"Scheiße," snapped the Surgeon as he blindly groped for the wall. His eyes began to adjust to the sudden darkness and he started making his way to a generator nearby.

The darkness and the silence of the machines was almost as deafening as the rest of the sounds the Sniper could hear. He weakly just concentrated on breathing, but even that seemed so loud at the moment. Like winds in a storm.

The Doctor groped for the table, to steady himself, and brushed Sniper's bound hand gently. He felt the gunman flex his fingers, as if reaching for him and he paused. His calloused fingers stretched again, and the Doctor reflexively closed his hand over his index finger. Briefly. 

His right hand closed over the heavy syringe in his pocket and he quickly followed Surgeon, was on his heels. He twisted the plunger, loosening it from its locked position.

He pulled the syringe out, thumb on the plunger.

He raised his arm above his head as the Surgeon groped to turn the generator on.

He 

swung

down.

The needle plunged into the back of Surgeon's neck.

The Doctor grasped the syringe with both hands, throwing his weight down into it as the Surgeon let out a short strangled cry. His thumb jammed the plunger down as fast as he could. Not caring how much it hurt, how hard he forced the needle in, or even if the force agitated enough bubbles in the concoction. He held the plunger down as he tried to hold the Surgeon beneath him, against the generator, even as his victim roared in fury.

He felt the needle snap clean off as he was thrown backwards, colliding with the cart and tray, and knocking them over. He barely stayed on his feet as he turned to the table and fumbled in the dark for the locking mechanism for the restraints.

The Surgeon stumbled to his feet but already, the drug forced into his veins was making quick work of him. A rapid numbness filled his limbs and body, followed by an unpleasant tingling. His body refused his thoughts as his legs gave way beneath him and he collapsed onto his face. His arms twitched but didn't move. Even his lungs slowed and he coughed and gasped. The tightening of his chest told him everything he needed to know.

A paralytic and a very powerful one. Likely one of the ones Assassin was wont to using, powerful enough to even bring the Surgeon to his knees, as it was currently doing. He cursed and tried to move but his body ignored his commands and it infuriated him. As it rushed through his body, it even started constricting his throat and mouth, slowing his cursing.

The Doctor's hands found the lock as the Surgeon fell to the floor and he heard the straps retract. Sniper felt them slide off and he tried to sort out this new cacophony as he felt hands roll him to his side, trying to lift him off the table.

"Hurry," he heard the Doctor's voice hiss amid the too loud panting of his breath, the sounds of Surgeon groaning and also panting, the clatter of the tray and numerous other little noises of bodies functioning. "That may not hold him for long."

"W..what'd you do...?" mumbled Sniper, trying to speak, but he was still disoriented by the ordeal.  His feet met the cold floor and he looked around at the nearly pitch black room. He struggled to walk, and the Doctor swung his arm over his shoulder and tried to move him towards the door. 

"Paralytic. He won't be able to move, but we mustn't waste this chance."

"Shoes," he said thickly, his voice still sore from screaming. The Doctor glanced around blindly, only able to see the thin line of backup lights from under the operating theater door. The Sniper found his footing and made his way to the shower in the corner, shrugged on his dirtied button down shirt, and found his boots, sliding them over his feet and tying them in a hurry by wrapping the laces around his ankles and double knotting them.

The sound of the para-aramid laces as his nails scraped against them while tying was a noise he didn't expect. It reminded him of running his nails along guitar strings, despite the fact they didn't sound at all like it. It stuck in his head as he gazed at his fingernails before he heard the Doctor call to him.

"Come on!!"

His body started to respond to the moment, though he didn't expect the growing ease of it. The memory of the horrible burning in his body was still painfully fresh, and every step he took, he expected to feel it.

The Doctor dug his fingers into the door and tried to pry them open. Sniper also grabbed hold of the opposite door and pulled. They wrenched it open jerkily, since the power was still out, and they shuffled through it half opened. The Doctor, now with the help of the dim back up lights lining the halls, quickly collected his thoughts.

"Where to, Doc?” asked the gunman, looking around. He heard the Doctor take a quick intake of air, then the sound of him dashing down the right hall. He followed quickly, listening for any sign of pursuit. The sound of their footfalls echoed so loudly, he had to hold a hand to his temple to try concentrating. But it was only 2 sets. He didn't hear anyone else so far.

"Shortest way to the Mansion is this way." The Doctor was surprised at how clearly this path was in his head was as he sprinted down all these same looking hallways. The Sniper kept pace but would occasionally have to shake his head to clear it.

It was dark but all the gunman had to do was follow the Doctor, his white coat easily seen in the dimly lit corridors. They silently ran for a minute or so until they rounded a corner, and he came to a stop at an archway that appeared to have a thick metal sliding door. There was a hand-reading panel on the wall that was dimly lit with red lights. The white haired Doctor pulled his gloves off and clapped his right hand over it, but it remained silent.

"Scheiße," he panted, looking at the door and around the hall. "The power's out...it won't work."

"What's past the door?" asked the gunman, trying to catch his breath as he leaned against a wall.

"Lab lobby, then the elevator to the Mansion."

"We're underground?"

The Doctor gave him a curious look. "Yes. About 2 stories down."

Sniper frowned. "But there's windows in the cells..."

"They're fake."

Somehow the revelation of that window being fake bothered him more than the entire situation. The Doctor peeked down the hall they came. The yellow eyed man shut his eyes and listened. Ever so faintly, he could hear the sounds of boots and maybe the jostling of guns. Far enough away that Doc couldn't hear it, but it wouldn't be long until they found them.

"Doc, we're about to get some company, so we gotta do something," he said, trying to be calm but the lavender eyes widened in horror.

"Nein...nein nein nein," he mumbled, pacing frantically.

Sniper didn't have much to add but he looked around, trying to see if there was another place to hide.

"Ugh." He shook his head again, but the footfalls of the guards were approaching slowly.

The Doctor turned to look at him, but the Sniper shook his hand back. 

"I'll manage. We got bigger problems than my headache."

Before the Doctor could respond, the lights snapped on and the sound of the security alarm began to blare.

“Fuck,” cursed the Doctor, wincing. "The power's back on."

The sounds of the alarm cut right through Sniper. The abrupt lights was a flash bang, and he clapped his hands over his ears as he stumbled and slumped against the wall. Dental drill shrill, and compounded by hearing the rushing blood of his hands against his ears, as well as his quickened breath roaring, the cascade of noises and light made him want to throw up.

"FUCK...!" he choked, trying to stay on his feet. His ears were taking the hugest beating they'd ever taken in his life. His eyes weren't having much fun either. The headache that stabbed at his temples nearly brought him to his knees.

That's when he heard 2 very concerning sounds amid the din.

The sounds of boots now rapidly approaching.

And the hum of electronic doors as well as heavy shutters coming down in distant halls.

"I hear...doors closing….” he said, hands still on his ears.

The Doctor was back at the hand scanner and slapped his right hand down onto it. The lights changed to green as it began to scan. It usually took a few seconds, but right now, Doc felt it was taking hours. 

"Security doors. Must be a lockdown procedure." He prayed that the scanner would still take his scan, and moreover, would open this last door. A pinging beep sounded and the sliding doors slid open slowly.

"Thank god," panted Doc as he squeezed through without waiting for them to finish opening. "They haven't locked me out."

"Can't we relock them?" asked Sniper, following him. The alarms were still ear splitting, but he was beginning to adjust.

"I don't know how...in fact, I've never been in lockdown since I got here."

It was still faint, but the footsteps of the guards were approaching, perhaps a hallway or two away. They were checking rooms, from the sounds of doors opening.

The Doctor dashed to the left hallway, to a second double door and used the scanner, which mercifully also opened for him.

"Where are you going??" asked Sniper. He could see the elevator right there, at the end of the lobby, next to what looked like a reception desk.

"Archives.... They have your gun there." He rushed down the hall, but as he did, there was an unmistakable, mechanical sound from the archway above Doc. Instincts took over, and the Sniper lunged, grabbing him by the waist and yanked him away from the door as the security door slammed shut. The Doctor looked over his shoulder in horror, panting.

"Oh nein," he groaned. 

The gunman noted that this archway didn't have an associated scanner. "What now?"

Doc got to his feet but it was languid and defeated. "I...I'm not sure."

"You said that was where they kept my stuff?"

"Yes."

"There an armory or anything nearby??"

"No. It's topside in the Mansion part of the property."

The Sniper heard the unmistakable gait of the Warden far, far down in the hall they were in a few minutes before, amid the footsteps of at least 3 other men. It was measured but hurried. "He's coming."

In a panic, the Doctor turned for the elevator and jabbed the call button a few times frantically. But with the threat this close, the Sniper knew an elevator would make them easy targets.

"Tell me you have a stairwell."

"What??"

"Stairs. We need to take the stairs."

"But--"

"We'll be sitting ducks in a box if we take the lift." Without waiting, he peered around, located a door tucked around the corner of the elevator and tried it. It opened heavily and revealed a set of concrete stairs.

The Doctor inwardly groaned as the joined him at the doorway. Without another word, the Sniper grabbed his arm again, pulling him through and towards the stairs, yanking the door closed quickly, but trying not to slam it. 

"Up we go."

"I don't think I can run that many stairs," the white haired doctor hissed, but began to climb.

"Don't have'a choice, Doc," he said, taking 2 at a time with his longer gait. Once he made it up one landing, he waited impatiently as the Doctor struggled to catch up. 

The Warden and his men came into the lobby cautiously. He saw the doors of the elevator just close when they entered and he motioned for them to check the rest of the lobby as he trained his gun to the doors. Didn't come straight at the doors, in case an attack would come through them. The car wasn't moving, didn't start its ascent up to the Mansion, so he positioned himself to the side, and hit the call button.

The doors whispered open.

The car was empty.

The Warden narrowed his eyes, glancing at the 3 guards who had come with him. Nodded once at them, and checked the car.

One of the men came to the stairwell door and opened it cautiously. Could have sworn he heard the sounds of...a door closing? Footsteps? 

"Sir."

"Two up. One with me."