Nothing more aggravating for analytical types like us than not having all the pieces. Are they or aren't they? It sure sounds like they (evil LA boss) have it in for you, but maybe it is still at the office politics stage.

How about trying, as Bug sometimes calls it, radical acceptance, to help you cope with the whipsawed feeling until you have more data? Either they are or they aren't, so for the time being, grind away at the damned job as efficiently as you can, and try not to let their stepfordness crawl under your skin.

This advice doesn't help when you want badly to tell them to take a flying leap, but since you need the severance, try to take a perverse joy in making it as hard on them to part with you as possible.

Best of luck, I know this situation sucks (I'm a workplace rep for our "association" with the gov and I see this sort of thing often enough).