Chapter 3

Ian put a consoling arm around my shoulder; I angrily shrugged it off. "Come on now Jen. It's not that bad, don't look so worried. We're not going to show this to anybody else, are we Marty? No, we're going to keep it just between us three. Providing of course that you behave yourself and don't do anything to upset me and Marty." The two of them exchanged looks that said it all. They had me in the palms of their hands and would expect me to cater to their sexual needs whenever and wherever they decreed. I felt like screaming, but as my head cleared, I realised that I had to be focussed on what I was going to do, how I was going to extricate myself from this hellish situation. I concluded that the best plan would be to go along with them, but acquiesce as little as I possibly dare. The only solution was to get them to relax, to be off guard and then somehow get that damned camera off them and destroy the evidence. For the time being though, I'd pretend that I'd reluctantly agreed to their proposal. "OK boys, you've had your fun, we all have. I need to get some work done, Ian, you need to get that reaction going. And Martin, can you sort out those rats for me please?" I left them huddled together looking at the video of my indecent exploits.

I got upstairs and headed for my office to try and get myself together. Doug stepped out of his office in to my path,"Hey, Jen, how's it going? Have you tried new compound out yet ?" I was still upset and hoping he hadn't noticed,"Er... yes Doug, yes. Didn't quite go as planned but I think I've got the solution to the problem. A couple more weeks and I reckon I'll have it licked." An image of Martin on his knees licking my snatch invaded my mind, it was difficult to bring my mind back to the conversation with my supervisor. "OK then Jen. If you need any help, let me know. Everything else all right, no other problems I can help with?" Doug had obviously noticed my discomfort and was being diplomatic. He probably put it down to 'boyfriend trouble' or the 'monthlies' if only he knew, and thank heavens he didn't.

I got in to my office and slumped in to my chair. I just wanted to cry, to just sit down and sob. But the fighter in me, my mother's fiery Latin temperament, came to the fore and I resolved that I was going to stop acting like a victim and fight back. Meanwhile, I'd distract myself with some work.

I woke up my iMac up and accessed my reports. I began typing up the experimental data from my loose notes. It then occurred to me that I still didn't know how or even if, I'd ingested the drug. I went back in to the lab. and checked in the fridge. There in a micro test-tube holder was my vial of SePh17, but I could see that the vial was only half full. Ian must have taken the rest. He had in his possession an extremely potent drug and had shown that he was totally irresponsible. My mind reeled with the possible consequences of its misuse. As I turned to go back to my office, Ian walked in to the lab. He winked and said "OK Jen. I'll get the reaction going now, unless there's something else you'd like me to do for you." He stood near me and thrust his hips. "No thank you Ian, just get on with what I asked you to do. I wrote you a note with the materials that I want you to use. But, er... just out of interest, did you drug me again this morning or was it an after effect from yesterday." Ian laughed to himself and said, "I shouldn't really tell you, trade secrets and all that but what the hell, you can't do anything about it now can you?" He pretended to use a camera and laughed again. "Actually, it was quite easy. When you left me alone in your office earlier, I put some on your lipstick. So really, you drugged yourself. Brilliant huh?"

A new wave of anger swept over me. I was enraged that he went down my bag, and angry at my naivety in leaving him alone in my office. "You really are a devious bastard aren't you Ian. You won't get away with this forever. I'm going to get you for this, I'm going to show you up for the nasty little shit that you are." Ian just smiled and went off to set up the reaction, I was left seething. I went back to my computer and resumed typing. My mind buzzed with thoughts and emotions, it was difficult to focus my mind on one particular track. One thought did come through loud and clear, I had to get hold of that camera somehow, it was the key to the entire problem. I decided that I would wait until Ian had gone home and then go through his desk and see if I could find the camera. I didn't have much confidence in my theory that he'd be so careless as to leave it for me to find, but I had to try.

The day progressed without further incident, I managed to keep out of Ian and Martin's clutches. But at five-thirty, Ian came in to my office. "I'm off home now Jen. The reaction's going overnight, should be complete by the morning. I'll be in early and work it up then, we can try a new batch of rats first thing. I'll bring some up from the animal house, OK?" He turned to leave and then turned back as if he'd forgotten something, "Oh by the way Jen. Me and Martin would prefer it if you wore a skirt in future, perhaps some sexy underwear. I'm sure you'll choose something nice." He left the room smiling and I lost it a little and threw a zip disk at the door as it closed. I was absolutely incensed that he thought that he could dictate what I wore. But as if to remind me of the impossibility of my predicament, he opened the door again and said,"No point in you getting angry Jen, just a waste of energy." Again he made a gesture like he was taking a photograph, and again he laughed. He disappeared, and I was left balling my fists in an effort to control my rage.