Winter Flower: Bloom for the Alpha

I glanced at her name tag.

"Sharon, the system froze after you scanned my e-wallet code. I never touched the register."

She leaned against the counter. "You said it yourself. It froze after scanning your code. That makes you the problem. Why else would it work for everyone but you?"

I couldn't believe it, but a few customers nodded.

"I shop here all the time, and this has never happened. It has to be her phone."

"Exactly. I've lived around here for five years, and the system's always worked fine."

My face burned, but I didn't have time for this.

I lifted one leg over the gate when Owen called again.

"Dr. Andersen, we stopped the adults' bleeding, but we can't control the child's."

"Start a transfusion and monitor his vitals. I'm on my way."

I pocketed my phone and swung my other leg over the gate.

When I looked up, two men blocked my path.

"Elliot. Luke. You're here." Sharon Jarman greeted them like old friends.

She dragged Elliot, the technician, over and pointed at me. "She's the one who broke the checkout system. There's definitely something sketchy on her phone."

Elliot glanced at me, then bent over the register.

Luke, the bald security guard, frowned and reached for my arm.

"What are you doing?" I dodged him.

He was way bigger than me. I wasn't getting past him by force.

I yanked my hospital ID from my bag.

"I'm a thoracic surgeon at Norridge Hospital. I have an emergency surgery. I need to leave now!"

I held up my ID for everyone to see.

The whispers died down. Even Luke hesitated.

I set the same ten-dollar bill on the counter.

"I'm not trying to leave without paying, and I never touched the register—"

Sharon snatched my ID before I could finish.

"Who says you didn't change your story after getting caught?

"You've been messing with your phone this whole time. Probably deleting evidence."

She held my ID up to the light. "Look, everyone. This thing's brand-new. It's obviously fake!"

I'd just moved back from overseas and started at the hospital last month, so the ID had just been issued.

Explaining that would be pointless.

I reached for it.

"Oh? Guess I was right. Look how desperate she is."

Smirking, Sharon handed my ID to a middle-aged woman in line.

"Miss, you're looking at theft, property damage, fraud... You could spend years in prison."

My ID got passed from hand to hand while Luke planted himself in front of the exit.

The minutes kept ticking.

Cold sweat soaked my back.

The longer that metal stayed lodged in the patients' chests, the worse their odds got.

I couldn't wait.

I spotted a gap beside Luke and made a break for it.

I slammed right into him.

Before I could lose it, Elliot stood up.

"Sharon, the system's rebooted. Try it again."