Sam's feet were blistered, making walking painful, but as she tied the boots back on, Daniel was sure she was digging deep into her military training and was sucking it up.
Daniel squatted next to her. "If you need a few moments before we leave to take care of your feet –"
"No. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I am home, and there I can get better help," Sam said, cutting him off. He thought there was an edge of fear in her voice as she peered out into the corridor. "Is there any way we can get these others out?"
Daniel looked at Foster; they only brought enough of the Anti-Prior serum for Sam. Foster for his part shook his head sadly. "We only have enough medicine for you, ma'am."
Sam's face fell. She stood up and took two steps out of her cell, looking around. "Let's at least open the cells. If they make it out, than…"
Daniel slipped his arm around her waist as she took a shaky breath. "That is an excellent idea. Foster, I need the medicine; you and Blanc open the rest of the cells. Go a bit further down – weren't there more life signs down the other corridor?"
Shouldering Sam's weight, Daniel depressed the serum into her right arm. They watched as some of the other prisoners began to crawl or walk out of their cells. There were three others who teetered out of their confines and walked like zombies toward the stairs, thanking Daniel as they passed. Sam gave Daniel a tiny smile.
"You never gave up," she stated. He turned and looked back into her blue eyes and nodded.
"Never."
Sam gave him another hug and began to walk toward the stairs also. Foster came back and helped to walk her up the stairs. Together they all left the darkness and emerged back into the light, retracing their steps back toward the gate. It took longer now what they had Sam who, putting her brave face on more than she needed to, still had to stop to rest her feet.
As expected, they passed a few Priors, and of course more of the prisoners than they wished. Since the prisoners could see the four of them, they would reach out begging for help. Daniel struggled to keep his nerves down and to continue to walk forward. Both Foster and Blanc kept their eyes down and kept walking. They each would have to have a few months of therapy if they got out of this without being exposed.
Finally, they got to the foot of the first stairwell, and started walking up. Sam was dragging her feet more than walking on them, and Daniel swung her thinner body into his arms.
"If I knew you could carry me, I would have dragged my feet earlier," Sam said, in a strained voice.
"I'll carry you for the rest of your life if you want," Daniel said, taking the last step.
Sam smiled and leaned her hair on his shoulder, her blonde hair covering her face for a moment. "A woman could get used to this, you know."
Daniel's heart skipped a beat. Not wanting to read too much into the statement, he looked down at her and smiled. "What are friends for?"
Sam tightened her arm around his neck as they walked out of building, back into the courtyard. Now, a day later than when they first entered, it was empty of people. Foster and Blanc still held their guns up and walked cautiously toward the open field.
"Wow, that's a beautiful site," Sam breathed.
Glancing down Daniel gave a small smile. "Yes, yes it is."