===




    "All right. Let's discuss your interview."

    "Mmmmf."

    "You don't feel like talking?"

    "Mmmnngf!"

    Lady Obsidian - or, t be more precise, Alicia Belle, was enjoying Phantom's company. She had to. There wasn't really any option, given the circumstances, but to grin and bear it. 

    Phantom removed the gag, but she still did her best to smile. What was she going to do? Backing out was a dream that had long since passed. No, Alicia understood fully that what Phantom wanted, Phantom got... one way or the other. She was Phantom's little mascot for the time being, and she couldn't weasel her way out of it!

    That was both figurative and literal. Despite her hesitations about working for a big company like MirageCorp, Alicia was in no position to walk out on the deal, or do any kind of walking at all! After Phantom had brought her to the building, she had taken a detour to the "cargo entrance." A shiver had gone down her spine - she was fairly certain that she had seen other people being loaded into the building like cargo. Alicia didn't want that to happen to her. She didn't want it to happen to anyone! But, the threat was there, and there was nothing that she could do about it now. Either she cooperated with Phantom, or ended up bound and gagged. Well, more tightly encased than she already was.

    After witnessing the "cargo" being unceremoniously added to MCI's stores, Alicia was taken inside, stripped of all her bindings and remaining clothes, and given a new "guest" outfit. 

    "First of all, for the escape artist, I figure you'd enjoy a nice straitjacket."

    Alicia felt a bead of sweat down the back of her neck. "Well, I'm usually pretty good at escapology, but not all the time. In fact, I've sometimes really struggled with, uh, um, you know, getting out of restraints. Especially really tight gear. The , uh, MirageCorp brand straitjackets were always the hardest. They were stretchy and squeaky and I would just squirm and squeal in them."

    Phantom nodded. "Excellent! Well, as a repeat customer, consider this one 'one the house.' You can keep it when you're done with your term of service." 

    The evil executive snapped her fingers, and a gaggle of employees converged on Alicia to dress her in two incredible layers of bondage. 

    First came a leather straitjacket. This one was very nice; the leather was all polished and carefully manicured. It had the smell of oiled and well-maintained equipment. It also had the incredible tightness of gear that was designed for play, and not just looks. Phantom had them slip it over her arms as quickly as possible; there was no chance for her to react aside from blushing bright red!

    Once her arms went through the sleeves, her fate was sealed. Phantom grinned as they forced each arm just below her breasts. They zipped up her back and laced and locked each sleeve. The long sleeves continued and wrapped behind her. She couldn't use any of her normal tricks; there'd be no breathing in or out to get slack. This item was made to restrain. It didn't look quite as attractive as the shiny purple she sometimes fantasized about, but it got the job done.

    Without any way to balance, Alicia nearly fell, but Phantom, ever the watchful domina, caught her.

    "Careful! If you're not up to the challenge of walking around the facility, we can make an exception. But, while I get your uniform ready, you said you had some questions?"

    "Uh, well," said Alicia, "if I'm performing as Lady Obsidian...."

    Phantom tutted her lips. "Nuh-uh. You won't be performing. You'll be testing as well as doing spokesperson stuff. There is no show. You won't be going on camera and showing how you can escape my gear. You'll be proving that there's no escape at all."

    She swallowed with nervousness. Those words were getting to her! Alicia felt a certain amount of excitement welling up within her. 

    When the straitjacket was well and truly locked, Phantom kissed her captive on the forehead. Alicia liked it. Phantom could see. She went in again, kissing her this time on the nose. 

    "I know you're hesitant, Alicia..."

    Phantom snapped her fingers, and out came the second layer of bondage. It was a black sleepsack with red trim. It was thick and dark and clearly made to look good as well as restrain. They slipped her in it without too much difficulty - after all, Alicia wasn't - and couldn't! - resist, and she was very eager to feel just how tight they could get. As they laced and locked the straps, she was absolutely enthralled with the fabulously restrictive sensations.

    "....but really, you wouldn't be my prisoner if you weren't interested. Oh, I mean, you wouldn't be working for me if you didn't want to."

    Alicia's eyes darted left to right. Phantom lifted her into a wheelchair and the trio headed to the lab.


=====

    Hmmmmpgnh! 

    During transport, Alicia had been kept very strictly restrained. Phantom explained very matter-of-factly that they simply couldn't allow her to see the gear that she would be wearing. If she even saw it, smelt it, touched it, she might get an idea of how to escape it - and the test would be ruined.

    The result was a fat, multi-layered gag and hood to be worn as she was taken to the testing room. First, they parted her lips and Phantom stuffed an infalatable, rubbery gag. Second, a wide layer of tape was wound around her mouth. Third, an extra layer of thin microfoam tape was used to seal her lips and lower jaw. She was very quiet now!

    Mmmhp! Mmm-mmm! 

    Well... not quite. More like unable to talk. Phantom loved hearing it, and loved seeing Alicia try to explain her reluctance and how she wasn't ready to escape any heavy gear!

    "Now now, dear," said the pale mistress, "You mustn't act too much. Clearly you're getting excited."

    There was a padded leather blindfold over her eyes, but obviously she was still getting too much stimulation. Phantom politely removed it and placed a wad of cotton over Alicia's closed eyes, then replaced the blindfold! The pressure was immense and intense, and she felt much more blind and heavily restrained. To make certain that Alicia couldn't see or speak, they placed a pair of earplugs in her ears and sealed her up in a big leather hood! Aside from a pair of small holes for ner hose, there wasn't anywhere on her body now exposed to the outside. She was sexy, sealed, and totally helpless. Alicia imagined what she must look like; a pathetic cocoon, squirming in her chair as she was wheeled to the testing facility. Phantom steadied her with a firm hand on her lap.

    She couldn't hear Phantom speaking, but she knew she was saying something elegant and calming. She tried to relax...


====
    

    


    The cameras kept rolling, but the conclusion was foregone. 

    Alicia was trying as hard as she could, but she just couldn't manage to escape. Phantom had seen to that. 

    At first, the trial had been entirely fair. Alicia, wearing only a simple costume and a thick MirageCorp straitjacket, was to be filmed trying to escape. To Phantom's chagrin, not only did she not escape, she didn't even try. It wasn't very convincing.

    "They won't buy it," she said. "They need to see Alicia - no , wait! They need to see Lady Obsidian really trying to squirm. It looks like she's hardly even trying. Maybe she likes it just a bit too much."

    Alicia was given a few fixes in order to help motivate her to the appropriate level of squirming, squealing, and restraint! The first was the mask. Phantom gave her the small domino mask that she wore when she was acting and performing as her on-stage persona.

    The second was a kiss on the lips - and a promise of more to come should Alicia put on a good show. After all, if even the vaunted Lady Obsidian couldn't escape, then everyone would know that MirageCorp restraints were truly inescapable! 

    And finally, without telling Alicia... she quietly flooded the 'testing chamber' with some aphrodisiac gas. She'd never realize it until it was too late... and the results were spectacular. 

    Lady Obsidian was squirmy and putting on a truly splendid show. Smiling, mewling, moaning, grunting, and groaning, she tried her best to escape the jacket. She rubbed her front and rear against the walls - partly in a vain attempt to help allay some of her growing desires, as well as in a foolhardy attempt to get the jacket off! It didn't work for either one.

    She didn't give up until the timer ran down to zero; all the while moaning and grinning and putting on a truly stupendous show. It didn't matter that only a few cameras and scientists were watching; it was a show that none of them would ever forget!

...and, true to her word, when the testing chamber was opened and Alicia was put back in her sleepsack, Phantom made good on her promise. The kiss was long, passionate, and intimate; Phantom's tongue searched and teased, rubbing against Alicia's own mouth and gums. It was scintillating, strange, and profoundly pertinent to her current desires. 

    Phantom ordered that Alicia be taken to her room for a full debriefing - both both kinds. The escape artist grinned as the chair was wheeled away, eager for whatever Phantom had in store next.