Alpha holds the smile. He saw the look in her eye, the tiny nuance that telegraphed her reaction to his physical appearance.

‘Medicare patient transport services,’ he replies with that same air of someone who has said the same thing hundreds of times. He has, too. He has said it hundreds of times over the last few hours until the words came out so easily it conveyed that exact air. ‘You, er . . . you full-time, then?’ he asks, equally as casually.

‘I am,’ Clara says, seeing the overt look he just shot her.

‘Might have to come back then,’ Alpha says quietly, smiling coyly.

‘I think you should,’ Clara tells him, nodding wisely with a glint of mischief in her eyes while she goes through a series of system procedures to release the patients. ‘Okay, that seems to be in order . . .’

‘Great. Karl?’ Alpha calls out. ‘Karl?’

‘Yeah, what?’ Charlie asks, coming to the door. ‘They ready, are they?’

‘Yeah, give them a hand,’ Alpha says, winking at Charlie in a way he knows the receptionist will see. ‘I’ve, er . . . got to do the paperwork.’

Charlie nods, rolls his eyes and motions for the others to follow him. ‘Paperwork . . . course you have,’ he mutters.

‘So,’ Alpha says, turning back to Clara as the other four file into the hospital, tutting and rolling their eyes. ‘Do you enjoy working here?’

The art of flirtation. The subtle mastery of conveying an interest by asking mundane, boring questions to work out if the other person is returning the interest. Clara knows he isn’t actually interested in the questions he asks, like how long she has worked here or if it’s a good job and whether she enjoys it, but that he is asking them to see how she responds. She asks her own questions too, and conveys the same subtle interest.

They smile and make eyes. Their tones drop quieter. She leans closer and lifts her head to show the length and shape of her neck. He leans closer too and rests his hands on the top of the desk to show his lack of a wedding ring.

The six are taken from another exit to the waiting ambulances. The six men had no idea this was being done, but Hans did tell them he was getting a lot of attention so they figure he is moving them somewhere else for greater privacy. Not that they can argue or question anything that much. The pain medication is too strong. They are too woozy, sleepy, drugged, passive and in shock, even now.

‘Done,’ Charlie says, leaning in through the door to tut and roll his eyes at Alpha again.

‘Best be off,’ Alpha says, smiling regretfully.

‘Sure.’ Clara reaches out with her phone to press it next to his, which bleeps once. He smiles at her and presses the ‘Accept’ button that automatically uploads her contact information into his directory. ‘If you fancy a drink one night,’ she says quietly.