[From here!]

The lock to the smaller hallway's door had burst. The door had slammed open. And Ashton had crept in, signaling to Xigbar and Naminé behind him with the end of a long metal ladle, gripping the other one tightly, ready to attack with his makeshift weapons if need be.

He didn't see anything yet, but that didn't mean that something wasn't lying in wait just behind the corner. It was dark, after all, and he'd just made enough noise to probably stir whatever was in here waiting for them. Anticipation crawled up his spine.. it'd only been two days since he'd been in a real, proper, honest-to-Tria fight, but was he ever ready for it.

He was ready to save his roommate from his terrible fate.

He was ready to be a hero again - not for the fate of the entire universe, but for one man. Granted, there were other people who had been taken tonight for the Institute's plans, and Ashton would help save them if he could.. but he had one priority right now. He'd save the eighth member of this elusive (yet ever-present) Organization, and he'd get him safely back to their room.

Now where the heck were they keeping the man?

Whatever luck seemed to have completely abandoned him the past few nights apparently had the decency to follow them into the new hall.

---unlike the rats. Thank god... or something.

The slam of the double-doors behind them reverberated loudly through the hallway, but it was nowhere near as deafening as the silence that followed. But off in the distance, far to the left, Vincent swore he heard a faint scream. A quick flashlight scan over gleaming, descending-order room numbers told him more than he wanted to know.

Elena. She was in F2, the direction of the distant clamor.

He glanced wordlessly at Dias for a long moment, doubtful how much farther the man would follow him, before shining his light down the dividing hallway and breaking into a silent, paced run.