Superhero Proving Grounds

18:58 Sweet_Misty: I'm not exactly fond of going to see the doctor. It's one of those events that you usually go in finding out bad news or you come out with what you expected... everything is fine. So yes... bad news... or expected news. It does help that Dr Jennifer is so nice though! She's always got a smile and her bed side manner is second to none! Her offices are further away however I'd go twice the distance for her level of professionalism and the way she delivers any news. Even if its not a good prognosis she administers just the right amount sugar to help the medicine go down.

19:01 Sweet_Misty: Taking an Uber to the office takes a bit of time and my boss wasn't exactly happy that I needed the morning to do this but there weren't any other slots available. I've already put this off a bit and if Jennifer is insistent on anything its that you have your regular check ups. No questions. Which means I am in for a little talking to when I get in there. Right... well... let's get this over with. I pay the nice man for the ride and put in a reminder to book a return one as soon as I leave the office before I go on in.

19:04 Sweet_Misty: The path is familiar to me having been my personal preferred physician for a while now. Up the stairs to the second floor and down the hall... and into reception. There's Yvonne behind the desk as usual. "Oh Misty! Good to see you! I got your appointment up right here and the doctor should be right with you shortly. Just have a seat please." With a smile I reply, "Thank you Yvonne! Good to see you too!" I sit in the serviceable reception area in one of the 3 chairs available. The usual coffee table is still there with the medical journal magazines from about 4 months back. Not exactly what I would call stellar entertainment but that's not what I am paying for. It's just a waiting game now until I'm called back. I glance at the magazines... nooo... and pull out my phone to look at the current news and happenings.

19:10 Lead_Scientist: It's been a slow few weeks for capturing heroes and villains to test on, so my superiors have given me a new task to work on. My work with gene splicing makes me an expert on identifying what exactly makes a super.. well.. super, and they want me to test my theories on the common person. Little do they know I've already ran some experiments on myself to varying degrees of success. Once I'm content I have the machine set up properly all I need is a test subject. For this particular one I'll need someone who's extremely good, as my hypothesis is that their bad side will be equally as bad.

19:14 Lead_Scientist: The idea we came up with was that I would pose as a doctor at varying clinics, administering tests to unsuspecting patients and referring the most likely candidates onto myself for further testing. Today I'm at Dr Jen somethings office, and I've just been informed my next patient has arrived. "Oh excellent, have the nurse get her prepped and ready to go, running the initial intake and such and tell her I'll be right in."

19:25 Sweet_Misty: Yvonne, the secretary, comes back from the examination rooms with a clip board. Oh those are never good... even worse reading material than the magazines laid out before me. It's not like its unexpected as I get called up to the desk and handed the clipboard. However there's more here than I expect. "Yvonne? What's... what's all this?", I inquire. "Oh just some additional forms to sign for the care today. Jennifer is out sick today and you'll be seeing a different doctor today." A different doctor? Suddenly my demeanour drops a bit as disappointment is written plainly on my face. "Really? Oh... well... can I reschedule?", it might be worth just waiting. "Well you could but we would have to charge you for just coming through the door. I'd be happy to but its up to you." No... no I decline to do that. First I don't like wasting money and second... I don't want to make whoever is back there feel bad by just cancelling right out from under them.

19:27 Sweet_Misty: I know I wouldn't want that! With a nod and taking up one of the office pens the cup on the desk. Before going back to my chair and crossing my legs. I give the first usual form the usual answers my name, address, and phone number. I also give a general how I feel today explanation and sign the bottom of the intake form before going on to the other forms. What is all this? I don't... I don't have time to read all this... it's... it goes on and on. My eyes scan down for the places to sign and I just knock them out one at a time. It's still Jennifer's office and they wouldn't give me anything that would be unethical... right?

19:34 Lead_Scientist: The secretary gives me a nod and tells me which exam room you're in. I give it a beat.. two.. then I make my way over to the door and knock. I hear your voice cry out and I pop the door open. "Hello Misty? Hi I'm Doctor Jake. Thanks for stopping in today, I'll be filling in for your usual doctor." I hit you with a toothy grin, hoping to disarm you and distract you from the mountain of paperwork in front of you. "Because I'm not your usual doctor there are a few extra forms to fill out, and I'm part of this new holistic health initiative.. blah blah blah.. it's all very standard stuff" I help you by pointing out the last few signatures, my crystal blue eyes meeting your emerald ones momentarily. My hands feel almost unnaturally cold when they brush yours, but maybe I've just washed them.

19:37 Lead_Scientist: I speed through the usual tests - ears, eyes, throat, reflexes etc. all the while making small talk and asking about your general overall health. While I take your blood pressure it's apparent that my hands are just cold, and I laugh about it and make a joke. "Cold hands warm heart am I right?" I flash my winning smile again before seeming to remember something. "Actually, we're working on a way to test goodness. That was one of the things you signed for. Theres a precursor that identifies whether or not you should be referred on to the full test, whether you're extremely good, or extremely not good, both are good for studying! Would you be interested in this no cost demo program? There's no risk, and it would really help me out.."

19:45 Sweet_Misty: The door just pops open suddenly and that's enough to give me a fright! Who is this?! Oh... Oh the doctor! Ok... Jake! Doctor Jake. Ok and... ok he seems pleasant but that grin... mmm... maybe he's just as nervous working with a batch of new patients... at least new for him. I open my mouth to say something but your hand is already on the paperwork pointing out missing places to sign here... here... and here. Everything is moving so fast and I just sign where indicated. Your hand just slides over my own and mine jumps back as though it just touched ice. "Cold hands warm heart am I right?", you say with a laugh. "I... I suppose... I suppose you would know as a doctor. Mmm... a goodness test? Why would... you be looking at goodness? Is that something that can affect my health?" My hand reaches for the paperwork again to peruse the forms again and try to find the one that talks about that. If you let me that is...

19:52 Lead_Scientist: I don't even notice you reaching for the paperwork, I've already gathered it and I place it far out of your reach. "Lie back on this table for me" I guide you up and out of your seat and help you onto the bench. I gently press on your lower abdominal to check your internal organs, then sit you up and listen to your heart and lungs. "It's a predictor of a few different things, it's still so new that we're not exactly sure what it's going to impact.. but we know it's important!" I take off my stethoscope and rummage around in my bag before pulling out what looks like a radar gun. "It's as simple as this, I point and click this device at you and it will tell me how good you are. This little screen.." i turn the device around and shown you the display "gives me more data, but it's still in testing. Mind if I give it a go?"

19:57 Sweet_Misty: The paperwork is taken well out of reach even before I look for it again after your speech. Well... no matter. That stuff is a dime a dozen so to speak. How often do we sign away little rights and privileges nowadays? Pretty much every day at the rate of 27 minutes per signature I would think. Websites have them and every single place asks you to sign on the dotted line for one reason or another. No one wants to get sued now do they? Well... it's so normal now you don't even think about it and now that the forms are gone... out of sight and out of mind. They really go out of mind when your freezing hands touch my sides to help me onto the examination table. "Oh! Oh sorry! Just... your hands! Mmm... ok... this thing? It... doesn't look like anything I have every seen before. What is it going to do? Will it hurt? Does it... have any side effects? What kind of data do you get from it?" I just start hammering out questions that come to mind.

20:05 Lead_Scientist: "Let's see.. it just estimates your GQ, or goodness quotient, the full test will have to be conducted with a specialist. There are no side effects, and the data we receive is just an estimation of the deeds you've done in your life and your potential for good overall! Or evil, but we're not really looking for that. Breach of privacy and all that.." I click the button and green lasers emit, scanning your body from top to bottom and back again before processing the results. "See? Painless!"

20:09 Sweet_Misty: I give another bit of start as you just aim the thing at me and lasers just criss cross over my body from top of my head right down to my toes. I kind of look around and down at myself as this happens... being bathed in green light which doesn't look all that flattering on me if I am honest. After that my eyes come up to look at the doctor... waiting... trying to crane my neck a bit to see what I can see. "So... what does it say? I mean... this is kind of nerve racking as it kind of tells you if you are going to make it into heaven or not... in a nutshell..."

20:13 Lead_Scientist: I chuckle at your remark "no it will likely be used in more of a 'stopping violent crimes before they happen' sort of capacity, helping identify sociopaths and those likely to do harm.. and woah!!" My eyes widen as your results display "I've never seen such a positive readout!" I stand beside you and show you what I'm looking at. 98% likely to do good. "This is remarkable, surely this must be an error... But if it isn't we need to have you take the test with the specialist! I won't take no for an answer!" I'm already finding the information packet for you, where to travel to etc.

20:16 Sweet_Misty: "Wait so... what does that mean? That I won't commit any crimes right? I'm a good citizen and all that! Upstanding! I... I don't know about this..." I get a glance of the display and the 98 on it and that is about it. "Surely they would want someone... nicer? I mean... how many 98% people have you found? Am I really that nice? Are you sure that is right? It just seems... a bit high..." I start to nibble on my bottom lip as you rummage through the papers like you are on a mission. "Maybe you should... try again?"

20:20 Lead_Scientist: As I rummage I turn the gun on you another time, lasers dancing along your flesh as it scans you up and down. I find what I'm looking for with an aha! but I stay down to let the device finish it's scan. The result is the same. "I've never seen anything above a 70%. It's your likelihood to do the right thing, which is incredible." I hand you the packet which has information about where to go, how to do the test etc. "you have to go! Please tell me you will"

20:22 Sweet_Misty: You hand me the packet of information and I look it up and down... flipping though pages. "This is in the city? Where is this at? I mean... this is going to help people right? It's for a good cause? It might make everyone safer... like you said... predict crime?" My green eyes raise up to you as if looking for reassurance. "When... when is the appointment?"

20:38 Lead_Scientist: "you'll find everything you need in that neat little packet I just gave you" I pack up my things, including the clipboard with your signatures signing your life away. "It's for a good cause" I grin over my shoulder as I hold the door open for you. "Have a wonderful day, it was lovely to meet you. I have a good feeling we'll see each other soon.."

20:43 Sweet_Misty: With a grin and a few reassurances you open the door and just... disappear... the door shutting quickly with a sort of finality to it. I'm just sitting there for a moment thinking... was that it? It seemed... quick. I guess its just the way he does things. Well check this check up off the list! I push my tush off the table and and slip out of the examination rooms and over to Yvonne. "Do I make the next appointment with you?" She smiles and just hands me a card with my next check up date. That's how it is... it almost feels like being a captive customer. They always know when you are coming back! Now I have to deal with this new thing now but... sigh... its for a good reason. I'll see to that and see if I can do it when I'm out of work. A weekend would be nice for once. It's a specialist so... maybe! I can hope. Time to get that uber and get back home.