13. Kryptonite.

The five men - Charles, Samuel, Colin, Adam, and Damon, along with the wizards - had convened in a dimly lit room that was rich with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The air was heavy with anticipation, and the mood in the room was almost palpable. They huddled together, discussing their plans for catching Mimi, their voices mingling with the sound of papers shuffling and pens scratching. Now and then, one of them would take a sip of their coffee, the warmth of the drink providing temporary comfort in the midst of the tense atmosphere. Despite the seriousness of the situation, they remained focused and determined, their eyes fixed on the task at hand.

After spending some time with the group, Bran returned to Washington, DC. The rest of the group, however, was still buzzing with excitement. They had just learned that the press had dubbed Mimi "America's Sweetheart." The men found it amusing and couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Mimi's reaction to the news.

Damon, in particular, was thrilled about their upcoming wedding. This would be their third attempt, and he was determined to make it a spectacular event. As he thought of their special day, Damon's mind was filled with a multitude of ideas. He envisioned every detail, from the flowers to the music, and he was determined to make sure everything was perfect. And, of course, those special wedding nights and very calm days. He had just a new flank in mind for that, too.

It was clear that Damon was strongly committed to Mimi and their relationship. He wanted to ensure that their wedding was a celebration of their love and a memorable event for everyone who attended. Despite the challenges they had faced in the past, Damon was confident that this time would be different, and their wedding would be nothing short of extraordinary.

Their plan was to set up Mimi using net throwers they had found at the facility. Damon realized he needed to extract a direct whiff of Mimi's blood to create a potent anesthetic. Previous attempts with strong velvet darts had proven ineffective. Mimi had been alone for another month since Damon and Samuel's capture, making her even more unpredictable and dangerous. Mimi's metabolism was just too fast for Velvet to work.

Damon couldn't help but wonder how much Mimi weighed, her fragile frame resembling that of a walking skeleton. However, they couldn't afford to take any chances. She was a force to be reckoned with. Just a few days earlier, Damon had checked up on Ruby, who now fell under his guidance instead of Mimi's. Surprisingly, Ruby had already learned to control her bloodlust and was in better shape.

The group would enter through the front door, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. They would then carefully maneuver, pushing Mimi towards a room where she would have no escape. Dresden and Constantine would use their magic to conceal the web thrower, readying it for the decisive moment. The tension in the room grew palpable, each breath filled with anticipation.

Damon had been consuming vinegary foods, knowing that his dentifrices contained vinegar for some inexplicable reason. The tangy scent lingered on his breath, adding to the mix of adrenaline and determination coursing through him. It was a day of action, and he was prepared.

Adam carried the net thrower, its weight adding to the gravity of the situation. Damon's role was to entice Mimi out and guide her to the perfect spot. Charles, Samuel, Adam, and Colin were all in on the plan, their bodies adorned with sturdy armor from Magnum, impenetrable and reassuring. They had thought right about everything. 

As Damon stepped forward, the creaking of the stairs announced his presence to Mimi. Her eyes darted towards the movement, but the cluttered and confined space downstairs wouldn't suffice for their purpose. They needed to lure her upstairs or lead her outside, where a heavily fenced area awaited. The challenge lay in whether Damon could direct Mimi there, his heart pounding with uncertainty.

The men forcefully barged into the room, their heavy footsteps reverberating off the walls. They ransacked everything in their path, snatching away my belongings. My swarm is no more. The air grew heavy with the smell of fear and desperation. Suddenly, their sinister transformation began, turning them into eerie pod people. But I can rise again. I just need more drones for me.

As panic consumed me, their relentless pursuit intensified. Jack Bauer's unwavering resilience inspired me to refuse to surrender to their tyranny. Yet, amidst the chaos, an overwhelming urge to create a cake emerged. The pangs of hunger echoed through the room, a reminder of the children's desperate plight. The director remained indifferent, unwilling to provide the funds to ease their suffering. I had no one to make a scene with.

Determined to escape this dire situation, I knew I had to flee. With a surge of courage, I cautiously opened the doors and bolted into the open. But fate had other plans. In an instant, an unseen force collided with me, causing me to stumble and fall. My body lay motionless on the ground, trapped within the sticky embrace of the evil Spider-Men's webs.

Adam, Samuel, and Colin, Charles scrambled anxiously, their fingers tightly gripping the net as they fought to keep it securely fastened to the ground. Mimi, writhing and screaming, desperately resisted their efforts to restrain her. Drawing closer, Damon knelt down beside her, his voice a soothing murmur amidst her cries of protest. The air was heavy with tension and the acrid scent of fear.

With a small silver knife in hand, Damon deftly cut a precise incision into Mimi's calf. Carefully, he inserted a thin blood tube beneath her skin, allowing crimson droplets to trickle down its length. Holding the knife's tip steady within the wound, he patiently waited for the tube to fill. Once satisfied, he withdrew the knife, allowing the wound to close gradually.

Leaving momentarily, Damon took a few steps away, seeking solace in solitude as he indulged in a dark curiosity. He brought the jar to his lips, tasting the substance within. It was a peculiar flavor, far removed from the essence of true blood. It really tasted nothing like blood. Nevertheless, Damon found in the reaction of his teeth, assuring himself that his transformation was underway. He retrieved the jar from his pocket and prepared himself for the next step.

With a swift motion, Damon sank his teeth through the lid of the jar. The teeth, discerning in their nature, required a gradual deception. Sensory cells at the tips and along the teeth's surface needed activation, a stimulus from biting through a membrane or lid. It mattered not whether it was skin or plastic; the cells were indifferent. As 8 ml of the substance poured into the jar, Damon knew this was merely the first dose, a potent anesthetic to subdue Mimi for several hours. It was a necessary measure to facilitate her treatment and the implantation of his teeth into her delicate neck.

Damon retrieved a slightly larger needle from his pocket by drawing the substance into the syringe. Mimi lay prone on the ground, her frail form allowing easy access to her heart from behind. Damon couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse at the method's brutality. Despite her emaciated state, he couldn't shake the sense that this anesthesia was an invasive and harsh means to an end. But there was no choice. He had hardened his heart and hurt Mimi a bit.

 He returned to the group of men, his voice filled with determination. "I will insert this needle into her heart from behind. It should induce deep sleep, if not, sedate her completely. However, we won't take any chances. Once administered, we will keep Mimi securely wrapped in the net until we transfer her to the car. Then, I will tightly bind Mimi for the journey."

He took something from his pocket, a modified collector for teeth. He explained as he saw men's perplexed gazes.

"We will attach these special collectors to her teeth, designed to deceive her teeth into believing they are on my neck. These collectors have an uncanny realism, complete with a hint of blood. As you can see, Mimi's teeth will puncture the membrane, signaling that she has entered a vein through the sensory cells at the tips of her teeth. Another cluster of cells is constantly analyzing the blood, draining the substances accordingly. And that's where my blood comes into play. It's right on those sensory cells. Now that silver has overtaken Mimi's dental sensory cells, she craves silver. However, my blood doesn't contain any silver, so her teeth instinctively push for silver. This process will continue as long as there is no silver in this blood. Hence, I will glue these collectors onto Mimi's teeth using super glue."

He showed men small tubes that had tiny chambers, and there were a few drops of Damon's blood. Silver would drain into the next chamber and there to tubes to be collected. They had also talked about the safe way to keep silver, if this happens ever again, so there would not be any chance to get more silver on board. 

With everything prepared, Damon crouched down beside Mimi once again, catching a whiff of the burning silver mesh against her skin. He carefully traced his fingers along her back through the mesh, searching for the perfect spot, and swiftly plunged the needle directly into her heart. The plunger was then pressed firmly and steadily down to the base. Mimi's body went limp, completely under the drug's effect.

They rushed to work, carefully rolling Mimi onto her back and wrapping her tightly in the net. The scent of burning silver lingered in the air. Carrying her gently, they placed Mimi inside the car, where Damon stood ready. He began by opening Mimi's mouth and securing the collectors in place. Almost instantaneously, the silver flowed into the tubes, any means of removing the silver being of utmost importance.

They then untangled Mimi from the net and flipped her unconscious form onto her stomach. Damon expertly maneuvered both of Mimi's hands behind her back, bending them at the elbows so that her fingers grazed the opposite forearm. He proceeded to bind her hands at multiple points, using a spiked grip, securing her legs together in the same manner. Finally, he lifted her into a cage within the car, closing the door with a resolute click. As they climbed into the car, Mimi regained consciousness but was rendered powerless, unable to take any action.

I woke up, my vision blurred, my body bound tightly. A metallic taste lingered in my mouth, something lodged uncomfortably between my teeth. How could they do this to Jack Bauer when I had been eagerly preparing to showcase my culinary skills in the bake-off? The frustration overwhelmed me, their lack of understanding infuriating. It had to be the President of the USA orchestrating this, a twisted desire for something I would never give. Struggling against the restraints, I fought relentlessly, whenever my memory allowed. I had to escape, fearing the looming presence of lizard-like aliens, their intentions unknown. I was too crucial for the resistance to fall into Diana's clutches. But just as hope flickered, the car abruptly halted, jolting me. The King of England appeared once more, a needle piercing through my chest, and then... darkness consumed me.

Damon, determined to keep Mimi calm amidst her deteriorating state, carefully administered a second, stronger dose of something as they journeyed. The car came to a stop, allowing Damon to offer Mimi the same treatment. The urgency to minimize any unnecessary disturbances for his ailing wife-to-be was clear. Throughout the rest of the journey, Damon repeated the drug's administration twice more, while Mimi persistently fought to regain consciousness. 

Finally, they arrived in Chicago. Mimi, still asleep, was gently transported downstairs. Samuel contemplated the use of an incubator or a binder in a bag, but Damon decided against the former. Instead, he opted for the teeth-to-neck treatment, as the binder caused discomfort and Mimi needed restraint. Having someone important to her holding on seemed more preferable than shackles. Untying Mimi, Damon carefully positioned her on her back, while Samuel skillfully cannulated the central line, allowing for the gradual infusion of vital nutrients and a bump into Mimi's system. 

The surgical procedure began, with Mimi's own organs being replaced because of the extensive damage caused by silver and malnourishment. Damon, after the operation, positioned himself partially atop Mimi and affixed his teeth onto her neck, allowing them to take root. The draining process began, interrupted occasionally by Damon's need to eat and cleanse himself. Nonetheless, he persevered. 

Mimi's initial moments of wakefulness were fleeting, ranging from a mere 10 seconds to gradually extending to 30 seconds, a few minutes, and eventually 15 minutes. As the effects of the silver and its toll on Mimi's body subsided, Damon diligently continued draining the binders for a span of four weeks. Physically lying on top of Mimi, holding her hand, he anxiously awaited the arrival of a dose of velvet, as the sensation of the binder felt akin to saw blades coursing through a vein.