My vision fractured. Then, everything went black. I don’t know how much time passed, but the next thing I felt was a violent jolt.
A pair of strong arms hooked under my armpits, dragging me out of the suffocating fog. I coughed, a raw, hacking sound that tore at my throat, and the taste of the gas was like bitter copper on my tongue.
"Jane! Breathe, damn it! Breathe!"
It was Daniel. He was crouched over me in the hallway, his face a mask of frantic desperation. He had a wet rag pressed over his own mouth and nose, and his eyes were red-rimmed and watering. He didn't wait for me to answer. He hoisted me up, throwing my arm over his shoulder and practically carrying me toward the service stairs.
"The... the files," I wheezed, my hand weakly patting my chest.
"I have them," he grunted,
