nosophoros

Copyright 2008 Susan Walker (aka SuzieB)

All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

Chapter 6

“Carson, this had better be...good.” The last word died on Elizabeth’s lips. He was standing beside one of the infirmary beds. When he turned and looked at her she could tell from the expression on his face that whatever he had to tell her, it was definitely not going to be good.

“Carson?” She took a step toward him him and then stopped. She clasped her hands together, her fingers twisting together in knots.

He stepped away from the bed. Her blood turned to ice in her veins. She didn't know what to expect...was afraid of what she might see on that bed behind him. For a moment she felt like she couldn't breathe. And then she saw the face and she took a step back. She looked up at Carson and frowned.

She opened her mouth then stopped, hearing movement behind her. She turned her head and saw Teyla standing there. They looked at each other and Elizabeth knew that the puzzled look on her face was exactly the same as the one on Teyla's.

She turned back to Carson. “What's going on?” She looked at the pale face of the woman lying on the bed behind him. “Who is she?”

Carson's eyes darkened. “Not here.” He said, his voice terse and strained. He took hold of her arm and then Teyla's, pulling them away from the bed and steering them to a curtained area.

“We have a problem.” Carson didn't give Elizabeth time to protest. He glanced back at the bed. “A very big problem.”

“Carson, I'm getting a little tired of this.” Elizabeth pulled her arm out of his grasp. “What is...”

“He's gone, Elizabeth.” His voice trembled slightly. Carson looked tired. His face was lined with worry, his eyes nearly black with fatigue. “The Colonel...” He took a deep breath. “John...he's gone.”

“Carson, we know that he is gone.” Teyla glanced at Elizabeth. They shared a look. The strain on everyone was great and now even Carson was beginning to feel the effects of it.

“You don't understand, lass!” Carson snapped. Then a sad look crossed his face. “I'm sorry, Teyla.” He took a deep breath and turned away. “Maybe you'll understand this better.”

Without waiting for them, Carson walked away from them, leaving the two of them no choice except to follow him.

He stopped in front of a door and Elizabeth felt a chill run down her back. From the look on Teyla's face she knew where Carson was headed as well.

He hesitated for just a moment and then he pushed open the door and stepped through, stopping only long enough to hold the door open for them to follow him inside before he closed it behind them.

The room where John Sheppard had lain in quiet peace was empty.

“Carson, did something go wrong with the...” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Did something go wrong with the autopsy?”

She couldn't bring herself to say John's name and that word in the same sentence.

“I wish it was that easy.” Carson folded his arms across his chest. “Elizabeth, I haven't done the autopsy on the Colonel yet.”

“Then where is he?” Teyla demanded.

“I don't know.” Carson looked like he was going to be sick.

“What do you mean that you don't know?” Elizabeth felt a cold fury rip through her. Her hands were clenched with rage, the nails digging into her palms. “Carson, I swear...if this is some asshole's idea of a sick joke-”

Before Carson could answer the door was suddenly shoved open. A young nurse poked her head around the door. She saw who was with him and her eyes widened with fear.

“Sylvia, can it wait...” Carson begin tiredly.

“We've got another one, Doctor.” Her gaze flicked to Teyla and Elizabeth. She licked her lips nervously and she took a deep breath. “It's Doctor Mckay.”

“Bloody hell-” Carson shook his head. His face had gone nearly as white as his lab coat.

“Another one? What the hell does that mean?”

But Carson didn't answer. He'd already headed out the door. Elizabeth and Teyla followed, hot on his heels. They stopped when they saw the figure lying on the bed. Rodney's face was pale and Elizabeth would have thought he was dead except for the steady rise and fall of the sheet that covered him.

Carson was leaning over him and when he straightened up, they both saw the red marks that marred Rodney's neck. Elizabeth looked at the woman in the bed next to his. The same red marks were on her neck as well.

They looked like the same marks that had been left on John's neck after the Iratus bug had attacked him.

Elizabeth moved toward the bed.

Carson turned his head and looked at her.

“Carson, when you said we had a problem...did you mean that there is an Iratus bug loose in Atlantis?”

Please, God! Please God, let him say no.

“No.”

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief but then Carson took a deep breath and his next words made her grow cold.

“But according to these two...John Sheppard is loose in Atlantis.”