Clashing Obsessions

Chapter 12 - Dr. Blayne

A/N: Yeah I know I need to chill with the "look at me I'm an evil genius" Blayne monologues, ik this chapter was mostly just expo and stuff dw the next one will have more action.

"You don't understand," I insist, speaking with the ethics board representative through my computer's webcam. "I have been working on this project for years. I have everything sorted out, all I need is for you to sign that form."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Blayne, but your proposal has been rejected, and that is final."

"Doctor Blayne," I correct. The woman on the screen looks annoyed at me... and rather judgemental. Who is she to criticize my research? "Look, you don't— it's not much to ask, just approve a few trials— Oh, they're rats, for heaven's sake!"

"All animals have rights according to the bill of—"

This time, I'm about to lose my temper. I have heard that darn bill quoted so many times, I can't take one more. Not now. Not when some bleeding heart ethics counsellor and her "protect the meaningless rodents" law is the only thing standing between me and progress—

"I don't care about the bill!"

Her eyes widen in surprise.

"I'm sorry, that was a little more, ah, dramatic than I intended. I simply mean that this project is important, and I can't afford to let some red tape delay my life's work any longer."

"Well, you'll have to," she says, rather bluntly, clearly losing patience.

"Miss—"

"Whatever else you have to say, Doctor Blayne, I don't want to hear it. Frankly, I'm tired of you not taking no for an answer. Your proposal has been denied."

"But—"

"Denied."

"If you'll just allow me to—"

"De. Nied."

"You don't understand—"

Now, apparently, it's her turn to lose her temper.

"No, Doctor, you don't understand. The council met, we discussed your proposal, and we decided it would be inhumane to allow rodent trials. Do you know what that means?"

"I heard what you said, but—"

"Do you know what that means?" She asks again, her voice icy. "I'll give you a hint: it starts with a 'DE', and ends with a 'NIED!' Doctor, I understand your frustration, but the decision is final. You'll have to let it go! You are not getting your trials, now or ever, and frankly, this is becoming an obsession!"

Along with a sigh that I hope is not audible to the woman, I mumble an "OK" and say goodbye, then end the call, leaning back in my desk chair and putting a hand to my forehead as if that would somehow relieve my stress.

There's something funny about the way people use exaggeration, I've noticed. They attribute hyperbolic adjectives to basically any sentence, action or even thought that doesn't fit the baseline. When someone is thinking about something deeply, it's considered "overthinking". When a person is cautious, they're called "distrusting", "too suspicious", or "paranoid". When someone is interested in something and knows a lot about it, they're "obsessed".

How can I be called "obsessed", just because I care about my vocation? Yes, it's true, I spend 16-hour days in my lab. Does that make me "obsessed", because I work hard? I didn't abandon my project, no matter how many times I was criticized, set back, denied. Am I "obsessed", just because I didn't simply give up?

And the fact that they judge me for that... They don't even know the half of it.

They don't know about Evo-12, or my projections about the future for humanity, or my goals for human trials. They don't know about the corporate sponsors that could give me everything I need to complete my work.