In the baseball stadium's skybox suite, Tara Cunningham inconspicuously watched her boss's new associate speak with the would-be target. This Kelli Kennedy was quite the reputable scammer according to every source she could find about the infamous MissPlacement. The kind of scams she ran sounded very good, too good to be true. And with that logic, Tara disbelieved that she was that good just with hypnosis, or that hypnosis was really that palpable. She thought sending Kelli in to deal with Judge Kowalski was a genius stroke in motivating the drafted hypnotist, and that whatever Kelli was using to get to her was less so. Not wanting a possibly-known associate of Richie McClung to be seen anywhere near a judge, Tara could only see the back of their heads, and only imagine the tactics Kelli used to mind-fuck a judge. Extortion, clever threats, drugs, whatever she was using to aid the supposed pure mind-play, seemed to be working as Kowalski seemed totally fixated on Kelli, none the wiser about why. 

Watching Kelli get up and leave, having the judge follow looking mostly aware felt surreal; following a few paces behind, Tara guessed a spiked drink had won the strategic victory of beginning to get some of Richie's hooks into Kowalski. Tara with a skeptical smile greeted Kelli, asking her to follow to where Richie would be waiting; Kelli gave the same smile she got, watching small indicators of disbelief on the mob assistant's face as Judge Kowalski rose at near sleepwalking speed, just enough to look normal, following directly behind the hypnotist. All three made it to the huge stadium parking lot, where Richie sat waiting in his oversized SUV. Tara and Kelli both approached the SUV, while Kowalski stood by the main entrance, checking her phone.

The back passenger window rolled down to show Richie had changed clothes, the sports regalia gone and dressed dapper in suit jacket with a black turtleneck underneath. Kelli greeted her interim boss with good news. "Congrats, you now have a judge's ear," Kelli pointed to the entrance where the judge was standing, as if waiting for something.

"What is she doing with her phone?" Tara asked with concern of Kelli's influential potency.

"Rose is playing a game on her phone with bright colors, colors that keep her fixed on the suggestions I've given her so far, opening her up to more."

Tara looked over at the judge totally fixated on her phone. Rather than typing, it looked like she was touching different parts of the screen, making the game-playing explanation believable, and making Tara wonder what kind of drug was involved to get her to that point.

Richie, searching his pockets, looking annoyed as he found a small matchbox to light a cigarette, lit the end of the stick and took a long drag. The expression on his face described the happiest criminal she'd ever seen.

"I may have seriously underestimated what an investment I have in you, Miss Kennedy."

That made both young women standing next to the SUV take considerable notice of Richie's words.

"Investment?"

"Back in the stands, I was honestly wondering how good a sales pitch I needed to give. Threats sounded too contrite. Bribing sounded too desperate at that point. Daring you to do the impossible would've been fun, but at this point, unnecessary."

"So...what are you saying?" Kelli asked the question both women were thinking.

"I'm saying I feel like you would've done this for the same reason you do everything you do as MissPlacement - for the love of the game."

Tara dared not to show any trace of jealousy slowly springing up in her.

"It's not often you meet someone who's got the talent and sportsmanship, doing it all for sport, to be the MVP of their own sport. I was the best thief around before I came up in the world, because I loved the sport so much. It's a sport most couldn't fathom, let alone compete in; you should have a stadium full of fans cheering for what you've pulled off for me today."

Not letting compliments override her sense of paranoia, she took his words in stride. "Appreciated, but like I said before, the work isn't done. More time is still needed to get at exactly what you want."

"Which is why you and Tara will be accompanying the sleepy judge home, to see she gets some good rest, and-"

"Isn't she already ready for Monday?" Tara interjected.

"Not nearly, the agreement was for the weekend," Kelli looked between the two, gauging the miscommunication. 

"It should already be done; isn't your thing to warp their brains?"

"Not permanently. I can leave anyone in a state of confusion for a few minutes while taking a few things they won't remember is missing right away. You want enough control for her to do something days later, which needs more time," Kelli explained, baffled that she had to.

Tara tried to keep herself from huffing. "The judge's itinerary has her hosting a private fundraising event tomorrow at her home, and there could be more visitors coming before that. It's going to look strange if she's not present."

"It's going to seem even stranger come Monday if you need her to do something specific like a court ruling. Lots of outside influences, especially people at this event, can throw the control I've only started to establish on the fritz."

"Then you two will have to make a weekend of it. See what you can do before the party, and hopefully keep an eye on her during. I seriously hope that it isn't too optimistic for all of us, including the judge, to dream about a particular outcome come Monday morning. And after that, there's an illustrious job waiting for you once it's done, with benefits that are definitely nothing to sneeze at."

"An offer I can't refuse?" Kelli joked, her voice laced with grave seriousness.

"Your perceptive talents continue to impress, because why would you want to?"

He left with a satisfied smile, as the window rolled up and the car pulled out into traffic, leaving both women to stare at one another.

"Have her bring her car around. We'll all ride in it together," Tara told Kelli.

"Couldn't that draw unnecessary attention, all of us in the car?"

"I didn't ask you what was necessary, I'm telling you what is, which is just what I told you to do, what Richie wants done."

Tara couldn't help but add a little uncompromising iron to her velvet glove, despite name-dropping the real authority, not wanting to kowtow to the unassuming-looking mental manipulator.

"Are you sure no one is going to notice either of us driving a judge's car? I guarantee her honor is in no shape to drive anywhere right now."

Tara's expression remained even, to not let it get to her about the complicated logistics her plan didn't account for. 

"Guess that means I'm driving," Kelli sighed.

"No, I'm driving," Tara's even tone was quickly fading, veering into anger for the loss of control.

"I'll need every moment I can get to program her before a party, that means trancing during the ride. That won't work if you end up crashing the car because you got caught up in what I'm doing to her."

"You're not drugging or hypnoing me or whatever, you're doing it to her."

In the competing stratagems, Tara used more imposing will than normal to hide her disadvantage. Even in the ride to the judge's house, there was no sure way of assuring compliance. Leaving Kelli to drive and take directions maybe meant less optimal time to program, and having Tara drive meant Kelli might whisper unheard commands that could cause further complications. Before settling on anything, Kelli settled on something.

"Alright, fine. Please drive us to the house," Kelli seemed to concede, walking to get the judge. 

Getting what she wanted, Tara hoped on the way she could plan more carefully whatever was to come.

Watching Kelli retrieve the judge, Tara pulled out her phone to send a few texts to person's waiting for the next phase of the plan.

***

The drive to Rose Kowalski's home was a long one, thankfully having avoided the traffic from a stadium being emptied out. Most of the drive consisted of Kelli deepening Rose's trance in the backseat, whispering commands and fractionating her several times. Tara looked like a personal chauffeur to most of the traffic, occasionally stealing glances in the back to keep an eye on the asset, and partly to figure out how Kelli was doing what she was doing. Her gaze lingered every time she looked more aware from being brought out of trance, only to be dropped back even quicker.

Traffic was thankfully light for Tara, as the rear-view mirror showed Kelli occasionally applying perfume to her body, especially giving her wrists spritzes, keeping them close to the subject's face as she made spirals over her temples, making her breathe deeply in an out, speaking rhythmically to set a rhythm for breathing. Tara smiled to herself, knowing there was some specific trick to her control, but briefly wondered if there was a detectable scent to it, as she caught her own breathing matching the backseat passengers. 

"Please keep your eyes on the road," Kelli had to tell Tara a few times without looking at her, knowing where her concentration was needed. Tara pretended to ignore her request, but still brought her eyes back to the road, lest she lost too much concentration, and something happened.

Halfway into the carpool ride, Kelli let Rose rest for some time, letting the given suggestions naturally take root in her head. "So...what's it like working for Richie?" Kelli asked the driver.

"You said you needed every moment you can get to do what you need to. Don't waste time."

"I'm not; I've given enough suggestions to let her mind start believing that the new ideas are really hers while she's sleeping. And I'd still love to know what this new job is like, whether I have a choice or not. So...please fill me in."

Tara kept her composure while sighing. "It's basically contract work; doing what you already do, but just for us."

"Not for Richie?"

"If you're getting an order from me, you're getting an order from Richie."

"Heh, that's good to hear."

Tara stared into the rear-view to gauge Kelli's face for the meaning to her last statement; Kelli gave a genuine smile before elaborating.

"'Behind every great man is a great woman,' the saying goes. I imagine it's rare that women have any kind of real power in this kind of business; nice to know it's not just another stuffy boys-club."

Watchful eyes moved back to watching the road, never letting it show how long and hard she had to work to get to where she was, nor letting any jealousy of Richie's interest in Kelli ever seep through. As much as Tara endured, playing the game, having to outsmart and outshine men in a dangerous boy's club to get to a trusted position, she was never as enterprising or innovating as Richie or Kelli had been at street level, literally carving out their own eventual fortunes. 

"Please tell me Richie is a man that respects women."

"He does, thankfully."

"Good," Kelli breathed a sigh of relief, looking over to a sleeping Rose, ready to lean in to resume the brainwashing, when Tara spoke up.

"We're almost to her house. Before we get there, do you have everything you need for the job?"

"What?"

"Equipment, items, aids, whatever will help the process along."

Kelli thought about the question for a moment, checking the contents of the bag she'd brought with her. "No, I should have everything I need. But I may have some questions about this party she's hosting. Please tell me about it. It's a fundraiser?"

"For her judicial campaign. Maybe a dozen or so possible donors, and she's hosting it at her house."

"That could add some pressure I need to take into account. Anyone or anything particularly stressful or significant that she should be expecting at the party that you know of, like high dollar amounts or people she should be paying attention to?"

"That I know of, no. But if something comes up..."

"If something comes up, I'll be there to help her, as a new 'aide.' Please don't worry about that."

Tara nodded, and the only sounds audible for the rest of the ride was more gentle whispers in Rose's ear, blanketing the silent profiteering plotting Kelli was ruminating.

***

Ned Ryburn slowly woke up off the comfortable cushioning, feeling refreshed and at peace, needing to take a moment to let the sleepy sensations fade to take in his surroundings. Each thing he noticed annoyed him slightly, as he found himself locked up yet again. Warmth from the sun creeping into his cell, just like warmth crept up into Ned's senses as he saw Kelly sitting across from him, outside the cell, smiling jubilantly at him.

"Hey Neddy Bear. Did you have a good nap?"

Loving everything about her, including how her pet name embraced his essence like a warm hug, annoyed him further, weakly trying to scowl at her.

"Define 'good.'"

"'Good' as in a luxurious nap most don't know or never give themselves, like a lazy cat basking in direct sunlight; that kind of good," she crooned in her hypnotic tenor, noticing with glee how he took to the suggestions. "And you're welcome, by the way."

"Would I be welcome to leave this cell too?"

"Only if you really wanted to. And really, you'd rather kneel before me than do that."

Ned successfully ignored the compulsion in his legs to do just that, claiming probably a short-term victory.

"Why are you here, Kelli? Just to gloat?"

"No, not right now. It's almost time to execute the big plan, and I think some more advice on Richie McClung, from someone I trust, can't hurt."

"The way I understand your power now, you control people to the point where they can't lie to you. You can't trust Lou now?" Ned tried to hold his smile at bay, knowing his controller was looking more for a pep-talk than advice, building her confidence to take on whatever insane plan she'd hatched up.

"When I suggested you bring me honest cops, did you know Detective Giatti wasn't one of them?"

The urge to smile dissipated, as it still stung to know his friend went down that path, to know he willingly betrayed his oath, putting aside the sexy feeling of Ned's own oath being greatly subverted to MissPlacement.

"No. Had I known what I know now, Lou might already be in prison or witness protection. And if one of the few honest cops I trusted could be gotten to, I'd feel like leaving this city right after I'd put McClung away; transfer to some place that doesn't make me feel like I'm working alone."

"That's why I trust you, Ned."

"Then you can trust me when I say that Richie McClung is not the kind of man you want any involvement with."

"Even if I make him an offer he can't refuse?" she joked, trying to bring levity to conceal her worry.

"This guy doesn't offer, or negotiate. He's too much like you, taking whatever he wants."

"Yeah, that's the damn frustrating part. It's like trying to outwit a more resourceful twin. Truth be told, I'd rather partner up with another me."

"And how long would that last? Eventually, crafty alphas like you take care of the competition."

Kelli shook her head, admitting that part to be true.

"And they wouldn't tolerate failure; that fake courier, one of Richie's men that you stole from, no one's seen him since that theft. And given McClung's track record, he's not likely to be seen again."

"I haven't failed him."

"No, you did worse, you tarnished his reputation. Anyone that makes him look bad, that doesn't face his retribution, makes him look weak. And you don't get to where he is by having any kind of weakness people can see."

Cold facts she kept in the back of her mind from being too rattled sent a shiver of fear she quickly suppressed, forcing calm into her as she let the strategic part of her take more brain power.

"If you knew exactly what I could do the night you found me, how would you have beaten me?"

Ned actually stood up, approaching the bars made of wood, convinced they were made of unbreakable steel. He took a good look at Kelli, whom stood up, walking to meet his thoughtful stature on the other end of the bars.

"Besides tasing you?" She smirked at that.

"Make you believe that you'd won somehow, and that everything that happened was supposed to. Couldn't hurt if you just didn't know I existed too."

Kelli perked up at that, letting her spiraling nail rise to the space at the bridge of his nose, the decorative pattern catching his attention as it gradually rose to his eyesight. 

"Oh, I think it would hurt. Even just a little bit, Neddy Bear. Image all that pleasure that wouldn't fill you without me, that mind that would be filled to the brim with worry in it." Fixed eyes followed the nails path, even down to the lips it circled and teased, making him cross-eyed as nail traced up the bridge of his nose, all the way to his forehead. Eyes rolled back up in his head as the nail traced spirals just below his hairline, before snapping him into spiraling depths.

"On your knees, Neddy Bear; let's make it feel so good to exist only for me."

She easily opened the "cell bars," contemplating what she was in the mood for. "Hands and knees, Neddy Bear," she singsonged, forgetting the last time she indulged in objectification. Soft suggestions made him bend over to utilize as a bench while she contemplated strategies, encouraged by the moans of a gratefully-useful slave feeling the warmth and weight of his reason for being above him.

***

Pulling in to the circular driveway of the judges house, Kelli and Tara found a few vehicles already present, including a catering van that blocked access to the garage.

"I thought you said it was tomorrow, Tara. Please tell me you weren't expecting this."

"Not at all," the confused driver spoke, parking near the catering van and checking her phone for Judge Kowalski's itinerary. "All of this is too early. Nothing in the judge's plans pushed things up so soon."

As if on cue for an answer, a woman in a grey business suit, looking to be around Kelli and Tara's age, stood at the entrance, waving at the judges car. She seemed to bend a little to get a better view of the car's occupants, noticing right away that someone else was driving, and the faint view of her boss in the backseat with someone else. As Kelli whispered firm suggestions into Rose's ear, establishing an aware-but-controlled state, Patrice took tepid steps towards the car.

"Please tell me you know who that is."

"That's Patrice Andrew, Judge Kowalski's official executive assistant, and unofficial campaign manager. I'm guessing she's the reason this shit is here early."

Everyone but Rose Kowalski looked at the suspicious-looking Patrice closing in on the car. Tara felt at a loss for how to deal with this, expecting to have total privacy and time to think of a plausible story for Rose having visitors. 

"Please let me handle this one," intoned Kelli, with a confidence that seemed only the tip of the iceberg, putting Tara at ease surprisingly quick. "And please freshen up on that perfume of yours. Might help give a better impression of young college girls looking to be sophisticated." Rummaging through her purse before giving thought as to how her perfume could help, Tara applied a slightly more-than-light amount to herself while Kelli did the same with her own.

Patrice subtly tried to reach for her phone, ready to call 911, when the backdoors of Rose's car opened and the judge emerged smiling, genuinely happy to see her and be in the company of apparent strangers.

"Judge Kowalski, I wasn't expecting you back so early; was hoping to surprise you with some finished preparations as soon as you got back," Patrice spoke to her boss, her attention still leaning toward the peripheral sight of the two young women.

"It already is a nice surprise, and a nice reminder of your initiative, and how lucky I am." Unable to see direct signs of foul play on her expression, Patrice looked directly at the accompanying women. "Who are your friends?" Patrice asked politely, hiding the immediate contempt and suspicion. There was a pleading in the assistant's eyes confirming if everything was alright, that went totally unmissed.

"Hi, I'm Kelli Kenderson," the studious-looking hypnotist outstretched her hand to shake Patrice's. "And this is my friend Candice," Kelli gestured to Tara.

"Nice to meet you, Kelli." Taking Kelli's hand, she noticed the strong but exquisite scent; she momentarily paused before thinking about the name. "You wouldn't be related to David Kenderson, would you?"

"Yeah, my Uncle Dave. Don't tell him I called him that though," she laughed, getting everyone else to laugh with her for various reasons.

"How was the game?" Patrice asked, looking for a way to inch towards why Rose wasn't driving her own car.

"Rather sleep-inducing," Rose admitted, making Kelli smirk inwardly. "The only stimulating thing there was this young lady whom I hope finds her way into the legal profession some day, as sharp as she is. And I hope your uncle will find a way to thank me for it."

"I'm sure he will."

"But I found out how tired I was after, and these lovely ladies were gracious enough to drive me home."

"The car service is still going to pick us up here, right?" "Candice" asked Kelli, with a slight air-headed light tone befitting a vapid college girl.

"We can Uber if not."

They prattled on a little bit, giving a convincing show of being actual college kids, lowering Patrice's guard slightly.

"Judge Kowalski, I know it's early, but there are a few things we should probably attend to now," Patrice spoke up, ushering everyone into the house. Behind Rose, everyone kept an eye on one another, cursory glances wondering what the other was up to.

"So when's the last time you spoke to your uncle, Kelli?" Patrice inquired.

"...I want to say it's been about a week or so."

"And he mentioned wanting to contribute to the campaign?"

"He mentioned some candidates he had his eye on for donating, including me if I ever 'wanted to do some real good in the real word,' his words. He actually mentioned Judge Kowalski as someone I could really look up to."

Kelli spoke without a hint of hesitation, to the surprise of both Tara and Patrice, but the hypnotist could only assume Patrice's smile meant she was buying the story. 

"That does sound very promising. Candice, why don't you see if there's anything you'd like from the kitchen? I need a few moments with Kelli here."

"Candice" barely hid her surprise, not liking the idea of separating from her subordinate. "Are you sure?"

"It shouldn't take long, I hope," Kelli agreed. "Please see if they have any crab cakes for me." She reluctantly headed towards sounds of commotion in the kitchen while the rest moved towards Rose's main study.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I picked up a few options from the dressmaker on they way. They're laid out upstairs and they said they could do alterations with some advance warning if needed," Patrice told Rose as they passed the staircase, leaving the judge to ascend and Kelli and Patrice to reach the study entrance.

Before opening the door, Patrice reached the phone in her pocket, in full view of the following student.

"By the way, I think I still have Mr. Kenderson's number on speed-dial. Did you want to say hi to your uncle, to let him know he has a niece he never knew about?" The question was asked with unmasked disdain, signaling that Patrice was done humoring the charade. She smiled at hearing it ringing, which faded a little as she wondered why the forearm holding the phone was suddenly feeling pressure. She looked down to see Kelli's spirally fingernail tracing up the forearm, losing enough focus for Kelli's free hand to quickly snatch the phone from Patrice's weakened grip.

Bringing it to her own head, Kelli pretended to listen to whoever was supposed to be on the other end of the call.

"Knock knock," Kelli looked at Patrice as if reciting what she'd heard on the call, handing the phone back to her.

"Who's th-" was the unthinking response, reaching for the phone, only have Kelli's free hand grip the wrist and pull her forward into a waiting embrace that steadied Patrice.

"Sleep!" she snapped her fingers in the aide's ear.

"Sleep...who..." Patrice somehow numbly managed as she sunk into the effects of the shock induction.

"You, dummy," Kelli giggled in the ear she snapped in. "You sleep. Sleep deep. Deep. Deep. Deeper. Sleep deeper. Breathe deep as you sleep deeper. Sleep deep as you breathe deeper. Breathe and inhale what sleep smells like, how wonderful it is to breathe in. Breathe it in deeply, breathe in sleep. Breathe deeply the scent of sleep now."

Letting Patrice's deflated head and body rest against Kelli, the hypnotist softly called out. 

"Candice, can you please come here a moment?"

Her friend showed up a moment later, crab cake in hand, nearly dropping it at the sight of Kelli having taken another victim. 

"Please help me with her into the study," she requested, quickly consuming the crispy horderve and helping Tara to get her to the closest seat for her to rest in.

"Keep breathing it in, breathe in sleep, carry that scent with you, into your dreams Patrice, dreams of control, control you want to give me, control you want me to have, control you happily let me take."

Tara watched Kelli work for the first time, up close, surprised how she managed it with what seemed to be her perfume. "Please close the door, Tara."

Tara closed the door and locked it, never taking her eyes off the scene before her. "Please unlock the door, we're expecting Rose to come in any moment."

"Please...umm," Kelli looked around the room for something, unsure of what she was even looking for at first. Her eyes lit up at something useful. "Please hand me that yellow candle over there." Kelli asked Tara to get the a tall yellow candle in a glass container. Bringing it to Kelli, she watched the hypnotist set it down nearby.

"Thank you. Please sleep, Tara."

"What?" Tara thought her hearing had blanked out for a second, only half-convinced of what she'd heard.

"I said please don't sleep, Tara, because I'll let you on a little secret about the drugging technique I use. It's actually an unnamed ingredient in a lot of consumer products out there, it has soporific effects that leave everyone the right kind of vulnerable. Some cigarette brands have it, candles like this has it. Even our perfume brands have it, which is why I suggested putting more on. Someone aware of how the mind works and this ingredient makes for a very effective manipulator. Of course, it's harder to fall if you're aware of what's going on and what's in the air. So as I light this candle, don't fall asleep and get taken by the scent or the words. Please understand this, okay?"

Tara's mind raced at a slow pace, noting the genius of Kelli's reveal, loving finally knowing why Kelli was almost downright super-powered when it came to hypnosis. Several studies and therapists explained in her researching and preparing to face Kelli Kennedy that hypnosis can't make anyone really do something they wouldn't want to do, meaning that Kelli had to have some sort of edge. Barring it being magical, Kelli's secret was certainly something no one would expect. She looked around the room to think of how many other things she could use to take someone against their will, barely listening to the light programming she gave Patrice before Rose came into her study in one of the dresses. 

Slowly entering, dressed in a conservative, dark-green gown she chose for the party, the older woman looked for Patrice for her opinion, until her eyes found Kelli again, and looked for the hypnotist's approval. Seeing she was in the middle of trancing with Kelli, Rose merely smiled at that, happy to see her assistant looked like Rose felt on the inside.

"Please have a seat," Kelli uttered, not taking her attention away from Patrice, but smiling wickedly as she caught both Rose and Tara immediately finding somewhere to sit in her peripheral vision.

"You see, Tara, the ability and tools to trance are literally all around you," she looked around the room at all the other useful trance possibilities. The grand piano nearby made her wonder if there was a metronome somewhere on the premises. "All you have to do is..."

Something odd caught Kelli's attention behind Rose's chair. In a myriad of framed pictures sitting on the office window sill, there was one of Rose Kowalski standing next to the warden of the juvenile facility she was sentenced to in her youth, in-front of the juvenile facility, Maypoint. It looked so clean and fresh compared to her memory of it being the drab and dreary gates of hell.

She knew the look of that place anywhere, mostly in nightmares and topping the list of places she'd never go to unless to demolish it. Curiosity took precedence over everything else, sitting atop Rose's desk, facing her ancient tormentor with the placid smile, wanting to slap it off of her face as hard as possible. For the sake of the situation, she opted for a smarter way.

"Mindless, Rose. You can feel yourself becoming utterly, mindless," fingers reached out to trace deep, almost pressured circles on her temples. "All expression, all thought flowing out of you. You feel nothing, not happiness, not joy, not ecstasy. Inanimate objects feel nothing, except my programming, my control." Watching the smile fade away from her face nearly took away the desire to slap, watching her lips part and drool begin to form along the sides of her mouth. "You are little more than a computer now, Rose. Useful only as a resource, only able to give information in a loud, clear voice. No ability to hold back anything; anything I ask of you, command of you, you will give to me, without question. Do you understand me?"

"Yes....I....understand," Rose sounded more mechanical in her speech, pleasing her hypnotist further as an automaton.

"Do you remember a case with the young defendant named Kelli Kennedy, under unconfirmed suspicion of criminal mischief?"

"No."

"Of course you don't, bitch. It was so long ago," Kelli admitted. "Everyone told me my offense warranted probation at worst, and you sent me to worse than I could've imagined. Have you sent many youthful offenders to Maypoint, Rose?"

"Yes....many."

"Are you aware that Maypoint is a harsh, unforgiving place to sentence anyone?"

"Yes."

"Then why the fuck would you send anyone there?"

"The Course of Appropriation."

"Wha...what is the course of appropriation?"

Rose managed to hesitate speaking for the first time all day, after near hours of continuous applications of hypnotic control. That pointed to a secret she really never wanted to divulge.

"Tell me you mindless bitch; you MUST obey me," the sharp whisper cut through the weak resistance and the words came spilling out.

"Course of Appropriation is a private initiative between judges and a youth facility, an agreement to house youthful offenders."

"You send kids to Maypoint, what do you get out of it?"

"Private commissions per bed filled."

Kelli was speechless for several seconds, like everyone in court was, wondering why she got such a harsh sentence, even the hard-ass prosecutor raised an eyebrow at it. The course of her life flashed before her eyes, wondering what could've been, wondering what the hell the worst of it was worth.

"How much? How much per bed filled?"

"$1,000."

The slap came hard and fast across Rose's face, echoing through the study, quicker than Kelli could control. And then another. And another. Thankful she stopped herself from doing more, but realized into her next motion that she'd been imagining slapping Judge Kowalski hard enough to draw blood at the side of her lip. Believing she'd actually slapped her, Kelli reactively pulled Rose back into a firm grasp behind her neck, bringing them face-to-face again.

"SLEEP!" *SNAP*

"SLEEP!" *SNAP*

"SLEEP!" *SNAP*

Issuing aggressive commands while snapping fingers right the judge's face, she eliminated any chance of the perceived slaps waking her back to consciousness.

"No pain, no feeling, no thinking, no control. You are inanimate, only a thing to use, to be used by me, slave. You have no choice, you have, you are only what I tell you."

Part of that command Kelli tried to infuse into herself, realizing how close she was to reacting too emotionally and recklessly, giving way to more trouble than she wanted. Looking around the room, the visual cues of the dangers of Richie and other things filled her head, fighting against the revenge she literally wanted to take as soon as possible.

"Course of Appropriation," she whispered to herself, never expecting to have a clear answer for her sharp fork in the road life had taken her summed up into three simple words. It didn't make her feel any better, nor any worse at that moment of strange clarity. After a few deep breaths, she'd calmed herself to the point of reason, smiling at the person she was, the person no one in her life had managed to demolish or tear down. In every situation she faced, her mischievous, dominant spirit was almost never toppled, though Maypoint truly came close at times. 

Staring at her old devil, Kelli grinned devilishly, knowing inevitable, ingenious steps she was bound to take soon.

"Listen carefully, my enslaved Rose, and pay close attention. 'Course of Appropriation' doesn't mean what you think it means; allow me to delve deep into your brain, deeper than any thought or influence has traveled, journeying into the true 'course of appropriation, telling you what should, what will be appropriated. My Course of Appropriation, the path towards what is appropriate, lies before you. It feels so good to be on this path, the same as it feels good to fall further into this state. You follow my every suggestion, every command, every whim, further and further onto my appropriation."

Gesturing and helping Rose to her feet, Kelli pulled her around the desk as a curious Tara watched the sleepwalking judge be led near where Patrice was peacefully resting in trance. Stripped of the facade of pride, the spiral nail simply pointing down made Rose sink to her knees with ease, fully believing it furthered her course she wanted to be on. Whispering into Patrice's ear, the young assistant took her place kneeling next to her boss.

After applying another small spritz of perfume, Kelli began waving her spiral nail in-front of their glassy eyes, following it with ease until other fingernails joined in as her induction turned fixation of fluttering fingers, minds still searching for that prettily-designed nail among others.

"You find yourselves traveling further and further into My Course of Appropriation. It is a virtuous, exemplary path for those whom want to do what is right. And nothing feels more right than how you feel right now, calm, peaceful, attentive, powerless, obedient, euphoric. Nothing feels better than doing the right thing; nothing feels better than obeying me. Obeying me is the right thing, because the right thing is to obey me."

The fluttering fingers imitating a colorful, hypnotic butterfly shifted between Rose and Patrice equally, one left with the ghost of fingers before their eyes while the other felt happily overwhelmed with them.

"That's right, obey me. Nothing is more correct, more appropriate than this. And who am I to know what is appropriate? As far as your impressionable minds are concerned, I am MissAppropriation. I know all, that is happening to you. I see all, that is happening to you. And MissAppropriation would know a Misappropriation when she sees one. Those who are not appropriate don't get to go any further, any deeper into My Course of Appropriation. The further you go, the better it feels, the more your minds experience bliss, and your bodies become racked with lust. You can feel it go further simply with a touch from MissAppropriation."

The fingers stopped dancing only to caress the hair and lightly scratch the scalps of each woman briefly, before removing her hand and continuing.

"I know lovely Patrice here deserves a touch of MissAppropriation," Kelli's hand gingerly caressed Patrice's head, making eyes roll back nearly into the skull, a dumb smile plastered over her face as arousal began growing in her. 

"And I know that love-sick Rose here....is just misappropriated." Reaching for Judge Kowalski's head, MissAppropriation's hand stopped inches before contact, leaving the older woman in heated anticipation, that quickly turned into moaning frustration. Unpleasant memories of Maypoint flashed in her mind, the unfair punishments, the inhumane restrictions, the constant restrains Kelli sometimes managed to get out of, and another evil grin prepared nearly everyone present for tables being viciously turned.

"Just look at the difference Rose," Kelli mockingly-chided, grabbing fistfuls of a drooling, moaning Patrice's hair to assertively yank her deeper into trance. "Patrice is practically imprisoned in hypnosis, incarcerated deeper in sexual suggestions and persuasive passions, locked up in my touch and on My Course of Appropriation while you are merely locked out, your journey and pleasure stalled."

Rose watched the teasing fingers dance hypnotically and almost touch her, but felt emotionally puzzled for why she was denied. "You couldn't even feel or advance to my touch because you are chained up in resistance, in pride you don't want," Kelli anticipated her judicial slave trying to lean into undeserved contact. 

MissAppropriation knelt next to Patrice, still manipulating her head while enslaved hands felt the freedom to touch her own body, sticking desperate fingers into her pants, unaware of Rose's desperation dwarfing her own, wanting it more but so far away from it. "You want to go deeper Rose, you want to be hypnotized out of your mind, over and over and over. You want to be in my power, as deep as I allow, floating along the Course of Appropriation. But your misappropriations of past and present, everything you think is good, denies you heavenly pleasures." Wrapping an arm around Patrice, using her spiral nail to fixate and almost touch the other woman, Rose couldn't stand it, babbling and begging incoherently for permission.

"Those pleasures, deep hypnotic pleasures..." A crooning finger waved in-front of Rose's eyes. "The pleasure of sleep!" *SNAP*

Rose and Patrice's heads fell forward as Kelli's hands held them up, whispering suggestions to keep them up. Looking at a stunned Tara, they hypnotist smiled wolfishly before briefly giving suggestions and returning them to the state they would swore was never interrupted.

"You feel it Rose, and yet you can't. The arousal, the obedience, the mindfuck you need but can't have. Like a Rose denied sunlight, you feel sensations withering away, which only heightens your need for it. Who knows what really keeps you from this pleasure," Kelli laughed to herself, glad there could be a weekend's worth of torture and breaking ahead, but still felt aware of Tara's presence, and the pressing mission given.

"Perhaps it's all the smarts in your head, maybe that's what is stalling you from pleasure and moving further. Maybe all that pesky knowledge in your head could be uncoupled from your brain so it can move forward into MissAppropriation's power. Maybe if you start to tell me things, like...." Kelli thought to herself as she pulled out her phone to begin recording. "Like telling me what to expect from your weekend, and especially this party coming, who is coming, what they can be bringing, and anything else you expect of it. It's only appropriate to tell me everything, because MissAppropriation commands it."

***

After hours of brainwashing, fractionating, interrogating, and planning, both Kelli and Tara took a long break. Keeping appearances from the present staff and everyone else, the two college girls kept up appearances when they needed to, until well past dusk where everyone had eventually eaten something, and retired for the evening in a few of the many bedrooms. 

Sure of her privacy and that Tara had finally fallen asleep, Kelli managed to slip out of her temporary bedroom undetected, sleeping in a room with both newly-entranced slaves. After checking her texts, she finally slipped out of the house and found Ned parked on a road nearby the house.

Getting out to open the door for her and check to make sure no one saw her, Ned returned to his driver seat. Allowed to be conscious and aware for the sake of her operation, worry filled his whole face as her plans obviously went haywire. He was glad to see her unharmed and not looking totally helpless, but there was an unusual degree of vulnerability radiating from her as Kelli sat in the passenger seat, silent and unfocused, lost in thought.

"I..." she began, hesitating with her own speech. Ned was expecting a full rundown of whatever plan B she probably was working on the fly, but what spilled out became much more emotional.

"I was a pretty mischievous kid, running hypnosis tricks and scams on anyone I could in life. One AP professor I had was a really lecherous fuck, one most avoided, and even I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot cattle prod. I found the lecherous part to be true one day when he took his shot with me, blackmailing me with some manipulation I was running on another teacher. I took my shot with him, and didn't miss. He got fired, ended up in a car wreck, blamed me, and I was taken to trial. Should've been a suspended sentence, but Judge Rose Kowalski went above and beyond in labeling me a menace, sending me to juvie hell."

The controlled detective aiding his felonious mistress never expected her to see this kind of vulnerable, maybe on the verge of crying the way light shined in her eyes. She always had her honest expressions after messing with minds as a way of decompressing; it was never during one, or this strong.

"Now Judge Kowalski is back at her place, a bit of a wreck but sleeping soundly in my control, for the sake of another maniac I'm more convinced might be trying to kill me. The judge thing...is still wrecking me more than anything. Every night in that hell she put me in, I wanted revenge, dreamed of payback. When I got out, I still don't know why I never went after her. Right now, I've got her exactly where I want her, degraded and mind-fucked. But I...I feel numb, unsatisfied by it all, and..."

The stark difference between her jubilation when Kelli took Ned and the devastation of Kelli finally getting her revenge shocked the man who thought he was beyond it with all the mind games she played. He leaned over to put a consoling hand on her shoulder, and after a few minutes, she scooted over to lean into his form as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Even mind manipulators need reality checks and comfort," he quietly reasoned, giving her exactly what she couldn't command. It was weird how much she relied on him, to recruit and lead her other police slaves, to be her lieutenant servant of sorts, and to literally be the only person she could trust; it all felt like she'd called him Neddy Bear again, feeling the suggestive sensations, giving them back to the person that took yet earned his trust too.

He'd make sure they'd go over the changing plan soon, as he also made sure she could have the moments she needed like this

***

Sure that she had a chance to sneak out without being noticed, Tara exited the front door of the judge's house, moving down the street to Richie's car parked in the distance. He was waiting for her in the back, chilled champagne and his genuine smile greeting her. She kissed him deeply as she got in.

"That good, huh?" He asked, pulling her close into the embrace; they were very much on-call lovers for one another, and Richie was happy to see a tigerish sexuality that hinted at his plan being successful.

"You were definitely right about her."

"See? I told you offing talent like that was too hasty. She's worth way more alive than not right now."

Slowly unbuttoning her blouse took his mind away from waiting for her admission, sipping her drink and checking her phone.

"So how did it feel to fall 'under her spell?'"

"Trite and ridiculous," Tara smirked, both knowing she would try her magic on whoever she could, prepared for that eventuality.

"Roland has eyes on," she checked her texts from Richie McClung's main enforcer Roland Darby, the balding comb over in the leather jacket and shades at the stadium. "She's probably working out some wiggle room with one of her cops. And given all the questions she asked the judge, she's definitely going for the money tomorrow."

"That's two for me; you're slacking Tara," he nibbled her ear, the success of a plan coming together made the pair very hot.

"But then again, maybe I gave our little hypnotist a little too much credit; if she never realized our game started long before today, she's not the MVP I expected her to be."

"Better than I expected, I will admit that," Tara sat herself in his lap, letting him smell a stronger-than-normal application of her perfume than he was used to.

"Well, no matter how long you make a maze, it always ends the same way for the rat," Richie almost husked, lips tracing her throat, down to the exposed cleft of her breast.

"All that time designing those mazes, you need to relax now and then, especially with your big case coming on Monday," she whispered into his ear with a knowing smile.

"Yeah..." he tried feigning uncertainty in his voice, enjoying playing with her full breasts and nipples waiting for his mouth, and enjoying what she was doing with her hands.

"Just take a deep breath, Richie," she soothed sensually, fingers at his temples, enjoying emulating Kelli's effect with the right drugged scents in her own perfume. "The best of the weekend is yet to come."