It Started With The Touch Of His Hands.
Continued...
"Right this way Dr Russell" Happy voices from behind me as I stare ahead of me. Caught off guard by the horde of people that roll towards me and I flinch as they steam passed me. Going about their usual business, here, there and everywhere. I receive a few curious glances but for most of it, it's like I'm invisible. "Just a few more security checks and we'll get started." I barely have time to dodge a man who appears to be a man on a mission by power walking in a straight line, just as Happy bulldozes passed me and I watch as the lobby suddenly becomes an obstacle course and yet he moves through the swarm with ease.
"Okay." I say, more to myself really and glance around worriedly, the sheer size of the facility is finally coming to light and just as I take a step forward to follow him, more bodies appear out of nowhere.
"Oh holy shit." I splutter a laugh in disbelief. "Like ants coming through cracks in the walls this is." I'm too preoccupied with the people around me to notice Happy disappearing further into the crowd and I panic as I lose sight of him. I quick step, hop, skip, shimmy and jump my way in between bodies, stopping every now and again reaching up on my tip toes to spy Happy's receding hairline.
"Watch it!" A few people huff at me as they run into me. Most of them have their eyes glued to their phone or tablet screens and a certain individual, bumps into me rather roughly, completely oblivious of the world around him and glares at me.
The bloody cheeky bastard!
"Hey man, if you use your eyes every once in a while, you'd be able to see where you're going." He scowls at me but I stand my ground, granted he is a somewhat muscular bloke and yet the stubborn idiot I am, I won't let him intimidate me. "And while you're at it, find some manners. A simple excuse me would work quite nicely." I raise my eyebrows as he walks around me, glaring at me the whole time, I know I'm egging him on for a reaction but I don't let people walk over me. Literally. So I watch him the entire time, even as he walks away to prove my point.
"Ass!" I mutter and look back in the general direction I saw Happy head in and I can just make out the top of his head over the swarm. "Ah crap." I gasp as I realise just how far away he is and I struggle to keep up with him as I zig, zag, trip, cuss, bump some more and apologise reluctantly. I almost cry when I lose him sight of him again before I spy a door with his name on in the distance. All around, 15 minutes later I manage to get myself to the door leading to Happy's office in one piece.
Knackered but in one piece.
"Phew!" I gasp as I lean up against to doorframe and take a few seconds to catch my breath, a figure in the centre of it all the hustle and bustle stands out and catches my attention, my eyes automatically follow him as he walks with ease, the crowd parting in front of him like the Red Sea.
"Captain." Various people in business suits, combat gear and casual clothing greet him as he walks, he nods and gives small smiles in return. Evidently they respect him enough to look away from their phones long enough to see and greet him.
"That must be exhausting for him." I question, more to myself, as he disappears through an archway, the life of the people around us continues like another regular day at the office.
"You get used to it." Happy grunts from behind his desks, crashing me back into reality. "Close the door behind you, restroom is just through there, take a moment to freshen up. And no funny business." He shuffles through papers, his eyes everywhere but me. I take notice of the technology in the room and my eyes open in wonder. The flexi glass screens showcase various camera feeds around the facility, little speech like bubbles follow every person like a shadow; their names, age and their number for security level access, flickers with each step they take.
I'm amazed by the sheer level of advance technology that I bare witness to and think back to the technology that I had access at home whilst studying and then working with and feel as if I've been robbed of fundamental research.
I blink as he looks up at me, waiting, disapprovingly.
"Thank you." I say, shaking myself out of my stupor as I all but dash to the other door in the room and throw myself in, locking it behind me. The bathroom is pretty much basic but has a very modern contemporary feel to it in its own rights; clean and very white, not mention shiny. Like every surface was buffed squeaky clean and reflected off of all the other surfaces.
I feel like I'm in the hall of mirrors.
I move to unzip my dress and I unconsciously look around for any possible cameras and peeping toms but come to the unhappy conclusion that they probably wouldn't put one in plain sight and bare all anyway as I wrestle my bra back on.
I sigh happily as I secure the girls back in their normal place and zip myself back up. I pinch of pain flares in my hand and I move it to the sink were the tap turns on automatically, an invisible motion sensor strategically placed and camouflaged perfectly to sit just below the faucet and my eyes widen in disbelief.
"They've got all the bells and whistles in here, haven't they?" Either way I run my hand under the cold water for a few minutes once I figure the heating system out, the coolness washes over the heated and sore skin and muscles, calming and reducing the pain to a bearable condition and I pat my hand down gently with the disposable paper towels once I'm satisfied.
"That'll do for now." I say as I give my hand another once over, silently appraising Captain Rogers for his medical knowledge. Looking up, I stare at myself in the mirror, finally noticing the dark circles under my eyes. I rest my hands against the counter, ignoring the sudden aggressive flare of pain and let them take the weight of my body as I sag against it, in exhaustion and defeat. I think and take deep breathes as I file everything that's happened to me in the last 24 hours under 'Crazy shit' at the back of my mind.
"Let's get this over with." I tell myself, nod at my reflection as self-motivation and push myself away, unlocking the door I walk in on Happy and a woman in deep conversation. My face scrunches up in confusion, the bathroom must be sound proof because I never heard their voices whilst I was in there. Either that or I was oblivious. Or they are just plain sneaky.
"Nice of you to join us." Happy says as he gestures to the empty chair across from him and next to the person I didn't know. "Maria, this is Dr Russell." I move forward as she stands, professionally might I add and takes my offered hand in hers and shakes it. I flinch as I realise I've given her my bad hand but mentally shrug it off as her grip becomes a little firmer than what I thought necessary and her calculating look puts me off from saying anything altogether.
"Dr Russell, this is Agent Maria Hill. She's in charge of assisting Mr Stark and the Avengers."
"Nice to meet you." I say politely, internally terrified as she drops my hand. I've heard about her. I wonder if she's pissed from being demoted. I daren't ask.
"You to." Her face barely moves a muscle as she replies, eyes still assessing me before her left eyebrow moves a smidge and she sits back down, evidently brushing me off. I look down at her affronted by her rudeness but take it and sit down anyway.
There's a time when a woman knows when she can and can't stand her ground and like hell am I going to go up against Agent Hill.
"Today however, she will be assisting me in your interviewing process. One as a witness and two; she oversees all possible and new employees, if she likes you she'll then inform the other Leaders in the facility. You will enter a meeting with them, get to know each other enough to know what fields and programmes they belong to. Which is very important, you don't want to mistake one Leader for another, they'll discriminate and use it against you in further meetings." I take the last part as something from his personal experience and decree I need more caffeine before I meet the other Leading members of staff.
"Okay, do I need to sign anything to say I approve of Agent Hill as my witness and understand topics and personal information discussed will go no further than this room?" I inject as he quickly files his paperwork away and makes himself comfortable at his desk, at my question he pauses before he looks at me. His eyes shifting as he considers what I've said.
"Er?" He stammers and looks at Hill for confirmation but she looks at me, I think, in curiosity but her face still hasn't moved enough for me to be positive about that evaluation.
"I'm a Doctor, Happy. I take pride in keeping Doctor and Patient Confidentiality, quite seriously actually. I'm not asking you to write me up a contract I can sign with my blood. I'm not making a deal with the devil here. All's I'm asking is for a little discretion, at least until when or if I become part of this team. I'd like matters to be private until then."
"Sounds logical to me. It further proves she acts professional and takes her job seriously." Hill agrees. "Make it something simple and straight to the point, anything brought up and discussed today, both personal and professional, will not be discussed furthermore without the consent of Dr Russell or with anyone besides ourselves." Happy nods, after a minute or so and taps the right-hand corner of his desk and the damn surface lights up.
"Wow." I breathe as I lean forward curiously to get a better look but Hill pretty much forces me back into my seat, with a gentle but firm grip on my shoulder. She gives me a stern look before focusing her attention back to Happy. He taps away on something that I can only assume is a keyboard but from my viewing angle I can only make out a few shapes on the blue tinted surface.
"Wait, hang on." He pauses at my words and his eyes move to mine, his head still inclined down to the desktop. "Interview process?"
"Are you not aware of Mr Starks proposal?" Hills questions, her stern gaze washes over me before going to Happy. "I was under the impression that she had been informed of it."
"Yeah only like 12 minutes ago and even then, it wasn't really a proposal, it was more of an off handed comment as he walked away from me."
"Mr Stark needs a Doctor who is willing to compete and live up to his overly high expectations as Head Doctor of this facility. Someone who can keep up with any and all casualties that come through the medical bay doors. Someone who can stand their ground against the more unagreeable patients and keep their stomachs, some cases can get particularly gruesome. Some of the casualties may be more substantial and life threatening than others and we need someone with a level head and composure to make executive decisions, who won't ask questions and merely heal." Happy lists off as he focuses back to his typing.
"Basically, someone who has a no bullshit policy, has the balls to talk down Thor, can put up with Tony being Tony, keep everyone else in their place without letting the power go to their heads and maintain their medical team. Oh, and keep everyone else in this facility alive." Hill adds in oh so casually. "That's as must."
"I see." They were unaware of the horrified expression on my face, seeing as Hill is staring off into space and Happy is more concerned with his light up desk. "You say one of the priorities of this job is to not ask questions?" They both nod. "Evidently you don't know the role of a Doctor well. In my job, I ask my patients what ails them. Example being; have they come into contact with a known or unknown substance. I must question enough to determine the origins of an known or unknown substance in order for me to prescribe the proper treatment and take the correct procedures in order to make them healthy again. Questioning is a key factor in my job, it helps me determine a diagnosis. I can't simply take peoples word for it."
"You would be working on a need to know basis." Hill says firmly.
"Need to know, doesn't help me save lives. Tell me Agent Hill, say you employ me and tomorrow you come to me; you're feeling sick and yet you were in perfect health the day before hand. You're telling me that I should just give you a drug to stem your sickness and let you carry on with your business because I only work with what I need to know, only what you deem that I need to know. What if you've come into contact with a something and that something is a virus, that becomes contagious, dangerous and deadly but you don't know that. Would I need to know that?" Her jaw clenches.
"Or what if you are sent on a mission but straight after you become ill, your time away in said mission could give me information beneficial enough for you to make a full recovery, but its highly classified information as to the location of your last mission yet it could save your life, would it still be a need to know basis then? Do you see my point? I can't work on a need to know basis, not if I'm going to be maintaining the wellbeing and health of the people that live here. Whether they be the Avengers or the cleaners. I need to know these things if I'm going to save lives, like I said beforehand. I take Patient Confidentiality seriously I won't blab if Susan from Linguistics catches a cold from Brian in Engineering because she's sleeping with him, no."
"There's no Susan or Brian –" Happy starts to reply but Hill cuts in curtly.
"It was said as an example Happy."
"That said, if what she thinks is a cold, is actually a dangerous strand of influenza then I'd need to know the people she's been in contact with, her symptoms, when she first noticed them and so on. Need to know, I cannot work like that. Who's to say I treat someone, without all the information I need and they become worse rather than better? I'm responsible for whatever happens after they leave through those doors. Whatever they come to me for, big or small, I will see them with all the information I need."
"Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." Hill determines.
"Yes. But there may also come a time where I may need break that confidentiality in order to save a life, I have done before. In the best interests of that person's life. I took an oath, as most Physician's before me have."
"The Hippocratic Oath." Happy comments, his brow twitching in thought and I nod as every word of the oath that guides me flows from my mouth;
"I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment. I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required, avoiding overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.
I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play God.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help." I finish, feeling humble, happy and a little smug at the surprised faces in response to reciting the Healers Oath.
They both sit there, taking in my words, my presence and consider.
"Make it official, the ideal candidate will know when to ask for more information to treat a patient however, knowing that information comes with a greater responsibility, they must know that the misuse of the information will result in drastic consequences; the loss of loyalty, trust and respect of their patient but their role as a healer. The hardest role of a Doctor is knowing when and how to save a life." I'm surprised at the appreciative and respectful look Agent Hill gives me, for a split second that is before she's moving her gaze back to Happy, who nods at me with the same look.
The mood has shifted, as if there first impressions of me has been changed and they see me in a new light, I relax a little. Happy taps away a bit more before handing me a tablet, of which I have more chances of dropping because it is made from a flexi type glass material, meaning its see through. That's about as technical as I can get.
"The document basically states that anything and everything we've discussed so far and afterwards will not be brought up with anyone other than ourselves together, that you agree to Agent Hill as your witness in your interview as we proceed further. Also, you agree ahead of the job on Doctor and Patient Confidentiality, that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and/or one and you may need to make crucial decisions for the sake of everyone in this facility even if it means breaking the trust of a patient, so long as you, your medical team and other leading members see fit. Breaking this, you will be terminated." I listen as I read through the document, nodding at the text and Happy as I go.
"TERMINATED!" My head shoots up in horror and Happy panics as he realizes the error in his choice of words.
"What I believe Happy meant to say is that, if we deem you unfit and uncappable of meeting the demands of your job, you will be fired. You will lose all access to this facility, information and the people in it. You will be erased from our records, any and all of your work made here will be taken and erased too. If you go quietly you will be compensated, if not-" I cut Hill off before she can terrify me further.
"I get it. I'd rather not think about it but I get it." Happy types on his keyboard again and the document on my screen updates as he writes, I wait for him to finish and he looks up satisfied. He signs it and scans his finger print and encourages me to do so too. He hands me a pen, specially designed for the tablet, I sign and gently press my forefinger against the bottom of my screen before it flashes green at me.
Hill takes the tablet from my hands, signs and fingerprints the document before I can even blink and hands it back to Happy. He archives it and then turns all professional and business like as he looks at me expectantly.
"So tell me Dr Russell, what makes you think you are capable of taking on this position and rising up to the challenges of Head Doctor of the New Avengers Facility?"
"I knocked out Tony Stark in one punch." The words came out of my mouth before I had a chance to think and my eyes widen. I feel Hill's gaze burn a hole in the side of my face and Happy huffs for a moment.
That's it, I'm dead. I'm fired before I'm hired.
"You're hired." The words that meet my ears did not come from the mouth of the face I was busy looking at, Happy looks incredulously at Hill for a moment and begins spluttering a reply but I beat him to it.
"I am?!" I swing my head around to her and she looks smugly at Happy, I snap my gob smacked gaze back to him, awaiting his response.
"You can't make an important executive decision based on an answer like that!" I became too busy overseeing Happy's face turning 12 shades of purple and red to notice Hill's smirk however I do acknowledge the snort that escape her mouth instead and I then began to splutter indignantly as she then proceeds to stand. As if her word is final. She straightens her skirt, walks around her chair and out of politeness and curtesy I too raise myself from my seat.
"I can and I will and after what I heard and seen, she's by far the most capable for the job ." She told Happy, in a rather matter-of-a-factly manner too. Hill got some sass in her. "And may I remind you, I'm in charge, mainly the more minor decisions in management and finer details of the day to day life, the things that doesn't necessarily need to be run by the Boss first, unless I have suspicions."
"And I alert the Boss if anything needs to be authorised, or needs the attention of The Avengers." An Irish woman's voice floats from above me and I levitate a few feet off of the ground in fright and I literally look around for the body to follow the voice I've just heard but I come up empty handed. Slightly alarmed I begin to wonder if it's all in my mind.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y, I appreciate the input." Happy begins but is suddenly cut off again by this Friday woman, who has yet to make a physical appearance.
Don't freak out. You've gotten this far woman.
"You're welcome." The Irish lady replied. "Agent Hill is right though, she does have the legal right to employ staff into the facility so along as she sees fit. In most cases she leaves the decision in your hands, however seeing as this current offer is involved in management, it's appropriate that Hill bares witness, if she sees that the hopeful candidate will be beneficial to this facility then her word is final. I don't see what the problem is. We are in need of a new Head of Medical staff; Dr Cho can only fill in for so long."
"Yes, Dr Cho is only a temporary fix, I know that." Happy began again as I seriously start to question my sanity against this invisible woman.
"You've already cross-checked Dr Russell about a million times, as have I and Agent Hill. She's sound." The invisible woman knows my type of dialect, I like her!
"Look Happy, Cho has her research to finish and her team can only do so much without their leading Doctor. Tony already approves of her, I approve."
"I do too, its good somebody else can put the Boss in his place." F.R.I.D.A.Y chips in again, I'm really beginning to like my invisible friend.
I grin to myself, Happy catches it and narrows his eyes. My grin runs away with my ego.
"So, what's the problem Happy?" Hill huffs by the door, impatiently tapping the tips of her fingers against the door handle.
A brief pause lingers as he continues to narrow his gaze, to the point where I'm convinced he's closed his damn eyes.
"Look Happy, I understand you're still not too crazed about my punching Mr Stark, you and him go way back and obviously his safety is in your interest. But I've apologised and moved on, like water under a bridge. If Mr Stark didn't want me here, he wouldn't have offered me the job, even after I apologised, he wouldn't have let me in the facility let alone have gotten this far, so its shown something. And I'm hoping, from what I've said so far, it has proved enough and convinced you otherwise that I am capable of taking on this job. So, what gives?"
"I've already entered Dr Russell into the database, sent out messages to the other Leading members of staff, set up her living quarters, organised her office and informed the Boss and the Avengers of the new Doctor. However, the Boss will see that you haven't given the Doctor her security codes, clearance level and other information she needs for the facility." My Irish sister from another Mister backs me up.
"If you don't authorise her security clearance it means Tony will come down here, he appreciates and will take your word on most things, but Pepper and Elizabeth have already convinced the others that Dr Russell is fit for the job."
"Captain Rogers has already sang her praises to the other Avengers too." I feel the blush creeping up my neck and onto my face and try my damn best to hide it, luckily Happy is in a bit of a sulk to notice and Hill is still by the door.
"You know Tony, he'll come down here and he'll make a scene out of it." Happy huffs as he stands and straightens out his suit, I wait anxiously.
"Agent Romanoff has given me the impression that she approves of Dr Russell also." My Irish friend pipes in, rather slyly to and Happy's face drops and blanches a little.
"You're hired." He says it so quickly I almost feel like he didn't say it all. I stand there giddy as he takes my hands, scans all my fingers, hands me my bag and pushes me towards the door in quick succession.
"Prints are in, give it a few hours before she has clearance. Hill set her up, I've got other important pieces of business to get to. Dr Russell." He nods at me as he locks his door before hightailing it away from me and into the crowd.
"Who lit a fire under his ass." Once again, the words were out of my mouth before I could install the filter.
"He isn't to fond of Agent Romanoff." I jump in fright as Hill replies, I may have forgotten about her being here. Talk about silent but deadly.
"How come?" I ask as she leads us towards an elevator. She presses the button and the doors open straight away. She allows me to walk in first and then enters a code into the keypad and an unfamiliar voice fills the air.
"Access Denied. Dr Russell does not have clearance."
"Override. Authorised. Hill. Maria. Temporary code. 61285MD."
"Access Granted. Welcome Dr Russell."
"Er, thank you." I say confusedly into thin air before turning back to Hill. "You were saying?" She looks back and grins at me. I'm taken back by the fact I have visual proof her face moves.
"She kicked his ass a few years ago, never been in the same room together since." I grin back at her just as the doors shut.
This is going to be fun.
And there you go kids! Leave me some much loved and appreciated feedback. Toodles X