Post by Jordanna on Feb 13, 2006 21:09:54 GMT -5
When Miriam returned to the office, she tried to keep a low profile, hoping her absence had gone unnoticed--or if it hadn't, that it would be written off as just another one of her bouts of "illness".
No such luck.
Purvis, another assistant M.E. who was technically subordinate to her, gave her a strange look as she walked in. "The boss wants to see you."
A twinge of trepidation passed through Miriam. She was probably going to get called onto the carpet for leaving work unannounced, along with another round of those questions about her health which had become increasingly probing over time. With a sigh and a murmur of thanks to Purvis, she changed course and headed for the office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Doctor Charles Greenburg was a large, authoritative man, with a ruddy face behind his gray beard and glasses. He'd only taken the post seven months earlier; Miriam didn't know him well, and she suspected her coworkers' rumors had made more of an impression on him than she herself had. What she did know was that in more than one case, he had listened to political pressure rather than forensic truth--and that she could not respect.
When she knocked on his door and was called in, she found him sitting behind his desk. He regarded her intently from behind his steepled fingertips, as if he were looking at her for the first time, and then gestured to the chair that faced him. "Please sit down."
Feeling uncomfortably like a child called to the principal's office, Miriam sat. Greenburg scrutinized her again for a moment, and it was all she could do to sit still under such an examination.
"I'm told you left the office earlier," he said at last.
Miriam sighed and dropped her gaze. "Yes. I'm sorry. I... wasn't feeling well."
"This is the seventh day you've left sick in the last two months. You've had a history of it for a long time--but you seem to be getting ill more often."
"I know, and I apologize." Miriam smiled ruefully, and as much as she hated it, she played up to her reputation. "I know my coworkers call me squeamish... and maybe they're right. But I'm committed to this job, and I'm sincerely trying to manage myself better."
"I appreciate that. Except for your sick days, you have an exemplary record--but frankly, this is about more than you stretching your privileges as an employee. We're becoming a little concerned with your health." Greenburg touched the rim of his glasses, looking at her gravely. "I've taken the liberty of making an appointment for you to see a doctor, and have some blood tests."
A small flare of shock passed through Miriam. "What?"
"It's been... suggested by certain members of our staff that you might have a condition which is..." Struggling for words, Greenburg met Miriam's incredulous gaze--and in that moment, she realized what he really meant.
And he knew that she understood.
"...Dangerous," he concluded, in a faint voice.
Something inside Miriam turned hard and cold. She closed her eyes and remembered Gordie Spake, looking at her suspiciously as she recovered from her psychic encounter that morning.
He must have seen the entire episode.
"It was Spake, wasn't it?" she said tersely, opening her eyes.
From Greenburg's expression it was obvious that she was right, but he avoided the issue. "I'm not at liberty to discuss who brought up concerns about you. Please understand, this is a public health issue. You're employed by the city of New York, and if you're... ill..."
"Why don't you say it?" Miriam snapped, rising from her seat. "Mutant. That's what Spake told you."
"Please, calm down, Miss Van Linden--"
"Doctor Van Linden," Miriam shot back. "I will not calm myself--and I will not submit to any 'test'."
Greenburg pursed his lips, looked down at his clasped hands, and sighed. His response was as well-worded and coldly impersonal as a formal letter.
"I'm sorry you feel that way. For the health and well-being of your coworkers, I have no choice but to suspend you until you're willing to cooperate."
Miriam felt as if her heart had stopped beating. Slowly and mechanically she reached up to her lapel, unclipped her I.D. badge, and let it fall on the desk in front of Greenburg.
"I pity you," she said, in a quiet, toneless voice. "You have no idea what's happening in this city. I'd have given my soul to stop it... but you've tied my hands, and I don't know what more I can do. I only hope the day never comes when you understand the meaning of this."
With that, Miriam walked out of the office, leaving the Chief Medical Examiner to stare after her in bewilderment.
No such luck.
Purvis, another assistant M.E. who was technically subordinate to her, gave her a strange look as she walked in. "The boss wants to see you."
A twinge of trepidation passed through Miriam. She was probably going to get called onto the carpet for leaving work unannounced, along with another round of those questions about her health which had become increasingly probing over time. With a sigh and a murmur of thanks to Purvis, she changed course and headed for the office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Doctor Charles Greenburg was a large, authoritative man, with a ruddy face behind his gray beard and glasses. He'd only taken the post seven months earlier; Miriam didn't know him well, and she suspected her coworkers' rumors had made more of an impression on him than she herself had. What she did know was that in more than one case, he had listened to political pressure rather than forensic truth--and that she could not respect.
When she knocked on his door and was called in, she found him sitting behind his desk. He regarded her intently from behind his steepled fingertips, as if he were looking at her for the first time, and then gestured to the chair that faced him. "Please sit down."
Feeling uncomfortably like a child called to the principal's office, Miriam sat. Greenburg scrutinized her again for a moment, and it was all she could do to sit still under such an examination.
"I'm told you left the office earlier," he said at last.
Miriam sighed and dropped her gaze. "Yes. I'm sorry. I... wasn't feeling well."
"This is the seventh day you've left sick in the last two months. You've had a history of it for a long time--but you seem to be getting ill more often."
"I know, and I apologize." Miriam smiled ruefully, and as much as she hated it, she played up to her reputation. "I know my coworkers call me squeamish... and maybe they're right. But I'm committed to this job, and I'm sincerely trying to manage myself better."
"I appreciate that. Except for your sick days, you have an exemplary record--but frankly, this is about more than you stretching your privileges as an employee. We're becoming a little concerned with your health." Greenburg touched the rim of his glasses, looking at her gravely. "I've taken the liberty of making an appointment for you to see a doctor, and have some blood tests."
A small flare of shock passed through Miriam. "What?"
"It's been... suggested by certain members of our staff that you might have a condition which is..." Struggling for words, Greenburg met Miriam's incredulous gaze--and in that moment, she realized what he really meant.
And he knew that she understood.
"...Dangerous," he concluded, in a faint voice.
Something inside Miriam turned hard and cold. She closed her eyes and remembered Gordie Spake, looking at her suspiciously as she recovered from her psychic encounter that morning.
He must have seen the entire episode.
"It was Spake, wasn't it?" she said tersely, opening her eyes.
From Greenburg's expression it was obvious that she was right, but he avoided the issue. "I'm not at liberty to discuss who brought up concerns about you. Please understand, this is a public health issue. You're employed by the city of New York, and if you're... ill..."
"Why don't you say it?" Miriam snapped, rising from her seat. "Mutant. That's what Spake told you."
"Please, calm down, Miss Van Linden--"
"Doctor Van Linden," Miriam shot back. "I will not calm myself--and I will not submit to any 'test'."
Greenburg pursed his lips, looked down at his clasped hands, and sighed. His response was as well-worded and coldly impersonal as a formal letter.
"I'm sorry you feel that way. For the health and well-being of your coworkers, I have no choice but to suspend you until you're willing to cooperate."
Miriam felt as if her heart had stopped beating. Slowly and mechanically she reached up to her lapel, unclipped her I.D. badge, and let it fall on the desk in front of Greenburg.
"I pity you," she said, in a quiet, toneless voice. "You have no idea what's happening in this city. I'd have given my soul to stop it... but you've tied my hands, and I don't know what more I can do. I only hope the day never comes when you understand the meaning of this."
With that, Miriam walked out of the office, leaving the Chief Medical Examiner to stare after her in bewilderment.