May 1^st, 2085 @ 1055h – Ruby’s Apartment

Mikea, dressed in a two-piece black schoolgirl outfit with a scarf-like feature with one eye open, joined by suspenders, fell to the floor on her back. Bruised and bloodied, her red half-scissor blade was kicked away from her grasp, as she found herself staring down a black katana. Ruby, dressed in a uniform of blue, white, and gold, pressed a blue spiked heel into Mikea’s abdomen. She looked upon Mikea with disgust. “Fucking sparrow thought it could soar like me!” She slashed down Ruby’s sternum, splitting her uniform’s top and all the way down before slicing her skirt, in a way that curved to avoid her prize. Mikea grit her teeth as the pain of the cut, which left a long line of blood down her body, mixed with the pleasure of her member finally being freed.

Ruby, who went into the ‘fight’ without her panties, drove her pussy down on Mikea’s fabled cock, right down until their hips met, keeping her katana held at Mikea’s neck, even as the wild pleasure of the moment caused it to waver. Meeting Mikea’s gaze, Ruby licked her lips. “Don’t worry, sister; incest is a family tradition.” She pumped and rode Mikea with a thrilling kind of dominance, as the young woman’s mouth hung open and her eyes clenched. Ruby taunted her, “Exhibitionist slut, you wanted to lose!” Mikea offered no coherent response, as Ruby’s katana pierced her arm, deeper than any cut before, and Ruby reveled in the confused sight of Mikea’s pleasure meeting pain. The ability to inflict such sensations on the girl, to control them, to feel them as Mikea’s cock spasmed inside of her. That had to stop though, “Cum before I tell you, and no amount of regenerative life fibers will stitch it back on!” The girl trained to cum enough to put out fires had to hold it, but even as a Doll, Ruby’s pussy had a vice grip and the pain of her katana’s edge making her body a bloody art piece drained every ounce of willpower she had kept after her conversion.

Ruby knew it, so after slamming their hips together once more, she leaned down and kissed the girl, before biting her lip so hard that even Mikea’s special Doll skin burst. Blood filled both their mouths, so when their lips parted, a sanguine line connected them which then dripped over Mikea’s face.

It was a good day, interrupted when her intercom buzzed and cut the mood. With a snarl, Ruby stood and grabbed the receiver, it Reece was at reception. “Good morning, boss. A client has requested your attendance.”

Ruby aimed two fingers at Mikea. “Pause.” The Doll did, literally everything but basic functions paused, right down to the angle of her cock. Holding the receiver, Ruby took a moment to appreciate how no freeze command could slow the spurts and drizzle of blood from Mikea’s gashes.

“What is it, skidmark?”

“A client has requested your presence. He has also requested the presence of Doll Mikea.”

This intrigued her. “For what purpose?”

“He did not say.”

“He?” Ruby narrowed down the list of possible clients that would make that request. “Who’s he?”

“Unknown. But is address is…”

Ruby nearly dropped the phone. “Tell him I need to clean up here, and then we’ll be right over. But…” She looked at Mikea, “It might be an hour or two.”

Reece, dutiful as always reminded her, “You have an interview scheduled with Ms. Korsakova of Lascivious Love at 1430h. Please be-“

“Tell her I’ve been called out of town. Let one of the squad do it, that’ll either be informative enough or a good laugh. Get Tess to do it, she’ll be both.”

“Understood, boss. Message has been delivered; do you require anything else?”

“I’d ask for a demonstration why you don’t steal from us, but I’m satisfied with the one we’ve got.” She hung up, and looked back at Mikea who was still in the exact same position. Her eyes hadn’t even moved a fraction of a millimeter.

Ruby sheathed her katana and slammed it on the ground. “Return to normal function and unpause.”

Mikea writhed and pushed back on a weight that wasn’t there anymore. Her programming freeing her from Ruby’s influence, until she demanded it again, allowing her to speak freely. “What happened!? Did something get fucked?”

Ruby motioned to what was her guest room, until Mikea moved in recently. “You spend much time looking through your closet?”

“Yeah, and thanks for all that, and not putting it on my tab.”

“I need you to run a heavy regeneration cycle, close those cuts up, then take a shower and put on some of the vintage rich people shit I left for you, but slut it up. No skirt or dress below six inches from your knees, we’re going out.”

“To whore up some rich assholes?”

“To meet our number one client.”

Mikea clapped, “Holy shit, am I gonna meet the one that sends us gold diggers?”

“I’ve never been to his place, but he called for both of us.”

“That mega-trillionaire knows about me?!”

“You won’t remember this, but once while you were in the show room I turned off your awareness. While I said I’d let you keep it on while servicing clients, he was the exception.” Ruby nearly laughed. “When I cleaned you up and returned you to the pedestal, you didn’t even notice when I turned it back on. You left at the end of the day not knowing he’d spread your ass apart and shoved his fist in it; he wore you like a sock puppet, did some ventriloquist shit, it was amazing!”

Mikea turned redder than the stone Ruby was named after, “When was that?!”

“Does it matter? Regenerate at maximum, refill your tank, shower, wash your hair, and dress Old-World haute whorey. I’m going to put myself together for this as well. You have an hour, go.”

Mikea didn’t have a chance to complain about the timeline before Ruby went into her own bedroom and shut the door. Authentic Old-World vintage was the style of the wealthy and Ruby had a fair bit of it from her first run at being in her 30’s, but this was a business client, so she had to narrow down her choices. Over the course of decades, men and women’s business attire had changed. Women wore suits, while men got away with suspenders, a casually buttoned shirt, vest, and had ditched ties in favour of focusing on accessories which made them stand out. A man’s watch, necklace, shoes, and rings were what they strove for.

Women needed sharply tailored suits, not pantsuits from the 2010’s, but proper slacks, undershirts, and jackets. Still, they wore heels, which were expected to match the suit, as well as the tie, for that reason black heels with a crimson sole would work to match her black suit and crimson tie. Ruby wondered why ties switched to women’s wear; her two theories were that they accentuated the bust and were a sort of collar designed to subtly reign in a woman’s rights which had been in flux post-K36. Everything came from before then, and she wore labels which no longer existed like Versace and Hugo Boss.

Before leaving, Ruby pulled back a poster and accessed another safe. Dialing in two combinations within certain number ranges led to the safe remaining closed but primed it to be opened by the real combination. It was smaller than her other safe, only containing her M1911A1, a box of .45 bullets and a few magazines for it, a sealed box Old-World cigarettes with lighter, and a set of keys. She grabbed and holstered the pistol at her left side, took a couple magazines and slotted them into the other side, grabbed the cigarettes out of their case with the lighter, before hooking her finger around the keyring and leaving the bedroom.

Ruby adjusted her tie and demanded that Mikea hurry.

The employee carpark had typical parking spaces, but also a few single-car garages which lay against the fence. Tess had her motorcycle, a workhorse 2077 General Dynamics which ran on fuel derived from petroleaf, a grown plant which could be refined into a viable gasoline substitute. One was vacant, one was used for storage, another featured Mikea’s Suzuki J84-F which was a recent electric variant with a fusion reactor upgrade.

Ruby led Mikea straight to the first locker, which required more than a key to open. A key only opened a keypad for a code eight digits long. Mikea thought that would be it, but the keypad only slid open a sterilized tray. Taking the edge of a dagger she kept sheathed inside her jacket, Ruby ran its edge along her finger and dropped blood into the tray before slamming it closed. A second later, the hermetic seal and locks disengaged, and she pulled up the door which hadn’t been opened since 2075. Inside was a set of tools; a giant container of authentic petrol (you could tell by the smell which had been drilled, and which came from grown petroleaf); and a well-maintained, pristine silver 1973 Dodge Charger SE 400.

“Get in, tart.” She unlocked the driver’s seat door before opening Mikea’s. Firing the ignition, she revved the engine for the fun of it as Mikea had to hold on to the side of her seat as Ruby tore out of the garage, its door closing automatically behind her. Once free of the parking lot and on the street, Ruby shifted gears and flew past one-hundred and sixty kilometres per hour as if she were on the freeway, dodging cars, using opposite lanes, and generally ignoring what remained of Toronto’s traffic laws.

Their destination was a mansion in Toronto’s evergreen exclusive Bridal Path. Pre- and post-K36, celebrities and business tycoons ruled the neighbourhood which bordered Edward’s Gardens, which was still one of Toronto’s most popular ravines. However, while Edward’s Gardens remained public, the Bridal Path had undergone incredibly intense security upgrades. A fifteen-foot fence, topped with electrified barbed wire and security cameras cordoned off the entire neighbourhood, and the there were only three streets/ access points which connected it with the rest of the city. At each point was an airlock of sorts, with gates that were raised and lowered at the bullet-proof and re-enforced guard station. Between the barriers was a bleeding-edge vehicle scanner, capable of detecting the contents of both vehicle and passenger/s. Three men stood guard, with one behind the glass and two others ready to direct incoming vehicles. Residents with the right pass could easily go through, but Ruby and Mikea would be subjected the full treatment.

As they approached Ruby ordered Mikea to, “Put your legs up on my lap.”

“Why?”

“It was a big deal back in the day to have a hot girl posed like that as you drove.” Ruby put two Old-World cigarettes into her mouth and lit them, passing one to Mikea. “The new tobacco doesn’t smell like the Old-World stuff, and we need to look and even smell like we belong.”

Pulling up to the first barrier, a security guard carrying an advanced SMG of MP5 lineage tapped on the glass which Ruby pulled down. He demanded their NICs, which he took to a station which was wired to the NATO database, and then checked them against an authorized list before handing them back. First barrier down, then came the scan. The vehicle and its petrol were authentic, so was the tobacco in their cigarettes, even their clothing’s fibres were checked for authenticity. Old-World meant money, and that made the process easier. It also showed that Ruby was completely human aside from her lungs, and that Mikea was a Doll.

The first guard asked Mikea about that, “Your NIC says you’re human.”

Ruby spoke for Mikea, “We kept it because she can operate autonomously, unless I’m in command. You didn’t notice any weapons in her, did you?” Ruby was carrying a sidearm, but that was common. Besides, the guards who roamed the Bridal Path’s streets were equipped with weaponry that outclassed the sidearms Toronto residents could openly carry. Even if she wanted to start trouble, she’d be dead in seconds.

The guard shook his head and referred to the list again. He confirmed that Mikea would be a Doll with a valid NIC. “No internal weapons on that thing?” He asked the guard monitoring the scan while pointing to Mikea. The guard inside gave the thumbs-up. “All right, he’s expecting you. Remember that unless you’re on his private property, you will be monitored at all times.” He took the radio microphone on his shoulder and broadcasted that the license plate, make of vehicle, and that two female passengers inside were cleared for entry. Every guard walking the streets would have otherwise shot them on sight.

Inside the gates was an absurd display of wealth. Pre-K36, the Bridal Path had five times as many lots as many were owned by those in Toronto’s financial sector, it being Canada’s financial capital. When K-36 obliterated stock markets and much of international trade, many of the wealthy residents lost their entire fortunes. Soon, their properties were absorbed by neighbours, who tore down fences and consolidated lots, and in the reconstruction period, built modern palaces to rival Versailles. There was an additional security checkpoint at the foot of the driveway Ruby pulled up to, but an order came as they approached to open the gate. The driveway was long, dense along the sides with a cacophony of bloomed flowers, and an ivy-rich metal archway which made Ruby feel like she was driving through a tunnel to another world. It managed to impress even her.

As they pulled up underneath the stone canopy at two massive Art Deco front doors, Ruby reluctantly threw her keys to a valet before trying to take in the scope of the building. It was something out of the 1920’s gilded age, five storeys tall, and decorated with meticulously crafted glass windows, sculptures, and of course a blooming kind of ivy which snaked up the building that was engineered to have dark leaves and golden blossoms, the classic Art Deco colour scheme.

Two servants each opened the doors for them, as Ruby and Mikea walked up the marble steps and onto a floor of re-enforced obsidian, gold, and ruby. All ‘rays’ met a sun pattern in the middle of the foyer, its ‘light’ piercing through the white marble floor.

“Shit, Ruby! Look!”

So desensitized to nudity, Ruby’s attention had been on the décor and not the eight Dolls which stood naked and at attention, four on each side leading to a giant staircase draped in sanguine and gold carpet, which split into three at its first landing.

Ruby examined the Dolls, all frozen in place and unblinking. Busty, perfectly sculpted cunts, hourglass forms, immaculately detailed hands and feet, perfectly tight abdomens… They were Toronto Servos made. To be sure, Ruby looked at the ass of one of them and found the tattoo showing the number of marks her best client had spent on her.

Her best client… Ruby didn’t even know his name. As he descended the staircase, throwing out his arms in greeting, he rectified that fact.

A handsome man, a square jawline with scratchy stubble, eyes of ocean blue, standing 6’4”, and obviously a man who not only cared for his body, but whose musculature suggested either top-tier steroid therapy or a man who could likely bench a few hundred pounds. Not the strongest man alive, but in incredible shape. As he came down, he beckoned for Ruby. As expected, his outfit fit expectations, but the jewellery of platinum bands, and a gold wrist watch from the 1920’s were a sight to behold.

“It’s been more than a decade since I’ve laid eyes on you, and I can see that gene therapy has slowed your aging considerably. You’ve barely aged a year. Enjoying being reunited with the fruits of your labour? I certainly have.” Ruby walked to the centre of the sun and waited for him, still smoking her Old-World cigarette, something the man has no concern with, he even reached into his vest pocket for one. “Spare a light, for a friend?”

“Client No. M15C29-76.” Ruby felt uneasy, she had been so consumed with arriving that she never questioned why, and that fact bothered her. To be obsessed with the goal and lose the details.

He amiably smiled. “Let’s fix that. The name is Xavier Wolff.” He held his hand out which Ruby shook firmly. “Xavier will do for you, but your Doll over there will address me as Mr. Wolff.” He glanced at Mikea who was still inspecting the gold digger dolls.

Mikea asked, “How’d you…“ She paused, seeing Ruby glare at her. She sighed, fighting her rebellious streak with having to deal with authority. “Mr. Wolff, how did you know I was made a Doll?”

“I keep tabs on who I do business with.” A line that Ruby bristled at. “It looks like a slutty punk rocker, no wonder you keep it as a companion.”

Ruby was realizing how much Xavier knew about her. “My personal preferences part of ensuring good business relations too?” She didn’t care how much money he had; she would be direct.

Xavier even seemed to enjoy someone challenging him. “I took a guess when we met. Your leather and attitude don’t exactly stray far from the type, either.”

“I’ve been through a lot of shit.”

“Most people are terrified to swear in my presence.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” Ruby hoped he bought that. “You’ve got more money than high above, but you can only kill me once.” Something wasn’t right, and Ruby was immediately defensive.

“Pause your Doll.”

Mikea was about to protest before Ruby paused her as she had done earlier, she became like the eight, mindlessly locked in place. “Is this where you explain death is the salvation from agony?”

Xavier folded his arms. “I didn’t expect you to be so hostile.”

“Why did you call us here?”

“To delve into experiences, you’ve never had before.” He smiled. “And to take part in a celebration. Now, these are the Dolls you’ve made for me, lovely pieces.”

“You contract with other garages?” Ruby let her guard down somewhat, and tried sarcasm to take the edge off. “I’m hurt.”

“There’s other Dollmakers out there, Montreal for example. Do you know why I chose you?”

“I’m guessing it’s not our impressive skills. Although compared to Montreal’s garage a child with a foam hammer would be the easy choice.”

He smiled, “Montreal does have a talented team, and has created some impressive gadgets, but your hard edge and something I saw in you won me over.” He strolled past Mikea and down one line of Dolls. “I have pitted one of the Dolls against a real girl a few times. I have a game I play with indebted high-grade whores; I get three of my guys, and they each get a blowjob from both the Doll and the girl, with both are concealed as to not bias the process. If two of my men vote the girl was better, I wipe clean her debt. If she loses, I have my way with her before my men take her away to be hung with hook up through her jaw, dying of dehydration or hypothermia or whatever in a meat locker.” He studied Ruby’s reaction, fascination in both their eyes. “We put the temperature up just enough, so hypothermia doesn’t win every time while moving the meats to another locker, so they won’t spoil. I’ve considered drinking the blood and eating their flesh, but the number of dicks that have been in those girls, who cares if they’re grades above street whores, the thought disgusts me.”

Xavier studied Ruby’s eyes. “Do you know now? It’s because when I said that your expression didn’t turn to disgust or even apathy, I can see it in your eyes that you wished you could witness that.” Xavier patted Ruby on the shoulder. “You’re a true sadist like me, a real one that delights in not only suffering but death. Death of the body, or in your line of work- death of the self. You live for it; we are the same.”

Ruby didn’t even refute it. “Mikea knows these things, there was no need to pause her.”

“Why, out of all the Dolls you’ve made, do you treat that one like a person?”

“Got a soft spot for other trannies.”

“Oh, that explains the ‘recently updated’ flag I got sent when they scanned its NIC.”

“Is this going to be a problem? I won’t dismember or destroy Mikea even if you offered me a pallet of cash.”

“It’s your property.” Xavier placed his hands in his pockets. “I plan to use her for something, and you’ll be compensated for that, but I have no intention of destroying what is yours.”

“You’d like nothing better.”

“Yes. I was going to offer to buy it from you, so I can watch- as you do- the last glimpse of its selfhood die. However, it’s become clear that won’t happen. Are you two an item?”

“We’ve become closer than I anticipated.” Ruby admitted. “You can still rent her. But is that the reason you asked us here?”

“Not the sole one, and I’m sure I’ll be laying some cash in your hand to rent her shortly.”

“You know the rules, no permanent changes.”

“I might be a sadist, but I’m also a gentleman.”

“One quality easily betrays the other.” Ruby had to ask about something that had been oddly comforting, “We’re both standing in your home. You must be remarkably restrained to not have taken us by now. We wouldn’t have a chance.” She wondered, “Or is that coming?”

Xavier looked like he was having fun for the first time in a while, smiling and shaking his head, “If I wanted to, you’d already be mine. But no matter how much I’ve thought about it, you’re more amusing and useful to me as you are.” He locked eyes with her, “Perhaps one May- apologies, I misspoke, I meant to say…” He deliberately took time to speak his next word and did so with intent. ‘…day’.”

A chill ran up Ruby’s spine, that was no mistake. Xavier spoke with such precise language until then; he was toying with her. But to what end? Perhaps there wasn’t one beyond his amusement. She pushed beyond it, “Now that we know each other, how about we have some fun? I don’t get to see a mega-trillionaire’s mansion every day, and I bet you’ve got some good fucking shit to show off.”

“Of course. But before you unpause your Doll, I have a question: of the eight here you converted for me, which one’s your favourite?”

“The brunette.” Ruby didn’t need to think about it. “She was spicier than the others, actually had a personality. I could see how you’d grow bored of her, but her tasteful (unlike the rest) implants and cute shoulder-length hair, which I see you’ve kept, made her memorable.”

“I’ll pay you five-million marks to put a bullet through its head, blow out the grey matter and make it a useless pile of trash.” He pointed to her holster. “That .45 should provide quite the show.”

Ruby walked with Xavier to the brunette, the only brunette in the line-up. She scoffed at him, “I’m not some puppet for your money.”

“Oh, but you are.”

“I like creating Dolls, the cash is a bonus.”

“And what about this? Don’t you want to feel the blood splatter? Hear the body drop? Destroy what inane excuse for a life it has left?”

Ruby indulged herself and unholstered her gun, raising it up at a speed which confirmed Xavier’s theory about her.

“Closer.” Xavier demanded. “Point-blank, the shockwave should pulverize what’s left of Amelia.”

Ruby felt the urge to acquest and racked the slide before putting the barrel a centimeter from the Doll’s head. As she did, Xavier commanded the Doll, “Doll 5, restore personality!” As Ruby’s finger depressed the trigger, Xavier’s words caught up to her, and she could have flicked on the safety in time as the Doll began acting like a terrified person, but she didn’t. One bullet fired, blowing out the back of the Doll’s head along with its contents. What was left crumpled to the ground as salvageable parts, as Ruby would call it.

She flicked the safety back on and holstered her weapon quietly. “Is this how wealthy sadists have their fun?”

Xavier was still savouring the look in the Doll’s eyes when its personality realized what was about to happen. “You got to kill it twice. Do you think it recognized you? How’s that feel?”

As people often fight deep down thoughts of darkness, Ruby had to snuff out the light. “If you want to make it an even eight again, we’ve got plenty of Dolls in our showroom and catalogue.”

“No, eight is an unlucky number. The five million is yours, you’ll have everything you earn before you leave.”

Ruby turned and pointed two fingers to Mikea, “Unpause.”

“Fucking shit!!” Mikea immediately saw the two and the Doll’s splattered corpse. “What the fuck did you do?!”

Ruby walked up to her. “Made some money.”

Mikea was almost nervous at Ruby’s approach. “Don’t fucking take that thing out at me!”

Xavier, still admiring the gore which was an expensive Doll spoke calmly. “This won’t be your fate.” Mikea only eyed him with suspicion.

Ruby reached and stroked Mikea’s cheek gently, “It’s all right, we’re just alike. Having some fun.”

“You’re not ever going to have that kind of sick fun with me, are you?!”

Xavier strolled up to them, “I can see I’ve caused it some stress. There’ll be no more destruction of Dolls. Come, let me treat you to something, and there’s people I want you to meet, Ms. Eve.” He began walking towards one of the corridors, and Ruby took Mikea’s hand; Ruby had seen so much worse, but had forgotten that Mikea was New-World, and young at that. Despite the fistfights, smashed bottles, and even pointed pistols she no doubt had experienced as part of a punk rock band, the sight of a Doll like her having been casually executed must not be easy.

“You’re with me, Mikea.” Ruby said quietly as they followed Xavier deeper into his mansion. “I won’t let anything happen to you, but he does plan to rent you. Standard client rules.”

“You’re terrifying, you know that?”

Ruby sighed with a nod. “You don’t live my life and escape becoming a monster.”

“I don’t think you’re a monster.” Mikea held onto Ruby as they walked. “I just think you’re terrifying.”

“If it means anything, I’ve dealt with men like him before. I don’t think he’s going to hurt you. He’s got some other indulgence planned; they always do.”

Xavier reached a couple of doors and pointed to the signs gilded above. Underneath ‘Oasis Changing Rooms’ there was ‘Persons’ and ‘Non-Persons’. “The people I’d like you to meet are enjoying the oasis as you’ll be soon, but there’s a dress code. Ruby and I go through one dressing room, and the Doll goes through the other.”

“What’s the difference?” Mikea asked, before having to correct herself. “Mr. Wolff, what’s the difference?”

“Clothing is forbidden on Dolls in the Oasis; something inside will take yours from you.” He turned to Ruby, “I realize I didn’t mention anything about a pool, but I know your measurements. Appropriate attire is waiting for us inside.”

“Ruby…” Mikea’s personally truly was free, while her inhibitions and a few other qualities had been changed, she could still be nervous.

“If he was going to destroy us, he would have done so already.” Ruby echoed Xavier’s words. “Besides, I’m curious what a Doll dressing room looks like, you’ll have to tell me.”

Xavier smiled, “Sadly your Doll will only be given a measure of the usual treatment, normally there’s a whole process of specialized programming and alterations to the body specifically for such a place, but it’ll only be undressed. The attendant won’t even insert anything into it.”

Mikea didn’t wait, quickly dropping her skirt to the floor, pulling off her top and bra, kicking her heels off and throwing it all into a pile. Standing with her human appearing but still immaculately kept naked Doll body before them she asked, “Can I go in directly now? You gotta have a door to just walk through into the damn place. Is that it?” She pointed to the side of the hallway, there was in fact a direct door with ‘Oasis Entrance’ above it.

Xavier considered the request and was amused enough to open the door for Mikea before realizing, “We were meant to enter first. They see you, they might want to use you, and being a Doll, you’ll be expected to comply.”

Ruby had a solution, “Mikea, keep a tab. Whatever you make is yours, but we won’t be long.”

“Fine, just hurry it up, all right?” She walked through the doorway and into the scorching sun.

Xavier closed it behind her. “Talking back to its owner, that’s something.”

“I don’t quite own her, she’s only in debt.”

“What’s the difference?”

“You owe me five million marks, do I own you?”

Xavier conceded, “Sharp as ever.”

What Mikea walked into wasn’t a pool area, it was a sprawling jungle with paved stones, a four-storey waterfall which cascaded down into a river which led to a wider pool whose deep-end she couldn’t even see the bottom of. Everything smelled and looked so beautiful and lush. She then realized she wasn’t the only Doll, there were many completely naked servants of both sexes servicing people. Behind her the door opened, and the seven surviving Dolls already nude passed her without a second glance and began running their program to enjoy the space and attend to guests. They were laughing and giggling like schoolgirls, but even as a couple leapt into the pool, a woman with stunning blonde hair and a radiant sapphire bikini paid no attention to them.

Ruby soon walked out in a similarly styled ivory bikini, feeling a little strange, as her shop always associated these kinds of white ‘wrappings’ to be something a Doll would wear. Xavier’s swimming trunks and polo shirt were far more colourful, and it wasn’t lost on Ruby or Mikea that the primary colour he wore were ruby red.

Everyone turned to them when they entered. One man raised his hand, “Boss! Get lost in your palace again?”

Xavier motioned for people to come over, and the man waved away the hunky Doll that was massaging his back so he could do so. Xavier called out that he had someone to introduce, and two more men came down the steps from behind the foliage, they had been enjoying one of the waterfall’s higher tiers. The woman in the sapphire bikini, who Ruby’s eyes fell upon immediately, swam up to the side of the pool and effortlessly lifted herself up out of it. She wasn’t a brawler, but her abs and trapezoids marked her as someone with some strength.

“Lady, gentlemen, may I introduce you to a long-time partner of mine, Ms. Ruby Eve. Former NATO spec ops and air force officer, current owner of Toronto Servos which has created some of the Dolls most of you enjoy now.” He pointed at Mikea, “Including that one, although she made the questionable decision to allow it to maintain a semblance of independence. But to each their own, right?” The blonde had locked eyes with Ruby as she nodded, folding her arms. Xavier brought his hands together, “Okay, from left to right, the people that made yesterday’s hostile take-over in the South-Pacific possible, and are here to celebrate, alongside you two: Marcel Jervis, Chief Technology Officer. Jan Bryson, Chief Intelligence Officer. Lee Hatch, Chief Financial Officer. And last but not least: Eria Piper, Chief Propagandist Officer.”

Ruby glanced at Xavier, “You felt comfortable telling them my history…” Although the fact he didn’t say her rank might be a good sign, NATO still guards certain secrets exceptionally well. “What…“ She remembered hearing Marcel Jervis’ name on the radio, and realized it was on a few wholesale invoices she received. Speaking to Xavier she exclaimed, “You’re CEO of Second Sun!”

Xavier looked at his watch. “Took you long enough, I thought you’d have taken a better look at the floor in the foyer. Most people do miss the exact design of the sun.”

“Was it you, Xavier, who saved ITER and made fusion power a reality?”

“And my team.” He graced his arms across the rest. “But it was my idea, much like you and your ‘squad’, I made it all come together, and we made a killing in the process.” Xavier held his finger to his lips. “Why do you…” He explained to the members of his C-Suite, “She calls her co-workers ‘the squad’, and that one I’ve never been able to figure out.”

Ruby did her best to explain. “There was a show called Saturday Night Live. Bill Hader did this bit where he was a gameshow host testing if contestants knew the names of their friends’ wives and such. An angry contestant asked him to name some of his friends’ wives, to which he responded: ‘Those guys, they don’t have wives’.”

Xavier finished her explination, doing his best impression of the man, “I happen to run with a group of problematic bachelors, and we call ourselves: the squad.” He laughed out loud. “That’s the origin of the Toronto Servos squad?!”

Ruby folded her arms. “I started using it and it stuck. Besides, we’re all problematic bachelors, bachelorettes.”

A voice like silk spoke, “Unmarried, are we? Shame the gold rings I put on people tend to go around the neck, but you wouldn’t be interested in that would you?” Eria took another step towards Ruby. “Oh, the things I could do to you… Come with me, and I’ll show you sensations you’ve never…”

“Very kind offer, but I’ll pass on that.” Ruby waved her off. “The one you’re looking for is Mikea, but it’ll cost you.”

“I’m only into real girls, sweetie. Dolls are too easy.” She considered, “Slaves too, it’s like having a more depressing and less skilled Doll. That’s why so many of them end up in meat lockers.” She looked over towards one of the servants in disgust. “Even still, Dolls are overrated.”

“Not that one.” Ruby beckoned Mikea closer, but she didn’t make it to the group before Xavier clapped his hands.

“Introductions out of the way, and speaking of Gals and Dolls, I’ve got both to enjoy!” He leaned into Ruby’s ear. “If you want to know a real one, look for a tattoo of our logo on the cheek.”

“Brought in whores for this one?”

“No, they’re mine like the Dolls, I just own them the old fashion way.”

“NATO maintains slavery is illegal.”

“How fortunate you don’t work for them anymore, and you’re no narc. Go on, report me.”

“You know I won’t.” Ruby conceded, “And I think you know that I don’t care.”

“And that’s what I love about you.”

Ruby steadily pushed him away. “I’m going to that bar over there. Leave love out of this.”

“I’d like to rent Mikea for a few hours. With additional time for a custom personality, temporary of course.”

Ruby stopped and aimed two fingers at Mikea, something Mikea couldn’t look away from. “Enter Client mode. Unlock temporary persona slot. Xavier Wollf has command over you for the next…” She looked at Xavier who held up four fingers. “Four hours. Begin.”

A change came over Mikea, and she looked at Xavier. Her rebellious, hardened personality was still in place, and she scoffed at him. “You think you can handle…”

“Go blank & follow, Doll.” Xavier began walking to a gorgeous solarium by the oasis, not even bothering to check if Mikea was following. “I have something special in mind for you.” He left Ruby and the others, as Mikea silently followed him inside, at which point he drew the curtains.

At the bar, a Doll obviously created for the sole purpose of providing drinks asked Ruby what she wanted when she planted herself on a hand-carved rosewood and copper stool. Her reply was immediate, “The most expensive thing you have, filled to the brim in the largest glass you have.” It didn’t question the order and went to pouring a full glass of 70-year-old, Old-World bourbon from an exclusive distillery. Ruby watched the glass fill with anticipation.

“Maybe I came on a little strong.” Eria planted herself down on the stool beside her. “But hearing you were such a capable NATO operative has only intrigued me further.” She noticed the glass. “I hope your liver’s been modified.” She lit a cigarette and blew it in the bartender Doll’s face, before offering one to Ruby which she accepted.

“It’s mostly classified, I don’t know what you hope to gain from talking about it.”

“Start with what isn’t, sweetheart.”

Ruby bristled slightly at the name, “My name is Ruby.”

“Is that what they called you in NATO?”

“That’s classified.” There were some details to share. “But during the post-K36 operations those like me abandoned their old names, put them on a shelf, until it was done. Then I became Ruby again.” Ruby thought of her own question, “A former NATO operative walks into your Corpocrat midst, and none of you look to intend me harm.”

“We live in harmony, Ruby. Capitalism was never going to last. The key was that the decadent, foolish ones knew it and built bunkers and islands for when ‘the event’ happened. Except they expected the oppressed rabble whom they had bled dry to come for them, those who suffered so long under the rot which Capitalism infected every old state in the world with.” As Ruby was served, Eria ordered a manhattan. “When the sky literally fell, they all scuttled into the ‘safety’ of those bunkers, expecting to fight off some initial waves of unrest before,” She laughed at the thought, “Re-emerging as the kings and queens they thought they were.”

“But they never got the chance.” Ruby took a deep sip; it was fucking orgasmic. “Because you Orcas came for them, some of our agents watched it happen.”

“Orcas?” Eria was intrigued. “What do you mean?”

“NATO ops slang. The billionaires thought themselves the largest fish in the ocean, until the likes of you swallowed them whole. We watched as those bunkers were looted by professionals, their occupants executed on their lawns or in their beds, and their wealth was taken and concentrated into the hands of even fewer. As an Orca swims, it consumes all, even the largest fish. You killed nearly all the world’s billionaires, and quite a few multi-millionaires who still had something to their name. The big fish, you took them all. That’s why we called your kind the Orca Class.”

“I love it!” Eria clapped her hands before taking a drink, seemingly unimpressed. She berated the bartender, “Manhattan recipe No. 2, variant 3. You don’t have an original thought in that head, do you?” The bartender politely nodded in agreement. “Either way, new tattoo idea! But why did you think we’d be hostile towards NATO? We’re within its borders right now.”

“I lived through the dying days of capitalism; I don’t trust your intentions. No matter how many taxes you pay, no many how many donations you make. I fought to make the NATO Superstate for a more stable future, and I’m surrounded by people who act just like the ones you killed.”

Eria nodded, “A fair assumption, Ruby. But did you ever consider why we cut the wheat from the chaff? I said it before, we knew capitalism wasn’t going to last. But whereas those that perished hated the very notion of the state and were concerned with petty things like tax rates and deregulation, the smartest- the Orcas saw an opportunity in NATO.” She took another sip of her perfectly made, sadly expected drink. “Every person here lived through those days too. When where you born? 90’s?”

“1983.” Ruby was honest, maybe because the best bourbon she’d ever had was gracing her tongue. “You?”

“1987.” Erin smiled in delight. “While we were off ‘taking care’ of our own, swallowing up those giant fishes, NATO was hard at work keeping the world from descending into chaos. Did you disarm any nukes?”

“We moved so quickly to disarm so many nations I forgot what time was, I lived by the official clock as I moved across the world. The rush to disarm Israel before it was destroyed, India, Pakistan, Iran, we were going for North Korea before it was turned into a wasteland, we couldn’t touch Russia or China yet, but…”

“But you did fuck them up royally. Was that you flying the Three Gorges operation?”

“That’s classified.” Ruby took another blissful sip. “But the chaos, once we got back on our own feet, proved useful. ICBMs became useless when K36 happened, so we didn’t need to fear retaliation that wasn’t from bombers or subs, and even those Old-World things had become reliant on satellite data. We swept the world’s most unstable nuclear powers clean…” She paused and looked to Eria, “Then we established a globe spanning NATO Superstate, we might not have much of a presence in the Southern Hemisphere, but we do have more of a presence than even the United States once did, before its collapse.” Ruby took a long drink, “That was a bitch to work through, you’d think Iran or Israel would be the hard part, no it was the fucking fragments of a nation so dependant and addicted to its technology that K36 was like dragging a twenty-year heroin addict into rehab by the hair.”

Ruby was still confused, “And you don’t have a problem with any of that, Corpocrat?”

“You’re a smart woman. While the world burned and entire countries were obliterated or consumed, NATO kept the civilized world safe. After ’41, we returned here with our loot and actually liked what we saw. Universal healthcare, housing, grocery vouchers, running water for everyone, people’s needs met.”

“Those you ‘swallowed’ would be appalled.”

“Which is why they didn’t see the big picture. A healthy, stable government which provided for its citizens bred better workers, more educated workers at a time when the world had lost more than half its population. I pay my taxes without concern, I already have everything I could want, the mantra of ‘more, more, more’ calls to me sometimes, but it’s nothing in the face of low turnover, increased productivity, the obsolescence of labour unions, and worker bees that show up to work having had a good night’s rest. They don’t lie awake at night wondering if they could afford rent, because you gave them all apartments.” Eria clinked her glass to Ruby’s. “We both lived through the end of late capitalism, it scarred me too. It brought nothing but ruin. Still, our goals aren’t altruistic, the foundation of NATO allows us Corpos to operate in ways we never could before. Go ahead and demand we pay taxes, it’s worth it to thrive in the global power with a workforce it cares for; one that doesn’t frighten us Orcas into building such fucking stupid bunkers, by the people who would still be here if they could have seen beyond the immediate future. By the people that may even have been able to stop K36, but definitely the fact it’s the first of May and forty degrees out.”

Eria toasted, “To the neostatist future, to the NATO Superstate, and to the Orca Class which thrives within the waters of its deep blue flag.”

Ruby understood, but still made mention, “And of the non-NATO states? We disarmed those with nuclear capability, and sowed chaos to break and ensure other states would tear each other apart. However, from my understanding, your embrace of NATO only goes as far as its borders. I heard of Second Sun and companies of its strength taking quite the advantage of all of those unfortunate enough to live outside our border.”

Eria nodded, “But that doesn’t concern NATO, so long as we help maintain it. I’m certain you’re not shocked to hear that slavery exists in this world, and that the Second Sun Company exploits the rabble in the ruins of the Old-World for all its worth. We even established a sovereign state on Africa’s eastern coast, a nice little base of operations, with company script replaced whatever currencies they used.”

“So Corpos are building states now?” Ruby had heard rumours. “NATO won’t…”

“They won’t interfere so long as we keep supporting the civilized world they created. Why, do you care?”

Ruby finished her cigarette, and Eria offered another which Ruby took. “I fought for the NATO Superstate and all those within it. I probably helped you out, but we didn’t target East Africa. Closest we came was the Middle East, that was the priority.”

“Yes, but K36 did enough work for us once we burned away the cancer within our class. Africa wasn’t exactly a bastion of stability to begin with. Meanwhile, I got to see so much of New Zealand, even killed a multi-billionaire myself. Those tech bros were the easiest, the most delusional, the newest money, and of course the most reliant on things which K36 obliterated. Not that the old money fared much better. Xavier killed a king.”

“But you were still wealthy enough at the time of all this. What were you?”

“I worked my way up from nothing, literally living on the streets. I climbed ranks with gangs, bought my way into a good school, made smart connections, and inch by inch took what the people I’d leave rotting on their manicured lawns tried to take from me. Now that’s over, now the Old-World’s never coming back. Thanks to us, thanks to K36, and thanks to you NATO.” Eria patted Ruby on the shoulder, “NATO and the Orcas, we may not have been formal partners, but I like to think of us as such.” She leaned back on the bar. “Now, where do you think a killer whale tattoo would go best? And I am going to tell everyone.”

Ruby thought, “Whale used to practically be a slur, at least when we were young.” She spoke like they didn’t inhabit the bodies of early-thirty-year-olds.

“Times changed.”

Ruby looked around the oasis, at the Dolls, the slaves, and the elite who took full advantage of them both. “And yet so much stayed the same. Fuck it, I guess. It’s here now.” She admitted, “I did fucking hate my smartphone. Skipped that thing across Lake Michigan like a stone shortly after K36. Now it’s like society was put up on a branch belonging to the 1950’s, before falling and clipping every branch of every decade on the way down, before hitting the ground as some bizarre mix of what came before.”

“It’s nice.” Eria was honest. “And I’d include the 1920’s there too, seeing as…” She motioned to Xavier’s estate. “When you strip away the hegemony which international communications and easy access to the internet created, you end up with a spectacular patchwork of ideas.”

“And a new hegemony.” Ruby took another sip. “But at least it’s the better world I fought for. And we avoided going all socialist, or communist, that kind of crap our age group spouted about the workers got real old; the future was always in the state, and freeing it from capitalist shackles.”

Eria pulled Ruby around to face her. “See, we can work together. Now if only you’d reconsider my offer.”

“I’m not a sub. I’m not a masochist. Mikea will surprise you.”

Eria’s eyes subtle glanced behind Ruby. “You know, perhaps you’re right. Here. Sign of good faith, you wanted the expensive stuff? That’s for C-Suite.” She raised two fingers to the bartender, “Ley 925 Diamante. Two shots.”

“Shit, that still exists?!”

“It’s one of the last bottles in the world.”

Ruby became excited. “I’ll have a shot of that!” One was poured for each of them. She even raised her glass up, “To the weird partnership that runs this world, I suppose.”

When Ruby opened her mouth to knock back the tequila, she saw an evil grin which creep slowly across Eria’s lips. She didn’t have time to react before a ball gag came down over her head and planted right in her mouth. As it was fastened tight, Eria snatched the glass away from her.

“To doing my part.” Eria toasted Ruby, before handing Ruby’s drink to Xavier who walked into view.

Xavier could see the surprise on Ruby’s face and enjoyed it very much. “That wasn’t me, by the way.” He downed her shot before sitting himself at the bar, laying back on it. “Can you guess who’s behind you?”

Ruby heard what she thought was Mikea’s voice, but it was deeper, harsher, had a commanding edge to it, “Dolls aren’t permitted to wear clothing in this area.” She grabbed the back of Ruby’s head, and all of Ruby’s training wasn’t enough to free herself. Mikea had requested an upgrade in physical strength for self-defence, Ruby instantly regretted giving it to her. She heard a knife being flicked open, and before she knew it her top and bottom were cut down the centre. She looked at Eria who started to grin and took Ruby’s drink from where she had placed it.

Eria mocked her, “I’ve been looking forward to this for days! Oh, what a fucking brilliant idea, Xavier!”

Ruby was thrown off her stool and her cut clothing fell off her body before she landed on the stone. That’s when a thigh-high leather boot with a stiletto heel stamped down in front of her. As she looked up, she saw Mikea; done up in harsh black make-up; dressed in a leather corset; long arm wraps; and a pair of leather panties with a wide hole, big enough to fit her cock through.

Ruby raised two fingers to stop her out of habit, but Mikea moved so quickly and snapped Ruby’s hand back. “What’s a Doll doing, trying that on a person?” Mikea asked, bending Ruby’s hand further to the point of pain. Mikea gripped her arm and raised Ruby up just enough to be able to slam her boot down on Ruby’s chest, pinning her to the floor. With her heel digging into Ruby’s sternum, Mikea stood tall over her creator.

Ruby’s training fought against her impulse to howl in pain as the stiletto heel nearly cracked her sternum open, but eventually her training lost, to Ruby, Xavier, and Eria’s delight. Her sounds muffled by the ball gag, her body reeling, sweat starting to bead over her face.

Mikea snarled, “I want to hear her scream.”

Xavier stepped forward, holding a small device. “Latest development out of a Montreal garage.” It was small, about the size of a person’s thumb from the last knuckle to the nail, and this one had a ruby embedded into it. “Let’s sit her up, and I’ll show you.”

Eria and Mikea both grabbed Ruby’s shoulders, and while she was glad to have Mikea’s boot off her sternum, while recovering from that shock she felt three prongs stab into the back of her head, where her spine met her skull. Blood dripped and ran down her naked back as suddenly the stabbing pain gave way to a truly confusing rush of sensations; she felt literally everything at once, leaving her paralyzed to shut Mikea down as the ball gag was removed. It was like a program had been loaded into her, and she tried to fight it, but every attempt was met with the kind of pain only the mind could inflict. Every aching time she raised her fingers and tried to issue a shutdown command, the device which had burrowed its prongs into her denied her, and punished her for it.

The three watched intently, while Eria asked Xavier, “Is that the ‘Temp’ they were working on?”

“First off the line. Only a handful of these things exist. One temporary Doll, with my customizations. Full autonomy, but unable to speak certain commands or perform certain actions. The perfect way to torture someone like this.” Xavier knelt down in front of Ruby. “Now you’re going to know what it’s like to be one of your victims, and if it pleases me, maybe we’ll go even further.”

Ruby tried to reach back and feel the device, but it wouldn’t allow her to touch it. She could feel around it, but a program interrupting her normal functioning kept it safe from her hands. “Fucking cunts, all of you!”

Mikea struck Ruby so hard across the face that she busted her lip open. “Speak when spoken to!”

“Mikea!” Ruby was trying to recall every shutdown command, but Xavier knew them and had blacklisted each one. “What the fuck?!”

Mikea, in a display of athletics Ruby didn’t know she was capable of, snap kicked her on the other side of the head, and as Ruby once more collapsed against the stone, she heard her Doll yell, “Mistress Mikea! Say it!”

Ruby pushed herself up off the stone and grit her teeth. Summoning every ounce of will to override the device, but it had already injected its own command. Mikea’s command. “Mistress Mikea.” Ruby intended another insult, but that’s all that came out.

Xavier was pleased, “Good, she’ll follow commands.”

Eria wondered, “From just the Doll?”

Xavier folded his arms, “Mikea, give Eria access. Don’t worry, I’ve already got it too.”

Mikea obeyed, still under Xavier’s control, and made Ruby face Eria. “This is Mistress Eria, you will obey us both.”

Eria walked up to Ruby who looked at her in disgust and placed her foot to her lips. “Let’s start with some light worship.” She already had an idea, “Miss Mikea, how about you ask Xavier to show you the dungeons and prepare them for us.”

“You heard her, Mikea.” Xavier motioned for the Doll to follow him. “Eria knows what she’s doing.”

“I’m not done with her yet.” Mikea protested.

“Don’t worry, you’re not. Come along.”

Eria revelled in the sight of Ruby, who looked at her with pure disgust as she began sucking and worshiping her toes. “Move up, closer.” She hooked one finger around her bikini bottom and pulled it back to expose her perfectly manicured cunt. “Before you see what the dungeon will do to you, put those lips to my clit.”

Ruby could still speak, “Corpo cunt.”

“This is why I prefer real women.” Eria felt Ruby’s tongue finally meet her pussy lips, and then her clit. She allowed herself to sit back on the stone and enjoy. “Say what you want while getting drenched in my juices, Statist slut.”

Between licks, pauses for breath, her mouth and nose buried inside Eria, Ruby expressed everything from disdain of the wealthy to making outright threats against Eria’s life. Eria for her part took it in stride, she had been told Ruby didn’t submit to anyone, and was genuinely enjoying the job Ruby was doing. For a gal unaccustomed to eating another one out, she certainly had picked up some techniques.

For minutes on end the exchange of pleasure and insults continued, until Eria felt herself reach the edge and ordered Ruby to stop. Immediately Ruby withdrew, and watched as Eria rode the feeling of being so perfectly near release. “Not yet…” She said to Ruby but was telling herself. “Not yet…” She struggled to stand, the stone beneath her slick from what ran down her legs. “Fuck you eat pussy good, my offer of joining my household stands, ‘Doll’ Ruby. I know it won’t be the first time you’ve changed identities and positions.”

“I’ll think about it.” Ruby’s eyes widened, the device and Eria’s command, it forced her to be honest. Even Eria was surprised by the response. Ruby tried to recover, “Gonna take this thing off of me now?”

“Oh, you’ve still got some hours to go, and you’re headed to Xavier’s dungeon for more pain and pleasure than you ever thought possible, and maybe a little humiliation… I’ve seen your outfit.”

“I’m going to kill everyone in that Montreal garage!” Intended to be a thought, instead Ruby spoke it, as she again tried to tear the device off her head, but it didn’t allow her to touch it.

Eria cackled before bringing her lips to Ruby’s. “Only if we don’t go even further.” She spat in Ruby’s face, “I can taste oil on you.” Grabbing Ruby who managed to fight her off at first, they both scrambled to their feet and looked eye to eye.

“I’ve still got enough control to kick your Corpo ass.” Ruby squared up and tried to shake the rust off her martial arts training.

Eria, unconcerned, commanded: “Every second that goes by, you’re going to lose some of your strength, before you’re nothing more than a Doll whose legs are unable to support her.”

Before that could happen, Ruby struck a series of right jabs mixed with a left hook at her. Eria took a couple hits but managed to withstand them. She wasn’t as skilled as Ruby, but she was strong and blocked the kick which came her way before using the opening to try and break Ruby’s guard. Like a poison, Eria’s command began to drain Ruby, who forced through it with immense will and evaded the Orca’s guard to land a right hook square against her head. Eria stumbled, and Ruby pursued her, grabbing the blonde’s hair and bringing her face down upon her knee. It hurt Eria, but not enough as she needed, already her strength was giving out.

Eria broke free of Ruby’s grasp and struck at her abs, every strike inflicting more and more pain on her as the seconds ticked by. Eria even took a few steps back, forcing Ruby to pursue, wasting precious time as she realized that Ruby was still too much of a threat. They exchanged blows, but soon Eria could see the change in Ruby’s movements; slow and delivering strikes which couldn’t inflict bruises anymore. Ruby, ignoring her weakness, tried for a decisive knockout by throwing everything she had at Eria, a lightning volley of jabs, crosses, and hooks that Eria began blocking with less and less effort. Finally, as Ruby stepped to the side to find an opening, her left leg gave out, then her ability to block Eria’s swift kick to her jaw.

Unable to resist now, Eria grabbed Ruby by her hair and dragged her to the side of the pool. “Let’s see how good those lungs are. Time to clean this blood and oil.” She plunged Ruby’s head under water and held it there. Ruby tried to flail, or even push up against the stone, but she was trapped and after twenty seconds, wondered if Eria might kill her. She hadn’t time to take a deep enough breath. Meanwhile Eria was watching the bubbles reaching the surface, and when they stopped, she withdrew Ruby’s head from the water and easily tossed her to the side. Splashing water on her own face to clean the faint running blood left by Ruby’s strikes, she caught her own breath before turning to Ruby.

“That’s clean enough. Time I brought you underground. They’re waiting for us.” She walked over to a handbag that cost more than most made in a year and pulled out a simple leather collar with an O-Ring and attached leash. She slipped the collar around Ruby’s neck and buckled it, commanding, “Restore 10% of strength, and impose an inability to resist me.” The program within the device translated that into signals Ruby’s brain couldn’t override. Pulling Ruby up by the collar to her feet, she waved to the other C-Suite executives who had been watching. “Going to torture this girl for a while, you all have fun!”

Before the dungeon, Eria led Ruby to the dressing room. Letting the leash dangle from the collar, she commanded, “Put on the outfit in locker 41.” She followed to watch the process.

To Ruby’s horror it was a harem slave outfit, with translucent silken pants, no shoes, bejeweled panties, and then a strapless bra, all in ruby red and adorned with real gold and sapphire jewels. As she put on the veil, letting her hair fall over it, she was dressed but felt more naked than at the pool.

Eria for her part kept making smug remarks, “It came down to a coin toss, maid or harem. I think there’s a time and a place for a maid outfit but not now, covers too much. It’d be best used at my estate. Answer honestly, would you like that?”

Without being able to think Ruby answered, “A very small part of me would.”

“The sadist has a subby side!”

“A small one!” Rubby snapped.

“Well, I bet it was absolutely starved until today. You come over to my place and indulge in it any time you want.” Eria clapped her hands, before liberally helping herself to feel over Ruby’s body and dress. “I’ll remove the device right now, if you tell me what you’ll do for me.”

Ruby had to speak honestly, “I’d buy it from you, and make you a custom Doll.”

“Money and a Doll? Two things I have no use for! Oh well… The only thing you have to give is yourself, Ruby. Everything else, including your garage, could become mine with a few phone calls.” She picked up the leash. “You had your chance.” She began walking Ruby out of the dressing room and towards an elevator down a hallway, happily teasing her. “What do you think is down there? Is it an actual dungeon? A harem? Are we going to turn you into a Doll? Well, I hope not that last one, but Xavier was throwing around the idea.”

Having been asked a question, Ruby responded in a voice tinged with genuine fear, “I think you’ll turn me into a Doll.”

“But I don’t fuck Dolls.”

“Dolls are meant to be used in any way.” Ruby confessed, “You said you wanted a maid.”

“And that device does what it needs to make you like that, at least for a little while.” The first vulnerability Ruby’s addled mind noticed; it couldn’t sustain itself. No hard modifications, no special augmentations, it was simply a control device that had to be running off its own power. Eria mused, “I’m getting the sense that you’re the boss who handles things through force but are really limited in many ways. Are you sure you want to keep running a garage, when you can live a simple life with me? All your misdeeds, all the death, why not hang it up?”

“Because I enjoy it.”

“We both do, but whereas I landed on top, you diminished yourself to running a Doll garage. Why didn’t you hold onto the power you had with NATO? Why live in a way that screams masochist?”

“Because I enjoy it.” Ruby tried everything to stop speaking.

Eria stopped by a wrought iron cage-style elevator. “I thought that thing was supposed to make you answer truthfully.” She thought, “Fine, you enjoy it. But what would you enjoy more?”

Ruby gripped her head; it was like a terrifying, splitting headache was threatening to tear her brain apart. Was it the fact she didn’t know? Was she resisting so hard from saying the truth? If so, what truth? Eria noticed and spoke softly, “Question withdrawn.” The pain stopped immediately. As the elevator came up from below, she reached over and stroked Ruby’s cheek as she recovered. “I wasn’t expecting that, but maybe now you have something to think about. I think deep, deep, deep inside there’s something that wants to get out.”

Arriving five floors underground, the dungeon was a terrifying and grotesque place, practically medieval. Heavy, spiked iron bars flanked the narrow stone walkway, illuminated by lit torches. It was also cold, almost like a freezer. As Eria led Ruby through a maze of passageways, she got a look inside the iron cages. Some had deactivated or destroyed dolls, others who appeared to be human in all states of health. There were racks, a Judas Cradle with blood caked on, St. Andrews Crosses, amongst others. One Doll (Ruby could tell by the augmentations shown under her exposed skin) had been stuck in a small cage with spikes which pierced her body, which even held her up. Ruby could see in the Doll’s eyes that while unable to scream, the person who once was that machine was aware and could feel it.

Eria was silent throughout the trip, letting Ruby absorb what she had seen time and time again. Finally, they reached a steel door. “You go in first, darling; they’re waiting for you.”

Ruby pushed open the door, to find Mikea still in her dominatrix get-up and Xavier in his slacks, vest, and shirt, lounging in a rather beautiful and smoky room. Large comfortable pillows, stuffed leather divans, a table in the middle with taps for drinks. The two looked to be having a nice conversation when Ruby walked in, followed by Eria who pushed her forward.

Xavier sat back and crossed one leg over the other, admiring Ruby. “Not bad, but I still think the maid outfit would have been more embarrassing.”

Mikea eyed Ruby but didn’t say anything.

Ruby, gritting her teeth and still on her guard asked, “What are you going to do to me?”

“You’re going to get fucked, then turned into a doll.” Xavier motioned to another door opposite Ruby. “You think I wouldn’t purchase my own equipment?”

Ruby began to sweat even more. Xavier ordered Mikea, “Fuck that thing however you want.” Mikea stood up and, fully erect, grabbed Ruby and forced her to her knees. Ruby grabbed the table as she fell, but that only exposed her more. Eria took a seat beside Xavier. “Xavier, do you really have to make her a Doll?”

“We’ll perfectly copy her personality, no one will ever know.” Xavier seemed unconcerned.

Mikea gripped Ruby’s hands and shackled them tightly together; she then laid her creator’s chest down on the table and spread her legs. Slipping a hand under her panties and feeling along her snatch, she told the two, “Wet, but not much.”

Eria warned, “She never admitted to wanting what’s going to happen, even if it excited her a little.”

Xavier leaned forward and asked Ruby, “After all the Dolls you’ve made, after all the lives you’ve taken, doesn’t it excite you a little to join them? Even if you’re not even aware of it?”

“Fuck you!” Ruby cried out. “Goddamn monster. A little… Motherfucker!!

Xavier knelt by her and simply stated, “I know you’ve killed more people than anyone else who’s ever lived. Thirty million souls in Moscow dead in a picosecond, forty million dead within a week after. Three people turned keys, but only one pulled the trigger, as you did earlier today.” Locker 41, meeting on May 1^st, Ruby didn’t even think about it. The date and year of Operation Daybreak. “Are you ready to be destroyed, Ruby?”

“I don’t regret what I did!” She struggled as hard as she could, but Mikea kept her pressed down. “How did you know?!”

“I had friends in Moscow, I was scorched by the blast that night. My skin had to be replaced, my face rebuilt, after weeks of vomit and cellular decay. Do you think I wouldn’t find out who did it? Do you think I wouldn’t get revenge?!”

“Mikea, snap out of his control!” Ruby tried.

Xavier gripped the base of Ruby’s throat and squeezed hard enough to bruise, “That’s not the command. You’ve issued your last command, my dear. But first, I must see this legendary cock in action. Go on, Mikea. Fuck her.”

Eria objected, “Minimal dollification! I don’t want my new maid to be inhuman.”

“Yes, yes, very well, Eyre.” Xavier released Ruby and stood back up; arms folded.

Mikea thought, pulling down Ruby’s panties and examining her snatch. “I think this is the right hole.” Without warning she plowed into Ruby’s puckered ass, splitting it open, and driving the entirety of her cock deep inside to the sound of Ruby’s howls and felt the blood which burst forth within her from the friction.

“Let’s teach her how good this can feel.” Xavier ordered Ruby, “Find some pleasure in this!” He was undoing his belt as he said it. The command worked, a rush of pleasure mixed in with the pain and as Mikea grabbed her thighs and with ferocity pumped her famous dick in and out of Ruby/ Xavier freed his own cock and sat down on the table, spread his legs, tore off Ruby’s veil and ordered: “I gave you pleasure, now return the favour and suck me off.”

The program-injected Ruby opened her lips and accepted Xavier’s dick into her mouth, the device ensuring that she’d take the relentless onslaught of Mikea burying herself in her ass while giving a perfect blowjob to the man. There was a steady clicking noise, but Ruby couldn’t tell what it was. Xavier gripped Ruby’s hair, but even that became pleasurable to Ruby, so did sucking dick. The device feeding her a steady stream of happy, blissful thoughts, as she licked and attended to Xavier’s cock like a proper harem slave, while her widened ass found Mikea’s thrusts increasingly intoxicating.

As the entire scene went on, the pleasure and pain cocktail as Ruby took two dicks at once overwhelmed her. It stopped being the device, the thrill started leeching into her genuine mind, the need and love of it. Attending to Xavier’s cock like the best whore money could buy, and when he finally came in her mouth before withdrawing and finishing over her face, there was elation, glee that she had served. Never mind that when Mikea finished, her augmented body saturating her ass with cum, Ruby finally collapsed on the floor in a puddle of their semen. Her mind had surrendered to it, it was beautiful, and yet…

Xavier knelt down beside Ruby, careful not to get any cum on himself as he wiped his cock clean. “Did you enjoy that?”

“Yes.” Ruby answered truthfully.

“Can servitude bring pleasure?”

She hesitated, before having to answer, “Yes.”

Finally, Xavier asked, “Do you want to be a doll.”

Ruby answered truthfully, “No.”

“Shame, because it’s time to go.”

Mikea stood Ruby up whose legs were too weak to support her, cum and blood were pooling on the floor, as well as leaking from her mouth, while even more drained from her hair, over her eyes, and down her face. Ruby’s eyes were alight with fear as she looked at the door across the room, absolute panic mixed with bliss and pain and so many messages from the device and her own mind. She was done, and the realization of that finally graced her face.

She heard a click, as Xavier wound an old film camera and began to take shots of Ruby. The first was a close up of her face, which she hadn’t even noticed. Xavier kept taking pictures, of the entire scene.

Xavier reached to the back of Ruby’s neck and removed the device in such a way that it drained Ruby of all her strength; blood faintly trickled down as the device included a rapid coagulation feature for removal. With the programming vanishing as if it were never there, Mikea Ruby lay on the floor. “Do it!!” Ruby yelled, regaining control. “Don’t fuck with me, just do it! You want me to be fully present for it, is that it?!” There was fear in those helpless eyes, a look that Xavier would preserve by taking the photo he’d waited so long to get.

“Mikea, I relinquish my remaining time as a client. Return to normal functioning.” Xavier stowed the camera away. “Ruby, I’d help you up but you don’t have the strength to stand. Can I get you a drink?”

Ruby was in shock, “What?!”

Xavier threw his arms out and declared, “I’m a sadist!”

“Who’s going to turn me into a Doll.”

“And you’re a slow sadist, Miss Eve!” Xavier joked. He pointed to the door he had motioned to before, “I had that leaned up against there this morning, there’s nothing behind it. But that look…” He practically licked his lips, “That fear… You’re NATO Spec Ops, so I knew pain wouldn’t do it, but fear- fear of losing everything you are, of thinking I gave a shit about the people of Moscow, that I was here for revenge? Sprinkle on some embarrassment, some good ol’ domination, and I’m having a great day with you, and I’ve got many photographs to remember it. The one I just took is going on my mantle, but the others are going in a special album.” He began to clap, as Ruby realized the implication that someone or someones had been snapping photos likely since the moment the ball gag went on. “Everyone give her a hand.”

Mikea didn’t know what to make of the situation, and Eria seemed a little annoyed. “I still want her to mop my floors.”

The reality that she had been played hit Ruby, and the relief was nearly as overwhelming as the fear she had felt moments before. After a minute, she managed to push herself up, but slipped on the cum lacquered floor. Xavier reached down and pulled her up, resting her on a couch that would be burned afterwards. Xavier explained, “When you told me when we met how you needed to see the last glimmer of a person’s self vanish into a sea of programming, I knew I had to see something similar. And after learning about you, I knew it had to be you.”

“You’re a real piece of shit…” Ruby was trying to process what happened. “But…”

“But?”

Ruby shook her head, “It was… it became blissful, nice, simple… I hate myself for enjoying it.”

Eria sat down beside her and wrapped her arm around Ruby, “There’s no shame in having these desires. Xavier guessed you might have a few. They might not define you like your companion over there.” She gave a faint wave to Mikea who was too busy checking out her outfit, having just become aware of it, but the Doll finally noticed and gave a confused wave back. “There’s no shame in these desires, there’s no shame in submitting. I hardly expect you to become the craven submissive I think you should be, but at least treat this like a learning experience my dear.” Eria stood and brushed herself off. “I’m going back to enjoy the sun, if one of the captives doesn’t catch my attention on the way. Ta ta, lovelies!” She winked at Ruby and left the room.

Ruby fell back against the back pillow and caught her breath. “Fuck me…”

“I did.” Xavier very helpfully pointed out.

“So, what happens now? I’m still trapped in your mansion.”

“What happens now is I take you to get a shower, a massage, and a meal. Then you can choose to stay or drive off.” Xavier nodded towards Mikea, “I know you can enjoy those things too, and…” He noticed how enthused she was with her outfit. “How about you keep that outfit? It’s on the house. Along with what I owe you, Ruby, plus… Well I’d ask for what rate you charge for yourself, but I don’t think there is…“

“One-hundred million marks. That’s my fee, plus the cost of us continuing our dealings and contact.”

Xavier reached behind the couch and tossed Ruby a towel. “Clean your hand then stick it out.”

Ruby did so, and Xavier shook it once it was free of cum. “I’ll have the valet put the cash in your car.”

Ruby nodded, but then sighed, “How did you know it was me who pushed the button?”

“Button?” Mikea’s mind had intentionally been ordered to blank any information Xavier was going to say about Operation Daybreak from memory.

“Statists and Corpos are working in partnership like never before. For elite Statists and Corpos, information is the most valuable commodity, and every commodity has its price. Rest easy, even with my connections it took time for me to confirm the link between your NATO and normal identity. For what it’s worth, only myself and Eria know.”

“Know?” Mikea’s mind kept immediately erasing what was being said.

Ruby handled it, “Don’t worry about it, just some shit I dealt with.”

“Your… mommy?” Xavier guessed. “Dealt with so much shit, heaping piles of it, the most shit ever seen, Mikea.”

Mikea blushed at Xavier guessing one of her names for Ruby.

Xavier stood up and carefully stepped around the ejaculate. “Now, if you’re not going to tear me apart for this little stunt, now’s the time. If not, I promised you a shower, massage, and the best lobster you’ve ever eaten.”

“And the cash, and Mikea’s outfit.” Ruby noted.

“Miss Eve, you may stumble over a great many things, but getting what you’re owed isn’t one of them.” He walked to the door but paused to escort them. “I respect that.”

Hours later, dressed in their original outfits, and Ruby with her weapons returned, having enjoyed exactly what Xavier promised them but declining to say goodbye to the C-Suite, the pair stood in the foyer. The Doll’s body was still there, blood, grey matter, skull fragments and all. Mikea stood opposite it, not wanting to look, while Ruby intently studied it and for the first time in years found herself being introspective.

Xavier came down the stairwell, much like he did at the start of their encounter. He had a new necklace, the bullet which had been taken out of the stone wall after piercing the Doll’s skull. “One of a kind.” He smiled. “And an Old-World bullet, thank you.”

It was time to go. “Mikea, have the valet bring the car around, I need to speak with Xavier.” Mikea didn’t waste any time in leaving the foyer and found the early evening sun a delight.

“And what would you like to speak to me about?”

“Why leave it here?”

“I like looking at it. I’ll have it cleaned it up in a couple days, but fortunately your process makes decomposition impossible. Until then, it’s an ‘art piece’. Is that it?”

Ruby turned to him, uncertain. “I keep wanting to ask something, but the words aren’t coming.” She tried her best, “You weren’t in Moscow on that day?”

“I was in Inverness, felt the shockwave pass four times, but so did the rest of the world. I didn’t harbour any love for the Russian Federation. I did have friends there, but they had been driven out or executed by ’41, for being who they were.” For the first time Xavier seemed wistful. “We kill, and kill, and torture, and maim, and derive such joy from the visceral thrill of violating the body and mind, but that doesn’t mean we’re incapable of feeling for others.” Xavier pointed to the front doors. “Like you and Mikea. I hope my stunt didn’t damage what you two had.”

“We’ll be fine. She’s a doll that was following your orders. Just like everyone in that cockpit was following mine.”

Xavier folded his arms. “There are people out there, powerful ones, who’d like to see you tortured to death for what you did.”

“So fortunate that NATO only half-sold me out…” Ruby sighed.

“Like I said, even with my connections it took time to link you to a dead woman, and I was focusing on you directly.” He felt a need to move past the topic, “I have to ask, now that this…” He tossed her the device which had been implanted at her skull. “… is gone. Did any part of you enjoy what you experienced?”

Ruby pocketed the device and looked around for any other person, but Xavier assured her they were alone. Ruby admitted, “It may have been a small thrill.”

“I think with the right person, that thrill might explode into something even more.”

“Yourself?”

“No. No matter how fun it was to literally fuck a business partner (oh, expect another girl in the next couple months), I think you know who.” Xavier walked her to the doors and opened them. “You two have a good night. I only have one more thing, a piece of business advice.”

“And that is?”

“Film or photograph the process. You can edit around trade secrets, but the web is a lawless place and the underside of counters at video stores are a great place to find hardcore, gory, snuff like your work. You could make a killing. All I ask are free copies because it was my idea.”

Ruby nodded her head slightly, “Could work.”

“Good, the sadist in you is still alive.”

Ruby laughed, “I killed seventy million people and celebrated that night, you can’t fucking kill this sadist’s side!” She shook hands with Xavier and walked to her car, as a servant opened the driver’s side door for her.

Inside the car, having cleared the Bridal Path’s security but taking it easier than when she tore down the street earlier that day, Mikea gently put her feet up across Ruby’s legs. “So…” Ruby didn’t know how to articulate it. “I’m free, Mommy.”

Ruby kept her eyes on the road, but reached down and felt the Doll’s perfectly smooth legs. “Free?”

“When we were alone, Xavier asked me what my debt was. That became my fee.”

“Oh.” Ruby kept driving but felt concern. “Then is this goodbye?”

“Can I move in with you?”

“You’ll pay rent.”

“Yeah, I think I can make rent. But we’re riding with more than a hundred-million marks in the trunk! Let’s go to my apartment and smash it up!”

“Keep it.” Ruby advised, “It helps maintain your legitimacy as a person. And I don’t want your friends over at our place.”

Mikea seemed like she was looking forward to destroying her old place, “Fine. But can I keep my pass and keys to your- our place?”

Ruby nodded, “I’d like that.”

“And can I dom you sometimes?”

Ruby grit her teeth, “Let’s… let’s keep on what we’re doing.”

“That’s not a no.”

“Neither is it a yes, and if you want to keep your room you won’t pursue it further.” That was nearly a command, something Ruby realized she had to fix. She pulled over to the side of a quiet road. “Mikea, look at me.” Mikea turned her head to see Ruby pointing two fingers at her. “Doll Mikea, I release you from my control. My ability to command you is now at your sole discretion and may be revoked even while under my influence.”

Mikea blinked as the command took hold. “Shit, I’m free.” Her mind suddenly felt entirely different.

“As promised.” Ruby stepped on the gas and the two rode home.

With Mikea’s help, suitcases of bundles of 1,000,000 marks were hauled into Ruby’s room. As Mikea decided to go out and explore her freedom after adding the dominatrix outfit to her wardrobe, Ruby knelt on the floor and removed a hatch in the wood. She placed her NIC in a slot, held her thumb to a pad, and keyed in a password, to raise a third vault from the floor, wooden panels sliding down and out to make room, as it reached floor height and locked itself in place. Ruby began opening the suitcases and piled bundles of cash into the lead vault. There was indeed enough to cover Ruby’s remaining debt. What Ruby didn’t expect was that underneath the bundles of one suitcase, a brown paper envelope sat.

Opening it, and sliding out the contents, Ruby’s eyes widened as they were photographs of her servicing and fighting Eria. There was a card too, marked with a sapphire lipstick kiss. It simply read, ‘A day, a week, a month, a lifetime: If you need it, we’ll arrange it. I’ll take good care of you, I promise. 004.01.416.720A.885E’.

Ruby’s first instinct was to tear the card and photographs up, but instead she found herself sliding them back into the envelope and sliding it in between books on her bookshelf. No casual observer would notice, but she’d always know it was there.