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Zac’s weekend had improved as it had gone along. He had spent a very useful couple of hours using the computers in Persford library, and he thought he had worked out where he’d gone wrong with his reaction. After that, they’d gone for a sandwich and beers down by the river and Ez reckoned a girl had been looking over with interest at his brother. Zac was certainly quite handsome, some would say with rugged looks, naturally muscular without having to spend ages working out at the gym. But he had previously been reluctant to commit to relationships due to his rather fragile personal life. He felt that a girlfriend might be wary of getting involved with him when he revealed that he had to take responsibility for his brother. Perhaps soon he would feel more financially stable and less emotionally stressed and would actively look to meet someone.
His main focus of the weekend had been to find some improved experimental conditions which he was now keen to try, but he couldn’t try them straight away, not with beady-eyed Nick hovering around every corner. He felt sure he wasn’t on to him yet, but it might be only a matter of time now. He just couldn’t give up now though, he had a horrible feeling he might be getting bad news about his car today. He’d dropped it round to the garage this morning and they had given him a lift to work, they were going to call him later today with the verdict. He needed to make a sale of the PCP and the proceeds would either pay to repair his car or help him purchase another one. He just needed to keep cool, retain his resolve and just make sure there was nothing for nosy Nick to latch on to.
Then Caroline and Kirsty arrived at their usual time and seemed in good spirits chatting away about their weekend. They had given up asking Zac what he got up to as they thought he was a bit dull and a workaholic. When Nick returned to the lab they set about questioning him about his day out with Polly, and so that occupied Nick together with his science. He seemed rather glum though, even Zac noticed that, and it wasn’t long before Caroline and Kirsty picked up on it as well.
‘Nick, are you OK?’ asked Caroline, ‘you seem a bit stressed.’
‘Oh, I’m fine, it’s just I got a bit of a surprise when Amanda phoned up telling me that Brett wants to have a chat with me at eleven.’
‘Well I don’t think you’ve anything to worry about, have you?’ asked Caroline reassuringly.
‘It’s good that he wants to see you so early on, after all, it’s his first proper full day here, you must be honoured, perhaps he’s heard good things about you?’ said Kirsty smiling.
‘What do you think Zac? Don’t you think Nick should feel pleased that Brett wants to speak to him?’
‘Oh, I’m sure Nick has nothing to worry about. Unless there are some changes in manning. A reorganisation,’ added Zac, deciding to twist the knife and add to his colleague’s anxiety. It’s not Brett he needs to worry about, he thought to himself.
This was very good news to Zac’s ears, Nick seemed very worried about his upcoming meeting with Brett, he wasn’t sure why. But it was a bonus as far as he was concerned. As long as he was worried about the big chief he wouldn’t be too concerned about checking up on his reactions. Well there was nothing for him to see at the moment, more’s the pity he thought, as his reaction hadn’t gone well on Friday. Tonight he would try out his new conditions but it would have to be on a small scale as he had used up most of one of his reagents. He would need to check in the storeroom to see whether there was a replacement stock of the necessary reagent, otherwise he would have to order some more. Fortunately, it wasn’t expensive so should escape any scrutiny when the company was billed. The more worrying thing was not knowing exactly when it would be delivered to the lab, he wouldn’t put it past Nick opening up parcels destined for Zac and that would mean he would have to think of an excuse as to why he needed it. None of the actual project plans needed that reagent. Inwardly he groaned, this was becoming a nightmare.
**
At 11 a.m. exactly Nick knocked tentatively on Brett’s door and was called in. Brett ushered him over to the small table by the window and sat down opposite him. It was a generally agreed principle that it was better not to sit opposite people, it made them feel uncomfortable. However today this was that was exactly what he wanted Nick to feel, anxious. He was also sure that he could exacerbate his colleague’s anxiety once he started to speak to him.
‘So Nick, just thought it would be good to have a little chat,’ said Brett, beaming at Nick who looked very hot and stressed.
‘Er, yes, Brett, hi, nice to meet you too, well I saw you last week with Piers of course, but not to speak to I mean, anyway, yes, it’s good, very good, isn’t it, yes, erm...’ and then he petered out to nothing.
Brett was inwardly enjoying this enormously. The guy was definitely squirming.
‘So, how’s your project going then?’ asked Brett.
Nick felt a bit more comfortable at this point and he relaxed slightly, talking about how things were progressing sounding very enthusiastic about things. Talking about promising results and so on, it all sounded very impressive.
‘Well that’s great Nick, pleased to hear you sound so positive about things, but there is obviously quite a way to go with BQ-896 and we need to keep pushing to make sure we have other compounds coming along in case that falls by the wayside.’
‘Sure, sure,’ nodded Nick sagely.
‘So I want you to make sure you form a really effective team with Billie, you must make sure you direct all your efforts towards the project.’
Nick was listening carefully, he began to wonder where all this was heading. Had Billie said something unfavourable about him?
Brett continued. ‘Well now that I’m at the helm it’s like a new phase for the company, Matt did wonders for BioQex but now he’s gone and I will probably want to run things a bit differently than Matt. He was a bit laid back in some aspects, particularly with regard to certain behaviours he had tolerated from staff.’
What Nick didn’t realise was that Brett had asked Amanda to send him Nick’s file containing his appraisals from the last three years, and in it was clearly stated that Nick had a tendency to spend too much time speculating or gossiping, it meant he could be easily distracted. Brett had thought this was a euphemism for “annoying busybody.” He’d formed that opinion of him when he’d seen him in Bells Wine Bar that fateful night.
‘Do you follow me, Nick?’ he asked fixing him with an icy stare.
‘Yes, I think so,’ replied Nick extremely quietly.
‘There is plenty for you to concentrate on here with your science without spending any time on reading too much into what others are doing. After all, there are plenty of scientists from StourMed looking for jobs at the moment, as I’m sure you know,’ and he smiled again at Nick who was most certainly not smiling. They both sat in silence for a few moments.
Then suddenly Brett slapped his palms down on the table making Nick jump.
‘Well thanks for your time, I’m sure you’ve lots to get on with, I won’t keep you.’
‘Thanks,’ replied Nick, standing up and steadying himself with the edge of the table. He started to leave feeling stupefied at the conversation, he was definitely being threatened, the message was clear, any rumours particularly involving Brett and he would be out on his ear on no doubt some trumped up charges of not performing well enough in his job. This was unbelievable.
‘Oh, one thing before you go, how do you feel about organising a little social get together, sometime in the next couple of weeks. I’d like to meet all of the staff in more informal surroundings, do you know any nice pubs or bars that would be suitable?’
Nick was sorely tempted to suggest Bells Wine Bar but held himself in check. He was seething, one minute he was being told to concentrate on his job, the next he was being Brett’s secretary and organising a social get together, what a cheek!
‘That sounds a good idea,’ he said with little enthusiasm. ‘I’ll give it some thought.’
‘Before you organise anything, check with Amanda, I’ll let her know when I’m free.’
So that was the meeting over. Nick wished he’d had the courage to ask why Amanda couldn’t the organise the jolly get together. But he’d got the message. Brett was giving him clear signals but not in so many words that he recognised him from Bells Wine Bar. Perhaps he’d endured some uncomfortable questioning by the police, well good, thought Nick, he deserved it. Dr Chandler you are a two-faced scheming bastard, he thought and I don’t like you one little bit. Despite those words of bravado to himself, Nick was seriously rattled, this could mean that if he put a foot wrong or even if he didn’t his career at BioQex could be over much sooner than he intended. Nick headed to the gents’ toilets with an extreme urgency for the second time that morning.
