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Post by Jordanna on Dec 24, 2008 0:22:22 GMT -5
"Yeah." Proteus took the folder, and quickly paged through it. As he had expected, the figures and specifications inside were meaningless to him.
"Maybe I can sneak a copy when they put it back," he muttered. "Then again, if they're showing it to the agents, it must not be anything too strange."
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Post by skybright on Dec 24, 2008 0:25:58 GMT -5
"You'd better make sure they don't find out about your copy-making." Steph pointed out, "I don't know if it's against any rules or not, but I think they'd find some way to get you in trouble for anything fishy."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 25, 2008 0:13:20 GMT -5
"Yeah, I wasn't exactly planning on telling the world about it," Proteus murmured. He tilted his head toward the hallway. "Better get back in there with that, before they remember either of us."
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Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2008 23:04:00 GMT -5
"Sure." Steph nodded and turned back towards the hallway, then glanced back over her shoulder at him. "Are you coming?"
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2008 23:12:00 GMT -5
"Wouldn't miss it for anything," Proteus murmured wryly, and followed Steph back to the exam room.
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Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2008 23:27:03 GMT -5
Doctor G. glanced suspiciously at Proteus as the two returned to the room, but then he turned to Steph and snatched the portfolio from her hand, holding it out to Thayer.
Doctor Voegel edged over to Proteus' side and narrowed his eyes. "Trouble finding that paperwork, Doctor?" He asked.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2008 23:30:14 GMT -5
"A little bit, yeah. It slipped down between a couple folders in the filing cabinet," Proteus answered, without any visible hesitation.
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Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2008 23:41:23 GMT -5
Voegel frowned and lowered his voice. "We don't want to give these people any reason to be more suspicious than they are. It's best if you stay in here until they clear out."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2008 23:48:12 GMT -5
"Sure," Proteus murmured. I don't want to waste this chance to see the sights, anyway...
"If word of this little visit gets around the neighborhood, sir--will you need me to make some kind of statement?"
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Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2008 0:02:45 GMT -5
"Quite possibly." Voegel muttered. "We'll keep it as quiet as we can, but even our best efforts may not be enough to keep these people from slandering us. No doubt it's part of their project here."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2008 0:12:06 GMT -5
"I hear you," Proteus murmured. He edged away from Voegel, craning his neck to peer toward the clipboard Doctor Albert was scowling over.
"Sorry we don't have any white gloves for the inspection. Will latex do?" he asked Thayer wryly.
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Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2008 0:15:33 GMT -5
Thayer grinned crookedly. "Just doing our duty, Doctor." He replied laconically. "I'm sure you're as concerned with public safety as we are."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2008 22:17:03 GMT -5
"Oh, you have no idea," Proteus murmured--noting the way Doctor Voegel was hovering and scowling while Albert examined a particular piece of machinery.
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Post by skybright on Dec 28, 2008 1:24:16 GMT -5
Albert shot a cold look at Voegel. "This is fairly advanced analytical equipment for a clinic of this kind." She remarked archly. "You seem to want to know quite a lot about your patients' genetics."
"In our situation one can understand why." He snapped back.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 28, 2008 22:01:52 GMT -5
"I'm sure you're aware of how complex mutant genetics are," Proteus spoke up, in a somewhat conciliatory manner. "If you're as concerned with the patients' welfare as you say, you surely can't complain that we're too well equipped. Besides--the whole point of a clinical trial is to see how the patient responds, right? And that takes a lot of research."
Even as he spoke, he gave Albert a significant glance, meant to indicate that he was just as doubtful as she was.
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Post by skybright on Dec 28, 2008 23:31:09 GMT -5
"Oh, of course." Albert replied -- sounding not even remotely convinced. "And what about patient confidentiality? I'm sure you're aware of how much damage the kind of information you're set up to collect could do if it fell into the wrong kind of hands."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 29, 2008 22:25:18 GMT -5
"All of our records are strictly confidential--they're processed by case numbers instead of names," Proteus answered, quoting from the public-relations spiel of "Doctor Strait" that he had read in the newspaper. His eyes narrowed as he added pointedly, "We're a lot more interested in what our patients are than who they are."
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Post by skybright on Dec 29, 2008 23:35:26 GMT -5
"Very well put, Doctor." Voegel said, glancing pointedly at Doctor Albert.
Albert's chilly expression became a scowl. "Merely objects of study, is that it?"
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 30, 2008 21:31:35 GMT -5
"Well, scientists do need to remain objective," Proteus remarked dryly.
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Post by skybright on Dec 31, 2008 1:41:04 GMT -5
"Our work here is far more important than any one individual -- whether they be doctor or subject." Doctor G. said.
Doctor Albert's expression clouded, and she looked as if she had quite a lot to say on that subject -- but Thayer held up one hand in a conciliatory gesture. "And our work here, Doctor," he told his partner quietly, "Will proceed a lot faster if we get back to it."
Albert sniffed, shooting a chilly glare at Doctor G., Voegel, and Proteus as she turned back to her notations.
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