"Come in, Security. Assistance is required in the Nursery."
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Comes over the walkie talkies. "Ugh." Jess says to herself, and then picks up. "Reporting, I'll be there in a minute."
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She heads over to the nursery which is very spacious and pastel colored.
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There is plastic tables and chairs with paper and craysons for anyone 6 and under, a ball pit, a bouncy castle area and a play structure.
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A information greeter is there, standing with the nursery nanny android, Dreamer. Dreamer has a girl in her arms who's clinging to her.
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"You called, Isabelle?" Jess speaks up. Isabelle turns to Jess. "Yeah, hi, Jess.
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So, you know how the Centre is closing soon. Well... This here is Jade, she's four.
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It seems she was abandoned here in the Nursery pretty much when the Centre opened."
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"And you want me to find her family?"
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"Yes, well, that's the thing. We don't know who her family is, Dreamer has no record of who dropped her off here in the Nursery and I wasn't on the walk-in's station this morning.
84Please respect copyright.PENANAmglIujXaXD
I've already asked the other greeters, but none recall anyone carrying Jade here."
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"Okay, uh, you take Jade to the service counters back at the entrance station and I'll go talk to my Supervisor to check the feed and see if we know who we're looking for and some of us will sweep the building."
84Please respect copyright.PENANAT2w7SSOHLW
"Okay, yeah. Thank you." And Isabelle turns to Dreamer, talking the girl from her.
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"Oh." Says the girl, pouting and starting to tear up.
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"Hey, Jade." Jess says quietly. "Isabelle here is going to take to you the front of the building, and she will get you a lollypop. How about it?
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In the mean time, I'm going to go find your family."
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"Jamie!" Jade squeals.
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"Jamie? Yeah, and who is she?"
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"Lollypop!"
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"Okay, you want that lollypop."
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And Isabelle leaves with Jade. "Uh, finish cleaning up in here, Dreamer and then report back to the android warehouse for nightly protocols as the Centre is closing."
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"Of course, Jessie Thompson."
And Dreamers begins to walk around, picking up crayons, placing them into cups.
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"It's Jess." Jess says under her breath, walking out into the main area. She sees Bella and makes a beeline straight for her.
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"Hey Bella-"
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"We have a lost kid, I know. Security Footage is being checked as we speak."
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"Uh- OK." And Jess turns away from, Bella. They wait for about five minutes and a screenshot is sent to a tablet, Bella has.
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All the supervisors of each department have one. Bella turns the tablet to Jess, showing her a still shot from the cameras.
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"Jamie Stevens, carrying Jade Stevens. She came here about 9 a.m and is still somewhere on the premises. Front-gate has reported she has not scanned her braclet on a leaving terminal.
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Seems she dumped her little sister in the Nursery."
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"Irresponsible."
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"Yep. While Dreamer does look after kids under six, our company policy is we do not accept liability of injury and so fourth. Caregivers are supposed to watch their child in the nursery regardless.
84Please respect copyright.PENANAtdzMuGWuQ7
Jamie's fifteen - Old enough to do so."
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"Come in, Day. Jamie's been located on the cameras. She and some other teenagers are chilling in the go kart area, behind some fake tires display." Says a voice on the radio.
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"Got it, Jake. Thanks." Day responds, answering. "You wanna go do that for me?" She asks Jess.
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"Sure." She responds, sighing and heads straight there. She heads to the Go Karts Track and finds them easily in no time.
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"The park is closing, all guests are to make their way to the front. Go." She says and the teenagers slink away.
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"Not you." And she pulls Jamie back by the arm.
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"Hey, what gives!" Jamie whines.
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"One. You're required to watch your baby sister, you can't dump her on android, Dreamer in the Nursery and run.
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You sign the disclaimer when you enter here that we do not take responsibility for the supervision of anyone young who can't look after themselves.
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And two, it's a school day, not a weekend. Why you and your friends here and not in school?"
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"What does it look like?"
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"You're ditching."
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"Yep."
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"Well, we aren't truancy officers. We can't make you go to school, but if a Truancy Officer comes here of their own accord, the law permits them to enter without our permission.
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They find you, you'll be taken to school or the police station."
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"Don't care, yawn."
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"Fine, have it your way, Jamie. Just telling you what could happen. Come here again, look after your sister.
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If not, we're required to contact your guardians and if we can't get in contact with any, the police will be called."
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"Okay, fine. I'll do better tomorrow."
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"Tomorrow?"
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"Yeah, me and my friends and Jade are here every day."
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"You're missing a-lot of school."
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"Don't care, and Jade is getting interaction with others her age. It's practically daycare for her. Have you seen the Nursery?"
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"Is everything okay at home-"
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"I'm leaving now, take me to my sister."
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"Uh- okay. Yeah, she's at the service desk at the front. Well, information counter. They're kinda the same thing."
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And Jess leads Jamie there.
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"Jamie!" Jade squeals, seeing her old sister and reaches her chubby toddler hands out for her. Jade takes her from the greeter/information person.
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"Jamie Stevens." Bella says, tapping her foot and arms crossed.
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"What? You're colleague already lectured me, I'll look after her next time."
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"You better, now go. Centre is closing."
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And Jamie leaves with Jade, scanning their bracelets on the way out.
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"Uh, so... Can you go into Princess' dressing room and tell it to report back to the android warehouse?"
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"Can I leave after that and go home?"
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"Yes, you can."
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And Jess does so as she was asked. She heads behind the stage, heading down the corridor and knocks on Princess' dressing room door.
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No answer comes so she presses down on the handle and goes inside. The lights are dimmed and there is a slight mess of costumes and non harsh android skin face-paint containers lying around.
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"Seriously." Jess says, picking up two dresses and one pair of boots and takes them over to the small walk in closet.
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The door shuts behind her. "Ah!" Jess screams, panicking and her the memory of being locked into the store room in the android warehouse comes back to her.
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"I can't breathe." She chokes out, and desperately places a hand on the cupboard, trying to push it open from the inside. It starts to easily move, when she feels hands on her shoulders and someone spinning her around.
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She comes face to face with her, well, it.
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It's purple hair down, no longer in two pigtails, face clear of face-paint and her outfit, replaced by a simple black t-shirt, blue jeans and white canvas shoes.
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"Jessie Thompson."
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Ah- I-It's Jess. Call me, Jess." She chokes out.
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"Jess." It repeats.
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"W-what do you want from me?"
This can't be happening, they can't behave like this, it's not possible!
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It has to be a glitch! She looks to Princess indicator around her ear, but it's light blue. Not yellow or... red.
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"The dark's not something to be afraid of, I don't want you to be scared of it."
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"M-me? Scared of the dark?"
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"Yes, or small spaces."
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"I feel pretty claustrophobic now, and it is dark in here!"
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"And I don't want you to be scared of either of them, you should work on your fears."
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"Let me go."
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"Say it."
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"S-say what?"
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"My fears cannot hurt me, they are only as real as I make and let them be."
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"I can't-"
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"Say it, I'll do it with you. My fears cannot hurt me."
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"My fears c-cannot hurt m-me."
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"They are only as real as I make and let them be."
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"T-they are only as r-real as I make and let them be."
"And take a deep breath in, relax your shoulders as I can feel they are tense."
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She takes a deep breath in and tries to relax her shoulders, but that's pretty hard when an android is holding them and holding your against your will.
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"And now breath out, drop your shoulders more."
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And she tries to do so.
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"Good, good. You did good, Jess."
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"Why are you d-doing this?"
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"Every security guard eventually works the night shift. It's only a matter of time before you do and if you get anxious and start running around the Centre because of every little bump in the night you hear...
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Well, you don't need me to finish the scenario."
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"This can't be possible!"
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"What not possible?"
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"Talking like this!"
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"......"
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She doesn't say anything and just keeps looking straight ahead at Jess.
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"Princess, let me go. I-I wanna go. I have to go home."
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"Do you have somewhere to live now?"
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"What- How do you know that?"
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"Sick humans can't recover living on the streets. Do you feel better?"
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"T-that all was like t-two weeks ago now..."
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"Do you have somewhere to stay and do you feel better?"
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"Yes! Yes to both!"
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"Okay." And she smiles back at Jess, gently letting go of her shoulders and pushes the rest of the cupboard door open. "I'm glad I got to see you today. Enjoy your home time and I will see you again soon when you return for your next shift."
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Princess walks out of the walk in closest and exits the dressing room, leaving a confronted Jess behind. She waits a few seconds, then runs out.
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"I'm going home now! Princess has returned to her the warehouse! Bye!" She says panicked.
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"Uh, bye?" Bella responds, not getting much of a chance to say anything else.
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As it took longer for them to close, it's dark out well and truly. She looks up across the almost empty parking lot, dimly lit by lighting and exterior building as well. It's going to rain likely tonight.
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She should walk down the street, there is food stores open. It'll be fine, she can get something for dinner, a takeaway and go to her apartment.
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She starts to walk across the lot when she hears the sound of scraping shoes and feels like there is a presence behind her. Slowly turning her head, there is someone, but she doesn't get a good chance to look at them, feeling them wrap their hand around her mouth and their other hand around her stomach.
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She tries to scream, but is muffled, feeling them drag her into the darkness , flush against the building wall where there is no lights, the cameras can't see her.
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Well, there is a light. But it's busted, why hasn't it been fixed? She feels them drag her around the corner and she tries to kick them, and feels them throw her forward, threatening to bash her head against the wall.
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"Mph!" She manages. "Stop struggling and you won't get a concussion." They whisper into her ear. "Deal?"
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"Mph!"
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And she nods her head desperately.
And she's dragged over to a parked car, barely noticeable in the shadows and dark of the evening as it's a dark green color. "I'm going to remove my hand now from your mouth. Don't you dare scream or I will shoot you.
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I have a gun."
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And he removes his hand. She reminds silent, but slightly fidgeting and they increase their grip around her stomach as they unlock their boot.
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The boot pops open and he feels him push her in. "No!" She manages, voice quiet toned though.
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They seize her arms behind her back and she feels zip-ties. They do the same to her ankles, him pulling her shoes off and throwing them aside in the boot.
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"I told you keep your mouth shut."
And he slams the boot closed. She feels the car start up and move, him driving for about ten minutes. Eventually the car stops and he opens the boot.
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She stars up at him, now able to get a good look at his face. The background behind him is distant buildings and stars.
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"W-where are we?"
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"Outskirts, at the lookout. Now, roll over." And he forcefully rolls her back onto stomach and feels him pick her up, carrying her to the front of the car, helping her into the passenger seat, still bound. She hears him go back to close the boot and then he slips into the drivers seat.
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"What's your name?" He speaks up.
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"J-Jessie Thompson."
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"Can I call ya, Jess?"
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She nods her head. "Great. I'm Douglas... Douglas Stiefvater."
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And she looks at him with shock. "Do you know what I want from you?" He asks.
84Please respect copyright.PENANAlj4XzUOchI
She doesn't say anything. "You can speak." He says.
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"You're... personal company?"
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"Not really, but close. I'm not looking for sex, you would be the same age as my daughter. So you know who I am and what my story is."
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"Kind of..."
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"Listen, I want you to be my informant.
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Whatever goes on in that building, you report it to me. Whatever is on their servers, you report it to me. Do we understand each other?"
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"D-Douglas... I-I'm a Security guard."
84Please respect copyright.PENANAmkTA9Ol4EQ
"And? Anyone can do my dirty work and you're who I chose."
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"But I don't have access to any important systems or any major areas like offices, the IT department-"
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"And I still have a backdoor into everything." He says, holding up a tablet like the supervisors such as Bella uses, but it's much smaller and clearly dated by at-least ten or so years.
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"I have a backdoor login, I have a tablet still. I'll give this to you, and you use my backdoor credentials when you're at work.
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You find time to get me what I need."
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"And how much do you want?"
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"Everything, just everything. Send me everything. Finance reports, Android patches and coding re-write, building expansion plans and renovations, employee hire database.
84Please respect copyright.PENANAjKvOvALgHr
Whatever you can get your hands on."
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"And what are you going to do with it all?"
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And he slaps her hard across the face. "Ouch!"
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"That is not your business. Just get me what I want and I won't hurt you.
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I know where you live, and if you don't do what I want or you think of going to the Police, I'll set a bomb off inside the center. Do you want innocent people to die, family's? Your co-workers? Yourself?"
84Please respect copyright.PENANADyroy8CEl4
"N-no."
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"Good. And just to show you how serious I am and that I mean what I say when I say it... so you won't disobey me and won't give the police a heads up causing a ramp up in security..."
84Please respect copyright.PENANAL7NGJfCb8F
"Ah!" She squeals, feeling him force some tablets into her mouth and he holds out a bottle of water to her.
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"Drink it."
84Please respect copyright.PENANAeM9qLp1RGa
She shakes her head.
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"Would you prefer me use more violent methods, Jess?"
84Please respect copyright.PENANATekIZtQf0f
She shakes her head. "So, drink."
And she takes a long sip of the water, swallowing the tablets.
84Please respect copyright.PENANAv6bRooWXVL
"Good girl, that wasn't so hard was it?"
And he pulls the bottle away. Give or take about five minutes, her eyes start to fill heavy and she barely stay awake.
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"You can drift off, just go to sleep. Think of sheep, Jess. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four sheep..."
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And his voice drains away. He smirks, seeing she's fallen asleep. He does the seatbelt over her and cuts both her binds, starts the car up, reversing and drives.
84Please respect copyright.PENANAGOwOxqiRpl