Scorpion Scheme by Melissa Yi

Author:Melissa Yi [Yi, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Windtree Press

18

Sarquet was spying on us.

I couldn't breathe for a second as every instinct locked up on me.

Those mofos recorded every word I wrote at St. Joe's, and then they brought me over here.

No. I forced myself to exhale and switch to logic mode.

I don't write anything personal on EMR. It's patient information like 13 y.o. girl with asthma. Chief Complaint: Knee pain. Plus it's all supposed to be encrypted so outsiders, including the software developers, can't access it.

Still. The fact that they could potentially have read our reports, and factored that into inviting us on a free trip, felt Big Brother to me.

I'd researched Sarquet Industries before accepting the trip. Or at least I'd checked the Wikipedia stub and media releases, since I couldn't dig up much on a private corporation based in the Middle East and Asia, although they claimed a 2.5 percent share of the worldwide market.

"Why did they hide their name? Sarquet Industries vs. Selsis and SARKET," I said out loud. Isabelle never volunteered that Sarquet owned the EMR both at St. Joe's and at the Cairo hospital they'd chosen for us. Multiple names and slightly different systems had thrown me off.

Ali adjusted a stack of plates on his cart, uncomfortable. He had beautiful, slender hands, with a gold ring on his ring finger. "I believe their names were inspired by Serket, the Egyptian goddess. It's spelled Serqet, Selket, Selqet, and Selcis."

Sure, spellings vary in translation from different scripts or characters. But companies usually stick to one brand name.

What was Sarquet Industries playing at?

Why did they want us here?

"And why Serket," I muttered under my breath. They referenced Egyptian mythology right after Tucker asked me about Osiris’s murder. Coincidence? My head spun, and not only because I needed aqua.

As if reading my mind, Ali handed me a bottle of water.

"No, thanks." We'd already spent enough. Water would be cheaper at a corner store.

"It's a gift."

I set my bags of food on the ground and took the bottle, my fingertips erasing the condensation on the sides. I popped open the lid and felt better with one sip.

"Egypt is a desert. Please make sure you drink enough throughout the day. Now tell me, why did Sarquet Industries invite you here?"

I felt embarrassed explaining our free trip when they wouldn't give him a job, but the man had handed me water. I told him the truth.

"Strange," Ali said, without rancor.

"You're not angry?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Of course. But that serves no purpose. I would be more likely to land a job if I made friends with you and made a connection to Isabelle Antoun or Youssef through you, you see?"

That made me feel better. I downed half the bottle and felt my eyes clear and my shoulders relax.

Tucker kissed my temple and took my bags of food. "Sorry, babe. I should keep a better eye on you."

"I can keep an eye on myself." Although I'd nearly failed on that score. I turned to Ali. "We don't know why they invited us.

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