Ella`s Story
My Love From The Future
BOOK SIX

Chapter 2 : Above Top Secret

Episode 55 : January 5 2023 Thursday grade 12

Copyright © 2019-2025 Gary Brandt. All rights reserved.

Commander Beaker studied the young woman sitting across from him, his weathered face etched with skepticism and disbelief.

The fluorescent lights of the briefing room cast harsh shadows beneath his eyes as he leaned back in his chair, processing what he`d just heard. "So let me see if I`ve got this straight," he said, his voice carrying the weight of decades in military intelligence.

"You live in an underground city that has existed for six hundred years, just a mile from where we sit right now, and we didn`t know anything about it." He paused, shaking his head slowly.

"I`m finding that hard to believe, miss.

We`ve discovered hundreds of underground settlements with a variety of different life forms—mostly alien—living on this planet.

But you claim to be human, just a slightly different subspecies that can interbreed with surface humans like us and create hybrid offspring." Asherina met his gaze steadily, her unusually large eyes reflecting an ancient wisdom that seemed at odds with her youthful appearance.

"Yes, Commander.

That pretty much sums it up." "Then take me to this city.

I have to see it for myself." A shadow of regret crossed Asherina`s features.

"I`m sorry.

I can`t do that.

If I bring military personnel down there, I`ll be exiled from my own people.

Besides, we wouldn`t be able to find the entrance if you were with me—it would be blocked telepathically." Commander Beaker`s eyes narrowed.

"So how do I know you`re not just a telepathic projection? Some figment planted in my imagination? The reptilians are famous for that kind of manipulation.

Are you one of them?" For the first time since entering the room, Asherina laughed—a sound like silver bells that seemed to ease the tension in the air.

"No, Commander, I`m not a lizard.

You`re welcome to take a blood sample if it would put your mind at ease.

You`ll find that my DNA is almost identical to yours.

We were both brought here eons ago by an off-world species that modified our genetic code to be compatible with Earth`s environment.

We don`t know who brought us here, or who brought your people here, but here we are—hundreds of millennia later—finally face to face." Commander Beaker drummed his fingers on the metal table, his mind racing through protocols and procedures.

"Then you`ll need to provide me with all available information about your species so I can add you to the official roster of known sentient beings.

I`ll need to know who your official representative is.

I`m not comfortable conducting interspecies diplomacy with..." He gestured vaguely.

"Some kid." The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as Asherina`s expression hardened.

When she spoke again, her voice carried an authority that made even the seasoned commander sit up straighter. "I can`t allow you to do that either, Commander.

If you attempt to file any official reports, I`ll have no choice but to wipe your memory of this entire meeting.

You`ll walk away thinking I`m just some high school girl that Ella met on campus." Her voice softened slightly, tinged with genuine regret.

"Let`s not go down that path.

I`d rather maintain honesty between us—we`re going to need that if we`re to work together effectively." She leaned forward, her gaze intense.

"We have a great deal of work ahead of us, and time is critically short.

It may already be too late.

You`re trained to keep secrets, Commander—consider this above top secret.

And for the record, I`m not a child.

I`m thirty-five years old, married with children, and I am the official representative of my people." Commander Beaker turned to glare at Ella, who had been watching the exchange with barely concealed amusement.

"Damn it, Ella! Why do you always do this to me? I`m supposed to be the commanding officer here, and you treat me like I`m nothing more than support staff.

I hate this." Ella`s expression sobered.

"I`m sorry, Beaker.

I don`t mean to disrespect your authority, but if you haven`t figured it out by now, there`s much more happening here than just our little Navy project.

Most of it operates well above our security clearance.

We answer to a higher power, and frankly, we don`t even know who or what that power is." The weight of that admission hung in the air like smoke.

Commander Beaker stared at the ceiling for a long moment, then let out a long, defeated sigh. "Okay.

I give up." He turned to address the other woman in the room.

"Melanie, get her processed and start her training.

Bring her up to speed with the other girls." He looked back at Asherina, and for the first time, his expression held a grudging respect.

"I look forward to working with you and your people, Asherina.

We genuinely need your help.

I`m just...

I`m scared this could all be an elaborate deception." His gaze fixed on Ella with laser intensity.

"You better be absolutely certain about this." Ella`s smile was radiant with confidence.

"I`m as sure as sure can be." She stood, smoothing down her jacket.

"Now, Asherina and I need to go house hunting.

Maybe pick up some new outfits along the way." She paused at the door, grinning mischievously.

"Oh, by the way, Beaker—I`m going to need some money to buy that house." Seven Bedrooms? The afternoon light filtered through the kitchen windows of the Patel home, casting warm patterns across the worn wooden table where mother and daughter sat with steaming mugs of tea between them.

Alisha studied her daughter`s face with the practiced eye of a woman who had raised four children through their teenage years. "I don`t know, honey," Alisha said, her voice gentle but firm.

"Everything is moving too fast.

We just buried your friend Jenna yesterday, and I`m certain you haven`t begun to process that grief properly.

Now you want to purchase a house with Asherina and her family, and you only met her yesterday.

This isn`t healthy, Ella.

You need time for your emotions to work through all of this." Ella wrapped her hands around her mug, drawing comfort from its warmth.

"I know, Mom.

I know it seems rushed, but for reasons I can`t fully explain, time is of the essence.

And I`m not moving out today—it`ll take months to build the house properly.

Beaker is going to work with the contractor to make it...

special.

Seven bedrooms, one of them configured as a SCIF, and a basement that`s fortified more like a bunker than a storage area.

Until construction is complete, Asherina and her family will stay here with us." Alisha`s eyebrows rose sharply.

"So Beaker is building you a safe house? Seven bedrooms? A bunker? Is he planning for war?" "Well," Ella said quietly, staring into her tea, "yeah, I guess he is." She looked up to meet her mother`s worried gaze.

"You know about our work, Mom.

You understand why it`s classified.

Asherina is a specialist—that`s why she`s here.

And please don`t panic about me moving out.

Roxanna, Helena, and I are almost eighteen.

We`re graduating this year and heading off to college anyway.

This house will be our home base when we`re back in town.

You and Dad can finally have that quiet house you`ve always dreamed about." Tears welled in Alisha`s eyes as she reached across the table to place her hands on her daughter`s shoulders.

"I`m sorry, sweetheart.

I`m just not ready for all of this to happen so quickly.

I can`t wrap my head around you girls not being here all the time.

I`m not just losing you—I`m losing all of you at once." Her voice broke slightly.

"Be patient with me.

I`ll probably cry a lot over the next few months." Ella rose from her chair and wrapped her arms around her mother, both of them giving in to tears that had been building for weeks. Mr. Danvers The familiar chaos of the Danvers kitchen enveloped them as Ella pushed through the back door, the scent of Aileen`s experimental cooking mixing with the ever-present aroma of Mr. Danvers` coffee addiction. "Dad, Aileen," Ella called out, her voice carrying a note of barely contained excitement.

"I have someone very important for you to meet." Mr. Danvers looked up from his newspaper, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose.

"Okay.

Who do we have here?" Ella`s grin was infectious as she gestured toward her companion.

"You`ve been like a father to all of us since we were born, helping to raise us alongside our own parents.

Now you have a new daughter.

Her name is Asherina." Her voice grew more serious.

"I hope you`ll come to love her as much as we do.

She`s our new sister." Mr. Danvers set down his paper, studying the young woman with the intense curiosity that had made him legendary among UFO researchers.

"Hello, Asherina.

I`m pleased to meet you.

I don`t know you yet, so I`m not sure about this adoption business, but if Ella loves you as a sister, I suppose I can learn to accept you too." Asherina`s smile was warm and genuine.

"Don`t worry about adopting me, Mr. Danvers.

According to the customs of my people, I`m adopting you.

It`s how we handle these situations." "Your people?" Mr. Danvers` voice sharpened with interest.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Ella laughed, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Asherina, why don`t you take off your wig and glasses?" As the disguise came away, revealing features that were unmistakably human yet hauntingly different, Mr. Danvers` coffee mug slipped from suddenly nerveless fingers. "What? Oh! Is she—? Is she—?" he stammered, unable to complete the thought. "No, she`s not an alien," Helena interjected gently.

"She`s just as human as we are, but her people have lived underground for tens of thousands of years.

Her large eyes have adapted to low-light conditions, and for reasons we don`t fully understand, her people have very little body hair." Roxanna grinned at Mr. Danvers` expression of wonder.

"I can tell he`s already falling in love with her." "Hi there." Aileen`s voice cut through the moment like a blade.

"I`m Aileen.

I`m his biological daughter, which makes me number one around here.

Remember that." Asherina`s expression remained patient and kind.

"Hi, Aileen.

I`m not here to compete with you for anyone`s affection.

Ella simply wanted me to meet her extended family.

Normally, this would all be classified information—and it is—but you`ve all taken the oath, so Ella felt it would be acceptable.

I hope we can become friends.

I`ve heard wonderful things about you and how much these girls love you.

I hope we can come to love each other too." Aileen studied Asherina with the wariness of a territorial cat, clearly uncertain whether to fight, flee, or stand her ground.

"I don`t know about the love thing.

But I`m glad my dad got to meet you—he`s totally obsessed with UFO research and alien hybrids, so I suppose he`ll enjoy getting to know you.

As for me, we don`t need to be friends.

Just remember he`s my dad first." Mr. Danvers recovered enough to wrap an arm around his daughter`s shoulders.

"Don`t worry, Aileen.

You`ll always be my number one." "Okay, Dad.

Love you." Aileen`s voice softened momentarily before she headed for the stairs.

"I`ve got homework to finish." Once she was gone, Mr. Danvers shook his head apologetically.

"Don`t take it personally, Asherina.

Aileen has had to process many emotional changes lately—leaving Ella`s team, stepping away from the Navy project.

She`ll warm up to you given time.

Just be patient with her." Ella`s face showed genuine concern.

"I`m sorry this is difficult for Aileen, but I knew you`d never forgive us if we kept Asherina`s existence secret from you." "You`re absolutely right," Mr. Danvers said, his eyes bright with curiosity.

"You have no idea how much I want to learn about Asherina and her people.

Let`s take it slowly, though, for Aileen`s sake.

You should probably go now, but I definitely want many more conversations in the future." As they walked back to the car, Roxanna shook her head.

"That was kind of awkward." "I know," Ella sighed.

"But I`d rather deal with awkwardness now than have them discover everything later and realize we`d kept them in the dark.

Honesty is always better, even when it`s uncomfortable." Baby in the House The guest room had been transformed in the span of a few hours.

Alisha stood in the doorway, surveying her handiwork with the satisfaction of a woman who had mastered the art of making people feel welcome. "I`ve set up the crib in the corner, and I found all new bedding for it," she explained to Asherina and Dany as they brought in their luggage.

"We removed the twin beds and put in a full-size instead.

I hope that will be comfortable enough for you both." Dany set down the diaper bag with obvious relief.

"Thank you so much, Mrs.

Patel.

This is incredibly generous.

I brought the changing table from our apartment, and judging by the smell, we`re going to need it right about now." "Oh no, let me handle that," Alisha said, practically glowing as she reached for baby Chessa.

"I`ve changed more diapers in my lifetime than I can count." "Mom!" Ella`s voice carried a warning note.

"Don`t go completely crazy just because there`s a baby in the house again.

Remember what you always told us about spending too much time with babies." Alisha laughed, the sound rich with memories.

"Play with a baby and you`ll make a baby—that warning is for you, darling.

I`m far too old for that now." "Just be careful, Mom," Ella said with a grin.

"You`re not that old." As the evening wound down, exhaustion began to show on everyone`s faces.

Asherina stretched, checking the time on her phone.

"It`s almost midnight.

This has been an incredibly long day for all of us, and we need rest.

Tomorrow we have a great deal to discuss." "Yes," Ella agreed, practically swaying on her feet.

"I`m seriously about to collapse.

Let`s all get some sleep and try to dream pleasant dreams." She turned to Helena with a smile.

"Come on, roommate.

Let`s go to bed."

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NEXT >> Chapter 56
Short Story

Ella writes a fictional story for her writing class about her future self at age 57, which includes helping a young woman named Chessa who crashes a stolen spacecraft and is revealed to be from an underground colony. After reading the story, Asherina (who appears to be Chessa's mother in real life) suggests the story might be prophetic and discusses the need for building more underground shelters for an unspecified future crisis.

<< PREVIOUS Chapter 54
54

Two years after surviving an assassination attempt, seventeen-year-old Ella and her team of psychically-gifted agents navigate political turmoil and personal growth while maintaining their cover as wealthy teenagers, until the suicide of a friend leads them to encounter Asherina—a telepathic member of an ancient underground human species. Asherina reveals that her people have been hiding from surface dwellers for half a million years and warns of an impending solar catastrophe, proposing to combine their underground cities with the team's planned tunnels to save humanity from both an approaching war and a solar explosion that could destroy all surface life.

FIRST Chapter 0 Sleep Over

Thirteen-year-old Ella and her best friends Eileen and Roxana encounter an interdimensional being named Helana during a sleepover, who appears as different benevolent figures to each girl and reveals glimpses of their legendary futures. When Helana tries to leave after accidentally revealing herself and disrupting their timelines, Ella cleverly traps the entity by claiming authority over her domain, forcing Helana to stay as their `genie in a bottle` despite her pleas to return home.