“Follow protocol,” he began rattling off instructions, now that he’d properly scolded the Beta woman, “Take her to the medical lab first. They’ll re-run all the original panels. Once they confirm she’s still healthy and untainted, take her for beautification. They have already been sent the changes that must be made before we prepare for shipment.”
Beta Grouse flicked a glance down at the small tablet, using one finger to scroll. He murmured to himself, as if double checking all was in order.
“Fay, take full body photos and measurements after beautification. Email those images and specs to pre-shipment who will then transfer them to the client per usual once the product is out of our custody. You must ensure those images are precise. Her skin, hair, and eye coloringmustpresent accurately under studio lighting. Remember what happened last month when the eye color was misrepresented.” His tone shifted, a thinly veiled warning beneath his words.
One of the Beta women cleared her throat uncomfortably, before responding. “I will not forget, Mister Grouse.”
“If you do, the contract breech fee will be once again deducted from your pay,” Grouse responded icily, before continuing instructions.
“Tan, handle her departure wardrobe. The client will facilitate further needs once she arrives, according to the measurements and photos sent.” He paused, clicking his tongue before looking satisfied. “There, all should be in order.” Beta Grouse turned off the tablet and placed it onto his desk.
As the string of his words had grown longer, the air around me had grown colder. Even the blood racing through my veins seemed sluggish and thick, approaching freezing temperatures.
What the hell had I gotten myself into? At least I already knew what to expect with the bloodwork. With beautification, I wasn’t so sure. I’d be damnedif they put me in that decontamination booth again. I was pretty sure Josie would have a kitty heart attack if she ever saw a white room like that again.
“And you all are waiting for what?” Beta Grouse’s sharp voice yanked me from my thoughts. “An invitation?”
The four Betas in white, each of them giving Kim Cattrall circa Mannequin vibes—a movie I’d caught a re-run of in an old theater on dollar day last year—walled me in, two in front and two behind. We marched out of Beta Grouse’s office, and I felt like I was heading to the damn firing squad.
We took an elevator up one flight, spilling out not into the cupid themed waiting area helmed by the perky Beta Love number one, but into one of the hallways I’d navigated after the decontamination booth last time. I recognized it only because of the posted emergency exit map which showed our location with a pink heart. It’s not that I didn’t know where we were going, Beta Grouse had said as much when he told the four women to take me for re-testing. Being here again though, made the reality sink in like a too-heavy anchor attached to a too-light ship in awful deep waters.
The four Betas moved in perfect synchronization, like they'd been rehearsing this escort routine for years. If I missed even a step, the two behind me would gently push me back into place. None of them said anything. The hallways were eerily quiet. This was far worse than being guided by the talkative, pleasant, and egregiously pink, Beta Love number one.
I felt relieved when they finally stopped walking, allowing me to also hit pause. They moved in pairs to flank a large door that I didn’t recognize. They didn’t say anything, which was just... freaky. But we hadn’t gone to that changing area and decontamination booth, thank God.
“And now we do what?” I quipped, sort of bobbing my body in a silly way to cut the tension. Josie’s body was tense, her bright eyes wide and full of worry.
“You cannot enter the lab in your,” the female on the left appraised me, eyes roving up and down, “current state.”
Before I could suss out her full meaning, the door between the Betaswhooshed open when one of them swiped the security panel. I sucked in a breath when I saw an all-too-familiar sight. A changing area. An oven type door mounted in the wall. And... a terrifying door directly opposite where I was standing.
“Dammit,” I sighed out, walking forward, my legs feeling like lead weights.
Yet another Beta in a pristine, blank suit waited inside.
“As a reminder,” she spoke mechanically, “strip everything off, don the provided robe, and then deposit any personal items you arrived with into the incinerator. The cat, I’ve been instructed, is an exception. It will enter the decontamination booth with you for thorough cleaning.”
“Fantastic,” I groaned.
About fifteen minutes later—it took longer this time because Josie was not a dumb cat, and she scratched and hissed and fought as I tried to get her into the booth again—I was wearing another thin cotton robe. Josie was, like last time, traumatized and not moving. But, God, she was also so fluffy and clean. I had broken the rules, though the Beta women hadn’t realized it. Josie’s new collar was tucked beneath my right breast. I couldn’t burn it. The bell was still taped and silent, thanks to Lily’s brilliance.
Lily...thinking about her made me sad. I had to shake my head a little to dislodge the memory of her.
We marched, my bare feet chilly against the cold floor. Déjà vu flooded over me as we moved. When we pulled to a stop, I frowned. I was fairly sure this was the same lab as before. I wondered if it would be the same people inside. I had zero desire to see the Alpha doctor or her tech again.
The lab’s door didn't immediately open. Were they trying to torture me by making me stand outside? My heart pounded. My chest felt tight. I rambled off a question just to fill the space with noise.
“Why did we go to a different decontamination booth this time? Didn’t I... contaminate things in this area? Last time it was like a portal to this side.” My eyes wandered, taking in their faces, and then falling to rest back on the stupid door. I wondered if it could just stay closed.Couldeverything stop here?I knew, beyond a doubt, that any chance of stopping what was happening was long gone.
For the first time since we’d left Grouse’s office, one of the female Betas locked eyes with me. “We try to keep potential products and verified products separate.”
Call me a product one more damn time, I mentally fumed.
“Because why?” I scoffed. “Worried the Omegas you’ve already tricked will warn them off?”
I was half-joking, but the same woman nodded as if I’d asked a serious question.
“So... Yes?”
