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Blanca grouched. “It’s creepy.”
    “So are you, but we don’t hold it against you,” Rose told her with a grin.
      Blanca shot her the bird.
    “Enough! You two be nice and eat,” Sienna chastised them. Rose had the grace to look remorseful and mutter, “Sorry.” Blanca didn’t comment but started eating.
    Again unending hours of nothing weighed on Sienna. This cell was even smaller and there was no way to even pace. The relative quiet was broken by what sounded like a human voice yelling. It was too far away to make out words but the distress in it was clear. Sienna thought it was male as it began to scream in pain. After a few horrifying moments it finally cut off.
      “Major, check in,” the voice of Colonel Derrins commanded.
    “Everyone in my room is counted. They fed us and left,” he responded.
      Sobbing could be heard in various levels and distances.
      “What the hell are they doing?” the major asked to no one in particular. 
      After a few moments of conversation outside the room, the colonel’s voice sounded again.
      “Another from the Lt.’s group,” he said. “Private Nielson.”
      Silence reigned again for hours broken by only the animal noises. 
      “I have to pee again,” Samantha complained. Sienna smiled who knew she’d ever wish for something as simple as bathroom. All the women stood and went to the waste receptacle. It was sort of a box with hole it that you sat on and did your thing and then a laser moved over you and cleaned you. No paper but no door either. The women formed a wall around Samantha with their backs to her and glared at Private Jennings who was leering as though he could see through them to Samantha. Each woman took a turn and replaced the next woman in the wall afterwards.
      “Would you like a turn while we’re up?” Sienna asked the other group of women.
      They looked Ashaa for a moment and then at the private. They stood as one and came over and joined the wall of women and took a turn. After everyone took a turn they went to tap in the wall and washed their hands out of habit since the waste receptacle was hands free.
      “Thanks. This is Holly and Tabitha. I’m Wendy,” one of the younger women began introducing them. “That’s Dr. Beatrice Martin,” she said indicated the older woman who was walking away without a word. Dr. Martin turned to glare at her.
    “They always told us the Ashaa was extremely dangerous and not to interact with her,” Holly said watching Ashaa who simply smiled.
      “Somehow I think she’s the least of our worries right now,” Sienna responded.
      The women sat together now except for the doctor who continued to glare at them.
      “What did you do at the base?” Rose braved the question.
      “The three of us are vet techs. We feed and care for the animals there in the lab,” Holly replied. “Dr. Martin is the veterinarian.”
      “What kind of animals?” Natalie wanted to know.
      Suddenly, Dr. Martin was standing over them. “You’re not allowed to answer their questions or tell them anything,” she ground out. “You signed a confidentiality agreement. You could wind up in prison.”
      “Doc, look around,” Wendy smiled and raised her eyebrows at the older woman.
      The older women stalked off as they all snickered and Ashaa laughed out loud.
      “Ashaa, could you have gotten out of the other cage?” everyone turned to stare at Wendy aghast that she would ask such a thing. “What? You can’t tell me some of you haven’t wondered considering how much worse off we seem to be.”
      “Unfortunately, no, I could not breach the invisible walls. I was the first to recover and tried several times. When you pressed against the wall with a flat hand with just mild pressure it held but nothing more; however, attempting to damage or penetrate it, it took that personally and let loose with an electrical charge that knocked me back about six feet. The second attempt I was thrown about