Behind Enemy Lines

I stood in a long line of recruits for The Company. It had been one week since I went undercover with Sasha, and I quickly gained favor with a recruiter for The Company Guards. Someone kidnapped Sasha quickly for women "employees." We haven't had an opportunity to meet and share insights, but I hope to create a chance soon. For now, I needed to scope out the facility and formulate a plan for my part. 

The training officer went down the line of recruits, kicking out anyone he didn't like. Over half of the applicants were removed, and I could feel the man to my left shaking uncontrollably. The officer stood in front of him and got right in his face.

"Something scary? Are you gonna piss yourself?" His accent was thick. I wasn't sure whether it was from where he was born or just the lack of education.

"N-n-n-no ssssir." The man couldn't stop his teeth from chattering long enough to form a sentence. The officer laughed obnoxiously, and the scared man almost jumped out of his boots.

"Sissy boys like you don't belong here. Look at the man next to you. He hasn't moved an inch. I'm not even sure he's breathing!"

I didn't change my stance; I just kept my hands behind my back and my head at a perfect ninety-degree angle. I kept a steady flow of magic going through my body to make myself seem like an average soldier and keep my eyes wet, so I didn't have to blink.

"He ain't even blinking!" The officer lets out another boisterous laugh. "What is your name, boy?" He was less than a centimeter from my face. I could feel his breath and his spit on my face while he shouted.

"Hudson, sir."

"You are in Hudson. You are just what we need."

He points to the man on my left. "You are out." The man is dragged off, and the officer continues down the line. After a few more minutes, there are thirty of us left. The officer stands up on a podium in front of us. We could easily hear him regardless, so this was a show of power.

"I am Officer Skeeter. You maggots are the newest members of the Guard. You keep unpaying customers away from our girls, keep the girls in line, and keep your traps shut. The boss doesn't like his men being noisy, so do your job, and you'll get paid. No one messes with The Company, so you are more of a formality, but that doesn't mean I won't drill you like soldiers of the greatest military in the world."

The men in the group were already well-trained at being silent but present. Not a single muscle twitch was seen while Skeeter gave us our assignments. Luckily, I was going to oversee the transfer of the new women arrivals. This was my chance to see Sasha and sabotage her movement off the planet.

A very short man named Kreli led me and six other recruits to the housing for women. Here, they were measured for clothing and evaluated to determine the type of men they would attract and connect with. Once a good fit was made, the woman was sent off to work in a brothel, club, or other male-dominant venue.

I kept my face neutral as we walked through the building. Women and girls of various ages, races, and sizes were lined up naked while being scrutinized by a dozen men. My passion for bringing down The Company only grew as we toured the confined space the girls were stored in. The cells were only big enough for a thin mat to sleep on. 

I saw her ten cells down on the second floor. Sasha looked angry but gave me a reassuring nod. I didn't react but tried to soften my eyes in apology for subjecting her to this treatment. I turned away, and Kreli brought us into an elevator that led to the control room. We left a single file and stood in a half circle around the back wall.

"This is the brain of the facility. Nobody breathes on this planet without us knowing." Kreli stood as tall as he could. He couldn't have been taller than one meter but still had a commanding presence. His sword would have been a dagger for most humans, but he wore it confidently.

I looked around the room. Kreli wasn't wrong about the camera system. Over twenty people sat at computers, each watching ten cameras. They overlooked every corner of every centimeter of the facility. Trying to talk to Sasha would be tricky but doable. I would need to conceal my presence and ensure our conversation doesn't look suspicious. 

Kreli led us to a computer that listed all the women and their transfer locations. The planet we were on was named Grechi 50, and it had a casino, so some girls stayed here to serve its guests. I saw Sasha's name on the transfer list and almost smiled. She was already listed to stay on Grechi 50. I shouldn't have worried that I needed to forge something. She was in control of her situation. 

That night, I lay in my bunk restlessly. After I was sure everyone else was asleep, I concealed my presence and went to see Sasha. I quickly found her cell and tapped the bars to let her know I was there. She turned her face toward the wall, pretending to be asleep. I entered the cell by making my body intangible and lay beside her. 

"This cell isn't big enough for two of us," Sasha whispered almost inaudibly.

"It is a little more cramped than our bed at home. Good work getting yourself assigned to the casino. I was ready to hack into the system."

"Don't worry about me. I can fake my way into anywhere I need to go. Is security as tight as they make it seem?"

"It's probably ten times tighter than you think. I haven't been to the warehouses or the farm, so I'm not sure how long we'll be here. Hopefully, Iona is doing okay."

Just before leaving, we stole six months' worth of dry food and a handful of textbooks ranging from magic to advanced business practices for Iona to study. She wanted to be as helpful as possible by the time we returned. 

"She'll be fine. I can't stop thinking about how many timelines the Presevers have destroyed while we've been here."

I sigh, "You are right, but we have to build up our forces before we can consider stopping them completely."

"Hopefully, I will have more to say next time we meet."

"The same goes for me. I will figure out where all the supplies we need are this next week. I'll come back when I have something for you."

We kiss before I leave the holding room. I keep my presence concealed until I reach the Guard quarters. Skeeter and Kreli stand outside the doors. They look like they are waiting for someone. I start to make my way around the building, in order to phase myself through the wall next to my bunk.

"I know you are there, Hudson. Come talk to us."

I froze and turned toward Skeeter. He was staring right at me. I took a deep breath and removed my concealment.