Authors: Shawna Platt
That night Kinsey dreamed. In her dream, a baby was crying and she was running through a forest trying to find it. Every time she got to the location where she felt the baby was, the crying came from another direction. Finally, she came to a tree where she heard the wailing and saw the baby teetering on a high branch. She started climbing the tree to reach the infant, but just as she stretched her arm out to keep it from falling, the dream changed.
She was now sitting in a clearing on a bright moonlit night, attempting to build a fire. A baby, wrapped in a coat, slept beside her. She heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned in time to see two men. One grabbed the baby; the other pulled her backward by the hair and held a gun to her head. Somewhere in the distance, she heard a voice whisper, “There are ears everywhere.”
She woke with a start and waited for the adrenaline rush to subside. The room was spinning and she struggled to gain her composure. She took a deep breath and looked over at Sheila, who was still sound asleep. She looked at her clock. 5:47am. She stood on wobbly legs and made her way to the bathroom. She turned on the cold water, placed her hands on the edge of the sink, and took a few more deep breaths. Once she had the dizziness under control, she splashed cold water on her face and looked at herself in the mirror. In her head, she heard the words again.
There are ears everywhere.
She wasn’t sure what they meant, but she had a feeling they were important. Suddenly, a thought hit her.
Did he bug my house?
The idea made her furious, but she had no idea where to begin looking for one. What did they even look like?
Has he been listening to us this whole time?
She tried to recall everything they’d talked about yesterday. Then she thought about her phone. Was that bugged as well?
She sat on the edge of her bathtub and put her face in her hands. Everything was so out of control and there was nothing she could do about it. Like Sheila told her, she had to let it play out.
By the time she got out of the shower, Sheila was up and waiting for her to come out.
“I feel so bad leaving you this morning. I really want to be here when he comes to pick you up.”
“I’d like that, too, but it’s also important you get to work and see what’s happening there.”
“Yeah, I know, but it still sucks. You shouldn’t be alone this morning.” She grabbed some shower items out of her bag. “Do you think your parents will stop by?”
Kinsey shrugged. “I really don’t know. My dad is pretty upset with me and someone has to stay with Brianna.” The thought of their conversation being listened to infuriated her. “I just want it all over with.”
Sheila sighed. “I’m going to take a quick shower and then we’ll get something to eat before I have to go.”
Kinsey nodded as she stood in front of her closet and picked out her clothes for the day. She would be leaving most of her clothes behind, as the brochure claimed her pregnancy clothes would be provided. As far as packing, she was ready to go. Emotionally, that was another story.
By 7:30am they were standing by Kinsey’s front door, embraced in a bear hug Sheila refused to release.
“I can’t believe this is the last time I’ll see you in almost a year.”
Kinsey tried to pull herself away. “I’m trying not to think about it.”
Sheila pulled her back in. “Promise me you’ll be careful and try to stay in touch.”
“I can make phone calls.”
Sheila finally let her go and smiled through her tears. “I’m going to miss you. I don’t want to think about what you’re being forced to endure.”
“Yeah, I’m trying not to think about that either.”
“I’m just going to go now, otherwise, I’ll never leave.” She grabbed Kinsey in one last bear hug. “I love you!”
“I love you, too.”
Sheila walked out the door and turned as she got to her car. She waved one last goodbye, got in her car, and drove away.
Kinsey closed the door, leaned against it, and slid to the floor. She allowed herself to break down for a few minutes and then gathered her composure.
You can do this. You have to do this.
She went upstairs to take one last look around before grabbing her suitcase and heading back downstairs. It was almost 8am and she had two hours to kill before stalker guy came to whisk her away.
When her cell phone rang, it was all she could do to look and see who it was. Stalker guy was the last person she wanted to talk to. She was relieved when it wasn’t him, but her mom. She took a deep breath and answered.
“Hello, Mom.”
“Good morning, sweetie. I assume you’re all ready to go?”
As ready as I can be.
“Yes, I’m packed and waiting for my ride to the airport.”
“Okay,” there was a short pause. “Well, I’m just letting you know I don’t think we’ll be able to stop by this morning. I’m not sure your dad’s up to that.”
“I understand, Mom. It’s probably for the best. Saying goodbye this morning would be hard for all of us.”
“It’s just the circumstances, Kinsey.”
“Mom, I get it.”
Just stay strong.
“Let us know when you’ve arrived safely, okay?”
“I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.” She paused to swallow the lump in her throat. “Please, know I love you both very much and I want to know how Brianna’s recovery goes.”
“Yes, definitely. Call when you can. We love you, too.”
“Goodbye for now, Mom.”
“Goodbye for now.”
Kinsey disconnected the call and allowed another breakdown to overtake her. She collapsed on the couch and didn’t try to control this one; she just let it happen.
She awoke to someone ringing her doorbell. She sat up quickly and looked at her phone. 9:30am. She must have fallen asleep.
He better not be here yet,
she thought. She slowly got off the couch and answered the door. She was surprised to see her mom standing there. She fought like hell to keep the tears from coming.
“Mom! I’m so happy to see you!” She embraced her mom and practically pulled her inside. “I thought you said you couldn’t stop by.”
“Well, your dad decided to stay with Brianna, but I couldn’t let you leave without saying a proper goodbye.”
“I’m glad you came.” She pulled her mom to the couch and they sat down. “You do realize this is a stressful time for me, too.”
“I know, honey, and I’m sorry we haven’t made it easy on you.”
“We’ve been through this and I understand where you’re coming from. I’m just glad you’re here.”
“So, you leave at 10am?”
“Yes, my ride will be here to take me to the airport.”
“And you’ll be in Nevada? You’ll be able to call and keep in touch?”
“Yes, Mom. I promise I’ll keep in touch every chance I get.”
“Well, then I guess that’s how it will be.” She gave her daughter a smile. “I hope everything works out the way you’re hoping.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
Kinsey spent the next half hour answering her mom’s questions the best she could. She left out a lot of details and added a few white lies she thought would make her mom feel better. Movement outside the window caught her eye and she saw stalker guy pull into her driveway. She sighed.
“Well, it looks like my ride is here, Mom.”
“Oh, okay, honey,” she said with a sad undertone. “I’ll be going so you can get to the airport.”
“I promise to call and let you know when I arrive. I want to be kept up to date on Brianna’s progress, too.”
She walked her mom to the door and when she opened it, stalker guy was about to ring the bell. He pulled his hand back.
“Good morning, Kinsey. I hope you’re ready to go.”
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Her mom stuck her hand out. “Hello. I’m Donna, Kinsey’s mom.”
“Hello, Donna. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Keith.”
Oh, stalker guy has a name.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Keith. You take care of our girl.”
“Will do. I’m sure you’re very proud of her.”
“Yes, we are.” Donna turned to Kinsey and gave her a hug. “Keep in touch, dear, and be careful.”
“I will, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Kinsey watched her walk to her car and drive away. She turned back into the house and went to grab her bag off the couch. Keith followed her in.
After picking up her bag, she asked, “What’s going to happen to my house? Who’s going to pay my bills?”
“I told you, everything will be taken care of during your absence. You have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not being forced to do something against your will.”
He ignored her comment and motioned toward the door. “Shall we?”
She pushed past him and walked out to his car. She threw her bag in the back seat and got in. He situated himself in the driver’s seat and turned to her.
“You can sit up front.”
“I’d rather not, thank you.”
“Suit yourself.” He smiled and pulled out of the driveway.
She allowed herself one short side-glance at her house as they drove away.
They spent the first ten minutes of the drive in silence. Kinsey simply watched the scenery as it flew past her window, taking in her beloved Chicago since she wouldn’t be seeing it for almost a year. She’d never been to Nevada and wondered what it would be like. The only thing she knew was it was hot. The compound looked like it would be comfortable, for what it was, but she would be counting the days until she returned to her home.
Keith watched her from the rearview mirror. “Everything will be fine, Kinsey. I can honestly tell you, I’ve never had a chosen participant put up such a fight.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. You’re seriously telling me all women chosen just happily go off, get artificially inseminated, pop out a kid, and walk away like nothing happened?”
“With the kind of compensation they receive, yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“I’m sure it has nothing to do with you strong-arming them into it.”
He didn’t respond.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“I’m not a bad guy, Kinsey, contrary to what you believe. I just do my job.”
“Well, your job sucks. I don’t know how you sleep at night.”
He allowed another moment of silence. “My name is Keith Anderson, by the way.”
“Yeah, I got that when you introduced yourself to my mom. I just had you labeled as ‘stalker guy.’”
“Well, now you know I have a name.” He paused again. “Listen, just keep your head low, do what’s asked of you, and you’ll be home before you know it.”
He looked at her in the mirror again when she didn’t respond. He let out a breath and began to wonder what it was about her that was so different from the others. He had a feeling she was going to change everything, and frankly, he was starting to get concerned for her safety.
“I've come to believe that in everyone's life, there's one undeniable moment of change, a set of circumstances that suddenly alters everything.”
~Nicholas Sparks,
Safe Haven
The flight to Nevada was quiet and uneventful, so Kinsey tried to take advantage of the down time to get some sleep. Every time she drifted off, her dreams were full of the crying baby and the men who pursued her. She tried to convince herself it was just her mind trying to make sense of the fact that she’d be abandoning her child after it was born; that the men represented her freedom being taken away.
The flight attendant announced they’d be landing soon, so she abandoned her attempt at sleep and tried to prepare for the life she would be living for the next ten months, give or take. She had to admit, emotionally, it was easier now that she was away from her parents. The goodbyes were out of the way and she could focus on what she had to do to keep everyone safe. She knew her dad was still upset with her, but once she returned, and life got back to normal, she hoped he’d come around and could move past it.
When she departed the plane, she saw a woman standing to the side with a sign that had her name on it. She approached her and said her name was Kinsey Garrick. The woman reached out her hand and shook Kinsey’s enthusiastically.
“Hello! My name is Stella Madison and I’ll be transporting you to the compound. Do you have a bag to pick up or just your carry-on?”
Kinsey noticed she had a military-type ID hanging around her neck. “I have a small bag, yes.”
“Okay, right this way.” Stella turned and walked away, so Kinsey followed her.
She didn’t speak to Kinsey again until they were standing in the luggage claim area. “So are you excited for your new adventure?”
Kinsey gave her a peculiar look.
Are you mental?
“Oh, yes, I can’t wait.”
“You’re going to love the compound. I’m sure you’ll be comfortable there.”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She decided to dig a little more. “How long have you worked there?”
“I’ve been employed with the compound for a few years now. I would love to be able to participate in the program, but I can’t have children, so I do what I can to lend my services for the cause.”
“I see. So what do you do, exactly?”
“A lot of things. I transport participants to the compound when they arrive and then back to the airport once their service is complete. I also help out in the nursery. I love the babies. They stay with us, in a special area of the compound, until they’re about a year old, then they get transferred to another area.”
“What happens when they get transferred?”
Stella looked confused. “I’m not sure. I never go there. You’re the first participant to ever ask that question.”
Kinsey shook her head and grabbed her bag off the moving mini-sidewalk as it went by. “Okay, this is it.”
“Great! Let’s go! I can’t wait for you to get settled in. There will be a welcome class tonight you’ll be required to attend, but after that, you’ll be free for the rest of the night to check out the compound and surrounding grounds. They’re really pretty!”
Kinsey just wanted her to shut up. Her high-pitched voice was like nails down a chalkboard. Who was this woman? She didn’t look like she could be much older than twenty-one, twenty-two tops. She reminded Kinsey of a bubbly, high-spirited robot, which didn’t surprise her in the least.
When they arrived at the compound, they had to go through a series of two gates, heavily guarded by military. At the first gate, Stella addressed one of the guards by name.
“Hi, Malcom. I have a new participant to bring in.” She handed him some papers.
Malcom read through the papers and stamped the bottom of each page. “Here you go, Stella.”
The gate opened and they went through. At the second gate, Stella handed the guard the stamped papers from Malcom. He checked them over, returned them to Stella, and opened the gate. As they drove through Stella looked back at Kinsey.
“The guards at the second gate aren’t very friendly. I don’t even know their names. If you try to talk to them, they never respond. Isn’t that rude?”
Kinsey smirked.
You’re an idiot.
“Yes, incredibly rude.”
As they drove into the compound, Kinsey took in the surroundings. There were numerous buildings, and Stella was right, the grounds were beautiful. There was a high concrete wall surrounding everything. From what she could tell, the buildings and grounds occupied hundreds of acres. This place was huge, like a town in the middle of nowhere.
Stella parked in a circular driveway in front of one of the buildings. “This is where you’ll be staying.” She opened the door and got out.
Kinsey grabbed her bag and followed her inside. As they walked through the massive front doors, Stella took Kinsey to the main office across from the entryway. Kinsey thought the place smelled like a hospital.
When they entered the office area, Stella walked up to a counter with a sign hanging above it that read, “Check In”. She addressed the woman behind the counter.
“This is Kinsey Garrick. She’ll be checking in today.” She handed the lady Kinsey’s papers, then turned to Kinsey. “Well, this is where I leave you, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around here or there.”
“Thank you, Stella.”
Thank you for leaving.
Stella walked out of the office as the woman behind the counter looked over Kinsey’s paperwork and started a file. She looked up at Kinsey and smiled.
“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.