There was a momentary stillness as Jay wavered between whether to shoot Nico or not. No one else spoke. Nico cursed silently, all the the shadows dark enough to travel through were along the walls, not in the middle of the room when he and Jay were standing. He was just about to risk diving for one of them when there was a noise from outside.
"Nico?" Toby yelled plunging in suddenly through the front door, the grin on his face turning sour in a second.
"Wha?" Jay yelped. Nico dropped to the ground feeling the bullet that had been shot just a nanosecond too late ruffle his hair as it sailed over his head. The bullet hit the wall in a shower of old drywall. Toby was on Jay in an instant, leaping over Nico's prone form, ripping the gun from Jay's hands. Jay gasped and flinched back, but it was already too late.
"I said I would rip the next person who hurt Nico apart. Oh joy that the next person was also the last person." Toby snarled, pushing Jay to the ground grinning coldly.
Nico turned over and sat up wincing as his hurt leg touched the ground, he glanced over as Hoody finally followed Toby in. Hoody took in everything that was going in instantly and shot a glare at Alex as he walked over to help Nico up.
"T-Toby we don't have t-time right now." Hoody told Toby gently. Toby's head snapped up, he practically snarled.
"Toby, he's right." Nico said struggling to stand on his own, then giving up and leaning on Hoody to take some of the weight of his leg that was now steadily dripping blood. "I destroyed the spirit that was possessing that girl, the Operator knows I'm after him now. We don't have much time. We need to find out what I need to know from Alex, and get as close as we can to the heart of the forest before he decides to show up. And before I become too weak from blood lose to face him." Toby seemed to notice that Nico was bleeding for the first time.
"Oh my god Nico what happened? Did he actually shoot you?" Toby asked leaping to his feet, pointing the gun he had taken from Jay, back at Jay so he wouldn't move.
"No, Alex did." Nico said pointing at Alex who was watching them all sullenly. "I'll be fine, but my backpack with my ambrosia and nectar is back at Clockwork and Bloody Painter's place so I can't heal right now."
"Do I have time to go get it?" Toby asked looking at Hoody, who in turn looked at Nico.
"Is T-Tim here as w-well?" He asked and Nico nodded.
"The dead who inhabit the hospital told me there was a third person restrained on the third floor. They say that that person used to be a patient here, so I don't see who it could be but Tim." Nico answered gasping a little as the adrenalin began to wear off and he felt the full pain of the bullet hole.
"Then yes." Hoody said nodding. "Help me g-get everyone up." Toby nodded.
"Two of the dead I summoned can handle Alex, so two can escort Jay. I'm afraid that I don't think I can manage the stairs by myself though." Nico said frowning up the flight of stairs in front of him.
"It's okay I can carry you." Toby said fervently. "Hoody, can you get the girl? I'm assuming you don't want to leave her down here." Hoody nodded and scooped the petite brunette up easily. Nico instructed two of his skeletons to let go of Alex and grab both of Jay's arms. The four dead dragged both Jay and Alex to their feet and began dragging them up the stairs as Toby lifted Nico carefully.
"Sorry." Toby mumbled, wincing when the movement of being picked up made Nico hiss in pain.
"It's okay." Nico reassured through gritted teeth as they started to follow Jay and Alex up the stairs. They ascended the stairs quickly trying to minimize the amount of Toby's tics as it could jar Nico's leg. Once they reached the third floor, Nico relayed directions from the dead nurse to where Tim was.
