“Lead the way, doc,” Ashley said, and Lancaster’s eyes lit up. With his, lantern he started down the hall and Ashley obediently followed. In part, she was glad to get away from the squabbles, not to mention Monte, but as the dark of the manor closed in around her, a shiver trickled over her arms.

It was quiet, much quieter than she had thought it would be. Casa Loma was a kind of fortress in a city like Toronto, and to see it empty save for the one man sparked questions. Were there others? How many? How long did they stay?

How long has he been on his own?

Though the walk was brief, trailing down the long hallway with shadows dancing, her mind took her back to the months she’d spent alone. The quiet. The still. The fear.

“This way,” Lancaster said with a wave of his hand. The light ahead of her disappeared through an open doorway, its glow the only remnants of the path.

Behind her, steps drew nearer. A lone set falling soft enough. Not Eric, he steps heavier despite trying not to. Not Helena, either, her steps are shorter. Tish too. Monte and his boys lacked the knowledge or care to be quiet so she suspected either Shannon or-

Reid caught up with her, matching her stride. In the dark, she considered she could be wrong but, by the height and shape, she’d come to recognize him.

He’s becoming… familiar.

She swallowed down the thought.

They passed the main stairwell and followed the dimming of Lancaster’s lantern around the corner. The hallway was tighter, and Reid’s shoulder nearly met hers.

“I have a taken up boarding here,” Lancaster called out, directing them towards a doorway. “The Round Room, they called it.”

Inside, the room was a grotesque hybrid of antiques and laboratory equipment. The window coverings had been torn down, violently Ashley assumed by the bent and missing drapery hardware. It exposed the room to the full force of daylight, and in turn the night. The room was indeed round with a large inset mirror over a fireplace that Lancaster had clearly been using from the remnants of scribbled paper scraps and soot. Several desks had been assembled by the windows along with what looked like a food trolley. Various lab equipment stretched over the desks and a stout piano on the right. Ornate chairs were spread around the room with clothing, papers, books, and other junk gathered on them. And a small stool sat behind the conglomerate desk.

Despite the haphazard nature of the room, the equipment and Lancaster’s desk sparkled with a rare clean shine Ashley hadn't seen since before the infection. Above hung an ornate chandelier, electrical but not on, and it reflected the lantern light in its delicate crystal.

“This is my lab.” Lancaster stretched out his arms and lifted his lantern. “It is not what I would normally work with. Standards have certainly declined as you can imagine but...” Rushing to a redwood coat stand, he pulled on a stained lab coat with his name scrawled across the left breast. “It sufficiently adequate.”

Lancaster approached Ashley, his hand outstretched. “As they say, a bad carpenter blames his tools!”

Ashley’s eyes locked on the lab coat and her shiver returned in force. Why does he have to have to wear that thing? Sweat lined her palms as she looked over the equipment and that flight or fight instinct screamed at her to run.

This isn't the same. She tried to explain it away in her head, looking between the doctor and the gear. But her gut flipped and her pulse raced. I'm still in control. This isn't like before.

“You okay?” Reid whispered. He stepped in close as if to say more but Lancaster interrupted.

“Miss Cazalla only, please. To avoid contamination.” The doctor's excitement wasn’t like that of the ones that hurt her as a child. They had been detached, ambitious, but Lancaster’s smile reminded her of another kind of scientist. Genuine, honest, without malice or designs. Even if he didn’t look a thing like Doctor Jason, even if he wasn’t there to help her, Lancaster seemed far from malicious.

“It’s just Ashley. ” AndI'm not a little girl anymore, she told herself as she followed him in.

Lancaster led her towards his desk. He dragged one of the lavish upholstered chairs towards the center window and motioned for her to sit in it. Despite its age, the carved wood was smooth and the cushions thick and soft. From her new view, the window at her back, she spied stanchions in the corner and remembered before infection the furniture would have been on display. Protected and secluded.

The doctor turned his back to her and rummaged through his desk drawers at incredible speed.

“We’ll start with hair,” he said. “I’m sorry, but I need the roots.” Lancaster, gloves on, found a few flyaways Ashley hadn’t tucked into her ponytail and plucked them at the root.

She barely twitched at the sting of the missed strands.

“Skin.” In a flash, Lancaster spun around and turned back, a scalpel in his hand. Before she had much of a chance to protest, he scraped the inside of her arm, no more than a paper cut before turning back and depositing the sample in a petri dish.

She swallowed hard and Reid stepped into the room. He met her gaze with a frown as if silently asking if she wanted it to stop. Ashley shook her head and he backed off.

It wasn’t hard for her to imagine what was next. A needle, a bit of blood, maybe even drugs. Unlike the damp cell she’d been assaulted in, her hands were free. Her mind went to work crafting escapes and defenses. Smash a beaker on his head, a chair could knock him out. The scalpel he put down... Her eyes darted around cataloging each option.

But she didn’t take them.

“And blood!”

Ashley looked away as the doctor slid the needle into her arm. He was no slouch at it, in and out with barely a pinch. He was ready for a band-aid but she shook her head and stood up.

“Don’t need it,” Ashley said.

Reid stepped forward to meet her, his eyes glaring the doctor’s way. “You didn’t have to-“

“Yes,” she whispered. “I did.” When she looked back at Lancaster, he had his glasses hanging low on his nose and already working on the samples. He kicked on a switch by his desk and the sound of a generator humming rumbled in another room. The lights of his equipment started with the burn only fluorescence could muster and a hum she’d come to hate.

“Thank you, Miss Cazalla,” Lancaster said without looking up. His attentions so encompassed his work, he didn’t seem to notice she had moved from the chair as he began to hum to himself.

“Looks like he’s checked out,” Reid said. He motioned for the door. “Come on.”

Ashley followed Reid out into the narrow hallway and breathed a sigh. Even in the dark, she felt more comfortable away from the sounds of the equipment, one long ago burned into her senses. In the place of the hum, silence took hold and Reid’s shadow lingered near.-----

“Lead the way, doc,” Ashley said, and Lancaster’s eyes lit up. With his, lantern he started down the hall and Ashley obediently followed. In part, she was glad to get away from the squabbles, not to mention Monte, but as the dark of the manor closed in around her, a shiver trickled over her arms.

It was quiet, much quieter than she had thought it would be. Casa Loma was a kind of fortress in a city like Toronto, and to see it empty save for the one man sparked questions. Were there others? How many? How long did they stay?

How long has he been on his own?

Though the walk was brief, trailing down the long hallway with shadows dancing, her mind took her back to the months she’d spent alone. The quiet. The still. The fear.

“This way,” Lancaster said with a wave of his hand. The light ahead of her disappeared through an open doorway, its glow the only remnants of the path.

Behind her, steps drew nearer. A lone set falling soft enough. Not Eric, he steps heavier despite trying not to. Not Helena, either, her steps are shorter. Tish too. Monte and his boys lacked the knowledge or care to be quiet so she suspected either Shannon or-

Reid caught up with her, matching her stride. In the dark, she considered she could be wrong but, by the height and shape, she’d come to recognize him.

He’s becoming… familiar.

She swallowed down the thought.

They passed the main stairwell and followed the dimming of Lancaster’s lantern around the corner. The hallway was tighter, and Reid’s shoulder nearly met hers.

“I have a taken up boarding here,” Lancaster called out, directing them towards a doorway. “The Round Room, they called it.”

Inside, the room was a grotesque hybrid of antiques and laboratory equipment. The window coverings had been torn down, violently Ashley assumed by the bent and missing drapery hardware. It exposed the room to the full force of daylight, and in turn the night. The room was indeed round with a large inset mirror over a fireplace that Lancaster had clearly been using from the remnants of scribbled paper scraps and soot. Several desks had been assembled by the windows along with what looked like a food trolley. Various lab equipment stretched over the desks and a stout piano on the right. Ornate chairs were spread around the room with clothing, papers, books, and other junk gathered on them. And a small stool sat behind the conglomerate desk.

Despite the haphazard nature of the room, the equipment and Lancaster’s desk sparkled with a rare clean shine Ashley hadn't seen since before the infection. Above hung an ornate chandelier, electrical but not on, and it reflected the lantern light in its delicate crystal.

“This is my lab.” Lancaster stretched out his arms and lifted his lantern. “It is not what I would normally work with. Standards have certainly declined as you can imagine but...” Rushing to a redwood coat stand, he pulled on a stained lab coat with his name scrawled across the left breast. “It sufficiently adequate.”

Lancaster approached Ashley, his hand outstretched. “As they say, a bad carpenter blames his tools!”

Ashley’s eyes locked on the lab coat and her shiver returned in force. Why does he have to have to wear that thing? Sweat lined her palms as she looked over the equipment and that flight or fight instinct screamed at her to run.

This isn't the same. She tried to explain it away in her head, looking between the doctor and the gear. But her gut flipped and her pulse raced. I'm still in control. This isn't like before.

“You okay?” Reid whispered. He stepped in close as if to say more but Lancaster interrupted.

“Miss Cazalla only, please. To avoid contamination.” The doctor's excitement wasn’t like that of the ones that hurt her as a child. They had been detached, ambitious, but Lancaster’s smile reminded her of another kind of scientist. Genuine, honest, without malice or designs. Even if he didn’t look a thing like Doctor Jason, even if he wasn’t there to help her, Lancaster seemed far from malicious.

“It’s just Ashley. ” AndI'm not a little girl anymore, she told herself as she followed him in.

Lancaster led her towards his desk. He dragged one of the lavishly upholstered chairs towards the center window and motioned for her to sit in it. Despite its age, the carved wood was smooth and the cushions thick and soft. From her new view, the window at her back, she spied stanchions in the corner and remembered before infection the furniture would have been on display. Protected and secluded.

The doctor turned his back to her and rummaged through his desk drawers at incredible speed.

“We’ll start with hair,” he said. “I’m sorry, but I need the roots.” Lancaster, gloves on, found a few flyaways Ashley hadn’t tucked into her ponytail and plucked them at the root.

She barely twitched at the sting of the missed strands.

“Skin.” In a flash, Lancaster spun around and turned back, a scalpel in his hand. Before she had much of a chance to protest, he scraped the inside of her arm, no more than a paper cut before turning back and depositing the sample in a petri dish.

She swallowed hard and Reid stepped into the room. He met her gaze with a frown as if silently asking if she wanted it to stop. Ashley shook her head and he backed off.

It wasn’t hard for her to imagine what was next. A needle, a bit of blood, maybe even drugs. Unlike the damp cell she’d been assaulted in, her hands were free. Her mind went to work crafting escapes and defences. Smash a beaker on his head, a chair could knock him out. The scalpel he put down... Her eyes darted around cataloging each option.

But she didn’t take them.

“And blood!”

Ashley looked away as the doctor slid the needle into her arm. He was no slouch at it, in and out with barely a pinch. He was ready for a band-aid but she shook her head and stood up.

“Don’t need it,” Ashley said.

Reid stepped forward to meet her, his eyes glaring the doctor’s way. “You didn’t have to-“

“Yes,” she whispered. “I did.” When she looked back at Lancaster, he had his glasses hanging low on his nose and already working on the samples. He kicked on a switch by his desk and the sound of a generator humming rumbled in another room. The lights of his equipment started with the burn only fluorescence could muster and a hum she’d come to hate.

“Thank you, Miss Cazalla,” Lancaster said without looking up. His attentions so encompassed his work, he didn’t seem to notice she had moved from the chair as he began to hum to himself.

“Looks like he’s checked out,” Reid said. He motioned for the door. “Come on.”

Ashley followed Reid out into the narrow hallway and breathed a sigh. Even in the dark, she felt more comfortable away from the sounds of the equipment, one long ago burned into her senses. In the place of the hum, silence took hold and Reid’s shadow lingered near.

“You really shouldn’t have come,” she said as Eric and Helena rounded the corner.

If Reid had more to say, he kept it to himself.

“All done then?” Helena asked. She poked her head into Lancaster officer but when he didn’t look up, she turned back to the others. “He is an odd guy.”

“What now?” Reid said. The words sounded strained to Ashley like he was holding his jaw closed tight.

“We wait.” Helena sighed. “Get comfortable, I guess. Not really sure how long until we get more information or a call from this ‘Outreach’. So we stay here until we do.”

“Could be days,” Eric said as he crossed his arms.

Reid huffed. “We didn’t bring food for days.”

“Let me guess, you’re hoping Lancaster will share?” Ashley said in Helena’s direction. Despite the dark, she could make out the outline of the medic’s frown.

“We’ll stay until we get word. There’s clearly enough room for us all.” Helena puffed out a breath. “Now we just need to ask-“

“This hallway is for my private use only,” Lancaster shouted from his workstation. “You are welcome to any of the other rooms on the second and third floors. But I insist the first be left empty. There is a basement, as well. It’s not inhospitable, but certainly lacks the creature comforts furniture provides. No matter what century it is from.”

Ashley chuckled to herself.

“Any rooms that lock from the outside?” Helena asked from the doorway.

To this Lancaster finally looked up, a frown creasing his brow. “From the outside? No. But all lock from within.”

Helena shrugged. “Then I guess you get guards,” she said to Ashley as she brushed past.

The four headed out to the main hallway and the slight beams of light. Eric and Helena walked in stride, talking quietly to one another. They both took chances to glance back as if Ashley and Reid wouldn’t be there.

It’s going to get harder, she thought watching them whisper. Escape on the horizon, so close they can taste it. Lines will be drawn. Ashley knew she’d be alone on her side. It’d always been the case.

Or will I? She stole a look at Reid, his eyes locked ahead at Helena’s back. His frown had returned, still seething. Ashley regretted her words, they served little purpose besides pissing him off. And she couldn’t stop herself from remembering what he’d said to her back at the college. When Reid told her to run.

Still could. The itch started in her fingers. Just a scratch, a small tingle like the one when she stared at the needle. This time she was planning how to get out. Smash a window, take down a door barricade, wait until night.A locked door hadn’t been an obstacle for her in a long time. What was a guard or two in the long run?

Ashley clenched her fists tight.

Shannon’s head bobbed as he climbed the steps in a run, his frame backed by the incoming light.

“You done already?” Eric said sounding skeptical. “Where’s Tish?”

“With Monte and Gabe. They found the doc’s food stores and are taking note,” Shannon reported between breaths. “Figured I’d come find you though.”

“Did you find anyone else?” Helena asked. “We thought-“

“It’s dead, man. No one else here. Can’t even find traces.” Shannon ran a hand through his hair and looked up the hall. “Some nice rooms that way with most of the furniture.” He pointed to those that looked out over the gardens. He then waved to the other side. “The ones over here face the road and are boarded up. Probably to keep people from seeing lights. The first floor’s secure. Third is some kind of museum. There’s some guns but I don’t think they work if they’re still in a goddamn case.” Shannon walked to the railing that looked into the great hall. “He’s got a hothouse goin’ in the glass room.”

“The conservatory?” Helena asked.

Shannon nodded. “Not a lot, but got some tomatoes and other easy veg growing. The basement is solid and there’s tunnels that go out to the uh… the stables? But we didn’t check that far. It’s dark down there and don’t exactly want to get caught with our pants down.” He laughed at his own joke and Ashley was the only one to smirk with him.

Helena nodded and looked at Eric. “Anything he missed?”

“Exits?” Eric pressed. “Besides where we came in?”

Shannon shook his head. “Unless the tunnel’s got one, we’re sealed. It’s a good job, though. There’s a fuck tonne of glass windows but they’re all boarded up good. Wouldn’t stand up to a swarm, but deals with the light. I could get a better sweep but that’d mean we’d have to go outside, and I’m not up for that. Not after running these goddamn stairs. Do you know how many stairwells there are in this fucking place?”

Reid stepped up to Helena and Eric. “We going to need a map drawn up?”

“Nope,” Shannon said. He fished out a flashlight and waved it at the wall by the stairs where a plaque rest. It detailed the floor plan for the building with a handy “You are here” arrow. “There’s one by every stairwell. Even you can’t get lost, Reid.”

Ashley smirked a little, glad for the tension-cutting knife that Shannon played at. Though, as Reid rolled his eyes, she’d bet he was less than pleased.

“Okay then.” Helena turned to face Reid and Ashley. “Get her situated in a room. Shannon and Reid, you two can take the first watch.” She eyed Reid a moment before looking to Eric. “Reid shouldn’t watch her alone.”

A dry grin smeared Reid’s lips. “Fine. But I wouldn’t trust the doc either.”

“What, feel a kindred spirit in that guy? He looking to fuck us over too?” Shannon joked but Reid’s muttered curse suggested he didn’t feel like playing.

“Come on,” Reid said, motioning for Ashley to step ahead.

Eric and Helena started down the stairs, probably to go find the others and take stock. But Ashley did as she was told. Relaxing her hands from the balled fists, she started down the hall with Reid and Shannon at her back and tried not to plan ways to sneak out.