Chapter Two

Most Anthromorph zones had very tall concrete walls around them that made them appear to be prisons. As much as the walls were meant to keep the Anthromorphs in they were also meant to keep humans out. For this reason it wasn't uncommon for armed guards to be seen patrolling their perimeters. Conspiracy theorists took delight in making blog posts about the secret military experiments going on behind those tall walls. While the press was never allowed inside there were no laws preventing them from flying a drone overhead and getting footage of the inside of the zones. There were also no laws that prevented the drones from being "disabled" either. An action solely meant to send a message as any footage, recorded or live, was often very garbled anyways. Oftentimes Anthromorph zones looked indistinguishable from prisons and more or less were operated similarly. Special zones like Safe Haven were few and far between. The walls around special zones were more pleasing to the eye and not as tall. One could see the buildings within them just standing on the street. And if they were watching during the right time of day they might get a far off glimpse of some Anthromorphs. Just as the walls were different, so were the structures within them that tended to appear more like boarding schools and pretty much operated as such. Safe Haven, however, was in a class of its own; it looked more like a gated cluster of offices from the outside depending on which direction you approached it from. On the sides of the zone that didn't have tall buildings with tinted windows the landscaping served as the walls; large hills with sparsely placed trees within the tall bricked raw iron fences that surrounded the entire zone. During the day the gates on the sides with clearly visible buildings were wide open where people and vehicles alike could routinely be seen entering and exiting the zone. Despite the appearance of being easily accessible, during the day, guards turned away anyone without proper identification. This was the problem Linneah was facing Monday morning. Being mindful to keep her tone and words polite Linneah grew irritated of the exchange she was having with a green haired guard as two other guards stood a few feet behind her closely watching them.

“I can't let you in without clearance ma'am.” The man said. His tone was polite but firm.

“I heard you the first five times and each time I've told you I'm here for a job interview and to just call the administrator's office. They are expecting me after all.” Linneah said frustrated. It was twenty minutes before nine. She had gotten there ten minutes ago. A half hour to find her way to where she was supposed to go in an unfamiliar place seemed like more than enough time.

“I'm sorry ma'am we can't do that.” The guard said.

“Right, of course not.” Linneah murmured as she dialed Adam's office number for the second time. Again, after ringing several times the voicemail picked up. Linneah hung up. There was no point leaving another message. “It figures. What did I expect calling a number on a flyer. I bet it was just some basement dweller with nothing better to do than screw with people.” Linneah though ready to give up.

“Yes, sir.” The green haired guard said after all three had received a message through their earpieces.

“Ma'am,” one of the two behind her finally spoke. “I'll escort you to the Administrator's office.”

Linneah felt like screaming at them but kept calm and simply nodded before walking off with the brown haired guard.

As they walked Linneah was too busy looking around to notice the guard's focus was solely on her, so much so he ran into a trash can and fell over.

“Are you, okay?” Linneah asked practically shouting from surprise. She didn't hesitate to reach out her hand to help him up.

The guard looked up at her for a split second, his face red from embarrassment. His gaze was casted to the ground as he put back on the hat that fell from his head when he fell. The guard quickly stood up ignoring her outreached hand and dusted himself off. “I- I'm okay.” He stuttered then continued walking as if the incident never happened.

“What is with this place?” Linneah wondered having seen only men the few times she saw a group of people or a solitary person walking about as she and the guard made their way to and through the administration building. A sign by the door to the room Linneah was left in said waiting room but it looked more like a living room.

“Hello,” a tall man in a gray suit with shoulder length auburn hair said.

Linneah didn't show any signs of being startled but her heart had jumped into her throat. She was reading a magazine and hadn't noticed the man that had entered the room and was standing in front of her. “Hello.” She replied looking up at him. He was smiling and held a small cup of coffee in one hand and a heavily frosted cupcake in the other. He seemed friendly but something about him seemed off to her.

“Sorry the guards gave you a hard time. A communication mix up. You know how it is. Here.” He said offering the coffee and cupcake to Linneah.

“Sure.” Linneah said taking them even though she was in no mood for a snack and especially not one that consisted of mostly frosting and black coffee.

“I'm Jerry by the way,” he said, extending his hand.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Linneah sat the cupcake down, then stood up and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. Is something wrong," she asked when he wouldn't let go of her hand.

“Does it look like something is bothering me,” Jerry asked, still smiling. Clasping her hand with both of his he tightened his grip. “Don't worry you'll get the job.” He said then let go.

“Thanks...” Linneah said, looking at him suspiciously.

“I'll go see if Mr. Neuman is ready to see you,” Jerry said then walked off down a short corridor that led to another area in the room.

Linneah sat back down and stared at the cupcake. Now she really didn't want to eat it or drink the coffee. “Calm down, the administrator sounded like a normal person over the phone. Just because a weirdo happens to be working here isn't a reason to jump to conclusions,” she thought as she scanned the room for a trash can. She quickly dumped the cupcake in it and poured the coffee into the large potted plant beside it.

Adam was sitting at his desk with his face down on it fast asleep. Jerry casually walked in quietly humming. He turned the ringer to Adam's phone back on which he had turned off without Adam's knowledge then woke him up.

Usually composed Adam looked completely dazed. Jerry brushed Adam's hair back into place as he continued to hum. He then walked over to a well concealed minifridge and took a damp towel from it then threw it at Adam. The cold damp towel landed on his head, slapping him in the face. The wet chill was enough to snap him out of his haze.

“Thanks.” Adam said after using the towel to wipe off his face.

“Yeah, no problem. You've got a little puddle of drool on your desk there you might want to clean up."

His expression didn't show it but Adam was embarrassed. He took a small spray bottle of cleaning fluid from the lower drawer of his desk and used the towel Jerry had thrown at him to wipe it up.

“Are you awake now?” Jerry asked as he sat down at on his own desk and removed the lid covering a small clear plastic container of cupcakes.

“Yes.”

“Good, your 9 o'clock is here. Nice girl,” Jerry said as he stuffed one of the cupcakes into his mouth.

Adam glared at him.

“What? You were sleep,” Jerry said with his mouth full.

“What did you do?”

“Just gave her a little test is all,” Jerry said, taking another cupcake from the container.

“What did you do,” Adam asked, his stare having grown in intensity.

“Just had the guys at the gate give her a hard time is all. If she was put off by that then there was no point in waking you up over a no show.”

“I see you turned off my phone again.” Adam said seeing over a dozen missed calls from various people.

“You needed your rest.” Jerry said as he placed the cupcakes into the minifridge.

“I don't know what I'd do without you,” Adam said, his words laced with sarcasm.

“Exactly,” Jerry said cheerfully as he picked up a third cupcake he had left sitting on his desk. “Now that you're rested you can check your messages.”

“I have to interview the young woman you insisted on giving a hard time.”

“Oh, don't waste your time,” Jerry said then took a bite out of his cupcake. “Hire her,” Jerry said but his words were unintelligible due to his mouth being full.

“What?”

Jerry swallowed. “Hire her.”

“Go get her.”

“It's your time,” Jerry said then went back out to the waiting room.

“He'll see you now,” Jerry said and escorted her back to Adam's office.

Unlike the waiting room Adam's office had a sterile minimalist appearance. The glass wall behind his desk let in enough natural light making it unnecessary to turn on the ones overhead.

“Please have a seat Ms. Mitchell,” Adam said but his gaze was on Jerry.

Jerry could tell by the look in his eyes Adam wanted him to leave and so he did.

Linneah couldn't put her finger on why, but she felt threatened; as if something was coiling around her neck and slowly squeezing.

“Is that your resume,” Adam asked, seeing the thin folder in Linneah's hands.

“Yes, it is,” Linneah said, handing it over to him. The blank expression on his face was at odds with the soothing tone of his voice and threatening aura he gave off.

“A master's in education,” Adam said with a rising inclination that made his statement sound more like a question. “That will come in handy for you as a steward.” He placed the folder to the side on his desk.

“It will,” Linneah asked uncertain exactly how her degree would be of any use to her as a steward.

“Yes, it will. Perhaps not in the conventional sense but for all intents and purposes stewards are teachers and the Anthromorhps in their care are students.”

“I see.”

“Tell me, what are your thoughts on Anthromorphs?”

“As a whole?”

“Yes, as a whole.”

Linneah swallowed, feeling the invisible pressure around her neck increase. “I don't know much about them, only what I see on the news.”

“Do you think those stories are true?”

“Is he trying to figure out if I'm a conspiracy theorist or something,” Linneah thought. “I think they're true to a degree. I don't really believe most news outlets don't deliver stories without some kind of biased slant to them even if it's only a slight slant.”

“I see, but what do you think of Anthromorphs?” Adam was slightly annoyed at her for having to repeat his question.

What could Linneah say? She didn't have any particular thoughts about Anthromorphs. How could she when she had never met any of them? “I can't say. I've never met any, but even if I had I don't think that experience would be applicable to all of them.”

“You talk about them as if they are human.”

“Well, aren't they?”

“Many seem to believe they are human but a lower form of human that is only slightly more than the animals they once were. Is that what you believe, Ms. Mitchell?”

“Honestly I'm not sure. The news certainly makes it seem that way but there are those that say they are indistinguishable from us and that any physical differences are only skin deep. I really don't know which is the truth. Maybe, if I'm hired, being a steward will help me figure it out.”

“There's one more thing you need to do. You will need to take a personality assessment exam in the computer lab on the first floor in the building adjacent to this one. Please take this with you,” Adam said then handed her a temporary keycard from his desk drawer. “You won't be able to access the lab without it.”

“The building adjacent to this one right?”

“Correct. Someone can escort you there if you like.”

“No, thank you. I'll be fine on my own,” Linneah said afraid that someone could be Jerry.

~