Another knock, harder and louder.
“Who is it?” I squeaked out.
“Miss Fortune, please open the door.” The voice was from someone who expected to be obeyed. I tiptoed to the exit and peered through the tiny peephole. Two men dressed in black. Behind them cowering was the hotel clerk who’d checked me in.
“Who are you?” I asked again.
“Product Collection Agents.” The smaller of the two answered, then held an identification badge up for me to see. It looked official. His face matched the photo. His name was insanely long, and I had no idea how to say it. It was the company logo that made me want to vomit though.
That name. Bold letters. An arrow beneath.
“Product collection?” I tried to keep my voice level, but it inevitably cracked and squeaked as fear flooded my senses.
“Legally, you have to come with us, Miss Fortune.” This from the larger Beta. “It’s in the contract.”
This was not the same thing as contacting me for further compensation or opportunities.
“Okay, let me use the bathroom first.” I bought myself some time.
I whirled around, searching for another exit. The motel was two stories, and I was thankfully on the ground floor. I raced over to the window mounted above the squat AC unit. Flinging open the curtains, layers of dust powdering into the air, I desperately searched for a latch. It was at the middle of the double panes, one side of the window inset deeper, the other closer. A slider. I popped up the latch and pushed. Nothing happened. Heart pounding, I looked for the problem. At the very top, a metal dowel with blunt, square end caps had been pushed into therail, preventing the egress from opening. I scrambled atop the air unit, which still blew cold air that sent a chill through me. I squeaked as the AC unit wobbled, but I kept going. If I broke it, then I broke it. It took precious seconds to dislodge the pole because it was purposefully locked in place. I had to jam my fingers between it and the top of the frame, pulling down with all my might. Finally, it protested and popped out. The AC unit shook beneath me, but it stayed rooted to the wall.
Sliding the window open quickly, I pushed the screen outward before scrambling through. I tumbled onto landscaping stone surrounding sad, half-dead bushes. I cried out as sharp rocks cut through my pant legs and sliced tender skin. The jacket tore. My palms ached as I pushed myself to standing. Josie meowed unhappily. I’d managed not to crush the briefcase. My pain didn’t matter. Hers did.
I started running as the collection agents began knocking and yelling again, this time with more urgency.
25
TESSA
BACK TO CURRENT REALITY... THE EROS INSTITUTE
The Beta’swords reverberated in my head.
“It seems that the client has been contacted, and they have agreed to your request.”
I don’t know how long I cried after hearing those words that meant I wouldn’t lose Josie.
When my tears were finally spent, I rubbed the grimy sleeve of the once-pristine, now filthy blazer against my streaked, wet face. I could only imagine how I looked now—a near-drowned street rat holding a matted cat like she was a life preserver. I’d caught sight of myself in the reflective windows of the building when I’d arrived.
I’d looked half-alive. Covered in muck. Hair in tangles. The poor outfit, once crisp and so very clean, provided to me after my first visit here to this institute, had not been made for rough street life. The shoulder of the jacket was torn, the hem sporting dozens of loose threads. The breezy linen pants sported tears and was coated in several layers of filth. And the satin tank. I wondered what brilliant buffoon had decided pale hued, casual business wear was the perfect outfit.
After the epic sob fest, I could only imagine I looked fully dead instead of half.
“We’ll begin your final onboarding now.” The Beta had been standing quietly in the corner of the office, staring at me like the sight of a crying Omega was a car crash he couldn’t escape. He kind of snapped his fingers like a butler seconds later. It would have almost been authoritative, giving not-quite-Alpha energy, but his obvious Beta-ness couldn’t be cloaked. When nothing happened, he snapped again. Quickly, more urgently. When that didn’t work, he finally shouted. “We’re ready for you!”
The handle of the office door immediately turned, the door itself swinging inward soundlessly and swiftly. Four female Betas, dressed identically in bright white pant suits without name tags, shuffled in. Their perfectly neutral expressions—as blank as their outfits—didn’t flinch at the sight of me. They were so clean. So... so sterile. And I was anything but ‘next to godliness’.
“She’s going to take some work,” the male Beta quipped, before leaving his position at the wall and returning to his desk. He used a key to open a lower drawer, pulled out an impossibly long slider, and rifled through endless files until he pulled out a very fat, bright red envelope. He approached the new arrivals and handed it to one of the Beta women before turning back to his desk and snagging a compact tablet.
Beta Grouse brought its screen to life, accessing different functions and files before finding his goal.
“This client has very specific needs. It’s all in the file. They are allowing the pet, which is now outlined in an addendum.” He flicked a glance at my face before lowering his gaze to Josie. My grip tightened around her. I glared back, daring him to do anything stupid. Permission had already been given. And he was a powerless, stupid Beta. He couldn’t take Josie away from me now.
“Really?” The front left Beta—the one now holding the red envelope—raised one eyebrow. “Most of our clients refuse modifications to their original contracts. They’re so carefully negotiated.” For a split second, her eyes found mine. She must have seen something in my face, because she paled and quickly diverted her gaze.
“It is not our place to question, Janice,” the male Beta snapped, beforeany of the other three females could vent their curiosity as their companion had.
“Yes, I apologize, Mister Grouse. If the client has allowed it, we have no right to comment.” The female who’d spoken lowered her head a little. Her neutral expression returned, blank and lifeless.
