Chapter 1

Heads turned and jaws dropped as Jenny walked through the doors of the MegaCoffee Emporium. Jenny didn't mind. She supposed that most people were inclined to stare at slim, tall, twenty-two year-old pretty women. And she especially supposed that people were inclined to stare at such women if they happened to be wearing sleeveless, fire-engine red spandex dresses with plunging necklines ... particularly if the hem of a dress like that barely went down past the curvy cheeks of a firm, supple ass.

This, shockingly, was exactly what Jenny was wearing.

Jenny also wore tall designer stiletto high heels the same color as the dress, and her lipstick and fingernails also screamed the same shade of red. A spectacular mane of curly blonde hair framed her pretty face, and dark designer sunglasses covered her sapphire-blue eyes. Jenny wore no jewelry, apart from a simple black leather around her slender neck. She also wore no underwear, and the outline of her hard, firm nipples poked earnestly through the sheer fabric of her dress. As Jenny walked slowly up to the counter of the coffee shop, she could feel cool air blowing up her dress from vents in the floor, teasing and tickling her moist slit ... and she needed to cover her mouth for a moment with her hand, trying to hide the lewdly excited smile that had suddenly crossed her face.

The attention excited Jenny. She didn't know why. All she knew was that getting stared at lustfully by a dozen or so strangers every morning was an incredible turn-on ... and it had been one ever since she'd started getting coffee for Mr. Steele a couple of days ago, when she'd started working for Oneiroi International as his administrative assistant. Mr. Steele loved his coffee, and he especially loved MegaCoffee's Special Dark Brew, so ever since her first day of orientation, she'd been told the routine – get him his coffee, and then get herself a fresh hot cup as well, before coming to the office.

Jenny didn't mind. It was really easy. And besides, Mr. Steele was a super duper nice guy.

And besides ... she got to make heads turns and jaws drop at the MegaCoffee Emporium.

And look really, really sexy and cute.

"Morning, um ... Jenny, right?" said the young guy behind the counter as Jenny stepped up to the register. He was maybe eighteen years old, tops, skinny and slightly pimply-faced, looking more than eager to serve Jenny. "Two large Special Dark Brews – one with two shots of mocha cream, one with just sugar and a single shot of vanilla cream, right?" His voice wavered as he spoke, and he couldn't quite bring himself to look Jenny in the face as he greeted her – though his eyes certainly didn't seem to have a problem finding the luscious curves of her firm breasts, which strained mightily against the red spandex of her dress.

"No sugar in either coffee, sweetie, but otherwise, you're spot-on." Jenny said, smiling as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter ... and giving the guy behind the counter an even more generous view of her cleavage. As the guy blushed furiously, she stuck her ass out slightly as well, giving it a little wiggle. If you're giving a show, Jenny thought mischievously, might as well make it a show everyone can enjoy...

"Right," the guy stammered. "No sugar, I remember. You said your, uh, boss keeps sweetener in the office." He turned away quickly to get Jenny's order, sending a stack of large paper cups flying everywhere behind the counter as he knocked into them. He looked back over his shoulder sheepishly at Jenny, and quickly crouched down to pick them all up before starting to pour two piping hot cups of Special Dark Brew for her.

"Svetlana?"

Surprised, Jenny turned her head away from the register. A rather good-looking man with a scruffy beard and shaggy blonde hair had sauntered up beside her, standing beside the display case of scones and muffins next to the counter. The man was thin but athletic, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark blue jeans ... and for some reason, Jenny thought he looked very familiar. Maybe the gym? Jenny found herself wondering. Yes, probably the gym ... lots of guys like to stare at me there, too ... especially when I wear my sexy little spandex shorts...

"Sorry," Jenny said, giving a friendly shake of her head, "you must have me mistaken for someone else. My name's Jenny." Impishly, she winked at him. "It is very nice to meet you, though."

"No," the man said, "I'm not mistaken. You are Svetlana. And you are late." The man spoke with a trace of an accent, which Jenny couldn't place. And she wasn't sure if she liked the stern, demanding tone creeping into his voice. "Do you have my briefcase?"

Jenny laughed nervously. "Well of course I don't, silly," she replied, taking a small step back away from the man. "Gosh, I don't even know you! And I certainly don't have a briefcase." She patted the small, expensive white leather purse hanging from her bare shoulder. "Just this, and all I have in it is coffee money."

"Where's my briefcase, Svetlana?" the man asked. He stepped right back in close to her, leaning in close enough to whisper menacingly in her ear. "For fuck's sake, what's wrong with you? You're putting Project Obsidian in jeopardy!"

The leather choker around Jenny's neck began to pulse. For some reason, it always did when she was nervous, or excited ... or scared. And the man was definitely scaring Jenny. She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm and look like everything was perfectly normal, but her red fingernails tapped nervously on the counter – rat-a-tat-tat-tat ... tat-tat ... rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat...

"I'm telling you," Jenny repeated, "I don't know –"

"Excuse me," said another voice, one very gruff and deep, as if spoken by someone with a mouthful of gravel. "This man bothering you?" Jenny noticed that one of the men who'd been watching her order coffee with much appreciation had gotten up and walked over. He was a big man, well over six feet tall and built like a bulldozer, his long black hair tied back neatly in a ponytail. At first, based on his blue uniform – and the holstered pistol hanging from his belt – Jenny thought the man might be a cop. However, as he approached, Jenny noticed that the brass badge stuck to the man's lapel clearly read Oneiroi International SECURITY in small, distinctive print.

Jenny's choker pulsed again. Three times.

"Yes," Jenny said immediately. "Yes, he is and I would appreciate it if you could ask him to leave." Flustered, she turned back to the young guy behind the counter, thrusting her hand into her purse and taking out a handful of crumpled dollar bills, slapping them on the counter to pay for her drinks. She kept her head down, not daring to make eye contact again with the man in the hooded sweatshirt.

"You heard the lady," the security guard said calmly. He stepped in between Jenny and the man in the hooded sweatshirt, folding his powerful arms across his chest. "She's not who you're looking for. And she doesn't have anything you want or need. Understand?"

The man looked like he wanted to say something in response for a moment ... but he nodded. "Understood," he said calmly. "For now, anyway. I'm not looking for any trouble." He glanced over at Jenny. "But I'll get what I came for. Just not today."

"Not today," said the security guard. "And not ever. I suggest you leave." He pointed at the door. "I suggest you go now."

Again, the man paused. He started to reach inside his jacket for a moment ... but stopped himself, when he saw the security guard's hand inching downwards towards the holstered pistol. He said nothing, but grimly nodded in assent, and turned on his heel and vanished out of the coffee shop.

"Thank you," Jenny whispered softly to the guard, her voice quavering slightly. "I'm sorry, I really don't know what that was all about." She gave the young guy behind the counter a small, nervous smile as he placed a cardboard tray in front of her, with two full cups of java jammed into its holders, tiny clouds of steam wafting out of their lids. The tray shook slightly as Jenny picked it up with trembling hands.

"Not a problem," the security guard said affably. "And here ... let me carry that for you." He reached over towards her and gently took the tray from her before coffee went spilling everywhere. "You work for Mr. Steele, right? I've seen you around the Oneiroi Building before ... why don't I walk you over there? At least let me make sure that jerk doesn't try to bother you again."

"Really?" Jenny asked. "Oh, thank you ... that would be just super, you're the best!" She smiled gratefully at the security guard, clapping her hands together with delight. "I'm Jenny, by the way ... so nice to meet you!"

"I'm Frank," said the gravelly-voiced guard. He gave Jenny a wry, crooked grin. "And trust me, the pleasure's all mine."

Frank, it turned out, used to be in the Army, and then he had been a police officer for ten years. He told Jenny as much as he walked along with her through three blocks of busy New York City streets from the MegaCoffee Emporium to the Oneiroi Building, carrying her coffees in much the same way a boy might carry books for his high school crush. He left the police because Oneiroi International paid "way, way better that the police could, including pension", he said ... and because the "side benefits were so much sweeter at Oneiroi". He'd given Jenny a knowing wink at that last bit, except Jenny didn't have the slightest clue what he was talking about. But she gave him a conspiratorial wink right back anyway, and when he laughed heartily, so did she.

Jenny took back her coffees as they reached the front entrance of the Oneiroi Building. The headquarters of Oneiroi International was an impressive sight indeed, a majestic spire of gleaming chrome and glass stretching nearly eighty stories high into the skies of Lower Manhattan. Frank courteously held the main door open for Jenny as she walked into the office, and she gave him a friendly wave goodbye as she headed for the elevators. A few moments later, she was ascending swiftly to the fifty-fifth floor – home to important things like Oneiroi International's Reclamation Department, Jenny's cube...

... and most importantly, Mr. Steele's office.

Jenny stopped quickly by her desk, dropping off her purse there before skedaddling off to meet with her boss. She checked the clock hanging in the hallway, which read 8:28. Perfect, Jenny thought, feeling rather pleased with herself. Mr. Steele was extremely punctual, and wanted her with coffees in hand in his office at precisely eight-thirty each morning. Right on time...

Mr. Steele was a tall, handsome, powerfully-built man, with light brown hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. There was just a hint of gray starting to touch his temples, so Jenny guessed that he maybe was in his late forties or so, but she wasn't quite sure. He wore custom-made designer suits that Jenny guessed cost more than she made in a month, and had the whitest, brightest, most dazzling smile she'd ever seen. He always kept a gold-plated pen in the breast pocket of his white dress shirt, but apart from that, he never wore any jewelry. Jenny's friend Mariko – she was also a new administrative assistant, who worked in Accounting for Mr. Pewter – well, she'd told Jenny that Mr. Steele once was a starting quarterback for a college football team, and then a backup on a professional team for many, many years before working for Oneiroi International.

Or maybe it was that he was once a soap opera actor.

Or maybe it was that he was once a famous male model in Australia.

Jenny couldn't really remember.

It was so hard for Jenny to remember things lately ... she didn't know why.

I'm such a silly scatterbrain lately, my goodness! Jenny thought ruefully, as she ducked into Mr. Steele's office. What she did know – and knew she'd never forget as well – was that Mr. Steele was a very important person in Oneiroi International, well-respected and on the Board of Directors of the company. And that being his administrative assistant was a job many people would love to have, and that Jenny was a very, very lucky girl indeed for having such a fantastic boss.

Jenny knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Mr. Steele sat behind a rather large mahogany desk as Jenny entered, chatting on the phone as his fingers pecked away at his laptop. His office was small but impressive, located at one of the corners of the fifty-fifth floor. Two of the walls were thick glass, providing a breathtaking view of the busy buildings and streets of Manhattan outside. Various plaques and award hung from the other walls, but not too many ... just enough to be a friendly reminder that Mr. Steele was a very smart – and powerful – man.

"Morning, Mr. Steele," Jenny said in a stage whisper, beaming at her boss as she took a tentative step towards his desk. "If you're busy, I'll just leave your coffee here ... I can just drop back in later."

"Well, good morning, Jenny," Mr. Steele replied warmly, as he hung up his phone. "Not busy at all – not yet, anyway. Just checking messages. Why don't you come over and put those coffees on my desk ... and close the door behind you, if you don't mind?" He cleared some papers off his desk, making room for Jenny's tray. "By the way, you didn't find my briefcase yet by any chance, did you?"

"No, I ... um, I mean..." Jenny's smile faltered slightly as she shut the door, a puzzled look of bewilderment crossing her pretty face. Why does that question sound familiar? she wondered, scratching the back of her head with her bright red nails. She walked over slowly to Mr. Steele's desk, and carefully put down the cups of coffee. I swear, someone else just asked me about a briefcase...

Mr. Steele cocked his head curiously at Jenny as he removed the two cups of coffee from the carrying tray, placing them with great care on his desk as he started to remove their lids. "Jenny?" he asked quietly. His voice was deadly serious. "Did you remember something?"

"No," Jenny said finally, firmly shaking her head. Oh, now I remember why the question's so familiar, Jenny thought, Mr. Steele asks the exact same question every morning, silly girl! She twisted her hands together nervously in front of her boss as she stood in front of his desk. "I'm sorry, I'm trying really hard to remember, really hard, I just can't..."

"Ssshhh ... don't worry, Jenny, it's okay," Mr. Steele said. He shrugged indifferently. "No big deal. You'll remember eventually, I'm sure."

Jenny watched curiously as Mr. Steele opened one of his desk drawers, carefully extracting a small, thin glass vial filled with fine pink powder. The vial was unlabeled – Mr. Steele had told Jenny that the sweetener inside of the clear container didn't actually have a name just yet. It was something special that the pharmaceutical division of Oneiroi International currently had in the research and development process, something a little bit sweeter than sugar, except it had some amazing health benefits, too. She noticed that Mr. Steele always gave her cup a way more generous portion of the pink powder than hers as well – sometimes, he gave his cup so little that she wondered if his drink actually contained any at all – but Jenny didn't mind. Mr. Steele knows a have a really sweet tooth, that's why I always get extra, she thought cheerfully. In fact, if it wasn't for the sugar, I probably wouldn't like coffee at all...

"Here you go," Mr. Steele said at last, handing her one of the cups, "an extra sweet double mocha delight. Did I ever tell you that you have excellent taste, Jenny? And speaking of that... love the outfit, my dear." His eyes ran appreciatively up and down Jenny's slender, sexy body, especially lingering on the sight of her firm, perky tits. "You are absolutely gorgeous."