Night 75: Third Floor Security Station

[damned_monsters]

The security station that monitored the third floor didn't differ much from any of the others, but where normally at least one distorted nurse would have been waiting, there were instead bodies littered on the floor. Quite a few belonged to nurses, and it appeared that the monsters which had been unleashed in greater force on the institute had decided to attack indiscriminately.

The nurses hadn't been spared, and neither had the doctor who had worked so hard to get away from a group of displeased patients. His body laid crumpled on the floor, throat torn open by the mountain lion that stood over him. It didn't seem particularly proud of its kill -- no, it really only seemed hungry as it ripped the doctor's neck further open with large, greedy bites. As if some fresh meat might repair the damage to its own body, that telltale taint of rotted flesh and exposed bone.

Screens lined one wall, still displaying footage which cast enough light to show off the grisly scene. The security feeds revealed that there were monsters in most parts of the third floor now, occupying rooms where the patients had only just been.

As they arrived on the warp pad, the mountain lion's head jerked up and it bared its teeth in a snarl. The muscles in its legs coiled as it prepared to pounce.

Comments

[freewill]

It didn't take Lana long to switch from a stubborn remark about her wound to revealing it for him to see. She had to realize this wasn't an offer she could pass up so easily, given what laid ahead for them. The unknown, essentially, though they had to hope Landel would be at the end of their path.

As he stepped over to Lana, Castiel could feel as all of Lloyd's lashing, uncontrolled power begin to stabilize. Those items that they'd found in the other room appeared to be doing their work, which was good. The last thing they needed was for him to let out some surge of power that either drew attention to them or harmed one of the humans in their group.

Even as Lloyd explained, Castiel stooped down to peer at Lana's ankle. It wasn't in any danger of infection, which made sense since the staff here normally cleaned and dressed their wounds -- the sort of hypocrisy this place was known for. Castiel doubted that it was comfortable to walk on, though.

He reached out, gently setting his hand an inch or so above the wound. Then suddenly, without any indication (no noises or glowing light or anything at all), the injury had disappeared, as if it had never existed in the first place. Castiel stood then and nodded to Lana, a quiet there you go.

"For now, I can take the lead and Lloyd can take the rear until he's determined what he's capable of with his new abilities." It was the safest route, since Castiel should be able to obliterate whatever they came across all on his own if he had to. It wasn't difficult at all for him to fall into a leadership role again, given that he'd commanded his siblings in battles in the past.

He scanned the group. "Is everyone ready?" At this point, they had to be.

[fourstonewalls]

Lana wasn't sure what she'd expected, but whatever it was, it didn't come. Nothing changed, except that the dull burn in her leg abruptly ceased, and when Castiel's hand pulled away, her skin was bare and intact. All that remained as evidence was a shaved patch; she hadn't gone to the trouble of extracting a razor from the nurses since just after she'd arrived.

Even effusive thanks (which Lana had never been prone to) seemed insignificant for what most people would call a miracle; he'd done it like it was trivial. So she just rolled down her pant leg, and nodded back. They had a job to do, and even if she and Ryuuzaki were pitifully equipped compared to angels, they had eyes and could sound an alert. She stepped into place just behind Castiel. "We are," she said. Whether Lloyd really was or not, she couldn't tell for sure; Ryuuzaki she was certain of. At least he was as ready as she was; overwhelmed and exhausted and merely human, but determined. And Lloyd would be if they had confidence in him; Ema had surprised her over and over again with her strength, and she'd have to trust him to do the same.

Of all the things Landel had done, he had succeeded in bringing out the best in everyone he'd brought in. She kept her mind focused on Ema, and on projecting confidence in Lloyd; reminiscing about anyone else would be useless at best.

[freewill]

Lana spoke for the entire group, but Ryuuzaki and Lloyd didn't offer up any protests. They all understood the lack of time they were dealing with here, and the last thing Castiel wanted was to have to experience his powers being wrenched away from him again.

Granted, Lloyd's lack of reply might be due to how disoriented he was, but Castiel trusted that Lana or Ryuuzaki would see to it that he made it through into the next room.

And so he inched toward the pad with its soft glow and stepped on, wondering just how many more of these trips they would have to make before they reached the end of the line.

[To here.]