Free Mind Over Mind by Karina L. Fabian Page B

you want some help studying, I know a lot of memory tricks…”
    “Thanks. This is summer session. I’m hoping the change of professor and the faster pace will help.” She picked at her salad a moment, then said, “So, what are your questions?”
    “Ydrel made this comment today about Dr. Malachai having turned on some surveillance equipment in his room—”
    “Oh? There’s nothing in the logs about it.”
    “Really, I know it sounds paranoid, but he—what?”
    “I said if he has, he hasn’t informed the nurses’ station.”
    “You mean it’s true? The rooms are bugged?”
    She glanced at him with raised eyebrows. “I take it that wasn’t in your orientation?”
     “I didn’t think it was even legal!”
    She shrugged. “Every client signs a release giving us permission to monitor them 24 hours a day if we have reason to believe they may be a danger to themselves or to others. Surveillance equipment in the rooms is more efficient than a 24-hour bodyguard, don’t you agree?”
    “But even in minimum care? I mean, these aren’t criminals.” He knew he was scowling and tried to force his face into a more neutral expression.
    “You met Dr. Weaver today. Notice the ugly scar over her eye? Years ago—before my time, before we had the system—a client came in for alcohol treatment. His wife warned the staff that he sometimes turned violent; nonetheless, he responded well to detox and treatments, so they put him in minimal care. Figured the violence was directly related to the alcohol, I suppose.
    “Dr. Weaver went to check on him one day when he didn’t show up for a session. He ambushed her in his room. Beat her with a lamp. She still gets dizzy spells from that head wound, I understand. Apparently, there had been clues about his abusiveness, but not enough to warrant transfer to medium care. If they’d had the equipment, though, we would have heeded his wife’s warning and he’d have been monitored—and Dr. Weaver would have been spared a great deal of pain.”
    Joshua didn’t say anything for a long time, and the two ate in silence. Finally, he spoke. “OK, but what did Ydrel do to mark himself as dangerous all of a sudden?”
    “I don’t know. As I said, the nurses on duty are usually informed when the surveillance equipment is turned on.”
    Joshua noted that she didn’t suggest Ydrel might be lying or imagining things. “So why else would he bug Ydrel’s room?”
    She looked up in annoyance. “Maybe he found out about Ydrel’s birthday present, or maybe it’s because of what you did. I understand you got quite a dressing-down this morning in the staff meeting.”
    Joshua snorted. “What I ‘did’ was teach Ydrel to cope with a situation Dr. Malachai has spent the last five years unsuccessfully trying to repress. What I ‘did’ was sound psychiatry, and he took it as a challenge to his power base. Called it ‘tricks’ because I didn’t mother-may-I.” He stabbed at his meal viciously. “Who does he think he is, anyway?”
    He stared morosely at his food, trying to compose his features into some sort of reasonable calm.
     When he finally looked up, her face was as cold as her tone. “He is the senior psychiatrist of one of the most respected institutions in the nation—and your boss. You are just an intern. You’d better remember that and find a way to deal with him, or you’re not going to make it through the summer.” With that, she reopened her book and again focused on her studies. If she noticed his hurt reaction, she gave no sign. Joshua looked at her a moment, wanting to say something, but instead, he gathered up his tray and left, holding his tongue and his anger.
    *
    He didn’t hold back with his parents, however. “I thought you’d be on my side!” he snapped into the phone.
    “Of course we’re on your side, honey,” his mother soothed. “And that means when you screw up, we need to call you on it.”
    “But I did good work!”
    This time his father,