A/N: I know it has been awhile since I updated and some of you out there know what I have been going through and doing, let's just say life really can get to a person and you lose your way because of it. However, I have been back to writing and I have this and half the next chapter written.
Here is chapter 10: The Meeting, enjoy...
The next morning at 0900 sharp all the Scientist, Doctors, Technicians and Interns were seated in the conference room. Dr. Cogwell stood at the front of the room along with Dr. Noelle and Roger Murdock, once everyone was settled down Dr. Cogwell called for everyone's attention to the front of the room "Okay ladies and gentleman not all of you know these two gentleman here with me so let me introduce you to Dr. R Steven Noelle and our corporate representative to the Department of Defense Mr. Roger Murdock.
Dr. Noelle takes over and addresses the group "First everyone upstairs once to congratulate you all on the wonderful work you have done and as we all know this does not mean this program is over there is still so much work ahead of us to keep this program moving forward, however, at this time it the work you have done with Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs and Sergeant Collins has come to an end and they will be moving on to the next part of their rehabilitation and training process."
Abby raises her hand and Dr. Noelle acknowledges her and she questions "I want to know what this means for me I was specifically… then looking with distance over at Dana Cloti… we were hired to be the advocates for those two Marines. I know I have done an outstanding job for Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs in all aspects of this procedure to this point and according to the job description I was given I was to stay with him till he was mentally and physically recovered and sound, for which he is not yet at that point of his recovery"
Murdock's response "Miss Scuito, yes, I do know you Miss Scuito, you have been a great asset to the company a real star with this program to the point you as of now are no longer an Intern but will be hired on as a full time employee working with the Transhuman Project. Your name is even spoken at some point in all meets having to do with the program even the President of the United States has heard it once or twice."
At this point Dana Cloti stood up and in an angry tone "WHAT THE HELL ABOUT ME I PUT A LOT OF TIME IN HERE, I SACRIFICED!"
Murdock's response was quick cutting her rant off "Miss Cloti you were only kept here because of the poor way you did your job, we did have high hopes for you but you took advantage of you position with a man in a coma and don't think we were not watching you. You were kept to see the effect of the opposite of what Miss Scuito was doing and how it affected you the Marine you were taking care of" with a glance to the door Murdock continued "Miss Cloti you will be escorted by the Guard at the door to Human Resources to turn in all you badges and passes for the building and rooms and they will issue your last paycheck at that time for we know you never took anything home since the work did not seem that important for you to do anything beyond your 40 hours so we don't need you to return anything else… THANK YOU!"
At that moment the door opened and the Guard stood there waiting for Dana Cloti to be escorted out of the building. She stood with anger on her face and a sneer at Abby walked out of the room without a word or looking back.
Abby watched in horror as Cloti left and under her breath she was like "What a BITCH how could she abuse a hero like that" Abby had no idea how Collins was doing all this time since Gibbs had been her priority, but now she knew and it infuriated her… "SLACKER, SLACKER, SLACKER… I hope she never works with people who need someone again!"
The two people sitting directly next to her herd what she had said and looked at her in agreement and patted Abby on the back and told her that she was a great person and to never loss whatever it is that makes her, her! Abby smiled and thanked them both. This then made her stand up so she could speak to the group as a whole but more directed to Murdock and Noelle about Gibbs specifically and also about Collins too.
"I thank you for the praise and the job; however, you still did not answer my question… Will I still be working with Gibbs and possibly Collins as they move forward? They still need someone impartial to the Government agenda to be there to help them emotionally, physically, medically but most of all to stand up for them if they don't understand?"
"Miss Scuito I'm sorry to say No you will be staying with Dr. Cogwell and the team here. Your services are not needed for these two Marines anymore and there will be others who will need you more in the future." was Murdock's simple response to Abby.
"Well then; have you spoken with the 'Two Marines' especially Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs about this, because I think they would differ in opinion on where I should be?" Abby interjected
Murdock's stood there smugly "I don't think they have a say in what happens next, since it is their duty to follow the orders given to..."
Abby cut him off with "You really don't know those two men do you… Yes, they are loyal hard working Marines who love their Corp and Country, however, this is not at all part of the job description for a United States Marine and they are human being and citizens of this Country; You know home of the free and are allowed to make decisions of their own free will and no one, I mean no one can make then or force then to do what they don't want or think is wrong in any way!"
The room fell silent on Abby's statement with the group not knowing how to respond, because all the dedicated Doctors, Scientist and Technicians of the program knowing she was totally correct and that Murdock was just a 'Company Man' blindly 'Towing the Company Line'. But also knew that there was a special bond that had developed between her and the Gunnery Sergeant and how within the last 24 hours Gibbs and Abby spent a lot of time with Collins to get him somewhat use to his new body and his new circumstance of what was done to him, this time was also cathartic for Gibbs too… She grounded them with every part of her being and they all knew there was no one else out there that would be able to take her place with that magical ability and bond she had with Gibbs and now building with Collins.
Murdock and Dr. Noelle stood there with no response for what she had said and the way all the others in the room had responded to it. It hit Dr. Noelle then with realization that on paper things worked so very different and that those who had conceived and wrote the program never took into consideration the human factor; the reality of it all. All those running this at the top had thought every soldier that's life would be saved and enhanced would be grateful for what was done and would feel obligated to do what was asked of them by their 'Saviors'.
Dr. Noelle stepped forward and with an almost real understanding spoke to all in the room but addressed Abby directly "Well Miss Scuito we will talk to them and explain everything to them from where this all comes from to what everyone up to the President expects of them." He cleared his throat nervously and continued "I will also meet with the board and controllers of the program and asked them to re-look at the protocol and maybe suggest them meeting with all of you here since you all especially you Miss Scuito have a deeper understanding of the, how did you put it the, oh yeah the 'Human Being and free will' thing…"
As Dr. Noelle kept talking to the room the now frustrated Murdock not knowing how to handle the situation anymore stepped to the corner of the room and made a call, a call to the only one who could think of to handle this situation; Trent Kort.
Dr. Cogwell need to add his input in support of Abby "Were either of you with Dr. Riley when we brought these men out of their comas, because it you did you saw how disoriented, confused and 'Pissed off' both Marines were and neither of them could have cared what I or anyone of my people could tell them other than Miss Scuito here. They could care less about the science and political part of what has been done to them… It's all 'Mumble Jumble'; Miss Scuito, Abby she is that only voice that makes sense to them, I don't know why, maybe I do, she is the only one who was straight with them, she spoke 'human' to them. They are simple men who gave their all for their Country and she was the only one out of all of us who saw that!" He looked over to Abby with a big smile on his face "Thank you so much for being who you are Abby and I so am grateful that you are who you are and that we had you here!"
Abby blushed and was almost overcome with emotion by Dr. Cogwells words but also by the soft claps and words of praise that started to rise from the others from the team.
Then out of the blue the door to the conference room opened as Trent Kort barged in and slapped his phone shut. All were startled by his appearance even Murdock who had no idea that he was even in the building. Kort nodded to Murdock and gestured for him and Noelle to take a seat, he was now going to take over the meeting. He stepped in front of the room with total command in the way he moved, with a smile on his face to some reminded of a Cheshire cat.
Kort looked over the group in front of him and his eyes stopped on Abby for a few moments as he tried to read into her by the way she sat and the expression on her face. Without dropping his smile he addressed the group in front of him with his most debonair English accent "Hello; my name is Trent Kort I am the CIA liaison and partial architect of this project" his tone of the statement almost arrogant "I have been very impressed so for in the work that all of you have done, very impressed, however, Miss Scuito I am totally blown over by your hard work and total dedication to something you weren't even expecting to be part of. You were thrown into a situation totally outside your field and turned it into the most important thing in your life." He looked directly at Abby who was now looking a little uncomfortable in being singled out "Miss Scuito I have been watching and following everything from the very beginning and I have noticed that you have been the stabilizing force for the two Marines at this point, even more so with Collins since he had only just meet you yesterday and has found great trust in you."
The room was so silent that you could have heard a mouse fart, no one knew what to make of the bald Englishman, and Abby herself felt so very uncomfortable at him staring at her, she started to feel her stomach churn as if she was about to be put between a rock and a hard place and that to deal with the Devil might be the only option she had.