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He was the man who traveled to the decimated new world to provide medical care for the colonists who would make it habitable once again.

I don’t know if he’s going through something that he’s not sharing, or if maybe I was always wrong to idolize him. But he’s been absent, and as he’s technically the only doctor we have, it’s not good.

Riah trots up behind me as I’m approaching room seven. His brown hair is a little longer and messier than usual. His smile reaches his hazel eyes when he reaches me.

“You must be exhausted,” I comment while grabbing a pair of latex gloves from the pocket on the door.

“Yeah, going on 16 hours now.” He grabs his own set along with a face mask.

“You finish these intakes with me and then go home to sleep, alright?”

“Sounds good, boss,” Riah says, then he looks me up and down and smirks.

“What?”

“I was at the theater over the weekend.” He smiles from ear to ear and waggles his brow. I shake my head and laugh through my nose.

“I didn’t know that was your scene, Riah.” He hasn’t said anything, but when we are together outside of work, I always catch him checking out men over women. Maybe he’s like Dean and likes a variety.

Riah is the tallest guy I know; I’m surprised I didn’t see him.

“It is… I didn’t know it was yours, Boss.”

I shake my head again, then knock twice at the door, open it, and walk in with Riah at my side.

“Good morning, I’m Miss Daily. I’ll be doing your intake this morning.” I set my clipboard down, lean back on the counter, arms crossed over my middle, and offer the man a smile.

Mikhail stands in the corner, back against the wall, eyes moving over me like he’s not sure what to think about this. He’s tall, at least six feet, with broad shoulders and inky-black hair cut short on the sides and longer on the top. A neatly trimmed black beard and mustache accent his sharp jawline, and tattoos peek out from all the edges of his shirt.

“My colleague told me that you were found at the railroad and you have a pretty serious concussion… Why don’t you sit down? We can start with the basics. His eyes roam over me once more before he takes a seat on the exam table, allowing me to take his vitals and examine his injuries.

“So, Mikhail, you know your name and your age. Do you know where you are?”

“No,” he rumbles.

“Do you know where you came from?”

“No.”

I continue with a few questions to see if there’s anything useful to him. But beyond his identity and how he likes to hunt, there’s nothing there. When I finish taking my notes, I dim the lights a bit and head to the door.

“I’d like you to stay in the infirmary for a week. You’ll have daily vitals and observation, as well as connect with the high secretary to discuss permanent or temporary accommodations and employment once you’ve healed. Someone will come to move you shortly.” He nods, lying back on the exam bed to close his eyes as Riah and I throw away our gloves and then exit.

“I think this girl’s been through a lot,” Riah says as we walk to room ten. “She doesn’t talk and doesn’t know how to read or write, but she understands everything. She answers questions with gestures for yes and no, and she complied when I checked her vitals this morning.” We grab our gloves, knock twice on the door, and walk in.

“Good morning, I’m Miss Daily. I’ll be doing your intake this morning,” I say as I take a seat at a small desk, tapping the end of my pen on my clipboard. The woman appears to be in her mid-twenties; she has long curly black hair and brown eyes like a doe. She sits back on the exam bed, blanket over her lap, and her arms crossed over her middle. “Before we get started with the exam, I’d like to ask you a few questions. Is that alright, Miss?” She swallows, adjusting in her seat, then nods.

“Do you know where you are?” She shakes her head. “Do you know where you came from?” She shakes her head. “Do you know why you’re here?” She lifts her hand, open palm flipping from side to side.

Interesting…

She narrows her eyes a fraction, her gaze going from me to Riah, then back to me. With an open palm, she gestures to Riah, then sticks up her pointer finger. Then she gestures to me and makes an O with her pointer finger and thumb. She taps her chest twice, holds out her hands, one forming an O, her pointer finger sticking out on the other.

My stomach twists, my heart sinks, my palms and feet turn cold.

She sticks her pointer finger through the hole, in and out, in and out, then wraps her arms back around her middle.

I flip through the first two pages on my clipboard and read over the exam requests. STI panel, pap smear, reproductive endocrine evaluation, ovarian reserve testing, pelvic ultrasound, hormone panel.