Jasmine and the Argonaut Pt. 03

"Ready?" asks Paulo.

"Yes, I'm ready," I reply, taking the opportunity to kiss him.

Paulo lifts me up and carries me into the suite's bedroom. We have nearly four hours before the sensible part of my mind is needed again. Chloe is due to return at 2am and I need to be back in my dormitory by then if I want to avoid a confrontation. Given her actions last night, I'm not going to give her another opportunity to sabotage my chances in the Argonaut. However, between now and then I intend to explore all the opportunities this night presents. I was a shy and inexperienced maiden when I arrived yesterday. I shall not be leaving in the same state.

To describe the next four hours as sensational or wonderful barely does justice to the emotions Paulo drew from me. Or to the emotions I clearly drew from him. I lost count of the number of times we fucked, each time in a different position. Had circumstances been different I'm sure we would have a longer term relationship. Perhaps one involving genuine love for each other. But we both know that isn't likely to be.

Sensible Jasmine rejoins me with twenty minutes to spare before my imposed deadline. I'm glad Paulo doesn't resist my move to leave. If he held me back I'm certain I would risk Chloe's wrath for another half hour with Paulo. I've no idea what she has been up to with Sarah tonight, and to be honest, I don't care. But Chloe left me in no doubt she that intends to eliminate me from the Argonaut given the slightest opportunity. An impression neither Paulo nor Cassius have done anything to dispel.

With a final kiss and a sorrowful farewell, I enter the elevator with the most wonderful memories of tonight.

Despite it being after 2 o'clock in the morning, I find Harper standing in the corridor outside our dormitory when I arrive. He's remarkably sober for this time of night, but he practically falls over in surprise when he sees me.

"What are you doing here?" says Harper, as he recovers from his shock.

"This is my quarters," I reply, slightly annoyed he is questioning me like this.

"That's not what I mean. If you are out here, then who is the girl with Patrick in our dormitory?"

I'd forgotten about Sheba. She and Patrick must have hit it off alright if she is still here.

"Um... It's probably Sheba," I reply to Harper's question. "I met her earlier tonight and introduced her to Patrick. They must have discovered they have a lot in common."

"And who is Sheba? "

"She's the daughter of some Argon bigwig. She was heading for the party on the top floor when I realised Patrick might be the sort of company she was really wanting."

"Hmmm... I suspect there's more to this than you are telling me," adds Harper. "But well done on finding Patrick a potential benefactor. I don't suppose you rustled up a benefactor for yourself in the process?"

"Ah! Yes, I do believe I have," I reply, remembering I put Sarah's business card in my pocket. "Her name is Sarah. She said she wanted to me to contact her if I'm a winner of the Argonaut."

Harper looks at Sarah's card. The one which contains nothing but a picture of a black cat. He suddenly goes very serious.

"And just how did you meet this Sarah of yours, sweetheart? You weren't supposed to leave the building tonight. The employees of Le Chat Noir don't do house calls."

"I didn't leave this building. Sarah isn't an employee, she's one of the owners of Le Chat Noir. She was here on business earlier this evening. We got talking and she said she wanted to talk to me afterwards. Is that going to be a problem? What is Le Chat Noir anyway? And how do you know about it?"

"Never mind how I know about Le Chat Noir, and you're too young to understand what sort of business it conducts."

"OK, keep your secrets. Anyway, I had a good time tonight, and now I feel ready for bed. Where are the others if Patrick and Sheba are alone in the dormitory?"

They've having a slumber party of their own downstairs. I suggest you go and join them if you plan on sleeping tonight.

I take a quick shower in the communal bathroom, mainly to soothe some of the many tender spots around my body. Several parts of me received more exercise and attention tonight than they've ever received before. What started out as a gentle tumble in bed progressively increased in tempo until Paulo and I were being quite rough with each other in our lovemaking. I probably discovered as much about myself as I did about Paulo. My only regret is it has left me wanting to repeat the whole encounter again and again, and I know that is likely to be impossible. The warm glow I was feeling when I left Paulo returns by the time I find my room-mates in the downstairs lounge, and my head hits my makeshift pillow. Sleep quickly follows.

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Chapter 17: The Argonaut

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I join an equally sleepy Patrick for breakfast at eight o'clock. He's in a much happier mood than yesterday. I try to think of the right way to apologise for practically throwing Sheba into his bed last night, but Patrick speaks before I can say anything.

"Thank you for what you did last night," he says. "I don't know how you managed it but Sheba was just the person I needed. And if Sheba was being truthful, I was the person she needed."

"Um... That's OK," I reply. "Sorry if I practically threw her at you, but I was late for the... er... party upstairs."

"Hmm! Sheba mentioned she was going to a party before she met you. But it didn't sound like the sort of party I thought you would be interested in. Sheba made it sound like it was all scantily clad girls competing for Paulo's favour. Perhaps the rumour about Paulo and some dark-haired beauty dancing naked in a roof garden are true after all?" he laughs.

"Where did you hear that rumour?" I ask. "I'm sure it's greatly exaggerated."

"Some of the contestants were talking while we were waiting in the studio yesterday. You must have heard them... Oh. No... Of course... You arrived a bit later. Wait a minute. Harper let slip there are rumours circulating about Paulo and a girl who fits your description. Are you the girl referred to in that rumour? Is the rumour true?"

"Of course the rumour is wrong... We weren't dancing," I reply keeping my tone light. "That came much later. But I admit I'm the girl in the rumour. Are there are other rumours about me? It's very difficult to get some privacy here with all the security cameras everywhere."

"You don't need to apologise to me. I only wish I had half your courage to defy convention and take what you need."

Patrick and I are back to being pleasant to each other and able to talk without any awkwardness. I just hope he and I don't have to compete against each other today. While there can be multiple winners of the Argonaut, some challenges involve head-to-head tests in which one of two contestants is eliminated from the Argonaut.

At nine-thirty, forty-six of the fifty original contestants are standing in the huge hall that will be the main testing centre for today's Argonaut challenges. Apparently four contestants have already been eliminated. Despite plenty of rumours, nobody seems to know the reason, and the Argonaut officials are saying nothing on the subject. I can't help wondering whether sabotage had a part to play in the contestants' elimination.

The Argonaut officials are easily recognised by their bright purple gowns. The woman in charge has lots of gold trim on her gown, as if to reinforce her status here. Even the other officials seem nervous about being near her.

"By the end of the day, at least twenty more of you will have been eliminated," she announces to us all. "For the first challenge, you will be divided into seven groups. When your name is called, go and stand under the coloured banner of your group over there."

Another official reads out everyone's names in group order. I'm in Green group, along with Patrick, Chloe, Mansel, and two other contestants I don't know. Paulo is placed in Yellow group, and Vincent in Blue. Once we are all assembled in our allocated group, an official marches each group off to a different room.

"Last night you have each been approached by citizen of Argon city, and received a card from them. The card indicates that the citizen is willing to provide you with employment in the city, should the Argonaut assessment panel be willing to loan you the money that you need to buy your freedom. Now, place the card on the table in front of you."

Fortunately I've kept Sarah's card in my pocket, heeding her advice that it may prove useful. Is this what she meant when she said that? I notice Chloe has a similar card, although the black cat on her card is lying on its back, while mine looks as though it is stalking a mouse. I presume Sheba was the source of Patrick's card. The official studies each card and checks it against something written on his notepad. A grunt is the only indication that everything seems to be in order. He tells us to retrieve our cards.

"Your next decision will be critical to your success or otherwise in the Argonaut," says the official. "You must now decide whether to accept your sponsor's offer of employment. If you haven't discussed the employment terms and wish to discuss them with your sponsor before accepting, then you should decline the current offer. I will now ask you in turn whether you accept or decline the offer."

Patrick, Chloe and I are the only three of us who accept the employment offer. In my case, it is a rash decision based on a few minutes of conversation with Sarah last night. I could be agreeing to something I will soon regret, but I'm more terrified of being eliminated from the Argonaut than accepting an unknown job. The three of us are escorted to yet another room and told to wait.

We wait. And we wait some more. Finally Ellen and Cassius turn up.

"Good. That's all sorted," says Ellen, handing each of us an envelope. "Read those later. You must go to your dormitories and pack your things. Meet by the front door in forty five minutes."

"What's going on?" asks Patrick. "Have we been eliminated from the Argonaut?"

"No. No. On the contrary. You have all been granted a loan and a work permit for the city. You will be transported to your new employer's place of business. He or she will sort out everything else. It's all explained in the letter I've just given you."

It takes me a few moments to remember to breathe. In my wildest dreams I never imagined winning the Argonaut would be so quick and easy. I had mentally prepared myself for a day of tests and challenges, and an anxious wait tomorrow for the final result.

Packing my few belongings takes all of five minutes. I had already returned the Jewels of Desire to Ellen first thing this morning. With over half-an-hour to spare, I sit down to read my letter. Ellen has covered all the salient details in her answer to Patrick's question. My indenture to the Buchanan overlord has been purchased by the Bureau of Ancillary Services for just under eight thousand credits, which I must repay from my earnings over the next five years. Failure to repay the loan by the deadline means my indenture will be sold to any Argon citizen willing to buy it, and I will once again be a serf. I'm to be employed as a hostess at The Black Cat Club, working five days a week. The letter doesn't contain any further details about the job or what in entails. With the letter is a laminated work permit confirming I am authorised to work in the city centre and travel to and from Buchanan settlement.

Patrick and I join Chloe by the front door as instructed. There's no sign of Ellen or Cassius, and I realise that we might be taken from here without the opportunity to say goodbye to anyone. A small bus arrives a short while later and the driver tells us to get on board. Ellen and Cassius appear at the last moment and wave us off as we drive away.

The bus has only a short journey before we arrive outside an odd-shaped office building surrounded by a jumble of similar sized buildings. Patrick disembarks after sharing a brief farewell and good wishes. He suggests that we keep in touch. I say 'yes', although I'm not sure how achievable that will be.

We have a slightly longer drive into the heart of the city centre before the bus stops outside a building in what is clearly part of an entertainment district. The bus departs as soon as Chloe and I step onto the wide footpath. From the street, The Black Cat Club looks very unimpressive. The ground-floor doorway consists of a wide metal frame housing twin white doors, each with a black cat motif on the upper panel. There are no door handles nor any doorbell to attract attention.

"Did you come here last night?" I ask Chloe, risking a hostile reply.

"I don't know," replies Chloe. "I was made to wear a hood for most of the journey. If it's the same place then I'll recognise it once we are inside."

Which, of course, is the problem. How do we get inside?

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Chapter 18: Arrival at The Black Cat

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The area is quiet at this hour of the morning and there is no sign of activity at the club. Gaining access to the club is going to be a problem we need to solve on our own. I study the door and the surrounding frame. On door frame, either side of the doors, are two dark square pads with a motif of a cat on them. The one on the right has a stalking cat, like on the card Sarah gave me. The left hand pad has a cat lying on its back, similar to the one on the card in Chloe's possession.

Chloe tries pushing the pad in case it is a doorbell of sorts. The pad is solid so there is no audible or visible response. We wait a few moments in case what Chloe has done has summoned someone inside. However, nobody comes to the door, so I consider trying something else. I bring out my card and place it over the pad with the matching cat symbol. Success! The door on the right makes an audible sound as though a lock is being released. I push on the door and it swings open. Inside is short but wide hallway with a row of turnstiles left and right of a central column. The turnstiles are controlled by the same sort of pad we saw on the outside door. Those to the right of the column ahead of us have a symbol that matches my card, while those on the left match Chloe's card.

We each pass through one of the turnstiles matching our respective card. Once through to the other side, we find ourselves separated by a wall. I'm now in a different corridor to the one Chloe entered, and I'm unsure how we can meet up again without reversing our route. There's still nobody about and I'm beginning to worry about my rash choice to accept Sarah's offer without further details.

"Are you still there, Chloe?" I call.

"Yeah. There's a staircase going down to a lower level. I'm fairly sure this is where I was brought last night."

"There's no staircase on my side," I reply. The corridor here seems to go past a cloakroom into a large room at the end."

"Well, let's explore our own area and see if we can find someone," replies Chloe.

I quickly check that the cloakroom is empty before entering the large room at the end. It's a night club, with a huge dance floor bordered by several rows of tables and chairs on two sides; a stage on the third side; and a bar next to where I have entered on the fourth side. On the other side of the bar to the entrance door is an archway, hopefully leading to an office, or somewhere that someone will be working.

I eventually find an office where a woman about my age is working. She doesn't seem surprised to see me and introduces herself as Honeydew.

"The Bureau sent me your details but I haven't had time to record them in our system," says Honeydew. "If you take a seat in the lounge over there, I'll do that now."

"Okay," I reply. "I arrived with another woman; Chloe. The card she was given sent her through the left hand turnstiles when we arrived."

"She will be looked after downstairs," replies Honeydew. "Don't concern yourself about her."

Honeydew's attitude towards Chloe strikes me as odd, but I accept her assurance that Chloe will be looked after. Since Chloe isn't a friend, I put her out of my mind for now. After about fifteen minutes, Honeydew joins me in the lounge. She hands me some documents and a card similar to the one Sarah gave me last night. This card, however, is laminated like my work permit, and has a copy of the photograph I supplied for the Argonaut on the reverse. At her request, I hand over the card Sarah gave me.

"The identity card allows you access to the club," says Honeydew. "You've already discovered how it works. The documents are your terms of employment and your scheduled work hours for the next two weeks. A fifth of your earnings will be paid directly to the Bureau of Ancillary Services to repay your loan. Let me know if you ever want to make an additional payment. If you have any questions then come and talk to me."

"What should I do now?" I ask.

"The club opens in just over an hour. Sarah will arrive just before then. I suggest you take a walk around the club and get an idea where everything is located."

I do as Honeydew suggests although there isn't much more on this level than I've already found. The gender neutral toilets, and a set changing rooms are the only rooms I haven't explored when I entered the club. There's a locked door next to the bar, near to the one I entered. As seems typical of the club, the lock is controlled by the proximity of my identity card. Rather than wander around aimlessly, I try opening the door.

The door opens onto a short corridor in front of two sets of stairs leading to the floors above and below. I take a quick look upstairs first. The landing at the top leads to what turns our to be a set of bedrooms, fitted out for some adventurous sex games. I then go basement level to see if I can locate Chloe. After my experiences over the last twenty four hours I'm not surprised to see the basement is fitted out like some medieval dungeon. There's a dance floor and bar looking incongruous with the cages and restraints liberally scattered around the place. Every square pillar supporting the building above has four sets of shackles dangling down from above. That's where I find Chloe, chained by her wrists to one of the pillars.

"Are you okay?" I ask Chloe when I see her chained with her arms raised high above her head. She can only stand on her tiptoes.

"Yes, Miss Jasmine," replies Chloe, indicating with her eyes that one of the many security cameras is watching us. "Mistress is fetching my uniform. I'll be fine."

I quickly overcome my shock at Chloe addressing me in the way she did, but I suppose she knew from last night how she would be treated here. Even with that knowledge, Chloe accepted the offer to work here without further inquiry. I'm not sure what more I can say to her, so I simply nod in acknowledgement of her signal, and continue my exploration of the dungeon. My experience with kinky sex is negligible, and I can't pretend to understand the purpose of some of the equipment around the room. I find it fascinating, but also a little scary.

"You must be Jasmine," says a woman dressed in a black studded leather outfit. "I'm Caitlin."

I turn to look at the woman who has just entered from the door on the other side of the bar. Her blond hair his fastened in a plait which is pinned around her head. If I had to guess at her age, I would say that she was in her mid-thirties, but it difficult to be sure in the subdued lighting of the dungeon.

"Yes, hello," I reply. "Honeydew suggested that I explore the club while I'm waiting for Sarah to arrive."

"That's no problem. But if you are waiting for Sarah, then I suggest you return upstairs. Sarah arrived a few minutes ago."