2 Weeks before the Big Presentation
"I know it’s late, and we both need to sleep, but I need you to give it to me, Livy. I've been waiting and waiting, and I can't wait any longer."
"I want to, Love. But it's just so hard. I don't want to hurt you."
"I'm a big girl; whichever way you want to give it to me, I can take it."
"I'm not so sure. What you're asking me to do is dangerous. Last time, you almost got digested."
"Oh, is this another 'tough pill to swallow' metaphor? I can handle it, Livy. Especially since my sister will be joining us if I can't."
"Oh, fuck me. At this point I almost feel like I don't want to say it, but you're giving me no choice. Haaah… Okay. Prepare yourself."
"Fuck, now I'm not sure I'm ready. No… No, go ahead. I can handle it."
Olivia took a deep, calming breath. Well, she took a deep breath. Calm didn't seem to be an option today.
"I'm going to include Aidra in the demonstration."
Melissa whimpered. Her hands were clenched together in a white-knuckled grip. At the same time, Olivia noticed Missy’s sturdy thighs had tightened, and were rubbing together. "You okay, Missy? I know the last time we three 'played' together, she shoved you down my throat like a sausage at a speed-eating competition. Condiments included."
Melissa jerked a nod, paused, and then nodded more firmly. "Yeah, I'm okay. I mean, yeah, sure, after all the horniness and the novelty of cumming inside your stomach wore off, I was a little concerned about being digested. Who wouldn't be? But she got you free, and she helped you get me out, and everything turned out alright. I have nothing to be scared of."
"Except that you're the only one from Fab Four Fantasies getting shrunk during the demonstration, and we're putting you right back in the same situation, with the same sexbot that almost killed you."
"She didn't," Melissa said, her voice hard. "She got me out. I have to remember that. I'm not going to freak out or lose my shit during the presentation." She cupped Olivia's porcelain cheek and brought their faces closer, reinforcing their eye contact. "Livy, I'm going to be fine. I'm not having nightmares or anything. I'm not scared of shrinking. Hell, I'm not even scared of being swallowed again. Yes, Aidra makes me nervous, but it's because she put me, put us both, in a scenario where she held the power of life and death over us, and I didn't get to see which way she would have gone. You used the safe word and she reverted to her more basic programming before I could learn if she would have kept me there to melt away. And that's why I'm, I'm not scared, I'm just..." She sighed. "I'm apprehensive."
Olivia reached out and softly cradled Melissa's freckled face in kind. She looked deep into those emerald eyes, seeing the shadows of the fear still lingering there. She gently pulled Melissa into a kiss.
"Missy, you are the bravest, most determined, most persistent, and most hard-headed woman I know and love. If you're apprehensive, that's fine. We'll face whatever is concerning you together. If you're scared, I'll probably be even more so, but I'll be here to hold your hand so we can get through it together. If it's ever too much for you, all you have to do is tell me, and we'll pursue a different path. I am here to help you, and to love you, and to support you in your endeavors. If you tell me definitively that you don't want us to include Aidra, I'll put her on mothballs. Until you do, I trust you to be strong, and determined, and bullheaded enough to get through this demonstration with Aidra participating, so I'm going to do everything I can to have her prepped and ready."
Olivia reached around and pulled Melissa into a hug, embracing her as they sat on their knees in the middle of their bed. She rubbed her fiancé's back through her nightgown, putting all her love and comfort into the embrace. They stayed there for a time, soaking in each other's presence, each taking solace in the person who understood and supported them most in this world.
Some time after Melissa had recomposed herself, Olivia sat back from the embrace. She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand, and helped Missy dry the faint trails of tears.
"Thanks, love," Missy said. "I'm right as rain now. With you by my side, I feel like I can take on the whole world!" Missy flopped onto her back, arms spread, her hand laying on Olivia's thigh. Her ponytail trailed off the side of the orthopedic pillow, laying between them.
Olivia picked it up and ran her fingers through the fiery hair. She absolutely loved the feeling of those silky strands, and if it wasn’t for what she had to say next, she would have grabbed the hairbrush from the nightstand’s drawer and started brushing out those lovely locks. Instead, she lay the ponytail back on the bed, one hand clutching the hem of her nightgown, the other settled defensively over her chest.
"I should also mention…” she started and paused.
Missy looked up at her quizzically, but Olivia saw no lingering signs of fear, so she pushed on.
“There’s another reason why I want to include Aidra, beside the fact that we designed her to be an arbiter for play sessions.” Olivia took a deep breath, and forced herself to meet her fiancé’s piercing emerald eyes. “Your sister called me and said that if we include Aidra in the investor's presentation, then she might forgive our business loan. So, short of you telling us otherwise, she's going to be in the presentation."
Melissa shot up to a sitting position, her eyes wide. "Victoria said what?"
Olivia’s lips curled up in a pleased grin. "She must have heard from Claire in one of her progress reports that we were concerned about including Aidra in the presentation. So, your sister pulled one of her more benevolent power plays, and sent over a signed document stating that if we include Aidra in the presentation, and get a combined one million dollars in funds from our potential investors for a combined twenty to thirty percent stake in the company, then she will forgive the outstanding value of the loan. That's over five hundred thousand dollars we won't have to pay back."
It was only through a visible effort that Melissa rested her head in her hand, rather than smacking it in a facepalm.
"Livy my love, you are aware that a million dollars is a lot of money, right? I mean, a lot. Sure it's nothing to Victoria, but let me tell you that if she set the bar at one million dollars, then she has already received a copy of the guest list, reviewed every guest's publicly known holdings, likely gotten a look at their private accounts to confirm valuation of undisclosed assets, and set the benchmark twenty percent higher than the highest combined investment she could predict.” Melissa rubbed her forehead, thinking. “It’s a win-win for her. We could fail, and she gets Aidra out there and others pushing for her use while we still have to pay her back. Or we could succeed, but fifty percent or better of the company’s ownership is out of our hands, we have more funding for a better experience, and she makes more money in the long run.”
Olivia ran her fingers behind her ear, tucking away some of her stray blonde curls. “Okay, I’m starting to see what you’re saying, but doesn’t succeeding help us both? I don’t mind her hedging her bets, but even if we lose another twenty percent stake in the company, it’s not like she would have that control. Right now, we retain seventy percent ownership between you, me, Titty, and Claire. Even if we get the million, and give up thirty percent of the company in the process, the Fab Four still have forty percent, which would be the largest, and therefore controlling, interest.”
Missy sighed. “You’re brilliant, Livy, but you always want to see the best in others. That’s going to get you, and maybe the rest of us, in trouble. Think about it this way: who did Claire get confirmation from? A dildo salesman and his assistant, and a couple of streamers. With those being the entirety of the investing pool, I don't see that goal as being reachable. Besides, one million is the same amount of money Victoria invested for a thirty percent stake in Fab Four Fantasies. That’s why we took additional funds from her as a loan, rather than an investment - to limit her chances of getting a controlling stake in the company. Now, unless something drastic occurs to significantly change our valuation, successfully meeting this goal would realistically put the controlling interest in the company in the hands of the investors, should they decide to band together, and I don’t doubt Victoria could turn them to her profit-focused thinking. That’s when the darker fantasies that we don’t want to bring to life start to become our new reality.”
Olivia’s grin had faded as she realized Melissa was right. As usual, she was focused on how she was going to be of use, on how she was going to handle her part of things to make this presentation the best she could. In so doing, she’d overlooked the people behind that label of ‘investor,' and what they could do if they all cooperated. Worse, she had dismissed Victoria’s penchant for pursuing the profitable option over the morally responsible option time and again.
Going beyond her own experiences, Olivia consistently heard that Victoria Vane is tough but fair. With caveats. The tough was a given; no one gained anything from her without paying a steep price, be it in cash, favors, influence, access, or political support. The fair side of that reputation was in part engendered by the social media claims of Victoria’s personnel, likely at the boss’ direction. The other part of the rumors that she’s fair is more a result of no one who had fallen short of her challenges truly felt they could argue that the goals she set were unobtainable. They were always set in such a way as to be difficult to reach, but not unobtainable - at least, not before some strange and untimely set-back befell the challenged person or business. Such set-backs could never be traced to Victoria, but they were always limited in scope; they were highly unlikely, but still remotely feasible to occur without sabotage; and they were always timed all too suspiciously. And they always caused enough of a setback that reaching that difficult to achieve goal quickly became an impossibility.
And Olivia had wanted to sign a performance-based deal with this woman.
“I need to have Claire go over that contract. You’re absolutely right, Love. You tried to keep me away from Victoria, but the few times I’ve met her have always left me feeling off. She’s always so cold, and domineering. She makes me feel small and unclean, and those are things I’d only like to feel in a specific fantasy with you.”
This time Melissa pulled Olivia into a hug. “It’s alright, Livy. You’re just trying to do your best for the team. That’s why I love you, because you always give it your all. You see a goal just out of reach, and you do what it takes to get there, regardless of distraction, come hell or high water.”
Olivia leaned back and looked Missy directly in the eyes. “I can think of one distraction I’m yet to overcome.”
Missy’s blush extended from her chest, up to her cheeks and out to her shoulders, the pink glow obscuring but not completely hiding her charming freckles. “Oh, do you?” Missy asked playfully. “Think you could use some practice, then? I for one am all for it.” Missy shifted back and got up off the bed, lifting her nightgown over her head and showing off her tight, freckled body. Her perky B-cups were on full display, the lamp on the nightstand casting shadows that seemed to deepen her shallow but alluring cleavage. Missy swayed side to side, not quite as effortlessly as she used to as an undergrad, but with a smooth experience that perfectly highlighted her physical strength and control.
Missy executed a slow, sultry turn, her crimson ponytail swaying as she moved. She glanced back over her shoulder and bit her lip, the nibble setting a hook in Olivia's desire. While Missy slipped her fingers under her waistband, Olivia reached for the drawer of the nightstand. Without breaking eye contact, she pulled out a bottle and syringe. She missed the drawer when she tried to close it, instead leaving it open without a second thought. She was far too focused on opening the bottle, and giving Missy what she wanted from inside.
Missy leaned forward and slowly slid her panties down her toned thighs, revealing swollen lips hungry for attention, framed by her taut ass and thighs. Olivia licked her lips as she managed to get the cap off the bottle. She slipped the syringe inside, meeting Missy's eyes as she suggestively pumped the tool in and out a few times. Olivia only broke eye contact to check the dosage. She half-filled the ten milliliter syringe before removing the air, and dropped the dosage to three and a half milliliters of the four inch shrinking solution.
She looked up to see Missy with the fingers of one hand working her labia, while her other hand was across her chest, playing with a stiffening nipple. The fiery-haired, freckled woman crawled onto the bed on her hands and knees, her eyes hungry and her smile predatory. Olivia was glad she was sitting - her knees were far too weak to support her under that gaze.
"You should put the bottle away, Livy," Missy said, the tone of command in her voice clearly marking the statement as an order, not a suggestion.
Olivia did as she was told, fumbling with the cap a few times before the threading caught and the solution was sealed away. She reached behind her and blindly got the bottle back in the drawer before slamming it shut. She had only glanced to make sure the bottle had been inside, but by the time she turned back, Missy was there to wrap her in a lovers embrace. Their tongues danced, and Missy's naked breasts rubbed against the smooth nightgown material, as did her clit as she ground it against Olivia's thigh.
Melissa grabbed the syringe blindly with one hand, and the cut of the nightgown over Olivia's chest with the other. "This needs to go," Melissa commanded, and rocked back onto her knees. Olivia stood and threw off her clothing, only pausing long enough to unclasp her troublesome bra. The damn things had felt tight recently, but she paid it no mind beyond the delay it caused her getting back to her Missy.
"Seven hours worth," Missy noted, checking the dose in the syringe. "You want to sleep through to our alarms. I can't say I blame you, but before we get to sleep…" Missy paused, sliding the syringe in and out between her lips a few times, before pushing Olivia down to lay on her pillow. "Mmmm, before we sleep, I am going to play with my Pet."
Olivia shivered at the literal pet name her Mistress had used since that night three weeks ago, when at only four inches tall Missy had dominated Olivia beyond any illusion of control. She had been completely, totally at her Mistress’ mercy. If Mistress did not wish otherwise, Olivia would still be bound in those Tartarian chains.
Now her Mistress wanted a taste of her lover, and Olivia felt Missy's soft lips caressing her nethers. Her tongue, warm and wet, slipped out from between those tender lips and ran along Olivia’s swelling labia, sending tingles of pleasure up her spine. Missy slowly but firmly parted Olivia's inner lips like the delicate petals of a flower, then boldly slithered forward to taste the nectar within.
The hand not holding the syringe reached up and palmed Olivia's chest, the fingers squeezing and caressing the breast by turns. Olivia grabbed her other breast and the back of Missy’s head, wrapping a hand around the base of the ponytail as she tried to redirect her stubborn partner. Olivia gasped as her lover's lingual attentions turned to her clit, the sensations speaking in a language of love and lust as the sensitive bud received the attention it craved and deserved. Missy placed the syringe safely on her side of the bed and added her fingers to her efforts. What little attention Olivia could spare assumed Missy was exploring her love tunnel to test the conditions of her playroom. Finding them only slightly damp, Missy redoubled her efforts. At this rate, Olivia suspected Missy wanted to go swimming.
It was not long before Olivia shuddered in her first orgasm of the night, a minor release that nonetheless washed a wave of pleasure through her nervous system. That’s when the predatory smile returned to Missy's face. She crawled up Olivia's torso until her face hovered over Olivia’s and they met at the hips. She slid her slimy fingers into Olivia's mouth, giving her a taste of the flavor with which Missy intended to marinate herself. Once those fingers had received a thorough tongue bath, Missy grabbed up the syringe, and moved her pelvis over Olivia's throat, her shins hodling Olivia’s arms in place beneath her.
Olivia looked past the swollen lips and crimson carpet, beyond the firm tummy and perky tits, staring into the emerald eyes of the woman she loved, the woman who gave her life meaning, direction, and purpose, and saw in them the blazing flames of determination. But she also saw vulnerability. And as that carnal willingness to surrender to that vulnerability grew - as Missy found it within herself to forsake the control she worked so hard to maintain - Olivia felt that oddball collection of instincts from three weeks ago rise to the forefront. A large part of her wanted to protect the woman sliding the syringe between her lips. Another part of her wanted to play with her lover, to use her for their shared enjoyment. And a dark part stashed away in the dim recesses of her mind was hungry to make this woman a part of her, though Olivia resolved never to let it take control.
The plunger depressed, Missy swallowed, and swollen, dripping lips met Olivia's in a sloppy kiss. Olivia's tongue went to work as Missy shivered, the serpentine muscle working overtime to convince her lover's body that these changes were enjoyable.
Once the solution hit the stomach, it took less than thirty seconds for the organ to start rapidly expanding and contracting, and for one of the chemicals in the solution to mix with and enhance the stomach acid to rapidly liquefy any solids inside, even as another chemical reacted with the stomach lining to prevent harm. Olivia could feel Missy twitching, almost spasming as her core went to work, breaking down her dinner at record speed to provide energy for what was to come.
Within two minutes of the solution hitting the stomach, the organ contracts one final time, forcing its contents into the small intestines. The twisty, turny organ goes into overdrive, rapidly vacuuming up all the nutrients fresh from the stomach. Olivia’s multiple observations indicate that this takes roughly one minute to complete, during which time Missy started enthusiastically gyrating her hips in large circles. And the whole time Olivia did what she could to keep polishing her lover's diamond in the muff.
Within the first three minutes of the solution hitting her stomach, the shrinking process begins without fail. Olivia can feel the waves of warmth course through her lovers body as the solution works its way through her circulatory system, the body's cells working overtime to process the most complex molecule in the shrinking solution, the one responsible for the body rapidly remaking itself into a scale the adult human body was never meant for.
And so it was for Missy. Olivia rubbed her nose in her lover's pubic hairs as she shoved her tongue as deep inside her love canal as she could. Within seconds of feeling her partner's body heat up, Olivia could feel the increased resistance and tightness as the vagina shrank around her tongue. Missy dwindled above her as Olivia continued to feast on her love's honey pot, until her love was small enough to wrap her upper lip over Missy's pelvis, even as her lower lip cupped that tight little ass. Missy's knees were raised towards her shoulders as she sat within Olivia's mouth, and while the shrinking had slowed at this point, it hadn't stopped. Olivia took advantage of the position to ravage the tiny pussy with her tongue, until Missy slipped entirely into her maw.
It had been only seven minutes since Missy swallowed the solution, and despite the pins and needles and numbness that Missy often said accompanied the shrinking, Olivia was content that she had done her best to help her lover find enjoyment in the process.
It was an hour later that an exhausted, soaked, and still sexy redhead was sucked between Olivia's nimble lips, this trip into the programmer’s mouth only the latest and the last for the night. Olivia lapped and suctioned off her cum, replacing it with a thin layer of saliva. Now relatively clean, Olivia gently shifted her lover to her chest, where she slipped Missy between her ample breasts for the night. They exchanged pleasant wishes for the other's rest, and drifted off to sleep.
In a large manor-house in Westchester, New York, a severe woman sat behind a massive desk. The woman was sleight of build and sharp of face, her skin devoid of mark or blemish. Her hair was black and perfectly straight, not long enough to require excessive attention, but not too short to cut a feminine figure. Her fingernails were unpainted, but meticulously trimmed and filed. She wore a deep purple pantsuit with a lavender shirt that complimented the winged desk of purple heartwood. It was a tough color to coordinate, but seeing as the wood paneling, seats, couches, coffee tables, and even the picture frames were all constructed of the same material and accented by African blackwood, color coordination was the furthest concern for Victoria Vane.
Rather, her focus was spread across the various papers, folders, binders, tablets, and computer screens that covered her desk in a rigidly organized spread of informational chaos. One of the desktop screens to her left was covered in icons for search results, financial statements, student loan documentation, and mortgage data for one Richard Feels, as well as for his assistant, Veronica Vale. The second screen was similarly filled with information for a Kimberly Vanderbuurt, and her friend and occasional lover, Jennifer Shimizu.
The third screen was missing most of this information. Instead it had links to social media posts, copies of completed assignments, and the financial information for the family of a nineteen year old college sophomore, by the name of-
There was a knock at the door, and Victoria used a keyboard command to swap her computer screens to a different desktop. This one held several blank login windows for various businesses under her personal control, as well as one that appeared to be for a legal site. Once the transition had completed, Victoria stated in a cold, hard voice that her visitor was to enter.
The stylized brass doorknob turned, and one of the two heavy, wooden doors crept ponderously open. Through them passed a young woman with a brand new blouse and skirt, the color palette matching Victoria's own suit. The young woman was a natural brunette, but for this meeting she had died her hair black with violet highlights. Those, scared, brown cow eyes were set in a sad approximation of determination. The young calf strode to the desk in a stiff approximation of confidence, and stopped several feet away, hands held deliberately still at her sides, simply waiting to be acknowledged.
Victoria let the young woman stand there for a time, leafing through a folder with excerpts from the recently-passed Dyson Defense Spending Bill, while referencing the pages of a bulleted list of changes enacted by the even more recent Federal Education Reform Bill.
This went on for a handful of minutes, before Victoria finally acknowledged her visitor by pressing a button on the underside of the desk that automatically closed the open door to her office. The young woman's composure cracked slightly, but she took a slow, surreptitious breath to calm herself, and got her emotional mask back in place.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Warrens," Victoria said. "I appreciate your patience while I closed out a few important matters. Now, I suspect you're wondering why you're here this evening."
The girl's head bobbed. "Yes, Miss Vane."
"Please, if it would make you feel more comfortable, call me Victoria." The words were warm and welcoming as a rusty iron maiden.
"Thank you, Miss Vane. That is very kind. If it would please you, please feel free to call me Stella."
Victoria gave the girl a frigid smile. "Very well, Stella. My understanding is you applied to our management internship program for the fall semester of your Junior Year, is this correct?"
"It is, Miss Vane," Stella said with a nod.
"I also understand that the positions for that internship have been filled. You were not selected."
"No, Miss Vane."
Victoria's face curled into what she meant to be a comforting smile. Rather, it was a dark caricature of the predatory smile her younger sister often gave her fiancé.
Stella took a half-step back, the involuntary reaction the only visible sign of the sudden sense of dread that must be crawling up her back like the cold, creeping fingers of death itself.
Victoria’s smile vanished, replaced with impassivity. "Miss Warrens, I believe your exclusion from the program was an oversight on the part of the selection committee. Your resume is impressive, and your personality driven. Your family is not the most well-connected, however they have a few acquaintances that would be well worth meeting, if such a thing could be arranged. My my, listen to me, it would seem I’ve deviated from the topic I wished to cover this evening. Miss Warrens - Stella - I am giving you the chance to audition for a new internship position I am unilaterally creating. This position would be paid a salary that, over the course of the four month internship, would cover a full year's tuition at your current institution. Furthermore, the intern would function as one of my direct reports, and will therefore be exposed to the inner workings of how I operate. Does this interest you."
Stella blinked several times, then plastered on a bright grin. "It interests me very much, Miss Vane. The position sounds superlative. Though, in saying that, I can only assume that the audition will be as challenging as the position, if not more-so."
"That is correct, Miss Warrens. The audition will take place in two weeks time, over the course of an entire weekend. You will be participating in a product demonstration for one of my subsidiaries. They have several new technologies they are combining and transitioning from Research & Development to a service business." Veronica sat forward in her chair, elbows on her desk, fingers steepled before her.
"I will not lie to you, Miss Warrens; this audition will not be easy. You will be my personal representative at the event. You will have a primary objective of documenting the operational capacity of each discrete technology, and extrapolating other fields or businesses in which said technology can be applied. You will have a secondary objective of convincing the controlling interests in the fledgling business to allow the use of their patented technology in other businesses or fields of research. You will additionally have a tertiary objective to obtain a sample of one of the pharmaceuticals, with written or otherwise legally recorded permission from the four developers. It's probably best to frame the request for personal use. Do you understand?"
Stella nodded. "To summarize, I am to attend the demonstration to confirm the product works and to figure out how else it can be applied. I'm also supposed to convince the presenters to allow the use of the tech for these other applications. Finally, I need to get you a sample of their most valuable pharmaceutical. If I do this to your satisfaction, I get to work for you for a full semester, and I suspect if I do well, you would be willing to invite me back."
Victoria gave her a neutral smile. "Very good Miss Warrens. Rather I should say, very good, Stella. I should also note that for this assessment, I will personally cover costs for your travel, lodging, meals, and transport on-site. I will also give you a small stipend for the weekend."
"That sounds wonderful, Miss Vane. Might I inquire as to where this demonstration is being held?" Stella asked.
At that, Veronica frowned. "In an adult paraphernalia shop called Love and Lust, unless the venue changes last minute."
At that, Stella couldn't keep her surprise off her face. "May I ask what kind of technology will be demonstrated on these premises? That doesn't sound like the kind of business you would typically associate with, Miss Vane."
Victoria's chuckle was cold and dark. "It is not. The technology to be demonstrated ranges from the mildly impressive to the revolutionary, but with all their brain cells focused on making the tech work, it would seem their business is planned by their libidos. It's a proper shame, but it is what we have to work with. Not everyone in this world is as logical or adroit as you and me, Stella."
Victoria refocused herself and shifted a stack of legal papers and a pen to Stella's side of her desk. "Now, I can tell that you are interested in this opportunity, Stella, but to proceed with the assessment, I will need a few things from you. Mostly I need your signature on the requisite legal paperwork, but before any of that nonsense kicks back up, I need your agreement. So." Victoria held up her cold, thin hand. "Would you be willing to undergo this assessment, Stella?"
When Stella left the room, Victoria was wearing a Cheshire grin.
"I didn't know you could make an expression like that, Miss Vane."
The voice sounded like it echoed within Victoria’s head, though in reality it originated from a small flesh-colored square attached to the base of Victoria's skull, beneath her hair. The bleeding edge cochlear implant allowed two way subvocal communication between Victoria and her left hand woman.
"I've never had a reason to, before tonight. Come on out, Elise. I've engaged the electronic locks and surveillance countermeasures."
The middle pane on a three-way mirror in the corner opened silently, revealing a tall, muscular woman in black tactical gear. She strode confidently across the carpet and came to stand before Victoria as the glass slid shut behind her.
"May I ask what makes tonight different, Miss Vane?"
Veronica held up a finger. "Before I get to that, I have your marching orders. I need you to go to Middleton, and sew some chaos for our inventors. Nothing too destructive, and nothing on the scale of our overseas intimidation tactics. This group does include my useless excuse for a sister, after all."
Elise held her tongue at that statement. She had seen Victoria wax rhapsodic over her sister when she either didn't realize Elise was in an over-watch position, or when she simply forgot Elise was there. This dismissive act was often used by the heiress to center herself and secure the cold mask she wore around outsiders. Though I'm seeing it with insiders more and more, these days. I hope she doesn't become the mask she puts on every day. I respect the caring person at her core - that's why I'm willing to go so far for her sake. That icy bitch persona is a useful tool, but only if it is a tool. I'd never work for someone so truly uncaring.
"I imagine some derogatory posters hung up on campus and around town, detracting the moral degeneracy of institutions that sell adult paraphernalia might be one approach to undermine them. Maybe I can play around with the programming for that sexbot they have. I can pay some people to bump into them repeatedly throughout the day to throw them off-balance, maybe make them paranoid. I believe Professor Barnette has a hostile coworker I might be able to incite into some almost-harmless pranks. I have a few other ideas."
Victoria nodded. "Very good, Elise. But there are two more objectives, both for the days of the presentation. I need you to secure samples of the shrinking solution. According to the quesrionnaire, they have solutions for the following target sizes: one inch, four inches, six inches, eight inches, and twelve inches. If the Warrens girl can get her own sample, with a gracious recording, then if we're ever caught doing tests, we'll have the recording. Regardless, we need to begin tests, so when the next defense budget or transportation bill comes up, we'll already have the knowledge, tooling, and process to ship product once the bill is written and passed."
"Very good, Miss Vane. And the other objective?"
Veronica steepled her fingers and stared down at the wing of her desk opposite her computer screens. She eyed the files on senators, congressmen, TLA agency and bureau directors, cabinet members, and military leaders. It was a moment longer before Veronica spoke.
"Containment, Elise. I need you to keep information about what happens at this demonstration under wraps. You have a two hundred thousand dollar budget for materials and bribes. Your standard fee will be added to anything you haven't already spent once the job is complete." Victoria paused, an unusually pensive expression on her face.
"Elise, I'm well aware you are insightful and exceedingly competent, both in the execution of your tasks, and in life in general. I say this so you understand what I say next is not meant to be patronizing in any way, however the potential fallout from this demonstration drives me to make this perfectly clear. I need to impress upon you that the products to be showcased will be transformative for their respective industries, but that is just the very beginning. My sex- and science-focused business partners may not realize it yet, but the unveiling of their tech will be like firing the intellectual starting gun that marked such races for progress as the invention of the incandescent light bulb, the discovery of penicillin, the splitting of the atom, and the conceptualization of gravity, all being thrust upon the world simultaneously. They are trying to contain the potential damage by concentrating it into so-called 'pleasure centers,' but what my innocent sister fails to realize is that concentrating such volatile technologies will only put increasingly dangerous pressure on them to share. That pressure will continue to build until someone does something stupid, which is inevitable with people. At that point my sister and her friends will no longer be able to maintain their secrecy, and the entire situation will explode into society. The political, technological, and socio-economic shrapnel will tear rents in every aspect of society. Just so I am clear, when I say I want this contained, I mean that if anyone - absolutely anyone, my sister included - attempts to sell off or otherwise disseminate any of these technologies, I need you to make them disappear. My preferred method would be through the use of the shrinking solution, once you have your hands on it, so you can discreetly transport the threat to one of our secure facilities for interrogation. Is that understood?"
Elise's conditioning kicked in and she saluted. "Yes ma'am. It shall be done."
Victoria nodded, and Elise dropped the salute. "One last thing, Elise. While you're out there, I would like you to assist Miss Warrens in her so-called assessment. With your efforts we can still come out ahead if she fails, but I would much rather that she succeed. And if the worst should happen, and she turns on me after I gave her this opportunity, don't bother bringing her anywhere else. I want traitors to the company brought directly to me."
Victoria's grin made even Elise break out in goosebumps.