Gabriela sat at the edge of the hard molded plastic seat. The thinning linoleum pitted with the imprints of thin heels, worn in ruts from the impression of gurney wheels. The hard plastic chair dug into the back of her knees as she waited; desperately clutching her envelope of paperwork as she waited on the hiring manager.
Overhead one of the fluorescent lights flickered in painful staccato while humming just loudly enough to push past the background droning of administrative workers going through their daily tasks. The mixture of typewriter keys snaping, the chime as the paper reached the edge of the typing surface only to be shoved back.
Nervously, her leg bounced ever so slightly, rubbing the back of her knee against the chair as she stared forward, focused on the door labelled Human Resources. The packet of paperwork felt heavy in her lap, and even so she held it tightly afraid that if her grip loosened it would disappear.
Three other new hires sat along the wall; their species unidentifiable at first glance. None of them spoke, just staring forward as they waited their turn to interview for their positions.
"Ms. Baker?" The door finally opened and out stepped a woman who appeared to be middle aged, her brown hair laced with lines of silver, and coiled into a tidy bun at the nape of her neck. Her slacks, mock turtleneck sweater, and low heels put together the appearance of any other corporate America office worker.
The inside of the office was as worn and unmaintained as the exterior; with the once oatmeal colored carpets being a more off brown and bald in spots. The walls, with their dingy off white color were plastered in a combination of the mandatory OSHA and Federal Wage disclaimers, motivational posters, and professional certifications.
"Yes, a pleasure to meet you." Gabriela offered her hand to the woman, put off as she stepped back and just motioned for her to take a seat in yet another chair. This one at least had some padding along the back and seat, the arms were still a harder plastic.
Confused at the strange greeting compared to what she was accustomed to from her former life, Gabriela took her seat. The packet of papers once more settled in her lap, clutched between her hands.
"We don't normally hire your kind." Gabriela forced herself to remain placid at the tone of disgust and rancor in the other woman's voice. A quick glance gave her a name to go with the stern face across from her, Anna Nolan, was not a fan of whatever Gabriela had been turned into.
"You certainly.." Ms. Nolan continued her statement, the rancor in her voice lead Gabriela into believing the words that would follow were not going to be the politely crouched phrases of the corporate world.
"It wasn't my choice" Gabriela interrupted the woman. Something about disparaged for just existing rankled on a deeper level. "I did not choose be murdered and the saved into this." Gabriela rose, from the chair.
Decisively, Gabriela dropped the packet of paperwork onto the woman's desk. The soft thud felt satisfying as she turned to walk away while the indomitable Ms. Nolan stood stunned that a lowly new hire would talk back, would even push back, more so one of Gabriela's despised species.
"Ms. Baker, this is certainly not." Anna finally found her voice as Gabriela turned towards the door.
"Professional?" Gabriela paused to look over her shoulder at the older woman. The poster woman for toxic work culture stamped on every thin line, every yellowing tobacco stain on her fingertips and teeth, in that moment she became the visible representation of all those closed doors, all the rejections in her former life.
"No, I suppose it is not. It isn't professional either to one's circumstance of birth against them either despite their qualifications." She opened the door stopping abruptly before marching out. Her eyes widened in surprise at the person on the other side of the door.
"I didn't miss you then." Callum started before seeing the furious expression stamped over her features. The expression at odds from the woman he knew and had experienced thus far that he gently pushed her back into the office; rendering Gabriela speechless as he closed the door gently behind him. She didn't fail to notice how Ms. Nolan also took a step back behind her desk; as if it were a barricade between herself and Callum.
"Mr. Fox, always a pleasure to see you. We weren't expecting you this evening, and I believe Ms. Baker was just on her way out." Her hands pressed to the desk in front of her as she slowly lowered herself back into the office chair. The subtle tension in the woman's shoulders belayed the false confidence in her voice.
Gabriela stood there, trapped between Callum and the desk in the small office. With no escape all she could do was stand there with her arms crossed trying to avoid any further conflict or embarrassing outbursts.
"Was she?" His tone made it clear that he found it doubtful that Gabriela was doing so on a whim. When he turned his attention towards her, Gabriela pressed her hands in front of her, clasping them to hide away emotions as she stood in the suddenly too small office for personalities much larger than her own.
"Usually it takes much longer to go through the onboarding process." The observation was strange to hear from someone who did not appear to actually work at the underground hospital.
"It does.." Ms. Nolan started even as Gabriela parted her lips to gather a breath to reply suddenly feeling guilty for her outburst. Callum had helped her and she was embarrassing him with her pride.
In the past she hadn't been bothered by being looked down on for her age, appearance, or mixed heritage but now in this office being disparaged for a fate she already resented; that had been too much for her to stand.
"I was.." Gabriela managed to slide in as she attempted to slip between Callum and the desk towards the door. The curl of his fingers around her wrist caused her to pause. A faint blush stained her cheeks as she looked up to meet his eyes; the unspoken question in them enough to make her square up her body language.
"I see." He looked back at the hiring manager for a moment as if reading the air between the two women.
"And it wouldn't have anything to do with Ms. Nolan would it?" Now Gabriela felt guilty as he eyes narrowed and even her untrained nose was able to pick up the acrid scent of fear that suddenly tainted the air.
Whatever species Ms. Nolan represented it was lower on the food chain than Callum, but perceived herself above Gabriela's kind. However the pecking order shook out, Gabriela felt a small tinge of guilt for being part of causing any fear in the woman.
"No, just hiring policies of the hospital. They don't have the accommodations needed for my species to work here as Ms. Nolan was explaining." The truth was tainted with just the faintest hint of a lie and yet she felt like he could read right through her excuse. The way his lips pursed just so slightly as if in thought, the fact that his fingers curled just a tiny bit tighter to prevent her escape.
"Nothing that Ms. Nolan and her team couldn't figure out; as I am certain she would have told you." Callum interjected before bending over to pick up Gabriela's hiring packet off the woman's desk.
Confused at the small interplay between the two Gabriela shifted where she stood uncomfortably. The power play between the two of them felt long established and held undercurrents that Gabriela could feel but not put her inexperienced finger on.
"Yes, I was about to tell Ms. Baker just that." The woman suddenly capitulated. Gabriela heard, rather than saw, papers rustle on the woman's desk as she fished around for a schedule along with the other paperwork needed to complete the process of onboarding.
"Your schedule. You start next week on Wednesday. The second form is the dress code along with code of conduct. Also a map of the facility." The turn in tone finally broke through to Gabriela causing her to look at the woman just in time to take the papers thrust her way.
"Thank you.." The words were a trained response of years of manners being literally beat into her growing up. Authority figures were given an almost reflexive reflex even if moments ago she had been ready to throw the paperwork in the woman's face.
The offered paperwork was taken before Gabriela looked back towards the door then back up at Callum. A soft clearing of her throat broke the stare down he was having with the hiring manager.
"Good, since this is settled; I will be happy to show Ms. Baker around." At least he had released her wrist before he turned towards the door, not waiting for her to trail behind him like a puppy. Somehow, by the sheer disbelief of what had occurred, Gabriela managed not to roll her eyes as she trailed behind since there wasn't another route out.
Once out she walked along side him, silent as she processed the events of the last twenty minutes. How close her pride had come to costing her this job and the funds to start figuring out an escape.
"What happened?" Callum broke the pregnant silence between them as they entered a deserted hallway. His hand gentle as he grabbed her wrist when she would have continued walking.
Gabriela frowned at the action, her brow furrowing as conflicting thoughts and emotions rolled through her. Annoyance bordering on anger that he had interfered, gratitude for the same interference, and contentment as keeping his company.
"She doesn't like my kind I guess." Gabriela's voice was soft, breathed into the air as she worked through her emotions before finally glaring up at him.
"Now she is going to think even worse of me, beyond just whatever is wrong with my species. Now, I won't be considered on my own merit." The last words were hissed with frustration. She had wanted to prove her place based on skills, training, and knowledge. Now the hiring manager would place her as a hire only made by whatever weight Callum held at the hospital.
Ire cut off as she found herself pressed against the wall caged by his arms on either side of her head. So close she could feel the muscular lines of his body as he leaned closer. Surprise took over as her hands lifted to press flat against his chest, giving a small barrier between their bodies.
"I take care of what is mine, Gabriela." His lips were close enough she could feel the movement of them next to her cheek with each word.
"And make no mistake, you are mine." His hand lifted enough to brush his fingertips along the soft line of her cheek, before catching his fingers under her chin to tip her face up. The words were her undoing, a claim that wasn't about cruelty or duty, but something else. He had no need for her and yet there he was, making it clear in some way she was precious to him. In that moment he stole even more of her heart.
"Is that so?" She couldn't resist teasing him softly.
"It is." The crooked grin he offered was too endearing and impulsively she rose on her tip toes to press her lips to his, closing the distance between their mouths. Sweet and innocent the kiss was over before it started as she dropped back to the flat of her feet.
"I could think of worse fates." That stated she ducked under his arm to slide away from the wall, on the mission to collect the items needed for her first day of work.
Callum let her slide away watching her with bemused expression before catching up to walk along side her. Outside of her slightly flushed cheeks and the hint of a grin twitching at the corner of her mouth, they appeared only acquaintances.
Hope set its root deep into her heart.
Finally, things were starting to look up.