by Shawna Platt
“Follow me, please.”
She opened a waist-high door that was located beside her station and lead Kinsey down a short hallway to an office. Once inside, she placed the file on the desk and told Kinsey to have a seat, that someone would be with her shortly.
Instead of doing what she was told and taking a seat, Kinsey decided to wander around the office. She noticed plaques hanging on the wall that belonged to a Dr. Sorina Westcott. According to the plaques and awards, she was a well-decorated military doctor. There was also a framed photo of, who Kinsey assumed, was Dr. Westcott, looking tan with her blonde hair in a ponytail, and an older man. She was very attractive. Other framed photos lined a long table that ran along one wall. Apparently, Dr. Westcott was fond of her family and friends.
Kinsey turned when she heard the door open and recognized the woman who walked in as the woman from the photos. She smiled politely at Kinsey.
“Hello, Kinsey, I’m Dr. Westcott and I’ll be one of the doctors taking care of you while you’re in the program. How are you feeling today?”
Right to the point, Kinsey thought. She decided to play nice. “I’m feeling fine, thank you. How are you?”
She motioned to a chair next to her desk. “I’m feeling fantastic, thank you for asking. Please, have a seat.”
Kinsey sat down while the doctor opened the file and looked through the papers inside. She decided to make small talk as the doctor flipped pages.
“Is that your husband?” Kinsey asked, referring to the photo with the older man.
Dr. Westcott looked up at the photo and laughed. “Oh, no. That’s my father. He’s a doctor as well, or used to be; he’s retired now.”
“I see. A family of doctors.”
Dr. Westcott smiled. “You could say that. He enjoyed taking care of the soldiers that were injured during battle. He saved many lives.” She looked at the photo with a great love in her eyes. “I admire him and try to make him proud.”
She closed the file and focused on Kinsey. “So, let me explain what’s going to happen next. When I’m done, if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.”
Kinsey tried to smile. There was something about this doctor she really liked. You could tell she loved her job.
“After you leave my office, you will be taken to your private room, where you’ll be living until you leave the compound. I’m sure you’ll find it satisfactory. You’ll have a few hours to get settled in and you can go out and wander the grounds if you’d like. It’s beautiful here.”
“This place looks huge. There’s a lot to explore.”
Dr. Westcott laughed. “Yes, but there are areas that will be off limits for you and they will be clearly marked. You’ll be restricted to the compound you’re living in and the doctor’s offices, but believe me, there’s more than enough space between them for you to feel comfortable.”
Kinsey nodded.
“Tonight at 6pm, you’ll be required to attend a welcome meeting where dinner will be served. In your room, you’ll find all the information you need on where the meeting will be held. If you come up with any additional questions, not answered here, that will be a good time to ask. Beginning tomorrow, we’ll start your medical assessments so we can determine when you’re going to ovulate. We’ll also start your matching procedure for the proper sperm donor.”
“Matching procedure?”
“Of course, we have to make sure you will be compatible with the sperm donor to ensure the healthiest child possible.”
“Where do you get these…sperm donors?”
The doctor laughed again. “Trust me, our sperm donors are the best you can get.”
Yes, I’m sure they are.
The doctor continued. “Once you ovulate, the procedure will be done and we’ll monitor you to make sure the insemination was successful. Rarely, do we have to do the procedure twice. We’re very good at what we do, Kinsey.” She paused. “Any questions?”
“Nope.”
“Excellent. Once the insemination is complete, you’ll have the best medical care possible while pregnant and during delivery. After delivery, you’ll be given a couple days to recover and then you can return home.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Oh, it is. We even have medications that allow an almost pain free delivery. Nothing but the best for the women who choose to participate in Operation Vala.”
Choose, my ass, Kinsey thought.
“The compensation you’ll receive is generous and will be transferred into your bank account the day you leave the compound to go home.”
The doctor sat back in her chair. “So, that’s pretty much it. Do you have any questions?”
“Yes, I do. So all the women participating are here of their own free will?”
“Of course! Just like you, no one is forced to do anything against their will. That’s not what Operation Vala is about.”
“Of course, I’m sorry.” Apparently, you don’t understand everything about this program.
Dr. Westcott smiled and picked up her phone. “This is Dr. Westcott and Kinsey is ready to be set up in her room.” There was a short pause. “Thank you.”
She hung up and stood, extending her arm out to Kinsey. Kinsey stood and shook her hand.
“I hope you’ll be comfortable here.” There was a knock on the door and the girl from the front counter appeared. “This is Sandy. She’ll show you to your room.”
Kinsey picked up her bag and followed Sandy out the door.
Sandy wasn’t a talker, which was fine with Kinsey. They took an elevator to the fifth floor and Sandy slid a key card through the slot beside the doorknob of room 516. A green light appeared and she heard a loud click. She opened the door and they both entered. Sandy handed the card to Kinsey.
“This is the key for getting into your room. If you lose it, please notify the main office and they’ll have another made for you. Any questions?”
“No, I think I’m good.”
Sandy quickly turned and left, closing the door behind her.
Kinsey walked over and looked at the view from her window. It truly was beautiful here. She felt like she was in a resort, but this was not like any vacation she’d ever taken. She’d already come to the conclusion that Dr. Westcott did not know what lengths were taken to get the women into the program. She reminded herself that, according to stalker guy Keith, none of the other women ever questioned it, but Kinsey wasn’t buying it. She was willing to bet there were a lot of women participating that were doing it against their will.
She took her time looking over her room, which was more like a one bedroom apartment. It was spacious and roomy, with a kitchen, washer and dryer, nice bathroom, and bedroom. The living room was huge and sported a nice big screen with every available cable channel. There was a sliding glass door along the living room wall that opened to a large patio. She walked out and took a deep breath of fresh air. If it wasn’t for the fact she was here against her will, with her family being threatened, and her sister taking up space in a hospital bed, she’d actually like it here.
She went back inside and walked to the kitchen table and found the letter that contained the information for her welcome meeting tonight. It would take place downstairs, off the main lobby, in the conference room at 6pm. As Dr. Westcott already informed her, dinner would be served. At the bottom of the letter there was a list of five names, Kinsey’s being one of them. Apparently, Kinsey wasn’t the only newcomer attending tonight’s meeting.
She looked at the clock that hung on the wall. She still had some time before the meeting and decided to explore the compound and grounds a little closer. She grabbed her key card and headed out.
Chapter Eight
Kinsey wandered down a hallway off the main lobby that was lined with doors on each side. It appeared these rooms were being used for exercise and education. There were women of various stages of pregnancy engaging in appropriate exercises, and in other rooms, women were listening to lectures on
proper nutrition during pregnancy; others were preparing for childbirth. Operation Vala took their program seriously; too bad the educators didn’t know the full story. She imagined she’d soon join the ranks of the women in these classrooms.
She walked back to the main lobby area and found the room where her welcome class would be held. She looked inside and found it empty, so she decided to go outside and take a look at the grounds.
She stood in front of the circular driveway and looked in all directions. This place was colossal and she couldn’t help but wonder what all went on here. In the short time she’d been here, she had already come to the conclusion the employees of the program had no idea how the women were recruited. They truly felt everything was on the up and up.
She noticed a small park on the left side of the living quarters and walked toward it. She noticed women sitting on various benches, some at tables. She also noticed the women seemed to be in well-defined groups. Some were bubbly and excited; others were quiet and subdued, talking in huddled whispers. She assumed she’d eventually be part of the quiet, subdued group. The “Stella” type group would not be her speed.
Along side the park area she spotted a trail and decided to follow it. After a short time, the left side of the trail became a wall of thick shrubs. She couldn’t see through them, but she could hear voices. It sounded like some type of training was taking place. She stopped and tried to push her hands through the shrubs to create a small hole, hoping to get a glimpse of what was on the other side, but her effort failed as the shrubs seemed to reach far beyond the length of her arm.
She stopped and tried to listen to the words being shouted. The voices were muffled, but it sounded like some kind of boot camp exercise.
What are they doing over there?
She rounded a corner and saw two women sitting on a bench talking. As she walked by, she smiled. They smiled back and she decided to take advantage of the connection. She stopped and asked them if they knew what was taking place on the other side of the shrubs.
One simply shrugged, like she could care less. The other said, “We don’t know. They tell us it’s none of our business. I do know on the other side of the shrubs is a concrete wall, but they try to give us a pleasing environment; the shrubs are more appealing.”
Kinsey looked over at the shrubs. They were at least six feet tall, so the wall must have been shorter since it couldn’t be seen. She thanked them and continued her walk around the trail. She passed other women along the way, some alone, some in small groups, and most seemed friendly.
When the trail ended, she found herself on the other side of the living area. Apparently, the trail went around the backside of the park and brought her, pretty much, in a full circle. She looked down the driveway that stretched away from the living area. At the end was a small gate with a guard, but he didn’t look very threatening. She looked to her right and saw another area of buildings. The signs indicated this was the area for the doctor’s offices.
She walked back to the front door of the building for the living quarters and stood facing the circular driveway. She took another look at her surroundings. To the left was the park, which was surrounded by a trail. To the right were the buildings for the medical procedures. The driveway lead out of this area and she had no idea what was beyond it, other than the road she drove in on with Stella.
She walked back inside and made her way to the classroom where her meeting would be held. A woman was there setting up the table for dinner. She looked up as Kinsey walked in.
“Hello. Are you here for the welcome meeting?”
“Yes, my name is Kinsey Garrick.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Tessa Sloane and I’ll be speaking at tonight’s meeting.”
Kinsey looked down at Tessa’s growing belly and asked the obvious. “Are you a participant in the program?”
Tessa smiled and rubbed her belly. “Yes, actually, I am. I’m about six months along and they’ve been asking me to speak at the welcome meetings, answering questions the new participants might have.”
Tessa was a stunning African-American, and in spite of being six months pregnant, was in amazing shape. Kinsey liked her; she had a good vibe and an open, friendly smile.
A few more women made their way into the room, so Kinsey took her seat in front of the place setting that had her name. Tessa handed her a folder that also had her name on it.
“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Kinsey thanked her and started looking through the folder. The other women took their seats and Tessa introduced herself and gave them their folders as well.
Kinsey noticed Tessa’s smile fade when an older man entered the room. She turned and walked to the table that was positioned in the front of the room. Kinsey watched Tessa tense slightly as he approached her. Everything about him was military and Kinsey had the feeling Tessa knew exactly who this man was, and based on her discreet reaction, she wasn’t a fan.
After speaking quietly with Tessa, the man turned and addressed the small group sitting at the table.
“Good evening. I’d like to welcome all of you to Operation Vala. My name is Hakon and I’m in charge of this program. You should all be very proud of yourselves for making the decision to participate.”
Kinsey noticed Tessa’s slight shoulder roll at his words and the woman beside her at the table let out a short squeal. She turned to look at her and recognized her as one of the women she passed on the trail earlier.
Hakon continued. “Before we get started, I’d like you all to introduce yourselves, names only.” He pointed to the woman at the end of the table. “We’ll start with you.”
Kinsey was too focused on watching Tessa’s subtle physical reactions to Hakon to catch the names, but she was brought to attention from the squealer to her right.
“My name is Lisa Butler, Sir, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a part of this wonderful program. You’re doing such a….”
Hakon cut her off. “I said names only.” He pointed to Kinsey. “You?”
“Kinsey Garrick.”
Hakon took in a deep breath and slowly released it. “Oh, yes, Kinsey Garrick. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
The way he said the word you made Kinsey’s skin crawl. Squealer Lisa sat back in her chair and shot Kinsey a dirty look. A look of concern appeared on Tessa’s face as she turned her attention to Kinsey.
Hakon stared at Kinsey for what seemed like hours, but she never broke eye contact. He finally nodded and addressed the rest of the group.
“You are here for an important mission. Once that mission is complete, you will be compensated and released.” He began pacing the floor with his hands behind his back. “Your objective is a simple one. Produce a child that will benefit your country during war.”
Lisa practically bounced in her seat and clapped her hands together. Hakon gave her a disapproving glare.
“I’m sorry, Sir, I’m just so excited.”
“I’m not paying you to be excited.”
“Of course, Sir.”
Kinsey shook her head and glanced at Tessa, who had a look of shock on her face at Lisa’s outburst.
Hakon motioned to Tessa. “This is Tessa Sloane. As you can see,” he said, pointing to her stomach, “she’s a participant in the program as well and will be answering any questions you have.”
He looked at Tessa who simply nodded in agreement.
“Good, I’ll be on my way. I just wanted to stop by and personally meet the new faces joining the program tonight.” He gave Kinsey one last glance and walked out the door.
After he was gone, Tessa blew out a breath. “Well, that was a first. In the time I’ve been here, I’ve never had Hakon show up at a welcome meeting.”
Lisa started bouncing again. “He must be really impressed with this group.” She sat back and flipped her brown hair. “Or at least some of us.” She smiled to herself.
Tessa gave a smirk. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s i
t.” She exchanged a look with Kinsey, who widened her eyes and shook her head again.
Before Tessa could begin speaking, the doors opened and a table was rolled in with covered dinner plates. One was sat in front of each participant, including Tessa, who had taken a seat next to Kinsey.
During dinner, Lisa turned to Kinsey. “I passed you on the trail earlier today.”
Kinsey paused between bites, but didn’t look at her. “Yes, I thought I recognized you.” Lisa’s bounciness was getting on her nerves.
“Aren’t you excited to be participating in the program?”
“Oh, yes, I’m beyond excited.”
“So, what are you going to do with your money?”
“To be honest, that’s the last thing on my mind right now.”
“Really? That’s the main reason I’m here. I can’t wait to get this over with and get back home.” She squealed again between bites. “I’m going to be rich.”
Kinsey looked over at Tessa, who shook her head and took another bite of food.
After the dinner dishes were removed, Tessa spent the next hour going over the details of the program. Most of it was stuff Kinsey already knew from the brochure and her talk with Dr. Westcott, but she listened intently, paying attention to the subtle looks from Tessa.
When she wrapped up the presentation, she asked if anyone had any questions. To her surprise, no one did, so she excused the group. Kinsey purposely took her time gathering her things so the other women were out the door by the time she was done. She turned to Tessa.
“I do have a question, but didn’t want to ask in front of the others.”
“Sure, what’s your question?”
“What’s up with that Hakon guy?”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking, but he’s the head of Operation Vala.”
“Is he in charge of the recruits? The women who are chosen for the program?”
“Yes, I believe he is.” Tessa gave her a curious look. “Why do you ask?”