Page 6 of Hired for Research
Evelyn hadn’t considered needing a place to stay while she was there. It was something else she’d have to discuss with the director since he’d have to approve the use of project funds to pay for it.
“Thank you, I appreciate that.”
“Do you know when you would be arriving?”
Evelyn wanted to say she’d be there the next day, but it was already late, and she needed time to collect and prepare the supplies she would need to take with her. Even if the director was still in his office and she could get him to agree to her plan, the paperwork couldn’t be filed until morning, so it was better to be cautious and give herself extra time to prepare.
“I’ll be aiming to arrive Friday.”
Waiting four days felt excessive when she was impatient to get started, but it was the best course of action.
“Perfect.”
Evelyn was about to say her goodbyes and hang up when Sandra spoke again, the change in her tone pulling Evelyn’s thoughts away from the list she was mentally preparing.
“Doctor Alosbee, generally it wouldn’t be any of my business, but due to the nature of Eden and the interactions you’ll be having with the unbonded alphas here, may I ask what your dynamic is?”
Everything froze, Evelyn’s mind going blank. If they’d met in person her dynamic would have been obvious, but over the phone, Sandra had no way of knowing, and while Sandra was an omega as well, there was always the worry in the back of Evelyn’s mind that her dynamic would hold her back.
“I’m an omega.”
The words were almost a whisper, her breath held as she waited. Dynamic exclusion was supposed to be illegal, but that didn’t mean it didn’t happen, hidden behind other excuses. Evelyn had met with enough of it working toward her degree, and then again while trying to find a place to use it.
“I’m glad to see one of us in your position, and I only ask due to the differences in Eden. I assure you it’s safe here, but I’d like to have one of our Controllers stay with you while you’re working with the alphas. They’re all vetted before being allowed to transfer to Eden, much like the studs in the tending facilities, but despite our omega population, many haven’t spent much time in close quarters with one. Considering blood will be involved in the interactions, I feel it’s safer to have someone there in case of an incident.”
Sucking in a breath, Evelyn shook off the lingering worry that had flooded her. The request made sense, and it was something she could use to reassure the director if he had any issues with her going to Eden alone.
“I understand, and that’s perfectly reasonable. I have no problem with having one nearby, as long as they’re not squeamish and realize I plan to work long hours.”
“I’ll be sure whoever is assigned to the duty understands what you’ll be doing and has no issue with it.”
Weight lifting from her shoulders, Evelyn smiled at the empty lab she sat in.
“I’ll see you Friday then.”
“I’ll send you the coordinates of the landing pad. Safe travels.”
They disconnected and Evelyn breathed a sigh of relief. She had a lot to do, and it wouldn’t stop once she left for Eden. After collecting the samples she’d have to run the tests she wanted, read the results, compare everything, and see if she could find something that explained why alphas were different.
And she could fail.
There was a very real possibility that the previous studies hadn’t missed anything, and there really was no other differences than the level of testosterone, and she was only wasting time, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be something else. Something unique to the dominate dynamic.
She wasn’t going to think about anything past that. She had to focus on the science and not the purpose, or she ran the risk of ruining her research with bias. If she found something new, she’d figure out where to go with it from there.
If she didn’t, then the project would be abandoned, and she’d only wasted six months of her time. That was nothing in the larger scheme of things, and maybe something she found would help with her research on the dropping fertility rates in betas.
4. Jett
“Comanne, I’ve got an assignment for you.”
Jett’s spine snapped straight as Commander Cirlee strode through the room to his office, his voice carrying over the conversations going on between the other Controllers.
“Yes, Sir.”
He shrugged at the raised brows of his partner, standing to follow their commander. Jett had been in Eden for over a year, and usually the Controllers did nothing more than patrol the city or stand watch at the construction sites. He’d never been given an assignment before, and he frowned at what it could mean.
Eden was quiet compared to the other Alpha-Camps he’d worked before transferring. Alphas were always going to squabble and try to prove their dominance, and while he’d expected it to be worse at Eden with the temptation of omegas wandering around, he’d been surprised that it seemed to be the opposite. Having the gentler dynamic near mellowed the men unless one was close to their cycle and hadn’t chosen an alpha.
