“No, honey. Not by size, by age,” Cash explained. “She was a little put out that only Dalton was younger than her. She wanted little brothers and sisters. So, with you here she can have a little sister too.”
Emma was thankful It only took a few seconds to get to the exam room. Cash was being nice to her now, but there was a tense undercurrent. She felt he was fishing and she didn’t like it, but this was his home, and until Dalton could get back, she needed to keep on making him happy. She didn’t ever want to see Cash mad again.
Chapter 13
Cash opened the door and Emma was shocked to find a real exam room. Why the heck did a mansion, or lodge as Dalton had called it, need a fully functioning exam room? It didn’t make sense. Maybe her initial thought about The Pandora Group and Davis were right. She had to hope she was wrong. She could deliver her message as planned and get the heck out of there. Things weren’t adding up. Ryleigh was gathering supplies when they walked in, but looked up and noticed the confusion on Emma's face.
“Oh, I can see by the look on your face that you’re wondering why we have an exam room at the lodge, right? It isn’t anything creepy or illegal, I promise. Did Dalton mention NAC or The Holly Group to you?” Ryleigh questioned.
“Yes, he did,” Emma responded, still taking in the room. “I’ve heard of The Holly Group, but not NAC.”
“NAC stands for Not Another Child, and their mission is to help women and children out of dangerous situations,” Ryleigh elaborated. “Each team has a medic who can perform emergency medical treatment, if necessary. It's sad to say, but it happens more often than any of us would like to admit. So, my Dad, sorry, the head of NAC, made sure all the bases are equipped with anything they might need. Like you, some of the women and children who need help can’t go to hospital or clinics because they’re still in danger.”
“Oh, okay,” Emma was still dumbfounded, but Ryleigh’s explanation seemed logical.
“Okay, I’m going to start with the basics; blood pressure, heart rate, and a basic exam. I still think you should consider letting us call in a doctor for blood work though,” Ryleigh suggested.
“I’ll think about it, Ryleigh, but I’m not promising anything, right now, okay?”
“Yeah, I understand, but I need to tell you, if I believe you need it, I’ll call. I won’t risk you or your baby. So, basic exam and then we can check out the baby’s heart rate. Why don’t you get up onto the exam table? It will make it easier for me to examine you.”
Emma started towards the table but when she began to get up on it, she knew she couldn’t make it. The soreness she’d previously not noticed due to fear or adrenaline was making an appearance.
“Oh, shoot. I’m sorry, Emma,” Ryleigh apologized. “Cash, do you think you could help Emma onto the exam table?”
Emma couldn’t help flinching at those words, but if either of them noticed, they didn’t react or say anything. Ryleigh’s next words brought her some needed relief though.
“Once you do that, Cash, if you wouldn’t mind stepping out of the room, I would like to get started.”
Emma couldn’t believe how gently and effortlessly Cash lifted her up onto the exam table. His gentleness was a shock, she expected a man of his size to be rough. Once he left the room, Ryleigh started asking her questions.
“How far along are you?” Ryleigh questioned.
“I think I’m coming up on six months.”
“Okay, six months. Do you know when you had your last period? Have you experienced any spotting or cramping?”
“Some cramping, but I’m not sure about the spotting. Not in the last couple of days, but I can’t be sure about before that.”
“Okay. How about we leave the robe on, and I move it away from the areas I need to take a look at when needed? Are you all right with that?”
Ryleigh was stunned. How could Emma not know if she’d spotted? Any women would know. Exposing Emma’s belly though the gap in the robe, Ryleigh moved the robe to keep her as covered as possible, using it like a hospital gown. If this woman was only six months along, Ryleigh would be shocked. Either she was having twins or her baby was huge. Ryleigh started the exam, moving the robe out of the way and replacing it as she went. Emma started shaking. By the time, she finished, Ryleigh was angry. Emma had been through hell. There wasn’t a part of her body which wasn’t bruised, but the needle marks concerned Ryleigh the most.
“Emma, I want you to know that I would never judge, but I need to know what kind of drugs you have been on. Different drugs determine how you can be treated and can affect things like your blood pressure or other bodily functions. If I don’t have all the facts, there’s a possibility I could cause you and the baby great harm by giving you the wrong thing. Do you understand?”
“I’m sorry, Ryleigh. I know what it looks like, but I can assure you that I have never taken a drug willingly in my life.” Emma knew it was time to tell her story. She didn’t want this sweet woman to think she was only a junkie. Emma tried to sit up on the exam table but her belly wasn’t helping the actions.
“Can you please give me a hand to sit up?” Emma inquired. “I need to tell you my story. Even though I know it will sound farfetched to you, I’m hoping you will let me get it all out before you ask questions. This isn’t going to be easy for me.”
Once Ryleigh helped her into an upright position, Emma gripped the sides of the robe, needing the protection the garment gave her to get through the next few of minutes. Playing with the edge of the robe, Emma got her bearings. She was thankful Ryleigh gave her a simple, “Okay.”
“About a year ago, an old Social Worker of mine got ahold of me to let me know a big corporation was looking for workers. Apparently, they would get some kind of special tax break for hiring former foster kids. I was surprised she would’ve thought of me, but I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. This social worker wasn’t especially friendly or helpful when I was a child, but I needed a better job. At the time, I was working two jobs and barely making enough to eat, so I decided to check it out. I figured, what harm could an interview do? I would either get the job or I wouldn’t, right?”
Emma had tried to look into the company; she knew that random acts of kindness didn’t happen as far as she was concerned. She kept looking at Ryleigh, hoping that she could convince the strong accomplished woman standing before her that she wasn’t as stupid as the story she was about to tell made her look.
“From everything I could check out, the company was legit; it had been in the area for a long time and employed hundreds of people. I couldn’t find anything on the net about the program for foster kids, but I didn’t find that odd. If it was for a tax break, I figured the program wouldn’t be mentioned. I called the number I was given and at first the HR person I was forwarded to seemed perplexed, even stated they weren’t currently hiring, but at the mention of my old social worker’s name, she changed her tune and sent me to the Director of HR’s office.”
“An interview was set up immediately and they apologized for the other HR worker’s lack of knowledge. I went to the interview not even knowing what I was applying for. Dumb, I know, but I needed the job. I had only held waitressing jobs up to that point, so I wasn’t really expecting anything to come from the interview. They had me fill out an application and an extensive questionnaire. I found it odd that the questionnaire consisted of a lot of health and personal questions, but I filled it out the best I could. Being a foster kid, I didn’t have much information involving my parents or any health problems as a baby.”
“I was then taken to Mr. Jones, the Director of HR, for my interview. He informed me I was applying for a filing clerk position, but because of the sensitive nature of the work they did there, I would have to go through several medical and psychological tests to gain employment. He outlined what my salary and benefits would be, and I was floored. I would be making five times what I made working two jobs, have health insurance, and they had a program which would pay for me to
go to college, on the condition that I would work for them for two years after I graduated.”
Emma left out the fact that Mr. Jones was a vile man who had the coldest eyes that Emma thought she’d ever seen. He reminded her of a used car salesman mixed with creep. She wanted to kick herself for not following her gut. If she hadn’t been so desperate she might have listened to her instincts.
Ryleigh didn’t like how this story was starting out. Emma had been showing such strength, but Ryleigh could tell the memories were getting to her. Emma was wringing her hands so tightly, Rye could see the whites of her knuckles, but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to interrupt Emma.
“It all seemed like a dream come true; I was ecstatic. The job was the answer to all my problems. I could get a new apartment in a better area, maybe even get a new car in time, and eventually go to college, something I had always dreamed of doing. It seemed like luck was finally shining my way. The HR Director set me up with appointments for the tests they needed, which weren’t done on premises, and even presented me with a five-hundred-dollar Visa gift card. He said they wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to be able to work for them.”
“I know what you think,” Emma gave a self-deprecating smile. “What potential employer gives out gift cards, especially one with that much money on it, for a possible entry-level position? I was so excited, I honestly didn’t care and blew it off. After all, what did I really know about large corporations? That’s how I rationalized it in my mind. I went through the tests and apparently, passed them because I started working there a week later.”
“My job consisted of imaging any paperwork that came in,” sighing, Emma continued, “logging it into the computer, scanning it, and then shredding the paperwork. About a month in, I started to get sealed manila envelopes with case file numbers on them. They were also stamped ‘Confidential’, so I placed them aside. My boss only came into the file room about once a week, and then it was only to make sure I wasn’t behind. I found that funny because I barely had enough work to keep me busy throughout the day, I spent most of my time waiting for files to trickle in. I thought I had hit the jackpot; I was making more money than I ever had and the job was a piece of cake.”
“I told a coworker who I had started having lunch with, about the envelopes and in a teasing way, said I was curious and tempted to take a peek. When I got back to the file room, the envelopes were gone. I found it strange, but since I was informed that only my Boss and I had access to the room, I assumed she was the one who had taken the files.”
Emma didn’t want to admit to anyone how much the job had started to mean to her. She could afford food and was making friends, at least she thought she was. And she felt worthy for the first time in her life, like a contributing member of society, not the drain as she was often told as a child. Taking a deep breath, she continued with the story, afraid that when she revealed what she’d done, Ryleigh would think less of her.
Chapter 14
“A couple of weeks later I started getting more manila envelopes, and I hate to admit it, but my curiosity got the best of me. One of the seals hadn’t been taped over properly and was coming apart, so I looked. It was a file about the Holly Group, specifically about you, Ryleigh.”
Ryleigh’s face blanched in shock at the mention of her name, and Emma shouldn’t have been surprised when the door burst open and Cash and Dalton rushed in, but she was. Ryleigh had taken a step back and Cash placed himself in front of her.
Emma flinched back from the sudden invasion. She figured that Dalton would’ve been waiting outside the door for her, but Cash was right by his side. His earlier friendly look had been completely wiped from his face, bringing back the menacing look he had when they first met out in the foyer.
“Hon, who did you work for?” Dalton asked when came to Emma’s side.
Emma, thankful for his support, was afraid of their reaction. She needed to get every detail out.
“Davis Defense,” she said.
Cash had his gun raised and pointing right at Emma in a matter of seconds. This time, though, Dalton stepped in front of her.
“Dude, we need to hear her out,” he said, trying to calm his enraged Second.
“Fuck man, you know Davis is after Ryleigh. We can’t take the risk; pregnant or not, how do we know she wasn’t sent here to cause Ryleigh harm?” Cash demanded. “You didn’t even frisk her. How do we know that she not a fucking plant and Davis Defense isn’t tracking her right this moment, leading them right to our doorstep and Ryleigh?”
This time it was Ryleigh that spoke, “Cash, chill,” Ryleigh interjected. “I have already examined Emma and she doesn’t have any weapons. And in her current condition, I don’t think she can get up on the table unassisted, let alone attack me. You also know that with Wyatt and Tori’s security protocols if she were wearing a tracker, we would’ve known it the moment she entered the lodge. She asked me to hear her out and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Cash was pissed. It seemed he would be in that state for life if he stayed around these people. Did no one look out for their own welfare anymore?
“Fine, but she’s going to have to do it with us in the room,” Cash demanded. “I won’t leave you alone with her, it wouldn’t be right and Jacks would have my ass if I did.”
“Sorry, Emma,” Ryleigh apologized, “but these brutes aren’t going to move. Are you okay with continuing your story?”
“Yeah, I promise, I didn’t even know where you were or how to locate you. I was going to send you a message on your website, but all it said was I needed to talk to you,” Emma explained. “I wasn’t even sure if you got it. I figured I could send a letter or another email with more information after I got settled, but when Dalton mentioned you, I knew I had to take the chance and warn you in person,” Emma said with tears in her eyes. “I swear, I would’ve figured out a way to warn you, I only needed to figure out what to do first. I don’t want you to be harmed, Ryleigh. You have helped so many people and have been so kind to me.”
“That’s okay, Emma. I believe you, please go on,” Ryleigh said.
Dalton hated it. The strength that Emma had showed earlier was gone. She was back to examining her feet when she talked, not looking at any of them.
“The document consisted of your location, known associates, and that you had recently come into some information which could cause Davis Defense problems. It was recommended that they detain, capture, or terminate the problem which I assumed meant you. The operations manager, Darren Shaw, signed it. I was freaked out. I couldn’t believe what I was reading and tried to justify it in my head, but I couldn’t; it was pretty cut and dry. Not knowing what to do, I put everything back in the envelope and sealed it. My supervisor showed up about five minutes later. I had all the envelopes in my hand when she walked in and she literally snatched them from me. She was pissed. After reading that file, I could see that these people were playing God, and it freaked me out. So, I played it off the best I could.”
She wasn’t going to tell them that she drove around for two hours before finally going home, afraid that she might be followed. Or that she didn’t sleep that night, afraid someone might break into her crappy little apartment.
“I asked her if there was a problem and I told her I was only gathering them to place out of the way. I even asked her if I should be doing something else with them. She seemed to buy my act and advised me if I got any more, I was to place them in her box and nowhere else; she would take care of them personally. I debated about quitting and moving somewhere, but I didn’t have the means to that.”
Emma looked down at her hands. She desperately wanted Ryleigh to believe her. She knew she was in a bad situation back then, but she didn’t have any way of getting out of it. She had very little money and even fewer friends. She didn’t want to go to the police because she had no proof of what was in the file. It would be her word against a large corporation, and she knew the cops would never take her side.
&nb
sp; “The next day when I went to work, I never made it past security. The Security Guard told me that I was being escorted to Mr. Shaw, he needed to speak with me, but I never made it there. As soon as the guard got me out of the lobby, I was injected with something. When I woke up, I was strapped to a hospital bed in what I assumed was a lab.”
Dalton was grinding his teeth so hard he was sure they would turn to dust any moment. He knew Emma’s story was only going to get worse, but he was already pissed. She’d been played; those monsters had given her a sense of security and ripped it right out from under her, it was fucking cruel. He also couldn’t be prouder; she was strong, had survived when many wouldn’t, and she was still trying to make things right, even if it meant exposing her hell. Damn, he was falling for this woman faster and faster.
“They kept me pretty drugged, but I would catch things here and there. One time a doctor came in and told a tech that my blood test had come back positive and the procedure was a go. Another time they were talking about how excited their benefactor was to have me. The next time I came to, I knew I had been violated. I was sore where I had never been sore before, and when I urinated for the first time after that, I knew my suspicions were correct. I was almost thankful I hadn’t been able to remember what happened to me. I still don’t know if I want to know exactly what happened to me.” With a self-deprecating laugh, Emma quipped, “You know they say ignorance is bliss.”
Emma could tell Ryleigh Cash and Dalton pitied her by the way they were looking at her, and she didn’t want that. She’d survived, and she would deal with what had happened, in her own way, in her own time. She didn’t want anyone’s pity. She survived, she got away, no one came to her rescue, she’d done it herself. That had to count for something, right?
NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team Page 36