@RyuShuraDoctor Rutherford exited her taxi outside to Cybogenesis building where a women with red hair sat nearby. She noticed this girl immediately as she had seen her before, but had never spoken to her. The Doctor smiled and nodded at her as she continued her way towards the entrance to the lobby when she heard faintly behind her the sound of heels clacking and a voice speaking.
Freya turned around and almost said, Pardon me, I didn't hear you, when her voice became clearer to her. She stood momentarily and listened to the women talk. The doctor studied the womans stature, noticing her sleek heels, glimmering burnt orange hair and dazzling blue eyes. She saw no augments of any kind, no prosthetics, no cybernetics. For a moment she envied the woman, then continued to focus on what she was saying. As the womans words pulled into focus the doctor stopped short of herself and thought,
"Of course, she's a purist. At the end of her speech Freya looked her eye to eye,
"Thank you for your enthusiastic interest in my work, though I see you have no augmentations of your own I'd say you're what the papers are calling a purest. Though I'd love to stand here and give you all the information you desire I do have quite a bit of work to do. Please, call my secretary to set up an appointment if you are truly interested in furthering your knowledge on Cybernetic Augmentations. I am rather busy with my research and my patients so depending on my schedule I could meet with you as soon as the first Monday of next month." Although she was irritated, Freya smiled sweetly and emphatically at the woman before continuing her way towards the lobby door.
She scanned her badge to call the elevator and made her way to the 84th floor. The rest of the lights on the floor were off as everyone had gone home for the day, nonetheless, Freya made her way to her office where there was a bag on the floor in front of the door with a note attached to it.
I know you're working late again, don't forget to eat - Samantha, your ever loving secretary. She opened the bag as the aroma of fresh Italian food swarmed the room. As the key turned in the door, she picked up the bag of food and placed it on the glass table as the lights came on registering her entering the office.
"Welcome Doctor." An automated voice called out.
Freya turned on the large monitor where diagrams and equations popped up. Drawings of the heart and lungs shown with notes scribbled all over the side, her eyes glanced between each of them looking for something she may be missing. Her eyes glanced from diagram to diagram when a message came up on the screen.
Message from Stanley Crawford:
Doctor Freya Rutherford. Please see me in my office as soon as this is received.
Freya sighed, she checked her watch 5:00pm, then glanced at the warm food on the table producing rings of steam on the glass beneath it.
"This oughta be good." she muttered to herself as she once again exited her office and locked the door. The elevator chimed when she called it as it was still on her floor and she entered it again. Floor 98, top floor. She needed to scan her badge for the elevator to go that high, it's a special access floor, even for employees.
The elevator made a delightful
ding as it reached the desired floor when it opened. A room appeared before her with seats to one side and an elegantly designed secretaries station on the other.
"Hello Monique. she said greeting the secretary. Monique was a mousy woman with very straight black hair and deep green eyes. She lived in the building as she was the daughter of Mr. Crawford and he didn't like her going about very often.
"Hello Doctor, It's good to see you. I gottah warn you, he's in one of his moods. She said looking at the door then at Freya, her smile was polite but worried.
The doctor sighed irritatingly then climbed the three step entrance to Mr. Crawfords office. The room was lavishly decorated with expensive paintings, handwoven rugs, a luxury couch and a small bar with expensive whiskeys and scotches stocked in it's shelves. Mr. Crawford has a personal robot that stays in the office and was programmed to serve drinks to himself and his guests. It also sent messages to other employees electrically on his command and more often then not was sent out on the town to pick up food for himself and Monique.
As she entered the room, Stanley was peering at reports while sipping on a glass of whiskey. He was a shorter man perhaps in his early forties wearing a flashy blue suit with a silver tie. Both of his hands were augmented and he too had the additional neuro-implants as Mr. Davidson did.
"Welcome to Mr. Crawfords office, Doctor Rutherford. May I get you a drink?" The male robot stood before her, his voice almost seemed human. Mr. Crawford looked up then pointed to a chair in front of his desk. Freya waved away the robot, making her way towards the chair but instead of sitting she stood behind it with a hand resting on it's back.
"May I begin by saying what a fantastic job you are doing so far. Miss Rutherford." Mr. Crawford began, his voice was husky and rugged, as though he spent too much of his life smoking cigars and cigarettes.
"That's Doctor Rutherford if you will sir." Freya almost spat before he could continue.
"Right, Doctor, yes. Now I understand you did not receive Mr. Davidson kindly earlier this morning. I understand he can be a trying man but, you do work for this corporation and we can make demands of our employees as is stated in your contract. Freyas eyes caught his quickly.
"With all do respect, Sir, if what you want are quick turn arounds and easy sells don't go into the science industry. These things take time and calculation to achieve medical perfection." She was now cut off before she could continue.
"Well why not just come up with an augment just short of perfect so customers have to keep coming back for tune-ups and adjustments. It would guarantee return purchases and the customer won't know any different" Mr. Crawford stood up and waved his hand around as he spoke, as if trying to negotiate with a child about which toy to purchase.
Freya took a step back in shock at what was just said.
"Mr. Crawford." Her voice was raised now.
"I refuse to put out incomplete work so the value of your dime will increase by 5 percent. These are human beings, an incomplete project could cost countless lives. This is just a ludicrous idea to even behold, let alone say aloud. If you wish to dismiss me for refusing to discredit my name and your company by all means be my guest. But, I will never advertise a medical treatment that is not complete, we are try to save people, not kill them." Mr. Crawford looked at her in amazement. No one had ever spoken to him in such a tone.
"Now, now, Miss Rutherford." he began.
"That's Doctor Rutherford." she retorted, her face fuming.
"Right, Doctor, there's no need to escalate the issue to that extent, if you are sure we cannot make a deadline as we stated then I will not push it. You know as well as I that you are an invaluable asset to this company." He took a step back in hesitation.
Freya looked at him coolly, her eyes were narrowed.
"If that is all, I have some research to do." Stanley awkwardly smiled and waved a no at her while picking up his whiskey glass and finishing off the remainder. Freya turned on a heel and headed back towards the elevator. She scanned her badge, and rode it back down to floor 84 checking her watch as she did 5:35pm. As soon as she got back to her office she opened her now cold dinner and began eating it quickly before getting up again, kicking off her shoes and continuing to analyze her diagrams.
After the frustration of the day and no mental ability to analyze the diagrams with any kind of advancement, Freya had a thought to perhaps leave earlier then she normally wood and perhaps get a coffee on her way home. She slung her lab coat over the back of one of her chairs, slipped on her shoes and exited her office, locking the door behind her.
As the elevator opened to the lobby and Freya exited the building she found herself looking for the red haired girl again. She wasn't sure why she was doing this only that the night still seemed early and she felt somewhat guilty for her behavior earlier.