Gary Brandt delivers his most diplomatically complex and world-expanding chapter yet in this episode from The Dimension Of Mind Dot Com when Asherina's meeting with Commander Beaker becomes a masterclass in interspecies negotiation that fundamentally challenges everything the military thinks it knows about secret classifications and chain of command.
The brilliant tension emerges through Beaker's professional skepticism when confronted with claims of a 600-year-old underground ...
Show More
Welcome to our curated selection of items!
We publish all our books and short stories for free, so if you were to click on an image below and make a purchase from the linked store, we may receive a small commission, which helps support our work. Thank you!
(You don't have to buy the item shown. You can buy anything from that store and we will get credit.)
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."
Hello, Diary
It`s Me, Ella
Today might have been the longest day of my entire life. I watched a dear friend—someone I truly loved—get laid to rest.
Mom is worried because I`m not showing the kind of grief she expects to see.
I think that`s because I honestly don`t know how to grieve this loss yet.
Jenna`s death feels too big, too complicated to process all at once.
It`s going to take a long time to even understand how I feel about losing her. Then there`s the fact that someone I just met yesterday is now living in our guest room with her husband and baby.
How did that happen so quickly? How did my life change so dramatically in twenty-four hours? But somehow it feels right.
Having Helena as my roommate, having Asherina`s family here—it`s like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. Now all we have to do is solve this small problem of saving the world.
Or at least the part of it we can still save. At least we don`t have homework to worry about tonight.
School starts again next week, and I`m already dreading those bitter January mornings walking across campus.
Thank goodness I have a car now. So much has changed.
So much is still changing.
Sometimes I feel like I`m standing in the middle of a hurricane, watching everything I thought I knew get swept away. But maybe that`s not such a bad thing.
Maybe some things needed to change. Good night, Diary.
Tomorrow is another day in this strange new world we`re building. —Ella
Episode 55 — **“Above Top Secret”** — is one of the most **fiercely intelligent, dramatically tense, and emotionally poignant** chapters in *Ella’s Story* yet. This episode brilliantly weaves **interspecies diplomacy**, **military bureaucracy**, and **family dynamics** into a narrative that’s as thrilling as it is heartfelt. From a high-stakes briefing room to a tender kitchen table, Gary Brandt shows that the world of *Ella’s Story* is as much about hidden histories and psychological trust as it is about saving humanity.
--- ## 📖 **Story Arc Summary**The chapter opens in an intensely formal military briefing room, where **Commander Beaker** confronts **Asherina**, a representative of the long-hidden underground human civilization introduced in the previous episode. Beaker, seasoned by decades in intelligence, can barely disguise his skepticism as he processes her claim that her people have lived **600 years underground just a mile away** without surface knowledge. Asherina calmly confirms — “Yes, Commander. That pretty much sums it up.” — and the tension explodes.
Beaker demands access to the underground city, but Asherina explains that bringing military personnel would result in her **exile** and that the entrance would be **blocked telepathically** if she tried to guide them. When he suggests she might be a telepathic projection or reptilian manipulation, she *laughs* — a moment that shifts the tone from antagonism to uneasy respect. She reveals true details about her people’s genetics: their DNA is compatible with surface humans because an ancient *off-world species modified both groups*.
The diplomatic pressure escalates when Asherina declares she is **thirty-five, married, and the official representative of her people** — not a teenager — forcing Beaker to recognize her authority despite security protocols. She even threatens to **wipe his memory** of the entire meeting if he files any official reports without consent. The conversation becomes a masterclass in diplomatic brinkmanship under impossible conditions.
Parallel to this high-stakes negotiation, the chapter gives us powerful **domestic scenes** back at the Danvers household. Ella discusses building a **seven-bedroom safe house** with a SCIF and bunker-style basement — a plan that terrifies her mom, **Alisha**, who just spent yesterday burying their friend **Jenna**. That scene is raw, real, and beautifully human.
By the end of the chapter, the diplomatic crisis has transformed into a **family integration event**: Asherina meets the Danvers family, revealing her people’s unique physical traits while Mr. Danvers — a UFO enthusiast — reacts with awe. Aileen stakes her claim as “number one biological daughter” in typical teenage fashion, adding genuine familial humor to the emotional complexity. The chapter closes with a touching diary entry from Ella that reflects on *grief, tectonic life changes, and the strange new world they’re building.*
--- ## 💬 **Favorite Lines**“You live in an underground city that has existed for six hundred years, just a mile from where we sit right now…”
The incredulity in Beaker’s voice perfectly mirrors the reader’s initial reaction — this concept was *so unexpected and cool*.
“…my DNA is almost identical to yours…”
That moment when science, diplomacy, and hidden history collide — *fascinating*.
“…If you attempt to file any official reports, I’ll have no choice but to wipe your memory…”
This line was chilling and so smart — a diplomatic threat dressed as honesty.
“…Most of it operates well above our security clearance.”
Ella’s calm but jaw-dropping admission beautifully reframes the whole mystery.
“Everything is moving too fast…but maybe some things needed to change.”
Ella’s diary perfectly captures the emotional swirl of grief, excitement, and impending responsibility.
--- ## 😲 **Unexpected Plot Twists**“Above Top Secret” balances **high political tension** with **real emotional vulnerability** in a way few chapters have. The diplomatic standoff is thrilling — but the juxtaposition with Ella’s mom worried about her child’s unprocessed grief makes the stakes *felt*, not just *known*. It’s a reminder that saving the world doesn’t pause for emotional healing.
Seeing Asherina introduced to the Danvers family was *such a human moment*. With Mr. Danvers in awe and Aileen hilariously claiming priority, it grounded the cosmic and diplomatic threads in something familiar: **family awkwardness**, curiosity, and concern.
Ella’s diary entry at the end really hit home — she’s processing grief, identity, and *major life change* all at once while bracing for a future no teenager should have to plan for. That honest emotion — vulnerability mixed with resilience — is what makes this chapter so resonant and memorable.
--- ## 🎯 **Final Thoughts***“Above Top Secret”* is a *masterclass in character, conflict, and world-building*. It blends **military intrigue**, **diplomatic authority**, and **heartfelt domestic moments** into one unforgettable chapter that expands the series’ mythology while keeping the emotional core intact.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — A brilliantly complex, emotionally layered episode that had me *laughing, gasping, and tearing up* all at once. If you thought *Ella’s Story* couldn’t get grander in scope and richer in heart — this chapter proves you wrong.
---![Free People Opal Denim Jacket - Cowboy - [M]](https://thedimensionofmind.com/images/freep4679234013_1757534161730_2-0.jpg)
![L`Agence Nicole Baroque Bikini Bottoms - Blue/White - [M]](https://thedimensionofmind.com/images/15407042_fpx.webp)
![ALÉMAIS Acacia Mini Dress - Blue - [M]](https://thedimensionofmind.com/images/alema303471a569_1763163325347_2-0._QL90_UX1128_.jpg)
![ALÉMAIS Michelle Shirt - Multi - [M]](https://thedimensionofmind.com/images/alema303481c3c8_1763399431449_2-0._QL90_UX1128_.jpg)
