Oath of Honor

“But that is the point, isn’t it, Dr. Masters?” Evyn stood, zipped

her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. “You aren’t just any doctor

anymore, you are the First Doctor. Your training isn’t going to prepare

you for what you need to do, because you are not going to deal with

mass casualties as long as you are the First Doctor. You’re going to

deal with one patient. No matter what else happens, you only have one

patient.”

Wes swallowed back a snarl. Cool reason was the only way to get

through a head as hard as Evyn’s. “Let’s just say, theoretically, that my

primary patient sustains a superficial wound to the shoulder. He could

easily be transported safely to a level one trauma center and receive

simple field care en route. All of you are trained in CPR and emergency

medical management, right?”

Evyn nodded. “That’s true. But what happens if on the way, he

develops a drug reaction, or a second wound is discovered, a more

serious one. That happened with Reagan after Hinckley’s assassination

attempt. What if he crashes and you aren’t there?”

“You’d rather I let one of you die despite how unlikely the worst-

case scenario is?”

“Bingo.” Evyn pointed a finger at her. “That’s it in a nutshell. We

have to assume the worst-case scenario every time and act accordingly.

And if you don’t believe that, then you don’t belong in your job.”

“I guess you’re going to decide that, aren’t you?”

“Not all by myself,” Evyn said, her voice losing its faintly teasing

edge. “You admitted yourself, you’re an academic—and it isn’t a

classroom out there.”

“That’s what this is really all about.” Wes took a slow breath. “You

don’t think I should have this job, do you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Peter Chang would be your choice.”

Evyn colored. “Not my call. That doesn’t figure in the equation

and never did.”

“If the medical team feels the same way, it’s a problem. I can’t

• 115 •

RADCLYfFE

allow such a vital unit to be destabilized due to politics and personal

loyalties.”

“Look, those people are all military. They’ll follow orders.” Evyn

sighed. “We’re on the same side here, Wes. I just need to know you

have a clear idea of what the game looks like before you get to play.”

“Fair enough.” Wes couldn’t argue against being prepared. Evyn

held all the cards, and for the most part, she agreed with Evyn’s call.

“What’s in store for the next inning?”

Evyn just smiled and shook her head.

v

Evyn shrugged into her windbreaker, grabbed her go bag, and

headed out. She thought about stopping by Wes’s office but vetoed the

idea immediately. Her job was to see Wes got a crash course in the

way PPD operated, and she wasn’t about to apologize for the way she

did it. If Wes was pissed about the way the sim had gone down—well,

she’d just have to stay pissed. Not like they had to be best friends or

anything.

“Evyn!”

Evyn spun around at the sound of the familiar voice. Speaking of

friends. “Hey, Pete! You’re back!”

“Yep.” Pete wore a bulky down parka, and his straight black hair

was covered by a dark watch cap. He pulled off his cap and ran slender

fingers through his hair. “I picked a good time to take a few days’

leave.”

“Yeah—you missed the worst of the storm. You working

tonight?”

He nodded. “Anything happening?”

“No, it’s been quiet. Emily is shift leader tonight. She’ll fill you in,

but he’s not scheduled for anything.”

“Good. I could use a little time to catch up on paperwork.” He

looked around and moved closer. “How’s the new chief settling in?”

Evyn thought about Wes leaning against the lockers while she

dressed, and the way Wes’s gaze occasionally glided over her body.

She liked the direct way Wes had looked at her, as if she’d appreciated

what she saw and wasn’t going to hide the fact. There’d been nothing

flirtatious or suggestive in Wes’s behavior, but Wes had noticed her,

• 116 •

Oath Of hOnOr

and remembering the flicker of heat in Wes’s eyes made Evyn’s nipples

harden. Glad to be wearing a coat, she said casually, “A little soon to

tell. She’s got the creds for the job.”

“I know,” Pete said. “I met her briefly at the wedding. She seems

nice enough.”

Nice. That wasn’t exactly the word she would use to describe Wes

Masters. Intense, focused, honest, uncompromising. She supposed those

things made Wes nice, but they also made her incredibly attractive. And

if that wasn’t enough, she was gorgeous. The morning’s fantasy popped

back into her head. Okay—kill that picture right now. “How do you feel

about her getting the job?”

Pete shrugged. “I don’t mind not having to deal with the

politics.”

“That’s very political of you.” Evyn nudged his shoulder with

hers. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll just see how it works out.”

“Yeah. I guess we will.” Evyn waved good-bye and pushed out

into the flat gray afternoon. As much as she liked Pete, she didn’t want

to see Wes fail. Right now, what she really wanted was to see Wes

again. When she was around her, she felt electrified. All of her senses