The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

The four women paused outside the huge concrete-and-glass monolith, and stared up at the twenty or more stories of MegaCorp’s local office. It was intimidating, which was no doubt its purpose. Stephanie was the first to speak.

“Alright girls, this is game time. The next few hours will determine how much we benefit from the past three years of our sweat and blood.”

“Way to pressure us, Steph,” muttered Barbara, the CFO. She had sweated blood to set the provisional terms of this acquisition.

“Bring your best self. They’re going to prod us to find our weaknesses, try to bargain us down. We’re strong. We’re better than them. That’s why they want to acquire us.”

“Preach!” laughed Samantha. Jane couldn’t help but chuckle.

Stephanie smirked too. “Four hours from now, we’ll all be multi-millionaires—albeit, in the not-too-distant future. Let’s not screw this up.”

She turned to Jane, the mousy but brilliant software developer. “Jane, babe, I need you to only speak when spoken to, and watch me for cues, okay?”

Jane nodded, mutely. She was aware, having closely studied the deal proposal, that Stephanie would be much more of a multi-millionaire than she would ever be. However, this was her best shot at money that could let her do what she wanted, when she wanted, and she was willing to swallow her pride as much as she needed to,.

“You’re a great hacker, and you play a mean game of chess”—Jane was quite competitive in her local league—“but believe me, this is a very different game. It’s poker, m’kay?“

“I understand.” Jane lowered her eyes, and Stephanie gave her an affectionate punch in the shoulder.

“You’re going to be great, babe. They’ll be eating out of our hands once they understand what we have. Just let’s stay on-message.”

She turned to the others. “Let’s go, girls. Fame and fortune await. Ante up!”

The four women trooped up the stairs—Jane lagging somewhat due to her shorter legs and lack of exercise—and strode into MegaCorp’s brightly-lit lobby. An impeccably-dressed receptionist indicated that they should approach his desk.

“Welcome to MegaCorp. I’m Danny. How may I help you?”

“We’re the Jetbreak.net exec team,” Stephanie explained. “We have an appointment with your board?”

“Ah, yes....” Danny consulted his screen. “I see you here on the schedule. Please, can I see IDs for each one of you?”

The four women handed over their government IDs, each of which was carefully scrutinized and copied by the receptionist.

“Lovely...” Danny picked up a stack of cards from his printer. “Stephanie and Barbara?” He returned their IDs with an additional card. “Room 18-106. Take the exec elevators, over there on the right.”

“We’re not all together?” asked Samantha, confused.

“Apparently not, dear.” Danny pulled the next card out. “You’re at room 12-156. Middle bank elevators, on the left.”

“Okay...” Samantha studied her card, but it only confirmed what Danny had said.

“And you must be Jane.” Danny handed Jane’s ID back along with a card. “Room 5-101, sweetie. Middle bank elevators, on the right.”

The women looked at each other.

“I didn’t expect this,” admitted Barbara. “It might be a functional split? They want Sam to talk to their ops people, and Jane to their developers?”

“Whatever it is, remember our guiding principle,” Stephanie reminded them. “They do get what they pay for—but they pay for what they get. Don’t commit to or even promise anything—anything!—without first checking with Babs and me.

“Understood,” chorused Samantha and Jane.

“See you later, ladies.” The group split up to visit their various elevator banks.

Jane found herself standing in front of the anonymous elevator doors. She pressed ‘5’, without really understanding what was going on. Why would they want to split up her team?

The elevator took her to floor 5, and she consulted the detailed floor map displayed prominently in the waiting space. Clearly, navigating this building required a lot of help. Her spatial awareness was excellent, though, and she quickly oriented herself and located room 101.

“Left... Second left... First right...” Jane followed her memorized path, and was soon standing outside 101. She peered at the sign on the door to confirm.

“5-101 MEDICAL”

Jane’s eyebrows rose. She checked her card, but its number matched. This wasn’t what she had expected.

She tentatively opened the door to find a small, extremely clean waiting room decorated with motivational posters, and a smiling receptionist behind a sliding window.

“Hello! Can I help you?”

Jane hesitated. “I’m not sure I’m in the right room; I’m Jane Harris? From Jetbreak...”

“Oh yes, Ms Harris. We’re expecting you, although you’re a little bit late. Please have a seat; your assistants will be out very shortly.”

Jane must have looked confused, and the receptionist graciously explained:

“A health check is standard for all new and prospective senior employees. We just need to check that you’re in good health. I see that this was booked by one of MegaCorp’s executive team in Acquisitions—they clearly think that you’re important!”

“Oh! Okay, thank you...” Jane was still unsure of what was going on, but at least she was in the right place. “Yes, thank you, ummm...” She took a seat, clutching her purse nervously. She had always disliked doctors in general, but apparently this was going to be a necessary part of the acquisition. Time to suck it up, Jane. For future millions, she could put up with quite a lot.

A door opened and two blonde women in scrubs strode through. “You must be Jane!” beamed the leader, much taller than Jane and with blonde rings of hair falling over her shoulders. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Kimberley, but everyone calls me Kimmy.”

“I’m Barbie,” smiled the second woman, sporting a blonde ponytail. “Are you ready for your health check, Jane? We’re going to take care of you. Please come with us, chickie, you’re a little bit late.”

“Yes... thank you...sorry...” Jane stumbled to her feet, and followed Kimmy through the door, Barbie following behind her. She couldn’t help but admire the assistants’ confidence and perfect grooming. Jane was quite aware of her own visual deficiencies—she never had enough “focus time” to do a good job on her make-up or hair, and she continually cursed her flat chest and persistently wavy hair.

“I hear you’re very special, Jane,” Kimmy said over her shoulder. “They asked us to make sure you’re in tip top shape.”

Jane briefly reflected on her diet and exercise regime, and swallowed nervously. “Umm... yes...”

“Don’t worry, chickie.” Barbie squeezed her shoulder. “You’ll do fine. Just do what we say.”

Kimmy led them into a room with an exam table in the center, and handed Jane a gown. “Please take your clothes off, sweetie, and put this on.” She indicated a screen. “You can stand behind there, if you’re more comfortable.”

Jane had been very modest about her body ever since it had started to gently bulge in various places, and was grateful for the offer of privacy. She retreated behind the curtain, and started to remove her clothes. There was a brief tussle with the bow around her neck, which she had thought appropriately formal when dressing this morning but had become an increasingly limp and annoying tangle of silk in the past few hours. She shrugged off her skirt and rolled down her tights, then shook out the gown and peered at it.

It was about the size of a dusting cloth, to her perspective, and covered nearly nothing. She tried to tie it at the back, but to no avail. Oh well, at least she still had her bra and panties on.

“All done, sweetie?” Kimmy peered around the curtain. “Very good. Just need to take these off...” She dexterously unfastened Jane’s Apple Watch, and the thin silver necklace that was Jane’s only real concession to jewelry. “Oh! And these too, silly goosie.” She unhooked and removed Jane’s bra, and slid her panties down. “There you go! Naked as a jaybird!”

Jane hugged herself, feeling very exposed and not sure of what was going on.

“It’s okay, sweet pea. We know you’re nervous.” Kimmy squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll look after you, baby. Pinky promise.”

“Why don’t you hop up here, chickie?” Barbie suggested, patting the exam couch. “You’ll be a lot more comfortable.”

Jane climbed awkwardly onto the couch and lay back, looking about as relaxed as someone facing brain surgery from a plumber.

“Oh sweetie, you’re so tense.” Kimmy slid a pillow behind her. “Try to relax for us please? We’ll take such good care of you. Okay, mmm-hmm?”

Jane forced herself to nod. “I’m so sorry! I’ve just... never been good with doctors.”

“Of course not,” agreed Barbie, sliding a blood pressure cuff on Jane’s arm. “But we’re just taking your measurements. We’re not going to make you uncomfortable, chickie. Just relax, we’ll do our thing, and you’ll be just fine.” She pumped up the cuff and stuck a stethoscope under it. “Breathe deeply for me, Janie...” She was silent for a while, listening through the scope, then wrote something on a notepad. “150 over 95, pulse 98. I think someone’s still a bit nervous, Kimmy.”

“It’s okay, sweetpea.” Kimmy hugged Jane, who had started to look worried. “We’ll do it again once you’re a bit more relaxed.”

“Can I look in your eyes, chickie?” Barbie had produced a small flashlight. “Just take those glasses off for me... there.” She folded them closed and parked them on a nearby table. “Oh, you have such pretty eyes, a lovely shade of green. Follow my finger, okay?” She shone the flashlight into Jane’s eyes as Jane obediently followed the moving finger with her eyes.

Kimmy rubbed her hands together. “I need to check your boobies, okay sweetpea? I’ll make sure there are no lumps or bumps where there shouldn’t be. My hands are nice and warm, I promise.” She slid them under the gown and started caressing Jane’s small breasts. “Does that feel okay, honeybun?”

It did feel okay. Actually, it felt much better than ‘okay’; Jane hadn’t had anyone touch her there for a very long time, and Kimmy’s hands were very smooth and soft. She struggled to keep an impassive face, but eventually a small moan slipped out.

“Am I hurting you, sweetie?” Kimmy’s concerned face popped up in Jane’s slightly blurred vision.

“No, no, it’s okay...” Jane didn’t really know how to explain her feelings. “It just made me a feel a bit funny.”

“It can do, that, yes.” Kimmy gave her a conspiratorial smile. “Nearly done. Just one more look...” Her fingers found Jane’s nipples, and gave them an impudent tweak. Jane gasped, torn in her reaction between the intrusion of the invasion, and the way it electrified her feelings.

Barbie touched Jane’s tummy, drawing her attention. “Chickie, I need to check your girlie parts, yes?” She was pulling on gloves. “We don’t want anything unusual down there, do we?”

Jane shook her head, silently, but her look gave her away.

“You look the tiniest bit uncertain, chickie.” Barbie chuckled, and took hold of Jane’s hand. “It’s very normal to feel a bit worried. It’s okay. I’m here to look after you.”

Jane nodded, still very uncertain.

“I’m going to take really good care of you, chickie.” Barbie stroked Jane’s mound. “Relax, and let me in.”

“Barbie is so good at this,” confirmed Kimmy. “Close your eyes, take some deep breaths...”

Jane obeyed, feeling her heart pounding but trying to think past that. She took deep breaths in through her mouth, and out through her nose. Suddenly she felt something cool sliding into her sex, and gasped.

“That’s me, chickie. It’s okay.” Barbie slowly moved her fingers inside Jane, and Jane couldn’t help but moan. Kimmy touched her nose to Jane’s.

“We’ve got you, Janie. Relax yourself.” She lightly kissed the tip of Jane’s nose.

“But... ohhhh...” The sensations spreading out from Barbie’s fingers were confusing Jane. She didn’t know what to think, or how to react.

“I know, sweetpea. How about we give you a little something?” Kimmy pressed a mask onto Jane’s face. “Take a few breaths for me, sweetie?”

Jane reflexively obeyed, smelling something that was like apples. A ringing started in her ears and she felt funny. Reflexively, her hand reached up to push the mask away, but Kimmy gently caught it and hugged it.

“That’s right, sweetie, a few more breaths for Kimmy. Is it making you a bit giggly?”

It was. Jane’s worries started to recede as her brain started to spin. The sensations coming from her sex ceased to worry her, and indeed started to make her feel good.

“A bit! yes!” she mumbled under the mask. “Feeling a bit silly.”

“Of course you are, my little goosie,” smiled Kimmy. “You’re going to relax for me, aren’t you?” She tweaked something out of Jane’s vision, and Jane felt herself detach further from what was happening.

“Yes... oh, Barbie...” Barbie’s fingers felt as if they were everywhere around Jane’s sex. She made a noise that was halfway between a laugh and a sob. “Feels so good!”

Kimmy brought something behind her head and started to fasten straps onto the mask. “Let’s make sure this doesn’t fall off, sweetpea.” It tightened on Jane’s face, and Kimmy finally released her head to sink into the pillow.

“You’re feeling good, aren’t you sweetie?” Kimmy’s smiling face was in the center of Jane’s vision, and Jane was helpless. Barbie’s hand was sending waves of pleasure through her, and her limbs seemed a thousand miles away.

“Oh....” It was if Jane was floating above her own body, seeing the two blonde women stroke and stimulate it. Dimly inside Jane knew something was wrong, but she couldn’t articulate it—and the ‘now’ was much more compelling.

“Does anyone else do this for you?” breathed Barbie, now replacing Kimmy in Jane’s vision. Jane couldn’t see her hands, but knew without doubt where they were.

“Never... oh, I don’t want this to ever stop!” Jane giggled, high as a kite on the gas and stimulation.

“Oh baby, we won’t stop unless you ask us,” cooed Kimmy. “Let yourself go, sweetpea.”

Barbie carefully changed the angle of her stroking. “You know, Doctor Sally is going to come and see you soon, chickie.”

“She’s soooo nice,” confirmed Kimmy. “You’re just going to love her.” The two women took seats either side of Jane’s couch, continuing to stroke and nuzzle her.

Jane became aware of a new person in front of her, also blonde, and wearing a doctor’s coat. The person had a lovely smile, with intelligent eyes.

“Hello, Jane. I’m Doctor Sally. How are you finding your treatment?”

“Soooo good,” giggled Jane behind her mask. “Never felt like this before!”

“You’re in good hands, aren’t you?” smiled Sally. “Very good hands.” Kimmy and Barbie’s hands worked harder on Jane, and she let out a gasp.

“Just a little prickle, Jane...” There was a small sting in Jane’s thigh but it went almost unnoticed. “There! So you’re enjoying being with us?”

“A lot!” Jane felt her eyes rolling. “Kimmy and Barbie—they’re so, so nice...”

“Of course they are,” soothed Sally. “They take such good care of you.” She nodded at Kimmy, who unfastened the mask from Jane’s face. “And they make you feel good, don’t they?”

“Very good,” confirmed Jane. Her head was still swimming.

“Nothing else matters, does it, Jane?”

“Nothing...” Sally’s voice was starting to sound distant.

“Would you like to be with us forever, Jane?”

“Never wanted anything more,” Jane sighed. “You’re all so nice to me. Wish I was like you, like Kimmy and Barbie. So pretty. So nice.”

“We’d love you to be like us too. You just have to leave Jetbreak, Jane. Come and join us. Is that want you really want, honey?”

Jane nodded, smiling. “Mmm... that’s what I want. What I really, really want. Haha!” The world was spinning for her, but she knew that, deep down, Sally was right.

“We’d love you to be with us, sweetie,” Kimmy whispered into Jane’s ear, stroking her nipples.

“Nothing we’d want more,” murmured Barbie, sliding over Jane’s clit and making her shiver.

“Mmm! I mustn’t...” whimpered Jane, half-heartedly.

“You want to stay at JetBreak?” asked Sally, making a sad face.

“Despite the way they treat you?” pouted Kimmy. “My poor Janie...”

“They don’t love you like we do, do they?” asked Barbie, tweaking Jane’s clit.

“But... but... oh no! They don’t!” sobbed Jane, as the dam broke in her mind. “They never wanted me. They just wanted my code.” She took a long, sobbing breath. “No-one has every loved me for who I am.”

Kimmy enveloped her. “Oh, my darling sweet Jane. We love you so, so much, perfect just as you are. We would never ignore you like they do.”

Barbie leaned down to kiss Jane’s sex. “We just want you with us, chickie.” Her tongue flicked Jane’s clit, causing Jane to squeak in ecstacy and surprise. “Give yourself over to us. Be with us. Isn’t that what you want.”

Jane nodded, biting her tongue.

Sally leaned in. “Why don’t you give them this, Jane?” She handed over a clipboard with a printed short letter. “Just sign here, my darling.”

Through the fuzz in her mind, Jane saw that it was a resignation letter addressed to Stephanie. She closed her eyes briefly, thinking of Kimmy and Barbie, then reopened them and took up the offered pen. She signed and dated with a flourish.

“Wonderful!” Sally smiled. “And now”—she produced a form—“your acceptance for MegaCorp.”

Jane signed again, and both Kimmy and Barbie squealed with joy, hugging their new colleague.

“Oh sweet pea, we’re so happy you’re with us,” laughed Kimmy. “We’re going to have such fun together!”

Jane felt warmth all through herself. Was this what happiness felt like? She couldn’t help but smile at the girls’ enthusiasm, and snuggled in to their hugs. This was a moment she didn’t want to end.

“Girls, why don’t we take Jane to my office?” Sally suggested. “She and I can have a nice sit down and chat.”

“Come on, chickie, let us help you off the bench.” Barbie guided Jane’s uncertain feet to the floor. “Dr Sally’s office is just over here.” Sally opened a door on the other side of the exam room and Jane wandered over, unconscious of her near-nakedness.

Sally’s office was dimly lit. The center of the room was taken up by a large, well padded comfortable reclined chair. Next to it a desk and stool provided just enough space for the doctor to store iPads and notebooks.

“Why don’t you sit in the comfy chair?” suggested Sally, placing herself on the stool.

“Just a moment, chickie...” Barbie bent down and reached under Jane’s gown. Jane shivered as something cool and hard was slipped in to her sex.

“All done. Come on, have a seat.” Barbie patted the cushions.

Jane cautiously sat on the chair, feeling the warm cushions on her bare skin. Dr Sally was right, it was a very comfortable seat. She lay back, sighing.

“Why don’t I lean you back a little further... " Sally pressed a switch and the chair reclined more, with the cushions under Jane’s legs rising to lift her feet off the floor. “There! Isn’t that comfy?”

It was like being held in a huge, soft hand. Jane felt all her muscles relaxing, especially as warmth started to spread from the cushions.

“Soooo restful...” she murmured.

“That’s right Jane, just rest. Imagine you’re lying on warm sand, on the beach.” Sally’s voice was low and soothing. “Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper as your body relaxes... It’s so hard to keep your eyes open, your eyelids are heavy, just let them close...” She smiled approvingly as she saw Jane’s body relax. “All you need is the sound of my voice...”

Barbie and Kimmy quietly fastened straps across Jane’s body and limbs as Sally took her deeper into her trance. Barbie then reached down between Jane’s legs and retrieved the wire that trailed from the probe inside her, plugging it in to Sally’s controller.

“You’re so safe with me here,” purred Sally. “Just you and me, together. We can tell each other anything, can’t we Jane? That’s what friends do.”

“Mmmm... anything...” murmured Jane.

“It’s good to share things, isn’t it Jane? It makes you feel good inside.” Sally switched on the probe at its lowest setting, seeing a brief spasm of confusion cross Jane’s face before the soft pulses of pleasure soothed her again.

“Does feel good,” admitted Jane in a sigh.

“Tell me a secret, darling Jane. Tell me about Stephanie. What’s a secret about her?”

Slowly, carefully, Sally extracted Jane’s complete knowledge of Jetbreak and their preparation for the acquisition. As Jane shared more, Sally very carefully increased the strength of the stimulation in Jane’s sex. By the time she had emptied Jane of her secrets, the girl was visibly squirming as the pulses went through her, and her skin was pinkening.

“Is that making you feel good, Jane?” Sally smirked.

“Feels so, so good,” whimpered Jane. She tried to move her hands to touch herself, but for some reason they wouldn’t obey.

Sally gestured to Barbie and Kimmy, who leaned over Jane and started to kiss her neck and breasts. Jane shivered as she felt the soft lips on her skin.

“Is that making you want to come, Jane? Do you want to come for me?”

“Please!” Jane moaned. “I want to come so, so badly...” Kimmy and Barbie stepped up that stimulation. “Please let me come, Dr Sally...”

“Of course my darling, of course.” Sally turned the simulation to near maximum and watched in amusement as Jane’s whole body stiffened, straining against the straps, and her face twisted in confusion. Then Kimmy and Barbie latched on to her nipples, and the dam broke: she wailed loudly, and shook as the climax soaked her body in ecstacy.

Sally let the stimulation run for a few more seconds, then turned it nearly all the way down. Jane’s body collapsed back into the cushions, and she sobbed in relief.

Kimmy and Barbie withdrew, and Sally pulled out a syringe from a small fridge.

“Just a little prickle,” she murmured to Jane, cleaning a spot on her thigh and injecting the drug. Jane didn’t even react, her nervous system still overcome.

Sally slowly raised the back of Jane’s chair, and swung a small TV in front of her face. Once correctly placed, she stroked Jane’s cheek softly until the girl’s eyes reopened.

“Wasn’t that nice, darling?” she cooed. “It feels so good to share, doesn’t it.”

Jane was still unable to speak, and could only nod slowly. She was feeling dizzy despite being in the chair.

“Let me show you something, darling. Watch it for me.” She turned on the TV and a pattern of lights started to flow across the screen.

“Look at my lights, Jane. Watch how they spiral around....” Sally pulled out some headphones. “Listen to my music Jane, let yourself go....” She delicately placed the headphones over Jane’s ears, and finished off by placing a soft band across Jane’s forehead to keep her head in place. “Perfect!” She kissed Jane’s cheek and left the room, watching as the entranced girl gazed at the screen.

Kimmy and Barbie were cleaning up the exam room. “Is she down now?” enquired Kimmy, wiping down the couch with antiseptic.

“Completely gone,” confirmed Sally. “Quite helpless and unable to resist. Of course, the trick is to make sure she doesn’t even think about resisting. You two had her eating out of your hands.”

“When do you want us to do the makeover?” Barbie asked.

Sally checked her watch. “She needs a good forty minutes for the whole program. Let’s say, eleven thirty. That gives us time to get her to the boardroom by one pm.”

She hung her doctor’s coat on a peg. “I’m going to get some coffee. Keep an eye on her for me, will you?”

Jane blinked. What had happened? She had been watching the screen, and there had been words murmuring in her ears... But now the screen was gone, and Dr Sally was sitting on the stool beside her.

“How do you feel, darling?” Sally reached out to take Jane’s hand. “I think you might have dropped off for a moment.”

“Okay, I think...” Jane’s head still felt fuzzy, as if she’d been for a long sleep.

“Let me help you up.” Sally guided Jane off the chair and onto her feet. “You did very well.”

“Thank you...” What had she been doing? Her memory was patchy.

Kimmy was standing next to the chair holding a robe. “Do you want to put this on, sweet pea? It will keep you warm.” She helped Jane into it.

Sally smiled at Jane. “Kimmy and Barbie are going to take you for a makeover. Have you ever had one before?”

“No, not really...” Jane and her cousin had played with making-up each other in their early teens, but it had been amateur at best.”

“You’ll love it, sweetie. We’re going to have so much fun!” Kimmy escorted her out of the office and into another small room, this one kitted out as a make-up studio with mirrors, bright lights, and a comfy chair for the guest.

Barbie was already laying out trays and tubs of products. “Have a seat, chickie! We’re going to make you gorgeous.”

Kimmy took the stool on the other side of Jane. “It’s easy, really. We just bring out your inner beauty.” She selected a brush. “I think you’d look stunning with a bit of contouring, don’t you Barbie?”

“Completely,” Barbie agreed. “And we’ve got some lovely clothes for you to try afterwards.”

Sally put her head around the door. “You’re in good hands, Jane. Have a lovely time. I’ll be back to pick you up in an hour or so.”

“Just relax, sweetie.” Kimmy draped a towel around Jane’s neck. “Let us do all the work.”

Jane closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the two girls’ ministrations.

The discussion in the boardroom was making progress, but it had been slow. Stephanie and Barbara were feeling fatigued and in need of some food; the MegaCorp reps had promised lunch just after 1pm. Samantha had finished her discussion with the ops team and joined them half an hour ago.

Stephanie was wondering where Jane had got to when the boardroom door opened and two smartly dressed professional women walked in. One was a tall blonde woman with a commanding bearing. The other, holding her hand was shorter and less apparently confident—wait, it was Jane.

Why was she wearing different clothes? Where had her glasses gone? For that matter, when had she learned to do her makeup and hair better than a teenager?

“Hello ladies. I’m Sally,” the blonde announced. “And I believe you know my colleague, Jane.”

“Your colleague?” asked Stephanie in confusion. “Jane, what’s going on?“

Jane took two steps forward and dropped a white envelope on the table in front of Stephanie. Stephanie slowly opened it, staring at Jane, and then dropped her eyes to read the letter inside. It didn’t take long, and she sat back in shock.

“You’re leaving JetBreak? Jane, have you gone nuts? We’re about to complete the acquisition, and you abandon us? Your friends?”

“Friends? Stephanie, you aren’t my friend,” shot back Jane. “Friends don’t screw each other over with a measly slice of equity because they know the other is too meek to make a fuss. Friends take an equal share of work, not swan off to tour VCs while the other is working a ninety hour week to hit deadline. Friends find someone to help when the other is pleading to shed some load.“

She indicated Sally and the MegaCorp team. ”These are my friends.“

“Wow. Jane grew some balls,” muttered Samantha. She winced as Barbara kicked her shin under the table.

Stephanie tried to hide the desperation in her voice. “Jane, you’re walking away from a fortune. Don’t be an idiot.” She paused. “Listen, if it’s about your share, then we can figure something out...”

“It was never all about the money,” replied Jane, with steel in her voice. “And perhaps now, it’s not so much about the money for you, either.” She turned on her heel and walked out, Sally following her with a suppressed smile playing on her lips.

“What did she mean by that? Babs?” Stephanie turned to her CFO, confused.

Danielle from MegaCorp cleared her throat. “I suspect she’s referring to the fact that she is—or, was—the only person on your team with any scaled knowledge of the codebase, because you’ve been too cheap to hire another engineering lead.”

“Told you that was a bad idea,” muttered Samantha, whose other shin then exploded in pain, causing her to yelp.

“You can’t just steal my engineering lead and her code!” protested Stephanie. “Being a big company doesn’t give you immunity from IP theft. You think I can’t get a lawyer to sue your asses for something so blatant?”

“Oh, my dear Stephanie,” Danielle smiled. “We haven’t taken your code. It’s yours, still, until and unless you decide to sell the rights. Though,” she stroked her chin in apparent thought, “I wonder what value it would have to any company who didn’t employ its creator? Possibly, not much. What do you think, Stephanie?”

Stephanie bit back a snarling reply. The arrogant bitch had a very good point. She knew she did, and she knew Stephanie knew she did.

“You’re not going to be paupers, ladies. Acquiring your code is still valuable to us. But without a competitive market for it, I think it would be fair to give us a substantial discount from the headline price. Shall we say, eighty percent?”

“That’s not too bad, especially without Jane’s share,” Barbara started, but Stephanie shut her down.

“Eighty percent is the discount, not the final price, Babs.” She glared at the serene Danielle. “I’m sorry, ladies. It appears that we were playing chess after all.”

She closed her eyes briefly, seeking an alternate exit, but there was only one.

“Give us your terms, Danielle.”

Sally brought Jane down to the basement parking lot. Jane was confused why she was here, but happy just to tag along with Sally. She was so kind, and so wise. Jane knew it was important to listen to and follow her, she would make Jane happy.

“See anything you like?” Sally asked, gesturing at the cars parked nearby.

Jane didn’t know what Sally meant, but gamely squinted at the cars—she was still adjusting to her new contact lenses.

A pair of headlights flashed at her. She peered through the windscreen of the new BMW to see blonde rings and a beaming smile.

“Kimmy!” She ran over to the car and reached through the lowered window to kiss her friend.

“Hello, gorgeous!” Kimmy gestured to the back seat. “Jump in and join Barbie. We’re going to your new apartment. I think you’ll find it quite the upgrade.”

“No mold, for instance,” confirmed Barbie, opening the door for Jane who eagerly jumped into the seat and hugged her.

“Sally got them to bring most of your stuff over already,” Kimmy noted, pulling the BMW out of the space and waving to Sally. Jane copied her. “We decided to splurge on your new bed though, so we’re giving away the old one.”

“Too small,” agreed Barbie.

“Way too small,” confirmed Kimmy. “How would we all fit? Also, the springs are apparently shot.”

“Do you like your car, chickie?” Barbie asked. “We had to take a guess on the color.”

“My car....?” Jane hadn’t been able to afford a car for years. She relied on buses and the occasional, grudgingly-approved company-funded rideshare once the buses became too infrequent and dangerous.

“Pink slip in the glovebox,” confirmed Kimmy.

Jane must have looked overcome, because Barbie pulled her close in a reassuring hug. “New life, chickie. Just ride with it.”

“Sally has ordered dinner delivery,” Kimmy remarked. “There’s a really nice Japanese place nearby—you like roe sushi rolls, don’t you?”

“But what will we do after food?” asked Barbie, apparently to the ceiling of the BMW.

Jane giggled, unable to help herself.

“Oh, I think sweet pea has an idea!” laughed Kimmy, turning onto the cross-street. “Tell us, sweetie, how would you like to celebrate your first day of work?”