Chapter 48

Once Felix had materialized behind Halling he stopped until the taller man turned around to watch Felix as he looked around the area of the gate. It was evening there at the Athosian site as well, and Felix inhaled the fresh air — it smelled country fresh, not like a city. He looked at Halling and said, "I can see why you like it here — clean air, good fertile ground for growing all kinds of plants and crops — seems peaceful."

Halling gave a small smile, as he could tell that Felix was finally happy. He motioned towards the settlement but after a few steps Felix stopped, as he was suddenly feeling a bit apprehensive.

Halling sensed that something was wrong with the smaller man and asked, "What is it Felix? It is safe here — you have nothing to fear from any of us here. We are a peaceful people — farmers mostly — and traders like myself."

Felix went with his gut feeling that was increasing by the second and told Halling, "I think it would be better for both of us if I slept out here tonight — something doesn't feel right." He paused as he looked around and also listened to the nightlife — nothing seemed out of place with the normal noises he expected for nighttime.

He looked back to Halling and asked, "How far is your settlement and what direction? I can meet you tomorrow after breakfast — say around mid-morning."

Halling gave directions to the settlement, which wasn't far from the gate; he then asked, "You're sure about this Felix? It is quite safe here."

Felix gave him a small smile and replied, "I'm sure, and I thank you for the offer, but I feel it is safer this way for you as well as me. Have yourself a good night, Halling."

And before Halling could offer any further advice, Felix walked away into the woods — Halling watched for a few moments until he could no longer see the strange Canadian, and then went to the settlement for the night.

Felix went quietly into the woods for a distance and removed his Bergen and rested it against a tree. He could still get that sense of something not right — and then it came to him: he was under observation by people.

He decided to have a bit of fun with this, as where he was in the trees was heavy shrub as well — just perfect for Felix's game.

He took about 20 minutes to set up a rough sleeping area, and made it look like he was sleeping under a poncho liner. He made sure that he had certain things with him — sandbags, wide gun-tape, and some pre-made POW nooses and ties. Then he slowly got into his ghillie suit, painted his face again, and slowly and silently made his way to where he saw the one person moving already.

Felix waited until the one person crept past him and then bopped him on the back of the neck and rendered him unconscious. He slowly took the weapon off the person — saw that it was a silenced MP-10, and knew the person was from Atlantis.

It only took Felix another 10 minutes before he captured the other person in the same way, and his feeling of being watched went away.

He dragged both of the people — one at a time — back to his rucksack and proceeded to duct tape their eyes and mouth, place sandbags over both their heads, the 550 cord noose over the head and around the neck, which was then looped through the belt of the person, and finally tied off in thumb knots. He then secured each of them against a tree with a rope one of them had, unloaded both weapons and secured the magazines in his Bergen. After having a small fire where he made himself a hot chocolate drink, he then removed their bootlaces and tied their legs together so they could walk in short steps only.

Once he was done all that he laid down and wrapped his poncho liner around himself — while still wearing the ghillie suit — there was a hint of a high dew point that night — maybe about 12C or so.

Morning rolled around to find Felix waking up, packing up all his gear into the Bergen, all while watching and learning about the two people as they woke to find themselves in the hurt locker.

He had to muffle his laughter a few times as he watched them unsuccessfully try to get loose and then communicate once they discovered they were tied to a tree together.

About a half-hour later Felix heard the Star Gate activate — he looked through the trees and saw in the distance that Teyla had arrived — alone as he had asked. The gate shut down — she looked around as if sensing him, but then went to the settlement without any further ado.

Felix gave her about a ten-minute head start and then after untying the two captives from the tree and retying them together in a chain with a lead rope for him to pull them behind him, he started for the settlement.

It wasn't difficult to find Teyla's tracks, as the Greb-style soles were quite distinctive, so Felix just followed those tracks to the settlement. He saw smoke coming from the majority of the abodes, so he knew that people were at least awake.

He stopped at the edge of the settlement and stood there waiting for anyone to emerge, as he had no idea who was where in the settlement.

It was a group of 5 children that emerged from one abode, running and laughing until they saw Felix with the two tied up people behind him, and then they ran to one of the bigger abodes, calling for what sounded like Halling but in their language.

He saw Halling and Teyla emerge from the abode along with three others, who Felix figured would probably be elders or something like that.

When Teyla saw what Felix had with him and how he was dressed, she shook her head and smiled as she lowered her head and chuckled softly.

She was still smiling when she reached him and greeted him, "It is good to see you again, Felix. I see you haven't lost your touch at all."

Instead of blowing a gasket like he had figured he would, Felix found her smile to be relaxing for him, as she seemed at ease back in her home settlement that she had talked about.

He replied, "It is good to see you as well, Teyla Emmagen," and he bowed his head in the Athosian fashion in respect to her and Halling. Then he jerked a thumb over his shoulder and asked, "Are these yours? I found these last night — they looked lost, so I ... looked after them."

Again she shook her head in amazement at Felix's ways and then Halling spoke up; "I can see how you look scary to some people, Felix — very impressive."

Felix grunted and replied softly, "It's what I do best. So — who sent these people? I thought I said for Teyla to come alone and I find these two waiting to ambush me last night. Anyone care to elaborate on this?"

Teyla looked at Halling who said, "I know nothing of this, Teyla."

She added, "Neither do I — I would wager a guess that Colonel Sheppard may have sent them through the Star Gate."

Upon hearing that, the two people perked up — Felix commented, "Ahhh, I think you hit the magic number, Teyla. Why don't we see who our mystery guests are, shall we?"

Felix loosened the prussic knots that were around their necks, removed the sandbags from their heads, and then both pieces of gun-tape from their eyes and mouths. Both people blinked like cats waking up to a bright light, which it was now, and took big breaths of air and started looking around.

Upon seeing the faces Teyla shook her head again and looked at them as if a mother about to scold her children, and then said to Felix, "These two are from Atlantis — they came on the Daedelus a couple of weeks ago. I think they might be a couple of the people you asked for a while ago." She then looked at the pair and asked, "Did Colonel Sheppard send you through the Star Gate to look for this man here?"

They both lowered their heads and nodded affirmative, but then both looked up to see the person that had captured them so easily.

He was a fair bit shorter than their 6 feet of height, and obviously they saw him in the ghillie suit, but they were both captivated by the sight of Sasha the 50cal rifle.

Felix went behind them and removed the thumb knots, removed the 550 cord that had been securing them, and then removed the rifle slings from their own weapons that had tied them together. He stopped there and said, "I'll let you figure out what to do with your legs." He stored the POW stuff back in the outside pouch of his Bergen, and asked Teyla, "Shall we go somewhere and talk?" as he left the pair of new Atlantis people standing, wondering what to do next.

Halling gave a small smile and motioned with his hand towards the round-tented abodes and said, "This way, please."

Felix followed Halling as he led the way back to the big abode and waited as Felix placed his Bergen against a post just outside the door, unloaded Sasha made sure it was safe and then rested it against his Bergen, undid the front of his ghillie suit and removed his hat. He entered after Teyla did, waited while the elders entered, and then followed Halling inside.

Felix stood for a minute and let his eyes adjust to the difference of lighting from outside to a tent that was lit up with lots of candles. He could already feel the warmth from the brazier nearby — he wished whole-heartedly for a good winter day somewhere in this galaxy.