pleasantdale

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Notes

Who: Janie OT Gloria
Where: Lab

Hearing about the loss at the lab really upset Janie, and for a short while, she wasn't sure what to do about all of the lost work. She felt a little pride in actually having done something, especially because it might be able to help people. She realized that was the kind of thing she wanted to do with her life.

Once she was over the blow, however, Janie realized that she had notes. She took lots, and lots of notes, and even tried sketching pictures when she could. She researched at home instead of dusting or putting roasts in the oven, and took notes on that. Phillip had plenty to say about her blowing off more work than usual, but Janie brushed it off.

She realized she had to copy her notes, and give them to Gloria. It might or might not help, but she had to try. The lab notes were copied carefully in black ink, while her own research was copied in red. She was working on a lab report, but it was only half finished, and she felt the notes were more important.

She drove to the college, and walked to the lab, carefully knocking, and hoping that Gloria was there, and would accept the two notebooks.

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"I would be honored" Janie smiled "Thank you very much. Yes, I'd love to."

"I can show you how to condense DNA for photography."

She really liked Janie's enthusiasm and could use someone else who knew some of the lab procedures. Concern swept into her mind again as they left the building and headed toward the parking lot. She tucked Papi into her coat.

"I still don't know who was in the lab. I requested to have my lab moved to another building."

"I've read about that." Janie said, still grinning "Learning that would be wonderful."

She looked around as they walked into the parking lot, making sure that no one was following them.

"Yeah, it's. Um, a lot of things are happening now. Where will your new lab be?" She was still worried that someone was listening in on them, which is why she tried to be vauge.

"I will let you know when the new samples come in."

Janie's behavior of looking around played on Gloria's own nervousness concerning the situation.

"I don't know yet. I have to wait for the dean to respond to the request."

She headed toward a powder blue Dodge Coronet that Janie had likely seen before at some point. She would be glad to be driving. Of late, with the crazy people and the disease, Gloria found herself feeling more and more safe in her car than elsewhere.

"Thank you." Janie said, continuing to follow Gloria.

"I don't think it should take long, but then again, I don't know anything about how this place is run.

Janie looked relieved at the sight of the car. The sooner she said what she had to say, the better

"I don't know. Everyone is upset about the incident."

She too was feeling grateful to be near the car. It was unlocked and suddenly she frowned when she thought about having left it that way. She had always felt comfortable leaving the doors unlocked, now, not so much.

"You don't think someone would just up and steal something- well, I took books when I was younger, but if I finished I'd return them, but that's different, isn't it? It's not. Well, they took a lot."

Janie frowned.

"I didn't." She commented and the sad, disconcerting feelings she was having seemed to hang there in her voice.

"Everything has changed in the past few days." She held Papi closer and opened the door to get in. Everything was different. So much of what she believed was different now.

"Feels like my whole life has changed." agreed Janie, getting in. She peeked in her bag, and her notes were still there, as expected.

"Mine has." She was down-hearted as she got into the car. She closed the door and stared for a moment at the university.

"This was the only place I felt safe....and comfortable. I don't anymore. Nowhere."

She hadn't admitted that to anyone since the events that had been happening. She had hoped it would make her feel better but it didn't.

"Well, I had an idea, but..." Janie trailed off, as she made sure her door was closed.

"I have my notes, if you want them, I wrote out a copy, and I did some research with some additional information that I got if you want that. There's some things that happened that you need to be caught up on."

Gloria looked over at Janie in disbelief and then smiled. "Oh Janie..."

She wanted to hug her, hesitated and then leaned over and hugged her anyway.

"I... I don't think we've lost any of the research then." She let go of Janie.

"I have a skill remembering my work. I think we can recreate everything I lost."

She was so happy as she started the car. She felt like crying a little but tried not to as much as possible.

Janie happily hugged Gloria, and was very pleased that the notes could be used.

"That's wonderful- but- alright, how would you feel about a lab somewhere? A secret one." she began, after letting go of Gloria.

"We were shooting melons and- well, I think I know who broke into the lab, and now I don't trust anything or anyone but my friends and family. So we're going to need a lab somewhere they can't get to, and we're going to need a meeting place but it's so hard to get us all together, I just don't know what to do."

"Who?" The question was very pointed as she pulled out of the parking spot. Though her mind was trying to think of a place where they could have a lab and not draw suspicion. She would also have to figure out how to get equipment, some of that was very expensive.

"The government." Janie said, quietly "There was a Russian who said that they were watching us, and that this town is a test, which is why it only has one way in and one way out. They wanted to see how we'd react to... well.. what's happened. He also said that both sides have. Zombies. There are warehouse buildings that are supposed to be hidden bases."

She paused for a moment, before adding even more news. "He said that the men in his group were normal after getting bitten, but the worse the wound, the faster they died... and after death, they came back wrong. The men that held on longer were not affected as quickly..."

Gloria almost backed into the car parked behind them while she listened. She started to wonder who knew and who didn't. Slowly she sighed and composed herself then started driving.

"If we are going to make a lab we need it to be in a location we already go to so they don't get suspicious, somewhere we can stay for a long time too."

"Vito suggested his junkyard, but I'm not sure it's the right space. I'm not sure my house would work, but that's the first two ideas that I have. We've got to get equipment too, and I have no idea where to find any of that. I just think.. that we need to continue our work."

Janie was so lost in thought, that she didn't notice Gloria almost backing into a car.

"I don't think a junkyard would provide a sterile environment." She was musing now too, falling in line with Janie's reflection as she started to drive. "There are types of kitchen equipment that can be substituted for some equipment and I know how a centrifuge is built though I don't have the skills to do it myself."

"I don't think so either, but we'd better take a look at the place since he offered. I'll make a list of possible locations, and I'll see if I can get any of the equipment from Phillip's job. Maxine works at the factory, and I think Eric is good at building things. They've all got strengths that come in handy for us to... survive what's happening. We need a list of all needed equipment..."

Gloria nodded in agreement. "We can get supplies there even if we don't take his offer."

"I can see what is available at the university as well."

Gloria was quiet for a few moments before asking, rather curiously. "How good is your memory?"

She felt foolish and was afraid of insulting Janie and so added. ".... I think it may be better to remember notes, procedures and lists from now on. Those can not be stolen very easily."

"It's not all that great. It's why I write everything down, so I don't forget. My mind moves so fast and in so many different directions it gets hard to keep everything straight."

Janie frowned for a moment, before deciding to reveal something to Gloria.

"When I was young, some of the kids stole my journal once, and read it... so I started writing so just me understood it. It's not just shorthand, it's... well, I can always tell what I wrote anyway. If someone else is reading it I copy in longhand. But I see what you mean. I wish my memory was better. Maybe you should be in charge of remembering the details of what we need."

"I think your method works just as well as mine." Gloria smiled at Janie reassuringly.

"I have always coped by remembering. I can remember everything, strange things sometimes. especially numbers and pages of books but conversations too sometimes."

Gloria felt nervous but went on. "It is why I am good at what I am doing. I don't forget things though sometimes I need prompting to remember that I remember them."

"Thank you." smiled Janie

"I cope by making lists, then organizing them so that everything will get done. Almost like math problems. That's if I can't run off... and I can't run away from this situation."

"What helps prompt you?"

"I lose lists." Gloria giggled at herself.

"It depends on what I need to remember. Sometimes, things prompt me to remember when I don't want to or need to remember something."

She frowned a little and kept her attention on the road to avoid Janie. "Remembering everything clearly can be a horrible skill to have."

"I suppose it is." she said, quietly "But I suppose that helped you get where you are too... I don't see women too much that get to do what you do. If I knew about that, then maybe I would have tried to get into University, instead of just settling for the first thing to come along. If all this... situation passes, I might try to see if I can enroll. So, it might be bad, but it's also a blessing. Just with an unfortunate badside."

Gloria shook her head. "What helped me the most was being willing to give up everything and everyone I knew."

She sighed heavily as she drove feeling sad. "You must be willing to face extreme hatred, insult and disrespect. You have to work even when others disregard you and will not give you work. Learning not to get angry and to keep trying when you are mentally and sometimes physically abused is what will get you the farthest."

She paused and finally smiled. "I think you could be successful but I do not want you to have any misconceptions about the work that I do."

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