Cam rushed into the office dramatically; he nearly broke the door down trying to force his way in. Russell was inside, having a station efficiency meeting with D1; what started as a turbulent relationship became invaluable; she served as a decent substitute for Tommy when he was on duty. "I want to make a security report!" Cam entered. He ignored D1 and Howard, who'd silently recognized the mouse from their combined former days as Kieran's henchmen. "Good afternoon, Cameron. Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"
"We don't have time for pleasantries! Tommy just threatened me! Ugh! The nerve of that--!" Cam stopped himself as soon as he noticed Russell's frowning; he'd almost forgotten that he was in the presence of Tommy's playmate, who was known to be very protective. "I'm worried he's going to hurt me." Cam continued, but he was calmer this time. He looked on the verge of tears as he slipped into a chair before the desk. Russell's expression shifted from annoyance to concern as he observed Cam's distress. He gestured for D1 to leave the room, but Howie had to stay because he felt he would try to run off before the end of his shift. They weren't at that level yet.
"Calm down, Cameron. Take a deep breath," Russell said gently; he had to force niceties slightly. He may not have liked Cam that much, and he was undoubtedly close to Tommy, but security was his operation, and if someone didn't feel secure, he wasn't doing his job. "Now, tell me what happened. Why do you think Tommy threatened you?" Cam took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. "I was in medical, talking to Kai, and Tommy overheard our conversation. He didn't like what he heard and got angry, like super angry! He said if he tried to date Kai, he would... he would..." Cam trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. The fear in his eyes was evident as he looked up at Russell for reassurance.
He could sense the genuine fear and vulnerability in Cam's voice, and after observing Cam for two years, he noticed that the mouse was prone to high levels of anxiety. "I understand, Cam. But I highly doubt Tommy would hurt you," Russell said; perhaps he was just biased, or maybe he hoped that Tommy wouldn't hurt Cam; regardless, he kept trying to calm Cam's fears. "He's protective of Kai; that's his cousin, but he's not usually violent. Remember, he started his career as a pacifist. I'm sure there's a misunderstanding here." Cam nodded, trying to take comfort in Russell's words. "But what if he's serious? What if he sees me as a threat to Kai?"Russell sighed, considering Cam's concerns carefully. "I'll talk to Tommy and get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, try not to worry too much. I'll make sure you're safe."
"How?" Cam asked, "I'll flag it and keep an eye on it, but Howard will escort you wherever you want. I'm done with him anyway, so I'm sure he'd happily help you." Howard looked up from his files in terror. "What?! No! I don't want to go with him. I was looking forward to having the rest of the day off!"
"Shut your mouth! You have a lot to learn about taking orders effectively, Howard." Russell snarled, "Now, I've had it up to here with your attitude today," He started again, pointing in Howie's direction, "If you don't want to be doing push-ups for the rest of your shift, I suggest you do what I tell you." Howard whined, but the threat of physical activity was enough to get him to comply. "Forgive me if I don't think that's enough." Cam continued, pulling Russell's attention back.
Russell sighed, "Okay... I'll talk to him. But I don't know what'll come of it. I think it's a waste of time."
"Well... then let me put him on hold for observation!" Cam continued, that made Russell stand up, "What? You think he's crazy or something?"
"No! I want to make sure everyone's safe! And it's for his good; he might hurt someone or himself." Cam protested, his voice trembling with anxiety.
Russell regarded Cam with a mixture of concern and skepticism. "You want me to sign a 5150 on my best friend... don't you think you're being a little dramatic? We can't just do that without concrete evidence that he poses a threat to himself or others." Cam's eyes widened in panic. "Threatening people isn't? His brother still shows signs of psychosis; I'm still having trouble treating him; it's unwise to dismiss that Tommy could contain the same genetic traits. What if he does pose a threat? What if he snaps and does something impulsive? I've observed him since that little medical outburst over Kai a month ago. He's irritable, exhausted, and... well... crazed! I need you to agree, it takes two of us, that's the rule. Chief of security and chief of medical count as two!" Cam referenced a part of the 150-step plan, which outlined that the highest-ranking individual in an Omeocoon chain of command could be relieved of duty should they become a danger to their command. Tommy, Cam, and Russell drafted that rule, and it was time to use it.
Russell sighed heavily, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "You just said he wasn't crazy. I'll talk to Tommy first and see if I can diffuse the situation. If I sense any real danger, we'll take appropriate action. But for now, let's focus on resolving this peacefully." Cam nodded reluctantly, though his worry was still palpable. "Howard, take Cameron back to medical and ensure he's relaxed."
Howard pouted but guided Cam out anyway; Russell now had to turn to a matter of retribution.