Chapter 1: Introduction
"You're late, Ms. Doe."
Nurse Jane Doe glanced up at the receptionist with a smirk as she swung her long, powerful legs over the chair, "Clocks are for the weak."
The receptionist sighed and shook their head at her, pushing a stack of papers across the desk. "Your new charge arrived this afternoon. You're to start training immediately."
Training? Not exactly her cup of tea.
Jane had always preferred to be on the receiving end of things, but orders were orders. She snatched the papers from the receptionist and scanned them as she strode down the sterile, gray-tiled halls.
Patient 017: Mary Smith. Failed to meet the standards of the nursing program at her previous institution. The file detailed her failures, but Jane didn't waste her time reading it. She couldn't care less about the past mistakes of her new charge. All that mattered was what they could accomplish together.
Jane arrived at the surgical suite, where 017 was already waiting for her, strapped to the operating table. Mary, she corrected herself. The name on the file, although she was sure the woman before her was no stranger to being treated like just another number.
Mary looked up at Jane, her eyes wide with fear. Good, Jane thought. Fear meant obedience, and obedience would make for a much smoother training process.
"Let's begin, shall we?" Jane said, in her most soothing voice as she approached the table.
"You're in good hands now."
Mary whimpered, her eyes tracing the cold, sterile instruments that lined the walls of the surgical suite. Her breathing was shallow and rapid; Jane could see the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"I-I don't want to do this." Mary's voice was barely above a whisper.
Jane chuckled, "Oh, don't worry. This won't be like anything you've experienced before."
She reached for a pair of latex gloves, snapping them on with a satisfying snap.
"We're going to start with a little exploration, Mary. Just a small taste of what's to come."
Jane approached the table, her eyes locked on Mary's. She could see the fear, the resistance, but she knew that in order to help Mary, she had to break her down.
She placed her hands on Mary's shoulders, feeling the tension in the muscles beneath her fingers. Jane began to knead the muscles, working out the knots and tension.
Mary's breathing started to steady, her body responding to Jane's touch.
"But first, a little introduction."
She leaned over Mary, close enough for her warm breath to tickle the woman's ear. "I'm Nurse Jane Doe, and I'm in charge here. You will address me as 'Nurse Doe' or 'Ma'am', understood?"
Mary nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Jane's.
"Good." Jane straightened up and gestured to the instruments on the wall. "These are just a few of the things we'll be using during your training.