Undercover Ops Ch. 09

Undercover Ops: Ch. 09

Cassidy slumped onto the stairs to catch her breath. For two days she wove through every street in the barrens between four blocks from the Heights all the way out to the twenty block radius. Although she found a number of brothels within the scope of her travels, none seemed remotely secure enough to maintain and hold a dozen trained and experienced IOs against their will. It was entirely probable that they were held separately, both while 'training' and once they served as prostitutes, but even the hint of another professional would set Cassidy to plan her escape.

Not only did none of the establishments maintain the heavily armed guards she expected but most of them had let her enter freely 'in search of employment'. Although a few of them attempted to restrain her and force her to work for them she dropped hints that she was working undercover for a rival 'lord' who would be upset with their businesses when he, or in one case she, took over the territory.

The best fabrications maintained a considerable amount of truth and a single look from the professional women who ran the brothels told them how inexperienced she was. With her athletic frame they guessed, correctly as it happened, that her true frame of work involved 'problem solving' and let her go with their apologies and assurances to 'her boss' that they would comply with whomever ran the streets.

Cassidy learned the names of all thirty-seven major families and the handful of minor families that lived in the blocks nestled against the Heights. Scattered throughout the district were two more major families and a dozen minor ones without the means or desire to acquire one of the more symbolic estates. Where the centralized compounds were families of long tradition, these outlying houses mostly began as street gangs. A single charismatic leader would rally the gang to wrest a block or two from one of the families and use it to carve out their own territory.

The two major families begun the same way but had retained enough strength to survive the death of the original inspiration. The minor families were all still in the first generation of control and their survival remained in question. In truth the casinos ran a betting pool with stern odds whether any given family would fall each year.

All of these made good landmarks, as the only truly stable entities within the chaotic environment of the Barrens. The irony was that she had only viewed one of the manors. While security was relatively lax around the fabled houses ~after all who did they have to fear so long as they still held territory~ the number of family retainers and employees who wandered the region was an insurmountable obstacle. She would easily stand out in that section to questing eyes.

Cassidy pushed herself to her feet, determined to make it back to the apartment before the murky city twilight failed entirely and the only lights that remained were the pools provided by the streetlights. As she trudged through the streets she attempted to figure out what she could have missed.

The obvious answer was the thin strip of blocks next to the Heights. While the possibility still remained that someone had set up the whole operation in any high-rise, Cassidy's instinct insisted it would be a lavishly appointed building of its own or, at worst, an annex of another entertainment-oriented building such as one of the casinos. The result was that one of the families had orchestrated the operation.

The new twist added a level of difficulty to her search. Entering any given compound would be a simple enough matter. Getting in and out undetected would prove more of a challenge but still remained well within Cassidy's capabilities. Accomplishing the same feat, time and again, with every manor, while completely searching the premises for signs of a high security brothel began to stretch the imagination slightly.

While the chances of detection were slight for each manor, the sheer number of locations began to stack the odds decidedly against her. The moment she was spotted word would quickly spread and the perpetrators were very likely to cut their losses if they suspected her mission. Cassidy preferred to avoid gambling, especially when her friend's life hung in the balance.

Cassidy reached the building, noting the expensive sedan parked across the street. She simply shrugged and began the endless trek up the flights of stairs. She would need to begin with the most influential families, assuming they had the most wealth to expend on the process. Fortunately the top ten houses were fairly evenly distributed around the inner circumference of the district. This made a fair amount of sense as the biggest families would move to hinder or eliminate any neighbor that became too large a threat.

She would be unable to move completely invisibly and the compounds to either side of the one she investigated would step up security for brief while after each attempt. At least she could target one move slightly around the circle for the next target, probably skipping a few in the process, to leap-frog her way through the top ten.

When she reached the apartment something seemed out of place but she couldn't place the disruption. The door refused the code and Cassidy looked to the panel in confusion. She re-keyed the code and realized what her instinct noticed that her conscious mind missed. There was a loose wire, pinned to the wall by the metal casing. Recognition dawned as the door began to slide open. She looked up, saw the form of a large man in a suit just inside the doorway, with a gun trained on the widening gap. Cassidy subdued the urge to dive to one side. She was unarmed and didn't know how many were inside or even if Luna was being held hostage. All her maneuver would do was betray her when her inaction could save them both.

Even before the door was fully open a deep voice spoke. "Don't move!" She quickly raised her hands in surrender, though her revealing outfit clearly demonstrated a lack of concealed weapons. The gun waved her into the room although she barely managed to work her way past the hulking enforcer. There were two more men waiting inside with Luna sitting cross legged on the bed. "This our girl?" One of the men glanced down at an e-pad strapped to his wrist.

Cas wondered what she could have done to attract the attention of these men. This clearly wasn't personal, just as it wasn't a shakedown or she would have walked in on a very different scene, and been forced to join in as like as not. The man with the e-pad switched a few times between her and the device. Finally he nodded.

"She's the one."

He dropped his arm. He and the third man struggled to slide past each other in order to trade places. Cassidy guessed the one with the 'pad was the leader of the trio if there was one. He was most certainly the one instructed to speak. These were someone's flunkies. As they maneuvered Cas caught a glimpse of a tattoo. All she could interpret was a shape within an oblong circle. Given its placement on the man's inner wrist it was certainly a house mark and only four houses could remotely match what she caught.

The important question remained why a house would be interested in a simple prostitute. Her cover was still intact since they would have brought a much bigger team if they even began to suspect her identity.

"You're to come with us. Get your things together."

Cas looked at Luna in confusion but quickly reached down for her duffel when the goon by the door tightened his grip on his gun. The quick glance had been enough to tell Cas that they had hit Luna at least once. There was a growing purple mark on her face of a fresh bruise.

"Can I ask where we are going?"

She received a cold glare from the apparent leader. Cassidy knew they were heading to one of the compounds, which suited her plans. The only risk would be if they forced her to wear some form of uniform. In that case she would need to get her hands on street wear and find a place to hide it just outside of the compound for her investigations.

"You shouldn't be taking her. She's independent and I haven't heard her accept any offers yet." It was mumbled but everyone in the small room heard Luna clearly.

"It's okay. I'm willing to at least hear their boss out." The leader shot a suspicious glare at Cas over the word 'boss'. "What? You three aren't the brains of your operation or else you wouldn't have needed to check anything to know you were looking for me!"

The flanking men looked utterly shocked by her revelation but the leader took it in stride. He merely grunted and nodded. A spark of unknown emotion sprang to his eye.

"Go start tell the driver we're on our way." The man by the door hurried out.

Interesting, professional enough not to use even first names but not enough to have coms. Unless for some reason they suspect coms are compromised. Cassidy chastised herself for reading too deeply into it. More likely the driver is new and he doesn't know the name yet.

She worked so often around true professionals that she began to attribute their practices to even hired muscle like these three. It was a dangerous assumption as IOs tended to be predictable while thugs were anything but.

The leader made a sweeping motion towards the door. As she left the room, bag over her shoulder, the leader nodded slightly to the third man before leaving. Halfway down the hall Cas heard the telltale "whuff" of a suppressed pistol. Suddenly she wondered exactly where they were taking her and why.

* * * *

Cas refused to ask why Luna had been killed. The four men had said little since their departure and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer anyway. One way or another, it was her fault. Had she not been stayed, there the woman would not have run afoul of these men. She felt little guilt, however, as their profession was hazardous. Cas' recent, and only, encounters were ample proof of that.

As they drove towards the cancerous heart of the district Cas slowly eliminated potential houses until only one remained. These men worked for the Zuntri family, the second most influential of the crime lords. Sure enough, a few blocks later the car began to slow. When they stopped at the gate Cassidy was both surprised and impressed that the guard identified each of the faces and began to question the men when hers was unfamiliar.

She expected security to be relatively lax on the largest houses, considering the informal cease-fire rules in place. Her interest spiked when she considered the extra security could be the result of maintaining the very brothel she sought. Unfortunately, the only thing she learned from the exchange was that 'the boss' had sent them to collect her. She was going to work in the compound.

Finally, after a thorough search of the trunk, security waved them through the automatic gate. The car rolled slowly up the driveway, all the while under the watchful eyes of security. Cas suddenly realized the families and corporations had much in common. While they held more than enough manpower and influence to completely eliminate any single rival, simple fear of the rest attacking them en masse, in retaliation, held them in check. The only thing that prevented widespread war was fear of a polarized opposition. That 'the enemy of my enemy' could provide enough unity to destroy an entity weakened by even a successful campaign.

However, like the corporations, discreet tactics worked where obvious ones could not. The rules prevented an assault on another compound however said nothing about a single assassin or demolitions charge. Considerable damage could be wrought through simple methods. If the success of a family was contingent upon an untrusting Patriarch, or Matriarch, then their elimination sent the house scrambling as they tried to uncover all of the operations the leader had secretly used to manipulate the balance of power.

Cassidy was surprised that few Ops teams were ever employed in the Barrens. The more influential families, certainly the top ten if not many more, could undoubtedly afford the expense at least occasionally. As she considered the possibility, it proved to have even more merit than at first glance. Given what she had gleaned from her brief forays into the district even the weakest of the major families could afford a rookie team of Independent Operators.

The region could prove to be a training and testing ground for new teams looking for a break. They could make their rep here before they went into the wider world. Of course the mission scenarios differed greatly here from those encountered when she worked for a corp. Information theft held little allure with the families. They kept close enough track of each other already and there was little, or no, secret research going on behind the scenes. No, the assignments would most prepare a team to work their way out of unexpected and tight situations, however that was usually the hardest, not to mention most lethal, lesson for a rookie.

Cas pushed the though aside as the car parked before the sweeping stairway that lead to the mansion's front door. The driver remained seated while the leader and killer got out. The third goon remained pressed against the door on the other side of her. He obviously expected her to exit, following the killer, before he would leave the vehicle. She scooped the duffel from the floor and slid out to gaze, she hoped wondrously, at the mansion.

In truth Cassidy had seen many more elaborate, and expensive, estates, but she remained conscious of her supposed identity. The house itself was impressive with it's clean lines and intricate columns. The wings of the four story building sprawled out in virtually every direction. Unfortunately there seemed to be nothing that impressed her as a potential brothel. Although it wouldn't be in the building proper.

Most of the rest of the grounds appeared to be left to very tailored 'natural' landscaping. There were copses of trees scattered at artfully random intervals, broken by ponds fed by a single stream that meandered through the entire complex. It was all very attractive, all very comfortable and, to Cas, all quite false. Like those who lived in the Heights above, it was a spectacle of wealth that they could afford to waste precious space on trees and gardens simply for the sake of aesthetics.

The city set aside roughly one block out of every hundred, or so, for high-rise gardens, but that had been as much a utilitarian concept as an esthetic one. A city of millions required a lot of oxygen and space was too precious to allow for the wide parks that once adorned the center of most major metropolises. Instead those same parks were built upward, floor upon floor of flora kept alive by full spectrum lighting.

The car drove off behind her and the men seemed impatient for her to begin up the steps. There was no longer any implied threat. They didn't need to, since there was no where for her to run. They simply seemed bored, and perhaps a bit anxious for keeping the Patriarch waiting. With a sigh, she began up the flight of smooth granite stairs and through the wide double-doors

The main hall was truly impressive, with its three story curving stairway that mounted all but the front wall. At a loss, she finally looked back for a guide from one of the men. The leader nodded solemnly and moved ahead of her, to guide her up the stairs on the right to the third floor. A corridor led the entire length of the rear of two wings on this side of the building. As they passed numerous doors, it became clear that this was where the business of their domain was handled.

Through the few open doors, she saw men and women, most bearing a familial resemblance, sitting at desks in lavish offices. One such room showed a man who leaned over a desk to point at a pad, and apparently explain something to the female Zuntri at the desk. Something about the man seemed familiar but Cas couldn't place how she might recognize him. Too quickly, she passed by the door and she gave up on the attempt to figure it out. She knew she would be unable to place him until she saw his face full on.

Finally, they stopped in front of the door at the end of the hall. To judge by the outside walls, the room they were about to enter would be very large if it wasn't another, shorter, hallway.

From the size and extravagance of the office they entered, it could only belong to the Patriarch himself. The room was two stories tall with only a thin balcony that hugged the walls. A couple of bored guards straightened a moment after the group entered. Their guns snapped, at first, to range across the group before quickly both settled on her, as the others were identified as employees.

Cas wasn't nervous, if they wanted to kill me they wouldn't have brought me all the way here. Two of her escort faded back to stand at either side of the door while the third scoped the room before he grabbed her arm painfully and dragged her off to one side.

An older gentleman, dressed in a very expensive suit, stood by a bookshelf that covered an entire wall. He had the bearing shared by many of the most astute executives that Cassidy had dealt with over the years. He carefully closed and replaced the book on the shelf before he turned to Cas.

The whole scenario was an affectation designed to put her at ease while it impressed on her his intelligence. He wanted her relaxed, while she assumed there was nothing she would be able to put past him. Given the circumstances, she needed to remain alert. Her recognition of the psychological ploy provided her the insight that he felt inferior, in some way.

Interesting that he feels this way around a simple prostitute.

"I am Pavel Zuntri, Patriarch of the Zuntri family."

He took two steps forward and slid an arm around her waist to guide her towards the desk. As he moved close she caught a smell of cinnamon and vanilla and almost sighed in relief. The man's greying hair included the fine, yet visible, hairs that ran all the way to the backs of his hands. His neatly trimmed beard contained a mixture of the grey, that covered the rest of him, and the near-black that marked the members of his family.

He sat her down in the chair that faced the desk before he moved around behind it. Rather than sitting in the lavish chair he shifted sideways and half-leaned, half-sat on the desk.

"May I ask your name?"

Cas started. "Uh, Cas." How could he have possibly have a picture of her and known exactly where to look without knowing her name?

"Just 'Cas'?" She nodded and he shrugged in acceptance before continuing. "Well, Cas, I have recently been advised that our household would do well with someone of your profession on retainer as a resident. Additionally you were recommended, although obviously not by name, as very capable with the services we require."

Cas couldn't figure out what was going on. Of course she understood that they seemed to want an on-call prostitute, but how could they possibly have references for her? Mr. Zuntri seemed content to let the full impact of his declaration sink in when there was a knock at the door. Cassidy could feel the guards come to attention around her as she heard the door opening.

"Ah, Matthew, we were just speaking of you." Mr. Zuntri extended an arm towards the door behind Cas as an invitation for her to turn.

Even before she was fully around she knew it was the man she saw leaning over a desk on her way in. As she began to inspect him more fully, the horrifying realization struck. This was the 'friend' that had stumbled upon her and Mr. Pheremones. She had agreed to kneel, on all fours, while he came at her from behind and she gave her client head. Her skin heated in embarrassment. He noticed her reaction and the knowing gleam in his eye grew.

"If you'll give me a moment Matthew I wish to finish here before I get to other business." Matthew just nodded and clasped his hands in front of him in a modified parade rest. Mr. Zuntri turned back to Cas who sat facing the desk once more. "Now, you will be expected to perform in any way and for any member of the family who desires. Any of our retainers or employees will be completely at your discretion. Unless of course a family member instructs it and is participating as well."

His eyes darted over her shoulder with a wink. She couldn't help but follow. If she expected Matthew to be brazen, she was sorely disappointed. If anything, he seemed uncomfortable and possibly ashamed. Perhaps the gleam had been to cover up his own insecurity. Valuable information.

"And what will my salary be?"

"Well, you shall be boarded and fed sumptuously. We shall provide any and all clothing you need, and make sure you have ample entertainment to engage your free time."

The word 'entertainment' came out very suggestively. The man leaned casually against his desk even as he spoke of slavery. Of course slavery was still officially illegal but with the abolition of the labor laws it was laughably simple to provide scenarios where indentured servitude was no more than slavery. In this case, her room and board, coupled with expensive clothing, a requirement for her profession, would place her permanently in the red.

The only option to avoid it, as she was not yet indebted to him, would be to decline now.

"And if I refuse this lucrative offer?"

She tried to make it sound delicate but knew some of her anger showed through. She never liked these business practices under the best of circumstances. To strong arm a woman into a lifetime of sexual favors with it was too much. Unfortunately Max's words rang in her ears.

'Either tally the abuses and indignities and wait until afterwards to take revenge, or swallow your pride for however long it takes and maintain your reputation.'

She refused to lower herself to revenge when it would accomplish nothing. Unless they had the IOs they were going to go free.

Pavel Zuntri's laugh was very disturbing. It was deep and resounding and bordered on maniacal. Cas noticed the guards in her peripheral vision flinch at the sound.

"If I refuse I'll end up like Luna."

The poor woman had died as a future, potentially unnecessary, example. His laughter ended abruptly as he looked to his men in genuine confusion. After he looked to a couple Cas heard her escort's voice behind her.

"The whore she was rooming with." The Patriarch's head cocked slightly, his confusion unabated. "She mentioned the rules of the game. I felt it expedient to eliminate her before she could mention this to anyone."

Comprehension dawned for Mr. Zuntri. He nodded solemnly.

"Very good work. You're foresight will be remembered and rewarded. It would indeed bode ill if she had mentioned such a breach around, say, Altani ears." He turned back to Cas. "Then yes, your example is indeed apt. You will end up like this 'Luna'. Or perhaps worse. Perhaps I will choose to employ your services in the same capacity anyway, and simply lift the restrictions on who may utilize your services, how often and to what degree you may be damaged by it?"

Although he ended it as a question his voice had grown as hard as the granite steps leading into the house. Cas clung to the memory of Max's warnings and kept the anger from her eyes, relaying only defeat.

"Then I accept"

The man's grin was positively malevolent as he reached down to pull out a pad and stylus. She quickly scrawled her assumed identity. He retrieved the pad, placed it in a locked drawer of his desk, and waved her away. Matthew moved forward as she headed for the door. As they passed she kept her voice low enough to carry only to him.

"Your friend had more honor than this!" The man stopped, stared at her in disbelief. He suddenly barked in laughter before he turned back to his master. The leader of her escorts waved her through the door.

"I'll be showing you to your new home."

As they walked the hallway a second time, Cassidy noted everything she could about the security. Plans were changing rapidly. With her 'reassignment' she was likely to have little time at night to scout the other compounds. Infiltration during the day carried considerably higher risks both to herself, and the mission in general, but she saw no other option. Perhaps very late at night, although likely different members of the family kept their own hours.

It had been slightly under a week since Shade disappeared. Cassidy couldn't fool herself into believing that her friend hadn't been tortured, and probably worse, by this point. She needed to finish this assignment quickly or there would be little left of the woman she knew. Assuming the worst had yet to happen.

She followed the men down the curving stairs in the main hall to the ground floor where they crossed to the other side and entered a door under the soaring stairs. The corridor, although less grand, was still lavishly upholstered. Expensive paintings adorned the walls between wide spaced doors.

"This is one of the family's living wings. Pretty much Mr. Zuntri's son and his generation live down here. Seeing as they are the ones you are most likely to 'entertain' it was decided that you would be best housed nearby."

He opened the room at the end of the hall and waved her in. The placement was a perfect humiliation. In order for her to leave her room, Cas would need to run the gauntlet of her future tormentors. If even one of them noticed her, she would need to fulfill his requests before she could go about her business. Of course any noise raised might alert others and bring fresh thoughts to their mind. There were eight rooms spaced along the corridor.

Ample entertainment indeed.

Her room was very pleasant, surprisingly so. She had expected something akin to a dank cell, or perhaps at best equivalent to an economy hotel. What she discovered was a room that would put many a luxury suite to shame. Of course the room's motif reminded her more of an especially garish honeymoon suite. Throw pillows abounded, virtually every corner was stuffed with sensual potpourri, and the ceiling sported a number of large mirrors.

The only inconsistency was the floor, while the rest of the building, so far, maintained wall to wall carpeting her room was floored with a single sheet of plastic tile. Over the unusual material were liberally strewn plush rugs, which covered virtually the entire expanse. She eyed the arrangements dubiously but tossed her bag in a corner and sat on the bed. She bounced a few times to test its firmness.

Cas cocked her head at the men still standing in the doorway. When none of them seemed to notice she raised an inquisitive eyebrow. The leader finally reacted, maintaining his deadpan expression.

"Once you're settled in I'm to show you around. Familiarize you with the house and the important rooms. Don't worry, you're not expected to start until after that." She stood and started to join him at the door when he held up a hand, palm outward, to stop her. "You're not remotely presentable in that. You need to change before you begin to roam these walls."

"Works for me. Do I have time for a shower?" He nodded. Cas walked towards the door she assumed to be her own bathroom. "You said you were instructed. What about the other two?" The room was indeed the bathroom, equal to the garish and expensive bedroom behind her.

"Neither you nor I have told them they need to leave and they have nothing else at the moment."

In other words they're hoping that I will accept one of their offers, or maybe simply see more of me as I shower.

She began to close the door when her guide spoke rather urgently.

"Do not close the door! Until you begin working I am to be with you at all times to insure your good behavior." She shut it a little farther as a test. "If you close it I will simply break it down. Since there is no lock on your bedroom door that would mean anyone in the house could come in to watch you shower. Mr. Zuntri would likely view that as enticement of the employees and overlook anything they chose to force on you. Likewise he's unlikely to fix the door with any expedience seeing as you only just started working here."

In other words my punishment for wanting a little privacy now would be molestation every time I tried to take a shower for an indeterminate period of time.

She liked this place less and less. "Well, could you at least ask the two to leave before I 'entice' them?" They looked at the leader with pained expressions but responded instantly to his curt nod. "Thank you."

Cas stripped off her 'unacceptable attire' and turned on the water to heat. She used the preparation time to relieve herself. Her guide looked slightly uncomfortable watching but refused to look away. The shower was quickly ready and she stepped in. As she washed herself thoroughly, with the expensive soaps and scents, she noted that the glass screen contained none of the ripples typical of shower doors. If anything it appeared to be designed to quickly focus the water down and away, to provide an even better show for anyone capable of watching. Once done with the shower she toweled off, attempting a mock strip tease for her audience.

"That could be considered enticement." Somehow, Cas became frustrated by his lack of reaction.

She wrapped the towel around her and stormed over to the closet. She was relieved to discover a number of different sizes of an identical dress. This implied they hadn't discovered much more about her than her address. She found her size and quickly went about putting it on.

The dress only covered one shoulder before it dipped to cover her breasts, barely, and dipped underneath her opposite arm. The bottom was cut with a remarkable, and likely coincidental, similarity to the skirt she wore on her first night in the Barrens. The sides were slit past her hips, the panels narrowed dramatically the lower they went. The most shocking feature of the dress was the material; bright turquoise and semi-transparent. The resulting coloration sharply revealed her dark areola.

"Do you have another, clean, pair of underwear?"

The question startled her as she looked down. She suddenly realized there was a stain on those, likely from the night that brought her to this house. Though invisible normally the odd coloration of the fabric made it stand out brilliantly.

"No. Will that happen anytime I wear a dress like this?"

The man nodded. "I'd imagine so. All the better to know what you have been doing" He stared at the spot with a hint of frustration. "You'll have to go without." She stared at him open-mouthed. What he insisted was akin to walking around naked with bright makeup that emphasized her breasts and nether-lips. He started to lean forward but she beat him to it, pulling them down before she stepped out of them. She looked in the mirror briefly, confirming that the strange dress drastically emphasized the natural discoloration of the folds and mounds between her legs. She sighed and braced herself for the afternoon.

As they walked down the corridor the guide began to list off names which Cas immediately committed to memory.

"I'd imagine they'll either stop by your room or simply call you on the in-house line. Make sure your phone is always working. If they discover you refused to answer, when you weren't with someone, they will be upset."

They passed through the door to the main hall.

"Although any discipline must be approved by the Patriarch, he usually supports the decisions of his family. Regardless, it would make little difference to you if he disagreed after they took their revenge."

At the foot of the stairs her guide turned towards a door along the opposite wall, that mirrored the one leading to her quarters.

"That's where the high ranking retainers live. Memorize who you see coming and going. Those are the people you do not have to answer to. The family never goes in there."

He turned and started up the steps, not bothering to make sure she followed as he turned up the leftward curving path.

"What should I call you?"

The design of the revealing dress was blessedly conducive to running as she hurried to catch up to the man. She still felt very self conscious about the near nudity, but Cas resisted the urge to cover herself with her arms. It would only draw greater attention to her predicament and likely incite someone to instruct her not to, in order to gawk.

"My name isn't important. I'm the Assistant Security Chief, that's all that's really important for you to know." Without a pause his arm swept out to signify some of the portraits adorning the walls as he continued the tour. "You'll quickly pick up the family resemblance. There are very few who don't follow the mold, and even fewer of the employees who could be mistaken for them. Seeing as you're just starting here, you should be forgiven for asking someone's name if you haven't met them. Politely of course."

Cas indeed noticed the resemblance; fine, nearly jet black, straight hair, overly large, round, brown eyes and sharply angular features.

The guide opened the door to the second floor corridor before he stepped aside to let Cas pass. She began to move down the hall when she noticed the man hadn't moved from the doorway. He quickly pointed to doors, listing their occupants.

"We generally avoid this hallway. It is reserved for family from out of town or who otherwise are not engaged in the business concerns within the city. They prize their privacy, and some of the rooms are nearly always uninhabited. You should not be in here unless explicitly told to do so by someone who lives here."

His voice grew very firm through the explanation adding a trickle of emotion to his otherwise impassive face. As he finished a woman left one of the rooms. Marisa if she was indeed the room's normal occupant. She had the Zuntri features save that her black hair was exceptionally curly, likely due to heavy maintenance rather than genetics. She stopped in her tracks as she turned and noticed the two at the end of the hall. A grin spread across her lips as she stalked forward and eyed Cas from head to toe. Her gaze lingered on the parts the dress emphasized.

She had the expression of a predator gazing upon her first meal after months of fast. Cassidy found it difficult to quell her own predator instinct, without succumbing to panic, under the oppressive gaze.

"Well, what have we here?"

Instead she directed the question to the guide with a flick of her eyes before she returned to devour the nearly-naked beauty with her eyes.

"Mr. Zuntri just hired her as entertainment for the family."

Cas thought she detected the slightest hint of, what? Derision? Condescension? Marisa failed to notice while she stared intently at nipples hardened by the combination of air conditioning and nerves.

Finally the woman's eyes turned upwards, and brought the weight of her gaze straight to Cas' eyes. Instinct demanded Cassidy rip the woman limb from limb for daring to think she was more of a threat, but Cas simply broke the connection, looked down and away. The woman's musical laughter seemed completely out of place behind the calculating eyes.

"I am off to attend to my own business or else I would certainly seek to discover how entertaining you can be. I am Marisa Zuntri. Pavel is my brother and it is intriguing to find that he has finally succeeded with something on his own merit." She turned back to the man. "You found her for him."

Cas wasn't sure if it was an accusation or a question.

"In a manner of speaking. She was brought to Matthew's attention, who then made the suggestion to your brother. It was my responsibility to find her with the little information he could provide."

"It figures." Turning to Cas, "Matthew is my brother's primary assistant."

"We've met."

Cas found it hard not to mumble. Something about the woman before her forced Cas to watch herself very closely. A delicate black eyebrow raised.

"Have you? Interesting," she practically purred. "If he could, I am sure my brother would marry the man off to a daughter, so he could hand everything over when he dies. As it stands, we are all very fortunate that Pavel only has a son." She paused, took a very lingering look at the entirety of Cas, before she turned back to the guide. "You will tell me everything I need to know about her when I get back. And you," turning back to Cas, "will be receiving a new wardrobe within the hour. You and I shall become very acquainted in the years ahead."

As the woman turned to leave, a chill ran down Cas' spine. She was suddenly very glad to remember this was only a temporary assignment. She marveled at the woman's beauty and casual grace as Marisa glided down the stairs and towards the front door. Cas nearly jumped when her guides hand closed around her elbow.

"Come, I think you could use some food, and perhaps a drink to relax your nerves."

She never thought the man's collected monotone could sound so soothing.

* * * *

Marisa had indeed produced a new wardrobe, in absentia, within an hour. Cas assumed they had gotten her measurements either from her current clothing, or from measurements recorded by sensors, likely at the main gate, front door and possibly the door to the Patriarch's office. Unfortunately the new wardrobe wasn't an improvement over her current dress. The only dresses and shirts designed to cover her entirely were made of different colors of the same material she currently wore.

The rest of the various outfits revolved around leather, lace and fishnet, designed to likewise emphasize her use. Cas had yet to discover a combination which did not permit everyone to see her nipples and damnably few which covered her lower half at all. Those few which did, she discovered, were designed especially for instant, and unadulterated, access when she bent over. And while there were a number of sets of bras and panties in the mix the entire batch was peek-a-boo and crotchless respectively. They all, effectively, amplified the already revealing nature of her wardrobe.

Cas leaned over the sink, and desperately cleaned her pair of nude bikini panties with hand soap and water. There was nothing to be done about a bra but at least she would be able to keep everyone's stare closer to her face.

There was a gentle knock at the bedroom door. Cas spun. She desperately hoped the thong had dried sufficiently. It hadn't. Her shoulders slumped and she checked herself in the mirror.

"One moment!"

She still wore the turquoise dress, although she had decided the leather miniskirt felt more comfortable in its anonymity. Cas hoped she could stall long enough to change. There was also a leather harness that clearly went with it but she could forgo that for one of the see-through shirts.

She raced into the bedroom and towards the closet. She suddenly stopped in her tracks. Either the man before her had entered very quickly, and quietly, while she deliberated in the bathroom or he waited to knock until he was already settled, against the door to her closet. His knuckle rapped lightly on the closet's doorframe in answer to her unasked question.

What truly shocked Cas however was that she knew the man, or rather recognized him. As he pushed away from the door, Cas visibly flinched and held her breath instinctively. He laughed.

"It's safe. I rarely wear cologne around the house, wouldn't want to be molested by family now would I?"

She breathed in cautiously, and detected nothing in the air. The revelation began to dawn even as he changed topics.

"I can tell my aunt provided your wardrobe. This whole lot has the markings of her particular fetishes. Although," he turned to study Cas carefully under the effects of the dress, "it probably would suit you greatly."

This man, 'Mr. Pheremone', was one of the Zuntri family. She turned, as if from the revelation, to face away from him. That night he had shown great care to make sure she enjoyed herself almost as much as he had, and then paid her handsomely besides. Furthermore he accomplished what would have taken her a much greater time, by bringing her into one of the major houses.

She very much wanted to at least respect him, but the knowledge that his family dealt in slavery of this kind made it difficult, impossible if he had anything to do with her situation. She found it strange that he was one of them. He only had the eyes to mark his heritage. Whichever one he was, he was obviously an exception that the assistant security chief mentioned.

She looked up when she heard him approach from behind. She realized she turned to face the bed in her haste to hide her thoughts. Lying on the bed was a small selection of clothes, an outfit obviously, for her to wear.

"I took the liberty of choosing while you were in the bathroom. I assumed you were in the shower and therefor in need of attire."

She felt his hands at her waste and shivered as he bent to lightly kiss her neck. A pleasant tingle raced through her at the touch. Suddenly the hands were gone and she sensed his presence recede slightly. She turned cautiously to see him relax into a very wide chair. He sank into the deep cushions and waved towards the bed. She took the hint, moved over to the bed and began to peel off the dress.

"Slowly please?"

Although he seemed to intend it as a legitimate request, to her it was simply instructions.

She reached up with her left hand to lightly grasp the shoulder strap with thumb and forefinger, to slowly slide it down her arm. She felt foolish performing a striptease, considering the dress revealed her more clearly than if she were naked. He seemed to be enjoying it, however. His smile was genuine and a hungry glint lit his eyes. The resistance began to increase once the strap reached her elbow, pulled taut as the dress caught on her breasts. She reached across her chest with her right hand to pinch the top of the dress just to the side of her left breast. Even though she pulled slowly and carefully her breasts suddenly sprung upward as the fabric cleared her nipples. Her hands continued downward but the man was watched her chest bob up and down as they settled, free from restriction.

Content, hungry eyes caught back up to her hands as they reached her hips. She found she needed to lean forward in order to continue pulling the material over her strong hips and thighs. As soon as her powerful thighs began to thin the dress slipped free, hung from her fingers for a moment, before she dropped it. She began to straighten but he stopped her with a word. Her head came up to look at him in confusion before she looked back down her body. She realized the position placed the her treasured lust centered between pert breasts from his perspective.

"Head up please?"

There was more command and less request this time but she complied easily. She hoped to find at least a single ally here. He smiled as he stared in hungry wonder. The growing bulge in his pants revealed his innermost thoughts. Finally he shook himself free of his hypnosis and waved again towards the bed.

"One at a time please? And slowly, like the dress."

He was back to requests. She smiled playfully to him. There was something in his manner, much like Merritt, which made such stares and such requests desirable. Somehow when they looked at her, she felt their attraction and, for a brief time, felt truly beautiful. As she sorted through the outfit he left for her, she hoped, again, he would prove unlike the family she was beginning to despise.

The bikini panties were one of the few pairs which were not crotchless but rather made from the same material as the dress, only in emerald green. She bent at the knees, stepped into them and began their slow trek upward as she straightened her legs. As they reached her knees she kept her body bent over, to provide him with the earlier profile as she brought the underwear up to settle into place.

As with the dress, her intimate parts seemed to leap into focus and attention underneath the transparent material.

"I'm going to give you a tidbit of information for every piece of clothing I enjoy you putting on."

Her head came up. Her body remained in the pose he desired. To judge from his lap, he certainly enjoyed her performance. Finally she slowly straightened and reached for the bra, made as a perfect mate to the panties.

Briefly she pondered how to sensually put a bra on. She shrugged. The coy smile never left her face as she thrust forward her chest and wrapped the band behind her. Her shoulders ached slightly as she fumbled with the clasps. Normally she would work them in front of her chest and slide the entire thing around, but she figured that method lacked sensuality. She leaned forward a little, in an effort to adjust her balance, with her arms awkwardly behind her and almost laughed when he instinctively leaned forward in his chair in response. He thought she was attempting to thrust her chest farther towards him.

Well let him go on thinking it if he enjoys the presentation.

Finally the second clasp slid home and she straightened as her arms dropped then rose again in front of her. One at a time she dropped her arms through the shoulder straps before the opposite hand brought it slowly up her arm to rest on her shoulder. The entire time one arm hung limp while the other worked, simultaneously crossing her chest in imitation of nervous modesty. The hunger redoubled in his eyes. Her smile betrayed the deception of her arms.

She reached down for the very leather miniskirt she chose earlier.

"When you're dressed I will be taking you shopping personally in order to find you some clothes that won't drive the men of this house to distraction. Likely you will eventually be invited to formal dinners and gatherings, once they're sure you won't make a spectacle of yourself, and you'll need clothes for those as well."

Through his commentary her head slowly rose, pure panic in her eyes.

He's going to drag me into public wearing a see-through bra and shirt? Then again, he pulled my shirt up and played with my breasts on a packed street.

The skirt, at least, was safe provided she never sat, bent over or even stretched too far. Laughter momentarily replaced the hunger in his eyes.

"Go on, next piece. I already gave you far more information than a bra is really worth."

He winked playfully. She sighed and began to pick up the miniskirt.

"Stop. Save that for last."

She nodded and reached for the red baby-doll t-shirt, made from the now familiar fabric. This time she lifted her elbows high as she held the shirt in both hands. She sorted it out behind her head. The pose pulled her shoulder straps, caused the bra to lift her breasts further while her shoulder blades shifted together, in response to her arms, and thrust her chest forward. He gasped at the effect and leaned forward as the laughter was quickly chased away by such hunger as she had never seen in a man's eyes.

Something deep within her tightened in response to the primal need she saw before her. She felt her loins tingling playfully. Her hands raised high above and she let gravity drag the shirt down her arms while she concentrated on maintaining the pose with her chest. The hypnotized man never noticed as she carefully worked the collar over her head, he simply continued to stare as the shirt settled above the shelf of her chest. She broke the spell suddenly as the shirt pulled comfortably into place with a quick jerk.

The man laughed. He had to shake his head to clear his thoughts.

"Well played indeed!"

Strangely he no longer noticed her breasts much, however his eyes were continuously dragged down her body.

"To answer your unspoken question the miniskirt will cover your lap if you're careful. As for your chest?"

He paused, obviously for effect, as fought to keep his eyes on hers rather than drift halfway down her body.

"Turn around for a moment."

Curious, she did. Near the bed stood a full length mirror. Caught a glimpse, looked closed and discovered the combination of colors he selected made the bra look almost black and completely opaque! Granted people could clearly see her bra through the shirt but that was a pittance compared to the potential humiliation.

"My aunt tends to forget the properties of light. She obviously hoped to humiliate you to keep you from leaving the compound."

Had the young man not selected the proper colors she would have felt too uncomfortable for public, even if instructed to go out she'd have refused.

"Now the miniskirt." She grabbed the skirt again and began to turn back towards him. "Nope, this time you face away from me."

A flutter raced through her as she realized what he asked to see. His attention and desire continued to intoxicate her, so much so that she feared she might stain the strange underwear. She turned away and crouched into a suggestively feline position. She adjusted the skirt around her ankles and smiled at the man as she began to lift the tight leather.

"Stop!" Confused she obliged. "Let it drop." She did. "Good, now, I asked you to face away from me but here you're looking under your shoulder at me!"

Although he attempted to sound frustrated it came out more comically. He did, however, have a point, so she turned away from him. She tried to lock her eyes straight ahead, so as not to glance back in search of approving reactions.

In much the same fashion as the underwear she began by simply straightening her legs. She let the smooth fabric slid up the soft skin of her shins until it reached her knees. She moved her hands slightly back, along the top of the skirt. She realized that, bent over, it would slide comfortably into place in front but would need considerable assistance to crest her firm butt and wide hips.

There was some a shuffle in the chair and Cas found herself disappointed that he would masturbate rather than go to her. Although, the restraint proved his worth as a potential friend among enemies. As her hands reached the top of their course she had to wiggle in order to adjust the stiff material over the additional girth. All the while, she hoped he liked the sight. She smiled and fought the urge to look back at his predicament as she heard his breathing quicken some.

"Did it not excite you? You have yet to relate your next tidbit!"

She kept her eyes doggedly ahead but her voice bounced back to him mockingly as she tightened and released her buttocks a couple of times enticingly.

Her eyes flew wide as three things happened almost at once. First, soft cushions of the inside of mag-cuffs pressed against her wrists before they pulled quickly together behind her and freed her fingers from the waist. She held back her panic as mag-cuffs were one of the few bindings strong enough to hold even her enhanced strength. The reassuring presence of his gentle hands, as they held her bare waist, calmed her slightly as he helped her balance in the uncomfortable position.

The second action sent a flurry of excitement through Cas, warred and mingled with the panic that welled as a result of the application of the cuffs. Her breath left her as the tip of his very hard member began to stroke her tortured mound through her underwear. As warmth flooded through her loins, she felt muscles clench briefly before relaxing as her body prepared to lubricate his way inside her.

I'm not wearing these into public!

A strange thought but fitting. Up and down he pressed, shifted against her sensitive bud, and fanning the embers that burst through her body. Where his need had empowered her, the firm caress traced pathways that connected her every nerve, as a wave of pleasure was quickly built within her. It required only his permission to crest at a moment's notice.

The third caused her mind to stop entirely for a moment. She could almost feel his presence as he leaned in towards her. His head neared her ear as he bent far forward. His breath played across the rim of her ear and caused her body to seize and flow more insistently. She could barely hear his whisper over the rapid beat of her heart.

"My name's Dimitri."

DIMITRI!?

Dimitri Zuntri, Pavel Zuntri's son and heir to the Zuntri family business of vice and corruption.

She gasped as entered her pulsing depths. Muscles grasped at his length greedily as prepared nerves welcomed the familiar girth as it slid gently forward. He must have shifted aside the inhibiting fabric while her mind desperately tried to connect the man who mercilessly seduced her, before rewarding her generously, with the second most powerful man in a family that would enslave a woman for their personal sexual gratification. Not to mention that of anyone they deem worthy. Any thoughts of conflicting sentimentality fled her mind as he thrust himself deep. She screamed her pent up exultation as his entirety found home within her sacred depths.

Her arms flew wide as the restraints disengaged. She reached out for the dresser before her, in desperation, as his rhythm grew more insistent. He thrust harder and deeper the moment her hands found purchase. He pushed pressure before him to fill her loins beyond capacity of bearable tolerance. The wave broke with uncontested force, swept aside recognition or capacity for persona. As his hips beat against her rear, with increasing rapidity, she became nothing more than exploding desire and lust. The electricity of pure sensation stretched across her skin to wrap about the base of her skull, dulling all but primal instinct and euphoric ecstasy in a fog of need.

Her muscles quivered and gave in under the constant torment as he drove her mercilessly forward. Hands at her hips held her aloft and her arms strained as the cuffs engaged, locked with previously unknown systems embedded in the top of the dresser. She dangled, helpless to the sheer bliss he forced deeper into her mind. Time, space, even sensation began to blur as she raced past her capacity for pleasure. Only the fire that raged in her core existed. Only his solid, pulsing, length connected her with reality.

Suddenly, or perhaps eventually in her altered timelessness, the rhythm changed again, becoming even more erratic and powerful. Gradually, as his strength began to wane and his form soften, she came back to herself. He leaned against her, buried still in her quivering temple. Only his wide spaced legs supported him and only he, and the now blessed cuffs, kept Cas from collapse.

His breath began to ease. Once mostly stable, he leaned forward to press his body against her back. The shift pulled the soft organ part way free, which tormented her nerves and expelled her breath in a fresh scream of unbearable pleasure.

One arm wrapped tenderly around her waist, supported her, while the other reached carefully for her legs. There was a moment of complete disorientation, coupled with an incredible aftershock, as he once again shifted. He played against nerves and muscles over-manipulated. Her eyes opened weakly to find herself staring into his as he carried her, connected still, into the bathroom where they could disconnect without fear for the mess. Or, perhaps, witnessing the glint in his eyes, a shower was in order. And more beatific torment for her taxed body.

"Please remember. With me, it is never an order. Always a request."

She stared at him, uncomprehending for a moment. Then, as a week of frustration, confusion and concern battled back against her consciousness, her legs and arms wrapped tight around him. Her head crashed to his chest. She fed off the warmth of his body and began to cry. For all that had happened, all who were missing, everything she had seen and done in the last week, Cassidy, the best of the best, collapsed against him in tears.

Copyright 2006, By Deathlynx