Page 8 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Five

Grace

O nce again, I was locked in some room, with weird food, not knowing what was happening. My phone was dead and tucked in my bra because the latest dress Agent Weigmier had brought for me didn’t have pockets. Heathens.

At least it wasn’t itchy like the last outfit.

Time seemed to have no meaning here in the interdimensional police station and I wasn’t sure how long I’d been gone. Days at least. My very soul ached for Wes.

The black kitty jumped up on the table, as if coming out of nowhere. But then again, who knew what powers otherworldly kitties had?

“Hi.” I scratched the kitty’s ears. “Still hiding or did you escape again?”

His eyes gleamed as if to say Don’t you want to know?

“Do they have you chasing interdimensional mice in the basement or something? I hope they’re nice to you.

” The desire to go home to Wes and Evan raged inside me.

Especially since I’d given my testimony at the other trial and we were just waiting on verdicts.

Or something. No one would tell me anything.

Please please please let Professor Jaffey be guilty so I can go home. I couldn’t handle being relocated. Short of stealing Agent Weigmier’s interdimensional-traveling car, I didn’t know how else to get home.

Not that I knew how the car worked.

The door opened. The cat jumped off the desk and hid. Captain Claussen strode in, alone. She was the one that hadn’t wanted me taking the stand without knowing what I was going to say.

“Hi, Captain. Do I need to make more statements?” I asked.

She was just an unyielding stickler for rules and protocol–and did not like how Agent Weigmier had taken control of things.

“I need you to come with me.” She huffed a little as if it was a massive inconvenience.

The captain had a disdain for my class of world. Class and type were two different things. Class referred to a world’s level of knowledge regarding parallel worlds and travel along with their ranking in the Temporal Authority food chain.

My world was Class IV, meaning while we had some tech and were developing, we didn’t know about interdimensional travel, and all comings and goings of the sort were strictly prohibited except for official business.

Type referred to the people that lived there. My world was Type-H, just an ordinary humanoid world without magic, paranormal beings, superheroes, or alphas.

To Captain Claussen, I was just some backward country bumpkin who had little use beyond putting away the bad guys.

“Okay.” I stood and trotted after her as she was already at the door, without any concern for me and my short legs.

Certainly, I wasn’t worth any special treatment.

I followed her through the warren of sterile halls, wondering where I was going now. Back to the judge? More testimony? The cafeteria? I’d like to choose my food. Maybe something would finally taste right.

She took me to a room that said Processing. An uncomfortable feeling fluttered in my belly.

“What’s going on?” I frowned.

“The case is over. We’re done with you.” She opened the door, expression hard.

“Oh.” My belly dropped further. “Where’s Agent Weigmier?”

“Probably doing his actual job. I have no idea who he pissed off to be made to babysit you.” Her face scrunched up with distaste as she pushed me inside.

A hard-featured woman with predatory eyes sat behind a desk. “Captain.” She eyed me. “Return?”

Shivers crawled up my spine. “Where’s Agent Weigmier.”

“I told you, he’s busy, ” the captain snapped.

“Judge wants relocation. I don't know why. Gloria, if you want to throw her back home and lose her record no one would care. Why do we even bother with trials for lower-class worlds? Waste of time and resources, we should just turn and burn.” Scorn filled her voice.

Without a backwards glance at me, or even a thank you to the woman at the desk, the captain left, the door slamming behind her.

“Well.” The woman stood. “Hi, I’m Gloria. Let’s get you set up.”

Fear filled me, because I didn’t want to be relocated any more than I wanted to be returned to my sad little apartment and lonely life. Not that I probably had an apartment anymore. My landlord had most likely thrown away my stuff and rented my studio to someone else.

“Can you get Agent Weigmier? Please?” I didn’t want to tell her I had a place that I needed to go back to.

“It’s going to be fine, Dr. Ellington. Type-H world?

Pity, you’re such a tasty little thing. Maybe we can send you someplace a little better.

Hmmm…” Her eyes went a bit black around the edges as she led me through another door and down a hall.

“Has anyone ever told you that you smell like peach pie with vanilla ice cream? Mmmm.”

“I… I have been told that.” No. Things weren’t right. Agent Weigmier said that I could go back to Wes.

No, he said he’d try.

Still, something felt wrong.

She opened the door to something that looked like an exam room. “You sit here. We’ll get some readings and find a nice place for you. Relax, I’m very good at my job.”

Before I could protest the door shut. I tried the handle, but it was locked. “Let me out, please?” I cried, banging on the door with my good hand, as fear consumed me. “Please get Agent Weigmier. Let me out.”

I banged until my hand hurt, yelled until my throat was raw. Sadly, the kitty never appeared. Spent, I sank to the ground, tears streaming down my face.

“I want to go home.” I sobbed until everything went dark.

When my eyes opened, I was in something like a reclining pedicure chair–and not in the room where I’d been before. It looked a little like a fancy medical clinic. Monitors beeped. Gloria and some other woman, who wore a lab coat, were talking.

“You’re not actually sending her to a Type-H world, are you?” the other woman inquired.

Gloria laughed. “You know we can’t keep them, right? But she is so very tasty. I was considering sending her somewhere where she’d be more… appreciated.”

“She’s ill and needs care. If she is what I think she is, I’d recommend a dynamic world. Preferably one of the more civilized ones. She might qualify for special placement under Precious Population Protection,” the doctor replied.

No. No. No. Both heads turned as I whimpered.

“Shh, it’s going to be okay,” the woman in the lab coat soothed. “I know this is scary, but it’s going to be okay. Gloria’s going to find a very nice place for you.”

I frowned at the IV, chest shuddering as I tried to sit up. “What are you doing to me? Making me forget again?”

“Easy. We’re just stabilizing you.” The unknown woman came over to me and checked the monitor.

“Oh. Did I have another seizure?” It had been a few days of a whole lot of emotional upheaval. Not to mention the longer I was separated from Wes, the greater the ache grew in my chest. I couldn’t sense him here and it made me feel empty.

Lonely. Hopeless.

“Is everyone okay in here?” A very large man strode in. He wore a uniform like Gloria and had blonde hair. “It’s none of my business, but…” His eyes fell on me. “Why hello, Precious.”

Fear shot through me. Alpha. It was evident in his scent and bearing.

“Can I talk to Agent Weigmier? Please?” I begged.

“Everything’s fine. Just a nervous relocation,” Gloria said, going to the wall and pushing a button on a small terminal.

He got close enough for me to smell his woodsy scent. “Exquisite.”

“We can’t keep them.” Amusement tinged Gloria’s voice.

“I’m not a pet,” I frowned. “Please, let me speak to Agent Weigmier.”

“Oh, but you are. The best, sweetest pet. You’re going to make someone’s year. Doctor, you might want to do something to suppress her scent before every alpha in the building barges in to check on her,” he warned.

You smell like alpha bait. No one had given me any de-scenter in a while.

“Is someone hurt? Can I be of assistance?” Another very large man came in, this one older, elegant, wearing a suit, and holding himself with authority.

The first man chuckled. “See.”

“Oh. It’s going to be all right, Little One. What do you need?” His eyes were kind, but almost animal-like. His musky scent held an undertone that I couldn’t identify.

“I need to go home,” I sobbed.

“You know what she needs,” the first one laughed. “Soon, precious, you’ll get everything you could ever need or want, very soon.”

“Lupa bless, you’re such a lovely little thing,” the older one said.

“Top of your class at the academy, I’m sure,” the first one added.

“Gloria, please take very special care of this one. Though I’d be happy to make some recommendations,” the older one offered.

Gloria gave them a scathing look. “I need both of you to leave. ”

The doctor was busy studying the monitors and fiddling with dials. She glanced over at Gloria as the men left. “I told you.”

“Well, this complicates things. But not in a bad way. Yes, let’s run those tests so we can get her an extra special place.” Gloria winked at me.

No, thank you.

“Go do your thing, I’ll make sure she’s stable enough to move,” the doctor said. “Let me know if your placement requires anything specific.”

Gloria left, but the doctor continued to tap on things, and I started to feel sleepy.

“It’s okay to be scared, but it’s better to just relax before Alfie comes back with a teddy bear and a bag of candy.” The doctor chuckled.

“I don’t need to be placed. Please, I need to speak to Agent Weigmier,” I begged, as my eyes closed. Though I wouldn’t mind some candy.

“That’s it, just go back to sleep,” the doctor soothed.

Everything went black. Then something poked me.

“Mmmph,” I sat up, startled, heart racing. “What?”

Agent Weigmier stood there. “We need to go. Unless you wish to be relocated.”

“I’m so glad to see you. I just want to go back to Wes.” There was a stuffed bear in my arms, and a little box of candy on the table next to me. Someone had covered me with a fluffy blanket.

He shoved a hat on my head. “You’re detached. We need to get out of here before they return.”

I climbed out of the chair, grabbing the bear and candy, but leaving the blanket, and followed him.

He quickly led me out a back door, up some stairs, through halls, and down an elevator until we were back in the parking garage.

A combination of panic and relief flowed through me.

I’d been this close to being sent someplace else.

But once again, I had no idea what was happening.

He pushed me into his car, eyes sweeping it as if looking for something. “Sorry for the delay; you’re not my only case. I told the captain I’d handle it myself. I didn’t think she’d take it into her own hands.”

“Thank you.” So many feelings overwhelmed me. I also felt weird.

He got in. “Drink the juice in the utility box. I’m just glad that I wasn’t too late. If you’d been processed there would be nothing I could do. Hold on.”

Agent Weigmier pressed the button and once again it felt like I was plunging down a very fast roller coaster.

I closed my eyes, holding the bear, steeling myself against the nausea.

“Did they go free?” My voice trembled as I bent forward, trying not to puke.

“Everyone from your world was found guilty. The judge liked you. She thought she was doing you a favor by giving you a chance at a new life, considering your previous one is in disarray. Between my other cases and needing time to reverse the relocation order to a return to world of origin order, and wipe as much of your footprint as I could, it cost precious time. You being ill saved you,” he mentioned, the car slowing.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” I squeezed my eyes shut, holding the juice.

“Drink the juice. While it’s been nice getting to know you, you’ll probably never see me again. I’ve done my best to wipe everything, so that you won’t be found,” he said.

“Can’t they track your car records? Surely they know when and where the car jumps or whatever we’re doing?” Taking a deep breath, I downed the juice, though it made me feel worse. I will not vomit all over the car. I will not vomit all over the car.

“Per protocol, you won’t recall anything about the trial, the involved incidents, or the Temporal Authority.

Please take care and be cautious. Avoid any fields of study that could put you in our path, and I do hope that you’re not using your identity from the other world,” he said as the car came to a stop.

“Also, you didn’t take the cat, did you? ”

“No, I was just joking.” Okay, if I’d had the opportunity I might have.

I opened my eyes as we stopped in front of Wes’ house. Happy tears pricked my eyes. Home.

“I haven’t been gone too long, have I?” How much had they worried?

He shook his head. “Just a few days.”

“Thank you for everything. Why are you helping me?” It seemed like he was breaking protocol not just for my safety, but for my happiness.

For that I was grateful.

Agent Weigmier shrugged. “It’s my job.”

My eyebrows rose. There was more to it, I’m sure. Not that he’d tell me.

Something pricked the space between my neck and shoulder, and I rubbed it.

“Ow. Again with the stabby-stab. Was that really necessary?” I glared at him.

“Yes. I hope I got the dosage right this time. Goodbye, Dr. Ellington. I wish you and your husband a happy life.” His voice went faint.

For the third time today, everything went black.