The Leakage

Part 3: Rush

Ethan stood in the sixth floor observation deck with Naveen, looking blankly down on the fiasco below them. Two of his colleagues and a madman - No. Ethan had to shake the thought from his mind. The three of them were patients being tended to for unknown ailments caused by a mystery toxin.

He watched as Dr. Hirata barked orders at the hazard team who were briskly running about in what looked like intelligible circles. Nurses were scrambling while medical professionals in white suits and black masks sprung into action.

A nurse and Dr. Abatello tended to the unstable coward laying there motionless. Ethan was never one to let personal feelings infiltrate his professionalism. However, selfishly today, his disharmonized orbs wished Travis would pull through - not to lead a happy life, no. The bastard couldn't die just yet; Travis needed to face the consequences of his moral idiocy. Dying was too easy a punishment.

In the middle of the madness was Ethan's Tuesday morning workout buddy, heaving and clinging for dear life. Dr. Wright and Dr. Stevens had tore the shirt off his muscled chest in order to shock him back into existence. Rafael coded for 45 debilitating seconds. Now, he was more or less stable. His eyes opened and closed with each chilling cough before retreating back to blissful unconsciousness.

Out of everything the great Ethan Ramsey has ever seen - today and in his entire life - nothing chilled him more than seeing his... his girlfriend , for lack of a better word, struggling to stay.

His eyes perpetually flitted from Becca's insensible form and to the disturbing drama unfolding around her. Ethan was torn between wanting to critique Dr. Hirata's every motion, yelling at Becca for the decision that landed them in this mess, and wanting to protect his heart with plausible deniability. Not knowing what was happening surely would have been better, but this was The Ethan Ramsey. He craved knowledge. He needed to know what was going on.

He coveted a life with Rebecca Lao.

Earlier, at the televised interview with Senator Ed to promote Edenbrook's renowned Diagnostics Team, he confessed his intentions; Ethan Ramsey was not single. Ethan Jonah Ramsey was wholly Rebecca Carolina Lao's, complications be damned.

His perplexed eyes locked with Becca's unsettled form; she was twisting and turning, uneasily looking everywhere but up at him.

Standing there a floor and a room away, Ethan felt absolutely powerless. He wanted nothing more than to run down there and put Becca out of her misery. He wanted to hold her. To tell her everything would be okay and that he'd stop at nothing until she was cured and safe .

But he knew he shouldn't make promises he couldn't keep. Not to her. Not anymore.

What kept him here, in his own circle of hell, was the order that as director and key witness Ethan wasn't allowed anywhere near the commotion.   

A deep dispassionate voice cut Ethan out of his reverie. "Dr. Ramsey, can you please give a statement," the gruff police officer asked, criticizing the despondent doctor with every impatient word.

Ethan didn't bother to turn towards the voice. He was still standing up against the window, transfixed on the motions below.

After a bated pause he finally sighed an acknowledgement; "All I know is that Travis Perry unleashed lethal gas meant for the Senator. However, Dr. Lao and Mr. Aveiro tried to stop him." Ethan kept his voice level and unbiased as he recounted the former part of his nightmare. Though he couldn't help emitting his disdain with the latter as he seethed, "The Senator is a coward and now two of Edenbrook's finest are at risk of dying."

His venomous tone took the officers off guard. The two stout officers looked at one another, telepathically agreeing;

"We'll follow up if we have any more questions."