The real estate for the Parnassus property was one that could be spent all day trekking across, just as it felt like an all-day excursion for those moving deeper into the garden maze. Hypatia took a very leisurely stroll through it, a Doll by her side for attendance and quiet company. Most of the high walls of greenery were sparsely sprinkled with color, some sections were had surface coverings of flowers in shades of whites and other things for variety. And every lined wall had at least one high, flowery pillars almost acting as markers within the maze did give wanders unconscious incentive to venture further. From the maze entrance, it was amazing how immaculate the flower colors were maintained; there seemed to be a different color per direction, primary colors helping to note the difference of where in the maze you were lost, taking great advantage of different shades that turned into secondary colors. Hypatia noted this brilliant design, and looked almost admirably at the scantily-clad Doll alongside, guessing that Dolls like her were made to keep the grounds as cultivated as they were.

"Certainly thriftier than hiring landscapers," Hypatia mused.

The undercover investigator also enjoyed musing about the parallels of the garden maze and the Parnassus investments; the walls of green being like monotone, blank Dolls, and the more decorative ones being the Obsequious, a cleverly-seed veneer of willful adoration temporarily hiding the blankness beneath. She wondered if Elowyn's methodology of creating Obsequious were left unattended, would the other colors take over the green and settle in as a permanent personality, a fascinating thought that frightened her on some level. 

Having been under someone's unrelenting "green" thumb in the past, she tried not to let herself recall too much of the parts of the past she could remember, the Doll she could've been if Dr. Thorn truly could have his way. With his track record, he just couldn't help himself with young, impressionable women who were blinded by his hypocritical scruples, as Subprime of late proved. Hypatia was his Obsequious in a way, but always at the edge of being his Doll, especially if there was an excuse of the mission (or simply his libido) calling for it. If anything, she'd rather be the pillar, nothing but a vibrant color, free to blind others with her brilliance as she saw fit, as she was now. Such self-reflection made her breathe deeper than she intended, which allowed her to pick up a scent that stood out from the heady floral air.

It wasn't that she didn't feel a presence following her throughout the maze; it's just that she couldn't tell the who, and therefore they why. But their scent brought a new memory to the forefront, memories of last night in bed with the young Parnassus.

"Is there to be an unscheduled meeting soon," a cultured, inquisitive voice spoke from Hypatia stopped in her tracks, back still turned to Tennyson Jr. who finally emerged from around the nearest pillar.

"Call it a continuation of yesterday's meeting. There are still some points to go over."

A crooked smile turned his way from over her shoulder.

"I'm sure you mean today's 'early morning' meeting, if you weren't paying attention to the time."

"Thankfully we have a stenographer here, someone ready to take d-" he stopped himself mid-sentence, not wanting his lewd comment to turn off Hypatia and make her too vulnerable. Isolated from others plus her role as inspector, a rising alertness could've inhibited the pleasant mood he wanted her it, something his recently-applied cologne was to promote with every approaching step.

Her crooked smile turned lewd. "You'd leave the task of 'dictation' to someone 'sleeping' on the job," Hypatia referred to the oblivious Doll nearby.

"Even sleepwalkers can get the job done," he spoke, happy to no have her react in a prudish way to his crude advancements, taking steps forward.

"If you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself," Hypatia told him, closing the distance between them. Taking his hand to gingerly place over tented pants, the hypnotist giggled as she made him stroke himself while the free hand caressed a still body aching for additional stimulation. He would've complained about the act being a slight perversion of his wishes, if her covering hand wasn't so vigorous in its guidance; feeling vulnerable erogenous zones from their prior act stroked again didn't help a great deal either. As the cologne grew in strength from his aroused state, he was uncharacteristically-willing to let patience run its course, enjoying the sound of her unconsciously-deepening breaths, and the soft, impactful clicks of her pearls crashing together. 

"And if I humbly asked for some assistance in this important job?" Junior's wheedling made Hypatia giggle again, ignoring how her giggles drowned his words out.

"She....mmmm....can take notes from your example," crooning that gestured towards the Doll made them both laugh.

"There's a shed nearby, it would serve wonderfully as a little schoolhouse for this lesson." Hypatia eyed him with softening yet critical eyes, and he just let his naked, handsome smolder openly communicate his intentions.

"Prove it," the cultured voice came back, laced with expectant lust. 

A small pep in Junior's step got him moving forward, loving the game they played. Unlike practically every other girl he'd ever met, Hypatia was combining shades of the most attractive attributes of everyone that came before. Smart and cunning in just as many ways as she was interested and vulnerable. Haughty like most that came from money, but carried by her own sense of independent superiority, even under someone else's employ. She found him attractive like most women would, yet she never missed a chance to engage in direct foreplay and match flirtations at his level, a balance the prettiest noble or the sexiest whore never struck this well. All of that plus his mother's indignation towards their budding version of "courting" made Hypatia damn-near perfect.

Junior almost hating having to lead the way as he glanced back at how she sauntered behind him; it was a vital example of her personality, set so clearly against the lifeless sleepwalking of the Doll trailing behind both of them. He didn't see Elowyn anywhere behind them, but that didn't mean she wasn't there; the thought of his mother fuming at the sway of hips soon to be in his grasp and control could have set fire to the garden if it wasn't a short walk to the shed.

Arriving at the sizable structure meant for the garden's upkeep, Hypatia was impressed with how a decent chunk of the interior was prettied up to serve as half a love-shack, dressed up with a small bed, flowers, clean sheets, and a small cooler with expensive champagne ready for consumption. 

"The Parnassus certainly know how to utilize their property," she complimented.

"We try," he lightly held her lips from behind and placed racy kisses along her collarbone.

"But do you succeed?" she took a deep breath before turning unexpectedly, back up in slow steps towards the silk-topped bed. He saw her hunger as well as what looked like a glassy stare in his direction. Unable to tell if this was her fighting the cologne or giving into the wearer's intentions, he dove forward to topple her onto the bed, not at all expecting her to lean forward and control the movement to where they fell and she would be physically on top, just like a great deal of earlier that morning.

"It's a joint effort," he smiled from beneath her. "But don't hold your breath for the answer you were expecting," he pulled her down for a kiss she happily leaned down into. Pants were lowered without looking down, and their coitus exchange quickly grew hot and heavy. Junior teased almost giving her skin love welts and striking certain places that made her gasp out loud, all promoting deep breaths he knew would end the withering ounces of control left in her. He loved all the audible indications of surrendering to the moment, the moans syncing with rhythmic breaths, the happy friction of her bobbing up and down his shaft, the way the pearls bounced off of each other like balls of a cat's cradle in their exchange; it became too easy to find the rhythm to maximize her pleasure as only her moans registered to his ears. They rocked together as it seemed like she was coming undone from beneath him, and in a final grab at her pert breasts, she came hard on him, not bothering to hold her screams back from his experienced in pleasing women. Junior still stayed with the motion as she screamed in pleasure and came down, but he remained at a height equally satisfying and frustrating. As she came down off her high, Hypatia turned to the surprised expression of a confused Junior.

"Mmmmmm, soo good," Hypatia whispered hotly in his ear, letting her pearl bracelet jingle in the other, nearly as hot as the throbbing cock still inside her. "I'm so jealous of you, you get to stay at that height, maintaining absolute pleasure, but it's so fleeting for me." Trying to process her words was a forgone conclusion, as the substance of it seemed impossible to the young Parnassus.

"Why...mmmm....why can't I...what is this," he moaned.

"Part of that is the Alaga Garnu, a Nepali way of saying 'isolate,' in audio-magnetism terms. An impeccable way of helping one to focus only on the important things, like a sensation you want to focus on, or a voice that will guide you further into it."

Junior tried to mouth the foreign words again for some reason, feeling their importance, and in everything else Hypatia uttered.

"Just knowing you're there, just knowing that I got you there, that gets me so hot..." she breathed in his ear. Moistening from his disposition, she gently at-first started using him for another orgasm, building up a faster pace he was inexplicably obliged to keep up with until she came hard a second time. More satisfaction overrode reactions of anger, emotions Junior wasn't used to rising up in him. He tried to force perturbed words out despite the blissful edge his body rode.

"Fucking....ahhh...you fuckinggg-mmmm...I'll..."

"Awww," she condescendingly sympathized. "Is it getting too much for you now? Would you like to be relieved?"

"Fuck you....fu-mmmmyessssss...." 

"Oh, fuck me? You'd like more?"

"No! No-nnnooooooo....p-please," Junior pleaded, rocking his hips to meet hers that still set the rhythm for them both. His shrinking ego was partially glad he couldn't hear the sound of his own begging.

"Please what, Tennyson Jr."

"Please...need to...come...bad..."

"As bad as your uncouth and unsatisfying attempt at a request?" she queried, slowing the rhythm gradually.

"Please Hypatia...please give...relief...pleaasssseee..." Helpless begging almost set her off to wanting an immediate third orgasm, but she relented.

"Well, since you finally asked nicely, I think you can be accommodated."

He fell against her chest, almost sobbing from the overwhelming stimulation he no longer felt in control of; he wanted to thank her by kissing her pearl-adorned neck or breasts in worship, but he relented knowing that would not only delay is body's wishes, but give her a different impression.

"I suspect that this will have to be a joint effort, as I suspect that your release is tied a conditioning that's safely implanted in you..." she eluded to control he was wholly unaware she'd seized in earlier sexual escapade.

"And if it's safely implanted, that may mean it would take a code to crack the safe. What could that code be?"

Hypatia's hand idly drew themselves down to her necklace, muttering numbers softly in-concert with the pearls on different strands.

"But what kind of code would unlock an orgasm? A seven to the left? A three to the right? A five to the left again? Why would one be locked away for sake keeping? What methodology would it take to even lock one in the first place?"

The words meant little as they didn't offer relief yet, but the sound of Hypatia's voice in-concert with the light collision sounds of pearls at her front and on her bracelet hovering around Junior's unattended ear drowned out every other sound. His own breathing faded while Hypatia's pearls grew to the impact of loud cymbals crashing against one another.

"If it were a step-by-step process to place it where it is, maybe reversing the process is the key. Twisting that dial left to fifteen, right to ten, left to eight, right to five, a left to fourteen..." Hypatia nearly cackled as her increase in numbers made Junior physically and verbally whine; how he was in-tune with the random countdown made for such arousing commentary. His cock produced enough heat that he barely realized himself being removed from slick confines, he was too focused on her pearls, and code-breaking voice closing in the big bang of his universe in-turmoil.

"Perhaps you can feel the orgasm heating you up as the dial turns to three..." she held three pearls away from the rest of one strand.

"Heating you up as the next turn is two..." one pearl dropped two remained between her fingers.

"And how hot could you be if those two became one..." So tempted to wreck his sexual psyche, ending her thought with "hundred," she nearly broke. But she didn't feel like breaking Tennyson Jr. in like that. Not yet anyway.

"And as that last dialed pearl falls, so unlocks your orgasm...."

Wrapped up in a nearby towel, Junior screamed as he deposited his load, held in place by Hypatia lest he fell on the floor to finish convulsing. Quietly babbling on the bed beneath him, Hypatia leaned over his sweat-covered form. As she breathed deeper, she noticed the counter-agent to his cologne she'd swiped from the laboratory the previous night had worked wonders in staving off the real effects of his cologne. The more she breathed, the more she could tell it was wearing off, thankfully, but if he could apply another strong application, staying in his presence might leave her nearly as mindless as he was. 

Straddling him on the bed, a small shake of her wrist took sound away from Junior's world again. Eyes opening, he was face-to-face with Hypatia's necklace again, watching fingers moving pearls, making calculations, making him speak inaudibly about beliefs in his head.

"Tell me what you believe," she uttered, and his lips couldn't stop moving, only interrupted when something needed correcting.

"No, your special cologne is always freshly-applied, you never need to reapply again."

"Your special cologne works as intended, it aids the Alaga Garnu in isolating you to me. It aids my words that you believe."

"You believe what I say, as what I say is true. My truth is your trust."

"You trust, lust for, and respect me; I show you the value of a woman no one else has before."

"Men should work for women's interests, not against them. We are on the same side, never opposing."

"Men hold value as pawns and kings, all beholden to the powerful Pearl Queen on your chess board."

"You can't go back to old thinking; Hypatia has made you better." 

"You want to be better, proper. A proper man. A Proper Parnassus, for her. Only for Hypatia."

Long minutes of implanting thorough conditioning turned into possibly hours. She got off a few times more programming the playboy into a simpering boytoy ready to be a dutiful boyfriend for a woman that defined what women could be in Junior's eyes. They were going to need showers soon, after a long walk back to the house, their lewd acts returning undue with rumors between the Parnassus and Alexiou families. Though Hypatia cared little about their opinions, she also didn't want to breed complications that didn't have to be. As she talked him up to being able to speak dreamily again, she thought of a solution to the potential appearance problem.

"Tennyson Jr, in this maze, would there be any secret entry to the lab below that you know about?"

***

Elowyn emerged from the garden maze after a brief reprieve enjoying a short, leisurely walk throughout her property. Everyone assumed she'd given herself deserved alone time after a stupendous presentation of her Obsequious line of toys; in-truth, she'd searched for her darling, idiot son and the crafty harlot looking to influence the youngest of a supposedly-influential family. Between them, it was hard to discern which was more troublesome, and could inflict more damage into their investment.

She walked back to the house, all-smiles, technically giving herself a small break with checking on something she could certainly deem successful.

It was a relatively short venture into deeper parts of the mansion, specifically the guest quarters, before various sounds of pleasure because audible to the Lioness Parnassus. She allowed herself a triumphant smirk, as she quietly entered Gertrude Benson's room. The older woman was vigorously scissoring the young Obsequious that still looked upon her with adoration when the pleasure of fucking her programmed idol wasn't too much for her senses. Gertrude's gasps sharpened for a fraction of a moment before going silent as she felt fingers on her temples. The tips of Elowyn's fingers were like magnets, pulling thoughts and brain functions aloose in a configuration based on whispers.

"Don't stop Gertrude, let your hips keep moving. Don't stop the pleasure. Your body doesn't want to stop, your slave doesn't want to stop, your hostess certainly doesn't want you to stop. Open your mind to me wider than you open your legs. Words tied to arousal, endlessly receptive, excitement growing per second, per word..."

The Obsequious merely watched as Elowyn took hold of the matron Benson, which heated her up more knowing that her alpha took control of her designated love. Programming buried deep began to surface as she readied herself to assist Elowyn in whatever way possible; the look on the Lioness Parnassus face clearly told her to keep up the sexual stimulation, which no one in the room could complain about.

Gertrude's awareness became linked with the Soombakiya in her brain, a touch dragging itself along her body, down to the crotch occupied with a crescendo of an orgasm. The older woman convulsed back into the pillows, her Obsequious laying next to her to hold and comfort her while she came off the sexual high. Eyes opened eventually after normal breathing returned, and Gertrude found Elowyn sitting at her guest table, a knowing, unbidden smile framing her face.

"And here I thought privacy and discretion were a hallmark part of staying at a Parnassus residence," she uttered, regaining her wits as she meant to cover herself in annoyed modesty.

"They certainly are, Gertrude; consider this a safety check-in. Having trained these malleable angels myself, one should be aware of how overboard there giving can be for any recipient."

"Speaking from thorough experience, I assume?" Gertrude eyed Elowyn carefully.

"Indeed, but it's not like you can blame her; you're in such incredible shape that not much programming would've been needed to create lust centering upon you."

"Speaking from more experience, I assume?" Gertrude absently lowered enough of the cover to give ample view of a large breast, almost purring in a bedroom voice. She squeaked a little as the Obsequious slithered beneath it to stealthily bring her mouth over the exposed nipple. Both older women musically laughed.

"Perhaps in my dreams, but I'll insist something else for now. I've arranged for lunch to be delivered soon for the two of you; in retrospect, it may have been a flaw in my presentation to neglect reminding interested parties that they can't merely subsist on their love of you, and need sustenance to keep going. As do you."

A timely knock on the door brought Elowyn to her feet as a server brought tea, a tray of breads, vegetables and meats, and even bottled water.

"Mmmm, that looks delectable; the food looks good too," Gertrude joked, fondling the grateful Obsequious who looked at the tray with hunger as well. The usually-shrewd business woman letting her hair down in such a way told Elowyn a great deal about the susceptibility of what she assumed would be one of the harder sells of the weekend. Tennyson probably believed Gertrude was all-in the way she dragged the Obsequious back into her room, but Elowyn as always preferred a thorough approach.

"Can I assume you'll be joining us for lunch?" Gertrude languidly put on a robe to approach the food while the Obsequious remained on the bed wearing on a warm smile at Gertrude's happy disposition. 

"Much as I would like that, I still have other things to attend to."

"It might be worth your while; we can have a prospective investors meeting right now if you wish, especially if you're interested in the direction the wind is blowing for my fellow financiers."

The Lioness simply smiled, silently sitting at the table to partake of lunch and accept the invitation she'd given herself after implanting the suggestion in Gertrude's head minutes ago.

***

Tennyson Sr. was worried approaching his office, hopefully not late to a meeting he was abruptly made aware of. Taking leisure time deriving pleasure from Delphine bent over furniture, he let vulnerable moans stroke his healing ego, celebrating a secured place at the head of his growing empire. Things were going according to plan, or so he thought, until he returned to the garden again to find many of the Dolls and Obsequious left unattended.

With no sign of Elowyn or Tennyson Jr. to explain the disappearance of his guests, Tennyson started to worry that something triggered an exodus, something to blame on his overly-ambitious wife or libidinous son. He calmed a little bit as one of the Obsequious told him that there was a small gathering waiting for him in his office. 

He took some deep breaths before entering his own office, finding several of his soon-to-be investors waiting, with Edward at the head of the contingent. They were all smiles, but it barely caused the unease Tennyson had as he took his esteemed seat, feeling more like it was the designated chair for a brutal inquisition.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" Tennyson kept his voice friendly but firm, not wanting to take the tone of a customer service worker placating an angry client.

"First of all, I hope you know how satisfied we all are with what you've shown us," the Bishop of Yearwood assured Tennyson. "It's all but guaranteed that you have our collective support now."

"And yet..." Eluding impatiently to the pronounced "but" in Edward's words, Tennyson wouldn't be satisfied until their point was gotten to.

"Nothing in your operation suggests anything worth worrying about," Cameron Donatell spoke up. The head of a company with multiple defense contracts with the government, Tennyson knew he'd be the hardest of all to convince, the most security-focused of the group. He knew if he was satisfied, others would fall in line like obedient soldiers.

"It's always been external forces that worry me the most, outsiders interested in private affairs. But a source tells me that you've looked ahead and taken that into account."

"A source," Tennyson's smiling curiosity was met with a walled-off smile befitting a former military officer.

"Such an account sounds...I don't want to say 'too good to be true,' but it brings up one of my favorite intelligence adages - trust but verify."

The Parnassus head stared at the Donatell head for long enough seconds that all other eyes were fascinated with whom would break the gaze first. 

"And with such verification, I trust things will be made formal and official..."

"I would trust in that instinct, Tennyson." Everyone was surprised to see Cameron break the stare first, letting Tennyson net a temporary win. "Though it comes with one small caveat...."

***

"There are whispers of some wanting to deal directly with you, Elowyn, the possible head of a hostile takeover."

A thin eyebrow raised, complimenting the quizzical smile on her face.

"One would hope these rumors are as unsubstantiated as their basis. This endeavor is a team effort, as it should be with any family firm."

"And whom is designated team leader?"

Exchanging even stares, Elowyn always appreciated how blunt Gertrude could be without losing an ounce of sophistication; both women knew Elowyn's answer should be that Tennyson held that designation, but Elowyn allowed honesty and pride to hold back the safe response, silently answering still. The patriarchal traditions of their upper echelon bothered many women, and the rarity that was Gertrude wouldn't be above another woman rising to the top in her own way, pending profitability.

"Is this another question circulating amongst the whispers in my house?"

"Arbitrarily. It's a natural question to arise as for what it takes to make Dolls can be left to any man with a detailed-enough set of instructions and tools. To make the Obsequious as you have..." Gertrude reached over for her toy who sensed her intentions and closed the distance, dueling tongues and fondling briefly before returning to address Elowyn.

"I sense that only you have the ability to create this commodity."

Acknowledging the words with a slight nod, Elowyn considered how open-ended the assertion was, if Gertrude was talking about Elowyn's bid for leadership, or if the naked investor was angling to acquire Obsequious-making abilities herself. Elowyn smiled inwardly in the latter being possibly used as a bargaining chip for support, knowing how sold the head of the Benson family already was. 

"And if so?" Elowyn responded.

"I don't mind a patent of exclusivity at all; I prefer not to see a generic brand of Obsequious ever floating around. But I do hope there is a system in place for operations to carry on depending on any unforeseen alterations."

Elowyn kept her look measured at hearing "unforeseen alterations," wondering if she needed to probe for clarification.

"But I suppose the meeting tonight will assuage such concerns."

"What meeting?" Elowyn asked, plainly confused. 

"Another whisper in the halls, but one gaining momentum that I expect to be manifested sometime this evening."

Acting on instinct as powerful as the programming of any Doll or Obsequious, Elowyn's pendant was swinging before Gertrude's eyes, exuding probing energy.

Both Gertrude and her Obsequious gasped at the energy being exerted, the latter familiar with the arousing magnetism serving as her true north. The former found her eyes strangely-fixed bronze color shining deep inside the topaz stone, connecting with it until something lit up inside her and darkened all else.

"Elaborate," Elowyn commanded firmly, "if you would be so very inclined to do for me."