Page 62 of Ruled By Fate

“You completed your BLS and ACLS back in Georgia?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“How did you do?”

“Full marks.”

“It’s in your file?”

“It is.”

“You completed the online orientation last week, correct?”

“Correct.”

Denise held up two DVDs. “You need to watch this video about hospital policies and this one from HR about how to not be a racist idiot. Come find me afterward, and we’ll start checking skills off your list.”

She inserted one disc and pressed play, then turned on her heel, clicked off the lights, and left Brie in the darkened room.

Brie stared at the screen as a chipper, forty-something brunette in office wear, walked past the enormous brick facade of the hospital. “Welcome to Daya Memorial Hospital,” she said with a saccharine smile. “Congratulations on becoming a part of our team. Today, we will explore the policies and procedures that will ensure a safe and productive working environment.”

Brie had always been a conscientious student, a habit that wasn’t about to stop now. She took a journal and pen from her backpack and started taking notes while sporadically eating her lunch.

An hour later, the video finally showed signs of winding down.

Brie’s hand was cramped, and her back was seizing up. She wished she’d been telling the truth yesterday, and she did know some magical yoga move to relax her back and limbic system.

“Thank you for your attention, and welcome to the Daya Memorial family.”

Thank the gods.

She stood and stretched her arms as high as she could, interlacing her fingers and spinning side to side at her waist to release her spine. When she was finished, she threw away the remains of her lunch and put her notes in her backpack before taking the DVD out of the player. She was about to insert the next one when it slipped from her fingers and rolled under the conference table.

“Typical,” she muttered and got down on all fours to look for it.

It was all the way at the other end. Sighing and thanking her stars that this was at least a private moment of disgrace, she crawled under the table to retrieve it.

That’s when the door opened, and the lights clicked on.

She froze in a moment of mindless panic, then jumped in her skin.

“This isn’t what I agreed to.”

Her heart stopped, then started beating double time. It had only been a day, but she’d recognize that oily, weaselly voice anywhere. Dr. Matthews.

Before she could even register her dismay or choose to reveal herself, the sound of high heels clicked into the room, followed by a silken female voice. “It’s adorable that you think you’re in any position to dictate terms.”

“This is a child. There are limits—”

The woman laughed. The sound of it chilled Brie to her core. It was like someone playing a xylophone made of bones. Even its softness was dangerous and predatory. Her shoes clicked closer to Dr. Matthews as she continued with low, unconcerned menace.

“What delicate sensibilities you have. What irrelevant distinctions. You’ll do this, but not that. Him, but not her. As though the specifics in any way affect the bottom line. As if any degree of rationalization will change what you’ve chosen to become.”

Brie looked up and saw the reflection of their profiles on the darkened television. The woman was blonde and beautiful in a way that was obvious, even in the blurred dark mirroring of the screen. Something about her seemed terrifyingly familiar.

Matthews was shaking with fear. A drop of sweat dripped from his head and hit the ground with a soft plunk. But it seemed he wasn’t done just yet. “I’ll be no good to you if I’m caught.”

The woman smiled, or more accurately, showed her teeth. “My dear Jonathan, please do not suffer under the misapprehension that you are in any way indispensable. Now, will you collect what I asked for, or do you require another demonstration?”

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