[Fiction] Patches of Normalcy

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne opened the door to her two bedroom apartment in Cockeysville, her suitcase found its normal resting place on the sofa and the door closed. The room was lit only by what light filtered through the blinds and Lou Anne stepped carefully over to the small kitchen. Bright light from the refrigerator flooded the kitchen and living room. The contents of the refrigerator were as they had been on Sunday nights since she moved in. One of Moth’s chocolate bars sat on the top shelf and a case of diet soda sat open on the bottom. For a change, it was woefully inadequate.

Lou Anne had stopped at the Safeway on the way to the apartment and she transferred the food into the cupboards, refrigerator and freezer. It was more than she and Moth normally ate in a week, but she was sure that she alone would finish it in a few days. She shut the door and a sense of normalcy returned to the apartment. Leaving the kitchen she turned the light on in the living room and took her suitcase back to her bedroom.

A few minutes later, her things put away, Lou Anne returned to the living room and sank into the comfortable cushions of the sofa. Flipping channels on the Opnet for a bit she let herself unwind and fall into the more normal patterns that she was craving. The past week had been hectic. They had left Paris early on Tuesday morning and returned home, then had visited Sylvan on the other side of the country for a few hours.

The next few days had been a nightmare of practicing with her new abilities and processing the voice mail that Moth had gone through. She hadn’t been able to think much about contacting anyone else until Friday. She suspected that some of her undone tasks were more suited to being done at the office this week. It wasn’t like she would be seeing patients after all. This week would be spent calling other doctors and transferring medical records. Surely she could fit a call or opmail to Neil Preston in there somewhere.

She brought out her Opdevice and sent a message to Rachel that she was safely in the apartment. Rachel was busy tonight getting things ready for the start of classes tomorrow and a phone call, while more satisfying, might be more distracting. She looked back through her Private opmails and replied to Cade letting him know that she would be at the airport around 7:30 and giving a description of what she planned to wear. Finally she checked the time that the post office opened and went through her briefcase making sure that everything was ready for tomorrow.

Everything done, the sounds of the show she was watching allowed a sense of normalcy to creep into the room. She was in Baltimore and ready to go to the office tomorrow. Sure, there were a lot of differences between today and a month ago, but that was no point worrying. For now, she took comfort in the normalcy... and the ice cream that her increased appetite wanted.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

One of the side effects of her eruption that Lou Anne had come to appreciate was that she needed less sleep. Normally she didn’t take advantage of it, today was different. She reflected on that advantage as she waited in the line at the Post Office. She had risen early and had breakfast at Denny’s and then joined the Rush Hour traffic entering Baltimore City. Fortunately she was still running early enough that she should have no trouble making her appointment in Chicago.

The line was moving smoothly and it was only a few minutes before Lou Anne was called up to the window. “Hi, I’ve been out of the country and had stopped my mail delivery. I’d like to pick up my mail and restart delivery please.” Lou Anne provided the necessary information and the man behind the counter went into the back to retrieve her waiting mail.

Her mind wandered while she waited for him to return and it was on the third calling of her name, a call echoed by the people behind her in line that she realized the clerk was calling to her from a side door. He motioned her over and she was horrified at the reason. On the ground before him sat two of the large Postal Service mail bags, one looked full, the other about half full. She recovered from the shock as he handed her the handles and closed the door behind himself. With some effort she hoisted the bags and started for her car.

The weight, but more importantly the bulk was making this far more difficult than expected. Taking a break by a bench she set the bags down and took a mental hold of the bags before picking them back up and carrying them with no difficulty out of the post office and to the car. No one nearby paid enough attention to notice the bags floating themselves into the back seat of the car.

Lou Anne smiled as she backed the car out of the parking space. Okay, so it isn’t all bad.

* * * * *

The office had been a bit stuffy when she arrived. It had been almost a week since Moth had called home and closed everything down; fleeing the upset patients and parents. The air conditioning had taken care of most of the stuffiness and Lou Anne settled in to sorting the mail. Most of it was expected, official requests for transfers of medical records from other doctor’s offices, letters from patients wishing to let her know they wanted to leave.

The chiming of the alarm on her opdevice warned her that she needed to get ready to leave. She went into the office’s bath room and changed into the business suit she had brought for the meeting. After locking the door and setting the alarm she took a deep breath and summoned the image of the exterior entrance of O’Hare to her mind’s eye.

Chicago was easily fifteen degrees cooler than Baltimore at this hour and while O’Hare was busy, it was less so than Lou Anne normally experienced. A few travelers looked up and sniffed at the sudden scent of roses, but most paid it no mind. A few more looked at the woman in the loose fitting jacket that suddenly appeared. Lou Anne basked in her anonymity as they walked through to their flights or their rides home. Not sure when he would arrive, Lou Anne stood off to the side and waited. The cool air and breeze should make the wait eminently bearable.

[Cade]

Cade smiled as he pulled into the airport pick-up zone in his 1951 Daimler convertible. The hood and doors were silver-grey, the fenders a metallic maroon color. It was a large car, twenty-two feet bumper to bumper. It was exceptionally rare to see one driving around. The one Cade sat at the wheel of was immaculately clean and very quiet in operation. Several people waiting to be picked up turned to watch the vintage car roll to a stop just in front of The woman who had appeared seemingly from nowhere.

Cade smiled. He was dressed in a fairly casual sportcoat over a silk shirt and khaki slacks. His long brown hair was worn in its usual style about his shoulders. He could feel the woman's quantum field and she did match the profile and dress which Lou Anne had described she'd be wearing. He got out of the car drew himself up to his full two meter height and walked over to her.

"Dr. Burgess, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Michael Alistaire, though you know me better as Cade." He offered her his hand and gave her his most amicable smile.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

What a beautiful car, Lou Anne thought as a well maintained classic pulled up into the pick up zone near the airport entrance. She was surprised when the driver got out and walked up to her. Cade’s messages had indicated that he was a spacial manipulator of some sort. She had half expected him to arrive as unceremoniously as she had. He lives in town though, no need for air or other travel.

Lou Anne took the offered hand smiling up at the handsome man, “It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Alistaire, or do you prefer Cade? I’m afraid that I’ve met very few novas and so I’m not overly used to this.” Her eyes turned to the car taking in the details. “You have a beautiful car, quite a appropriate for such a lovely day.” Her words betrayed a hint of nervousness, but otherwise she seemed to be fairly relaxed.

[Cade]

"Thank you, and Cade or Michael will do. I've gotten used to responding to either one in this form. The car is one of my favorites. despite being a nova I still enjoy a godod drive around town on a clear day."

He opens the door for her and smiles. "If you'd kindly come with me I'll take you to the Foundation building and we can discuss things."

He waits for her to get into the car, reading her slight uneasiness and doing his best to radiate his good intentions.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne steps towards the passenger seat and sits, smoothing her skirt carefully in the process. "Why thank you Cade." She waited until he had closed the door to reach for the seat belt and fasten it securely.

While Cade circled the car to the driver's seat, Lou Anne reached into her purse bringing out her sunglasses and putting them into place. She smiled comfortably as he took his seat. "Thank you for meeting me."

[Cade]

Cade takes his seat next behind the wheel and pulls the car back out and on the road back to the Foundation. "I'm always happy to meet new people, especially novas. That it happens in peace is so much the better."

He nodded as he kept his eyes to the road and made his way back through town. "The Foundation does a lot of good work helping people. I always have time to speak with someone who'd like to do the same."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

"Yes, I've had enough violence for quite a while. Sadly, peace seems to be in short supply these days. I'd been hoping for a quiet trip to Africa. While we were there, Procyon held his press conference and one of the orderlies had jokingly announced that Chicago would be the next war zone we would be deployed to." She frowned. "No one particularly appreciated his attempt at humor." She looked around taking in the sites.

"So, have things calmed down mostly since the incident at the Spire or is there still a waiting for the next shoe to drop?" Though she seems interested in the answer, it's clear that if Cade doesn't want to answer she won't press the issue.

[Cade]

Cade chuckles lightly and smiles. "Many of us are still waiting. That attack was too little to be the only reprisal for such a broad announcement."

He looks to her and then back to the road. "Don't get me wrong I'd love for that to be the end of it, for nothing further to come of it here in this city,but being realistic I'm affraid it's only the beginning."

He drives on in relative silence for awhile and when they finally arrive at the Foundation building he parks in his reserved spot and walks around the car to open the door for Lou Anne. "We'll go from here upstairs to my office. Along the way you'll get to meet some of the other people that work hard to help those who were in need after novas decided to make war or rampage without thought to those around them."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

The ride over, Lou Anne put her sunglasses away. She was reaching for the door handle when she noticed Cade hurrying around the car and waited a moment. "Again thank you, it has been a while since I've ridden with a proper Southern Gentleman."

She nodded as he spoke of meeting the other people that worked at the Foundation. "I look forward to it, lead on." She followed just behind him as he approached the entrance to the building but rushed ahead slightly so as to get the door for him. She smiled mischievously as she held the door. "After you."

[Cade]

Cade nods courteously and enters the lobby of the Foundation. He nods to Shelly, the young woman manning the welcome desk and smiles. "Good morning Shelly. I take it things are relatively quiet?"

Shelly smiled up to him. "As quiet as can be expected Mr. Alistaire. As you asked Mr. Donnings is handling several meetings today and the files you requested on the little episode in Lansing are on your desk." She politely nods to Lou Anne greets her warmly. "Hello, I'm shelly and welcome to the home of the Chicago Foundation. You must be Dr. Burgess. It's nice to meet you." The young woman is clearly well-suited to her job at the desk and she seems to genuinely enjoy it.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

"Yes, and it's nice to meet you as well Shelly." She looks around the office taking everything in.

Cade continues on and she falls back into step behind him her eyes darting here and there attempting to take everything in.

[Cade]

Once past the inital lobby Cade leads her to the elevators and keys the button for the thirteenth floor. The elevator ascends quietly and Cade considers the nova there with him. From what little he knew she'd errupted during a brutal attack on a field hospital. She could transport herself instantly over large distances and she was a Doctor in good standing with Doctors Without Borders. She had experience helping people deal with the trauma of nova level combat. All in all she'd be a welcome addition to the Foundation.

The door of the elevator opened and Cade lead Lou Anne past several doors and then to a door marked only with "M. Alistaire." He opended the door and ushered Lou Anne inside. He gestured to one of the chairs in front of the massive mahogany desk. The chairs were large and plush, perfect for getting comfrtable in. Cade made his way around the esk and filed away the papers on the Lansing incident and turned back to Lou Anne. "Would you care for a drink before we get started? We have water, tea or coffee, though if you would like something else it could be arranged."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

"Tea please if it's no trouble. I didn't mention earlier, but you can call me Lou Anne if you prefer." She settled into the chair. "I don't have a nom de guerre though the counselors at the Rashoud Facility kept prodding me to think about one."

Lou Anne waited while the tea was prepared. It looked like what nervousness she had been hiding earlier had evaporated. She had maybe seemed better after the drive, but now it's clear. Her eyes roamed around the office taking in the decorations and the view through the window.

"The Chicago Foundation seems to be inappropriately named in some regards. You've reached out to Rachel and I even though I was hurt in Africa and now Lansing Michigan I presume from the report you received. Are you expanding your focus and becoming more of an Atlas Foundation than Chicago specific? I realize I may have jumped well ahead of what you planned to speak of, so if you'd prefer to start somewhere else, please feel free."

[Cade]

Cade prepares a glass of tea for each of them and takes his seat.

"It was a name that suited the time. Carver had wanted to form this Foundation to help those injured in the battle between the Knights and Wakinyan here in Chicago some time ago. Since then we have expanded the scope to a global reach, though on that count a global reach is in its infancy mostly we're still operating here in the States. If theres a way we can help we try to. Good investing and donations from many wealthy individuals and the Chicago community keeps us going. At the moment there are six novas employed by the Foundation including my self. So far there has yet to be a situation that required all of us in one place. The novas employed here are largely here out of a desire to help, and not have to worry about advertising and endorsements. Our goal is to help as many as we can, wherever we can. The name isn't as perfect a fit but in the end, The people of Chicago are behind us. We still do alot of work around here."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne sips her tea and nods. "All of that makes sense. I remember the incident between Wakinyan and your Windy City Knights so I can understand the desire to help after such a large scale disaster." She stopped and thought about her next statement a while.

"You talk about helping in whatever ways are possible. What types of assistance are you realistically able to provide? You mention that there are six novas, I assume that you have a far more sizable group of baseline employees and volunteers that you draw from. Conversely, what are you lacking or seeking?"

She paused again. "I realize that last question probably sounds like I'm researching your group for membership, but that's not necessarily the case." She took a long drink from the tea. "I'm working on getting my feet back under me and my head straight after the recent trouble that I've had. Quite honestly your offer of assistance and the overarching goals of the Foundation caught my attention considering the practice I had established." A momentary look of sadness comes over her but is banished with a visible act of will. She looks curiously at Cade allowing him a respite from her barrage of questions.

[Cade]

"If a home was destroyed, we rebuild it. If someone is injured and needs help paying the bills we take care of it. Alot of it is throwing moeny at problems, but I try not to look at it like that. We do our best to give something back to those who have lost. At the moment our staff handles most cases well enough, but we are lacking in trained Doctors and Counselors. I can only do so much, and frankly I'm not trained as either of those. The few baseline staff we have that can deal effectively with it are so swamped at any given time it has raised some issues."

He nods and takes a sip of his tea. "I am always seeking people willing to help others deal with what has happened. If you'd like to become part of he Foundation I'd welcome you gladly. If I can help you in any way, you have but to ask. I don't do this for recognition fame or power, i just like helping people. It's how I was brought up."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

“Well, regardless of anything else, if there’s a medical emergency and you need doctors or counselors, I’d be more than happy to volunteer if I’m available. I just don’t know what I’m going to be doing yet. That’s one reason that I’ve been trying to meet and talk to people and by association, learn about your Foundation.” She contemplated the glass of tea for a moment. Looking back at Cade she continued.

“If I were to consider joining the Foundation what requirements are there? I can’t exactly move to Chicago and I don’t know how big an issue that may or may not be. I also want to continue to volunteer with Doctors Without Borders when I can. As a surgeon they waive the six month commitment, but you never know when they may need you ‘right now’. I wouldn’t want to leave you in the lurch in that type of situation but some of the cases that come across a DWB table make even the reports from the Wakinyan or Edward incidents seem...” She’s obviously searching for a word, but can’t come up with one.

[Cade]

Cade nods. "I understand. I was an Elite once, I know what can happen out there."

He smiles and continues on. "Living here in Chicago isn't a requirement, especially with your talents. You would of course be provided with an office here, but in no way would you be forced to live here."

He gives her a knowing look. "Even though I head up the Foundation I am also a Windy City Knight. I also have a home inAlexandria, and then a home near the Scripps Institute. Idue to the nature of my abilities I can live anywhere and be mere seconds away from wherever I'm needed."

"of course you'd be free to continue you work with Doctors Without Borders. I understand that you do have prior committments. That said, I'd still welcome you to the Foundation."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne nods. “The tea is quite good, and that all sounds fine. I’ll think about what you’ve said and get back in touch with you one way or the other. Unless there’s something else you wanted to say about the Foundation, I did want to ask a completely unrelated question.” She waits to make sure it’s okay to change the topic.

Once it’s clear that it’s safe to continue, Lou Anne proceeds. “You had mentioned liking to meet new novas and I’m sure you hear some variation on this from time to time. Considering the rather impressive bullet holes in the scrubs I was wearing, is there a place in Chicago that has either a selection of tank shell resistant clothing or perhaps eufiber?” She looks somewhat embarrassed to be asking. “I’ve avoided casual nova watching for lack of a better word and really haven’t paid attention to where such things can be found. So, failing Chicago, where would one look for such things?”

[Cade]

Cade chuckles softly. "Tank shell resistant clothing? I could do that, but ir wouldn't be comfortable. Eufiber on the otherhand is quite comfortable." He gets up and walks over a closet and pulls out a light tan suit. He smiles and hands it to Lou Anne.

"Do you know how Eufiber works? You decide in your mind how you wish it to look and it complies. In a way it's smart clothing. This colony will serve you well."

"I am curious, why have you avoided other novas?"

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne blushed. “I know you said that you help out, but that wasn’t quite what I had in mind.” She took the tan suit and examined it while he spoke. “Unless that’s your ‘In case of neophyte’ closet, I wasn’t wanting to take the clothes off your back, literally or figuratively. If you’re sure though, then thank you, but I’d still like to know where I could buy some.”

The embarrassment returned. “Uh, yeah, well, the short version is that I had a rather bad experience with a nova, Alice Zeller, early on. Teenagers don’t handle humiliation very well and I wanted nothing to do with them. So, I decided I’d try to find a niche that probably wouldn’t find many novas trying to force me out of, that lead me here. Her path lead her to eschew responsibility and she finally messed with the head of the wrong person and he blew hers off in a fit of jealousy. Time Magazine August 7, 2000 pages forty five through forty nine cover most of the gory details if you’re curious.”

Cade watched as the tan eufiber suit she held changed into dance wear appropriate for ballet. She didn’t look embarrassed any more, she looked like she was looking at something else. “After that, I noticed novas if they pertained to what I was studying or when they were on the news on a channel other than N!. I’ve had some dealings with a few, mostly through Boston Police Department or Doctors Without Borders and then of course through my practice. I had to pay more attention then but with the right search parameters you can filter N! pretty effectively.” She seemed to return to the present and looked at Cade. “Sorry, Rachel answered a similar question last week, so I had a chance to come up with a short version.” She looked back to the eufiber and blushed again. “Uh, sorry, I don’t think pink’s your color.” It turned back into the tan suit Cade had handed her.

[Cade]

"You can find this in any of the major fashion centers in Europe, Paris, Milan and the like, but be prepared for the fact that Eufiber is not cheap."

He nods to her. "I can understand why you avoided novas even among us, there are those who stand far above the rest in terms of sheer power and ability. It can be daunting to be around them."

"You can take the suit, I have a few more like it. As for the Foundation just remember you are welcome at any time, My door is always open to those who wish to help. I'll keep you in mind should we encounter anything beyond what we can handle."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne nods. "Okay, I'll prepare myself for sticker shock. Thank you very much then." She folds the suit neatly over her arm. "I was serious, if you get in a pinch and need doctors or counselors, especially with the other shoe poised to drop, I can come out if I'm able to."

She rose again and shook hands with Cade. "You will be hearing from me at some point once I figure out what I'm going to do. I had best be going, I have quite a bit of work waiting for me in my office."

[Cade]

Cade smiles. "I look forward to it. Now what knid of host would I be if I didn't offer you transport home? I can open a warpgate to wherever you choose to do if you like."

"It has been a real pleasure meeting you Dr. Burgess."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

"It's been a pleasure to meet you as well Mr. Alistaire." She gives the address of her business. "Outside is fine, at your preference."

[Cade]

Cade smiles and a glowing green-rimmed portal opens up to the outside of the building. ""Have a pleasant day and don't be a stranger."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

With a final nod and smile, Lou Anne stepped through the green glowing portal and up the steps to her office. She unlocked the door and disabled the alarm and sat in her chair, the eufiber suit draped over her lap.

She had a lot to think about. Her gaze fell to the piles of sorted mail and the bags that held even more mail. She fished her portable Opdevice from her purse and fired off a quick note to Dr. Preston asking if she could meet with him on Wednesday and if so, where would be convenient.

That done, she went into the small bathroom and changed into the eufiber suit willing it to change into the clothes she had worn originally this morning. Turning and looking in the mirror she was disappointed it wasn't exactly like them, but then she probably just needed practice. She would have plenty of time to practice while she sorted mail.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

It had taken Lou Anne well into the evening, and two calls to delivery places near the office to get all of the mail sorted. She was sorely tempted to stay at the office through the night and work so that she would have more free time later in the week. As afternoon turned into evening though, she decided against it and joined the tail end of the rush hour departing Baltimore. She made a large dinner and worked her way through one of the piles of mail. Each letter she added to a list detailing what they wanted done. Many of the letters came from people who had already called which ultimately sped things up.

Most of what mail she had left to work with at the office was from other doctor’s offices. The bulk of it would already be listed somewhere, getting them listed and making sure she didn’t have anything unaccounted for would be the work of Tuesday. If she were lucky, she’d probably start getting the requests out then as well. She stopped before it got too late. She wanted to unwind from the non-stop day and contemplate some of the things that Cade had told her. She also wanted to call home.

It was later than she had planned to call, but she wanted to see how Rachel’s classes had gone. Rachel’s insistence that all of her Biology 101 students raise flowers from seeds or bulbs and keep a journal of it always generated good stories.

* * * * *

Tuesday was a whirl of reading requests from doctor’s offices and starting the process of sending off medical records. It was depressing and mind numbing work. So many patients, so many records to gather and send. When her parents called in the morning to see if she would be free for lunch she told them she would, but asked if they could pick up large envelopes at an office supply store on their way in. The afternoon had seen her filling the large mail bags with mail that she had to send back out.

She left the office a bit early, one stuffed mail bag slung on her back. The Post Office near her apartment would do to send the mail out but she would have to battle rush hour traffic on the Beltway if she waited. The traffic being a fight she knew she couldn’t win, she avoided the worst of it. Reaching home early enough to actually relax and enjoy dinner, she took a chance to check her messages. Neil had responded, he could meet her anywhere between Rio and Boston.

She thought briefly about trying to reach his home in Rio, she had made it to Sylvan’s house with no problem after all. The return trip though had forced two hops to get home. She decided that discretion would be the better part of practice. While it was true that Rio’s beaches were famous the world round, she wanted to be in the water intentionally, not fully dressed and well short of her destination. She suggested Hopkins or a place of his choosing that was more likely within range and started on dinner.

* * * * *

She tried wearing the eufiber again on Wednesday. The mail was starting to get to Lou Anne and she ordered lunch early to help take her mind off of it. Not long after noon, her Opdevice beeped. The message was from Neil Preston. ...Seriously, I can be up at JH in the hour, if that's good with you.

With that she changed her the eufiber to something that would blend in on campus and set the alarm. She’d never get there in time with the noon traffic. She keyed in a display of the Hopkins Student Center Opcam to find a safe spot to aim for. The scent of roses heralded her departure from the office.

[Neil Preston]

Neil felt down the long-quieted life lines to a familiar, yet this side of the grave. The scent of preservatives and disinfectants assaulted his nostrils ... the fragrant aroma of the Morgue.

Neil rose up slowly underneath the blanket and felt out for the sides of his holding cell. They're not there. Instead Neil finds himself out in the middle of the room. He slips away from the cadaver that has been his travel focus up until now.

Neil takes his jacket and backpack up as he leaves the morgue and heads out into the facility halls. He even makes sure to pull out and display his University ID as he makes toward the cafeteria. Coming up the back way allowed Neil to take his time before presenting. He pinged off his own node and waited for the resonance to come back to him. How many novas could be here, anyway?

[Lou Anne Burgess]

What was that? Lou Anne felt something hum or buzz or something in her head. She had been distracted, looking around for Neil and was jolted to awareness by it. She bolted from the place she was looking for Neil to find some sort of cover not sure if what she’d felt was dangerous or not. Her heart raced as she looked around as quickly as possible. Students that had been walking casually towards the cafeteria looked at her with alarm, not sure what she was trying to find.

Seeing the other students puzzled only be her reaction and not any other apparent source of danger Lou Anne forced herself to calm down. She also backed away from the mental trigger that would summon the protective Aegis. She waited, still a bit paranoid, but not being as obvious about it.

From around the side of the cafeteria strolled Neil Preston. He looked relaxed, though he was also renowned for recovering from hideous injuries and might not be as concerned if danger was afoot. She saw him looking in her direction and she waved discretely, not wanting to call too much attention to herself if there was danger, but trying to get his attention. She took a final look around warily and walked towards him. Coming into conversational distance she decided to address the danger directly. “Hi, nice to see you Neil. Uh, you didn’t just notice something odd a little bit ago did you? Tingling/buzzing in the head, tickling in the mind, that type of thing?”

[Neil Preston]

“Hi, nice to see you Neil. Uh, you didn’t just notice something odd a little bit ago did you? Tingling/buzzing in the head, tickling in the mind, that type of thing?”

Neil concentrates in response to Lou Anne's questions then responds,

"What is something like this," Neil says as another supernatural resonance echoes around Lou Anne.

Neil wrinkles his brow and looks at Lou Anne.

"That was me, Mrs. Burgess. Its a simple technique by which we develop a nuetral charge in our nodes and unleash it out along a perimeter. It allows novas to spot one another in a crowd."

Neil moved up beside Lou Anne.

"Call me Neil, please. Let's grab a bite to eat and lets talk about where you are now and what you see yourself wanting to purue?"

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Was it something like this?

Lou Anne felt the sensation again. “Yes, yes it was.” She listens to his explanation and visibly relaxes. “I had always thought it was a passive sensing, not something active. You know, something more like night vision goggles than a radar pulse. Oh well.” She falls into step towards the Cafeteria with Neil. “Okay Neil, call me Lou Anne, please. Thanks for meeting me, and lunch is on me.”

They made their way to the cafeteria, arriving later in the lunch period like this, they avoided most of the crowd. Paying for the meals they made their way to the line. Lou Anne picked up more than she ever would have when she was a student here. Considering her first planned question for him, she casually watched Neil to see how much he picked up.

[Neil Preston]

Neil picks up food for a man about two and a half times his own mass. The selection seems to be balanced, outside of its volume. As they move up to pay, Neil turns to Lou Anne,

"Okay now, but you need to come back home with me at some point and let me cook you up a little something someday soon."

Neil's demeanor is relaxed and he seems so full of life and energy, its difficult to remember he's even hungry. Once Lou Anne has paid, Neil tells her,

"Your home ground; you pick the spot."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

“Fair enough, but if Rachel’s invited it’ll have to be either January for a flight or until I get enough practice to reach Rio without a stop over in the Gulf or the ocean. Assuming the rumors I heard in Paris are true that you’re actually living in Rio and not just visiting.” Lou Anne lead Neil over to a table near the salad bar. She set down the tray and left briefly to get a salad. Returning to the table with the salad bowl perilously overloaded, Lou Anne took her seat.

“I guess before we turn to more esoteric matters, I have one very practical question for you. How does a doctor that has no appreciable practice and does a lot of volunteer work manage to afford to eat this much without going broke?” Though she said it smiling, Neil could tell that the question was serious and bothered her somewhat.

[Neil Preston]

Neil laughs softly,

"The second oldest fashionable way, Lou Anne. I inherited it. Mom and Dad invested heavily in some Russian Tech firms during the Recovery and made a killing. Before that, my family was in the Slave Trade, Whaling, Seal Furs and Meat, and Cod. The migrated into insurance and banking, and finally into public life."

"Since striking out on my own, I've cranked out a few gizmos while keeping the intellectual property and manufacturing rights. Most of what I do I run back through a Full Scholarship here at JH and the rest gets divided up among seven other charities I like. I run it all through JH's Admin. department. They sign the checks and give me the account information come tax time."

"Now, if some medical research sounds like something you and your node could get into, we can go up to Dr. Powell in Contracts and Grants. I'm sure he can wrestle up $100 million in business on your desk by nightfall. I can partner up with you on you first few trials, until you feel you feet firmly set beneath you. How does that sound?"

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Lou Anne looks a bit stunned as Neil explains his financial situation. "That's a bit more personal information than I necessarily needed to know about you. Not that it's not interesting, and gets me thinking, but you're not the one in danger of going broke anytime soon." She ponders while she eats. "As far as eruption and medicine goes, I drove the Rashoud staff crazy with tests to try to find out what type of healer I was, how much better a doctor I was, they were determined to find something."

She laughs. "It turns out that I'm better with patients and I'm a bit smarter, that's really it for professional improvements. I'm not really sure about research, I have to finish euthanizing my practice first." She frowned, her whole face falling as she continued eating. "But what you told me earlier helps and I may take you up on it later."

She ate in silence for a bit. "So, do you have questions or other comments to get my mind to better places?"

[Neil Preston]

Neil looks down at his food, stabs at it, and adds,

"Yeah, that sucks. Of all the adjunct practices that have sprung up around novas and medicine, yours was the one that could have afforded to keep us away the most."

Neil takes a deep breath then looks up into Lou Anne's eyes.

"As my WHO advisor told me when I was in the Peace Corps, Congrats kid. Today you are a surgeaon. If you don't kill anyone, you'll probably be one tomorrow too."

"What he was telling me was that all we've got is one another and we'd better look out for each other, before we end up all alone."

"The two of us, plus this quiet Burmese medic did meatball surgery in that camp for two days ... flat out ... me with two years of Pre-Med under my belt," Neil looks into Lou Anne's eyes, "and that's when I knew I couldn't do anything else."

Neil shovels in another mouthfull of food and chews it a while before continuing.

"If you need something, don't hesitate to give me a ring. I don't care if its a kilo of tongue depressors, or you need a beach away from the world for a long weekend, don't forget to look after yourself and let me look after you too ... just a little."

[Lou Anne Burgess]

“I spoke with Michael Alistair – Cade of the Chicago Foundation on Monday. If I want to keep doing something similar, that is an option. I just wouldn’t be as much my own boss anymore, which can be something of a drawback but may not be the end of the world. He said they wouldn’t interfere with my volunteering with Doctors without Borders so...” she trailed off and listened as he spoke.

She chuckles, “I guess you can try to look after me some. I suspect the Paris Rashoud docs would be the first to inform you I can be a rather contrary patient, so consider yourself warned.” She smiled good naturedly before eating more. “I know how adept you are with healing physical damage, how about more esoteric issues though? Rachel thinks one of the things my subconscious wanted to communicate was that it’s okay to dance again. Considering it’s been almost two decades, I’m not sure my ego will be happy with the results.” Her smile disappeared and she looked almost fearful.

“On a lighter note, I know what you mean about the meatball surgery. It’s good for keeping the skills sharp, but not something that I at least want to do every day.” She managed a grin and resumed eating.

[Neil Preston]

Lou Anne's comment about the Paris Rashoud facility causes Neil to nod his head vigorously in agreement.

"That's one of the keys, Lou Anne. You can't surrender your own evolution to strangers, but you can use the established facilities to help shape your own evolution as you develop it."

"I appreciate the work the Chicago Foundation is doing and its a worthy endeavor. I would like to see what you specifically want to doand which way the quantum genie directs you."

"As you find yourself growing in this new world, I want you to see the like minded people who will come to stand around you, as well as newer eruptees who you can in turn provide something for. That's simple."