The Third Recruit

Participants:

amber_icon.gif mohinder_icon.gif walsh_icon.gif

Scene Title The Third Recruit
Synopsis Doctor Suresh recruits the last member of his clinical research team to the Institute.
Date April 21, 2010

Suresh Center


"Just thought I'd let y'know…"

Diffuse gray light spills through the windows of a second floor office, blinds pulled open and snow visible as far as the eye can see across the southern tip of Roosevelt Island. The dark silhouette standing in Doctor Amber Mitchell's office belongs to an NYPD detective, wool greatcoat buttoned all the way to the top, collar raised against the back of his pale neck, curly red hair receding away form his forehead. Detective Daniel Montgomery Walsh is here for ulterior motives to what his appointment says, and as the taciturn Irishman offers Amber an askance look he nods to the file laid on her desk.

"Goes by the name of Lucas or Luke, surname Campbell." Wringing leather gloved hands together, Detective Walsh furrows his brows and looks back to the office door, then to the severe looking brunette seated behind the desk those papers lay on.

"If he shows up here, do whatever you can to get him out've sight, I don't care if y'have to knock him o'er the head with a bleedin' candle-stick. He's dangerous an' he's in the city." Blue eyes move from the folder to Doctor Mitchell, and the detective's posture tenses some.

"Ain't nobody heard from Emile in months, Mitchell. We're probably the only ones left, Castilades buggered outta' town, Dean's dead," he looks over his shoulder to the door again, them back to Amber. "S'just you an' me pussycat. So things're gonna' get handled a little differently. More… discriminate. Only the dangerous ones, fer now."

A knock on the office door has detective Walsh squinting and looking back as it opens, and Doctor Mitchell's secretary leans in, offering an impishly apologetic smile. "Sorry Doctor, but— there's an appointment for you ah, it's rather urgent?"

Unfortunately urgent, given that she cleared her schedule for today.

Amber tilts her head as she listens to the Detective, then she picks up the file, looking through it, slowly, thoroughly. "We don't need the others, Walsh. If they left or are hiding, then they're not right for the job in any case. We'll do just fine on our own," she murmurs, before glancing up to the man. She starts to speak again when the secretary interrupts, and she sighs, looking over. "What do you mean appointment? My schedule for today was cleared. Who is it?" she asks, sounding a touch impatient.

"It's— " The secretary grimaces, "It's Doctor Suresh."

You know, like the Suresh Center?

Danny's brows lift up as he shoots a look back and forth between Amber and the secretary, jaw shifting to the side as he raises one leather clad hand. "Don't worry, s'not a big deal. I've got t'get back to precinct anyway, there's more feds swarmin' around my beehive than I like, an' I'm gon'ta get me a big ol' flyswatter to handle it. You keep a mind on what we talked about," Danny notes with a tip of his brows up, taking a step back with a crooked smile, waving one hand in a haphazard farewell. "I'll catch up w'ya later, darlin'."

As Detective Walsh moves to the door, the secretary ducks out of the way and moves the door open, and Amber can see Danny circling around a taller and lankier figure behind where the secretary is. Dark and curly hair frames a richly dark complexion, glasses reflecting the offices' lights. Doctor Mohinder Suresh offers a fleeting smile to detective Walsh before stepping in past the secretary.

"Doctor Mitchell, I ah, I apologize for stopping by unannounced, I was wondering if I might have a few moments of your time." Even as Mohinder insinuates himself into Amber's office, her secretary is making the universal expression for oh well as she backs out and closes the door behind herself. Admittedly, this is as close to a visit by the President as it gets in the field of science.

Well there's someone interesting enough to have Amber rising to her feet and smiling in genuine pleasure. "Doctor Suresh. Please, make yourself comfortable. There's no need to apologize either." Clearly Danny is no longer foremost in her mind, as she doesn't even glance towards him as he slips out the door. This seems to be about as flustered as Amber gets. Who needs men when you have science?

"I admit to being a little surprised, though, but you can have all the moments that you need. What can I do for you?"

Dipping his head into an apologetic nod nevertheless, Mohinder glances back as the office door closes all the way, then looks back to Amber with a smile. "Doctor Mitchell, I've actually come here today on unrelated business. I've been, ah, laid over in the city due to the weather, and a communication from some of my peers reached me today that brought some interesting news. You're— probably not aware of it," he hopes, "but I have some privately funded research going on at the Staten Island Hospital, associated work with the Commonwealth Institute."

Pulling out a chair in front of her desk, Mohinder comes to take a seat, leaning forward and steepling his fingers in front of his mouth as his does. "I have a small team down there, working on some very groundbreaking research into the Evolved, the origins of their abilities, and— hopefully— an eventual research into a way to remove the Evolved condition on a permanent level…"

Rubbing his hands together, Mohinder sits up straight and rests his hands on his knees. "Now when I first did a round of recruitment for this project, I hand picked two scientists at the top of their field. Your name was third on the list, and I've been told that I'm being afforded extra funding to expand operations, meaning… Amber," Mohinder scoots forward in his chair, resting his hands on the edge of her desk, "I'd like to give you the opportunity to work, free of restrictions, with some of the brightest minds in the field of science today. Groundbreaking, cutting edge research…"

Amber looks curious, but nothing more when he first starts talking. It doesn't sound like something that truly involves her. But she can't help but look surprised, and eager, when he mentions the type of research that is being done. "Are you serious? I…Doctor Suresh…I'd love to. This sounds like…intriguing is too tame a word for this type of work, but I find that I cannot think of a better one at the moment. You're truly working on learning to understand the Evolved on a biological level? This is what I came here to do!"

She sinks down into her chair slowly, smiling. "Of course I'll accept the opportunity. Are you wanting me to continue working here too, or just to focus myself on the research at…Staten Island Hospital, you said?"

"Your research is exactly why I picked you, Amber. I will admit to you here, openly, however… the research we're doing is being funded by the Department of Defense and…" Mohinder reaches up to adjust his glasses, "there's several non-disclosure agreements you're going to be needing to sign, and given that this is a Department of Defense project, you'll be afforded certain classified materials that cannot be discussed outside of the laboratories. Further there's… an element of live experimentation, but…" Mohinder offers a hesitant smile, "I hope you understand that all science comes at a great sacrificial cost."

Brows lift when the DoD is mentioned, but then Amber nods. "Of course. I'll sign the non-disclosure agreements. That doesn't bother me one bit. It's not as though I intend to profit off of this research. It's to benefit others, not my bank account." The last past doesn't bother at all. She'd relish a chance to experiment on a real live evolved. But for the sake of appearances…"I suppose there would have to be. Simulations and whatnot can only take us so far. And given that part of the research involves attempting to remove an evolved ability, it would be necessary to see if it truly worked before claiming such."

"You'll be dealing with some very… advanced scientific hardware, as well as chemical substances produced in research by the Commonwealth Institute. I have two researchers that you'll be working alongside, and I believe you'll find both Doctor Cong and Doctor Sheridan to be fascinating individuals with very eclectic ideas and backgrounds. Your molecular biology credentials, however, round out the team beautifully."

Slowly rising from the chair, Mohinder eyes the closed manilla folder for a moment, brows furrowed, then looks up to Amber. "Your work here will need to take a side to your work for the Institute, but," reaching inside of his jacket, Mohinder produces a card with a blue RNA strand across the front that reads: The Commonwealth Institute, Innovating for the Common Good.

"I've taken the liberty of writing Doctor Sheridan's number on the back, she's the lead researcher for this project and she'll get you up to speed. A residence for you on Staten Island's south coast within the reclaimed zone has been commissioned, though for now we'd prefer if you stayed at quarters assigned at the hospital until this weather pattern clears."

Amber takes the card, looking it over, front and back. "What are the other scientists backgrounds in, if not molecular biology? Isn't that sort of a necessity for this kind of work?" she asks, glancing up towards him. "As for the housing situation…I have an apartment, but I am perfectly fine staying at the hospital. I'm from California. I don't do well with driving in the snow," she says with a faint, and brief, smile.

"Doctor Cong has a background in clinical sciences and is an expert surgeon with studies in genetics, he published a paper on the Evolved and the search for their origins just last year that got my attention. Doctor Sheridan comes from a psychology background and has specialized in Evolved care, and also performed a series of very ingenious studies on the use of Refrain." Scratching at his beard with one hand, Mohinder's dark brows lift as he smiles amusedly.

"I know it may seem a bit unorthodox, but the three of you cover a wide gamut of research specialties with some useful overlap." Tilting his head forward and regarding Melissa over the frames of his glasses, Mohinder's expression is a carefully guarded smile. "When I say that the team I've assembled is eclectic, I certainly do mean that, Doctor Mitchell. But, I can't argue with results."

Amber's brows lift. "A psychologist? Yes…unorthodox is one way to describe it," she murmurs. "But regardless, I'm in. When should I pack my bags and head over to the hospital?"

Lifting one brow, Mohinder crosses his arms over his chest and flashes Amber a smile. "Tomorrow morning, bright and early." As mohinder considers Amber, there's a tilt of his head to the side and a fond smile, one hand offered out to the brunette. "Doctor Mitchell, I believe that you and the rest of my team are going to make a remarkable breakthrough."

Amber smiles and takes his hand. "I'll be there. And yes…I believe you're right. We are." But whether her version of a breakthrough is the same as Mohinder's…that's another story entirely.


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