by Marie Astor
As if it wasn’t bad enough that they spent hours cooped up in class, they had homework too, and it wasn’t easy stuff either. By her estimate it would take at least three hours to complete. She felt like she were back in college, cramming for finals. The only difference being that college finals had lasted a week, but this program was going to last three long months. Still, it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, or at least she was determined to think so. Convincing herself was half the job.
In a way she was grateful for this unrelenting pace; it kept her mind focused on the present. She was stunned to realize that she hadn’t thought about her father all day long. The realization made her feel both guilty and relieved. Guilty because forgetting him felt like betrayal, and relieved because her mind desperately needed a break. She shook her head. There was no reason for her to feel guilty. Her father’s memory would always be with her. She was as determined as ever to clear his name, but in order to do that she needed a way to distance herself from her grief and find focus and clarity of mind. This program, this regimented lifestyle, gave her the means to do just that. She wasn’t forgetting anything. She was going to grow strong enough to carry out her vengeance.
Ally heard a loud sigh and turned around. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed Delilah hunched over the computer desk, muttering incoherently.
“Delilah, you okay?”
Delilah jumped up in her chair. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“We must both have lots on our minds. I didn’t see you sitting there until just now.”
“You can say that again. I think my mind is about ready to burst from trying to do homework for Reed’s class. I can’t make heads or tails of it. I don’t know why they put me into this program. I don’t know anything about this stuff.”
“Calm down,” Ally said, squeezing her roommate’s arm. “It’s not that complicated. I remember covering most of this material in college. Sure, Reed’s made it a little more complicated, but once you get past his convoluted presentation style—”
Delilah groaned. “You don’t get it, do you? I didn’t study any of this in college.”
“What was your major?” Ally asked, suddenly remembering that of all the topics Delilah and she spoke about college was never one of them.
Delilah lowered her eyes. “I never went to college.”
“Never went to college?” Ally blurted out before she could catch herself. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. Lots of people don’t go to college,” she added hastily. “On-the-job training can be just as effective, better even.”
Delilah’s lips parted in a crooked smile. “You could say that again.”
“There was an engineer who worked for my father’s company: he was one of the best, and he was completely self-taught. He’d started as an apprentice at a manufacturing plant and worked his way up through the ranks.”
Delilah shook her head. “Do I look like someone who’d work at a manufacturing plant?”
“I never judge people by their looks.”
“Well maybe you should.” Delilah picked up her purse from the floor and reached inside it, producing a pack of cigarettes. “Want one?”
“No thanks. Smoking isn’t allowed in the dormitories.”
“At this rate they’ll kick me out anyway. So I’m not worried.” Delilah lit her cigarette and took a long drag.
“Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you or you do want to mope around?” Ally asked, losing her patience.
“What the hell, I might as well tell you now.” Delilah took a deep breath. “I didn’t go to school and I didn’t work as an apprentice—well at least not at a factory or a plant. I was an escort, and I was very good at it, one of the best.”
Ally’s mouth gaped open. “How did you end up here?”
“The woman I used to work for ran this high-class escort service. I’m talking crème de la crème—our clients included actors, executives, high-flying politicians. It was an escort service, but for an extra fee you could get anything you wanted. The minimum rate was two thousand per fuck. My services started at five thousand. Of course I didn’t get to keep all of it—thirty percent went to Clarissa, but there was still plenty left over. I was making money hand over fist. My clients were powerful, wealthy men. It was a very glamorous lifestyle, and I enjoyed it. Maybe there’s something wrong with me, but I would’ve kept doing it if we didn’t get busted.” Delilah took a drag on the now almost burned out cigarette. “Before the whole thing went south, Clarissa started talking about retiring and she promised to hand over the business to me. I would’ve been damn good at running it, too. Instead I had to give evidence on all of my clients, and now I’m stuck in this hole.”
Ally stared at Delilah with wide-open eyes. Come to think of it, many of the things about Delilah didn’t fit the picture from the beginning, and now it was all adding up. It’d be too easy to pass judgment on her roommate, but Ally was determined not to do that. Instead she was amazed by Delilah’s honesty.
“One of my clients was involved in a price fixing scheme. The authorities were on to him for a while and that’s how they got to me and how Clarissa’s operation got exposed. She was offered a deal—no jail time and she got to keep all the money she’d made from the business, but she had to stop her operation and give up all the dirt on her clients. Of course she took the deal. She was thinking of retiring anyway. The FBI and DOE were working together on this, so I had no choice but to cooperate. Afterwards they gave me two options—either witness protection or this bullshit. I figured the training program would be the safer choice. I was told if I flunk out, I’d be back in witness protection anyway. No one told me it was going to be this science crap. They probably knew that I’d flunk out, but I’m through doing what they tell me. I’ll take my chances from now on. I’m getting out of here.” Delilah pushed her hair behind her ears and wiped her eyes with her fists. “I’ve had enough. I’m sure I could get the girls back together and start the business over.”
Ally could scarcely believe what she was hearing. “Hold on a minute. Don’t you think it’d be dangerous? Your former clients are your worst enemies now that you ratted them out.”
“But I didn’t rat them out on purpose. I was forced to.”
“It doesn’t make a difference. As far as they are concerned, you’re a liability and a traitor.”
“I’m such an idiot.” Delilah covered her face with her hands. “I’ve made such a mess of my life.”
“We don’t always choose our circumstances. I’m sure there were reasons you made the choices that you made.”
Delilah shook her head. “I wish I could tell you that I grew up in a foster home or that my parents were alcoholics who beat me, but that’s just not true. My parents own a chain of delis in New Jersey. We were never rich, but we were always comfortable. They always wanted the best for me. As a kid I took gymnastics—it wasn’t cheap, but they paid the gym fees without ever saying a word. I bet they would’ve reconsidered if they knew how handy gymnastics came in my chosen profession. I ruled the stripper pole and it drove my clients wild that I could put my legs all the way behind my ears—” Delilah broke off. “At least the prosecution was considerate enough to spare my parents the sordid details. It would’ve killed them to know that their daughter became a whore.”
“Delilah, don’t put yourself down like that. The past isn’t important. It’s the future that matters.” Ally did her best to sound convincing. Delilah’s confession was bewildering to put it mildly, but Ally was determined not to judge her.
“You’re so sweet, Ally. Always trying to see the best in people. Sometimes I think you grew up in a nunnery or something. I did the things I did because I’m a bad person, a shallow person. For as long as I can remember I only cared about having a good time. I did go to college, but I flunked out after the first semester. I was too scared to tell my parents, so I was just bumming around, idling in bars and clubs. That’s how I ran into Claris
sa. She approached me and asked me if I wanted to work for her. I know I should say that I regret doing it, but I don’t. The truth is that I loved it. Sure, not all the guys were glamorous, but they were powerful and important and it flattered me to be a part of that. And as far as the sex part . . . sometimes it was great and sometimes it wasn’t, but I loved knowing that a night with me cost five thousand dollars. It made me feel special.”
Ally’s eyes widened. She didn’t want to sound like a prude, but having sex with strangers was outside of her comfort zone. But to be fair, Ally knew plenty of girls she’d gone to college with whose sexual conquests could probably rival Delilah’s. “So what?” Ally said, her voice nonchalant. “So you slept with lots of men and enjoyed it. Believe me, you’re not the first woman to do that. You caught a tough break, and now have a choice—you can either go on moping about your ‘bad choices’ or you can start fresh. I’m sure there’s a reason why you were selected for this program. The authorities didn’t have to give you options—they could’ve just stuck you in witness protection, but they decided to give you a chance.”
“Yeah, a chance. Throw you in the water and tell you to swim when they damn well know that you can’t.”
“So learn.”
Delilah looked stunned. “This is the first time I’ve seen you acting so tough. I like it.”
“Thanks. I thought I’d try it on for size. How about we make a deal? I’ll help you with the theory part of the classes, as you call it, and you help me get tougher.”
Delilah nodded. “I don’t think you need much help from me. I think you’re already pretty tough. You just don’t show it, which is smart of you. It makes people want to take care of you.”
Ally frowned. This wasn’t the impression she wanted to project. She didn’t want to look like some stray puppy, desperate for help. She wanted to be strong and confident and independent. She thought she was doing just that, but apparently she still had a long way to go. “We’d better get started on the homework, or we’ll never get done.”
Chapter 14 - Six Weeks Later
Ally pushed her legs hard as she neared the end of the last lap. She knew she was making good time, but she wanted to see if she could make it even better. She could see Instructor Matthews with a stopwatch in his hand. A few more seconds and she’d be at the finish line. She wouldn’t be the first one to cross it, but neither would she be the last. Taking a deep breath Ally quickened her stride, digging into her last resources of strength.
“Not bad, Roberts, not bad at all!” Matthews announced his verdict as Ally crossed the finish line.
Ally nodded, too busy catching her breath to smile. She knew that she had done way better than “not bad,” but as far as Instructor Matthews went, “not bad” was the highest level of accolade one could expect to receive from him. Taking time to cool off, Ally slowed to a mild jog and headed to the bench where the few recruits who’d crossed the finish line before her were recuperating. She was greeted with waves and cheers.
“That was pretty good, Roberts,” Mike Bradley called out, grinning. “I’ll have to watch my back from now on.”
“That’s right, Mike, or I might just beat you next time,” Ally shot back.
“Now don’t get cocky, Roberts. It doesn’t suit you,” Mike scolded her. “Instead come here and sit by me.”
Ally smiled and took a seat next to Mike. She’d come a long way from the inept, out-of-shape self she’d been on her first day of training. She’d worked hard, both physically and mentally, and the results spoke for themselves. She wasn’t just faster on the track, she was also much more confident. In addition to the daily workout routine, physical education class also included a section on self-defense techniques. Every day the recruits would spend an hour practicing their techniques. It pleased Ally to know that she now could hold her own against most of her sparring opponents.
Her interactions with the rest of the recruits had improved drastically too. It’d be an exaggeration to say that she’d made friends with all of them, but she made a point of exchanging at least a few words a day with every member of the group, and more often than not their exchanges grew into friendly banter.
“Look at Heather,” Mike pointed at a figure jogging raggedly. “She doesn’t look too good.”
A few moments later Heather joined them on the bench.
“Heather, what happened, buddy?” Mike asked, reaching out to pat Heather on the shoulder.
“I had a cramp in my shin,” Heather muttered, angling her body away from Mike’s hand and moving past him to sit next to Ally. “Hey there, Ally.” Heather nodded curtly, clearly displeased to see Ally sitting next to Mike Bradley.
“Hi, Heather.” Ally smiled back, pretending not to notice. By now she was used to Heather’s icy demeanor and refused to let it bother her. Besides, she could understand Heather’s irritation. At six feet two, with blue eyes and strawberry blond hair, Mike Bradley was a stud, and Heather had been making eyes at him ever since they arrived at the training facility. But while most male recruits found Heather’s looks stunning, Mike remained immune, calling her buddy and acting as though she was just one of the guys. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that the two of them looked like brother and sister. Both were blond, both came from similar upper-class White Anglo-Saxon Protestant backgrounds, but Ally had an inkling that it was more than that. Mike knew the effect he had on the opposite sex and he intended to use it wisely. There was a reason he’d signed up for this program, and he wasn’t going to ruin his chances by messing around with Heather Darlington.
Several moments later Delilah joined them on the bench, looking spent. “You left me in the dust, Ally. I guess that’s my reward for training you so well. That’s gratitude for you.” Delilah sighed.
“Hey, it’s not my fault you stopped practicing with me.” Ally had been building up her endurance by adding nightly jogs to her routine. She had started with one mile and had worked up to three miles, shaving seconds off her time every day. She also did laps at the pool several nights a week. Her body felt strong and quick, like a well-oiled machine. She was surprised to find that while her clothes seemed to fit looser, she’d actually gained five pounds of muscle weight.
“The reason I was so exhausted today is because I stayed up studying till the crack of dawn,” Delilah retorted.
“Yeah, and you kept waking me up with that annoying table lamp you refused to turn off,” Ally shot back. “I told you you’re ready for the test, but if you insist on doing some extra cramming next time please study at the library.”
Delilah shook her head. “At this rate I don’t know if it’ll make much of a difference. Midterms are next week and I’m totally not ready. Reed’s the worst. I’m dreading his test.”
“You’re not alone,” Mike piped in. “Reed is a tough son of a gun.”
“Come on, you guys!” Ally exclaimed. “You did all right on his last test. Show a little optimism.”
“Last test was a breeze compared to the amount of material the midterms are going to cover,” Mike pointed out. “I swear Reed wants to see all of us flunk out.”
“How about we all study together after class for the rest of the week?” Ally offered.
“Does that mean that you’re going to forego your training routine, Miss Fitness?” Delilah poked.
“I’m going to modify it,” Ally conceded. “And you’re welcome to join me if you want to get some test pointers.”
Delilah nodded. “Count me in!”
“Me too,” Mike added.
“I don’t know what it is, but I’m in,” Doug Cleary panted. The last one on the track, he’d just finished his run.
“What happened, Doug?” Delilah asked. “I thought you promised to beat me. I even slowed down to give you a head start.”
Ally nudged her roommate. “Stop picking on Doug.”
“You can pick all you want. I’m not offended. Jogging is not my forte. As I always say, I work with my brains, not my legs,” Doug pointed out
proudly. “I figure if they were so concerned with my fitness performance, or lack thereof, they would’ve kicked me out already.”
“You did pretty good out there,” Ally tried to reassure him. “Anyways we could all use your help studying for the midterms.”
“How about you, Heather? Do you want to join our study group?” Mike asked.
“No thanks.” Heather tossed her hair, forgetting that it was still drenched in sweat, but Mike must’ve been expecting it and dodged just in time. “Um, sorry about that,” Heather muttered. “I got the midterms covered,” she added.
Just then Instructor Matthews blew his whistle and motioned the class to attention. “Nice job,” Matthews said grudgingly. “Most of you, with a few exceptions”—Matthews’ glance lingered on the part of the bench where Doug was sitting—“have shown real improvements. Let’s hope results continue moving in this direction. Class dismissed.”
Ally hurriedly rose from her seat. The break before the next class was only fifteen minutes, which was barely enough time to get out of her sweaty uniform and take a shower. “I’ll see you in Morrissey’s class,” she said to Delilah.
“See you later,” Delilah said, smirking. “I know you want to look nice and pretty for Instructor Morrissey,” she added in a whisper.
“Your jokes are getting old,” Ally shot back, wishing it were true. Delilah’s jokes might be getting old, but she was hitting the nail right on the head. If anything, the tension Ally felt when being around Instructor Morrissey had only seemed to intensify.
Ally headed for the locker room showers, grabbed a towel, and slithered out of her jogging clothes. She stood under the cold shower hoping that the cold water would not only wash off her sweat but also rid her mind of those ridiculous thoughts about Jake Morrissey—correction—Instructor Morrissey. It wasn’t anything that Instructor Morrissey did or said that made her feel the way she did, but then he didn’t need to. His super hunky looks did all the damage. Ally thought it was a crime to hire an instructor so handsome. Did the agency want all the female students to fail? But then it wasn’t just Instructor Morrissey’s looks that made her breath catch and her heart beat a little too fast in his class. He was smart, intelligent, and funny. His classes were the most interesting in the entire program and it wasn’t just because of the subject matter. Sure, it was fascinating to learn how to get under a person’s skull during a conversation, how to get people to tell you their secrets, or how to distract a person so that they wouldn’t even notice that your hand was in their pocket. Ally felt her face blush every time she remembered the class when Morrissey had called her up for a demonstration. For a moment he had stood so close that her mind had gone blank except for the sudden realization that she could sense the faint smell of his cologne, which was when Morrissey must’ve lifted the flash drive from her pocket. She wondered if the trick would work on someone who wasn’t attracted to him, but then she knew that it would. Since then Morrissey had given numerous demonstrations on other recruits, but he had never called Ally’s name again. Not that she minded: one close encounter was more than enough.