"Ah, Mr. Proctor, good to see you again." The manager at the exclusive hotel said. He was short, a bit heavy, but with an easy charm and a professional but cordial demeanor. His less formal clothes, just jeans and a nice shirt often threw certain guests off. They expected someone who managed a place like this to dress more formally. To him, formal dress and not a sign of professionalism, it was a sign of formal dress, nothing more.

"And good to see you as well, Saul." Mr. Proctor said as he walked up to the counter. While he could have had an associate do this, he did enjoy talking to the manager here and arranging for things more personally. He did not do this with everyone.

"I trust your trip in was good? I know there was some weather."

"Yes, but the weather was hardly an issue. No, I feel I have another, much more pressing matter to attend to."

"Why don't we talk in my office?" It wasn't really a question, though it was phrased as so. "Shall I have them bring us refreshments?"

"Yes, please." Mr. Proctor said as he walked forward, heels clicking on the marble floor. Soon, both were seated across from the other in Saul's office and a moment later, a tray was brought in. It had on it some finger food, two tumbler glasses both with fine cognac and some cloth napkins. Saul handed Mr. Proctor the glass and Mr. Proctor took it in small, feminine hands with chipped red nail polish.

"So, picked up something on your way in?"

Mr. Proctor took a pull of his drink and then crossed his fishnet covered legs, careful not to show anything up his very short red skirt. He blushed a little, an interesting thing to see given he was a sixty-year old man of refinement.

"And lost something as well. My driver, it turns out he was not my driver. I didn't realize this until we started to go off the route here and by the time I realized I was being kidnapped, it was far too late. They drugged me and I found myself in my actual limo dressed like this, with this hooker's head below my neck! Oh, and they called, telling me if I didn't pay two million, they were going to keep my body and use my fingerprints to fool all of my biometrics! Also, somehow, they can do my voice! I don't know how, I mean, listen to my voice, but they said they could. They claim they're making a move on all of my safeguards."

"Yes, I see." Saul said. He didn't know what to say here. Financial security, while he might have to call an expert discreetly for a client, was not his actual thing. "Do you want me to call the people in town and arrange some things for you quietly?"

"No, not exactly. See, I can cancel all of my biometric information as long as I either do it personally or do it with people who can act on my behalf with my expressed permission. No, I need you for something else entirely."

"What, then?" Saul asked, confused.

"I will be needing a new wardrobe. I can't possibly be wearing this any longer than I need to. I would like you to set that up as soon as you are able."

"I can arrange for a personal shopper to be here and buy clothes for you. She can get your measurements, learn what style you are seeking and go from there. A common service, to be sure. Anything else?"

"Yes, they do have my phone still. I would like to use the phone here to call my phone and I wish you to be here when I do. I trust you to give an honest hearing to what is being said. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Saul said. "Do you want me to arrange the personal shopper first, or do you want to do this first?"

"This first."

Saul nodded, stood up, walked over and grabbed a cordless phone, and handed it to Mr. Proctor.

"One is the outside line."

"Thank you." Saul said, dialing his phone number. He had the phone on speaker.

"Yes?" A man's voice said.

"It's Mr. Proctor. I believe you have a couple of things of mine."

"Yes we do. Don't bother to trace."

"It is not being traced. And, I know that all that 'bouncing off twenty things' is merely for dramatic effect in media. The reality is if it was being traced, they'd have known before I even spoke."

"I see." The man said. "So, now that you've gotten that out of the way, have you considered our offer? Remember the stakes."

"Oh, the stakes? I do know those. See, this body is, what, twenty-five? Maybe a year or two younger?"

"I'd have to ask the woman who has your body."

"About that, poor thing. She's got the short end of it, having my old body below her neck."

"Well, if you're so concerned with her, I suggest you pay."

"Oh, I'm not. I know she's dead. Brain-dead at a hospital this morning. You don't have my body at all, do you?"

"Is that what you believe?"

"You know that fingerprints exist, right? Of course you do, you used that to threaten me earlier. I'm certain. A car accident, and you just dressed her as a hooker for, what, humiliation of me? Is that the plan there?"

"No, she's a hooker, she needed the money, and I'm done with this! Do you have the fucking money?"

"No! Of course I don't have it! Or, I should say, I do have it, but not to give to you! So, go ahead, try to use my body for biometrics, you'll be in jail nearly instantly. As for me, I have an appointment with a personal shopper who I am sure will find the perfect look for me. I'll see you in court to testify soon. Take care now."

Mr. Proctor then hung up and Saul, despite himself, started to laugh.

"Now I understand why you did so well at business. Tell me, the woman..."

"Every word I said was true. The ghoulish bastards stole this brain-dead woman from the hospital, poor woman's head took all the force of a car accident. Which reminds me, I do wish to discreetly help out her family if possible, maybe a million, I think. Unfair, given what they've lost, but I feel I should."

"I'm just glad they didn't just grab a woman off the street and do it."

"They probably would have, I think. Not that this is much better. Well, we can get them off the street soon enough. Oh, you did..."

"The traced number was automatically sent to the police. I doubt they'll be free for five more minutes."

"Oh, good." Mr. Proctor said, finishing his cognac and then standing up, his legs wobbly from the high heels.

"Do you need my help?"

"No, I think I have it. See if that woman will go more towards flats and low heels for shoes. I'm not ready for anything else quiet yet."

"I can do that. Would more formal or casual work better for now?"

"I have too many business meetings in town. All formal for now. After those meetings are done, I will see. But, should I meet her in my room, or should we have another room set up?"

"Your room would be the best, considering. I'll send her up about five minutes after the doorman escorts you up. I do not want you to try to walk all this even with assistants unless I have a person there."

"I thank you, Saul. So, next we see each other, I may be at the restaurant, enjoying a glass fine champagne and ideally much more presentable than I currently am. Thank you again."

Saul smiled and the door opened, revealing a bellhop and the personal shopper, who, waited until Mr. Proctor and the bellhop had left before the personal shopper came in.

She smiled as she shut the door.

"I do love a good challenge." She said with a laugh.

"I know you do, Melody. Make him powerful, chic, and feminine."