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Message-ID: <56014asstr$1181085003@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: "Victor Echo" <victor.echo@gmail.com>
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Subject: {ASSM} Luci - Chapter 2 (MF+, Tease, Rom, Slow)
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Date: Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:10:03 -0400
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(c) 2007 Victor Echo

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
are either the product of the author's disturbed imagination and are
used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead,
undead or mostly harmless, business establishments, events, or locales
is entirely coincidental.

Luci - Chapter 2

The alarm brought me out of a dream that I do not really remember.
I got out of bed and walked over to turn the noise off.  It had been
too easy to turn the alarm off and then go back to sleep when it was
on my night table, so I had moved it across the room.  My wife had
further to go to shut it off, but I was the first one out of bed these
days, so it did not really matter.

I headed for the bathroom to take care of my morning absolutions.
Visions of Luci from the night before had me hard before I finished
putting cream on my face.  I needed to focus or I was afraid I would
slit my throat.  That caused my erection to subside and I managed to
get shaved without any damage to my body.  Of course, thinking of
shaving brought me back around to Luci's email which got me hard all
over again.  At least there would be lots of cold water I reasoned as
I turned the shower on.

I had sent Luci an email before I left last night.  I did it on the
workbench rather than on my production machine because it was easier
to blow away the evidence later on if I needed to.  She had not
responded by the time I went to bed so I turned off my unit and put it
in my briefcase.  I finished showering, thinking about her body, and
dried off.  I guess I would have an erection all day.  I pulled on my
underwear and looked through my closet.  I do not normally wear a suit
two days in a row, but I thought I would today.  It gave me an excuse
to wear slip on shoes as well.  Straightening my tie, I kissed my wife
good-bye and headed into the early morning chill.  Forty-five minutes
later, I was behind my desk, the building already a full boil and it
was barely seven in the morning.  Luci was not in yet but Nikki was.

"You two have fun last night?" Nikki was leering at me as she stood in
my door way.

"No, we didn't," I tried to sound hurt or bored or something other
than anticipating.  Nikki laughed as she walked over behind my desk,
spun my chair around and put both hands on the armrests and leaned
down towards my face.  She paused for a second, then leaned in and
kissed me.  Her lips were petal soft, but her tongue was like a viper
striking out and pinning mine like she had me pinned to my chair.  She
was strong and there was no question that she was in charge.  The kiss
was quick and deep.  Nikki pulled back and my eyes refocused.

"That was from Luci.  She said she would be in around 8.  She also
said you should give me one of your little toys."

My head was doing flips, but I did not take my eyes off of Nikki as I
reached down and grabbed another box.  She still had me trapped as I
tried to put the box on the desk to record the numbers.  With a smirk
she leaned in and kissed me again.  This time with less force, our
tongues dancing back and forth like old friends as I reached up to
stroke her cheek and run my hands through her hair.  I was rewarded
with a low moan and a tremble from Nikki as she pulled away.  Her eyes,
as dark as any I had ever seen, were bright and slightly lidded.
Without letting go of arms of my chair she sunk down to her knees and
put her head in my lap, rubbing her cheek against my thighs in a very
cat-like way.  I responded by tracing along the ridge of her ear and
her jaw.  It lasted only a moment, her skin was so soft in contrast to
the wirelike quality of her hair.  With a little sigh she stood up and
released me.

I turned slightly in my chair and recorded the numbers while she
rested a hand on my shoulder, the nails on her fingers stoking my neck
ever so slightly, raising the hairs on the back of my neck and making
my pants fit just a little tighter than they had a moment ago.  I
looked back up at Nikki and she leaned in and kissed me once more
before taking her unit from my hands.

"I will see you later," she said with more than a little promise in
her voice.  As she walked out of my office I had a chance to
internalize what she was wearing.  Grey flannel pants that highlighted
her very tight ass, and a close fitting mock turtle neck sweater in a
brilliant emerald green that flattered her small chest and waist.  At
almost six feet, Nikki was a presence in a room.  Dressed as she was
today, she would be drawing every eye in the building to her as she
walked by.  She had certainly gotten my attention.

I was attempting to regroup when my phone ran.

"This is Gary," I said, picking it up on the second ring.

"Gary? Bob Norton here," Bob was one of our lead accountants, a sharp
man with numbers and even sharper when it came to technology.  I had
tried, unsuccessfully, for six months to get him to join the IT staff.
We had philosophical differences when it came to the exact technology
we favored, but in the end, he recognized that the company needed it
and I was willing to let him promote his opinion up to the point of
the actual purchase.  Since my teams had to support the stuff, I
usually got my way.

"Morning Bob, what can I do for you so early this morning?"

"Two things actually.  First, what is up with our database?  I can't
seem to find Paul.  Second, how many of those little email gadgets do
you have and how do I get one?"

I knew there was a method to his madness.  "As to question 1," I
responded while pulling up the management console for our database,
not happy to see the red lights and warning messages.  "Bob the
database is not good.  Initially thoughts are that it tanked in the
middle of the night.  I will see if I can hunt down Paul and find out
what the skinny is.  Give me 20 minutes to do that.  As to question 2,
I have about a dozen of them, but we are still running rough on them.
I only got the gateway installed yesterday and I don't know that I
have even sent any messages successfully yet.  They are not connected
to production even."

"Oh," he seemed disappointed.  "Edward led me to believe we were up
and operational and they were ready for distribution."

I was going to hurt someone.  It would just depend on whom.

"Sorry, you got bad information.  Or Edward did.  Or I did."  I was
quietly grinding my teeth and thinking unclean thoughts about the
head shed.

"I will tell you what, Bob, give me a couple of days to actually
figure out how these things are supposed to work with our system and I
will send one down and you can help us break it.  How's that?"

"Sounds good to me.  I will let you get on to the database.
Keep me posted."

"20 minutes.  Talk to you later." I hung up the phone and let my
annoyance build a little before I let out a bellow.

"Alex!"  I had some stage training and when I was annoyed I could
really reverberate through the section, even from the back of my office.
I was up and moving before the last of my yell had dissipated.

"You hollered, O wise one?"  Alex asked, sticking his head in my office
before I reached the door.  Alex was our intern.  At 50, he was a
little old to be an intern, but he was transitioning careers.  Only
Jerry and I knew that he was transitioning from prison.  I had no
problems with him.  He was a hard worker and was picking up the stuff
we threw at him.  Since he shared space with Paul, he was where I
started my search.  I had never learned to use the intercom.  The
phones were too complicated for me.

"Do we know where Paul is?" I asked indicating the general direction
of Paul's desk.

"Nope, I haven't seen him yet this morning, and his screen is dark.  Why?"

"Database tanked overnight and accounting is already ringing my desk,
which means we have about 10 minutes before Jerry's phone starts
ringing.  He show you any tricks yet?"

"Only some basics, but not enough to recover anything if is serious."

My bellow had drawn a crowd.  I have three direct reports; the head of
Network Operations, Pete Mannor, the head of Communications Steve
Thoms, and the head of Support, Janice Williams.  We all think of
Janice as our mother, even those of us who are the same age as she is.
She had served in the military and could give orders with the best of
them.  She was also a genius.  What the artillery lost in a range
engineer, we gained in a woman who could whip the best out of her
staff.  Nikki was her lead tech and was a step or two behind her.

"Has anyone seen Paul in the last two days?" I asked.  I couldn't
remember seeing him yesterday, but I had been distracted.

"Two days ago was Sunday, Gary," Janice said with aplomb.

"Oh, right," I did not even look chagrined when I said, "he wasn't
here Sunday, I remember that.  So, did anyone see him yesterday?  Pete?"

He was part of Pete's team, but I knew Pete had been out at a training
session yesterday.  I was looking for something sort of report.

"No.  He wasn't here?"  Pete looked a little confused.  I pinned
everyone in the hall and was getting blank stares from everyone but
Nikki. Nikki was giving me a look of lust.  I tried to ignore it as my
blood pressure climbed.

"OK, battle stations.  Pete, get on the phone and find him.  I will go
and brief Jerry.  Nikki, could you and Alex start sifting the log files.
Maybe we will be able to fix this quick.  Janice, accounting is going
to need soothing.  Questions?"  People were already in motion as Jerry
came through the door.

"Anyone seen Paul this morning?" he asked taking in the little crowd
in the hall.

"No, but we were thinking of painting the walls pink, what do you
think skipper?"

He paused briefly then laughed. "I take it you know about accounting's
problems?"

"I was just on my way to brief you," I responded.

"We'll use your office," he said.

Jerry closed the door behind him.  This was not good.

"Have you seen Paul this morning?" he asked me quietly.

"No, I haven't and no one seems to remember seeing him yesterday either."

"He was out Friday as well." I had taken Friday off to catch up on
some things around the house which is why I was in briefly on Sunday.
I was saved a response by my pager going off.  An epithet slipped out
as headed for my chair. I slid around to my system, fingers flying
over the keyboard coaxing the system to life.

"Pete, Steve, Janice, Nikki, Eric, we have a problem," I said, hitting
the intercom.  OK, so I did know how to use it, I just chose not to
most of the time.  Three years ago the company had almost gone out of
business when a virus got loose in the network.  We spent the better
part of a month rebuilding systems and another six months making sure
it would never happen again.  Now the intrusion detection system had
indicated we had a worm loose in the network again.  I had a crowd in
my office as I was evaluating the data in front of me.

"Back seat the database, we have a worm.  Steve, pull the connections
from the world and the isolate us from the WAN, Pete, IDS says it is
upstairs, so let's isolate the VLANs and shut down the switch up there.
Keep your ears open I may shut down other switches.  Janice, I hope to
have a target for you soon, but as soon as Nikki gets the latest virus
signatures, you can put your folks to work.  Then we will get back to
the database."  Everyone knew what they had to do.  All three lines on
my phone started ringing and Jerry was reaching for the handset before
I could even move.

"Gary Preston's office, this is Jerry.  Yes, we are aware of it."  I
started tuning him out as people started moving to their assignments.
Nikki was trying to catch my eye and I knew what she needed.  I tried
to make my fingers move faster, almost willing the commands into
the network.

"Grab a floppy of the shelf and stick in Pedro," I said into the air,
but Nikki was already moving.  Pedro was one of my workbench machines,
a poor step-child of a box that I had beefed up with more spare parts.
He was where I had a second line to the outside world and I was already
pushing commands down to him to start dialing up as I was coming out
of my chair to pull the network connection.  I had opened my router up
yesterday to enable the gateway to talk out to the WAP and now it might
come back to bite me.  I was hoping my systems had not been compromised.
I pulled the LAN cable connecting my system to the network as Nikki was
connecting to our anti-virus provider for the latest software and
signatures.  There was a flurry of activity in the backroom that
morning and into that chaos walked Luci.  Everything seemed to slow
down for a moment as she smiled at me, took one look around and became
all business. She was wearing a grey pleated skirt and a jacquard
purple silk blouse.  It was a stunning combination as the blouse seemed
to flow over her body, highlighting every curve while the skirt swished
this way and that.  Grey patterned stockings and black pumps finished
off the ensemble.  I did not even get my mouth open when Nikki brushed
past me, disk in hand and Luci followed her out.  Luci was not normally
a desktop technician, but at a time like this, everyone was a desktop
technician and I knew that once Nikki had a copy made of the disk, they
would crank out a half dozen and descend on the offices that were
closest to where the worm had originated.  Something was nudging the
back of my mind as I returned to my desk to review the logs again.

"We will have someone up there in a few minutes," I do not know who
Jerry was talking to but there were only two lines lit, one on hold
and the one Jerry was talking to.

"Network is isolated boss; I am on the phone to the field sites to get
them up to speed.  Anything I need to tell them?" Steve said sticking
his head in the door.

"Thanks Steve.  Yes, tell them we had an outbreak and we think we have
it contained.  Get the admins to check EVERY machine.  Backdoors are
authorized for fetching new virus signatures."  Every site maintained
a secondary link to the Internet.  Most, like me, had a simple dial-up
connection.  Corporate policy forbids them.  Jerry and I knew better
and had implemented as a security policy a backdoor connection policy
that allowed them for things like this.  As long as they did not cause
issues on the network and they were secured, I was not going to get
upset what they used them for otherwise.  Occasionally I would wander
the network and see what was exposed and slap a few wrists, but it was
not often that I had to do that.  I really was not listening to what
Steve said as I stared harder at the log files.

"Steve, wait a minute.  Where is Pete?"

"At his desk."

"Ask him to locate a MAC address for me." I rattled of the hex number,
then wrote it down because there was no way Steve was going to remember
it.  Heck, I did not remember it and I had just recited it.

"OK.  Funny looking address."

"I was thinking the same thing."  Steve took the paper and slipped out
of the office as Jerry hung up the phone.

"Damage control is in full swing.  Anything else we know?"  Jerry was
a heck of a manager.  At some point he would put his CIO hat back on
and have to report to the President, but at the moment, he was running
point for us so we could clean up the problem.  There would be some
very unhappy users in the morning, I was betting.

"Know?  No.  Suspect.  Yes.  I suspect I have the vector.  Janice, when
you get a moment."  Pete beat her by a half-step, but gallantly let her
go first through the door.  My office was beginning to resemble a hotel
lobby.  Was it only yesterday that Luci had accused me of hiding in
my office?

"Pete, you're first," I said looking up at him.  Pete was on the far
side of 30 but looked 25 and when he was working he positively vibrated.
He was almost bouncing, so I knew he had something.

"You are good," he said shaking his head.  "It isn't one of ours."
Janice looked confused.

"Where is it?"

"Fifteenth floor, north side.  I bet it is a laptop."

I had guessed that.  As part of installing the intrusion system, I had
standardized on a network interface card for all machines.  This meant
that any alien card would jump out like a sore thumb and light up the
intrusion system.  Purchasing had complained all the way up to the CEO.
Jerry had managed to convince him that it was a good thing.  I had
just proven my point.  Score one for the good guys.  Janice put the
pieces together.

"Can you narrow it down?" she asked.  That was still two dozen offices,
many of which had laptops.  We were going on a hunt and needed to
be sure.

"Once I get on the switch up there, I should be able to tell you which
office.  I've cut it off from the network already," Steve responded.

"So why are you standing here?" I asked as the grin split Steve's face.
Janice was right behind him as he left my office.

"Shall we?" Jerry asked.

"Right behind you.  Let me tell Eric and Nikki where to start working,"
I responded as I walked towards the door and grabbed my jacket.

"I will meet you up there," Jerry was already turning for his office
on the public side of our spaces.  I walked down to Nikki and Luci's
office and stuck my head in.

"I have a target for you, Nikki."

"Already?  That was fast."

"We got lucky.  15th, executive.  Hose the whole area.  Steve is up
there now looking for our Typhoid Mary and Jerry is on his way as well."
An infected alien laptop on the network was going to get someone
suspended for a week if not fired outright.  Both the President and
the Chairman of the Board had made it very clear after the last out
break what would happen.  I was happy we had managed to catch it
so fast.

"Good morning, Gary," Luci smiled at me when she said it and I had to
resist the urge to grin like a schoolboy.  Nikki was giggling.

"Good morning, Mrs. Phelps.  How are you this morning?"  Nikki lost it,
pounding her desk as the tremors rolled through her.  Luci started
giggling as well.  I had called her Mrs. Phelps less than a handful of
times.  Today it seemed not only appropriate, but a little silly, too.
We were all wound tight this morning.  Eric came up behind me and
wanted to know what the joke was.  That set Nikki off again and Luci
joined her.

"I don't get it," Eric said behind me.

"It would take too long to explain.  Nikki has your marching orders,"
I turned to look at Luci, "Luci, while I go find this machine, can you
get with Alex and look through the database logs.  It has been one of
those mornings." I rolled my eyes.

"Should we start building an ark?" she asked.

"Keel is already laid in my office.  Attach the ribs when you get a
moment," I responded and turned to leave.

"Hang on Gary, we will go with you."  This came from Nikki as she
gathered up a pile of floppies and passed some over to Eric.  We made
our way to the elevator and Nikki through her arm around my waist and
pulled me into a hug, laying her head on my shoulder briefly.

"Do I get one too?" Eric asked.

"You haven't earned one yet," Nikki replied.  "He didn't even get his
coffee this morning before the roof fell in."

It was true.  The day was well on its way and I had not had my morning
coffee yet.  Nikki had sandbagged me before I had finished turning on
my machine and then the issue with the database followed by the worm.
What a way to start a day.

There was a posse waiting in the elevator lobby when we go there.
Nikki and Eric headed to the Executive area while I sized up the group
standing there.  Jerry and I had grabbed our jackets, but the rest of
the men and some of the women were in shirt sleeves.  Edward, our CFO
was there as was Patricia, the CEOs lead assistant.  She was standing
next to the CEO and Chairman of the Board Craig Kelly.  Patricia was
as much Craig's wife as she was his assistant.  Craig had lost his wife
to cancer and Patricia's husband had died in a car accident about the
same time.  There was little question as to who ran the company,
although officially, Mark Williams, the COO was in charge of the
day-to-day operations.  He was in Asia but his lieutenant, Paolo
Sanchez was part of the group waiting for something.  Turns out it was
Pete they were waiting for.  Pete caught my eye and Jerry's and we
huddled for the details while the rest of posse talked among themselves.
I was glad they were not about to visit my office.

"Room 1530, port 2," Pete related to me, with a bit of a grin.  I
cricked an eyebrow at Janice for a translation.

"It's supposed to be empty," she told me as she pulled a notebook out
of a pocket and started thumbing through it.

The elevator opened and Mike Peters stepped off.  Mike could have been
a lineman for any football team.  He had been a Green Beret, and other
things that one did not talk about.  Mike was our Head of
Corporate Security.

"I called him," Jerry said, following my eyes.  We were supposed to
call Corporate Security whenever something like this happened, but I
had not had time yet.  Jerry was keeping us on an even keel.  Mike did
not even look at the crowd and, instead walked over to us.

"Morning, Gary," he said reaching out to shake my hand.  "Sounds like
you have had a busy morning."  Mike and I had worked a couple of cyber
security issues together.  We had a mutual respect for each other's talent.

"And it isn't over yet," I replied and related the issues to him.  I
could see his wheels turning.

"Jerry, can you take the crowd over there to the board room and get
them some coffee?" Mike was in charge and we knew it.

"I was thinking the same thing," Jerry responded with a grin and
pulled Pete and Janice along with him.  Pete handed me the paper with
the MAC address as well as the port and room number on it.

"Shall we go find a laptop?" Mike asked me, indicating that I should
lead the way.  1530 was an outside office with a great view of the city.
If you were afraid of heights, this was not a good office to be in
because the windows were floor to ceiling and the furniture was almost
all glass, giving it a very empty, open feel.  Mike went in first
without even bothering to knock on the door jam.

"I will call you back," the executive behind the desk said, hanging up
the phone.  He had a gray laptop sitting on his desk plugged into the
wall.  "Can I help you gentlemen?" he asked, taking us both in with a
glance.  For once I was glad I had worn a suit.  He was the type that
would have dismissed me out of hand otherwise..

"Good morning I am Mike Peters.  Who are you?"  I just watched the
guys face.  He clearly had no clue who or what Mike was and I had never
seen him before.  Mike looked at me and indicated that I could do what
I needed to.  I walked around the desk behind the Suit and pulled the
plug out of the wall.  Data jack number 2.  Pete would get a spot bonus
for this one.

"Excuse me, but I am trying to work here."

"Not any more and you still haven't told me who you are," Mike replied.
I just leaned against the wall enjoying the show.

"Not that it is any of your business, but I am Terry Williams and I am
working for Mr. Kelly."  Mike pulled his cell phone off his belt and
punched a number.

"Could you ask Craig to step down to room 1530 please?  Thanks."  Mike
hung up and looked at Mr. Williams.  Then he looked at me.  "Might as
well check it out," he said.

I pulled out my own phone and punched a number.  "Hey, it's Gary.
Bring your toys to 1530 please.  Thanks." I was walking towards the
desk as I hung up.  I reached for the keyboard of the laptop when Tony
Williams slapped my hand.

"That is personal property, thank you."

"Anything brought into the building is subject to search," Mike recited
in his best security guard voice.  "And if you touch Mr. Preston again,
I will have to file charges."  Mike was having none of this guy.  I did
not blame him.  Craig entered the office before I could return to
the keyboard.

"Mr. Kelley, this individual claims to be working for you.  Can you
confirm his story?"  Mike was treating Craig like a normal employee
instead of the CEO.  Craig got a dark look on his face, but not for
the way Mike was treating him.

"Yes, I can confirm that he was working for me."  I noted the past
tense.  Nikki came in the door and slid along the wall, looking at me
and Mike and Craig.  Terry was looking at Nikki.  Not that I blamed him.
She held out the disk to me.  If I did not know better, I would swear
she felt like a mouse in a room full of cats.  Both Mike and Craig
acknowledged her presence and I waved her to the machine.  She did this
more than I did anyway.  Terry started to sputter, but one look from
Craig was enough to shut him up.  I stepped up beside Nikki to look
over her shoulder, but stayed out of her way.  Her hands were trembling
as she typed in the commands and started scanning the disk.  It did not
take long.  The machine was dirty.  If viruses and worms were like
common dirt, the machine would be called filthy.  As it was there were
over a dozen infections on it.  We had gotten very lucky.

"We have a winner." I said to Mike.  He just nodded.

"Thanks Gary," Craig was speaking to me but looking at Terry.  "Would
you let Jerry know please."  There was no question in his voice.

I nodded and ejected the disk from the machine and threw it in the
garbage.  I gently steered Nikki out of the office and down the hall
to a smaller conference room where I closed the door.  She was shaking.
When the door clicked shut she almost collapsed into my arms and a
little whimper escaped her lips.  Her trembling was getting worse.

"Shhh.  What's wrong?" I asked stroking her hair and shoulders.

"Do you know who that was?" she asked in a small voice.

"A former employee?" I responded with a question in my voice.  I had
no doubt that 1530 would be empty in a matter of minutes.

"Yeah, I guess so." she started to laugh a little and then kissed me
briefly.  "Thanks."

"You're welcome.  Come on, I have to go and brief Jerry before Craig
gets there and I suspect you still have a few machines to work on.
She nodded and we went our separate ways.

I took a round about route to the Board Room where I found the posse
eagerly awaiting news.  I avoided the group and made my way to the
coffee machine.  I found I was shaking a little myself, the after
affects of adrenaline draining from my body.  Jerry joined me.

"Mike and Craig have it in hand," I reported.  "The guys name was Terry
Williams and his machine was a virus factory.  Once I get the all clear
from Janice, I will reengage the network."  Janice was on her cell
phone and mine started ringing.  "Excuse me," I said as caller ID
indicated it was Luci's desk.

"This is Gary," I said in answer.

"I really want to run my tongue along the underside of your cock,"
Luci breathed into the phone.

"That sounds like fun," I replied, trying to keep my face neutral.

"And then I want to suck it deep into my mouth, cupping your balls in
my hands and gently squeezing them as I slide up and down, dancing my
tongue along your hard length." she was on a roll and I had to
distract her.

"No, actually I am in the Board Room with half the company VIPs," I
responded trying to distract her.  She was having none of it.

"Slowly stroking you until you explode into my mouth.  I so want to
taste you."

"Maybe later.  Any progress on the database?"  Maybe being direct
would help.

"Definitely later.  The database is hosed.  Where is Paul?"  The shift
in gears was like two different people.

"That, my dear is the million dollar question." I looked around the
room and did not see Pete anywhere.  "I am on my way back down," I said.

"I can hardly wait," she said breathlessly into the phone before
hanging up.  I walked over to Jerry.

"As much as I would love to say and chat," I started, "we have another
fire that needs work so I am going to go and see what I can do.  Pete
deserves a bonus for this one."

Jerry nodded and wished me good luck as I headed for the elevator.
It was a little after 10:30 in the morning and I was already exhausted.
This was stacking up to be a long day.

I got off the elevator and headed to the kitchen for a bottle or two
of water.  I still had not had a cup of coffee, but the way the day
was going, I did not need any more stimulation.  Between the problems
on the network and Luci and Nikki, I was hoping I did not have a heart
attack.  I chuckled to myself at the thought of the two of them
together tackling me and I had a smile on my face when I got back to
our spaces.  The smile lasted all of about 20 second.  Pete and Eric
were in a full scale yelling match in the middle of the hall.

"Knock it off, both of you!"  My volume was still higher than theirs.
I turned first to Pete.  "Have you found Paul yet?" I asked.

"No."

"Get the network put back together.  Is Steve here?"

"He's on the phone to Austin."

"Let him know we are waiting on the all clear from Janice which should
come in a minute or two and he can bring the WAN back up.  You can
start putting the network together from the ground up.  Leave 15 out
until you get the word.  Oh, and Pete, good job this morning."  He
nodded and headed to his office.  I turned to Eric.

"Why are you here and not upstairs cleaning machines."  This had
better be good.

"I needed more disks."  I could tell that is not what he was going to
say, but I also knew better than to get into it.  We had a lot of work
ahead of us and I would have to deal with the feud later.  Eric was a
good technician, but Pete was a good engineer and I suspect Eric was
trying to tell Pete how to do his job.

"So why are you still here?" I asked as I turned for Alex's office.

Alex and Luci had their heads together.  They looked like a
father/daughter team as they were tracking something through the log
files on the screen.

"Anything interesting on TV, kids?" I asked from the door way.  Luci
scowled at me and Alex looked flustered.

"No, not really," Alex responded.  "How do I get these things
printed off?"

I came around his desk and showed him how to get the files out.  I
could see why they were unhappy.  There was a raft of error messages,
most likely generated from one or two originating sources.

"Did you find a root cause?" I asked hoping for enlightenment.  Luci
looked ready to take my head off.  I actually looked behind me to see
if she was angry at someone else, but nope, she was looking at me. For
the life of me I could not think of what I had done.

"Files are on the printer, but I cannot figure this mess out," Alex
said into the space between us.  I was about to turn and get them and
Luci was pushing past me.

"I will see you in your office," she said as she passed the door.  I
looked at Alex and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Keep looking Alex," I said heading for the door. If you find it before
I do, sing out.  If you start going cross-eyed, go down and check the
status of the systems.  In fact, that isn't a bad idea if no one has
done it yet." With all that was going on this morning, I could not
remember if I had set anyone that task or not.

I hung up my jacket and took a sip of water as I settled into my chair.
I was just downloading the log files when the door slammed.

"This building is only curtain wall construction you know.  Slamming
doors could cause entire sides of the building to slough off."  I was
trying to be funny.  I do not like doors slamming, especially when
they are mine.  I still had not looked up to acknowledge who ever the
door slammer was, but my nose told me it was Luci and the pile of paper
she slammed onto my desk confirmed it.  She had an amethyst ring on
today that I had not seen before.  I glanced up at her and there was
fire in her eyes.

"If you could bank your fury until after the current disaster is dealt
with please.  I have enough to balance this morning."  I really was not
looking at her but sorting through the logs in front of me.  I should
have known better.  She grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked me
towards her across the desk.  At least I think that was her intention
because I only came up out of my chair and scraped my leg across the
underside of my desk and it hurt.  The look on my face startled her
and she let me go, in the process transferring some of her rage to me.
I still had no clue what was bothering her, but I knew what was
bothering me.

"Unless you have something positive to offer here Luci, I suggest you
return to your office." I tried not to grind it out, but that is what
it sounded like.  I was trying very hard not to yell or get upset but
I was on the verge of throwing things and she was the nearest target.
Worse, I really did not want to be angry at her.  At least she did not
storm out of the office but I was back into the files and never really
saw her cross the threshold.

Forty-five minutes later I finally had the solution to the problem, but
it was not pretty and it really required a DBA to implement from what
I was seeing.  I picked up the phone and called Pete.

"Pete Mannor, networks," Pete answered on the second ring.

"Pete, it's Gary.  Please tell me you found Paul."

There was silence.  Then, "Are you in your office?"

"Yes.  Come on down." I hung up the phone and waited for Pete.  It was
not long and he closed the door, much more gently than Luci had an
hour ago.

"We have a problem," he began.

"I was beginning to suspect that.  How big a problem?"

"I got a hold of his wife at work."  Score one for Pete. I would not
even know how to get these guys wives if I could not find them at home.
Note to self - get spouses work numbers.  "Paul hasn't been home in
a week."

"Today is only Tuesday. You mean he has been missing since
last Wednesday?"

"I wouldn't say missing.  He was here on Thursday and we all remarked
on the fact that it looked like he had slept in his clothes."  I did
not like where this was going.

"Spit it out Pete."

"His wife threw him out of the house last week.  I got the feeling she
didn't really care where he was."

I hate it when I am right.  I sighed and added some more ribs to the
ark I was mentally building in my head.

"OK, thanks.  What is the status with the network?" I had a headache
starting between my eyes.

"Janice gave us the all clear and we have the core rebuilt and
operational.  Steve has the WAN up and we were about to put the two
together.  The site administrators report everything is clean on
their side."

"Fine. Get to it.  I have to go and talk to Jerry, if I can find him."
And if my phone would stop ringing, I thought, reaching for the receiver.

"This is Gary," Pete waved good-bye and headed out.

"Sure Mike, be right up."  Mike was calling from the Board Room.  I
might as well start there as anywhere.

Nikki was coming off the elevator as I was about to get on and she
held out her hand and blocked me from getting on.  Clearly she had
something on her mind.

"I need to speak with you a second," she said and pulled me around the
corner into the stairwell.

"I was on my way up to meet with Mike, make it quick please."

"What did you do to Luci?"

"Do?  Nothing that I know of other than try to keep her from separating
my legs from my body.  I really have to get upstairs Nikki."

She looked like she was going to argue, but decided against it because
she opened the door for me and indicated that I should precede her.

"We aren't finished, Gary," she said as she walked back to the offices.

"Take a number," I shot back as I stepped onto the elevator.  This was
turning into a lousy day, and it was not even lunchtime yet.

Mike, Craig and Jerry were in the Board Room, the rest of the posse
having returned to their desks, or been told to return.

"Good work today Gary," Craig said as I took a seat next to Jerry.

"Thank you, sir, on behalf of my team that did the bulk of it."  I
believe in giving credit where credit is due.

"You didn't seem intimidated by the Congressman," he continued.

"Excuse me?"

"That was Representative Terry Williams," Mike explained.

"OK.  Never met him before.  Not the best circumstances to meet him
under either."  What else could I say?  My job was extermination not
PR.  Mike chuckled and so did Jerry.  Even Craig smiled a little.

"I explained the situation to him," Craig continued, "and he was very
embarrassed.  Seems his kids have been using the machine and it didn't
even occur to him that it was infected.  He would like to know if your
staff can find the time to work your magic on it.  There isn't anything
on it he cares about, he just wants it operational."

I looked at Jerry and he gave a slight nod.  Generally we did not do
that sort of work on non-company systems.

"You know we would be happy to help out," I said.

Mike passed me over the machine in question and I put it on the table
in front of me.

"Thank you again gentlemen," Craig said standing up and shaking Jerry's
hand, then Mike's and then mine.  He and Mike headed out of the room.
Jerry looked at me and I indicated he better sit down.

"Do I want to know?" he asked.

"I don't want to know," I responded.  I laid out the issues with Paul
and our database and watched the emotions flit across his face.  I
also updated him on the status of the network.

"Can you do it?" he asked, referring to the repairs I felt needed to
be made.

"I won't say yes skipper, but I think so."

"OK.  Here's the plan.  Get started and I will talk to HR and as well
as get Missy working on a temp for the short term."  Missy was his
assistant and seemed to know ever technical temp agency in the area.
If anyone could find us a spare DBA until Paul was found or fired, she
could.  I picked up the laptop and was just leaving the room when I
almost bumped into Patricia coming in.

"Excuse me," I said standing aside for her to enter.  She was wearing
a cream coloured blouse and a long grey skirt, which made her look
very professional as well as a little younger than the 50 or so years
she had.

"No need, you are who I am looking for.  Craig wants a moment before
you go back down."

"Lead on, m'lady, I am yours to command."  I put a little flourish in
my bow which earned me a smile as we headed to Craig's office.

"Go right in," Patricia said as she resumed her seat.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Gary.  How long until you can deploy those little email devices?"

"Well sir, I am half a day behind, a man down and I still have work to
do.  I was hoping to have a report for you by the end of the week as
you requested but I am going to have to put you off at least a day I
am afraid, possibly two depending on circumstances."  He seemed to
think about it for a minute.

"How about you forget the report and push forward on getting them
ready for production."

"Fair enough.  How about an update on Thursday?"

"Good.  I look forward to hearing good news."

"I won't promise good news, sir, but I will do what I can.  Have a
good morning."

I walked back into my office a few minutes later, laptop in hand.
Luci was sitting on my couch, legs tucked up under her looking very
vulnerable.  She started to open her mouth, but I held up my hand,
similar to what she had done last night.  At least I got a small smile
out of her.

"I have to do my job and Paul's at the moment.  Can it wait?" I added
a silent please.  I do not know if she was still angry with me, but I
really did have to get the database up and running.

I was surprised when I got a smile and a nod of her head and a slight,
very unladylike snort.  She had been crying.

"Tissue?"

"Please."  Her voice sounded raw. I passed her the box from my bookshelf
and walked to my seat, putting the laptop on the corner of my desk.  I
do not think her eyes left me until I sat down.  As I was settling
into my desk and reaching for the phone, she took the opportunity to
blow her nose and dab her eyes.  I kept my finger on the hook release
and then put the handset back in place, looking at Luci.

"Better?  Ready to be seen in public?"  I was smiling at her when I
said it.

"No, but I don't have a choice do I?"

I wished I knew what was going on, but I had a list of things to do
and really had to get moving before the day got much further along.
As it was, my phone seemed to have a life of its own.

"This is Gary," I was in no mood to talk to accounting.

"Hi, Gary.  Janice gave me an update, but I wanted to see if Paul had
managed to get the database sorted out."

"Sorry Bob, Paul isn't in today and it fell on my desk, which is
currently knee deep in alligators."  Luci giggled from the couch and
made rowing motions.  I nodded my head.

"Any estimates?" I was guessing that his staff had not done a lot of
work today and he was feeling the heat.  I know how he felt.

"Well, I know what the problem is and in theory I know how to fix it.
Now all I need is the time to do it."

"Which I am cutting into.  I understand.  Let me know if we can help."
I hung up and put my head on my desk.  I had aspirin in the office
somewhere, but I could not remember where.  I heard Luci move and then
I felt her fingers on the back of my head.  She was still on the far
side of my desk, but it felt good.  I was content to let her rub my
head for a few minutes before my brain kicked back into gear and the
task at hand came back to the forefront.  I caught her hands in mine
and raised my head up to look into her eyes.  I kissed the palm of
each of her hands.

"I don't know what I did that has you so angry at me," I said, never
letting go, never breaking eye contact, "but I will try and make it
right, I promise.  However, right now I have to get accounting taken
care of."

She pulled her hands out of mine and came around my desk and perched
on the edge of it in front of me and took my head between her hands
and kissed me.  It was not passionate, but there was plenty of heat.
It was a quick kiss and she looked right at me afterwards.

"You don't have anything to make right for." She leaned in and kissed
me quickly again. "I am the one who should apologize."  She kissed me
again and let me go.  I did not know what to say, so I said nothing
and reached for the phone and punched in Eric's number.

"Eric?  Gary.  Saunter down this way when you get a moment will you,
I have a project for you."  I hung up the phone and captured Luci's
hand and kissed it quickly before turning to the keyboard.  Luci ran
her fingers through my hair once and made her way back to the couch.
She had just sat down with some sort of manual in her hand when Eric
appeared at the door.

"Looking for me?" he asked, eyeing Luci, who was doing her best to
ignore him.

"Yes.  This one comes from the top."  I picked up the laptop and
explained what I wanted him to do and saw him on his way out. I then
reached over to my book shelf where I keep a couple of signs, one of
which says "Mad Genius at Work.  Explosions Possible." and taped it to
the outside of my door before closing it.  I was certain that Eric's
tongue would start wagging, but I really needed to get the database fixed.

I don't remember much of the afternoon.  At some point I took my tie
off and loosened my collar and that was about it.  I was one with the
system and if you asked me what I did, I honestly could not tell you.
I seem to remember Luci slipped in and out a couple of times but I
noticed it with the sort of consciousness that you notice the wind blow
which is not at all.  It was not until the phone rang that I
really surfaced.

"Gary," I was still processing data in my head.

"When are you coming home, dear?"

"Oh, hello.  Umm, I don't know.  I have had my head in the array all
afternoon.  What time is it?"  I was trying to find the clock of which
there had to be a half-dozen in my office.

"A little after 5."  Five!

"Don't hold dinner.  I still have a fair amount of work to do yet.  The
accounting system died and Paul isn't here. And based on what I have
been seeing, the system was going to tip over soon anyway.  Sorry."

"That's OK.  Don't be too late.  I love you."

"I love you, too.  Bye."  I hung up the phone and rubbed my eyes at
which point I noticed Luci was looking at me.

"Hi.  Sorry, no fun on this side of the office today."  I tried to
smile as I did it.

"Actually, it has been interesting watching you work.  Jerry wants to
see you when you surface."

"Thanks." I picked up my phone and dialed his extension.  "You want to
see me, skipper?  OK, be right over."  I hung up the phone and tried to
stand up only to find my legs were not working right.  It took two
attempts to stand up and I managed to haul myself to the door.  "I will
be back in a few minutes," I said to Luci as I let myself out.

"You look like hell," Jerry said when I stuck my head in his office.
Not how are we coming or where do we stand, but you look like hell.
And it was only 5:30 in the evening.  An evening that was likely to
roll into tomorrow morning at the rate I was going.

"Thanks.  You are buying the pizza."

"Sure, just submit the receipt.  How are we making out?"

"I am maybe a quarter of the way there.  Paul really let things slide.
I guess things were worse at home than we knew because there are real
issues with the database.  I am going to take over a PC and start the
diagnostics on the array while I work on the script to put everything
back together in case there are hardware issues we missed."

"Do what you need to and keep a record of what you are doing.  We will
need the documentation.  Missy found us someone if we get stuck, but
we cannot get them until Monday..."

"...at which point the accounting department will have been down for
almost a week and there will be people sitting on my desk until it
gets fixed." I finished for him.

"I wish we had other options."

"So do I, but we don't, so we soldier on.  Maybe this is the excuse we
need to get a junior in or trained."

"Already working on it as well as that other issue we discussed."
Other issue?  Oh, women's clothes.  I was almost sorry I brought it up.
Almost.  The image of Luci in my office wearing nothing but her
lingerie distracted me for a moment, but I knew it was for a good
cause that I had made the request.  "By the way, what happened to
the laptop?"

"Oh, Eric has his hands on it.  I honestly don't know how far he
has gotten."

"Update me when you find out."  He made a waving motion with his hand.
"Get back to work.  Your wife would like to see you tonight I am sure
and Luci probably wants to go home as well."

"Probably," I responded, hoping just the opposite.  "Actually, she
seems fascinated by me hunched over a keyboard.  Go figure.  See you
in the morning."  I turned to go by the kitchen to get some more water
and the bathroom before returning to my computer.

Luci was still sitting on the couch, her legs tucked up under her,
apparently reading the configuration manual from yesterday.

"You should go home," I said sliding into my desk and resuming my tap,
tap taping.  I set up an alert to go off at 7 so I could order dinner
and start the diagnostics.

"I already called home.  Tonight is drawing class and I usually spend
the evening in the bathtub before ravaging my husband when he gets
home."  Oh.  Really.  That was almost too much information.  If I had
not chanced to look up at that moment and seen the gleam in her eye,
I would have missed the point of the statement.  It was the part about
spending the evening in the bathtub.  I tried to keep my mind focused,
but my body betrayed me and my erection began swelling.

"Wench," I muttered and turned back to my script.

"Sorry?  I didn't quite catch that?" she was grinning, I could hear it.
I had also left the door open.

"I called you a wench."

"You think I am a big busted serving girl?" She cupped one breast and
lifted it slightly, running her tongue over her lips at the same time.

"Perhaps brat is a better term?" I was trying not to picture her in a
tight-bodice dress.

"Oh, you think I am a pouty little girl, do you?" She affected her
best pout.  She was not helping my condition and I think she knew it.

Unfortunately I had run out of terms.

"What's the matter big man?  Pussy got you tongue-tied?" I would have
to remember that little turn of phrase.

"Yes darling, your pussy has got me tongue-tied." If you cannot beat
them, join them.

"Not yet it hasn't," she responded with a very sultry voice and
returned to the document in her lap.  That was my cue to go back to
work.  Of course, it took a couple of minutes to get the image of her
in a bathtub out of my head and make room for the arcane language I
was trying to write in.

I lost myself to the project before my PC beeped at me.  It was 7 and
time for dinner.  I had been at work close to 12 hours and had
subsisted on water and a half a cup of coffee.  No wonder my stomach
was grumbling.

"Luci, what do you want on your pizza?"

"Hmm?  Oh, whatever you are having is fine.  Just no anchovies."

"Not to worry there." I dialed the number from memory and placed the
order and then went next door to take over Paul's PC.  It made the most
sense.  He had the array management software already installed and I
fired it up and told it to go and find out how things were running.
Housekeeping had been and gone and a quick walk around the department
showed us to be the only ones there.

I walked back into my office and raided my pizza money jar.  I kept
loose change and bills in my desk for pizza and other munchies and for
times when I had not made it to the ATM.  Today was one of those days;
I had been planning on going at lunch time.

"Pizza's here.  Back in a minute.  We might as well eat in the library
- it will save clearing a space in here.  What do you want to drink?"

She gave me a look that said "You" and licked her lips again before
saying, "anything diet is fine."

Somehow I managed to make it downstairs and get the sodas, pick up the
pizza and get back on the elevator without my erection subsiding one
little bit.  I was just walking back into our spaces when I finally
returned to normal.  We have a small conference room that was lined
with bookshelves, and thus books.  We called it the library and it
served many function in the department.  Tonight, it was a dining room.
Luci padded in on stocking feet and dropped down in a chair as I fished
some plates off a top shelf.  She set about opening the sodas while I
served up the pizza.

"Dinner is served madam," I said with a flourish.

"Oh, so now you think I am a senior prostitute?"  I could tell I was
not going to win so I just started eating.  Luci joined me and her foot
snaked up and down my calf.

"No charlie horse tonight," she said pulling her chair into a position
across from mine at the foot of the table and ran her foot up my calf
and across my thigh all the way to my waist before doing the same thing
with the other foot.  She was sitting on the edge of her chair, rubbing
my flanks with her stocking feet while eating pizza.  It was very erotic.
I took a bite of my pizza, put the slice down and wiped my hands before
I captured her left foot with my right hand.

"Hey, no fair," she started and then sighed out loud as I started
rubbing her foot.  She slumped back in the chair, her leg bent at the
knee and her foot almost pushing into my crotch as I rubbed her foot
and toes.

"Where did you learn that?" she asked breathlessly.

"Just something I picked up," I responded.  I massaged her foot for a
couple of minutes before I reached for the other one and gave it the
same treatment.  With her left foot free of my hands, she pushed the
heel gently between my thighs, her toes moving back and forth over my
erection while I was massaging her right foot.  I do not know who was
having more fun.  I stopped to take another bite of dinner and she slid
both feet together and twisted her toes so that they were on either
side of my cock and my legs were slightly spread. She had a very
content look on her face as she played with me.

"You know, I often lie in the warm water and think about your hands
rubbing soap over my breasts," her hands started to slide over her
breasts as she talked.  "You have no idea how hard my nipples get, how
wet and slippery my pussy becomes." How hard my cock was getting
between her toes.

Luci opened her eyes and looked at me, smiled and slowly started
undoing the buttons on her blouse.  She undid the first three buttons,
revealing the curve of her breasts and what looked like a purple lace
bra that was close in colour to the blouse.  Her smile grew as she
undid two more buttons, which opened her blouse all the way to the top
of her skirt.  She had my complete attention as her feet squeezed
my cock.

"Have I mentioned you are a very naughty girl?"

"You think of me as a girl?"  Did I mention I was fighting a loosing
battle?  Time for a more direct track.

"No, Luci," I said as lifted her feet enough to stand up, trapping her
legs between my mine as I levered myself over her.  "I do not think of
you as a little girl." I said as I bent down to kiss her lips.  But it
was only a quick kiss.  I was not going to let her win this hand.  I
slid across her lips and along her jaw line which caused her to tip
her head back as she slid her hand along my neck and into my hair.  I
was willing to let her direct the direction of my head, as long as it
was along the line of her neck and down across her shoulder.  I nudged
her blouse with my nose and kissed down along the strap of her bra and
across the top of her breast.  The skin was so soft and I could feel
her breath catch in her lungs as her heart pounded under my lips.  Her
fingers were alternating between squeezing my neck and floating through
my hair as I trailed kisses along her breast and into the cleft between
them and back up the other breast.  I wanted to take them in my hand,
but I was using my hands for support on the table.  The nails on her
left hand were slipping beneath the collar of my shirt and her right
hand was sliding up and down my thigh as I kissed my way back up to her
shoulder and across her shoulder to her neck.  Three more kisses took
me back to her lips and our tongues entwined as her hand slid across
my chest.  I balanced myself on my left hand as I let my right trail
over her cheek, across the skin of her shoulder and over her breast.
She moaned as my palm crossed her nipple, hard and ready as I gently
squeezed it and she pushed up into my hand.  The hand holding my head
clamped tight on my neck as her other hand slid across the front of my
pants gaining her a moan from deep inside me.  I left my hand on her
breast, gently squeezing and tracing my thumb over the smooth skin
above her bra.

We broke our kiss and looked at each other.  She squeezed my cock
slowly and gently as I squeezed her breast.

"Oh Gary," she half moaned, half sighed.  "I have wanted to feel you
for so long.  I have wanted to feel your hands on me for so long.  I
am so wet right now and I want you so badly." She squeezed me again
as if to emphasis the point.

"And we are already way over a line that should never have been
crossed." I have no idea where my conscience came from, but it decided
to raise its ugly head now.

"I know and I don't care." Luci responded and squeezed me again as she
pulled me down to kiss me again. Her hand was pulling at the zipper of
my pants and she slid it down.  She reached inside to trace my cock
through my underwear.  I pulled back from the kiss and slid my hand up
to her chin.

"Luci, I have to finish." I meant my work, but I do not think she was
following because she seemed more intent on my cock, which had already
been oozing for the better part of a half hour.

"I know, but I want to feel you, taste you, hold you." Her kisses were
almost desperate.  I caught her hands and stood up.

"Luci," words were failing me.  I wanted Luci to feel me and taste me
and hold me.  She pulled my hands to her mouth and gently sucked on my
fingers, her tongue sliding gently between each digit.  My cock
twitched with each pass of her tongue over my fingers.  I was fighting
a loosing battle and I knew it.  I pulled my fingers from her mouth
with a great deal of reluctance and replaced them with my lips.

"Luci," I said pulling away and placing her hands on my chest, "I am
going to ask you to do something very difficult.  More, it is very
difficult for me to even put it into words."  I kissed her again and
slid over and kissed her neck and run my tongue over her ear.

"Luci," I whispered, "I want you to go home." I could feel her tensing
under me.  "Yes, I am throwing you out." I kissed her again to take
the sting out of my words.  I could see a tear in her eye and I kissed
it away.  "Luci, I am not throwing you out to prevent you from having
your way, but to get done what is an important job for all of our
customers."  She was trembling and the tears were forming in the corners
of her eyes.  I did not let go of her.  "Luci, hear me, please.  If you
stay, I will let you let you feel me, taste me, and hold me, and more
I will I will feel you, taste you and hold you.  I will kiss you, lick
you, nuzzle you, suck you and make you scream in pleasure.  And
tomorrow, Bob will chew me out, Jerry will chew me out, then Craig will
chew me out.  If there is anything left, you are welcome to chew on it,
but I will be on the outside looking in."  The tears were flowing and
I tried to wipe them away, knowing it was futile.

"Let me stay, please."

"Want to deal?" I asked, a small thought passing through my mind.

"What are you offering?"

A little smile crossed my lips and I kissed her quickly, but she was
not having any of that as she slid her tongue into my mouth and tried
to draw me out.  Her hands were trying to undo the buttons on my shirt.
I was doing everything I could to prevent her.

"You are close to being tossed out on you ass, little girl."

"You mentioned a deal?  So deal."  Her lips were only far enough away
that she could talk and she was not letting me up.  Talk about
negotiating from a position of weakness.  I decided to push my luck.
I clasped her hands in one of mine and undid the button and slide on
my pants, my braces keeping them from plunging to the floor.  I took
her left hand and slid it inside my underwear, letting her feel my
naked cock and bringing a groan from her lips.  She ran her thumb over
the head and I was struggling to keep my feet.  I let her have her way
for another minute and then pulled it out to her great dissatisfaction.
But I was not finished.  I took that hand, slid it up her her thigh.
She got the idea and dropped one leg off the chair so she could open
her legs and let me slide her hand up to her pussy.  I pushed my finger
against her satin covered pussy and she sighed.  I slid my finger and
hers under the elastic and she moaned.  I slid up and down her pussy,
mingling our fluids together and drawing an open mouthed sigh and a
groan all at once.  I tweaked the flesh of her outer lips and pulled
my hand away, earning me a clear moan of frustration from Luci, until
she saw what I was doing with my hand.  I brought my fingers to my
mouth and sucked each finger.  She practically threw herself into my
arms; her lips pressing against mine as hard as her pussy was pushing
against my cock.  Now to spring my deal.

"You can stay until midnight.  No arguments.  You behave yourself and
I won't throw you out early.  Break the deal and I will keep no less
than five feet between us for the rest of the week and ten feet after
that.  You will never be alone with me again.  Do your part and you
can have it all if you want it."  I was betting she could not behave
herself.  In retrospect, it was a good deal.

"Define "behave" stud," she said as she kissed me hard again, "and you
might have a deal."

This was the tough part.  I needed her in a box where I could get my
work done.  She wanted to play.

"You can sit on the couch, you can wander the office.  You cannot
touch me.  At midnight, you leave.   No argument. Tomorrow is a
new day.  Deal?"

I could almost see her brain tick over the options.  I also could not
believe what plans she was concocting.

"Deal."  It took her a less than a second to come the decision. She
pulled me down and kissed me.  I thought I had won.

We finished up dinner with a little more play, but nothing serious.
She was keeping me on edge and I was enjoying her antics.  For my part,
I was trying to fill my stomach.  I had a long night ahead of me and
I needed energy.  I was back at my desk a little after 8 PM, having
cleaned up the debris from dinner and checked the status of the array.
A quick call home to my wife telling her I would be a while still and
then back to the keyboard.  If everything went as I hoped, I would be
home a little after 4 in the morning.  If it did not, well, I guess
Wednesday would be a day off, once I was finished.  For her part, Luci
settled into the far end of the couch where she could see me, tucking
her feet up under her and settled in.  I closed my eyes, took a deep
breath and set to work.

I would occasionally hear Luci walking around the office or changing
position on the couch.  I really did not pay her any attention.  So far
she was keeping her word, but it was early yet.  I was brought back to
earth when the flash on the digital camera went of.  It took me a
moment to realize what I had seen and then I looked over to Luci.
She was still sitting on the couch, her blouse still open, facing
towards the filing cabinets and the digital camera there.  Well, she
was keeping to her word.  I did not say she could not take pictures.
She glanced over at me, smiled sweetly and got up and walked over to
the camera to check her handiwork.  She must have liked what she saw
because she put the camera back in position, walked back to the couch
and sat down again, this time slipping a shoulder out of her blouse.
It was a very sexy position and I watched her for a few more minutes
as she took several pictures like this, keeping some and deleting others.
I was hoping to see the one where she slipped the strap of her bra off.
From where I was sitting, she looked more beautiful that I had seen her
so far. With a sigh, I turned back to my work.  In some ways, I did not
like this deal, but I had things to do.

I had gotten used to the flash going off and when I looked up again,
it was close to 10 PM and Luci and the camera were gone.  If she was
in our spaces, I could not tell.  The only sound was the air
conditioning system and the fans on my workbench.  I submitted my job
to the server, crossed my fingers and leaned back in my chair,
closing my eyes.

"Gary, you will get a sore back if you sit like that."  I must have
fallen asleep.  I looked at the clock and only fifteen minutes had
passed, but Luci was right, because my back was already complaining.
She was standing in front of my desk holding her hands.  The buttons
on her blouse done up, at least for the moment.

"Thank you, Luci."  I blinked my eyes and pulled myself back up and
glanced at my screen.  No error messages yet which was not necessarily
good news, but it was not bad news either.  Luci was still standing in
front of my desk holding her hands.

"I know I didn't say you couldn't stand in front of my desk, but I
feel like I am being watched."  I smiled up at her.

"Sorry," she was biting her lip.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask a question?"

"You mean in addition to the one you just asked?  Yes."

"The chip is full," she indicated the camera.  Oh.  OH.  It was a big
chip, capable of holding over 100 pictures.

"And?  You would like the contents saved?"

"Yes, please.  Can you save them, erase the chip and not look at
them, yet?"

"I can do that," I responded as she passed me the camera.  Our hands
touched in the transfer and I heard her sharp intake of breath.  I
looked at her and I could almost see a tear forming. It took me a
minute to put the pieces together.  I was tired and still had a lot of
work to do.

"Luci, I am not heartless," I said, I captured her hand and kissed her
palm, slowly letting my tongue wander over the creases in it.  I could
see her pulse quicken in her wrist and hear her breathing grow ragged.
I turned her hand over and ran my thumbs over the back of her hand and
a low moan escaped her throat.  I released her hand and extracted the
chip from the camera.  "Our deal still stands.  No violation my lady."

The smile she gave me would light up a room and I stood up and leaned
across the desk.  She leaned into me and we kissed, her hand slipping
around my neck.  I chose to allow it.  My PC beeped and I broke the
kiss with more than a little reluctance and a slight moan of frustration
from Luci.  I looked at the screen and started to curse silently.  I
had hoped the script would execute correctly on the first shot.  I was
not going to be so lucky.  Luci felt my change in attitude and stood
up.  I put the chip in the reader and moved the files as she asked,
then deleted the chip and handed it back to her.  I kissed her hand
once more and turned back to the screen.

"I am sorry, Luci." I said, not without a little reluctance.
I was sorry.

"I understand, Gary.  I will be back in a few minutes."

She took the camera and left the office.  At some point she had put her
shoes back on and I heard her click out of our spaces.  My mind was
returning to my work, but I took a moment to set my alarm for 11:40.
It was the least I could do for Luci.

It took another hour and three more iterations to get the script to run.
All this to get the files set correctly across the database so that I
could start the reload process.  If Murphy stayed home, it would take
six hours to restore from tape and then roll the transactions back to
the point of the last known good state.  I was looking forward to at
least another eight hours of work, six of which I hoped to spend asleep.
It would not be the first time I had slept on my couch, but it was a
necessity.  I submitted one last clean up job and looked around the
office.  Luci was not in the office and I did not hear her either.
I got up and headed to the restroom, swung through kitchen and
returned to my office.  Luci had not returned from whatever mission
she was on.  I looked around the department and did not find her.
It was going to be interesting to see what pictures she had taken.

I slid back behind my desk once more and started pulling documents
together.  I was way outside my comfort zone and I wanted to make sure
to get it right on the first shot.  Otherwise, there would probably be
an even bigger mess to clean up in the morning than the one I was
crawling through now.  I needed a drink and settled for water.  I was
just about to go looking for Luci when she walked through the door.
At some point she had put lipstick on, which I thought odd because she
rarely wore any at work.  She smiled at me when she came in and put the
camera on the desk with a smile.

"I am going to go home early," she announced.  "Is that all right?" No
it was not all right and furthermore it was my own fault.

"Yes, Luci. I am sorry."

"Don't be.  You are keeping things afloat. And I am not being of much
help.  I really want to throw you on the couch and ravage you.  If I
could figure out how to tie you to it I would, but I know that the
sooner you knock this out, the sooner I get to knock you around."
She was grinning from ear to ear.

"There is rope and duct tape in the bottom draw, in case you are
interested." I said it without looking at her, concentrating on
downloading and cleaning the chip.  I heard the drawer I had indicated
slide open and a little giggle escaped Luci.

"You weren't kidding, were you?"

"Nope.  You never know when you will need a roll of duct tape."  I was
smiling at her.  "Are you done with this?" I asked, indicating the camera.

"Yes, thank you," she said reaching for it and returning it to where it
lived.  "Can I have a kiss before I go without violating the deal?"

I stood up and walked around the desk to where she was standing and
pulled her towards me.

"You may always have a kiss, Luci," I said, leaning in to kiss her.
It was a long, deep touching kiss.  Our bodies molded together, each
one wanting to be inside the other.  Luci was behaving herself and I
was doing my part not to raise the heat.  Luci pulled away first but
did not let me go.  Looking into my eyes and lazily tracing her hands
through my hair.

"I won't say I had fun Gary, but it was interesting and there were
moments today when I wanted to see you dead." She put her hand over
my mouth as I was about to say something.  "It was a mistake.  Not your
fault.  An overreaction.  Done and dealt with.  OK?"

I could only nod.

"Good.  Now, I have one more thing to take care of and then I will
slip out.  I won't tell you to sleep well, just promise me you will get
some sleep.  I expect you will still be here in the morning when we
all return and will be heading home shortly there after.  If you are
still here and you don't leave, I will personally drive you home and
put you to bed, and you won't enjoy it."

Another nod.

"You are a wonderful man.  I will see you tomorrow."  She removed her
hand and kissed me quickly once more and slipped out of my arms.  "Get
back to work," she turned me towards my desk and gave me a little push.
I could only shake my head and do what I was told.

The alarm on my laptop brought me back the surface again.  I remembered
Luci coming into the office and putting something on my desk and leaving
just as quietly, but I do not remember whether I even said good-bye.
I would have to make up for that in the morning.  The restores were
ready to start and I took one more minute to make sure I had everything
were it needed to be and hit the go button.  On the edge of my desk was
a simple white envelope with my name on it in Luci's handwriting.  I
picked it up and put it in my pocket as I headed for the elevator.  I
still had to go down and load a couple of the tapes that were needed.
We had a tape library, but it only held a weeks worth of tapes.  I was
pulling from as far back as three weeks and need to have them queued up.
We had two computer rooms.  The file servers and email servers were in
the computer room on the fourth floor while the big UNIX hardware,
which was generally too heavy to bring up the elevators were on the
ground floor along with a special room that was the tape safe.  I was
one of the handful of people with full access to both.  I quickly put
the tapes in the library and returned to my office.  I had about six
hours to wait for all the data to be restored from the tapes before I
could finish up the work.  I sat down and set a status email to Jerry
and Bob, a more general one to the rest of the accounting department
and one to my wife, who would kill me if I called and woke her up at
midnight.  Then I opened Luci's letter.

	Darling Gary,

	If I knew this morning that you would spend the day fighting
fires and other acts of nature, I might not have take such care in
choosing my clothes.  I would not have taken such care in choosing my
panties and bra.  I would not have made sure my jewelry was just right.
Oh, who am I kidding, ten minutes in your arms would have made every
decision worthwhile even if it had taken me a week to choose my clothes.
Tomorrow I will take just as much care, even though I know you will be
leaving as I arrive, just as I have taken care every morning since I
first met you.

	I hope you enjoy the pictures I took.  I did have fun taking
them.  I only wish you could have taken the pictures.  Perhaps next time.

	Pleasant dreams my love.  And if I have to take you home
tomorrow and put you in bed, you won't enjoy it, but you might like it.
I know I would.  You need a few things in your drawer along with the
duct tape.  I suggest some lengths of silk, perhaps some velvet and a
mink glove.  If I come up with anything else, I will let you know.

	All my love,

	Luci.

	PS: I thought of something else.  I will be sure to pick it up
tomorrow and add it. xo

I got the feeling that Luci was going to drive me crazy before this
 week was over if the work did not do it first.

I checked the restore and things seem to be running all right.  I
walked into Paul and Alex's office and shut off Paul's PC.  I expected
our rented DBA would need it tomorrow...check that today.  Back in my
office I closed my door and turned off the overhead light before
returning to my desk.  I opened up Luci's pictures and set them to run
in slide show mode.  The first few pictures were the ones I remember,
with her shoulder slipped out of her blouse, her strap hanging down.
She was playing to the camera.  Stroking her breast, making faces.
They were kind of cute and in some cases, sexy.  Then they got down
right erotic.  The scene shifted and Luci was in her office.  Somewhere
along the way, she had removed her blouse and was sitting at her desk,
feet on the floor, leaning back looking at something on her monitor,
hands playing with her breasts.  The scene shifted and one of her hands
was between her legs another shift and her breast was bare and she was
rolling her very hard nipple between her fingers.  Another shift and
she was standing, legs bowed and her hand clearly under the hem of her
skirt.  The pictures were progressing more and more towards what seemed
to be her having an orgasm in her office to something on her screen.
At one point she had her skirt hiked up to where you could see her
hands plunging over the top of her panties and you could see the
outline of her fingers digging in her pussy.  Her legs were clad in
grey stockings that stayed up by themselves.  The last two pictures of
the series were the most intense.  The second last one showed Luci
sucking on her fingers, eyes closed, and the tip of her tongue
splitting the digits.  The last one was a picture of her monitor, and
image that she had been looking at.  I almost came on the spot before
it shifted again. I was going to remember that picture and all of the
implications it presented.

It was well after midnight and the restore seemed to be running well.
I quickly glanced through the rest of the pictures but fatigue was
racing through my body like a steam train.  I would have plenty of
time to look at Luci's work later.  Right now, I needed sleep.  I set
my alarm for 5 AM and walked over to my couch.  The last thought I had
as I drifted off to sleep was that Luci had fulfilled her part of the
deal.  I had made a bet and I had lost.  I was not convinced that I had
done the right thing and my conscious did not let me forget, plaguing
my thoughts until I slipped into unconsciousness.

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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