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		DAMSELS UNDER GLASS: THE SERIES
		Cuento De Sabrina (Brie's Story) ———————————————— by Courier © 2001
		Chapter 1

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA

TESSERACT WORLD HEADQUARTERS

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The sprawling Seattle headquarters of TESSERACT Inc. is two seperate worlds. The first is the public region of the complex, the offices, corridors, labs, conference rooms and cafeterias that support TESSERACT's thousands of employees. The second is an unknown and very private world, accessible only to a select few. At the core of this hidden realm is the "Biosphere," a highly automated complex of domes, chambers and corridors that caters to the needs of Margo Wells and her Inner Circle.  Parts of the Biosphere extend into the main campus, weaving, unknown and unsuspected, around the public corridors, allowing those using the hidden passages to observe the public regions but remain unseen. The Biosphere is the Inner Circle's central playground, where their elaborate fantasies are played out.  Whenever a secretary (not a member of the Inner Circle) stops to check her hair in one of the campus' omnipresent reflective walls, there is always a chance a bound and gagged Inner Circle member or one of Margo's "guests" is watching, silent and helpless on the other side of the mirror... the other side of "the looking glass."

Between and below the Biosphere and the public regions is a third area, the support infrastructure of the entire campus complex: the heating ducts, cable runs, air conditioning machines and maintainence tunnels. These spaces are equally hidden from the public, but not nearly as exotic as the Bio Sphere. Most of the maintainence is handled by robots controlled by subsystems of the EVE-6900 AI system. The lack of prying eyes and the general ambiance of the tunnels (or the acombs" as the Inner Circle members call them) made the system attractive as a venue for "games."  Why have a dark, forboding corridor mocked up in the Biosphere by Eve for a game of Kidnapped Heiress when it was so much easier to just find a real dark forboding corridor in the Katacombs?  The "gritty reality" of the Katacombs was a real selling point to the Inner Circle.  Eve was already in complete control the the Katacombs, monitoring all the entrances and exits, so it was little trouble for her to also watch over the players, avoid any inconvenient exposure, re-route service-bots around games in progress, and generally fulfill her role as overseer of the Inner Circle. In many ways, the Katacombs had become just an extension of the Biosphere.

Apart from their service usage and entertainment potential, the Katacombs are also a great way to move around the TESSERACT HQ.  Most visitors and new employees consider the interior of the glass and stone interconnected megaliths to be maze-like at best.  Many just put it off as a reflection of the CEO's eccentricities, but the longer they work on the campus, the more they begin to understand that the sometimes circuitous routes required for routine travel often lead them to encounter a wider spectrum of the company than normally might have been the case. When asked about the design, Margo Wells replied, "I like my people to think, not sleep walk."  Such considerations aside, Inner Circle members use the hidden passages as a great way to get places quickly in the complex.  It seems no matter where you want to go, there is always a Katacomb short cut.  Charlie Paretsky theorized that this was also intentional on Margo's part, to encourage her secret sorority to use the Katacombs, because there is a risk in using them, a possible toll to be paid.  Every Inner Circle member knows that when she steps "through the looking glass" (that is, leaves the public portions of the campus) she may become a playing piece in The Games of the Inner Circle (unless, of course, she has a duly registered "Get-Out-of-Peril-Free" pass, granted by Margo, Elke, or Eve).  By passing through the looking glass, they declare themselves potential Damsels or Damsel-nappers, fair game for whatever diversion might be playing out in the hidden corridors. Granted, for any given trip the risk of capture is remote, but the possibility makes the act of taking a shortcut interesting... like gambling with one's freedom.

On a damp Friday afternoon Sabrina Sanchez and Naomi Curtis had taken a detour into the Katacombs so Sabrina could calm down. They were coming from a Special Projects status meeting that had ended when Brie's fiery temper had gotten the better of her. Several vendors had hoped to placate the Latina with colorful fact-free presentations. Brie had allowed them to dissemble for the better part of the hour meeting (getting more and more annoyed with each distortion).  Naomi, sitting in on the meeting as an observer, had nervously watched as her friend's patience slowly eroded.  Naomi had wanted to intercede, but even she had grown frustrated with the incompetence of the vendor reps. When Brie had finally snapped at the end of the hour and dressed them down, the wide eyed reps had been left speechless.  So had Naomi.  She knew her friend had a temper, but the riot act Brie had read the reps (with the occasional passionate Spanish phrase thrown in when one language was insufficient to express her displeasure) had amazed even her. As the suit clad sheep had skittishly gathered their papers and expensive leather satchels Brie had glared at them in fuming silence.

Like an Aztec Goddess of Vengeance, Naomi mused at the memory. Too bad Brie prefers the Damsel role.  Naomi felt a tiny thrill shudder through her loins.  What a 'villainess' she would make...  "I thought that one guy was going to burst a blood vessel!" Naomi laughed as the two walked along the silent corridor.

"The one with the mustache?" Brie asked, laughing herself, feeling her tension begin to uncoil. "I bet that idiota had to change his pants!" she added with a giggle.

"You're such a bad girl," Naomi scolded, "but I have the feeling the next report will be a little more 'reality based'," Naomi said, quoting the last words with her fingers.

Brie smiled and stopped, turning to her friend. "You know what I really like after a fight like that?" she queried, her dark eyes sparkling.

Naomi took a moment to look at her friend. Brie was impeccably and professionally dressed, wearing a creme, two piece, long sleeve suit dress with a short skirt, showing off her perfect legs, dark stockings and low heel pumps. Top that all off with the smoldering sexuality that Brie has in spades, thought Naomi, and... WOW!

"Well," Naomi mused playfully, "we are on the other side of the looking glass. I'm sure Eve can find us a place to..."

Brie cut her off with a laugh. "I mean I'm hungry! You have such a dirty mind, Bionda," she teased her companion.

"You weren't complaining last weekend about my 'dirty mind'," Naomi defended herself.

"I didn't complain because a certain blonde spokesperson shoved a ball gag in my mouth before she worked her evil will upon me!" Brie countered, planting her hands on her hips.

"Oh, sorry. Let me try to see if I understand this. When you were going," Naomi raised her right hand to her mouth, made a fist and stuck her first two knuckles into her mouth between her teeth, "'Oooore! Oooore! Arder! Arder! Essss!!! Esss!!!'" she exclaimed, slurring the exhortations around her mock-gag. "You wanted me to stop?"

"By that point you had thoroughly destroyed my maidenly will to resist!" explained the grinning Latina, raising a hand to her forehead in mock swoon.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before challenging me to the wrestling match," Naomi responded, wiping her knuckles on her own suit.

"Hungry, huh?" Naomi asked.  "For food, right?"

"Si," answered Brie, "For food... for now..." she added with a saucy smile.

"Come on. I think there's a café off the next intersection. I'll treat you to a pastry , " Naomi said, then started off down the corridor with her friend. "If Eve gives us a green light at exit we can take a long lunch."

"I get a latte with that pastry right?" Brie asked as they detoured down another branching.

"A single," Naomi replied. "I think you have enough energy already."

The two friend's progress was halted by the sight of something in an alcove of the corridor. From a distance it appeared red and shiny, but as they approached they realized it was not a what, but rather a who, a female captive who.  The captive was dressed in a tight, form-hugging red latex body suit. The suit was equipped with a wide variety of zippers in different locations to allow access to most parts of her anatomy. The zipper across her bosom had been opened allowing her well formed breasts free. They were the only part of her that was free.

The woman's nubile body was suspended in the alcove by a web of ropes, her legs were bent double, her ankles tied tightly to her thighs. Likewise her arms were bound behind her, pulled tightly together and upward in a double hammer lock. The ropes wove around her well shaped form, accentuating her bosom, crisscrossing her taut stomach and diving, tightly, between her legs. From her shoulders, her waist, her ankles, her elbows and her crotchrope ropes extended to hooks fixed to the edges of the alcove. Although her weight seemed to be well distributed, it was clear that the rope between her legs was carrying a little extra tension. Brie and Naomi noted that the slick, red latex bulged out on either side of her loins, and the rope itself disappeared into that cleft.
The woman's long blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and then pulled upward by another of the web of ropes. Her mouth was filled with a red ball gag with matching straps and a crimson leather blindfold.

As Brie and Naomi inspected the guest (not a regular Inner Circle member, as neither woman recognized her), the ropes suddenly quivered and contracted, they then released and the captive bounced and wobbled in her rope harness. "Smart ropes," Brie commented, watching the girl squirm as she bounced on the crotch rope.

"You recognize her...?" Naomi asked looking at the tightly packed captive.

"I don't think so, but if we take off the blindfold to have a look we'll get in trouble," Sabrina said.

"And that's stopped you exactly when before?" her friend inquired. One thing that Naomi had learned in being around Brie is that the Latina loved making little transgressions for which she could later be "punished." The chores in the house the two shared always seemed to end up with Naomi's complete and Brie trying to look sheepish and promising to do anything if Naomi wouldn't punish her. Not that there's anything wrong with that, Naomi thought affectionately.

"It's stopped me when someone owes me pastry and a latte, querida," Brie explained, still examining the squirming captive. "But you know," she began impishly running a finger across the bare left breast of the blond prisoner, "we could see if she makes noises we recognize..." 

"I'm thinking that if you do much more of that you'll be up for Damsel Expropriation," Naomi warned her friend, "I just finished reading the by-laws for my Alice-II exam, and you are right on the edge. Whatever you do don't touch a nipple!"

Brie harrumphed and removed her teasing hand. "Very well, but if I have to be such a good girl I demand a double latte and two pastries."

The two continued down the passage. "How about a decaf double and one pastry?," Naomi offered in return.  "I still think you're wired enough."

"If you do the laundry at home for a week," Brie replied, sure she could wring something out of this.

"A week!?!," Naomi spluttered.

"Otherwise I'll go back and make you an accessory to Damsel Expropriation." Brie good naturedly threatened.

"But I tried to stop you!" complained the blonde.

"That's not the story I'll tell, under duress, of course." Her Latina friend answered.

"All right," Naomi sighed, "two pastries and a double decaf latte... But I'll get even some time."

I'm counting on it, Brie thought.

Further joking was cut short by curiously muffled sound of running footsteps coming from the passage ahead.

"I wonder who...?" Naomi began, only to be cut short when a figure came careening around the corner ahead. A small figure with... bunny ears?!? 

The ersatz bunny was Jodi Weber.  She skidded to a halt in front of the two surprised starring women. The honey blonde's outfit started with large white furry rabbit feet, fitted like oversized slippers over the feet of long white leather thigh-high boots; boots that narrowed to garter-like straps; straps that in turn were connected to a wide belt and secured by tiny pinging and tinkling sliver padlocks. Her pubic hair was dyed white like the leather, setting it off nicely against her tan skin. The belt cinching her narrow waist was in turn locked closed. Her hands were covered by oversized "rabbit paws" with matching full-length white leather gloves, the tops of which were locked to a white fur-trimmed leather collar, in the same style as the boots and belt. On top of her head the furry bunny ears seemed to be connected to hoop earrings with more tiny locks. Completing the ensemble was a daub of brown make up on the tip of her nose, drawn on whiskers, and prosthetic buckteeth! 

The diminutive aerobics instructor paused a moment, trying to catch her breath, gesticulating wildly with her pink and white paws, and then... 

"Run-run-run!" Jodi finally wheezed. "Kat's testin' weapons an' stuff an' I told 'er you an' you an Bug an' Annie knew 'bout it an' wanna help and RUN!" She then scurried off down the corridor the way Naomi and Brie had come, her oversized "rabbit booties" slipping on the polished floor, causing Jodi to swing her hips and windmill her arms comically, struggling to maintain her balance and build up some speed. 

Brie noticed that there was a large powder puff white tail attached to the back of the "rabbit's" belt, but that Jodi's dimpled bottom was otherwise quite bare... then Brie heard heels tapping in the opposite direction.  She turned to find Naomi beating a hasty retreat the way they had just come.  "Hey!" She called after her friend. "Where are you going? ...Naomi?  What was she trying to say?" Brie was fully fluent in English, but still, it wasn't her native tongue, and when Jodi (or Charlie) ran all their words into a stew... it had to simmer for a while for her to decode it. "Naomi?" Brie repeated, but her friend had already disappeared.

Then a strange sound echoed down the corridor from behind, for all the world sounding like a belching giant! 

SPLORT!

"Splort?" Brie mumbled as she pivoted quickly towards the source of the sound and was immediately struck by... something.  It was soft and wet, but had hit with enough force to push her back hard against one of the corridor walls, pinning and sticking her in place.  It's like a cross between tapioca pudding and cappuccino foam, Brie thought, looking at the mass that covered her in a web of goop. She tried lifting her arm to wipe some of the stuff away, only to discover it was doing a very good job of gluing her arm to the wall... and her other arm... and both her legs! She struggled, but light as the stuff looked, it held like gooey rubber cement!

Brie looked down at the goop, fascinated. Before her eyes it seemed to be congealing, pulling together into small clumps and long cord-like tendons. She could see it flowing off her hands, but then bunching up around the cuffs of her suit jacket. She could also feel it seeping through her clothing, a sort of soft dry sensation. And through all this, it contracted slightly, holding her in an ever tighter embrace.

"It's the latest in non-lethal weaponry," a distant, echoing voice announced from down the dark passageway. 

Brie looked up towards the source of the words.  A backlit and silhouetted women in a glistening black body suit was approaching down the smooth corridor. The apparition wore a belt with several pieces of holstered equipment and a bandoleer of short cylinders.  She held a snub nosed wide-barreled weapon, equipped with a built in flash light and a short stubby clip. The woman's head was encased in a hood of the same shiny black material as the suit.  Her face seemed to be uncovered, but was still too distant for Brie to discover her identity.  Then the woman took several graceful feline steps... and Brie didn't need to see her attacker's face to know it was Kat, Katherine Mayfair, TESSERACT Chief of Security and all around tough cookie. 

Brie knew that if Kat had any hand in this, she was in real trouble. As the menacing form of her captor surveyed the goop's progress, Brie wondered if she was in trouble for some cause. There was the matter of a little unauthorized VR time she hadn't reported, but Charlie had insisted (and Brie hadn't been in a position to argue) ...or maybe it was the time she and Naomi had "borrowed" some proprietary toys for her birthday party.  No, Margo had mentioned that at the party and she hadn't seemed angry.

Wait...  "Jodi!" Brie said aloud.

"Jodi," Kat confirmed.  "She told me you and Blondie and the rest are really interested in helping me test the latest in non-lethal ordnance."

"That little..." Brie mumbled, struggling in her slimy contracting prison.  Kat leaned in and looked Brie in the eye.

"You weren't much of a challenge," Kat noted, "just standing around like a deer in the headlights. Where's your survival instinct?"

"I didn't know anything about any tests!" Brie complained. Of course she knew perfectly well that she wasn't going to talk her way out of this. Once this Kat caught a mouse she never ever gave it up.

Kat ignored the protest. "Looks like the Web Gun is working as advertised," Kat mused.  "Can you move at all?"

Obligingly, Brie struggled for all she was worth. She pushed back against the wall in an attempt to free any of her limbs, tried to pull her arms in, her legs up. She accomplished nothing at all. In fact, her motion seemed to spur the goop into more rapid adhesion!

Kat nodded her approval. "It should be getting a little tighter, but not too much," she advised. "The theory is that if you hit someone with a web in the open, their struggling causes it to harden faster."

"Harden?" Brie asked nervously.

"Yeah," Kat said, "See, the resin adheres to materials like cloth, metal, plastic. It then hardens into a solid shell.  Don't worry about your hair.  It hates Keratin... flesh too. In fact, the safest way to be around this stuff is totally naked.  Next time maybe, huh?"

"How long are you..." Brie was again cut off, this time by Kat's hand across her mouth. Brie noted that the palm and finger pads of Kat's glove were smooth, but not as slick as the suit appeared. 

"Now, since I know that your girlfriend's and Trickster's exit access has been disabled, you and I have a few minutes to chat... and things." Not the words Brie ever wanted to hear from Kat!