The Office Ch. 08

Hamilton took a sip of the neat vodka she had poured into her crystal cut glass tumbler. She had a bemused look on her face as she sat opposite her employer Chloe Franklin. Moments earlier Franklin had burst through the doors of Hamilton's office and informed her of Franklin's intention to liquidate all of her business assets, including Hamilton's lab facility, having discovered that morning her bank account had been emptied.

"I think you're being rash," said Hamilton.

Franklin shifted in her seat obviously irritated by Hamilton's response. "I don't give a fuck what you think Hamilton. Remember you work for me. I own you and all of this." Franklin theatrically motioned her hand in a sweeping manner before as she spoke.

"You must surely recognise how much my work here has contributed to your wealth?"

"What fucking wealth? Which part of 'my bank account is empty' did you not get?"

Hamilton took another sip from her glass. She hoped that having the glass to her mouth would hide the smirk she could feel creeping onto her face. Franklin's arrival had been pre warned by Tracey Smyth who, once directed by her mother, had informed Franklin about her missing funds. Franklin's reaction, to confront Hamilton, her de facto deputy since the recent disappearance of Franklin's business partners, had been fully expected.

However, there were no 'missing funds'. Only Smyth's distractions and the actions of Franklin's compromised bank manager had been the true cause of Franklin's concerns. Lured into a trap Hamilton had set. Hamilton was now enjoying slowly drawing Franklin further into that trap with each passing moment that Franklin remained within Hamilton's office.

"I'm guessing reporting your lost funds to the police is out of the question?" Hamilton said mockingly. And then, not waiting for Franklin to respond. "Obviously what we do might draw some unwanted scrutiny but if they get too close to the truth any threats can be compromised. It's what we.....I......do....for you after all."

Hamilton watched as Franklin continued to shift awkwardly in her seat. Although Franklin met Hamilton's gaze the latter noticed some trepidation not normally visible in Franklin's expression. Franklin's legs were crossed and her arms folded in a way some body language experts might have described as defensive. And Hamilton sensed that Franklin's unusually expletive language was an indication her employer was encouragingly tense and uncertain in her current company.

"You play your part in this business, but you are only as effective as I.......and my partners enable." Franklin sought menace in her delivery but Hamilton noticed her superior's voice wobble with uncertainty as she spoke.

"And where are Abi and Debbie these days?"

Hamilton noticed Franklin's look became colder. "Ms Young and Ms Foster to you. And.......they appear otherwise engaged, currently." Franklin shifted obviously in her seat after providing her response. "I will take that drink after all. Scotch with ice, no water."

Franklin placed her own glass on her dark wood desk and walked towards the bottles and glasses that were on the top of the unit adjacent to her desk. Pouring the drink wordlessly she then walked towards Franklin and handed her a suitably infused glass. Franklin took the glass without gratitude. As she went to take her first sip there was a knock at Hamilton's door. "Enter!" The door opened and a strikingly made up woman entered, wearing a white lab coat over the top of an outfit that Franklin believed would not have looked out of place in a porn movie. "Yes Caroline?"

"I'm sorry to bother you Mistress but I thought you would wish to see the latest prototype?" The technician asked, simultaneously raising a headset in her hand. Hamilton noticed Franklin's obvious expression of awe at the appearance of Hamilton's lab technician. Franklin's conservative navy polyester business trouser suit and white cotton blouse was a stark comparison to Caroline's overt appearance.

Even though she knowledgably empowered Hamilton in her acts of compromise and blackmail, Franklin's sexual manners had always been more conservative. She cared little for how Hamilton achieved her goals. Her interests remained purely in the financial results of her work. Thus, the sight of the dark haired woman to her right caused some revulsion to the executive's principles. She noted that Caroline's white satin blouse could barely contain the technician's breasts, the button's straining to hold the garment in place where the mounds were most prominent. Franklin felt repulsed by women who allowed themselves to be enhanced in a manner that gave the appearance of sexualisation.

Caroline's appearance in Hamilton's office had been another of the choreographed moments that Hamilton had mapped out to ensnare Franklin. Out of sight of Franklin Hamilton had activated a button on her desk as she rose from her seat to make Franklin's drink. Caroline had been told to await Hamilton's signal and then to bring the headset from the laboratory so that they could play out their current scene. As expected, Caroline played her role dutifully.

And part of that role was to unsettle Franklin's senses by the manner of her appearance. Caroline's black leather collar stark against her pale skin and white satin blouse. The silver lettering clear and obvious. Slut was a word that did not settle well with Franklin's conservative manners, but she could not deny that it was appropriate to the way in which Caroline was dressed. The hem of her lab coat being of similarly minimal length to Caroline's black satin skirt which in itself was not sufficiently low enough to prevent Franklin's lower eye line from having clear sight of the red satin resting between the technician's thighs.

"Wh....what prototype?" Franklin asked with a hoarse tone, her eyes strangely drawn towards Caroline's nylon encased, toned, legs. Although her collar clearly declared her subservient role her appearance had a power and allure that triggered something within the strictly heterosexual Franklin.

"Oh," said Hamilton with mock surprise, "it's something that we've been developing but we'll clearly need to terminate that work now you're planning to sell this facility."

"What is it?" Franklin asked, still distracted.

"A virtual headset."

"For what purpose?" Franklin slowly shifted her gaze towards Hamilton.

"That's part of the development process and prototyping," Hamilton responded.

"Bring it here." Franklin said, returning her look towards Caroline and lifting her right hand expectantly. Caroline looked towards Hamilton who nodded her head slightly. Caroline moved steadily towards Franklin her five inch heels settling into the carpet pile on the floor of Hamilton's office. Franklin snatched the headset from Caroline's grasp.

"That will be all Caroline."

"Yes Mistress." The technician turned towards the office door and exited Hamilton's office.

Hamilton returned her attention to Franklin who had placed her drink on a side table to her left as she examined the headset. "Was that Caroline Hughes?" Franklin said without taking her eyes from the device. Hamilton noticed Franklin's attempt to sound matter of fact as she asked her question.

"It is Caroline Hughes, yes."

Franklin looked up and Hamilton noticed a degree of annoyance across Franklin's face. "I thought I told you to fire her?" Hamilton noted some confidence returning to Franklin's demeanour.

"You did."

"So, you ignored my orders?" There was edge to Franklin's delivery which slightly surprised Hamilton.

"She no longer works for you. She works for me."

"You, work for me Hamilton! Therefore, she also works for me. She is part of the reason my bank account is empty." Hamilton turned her back on Franklin as she reached for her drinking glass. Franklin filled the dead air. "I'm assuming, by the way she was dressed, she has been...........transformed?"

Hamilton returned to face Franklin and smiling inwardly at Franklin's observation responded airily. "You assume correctly Chloe and as a result isn't paid. None of my slaves are paid. Otherwise....they wouldn't be slaves, would they?"

"Slaves!! What do you..."

"I am always amazed at how naïve you are Chloe," Hamilton said cutting of Franklin's outburst. "You know what goes on here at this facility. You also know how I use this facility to compromise your competitors and to build your organisation. Even if you have seemingly been careless with the fruits of my labours." Franklin visibly sunk back into her seat as she listened to Hamilton.

"Slaves! I hate the term. It's anomalous in a modern world."

"Some might think sissifying your competitors is anomalous Chloe. And yet you....."

"Stop trying to be cute Hamilton. You know my meaning. Do your.....slaves....have free will?"

"They have selective will."

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"Caroline, for example, was clearly a clever girl, if a little stupid to think she could get away with fulfilling her espionage. Once she was discovered by the security team..."

"I fired her...."

"Yes, you fired her, but I choose to have a conversation with her."

"Without my knowing!!"

"Obviously." Franklin's jaw slackened at Hamilton's matter of fact response. "I read the file the security team had put together and realised she was a smart cookie, technically, and, bringing her into my fold would be cheaper and more beneficial. Cheaper, because, as one of my slaves she would not need to be paid for her skills. Your main concern. And more beneficial because by choosing how to transform her I could compartmentalise her skills whilst weakening her will to resist. She is also skilled in so many more ways now Chloe." Franklin felt a shiver run through her at the salacious manner in which Hamilton delivered her final sentence and her mind once again filled with the images of Caroline's attire. Franklin suddenly felt her cheeks beginning to flush.

"But.....why do you deem it necessary to dress her in such outlandish clothing? Your sissies I can understand. But why her?"

"I see no difference between sissies, sluts or femmes. Besides it amuses me. And it sexualises them." Hamilton watched Franklin's expression as she spoke. "Be honest Chloe, I doubt many people are seduced by a polyester trouser suit."

"I'm not trying to seduce anyone." Franklin caught herself as she heard herself.

"You have succeeded."

"Watch yourself." Franklin reached for her drink. After taking her sip she met Hamilton's gaze. "Were you trying to have her seduce me?" Franklin's voice quivered nervously as she asked the question.

"Did she?"

Franklin met Hamilton's gaze again. "I told you, Hamilton to watch yourself. Remember who you're talking to." Hamilton nodded just the once lowering her eyes to confirm that knowledge, but inwardly she was enjoying testing Franklin. "Does she know that she's dressed in that manner?"

"Of course. She dresses herself each day if that's your question. She sees her reflection each morning as she dresses and readies herself for work. So, I would say she does."

There was a moment of silence. Hamilton continued to enjoy her drink as Franklin examined the headset. "Tell me about this prototype? What is its aim?"

"I'm sure you are aware of virtual reality." Hamilton observed Franklin's pensive nodding as she continued to examine the device. "Good, well we've been developing some programs that we hope will capture a niche market and provide some healthy returns."

"What kind of niche market?"

"Well, hopefully profitable ones."

"Why are you continuing to be so vague Hamilton, just tell me."

"Self-improvement."

Franklin looked up from the headset. "Isn't that market saturated?"

"Possibly. But these programs can be tailored to meet the specific improvement being sought."

"This is pointless." Franklin's expression began to look angry. "There are shelves of books and plentiful free self-help guides on the internet. No one will pay for this."

"As I said Chloe, this is a prototype. We've been working on bespoke programs. This is just the prototype before we invest further."

"Investment with what? There is no further money! Remember?" Hamilton did not respond. She watched as Franklin's interest returned to the headset. "So what is the prototype program?"

"It's a basic improvement program. Once the client has completed the programme we are convinced that the client will see clear and obvious results and changes in themselves. We've been perfecting the narrative and aligning the images and sound as part of the prototype."

"Show me."

"OK. But it's nothing special. I don't want you to get your hopes up."

Franklin stared at Hamilton. "I told you to show me," she said flatly.

"OK Chloe, well I recommend you rest on the sofa rather than remaining on that seat. The virtualisation can provide some equilibrium challenges."

"There?" Franklin motioned towards the dark fabric sofa to her right with the headset.

"Yes." Franklin rose and moved toward the sofa. She settled herself on the sofa laying horizontally with her head resting against one of the cushions which she had placed on the sofa's shallow arm. Hamilton followed behind her and once Franklin was settled helped Franklin position herself and the headset so that both sat comfortably. "Now I just need to insert the ear pods. Once I've done that I'll start the program. Are you ready?"

"Yes!" The frustration in Franklin's voice still evident. Franklin felt the pods being placed into each ear by Hamilton and as the final pod was inserted into her left ear she felt her senses fully shrouded. But it was a sensation that lasted for only a few seconds as the visor flashed alive with its first colourful images and her ears were filled with what in most worlds would be known as muzak. All of which caused Franklin to jolt as if shocked by an electric charge. The pastel shapes that simultaneously flooded her vision were indeterminable and melded and flowed before her with the achingly banal music providing an audible segue to the melding mix before her eyes.

The breadth of the visor filled Franklin's vision as her mind was engulfed by the overwhelming imagery and sound. The banality of both sound and vision were unknowingly boring into Franklin's structured thought. Her inability to focus on either causing her mind to wander and weaken as her will was stretched and then subdued as if being gently massaged. Unknowingly Franklin's mind and body were becoming malleable. Her ability to focus on a specific reference deliberately being removed. Her ability to resist reduced.

Franklin had no inclination to fully close her eyelids to reduce the effect of her manipulation. Her inability to resist meant that as the images began to solidify her mind was already weakened. The pastels began to be replaced by a starker white light which now strobed in time with a humming white noise which also gradually replaced the music in her ear pods. Franklin's awareness was now only of the space in which her senses occupied. Her grip on reality tenuous. The hypnotic light and the matching sound subduing her will to resist second by second.

"Hello Chloe. Welcome to your personal self-development programming." Hamilton's voice penetrated deeply into Franklin's defenceless cerebral cortex. "I'm so pleased you agreed to be developed to suit my needs. You won't regret it. I know you will savour it. Just as Caroline did." The strobing and the matching humming noise were now fully mesmerising Franklin's senses. Each word that Hamilton spoke overwhelming and controlling, layer by layer. Each word that Hamilton spoke driving further into Franklin's senses, layer by layer.

"Just watch the pulsing light Chloe as you listen to my voice. Let your cares drift away. You no longer need to worry about your bank account or business decisions unless I tell you to. You only need to do as I say. Your only cares will be to serve me and to always look your best for me. You're so going to enjoy being one of my slaves Chloe. And I'm so going to enjoy you." Franklin felt panic course through her at that moment but it was soon forgotten. The sensory programming adjusted the strobing light and the pulsing noise in her ears and within seconds Franklin returned to her lucid state. And like the sponge her mind was now becoming she merely absorbed Hamilton's words.

"You can think of nothing better than being my slave Chloe. Calling me Mistress and serving me dutifully. You'll even get to dress like Caroline so that your body can be enjoyed. Oh and it will. By me and whoever I choose to play with you. You will be mine to use and mine to exploit and you will do so dutifully." The sound in Franklin's ear changed. Mixed with the humming strobing noise were human sounds of men and woman in the throes of sexual acts. Moans and gasps and cries of passion and lust. "You want to be my sexual toy Chloe. Whenever you hear my voice your clit will begin to throb and you will ready yourself to be of service. Mmm, you're already getting wet as you listen to my voice Chloe. You're mine now. I own you. You work for me. You serve me. Such a good girl for her Mistress. Now, watch the pretty images and let your mind drift off to sleep my pet."

Without warning the lights, images and sound stopped. Franklin was shrouded in darkness. As she shifted her head it felt heavy. She was bewildered until she lifted her hands to her head and ran them over the headset slowly removing it from her head. Franklin inspected the headset for a moment and then remembered why she had been wearing the contraption. She let out an airy giggle from her mouth.

Franklin initially found the light of the office overbearing and found that it made her eye lids squint. She slowly placed the headset on the floor beside her and took a look around the office. "Hello? Hello?" Franklin shifted herself on the sofa and once in a seating position rubbed at her eyes with her hands. She looked over towards Hamilton's vacant desk. "Hello?"

Franklin stood up and immediately caught at the arm of the sofa as she sought to hold her balance. She felt unsteady on her feet for a moment as she tried to stand. Once her equilibrium returned Franklin moved towards Hamilton's desk and finding the desk phone she picked up the receiver and brought it to her ear only to find that the line was dead. Franklin pressed a few of the numbered buttons but helplessly replaced the receiver back into the rest.

Still struggling to clear the fog from her mind she headed towards the office door and into the stark white corridor. The sound her four inch heels made as she transitioned into the uncarpeted corridor was noticeable but did not distract Franklin as she continued her search. "Hello?" As she headed down the corridor Franklin became confused. Her memory had been of a reception desk only a few paces from Hamilton's office and yet the corridor seemed to be endless. Her pace quickened slightly as she tried to reach its end.

As she continued along the corridor she became aware of a figure walking towards her and quickened her pace further as they came closer to each other, but her pace slowed slightly as she began to realise that the image was her mirrored reflection. Although, as Franklin approached that image she was initially unsure it was actually her reflection after all. As if to confirm her own vision, Franklin reached out and touched the glass before her and once she had touched the surface slowly retracted her hand as she took in the sight before her.

Franklin looked the image of herself up and down for a moment. Her hands went to the black leather collar at her neck and she tried to remove it, but it appeared to have no clasps. When she returned it so that the words were facing her she blushed at the thought of being branded a 'FEMME'. However, the longer she looked at herself and the word now visible in silver capital letters the stronger was the throb between her thighs.