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shanachie_quillCharacters: Evan Lorne/Aiden Bancroft-Lorne, Jonas MacFadden, Deke Zulu, Murray, Wall, Megan Reeves, Don Eppes, Charlie Eppes, David Sinclair, Colby Granger/Meredy Eppes-Granger
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis, Numb3rs
Chapter: In His Hands
Written For: Gommeroi (originally my co-author, now I’m finishing this for her)
Prompt:
Summary: Past and Present collide when Lorne and Aiden travel to LA to track down a goa'uld and meet with the Numb3rs team. Can everyone put their personal issues aside to find the bad guy in time?
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Spoilers: anything aired is fair game, but we went a bit AU; especially since we started writing this before everything had aired, we didn’t like all of the things that were going on and well, things just kinda got Jossed all around
Warnings: swearing, violence (although not worse than what was on the show), hey Aiden’s here of course there’s swearing, just general about what you’d see on the show, Marine shenanigans
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me; Meredy doesn’t belong to me either. Not making any money off of this.
Author's Note: Spoilers: Major ones for Abyss...at least referencing it although we don't actually use that episode in this story. Also minor ones for my stories "Tied Up" and "Risque Rendezvous" but nothing that would actually give away anything in either of those stories.
Major Warning: There be torture ahead. Major torture. Be forewarned that if you read this...you have been told there is torture.
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There is TORTURE ahead...final warning. Do NOT read if you are faint of heart.
Somewhere in Earth's orbit on an alien ship, Meredy woke to find herself lying on a cold hard floor next to a warm body. Her eyes flew open in panic and fear. She sat up and quickly glanced all around her. As tears started to form in her eyes, she wiped them away with the sleeve of her dress. Meredy was surprised to discover herself wearing a black dress that reached her knees with a small v-line front view.
"Hey, it's okay, Agent Granger," a familiar male voice told her.
Meredy turned around to see Evan Lorne seated on the floor next to her. "Did I just? I thought I just...died!"
"It really is okay, Meredy," Evan assured her, squeezing the agent's hand as he continued, "Yeah, you did. It's a little freaky the first time, but you're gonna be just fine. You were shot with a staff weapon by an alien race called Jaffa. Ba'al beamed us aboard his mothership and put you in his sarcophagus. It's an alien device that can heal and bring back the dead," Evan explained patiently.
"A what?" Meredy repeated confused, not sure if she understood Evan properly. "Where are we?" She stood up, looking out the window that was near-by. Evan had wondered about that, but figured Ba'al was hoping to soften them up by providing them with a hope for escape. "Oh, my God! We're in space!" she exclaimed. Meredy looked at Lorne who was standing next to her in front of the window. She glanced down at her left side and was shocked to see her wound had completely healed. I hope they come and find us soon, otherwise I may go crazy being locked up in here, she thought. The military man looked calm and relaxed, not panicking at all – not like she was. "What will happen to us now? What does Ba'al want with us?" she asked, turning around and sitting back down on the floor. The view out the window was starting to creep her out since all she could see was a vast nothingness.
Evan sighed. "I don't know exactly what Ba'al wants with us or is going to do us. I know he'll interrogate us and ask us question about that Ancient device that Aiden shot to pieces. He may even torture us for the information,” Evan answered honestly.
Meredy swallowed hard. "I've seen Don interrogate suspects and prisoners. He scares the pants off me when he's in that mode. Don't tell him I said that, because I'll deny it to my dying breath. But from what I saw, this Ba'al did a good number on Cole."
"Ba'al will make your brother look like an amateur. I mean no disrespect to him and I'm not trying to scare you. You don't seem the kind of person who likes to be coddled and hidden from the truth. I think you'd rather be told the whole truth than a short version of it or told everything is going to be okay. Especially considering the line of work we both do," Evan told her.
"Thank you for your honesty." Meredy took a deep breath, trying to settle herself. "You're right with your observations," Meredy said. "You've had dealings with this Goa'uld before?"
Before Evan could reply, they heard footsteps approach their cell. Ba'al appeared flanked by two Jaffas. "I hope you two have been comfortable. I've come for my Beloved," Ba'al said, pointing at Meredy.
The two Jaffas entered the room and grabbed Meredy, pulling her towards the doorway. Evan got up and tried to stop them. "It's me you want! Not Agent Granger. Let her go!" Evan yelled. He lunged for one of the Jaffa, but was shoved aside. Grunting in pain as he hit the floor and was kicked, he rolled into a ball, clutching at his ribs, trying to prevent too much damage to his body.
Meredy fought the guards. They had to stun her since she was too much trouble and wouldn't come quietly. One of the Jaffas slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and walked away. Ba'al smirked at Evan and then left. Evan lay on the cold floor, cursing in every language he knew.
Meredy woke to find herself on some sort of mesh. She felt like a fly caught in a spider web. When her eyes focused, she saw a tall man sitting in a chair, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand. The man or whatever he was had short black hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in black trousers and black t-shirt, with a black sweater over the top his shirt. There was a black robe attached to his sweater.
"You're awake. Good. I can begin to question you," the man said, a pleased look on his face.
"You mean torture me," Meredy corrected, feeling a migraine forming. She wondered how long she'd been pinned here with the stranger staring at her.
Ba'al chuckled and it sent a shiver down her spine. She tried to concentrate on forming pictures of Colby and Owein in her mind to keep herself from panicking. Meredy knew her husband would be worried about her. Colby and Don would both be furiously frantic about her disappearance.
"I like you. You say what's on your mind," Ba'al approved.
Meredy rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I say what's on my mind and it gets me into trouble. A lot."
"You don't show any signs of fear. You don't know who I am?"
"Nope. Not a clue."
"Ba'al," the Goa'uld said smugly. "I am your God and you will become my Beloved."
"Ba'al? As in Bocce?" Meredy said, trying to hide the fear in her voice. "Um, what do you mean by 'your Beloved'?"
"You are the one. The one I have Chosen."
"Chosen?" Meredy repeated, puzzled. Unobtrusively, she tugged on the bindings, trying to pull herself free.
"But first I need to know what you did with my device," Ba'al demanded.
The system lord stood up and went over to a bench that was made out of a material that Meredy had never seen before. It was a solid metal and plain in color with a flat surface that reflected in the light. She was able to get a quick look around the room. It was dark with flaming torch-like lights along the walls. There was a strange language written along the walls that was similar to Ancient Egyptian from documentaries that she'd watched on television. An exit on each side of the room was guarded by two Jaffas on each side of the opening. Meredy's eyes traveled back Ba'al as she finished her survey. She watched as she he pressed a black button.
A black plain-looking case opened up and Meredy caught sight of a black handled knife. She swallowed hard when Ba'al started playing with the knife. A twisted smile spread across his lips as he looked at her. He continued to twirl the knife between his fingers as he watched her for a few minutes before started speaking again. Meredy stared back defiantly, refusing to show any fear. "What happened to my device?" he said, coldly.
"I don't know what device you're talking about," Meredy answered.
Ba'al held up his hand and released the knife. It left Ba'al's hand quickly in a horizontal direction. She felt it hit her skin and cut through her as it pierced her left shoulder. She grimaced a little, but refused to scream. She would not give in to this evil Ba'al. She wanted to remain strong for her friends and family.
"You know the device I speak of. I know you and your friends have found it and have done something with it! You have taken it from me or destroyed it! I want to know what you have done with it. Tell me now and I will allow you to live."
"What device? I swear I know nothing about your dumb device!" Meredy repeated, her dark eyes never leaving the system Lord's face.
The Goa'uld picked up another knife. "Even if I kill you, I can bring you back to life again," Ba'al warned her.
"In the sarcophagus?" Meredy questioned.
"Your friend told you about that?" Ba'al queried.
"Yeah. It can bring you back to life," Meredy remembered.
"I can kill you again and again. I don't want to, but if you don't tell me what happened then I will kill you." He caressed the knife. "And bring you back."
"Why did you kill those people? They were innocent and you killed them! Why? Are you that sick and twisted?" she demanded.
Ba'al smirked as his eyes glowed. "You're a smart one. The others were not so smart and begged for their life. You've been tracking my progress," he said, smugly.
"I wouldn't call that progress! We have another name for it. We call it murder."
"I grow tired of this! I am the one who is meant to ask the questions!" Ba'al said, angrily. The Goa'uld let go of the knife he had been playing with. This one pierced Meredy's right shoulder. She now had two knives sticking out of her; one on the left and the one on her right. The Agent didn’t make a sound and refused to cry.
Ba'al walked back over to the bench near his chair. He smiled. Meredy tried to move, but found she was stuck like glue. "My patience runs thin, human. Tell me what I want to know about my device and I will allow you to live."
"I swear I don't know what you're talking about! We've been very busy following the trail of dead bodies you left behind. I don't know anything about this device you keep asking me about! What is it?"
Ba'al smirked. "I do not have to tell you. You're merely a human, a slave to do my biding. I have higher plans for you."
"I thought you were a god. Gods know everything! You don't even know what your device is, do you? The one you keep asking me about?" Meredy taunted.
"Stop!" Ba'al said furiously, slamming his right fist against the chair. Meredy jumped when Ba'al yelled at her. She held her breath as the Goa'uld got up again and walked back to his bench. "Whatever you wish to achieve by asking me questions will not work. It is futile. Your friends don't know where you are or how to find you," he said, smugly. Ba'al picked up a clear glass bottle full of bright yellow liquid. It reminded Meredy of the science labs back at CalSci.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Ba'al. My brother and my husband won't give up looking for me. My other brother has ways of finding me that you can't possibly imagine! He's really smart for a mere human. I know they won't give up looking for me. We don't leave our people behind!!" Meredy said, boldly.
Ba'al turned to face her. He sauntered over until he stood at the end of the platform. "I admire your confidence and faith in your friends and family. You're in a Goa'uld mothership orbiting your pitiful planet. Your people won't find you so there is no point resisting. No one knows where you are. No one can save you," Ba'al told her. "You will be mine. I promise you that. You are the most beautiful female I have ever seen. Even more beautiful then the other Tau'ri females I have seen before. You will be mine."
"We have friends helping us who won't give up looking for us," Meredy said bravely, as fear began to creep through her.
Ba'al smirked at her bravado. He held up the clear glass jar and tipped it to one side. Yellow liquid spilled out from the black spout. "It's called Tal'vak acid and will take some time to burn through all the way. It cauterizes the flesh as it burns. A very small amount often finds way into the blood and begins to spread."
Meredy grimaced a little when the Tal'vak acid hit her skin. She could feel it seep into her skin and flow through her blood all over her body. The pain was tremendous and she blinked back tears, refusing to give into Ba'al.
"You are strong. Or is it ignorance?"
"More like stubbornness," Meredy corrected quietly, squeezing her eyes shut at the pain and then opening them again.
Ba'al chuckled. Meredy began to feel the darkness creeping in around her.
Evan rolled to his feet as soon as he woke up, ignoring the pain that sliced through his head. Weaving slightly, he waited until his dizziness passed, then prowled the room; which was clearly a cell. Apparently it was Meredy that rated the higher class prison. A quick circuit proved that this was a typical holding cell and one he had seen before. While it brought back unpleasant memories that he thought he had left behind when he went to the Pegasus Galaxy...at least he knew what to expect.
He looked up as the force field on the door shimmered and collapsed. "Where's...?" he had time to demand before the discharge of a zat hit him. His body stiffened and fell to the side as the electric current raced through his body.
The Jaffa waited a moment to be sure the man was unconscious before motioning to the two slaves with him. "Bring him. Your God has questions for him."
Meredy woke the second time to find herself still on the mesh with Ba'al staring at her. She watched him warily. "Are you going to torture me again?"
Ba'al smirked. "I have much, much more planned for you than questioning you, my Beloved," he replied.
"Stop saying that! I am not your Beloved! I belong with Colby, not you. You're a monster who deserves to be locked up! If not shot!"
As Ba'al stood up, Meredy wondered what the system lord was going to do to her. He walked over to the female agent and she could see he was concealing something in his hands. The Goa'uld was right in front of her face now. She watched his hands and gasped when he revealed two items in his left hand. One was small and round, made out of the silver metal she'd never seen before. The other was a small black device with a button on it. He placed the small round object on the left side of her forehead. The pain was instant and blinding. She cried out a little as tears formed in her eyes. "Now you will know what true torture and pain feels like. I will break you, human. I will break you before I have you. You will be mine!" Ba'al stepped back. Before Meredy could respond, the system lord pressed the button on the other device. The female agent's screams echoed through the room. Ba'al smiled smugly at her cries of pain as the tears slid down her cheeks. "You will answer my questions, Tau'ri!"
"If I don't?" she challenged.
Ba'al pressed the button again. He was satisfied when he heard the woman scream again. "That is what will happen and this." Ba'al held up his right hand and there was some sort of metal stick in it.
Meredy didn't like the looks of it. She whimpered a little and closed her eyes. "Cole," she whispered. Meredy screamed as she felt an electric shock go through her. "Please stop!" she begged after he did it several times. Tears flowed freely down her face.
"I don't want to hurt you, but I must. You refuse to give me the answers I need and want. You bring this on yourself."
"I don't know anything! How can I tell you something I don't know!"
"It is all in your mind. You will tell me what I need to know or you will suffer."
"I swear I don't know anything!" the female agent denied frantically.
Ba'al brought up his Goa'uld pain stick. Meredy screamed until he stopped. Tears continued to flow freely down her face.
"Please, Ba'al, stop this!" Meredy begged. She hated to beg and plead for her life, but she had to try. Try and hold on that little bit longer for Colby to find and rescue her. She knew that he would find her. Colby would move heaven and Earth to do it and he would never give up.
"It will be over once you tell me what I want to know," Ba'al said, enjoying watching this woman break. She was the strongest he'd ever seen in a Tau'ri and beautiful. So very, very beautiful.
"Even if I tell you what you want to know, you'll keep torturing me. I know your type, Ba'al," Meredy said, sniffling a little.
"Tell me what I need to know and I'll set you free," Ba'al bargained. He stepped closer until he was looking into Meredy's eyes. Ba'al found the Tau'ri's brown eyes captivating. He ran a finger through her long black curly hair and she tried to pull her head away from him.
"Don't touch me!" she snarled. "You're no god, you're just a monster!"
Ba'al traced a finger down her check and used his thumb to remove her tears. He leaned closer and brushed his lips against hers. Meredy bit him, causing him to howl with rage. He pressed the button on the device he held and the female agent screamed in pain.
"You will pay for your insolence!" Ba'al shouted. He pressed a finger to his lips to check it there any blood. To the Goa'uld's relief there was none. "You are lucky that I am not bleeding! You would have suffered tenfold if I was!" He pressed the black button again and Meredy screamed in response. After a few minutes, Ba'al put the device down on his bench and grabbed his knives. He picked one and aimed it at Meredy. "Where is my device? Tell me what you have done with it or I shall destroy your pathetic planet! It will be your fault. I will even force you to watch!" Ba'al shouted.
"Cole," Meredy whispered in despair. "Cole." She closed her eyes, trying to block out Ba'al's questions.
"Answer me! Answer me, human! I demand that you answer me now!" When Meredy refused to answer him, Ba'al let go of the knife. It sunk into her left shoulder again. "Your precious Cole will never see you again! You are mine, Beloved!"
Meredy's despair lifted at his words. Raising her head and looking him in the eye, she spat, "I will never be yours, Ba'al. I am Meredy Ann Eppes-Granger. I only belong to one man and that is Colburn Jay Granger. You will never have my spirit or my mind."
"We shall see about that, Tau'ri!" Ba'al let go of the second knife and it embedded itself in her heart. Darkness surrounded her again.
Evan came to when someone threw water over him. Sputtering and coughing, he tried to wipe his face, but discovered his hands were tied. Looking up, he realized there would be no Aiden to make it better and cut him loose this time. "Well, shit," he grumbled.
"Major Evan Lorne, I do not believe I have had the pleasure." The semi-familiar dual tones of a Goa'uld came from behind him.
"It's Lieutenant Colonel actually," Evan corrected, twisting around despite the pain that shot through his wrists.
Ba'al rubbed the pain stick absently. "Ah, a...what do you call it? Ah, yes, a promotion. I do not understand why you must promote yourself." He shook his head. "But that is not why you are here. I want my device."
"Device? What device?" Evan almost didn't have to play dumb. His head was still a bit muddled from the transporter and being zatted.
"The one you and your lovely companion took from me." Ba'al strode around him. "Or did Doctor Bancroft have something to do with it?"
Evan realized Ba'al's intel must really be bad if he didn't realize that Aiden was married. And Evan certainly wasn't going to clue the System Lord in. "I have no idea what Doctor Bancroft might have done with it. I really don't have that much control over her. Ranking to the contrary."
Almost casually, Ba'al reached out and tapped Evan's side with the stick. The Air Force man didn't bother holding back his cry of pain. When the stick was removed, he sagged in the ropes, allowing them to take his weight. "I do not want to listen to your snark," Ba'al snarled. "My device was in the warehouse. You and your people were there. Where. Is. It?"
"I don't know," Evan answered. "You took the wrong people. I'm just a flyboy. Meredy's just an agent."
Ba'al paced around him. Evan didn't bother trying to follow him with his body, but tracked him with hearing; the ringing of his boot heels on the metal of the deck. "You lie," Ba'al whispered in his ear, just before the pain stick was drawn along his spine.
Evan convulsed, screaming as the pain radiated through his body; racing along the nerves and spreading through-out his body. "Okay," he gasped as Ba'al pulled the stick away. "You win."
"You will tell me?"
"Sure." Evan panted. "Just stop hitting me with that thing."
"So where is it?" Ba'al asked as he drew back a bit so he could study the human.
"Aiden shot the damn thing when it tried to kill us," Evan spat.
"You lie," Ba'al repeated as he jabbed Evan in the side again. The last thing Evan saw before he lost consciousness was, Ba'al's eyes glowing in anger and not just the usual Goa'uld creepiness.
When Meredy woke this time, she found herself in a soft bed with satin sheets. When she looked at them; they were gold in color. Pillows piled up high behind her in the same color. The room was dark except for a few candles lighting the room.
To her left there was table with fruit in a large glass bowl, a jug filled with wine and two gold cups. Meredy panicked when she felt a warm body stir beside her. The female agent had faint memories of being forced here by guards and then Ba'al... Meredy closed her eyes and stifled the sob that threatened to escape her mouth. When she opened her eyes again she looked down and quickly wrapped the sheet around her when she realized that she had no clothes on. "You are awake, my Beloved. You are feisty and such a fighter," Ba'al sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her shoulder. "I had to drug your wine. You're a dangerous fighter, but impressive," Ba'al said, reluctantly.
He grunted when Meredy elbowed him in the ribs. Ba'al swore and Meredy tried to escape. In her haste the female agent got tangled in the sheets. He grabbed her, wrestling her onto her back. She tried a few counter-moves, but the system lord was far too strong for her. He looked down at her and smirked. The sheet had slipped away and revealed her soft porcelain skin.
"You are most beautiful," Ba'al purred, his eyes glowing.
"Don't touch me!" Meredy struggled against the Goa'uld.
"It is pointless. You may be a strong fighter on your world, but I have the strength of ten men," Ba'al bragged.
"When I am free I will kill you slowly and painfully," Meredy vowed.
Ba'al let out a low deep chuckle. It sent shivers down Meredy's spine, yet she refused to give up. She couldn't tell how long she'd been on the ship. It could be mere hours or days. The female agent had lost count because of blacking out and tried to keep her hopes up. It was hard staying positive and keep her faith in Colby and the rest of the team. Meredy closed her eyes as Ba'al lowered himself towards her.
Evan groaned as he opened his eyes. His head hurt worse than any hangover he had ever experienced and he had a new appreciation for Aiden's sufferings when she got her headaches. Vowing to treat her even more kindly than usual the next time she got one, he rolled to his side and ordered his stomach to stay where it was supposed to. After a few minutes of lying on his side, he decided he was ready to try sitting up.
He was back in the same cell. It was almost like no time had passed. The cell looked the same, felt the same, even smelled the same. He sighed as he began to pace the cell. He didn't really expect to find a way out, but he couldn't just sit idle.
Several hours later Meredy was brought into another chamber. Ba'al stood in the middle of the room smirking. When her two guards dragged her over, Meredy fought against them. They wrestled her into position in front of Ba'al, pinning her arms behind her back. "Now you will truly become mine, my Beloved," he said, stroking her face.
Meredy spat at him. "I'll never be yours. You may take my body, but you'll never have my heart, soul, spirit and mind. They belong to one man, and one man only! Colburn Jay Granger!" Meredy said.
"I expected nothing less from you," Ba'al replied, his eyes never leaving Meredy's face. "But you must remember that you are in a ship above Earth's orbit. No one knows you are here or where to find you. You will be mine. It’s been fun torturing you. I admit that you are the strongest and most stubborn Tau'ri I have ever met; even more than Jack O'Neill. Still I will gain the information you have hidden from me, human," Ba'al said in a voice laced with triumph and smugness.
Ba'al pressed his lips to hers and then indicated that the two guards push Meredy onto the bench. Meredy fought them and cursed Ba'al in every language she knew as they pinned her face down and tied her hands and ankles with metal clips. The guards left Meredy and Ba'al alone. The System Lord walked over to Meredy and ripped her dress, revealing her bare back.
He stepped over to a square panel and it opened up, revealing a large bowl filled with water. Meredy could still see him since he was in her line of sight whenever she moved her head. Ba'al reached his hand in and pulled out a snake-like creature. Meredy whimpered when Ba'al brought it over and placed it on her back. The female agent closed her eyes, but couldn't stop the tears from falling or fear spreading though her body.
The snake felt slimy as it crawled along her back. Meredy could hear it making hissing noises and it totally freaked her out. The female agent tried tugging at her metal restraints, but all she did was hurt her wrists and ankles. She bit her lip, trying not to scream aloud. She could hear Ba'al laughing in the background.
"Does she please you, my Love?" Ba'al asked the snake.
There was another hiss from the snake-like creature and a few moments of silence. Then the snake plunged into the back of her neck. Meredy screamed from the shock and pain of the bite. Ba'al continued to laugh in delight as the symbiote burrowed into the agent.
