Chapter 218 - Changes
Chapter 218 - Changes
Margot's POV
"It's not even Saturday... so something must be seriously wrong if they’ve rushed us over here on the buses." Cara's voice cut through the uneasy silence as we were herded forward.
A crowd of us moved in a single, confused wave, as we walked into the large meeting space that we'd sat in many times before - back at the relaxation centre...
But today, nothing felt relaxing about this damn place!
Something was very obviously different today, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t good...
I glanced around, my chest heaving as I took in the room.
There was too many staff.
Too many eyes.
Too much tension in their faces.
It was never like this whenever we'd come here, they always tried to make it feel like a safety net away from the prison - but today? Today It felt like we were being taken to a damn court trial for crimes none of us had committed!
"When something bad happens they usually just keep us locked in our cells... I don’t get it!" I murmured, more to myself than to anyone else, trying to make sense of it.
This wasn't a procedure we’d grown used to…
This wasn't what we would consider a 'normal' day in the prison. Even in the way the guards had yelled and pushed for us to get out of the cells - almost as though we were the criminals and not the men...
Everything today suggested something bad was going on. But usually, any incidents just meant lockdown.
Not being dragged out on to buses at the first break of dawn…
Not being rushed, grabbed and shouted at...
My stomach twisted at the memory of Coban and at how angry he’d got with the way they’d barged in to our cell and yelled and pulled me out of there…
I swear I even heard him threatening to break one of the guards fingers during the uproar, but I was too frantic to focus.
The way they'd come in to the blocks and the urgency with getting all of the girls out of there at what felt like record pace…
The aggression.
The yelling.
The weapons.
It had all felt like we were a sudden threat to them being in there! Like we'd all done something horribly wrong!
I swallowed hard, trying to push this mornings memories away…
"Let's wait and see... there must be a good reason for all of this!" Cara breathes out shakily, with her hair still wrapped up in a messy bun from sleep - and I knew mine was no doubt the same.
Maybe she's right. Maybe this was nothing and there was a valid reason for it?
Maybe it was just... a change? A new challenge in the project? A schedule shift?
A new test for the men?
That's what this project did, right?
Constant pressure.
Constant evolution.
Keeping everyone on their toes…
"Maybe it's just... something new," I added quietly, glancing at Cara. "Another challenge or something?"
But even as I said it, I didn't entirely believe it myself.
Because I couldn't shake that lingering feeling, that something this time had gone very, very wrong...
"Be seated, ladies! Quickly!" The sharp command cut through the room, as we all stilled for a second to glance at the guard who had yelled.
Rows of seats filled up quickly, as I sank down beside Cara, my body tense, my mind racing as I glanced toward the stage…
My knee bounced as I waited, and then-
I saw him come out from a door in the far corner...
The man with the scar...
Suited up in a dark stiff material as he waltzed himself up the steps to get front and centre, eyeing us all briefly-
Like always.
But even he looked... different today?
Worried?
More alert?
Less in control...
And that alone sent a chill through me, because this man didn't seem like the type to rattle easily…
Beside me, Cara reached over for my hand without even looking. Her fingers lacing with mine, squeezing gently.
Grounding me. Like she always did.
But this time?
Her grip was tighter.
And I knew, she needed me to keep her stable too…
"Ladies," the scarred man began, tapping a microphone as his voice carried loudly across the room, "I, uh... I'd like to introduce you to our Safety Director who has a few words for you all today..."
A pause.
Just long enough to build even more tension.
"Lisa Wittacker." He announced the unknown woman to us, and nonetheless, my stomach dropped.
Safety director?!
I frowned slightly at that, unsure.
I'd never heard that title used here before.
Never heard her name before either.
And judging by the murmurs rippling softly through the room - neither had anyone else.
"...for the next few minutes," the scarred man continued, his tone firm, "I advise for you all to pay very close attention... as from today, things are going to be very, very different…"
Then with that, he stepped aside, as the door in the corner opened for the second time - revealing the woman in question.
A chill ran through me, hearing the sound of her heels click sharply against the floor as she walked onto the stage - the room eerily silent now.
Her steps were precise.
Every movement controlled.
Everything about her screamed authority, but she was shorter than I had expected. But that didn't matter, because she didn't need height to command a room like she was doing just now.
Her sharp gaze and presence alone did that for her…
Her short brown hair was cut into a perfectly straight bob, not a single strand out of place as she stood in a grey pinstripe suit, tailored to perfection - long heels black.
Her posture was stiff, chin slightly lifted, and her face?
Cold.
Unreadable.
Giving nothing away… at least not yet!
Her lips pressed out into a thin, straight line like she'd never smiled a day in her life.
I swallowed hard.
"Safety director?" Cara whispered, as I nod once and screw up my face in agreement to how strange it all sounded.
Maybe some laws had been broken? Maybe this woman had found cracks in the project that go against the original terms and conditions? I don’t know…
But why else would they need to bring in a safety director? Surely there were many opportunities to do this before now?!
And why did I suddenly feel like whatever she was about to say... was going to change everything for all of us?
Beside me, Cara's fingers tightened around mine.
"Margot..." she whispered next under her breath.
But I didn't respond.
I couldn't.
Because my eyes were locked on the woman at the front of the room, waiting for her to explain all of this to us...
"I don't like this..." Cara decided, and truth be told…
Neither did I.