Cal strode purposefully towards the conference room where he knew Gillian was in a meeting with their financial advisors, something which Cal was wary about since hearing his daughter's story. It wasn't that he didn't trust Gillian. Not for a second. But he did wonder that she was telling financial honchos about his book income when it hadn't even been written yet. Sure, they hadn't exactly been getting on lately but he didn't consider that reason for to, once again, go behind his back on the finances of the company. Right now however, something else was on his mind. He didn't even bother to knock on the conference room door, just stuck his head in around the frame. Gillian looked up, surprised. He glanced at the room before looking at her.
"I need you." He said it quite innocently but he didn't miss the slight squirm of the man in the seat furthest from Gillian. It seemed he needed Gillian too, just not in the same way. Though Cal would admit freely to needing her in that way too, most of the time.
"I'm in the middle of a meeting Cal," she put on a pleasant demeanour but Cal could tell that she was secretly itching to strangle him.
"It won't take a minute." Gillian nodded, uncrossed her legs and stood up, excusing herself from the group as she stepped out past him into the corridor. He pulled the door behind them.
"What's so urgent Cal?" she asked, irritation seeping through her voice. She expected him to stop and explain but he didn't. He started walking toward the analysis room, leaving her to decide whether to follow or not. She shook her head and trotted after him. Just like she always did, she thought to herself. Just once, she thought, she'd like to be strong enough to just stay where she was. See if he'd stop, look back, turn back. Once she might have been able to answer that question. Now, she just didn't know.
"Going to stop one of her most talented employees from doing a runner," he said as she caught up with him. She looked at him, eyebrow raised.
"And what do you need me for?" He didn't look at her.
"Voice of reason. And to make sure I don't kill him." Gillian actually smirked at this. Loker had been unresponsive and, quite frankly, annoying for the last month or two. It was time to draw him out of his shell, back into the real world where he could be of use to them. Where he could earn his paycheck, Gillian thought cynically. They really couldn't afford any dead weight around here at the moment.
Cal held the door for her as they reached the analysis room before stepping in behind her. The room was a flurry of activity. Loker was sitting at his desk, head down, typing furiously. Probably his CV, Cal thought to himself. He brought his fingers to his mouth and Gillian automatically took a step back and put her hands over her ears. A loud taxi-call whistle reverberated around the room drawing everyone out of their reverie.
"Right you lot, if your name doesn't include the words 'Eli' or 'Loker' please get out now." Gillian shook her head. Worst possible start. She cursed him under her breath. The group in the room filed out slowly leaving just Loker and one other man sitting down in the back corner. Cal spotted him.
"Oi, you? Out." The young man looked up, confused.
"My name's Eli too." Cal paused for a moment, looking at Gillian who shrugged. He turned back to the man.
"You're exempted. Get out." Young Eli seemed pleased with this response as he sprang from his chair and darted from the room as though he'd been stung by a wasp. Cal waited until he heard the click of the door before he turned to Loker.
"Is this the united front?" Loker asked dryly and Cal tilted his head. Cal ignored his comment and retorted with a question.
"Alright, let's talk, as adults and let's pretend that this is about your issues with the company and not about the fact that you slept with Torres and now she doesn't want you…" Loker's eyes widened and his fist clenched in a sign of anger. He was about to respond when Cal cut him off.
"Good, I've got your attention. Now tell me this, honestly, and I'll know if you're lying, you packed in your 'radical honesty' trick a long time ago, pity really it was a good experiment…" Gillian cleared her throat bringing Cal back to the question. "Anyway, tell me this, why do you want to leave here? Give me one good reason why you want to leave here." Loker looked at him defiantly.
"Because you're controlling. You have no regard for the safety of yourself or anyone else. You expect everyone here to drop everything when you say so and at the end of the day there's no thanks for any of it." Gillian bit the inside of her cheek wondering what kind of reply Cal would throw at that. It wasn't as if Loker had said anything untrue. She knew firsthand that Cal was controlling, she could be too. She knew his personal safety didn't matter much to him but he did care a certain amount about the people around him. He did expect full and total commitment from everyone during a case, even in their spare time and no, a lot of the time, there was no thanks for it. She'd been on the receiving end of that last one too recently.
"Loker, you have a contract here. A contract that states you work in return for pay. Fine, I'll accept that I'm controlling and might seem unappreciative at times but bloody hell man, you're not the only person here who thinks that. Suck it up, would you? If you think going to work for Jack Rader's going to be any easier or fluffier than working here you're very much mistaken. Jack Rader will have you pushing pencils across desks and figuring out feline facial expressions. The only research he's ever signed off on has been his own, and it was stolen." Gillian's eyes widened slightly and she wondered if Cal had meant to divulge that last piece of information. Loker seemed nonchalant. He looked at Gillian.
"What are you, the silent partner? Seems pretty apt." Gillian's mouth opened, ready to protest but Cal jumped in.
"Oi! You still work here, so you'll show some respect to your employers. Actually I don't care what you show me but you show Dr Foster respect." Gillian risked a side glance at Cal, noting his features and seeing that he was sincere. She figured it was about time she said something.
"Eli, your research is good. It could be very good and this is the best place to develop it."
"How? We have no funding for research." Gillian gulped at this before saving herself.
"We'll get by. But Cal is right, Jack Rader is interested in one thing only, his own self image. You go to him and you might as well forget about ever having a blossoming career. You'll kill it with him." Loker said nothing, he simply stared at the ground thinking. Gillian was about to say something else but Cal reached and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
"It's your choice," he said quickly but loudly before tugging Gillian's arm and marching out the door. Loker looked up as he heard the door click shut and sat up. He sighed, shaking his head. Then he looked at his computer screen where his CV was on display. Slowly he grabbed the mouse and highlighted all the available text. Then, sighing loudly again, he tapped the 'delete' button.
Ok, sorry about the delay. Hopefully get more up again soon.
