New Fic - A Polite Nightmare Part Two
Here is the second part as it was too big for one post.
“I’m going to kill her,” Nathan snapped as he marched onto the bridge with Ford, “Then I’m going to kill Noyce for making me let her on the boat.”
“How did she persuade O’Neill of all people to do this?” Ford demanded.
“She didn’t,” Kristin joined them, she lowered her voice, “I think she used a patch on him from the security camera evidence.”
“What?” Nathan stared at her horrified; “Kate would never…” he trailed off rubbing the bridge of his nose. Looking up at the Communications’ station where O’Neill’s replacement was sitting, “Saunders, do we have anything coming in?”
“Not yet, Sir,” the young woman replied.
Nathan grimaced; there was something off about this whole thing. Kate was many things but kidnapping wasn’t her style, he was sure that she wouldn’t betray him like this.
“Sir,” Saunders called, “We’re getting a message through.”
“On screen,” Nathan ordered.
The vid screen jumped to life and Kate appeared in front of him with that annoying smirk on her face. Just behind her handcuffed to a chair was his missing Communication’s Officer.
“Kate,” he glared at her, “I want an explanation and my officer. Not in that order.”
“Nathan,” Kate smirked at him, “Why on earth would I return something so valuable? The knowledge inside his head, the codes and the information on the ship as well as the crew is worth a lot of money to your enemies. And as I said things have been slow lately.”
Taking a deep breath and stopping Ford from saying anything Nathan stepped towards the screen, “So this is about money?”
Kate shrugged, “I wasn’t sure when I came on board exactly what I could get but then you dropped Tim into my lap, the one man who knows every way to talk to that ship and tell it to do anything. He’s going to make me a fortune.”
With that said she gave a quick wave and severed the link.
Nathan took a deep breath before turning to Saunders, “Trace the call. Once you have a location contact Noyce and have him scramble a team. We have a mission we can’t delay. We’ll be in the conference room if you need us.”
With that said he tapped Ford’s arm and motioned him to come with him.
-
“Lucas,” Nathan said as he joined the two officers, “I need you to do something.”
Lucas shrugged, “Sure.”
“Sir?” Ford asked bemused.
“Kate made sure she pointed out several times how good O’Neill is,” Nathan explained, “Lucas, check for any underlying signals, or files or something about the communication we just had that doesn’t seem normal.”
Sliding into the seat Lucas started working, only a few minutes passed before he turned to them.
“Found it,” Lucas grinned.
“Not very well hidden,” Ford commented as he leaned forward.
“Actually it was,” Lucas explained, “But because the Captain noted that she kept saying how good Tim was I decided to check some tags he would use.”
“What do you have?” Nathan asked.
Lucas tapped a control, “A message and a file.”
“Play the message,” Nathan ordered.
Lucas tapped a few more controls and leaned back as the message played.
“Nathan,” Kate appeared, “I told you he was good. Tim is fine as you can see,” she moved out of the way for a second allowing the lieutenant to give a quick wave and smile before returning to the screen, “I’m sorry for the way I did this but the information I got on the station meant I had to move fast. The mission you’re on is a trap. Some of your new guys are part of a group who want to take over the seaQuest. Tim has attached the file detailing who they are for you.”
“That makes a little more sense,” Ford murmured pausing the message, “But why did she take O’Neill off the boat?”
“Maybe she’ll tell us,” Nathan started the message again.
Kate’s image moved again and she took in a deep breath, “I can’t return him yet though. I need him to crack Mason’s communications net. It’s time, Nathan. Once he gets me in he’s free to go.” She paused again and gave a slight smile, “If I don’t get to see you again, thank you.”
With that the screen went blank.
“Who’s Mason?” Lucas broke the stunned silence in the room.
Nathan grimaced, “The man who poisoned her.”
*********************************************
“Kate,” Tim said as they sat eating breakfast, “If you want me to help you then I need to know the truth. What did this guy do to you?”
Concentrating on her coffee Kate sighed, “The reason Nathan insisted on the doctor checking me out when I arrived on seaQuest was because about eight years ago I reneged on a contract with a man called Travis Mason. There are very few things I am opposed to but what he was doing was one of them. I called Nathan and Noyce,” she paused for a second chuckling, “They sound like a comedy duo. Anyway, Mason managed to get away and found me. I expected him to kill me straight away but instead he tortured me and injected a synthetic poison into my blood. It’s dormant until the second component is introduced then from what we know I die within thirty minutes.”
“That’s horrible,” Tim gasped.
“After Nathan got me out Mason disappeared,” Kate continued, “Until yesterday I had no way to find the bastard. I need you because I don’t have the skills to find my way in. Once you do that you can head home.”
Tim chewed on his toast for a moment, “And if I refuse to help?”
“I’m going anyway,” she told him, “With your help I have a better chance of surviving.”
Tim let out an annoyed sigh, as much as she infuriated him during the time he’d been stuck with her Tim was finding he was actually quite fond of her. Especially as she now seemed to be talking to him like a normal person instead of an annoying brat.
“I’ll help,” he said finally, “But I’m not leaving you to do this alone.”
Kate shook her head, “I can’t let you put yourself in that kind of danger.”
“And you’d rather walk in alone?” he demanded.
Their eyes locked for several minutes, Kate looked away first and nodded.
“Thank you,” she said softly, “You know I’ve only trusted two men in my life. You’re getting close to being the third.”
-
“There is a gap here,” Tim explained, the schematics of the compound open in front of them, “This sub is small enough to get through the net.”
“How good a pilot are you?” Kate asked.
Tim winced, “I can get it from A to B but I don’t think I can get through there without being caught.”
“But you can get out?”
He frowned at her confused before realisation struck him, “Kate…”
“If he can get the second part of the poison into me then I’m dead,” she reminded him, reaching out she squeezed his arm, “I’m not looking to die, Tim but I want to make sure if anything happens I’m not responsible for getting you killed.”
He paused for a second before nodding, “Fine. Are you ready?”
Kate smiled annoyingly, “Of course I am.”
Annoyed Tim cleared the screen, looking over when she touched his arm again, “Stop it,” he told her.
“It’s the way I am,” she reminded him.
Tim stabbed the controls, “Be someone else for a while.”
Rolling her eyes Kate headed to check she had everything she needed for this, making sure she wasn’t watching Tim sent a small message. He wasn’t letting her die.
-
Tim realised suddenly he was holding his breath as they manoeuvred their way through the security net to the back entrance where Kate was heading. Slowly letting out the breath he glanced over at her and saw how pale she’d become.
“We don’t have to do this,” Tim murmured to her, “We still have time to turn around.”
Kate shook her head, “I can’t do this anymore, Tim. My life revolves around waiting for the day he gets the second component into my blood. I need to see this through.”
“Okay,” he nodded softly.
She smiled at him before turning back to the controls and moving them to the airlock.
“Stop,” Tim said suddenly, “The net’s changed shape. Head for the co-ordinates I’m sending you.
Kate nodded and did as he told her finally reaching the station. They listened to the sound of the seal being made and Kate took another deep breath before she stood. Grabbing her bag she entered the code to open the door.
*********************************************
Nathan leaned back in his chair as his second-in-command updated him on the situation with the people who had been planning on trying to take over his boat. This meant he could now focus on trying to find the woman he should have had arrested years ago.
“Lucas traced the signal,” Ford told him, “But by the time a team arrived…”
“Don’t tell me,” he sighed, he was well aware of the drill, “Okay, our only other option is to find Travis Mason.”
“Tried that as well,” Ford replied, “We have no records and no trail.”
Nathan slammed his hand on the table, “Then how did she find him? And why does she need Lt O’Neill?”
“Tim is a communications specialist,” Ford reminded him, “He speaks about eighteen languages. That’s a pretty good reason to grab him.”
Nathan shook his head, “There’s more to it. Kate does nothing without a reason.”
Ford frowned, he knew he didn’t want to ask this but it was something he needed to know, “How dangerous is she?”
Nathan let out a long sigh, “It depends. Kate has an interesting sense of right and wrong. She has no qualms about stealing or conning people out of their money but if someone hurts a friend or even a person she deems as vulnerable then she will do everything in her power to destroy them.”
“So a lot and not much,” Ford sighed, “Wonderful.”
-
“Captain,” Lucas barrelled through the corridors to catch up with the two men, “Captain, wait.”
Bridger and Ford turned as he ran over to them.
“What’s wrong, Lucas?” the Captain asked.
Trying to catch his breath Lucas nodded as Bridger motioned him to take a moment. Finally he managed to speak again.
“I just got a message from O’Neill,” Lucas told them, handing Bridger the piece of paper he’d been carrying.
Bridger glanced through it before handing it to Ford.
“S.H.S and some numbers?” Ford asked Lucas who shrugged.
Bridger rolled his eyes, “Save Her Soul and the co-ordinates. Let’s get to the bridge and if we do save her, I get to kill her.”
As their Captain marched to the bridge Ford and Lucas shared a worried look before they followed on.
*********************************************
Tim walked slowly behind the nut he was somehow trusting with his life wishing this was over and he was back on seaQuest with this as a memory and amusing anecdote. As they moved through the corridors of the lower levels of the station Tim caught a glimpse of Kate’s face and realised she was terrified. For a second he thought maybe she was playing him but then he thought about it and realised she probably didn’t realise he could see her face. His confirmation came when he gently touched her shoulder and she jumped.
“Don’t do that,” Kate snapped at him as she gasped slightly, “I don’t take surprises well.”
Tim held up his hands, “I guessed. Look, do you know where we’re going?”
“He’s holed up in one of the upscale apartments,” she replied, “I just want to make sure none of his goons see me…us.”
“Considering the last time you saw him I’m all for that plan,” Tim told her, frowning as she got that contemplative look in her eyes, “What?”
“They have no idea who you are,” Kate reminded him, “If they see you all they’ll think is there’s some guy on leave from a UEO sub.”
Tim shook his head, “Kate…I…it’s not…I’m…”
“It’s okay,” she smiled at him, “I’m not asking you to do anything. I doubt you’d manage to lie to them without turning bright red.”
As he grimaced at her Kate started moving again.
-
Kate gripped the gun she was carrying knowing that beyond the door she was standing in front of was the man who had poisoned her. The man who had made her look over her shoulder and jump at shadows. Glancing to one side she saw Tim waiting for her to decide what she was going to do.
“You don’t have to do this,” Tim reminded her softly, “We can leave right now, if you want.”
Kate turned to him, “No. I’m not running from him.”
Without another word she used the card key she’d stolen and opened the door to the apartment.
-
Tim looked around the room they’d just entered knowing that he would never in a million years manage to afford a place like this for an hour never mind a night. Opulent was the only word he could think of as he stared at the room.
“Hey,” Kate’s sharp whisper interrupted his gawping, “Help me.”
Duly chastised Tim started looking around for the antidote Kate assured him was in the room.
“Kate, is this something he would leave in his hotel room?” he asked.
She nodded, “He keeps it where he can get to it easily.”
Before he could say anything else the door opened and Kate spun, she aimed her gun at the bald headed man as he walked into the room. To Tim’s bemusement the man wasn’t fazed by the weapon trained on him, in fact all he did was smile.
“Hello again, Kate I was wondering when you’d show up.”
Tim watched the standoff before him worriedly; Kate wasn’t moving still holding her gun on the other man who was simply smiling at her.
“What did she tell you?” Mason asked making Tim jump a little in confusion.
“What?”
Mason chuckled, “What did she tell you about what she came here to get? Let me guess, it’s a rare necklace that belonged to her grandmother or maybe it’s a formula for something a friend has discovered.”
“Knock it off,” Kate snapped, “And give me the serum.”
“So it’s a serum,” Mason continued to talk directly to Tim, “I take it the story was interesting. They usually are.”
“Stop it,” Kate snapped, “He’s trying to get you to doubt me.”
Mason chuckled, “You’re a con artist, Kate. Of course he doubts you,” he turned to Tim again; “You’re UEO, aren’t you. I won’t report this to your superiors if you get her out of here now.”
“Kate,” Tim said softly, “We should go.”
Kate shook her head, “I am not leaving without the antidote. I’m not letting this bastard get away again.”
“Miss King, I have nothing to hide,” Mason told her loftily.
Kate moved forward slamming the gun into his chest, “Stop it. Give me the serum.”
Mason laughed grabbing her arm he twisted her wrist, Kate slammed her knee into his stomach crying out as he grabbed her hair yanking her head back. Tim tried to help but before he could get close a sudden bang sounded in the room and he fell back against the wall.
-
“No!”
Kate dropped down next to the man she’d dragged along with her who now had a bullet wound in his chest pouring with blood.
“Tim, I’m sorry,” she whispered as she pressed her hand against the wound trying to stem the blood.
He was shaking, his eyes wide with bemusement at what had just happened.
“Kate,” Mason sighed as he tossed the gun away, “You never learn. And now you’ve got your little friend hurt because you just can’t leave it alone.”
Glancing around as she tried to stop the bleeding Kate glared at him, “You poisoned me and I’m not waiting for the day you decide to finish the job.”
“You won’t have to,” Mason laughed grabbing her arm he jammed the needle into her arm.
Kate gasped as she realised the two compounds were combining and in thirty minutes she was dead, so was Tim because there was no way she’d be able to get them both to safety.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to Tim aware of how much blood he had lost and the fact her hands were becoming numb.
“They’ll come,” Tim murmured as his eyes began to close.”
“It looks like I need to move out of this room,” Mason stated annoyed, “Two dead bodies make the place look messy.”
Kate leaned forward against Tim’s chest trying to use her body weight to stem the bleeding so that he had more chance of surviving. As the world around her began to darken Kate saw the door burst open and Nathan arrive with several men holding guns just before she passed out.
*********************************************
Tim forced his eyes open confused to find Dr Westphalen standing over him smiling down at him.
“Welcome back, Lt,” she said softly as she checked something behind him, “How do you feel?”
“Sore,” he muttered grateful as she placed a cup of ice chips to his lips, “What happened?”
“I’ll let Captain Bridger fill you in on that,” she chuckled, “For now I’m going to do a few tests then you’re going to rest. Okay?”
Tim nodded before his memory of the events that put him in the hospital bed came flooding back, “Kate? What happened to her?”
Westphalen smiled slightly, “She will be fine. Luckily I’ve been studying the poison so I was able to counteract it.”
“Good,” he moaned as the effort of being awake finally overcame him and he slipped back into comfortable unconsciousness.
-
Nathan looked down at the woman on the bed wrapped in the ice blanket that Kristin was using to keep her temperature low. From what he’d been told it was to ensure the poison remained inactive while it was breaking down.
“Nathan,” the shaking voice from the woman on the bed made him look down to find Kate was awake.
“Welcome back,” Nathan smiled, “You know once you’re feeling better I’m putting you in the brig.”
Kate rolled her eyes, although it looked extremely strange as she was shivering at the same time.
“Tim?” she asked.
Nathan nodded, “He’ll be fine. No thanks to you.”
“He made the decision himself to come with me,” Kate argued back, “Can we raise the temperature in here a little before I freeze to death?”
“Dr Westphalen will be here in a few minutes to let us know if it’s gone,” he told her.
Kate closed her eyes as the shiver moved through her, “Can you tell her to hurry up?”
-
Kate huddled under the blanket she had wrapped around her over the three sweaters she was wearing as she watched Nathan pace the room.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded.
“Nathan…”
“I was talking to him,” Nathan cut her off turning to Noyce who was on the screen.
Noyce frowned, “Kate did send give you the information you needed to stop the intended mutiny.”
“She then kidnapped one of my officers and he’s now in the infirmary with a bullet hole in him,” Nathan retorted.
“Tim made the choice to stick with me,” Kate reminded them, “I told him he could just help me find the way in and then he could go.”
Nathan turned on her, “Please. Kate, you knew he wouldn’t leave you. That’s why you targeted him.”
“Hey,” she held her hands up, “You were the one who assigned him to ‘escort’ me around your ship.”
“And you didn’t know who he was before you got here?” Nathan snapped back.
“Enough,” Noyce yelled forcing them to look at him, “I have other things to do and I’m not listening to the pair of you yelling at each other.”
As the screen went blank Kate looked up at the man who was glaring at her.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, “But I couldn’t wait for him to come after me. When I met Tim I knew that I had someone who could bypass the security net and he was a nice enough guy who wouldn’t let me go alone.”
“Always the con artist,” Nathan sighed dropping into the seat across from her.
She smirked slightly at him, “When have I ever been anything else?”
Nathan shook his head with a slight smile, “We found you using your body to stem the bleeding trying to save Lt O’Neill. Normally you would have been miles away.”
Kate let out a soft sigh, “I may now have three men in this world I trust. And I’ll be off this ship as soon as we dock and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“I bet it won’t be for long enough.”
-
Tim opened his eyes surprised to find Kate sitting at his bedside, “Hi?”
“Hi,” she replied with a slight smirk, “How’d you feel?”
“Like someone shot me,” he replied darkly.
She grimaced wincing slightly. She’d avoided coming here until now as she really didn’t want to face him after everything. Kate took a deep breath, reached out and took his hand, “Really sorry about that. I didn’t mean to lose my temper with him.”
“What about abducting me from my ship?” he asked with a roll of his eyes.
Kate shrugged, “That I meant to do. But I have apologised for the shooting thing so trust me that’s more than I usually apologise.”
As she smiled at him Tim shook his head, “I can see now how you manage to con people so easily.”
Leaning over Kate kissed his forehead, “Hope you feel better soon. We’ll be docking in five minutes, wanted to say goodbye to you before I left. Thought I owed you the knowledge I’ll be well out of your way by the time you get back to work.”
As she started out Tim called her back.
“Keep in touch,” he told her with a smile, grinning even more at her stunned expression before he closed his eyes again to get some rest.
“I’m going to kill her,” Nathan snapped as he marched onto the bridge with Ford, “Then I’m going to kill Noyce for making me let her on the boat.”
“How did she persuade O’Neill of all people to do this?” Ford demanded.
“She didn’t,” Kristin joined them, she lowered her voice, “I think she used a patch on him from the security camera evidence.”
“What?” Nathan stared at her horrified; “Kate would never…” he trailed off rubbing the bridge of his nose. Looking up at the Communications’ station where O’Neill’s replacement was sitting, “Saunders, do we have anything coming in?”
“Not yet, Sir,” the young woman replied.
Nathan grimaced; there was something off about this whole thing. Kate was many things but kidnapping wasn’t her style, he was sure that she wouldn’t betray him like this.
“Sir,” Saunders called, “We’re getting a message through.”
“On screen,” Nathan ordered.
The vid screen jumped to life and Kate appeared in front of him with that annoying smirk on her face. Just behind her handcuffed to a chair was his missing Communication’s Officer.
“Kate,” he glared at her, “I want an explanation and my officer. Not in that order.”
“Nathan,” Kate smirked at him, “Why on earth would I return something so valuable? The knowledge inside his head, the codes and the information on the ship as well as the crew is worth a lot of money to your enemies. And as I said things have been slow lately.”
Taking a deep breath and stopping Ford from saying anything Nathan stepped towards the screen, “So this is about money?”
Kate shrugged, “I wasn’t sure when I came on board exactly what I could get but then you dropped Tim into my lap, the one man who knows every way to talk to that ship and tell it to do anything. He’s going to make me a fortune.”
With that said she gave a quick wave and severed the link.
Nathan took a deep breath before turning to Saunders, “Trace the call. Once you have a location contact Noyce and have him scramble a team. We have a mission we can’t delay. We’ll be in the conference room if you need us.”
With that said he tapped Ford’s arm and motioned him to come with him.
-
“Lucas,” Nathan said as he joined the two officers, “I need you to do something.”
Lucas shrugged, “Sure.”
“Sir?” Ford asked bemused.
“Kate made sure she pointed out several times how good O’Neill is,” Nathan explained, “Lucas, check for any underlying signals, or files or something about the communication we just had that doesn’t seem normal.”
Sliding into the seat Lucas started working, only a few minutes passed before he turned to them.
“Found it,” Lucas grinned.
“Not very well hidden,” Ford commented as he leaned forward.
“Actually it was,” Lucas explained, “But because the Captain noted that she kept saying how good Tim was I decided to check some tags he would use.”
“What do you have?” Nathan asked.
Lucas tapped a control, “A message and a file.”
“Play the message,” Nathan ordered.
Lucas tapped a few more controls and leaned back as the message played.
“Nathan,” Kate appeared, “I told you he was good. Tim is fine as you can see,” she moved out of the way for a second allowing the lieutenant to give a quick wave and smile before returning to the screen, “I’m sorry for the way I did this but the information I got on the station meant I had to move fast. The mission you’re on is a trap. Some of your new guys are part of a group who want to take over the seaQuest. Tim has attached the file detailing who they are for you.”
“That makes a little more sense,” Ford murmured pausing the message, “But why did she take O’Neill off the boat?”
“Maybe she’ll tell us,” Nathan started the message again.
Kate’s image moved again and she took in a deep breath, “I can’t return him yet though. I need him to crack Mason’s communications net. It’s time, Nathan. Once he gets me in he’s free to go.” She paused again and gave a slight smile, “If I don’t get to see you again, thank you.”
With that the screen went blank.
“Who’s Mason?” Lucas broke the stunned silence in the room.
Nathan grimaced, “The man who poisoned her.”
*********************************************
“Kate,” Tim said as they sat eating breakfast, “If you want me to help you then I need to know the truth. What did this guy do to you?”
Concentrating on her coffee Kate sighed, “The reason Nathan insisted on the doctor checking me out when I arrived on seaQuest was because about eight years ago I reneged on a contract with a man called Travis Mason. There are very few things I am opposed to but what he was doing was one of them. I called Nathan and Noyce,” she paused for a second chuckling, “They sound like a comedy duo. Anyway, Mason managed to get away and found me. I expected him to kill me straight away but instead he tortured me and injected a synthetic poison into my blood. It’s dormant until the second component is introduced then from what we know I die within thirty minutes.”
“That’s horrible,” Tim gasped.
“After Nathan got me out Mason disappeared,” Kate continued, “Until yesterday I had no way to find the bastard. I need you because I don’t have the skills to find my way in. Once you do that you can head home.”
Tim chewed on his toast for a moment, “And if I refuse to help?”
“I’m going anyway,” she told him, “With your help I have a better chance of surviving.”
Tim let out an annoyed sigh, as much as she infuriated him during the time he’d been stuck with her Tim was finding he was actually quite fond of her. Especially as she now seemed to be talking to him like a normal person instead of an annoying brat.
“I’ll help,” he said finally, “But I’m not leaving you to do this alone.”
Kate shook her head, “I can’t let you put yourself in that kind of danger.”
“And you’d rather walk in alone?” he demanded.
Their eyes locked for several minutes, Kate looked away first and nodded.
“Thank you,” she said softly, “You know I’ve only trusted two men in my life. You’re getting close to being the third.”
-
“There is a gap here,” Tim explained, the schematics of the compound open in front of them, “This sub is small enough to get through the net.”
“How good a pilot are you?” Kate asked.
Tim winced, “I can get it from A to B but I don’t think I can get through there without being caught.”
“But you can get out?”
He frowned at her confused before realisation struck him, “Kate…”
“If he can get the second part of the poison into me then I’m dead,” she reminded him, reaching out she squeezed his arm, “I’m not looking to die, Tim but I want to make sure if anything happens I’m not responsible for getting you killed.”
He paused for a second before nodding, “Fine. Are you ready?”
Kate smiled annoyingly, “Of course I am.”
Annoyed Tim cleared the screen, looking over when she touched his arm again, “Stop it,” he told her.
“It’s the way I am,” she reminded him.
Tim stabbed the controls, “Be someone else for a while.”
Rolling her eyes Kate headed to check she had everything she needed for this, making sure she wasn’t watching Tim sent a small message. He wasn’t letting her die.
-
Tim realised suddenly he was holding his breath as they manoeuvred their way through the security net to the back entrance where Kate was heading. Slowly letting out the breath he glanced over at her and saw how pale she’d become.
“We don’t have to do this,” Tim murmured to her, “We still have time to turn around.”
Kate shook her head, “I can’t do this anymore, Tim. My life revolves around waiting for the day he gets the second component into my blood. I need to see this through.”
“Okay,” he nodded softly.
She smiled at him before turning back to the controls and moving them to the airlock.
“Stop,” Tim said suddenly, “The net’s changed shape. Head for the co-ordinates I’m sending you.
Kate nodded and did as he told her finally reaching the station. They listened to the sound of the seal being made and Kate took another deep breath before she stood. Grabbing her bag she entered the code to open the door.
*********************************************
Nathan leaned back in his chair as his second-in-command updated him on the situation with the people who had been planning on trying to take over his boat. This meant he could now focus on trying to find the woman he should have had arrested years ago.
“Lucas traced the signal,” Ford told him, “But by the time a team arrived…”
“Don’t tell me,” he sighed, he was well aware of the drill, “Okay, our only other option is to find Travis Mason.”
“Tried that as well,” Ford replied, “We have no records and no trail.”
Nathan slammed his hand on the table, “Then how did she find him? And why does she need Lt O’Neill?”
“Tim is a communications specialist,” Ford reminded him, “He speaks about eighteen languages. That’s a pretty good reason to grab him.”
Nathan shook his head, “There’s more to it. Kate does nothing without a reason.”
Ford frowned, he knew he didn’t want to ask this but it was something he needed to know, “How dangerous is she?”
Nathan let out a long sigh, “It depends. Kate has an interesting sense of right and wrong. She has no qualms about stealing or conning people out of their money but if someone hurts a friend or even a person she deems as vulnerable then she will do everything in her power to destroy them.”
“So a lot and not much,” Ford sighed, “Wonderful.”
-
“Captain,” Lucas barrelled through the corridors to catch up with the two men, “Captain, wait.”
Bridger and Ford turned as he ran over to them.
“What’s wrong, Lucas?” the Captain asked.
Trying to catch his breath Lucas nodded as Bridger motioned him to take a moment. Finally he managed to speak again.
“I just got a message from O’Neill,” Lucas told them, handing Bridger the piece of paper he’d been carrying.
Bridger glanced through it before handing it to Ford.
“S.H.S and some numbers?” Ford asked Lucas who shrugged.
Bridger rolled his eyes, “Save Her Soul and the co-ordinates. Let’s get to the bridge and if we do save her, I get to kill her.”
As their Captain marched to the bridge Ford and Lucas shared a worried look before they followed on.
*********************************************
Tim walked slowly behind the nut he was somehow trusting with his life wishing this was over and he was back on seaQuest with this as a memory and amusing anecdote. As they moved through the corridors of the lower levels of the station Tim caught a glimpse of Kate’s face and realised she was terrified. For a second he thought maybe she was playing him but then he thought about it and realised she probably didn’t realise he could see her face. His confirmation came when he gently touched her shoulder and she jumped.
“Don’t do that,” Kate snapped at him as she gasped slightly, “I don’t take surprises well.”
Tim held up his hands, “I guessed. Look, do you know where we’re going?”
“He’s holed up in one of the upscale apartments,” she replied, “I just want to make sure none of his goons see me…us.”
“Considering the last time you saw him I’m all for that plan,” Tim told her, frowning as she got that contemplative look in her eyes, “What?”
“They have no idea who you are,” Kate reminded him, “If they see you all they’ll think is there’s some guy on leave from a UEO sub.”
Tim shook his head, “Kate…I…it’s not…I’m…”
“It’s okay,” she smiled at him, “I’m not asking you to do anything. I doubt you’d manage to lie to them without turning bright red.”
As he grimaced at her Kate started moving again.
-
Kate gripped the gun she was carrying knowing that beyond the door she was standing in front of was the man who had poisoned her. The man who had made her look over her shoulder and jump at shadows. Glancing to one side she saw Tim waiting for her to decide what she was going to do.
“You don’t have to do this,” Tim reminded her softly, “We can leave right now, if you want.”
Kate turned to him, “No. I’m not running from him.”
Without another word she used the card key she’d stolen and opened the door to the apartment.
-
Tim looked around the room they’d just entered knowing that he would never in a million years manage to afford a place like this for an hour never mind a night. Opulent was the only word he could think of as he stared at the room.
“Hey,” Kate’s sharp whisper interrupted his gawping, “Help me.”
Duly chastised Tim started looking around for the antidote Kate assured him was in the room.
“Kate, is this something he would leave in his hotel room?” he asked.
She nodded, “He keeps it where he can get to it easily.”
Before he could say anything else the door opened and Kate spun, she aimed her gun at the bald headed man as he walked into the room. To Tim’s bemusement the man wasn’t fazed by the weapon trained on him, in fact all he did was smile.
“Hello again, Kate I was wondering when you’d show up.”
Tim watched the standoff before him worriedly; Kate wasn’t moving still holding her gun on the other man who was simply smiling at her.
“What did she tell you?” Mason asked making Tim jump a little in confusion.
“What?”
Mason chuckled, “What did she tell you about what she came here to get? Let me guess, it’s a rare necklace that belonged to her grandmother or maybe it’s a formula for something a friend has discovered.”
“Knock it off,” Kate snapped, “And give me the serum.”
“So it’s a serum,” Mason continued to talk directly to Tim, “I take it the story was interesting. They usually are.”
“Stop it,” Kate snapped, “He’s trying to get you to doubt me.”
Mason chuckled, “You’re a con artist, Kate. Of course he doubts you,” he turned to Tim again; “You’re UEO, aren’t you. I won’t report this to your superiors if you get her out of here now.”
“Kate,” Tim said softly, “We should go.”
Kate shook her head, “I am not leaving without the antidote. I’m not letting this bastard get away again.”
“Miss King, I have nothing to hide,” Mason told her loftily.
Kate moved forward slamming the gun into his chest, “Stop it. Give me the serum.”
Mason laughed grabbing her arm he twisted her wrist, Kate slammed her knee into his stomach crying out as he grabbed her hair yanking her head back. Tim tried to help but before he could get close a sudden bang sounded in the room and he fell back against the wall.
-
“No!”
Kate dropped down next to the man she’d dragged along with her who now had a bullet wound in his chest pouring with blood.
“Tim, I’m sorry,” she whispered as she pressed her hand against the wound trying to stem the blood.
He was shaking, his eyes wide with bemusement at what had just happened.
“Kate,” Mason sighed as he tossed the gun away, “You never learn. And now you’ve got your little friend hurt because you just can’t leave it alone.”
Glancing around as she tried to stop the bleeding Kate glared at him, “You poisoned me and I’m not waiting for the day you decide to finish the job.”
“You won’t have to,” Mason laughed grabbing her arm he jammed the needle into her arm.
Kate gasped as she realised the two compounds were combining and in thirty minutes she was dead, so was Tim because there was no way she’d be able to get them both to safety.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to Tim aware of how much blood he had lost and the fact her hands were becoming numb.
“They’ll come,” Tim murmured as his eyes began to close.”
“It looks like I need to move out of this room,” Mason stated annoyed, “Two dead bodies make the place look messy.”
Kate leaned forward against Tim’s chest trying to use her body weight to stem the bleeding so that he had more chance of surviving. As the world around her began to darken Kate saw the door burst open and Nathan arrive with several men holding guns just before she passed out.
*********************************************
Tim forced his eyes open confused to find Dr Westphalen standing over him smiling down at him.
“Welcome back, Lt,” she said softly as she checked something behind him, “How do you feel?”
“Sore,” he muttered grateful as she placed a cup of ice chips to his lips, “What happened?”
“I’ll let Captain Bridger fill you in on that,” she chuckled, “For now I’m going to do a few tests then you’re going to rest. Okay?”
Tim nodded before his memory of the events that put him in the hospital bed came flooding back, “Kate? What happened to her?”
Westphalen smiled slightly, “She will be fine. Luckily I’ve been studying the poison so I was able to counteract it.”
“Good,” he moaned as the effort of being awake finally overcame him and he slipped back into comfortable unconsciousness.
-
Nathan looked down at the woman on the bed wrapped in the ice blanket that Kristin was using to keep her temperature low. From what he’d been told it was to ensure the poison remained inactive while it was breaking down.
“Nathan,” the shaking voice from the woman on the bed made him look down to find Kate was awake.
“Welcome back,” Nathan smiled, “You know once you’re feeling better I’m putting you in the brig.”
Kate rolled her eyes, although it looked extremely strange as she was shivering at the same time.
“Tim?” she asked.
Nathan nodded, “He’ll be fine. No thanks to you.”
“He made the decision himself to come with me,” Kate argued back, “Can we raise the temperature in here a little before I freeze to death?”
“Dr Westphalen will be here in a few minutes to let us know if it’s gone,” he told her.
Kate closed her eyes as the shiver moved through her, “Can you tell her to hurry up?”
-
Kate huddled under the blanket she had wrapped around her over the three sweaters she was wearing as she watched Nathan pace the room.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded.
“Nathan…”
“I was talking to him,” Nathan cut her off turning to Noyce who was on the screen.
Noyce frowned, “Kate did send give you the information you needed to stop the intended mutiny.”
“She then kidnapped one of my officers and he’s now in the infirmary with a bullet hole in him,” Nathan retorted.
“Tim made the choice to stick with me,” Kate reminded them, “I told him he could just help me find the way in and then he could go.”
Nathan turned on her, “Please. Kate, you knew he wouldn’t leave you. That’s why you targeted him.”
“Hey,” she held her hands up, “You were the one who assigned him to ‘escort’ me around your ship.”
“And you didn’t know who he was before you got here?” Nathan snapped back.
“Enough,” Noyce yelled forcing them to look at him, “I have other things to do and I’m not listening to the pair of you yelling at each other.”
As the screen went blank Kate looked up at the man who was glaring at her.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, “But I couldn’t wait for him to come after me. When I met Tim I knew that I had someone who could bypass the security net and he was a nice enough guy who wouldn’t let me go alone.”
“Always the con artist,” Nathan sighed dropping into the seat across from her.
She smirked slightly at him, “When have I ever been anything else?”
Nathan shook his head with a slight smile, “We found you using your body to stem the bleeding trying to save Lt O’Neill. Normally you would have been miles away.”
Kate let out a soft sigh, “I may now have three men in this world I trust. And I’ll be off this ship as soon as we dock and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“I bet it won’t be for long enough.”
-
Tim opened his eyes surprised to find Kate sitting at his bedside, “Hi?”
“Hi,” she replied with a slight smirk, “How’d you feel?”
“Like someone shot me,” he replied darkly.
She grimaced wincing slightly. She’d avoided coming here until now as she really didn’t want to face him after everything. Kate took a deep breath, reached out and took his hand, “Really sorry about that. I didn’t mean to lose my temper with him.”
“What about abducting me from my ship?” he asked with a roll of his eyes.
Kate shrugged, “That I meant to do. But I have apologised for the shooting thing so trust me that’s more than I usually apologise.”
As she smiled at him Tim shook his head, “I can see now how you manage to con people so easily.”
Leaning over Kate kissed his forehead, “Hope you feel better soon. We’ll be docking in five minutes, wanted to say goodbye to you before I left. Thought I owed you the knowledge I’ll be well out of your way by the time you get back to work.”
As she started out Tim called her back.
“Keep in touch,” he told her with a smile, grinning even more at her stunned expression before he closed his eyes again to get some rest.