“It’s an honor to meet you, Ms. Sharp,” Mary said. The brand new nurse felt nerves flutter in her stomach as she sat down in the chief physician’s office. The chief himself was nowhere around and Mary found it interesting that he loaned out his office for this meeting. It was just more proof that Ms. Sharp was the reason for the organ dispensing machines installed in the operating room recently. The staff was instructed not to ask questions, but Mary’s curiosity had a will of its own.
After scouring every inch of the machines she found a small, red scissor logo on both of them. She went through countless red pairs of scissors on the internet before she found the right logo. It was related to a company Mary had never heard of, Sharp Development. She found info on the company the night before. This morning when she went in for her shift, she was pointed to a meeting with Ms. Sharp instead.
“Hello, Ms. -“
“Mrs…,” Mary proudly showed off her newest ring. The wedding was only three months ago and she still took every chance to show off the large stone her husband bought. As nervous as she was, the habit of showing off helped ease Mary’s mind a bit. Dana Sharp paused, then smiled.
“Mrs. Cortez, this will be a short meeting, but I want to assure you there is no pressure. I’m very busy and in a bit of a hurry. I’m here because I’d like you to come work for you to come work at one of my hospitals.”
“What?” Mary blinked. She relaxed immediately but her nerves were replaced by confusion.
“You’ve got potential,” Dana replied. “Despite being told to ignore the organ dispensers, you still managed to discover my company. Your curiosity and your transcripts speak for themselves. I could use more employees like you. What do you say?” Mary considered her options.
“That depends,” Mary finally replied. “I became a nurse to help people, not butcher them.” Mary narrowed her eyes at Dana Sharp. “How do the machines work? Where do you get your supply?”
“And you have principles, you’re a find!” Dana smiled. Dana casually waved a hand at the space next to Mary. “I assure you there’s nothing sinister to it,” Dana said. Mary turned and watched one of the familiar organ dispensers coalesce in the Chief’s office. A tall, solid white vending machine with no logo visible at all. The one mark Mary knew was there was located at back, bottom of the unit. Dana stood from behind her desk and walked around it to the machine. She pressed a button and a -kachunk- sound echoed around the office. In the large, cube-shaped catch sat a white styrofoam box. Dana Sharp pulled the box out and opened the lid to show Mary a human heart packed in ice. Mary’s eyes shot wide in surprise.
“That’s how it works,” Dana said. “As for the source…,” Dana shrugged. The moist red heart began to disintegrate, along with the ice and white container. It dissolved in Dana’s hands and slipped through her fingers. The white powder disappeared before it landed on the floor. “Let’s call it a proprietary nano-technology and keep it a secret,” she winked at Mary.
“You’ll learn all about it, as well as have the opportunity to visit alternate universes if you join my company.”
“Al.. alternate universes?” Mary asked. Her mind was still reeling from the demonstration of the machine, but somehow she knew Dana was telling the truth. She had to be after what Mary just witnessed. Dana nodded.
“I’m sorry to cut this short, but I do have other meetings. You don’t have to decide right now, but have you made a decision yet?” Dana asked. Mary nodded once, then shook her head.
She did decide. She was ready to work for Dana the moment she made the offer; but, Mary couldn’t make decisions alone anymore.
“I’ll have to ask my husband,” she said.
