Re: Gala Gone Bad.

[Prince]

When the needles were offered, Michael set to work at measuring out the required 5cc's as he had seen Mircea do countless times before injecting Soraya with it. "Here," he told the man who had brought him the syringe. Five cc's to everyone, sickest first." He hoped the man didn’t pause to ask questions, which would delay help.

The man knew better than to question, recognizing Michael as a member of the Prince family and trusting him based on that fact alone. He began administering the cure to each of the fallen in turn.

Anxiously, Michael watched for signs of life in his mother as he administered his second filled needle to Sophia.

Michael began administering as well, periodically checking in with his family. Soraya's breathing seemed to have improved a little, but she still remained immobile.

Finally, some color seemed to be returning to Michael's mother's features, which made him sigh in relief. Things had looked rather badly for her for some time.

Sophia drew a deep shuddering breath.

***

"There's a decon chamber in lab two," Mircea answered Nait.

Min rose, only slightly steadier, and made his way toward the specified lab. "I'll go first," he offered unnecessarily.

Naitachel moved to start helping the four towards the place mentioned. "Come. You need to still depart. Take the green vial, please. Because as soon as you step outside, I shall be cleaning up... my own way, I fear, but that is better than further risk to any."

Mircea nodded, reaching out for the vial. "Thank you, my brother," he said to Naitachel. "We are fortunate you were here." He rose and made for the lab as well.

Nodding, the Seraph shooed him towards lab two. "It seemed a better plan than dragging your souls back across the planes..."

Slowly Vlad got to his feet, using the wall to guide himself, glancing worriedly toward Radu as he passed him.

With three moving, Naitachel shifted to his mate's side to offer a hand. "How are you faring?" he asked gently. "I passed the cure below..."

Radu smiled softly, if unconvincingly. "As well as the rest, I'm certain," he offered, though he still felt unaccountably nauseated and far less strong or steady than he should at this point. "Good..." he nodded at the news that the cure had reached his employees.

"You do not appear so," Nait observed, crouching beside him. "Whatever may be different? I gave the cure to you first, so by normal lines you should be ahead of them in the hallway..."

Radu shook his head. "Perhaps I'm just tired," he suggested.

"You appear green," Nait told him wryly. "Might you react to your own cure?"

"It is possible," Radu admitted, though vampires aren't typically subject to allergens.

Naitachel moved to bring Radu's arm across his own shoulders. "Come. Let us get you decontaminated, then you four may investigate this matter in depth. I have yet to clear this place, and we have many outside who may yet have similar side-effects."

<What's keeping you?> Mircea demanded of the Naitachel and Radu, his mental voice sounding much stronger. <Min and Vlad have already headed toward the lot.>

<I suspect you need investigate him. He is not quite right, and I dosed him first,> Nait told Mircea. <Actually, Mircea... please see him out as well. And save what little you wish to, as I have business remaining here,> Nait requested.

Mircea doubled back to help with his brother, concern clear in his features as he did so. "Give me three minutes then do your worst," he told Naitachel as he took Radu with him.

"I shall, if you point me to where this mess began," Nait told Mircea.

"The lab we just left. Lab three. Someone intentionally released the contaminant into the air vents there," Mircea told him. "I've got all the research secured. I'll have him decon'ed and out in two..."

"Decon what you wish to spare, and please take care of him," Nait told Mircea, turning for the lab in question.

***

<How is it faring, Michael?> Nait asked his nephew. <I have them headed for... detox?>

Some of the people downstairs began to stir, and several were even waking. The sounds in the lot were changing from ones of desperation and chaos to actual sounds of bustling and business, as though those helping finally could sigh in relief.

<People are being treated. Most are regaining some form of health. Mom's not awake yet, but she's getting her color back,> Michael answered Naitachel.

Vlad was by his wife's side in a moment, her hand in his. <Come back to me, beloved,> he urged her silently. <You may not leave before I do, remember?>

Soraya herself gave a deep breath, and her eyes crept open slightly. A confused moan escaped her. <What... happened?> she asked Vlad, disoriented.

Vlad gathered Soraya into his arms. <You proved that you are still as obedient as you've ever been,> Vlad smiled, holding her close to him.

<Oh,> she answered, allowing her head to loll to one side against Vlad's chest. <Right. And you are supposed to be mad at me.>

"Right... well... I’ll work on that." Vlad smiled, still holding her close.

<Not too hard, I hope,> she answered, still not quite finding the strength to make her mouth move. They would obviously still have to discuss the entire situation later, but right now the idea was just exhausting. <Others?> she asked.

<No, beloved. Not too hard,> Vlad reassured her. Vlad held her close, kissing her softly upon her closed eyes, thanking whatever deities might still exist for beings like him that she'd been spared.

Soraya's eyes snapped open. <Michael?> she asked, noting his conspicuous lack of answer regarding the state of the others.

Nait sent a breath of relief to Michael. <Thank Heaven. That was closer than I liked for the lot of us.>

<No kidding,> Michael answered as he gave the last of the employees their own doses. He preferred that to allowing them to show symptoms at all. <You guys doing okay up there?>

<Radu is not recovering right, but the others are. Mircea has him in hand,> Nait told Michael, still concerned by Radu's color. <I can feel Vlad's joy, so at least they must be on happier terms now than earlier this evening,> he added, slightly amused.

<What's wrong with Uncle Radu?> Michael answered with a frown, glancing around to his mother's location and smiling at the sight of his father holding her.

<I am not certain...> the Seraph answered quietly, worried still. <I can only hope Mircea might find the solution. It is beyond anything I can aid in.>

That news made Michael frown. <Uncle Mircea's always got the magic ticket somewhere,> he reassured the seraph.

Mircea got Radu into the chamber, growing more concerned by his failure to gain strength. "Hang on, little brother," he whispered as he ran the sequence then carried him out to the lot, safely away from Naitachel's 'cleaning'.

"Nait," Radu whispered, slipping into unconsciousness as Mircea laid him out on the ground with the other victims.

***

Stepping over to the vent, Naitachel sighed. "I think I forgot one minor point..." he mused softly. <I suspect I shall be quite useless in a moment,> he told Michael with wry amusement.

Min, keeping tabs on things, interjected, <I'll come in when you go down and get you out.>

<You? Useless? Never,> Michael answered. <I can move in, too, Uncle Min.>

<Good... we'll go together,> Min answered Michael.

Taking a deep breath, the Seraph wished he had not left his sword at home. He shook back his robe-cape, spread his wings and tail, and set his hand down where the vial had been; he focused all his energy there... then sent it rushing out in a strong wave, purifying the very air and metal and plastic all around.

The lights in the building flickered, the nearest bulbs shattered, the nearest outlets fizzled... and finally all went dark within.

<Someone please... do not forget my crutches?> Nait murmured before he passed out.

At the word, Michael found Min, then made for the building to retrieve their savior seraph.

Min rushed in with Michael then, gathering up the crutches and helping Michael carry him.

"We'll take him to Mircea and Radu," Min told Michael, helping to make it happen.