The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Lincoln Sanderson, the firm’s attorney and a long time friend of Klaw, had suggested using a female associate to represent Cain Consulting in the trial. “It will help dispel the impression the plaintiff is trying to create, Irwin. Really, bend your rules this once.”

Klaw had been resistant. Sanderson was familiar with the special concerns Cain Consulting had. He was also familiar with Klaw’s policy in this matter.

Rules were rules.

Sanderson was insistent. “Irwin, remember, you’ve drawn Mavis Beacon for the trial as the trial judge. Need I say more?” Sanderson’s grimace convinced him. Judge Beacon was a notorious feminist legal scholar and activist. Since her elevation to the bench several years earlier, she had established a legacy of supporting virtually all the female plaintiffs who had come before her bench. She was a hard, wiry woman of sixty who brooked no nonsense from corporate types.

Especially male corporate types.

Reluctantly, Klaw succumbed to his attorney’s advice. Still... “I didn’t even know you had a girl in your firm.”

Sanderson repressed a smile at his small victory. “Given what you’ve told me, the skill of the lawyer won’t make much difference in this case. And yes, Irwin, I do have a token female for exactly cases like this one. Trust me, Corinne Island is a junior partner...

“A partner?” Klaw looked surprised.

Sanderson smiled. “... but things are well in hand,” he finished. “You’re not the only one with policies concerning female employees.”

“A partner?” Klaw shook his head doubtfully. “You know what you’re doing,” he said, his tone belying the substance of words. “I rely on you. Everything’s at stake here.”

Sanderson’s smile became forced. He’d been Klaw’s friend for years and his attorney for longer than that. But he knew a threat when he heard it.

The courtroom was packed.

Despite the best efforts of Klaw’s people, the trial had received an enormous amount of publicity, almost all of it bad for Cain Consulting. The chairs had been filled within moments of opening the courthouse doors and the spectators, reporters mostly, were lined up along the back and side walls.

Joanne Morgan sat at counsel table with her attorney, trying not to look too smug. She had Klaw by the balls and she knew it. Too bad Pamela wasn’t around to see Klaw’s downfall.

Klaw, sitting at the counsel table did his best to ignore both Morgan and the crowd, instead looking to his left at his legal counsel. Even in these circumstances, Klaw could barely repress a leer as he watched the young, brown-haired young woman who, at Sanderson’s insistence, was representing his company. Her bright green eyes and quick, overly efficient manner amused him. No doubt she thought the opportunity here meant something for her career at Sanderson’s firm.

Klaw sniffed. In a way, she was right. His old friend’s birthday was coming up. If things went well here, perhaps he’d surprise his Sanderson with a fresh young mistress. Corinne would Condition nicely.

After the trial.

“All rise. This Court is now in session, the Honourable Judge Beacon presiding!”

The trial began...

“Why isn’t he doing something?” Petersen whispered, as Rebecca Mallory offered up a particular piece of damning testimony.

“It takes time for the new conditioning to have an effect,” Cavanaugh answered quietly. “I’m sure he’s doing what can be done.”

Petersen looked over at Klaw. Even from behind, his concentration on the witness was evident. The man sighed. It had better start to work soon...

Corinne Island looked worried, her bright green eyes fierce with concentration. “Mr. Klaw? Are you absolutely sure that this is the approach you want me to take on cross-examination? It won’t help to get the judge any more pissed off at us than she already is. I think we’d be better off...”

Klaw frowned, leaning forward to keep the conversation private. “Miss Island, please follow the instructions Mr. Sanderson gave you. I assure you, the strategy is the correct one.”

The young woman sniffed and looked away with an angry toss of her brown hair. “As you wish,” she conceded, her green eyes sceptical. Another case of catering to the demands of an important, idiot client.

“Ms. Island.” Judge Beacon glared down from the bench. “Are you planning to commence cross-examination today?”

Corinne sighed. This was going to be ugly. “Yes, your Honour.”

She rose to her feet, her eyes quickly skimming a thick sheaf of papers representing her notes of evidence. She felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as she considered the task ahead...

From the outset, the plaintiff’s case had been extremely simple. It started and ended with the testimony of Rebecca Mallory. Nothing else had been offered; nothing else was needed. In the past four days in court, the onlookers had been told of a litany of glaring instances of sexual harassment from the lips of Rebecca Mallory, directly implicating most if not all of the executives Cain Consulting. Mallory’s attorney, Tawanda Campbell, was one of the fiercest and most successful sex discrimination lawyers in the city. Her hammering on the heinous nature of the testimony demonstrated her legal acumen in a lethal manner. Judge Beacon’s increasing curtness with defense objections indicated a not-so-secret sympathy with the spirit of the plaintiff’s charges.

Klaw had offered no public sign of what his own feelings were, except for the infrequent “tsk-tsks” he uttered at some especially egregious charge being made.

And the charges were egregious.

The courtroom audience had burst out into shocked whispers on more than one occasion during the course of Rebecca Mallory’s testimony as the teary eyed witness recounted yet another shocking incident of sexual harassment. Even Judge Beacon, who had heard numerous such cases, had seemed shocked at some of the testimony, taking a moment to look up from her laptop to glare at Klaw before turning downward to type furiously, no doubt setting out the basis of what was sure to be a scathing judgment.

In her heart, Corinne Island believed Rebecca Mallory and felt nothing but disgust for her client. That was why the aggressive line of questioning mandated by Klaw made her skin crawl.

However, he was the client...

“Ms. Mallory,” Corinne opened, “before I begin, I should like to remind you that in this state, the penalty for perjury while under oath is no less than one year and a fine of up to ten thousand dollars.”

The witness cocked her head in brash disgust. “Yes, thank you,” she commented, as if the information had absolutely no meaning to her.

Corinne Island glanced back at Klaw, who nodded impassively.

“Are you sure you understand what perjury means?”

Rebecca’s hostility seethed out of her. “If you’re implying that I’m lying about what I saw or what was done to me...”

“Have ANY other female employees of Cain Consulting joined you in this suit?” Corinne felt on firm ground here and showed it in the powerful sweep she made with her arm.

The witness shook her head. “No. No they haven’t. But that doesn’t mean I’m lying.”

“Do you know why they haven’t supported you?”

Tawanda Campbell bounced to her feet. “Objection. Counsel is calling for speculation.”

Judge Beacon nodded. “Sustained.”

“Ms. Mallory,” Corrine continued, showing no outward sign of her doubts, “I suggest to you that the reason no other female employee has joined your lawsuit is that, in fact, there was no such harassment as you allege.”

“That’s not true.”

“I suggest to you that the reason you’ve brought this lawsuit is because you were turned down for a promotion because of your own incompetence and that you want to get back at your ex-employers.”

“No!”

“I suggest to you...”

Tawanda Campbell was back on her feet, angry. “Objection! Counsel is badgering the witness! If counsel intends to embark upon cross examination, she should do it. If all she’s going to do is stand there and call the witness a liar, maybe should just sit down and save us all the time.”

Judge Beacon nodded. “I agree. Counsel, if you have any questions, ask them. This witness has had a long week. As have I.”

Corinne paused a moment. This was going to be as bad as she had anticipated. She couldn’t believe that Sanderson was insisting on tying her hands this way. There was no way it would work; the witness was just too sympathetic.

Maybe after it was all over, she would contact Ms. Campbell to see if she wanted a new associate.

She glanced at Klaw. He seemed unconcerned, sitting and staring intently at the blonde woman in the witness stand. Corinne was almost startled at the intensity of his gaze. She was close enough that she could almost feel a physical connection between the two, as their eyes locked in space over the court. Weird. No one else seemed to have noticed it.

“Ms. Island.”

Startled from her reverie, the young lawyer turned away from her client. “Yes, your Honour.”

She turned back to the witness. “Ms. Mallory, in the last four days you’ve described...”—the young lawyer checked her notes—“forty-two separate instances of sexual harassment...”

“That many?”

Corinne looked up, surprised at Mallory’s tone of voice. For the first time, the witness was looking nervous, a little unsure of herself. Encouraged, Corinne began her cross examination: “Let’s go through them one at a time...”

“... and I suggest to you, Ms. Mallory, that you could not have witnessed those events because you were actually away on holiday at that time.”

Rebecca Mallory trembled in the witness box. Her certainty and smug demeanour had disappeared, to be replaced by uncertainty and evasiveness. “Uhmmm... I...”

Corinne Island, by way of contrast, had gone from uncertainty to triumph as each and every point raised on cross examination exposed another flaw in the witness’s story. Again and again the witness admitted, with little or no inducement, that the events she had been confidently recounting to an enthraled audience over the last four days did not, and could not, have occurred.

“Those events did not happen, did they?”

“Well... no.” Mallory looked like she was about to burst into tears. “I... I guess not.”

In a dramatic gesture indicative of her new found confidence, the young lawyer crossed off the last item on her page of questions and dropped the sheaf of papers on the counsel bench.

“Ms. Mallory,” she stated, leaning forward. “Let’s go back to where I started: I suggest to you that the reason no other female employee has joined your lawsuit is that, in fact, there was no such harassment as you allege.”

“Uhmm...”

“I suggest to you that the reason you’ve brought this lawsuit is because you were turned down for a promotion because of your own incompetence and that you want to get back at your ex-employers.”

“I...” Mallory just stared at the floor, mumbling something under her breath...

“Speak up,” Judge Beacon ordered, frowning down at the witness.

“N... no,” she whispered.

Corinne knew it was coming, but was still stunned. “Would you please repeat the answer, louder?”

Rebecca looked up, blue eyes as limpid and empty as pools of pure truth. “No... there wasn’t any sexual harassment.”

The courtroom broke out in a buzz of excitement. Tawanda Campbell, who had during the course of the day given up on taking notes and was just sitting, watching as her witness—and her case—dissolved in front of her, closed her eyes and turned away. Joanne Morgan groaned audibly.

Corinne collected herself and then pushed on, in accordance with the script. “I suggest to you that your story, and this entire lawsuit, is in fact a fabrication to get back at Cain Consulting. Isn’t that right?”

Almost against her will, Rebecca nodded in agreement.

“Please answer out loud, for the reporter.”

“Yes... well... not exactly...”

The aggressive lawyer pushed hard. “What does that mean? Did you or didn’t you make it all up? Did you or did you not spend the last four days lying under oath?”

Rebecca’s frightened eyes flitted over the courtroom and lit on Joanne Morgan. “It was her,” she announced, hysterical and accusatory. “She helped me! She told me to do it. She said she’d pay me $50,000 if I went through with it!”

“What...” Joanne Morgan tried to get to her feet but was held back by Tawanda Campbell.

Rebecca rushed on: “She said all I had to do was to make up a bunch of stuff and any female judge would go along with it!”

Judge Beacon glared at Joanne Morgan, who sat dumbfounded.

“And why would she... Ms. Morgan... do such a dishonest and illegal thing? What did she have to gain?”

“Objection.” Tawanda Campbell, still fighting, rose to her feet. “Argumentative and calls for speculation.”

“Overruled.”

“But your Honour...”

“Overruled, counsel,” Judge Beacon growled. “I want to hear the answer. Sit.”

Ms. Campbell sat.

Rebecca was babbling now, admitting all and blaming it on Joanne Morgan. “She hates Cain because they’re taking away all her business! She said setting them up with a phony sexual harassment suit would let her get all her old business back!”

Corinne nodded, as if none of this was a surprise. It was a difficult bit of acting. “And you went along with this... this scheme. You were willing to perjure yourself and risk going to jail to help her injure her competitor?”

Rebecca was crying now. “Please... please... I don’t want to go to jail! I know what I did was wrong... but I... I...” The hysterical witness dropped her head between her hands and began to sob incoherently.

The young lawyer turned away. “I’ve no further questions, your Honour.”

Judge Beacon excused Rebecca Mallory and asked the bailiff to accompany the sobbing witness out of the courtroom. Then she turned to Corinne. “Counsel, I assume you have a motion to make?”

“Yes your Honour. In light of the witnesses testimony today, I move under Clause 222-2222 of the Rules of Civil Procedure for an Order dismissing the plaintiff’s claim on the ground that the plaintiff has failed to make out a prima facie case.”

Judge Beacon turned to plaintiff’s counsel. “Do you have any submissions?” Defeated, Tawanda Campbell just shook her head. She had no case and she knew it.

“In that case, the defence motion is granted. The case is dismissed. I want everyone back in court on Monday on the issue of costs, the countersuit and to hear my ruling regarding the witnesses’s perjury.” Then, unexpectedly, the judge looked over at Joanne Morgan and addressed her directly. “Ms. Morgan, I have presided over many cases in my career. Never have I been forced to watch such a charade, such a villainous, twisted use of the laws of this state for personal ends. As a result of your callous and mercenary attempt to injure a competitor and defraud the court, there will be many meritorious cases of sexual harassment that will never be heard in a court of law... ones that should be heard. Because your suit will discourage courts from taking them seriously...”

Corrine thought Klaw was suppressing a grin, but she had to be wrong about that.

“... and many women will continue to suffer blatant harassment. This more than any other factor in this case disturbs me the most. That and the incredible barrage of calumny and abuse Mr. Klaw and his organization have been subjected to because of this libelous suit!” Her anger was only rising with each succeeding word. “I will rule on the defendant’s countersuit on Monday. You may expect that I will find in favour of the defendant and, further, that the damages awarded will be substantial. The court is dismissed!”

“No more questions.” Klaw stepped away from the microphone, bringing the press conference to an end. Frustrated, but anxious to file their stories, the reporters filed out of the room. Smiling, Klaw stepped down and walked over to where Peterson waited with Cavanaugh and Corrine. “Voracious bunch,” he commented, smiling.

“But the publicity will be great,” Petersen commented, beaming.

Klaw shrugged.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“What is that, Miss Island?”

Corinne tightened her green eyes on the older man’s calm face. “You knew... somehow, you knew all along! But how? And don’t give me that Miss’ crap, Mr. Klaw. I’m Harvard, class of 93, not some debutante from the 50s.”

Feisty. “I’m hosting a bit of a victory dinner. Mr. Sanderson will be there. You’re coming, of course. Ride with me in the limo and I’ll explain all.”

Corrine nodded. She didn’t much like Klaw, but she had to know.

Not surprisingly, by the time they arrived at the private room in the restaurant across town, Corinne didn’t mind being called Miss’ in the least.