Fic: Light up the Sky (2/8)
Title: Light up the Sky
Author: wild_force71F
Fandoms: SGA/Charmed
Rating: PG
Warnings: Post show for both, so some spoilers.
Pairings (if applicable) N/A
Character(s) (if applicable) Main characters from both shows
Summary: In 2009 Atlantis landed in San Francisco Bay, safely shielded from view by the cloak. But not everyone in the city is normal, and some can see what's really there...
Sorry for the delay, internet issues.
In the Manor Chris was rounding the corner from the hall to the living room just as Wyatt orbed in. He halted, eying him warily.
“Wyatt? Where were you?”
“Looking for Chris.”
Chris sighed, sitting on the couch. Wyatt scrambled up beside him.
“You know you’re not supposed to be orbing,” Chris told him.
“Mommy said you were Chris,” Wyatt said thoughtfully.
Chris laughed softly. If dealing with Wyatt as a baby had been odd, dealing with him when he could talk was downright surreal...like much of the rest of his life. “Yeah. I’m Chris all grown up. Twenty one years old.”
“Where’s me?”
“You all grown up? He’s waiting for me, at home. Wyatt, did you find Chris?”
Wyatt nodded. “The man will bring him home.”
“What man?”
“The witch man. He’s going to call daddy.”
Chris studied him for a moment, thinking quickly. “The witch man...did he make a light?”
“Yes!” Wyatt agreed happily.
“I remember that,” Chris said, mostly to himself.
Wyatt climbed down from the couch and ran out towards the kitchen, calling for Leo. Chris sat back on the couch, still thinking.
Phoebe came in, halting when she saw him. “Chris?”
“He makes light,” Chris said, still mostly to himself.
“What?” Phoebe asked.
Chris sat up, suddenly realizing she was there. “The man in the city, the one who brought me home. He’s a photokinetic.”
Phoebe sat on the arm of the chair facing him. “Photokinetic. He controls light?”
“Yeah.” He held out one hand, palm up. “I’m not...we were in a dark place, a room, and he made a little light, because I was afraid.”
“Why didn’t you just come home?” Phoebe asked quietly.
Chris shook his head. “I don’t remember. I don’t think I was there for very long, though. Mini Me could be home soon.”
“Photokinesis is a Good power, right?” Phoebe said thoughtfully.
“It’s unaligned, it can be good or bad. But he brought me home. He can’t be Evil. Anyway, isn’t all Evil still in hiding here?”
“Pretty much, yeah. We haven’t been attacked in...”
She paused to try and remember. Chris grinned. “A while, obviously.”
“Yeah. How’s the future?” she added, a little wistfully. She didn’t expect him to tell her any details...he never had...but he might give her something.
“Fine. Everything’s fine.” Or not. “Hey, where’s Uncle Coop?”
“Working. Why?”
“Just wondering. Thought this would be all hands on deck.”
“He’s around,” Phoebe assured him.
“Hmm. Constantly, as I recall.”
He stood up suddenly, heading for the door. Phoebe twisted to watch him, surprised at the sudden movement. “Where are you going?”
“I need to look at the Book.”
He headed upstairs, leaving Phoebe sitting alone.
John tapped on the door of Radek’s lab that evening; Radek looked up in surprise, flicking off his screen.
“Heard you had a visitor.”
“Heh. Yes. Not so eager to stay as his brother.” He looked down, fiddling with some wires. “How is Chris?”
“Sleeping. Kid tell you anything?”
“No. He just wanted his brother. He was not much afraid, though.”
“Chris doesn’t seem to be afraid, either,” John pointed out. He came to lean against the desk; Radek’s hands stilled, but he didn’t look up. “Radek, something you want to tell me?”
“Colonel?” Radek asked, carefully noncommittal.
John didn’t answer, watching. Radek held up under the stare for almost half a minute before giving up, dropping his wires and turning to look at John straight on.
“I...may know Chris’s parents,” he admitted.
“You may...and you’re telling me this now?”
“I know of them, is more accurate. I have never met them, and they would not know of me.”
“Well, who are they?”
Radek winced as he answered. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” John demanded.
“They are...in a group, of sorts, which I also belong to. I cannot speak of it.”
“Radek...”
“There is no danger.”
“Radek, these people can get through our shield.”
“Technically, no,” Radek said quickly. “They can only get through our cloak. Cloak provides no protection anyway.”
“Not the point, Radek.”
Radek sat back. “The City is my home. There is no danger to us. I can take Chris home, but I cannot tell you where his home is. Those are the rules.”
“They’re some screwed up rules, Radek.”
Radek spread his hands apologetically. John sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
“We can’t let you take Chris, you know that.”
“Colonel, if you keep him here too long, you won’t have a choice.”
John blinked, studying Radek. The Czech returned his gaze steadily, and John felt a stirring of something that might have been fear when he realized he was absolutely serious.
Piper was banging loudly around at the stove in the kitchen. Wyatt, very quiet, was sitting at the table. Paige came in, looking from Piper to Wyatt and back.
“Wyatt, honey, why don’t you go look for Chris? Tell him dinner’ll be ready soon, ok?”
Wyatt slid down from the seat and slipped out. Piper slammed the saucepans around a bit more. Paige sat down, ready and willing to wait her out.
“I want him home.” Piper’s voice was muffled, half-crying.
“I know, sweetie,” Paige murmured. “We’re working on it, I promise.”
“No we’re not! Chris doesn’t remember anything, and Leo won’t go get him, and...”
“Wyatt went,” Paige interrupted her.
Piper turned to stare at her, disbelieving.
“They didn’t tell you? Wyatt went to the city, to look for Chris. He met a man, a witch, who’s promised to get Chris back to us.”
“A wi...what witch?”
“The man Chris remembers is a witch, a photokinetic. He’s promised to bring Chris home to us.”
“Well how do we trust that?” Piper demanded.
“He knew Wyatt’s name. And Chris remembered his power before Wyatt said anything.”
“He knew Wyatt’s name. That proves he’s alright, then, doesn’t it. Paige, everyone on both sides of the magical community knows Wyatt’s name!”
“But they don’t know Chris’s. This witch linked them.”
Piper sighed, carefully setting down the saucepan in her hands. “So we’re trusting some witch we don’t even know with my son?”
“We don’t have a choice right now, Piper, but we’re working on it. I promise.”
Wyatt orbed in before she could answer. “Mama...”
“Wyatt, I’ve told you not to orb! Do you want to get lost, too?”
Wyatt blinked hard, looking down. Piper turned back to the sink, bracing herself on it.
Paige hunkered next to Wyatt, smiling. “Hey, Wyatt, your mom’s not really angry at you, OK? She’s just tired, and worried. Now what’s wrong?”
“He won’t wake up,” Wyatt told her.
“Who won’t?”
“I went to tell him, like you said, and he won’t wake up.”
Paige’s eyes widened. “Chris.”
She orbed herself away, Wyatt quickly following.
Piper turned from the sink. “What about...hey!” Glaring at the ceiling, she headed for the stairs.
John scowled. Radek looked miserable about it, but he wasn’t giving in.
“I cannot tell you that either.”
“Radek, you’re going to have to...”
His radio beeped, interrupting them. Scowling, he tapped it, half turning away from Radek. “Sheppard.”
“Sir, Chris is gone!” Jennifer said urgently.
John turned to look at Radek, who looked honestly surprised. “Gone?” he repeated.
“I turned my back for two seconds, sir...” Jennifer said apologetically.
“Where’s Ronon?”
“He took Teyla and Torren to get something to eat and a rest. I didn’t think it would do any harm...Chris was almost asleep himself.”
“Right. Have a look around, he might be hiding somewhere. I’m on my way.” He switched the radio off and glared at Radek, who raised his hands defensively.
“I’ve been right here with you,” he pointed out.
“Get the security feed up,” John ordered.
Radek turned to the screen and, after a minute of flicking back and forth, found an image of Chris simply climbing off the bed and walking out of the infirmary.
“How did he get the doors to open for him?” John protested. “He doesn’t have the ATA.”
Radek shrugged, switching cameras to try and pick Chris up again.
“I’m gonna find Lorne, get some men. You call me when you find him, got it?”
“Understood,” Radek agreed absently.
“I mean it, Radek. We have to find him.”
“I understand. Atlantis is no place for small child alone. But I think you won’t find him unless he wants to be found.”
He turned back to the screen, focusing on it. John watched him for a moment before heading out.
Piper reached the attic to find Chris awake, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Paige was trying to mop at his face with a cloth, and not having much luck. Wyatt sat next to him, patting awkwardly at his knee.
“What’s going on?” she asked, coming to join them.
“He tried a memory spell, and it backfired,” Paige explained.
“A mem...Chris?”
Chris lifted his head, taking the cloth from Paige. His nose was bleeding sluggishly, and he wiped absently at it.
Piper sighed, kneeling in front of him and taking the cloth.
“You didn’t have to do this,” she said gently.
“I thought I could remember.”
“So what happened?”
She wiped gently at his cheek. Chris’s eyes drifted closed for a second and he relaxed into her touch.
Piper smiled faintly. Her youngest son had so rarely taken comfort from her in the year he’d spent with her.
“I couldn’t see anything,” he explained, sitting upright again. “I think it’s because it hasn’t happened yet. I mean, in this timeline.”
He brushed absently at his nose again. Piper caught his hand, putting it firmly into Wyatt’s and continuing to wipe his face.
“Paige, could you get him something to drink?” she called.
“Sure. Come on, Wyatt.”
Wyatt hugged Chris clumsily and followed Paige out. Chris immediately tried to wipe his nose again.
“I will tie that hand down, mister,” Piper warned him, smiling.
“Sorry,” he said automatically.
She sat back on her heels, watching him. “It’s not your fault.”
Chris nodded slowly, well aware that she wasn’t talking about the nose bleed. “Mini Me’s OK, Mom.”
“Yeah. I just want him to come home.” She wiped gently at his face again.
Lorne was leading three other men through one of Atlantis’ corridors, studying the life signs detector. He gestured two of the men off in a different direction, tapping his radio. “Nothing here, sir, we’re moving on.”
“Roger that.”
Lorne and the remaining guard headed down the corridor. Catching movement from the corner of his eye, Lorne paused to look back, but the corridor was empty.
“Major Lorne, we have lifesigns two corridors back,” Radek told him.
“We just cleared that sector,” Lorne protested.
“He’s very fast.”
“Alright, we’ll check it out.” Lorne gestured to his guard, heading back the way they’d come.
“Be quick, he’s moving,” Radek warned him.
In his lab Radek watched his screen, watching Lorne’s lifesigns close in on Chris. Rodney came in behind him, nudging him out of the way.
“Hello, Radek, nice to see you, thanks for keeping City running while I yelled at idiots in Home World Security...” Radek grumbled, making room for him.
“Have you really not found this boy yet? He’s a kid!”
“Yes, is very fast child with powers we know nothing about.”
“Oh, yes, the famous powers,” Rodney agreed absently. “He made a blanket move.”
Radek muttered to himself in Czech.
“I heard that,” Rodney warned him. “What’s happening?”
“He was in sector three-beta.” Radek gestured to the screen. “Major Lorne was nearby and went to look. He seems to be avoiding the cameras.”
“He’s two!”
“Four.”
“How can he possibly know where cameras he can’t even see are?”
“How can he have appeared in City in first place? You are not thinking big enough.”
Rodney studied the screen. “What kind of search protocols are you running? This won’t find anyone.”
“It’s been finding him. He moves fast.”
“Yes, so you keep saying.” Tapping his radio, he added, “Sheppard, I’ve got a lifesign two levels below you.”
“Rodney! When’d you get back into town?”
“Someone had to find this kid.”
Radek made a face from the other desk, tapping angrily at a computer.
“Whoa whoa whoa, stop!” Rodney said abruptly. “You’re right on top of him.”
“There’s nothing here.”
“He’s right there.”
There was silence for a moment, then everyone was yelling. Radek sat up straight, sharing an alarmed look with Rodney.
“Sheppard?” Rodney demanded.
“Yeah. One of you get down here, please.”
“What’s wrong?” Radek asked, half out of his seat already.
“Not sure yet. Looks like Chris turned something on.”
“I’m on my way,” Rodney told him. To Radek, he added, “Try and keep an eye on the kid?”
Radek muttered to himself as Rodney left. Glancing around, he made sure the door was closed, tapping at his computer for a moment before leaning back and saying quietly, “Leo Wyatt.”
Leo orbed in, looking around in some surprise.
“You’re Chris’s witch.”
Radek nodded quickly. “Radek. Leo, we have not much time before cameras come back on. Chris ran away from our infirmary and our men cannot find him...he’s somewhere in City.”
“You lost him?”
“He is here. Look.” He gestured to one of the screens; Leo leaned over his shoulder, watching the light representing Chris wander along a corridor. “He knows when our men are coming, and he is not there anymore.”
“Hide and seek,” Leo murmured absently.
“Wyatt is back home?” Radek asked.
“He said you knew his name.”
“Halliwells are very famous. I have not practiced in five years, but I know Wyatt. I had Whitelighter once who was very fond of you...she spoke highly of you, and the sisters. Supported your wedding.”
He glanced at his screen again as it flickered.
“Cameras are coming back on. I will find Chris for you, Leo, but my people know he has powers and I may need help to get him away.”
“Anything. Paige and I are listening for you.”
“I will call. Go!”
“Who was your Whitelighter?” Leo asked.
“She was lost. In Titan’s rampage, killed for her powers like many. I stopped practicing, so was not assigned another. Go, Leo, quickly.”
Leo orbed out. Radek turned back to his computer, typing quickly.
“Radek, any sign of our wayward kid?” John called over the radio.
“Sorry, Colonel, scanners have glitched. I am repairing them now, should be back up in a moment. What was machine?”
“Not sure yet. Get those scanners back up, we need to find him before he turns anything else on. Or off.”
“They’re back on line now, sir. I’m tracking him two levels above you, three-gamma.”
“How does he keep getting around us like that?” John demanded. “Lorne, let’s go.”
Author: wild_force71F
Fandoms: SGA/Charmed
Rating: PG
Warnings: Post show for both, so some spoilers.
Pairings (if applicable) N/A
Character(s) (if applicable) Main characters from both shows
Summary: In 2009 Atlantis landed in San Francisco Bay, safely shielded from view by the cloak. But not everyone in the city is normal, and some can see what's really there...
Sorry for the delay, internet issues.
In the Manor Chris was rounding the corner from the hall to the living room just as Wyatt orbed in. He halted, eying him warily.
“Wyatt? Where were you?”
“Looking for Chris.”
Chris sighed, sitting on the couch. Wyatt scrambled up beside him.
“You know you’re not supposed to be orbing,” Chris told him.
“Mommy said you were Chris,” Wyatt said thoughtfully.
Chris laughed softly. If dealing with Wyatt as a baby had been odd, dealing with him when he could talk was downright surreal...like much of the rest of his life. “Yeah. I’m Chris all grown up. Twenty one years old.”
“Where’s me?”
“You all grown up? He’s waiting for me, at home. Wyatt, did you find Chris?”
Wyatt nodded. “The man will bring him home.”
“What man?”
“The witch man. He’s going to call daddy.”
Chris studied him for a moment, thinking quickly. “The witch man...did he make a light?”
“Yes!” Wyatt agreed happily.
“I remember that,” Chris said, mostly to himself.
Wyatt climbed down from the couch and ran out towards the kitchen, calling for Leo. Chris sat back on the couch, still thinking.
Phoebe came in, halting when she saw him. “Chris?”
“He makes light,” Chris said, still mostly to himself.
“What?” Phoebe asked.
Chris sat up, suddenly realizing she was there. “The man in the city, the one who brought me home. He’s a photokinetic.”
Phoebe sat on the arm of the chair facing him. “Photokinetic. He controls light?”
“Yeah.” He held out one hand, palm up. “I’m not...we were in a dark place, a room, and he made a little light, because I was afraid.”
“Why didn’t you just come home?” Phoebe asked quietly.
Chris shook his head. “I don’t remember. I don’t think I was there for very long, though. Mini Me could be home soon.”
“Photokinesis is a Good power, right?” Phoebe said thoughtfully.
“It’s unaligned, it can be good or bad. But he brought me home. He can’t be Evil. Anyway, isn’t all Evil still in hiding here?”
“Pretty much, yeah. We haven’t been attacked in...”
She paused to try and remember. Chris grinned. “A while, obviously.”
“Yeah. How’s the future?” she added, a little wistfully. She didn’t expect him to tell her any details...he never had...but he might give her something.
“Fine. Everything’s fine.” Or not. “Hey, where’s Uncle Coop?”
“Working. Why?”
“Just wondering. Thought this would be all hands on deck.”
“He’s around,” Phoebe assured him.
“Hmm. Constantly, as I recall.”
He stood up suddenly, heading for the door. Phoebe twisted to watch him, surprised at the sudden movement. “Where are you going?”
“I need to look at the Book.”
He headed upstairs, leaving Phoebe sitting alone.
John tapped on the door of Radek’s lab that evening; Radek looked up in surprise, flicking off his screen.
“Heard you had a visitor.”
“Heh. Yes. Not so eager to stay as his brother.” He looked down, fiddling with some wires. “How is Chris?”
“Sleeping. Kid tell you anything?”
“No. He just wanted his brother. He was not much afraid, though.”
“Chris doesn’t seem to be afraid, either,” John pointed out. He came to lean against the desk; Radek’s hands stilled, but he didn’t look up. “Radek, something you want to tell me?”
“Colonel?” Radek asked, carefully noncommittal.
John didn’t answer, watching. Radek held up under the stare for almost half a minute before giving up, dropping his wires and turning to look at John straight on.
“I...may know Chris’s parents,” he admitted.
“You may...and you’re telling me this now?”
“I know of them, is more accurate. I have never met them, and they would not know of me.”
“Well, who are they?”
Radek winced as he answered. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” John demanded.
“They are...in a group, of sorts, which I also belong to. I cannot speak of it.”
“Radek...”
“There is no danger.”
“Radek, these people can get through our shield.”
“Technically, no,” Radek said quickly. “They can only get through our cloak. Cloak provides no protection anyway.”
“Not the point, Radek.”
Radek sat back. “The City is my home. There is no danger to us. I can take Chris home, but I cannot tell you where his home is. Those are the rules.”
“They’re some screwed up rules, Radek.”
Radek spread his hands apologetically. John sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
“We can’t let you take Chris, you know that.”
“Colonel, if you keep him here too long, you won’t have a choice.”
John blinked, studying Radek. The Czech returned his gaze steadily, and John felt a stirring of something that might have been fear when he realized he was absolutely serious.
Piper was banging loudly around at the stove in the kitchen. Wyatt, very quiet, was sitting at the table. Paige came in, looking from Piper to Wyatt and back.
“Wyatt, honey, why don’t you go look for Chris? Tell him dinner’ll be ready soon, ok?”
Wyatt slid down from the seat and slipped out. Piper slammed the saucepans around a bit more. Paige sat down, ready and willing to wait her out.
“I want him home.” Piper’s voice was muffled, half-crying.
“I know, sweetie,” Paige murmured. “We’re working on it, I promise.”
“No we’re not! Chris doesn’t remember anything, and Leo won’t go get him, and...”
“Wyatt went,” Paige interrupted her.
Piper turned to stare at her, disbelieving.
“They didn’t tell you? Wyatt went to the city, to look for Chris. He met a man, a witch, who’s promised to get Chris back to us.”
“A wi...what witch?”
“The man Chris remembers is a witch, a photokinetic. He’s promised to bring Chris home to us.”
“Well how do we trust that?” Piper demanded.
“He knew Wyatt’s name. And Chris remembered his power before Wyatt said anything.”
“He knew Wyatt’s name. That proves he’s alright, then, doesn’t it. Paige, everyone on both sides of the magical community knows Wyatt’s name!”
“But they don’t know Chris’s. This witch linked them.”
Piper sighed, carefully setting down the saucepan in her hands. “So we’re trusting some witch we don’t even know with my son?”
“We don’t have a choice right now, Piper, but we’re working on it. I promise.”
Wyatt orbed in before she could answer. “Mama...”
“Wyatt, I’ve told you not to orb! Do you want to get lost, too?”
Wyatt blinked hard, looking down. Piper turned back to the sink, bracing herself on it.
Paige hunkered next to Wyatt, smiling. “Hey, Wyatt, your mom’s not really angry at you, OK? She’s just tired, and worried. Now what’s wrong?”
“He won’t wake up,” Wyatt told her.
“Who won’t?”
“I went to tell him, like you said, and he won’t wake up.”
Paige’s eyes widened. “Chris.”
She orbed herself away, Wyatt quickly following.
Piper turned from the sink. “What about...hey!” Glaring at the ceiling, she headed for the stairs.
John scowled. Radek looked miserable about it, but he wasn’t giving in.
“I cannot tell you that either.”
“Radek, you’re going to have to...”
His radio beeped, interrupting them. Scowling, he tapped it, half turning away from Radek. “Sheppard.”
“Sir, Chris is gone!” Jennifer said urgently.
John turned to look at Radek, who looked honestly surprised. “Gone?” he repeated.
“I turned my back for two seconds, sir...” Jennifer said apologetically.
“Where’s Ronon?”
“He took Teyla and Torren to get something to eat and a rest. I didn’t think it would do any harm...Chris was almost asleep himself.”
“Right. Have a look around, he might be hiding somewhere. I’m on my way.” He switched the radio off and glared at Radek, who raised his hands defensively.
“I’ve been right here with you,” he pointed out.
“Get the security feed up,” John ordered.
Radek turned to the screen and, after a minute of flicking back and forth, found an image of Chris simply climbing off the bed and walking out of the infirmary.
“How did he get the doors to open for him?” John protested. “He doesn’t have the ATA.”
Radek shrugged, switching cameras to try and pick Chris up again.
“I’m gonna find Lorne, get some men. You call me when you find him, got it?”
“Understood,” Radek agreed absently.
“I mean it, Radek. We have to find him.”
“I understand. Atlantis is no place for small child alone. But I think you won’t find him unless he wants to be found.”
He turned back to the screen, focusing on it. John watched him for a moment before heading out.
Piper reached the attic to find Chris awake, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Paige was trying to mop at his face with a cloth, and not having much luck. Wyatt sat next to him, patting awkwardly at his knee.
“What’s going on?” she asked, coming to join them.
“He tried a memory spell, and it backfired,” Paige explained.
“A mem...Chris?”
Chris lifted his head, taking the cloth from Paige. His nose was bleeding sluggishly, and he wiped absently at it.
Piper sighed, kneeling in front of him and taking the cloth.
“You didn’t have to do this,” she said gently.
“I thought I could remember.”
“So what happened?”
She wiped gently at his cheek. Chris’s eyes drifted closed for a second and he relaxed into her touch.
Piper smiled faintly. Her youngest son had so rarely taken comfort from her in the year he’d spent with her.
“I couldn’t see anything,” he explained, sitting upright again. “I think it’s because it hasn’t happened yet. I mean, in this timeline.”
He brushed absently at his nose again. Piper caught his hand, putting it firmly into Wyatt’s and continuing to wipe his face.
“Paige, could you get him something to drink?” she called.
“Sure. Come on, Wyatt.”
Wyatt hugged Chris clumsily and followed Paige out. Chris immediately tried to wipe his nose again.
“I will tie that hand down, mister,” Piper warned him, smiling.
“Sorry,” he said automatically.
She sat back on her heels, watching him. “It’s not your fault.”
Chris nodded slowly, well aware that she wasn’t talking about the nose bleed. “Mini Me’s OK, Mom.”
“Yeah. I just want him to come home.” She wiped gently at his face again.
Lorne was leading three other men through one of Atlantis’ corridors, studying the life signs detector. He gestured two of the men off in a different direction, tapping his radio. “Nothing here, sir, we’re moving on.”
“Roger that.”
Lorne and the remaining guard headed down the corridor. Catching movement from the corner of his eye, Lorne paused to look back, but the corridor was empty.
“Major Lorne, we have lifesigns two corridors back,” Radek told him.
“We just cleared that sector,” Lorne protested.
“He’s very fast.”
“Alright, we’ll check it out.” Lorne gestured to his guard, heading back the way they’d come.
“Be quick, he’s moving,” Radek warned him.
In his lab Radek watched his screen, watching Lorne’s lifesigns close in on Chris. Rodney came in behind him, nudging him out of the way.
“Hello, Radek, nice to see you, thanks for keeping City running while I yelled at idiots in Home World Security...” Radek grumbled, making room for him.
“Have you really not found this boy yet? He’s a kid!”
“Yes, is very fast child with powers we know nothing about.”
“Oh, yes, the famous powers,” Rodney agreed absently. “He made a blanket move.”
Radek muttered to himself in Czech.
“I heard that,” Rodney warned him. “What’s happening?”
“He was in sector three-beta.” Radek gestured to the screen. “Major Lorne was nearby and went to look. He seems to be avoiding the cameras.”
“He’s two!”
“Four.”
“How can he possibly know where cameras he can’t even see are?”
“How can he have appeared in City in first place? You are not thinking big enough.”
Rodney studied the screen. “What kind of search protocols are you running? This won’t find anyone.”
“It’s been finding him. He moves fast.”
“Yes, so you keep saying.” Tapping his radio, he added, “Sheppard, I’ve got a lifesign two levels below you.”
“Rodney! When’d you get back into town?”
“Someone had to find this kid.”
Radek made a face from the other desk, tapping angrily at a computer.
“Whoa whoa whoa, stop!” Rodney said abruptly. “You’re right on top of him.”
“There’s nothing here.”
“He’s right there.”
There was silence for a moment, then everyone was yelling. Radek sat up straight, sharing an alarmed look with Rodney.
“Sheppard?” Rodney demanded.
“Yeah. One of you get down here, please.”
“What’s wrong?” Radek asked, half out of his seat already.
“Not sure yet. Looks like Chris turned something on.”
“I’m on my way,” Rodney told him. To Radek, he added, “Try and keep an eye on the kid?”
Radek muttered to himself as Rodney left. Glancing around, he made sure the door was closed, tapping at his computer for a moment before leaning back and saying quietly, “Leo Wyatt.”
Leo orbed in, looking around in some surprise.
“You’re Chris’s witch.”
Radek nodded quickly. “Radek. Leo, we have not much time before cameras come back on. Chris ran away from our infirmary and our men cannot find him...he’s somewhere in City.”
“You lost him?”
“He is here. Look.” He gestured to one of the screens; Leo leaned over his shoulder, watching the light representing Chris wander along a corridor. “He knows when our men are coming, and he is not there anymore.”
“Hide and seek,” Leo murmured absently.
“Wyatt is back home?” Radek asked.
“He said you knew his name.”
“Halliwells are very famous. I have not practiced in five years, but I know Wyatt. I had Whitelighter once who was very fond of you...she spoke highly of you, and the sisters. Supported your wedding.”
He glanced at his screen again as it flickered.
“Cameras are coming back on. I will find Chris for you, Leo, but my people know he has powers and I may need help to get him away.”
“Anything. Paige and I are listening for you.”
“I will call. Go!”
“Who was your Whitelighter?” Leo asked.
“She was lost. In Titan’s rampage, killed for her powers like many. I stopped practicing, so was not assigned another. Go, Leo, quickly.”
Leo orbed out. Radek turned back to his computer, typing quickly.
“Radek, any sign of our wayward kid?” John called over the radio.
“Sorry, Colonel, scanners have glitched. I am repairing them now, should be back up in a moment. What was machine?”
“Not sure yet. Get those scanners back up, we need to find him before he turns anything else on. Or off.”
“They’re back on line now, sir. I’m tracking him two levels above you, three-gamma.”
“How does he keep getting around us like that?” John demanded. “Lorne, let’s go.”