Danielle's Mistake Pt. 03

"What have I got to lose?" Danielle repeated her mantra as she typed "Third National Federal Credit Union" into the search on her phone.

20 minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of an innocuous looking office building near the college campus. Just inside the entrance, she saw the door she was looking for and walked into a small room. If not for the posters about direct deposit and loans, Danielle would have never guessed she was in a bank. The single other door opened and a young woman, about 25, wearing a navy pantsuit walked out.

"How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Angela White. Does she work here?"

"I am Angela, what is this about?"

"Um, my name is Danielle Howard and.."

"Come with me." The woman cut her off before she could finish.

She led Danielle into the back office, just as small as the front room and motioned for her to sit at a chair in front of the desk before closing the door behind them. From the desk, she took out a notary stamp and register and set them in front of Danielle. She went in a cabinet and took out a video camera on a tripod and set it up facing Danielle before turning it on. Finally she opened a wall safe and took out 2 thick stacks of papers clipped together.

"I need to see 2 forms of ID." She announced in an icy tone.

"I have my drivers license and...." Danielle trailed off as she fumbled through her purse.

"Anything with your name and picture will do." The woman said impatiently.

"I have my gym ID. Will that do?"

"As long as it has a picture." Angela said, snatching the cards from Danielle.

She took them to the copy machine and made 3 copies. She put 1 on each stack of papers and 1 in her desk drawer.

"Hold up your right hand." She instructed. Danielle complied. "Do you swear or affirm that you are signing these documents of your own free will and not as a result of threats or duress?"

"Yes"

"Will your payment be disbursed to an account or charity?"

"My account."

"Please enter the routing number here." She pushed a PIN pad toward Danielle. She was glad she had looked it up at the diner as the woman seemed impatient.

"And your account number." Danielle typed it.

"Good, now you can sign and date the bottom of each page." She said as she slid the first stack towards Danielle.

The first page read "Prepaid Labor Agreement and Application for Slave Registration, English Version". There was a logo that Danielle swore she had seen in the psychologist's office during the video call. Danielle started to read the first page. It was all legalese that she didn't understand. As she turned to read the second page, Angela interrupted.

"You didn't read this before you came here? Are you kidding me?"

"I did, I just want to make sure it's the same." Danielle lied, embarrassed.

"I assure you, it is."

"Oh, good." Danielle answered and signed the second page.

She skimmed the third page and then simply signed the remaining 37 pages without looking at them.

"Good. Do the same with this one." The woman slid the second stack to her.

Again, Danielle signed it without reading it. When she was finished the woman took both stacks. Danielle expected to get one, but instead she put both copies in her safe and locked it. Silently, she typed on the computer for a few minutes and then turned the monitor to Danielle. A window on the screen read "Transfer Complete". Danielle felt a chill as she realized what had just happened.

"You will receive surrender instructions by the end of the day"

Danielle just nodded.

As she walked out of the office she got a text. "Thank you for restoring your account balance. You may now begin using your debit card again." She sat in her car in disbelief. What had she done? There was no way this was real. She logged into her bank and checked the balance. $61,422. If this was a prank, they were going to great lengths.

Suddenly her phone rang. A flash of terror shot through her. She looked all around but didn't see anyone watching her. The number was local so she cautiously answered.

"Hello?"

"Miss Howard?"

"Yes?"

"It's Nelson Banks"

The lawyer. Danielle sighed with relief

"Listen," He continued. "My schedule is filling up fast and we're running out of time to get started on your case. I'm gonna say that if you still want to hire me, I'm going to need an answer by the end of the week."

"Yes!" Danielle exclaimed. "Yes, I've got the money now and I want to hire you."

"Okay, well I need to meet with you to collect payment and discuss the case. Can you come in tomorrow at 4?"

"Yes, I'll be there. Thank you!" Danielle hung up the phone.

On her way home, Danielle stopped at Publix and bought a copious amount of groceries. As she unpacked the groceries into her cabinets, her phone rang again. It was Mr. Miller.

"Hi Danielle, Bill Miller at the office. We've been having some problems with Josh and had to let him go. It has come to my attention that those problems have been ongoing and probably impacted you and your job performance, including some sexual harrassment. With that being said, we'd like to offer you your job back."

"Yes, I'll take it. Thank you. I've got some things going on right now so I'll need a couple days before I can come in."

"Whatever you need. Take your time. We'll be here."

"Thank you again." Danielle beamed as she hung up the phone.

It was getting late and she didn't feel like cooking so she ordered a pizza. While waiting, she opened the bottle of wine she got at the store. 4 slices and 3 glasses later, she was ready to fall asleep. As she climbed under the covers, she opened her email out of habit. Reality came rushing back to her. A new message titled "Surrender Instructions" loomed in the inbox.

Danielle wasn't sure if this was all real. She knew the money in her account seemed real, she had spent it. The humiliation at the doctor's office was certainly real, the bloodstains in her panties certainly proved that. There was no way they could force her into this, she thought. Then again, anyone that has the connections they seem to have and can wire her $60,000 must be pretty powerful.

She decided to ask the lawyer about it the next day and went to sleep without opening the email. That night she dreamed of being tied to a bed and being violently raped by the doctor while the woman at the bank whipped her breasts.

When she woke up her pussy was soaked. As she stroked herself, she opened the email from the previous night.

"Welcome to your new life.

In a few days, you will join our ranks as a pleasure slave. In the meantime you should occupy yourself with tying up loose ends. Say your goodbyes to family and friends. Resign from any employment you may currently have. Divest yourself of all holdings and sell or donate any assets you may have. Close all accounts. If you need assistance in donating or moving assets, you can reply to this email with requests.

Our records indicate your contract was submitted on August 3rd at 2:00PM EDT. Your surrender is scheduled for August 17th at 2:00PM EDT at the Third National Federal Credit Union. Angela White will accept your surrender and begin processing you.

If you require an earlier surrender time, please reply to this email."

Danielle came as she read the last line.

"There's no way people really go for this." She said to no one in particular as she pulled the soiled sheets off her bed.

Piling them by the door she climbed into the shower. Her thoughts raced as she washed the grime from her body. When she stepped out she studied herself in the mirror.

Her chestnut brown hair hung partway down her back. It curled naturally when it was wet but straightened out when she blow dried it. Her bright red nipples pointed out slightly when she stood up and sat perched atop the swell of her breasts like cherries on a sundae. Her meager diet had begun to show itself in her body. Her full, round C cups were just beginning to shrink but still sat perkily atop her ribcage which was now fully visible. She had considered her size 4 body to be average and even considered dieting, but now her clothes fit loosely and she was convinced that she was a 2 now. Her cheekbones and gaunt face were further proof of that. Where her thighs once barely touched, there was now an unmistakable gap framing her puffy outer labia that almost completely hid her inner lips from view.

She touched it, wondering how a ring would go through it. Her skin was smooth from being shaved, however a few red bumps of razor burn were starting to appear. Her narrow feet slid easily into a pair of size 7 heels, but even those revealed the skeleton beneath.

She had the appointment with the lawyer at 4, but that was several hours away, so she lounged around the apartment, finally opening the crime novel she had gotten last christmas. She was on chapter 5, and the most relaxed she had been in months, when her alarm went off indicating it was time to get ready. She slipped on a black pencil dress and put a baby blue cardigan over her white camisole with some black flats. She opened her email and found the contract and printed it. Dropping the pages in her bag, she headed out the door. Along the way, she swore a car was following her, but dismissed the fear when it turned into a shopping center 2 blocks before her destination.

At 3:55, she pulled into the lawyer's office. His office was on the second floor of a 19th century house across from the courthouse. Danielle's shoes on the hardwood floors echoed through the halls as she slogged up the steep staircase. At the top of the stairs, she found a partially open door labeled "N. Banks, ESQ".

She knocked.

"It's open." A man announced.

Danielle walked into an office cluttered with boxes and books scattered all around. In one corner, 2 desks were pushed together in an L shape. A man in his late 30s dressed in a gray suit sat in one, and a casually dressed woman in her early 20s sat at the other. Both desks were completely covered in papers and folders, barely leaving room for the pair of laptops the each stared into.

"Are you my 4 oclock?" He asked, looking over his black framed glasses.

"Yes.....Danielle Howard." She said nervously.

"Okay, come with me." He said, picking up his open laptop and leading her back out the door. The other woman never looked up from her computer.

They went down the hall into a small room, empty except for a table with some chairs around it. It must have been a shared conference room. Danielle seated herself as Nelson closed the door behind them and took a seat across from her.

Setting his open computer down, he began typing. It was several moments before he broke the silence.

"Public intoxication, I can get thrown out. That leaves the DUI. Do you have any priors?" He asked. Danielle noticed him stealing a glance at her chest. Her instinct was to close her sweater but she opted not to.

"No. Well, I got caught stealing some makeup when I was 16." She answered.

"But nothing as an adult?"

"No sir."

"Good. I should be able to get you off with community service and 6 months of AA meetings. No jail. Does that sound good?" His eyes paused on her chest as he looked from his screen at her face.

"Yes, yes that sounds great." Danielle replied.

"Now that brings us to the matter of payment..." Nelson continued.

"Oh yes, I have that right here." Danielle opened her bag and noticed the stack of papers she had printed. "I have something else I was wondering if you could take a look at." She added as she handed him the cash.

She set the contract on the table.

"A document review? That's not really my area of expertise." He said reaching for the papers.

"It's urgent. And personal." Danielle said, quickly grabbing the pile. "I don't want to show it to you unless you can really look it over. I'll pay your regular rate." She added.

"I'll take a look, but I can't promise anything. It will be $500. Do you have that now?"

"I think so." Danielle said as she dug down in her bag again. "Here."

She handed him another pile of bills.

"Where did you get all this money?" Nelson asked, taking the papers and the money and closing his laptop.

"I think you'll find the answers in there." Danielle answered.

It was nearly 3 weeks later when her phone rang. It had been ringing nearly nonstop for a week, but this time she was relieved to see the lawyer's number on the caller ID.

"Hello, Mr. Banks?"

"Yes, is this Danielle?"

"Yes."

"Hi, Danielle. I've had a chance to look over this contract, and I've got to say I've never seen anything like it. I think it would be better if you came in to discuss this."

"I see."

"I know it's Saturday, but I'll be in the office all day. Why don't you stop by?"

"Let me get dressed and I'll be right over."

Danielle was somewhat relieved to see that the courthouse area was mostly empty. Other than some workers unloading their van down the street, there was no one else in sight as she walked into the old house.

Nelson was by himself in the office and dressed in jeans and a Gators t-shirt.

"Let's head down to the conference room." He said as she walked in.

He hopped up and grabbed a notepad and they walked down the hall. He looked around before closing the door.

"I'm going to be honest, this is way out of my wheelhouse." Nelson started. "So I called a buddy from law school who specializes in this and he, I, and my paralegal all put our heads together and did some research."

"Okay."

"Well, there's good news and bad news." He continued. "The good news is that this is not legal at all....in the US. There's no court or government or anything where this is enforceable. In the US..."

He paused.

"The bad news is that while we think slavery ended in 1865...well, it didn't. In other parts of the world, mainly the middle east, it's still common. It's not always legal, and there's some gray areas, but it's common. Then there's things like this, called a prepaid labor agreement where you are paid up front and are then enthralled to the employer until the debt is paid. Again, not legal in America, not uncommon in the rest of the world."

"I see."

"Have you accepted money? Is that how you paid my fees?" He asked.

"I did. What should I do?"

"My advice is to return it if you can. Do you know what country this is in?"

"No, I don't"

"Well then I can't tell you what country to avoid. I could give you a list of, like, 12 countries that I'm certain it isn't. Beyond that, I don't know. But again, as long as you are in the US, you have nothing to worry about."

"That's reassuring."

Confident that she was safe, Danielle walked out of the lawyer's office. The street was still empty as she walked down the sidewalk.

"It looks like it's going to storm." She thought as she looked up at the dark clouds moving in.

Danielle was a few feet from her car when there was a sting in her neck and her body went limp. As she fell, unseen hands caught her. The last thing she saw as she fell asleep was the ceiling of a van.