Title: Racing the Clock
Summary: When Casey fails to return from the warehouse, Severide knows that something is wrong and springs into action. But will he make it in time? Based on parts of eppy 5.04 'Nobody is Dying Today' #Sevasey
Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Sevasey & #Lindseride
A/N: Okay so am glad that Severide was first in but he was a bit too distracted to just focus on Casey so I tweaked it a little so it's just sevasey centric and hope you all like it. In mine story they both have the day off.
Note: As always "words in quotes and double italics taken from the eppy" single quotes or without are past convo's or thoughts.
There were times when being called to put on his Alderman cap were almost bothersome, especially when he was at work and in the middle of a call or trying to take care of something personal. But today he didn't mind as worker and workplace health and safety was something that Matt Casey took personally and it was his day off.
"Gotta run…check out a warehouse with some potential violations. Sure it won't take long," Casey tells Severide over the phone, as he looks at his watch and then up at his friend with a tight lipped smile. "We'll meet Gabby and Louie at the park when I get back. Call you when I'm on my way there."
"Just send another lackey," Severide quips lightly as Casey's lips slightly purse and he smirks.
"You could always come along as the other lackey," Casey retorts with a grin.
"The department is short on lackey pay," Severide laughs as he hangs up with an amused expression as Casey hangs up and shakes his head and then heads for the parking lot. He tells himself it'll be a quick call – check on the conditions, file his report and then get back to his friend and foster son without too much time missed. He knows that Boden is accommodating but only to a certain degree as he had personally agreed to only take one paycheck and that was from the Chicago Fire Department, not City Hall. That's why he doesn't mind taking calls on his day off…reasoning it was better than if he was on duty.
However, unlike a boring social function, this was something he could justify his time. It'll be a quick call…is what Casey tells himself as he steps into the warehouse. But unlike a call when he's on shift when he would have to tell his friend and his boss the address, he didn't have to when on his own time.
He'd be…dead wrong.
XXXXXXXX
Casey enters the somewhat stuffy warehouse and although it was only a small feeling something inside…said something else was wrong. But what? A cover-up? Of what?
He absently listens to some argumentative banter between a father and his daughter and tells himself the sooner he gets this done the faster he can get back to enjoying his day off.
But…destiny wasn't about to be that kind as within seconds the forklift driven by the distracted father, rams right into two large drums, piercing them and instantly sending for toxic fumes that start to choke everything in its path. But the fumes aren't ordinary as within seconds it starts to eat – literally eat anything organic in it's path and Casey can only watch in horror as the man on the floor starts to painfully die while he is forced to watch.
He knows it'll be too late for the man on the floor so he carefully races toward the unconscious driver, the father and starts to drag him toward the break room where his daughter was sent earlier.
"You gotta get away from these fumes! Run outside and call 911!" Casey shouts to the warehouse manager. He looks at the fallen man before him and knows he can either drag him into the lunchroom and close the door or run for help. Duty takes over and he grabs the man's arms and starts to pull, telling himself the manager is going for help and it wouldn't be too long a wait.
He'd be wrong.
XXXXXXXX
"What happened?"
"There was an accident and your dad inhaled some fumes," Casey answers Laurel in truth as he looks around to the door he just came through. "We need to block that off or we're dead."
He gives her instructions on what to do to block the door and then hurries to try to help the father as best he can, using soap and water to wash any of the acidic residue from his skin. Then he tries CPR to ensure he hasn't died.
"Is he okay?" Laurel asks in worry.
"His acid burns aren't too bad and he's breathing on his own. That's a good sign. Gary's calling 9-11 so the medics should be here soon."
But Casey's mind continues to race with horrible thoughts as he peers back out the somewhat dirty window from within the lunch room, peering into the warehouse area where the forklift had accidently pierced the drum that was storing the sulfuric acid; a highly corrosive acid. Clear, colorless but high pungent so at least they could smell when it would be upon them.
However, as he turns back and looks at the father, his mind races back in time to when he tried to clean off as much of the acidic residue as possible; knowing full well that the substance can have a highly corrosive effect on human tissue with the potential to damage respiratory organs, skin, eyes and intestines. The father was still in very grave danger. Would he really survive? Would they?
There was already visible acid burns on the man's skin and he could only hope and pray for the terrified teen at her father's side that it hadn't seeped past the top layer of skin…otherwise he could be watching a young orphan in the making. No cell signals and his mind races that help would be delayed. Severide will…he'll get the call…what is taking them so long! Severide isn't working! Who will get the call?
"Should be hearing sirens by now," Casey huffs with a small headshake. Something's wrong.
With a small huff, Casey goes back to the window and looks out to see how things are progressing. With all the acidic fog hauntingly dancing over the dead bodies and scattered industrial implements, his heart starts to race faster. How much of the deadly aerosols had the father ingested? He was breathing on his own but how long would that last? Already in his system…how much time did he have? And where was help? They should be hearing sirens by now. As soon as you tell 911 its an acid leak…they send…where are they? Casey's mind inwardly growls as he turns to face the young girl in his care.
"What's wrong?" The young girl asks in quiet panic. "I know what it looks like when grownups lie," she directly challenges Casey on his false response.
"It looks like Gary tried to go back to his office before he went outside…probably to get rid of the records, cover up what he was up to here. Point is, the fumes got him and he never called 911."
"Nobody's coming," Laurel whispers in dread.
"Nope."
He was about to tell her that it would be okay and that someone would figure out that he was gone longer than expected.
"I told my friend that I work with at the Firehouse and he…" Casey starts but is quickly cut off by the girls shrill cry, directing his attention to the deadly fog now seeping under the door and threatening to choke them all to death.
"Oh god!" She exclaims with excited panic.
"Help me move your dad," Casey instructs. "He's safer on the table, up from the fumes."
"Come on Kelly…where the hell are you," Casey mutters in haste as he feels the acidic fog starting to tickle the insides of his throat and gently burn his eyes. He hurries to the fridge and looks inside for something…anything he can use as a deterrent to buy them some time so he can find a way out. He grabs a box of Baking Soda rushes back to the door.
"What's that?"
"Baking soda helps to neutralize the acid," Casey explains in haste. "Won't work for long."
"Are…we going to die?" She asks weakly as Casey looks over in despair; his eyes unable to hid his panic or concern.
"I won't let that happen, I promise," Casey tells her once more as he frantically looks around for something he can use to get them out of their dire predicament.
"Do you…have any kids? Or…a family?"
"I do and I want to see them again," Casey replies with a firm nod. "I will not let us die. Any of us. No one else is dying today."
XXXXXXXX
Severide looks at his watch and then up at Casey's name on his phone and frowns. Call's taking longer than expected, his mind starts to ponder as an inner sense of panic starts to build. He's not on duty…maybe it was something really shady…or maybe he went right to the park…golf? but Severide knows that even if Casey wanted to spend time with only Gabby and Louie, he wouldn't just leave him hanging, he'd call. Casey's not into head games.
He slowly paces the small space he's in as his mind tries to ponder what might have happened. He tries to recall if Casey mentioned the name of the warehouse in passing but he didn't pay too much attention, now he wish he had. Think Kelly…THINK! Severide's brain berates himself as he looks back down at his phone and then tries to dial Casey once more.
"Come on buddy…pick up," Severide mutters as he mildly curses and then hangs up and looks at the clock. Just drive by the park and see…you know where they go. Just drive by and see…
With that Severide grabs his keys and heads outside and down to his car, his mind lightly wondering if Casey was just getting a bit absentminded the more he immersed himself in fatherhood or if he was just held up with more of a political scandal than he bargained for. He was hoping for the latter.
But as he neared the park and failed to see Casey's truck anywhere in sight, his mind started to spiral downward as he comes to a horrible conclusion.
Something's wrong…Casey's in trouble…
XXXXXXXX
"If the sulfuric acid hits those aluminum shavings…there's going to be an explosion," Casey tells Laurel and her now awake father in a panicked tone. The situation was going from bad to worse with no way out.
But he knows he can't give up so instead looks for another way out. Think Matt…his brain commands him…think! There has to be something you can use…use to break through the wall. Break through…the…he spies the leather gloves and crowbar and starts to chip away at the wall and then…he goes in search of a fire extinguisher. This…this will work.
Casey starts to hit the wall with all his force, but with this core temperature heating up and the faint traces of the acidic fog continuing to make his eyes water, his cheeks a bit more flushed than wanted and his brain worried about his exposed skin his mind races with horrible images of him dying like the man he watched earlier.
He sprays the wall before him with coolant and then starts to hit. If I can just get it wide enough to get her out…she can get help…call for help…just…DO IT!
Casey hits the wall again. Again. Again. Finally a break…the first hit breaks the concrete, the second, breaks it a bit further…the fourth one makes a sizeable hole and Casey pulls back with a satisfied nod at his own handiwork.
"Wh…what are you doing?"
"Trying to get one of us out of here," Casey replies with a small huff as he squeezes his eyes shut and then prepares to make another hole a few inches to the right. But by the time the second hole is created, his heart is starting to feel heavier and his lungs are burning a bit more than he expected.
Someone…has to find us…hurry…running out of time…
"Hurry!"
He turns and looks back at the door as the fog seems to gain strength and momentum, laughing at his heroics but reminding him who was really in control – not him and he was about to feel the full effects of the invisible monster bearing down on him.
We're…out of time.
XXXXXXXX
"Okay…yeah got it thanks!"
Severide hangs up with the Alderman's office and then hurries toward the address he hopes that Casey is at. If his truck is still there…I'll just…he doesn't finish his thought because if there was nothing wrong the last thing he'd want to do is show up and act all paranoid or make Casey seem like he was incompetent in any way to handle a call on his own.
He rounds the corner and then stops when he spies Casey's truck and then nods. "Right…" Severide huffs as he stops his car and then looks at Casey's truck in wonder. You were just paranoid but obviously his duties here are more…his thoughts trail off as he stars to pull away.
But as Severide looks in the rear view mirror at the oddly quiet warehouse something inside starts to pick away at his mind…a small voice deep in his soul tells him that something isn't quite right. With that he stops his car and then gets out. Severide starts to near the front entrance and as soon as he pulls the door open he's instantly assaulted by a toxic smell and hurries back in horror.
"Casey!" Severide shouts as he instantly pulls his phone and dials for as much as help as he can get and then races to find another entrance or window he can use to see inside and find his friend. "Casey!"
Severide…Casey's brain tries to register as he tries to raise his weary eyes, his frame slumped against the wall beside the holes he made to try to get them out; the young girl slumped over by her father a few meters away. "H…he…hey…" Casey tries as he wills himself to turn around and call out. Is that really Kelly? Did he hear me?
"Casey! Where…are…" Severide's voice frantically calls out once more as he rounds the corner and then stops as he spies the hold in the wall. "What…the hell?"
But as soon as he sees the acrid mist starting to escape he knows where Casey is and that he's out of time. He rushes toward the hole and then after covering his mouth and nose, pokes his head in, first seeing the young girl and her father and then pulls out for a breath of fresh air as his mind races.
No way that girl made these holes…her father?...Matt! Severide covers his mouth and nose once more and then sticks his arm back in, his head coming next. He follows along the wall and then...
"Matt!" Severide exclaims as he touches his friend's shoulder and gives it a squeeze. "Matt! Answer me! Buddy…" Severide pleads as he curses the fact that he can't get his head and shoulders into the hole. "Squeeze my hand! Something…!"
For a few seconds his mind and heart race in a panic but a few seconds later, Casey's hand slowly reaches up and gives Severide's a squeeze, their fists remaining clasped a few seconds longer.
"He…lp…the…m…"
"Matt…hold on…just…" Severide mutters in horror as he rushes back to his car, "hold on…just hold on," he chants over and over as he knows that help is too far out – Matt and the people inside with him would only have a matter of minutes now before they'd all be unconscious and the ill effects of sulfuric acid poisoning.
He'd rig something up to the bumper of his car in the attempts of making the hole bigger and trying to get the inside occupants outside before time ran out on all of them.
Would he make it?
XXXXXXXX
Kelly's here…Casey's brain tries to tell him that help was here…and he'd be okay, they'd all be okay. But as his body fails to respond to his brain's command to move…go get the girl...do something to help Kelly, he wonders if it's already too late for him…for them.
Eyes…burning…lungs…hurts to breathe…shallow breaths…just….
"Matt! Back away from the wall!" Severide shouts as he backs up his car as close as he can and then hurries toward the opening. He pokes his head inside but as soon as he does the fog instantly starts to attack his senses. "Damn it!" Severide curses as he watches Casey try to roll away but seemingly flop over instead and he knows he's out of time.
He grabs the thick chain and then tries to secure it to his bumper around the crowbar, hoping to make the hole wider so that those still alert would be able to climb or be pulled out.
"Okay…hope this works! MOVE AWAY!" Severide shouts as he races around to the front of his car. "If you can," he adds with a dry mutter as he steps on the gas and then prays his idea works. He hears a loud 'CRACK' of sorts, stops the car and then looks back to see the hole widen slight but the crowbar was useless.
"AHHHHGHH!" Severide growls as he races back to the wall and then looks at Casey's slumped over frame. "Matt!"
He claws at some pieces of crumbled concrete and breathes a bit of relief that the hole might be big enough to get the girl out. "HEY!" Severide shouts as he continues to hit the cracked concrete with the dented crowbar. "HEY! MATT! HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ME! HEY!" Severide continues to shout as the young girl looks over at him with a sleepy expression.
"HEY! FIRE DEPARTMENT! YOU GOTTA COME HERE!"
She looks over at Casey's slumped over frame and then back at Severide as he vision starts to blur.
"MOVE! NOW!" Severide commands as she hesitates to leave her father. "I'LL GET HIM! MOVE! NOW!"
That finally works and she pulls away and tries to crawl toward Severide. She falters. Flops down but when she sees Casey slightly twitch she pushes herself up and continue on her way. She reaches the hole and asks Severide if Casey will be okay.
"Yes! Now just…okay hold on…there…got you!" Severide tells her as his strong hands pull her free and clear, giving her a few new scrapes and bruises, but something that would heal with no complications.
"My…father."
"I'll get him…go. Medics are on their way!" Severide replies as he tells her to crawl as far away from the hole as possible and take deep steady breaths of the fresh air. He looks at the man's size and then at the hole and knows it would be nearly impossible to drag him out without breaking…something.
For a few seconds his mind races with horrible thoughts of having his friend die a few meters away or feeling guilty over letting a young girl become fatherless; not knowing in that moment that she could ultimately end up an orphan. But thankfully before guilt can fully consume him, a few seconds later come into hearing and he's able to turn his attention back to Casey.
"Matt…" he states with a small cough as he strains his arm to feel around for any part of his friend. "Matt!" Severide calls out once more as he frantically claws at another lose piece of concrete. "Think it's…MATT!" Severide shouts just as the other firetruck and hazmat crew arrives.
"HURRY UP!" Severide's voice bellows as he stands back to let the crews do their thing.
"My dad! Is the dead?" The young girl asks as she stumbles toward Severide.
"She's been exposed, help her!" Severide directs as he points to the reddish skin and then turns back to his friend in visual concern. "Hurry!"
It seems to take an eternity for the two fully dressed firefighters to bring Casey outside, gently depositing him on the ground until the ambulance arrives before they turn at Severide's urging to help anyone else still trapped inside. He knows the medics are only minutes away but fears that Casey doesn't have that long.
"Matt!" Severide shouts as he leans over his friend to listen for any signs of life. "Come on…Matt!" Severide growls as he breathes into Casey's lips two breaths and then continues to pump on his chest. "Come on…Matt!" Severide tries once more as he looks down at Casey's skin that is now tinged red.
"Matt!" Severide's voice rises to a panicked pitch as he offers two more breaths and then continue to pump on his chest as his expression remains placid…almost lifeless. "Come on…"
"Sir…"
"Matt!"
"Sir!" The medics try once more before two of the firefighters pull Severide back so that the medics can continue. "Okay…we have a pulse…faint but…"
"His exposure…" Severide's voice dies out as he watches them bodily maneuver Casey onto the stretcher and then get him ready for transport; Severide pushing himself up from his knees and rushing toward and then getting into the back of the ambulance a few seconds later. He looks at the reddish tinge on Casey's cheeks, forehead, neck and arms and knows that while faint his exposure wasn't something any of them should take lightly.
"Come on Matt…" Severide whispers as he looks at the medic who offers a sympathetic glance in return.
"Depending on how much he inhaled…he should be fine. Do you know how it happened?"
"No," Severide answers in truth. "But I should have been there."
With that tone of regret thick on his voice, he leans back on the side of the ambulance, offering a silent prayer for his friend, the young girl and her father.
XXXXXXXX
'Here it comes…Oh God…we're gonna die!...help my father…Kelly?'
Matt's eyes slowly flutter open as his brain tries to bring the blurry room back into focus. "Ahhh," Casey groans as he senses movement to his right and turns his pounding head to look at a dark but familiar outline and then slightly frowns as he tries to swallow.
"Welcome back buddy," Severide's voice is heard as the pounding in Casey's brain pauses long enough for him to register his friend's voice and his tense frame slightly settles.
"Good…timing," Casey quips with a dry note as he tries again to swallow. His nose twitches as he tries to slightly move the fresh oxygen tubing to a more comfortable position and then blinks away a few beads of saline. "What um…is she okay?...the girl…Laurel? And her father?"
"Yeah…both will be okay. He uh…he might have some respiratory issues and some tissue damage or…he'll be okay. I only overheard a few things," Severide tosses back as he finally comes into clear view in Casey's vision. "How many fingers?"
"Ten," Casey groans as Severide lowers his three fingers with a snicker.
"What was the guy hiding?"
"Drums of…sulfuric acid. Father said….he didn't have a permit. I was there and the manager Gary, I guess he thought I was gonna report him. He was making cash on the side storing them for a friend. He's dead. The site will be investigated and…the friend will probably be charged with…something. Damn," Casey huffs. "Did you call…Gabby?"
"Yeah, she's out there berating Halstead for his lack of prompt medical attention," Severide smirks as he leans in closer with a serious expression. "Next time…you gotta tell someone where you are."
"I know…" Casey sighs as he shakes his head. "Didn't think that…yeah…plan ahead right?"
"Right…" Severide agrees as he hears some shuffling and looks up as Louie rushes toward them. "Hey big guy…up you come."
Louie looks at Matt who holds out his hand for the little boy to take and then gives it a loving squeeze. "Was too…close today."
"Yeah," Severide agrees as he lightly bounces Louie on his lap.
"How long…will I be…here?"
"Day at least," Severide replies in truth. "Doc wants to monitor your lungs and stuff."
"Stuff?"
"Stuff," Severide smiles and nods. "So…you wanna watch a movie? Think there's one on…about a small town battling a chemical leak."
"Jerk," Casey retorts as Severide gently chuckles and slightly coughs. "Kelly?"
"I'm fine. So…how about we tell Louie about safety procedures when dealing with or storing hazardous chemicals?"
"Okay," Louie softly agrees as Casey offers him an adoring smile and Severide gives the little boy a hug.
"Yeah…okay so how about we find a TV with a baseball game on it. Go Cubs right?"
"Go Cubs!" Louie exclaims as Severide looks at Casey in amusement.
"Taught him well," Casey grins before his eyes briefly close. "Too close today," he whispers as his eyes open and he looks at Severide thoughtfully.
"Yeah…too close."
THE END!
A/N: Okay so changed a few parts to give it a bit more Casey danger and Severide rescue/concern and hope you all liked it and please do review before you go and thanks so much!