"While Bloom assessed Ms. Johnson, Casey yelled across the ER again. This time it was not for an incoming patient. No, it was much worse than that. Casey had a gun pointed to his head while the gunman fired two shots at the ceiling with the gun in his other hand. Shrieks of horror filled the ER as nurses, doctors and patients witnessed the gunman enter wearing a vest strapped with explosives. Panic set in. nurses duck behind their desks, doctors shielded their patients who threw sheets over their head or tried fleeing their beds wires still attached to their machines.
"The gunman held his pistol to Casey's temple and screamed, "Everyone stay where you are. Lock the doors," he ordered to Casey who obliged. "I want whoever is in charge."
"Patrons were still running and screaming for their lives when Bloom whistled. A high-pitched screech of a whistle that brought everyone to a halt.
"Everyone calm down. Panicking won't solve anything. I am Dr. Bloom and I'm in charge of this ER. Please let my nurse go." Bloom said with authority as she placed all her lopsided weight against her cane.
The gunman grabbed Casey by the arm, gun still pressed to his temple and ushered him forward. "Your nurse ain't going anywhere until I get what I want."
"And what is it that you want?" Bloom asked calmly closing the distance between them.
The gunman wore a baggy sweatshirt and a ski mask making it hard to decipher anything about him. All Dr. Bloom knew was he had two guns and a possibly armed explosive device and there were a lot of people in the ER right now. She needed to tame the situation as best as she could before it got out of hand.
"I want to speak to the man upstairs."
"God?" Bloom asked being darkly sarcastic.
"Don't be cute with me or you'll be cleaning your nurse up off the floor." The gunman pressed the barrel into Casey's temple harder. Casey gave Bloom a wide-eyed look to stop playing around.
"Ok, what man upstairs are you looking for?"
"Dr. Max Goodwin, he's the medical director, right? He runs this place?"
"Yes, Max is our medical director. Can I ask why you need to talk to Max?"
"Dr. Goodwin is going to help me have a face to face with Dr. Sharpe."
"And why may I ask do you want Dr. Sharpe?"
"Because Dr. Sharpe murdered my wife. Now get me Max right now or I start shooting." The gunman was getting restless. He squeezed Casey's arm tighter and luckily not the trigger. His other gun he kept aiming around wildly at anyone who seemed to flinch.
A stunned Dr. Bloom said, "Whoa, it's ok. I can call him down here, just give me a minute."
"You have one minute."
Bloom hobbled around the nurse's station, moving past several nurses hiding under their desks looking back at her in disbelief of their current predicament. Bloom reached the interoffice phone and dialed Max's office extension. There was no dial tone on the other end, the called disconnected. She tried again. No ringing. The gunman had eased up his grip on Casey but seeing Bloom put the phone down, he tightened up again.
"What's going on? Where's Max?"
"The line wouldn't go through. Let me try his cell phone." Bloom went to grab her phone but the gunman swung his second gun around at her.
"What do you think you're doing there?" He asked, his voice shaking a bit.
"I'm calling Max."
"How do we not know you're not going to call the police or something?"
"OK, I'll show you who I'm calling," Bloom took them through her contacts to Max's, turned the screen to them for proof and hit the call button. While Bloom called Max, Casey had also used his pager to send a FYI message to Max and the rest of the doctors. They could at least start getting the rest of the patients out of the hospital via other exits than the ER to minimize casualties.
"Hey Bloom, what's going on?" Max answered.
"Hey, Max. I tried calling your office phone," Bloom said.
"Yeah, I disconnected that a while back. Too many calls to answer."
"Oh, that is so ironic. Well. I'm down in the ER with a certain gentleman that would like to speak to you. His names is…" the gunman shook his head, "well it looks like he doesn't want to share that information. However, he would like to speak you about Dr. Sharpe. It seems he believes she killed his wife and would like your help in finding her…" Max glances up and makes eye contact with Sharpe and slowly blinks and exhales putting the pieces of their intentions together quickly. One of his worst fears not only realized but currently waiting for him in his ER. "Could you come mosey on down here as soon as humanly possible? Also my friend here would like you to know that if any security is seen, the shooting will begin," the gunman pointed to his chest, "Oh, he would also like you to know if you do not come, he will blow himself up and the entire ER with him because he has a bomb strapped to his chest. Please hurry."
"Yes, I understand. I'd be happy to meet you down there. I'll be down in a few."
Both parties tried to keep the conversation as light and calm as possible for the others who were listening.
As soon as Max hung up the phone, Sharpe asked, "Max what's going on and why did we all just get a page from Casey that there is a bomb in the ER?" Her voice getting louder and more rattled at every word.
"I just got off the phone with Bloom. She's down there with a gunman who is strapped with explosives and he would like to speak with me." Max walked around his desk towards the door. "I'm sorry we'll have to reschedule this meeting."
Sharpe briskly walked across the room toward him and pushed the door closed. "Max, what is going on? What did Bloom say?" Sharpe stood with her arms crossed in front of the door.
Max looked at Iggy whose gentle stare was also seeking answers. Max looked back at Sharpe, her determined eyes staring right back at his. "There is a gunman in the ER. He has requested to speak to me in hopes of finding someone who he believes killed his wife."
"Who? Who do you need to help them find?" She urged him on.
Max took a deep breath glancing down before looking back into her eyes. He knew she would not let him out of his office without an answer and he needed to get downstairs immediately. He softly saying, "You."
"Me!? I didn't kill anyone. Who is this man?" Sharpe was raising her voice again. Fear or anger, Max didn't know but he knew he needed to get down there before the shooting started.
"Helen, I don't know all the details. I just know I need to go down there and talk to him." Max put his hands on her shoulders hoping to calm her down. It did not.
"So you're going to go down to talk to armed gunmen who have taken the ER hostage to help find me and then what?" At this point, her arms were no longer crossed. Her hands flared with a sturdy finger pointing in all different directions trying to make a point.
"I have an obligation to keep the people in this hospital safe. That includes everyone in that ER, the rest of the floors, and you." Max put a hand on her shoulder again. This time it did calm her down. "It is my responsibility to make sure no one is getting shot in my hospital today. You two are staying here." Max motioned for the door again. Sharpe grabbed his arm.
"Max, no, you can't go," emotions started to flood her once stoic face, "Max please."
"I have to go, to keep you safe. I won't let them hurt you." Max squeezed Sharpe's hand one last time, "Iggy make sure she doesn't leave this room."
Iggy nodded and Sharpe could be heard yelling, "So, you're holding me hostage?"
And with that, Max left and they heard a click on the other side of the door. He had locked them inside.