Page 7 of Abalim

And a shimmering force field over the wide front entrance.

“You enter here.” Kermit the droid said in her whispery tone. At a wave of her metallic hand, the sparkling shield disappeared.

Now it was easy to see four other women in the room. Human woman, as far as Lisa could tell. The one with long, curly brown hair looked vaguely familiar. She turned her back on the room and crossed her arms. She wasn’t going to move until she got some answers. “What’s going to happen to me now?”

The robot didn’t answer. It just flicked its wrist, and the collar around Lisa’s neck activated, making her back up a few short steps until she was fully in the cramped space. With a flick of its other wrist, the android made the glittering force field resume its position.

“Hey, Kermit!” Lisa stood as close as she dared to the heat coming off the shield. “I asked you a question!” With a huff, she put her fists on her hips.

The robot walked away but stopped. Instead of turning around, the bald head did a hundred-eighty-degree turn, so its face with the creepy, dead silver eyes gave her an unblinking, full-on stare. “That is up to the master. He will decide your fate, human.” With that unemotional response, the robot’s head swiveled to face front and walked away.

Its sharp heels clicked with each step until Lisa couldn’t hear it anymore.

“Lisa? That you?”

She jerked at the sound of her name and turned to face her fellow inmates.

The curly-haired one stepped close with her head tilted. Her brown eyes were wide.

Lisa studied the woman. Several years older than her own thirty-three, the other female was attractive, with high cheekbones and a smattering of freckles across her playful upturned celestial nose that added a hint of whimsy. Her bouncy, cascading hair in thick brunette curls reached past her shoulders.

“Althea?” Lisa gasped, grasping the woman’s forearms. This had been one of her classmates on theStarChanceheading to the Exchange. “How did you end up here?”

Althea’s laugh lacked humor. “Probably the same way you did.” Her eyebrow rose. “Aja?”

“Skanky bitch.” One of the women behind Althea commented with a curt nod. She was an arresting blend of what had to be mixed heritage. Her warm skin tone was complemented by a crown of springy honey coils. Her arresting green eyes narrowed.

“Now, Morgan.” Another woman, an adorable Latina, admonished. “We don’t know the circumstances…”

“Honest to God, Izzy. You’d find something good to say about Hitler, wouldn’t you?” the last woman snapped.

She reminded Lisa of her cover-artist-turned-friend, June. It took forever for Lisa to get June to admit what her Korean birth name was. It wasn’t until just before Lisa left Earth that June admitted her birth name was Ha-Joon. She only confessed after threatening Lisa with severe bodily harm if she ever called her that.

“Toni, stop picking on Izzy.” Althea joined in the conversation.

Maybe Toni was a nickname for the pretty Korean-American woman like June was for her friend.

“I swear, she never says a mean thing about anyone.” Toni may have possessed a petite frame, but there was no mistaking the solid wall of steel in her stance. She waved her hand as if to demonstrate being held in captivity was supposed to give them the green light to get down and dirty. “You’d think being here, she’d at least cuss or something.”

“Hey, maybe she has religious reasons for not swearing.” Lisa grimaced. Here she went, opening her mouth before she had a better understanding of the group's dynamics. For once, she should pay attention and figure things out before opening her big fat yap.

“Nah.” Morgan laughed, flipping her hands at Izzy. “She’s just so friggin’ nice she can’t help herself.”

Izzy’s light-bronze cheeks darkened, and she lowered her eyes with a soft smile.

Lisa expected her to say, “Ah, shucks” anytime.

“Any-hoo…” Althea cleared her throat and addressed Lisa. “How are you? You okay?” The concern in her dark eyes was clear as she checked over the newcomer. “You injured?”

Lisa gave her a brief hug before pulling back. “No, I’m okay.” She gave a sheepish smirk. “The only thing hurt was my pride.” She thumbed at the shiny force field. “Thank God Kermit got me before any damage was done.”

“Damage?” Izzy put a soft hand on her forearm.

Althea’s brows furrowed. “Kermit?”

Without warning, the horror of the last few hours caught up with Lisa. The image of being strapped to that cold, hard table made her stumble. Her brain and eyesight checked out. A black cloud took over, and she would’ve fallen if Izzy and Althea hadn’t grabbed her by the arms.

“Here!” Morgan shouted. “Put her here.”

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