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scurry to escape the ever constant presence of the Spanish language and the change of the general culture.
    Deirdre wished for a wider spectrum of ethnic groups in Lawrenceton. The place held little diversity. The landscape comprised the upper middle class with their two children, dog in the back, and the really wild ones also owned a cat. On the outskirts, the money lived in beach-front homes where privacy and security were a prime concern. The celebs vacationed here, looking for some hometown feel that wasn’t anyone’s hometown.
    They all wanted something generic, safe, and like themselves. Their spice consisted of parties with other people just like them. They talked about their cars, their clothes, their jewelry, and rarely found topics of substance. Most were in the upper income levels with some being filthy rich. It seemed economic divides bothered them almost as much as ethnic ones.
    Of course all races seemed to prefer to stay with people like them instead of mixing with others. She could only guess that was their way of protecting themselves. Things weren’t supposed to change. No one would be dangerous if they were alike.
    On matters of race, religion, and politics, Deirdre never commented or argued. These things were rooted too deeply into a person to change an opinion through discussion. Deirdre was white, and raised with a mix of skin colors who all functioned with a singular frame of mind instilled by Stone House. She didn’t encounter stereotyping until she left the compound. In her childhood they weren’t even allowed to be people, much less identified by race.
    Sabrine, her employee, had a different version of the world. She was the child of an African man and a white woman. The result was a slight kink in her hair, a tan, and high cheekbones. She’d been educated on race, learning the hard way about ideas in the South.
    Deirdre had never understood why Sabrine worked for her. Her father had a very successful company in Atlanta building computer systems for businesses that couldn’t use the generic software available. Instead of working for him, Sabrine had joined the Marines, doing two years and getting a four-year college education out of the deal. Her father had the money for school but he also raised her to be incredibly independent. That positive trait was Sabrine’s biggest flaw. She had never been much of a team player, which was a big reason her military career had been cut short.
    Sabrine was a great employee though and one of the few people Deirdre trusted. She guessed that made Sabrine a friend. Deirdre wasn’t really sure. The concept of friendship came from television and that silly thing could never be trusted.
    Deirdre drove through downtown then pulled in front of an anonymous brick building. On the outside, the place looked deserted, some shelter for the homeless to camp when they weren’t traveling. It was Hannah’s Gym that actually occupied the building and it was the best in town. There were some glossier establishments with chrome and big glass windows in front. Those places were frequented by soccer moms trying to get their waistlines back and the overly-built boys, growing muscle for show instead of function. Deirdre never cared for those places. She wasn’t there to socialize or shed an extra pound. She went to Hannah’s to train.
    The morning air was comfortable but by noon the sun would broil anyone caught on the street only to shock them when evening came and the brisk autumn winds chilled people to the bone. There were several drawbacks to living so close to the beach, but she dealt with tourist traffic and heat, for the ocean, milder winters, and quiet peace she always hoped to find in that tumbling surf.
    She got out of the car and walked up the concrete stairs to the door. It was glass with metal bars running down the front of it. During the day the area was great, but at night the worst of humanity seemed to lurk in the darkness, necessitating bars over the glass