Chapter 4

Rainee never released the recording.

Not because she changed her mind. She realized the Oversight Office's corrective order clearly required standardized scheduling. Every instruction I gave was backed by that document.

She couldn't find a hole in it.

So she found another angle.

At ten that morning, Rainee posted a new update on social media. The image was a screenshot from the ER group chat.

The caption was one sentence:

[This is retaliation. They're pulling interns off the front line and blocking us from clinical work for three months. This is what one of the top hospitals looks like.]

Then she added another comment herself:

[I recorded it. If Dr. Altman keeps pushing this, I'll release the recording.]

Within ten minutes, the post hit trending.

Because someone reposted it.

MedWorldInsider.

A medical influencer with two million followers.

His caption read:

[This hospital's Dr. Amelia Altman might be the harshest attending I've ever seen. One complaint about the flexible scheduling system and she shuts the whole thing down. Interns get kicked into classroom study. They're calling it "corrective action," but let's be real—she's pushing interns off the front line. If this isn't retaliation, what is?]

Someone commented: [Who even is Dr. Altman?]

MedWorldInsider replied: [One of the top ER specialists in Borevia State. Rumor is she was supposed to be the next chair of the Borevia Emergency Medicine Board. After this? That seat's probably gone.]

I set my phone down and rubbed my temples.

Dr. Bishop stood in the doorway, gripping his phone.

"Dr. Altman, what do we do now?"

"Is the surgical schedule out?"

"Yes." He handed me a printout. "Four elective surgeries tomorrow, plus ER backup coverage. We're short-staffed."

"How short?"

"With twelve interns pulled from the floor? We're down at least six people under fixed scheduling."

"What about the residents?"

"They're overloaded too. Three are rotating through the ICU this month, two are in anesthesia."

I scanned the schedule. "Adjust Dr. Lowe's cases. He only worked two night shifts last month. Add more this month."

Dr. Bishop hesitated. "Dr. Lowe came to me earlier. Said his back's acting up. He can't stand for long surgeries."

"His back?"

"He says it's a herniated disc. Brought a doctor's note."

"When did this happen?"

"This morning."

I smiled. "What about Dr. Reed?"

"Dr. Reed says his wife's pregnant again. He has to drive their oldest to preschool, so he can't work nights. Their second baby was born last year. He said this one was an accident."

I set the schedule down.

"Fine. I'll handle it."

"Dr. Altman, tomorrow's surgeries—"

"I'll take them."

"All four?"

"Three. One belongs to Dr. Lowe. He can do his own case. If his back hurts, he can sit. Laparoscopic surgery can be done seated."

Dr. Bishop opened his mouth, then thought better of it.

As he turned to leave, I stopped him. "Did Rainee come in today?"

"No. She said her 'mental state isn't good' and she needs rest."

"Doctor's note?"

"No. Just a message in the chat app."

I nodded.

"Let her rest."

***

At two p.m., Medical Affairs called.

"Dr. Altman, Rainee Poole filed a complaint with us. She says removing her from frontline clinical work affects her residency training. She's requesting reinstatement."

"Tell her to submit it in writing."

"She already did. She also attached an audio file—"

"Of what?"

"The message you posted in the ER group chat. She's calling it a 'threat.'"

"What do you think?"

A two-second pause.

"Dr. Altman, honestly, the message itself isn't really an issue. But her request to return to clinical duties? That's harder for us to deal with."

"You don't need to deal with it. Let her wait."

"Wait for what?"

"For her to stand by every word she's said."

I hung up.

The sky outside had gone gray.

The livestreamer was still parked outside the ER. He'd switched locations and was now standing beneath the inpatient wing, camera pointed at the surgical building windows.

My phone buzzed.

Patrick.

[Dr. Altman, Dr. Grant asked me to pass along a message.]

I replied: [What message?]

[You changed things too fast. Someone upstairs thinks this is 'malicious compliance.']

I set the phone down.

Malicious compliance?

No.

I was just making everyone see the reality.

Without all that "slave labor," who exactly was supposed to run these surgeries?