Snippet #2716326

The dawn was breaking over the city skyline. The cold interior of the Brink offices were bathed through the warm filter of the early morning light. The building was still quiet. What few patients lived in the building would most likely still be asleep for another hour, and the meager staff were gathered in the single conference room. The majority of the chair lay empty, leaving only four members left.

Dr. Kendall Stalle stood at the head of the table, pacing back and forth lightly. His lips were pursed, a look of worry tainting his face. His eyes were ragged with tiredness, and he'd take a break from holding his look of concern and thoughtfulness to yawn. Finally, he stopped pacing and looked at the rest of his team, ready to address them proper.

Even before he could speak, Felton cut him off. "We know it's bad news Stalle. Just, break the damn ice and get it over with."

Kendall swallowed, taken aback. "Er, ah- Yes." He said at last searching for the right words. "Management spoke with me last night. They're growing tired of our project. They want us to speed up our results, or they might have to consider cutting our funding." He looked at Felton in the eye. "I know what this project means to you all. To still be here after all the hardships -But, I appreciate it, and I know that so do our subjects."

"What does this mean for us?" Dimitri's voice invaded the room like reality does a dream.

"It means this; Tobi, I need you to take on double the work. We'll be filing things at twice the speed, and moving supplements out faster. Dimitri, I know the next batch of experimentals aren't done yet, but I need them done now. If anyone can-"

"Save your breath, Stalle." Dimitri spoke. "I can get it done."

During the course of the conversation, Felton's face grew more and more upset. His eyebrows closing the distance between and his eyes widening to better take in the true shock of the conversation. "Stalle! You have to step back a moment here, these are children not points of data. You're putting lives at stake, their physiology and psychology can't just undergo so much change. You're pushing them harder than I think may be safe."

Stalle breathed. Quick breath in, long exhale. He looked at Felton, his eyebrows raised, small beads of sweat on his forehead and glimmers of helplessness in his eyes. "That's why I need you. These children have somewhere or another found themselves at our feet, looking to cope, to relieve, to understand their problems. And we can't fail them. Those with us thus far have forgotten how terrible their actual symptoms are, and during the next few days, those demons that they left behind will come rushing back in, ready to strike again. I need you to be there for them. Provide emotional support." He looked back at Dimitri. "That said, I want you to begin distribution of the next phase for the oldest group. Put everyone else on placebos until the next round of experimentals is ready."

Dimitri just nodded. He took the information in, viewed the situation as a test, a chance to show the management how worthy he was of something better, but for now, he knew what needed to be done. "If you need me, I'll be in the basement."

Tobi looked down in her coffee. It churned with murky thoughts, and clouded morals. A brief look of concern crossed her face. "I'll begin reprocessing immediately. Managment won't be able to find anything wrong with the next set of results."

"Good. You're both dismissed." Stalle said.

Tobi and Dimitri left the room closing the door behind them. Each had their own destinations. Dimitri left for the basement, locking it behind him, while Tobi left for her office. Once there, she noticed a nice large package of paperwork in her 'mailbox'. She sighed, opened the door, grabbed out the package, entered her office, and got to work.

Stalle was still in the conference room when the hour passed. Felton had given him a piece of his mind, and he had deserved every second of it. Guilt hung over his mind, and he knew he'd never be able to wash his hands of the actions to come in the future.

"The maelstrom descends."