Chapter 2: Preparations

At just before midnight, Robert was awake, and completely off his normal schedule. He showered, addressed his ravenous appetite. The he. the mystery man had work to do. He measured the basement first. Considered, did a couple rough sketches, and checked his watch. Too late, he would have to call in the morning. Making a mental note, he moved along. The large shower was still there, he had finished that. The toilet and sinks were there, good to go. He turned the water on, and checked. Good they worked. The toilet flushed, and looked like it might be OK. He had installed them all when he was considering turning the basement into an oversized game room. Later he decided it was too dark, and the material too rough to get anything without building walls all around, then he moved on.

He made notes on where to hang lights, and where to put everything. He made a rough draft, for the carpenters who would have to start work Monday. Robert had a mental schedule. Robert made another rough draft for the electrician who would be tripping over the carpenters. No problem, big fees, with a promise, which would be delivered on, if they could get done by Tuesday, Wednesday morning if they complained.

Robert designed the room in his mind, then sketched ideas on the paper.

Robert swept trash, collected and carried it out. Finishing by hosing the area down, and washing debris down the drains conveniently located along the floor. He used them, and decided to keep the hose here.

He looked at his watch, and saw it was now 9:30 in the morning and that was good enough for those whom he wished to call. He knew construction people he used them from time to time. Paid them well, early, and gave them bonus's for good work, which they did, well good enough. The construction business is tough, lots of competition and they work hard to maintain good customers.

For a significantly inflated price, both the electrician and the carpenter agreed to build the room as specified by Robert. While they didn't ask, Robert explained that the room was going to be used to store a dark ages collection of artifacts and replicas. Collection of dark ages weapons and stuff.

Robert went to the Home Depot himself, they were open on Sunday, and got 10 gallons of Sandstone paint. All matt finish. He got two gallons of bright white, semi gloss was acceptable. He bought a paint sprayer, and went home. He opened the two windows, and started two fans to blowing out. Opened the doors to the house, and then outside, making air flow through the house, and then outside, taking the fumes with the air. He sprayed all the walls, doing a good solid first coat.

He assumed that at least two and possibly three coats were needed until he had the depth of color he wanted.

He taped the bathroom fixtures, and then considered as he sprayed. Focusing part of his mind on his work, the rest on his plans. He had a week, she was uncomfortable now, waiting of him to call. She would be about frantic by Thursday, or Friday would be better. Up the discomfort, and Start day is Saturday. He remembered his instructors, terror is a weapon, use it, learn to use it, plan on it helping you, plan for it, and it will help you.

He looked at the room, and nodded, good first coat. He needed to finish today, before midnight, to give it time to dry.

Sherri was not far from where Robert assumed she was. She was starting to worry, and it annoyed her. Why didn't he call, she considered calling Mabel back, but decided that it was better to wait, make him move, let him play whatever game he is doing now. Perhaps he'll forget about me. Sherri doubted it, she was in deep, and the longer she went without hearing what was going on, what the plans were for her, the more worried she became. She was up to those God cursed blowjobs. Degrading things, men always begged for them. Sherri shuddered, and decided that even those were better than prison.

Robert was in his office and searching for BDSM materials. Searching for his toys. He smiled as he ordered, stopping to let the electricians in, they didn't like the wet paint, but were only measuring and laying out how they were going to run the wires, and the light fixtures he wanted. The carpenter called and said he had found enough Darker woods to make it happen. Some darker oaks.

Robert ordered while the Electricians discussed, and planned their attack on the problem. After considering it the electrician approached and said they would have to run another circuit in the box to handle the type of electrical load he was talking about. Robert approved of the plan, safety first after all.

After taking some time to consider, Robert made a phone call to Chicago, and pulled a dozen strings Sunday afternoon to get Sherri's law firm, Whitman and Parker, the walking stick test from the Cenotaph Corporation. The strings resulted in a bet for a case of Johnnie Walker Blue with the corporate council.

The Walking Stick was named after an insect, which camouflaged itself by looking like a stick. The file in question looked like a simple cost analysis, or cost benefit analysis, pathetically simple, but lot's of grunt work chewing numbers, and doing comparative tax base considerations. The trick was simple, you had to look at the entire proposal and then find the Easter egg. If you found it, and notified your client, you were a very complete Law Firm, and got the business of the company, if you missed it, you were not always a bad law firm, but you got no business. Robert was betting that Carl would pass it onto Sherri on Monday, after taking the weekend to consider it. Robert believed he knew enough about Sherri that if her head was in the Game a week from Monday, when she got this file to work on, and it would be if he was successful in a week, then she would find it.

Inevitably the law firms in question dumped the huge number crunching files on the lowest ranking members of the firms. The time of the senior members was considered too important to spend on such menial grunt work. According to the website, Sherri was the newest associate, and that meant she was the one with all the number crunching grunt work to work through.

Robert turned back to his web sites Sunday night. He created a check list, and began to order. He ordered gags, bondage items, and enough S&M stuff to make the grand inquisitor nervous. Spreader bars, anal plugs, beads, and ticklers. Dildos, vibrators, and clamps. Tit gear, and bindings, and other assorted items. He even ordered an enema kit, and then moved along. He didn't like the leather outfits, but did like the combination of leather and chain for bondage gear. He decided to add the hooks and eyebolts to the tables himself. He made a note to himself to get some sort of small bench in case his slave couldn't maintain her feet while in the stocks and being tortured.

Taking a break from the ordering, Robert put another coat on the walls.

He surfed to another site, and place a smaller order, some things the first didn't have, and then found another site. Some more items, neither of the first ones had. He ordered like today didn't exist, or perhaps tomorrow didn't.

Robert considered, he needed a throne. He was to be the king, and needed a throne. He glanced at his diagram, and drew one in. He looked and didn't see one online, he searched, and found one he liked, yes, it would do. Shipping would be a bitch, but fuck it, you only live once.

Robert considered, and decided he had enough bondage stuff to get started at least, he moved to other sites. Lingerie. He surfed, and looked at the models. Panties, bras, corsets, they looked uncomfortable. He refused to consider panty hose, stockings, several different pairs, several different colors, and different styles. He picked shoes, and of course heels. Thinking, he added a pair of running shoes. Workout gear, she would join him in his daily workout. He picked outfits that were thongs, high, tight, and uncomfortable looking. She would get used to it. He smiled, yes, she would get used to it.

Ordering the electronics he wanted was even easier. He knew what computers he wanted, and the switch boxes he would need. A large screen LCD TV and two DVD players were added. He ordered everything he would need to set it up, including cables. Scheduled it all for a Wednesday delivery, which would give him time to organize things.

He finally went to sleep late Sunday night and was awake early Monday morning. There was so much to do, and so little time to accomplish everything. Taking a look at his check lists and what he had ordered, he placed a few last minute orders, and then stood back and considered. Smiling he realized that he was ordered out. He had ordered some other outfits, for work. A couple pant suits and one skirt set to get started. He guessed at her size, and knew he was close. He was trained to guess these things fairly accurately.

He surfed the bondage sites one last time before the electricians and carpenters started to argue. He found something he had missed, a Slave Bracelet. It was steel, and she was much too good for Steel. He ordered two, and had one sent to a jeweler friend of his in Canada. He had made the friend when he was looking into gold smelting information, and this guy was the best. He paid for the information, and that was why he was a friend. He choose overnight shipping to both addresses, and then called his friend.

On the phone with his friend he explained what he wanted. Tomorrow he told the jeweler, you are going to receive an item, it's steel, and I want one in gold. Solid gold. No problem, if they can make it in steel, then it can be made in gold no problem. I want it in my hands by Friday, no later caused a new problem. It may be difficult, and may take some time. Robert listened, and then told him that whatever he thought the item would cost to make, as long as Robert had it in his hand Friday, any price short of $15,000 would be acceptable. The jeweler friend promised to look at it and call him tomorrow as soon as it arrived. It may be possible.

Making another phone call, this time to Wyoming, Robert ordered a custom Branding Iron from a blacksmith. Putting a rush on the job, Robert was promised the item next day air by Friday, for a significant fee. Robert paid happily, he wanted the branding iron hanging on the wall when Sherri saw the room for the first time Saturday.

Robert placed a request online, and then made a donation to speed it along, for copies of Sherri's papers from Law School. He wanted them as soon as possible, preferably before Friday, he needed to study them, to understand her better.

Sherri drove to work in her new Lexus. A little worried that she was getting used to a great car, only to be back in a Kia, or worse, the cheap Kia before the month was out.

The electricians and carpenters were at work already, one stringing wire, and cutting through wood as required to place the items. The carpenters were drilling into walls, and hanging shelves on wooden brackets. Three were outside making a set of stocks, Robert checked to make sure they were making the holes big enough, but not too big. He decided if it was too big, he could line the hole with felt or something. It if was too small, he could sand it open more and sand it down. He could manage if it wasn't about right, and he suspected it would be just about right.

Robert talked to Suzanne and Carmen, his cook and house keeper respectively. He told them that starting Wednesday, there would be many packages arriving, don't worry, all was well, and just let him know, he would be in the basement, and Carmen, you don't need to worry about cleaning it, I am happy to do it. Suzanne, could you keep unauthorized people out after these workers are done? Thanks. No Carmen, it's really not required for you to go down there. Robert knew that Suzanne got the hint, the basement was off limits, and left it to her to explain to Carmen, don't go down.

Carmen's curiosity got him to thinking, and he considered. He had locksmiths on retainer, and he called one. Telling him what he wanted, the locksmith came over and looked. Yes, he could do it, no problem, battery backup and wired to the house electrical. Battery should give you ten or even twelve cycles without any problem. The locksmith didn't have the item Robert wanted in stock, but would order it today, and have everything ready to install on Wednesday morning.

Robert made it through Monday, barely. He was very tired. The walls looked good, the three coats of paint were perfect. The cinderblocks looked like Sandstone and gave the room a very castle type of feel, he liked it. The unfinished, smooth, but not looking smooth, not a finished feel boards that made up the shelves looked perfect. The shelves or counters for lack of a better description of the same dark wood, again not rough, but not finished looking was coming perfectly. The Electrician had some lights done, and two of the small winches installed. Robert had told him that was to raise and lower the suits of armor, explaining that they weighed about 180lbs, with the manikin inside to give it shape. Better make the winches capable of handling 250 pounds.

He dreamed of Sherri, and dreamed of possessing her, mind, body, soul, and her heart. He knew how to do it. He knew what he needed. First, make her uncomfortable this week, as time went by, that fear would turn to frustration, and then angry defiance. Then shock her, and force her to capitulate. Then shock her again, and again, and give her three paths, Maximum pain, minimal pain, and submission. He estimated that she would demand maximum pain and then minimal pain, and finally, she would submit. Torture, torment, and coercion were the tools, along with passion, frustration, understanding, and compassion. He had to convince her that he was the Dom, and that he admired her, and truly understood her, and was the only one worthy of her, the only one to whom she could totally surrender herself. Then he could build her into an elegant lady, and a passionate lover. He would give her pride in her accomplishments, using the same techniques that had been used on him when he was in the Military, but different, because he wasn't making a Soldier, he was making a submissive mate. One who would submit to him, and rip the balls off some asshole who made a pass at her. One who was totally dedicated to him, and for whom, the world revolved around him.

Robert considered her eyes, and what he knew of her, and knew she would be defiant and resistant at first. Then she would start to bend, and finally, would surrender herself, all of which he wanted, to him. Robert realized he was obsessing and that wasn't what he was used to, but it was happening.

As he slept Monday night dreamed of Sherri, and dreamed of possessing her, mind, body, soul, and her heart. He knew how to do it. He knew what he needed. First, make her uncomfortable this week, as time went by, that fear would turn to frustration, and then angry defiance. Then shock her, and force her to capitulate. Then shock her again, and again, and give her three paths, Maximum pain, minimal pain, and submission. He estimated that she would demand maximum pain and then minimal pain, and finally, she would submit. Torture, torment, and coercion were the tools, along with passion, frustration, understanding, and compassion. He had to convince her that he was the Dom, and that he admired her, and truly understood her, and was the only one worthy of her, the only one to whom she could totally surrender herself. Then he could build her into an elegant lady, and a passionate lover. He would give her pride in her accomplishments, using the same techniques that he had learned when he was in the Military, but different, because he wasn't making a Soldier, he was making a submissive mate. One who would submit to him, and rip the balls off some asshole who made a pass at her. One who was totally dedicated to him, and for whom, the world revolved around him.

Tuesday morning, the Jeweler called and yes, they could do it, and yes could ship on Thursday. Robert agreed on the price, and then told him a bonus would follow if it was good enough. Robert knew it would be, knew the Jeweler was excellent.

The afternoon saw the work completed in the basement, and Robert was very pleased, and paid for the work and the promised bonus's. He added to the bonus to maintain the discretion of the workmen, promising more work in the future, and good wages if they maintained the secret of the dark ages collection.

Three more days Robert thought, to put this together. The toys would start arriving tomorrow, and he couldn't begin to lay them out until the door was in, with it's new lock. Tomorrow morning.

Sherri was indeed starting to get a little defiant. Robert, her mystery man, hadn't called, hadn't sent a note, and she couldn't find any numbers for him. None on the net, none in her Lawyers access only databases. Robert might as well not exist. Unlike him, apparently, she couldn't find anything out about him, and he had found everything about her in one fucking night?

This frustration was predictable. A woman hates to be kept in the dark, and is curious by nature. The less they can learn, the more the curiosity gnaws at them. Their frustration grows, and the resentment and frustration feed off one another growing and consuming the mind of the woman.

Sherri started to have to really concentrate to keep her work acceptable. She had shaved her legs Sunday morning, expecting Robert to call, and by Tuesday she was starting to have a bit of stubble, she was also getting angry. This mystery man appeared out of nowhere with the proof of her guilt, and then fixed everything, and disappeared. She realized the police report would have his name and number, and figured she would get a copy of it later in the week, she called the police department, and found that they were running behind, apparently there was above normal crime or reports, and they said it would be Monday or Tuesday before the report was ready. Sherri forced herself to calm down, but snapped at her Secretary more than usual that day.

The locksmith arrived early Wednesday, and quickly installed the new heavy duty door, a solid oak affair, which went with the rest of the house's décor, and then the high end fingerprint lock system. It was all solid state, battery backup, and hardware, no software to get hung up. After every cycle, it would clear it's memory, and reboot so to speak. It had a key on the side to allow a new fingerprint, and Robert stood and allowed his index finger to be entered into the first memory slot. It had 500 memory slots available, but only the first two would ever be needed, or so Robert assumed.

Robert left before lunch, taking one of his surveillance cars, not the mini-van, a Ford Explorer, which in any American City you will find three on any given block. They are the omnipresent vehicle of choice. He studied the layout around the building, and pointed the cameras. He needed a little video of her, walking, how she really behaved, how she really carried herself. He was watching her as she walked to the Soup and Salad place three half a blocks from the building she worked in. He waited, and watched her walk back.

Satisfied with his work for the day, he returned home continue work on the Dungeon as his mind was already thinking of it.

The Throne arrived first, then the couch he had ordered. Black leather, and the delivery men helped carry it down, and then the Television arrived, a large LCD monitor with multiple input hookups. He told them the Cable company would be here shortly to hook it up, but that was a lie, he didn't want to watch Cable on this, this was for fun.

He connected both of the DVD players, and when the computers arrived, he connected them together, and wired them both up as he needed. One was internet capable, via the wireless network in his home, and the other was a standalone. He made sure it had no Wireless networking capability, and then scrammed the Operating system, instead installing a Linux system that encrypted the entire hard drive. While it was loading and wiping the old system, Robert assembled his throne, placing it in the corner of his dreams.

The other packages started arriving, and Robert unpacked them, and filled shelves with an assortment of sex toys so vast that it boggled even his imagination, which was interesting because he had imagined all of this into being.

He unpacked the clothing that arrived, placing each item in it's place. Thongs, G-Strings, bra's, corsets, Lace, satin, silk, every material that feminine wilds used to entice, slut style, sensual, seductive.

The first few outfits hung on a cloths bar in the changing area, Robert had told the carpenters he was going to hang replica period outfits there, and then move the collection around, changing the softer items and displaying them periodically.

Robert fell asleep Wednesday night late, after sorting and setting up the beginnings of a several thousand dollar collection of DVD's on etiquette, and porno. Wildlife videos, and science programs on the nature of the universe. All of it part of the mental identity he hoped to create, or free, from within her. All the visual aids that Sherri would need to become a properly submissive mate, and an elegant lady.

Thursday's mail arrived, and Robert went back over the phone bills. The delivery of Sherri's papers from College had brought him up short. His understanding now much more complete. The papers she had written in law school were astounding. The Registrar had even thoughtfully included an article she had submitted to the schools Law Review, and Robert understood why she was here. She had torpedoed herself with that paper on Constitutional Law. After that, as though deciding to go down with the ship, she had declared full speed ahead, and went on sinking fast. Before that, her grades were very good, top 10% of her class. Afterwards, she had finished not at the bottom, but the Registrar had even helpfully highlighted Sherri's name, just in case he got bored looking down the list of over 500 names that had graduated with her.

Her Phone bills showed she didn't call any number regularly except work. Robert interpreted this to mean she didn't date much, or no man had yet captured her. She was a wild animal, a Tigress who was suddenly mature, and required a very firm hand to control her, to bring her will into submission. No weak man would be able to win her, no pseudo sensitive guy would attract her eye. She was a damsel praying for her knight in shining armor, in reality praying for anyone masculine enough to be considered a Man in her eyes.

Robert knew he could do it, but now wondered if he would have enough time in one weekend to accomplish the task. He knew, if she was allowed to depart before she had submitted to him, surrendered herself to him, she would take the time to rebuild her psyche. That meant it would be a long process to complete, and he may not have enough time in the two years he proposed.

This weekend would be the key. Either she would be his by Sunday night, or she would never be. No pressure he told himself, emotional roller coaster, physical roller coaster, pain, and encouragement. He changed his plans slightly, going to the mall to purchase a Rolex after putting the items to get her there Friday in a Fed Ex box, and giving it to the driver. After looking at the watches, decided no, to bring her here Sunday, that was better, show her the rewards of submission, that was the key.

He returned home, and completed laying out the items, preparing them, attaching the eyebolts and hooks to the table to restrain his tigress. Placing the bench before the stocks so if her legs collapsed, she wouldn't break her neck or suffocate. He knew he would have one advantage over her on Saturday, he would sleep Friday night, he had a couple sleeping pills left, while he doubted she would. The Military worked to get the troops exhausted he knew, because while they are that tired, the individual mental defenses are weakened. Robert checked online and found a program to implement subliminal phrases and words into music. It would scan the music, select the location most suited for the phrase, and insert it so it played lower than the music, and only the subconscious heard it. He placed and tested the pheromone ejector. It would slowly release a stored amount of pheromones into the air, the particular pheromones were targeted for a woman's arousal center.

Robert considered, knowing that both the ejector and the subliminal wouldn't work if he was wrong, they would only work if he was right, and she wanted this without knowing she wanted it. If down in the depths of her soul, she was not a submissive waiting to be released from her bondage of civilization, and introduced into her bondage of love, then the ejector and the subliminal suggestions would be wasted, like eggs thrown at a wall. If she was, it would make his task easier to have these tools. She would be suffering an attack on three fronts, all of them targeting her deepest darkest most locked off section of her brain, where her biological instructions were hard wired, where she waited for him.

Robert knew that retail outlets reduced shoplifting by using subliminal suggestions, knowing that the mostly honest person would decide to remain honest, rejecting the temptation to steal, while the determined criminal would not be swayed. Robert figured with the two pronged attack to overcome her willpower which he now knew would be substantial. Once shattered, the wall would never again grow between him and his future mate, if he remained the masculine male and never gave her reason to doubt his loyalty and love for her.

As Thursday ended for Robert, he was feeling the first pangs of doubt. Wondering if he would be enough to bring her to heel in one weekend. She was far more determined than he had originally suspected, however she had the eyes, and if he was enough man to tame her, once tamed, she would never accept another who was weaker, or shallow ever again.

Sherri went to sleep about the same time Thursday, the bastard hadn't called and asked her for a date, or told her to date. What the fuck she raged. He had her credit card info, which meant he had all her information including her phone number.

Friday she rose, and dressed for Casual Friday, an event she hated. Everyone wore jeans, and pretended they were real people, and weren't office geeks. Tears nearly came to Sherri's eyes, as she checked her hair, she applied a small smear of lipstick, and left it on the counter in her bathroom, as was her habit. She wore so little make up as to wear none most of the time. She really didn't like her co-workers, avoided lunches with them when possible, and never ate with the help, the secretaries and paralegals even though technically she as an associate was hardly above them on the social scale. Well not far above them.

Sherri squared her shoulders, and went to her Lexus, she was starting to think of it as hers, and marveled at it. It was the one really classy thing she had. It was somehow understated, and luxurious. She hadn't done the tacky thing, and left the dealers sticker in the window for everyone to see how much it had cost. She had ignored or avoided questions at work by not flashing the trademarked keys to anyone. She had simply driven it, and loved it. It handled beautifully, was quick, responsive, smooth, and the stereo. She had turned it up loud for "Every Day Is A Winding Road" by Sheryl Crow on the radio on the way home yesterday, and it was wonderful. No distortion was evident although her windows had to be rattling from the volume. She paused and marveled at it, she hesitated, thinking again about the mystery man she knew nothing about, had appeared, saved her ass, and then disappeared.

She had heard nothing from the cops, no follow up, she assumed they were satisfied with the explanation, and who is going to claim a guy driving an Audi is lying. His lawyers would eat them for lunch. She figured he had some real Bulldogs on retainer, people who shouted into the phone threatening to sue the Hyatt if the mysterious Mr. Mason's pillow didn't have the requisite mint on it. She smiled at that thought. He was self assured, confident, and she admitted considering how quickly he had moved on Friday night and Saturday, bold. It's a shame he hadn't called back, apparently he hadn't been too impressed with Sherri, which seemed to be the general consensus of opinion she griped as she got into HER car, and drove to work listening to the radio instead of a CD so she could get traffic reports.

Robert arose later than normal, exercised as usual, and went downstairs to check everything, a few more items, including the bracelet were due to arrive today. The Jeweler had agreed to have it done in two days, and ship it next day air on Thursday. Robert knew the Jeweler had worked late Tuesday, and Wednesday to get it done by Thursday.

Sherri arrived at work, greeted her Secretary Lisa in her usual reserved manner, Lisa was OK, made some mistakes, did a fairly good job. However Sherri couldn't help remember that Lisa was a B rate Secretary, at a firm full of B list people, and she always resented that she Sherri, was here with them, apparently part of that clique.

Sherri read the documents that Lisa had for her on her desk, placed casually, not because it was Friday, but because that was how Lisa always did it. Sherri ground her teeth and forced herself to sit and start to read. She made notes in the spaces available, changes that needed to be made. Sherri attacked the whole pile of redundant back and forth correspondence that made up so much of Legal Work. Write a four page letter restating the clients position without actually saying anything. Sherri understood why so many Lawyers became authors, because they had disciplined minds, and hated the mind numbing drudgery that was a lawyers existence.