material. Exhaustion and the need for a good cry set in.
* * * * *
Fury paused outside on the sidewalk to face his men and to stare over their shoulders at Ellie. She sat on the couch looking tired and pale from her traumatic ordeal. It had taken every ounce of his willpower to leave her when he really wanted to wrap his arms around her to give comfort. If she burst into tears he knew he’d go back inside regardless of how stupid it would be to cuddle her until her fear eased.
His phone rang and he snatched it up. “Yes, Justice?”
“What did you do with the human female while you were inside the bathroom? The cameras followed you when you carried her there but there is no footage inside. Are things well?”
“Yes.” Fury tensed.
“You should have sent one of our men with her if she needed assistance. We’ve had long talks about her, my friend. Are you all right?”
He lowered his voice. “They touched her and hurt her but I kept my cool.”
“Good.” Justice paused. “You did a damn good job, Fury. I’m proud of you. The humans are a tad upset that our team saved the woman. They weren’t happy when they realized we have our own security now.”
“It’s our Homeland. We were told by the President of the United States that this is our home and, when we’re able, we can run it ourselves.”
“I know. They feel guilty for funding Mercile Industries without knowing exactly what they paid for. They want to make it right with us and it would be very bad publicity worldwide if we pointed a finger at them. We need to tread lightly still until we’re in a position to govern ourselves. The conversation with Darren Artino appeared unfriendly. What was said?”
“He wasn’t happy we succeeded where his security failed. It displeased him that I ordered my team not to allow anyone access to the dorm until I made sure of Ellie’s safety and well-being.”
Justice hesitated. “Are you in control? I need you to be. Our people need leadership and guidance the most right now while we learn to thrive in the world outside captivity. I chose you to be my second in command because you’re respected, you usually keep your emotions on a tight leash, and you want what is best for our people as much as I do.”
“You have nothing to worry about,” Fury swore, his gaze still locked on Ellie. “I know I can’t have her.”
“I wish you could.” Justice sighed softly. “You deserve happiness. Return to the male dorm. I’ll be there soon to address our men.”
Chapter Eight
Director Boris glowered at Ellie. “I want an explanation for your refusal right now.”
She glared back at him, furious, and beyond ready to tell the man off in a rude way. “What is to explain? Don’t make me go over this again. I already have a hundred times and nothing is going to change just because you have a problem with them having their own security officers. Officer Fury helped me clean up inside that bathroom. I shook too badly to walk from being that upset. I had to kill two men, I’m not military, and I don’t have that kind of background.”
“I know that,” he snapped.
“I was shaken up that day those crazy freaks broke into Homeland and I couldn’t even walk. If you saw the videos of what happened then you know Officer Fury had to carry me. My clothes were bloody and he just lent me his briefs and a shirt. He did the decent, kind thing. What is your problem?” She rose to her feet and resisted the urge to smack the offensive asshole.
“He inappropriately touched you and I want a formal complaint filed by six o’clock today. We need to show them they can’t do whatever the hell they want. They didn’t get authorization to do what they did.”
He ignored her sarcastic comment. “That man carried you into a bathroom where you stripped naked in front of him and he stripped naked in front of you, obviously, to give you his damn boxers. That is totally unacceptable. Write that report now. That is an order.”
“There are no cameras inside that bathroom. You don’t know what went on in there!” Ellie yelled, beyond furious.
“I can guess. Is that it, Ms. Brower? Do you have the hots for Officer Fury? Did you two do more than exchange clothing? Did he fuck you?”
She took a step back and her hands balled into fists. She wanted to deck him so bad she had to struggle to get hold of her temper. She couldn’t. He’d gone too far.
“You’re a dirty-minded asshole, Director Boris. That man and his team saved my life. Where the hell was your security when those men were using vehicles to ram down the front doors of the dorm? Where were they when they chased me through the first floor and I was forced to kill two men? Where were they while those jerks manhandled me and planned to brutally rape me in front of your cameras before they killed me? Let me tell you where they were. They were watching from their safe control room. The NSO security officers saved my life and Officer Fury, for your information, stepped into a stall while I cleaned myself, kept his back to me the entire time, and his eyes closed. He never saw me naked,” she lied. “And I never saw so much of an inch of his skin except his arms,” she lied again. “Don’t tell me to commit perjury on some bogus report because you’re pissed they saved the day when your shitty security measures were a joke.”
Director Boris rose to his feet. “You’re fired. Get your shit and get off Homeland immediately. I’ll personally have you arrested for trespassing in one hour if you are still here and let my shitty security toss you onto your ass out the front gates. I’ll have the local police waiting to give you a new home inside the city jail.”
She nodded. “You’re a spineless prick.” She spun and stormed out of his office.
Ellie choked on tears as she headed for the outer door. She only had one hour to gather everything she owned and leave the only home she had. She’d have to call security to ask them to bring her car to the dorm to load her belongings. All personal vehicles were stored inside a secure parking lot at the back of Homeland. It was a standard security measure to prevent their cars from being messed with. She had no home anymore, only a few thousand
