"Wayland. Are you finished testing those blood samples yet?"

Rohan looked up from his microscope. His leg shook a little as he nodded to Jack Benny.

Jack grinned. "Good, because I've got something I want you to look at."

Rohan got up and followed Jack across the lab.

"We've got some unusual readings on this Epstein Barr Virus Titer Test," Jack said. "The doctor wants to know of any possible reason for the abnormally high Viral Capsid Antigen Number IgM and the Epstein Bar Nuclear Antigen Number IgG results, combined with normal results in the Early Antigens number IgG and Viral Capsid Antigen Number IgG tests. You got any ideas?" Jack sneered and scratched his head adding, "Because I haven't got a clue."

Rohan pushed his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose and pulled the page of test results towards him and read. When he was finished, he folded his arms over his chest and babbled, "Ah... has... um... the doctor said what other symptoms the... ah... patient presents with?"

Jack nodded and pulled another sheet of paper from the folder. "Yeah... severe weakness, malaise, lassitude, muscular pain and, very intense sinus pain. The doc has sent him for just about every test going and come up with nothing." He slid the list of symptoms and tests across the desk and watched as Rohan unfolded his arms and swept his eyes over the pages of information.

Jack knew, even if others didn't, for all the unusual behavioural traits Rohan Wayland displayed, he was the smartest person in the lab.

Clearing his throat, Rohan shuffled from one foot to the other. He sucked in a breath of air. He knew this stuff and told himself there was nothing to be afraid of. Jack would listen to what he had to say. "The IgM will rise early when the... ah... body is producing antibodies to fight offending antigens, and EBV is... ah... also associated with lymphoproliferative disorders and various tumours. Because he's had most of the... ah... tests for common illnesses and is complaining of sinus pain I would suggest he should be... ah... tested for Burkitt Lymphoma and Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma."

Taken aback, Jack frowned and gave Rohan a questioning look. "They're rare and not normal for this country."

Rohan shrugged and looked away. He clawed at the fabric of his jumper and wished they just left him to do his job. He murmured, "There have been cases."

Jack couldn't understand this man's lack of confidence. He had never known him to be wrong. He grinned and nodded, slapped Rohan on the back, and gathered the pages of information together. "I'll bet money you're on the right track." Jack paused and studied Rohan's face. "I think you're wasted here, Wayland. You should move into research or forensics instead of this mundane shit."

Making his way back to his desk, Rohan heard Bill Peters chuckle. "What did the nerd come up with?"

Jack scowled, "The nerd may have just saved a man's life, Peters, and if you don't watch yourself, you might find you answer to him one day."

Bill glared across the room and focused on Rohan's back. Answer to him? God the man couldn't even speak. Bill curled his lower lip. He'd seen the way Sally had thrust her breasts in front of Wayland yesterday, and though he knew she did it to get a reaction he wouldn't put it past her to get Wayland into bed just so she could taunt him about it. Bill had other plans for Sally Parks and they didn't include the pathology lab's biggest weirdo dipping his test tube into her, in any way, shape or form.

He got up from his desk and made his way across the room. At Rohan's work bench, he paused to study what was on it, an intricate hand-drawn diagram of the chemical structure of DNA, chromosomes, and genomes which Jack had assigned Wayland to produce for the next molecular biology seminar to be held in Sydney, while he Bill, was stuck testing people's piss for urinary tract infections.

Bill ground his teeth. An idea struck him. Jack thought too much of Wayland. Let the bastard find out what a real sap Wayland was. He went to the storage cupboard and half-filled a beaker with some of the Isopropyl alcohol they used to clean the microscope lens, and headed back to Rohan's desk.

"Hey, this is pretty good, Wayland. I bet it took some time to draw." Bill leaned across the desk, pretending to study the chart, and placed his beaker of alcohol nearby. He turned to Rohan, who was standing at the filing cabinet, and smiled. "How many charts did you have to draw?"

Rohan wasn't sure what he was up to, but the Bill Peters he knew never took any notice of him, let alone paid him compliments. "Six."

"So this is the last of them?"

Rohan nodded. Before he could do anything about it, Bill's hand came up, and knocked the alcohol onto the drawing. Rohan rushed forward.

"Oh damn! I'm sorry about that, Rohan." Bill smirked and added, "I hope it's not ruined." He lifted the dripping chart and started to blow on it.

Rohan's heart beat faster but he didn't say anything. He took his drawing hoping to salvage it. He'd be up for nights to get this last one done again for Jack on time.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Rohan. I'll redraw it if you like."

Rohan scowled. Like hell. There was no way he'd hand over a job, which was assigned to him, to Peters.

"What was that, Rohan? You don't want me to?"

Rohan tucked his head down, and draped his drawing across the top of his filing cabinet to dry.

"Don't really get why Jack assigned that job to you anyway," Bill said with a huff. "Are you sure you got that chromosome the right shape? It looks all over the place to me."

Rohan directed his face to the floor.

"Yeah, that'd be right," Bill snickered. "You hang your head because you deserve everything you get."

Photo taken from istock photo