“Fine.” Director Boris sighed loudly. “You can have your job back at the women’s dorm immediately. We’ll send security with you to Mr. Fury’s home to collect your belongings.”
The floor may as well have opened up under Ellie. She gaped at Director Boris. That evil bastard. She had to calm down before she responded by shaking her head no, refusing to allow him to force her away from Fury. All eyes inside the room were scrutinizing her for a reaction and she knew it. Damn it. She forced her mind to work as she cocked her head to glare at the jerk.
“I would love my old job back, believe me, but the reason I lost it in the first place is because you were trying to force me to commit perjury. You didn’t like the new NSO security team who rescued me when Homeland guards couldn’t handle the attack. You ordered me to file a false complaint saying horrible things against them that weren’t true. They saved my life while your security guards couldn’t even get to me.”
She saw the color leave his face and many of the gazes turned from staring at her to fix on Director Boris. He appeared too shocked to do much but dart his gaze around the room.
“I don’t work for people who tell me to make up false accusations, nasty ones at that, and then fire me because I won’t do it. I would have quit if you hadn’t canned me. I refuse to work for you, Director Boris. I’ll find my own job where I’m not ordered to lie.”
“That’s not true,” Director Boris finally sputtered. He pointed a finger at Ellie. “Have her escorted out of here now and I want her removed from Homeland permanently!”
Justice glared at one of the security guards who stepped toward Ellie. She nearly backed into an NSO officer who’d inched closer to her. She realized all the NSO officers had surrounded her again protectively. Ellie froze in place and so did the security guard intent on removing her from the room.
“That is a good point,” Justice’s coldly stated. “Do you have a problem with my teams, Director? Unless someone lied to me, this place has been set up so we may structure our own community, create a real home for New Species, and that includes training our own security teams. Ms. Brower informed me about the conversation that took place between the two of you the day you fired her. Speaking of which, you had no right to do that in the first place without my consent. You really overstepped your bounds and here you are repeating that offense. This woman is under New Species protection yet you dare order her removed by force?”
An older man sporting a suit stood suddenly and moved around a table. He walked toward Director Boris, a deep frown creasing his face. “Jerry?” He obviously knew the director on a first-name basis.
“It’s not true,” Director Boris sputtered. “One of his men, that Fury she’s living with now, carried Ms. Brower into a bathroom and stripped her naked. He gave her his underwear to put on. She washed up at the sinks and he had to have watched her strip and bathe. I just tried to protect the woman by making her tell the truth and come forward about the abuse she suffered. We can’t have security forcing women into bathrooms to take advantage of them.”
The older man arched his eyebrow at Ellie. “Is this true?”
“No,” she ground out. “Yes, Fury took me into the bathroom since blood covered me. He stepped into a stall, removed his underclothing to lend me something to wear, while I washed myself privately. I had blood caked on my skin. The only other option involved walking around na**d or putting my wet, bloody clothing on again. We were in lockdown and no other clothes were available. I told the director this clearly but instead he made horrible accusations that I’d been sexually molested or was some kind of mega slut who would do a guy inside a bathroom after the most traumatic experience of my life. Director Boris ordered me to write the report accusing Mr. Fury of horrible things but that’s not what happened. I refused to make up sick things like that just because it really angered him when the NSO security team saved my life.”
The older man studied Ellie silently with icy blue eyes. He finally nodded and turned to face Director Boris. “Jerry, I hate to do this but I’m replacing you immediately. There seems to be a conflict and this is too important a project to allow for any kind of misunderstandings.” The man addressed Justice. “I apologize. Obviously we’ve been given some incorrect information. I am the new director.” He paused. “Of course, only if that is acceptable to you.”
Justice nodded. “Fine, Tom. I have a telephone conference call with the president in ten minutes. I’ll be leaving now.” Justice nodded to his men. He held out his arm to Ellie. “Shall we, Ms. Brower?”
Ellie shot one last glare at Director Boris. Ex-director, she reminded herself, and linked her arm with Justice’s. The NSO security team surrounded them as they left the building.
“Remind me to never piss you off, Ms. Brower,” Justice softly chuckled as they walked outside.
She glanced up at him. “That wasn’t about being pissed off. I admit I’ve been a little angry but I was mostly scared.”
He stopped and peered at her with curiosity. “Of what? We wouldn’t have allowed any harm to come to you. They weren’t going to allow you to be tossed outside the gates again.”
She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t be sure if she could trust him.
He watched her for a long moment. “You thought they were going to take you from Fury? That was the source of your fear?”
The floor may as well have opened up under Ellie. She gaped at Director Boris. That evil bastard. She had to calm down before she responded by shaking her head no, refusing to allow him to force her away from Fury. All eyes inside the room were scrutinizing her for a reaction and she knew it. Damn it. She forced her mind to work as she cocked her head to glare at the jerk.
“I would love my old job back, believe me, but the reason I lost it in the first place is because you were trying to force me to commit perjury. You didn’t like the new NSO security team who rescued me when Homeland guards couldn’t handle the attack. You ordered me to file a false complaint saying horrible things against them that weren’t true. They saved my life while your security guards couldn’t even get to me.”
She saw the color leave his face and many of the gazes turned from staring at her to fix on Director Boris. He appeared too shocked to do much but dart his gaze around the room.
“I don’t work for people who tell me to make up false accusations, nasty ones at that, and then fire me because I won’t do it. I would have quit if you hadn’t canned me. I refuse to work for you, Director Boris. I’ll find my own job where I’m not ordered to lie.”
“That’s not true,” Director Boris finally sputtered. He pointed a finger at Ellie. “Have her escorted out of here now and I want her removed from Homeland permanently!”
Justice glared at one of the security guards who stepped toward Ellie. She nearly backed into an NSO officer who’d inched closer to her. She realized all the NSO officers had surrounded her again protectively. Ellie froze in place and so did the security guard intent on removing her from the room.
“That is a good point,” Justice’s coldly stated. “Do you have a problem with my teams, Director? Unless someone lied to me, this place has been set up so we may structure our own community, create a real home for New Species, and that includes training our own security teams. Ms. Brower informed me about the conversation that took place between the two of you the day you fired her. Speaking of which, you had no right to do that in the first place without my consent. You really overstepped your bounds and here you are repeating that offense. This woman is under New Species protection yet you dare order her removed by force?”
An older man sporting a suit stood suddenly and moved around a table. He walked toward Director Boris, a deep frown creasing his face. “Jerry?” He obviously knew the director on a first-name basis.
“It’s not true,” Director Boris sputtered. “One of his men, that Fury she’s living with now, carried Ms. Brower into a bathroom and stripped her naked. He gave her his underwear to put on. She washed up at the sinks and he had to have watched her strip and bathe. I just tried to protect the woman by making her tell the truth and come forward about the abuse she suffered. We can’t have security forcing women into bathrooms to take advantage of them.”
The older man arched his eyebrow at Ellie. “Is this true?”
“No,” she ground out. “Yes, Fury took me into the bathroom since blood covered me. He stepped into a stall, removed his underclothing to lend me something to wear, while I washed myself privately. I had blood caked on my skin. The only other option involved walking around na**d or putting my wet, bloody clothing on again. We were in lockdown and no other clothes were available. I told the director this clearly but instead he made horrible accusations that I’d been sexually molested or was some kind of mega slut who would do a guy inside a bathroom after the most traumatic experience of my life. Director Boris ordered me to write the report accusing Mr. Fury of horrible things but that’s not what happened. I refused to make up sick things like that just because it really angered him when the NSO security team saved my life.”
The older man studied Ellie silently with icy blue eyes. He finally nodded and turned to face Director Boris. “Jerry, I hate to do this but I’m replacing you immediately. There seems to be a conflict and this is too important a project to allow for any kind of misunderstandings.” The man addressed Justice. “I apologize. Obviously we’ve been given some incorrect information. I am the new director.” He paused. “Of course, only if that is acceptable to you.”
Justice nodded. “Fine, Tom. I have a telephone conference call with the president in ten minutes. I’ll be leaving now.” Justice nodded to his men. He held out his arm to Ellie. “Shall we, Ms. Brower?”
Ellie shot one last glare at Director Boris. Ex-director, she reminded herself, and linked her arm with Justice’s. The NSO security team surrounded them as they left the building.
“Remind me to never piss you off, Ms. Brower,” Justice softly chuckled as they walked outside.
She glanced up at him. “That wasn’t about being pissed off. I admit I’ve been a little angry but I was mostly scared.”
He stopped and peered at her with curiosity. “Of what? We wouldn’t have allowed any harm to come to you. They weren’t going to allow you to be tossed outside the gates again.”
She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t be sure if she could trust him.
He watched her for a long moment. “You thought they were going to take you from Fury? That was the source of your fear?”
