I smiled, and I wasn’t so pure and good as not to enjoy the uneasy look on his face at my grin. “Which, when it matters, is what’ll count. But in here? When it comes to your health? You'remybitch. So, you can either agree to have a quick, noninvasive check over, and then convincingly lie to my face about following the advice I give you or…I could make it known that you’re not following policy, including not taking the medication that could save you from a heart attack in the middle of a rescue.”
“Are you fucking threatening me?” he asked, drawing up to his full height.
“Why yes, yes I am,” I said, closing the folder and turning to smile at him. “I mean, you could also say I’m blackmailing you, which would be technically correct. But I like to think of this as an intense negotiation to reach a compromise that will make both of us happy.”
“A compromise where you get what you want, you mean.”
“And you get to keep your nose clean, so we both benefit.”
I wondered if he was going to keep pushing the issue as he stared at me before letting out a huff. “Just an exam?”
“Quick, easy, something to jot down for my notes so I know I’m working with…you know, current information.”
His jaw tightened. “Fine…right now?”
“Eh, we’ll give it a couple of days,” I said with a wave of the folder. “I need to get settled in and sort through things, make this place…mine. And hopefully get access to the digital files because as nice as it can be to deal with the classics, I’m not a fan of pen and paper for record keeping.”
His jaw relaxed, and I thought it was funny that this grown man was so goddamn worried about a barely noticeable medicalexam. Sheesh, next I was going to find out he was nervous around needles. “And uh…any shots?”
I should have known.
“I’ll let you know,” I said in amusement. “And I’ll let you know when you need to come see me too.”
“Fine,” he muttered, rubbing his chin. “If there’s anything missing or you need more, you’ll have to let me know until we can get you into the system. And, yeah, welcome to the group.”
He sounded sullen, but sullen was better than stubborn, so I smiled. “I’d say glad to be here, but uh, I’m going to figure out what I’m working with…or not working with before I make that kind of assessment.”
Xander snorted. “Have fun with that. I’ll leave you to it. There’s a sheet with phone numbers on the desk, and an intercom if you need direct contact with me or Cait. There are labels on the system and, uh…yeah.”
I watched him as he awkwardly shifted his weight before grunting and walking away, leaving me to call after him. “I’ll let you know when I need you in here.”
His muttering was incomprehensible, but the tone made me chuckle as I turned and looked around, wondering how much of my work was cut out for me.
XANDER
Leaningagainst the doorway to her office, I eyed Cait. “How’s it going out there?”
“Fine,” she said. “Colin reported back that there was no break or damage done, just a bad sprain. He should be back soon based on his last report. Jake is taking them back to meet the ambulance at the drop-off point.”
“An ambulance for a sprain?” I asked, frowning.
“Better safe than sorry were his words. There was a fall involved.”
“And this isn’t one of ours, right?”
“Yes, Xander. One of ours was hurt in the line of duty and I casually forgot to mention it to you.”
“He let Jake take them?” I asked, flipping the conversation quickly, knowing the scent of danger in the air.
“So it seems,” she said, leaning back in her seat and eyeing me. “He also told me to tell you, if I should see you, that it’s time. I don’t know what that means, and if it involved someone else and not you, I’d be afraid to ask.”
“You should still be afraid.”
“Of what? You?”
I wasn’t stupid enough to answer the way I wanted to. “Do you even know fear?”
“We’ve met,” she said with a smirk. “Now, what was he talking about?”