"Hey," I said.
"Hey." His voice was rough. Exhausted.
"Do you know what this is about?"
He shook his head. "Got the same email you did. No details."
We stood in silence, both of us too tired and too anxious for small talk. I wanted to ask him about the text I sent and know why he hadn't responded, know what he was thinking, or if anything had changed since the last time we spoke.
But this wasn't the moment. Whatever was waiting for us behind that door, we needed to face it.
At exactly 8:00 AM, the door opened.
Dr. Patel stood in the doorway, wearing a grave expression. "Come in."
Her office looked different than it had during my orientation. The warm, welcoming space had been transformed into something more formal. Two people I didn't recognize sat in chairs against the wall, a man and a woman in business attire, their faces carefully neutral. The woman had a tablet on her lap. While the man held a folder thick with papers.
"Please, sit down." Patel gestured to the two chairs facing her desk. Cassian and I sat, and I felt the weight of four pairs of eyes pressing down on us.
"Dr. Reed and Dr. Karras, these are representatives from the hospital's ethics board." Patel nodded toward the strangers. "Dr. Evelyn Cross and Mr. Nathan Webb. They're here regarding a complaint that was filed yesterday afternoon."
"About what?" Cassian asked.
The woman, Dr. Cross, consulted her tablet. "The hospital received an anonymous tip regarding your conduct during the recent mass casualty response at Riverside General." She looked up, her gaze moving between us. "Specifically, the allegationstates that the two of you engaged in sexual relations while sharing a hotel room during that assignment."
I froze.
"That's not true," I said immediately. "Nothing happened between us."
"We shared a room because it was the only one available," Cassian added, his voice tight. "The hospital was overwhelmed. There were no other options."
"We understand that accommodations were limited," Mr. Webb said. "However, the complaint raises concerns about the nature of your relationship and whether it compromises your ability to co-lead the trauma protocol objectively."
"Our relationship is professional," I said. "Every decision we've made regarding the protocol has been based on medical evidence and best practices. Nothing inappropriate happened at that hotel."
"The complaint suggests otherwise." Dr. Cross's voice was calm, cool. "It alleges that your conduct has created a conflict of interest that undermines the integrity of the protocol."
"That's ridiculous," Cassian said. "Who filed this complaint?"
"The complaint was anonymous. We're not at liberty to disclose the source."
My jaw clenched. Anonymous. Someone had lied about us, accusing us of something we hadn't done, and they got to hide behind anonymity while our careers hung in the balance.
"What will happen now?" I asked.
"An investigation will be conducted," Mr. Webb said. "We'll interview staff members who were present during the district hospital response, review communication records, and assess whether there's any evidence to support the allegations."
Cassian rubbed his cheek. "And in the meantime?"
"You'll both continue your regular duties. However, we ask that you limit your interactions to strictly professional mattersuntil the investigation concludes." He closed his folder. "We'll reach a decision within three days."
"Do you have any questions?" Dr. Patel asked.
I had dozens. But none of them would help.
"No," I said.
"No," Cassian echoed.
