Lieutenant Octavia was once again in her local gym, calmly working out among like-minded individuals. The scents of sweat and disinfectant were hard to miss, but that wasn't the only thing she sensed.
She spotted a mature woman with striking red hair, trying to blend in with the other gym-goers. The woman in question was Claudia, who had been embezzling funds from a local charity organization. For this, the BCPU had an arrest order out for her, but it was deemed a low priority. However, when an opportunity arose, Octavia gladly took it. That she had run into another criminal at her local gym was a fun coincidence. But, she didn't mind that much as it saved her the trouble of tracking Claudia down later.
As Octavia casually moved through the gym, she kept her focus on Claudia, calculating her options. Since Octavia had jogged to the gym again, she would need her colleagues to bring a car to transport Claudia to the station, but that could take time. Allowing Claudia to escape was unacceptable, but Octavia also did not want to cause a commotion at her favorite gym.
A plan formed in Octavia’s mind: she would quietly and quickly knock Claudia out. This would both prevent an escape and avoid causing a commotion. However, she also wanted to avoid any collateral damage from the gas she would use. For this, the sauna could serve as the perfect isolated location. If it could keep in steam and heat, it would probably work perfectly fine for sleeping gas and screams.
Deciding to act, Octavia retrieved her gas mask from her gym bag and secured it tightly over her face. The familiar scent of the rubber gave her a sense of excitement as she took out a can of sleeping gas. With a determined stride, she approached Claudia, who was unsuspectingly stretching.
“Claudia,” Octavia said, her voice muffled but authoritative through the mask. The red-haired woman turned, surprise flashing across her face as she saw a tall muscular woman wearing a gas mask staring down at her.
“Ah! Who are you? What’s going on?” Claudia asked, clearly startled.
“You are under arrest for suspicion of embezzlement of charity funds,” Octavia replied as she effortlessly put Claudia in a headlock. Claudia struggled momentarily, but Octavia’s strength was undeniable.
“Hey! Let go of me!” Claudia protested, but Octavia already started moving toward the sauna. “Let’s take this somewhere a bit more private,” She said, her voice calm but firm.
They stepped into the small, enclosed space, the warmth enveloping them. Octavia quickly shut the door behind them, the wooden frame locking them in with a solid thud. Maintaining the headlock, Octavia sat down on the wooden bench. The sauna’s heat wrapped around them. For Octavia, it was a relaxing treat after a hard day’s work. But for Claudia, trapped in the headlock, it felt suffocating.
“Now, let’s make this quick,” Octavia said as she pulled out the can of sleeping gas.
“W-What are you doing?” Claudia stammered while struggling to sit up.
“Just giving you a little nap,” Octavia replied with an unsettling calmness. “You won't even feel a thing.”
She gently pressed down on the nozzle, aiming the spray of sleeping gas at the center of the sauna. A pink mist began to fill the room, swirling around them in a thin haze. Claudia coughed, her body jerking as she struggled to comprehend the situation.
“Wait no! You can’t do this!” Claudia protested, desperation in her voice as she realized the gas was quickly working its way into her lungs.
Octavia maintained her calm demeanor, just watching as the gas enveloped Claudia. “It’s for your own good,” she reassured her. “You’ll be out for a little while, and when you wake up, we’ll sort this all out.”
As the gas permeated the sauna, Claudia’s struggles slowly weakened, and her body relaxed against Octavia's hold. Octavia watched intently, noting the momentary fear in Claudia’s eyes, as the effects of the gas took hold.
“Just breathe,” Octavia instructed, her tone deceptively soothing. “It’ll be over soon.”
The heat of the sauna combined with the sleeping gas created a disorienting environment, as Claudia’s body began to weaken further her eyelids grew heavy, her gasps became quieter with each passing moment, and her movements slow and sluggish. Octavia watched with satisfaction as Claudia’s eyes shut and her body relaxed, surrendering to the effects of the gas. Going limp in Octavia’s grasp, unconscious.
Octavia sprayed the gas for a few moments longer, ensuring the criminal was sound asleep. She felt a sense of accomplishment wash over her, knowing that she had neutralized the threat without causing chaos in the gym. The air in the sauna swirled with the residual gas. Octavia took a deep breath of filtered air, relishing the familiar thrill of a successful mission.
Once she was happy that Claudia was entirely out cold she sent a quick message to her colleagues about the successful apprehension. With the criminal immobilized and safely contained, Octavia simply leaned back against the wall of the sauna and relaxed. She was confident that her fellow agents would soon arrive to handle the situation and it was her day off after all.
—
Feedback and art tips are always welcome.