SSV: Project STATIC Part 3: Game Over

Chapter 12

Ingrid growled in annoyance and frustration as she stomped back into her control room. She'd finally found a modicum of peace and enjoyment with Beth when she'd gotten an alert on her phone. Jake, Pam, and Ashley were close to completing their first mission. She hadn't expected them to make it that far, and so she'd released her ace in the hole to stop them. Unfortunately, that meant she'd had to erase Erin Embers, destroy part of her coding for the city, and risk losing Anders as well. However, things took another unexpected turn only a few short minutes afterwards.

She'd been enjoying watching a movie with Beth, the pinkette still visibly tense from being so close to her. Still, the effort was there and Ingrid could tell. She was trying to put herself out there without having to be told, and that spoke volumes to Ingrid. Their talk before retiring to the bedroom had been a mixed bag for her, but once she'd regained her composure, she understood that Beth was only being honest. It was an attempt to tear down the walls of dishonesty and lies that Beth had erected between the two of them. It was clear to her that Beth felt guilty for how things had transpired between them, and that was why she was trying to open up about her relationship with Pam. She hadn't done it to be malicious, vindictive, or to hurt her, but rather to shed some light on how she'd wound up with another woman.

The story didn't make the hurt and pain go away, but it at least made it clear that Beth hadn't lied to her. She'd avoided her, yes, but Beth was willing to admit that had been a mistake. Maybe in another life things could have been different. She couldn't afford to live anywhere other than in the present, though. Which was why she was currently having to pull herself away from an otherwise pleasant evening with her long-time crush to investigate the unexplained glitch in her system. Her mood had shifted to anger as she watched her three players, and her NPC, suddenly disappear from a locked position. They hadn't died, but they'd managed to escape without harm! It shouldn't have been possible, not with everything she'd built into the game.

Ingrid needed to review the footage, and she needed to find them as fast as possible. Thankfully, her admin character could bypass the coding, but she needed to know where to send her first and see what happened. Looking over the recordings, it didn't make anything make more sense. The three of them had been on the ropes. I-33, her Admin character, had been demolishing the three of them, and Anders, with ease. Then, without any semblance of reason and sense, she'd been frozen in place! The code in her game seemed to freeze around her, and it looked almost like Pam had been responsible for it. That couldn't be possible, though, could it?

Things got even more confusing when she watched the four of them disappear from a locked location. There was no escape, no way to get away, and yet they seemed to fade into nothing! It was unbelievable, but more so was that she couldn't find them. Their vitals were still registering, but it was like they were somehow hidden in the city's code. That added another layer of frustration and rage to her growing dark mood. What in the hell was going on?

"Ingrid?" Beth's voice called from the doorway, "Is everything okay?"

Ingrid pushed her chair away and turned to head to the floor where her players were seated, "No, something isn't right. Did you do something, Beth?"

"Huh?" Beth frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Did you do something to my console when I wasn't looking?!" Ingrid snapped, glaring at Beth and showcasing her paranoia.

"No!" Beth exclaimed honestly, "When would I have had the chance? I've either been in your room, at your feet, or under you!"

"Don't lie to me!" Ingrid shrieked, startling Beth.

"I'm not, I swear!" Beth shouted, taking a step back, "Please, I don't even know what's going on. I just came out here to check on you. You got up in such a hurry, I thought something was wrong."

"What did you think, your girlfriend had managed to escape?" Ingrid asked, her tone bitter and harsh.

"Ingrid, please," Beth pleaded, taking another step back, "Please, I'm worried about you."

"Tell me the truth," Ingrid commanded, closing her eyes and deciding to use her nanotech to put things to rest, "Why did you come out here, and did you do anything while I wasn't looking?"

Beth stared at her for a moment as she accepted the strange feeling of Ingrid’s control seizing her body again, "I came out here because I was worried about you. I didn't do anything to your fucking game because I have been trying to do what you want without being told. You want honesty, though? I'm questioning why I even bothered checking on you since you're being such a bitch when I was just trying to be nice!"

"Don't call me that!" Ingrid snapped, stepping closer to Beth, but stopping short when Beth stood her ground.

"What are you going to do?" Beth asked, her frustrations reaching a boiling point, "Hit me? Sit on my fucking face? Tell me to kill myself? Do whatever you're going to do, Ingrid. Let's see where your heart really is."

Ingrid stared at Beth for a long moment. Her hands were shaking, but Beth glared at her with the intensity that had originally attracted her to her years ago. She looked away first and sighed, "Follow me."

Ingrid walked past Beth and heard her trailing close behind. Her words stung, but only because they were founded in truth. Ingrid had done all of those things to Beth already in the short time she'd been here. Taking advantage of someone had never been something she would have done before, especially someone that meant so much to her. Yet, she'd done it several times already since she'd woken from her procedure. Hell, she'd outright killed more than one girl because she had been either bored or annoyed by them, and she hadn't thought twice about it until she'd gotten Beth. Side effect or not, she wasn't sure how she felt about this new side of herself. The fact that Beth saw it as commonplace made it more troubling and concerning.

Ingrid didn't say another word as she led Beth down to the main floor where Jake and Pam were sitting. She needed to check their rigs to ensure they hadn't malfunctioned. The walk was quiet and tense as they descended down the stairs. The entire time, Ingrid kept thinking about Beth's responses. Once again, she had been making an honest effort without the influence of her powers, and yet again, Ingrid had let her paranoia get the better of her. Between that and her mood swings, she was starting to feel a slight fear that maybe Beth was right about her employers. It was too late now, though, and she knew there was no going back. She'd have to rely on her smarts, technology, and new abilities to get her out of whatever trap they were waiting to spring.

As she entered the main hub of her virtual reality room, Ingrid’s jaw dropped. A massive raven sat atop Jake's headgear. Where in the hell had that thing come from? "Hey, get out of-" Ingrid started trying to shoo it away before pausing as it leered at her.

This thing was bigger than any bird she'd seen to date. It must have been nearly three feet tall, and its eyes were unnerving. They were an unnatural purple, but they seemed to flash red as they stared at her. It turned its attention back to Jake and started pecking at the wiring. Ingrid frowned and quickly got over her moment of surprise. She approached it again with a scowl on her face, prepared to yell and force it to leave. However, the second she got close, it turned back to her and cawed extremely loud. It seemed to hiss as it finished, and that gave her another pause. We're ravens supposed to hiss? She honestly couldn't remember hearing one do it before, but she also had never seen one this big.

"Okay, you feathered freak," Ingrid growled, summoning her courage, "I'm not afraid of you, and you're not welcome here! Get away from my subjects, you ugly freak!"

She waved her arms in an attempt to scare it, but it only seemed to enrage the creature. The raven spread its wings and cawed at her as if to mock her. Ingrid screamed at it, and finally it moved away from Jake. However, it now seemed more interested in terrorizing Ingrid. The massive black bird took flight, and it dove at her without warning. Ingrid cried out in surprise as it charged at her. She dove to the floor as its beak cut through the air where she'd been a second ago. It circled the area for a moment before hovering in the air. Ingrid looked up at it, and those haunting eyes stared down at her with what she could only describe as hatred. Ingrid stared back at it, and she felt a wave of relief as it seemed to finally lose interest. It flew off, but not before circling over Pam's body and Jake's once more. Two feathers fell from its body as it flew out the window where it must have snuck in.

"What the actual fuck was that?!" Ingrid exclaimed as the devil bird finally left, "Stupid pests…ugh, now I've got to make sure it didn't mess with my equipment! Beth, I'm gonna need a hand here."

"No way," Beth whispered as she stared off at the window the bird had left from.

"Hey, unless you want your friends to die without a chance, you'll help me!" Ingrid barked, mistaking Beth's remark for a denial.

"Huh?" Beth frowned, "No, I-I didn't mean I wouldn't help. It's just…that bird."

"Surprising, I get it," Ingrid sighed, shaking her head, "Still, unless you want a night stuck under me, you'll give me a hand."

Beth scowled and crossed her arms as she walked over, "You don't have to threaten me. You want me to not call you a bitch, then you'll stop pulling that kind of shit with me. S'not like I've got much of a choice, and I'm fucking trying here, Ingrid."

"Keep that attitude, and I'll adjust it by taking you over my damn knee," Ingrid countered, "That what you want? A nice bare bottom spanking, Beth?"

"Just tell me what to do," Beth grumbled, hoping that by helping her captor she could avoid anything too terrible.

"Oh my God, you're blushing!" Ingrid exclaimed, her mood shifting once again, "Beth Thompson likes it rough! Ha, I'll be sure to remember that for later."

"Stop, please," Beth sighed, hating her conditioning from Pam for the first time in a long time.

"Heh, just because you asked nicely," Ingrid smirked, kneeling by Jake's chair, "Grab me the kit in the top drawer of that cabinet over there."

Beth nodded and walked off as Ingrid opened the panel on the chair. Everything looked to be intact, but something had to be off for their signatures to just disappear. "So, can I ask what you're doing?" Beth asked, handing Ingrid the pouch of tools she'd found in the drawer as instructed.

Ingrid grabbed the tools from Beth and unzipped the bag. She debated on how much to share with her crush. "They're missing from my monitoring systems," she finally said, slipping on a pair of goggles to take a closer look at the circuitry inside of the interior, "No explanation, but I can't see them. I need to make sure that it's not a hardware issue, and after that stupid bird I need to make sure there's not been any damage."

"So, they're gone?" Beth asked, looking at Jake's body and the monitor on the side of the chair.

"Sort of?" Ingrid answered, trying to figure out the best way to explain, "They're still in the game. If they weren't, then either their vitals would have plummeted, or they'd be up and moving right now. I just can't see where they're at, and that's a problem. Shit, these are all good here. Hmm, let's go have a look at blondie and her connections. She's been a surprising pain in my ass, and I wouldn't be surprised if her setup is damaged. That might explain the readings I've been getting."

Ingrid closed the panel on Jake's chair and got up. She glanced over at Beth for a second before walking over to Pam's chair. Jake's chair was fine, and that was both good and bad. It meant that all her connections were running optimally, but it brought back the question of the third player. Beth's explanation was farfetched, but it almost made sense. It was either that, or Jake was some sort of schizophrenic. That was the only way that her system could have picked up and created an avatar for this Ashley woman. Was there really another personality that strong in his head?

"You think that this is either a hardware or software issue," Beth surmised, following behind Ingrid, "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"If you're going to start spouting hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo, you can stop right there," Ingrid scoffed, opening Pam's chair, "I've already told you that I think it's bullshit, and there's no way she would be able to use anything like that in my world. The coding is too air tight, and I designed a world that is entirely defunct of magic."

"Look, I get that you're a skeptic," Beth sighed, handing Ingrid the tools and waiting for her next order, "If you were anyone else, I wouldn't be bothering trying to warn you about this. Underestimating Pam is a mistake, Ingrid. Anybody else, I would let this play out and enjoy watching what happens when she breaks through whatever you have her trapped in."

"Riding a fine line here, Beth," Ingrid grumbled as she snatched the tools and tried to find a short in the wires, "You're complimenting me, but you're insulting my systems at the same time."

"I'm not insulting anything of yours," Beth sighed, "I have seen that woman break through barriers, dimensions, and unbeatable odds so many times that it's not funny. You and her have one thing in common, I'll say that much."

"Both of us want you?" Ingrid asked.

"Fine, two things,' Beth huffed, "Both of you are too damn smart and determined for your own good. Pam's mind is her greatest strength, just like you. You two use it in different ways, but it's how you both fight. The longer she lasts, the more dangerous she is going to become."

Ingrid felt that familiar rush of anger and jealousy creep up in her mind as she looked over Pam's chair. "Then maybe I should pull the damn plug on her now," she sneered, reaching in and grabbing one of the main switches, "If she's as dangerous as you say, then I shouldn't give her the chance to make it, should I?"

"Do it, and so help me-" Beth started.

"You won't do a damn thing," Ingrid cut her off, "You'll do whatever I say, honey."

"I wasn't threatening you," Beth continued, glaring at Ingrid, "I'm not an idiot. I know I can't fight back against you because of whatever bullshit you let Murray do to you. I was going to say that if you do that, you and I will never have anything between us. You can make me do whatever you want with these powers, yeah, but I will always hate you for taking away her chance. The only reason I'm even willing to try with you is because you're giving both of them a chance at success, despite stacking the fucking deck against them!"

Ingrid’s hand hovered next to the switch for a moment as she and Beth stared one another down. Once again, Beth had managed to strike a nerve without being able to fight back. The sincerity in her tone was enough to make Ingrid believe her. As infuriating as it was, Beth had a point, at least about her feelings. If she killed Pam now, she could be rid of the annoying danger, but the cost was astronomical. Beth would still be hers, but her heart would never belong to her. All that she'd have would be hatred and scorn. Slowly, Ingrid pulled her hand away and shook her head.

"They fail, get a game over, and you'll try to be happy with me?" she asked, looking away.

"I can't make any major promises about how things will turn out, but I can try," Beth said, "I don't like this, don't like what you're doing, who you're working with, or what you've done to my friends. I didn't like Pam when we first got together, but she proved to me that people can change. Like I said, I'm not stupid, Ingrid. You built the world they're in, and you went to some pretty great lengths to get me. My guess, you're rattled because they disappeared despite you letting whatever trick you had up your sleeve out. Jake might be the better detective, but I still spent years working alongside him."

"Hmph, clever and pretty," Ingrid said, sighing and sitting down, "I'm not going to stop trying to finish them, but…I'll leave the hardware alone for now."

"Thank you," Beth sighed, relaxing, "I know that there's still good in you, Ingrid. You're not the monster that these other freaks are."

"You mean that?" Ingrid frowned, "You know what I did to the other girls before you, and you…you brought up what I've already done to you earlier."

Beth sighed and sat down across from Ingrid, "I know, and I'm not gonna apologize for that. But, I know that this isn't all you. Look, don't get pissed at the comparison here, but Pam wasn't a stand-up person when we first got together. She killed more than a few women she played with, and she was working for Goth for fucks sake as a damn disciple! You aren't too far gone, Ingrid. The fact that you stopped is proof enough for me."

Ingrid exhaled slowly as she felt another jealous wave wash over her. She managed to keep it in check long enough for Beth to finish. She was glad she did, and she tried to focus on the positives. There was still a chance between Beth and her. It was still contingent on her victory, but it was more of a chance than she'd had in a long time. It was surreal how much of an effect Beth could have over her. Whether pushing her over the edge, or pulling her back from the brink. A small voice in the back of her head asked the question of if Beth actually meant what she said. It begged her to use her powers to see if she meant what she said, but it was quieted by Beth putting a hand on top of hers.

Ingrid stared down at Beth's hand for a minute as she felt a wave of negativity roll off of her. She needed to take her at her word, at least for now. Pressing her and forcing her would only further push her away and undo whatever progress they were making. Although, she wondered just how Beth would feel if things came to a true head. Unlikely as it was, Ingrid had already planned for the possibility of Jake and Pam escaping. Would Beth still feel the same way if she had to witness her contingency plan? She hoped that the answer would be yes, but Ingrid was almost afraid to find out. She needed to find them and redeploy IG-33 fast.

"Do you want to maybe get something to eat?" Beth asked, breaking the silence after a minute.

Ingrid shook her head and sighed, "In a little bit. I need to focus on finding these two and that other girl. Let me work on a few things, and we can eat and maybe have some fun."

She could tell it wasn't what Beth wanted to hear, but her little crush didn't protest verbally. "Okay," Beth nodded, "Anything I can do, or that you want me to do until then?"

"Nothing I need help with, but thanks for asking," Ingrid replied, not wanting to chance Beth trying anything, "Why don't-"

Ingrid paused as her phone went off. She frowned and looked down at it, hoping to see a sign of life from her players. Sadly, it wasn't a notification from her system or her game. An email from Eva, still using that damned Myers woman's false address, was in her inbox. "Something wrong?" Beth asked as Ingrid opened the email.

A wire transfer in the amount of another five grand had been initiated, and a small note thanking her for her contribution to Brunswick Enterprises. "Yeah, no, everything is fine," Ingrid replied, checking her account to make sure the funds were really there, "Just a message from someone I haven't heard from in a while is all. Anyway, like I was saying, why don't you to play a game or something while I finish up? Do something to distract yourself from everything, and I'll be in to get you when I'm done."

"Alright, I guess that's fine," Beth shrugged, getting to her feet, "I'll be in the room then. Uhm, when you said fun, what exactly did you mean?"

Ingrid shot Beth a look and sighed, "I mean exactly what you think, Beth. I'll go slow, but I'm getting really pent up the longer you're here. Meet me halfway, will you?"

She could see by the look on Beth's face that she wasn't overly enthused by the idea, but her patience was wearing thinner by the hour. "Okay, okay, just…" Beth sighed, trailing off, "Promise me you'll try to keep an eye on me."

"I will, and I'll make sure you're rewarded if you're a good girl," Ingrid assured her, purring slightly and relishing the blush on Beth's cheeks, "Go on, go have some time to yourself. Beth, I'm going to say this once. Do not try anything stupid, and don't make me do something I'll regret, okay?"

"Not like I can do much with your damn control," Beth grumbled, and Ingrid gave her a stern look, "What? You know I'm right about that. I already told you, I'm not an idiot. What exactly am I gonna do, Ingrid?"

"Mess with my systems, snoop around, try to sabotage my game," Ingrid listed off a few of the top things that came to her mind.

"I won't," Beth sighed, "Not exactly snooping around if I stumble onto something, though, is it?"

"You've been here long enough to know where the bedroom is," Ingrid countered, "You're not going to do anything like that, though, are you?"

"No," Beth said.

"Good girl," Ingrid smiled, getting to her feet and crossing over to kiss Beth on the cheek, "I love you, and I don't want to hurt you, Beth. Please, please, don't make me."

"I'm not going to do anything," Beth assured her, although Ingrid could tell she was getting annoyed, "I hate being powerless, but this isn't my fight."

Ingrid smiled and led Beth away from the main chamber for her virtual reality chairs. She might have been fooling herself, but it felt like she was making progress with Beth. It wasn't what she'd call ideal, but something was better than nothing. She just hoped that Beth was telling the truth. Part of her was aching to press her, but that was most likely the nanotech inside of her. Little bastards were gnawing at her mind. She decided to take her own advice and distract herself from those annoying thoughts. Throwing herself into finding Jake and Pam, tweaking IG-33, and possibly looking into what Eva had done. She wasn't scheduled to receive another payment until the end of the month. That was curious in itself. She and Beth split up, Beth returning to their room, and she to her command center. It was time to get to work. The sooner she finished, the sooner she could enjoy some time with her little playmate.

—-----------

Amelia sat in her office at Smother Ranch looking over the most recent communication from her benefactor. After everything had fallen through with the mayoral race, the prison, and most recently, her contract with Sadie Wilson, she'd been trying to keep a low profile. It was infuriating to have been so close, but she knew better than to push things before they were ready. For now, she'd have to wait and remain under the thumb of the Brunswick sisters and their depraved masconations. In the meantime, she'd continue updating her files, training, and raking in her funding from the ranch. She wished she'd have been able to get her hands on Jake, but he would be hers eventually. She'd just have to be patient a while longer since her merc contract fell through without much of an explanation.

She'd been preparing to start her regiment for working out when an email had come through from Eva with Anna CCed in it. She had to put her plans on hold to make sure she read it right.

Ms. Ritters,

I do hope this finds you well, my dear friend. After the colossal failure that was our last endeavor, specifically your part in the chaos at the prison, I've refrained from reaching out until now. Luckily, I have managed to scout some fresh talent that should be able to lend us the proper aid we need to succeed in the near future. At least some people are capable of carrying out instructions without fail.

We require a subject for further testing and analysis of our newest project. Since you have a plethora of women employed and at your disposal, I decided that you can provide me with one. I trust that you'll send me someone that can survive the ordeal as this process is highly experimental, dangerous, and will require a fortitude that not many possess. In lieu of your most recent attempt to undermine me, and yes I am referring to your contract with one Sadie Wilson, you can repay me by making the right choice..

Tell whomever you choose that they've been selected for an elite program. They will be among the first to undertake a restructuring of the human genome, and they will be the next step in evolution. Or, you may make up some sad little tale if that works better for you. I could care less, but I will be sending a driver to your business for pickup before the day is done. Make. It. Happen. Amelia.

Sincerely,

E.

The absolute nerve of this woman! How dare she make such hateful demands and insults at her? If she wasn't as dangerous as Amelia knew her to be, she'd have dispatched a team to deal with her and this shameful disrespect. However, she knew that sending anyone to attack would be signing her own death warrant. No, she had to play along until the time was right to strike. How the hell did she know about her contact with Sadie? Did this woman really have eyes in that many places? Furthermore, who was this new talent she'd managed to find?

She supposed that none of it mattered, at least not right now. Her plans would have to wait until she secured an asset for Eva and Murray. If she made the bitch wait, she'd pay for it dearly, there was no doubt about that in her mind. So, that meant she had to figure out who would be a prime candidate for whatever this thing was. Amelia sighed as she pulled up the roster of dommes on her laptop. This meant she'd be losing another one of her future soldiers for this insane cause. No matter, she still had her list of potential recruits for her future plans. That was something that even Eva wouldn't find, she'd make sure of that.

"Hmm, let's see," she mumbled as she scrolled through the pictures and descriptions of her workforce, "Who would be a good fit for this?"

The women she scrolled through were all invaluable to her. They were loyal to a fault, and they believed wholeheartedly in her visions. No, she wouldn't send one of them to whatever this was. Maybe instead, she could look at the redflags in the roster. The women that had shown a particular penchant for cruelty, and that had taken things too far with the slaves. Most of them were still good candidates, but their lack of restraint was a troubling factor in her future plans. She could kill two birds with one stone with this idea. She'd be rid of a potential future problem, and Eva would have her subject.

Amelia smiled as she found the ideal woman. Claire Bullmont, a woman who had arrived from Citiville when the ranch had first opened. She was tall, easily standing six and half feet in height, stronger than her standard dommes, and had shown a particular interest in inflicting pain and suffering on new slaves. She'd been placed on suspension after breaking the back of a new arrival and paralyzing him on his third day. She could still recall the headache from covering that incident. Disposing of his body had been a pain, and ensuring that the slaves and cattle didn't try to revolt or escape had taken two days. Talented as Claire was, she brought trouble that Amelia simply didn't need. Yes, she would do perfectly for this little task.

"Nyx, darling," Amelia pressed the button on her intercom, "Be a dear, and fetch me Ms. Bullmont. I have an assignment for her that I believe she will be perfect for."

"Claire?" Nyx's voice came back, "Are you sure, ma'am? I don't mean to question your judgment, but you know what she did."

"Your concern is appreciated, but the incident is precisely why I think she will be a good fit," Amelia smiled at her plan.

"You got it, Duchess," Nyx replied, "I'll have her to you in ten, maybe sooner."

"Good girl," Amelia smirked as she sat back and waited.

Time passed, and Amelia opened her laptop to try to see where a potential loose end could have been. If there was a leak in her operation, she needed to find it. There was a chance it wasn't one of the girls, but rather Eva had installed bugs throughout the compound. Knowing how paranoid the mad woman was, it wouldn't have been all that surprising. She'd need to sweep the ranch, but she'd need help. Perhaps one of her more devoted girls could help her. They'd need to leave the premises to discuss the plan, but that was simple enough. The last thing she needed was for Eva to catch wind of any of her personal plans before they were ready.

A knock at the door came, and Amelia closed her laptop. "Come in, come in," she called as she leaned back in her large chair.

Nyx opened the door, and Claire walked in looking surprised. She wore her usual attire, a leather corset, fishnet stockings, a pair of tight leather shorts, and boots that went up to her knees. She'd worn the same outfit the day she'd shown up at the ranch. "You wanted to see me, Duchess?" Claire asked.

"I did, come in and have a seat, Ms. Bullmont," Amelia smiled as Claire did as she was told, "I wanted to discuss something with you, dear."

"I've already filled out the forms requested to be released, and I can assure you it won't happen again, ma'am," Claire sighed.

"Oh no, no, no, not that, dear," Amelia chuckled, "I have reviewed those, and they're simply pending final approval in the system. That's not why I called you hear, Ms. Bullmont. I have a question for you. How would you feel about being the catalyst in securing the evolution of humanity as a whole?"

"I'm not following," Claire frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Allow me to explain a bit," Amelia nodded, getting to her feet, "As you know, we operate under the banner of a corporation and its subsidiaries. Nameless, faceless, or at least that is what they want us to believe. I've recently received a communication from our top benefactor herself requesting one of my top performers to undertake an incredible feat. After reviewing some files, I realized that the person was right in front of me the entire time. You, Ms. Bullmont, would be the perfect candidate for this new assignment."

"Why me?" Claire asked, clearly skeptical, "You and the others reamed me pretty damn hard after everything that happened with the slave boy."

"I know, but that was simply because it raised the concerns of our sheep," Amelia explained, "We can't lose our business, can we? However, you acted out of enthusiasm and excitement, and that is something I won't condemn. Your talent, strength, and enthusiasm are all prime factors that I believe will be crucial in providing our benefactor with what she needs to move forward."

"I like what I do here, though," Claire admitted, "I don't want to lose my place, Duchess."

"There will always be a place for you with me, dear," Amelia assured her, admiring the loyalty from the young woman, "Should things take a turn with this new position, I will be happy to welcome you back into the fold. But, I believe you'll still be able to indulge yourself without the fear of ramifications. I've met our benefactor more than once, and she has a flair for both the dramatic and divine."

"Will you come see me, Duchess?" Claire asked, surprising Amelia with the touch of vulnerability she displayed.

"If I'm able, of course," Amelia replied, "My girls are like my children, and a mother never abandons her children. Well, not one worth her salt anyway. I won't forget you, my dear, and I will always be a refuge for whatever storms may come your way."

Claire was clearly still hesitant, but her loyalty and devotion was shining through. Perhaps, she could use this to sway her back if Eva mistreated her. Whatever this mystery process was, she was certain she could make use of Claire's talents in the future. "Okay, I'll do it," Claire finally said, "Thank you for everything, Duchess. I had nothing when I came here, but you've given me more than I ever could have dreamed. I won't let you down, ma'am, I promise."

"Oh, my dear, you couldn't if you tried," Amelia smiled, "A car will be waiting out front around three this afternoon. As soon as I'm able, I'll check in before the procedure begins. I won't lie to you, Ms. Bullmont, this may hurt, but it will be worth it."

"I can handle pain," Claire assured her, "An opportunity like this doesn't come along often. I won't fail you, and I promise to make you proud."

"That's the spirit that I admire," Amelia smirked, taking a seat, "Go pack your things, dear. I'll send Nyx for you when the car arrives."

"Yes, ma'am," Claire nodded, getting up and taking her leave.

Amelia sighed as she leaned back in her chair. She'd planned to be rid of Claire, but perhaps it would pay to keep her close if possible. She was already strong, and she could be used well as an enforcer whenever Eva slipped up. Being able to sway her back to her side would be a fantastic way to stick it to those uppity bitches. "Nyx, darling," Amelia pressed the button to her intercom, "Bring me everything we have on Ms. Bullmont. Records, family history, blood type, I want to review everything in extreme detail."

"Yes, boss, but why?" Nyx replied.

"Let me get back to you on that, dear," Amelia smiled, "Let's just say, I think I may need to keep a record in case her procedure doesn't pan out. Oh, and get the girls together for a drive later this evening. I think I want to spend some time in the city, and I promised Ms. Bullmont we would visit her."

"On it, boss," Nyx replied.

It started as an annoyance, but it was turning into a slight blessing in disguise. Already, the gears were turning in her head. A plan was taking shape, but she needed to be sure she wouldn't be intercepted or overheard. She'd have to continue taking notes by hand, but that was a small price to pay. One way or another, she'd achieve her goal. Whether it be in the shadow of the Brunswicks, or after their fall, she'd be sure to survive whatever insanity was waiting around the corner.