Miles was about to respond when the voice alerted him to something in the hall ahead of them, its sharp groan accompanied by a sharp pain in his throat. He couldn't help the coughing fit that ensued, his body trying to dislodge whatever the source of it might have been. He leaned against one wall, breathing hard, after the worst of it had passed.

"Dealing with whatever it is that's here," he said, unable to help the sarcasm that accompanied the words. There was a fight going on, and he felt a pang of guilt at not being able to do anything about it, but getting them through what felt like a gauntlet was more important.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/730364.html?view=60420348#t60420348).]