Julian Vance stood in the supply alcove opposite Nurse Station 4B.
The IBM synchronous clock on the wall clicked forward with a sharp, heavy tick: 02:03:00 AM.
Eleven minutes remained before the Audit Minute.
Before him sat the heavy canvas laundry hamper. Its tubular chrome frame was scuffed with decades of night-shift wear, bolted onto four grey rubber casters.
Stenciled in faded black ink across the canvas side was the municipal inventory stamp:
ST. JUDE’S MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL // WARD 4B
CLEAN LINEN EXCHANGE // CART #03
CERTIFIED TARE WEIGHT: 42 LBS
