Root of (Evil)² {HeavenSundered & darjeeling}

darjeeling · Mar 5, 2015

"The reports for last month, ma'am. The suits on fifth floor ran into a bit of financial trouble at the mid point but the department is getting--"

"Fifth floor is...?"

"Is...? Oh!" The young intern swallowed nervously and shuffled her fingers through the paper, flipping for facts that weren't there as she dug and scrambled through the recesses of her mind. Having found it, her eyes lit up in the most obvious of manners. "Marketing! Marketing ran into... yes, but they've found their feet and should be back to normal... ah, soon." She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry, they didn't give me a final number--"

"Hmm, interesting." Her expression spoke otherwise, the tapping motion of her manicured nails evidence of her true thoughts on the matter as she glanced over the paperwork settled neatly before her. They were words she'd already seen long before, it was just to keep the interns busy and satisfied. "Thank you, darling." She straightened up in her chair and nodded towards the exit, dismissing the girl with no more than a lazy wave of her hand. "That will be all for tonight."

Valerie Vincet chuckled as the little one stumbled out the door with a stammering thank you on the way out. Adorable, but not to her taste. Those lucky enough to be offered an internship at their appropriately named Sanctum were almost too eager to keep their positions for as long as they could. Difficult as it was to find proper employment in this day and age, any opportunity given was one to be treasured. Students with prestigious degrees usually found themselves working at corner shops or dry cleaning suits; the more unfortunate ones would land themselves in seedy clubs or businesses set up in the numerous red light districts littering this area or that. Had she not been born in a comfy cot and raised with expectations befitting that of a modern-day royal, Valerie might have found herself in such a position and what a tragic loss that would have been.

Their desolate fates were tied to incredibly underwhelming spectrum of blacks and whites and everything in between. Light grey was only a poor contrast to dark grey; the skies were dreary and drab, muted clouds lazing across the sky and pregnant with rain of which it deigned to drop every so often down on their pathetic city. Aforementioned city was a cesspool of grime and crime, both of which Valerie could see with utmost clarity through her shiny new windows. Her office space spanned almost an entire floor on its own, stacked to the tenth floor where she had the perfect view of the insects crawling just down below. Gritty looking neighboring buildings painted in colors most dull, to match the cracked streets and pavements where an almost visible layer of pollution lay blanketed just above the tallest man's hatted head. The world might've been a scene in grey scale and coffee-stained sepia if not for the tiniest of streetlights winking like dilated pupils on every corner. A dozen alleyways cut and interrupted each block and people hurried along without pause, not even to survey the goods out for display through dirty shop windows.

Valerie exhaled softly, the smallest of sighs spilling like silk as she took another sip of her wine, the liquid dark red and sidling like tiny waves against the sides as she set the glass down, her lipstick leaving a light bruise along the curve of a fragile rim. It was not yet evening and already she could see the sun dipping down below the metropolitan horizon. Days were short and nights were long here, and still the money kept time turning. The ambitious entrepreneur held a position of which many would be envious of, and indeed, there were those who sought to usurp her throne. Heading the largest business simply known only for their motto 'The Price Is Always Right!' and cheesy as it is, it was always true. For a paying customer, they could borrow right out of their nose... so long as they paid it back when it was due. If it was her choice, she would have changed the slogan, but there were some things even the head honcho couldn't touch, even if on paper, she had them all by the balls - pardon such crassness - but what use was that?

Twenty-six years of age, the heiress had inherited the business from her father who had inherited it from his mother before him. Their business was a long-standing and well-established for being both merciful and tyrannical. They prided themselves in their sharply dressed employees with pantsuits and skirts, taking on only the most ruthless of them. Secretarial work was handled only by the most cunning, finance given to those who could balance a six-digit number into a four-digit loan. Both brain and brawn were employed here at Sanctum, where on the outside the building was one of the most pristine and clean and where the interior felt like a death sentence. It was an odd dichotomy and one befitting for this scummy reality.

The people were ruled by those with power and the city was ruled by the looming skyscrapers and the suits squandering and laundering within. Sanctum didn't have their hands completely clean either. Their exorbitant loaning was only held up by the incredibly high interest rates, written and hidden within the fine print. The law might have stated such actions to be illegal but in this plane of existence, nothing really was. Crime bosses sat and ate breakfast in the same buildings as a minister might, and both might exchange looks but in the end, the law was merely there as a formality. Valerie found the whole political scene to be a bit of a pain to deal with, and so left the messy business to her lawyers and more importantly, the police force of which many she kept under her thumb from their own petty borrowing some lifetimes ago. Admittedly, that was a manipulation she was not intending to take advantage of, but amongst the millions of rules for success, opportunity was one of them.

But the law-abiding ones were not the only ones known to borrow and borrow regularly. They had contracts from all walks of life; the peons rolling in the dirt, club owners who needed new poles for their dancers, if there was one thing Sanctum did right, it was that they did not discriminate. If they had a life, they were given their right to borrow as much as they desired. Of course, it came with a hefty price and ones people were sometimes unable to follow through with. When that happened, it was always such a shame but Valerie could only feel mildly sympathetic for them. Was it her fault, really, when they didn't peruse the little words before signing away? More importantly, the business found itself dealing with the black market at certain times, funding drug smugglers and weapons and much more. She wasn't privy to what they used with their money, so she could at least say her conscience was clean.

That was all under the bridge. Her only job was to raise the alarm if things went awry and her dogs would do the rest, with their beige hats tipped, long coats and fat cigars. It was almost comical how obvious their played role was in this rickety machine posing as society. Valerie smirked to herself and took another slow sip of her wine, her pen tapping away at the scribbled lines. There were deadlines to meet already, even in the new month, and files to be reported for report's sake and filed away. There was also the matter of chasing people down who had yet to meet their quota... she sighed again and reached for the phone, intending to make a few necessary calls and suspecting she might remain here well into the night. It was not so simple as a flick of a wrist, after all. One might also have to wiggle a few fingers and say the magic words.

"Hello. Yes, it's me." Valerie pursed her lips, brushing back a lock of blonde hair as the voice warbled on at the other end. "I know he filed for an extension, but he's filed for five already." She chuckled sweetly. "Honey, we're not a charity. We only have so much paper for one person. Be a doll and collect the payment, won't you?" She closed her eyes. "By tonight." Before any argument could be made, she placed the phone down delicately, cutting the call right where she wanted it. That way even if they chose to disobey, she might very well hold them responsible for paying off the money owed and humans... well, humans were not so kind. She smiled at the thought.

Her eyes remained shut for five minutes before she picked up the phone once more. "Hello, darling."

HeavenSundered · Mar 6, 2015

Seeing it now, it would have been incredibly difficult to believe that Lodestar had once been touted as the country's new beacon of hope, the very embodiment of the ever sought-after American dream. Erected some seventy years ago during the economical upswing following a long and dark recession, Lodestar seemed destined to evolve into one of the greatest metropolises in the country, if not the entire world.

The government had been determined to prove its power and wealth, and they wanted to do it immediately, so their new city was built from scratch all at once in a matter of months rather than being allowed to expand more organically as most cities did. Hundreds of billions of dollars were recklessly pumped into the project, paying for the most state of the art infrastructure, the best utilities and the most impressive architecture available at the time.

However, where there was so much money, it was only natural for opportunists, swindlers and vultures of all kinds to follow. It started with rampant corruption within the construction companies, each of which was affiliated with a different criminal organization, and from there it spread rampantly like a virulent cancer. The politicians were arguably worse than the mobsters, plundering millions from the city's funding at a time in order to line their pockets and push their own agendas.

Within only a few short years, the government was forced to staunch the bleeding as it teetered on the edge of bankruptcy and another collapse, cutting all funding to their project which they hoped would quickly be forgotten. But Lodestar still stood, though it now carried the distinction of being the ripest nexus of corruption and sin in America, a glowing mark of shame tat attracted only the most unfortunate and dubious individuals.

Zhanna Andropov was one of the latter. Born to poverty in one of Russia's most war-torn regions, she'd been a career criminal since she was a child, stealing only what she needed to survive. As she grew older, however, the girl aspired to do more than survive. Much more. Drawing inspiration from the countless gangster films that she'd watched, and having heard rumors of Lodestar City, Zhanna managed to smuggle herself out of Russia inside a shipping container with the intention of starting a new life, one where she'd no longer be just a pawn but a boss.

In only five years, she'd already managed to accomplish far more than most. The small gang that she'd started was now a bonafide mafia known as the Order of Thorns, counting a few hundred members, most of them immigrants from the CIS or Russian Commonwealth region. They'd bloodily carved out a small but valuable turf for themselves on the waterfront, wrenching some control away from the Triads, but Zhanna was far from content. Just recently she'd initiated another war with the very same Triads, this time over control of their piece of the docks, which was where she'd be able to make some real money.

Too much for her to launder through her own establishments, in fact, which was what brought her to Sanctum. She couldn't help but scoff at the name as her car pulled up to the curb in front of the impeccably maintained building, like a shining gem amidst the sea of decaying concrete that surrounded it.

"Boss, are you sure it's a good idea to be going in alone?" came Yuri's concerned voice from the driver's seat in front of her, his Russian accent thick and obvious.

Zhanna was busy putting the finishing touches on her new look, making sure that the bun which she'd arranged her hair into was still nice and neat. It was important that she try to fit in with the corporate sharks. "I'm sure that we wouldn't even clear security at the front door if I tried to take you along. You don't need to worry, I can take care of myself." Zhanna had proven that time and time again, but it was her right hand man's job to look out for her, and the former Spetsnaz commando also happened to be her closest, most loyal friend. "I'll call you when I'm done. Tell them to move the crane."

With that, Zhanna stepped out of the black Mercedez, straightening her dark navy pencil skirt before walking up to Sanctum's massive front doors. The doorman opened one of them for her and she stepped inside, showing the security guard the intern badge clipped on to her fitted blazer which she wore over a simple white dress shirt. The guard seemed more curious about the diamond in the side of her nose than he was concerned about her badge, waving her through the metal detector. Leaving her phone and black leather purse to be scanned separately, Zhanna got through the security check just as planned without any incidents.

As she walked to the elevators, the heels of her tall black pumps clicked lightly against the lobby's opulent marble floors which had certainly been selected with the intent of impressing potential clients. Zhanna rode up to the seventh floor before getting out and directing herself to the ladies' room on the south-east corner of the building. Once inside, she cracked one of the small windows open and waited for a few minutes. She was beginning to get a bit antsy and impatient when the crane being used for construction on an adjacent building finally whirred into position, its large metal hook dangling just outside of the window where Zhanna stood. After double checking that she was indeed alone, she reached outside to retrieved the Glock pistol and magazine that had been taped to the hook. She pocketed the mag, stuffed the gun into her purse and went back to the elevators, this time going up to her final destination on the tenth floor.

Noticing Zhanna's badge, Mrs. Vincet's secretary didn't say anything when she passed by, instead only shooting her somewhat of a crooked glance, probably because of her purple and pink highlighted hair and her piercing. The CEO's personal floor included a small private kitchen, so Zhanna headed there first to brew a cup of coffee before taking it with her as she lightly knocked on Mrs. Vincet's door.

Whether she got a response or not, Zhanna let herself in, laying eyes on Valerie for the first time this close up. She already knew that the woman was highly attractive, having stalked her for the past two weeks and tracked her every move, but the frigid beauty that she radiated was far more stunning now that Zhanna was standing in the same room as her. It was slightly intimidating, even for her, so she even played it up, slipping over to the side of Valerie's desk and teetering nervously, waiting with the cup of coffee in her hands for the woman to finish her phone call and acknowledge her.

darjeeling · Mar 8, 2015

Three calls later and Valerie was already feeling a prickle of an ache at the very forefront of her scalp. She rubbed her temple tersely in slow, circular motions as yet another man, this time of a more frantic breed, chattered away. It mostly consisted of excuses she cared not to hear, much less waste her precious time for. The clock and time didn't stop for anyone, the small hand ticking away with every word and syllable spewing from the nervous male's runny mouth. She allowed him to finish, or at least interrupt when he caught his breath, with an exaggerated sigh billowing from her own lips like smoke.

"I do understand your predicament, James. I truly do. Unfortunately, there is little I can do for you..." The man revved his engine once more, and she tapped her fingers impatiently on the paper in front of her, with her current patron's name, address and black and white picture clipped on the side. Stamped in the little black box located below that smiling visage was a bright red inked and stamped words of "Overdue". Why Valerie called anyone was painfully obvious, and 99% of the time, it was because they were listed as overdue on their payments. Sometimes she called her mutts to action, and other times she paid them a more personal visit via the phone.

"Listen to me, James." She interrupted finally, her voice losing all cordiality, shoulders tensing. "I would appreciate if you could send the amount in full. No, we will no longer be taking payment plans." Valerie pursed her lips. "You can't? Well, that's a shame. My boys will be over tomorrow afternoon to pick up what's left." With that not-so-subtle threat, she placed the phone down and scribbled a note down on the man's file, whom she had left squeaking and hyperventilating into the mic piece. The thickness of the pile that remained on her desk had her sighing less sarcastically and in genuine irritation. It was not unusual to stay past midnight, considering she never trusted anyone else to do her job. It was, however, unusual to have so many payments due within a single month.

A soft growl escaped her throat as she grasped at her glass of merlot again and took a longer sip, her other hand dialing away at the number pad for her next victim. A woman with false teeth and a large amount of children, by the sounds that picked up the phone. A young female answered it quietly, to which Valerie pleasantly struck up a conversation with just to set the tone. Two minutes passed and she'd learned, already, that they had just finished eating their pot roast dinner and was about to start on bowls of dessert. "Before that, could I speak to your mother, please?" The girl was happy to oblige, a happiness which told the blonde that the daughter could not have been more than ten years - that sort of positivity was positively difficult to find nowadays. An older woman came to the phone and so began the dance and twirl, wherein eventually, they would all have to fall like dominoes. "Yes, you did send in a letter requesting an extension, but unfortunately, there is little I can do..."

A faint knock rebounded through her spacious office, effectively cutting off whatever she was about to say. Valerie stopped the slight tip and tilt of her glass, her head cocked towards the door like it was a child asking for permission. Despite nothing of the sort being granted, the wood creaked open and gave way to a female boasting hair of multicolor and a shiny stud glinting quite clearly in the office light. The badge she had pinned to her breast indicated that she was yet another intern awaiting induction into their large family. But of the girl herself, she was entirely unfamiliar with, for Valerie most certainly would have remembered a person so highly decorated. Not that she could truthfully claim that she knew every intern by face and name, many of them wore their hair simply and aimed to be heard rather than seen.

Nevertheless, she sat up straight, placing her wine on the desk before sliding it off to the side. Regardless of intern or no, the first rule was to never walk in unless told otherwise. The girl was off to a rocky start already, the poor dear. Still on the phone, she continued as if the intern had never entered, the only evidence that Valerie had even noticed was her piercing gaze placed sharply on the extra body in her domain. "Yes, you may file for another loan, but understand that it would be counterproductive to pay your current with that... no, I am not implying you are stupid," she smirked, "I assure you, Sanctum is here for you and to ensure you and your children's comforts."

The strange girl floated about her desk and the smirk slipped off her face in favor of a disapproving frown. She tried to wave the intern away as the frown turned into a scowl, likely directed towards whatever the woman on the other end was trying to say. "Please rethink your decision. I will be in contact with you shortly." Valerie ended curtly, placing the phone down for what seemed to be the umpteenth time in her life. One problem after the next. First, more pressing matters must be attended to.

Valerie turned her attention finally to the intern she could not remember. "I don't recall your name, so whoever you are, do expect a firmly worded letter to whomever recommended you." She said, indicating to the door. "If there is a next time, wait until you are allowed in before opening the door." With that bit of scolding out of the way, she laced her fingers together and heaved a soft shrug. "What is it you want? As you can see, I am... quite busy tonight."

HeavenSundered · Mar 9, 2015

The moment that she dared to enter the CEO's lair, Zhanna had immediately been subjected to the woman's icy glare, one that surely would have chilled her to the bone had she actually been a Sanctum intern or employee. As it stood, she was not afraid of Valerie Vincet, although she did remain weary. The Russian mob boss hadn't gotten to where she was by acting carelessly, and even if Valerie wasn't a stone cold killer, Zhanna had no doubt that she could be clever and resourceful.

Silently, she listened to the tail end of the phone conversation, or at least Valerie's half of it, catching that snide smirk when the blonde clearly did more than imply that the woman on the other end was an incompetent moron who failed at managing her financed and providing for her own children. Zhanna was hard-pressed to disagree, she had little sympathy for fools who allowed themselves to fall into the clutches of banks or loan sharking companies such as Sanctum.

That didn't mean, however, that she had any less contempt for Valerie's breed. Especially when the woman began chastising her, as if the venomous death-glare hadn't been quite enough to get her point across. Such arrogance for someone who hadn't even worked for what she had, having inherited all of her fortune and power from dear old daddy. Zhanna would have liked to throw Valerie out on the streets in Lowtown to see how she fared with just her own guts and wits. The bitch would probably be sucking cocks in some back alley or laying dead behind a dumpster without a day. In any case, Zhanna wasn't here for fantasy fulfillment, she was here because she needed something, and Valerie was going to help her get it, so she needed her alive and well.

It was hard not to burst into laughter when she heard the line about the firmly worded letter, but Zhanna somehow managed to keep it together. She didn't need to, there was no real reason that she needed to maintain her charade after having breached the CEO's office, but being careful didn't mean that she couldn't have a bit of fun too.

"No, I'm...I mean, yes, I know that you're a tremendously busy woman, Mrs. Vincet," Zhanna started, sounding quite uneasy as she spoke in a perfect rhotic American accent that suggested she'd grown up in the city. "I know you often work late, so I figured I'd bring you some coffee before heading home. I apologize...too eager to please, I suppose..." She let out a short, nervous giggle that seemed involuntary as she placed the steaming cup of coffee on the corner of the desk.

"My...umm...my name is Zhanna. It's such an honor to finally meet you, sorry for sounding like such a fangirl, I've just looked up to you for so long!" Zhanna gushed, her vibrant blue eyes lighting up like sapphires. "Please don't be upset...let me make it up to you. Is there anything I can do? Anything you need?"

darjeeling · Mar 10, 2015

When the coffee was placed on the desk, her eyes immediately honed in on the smoke still curling and rising from the surface and even more importantly, noted that it was not prefaced with the placing of a coaster of any kind. She quickly leaned forward to lift the mug up to avoid a permanent circle staining her desk and placed a piece of paper under it - the very same paper with the woman she had most recently hung up on. That simple act would speak volumes for just how highly she of both patron and consumer, considering the integrity of her varnished, wooden desk to be of far more importance than either of the two. After adjusting the corners to align with the sides perfectly, the intern's next bubbly spew gave her pause.

"Fan... fangirl...?" Valerie's brows dipped down to its usual 30° angle, most prevalent whenever she was either confused or irritated. Considering the former rarely happened, she found herself more surprised that that particular word had been used in lieu of merely an admirer. As it was, she was feeling a bit of both truthfully. Interns were rarely so brash, and this girl... this Zhanna, stomped on all the unwritten rules laid out for and by the fresh meat. Whilst flattery might be something many of the higher suits enjoyed, she found she couldn't stomach even a little bit of it. Not like this.

"No, there's nothing you can do." She said at last, shaking her head with another tilt of her head. "Sorry, the office is closed now so you can go home." Untrue, many of the interns stayed even longer than her and judging by what the night cleaners that had to remain behind too said, some even slept here. It was an oddly disturbing thought that some people would be so caught up in a job that they would literally sleep under a table just for a better chance at an opportunity but it simply meant, to Valerie, that there were more interns to pick and choose from to get the paperwork filed bright and early.

Not that she would leave the more urgent business to them, but there was always little things to complete like making sure the coffee machine was fully functional and double checking conference rooms and confirming that the chairs were pushed in and the projector was plugged in and working. Little things of which little people were more than happy to complete if it meant even a word with their boss. It was unfortunate that Valerie could never quite recall their names or faces, unimportant as their duties was that she even decided to simply leave post-it notes out by her door for interns to take and complete at her whim.

Zhanna, though. Zhanna was... strange. Even her overt boot-licking set off alarms in her head. Though she did not doubt the girl, she knew that there was something... off. Of course she needed that kind of intense instinct to sort the bad from the good; this girl was something else entirely, with her odd hair and that piercing. No recruiter would willingly allow this type of person into Sanctum and Valerie fully intended on finding out just who it was who did. She didn't know why, but she followed her gut.

"My assistant will show you out." She concluded, leaning over to press the button that would call not just her secretary, but the security too.

HeavenSundered · Mar 10, 2015

Zhanna's eyes dipped down to follow the cup of coffee as Valerie repositioned it over the photo of her client in guise of a coaster - a very telling maneuver, and one that she imagined to be entirely deliberate. In typical narcissistic rich scumbag fashion, Sanctum's CEO couldn't even be bothered to show the smallest modicum of respect to the poor fools who lined her pockets. As much as Zhanna lacked any empathy for the helpless fools that Sanctum bled dry, she was still disgusted by Valerie's contemptuous arrogance. Although she may have looked far prettier, at her core this woman was just as rotten as those who'd held positions of power in Russia, the ones responsible for Zhanna's miserable childhood.

And it seemed that Valerie still wasn't satisfied with her own lack of civility, lying right to Zhanna's face without even making the slightest effort to conceal her disdain. When the woman started reaching for the button on her desk which Zhanna had already identified while waiting for her to get off the phone, she was more than ready to intervene. Shrugging her purse off of her shoulder so that it fell to the ground with a light thud, the mob boss showed off some of the reflexes that had helped keep her alive as she stepped forward and snatched Valerie's wrist out of the air, holding it firmly enough to restrict circulation.

"You forgot to ask if you could do anything for me." Zhanna's light Russian accent shone through now that she stopped making the conscious effort to suppress it. She'd hoped to maintain her intern persona a little bit longer, just so that Valerie could keep unwittingly putting her foot in her mouth, but she was still more than satisfied with her disguise holding up for this long. Zhanna searched for the blonde's gaze and held eye contact, her expression having morphed from bubbly intern to something unimpressed and almost bored.

She twisted Valerie's wrist painfully before bending the woman's arm back and using her grip no it to push back harshly, causing Valerie's leather chair to roll into the wall a couple of feet behind her. The Russian then moved in front of the desk, making it so that Valerie would have to get through her if she wanted to reach that panic button of hers. Somebody unexpectedly walking into the office wasn't much of a concern, since she was likely the only person in the building possessing the gall to do such a thing.

The corners of Zhanna's plump, dark pink lips curved up into a sly smirk as she sat on the edge of the desk, making sure to place both of her palms at her sides over the varnished surface, trying to push Valerie's buttons. "I'm sure you just forgot, perfectly understandable with everything on your mind. You wouldn't purposely be trying to offend me, would you?"

darjeeling · Mar 10, 2015

The other female's voice had changed enough for her to take note of it, Valerie's steely glare locking onto that condescending smirk of whom she realized was not quite an admirer of hers. Fresh on the scene she might be, Valerie was no easy prey. At least, that's not what she thought. Having been the target of many an angry phone call and many threatening letters and visits, she had never actually been approached with a gun or knife in hand. Lodester was the criminal capital for good reason and she never went anywhere without her security. Not in the office though, a girl needed her private time. Neither were there cameras of any sort, as Valerie had presumed that the front desk was reliable enough to screen any potential dangers.

Even so, the intern's sudden movement was unexpected, especially when she felt those rough fingers wrap around her wrist tightly, digits pressing firmly down on her veins and hard enough to make her hiss in pain. Her own fingers went limp, her other hand curling against her desk as she jerked backwards. Zhanna, if she had even given her real name, wrenched her limb around, causing another hard grit of her teeth and clench of her jaw. Despite the sudden assault on her nerves, she wanted to say something, having never been the kind of woman to leave things up in the air. So long as she had the use of her tongue and voice, she was certain to get the last word.

But before she could assume a verbal defensive stance, she was forcibly pushed backwards into her chair. The wheels clattered on the hard floor as both she and her furniture was shoved into the wall behind her unceremoniously - Valerie was somewhat glad she had forgone the decision to have a window there. With the shadowed sillhouette of the girl perched in front of her now, the blonde could only scowl, her fingers massaging her throbbing wrist as she leaned forward slightly.

"I don't cater to mutts, sorry." The vehement reply might have been mostly uncalled for, especially considering the situation she was in, but as far as she was concerned there was nothing to fear. Being far from defenseless, Valerie was confident in her own abilities to defend herself. Of course, having never had the chance to show it, that confidence might have also been unfounded. Nevertheless, her expression was that of simple admonishment and the hint of a challenge at this strange female. Ever willing to greet an obstacle head on, that was all this woman was. An annoying insect to be swept away.

Valerie's eyes flickered from the jeering visage to the button she could have pushed just a little faster. She knew she kept a small knife in her drawer, but that was mostly to open letters and for mere intimidation tactics. Besides, Zhanna's current position on her desk meant that she couldn't do a thing about it. So instead she stood, the distance between them adequate enough that she could do so comfortably though the edge of the chair pressed roughly against her thighs. Her hand went up to brush a lock of loose hair from her eyes. "I might have missed the memo, but if you aren't an intern, then I hope you have an appointment scheduled."

HeavenSundered · Mar 11, 2015

Zhanna had to admit, she was slightly impressed by Valerie's stoicism and her ability to maintain perfect composure, including the bitchy attitude. Ultimately, if she was going to be funneling almost the entirety of her money through this woman to have it come back clean on the other end, she preferred her to be tough and defiant. There would, of course, be additional incentives added to keep Valerie in line, but the feistiness was an appreciated quality. It was also something that Zhanna would initially need to break though, but she viewed that as a bonus rather than a problem. That was the most fun part!

She tilted her head to the side and pouted her lips in mock sadness when Valerie called her a mutt, already enjoying how heated the blonde was getting. Whether it was purely an act of bravado on the CEO's part or not, it was clear that she didn't fully realize her predicament or appreciate who Zhanna was just yet, which was understandable. Zhanna herself would certainly not have laid down and surrendered just because some stranger barged in, twisted her arm and gave her a little shove.

Maintaining her nonchalant posture when Valerie stood, Zhanna met the challenge in the other woman's eyes, inviting her to try something if she dared. "And what if I don't have an appointment?" she retorted confidently while unclipping the intern badge from her blazer and tossing it carelessly over her shoulder. "Just what are you going to do about it, Mrs. Vincet?" Reaching up to the back of her head, Zhanna removed the pins keeping her bun in place, allowing her multicolored hair to cascade down her back and shoulder in all of it's tousled glory.

She pondered which direction to go in next for a moment. Clearly, if they were going to be engaging in any sort of business, it would not do for Valerie to view her as some inferior pleb, so an attitude correction seemed like a good place to start. "This is the memo. I had a business proposal for you, but I believe we will need to work on your receptiveness first, yes?" Without giving the blonde any chance to answer, Zhanna pushed herself forward away from the desk and put her momentum into a solid left hook aimed for the other woman's right eye. Not hard enough to knock Valerie out or leave her with a concussion if it landed, but more of a reality check that would leave a mark for the next few days.

darjeeling · Mar 13, 2015

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Valerie responded easily, her eyes flickering only slightly as the badge soared through the air before returning her full attentions to the girl in front of her. Only the slightest of thumps signalled the object's collision with her carpeted floor, but that was far from being the most important observation she might have to make. Zhanna had made it perfectly clear that she was not adverse to physical intimidation, given her previous actions. Normally such a brash tactic would have the girl possibly executed on the spot but considering that wasn't an option, Valerie would need to make some adjustments.

Adjust she did. As the words came, so did that sudden movement and she was all but ready to move out of the way. Being a poor fighter herself but lacking not in resources funneled into research, she could tell that the left hook lacked power when being pushed forward rather than back. Unfortunately, knowing was only half the battle and having the reflexes to back it up was the other, and possibly more important, half. She dodged, quick enough for it to miss her eye but not fast enough to have it miss completely. Knuckles slammed into her temple, hard enough for her to almost topple out of her chair.

Her fingers went completely white as she gripped against the armrest, even in the face of mind-numbing pain she had no intention of going out and down for the count. She saw black and ivory spots explode in front of her eyelids, screwed tightly shut as she swore loudly. Valerie couldn't quite recall the last time someone had hit her and got away with it with all their limbs intact, and it certainly wasn't a very nice feeling. But if Zhanna thought to ground her with that punch, she was sorely mistaken; Valerie might have at least considered this proposal too, but she had half a mind (once recollected) to refuse all together.

She lifted her hand, touching two fingers to the wound and coming away with something sticky and red. Blood, and not somebody else's but her own. She grimaced at the feel and quickly put her own hand out of sight before opening her eyes. The injury was still throbbing and painful, but she never did ascribe to staying down when kicked. She didn't want to be hit again either, knowing that she was incredibly lucky that either the woman didn't know how to throw a left hook or she didn't want to snap her neck. It was all the same. Valerie didn't consider this losing, though she rarely considered anything not winning.

"Fine. State your proposal."

HeavenSundered · Mar 13, 2015

A slight amount of pain flared up in Zhanna's knuckles when she pulled her fist back, but seeing the cut that she'd left on the outer edge of the arch of Valerie's eyebrow was more than worth it. Not quite the black eye that she'd intended, thanks to the blonde's admittedly decent reflexes, but equally as satisfying in the end. She watched as blood trickled down from the wound, forming a rather beautiful contrast against Valerie's fair and flawless skin, and of course Zhanna relished the briefly visible expression on the woman's face when she checked the wound with her fingers.

Obviously, the head of the corporate hydra that was Sanctum did not bleed often, so the mob boss extracted no small amount of pride from reminding her that she was indeed mortal, just like the rest of them. She would have been more than happy to continue, too, but it seemed that the first hit had been enough to dull Valerie's defiance, at least for the time being. "Nice. You take a punch better than I thought," Zhanna remarked, though she hardly sounded impressed.

"So, we are ready for business, yes?" She flipped her hair back over her shoulders and regained her position on the desk before continuing. "It's quite simple, really. I'm going to send you some considerable amounts of cash every few weeks, and you're going to return them to me in clean, legitimate bills. You can keep a three percent cut, and if you want to pocket it directly, that is none of my concern." Zhanna was prepared to negotiate up to seven or eight percent, if she had to, which was still a bargain compared to the fifty that the cops would demand if her money was dirty and they could threaten to seize it.

"The task should not be a problem for you, it's practically free money. And if I'm pleased, I may be inclined to offer some additional...services," she added, hinting towards her illegal activities, which Valerie would likely have guessed her involvement in by now, though she probably didn't realize Zhanna's position or the extent of her influence, which was significant even if her organization had not yet risen to the top Lodestar. "So, what do you think?"

darjeeling · Mar 14, 2015

"What do I think?" Valerie repeated with a soft hum. "What I think is, what makes you think you will walk out of this building alive?" She gestured to the door and to the button with her clean hand. "Even if we seal the deal, what is stopping me from calling security to apprehend you before you even step into the elevator and locking you up for assault?" The blonde smirked and staggered upwards, her cocky displays still very much present despite bleeding at the temple. "No, what I think is we deal on my terms."

She crossed her arms over her chest, standing now in front of Zhanna and might have stared her down too were she any taller. As it was, she cut an intimidating figure with her piercing grey stare, the effect lost only due to the sticky, drying river of blood flowing down the side of her face. "You want clean bills, you tell me what they're for. Sanctum offers loans but only to those completely transparent. In this day and age, it's easy to figure it out if you hide something."

"We're not in the business of taking and giving. We give and take. And what we take amounts to more than just a pathetic three percent." Valerie looked almost amused at the number, the amount not even worthy of her life and even if Zhanna had taken a knife to her chest, three percent wasn't going to cut it. "Twenty percent." She reasoned. "Minimum." Without waiting for the woman to interject with whatever outrage excuses, she reached around the woman to open the drawer by her legs, drawing out a fresh piece of paper and completely ignoring the letter opener settled at the very back.

"Oh and, I'm going to need a proper name." She said as an afterthought. Greed begs, and begets greed though. Valerie recalled the services Zhanna had brought up. She was no stranger to dabbling in the darker markets, obviously, but directly selling and providing was a different game entirely. But if it meant an extra stream of resources and funds, there was no harm in considering it. "What are these services?"

HeavenSundered · Mar 14, 2015

Zhanna maintained an impassive expression while Valerie went about puffing her chest out, performing some admittedly skillful posturing, attempting to run her over in the same way that she did Sanctum's clients. Zhanna had to admire the blonde's fortitude and determination when she tried to extort her for an odious twenty percent, but as much as the CEO was carried by her own confidence, she also seemed blinded with arrogance.

She allowed Valerie to come closer and go about retrieving the sheet of paper from her desk only to swiftly rip it out of her hands afterward. Crumpling it, Zhanna tossed it aside before suddenly putting her hands on Valerie once again, this time roughly grabbing her by the shoulders. Spinning Valerie around so that her back was towards her, Zhanna then reached around the woman with her right arm to grab the blonde's left elbow, effectively pinning both of Valerie's arms against her body. Zhanna's left hand shot up to cup the blonde's chin, tilting it back until the nape of her neck was pressed against Zhanna's shoulder, leaving her creamy white neck fully outstretched and exposed.

"You must still think very little of me," the mob boss whispered into Valerie's ear, breathing in the scent of her designer label perfume. It was a mistake that she was all too happy to correct. "Rest assured, I will have my guarantees before leaving, and you certainly will not be in any position to be calling security," Zhanna promised, her tone laced with equal parts venom and mischievousness as she squeezed the blonde tightly, her finger's digging hard into the woman's cheeks.

"Five percent, no records, no questions. What I do with my money is of no relevance to you." She maintained the pressure with her fingers for a few seconds longer before relenting, releasing the woman's arms and using her right hand to carefully undo the buttons of Valerie's designer jacket. "As for the services that I can offer, well, let us simply call it...hmm...creative problem solving."

darjeeling · Mar 15, 2015

There were few things that could match the sacrilege of ripping, tearing or otherwise throwing away a contract in front of her eyes. Hitting her was one, spitting at her was another. But beyond that, when Zhanna snatched the piece of paper from her hands, Valerie's eyes could only widen in something akin to a cold outrage ready to explode - and explode she might have done, going so far as to even resort to the physical had it not been for the rough hands spinning her around like some obnoxious dance.

But to be assaulted in the sanctity of her own office! Valerie growled lowly, both incredulous and livid, struggling as she felt that warmth press up against her spine, her shoulder blades pushed back as her chin was summarily lifted and turned. The other's breath was hot against her ear, the sensitive flesh flushing a pretty shade of red. She winced at the increased pressure against her skin, soft twinges of pain lancing at the point of contact but Valerie was not so eager to budge. "Fifteen percent."

Married not in name but in lifestyle, she considered her work and her job as a lover she was ever loyal to. Having only dabbled in the odd night here or there, Valerie considered her taste in potential partners to be very picky. There was nothing less attractive than the swine scouring the streets, looking for an easy meal or easy prey. That wasn't to say she was wholly uninterested in entertaining such primal urges, but even under those conditions she was, for the lack of a better term, too prideful to indulge herself.

Yet, when she felt those fingers working at the buttons on her top, Valerie could not help but inhale sharply. Having not realized that her arms had been released, her hand shot up to grasp Zhanna's wrist. Her nails, perfectly manicured, slipped against that pale skin but her actions stopped there. She would be lying if she said that she wasn't intrigued. Neither a fantasy nor an unexplored desire, she wasn't quite sure what was going on.

Either way, the woman's transgressions would not go unpunished... at least, to the CEO who had stopped her struggling. Instead, she shrugged and smirked. "I don't pay whores."

HeavenSundered · Mar 15, 2015

Tenacious little bitch, Zhanna thought to herself with an amused smirk when Valerie continued to negotiate quite aggressively, even in spite of her compromising position. Not nearly as compromising as it was going to get, though. "Ten," the Russian countered staunchly, going over the initial eight that she was prepared to offer, but she would refuse to budge any further than that. Part of her was beginning to appreciate Sanctum's CEO - if not outright like her - despite the fact that she represented a lifestyle and social class which Zhanna had always abhorred.

Perhaps that was what made the thought of using her so much more appealing, and not only in the business sense. Of course, the blonde was far from hard on the eyes, either, and Zhanna's pulse was already quickening as she held the woman close, feeling some of her heat even through their clothes. The sensation of Valerie's nails trailing over her flesh when the blonde grasped her wrist sent a jolt of adrenaline through her body, but she allowed it.

Her hand slid down from Valerie's chin to her neck, fingers wrapping themselves around it, though only applying the lightest amount of pressure. "Marvelous," Zhanna growled into the other woman's ear, her voice carrying a raspier, more predatory tone than before. "Then you will not be expecting a tip when I'm done with you." It seemed that the arrogant CEO was still slow to realize which of them was going to be playing the whore in this situation, and Zhanna was all too eager to help her understand. All the better that it fit right into her plan for securing Valerie's cooperation.

Any pretense of gentleness was abandoned when her right hand shot up to the collar of Valerie's blouse, which she grabbed before yanking down brusquely, popping most of the buttons off down to the woman's waist. Being rougher than necessary, Zhanna tore the blouse wide open then pulled it and the jacket down to Valerie's elbows, partially restricting the freedom of her arms. Zhanna's hands then jumped back up to the blonde's chest, cupping those soft mounds through the material of her bra, fingers pressing down firmly as she began to grope them like she'd paid for them.

"Not bad, slut," she hissed, flicking her tongue at the bottom of the trail of blood trickling down Valerie's cheek.

darjeeling · Mar 16, 2015

"Thirteen." Now she was just being frivolous, but having never been bargained down below a twenty percent cut, this was an entirely new venture which Valerie found she wasn't enjoying all that much. Thirteen was such an awful number too; it reminded her of prepubescent years and awkward number crunching. It couldn't be halved nicely, it couldn't be split between three or four nicely either. But it was between ten and fifteen, or thereabouts, and she would have the last say.

Yet she found herself reconsidering her adamant decision as she felt those calloused fingers curl about the pale column of her throat. She could feel herself swallow against the other's limb tightly as if awaiting a moment where she might suddenly be cut off from her precious oxygen. The mutt that held her so tightly was just one example of what was wrong with the world beyond the safety of Sanctum and even so, such a vitriolic presence was staining the integrity of its interior either way.

But sharing body heat wasn't on her list of things to do, so when Valerie felt a sudden rush of both hot and cold air hit her bare clavicle, her shirt popping away one by one, she let out an abomination of a sound, something akin to a squeak though not quite as informal. Still, it infuriated her to think that she was capable of producing such noises under the unfamiliar caresses of this... this mongrel. Admittedly, Zhanna's attitude was something she could both respect and downright despise, having never found someone quite so eager to go against her wishes.

"I can't say the same for you," Valerie growled nonetheless, her arms squirming and tugging against the restrictive tightness of her cut-to-fit jacket. The woman's touches were rough and rude and somehow, not entirely unwelcome. She grimaced, her shoulders rolling back as she pushed herself against the muscle and flesh behind her, half intending to throw Zhanna off balance and in another way, to draw closer that heat which her body decided it very much wanted. How troublesome.

Something warm and wet slathered against her face, to which Valerie could only turn and continue to struggle, her elbow bumping into the woman's ribcage, her jaw tense as she refused even a modicum of a groan to escape her as those firm caresses pressing into the soft swell of her bosom sent streaks of heat to the very base of her spine. "Someone ever taught you manners?" She muttered during a particularly heavy breath expelled. "Don't take without giving."

HeavenSundered · Mar 16, 2015

Getting Sanctum's CEO into a very compromising position was a necessary step of her plan for making sure that she stayed in line, but that didn't mean Zhanna couldn't have some fun in the process. Valerie's soft, perfectly shaped breasts fit and felt great in her hands, but even more than the tactile sensation, Zhanna was getting off on the power trip of it all. And she wasn't asserting her dominance over just anyone - it was over a person who embodied many of the principles which she detested.

That was what truly made every gulp, every shiver, every precious little cry feel so exhilarating. And it was only getting better. Zhanna rewarded Valerie's trash talking by squeezing down viciously on her supple mounds as she started getting the feeling that the blonde might be intentionally spurring her on. A bolt of adrenaline and arousal rocked Zhanna's body at the same time as Valerie struggled hard enough to shove her back, forcing her to brace herself firmly against the desk with her legs and her rear to keep from getting laid out over it.

Far from being angered by the vigorous display of defiance, the Russian mobster welcomed it, even snarled approvingly into Valerie's ear when an elbow struck her in the ribs, just before she sunk her teeth into the blonde's tender earlobe. "Are you always so impatient?" Zhanna growled as she tore her teeth away from Valerie's flesh, leaving behind a bright red mark. "We have all night."

As suddenly as Zhanna had grabbed her, she moved her hands to Valerie's arms and roughly threw her down to the ground, towering over her victoriously. While the blonde would presumably be busy recovering and untangling herself from her shirt and jacket, Zhanna knelt by the desk and felt around underneath until she felt a wire which she swiftly ripped out, disabling the panic button. She gave the same treatment to the telephone.

"Your cell phone," Zhanna demanded. "You don't want to make me ask twice."

darjeeling · Mar 18, 2015

When those cruel fangs crushed themselves lightly against the sensitive flesh of her ear, she couldn't help but let loose a soft cry of pain, the heat of the injury blooming almost instantly after Zhanna's lips left a mark. It throbbed lik those piercings she had long since discarded, though she supposed the other woman was an expert to that. With that quick grimace being the only outlier, she grasped at straws again and tilted her head away from the other's barking words. "Are you always so violent?"

Whether or not the woman answered, actions spoke louder than words as she was unceremoniously shoved to the ground. Unable to stead herself, her shoulder hit the ground with a dense thump. One by one her options were being tossed aside, yet Valerie occupied herself with unwinding herself from her crude, makeshift bonds. It was as if she didn't give a second thought to it; she'd never put much stock in guard dogs either way.

At the command, the blonde merely glanced over at Zhanna pointedly, ironically thinking she wouldn't have gestured even if she could. Her device was always slipped into the inside pocket of her jacket, and considering her hands were tied up, there was nothing she could do but slowly work her arms out. She did it intentionally too, with her legs curled up slightly, her back straightened up and an elbow securing her an upright position.

"I might very well do so," Valerie mused suddenly as she was finally able to free one of her limbs. The rest fell into place as she pulled off her jacket, leaving behind only her unbuttoned shirt and the relatively frilly lace of her brassiere. Her stomach was, as one might come to expect from someone who loved themselves so, smooth and flat and patterned along the left side of her body was an inked, improvised and very much upside down treble clef. The tail end swept over her ribcage and just below her left breast.

She fished out her phone from the hidden pocket, tossing it at Zhanna without caring to know if she caught it or not. "But I suppose there's no harm in giving you a bone."

HeavenSundered · Mar 18, 2015

"Usually much more," Zhanna belatedly answered the question about whether or not she was always so violent. "So don't test me." She swiped the cell phone out of the air with one hand before swiping her thumb over the screen to pull it out of sleep mode. "Good girl."

The mob boss wasn't interested in Valerie's personal messages or any other data that may have been stored on the device, instead simply opting to browse through the applications so that she could select the camera mode. Lifting the phone up, she took a moment to examine the blonde's body more closely before taking any photos, being able to see a good deal more of it now. The bitch was undeniably hot, as expected, but the tattoo was quite a surprise. Zhanna would never have pegged the very conventionally beautiful Valerie as someone who'd want to mar her perfect flesh with ink.

The inverted treble clef actually looked pretty cute on her, for lack of a better word, but it also served as a good reminder for Zhanna that she needed to stay alert for any surprises and not underestimate her future business partner. "Nice ink," she commented, her tone actually sounding genuinely flattering. "A music lover, hmm? Play any instruments?" Zhanna wondered out loud while framing the blonde into the screen of the phone and snapping a few photos. She had no difficulty imagining that Valerie had gotten thousands of dollars worth of music lessons over the course of her privileged childhood. Probably something really haughty, too, like the piano or the cello.

"Strip. Slowly. Seduce me like a good little whore," Zhanna ordered, waving her free hand impatiently towards Valerie. "It would be a shame to leave without a few more souvenirs to remember our first meeting." An expectant smile danced upon her shapely lips as she waited for Sanctum's CEO to comply with her command. Zhanna planned on taking her sweet time conquering this woman, and she was already relishing every second of the process.

darjeeling · Mar 21, 2015

"It's what I do best," Valerie replied easily, refusing to reveal the vast amount of trepidation beginning to coagulate within her thoughts. Zhanna had clearly shown that she was capable of physical intimidation, from biting to unsanctioned groping and the blonde was certain that the punk had many more tricks up her sleeve. Yet she still could not help but test the woman, pushing her boundaries to the limit even as her phone was snatched away and effectively disabled from her personal use.

Rather than smash or throw it on the ground, the tell-tale direction the mobile was being pointed at made it clear to the Sanctum CEO that something was amiss. The prospect of blackmail had crossed her mind one too many times, and unsurprising as it was, that didn't make it any less of an embarrassment. Her arms came up to cross over her breasts privately, protecting them from the glaring lens of the camera. Even more surprising was the woman's praise of the tattoo marring the other half of her body.

"I hate music." Valerie replied simply. In actuality, she had a love-hate relationship with it. Having been taught in the arts of violin and piano, her father decided that she wasn't very good at it and abandoned all lessons. At the time she had been intensely obsessed with the idea of composing her own music and had gotten the tattoo as a result, the inverted trebleclef symbolizing more than just her lack of natural skill but to show that even when in the wrong, she thought herself always right.

The telling snapping sounds coming from her phone laid to rest any doubts she might have had. Zhanna was definitely intending on going the full way. At the moment she regretted not paying more attention in her self-defense classes, as she never wholly expected her guards to be so incompetent. If she got out of this alive, which she most certainly would, there would be hell to pay and more. The intruder's command only emboldened that decision as she allowed a venomous scowl to mar her otherwise pretty features.

"Unfortunately for you, I am far from a whore," she said, refusing to debase herself and actually put on a show for her aggressor. Despite having a number of carefully selected partners in the past, never had they been in a position to demand of her such a crude act. Even more convincingly, Valerie wasn't quite sure she could 'strip and seduce', as the woman had put it so delicately, without making a fool of herself. She was a business woman, not some common stripper. "You want a souvenir? Record yourself instead."

To top it off, she flipped the woman off and stood defiant.

HeavenSundered · Mar 22, 2015

"A fascinating story, no doubt," Zhanna answered Valerie's comment about hating music with a mildly sarcastic retort. Part of her might have been a little curious to hear about it, too, but not right now. No, there were more pressing concerns and desires that needed to be addressed at the moment, whether the blonde decided to keep cooperating or not. Enjoying the way that Valerie attempted to protect her modesty by covering up, Zhanna dragged their little photo session out a bit, taking far more pictures than were necessary. In fact, none of these were really necessary at all, since she fully intended to take some far juicer and more compromising ones before the night was over, but it filled her with a certain perverse sense of satisfaction to document every step of Valerie's humiliation.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Zhanna chided the woman who'd just given her the finger and stubbornly refused to obey her orders. It was kind of admirable of Valerie to do so, considering she had to know that her refusal wouldn't go unpunished. The Russian's lips curved into a slight smirk as she realized that she would certainly have reacted the same way, not that it meant that the blonde was off the hook, of course. "You may be far from one now, but we can change that..." Zhanna growled menacingly, pushing herself away from the desk once again.

Pocketing the cell phone, Zhanna stepped over to her purse which she'd dropped earlier, quickly retrieving her Glock before pointing it directly at Valerie's head, clicking off the safety. The pistol's magazine was currently empty, with the full one still in the pocket of Zhanna's blazer, and there was no round in the chamber, but Valerie didn't know any of that, so it should hardly matter. Zhanna had no intention of actually shooting the woman, nor did she doubt her ability to subdue her through physical force, the gun was simply a facilitator.

Walking up to Valerie, Zhanna grabbed a fist of that shining blond hair, using it to drag Sanctum's CEO over to her own desk. Without hesitation, she slammed Valerie's face into the wooden surface, not hard enough to break her nose, but enough to ensure that it would hurt. A few loose papers flew into the air as Zhanna circled around to the front of the desk, maintaining her rough grasp on Valerie's hair and using it to keep her head pinned down. Then she raised the blonde's head up just far enough so that she could shove the barrel of the gun into her mouth, pushing it in a couple of inches.

"Are you ready to play nice yet, or will the cleaning crew be working overtime tonight?" Zhanna proposed her ultimatum, giving the gun an additional little push towards the back of Valerie's throat. "Well? Speak up, cunt."

darjeeling · Mar 24, 2015

Valerie could only shrug at the woman, not at her words but at the tone. She never expected to pour her life's story to this stranger, nor did she have any desire to do so. If anything, Zhanna's disinterest suited her just nicely, leaving her to focus on remaining as still as possible while still shielding herself from the camera. This version of blackmail always left her rather bitter. She knew that she was far from the most loved and her name was always spoken with a bit of vitriol even in Lodestar's dampest bars where her clients would hide away before her dogs inevitably found them. There was no doubt that the pictures would be met with mostly amusement and entertainment, though to say that they might jeopardize her position in the company was shaky at best. People were always doing stupid things, and Valerie was young enough to be forgive for one or two scandals.

Besides, Sanctum dealt in worse things than partial nudity.

She half expected Zhanna to wander over and break her hand for that crude gesture. Rarely was the CEO pushed to such measures, but considering her position, there was nothing much she could do beyond hoping she could overpower the woman and retrieve her letter opener. "Don't hold your breath." Valerie replied with a sneer, her dark eyes following the piercing-riddled female's movements, not so much wondering where she was doing as she was wondering what was going to happen next.

It was almost with a morbid fascination did she stare at the weapon trained on her, a faint expletive falling from her lips not at her predicament but at Sanctum's incompetent security measures. The gun should have been seized the second she walked through those doors, and considering they weren't full proof, visitors was to have their persons and belongings checked every time. Being threatened with a gun made all the difference and Valerie found that, once the very real possibility of being shot had sunk in, her chest had gone ice cold and it wasn't due to any lack of insulation.

Regardless, her hand still shot up to grasp at the woman's wrist, nails digging into her skin as a fistful of her hair was pulled, issuing a soft grunt of pain as she was thrown unceremoniously against her own desk. The pain was nothing compared to the searing numbness as her cheek collided with the wood, her bruised flesh throbbing angrily almost instantly. Still seeing stars, she was only made aware of what was occurring when something distasteful and metallic slid against her tongue and if there was any time she felt fear, it was now.

It was only thanks to her abrasive personality that she could not help but think the woman was stupid for asking her to respond with the barrel of a gun pointed at her gullet. Then again, that might have been her plan all along, finding any reason to shoot. Valerie remained perfectly still, not wanting to risk having Zhanna's finger slip against the trigger. The duality of the question was at such that she could not decide whether to shake her head or nod, the intelligence she boasted dampened effectively by the threat of having her brains blown out.

Finally, she let out a soft, muffled whimper over the metal and inclined her head slightly in what might have been a show of submission.

HeavenSundered · Mar 24, 2015

"What was that?" Zhanna made Valerie repeat her whimpered capitulation, kneeling down until they they were just about at eye level with one another. Drinking in the fear and frustration that she saw in the mighty, arrogant CEO's eyes, she savored every moment, licking her lips as she prodded the gun forward once again to spur Valerie on. Leaning in, Zhanna flicked her tongue over the blonde's fleshy earlobe and whispered, "Bang."

She smirked and laughed derisively through her nose before pushing herself back up, removing the pistol from Valerie's mouth and pulling her upright by the hair. "For someone who thinks so highly of herself, you are quite a slow learner," Zhanna continued to mock the blonde, giving her a slight shove with three fingers against the top of her sternum.

Keeping her eyes trained on Valerie, Zhanna hiked the hem of her own pencil skirt three quarters of the way up her thigh until it was just barely covering her panties, affording herself more freedom of movement so that she could slink her way up on top of the desk like some sort of predatory feline. Getting up on her knees, legs partially spread, she tossed the gun on to the desk next to her almost carelessly, just far enough that it might make it tempting for Valerie to try. She was curious if the bitch still had the balls to do it after having received several stiff warnings, and even more curious as to whether or not she'd be willing to pull the trigger.

"Well? Are you retarded?" Zhanna barked impatiently, pulling the phone back out from her pocket. "Do what I fucking told you!"

darjeeling · Mar 25, 2015

Had the woman dragged the gun from the confines of her mouth and had actually given her the opportunity to speak, her first words might have lead to her getting shot either way. Asking her to repeat what she'd tried to convey was a humiliation all on its own, never acting the type to be so accommodating when it came to deaf idiots. On this end of the spectrum, she wasn't so much dealing with an incompetent client as she was being physically forced into the position.

Valerie felt the barrel being pushed further into her mouth and she had to wonder if death would be less painful should the bullet curve directly down into her belly. The warmth of the woman's breath against her ear only served to encourage her paranoia, the stroke of the other's tongue leading only to a slight puff of cold air thereafter. She tried her hardest to remain still, as if she was not the only person in the room and that she might be ignored should her responses be less than satisfactory.

Unfortunately a pipe-dream at best, the pistol was at least removed and she was back to licking her cheeks clean of that disgusting, metal taste and the freedom of her mouth as she was finally able to close them without much of a threat. Having been pushed back away from the desk, she was wondering then what the woman had in mind. The gun was still one of the, if not the only, factors when it came to the blonde's submission and obedience. Fear made people stupid, and it was what she preyed on.

Karma was a bitch she thought vehemently as Valerie found herself was forcibly removed from her table, staggering back even as the woman slinked up to the wooden surface. Whilst her implications were fully lost on the blonde, there was no denying that the woman intended on having a strip-tease recording to possibly be sold to those who might have known about this before the previews came. She wondered if Zhanna made a living off of blackmailing and maybe coercion and not just due to her purely kept purity. There was nothing worse than sending out a false report.

Now that she was free to move, she complied, having worn out most of her arguments and with the threat of the gun still lying there on her table. There wasn't much else she could do but begin to unbutton her blouse bit by bit, the blazer having already been removed and thrown haphazardly on the ground, there wasn't much the to strip out of. Besides, Valerie would be sore pressed to find people of her nature or her caliber to really put on a performance that had her audience screeching for more. That piece of clothing fell to the ground softly, leaving on only her brassiere accompanied by the smooth curves of her shoulders and waist. Her pants which she pulled off equally ungraceful to deter the woman from her intentions, were dropped to the ground and she stepped out in all her pale beauty. Normally hidden beneath an ultimately bitchy guise, had nobody be none the wiser, she could have passed for a modern beauty. Her arms and legs were slender whilst her bust boasted a moderately impressive size, her stomach a gentle expanse of skin which heaved up slightly with every breath and gave way to her hips and creamy thighs.

With everything said and done, she folded her arms, opened her mouth and broke the mood. "I'm not retarded."

HeavenSundered · Mar 29, 2015

Keeping her eyes trained on Valerie, Zhanna watched the blonde begin to undress, looking down from her slightly elevated position upon the desk. The bitch certainly got the slowly part of her directions correct, but in terms of seductiveness, her display left much to be desired. It couldn't even be called a striptease, since the second half of the word was entirely missing. Had Zhanna expected Valerie to be proficient at stripping? Absolutely not, but she wanted to watch her try and fail; to watch her make a fool of herself. The Russian mob boss had developed something of a sadistic streak when it came to knocking the high, mighty and fortunate down a few rungs, especially those who hadn't even earned what they had.

The beauty of this was that whether Valerie indulged her demands or not, she would still get to have her fun in one form or another. And now, whether it was due to ineptitude or recalcitrance on the CEO's part - or perhaps a combination of the two - Zhanna had a good excuse to dish out some more hands-on discipline, not that she really needed one. "Are you sure?" she snapped back at the other woman, lowering herself down on her rear before swinging her legs over the side of the desk.

Zhanna cocked her head to the side, pausing to examine Valerie's not yet quite fully naked body. Unmarred skin, sensual curves, perfect proportions - for all of the woman's faults, she was still undeniably attractive. The prospect of using and abusing the bitch already had Zhanna's heart racing, her whole sex throbbing with lust as blood rushed to it, but her expression showed no signs of any of that. She looked bored and dreadfully unimpressed, her eyes dead as she tapped her fingers over the surface of the desk.

"Do you not know the meaning of the word seduce?" she finally hissed accusingly. "What the fuck was that mess supposed to be?" Zhanna's tone raised slightly as she gestured towards Valerie, expressing her disdain. "You could not even get a sailor that hadn't seen a woman for six months hard with that shit. But of course, you think it's enough to just stand there, don't you? Like you are so hot that you don't need to put in any effort, hmm? Always expecting everything to come easy, like it always has for you. Fine, stand there then."

Ending her rant, Zhanna pocketed the cellphone once more, hopped off of the desk and swiftly closed the gap towards Valerie. Grabbing the straps of the blonde's bra, Zhanna brusquely slid them down over her shoulders before pulling the whole garment down until it hung uselessly around Valerie's stomach, allowing those full and alluring breasts of hers to spill out. Almost growling as she exhaled, Zhanna roughly cupped her right hand beneath Valerie's left breast, squeezing it hard before pulling back only to deliver a vicious overhand slap against the pale, fleshy globe that would certainly leave a bright mark.

Her left hand shot up to clasp Valerie's face, fingers digging hard into her cheeks and the sides of her jaw. "So you're not retarded, but when I told you to strip, you didn't even understand that I meant everything?" Zhanna hissed into the other woman's face, her free hand dropping down to clutch the front of Valerie's panties, which she then jerked up mercilessly, causing the material to wedge deeply up her slit. She held them there for at least twenty seconds, all the while still squeezing Valerie's jaw hard enough to prevent her from answering the mostly rhetorical question, even if she wanted to.

Finally, Zhanna released her victim's face and bent down slightly to pull Valerie's panties back down - all the way down to her knees. She then helped herself to another handful of that silky blonde hair, pulling down on it with the intention of forcing the CEO to her knees. "Now, let's see if that silver tongue of yours has any better uses," Zhanna continued, hiking her own skirt up the rest of the way until it was bunched up around her waist, making her implication even clearer, in case it hadn't been already. She wore a partially sheer black thong through which Valerie could get an early glimpse of her cleanly shaven mound.

darjeeling · Apr 3, 2015

Valerie had no doubt that taking Zhanna's orders literally would bring about repercussions to great for her to risk, but that didn't stop herself from doing it anyway. A businesswoman through and through, the greatest reward always came with greater risks, though that was likely a theory she should not apply in so dire a situation. Nevertheless, she stood there in her own office with a telling frown on her otherwise shapely features, waiting for the inevitable crash of fury she expected from a woman would dare bring a weapon into her company's building.

The rhetorical question was met with mute silence, her lack of teasing possibly leaving a sour taste in the other's mouth, Valerie only tilted her head in response. Her desk was being trampled and stomped all over, a fact which she took to as kindly as she had to the mug without a coaster. She had half a mind to tell the woman that it would be much appreciated if she remove her shoes, but after a second glance at the gun, had wiser, second thoughts about it. Rarely did she ever reconsider her choices, being both firm and final in her decisions, but there certainly wouldn't be any decisions left to make if she had her brains splattered all over the carpet.

"Fortunately, sailors are not quite to my taste," Valerie could not help but bite back, decidedly offended by the woman's implications. Despite knowing full well that she had made a right fool of herself in refusing to comply fully with Zhanna's wishes, being told that she was inept at something was insulting. It was borderline incomprehensible, having never met someone with the balls necessary to implicate that she was actually bad at doing something. She had this grand notion that, even if she didn't seduce, she could have done so if she desired to. Which she didn't want at all. Either way, the woman's words rang true but that didn't mean she had to agree with it. So she tossed her head and shrugged lightly. "I will--"

The woman's actions were expected, but that didn't mean she was any less surprised. A small yelp crossed the border of her lips as she felt the thin strap of her bra being assaulted roughly, the sudden cold rush of air along her naked breasts causing her nipples to perk up embarrassingly enough. One of Valerie's hands shot up to the meet the groping hand of the stranger by the wrist, grabbing the warm flesh but unable to do much as a wholly unwelcome blow was delivered to her sensitive bosom. This time a very slight, very quiet whimper of pain was given as a response, the flesh hot and stinging almost immediately. "You bitc--"

Yet another one of her sentences was interrupted as she felt the familiar fingers roughing up her face, pressing against her jawline heavily. She could not deny that the pressure was almost as painful as the slow burn on her breast, despite the equally painful caresses she was currently being subject to. Valerie only glared, pulling away her face in hopes that she might be free of this stranger's grasp and all the while clawing at the woman's skin to perhaps entice her to let go. Her initial reaction to the tug of her undergarments was soft at best, the expensive fabric riding high into her and causing an unintended and rather awkward grunt to flow then from her maw.

Despite her initial trepidation, the amount of force being put into the work, the undeniable lust and hatred, the power being exerted, it was a very confusing time for Valerie who both despised those who tried to usurp her and respected them for trying. Either way, she could feel the unwelcome onslaught of arousal blossoming at the very pits of her stomach, the evidence of it staining her panties slightly as her face took on a pinkish hue of equal parts irritation and embarrassment, the latter making an almost permanent mark on her otherwise pale colored flesh. It was mostly to her relief when the mind-numbing sensations ceased, the material no longer rubbing against her sensitive folds and bringing about equally unwelcome states of her body.

The woman's question was barely heard, unable to reply and unable to really formulate a proper response through the lash of painful yet pleasurable ministrations being laid upon her nether regions. She grimaced, her hands only tightening around Zhanna's wrist, no longer scratching but unwilling to fully depart from their station. What happened next was a series of actions she couldn't quite comprehend, the sudden loss of sensations made her feel a little strange, stranger than she cared to admit, and the familiar wrenching pain of her scalp had her forced to her knees almost automatically. Immediately she was hit by the sudden smell of the woman's scent, not quite unpleasant but not quite alluring at the same time. Nevertheless, she felt a flood of saliva course her mouth, almost as if she were anticipating it somewhere in her mind.

Impossible. She growled faintly at the order given from above, the darkly colored thong leaving no secrets. Valerie was a definite stranger when it came to being the giver of pleasure, usually unwilling to even pretend to be put in her place. Without a choice now, she was half tempted to even bite down on the woman's thigh, but ever so present was the threat of that metal weapon and its life taking ammo. Weighing this degradation against certain death, there was only one option. She pressed herself closer, planting her lips against the fabric of Zhanna's undergarments, one piece of fabric away from direct contact with the woman's folds. There she remained, neither moving nor talking as she glanced up and, despite having her face half in the stranger's crotch, still managed a disgruntled expression of outright disdain.

Root of (Evil)² {HeavenSundered & darjeeling}

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