Screaming

[jm]

He hit a button, darkening the laptop screen. It was distracting him. He needed to focus on the environment he was physically in, not the one he was so drawn into watching.

Woolsey just tilted his head a little and waited.

"What's his name?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard."

Rodney barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "That's nice. I asked what his name was."

Sadly the beureacrat had to look down at the paper file in front of him. "John."

"That piece of data not important, eh?" He let his fingers run lightly over the edge of the keyboard. Not enough to register as a keypress but feeling the tactile bumps and slight give of the springs. "And his guide?"

"He's only had one in training and when he was doing black ops work. Otherwise he's managed." The words were precise. No intonation given that would tell Rodney anything important. No way to judge if this was Sheppard's - John's choice - or the military's.

"How long since he was out of a combat zone?"

"He averages eight to ten months in country before he self-reports for leave."

"And it's always been granted when he asked?"

Now came the frown. "There was an exception. He had a commanding officer that didn't...listen. That person is no longer in a position to cause a problem."

"And what led to this? And why isn't he already back in North America at a retreat center?"

"Because technically he's listed as missing in action, presumed killed in action."

Rodney knew he wasn't keeping the shock off his face. "He's been kidnapped by his own government?"

"Essentially."