Spilling Guts

Part 103 - Small Messes

Messes start small, a few items to be the focus of study. Then the mind brings in other elements of study; tools, notes, graphs, coffee, display boards, more notes. More coffee. A slight hyper-fixation on how sensors stuck to the skin for accurate readings. Coffee again.

By late afternoon, the analysis of the Devil's Neckbrace had exploded from the confines of Rachel's table, to the whole of the lab. Rachel had even brought out a dry erase board to scribble ideas in color coded ink and post-its. Dory, the white lab rat, dared not descend from her highway of tubes, spending her morning scuttling away from the chaos.

For Rachel, the next blast point of chaos were journals written by Doctor Grovic himself; half theoretical claims, and half actual facts and tests.

It had taken a while for Rachel's brain to soften and sink into the details, data, and schematics. Theories of sleep and spinal signals. At one point, to keep blood flow to her legs, she paced the lab, reading her tablet aloud. She was one with the data, the water in the sponge.

The top of her tablet flashed a warning. A signal from a paired device? What d--

Rachel's mind solidified into crystal clear ice. Will's cap. Will's cap went off. Fuck.

She grabbed her medical bag and sped-walked out the door. Then her phone went off.

"Bit busy," she snapped into the cell. She would have to call Hayman if he hadn't gotten the same message she did. And then find Will, wherever he was. The tracker on her tablet read "distance from device", not a specific location.

"It's Will," said Louis on the other end of her cell. "He collapsed. I think it was another attack."

"You're with him?" Rachel jogged faster. "Where are you?"

"Elevator bank. Base security level. I already got a few guards coming down the hall." Louis's voice hitched. "He's too pale, but he's breathing. His eyes are wide open."

"Get him on his side. I'll be there in a few minutes."

***

Will woke up as a Rachel shined a penlight into his eyes. He winced and jerked his head away. His mind hung in a fog, made worse by being unable to breathe through his nose. Fucking colds.

It didn't take long to recognize the pillow under his head, the blood-pressure clamp on his finger, or the room. Med Tech.

"Not again," Will groaned. "I just got away from here."

"Afraid so," said Rachel, updating a chart. He'd have a whole file cabinet full of charts at this rate. What a waste of trees. "Hayman is on his way over."

Will still had his own clothes on. No gown with the open back for him. The only thing that had been taken off were his shoes. Will lifted a hand to his head. The Sleepy Beanie remained stuck to his head; the adhesive tape had done its job. But the gel that had kept the sensors to his temples had warmed and melted into his hairline. Gross.

"Did it get what you needed?" Will hoped they got it. He didn't want to go through that again. Metaphorical brain bruising.

"We won't know until we look at the readouts." Rachel lifted the top of the bed so Will could sit up. "Balcuwitz is on his way down."

"Balcuwitz? I thought we agreed these things-" Will didn't want to call them attacks. Attacks were other people trying to take you out. This was his own mind laying bear traps to walk backwards through. "-were freaky, device based side-effects, not trauma based."

"It still looked traumatic when Louis was hovering over you in the elevator." Rachel slipped the chart back into its holder by the door and then sat down next to the bed. "And Balcuwitz wanted to keep informed of your nightmares. I'm just glad Louis was able to do the heavy lifting this time."

"Louis?" asked Will. "Lifting?"

"Yeah. He had to pick you up so we could guide you into a wheelchair. Helped me get you onto the bed too."

Will, meanwhile, mourned an opportunity lost. Louis was holding me, and I missed it?

How else was he supposed to get you into a wheelchair? Don't over-think it.

I was held in those strong arms, like a prince being carried off... to become another sleeping beauty. Crap. I stop ignoring him and this happens.

Will looked around, hoping to see Louis. Maybe even see a shy smile to indicate "hey, I'd carry you anywhere." But Will also put a hand over his stomach, just in case. The last few times he had woken up in Med Tech, Louis had been inside him. Will wouldn't bet against such a thing happening again without him knowing. "Where is he?"

"He said he had to take care of something," said Rachel.