“I understand but he showed up with them and stated it was important.” The man’s gaze held Ellie’s. “It’s imperative they know we are with them on this all the way to make everything smoother for them to transfer into a normal setting. He’s worried.”
She hesitated. New Species had been separated, sent to different secured locations after they’d been freed, until Homeland finally had been made ready to accept them as a large group. It would be their permanent home for the foreseeable future. The guy had valid reasons to worry about the safety and well-being of his people.
“Of course. Let me get them taken care of and I’ll be right there. Is the meeting being held inside the conference room at the main office?”
He nodded. Ellie closed the door between them. The alarm beeped instantly to assure her the automatic locks were in place. While security was tight, it could never be strict enough, not after the way the media had converged on the survivors of those testing facilities. They were constantly trying to breach the perimeter to obtain pictures of the victims now that they had a fixed location where some of them would be.
The government had started the process of implementing a law to ban the media from revealing their photographs to protect the New Species. They were victims who had the right to be shielded from the press. There were also hate groups who didn’t believe New Species should be considered human with equal rights, opposed them being given Homeland, and gathered outside the gates to protest.
She strode forward, going on autopilot, as she gave a short tour of the lower floor of the dorm. It housed a conference room for meetings, two large living-room areas, a roomy kitchen for cooking, a dining area that could host fifty, one large bathroom with four stalls, and a full library. The second and third floors housed mini apartments. They each contained a small bedroom, a living room, a private bath, and a kitchenette.
Ellie led the women to their rooms, side by side and across from each other on the second floor. She’d learned to do that in the two days she’d been handling the incoming women. They had to be frightened, not that they would admit it, but they did want to stay close to each other. Ellie knew the women had gone through unspeakable horrors and now they had a completely different one thrust upon them, something totally foreign. Freedom could be a terrifying experience after a lifetime of being test specimens.
“If you get hungry, there are cold drinks and food inside the silver metal boxes by the sink.” She didn’t call them refrigerators. She’d learned early on that they didn’t know what those were. “There are ten other women here on the second floor so if you hear noises, please don’t be alarmed. They are from different places.”
The women who stood in the hallway were examining her as if she were a bug. Ellie sighed, used to it, unfortunately. They didn’t trust outsidersthat being anyone who hadn’t been reared as a test experiment.
“I will be on the third floor when I return from the meeting I need to attend. My room number is posted on the wall by the elevator. Just come to me for anything you need or if you have any questions. I am here to help you and I want to do that. Do you have anything you want to ask me before I go?”
The four women didn’t speak. The tallest one spun on her heel to stalk into one of the rooms Ellie had just shown them. The other three followed and the door shut firmly with Ellie on the other side of it. None of the women seemed to want anything to do with her but she hoped that would change with time.
Ellie stared down at her outfit—running shoes, the black, cotton capris and a light-blue tank top. Her hair was secured in a ponytail. She knew she probably should change to something more professional but a glance at her watch assured her there wasn’t enough time. She had to run to make the meeting. Ellie darted for the stairs.
The main offices were located near the front of Homeland. Each dorm and building had been assigned golf carts. Ellie drove hers to the front parking spaces and turned off the engine. She glanced at her watch again with a soft curse, certain she’d be late. Cody hadn’t given her an exact time but twenty minutes had passed. She ran for the front double doors. She slowed to a walk when she spotted the armed security guard posted at the building. She didn’t know him yet.
“Hello. I’m Ellie Brower. I’m the female dorm house mother. Cody Parks said there’s a meeting I’m supposed to attend.”
The man tensed and his hand gripped his weapon at his hip, while he glared. Ellie slowly reached into the front pocket of her pants to pull out her security card. It not only opened doors but it had her picture on it to identify her as an employee. She stepped closer to hold it out for his inspection.
The guard accepted her card, examined it carefully, and then handed it back. “Go inside to the left conference room. Are you familiar with where that is, Ms. Brower?”
“Yes, I am. Thank you.”
Ellie inched around the man and entered the main office. She jogged down the long hallway and headed for the double doors where no guards were posted. She grabbed the handle, gave it a firm jerk to open the heavy door, and stepped inside.
The darkness of the room surprised her. The overhead lights were off and only scones dimly lit the walls. She couldn’t see well but the soft rumble of many voices assured her the room had filled with people.
Two security guards turned instantly and grabbed for their guns. She met their alarmed expressions with a calm smile. Her hands lifted out away from her body to show them she held nothing threatening but her security card. The room became utterly silent. She didn’t dare turn her attention away from the two men with their hands curved around their weapons.
“I’m Ellie Brower, house mother of the female dorm, and I come in peace.”
Neither guard smiled at her attempted joke. One of the guards kept his hand on the gun at his waist while the other man came forward to yank her card from her hand. She didn’t move while he examined it and then nodded.
“Take a seat. You’re late.” He offered the card back.
Ellie took her badge and returned it to her pocket. She had to move around the guard since he decided to remain, blocking her way. She took a few steps beyond him and peered at the people standing inside the room.
Darren Artino, the head of Homeland security, and Director Boris were also present. The director frowned as he closed the distance between them. She flinched when he glared at her outfit, silently communicating his disapproval of how was she dressed.
