you back anything nice."
Alex wasn't quite sure what to make of that. And this was supposed to be one of Sheppard's friends?
"Ehm, Colonel Sheppard." The well-dressed guy took a step forward, clearly trying to get the situation back under control. The guns on the perimeter hadn't lowered. "I'm sure you understand, this is all very unusual—"
"And you'll find a note from O'Neill hidden in amongst accidental gate reports that got sent through. In the meantime, Alex and I will go see Beckett and convince him we don't have any snakes in our head." He pushed the plastic box into Rodney's chest. "Keep that secure. Alpha zero bravo."
Rodney's eyes widened and he all but snatched the box away, hurrying off, calling for someone before he even made it out of the room.
"I'm sure Simmons and Keelson will be happy to escort us to the infirmary," Sheppard made a waving motion with his hand, and the direct guns pointing at them were lowered. "Once we get the all clear, we'll come and brief you."
Alex noted that he was mentioned in that we. There was no getting out of the seemingly endless meetings. He blew out a long breath, feeling the hum of the city in the back of his mind. Because that was the city.
There was no mistaking it.
He couldn't see how Sheppard ever left for long periods of time if this was what he felt…
Wordlessly, he let Sheppard guide him down the hallways – escorted by two marines wearing whatever the base uniform here was. Even the halls felt alive. Not sentient, not like they wanted him to do anything, but just… alive.
He kept his hands all but tucked into himself, but that seemed mostly useless when you could control things with your mind.
They stepped into what felt like a closet, the doors slid shut, and then a moment later, opened into a completely different hall. He wanted to drag his feet, wanted to ask what had happened, how it worked – but they weren't alone. He had a part to play again. He wasn't just some awestruck kid anymore. Not here.
Even that couldn't stop him from wanting to balk as Sheppard herded him into what looked like a slightly futuristic infirmary.
"Look, Beckett's just got to clear us," Sheppard said, holding his hands out like he was trying to tame a wild animal. "Quick scan, we'll be all done."
Alex unclenched his fingers from the strap of his backpack. No poking and prodding. No needles.
As long as they kept their word on that, there'd be no problems. And Dr. Lam had had no trouble keeping those promises, so…
Sheppard gave him another nudge through the doorway, before pulling him off to one side where a not-yet-curtained bed was waiting.
Crossing the threshold seemed to be the trigger though, because not even moments later some white-coated doctor was snapping on gloves and coming in their direction. Her eyes narrowed in Alex's direction, but that was all Alex got before Sheppard stepped in front and blocked her progress.
"If you could get Dr. Beckett, please," Sheppard said, sounding a little put out.
The doctor frowned at him, lips pressing into a thin line. "Colonel, I assure you I am more than capable of completing an exam."
Sheppard shrugged, almost carelessly. "Not questioning your ability, but… we've got a bit of a special case." He stepped to the side, when the doctor tried to go around him. "I'm going to have to insist."
Now she just looked pissed off. Alex took a couple of steps backwards, eyes darting to the door.
A hostile doctor was about the last thing he wanted to deal with – but it wasn't like he could just run and hide somewhere.
"Dr. Beckett," the name was said with some level of disdain, "Is not on dut—"
"Miriam." Another doctor appeared from around the corner, clearly out of breath. "Leave 'em be. Yeh've got enough to worry about with Markham. Orders from above." The distinct Scottish brogue was jarringly familiar to Alex. It wasn't one he had heard on the regular, but every now and then… It sounded like home.
The doctor – Miriam – scowled in Sheppard's direction, before turning and stalking back across the infirmary.
Alex wasn't sad to see her go.
"Now, what's this then?" The remaining doctor studied both of them with his hands on his hips. "You're back from Earth so early?"
Sheppard's posture all but unfurled. "Ran into some unexpected trouble. There'll be a command meeting once you clear us."
"Aye, us." He sent a meaningful glance in Alex's direction.
"Right, Alex, this is Dr. Carson Beckett. Carson, Alex. He's here on… special orders from O'Neill."
Dr. Beckett raised a careful eyebrow. "So, we're stealing babes out of their cradles now? Is that what this is?"
"He's legally emancipated in the state of California. And well… you'll get the rest of the details in not quite such a public forum." Sheppard let out a long sigh. "Can you just give us a scan and reassure Woolsey that we're not goa'uld? I'd rather get Alex settled in before nightfall."
Nightfall.
Alex jerked his head, trying to find windows. Anything that would hint what time of day it was. Because it had been early morning when they left.
But this was a different planet.
A different planet.
It was almost a hysterical thought.
A week ago, he wouldn't have believed any of this.
Now, there was so much he could do, explore, learn. So much that just wanted to share its secrets – all because he had inherited one little gene.
"Alex?" A hand landed on his shoulder and Alex jerked upright. Sheppard was looking at him with a bit of concern in his eyes. "Carson's got a handheld scanner, if you'd be okay with that."
Right.
He jerked his head in a nod. Scanners were okay.
There was a warm buzz at the base of his neck, the increasingly familiar hum of Ancient technology at work, and then a satisfied exhale from Dr. Beckett. The process repeated with Sheppard, and in a matter of moments, they were both declared goa'uld free.
He wasn't sure what he would've done if Sheppard had turned out to be a bad guy…
"Now, there is the matter of off-world inoculations, the sub-cue, and—"
Alex immediately jerked back, pulling his duffel up to place more space between himself and the doctor. "No, no, nope." He shook his head frantically.
"Right…" Sheppard drawled, "See, we've got a little issue with needles, here."
Alex tried to swallow down the nausea at the idea of someone injecting him with something. Not when he knew nothing about them. Not when he barely trusted Sheppard, at this point.
"We can use the jet injection—"
"Fuck, no."
Sheppard placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him from physically climbing over the bed and ensuring there was no way the doctor could get anywhere near him. "Now, we won't do that."
Alex shuddered. Needles or no, anything getting into him…
"But," Sheppard cleared his throat. "You're not going to be cleared to leave the city until you get the inoculations and sub-cue. That can be for however short or long as you want. We've got other ways of tracking you within the city if you get into trouble."
Alex shook his head.
It was going to take a while before he trusted anyone that far.
Maybe never.
The last time he had let someone unknown inject him... it hadn't gone well.
The little group fell into silence and finally, Dr. Beckett clapped his hands together. "Well, best not keep Woolsey waiting. I'll just… uh, meet with you all later."
Sheppard nodded. "Usual place, time, suspects."
Whatever it was, meant something to Dr. Beckett, because he quickly turned around and started busying himself with whatever else had come into the infirmary.
Alex wasn't sure he was ready for the next part.
"Come on," Sheppard stepped away from the bed, "Let's go tell command how much of a mess we've gotten ourselves in."
A/N: What's this? Updates only a week apart? I just couldn't wait to get the boys back to Atlantis! Now the real question is, what kind of cover story do you think Sheppard is going to be able to invent?