The Long Way Home

Chapter Twenty Four: The Storm

Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone,
Help!

The Beatles – Help!

The City was deserted, Cass had never experienced the deathly silence in Atlantis before and never again did she want to. The Infirmary was eerie quiet, she was used to the steady thrum of visitors and the friendly chatter of nurses but instead the place was vacant. The absence of life was unnerving, the noiseless echoes were haunting as she shuffled through the vacuous room checking to ensure each medicinal cabinet was locked.

They had received the news several hours ago that a great storm was on the way, one that had the potential to decimate the City. Already they had evacuated all non essential personnel from the City and all that remained was a team of six people including herself. John, Weir and Rodney were putting Rodney's latest plan into action in order to turn the City into a giant conductor to harvest the energy from the storm into the Shield Generator.

Two Marines were guarding the Control Room and the Stargate while she finished up locking down the Infirmary. With Carson on the main land helping with the evacuations she was left temporarily in charge of their small but capable medical centre. All of their patients had been moved to the Alpha Site already and she had already stocked her own field kit up in case she needed to attend to any injured parties. Cass grasped her green canvas satchel and slung it over her head so the strap was across her chest.

Cass touched the comm lightly signalling the others across the channel.

"It's Doctor Pierce, I'm done in the Infirmary and ready to move onto the Alpha Site." Cass said as she stepped out of the Infirmary, the automatic doors closing behind her.

"You may need to hold your horses on that one Doc," the voice of an unfamiliar Marine told her over the line. "We have incoming, there's been an attack on Manara, we have an Athosian party incoming with wounded."

"Did you receive that Doctor Weir?" Cass prompted.

"Loud and clear, we on route." Weir murmured into the receiver.

"Me too." Cass replied as she swiped her hand over the panel, hearing the locks click shut as the mechanism slipped into place.

The Control Room wasn't far from the Infirmary. Cass broke into a run, her boots slapping across the tiles as she sprinted as she took a corner and sprinted towards the larger room. Already she could see two bodies lying in wretched heaps on the steps leading to the Stargate. She hurried even faster as they came into view, the sight of their grey uniforms hit her like a slap to the face.

Marines...

She slowed as her brain scrambled over the details, her lips parting in horror at the pool of blood stretching from underneath them as their vacant eyes bored into hers. She didn't understand, she had just heard their voices over the airwaves...

Cass's arm was seized in a vice like grasp as she stepped into the Gate Room fully. The fingers were bone crushing as they clenched her arm, hurling her out of the door way and even further into the room. Something solid and cold was jammed into her side and it took Cass a few seconds to make sense of what was happening as she twisted to face her initial aggressor.

A sneer curved across familiar thin lips as vicious, glittering eyes fixed upon hers. The blond crew cut was hidden underneath his evergreen, uniformed cap as he twisted the double barrelled hand gun against her sensitive flesh.

"Doctor Pierce, it's nice to see you again." Sergi uttered at her through bared teeth.

His triumphant smile and empty, soulless eyes reminded her of a shark surveying his last meal. Only sharks didn't torment their food before eating, the graze of the gun metal against her skin was irritating to say the least. His grip on her arm was needlessly painful. She wasn't going anywhere. The room was full of Genii for God's sake, all equipped with firearms.

"Sergi, stop playing with the hostage, there'll be plenty of time for that later." The voice was gruff with the twinge of an accent that reminded her slightly of Russia.

The Commanding Officer was as tall as he was broad, his stature reminded her of a hockey player. His tough, leathery skin was pock marked and indented with what looked like old, healed burns. His hands were behind his back in a resolute satisfied manner as reviewed the interior of the Gate Room in all of it's splendour.

"I'm afraid you have us at a disadvantage." Weir's voice chimed from nearby, drawing Cass's attention to her and Rodney in a similar position on the opposite side of the room. "You seem to know about us but we don't seem to know about you."

"It's the Genii." Rodney submitted, staring hatefully at the soldier's who had swarmed over his Control Room.

Cass clenched her jaw to prevent herself from crying out as Sergi allowed his weapon to dig even further into her flesh. She really didn't see how today could get any worse.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Jumper was grounded and it made Ford feel completely ill at ease to be trapped in such a small space with a raging storm howling outside. He had been through storms back on earth but nothing that resembled a hurricane. Already the wind was blowing a horrendous gale outside, trees were practically bending under the tirade of the great storm.

The rain was lashing across the window of the Jumper making a hailstorm of noise as Beckett, himself and Teyla sat in the cockpit area of the small ship. The hunting party they had been awaiting were huddled in the back, wrapped in blankets on the benches that lined the back of the ship.

"This is Major Sheppard to Jumper Two, Jumper Two are you receiving?" The radio crackled with static as the thin, throaty sound of John's voice sounded over the speakers.

Ford was already snatching up the radio and holding it to his mouth before Beckett had a second to reach for it.

"Major Sheppard, this is Jumper Two responding, we're still grounded on the Main Land." Ford informed his superior.

"Your on the Main Land? Well good we have a situation here, the Genii have invaded the Control Room and taken Weir, Cassie and Rodney hostage." John informed the small crew.

"Those fellas who wanted us to help build them an Atom Bomb?" Ford questioned, shaking his head in dismay. "How did they even get through the gate?"

"They were posing as injured Athosians." John relayed. "Look that's not important. What's important is that you get back here to back me up. It looks like they've got a strike force."

"We've got bad news Major, we're grounded at the moment. There's not a chance we can fly in this weather." Carson said out loud into the cockpit, his voice twinged with concern.

"Well that is bad news." John returned as he grabbed the Life Scenes Detector. "Just get here when you can."

"Received Major." Ford told him before setting the radio down and letting out a growl of frustration. "We need to do something."

Ford's fingers flicking over the switches in order to start the Jumper engines before Carson slapped his hand over the other man's, holding it in place. Ford turned his furious gaze upon the the dark haired doctor, his eye blazing with agitation.

"Are you out of your mind son?" he exclaimed, his brows furrowing as he indicated towards the weather. "We can't fly in this."

"Did you not hear what he said?" Ford retorted angrily. "The Genii are holding our friends hostage and trying to take over Atlantis."

"Aye, and I am worried about them too but we're going to be no use to them if we crash land this thing." Carson snapped.

"Carson is right." Teyla intervened stepping between the two men, her calming hands resting upon each of their shoulders. "We will be no help to the Major if we can not fly through this weather. We will have to sit here and wait until we are able to fly."

Ford sagged back in his pilot's chair letting out a growl of fury as he slapped his cap on the control panel.

Lieutenant Aiden Ford didn't do well feeling useless.