The Nanny // Faye Yoko AU

Chapter 41 Creative Initiative

Discreet Private Medical Facility

Location: Undisclosed

The sterile smell of antiseptic and the soft, muted beeping of machines greeted Yoko as she slowly awoke in a plush, private room. The bed beneath her was comfortable, the linens crisp and cool, a stark contrast to the chaos of the safehouse only hours before. A large window let in a warm glow, illuminating the stack of books on the table beside her. She reached for one, hoping to distract herself from the dull ache in her abdomen.

She had just started reading when her phone buzzed unexpectedly, the screen flashing "Private Caller." Odd—this phone was heavily encrypted, designed to block unidentified numbers. Her stomach twisted as she hesitated, then answered.

"Yoko," said the unmistakably stern voice on the other end.

"M-Ma'am?" Yoko stammered, a shiver running down her spine. She hadn't expected to hear Ms. Brown's voice, especially not now.

"Why haven't you turned in an incident report?" Ms. Brown's tone was clipped, unyielding.

"What do you—?" Yoko started, but Ms. Brown's interruption was swift.

"Don't be evasive," she said, and the command in her voice was like a strike. "Your profile was flagged in our system the moment you were admitted to a hospital."

Yoko's heart raced. "But Adam said it was a private hospital," she managed, the unease growing into a tight knot of anxiety.

"Nothing is private from us, Yoko," Ms. Brown replied, her tone as cold and precise as ever. "You know that any injury serious enough to warrant your hospitalization demands an incident report."

Yoko's mind scrambled for a response. "But the confidentiality clause..." she attempted, the words sounding hollow even to her own ears.

"The personal safety clause trumps it," Ms. Brown replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. "If our agents are in any danger, then we reserve the right to intervene."

Yoko took a steadying breath, pressing her fingers against the fabric of her hospital gown, feeling her own heartbeat pulse through her fingertips. "Of course, ma'am."

"Your report, then." The silence that followed was thick with expectation.

Yoko cleared her throat, trying to shake the lingering fog of painkillers. "To my understanding, a member of the Malisorn family betrayed Faye to the French mob, hoping to take her position once she was eliminated," she began, her voice steadying as she recounted the events. "When he learned I had taken Mikey away from the fighting, he tracked us to the safehouse." She paused, the weight of the memory pressing on her. "Two hitmen attempted to kill my charge."

Ms. Brown's sharp intake of breath on the other end was unmistakable. Yoko continued, her voice tightening as she remembered the brutal moments. "I neutralized the threat, but I... sustained an injury to my abdomen. And I'm expected to make a full recovery."

Ms. Brown's voice, now laced with barely concealed anger, pierced through the line. "This man. Is he still at large?"

"Yes," Yoko replied, unable to hide the tension that gripped her as she thought of Cassiel.

The silence on the line bristled with restrained fury before Ms. Brown spoke, her tone colder than ever. "Do we need to take care of it?"

Yoko hesitated, weighing the implications of her answer. "Respectfully, ma'am, I can handle it."

There was a pause on the line, a silence weighted with something that went beyond protocol. When Ms. Brown finally spoke again, her voice softened, a hint of warmth and genuine concern filtering through her usual icy tone. "Yoko, I'm not speaking as the headmistress now. Are you in danger?"