I'm sorry I didn't publish the chapter yesterday, because of life things it wasn't possible for me, so 24 hours later here you have it.
Enjoy.
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"The exact same?" I asked, immediately moving to her side.
Stopping for half a second staring into the void, surely rereading the document in her mind. "Yes" Diane stated calmly, offering the document, pointing to where I needed to read.
When a pharmaceutical company is in the development of a new medication, the FDA establishes certain mandatory parameters to comply with, among them obviously are clinical trials in patients.
And if nothing else, but given that the privacy of patients' medical data is one of the best protected rights in the American healthcare system, there was only one specific group of data that clinical reports could contain about the patients involved in the trials.
It didn't take me long to read, and learn said data from the clinical case in Vogler's bound file, but it was enough time for Diane to find the exact page in the other document she took from my desk.
Side by side I immediately saw what Diane was referring to.
The age, gender, weight, height and worst of all the notes of the attending 'doctor' about how the patient was progressing in the case, completely written in a language that definitely allowed adding a number to the percentage of effectiveness, everything was identical in both documents, everything except the medication, dosage and the dates on which they were recorded.
In disbelief I took a step back mentally contemplating what Diane's discovery implied, I didn't know what the probability was for such a coincidence to occur, I knew that essentially it couldn't be low, after all many people get sick and you might find in different years people with the same data... but the doctors' comments, that was something completely different.
Thinking about how to continue, I remained silent contemplating the two documents in front of me. "Do you have plans for later?" finally, several seconds later, I asked Diane.
I knew that a single coincidence wouldn't be worth anything against Vogler and the army of lawyers he could surely buy, I needed more proof that something illegal was happening.
And given that it would be impossible for Vogler not to make his move against House that same day, at least not after the embarrassment he put him through at the convention, I needed to move extremely fast.
Later that day, in the hospital parking lot, Diane and I were in my car discussing in low voices.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked her worried, for what seemed like the tenth time of the day.
Nodding immediately. "Of course" Diane answered me confidently, "in fact it's exciting, I feel like I'm in a spy movie" she added pressing her lips into a small smile, clearly excited.
Snorting without being able to avoid it, I shook my head. "Well Miss Bouvier, let's do this" I declared a second later, removing all trace of amusement from my face, making my best effort to imitate James Bond.
Smiling sweetly, Diane kissed my cheek. "Oh yes Mr. Bond" she whispered as she slowly walked away.
Ignoring the sensation of electricity running through my entire body I nodded, getting out of my car with Diane just a few steps behind me.
We hadn't taken more than two steps inside the hospital, when a nurse, apparently appearing out of nowhere, came up to our side. "PJ, did you hear?" she asked me.
"What?" I asked immediately.
"Vogler called a vote with everyone on the board, he's going to fire House" she informed me immediately with seriousness in her voice.
Nodding I quickened my pace, practically dragging Diane through the hospital corridors, I knew Vogler would move fast, but I didn't expect it to be that fast, it hadn't even been more than a couple of hours since we had all returned from Houston.
I needed to speed everything up, obviously starting with the first step of the plan.
Finally when we reached our destination, I knocked on the door, and without waiting for an answer, opened it a second later preparing myself for the blow of the ever present loud music. "Danny" I yelled.
Danny was, of course, 'working' with his feet up on his desk reading a comic with the music blasting. "PJ-oh" he said upon hearing my voice, spinning in his chair and being surprised to see Diane at my side.
Waiting a couple of seconds for Danny to turn down the volume of his music, I smiled calmly.
Visibly embarrassed to have a person he didn't recognize in his domain. "Sup man?" he asked, from time to time looking confused at Diane.
"Not much man" I replied rocking on my feet, "oh, this is Diane, my girlfriend" I added significantly a moment later nodding my head toward Diane, who raised a hand in greeting.
"Hi" Danny murmured not understanding what was happening.
Without waiting to need to say it, I silently emphasized with my eyes exaggeratedly wide at Danny, leaning repeatedly toward Diane.
Despite the joke I had made with Diane in the hospital parking lot, the truth was that I was not James Bond at all, and my plan, which was somehow to end up alone with Diane in the hospital server room, didn't seem to be working.
After several seconds where nobody said anything, the room was left in a very uncomfortable silence, a silence in which I internally kicked myself for expecting someone like Danny to understand something as subtle as an insinuation.
Clearly confused, with his brow furrowed not understanding anything that was happening. "What?" finally asked the dense computer guy.
"Do you think we could use your office for a while?" I asked exasperated, once again leaning toward Diane.
Squinting his eyes, surprisingly still puzzled. "Wha- oh" Danny murmured, "Oh" he added a moment later opening his eyes exaggeratedly.
Rapidly shifting his gaze between Diane and me, with his jaw practically on the floor, Danny seemed incapable of processing beyond what he had already understood.
"So?" I asked a couple of seconds later, incredulous since the other teenager still hadn't come out of his stupor.
Snapping his mouth shut. "Yeah sure" Danny replied stumbling over his words as he nervously stood up.
Moving quickly to help Danny since in his haste he had knocked over a bunch of papers from his desk. "Thanks" I said, rearranging the papers on his desk.
Now apparently unable to look in Diane's direction. "Of course men" Danny declared blushing as he walked toward the door of his office, "I'll be in the cafeteria, so let me know when you, ah... finish" he added tilting his head regretting his choice of words.
In disbelief, since I didn't expect Danny to be so sensitive about the subject, I nodded relieved because the first part of the plan to find dirt on Vogler had been a partial success.
Without waiting for anyone else to say anything, completely avoiding any kind of eye contact, Danny turned on his heels and practically ran out of his office.
Closing the latch on the door once I confirmed that Danny had disappeared down the hallway outside his office, I exhaled preparing myself mentally to continue.
"All right" I murmured a moment later.
Fortunately Danny had shown me back then how to access the documents on Vogler's computer, and with the guy's little interest in security, it didn't take me absolutely any time to follow his steps.
With the list of files in front of me I immediately closed my eyes and, frustrated, pressed the bridge of my nose.
From the pressure of thinking about what could happen if I really found something against Vogler, I had completely forgotten how limited the technology of the time was, a personal computer couldn't store all the files that a clinical drug study represented in its storage, that's why floppy disks existed.
"What's wrong?" Diane asked me.
"There are only a couple of new files here, but there's nothing earlier" I replied while reviewing the new documents.
Gently holding my shoulder. "Do you think it'll be enough?" Diane asked me.
After a couple of seconds in silence, which I used to print the new documents. "No" I replied heavily.
I knew it was unlikely, but not impossible, that there would be more errors in any other report, I didn't know what person in Vogler's company made them, if it was only one person who did it, but I knew I had to dissect each document carefully if I wanted to even get to find something, that's why I had brought Diane.
Standing up urging Diane to take my place. "I need to know if there are more documents" I said approaching the printer that had started spitting out pages.
"And how are you going to do that?" Diane asked me.
Stiffly arranging the papers. "I'm going to check Vogler's office" I replied.
I had a general idea from the beginning that what I was doing together with the nurses and Danny was basically corporate espionage, but beyond obtaining the documents to know how a pharmaceutical company worked when trying to obtain maximum profit from people in need, I never would have thought that at some point I would actually try to use it against the company itself, or specifically its owner.
Holding my arm, preventing me from leaving Danny's office. "Be careful" Diane murmured worriedly, surely also recognizing how dangerous the matter was.
"Don't worry, if he catches me I'm completely sure I can knock him out" I assured her jokingly.
Slightly frowning. "That's not funny" Diane scolded me.
"I'm sorry" I murmured, "I'm a little nervous" I admitted.
Frowning again, this time out of concern, Diane pressed her hand against my face. "You don't have to do it, I'm sure everything can be solved without you having to intervene this way" she said anxiously.
Thinking for a second about Diane's words. "No" I replied, holding her hand against my face, "I want to do it" I added with resolve.
It wasn't just for House or for my own vendetta against Vogler, although that played a large part in my interest in seeing him fall, I couldn't, in the deepest part of myself, allow someone to take advantage of those who needed it, at least not if I could do something to prevent it.
Nodding stiffly. "Okay" Diane murmured, "then I'd better start reading" she added taking a step back.
"Thanks" I said apprehensively, "and remember, don't open the door to anyone if they don't give the code."
Smiling softly. "I remember" Diane declared with a bit of irony in her voice.
"Of course you do" I said amused.
On the way to the oncology wing it was quite difficult for me to keep my growing nervousness at bay, I knew that Vogler was in a meeting with the members of the Board and that generally could last several hours, but that didn't make the idea of sneaking into his office any less nerve wracking.
During my walk to the oncology wing, I would necessarily have to pass in front of the diagnostics lounge and therefore House's office, I very much doubted that the team wouldn't show up to work, House on the other hand could very well not be there, therefore as I passed by, it surprised me quite a bit not to find anyone.
With something else occupying my mind, fortunately my nerves calmed down a bit for the rest of the way.
Like Doctor Cuddy's office, which was on one side of the outpatient clinic, Vogler's private office was on one side of the oncology wing, knowing that the new medication in development by his company was focused on people with cancer, it wasn't difficult to see the correlation.
Upon reaching the wing, my gaze immediately fell on the luxurious wooden door that separated the office from the rest of the hospital, outside of it in a small space filled with personal objects and papers, Vogler's secretary, a very beautiful woman, was working diligently.
If Vogler wasn't in his office, she would be the only obstacle to get past.
Approaching the nurses' reception desk. "Hey Bella" I said to the nurse in charge.
Leaving the work she was doing, smiling broadly. "PJ" said Bella, the nurse in charge in the oncology wing, "I haven't seen you in decades" she added sarcastically.
Leaning my elbows on the desk in such a way that I could see Vogler's secretary on the other side of the wing. "Oh don't be like that" I said exaggeratedly offended, "you know why I haven't come to visit" I added nodding my head significantly.
"Yeah, you don't have to remind me of the idiot millionaire and his shitface secretary" she whispered with disgust.
Knowing Vogler, it didn't surprise me at all that people who saw him often, like the nurses outside his office, were disgusted by him, but I had no idea there was also animosity toward his secretary.
"Shitface?" I asked surprised.
With a grimace of disdain on her face, Bella nodded pointing toward Vogler's office. "Oh yeah, look at her" she said practically spitting, "she thinks she's above all of us because she works for the arrogant idiot" she added, "you know, Evelyn claims that she and Vogler have a relationship... not very professional" she continued in a low voice leaning over her desk.
Surprised, but quite doubtful of nurse gossip. "No way" I murmured.
Pressing her lips together Bella nodded arrogantly. "She says she's overheard how Olivia talks to Vogler when she thinks there's no one around" she assured me.
Opening my eyes exaggeratedly for a second, as if I needed time to process the information, I cleared my throat. "It wouldn't surprise me, after all Edward Vogler fits the type" I declared ironically, which was a genuine thought, "by the way" I added, slightly tilting my head, "where is he?" I asked her.
Placing a hand on my arm. "You don't know?" Bella asked me worriedly.
I did know.
Matching her emotion. "What?" I asked.
With softness in her eyes. "Vogler is in a meeting with the rest of the board, they're going to vote to end House's tenure" she replied slowly, apparently worried about how I might take the news.
Lowering my head, exaggerating the concern that I genuinely felt at possibly losing the opportunity to learn more from House. "Damn" I murmured.
Pressing my arm. "I'm so sorry PJ" Bella whispered, "I wish I could do something to help you" she assured me a moment later.
Raising my head immediately. "Well, there's something" I replied surprising the nurse.
A few minutes later, sitting in one of the chairs near the entrance to Vogler's office, I saw how one of the hospital security guards seriously walked up to Olivia, Vogler's secretary.
Bella, still sitting behind her desk discreetly, or at least trying to, winked at me conspiratorially.
"I can't believe your incompetence!" suddenly a woman's voice shouted and a second later, Olivia followed by the security guard, hurried out of the small space between Vogler's office and the oncology wing, "if there's a single scratch on my car Mr. Vogler will make sure that each and every one of you incompetents pays for it out of your own pocket" the woman shouted again, pointing at the guard as they headed toward the parking lot.
Thanks to the favor Bella did, I now had a few minutes with the coast completely clear to Vogler's office.
Without wasting time, I immediately stood up, drawing as little attention as possible I entered the area that served as reception and without stopping I opened the door... or at least I tried to.
Cursing under my breath, I froze for a second, unsure of what to do.
Fortunately. "On the desk" Bella said disguising it as a cough just in time to pull me out of my stupor.
Mentally thanking Bella again, I took a quick step to the desk where I immediately saw a keychain inside a small metal bowl.
With only two keys to try on the keychain decorated with a miniature Statue of Liberty, I quickly managed to open the door.
Vogler's office, as expected, was luxuriously decorated with ornaments that, most surely, could pay for a car or something much more expensive, bottles of alcohol so luxurious they had no labels, paintings on the walls and a bookshelf full of books that by the condition of their spines had never been opened, none of that as important as the computer sitting on the desk in the middle of the office.
Fortunately the computer was on and wasn't locked with a password, unfortunately just like Danny's computer showed, there were no more documents than the ones I already had printed, exhaling heavily I checked the surroundings thinking where I might find, if they were there, the floppies with the information I needed.
A second later I moved to the bookshelf that had, in addition to the completely new books, a couple of drawers.
"Fuck" I exclaimed in a muffled shout after trying the first drawer, finding it completely locked.
With anxiety and nervousness, I clenched my fists forcing my mind to think of what to do, when the idea of giving up and leaving before Olivia could return crossed my mind, my hand, which was holding the keychain, hurt from the pressure with which I was gripping the objects.
Raising the two keys in front of me. "Idiot" I murmured annoyed, immediately trying the key I hadn't used to open the door.
When the key turned inside the previously locked drawer, an indescribable relief ran through my body.
Knowing I had already wasted enough time I immediately opened the door of the fine drawer, finding right away among other things a pile of papers that I wouldn't have time to read and a case of floppy disks.
Grabbing both things immediately I ran to Vogler's desk, connecting the disks and sending the files to print as fast as the technology allowed me to.
Checking my watch, since I knew I had no more than a couple of minutes before Olivia returned, I looked at the stack of papers in my hand and without thinking I moved to the other side of the desk where Vogler had a Fax machine, it was a risky move given that I didn't know the content of the document and whether it was on any of the floppies, but I had to take the risk.
I didn't know any other fax number besides House's office, so not entirely sure, I entered it.
I hoped there was still no one there.
The Fax, showing why it had been the most used communications tool for sending files up to that point, finished much earlier than the computer and all of Danny's printers.
Seeing how only a couple of files remained on the floppies, from outside the office a loud whistle stopped me dead in my tracks, I immediately recognized Bella's signal, who had stayed as a lookout, I had no more than a few seconds to leave.
Taking everything that was not in use, including the document already sent by fax, I put everything back into the drawer before returning to the computer, I needed a little more time, just a few seconds and I would have all the files that Vogler had, at least in this office.
Ignoring the pounding of my heart, I could hear Bella's voice and who I now recognized as Olivia arguing about something indistinguishable, a moment later, at the same time that the last file finished sending, I heard the sound of heels approaching again.
Running, I finished putting away what I had taken and making sure to leave everything as it was, I moved toward the door.
"And Olivia!" I heard Bella shout with anxiety in her voice.
"What?" the other woman asked, clearly exasperated.
Deciding to bet that Bella had managed to distract the woman, I took the risk and went out through the door, locking it behind me using the key.
At the same time. "I'm glad nothing happened to your car" Bella declared.
Snorting with contempt. "Yeah sure" Olivia spat, turning on her heels.
A second later, surprised, the woman saw me standing in front of her desk.
Smiling calmly, making an effort to hide how fast my heart was pounding, I raised my hand, completely drawing her attention away from my other hand, where I had her keys.
Frowning. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" Olivia asked me.
"PJ Duncan" I replied, "I'm looking for Vog-" I was saying.
Making a grimace of disgust, as if she had smelled excrement. "Ah, you" Olivia said.
Yes, she didn't like me at all.
Placing her hands on her slender waist. "If you're here to beg for Gregory's forgiveness, you're late" she declared arrogantly, "the vote ended several minutes ago" she added checking a clock in front of her desk.
Snorting lightly. "I see" I murmured with an exaggerated expression of defeat.
Without saying anything else, obviously with a feeling of superiority, lifting her chin despite still having the expression of disgust, Olivia moved toward her chair.
Taking a couple of steps toward the oncology wing, I stopped on my feet, hoping the secretary hadn't noticed the missing keychain. "You know wha-" I exclaimed as I suddenly turned in an exaggerated movement, pretending clumsiness I hit the bowl while at the same time dropping the keys.
The sound of the keys and the bowl hitting the floor startled Olivia, making her jump in her seat. "You stupid kid" she exclaimed frustrated.
"I'm so sorry" I said pretending to be embarrassed, "please let me help you" I added moving quickly, putting on a pantomime.
"Stop!" the furious secretary ordered me, "just get out of here you little rat" she added with disgust.
Without waiting for her to say anything else, ever obliging, I practically ran out and without stopping for anything other than to wink at Bella, who was giving me two thumbs up, I went back the way I had come.
Moving at a fast pace I reached the diagnostics lounge in record time, which fortunately was still completely empty, entering House's office I immediately went to his Fax machine, where Vogler's document was waiting for me.
Using an empty folder on House's desk I put the document away and not wanting to run into anyone I immediately turned around and left.
I hadn't completely turned out of House's office when I accidentally crossed paths, almost colliding with, "Doctor Wilson" I said surprised, holding tightly the folder that I had almost dropped.
Visibly surprised. "Ah, PJ" the doctor said, "I thought you weren't here, you're not working on the case" he added and before I could respond, "it doesn't matter" he continued, "I know you'll reach heights never before seen in medicine" the man declared confidently, placing one of his hands on my shoulder, "it was a pleasure meeting you."
"What's going on?" I asked puzzled.
Pressing his lips together, Doctor Wilson raised his eyebrows. "I got sacked" he replied with frustration.
The information felt like a blow to the abdomen, if Doctor Wilson had lost his job it could only be because he defended House and if Vogler had managed to fire him then House and therefore the diagnostics department, wouldn't be a very big problem for him.
"I'm so sorry" I said genuinely sorry for the man.
Exhaling defeated. "Bah, it's fine" he declared, "that's what I get for having a friendship" he added losing his gaze into the void, "well, I have to pack my things" he said falsely excited, patting my shoulder once again.
Seeing Doctor Wilson's defeated posture, I pressed the folder in my hand firmly before continuing on my way back, where without being able to help it my mind wandered a bit thinking about 'the case' the doctor was talking about.
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Oh look out!, a cliffhanger.
PJ can be manipulative to an extreme or he can tell if someone is lying, what he can't do is be completely calm in a situation where he has no control at all, he is not a cold blooded spy, but you know who is?
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Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen, not Michael Phelps, not Arsene Lupin, not McLovin, not Elliot, not Capone, not Tiger Woods and not Sam Fisher.
Another chapter has passed, so new thanks are in order. I would like to especially thank:
11332223
RandomPasserby96
Victor_Venegas
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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