The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

“Yeah! Yeah! Take it, you slut!” the man fucking Veronica Albinn grunted, lifting her legs onto his shoulders. “Take my fucking cock, you horny little slut!”

“Unnnghhhh! Yeess! Oh yess, baby!” the horny slut replied, eyes rolling up into the back of her head. She shuddered, hands clenching her heavy swollen breasts as she came, hard. The man grinned savagely, reaching out a hand to pinch and twist a hard swollen nipple, earning another squeal from the fuck drunk bitch beneath him. “Aaaahhhh! Fuck yesss!” she hissed, cumming again around his cock. “More, Daddy! Please, more! Use me! Hurt me! Fuck me!”

The man, Ken Tanaka, laughed gleefully. “Yes! Yes! Beg for it, like the slut you are!”

In the far corner of the small cramped bedroom, Veronica glanced up, frowning, wrinkling her nose. This latest client was a bit more vocal than usual and seemed to be taking his time getting the job done. She’d already read through his thoughts and saw that he was not connected with the Yakuza, and determined that he was of no use to them. Granted, he was busy fucking a pillow in the bed instead of her, the psychic intrusion into his mind creating the illusion that he was having sex with the perfect ideal prostitute... still, this WAS a brothel, and time was money.

Let’s see if we can speed this up a bit, she thought, smirking wickedly, focusing her mind once more.

Ken gasped, blinking, pausing in mid-stroke, glancing back as the door opened. “Mr. Tanaka,” the matron, Ms. Fumi said, bowing slightly. “Sir, I must ask that you stop. Your time is up. If you wish more time with this girl, you will have to pay an additional price!” The man scowled.

“Screw the time. I’m not done with her yet,” he grunted, resuming his fucking. “I’ll leave after I’ve finished with her!” He paused as if considering. “Unless you’d like to take her place? I always did have a thing for fucking hot older women.”

Ms. Fumi scowled. “That will not be possible, Mr. Tanaka,” she said primly. “I am the Madam. I do not fuck the clients.” Walking around in front of him, however, she reached back, and unbuttoned her dress, allowing it to slide down and pool around her ankles, causing Ken’s eyes to widen in surprise. “However, perhaps I can... assist my girl in... serving your needs,” she replied in a low husky voice. She placed his hand, lifting it up to her bare breast, gasping slightly at the contact. “You know how to treat a whore, don’t you, Mr. Tanaka,” she murmured softly. “Why don’t you show me how it’s done? Fuck this little slut until she passes out... fuck her unconscious. Show me what a real man is like... and perhaps... just perhaps, I’ll reconsider my policy...”

Letting out a bellowing roar, Ken resumed with renewed vigor. The ‘dream Roni’ squealed and cried out, making all the appropriate noises, while ‘dream Fumi’ alternated between encouragement and chiding him to do better. Within a matter of minutes, he finally came, erupting in a titanic gush that indeed knocked ‘dream Roni’ out cold. Ken himself was more than a bit worn out, panting heavily, as Fumi nodded with a serene smile.

“Very good, Tanaka-san,” she replied gently, reaching down to slide her silk dress back on. “You are indeed a fearsome and potent lover. Alas... it seems that you have expended your vitality for the moment.” She ran a long scarlet nailed hand lightly along his cheek. “Perhaps another time. I shall give you a moment to compose yourself,” she said smirking, as she made her way to the door, “but please, be sure to ask for me by name when you decide to return.”

“Y-yeah,” Ken replied with a knowing grin. “I’ll be sure to do that...”

Roni opened her eyes, nodding in satisfaction as Ken rose suddenly from the bed, his expression vacant aside from a wide smile on his face. “There. All done now, I see,” she told him cheerfully. “Now, there’s no need to remember the specifics about what happened here, only that you really enjoyed yourself, and that that was the best sex you’ve had in your entire life.” She paused, considering. “And of course, you’ll want to mention this brothel to all your friends that might be interested.” He nodded woodenly. “Good boy. Now wake up fully, and go on back out to the front desk.”

Ken Tanaka blinked, his smiled turning into a knowing smirk. “Not bad, slut,” he said with a bit of obvious swagger. “I’ll have to be sure to recommend you to all of my friends. Rest up,” he said, swatting her on the ass as he walked by, “you’re going to need your energy.” Once the door closed, Roni let out a loud sigh.

“So, how did YOUR day go?” Venus asked her a bit later, walking over to the small clean futon in their shared room, dropping down with a deep groan. “Uggghh... I don’t know about you, but I feel completely worn out. All things considered, I’m beginning to think it might actually be less of a pain if we were actually fucking these guys instead of tweaking their minds and making them think they’d had sex.”

Roni glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “So, you’d really rather have sex with a man besides Parker?” she asked, curious.

Venus’ nose crinkled. “Ugh... no,” she said truthfully. “Which I find equal parts fascinating and disturbing. I mean... having sex with you, and Chloe and Rose, and pretty much any girl who strikes my fancy sounds wonderful. But having sex with a guy besides Parker... just feels WRONG somehow.” She scowled. “I’m hoping that doesn’t become a ‘thing’... and not that I plan on sleeping around in the near future, or anything, but I don’t think I like the idea of being ‘shackled’ to just one person.”

Veronica chuckled. “In some countries, that’s call being ‘married’. Still, I suppose I can see your point. I think maybe the bond you and I shared might have you acting a bit more on my own personal slant. Aside from Parker, I’m fully lesbian. No other man strikes my fancy even slightly. With you, it’s different, though. You’ve always been fully bi-sexual. I think when we get back home, we should sit down and talk it out with Parker. I have a feeling that if he told you up front that you could date or have sex with other guys, it would probably make it easier.”

Venus’ scowl deepened.”Really? Easier? You think it would make me feel better if the man I’m in love with told me that I could have sex with other men?”

Roni blinked. “I, um... er, sorry, I didn’t think of it like that,” she said after a moment. “Man. This is kind of complicated. So... what DO you want, Venus? Would you like to be with someone besides Parker, or not?”

“Uhhhnnn... I don’t know!” Venus replied, frustration evident. “That’s part of the problem! This whole... ‘love thing’... it’s uncharted waters for me, okay? There’s what I feel, and what I think I should feel, and whenever the two don’t conform, I don’t know what to do!” She sighed softly. “Maybe it’s that whole unspoken ‘double standard’ that a woman having multiple female lovers is somehow acceptable but having a bunch of male lovers makes you a slut... but if I ever decide to sleep with a man besides Parker Albinn, I want it to be with someone I consider his equal.”

“Well, old man, I hate to admit it, but you were right,” Nigel Grimalde said briskly as he walked into the corner office of his friend and business partner. “The new wetware system you implemented has increased computer efficiency and processing speed by three hundred percent across the boards. Plus, the new protocols mean no one will be hacking into GrimTech again anytime soon. That alone more than makes up for the cost of installing and maintaining such a complicated organic computer matrix.”

“Uh huh,” Eugene Frasier remarked, staring out at the skyline through his window. “I thought it might.”

Nigel blinked, eyebrow raised. “Really? That’s it? The way you went on and on about this little project of yours, I’d expected something more in the manner of ‘I told you so’.”

Gene sighed and turned around to face Nigel. “Aye... I have something on my mind. Something unpleasant.” He paused for a moment. “Would ye mind lending an ear? I’d really like to talk to someone, and I think ye could give me some perspective.”

“Well, we are in a bit of a lull at the moment,” Nigel stated wryly, walking over to sit down across from Gene. “I suppose I could spare a few minutes. What’s bothering you?”

“Do you... think I’m a good person?”

Nigel blinked again. His mouth opened, prepared to rebuke such an asinine question, only to pause, seeing the expression on his friend’s face. “I think,” he said slowly, “that this is a very complicated and serious question despite its simple sounding nature. Perhaps you’d care to expand on it a bit?”

Gene sighed. “I’m beginning to think that maybe I’ve lost something... a part of myself that was good and decent and kind. I’m not considering going over to the ‘dark side’ or anything,” he said with a small smile, “but I cannae deny that I’ve done quite a few things of late that I don’t feel particularly proud of.” He hung his head. “I had a rather troubling dream last night, one that shook me to my very core.”

“Yes, well nightmares tend to do that,” Nigel replied stiffly, “by their very nature, they’d usually unsettling—”

“It was about my brother, Duncan.”

Nigel sighed, nodding. “Yes, well... that would do it, then. What happened in this dream?”

“Well, without going into all the graphic specifics, I was reliving that day, years ago, when he first appeared and tried to take wee Jimmy and Katie. Back when I managed to bluff him into retreating. Only... this time, when the dust settled, and the fighting was concluded... it was ME standing over everyone’s battered and broken forms, not Duncan. I’d replaced my brother as the one everyone had been fighting to stop... the one responsible for all the death and destruction. I glanced down at my hands... and they were covered, sticky, with blood...”

Nigel winced. “I see. So what? You think you’re turning into your brother? Eugene, I never had the displeasure of meeting the man in person, but I do know what I’ve seen and heard. You told me he shoved you into traffic as a kid and nearly crippled you for life. He choked your younger brother to death in the hospital with his bare hands. And on a more personal note, he took my wife’s misguided attempt to help him stop you, and repaid her by blowing up the Tower and trying to kill us all.” He shook his head. “Trust me, my friend, even at your most dark, you are a far cry from that kind of person.”

“I used to believe that,” Gene countered, glancing down, “but now, I’m not so sure. My hands might not be dripping blood, but they’re hardly spotless.” He sighed before raising his gaze to meet Nigel’s. “You know verra well that I was fully prepared to end Venus Satore’s life months ago when she went on her cross-country rampage. Hell, if Hank Matthews had been successful, she would be dead right now. And... she’s not the first. The men that went after Jimmy, that tried to have him framed him by murdering that woman’s family... I managed to catch up to them, and confronted them, trying to find Brainstorm. They... resisted. Things got messy. They ended up starting a fire, and, in the end, after everything they’d done, I simply walked away without helping them out, and let them burn.”

That caught Nigel’s attention. “I hadn’t heard the, um... specifics about that,” he said after a moment, obviously uncomfortable. “But, well, the hero of a really popular movie once said, ‘I’m not going to kill you, but that doesn’t mean I have to save you either’. I’d say that definitely applies in your case. It might have been callous to leave them to fend for themselves, but not evil.”

“Aye,” Gene nodded softly. “But... it’s not just that. Lacie disagreed with the way I dealt with Chang himself, torturing the man for information. And just recently, the way I... ‘handled’ Duncan’s lackey, McDonald, to make sure he was no longer a threat.”

“You mean permanently erasing his ability to do math?” Nigel replied, causing Gene to glance up sharply. “I have my sources. And your wife was more than a little concerned about that ‘errand’ you said that you needed to run.” He shrugged. “Personally, I don’t see a problem with it. You solved the problem, removed an obvious threat, and all without any bloodshed. Compared to everything else, this shouldn’t even garner a second thought.”

“But it does,” Eugene insisted. “Aye... and that’s my point! I gave the man permanent brain damage. Was it for a good cause? Aye. I killed my brother Duncan with my bare hands. I did it to save my life, and Lacie’s, and truth be told, probably the entire world. Good cause? Aye. I tortured Brainstorm to get information on Duncan. Did he deserve all the pain he was dealt and more? Aye. But do any of these situations, even with the best of intentions, negate the fact that I’ve committed some verra evil acts? Nae. Not a one.”

Nigel sighed heavily. “Well, my friend... I can’t help you there. It seems like you’re seeking absolution. If that’s true, you’ve definitely come to the wrong person. Eugene, we’ve talked a lot over the last few months. You probably know more about my past now than anyone else alive. You know about the things I’ve done in my past. And that’s the thing. The past can’t be undone. And be honest—if you had the chance to go back and undo any of the things you mentioned, knowing what the end result be of your inaction, would you?”

“Ach... I suppose not,” Gene grumbled softly. “I did what I did those times before I hadn’t had any choice in the matter. But—”

“There is no ‘But’ here, Eugene,” Nigel cut him off. “You did what you always do. You looked at the situation, weighed the options, and went with the best possible choice you could. And really, that’s what all of us do. For good or for ill, we all make the best choice we can based on the options at any given moment. Sometimes we choose poorly. Sometimes we don’t. And even a bad choice has merit if you learn from a mistake and make a better choice next time. But beating yourself up about it, and surrendering to guilt doesn’t help anyone.” He glanced at his watch, then sighed. “I’d better head out. I have a meeting with Wilson Smithers from the Federal Trade Commission. He’s a piece of work, that one... and he actually made a pass at Constance during the last visit.” He smirked, “I’d better get there quickly or she’s liable to put him through a wall from sheer annoyance.”

Gene chuckled as well. Putting Smithers through a wall wasn’t mere rhetoric. The young Japanese-American had greatly improved and focused her telepathic and telekinetic powers over the past several months. With a thought, she could indeed send the hapless bureaucrat through a literal wall. Not that there was ANY chance of that actually happening, however. Truth be told, Constance was the epitome of the poised and consummate professional. Despite any personal misgivings, both he and Nigel knew she would never do anything that might reflect badly on her boss and his company.

And on a personal note, she’s finally getting along better with Katie Ann, he thought with satisfaction. I was hoping those two would work things out. My darlin’ Katie lass has too few friends in this world to lose any over a misunderstanding. And, though I dinnae ken the lass that well myself, I’d reckon the same goes for wee Constance as well... He sighed deeply. Not that I’m one to talk, mind. My own number of personal friends can be counted on one hand. And the man that just left... he’s become the best one I’ve ever had. A small smile creased his lips at that.

Heh. Maybe I’m not so bad after all. I’m certainly no saint, but I do have a leg up on my brother. I have friends... people that I can share my life with, and my troubles. Duncan never had any friends. To him, everyone was either an asset or an adversary. And that’s the difference between us. As long as I have friends like Nigel, someone to hold me accountable, and call me on my bullshit, even if I start down that dark path, I know they won’t let me stray too far...

Matsuo Sora glared silently as the door to his private study slid open and his saiko-komon appeared. “You called for me, Oyabun-sama?” the man asked humbly, bowing before his Master.

“Hai. I have received news from my contact within the Wo Shing Wo... and as I suspected, the girl is not in their care. She was never transported from America. In fact, she never ever left the city!”

Noguchi winced. “I... I see. And your contact within the Triad—he is sure that the Triad are not simply holding onto the girl for themselves? It would not be outside the realm of possibility, after all...”

But Oyabun shook his head. “No, I am quite sure. I checked with multiple sources, and all have confirmed that Misaki Reiko’s daughter still resides in River City. Further, there has been no contact with Akamine Toshi and his unit since their initial call claiming to have made contact with the Triad. Which means that the information they gave us was false!”

Noguchi nodded grimly. “It’s very possible Reiko-san managed to get to them during their attempt on the girl, and coerced them into making that report. No matter. It will take some time, but I can reposition our people in the neighboring states and have them take over the hunt for the girl.”

“No. The girl can wait,” Oyabun replied with a single shake of his head. “For now, focus on retrieving Akamine and the others. I want them found sooner rather than later, and dealt with accordingly.”

“D... dealt with, Oyabun-sama? You mean retrieved, and brought back to face punishment?”

“No. I mean dealt with as in eliminated. Preferably, slowly and painfully.” His eyes narrowed. “Obviously, they have been turned. Having failed in their assigned task, they have either been captured and imprisoned, have sought refuge with the enemy, or have simply turned and fled. Either outcome is unacceptable. I want them found, immediately, and an example made of them.”

“At once, Oyabun-sama,” Noguchi replied with a nod. “As I said, it will take some time to move more of our people into River City, but they will be found. I will see to it personally.”

“Yes,” Oyabun replied dismissively, gesturing with his hand as he turned and stared out the window. “See to it. Just make sure that you do not fail in this task... or else you may share their fate.” Swallowing painfully, Noguchi bowed and backed out.

Oyabun Sora grunted, forcing down his frustration with an effort. The situation with the Reiko girl was proving to be extremely bothersome. Few things in his long-lived life had proved as infuriating at dealing with that girl. He grimaced slightly, recalling the day she had shown her true colors when she’d dared to defy him and choose that tiny little gaijin devil Veronica Mitchell. I knew that little brat was trouble, he thought furiously. I should have insisted that Reiko-san eliminate her with the rest of her family... but no. I let her argument that the girl would be a valuable asset sway me against my better judgment. And the bitch... actually raised a sword to me! Having her killed was the right thing to do... only by then, the damage was already done...

And that was what stung the hardest. Forcing Reiko-san to kill her lover had proved to the be catalyst for her rebellion against him. Before Mitchell-san had entered the picture, Misaki Reiko had been his greatest asset, a kunoichi without equal. Her speed and agility, coupled with a quick and clever mind, had allowed her to flourish, and her cold and unfeeling manner allowed her to kill efficiently and effectively, no matter the situation. She’d been the perfect assassin... until that young English girl had managed to worm her way into the girl’s heart and turn her from her destined path!

It should have been impossible. No one had even broken Aki or one of her daughters’ control before. Oyabun smirked at that. Not even the great Fu Aki herself is immune to the dance of her own needles. And if there was anyone motivated to break free of that control, it would be her. Still, it only demonstrated yet again how exceptional Reiko-san truly was. There was really no surprise that the people he had sent to eliminate her over the years had all failed. Even Murase Sakura, the clan’s most promising kunoichi of this generation, had failed to defeat her.

Yes. And this latest round of ‘re-education’ seems to have left her a bit stiff and wooden, he thought with a frown. A necessary evil, I suppose, to ensure her loyalty to the clan above all other concerns. Still, she does still have her uses. He sighed softly. And speaking of ‘uses’... my latest acquisition has become boring. Perhaps what I need to lighten my mood is a fresh face... someone new to break in and put through her paces. I guess it’s time to make a few calls...

“Hello?”

“Hey, Josie! It’s me, Megan. Hope I’m not bothering you or anything...”

“Megan! No! No, not at all,” Josie Cade replied with a grin, smiling at the image of her friend on the video monitor. “Actually perfect timing. I was thinking I should contact you and catch up a bit.” She exhaled hard, considering exactly what to tell her. “Well, a lot has happened since the last time we talked.”

“Most of it good, I hope,” Megan replied gently. The fact that Josie was smiling was a good sign, right? She was only too aware of what the young heroine had been attempting to do when they’d met a few weeks earlier. “Did the information I sent you pan out? Were you able to... um... well, you know...”

“Help me track down the men responsible for Audrey’s death?” she answered, her expression strangely calm. Not anguished or devoid of emotions, as if she were repressing her pain, just... calm. “Yeah. It did. It helped a lot. And really, I should have called you earlier to thank you for the help. I’ve just been kind of busy lately.”

Megan merely shook her head. “Hey, now, don’t worry about it. I was glad to help! Really, I only wish I could have done more.” She sighed. “So... how are you doing?”

“Hmm?”

“You know. After catching your girlfriend’s killer,” she said in a soft voice. “Did it... I mean, um... you seem to be in... better spirits?”

“You were worried about me?” Josie smiled broadly. “Seriously, though. I’m okay. For the most part, I mean. I was able to come to terms with Audrey’s death, and... my part in it.” Her smile faded slightly. “But, well, there’s more. Megan. I’m a Super now.”

That caught her attention. “Wait, what? You’re a Super? Suddenly, all out of the blue?”

Josie nodded, then told Megan about what had happened—visiting Zandilla in jail, her encounter with Amaria DeStehl, being turned into her mind-controlled plaything and finally turning the tables on her and bringing her to justice.

“... And, well, I ended up with these psychic powers just like them. Well, maybe not JUST like them. I can’t really control it yet. It’s kind of just always on and I can hear people’s thoughts whether I want to or not. So, yeah, it’s a bit of an adjustment.”

“Huh,” Megan said, nodding slowly. “Man. That must be rough. I remember what it was like when my own powers first went active. If you like, I could make a visit to Century and, I dunno, help you with things?” She sighed again heavily. “I’m feeling a bit preoccupied myself right now anyway. My mentor, Shinobi, she’s currently traveling in Japan with Venus Satore... the, er... ‘reformed’ villainess that terrorized the city several years back. And her mission would be dangerous enough even without a supposed reformed villain as a sidekick. Maybe spending some time together could help us BOTH forget our worries for a bit?”

Josie glanced away to the side, looking at the glass orb she had tricked Amaria into surrendering. The key to her new abilities. It’s vast power still a mystery to her. “That’s a very nice offer, Megan. But I think I’d just rather deal with this on my own, you know? I just want to get a handle on things right now.” She turned back toward the screen. “But it really means a lot to me that you asked. Seriously. Thank you.”

Megan managed a small smile of her own. “Don’t mention it. And just remember, the offer still stands. If you ever need me, or just want to spend some time, just give me a ring.”

The call disconnected, and Megan let out a soft sigh.

Well, at least she’s doing okay. And she managed to bring her lover’s killer to justice. That’s got to be a good thing, right? Still, it can’t be easy for her. For more than five years, her entire life was all about tracking down Audrey’s killers. Now that she’s done that, she gotta be feeling a little adrift, not sure of what to do with herself now, and what to focus her life on. I just hope that she’ll reach out to me if she needs anything...

“Ah, Fumi-san, so good to see you again.”

The short madam nodded, a serene look on her face. “Indeed, Sato-san. It has been some time since you have paid a visit to my humble establishment. Ah, but you are in luck. Your timing is perfect. I have recently acquired several new young specimens that you will surely find to your liking.” She gestured the tall dark haired inside the hallway, where all of her whores were lined up in a row. “As soon as I received your call, I had my girls prepared. Please, look them over and see if any of them strike your fancy!”

Sato sighed softly. “Ah, but remember, it is not MY fancy that is of concern,” he reminded her. “Oyabun-sama is looking for someone new and fresh to break in, someone with a delicate beauty not yet marred or tainted but the harshness of the life in which they lead.” He glanced at the women lined up before him with a critical eye, noting the two on the far end. “Those two,” he said, gesturing. “They are aware of what is happening here, yes? They seem a bit more lucid than the other girls.”

“Yes, yes, Sato-san,” Ms. Fumi remarked. “It was not necessary to drug those two to keep them compliant. A sad tale, actually. The dark haired one, Mika, is the third daughter of an old friend of mine. Alas, he has a bit of a gambling problem and got in over his head. With no way to settle his debt, he was forced to sell her to me in order to pay back the money he owed.” She chuckled darkly. “The poor girl, betrayed by her own father... with nowhere to go, and no way of supporting herself, the young thing is so grateful to me for providing her food and shelter, that she gladly serves my clients in any way they desire.”

Sato raised an eyebrow. “Gladly?”

Fumi shrugged. “Perhaps that is an over-exaggeration. Still, she does so without complaint, knowing that disobedience would see her tossed out onto the streets to live the life of a beggar.” She turned to glance at the second girl. “As for the redhead... she is an American,” she stated with a chuckle. “An even more tragic tale of woe. Dear Kathi was traveling abroad on a trip after graduating high school, when alas, some disreputable person stole her belongings, her identification, her money, and her passport. Even more distressing, the poor thing speaks very little of our language. And like little Mika, with nowhere to go and no prospects, she soon found her way here to my caring embrace,” she finished with a smirk.

Sato chuckled drily. “How fortunate for the both of them. Well, Fumi-san, I am impressed with what I see so far. And I believe these two girls are exactly what Oyabun-sama is looking for. I will take possession of them both.”

Fumi’s smile faltered. “Ah... both?” she asked. “But... usually, Great Oyabun-sama takes a single girl at a time...”

“This time is different,” Sato replied simply. “I know what Oyabun is looking for, and both of these girls fit the description..”

“But... but those two... they are my most popular, my highest paid girls,” Fumi protested. “Losing one is acceptable, but both?”

“So, you are refusing to release them to me, then?” Sato asked eyebrow raised. “You are refusing to pay proper tribute to Oyabun-sama, the one who allows you to operate in this city with impunity?”

Fumi blanched visibly. “N... no! O-of course, Great Oyabun may have the use of any and all he requires,” she said quickly. “Anyone and everything is his merely for the asking.”

Sato nodded, satisfied. “Very good. And of course, you will be properly compensated,” he remarked, gesturing with his left hand, as another Yakuza thug stepped forward with a small suitcase of money. “So, Madam, I trust you have no more objections?”

“No, not at all, Sato-san,” Fumi replied, smiling serenely once more. “You may take them at your leisure.” Turning, she spoke sharply to the girls, urging them all to return to their rooms. “No. Not you two,” she said, raising a hand as Mika and Kathi approached. “I have a very special surprise for you. My two delicate flowers, it seems that your troubles are now over. These men,” she said, gesturing to the three man in black suits and sunglasses, “have agreed to take care of the debts that you both owe.”

“Oh! Fumi-sama!” Mika exclaimed with a bright smile, “that is wonderful news! Does this mean I will be allowed to go home now?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Sato replied smirking, as he pulling his hand from his pocket, injecting the surprised girl in the neck with a small dart gun, just as one of his subordinates did the same to Kathi. “You’re going home, all right,” he told the girls just before they faded into unconsciousness, “but not YOUR home...”

“Ah, yes, glad we’re calling it a day,” Shinji Hayakawa grunted loudly, yawning and stretching a bit. “For a while there, I was beginning to think that meeting would go on forever.” His partner laughed aloud.

“Hey, now, Shinji,” Kirby Wilcox replied with a grin, “I thought you Japanese were all stoic, hardworking, and diligent. You’re completely blowing away all my preconceived notions!”

Shinji chuckled. “And you, Kirby-san, continue to enforce the stereotype of Americans being wisecracking, smart-alek cowboys. We can’t ALL be industrious little worker bees you know? Someone has to play the part of the slacker.”

Kirby laughed at that. Despite his words, Shinji Hayakawa was one of the most dedicated people he knew. His job with the National Public Safety Commission and with the police, in general, had revolved around reducing organized crime within Japan. And despite his easygoing, almost lackadaisical nature, when it came to his job, he was one of the most committed lawmen that he’d ever known.

“I was thinking of hitting the bars before heading home,” Shinji continued. “What do you say, gaujin? Join me for a drink or two or six?”

“Sorry. That’s not really my scene, Shinji.”

The Asian man sighed, rolling his eyes. “Yes, yes, I know... I could never get you to go out with me during college either. You know, Kirby-san, the reason why you’re still single is that you’re so boring! You should really learn to get out and live a little!”

Kirby simply shrugged. His old friend had a point, though it wasn’t as if he wasn’t LOOKING for love. He just had the absolute worst luck when it came to attracting a potential mate. He wasn’t bad looking; it wasn’t vanity or narcissism to think so. He was reasonably attractive, took care of himself, and worked out regularly. Heck, women were often propositioning him, trying to hook up. Unfortunately, it was men that interested him, and for some reason, making a meaningful connection with a handsome gay man turned out to be surprisingly difficult.

“So, Kirby-san,” Shinji said, slapping him lightly on his back, “what are your plans for this weekend? If you have nothing else, you’re welcome to come home with me. My wife would love to see you again... and my sister, Jitsuko, has been asking about you.”

Kirby winced slightly at that. Shinji’s younger sister was a lovely and beautiful girl... and utterly infatuated with him. And persistent. He’d tried to let her down easily, to let her know he wasn’t interested, but the more he’d put her off, the more she’d pursued him. In the end, the only way he could manage to get any peace was to cut his visit short and head back to his hotel. And he wasn’t feeling overly enthusiastic about reliving the experience.

“Actually,” he said after a moment, “I, er, do have plans,” he admitted. “I was thinking of traveling to Kyoto for the weekend. You know, taking in the sights, visiting some of the temples and such... just taking in the culture.”

“Truly? Well, more power to you then,” Shinji replied with a grin. “I haven’t been to the shrines in Kyoto in ages, myself... I keep meaning to go, but well, with work and family, and everything...” he shrugged. “Ah, well. I guess I’ll catch up with you again when you get back on Monday then. Hope you have a nice relaxing and restful visit.” he said, turning to head to his car.

“Thanks, Shinji, see you on Monday,” Kirby replied, sighing softly. Though I somehow doubt this visit will be either restful or relaxing. Something in my gut tells me that this trip is going to be anything BUT relaxing...