DAMSELS UNDER GLASS: THE SERIES
			Naomi's Story — by Doush Chapter 4

By ten minutes into Margo Wells’ personally guided “tour,” Naomi’s head was spinning.  She had been lead along mirrored corridor after mirrored corridor and through doorway after doorway.  They had taken so many twists and turns, that Naomi no longer had any idea where she was.  Not that she was the kind of person to get lost easily - in fact, she’d always been proud of her sense of direction.  But the path they had taken seemed to be changing as they moved.  Occasionally, for example, she had glanced over her shoulder to see the doorway they had passed through was now a mirrored wall.  And that wasn’t the only thing.  Doors had appeared out of nowhere and T-junctions had become four way intersections.  Correctly surmising that Eve had control of the biosphere’s entire layout did little to help Naomi’s flagging confidence, as that meant she was not only Margo’s bound and gagged prisoner, but a captive of the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence as well.

And then there were the mirrored walls themselves.  Seeing so many tightly strapped and securely gagged versions of herself being reflected back at her was also making things very difficult.  Twice she had stumbled, only to have Margo catch her by the arm and add an admonishment to be careful. 

The rest of the time Margo had simply talked - as if she really was a tour guide and Naomi was the sole interested person on what was turning out to be a slow day.  Margo had explained all about the biosphere’s construction and how only the most select of her employees knew about the private areas.  She described the biosphere as a personal fantasy realm that had probably the shortest and most exclusive female guest list in the world.  In addition, Margo went on to hint that providing Virtual Reality “entertainment” for these guests (who were, by and large, the cream of the entertainment industry) was only part of what went on within the glass walls of the biosphere. 

“If you wished to be the captive of a notorious pirate sailing the Caribbean during the seventeenth century, Eve could arrange it, and easily.  Right down to the rocking of the waves, and the coarseness of the hemp rope you’d been bound with.  Thrilling, isn’t it?” Margo smiled broadly.  “I mean imagine, the method acting possibilities for those in the movie industry.  Never been the bound and gagged captive of a kidnapper, trapped in the trunk of a car?  No problem.  Eve and the biosphere can provide just the experience you need.”

The technicalities of exactly how Eve could do that went well beyond Naomi’s level of understanding, but she did pick up four words amidst all the jargon that Margo seemed to delight in having the opportunity to use: “advanced virtual reality technology.”

Margo went on to explain privacy was assured, since all applicants were thoroughly screened and any attempt to blow the whistle would mean destroying the person’s own career as well. 

“Of course, it seldom gets to that point.  I remember a certain actress who got a little too chatty with her friends,” Margo explained.  “Shortly there after, she returned to the biosphere to prepare for an upcoming role... a captive princess who was going to be chained in a very picturesque tower? Well, she found out what it was like to be a captive princess who was chained in a tower for one day... then stripped and dragged down to the castle dungeons for a week of... ‘counselling.’” Naomi shuddered in sympathy.  “Ironically, she did get an Oscar nomination for the eventual performance,” Margo mused.

Naomi was surprised to learn that Margo received no money for allowing her “facilities” to be used.  Instead, the favours she did for others were returned in less obvious ways.  For example, it was generally arranged that TESSERACT’s R&D division was permitted to keep all biometric data gathered; data that had played a large role in the numerous awards the company had won for its stunningly realistic female characters in its video and VR games.

“But enough of this chit-chat,” Margo said finally as she guided Naomi to a stop in front of yet another sleekly designed mirrored wall.  “Let me give you a concrete example.” 

Margo waved her hand over the top of a small panel in the wall which emitted a short electronic “bleep”. The reflective component to the wall began to fade, becoming first translucent, and then completely transparent.

Through the newly formed window Naomi could see a naked, straining, and sweat covered woman stringently spread-eagled between four metal stakes anchored in the floor.  Her face was obscured by a peculiar set of goggles, but that was not what caught Naomi’s attention.  As she watched, the woman sucked in her already flat stomach as far as it would go and appeared to try to scream around the white ball gag filling her mouth.  No muffled cry reached Naomi’s ears however, indicating that the room, and quite possibly the rest of the private section of the biosphere, was sound proofed. 

But despite her obviously uncomfortable state, there seemed to be no discernible reason for the woman’s frantic struggles.  Unless...

“This is a member of my ‘Inner Circle’ who is in... disfavour.  She began treating the biosphere as her own private playground, and that’s something I won’t tolerate.  Hence she is currently undergoing her punishment “ A tone of smug satisfaction crept into Margo’s voice.  “Those are virtual reality goggles, and at my request, they’re projecting a rather elaborate ‘pit and the pendulum’ type scenario.  Watch the way she sucks in her tummy every time the pendulum only she can see swings past?”

Naomi watched, fascinated.  Did the woman really think she was about to be cut in two whilst laying helplessly bound and gagged? Was the technology that good?

“Of course, there’s no real pain in VR,” Margo explained, as if reading Naomi’s thoughts.  “Just mildly unpleasant electrical stimuli, but after a very, very short exposure to our enhanced VR systems, everything starts seeming very real indeed.  In fact, one might say the hind brain starts ignoring the reassurances of the forebrain.

“I don’t often resort to this kind of thing, but I will if I think it’s necessary.  And in this case it was.” Margo smiled reassuringly at Naomi.  “After today Eve will conduct a quick assessment to determine whether our mutual friend is ready to rejoin the ‘Inner Circle’, and if so, the matter will end there.  Come along.”

Even had she been free to speak, Naomi doubted she would have had the courage to ask: “And if not?”

Ten minutes later, Margo finally brought Naomi to a halt in a much larger room lined with all manner of computer orientated equipment.  But it was the incredible apparatus in the centre of the room that caught and held Naomi’s attention.

A life size and currently operational version of the Spherus.

Mounted on a podium several steps above floor level, the machine turned and spun at a fantastic rate, making any effort at identifying it’s passenger all but impossible.  But the presence of a grinning Kat standing by a console built into the podium dispelled any doubts Naomi may have had.

Brie was in the process of being punished by her own creation.

It was kind of ironic.  Although Naomi doubted that her best friend, even with her well renowned sense of humour, would be likely to appreciate that observation.

In full flight, the machine emitted a surprisingly loud hum that forced Margo to both raise her voice and lean in closer to Naomi’s ear so that she could be heard.  “Miss Sanchez has only been in there for a short time now, but since the machine’s still a prototype we won’t keep her spinning for any longer than ten minutes.  You see, she is currently experiencing the sensation of falling to her death.  In this particular VR scenario she gets shoved from a plane while tightly bound— but also with a parachute strapped to her back.  The idea is that she’ll be fighting her bonds with everything she has, desperately trying to free herself to get to that parachute’s rip cord.  Can you imagine how horrifying that would be? Essentially the sensations produced by being in the Spherus are amplified by the VR reference cues.” Margo laughed.  “Ten minutes may seem like a very along time to fall, but believe me, to Miss Sanchez in there, it will be very real.”

Naomi felt her stomach tighten, and not with fear or disgust (as she suspected it probably should have) but rather, with excitement.  She was amazed she was feeling that way, but after all, it wasn’t like anybody could really get hurt in the biosphere.  It was all in your mind.  As long as you kept that thought firmly at the forefront of whatever happened, you’d be fine. 

Or so she hoped.

Naomi was startled from her thoughts by the sensation of Margo’s hand grasping her shoulder and the powerful woman leaning in even closer.  So close that her breath tickled Naomi’s ear.  “You do realise Miss Sanchez set you up for all of this? She didn’t just want you to find out what goes on in the biosphere.  She wanted you to become a part of it! And she did so without consulting me — hence her punishment.”

Naomi frowned above her gag as Margo continued.

“She knew I would never allow an outsider such as yourself to become a member of the inner circle.  So she arranged for the whole security breach, because she knew I’d have no choice but to capture you and bring you here.” Margo laughed.  “Maybe you’d like to take that up with her at a more appropriate time.”

“Mmmmm-pppffhhh.”

“Yes, I know, your gag.  I’ll take it off in a moment.  But first I want you to consider a certain offer I’m about to give you.”

Margo paused, and Naomi saw her signal Kat with a quick slashing hand gesture.  The bodyguard scowled, turned, and began punching buttons on the console in front of her.  Naomi wondered a little worriedly if that scowl was a reaction to the way Margo was touching her, or more to do with the order she had just been given.  She sincerely hoped it was the latter.

“Come and work for me at TESSERACT,” began Margo.  “I know from Miss Sanchez that you’re quitting your job at INS, and I could really use someone with your type of skills, Naomi.  You’d be perfect for not only dealing with the media, but also for conducting investigations into some of my rivals.”

Above them, the Spherus began to slow.  As it did, the loud hum permeating the air quickly faded away.  Margo, however, stayed right by Naomi’s ear.

“In effect, you’ll be taking your friend’s job—but don’t worry, she’ll be your number two.  Call it the price she has to pay for taking matters into her own hands.” Margo’s lips were all but pressed against Naomi’s ear.  “You’ll start on Miss Sanchez’ salary plus a generous bonus, and as you’ve already seen, the perks are... astounding.”

Margo abruptly broke away and proceeded to peel the tape away from her captive’s lips.  When Naomi could open her mouth wide enough she spat out the wet spongy ball and turned to face the CEO of TESSERACT.

“And if I refuse?”

Margo frowned slightly.  ‘I’m hoping it won’t come to that, but if it does, we’ll extract your solemn promise to keep everything you’ve seen to yourself.  And I mean everything.   We got to you without any trouble once, Miss Curtis — it wouldn’t be any trouble to get to you a second time.”

The threat hung in the air between the two women for a few moments... and then Naomi relaxed and smiled.

“I’ll take the position.”

“Excellent!” Margo beamed.

“But I do have one condition.”

“Name it.”

“I get Brie for a day before she returns to work.”

Margo laughed.  “Oh Naomi, I’m afraid you don’t quite understand  the scope of your new position.  As Brie’s immediate supervisor, you ‘get Brie’ any day you want her .... unless I have her busy doing something else, of course.” Margo raised an eyebrow expectantly.  “So, do we have a deal? And be very sure before you answer.” 

It was Naomi’s turn to smile.  “Yes, and I’m sure.”

“Eve?” Margo asked quietly.

“Voice stress, skin dilation, and sub-vocalisation nominal plus or minus three percent.  Miss Curtis is emotionally excited, but is being truthful with her responses,” Eve intoned.

“Then we have a deal— the details of which will be worked out after your stay.”  Margo grinned wickedly, then laughed at Naomi’s quizzical expression.  “Oh, didn’t I mention that all new members of the ‘Inner Circle’ get several days of, shall we say, ‘indoctrination?’”

Up above them, Kat had commenced unstrapping a very shaken Brie from the Spherus.  The bodyguard was evidently keeping one ear on the conversation below, however, as she suddenly called out: “I’d be happy to show ‘new girl’ the ropes, Margo.” She laughed at her own poor joke, but even in that sound, Naomi thought she could detect an icy undertone. 

Margo caught and held Naomi’s eye.  “No Kat, I think this time I’d like to carry out the ‘indoctrination.’  You’ve had enough fun at another person’s expense for one night.” 

Naomi had to resist the urge to sigh with relief.  Being “indoctrinated” by Margo was infinitely preferable to being left alone with Kat.  

“But I will let you tie Miss Sanchez for the night,” Margo continued.  “Take her to an empty sleeping cell and make life, um, interesting for our self proclaimed recruiter.”

“Oh, I will,” replied Kat, over the top of a gagged moan from Brie.

“Is she going to be alright?” whispered Naomi as Margo motioned for her to lead the way out of the room.

“Oh yes.  Kat knows exactly how far she can go, and she wouldn’t think of disobeying me.” Margo’s voice dropped to match Naomi’s tone.  “Not that Kat’s really the sadistic predator she likes to think she is.  In fact, she’s more a playful kitty than a demon tiger....but if you ever tell her I said that, Naomi, I’ll give you to her for a full month so she can do everything in her power to prove me wrong.”

Margo punctuated her last words by grabbing Naomi’s arm and pulling her to a stop as they re-entered the mirrored hall.  From a pocket in her long skirt, she produced a padded leather gag with a large ball protruding from the pad. 

“Not again,” protested Naomi half-heartedly.

Margo just laughed.  “Oh, come on Naomi, did you really think your ‘indoctrination’ into my Inner Circle would involve anything else? Besides, I have a feeling you enjoy being bound and gagged”

She was right, of course, but Naomi didn’t want her to know that just yet.  She was having too much fun playing the unwilling captive.

And the night was far from over.

Biting back a playful smile, Naomi pursed her lips together defiantly and stared hard at her captor.

Margo’s eyes narrowed slightly, but her mouth curled into a half-smile.  “Mmmm, Miss Curtis, I do believe you are in need of a lesson or two yourself.  Don’t worry though,” she purred as she took a step toward the naked beauty, “it’s all part of tonight’s plan...”