Sharon Sharpe's Back Story

Before there was Claire Baxter there was her

mentor, Sharon Sharpe. 

‘I know you’re disappointed to say the least, but there is reluctance within certain quadrants to you,’ Catherine Wycliffe, the newly appointed Head of Women’s Operations at COIL said.

‘You mean with an agent my size,’ Sharon Sharpe, newly minted agent replied then added.  ‘Which begs the question of why I was ever recruited in the first place!’

‘To put it bluntly yes.  You’re an unknown,’ Catherine responded.

‘To you anyway, DOOM certainly knows how to use an agent of size,’ Sharon added with a sharp barb to the tone.

Catherine ignored the tone, that course would lead nowhere, she was more interested in pursuing productive use of the new agent, even if she had to play the game with her superiors for a while to prove the worth of the agent across from her desk.  The Head of Women’s ops had been the big booster of using Plus Agents, she had in fact been the only one in COIL to be so despite the evidence, as Sharon had pointed out of DOOM using them with fantastic success. When finally, a spot was available in the training session, Catherine had gotten permission to recruit one candidate.  She had personally selected Sharon a few years ago while on a recruiting session at NYU.  Simple interviews of graduating students mixed with testing yielded the qualified candidates without their knowledge, from there more refined methods were used.  It was during a break in sessions, Catherine had grabbed a tea and a seat in the cafeteria, lost in her own thoughts on how dismal a day this had turned out. 

Usually you found one girl, so far nothing and the afternoon sessions promised even less. 

‘You’re too caught up in the what you see, not what you could see,’ he said.

‘Yeah, I see a fat girl, isn’t that what you see?’ other voice said derisively.

‘No, I don’t!’ the first voice said and then continued.

At this point Catherine shifted her herself just slightly and caught the two males out of the corner of her eye and the object lesson of the conversation.

‘Look at that hair, the insane chestnut coloured hair, the way the light plays off of it, right there, when she turned her head, the light aspects of it interplay perfectly with the darker brown segments.’

‘Probably colours it for some reason,’ the other added.

‘No way, my mums a hairstylist and no way that’s coloured, it’s natural.  Does she need to lose weight, sure, who doesn't, I could, you could,’ the first added.

‘More than just a little in her case,’ the second chimed back.

‘Wow, you’re that nasty.  Anyway, look at how she shifts, its graceful, not humping about.  Her lips are perfect, man you just want to feel them.  That, is a very beautiful and more importantly a very smart girl.  She’ll have her MBA done by summer and just turn 20.’

‘How do you know that?’ the second asked.

‘She was filling out some paperwork in the Bursars’ Office and I happened to be the lucky co-op student who took her application for processing.  Her names Sharon Sharpe, Degree in Management Science from Alfred here on an accelerated MBA, two years in one.’

‘Does she know your stalking her?’ the second quipped. 

‘Not the case at all, merely admiring what others can’t or won’t,’ he shot back a bit defensive in tone.

‘Hey, no complaints from me if you are and I think I can safely speak for all the other males on campus, she’s all yours.  Got to go, come over later, we’re having a party with real girls I think you need to meet,’ the second said getting up and giving him a pat on the back. 

Catherine had stolen a look at Sharon Sharpe, the girl in question, the first was correct about her in everything he had said, he was also aware now that their conversation may have been a bit too loud as he looked over at Catherine, who smiled and got up to leave, she had all the Intel she needed, perhaps the afternoon would not be a total waste.

‘You know there’s only one way to find out.  Go over there and ask her to go to the party with you.  

That’s is if you truly think of her as you do,’ Catherine said as she pasted by the young man depositing her cup in the garbage and kept walking. 

***

The afternoon went as she had predicted, Catherine feigned interest while she gathered all she could on this girl Sharon Sharpe, mostly her academic transcripts.  She did however garner an email and wasted no time firing off one to her about interviewing for a position with a front company that COIL used.  She didn’t get an answer till the morning, which told her a lot about the night before. 

Catherine smiled as she issued the formal invite.  Since this was her project she saw no need to involve doubters, so she made the invitation for tea at a small café she knew.  ‘Let’s see if you’re as graceful as the young man thinks you are?’ she mused. 

***

Catherine watched Sharon arrive, she was 5 minutes early, but did not look flustered or hurried in her arrival, the sign of good time management and decorum.  She carried a small leather portfolio and a small clutch as was, again the sign of a well prepared young lady, nothing overly bulky or cumbersome to carry around like an over the shoulder bag.  The spy was also impressed although not at all inspired by her choice of clothes, a woman’s business suit with a jacket.  She had on stem earrings of real pearls, older than her, most likely a gift, Catherine guessed passed down from within the family, nice broach, on most girls her age it would appear old and out of style, but on Sharon it worked perfectly.   Back to the suit, it was cut well, pleasant colours, bright, but too much so, cut well, but cut to hid the form underneath, which as the young man from the cafeteria had pointed out, did need to shed some weight.  She capped it off with black suede low heled pumps, again functional but lacking flare.  Catherine could surmise the reason for them.   One, she couldn’t manage a higher heel, many new recruits couldn’t and had to be taught or she didn’t think she was worth the effort, the pants were the giveaway about the legs and the shoes just confirmed it, she didn’t think she had good legs, so better to hide them. 

‘Miss Wycliffe,’ Sharon said extending her hand for a firm but ladylike exchange.

Miss Sharpe,’ Catherine reciprocated, then watched.

Sharon waited for the server to pull her chair out.  She flowed into it in a most graceful fashion. 

‘Again, the lad was right,’ Catherine mused and ticked another box. 

She also noted that Sharon had waited for the chair to be pulled out for her, the sign of a lady and what she expects from an establishment of this kinds.  ‘She has confidence in herself, another box checked,’ Catherine added. 

‘I brought along my resume, both academic and work for your review,’ Sharon said reaching down into her portfolio and pulling out an envelope that she passed across the table.

Catherine noted she did the entire action without breaking eye contact, the sign of a well organised individual.   See looked over the documents, including letters of praise from her summer employers.  

It was clear from the transcripts and the aforementioned letters that Sharon Sharpe was an achiever in everything she put her hand to except one and this is where she decided to go.  She’d been a spy long enough that she could size people up very quickly and this girl before her was no exception.

‘I don’t conduct interview, if that is what you want call this, I prefer to just get to know a person, if they fir they fit, the rest are just soft skills that anyone can learn.  I hope that is alright with you was some of my questions may be a bit pointed.  You can of course not answer if you wish, I promise I won’t be offended,’ Catherine explained.

‘But you will make notes, mental or otherwise.  That does not offend me, a non-answer can be either positive or negative depending on the question or the situation or both I suppose,’ Sharon answered with a thoughtful smile and adjusted herself elegantly in her chair.

‘How did your date go last night?’ Catherine asked and waited for Sharon to react in one of many ways possible.

Sharon looked at her for a second, her face giving nothing away, again another excellent sign. 

‘I see I get to meet the woman who gave Sam the verbal push, at least that’s how he put it.  Since you mentioned to me in your email that you were on campus doing recruiting and Sam related the story to me, well one and one make two,’ Sharon smiled.  ‘As for the date, well awkward and uncomfortable to start and embarrassing to end would be the words I would use, Sam might use others,’ she added.

The blunt level of assessment did not shock Catherine, rather it pleased her, Sharon was a hold nothing back person.  She decided to test it fully.

‘Funny he seemed like such a nice young man and from the way he talked very much infatuated with you and if you’ll allow me for very astute reasons.

‘I thought he was playing some kind of joke on me.  I’ve had that happen before, but he seemed so sincere that I accepted.  Anyway, we went to this friend’s place for the party, he went to get me something to drink and then it started, the looks from both sexes that said, “what’s she doing here, is that the best he can do, Sam’s really slipping, try not to stare, etc.”  When he came back it stopped but he could see something had happened.  He tried to make it better, I could tell, he stayed close, we left after a couple of hours,’ she finished.

‘Sounds like he was the perfect gentleman, I suspected as much.  How about you how did you feel about that situation?  Didn’t you want to leave?’ Catherine inquired.

‘I don’t run away from things, it’s not my nature to do so,’ Sharon answered.

‘So, we come to the embarrassing part,’ Catherine said as she took a sip of her tea.

For the first time Sharon looked a little uncertain, so Catherine jumped in.

‘First time for everything, sometimes it works, most times it requires a second chance.  I take it you did not opt for the latter.’

‘First time for everything with respect to this matter and I panicked.  Timing of course could not have been worse, poor Sam, I still think he thinks it’s all his fault.  He even said he was sorry for pushing me.  He gave me a kiss on the cheek and left, at least I didn’t screw that up.  Maybe it was for the best anyway, I’m the sort of person who looks better in clothes than out of them,’ Sharon said resigned.

‘So, the kiss, or more accurately, the attempted kiss did not go so well.  I’ve had my share of awkward moments as well.  As for the second part of your statement, that is something I want to explore further,’ Catherine probed seeing where it would go.

‘I’m sorry if this offends, but what does this have to do with a potential employment position,’ Sharon asked.

‘Another point,’ Catherine told herself.

‘Depends on the position being offered, doesn’t it?’ Catherine shot back.

‘Yes, and since you brought it up, what is the position?’ came Sharon’s reply.

‘Before I answer that I need to ask you couple of very hard questions,’ Catherine said and then seeing she had the go ahead continued.  ‘Why are you a success in everything else except your weight.  I ask this because Sam was right, you could stand to lose a fair bit, but Sam was also correct that you are a very beautiful young woman.’

Sharon rally looked surprised, for the first time she did not have a ready, she had not expected the question and her mind was turning over what to say while trying to discern what kind of a job, she assumed within her field depended on her looks and weight.  She mulled all these things and really not wanting to answer the question decided to play the Socratic Method and ask another question.

‘Why does my weight having anything to do with a position within my field of expertise?’

‘You didn’t answer my question, you don’t get a pass, its question answer, question answer.  But to be charitable, who says the position I’m offering is related to your educational background.  I have a Masters in English from Oxford, but I don’t use it much in my present situation.’ Catherine smiled.

This further set Sharon back on her heel, but she set that aside and decided to answer the question.  Partly because this meeting intrigued her and she wanted to get to the crux of the matter. 

‘Its never really been that important to me, while that’s not true, its starting to become more important, but I have other things I need to do first, finish school, find a job and then,’ she said.

‘And then something else will turn up and then something else and then you’ll watch that pretty but incompetent thing gets the promotion you should have got.  For such a smart girl you’re very silly, maybe naïve is the better word.  This world is largely built on looks and charisma, call it style over substance, unfair of course, but that’s how are society and to a large extend the world and especially the world you’re going to inhabitant as a working person works.  Why I asked you to this interview is because you have all three of those qualities, only you are hiding the best one, because it’s the hardest to obtain.  Grades come easy to you, your professors all say so, your brighter and more creative and more outside the box than anyone else in your class.  You have the charm and the charisma, its so evident, there are people who pay to learn what you have naturally.  If you added that one extra element, looks and by that I mostly mean weight, the window dressing, clothes, make-up, that just happens, you’d be unstoppable.  I suspect your kiss last night or more accurately, attempted kiss, was a failure because it was your first time and that is a same.  My first time I found the boys nose, then his chin, cheek, until finally his mouth,’ Catherine smiled taking some of the harshness out of her speech.

***

After they enjoyed a very nice dinner, Sharon thinking. ‘If the position she’s offering me can lead to this someday then I’m accepting.’

‘That was very pleasant, why don’t we sit in the living room and I’ll finally come to the point, I am sure your curiosity has been peaked,’ Catherine smiled.

Sharon said nothing she came over and elegantly sat next to Catherine on the sofa.

‘I’ve had a marvelous day with you Sharon, whichever way this goes, I want you to know that, but now I and you need to get serious. I’m sure you’ve been aware that I’ve been sizing you up all day, seeing what your potential could be, looking for ways to round off or indeed sharpen a few corners to fit what your organisation needs.  Without you knowing it, you’re the template I’ve always been looking for.  You have more natural talent and more raw potential then any recruit I’ve ever seen,’ Catherine said a she looked into Sharon’s eyes a very serious expression forming on her face as she continued.  ‘I work for an agency call COIL.’

‘Is this some kind of modelling offer, because if it is, you sure have the wrong person,’ Sharon started to laugh but soon saw that Catherine was not going along with her.

‘No, my dear, COIL stands for Counter Operations Intelligence League, in other words spies,’ Catherine said.

Sharon’s chest heaved once then twice until finally she burst out in total laughter, throwing her hands up and her head back, tears coming to her eyes.  ‘Well in that case,’ Sharon said between fitful stops in her laughter to trying to catch her breath.  ‘You REALLY have the wrong person!’ then she stopped laughing and became serious.  ‘Excuse me I don’t know why I was laughing it’s actually a big joke on me, isn’t it, a BIG FAT joke,’ she said emphasising the two words as she got up to leave, this time the tears for real.

‘Thanks for the meal and the company, I hope whoever paid for all that got their monies worth and my expense,’ she said reaching for the door handle before Catherine seized it gently and softly. 

Sharon thought about wrenching it away but there was something in the woman’s touch, a concern almost, that stopped her and made her turnabout.

‘Even in distress you just have it, that flip of the head, that fantastic hair, even the way you walked across this room to leave, its beyond eye chancing.  Here let me show you I’m serious,’ Catherine said releasing her hold, taking a chair from beside the door and sitting down.  For the first time Sharon Sharpe took notice.  Catherine gracefully folded into the chair and crossed her very sexy legs, the hem pulling just slightly about the knees as she did so before reaching down and removing her black pump.

‘A simple woman’s pump, makes the calves look better, draws the eye and has its own certain sex appeal, in that it is a feminine weapon already, but only if employed by a skilled user.  But when you add modifications it becomes so much more,’ Catherine smiled as her finger touched lightly at the top of the heel where it meets the platform and she pulled a small thin long and to Sharon eyes very sharp steel blade from the heel of the shoe.  ‘An excellent means of defense or a surprise attack, especially during a kiss.  It’s also gotten me out of several confining situations,’ Catherine offered with a sly smile before she put it back.  ‘That in and of itself is something, but I like my fashion accessories to mix and match, gives me choices.  We stole this from Thunderball,’ Catherine offered as she reached inside the shoe and a needle popped out of the tip.  ‘Normally activated with pressure from a toe.  And finally, this,’ she offered using the floor to retract the needle before swinging back the heel point of the shoe.  ‘There are far too many variations to go into at this time, that comes later, during training, if you choose to accept.  In this case I have a spare lipstick in here.’

‘Let me guess, poison lipstick,’ Sharon said somewhat bemused but for the life of her she couldn’t understand why.

‘No this one’s a muscle relaxant variant, care to try, I have the antidote,’ Catherine smiled.

Sharon did not know what to do, was she telling the truth, was this all a game to drug her and then do something really horrible to her, something else maybe, her head was swimming and then she felt Catherine’s lips on hers, a pleasant caressing light touch with a few wonderful motions then the woman slowly lowering her to the carpet, Sharon’s body relaxing more as she descended. 

‘All this talk about not being a good kisser, you just need practice, that was very pleasant, now to bring you out of it,’ Catherine said as Sharon felt very light and useless, her body fine but unable to move, kind of like she was in a half awake half asleep state and couldn’t decide on which one, then she felt a light prick on the side of her neck and next she was being helped to her feet and over to the sofa again. 

‘You came out of that very quickly, another good sign, I should be surprised but with you I’m not,’ Catherine smiled as she handed Sharon a drink.

‘I don’t know what to say, I guess it really is true, as bizarre as it seems, a kiss doesn’t lie,’ Sharon said touching her head, then she started to laugh again, this time for real.  ‘Even if I had any or all of those fantastic devices I would never be able to get close enough let along attract anyone close enough to me to us them,’ she offered and spread her arms in an outward gesture to indicate her body.

‘I have a way to show you how wrong you are, but it requires courage.  How much do you have?’ Catherine asked, her voice steady and serious.

‘Was our kiss really not that bad?’ Sharon asked and Catherine had her answer.

***

Several days later Sharon was right on time again.  Catherine greeted her with a hug and then they disappeared inside a not descript midtown office building taking the elevator to the 11th floor, neither saying anything.

‘This way, straight down the hall and into the office, we have an appointment,’ Catherine in a happy voice.

The name plate on the door simply read ‘HGT Investments.

’Hello Miss Wycliffe and this must be Miss Sharpe,’ a woman in a lab coat said with a smile as she extended her hand and shook both in turn.  

‘Good Morning Eva.  Sharon this is Dr. Eva Sabol, she’ll be walking you through the test and then helping us interpret the results,’ Catherine said.  ‘Not to worry you’re in excellent hands,’ she added.

‘This way Miss Sharpe,’ Eva said as she opened a door and the two disappeared inside.

‘First, I just want to take your height, weight and blood pressure and get some background on you,’ she said escorting her into a small examination room.  ‘I’ll give you a few seconds to undress.  We don’t use hospital gowns here, hence the warmer temp and the reason for that is because of the testing we do.  Are you ok with that?’

Sharon looked a little sheepish, but nodded just slightly anyway.

When Eva came back she got all the data she needed and put Sharon at ease in the process.

‘Now we come to the fun part!’ she smiled. ‘Come with me please.’

Sharon was led down the hall and through another door and into a room that had one machine in the very centre.  Eva led her buy the hand onto a small pad that had the outline of two feet on it, Sharon did not need instructions on this part. 

‘Now I need you to hold your arms straight out from your body, excellent, you need to remain still while we do the scan.  This camera,’ Eva said touching an object about the size and shape of a football, Sharon couldn’t help but notice its resemblance to the male organ.  ‘Is going to rotate around you up and down.  When completed we will have a complete body map of you on multiple levels, skeletal structure, bone size and density among others.  At the end the sensor will touch you, not to worry it will be a light touch as it has the contour of your body from the previous scan.  This will take other readings, collagen, fat cell, elasticity,’ she smiled and walked over to the sensor.  ‘Ready, arms up and here we go.’

The machine started to hum at low frequency as it turned around her on its track in the ceiling.  Slow descending revolutions flowed by ascending ones.  Sharon soon lost consciousness of being nude, in fact she seemed not to find, she merely closed her eyes and listened to the humming, it helping her concentrate on her school work and a paper she was working on. 

Her eyes popped open after an indeterminate time as the sensation from the sensor against her skin stimulated her instantly.  Dr. Sabol was correct the touch was barely there, but that’s what made it all the more sensual.  For a second Sharon panicked.  ‘What if I orgasm?’  Then she regained control, closed her eyes and concentrated harder on other matters.

‘It’s incredible,’ Eva said from the control room where she was monitoring the results and Catherine had come to join her.  ‘She spiked here,’ she said pointing to a line on the screen, that a few seconds later, she controls herself and pushes it back down to here, near normal.  I’ve seen veteran agents not be able to do that and actually climax from the sensors touch.’

‘You designed it to do that, right from its look to the touch it provides, kind of a test within a test, if I remember correctly,’ Catherine smiled recalling when she had tried it.

‘Retesting is always available,’ Eva smiled at her then continued.  ‘I’m going to say she’s a virgin, not much if any sexual partnership so far in her life, just from the information I took and her uncomfortable feeling with her body.  So, to have that kind of control, rather than experience something that you can feel is going to be so wonderful is incredible.  ‘I can’t wait to see what happens when the sensor works on her more personal areas?’ Dr. Sabol said in medical and scientific fascination. 

Sharon was well aware of what was coming and she prepared as best she could, but having no intimate encounters in her life up to this point to act as a yardstick she was caught by surprise on several occasions.

‘No surprise, back of the neck, ear, breast and vaginal areas.  What is a surprise is how well she controls it?   Hard fast rise in the line, then it’s pushed back, very impressive.  She likes toes, ankles and calves as well as her upper thighs and bum,’ Eva commented.  ‘It’s just about over I’m going to go get her, the computer will start to compile the data and then you and I can talk before we explain it all to her,’ Eva added and left the room as did Catherine via another door.

‘There not so bad,’ Eva said smiling as she handed Sharon a robe.  ‘The computer is chewing on the data right now, we’ll have a report in half an hour, long enough for you to change and have a drink.  Come with me and you can change and meet up with Catherine,’ she smiled and led Sharon out the door and back into the examination room.  ‘Just turn to the left and my office is the first door on the left, just in well be waiting for you.  You did really well Sharon,’ she added.

‘Well at what? Sharon Sharpe asked.

‘All will be explained, I promise,’ Eva smiled a warm friendly grin and left. 

***

‘I’m almost inclined to run the test again.  These results are almost too good to be believed,’ Eva said and as she and Sharon looked over the results on the screen when they heard a knock on the door. 

Eva shut down the projector as Sharon entered and took a seat between Catherine and Eva on the sofa that they gestured her to. 

There was pot of tea and saucers on the table in front of them and Sharon gratefully accepted when Catherine offered. 

‘What we’re going to show you is cutting edge technology.  Its primary purpose was to identify soldiers with potential to become super soldiers because of certain physical traits.  We took this technology and expanded it to look for women who may have hidden traits that would make them very good spies.  We kept some of the physical, but thanks to Dr. Sabol we added more feminine genetic aspects to the search criteria as well as our own projections.   Ask any questions you want along the way, interrupt, stop ask for further explanations, we have all time it takes,’ Catherine explained and looked at Eva to begin.

‘This is what you look like at present.  The computer makes a 3d map of you,’ Dr. Sabol said as she used a hand held remote to rotate the crystal-clear image of Sharon about. 

Catherine slipped her hand into Sharon’s sensing her discomfort with her appearance.

‘And this I what the computer projects you could look like with physical routine programmed to your specific genetic make-up.

There was a silence in the room, Sharon’s had slipped from Catherine’s as she starred at the screen across the room. 

‘This is you in a negligee, a cocktail dress, an evening gown, professional dress and finally, just a simple shirt and heels, white pumps,’ Eva smiled as she advanced pictures on the screen until they came back to the picture that started the silence.

 

‘Can I see that for minute,’ Sharon said asking for the controller. 

Eva offered it as Sharon stood up and stepped forward a few paces before she slowly went through the pictures again before coming back to the present Sharon picture.

‘That’s not me,’ she said.

‘You’re right that’s not you.  That only comes with a total commitment, endless tears, bruises and a body that at times you’ll think is broken and can’t carry on.   In my experience, if you are committed you actually exceed this picture.   And I want you to keep that in mind,’ Catherine said getting up and slipping her arms around Sharon’s waist from behind, a feeling Sharon found welcoming as her hands closed over Catherine’s around her waist.

‘I want you to remember this is not with any training.  You add make-up and certain facial expressions and well I’m searching for the word that would best describe you.   I think dynamic is the word I want, it fulfills so many aspects of you.  Now before you get carried away we need to have a very serious talk, just you and me about what I’m offering you,’ Catherine said as she hugged Sharon.

***

Catherine explained the very long odds of survival.  You have a less that 40% chance of surviving your first year not great odds and they get worse as you go along.  You become a target and you especially if you make it that far will be a great prize simply because of your size.  My agents feel that way about their opposite number plus size opponents so why would it be different when reversed.  We’ll give you every advantage we can, weapons, training and Intel but you’ll be solo most times on missions and isolated.’

She explained who COIL was, who they fought against, COIL’s philosophy.  Sharon took it all in, she asked questions, important ones, but Catherine could tell she was a true believer from the start.  She wanted in.

‘We have a series of tests for you to take, they evaluate your decision making, thinking processes, personality traits and other things.  It doesn’t matter how great you look, how naturally smart you are or physical gifts you may have, you have to score well on these to be accepted as an trainee.  If you don’t you’re out, if you pass we can begin and your beginning will be different from all the other trainees as will your actual training.  You’ll be the only plus trainee agent, you’ll be physically different from the others and that may play into how your treated at first, you’ll have to adjust and not let that hamper you.  But before any of that you need to lose a great deal of weight and tone up.

Eva’s program specifies 55 pounds, you may be do more, depending on how well exercise and diet work for you.  I won’t lie to you, it will be brutal and hard, you’ll be pushed and pushed by one of our trainers and you can never stumble or your out. Physical fitness is just as important as mental, endurance can and will save your life.’

They talked for a long time, hours and hours, but Sharon was not swayed or daunted by what lay ahead, she wanted it.  They arranged for her to do the test tomorrow at another location.  If she passed she would be contacted and her weight training would begin.  They said their goodbyes, Sharon went home and Catherine back to see Eva.

‘These numbers are insane, her estrogen levels and her secondary sex characteristics, what makes her attractive are the highest I’ve ever seen. Her collagen levels are hyper, if she lives she could be an agent for a long time, she’d look great well into her 50’s maybe 60’s.  You couple that with this,’ Eva said as she showed an MRI of Sharon’s skeleton.  I’ve never seen this in any agent.  Her skeleton is perfect, her bones density incredible as is her ligature yet she seems to have the a very flexible frame.  It’s a complete paradox, she should have one or the other but not both.  You add in her muscle mass and well she’s as near a perfect agent as you could wish for.’

“I agree and I don’t think those pictures even came close to doing her justice.  The finished product will be irresistible.  I know that and you do as well, its just a matter of getting her into the program and then convincing others to use her to her full potential,’ Catherine stated.

‘You’re assuming she passes the tests,’ Eva countered.

‘Do you have any doubts, I have none, she’s as smart as anything, Catherine said.

***

Sharon showed up the next day to take the tests.  Another non-descript building only this time the offices were in the basement and she immediately thought she was in the wrong place.

‘I’m sorry I think I’m in the wrong place,’ she said to the lady administrator, trying to hand back a test paper.

‘Sharon Sharpe here at the invitation of Catherine Wycliffe, no you’re in the correct place now take your seat please or do you wish to terminate the application now,’ the Adm. Asked more of a question than a statement.

She turned around the returned to her seat, 20 sets of eyes, all belonging to willowy, sexy young women watching and wondering what she was doing here, Sharon as well.  She looked down all the way and took her seat, not looking up or around waiting for the verbal cue to begin.  Once the test began, Sharon was locked into her world, question and answer. 

She knew some were simple personality determination questions while others used case studies to see if you truly followed what you said in those questions while others made you work through a complex problem or scenario.  Still others made you assess other people’s motives, behaviours and tactics and adjust to them to get the best outcome for your organisation. 

The testing took 8 hours, no breaks.  It was long, intense, mentally and physically draining and Sharon enjoyed every moment of it, she felt energised when she left and supremely confident in her answers, she even noticed the sets of eyes still watching her and she didn’t care. 

***

‘Normally I just forward the results, but these I had to bring over personally.  I have never in my 20 years as an agent or my 5 doing this seen scores like this or in fact read such perfectly outlined answers as hers.  Can I see what you have I need to put the two together.  Eva and Catherine showed her the after pictures they had of Sharon.  Iris Yellen, the test Adm. just flipped picture after picture, put down the controller, patted the file and smiled.  ‘Those pictures aren’t going to do her justice and neither are these answers.  How can I help?’

‘Do you know a good trainer?’ Catherine asked.

‘What’s wrong with the COIL ones?’ Iris asked slyly.

‘They are used to a type, I’m sure Sharon drew looks in the test room.  She’ll do the same in a class. 

As good as they are they have no experience with her type,’ Catherine responded.

‘They won’t know what to do with her and in fact may ruin her,’ Eva added.

‘So, you want to bring her to the program in shape and do it away from COIL eye’s.  I can see your point but you must know this is just going to stretch the trust between you and others Catherine,’ Iris said.

‘I don’t care, they can have the so called normal girls, they know what to do with them, this is something else, something they don’t support totally and are in my opinion just paying lip service to.  I don’t owe them anything except to prove them wrong, but to do that I have to give her the start she needs,’ Catherine stated.

‘I know a person, she’s ex military, hard as nails, but very good and progressive.  She runs a gym over on 9^th.  I can arrange private lessons,’ Iris said.

‘Tell her to go hard as she can on her.  Can you make them for 6 weeks from now? I want Sharon to finish her MBA.  I’ll get her started on the diet, I’m seeing her tonight at her place,’ Catherine smiled.

***

Sharon lived at 12th and Avenue C, a six-story walk-up that had seen better days.  It was not dirty or falling apart, nevertheless Catherine chose her path carefully up to the 3rd floor.  A rap on the door was answered promptly a smile greeting her.

‘This reminds me of my place when I was a student at Oxford, small and needing repairs, but yours is most definitely neater,’ she said as Sharon pulled a chair from her desk so both could sit at her little kitchen table.

‘It’s small, but its clean and its cheap and not too far from school and it suits me, it’s all I need and I don’t have to share, helps me concentrate and get things done,’ Sharon offered.

Catherine’s swept the place, a bachelor, maybe 300 square feet.  The bed was made, clothes all away or in the laundry hamper, her one dresser had a 2x4 piece in place of one leg and each drawer kind of closed almost the whole way.  A desk sat against the opposite, school and reference books stacked neatly on a makeshift shelf of milk cartons and wooden planks of various sizes.  A radio placed on top was the only source of entertainment, no TV.  The kitchen was pretty standard, sink, cupboards, four below and 4 above and 4 on the opposite wall.  Fridge and small apartment stove and just enough room for a small rectangular table to be wedged in a corner.  No food was visible. 

‘I see you have the same taste in artwork as I had at your age,’ Catherine said glancing about the posters that had obviously be purloined from various bulletin boards about the University. 

‘They were all past the date of application when I took them, I swear,’ Sharon smiled.

‘Once again, Miss Sharpe, you astound people.  The test administrator came personally to Eva and me to show us your scores. If you can take those scores, couple them with the look Eva showed you and apply the training we’ll give you, plus what you pick up on your own, you’ll be exceptional.  We have found a personal trainer for you, but you do not start until you have finished you MBA, is that clear,’ Catherine stated.

‘Yes Ma’am,’ Sharon answered.

‘Good, education is very important in this career path.  It opens doors, makes undercover work easier and trains the mind to think.  I great many trainees, both male and female think it’s all about the body.  That’s certainly true, but the brain controls the body, not the other way around and mental fitness and having a willpower has saved me many times in my career.  Now speaking of that, we need to get you started on the path, you have the brains, now you need the body,’ Catherine smiled as she opened the first cupboard. 

‘To be blunt the weight has to start coming off of you, the sooner the better and certain foods need to be purged from your diet and others added,’ Catherine stated as she began riling through the various cans, packages and boxes, pulling out all the ones that needed to go, putting them on counter. ‘If you could put those in bags, they all need to go.  You can donate all this to a shelter,’ she said finishing the last cupboard. 

‘There’s nothing left, maybe 6 things.  I don’t eat those because I like them I eat it because it’s cheap and what I can afford,’ Sharon said.

‘Nonsense!  You eat them because you like them, they make you feel good, but make you look bad. 

If you want keep eating them, don’t let me stop you, I’ll move on and you can go back to being safe,’ the Head of Women’s Operations told her and she could see it hurt Sharon.

‘I realise what I’m offering you isn’t exactly a secure career move or most likely a long-term career, but it does have the attraction of not being safe or unchallenging, mundane.  It has the opportunity to make a difference in the wold.  You know what you are right now, do you want know what you can be?

Sharon wiped a small tear from one eye, opened a cupboard and pulled out some bags and began packing up, Catherine helped her.

‘I know that was hard and it’s going to get harder, much harder.  You’re going to have to change your entire lifestyle and it starts here at the hardest part, food and exercise, but I’m here to help as is Eva and then all of COIL once training commences.  This is a list of foods Eva wants you to eat, it’s quite varied, she’s even created a meal plan, times and rotation,’ Catherine said producing a list from her portfolio.

‘Ok,’ Sharon said in a hesitant voice as she scanned the list.

‘This is to take away any worries,’ Catherine said hold a credit card.

‘Pay for it with this, not to worry the balance will always be zero.  Buy food and some exercise clothes with it.  This is the name of the lady who will be your personal trainer and her address she’s expecting you after examinations are over.  Now, Sharon,’ Catherine said taking her hands in hers.  

There are days you are going to cry with pain, not think you are able to move, be depressed because you don’t see a fast-enough change in your body and above all want to quit.  Don’t do it, push through, you have the chance to be game changer, maybe the best agent I’m ever met, but you have to be able to get past this hurdle and this is the highest and hardest one you’ll ever face, your own self-doubt, master it and you will be unstoppable.’

They talked a little more, Sharon asking a few more questions about things that had come to mind before Catherine made her departure.

‘These are my numbers, call me for anything, advice, encouragement, to complain or just to talk,’ she said and embraced Sharon then gave her a kiss on the cheek. 

Sharon watched her do from the top of the stairs then disappeared back into her apartment to study.

***

The alarm went off and bleary Sharon pulled herself out of bed and into her baggy exercise clothes.  A trudge to the kitchen and her quick prescribed then out the door and down the stairs to the street.  Even down the stairs at a faster than normal pace Sharon could feel her legs starting to burn a little. 

‘He we go,’ she said to herself and broke into a jog that quickly became a waddle.  Sweat starting to form on her face and her breath got short as she made her way along the sidewalk.  When she turned the corner on Avenue B she was already struggling, she pushed on, her body telling her to stop but her brain not hearing or refusing to hear it.  She struggled down 13th St and stopped at the corner of C and 13th doubled over, red, out of breath and sweaty.  She struggled home in a walk/run and lumbered up the stairs, depressed, angry and nearly defeated.  She was at it again 2 hours later, then two hours after that and again and again until she crawled up the stairs that night tears coming easily and collapsed on floor just inside the door and fell asleep.  Next day she was at it again, mixing study, classes and exercise.

  

One push up and one sit up mixed with tears of despair eventually led to 2 of each and three of each.   It was slow progress and she was unhappy and in a great deal of pain all the time as she pushed herself, but the weight did start to go.  She never bought a scale, the results vis a vis the work effort she put in would always be depressing in her mind, so she preferred ignorance and hard work to reality and depression.   It went on for 4 months, school, fitness, repeat and then final examines.  No one noticed her weight reduction, primarily because she wore very baggy clothes all the time to conceal her body, her confidence still not there.

***

‘How did you get here?’ Maria Tavares half asked barked as she came into the studio.

‘I ran here,’ Sharon answered.

‘You ran 4 miles in that outfit?’ she said referring to Sharon’s grey sweats the hung from her like two bags.

‘Yes, and up the stairs.’

Maria led her into the private workout room and closed the door behind them.

‘First thing you do is strip off those bags your wearing so I can get a good look at you.  Go on, don’t be nervous or shy or whatever.  If you’re going to be working for COIL you better get used to being in the buff and comfortable with it,’ she said. 

Sharon peeled of her sweats and somewhat self-consciously stepped on the scale while Maria opened her file.

‘You’ve lost 34 pounds and from the before pictures in your file you’ve toned up quite a bit.   Now comes the really hard part,’ he smiled. 

It was 10 hours a day in the gym and Sharon did an extra three hours by herself, running, sit ups, push ups, stretching and weights to sculpt and tone.    Maria pummelled her in the gym every minute of every day, 7 days a week for 10 weeks.  She was merciless, pushing the trainee harder than she should have.  Sharon’s mid-section was battered with the medicine ball for hours until she would collapse in pain curled up and crying, but always got up for more after a bit, tears still in her eyes.  She went home black and blue some days, barely able to move, so sore she pulled herself across the floor to the bathroom and into the tub where she lay for hours in the hot water, but every day she came back and took everything Maria gave her.

‘Exercise is great, but there is one thing you need to do that will really make you what they think you can become, yoga.  Don’t make a that face, this is not debutant or after work Marini Bar yoga, this is hard core, just as hard, maybe harder than anything you’ve done in here.   It is mind and body together; no separation and it will change you completely.  Yoga will lean out your muscles and form just a touch, give your form a sinuous shape and a flow that will work in your favour in many ways.  I know a little, but not enough, but I do know a few people that know a lot more than I do, some of it quite exotic, if you are interested,’ Maria said one night after workout. 

‘Do you work for COIL,’ Sharon asked off handily.

Maria hesitated for a few moments and she saw Sharon pick up on this.  She smiled at it then spoke.

‘I did a few things for them, once in a while, as a favour between agencies,’ Maria smiled and knew Sharon would pick up the meaning.  ‘I’m retired, well semi-retired.  I have my gym, my passion is this place, but my love, well, it’s still, someplace else, but I knew my limits and my fears and well, both got the better of me for the good after a time.  You don’t have that, limits or fears,’ Maria said looking right into Sharon.  ‘You’re something special, unique, that’s what Catherine saw, it’s what the others saw and it’s what I see.  You lost 30 pounds on your own and another 28 under me.  I pushed you hard for several reasons, to see if you’d quit, that was my instructions from COIL, to identify weakness, that was also from them and to see where you’d end up at, weight and size.  I came from that world, well parts of it, so if I’m going to send someone else into it, I need to make sure they have what it takes.  I hit you with that Medicine Ball harder than I’ve ever hit anyone, man or woman and you took it, again and again and came back for more.  There were days I didn’t think you could walk across that floor, let alone make it home, but you came back the next day.  You cried, but you stopped, you collapsed in agony, but you got up,’ she said.  ‘You’ve come as far with me as I can take you, stick to the plan we worked out and you’ll be great, but you need more now.  This training is different, it’s softer, more elegant, more poised and subtle yet as the same time more demanding a discipline.  It will also finish the product.  ‘You’re never going to a 5 or 6 size.  You’re a 12, but there are 12’s and there are 12’s.  You need to take advantage of your height more, yoga will lean you out even more, not it terms of weight, you’re done, your frame, skeletal structure will not support any more weight loss, but you can stretch that 5’10” inches of yours into something truly amazing.  This is the woman’s name and her address, I told her to expect you tomorrow at 9am,’ Maria finished.

‘I really don’t know what to say to you.  Thanks, seems small and meaningless for this,’ Sharon said.

‘Don’t thank me yet, you have a long way to go, you may end up cursing me before that.  One final piece of advice as you move on.  Never, ever confuse corporate loyalty with friendship, they are not the same.  You can call me anytime, my door is always open to my best student, but it’s just always between you and me, understand.’

Sharon acknowledged that she did and gave Maria a long hug and kiss on the cheek and left.

***

‘You hold the Garudasana until I tell you not to,’ Gita Singh said as she went to check on the tea. 

Gita Singh lived in a three-story brownstone in Prospect Heights at the corner of Carlton and Park.  She owned the building, renting the street level as a shop and lived above it on the remaining two floors, the top floor containing her private studio. 

Sharon was finding yoga more of a challenge than she had expected.   Getting into shape was extremely hard, but this was proving even more difficult.   She was struggling with all the factors, balance, breathing, posture, mental attendance and listening.  She had been so used to pushing her body and not listening, this new skill set was illusive to her. 

‘Let your body flow, transfer the energy from the areas not being used to those that are, but do it smoothly and gracefully, flow is the key to balance and harmony,’ Gita said for more times than Sharon could remember. 

‘Ok now transition into the Vrksasana and do it gracefully, let me see you move like a snake not an elephant, water in a river, the gentle wave upon the beach, good, much better.  Now hold that until I say not to.’

It had been like this for weeks now, gruelling 10-hour days of basic poses and listening then sessions of stretching that left Sharon sore in places she didn’t think possible.  The frustration was only mitigated by the fact her body was indeed changing.  She had leaned out, as Maria had said.  There was a flow to her that had not been there before.  She was starting to look sculpted, but not hard, even though she was.  The eye flowed over her form well, it was, she had noticed, pleasing to look at. 

After each session Sharon would shower and run home, she craved the fitness routine, now and never missed, even in the rain and cold, she was out there, pushing herself and she liked it.  But, still the yoga bothered her, so she worked on it constantly at home endless hour after endless hour until slowly, instead of trying to make her body do it, she made her mind do it and the body followed.  Sharon quickly picked up the power yoga poses including; Eka Hasta Vrksasana, Sirsa Padasana, Taraksvasana.

‘Excellent my dear, you’ve mastered all the power positions as I expected.  It’s a good first step, a small and obvious one for a woman like you, now you need to add to that and this will be the challenge, adding the finesse with the power, very few can do it, but I suspect I’m looking at one who can.  Shall we begin?’ Gita smiled her approval.

Again, Sharon was back at square one as she now had to marry the strength of her power yoga with the suppleness of as Gita called it, the more feminine aspects of the art. 

‘You’re going to have to learn to unlock those muscles and ligaments and use them in one sinuous combination of flowing femininity, much like your smaller sisters only they can’t and won’t be able to do what you can, use your power.  The two elements in harmony with each other create a woman of unparalleled skills and alluring form,’ she told Sharon as she pushed the trainee in stretching and bending exercises. 

The hard work, both mental and physical began to pay off, Sharon started to advance quickly, her mind controlling her body and thus what she could do. After a while there seemed no limit to what she could do.  Her breathing slowed to a point even Gita marvelled at and her body control was outstanding.

‘You are beyond anything I can teach you now,” Gita said.  ‘Remember, every chance you get do yoga.  Your body was excellent before, but now, it’s unstoppable, in so many ways, but always seek out and learn more, study texts, look for teachers, explore,’ and with that she reached in and gave her a kiss on the cheek while pushing a small piece of paper into her hand, a twinkle in her eye letting her know to say nothing.

***

Sharon looked at the piece of paper on the subway ride home.   Bishpa Aswani, there was an address, but it was in India, Mumbai, to be exact and that was all there was.   She pondered it for a second before slipping it into a seam on the sole of her sneakers where it had separated from the body of the shoe.

‘Just enough to make sure no one knows it’s there,’ she smiled.

***

‘I’m very angry and even more disappointed in you Sharon!’ came the voice from her small kitchen as she opened the door and jumped about three feet from the shock.

‘I’m sorry Miss Wycliffe.  What did I do or not do?’ Sharon asked catching her breath.

‘It’s Catherine, you know that.  You can explain to me why this credit bill still has a balance of zero although by looking at you I can tell why.  What are you doing running around in those frumpy clothes, if you can call them that, you look like a Hausfrau, and a really bad one at that.  There’s been nothing on this card ever, no food, no rent and most importantly no clothes.  My god dear you look horrible!’ Catherine said her voice very emotional, but in a strange concerned way.

‘I, I didn’t want to spend money I couldn’t pay back if this whole thing didn’t work out.  I thought it the safer choice for all concerned,’ Sharon answered.

‘I’ve kept updated on your progress, if you hadn’t heard from me you know everything is fine.  When you’re on a mission you can’t just phone in for advice, you have to think on your feet.  Better to seek forgiveness than consent.  I need you to be as smart as I know you are, in all things.  Do you have garbage bags around here?’

Sharon nodded and pointed to under the sink.  Catherine retrieved them and handed them too her.  

'Everything and I mean everything you own in terms of clothes, shoes, jewellery, except family things, goes in these, we’ll donate it.  Keep one thing to wear for tomorrow and be prepared to have that tossed when we get the first deceit thing for you to wear.  I’m going to have my recruit look not stunning when she goes into training.  I will see you tomorrow morning at 9am,' she said giving Sharon a glancing kiss as she left.

***

Catherine arrived wearing as usual a stunning outfit.  She preferred classic cuts and styles but with modern flare and sense of the times that suited her. Today she had on a charcoal skirt cut just a shade above the knee, black stockings and classic pumps, a classic white blouse and matching charcoal jacket finished the ensemble.   Catherine, Sharon noticed had her timeless pearl earrings and matching necklace on again, it seemed to be a favourite.   That could not be said of Sharon who as per instructions had bagged up everything she had owned and arranged them in a line in near the door and was wearing scuffled grey flats, badly fitting jeans, and a rumpled pullover that said NYU. Catherine took a look at her.

‘While at least you combed your hair,’ she said.

‘And brushed my teeth,’ Sharon shot back with a smile and Catherine smiled back liking the sassy nature, it showed confidence, even if hidden under her choice of clothes.

‘Come along then, lots to do,’ Catherine said heading for the stairs.

As the emerged into the street from the non-descript door to the apartment Catherine steeped toward a limo, not huge but not small, more of a Town car size.  The driver nodded and held open the door.  

The spy paused and spoke to him and he nodded.

‘Come on dear, get in,’ she said to Sharon over her shoulder and disappeared inside, the trainee slipping in as well.  The door closed and they waited.

‘I asked the driver to go upstairs and get your bags, we’ll drop them off on the way to a donation centre.

‘But he doesn’t have the key,’ Sharon said looking in her pockets for it.

‘He’ll use the same one I used last night.  Really dear, more observation.’

In no time they were headed into Manhattan and streets Sharon had never been on, as she had no use or in fact reason to be on them.  Everything was far too expensive and well out of her size range. 

‘If you could drop of those bags and meet use back here at about 9pm that would be excellent,’ she said to the driver with a smile.

‘That’s a long day,’ Sharon said as the car pulled away leaving them on the street.

‘We have a great deal to accomplish,’ she said looking at Sharon who tried not to make a face.  

‘Clothes make the man it’s said, but clothes define the woman and that’s especially so in this business.  You need to stand out while not being too obvious. These are just to tide you over until training starts then everything will be tailor made for you along with certain items other items you can’t buy retail,’ Catherine said with a wry smile then continued.   ‘Now I want you to observe what happens for the next little while and be prepared,’ Catherine said as they went into the first shop.

‘How can I help you Madam?’ a smartly dressed woman in her mid-thirties asked.

‘I’d like to see a three-inch heel, tapered and classic thin, in a white, black, cream, green, coral pink and a few colours you would recommend,’ Catherine said.

‘Certainly Madam,’ the sales clerk said as she motioned them over to very comfortable seats. 

Sharon glanced at a few shoes as they passed, but mostly at the prices, she tried to look too shocked.

‘I’ll just take some measurement to ensure the exact fit,’ the clerk said slipping a shoe off of Catherine and placing the Bannock Device under her foot.

‘Oh, my apologies, I meant for my colleague,’ Catherine said glancing at Sharon who looked a little sheepish as she removed her shoe.

‘And the sock as well dear, I’m sure they have a nylon you can use,’ Catherine said trying not to sound too embarrassed.

‘The clerk took the measurement, Sharon noting some surprise on her face at the results. 

‘I’m not good in heels, buy that I mean, can’t walk,’ Sharon said.

‘Nonsense, there’s no such word as can’t.  There is do and you will do it, maybe not at first but with practice,’ Catherine answered.

The woman came back with eight boxes and another two helpers brought 8 more each.  Catherine seemed unfazed by the deluge, Sharon was stunned.

Catherine sat back as a fuss was made around Sharon she only asked what she thought of the style and colour. 

‘In between fittings Sharon said.  ‘I like this heel and this one, but not this one, is that ok?’

‘You’re the one how has to wear them but tell me your reasoning if you can?’ Catherine leaned in as she spoke.

‘I think the tapered and the thin draw the eye up and well I feel special in them, if a little wobbly,’ Sharon answered.

‘Practice and I agree with your assessment.  You see you do have a style sense.’

‘Those,’ Catherine said, motioning towards Sharon’s shoes and socks, get tossed out if you please,’ a sales helper picked them up and took them away.

They, Catherine bought 12 pairs, took two with them, the white and the black and had the rest shipped to Sharon’s address, she wore the black pumps.

They made their way along the street a little then through the door that had a brass name plate as its only identifier, Sharon did not catch it but soon found herself inside a small shop with intimate apparel.

‘You’d be shocked how many women wear the wrong size bra.  This place will correct that.  Ladies I leave her in your excellent hands, she needs everything.  How long to you need?’

Catherine left promising to return in several hours which she did.

You know even under that garment I can see a difference.  Now it’s time to make you sparkle.’

‘Get used to them Sharon, they’ll soon become standard wear in the circles you’ll move in,’

Catherine stated as she offered her arm to the unsteady young woman as they left the store. ‘Now to find you some clothes to go with those heels.’  ‘This is where I will offer some advice,’ Catherine said as they walked about the store Sharon already getting her footwork down.

‘I was hoping you’d say that, thank you,’ Sharon gratefully answered.

‘First of no dresses unless they are wrap around with some spandex in it to show off your form, skirts and blouse, what’s available will have to do until custom are made, but there is an excellent choice here.  No pleats, they are never flattering, on any figure.  You need straight and tapered, but not too much tapper and just enough unpinning to show that derriere of yours off.  Solid colours are best, but you could pull of a houndstooth really well I think,’ Catherine said as she looked.

A sales person came to greet them, Catherine was first again, Sharon took notice.  Explanations completed Sharon was off to the change room with an outfit and sales clerks bringing more. 

Sharon stepped out, a little timid in her pose and her motions to a vast inhale of air, blank faces and a side step from a sales rep as she regained her balance and a protected stunned silence. 

‘My word,’ Catherine finally said as she walked Sharon over to the mirror.  ‘I do not have the words for this.  This is even past what I thought it would be,’ she said as she played with Sharon’s hair to fix it up.

‘I think I want the skirt to come right to here, no more,’ Catherine said as she turned her thoughts away from the young woman and to the task at hand.

‘I agree, a terrible shame to hide those legs,’ the head seamstress said as she placed a pin then went to the back excusing herself to Sharon as she touched the material and pulled it in.  ‘And that, for the underpinning,’ she asked and this time Sharon nodded much to Catherine’s delight.

‘One final touch,’ Catherine said as she undid her pearl necklace and put in on Sharon.  ‘Go for a walk, I want to see you move in this outfit.’

All hearts skipped a beat as Sharon moved about.  All the grace, the flow, everything she had before her transformation, all that innate ability and style was magnified and fired about the room at light speed.  She glided and sashayed around them and it was all entirely natural then she took a seat in the chair, her body in one fluent unbroken motion lowering into and crossing her legs as she went, the entire event like watching a serpent curl into a ball before you. 

They did the same for the remaining clothes, keeping most, discarding some, the effect was always the same, electric, the eye naturally drew to her and even without knowing it or being taught extra skills, skills she would soon acquire, she was the focal point.  The seamstress got one outfit ready and promised the others by the end of business next day. They left in an outfit that she just popped in, black skirt and hose and heels, white silk blouse and a stylish new jacket. 

‘Next stop the jewellery store, I want my pearls back,’ Catherine teased.

This time it was a different store, the clerk approached Sharon, who with just a slight hesitation took the lead and was off while Catherine looked about.  These were now going to be Sharon’s choices and the beginning of her style.

‘I love this single and the double strand.  Do you have matching earrings and a bracelet,’ she asked the lady helping her. 

‘You have an eye for style and quality Miss, the best in the store and we can pair them up with your request if you’ll follow me please,’ the lady said.

Sharon walked along then stopped and looked in a case. 

‘I’ve always had a thing for brooches, I know there old fashioned but I can’t resist them.  These two would go wonderfully with  several outfits I have on order.’

The sales rep needed no further hints, she went behind the counter and brought out the two and a third that Sharon loved as well.

‘One more stop and I think we’ll be finished, but it’s the one that’s going to pull all this together,’ Catherine said as they walked along until she pointed at a salon.

‘I agree, I don’t want too touch it either, it just needs the slightest of trims,’ Catherine said to the stylist who then turned to Sharon.

‘Your hair is so sexy, so perfectly curly and such natural hi-lights I have never seen. Honestly, I don’t want to touch it for fear of ruining it, but Catherine is right, just a very small tidying and whatever you are using for hair products, please keep using it,’ he said.

‘Once we’re done here, make-up will be our last stop, then a late lunch, we’ve earned it,’ Catherine smiled. 

Make-up took a long time.  First, they did Sharon’s colours to find out what worked with her skin tone.

‘Not to fret my dear COIL will do this all again, more sophisticated, but this will get you going for now,’ Catherine explained as Sharon was being tested and looking a little agitated. 

Sharon was given a colour pallet to chose from.  She showed a strong preference for pinks and oranges in her lipsticks and they looked incredible on her.  She leaned towards the same for her nail polish but also included, frost whites, a few yellow’s.  She liked either an Almond, Oval or Round as a nail shapes, but not too long, she went with Almond this time and a colour called Winter Frost.  The basic foundations were kept simple, her skin was near flawless and didn’t need much. 

The final purchase was toiletries, perfume, powder and skin care.  They spent the most time on perfume.

‘It’s a woman’s trademark,’ Catherine said. ‘Take your time, buy more than a few, changing your scent is as important as changing your look.’

In the end Sharon choose 4 distinct scents, all divine and heavenly on her, the one she chose to wear, particularly so Catherine thought to herself.

‘You spent a great deal of money on me,’ Sharon said as they walked along the sidewalk.

‘Money well spent, call it an investment.  If you look the part, you’ll act the part.  Confidence is everything in this game and confidence is sexy.  Besides, I want you to match up with the other trainee’s and making a good first impression gives you an edge.  Remember, this is new territory for COIL, you’re the trailblazer and your going to get a lot of looks from the other trainee’s when you meet them.  They’ll be anything from a 5 to 8 in dress size, so you at a 12 will be more than twice the dress size of the majority of them, that in itself can be intimidating, don’t let it be,’ Catherine explained.

‘Going to be hard not to be,’ Sharon responded.

‘You’re not doing what I told you to do, observe.  In the time we’ve been walking along I’ve watch 17 men give you a glance, 15 of those giving you a complete scan and with just the slightest turn of my head to talk to you 12 of those take a look as we walked away.’

‘They could have been looking at you?’ Sharon offered.

‘I just counted the ones looking at you, if you want me to give you my totals I can, but I don’t see how that helps you,’ Catherine shot back.

‘What’s great about you, is you have that it factor in spades and you don’t know it or if you do you’re unaware of it, which is wonderful.  Don’t ever loose that, it’s a tremendous weapon for a woman. 

When we get to the restaurant I want you to pick where we’re going to sit and where you’re going to sit.  Think of this as a kind of test.  Pretend you’re on a mission and you need to catch the eye of a certain person.  This experiment will see if you can.’

‘How will you know if the right person does?’ Sharon asked and Catherine laughed.

‘Because me dear I’ve done this before.’

They arrived at the Bistro and Sharon did as requested.  She took the lead and control picking a spot at the far end of the room just where it turned a 90-degree corner and the isle continued on.  She took the outside chair that intersected the corner.  Catherine watched her elegantly recline then instead of crossing her legs as she went as happened before when shopping she crossed them after she sat slipping her legs sideways just enough for both of them to be displayed perfectly.

‘What poise, what natural allure,’ Catherine thought as she set down her clutch on the table next to Sharon’s, the motion allowing her to take a glance about.  Forks at mid point between mouth and plate, glasses held too long against the lips, straight stares, heads being jerked back to reality, shifting of bodies in their seats were just some of the reactions she saw.

‘Your face tells me you saw what I saw.  All for you my dear, you’re the focus of attention, now you need to narrow that focus,’ Catherine explained softly. 

They worked through the meal, Sharon very conscious of what she ordered and ate.  Her manners were perfect and delicate, grace of movement and style coming easy.  Catherine watch her gracefully adjust her body several times, doing so when she was sure someone was watching.  They had just finished when it happened, he approached.  Catherine knew this was the real test for Sharon, the interaction.

‘Good afternoon ladies,’ a young man maybe 24 as Catherine surmised spoke.

Catherine watched Sharon look up slowly and smile, her head just turning ever so slightly, cause both her lunch partner and the young man’s heart to skip a beat.

‘Good afternoon,’ Sharon responded in a warm perfect tone that put the young man at ease, Catherine smiled and nodded and picked up the cheque to peruse it. 

‘Sorry to be so forward, but I couldn’t my eyes off you, from the moment you walked in.  I hope you understand and take that in the way its meant, as a compliment. 

‘Of course, thank you so much,’ she said letting her hand rest on the table a little closer to the edge and closer to him. 

‘Ross Barrett, a nice to me meet you,’ he said a little nervous.

‘Sharon Sharpe,’ came the answer as her hand slipped into his.  Catherine could see him slightly jolt at the contact. ‘A pleasure to meet you.’

‘I was wondering if you work nearby as I haven’t seen you here before.’

‘No just doing some shopping today, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be coming back,’ Sharon said letting the words play out.

‘When you come back I would love to have lunch or dinner with you if that would be alright.

‘The pleasure would be all mine,’ Sharon answered giving him a look that Catherine could tell made his pants tighten up.

‘Ross got out a card and handed it to Sharon writing his home number on the back.

‘And this is mine,’ Sharon answered writing her number underneath his and handing it back.  Please call,’ she smiled.

He left with a slight skip in his step and Sharon turned to Catherine and smiled.

‘I got a date!’ she triumphed with a girlish giggle. 

‘The first of many if that performance was any indication,’ Catherine smiled.

***

The reality of what was about to happen had been playing in the back of Sharon’s mind for the last week and it finally came to the fore the night before her flight and the start of her new life.

‘Which could be a very short one according to Catherine,’ she mused while lying in bed unable to sleep.

The transformation she’d undergone was incredible, but that transformation was for a specific purpose, the end product to be used to someone else’s ends.   She knew she could go get any position within her educational skill set right now, her looks would open the door and her mind would do the rest.  Before her mind opened nothing and her looks got dismissive attention.  It was a paradox she was not entirely happy or comfortable with, style over substance.

‘But then again, there’s no reason you couldn’t have both, one just as the other, only needs to be brought out, trained, if you will and that’s what I did.  What I am now is just what was inside me before.’

She started to play off the pros and cons in her mind.  She could simply mess up in training that certainly was a possibility, wash out and come back to a safe secure good life verses a life that could be over before it really got going. 

‘That certainly is the smarter choice, but is it the right one for you Sharon.  You’ve never been one to quit once you put your hand to something.  This offer would certainly make a difference in the world and it would be exciting, dangerous, sexy, glamourous, things you’ve come a love recently. This is all a bit like Pascal’s Wager only the loss is not finite for believing, it’s me, but not trying always leaves the person wondering, what if?’  I don’t want to be a ‘what if’, in life,’ she said answering her own question.  She rolled over and went to sleep.

***

Her flight or to be precise flights, the next day was not what she expected.   She was the only passenger on the small jet, the windows were covered.  

‘Even if you fail, they don’t want you blabbing about the secret training base, makes sense,’ she told herself and asked nothing of the flight attendant/minder that was her only company, instead she read her book, did stretching and yoga in the isle to make the time pass and noted things about her area to keep her mind and body active.  The plane stopped four times, she timed the landings and each panned out to about one hour.  The whole flight was 18 hours, long by anyone’s standard, she slept a little, ordered foods she knew would give her a boost and otherwise just waited, there was nothing else she could do.

‘The adventure truly has begun,’ she told herself as the door to the cabin opened and light blazed in.

Sharon go up slipped on a stylish pair of sunglasses and made for the exit, having spruced up in the bathroom she looked fantastic as she exited the plane taking the steps down to the tarmac in graceful stride. 

‘Miss Sharpe, welcome.  I’m Karen Gillespie, Head of Female Agent Training.’

Sharon shook the woman’s hand, she was stylish and sexy.  A plunging crossed backed plum coloured halter that showed just a wisp of her toned stomach.  Her well tailored white Capri pants left no doubt as to her figure.

‘She comes as advertised,’ Hiroko Yuzawa leaned over to say to Karen.

‘Looks are not everything,’ Karen responded.

***

‘This will be your room,’ the young woman said. ‘It was mine when I was in first year training,’ the young woman named Michele Dumont said with a French accent.  Unpack what you brought, other clothes will be provide as training requires.  Your classes schedule is here,’ she said pointing to the desk.  The map of the complex is on the back.  It can get confusing when you’re in a hurry.  Don’t worry all of this will be covered in orientation tomorrow.  Welcome to COIL,’ she added and one final thing, don’t be intimidated.’

Sharon walked over and looked at her schedule, after orientation she had evaluation.  She wasn’t worried, she was in excellent shape and thinking of that she put away what clothes she had and began working out.

***

Fitness and self defense were paramount in the first year. The benefits were many, some obvious, others subtler.  Girls who thought they were fit soon got a very unpleasant surprise.  The running and obstacle course pummelled many, collapses and throwing up were common for a while.  The yoga and stretching brought some to tears while others needed help getting to the next class, their bodies so drained and sore they could barely walk.  Self Defense turned all black and blue, but through it all the trainees learned to hide it and always look good.

‘You don’t get a day off on mission’s ladies, no matter how hard the previous day or days were.  You need to look your best no matter how you feel,’ their instructors told them ad nauseum. 

Slowly each of them found who they were, strengths became stronger and weaknesses diminished. 

Sharon surprised the others, she could run, climb, stretch, do yoga none of them could, had great speed and reflexes in fighting class and drew looks by her style which thanks to Catherine’s early help was developed before she got there while her fellow trainees had to find there’s along the way.

***

Clothing makes the man, but they define the female spy, Sharon no exception.  Her trademark pink lipstick, her use of only classic pumps, white her preference, but other colours as needed, the heel always 3 inches.  Her silk tops, clingy and seductive, her pearls and her skirts, no pleats, always smooth with just a hint of underpinning.  While others needed the help of the couturier’s COIL employed Sharon seemed not to need them.  She listened, tried things, added and subtracted but she preferred the classic looks.

***

‘Hope you enjoyed your orientation Miss Sharpe.  I’m Dr. Fiona Haynes.  What we’ll be doing her is some written testing, session work and role play.  Its all designed to determine what kind of agent you will be, how versatile.  If you’re anywhere near as clever as I and your formal education scores indicate, you’ll see the path as we go along.  Don’t let that affect your answers, there are no wrong answers, just variations on yes or no.  Any questions?’

Sharon indicated she had none.

‘Excellent.  Here is the first set of tests, I will leave you to them, should take you about an hour.  Just push this button when you’re done and I’ll be right back,’ she said pointing to a button on her desk.  She left Sharon alone and she sitting behind the doctor’s desk got right to it.  She finished in under 40 minutes and the doctor rejoined her and used a template to score the results, made notes then looked at the written answers.

With Sharon seated now opposite the desk and the doctor behind it they began.

‘You had sex 8 times.  Over what time period, the space between, days weeks, if you can recall.

‘Between 7pm and 3am,’ Sharon said and saw the doctor look at her so she expanded her answer.

‘Catherine asked me to attract a man in the restaurant we were having lunch in after she and I went shopping.  I chose this man and he approached after lunch, we exchanged numbers, he called that night and he was attractive and seeing I was coming here a figured a little practical experience wouldn’t go amiss.’

‘And did it?’ Fiona asked.

‘First time was not very good, I was so nervous, my first time, I think he knew that and he helped me through it and made me feel good about myself.  Every time was better and better, especially when I decided to be on top,’ she said with a smile.

‘You understand I have to ask very personal and private questions,’ Fiona said.

‘Of course, ask whatever you want.

‘At what point did you have to stimulate him and how did you do it?’

He was struggling during the 4^th time, I could tell,’ Sharon said and anticipated the next question. ‘He was only semi hard, insertion was not happening.  He had been so patient with me, so wonderful, it was now my turn.  Gently was possible I pulled him down to me, stopped my rocking to work him in and just kissed him.  Maybe it was selfish as well, but I was using this as a training exercise.  Not being at all familiar with intimacy, I needed all the practice I could get.  It was clear he was a better kisser and more experienced in other areas as well and I wanted to catch up.  This was my chance to try things and see what worked and what didn’t while we waited for him to recover. 

‘For instance?’ Fiona inquired.

‘Oh yes, details, sorry.  Well I worked on French kissing, I was fun, but did nothing to bring him along.  It’s funny looking back now like I planned the thing in hindsight, but it was just instinctual as I think back.  I began by playing my tongue about his lips, light short kisses, just touches, then I went for his neck and ear working one side to the other.  I could feel him swelling, it was working then and for some reason I just rolled us over and pulled close, my hips swivelling and churning as my mouth worked about his face until he pushed fully extended inside me.  We stayed close until we orgasmed.  We were not separated after that.  He was hard the remaining times and each session just got better and better, I had more confidence as did he, we explored and discovered, I think I more than him.  We collapsed in each others arms.  I could feel myself pushing him out, he offered no resistance, it was clear he was done.’

‘But you weren’t?’

‘No, but I did not tell him.  He went to the bathroom to shower and after I heard the water running and a few minutes had passed I decided to join him.

‘But he was done, spent, you said,’ the therapist questioned.

‘I don’t know, I was filled with confidence and doubt at the same time.  I mean here I was, the before girl, totally undesirable, the blank in the crowd and then I was this woman, this siren who he couldn’t he couldn’t get enough of.  It sounds cruel, but I wanted to see how much more power I had.’

‘Understandable, the confusion and the questioning, what was your plan then,’ Fiona asked.

‘I didn’t have one, didn’t think I needed one, we’re young, he’d recover fast, or so I thought.  When he didn’t I kind of felt a little rejected, especially with him pulling away as I touched him, then. I don’t know why, but I concluded he was upset at himself for not getting excited, transferring his weakness onto me in the form of anger.  It was then I realised that it was how I reacted to that that would set the tone,’ Sharon explained waiting for the inevitable and from Fiona.  She wasn’t disappointed then continued.

‘I understood that I was in control, I dominated, I could make him do anything I wanted as long as I made it seem like I was letting him lead or that I played the submissive roll this time whereas when we had started, me being the aggressor was fine.  So, I took my time, just let us embrace and see what happened.  When he started to soft me and caress the bubbles about I knew I had it figured out correctly, now I wanted to see how far I could stretch it before he had to have me, in other words, lose control,’ Sharon explained.

‘He lasted passed padding me dry with a towel and just about to the end of powdering my body.  It was the last trailing down my left leg with the puff and the soft shimming of my ass against his cheek that released the flood gates,’ she added.

^^^

Dr. Haynes and several of her colleagues solicited opinions from a cross section of male trainee’s and current agents to gage their appraisal and opinion of Sharon as training have moved into simple simulations of various scenario’s. 

‘Smart, confident, resourceful then you and in the visual element and you have a total package.’

‘She can do anything you ask her to do and things you didn’t think anyone could.’

‘She just has it, that look, you want to be near her.  She smells terrific, is always made up perfectly, dresses incredibly well.  Its impossible to resist her, she moves so gracefully and naturally yet all wrapped up in total sexiness and seduction.  She’s the beauty of the bunch, the total package and then there’s her skills as an agent.  In a mixed assignment, she’d be my first choice.’

‘If you can survive a kiss in her arms without getting weak in the knee’s your better than me.  When you feel her body against yours its such a paradox, firm and hard yet so soft and yielding.  And when she doesn’t kiss, she moves, but so natural, against you, she has you in her spell instantly.’ 

^^^

‘These couch visits are all very interesting and I will admit sometimes helpful, but I think for the sake of honestly or what could reasonably pass as honesty we need to come clean with each other,’ Sharon stated.

‘This is certainly a new tone.  Have you found your voice Miss Sharpe?’

‘My path, more to the point,’ she answered.

‘Forgive me for saying this, but your path is not important at this point it’s the path COIL wants you to take that determines your journey and the betterment for all concerned.  That is what you agreed to when you signed up.  Do you not understand that?’ the therapist questioned her voice neutral and non-threatening.

‘It is when they merge as in this case,’ Sharon smiled.  She did not need an acknowledgement to continue, the body language of the counselor told her all she needed to know, intrigue.

‘I score excellently in everything, and I’ve worked hard to do so and most people would think that would be enough to get them through, so focused on the end they fail to see what is going on about them.  You’ve been testing us all, oh not with what we can measure but that which only you can measure because you’re looking for something that a test, written or oral would never reveal or could be concealed by a cleaver person, and there are plenty of those women here, so you need other ways,’ Sharon explained.

‘And what are we looking for?  You’ve been here a short time that is not a long sample time to reach a conclusion.’

‘A year is long enough,’ Sharon retorted and continued.

If you know what to look for you don’t even need that amount of time,’ Sharon answered.  ‘You want a two-way agent, preferably more than just one,’ Sharon said.

‘For the sake of argument and well scientific curiosity, can you explain how you came to this conclusion?’ she asked.

Sharon knew she was right, but she kept that to herself while she began listing the reasons she had reached this answer.

‘One, make up class.  There’s something slightly alluring about watching a woman apply makeup, especially lipstick, the eye wonders, catch enough of those and you have a clue as to thinking.  Two, Fitness Classes, especially yoga.  No need to do them naked, you know that, I do, but when you make it Hot Yoga, on the pretense of loosening up the body, you introduce the seduction factor.   An alluring toned nude, hot and burnished female form engaged in displaying itself to the best of its ability, well the eye can stray about.  Three, combat.  Close in contact, every girls favourite, the longer you linger the more you enjoy the feel of the other person.  I suspect this will become more prevalent as the training in this area becomes more intimate,’ Sharon suggested.

‘Interesting conclusions Miss Sharpe.  You support your hypothesis well, except for the last point.  Care to expand.

‘The library is most illuminating if you know where to look,’ Sharon said.

‘Those sections are off limits to novice trainees such as yourself, you know that,’ came the terse reply.

‘What can I say I’m a mould and rule breaker rolled into one,’ Sharon offered. 

^^^

‘I quite frankly have never seen anyone like her.  The grace of a cat, strength of an elephant, movement of a snake.  That’s not counting her looks, smarts, intuition and determination.  She’s the entire package and more and now we have this, a two-way agent,’ the therapist said to the assembled staff.

‘She refused to identify the others she suspects as well, what was the reasoning she gave?’ Hiroko Yuzawa asked.

‘It would be unfair for her to ‘out them’, they need to come forward on their own or for us to approach them with care pointing out that we highly value it and it’s not a detriment.  Her other reason was that the longer this goes the more likely that others could find their thinking changed and we could have even more trainee’s coming forward.  I would say that would put us on a more even footing with DOOM et el on that matter.’ Fiona added. 

***

‘So far she’s more than we ever could have hoped for, but 2^nd year is always the most interesting.’ Karen Gillespie added. 

TRIDENT ORGANISATION CHART

FORCE ORG CHART

Limited Partnership

Shopping was always fun, but wearing the purchase for the first time was the true measure of success.  FORCE agent Jill Peters was able to put that to the test.

She exited her powder blue 1964 Porsche 356 Cabriolet elegantly, one sinuous gam finding the ground, a classic white pump propelling her up, her mesmerising legs displaying perfectly as her form came to full erection, as did other things around her.  Jill handed the keys to the attendant with a smile and generous tip and made her way inside a hotel porter right behind her. 

‘Jill Peters, I believe you have a reservation or me?’ she inquired at the desk.

‘Yes Miss Peters, he said, then produced a small key fob sized pass card. ‘Room 612,’ he smiled.

‘Thank you,’ she smiled, took the key and started to follow the porter before doing and abrupt turnabout.

‘Sorry, do you have something on the opposite side of the courtyard away from the noise,’ she inquired.

‘Of Course Miss Peters, but it’s not as nice as the suite you have at the moment,’ the Front Desk manager explained.

‘Oh, that doesn’t matter, I’m sure all your rooms are wonderful, this hotel does have an excellent reputation, that’s why I chose it,’ she demurred.

‘How about Room 507,’ he suggested and she accepted taking the fob from him.

Jill reached out and pushed the “Open Door” button on the elevator to allow a middle aged man to share the elevator with her. His momentum trying to rush to catch it before the door closed and her hitting the button caused him to stumble as her entered the elevator jostling loose her fob which fell to the floor.  They both reached down to grab it he apologising for his miscue and handing her the fob.  The rest of the ride went without incident and she was soon installed in her room, another excellent tip and she was along.  She opened her suitcase and took out her laptop and went to work. 

The encrypted email dropped into David Jacob’s inbox.  A few seconds later he had Colossus working on it and seconds after that he had the codes Jill needed.  She inserted the blank security card into the portable programmer and started the coding sequence while she read David’s email.

‘Pretty simple algorithm, as I suspected but went so much faster with the three codes you got.’

‘That scanner built into the bracelet is a wonderful accessory,’ she replied and ended the transmission.

***

She placed the pass fob up into the slot and waited.  A few seconds later the lock click, a smile, a turn of the handle and she was inside. 

‘I hope you had on some strong SPF you were out there a long time. You do like to keep a girl waiting,’ Jill admonished lightly as she continue to look out the window at the pool scene below.

‘You should have come down to join me, but you would have had to put on little more clothes that at present, not that I’m complaining,’ Bish, sort for Bisoph Saletern, FORCE agent said.

‘Glad to see I can still get your attention,’ Jill said turning to give him a full view of her in her baby doll. ‘Because it appears I’m not the only one vying for that.  You seem to attract a great many admirers, including a few of the Three-Pronged variant.’

‘There’s only one,’ Bish said even as Jill’s look told him otherwise.

He came over to the window and looked to where Jill was pointing.

‘It appears she has a friend and I think they intend to make this a threesome with you as the object of their fatal attraction,’ Jill smiled amusedly.

‘I can handle them,’ he smiled back.

‘Your recent training report indicates otherwise. What did it say again something like. “Unable to cope with multi-feminine situations.” I think.  That’s why FORCE send me along, I'm able to cope with those situations and single one on one male situations,’ she smiled slithering her arms about his neck for a long wonderful kiss.

‘Looks like they’ve decided on a plan. You, of course told her your room number and that you’d leave the door unlocked. She’s going to enter, pretend to either lock the door or disable the lock allowing her partner to enter while you two are otherwise engaged and then join in for a Femme Fatale Ménage a Trois.’

‘That brings up an interesting point. How did you get in here?’ he asked.

‘You really need to keep up on the latest tools of the trade, Perhaps you should schedule a visit to FORCE Labs more often,’ Jill smiled nipping his lips just enough that he wanted more but she had other things on her mind. 

‘She’s expecting you, not me, go into the bedroom and let me handle her, then together we can have some fun with her partner,’ Jill smiled, a promise in her eyes.

***

A light rap on the door came a few minutes later, then the sound of feet padding on the bare floor, feet that were practiced in silent approaches. 

‘I hadn’t planned on a threesome and besides I don’t like to share,’ Jill said as she stepped around a corner wall and leaned sexily against it, her legs crossing at the ankles.

‘I’m not much on sharing either, but I won’t say no to an hors d'oeuvre before the main course,’ the woman, a striking sandy haired brunette said.

‘You do look delectable but I’m afraid I went to a great deal of trouble for Bish and I don’t want anyone but him to mess me up, if you follow,’ Jill said and she fluffed her hair slightly with both hands.

Jill fetched him from the bedroom and together they placed the slummed body of the TRIDENT agent in the bathroom tub.

‘How did you manage that without a sound,’ Bish inquired as Jill closed the door.

‘Let’s get into bed and I’ll explain,’ Jill smiled.

Jill climbed on top and they kissed several times before she pulled her face away and began.

‘See my earrings,’ the spy offered as she straddled him and sat up rubbing his rapidly hardening appendage against her panties.

‘There code named The Death Blossom, these ones are loaded with a powerful knockout drug.  A touch to the back of the stem fires a tiny dart from each blossom, the drug is instant and, in this case, long lasting,’ she smiled. ‘Now we just have to wait for her partner and then we can be alone. She should be along very soon.’

Jill was correct in her prediction a few minutes later they heard soft feet treading in the floor.

‘Now roll us over so you’re on top and pull the covers over us so she can’t see and start moving like we’re making love,’ Jill whispered and he executed her instructions, as Jill made noise as did Bish. 

The bedsheet was pulled back just a touch so the second women could slip in silently, but Jill flung it back fully and smiled.

‘Sorry, he’s already engaged and I’m more than enough woman for him,’ she honeyed before there was a small sound like that of a mini silencer and the woman fell back away from the bed to the floor.

‘Now were finally alone,’ Jill said putting her black onyx bracelet on the bedside table.

‘Another knockout dart?’ Bish offered.

‘Yes, she and her partner will be out for hours. Now, where were we?’ she cooed as her arms entwinned his neck and their lips came together.

‘You’re still an amazing kisser,’ Jill said somewhat breathlessly as she shifted them onto their sides and closed tight to him, he feeling against his naked body what made her such a great agent as she moved vigorously against him, teasing him from getting inside her as she danced away using charms and skills only an experienced woman, agent or not, had.

A few active minutes later and Jill slipped on top and began a small series of peck kisses.  Her pace and touch from his past experience with her indicated she was ready as her hips arched up giving him the sign to remove her panties.

‘Go on Bish, I’m ready, you’re usually not this hesitant,’ she slyly said a knowing lilt in her voice.  

‘As I told you before Bish you really should keep up on the latest tools of the trade, this is new,’ Jill purred wiggling on top of him. ‘My baby doll, its called The Anemone, the tassels entangle anything they come into contact with immobilizing them,’ she said kissing him.

‘What about you!’ he asked struggling.

‘Silly, my baby powder creates a smooth film the tassels simply slide over.  I was sent by FORCE to eliminate you, not team up with you.  I know those two you were meeting with were contacts from TRIDENT, we had that Intel weeks ago, I was assigned because FORCE knew I could get close to you and I knew you'd let me play along hinking you could present me as a prize to you new master after you'd trapped me, so I chose my means of execution accordingly.  Pity you can’t move, blame the tassels and my nails, while I was kissing you my nails found the nerve pathways on your neck and back, I worked them in and now you can only struggle. The thing is Bish, as you struggle the Anemone deepens its grip,’ Jill explained pausing at times during her talk to wet his lips with soft kisses of triumph. 

‘I know you want inside me, you’re so close, just a small piece of fabric away, then at least you can die with pleasure.  I’m sorry to disappoint Bish but this is a business matter and you know what they say, business before pleasure.  Besides, you’re not slated for execution, a small lie on my part, no, you and your two friends are going to be picked up by FORCE shortly.  The Baby Doll just as it real life namesake has one final surprise, the tips are sealed with a heat dissolving chemical, once it melts from our combined body heat they release a knockout drug just as they others got.  So while we wait for out brief partnership to dissolve how about a kiss or two for old time sake.’

Ground Up

Allison Janney had been a COIL Analyst when Claire had been an agent with them.  Her mission notes were always clear, concise and contained information other analyst’s reports didn’t.  A good agent always took that Intel and used it, but Allison’s was always not of the standard variety.  It usually related to strange things about the mission or the target.  Claire got to calling it ‘Inside Baseball Intel’ things that usually got overlooked but could have a huge influence on the outcome of an assignment. 

‘You look fetching as a blond,’ Allison smiled as Claire approached her desk.

‘Thanks, you and your Intel.  How did you know he preferred them?’ she asked.

‘I ran every picture we had of him, cross referenced every female employee, even checked theatre tickets and changed seating arrangements for flights then matched those against who was supposed to sit beside him and who he ended up besides, the results showed a strong preference for blonds, hence the suggestion.   Not that you would have need it, he’d have succumbed to you eventually,’ she explained. 

‘You just made it faster and easier, thank you on both.  I want to talk to you about being the analyst I use all the time.  I’ve cleared it with higher ups and their fine with it, but I wanted your opinion on the matter.  No, not here, I want you to think about it for a day or so,’ Claire said talking before she could see Allison try and answer. ‘When you’re ready, give me a text and we can meet for lunch or dinner, my treat,’ Claire smiled, patted her hand and left not giving Allison a chance to respond.

‘Let’s see if you’re really as smart as you seem,’ she thought walking away. 

Allison did not know what to make of the whole conversation.  She was flattered that COIL’s best agent wanted her exclusively, obviously that showed her confidence in her and her ability, but as far as she knew, that was not the norm for the 2 years she’d been on the job, she decided to use her talent to find the answer.

***

‘She keeps putting you off, I think you made a mistake in more ways than one,’ Cindy Krutlzer said not in a self congratulatory tone but in a concerned one.

‘I admit things have changed a great deal in the two months since we first talked,’ Claire admitted.

‘Namely me sitting here,’ Cindy stated.

‘I have to admit the collapse of DOOM and the rise of this new organisation TRIDENT may have something to do with it,’ Claire answered with irony in her voice.

‘You said her security clearance was fairly low, so it maybe she knows nothing and just does want to talk afraid she might be getting herself into trouble or thinking this is some kind of loyalty test and you’re the bait,’ Cindy added.

‘She’s smart way smarter than they give her credit for or understand,’ Claire said referring to COIL only now as them, her divorce complete from the organisation. ‘No, I think she knows all about what has happened and now she’s analyzing daily events, seeing which way the wind is blowing for COIL.  She probably suspects me of something, she just can’t be sure of what and she’s either going to not contact me or curiosity is going to get the better of her and she just has to know. If that is the case she can always return to COIL tell them everything, look like a hero, get a promotion and carry on as if nothing happened.’

‘And put us in a whole world of trouble,’ Cindy stated flatly.

‘Not like we haven’t both been there before and will again, we can handle it, besides it won’t be just the two of us and we have the resources and more importantly the resolve COIL doesn’t have.’

Those resources were very impressive and very well concealed, thanks to Benjamin Steinmetz.  The infrastructure was all place, training centres, staffing and the support structures are carefully put in place by Claire and Benjamin’s team over several years starting from the time she completed the Boundaries of Time Mission.

Claire Baxter was a true believer, but that belief had changed over her years as an agent. She no longer wanted to be reactionary, outing out fires, as COIL had done. She wanted to go on the offence, but no matter how hard she tried to push her idea with COIL she met up against the mandate they had been set up under, Counter Operations and that no longer would do for her. The Boundaries of Time had given her the means to assemble enormous personal wealth and for that to create FORCE and with the implosion of DOOM her chance to take the fight to TRIDENT and make them feel what Good Girls were truly capable of.

FORCE had active agents and had added the ones Claire had helped rescue from DOOM, and she had some in training already, but she needed more and that’s where Allison came in.

‘You really think someone who had never been an agent can have the possible first inkling of what to look for in a recruit,’ Cindy asked just as Lady Tara Ashton-White, Alice Hamilton and Tracey Hale entered the library of Alice’s home in Chelsea.

‘I knew I picked the right person,’ Claire said excitedly.  Come I want you to meet some people.’  They went down the hall, past a room that made up as an office on the left, a bathroom on the right and hall that led off to what looked like another wing, maybe bedrooms, Allison was unsure and too nervous at this point to make any guesses, to two doors at the end, Claire opened them up onto a fantastic living room.  Floor to ceiling glass wall that gave an extraordinary view of the Upper West Side.  The room was modern, well appointed, with paintings from several centuries, all originals.  Allison did recognize a Pollack. Matisse and Dali among the group and then she recognized something she wished she didn’t and took a step back right into Claire’s arms as they folded around her middle. 

Strangely, Allison didn’t try to squirm free, she felt safe, as if Claire was radiating it into her being.

‘Claire, the poor girl is scared,’ Tara said seeing Allison’s eyes locked on hers.

‘Nonsense, her heart rate is beginning to calm.  Your safe here my dear, I promise.  Now relax and show everyone why I rave about you.’

‘You’re Lady Tara Ashton White, a former agent who supposedly went over to DOOM.  No offense, but you were the Claire Baxter of COIL, before Claire came along.  Apologies, for the reference point comparison,’ Allison said still looking at her.

‘No apologies are necessary for that comparison, I’m honoured,’ Tara smiled. ‘But supposedly?’

Cindy, Tracey and Alice all looked at Tara and then back to Allison.   All three noted to themselves that she was an attractive young woman, not stunning, but more than capable of holding her own in a room.  Allison Janney was 5’8” inches, her reddish-brown shoulder length hair with a natural flawless complexion that made her even more appealing.  She dressed well, yellow small opened front heels, a light grey pencil lined skirt cut just above the knee skirt showing her impressive legs 

Teal sweater blouse combo with white piping was perfect for showing off her slim figure and the touch of yellow in the belt complemented and accented her shoes perfectly.  Clearly, they all individually agreed she knew how to dress.  Her eyes were a little narrow and her mouth maybe a tinge to large but all had seen less captivating agents perform in the field. 

‘Before I answer that I need some answers from you,’ Allison said squeezing Claire’s wrist just a touch.

‘Nonsense, you know, or think you know, just analyse then make guesses or assumptions if you want a fancier word,’ Claire said to her to still holding her close. 

‘Promise after I tell you’ll kill me quickly,’ Allison responded weakly trying for world to figure out how she got in this mess, what had she done.

‘Claire, stop it your scaring her,’ Alice scolded and Claire obeyed releasing her hold and turn Allison about the face her.

‘No one’s going to kill you, harm you or do anything to you.  You’re not in any trouble with COIL or me.  You have to trust me on that,’ Claire said with a warm smile.

'COIL never closes a file on an agent unless they have the body, no matter how long.  Constant reanalysis is always done, looking for new data to conclude one way or the other,’ Allison began looking back at Tara.  ‘I was assigned just several months ago.  I was told it was a basically a dead file, you’d defected, were probably deep inside DOOM or some other organisation training new agents with your unique skills.  I got the impression they did not want me wasting too much time on you. So, I didn’t, officially,’ Allison smiled for the first time and Claire seeing she was more at ease and coming into her stride guided her over to a chair next to Tara.  ‘Claire always wanted me for pre-mission briefing and Intel.  She was a bit of a trail, because she tended to improvise and not follow the playbook, if you will.  It was frustrating a times, all my plans just ignored as she did her own thing. After a while I gave up and just left bullet point suggestions under the title of ‘Pick One’, they all smiled at that. ‘Then I got your file,’ Allison said, referring to Tara and as I read I saw Claire clear as day. I had to sign the file in and out each day, one day a glitch in the system pulled up all the people who had checked out the file and where, I printed it and then deleted all the references except for the analyst ones.

‘You thought COIL found out and you’d been sent here to be executed by me!’ Claire exclaimed.  Oh, Allison I’m so sorry you thought that, please believe me,’ Claire said touching her shoulder.

‘You never thought that did you my dear?’ Alice questioned like she knew that answer.

‘No, Claire never, COIL yes.  I actually came to tell Claire the story I’m telling to warn her that they were on to me but I would never betray her.

‘What did I say, special,’ Claire added.

‘Please go on,’ Tara said and the others nodded.

It was easy to cross-reference the coded names for agents with similar mission scenario’s and times and styles.  One name kept coming up,’ Allison said looking at Claire.  ‘I know what kind of person you are, how determined you are and how ruthless you can be and yet Tara Ashton White was still unaccounted for, that is not the Claire Baxter I know.  She would have found her after an exhaustive study of her very classified mission that somehow you got hold of or more accurately were given by hirer ups in the hopes that you would find and kill her, which you did but didn’t complete the mission, but why, that’s not Claire. The only answer is that you knew she was innocent as well and you were in fact hiding her and planting a trail of false evidence in the files to lead other analysts away.

‘But not you I see,’ Claire smiled.

‘So, you told COIL,’ Cindy inquired.

‘I told COIL……nothing. If Claire knew she was innocent, that was all I needed, I trust her completely,’ Allison stated.

‘You better hold that thought for a moment or two,’ Tracey said.

‘So, you suspected Claire was hiding me, but how did you know I was alive,’ Tara said.

‘You were a brilliant scholar before you gave that up to become a brilliant spy. Half way through your dissertation and you just left and became an agent, you'd never left anything undone before, that must have grated terribly on you over the years. All PhD dissertations have to be published and Oxford makes all of them public, yours included, even if you use an assumed name.  You did a very good job of concealing your writing style, to good. Writing analysis from earlier papers and your mission notes from COIL created a strong divergent correlation.  In other words, the more you concealed your style the more it became apparent who you were.  I knew you were alive. I lied all through the report, they accepted it and the next analyst will just more than likely give it even less attention,’ Allison concluded.

‘COIL will know in time and accept it,’ Claire said, but so impressed with Allison as were the rest. 

‘I’m not sure I follow the logic of Claire accessing the records and your connection to Tara still being alive,’ Tracey asked.

‘Oh, sorry, yes I think I leapt a little too far there.  While each mission review after Claire accessed a certain file had marked similarities to missions Tara had done, most specifically in certain intimate interludes,’ Allison answered.

‘You little copycat,’ Cindy smiled looking at Claire.

‘Hey why reinvent the wheel.  Besides hardly a copycat, I believe I changed a baby doll for a shirt in one of those situations among other changes,’ she smiled adding to the joke.
 

‘Well I’m impressed and grateful, thank you Allison.  I can assure you your trust is not misplaced or more importantly your conclusions wrong,’ Tara said placing one hand on the back of Allison’s hand.

‘Well I think that deserves a reward, what would you like to drink.  We have with us an excellent bartender and a well stocked bar, what can we get you? Claire inquired.

‘G&T with a cucumber slice please,’ Allison replied.

‘Any particular Gin, don’t be too picky I think Claire only has 10 or 12 types,’ Tracey asked as she got up.

‘Bombay Sapphire East, if you have it,’ Allison answered.

‘Coming up and no talking while I’m away,’ she admonished with a smile.

The drink appeared in no time.  A sip and a smile confirmed it was perfect.

‘Ok, one down, three to go.  “I’ll leave the direction up to you,’ Claire said looking at Allison from across the sitting area.

‘I know you two are not COIL or agents affiliated with any allied organisations, so that leaves only the conclusion that your former DOOM agents Claire has come across on missions and got to you before Trident, I think their calling themselves that, although the traffic on that is a little thin at my clearance level, could terminate you,’ Allison offered taking another sip.

Both Tracey and Cindy said nothing, betrayed nothing, but were impressed.

‘I hate to disappoint you but I’m flattered none the less that you would think me a spy, but really, I’m hardly in the same mold as Tara or Claire,’ Cindy said and Tracey nodded in agreement. ‘No, we’re both here at Claire’s request, just as you are, but in a much more general administrative facilitating capacity if you understand my meaning of that,’ she added.

‘That’s a nice try and a good lie, but both of you are far, far too well dressed and well put together for either of you to just be what you said,’ Allison answered feeling more at home with each passing minute her brain working away just as she liked.  ‘As the saying goes one size does not fit all or perhaps it should be one spy does not fit all and you two do not fit the mould which is why you're both perfect.  What are the percentages that two women, from two different quasi-government departments would both look gorgeous, dress impeccably and be seated next to each other?  Most I’ve met sit opposite each other or with much more distance between them because they view themselves as rivals.  You two clearly know each other, care for each other and are very comfortable being together.  I suspect,’ and their Allison paused as she mentally flipped through Claire’s missions then smiled. ‘You’re Cindy Krutzler and this is just a guess, but I suspect you’re Tracey Hale.  You’ve never met Claire but Claire is very close to Pushpa Advani and Pushpa used to be Tara’s pseudo assistant when COIL suspected her and Pushpa had a mission where she met you.  Stands to reason she would have told Claire about an impressive, very impressive DOOM agent she’d encountered, so that also means Pushpa is involved in all this somehow,’ Allison added as an afterthought.

‘Good to know we’re famous,’ Tracey smiled and clicked her glass with Cindy who acknowledge with a smile.

‘And you Miss Sweeney are one very impressive analyst,’ Tracey added.

Allison accepted the plaudits with a salute of her glass as well.

‘I’m afraid this is where the streak comes to a crashing end. I have no idea who you are,’ she said looking at Alice.

‘Well I feel relived and left out all in the same moment,’ Alice smiled. ‘After we conclude our business I can fill you in if you like.  You may need a second drink,’ she added with a wry smile that left Allison not sure she wanted to know.

‘Good to know at least one of us is a secret agent,’ Cindy added ironically.

‘Now we come to you and me,’ Claire said.

‘Whatever Splinter Cell your organising I would love to be your analyst and you can count on my full and secret commitment to it,’ Allison said fulling realising the serious nature of the entire operation.

‘I appreciate that and I know I can count on that,’ Claire answered.  ‘But that’s not what I’m asking of you, not even close.’

Allison put down her glass as Claire watched that concerned and worried expression from earlier in the evening form on her face again. 

‘COIL will never let you go, you know that!’ Allison stated firmly.

‘Is that the concern? Then put it out of your mind, they already have, not willingly but in the end, they had no choice.’

‘I don’t follow, you’re the best agent they have, you don’t give that up for nothing,’ Allison questioned.

‘They didn’t, they got to keep their funding and thus COIL, but at a much-reduced cost to the governments that support them.  In return, they a get a new organisation that costs them nothing and with the reassurances from me that we will be much more proactive. You see in the end its money that these things turn on, not politics, ideology or doing what’s right, although that is what’s important to me, although to be truthful my, our sense,’ Claire said sweeping her arm about the room. ‘May differ a little from theirs, but once we start they’ll be no stopping us and I need to know if you want in but before you say anything I need to make certain things clear.  I don’t want you as an analyst, I want you as my Head of Recruiting for Female Operations. But in order to be that you must also complete agent training and do missions.  One of my hard and fast rules will be everyone does the training and at least 5 missions so they have a real idea of what the job entails and that is especially true for you.  Now having said that, what do you say?’ Claire asked.

‘I already have some basic training, that part doesn’t phase me. It’s the missions, I could be killed my first outing and it would all be for nothing,’ Allison pondered.

‘Sure, same as all we could have been, but we took that chance, we still take it, Tracey, Cindy, Alice, Rachel, yes Miss Sparks is with me and if she can go from Courier to agent, so can you.  I’m not promising anything, I’m just offering, it’s up to you Allison.’

Everyone in the room knew what Allison was thinking at that moment as they’d all been their, Allison knew that as well.  She also knew none of them was going to give her any advice one way or the other, its was up to her.

‘In.’

‘I have your travel arrangements all here ready to go. We’ll have some dinner Cindy made, you get a good night’s sleep and tomorrow off you go.  This is how the world moves for you now Allison,’ Claire smiled as Alice came up and took their newest recruits arm in hers.

‘Let me tell you a little about myself,’ Alice began.

***

Allison’s basic COIL training helped her accelerate through some of the training, which saved time. Between classes, study and everything else she was starting to formulate and idea of where she wanted to take FORCE and how to get there.

She found herself in the unique situation of being both trainee and boss of the same people she was training with and those who were training her. She was quickly with the input of others putting together a plan and strategy for FORCE to follow, one, the more she got into it, she was sure would give them an edge.  

All the trainers Claire had recruited were excellent, they offered free opinions of what they thought could be better, what to look in an agent and how to correct issues as they came along using the specific examples of how some agents pass through the cracks in training and end up on different career paths within the organisation.   Two examples were Carol Brown and Rachel Sparks.  Both had been expected to be front line agents and both and failed to materialise into that.  Instead they had become couriers, basically information shufflers between offices.  Somewhere along the way the training did not take or they hit a roadblock and could not overcome it.   In the case of both what had been perceived as two wasted slots in the recruiting pool had in fact turned into two top flite agents.  Rachel, through Claire’s insistence and mentoring had blossomed into an extremely effective agent and Carol had somehow managed to find herself on what had just been a routine courier mission and turned herself into a lethal agent.  Allison understood the Claire/Rachel dynamic, it was Carol Brown that intrigued her.

‘What insights does she have,’ Allison thought and made a request to interview her.

The data she gathered from her fellow trainees was also invaluable, although she had to do it without them catching on.  Most of the data came from ‘girl talk’ and casual conversations and was just as illuminating as all the other Intel she had.

***

‘I strongly believe we should stop this until we have a clear and coherent plan for recruiting,’ Allison said in the boardroom to a long silence.

‘We just started and you want us to stop.  We’re looking at recruits already, have done early interviews,’ Gina Perini said.

‘I appreciate that, but you hired me to be Head of Recruiting and that’s what I have been doing in between training and after a year which actually places me because of past training with COIL into my third year and upcoming training missions.  I’m going to lay out my reasons and my plan, then we can discuss it and refine it or scrap it entirely if you want,’ Allison explained.

Claire looked about the boardroom then back to Allison.

‘I for one want to hear it, objections, please. Nothing, ok go ahead.’

‘This first part is going to sound a bit clinical and cold please bear with me.  ‘Given out current agent status, active and coming on line with the class I’m in and given this formula which both COIL and DOOM used, thanks to Tracey for providing it, this is the loss rate of agents we can expect over the next year and this is for two years.  I changed the formula for the current agents as they have more experience and are harder to kill and I also adjusted because we have an excellent group of Plus Agents who are extremely effective and we are not using anywhere near to their capability.’

Cindy kept an interested expression regarding the conversation, letting nothing away, as befitted her skills as a lethal lovely, but inside she was bursting with pride for her girls and their division.

‘Just as an aside I would like to rename, with Cindy’s approval of course, the Plus Division to CURVE.  Just a name change, but words are important,’ Allison said looking at Cindy and then to Claire who looked over to Cindy for the final word.

‘I agree,’ The Head of the Curve Division smiled.

‘So back to the math.  Based on the formula we can expect to see the following results and as you can see we have a very comfortable buffer from which to work.  This also includes using the trainers we have for certain assignments.  It gives me a refresher in the field and from my talking to them, they want it.  I’m not suggesting arduous missions, unless others think differently, but certainly they can help here and there when another body would not be not be unwelcome on a mission. 

This part of the process if adopted would allow us the time to reset some of the training.  I think with what I’m about to purpose we could cut half a year off of the current training regime.  We all know how we recruit potential agents now, its time and resource consuming, I think we should try a different approach,’ Allison said and started a PowerPoint presentation that began with a slide of nine women all in close ups. 

‘Beautiful,’ she said.

Then the next one was of them in bikinis.

‘Sexy.’

The final slide was the one that caused the stir, from laughs to head shakes.

‘Beauty Pageant Queens!,’ Tara said her voice astonished.

‘You said you gave this a lot of thought,’ Claire said in a questioning manner.

‘I did, every way I could and this makes the most sense and here’s why.  We want women who a beautiful, graceful, well spoken, educated, athletic, well put together, resourceful. determined and disciplined There they are, everything in one package.  All of the ones I showed you.  The looks go without question, as do the bodies and how do you get the latter, by working at it and maintaining it, determination and discipline.  These girls always look great because they know how to dress, they know what looks good on them, the cut the colour, etc.  We don’t need to teach this anymore, it’s been done already for us.  They work out, they have a plan, we tweak it but nothing like we have to do now, mostly build from the ground up.  Everyone has or is in the process of getting a university degree or a Masters, which checks that box.  Their all used to public speaking, meeting multiple people at events, they know how to work a room, how to command it, again we don’t need to teach this anymore.  Small things like how to walk in heels, apply make-up, they have all this, again a time saver and above all they are highly, highly competitive already, they come in wanting to win,’ Allison explained.

‘Won’t they be recognized?’ Alice asked.

‘Six of those women I showed you did not win anything beyond their state, province or region.  The other three competed at a national or international level but did not advance to any final round.  We can delete whatever references there are to them on the Internet and get rid of their Facebook pages so I assess the recognition factor as minimal.  Besides in certain situations that could prove advantageous to a mission.  Most of these girls are working and modelling part time, still chasing a dream.  My question is why not let them catch that dream only in a way they never conceived of.

‘Ok, it’s different, anyone, please jump in while I wait for the room to stop spinning,’ Claire said.

‘I’ll buy time here,’ Cindy ventured. ‘How does this help my Division?’

‘It doesn’t.  I tried but the formula doesn’t work with CURVE recruits, but there is another option I think will work,’ Allison said and she typed on the laptop keyboard and up popped a slide on the projection screen.

‘My supply of shock was depleted from the previous presentation, so please explain,’ Cindy smiled, trying hard not to laugh.

‘Curve agents are notoriously hard to find, that is one of the reasons they are so highly valued, that and their incredible abilities.  The current method is the same as for the standard agent, but the success factor is so much lower.  With standard agents you can expect 1 recruit for every 1,000,000 possible candidates, a CURVE, a viable Curve is 1 for every 10,000,000.  Both of these odds consume a tremendous amount of resources in terms of time and money.  We can cut both of those substantially, by doing what I suggested earlier and this.

‘A Modelling Agency?’ Claire said jumping back into the picture.

‘Yes. A real modeling agency, it makes money, but it also acts as a recruiter for all the potential Curve agents we want.  Of course, not all the girls are agents, but this narrows the funnel for us, they come to us, we don’t have to find them anymore.  There are many agencies out there already that cater exclusively to as they call them Plus Size.  All we have to do is start or buy our own agency.  I’ve had a look at many sites and some of these women are quite frankly outstanding. They also come with the discipline, determination and the beauty built in.  I’m not saying we stop looking for the diamonds in the ruff, to use a colloquialism, but this will speed and our recruiting process.’

‘Do you have examples of some of these models? Cindy asked.

There are the super famous ones, Bree Warren, Robyn Lawley, Iska Lawrence, but take a look at these, yes, their known and we would never use them.  This is Caralyn Mirand, this is Ivory Kalber and this is Nicole LeBris.  All stunners, we could do the same with our own agency,’ Allison said. ‘Why chase something when it will come to you if you just stay still.’

‘I’m sold, for my part at least,’ Cindy said. ‘This would save us so much time, get the girls into training quicker and active sooner, not to mention all the psychological adjustments we usually have to do to convince them to lose the old self, these girls come in confident and ready.

Questions flew back and forth on the pageant issue, Allison had answers for every question including cost analysis.

‘This is a huge risk Claire.  If those projections are even a little off, we’re finished.  I want to see a hybrid model, a test before I’m playing with anyone’s life.  I say half and half on the recruiting mix and re-assess after a year, then decide,’ Cindy said.

‘I agree,’ added Alice and Tara.

‘What about you Mr. Steinmetz, you’ve said nothing that is always trouble.

‘I hate risk, that’s why I’m in this business,’ he laughed.  ‘I’m with you all, half and half, but I will tell you I think you’re going to be surprised by the results,’ he said a nod to Allison.

‘Ok, settled, we’ll meet to hash out the details and such Wednesday.  Allison, I assume you will have a list of potential recruits if you don’t have already,’ Claire stated.

‘Full profiles already done,’ she answered.

‘I’m going to leave the modeling agency to you and Cindy, choose your team and make it happen,’ Claire added.

‘Ready for round two?’ Claire asked.

‘Yes, I read the Bangkok Nights, exciting and your notes and I’ve got some ideas on the matter,’ Allison said.

‘Excellent, I knew you would,’ Claire smiled and opened the boardroom door to a man and a woman.

‘Allison this is David Jacobs Head of our Analytics Department, Big Data and so many other areas I know nothing about and this is…’ Claire began to say as Allison jumped in.

‘Miss Li, a pleasure to meet, I’ve read so much about you she smiled looking at the book, a warm welcoming smile that Fan Li knew meant she was in good hands.

‘Mr. Jacobs, a real pleasure.  Claire promised me you’d show me Colossus later, I can’t wait.’

‘I have the tour all booked, but please call me David,’ he said then went over and greeted Benjamin as did Fan Li then everyone found their seats. 

‘The idea came about as a kind of happy unhappy coincidence.  While we were trailing money from and other mission, Fashionista, we came across the summarized data you had in the briefing notes.
  
The correlations were too strong to be ignored.  Once we had done all the analysis along came Miss Li and her adventure and she completed the puzzle with the hard-empirical evidence.  In a nutshell Trident is trying to acquire, infiltrate and control sectors of the Asian and Asian Sub-Continents businesses.  It all may look disjoined and that’s how they want but when you use the power of Big Data you can see the patterns in the process.  We have started our plan for the financial stoppage but we want to do more and this is where Miss Li comes in and her company Mekong Consulting LLP.’ David summarized.

‘A real company operating as a consulting firm on business, engineering and government contracts, in all aspects a perfectly normal firm of highly specialized people for special jobs, which they are.  All the employees can do the job but they are also lethal FORCE trained operatives.’ Fan explained.

‘I want you and Jacob and your respective teams to work with Fan to make this a reality.  When you pull this off it will give us an incredible advantage in Asia and the Sub-continent,’ Claire explained.

‘You have a flare for the creative in finding agents, David has the genius of the Big Data.’ I’ll leave it with you three to hash out a frame work and get going on this.  When you have results let me know and we can meet and go over them,’ Claire added then left them to get going.

‘The first place to start is the parameters we want to include for potential agents.  I would suggest initial as wide a net, within a manageable database and then refining the results with additional searches, in other words, running this as a funnel shaped filter,’ David explained and they all agreed.

‘What’s the age range you’re looking for given the real world restrictions,’ David asked.

‘Given my personal experience over the years, the somewhat changing attitudes and the age range we’ll be dealing with I have set the ranges from 26 to 50.  This will encompass the low end age range, the really exceptional young talent that is being produced along with the upper range of women who have worked hard to get to where they are and have skills in dealing with older executives who still have certain mind sets.  From there of course the next step would be education, MBA’s accounting designations. Engineers, Computer Science or a combination of those degrees would be optimal and of course actual experience as a consultant, Project Manager or running a large department based on their talents.  I also want to set this up with offices in various capitals from India to Taiwan, so as diverse a group as possible would be optimal,’ Fan explained.

’26 to 50, bit of a wide range with specific regard to the upper end,’ Allison questioned as she made notes.

‘This is the business world and unfortunately not many women are taken serious at a young age or in some cases, although as I said that is fading, any age.  Besides Asian women tend to age very gracefully sometimes it’s hard to tell the age and given who they will be dealing with someone closers to their own age may make assignment go better,’ Fan explained.

‘This is more like Mega Data than big data,’ David said. ‘We’re talking about every consulting firm, independent contractor, project manager, small to big accounting firms and the stand alone ones, university professors, published authors and that’s just off the top of my head, I know others will have more,’ David responded.

‘Too big a net,’ Fan asked.

‘No, just a lot of coding and a massive amount of searching.  This will be a multi-step process.  We run the mainframe inline during the day for our various clients. Gives us the maximum revenue and they the instant answers they need, so this will be run at night over many weeks until we get all the data, then we can meet again and sort through it and re-run an refined search to narrow it down,’ David added.

‘I’m assuming single, divorced, no dependants would be the parameters for the candidates,’ Allison added.

‘Yes, I think it’s best to stay within the FORCE model,’ Fan concurred.

The three drilled down on the specifics of what they wanted and after a long day came up with a wide catchment for data capture.

‘That was the easy part, now comes the real work,’ David said as he and Allison walked toward the elevator. ‘Right let’s go meet Colossus.  I just have to set you up for the retinal scan,’ he said punching some codes into the keypad command on the elevator wall. ‘There just put your eyes up to the caps and the machine will do the rest. ‘Now you have full level access to the mainframe and you’re going to need it judging by this project.’

Colossus was located not surprisingly in the basement of the building and took up with offices and support features almost all of it.  Allison of course had seen and used COIL’s mainframe, but this was another beast altogether.  On par with Roadrunner and the best NASA supercomputers, Colossus was just under a hundred quadrillions of FLOPS in speed.

‘We created are own scalable data program to take advantage of its power, come on into my office and we can get you started,’ he added.

‘It’s incredible to look at, something like a super being, I could just stare at it for hours I think,’ she said looking out the window of the office as the machine hummed away.

‘Yes and to think the minute Quantum Computing Is reliable, that thing is a dinosaur,’ David smiled.

Allison caught on very quickly to how the system was structured and the coding needed to create the program to run.  Once in a while she ran into logic errors or probe effect errors which thankfully David was there to help with.  Even with all that it took weeks of 12 hour days to set up the initial run of the program, Allison found herself sleeping overnight many a time.

Finally David, his team and Allison began compiling the program together, two days of compiling and then a few corrections for errors and they ran it starting on a Friday night.  Allison went home grateful for sleep while David monitored the progress while he and Rachel spend a weekend together before her next mission.

***

‘Holy Shit!’ Allison said on Monday when she saw the results on table after table, each result collated per candidate. 

‘Take heart, the next run will sort this down further.  But in the meantime, Fan Li, you and whoever else you decide have to go through these and pick out the ones you think are potential candidates.  Everyone has a picture, so that helps a little.  When you whittle that down we can go onto the next step,’ he explained.

‘I hope you nothing planned for a while because I want you on the team and a few other men.  You can tell us what you find attractive, a female is not always the best arbiter of that,’ she smiled.

A committee of 10 was assembled and based on a simple check mark process the pile was reduced down and then sorted into countries.

‘It’s still a big pile but manageable, ‘Fan Li said.

‘Now it’s going to be face to face and testing,” Allison said.  “Hope you don’t mind but I’ve assigned some of our agents from this area to help you out with this.  I just emailed you a bridge for a meeting so you can go over exactly what you want with them.’

‘I know it’s taking a long time, but I know it will be worth it based on some of the reactions I got from the members of the group.  Now you just have to get these ladies to say yes and pass the training,’ David added.

‘Two very big questions, but I think the answers will be more yes than no,’ Fan stated.

***

It took two years to get Mekong Consultants LLP up and running at partial strength with new agents/consultants coming on line each month.  Fan Li had proved her optimism correct in that it could be an excellent tool for FORCE to stop Trident from advancing.

During those two years Allison completed her training, did her missions, all successfully, got the modeling agency up and running, she and Cindy called it Dangerous Curves the enterprise proving profitable both in the monetary area and the agent recruitment field.  She had also implemented her new recruitment plan which to the surprise of some, but not her, was proving a huge success for FORCE.

***

‘I’d like to say I’m pressed but that would be a lie,’ Claire said during a private review meeting with her. “This is exactly what I expected from you and I knew that a minute after I talked to you the first time.  But yes for the record, I am impressed and now I want you to talk a much deserved month long vacation anywhere you want on the company dime.

‘And try not to get into trouble while your away,’ Claire added.

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