The Halfbreed Threat

Chapter 13 - This is Cassie - Part 1

The house was empty as per Vincent's instructions, except for him and Cassie of course and Karl had dropped by early morning to bring in the security plan.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

Cassie was sitting on the edge of the bed, still wary of him, having just finished her breakfast and not going for a second helping.

She just nodded yes.

"House is empty like I promised; everyone is waiting just outside till we are done with this meeting. Want me to go in ahead or behind you?" A question he asked more to give her a choice than anything, as he already knew the answer.

"Ahead... please."

So he exited the room and she followed, staying barely close enough to keep him in view.

As he entered the conference room, each chair was empty. There was a led indicator on top of the headrest of each chair and a total of 12 chairs around the ovoid table. Three of the leds were yellow and the rest red.

"Please sit in my chair at the end of the table, opposite the entrance. I will stand."

As she did so, there was a beep and the led went yellow.

"Yellow means ready to start," he explained and more and more of the leds went yellow.

When the last one joined the other eleven, a countdown from 10 was displayed projected on top of the table.

"Breath Cassie, they are just holograms, they can't reach you. Here, catch!"

She looked up in time to see him throw a book he had taken from a bookshelf at her.

Luckily it landed on the table and slid on it until it was in front of her.

Vincent couldn't help but answer her questioning look.

"So you don't have to look at any of them if you don't want to. Just pick up the book and read from it."

"Thank you," Cassie said.

"I see we have everyone present. I assume you have all been briefed by Peter and have been following the previous events in the United States."

"What's that thing doing in this meeting?" a voice said, disgust obvious in the tone.

"Yes, Vincent, what are you thinking? Where are your guards?" Peter asked alarmed.

"Outside and unneeded. She is harmless."

"Harmless? She attacked you! You were bleeding!"

"Should I condemn ever sheet that ever gave me a paper cut? Those were superficial scratches and maybe some glass shards fly bys as she broke the table."

"Really? We were lead to believe it was dangerous and unstable." A voice with an Asian accent answered.

"Some people have a tendency to exaggerate," Vincent said and looked at Peter's hologram intently which seemed to make holo-Peter squirm in his seat.

"Explain," a new female voice said with a distinct accent, marking her current res origins somewhere in Africa.

"Not dangerous to me, not that it ever really was but for the surprise factor. And completely stable given the diet provided."

"We would rather have the subject moved to a neutral secure location with total Keeper access and control, to investigate it further. Holding her in the first place was odd of you Vincent," the Asian voice said again.

"This is Cassie. Your subject is a teenage girl, scared and alone, who doesn't know what's happening to her. She needs help and understanding, not probing," Vincent said pointing at the girl.

"We should vote on it then," Peter said.

A virtual holo display in the middle of the table came up. Two options were present – neutral location or not, the not meaning Vincent would keep control of the situation.

9 votes for neutral – 2 in Vincent's favor.

"Your vote, Vincent so we can conclude this meeting," Peter said smugly.