Capítulo V- Contaminada

     Leo held a tablet in his arm, as Patience stood next to him clicking on the presentation. Adam, Bree, and Chase were beside the duo, listening to Mr. Davenport, "Guys, I need to prep you for a very important mission, and to demonstrate, Leo-"

     "Anh-Danh. Mission Specialists Dooley and Valmorida," Leo corrected. "Will be adding a little more audio-visual 'pizzazzle' to the usual snooze-fest." He slid his finger across the tablet and a firework show popped up on the monitor. The group sent them odd looks.

     Patience piped up, "Hey, we are mission specialists now, might as well bedazzled the presentation."

     Mr. Davenport rolled his eyes and continued his instructions, "Tonight I'm sending you to gather intelligence."

     Chase smiled, "You hear that Adam? You'd better bring a big basket."

     "Leo," Mr. Davenport motioned to the monitor. "I was satellite-scouting industrial sites when I found this warehouse that I think is a front for environmental criminals. See these barrels? They're full of toxic chemicals. They're expensive to dispose of properly, so they're probably just gonna dump them into the sea."

     Leo added, "Which could harm ocean life and obliterate the coastline."

     The group's attention was averted from the mission details to Bree's laughter. "Owen, you are so sweet. Yes, I will 'Bree' your valentine. See, he took my name and-"

     Chase retorted, "Yeah. We got it."

     "Even I got it." Adam turned to Leo and Patience, "I didn't get it." Patience merely pursed her lips and pat his shoulder.

     Mr. Davenport asked, "What is going on?"

     Adam groaned, "She's talking to Owen again."

     Chase clarified, "He's an artist, and he claims that Bree is his muse."

     "Well, I for one, am not a-mused," Mr. Davenport pointed. Leo clicked the tablet and played the Wah-wah-wah tone. "Gimme that," Mr. Davenport snatched the tablet from Leo's hands and gave it Patience. "And you, off the phone."

     Bree turned off her phone, "Ugh! Fine. Just tell us what you invented, what went wrong, and how long till it blows up."

     "Look, the police cannot bust these guys without evidence, so I need you to sneak in there and gather samples. Show 'em the barrel." Patience removed the cloth off the replica barrel. "Now, there's only one safe way to get the samples and Leo-"

     "Ahem."

     Mr. Davenport mocked him, "Sorry. 'Mission Specialist Dooley and Valmorida' will demonstrate. First, take the canister and attach it to the spout. Push down and turn 45 degrees-" Leo struggled to turn the canister, Patience assisted him and turned it herself.  "To create an airtight seal. Then pull the handle."

     Bree laughed and said, "Lol, Owen."

     "Bree!"

     "Come on! Why do I have to pay attention all the time? Strong. Smart. Fast. Let's just do this already." Bree super sped into the lab doors and landed on the floor with a thump.

     "Bree, how many times have I told you? No texting while super speeding."

     Leo filled Patience on the mission details. Bree was exposed to neurothroxin and Adam and Chase went back to the facility to retrieve a sample for an antidote. Leo and Patience ate pretzels heading to the lab doors. 

     Mr. Davenport walked out of the lab doors, "Ah, Leo, Patience I need help."

     "I know, but this is not a two normal person job. I'm gonna have to bring in a life coach," Leo advised.

     "I have to go rescue Adam and Chase. Keep Bree in her capsule. Don't let her out, or the effects of her contamination will manifest."

     Patience shrugged, "Okay, shouldn't be difficult, we got this."

     Mr. Davenport ran off. Leo and Patience entered the lab doors, she pressed the button for the lab, and the elevator dropped. A klaxon alarm blared, greeting them stepping out of the elevator. Leo and Patience glanced up to find Bree's capsule empty.

     Leo deadpanned, "We had this."

     "She's at the art show isn't she?" Patience asked.

     "Yep."

     Leo and Patience left their pretzel bags on the counter and jogged to the lab elevators. They both raced to the school. Patience's endurance had increased ever since she ran to or biked to places. At first, she didn't mind the running but in most cases, it was because of an emergency. Patience wished she knew how to drive or even have a driver's license, the only problem was that she was fifteen.

     The duo swung the school's doors open and split up to search for Bree in the gym and the main hall. With the heard of students, Patience stood on her tippy toes to find Bree's shorter figure. If that didn't work, she could glimpse around the floor finding the girl with the rubber combat boots. 

     "Patience, I found her," Leo tapped her shoulder. Patience followed him out of the gym to the top of the stair. "Bree. You gotta ah-" he said, noticing the controller mask Owen wore. "Can you go put your face on pause somewhere else?"

     "In life, as in art, there is no pause only moving forward," Owen poetically said.

     Stepping forward, Patience smiled, "Hi, Owen. It's so nice to meet you but we have to talk to Bree for a second."

     "Yeah, can you move forward down the stair?" Leo remarked. Owen nodded and brisked down the stairs, away from the group of three. Leo pointed at Owen, "That's the guy you snuck out for? Really?"

     Patience defended Bree, "Leo, we can't control who we like."

     "Yeah, but out of all people?" Leo tried to pull Bree with him, "You've had your fun. Big D needs you to stay in your capsule. Let's go."

     Bree composed herself and stood in her spot, "Leo, he is overreacting. I am perfectly fine. See? Haven't had one single side effect." She motioned her fingers in front of his face, but her hand fell to her side. Bree nervously chuckled, "That's- that's nothing," she struggled to shove her arm in her jeans, "see? I am trying to come off casual so Owen but doesn't sense how desperate I am." 

     "It's not working."

     Bree's leg gave out and she tightly gripped on the railing, "I'm good." Bree tumbled down the stairs, Leo and Patience eye's widened, covering their mouths. The students let out 'oofs' when Bree landed at the bottom. She pulled herself up with the railing, "See? That is performance art. I call it 'Falling Uncontrollably Down The Stairs.'"

     Leo and Patience scrambled to assist Bree. They yanked her up by an arm and wrapped it around their shoulders. "Are you okay?" Patience questioned.

     "I'm okay, I can't leave," Bree replied as Leo and Patience set her against the circular bench. Patience crossed Bree's hands across her lap instead of having them sprawled out. 

     "Bree, Davenport's gonna freak out. We have to go," Leo pointed out the door.

     "Leo, I can't even stand up. Everything is numb. Look!" she scoots away to show and her back hit the bench. "Just help me get out of here before it gets worth. It's worth!" Bree's tongue went numb.

     "What's happening?"

     "The numbness spread to my tongue! I can't talk!"

     "Finally a positive side effect."

     "Leo!" Patience scolded. "Help me get her up."

     Patience grabbed Bree's arms and let go of one for Leo to pick up. With the two-inch height difference between Patience and Leo, they struggled to cooperate. "Hold on," Leo let go of Bree and all of her weight shifted to Patience. 

     Leo came back with a roller chair. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Patience asked him.

     "Better than carrying her like a rag doll," Leo reasoned. Patience laid Bree on her stomach on the chair. She pushed the chair as Leo said, "Once we get outside, we'll upgrade you to a nice shopping cart. How's that?"

     Patience glanced up at Leo, "I'm not stealing a shopping cart." Leo sent her an annoyed look.

     "Bree! There you are," Owen smiled. "I'm about to unveil the centerpiece of my exhibit. Are you okay?"

     Leo and Patience raised Bree up to her feet, "Oh, yeah, yeah. Your art is so good. She's getting emotional," Leo covered. 

     "That's good, Leo. That's good," Bree whispered.

     "Come on. I've been waiting all night to show you this." Owen continued as they trailed after him. Leo and Patience propped Bree against a support beam. "I wasn't kidding when I said that you were my muse. You've inspired me to create my most deeply meaningful piece yet. I call it 'My Most Deeply Meaningful Piece Yet.'"

     Owen revealed the artwork. Fascinated, Leo let go of Bree and she collapsed on Patience who winced. "Whoa. That's not totally horrible. What is it?"

     "It's paintball art: two thousand paintballs fired at precise accuracy to create a portrait of your sister."

     The word sister reminded Leo of Bree. His eyes widened and he came back to pick up Bree off Patience. He forced Bree to sit on the bench and Patience sat next to her, they both had their arm wrapped around Bree.

     "It's about beauty, inspiring mankind to repurpose the tools of pseudo-violence as art. So, what do you think, Bree? Bree?"

     Bree spat out gibberish, Owen sent her a confusing glance. "She had the same reaction to the Mona Lisa. Well, we have to go," Leo and Patience picked her up.

     "Uh-huh."

     "Unh-unh."

     "Uh-huh!"

     "Mnh-mnh!"

     "Uh-huh!"

     Patience awkwardly smiled at Owen, "Okay, well we have to go. Say goodbye, Bree"

     Tired of their argument, Leo and Patience tossed Bree to Owen for a goodbye hug. He caught her and Leo and Patience took her back. "Yeah, that's enough, that's enough. Come on."

     Leo and Patience tripped from their poor communication and accidentally threw Bree through Owen's painting of Bree. Patience gasped and rushed to Bree's side and picked her up, "I am so sorry. I know you can't feel anything now, but you're going to feel it tomorrow."

     "We'll take it," Leo grinned. 

     Owen held a horrified expression. Leo sprinted to Patience and Bree, assisting her back to the Davenport-Dooley residence.

     Bree did her best to smile, "Bye, Owen!"

     Leo and Patience got a hold of a utility dolly. They took turns pushing Bree on the utility dolly, their goal was to make it before Mr. Davenport knew they were missing. The way back was difficult considering they had to climb up on the hill. 

     The three exit the elevator as Leo hauled the dolly, "Okay, let's just get you back in your capsule before we three get in a lot of trouble." The sight of Mr. Davenport, Adam, and Chase caused Leo and Patience to shriek and he pushed the dolly forward. With the force, Bree face planted on the floor. "Clean up aisle Bree," Leo sheepishly smiled.

     "Leo! Patience! You were supposed to watch her," Mr. Davenport scowled. Adam and Chase picked up Bree and set her on the stool, she leaned on Adam for support.

     Patience sheepishly smiled, "We're sorry, but we got her back, I think this calls for high-fives."

     Leo rebuked, "Oh, sorry. Somehow the fastest person in the world managed to sneak past us."

     "Let's hope there's enough time left for the antidote to work," Mr. Davenport grabbed the syringe and plunged it into Bree's neck.

     Chase asked, "Bree, are you okay?"

     Bree grimaced, "I feel funny. Funny. Fun-nay. Funny... funny-"

     Adam demanded, "Oh, just spit it out already!"

     Bree smiled, "I'm cured!"

     "Oh! That is such a relief. It'll be so much more enjoyable to punish you now that you're healthy!" Mr. Davenport exclaimed.  "What were you thinking? You could have put us all in danger!"

     "Sorry. I just wanted to be like every other girl and hang out with the boy that I like. What's the big deal?"

     "The big deal is you're not like every other girl. You're part of a team, and your decisions affect us all."

     Leo crossed his arms, "Yeah. Because of you, I had to go to an art show." Patience elbowed him.

     Adam added, "Yeah! And I haven't eaten since 2:30!"

     "Also, on the lesser note." Chase rose his tone, "We could all have been killed!"

     "Look, you can have a social life. Just don't let it interfere with your bionic life."

     "I get it. From now on when a mission comes up, it gets my full attention."

     Mr. Davenport sighed, "Okay, well, I think we've all learned a valuable lesson, so let's just go get something to eat. Waddya say? All right?"

     The group began walking away, but Patience stayed behind. "I know it sucks that you can't have a normal life, but we can try to make the best of it. How about we have a sleepover this weekend at my house away from all this," Patience gestured her hands around the lab. "And you can tell me all about Owen."

     "That sounds like a plan. Thank you, Patience," Bree smiled.

     "You're welcome. Come on," Patience linked her hand with Bree. She stood up and her knees buckled, dropping to the floor. The boys turned around hearing the thud.

     "Oh. Forgot to mention, might take a little while for the antidote to get to the rest of her body, so everybody, grab a limb," told Mr. Davenport. Adam grabbed his own arm. "One of her limbs, Adam. Thank you."