The Leakage

Part 1: Mist Chances

Industrial fluorescent lights - bright white and blinding on a normal day - were overshadowed by the terrified tension coating the the inpatient room. Three different voices collaborated in the most delicate harmony trying to keep the assailant from doing something rash - from taking away the opportunities of everyone in this room while killing the Senator in the same stroke of premeditated chaos.

All eyes of Edenbrook Hospital's four staff members were on Travis, watching his every move. The nurse, the security guard, the paramedic and the resident each had one goal in mind: Stop Travis and save the lives of everyone on the floor.

The nurse, Danny, was the first on the scene. Unintentionally stepping in to take Senator Ed Farrugia's vitals at the most crucial of times. Behind him the other three staff members flooded in, edging him closer to the windows - closer to Travis. Mouth dry and eyes wide as he observed the scene in confounded trepidation.

The security guard, Bobby, took a step forward, using his large body as a barrier between Travis and his mark.

The second-year internal medicine resident, Dr. Rebecca Lao, stood three steps to Bobby's right. Her hands up in the air, palms coaxing the senator's assistant to do no harm. Everyone in this room were innocent in their own right. Or so she tried to convince him - one of the six people crammed into this claustrophobic space had blood on their hands. But did that give Travis a reason to expose him and everyone else in radius to the same deathly fate?

The paramedic, Rafael, wasn't meant to be working today - he had been suspended for weeks and was about to embark on a journey to visit family in Brazil. He shouldn't have been here. And yet he was. He followed Becca into the room and placed himself just behind her. Ever the hero, he was ready to jump into action to save the lives of his close friend and old colleagues. All Travis had to do was make one sudden movement.

All the voices - every level statement - sounding loud and aggressive and all too much. they swirled around like arrows off the landing Travis needed to dodge. Every sentiment released to talk him down only angered him more. And he couldn't take it. With extreme gusto, Travis held up an unmarked canister, finger shaking a millimeter above the trigger.

Everything happened in slow motion.

Bobby leaned a little to far forward and Travis snapped - yelling incoherent taunting words and waving the can frantically in the air.

"You ruined everything!" Travis' beady eyes locked onto Dr. Rebecca Lao. "You should have just let him die!" He leapt forward at her and -

Rafael shoved Becca forcefully to the side as he barreled through the room before tackling Travis to the ground. 

In the confusion, Senator Ed scrambled to his feet and bolted from the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Becca heard a faint hiss as the aerosol canister deployed. The heavy mist mostly coating Rafael and Travis on the other side of the patient's suite grappling underneath the window panes; but a light sheen settled on her bare hands and tickled her throat.

"No!" Travis tried to shout in exasperation as horrible coughing filled the room. He gagged and gasped, his face shining with an oily, transparent substance. The canister rolled from his grip and under the abandoned bed, continuing to emit the gas until there was nothing left.

A loud "Hnck!" cut through the fog.

Becca looked over at heroic Rafael in stunned silence. He was sitting on the floor, his back against the white-painted brick wall under the windows with Travis pinned down. Rafael's naturally tanned skin glistened under the fluorescent rays, completely covered in the oily sheen.