Arianna looked left and right, making sure she wasn't followed before entering the animal clinic. One might ask why she looks around suspiciously? Well, that was because this wasn't just an ordinary animal clinic.
Although the "closed" sign was at the entrance, she got in with ease. There was nobody present even with the door light on, but Arianna knew her boss, Ruth was around else she wouldn't have called her in the first place.
Walking the empty rooms of the brightly lit organized clinic, Arianna came to a door that required her biometric and she pressed her finger against the scanner. Soon, there was a beep as her identity was confirmed and the door opened, letting her in.
Arianna came into an operating room and a furrow marked her features. She dropped her back on a desk and strode inside the room angrily, "I thought I told you that I'm done with this...." the girl trailed off when her gaze rested on the man lying on the surgical table.
"Holy mother of God," She muttered, her shocked gaze taking him in.
From the look of things, there was a shot to his abdomen and another on his shoulder and he was bleeding profusely. Although he was trying hard not to show he was in distress, she could tell he was in a lot of pain from his distorted expression.
"F*ck," Arianna cursed and hurried over to his side, beginning to add pressure to his wound.
"What the fuck is Ruth doing? How can she leave you like this? Unless she left you here to bleed out and die! That crazy old woman!" She didn't know what to do.
Arianna was not a medical student but she was ambidextrous and had picked on a lot of skills and read lots of books during schooling. It was by sheer luck that she found herself working in this animal clinic and Ruth, taken by her intelligence, taught her a lot of things. If only she knew the woman was not teaching her to treat animals, but humans - her illegal side job.
As you can guess already, her boss, Ruth, used the façade of an animal clinic to treat criminals who are unable to go to the hospital due to the police. To be precise, they treated any wound that required the law's attention.
How did Arianna become her partner in crime? Well, blame it on that night where she forgot her property here. Arianna had intended to go get it even though it was late at night nor did she premeditate that she would bump into her boss, Ruth who stared at her with bloodied hands.
Arianna wanted to think that she had been treating one of the animals and things went wrong. However, there was no animal scheduled for surgery nor was it an emergency, else the owners of the pet would be in the waiting room. Also, why would Ruth perform surgery all alone? She would surely need a helping hand.
What then? Had she killed someone?
That single thought chilled her bone and Arianna unconsciously took a step back which Ruth noticed.
The woman then said to her, "Follow me if you want your answers," and began to walk in the direction of the door she had bound her workers from entering.
A few times Arianna had seen the cleaner cleaning that room and from the mess in there, Arianna surmised that it was Ruth's practice room. After all, doctors did lots of research, right? So she never went snooping into that room until that very moment.
At first, Arianna had thought, What if she was taking her to a secret room where she would murder her?
So she was cautious in following the woman and kept a huge space from her in case her boss suddenly turned and struck her. But Arianna didn't have to worry for long because she was introduced to the injured man on the table and from thence henceforth, became an assistant to the criminal doctor.
It wasn't until later that Arianna gave up on the job, it was too risky and unlawful - she didn't want to go to prison if things went wrong. She could imagine the joy on the faces of her uncle's family if such a thing does happen.
However, there was a perk to making friends with criminals as well, she gained protection, alongside learning some pretty handy skills from them.
Truthfully, the job paid well and wasn't all that bad - until something eventually happens. She had to think about her future and Arianna doesn't see her future heading down that dark junction.
"Well, that crazy old woman heard you quite well," a voice said from behind.
Lo, and behold, Arianna saw the one and only Ruth come out of another room connected to the operating room. That was their stock room and Ruth coming out of there meant she had gone to find something. Unfortunately, she had nothing in her hand. This was bad.
Unlike the fact she called her, "old" Ruth wasn't old at all, if anything, she looked quite young for a woman at forty. Ruth had bouncy black curls that she had put into a ponytail and wore her doctor's lab coat. She had average height and always wore this smile on her face - she used to deceive those ignorant of her capabilities.
Arianna went over to her, "I told you that I'm done with this. I don't want any part of this life anymore. I'm out!"
"Well," Ruth answered calmly as if Arianna was merely a child throwing a tantrum, "I did hear you quite clearly. But unfortunately, ever since you left this life behind, I've been understaffed and unable to find a replacement like you,"
"That is none of my business!" Arianna said through gritted teeth, "You've been doing it all by yourself before I even arrived, you can do it tonight," she reminded her.
"Unfortunately, not tonight's,"
"What?"
"I need your help for tonight's case because my client over there is about to undergo surgery without propofol and you know I can't do that all by myself," She narrated.
Arianna winced at that realization of what was about to happen, whoever that client is was about to encounter a night full of excruciating pain.