Lexa, seeing Rolen’s sudden movements, quickly raised her weapon, aiming it at where the goth was looking, only for the tension to give way to frustration when her gaze landed on the camera.

“Jezus Christ, Rolen…” she muttered under her breath, earning Nathan’s attention as well. He had stopped walking and turned his head, the grip on his holster tight enough to make his knuckles appear white.

Rolen’s eyes, however, never left the small metal box, fixed on the lens as he wondered whether he’d imagined it.

“This is not the time for your inner diva to make an appearance,” the woman growled as she lowered her weapon and gave him a small nudge. “It’s just a camera. Now come on- this place is creepy as fuck.”

“No, wait… I think we’re being watched,” the engineer whispered, waving a hand in front of the lens and watching the ring refocus on their position.

Lexa’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at that, Nathan now fully facing both them and the camera.

The combat medic stared at the lens for a few seconds before resting a hand on Rolen’s shoulder, causing him to flinch and wince as pain shot through his arm from the sudden movement.

“Survivors,” Nathan said, his deep voice cutting through the tension, his hushed tone holding just a trace of uncertainty.

“Maybe,” Lexa interrupted. “Or maybe it’s automated.” She pushed past both of them and continued walking. “Whatever it is, let’s just keep going.”

Rolen glanced up at the soldier, who seemed deep in thought on the matter but snapped out of it quickly and moved to follow the redhead, his hand sliding down to the engineer’s lower back to guide him.

On the move once again, the trio wandered through the long hallways of the hospital. The farther in they went, the more chaotic the scene became. A metallic smell lingered in the air, so thick they could almost taste it on their tongues.

Nathan slowly opened a few doors, his knife steady in one hand while the other turned the knob. He’d peek inside, but most rooms were empty- patient rooms with nothing but clean beds and white walls.

All except one.

In the last room he entered, there was still a patient in the bed. Nathan tensed as the sound of a beeping heart monitor filled the silence, his grip on the weapon tightening.

The soldier stepped inside, peering over the nightstand to check the patient’s face. It was a young woman, most likely in her early thirties. Her chest rose and fell steadily, an IV drip still half full, hanging from the stand beside the bed.

He lowered the blade, some of the tension easing when Rolen entered the room, still clutching his throbbing arm. The bandages were already a deep shade of red from the blood.

The young goth stood beside the bed, looking down at the sleeping figure with an unreadable expression before glancing at the clipboard on the nightstand.

“It’s a coma patient,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as a deep sigh escaped him.

With one last glance at her, the engineer stepped away just as Lexa entered the room.

“What’s with the doom and gloom?” she said, resting a hand on her hip, only for her gaze to land on the woman in the bed.

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, her mouth opening in a silent 'O' before she fell quiet.

“What are we gonna do?” Rolen eventually asked, looking up at the two of them.

“We continue,” Nathan replied, slipping the knife away.

“And leave her here like this? She’s still alive!” Rolen argued, wincing as the tension made his wound throb.

"What are we supposed to do?” Lexa cut in, staring down at the woman with hard eyes. “Carry Sleeping Beauty around like we’re saving her from the burning bush?” Rolen fell silent, unsure of what to do himself.

Nathan took a deep breath, crossing his arms over his chest.

“If we carry her, she becomes an obstacle, one that could get us all killed,” he said, his gaze settling on Rolen’s conflicted face.

“I know…” Rolen whispered. “But we have to do something.”

“We could pull the plug.”

Both men snapped their gazes toward Lexa.

“What?! No!” Rolen snapped, wincing again as he glared at the redhead nonetheless.

“Think about it,” Lexa argued. “We can’t bring her, and leaving her here means she’ll die once that IV runs out- or the power goes, whichever comes first.”

“And you think pulling the plug is better?” the engineer asked, horrified.

“Well, in the small chance she wakes up before that happens,” Lexa said quietly, her eyes meeting theirs for the first time during the argument, “would you want to wake up in this world?”

But nobody answered.