Three young nurses stand in a corridor, their backs to the wall. They know the time is seven-twenty seven pm, because for the last five minutes they have been staring anxiously at the clock opposite them, and then along the corridor. They dare not speak, but in each of their minds is framed the question "Will she come?" Despite what is going to happen, it will be better if she does.
In each of their left hands is carried a tightly wrapped white bundle. A hospital porter walks past them, taking some blood to the laboratories, and they quickly try to hide their hands behind their backs. He gives them a quizzical look as he passes, but does not stop. The clock moves quietly on to seven twenty-nine and the looks become even more frantic.
William Stevens tapped the desk in front of him nervously, running over what he was about to say in his mind. He was under no illusions about what he was about to do, nor did the morality of it concern him. He only hoped he could carry it off.
A sharp knock on his door made him look up suddenly.
"Come in." he called. The door opened and a tall dark haired nurse walked in. She was followed by three rather nervous looking colleagues.
"You asked to see me." the first nurse said and Stevens admired the way she had avoided using the term "us".
"Yes, all of you." he countered. "I thought you might be interested in some research I've been doing." His visitors seemed to relax slightly. "I was asked by the pharmacy to look into the variance in drug usage throughout the hospital. I must admit I was a little shocked by what I found." He paused for a moment, but no-one rose to the bait, so he continued. "Did you know that patients on your wards use four times as many sleeping tablets as those in other wards? The same with Omeprazole. Funny that isn't it?"
"And what does this have to do with me." The first nurse again.
"Come now Staff Nurse, we could go on sparring like this all day. I have proof that you and your colleagues have been stealing pharmaceuticals from this hospital. I have photographs showing you handing the pills onto a Mr. Paul Swanton, and of him handing you money. I have figures showing which pills went from where, and which nurses were on duty at the time. Would you like to see them?" he pushed a thick folder across his desk. The long haired nurse said nothing, but opened the file and flicked through its contents. After a while she looked up and said "And what do you propose to do with all this?"
It had seemed very easy when they started. Basically they all sequestered small amounts of drugs, and after pooling them, they were sold on the black market by a friend. The amount of money it brought in wasn't enormous, but it helped supplement their salaries.
Fiona had organised the plan, recruiting the others because they all worked on different wards. She was older than the rest of them, and they all looked up to her. She was a senior Staff Nurse, ready to become a Sister at the relatively young age of twenty-eight, and she took no nonsense from the doctors. Tall and confident, with dark long hair, she was a dynamic figure the others admired.
Fiona had recruited Sarah and Helen first - they were student nurses who had previously worked on her ward, and were now close to qualifying. She had taken them under her wing and helped them out when they trained under her, and they were only too happy to return the favour, especially as it brought in much needed cash. Both were blond. Helen, the taller and slightly larger of the two was a local girl, well liked by the hospital staff. Sarah had been born and brought up in Bedfordshire, but had been educated at a small private school in the area. She and Helen were best friends.
The final member of their group was Jeanette, a twenty four year old staff nurse who none of them had known very well. She had bumped into Fiona at a hospital talk, and had mentioned the amount of drug wastage in the hospital contemptuously. Fiona had needed another partner and sounded her out about joining the group. She had agreed.
William Stevens was a Registrar at the hospital where the nurses worked, and was well on the way to becoming a Consultant. He was one of the doctors fast tracking their way through the system, at a cost to his social life, which, he would admit, was non-existent. He lived in the hospital, and spent those evenings not on call studying for exams or reading medical journals. His special interests included therapeutics, and so he had been the natural choice to investigate some strange spending figures in the hospital. Now he was planning to get his reward, and it pleased him no end that Fiona was involved. She was a snooty, superior nurse, who was always trying to put him down and humiliate him on the ward. He knew the other nurses to talk to, and found them attractive, so he was looking forward to the night he had planned.
Stevens paused. This was his moment. "I don't have to tell you what the consequences would be if told the authorities about this - sacking, prosecution, possibly prison. I have an alternative to propose - not a pleasant one, but preferable I think. If you do me a favour, I could lose these documents, as long as you promised to stop stealing immediately."
"What would that favour be?" Fiona taking the lead again, in a steady, almost contemptuous voice.
"I propose to spank your backsides - to punish you myself if you like." The nurses looked shocked, but Fiona soon regained her composure and snorted derisively.
"Punish us! You want your perverted way with us!"
"True. I won't try to disguise the fact. But there again you don't really have much choice in the matter.
"You must be joking!" Fiona again.
"Be quiet." Stevens said sharply. "I shall expect to see all of you outside my door at seven thirty on Tuesday night. You will be in your uniforms, just as you are today, but you will not wear any panties. I shall expect to see those in your left hands. When I invite you inside, you will obey me at all times. I intend to thrash your backsides with a number of implements, and humiliate you thoroughly. Only when I am satisfied will I let you leave.
"Now this requires all of you to agree. If even one of you declines, I will inform the hospital authorities at the next possible opportunity."
"You must be joking. There's no way on earth I'm going to let you do that to me." Fiona snapped. The other girls were leaving her to do their talking for them.
"Fine, then I shall inform the relevant people tomorrow." Stevens said.
"Hold on a minute." said Helen "There must be some way we can work this out."
"The only way is for you to agree to my proposal." The nurses looked horrified. He gave them time to think about it then said "Do you agree Helen?"
"If I have no other choice then yes." she whispered.
"Sarah?"
"I suppose so."
"Jeanette?"
"Yes."
"Fiona?"
"Never. I'm going to report you for blackmail."
"Go ahead. You'll be condemning yourself and your friends to unemployment and prison whatever." Stevens retorted. He knew he could always deny their claims anyway.