The Long Way Home

Chapter Twenty Five: Risk

As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many won't get the chance to say good-bye
But its too late to think of the value of my life

Rhianna – Russian Roulette

To say that John Sheppard was pissed was an understatement. Pissed was a curse word that didn't even start to cover the rampaging emotions that were exploding like nukes within his gut. The rage was fiery and his thirst for blood unquenched. His fists were clenched as he listened to the conversation between the Genii, Weir and Rodney over the radio channel. There was so much fury in him right now, John had never felt such a powerful surge of emotion before.

This was his City and now his people were in danger, it had made his blood boil underneath the surface of his skin to know that the Genii had used their weakness against them. He should have known that Callen was an opportunist. Someone had leaked the information that they were vulnerable and the results of that betrayal were proving costly.

Already from what he could gather their Control Room had been swamped with a small strike team of Genii shoulders whose main goal seemed to be to over take the city. Rodney had rather cleverly managed to alert John to their demands without making the Genii aware of his presence by leaning on the control panel that activated the comm system. It had worked only for a few minutes but John now had some leverage to work with.

"For God's Sake Elizabeth it's not worth our lives, just give him the C-4, the medical supplies and the Wraith Device." Rodney's irate voice had exclaimed over the radio attached to John's ear.

He had four hours until the storm hit, three hostages to rescue before the corridors became electrically charged and God knows how many Genii standing between him and the survival of this city. The odds were not good but the stakes were high, higher than they had ever been for him. Weir, Rodney, Cass...

John felt his chest tighten at the thought of her in the hands of the enemy. It had been days since they had spoken about what had happened to her back in Afghanistan but still her words were fresh in his mind, her abuse antagonizing every step he took. Jesus it was tearing him up inside not to rush in and be her knight in shining armour yet that would be unproductive and the only thing that would come of that was failure. He couldn't stand the idea of her vanishing from his life. Now that he'd had her letting her go again was not an option.

If Cass died then his own destruction would surely follow. His soul would fracture and fragment and before anyone knew it John Sheppard would be no more. He couldn't guarantee he wouldn't do something stupid if she was harmed during this venture. He knew himself well enough to understand he would lose control completely and revenge...

He had never believed it was a dish best served cold.

Trust was never something he gave freely, it took a long time for people to earn it but now John Sheppard was putting his faith squarely not only in Cass's hands, but in Rodney Mckay and Elizabeth Weir's too. He couldn't allow his worries to override what needed to be done here no matter how much it killed him to think of them trapped amongst the Genii.

Cass's words were ringing in his mind as he stood stationary for a second gathering his thoughts and developing plans on the knowledge he had at hand. Her whisper against his heart, echoing in the darkness as they lay entwined in each other.

"You need to know that I will do anything necessary to come back, anything to survive."

John ran his calloused hands over his rugged features, even more infuriated by his position. If there was ever a time to start believing in something it was now. It was time to let all of his reservations go, he couldn't hold onto them any more. There was a moment of fear, a fear so intense his throat physically hurt as he swallowed as hard as he could past it before he released every concern that knotted up deep inside him.