DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything associated with the show… I just like playing with the characters in it from time to time. Dance Monkeys! Dance!
RATING: M - Mature (language, sexual situations, adult subject matter)
PAIRINGS: GSR & Yo!Bling pre-established in previous fics of this timeline.
SPOILERS: Sequel to "Displacement", "Transitions" and "Vicissitudes" - Number 5 in the Discovery Series
SUMMARY: Sometimes, the best way the deal with the changes all around you is to stop fighting and evolve in response to them. GSR/Yo!Bling/Nick-OC
A/N: Couple short ones coming your way... And now it is time for me to retreat to my bunker for the duration. :O
REVIEWS: Reviews are the way I know if people are enjoying the work or not. So, if you leave one, THANKS! And if not, I hope you found at least a little something to brighten your day, and thanks for taking the time to read.
Chapter 55
17:30 – 2007.03.01
Offices of the Environmental Protection Agency; Washington, D.C.
The receptionist was dealing with the answering service for the fifth time that day, and she was beginning to become frustrated with the situation. She was used to the dodging techniques of all of the assistant directors at the EPA, but the people who they were normally avoiding were not nearly as determined as the man currently making life hell for their answering service.
The service was required to call in to the offices whenever there were so many messages for a single director. This was happening at regular intervals throughout the day, and she had come in every morning that week to an additional after hours message from the service with which to start her day. It was fast becoming a nightmare for her, and she practically groaned every time she saw their number show up on her phone.
The head of geological research had always been a problem for her, but that was as much the nature of her work, as it was her behavior. However, whomever it was she had been ducking all week was obviously far more persistent than any senator, contracting firm, lawyer, or local official. The man called every hour, on the hour, and never let up. He left the same vague and ominous message each and every time; "She knows why, have her call me ASAP."
Dr. Desmaiseaux was always something of an enigma around the office, especially since she only ever came to town when giving formal reports, or for congressional testimony. Arriving at the office on Monday, it was a shock to find the assistant director in her office more than a full week before she had anything on her itinerary. Adding to the mystery of the phone calls was the fact that she managed to stay holed up inside of her office for the entire week; arriving before anyone else, and staying well into the night.
After the second day, the mystery became too much and she looked to see if there were any big reports on the horizon, and was astonished to find that the woman's schedule was unusually light for the next few months. No one in the office could think of a single thing that would have prompted her diligent hours, or the early visit to the District.
She was about to close up for the night when she looked to see if the assistant director in question was still in her office. Seeing the lone light from her office door, the receptionist gathered up all of the messages and made her way to the woman's office.
The door was barely open, but she knew to knock before attempting to enter.
"It's open."
She poked her head into the door and asked, "Dr. Desmaiseaux? Do you have a minute?"
The woman looked up from her desk, took her glasses off and let them drop to hang on the chain as she answered, "Yeah, sure… What's up?"
Nervously, she stepped in and brought the messages into view. "I have another batch of messages." She watched as the woman visibly tensed and fell back into her chair. "They're coming pretty regularly. And the recordings that the service played back for me are getting really intense." The receptionist took in a deep breath and forged ahead with her concerns about the obviously agitated and extremely determined man. "Shouldn't we call the Marshal's to investiga-"
The woman held up her hand to stop the receptionist. "That won't be necessary." It took a while before Dr. Desmaiseaux spoke again. She shifted nervously in the assistant director's silent presence, and waited to find out if there would be an explanation for the bizarre situation.
The explanation she received was even more cryptic than the situation itself. "It's a personal issue, and I'll deal with it."
