into her arms. It was a smile that brought a ray of
sunshine to a rainy day, and, boy. did I need some
sugar now.
"Hello, girls." she said. "I'm Dr. Foreman,
Welcome to my school."
"This is a school?" Teal piped up immediately.
"It's more like someone's filthy basement."
Dr. Foreman turned to her and, holding her
smile, said. "No, this isn't the actual school." She
looked about and smiled as if she didn't see what we
saw. She saw a beautiful lobby or something instead. "This is my orientation center. The school is some distance from here. but I like to meet my girls as soon as they are brought and introduce them to the way things will be as soon as possible. That way, if they don't accept what I say and don't do what I say, I can put them right back on the plane and ship them somewhere else where a far worse fate awaits them. Is
this plan all right with you. Teal?"
I could see Teal was both impressed and
intimidated that Dr. Foreman already knew which of
us she was. Teal didn't answer. She just sat looking at
her, her mouth slightly open. Dr. Foreman did not turn
away immediately either. She held Teal's gaze, froze
that now cold smile on her lips, and only after a few
beats, slowly turned back to Robin and me.
"Now then, as I was saying, welcome to my
school," she continued.
As if that was their cue, three young women,
the one who had escorted me from the plane to the
concrete building, and two others dressed similarly
with their hair cut identically short, entered and took
position just behind Dr. Foreman. They stood with
military posture, their arms behind them, hands
clasped, and looked forward, n
ot at us, just forward
and poised like guard dogs ready to pounce upon command. Foreman's rottweilers, all teeth and muscle.