Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(7)

I would have—if they'd let me.

They didn't. I was wheeled straight to the elevator on the first floor, and then driven into my suite on the third floor. The only thing I was thankful for was that the cafeteria lay on the opposite end of the Mansion, next to the gym and workout facility.

Two suites near mine were unoccupied, and I was grateful. I needed quiet to write, not the sounds of constant foot traffic outside my door. As it was, I figured I'd have enough people knocking on my door for official reasons, and that made me nervous.

The first knock came ten minutes after I was deposited in my new suite—one of the nurses from the Mansion's med-unit stood outside my door, a syringe in her hand and orders to give me a sedative.

"I don't want that," I said, backing away as she strode purposely into my room.

"I have orders from Dr. Shaw to give it to you."

"Then I owe Dr. Shaw a kick in the ass."

"You can give me a hip voluntarily, or I can call someone to hold you down."

"You enjoy this, don't you?" I wanted to take another step back but didn't. A second panic attack threatened, and that would be disastrous.

"It's my job. Turn around." She waved a packet containing an alcohol wipe in her free hand—the one not holding the syringe—indicating that I ought to turn and drop trou. I turned and dropped trou.

"Now, the bedroom's this way," she took my elbow after jabbing me with the needle. "You'll have your furniture and personal things tomorrow. Tonight, you get military bedding."

It didn't matter what kind of bedding I got; she shoved me onto the bed and in five minutes, I was asleep. I barely had time to kick off my shoes before passing out. The Nasty Nurse of the North didn't even bother to cover me up.





Chapter 3

Dear Dr. Shaw, I question your choice of sedative, the strength of same and those instructed to deliver it.

Sincerely, Corinne.

Corinne, what happened?

Shaw.

Dear Dr. Shaw, I slept for sixteen hours, nobody checked on me (that I know of) during that time and I almost peed my pants trying to make it to the bathroom when I woke up. The state of my dress, the frigidity of my skin and the dandelion-look to my hair attest to the unprofessional manner I was left on the military bedding* supplied in my suite.

*Their term, not mine.

Sincerely, Corinne.

I'll have a word with the nurse.

Shaw.

Dear Dr. Shaw, I don't think one word will suffice.

Sincerely, Corinne.

"Are we incensed?" August stood outside my door, copies of my e-mail correspondence with Dr. Shaw held ominously aloft in his left hand.

"Incensed is insufficient. I refer you to any thesaurus. I pray the military has seen fit to purchase at least one for the use of its several divisions?"

Yeah, I was pissed. I'd just gotten out of the shower, there were no towels in the bathroom, I'd been forced to use kitchen towels to dry off and then I had to dress in the same clothes I'd worn the night before because my things still hadn't arrived.

I figured they'd gotten lost in New Jersey, somewhere. My hair was wet, it was sixty-nine degrees inside my suite and I couldn't find a thermostat anywhere to make it warmer.

"My skin is blue," I held out an arm for Colonel Hunter to see. It was covered in goose pimples, too, but he could see that for himself. "My hair practically has icicles on it," I complained.

"You're on the same centrally-controlled thermostat as the gym," August frowned. "They keep it cooler in there."

"Well, it's sure as hell cooler in here," I sputtered. "Are you coming in or getting out?" I flung up a hand. "We wouldn't want all the frigid, polar temperatures to slip away, now would we?"

"Cori, I get that you're upset. Shaw already called and chewed me a new one." He stepped inside my suite and studied the stark emptiness I'd been assigned with a less than critical eye. "I'd appreciate it if you'd come to me first, from now on. Dragging Shaw into this just complicates matters."

"You weren't the one who ordered the sedative—he did."

"Then demand to see me the next time somebody shows up from the med-unit. I'm in charge of your wellbeing, remember?"

"Sure. I'll let you wrestle the nurse next time. I was as respectful as I could be; she was waving a syringe and making threats."

"What kind of threats?"

"She said if I didn't drop my pants, she'd call somebody to hold me down."

"That's not," August sounded angry for a moment. "I'll go, now." He left without explaining where he was going or what he intended to do when he got there. I hoped he was prepared to tell somebody off for threatening to hold me down. I ought to have a choice whether I accepted a sedative or not; the one I'd gotten was extremely unwelcome.

*

Notes—Colonel Hunter

"Dr. Shaw prescribed a sedative," he snapped.

I stared down the doctor on duty in the med-unit. "Shaw says he prescribed half what you gave her," I snarled back. "The patient was threatened, also something Shaw would have discouraged, and the treatment was completely unprofessional."

"Look, she's on duty at night for a reason—we're not usually needed then," he raked fingers through his hair. "I saw the report. I'm just grateful she didn't bother to lie about it. Her report matches what is on the security video. She isn't a psychiatric nurse, by any stretch."