Richard awoke to a sleepy haze, feeling the velvet sheets beneath him rubbing his form onto the like a cat arranging itself into the perfect sleeping position. He blankly wondered why he was so inclined to wrap himself up in it, until his eyes slowly opened to look past the bed's canopy and see Elowyn's portrait staring at him, wearing the black velvet his body clung to. The notion of capitulation connected to her shocked him awake, but no more awake than the state he remained in.

Pushing mental energies to bring the bunker back, the background swiftly changed to his original sanctuary. But evidence of his newer sanctuary remained, Elowyn's portrait proudly hanging in his bunker. It still took long seconds to look away from her image, fighting the tide, knowing the tide of her control would continue to wear him down until he drifted off to sea. The only satisfaction he had was remaining awareness and resilience to remain himself until the very end; a glance in her direction told him that she loved that about him, loving acknowledging that there would be an end to him. 

Walking past the portrait to direct his focus elsewhere, awareness still hinted at several things. The daylight pouring into his bunker was fading, telling him the time in the real world. And he could also feel outwardly enough to feel himself in the real world tired and horny, a deep contrast to the Richard's stalwart avatar. He appreciated any part of him remaining strong after so long, which shifted the avatar right back in-front of the portrait. 

Her painted gaze caught his and kept it; Richard finally caught on to the fact that every time he notably though of or pushed for resistance, she always came before him to test his resolve. Or he brought himself to her image, internally convinced he had no part in being tested. As his failings in strength became clearer, so did a sensation of velvety Soombakiya that came over his avatar like a tangible breeze blowing through a secure structure. He caught himself moaning, the velvet letting his self-perception slip, until he was half naked, wearing only leather pants again. The velvet trailed up his spine, knowing it pleases Elowyn's extension, anticipating how much it would please the real one when she would return.

His desperation nearly took him in trying to return to his full self to search again for another means of escape. Even that was circumvented as he felt his real self being handled, taken by probably multiple assailants. Whoever they were, they didn't employ a soft touch, at first. Out of however many were suddenly there for him, one caressed his face with a faintly-familiar touch. How closely it resembled the essence of Elowyn made him lean into a palm holding his cheek; Elowyn's absence in the real world felt like months of longing for someone his body ever-catered to before his consciousness would admit. 

A whiff of something as insistent as the rougher hands entered his nostrils and assumed a newer kind of influence, very different from the means he'd been constantly subjected to at the Parnassus estate. How unsubtle it was combined with the way he was being touched started the list of attributes convincing Richard that the essence of Elowyn he felt was merely surface-level. Everything about whoever she was ceased to rise above familiar, even as it tried guiding his physical body forward with enough pheromones beginning to flood his system. 

Tepid steps forward combined with irregular breaths told those surrounding the Quant that he wasn't fully giving in, leading to acts of impatience with one set of hands shoving him forward, and another gripping his arm, ready to pull him further. All of it stopped as the softer, faux-Elowyn presence caressed his face with both hands, forwardly pressing her scented wrists close to his nostrils for maximum cajoling into obedience. Potent as it was, it wasn't nearly strong enough for Richard to counteract it, raising his hands to bring seductive energy to the woman's sides. The gasp of her sounded uniquely different from Elowyn, younger, much less experienced. 

He would need just a few minutes to get her into a more agreeable state, something not afforded as rough hands return to rescue the novice seductress. His gambit of the others not recognizing what was happening unfortunately didn't pay off, and it was the last indicator of Elowyn's absence - she didn't need others to handle him, she was completely capable by herself. Admiration distracted other senses in his weakening resistance against brute force.
Struggling against them only awarded him a sharp jab in the arm, bringing darkness ahead of the day's dusk.

With the darkness came a new voice, and a new chemical element looking to eclipse everything like the sky falling, including his own sense of self, and all of Elowyn's good works. A blunt tool compared the the prevailing elegance, the space of it was filled with words that sounded like someone not speaking was to be in control.

***

Less than an hour away from the culmination of all the Parnassus family efforts, Tennyson Sr. had left his office to shower in his bedroom-connected bathroom. Honestly the steamy waters served several uses for the patriarch - a small, allotted amount of alone time to decompress before a high-stakes negotiation (especially since he'd sent Delphine off on a retrieval mission), a chance to deal with the perspiration born balancing several different situations and precipice for disaster, and most importantly because the application of pheromones he wanted needed some opening of pores of the skin. Total comprehension of the science was still lost on him, but it made enough sense that some of it seeping into his pores helped to key his own naturally-enhanced scent to sway whomever would be on the receiving end; such knowledge constantly fed his ego of being "naturally charismatic."

Stepping out of the shower, ready to apply the pheromones and redress, he heard a noise from the bedroom. Expecting it was Delphine, he smirked to himself, thinking one quickie and a small re-showering couldn't hurt. Opening the door to the bedroom, he found Cameron Donatell waiting for him. The urge to leap out of his skin was suppressed by a towel still being wrapped around his waist, and the expected erection not making it past half-mast. The urge to physically reprimand the potential investor had to be suppressed too, also because of the unrepudiated reputation of violence the Donatell head was known for. Standing in the middle of the Parnassus bed chamber, the intruder was alone, yet accompanied by an air of menacing expectation.

"Sorry to catch you with your pants down, Tennyson, but I was hoping to meet you on neutral ground about something."

A few deep breaths calmed Tennyson, knowing nothing was neutral about what and where this impromptu meeting was; vulnerabilities-aside, it was probably neutral to someone like Cameron who attended few negotiations without weaponized incentives.

"About what exactly," Tennyson kept his tone as measured as possible.

"Well, a smart businessman like yourself has probably plotted out the possibility of an auction happening in the middle of all these exciting opportunities."

"That's a bit premature, Cameron. This is all meant to see whom is interested in investing first and foremost." Cameron chuckled at the diplomatic response, appreciating the front that had to be maintained, but tiring of the theatrics with time running low.

"I appreciate how you didn't omit the possibility of more than investing to take place, because once certain items come into play, your investors will be scrambling for the prize that suits them the most. And given some parties you're aware that I'm affiliated with, I think you should know that while I'll bid, there's no question about ownership after tonight."

Cameron's barely-veiled command made Tennyson's breath catch, piecing together all the complications to arise from this new wrinkle tonight. He surely expected back-door, under-the-table deals to happen, but this one wasn't supposed to be on the table. The prospect of possibility naming his price was extremely tempting, but so would be the reaction of the only person he truly feared when it came to blowback. 

"Assuming everything you're saying is true, assuming there will a bid..."

"A fine assumption," Cameron added firmly.

"A-assuming that...how can I control the bidding of auctioneers?"

"I like how you put that, 'controlling the bidding of,' as if that's not why we're here now. But you should be aware, just like you will have backers, I have backers too, who will trust my judgment in where to put there money for assets and opportunities."

The last thing Tennyson had to suppress was a smile at the idea of a blank check, and an alliance with power previous generations would've never considered touching; reminded of how none of his predecessors and ancestors were so enterprising, stiff body language turned soft and affable to the proposal.

"Happy to see you're on board, I look forward to our meeting tonight..." Cameron smiled, leaving Tennyson to let out an exasperated breath. Thankfully, he noticed the time on his bedside clock, and moved to take another quick shower, he didn't want the large application he needed of pheromones to key off of fear and desperation.

***

The descent into the laboratory from the garden maze showed an area much less kept up, as evident from the rooms barely lit, unoccupied or abandoned workspaces, and thin films of dust covering many visible surfaces. Hypatia and Junior walked through the space with curiosity; the pearl-adorned hypnotist was surprised the breadth of the lab extended this far, revealing an impressive underground network she would've never expected from the Parnassus estate with the family's reputation. Junior had always been curious about what was back behind most of the used spaces, it looking more dilapidated than he was expecting.

Several rooms were filled with devices and science apparatuses reminding them of the current brainwashing means mere rooms away. Different chairs with monitors ready for those forcefully seat, rows of documents and labeled liquids in storage areas, strangely large rooms meant for observation or to carry out such experiments; evidence of broken glass from some of the larger rooms indicated how unwilling or affected some past subjects truly were.

"I suppose this is what you'd call the drawing board of the Parnassus success," Hypatia commented, walking around and looking at things with more interest than Junior.

"Guess so; my great-grandfather had this made up back in the bootlegging days, probably a big chunk of the fortune back then." 

"That explains the amount of space," Hypatia noted.

"The maids or Dolls should have fun cleaning this place up once production really ramps up," Junior spoke with his father's business acumen, but sounding bored, walking in a slow, straight line to the next rooms while his sexy companion treated it like a stroll through a museum of interest.

"Whatever vices the public or our friends have, we're happy to host and supply. Hopefully you can report to the Alexiou family that we have not only the drive, but the space to supply their future demand."

"My report will garner much satisfaction, I assure you of that," the brunette glanced his way with a lewd smile, reminding him of their recent exchange above ground, distracting his curiosity about her interest in the documentation she picked up to read, oddly leading her to one of the storage rooms nearby.

He followed her into the room, filled with boxes of mostly paperwork. Sneaking up behind her as she was reading something, he remembered enticing some of his more studious college girlfriends in the stacks, how he'd use his lips and attentive hands to lead them towards another sexy anatomy lesson. Hypatia grinned as his distraction was only slightly annoying, no matter how good it felt. She let his kisses on her neck and lingering hands on her waist endure until it truly took her focus elsewhere. Her free hand not holding paperwork reached back to caress his hair, the sound of pearls softly colliding right next to his ear.

"Business first, lovely. But don't hesitate to keep getting ready for getting down to our business."

Intoned anticipation joined triggering sounds to slow his affection, while building it internally still, making him follow her as they continued to move.

Despite the significant satisfaction Hypatia silently garnered from what she was reading, he noticed some of the writing on the folders, emboldened with words like "classified." Junior pulled himself from the sexual haze he initiated to speak up.

"Might have to insist the tour continue elsewhere, some of this stuff is..." Hypatia looked back, curious as to how his sentence would be completed. Unable to come up with some usable innuendo, he spoke plainly "...it's proprietary."

"A big word for someone who isn't the brains-end of this partnership," she teased, turning her head forward, but stepping back to lean her back into his front nonchalantly. "But I promise what is here will remain between our partnership," the last word punctuated by the slight rolling of her hips to rub into his growing erection in his pants. 
Walking forward again, both of them reached a door requiring specific ID to pass through.

"I assume this leads to the main lab from last night?" Hypatia inquired.

"It should, for those with access," Junior stated.

"Those like us," Hypatia clarified, tonally suggesting Junior giving her access. His pausing hesitation nearly made her chuckle.

"It's hard to call this a 'restricted area' when I wasn't restricted from it less than a day ago, so let's not call it that."

Suddenly the door in-front of them opened, surprising Junior who looked to see his access card in Hypatia's hands who slyly retrieved it off of his person.

She backed into it, never taking her eyes off of his, leashing him forward with her bedroom gaze.

"Still restricted?"

"It in-fact is," a new voice sounded from behind both of them. Hypatia turned to find Delphine blocking further entry into revisiting the lab, or waiting to lead them through.

"Delphine, what are you doing here?" Junior asked, slightly irritated.

"I've been sent to retrieve you, your father requires your presence as soon as possible."

"If it's for helping with the sale, I'm right in the middle of that."

A side-eyed glance at Hypatia told the Alexiou-representative the calm disbelief in the executive Doll, while the rest of Delphine's face remained stoic.

"Be that as it may, your father's orders still stand, as well as his order about unauthorized personnel."

"I take it you wouldn't believe that I am authorized then," Hypatia asked in nearly the same stoic tone Delphine had, mocking the other woman.

"You would be correct, Ms. Alexiou."

"Nor do you believe I am who I say I am," Hypatia asked with blunt sass.

Some of Delphine's stoicism slipped as the quiet assertion was said out loud, just as Hypatia's smile barely slipped as she detected a not-so-faint whiff of pheromones in the air, this time coming from a Doll of all people. 

"Do you believe I am authorized, and am who I say I am?" Hypatia turned, taking a deep breath as she waited for Junior to take sides between a new flame and a fragrant one lit by his father's wick. Not waiting for an answer from either, she casually moved into the lab, walking by a Delphine that failed to firmly keep her from moving forward.

"You need to leave this area," Delphine said, speaking with an authority meant to aid the pheromones in the air. Hypatia sat at a chair next to a row of vials filled with different substances. She picked one to sample, popping the cork and taking a deep inhalation before nearly gagging at the scent.

"On the subject of authorization, I'd have to say I'm surprised any of us are where we are right now; not just this lab, but perhaps our lot in life." Hypatia's cryptic words visibly puzzled Delphine and Junior, less so with the latter as the thick air of permeating pheromones began to dim aroused awareness.

"Because if we're speaking of true authorization, we all should be truthful about who we are - three previously submissive souls wielding power given to us rather than taken. Junior over there given the keys to a kingdom and power he only inherited, only truly understanding the breath of the power he wields on the receiving end. Myself who has been educated to understand the depths of the mind, my own mind, my former master's mind through his commands, and the minds of others through countless exchanges," seated in the lab chair, Hypatia started to profess her belief that filled the space as much as the pheromones did, absently toying with strands of pearls along her chest and cleavage, silently counting from one to ten, letting eyes catch the deliberate count.

"And you Delphine...oh Delphine, if the rumors about you are true..." Gracious standing, Hypatia toyed with the tenth pearl of the strand closest to the cleft of her breasts. It was rare for the young Doll to experience lust for women outside of her master's command, but there was something to Hypatia's approach to her; so much less bite than any attention Elowyn gave her, and so mindful compared to any other Dolls under Tennyson Sr.'s control. Before her was an offer to let herself be tempted, turned on by someone's else's advances; the part of Delphine that starved for the positive attention of anyone outside her small circle began flourishing.

"Are you even authorized to know whom you were, authorized to feel anything besides what you are told to? It is truly a pity if not; they way you speak and stand with authority should be bolstered by a confidence that is your own."

Every slow step Hypatia took forward followed with a toying of a pearl, counting backwards with the ninth pearl in her grasp.

"If someone were to engage you, ask your opinion, with your own authority to respond, how would you want to respond Delphine?"

Eighth.

"If someone were to catch your eye, your interest, hoping that you would allow yourself to be interested, for them to be caught by you, how would you want to respond Delphine?"

Seventh.

"If someone were to ask you who you are, who you were, who you want to be, would you tell them your name was 'Delphine?' Breathlessly, huskily?"

Sixth.

"If someone were to ask you what you wanted, would you even need to speak? Could your focused eyes, your deepening breaths, your relaxed posture, your heated skin, your aroused senses tell them exactly what, and who, you wanted Delphine?"

Fifth.

The distance between Hypatia and Delphine was only five gradual steps, but the Doll didn't seem to care as she still waited to count toyed-with pearls, her head craning down to stare as Hypatia spoke so close to her ears. Everything suggestion prior to finding Junior and Elowyn told her that she would be safe and convincing, that the amount of pheromones on her person would compel anyone she gave a command to on behalf of Tennyson. She couldn't have foreseen Hypatia exposing herself to an antidote the night before she'd stolen from the lab, and the raw substance she inhaled in the vial minutes before like smelling salt fighting unconsciousness. She certainly couldn't have foreseen Hypatia turning her identity as a loyal Doll against her, subverting loyalties with base, suggestive, primal needs.

Delphine had lost track of just about everything except the pearls and the words dwindling her thoughts down to external, absorbed suggestions.

"Deep down, you know who you are, what you are, who you answer to. You are what your interest tells you you are, answering to who holds your interest. Former expectations cannot tell you anything when they prove to be mistaken; you expected Junior to bend to your will..."

Without looking in his direction, Hypatia waved a free hand at Junior in a rhythmic fashion. The sound of the pears crashing against one another cut through the pheromonal fog, taking him back to the last time she let him cum. It didn't take long before he easily succumbed to the mere memory, falling against the closest wall for stability as he came hard in his pants.

"...when he in-fact bends to mine. And just as you never expected simple pearls to hold you so raptly..."

Hot suggestions of erupting in pleasure flooded Delphine's ear, for the first time in her stunted memory, being encouraged to come for herself, to let her own body and desires decide. Pairing them with pearls inching their way towards the last counted pearl, teasing Delphine down to two, rising to four, back to two, rising to three, down to two, over and over, the ironic promotion of cumming finally it as Hypatia let the last pearl go. Delphine had to be held as the Doll came for herself for the first time in her existence. 

Lowered to the cold floor, Delphine only felt warmth as the words continued to blanket everything leaving her cooler, including thoughts of her Master.

"And now that we've all reached an understanding, perhaps it's time to see about this summoning from above," Hypatia giggled, willing to be as fashionably, passionately late as she wanted, making her new toys stroke themselves again into her command while Junior ate Hypatia out from a kneeling position. 

***

Elowyn and Gertrude walked briskly among the halls of her home, approaching the meeting of which the co-founder of the endeavor was very oddly the last to know about. Elowyn's gait was very motivated, practically running as the details Gertrude laid out pertaining to the meeting required a desperate pace. Gertrude's pace was unusually fast for a woman of her advanced age, but motivation to keep up with her recent lover and the ideas in her blown mind supplied enough energy to follow. Moving past Tennyson's office, surprised the meeting was not held there, Elowyn quietly opened the doors of their main drawing room, finding much of the light coming from a roaring fireplace. Sitting near it with a cognac and smug smile was her "loving" husband, along with a row of naked Dolls and Obsequious. One naked figure stood apart from the rest, in distance and autonomy. 

Much of Elowyn's fears were realized seeing a figure standing next to Tennyson's chair, naked, almost a silhouette with the lighting of the fireplace behind him; so accustomed to that blank expression she inspired, Elowyn saw Richard holding a sign in tasteless advertisement:

Dr. Richard Thorn a.k.a. Vector
former Quant, current slave

Staring at Richard like his mistress was all the investors she'd dazzled earlier with introducing the Obsequious, absolutely in awe of her prize wrongly put on display. As Tennyson Sr. caught the sight of his wife having arrived, he smiled brighter, and urged his wife forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen, give a hand to my lovely wife Elowyn, the one who has personally seen to our most honored guest tonight."

All eyes temporarily turned to her, applauding an expression uninterested in receiving any accolades. It was harder than ever for her face to remain neutral; Gertrude behind her didn't know what to make of everything, emotionally following Elowyn's lead.

"The good doctor and investigator here has been, shall we say, quite the Thorn in all of our sides at one point or another..." Everyone gingerly laughed at Tennyson's assertion, especially Cameron Donatell. "The initiative that brought us here tonight brought him here as well, and little did he know that our good works would be as irresistible to him, as I hope your interested and funds will be toward the Parnassus family tonight, isn't that right Dick?"

"Yes...Master Parnassus...that is right..."

Immediate disgust welled up in Elowyn, seeing her Quant kowtowing to her wayward husband. It was hard to know what seemed worse, seeing a Quant call Tennyson Sr. a "master of any kind," or to hear a lost tone suggesting succumbing to simple pheronomal control, probably only possible given the length of erosion of Vector's previously-indomitable will. 

After his prompted response, a controlled Richard turned his attention back to the crowd. Amongst the blurred, faceless figures that he would respond to with as much attention as he gave Tennyson Sr., one sparked familiarity in his eye. A dark-clad figure became clearer as his mind focused of it's own volition on her; the surface-level of Richard either saw or imagined a long, black velvet dress, standing in matching heels, standing above all with poise and mesmeric intent. Like a forgotten dream rising back to recollection, Richard's lips parted as a dream woman brought some of him back to being animated, his erection clearly growing beneath the sign he held. Richard's gaze followed her through the pheronomal haze as clarity grew, and revealed she was everything he dreamed, except she wasn't smiling, speaking softly, sharply at the man he called Master Parnassus. Master Parnassus seemed to pay her less mind than Richard managed.

"I hope this final reveal has assuaged all concerns, and in-fact presented new opportunities for us all. If the best investigators in the world cannot stop our success, then the only question to truly ask how much of a return you would like to see on your success?"

"How do we know that that is truly the Quant known as Vector, and not some convincing look alike," Edward Yearwood inquired.

"A fair question. Elowyn dear, would you like to help Dick here give a confirmation of his identity?" Tennyson smiled at his wife, and received nothing back, turning to Richard, holding his cheek with her palm. Out of sight, Elowyn summoned her Soombakiya to direct Richard to give her full attention; it took more energy than expected as her deepening breathing distracted her.

"Ric-Vector, please tell..." Elowyn looked around the room, wondering whom should be used for the demonstration. "Please tell Mr. Donatell something about his business that only a Quant would know."

Her quiet look of intensity allowed the Quant trapped under multiple forms of control to release a memory from what seemed like an old life.

"Cameron Donatell's...cousin, Franklin......" Cameron's eyes widened. "He...sold military..secrets to foreign investors...along w-"

"Satisfactory," Cameron cut Richard off in a loud tone, smiling to hide the anger boiling up in him. The gossip stemming from family's dirty laundry being aired was bad enough, but confirmation of Richard being instrumental in Cameron Donatell's chosen successor to the empire being sentenced to a harsh, lengthy prison sentence inspired even more motivation in what was to come.

"Good man," Elowyn praised, lightly patting his face with her magnetic hand, both of which shot his erection straight out, a listless smile beginning to form and cut through the pheromonal fog. "Thank you Mistress Elowyn" would've emerged from his lips were her fingers not to press against them for silencing.

"I hope that satisfies everyone's concern," Tennyson mediated between everyone.

"Initially, yes," Cameron spoke up. "But how do we know this control over him is permanent if he is to be sold?"

"Excuse me? Sold?" A wider-eyed Elowyn looked pointedly at Cameron, then down at her husband, taking in a deeper breath than she meant to, the swell of a rushing internal anger being met with a calming agent, the former managing to cut through more of the latter. Tennyson looked surprised that she could manage that, wearing the strongest dose of pheromones available on the premises.

"I'm sorry, this Quant still requires a great deal of conditioning; selling isn't-"

"But we are not far from the permanence you seek," Tennyson interjected. "My wife continues to doubt her abilities when the results really do speak for themselves."

"I assure you, Mr Donatell, everyone, that he is no longer to be a factor or bother in any of your businesses. But a sale or auction of this specimen is out of the question."

"Not even for the right price?" Edward asked, the glint of a predatory businessman in his eyes.

Tennyson rose from his seat to stand next to, or nearly a foot ahead of her. "Just to be polite, what were you thinking of Mr. Yearwood?"

"I was thinking...$3 million?"

"I'll put in for $3.5," another voice intoned.

"$5 million," Cameron nearly roared over his competitors.

Tennyson would've been keeping up with the bids if Elowyn wasn't trying to get in his face about this, embarrassing his standing as the head of his house and their affairs. 

"Honey, trust me, it's okay. Just take a deep breath...yes, just like that...one big, helpful breath...just calm yourself, and realize that this is a good thing..." Reassuring hands desperate to control the situation held Elowyn at her shoulders, pulling her close enough to get the strongest exposure to his special cologne short of hugging her. 

Though the feeling was harder than ever to ignore, the voice associated with it was alien enough to shake her from Elowyn's reverie; the reassuring tone from him was as insincere from him as it was insulting. So much of the scene unfolding by the fireplace reminded her of the night Tennyson and her father unofficially arranged their marriage and the joining of Yearwood and Parnassus houses. Just like then she was the last to be consulted, and just in that moment, the key she'd been developing to liberate herself was being stolen. Such memories allowed her to even attempt to fight through, or merely endure the most oppressive chemical assault ever brought to her senses. Allowing her husband to assert control with lower levels was her way of compromising their battle of wills; he was never foolish enough to interfere with her plans, and allowed her mostly free reign to develop her methods, always believing his hands fully had control of the reigns at all times. 

Allowing such control to happen was a gambit paying off in Tennyson's favor, based on foolish acts Elowyn never expected him to attempt. It became only fair for her to break the illusion, no matter who witnessed.

"You should realize who truly holds the power here," Elowyn growled as she took Tennyson's face in both hands, exposing him to the Soombakiya. He gasped, feeling Quant energy surge through him, eyes wide in trying to comprehend the internal separation of his body and his control. Elowyn gasped too as she felt the surge be much weaker than she expected, dominating from a weaker position as the calming suggestion still coursed through her body. "Feel it coursing through you, shaping the man you are while my words shape the man you will be."

The background bids for Richard easily made it to the millions before everyone stopped to watch the Lioness Parnassus face off against the Parnassus Lion Tamer. Silently behind every riveted gaze, the prospect of money turned to betting on who would be the victor in the marital battle of wills. Tennyson's ego reminded him of what was going on around him, how everything about him was being threatened, allowing his will to push back against the magnetic force.

"But those deep breaths you've been taking, the...the ones you haven't even realized you're still taking, just makes you so calm. Too calm to speak....too...calm to keep your...arms..up."

"Attachment to my power and words..." she stopped to take a deep breath, shocked that she was doing so and couldn't stop herself. "...feels so natural now. You're inclined to let it happen. You can't stop......it, too weak to stop it....just stop..." the deep breaths morphed into yawns, the damn calmness flooding over her, starting to break through the weakened dam holding up what was left of the fight in Elowyn.

"Right, Elowyn....too weak to stop it...you are too....weak....calmness....stop it....stop fighting....stop trying to talk as the deep breaths you take become m-more....and more....and...more important than...anything...."

"You will...stop....s-top...s-s-stopppp...." Yawns shaped every words leaving Elowyn quivering mouth. The way her arms fell to gravity and out of her control proved  to everyone who the inevitable winner would be. Internal screams laid under a blanket of suggestions she couldn't remove or claw her way out of. The disgust in herself for losing to him made her face twist in anger, the last bit of effort she could muster alongside staying upright in Tennyson's grip.

The most rapt audience member of the fight by far was Richard himself, free from the influence of the pheromones as no one bearing them was giving him orders. They stunk up the bunker and sanctuary he watched from, his face also turning to disgust. It was unfortunate that like everyone else in the drawing room, he was rooting for one of them to win too. The Dr. Richard Thorn from a week ago would've greatly enjoyed the discord on display of his captors turning against each other, but enough time under Elowyn's influence pushed his own feelings in a biased direction. Taking stock of those feelings was a blow to his own ego; infatuation, respect, admiration, competition, love, hate, hope, the mix was like poison in sweet water, killing his old self with a smile. But even the most rational part of Richard knew that between them, Elowyn was a veritable sanctuary compared to what Tennyson, his son, or worse yet, Cameron Donatell would do if ownership transferred to any of them. That fact alone cemented the dumbest decision he couldn't help but make at that moment, reaching into himself to summon enough energy.

Elowyn felt herself fading comfortably into Tennyson's uneasing grip, cursing her husband with her eyes and still-yawning words.

"You...son...of...a....bitch...."

"Aww honey, don't worry, everything's going to be fine....because I say it's going to be fine....agreed?"

The compulsion to answer "yes" to him burned to the surface, but not before something like an electric current shot in Elowyn. Her eyes bolted wide open, body stiffening and jolting, shocking Tennyson as he let go of her. The electricity never touched him, but it continued to course through her until it stopped, and she slowly fell to the ground, eyes open and comatose. No one else could make sense of what was happening as Elowyn fell near where Richard had fallen as well, the pair lost to the world around them under strange circumstances.