Screams. Shattering glass. Running feet. As water from overhead puddled on the floor, full-on panic still reigned as drenched party goers overwhelmed the vampires at the exits and stampeded into the night beyond. Echo heard one of them squawk the name 'Katherine' before he was slammed backwards and then disappeared from sight in the crush. If a vamp got trampled, how long would that incapacitate them?

"Come on!"

The hybrid yelled the words over the racket, trying to snap a guy in a Clark Kent costume out of numb resignation. He even looked the perfect image of his mild-mannered idol; suit rumpled, glasses askew, a dazed look in his blue eyes. Echo lost patience with trying to pry him away from his inadvertent post near the stage, so she hauled him bodily towards the dwindling mass of bodies running for the doors.

She'd just succeeded in getting him out when someone struck her broadside and knocked her down. She didn't see who it was, just felt the impact. Torn between turtling to protect her head and trying to get to her feet, Echo opted for putting herself in motion. She'd had the wind knocked out of her, but she managed to get her boots beneath her. If the sprinkler system kept running, would the fire department be called?