Thanks to: Much thanks and shout outs to Haggis for helping to provide me with concepts and/or answers to problems that came up within my synapsis and encouraging me to continue this fic in spite of my wariness of it.

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… .LV. …

The Deathdealers

Part II: Confusion on all Fronts

By Lady Valmar

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Song Inspiration: Bad Stone by The Crystal Method and Overcome by Better than Ezra

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Rodney exited the transporter, and shuffled down the hall, his boots leaving bloody footprints along the cemented hallways. The alarm from Atlantis's internal security system blared loud and clear. It's melodic tone buffering his echoing footsteps.

That alarm would have to be silenced, but he'd do it later, he didn't want their screams to be heard.

Backing up, Rodney stilled as he heard voices in the corridor nearby.

"Sir?"

"Where is the other?"

"I do not know. He was in the west section last…"

"Find him and kill him. We cannot risk the perpetrator gaining access to those files. If the Wraith learn of it…all our lives will be forfeit"

"Understood."

Checking his gun, Rodney hid in the shadows and peered around the corridor…

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"We checked all the usual places, neither of them were there and Dr. Zelenka isstill missing as well," said Major Lorne, his voice holding concern.

Silently, Elizabeth acknowledged that this whole situation was beginning to look like some type offoul play, though who would do it? Thatwas still yet another question she hadn't voiced yet either. Not yet. Until she knew for sure that they were not just out testing some new piece of technology or exploring Atlantis, shewouldnot voice her concerns.

"Have we checked to see if they might have taken a jumper out?"

"Dr…I don't really see Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay taking a jumper out without letting someone know."

"Right," said Dr. Weir.

"Is it possible that they are simply in an area that has not yet been searched?" supplied Colonel Caldwell, from the doorway.

"It's possible…but we've checked all their usual places. I don't see either of them really needing to be in the plant section or any of the others…" said Lorne, crossing his arms and giving Caldwell a contemptuous look.

"Well check them anyways," said Elizabeth. "Dr. Zelenka?" Relief washed over her.

"What?" asked Zelenka, slightly confused, a clipboard in his hand.

"Colonel Sheppard, you and Dr. McKay have been missing for nearly two hours," stated Major Lorne.

"Two hours?"

"Yes," said Lorne.

"And where were you Dr.?" asked Colonel Caldwell, staring.

"I was assisting Dr. McKay in his lab with Colonel Sheppard present."

"And after that?" asked Caldwell, his expression neutral but something in the way he had asked made Radek nervous.

"…I didn't stay after Rodney grew angry with my assessment and I went to repair a terminal in another section of the city. It was a section that I do not usually go to, perhaps that is why you could not find me. Afterwards, I returned to Rodney's lab but I couldn't find them and thought perhaps he was here," said Dr. Zelenka, his hands started to fidget nervously in front of him.

"Dr. Weir?" asked the Canadian gateroom tech.

"Yes?"

" I've scanned all the known locations and came up empty. There is no indication that they have even left Atlantis," said the man, genuine concern on his face.

"Alright keep checking," said Dr. Weir, turning to Radek.

"Dr. Zelenka how long ago did you see either of them?"

"Nearly two hours ago."

"And you say that when you left they were still in the lab working on the devices?"

"Yes."

"Is it possible that they just went to another section of the city that we haven't explored yet?"

"No, I do not think so…though it could be possible…"

"Right…Major Lorne, I want you to take two teams to explore the lower levels of Atlantis and I want you to keep in radio contact at all times. You see anything you report it right away."

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Sheppard could hear footsteps echoing away into the distance. Slowly he opened his eyes to see Elizabeth staring down at him. "Elizabeth?"

"John."

Slowly she helped him to his feet where he stood rubbing his head and neck. They were in the cage that had previously held both Wraiths, named Steve and Bob respectively. "Something tells me we've been caged? What is going on?" said John, eyeing the rays of the cage.

"That was what I was about to ask you."

"I remember me and Rodney in his lab working on those artifacts we brought back from that planet. He had me try and activate the dumb egg shaped machine thing and then suddenly there's a blinding flash of light and…ah here I am."

"Okay John as amusing as that explanation was…what artifacts?"

"You know the ones…that egg thing and the ah…crystal thing…we brought back fromMGR 777" said John, articulating his words with his hands.

Elizabeth stared at him before replying. "Egg thing? Crystal thing?"

"Yeah I know I'm being general," said Sheppard, who then quickly added when he received a look from her, "Okay I'm being really general with my description but I think the egg thing speaks for itself."

"John…egg machine aside. We've never been to MGR 777."

Sheppard stared at her for a moment. "What?"

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Rodney was taken aback. Unlike the other man who had killed Sheppard and thus he had killed, these men wore black coats and clothing that resembled the Wraith's attire almost exactly. They even looked Wraith like except they were completely human excluding the platinum white hair and the deceptive tattoos on their palm's, resembling Wraith slits.

Who were these people? Were they like the Wraith worshippers he had heard about? Or were they just mercenaries out for technology against the Wraith and didn't care who was in the line of their sight…

In any case Rodney had no clue how they had gotten into Atlantis. The last he remembered he had been working on that device with Sheppard when suddenly a flash of light and next he knew he was dashing for cover in his lab as Sheppard fired at someone in the doorway.

Then…John had…Rodney shook his head again. It was useless to think about what had happened right now he needed to focus on Atlantis then when he had time he could curl up somewhere and think things through.

Feeling his eyes clear of his thoughts he looked at the taller of the two men who nodded and walked away. The shorter one remained. This was it. He had to find out what this vital information was. How these people had been able to infiltrate Atlantis so quickly and why they thought that Atlantis's inhabitants were allied with theWraith.

What he needed to do was to get to that small lab stationed near the control room. Only there could he find out if anybody else had survived the attack…

"It was more of a massacre," said Rodney, swallowing the emotions threateningly to engulf him. The bile rose in his throat and he fought to keep it down. He was not going to cave in no matter how badly he felt inside.

It was just he coulnd't get the image of John collasping down to the floor, his eyes open and…

Rodney whimpered…he was so overcome by his emotions…he needed to find his courage. He didn't have time to let his weakness take him. He eyed the gun in his hands. For John…he thought and stepped out pointing it at the man, a slight whimper just pleading to escape his lips.

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A/N: I know it needs some fine-tuning as my character portrayal is a bit off, which will be fixed when I have the chance inbetween chapter 3 posting and some other fics of mine.