by Van ©2017
		Chapter 7

As the door opened, Bonnie was prepared to be shocked and dismayed by the sight of two possible alternatives.  (1) more bound and gagged naked damsels or dudes being subjected to bizarre, degrading, humiliating ordeals for the entertainment of kinky, jaded PAYNECOM executives or kinky, jaded, super-wealthy hotel guests.  Or, (2) to find herself staring at some sort of erotic torture apparatus with a plethora of clamps, cuffs, and straps and obviously designed to do bizarre, degrading, and titillating things to Jade and/or herself, as well as a squad of cat-suited amazon-handlers waiting to make it happen.  What she was not prepared to see (and was very happy to see) was... "Breakfast!"

"One can only hope," Jade agreed.

The room before them was clearly an executive dining room, and directly opposite was a second door.  To their left, a ceiling to floor window-wall afforded a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and the upper stories of the buildings between Payne Tower and the lake shore.  Against the wall to their right stood a sideboard with a stack of plates and a row of steaming chaffing dishes.  In between stood a somewhat small (somewhat intimate) round table with four chairs, set for four with a crisp linen tablecloth, obviously expensive tableware, stemmed drinking glasses, and china cups and saucers.  There were also insulated carafes labeled "coffee" and "tea," salt and pepper shakers, and a clear pitcher of orange juice beaded with moisture.  The furniture, dining service, and decor in general were elegantly Modern, like the rest of the Tower.

Oh-by-the-way, an incredibly inviting mix of aromas wafted with the steam from the chaffing dishes, eliciting appreciative grumbles from the interns' empty stomachs.

Bonnie's mouth was watering.  "I suppose nobody would mind if we just—"

"Who cares!" Jade interrupted and beat her friend to the stack of plates.

The hungry, naked duo made their way down the line, gingerly lifting the chafing dish lids and loading their plates with scrambled eggs, thick-sliced bacon, little sausages, two different kinds of potatoes, roasted pork-loin, braised skirt-steak, poached salmon, and flaky croissants.  There were also steamed clams, boiled shrimp, and smoked kippers, but the girls independently decided to forgo the non-salmon seafood until their third or fourth helpings.

Soon, they were comfortably seated at the table in adjoining chairs and shoveling the delicious repast into their hungry mouths.  By the angle of the sun it was apparent that the meal was better characterized as "brunch," rather than "breakfast," but neither cared.  Also, they were too busy eating to chat.  Filling each other in on their recent "adventures" and formulating a stunning clever plan to escape the Tower of Payne would have to wait.

Suddenly the second door whisked open to admit... Sorcha Payne and Audrey Klein.

Bonnie and Jade scrambled to their feet, ready to defend their half-eaten plates to the death (or at least until amazons appeared, cuffed their wrists behind their backs, and took away their food).

"Please," Sorcha said with a warm smile, "continue."  She was dressed for business in high-heeled pumps, a dark-gray pencil skirt, and a matching jacket over a white silk blouse.  Audrey, on the other hand...

The girls blinked in surprise.

Audrey wore open-toed high-heel pumps, a very tight pencil skirt, no blouse, and a very unusual jacket which was, in point of fact, a straitjacket.  The entire ensemble was the same attractive shade of brown.

Sorcha strolled to the sideboard and began loading a plate while Audrey approached the table.  Staring in amazement, Jade pulled back the empty seat next to her own and Audrey sat.

"Thank you, Jade," Audrey purred, smiling at her naked intern.  She also smiled at Bonnie, then nodded towards their plates.  "Please, eat.  We know you're both hungry."

"Uh, okay," Bonnie muttered, then settled into her chair and resumed eating.

Jade did the same... and she did not stare at the tan, smooth skin of her boss' chest and side-boobs, as revealed by the generous, V-shaped décolletage of the stylish crazy-coat.  Okay, she totally stared at Audrey's chest and side-boobs.  She also blushed, which caused Audrey and Bonnie to exchange a brief, slightly teasing smile.

Sorcha joined the table with a modest plate of brunch fare.  "Now," she said as she poured herself a cup of coffee, "I'd like to apologize on behalf of Payne Entertainment for your recent experiences.  My oldest sister is ultimately responsible, but the entire executive leadership share some degree of culpability, and we'd like to set things right."

Jade glared at Sorcha.  "And how the hell do you plan on doing that?" she demanded, then noticed the way Audrey was staring (or trying not to stare) at what little food remained on Jade's plate.  "Uh... you also missed breakfast?"

Audrey heaved a sad sigh.  "As well as yesterday's lunch and dinner."

Jade rolled her eyes, stood, and returned to the sideboard.

Bonnie watched as Jade loaded her plate with another minor mountain of food, returned to the table, then resumed glaring at Sorcha.  "Set things right?"

"Dominique has decided to retire," Sorcha said.  "And I've taken over the reins as CEO."  She smiled at Bonnie.  "Also, I'm looking for a special executive assistant to help oversee a new project."

Audrey smiled as Jade loaded her fork with scrambled eggs and delivered it to her boss' hungry mouth.  "Ummm!"  Audrey chewed and swallowed.  "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jade huffed.  (She was blushing again.)

Audrey turned to Sorcha.  "Our new project," she corrected the new Payne Entertainment CEO.

"A joint production of Payne and Klein Studios," Sorcha confirmed.

Bonnie continued eating.  The bacon was crisp, greasy perfection.

Jade frowned.  "Wait, you're talking about Girl Genius."

"We are," Audrey confirmed, "and I'd like you to be my assistant on the production."

"And in return we don't run to the cops and the press, waving our arms and screaming bloody murder?" Bonnie suggested.

"We could just keep you as our prisoners, forever," Sorcha purred, "but in a word, yes."

Bonnie could tell Sorcha was kidding about the permanent imprisonment thing (she hoped).  She turned to Jade.  "What do you think?"

Jade fed herself and her boss some salmon before answering.  "I'm thinking it's gonna take a huge salary and benefits package for me to forget the last few hours.  Huge."

"Well... of course," Bonnie agreed, then speared a nugget of skirt-steak with her fork and popped it into her mouth.  She focused on Sorcha as she chewed.

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement," the CEO chuckled, "if you prove up to the task."

Bonnie swallowed.  "I know all about Girl Genius," she said as she refilled her coffee cup.  "Jade told me about it, so I started reading the online comic."

Audrey winked at Jade, then turned her smile to Bonnie.  "What's a 'clank'?"

"A robot," Bonnie answered.

"A spark?"

"A person born with a talent for science," Bonnie explained.  "Most develop the irritating habit of wanting to rule the world, or at least their immediate part of it."

"A jager?"

"A bio-engineered super-soldier.  Most are hairy with big teeth, talk with thick Germanic accents, and are lethal but, uh, nice... for the most part."

"Wasp-eaters?"

"Uh, that's complicated," Bonnie answered.  "There are these things called 'slaver-wasps' and—"

"She'll do," Audrey interrupted.

Sorcha was smiling at Bonnie's breasts.  "I quite agree," she purred.

Now Bonnie was blushing.  Eyes on Sorcha, she nodded towards Jade.  "Like she said.  Huge salaries."

"And benefits," Jade drawled, then fed Audrey more scrambled eggs.

"I'm sure we'll agree on something," Sorcha chuckled.

"Why am I so calm about all this?" Bonnie demanded.

As they were finishing brunch, Xin reappeared, an example of perfect timing (or more evidence of the efficiency of the Security Department's monitoring system).  Sorcha and Audrey kissed the girls on their blushing cheeks and bade them goodbye, then the naked but satiated interns were led away.  As soon as the dining room door whisked closed behind them, Jade angrily demanded to know whether or not Xin intended to lock them in cuffs.  Xin smiled and asked if either of them wanted to be locked in cuffs.  Bonnie answered with a polite "No, thank you" and Jade with an angry stare.  Xin made a sweeping gesture, and they continued their journey.
 
After a short ride down in an executive elevator, followed by several left and right turns down hallways teeming with executives and their assistants (as well as the occasional naked, bound, and gagged damsel or dude being led to some unknown but no doubt highly kinky and entertaining fate) they arrived at what Xin explained was to be their new apartment, the accommodations they would share while the final terms of their new employment were negotiated.

The apartment in question appeared to be one of the smaller luxury suites on the hotel side of the Tower.  There were two large beds, a walk-in closet, a master bath with shower and soaking tub, and a lounge area with the usual sofas, easy-chairs, coffee and end tables, etc.  It was all very tasteful and comfortable, even luxurious, but with the sterility of guest quarters.

"Settle in and take a nap," Xin instructed.  "If you need anything, ring for room service, but the door will remain locked."  Her smile broadened.  "Any attempts to escape will result in more stringent security measures."

Jade's response was a succinct suggestion.  "Bite me."

Bonnie's response was more practical.  She spread her arms, emphasizing her nudity.  "How are we supposed to 'settle in?'  We've got nothing to settle."

Xin smiled, took a step back into the hallway, and the apartment door whisked closed.

Jade shook her head and muttered something inaudible, then took a self-guided tour of the apartment.  Bonnie sat on one of the beds and watched her friend stroll into the bathroom... then the walk-in closet.

"Wow, come look!" Jade shouted.

"What?" Bonnie demanded.

Jade emerged from the closet, a broad smile on her face.  "Come," she repeated, and disappeared inside, once again.

Bonnie sighed, rose from the bed, strolled to the closet, and blinked in surprise.  "Wow, indeed," she whispered under her breath.

At the far end of the closet was a full-length mirror, and to either side were shoe-racks, shelves, and clothing racks, all occupied by neatly arranged pairs of shoes, folded sweaters, tops, and underwear, as well as hanging skirts, jackets, blouses, and coats—also, formal gowns and much shorter cocktail dresses.  It was a treasure trove of haute couture—an Aladdin's Cave of high fashion!

Jade was going through the dresses on the right.  "These are all in my size," she noted, then gestured to the other side of the closet.  "I bet all that stuff is sized to fit tall, gawky freaks."

"Very funny," Bonnie huffed, then checked the labels of several of the left-side items.  As suspected, they were in her size.  She watched as Jade pulled on a dusky-rose pair of bikini-panties and matching push-up bra, then started sorting through the dresses and suits in earnest.  Bonnie heaved a sigh, returned to the bedroom area, and sat on her chosen bed.

The next half-hour settled into a routine.  Bonnie continued sitting on the bed, her palms on the taut bedspread, leaning back on her locked elbows, and with her legs crossed, nude.  Jade would appear from the closet clothed in a dress, or skirt and blouse, or business suit.  She would smile, pirouette, pose, Bonnie would tell her she looked stunning, and Jade would return to the closet.  Minutes would pass... and she would appear to model a new outfit.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

Bonnie repeated her question, but at the moment Jade was in the closet.  "I said, why am I so calm about all this?" she shouted.

Jade emerged from the closet clad only in the dusky-rose undies.  "I thought the question was rhetorical," she said with a grin as she sat on the bed opposite her tall, blond, naked friend.

"It's not," Bonnie pouted.

"You're still processing everything," Jade suggested.

"And you're not?" Bonnie demanded.

"Well, yeah," Jade responded, "but I can try on clothes and process at the same time, can't I?"

Bonnie heaved a sigh.  "Apparently."

Just then, the door whisked open, a woman entered, the door whisked closed behind her, and Bonnie and Jade stared in renewed amazement.

The woman was none other than Penelope Payne!  And she was naked, except for a black, single-sleeve arm-binder tightly encasing her fingers, hands, and arms behind her back, as well as a body-harness of black, narrow, flesh-dimpling straps yoking her shoulders, pinning her upper arms to her torso above and below her breasts, encircling her waist, and diving between her legs to cleave her labia.  Her legs and feet were bare.

Both interns recognized the youngest Payne Sister.  Everyone in the tower knew all three of the Paynes on sight, through the company newsletter and social media, if nothing else.

Bonnie stared in stunned amazement.  The style of Penelope's pixie hair perfectly matched her angelic, pixie face, her skin was fair and smooth, her body well-sculpted and fit, and her breasts large without being too large.  Also, her nipples were pierced and ringed!

"Hi," Penelope said with a somewhat shy smile.

"Hi," the interns chorused in reply, still staring.

"I wanted to personally congratulate you on your promotions," Penelope explained, "and add my sincere apologies for Dominique's, uh, excesses?"

"That's one way to put it," Jade muttered.

"Uh... thanks," Bonnie added.

"I'll also be working with you on the Girl Genius project," Penelope continued, "and probably more closely than Sorcha.  Her CEO responsibilities will require most of her time, but Audrey and I will need your help getting Girl Genius off the ground and on track."

"Okay," Bonnie said.

"Whatever," Jade added.

Bonnie focused on her friend and fellow intern/executive assistant.  "Be nice," she admonished in a whisper.

Jade glared at Bonnie, then heaved a sigh and turned to Penelope.  "Sorry," she said quietly.  "We're both still in shock... I guess."

"Some more than others," Bonnie teased.  "Some of us are so much in shock that all they can do is play dress up."

"Or sit on the bed and mope," Jade countered, sticking out her tongue.

Penelope's smile widened.  "Well, I guess you two aren't that traumatized," she observed.  "By the way, you're both invited to dinner at one of the clubs tonight, one of the Tower's less interesting and more, uh—"

"Normal clubs," Jade suggested, perfectly deadpan.

"As it would happen, yes," Penelope chuckled.  "Sorcha and Audrey will be joining us and dress will be formal.  So—"  She made a graceful bow, only slightly encumbered by her tight leather bondage.  "—until, shall we say, seven?  Welcome to the executive ranks, ladies."  She turned and took a step towards the door... but it remained closed.  She took a step back, paused, then tried again.  The door still remained closed.  "Oh, very funny," she huffed, then gave the door a kick with her right foot.  "Open the door, Xin."  Nothing happened.  She turned and shouted at the ceiling.  "Xin!  Open the damn door!"

Bonnie and Jade exchanged a smile, Bonnie stood, and together they strolled towards the scowling, pouting Penelope Payne.

Penelope's eyes widened as the former interns approached.  She took an unconscious step back and was immediately stopped by the door.  It remained closed.

Bonnie noted that Penelope's arm-binder and body-harness were, in fact, a single system.  The straps of the harness passed through riveted sleeves on both sides of the binder, ensuring nothing could bunch or slip.

Jade noted that the strap's buckles incorporated flush-mounted steel panels with tiny keyholes.  As no key was in evidence, Penelope would remain in the harness and binder for the duration of her visit.

"This place is a demented wonderland," Bonnie said to Jade.

"Games within games within games," Jade agreed.  "And at least this time..."

"We get to play," Bonnie purred.

The very picture of worried innocence, Penelope looked from smiling face to smiling face.  "What are you going to do to me?" she demanded.

"Well," Bonnie purred, "probably not a lot."

"We're new to all this," Jade said, "and you are a senior executive.  By the way, what's your title?"

"I didn't used to have an actual title," Penelope answered, then her lips curled in a charming little smirk, "but Sorcha just promoted me to Chief Creative Officer."

Bonnie's eyes were focused on the shining steel rings in Penelope's slowly rising and falling nipples.  "Congratulations, but isn't that what you've always been doing around here?"

"For years," Penelope confirmed.  "Domie didn't think I needed a title."

"I see," Jade nodded.  Her gaze was also on Penelope's breasts.  Either the newly appointed CCO was a little nervous, or she was a very good actor.  In any case, her boobs bobbed, just a little, as she took deep breaths and stared at the looming interns.  Bonnie and Jade were now close enough to touch their unexpected guest... and they did so.

Penelope closed her eyes and shivered as Bonnie and Jade's hands slid across her shoulders, hips, tummy, and breasts.  The girls were gentle and kind.  Yes, Penelope was their prisoner (it would seem) and they had every justification to extract at least some degree of retribution for their recent abuse—Jade at the hand of Dominique and Bonnie at Dominique's orders—but they didn't.  Penelope wasn't Dominique.  They caressed and squeezed the pixie's breasts, even gently tugged on her steel rings, but it was all in fun—girl fun.  Nasty girl fun?  Yes, but they were in the Tower of nastiness.

"Let's take her to the bed," Bonnie suggested.

"Why not?" Jade agreed.

Penelope was dragged kicking and screaming—theatrically struggling, smiling, and purring like a kitten, actually—to what was tentatively designated as Bonnie's bed, and all three reclined on its king-size surface.

"You're gonna tell us all about the perverted nightclubs on the perverted side of the Tower," Jade ordered, continuing to explore Penelope's pale, helpless body.

"Every detail," Bonnie confirmed, also exploring their new friend and superior.

"No," Penelope whispered, biting her lower lip as Jade tugged on her right nipple-ring and Bonnie slid her left hand along the strap cleaving her labia.

"No?" Bonnie chuckled, then nibbled on Penelope's left earlobe.

"Do you want us to torture you?" Jade inquired, "'cause we will."

"We will?" Bonnie asked.

Jade rolled her eyes and Penelope stifled a giggling fit.  "Get with the program, Blondie," Jade ordered.  "Remember what Doc Folke did to you?"

"Oh," Bonnie responded, "you mean torture her."  She crooked the fingers of her left hand into a credible imitation of a cat's claws, and tickled Penelope's ribs.

"Eeeeee!" Penelope squealed.  Sandwiched between the naked Bonnie and underwear-clad Jade, she was unable to squirm away.  "I'll talk!  I'll talk!  But only about the places you're already visited.  That's the Aqua Lounge and the Evil Petting Zoo, right?"

Bonnie stopped her tickling assault.  "Jade told me about the Lounge, and we're both well acquainted with the Zoo."

"Are we ever," Jade confirmed.

"Well," Penelope continued, "I don't want to spoil any surprises.  You should be allowed to discover the other venues on your own."

"Discover them?" Jade huffed, "or get dragged into them naked, bound, and gagged."

Penelope smiled, but didn't otherwise respond.

"Well," Bonnie said, "let's hear what she has to say.  We can always torture her for additional information afterwards."

"That sounds reasonable," Jade purred, crooked her left leg around Penelope's right leg to keep her under control, then began gently kneading her right breast.

Bonnie was busy nuzzling Penelope's left ear and licking the side of her neck.

Penelope shivered in her bonds as the girls had their wicked way with her helpless body.  It would appear that Sorcha's idea of helping the girls rest and recuperate by putting them in charge for a change was a good one.  "Well, let's see," she began.  "The Aqua Lounge has been in operation for more than fifteen years.  It started out as the 'Mermaid Lounge,' a seafood/Polynesian restaurant with South Seas decor and fake mermaids in the big tank."

"Oh, fake mermaids," Jade chuckled, then kissed Penelope's right shoulder.

"Let her talk," Bonnie admonished, then planted a kiss on Penelope's smiling mouth.

"Dominique decided to cut to the chase about five years ago," Penelope continued.  "She redecorated, added the single-occupant water tubes, and now it's just watching naked, bound, submerged captives tread water.  Come to think of it, that was probably one of the early signs that Big Sister was losing control."

"No, ya think?" Jade chuckled, then took Penelope's right nipple (and ring) into her mouth and sucked.

"I mean fun is fun," Penelope sighed, suppressing a shiver, "but there must be some limits."

"Oh, certainly," Jade agreed.

"That goes without saying," Bonnie purred.

Penelope returned to her oral history of the Aqua Lounge and the new executive assistants continued their manual and oral entertainment of Payne Entertainment's new CCO.

APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER

---

"I still don't understand why I'm taking all of this so calmly," Bonnie sighed.  It was more than a week since Dominique's fall from power and the girls' promotions.  She was sitting on her bed and pouting... again.

"It's because you're submissive by nature!" Jade shouted from the walk-in closet.

Bonnie's jaw dropped.  "What?  Bullshit!" she shouted back.

"Oh, it's true," Jude purred.  "Dr. Folke explained everything."  She was finishing her preparations for The Big Costume Party, the one everybody who was anybody in Payne Tower (and their lowly assistants) would be attending.  "If you hadn't blown off your appointment," Jade continued as she walked back into the main apartment, "she would have explained it all to you as well."

"I didn't blow off the appointment," Bonnie huffed.  "I had to take notes during an important conference call with Shepperton Studios.  Also... I don't like Frida Frakkin' Folke."

"Frida's a sweetheart," Jade chuckled.  "I know you two got off to a bad start—"

"Getting my feet tickled until I almost peed myself?" Bonnie interrupted.  "Yeah, you could call that a 'bad start.'  And I know she was 'only following orders,' so don't go there."

"Frida's a sweetheart," Jade reiterated.  "Anyway, it turns out that a predisposition for, as Frida put it, 'the unique corporate culture that is Payne Entertainment' is a semi-requirement for getting into the intern program."

"Ha!" Bonnie huffed.  "I don't recall checking off a box on the application about liking being stripped naked, tied up, tickled silly, erotically tortured, and publicly humiliated."

Jade smiled.  "But you do recall spending most of that first afternoon filling in a hundred page psychological questionnaire, right?"

Bonnie heaved a sigh.  "Yes, the first time I was tortured in the Tower of Payne."

"Not every intern has to be an overt top or bottom to get in," Jade continued, "but it certainly doesn't hurt.  That's what Frida says, anyway."

"Well," Bonnie said quietly, "I hope you and Frida are very happy together, 'cause I'm not going anywhere near Human Resources Special Services ever again without a written order from Sorcha... in triplicate."

"So you say," Jade chuckled, then spun in a graceful pirouette.  The theme of the party was Game of Thrones, and Jade's costume was that of a daughter of a minor but prosperous house of King's Landing: a faded blue-green, embroidered, sleeveless dress with pointed shoulders, a deep, V-shaped décolletage, a wide, tight bodice that was more or less a corset, a skirt with full pleats that fell to just above her ankles, and matching cloth knee boots.  Her hair was pulled back and restrained by a narrow gold circlet set with small fire-opals.  A half-dozen gold wire bracelets on both wrists completed the ensemble.

"Yes, yes, I approve," Bonnie muttered, "not that my opinion makes any difference."

The girls had not been given a choice of costumes.  Both outfits had been delivered earlier in the day while they were at work, deposited on their beds with printed labels bearing their names.

Bonnie's costume was that of a Dathraki bond-maiden—which would not have been her first choice—and was quite simple: a bandeau of sun-bleached indigo cloth, a knee-length, wraparound skirt of ragged, chamois-thin brown leather, and brown leather sandals with crisscross ties.  The costume also included what Jade had termed as "accessories" and Bonnie announced were "things I am never going to wear—not now, not ever!"  They were behind her on the bed, still in the cardboard box.

Jade smiled and nodded towards the accessories.  "C'mon.  I'll help.  It's time to leave."

"Not yet," Bonnie pouted.

"Close enough," Jade chuckled, then lifted the rest of Bonnie's costume from the box.  "This isn't as heavy as it looks," she noted.

"Wonderful," Bonnie huffed, "but I'm still not wearing it."

The 'it' in question was a full set of slave-chains: a collar, joined manacles, and a pair of ankle-shackles.  A chain connected the collar to the manacles, then continued down and branched into two parts, each of which attached to a shackle.  All had the look of hand-forged, hammered iron, but it was camouflage.  The locks, hinges, and smooth interiors made it clear the restraints were modern machine-work.

"Don't be a spoilsport," Jade chuckled, "also... you have a choice?"

Bonnie stared daggers at her smiling friend... then climbed to her feet.  "Get it over with," she sighed.  She gathered her hair atop of her head with both hands and stood perfectly still as Jade fit the collar around her neck and used the supplied key to turn the lock.  "No, no, that's wrong," Bonnie huffed.  "The chain should be in the front."  Jade had secured the collar with the chain draped down her back and rattling against her spine and buttocks.

"The front?" Jade purred.  "Don't be ridiculous."  She pulled Bonnie's hands back and locked her wrists in the cuffs.  The steel bands were not only joined, meaning without a connecting chain, but were joined at an angle.  Bonnie's hands were now permanently crossed.  Jade knelt and locked Bonnie's ankles in the shackles, then stood and stepped to the front.

Bonnie watched her smiling friend slip the key to her "accessories" down the front of her pretty dress, under the top of her bodice at the point of the plunging décolletage.  "I can't sip drinks and nibble hors-d'oeurves with my hands like this," she objected.

"I'll take care of you," Jade promised.

"No you won't," Bonnie pouted.  The chain swayed and rattled as she tugged on her joined wrists and tried kicking her shackled feet.  "Once we get to the party, you'll follow Audrey around like a puppy-dog and I'll get groped by strangers and... go hungry... and die of thirst."

"Oh, boo-hoo, drama queen," Jade chuckled.  "I'll take care of you.  I promise."

"In front," Bonnie pouted, "not behind."

Jade reached into the box and produced the only remaining object, a coiled, three-foot leash of brown, braided leather with a faux-hand-forged clip at one end and a generous wrist loop at the other.  "See," she said as she clipped the leash to the ring dangling under Bonnie's chin, "this has to be the right way.  A leash in the back would look stupid."

"I could live with it," Bonnie muttered.  "Remember your promise."

Jade grinned as she slipped the leash's loop over her right wrist.  "What promise?"

"There, you see?"  Bonnie focused the inexorable power of her Profound Disappointment on her amused handler.  "Drinks?  Hors-d'oeuvres?"

Jade stepped off and the leash snapped taut.  "Oh, that."

"Hey!" Bonnie objected, mincing along in Jade's wake, encumbered by her hobbling shackles.  "Slow down, dammit!"

The apartment door whisked open and the ex-interns were off to the party.

The party venue was one of the largest on the hotel side of the Tower and was mainly used for celebrations of successful productions and media events.  It had multiple bars and a multi-level floor plan.  The architecture was Modern, like the rest of the Tower; however, the decor was variable, meaning the featureless walls were rear-projection screens and the wide support columns were interior projection screens.  Any color and texture could be credibly simulated, and this evening, the columns and most of the walls strongly suggested stone construction.  Other sections of wall simulated windows providing breathtaking, high-resolution vistas of King's Landing.  The illusion was limited, no more than a crutch for the imagination, but with the addition of hanging banners bearing the seals of the Great Houses of Westros and a few hundred appropriately costumed party-goers and attendants, the mood was set.

At the center of the space was a formal ceremonial staircase, but at the moment it was roped off and guarded by muscular female amazon's of Xin's Security Department, all in plate armor and armed with halberds and broadswords.  Guests were entering through multiple side doors, and that included Jade and Bonnie.

True to her promise (at least for now), Jade led her charge to the nearest bar and ordered a drink.  Actually, ordering wasn't required.  All the bars appeared to be serving the same thing: some sort of red wine-punch in 12-ounce metal goblets.  Alternately holding the goblet to Bonnie's lips and sipping from it herself, Jade led her fellow executive assistant up a short set of stairs to a small balcony where they could survey the crowd.  She paused on the way to grab a napkin and load it with various savory tidbits from the tray of a passing serving wench.  Between the goblet, the bundle of hors-d'oeurves, and Bonnie's leash, it was a bit of a balancing act, but she managed.  They stood at the railing and people-watched, sipping wine and munching on bacon-wrapped mini-sausages, stuffed mushrooms, and Authentic Westros Crab-Puffs.

"Jon Snow" seemed to be the most popular costume among the men.  Thigh boots, leather and steel armor, a broadsword belted to the side, and a cape with fake-fur shoulders and collar, all in black—Jon Snow.  Actually, boots, armor, swords, and capes was a general male theme.  Several men sported knee-length embroidered tunics and other forms of court dress, but all were armed.  Only a daring few with the required muscular physiques were bold enough to show the skin required to play Dathraki or desert warriors.  The women were mostly dressed "Ren-Faire"-style, long gowns of various designs and colors but all very Medieval/Renaissance.  Only a few wore the more exotic costumes of the Desert Kingdoms or Slaver Cities.

There were a few bound prisoners, like Bonnie, but most of the guests were free to drink and eat and socialize and have a good time and had no excuse to pout (like Bonnie).  The watching former interns recognized many of the executives of the various productions and departments of Payne Entertainment.

"Do you watch Game of Thrones that closely?" Jade inquired.

"With my work load?" Bonnie huffed.  "Not really.  I'm a fan, but I can't say I follow it closely.  I binge-watch now and then."

"Same here."  Jade pointed to a pair of guests, a man a woman, both in armor.  "I think that's an inside joke," she suggested.

Bonnie looked at the couple and smiled.  "I think so, but I don't remember the characters' names."

The man's costume was similar to the Jon Snow wannabes, except he had long, flaming red hair and a full, if somewhat scraggly, flaming red beard.  The woman was tall (or possibly wearing boots with very high heels), her blond hair was cropped short, and her armor was gleaming steel plate.  Also, her upper body and arms were bound in a tight box-tie using thick rope.  The end of the rope was in the red-haired warrior's gloved hand as a leash.

"I think they're both senior executives," Bonnie said.

"I think so," Jade agreed, "but I don't know where they work.  Also, those are wigs and the beard is fake."

"No, ya think?" Bonnie snorted.

Before Jade could reply, a dozen trumpeters in Medieval garb at the top of the central staircase blew a fanfare, then stepped back.  The amazon armored guards on the stairs snapped to attention, and...

"Wow!" Bonnie and Jade gasped in a whisper.

As the trumpeters faded into the background, the three Payne sisters stepped forward.

Sorcha was dressed as a queen, in full Medieval regalia.  Her gown was a deep blood red and was elaborately embroidered with gold thread.  It had a tight bodice, a full train, and a plunging decollétage.  Her hair was braided with strings of fine pearls and a golden crown sat atop her smiling head.

Penelope was to Sorcha's right and she was wearing a similar gown, but in multiple shades of blue that complemented her eyes.  She also wore a crown, but one less magnificent than her middle sister's.

Dominique was on Sorcha's right, and she was decidedly not wearing a crown.  In fact, she was dressed in a shapeless shift of sackcloth and was in chains!  Her short gray hair was a tousled mess, her wrists manacled to either side of an iron belt, her feet bare, and her ankles in iron shackles separated by a hobbling chain.  Clearly, she was not happy, but was unable to verbally express her displeasure thanks to the thick cleave-gag of sackcloth tightly tied in her mouth.  Finally, a pair of amazon handlers dressed in, of all things, gray nuns' habits, were standing directly behind her holding long poles with attached rope nooses tightened around her neck.

Audrey Klein was also present, wearing a long, dove-gray gown with a Grecian cut.  Her arms were bare, she was showing significant cleavage, and except for a pair of long, thin braids framing her smiling face, her hair cascaded down her back.

"Your boss is looking very Daenerys-like," Bonnie remarked, "except for the brown hair and lack of dragons."

"Hush," Jade scolded her friend.  "Your boss is about to speak."

Sorcha threw her arms wide and shouted, "Welcome everyone!"

Cheers and clapping erupted from the crowd below.

"I hope you all have a very good time," Sorcha continued, "but first, a brief ceremony."  Together with her little sister and Audrey, she took a step to the side.

A short figure with glasses appeared, dressed in gray like the handler-amazon-nuns, and holding a bell with a handle.

"Is that who I think it is?" Bonnie muttered.

"If you think it's Frieda Folke," Jade purred, "yes."

"A sinner comes before you, Dominique of the House of Payne," Folke announced to the crowd.  "She has committed the foul acts of incurring unnecessary opportunity costs through poor management decisions and of being a cruel, heartless bitch."

This was met with nods of approval, a splattering of applause, and a hostile, gagged stare from Dominique.

"She has confessed her sins and begged for forgiveness," Folke continued.  "To demonstrate her repentance, she will cast aside all pride, all artifice, and present herself as the gods made her... to you, the good people of this corporate conglomerate.  She comes before you with a solemn heart, shorn of secrets, naked before the eyes of gods and men, to make her walk of atonement."

Two more gray nun-handlers appeared, reached out, and ripped the shift from Dominique's now naked body!

"Golly!" Bonnie gasped.

"They're really gonna do it," Jade whispered under her breath.

Meanwhile, Folke started slowly descending the stairs, slowly ringing the bell and shouting, "Shame!  Shame!  Shame!" with each stately, solemn step.

The naked and chain-bound Dominique followed.  She had no choice.  The amazon-nun-handlers with the long catch-poles made sure of that.  The remaining gray amazon-nuns brought up the rear, and now a parade had formed: Folke and her bell—the naked, chained, gagged, reluctant, and scowling Dominique—and the tall, muscular, handler-nuns.  Queen Sorcha, Princess Penelope, Lady Audrey, and the rest of the Royal Retinue remained at the top of the stairs.

"Shame!  Shame!  Shame!" the assembled executives began chanting in time with Folke's bell.

Jade and Bonnie watched, but didn't otherwise take part.

"Well," Jade said, "this is gonna burn a few bridges."

"Which is kinda the point," Bonnie agreed.

The executive assistants watched Dominique descend the stairs.  The chanting continued.

"Shame!  Shame!  Shame!"

"I feel like a muggle watching my first quidditch game," Bonnie sighed.

"Let's not mix Game of Thrones and Harry Potter metaphors," Jade chuckled, "but I get your point.  There's a lot going on here and we have only a vague idea of the rules."

"Or even what's at stake," Bonnie added.  Dominique and her handlers had reached the bottom of the stairs and were starting through the crowd.  Amazons guards in armor were clearing them a path.  "What's gonna happen?"

"To Dominique?  I have no idea."  Jade turned and smiled, "or did you mean us?  We're gonna get filthy rich and start our own studio."

"Schnupp-Porter Productions," Bonnie nodded.

"The Porter-Schnupp Studio," Jade corrected her friend, then held the goblet to her lips.

Bonnie drank, then locked eyes with her smiling friend.  "We gotta be very careful, otherwise..."

"You might wind up with pierced nipples like Penelope Payne?" Jade suggested, "and I'd be stuck with you as my full-time slave?"

"Very funny," Bonnie huffed (and blushed).

"Anyway," Jade chuckled, "we'll be careful and keep our eyes and ears open... and you do need to talk to Frieda Folke."

"I told you," Bonnie huffed, "I'm not gonna—"

"You will talk to her," Jade interrupted.  "I'll make sure of it."  She gave Bonnie's leash a gentle tug, reminding her of her current situation.

"Oh, sure," Bonnie muttered, "you're gonna drag me down there in chains if I don't make an appointment."

"Naked and in chains," Jade chuckled.  "And don't think I won't."

Bonnie gazed at her smiling friend with a coy smile.  "I really think you would."

"We're taking things careful and slow," Jade purred, "but yes, I would."

A thrill rippled down Bonnie's spine and settled between her legs.  "I...  I'm hungry."

Jade grinned.  "I guess we have to chase down another serving wench."

Bonnie nodded across the room.  "Look to the left of the bar next to the stag banner."

"The House of Baratheon?" Jade asked.  "Oh, I see it.  That does look like the start of a buffet line!"

"Let's get down there while Dominique is still being shamed," Bonnie suggested, "and beat the crowd."

"It's a plan!" Jade chuckled.  "Let's go."

They strolled (or minced, in Bonnie's case) to the stairs and descended to the main floor.

Meanwhile, Dominique and her escort were beginning a second circuit of the party.  No one was throwing rotten fruit or vegetables—after all, the night was young and who wanted to party with rotten fruit and vegetables underfoot?—but it was clear that Dominique was not happy.

"Shame!  Shame!  Shame!" the crowd chanted.

"You really would look good with nipple-rings, Bonnie," Jade announced, loud enough to carry over the noise.  "You should think about it."

Bonnie blushed.  Several of the nearest costumed executives had overheard and were smiling and winking at her.  "Shut up," she growled and shuffled in Jade's wake.

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Chapter 6

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