The room looked like a comfortable waiting room, but without the reception desk. The walls were covered in a soothing pastel abstractly patterned wallpaper, the thick carpeting was mauve. There were potted plants, cushy sofas and large art prints featuring flowers and rivers. It all made Penny worry someone was going to arrive with a straight jacket any moment. She and Sheldon had been separated as soon as they arrived. He was led away by a couple of white-coats, followed by a couple of the black-clad agents. He seemed to be enjoying the fawning attention from the scientists, or maybe they were doctors. He didn't even glance back as he left her with her own guards who dropped her here in the placate the crazy person room, then left. She didn't bother looking, but she was pretty sure at least one of them was standing outside the door to make sure she didn't leave.
Slouched on the couch, staring with unfocused eyes at the boring landscape picture on the opposite wall, Penny began to get so bored she was starting to think about pacing. Just to be doing something. She was pretty tired though. Maybe a nap would be a better use of her time. She was on the second floor, but maybe she could try the windows. Who was she kidding? Where the heck would she go even if she could leave?
"Sorry for the wait.", the door opened and in bustled a small dark-haired woman. She was pretty, maybe 32 or so, with a friendly smile. She wore a white coat over her pencil skirt and pink blouse. "Just put it on there", she addressed the instruction to the young man following her, carrying a tray with coffee and pastries on it. He set down the tray without looking in Penny's direction, and left without a word.
"Guide Cooper. I'm Guide Alvarez.", she smiled and held her hand out.
Deciding it would do her more good to be friendly than surly, Penny stood and shook her hand, although her smile was small and tight.
"I know. It's probably all been pretty stressful and confusing, but we're here to help you through this. Let's have some coffee and go over everything. Feel free to interrupt with any questions you might have, Guide Cooper.", she sat down, set a huge file folder down on the table and started pouring coffee.
"Penny. Please."
"Alright, Penny. You can call me Sophia."
"Sophia.", Penny took a bearclaw and a long grateful sip of her coffee. She had a feeling she was not going to like much of what Guide Sophie Alvarez had to say to her.
"This would be simpler to explain with a whiteboard.", Sheldon was saying.
Dr. Lee poked his head out the door, and asked the guard waiting there to please bring a whiteboard and dry erase pens for Sentinel Cooper.
"It's Dr. Cooper.", Sheldon said, exasperated that he kept having to remind these idiots. He folded his arms over his chest and glared at the ceiling for a moment. He was in a large conference room. The table was highly polished wood, and the chairs were plush and ergo-dynamic. One entire wall was lightly tinted glass overlooking the gardens behind the building, while the others were a combination of sleek glass and wood paneling. People kept walking past in the hallway beyond and trying to hide the fact that they were peeking in.
Sheldon was not happy at how different today was than his usual Friday routine. First, all this sentinel stuff, then a completely nonstandard breakfast of hot chocolate with no marshmallows and pastries, and now this question and answer session with what was apparently the best the Sentinel Guide Center had to offer. There were ten other people besides himself, many wearing white lab-coats. A couple were doctors, several were supposedly scientists, and the rest were simply introduced as Sentinel So-and-So.
They were all very excited that he had managed for so long without a Guide, and were anxious to know how he had done it. So, he had spent the last hour trying to make them understand his It was like explaining movies to a dog. At least with a whiteboard he could spell it out for them.
"When can I go? I'm already late for work.", he addressed this comment to the slight blond man sitting beside him. It bothered him that without his inhibitors he knew the man, Dr. Casey, was a Guide.
"I'm afraid you won't be making it to the office today, Sentinel Dr. Cooper.", he replied, smiling apologetically. "We still have a lot to discuss and of course, there is still your physical and some paperwork to go over and sign. We'd be doing that now, but everyone is very excited about how brilliant and innovative you are, and we would really like to start studying your work with Sentinel suppression drugs as soon as possible.'
"This is ridiculous! I don't have time to sit around discussing nasal vaporizers and medicated ointments with a bunch of sentinels and their keepers! If you really want all this information, I keep detailed notes on my computer, although some of my earlier work on the topic is floppy disk. If I could go home now, I could send you the data!"
"That is very generous, Sentinel Dr. Cooper. We would, of course, love to have that information. I'll talk to Sentinel Harrison about this and maybe we can wrap this up soon, and get on to your orientation.", with that he excused himself and went to talk to a tall, silver-haired white-coat who was going over notes with some other at the far end of the table. The door opened and two young men came in carrying a large whiteboard between them. Sheldon heaved a loud sigh. This day seemed like it would never end.