**[Morning – Elysium Loading Dock]**
Rain fell like knives.
Aileen stood at the back of the club, arms soaked, hauling boxes of liquor from a delivery truck. She wasn't on loading crew. But after last night's “attitude," the manager changed her schedule.
“Keep her busy," he'd muttered. “No breaks."
Her fingers slipped on the wet cardboard.
The driver watched her struggle. “You sure you're staff?"
She didn't answer.
Inside, Vanessa hissed as she passed, “You pissed him off again."
“I told the truth."
Vanessa looked at her with a strange mix of pity and fear. “Stop doing that."
---
**[Later – Club Floor, Mid-Shift]**
New instructions were posted on the staff board.
*Aileen Keller: assigned to champagne service, guest entertainment, and VIP floor shadowing.*
Vanessa read over he
