Lex felt nervous as they walked. He felt like a prisoner, like he was being guided from death row to the gallows. Blue held one of his hands, and Marcus had him on the other side by the elbow. As if for some reason Lex would run away if given the chance. And he probably would've, if he could see where he was going. For him, the imaginary gallows weren't nearly as intimidating as reality. Death was a constant; he'd had people die on his operating table, he'd heard them die in droves when the Realians attacked, and death was just something people came to anticipate. And, if he were being entirely honest, the thought of death came as a comfort when the only other option was potentially ruin the last good thing that was attached to his name.<br/><br/>"We're here," Marcus informed him. It didn't carry any particular weight, but the words were as unintentionally foreboding as Lex could imagine. He felt lightheaded as he was escorted to a particular point, and then stopped suddenly.<br/><br/>"Show me," Lex instructed on the assumption that they were at Dicen's capsule. And his assumption was correct, he'd realized after his hands were placed on the hard, freezing cold glass. He exhaled a trembling breath. "Okay. Okay, this capsule should have a metal, flat end somewhere by his feet. Help me stand him up."<br/><br/>The capsule was heavy. Heavier than anything he'd ever lifted in his life, Lex imagined. His muscles ached as he helped lift the glass capsule, and ached some more until they all but caught fire. At last, the metal base of Dicen's containment scratched the floor of the converted gymnasium.<br/><br/>Lex mumbled to himself as he stepped closer, feeling over the glass tube and following it down. He took a knee, fingers trailing over the rivets and edges of the metal base, until he found the drainage cap. Normally Venture had protocol for draining chemical baths like these, but he no longer consulted with Venture and this was no time to he a stickler for protocol.<br/><br/>"The doorway," he reminded Blue, perhaps a bit more stern than he should've been. "Marcus, just stay far back. Out of sight. And if this turns out to have been a bad call, just run."<br/><br/>"No. And don't be so melodramatic," Marcus warned him. There was that tangible depression again. "We're not just leaving you to get torn to shreds by something you can't even see."<br/><br/>"It wasn't a fucking question, Marcus," Lex bit back. "We've got an entire group of people at the barracks that won't even know to be scared if you two get killed trying to save me. If this goes bad, run and tell the others."