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Post by William Birkin on Mar 5, 2009 23:50:58 GMT -5
Birkin adjusted his tie as the elevator neared the top floor of the building. He had never enjoyed meeting with officials, they were always too much talk and not enough action. But he wasn't about to turn down a meeting with the one man with the power to put his infected weaponization program into effect. So as the elevator pulled to a slow stop at the top floor, he put on as welcoming a face as he could muster and waited for the doors to open.
"Welcome Doctor Birkin, Chairman Rayne is expecting you." The young blonde secretary said to him as the doors opened. Had he been 50 years younger he'd have appreciated her beauty, but now all he thought of was his work, and the irritation of being taken away from it for this meeting. "Yes, I wish to meet with him as soon as possible." Birkin said, attempting to hide his disdain for another human being.
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 6, 2009 0:11:42 GMT -5
A gentle wind blew through the canopy of the palm tree that was graciously providing shade from the mid-day sun. A few feet ahead soft, white, inviting sand gave way to gentle waves of the clearest water, which then gave way to endless miles of a beautiful blew seascape. Truly paradise. Chairman Rayne sighed to himself...it was unfortunate none of it was real.
His receptionist's voice came over the speaker phone on his desk, serving as a sad reminder of the depressing world in which he truly resided. "Doctor Birkin is here to see you, sir."
Rayne reluctantly reached up and pulled those relaxation glasses off his face, setting them on his desk. They looked like futuristic sunglasses from the 90's...funny how people thought that's what the future would look like. But the technology was newer...maybe ten years old. Sad that it was one of the only prototypes left in existence. His gaze swept over the massive bay window overlooking the grim sight of Vegas and the wastes beyond the city walls. He reached across his desk to the phone, pressing a button. He spoke in a stern tone. "Send him in."
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Post by William Birkin on Mar 6, 2009 12:56:23 GMT -5
Doctor Birkin followed the young secretary to a set of large wooden doors. They were made of a well worn darkly stained wood, but had no carvings or other decoration. Simple, but designed to be imposing. Passing through one of the doors the secretary had opened for him, he noticed the rest of the Chairman's office was similarly designed. Cleanly and simply decorated, but still with an air of importance and power. The large windows on the far side of the room gave an impressive view of the city and the land beyond.
In the middle of the room sat the Chairman himself, at a large wooden desk seemingly made of the same material as the doors. Birkin smiled inwardly, the entire office was designed to put awe into whoever visited, right down to the placement of the desk so that the person sitting there sat at the center of everything. A real politician. Birkin had long since stopped caring about such matters, but he knew the game well, and he played it even better.
"You called for me, Chairman?"
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 6, 2009 13:24:38 GMT -5
Once he heard the door to his office open, he turned in that high-backed leather executive chair, away from the hellish vista that lay outside the window. A professional smile spread across his face as he motioned with his hand for Birkin to sit in the much-less extravagant steel-framed office chair opposite him. "Doctor Birkin, glad you could make it. Please, sit."
His hand lingered for a hand shake, which he did, with the firm grip of a bear. It conveyed power, both physically and professionally. "Thank you for coming, Doctor. I trust your commute here was satisfactory?" There were no more limos...he had to send a Cadillac SUV. Luxurious enough.
His gaze shifted behind Birkin as the secratary exited, pulling those massive oak doors shut. He waited until he hear the click of the lock. It took many years, but he'd finally been blessed with a competent secretary. She knew the procedure.
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Post by William Birkin on Mar 6, 2009 14:37:57 GMT -5
"The drive was not unpleasant." Birkin hesitated a moment, glancing at the Chairman's outstretched hand before returning the gesture briefly. Even the man's handshake was overbearing.
"If we could get down to business Marcus i'd much appreciate it, I have a very busy schedule today, after this meeting I have to submit a report to Chairman Sanders. I lost an assistant yesterday evening and must requisition another. You wished to speak of my latest proposal? I do hope the board has finally seen the sense in weaponizing the Infected to put them to some good use." He knew being short with Rayne was a quick way to lose funding, but he was very busy today, the reaction the test subject had had to his latest serum sat at the back of his mind, he was eager to begin analyzing it.
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 6, 2009 19:54:10 GMT -5
The Chairman offered a grin...he was only slightly amused at Birkin's impatience. He knew if the man really wanted his proposal accepted, he'd give him all the time in the world.
"Very well, doctor. I read your proposal, and think that it has some real merit. As you know, not many of my colleagues would agree..."
He stood and walked over to the minibar against the wall off to the side. He readied two glasses with ice and poured some scotch into both glasses before returning to the desk, setting one of them in front of Birkin. He sat back down with a sigh, taking a swig of the scotch before setting it down before him and continuing. "Let's be honest with each other here. We both know the Board is digging its own grave with its policies..."
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Post by William Birkin on Mar 9, 2009 12:05:51 GMT -5
Birkin politely took the offered glass, but chose to merely hold it rather than drink. "We agree on that, they insist on these archaic policies from before the infection. They're too close-minded to understand that the times call for a new plan. And from the sounds of it, you have something in mind?"
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 12, 2009 20:46:41 GMT -5
The Chairman leaned back in his chair a bit, bringing his fingertips together in that typical businessman fashion. "The human race will not survive if certain needs are not met. Given the policies of the current government, those needs will not be met. We need action. We need to do away with debates, elections and all of the political nonsense that goes with it. They were the ways of the past, before the infection."
He reached down to his scotch, which he brought up to his lips and took a swig. He swirled the drink idly as he continued. "Did you ever hear how my wife and son died, Doctor?" His gaze shifted up from the glass in his hand to Birkin. He took note that the man had yet to touch his drink. No matter.
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Post by William Birkin on Mar 13, 2009 15:04:03 GMT -5
Birkin knew the Chairman was ambitious, but could he be suggesting what he though he was? He remained silent about it, choosing to answer the Chairman's question. "I'm afraid I haven't, my work keeps me busy a great deal of the time, often at the expense of my knowledge of current affairs."
Birkin did sip from the glass then, the implications of the Chairman's earlier statement caused Birking to give him his undivided attention.
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 14, 2009 19:31:36 GMT -5
"Well, then I'll assume you were buried in your work when I took office twelve years ago." He forced a faint smile...he wasn't fond of the Doctor Birkin personally. He certainly wasn't fond of the man's ego...but he admired his dedication to his work.
"The Board had decided to relocate to Vegas. We made it through the Wastes just fine. A few days later, my family was moved to the city as well. After they ran into some bad weather, they were forced to stop in a small United settlement outside of Louisville, Kentucky. During their stay there, the encampment was overrun by Infected. Normally, this would have been d**n near impossible. But the security for the settlement was spread thin. The week before, the Board, except for me, voted to move a sizable portion of the security personnel to a nearby Outcast settlement. Their reasoning? To build stronger ties with the d**ned savages."
His gaze moved to stare into endless space as he took a sip of his scotch. After using his bottom lip to remove any excess scotch from his beard, he continued.
"I lost my wife and my only son, because they wanted to build a bridge to a bunch of anarchists." His tone was much more spiteful than sad..he'd gotten over the sorrow a long time before. "It is a broken system. We cannot entrust the same system to make good decisions any longer. It is time for change."
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Post by William Birkin on Mar 16, 2009 13:23:23 GMT -5
He took the Chairman's small flare of emotion in stride, noting it wasn't so much for the loss of his family but for anger at the people he thought caused it, "We all experience loss Chairman, the trick lies in how you deal with it. I believe you have an idea for dealing with this 'broken system' and that my proposal is somehow involved. Given the nature of it, it doesn't take a smart man to figure out your idea will most likely be far from...diplomatic."
He took another drink from the glass, it was fine scotch, likely from before the infection. Such a thing was worth it's weight in gold these days. He swirled the liquid in the glass, gazing into it as he continued speaking to the Chairman in a much more serious tone. "If you're planning what I think you are, you're walking a very fine line Chairman, such talk could get you executed. But whatever you are planning, you wouldn't have called on me unless you needed me, which makes my silence and cooperation extremely important to your continued...well being. Luckily, we share a common thread, the government as it stands relies far too much on the old ways, and if we are to ensure humanities continued survival, and mayhap even win out over the infected, things will have to change."
He looked at the Chairman then, "Cut through the diplomacy Marcus, it is unnecessary at this point. Tell me of your plan, and how you intend on fixing things."
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 16, 2009 15:37:06 GMT -5
He was well aware of the line he walked, though, providing Birkin sided with him, it would not be so difficult a walk. He took a big swig of the scotch before setting it down on the desk before him. His fingers clasped together as he rested his hands on the desk next to the glass, leaning forward a bit. "I believe your work to weaponize the Infection has great merit. I want to use it to secure a new government. In case you're wondering what you'll get out of this: how does Chief Science and Health Advisor sound? You will receive unlimited funding and resources. Not to mention...you get to see your life's work fully implemented."
Rayne arched a brow, grinning in anticipation. He knew Birkin would have a hard time turning the offer down, if at all. The man had always fought to recieve more funding or less governmental control over his experiments. He fully anticipated him to jump at the opportunity, though he was also prepared to deal with the Doctor should he refuse...the loaded pistol in his desk drawer would see to that. It'd be a shame for the old Doctor to suddenly 'go missing' after such a remarkable career.
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Post by William Birkin on Mar 18, 2009 13:37:40 GMT -5
Birkin sat quietly for a moment. The offered title didn't entice him, he had never cared for the honorifics others held in such high regard, it was the access he wanted. Unlimited funding and facilities? Now the good Chairman was speaking his language. His work would progress so much faster if he didn't have to tiptoe through the bureaucracy of the government. He wanted that access badly, and if getting it meant helping the Chairman achieve his quest for power so be it.
"I think that arrangement would be...acceptable. With a few conditions. First, I wish to work out of my personal laboratory. I know it well and have already made some...progress with my tests there. All I need is some additional equipment I've been lacking to move forward. Secondly, I don't want one of your soldier watchdogs standing over me telling me how to do my work, I know the science and i'll not be ordered about. Third, i'll need intelligent and reliable assistants, the one's the government has been giving me seem to be more often than not merely gorillas in lab coats. Finally, i'll be needing a steady supply of test subjects. I won't ask how you acquire them, but for the work i'll be doing i will need human subjects for maximum progress." His mind was racing now, the prospect of being able to work with no limitations excited him to no end, he was already throwing ideas around for where he would start.
He did his best to hold back his growing level of excitement, "In return for these conditions, and a few more smaller requests to be named later, I can make a few guarantees Marcus. I can give you your means to achieve control. I can give you your weapon."
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Post by Chairman Rayne on Mar 19, 2009 11:35:56 GMT -5
The Doctor's requests were nothing he hadn't anticipated. Rayne nodded in agreement. "As you wish. I will have the first batch of test subjects delivered to your lab by the end of the week." He smirked. "We had just received word from Intel that there may be an immune individual amongst the Outcast's ranks. I highly doubt it, but I will be sending my best teams out for them. I will forward anyone they find to you."
Even the Chairman was truly excited over the Doctor's acceptance for the plan. Though he already had a great deal mapped out, he'd still have some more planning to do. He'd have to get in contact with the others that had already pledged allegiance to him. Some other politicians and even select groups from the military were behind him on this.
He raised his glass in Birkin's direction, that golden scotch swirling between the ice cubes. "To the future of mankind."
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Post by William Birkin on Apr 11, 2009 14:26:03 GMT -5
The car ride back to his laboratory was uneventful. Birkin's mind raced with idea's and speculations. Someone who was immune? That, that would be most interesting. He didn't spend much time dwelling on it though as it was only a rumor. There were far more important things to consider, such as what he was going to do with unlimited access to the full resources of the government.
For the first time in what seemed like decades, William Birkin smiled an honest smile...
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