Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 10:54:13 -0800 (PST)
From: Damien Hirst <citadel_prime@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Gilded Cage (Voyeur) Complete Story

Tammy entered the house with her sense of disbelief still very much with
her. It had looked gorgeous from the outside but the facade did not prepare
her for the incredible interior design and space. As work-packages go, she
thought as she walked from room to room, this one would take some beating.

Tammy placed her suitcase on the living room floor and sat down on the
sofa. She had to make a call, she suddenly remembered, and this seemed as
good a time as any other. Reaching into her pocket to retrieve her mobile
phone Tammy was completely unaware that she had been watched since arriving
at the airport, eyes that were now watching her retrieve a number from her
phone's memory.

In another place Bastion was sitting at his office desk, surrounded by
monitors and controls that made the room look more like the bridge of a
space station. He ensured that the feed from Tammy was clean whilst, aside
from the main transmission, he double-checked all the other cameras in her
apartment.

"Bastion, this is Noskova. Who are we watching here?"

The voice came from speakers that sat discreetly on every darkened wall.

"Good evening Noskova. Let me firstly welcome you to the guild and extend
my congratulations on your promotion. The lady in question is Tammy
Squires, a new player who has just flown in from Chicago. All her
biographical details can be accessed via the icon at the top left of your
screen"

"How complete is the coverage?"

"It goes well beyond the house. She has accepted a job in one of our
corporations, with the house rented to her at a heavily discounted
rate. Not only do we have sound and audio at all the static locations she
is likely to visit but we also have mobile capacity as well. As with
everyone she unwittingly banks with us, has our credit lines, drives one of
our cars, shops with us and uses our communication systems. In short,
Noskova, the coverage is as complete as you would expect the guild to make
it"

Bastion pressed a button and sipped from a hip flask containing rum. It was
going to be a long evening, he knew, for fresh players always generated the
most interest.

"I have both sides of her phonecall available for listening now. Click the
telephone icon at any time to hear it"

A new voice interrupted him before he could speak again.

"Bastion, it's Goldfish. Give me a better view of her breasts please"

"With pleasure, Goldfish. Its' Nice to talk to you again. I have a zoom
available and will send it to your secondary window now. Tell me when to
stop"




Bastion centred the output for Goldfish on his screen, closing the camera
angle tight on Tammy's white blouse before slowly zooming in on her
breasts. As they began to fill the screen Bastion felt himself becoming
softly aroused and he smiled to himself. This truly was the best job in the
world, he thought.

"Perfect Bastion. Hold it there please. I take it a highlight section will
be added every 12 hours as usual?" Goldfish said eventually.

"Of course. It would be a shame for anyone to have to choose between beauty
sleep and the beauty of this fine lady"

Tammy finished her phone call as Bastion spoke. She was pleased that she
had managed to reassure her mother that she was safe and well, without
overstating her excitement at the opportunity that had unexpectedly
presented itself. A little over a month ago she had been a PA in a dead-end
office and yet now, thanks to a headhunting organisation literally ringing
her up and offering her the world, she was about to become PA to the CEO of
a major international oil company.

Tammy decided to explore all the levels of the house before she settled
down and began to unpack. She went upstairs and was thrilled by the three
bedrooms and two bathrooms that awaited her. By the side of one of the beds
was an introductory card which informed her that a maid, charged to the
company, would call each day to clean and tidy for her.

Downstairs in the basement yet another wonderful surprise awaited her. A
small but fully equipped private gymnasium, complete with shower filled the
entire level. Another card told her that a complimentary personal fitness
instructor was at her disposal and that she could arrange his schedule from
work tomorrow.

"Bastion, its Goldfish. The guild has really gone to town on this one
hasn't it? I've never seen them grant such a grandiose home to a mere
player before"

Bastion took another sip from his hip flask as he watched Tammy ascend to
the upper floor once more.

"She's worth it. Her psychological evaluation showed she is immensely
body-proud and we know she had a strict gym routine back in her old life,
so we threw the gymnasium in there to ensure she'd not stray into a public
one. It not only allows easier surveillance but also will be a conduit for
us to introduce her personal trainer, a gentleman we intend her to take as
a lover. He's been coached on her favourite conversation subjects, her
mannerisms and her known sexual tastes. He's also physically within 2% of
her ideal, based on the boyfriends she's had since the age of 14."

Tammy took a small bag from inside her luggage and entered the bathroom
whilst the screen showed a view of the outside of the door only.

"Bastion, its Noskova. Why haven't we got a view inside the bathroom?"


"I'm sorry Noskova but C does not allow us to show subjects in the
bathroom" Bastion said apologetically.

"That's a stupid rule. Why does C not allow us to view the bathroom?"

Bastion took a deep breath and allowed the question to hang for a
second. Then, with the patience of a parent who is softly threatening as
well as informing, he spoke deliberately back.

"Noskova, it is against guild protocol to question the decisions of the
full guild members. To do so is to invite sanction. Please refrain from
questioning the decisions of C any further. With a little patience I am
sure Miss Squires will satisfy us all before the end of the night"

The silence that answered Bastion was answer enough in itself.

Everyone waited patiently for Tammy to reappear. To fill in time, Bastion
looked over the display panels for any sign of malfunction. It was purely a
procedural act for he knew all to well that every system created by the
guild had built in redundancy. He cycled through the hidden cameras within
the house with the satisfaction of a master-craftsman admiring his own
creations.

Bastion thought it best to explain to his audience how he anticipated the
evening to go. It would not only help fill in the wait but also allow them
to have a better idea about their new plaything.

"I am sure it will not be long now, gentlemen, for Miss Squires is a
stickler for routine and she'll be keen to arrange things ahead of work
tomorrow. I think she'll order in some food whilst she relaxes with the
television for an hour or so, then check her laptop for emails and the
notes she's made about her new position. You can all access her laptop and
emails at any time, of course, via your control panel."

As Bastion finished speaking an idea formed in his mind. He congratulated
himself just a little too much on his creativity, revealing the inflated
ego that was one day going to destroy him.

"Of course we have ensured that the house has numbers for every conceivable
take-away she may wish to eat tonight. Whichever she chooses will be
delivered to her in exactly 15 minutes, giving us time to place any
substance you may like her to consume within her food. Have you any
thoughts on what you may like to do to her?"

"Bastion this is Noskova again. I think I'd like to make her aroused in the
hopes she will put on a show for us tonight. Can you arrange that?"

"I can certainly have her food laced with something that will make her very
aroused Noskova but, of course, what she chooses to do about it will be
down to herself. She certainly has a dildo and a vibrator with her. If it
amuses you to read we have placed her therapy notes online for you. Within
there Miss Squires admits to being sexually adventurous and to masturbate
heavily, so she may well live up to your hopes before she sleeps tonight."
As Noskova finished Tammy emerged from the bathroom and went downstairs to
the living room. As she walked she was watched by many pairs of hidden
lustful eyes, each of which cycled through the different views of her body
that excited them. To some it was enough to simple watch her walk, other
tightened the camera to track her ass or her breasts as they moved in
beautiful symmetry. Some of the more crude simply switched the cameras into
x-ray mode and we already admiring the green-overlaid view of her
underwear. They all had one thing in common however other than Tammy
Squires and the Guild, they gained more sexual satisfaction from utterly
manipulating her than they ever could gain from the women in their own
lives.

Once downstairs Tammy lived up to Bastion's prediction. She went over to
the telephone and began to read the numbers for local fast-food
outlets. She eventually ordered some Chinese and settled down in front of
the television whilst she waited for it to arrive.

Bastion watched her through the television set and thrilled at the power he
had over this woman. The Guild members were his prime concern, of course,
but they only got the second-hand thrill of being interactive
voyeurs. Bastion knew he could make this woman rich or poor, famous or
infamous, a queen of Hollywood or a $30 whore, sucking cocks to feed her
addictions. He could have her raped, tortured or killed without any
sanction or simply erase her name from every file in the world. All this he
could do on a whim, yet here she was staring blindly at him without the
slightest idea that he existed. It made Bastion feel like God himself.

When the Chinese food arrived Tammy set it out on plates in front of the
television. She lay on the sumptuous carpet and ate carefully whilst
unknown to her Bastion zoomed in tight, up her skirt. The main viewer
filled with the slightest of glimpses of her black silken panties and the
pleasures that awaited underneath.

"Bastion this is Goldfish. Nice touch my friend, that is a lovely shot"

"Thank you Goldfish. A good show is about good editing as well as having
the best cast. Glad you like it"

Tammy ate her food and then cleared away what was left. She settled down to
the television again as Bastion began to do some quick calculations. After
a moment he made a general announcement.

"Ok gentlemen. The substances we placed in her food will take full effect
in around 20 minutes. We've placed a large dose in there but had had to
make it a slow absorber for fear of too great a shock to her system. If
anyone need to grab a break I suggest the do so now because Miss Squires is
about to become more interesting."

Bastion could see some of the members indicating they were away. Bathroom
breaks all round to be sure but he knew most of them would return, dicks in
hand, to see if Tammy would perform for them. It was time to spice up the
anticipation with a little more information on their latest sex toy.

"I'm send through to each of you edited highlights of Miss Squires talking
to her therapist. We replaced her existing one with one of our own around 2
years ago and covertly recorded everything. As you will see our therapist
was a woman and so was able to gain her trust completely. In the highlights
you will get to see Tammy talking bluntly about her entire sexual
history. Enjoy"

Bastion sat back and watched the highlights himself as Tammy sat on her
sofa. Soon he could see from her movements that she was becoming very
aroused and he wondered how long it would take her to seek release. Sure
enough, some 22 minutes after she had finished her meal, Tammy began to
stroke her thighs in an absent-minded manner. Bastion knew she would take
things a lot further and silently alerted the Guild members to return for
the show.

Tammy moved her fingers slowly up her thigh as she spread her legs
apart. Her skirt was soon a mere bystander as she pushed it onto her hips,
a silent witness which had joined the other more sentient ones as they
waited for their first glimpse of her pussy. Bastion remembered from her
therapy records that Tammy was inherently shy when it came to her
sexuality, preferring to dress conservatively and proud that only a few
special men had ever seen her naked. It thrilled him to know, as he watched
her push her panties to one side, that she had now become unwittingly
corrupted. She was now a porn-star with literally hundreds of men violating
her with their eyes.

Bastion was an entertainer by profession, a games-player by choice and a
sadist by nature. In creating his show for the Guild he had brought all
three elements together into diabolic symmetry, granting power not only
over his victims but also the hundred of men he so ably served. He knew
that they were there, captains of industry, politicians, law-enforcement
and the like and that they were now all slowly masturbating. Bastion did
not know their names or faces but he knew he had them by the balls. He
could not possibly know however, as he sat there and worked his console,
that they were sowing the seed of his destruction.

Tammy had begun to stimulate herself using soft, circular motions as she
lay down on the sofa. Her eyes were closed and she was lost in a delightful
fantasy about the man she had sat next too on the plane. Her mind allowed
her to be the sort of woman that she often wondered about, wanton and
unashamedly dirty, whilst she was able to continue to feel pure inside when
it was all over. In her fantasy she had taken the man's hand , ignoring the
fact that his wife was asleep on the other side of him, and had placed it
on her crotch. As he turned in startled arousal, Tammy quickly rested her
thumb on his belt whilst the rest of her hand went to work stimulating him.






Bastion began to feed statistical data onto the screens of the Guild
members although he knew few would read it until later. He recorded the
average number of circular movements that Tammy made with her fingers in
ten seconds and cross-referred it with the other women that had featured on
the programme. He created and edited series of mini-windows, showing each
and every woman as they had been recorded masturbating, and placed them in
ranking order from the fastest to the slowest. Bastion also updated a
running commentary on each woman's personal technique to include Tammy. He
rated her highly when compared to most of his other victims.

Back in her fantasy, Tammy was mixing in as much of what had actually
happened as possible in order to make it feel more real. She had talked to
the man and discovered he had two teenage children but his wife had been
cold towards her, perhaps taking offence at how her husband had looked
Tammy over. Tammy had thought then that it must have been a long time since
his dick had been loved, judging from his partner, and she had felt sorry
for him because he was such a handsome and charming person. Tammy's mind
now allowed her to use the scarcely populated aircraft in a way her heart
could never have done in reality.

As Tammy played with herself on the sofa she imagined her hand massaging
his crotch, feeling his excitement as his erection slowly began to build
and strain through his trousers. She granted it freedom by unzipping his
trouser and unbuttoning his boxer shorts. Tammy gasped as his cock burst
forth, begging for liberation from it's marital loneliness whilst it's
owner shot a worried look at his wife. Tammy could see the excitement in
his face whilst the danger also scared him to the core. She thought it best
to check how far he wanted to go with this so she whispered softly into his
ear.

"Does your wife suck you well?"

The mere mention of the act registered an anticipatory thrill on his
face. He turned her head and whispered back.

"No, she refuses to suck me at all. She says it's something that only
hookers do and she's got more self-respect"

The response figured to Tammy. She thought that his wife had looked like
the kind of selfish woman who would demand oral stimulation yet refuse to
grant it in return. Her feelings of compassion for him were almost as
strong as her newly found desire to get revenge on that selfish bitch for
what she denied her husband.

"I'm no hooker and neither is any woman who wants to please their
partner. I am going to give you what she denies you but you have to do
something for me in return. Firstly, though, is she a light sleeper? I do
not want to endanger you too much"

He pointed to his wife's drinks tray to show Tammy the empty gin and tonic
glass.

"She's not only had two of those but also a mild sedative. She hates
flying. She should be out like a light for around an hour yet"

Tammy whispered to him again.

"Ok, well in that case we can have some fun but you must do everything I
say without question. I want to please you but I also do not like the way
your wife spoke to me or treats you. I think a little harmless revenge is
in order. Whilst I go down on you I want you to lift her skirt and push her
panties to one side. Show me your wife's pussy"

Before he could argue she took his cock into her mouth and began to suckle,
feeling his body relax into the sensations with greed born from
starvation. She watched as he softly exposed his wife for her, showing
Tammy the barren prize that she knew was used mainly to control and not to
please.

Tammy continued her motions on the sofa as she imagined the feel and taste
of his penis in her mouth, enjoying at least one part of her life that even
the Guild could not penetrate whilst every other part of her life was
currently thrilling them. Bastion received several requests for alternate
camera views on her, indicating a strong and active interest by his master,
and he smiled as he gladly facilitated their lust.

Back in Tammy's fantasy she was imagining the husband's soft moans as she
sucked and licked on the head of his cock. His lack of self-control began
to concern her as she did not want him to climax in her mouth, for no other
reason than she had better things planned for him, so she stopped suddenly
and began instead to stroke his shaft with one delicate finger. Tammy leant
into him again and whispered.

"I am not denying you release, honey, quiet the opposite in fact. She's
given you grief ever since you were married about other women hasn't she?"

He nodded his answer.

"I bet you have never strayed once have you? Well if she's going to treat
you like you have anyway, I think it's right you do the crime as well as
the time. There is no-one back of us to see, so I am going to swap seats
with and you move the armrest back. I am going to go into doggie-style and
I want you to make love to me whilst looking at her. Compare my tender
pussy to her dried-up cunt, my firm breasts to her sagging chest and my
giving nature to her closed heart. Keep thinking 'fuck you' whilst you fuck
me, ok?" He hesitated for a second before silently standing up. In barely a
minute he was behind her, admiring her naked ass as Tammy smelt his wife's
perfume.

Bastion saw Tammy stop in mid-circle and it threw him for a moment. She was
clearly enjoying herself too much to deny herself an orgasm so what was she
doing? A thought entered his head and he was almost too pleased with
himself as he guessed. She had clearly been fantasising about intercourse
and she needed her dildo to heighten the sensation. That would give him a
chance to try something new and he made an announcement to the Guild
members.

"Gentlemen, if I am right, Miss Squires is about to go to her luggage to
retrieve her dildo. She will use the one our therapist recommended and that
opens up something new for us tonight. Tammy bought the dildo on-line from
one of our suppliers and we were able to switch it with an exact duplicate
that has certain, shall we say, special extras"

Bastion allowed his remark to settle for a moment to ensure he had grabbed
the attention of his audience.

"It contains a series of sensors which are linked to a transmitter. I will
be able to tell you the exact dimensions of her vagina and extrapolate a
three-dimensional model for you, which I will cross-refer with national
medical data to see how average or otherwise she is. Now that, to be
honest, is cute but hardly worth our time. I have also, however, had
delivered to you a new device in the past week. Have you all received and
prepared it as instructed?"

Bastion waited as each member indicated that they had. Whilst they were
affirming this, Tammy had located her dildo and was now settling back onto
the sofa again.

Bastion continued.

"Thank you gentlemen. I am sure many of you guessed the purpose of the
device. If you lay on it face down and insert yourself into the lubricated
sheath, you will still be able to view the feed on the screen that is also
attached to it. The sheath with stimulate you in time with Miss Squire's
thrusts of her dildo and will also, thanks to the data we are about to
collect, mould itself into an exact replica of her vagina. Tammy is, in
short, about to allow hundreds of you to fuck her simultaneously"

Bastion saw a call come through from one of the members and opened a
channel.

"Bastion, this is Goldfish."

"Go ahead Goldfish"

"Wonderful idea. You are to be congratulated once again."

"Thank you Goldfish. It's not quite the real thing of course but if you
like I can have a women sent to you later who has exactly the same vaginal
dimension. Allow you to relive the moment more precisely, eh?"

"Thank you Bastion. Arrange it please. Meanwhile back to the show"

Bastion watched as Tammy inserted her dildo into herself, unwittingly
allowing hundreds of men to enter her a few moments later. With each thrust
she was screwed by some of the most powerful men on the planet, all the
time fantasising about her own fictitious little power-game on the
aircraft.

Tammy closed her eyes and returned to her fantasy, inserting the dildo as
she imagined the husband entering her before he rode her gently. A few
moments later she glanced back to check on him, revealing his face to be a
picture of ecstasy and pent-up revenge. All the time he was staring
intently at his sleeping wife and Tammy was happy to be the vehicle of his
liberation.




Tammy turned her attention onto the sleeping wife once more, leaning
forward so that her face could stare directly into the closed eyes whilst
the husband laboured on. She planted a mocking soft kiss on the wife's open
mouth before gently taking the sleeping head and turning it towards
her. With a malice she was glad only to reveal in fantasy, Tammy began to
whisper into the sleeping woman's face.

"I'm fucking your husband. Wake up you lazy bitch and see how happy he is
with a true woman whose not some selfish dried-up crone like you. See the
anger in his face, despite the danger of losing everything he needs this
vengeance to allow his soul to live"

Tammy cupped one of the wife's clothed breasts in her hand before
continuing.

"See this? It's lost all power now the same as your barren desert down
there. He'll stray now when he wants to because he's crossed an emotional
Rubicon. Secretaries, friends, even those whores you like to describe, will
all give him what you will not. The best part? He'll be guilty as hell
afterwards, oh yes, but during each time he'll be laughing at you"

Tammy released the breast and clenched her fist, leaving only the middle
finger stiffly raised as she flashed it into the face of the sleeping
woman. Slowly she licked it wet and then moved it down to the wife's lower
half, manoeuvring her slowly until she could see her bottom. Pausing only
to ensure her target was still asleep, Tammy inserted the finger into the
wife's anus whilst the husband intensified his thrusting from behind.

Tammy looked back at the wife's unconscious face as she felt the husband
shudder to his climax. She whispered to the sleeping eyes again.

"He's just filled me with his sperm. He's as much mine as your now. Swivel
on that as he recovers"

On the sofa Tammy was close to climax but she wanted to savour her fantasy
revenge just a little longer, so she slowed down. Both she and the hundreds
of unseen audience participents were enjoyed a good, deep, long
screw. Tammy cast he mind back into the fantasy once she had adjusted the
speed of her thrusts.

Tammy and the husband quickly rearranged themselves so that they appeared
never to have so much as shook hands, with Tammy certain to arrange the
wife back as she had been. The only difference this time was that Tammy
took the husband by the arm and made the wife look like the stranger. She
held him for a while before whispering into his ear.

"Wake her up and let her see us like this. Don't worry, honey, I'll be
careful not to endanger you. Have faith"





The husband had to shake his wife hard to arouse her from her drink and
drugs induced slumber. She looked over to him sleepily and then awoke
sharply as she saw Tammy draped over his arm.

Before the wife could speak, Tammy smiled sweetly at her.

"I am sorry we had to wake you but I just wanted to thank you and your
husband for your support. I'm a very nervous flyer you see and I've just
had a panic attack, in fact I am still feeling very nervy now. Your husband
has been a love in allowing me to hold onto him for the rest of the
flight."

The wife seemed uncertain and desperate to think of a reason to reject the
supposed aid but it was a harmless enough request in itself, she
thought. She oozed into her fake charm.

"That's ok my dear. I am glad you and my husband have had the chance to
chat whilst I have been sleeping"

Tammy looked her straight in the eye but maintained her humble exterior.

"He's a lovely man. Thanks to our little chat I feel I have come to know
you both intimately whilst you were asleep."

Tammy left the word "intimately" hang with just a little too much load to
allow the wife to feel comfortable, especially as Tammy was wearing a tight
top which clearly showed her nipples, but not enough load to give the wife
cause to question what she meant.

Tammy enjoyed making the wife squirm for the next twenty minutes, with the
odd "accidental" stroke of the husband's chest and arms and the odd private
joke whispered between them. Becoming bored of the warm-up she then
whispered into the husband's ear again.

"My turn to come now. I am going to swap places with you and turn to face
your wife, blocking you almost completely from her view. Whilst I keep her
distracted I will sit on your hand and I want you to make me climax whilst
she watches."

The husband nodded his agreement before Tammy talked to the wife again.

"I was reading a book, it's very good. Here, let me show you bits out of
it"

Before the wife could respond Tammy had changed places with the husband and
had sat with her back to him. With expert timing he placed his hand on the
seat a fraction before her bottom came to rest on it, giving him complete
covert access to her clitoris and womb.

Tammy launched into a monologue as she described parts from her book and
showed the wife the appropriate pages. The husband began to stimulate
Tammy's clitoris and little waves of pleasure assaulted her mind, although
she never let her innocent and calm demeanour fail once as she talked.  The
husband was clearly enjoying himself given the skill he was putting into
making soft movements. He was stimulating Tammy just enough to achieve
their aim without making her hips move at all. Tammy could feel herself
coming after a while and decided to add insult to injury. She brought the
conversation with the wife around to a supposed sex-scene in the novel.

"One of the best bits is where this guy, whose wife is a real dried-up cow,
decides to have an affair with this woman he barely knows. He picks her up
on a train or something, anyhow the important bit is where this other woman
decides to phone up the wife out of spite. Whilst she is on the phone the
husband is masturbating her"

Tammy paused for a second to savour the attentions of the husband but not
long enough for the wife to object to the nature of the conversation. Tammy
looked directly into the wife's eyes, as a challenge, yet kept her voice
light and friendly.

"Anyway she say 'I only just met your husband but already I have given him
better sex than you ever could. I have felt his dick inside me and his
sperm is presently swimming inside my pussy, glad to have some freedom at
last. I have sucked him, something I know you deny him out of spite, and I
have tasted every one of his seven inches with my tongue. The best bit is
that he is as we speak masturbating me, sticking two fingers up to you by
sticking one finger up me, and I just rang you to let you hear my orgasm'"

With that Tammy shuddered as she came and fell onto the wife, giving the
husband enough time to settle himself again, as his wife was
distracted. Tammy clung onto the stunned woman as she composed herself and
whispered into her ear.

"Your husband is a very good lover"

Then, as she pulled back, Tammy said

"Said the woman in the book. I am so very sorry to have fallen on you like
that but that shudder was another panic attack hitting me. I'll go back to
my seat and see if I can't sleep the rest of the way"

Tammy allowed the fantasy to drift away as she came on the sofa, panting
but released in a most delicious fashion. Bastion correctly concluded that
she was not going to provide any more directly sexual entertainment that
night.

"Gentlemen, I think that was the main event for the evening. I will, of
course, keep the feeds on automated for you throughout the rest of the
night. I'm closing down the communication channel util 07:30 tomorrow, to
get some sleep in preparation for Miss Squire's first day at the
office. Should be worth watching. Good night"

Bastion closed his console and walked to the window of his office to savour
the 32nd floor view of the city skyline. He may not own it all but he
owned, heart and soul, those who did. As long as the show rated well he
knew he was indispensable, king of the shadows with power that even
governments could only dream of.

He could not have been more wrong as he slept that evening.  The following
day Bastion was woken by his alarm at 7am. As he washed and shaved he kept
an eye on Tammy as she prepared for her first day in her new office and
also ordered the computer to verbally update him on how the night had
gone. Few Guild members had bothered to continue to watch Tammy after
around 9pm and she herself had slept by ten. All in all a standard,
low-interest, evening.

Most Guild members did not watch the show in the daytime. In part it was
down to their jobs and in part it was down to the content. Most subjects
did little in the day other than work and eat, hardly the stuff of
eroticism, and the kind of men the Guild contained would have no interest
in seeing how underlings went about their business. It was part of the
deal, however, to keep the show on constantly and Bastion did his best to
make it entertaining. Sometimes he would arrange for office gossip, a
crisis at work or some such to make more of a "soap opera" world for his
main stars. In Tammy's case he was going to included sexual harassment in
the office, in the forlorn hope that sexual-friction might just increase
daytime Guild interest.

Guild members often just downloaded a daily digest of the activities of a
subject when they returned to watch in the evening. For this reason Bastion
continued to add his own commentary to events so that the digest would have
the feeling of being "live". At 7.30am he began his day shift.

"Good morning gentlemen. As you can see Miss Squires has been getting ready
for work and will leave in about ten minutes. We have complete camera
coverage in her company car and office as well as mobile units and a feed
from the conventional city wide CCTV.  We cannot possibly miss anything she
does or says today"

Tammy set off for work at 7:45 am. Despite her professional, conservative
dress-sense, Bastion used the in-car cameras to accentuate every bulge and
curve of her body as she sat. Unknown to her, she was tailed by two cars
that provided additional footage.

After an uneventful journey, Tammy parked in the subterranean office car
park. She left her car and began to walk to the elevator. Bastion thought a
comment would help explain the next thing that would happen.

"Miss Squires is about to meet her new boos, John Green. He will intercept
her before she boards the lift and will then accompany her to their
office. Mr Green has been briefed that he is to sexually harass Miss
Squires from day one in order to see if she will lose her dream job or
capitulate. If she resigns we will consider her to have lost value and
will, of course, terminate her"

Tammy was approached by a very well dressed man in his thirties. He looked
over and greeted her warmly.

"You must be my new PA, Tammy Squires. I have heard a lot about you and
look forward to us working together closely"




Tammy smiled and attempted to make a good first impression.

"Nice to meet you Mr Green"

"John, please. We need no formality between us Tammy"

"Perhaps you can show me the way to the office John?"

"With pleasure, follow me"

With that John led Tammy to the elevator. As they boarded he softly placed
his hand on her shoulder in a gesture designed to intimidate. She looked
round and he was smiling with a meaning that made her feel uneasy. This was
not going to be an easy assignment she thought.

They entered a very impressive office complex that spanned the entire 15th
floor. Everyone deferred to John as he walked by and it was clear he was in
complete control of those who worked for him. Tammy noted that most tried
to avoid eye contact as he walked to his office.

Once inside the office the noise outside vanished. Such was the
soundproofing that Tammy thought she could be inside a library
vault. Whilst there was a panoramic view from the window she noted that
none could see into John's office from outside. Clearly he valued his
privacy.

Bastion made a comment for the daily digest.

"John Green will begin innocently enough but he will become blatent by the
end of the day. We hope that she will play along in order to safeguard her
position, allowing Guild members to vote on how they wish Mr Green to
humiliate her. Mr Green can get instructions from me via a carrier signal
beamed into his inner ear. We of course have total coverage for that across
the entire floor"

John sat down and asked Tammy to dictate a letter. Once complete he looked
over to her with the smile of the serpent.

"One small thing Tammy, and it's probably a failure of communication on our
part, is dress code. You have come dressed to be a PA to an important man
which, in itself, is fine. I, however, prefer a more informal dress code. I
am away from my wife for many days sometimes and I enjoy the presence of a
beautiful woman such as yourself, especially if she is dressed in a manner
more befitting my tastes. Is that ok?"

Tammy was taken aback but keen to please on her first day.

"Sure, John, whatever pleases you"

"Good to hear. We will take care of that later, in the interim I could do
with a coffee please"


Bastion watched her prepare the coffee as he talked to Green.

"Ok John, take it slow for another hour or so. Keep it light and boring
then hit her with the first stage at about 11"

John silently nodded to show he had understood as Tammy came towards him
with his drink. For the next whilst Bastion saw John make Tammy relaxed. He
told her of her fine future with the company, hinted at a substantial bonus
at the end of the month and generally motivated her to want to keep the
job. Then he pounced.

"Ok Tammy, stop that letter for the moment. Your dress today is beginning
to grate with me so what say we arrange for some new clothes to be
delivered here, at my expense of course?"

It seemed like a fair request.

"Ok John, that's fine."

John reached into his draw and took out a tailor's tape measure.

"Ok Tammy, I am going to need to measure you in order to make sure
everything fits perfectly. Come here please"

She reluctantly went over to his chair. Hoping to deflect him she said

"I know my measurements, John, there really is no need to bother yourself"

John's smiled became more fixed as his tone became more clipped.

"It's no bother Tammy because I need measurements you may well not know off
hand. Come over her and face me please"

Tammy stood in front of John as he got out of his chair.

"First things, first, your waist measurement. Turn around please and remove
your jacket"

Tammy turned and removed her jacket. She could feel John's breath on the
back of her shirt as he took the measurement, using it as an excuse to hold
her as he did so. He held her so tight that, to her horror, she would feel
his erection dig into her buttocks despite all the layers of clothing
between. She froze, scared and unsure of what to do but feeling like a tiny
girl inside.

When John released the hold she thought it was over but her replaced it
with his hands, feeling all round her waist like a pawing bear.

"I find I am a good judge of a lady's size Tammy. I like to verify the
tape-measure with my own personal intuition. Hold still whilst I check you"


Green continued to feel her waist for a good minute until he appeared to be
satisfied. He leant forward and whispered in her ear in a manner that
terrified her.

"Now for your chest measurement. Arms up please"

Tammy placed her arms up as John took the measurement. Then, as before, he
placed his hands on her. This time he settled with one hand cupping each
breast through her shirt and bra.

"I am a little uncertain as to your chest measurement, Tammy. I am afraid I
shall have to ask you to strip to the waist in order for me to verify it"

Tammy tried to fight back in a way that did not seem like she was arguing
with the boss.

"But that would expose me, John, and I am sure you would not want me to do
that now would you? We can guess it, surely?"

John stepped back and Tammy instinctively turned to face him. He looked
angry as he spoke

"Look Tammy we all have to sacrifice a little if we want to get ahead in
this game. I have no desire to see you exposed but I simply have to have a
PA who is in tune with my sense of dress. I have a lot of power and am
capable of rewarding dependable people handsomely, making them for life. I
also have the power to punish undependable people so that they never work
again, except maybe frying burgers. Don't make me think you are
undependable so soon Tammy, just co-operate and we can get this over
with. Please"

The threat was clear and Tammy suddenly felt very vulnerable. If she lost
not only this position but also the chance at another, her life would
collapse under her debts. She needed time to think about how to counter all
this but at the moment she needed to play along.

"I am sorry John. Forgive me"

Tammy turned her back on John again and then stripped to the waist. Her
attempts to maintain any modesty were shattered, however, when John came
over behind her again and cupped her naked breasts in his hands. All he
needed to say was expressed by the slow, deliberate way he molested her.

"Ok Tammy, now for your buttocks. Turn and face me please"

Trying again to save some dignity, Tammy asked

"Do you want me to put my shirt and bra back on first?"

John's tone returned.

"No, we do not have time for all that. Just turn please" As Tammy turned,
John kneeled to ensure his eyes were at the same level as her breasts. He
did not even bother with the pretext of the measuring tape this time before
he placed his hands on her buttocks. John feigned concern.

"You work out which is good Tammy but this skirt is getting in the way of a
proper measurement. Take it off please, facing me all the time"

Tammy felt cold inside as she removed her skirt for him. She could see
John's eyes move from her breasts down to her pussy, which was barely
concealed under black satin panties. John placed his hands on her thinly
clothed buttocks and felt their firmness with delight, becoming more
breathless as he slowly lowered himself a little before pulling Tammy
towards him. He was rewarded with a full-face and up-close view of her
pussy, silhouetted by the dark satin.

Tammy was terrified about where this was going to lead but she hoped,
against hope, that simply seeing her naked would be enough for him at the
moment. She had no doubt at all that he would ask her to remove the last of
her clothing shortly.

John threw her with his next question.

"Do you shave your vagina Tammy? I ask simply because I prefer to see a
clean-shaven vagina and, given that we will be away on business a lot, I
expect I will see yours accidentally from time to time"

The brazen nature of the enquiry, let alone the inference for the future,
shocked Tammy even though she was already reeling from the current
situation. She knew he was about to see anyway so lying was pointless.

"Yes, I do"

"Show me. Remove your panties please"

There, it was said. Tammy was beginning to recover herself slowly and her
impatience at wanting to get this over caused her to snatch her panties
down in a sharp motion. John did not seem to care at all for he was lost in
his desire for her.

"You know, Tammy, some women shave well and some don't. It's often a fine
line between the two but to a man used to the best things, like me, it's
important. The only way to know for sure is by touch. I don't mean fingers
either, for they are not sensitive enough, I mean the face. It's important
to me that my PA shaves her pussy well."

Before Tammy could comment John gave her an order. It was an order, not a
veiled-order like before, but a quietly aggressive demand.

"Sit in my chair and open your legs to me"




As Tammy sat in the chair, her legs open, she feared rape. She was
reassured to see, however, that he approached her fully clothed. He knelt
down before her and began to silently give her head. Despite her fear,
Tammy had to admit that after a minute or so she was beginning to enjoy
it. Here was the CEO to a major oil company, a very powerful man, on his
knees attempting to pleasure her. She scolded herself but nonetheless could
not help enjoying the situation, whilst still hating the circumstances that
had created it. John was very talented and within 4 minutes Tammy came with
a yelp. John stood over her.

"You see Tammy? I gave be very generous to my Pa's if they prove to be
reliable. I think you are going to work out just fine and your pussy has
passed inspection. There is only one more measurement to take before we are
done and you can get dressed again."

The words sent another cold shiver through Tammy that overpowered the
warmth of her afterglow.

"Stand up and let me sit there please"

Tammy stood and allowed John to sit down, still wondering what else he
wanted before he would leave her alone.

"I need new underwear as these boxers of mine are too tight. I fine it hard
to judge you see, never having measured my penis when it is erect. We can
order some new ones for me when we order your clothes, Tammy, but I need
you to measure my penis first. You will not need the tape-measure"

John stripped and exposed his erection to Tammy. She figured he wanted her
to "measure" it with her hands and so she knelt and began to stroke him
gently. John closed his eyes for a second to enjoy the sensation before
speaking again

"That's good Tammy but I've found that ladies measure a penis best with
their mouths. Isn't that the way you usually do it Tammy, measure up a
boyfriend I mean, before you let him fuck you? It's with your
mouth. Measure mine like you measure theirs, with your mouth and tongue,
and start slowly but then build. Take measurements until I say to stop"

As Tammy began to blow John in his chair he decided to make a call. It soon
became clear that he had called his wife and he chatted to her whilst
watching. Tammy felt sick to be made to be a part of it. A part of her
remembered her fantasy from last night and she felt ashamed to have ever
found it erotic.

Eventually John came and allowed her to get dressed again before sending
her to lunch. She cried in the elevator as she descended to the car park,
intent on driving to a nearby park to think about what she should
do. Bastion watched her with satisfaction because he thought that the
weeping was a positive sign. He continued with his commentary for the
digest.

"Miss Squires is no doubt off somewhere quiet to think about things. The
tears seem to indicate she is not about to rebel, though time will tell"
Bastion was so intent on his commentary that he failed to notice the man as
he approached Tammy. The first he knew was when this well-dressed
individual greeted her from off-camera, forcing the mobile unit to pan in
order to show who owned the distinctly British-accented voice.

"Hello sweetheart, thought I'd surprise you as I caught an earlier flight
than I expected!"

As the man spoke he rushed over and embraced Tammy with real warmth and
affection, turning her startled form ever so slightly so that her body
blocked his hands from the mobile unit's camera. Only Tammy could see that
he had drawn a pistol from his pocket and that the pistol was pointing at
her stomach. As she froze in terror the embrace almost became comical but
this individual was clearly practised at making the unusual look normal. He
hissed into her ear.

"Miss Squires, there is no time to explain and this is not the place. I
assure you that I am here to help you but I also assure you that unless you
come with me, right now, I will kill you where you stand."

He took Tammy's arm in a casual manner that belied the steel grip it
endowed before half marching her to a waiting car. He opened the passenger
door and bundled her into it, all the while maintaining a breezy monologue
about how busy the flight had been, before hurrying around to the drivers
side. Getting into his car and starting it were almost one motion, they
were so practised, and by the time Bastion could regain his senses the car
was already racing from the parking area.

As the car began to speed away Bastion acted with the cool detachment of
the professional hitman, evaluating the unexpected whilst at the same time
calculating a way in which it could be channelled to suit his plan. He
opened private channels to the forces he had at his disposal.

"Mobile One, stay with them but keep your distance. We can use conventional
CCTV to keep track if the need arises. Mobile Two stay loose around one and
cease filming. Your mission is to pick them up when they stop in case they
have somehow identified Mobile One as following them."

Bastion was interrupted by a signal

"Bastion, this is Aegis. I am watching the show and wondered if you needed
any assistance?"

Aegis was more than just another Guild member to Bastion, although they
both occupied the same seniority, he was the nearest thing he had to a
friend. Even though they knew nothing about each other outside of their
professional contacts they trusted one another implicitly. It made the
request a sincere gesture, as opposed to the breach protocol that one
watcher stepping on the territory of another it would otherwise have
been. Bastion could not help smiling despite himself



"I did not know you were a fan of the show my old friend. No thanks, I am
sure it's something and nothing and we have it covered. Stick around and
see how it works out."

Aegis laughed

"It should certainly liven up the daily digest if nothing else. I'll leave
my offer on the table and then, of course, defer to your own expert
handling of situations like this. Have fun Bastion"

Inside the car Tammy had regained her composure a little but it was clear
that she had no way out of this, not least because of the speed at which
the man was driving. She thought it best to try to strike up a rapport with
him in the hopes she might live long enough to seize her chance.

"I don't suppose you have a name do you?"

I was an aggressive question to fire at a stranger who had just about
kidnapped her but it was the best she could do without thinking. He keep
his gaze on the road as he replied

"What name do you most like, Miss Squires?"

It was not the response she had anticipated but it was said with politeness
and not a hint of malice or aggression. Tammy shrugged

"There was a boy at school once who was called Connor. That always seemed a
nice name"

"Then you are in luck Miss Squires for my name is Connor"

She caught the half-smile on his face and decided not to argue. The one
thing this man seemed, apart from an expert driver, was friendly. She took
it that he simply did not want to share anything he did not have to.

"If it's not to obvious a question Connor, why have you kidnapped me at
gunpoint?"

Connor laughed in the restrained manner indicative of his nationality.

"Not obvious, straight and to the point. I am afraid Tammy, if I may call
you that, it was the only way to give us a little space from those who were
truly holding you captive. You have from now until the time it takes for me
to drive you home to make the most important decision of your life, namely
do you trust me? If the answer is no then I will let you go and you shall
never see me again however, after you have seen what I have to show you, I
hope you will say yes and in so doing liberate yourself from an early
grave"





Tammy did not know what to say and so she said nothing in reply, just
stared at the road ahead. Connor opened a compartment in the car dashboard.

"Inside there you will see a mini-computer that is much smaller than the
commercial laptop you could buy down the mall but, I assure you, just as
functional. I have pre-set it to receive a certain Internet signal and I
just need you to retrieve the unit and activate it. The console is
self-explanatory and I want you to assimilate as much of the data as you
can in the next 10 minutes. Say nothing, just watch and learn. Then give me
your comments"

Tammy retrieved and activated the computer. The initial shock of seeing the
live feed from the Guild's programme, the rear of the car she was in as it
ducked and weaved, was as nothing compared to the ice that gripped her soul
soon afterwards. She read her own therapy notes, saw her life laid bare in
the most intimate details and saw highlights from the previous night's show
which included how she had helped to masturbate hundreds of men. She read
about the job offer, heard the decision to make John Green sexually harass
her and saw the numerous camera angles on her humiliation from this
morning. She had been given everything she ever could have needed but her
mind was reeling too badly to think straight

"Who are you Connor?"

"The most important first step for you Tammy is to know who they are, who
the bastards behind that programme are and what they want from you. Have
you ever heard of the Illuminati?"

"Yes, some secret society thing that's meant to control the world isn't
it?"

"They go by a lot of names and have a lot of agendas but, fundamentally,
you're correct. Everyone thinks of them as group which is plotting to take
over the world but that is old-hat, for they already have taken over give
or take the odd influential individual. Their main function now is to
prevent anyone from realising it, stirring up the masses and challenging
their grip with a popular uprising. They are by and large men and therefore
they also use that power for sexual dominance and recreation, of which that
show is the centre-point. You are I fear, Miss Squires, the star in an
all-too reality show from which you are unlikely to escape without my help"

"Why can't I just go to the cops or jump on the next plane out of here?"

Connor talked with the patience of one addressing a small child

"Tammy they are more than just the police and there is nowhere, absolutely
nowhere that your plane could take you that they would not find you. If you
are seen to run they will know you know about them and they will kill
you. Nothing is more important to them than maintaining secrecy and if a
breach is ordered by a watcher, every resource on the planet is available
to that watcher to close down the leak."

Tammy looked puzzled

"A watcher?"

"The Guild has very few full members but quite a few partial members. In
between those levels are a select few whose mission is primarily to protect
the interests of the Guild. They are distinct to other Guild members
because they are given names associated with defence, with the highest
watcher being the only one to also be a full Guild member. He is simply
called C, in deference, but I can tell you that the one we need to worry
about most is called Bastion. He fancies himself as a master-entertainer
and has gained special dispensation from the Guild in exchange for
providing shows like the one you are part of. If we are to ever liberate
you then we must close down Bastion once and for all"

The car was rapidly approaching Tammy's house.

"Why are you helping me Connor?"

For the first time in their brief acquaintance, Tammy thought she saw a
look of genuine vulnerability flash on Connor's face

"I've never been a fan of the Guild and have locked horns with them before
however I recently lost someone close to me. She died in circumstances that
were innocent to the police but that smelled like a Guild occurrence to me,
so I began to dig. I found and killed a Guild member in the hope that his
computer might give me clues. It did more than that, it showed me how they
had put her through this so-called show before becoming tired of her after
four days. I assumed the identity of the Guild member, for the show at
least, and I have been getting live-feeds ever since. When I saw they had a
new victim I decided to act, in her memory and in the name of common
decency"

The car pulled up outside the house and Tammy saw that the show was
broadcasting every minute of it. Connor turned to ask her the question she
knew was coming but she interrupted him before he could speak

"Yes, Connor, I trust you. What can we do about all this?"

Connor looked deep into her eyes

"Firstly you have to continue the masquerade with the Guild. If they find
out you suspect they will kill you. Secondly you have to obey me without
question, no matter how odd the instruction may seem. Finally I am posing
as your boyfriend. They know you do not have one but they are human, they
will doubt themselves and do endless checks. That may just buy us the time
we need to plan a proper means of ending all this. Now, kiss me"

Tammy was surprised by the request

"Sorry?"

"Hurry, they are watching us and we are in a parked car talking. I am the
boyfriend you have not seen in weeks and unless you kiss me they are going
to assume it was not sweet-nothings we were exchanging"

Tammy sank into a kiss with Connor and for the first time all day she felt
safe. It was a shame when the kiss ended and they had to leave. As Connor
took a few bags from the trunk of the car he slipped in his computer, all
the time making more small talk about how things had been for him in the
last two weeks. Tammy quickly realised that he knew the Guild could hear
every word and she joined in as best she could.

Once inside Connor put his bags in the main hall. He called to Tammy who
was in the kitchen

"Honey, I know you have to get back to work in a few minutes but I am very
dirty from the flight and need a shower. Why don't you join me?"

Still getting used to her role, Tammy hesitated for a moment before
remembering what she needed to project to the audience

"Ok Connor, sounds wonderful. I only have ten minutes though before I get
back"

They ascended into the bathroom and closed the door. Connor spoke clearly
to Tammy for the first time

"For reasons best known to himself, C vetoed the use of audio or visual
equipment in the bathroom during the show. Maybe he's got an aversion to
bodily waste or something. It does mean, importantly, that this is the one
room we can talk freely in. I've set a precedent for us showering together
now but they will expect us to come out of here having showered. The
smallest slip may alert them. I am afraid modesty must be left to one side
Tammy during this matter. We need to shower now please"

Connor broke the ice first by stripping quickly. Tammy could see he was
well built even for a man in his 40's and she could not help but feel a
little aroused as she watched him enter the shower. She disrobed herself in
a matter of seconds and joined him.

The shower was designed for one and there was little room for two strangers
to be in there without touching. Tammy did her best but every now and then
her breasts caught his arm or back, making her wince. Connor had clearly
noticed this

"Tammy we are meant to be a couple of over a year's standing and unless we
get our body-language right out there we are going to fool no-one. I
understand and respect your shyness but it will get you killed unless you
move past it. I think the fastest way for that to happen is for us to touch
each other in here, get used to our bodies, as lovers should be. Soap up
your hands and stimulate me, make me erect and get a good look at my
erection. Then wash my body, slowly, until you get over your shyness around
me"

Tammy soaped up her hands and began to stroke Connor's flaccid penis with
one, soft finger before she cupped his balls and massaged them. Connor
groaned as the sensations registered and soon Tammy could feel his manhood
becoming firmer. She felt herself becoming aroused as she looked at him and
felt pleased that, if she had to have a pretend boyfriend, it was at least
with someone who was so sexually confident.

Her hands began to wash Connor, exploring every inch of his muscular frame
as the water washed away her inhibitions. When she was done Connor soaped
up his hands and began to massage her shoulders, sending shivers up and
down her back, before he placed the most delicate of touches onto each
breast. As the soap washed away he replaced his hands with his mouth,
suckling each breast in turn as his hands stroked her buttocks, in a
combination that made her understand just how talented this man
was. Looking deep into her eyes, Connor slowly moved his fingers to her
vagina and began to stimulate her inside and out in a way that made her
knees buckle. Finally he washed her legs and back before he was
complete. Looking at her again he said, in a voice designed to reassure.

"You are beautiful Tammy and we will get you out of this, you have my
word. I hope this initial session helped that objective greatly. Now you
have to get dressed and return to work to face John Green again. Remember
he is designed to push you to well beyond your limits, to see if the money
and prospect will make you into a de facto prostitute rather than quit and
face ruin. If they think you will play along then you will remain
interesting to them and you will live. Never forget that rule, Tammy. The
show is designed to provide sexual interest, nothing more or less, and the
moment you stop showing that promise to them they will cancel you for
good. Improvise if you can but follow their bread-trail if you cannot."

"What about you?"

"I will stay here and work. I've unnerved them enough and I do not want
them to think I am a loose cannon. I have just flown in so it's logical
that I would take the day off anyway. Come straight home after work"

Bastion watched his monitor as it showed him the couple exiting the
bathroom very much arm in arm and clearly in love. He decided a comment for
the daily digest was in order

"As you can see gentlemen the man called Connor is clearly a boyfriend,
although one our extensive research failed to find. Although his presence
was not anticipated it is in the very nature of the show, the thrill shall
we say, that it is unscripted. Whilst our research continues on Connor we
shall focus back on Miss Squires as she continues at work. I have cancelled
the personal-trainer who was meant to become Miss Squire's boyfriend for
the moment, though that option remains open again if we decide to eliminate
Connor"

Bastion closed the channel as another opened

"Bastion, this is Aegis again. Nice speak to calm to jitters of the
listeners but what do you really think about this new guy?"

"We only have a still from the camera and a first name, so searching the
databases will take time. We are starting in Lexington and working
outwards"

"You could expedite the search greatly if you declared a breach, for you
would gain a lot more than just your own network"

Bastion snorted in contempt

"A breach? For a boyfriend coming to visit? I can assure you that whichever
researcher missed Connor will pay for it dearly but I think it a little
premature to sound the alarm just yet. At best it would make me look a
laughing stock if he turns out to be the nothing he appears and at worst,
after C inevitably hears about it, it may cause him to question my ability
to handle my team. Connor is part of the show until I identify he needs to
no longer be a part. When that time comes I intend to handle it within my
own team, as I am sure you understand Aegis"

"I do Bastion and I was merely offering my thoughts. I'll watch the show
with a keener interest than usual, my friend. Take care"

Tammy felt strangely empowered as she drove back to the office. Although
the events of the past 24 hours had been hellish, simply knowing what was
happening gave her some sense of control. Connor had not only briefed her
but he had also grounded her, giving her both a morbid dread of the future
and a hope that she could somehow avoid what had happened to the other
contestants. Keep sexually interesting, that was what Connor had said. As
long as she was she would remain alive.

Tammy entered the office again and walked confidently into John Green's
office. Her confidence took a battering however when she saw the clothes he
had bought for her. Green laid them out on his desk.

"As you can see Tammy I have had my people busy during your lunch. These
are more the sort of things I expect my PA to wear"

Tammy looked them over with her best acting face on. They were cheap, tarty
and more suited to a street hooker than an office worker.

"You can change into them now"

The inference was clear given the events of the morning. Green had no
intention of turning his back whilst she did and so she simply discarded
her top layer of clothing quickly, denying him the tease of a slow strip
whilst obeying every order as she knew she must. As she reached for the
clothing, Green stopped her.

"I think a PA works much better when she is not encumbered by
underwear. Remove your bra and panties, give them to me, and then put on
the new uniform please"

When Tammy handed him her undergarments he sniffed the crotch of her
panties with deliberate relish, watching her dress in the mini-skirt and
low-cut top he had provided. With no bra to assist, the top held her so
tightly as to make it virtually see-through.

Green sat down on his chair.

"Now we are ready for another letter Tammy"

As Tammy went to sit in her chair he held his hand up to stop her.

"Not note-taking this time, my dear, I thought it best to dictate to
tape. You can audio-type it later."

Green reached into his desk and produced a Dictaphone. He handed the main
unit to Tammy but kept the mini-microphone, which was on a very long lead,
to himself. Tammy suddenly became nervous as to where this was leading.

Green beckoned her closer before he gave her another straight order.

"Come kneel on my desk, facing away from me"

Tammy knelt in a tight doggie-style position and the mini-skirt melted
before Green's eyes, revealing her naked shaven pussy in all its
glory. Green placed the mini-microphone holder inside her vaginal lips, so
only the microphone itself was visible. She heard his aroused voice from
behind her

"I've always preferred hands-free Tammy. You hold the microphone and work
the machine, I'll just get close to the mike to make sure my voice is clear
for you later"

Tammy could feel Green's breath as he began to dictate a letter with his
face almost smothered by her sweet, musky perfume. For what seemed like an
age he remained, panting like a dog on heat whilst all Tammy could do was
feel desperately lonely. She knew she had to play along for the Guild but
she wanted Connor to hold her again and make this humiliating pain go away.

Eventually John Green finished and returned to his chair as if he had
simply dictated a letter in the normal way. The practised air of
professional normality, Tammy concluded, must be what allowed his wife to
never find out just what an evil man she had married.

Green informed her that they had a meeting to attend later that afternoon
and so they began his preparation. When it came to matters of the business
he certainly knew his stuff and for the next ninety minutes he was the very
model of the dynamic CEO. As the meeting drew near, Tammy was preparing the
final draft of his notes when he suddenly changed the subject.

"Oh, by the way Tammy. Before we go into the meeting there is a little
ceremony I am expected to perform her, to congratulate our employee of the
month. I'll send for them now. Shouldn't take long"





Green pressed a button and a young man, probably no older than 26, entered
the office. He looked very nervous indeed. Green flashed a smile at him as
he entered.

"Close the door David please and stand in the middle of the room. Miss
Squires this is David Grundy, a hot young junior executive who has
outperformed all his peers demonstrably this month. As a token of our
gratitude, we are going to award him $10,000 and present him with a lasting
memento"

Green stood up and invited David to sit in his chair, whilst Tammy was told
to sit in her chair facing him.

"There David, give it a try. If you keep on going as you are one day it'll
be yours for keeps"

David looked sheepish as he replied

"Thank you Mr Green. I hope so"

"How is the family, David? Married 6 years isn't it?"

"Yes sir"

"Two young children and one on the way I hear? Productive in and out of
work it seems" Green said with a small laugh.

Tammy could not help noticing that David was distracted by her presence but
then, in these clothes, she could not imagine he would not have been. She
felt deeply embarrassed for him.

David blushed at Green's attempt at humour.

"Yes, I am sir"

Green moved over to behind David before he spoke again

"The money will help I guess David, given that you are the only breadwinner
in a house filled with debt. Now, another question, have you ever looked at
another woman's pussy since you married your wife?"

David turned in horror, unsure at how to reply to his boss but outraged at
such a personal question. Green shouted at him

"If you value your income, your home and your livelihood you will keep
facing Miss Squires and answer my goddam questions!"

David turned and rigidly stared at Tammy with the look of a terrified
animal caught in the headlights. His answer was in a very weak voice

"No, I have not looked at another woman's anything since I got married. I
love my wife too much" Green continued in his normal calm tone, assured he
had made his point

"In fact, David, you made great play about the fact that she was your only
girlfriend. You waited before marriage before you even held hands, didn't
you?"

"Yes, it was a matter of principle for us both. We are still glad we waited
as it makes our union so special"

Green looked at Tammy

"Spread your legs for David, Miss Squires"

David gasped more out of fear than arousal as he was forced to watch Tammy
open her legs to him. After a few moments, however, the male instinct
within him made him want to stare at the pussy of this gorgeous woman. That
made him feel the most intense shame of his life.

Green leaned into David's back.

"Beautiful isn't it? Tammy, come her and sit on my desk just in front of
David. Spread your legs again and let him get a good look at what you have
between them"

Tammy felt sickened more than ever as she had to comply. Her face tried to
show David how sorry she was for her part in all this but he was too
terrified to notice. Soon David's face was a mere inch from her pussy and
he could smell her for the first time. The memories of his wife kept him
from screaming, for he knew they needed the money more than he needed to
run.

Green was now enjoying himself immensely as was self-evident from the tone
of his voice.

"What is your wife's name David?"

"Julie, its Julie Grundy"

"Well it's only fair that we do not forget her in all this, after all she's
been your support whilst you have worked so well for us. Show your
gratitude for her by tracing with your tongue, on Miss Squire's clitoris,
'David Grundy loves Julie Grundy, his one and only lover, forsaking all
others'"

David hesitated and Green added, with new menace

"Unless you want me to tell her you've been fired for feeling up my PA?"

David began to trace the letters on Tammy's clitoris, doing it so gently
that she knew in her heart he had only ever done this for the one woman he
loved. It made her cry inside that she was being made to corrupt such a
loving soul even though the motions began to give her pleasure.

Once he had finished, David withdrew with small tears in his eyes. This
only seemed to spur Green on further. He leant into David again as he spoke

"That was a nice gesture David, I am sure Julie would have appreciated
it. You have a few close friends in the office David and one of them told
me that you and Julie took some shots and video on honeymoon, close moments
shall we say, which you have stored on a web-based email. You like to view
them sometimes during lunch as a reminder of your first time together. I am
sure you would like to share such a happy moment with us today. Download
them onto my PC at once"

David was resigned now but even so this extra violation, of his most sacred
moments with his wife, caused him to hesitate. Then he remembered Green's
threats and he felt compelled to download the files.

Green opened them and Tammy saw the young couple, clearly nervous and
complete virgins, begin to embrace and make love the best way they could
figure how. They did not undress and Julie was still in her wedding dress
whilst David wore his marital suit. The video was good quality and the
sound was so good that they could almost hear the heartbeats.

Green took the mouse and waited for the moment when David was about to
enter his wife for the very first time and then paused the video. He opened
another series of still shots which showed Julie Grundy exposing herself
around her wedding dress. These had clearly been taken before they made
love as Julie looked very nervous.

Green let out a low mocking whistle as he cycled through the shots

"There we are. That's the bride's virginal tits, her pert ass and her
virginal pussy. To think it took her four years to show you them and yet
she's shown me in under an hour. Now, let's see how good that sound really
was"

With that Green allowed the video to move on. As it showed David
penetrating Julie she gasped but Green, looking for something else, ran it
back and forth a little. He then opened another programme on his pc and
copied the moments of penetration, in sound only, to a splitter
programme. Just before the gasp it was possible to hear a tiny, wet crack.

Green smiled.

"How lovely of you David to share the sound of your wife's hymen
breaking. If you just excuse me for a moment I am going to make that sound
my notification of new email, her moan upon entry my new window sound and
that shot of her with her legs spread and tits out in her dress my
wallpaper."

David just shrunk as Green took his most precious memories of Julie and
debased them into pornography for his own gratification. Tammy could not
believe that even Green could be so sadistic but, with her life on the
line, she could do anything but watch in silent horror.


Green finished and then leant into David again

"You know Julie's nice but Miss Squires here is much better looking. I
could not allow you to leave here without a nice memento to celebrate your
employee of the month status. If you refuse any part of my gift I will fire
you and ensure Julie is handed enough fabricated evidence to think you are
an embezzler and a womaniser. Do you understand me David?"

"Yes sir" David said in a hoarse whisper.

Green smiled

"Ok, well according to the video your first wedding fuck lasted 5 minutes
and 33 seconds. Miss Squires, go into the first closet and get changed into
the outfit that awaits you. David, go into the second and do the same. You
have 3 minutes to return"

Both of them entered the closet wondering and returned in certain, hellish
knowledge, as to what Green planned. Green told them to stand before him.

"Miss Squires is wearing the exact same wedding-dress and underclothes that
Julie was wearing and you, David, are wearing exactly the same clothing as
well. Thanks to your friends I learnt you kept them, unwashed, at home as a
keep-sake and I had them stolen and brought here. Your main prize for
winning the employee of the month, David, is to claim Miss Squires as
another wife whilst smelling Julie every second. Miss Squires, lay on the
desk and then David I want you to mount her. I will turn the screen towards
you and you must mount her as you did Julie on that night. Any deviation
will result in all sanctions mentioned earlier"

Tammy lay down and arranged herself, still dressed but fully exposed, as
she had seen Julie do in the video. David entered her with a look of utter,
utter defeat and self-loathing on his face. As David entered her, Green
played the sound of Julie's hymen breaking. He then quickly said

"Do not fuck your new bride yet David, just rest up her vagina for the
moment. As I said, it's a shame to exclude your wife from your happy day,
so I want you to ring her up at home. Tell her to download the video and
that you want to relieve your first ever time together. Tell her you want
her to masturbate whilst she watches it, allowing you to hear her on the
phone, and that you will masturbate and allow her to hear you. Finally tell
her you want it to last exactly 5 minutes and 33 seconds, like your first
ever fuck did. If she asks where you are say you sneaked off work and have
grabbed a private office for a quick bit of illicit sex. David, one last
thing, make her agree and when she does I want you to fuck Miss Squires for
the same time. You are to come at the same time as your wife, on that mark,
and you are to moan throughout so she can hear you fucking another
woman. Tammy remain silent. I will video you both"

David made the call.

"Hello love, don't talk just listen" he began.

In a few moments he had convinced Julie to play and Green put her on
speaker. At his mark David began to fuck Tammy as Julie masturbated noisily
on the other end of the line. Green not only taped the incoming call alone,
to allow him to hear David's wife masturbate for him whenever he liked, but
also videoed David as he became more and more aroused fucking
Tammy. Despite the situation David could not help but enjoy the sensations
of the tight, gorgeous pussy around his near virginal shaft. Green was
right, Tammy did feel better than his wife ever had

On the mark they all came, through more faking than actuality, and Green
sat back to hear them all pant. He put the speakerphone on mute whilst he
checked to see if David's sperms really was inside Tammy's vagina and, when
satisfied, allow them to get off the table. He said to David

"Tell Julie, while you recover, that you want her to tell you every naughty
thing, every sex act and every fantasy that you have shared as best she can
remember. Tell her to make it a monologue, as you just want to bask in the
sound of her voice. Then get dressed but remain silent and stay here."

David complied and soon Green sat back to record every intimate moment of
their six year marriage, every fuck, every illicit blowjob in public, every
fondle and every fantasy that Julie could remember. He thrilled knowing
that he was violating the sanctity of their union with every syllable, for
those with no love in their heart hate true love most of all.

When Julie had finished, Green got David to end the call. He looked over to
him

"David, I hope we understand each other. I have video of you being
unfaithful to your wife and I shot it in such a way as to make it look like
you were alone together. Not only will I use that if I have to but also I
will ruin your financial security. You will obey me from now on or I will
destroy you. Get changed into your works clothes again and go home, to
begin on a project for me. You have two months to convince your wife that
you want to get involved in the swinging scene, threaten divorce if she
refuses. In 8 weeks you will invite me to you home to sleep with your wife
whilst you watch and you will make her watch as you profess your desire to
suck my cock. You and your wife will then take it in turns to suck my cock
and swallow my seed, both on your knees, whilst I stand over you in your
front room. Fail me and you may as well end your life, David, for I will
make you wish you were not alive. Now go"

David changed quickly and then fled as Green turned with a smile to Tammy.

"Now, time for that meeting I think. Get changed back out of that wedding
dress Miss Squires, it makes you look like a $2 whore"

Bastion was pleased that Green was living up to his brief. The daily digest
needed spicing up and the Guild members would appreciate the power-game
Green was playing. Bastion thought another comment would help the audience
gain a better appreciation.



"John Green is my own personal find and, I think you will agree gentlemen,
a real asset to the production team. In a few years he may even have proved
worthy enough to become a partial member of the Guild but in the meantime
he has been granted all the power he needs to serve us, with his own
inimitable style added of course. Our unexpected houseguest, the man called
Connor, has been lazily sitting around Miss Squires house watching
television. Other than the nature of his arrival he currently appears
unremarkable but we shall see over time"

Bastion ended his commentary and opened a new channel. His tone changed
immediately from the one he had adopted for the audience, suddenly becoming
annoyed and maybe just a little tense.

"Agent 7 this is Bastion. What progress on Connor?"

Agent 7 replied with the air of a seasoned professional footballer who is
about to tell his coach that he suddenly cannot catch the ball anymore.

"We know a lot about what he is not, sir. The photograph and name do not
cross-refer to any database in Lexington and, though we are only partially
through searching them yet, it is looking like he is on no Federal database
either. That included immigration, which we checked because of his
accent. We have contacts running through military and civilian intelligence
in Britain but he's certainly not on their general police of governmental
systems either"

Bastion paused for a moment, his mind racing.

"What about Lexington airport?"

"First place we checked sir. No-one with the name Connor, first or last,
looks like the man in the house. We also checked all the CCTV from the
airport from the last week, let alone day, and he's not come in under any
other name either. The car registration is false but the car itself is an
exact replica for one reported crushed a month ago in Midland, Texas."

"Why would he have chosen Texas, Agent?"

The agent took a second to think before sighing. This was clearly a stab in
the dark answer.

"Well, it's across federal lines so the update to local law-enforcement
would lag. Being such a large area the vehicle could have been brought to
Midland from pretty much anywhere without attracting too many witnesses. It
smells to me like a professional decoy but a true professional would know
that the car, at worst, would be notified onto local records within two
weeks. He's overdue a change"

Bastion relaxed a little

"So he's already making mistakes then?"

"Yes sir, unless he wanted whoever ran the car to know he knew enough about
counter-surveillance to use the manoeuvre in the first place"

Now Bastion was worried. He showed it in a manner typical of the child-man
he was. He shouted

"Listen, I don't care what games he may or may not be playing. There is not
a man born of woman that the resources of the Guild cannot find. I expect
to know his mother's maiden name, let alone who he is, within twelve
hours. Twelve, do you hear me agent?"

"Yes sir. It will be done"

The channel closed. Bastion had just a second to compose himself before
another channel opened. It was not enough

"What?" he bellowed

"Sorry Bastion, this is Aegis. Have I caught you at a bad moment?"

The friendly voice brought Bastion round instantly.

"No, not at all. I am just surrounded by incompetent underlings that's
all. How can I help you?"

"I know it's a breach of protocol but some of your agents came sniffing
around mine for the British information search on Connor. I took the
liberty of asking them to copy me with what they found. I thought you might
appreciate an ear to talk to without having to go to C"

Bastion sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. If it was a choice
between ego and good council he prided himself on choosing the council. It
was a typical self-deception.

"Aegis, if it were anyone else but you I would decline. The floor's
yours. What's your call on all this?"

Aegis's cultivated tones were barely done justice by the crystal-clear
signal

"The odds that we missed Connor in the research are slim. The odds that
Tammy Squires has a boyfriend who we missed and who just happens to live
the life of James Bond are nil. The man is clearly there with an agenda and
Miss Squires is a vehicle for that agenda, nothing more"

Bastion interrupted

"How do we know that Squires is not a co-conspirator?"



"Impossible. Your agents trailed and researched her for two years before
she was ready. There is no way she could have been recruited without our
knowledge. This man is the only kind of random element, the loose cannon
with a mission, our network cannot detect in advance. I doubt he knows of
our existence or else he would never have entered that house. Only a
suicidal man would seek to challenge us so blatantly. If he were linked to
some covert-operation our contacts in the governments would have found out
what it was by now, even if they had not already given us their customary
twenty-four hours warning, which they have never yet failed to do. My best
guess is that he's passing through Lexington and has either bribed or
threatened Miss Squires to shelter him, possibly whilst they were in his
car. We cannot, however, assume he does not have friends who care enough to
check on him"

Bastion relaxed at that analysis. A gangster or lunatic was no threat to
him.

"So you suggest an undertaker unit, Aegis. End him quickly?"

"No, quite the contrary. Until we know the consequences of his death it
would be foolish to assume that there would be none. He's connected well
enough to avoid the usual records and we need to know what that means. My
advice is to play it one of two ways. Call a breach and let us turn the
entire weight of the Guild on him and pull him apart or allow your agents
to get there in the end, meanwhile keeping the tone of your show sexual
rather than political"

"Which would you chose Aegis?"

Aegis sighed.

"You already know old friend, just as I know you will choose option
two. Good luck. Aegis out"

The reference to "sexual" suddenly brought Bastion back to his primary
focus. He cursed himself for having devoted twenty minutes to something
that others had covered, time he should have been spending on the star of
his show. Bastion took one last look at the feed from the house and laughed
to himself. How could this Connor, a man who seemed to spend all his free
time watching trash television, possibly hurt him? Bastion looked at the
feed from the office and saw that Green and Tammy had moved from his office
to the boardroom.

Tammy was sitting next to Green at the head of a huge table. The table was
solid wood and far more suited to a medieval banqueting hall than a
boardroom, with room for several courses per guest and elaborate table
decorations. The actual dressing of the table, little more than a pen and
pad per delegate, made the emptiness striking

At the corner of the room was a projector designed for Power-Point
presentations and the ubiquitous flip-chart that always seems to grace, or
otherwise, any corporate meeting. Green sat with his back to them, in a
leather chair fit for a despot, as the delegates filed in. Tammy had
expected them to all look scared of Green and she was not surprised when
the filed in looking more like prisoners that valued participants. The only
mild surprise is one of the eight was a woman, in her middle-aged but still
attractive in an executive sort of way. They sat down and looked at Green.
Green addressed them warmly

"Ladies and gentlemen thank you for attending this inaugural meeting. I
know you know each other but I expect few of you have ever worked on the
same project before. I chose you because your records indicate you have
real commitment to the company, to the ethic of teamwork and because of
your seniority within your respective divisions. This session is mainly
designed to break the ice, brief you on the new project and also to test
you. I warn you that your loyalty to the company in general, and me in
particular, will be tested here today. If you pass you will enter a new
phase of your career. Heaven alone can help you if you fail. Any
questions?"

None dared to ask any. If they were nervous before, thought Tammy, they
were terrified now. Tammy could only wonder what humiliation lay ahead this
afternoon and again she found herself yearning for the comforting presence
of Connor. She hoped he was ok.

Green continued

"The themes of today's meeting are twofold. The first is closing the sale
and the second is screening out distractions in the workplace. This will
lead to a new international expansion project for those who can convince me
they have the necessary skills"

Green went to the flipchart and grabbed a pen.

"Ok, who can start me off with some distractions they may face in the
workplace?"

The lady said

"Too many emails"

Green wrote that on the board

"Yes, Mrs Winters, a good start. Too many emails, not enough
delegation. Anyone else?"

One of the male delegates took the lead

"Noise. A noisy working environment"

Green noted it on the chart

"That's fine Mr Ferguson. We all know how much we value our offices for
escaping that one"

The table had relaxed now. Another delegate spoke up

"Swamping. A lack of prioritisation"


Green wrote that down and then turned to them.

"That's fine Mr Yates but I was thinking of another word that begins with
the same letter"

With that he wrote, in letters that filled the remaining space on the
board, 'sex'.

The table froze in silence. Green turned to them and spoke with the manner
of a fire-brand preacher

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen. The buyers, the contacts, the clients out there
will also be ladies and gentlemen. Some will be downright ugly and staid,
some gorgeous and wanton, but we have to do business with them all. We have
to stay focused no matter what the sexual distractions may be. I only want
focused people in my new team, the rest are heading for the welfare queue."

Green let that threat rest for a moment before he turned to one of the men
who had spoke.

"Mr Ferguson, you are in charge of sales of our technology to partners. A
little role play now. Bring your chair over here to the corner and I will
bring mine. I am to be the buyer and you are to be the seller."

As Ferguson brought his chair over, Green activated an intercom.

"Ok, bring them in please and then leave"

Ten men silently brought in laptops and placed on the table where each
delegate was assigned to sit, the ninth was given to Green and the tenth to
Tammy. All were switched on and ready to receive. Tammy looked at her
screen and saw it was plain blue, giving nothing away. In addition to the
laptop, for each of the male delegates only, a small grey box was placed
under the table.

Green sat in front of Mr Ferguson, in a corner of the room now illuminated
so that each delegate could see the whole of each man clearly. Green
addressed the room.

"Ok, you will all participate in the role-plays today. I want you now to
read your screens and assimilate the assignments you have been given. Watch
them for further updates as well. Only Miss Squires and myself will see all
the information, a point you will appreciate in a second. Read and then
raise your hand to agree you will participate in your assigned role"

Tammy saw the data being transmitted. It was the personal dossier on each
delegate and was a veritable work of art, covering each sexual secret,
dirty dealing and criminal act they had committed since working for the
company. Green had used the Guild well, Tammy thought, for each and every
person in this room could not afford for even half the information
contained in their dossier to become known. At the end of each dossier was
a stark warning. Obey all orders in this room from Green, speak of this
meeting to no one and watch everything with complete attentiveness. Failure
to comply meant exposure, success in complying meant great career
advancement.

Slowly, in a state of shell shock, each delegate raised his or her
hands. Green spoke almost apologetically

"I need you to know that you can trust me and I need people I can
trust. This is a test of your obedience, nothing more, and certainly not
something I will enjoy having to put you through"

Tammy almost laughed out loud at the barefaced lie Green had just told with
such sincerity.

Green spoke next to Mr Ferguson. He turned his screen, now empty of all but
Ferguson's dossier, and told him to read. Ferguson turned white and then
slowly raised his hand. Green smiled and began the scenario

"I am the most important client in the world. If you do not get me to buy
your technology then the whole corporation will fold, costing thousands of
job including your own. I am more than eager to buy but you have one
problem. This is the clinching meeting but here, in my country, we have
different customs than anywhere else. You must sell to me no matter
what. If you hesitate you will lose my interest"

Green typed to Tammy 'Do whatever it takes to sexually arouse him. I want
to see his cum but you are not allowed to fuck him'

Tammy walked slowly over to Mr Ferguson and sat on his knee, allowing him a
clear down-top view of her bra-less breasts. She could feel him stiffen
more by the second.

Green talked to the room again

"I want you all to watch this closely, with the exception of Mrs
Winters. Before you do, gentlemen, I want you to unzip your trousers and
place your flaccid penises completely free of your garments. Mrs Winters
you are, under your clothing, to remove your bra and panties and then give
them to me. Whilst you watch our role-play, Mrs Winters will come to each
of you in turn. Her mission is, by touch alone, to judge whom has the
largest cock amongst you. She will wait 15 seconds with each delegate after
she has finished. In that time you are to feel her vagina, under her skirt,
and guess how large it is. You are to also guess her bra-size by feel
alone, again under her shirt. Send me your answers via my laptop. Proceed."

Mrs Winters wriggled for a minute before loosening her garments. She
presented them to Green, who smelt them deeply, before she began to work
her way around the other delegates

Meanwhile Mr Ferguson had begun to launch into his spiel about the
technology whilst Green just sat back and blanked him out. All he was
concerned about was how his game would go.




Tammy began to stroke Ferguson around his face and shoulders whilst moving
herself so that her naked pussy burned it's way through his trousers and
onto his erection. She slowly began to grind his crotch as she undid his
shirt, tantalising his chest hair with soft breath and tiny
kisses. Ferguson's voice began to crack and Green shot him a black look,
forcing him to resume as if the most beautiful woman he had ever seen were
not making out with him.

Tammy guided Ferguson out of the chair and sat down. She pulled him gently
into her lap and then pushed up her skirt, so that Ferguson could see
nothing but her gleaming, excited and shaved pussy. Tammy was as surprised
as Ferguson himself that she was aroused and looked deep into herself for a
second. Maybe it was just the abused turning into the abuser, a woman glad
that she was being given the power instead of it being taken from her, or
maybe it was just the primal paradox within women that seeks to break their
mate and yet despise them when they do. All she could say for certain is
that she was genuinely aroused by the power she had over this man.

As Ferguson spoke his breath stimulated her clitoris, like a cooling breeze
that fans the flames ever higher, and she opened her legs to enjoy the
sensation. Her conscience suddenly returned with a vengeance and she
quietly checked each of Ferguson's fingers for a ring. Finding none she was
content that at least she was not going to hurt two marriages in one day, a
thought which again main a psychological divide between this man and David
Grundy. Why should she make that distinction, she wondered, had she really
been brutalised by Green so quickly that she discounted a man's sexual
feelings unless a woman was also going to be hurt? Whatever the reason she
was shocked to feel a small part of her was disappointed that Green was not
going to allow her to rape this man.

Ferguson continued to talk as Mrs Winters went around the room. Mr Yates
was fourth and she looked him up and down for a moment. He was a very
handsome man of approximately her own age and she savoured the chance to
see, let alone play with, his cock. At first Mrs Winters had been nervous
but, after the first man, a small part of her was beginning to enjoy this
despite herself. As a woman she was not aroused solely by the physical
sight of genitalia but the idea that she had all these senior, power men,
literally 'by the balls' appealed. Not only was she getting to be intimate
with men who would have dismissed her for some younger model but also she
knew these men could never again dominate her, knowing she knew what they
carried between their legs. She almost pitied their little-boy egos.

With the others Mrs Winters had felt them whilst standing but with Mr Yates
she knelt down, filling her face with his limp cock as she played with it a
mere inch from her eyes. She knew he dare not look down for fear of
breaking Green's ground rules and she used this to tease him mercilessly,
taking some of his pubic hair in teeth and pulling until she could see his
eyes water. Once finished with her evaluation Mrs Winter again changed her
technique. On the other men she has stood whilst they fondled her but with
Mr Yates she sadled him, exposing her pussy wide as she placed the head of
his soft cock at the entrance of her vagina. She knew that Yates was
allowed to look at her only during his feeling of her and so she waited.



Yates had to turn his head and instantly saw Mrs Winter's pussy, wet and
excited, almost ready to swallow his cock. He began to dutifully measure
her pussy with his fingers and then tried to evaluate her breasts with his
cupped hands. Mrs Winters could feel his cock throb softly as he touched
her and she waited until his hands were filled with her breasts. She pushed
forward and kissed him passionately, in a motion that completely threw his
reason and allowed nature to rule in its' stead. She pushed her pussy onto
his now-raging cock and gasped as he penetrated her. His face was one of
frozen surprise, pleasure and fear all at once but he suddenly remembered
he had to watch Green again or break the rules. Yates put his hands back to
the side as Mrs Winters, after only 5 thrusts or so, dismounted him and
went on to the next man. Her face was one of erotic triumph mixed with
disbelief at just how brazen and empowered she felt.

Tammy was feeling similar emotions, mixed still with a rapidly fading
guilt, as she stood Mr Ferguson up and stripped him naked. She sat him
down, with the man still giving his sales pitch to Green, and admired his
erection. Tammy looked on it not only with the lust for power that had got
her so seamlessly to this point but also with vindication. A few men could
fake orgasm but none could fake arousal. Where a woman would have been dry
in these horrendous circumstances this man, and most men, were so much the
beast that their animal instincts could overcome even the deepest feeling
of shame and foreboding. If Mr Ferguson was, at some level at least,
enjoying this then why shouldn't she?

Tammy took Ferguson into her mouth and felt a new sensation that augmented
that of power. She felt challenged by this man now. Her Ferguson was being
forced into humiliating actions in front of an audience, yet the main
reason Green had any power is because Ferguson had done wrong he could not
afford to be exposed. Tammy had seen it. Ferguson had cheated on every
girlfriend, every business-deal and every human being that had ever trusted
him. He deserved to be rotting in jail, not sitting as some high-paid
executive in a position of trust. Tammy had the chance, if she could put
him off his stride enough, to make him lose and make Green expose
him. Committing herself to every woman Ferguson had ever hurt, Tammy put
her heart and soul into trying to achieve just that.

Tammy had always been gifted when it came to fellatio but she had always
held a little back, out of a desire to give the perfect blowjob to her
future husband as her wedding night gift. Suddenly that had changed and she
now wanted it to be no longer a gift of love but one of righteous
retribution. As Tammy began Ferguson knew he was in trouble, for the one
thing he adored more than anything was fellatio and he knew that if he
climaxed, he could lose everything.

Tammy began slowly as Ferguson continued to sell his product to Green. She
slowly moved her tongue around Ferguson's tip until she found his sweet
spot. When she hit the most sensitive part she saw him squirm involuntarily
and she went to work on it, mercilessly stimulating it no matter how much
he attempted to squirm it clear. Ferguson looked down and looked deep into
eyes such as he had never seen before, intense eyes that held both complete
excited passion and complete contempt in equal measure. He instinctively
knew he was being sucked by a vengeance demon and it scared him to the
core.

After a minute, Tammy decided to increase the pressure. Still felateing him
she carefully guided him off the chair and laid him on the ground in front
of Green. Tammy knew Ferguson was forbidden to resist and she mocked his
lack of power with her slow, deliberate movements. Tammy knew that as well
as physical stimulation a man needed visual stimulation as well, so she
went into a classic 69 position and filled his vision with her wet
pussy. She was careful to place it just in front of his nose so that her
arousal would instinctively excite him as well and was rewarded with a
sudden additional hardness of his cock in her mouth.

Tammy was more aroused than she had ever been in her life. Her knowledge
that she could beat this man and have him punished, coupled with the sheer,
raw power she had over him right now, made her feel alive. Tammy decided
not to cheat herself and, in an attempt to celebrate her arousal as well as
to push Ferguson closer to his judgement moment, she placed a finger into
her open pussy. Tammy masturbated one half inch from Ferguson's face and
she began to hear his presentation falter, under deeper and deeper
breathing, but he sill held on.

Inside his body Ferguson knew he was a prisoner. He was a prisoner of his
own biological urges as well as of his selfish, wicked past. He said a
silent pray to the God he had long since disowned but received no mercy,
indeed the sight of that gorgeous pussy being stimulated sent him ever
closer to the edge. His cock ached for release and his breath became more
and more strained. He knew he could not last much longer but still strained
every mental sinew to avoid the inevitable.

Tammy came with unprecedented intensity within thirty seconds and the
orgasm almost threaten to give Ferguson clemency,, taking her breath away
as it did. Tammy held on though and now dipped her fingers into her
glistening pussy, forcing the juice into Ferguson's mouth to stimulate yet
another sexual reaction from him. Tammy went to work with renewed passion
on his cock and listened to his voice getting ever higher and
shallower. Suddenly Tammy felt Ferguson's cock go rock hard and she knew
she had got him, he was about to go over the edge and there was nothing he
could so about it. Tammy looked quickly between her legs and locked eyes
again with Ferguson, revelling in the excited terror for one more second
before she felt him cum into her mouth with exceptional force. The
ejaculation was so strong that Ferguson just crumpled in the middle of one
sentence, screaming out in the ecstasy of the release and the anger of the
defeat.

Before Ferguson could do anything else Tammy whipped round and gave his
panting mouth a mocking kiss, pushing his cum down his throat so hard that
it made him choke. She looked up at him with spent anger, panting at her
own exertions, before she whispered

"Swallow that, bitch"

 Tammy got off Ferguson and he saw Green stand over him. Green was calm
despite the sexual thrill he had gained from seeing Tammy win. He looked
into Fergusons face and said



"You lose Mr Ferguson. Run now and the police may not catch you for weeks"

Ferguson routed, in such a hurry to leave the battlefield that he fled the
boardroom naked.

All the delegates at the table had been morbidly fascinated by the scene in
the corner and now sat in stunned silence. Mrs Winters had long since
finished and now approached Green.

"Ah Mrs Winters. So, in your opinion, who has the largest cock amongst the
delegates? Who also has the smallest?"

"I think that is by far and away Mr Yates, sir. The rest are just minnows
by comparison. The smallest is Mr James who I reckon is packing little more
than four inches"

"I see. I have the results of their guess on you, regarding your pussy and
breast size. Do not expose yourself to them but come closer and raise your
skirt to me so I may check"

Mrs Winters moved over to Green and, careful not to expose her buttocks,
she raised her skirt. Green moved beneath it and placed a single, deep
kiss, on her vaginal lips. He then stood and she undid her shirt, allowing
him to feel her breasts for size. Green not only felt them but he also
placed a single kiss on the end of each one.

"Now, do yourself up Mrs Winters please"

Mrs Winters buttoned her shirt again. Green looked over to the male
delegates at the table.

"Ok gentlemen. Line up in front of me and remember to take the box at your
feet with you"

The six men lined up in front of Green and Mrs Winters, each placed their
box at their feet. Tammy sat on the corner chair and watched with morbid
interest.

"Mrs Winters, we need to check their cock-sizes. Undress them completely
please"

Mrs Winters had lost her inhibitions now. She made no secret of the fact
she enjoyed slowly, mockingly, stripping those expensive suits to expose
the bare-flesh beneath. She especially took her time over Mr Yates,
admiring his toned bottom especially.

Green waited until she had finished to speak again.

"Ok Mrs Winters. In each box there are handcuffs and a hood. Apply them to
each man"

When each man was helpless, Green took Mrs Winters to the other end of the
boardroom. He whispered


"You are a widow aren't you?"

"Yes"

"Your husband killed by a business rival, much like these men, but the
police had no proof yes?"

Mrs Winters looked shocked for the second it took her to remember to whom
she spoke.

"Yes, 8 years ago. I have spent all my time in my work since"

Green looked her in the eyes

"I want you as my deputy. You are dependable but also open to my tastes. I
will give you a cast-iron guarantee to delete your dossier and also to give
you power over those six men down there, via their own dossiers, if you
agree. I will also place the man who killed your husband in your power,
without consequences"

Mrs Winters was stunned but Green, for once, seemed genuine. The idea
appealed for revenge also as did the power. She agreed and Green embraced
her warmly.

"I note you liked Mr Yates. Would you like to have him right now?"

Mrs Winters flushed with desire.

"Yes please"

Green led her down the office to the blindfolded men and motioned her to be
silent.

"Gentlemen, my PA Tammy will now stimulate you to erection so we can check
if Mrs Winters was correct"

As he spoke Tammy rose but Green indicated she should stay. He motioned to
Mrs Winters to go over to the men and she needed no second invitation. With
a series of strokes and kisses, aided by the men's own mental image of
Tammy, she was soon able to prove that Mr Yates was the largest. The rest
were similar with the exception of poor Mr James. Tammy pitied the woman
who felt that pathetic specimen between her thighs and still had to fake
excitement.

"Congratulations Mr Yates" said Green "Your prize is to make love to my
Pa. Given your state, it will have to be doggie style and I will guide you
over"

With another gesture Green told Mrs Winters to get ready and she bent over
the table. Green guided Yates into her pussy and Yates made love to Tammy
in his mind, making the physical love filled with extra passion for Mrs
Winters.





As Yates made love to Mrs Winters Tammy could see her face and she
recognised her own newly discovered feeling were being mirrored in those
eyes. Winters was feeling intense sexual power of a type she had never
imagined possible. Tammy knew that Winters had been reborn by Green and
wondered if her own feelings were as permanent. Perhaps Connor could help
her find out.

Green turned to the other delegates who, still shackled and naked, could
only be hoping that things were now ended. Green spoke and shattered their
illusions

"According to the results from my laptop, Mr Kent was the closest in his
guess of Mrs Winters dimensions. Your prize, Mr Kent, is to make love to
Mrs Winters. Before we get you started however I am sure you noted that I
have protected her from being exposed to any sense other than touch. For
this reason I will deny you sound along with the vision you already do not
have. Hold still and I will apply ear-plugs to you."

Green approached Kent as he pulled the earplugs from his pocket. Careful
not to raise the hood too much, he firmly applied them and rendered Kent
completely deaf. He then returned to the room.

"Ok Mr James, as the least impressive male of the group you are excluded
from this next exercise. Mr Kent is excused because he won the second
prize. You other three are to sit down and I will form you into a
triangle."

The men sat down and Green arranged them into a triangle, freeing their
hands from the cuffs as he did but still keeping them hooded. He placed one
hand from each man onto the now flacid penis of the man next to him. Green
then silently beckoned Tammy to come over to him. When she did he whispered
to her

"As they come collect their sperm together and place some inside your
vagina to claim them as lovers. The rest bring back to me"

Green then adressed the sitting men as Tammy squatted near them.

"Ok gentlemen. You are average men, nothing special but no freak like Mr
James either. Celebrate that which nature gave you in the most natural of
ways, by orgasm. You are to masturbate the man you have in your hand to
climax. Once you have his sperm in your hand you are to wait until it is
collected and then rest. If a man amongst you fails to climax within 5
minutes then both that man and the man stimulating him will be thrown to
the wolves. If you succeed that this is the last task you will perform and
you are in for very lucrative careers. Begin"

Tammy watched as they fumbled with each other and was both amazed and
appalled by the power of the male's sexual imagination. They must all be
fantasising the situation away, moving into a more comfortable mental
space, for they were all becoming erect easily. Tammy was stunned that even
men with so much to lose and so much to gain, yet powerless at the hands of
another, could perform. She knew she would never trust a man again when he
claimed it was her alone that turned him on.

Tammy watched as the men began to writhe, clearly enjoying each other as
dogs enjoy licking their own bollocks, and silently amused herself by
placing a bet on which would come first. She congratulated herself as she
got it right, with the youngest and most horney climaxing a good minute
before his peers. Tammy then just placed her ear next to the other two in
turn before closing her eyes to listen to their grunting. She wondered how
many girlfriends had heard exactly the same noise and had congratulated
themselves on their skill as a lover. If only they could see these men now.

Eventually all three men were sitting there panting, their erections fading
and their semen ready for collection. Tammy placed some of their fluid
inside her vagina, pushing deeper for the one who had won and most shallow
for the last to finish. It seemed only right to give their respective
sperms their proper place in the pecking order although they, like the men
who had donated it, were horses challenging for a non-existent prize.

Tammy went to Green with the rest of the semen and he told her to wait. He
went over to Mr James, who was still standing and waiting nervously as he
heard the others wanking each other, and whispered to him

"Mr James, as the man closest to a women amongst the delegates you get a
very special prize. You get to be the man I have. You will show your
delight as I fuck you by screaming your pleasure constantly. You won this
because you are one of natures freaks I am afraid and, as such, you were
born to be dominated by more impressive males. My cock will pin your ass to
the table, overpowering you and nature in one fell swoop. Let me guide you
to your passion palace"

Even though he wore the hood Tammy could imagine the look on Mr James's
face. She tried so hard to feel sorry for him and then remembered all the
despicable things he had done, that had been listed so fully in his dossier
and which now compelled him to comply. All compassion dissipated.

James was placed in a tight doggie-position. Green went to Tammy and
whispered

"Place the semen of the others inside his butt as lubricant. With the
exception of Mr Yates, the winner and a man I have given to my new
liuetennat alone, I want ever superiorly-endowed male to have a genetic
part in fucking this runt"

Tammy went over to Mr James and studied him. He was not only tiny between
the legs but tiny all over, a real woman in a man's skin. She imagined his
lubricated anus would make a very realistic substitute for a pussy as she
pushed the semen deep inside. Once complete, she stood to one side
expecting Green to approach. Green in fact went over to Mr Kent and then
beckoned Tammy to come across too. Once there she saw Green remove one of
Kent's earplug and heard his whisper

"Ok Mr Kent, time for your prize. Mrs Winters is ready for you and I will
guide you into a little foretaste of the pleasure that awaits you."



Green beckoned for Tammy to lie on her back and guided the hooded Kent to
her pussy, encouraging him to smell and taste it. Once done, Green
whispered again

"Now, to protect Mrs Winters, you are to take her analy. I want to
introduce you to your channel of pleasure now. Kneel up for a second"

Green indicated that Tammy should go on all fours, ass high in the air, and
that her hands should stretch her anus wide. She complied.

"Now I will guide you again Mr Kent. I want you to kiss and lick the lady,
to say hello"

As Tammy felt Kent begin she gained another thrill, not from the touches
which did nothing for her, but from the fact that this high-powered
executive was literally kissing her ass in deference. Tammy felt the
power-craving kick in again and then wondered if Green knew what he was
doing to her, that perhaps the games he played with others were merely
tools to warp her soul. The thought sobered her a little but the power
craving soon took over again.

When Green was satisfied he gentled pulled Kent to his feet again. As Tammy
stood up she heard him whisper to Kent

"Well done Mr Kent. You are almost at your promotion. Mrs Winters is now
getting ready on the table and I will guide you over there. From now on you
will wear earplugs in both ears. When you get to her I will guide you to
her anus again and you will kiss and lick her once more. This time she will
be lubricated and the lubricant, I fear, is a little salty to the
taste. Nonetheless I expect you to go deep on her and really thrill her
with your tongue. When I am ready I will help you penetrate her anus"

Green guided Kent over to Mr James, who was still in a tight doggie style
over the table. Green placed Kent over James's anus and watched as Kent
really went to town, kissing James's ass before pushing his tongue deep
inside. Remembering his instructions from Green earlier James, who found
the whole thing disgusting, began to moan as if he was having the time of
his life.

Coming in at the correct angel, Green took James's hand and placed it on
Kent's cock. Thinking he was now holding Green's cock, James began to
dutifully stimulate it. Kent thought that Mrs Winters was showing her
appreciation and slowly his arousal grew, making his cock hard under
James's motions whilst he continued to lick James's ass.

Green took Tammy to one side and admired the view. Yates and Mrs Winters
were still at it and both appeared to be enjoying a good long screw







"You see Tammy? We have two heterosexual men sniffing butt and about to
hump like dogs whilst one heterosexual man, over there, is only humping her
like that because he thinks she is you. A combination of threat and deceit,
tied in with the shallowness of male sexuality, is all it took to create
this little picture. That is the power of the sexuality I hold, male in raw
power but female in cunning and that makes me very powerful indeed. One
day, Tammy, you can have it too. It gladdens me to see you have already
begun your first steps to embracing it"

Green left the thought hanging as he guided Kent into James's ass. James,
upon penetration, screamed in mock ecstasy again whilst Kent thought he's
finally gained entry to Mrs Winter's body. He thrusted with gay abandon.

As Tammy watched the two couplings she reflected on all that had
happened. Green had shown her the true pathetic nature of men, how easily
they were deceived because they were already corrupt, yet he himself had
never fucked her. It was a striking thought. Green had all the power yet
had never forced her to do anything but fellate him this morning. Even that
had more of a sense of marking his territory, with hindsight, that it had
to do with release. In a room full of unrestrained men, Tammy knew Green
had deliberately set himself apart. She could only conclude he was waiting
for her to surrender to him for then he truly could own her soul as well as
just her body. Guild or no guild, Tammy suddenly saw Green for the true
monster he was at heart and it made her long for comfort. Long for Connor.

Within a few minutes it was over. Green pulled the now happily collapsed
Yates off Mrs Winters and allowed her to become composed again. When Kent
had fucked James to completion he separated the men and cleaned any
excrement from Kent's cock. Placing all the men back in a line he then
allowed them to remove their hoods. As they blinked in the light they saw
Green, flanked by Tammy and Mrs Winters, standing as a sergeant to his
platoon.

"Gentlemen you have performed well under a series of highly unorthodox
evaluations. You have made me certain of my judgement in you and from this
moment on you are to consider yourselves members of the new marketing
unit. Your salaries will increase by 20% immediately and you will continue
to receive handsome bonuses along the way. As long as you remain loyal to
the team, keeping all matters secret between yourselves, I can assure you
that you also have my protection. Nothing that would cause you pain shall
ever see the light of day unless you breach my trust. Get dressed and
go. Dismissed"

As the men were dressing hurriedly Green took Tammy to one side

"The rest of the day is going to be spent by me with Mrs Winters. We need
to talk. You are to go home and report as usual to me tomorrow. A very
promising first day, Miss Squires. I think you have a glowing future here"

Tammy almost beat the men out of the boardroom and did not stop hurrying
until she was driving her car away. Her emotions were a roller coaster, her
mind a blur but her quest was clear. Find Connor at home and talk to him.


Connor was sitting at home watching television, Bastion noted as he allowed
his primary gaze to move away from Tammy for a moment. That was all that
man seemed to do, just sit and watch television. If it were not for the
trouble in identifying Connor then Bastion would have barely given him a
second thought. As it was he was an ever-growing shadow that had so far
defied all attempts to illuminate it. Nonetheless Bastion knew that his
daily digest needed to be completed quickly for it was approaching the time
when many more Guild members would watch. He completed his last commentary
for them

"As you have seen gentlemen our Mr Green has adapted his brief quickly and
efficiently, turning it from one of mere sexual harassment to one of
inciting Miss Squires to assist in the humiliation of others. Some amongst
you may be shocked that he was so brazen, given her background of
conservatism regarding all matters sexual, but I think he quickly assessed
that Tammy Squires was easily intimidated. I also think he has proved that
she will do anything in order to safeguard her new position, one far higher
than she could ever hope to reach again, and has proved through results
that Miss Squires can be groomed into someone of additional interest to us.

She is now heading home to Connor and given their intimate relationship I
think it unlikely that she will share much about the true nature of her
day. This will lock her further under Green, as it will isolate her from
her confidant. The only thing still to be verified is the identity of
Connor but that, of course, is only a matter of a short time now"

Bastion closed the channel and then opened another one. His voice changed
from the cool-reassurance of the commentator to the ice-cold demanding of
the commander.

"Agent 7, you are late with your report"

"I am sorry sir but I wanted it to be complete rather than punctual. We had
a few last lines of enquiry to pursue but they are now done"

"Good speed, well done. So tell me, who is this man I see in the house
eating a hotdog?"

The long pause told Bastion all he needed to know

"You are telling me you still have no idea? I thought you said you had
finished your enquiries?"

"We have. He has no record, civil or military, from the time of his birth
to the present day. No doctor, policeman, government official, secret
service agent or private company has ever recorded encountering him. We had
done checks in Europe and both North and South America. He has no credit
line, no bank account, and no visible source of income at all yet he
clearly is doing well for himself judging by his clothes. He speaks with an
educated British accent but, of course, there is no record of him having
attended any school or university"

Bastion slumped forward in his chair. He knew he should be angry at the
failure of his agent but he also knew that this agent never failed. His
brain was too busy trying to take in what this meant to formulate a
diatribe

"How is that possible agent?"

"You have to remember, sir, we are only working within the limits of our
own network. Vast as it is it is no replacement for the power of the entire
Guild. My recommendation at this point would be to declare a breach to C
and get him to open up his own enquiry. In straight answer to your question
even a man with no traces gives us some idea of who he is"

"How so?"

"Such a trailess individual has to be carefully crafted. He's clearly a
covert-operative of some kind, though not belonging to any of the major
intelligence agencies. Having said that he's acting in a very overt way,
something no covert agent ever should, and he has no evidence of a team
behind him. We have scoured 5 blocks around the house, in the air and on
the ground, without finding a trace of anyone being his backup"

"If he's covert, agent, then so would they be"

"Sir, we may not have been able to give you his identity but I assure you
we know how to spot covert operatives. You have my categorical assurance
that Connor is a lone gun"

"Thank you agent. Stay available, I may need you again tonight"

"Of course sir"

Bastion watched Connor again as he thought. Connor was watching television,
drinking cola and doing nothing. Suddenly Connor doing nothing worried
Bastion because this man had clearly not been created to do
nothing. Bastion called Aegis.

"Aegis, it's about Connor..."

Aegis interrupted him

"Don't worry, I know. I have made it my business to be kept briefed on the
enquiries. What do you intend to do about the situation Bastion?"

Bastion needed time to think

"I am going to give it tonight and see what happens. If Connor is in there
then he cannot harm the Guild and maybe he'll slip up when he's talking to
Tammy. If not, I'll call C and declare a breach tomorrow morning"



Aegis sighed

"It's good to hear you are at least thinking of following protocol but I
have to warn you that C will ask why you did not do so tonight"

"I'll handle C when, and if, that time comes. Thanks for the advice. Take
care"

"You too. Keep in touch. Aegis out"

Tammy pulled up outside the house and got out of her car. The drive had
helped clear her head a little but she almost ran to the front door anyway,
such was her need to see Connor.

Connor turned and smiled at her from the sofa when she entered and,
suddenly remembering not to appear too eager, Tammy sat slowly down beside
him. She embraced him and felt safe for the first time in hours. When they
had finished holding Connor began to stroke her arms. His voice had real
affection in it

"I've missed you today sweetheart. How was your first day at the office?"

The question, though part of the charade, was too close to what she needed
to talk freely about. Tammy looked away as she answered

"Fine, nothing to it"

Connor squeezed her hand. To the audience it was just a lover's gesture but
Tammy knew that Connor must have seen it all. His genuine sympathy made her
melt once more into his arms. After a few minutes Connor turned his head
towards her

"Let's eat out tonight love to celebrate your new job. What do you say?"

Tammy murmured from under his arm

"Sounds great"

Bastion had begun to field the questions from the Guild members as they
logged on for the evening. Many were predictable, wondering about Connor on
the one hand and on the other asking if he was going to fuck Tammy
soon. Soon they settled down and only the own one came through

 "Bastion this is Noskova. Excellent daily digest today. I may watch
tomorrow live to see how Green corrupts Tammy more. I do hope that tonight
is not going to be an anticlimax"

Bastion kept his inner concerns well hidden in his voice

"I doubt it Noskova. Connor's not seen his girlfriend for weeks so I am
sure we will get some action tonight"


The television remained on as Connor's fingers began to roam over Tammy as
she lay on him. At first she barely noticed but soon the persistence of the
touch told her that Connor was initiating sex. Tammy was suddenly nervous
and, given the events of the day, that surprised her. She did not know why
plain sex with a man she respected seemed daunting when sex with other men,
whom she detested, had not done today. As she felt herself warming under
Connor's touch she could only guess that her nature wanted a few more dates
before intercourse. That made her realise that Connor had moved into the
potential boyfriend category despite of, or maybe because of, the situation
they both faced. Tammy knew that she had to keep the Guild audience
interested and that meant sex, sex and more sex.

"Stand up and face me" Connor said suddenly

Tammy stood up and faced Connor. It was only at that moment that she
realised she was still wearing the slutty outfit that Green had given her
to wear that day. Connor looked at her and said

"I fancy doing a role-play like we do sometimes honey. You know I trust you
implicitly but I am going to play the stern husband, with you my submissive
wife"

Tammy nodded silently. Connor sat upright and adopted a mock-sterness in
his voice

"I see you got changed after you left. Is this office wear? Did your boss
give it to you?"

Tammy figured that Connor was trying to make the fantasy easier for her to
do by basing it on facts. She was reassured that he clearly had watched the
Guild show every moment she was with Green.

"His name is John and yes, he likes it this way"

Connor began to stroke her thighs with his hands. The sensation thrilled
Tammy but she tried to stay in role and not show it.

"I bet he does" Connor said with a sneer and then added "Turn around and
bend down, as if picking up a file"

Tammy turned slowly and bent over. The skirt soon was pulled over her hips,
exposing her pussy barely and inch from Connor's face. Tammy looked between
her legs at Connor's crotch and was pleased to see that it was
bulging. Tammy now knew that even a man like Connor, as focused and
professional as they came, could be mesmerised by a simple flash of her
pussy. It made her feel empowered once more but, with this man, all the
vindictiveness of earlier was gone.

"He's had you flashing your pussy at him all day hasn't he?" Connor said as
he pulled her nearer. "I've warned you before about sleeping with the boss,
Tammy, and you know the punishment for when you do. Lay over my knee"



Tammy lay herself over Connor's knee as he pushed her skirt up. She felt
vulnerable, having never been spanked before, but she knew that Connor was
giving the Guild what he needed to in order to keep them interested. Tammy
trusted Connor a lot more than she trusted herself at this moment because
she was afraid she may cry when the spanking began, giving a clue to the
audience that she was not as familiar with it as Connor had indicated to
them.

Connor began to spank her deftly with his hand, pulling the force of each
stroke imperceptibly so that the noise was loud but the pain was
soft. Tammy appreciated the gesture and faked her pain with a series of
yelps that, she hoped, sounded authentic.

"What else have you done for your boss Tammy? Don't lie to me because you
know I can see through deception very easily." Connor said as his hand
struck her buttocks once more.

"He made me suck his cock and he made me sleep with one of his employees"
Tammy spoke through gritted teeth as another series of blows landed on her
ass.

Bastion adjusted his controls as the spanking continued, sending average
strokes per minute and several optional camera views to the audience. From
their comments he knew that they were enjoying the spanking and were
betting on whether or not Connor would want revenge on both Tammy and her
boss. Bastion was happy that the show was proving popular but, for the
first time, he felt nervous about how it was going. Nothing had ever
happened on the show that Bastion did not plan and meticulously execute and
yet here, spanking the main star, was a man playing a role that was not of
Bastion's making.

Connor was now intensifying the spanking and allowing a little more of the
real force of the blows to get through to Tammy. She became aware quickly
of the new style of spanking that had begun and she now screamed in genuine
pain as well as pretence. Connor continued to question her about her day
and more and more of the details were beaten out of her. The spanking
changed again, becoming unmitigated and intense, as Tammy came around to
describe how she had sucked Mr Ferguson in the meeting room.

"Did you enjoy the power you had over him Tammy?" Connor asked the question
with barely concealed anger in his voice.

"No" Tammy lied

Connor spanked her faster as he repeated the question

"Did you enjoy the power Tammy?"

Inside Tammy could feel herself crumbling emotionally. The pain was moving
beyond anything she could tolerate and she was beginning to become scared
at how Connor's manner had changed. Nonetheless she was not prepared to
admit she had enjoyed the power she had wielded over Ferguson, not to
Connor, not to the watching audience and least of all to herself. It was
too shameful to speak of.

"Answer me! Did you enjoy it?" Connor was now screaming and the violence in
his voice, combined with the force of the spanking, made Tammy begin to cry

"No!" she shouted back

Connor moved Tammy's clitoris so that it was in line for spanking. When his
hand next landed a spike of pain shot through her body and finally broke
her resistance

"Ok, yes! I did, yes I enjoyed it!" Tammy sobbed, almost hysterical.

Connor ceased the spanking immediately. As I someone had flipped a switch
inside him his voice and manner became as caring, compassionate and polite
as it had ever been. He gave Tammy a few seconds to begin to calm down
before speaking.

"I thought so. Tonight you are going to make it up to me my dear. We are
going to dinner and you will be the bait that will catch me some prey to
mess around with. That way you have to endure what I have had to. I'll deal
with your boss in the next few days. Now come with me upstairs. You are
filthy and I want to clean you down myself"

Tammy was still weeping as they ascended the stairs but her composure was
quickly returning. She did not know whether she weeped because of what
Connor had just done or because she had been forced to admit that having
control over a man thrilled her.

Once inside the bathroom, free from the gaze of the Guild, Connor turned to
Tammy and offered her his handkerchief to dry her eyes with. She snatched
it from him and began to apply it.

"I hope you know why I staged that performance Tammy" Connor said in a
soothing voice.

"I know. You wanted to give the Guild a show"

"No. If that were it I would simply have jumped you or something. Inside my
face is a tiny receiver that sends signals to my optic nerve. This allows
me to view my computer screen without ever having to retrieve it, something
I have been hiding by pretending to watch television all afternoon. I was,
of course, watching you on the show. I noted the look on your face when
Green was making you humiliate those men"

Tammy became defensive

"I was doing what you told me to do, obey Green at all costs"






"Quite so Tammy and you were wise to act that way. I saw, however, the look
of enjoyment that flashed into your eyes and it concerned me. I spanked you
tonight to remind you of what it is like to be on the other end, to be the
one without power and under the control of someone else. I wanted to remind
you of the true situation you are in, with men controlling every part of
you, before you began to become sadist like they are"

Tammy looked down, ashamed that she had doubted Connor. She knew he had
only acted out of the best intentions

"Thank you, I must admit I was beginning to enjoy the role too much."

Connor held her and his comforting arms made her melt again. Her heart
began to synchronise with his even as she began to wonder if she was
falling in love.

"I have two aims. The first is to get you out of this show and the second
is to end the show altogether. I'd have failed in my first aim if I freed
you only to have their stench haunt your future actions forever."

Tammy suddenly became worried for Connor

"If the Guild are as powerful as you say then they will kill you long
before you can help me, surely? You are only one man, you cannot hope to
defeat them"

"The Guild is still, in many ways, a very tradition-bound organisation. The
modern era for them began with an interrogation centre for secret agents, a
place in which C was a former number 2, and they decided then that better
quality of information could be gained from a broken man rather than via
drugs. Even though that was around forty years ago, C has influence the
Guild with his cautious approach throughout his career. They will attempt
to kill me, of course, but only when they know who and what I represent. As
long as they do not and as long as I do not force their hand, Bastion would
find it hard to explain any decision other than to observe"

Tammy instinctually began to stroke Connor's arm to give him comfort.

"How will they try to kill you when they do?" She asked him

Connor began to stroke Tammy's face and their eyes locked. For the first
time Tammy thought she saw love in Connor's eyes, reflecting her own love
that she now no longer doubted.

"They will use an undertaker unit. They are called that because they used
to dress as undertakers when they were sent to collect spies for
interrogation. They often used gas to render the target unconscious and the
coffin helped disguise the victim. It was a simple ruse for a simpler
age. These days, of course, they are far more sophisticated but the only
name has been retained by C for sentimental value"

Tammy sat on the edge of the bath, deep in thought. After a moment she said

"Why are you endangering yourself so much Connor?"  Connor looked over at
her

" My role-model was a man from the interrogation centre. He was the only
man to beat their system and he taught them a lesson in humility. It is a
lesson I intend to teach them again. I cannot make the world fair for even
if I could do the impossible and bring the Guild down those in power would
still rule for their own sakes alone. I did not care when the Guild
manipulated the powerful for the powerful are themselves manipulators. When
the Guild started on the innocent person in the street, plucking them from
their lives and placing them in televised cages, I considered that they had
crossed a line I could not allow them to cross without a fight."

Tammy looked disappointed

"I had hoped you might say you were doing it because you felt something for
me"

Connor reacted and for a split second Tammy thought she could see
vulnerability in him again. He then stood straight and his professional
manner came washing over him once more

"When life is in danger there is no room for sentiment, Miss Squires. We'd
better wet our hair and faces and leave quickly or else they will think we
have not showered at all."

Bastion saw them leave the bathroom as a channel opened

"Bastion this is Aegis. I sure wish C would drop his ridiculous rule
regarding the bathroom. Anyhow, I guess our fellow and Miss Squires will be
going to dinner now. Any ideas as to where they might go?"

Bastion pulled up a map of Lexington on his computer. Red dots were widely
scattered across it.

"No but don't worry Aegis. As you see I have plenty of units on standby and
we can use directional microphones when they reach their venue. I am hoping
that Connor let's something slip as the evening moves on and he relaxes
with Miss Squires. A beautiful lady has often been known to loosen the
tongue."

"Let's hope tonight is no exception and we can find out what we need to
know. Good hunting Bastion. Aegis out"

Bastion watched as Connor and Tammy left the house. Given his sophisticated
dress and mannerism, Bastion had thought that Connor would select an
up-market restaurant in a quiet part of town. It was therefore a surprise
to see him drive up to a very disreputable nightclub. Tammy followed Connor
inside and Bastion had to quickly adjust his console.

"Bastion, this is Goldfish. Not the sort of place I would have thought Miss
Squires would like"

"Indeed Goldfish. It does at least have the virtue of being owned by us
however, so we have cameras and microphones over and under every table. We
will not miss a thing"

As Tammy entered the nightclub she was assailed by the noise of the
music. It was early and the place was frequented only by a handful of
people but the dance floor still resonated under a barrage of sound and
lights. Connor had to lean very close to allow himself to be heard

"The noise of this place will render their directional microphones
useless. They only time they will be able to hear us is when they can use
static microphones, at the tables, the bar or the washrooms. It also serves
food for another two hours yet so it gives us a chance to look round. Let's
grab a drink"

Connor and Tammy had a light conversation at the main bar whilst they
enjoyed two white wines. Despite his expert pretence Connor was able to
survey the scene with a practiced eye. Suddenly he grabbed Tammy and lead
her to the deserted dance-floor. As they danced he put his mouth next to
her ear

"Because they did not know where we were going the Guild have only a few
people in here. The one of main interest to me is the man who just received
a phonecall and who then opened up the secondary bar. He looked nervous, so
he's probably on his first mission for them, and he was watching us from
the moment we entered."

Tammy leant into Connor

"How do you know he's a Guild agent?"

"He's with a lady who is wearing an engagement ring, so clearly she's
important to him, yet his attention was solely on us even when she was
speaking to him. Secondly how many clubs do you know who ring an employee
on a mobile, in a noisy environment, when they can simply send someone to
relay a message in person? Finally this place is as dead as it could be, so
why open a second bar? I think it's to give cover for him because it
overlooks the eating area."

"So why is he of special interest to you Connor?"

"He was the only one who was in here before we came. The rest came in
behind us as we stood at the main bar. That means he was here for himself,
not on-duty, and he will now be disorientated to have been suddenly thrust
on duty. He's new so that make him green anyhow and he's with someone who
is not a Guild agent, from her body language, and whom he will have to try
and bluff whilst he does their dirty work. I bet that call was from Bastion
and I bet it told him to do anything it takes to stay close to us. I intend
to make that work for us whilst playing with the Guild. We have to keep it
interesting for their audience anyway and you are supposed to be doing a
penance for me from this evening's spanking, remember? Follow me"




Bastion watched Connor and Tammy go over to the second bar. He could barely
contain his excitement as he contacted Aegis

"Aegis, I think we're about to expose Connor"

"Really? How?"

"It just so happens one of our brand new agents was in the club. He works
for them as a barman and he gets in free on his evenings off. Anyway, I
called him and told him to work the second bar. Once Connor drinks from
there he will almost certainly leave his glass on the bar as they head for
the tables"

"So?"

"So the other barman was not one of ours but this one will be able to use a
DNA reader on the glass. We have them installed secretly in many of the
locations we own"

"You reckon his DNA will be on a file somewhere even though his name and
face are not, Bastion?"

"He may have changed his appearance many times and that is probably what
has thwarted us but his DNA is fixed. Let's hope this works."

Connor approached the bar and the barman smiled. Connor smiled back as he
ordered

"Two white wines please"

"Certainly sir. With or without ice?"

"Oh we always avoid ice where possible. So easy to slip up on it, eh?"

The barman laughed politely at what he presumed was just a lame joke. He
poured the wine and placed it in front of Tammy and Connor

"That'll be $8 please"

As Connor handed him the money he caught his hand for a moment, looking him
straight in the eye whilst keeping his tone friendly

"I notice you are not in uniform"

The barman was thrown by the directness of the question

"I'm sorry?"

"The other barman, at the main bar, is in uniform. I notice that you are
not"

The barman thought for a moment. Tammy noticed he was very nervous indeed
and not good at thinking on his feet. She laughed to herself as she thought
that as a barman he was probably great but as a Guild agent he needed a bit
of work.

"I was not meant to be on duty this evening but the boss just received word
that a big party are heading down to us, so he wanted the second bar open
in preparation. I was here with my fiancee"

The barman indicated over to where he had sat previously. The lady there
was stunning but incredibly young for him, given that the barman was in his
forties. She could have been no more than 19 and, given that her fiancee
was certainly not handsome, clearly more impressed by his Guild-funded
credit card than by anything else. Although Connor knew that she did not
know anything about her husband-to-be's shadier side, for the Guild would
have forbidden him talking about it, he nonetheless found himself disliking
her.

"I see. I guess money's tight given the impending wedding and the amount
you will earn doing this for a living?" Connor asked as he looked at the
barman again

"Yes but we get by"

Connor reached into his jacket pocket and produced a fat, large
envelope. He opened it to reveal that is was stuffed with money before he
pulled out $1000.

"My girlfriend here, Tammy, has always wanted to look around a bar like
this. If you could arrange that for me I'd be happy to give you this as a
donation to your marriage fund. But first, tell me your name please"

"Tony. My name is Tony"

"Pleased to meet you Tony, I am Connor. So, Tony, what do you say to my
offer?"

Tony knew he had to stay close to the target whilst also staying in role as
the impoverished barman. He took the money and said

"Ok, that's fine. Come around Tammy"

Tammy was a little lost as to what she was meant to be doing but she went
around to the other side of the bar and began to look through the
bottles. Still dressed as she had been in Green's office she caught Tony's
attention as she passed him. Connor smiled as he saw this.

"What's your fiancees name Tony?" Connor asked

"Jessica"

"I'd like to meet her and I am sure she's bored over there on her
own. Would you introduce us please?"

"Sure"

As Tony looked away to call to Jessica, Connor silently indicated to Tammy
that she should duck down behind the bar. By the time Jessica looked over
she could only see Connor and Tony.

As Jessica was walking over to the bar, Connor leaned over to Tony

"Another $1000 is yours is you allow Tammy to look around below the bar, at
the pumps and things. She's a real nut when it comes to how thing work"

"Ok, that's fine"

Connor spoke to Tammy by looking at the back of the bar and allowing his
voice to travel.

"Honey? I'd like you to check out everything this nice man has under the
counter whilst we chat to Jessica. Enjoy yourself and take your time"

Tammy began to understand the game Connor was playing. He knew that this
bastard worked for the Guild and he was going to make it uncomfortable for
him, whilst at the same time providing titillation for the audience. Connor
knew that Tony had to do nothing to aggravate him and that meant he could
deny him nothing either, no matter his personal feelings. He had sold his
soul to the Devil and must dance to the Devil's tune. She heard Jessica
arrive at the bar as she moved into position, crouched in front of an
astonished Tony with her head level to his crotch. She pulled him close in
so that the bar covered his crotch and her head, then she began to slowly
unzip his trousers.

Connor smiled at Jessica as she arrived at the bar

"Hello, my name is Connor and I am a friend of Tony's. It's a shame he's
had to work suddenly but I thought it would give us all a chance to get to
know each other"

Jessica shook Connor's hand and said

"Nice to meet you. His boss is a swine for making him come on duty like
this!"

Tony looked down and his eyes could see Tammy's barely concealed
breasts. That sight, combined with the kisses and strokes, made him erect
by the time she had pulled his penis clear of his trouser zip. As she began
to lick and suck on him, Tony's mobile phone rang. He answered it as
Jessica and Connor talked

"Hello?"

"This is Bastion. Connor's drink is finished. Get his glass and scan it"

Tony tried to pass off the call as one from a friend

"Oh hi. I am trying to but I'm a little busy. This new thing makes me feel
very uncomfortable"

"Stop whinging, you are getting paid to have your dick sucked by a
beautiful woman. Focus on the mission and get the glass"

"I'm trying to keep some things sacred, for those I love only. You
understand?"

"No, agent, you understand this. You have taken our money and we expect a
return. I don't care about any morality issues here, you stay with those
two and you do anything they want. Many members of the Guild are observing
you as we speak, I'll not say why, but you are. They do not want you to
obstruct things and you are not to let Jessica obstruct things either. Tell
her anything but get her to co-operate"

"I am not sure she will"

"If you fail, both you and her will feel the wrath of the Guild. For her
sake, make her. Now get that damn glass!"

Tony grabbed Connor's empty wineglass and dropped it into the trash. Tammy
was too busy pleasuring him to notice the deft movement. As she worked on
his penis, the DNA scanner in the trashcan began to work on the glass
fragments. Bastion punched up the scan on his computer and called Aegis

"Aegis, I'm patching through the DNA scan now."

"Ok, I see it Bastion"

Connor's DNA was displayed on the left of the screen. On the right was a
world-map, showing every DNA database as Connor's DNA was run through
it. Bastion felt the need to comment even though the progress of the scan
was clear. Every database flashed white when being scanned and red when
there was no match.

"Searching London. No match. Tokyo. No Match. Moscow. No match"

As Connor's DNA was being scanned around the globe, the man himself was
engaging Jessica in conversation whilst Tony attempted to say as little as
possible. The pleasure he was receiving from Tammy was threatening to
overwhelm his voice, despite his heartfelt wish not to be fellated in front
of his fiancee. Connor was, of course, trying to make Tony speak as much as
possible in order to cause him maximum discomfort.

"If I may say so Jessica, Tony's a very lucky man" Connor said "You'd agree
of course wouldn't you Tony?"

Tony took a deep breath as he saw Tammy's head bobbing under the
counter. He'd been with many women but this woman gave the most incredible
head he had ever felt. With effort he kept his voice sounding normal

"Yes, I am very lucky to have her"



Jessica looked coy for a moment before she spoke

"No more lucky than me Mr Connor. Tony's my first every boyfriend, I'd
never so much as held hands with a guy before him, and I know he'd never so
much as look at another woman. He's Mr faithful and I love him for that"

Tony felt so much shame as he heard that remark that his head fell. In
doing so he was forced to see Tammy blowing him again, her fingers stoking
each ball whilst her breasts swayed with her motions. The sight intensified
the sensations and he moaned softly, something he quickly turned into a
cough as he felt Jessica's quizzical glance descend upon him.

Bastion continued to stare intently at his computer screen

"Searching Washington. No Match. Los Angeles. No match. Istanbul. No
Match. Come on, come on, he has to be in there somewhere"

Connor decided that he'd had enough fun at the bar and so he invited Tony
and Jessica to eat with him. Jessica accepted for both of them before she
enquired

"Are you here alone Connor?"

Connor smiled again as he looked at Tony's discomfort

"No, my girlfriend is around her somewhere. I expect she'll join us at the
table. You'll like her because she's a very polite lady. Always uses the
right knife and folk and never speaks with her mouth full"

Jessica and Connor went over to a table whilst Tony, citing the need to
close the bar, remained. Tammy waited for a second and then, denying Tony
his release, she slipped out from under the bar. Jessica was walking with
her back turned to Tammy which allowed her to exit the bar entirely without
being seen. She winked at Tony before walking slowly towards the table.

Bastion was becoming more desperate as each flashing white dot turned red.

"Searching Madrid. No match! Paris. No bloody match! Rome. No match for
God's sake!"

In exasperation he wheeled round from the screen. He was just about to
bring his fists crashing down onto the table when he heard a soft, small
bleeping coming from his computer screen. He turned slowly and saw that one
of the dots, on a tiny island off the coast of India, was flashing
green. Underneath the dot it read

Match Found

Bastion hurridly punched up the location and then typed his command

List record found

To which the computer responded

Unable to comply. The record is from Sentinel. Access restricted to
Sentinel cleared users only

Bastion shouted down the channel to Aegis

"What the hell? What is Sentinel, Aegis?"

"If you were not so wound-up you'd remember yourself my friend. Sentinel is
the central computer for the Guild, accessible only by full Guild members
or with permission from a full Guild member. It's C's brainchild and
contains only records too sensitive to the Guild to be allowed to be stored
anywhere else"

Bastion groaned.

"Is there any way I can get C to grant me access to the file without
telling him exactly why? I don't want to call a breach unless I know who
Connor is and I need that file in order to do that"

Aegis thought for a moment.

"Well, C allows the lower systems to interrogate Sentinel. That's why your
search brought up the file, albeit with a lock on it. He does that in order
for the other watchers to know that the Guild has information, which then
encourages them to ask his permission for a specific file. If he's not been
watching the show then asking for Connor's file should not cause him
concern, though you will need a good reason to ask for it. Bastion, you
have no choice. Call him and pray"

Bastion put Aegis on mute and went to a separate computer. This was the
only channel to C and it was seperate from all the others. He placed the
call.

"C? This is Bastion"

The voice at the other end of the line was automatically disguised, making
C sound more like an alien than a human.

"Nice to hear from you again Bastion. How are things in Lexington?"

Bastion tried to keep his tone light

"Fine thanks. I am sorry to disturb you but I wondered if you would send me
a file from Sentinel?"

There was a pregnant pause.

"Ok Bastion. Name it and it's yours."

Bastion was just about to speak when C cut him off

"May I ask why you need it?"

Bastion found himself breathing heavier.

"It's just a routine enquiry which has thrown up something that is in the
file. I am sure it's nothing but I like to be thorough and maybe some
background from Sentinel will help"

Another pause.

"I see. Nothing to worry about though?"

Bastion smiled despite the fact that this was voice-only

"No, nothing at all C. As I said, just routine"

"Good. Well, send me the request and I will send you the data. Goodbye
Bastion."

"Good day sir and thank you"

Bastion let out a huge sigh of relief as the channel closed. He sent his
request to C via the secure link, then opened the channel to Aegis again

"Did he buy it Bastion?" Aegis asked

Bastion laughed a little too much

"You betcha!" Bastion said as he looked into his monitor at Connor laughing
with Jessica. "In a few seconds we'll have all we need to know about our
beloved gate-crasher"

Tony and Jessica were sitting on opposite sides of the table, leaving
Connor and Tammy to fill the other two. The table was covered with an
overflowing tablecloth that reached to the floor, indicating as much as the
stains that this establishment did not spend money on the decor. The food,
which had come, was edible in a technical sense but was certainly not
appealing to either the eye or the mouth.

Connor noted that Tony was attempting to get Jessica drunk, thorough a
combination of surreptitious mixing at the bar and encouragement to consume
at the table. It was clear that Jessica was not used to such intake and
within half and hour she was best described as heavily intoxicated. Connor
half-joked to himself that if she vomited it would improve the look of the
food.

Connor wrote a note to Tammy and passed it quietly to her as he engaged
Tony and Jessica in conversation. She read it and it said

The Guild audience will love this. Make Tony orgasm in front of Jessica



Tammy thought for a moment. This was going to be tricky with Jessica so
close.  She dismissed a hand-job as the movement would be too obvious and a
blow-job was also too blatant with Jessica sitting next to her on the
right. Eventually she decided there was only one way to achieve her
aim. She silently removed her right shoe and sock whilst she pushed herself
tightly under the table, allowing the cloth to cover her
completely. Crossing her legs, Tammy grabbed Tony's zipper between her toes
and slowly undid it. Tony froze as he felt the touch, despite his
instinctive arousal at the interest from this beautiful woman, but knew he
was compelled not to object. Instead, to help protect Jessica from seeing
anything, he too pushed himself tightly under the table.

Continuing to engage Jessica in conversation all the time, Tammy pulled
down the front of Tony's underpants through his open zipped and freed his
erection. She could only get the tip in between her toes but it was
enough. She began to pump him whilst her hands remained safely in view on
the table. Jessica was too drunk to have noticed any of this but Connor had
guessed how Tammy was stimulating Tony. He smiled at her resourcefulness.

Bastion opened the file that C had sent him before sending a copy to
Aegis. The more they both read the less they both believed what they were
reading. Headed "deceased" the record talked of an individual who had
beaten the old Guild spy-interrogation facility in the 1960's, the only one
who had ever survived long enough to convince the Guild that he could not
be broken. The Guild released him but only on licence, warning him that if
he ever challenged them or attempted to expose them he would be killed. He
lived an unremarkable life after that in London until he died in 1984. The
Guild had ensured that he had genuinely died before closing and sealing his
file. His DNA had been extracted from the many samples taken from him
during his incarceration, in the hope that Guild geneticists might one day
find what had given him such intense focus and strength of will.

Bastion looked at the photo on file and then at Connor

"He cannot be this man, Aegis. Not only does he look nothing like him but
also he's no more than 36 at most. He's about the same age as the man on
file when he was released in the 1960's!"

Aegis spoke in a quiet voice

"His DNA is pure. There is no way he's a clone and no way that even the
Guild could clone a human. Even if someone had done, he'd look identical to
his clone-parent. Having said that he's got the same personality, the same
focus, the same desire not to be beaten. Look at what C says about him when
C was number 2 at the facility, it's Connor down to the last detail"

Bastion sat back in his chair

"There is no way I can allow this man, back from the dead or otherwise, to
live. He's far too dangerous. He's beaten us once before and I can only
assume he intends to again"

Aegis sounded exasperated

"So, are you finally going to call a breach?"

"What for? We know all there is to know about Connor now and I do not want
to explain how I let that man, that individual, to invade my show and
threaten us. It would be highly embarrassing at best."

"Forget your ego will you? Dammit Bastion, C needs to know this! There are
all sorts of questions that emerge from Connor, fundamental ones that
relate to the Guild."

Bastion snapped back

"C will know this. He'll know it all, after my men have presented Connor's
balls to me on a plate. I will let C know when he needs to know, with my
victory over this intruder fresh in his mind as well. It's my call to make,
it's happened on my show and I will take the consequences of my decision"

Aegis sighed

"You're mad Bastion but as you say it's your call. Just get rid of Connor"

"I will tonight, at the house. That will make it cleaner and also the Guild
can have its last bit of sexual titillation from him first. Just look how
many of them are watching tonight! It's a record. Word must have
spread. Bastion out"

Tammy continued to masturbate Tony with her foot as the eating
continued. Tony was still highly stimulated from her clandestine blow-job
under the bar and he felt himself reaching a climax quickly. In desperation
he turned and mouthed to Connor to distract Jessica. Deciding it would be a
favour soon returned, Connor agreed.

"So Jessica, have you and Tony ever done anything naughty together?"

Jessica looked at Connor with drunken, confused eyes

"Naughty?"

"You know, sexually naughty. Have you ever had sex in a place you were not
meant to, that sort of thing?"

Jessica laughed too loudly but it covered Tony's orgasm effectively, so he
blessed its presence. Tammy felt the warmth of his semen on her foot as she
withdrew it before placing it back into her shoe.

"I only wish" Jessica slurred "He's too much of a wimp for any sort of sex
outdoors. Not even a fondle, much less a hand-job"

Connor laughed a little

"Well we can change that I am sure. Here's $1000 that says Tony cannot give
you an orgasm at this table, in full public gaze, without getting busted by
the management"

Jessica looked at the money that Connor had produced. The drink inside her,
mingled with her own pent-up exhibitionist frustration, caused her to look
excitedly at Tony

"Go on then Tony, I dare you to try" Jessica said

Guild or no Guild Tony wanted to protect Jessica as best he could.

"Ok but there is to be no exposure of Jessica"

Connor held his hands up in mock surrender

"Of course not. The table cloth is long. All you need do is climb
underneath and lick Jessica to climax. Tammy and I will not see anything
other than Jessica's face. I suggest, though, that Jessica close her eyes
throughout as it will help her concentrate on maintaining her facade. We
don't want her climaxing in too obvious a way or people will notice"

Jessica eagerly closed her eyes and Tony stood up, preparing to go under
the table. Connor indicated he should sit again and then went silently over
to him, whispering in his ear

"Not you. You are going to lick Tammy off. I am going to lick your
fiancee's pussy. I know all about who you really work for and unless you
want me to say it out loud, so that those watching know I have busted you,
you are going to give me the most precious thing you save for yourself. You
are going to give me Jessica's vagina"

Tony slumped forward as he knew that his life depended on compliance. He
rued the day he'd ever sought the quick ad abundant money of the Guild.

"Be gentle with her. She's never had another man"

Both men went under the table leaving Tammy and Jessica the only ones
visible. Connor could feel Tony watching him as he spread Jessica's legs
apart, her skirt revealing her silken white panties beneath. Moving them to
one side Connor could see her pussy, glistening with an excitement he
wagered it had never experienced before. He whispered to Tony and made him
call to Jessica

"As I go down on you, whisper words of encouragement to me my love" Tony
said softly

Connor began to lick Jessica as Tony went down on Tammy. It soon became
clear to Tammy that Tony was inept at giving head and she pitied poor
Jessica having to know only his tongue. She was glad Connor was about to
give her, albeit in secret, her first taste of a real man.



Connor was working expertly with his tongue on Jessica's vulva, causing her
to squirm with delight. He heard her whispered soft voice from above the
table and it thrilled him to know that Tony could as well

"Oh baby, that's wonderful. You've never eaten me so well before"

Even the thrill of having Tammy's vagina all around his face could not
lessen the hurt that Tony was feeling. Not only was his fiancee no longer
exclusively his but also she was clearly enjoying this stranger much more
than she ever had him.

Tammy was bored with Tony's pathetic attentions by now and she pushed him
off. She silently went under the table and told him to fuck off back to his
seat before her curiosity led her to look at Jessica's pussy. Tammy had
always been curious as to what a pussy tasted like and she hungrily pushed
Connor to one side. As Connor returned to his seat Tammy took Jessica to
new heights of pleasure and again found herself revelling in the power she
had.

"Oh Tony, how do you know just where to hit all of a sudden?" Jessica
whispered breathlessly

Because I own a pussy as well, thought Tammy as she continued to stimulate
Jessica. Finally Jessica shuddered deeply, the waves of orgasmic energy
washing over her even as she tried not to express the joy they brought in
their wake.

Connor stood up and moved behind Jessica as she recovered. He said in a
soft, conspiratorial voice

"Ok, now for another $1000 let's see if you can toss Tony off. Keep your
eyes closed and I will get him for you"

Connor went over to Tony and whispered

"Facilitate this for me and I promise you that I will leave you both alone"

Tony rallied a little at hearing this. He knew Connor had done him a favour
that he did not deserve and he also knew, after tonight, he would do
everything in his power to escape from the Guild's employ. Tony could only
imagine how many people had hoped to do the same and he shuddered when he
imagined how many had actually managed to do it.

Tony and Connor moved over to Jessica and Connor sat down. Tony knew what
Connor wanted him to do, it was self-evident given how the evening had gone
so far, so he placed himself just over the shoulder of Connor. In this
manner his voice came from just the right angle to convince Jessica that he
was sitting beside her.

"Take me sweetheart. Here, let me guide you" Tony said, with all the
sincerity he could muster. The very last thing he wanted now was for
Jessica to open her eyes and destroy her faith in him.


Connor unzipped his erection and guided Jessica's hand to it, under the
tablecloth. It warmed Tony's heart to see Jessica smile and it comforted
him that, in her mind at least, she was remaining true to their
union. Jessica whispered as she began to masturbate Connor

"Oh Tony, you feel bigger tonight somehow"

Tony thought quickly and Connor applauded his deftly calculated reply

"It must be the excitement of the situation sweetheart, making me harder
than ever"

Tammy sat and thought as she watched Connor becoming more aroused. Tammy
knew Connor had to keep the audience happy and that meant packing as much
variety into the sex as possible but, even factoring this, he'd barely
touched her. He could have chosen to stay in tonight knowing she would have
fulfilled his every sexual demand, yet here he was getting thrills that
were cheap by comparison with strangers. Tammy could not help but compare
Connor to Green. Both were men who could have used her as a sex toy but
both had preferred to manipulate and humiliate others instead. Tammy
wondered if this was simply a part of the male pshyche, to dominate and
control, or simply a part of the pshyche of dominant males.

Connor and Green were chalk and cheese when it came to the power they
commanded, with one fighting alone the very organisation that empowered the
other so greatly, yet their sexual focus was very similar. Tammy was glad
that Connor was on her side because, if she had to choose a nemesis, she
would have chosen a faceless bunch of cowards who hide in the shadows over
a man who stands in the blazing light and challenges the sun to burn him.

Jessica was thoroughly carried away by a mixture of alcohol and sexual
excitement with the result that the hand-job she was giving Connor owed
more to enthusiasm than technique. The main thrill for Connor was, in any
case, forcing Tony to watch and the knowledge that he had scored another
little victory in his pursuit of the grand prize. Tony's face told Connor
all he needed to know as he relaxed in the motions of Jessica's soft
hand. As he felt himself reaching a climax Connor deftly exposed Jessica's
pussy once more and ensured that Tony could see his gaze fixate on it,
drinking in her most private possession as her hand finally gave him
release.

Connor was mindful that Jessica could open her eyes at any moment and so,
with almost unseemly haste, he moved away from her hand and zipped himself
back up. By the time Jessica opened her eyes again she found herself
sitting next to Tony with Tammy and Connor a respectful distance away. She
cuddled into Tony and was too far lost in afterglow and alcohol to realise
that he was not even panting. Jessica whispered into Tony's ear

"Thank you my darling. Those were wonderful moments between us"

As Connor enjoyed his minor victory Bastion was revelling in his own
victory over him. He kept his gaze fixed on Connor as he opened a channel

"Undertaker Unit 17, this is Bastion. Do you copy?"  The voice of the
professional assassin replied

"Yes sir"

"Go to the house and observe Connor. When they are asleep tonight you are
to enter the house and execute him but, and I empathise this, the girl is
neither to be alerted nor harmed in any way. I will advise when you are to
enter."

"Very good sir. We are en-route"

Bastion instructed the computer to track unit 17 and he watched with
satisfaction as a flashing black dot began to close on the house.

After dinner Connor suggested that Tammy, Jessica and Tony join him on the
dance-floor. Tammy was relieved that she could speak freely to Connor when
Jessica and Tony were too far away to hear

"What now?" Tammy asked him

"We dance for a few minutes more and then we go home. I don't know about
you but I've had enough excitement for one day and I am sure the audience
will be happy to give us another day at least. As long as we keep the
sexual element alive, the Guild should have no reason to want to terminate
either of us." Connor said with a reassuring smile that did not quiet ring
true to Tammy. She smiled back despite her feelings.

A short while later Connor maneurved himself into a position where he could
talk to Tony. Connor leaned into Tony's ear

"I sense you are new to all this cloak and dagger stuff Tony, so I'm going
to give you some advice"

Tony looked at him with suspicion and then, seemingly willing to take any
advice right now, he asked

"What advice is that?"

"You are not cut out to be a Guild agent. The money attracted you but you
do not have the ruthless edge. You clearly love Jessica and that is why I
did not engineer any situation where my semen entered her, in deference to
that love. You need out, now, before you get swallowed in and take her with
you"

Tony looked scared

"I know but how do you get away from the Guild?"





Connor looked at Tony with a serious expression on his face

"If you want it hard enough you can but you really have to want it. As for
the practicalities I'll leave that to your imagination but I have found in
the past that one of the best places to hide, as far as the Guild is
concerned, is in plain view"

Before Tony could ask his questions Connor had moved over to Tammy. With a
quick goodbye to Tony and Jessica, Connor led Tammy out of the club and
into his waiting car. They drove away as the Guild mobile camera units
pursued at a discreet distance.

By the time they arrived home many of the Guild watchers had logged off for
the night. Bastion was counting on them all having gone by the time Connor
went to bed. He hoped to time the assassination so that he could spare the
more squeamish members, with highlights available for those who wanted to
see it of course, whilst still being able to present the news of Connor's
death as the first item on tomorrow's daily digest. Bastion drank a cup of
coffee as he watched Tammy and Connor sit in front of the TV, with all his
god-like feeling returned.

At about half-past ten Connor knocked the remote control from the arm of
the sofa. Bending down he cursed and shouted at Tammy

"Watch what you are doing will you!"

Tammy was shocked by both the force and unfairness of the outburst and she
shouted back

"What? You knocked it over!"

"You made me knock it over. You are hogging the sofa just like you hogged
everything today"

Tammy could not believe how petty Connor was being, screaming at her about
nothing when he should be comforting her about the danger they faced. She
knew she could not be specific but she alluded to her disappointment about
how he was failing to give her support when she most needed him.

Bastion chuckled to himself as he watched the two of them enter into a
full-blown, petty domestic argument about everything and ultimately
nothing. For twenty minutes they bickered until Connor finally shouted

"Oh forget this! You can have the bedroom and I'll take this sofa
tonight. Get out of my sight!"

Tammy went to the bedroom and slammed the door.

Bastion could not have been more pleased as he saw Connor storm his way
around the living room, preparing the sofa with venom and muttering to
himself. Connor had separated himself nicely from Tammy and was now even
easier meat. Bastion waited for half an hour after Connor lay down, to
ensure he was asleep, before opening a channel.  " Bastion to undertaker
unit 17. Go. Target is on the sofa in the living room, asleep. The girl is
in the upstairs bedroom, also asleep."

"Understood sir. We are approaching the house now"

Five hooded shadows approached the front of the house. Each was wearing
dark clothing and moved with the military precision that marked a truly
professional unit. Although they were swift they barely made a sound as
they used a silenced pistol to shatter the exterior light, plunging the
garden into a darkness which covered them perfectly as they approached the
front door.

Bastion had to switch to infrared in order to see his unit in action. He
was impressed at the precision and the skill being demonstrated, even
though he knew that every member of an undertaker unit was handpicked from
the finest military establishments. They never missed and they never were
detected, no matter the mission. Bastion was so intent on watching them
that he only saw the movement from within the house out of the corner of
his eye. Suddenly alerted he swung his head round and saw that Connor was
no longer in the living room. He opened a channel quickly

"Unit 17. Hold"

Bastion saw the unit squat and assume a defensive posture.

"What's up sir?"

"The target has moved from the living room. I am trying to acquire him
now. Standby"

"Standing by sir"

Bastion cycled the cameras in the house until he found a yawning Connor
moving up the stairs. In a few seconds he had entered the bathroom and had
closed the door.

"Unit 17. Target is now in the bathroom. Proceed"

"Initiating breach procedure"

The shadows danced and the front door was silently forced open. They
entered the living room and scaled the stairs, with not a single footfall
registering any audible sound. Two of them took up a position outside of
the bathroom whilst the other three, via a series of hand-gestures, told
each other to move to the bedroom where Tammy was sleeping. One of them
opened the bedroom door and then placed a canister under the bed, releasing
the valve before quickly retreating and closing the door again. The silent
gas filled the room in seconds and they knew that no sound on Earth would
disturb her now.




The three joined the others back at the bathroom and one of them placed a
listening device on the door. All heard the sound of showering and Connor
muttering something to himself as he bathed. Another series of
hand-gestures prepared them before they slowly opened the bathroom
door. The leader moved in the darkened bathroom towards the shower unit and
then, with one movement, threw it open whilst bringing his weapon to his
shoulder.

As the unit opened the leader saw two small tablets, dislodged by the
sudden movement, drop into the water. Even though his eyes suddenly began
to stream he was able to see that the shower unit was empty, except for a
small digital which had been making the sounds they had heard. He tried to
turn but his strength left him before he fell down dead at the feet of his
colleagues.

Bastion saw a figure run from around the side of the house. It took him a
few seconds to recognise it but only one to scream a warning

"Connor's running from the house. 17 report!"

"One man down. Gas. Breached bathroom window, professional job too. We are
withdrawing from the bathroom and will pursue target outside"

The four shadows abandoned stealth in favour of speed. They ran heavily
down the stairs and breezed through the living room with practised
ease. Nonetheless they arrived back in the front garden only in time to see
Connor's car racing away.

Bastion was furious

"Get him!"

The voice was breathless as it ran towards the vehicles

"Don't worry sir, he's a dead man"

The undertaker unit had two cars waiting and Bastion fed data into their
on-board computers. It had only taken him a second to track Connor's car
using the city CCTV network and the pursuers knew there was no chance of
losing their target. They drove fast enough to keep in contention but slow
enough not to make potential eyewitnesses stare.

As the pursuit continued it became clear to Bastion that Connor was not
fleeing randomly. His own speed was designed to maintain distance but not
draw too much attention and he was heading into, not out of, the
city. Bastion thought a warning was in order

"Unit 17. Be advised. Target seems to have a place in mind. He's not
fleeing widely"

"I would not have expected anything else sir"

"Really, why?"

"The target clearly knew we were coming and where we were as we
approached. It stands to reason he also planned his escape with equal
care. I know I would have if it were me and, to be blunt sir, I think we
have to assume that Connor has been trained to our level"

Bastion felt himself going cold inside. Despite the odds a small trickle of
doubt was working its' way down the back of his shirt. Bastion sounded
worried

"Can you take him out unit 17?"

"Ain't a man alive who can beat us sir. He's just making it fun that's all"

Connor's car raced into a disused underground car park, smashing the
inadequate barrier as it passed. Once inside Bastion lost him as the car
park CCTV had long since ceased to function.

"Unit 17. I've lost him. I'm blind in there"

"Just listen to the com-traffic if you want to know what's happening
sir. We'll take it from here"

The two cars split and blocked the two main exits from the car
park. Bastion saw the four men enter with caution, weapons raised. He could
do little more than listen to their commentary

"Ok listen up. 1 and 2 take the first level. I'm with 4 on the second. He's
come here for a reason so we have to assume it's a bolt-hole. He'll have
weapons and possibly body-armour. He's not going to run he's going to make
a stand. Just make sure you stand taller when the time comes. Move out and
stay alert"

The two pairs split up and began to search their chosen levels. They were
aided not only by their low-light vision, which defeated the gloomy
environment, but also by the wide open space they now searched. After a few
minutes they reported to one another

"Level one clear though we found fresh tire-marks. He's gone lower"

"Two is clear as well. Anyone see how deep this thing goes?"

"At least four levels I think. Ok, move on to the next two"

The men moved down the ramps to the next two levels and began to sweep them
carefully. After about 3 minutes, the two men on the third level heard the
lift on the far wall activate.

"Movement on 3. Lift activated"

No response came from the fourth level

"Op 1, Op 2. Did you copy that last transmission?"  "Ok 4. Assume 1 and 2
are down. Come with me and let's cover the lift"

The two men rushed over to the lift. Op 3 changed his vision from low-light
to infra-red. He scanned the lift as it continued to ascend from the
depths.

"I see him. Heat-source on top of the elevator. I think he's trying to jump
us so he'll have sent it to this level. Get ready. When the doors open,
enter the car and blast the roof"

The men prepared themselves as the lift approached. Every well-trained
muscle was ready, every operational tour they had seen made them
prepared. As the doors to the lift opened, Op 4 entered the lift and fired
at the roof. His automatic weapon made a mockery of the steel as each
full-metal round burst through it.

Op 3 was blown to the ground as an explosion shook the lift from above. 4
screamed as the lift was hurtled to the very depths of the shaft before
crashing and silencing him forever. Although winded, 3 knew better than to
stay prone. He spread himself against the wall before peering down the
shaft with his low-light vision. Although at a distance he could make out
some kind of device on top of the lift, heavily damaged by the plastic
explosive that had clearly one been next to it.

"Hello Colonel Potter"

The voice had come over Op 3's secure channel.

"You know me?"

"Of course colonel. You became quiet famous after you allowed your unit to
massacre all those protestors"

"Two sides to every tale Connor. I assume it is Connor I have the pleasure
to speak with?"

Potter looked around level three and tried to find the best cover he could

"So, what shall we do now Colonel?"

"How about a nice game of chess? You come out and I'll even let you be
white"

Connor laughed.

"I'm not much of a games-player I am afraid Colonel. Certainly not when
compared to your employers. However I do intend to kill you man to man. I
think that's only appropriate given that you killed so many innocents in
the same fashion. Of course the main difference is that I'll let you be
armed as well"

"Very sporting. Well, you know where I am. Come get me"



Connor dropped from the roof space and landed on Potter knocking his weapon
from his hand. As Potter stood up from the blow, Connor said

"With pleasure"

Potter drew his knife and entered a combat stance whilst Connor drew a
side-handled baton of the type beloved by law-enforcement. He waited until
Potter lunged at him before side-stepping the attack and striking Potter on
the arm. Potter countered with a kick that swept the legs away from Connor
before he fell upon him.

Bastion could only hear the grunts and screams as the two men fought to the
death. He remained glued to his computer, as impotent as he had ever been,
whilst the last of his pawns engaged the white knight.

After a few more moments there was a death-scream and then silence. The
channel was filled with the sound of panting and nothing more. Bastion
shouted

"Did you get him?"

"Yes thank you, Bastion" Connor said quietly "I did."

"What do you want you bastard?"

"I want you to listen to me. To make you do that I need you to watch your
screen and note what is about to blow up"

Bastion pulled up a full view of his network as he heard Connor activate
his mobile phone. Connor did not speak but Bastion heard the mobile
disconnect before he suddenly saw an automated alarm in one of his Texan
facilities. The remote monitoring had suddenly ceased to work, indicating a
massive and fatal explosion. Connor gave Bastion a second to absorb what he
was seeing

"That was one of your remote listening stations. If you attempt to
terminate the woman or me again then something worse will happen to your
network. You can end this cleanly, now, by promising me that you will end
your grubby little show for ever and that Miss Squires will never be
hurt. If you break that promise, ever, then I will make you wish you were
never born"

Bastion slammed his fists on his computer

"You go to hell Connor, or whatever the fuck your name is! You cannot
threaten us, we are the most powerful force on Earth!"

"Are you? Indeed? I think not."

Connor closed the channel.

Bastion felt the anger turn into nervous energy as he opened a new channel

"Aegis are you there?"

Aegis sounded grave

"I am more than just here, Bastion, I heard it all"

"What?"

"When you shared the Sentinel file with me I took the liberty of taking
your communication channel data as well. I thought that you might value my
input, despite the breach in protocol, and I guess this call means that I
gambled correctly?"

Bastion smiled despite himself

"You know I could report you to C for that Aegis?"

"I'd almost welcome it if it would finally make you obey protocol yourself"

Bastion was silent for a moment

"It's not that simple Aegis. Connor has shown himself to have not only
abilities we did not imagine but also contacts that can strike my
network. If I were to turn that over to C it truly would seem like an act
of desperation which, when compounded by my initial decision to handle it
myself, would fatally undermine my position. I will not allow that to
happen."

"You are lucky that my friendship for you blinds me to a lot of things
Bastion. It's your network Connor has targeted and, unless it spreads to
mine, I will not feel compelled to report this to C myself. How do you plan
to handle him?"

"Kill him"

"You heard his threat"

"Then I'll have to make sure I don't miss next time, that's all"

Aegis sighed

"What of the girl?"

"Connor is using her as a tool, nothing more. If the Guild audience see
that I have terminated someone they still drool over then they will get
suspicious. It's already going to be at the limit of my skill to cover-up
the death of an undertaker unit without having to fend off their enquiries
as well. Tammy Squires is our smokescreen as well as Connor's at the
moment. Connor dies first and then we take care of her"

"Bastion, end this quickly before it endangers us any further"

"I'll need the rest of the night to clean up the mess Aegis but I promise
you this. By tomorrow it will all be over and Connor will be a fading
memory. Bastion out"
============================================================= Tammy awoke
to find Connor sitting on a chair in the bedroom, watching her. It startled
her for a moment before she saw the compassion in his eyes. She wondered
what he was thinking. Tammy hoped to start the morning in a better frame of
mind than she had ended the evening.

"Good morning grumpy"

Connor gave a half-laugh

"Good morning. I'd have made you breakfast to apologise but, as you see, I
am in serious need of a shower"

Tammy suddenly realised that Connor was covered in earth and grass

"What have you been up to this morning?"

"Just a little digging in the garden, burying some waste we had lying
around. Come on, I'll race you to the shower. The loser has to scrub the
winner's back"

As the bathroom door closed behind them Connor tapped Tammy on her
shoulder. When she turned round she saw the most serious look on his face
that he had ever shown

"You have to listen to me Tammy. Bastion knows enough about me to know I am
too dangerous to him to be allowed to live. I staged that argument last
night in order to have us separate when his goons arrived and, thanks to a
little preparedness, I am glad to say that I survived their close personal
attention. If I had not been pre-warned I would have been dead"

Tammy had felt that this moment would come but she was not prepared for it
to have arrived so quickly

"How were you warned? They have every inch of our lives, apart from this
room, under total surveillance"

Connor attempted a smile but his adrenaline would not permit even the fake
mark of relaxation to grace his lips

"That's their weakness. Their coverage it too total. They have this place
wired up like Green's office, just on the off chance that one of their
agents might drive you home I guess. Anyway, they use hypersonic channels
that are beamed directly into the inner ear in order to communicate. The
one thing they have never thought they might need is a detection network
for the same for, under normal circumstances, their victims do not even
know they exist much less try to use such sophisticated techniques. My
friends were able to use their own network to beam a warning to me"

Tammy had always assumed Connor worked alone.

"Friends?"

"Like-minded individuals with no love for the Guild, free-lancers who have
managed to avoid detection by working in small, seemingly unconnected
groups. They know as much about the Guild as anyone outside it, even the
names and faces of some of their agents. I got lucky last night, one of the
units we had tagged was activated and my friends were able to follow them
to the house. I am playing a dangerous game though and I wanted you know
that, if I fail, your life will be measured in days. When they get bored of
you that's it"

Tammy held Connor more in need of support than in a gesture of support

"What are you going to do Connor?"

"Bastion is the key. I've made this personal between him and me and now
it's a game of attrition. Did you ever read about Moses?"

"Yes, the one with the staff and the split-river thing"

"I'm doing the Moses-manoeuvre. Calling down plagues on Bastion until the
pain is no longer worth holding onto those that I wish to liberate. Last
night Pharaoh said no but I am sure our paths will cross again
today. Today, I feel, will make or break one of us."

"Can I help?"

Connor stroked her face lovingly

"The best thing you can do my sweet is to stay safe and that means playing
along. Go do what Green wants today and keep your head down. I promise you
that Green will suffer when Bastion falls but, for the moment, he is still
not a man you want the audience to see you disappoint. Now, let's shower
quickly and get moving"

Bastion watched Connor and Tammy as they left the house. By the time Connor
had started the car Bastion had dialled a number on his mobile. It rang
twice before it was answered

"Hello?"

"Hello old friend. It's Bastion"

There was a shocked pause at the other end before a cautious
acknowledgement

"Long time no speak Bastion. Everything ok?"

"Can you still shoot?"

"Sorry?"

Bastion spoke with patience of a parent explaining why potty-training is a
good idea.

"Can you still shoot a rifle as well as you used to?"  The voice sounded
offended

"Of course. I retired, I did not lose a hand"

"Then I have a chance for you to do some powerful friends of mine a
favour. If you accept a job from me they will make you a very rich man
indeed. The only provisos are that you must get to Lexington by this
afternoon, you are not allowed to use anyone else and you must shoot the
target without question"

Another pause followed.

"I don't know about that. Lexington is a hell of a way from here and I
normally insist on having a spotter alongside me"

"When you look outside your house you will see a car and a driver. They
will take you to a waiting private plane. You will be here by noon and will
be provided with all your favourite weapons. They will be calibrated, as I
know you require. For certain reasons I need to keep the numbers down to a
bare minimum so you will have to shoot alone. I know you can do it or I
would not have called you. You are the finest shot in the land"

"Ok, as a special favour to you Bastion. I am on my way"

Bastion closed the cell-phone with a snap of triumph. He opened a channel
to Aegis, who sounded sleepy when he answered

"Yes Bastion? News for me?"

"Sorry to wake you Aegis"

"That presupposes I managed to get some sleep last night Bastion. You may
have slept soundly but I can assure you that with the Connor situation
unresolved I did not."

"It will be very soon. I have just arranged for a friend to execute Connor"

"Which one of our units is he from?"

"He's not, he's a freelance"

Aegis spluttered in shock

"A freelance? All the power you have within the Guild and you called in a
criminal hit-man?"

"Connor knew that the undertaker unit was coming. He must have people who
are tagging some, if not all, of the resources we have in the city. I could
not take the chance of they warning him again. Relax, Aegis, this guy is
the finest sniper that the army has produced in forty years."

"He's still a loose-end Bastion. If he's not working directly for us he
could compromise us"

"He knows nothing about us other than that we will pay him well. I'll call
you when it's done. Bastion out"

Connor dropped Tammy off at her work with a small kiss on the cheek. Tammy
had barely entered the lift before he had driven away at speed, leaving the
lift doors to close on one world before opening on another. She feared what
Green had in store for her today.

Tammy knocked on Green's door and waited.

"Come in"

She entered the office and saw Green sitting behind his desk. Although his
manner had been intimate yesterday it was as if he had never seen her
before today. He motioned for her to sit down.

"Good morning Miss Squires. Your duties will take you outside the office
today and you will need to dress far more conservatively. Get changed into
the clothes I have prepared for you and then return to me"

Green looked down at his paperwork to indicate that the conversation was
over. Tammy saw that the prepared garments were indeed very conservative
and clearly designed to give the impression of professionalism. As she
changed into them she expected Green to look at her, thrill once more in
his power over her sexuality, but he remain steadfastly intent on his
paperwork. A small part of Tammy felt disappointed and ashamed as if she
were a small child that had hoped but failed to win approval from an
abusive parent.

Tammy moved back to the desk when she had changed completely. She looked
the very picture of modest yet highly paid efficiency and Green smiled as
she went over to him.

"You look very nice Miss Squires. More importantly you will fit the
expectations of a lady you are going to meet shortly. Take a look at this
photograph"

Tammy looked at the photograph that Green handed her. It contained a
surveillance shot of a very distinguished looking middle-aged lady who was
getting out of a car.

"Do you recognise her Tammy?"

"No, should I?"

Green shook his head in mock chastisement

"Where is the interest in politics amongst the youth of today I wonder? If
you watched more than soaps Tammy you'd know that this is Barbara Taylor,
wife of Congressman Taylor who is heading an investigative committee right
now" Tammy suddenly felt herself become cold. She did not like where this
was beginning to lead.

"Congressman Taylor is, shall we say, fighting a personal crusade against
the business interests of certain friends of mine. He's a fanatic about
open government and the defeat of what he calls the shadow networks that he
claims run everything from behind the scenes. Unfortunately he's gained
powerful support within Congress and his crackpot views are in danger of
becoming more universally accepted. You are going to change that by the end
of the day"

The suggestion was so outrageous that Tammy found herself laughing in
disbelief. Cursing herself for forgetting the danger of her situation she
attempted to seem less disrespectful by turning it into a coughing fit.

"You cannot be serious, sir. How can I do that? I don't even know him"

Green seemed to forgive her incredulity but he nonetheless assumed a grave
tone of voice.

"Through his wife. She is due today to meet her accountant at her house for
a routine check of her personal finances. She has used the same firm for
many years and trusts them implicitly. Her regular accountant has become
ill today and you will present yourself as the replacement. In this way you
will gain access to the house and from there I will advise you via a radio
link."

Tammy became fearful again.

"I don't know the first thing about accountancy"

"Neither does she. Your credentials have been prepared and we already have
a completed report for her based on her financial details, which we know
intimately. All you have to do is look the part and follow the instructions
that I will relay to you via these"

Green reached into his desk and handed Tammy a pair of clear-glass
spectacles. Tammy put them on whilst Green took a small microphone from his
pocket. When her next spoke Tammy heard his voice whispering from behind
her left ear.

"As well as allowing covert communication the spectacles also contain a
miniature camera which transmits to a certain web-site. I can access that
via my laptop from her and thus will be able to see and hear everything you
do once you are inside"

Green could see Tammy was still looking uncertain and he knew he had to
settle her nerves. He used a combination of threat and promise.

"The Congressman represents a direct threat to this company and needs to be
discredited. If you refuse to help then I will be forced to question your
loyalty not only to the company but also to myself. If, however, you
succeed in what I have in mind then you will receive a substantial bonus as
a token of the company's gratitude. No-one's going to get hurt, I promise,
and the threat to you is minimal" Remembering what Connor had said to her
Tammy agreed. Within fifteen minutes she had left the office and was
driving to the Congressman's house.

The phone sounded in Green's office. Green was unsure as to why it was
being used as it was for emergency Guild contact only, so he answered with
some trepidation

"Hello?"

"Green this is Bastion"

The voice on the other side of the phone sounded cold. Green became
alarmed.

"Yes Bastion. What's up sir?"

"What the fuck are you up to with Tammy Squires today?"

Green regained his composure. He was not a man to be bullied even by
someone as powerful as this.

"You said I had complete control over what happened to the subject during
working hours. You also said you wanted more of a soap opera feel,
something to give the daytime feed an edge"

Bastion exploded

"I did not give you permission to make up Guild policy on the fly! We've
got Congressman Taylor under intense pressure and it's only a matter of
time before we take him down"

"Yes Bastion it is but before you lose your rag entirely consider
this. What's Taylor's politically greatest strength?

Bastion was taken aback for a second. It was long enough to calm down.

"Easy, his virtue. Him and that damn wife have been married for 20 years
and there is no sexual scandal, no fraud, no corruption to be found
anywhere. Believe me we've tried"

"Ok. Tammy Squires is dead meat one day soon when your viewers get tired of
her. She's a loose end for only a short while and this way I will bring
Taylor down for the Guild whilst your viewers get a voyeur-vision like
nothing they have ever seen before. It's got power play, scandal, sex,
danger and a real pay-off against a political opponent most of them have
personal reason to hate. That, my friend, is pure drama and it will keep
them locked on the day time feed for weeks to come"

"What if it goes wrong Green?"

"It won't. You hate the Congressman more than most don't you Bastion?"

"He's been a thorn in my side for far too long, that's for certain" Green
played his ace card. He appealed to Bastion's need to feel powerful.

"If you let me run with this Bastion I promise you that by the end of the
day not only will Congressman Taylor be neutered but also his wife will be
begging to kneel down and suck your dick in front of his face"

Green heard the silence on the other end of the telephone and he knew that
he'd scored. By the time Bastion's voice returned it had a strained quality
as his base power lust fought his professionalism in order to express
itself.

"Make it happen"

"Yes sir. She'll be there in a second so I'd better hang up and get to
it. Goodbye"

Green hung up the telephone and accessed the webpage via his laptop. He
could see Tammy approach the Congressman's house and he sat back to direct
the show.

Tammy approached the house and took several deep breaths before she rang
the bell. In a few moments the lady from the photograph appeared and opened
the door.

"Hello?"

"Hello Mrs Taylor. My name is Tammy Squires and I am a replacement for Mr
Jessop. He's been taken ill and so, rather than cancel the appointment, the
firm have sent me to you today"

Barbara Taylor looked at Tammy for a moment. Tammy was at first worried
that she'd not been convincing enough but soon realised it was her youth
that was causing the puzzled looks.

"No offence my dear but are you properly qualified? You look very young
when compared to Mr Jessop"

Tammy smiled in the most convincing manner she knew how and presented her
credentials. Once Barbara had read the impressive list she visibly relaxed
and invited Tammy in.

The house was beautiful from top to bottom with expensive furniture being
framed by objects of fine art. Tammy began to pretend to work on her laptop
whilst Barbara presented her with a bewildering array of paperwork and a
coffee. Tammy was relieved that Barbara found accountancy even more of a
bore than she did because it meant Barbara left her alone after an initial
look.

Green thought it best to steady Tammy's nerves so he spoke into his
microphone.

"Well done Miss Squires. Now I need you to get a proper look around the
house for me but in order to do that you will have to drug Barbara
Taylor. Under the delete key of that laptop you will see it has been
hollowed out. In there you will find a pill which will send her into
natural but unwakeable sleep twenty-minutes after she consumes it. Place it
into her drink on your next break in, say, an hour" Tammy quickly found and
pocketed the pill before continuing her pretence of work. About an hour
later she found Barbara sitting in the kitchen.

"Excuse me Mrs Taylor but may I make myself another drink please?"

Barbara smiled warmly

"Of course you may my dear"

Tammy nervously walked over to the kettle and filled it. Trying to keep her
voice light she asked

"Would you like one as well?"

It seemed like an age before Barbara replied during which time Tammy issued
a silent prayer.

"Well I don't normally in the morning but yes, Earl Grey would be
nice. Thank you"

Tammy breathed a silent thank you as she added the pill to the Earl
Grey. It was then a small matter of making even smaller talk for about
fifteen minutes before Barbara had finished her tea. Tammy went back to her
laptop and began to work again, waiting for the inevitable. Sure enough
Barbara popped her head around the door in about another quarter of an
hour.

"I am sorry my dear but I am suddenly feeling a little fatigued. Maybe I am
coming down with something and that would never do for tonight. I am going
for a little lie-down on the bed. I trust you will be ok to work on down
here?"

Tammy nodded perhaps a little too eagerly but the drug was kicking in too
much for Barbara to really notice. As Barbara began to ascend the stairs,
Green spoke to Tammy via his transmitter

"Mrs Taylor and her husband are attending a charity masquerade ball tonight
down town and that's why she's concerned for her health. The good
Congressman will undoubtedly use the occasion to socialise with new
potential allies. You will be pleased to know Tammy that you will be
attending tonight as well. For the moment, however, I want you to wait five
more minutes and then use the lead we've given you to plug the laptop into
the USB port of their downstairs computer. Once you have it will copy all
the data on the hard-drive and that may give us a better idea about whom
the Congressman is talking to"

Tammy did as she was instructed whilst Green heard his telephone sound
again.

"Hello Bastion. See, it's as easy as pie"

"So far so good but I want more for the show than just a data-grab. Let me
talk to Tammy myself"

Green became a little concerned at the lust he heard in Bastion's voice "Ok
boss but just be careful. Barbara will be out for an hour tops and any sort
of penetration will be felt by her when she awakes."

"I know how to be subtle Mr Green. Introduce me to Tammy please"

Tammy was just completing the download when Green's voice sounded over the
transmitter again

"Miss Squires I have been joined in the office by another executive from
the company. Do not ask his name but simply obey him like you would me"

"Ok" Tammy said

Bastion was breathing heavily as he talked into his headset

"Hello Tammy. I want you to go upstairs now and please find Barbara Taylor"

As Bastion saw Tammy move up the stairs he could feel his heart beating
faster. Congressman Taylor had thwarted him for many years, having to
endure his smug attitude and the self-important mannerisms of his wife. Now
that wife was at his mercy albeit by disposable proxy and he intended to
savour every moment.

Tammy entered the master bedroom and saw Barbara lying on her back on the
bed. She was sleeping peacefully and was still wearing the outfit she had
been downstairs. Bastion looked through Tammy's eyes and wished he could be
there in person. Tammy would have to mimic his desires for now.

"Ok Tammy move slowly over to Barbara and kiss her, as you would a lover,
until I tell you to stop. You are not allowed to penetrate her mouth with
your tongue however"

Tammy softly moved over to the sleeping woman and began to gently kiss
her. The old sensations flowed through Tammy as she did, sensations of
shame and fear that were mingled with the sheer power she had. She knew
that part of her was thrilled to exert such dominion over other people and
it had ceased to shock her now. Tammy had to obey the Guild until Connor
could rescue her and so, she reasoned she might as well attempt to enjoy
it.

Bastion found himself stroking his erection as he watched the lesbian
kissing. He knew that the straight-laced Barbara Taylor would be horrified
if she were conscience and it thrilled him all the more for that.

"That's fine Tammy. Now please stop and open Mrs Taylor's shirt, paying
close attention to keeping the camera in your spectacles trained on her
chest"

Bastion saw the shirt being opened and the view from the spectacle-cam,
with just Tammy's hands visible around the frame, made it almost seem like
they were his own hands. His own hands were not idle either.

Tammy could hear the soft exertion in Bastion's voice and she laughed to
herself. Whoever this clown was he was not as cool as Green about
things. He was clearly masturbating and Tammy knew she had almost as much
control over him as the woman in front of her.

"Remove her bra Tammy. I want to see the breasts of Barbara Taylor"

Tammy was careful to keep a good view of Barbara's chest for this idiot
whilst she undid the bra. She heard Bastion's gasp as the breasts became
exposed and realised for the first time that something else was happening
here. Whoever this man was he had some kind of deep, personal stake in all
this. Clearly Barbara was to become his trophy as well as just a woman to
masturbate over.

"Now Tammy I want you to put your spectacle camera somewhere where it can
see the entire bed. Not to far away though because I want to be able to see
her face at all times. It's not enough for me to see a pair of tits, I want
to always know that they are her tits"

Tammy placed her spectacles in position whilst Green amended the zoom to
ensure Bastion saw what he wanted and called Tammy on her mobile phone to
maintain voice contact. He patched the line through to Bastion who was by
now lost in his own passion with all pretence at professionalism fast
dwindling. He was more a two-cent voyeur than master of all he surveyed.

"Kiss and lick her tits for me Tammy"

Green intervened, alarmed

"No, don't Tammy. Sir, if Miss Squires leaves saliva on Barbara's body then
the scent may be enough to alarm her when she awakens. The mouth was fine
because there is plenty to mix it around in there"

Tammy was suddenly jolted by the slip Green had made. He had called that
idiot "sir". Surely it couldn't be that bastard controller that Connor was
trying to take down?

Bastion sounded disappointed but resigned.

"Is there anywhere else saliva would not be a problem Mr Green?"

Green knew that he could please Bastion without endangering the higher
goals. He pointedly replied

"Anywhere where natural body-fluids would swamp any smell from Tammy with
one from Barbara"

Bastion did not need any more signposts. He regained a new rush of
adrenaline.

"Ok Tammy. In that case we need to find a natural repository for the fluids
of the good lady there. Slowly unzip her trousers for me please"

Tammy could hear Bastion thrilling as she unzipped Barbara's trousers as
slowly as she could. Tammy herself had lost all pleasure in what was
happening knowing, as she now did, that she was helping to pleasure the
sadistic bastard who had imprisoned her.

Bastion was clearly unhappy with the view he was receiving because he
ordered Tammy to put her spectacles back on. Once she had done so he told
her to hang up the phone.

"Now Miss Squires let's see what kind of panties our matronly Mrs Taylor
wears for her husband. Remove her trousers and then stand back to allow me
to gaze over her"

Tammy was as surprised as Bastion to see that Barbara was wearing a pair of
very skimpy, white satin briefs. Clearly she was not as matronly as Bastion
thought. Tammy stood back and allowed the spectacle camera to take in the
nearly naked form on the bed. She could hear Bastion's breathing becoming
more laboured and she wondered if he would come before she could exposes
Barbara fully. Tammy almost pitied the immaturity of Bastion, this
so-called demon who was now little more than a naughty body masturbating
over the sleeping body of his mother.

Bastion gave himself a moment to rest before he implemented his pyrric
victory over his enemy. Finally he prepared himself for climax before
speaking.

"Tammy remove her panties and focus on her pussy, spreading her legs so
that I may get a good open view. Show me the cunt of Congressman Taylor's
wife and let me record it so that I may show it to others in the
future. Violate their union, expose this closely guarded secret and turn
her into a whore for the eyes of the world"

Tammy really thought Bastion had lost it now. He was getting almost
theatrical with his statements and had even hinted about the existence of
his precious television show. She removed Barbara's panties as slowly as
she could and spread her naked legs wide, allowing Bastion to see deep
inside Barbara's vagina. Tammy heard him in the throes of heavy
masturbation as he spoke

"We've got a transcript of one of their counceling sessions from last
month. Seems the good Congressman cannot get it up most nights and it's
caused them concern because they are trying for a baby. Do you know Tammy
that in twenty years of marriage neither one of them has given head to the
other? He does not want to do it and she won't perform felatio without
reciprocation. How pathetic is that!"

Tammy thought it was nowhere near as pathetic as masturbating in front of
near strangers.

"Let's give her a thrill, eh my girl? Do no go too deep or you may leave a
sensation she will detect but lick Barbara's clitoris for me. Go where her
old man fears and give me a view of his wife's pussy he's never seen"

Tammy heard Bastion climax as she began to lick Barbara's clitoris. It made
her feel a bit better that the sleeping woman had instinctively reacted as
if she had enjoyed the soft yet brief tongue between her legs.

Tammy sat on the bed whilst Bastion recovered. Green remained silent whilst
hoping that Bastion would now turn control back over to him. He was out of
luck.

"Tammy get some cotton wool and soak up some of her pussy juices for
me. Then I want you to find an identical bra and panties to the one she is
wearing and when you dress her, use the new ones. Finally find some nail
scissors and cut off a small locket of her pubic hair, as close to her
vaginal entrance as you can. You are to bring all those trophies back to Mr
Green who will forward them to me. I want to know I can swoop into their
house, steal the underwear from off his wife's body and smell and taste her
pussy. All without him having the slightest clue"

Green silently groaned as saw Tammy scuttle around in order to please
Bastion. Nonetheless he hoped to get the main mission back on track.

"Tammy this is Green. I think it's safe to say, from her underwear and her
husband's problems, that Barbara is sexually hungry for most of the time. I
reckon she will keep a dildo hidden in the bedroom for when he is out. Find
it for me and hold it up to the camera so that I can get a good, solid
look. Then replace it please"

Barbara was almost stirring by the time Tammy had dressed her. Fortunately
she was lucky and quickly found the dildo hidden in Barbara's underwear
draw. Tammy moved it around to allow Green to see it from all sides before
replacing it. She had to hurry to be downstairs before Barbara awoke and
Tammy's heart was beating fast as she heard the sound of footsteps on the
stairs.

Pushing her head around the door a somewhat half-asleep Barbara smiled at
her

"Everything ok down here dear? I'm feeling much better for that sleep. Are
you nearly done?"

Tammy smiled sweetly in relief. She had got away with it.

"Almost Mrs Taylor. I'll come find you when I am ready"

Barbara left and Tammy slip down the chair with a huge relieved sigh.

Bastion recovered himself slowly as he watched Tammy working on the
laptop. She was making a good pretence and he was impressed by her acting
skill. He placed another call to Green

"Hello Bastion?"

"Hello Mr Green. Just to advise you that Connor will be executed this
afternoon. I need to you keep Miss Squires away from the house and yet
fresh for tonight. I suggest a hotel room near the venue for the
ball. Order in an appropriate set of clothes for her and give her the
afternoon to rest" "Ok Sir but won't she get a little suspicious being paid
to watch TV?"

"She'd doing overtime for the company tonight so it's justifiable. Just
make sure she stays in that room until I can confirm to you that Connor is
dead. I think Miss Squires has a few more days left in her, so long as she
keeps the Guild entertained, and it would be a shame to have to terminate
such a resourceful lady prematurely."

"You can rely on me sir"

Bastion thought back to his enjoyment of Barbara Taylor. It was the first
time he'd ever thought it worthwhile becoming involved with his show
directly and he acknowledged that he had Green to thank for that.

"I know I can Mr Green. You do good work. Goodbye"

Tammy remained in the Taylor residence for another hour before she handed
Barbara the pre-prepared summary of her finances. It had been crafted with
all the skill of the Guild and Barbara was suitably impressed with the
presumed final results of Tammy's labours.

Once outside Tammy began to walk to her car. Green talked to her over his
microphone.

"Excellent work Miss Squires. You are now to report to the Meridian hotel
and prepare yourself for the charity masquerade ball this evening. I think
your cover as an all-star accountant suited you and we will recycle it
again for the event however you will need better clothing for a
high-powered social event. You will also, of course, need a mask. I will
arrange for a series of garments to be delivered to your suite at the hotel
and you are to choose freely from amongst them before bathing and generally
relaxing for a few hours. The garments are being delivered from across the
city and so it will take a while for them all to be seen by you. Do not
leave the hotel until I call you on the telephone in the room"

As Tammy drove away in her car Bastion was watching Connor sitting on the
sofa in the house again. For a man who was presenting such a threat to him,
Bastion thought, Connor seemed almost insultingly inactive. Nonetheless it
would make the assassination all the easier and that thought made Bastion
smile to himself. Today was indeed going to be a special day.

Bastion's thoughts were interrupted by a call on his radio.

"Bastion this is Aegis. Are you, shall we say, recovered from your little
side-adventure this morning?"

If the mocking tone of the remark had originated from anyone else, Bastion
would have lost his temper. Instead he chose his words carefully whilst his
anger faded.

"I am fine and on top of my game today Aegis, thank you for asking. Green
is about to bring down the Taylor's, Tammy is performing better than any
other subject of the show and Connor is about to be sent back to whichever
layer of hell spawned him" "I'm glad you've remembered Connor. I was
wondering given your decision to participate in the show today"

Even Aegis did not have the right to question him so and Bastion's ego
would not allow it to pass unchallenged.

"A little rest and relaxation that's all. You are not telling me that
turning Congressman Taylor's wife into a live porn-star did not appeal to
even you?"

Aegis paused to allow his friend to calm down a little

"Taylor's power-base is in Lexington. He's always been more of a pain in
your ass than mine Bastion and, despite the fact that the cutesy value of
what you have done will go down a storm with your viewers, I am more
concerned that Connor is removed quickly. I tell you that he is more of a
threat to us than he appears. I have a very bad gut-feeling about anyone
who can challenge us so blatantly and yet who feels secure enough to sit on
a sofa eating pretzels rather than organise himself"

Bastion looked at Connor on the viewer again and then snorted a derisive
comment

"He's an arrogant prick that's all"

"Just make sure your freelance does not miss him Bastion. I hate to imagine
what resource of ours may blow-up next time if that man lives. Aegis out"

Bastion looked at the clock. His man was due into Lexington in less than
twenty minutes and that gave Connor less than two hours left to
live. Bastion wondered how Aegis had ever risen to his role as a watcher
when he was so prone to panic.

The private plane landed at Lexington airport exactly on schedule having
been granted the kind of priority landing clearance normally reserved for
the likes of Air Force One. The single passenger disembarked and was
greeted by two men in grey suits who escorted him to a waiting car without
a word being exchanged. Once inside he examined the sniper rifle closely
whilst the two men sat in the front seat waiting and watching him in the
mirror. When he saw that the inspection was finished the driver turned
around and asked

"What should I tell him?"

The voice from the rear-seat was dripping with Texan drawl.

"Tell him it's good. Tell him I'll call him when the job is complete. Then
drive me to the target but make sure you drop me at least three blocks
away"

The car drove slowly attracting no special attention as it entered the
Lexington mid-day traffic.

Tammy drove to the Meridian without hurrying herself. She was worried about
Connor and almost called the house before chastising herself for her
stupidity. The Guild would have the call monitored and she would be
implicated in Connor's plans. Instead she had to settle for worrying about
him whilst she maintained her friendly facade, checking and settling into
her suite as if she had no care in the world.

The suite was the best in Lexington and soon Tammy almost forgot herself as
she began to relax. Within half an hour a bewildering array of designer
clothing began to arrive, matched only by the flurry of masks which covered
the entire range from subtle to gross. Although Tammy was worried over the
ball this evening she knew, for the first time since this all began that
she would not be expected to perform for the Guild this afternoon. Instead,
for once, she could simply sit back and enjoy their money.

Bastion watched Tammy from the clandestine comfort of the hidden cameras
within the suite, enjoying a momentary voyeuristic flash of flesh before
turning his attention to the main matter in hand. The city CCTV easily
tracked the car as it pulled up about three blocks from where Connor was
sitting and, despite himself, Bastion felt himself becoming nervous. He was
remembering the warning that Aegis had given about Connor being missed yet
he knew that the man behind the scope never missed. Nonetheless he felt
compelled to ring him as he saw the sniper leave the car.

"Hello?"

"Hello my friend, this is Bastion"

"Bastion I heard your people tell you in the car that I would contact you
when it was done"

"I know but I am monitoring the target with hidden cameras. I thought I
might be able to help"

"I work best without a back-seat driver. Have a little faith, go grab a
coffee and let me do my job"

Bastion felt his anger rising

"Who do you think you are talking to? You are standing in the middle of
Lexington with a concealed illegal firearm in your case, not to mention a
string of outstanding murder warrants from seven states. I have kept you
safe on more than one occasion, do you really think I couldn't call the
cops on your now?"

The ice in the reply cooled Bastions fury immediately

"Threatening me just cost you double. If you do it again I promise you it
will cost you your life"

"I didn't mean..."

"I don't care what you meant. Look, if it will help you I will let you stay
on hands-free whilst I do the job. Just shut the fuck up when I am taking
the shot. Deal?"

"Deal. I'm sorry"

"No Bastion, you aren't sorry you're scared. That is not like you at
all. Who the hell am I shooting today, the president?"

Bastion sighed.

"We own the president. Let's just say it's someone who seems to have a
personal grudge against me"

The sniper laughed as Bastion heard him walking from the silent alley and
down the packed city-street

"Hell, if that's the mission I may need some overtime. You've got quite a
list of guys like that"

Bastion let the sniper be alone with his own thoughts as he watched him
walking towards the house on the city CCTV. Even though he was about to
commit murder the man looked as anonymous as a street-beggar and Bastion
knew that such professionalism was born, not crafted, into the expert
sniper.

As the sniper approached the street corner where the house stood he
stopped.

"Ok Mr eyes and ears. I think that low-rise building across the street will
do it, assuming your target is anywhere in the front of the house. It's got
good exits that lead into nice quiet side streets and what looks like
low-grade security that I can bypass blindfolded. Any comments?"

Bastion looked at his monitor again just to double-check.

"That's fine. The target is the man sitting on the sofa, eating junk-food"

"Works for me"

The sniper moved silently around to the rear of one of the building across
the street from the house. It was an empty retail-unit and as such
attracted no special attention from the passers-by, something it had in
common with the sniper as he broke in and swiftly ascended to the roof. The
sunlight warmed his back as he lay down and assembled his weapon before
training it on the house. A few moments later he could see Connor through
his scope and he began to fine-tune his movements in preparation for taking
the shot. His finger was just about to pull the trigger when his
concentration was shattered by an exclamation from Bastion

"Christ Bastion! What the hell is up with you?"

"The cameras in and around the house have failed. Every last one of them!
Can you still see Connor?"  "Yes I can he's still on the sofa but it
appears that his TV has suddenly turned off. The neon signs over there are
off too. I reckon we've got a localised power-failure. Don't sweat it
Bastion, my rifle doesn't need electricity. If you can just keep quiet for
a moment we can get this completed. Ok?"

Bastion steadied himself.

"Ok take the shot. Now!"

The sniper settled his thoughts again and his hear-rate followed. Connor
had moved from the sofa by now and was kneeling over his television,
presumably trying to work out what was wrong. The shot was slightly tougher
in that position but nothing that the sniper could not handle. He placed
his finger on the trigger and slowly squeezed the life out of his target.

Bastion heard the silenced shot over his headset and breathed
easier. Expecting a comment from the sniper he sat back in his chair and
waited patiently. He could still here him breathing but the lack of
feedback eventually drove Bastion's heart-rate back up.

"Is it done? Is he dead? What's happening?"

"The shot went off ok Bastion but the window has shattered like I've never
seen one do before. What was in the frame some kind of toughened
safety-glass? It looks for all the world like a shattered car wind-screen"

Now Bastion was worried.

"Does that mean you cannot confirm the kill?"

The sniper paused for a moment.

"I know he's dead but if you are asking me if I can see the body then the
answer is no. You'll need to get someone in there to confirm it all. I know
my aim was good and that the bullet went into his head, even if I could not
see the actual impact, it's just..."

"Just? Just what?"

"It's hard to say. The shot did not feel quite right. Maybe it's my age but
I would have expected slightly more kick-back from the round I used"

"Is that a problem?"

"The only thing I can possibly think of is that the round itself might have
been faulty. Maybe it had too little charge in it when it was made. That
could, theoretically, have turned a kill shot into a severe
head-wound. Your man might be crawling around in there but I'd very much
doubt it"

Bastion snapped into action. He contacted the camera unit that had been
assigned to follow Connor when he left the house.

"Unit 7, this is Bastion."

"Unit 7 here sir"

"Change of role. I need you to enter the house and confirm that Connor is
dead. Go armed and prepared in case he is only wounded. Report immediately
you see anything. Go now, quickly"

"On our way sir"

As Bastion waited for them to report he contacted the sniper again

"Ok, good job my friend with the payment in the usual fashion. Get out of
there, I have people taking care of any loose ends"

"Thanks Bastion. Have no worries old friend. I never miss. Your target is
dead"

Bastion poured himself a neat vodka as he waited for the report from inside
the house. He did not want to calm his nerves, for he had complete faith in
his friend's aim, but he was preparing to toast his victory. With Connor
out of the way he could safely return to his favourite role of
puppet-master over the stars of his show.

"Sir this is unit 7. We are in the downstairs front room. We have
positively identified the dead man in here as Connor, killed it seems by a
single shot to the head. Do you want us to take care of the clean-up
operation? I am concerned that unless we get him out of here and that
window secured quickly we are going to have the local police all over us"

Bastion smiled with a relief he could barely hide in his voice.

"Yes, thank you unit 7. I am giving you full authority to requisition
anything you need from the network. Clean up well there and I promise you a
bonus like you've never seen"

"Will do sir, thank you. 7 out"

Bastion sat back and watched Tammy in her room for a while whilst he
enjoyed his drink. Vodka had never tasted so sweet. It was a full
twenty-minutes before he was interrupted by an urgent call. Still enjoying
the heady mixture of alchol and self-congratulations, Bastion took the call
with a casual manner.

"Bastion here, who've we got calling me now?"

"Bastion this is Aegis. Tune your system over to scan channel 17"

Aegis had brought Bastion back to Earth with a shudder.

"Channel 17? Why?"

"Do it now please"

Bastion tuned his system into channel 17 and listened.

"I don't hear anything?"

"Exactly. My network as a secondary communications hub uses channel 17. I
can promise you that your own channel 9 is also dead."

"We've had a localised power-failure in Lexington Aegis. Maybe that's
caused some of this?"

"Wake up man! I am talking about the secondary hub for both of our entire
networks. Someone has taken it down and in a way I cannot trace. I lost the
cameras in the house when your freelance was shooting. Are you certain that
Connor is dead? This smells of the kind of retaliation he inflicted on you
last time, although now it's on both of us"

Bastion's concern caused him to snap

"Of course he's dead! My people are scraping him off the floor as we
speak!"

Aegis finally lost his cool with Bastion. It was a rare event indeed from a
man famed for his self-control. He spoke slowly, with every word dripping
in venom

"Then it's clear that you were wrong to assume that the friends of Connor
would go away when their man was dead. They must have tried to contact him
and having failed assumed we'd terminated him. We have people out there who
are willing and able to knock down one of our most secure systems. For the
love of God will you now call a breach and get C onto this?"

Bastion felt himself go cold. His voice became weak

"I can't do that Aegis, C would crucify me. It's gone to far for me to
admit that I did not bring him in when I should have"

Aegis spoke kindly, sensing that shouting was going to achieve nothing
anymore

"They are now targeting me so that means they know my people have been
helping you. This is spreading Bastion and, disgrace or no disgrace, C
needs to be warned before it gets out of hand. I'll back you up with him,
tell him that you and I talked and that I agreed to all of your actions"

Bastion knew just what a sacrifice Aegis was offering to make on his
behalf. It melted him.





"No, Aegis, I cannot allow you to get blamed for this. I think it's over
anyhow. It's been quid pro quo so far, we hit Connor and Connor's friends
hit us. The deal offered was peace for us in exchange for the freedom of
the girl and the ending of my show. I think this network attack is simply
them evening the score. It should end now that their man is dead" Aegis
sighed

"Are you trying to convince me of that or yourself? You are not going to
tell C are you? Are you?"

"Just give me time to tie up the ends. Connor is dead and the girl will be
in a few days. Whoever attacked us will then have nothing left to fight
for. They needed Connor with the girl in order to operate, for whatever
reason, and now he's not there then they are neutered. C need not know
something that would cause me to look bad if the situation is now
contained"

"Ok Bastion this is my final favour to you. I am telling you straight that
you have exactly twenty-four hours from now to show me that the threat is
gone. If you do not I will personally not only report the breach to C but
also tell him how you have failed in your duty. Don't make me play
Judas. Sort this."

"You have my word Aegis. In one day I will either mail you the dicks of
those responsible or I will terminate Miss Squires, even if the viewers
want it otherwise. Either way they will not bother us anymore"

"May God help us all Bastion"

Bastion sat back in his chair

"Who was it who said that God backs the general with the big battalions?
We're practicaly the entire military in a can. Nothing can touch us. One
day more my friend, I promise. Bastion out"

It only took Bastion a few seconds to activate the correct controls that
allowed him to talk to every agent, in every sector, under his direct
command.

"This is a general message from Bastion to the network. Channel 9 has been
compromised by unknown outside elements. There is reason to assume that
these elements may also be targeting other assets although I do not expect
any hostile action against them at present. As of this moment all other
priorities cease. Identify and terminate the elements. Liase with your
local commanders for information on how to target your own activities to
this end. Bastion out"

Bastion then switched his channel to allow only the commanders to hear him

"This is not a breach but it's too close to one to allow comfort. I am
giving you twenty hours to succeed. Begin by discovering how channel 9 was
disrupted. Use your imagination, your funds are unlimited for this
operation and there are no rules of engagement, but do whatever it takes to
regain the initiative against these bastards. Bastion out"





Tammy looked at the clock in her hotel room and saw that she had five hours
before the ball was due to begin. She had selected her costume, which was
the nearest thing to Catwoman she'd seen outside of the movies, and now it
was just a matter of filling in time without arousing suspicions. There are
only so many showers a girl can take in an afternoon, she thought before
settling down to watch TV.

Bastion did not take pills as a rule. He was a believer in his own
inner-strength and quite often suffered unnecessarily with colds because he
refused to medicate the symptoms away. Today was very much an exception to
that rule and he was on his third set of tranquillisers when he was
notified of an incoming transmission. It was from one of his field
commanders.

"Bastion? This is the commander of blue section"

"It's been over four hours commander. I had expected at least a summary of
action report before now"

The commander was used to Bastion. He knew the best way to handle him was
polite-belligerence

"I've been a little busy, sir, given the far-reaching remit you handed the
network and the limited starting point we had to work with. Anyway I think
the delay may prove worthwhile"

Bastion became very focused, very suddenly.

"Worthwhile? You've found them?"

"Channel 17 is now active again sir as is our own channel 9. It took our
best efforts to locate the source of the invasion because it was routed all
over the globe and, in the end, came from the very last place we expected."

"Where?"

"Ourselves. Sir, the communication network was compromised from our primary
relay in London. Once we found the programmes responsible we were able to
erase them and also do some secondary tracking. The computer programmes
fell into two categories, with one being signal-activated and the other
being on a timer. The signal they were programmed to respond to was from
one of our transponders here in Lexington which, in turn, was activated by
a mobile-phone call"

"Let me guess, commander. That call was made by Connor?"

"Indeed. We recovered his mobile from the corpse and analysed it. It
piggy-backed off of one of the defence networks, by-passing our normal
scans, and was pre-programmed to call the transponder after a code was
entered into the handset."

"I presume, commander, it was one of the usual alphanumeric codes?"

"You would have expected that sir, given the complexity of the operation
behind it, but in fact the code was almost childish. It made us
second-guess ourselves for a while"

Bastion was about to move on when he hesitated. Something inside him made
him ask.

"What was the code?"

"04-02-1968"

"A date? The second of April 1968?"

"Yes, maybe his date of birth? He looked around that age. Anyway the
initial explosion at the Texan listening station used explosive that were
radio-activated, from a signal that emanated from the London relay. The
attack on our channels was timer-based and could only have been prevented
if Connor had dialled the relay. It, and a series of others against our
network, were programmed to re-set by twelve hours if contacted. The fact
it went off indicates that no one was alive to prevent it. In short, sir,
it's our conclusion that Connor was a highly sophisticated but ultimately
solitary intruder. The threat has died with him and I recommend we
stand-down the network"

Bastion was already placing a call to Aegis as he spoke

"Of course. You have performed excellent work commander and I will not be
ungrateful. Bastion out"

"Aegis here"

"Aegis! I presume you have been copied into the data from blue commander?"

Aegis sounded, if anything, a little drunk

"Yes Bastion and I must admit it's a huge relief to me. I was beginning to
become a little stressed over this whole Connor business. It seems he was a
loose-cannon after all and that means that we can all relax a bit more now
he's dead. There only remains the one niggling thing"

Bastion was too excited to listen properly

"Of course he was! I told you Aegis, my network can handle anything! An you
wanted me to run to C, tail between my legs!"

Then part of Bastion's brain processed the end of what Aegis had said.

"What niggling thing?"

"The code on his phone Bastion. It's a date"

"Yes I know. Probably his date of birth or something, so what?  "He had a
British accent and used our primary relay in London. It's not a massive
leap of logic to assume he also used the British means of dating, with the
day first. That makes the date the fourth of February 1968"

Bastion felt himself becoming annoyed at the way Aegis was always nit
picking.

"Fascinating Aegis. Remind me to invite you to my next pedant-themed party"

Aegis spoke with thinly veiled malice

"Just be careful you do not exceed the tolerance limits of our
friendship. If you had bothered to read the Sentinel file properly you
would have remembered that the Guild interrogation centre, within which the
man with Connors DNA profile was first recorded, was defeated by that
man. After that the Guild closed it down, on the fourth of February 1968"

Even the tranquillisers could not prevent Bastion from suddenly feeling
cold. Recovering after a few moments he tried to clear his mind.

"Aegis, Connor is dead. That man from the interrogation centre is
dead. There must have been an error in the DNA analysis because one could
not possibly have been the other anyhow. Even if they were, it's over. The
threat is over"

"All I am saying Bastion is that the evidence suggests that this man was
buried in London in 1984. It also suggests you just had him assassinated
today. If your agents have any holy water on them I would think a little
sprinkle on Connor would not go amiss, eh? Death seems to be a way of life
for this guy"

"I don't believe in ghosts Aegis. If Connor had enough access to our
network to do what he did then who is to say he did not alter the original
record from the facility? Who cares anyhow? He's dead and I have a show to
run. At least we can agree that C need never know about this?"

"I wish you would reconsider Bastion. You know as well as I that it is your
duty to report all this to C. Nonetheless I will not be the one to do it if
you decide not to. The immediate danger seems to be over"

"Thank you my friend. Sorry to cut you short but I have to prepare for this
evening's main event. Miss Squires is about to go partying. Bastion out"

Tammy received a phone call from Green in her hotel room.

"Miss Squires, it's almost time. I just wanted to brief you a little before
you attend the ball because we will only have the transmitter in the
glasses once you are in there. Your targets tonight are Senator Taylor and
his good lady wife. I have them under surveillance now. Once they leave
their house I will have my people install hidden cameras inside their
house, to capture the final act of our little drama."

"What should I do when I attend?"

"Just listen to my instructions and relax. I have people in there as well
to assist you. Perform well tonight Tammy and there is nothing you cannot
ask for in return"

Other than my freedom, Tammy thought.

Green sent a car to collect Tammy from the Meridian. It was, in his typical
style, far too large and far too expensive for a lady of Tammy's age but
nonetheless it made her feel special as she was driven to the masquerade
ball. As she was driven up she saw paparazzi and knew she had entered
another world.

Once inside she was assailed by the opulence of her
surroundings. Ostensibly for charity the ball, nonetheless, looked like
every possible chance to waste money had been seized upon with glee. The
only thing more exclusive that the fabrics and furnishing was the guest
list.

Tammy was offered a welcoming drink of champagne that she accepted with a
little too much eagerness. She felt more nervous than ever and not just
because she had never mixed in such circles before. She was missing Connor
and wondered if he would be able to get to her soon. Tammy needed his
strong, soothing presence here and instead all she had was a sea of masked,
swirling strangers that rose and fell in time to the orchestral
accompaniment.

Her isolation did at least give Tammy a chance to examine the other
guests. In a variety of costumes they looked more like a travelling circus
than the great and good of Lexington society, although the accents and
mannerisms betrayed their social status even though they had been robbed of
their usual attire. From the voice, Tammy was able to identify that the
woman near to her was Barbara Taylor. She was dressed conservatively yet
somehow managed to be awash with artificial feathers, a combination that
amused Tammy despite herself. From the bird-mask Barbara was wearing Tammy
could only assume she was mean to be a bird of some kind, though she looked
more parakeet than bird of prey. Tammy presumed correctly that the man on
Barbara's arm, dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, must be Senator
Taylor. He was one of at least five "Phantoms" in the room, proving that
money cannot buy imagination.

In due course the guests were escorted to dinner. The centre of the floor
became dominated by one almost endless dining table adorned with every
conceivable decoration imaginable. When the gold and silver plates were
presented it finally achieved the heights of vulgarity or, at the very
least, those heights could be seen from there.

Green watcher Tammy from one of the many hidden cameras in the building. He
placed a call to Bastion

"There's our girl sir. In position"

Bastion could feel his heart speed up as he relaxed into his anticipation.

"Is Barbara Taylor there?"

"Yes sir. If you would care to make your way down here I will make good on
my promise to you before the end of the night. I would suggest you come
dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, to ensure maximum blending"

"On my way"

It took Bastion twenty minutes to get changed and leave the building. He
entered a black stretch-limousine that was driven by one of his Praetorian
Guard. Bastion entered the city with typical overstated secrecy and headed
for the ball.

Green opened a channel to Tammy

"Ok Miss Squires. As you see you are seated next to Senator Taylor however
you would be wasting your time if you attempted to seduce him. He is a man
devoted to his wife. Leave that element to my people for the moment and
just enjoy the meal"

Green thought for a second. Knowing Bastion would be watching and equally
knowing his taste for power-games, Green decided to make Tammy play.

"Look for a chance to be sexual however. That guy next to you is Simon,
he's only 24 and his girlfriend is next to him. Fall into conversation with
him and see how seductive you can be. Arouse him without arousing
suspicion"

For the next twenty minutes Tammy flirted mercilessly with her
neighbour. She found Simon to be charming and that made the chase all the
more pleasant, despite the obviously jealous glares that she occasionally
received from his girlfriend. During her conversation Tammy encouraged
Simon to drink as much of the wine as possible and, in the manner of a
young man trying to impress, he obliged. It was clear he was not a regular
drinker by the time he had consumed his fourth glass. Simon was clearly
merry as his body language began to betray his lust for Tammy.

Bastion arrived around fifteen minutes into this seduction. He silently
went to an upstairs room before setting up his laptop again. Within a few
seconds he was able to watch the show again and he smiled, guessing that
Green had set Tammy a seduction task as an appetiser.

Green opened a channel to Tammy again

"Ok Miss Squires, let's test Simon. Move on to suggest directly. If he is
willing we can arrange for something there at the table. I doubt his
girlfriend would allow you to go upstairs with him alone"

Tammy was surprised at what Green had said but nonetheless leaned over and
whispered in Simons ear.

"Would you like a little sexy fun Simon?"

Simons eyes nearly popped from their sockets. It was clear the decision was
made but his fear of being caught was great, despite his drunken state. He
whispered back

"She'd never let me be alone with you"

"That's not a problem. I can arrange something. Do you want me too?"

Simon flushed red before he whispered his consent.

Green talked to Tammy again

"Ok, good. We are going to have a package and some silk gloves brought to
the table. You are to tell Simon that you market erotic toys and that you
have something new from Europe. Give him the package and tell him to go to
the toilet. There he is to follow the instructions and return to you. Tell
him he has five minutes maximum or else his girlfriend may become
worried. The gloves are for you Miss Squires"

Tammy relayed the instruction once the package had arrived. Looking puzzled
but aroused Simon went to the toilet to prepare. Tammy put the gloves
quietly onto her hands before she made small talk with Simons's
girlfriend. Once Simon was out of the way the other woman visibly relaxed
and Tammy found her easy company.

As Simon returned, Green briefed Tammy on what was to happen

"Ok Miss Squires. If he's followed instructions Simon will have changed his
underwear. He's now wearing one of the toys I have had specially
created. They are boxer shorts and contain a myriad of electrical
conductors. Suffice to say that as you move your fingers in the gloves a
series of signals will duplicate those movements around Simon. If you
stroke they will simulate the stroke, if you grip then they will grip. You
need to programme the gloves with spatial awareness. Take three wineglasses
and make them into a small triangle in front of you. Two are to represent
his buttocks and the third is his penis. Mark the buttocks with a sharp
point from your left hand and the penis with one from your right. Try it
when he sits down"

The idea appealed to Tammy and she winked at Simon as he sat down. Tammy
placed three empty wineglasses and locked them into the programme in the
way Green had indicated. She began tentatively by stroking the left glass
with her finger and was pleased when she heard Simon pause in his
conversation for a moment, clearly feeling her invisible touch as he
chatted. Tammy knew she had a new toy to play with and it had a pulse.

Green spoke again

"Miss Squires, they are about to offer after-dinner mints. You will be
secretly handed a special sensor at this time. It will expand upon contact
with any warm, moist environment and take the shape of that which surrounds
it. The shape will be mimicked by the penis part of the boxer shorts,
overriding the gloves as long as the temperature is maintained, and will
also take the shape of his penis. Place it in your mouth to stimulate him
but be prepared to remove it, of course, as he becomes erect. The sensor is
made to look like a candy stick and I am sure you do not need to be told
why"

Tammy began to talk to Simons girlfriend again, this time learning that she
was called Sheila. As the sensor was passed to Tammy she quickly popped it
into her mouth whilst she distracted Sheila. Simon felt the front of his
boxer shorts mould and warm, simulating the pleasant warmth of Tammy's
mouth. As Tammy talked to Sheila she licked all around the sensor,
invisibly stimulating Sheila's boyfriend whilst he remained fully
clothed. Simon went quiet and allowed the two women to talk, all the while
becoming more and more aroused. Soon Tammy felt the sensor hardening and
made an excuse to look in her handbag. When she returned she was holding a
phallic-shaped candy-stick in her hand. It was the exact size and shape of
the secret erection that Simon was hiding in his trousers.

When Sheila saw it she giggled a little drunkenly

"What's that Tammy?"

Tammy giggled back in order to bond

"As a franchisee I market erotica over here from Europe. This is one of our
latest and most popular, regular candy made up into a novelty shape"

Sheila blushed in the style of most women who have elected to go to an Ann
Summers party.

"No need to blush hun, it's only a bit of fun"

Tammy demonstrated by taking the candy into her mouth, sending Simon into
silent joy with her tongue. Finally she locked eyes with him for a split
second as her head began to bob up and down. She stopped to ensure it did
not look like anything other than a tease. Sheila giggled again

"You'd better be careful Tammy, Simon might get ideas!"

Tammy laughed and Simon laughed as well. The only difference was the
mild-hysteria in Simons's voice.

Sensing that Sheila was also drunk by now, Tammy decided to push the
female-bonding process a little. She leaned over to her

"Do you fancy a go? It's a little unhygienic I know but I've flossed today,
honest"

Sheila laughed again as she took the candy

"It's always been a fantasy of mine Tammy, to give head in a public place,
but I've never had the courage. I guess this is the next best thing"

Tammy had an idea

"Go for it girl. Close you eyes and imagine you are blowing Simon right
here and now. It's only a sweet after all, they cannot arrest you for it"

Sheila hid the candy as best she could before closing her eyes and
beginning. Clearly from the look on her face the fantasy, mixed with the
alcohol, was arousing her and that pleased Tammy. She liked Sheila and was
pleased she could share a small piece of liberation with her. As Sheila
worked, Tammy whispered to Simon

"How does it feel?"

"It feels just like when she does it at home. This technology is
wonderful. I just wish she did it as good as you just did"

That comment sparked another idea in Tammy's mind. Telling Simon to stall
Sheila when she had finished, Tammy began to look around the room
again. Most of the men had formed power-groups, leaving their wives and
girlfriends to wander around drinking. With a little bit of intuition,
Tammy began to identify those women she thought young and drunk enough to
be of use. She then began to fall into conversation with them and, from the
giggling, it was clear to even a casual observer that they had begun to
talk about sexual matters.

Ten minutes later Tammy returned to Sheila and Simon with four other
women. They pulled their chairs into a circle, alongside one of the darker
corners of the room, before Tammy began

"Ok ladies. The gents have decided to be boring but as you know I sell
erotica. Well, the candy stick held by Sheila is one of our newest and
best-selling items. I fancy a challenge, anyone up for some Ann-Summer's
type fun?"

More giggling.

"The gent here is Simon. He's the very charming boyfriend of Sheila and
he's agreed to give us some focus and to be a judge. The game is about
blowjob technique and we will take it in turns of a minute each to
play. Simon will place the candy-stick between his legs at a distance, to
ensure no one is embarrassed, but close enough to simulate the real
thing. The player has to kneel in front on him and give the candy a blowjob
whilst the rest of us shield them from everyone else. The winner is the
only that Simon reckons did the best-simulated job, so really go for it. I
use this at demonstrations all the time, as it's a real icebreaker

To help Simon remember you, tell him your name and who you are partnered
too before beginning. Sheila and I have already played before we opened the
game so who's next? "

Sheila cuddled Simon from behind his chair as he placed the candy-stick
between his legs, feeling his own fingers on his erect cock as he did
so. The first lady, with a figure to die for, knelt in front of him. She
locked eyes and introduced herself

"Hello Simon. My name is Mandy Bernard and I am the daughter of Senator
Bernard. I am an abstainer outside of marriage but if I were to blow a guy,
I guess I'd do it like this"


Simon knew of Mandy from the trash media. She was a famous member of the
abstinence movement, of which her father was a major supporter, and there
had been many lurid fantasise printed about what she would be like on her
wedding night. Simon thrilled to know he was about to be the first man ever
to find out.

Mandy went down on the candy-stick and Simon silently groaned as he felt
her mouth sucking on his cock. Mandy had the technique of a clumsy virgin
but that was more than compensated for by the media-images that flooded
Simons mind. Time and again, like so many men, he'd seen her on screen and
fantasised about her. To have her head bobbing up and down in front of him
now was wonderful.

Tammy could see that the drink was beginning to have a serious affect on
Sheila and so she suggested that she support Sheila as Sheila cuddled
Simon. Sheila was glad of the offer and both women nestled in tightly,
allowing Tammy to feel the thinness of Sheila's dress against her
"catwoman" suit. Tammy decided to see if she could push this a little
further. She whispered into Sheila's ear as Mandy continued to blow Simon.

"No-one can see your crotch from here Sheila because it's shielded by Simon
and the chair. The chair has openings in the back. If Simon leant forward a
little he could put his hand behind him, freeing his fingers to stimulate
you. All you would need do is unzip your trousers"

"I don't know if I should" Sheila whispered back

"Go on, no-one will know. These women are simulating oral on Simon and you
can bet he's enjoying the thrill well, knowing him, he'd be delighted to
let you get a thrill as well. Ask him whilst they are all staring at Mandy
and his crotch"

Sheila whispered to Simon and it was clear by the change in his position
that he had agreed. Sheila wriggled into position but her state of
drunkenness was making it hard. Tammy smiled. She had hoped it would. She
whispered again to Sheila

"Look honey it's tricky I know. Do you trust me?"

"Yes"

"Ok, let me alongside you and I will guide his fingers. I won't touch you
of course but I can make it all work and look natural as well. Close your
eyes and concentrate on staying still until it is over."

In one fluid movement Tammy had not only positioned herself next to Sheila
but also had unzipped her fly in her own costume. With his back to them
Simon did not know exactly where Sheila was so he had no reason to worry
when Tammy took his hand. Tammy guided Simons's hand inside her own
trousers, thrilling as he began to work softly on her clitoris through her
thin panties. To cover for herself Tammy moved her own hand inside Sheila's
zip, carefully positioning it so that it would feel as if it had come from
Simons's direction. Tammy began to half-heartily rub through Sheila's
panties, knowing that the woman was probably too drunk to really care much
about technique just as long as the situation itself thrilled her.  Bastion
watched Tammy on his screen as he was driven to the ball. By the time his
car had arrived he had already signalled ahead to his agents at the hotel,
letting them know that he would need them to keep themselves available for
the evening. Bastion made doubly sure his mask was secured before he exited
the car and he also tested the built-in microphone that would allow him to
talk to his forces. The driver of the car leaned out of his window,

"Would you like me to accompany you sir?"

Bastion thought for a moment. Guild protocol insisted that watchers must
have at least one bodyguard available at all times but, with Connor dead,
Bastion did not feel in the slightest danger. He did not want a mere
underling around him tonight unless they were going to actively aid his
plans, for mere underlings bored Bastion almost as much as intellectual
conversation.

"No. Park about a block away and wait for me. I will summon you when I need
you again"

"As you wish sir. Enjoy your evening"

Another pair of eyes watched Bastion as he entered the event. Bastion being
dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, they thought, was very appropriate for
he lived in the shadows far more than anywhere else. As Bastion disappeared
through the door the eyes could not help musing to themselves. They
whispered softly to themselves,

"Remember there are worth things than a shattered chandelier"

Simons's hand was just about to bring Tammy to climax when one of the women
in front of him happened to look up. Sudden she hissed,

"Someone's coming!"

It was all Tammy could do to extract her hand from Sheila's crotch before
Sheila opened her eyes. Simon had withdrawn his hand with equal shocked
speed, a speed similar to that shown by Mandy as she quickly resumed her
seat. Tammy grabbed the candy stick from between Simons's legs as, with a
movement whose deftness surprised even her, she zipped herself up again. A
quick check reassured her than none had seen her do so.

Tammy felt robbed of her climax and angry that she'd been interrupted. She
spun to see who was coming and saw a mime-clown approach, complete with a
dark and somewhat grotesque mask. As the clown noticed that the group were
looking at him he performed a theatrical bow and handed Tammy a single
synthetic rose, much to the amusement of those around her. Tammy looked at
the gift and saw that its core contained a small, white piece of
paper. Smiling back at the clown she thanked him before extracting and
reading the words on the paper.

Acknowledge me and tell me that your dance card is full. Tonight things
will end Tammy, one way or another, and you will not hear from me again
unless you are free. Connor Tammy was shocked but her resilience won
through. She smiled at Connor as he stood, cupping his left ear whilst he
stood with his head at an angle.

"Sorry to say, Mr Clown, that I've already promised enough people that I
will dance with them tonight."

Connor placed his hands on his heart as if he had been shot with an arrow
before moving sadly away. He relaxed as he re-entered the party before he
began to subtly shadow a certain phantom.

Tammy's moment with Simon had been shattered when Connor interrupted her
but she was determined not to be robbed of her pleasure. The others had
moved away when Connor had approached but Simon and Sheila were waiting for
her. Suddenly the music began and a series of couples walked over to the
dance-floor. Tammy had an idea that made her smile. She leant over to
Sheila and whispered.

"Fancy a dance with Simon? I'm happy to sit out the first couple. I will
meet you both by that table when you are done"

"Ok. That sounds like fun. Come on Simon, we're dancing"

Sheila led Simon to the dance floor whilst Tammy went towards the ladies
lavatories again. Green spoke to her in her ear.

"You cannot need the toilet again Miss Squires?"

"You are right Mr Green but I need to privacy for a moment. Just watch
whilst I finish my business with Simon, assuming I have enough time before
you need me to approach the Congressman?"

Green saw Congressman Taylor and his wife on the dance floor. They were
going nowhere for the moment.

"You have time Tammy. I'll let you know when you need approach the
Taylor's"

By the time Tammy had returned from the lavatories she had made the
candy-stick erect again, via a series of strokes and kisses, before she had
inserted it inside her moist pussy. Simons's initial distraction at her
foreplay was as nothing compared to his sensations when the candy was
inserted. It felt to him exactly like Tammy had wrapped her nakedness
around his waist. As Simon continued to make small talk with Sheila he saw
Tammy sit down at the table, making his invisible penetration of her
complete. He groaned silently in pleasure because his underwear had
simulated Tammy's vagina down the last millimetre, including the
temperature, making the sensations he was feeling as he danced incredibly
erotic.

Tammy began to rock imperceptibly back and forth, combining her own
movement with the movement from Simon as he waltzed around. Soon they had
formed a very effective rhythm and Tammy looked at Sheila, thrilling in the
knowledge that Simon was fucking her in front of not only his girlfriend's
face but also the entire assembled crowd.  Green found himself once again
impressed with Tammy's ingenuity. She really was the finest star of the
show they had ever had and part of him mourned the day she would be
executed. He sat back and looked at the viewing figures as they began to
soar again. Clearly word was getting round and the Guild members were
enjoying every moment of the evening's performance.

Tammy enjoyed a nice, long screw with Simon as the dancing progressed. She
knew there was no hurry or fear of discovery. As the music changed Simon
grabbed Sheila and held her tightly. Sheila took the gesture, along with
the soft thrusting, to be an indication that he wanted her later that
evening. It made Sheila beam at him. Only Simon and Tammy knew he had done
so in order to use Sheila's body to thrust deeper inside Tammy's
vagina. Tammy could see from his body language that he was on the verge of
climax and so she slowed things down a little until she too was ready. In
one triumphant thrust she finally felt orgasm from Simon and she knew he
had climaxed simultaneously. Simon held weakly onto Sheila as he recovered
whilst Tammy sat and felt his erection slowly, deliciously, ebb away inside
her.

Connor had been discreetly listening into Bastion's conversations as he
sipped a glass of white wine. Bastion could have chosen any cover story at
all but, true to form, he had chosen one about being a Hollywood
screenwriter. Such a glamorous job had attracted much interest, if feigned
a little in some case because a few moments of conversation from Bastion
was enough to tell anyone exactly the kind of man he was.

Despite their best efforts base politeness had allowed Bastion to trap
three women in a corner. His conversation was circular, with all attempts
by the women to broaden the topics beyond Bastion being clumsily hijacked
by bluster. Under his mask Connor smiled. This must be the first time in
years that Bastion had ever talked to someone who did not know the power he
wielded. The women were talking to him without fear and with that stripped
away Bastion was unable to command their respect.

As Bastion launched into another wave of self-praise he slowly became aware
that the women were looking past him, trying hard not to show their
amusement. Turning slowly he saw a mime standing behind him, mimicking
every movement he was making whilst exaggerating them in a comedic
fashion. When the mime saw that Bastion had spotted him he ceased
immediately and began to whistle his innocence.

Bastion felt embarrassed in front of women, mocked by a stranger and
impotent. This trilogy of emotions did little to ease his mood. He looked
hard at the mime and spoke with thinly veiled rage.

"What do you think you are doing?"

The mime looked thoughtful for a second before giving a soft shrug.

"If you don't go away and do it somewhere else I will make you regret it."





With a deft movement the mime turned his back and pulled out two long, thin
balloons. In a couple of seconds he had inflated them with a small canister
of gas that was concealed within his costume. Bastion watched with almost
masochistic wonderment as the mime began to twist them together before
suddenly turning around. The mime pointed the balloon-sword at Bastion and
went into a theatrical "en garde" stance, much to the amusement of the
ladies. The laughter crushed the bully in Bastion and now he just wanted to
get away from the situation. He stormed past the mime and sought solace not
only in another corner of the room but also within his guild-granted
powers. He hissed into his mask.

"Green, it's Bastion. Do you hear me?"

"Yes sir. You sound a little upset"

"Who the hell is that mime? That fool is showing us all up"

"It could be anyone sir. We set the invite list but the costumes were the
decision of the guests"

"I want him hurt"

It was all Green could do not to laugh. He had to wonder how C would react
to a Guild-hit on a mime clown for the crime of waving a balloon-weapon
with intent to mock. Nonetheless he knew better than to contradict Bastion
so he sought instead to deflect him long enough for it to blow over.

"We can find out after midnight sir. He'll remove his mask along with
everyone else. After that we can assess his importance and take appropriate
retaliatory steps."

It seemed the inclusion of a mention of retribution was enough for Bastion
however, being the man he was, he still felt the need to kick someone to
make himself feel bigger again. His attention turned to the main event of
the evening and he suddenly felt better.

"Move Miss Squires over to Congressman Taylor and his wife"

"It's a little early sir. I was planning to keep things low until the
dancing was well under way"

Bastion was not in the mood to wait. He needed his power-fix now and
decided to start with a veiled threat to his subordinate.

"Move her over Mr Green. Begin whatever you had planned and make it
good. The Guild is watching your work closely"






Connor watched as Tammy moved towards the Taylor's. She caught his gaze for
the last time before two dancing couples blocked her view of him. They were
there for a matter of seconds but, in that time, she saw her mime clown had
vanished. Only the softly closing door behind where he had been gave any
clue as to what had happened.  Green, speaking via her glasses interrupted
Tammy's thoughts, and she no longer had time to worry about her protector.

"Miss Squires as you approach I want you to fall into conversation with
Barbara Taylor. Through her you will be introduced to the Congressman. Just
keep it nice and light for the moment and wait for my instructions."

Tammy approached Barbara nervously. This was the part she had been dreading
the most.

"Hello Barbara. My name is Tammy Squires, we met at the house today?"

Barbara looked a little surprised.

"Hello Miss Squires. It's nice to see you again especially as we don't see
many accountants at this type of function."

The response had been polite enough but the meaning was clear. Barbara was
wondering how someone who was a mere accountant was able to gain an invite
to such a high-calibre event. Tammy wished Green would advise what to say
but he clearly was leaving this one up to her.

"I'm here with my partner who is a financier. I seem to have lost him at
the moment and I thought I could maybe share a drink with you. It was nice
to see a friendly face, though in these costumes it's hard to tell!"

Barbara laughed and Tammy knew she had broken the ice. That was the main
thing although it annoyed her than she had used the "my partner is someone
important" ruse. She felt it had somehow demeaned her although the thought
of someone alone, in socially unfamiliar surroundings, clearly had melted
Barbara's heart.

"Yes it is, isn't it my dear? Please let me introduce my husband
Joseph. He's a Congressman as you know."

Joseph smiled as he lifted Tammy's hand. He had the airs of a real southern
gentleman, with the accent to match, even though he was dressed as
Zorro. Placing a kiss on her hand Joseph held her gaze for a moment before
speaking.

"A pleasure to meet you Miss Squires. My wife tells me you did a fine job
on the accounts this afternoon. Thank you."

Tammy highly doubted if Barbara had actually thought the accounts worthy of
conversation with her husband but she appreciated the attempt at warmth
nonetheless. Soon the three of them had fallen in polite, if staid,
conversation and it pleased Green. Stage one had been accomplished. Now all
Green had to do was get his idiot boss out of the way before Bastion could
interfere.  Green contacted Bastion after a long think. He hoped he had
phrased this correctly.

"Sir, it's Green. I think it might be better if you waited at the Taylor
residence. You can watch the show whilst you wait for them to be delivered
to you and it would make you more secure."

Green cursed himself as soon as he had finished. He had meant that Bastion,
a watcher of the Guild, could be safer if not lost in a crowd of people
that the Guild did not fully control. Given his emotional state, however,
Green suddenly realised that Bastion might take his comments as meaning he
was feeling emotionally insecure at the party. It would have been a
fifty-fifty call with anyone else but with Bastion it was a racing cert.

"I can handle myself here just fine thank you"

"Sir, I didn't mean to imply..."

"Just get me a room upstairs and bring the Taylor's to me when you are
ready. I will watch the show from there"

Despite how his mind was racing Green noted that Bastion did indeed feel
uncomfortable enough to want to leave the main room. He smiled at just how
inept his boss had been when forced to talk to people who did not have to
fake an interest in his opinions.

"That would be dangerous sir. We prepared the Taylor's residence because it
would reduce the number of potential complications. With so many people
around one of them may see or hear something"

"Then just make sure you are careful. You promised me something special
tonight Mr Green. Make it happen here and make it happen soon or else I may
begin to think I misjudged your abilities"

Green knew better than to argue when Bastion was in this mood.

"Ok sir. Go to room 108 and wait there. I will contact you when we are
ready. Green out"

Green turned his attention to Tammy again. He saw that she was still
talking to the Taylor's but clearly now the conversation was waning. Seeing
that the Taylor's had almost finished their drinks Green decided to grab
his opportunity. He spoke into Tammy's earpiece.

"Suggest that you find them some more drinks Tammy and then excuse yourself
somewhere we can talk."

Tammy made her excuses and walked to a quieter corner where she could speak
without being overheard.


"What should I do now Mr Green?"

"Here's the deal Tammy. That waiter at the bar will give you two
drinks. You must hand the one on the left to Barbara and the one on the
right to the Congressman. The one on the left contains a drug that will
allow us to separate them."

Tammy was worried at the idea of having to drug Barbara again.

"A drug?"

"Don't worry Tammy, it will simply cause her to feel faint for now. I have
people who will guide her upstairs to a room for a lie-down. I am betting
that this gathering is too important to the Congressman for him to leave as
well, once he knows his wife is in good hands. Move quickly before they
locate drinks from somewhere else."

Tammy went over to the bar as Bastion watched her via the feed from the
show. He called down to Green,

"Why do you want them separating?"

"The drug will knock Barbara Taylor out for about ten minutes. When she
awakes she will be in a state of incredible arousal. We need that for the
next part almost as much as we need her husband to be elsewhere"

Bastion could feel himself becoming erect as he thought of what Green had
promised him that evening.

"Ok, just don't tire her out"

"Have faith sir. I will make good on my promise. Green out"

Tammy returned to the Taylor's and handed out the drinks. It was only a
matter of a few minutes before Barbara began to look pale. Concern for his
wife rushed over Joseph.

"Are you ok my love?"

"I feel a little odd."

A waiter came over to them immediately.

"Is everything ok sir?"

"My wife feels a little ill. Do you have a private place she could sit down
for a moment?"

"I will get one of the rooms upstairs opened for her, sir. We have a doctor
here and he will also be sent. If there is any cause for concern I will
arrange for you to be contacted"

Congressman Taylor looked about to argue but Green had gambled
correctly. Taylor had too many people he needed to meet tonight to be
distracted by a minor fainting fit.

"Ok, thank you. Keep me informed please"

A few staff members helped Barbara Taylor upstairs whilst Tammy did her
best to reassure Joseph. It was clear, however, that he wanted to circulate
around the room quickly and he made his excuses. Soon Tammy was standing
alone again with only her wine for company. Green checked that Barbara was
in position and then he contacted Tammy again.

"Miss Squires you are to go upstairs now. You will find room 110 open and
Barbara Taylor will be inside, unconscious on the bed. Hurry please, she
will not be asleep long"

Tammy was nervous as she entered the hotel lobby. As she approached the
lifts she saw a man who was waiting for her there. Green spoke again.

"Say nothing to that man but take the package he will offer you. Ascend in
the lift and enter Barbara's room before opening the package."

By the time Tammy had entered the room she had already guessed what was in
the package. The phallic shape and texture were all too obvious. It was
therefore no surprise to her when she found it contained a dildo and, given
Green's request from earlier on in the day, no surprise either to find it
was an exact replica of the one she has shown him in Barbara's bedroom.

"What am I meant to do with this?" Tammy said, dreading the answer.

"We hope she has her own in her handbag. It was missing from her residence
when we installed the cameras and, we think, she must keep it close to her
for fear her husband might discover it. This was not our primary plan for
tonight, although I had hoped it may be the case when I asked you to show
me her own dildo, but we are using it as a long-term back-up.

Impregnated inside the dildo we have provided is a mixture of a chemical
compound and semen from one of our agents. When she awakes she will be in a
state of arousal and we hope she will use the dildo, releasing the compound
that will then mix seamlessly with her vaginal fluids. In a few months we
will have a scandal that will bring down the Taylor's, when we reveal that
the baby she is carrying is not his. Exchange it for the one in her handbag
Tammy"

Tammy went cold. No matter the need for pretence and no matter the danger
to herself, this was simply a violation she could not allow to
happen. Whilst she was waiting for Connor to punish these bastards she knew
she was the only one who could prevent this. She did a very courageous
thing. She pretended to exchange the dildos but in fact, with clever slight
of hand, she did not. She was gambling that Green would not have seen.

"Well done Miss Squires. Now return to the party please"

Tammy breathed heavily as she descended to the party again. She had got
away with it and she silently thanked whichever force of decency had
protected her. It had been different with men who, for one reason or
another, had placed themselves in the line of Guild attention. Barbara was
innocent, in her way, and Tammy simply could not allow her to be violated.

"Bastion this is Aegis"

Bastion was shocked to hear from his friend tonight and the call grabbed
his attention away from the show.

"Yes Aegis?"

"Get out of there now"

"Why? What's up?"

"I have heard a distinct rumour that C has been informed about your
appearance on the show tonight. He is most displeased that a watcher is
appearing, albeit masked, on a feed that is going out to lower Guild
members. I have also heard that he has begun his own covert investigation
into the explosion at your Texan listening station."

Bastion became weak. All he could say was,

"Christ no!"

Aegis sought to comfort and reassure his friend.

"Don't worry too much just yet. All you have done so far is appear at a
fancy-dress ball. I was more concerned that you would have to explain why
you got your dick out live on camera. As for the facility, tough it
out. Let C prove it was anything other than an accident. Go back to your
headquarters and prepare your arguments. You can expect his call in the
morning"

Bastion mind was racing.

"What about Connor? Does C know about Connor?"

"There is no reason to assume he does Bastion. Connor is dead and your
network is loyal. No-one is going to tell him anything about Connor unless
you authorise them too"

Bastion called down to Green.

"Green I am leaving. Keep Tammy occupied for tonight and then have her
return to the hotel"

Green sounded surprised at the sudden change of plan.

"What should I tell her?"

"Anything you like, just keep her busy until I contact you in the morning."

"Sir, I thought you wanted Barbara Taylor?"

Bastion was ashamed at how his own lust had brought him endangered him with
C. It was all he could do to say,

"Not any more. Bastion out"

The channel closed to Green as Bastion reopened the channel to Aegis.

"I cannot find the words to thank you my old friend."

"Just keep calm, act professionally and you will be fine Bastion. Aegis
out"

Bastion hurried down the stairs and into night air. He went to where his
car should be waiting but found nothing but trash blowing in the breeze
instead. Frustrated he called on his radio.

"Driver? Where the hell are you?"

The reply was the very last thing Bastion expected. Instead of a voice he
was now hearing music.

I'm so high I can hear Heaven. Oh but Heaven, no Heaven don't hear me

Before Bastion could react his attention was diverted by a single, silenced
gunshot. It missed his head by an inch and ricocheted off the sidewalk,
causing him to instinctively duck behind a nearby tree. As Bastion panted
heavily with the exertion he tried to clear the radio in his mask but all
to no avail. The music was on every channel.

And they say that a hero could save us, I'm not gonna stand here and wait

"Driver? Anyone? I am under attack. Respond!" Bastion screamed in
terror. Nothing but the music replied to him.

"Bastion to anyone in the network. Can anyone hear me?"

The music dimmed as a familiar, British accent came over the radio.

"I can hear you Bastion."

"Connor?" The question was asked with incredulity mixed with terror

"Of course Bastion. I warned you that you would be punished if you did not
listen to me" Another shot clipped the tree, forcing Bastion to cower in
the dirt beneath.

"You're dead! We killed you!"

Connor paused for a moment as the dimmed music played in the background.

"Well, I had a bit of a headache earlier today but it's cleared up nicely
thank you for asking."

Someone told me, love would all save us. But how can that be? Look what
love gave us.

Bastion found that his natural indignation, the ego that was his fatal
weakness, now gave him strength.

"Switch off that damn music! You want to kill me, is that what this is all
about?"

A world full of killing and blood-spilling that won't every change

"The music blocks your friends for the time it will take us to talk. If I
wanted you dead, Bastion, I would have killed you with the first shot"

"Then what do you want?"

Connor paused and gave a small sigh.

"I'm getting a little tired of repeating myself Bastion. Safe passage for
me and the lady and the ending of your petty little show. I have arranged
punishment for your humiliation of her tonight and I assure you that Hell
will come with me if I have to punish you again. End this cleanly, now, or
I will end it for us both"

Connor empathised the threat with another shot. It was so accurate that it
went through the arm of Bastion's shirt, even though he was prone.

Bastion knew he needed to play for time.

"Ok, agreed. Let me just return to my headquarters and I will grant all of
that."

"See that you do"

Bastion saw Connor beginning to climb down from the rooftop opposite and
took his chance. He began to wildly search for his car even as the music
continued to render his radio useless.

Now that the world isn't ending, it's love that I'm sending to you





As Connor climbed down he began to wonder why he had chosen this particular
song. Inside his heart it was resonating too much. Only one final line got
through before he switched it off.

It isn't the love of a hero and that's why I fear it won't do

Connor reached ground level despite his eyes having filled with water. He
became angry with himself and wiped them with his hands before sprinting
for his vehicle.

As soon as the music had ended Bastion called on his radio.

"Any Lexington unit, this is Bastion. Urgent assistance required. Respond
please"

Bastion's ears nearly surrendered under the weight of responses that
flooded him. He located his car and knew that he simply needed a bodyguard
to drive him. A short reply from him was all that was needed to summon one
from the hotel.

As Bastion waited for his driver he opened up the back of his
limousine. Inside the rear seat was the body of the sniper, his head almost
removed by what appeared to be a single clean shot from above. Bastion knew
that his driver would also be dead at the front of the vehicle and so it
did not shock him when he received visual confirmation. Bastion felt alone,
scared and more unsure than at any time in his Guild career. His next radio
call was filled with base emotions.

"Aegis!"

Aegis had never heard Bastion like this.

"What's up Bastion?"

"Connor is alive!"

Bastion had expected a shout, a cry, a curse or something. He got nothing
but stunned silence for ten seconds. Then Aegis came back on again.

"Excuse me?"

"What part of Connor being alive did you not hear? He's just nearly taken
my head off with a sniper rifle!"

"Calm down. If he wanted you dead I suspect you would be already. Did he
say anything to you?"

Bastion was too worked up to listen properly.

"What?"

Aegis spoke with cool, professional detachment. He hoped he could yet
inspire Bastion to do the same.

"Did Connor say anything to you? He must have or else you would not know it
was him who was shooting. What was it?"

"Just the same threat to do worse to us unless I ended the show"

The next thing Aegis said stunned Bastion. It was said with quiet steel.

"Then end it"

Bastion could not believe that Aegis, of all people, was suggesting
surrender.

"No! Why should we give in to that prick?"

"Because that prick, as you call him, is running around our network despite
having been confirmed dead twice in forty years. With C sniffing around as
well it is only a matter of time before this whole Connor issue gets out of
hand. End your show and he will go away. It is the only way to ensure he
does in time."

Bastion's fear had gone now, replaced by anger more intense than even he
remembered feeling before.

"No. It is my show and my finest achievement. No man will ever take it from
me!"

Aegis tried to calm Bastion down.

"Look when Connor is no longer an active threat we can search for him
again, locate and this time make sure he's dead even if we have to feed his
atoms through a sieve. When that happens your show could re-start. It's not
a surrender, it is a tactical withdrawal that's all"

By now Bastion could see his driver running towards him. His mind was
clouded by his emotions and he crossed the Rubicon.

"To hell with you, you coward! I am ending that Bastard, now!"

Before Aegis could say anything else, Bastion cut the transmission and
blocked all but his own network from talking to him. He shouted to his
driver,

"Toss the bodies out of there and then drive me to headquarters!"

"Yes sir"

As the driver removed the corpses Bastion made a general announcement to
his forces in Lexington. He gave them the description of Connor's vehicle
and demand that they tell him where it was. In moments an agent responded.

"We have the vehicle sir. Heading at high speed towards the city limits. We
are in pursuit at a distance. Should we intercept?"

"No, attach a tracking device and then withdraw. Confirm when done" A few
moments later the agent came back on the radio.

"Device deployed sir. We are withdrawing"

As Bastion entered the back of the limousine he contacted his local network
again.

"Bastion to all Lexington units. Withdraw. I repeat, do not attempt to
engage or pursue the target"

Bastion paused for a moment before allowing the full venom of his childish
anger to present itself in his voice.

"He's mine!"

Bastion's limousine drove at speed towards headquarters whilst he activated
a certain unit that was opposite him. The unit spoke with the voice of a
cultivated lady.

"Good evening commander. Please enter your activation code"

Bastion punched in an eleven-digit number and smiled with satisfaction as
the computer acknowledged him again.

"Activation code confirmed. Please state the nature of the military units
required."

"Just the one. Deploy the nearest drone aircraft available immediately"

The computer worked silently for a moment.

"The nearest unit to your signal has been deployed. Would you prefer
automated or manual control?"

Bastion looked at his monitor and saw the tracker device beaming Connor's
position to him. He knew he needed to feel this victory himself.

"Manual. Project cockpit controls to this location"

"Very good commander. Standby"

The back of the limousine was flooded with a holographic projection of the
cockpit from the drone aircraft. Bastion took the controls and looked out
of the cockpit window to see he was flying over the desert. He cursed when
he realised it would take about fifteen minutes to reach Connor's location
but then relaxed. Connor was, if anything, making things easier for him by
driving into the middle of nowhere.

"Contact. Bearing 180 by 15. Single plane. Identifying now" The
well-trained voice of the airforce radar-operator echoed across the
operation room. "Contact is a plane of some kind but it's a configuration I
have not seen before. Alert the General please. We need him in here"

General Hamilton was reading in his office when he heard a knock on the
door.

"Come in."

The airman had clearly been running because he was out of breath and that
made Hamilton concerned.

"What's up son?"

"Sir, operation centre reports an unidentified contact on their
screens. They need you in there, sir"

"Unidentified? You mean it's not one of ours?"

"Not only that sir but it's not of a type we have in the database either"

Hamilton dropped his book and activated his wall unit.

"Operation centre, this is General Hamilton. Who have we got on standby?"

The voice that replied sounded garbled as if communications were suffering
interference. Nonetheless Hamilton was able to understand.

"Three F-35's. Commanded by Captain Mathers, sir"

"Scramble them and tell them to intercept the target. Contact the Pentagon
and advise them of the situation. Sound the alert in case we need anyone
else airborne quickly. I'm on my way"

Bastion was too intent on piloting the plane to notice much of the other
information that was being sent to him. Fortunately his computer was
programmed to bring vital information to his attention.

"Commander, AFB Laughlin has been placed on alert. Three F-35's are being
scrambled to intercept your aircraft"

Bastion had anticipated interference.

"Are you blocking their communications computer?"

"All local military units are being disrupted, Commander, as per standard
procedure. Unfortunately Laughlin is equipped with a new communications
system. Our attempts to block them will only result in partial success"

Bastion made a mental note to upgrade the Guild's jamming system.

"What will the jamming do?"

"It will prevent Laughlin from communicating at all but the most local
level. They will be isolated from their command and control"

"That will be good enough. Plot me the course of those F35's and display it
on the main viewer"

Bastion noted where the F35's would have to fly and he smiled. He knew his
plane was safe.

Inside the operations room General Hamilton watched as his fighters
appeared on the scope. He recognised the familiar voice of Captain Mathers
despite the interference on the transmission.

"Command this is Fox 2. We are on station. Proceeding to intercept the
target"

Hamilton activated his radio.

"I copy that Fox 2. We need a visual description of the target and the
usual challenge procedure please"

Hamilton shouted across the operations room.

"Can someone please clear up this signal? It's like talking through a
snow-storm"

Airmen worked quickly in a professional but ultimately futile attempt to
break through the interference. The combined shrugging of his subordinates
told Hamilton that he was out of luck. He turned to his staff sergeant.

"Any word from central command?"

"We can't get through sir. Nothing is getting in or out beyond a radius of
around forty miles"

Hamilton knew he had to warn his pilots quickly or else he would lose his
chance.

"Fox 2 this is command. Be advised that our communications are
malfunctioning. We will lose you in about thirty seconds. You are
authorised to proceed under your own judgement until communications are
re-established. Good luck."

"Yippee ki yay, going cowboy. Fox 2 out"

Bastion watched as the F35's continued to close on his plane. Connor was
continuing to drive at speed and had now cleared Lexington altogether,
entering open country that provided scant cover at best. As his limousine
approached his headquarters Bastion knew he held all the cards and some of
his usual swagger reappeared in his voice.

"Computer, activate defence post 19"

"That is a breach of Guild protocol commander. Defence posts are not to be
activated until the Day of Atonement"

"Command override. Activate the defence post" "As you wish
commander. Defence post 19 is now active"

The F35's flew over the open desert. Even though they had no one else to
talk to they continued to chat amongst themselves.

"Fox 2 this is Fox 1. I have the target on local scope. I have never seen
anything like it though"

"Copy that Fox 1. Initiate challenge procedure"

Mathers heard his colleague attempt to contact the intruder.

"To unidentified aircraft. This is Fox 1 operating out of AFB Laughlin. You
are in violation of US airspace and are ordered to identify yourself
immediately"

Bastion smiled as he heard the challenge. He began to operate secondary
controls.

"Fox 2? This is Fox 1. No response from the target"

"Check the weapon status of the target Fox 1 please"

There was a pause whilst the check was made.

"Confirming hot, repeat hot. Target has weapons activated. Weapons include
air to air and air to ground."

Mathers wished he could have instructions from his command but all he had
to guide him was his own instincts.

"Ok Fox group. If that thing is hot then so are we. Once we have visual we
will challenge it again"

"What if it remains silent sir?"

"The target is hot and heading for Lexington. If it still refuses to
acknowledge us then we will use warning shots followed by the real deal"

Bastion was close to Connor now. It was time to remove any distractions. He
activated the automated defence post and filled the air with lead.

The sky around Fox group suddenly lit up with intense activity.

"What the hell? Under fire! Fox 2 to command, we are under attack"







Bastion left the computer to finish the task. He just concentrated on
flying his plane whilst he heard the screams of the other pilots. Bastion
did not care if they lived or died, merely that the dots representing his
opponents no longer appeared on his screen. Once that was achieved he
focused again on Connor, seeing that his plane was now in visual range of
the speeding car. Bastion was about to initiate weapons-lock when the car
entered a tunnel, forcing him to fly to the other end and circle. It was
only a matter of seconds before he had re-acquired Connor and of a few
seconds more before he had released a missile. Bastion watched the
resulting explosion with intense satisfaction before he pressed another
button, causing the drone plane to vaporise into a million pieces that
would be impossible to analyse correctly.

Bastion stepped out of his limousine and ascended back into his office. The
sudden realisation of how he had treated Aegis hit him and he cursed
himself for allowing his anger to rule his actions so completely. He hoped
he could make amends with Aegis in the morning, along with handling C, but
for now he was tired and in need of sleep. It was nearly 20 minutes before
Bastion was ready for bed and he was just about to lie down when he
received radio signal. Cursing, he went over to his console and shouted.

"What?"

Bastion froze as he heard Connor speak.

"I warned you. Watch the monitors"

The feed from the show was replaced by the faces of the viewers. Underneath
each face was their personal information.

"These men are about to be exposed to the world Bastion. With a simple
press of a button I will have not only their details but also what they
represent broadcast across the world. I will cause a breach so wide that C
will feel himself squeezed as never before and I am sure he will want to
express his gratitude to you for being the cause"

Bastion did something he had never done in his life before. He pleaded.

"No, please. Connor please don't!"

Connor paused.

"I will make you a trade Bastion. I will not broadcast their details and I
will show you how I discovered them. In return I want your show ending
immediately and safe passage for the lady and me. I will bring the data to
you personally if you agree"

Bastion smiled. He knew he had a chance now.

"I am surprised you would trust me enough Connor"




"Your Guild is very tradition-based. I know that you all value your
promises beyond anything else. If you promise my safety when I visit you,
on your Guild honour, then you are duty-bound not to break that
promise. Give me half and hour and I will be there. Deal?"

"I need to tell you where I am and I need to arrange another car for you
Connor"

"I've always known where you are Bastion and as for the car, thanks but no
thanks. I have one on the way now. It's an old friend from long ago but it
drives like a dream. I warn you, if I so much as scent one of your agents
anytime between now and when we meet I will transmit the data"

"You have my word as a watcher Connor. No one will be close to you and you
will come to no harm. See you shortly"

Bastion closed the channel and then opened one to his network.

"This is Bastion. The man called Connor will be entering the city on his
way to visit me. Absolutely no-one is to interfere or attempt to track him
in any way. I will use CCTV to watch him from here"

Bastion switched his control and contacted his personal bodyguards.

"When Connor arrives I want none of you to be visible. Clear all corridors
and wait for my instructions. He must be allowed to enter this room without
interference"

"What about when he leaves, sir?"

Bastion looked over to his desk and smiled to himself.

"He won't be leaving agent. Bastion out"

A few minutes later Bastion was watching Connor enter the city. The car was
driving at speed and Bastion was glad that local law-enforcement was under
his control or some unit might have caused Connor to become
concerned. Bastion watched as Connor entered the underground car park in
his building, driving beneath the barrier even as he took a ticket, before
parking. Connor strode purposefully towards the marked exit and stormed
through into the corridor beyond.

Bastion was behind his desk when Connor burst into the room. He smiled at
the intruder despite the tension he felt inside.

"Come in Connor. Would you like a drink?"

Connor walked over to the desk.

"I don't sup with the Devil. I see from the monitors that the show is still
running."

"You have my word Connor. Give me the information on how you gained the
details of my audience and it will end. You and Miss Squires will be free
to live in peace ever after"

Connor reached into his jacket and retrieved a compact disk and tossed it
contemptuously on the desk.

"It's all on there Bastion. With this you can secure your network
again. Now end the show"

Bastion inserted the disk into his computer. It was indeed a
treasure-trove. He flicked a switch and the monitors now showed nothing but
darkness.

"Quid pro quo Connor. You are free to go"

Connor turned on his heel and was halfway across the office before he heard
the safety-catch of a pistol being removed. Slowly turning round he saw
Bastion, brandishing the weapon and smiling in triumph.

"You did not think I would really allow you to live did you?"

Connor showed no reaction. Instead he walked slowly towards the desk.

"You cannot shoot me, you gave me your word."

"I can do whatever I like. Adieu Connor"

Bastion fired until the gun was empty. Each round sounded loudly but none
left the weapon. The monitors came back alive, this time showing the two
men standing in the office. The unmistakable voice of C came over the
channel.

"Drop the weapon Bastion, there's a good chap"

Bastion froze before meekly placing the gun on his desk. Seven of the
monitors changed to show seven figures, silouhetted except for their eyes,
all staring at Bastion. Connor turned towards them and spoke softly.

"This man is a pompous fool and you are fools for ever having entrusted
your security to him"

 C spoke harshly.

"Steady on my boy, remember who you are addressing"

"I know exactly who I am addressing, Caspian. These are, I presume, the
other full Guild members?"

Bastion suddenly found his voice again

"Caspian? I had always presumed that C stood for..."  Connor interrupted
him with a smile.

"That would have been a little egotistical, wouldn't you say?"

Connor looked at the shadows again as he continued to address Bastion.

"These are your lords and masters. Seven of them, each named after the sea
that designates their area of global control. Caspian, appropriately, is in
charge of internal affairs and I am a product of his imagination"

Bastion turned towards the monitors.

"Who is this man? Why did you send him to torment me?"

Caspian spoke with fatherly tenderness.

"He is my greatest gift to the Guild. I bred him from the DNA of our
strongest adversary, schooled him with everything that individual knew and
then turned him loose. I was concerned that the Guild had lost its way,
that it had become decadent, and I was determined to test our internal
security in the harshest manner. No better way than to turn our
historically greatest enemy into our agent, eh?"

Bastion became angry.

"Why against me though? I served you well!"

Connor turned to him and his words tore through Bastion's soul.

"Your show was the very essence of the decadence Caspian is speaking
about. He tolerated it whilst I was being schooled but it was clearly going
to be the first thing to be tested when I was ready. That is why he made
you leave the bathroom clear for, one day, I was going to need a place you
could not observe."

Bastion slammed his fists down on his desk.

"What kind of a test was this? It was impossible to defeat this man if
every action I performed was going to be undermined. My agents lied to me,
you sacrificed some of them in the process! Why did you have to kill the
sniper?"

Caspian spoke softly.

"The sniper was not anticipated. We thought you would only use Guild
resources and I must admit you threw us when you recruited him. It was all
we could do to sabotage his bullets without alerting you. That and the
glass we had in the house saved the experiment. He died because he could
not be allowed to compromise us.

The test was not about whether you could defeat this man, Bastion, it was
about whether you would perform your duty. Aegis was blinded by his
friendship and went beyond his brief in actively trying to encourage you to
report all this. Despite that your ego caused you to fail the test. You
even exposed some of our military capability to outsiders. The final test
was not one of competency but one of honour. If you had not broken your
word to that man we could simply have demoted you but now, I fear, you have
broken the very essence of your Guild membership. In respect to your past
service I am giving you one chance to resign."

"If I choose not to?"

"If you do not resign we will be forced to expel you. You know the penalty
for expulsion is death. If you resign we guarantee that you will not be
killed so long as you maintain discretion. You can keep your assets and
have a future."

It was only his ego that caused Bastion to hesitate.

"Ok, I resign"

Caspian clapped his hands together.

"Good for you my boy, good for you. Well, don't let us keep you."

The door to the office opened electronically and Bastion took the hint and
walked out. Connor watched him as he descended to the car park and drove
away.

One of the other silouhettes spoke.

"You cannot leave it at that Caspian. We must maintain the status quo."

"Don't concern yourself with that Caribbean, I have the matter in hand. The
man formally known as Bastion will be taken to our new coastal
facility. There we will work out what went wrong with our screening, how he
rose so high and yet was so fundamentally flawed. Believe me, by the time
we are through with him, he will wish we had killed him."

Connor watched as a black hearse silently began to tail Bastion's car. His
gaze was interrupted when Caspian addressed him again.

"So, sir, are you ready to become the new Bastion?"

Connor looked at the seven.

"First things first. Tammy Squires has served us well by allowing me to
expose that idiot. You will promise me that, so long as she maintains
discretion, she will be given all the support that the Guild can
provide. Her future must be as gilded as the cage we placed her
in. Secondly, I intend to tell her everything she needs to know about me. I
want her to make an informed decision about whether she would choose to
become my companion, without pressure or sanction if she declines."

Caspian thought for a moment.

"As long as you do not give away any operational secrets then you have my
word."

Connor continued, knowing his primary aims had been achieved.

"I also decline your offer to be the new Bastion. Go find some other patsy
to play ball with"

There were cries of outrage from the shadows followed by silence. Caspian
sounded puzzled.

"Why, sir? It would give you more power than you can possibly dream of. It
is why you were bred, it is your destiny. The Guild is your mother and
father"

Connor held out his hands, palms up.

"You see? No handcuffs. I prefer it that way. You made me identical to that
individual in the facility, why are you now shocked that I choose to
decline to serve you?"

Connor turned on his heels and began to walk away. Caspian called after
him.

"Wait! You cannot think you can just walk away from us. We will destroy
you."

Connor turned around with a thin smile.

"You are welcome to try. This building contains no one and your network in
Lexington is currently un-contactable. My last gifts to you as your lap
dog. By the time you re-establish command and control I will be long
gone. You will then only know where I am by the trail of destroyed Guild
assets I leave behind."

Caspian let out a trademark laugh.

"Wonderful! You see gentlemen? He's exactly what I promised you. A
freethinker, a blast of fresh air that will revitalise us! Oh, my sweet
boy, is there any role I could offer you that would make you reconsider
serving us?"

Connor thought for a moment.

"Make me above the watchers. Let me go anywhere, have acess to
anything. Allow me to root out the diseased parts of the Guild and advise
on how to augment it's control over the world. I will settle for nothing
less."

Caspian paused.

"I will need to consult with the others. You are asking for a great deal."

"Take your time. I need a few minutes anyway"





As the shadows conferred Connor sat at the desk and inserted another CD
into the computer. He opened a file headed "Matthew Chapter 4" and began to
read. Connor had created this file in secret over many years, knowing that
this moment would come. No matter the illustrious individual who had
inspired his creation Connor was still human. He still lusted and he knew
he could still be corrupted. Connor had placed into the file everything he
knew about the history of the Guild, every assassination, dirty trick and
war they had created. By the time he had finished Connor had reminded
himself of why this abomination needed to be brought down.

With anger burning in his stomach, Connor returned to the monitors.

"Well?"

Caspian sounded subdued.

"I am afraid I have been out-voted son. There was insufficient support for
your new role. I guess we must have you as a nemesis after all"

Connor was about to leave when he saw a new image on one of the
monitors. This image was only of a pair of eyes, red in colour, and Connor
wondered why this individual was not silouhetted like the others. Perhaps
even darkness could not contain their secret? When the eyes spoke the room
listened.

"The Guild agrees. Caspian, make it so"

There was a note of distinct reverence in Caspian's voice as he spoke.

"Yes number one, thank you. I am sure your wisdom will guide us into a new
and stronger future."

The eyes vanished. Caspian addressed Connor once more.

"Congratulations my boy!"

Connor had a small smile on his face. Only he knew that the Guild had been
too perfect, too thorough in his preparation. Only Connor knew the way he
would be going. Only he knew the true meaning behind his last remark.

Connor gestured to the shadows and said,

"Be seeing you."