Candidate (Selected Book 4) by Robin Roseau Page A

obtain one, but I don't have one ready today. If you want to swim, this is your offer today. However, you could swim as you're dressed, and I will have other things for you afterwards."
    And so I nodded.

Visor
    We spoke for another few minutes. Basically, we verified I wouldn't engage in violence. Then, like that, she released me, even freeing me from the shackles. I rubbed my wrists.
    "I will escort you to the pool," she explained. "After that, your visor will direct you where to go. You may swim as long as you desire, then shower and dress. The visor will guide you back to your cell. You will enter willingly. If you violate your parole, I will have you in the arena with four males, none of whom you will like."
    "I'll behave."
    "Good."
    A moment later, she said, "See if you can follow the visor's directions."
    I cocked my head. I had almost forgotten I was wearing it. It wasn't doing anything differently. "How do I do that?"
    "Look around."
    I did, turning slowly, and then there was a closed door in the wall behind me. It hadn't been there before, and the door was pulsing blue.
    "Blue is good."
    "Blue is good," she agreed.
    I stood and walked to the door. Administrator Brighteyes stepped around the table, catching up to me just as I reached the door. It opened automatically.
    We exited into a hallway. I could go left or right. I looked left, and there was a red haze over everything. When I looked right, there was a set of glowing blue dots hanging in the air. "Follow the dots, I assume."
    The dots led me to a wall, and then a door opened onto something that was clearly an elevator. I followed the dots. I didn't have to push any buttons. The elevator began moving, and we descended. There were no indications how deep we were going.
    We stepped out, and there were no more dots.
    "To our left is a gymnasium," she said.
    "It's not red."
    "You are authorized to use any of these facilities," she said. "But you will probably not be alone. The pool is right."
    It was a short walk to a glass wall, and on the other side, a large swimming pool. There were other people using the pool, and it was clear some of them were aliens. Others were human. I stared through the glass.
    "I'm in my underwear," I said quietly.
    "Is it so different than a swim suit?"
    "It is much thinner, and once it gets wet..." I trailed off. "I turned to her. "Please, Administrator. Isn't there something else I can wear?"
    "Would you be upset if you had the pool to yourself?"
    "I don't know. Anyone could stop by."
    "If I gave you the choice of skinny dipping with absolutely no one else in the room, would you take it? I don't promise no one would be watching from here, and there are video cameras."
    "Who is watching?"
    "I don't know. Anyone with access to our network who so chooses. It could be no one, or it could be a great many people."
    "Humans?"
    "Some."
    "I bet you could give me something. I bet you could."
    "I could, but I'm not offering."
    "Why not?"
    "Because this is part of being a mating candidate."
    "Could I come back when no one is here?"
    "There is little promise even if you arrived when this room was unused that it would remain unused. I'll make you three offers. You may forego exercise today. You may go swimming dressed as you are. Or I will remove the humans, and you will skinny dip."
    I sighed.
    "There is one more rule. You will not speak to any humans except as required for your duties or theirs. If any attempt to speak to you, you will inform them you are not allowed to speak to a human. You are also not obligated to speak to any of the aliens, but that is your choice."
    "I think I'd like to go back to my cell," I said in a small voice.
    She studied me for a minute. "I think you are making a mistake."
    "I think you could give me a swim suit. Or a pair of shorts. Or another choice."
    "I probably could, but I have a reason not to."
    "Why?"
    "Because you are a mating candidate, and I want you off balance. If you don't let me do it this way, I'll find