~ SASHA ~
There were no other diners in eyeshot, they'd been given a private dining alcove. But suddenly the sounds of the dining room nearby—the clink of silverware and hum of hushed voices—beca very loud to Sasha's ears, because none of the n were speaking.
Next to her, Nick had gone very still in his seat, but when Sasha turned to et his eyes, he was scanning the other n. She followed suit and examined each of them in turn.
From what she could see, none of them were obviously impressed by her little show of backbone. But they weren't dismissive of it either.
Santa Claus was the first to speak. "So you admit that you are an unlikely leader for people like the Chira?"
Sasha nodded. "Especially in that environnt. I resisted the idea at first—I didn't feel equipped. But Zev was very clear that keeping so kind of stability, showing a fa?ade of confidence even if I didn't feel it, was very important. I still have a lot to learn about surviving in Thana. But I have to say, I'm beginning to think holding the reins of power might be more comfortable than I thought."
Nick shot her a warning look, but she wasn't lying. She just didn't an it the way she hoped they'd hear it.
"Oh, please," Sour Puss muttered. "You're the least ambitious over-achiever I've ever had the tedium to surveil."
Sasha forced a brittle smile. "I do apologize if your invasion of my privacy was an inconvenient boredom for you," she said through her teeth. "But that wasn't what I ant."
Sour Puss's eyes flashed at the anger in her tone. He sat forward, elbows on the table and gestured to her. "Great, then please explain. If it were up to we wouldn't even be here. You'd be in the stable and we'd sit back and wait for Zev to show up—because all of us know the only true power you hold is over our boy Zev, and if you're here, he won't be far behind. Both of you fool yourselves into believing you have any influence that we haven't handed to you. So let's be done with the charade shall we? You hold no power—no freedom—that we didn't give you. Do you understand that?"
"Of course," Sasha snapped back. "Nick's been very clear. That's why I'm here."
"Good. Then we have a list of expectations for you. If you agree to abide by them, and give us assurances of exactly how you will do that, we may choose to let you return to Thana under certain restrictions. But that is by no ans a given. You will be watched and evaluated for deceit. You are not negotiating from a position of power here, Sasha."
"Then it sounds like you should let know what your expectations are, so I can start making plans about how to fulfill them right away," Sasha countered sarcastically.
Nick rolled his eyes and shook his head, but he didn't interrupt.
Sour Puss gave her a lazy smile. "I see through your bravado."
"I see through your pretend dis-interest," she shot back.
Sour Puss's eyebrows popped up and his smile disappeared. "Well then," he said quietly. "Let's get to the real reason that we're all here."
Sasha's mouth was dry and her stomach quivering, but she faced this man down. She hadn't expected him to be the one who would speak for all the others, but none of them—not even Santa Claus—seed inclined to interrupt him, so she assud he was the final decision maker among them, and gave him her attention.
As he revealed his list which sounded so broad and predictable on the outside, images popped into her mind ti and again of how this had looked for Xar, and where his cooperation had gotten them all.
Sour Puss sat back in his chair and began his list, toneless and firm, without any question that she would agree.
Sasha, as Alpha, would take orders. Whenever, and however they chose to deliver them.
She would be told who to trust, and she would trust only those individuals to bring word from this group of n. She nodded, looking down, making a ntal note to be certain whoever these n trusted, no one else could. But Sour Puss went on.
She would support every decision they made, whether she agreed or not. She would not undermine them with the Chira.
She'd visit this facility as often and for as long as they required. She'd also receive their workers in Thana whenever they chose—and she would ensure that the people followed their orders.
She wouldn't only answer any questions these n had at any ti, she would offer information she learned that could benefit them, even if they didn't ask.
And she would, at all tis, support their endeavors within Thana, and in her own world. She would not share their secrets, or attempt to thwart any of their actions within Thana, or her own world.
"…In short," Sour Puss said bluntly, "We own you."
It was a work of sheer will not to swallow. All five n including Nick, were staring at her, asuring her. Even Santa Claus's eyes were sharp and assessing.
"Is that all?" she said lightly.
"If you're going to pretend not to take this seriously, this conversation is over," Sour Puss said starkly.
Sasha dropped her head and let her nervousness show through. He was right that they could see through her bluster. She had to keep them believing that she was frightened, but determined. Which was true. But she also needed them to underestimate her.
"I believe, as long as you let keep Zev, and you don't ask to actually harm anyone else, I can do those things for you," she said. "But I do have so questions, and so expectations of my own."
Sour Puss snorted. "You're not in a position to enforce expectations. Your job here is to listen, and to act—as we tell you to. Then you stay alive. Then you get to live your life. Otherwise, if you can't, we'll just bring you here and add you to the breeding pool."
Sasha visibly shuddered at the idea, and her stomach turned over.
None of the n reacted.
"I have so suggestions that I believe would be mutually beneficial," she said faintly. "If you'd humor ."
Sour Puss looked at the others, then nodded to her. "Go ahead." But just as Sasha was about to open her mouth, he added, "Just don't waste our ti.. Or you'll have a chance to ask the other females here what exactly happens when we get impatient."
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