The Detail

“Here we go again,” Mara thought. “Another one of these f--ing details.”

She allowed nothing of her inner monologue to show on her face. Instead, she stood at attention in line with her team.

Before them stood Naomi Argent. A gorgeous young woman whose countenance might have illustrated the word diva in the dictionary, Naomi wore a lustrous silk dressing robe, lushly accented with fur lined collar, cuffs, and hem. Her slender feet were slid into high heeled slippers garnished with poms of the same lush fur over the toes. She stared at Mara with cold appraisal and unabashed disdain.

“Sergeant Mara West, Security Forces,” Mara said in introduction. “To my right, Specialist Kathleen McGuire. To my left, Privates Ellen Hunt and Jennifer Park.”

“My bodyguards,” the woman said with neither approval, nor interest.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t like that you’re housed inside with me. But I don’t have a say in the matter. So make life easier for all of us and stay out of my way.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Without another word, Naomi turned and walked away. As Mara watched her charge’s elegant stride, she couldn’t deny that the woman knew how to cultivate and exude sexiness from both her wardrobe and movements. If only her personality had one quarter the appeal of her looks, Mara thought, she would be a truly lovely woman, rather than just a very attractive one.

When Naomi was out of sight and earshot, the security team relaxed.

“Why do we always get stuck with the stuck-ups?” Kathleen asked.

“Because we know how to keep them safe despite themselves,” Mara said.

“Could we maybe pretend we don’t know how?”

“Sorry, Katie. We’re too smart for our own good, and the major knows it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kathleen said with a frown and a shake of her head. “So, what’s the plan?”

“The plan? You know the plan. We’ve been over it a dozen times.”

“No, not the security plan. I can recite that in my sleep. I mean the plan for dealing with the charming Ms. Argent.”

Mara didn’t answer immediately. Kathleen waited a moment, then prodded some more.

“Same as last time? It worked really well.”

“Yeah, it did at that,” Mara said. “Let’s see how the rest of the evening and tomorrow go.”

“And if her attitude doesn’t improve?”

“Then we’ll see about making it better ourselves.”

“One night and one day?” Kathleen said. “Fine. I can deal with that....”


* * * * * *


One night and one day changed nothing.

The security team kept a low profile inside the house and stayed well away from Naomi, except when required to give her regularly scheduled updates. At those specific times, Mara approached her as politely and professionally as she could, and ensured the meetings took as little time as possible.

But none of it was enough. Naomi always found a need to be where a member of the team resided. She would then chide and deride her protector for idiocy and incompetence. At the scheduled meetings, she treated Mara no better. Insults and accusations comprised Naomi’s entire portion of the conversation.

Late into the second evening, Kathleen approached Mara in private.

“Has it been long enough?” the specialist asked. “Can we implement our plan now?”

“Let me think about it,” Mara said.

“You know there’s no other way. And you know it’s only going to get worse. She’s a piece of work and a half. No wonder they’re worried about her safety. I’d like to kill her myself, and I’m being paid good money to keep her safe.”

Mara sighed.

“Okay,” she said. “You, Ell, and Jen keep with the routine. I’ll deal with Ms. Argent.”

“Figures. You get to have all the fun.”

“Excuse me? I work for a living, Specialist, just like you do.”

“Yes, you do, Sergeant,” Kathleen said, suddenly all business. “Privates Hunt and Park and I appreciate your efforts for the team cause.”

“Thank you, Specialist. Dismissed.”

Kathleen snapped to attention, then stuck out her tongue before turning on her heel and exiting. Mara smiled and shook her head.

It was time to make things better...


* * * * * *


“Ms. Argent? Forgive the intrusion, but it’s time for our briefing.”

“What? Already? Fine, come in.”

“The last one of the day, I promise.”

“I should hope so, as I’m about to go to bed.”

Naomi relaxed on a chaise lounger in her robe and slippers. When she raised her head up from the magazine she was reading to look at Mara, her eyes widened in surprise.

“I thought this might make our meeting more pleasant,” Mara said.

The sergeant carried a serving tray with a half-filled bottle of sherry and two full wine glasses. She placed the tray on a table beside the lounger.

“It won’t hurt any,” Naomi said with no more warmth in her voice than ever. “But should you be drinking on the job?”

“My shift just ended. Specialist McGuire is in charge for the next eight hours.”

“Does that explain your...attire?”

Mara wore a khaki tank top, BDU pants, and nothing on her feet. She looked down at herself, then up at Naomi.

“Is this a problem? I figured that being off-duty, I could--”

“Of course you figured, instead of actually asking. I’m sure that you wouldn’t follow any dress code I gave you regardless. So wear whatever you want, whenever you want. Your indiscretion won’t offend me any more than your presence here already does. Not too much more, in any case.”

“Did you just make a joke, Ms. Argent?” Mara asked with a grin.

“I assure you that I didn’t,” Naomi said, with an icy tone to back up her statement.

Mara quickly shed her smile and handed Naomi a glass. Naomi took it and, without acknowledgment of the woman who had just given it to her, began to sip. The sergeant watched but didn’t take a drink herself. As expected, Naomi either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“On to business, then?” Mara said after Naomi had placed the glass back on the tray.

“Yes, let’s get on with--um, what are you doing?”

Mara had sat down on the lounger at Naomi’s feet.

“Am I supposed to stand as I drink?” she asked.

“Oh, I suppose not.”

“Thank you. Now, as to my report--”

“What the hell!” Naomi suddenly shouted.

Mara had scooped off each of Naomi’s slippers and taken the diva’s bare feet into her hands. She then began gently but masterfully massaging them.

“You seem tense,” Mara said. “If you’re going to bed soon, you’ll want to be relaxed so you can fall asleep.”

Naomi reddened and opened her mouth to unleash a torrent of furious curses and reprimands. But she uttered nothing besides an unintelligent sputter. Mara didn’t seem surprised at the lack of outburst.

“It’s okay,” the sergeant said soothingly, as she continued her massage. “This is really what you want. Exactly what you want.”

Flustered by both what Mara was doing and her own inability to protest it, Naomi simply gaped at the sergeant.

“Exactly what you want,” Mara repeated.

“Exactly...what I want?” Naomi asked unsurely.

“Yes, exactly what you want. It’s relaxing. So relaxing. And it feels good. So very good.”

“So relaxing? So very good?”

“That’s right. But you seem to be resisting it just a little more than I’d like,” Mara said. “Why don’t you have another sip of sherry?”

Still unsure, Naomi reached out to the tray and took hold of her wine glass. Then she brought it to her mouth and took a sip.

“That’s good,” Mara said encouragingly. “One more.”

Naomi complied.

“That should be enough. You can put the glass down. Good. Yes, you’ve taken in enough of the drug for it to have its full effect on you. No, no, don’t get alarmed. It won’t hurt you. It’s just going to help take the edge off. It will let you listen to me without getting upset. It will let you appreciate the buzz from the wine and enjoy the lovely massage that I’m giving you.”

As Mara spoke, Naomi swayed slightly. Her anger had waned, and her frustration had faded. Now, she sighed with each squeeze and caress of her feet, and otherwise just looked dazed.

“You’re feeling very relaxed now, Naomi. Very relaxed, very comfortable, and very happy.”

A sleepy smile spread over Naomi’s face.

“It’s getting harder to keep your eyes open. You just want to let them close and drift off into a luxurious sleep.”

Her eyes began fluttering. She yawned.

“Sleep, Naomi. Sleep. Sleep.”

After a few seconds, her eyes closed and stayed that way. The smile remained on her lips.

“Can you still hear me, Naomi?”

“Yes...” Naomi said softly.

“Good. You’re going to listen to me and do everything I say. Understand?”

“Yes...I understand...”

“From now on, you’re not going to be rude, mean, or in any way obnoxious to me. You will always treat me with kindness and respect. In fact, you will treat me as if I am your superior. You will act as though you are fearful of upsetting or offending me. When you treat me appropriately, it will bring you pleasure. When you are obedient and submissive towards me, you will feel relaxed, comfortable, and happy, much as you feel now. The more you behave this way, the more you intense the feelings will be. Is that clear?”

“Yes...it’s clear...”

Mara smiled at the effectiveness of the drug on Naomi and the diva’s resulting suggestibility. Still, one couldn’t be too careful. So she methodically repeated her instructions and then had Naomi say them back to her. Once she was satisfied that the behavioral conditioning would stick, she moved on to another topic.

“Now that we’ve tended to business, let’s move on to pleasure.”

Swinging her legs up onto the chaise, Mara placed her feet before Naomi.

“When I snap my fingers, you will no longer be a person. Instead, you will be a cat. Not a stuck-up, stand-offish cat, but a sweet, playful, affectionate one. You will consider me your owner, and you will want to please me by licking my feet. When I snap my fingers a second time, you will stop being a cat and return to being yourself--that is, submissive and obedient.”

Mara snapped her fingers.

Naomi blinked and took in a sharp breath. The she exhaled out a slow purr. Still on the lounger, she got on all fours facing Mara. With her “forepaws,” she took up one of her “owner’s” feet and began gently licking it. She lapped at Mara’s toes, then moved her tongue over and around the entire foot.

Mara giggled, as Naomi’s worship tickled her. But as it continued, the tickling lessened, and she then sighed in contentment.

After several minutes of attention on both of her feet, Mara snapped her fingers again. Naomi immediately sat upright.

“When you wake up,” Mara said, “you won’t remember anything that happened since I brought in the sherry. You will think that we shared a friendly drink, went over the security detail, and then I left, after which you went to bed and had a very restful night’s sleep. You will behave as I have instructed you, but you will have no knowledge that the change comes from anything but your own choice. Understand?”

“Yes...I understand...”

Again Mara repeated the instructions and then had Naomi say them back to her.

“Now, one more thing before I leave you for the night. You are very skilled with your tongue. Let’s see what else you can do with it....”


* * * * * *


Kathleen looked up to see Mara enter the room.

“I’m done for the night,” the sergeant said. “Anything to report before I turn in?”

“No,” Kathleen said. “How did it go with Ms. Madam Queen Ladyship Argent?”

“It went well.”

“How did you do it?”

“Spiked sherry, relaxing foot massage, repeated suggestions. Just like last time.”

“Cool. Is she good and brainwashed now? Ready to act sweet and nice?”

“Yeah, she’s ready to act sweet and nice--and obedient and submissive--to me.”

“To you?” Kathleen asked. “What about to us?”

“I work for a living, Specialist,” Mara said. “And I expect you to do the same. If you want Ms. Argent to behave a certain way towards you and the privates, then I recommend you do something about it.”

“Oh, is that how it is?”

“You complained earlier that I get to have all the fun. Well, now you can have some, too. The sherry is in the pantry. Hell, you might not even have to rub her feet to put her under. Do what you need to do to get the results that you want. Dismissed, Specialist.”

Kathleen straightened into a professional stature.

“Yes, Sergeant. Good night, Sergeant.”

Then she smiled and winked at Mara. This detail wasn’t going to be so bad after all....