Exploiting Company Secrets Ch. 02

Although yet recovered from Melanie's oral treatment, I tried to focus on the data that was coming up on my monitor. The keywords that our sniffing algorithms were finding were significant, and included the names of our two top competitors, along with other pieces of information about an internal research project code-named "blue smoke". We had inserted logic to listen specifically for this keyword at the request of our executive team, but even I had been kept in the dark as to what "blue smoke" was all about. I only knew that it was receiving extra sensitive handling.

While the traces continued to run, I put an electronic tap on Melanie's email. I was not sure why, as I had no intention of bothering her in the future, but I felt a need to see if there would be any fallout from our encounter that I might find interesting. Tap in place, I returned to the more emergent situation.

I started running new traces and discovered the traffic was being sent over a common instant messaging protocol, and it was only a few seconds later that I was 'eavesdropping' on the chat, and recording everything. I soon discovered that Sean, a principal researcher on the "blue smoke" project, was in dialog to deal some information he had just obtained and was negotiating with a rival company. The person he was negotiating with was identified only by a pseudonym.

Disturbed by a lack of clear understanding about who the person was on the other end of the chat, I tracked backwards on their cross-routed packets and was stunned to find that the person on the other end was a actually someone in our building here at headquarters, using a VPN connection back to their home computer to make the traffic appear as if it were coming from an external source. Nice trick, but it also pointed out that they may be aware of our internal countermeasures and security systems, so I proceeded carefully to avoid them discovering that I was on their trail.

I quickly had an IP address for the sourced VPN, and Nancy Cooper was the offender. While I knew a little about Sean, the researcher that was vending the information, I had not even heard the name of Nancy Cooper, so I needed to track down her department, title, and location, to continue my trace on what she was up to. A few minutes looking through employee records online, I had the information I needed. Nancy Kay Cooper, age 39, was a new employee working in our legal office as a patent clerk. She had been with the company only a few weeks, had cleared all background checks and drug screens, and was supposedly working on patent searches for products that we were pursuing legal and trademark protection for.

I knew little else, but did find her work history interesting, as she had worked for a small company we had acquired just over a year ago. Our buyout of the company was simply a play to squash an upstart potential rival, and while we were able to mine several innovative research leads from their work, we had otherwise laid off most of their staff, around 50 people in all. I wondered if revenge might be part of what Nancy was seeking as she tried to extort information from Sean and the "blue smoke" project. Given the timing of her 'exit' from her prior employer, it would be assumed that she was part of the staff that was let go.

A few more pages scrolled by as I read her file and tried to determine where to go next in my investigation. I clicked back to the introductory page of her file and scrolled down to find her photo so that I would better the person I was dealing with. My reasoning became immediately distorted as the striking brunette appeared on my screen. It was only a shot from about the waist up, but it was enough to know my motivations were again being perverted.

Perhaps because my first sexual exploit of a coworker had come so easily, literally falling into my lap with little effort on my part, I felt overly confident in being more cunning this time around. If Melanie had not virtually delivered the goods without a shred of resistance, maybe I would have had second thoughts. Being as it was, I starred at the picture of Nancy and began plotting a meeting where I could better know who I was dealing with. It was apparent from the moment I saw her picture that I was going to make a play here.

I kept an online recording of traffic coming to and from Sean's computer, but felt he was not nearly alert enough to my tools and technique to know that he was getting into. I perceived little threat to the company via Sean, so I let him go about his business for the time being while I put enough virtual fences in place to make sure he did not get any wise ideas. From there, I turned my attention back to Nancy.

It was after 5:00pm, and I knew that little else would develop today. Instead I continued traces on Nancy's VPN connection throughout the night, and I could pick up the report in the morning. I also called the legal department and luckily found their administrative assistant still in the office. I informed her that I needed a meeting with Nancy the following day, around 10:30am if she could arrange it and in my office if possible. Once confirmed, I decided the day had been eventful enough and I headed home for the night.

The next morning I was anxious to get to work early and look over log files for both Nancy and Sean. Sean had no remarkable activity since the night before, but Nancy had kept her VPN connection to home, and I also was able to observe her fishing for interested parties in other departments of the company. She was eagerly trying to find information for sale, but I still did not know her motives. It really didn't matter, I realized, as I only needed to be concerned that her motives were of ill intent in order to have them suit my plans. At 10:00am I made a call to our executive team and the HR department head.

The call was quick and simple, and I had documented proof of the problem, and within 15 minutes of my call, Sean was being escorted out of the building. It was a quick and public spectacle, even more public than normal – likely due to the sensitive nature of the "blue smoke" project, an example was being made of Sean. When queried by the team as to where Sean was communicating, and with whom, I lied and told them I was still investigating.

I waited now for my meeting with Nancy, and took the time to read through some of the emails I had tapped from Melanie's account. Most were of no interest, but one caught my eye. She had sent it about 20 minutes after leaving my office the previous afternoon, and it was to Todd. It simply read:

"I can't wait for tonight. See you at 7:30, I will fix dinner, you just bring yourself and some movies. PS, I am really horny! Love, Mel. XOXOXOX! "

Well, I thought, her appetite was not easily satiated. Only 20 minutes after swallowing my load she was looking for more. At least she was not showing any signs of bitterness or vengeance. Reading her email I daydreamed about the night Todd must have had with her engine fully primed and her talented mouth at his disposal… but my daydream was interrupted when my assistant rang to inform me that Nancy was here for our meeting. I asked her to let Nancy in right away.

I did a quick visual inventory of Nancy as she walked towards my desk. 39 years had been kind to her, she could have passed for 30. Her breasts were clearly augmented, and not subtly. I wondered what she would have looked like without implants, as they were now such a prominent feature on her tall and slender frame. Her hair was longer than in the employee photo in her file, so I assumed it must have been pulled back at the time. She wore a pant suit with a white-silk top underneath the jacket, but without having the jacket buttons done up. I wondered if the buttons were even functional given the amount of cleavage they would have needed to wrap around. A white bra was showing thru her blouse, easily visible because of the strain it was under and the limitations of the blouse itself, being only just large enough to contain her tits. She looked taller than I had expected as well, but I noticed hi-heels that most women would not dare. She was a knockout. She was also married. A huge rock hung on her hand, no doubt a territorial marker from a protective husband that knew men would ogle her wherever she went.

From the moment Nancy walked into my office, it was clear that she knew what had happened to Sean. News like this spread fast around the office, as I knew it would, and Nancy was clearly worried, nervous, and completely confused about why I needed to see her. She likely had no idea who I was, let alone the agenda for our meeting. Perfect, I thought, things are working out just as I had hoped. But obviously, with Sean's firing and her being summoned to my office, she had to be worried that he had somehow indicted her, or that we had found the connection otherwise. I could only hope she was thinking that far down the path, as it would make my job easier.

I asked her to sit and I tried to be comforting and non-authoritative as we started talking. I did not waste time, however, jumping into the topic of our meeting.

"I guess you know about Sean Keller being fired this morning," I stated.

She nodded and replied, "Yeah, what was that all about?" she asked.

I wondered if she was playing dumb on purpose, or if she really did not know the details of his quick exit. I continued to fish.

"Well, Sean was trying to give away some company information to the highest bidder, but it turns out while he was a willing seller, he was not actively shopping it around, instead he was approached by some outsiders," I continued. "Which is why I have asked you to come see me this morning."

She opened her eyes wide with pretend shock, but her legs shifted and she stopped chewing her gum for a moment. She was nervous.

"What?" she exclaimed. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Well, we are not sure," I lied. "We only know that he was either using your computer as a gateway to an outside party or that he was spoofing your computers IP address. Have you left your computer unlocked recently, or has anyone worked on it other than you?"

These were excuses that I threw out for her, to see how far she would dare tread before she realized I was on to her. She jumped on them immediately.

"I never lock my computer when I head to lunch," she claimed, "anyone could get on it while I am away. And my cubical is in the corner, it would be easy for anyone to get in and out unnoticed."

I frowned with concern and jumped back, "Why don't you lock your computer?" I wrote some notes on a pad of paper in front of me, but they were simply for show to make Nancy think they were in response to her answer. Without allowing her a reply to my question, I added, "And do you know Sean very well? Why would he target your computer like this? He sits 2 floors above you in a research lab; it would have taken a lot of effort and planning to get to your PC."

She sat with her mouth open, gum idle. "So, what are you saying?" she finally asked.

"Nothing, except that we don't have much to go on other than your PC's IP address and the instant messaging user name of 'rusty_rose'," I offered.

I had been able to determine how the connection from our office to her home PC had been made, over her cable-providers broadband access. I had also discovered her email/user name: 'rusty_rose'. I dropped this new bit of information on her as part of my plan to keep her from anticipating my moves and preparing any credible defense.

As her user name was thrown out, verbally, she reacted physically. Again her eyes widened and she was clearly racing in thought, but not willing to speak for fear of disclosing information that I may or may not already know. It was becoming evident to her that I knew more than she thought I could, and that I had the capability to learn more if I needed, (and if I didn't already know). Transfixed by the building confusion and worry in her mind, she kept silent.

"Because we know the user name and cable provider, we are trying to obtain more details about who this person is and how we can contact them," I said. "Maybe they will know about who Sean was working with. Have you ever heard the name 'rusty_rose'," I asked?

She only nodded to indicate she had not, but her anxiety was palpable.

I moved on to the next attack point. "I notice you worked for the company we dismantled about a year ago. Were you laid off as a result," I asked? I tried to sound sympathetic, but I was becoming more confident with the situation and my position to manipulate Nancy.

"Yes," Nancy quickly responded. But she was quick to realize this might be considered motive, so she continued by expressing appreciation in finding work in our legal department and that she loved it here at X, Inc.

I then changed the direction of the conversation, back to the problem of Sean and his termination.

"Sean will probably face criminal charges," I said. "The information he was soliciting was very confidential and worth a lot of money to us. Whoever was attempting to buy this information may very well face charges as well," I finished.

My phone rang just as I stopped talking, and on the other end was one of my network admins with some routine information about SPAM activity on our servers. I acted more interested than normal in the conversation since I found myself at a dead-end on how to proceed next with Nancy. Not that I had not planned well, but Nancy was being too quiet at this point and I needed more response from her to paint her in a corner. The phone call was giving me time to strategize, and as I did I realized the phone call would provide the perfect prop in my plan.

"Thanks for keeping me informed," I said as I ended the phone conversation. I then turned my attention back to Nancy as I hung up the receiver.

"Well, I think we may be done here," I told her. "Turns out that we have an address for the home user that was allowing the pass-thru VPN connection so we will be checking out that lead next," I lied.

Nancy had no idea that my phone conversation had in fact been about a completely different and far more benign subject. She could only panic in fear that we might be knocking on her door and questioning her husband… or worse. For the second time in two days I watched a beautiful women twist and wrestle with the gravity of what their actions were leading towards. For the second time in two days I felt my penis awaken to the intoxicating influence of power and control, not to mention the presence of a gorgeous woman. I only had to push a little bit further, I knew.

"What's wrong," I asked? "You don't look like you are feeling well."

Still no answer, but her back straightened and she appeared to gain some measure of composure as she looked me squarely in the face. The dots connected in her mind and she now realized what was going on.

"You know everything already, don't you," She asked? The question was rhetorical. I only needed to keep a stern look on my face.

"X, Inc., completely ruined my career when they ransacked our company for scrap and self protection. It was a company that was proud and innovative and offered me a chance to get in on the ground level," she exclaimed. Her voice was not raised, but the tone indicated her passion. "I lost the potential for thousands of dollars in company options had you not walked in and shredded us apart" she said, as if I could be blamed, personally, for the fate of her former company.

We both sat for a few seconds and let gravity calm the emotional tension in the room.

"I guess I have screwed up again," she continued. "I didn't take this job for the purpose of trading secrets to competitors, but the opportunity seemed too easy to pass up." She paused for only a second and then continued, "What now?" she asked.

I could only surmise that she thought her potential fate involved being fired and/or charged with criminal counts. She never imagined what I would offer her next.

"Take off your clothes" I said calmly.

She was stunned, and confused. She didn't move.

"No one else knows what I know, and if you are willing, we can keep it that way. If you want to keep this between you and me, then take off your clothes and we can 'negotiate'" I said.

She was still stunned, and remained sitting in shocked pose. Her lack of response was upsetting me, and I felt some amount of my control being displaced by her shock. I suddenly worried that an irrational response on her part might complicate my plan in a way I had not foreseen. After all, I tend to think rationally most of the time and expect others might do the same.

"Last chance," I said with a little more firmness, "what's it going to be?"

"I'm married," she returned. "And I could turn you in for harassment," she offered. Her voice told me it was a final desperate play to get out of the situation, but lacked the confidence for me to take her seriously. Still, I called her bluff.

"Fine," was all I said as I picked up the phone. "It's my word against yours, and I have emails and instant messaging logs that will back up my side of the story." I started dialing.

"Wait," Nancy offered as my fingers touched the 3rd number on the keypad. She started removing her jacket.

I hung up the phone and watched. Nancy continued to undress but continued pleading for some softening of her sentence.

"Can I just give you head? Would that be enough," she asked?

I could only smile a little and laugh under my breath. No way, regardless of how hot she was, could she top the gobbling that Melanie had performed yesterday.

"Just please don't fuck me," she pleaded. "I have never cheated on my husband before."

I felt renewed pity at this new request, and decided to honor her request. I had other ideas in mind to begin with. I didn't tell Nancy, however, that I intended to comply – at least in the most literal interpretation, and would refrain from fucking her. So my silence continued as I watched.

She was now removing her blouse, and her breasts were enormous. Normally, large breasts were not my thing, but hers were so large and so well framed by expensive lingerie, that I craved to grab and suck them. Blouse bunched on the seat of my chair, her hands now worked to remove the snap of her pants. They came down with ease and revealed a pair of cotton boy-short style panties, but with a lacy edge. They were cute, but not what I was expecting. It was not until she turned around to pick up her pants so that she could lay them over the back of the chair that I noticed them crawling up the crack of her ass. Lovely, tanned ass cheeks clenched the fabric and lace of her otherwise comparatively modest panties.

Her bra came off next, and at last the huge flesh of her boobs spilled out and large perfect nipples balanced at the tips of her tits. I started walking over to her side of the desk, and she cautiously watched me approach. I nodded at her in gesture to complete her undressing, and she finally reached to her sides and worked her panties from her hips. It took a slight tug to pull them out of the crack of her ass, which made my cock jump in my pants.

Her panties fell, eventually, to the floor and she simply stepped out of them. They remained on the floor, she made no attempt to pick them up and instead stood and faced me with a new confidence. Her nakedness was seemed to be a source of strength for her, and why not? Her body was fantastic, she going on 40 she had the body most 25 year old women would be envious of. She made no attempt to cover herself, and I made no attempt to hide my lustful appraisal of her figure.

Her pussy was pure art. No hair, outer vaginal lips spread slightly and inner labia partially exposed. I could have sworn it was damp, even moist. Her tan did end with the white flesh normally covered by a bathing suit serving to further accentuate her darkened pussy. My mouth was salivating and I started to undress now that I realized my cock was bulging in my slacks, making a lopsided protrusion that was starting to feel uncomfortable.