Undercover Ops Ch. 06

Undercover Ops: Ch. 06

Cassidy missed her bike. Max insisted she bring it home while work began on the devices for her arms. Shortly after she arrived at home, Cassidy got a call from Max requesting until noon on the chips. Cassidy agreed and used the time to finish the installation of the weapons and skid-bars on her bike. Which, unfortunately, could not accompany her into the Barrens.

In addition she spent quite a bit of time online, and on the phone, with the Owners and Silent Skills respectively. The information she filled in for both had been identical. She made sure to let them know her plans for the Barrens. Both groups insisted she bring some method which she could use to contact them, just in case things fell apart. Cassidy swelled with the realization that they really were her friends and not just friendly associates.

The entire following day saw Max and Cassidy locked up as the two worked through her cover story, wardrobe selection, advice for avoiding the worst trouble the Barrens had to offer, and any other advice the businesswoman could think of. There was a lot to remember but that proved little difficulty for Cassidy. She always prided herself on a crystal-clear memory. Now she stood mere blocks from the warren of vice and corruption and she was afraid, not for herself but of her mission.

Cassidy knew her limitations. It was important to know, before accepting an assignment, the likelihood of a successful conclusion. She knew she could become a virtual one-woman army but was she capable of the level of deception necessary to find the missing IOs?

She had precious few leads on this case and felt certain time ran short, not only for the safe return of Shade but also potentially a dozen other people. Even if she managed to rescue them, would they be able to return to their old lives or would they return truly broken? Mostly, she feared her personality would blaze through the disguise to ruin everything in one disastrous moment.

She looked down at her outfit for what seemed like the thousandth time. Only the most basic of fabrics would do, anything else was far too expensive unless you knew how to sew, which Cassidy most definitely didn't. Never try to pass yourself off as something you could not become; Max's first rule. Since she lacked the more sensual and seductive fabrics, she was forced to rely on overly suggestive designs.

Her 'skirt', bright red to prompt male virility and desire, was little more than a wide, extended loin cloth. A single piece of fabric a-foot-and-a-half wide barely covered her firm butt, and flowed down inches above the street. A similar strip, only a foot wide that narrowed quickly to three quarters that, hung well below her navel and barely reached her shins. Both strips connected to a semi-elastic string of the same color around her waist. The weight of the material intentionally dragged the band scandalously low front and back as the sides caught at her hips.

Underneath the skirt was a simple cotton thong. The front was cut almost as thin as the turquoise 'see-through' Cassidy had worn the previous night and the back was little more than an elastic ribbon. Although purchased white, Max had demonstrated how to hand dye the material to match Cassidy's natural, un-sunned, skin tone. This was important, she explained, as it tantalized drunk, and otherwise semi-lucid, men into believing they stole glimpses of shaved treasures.

It was the most expensive piece of her clothing but assuredly well worth it. Cassidy merely laughed and declared she had bullets worth more than the entire ensemble. Max glared her into submission, then reminded her the outfit was her new livelihood and she had no reasonable way to replace it should a patron become too rowdy.

Cassidy covered her chest with a single long piece of the same cheap, but soft, fabric. Without a bra, she had been forced to spin the material, just to either side of each breast, in order to form a natural cup. The strip dipped underneath her arms to cross between her shoulder blades where they entangled before both left to slide around her neck and cross in front of her chest to cover her breasts.

Somehow, it tied behind her. Max had assured her that any woman in the Barrens would know the work and retie it for her after an assignation. She further assured the woman that once she got a chance to see the outfit on someone else, rather than in a mirror, the design would be self-explanatory.

Although covered nearly head to toe by a long, waterproof, trenchcoat, she felt naked. She wore no armor underneath, carried no weapon and even her inhumanly strong arms were leashed by the mechanic's control chip. That chip alone proved both a blessing and a curse. It had been many years since she had been able to drag her fingers through her own hair, which prompted a much shorter hair style than she preferred. She couldn't remember the last time she worked all the tension out of her own shoulders for fear of crushing bone.

Along with those luxuries came a dangerous price, however. Temptation would abound to simply remove the chip in retaliation for some slight done to either her or those helpless around her. She needed to be one of those helpless and weak creatures and she was dreadfully out of practice.

She shored her resolve and hefted her canvas duffle bag, another 'expensive luxury'. Inside were a handful more assorted articles of clothing, including a second thong 'for nights with multiple assignations'. Somewhere the two had found a broken piece of metal about the right length for a knife which Max artfully sharpened in her machine shop to look like it had been hand done with simple tools. That was her only protection, and Cassidy knew that to use it ran as great a risk, of giving away her secret, as the use of her arms.

Finally, stitched against the solid wood bottom of the bag, was a very high end e-pad with satellite telemetry and connectivity. It could not be removed without ruining the bag, but she needed it only for an emergency pick-up or to coordinate the final assault once she confirmed the target.

Strangely, crossing into the Barrens did not awaken the sense of moving between worlds that the Oldtown/Suburbs border had. The distinction between what was simply the industrial district and the zone known as 'the Barrens' was purely arbitrary. Slowly she began to notice more people loitering at the street corners and under solitary streetlights. She knew what they were, knew which groups to avoid and which to ignore. The ones to avoid would later be the ones she sought out, but first she needed to find her way deeper into the miles wide region of the city. So she continued to walk, slinking from shadow to shadow, deeper into the heart of the monster.

The imposing presence of the Heights began to loom above her even amongst the tall buildings. After forty blocks through the disturbing place, she slowed her pace and began to look more closely at the various groupings.

'Start by looking for the women.' The retired prostitute's advice came freely to her mind. 'The ones alone are freelancers, no agents, and are going to be who you need to talk to.' Cassidy saw the groups surrounding single garishly adorned men shouting to anyone passing too close.

Here and there were a few lone women, never less than half a block from the groups. Occasionally an agent would detach a few of his retinue of dilapidated amazons to run a solitary figure off even farther. They never tried very hard to catch the offender, however.

'Look in their eyes. The ones with dead eyes are too dangerous.'

Most of the women she saw here had that look in their eyes. Although the oldest looked to be only thirty or so they had seen too many hard years and their eyes spoke those volumes.

"Hey sugar! You're new here aren't ya?"

Cassidy nodded meekly to the woman wondering which would come next and expecting the answer. 'Watch out for the friendly ones who invite you openly onto their turf.'

"Come on ovah!" Cassidy dropped her eyes. 'They will invite you to stay with them and even give you the first trick to come along.' Her grin was too large. "You looking for a place to stay? Crash with me." The woman shrugged. "Just five percent. No need to worry 'bout the bills even!"

'They'll either follow you on the trick or wait until you get back home to mug you. To them it's easy money. All the money for a trick without the sweat.' Cassidy mumbled a negative before hurrying on.

'Look for the ones with nothing in their eyes. Neutral.'

Cassidy looked without luck. There were far more agents and groups than Max had implied there would be. Cassidy kept the laughter from her eyes. It looks like they're unionizing.

She had to try to keep such thoughts at bay or else they would eventually start to show in her expression. She looked up and realized she was getting too close to the mountainous island. Within five blocks or so of the estranged Heights, the buildings became large compounds, homes to the local crime bosses, as they tried to imitate their idols above.

Max never learned, or understood, the delicate hierarchy of the lords of the Barrens. Ever changing, these families fought for control of various areas within the many square mile region. The only advice she had, was that they would not attack another's compound, so long as they still controlled even a single city block.

The most powerful, and secure, held territories closest to their homes, and hence the Heights. This made sense to Cassidy as it provided them the most stable base of operations from which to run activities. If a family and its retainers needed to cross another territory to travel between home and fief, they inevitably became subservient to the closer neighbor. Should they resist, they found their travel hindered or blocked entirely. Once it lacked direct leadership, the area in question quickly devolved until it was easy pickings for the larger family. Then they either devoured the smaller 'fish' or placed them, once again, running the area they knew so well, this time for new owners.

Max had been surprised when Cassidy explained this to her without ever having been there or knowing any of the names. It was simple war tactics. Cassidy understood tactics in all arenas at an almost instinctive level; be it war, corporate, political or her own independent operations.

Regardless if understood the families, she needed to begin moving parallel to the looming edifice. The likelihood of finding the information she needed dropped dramatically the more organized the institution she involved herself with. While an agent, or his women, would speak less than a solitary, due to security, a member of these well-off families would be bred and trained from birth to keep from letting slip secrets which could be used against them. She began to circle the district, perhaps ten blocks from the false mountain.

She couldn't keep walking like this, searching for just the right mark. Someone was bound to notice and get suspicious now that she began to pass the occasional uninhabited corner.

"Hey you! Chicky!"

Cassidy spun. She barely kept herself from dropping into a defensive crouch. Instead, she hoped, she looked ready to flee. A young man, barely, in battered and faded jeans and a torn t-shirt, stared at her crotch. He craned his head in an attempt to confirm he'd just seen naked flesh underneath the strip of fabric.

Behind him was another, slightly older, with similar clothes, and his arm around the waist of a woman. He held her tight against his body, as if to keep her from flight, but her downcast eyes and lack of tension revealed acceptance if not willingness.

"How much for that sweet mouth of yours? My friend and I want to get it at the same time!"

Cassidy mumbled the price Max made her memorize. The boy reached into too tight pockets and pulled out a wad of wrinkled bills. He carefully fanned them out to show he could cover it. Young, but not inexperienced.

Cassidy shifted her duffel to her left hand and held her right, bent at the elbow, straight out from her body as a sign of acceptance. The boy moved up next to her, his left arm encircled her back while his right pressed along hers. He took her hand and lead the group into the slightly more private location of an alley.

Cassidy dropped her bag to one side as she discreetly watched the other woman already shift to her knees. Cassidy turned, lowering herself to kneel so that she could watch and learn from the far more experienced woman. She'd only done this once, willingly, and then she hadn't the use of her hands.

Before the women could reach to seductively remove their patrons' belts, the two men tore at their own clothing. Belts were unclasped and buttons undone before the women both knelt. Even as they reached out to help, jeans were hanging around the boys' knees. The other woman simply rolled her eyes, so Cassidy took the exuberance in stride.

Her boy's briefs bulged slightly. Carefully her fingers slipped underneath the elastic waistline before she schooled herself that her casual touch would no longer hurt the patron. She emulated the other woman and slid the underwear down, to slowly unveil his lust. He was small, even by her limited experience.

Good thing too, for my first time at this it should make things easier.

She stared at his soft form as she luxuriated in the feel of her hands. She rolled her fingers through the curly hair, enjoyed the ability to simply play lightly. There had been little time to test the new limits of her hands while being inundated with knowledge of the region. Her patron appeared to enjoy the experience as he began to harden before her eyes.

"Fuck the tease. Get to sucking!"

Cassidy looked up in surprise but the boy had his eyes closed in enjoyment. The other woman started, however, and leaned in to take the customer. By the time Cassidy looked fully over she could no longer guess the other's size, buried in her mouth.

"You don't have to stop." She looked up in surprise. Her head shifted forward when she turned to look at the other pair. Her customer felt her slow her tease, saw her head shift closer, and assumed she thought he would follow his friend's lead. "I like it slow. Builds the pleasure."

Max failed to explain what was accepted and permitted with the various prices due to lack of time. She made an offhand comment that some never permitted their clients to be in control while others simply lay back, to free their minds from reality as their bodies were used. Cassidy decided for the middle ground.

Both hands began to carefully massage his furry sack and the skin by the base of his organ. As fingertips pressed the skin to either side he jerked immediately to attention. As her hands slid clear he dropped slightly, no less hard. She leaned forward and down slightly, her head tilted backwards to watch his reactions.

Lips parted and curled forward to lightly grip the loose flesh as her hands moved aside, still massaging. A contented sigh escaped his lips.

"Faster bitch!"

Cassidy fought to ignore the threat implicit in the other guy's voice. It wasn't her client, and besides she needed to remain meek. Lips pulled at skin slightly, released it to snap back, and plucked at it again.

"Oh yeah."

It was barely a whisper but Cassidy found herself very glad for his reaction. It was far better than his friend, who screamed for more speed while held the poor woman's head against his groin. Cassidy tried to lick him but her tongue quickly recoiled from the taste of the unwashed, hairy, sack. Instead, she parted her lips wider and tilted her head. She leaned forward a little further, sealed her mouth against the base of his shaft and began to suck lightly.

His small organ jumped, to hold parallel to the ground. Only her anticipation allowed her to move quickly with it. A breathy groan rewarded her attention. She pulled her mouth free with an inaudible 'pop' before she moved slightly farther along his length and sealed once more.

His hips swayed some as his breath caught. Her tongue slid out within the seal to play against the sensitive nerves and bulging vein. His knees shook slightly and she smiled inwardly. One hand continued to wind through his hair as the thumb and forefinger of the other pressed and massaged his pelvis as the base of his lust. Her mouth broke free again.

As her mouth moved back again, she found herself already at his ridged head. Carefully she wrapped her mouth almost entirely around it from below, to leave the very tip free. Her head was forced to move in time to his smoothly swaying hips in order to keep connected. His eyes were screwed shut in pleasure. As he shifted backward, she worked with the motion. She slid her mouth around, caught her lips on his ridge, until she consumed his entire head. Thumb and finger moved to enfold his width in a firm grip.

Once again bless you Max.

She adjusted to his rhythm slightly and pulled him forward. As he began to fill her mouth she knew she needn't fear choking as she had with Merritt. In a moment he was sheathed within her warm mouth, blood pulsing beneath the surface. Now her eyes could barely look up to see his. A strange contentment surged through her to see the pure bliss etched on his face.

The other man screamed in his release. As she slowly moved back she saw the other two. Her counterpart's eyes were shut tight with tears. He gripped her hair, right behind the ears and thrust himself harshly into her mouth. He held it for seconds before he pulled quickly out to the tip and slamming himself back in to repeat the process. Cassidy had to quickly look away in order to control the anger inside her. She had her own patron to worry about.

She found herself moving faster forward and back, hoping to end the mounting nightmare more quickly.

"Woah!" His voice was gentle still but more commanding. "Slow down. Take your time and enjoy me."

Her jaw hurt slightly. She certainly wasn't enjoying this, but she knew better than to let it show. Instead, she accepted his instruction and languidly moved to consume him. She pressed against the base of his shaft with her fingers.

The crack of skin striking skin rang out and caused Cassidy to shift her head instinctively to see the other pair. The woman had collapsed to lie on her side, her left cheek a bright red testament to the strength of the man's slap. In a moment he was on top of her. His hard lust, still sticky and dripping, pressed forward, contested only by the skin colored bikini the woman wore. He pulled a knife and brought it towards the helpless woman's sole protection.

Cassidy suddenly found herself on her back. Her arms pressed against her sides by the length of his lower legs. His hands pressed the ground somewhere above her and his hips now thrust him uncomfortably into her throat, now that her chin pressed against her chest. A part of her was relieved by the boy's change of mood. She need no longer fear the instinct that drove her to save the other girl when she couldn't even adjust herself. She choked slightly as he forced himself deeper. His testicles pushed at her lips.

The other man grabbed the now naked woman by the hair. He pulled her closer to his friend, and the captive Cassidy, before he tossed her onto her stomach on a wood crate. Before she could move, he grabbed her shoulders, bent her over the crate and pressed himself to her folds. With her head pushed to the hard ground, Cassidy watched with horrid clarity the pain in the other woman's eyes, heard the murderous screech as he forced his way into her other orifice. Every muscle in her body tightened in response to the intrusion. The added stress and her torment only seemed to goad the man harder. He began to rip himself completely free before slamming back to the hilt.

Cassidy choked, desperate to draw air through her nose as a weight pressed against her and his flesh filled her mouth. He shifted his body slightly, which permitted an even more unobstructed view of his friend's malevolence. At one point she tried to shut her eyes to the tears that streamed down the other woman's cheeks and the blood that trickled down her leg. The boy showed himself into her mouth, shifted again to, pry her eyes open. Somehow, he pulsed bigger inside her as he witnessed her horror and empathic pain.

Something changed inside her mouth. She felt the pulse become rapid and erratic. Suddenly his hips thrust and held her against the ground. Something began to fill her throat. As she choked, it spilled forward she tasted his viscous, salty lust. She noticed a slightly sour aftertaste coating her insides. The flow began to abate slightly but she began to panic from lack of breath. Her body struggled against his weight to no avail. Her futile attempts seemed to revive his need. She choked and struggled more vigorously, which only drew a scream of bliss from his mouth.

Frantic eyes darted about. She caught only sporadic images amidst the nightmare. The friend pulled out, and trailed a spray of white seed. The organ popping free of her mouth, sent a single pulse across her nose and into her eye before it seeped onto her cheeks, lips and chin. The weeping woman's pleading voice choked off in a wail as the spurting member thrust deep into her core. Continued pounding, alternating holes as he forced her back to arch unnaturally by pulling her hair.

Finally everything seemed to calm. Half blind and in shock, Cassidy vaguely remembered the other guy's voice.

"That'll teach you not to accept my price!" The man threw a pittance of bills at the woman's curled and shaking form, where she lay on the ground in a pool of cum and blood.

Cassidy shook in fear as she felt fingers slip underneath her thong and inside of her. Was she next? Fortunately both boys slowly strutted away, bragging and joking. Nervous she reached down to discover her promised payment casually stuffed within her.

Cassidy wiped the back of a hand across her face, trailing the sticky fluid. She was going to need a shower but knew the water wouldn't make her feel clean. She dug with a finger and cleared her eye, blinking away the last dregs. She rolled over and crawled to the other woman.

"Are you ok?" Stupid question! "I mean, uh, you're all right. Everything's going to be all right."

Reassurance had never been her strong point. She was more a woman of action than empathy but she tried to keep her voice low and soothing.

Cassidy reached out to stroke the woman's hair. The curled form flinched away from the contact. Carefully she crawled behind the woman. She wrapped her arms around the other woman's shoulders and pulled her up. She hugged the woman's shoulder and head to her chest and rocked back and forth. All the while a torrent of unremembered words poured from Cassidy's mouth to assure the woman of her safety. Slowly the woman relaxed into her arms, until she finally buried her face in Cassidy's chest to cry.

After a while the woman, who clung to the warm stability of Cassidy, stopped crying. Cassidy continued to hold her, letting the woman take as much time as she needed. Finally she looked up, and saw Cassidy for the first time. Fear leapt back into her eyes and she scrambled quickly away. She noticed the money on the ground and grasped at it, ignoring the drying stains of cum and blood. She never took her eyes off of the suspect woman for more than the moment needed to spot the next bill. Once all were collected she clutched them to her breast and eyed Cassidy suspiciously.

"I'm Cas." Cassidy knew this woman was safe. More than that, this woman needed someone right now. "I'm new here. Great first date."

Cas moved over to pick up her duffel, purposely turning her back on the other woman. If she felt the need to run this would be her opportunity. Otherwise, Cassidy hoped it demonstrated trust to the other woman, that neither had to fear the other.

When Cassidy turned back, she noticed the woman's clothes. Hands to her chest helped to hold closed the loose, sleeveless, button-up, green shirt. Many of the buttons were missing but even Cassidy knew that was a relatively simple repair. At least there was no other damage a good wash couldn't cure.

Her coarse, black, miniskirt remained bunched at her waist as she crouched low to the ground. Her bikini panties were gone, a quick scan of the area found them lying in a puddle and hopelessly destroyed in the boy's haste to remove them and embarrass her. Cassidy remembered Max's comment and thought of the pittance the woman had just made. She held out the money she herself had made.

"Here. You're going to need a new pair," Cassidy nodded at the underwear.

Fear turned to proud anger. "I don't need your charity!"

"It's not charity!" Admittedly it was but Cassidy was getting frustrated this far out of her element. Suddenly she had an idea. "Look, all of my stuff is fine but for a good wash. I needed the money to find a place to stay. I'm assuming you got a place to stay, and you could use the extra." She received a suspicious look in response and knew what to do. "You think I set this whole thing up just to get you to trust me? Do you!? Fine! If you don't like it, I'll find a place on my own." Cassidy began to pull the money back.

"Wait." The suspicion remained but lessened under the weight of shame. "No, you can stay with me."

The woman began to stand, only to wince and collapse, half leaning against the alley wall. A hand reached down to inspect herself and came away with blood.

"Besides, I'm really going to need help with the rent now. I won't be any good for a few days at least." There was anger, but also a profound sorrow, in that voice.

"I'm Cas," Cassidy repeated. "What's your name?"

"Luna"

Cas reached out a hand to help the other woman stand. She took the offered hand. Once again she winced and nearly collapsed when she stood. After she adjusted her stance, slightly bowlegged, the woman found she could stand, and even walk, albeit slowly.

"How badly are you hurt?"

This time it was Cas who turned away in shame, only partly feigned.

"All he did was force me to the ground so he could... push deeper."

Luna nodded, understanding the position. A spark of anger showed in the woman's eyes. Apparently, it wasn't a commonly accepted position, for which Cas was extremely grateful.

"I think the two of them also positioned us so I was forced to watch. They both seemed to get off on it."

Cas wished she could be frustrated by the revelation, wished she could be angry, but for some reason only depression and shame came. Some obscene part of her felt bad that she wasn't enough to excite them. She became angry at herself for the misplaced shame.

"We should be going, getting off the streets."

Cassidy nodded at the wisdom. The people in this part of town were like sharks, smell weakness or injury and they would swarm. She shouldered her duffel and wrapped her other arm around Luna's waist for support. Together the two limped into the street, Luna lead the way. They stuck to the shadows and trusted Cas' night vision to keep them free of trouble.

"Are we going to need to stop for clothes?"

"I'd rather just get home. I'll worry about clothes tomorrow." Cas nodded in understanding. "I just want a shower."

She definitely empathized with the sentiment. As they walked Cas handed Luna the money. She assumed the other woman would know the most secure way to carry it in public. Somehow, the money simply disappeared.

As they walked, Cassidy noted they traveled in a promising direction. She expected the new brothel to be closer to the heights. Anyone with enough money and clout to put it together would likely control territory close in. All she needed to do was circle the compounds and listen. At least that was her fervent hope. Security was likely to be tight, so it wasn't like they would advertise. She had no idea exactly how she would find them, but she had faith she could.

From the outside, the building looked like any other standard hab-block. Cassidy knew from experience that, while the exterior remained a standardized design, there were numerous interior configurations. Aside from the maintenance and sanitary deficiencies, this could almost be the same building her own apartments were in. The buildings were designed to be resistant to fire, flood, earthquake and impact with most heavy weapons or vehicles. Cassidy could attest to the veracity of four of the five.

Inside was a different matter. The owners of this building decided not to spring for the extra cost associated with an elevator so the two worked their way up ten flights of stairs, hampered by Luna's bowlegged gate. Once in the main hallway, Cassidy received her first impression of the rooms. Based on the doors, spread every fifteen feet, she was in for cramped quarters.

When the two reached the unnumbered door, Cassidy was gratified to discover a security panel rather than a mechanical key lock. While she knew how laughably simple the device could be circumvented, most of the people in the Barrens weren't capable of the feat. Additionally, keys would be remarkably easy to lose in her cover profession.

The door popped open with a beep. The room was only about fourteen feet wide and only slightly deeper. With no windows it was impossible to tell if there was another building crammed behind this one or simply a matching hallway around the other side of the same building. Given construction costs she assumed the latter; all the better to make more money in the high population district. Besides, it was cheaper to build one larger building than two smaller ones even if the cubic footage was the same.

Crammed against the back wall was a single bed. The two had to shuffle by a counter next to the door on which sat a small portable heating plate. A micro-fridge sat between the two. Cas knew there would be little room for her on the floor, but it was the best she would find safely in her apparent price range.

"Look, this is business. I'm not your best friend. I'm not your momma. I don't want to know your story. I need the money and you need a place to crash between jobs. Simple as that."

The speech came out rehearsed, almost tired. Cas thought she could sense, somewhere underneath it all the lie, that betrayed the battered woman. Or perhaps the way she held her, as she cried earlier, prompted it as a separation tactic. Either way, Cas knew, eventually, the two would talk openly. She needed Luna to open up, otherwise the search would take far longer.

"You got a towel?"

The question took Cas by surprise. She shook her head. She hadn't anticipated the need for toiletries in her haste. Nor had Max. Cassidy knew it was likely a good thing, since she might have given herself away with her selection. Luna tossed her a towel, blanket and pillow.

"Those come with the room. You're in charge of washing 'em, and I expect them back washed when you move out. The bathroom's at the end of the hall. There's three showerheads but it's unisex so you might want to check who's in and out before going."

Luna looked up from her speech suddenly.

"The guy on the right just before the bathroom has a peephole into the showers." Disgust was thick in her voice. "He sticks something else through that hole sometimes. There's some girls who'll do for him. Dunno what they get out of it but it's gotta be something, to look at him. What's worse though, is if he likes what he sees he'll corner you on the way out. He can trap you in there until someone else ends up coming through."

She sank onto the bed and sat, careful of her injuries. When she resumed, she regained her detached tone.

"I haven't heard of anyone getting too rowdy with the women on this floor. There's a few guys who occasionally hire someone, but most of them already have favorites and none have much money so don't expect to pick up anything here. Though it isn't strictly forbidden."

Finally, she looked up to actually meet Cas' eyes.

"Any questions?" Cas shook her head. "Don't worry, we can figure out money at some point. I know you're new to this and likely in a bit of culture shock. All of us were there once, even if some don't seem to remember it. If you have any questions about prices or anything... what you should allow or the like..."

Luna simply trailed off, letting the suggestion hang between the two.

"Is it ok to say 'no' to some things?"

It was a question Max forgot to go into and Cassidy knew the other woman expected at least a few questions. She had been pegged as new to the profession as well as the district, so it was the only way to forestall suspicion. Although, that she took her first client in front of the other woman, and before she found a residence, likely helped.

"Like anal and getting your mouth fucked." It was a statement rather than a question. "Yes. Anal is completely voluntary. Or at least it's supposed to be." There was pure malice in her voice. "Some like it, some don't. Almost no one allows what he did to you tonight. It borders on bondage and the like and there are specialists who tend to be pretty jealous finding out someone's riding their turf."

Cas's eyes widened. Luna took it, as Cassidy hoped, as fear that the specialists would come after her for involuntarily breaking taboo.

"Don't worry. They'll only come after you if they find you doing it frequently. Even they understand sometimes people go too far and do things you haven't agreed to." She laughed slightly, not fully in humor. "And usually they come to offer you a chance to 'join their club'. A polite way of telling you it's all or nothing and if you continue to try a little they'll give you the rest for free."

"'You want to be a submissive we'll show you what dominance is all about' kind of thing?"

"Exactly." Luna reached under the bed and dragged out a second towel and a very oversized cotton shirt. "Now, I don't know about you, but I think I need to shower for about a week straight." Cas couldn't agree more and held up her towel in agreement.

Copyright 2006, By Deathlynx