dollars in her savings account, and no job. What hurt most would be that she’d miss the women she’d grown closer to. She reached the security guard at the door that lead outside and he moved suddenly to block her path with a grim demeanor.
“Director Boris ordered me to take your security card and escort you directly off Homeland. He stated your personal possessions would be packed into your vehicle and brought to you within the hour at the front gate.”
Shock tore through her that she wouldn’t even be allowed to say goodbye to the women or pack her own things.
She nodded grimly as the security guard put his hand on his gun in case she argued the point. It would only make the impossible situation worse. She unclipped her security card to hand over. He released his gun but grabbed her arm instead.
“I can walk myself, thank you.” She tugged to break his grip but he didn’t let go.
“I’ve been told if you put up any kind of resistance to arrest you and have you transferred to civilian officers of the law when we reach the gate.”
She didn’t struggle but she wanted to. She lifted her chin instead. She fought back more tears as the man yanked on her arm roughly and pulled her out into the bright sunshine. Two more security guards waited outside, one of whom snatched her security card from her hand.
Director Boris had really rolled out the angry red carpet for her, it seemed, since she’d been assigned three security guards.
Ellie was shoved outside the gate into a group of protesters. Nervousness ate at her as she stood there to wait for her car. She glanced at the anti-New Species group and looked away quickly when she met suspicious glowers aimed at her. The protestors didn’t know her association with the New Species but they’d seen security escort her out. She inched closer to the gates when a few of the protesters approached.
“Back away,” one of the guards demanded, reaching for his weapon.
Ellie froze. “I’m waiting for my car. They don’t like me.” She jerked her head toward the people behind her. “Can’t I wait here so I’m safe until my car comes? Is that too much to ask?”
The security guard smirked. “Move back to the line now or I’m going to have to make you.”
He looked totally sincere. She spun away and moved ten feet back to the line painted on the ground. Some of the protesters were within a yard of her now. One of the men glared at her and walked closer. He was a burly thug sort and he appeared to be a reject from prison with badly inked tattoos on his bare arms.
“Who are you? You came from inside. Are you one of those bleeding-heart animal lovers?”
She swallowed. “Please leave me alone.”
A woman protester glared at her and turned to face one of the guards. “Who is this woman?”
The guard didn’t even glance at Ellie. “She worked inside but just got canned.”
Ellie gaped at the guard for ratting her out and instantly sensed the hostility that came from the people around her. She again moved closer to the gate, fearful. Some of them belonged to the same group who’d stormed Homeland. The guard with the shotgun shook his head at her.
“I ordered you to get back.”
“Yeah,” one of the protesters yelled at Ellie. “Why don’t you come over here, bitch? We’d love to have a chat with you.”
Ellie studied the crowd. They weren’t walking around anymore, carrying their hate signs. They watched her and drew closer together, mob style. Their signs were gripped as if they were baseball bats and terror filled Ellie. She faced the gates again and grabbed at the bars.
“I will sue every one of you if you let them harm me and you will be canned right along with me.”
“So leave,” one of the security guards snorted at her. “They can’t attack you if you aren’t here.”
“I can’t. My car and my personal belongings are being brought to the gate. I don’t even have my purse.”
He shrugged and smiled coldly. “It’s not our job to protect you anymore. You’re an ex-employee so fend for yourself and back away before we have to force you.” He paused. “And roughing you up would be my pleasure. We heard you want us all fired so those New Species can take our jobs.”
“What is going on here?” An angry male voice came from above, from the catwalk.
Ellie peered upward. She didn’t know the New Species by name or by face. His features revealed him to be one though and he also wore a black SWAT-type outfit with the letters NSO across his chest.
“Nothing,” the security guard called up.
The New Species frowned as he met Ellie’s gaze. “I’m an NSO officer and I’m in charge. Why are you out there?”
“I’d been fired.” Ellie glanced over her shoulder at the crowd behind her. “I have to wait for my car to be brought to me before I can leave. Security refuses to allow me to wait inside and I’m really kind of in a jam here.” She looked back up at him. “I’d really like to be safe while I wait.”
Someone threw something and hit Ellie on the side of her arm. She winced and spun around to see what had nailed her. A soda can lay on the ground and dark liquid sprayed from where it had ruptured. Ellie backed away from the protesters, inched along the gate as someone else threw something. She barely ducked out of the way as a full water bottle bounced off the metal bar next to her head.
“Get her inside,” the NSO officer ordered. “Now!”
