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COUNTERSTRIKE by Lana B. FORWORD This is a sequel to my story "Transformation Retribution." Enjoy. A word of caution: this story contains an act of graphic violence which is not gratuitous. It advances the plot and is depicted in a manner consistent with the nature, ideals and moral code of the character who perpetrates it. If you find violence objectionable please read no further. This story may not be re-posted without the permission of the author. PROLOGUE Dr. Alan Pendrake, president and CEO of The Transgender Institute (a/k/a TGI), watched from behind his large mahogany desk as Dr. Willis Scott, Pamela Wilkins and Tony Rizzo entered his penthouse suite in the TGI Building and took their seats in the expensive leather chairs. He'd called them to this meeting to discuss the unfortunate and distressing news he'd heard a few days ago. Pendrake watched as his co-workers settled into the chairs and crossed their legs. Excluding himself they were TGI's most important officials. Willis Scott was TGI's chief medical officer as well as Pendrake's trusted friend and confidante. Pamela Wilkins was TGI's special projects officer and Tony Rizzo was TGI's director of security. Pendrake took note of their inquisitive expressions and said, "I suppose you're all wondering why I called this meeting. Well, two days ago I received a phone call from Dr. James Rivera's wife Maria. And guess what she told me? She said that Rivera left her several months ago to undergo sexual reassignment surgery somewhere overseas. She wasn't even sure what country he went to. When Maria returned from Spain where she'd been visiting her sick mother she found a letter from Rivera on the kitchen table. He informed her that he'd always been a transsexual." What Pendrake had just told his associates made him recall his own conversation with Rivera a year ago. Rivera had come to him and requested an indefinite leave of absence from TGI. He'd claimed he needed the time off to work out some marital problems. Pendrake had granted the request and had wished him well. It was the last time he had seen Rivera. Pendrake looked at his associates and saw their surprised expressions. He asked, "Were any of you aware that Dr. Rivera was a transsexual?" "This is all news to me Alan," Willis Scott said. "I had no idea sir," Pamela Wilkins stated. "This is the first I've heard of it Dr. Pendrake," Tony Rizzo said. "Well I don't like it," Pendrake exclaimed. He added, "It seems a little too disingenuous that the man whose job it was to condition men into believing they were transsexuals turns out to be a transsexual himself." "I agree Alan. It's too coincidental," Dr. Scott offered. Pendrake turned to Tony Rizzo and asked, "Any news on the Daniel Goldman matter?" Pendrake was still more than a little concerned about Daniel Goldman, a prototype in a TGI pilot program who'd escaped and had quite possibly killed his owner and abducted a TGI operative. "No Dr. Pendrake. We haven't been able to find him. It's like he evaporated into thin air. But we're still looking." "Do you think he could be involved in this Rivera matter Tony?" "I guess it's possible Dr. Pendrake. But it's impossible to say for sure without more information." Pendrake was becoming impatient. He wanted answers and he wasn't getting any. He turned to Pamela Wilkins and asked, "What's your take on this Ms. Wilkins?" "Well sir, Dr. Rivera worked with transsexuals and men he conditioned into becoming transsexuals. Perhaps his exposure to these men over a long period of time somehow made him take a personal interest in transsexualism?" Pendrake looked mad. He said, "I'm surprised at you Ms. Wilkins. You of all people should know that in the absence of conditioning men don't become transsexual. They're born that way. Either he was a closet transsexual or there's been foul play." Pamela Wilkins' face reddened. She said, "Of course. I'm sorry sir." Pendrake looked at Dr. Scott and asked, "How's Dr. Minter doing Willis?" Pendrake knew that Howard Minter had served as TGI's acting director of psychological services in Dr. Rivera's absence and he was curious as to how Minter had handled his enhanced responsibilities. "He's doing a great job Alan," Dr. Scott advised. "Good. We're certainly not getting Rivera back. Let's give Minter the job outright." "I'll take care of it Alan." Pendrake turned to Tony Rizzo and stared straight into his eyes. He sternly said, "And Tony, I would like to hear something positive on the Daniel Goldman front. I'm tired of hearing you say 'We're still looking for him Dr. Pendrake.' You're the director of security. I expect results. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes sir." "Good. That's it for now people." After they left his office Pendrake stood up and walked over to the wetbar in the far corner of the room. He poured himself two fingers of Wild Turkey and knocked it down in one gulp. He felt the warmth spread over his chest. Pendrake returned to his desk and sat back down on the comfortable leather chair. He didn't like the events which occurred since Daniel Goldman's escape. And he wasn't sure what he could do to prevent any further incidents with Goldman still at large. Which was precisely why Pendrake was very worried. PART ONE- EVOCATION Dr. Howard Minter sat in a booth at Calhoun's, a bar & grill across the street from the TGI Building. Dr. Willis Scott, who'd invited him to lunch, sat across from him. Minter wondered what was going on. Scott had hardly even talked to him before. Whatever it was it certainly wasn't social. A waitress appeared and Scott and Minter each ordered the cheeseburger special and a bottle of Heinekin. She collected their menus and left. Scott looked at Minter and said, "Well Howard, I've got some good news for you." "Yeah?" "Congratulations. You're TGI's new director of psychological services." "I am?" "That right. And you'll receive a hefty raise and sit in on executive meetings. You're officially a big shot now." The waitress returned with their beers. She poured them into glasses and left. "Thanks Willis. But I'm a little curious about something. What ever happened to James Rivera?" Scott smiled and answered, "You're not going to believe me but I'll tell you anyway. Turns out Rivera was a transsexual and he went overseas somewhere to have sexual reassignment surgery. Chalk this one up to truth being stranger than fiction." "Are you shitting me?" "Nope. And it comes from a pretty good source. His wife." "That's unreal Willis. I wonder what led him to do that?" "Well, our little Ms. Wilkins theorized that it was Rivera's exposure to transsexuals that led him into becoming a transsexual himself. So you better be careful now Howard. It can happen to you too." Scott saw the look of concern spread across Minter's face and he said, "Take it easy Howard. It's a flawed theory. Pendrake ripped Wilkins a new asshole when she advanced it." The waitress delivered their meals and they broke their discussion for a few minutes to sample their lunches. Minter then asked, "So what do you think happened to Rivera?" "Well Howard, maybe he was a transsexual. If not he was probably the victim of foul play." "Foul play?" "Yeah. Pendrake thinks that some of the strange incidents we've had over the past few years are attributable to Daniel Goldman." "Who's he?" "Goldman was actually the prototype in the trilladoxalis pilot program. He escaped from his owner who was subsequently killed. And the male operative who'd abducted Goldman disappeared and then turned up working as a whore in a Mexican brothel. And now this business with Rivera, who conditioned Goldman into believing that he was a transsexual." "Holy shit." "My sentiments exactly Howard." They returned their attention to their meals. A few minutes later Minter looked at his watch and said, "Afraid I have to run Willis. I've got an appointment in ten minutes." He reached for his wallet and Scott said, "Put that away Howard. It's on me. I'll see you later. We'll talk about some of your new functions." A minute after Minter left the waitress returned and asked, "Will there be anything else sir?" "Yes. I'll have another Heinekin." Scott was in no hurry to return to work and figured he would have another drink and relax a bit. A few moments later the waitress returned and poured the beer into Scott's glass. She smiled and said, "Enjoy," before she walked away. Scott leisurely sipped his beer as he reflected on his long association with TGI. Twelve years ago he'd taken the job interview with Alan Pendrake that had resulted in his employment at TGI and he'd risen in the ranks over the ensuing years. And just five years ago he'd reached the pinnacle by becoming TGI's chief medical officer. Scott thought back to when Pendrake had initially offered him a job as a sexual reassignment surgeon. He'd been ecstatic at receiving the offer and immediately accepted. When he was in college and medical school he'd dabbled in a little crossdressing himself and had found the whole concept of transsexualism intriguing and provocative. And he'd also been involved in two gay relationships which he'd found stimulating. But when Scott began his employment at TGI he abandoned his little vices for the straight life. He perceived that Alan Pendrake would consider his proclivities as a conflict of interest and he didn't want to put his job at risk. So, he took his satisfaction from performing gender reassignment surgeries on others and he watched in sheer amazement and delight as young men were transformed into pretty women. Two years after Scott had joined the TGI team he married a young woman he'd met at one of Alan Pendrake's dinner parties. But that marriage had ended in a divorce after only three years. Scott's wife had turned out to be manipulative, demanding, and frigid too. Three years after his divorce Scott met a young woman through an Internet dating service and after courting her for eight months he took the plunge once more. But that marriage had ended in disaster as well when she'd left him for a professional baseball player two years later. She'd moved out on Scott in the middle of the night leaving all of her possessions behind. If there was anything positive about that misadventure it was that she'd left all of her clothes in Scott's home which enabled him to resume his crossdressing exploits. Like Scott his second wife had been 5'7" tall and her clothes fit him like a glove. Willis Scott's two failed marriages had soured him on permanent relationships with women. Over the past five years he'd engaged the services of an escort agency to satisfy his sexual needs. But lately he'd found himself craving a permanent relationship with someone who would truly love him. And that's when he got the idea of acquiring some Syndicate merchandise of his own. He thought that the ideal solution to accommodate his requirements was the acquisition of a transformed man. One who would be surgically modified into a beautiful woman and conditioned to love him and suit his personal needs. But Scott had not yet worked out the logistics in his mind. He didn't want Pendrake to know about it and he struggled with the mechanics of how to attain his goal. Scott's train of thought was broken by the waitress who asked, "Will there be anything else sir?" He looked at his wristwatch and saw that it was 2:00. It was time to return to work. "No. Just the check please." *** Willis Scott caught up on some overdue paperwork for the rest of the afternoon and left work at 5:30. It was Friday so he figured he would head over to Times Square and catch a few peep shows to celebrate the end of the work week. Scott pulled his Jaguar into the parking garage on 43d Street off Eighth Avenue. He handed his keys to the attendant in exchange for a receipt and he made his way over to 42d Street. He immediately saw Mona's House of Peep Shows on the corner and he walked up to the small booth in front of the establishment. He handed the attendant a ten dollar bill and stepped inside. He walked down the darkened corridor and came to a stop at the first door over which the red light was dimmed. He opened the door and stepped in. He then walked over to the chair in front of the large window and sat down. Scott watched as the window's interior drapes separated to reveal a reasonably attractive naked woman in high-heels. She had huge breasts which were at least a D-cup. Techno music blared out and the woman began to dance. Her tits swayed wildly as she moved to the music's thundering beat. The woman continued to dance until the music stopped ten minutes later. She then made eye contact with Scott. He knew that he could give her ten dollars and slip his dick through the window's four-inch round opening to get sucked off. But he didn't know whether she was clean so he shook his head. The woman closed the drapes. Five minutes later Scott was walking down Eighth Avenue seeking another peep show when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and looked down at an attractive blond person of indeterminate gender who said, "Hey dude, you looking for a good time?" It became obvious from the blonde's voice that he was male. Scott looked into his deep blue eyes and answered, "As a matter of fact I am. What do you charge?" "Well it depends on what you want. For $200 I'll do just about anything." "Suppose I wanted you for the entire night. How much then?" "The whole night? Geez, I don't know. I never did a whole night before." "Well would $750 cover it?" "Whoa....$750!" "I'll tell you what. Let's go back to my house in Bedford Hills. That's in Westchester. It's about an hour's drive from here. And tomorrow morning I'll drop you off right back here. Okay?" "I don't know. Westchester?" "Okay, you drive a hard bargain. I'll make it a thousand dollars." "Whoa....a thousand? Okay man." *** As he drove the Jaguar north on the New York Thruway Scott turned to his passenger and asked, "So what's your name?" "Larry Stills. What's yours?" "I'm Willis Scott. Nice to meet you Larry." "Yeah man. Same here." "So how old are you Larry?" "I'm 24. How about you?" "I'm 37 Larry. I hope you don't mind me asking but how long have you been plying your trade on Eighth Avenue?" "I actually just got in to New York yesterday. You're my first customer." "Yeah? Where do you hail from Larry?" "I'm from Oklahoma." "No kidding?" And Scott smiled at the thought that he'd just bagged himself a junior midnight cowboy. *** Forty minutes later Scott guided the Jaguar into the long gravel driveway which led up to his large 15-room colonial. As the car came to a halt in front of the three-car garage Larry said, "Whoa man, you've got a mansion." They entered the house and Scott led Larry into the upstairs living room. He said, "Take off your coat and make yourself comfortable. How about a drink?" "You got any beer?" "Absolutely. I'll be right back." Scott walked downstairs and entered his office where he retrieved the small vial from the refrigerator. He also grabbed a bottle of beer and he opened it and took a few sips. He then emptied the vial's contents into the beer. Scott returned to the living room and handed the bottle to Larry who took several healthy gulps from it. As Scott studied Larry's face he became awe-struck at how attractive he was. He was nearly pretty. "He's truly androgynous," Scott decided. Larry took another gulp of beer and said, "I just want to tell you that I don't do anything until I'm paid." He then yawned. "I understand. Finish your beer and I'll get the money." Larry took a long pull from the bottle until it was empty. He placed the bottle on the coffee table and yawned again. He said, "Geez, I'm really tired." And he shut his eyes and slept. Scott picked up Larry in his arms and walked downstairs to his office. He smiled in delight as he realized how light Larry was. He placed Larry on the examining table and secured the straps over his thighs and chest. He then prepared the drugs and nutrients that would keep Larry safely sedated for the next few days. *** At exactly 9:30am on the following Monday morning Willis Scott pulled his Jaguar into his personal parking space in the underground garage of the TGI Building. He'd called Howard Minter on the telephone yesterday morning and advised him to be prepared to receive a new patient on Monday morning. And he gave Minter a few of the details. Just as Scott exited his car Pamela Wilkins approached him. She was pushing a wheelchair. She said, "Good Morning Willis. Howard told me you've got someone for us." "Yeah. He's a special project. He's going to a friend of mine." Scott walked to the passenger side of his car and he opened the door and lifted Larry in his arms. He carefully placed him in the wheelchair. Pamela looked down at the unconscious figure and said, "Wow, he's some looker already. He won't need too much facial surgery. Where did you find him?" "Let's just say I picked him up in a yard sale Pamela." PART TWO- REGENERATION Larry Stills rested comfortably in the wheelchair. He was in Dr. Howard Minter's office on the third floor of the TGI Building. Minter sat behind his big oak desk and Willis Scott sat on the leather recliner next to the wheelchair. "Say Willis, he's a good-looking kid. Where did you get him?" Minter asked. "Let's just say I won him in an auction Howard. The sedatives should be wearing off by now. I think a little ammonia will bring him around." Minter walked over to the wheelchair and he placed the small capsule under Larry's nose and broke it in half. Larry shook his head slightly and moaned. Minter grabbed the hypodermic needle from his desk top and he inserted it into Larry's right arm and emptied its contents. "So that's trilladoxalis?" Scott asked. "Yup. Courtesy of Dr. Rivera. Or should I say Miss Rivera now?" "Very funny Howard." Minter returned his attention to Larry and asked, "Can you hear me Larry?" "Yeah." "So you're from Oklahoma?" "Yeah." "That's right. You are. And you came all the way to New York to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Larry." "I came from Oklahoma to New York to have sexual reassignment surgery." "That's right. You did. And do you know why you want this surgery Larry?" "Why?" "Because for as long as you can remember you've wanted to be a girl. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Larry." "I've wanted to be a girl for as long as I can remember." "That's right. You have. And when you arrived in New York you came straight to TGI and talked to Dr. Willis Scott who decided to help you realize your dream of becoming a girl. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Larry." "I talked to Dr. Willis Scott at TGI when I got to New York and he decided to help me realize my dream of becoming a girl." "That's right. He did. As a matter of fact Dr. Scott has become your benefactor and you are eternally grateful to him and in his debt. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Larry." "Dr. Scott is my benefactor and I'm eternally grateful and in his debt." "That's right. You are. And all of these thoughts are your own. Aren't they?" "Yeah." "Say it Larry." "These are all my own thoughts." "That's right. They are. And when either I or Dr. Scott clap our hands three times you will fall into a post-hypnotic trance. And when we clap our hands twice you will regain consciousness and feel fresh and invigorated. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "That's absolutely correct Larry," and Minter clapped twice. Larry blinked his eyes and looked at Dr. Minter. He noticed that he felt fresh and invigorated. He asked, "Where am I?" "You're at TGI Larry. I'm Dr. Minter, your psychologist. We've just had our first session. You know, so that we can proceed with your gender reassignment treatment." "Oh. Good." Willis Scott said, "You did just fine Larry. Before you know it you'll be a girl." Larry turned to Dr. Scott and smiled admiringly at his benefactor. He said, "That's good news Dr. Scott. For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a girl. And I want to thank you so very much for helping me realize my dream. I'm eternally grateful and in your debt." *** Pamela Wilkins showed Larry into his apartment in the residential wing of TGI that would be his living quarters for the next six to eight weeks. He walked around and scanned his new place. He viewed the large living room and bedroom, the kitchenette and the full bathroom. "How do you like it Larry?" Pamela inquired. "It's nice Pamela." "Yes it is. I've got to go now sweetie. Remember to use the cream in the silver tube on the sink when you shower tonight. Apply it liberally all over your body except near your eyes and the hair on your head. It'll burn a little but don't rinse it off for fifteen minutes. The cream will remove all of your unwanted body hair. Okay?" "Okay Pamela." That night Larry used the depilatory cream as directed. And the next morning he had his first estrogen injection and received a bottle of hormone pills. The doctor instructed Larry to take two pills every day and to return to his office for an injection every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. To keep busy over the next six weeks Larry enrolled in a number of home economics and hygiene courses offered by TGI's continuing education department. At Pamela's urgings he'd attended classes with other pre-operative transsexuals to learn about cooking, housecleaning, shopping, ironing, sewing, fashion, cosmetology and feminine hygiene. She'd said, "Pay close attention to the instructors Larry. These things will all come in handy when you become a girl." Larry had just returned to his apartment after attending a knitting class. He went to his bedroom and removed his jeans, sneakers, polo shirt and briefs to take a shower. As he walked to the bathroom he stopped at the wall mirror and gazed at his full-body reflection. He saw that his face had taken on a softer and rounder appearance. And he viewed the emergence of his breasts. They weren't large but they were there. He felt all choked-up and nearly cried in happiness. Larry stepped into the shower and as he cleaned himself he noticed how the warm spray felt so good as it made contact with his budding breasts. He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. As he dried himself he thought about tomorrow's surgery. He felt nervous anticipation and excitement begin to overtake him. The next morning.... Larry was anesthetized and wheeled into surgery. The plastic surgeon needed to make only a few minor adjustments. He made Larry's nose a tiny bit smaller and he made his chin a tad pointier. Larry already had high cheekbones and puffy lips so no adjustments were required there. And the surgeon also tightened Larry's vocal chords to raise the pitch of his voice and he shaved off his petite Adam's apple. Since Larry's facial surgery was relatively minor it was decided by the surgeons that he should have his breast augmentation procedure at the same time. So he also underwent silicon breast implantation to give him size B-cup breasts. Seven days later.... Larry stood naked before the wall mirror in his apartment and gazed at his full-body reflection. He smiled as he scrutinized his pretty face and his large breasts. He felt proud as he viewed his thinning waist and sprouting hips. He felt relieved and happy that he was well on his way to realizing his dream of becoming a girl. He walked to the vanity and looked at all the cosmetics. And he went to the closet and examined his new wardrobe. When he'd returned to his apartment following his surgery last week he'd seen that his dresser and closet had been stocked to the gills with new clothes. Women?s' clothes! He was absolutely ecstatic. Larry slipped into a matching set of white cotton panties and bra and then he rolled a new pair of nude pantyhose up his legs and around his waist. He walked to the closet and relished in the delightful sensations produced by his jiggling breasts and his legs as they brushed against one another. He scanned his new wardrobe and reached for the slate blue floral print silk dress. He slipped the dress over his head and pulled it down on himself and he hoisted the rear zipper. He then found a matching pair of 3" leather pumps and stepped into them. Larry walked to the vanity and felt his hips wiggle and sway. He'd practiced walking in high-heels for the last few days and was getting quite good at it. He sat down at the vanity and looked at his pretty face in the mirror. He smiled in satisfaction. He looked down and scanned all the cosmetics. For the next twenty minutes he put on his makeup. He then brushed his long golden hair. Larry gazed at his reflection and felt a sense of utter joy overtake him. He was very pleased with how he looked. The smooth complexion, the red lips, the long eyelashes and the thin highly arced eyebrows all came together to make him look very pretty. He squealed in girlish delight. Larry extended his arms and inspected nails. He'd been letting them grow for the last six weeks now and he thought that they'd become long enough so that he could give himself a full manicure. Applying the techniques he'd learned in cosmetology class he filed and shaped his nails into soft oval points and he then coated them with bright red polish. Larry extended his arms and admired his long red nails as the polish dried. His soft delicate-looking hands and slender fingers looked more feminine than ever now. He whispered, "It's what I've always wanted." He smiled in contentment. Larry heard the knock on his door and he got up to answer it. He blew on his nails as he walked. He opened the door and saw his benefactor Willis Scott. He said, "Hello Dr. Scott. Please come in." "Thank you Larry." They repaired to the living room and sat on opposite ends of the couch. Larry asked, "Would you like some coffee?" "If it's not too much trouble Larry." "Don't be silly. How do you like it?" "Black is fine." Scott watched as Larry walked to the kitchen and broadly smiled. He thought that Larry looked so pretty all made up and wearing a dress and heels. And his legs and ass were so shapely too. Even his voice sounded pretty. "He's turning out even better than I expected," Scott considered. Larry returned to the living room a few minutes later and he handed the cup to his benefactor and sat back down on the couch. Scott sipped at the coffee and said, "I just wanted to tell you that we've scheduled your gender reassignment surgery for next Wednesday at 10:00am." "Really?" "That's a fact Larry. Are you excited?" "Absolutely Dr. Scott. For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a girl. And I came to New York to have sexual reassignment surgery to realize my dream." "Well your dream will be realized next Wednesday Larry." Larry smiled and said, "I want to thank you for everything Dr. Scott. I'm eternally grateful and in your debt." "Don't be silly Larry. It's the least I could do." *** On Wednesday morning Larry was prepped and wheeled into the operating theater in TGI's surgical ward where he was anesthetized. An then Dr. Scott and his surgical team proceeded to resect his penis and testicles. And the surgeons then used Larry's residual tissue to surgically construct a vagina and vulva. Dr. Scott liked a tight pussy and he committed his masterful talents to achieving that result. Three weeks later.... Larry rested on his bed in his apartment in TGI's residential wing and breathed heavily. He clutched the dilator in his right hand. He'd just finished dilating himself in accordance with Dr. Scott's instructions. "Man that felt good, " he whispered. His post-operative recovery had proceeded without any problems. Dr. Scott had removed the last of his stitches three days ago and the swelling and stiffness were just about gone. Larry could not have been more pleased at the outcome. He took a relaxing shower and then spent the next hour dressing himself and putting on his makeup. Standing in front of the wall mirror Larry admired his feminine image. He thought that he looked very pretty in the yellow cotton dress and matching 3 1/2" leather pumps. The outfit was nearly symmetrical with his long golden blond hair and it contrasted so nicely to his red lips and nails. Larry felt pretty and sexy. He said, "I've finally realized my dream of becoming a girl." He smiled in satisfaction and a tear of joy escaped his right eye and slowly rolled down his cheek. He walked to the bathroom to retrieve a tissue and he heard the knock on his door. He dabbed at his eyes for a few seconds and then he walked to the door and opened it. He looked at Willis Scott and smiled. "Why hello Dr. Scott. Please come in." "Thank you Larry." They settled in the living room where Larry served coffee. Scott said, "You're doing very well Larry. I anticipate you'll be fully healed in a week. We'll discharge you then." "Really?" "Really. Do you have any plans?" "Plans?" "Yeah. Do you have somewhere to go?" "Well, I...er...I really didn't, you know, think about that I guess." "You've got nowhere to go?" "Not really." "Well if you want you can stay at my place until you figure out what to do. Would you like that Larry?" "I wouldn't want to impose on you Dr. Scott." "Nonsense Larry. I am your benefactor after all." Larry smiled in gratitude and said, "Thank you so much Dr. Scott. I'm eternally grateful and in your debt." *** Larry completed his recovery over the next week and on the day before his discharge Pamela Wilkins visited him and gave him his new identification papers. She said, "Here's your new birth certificate with your new name." "My new name?" "Yeah. Have a look." He looked at the document and read aloud, "Lara Starks." He smiled and said, "I like it Pamela." "Me too Lara. It's such a pretty name. And now that you have a girl's name you need to think of yourself as a girl. Can you do that?" "Absolutely. I want to do that Pamela." "Good Lara." And Pamela handed Lara her new Social security card and driver's license. And she then handed Lara a small box. "What's this Pamela?" "It's a present. Open it and see." Lara opened the box and saw the gold stud earrings. She smiled and said, "Thank you so much Pamela." "You're welcome. But I think it'll help if we pierce your ears." And Pamela reached into her purse and removed the aerosol tube and piercing tool and proceeded to pierce Lara's ears. Pamela then placed the earrings' pins through the new holes and secured the clasps. "They look lovely Lara. Have a look," and Pamela gave her the hand mirror. Lara looked into the small mirror and gasped in delight. "You're right. They do Pamela." "And I got you this too Lara," and Pamela handed her the black leather purse. "Thanks so much Pamela. You've been so nice." "Hey, we girls got to stick together." They both giggled. *** The next day was Friday and Lara was discharged from TGI at noon. Willis Scott met her in her room where he collected the two suitcases which she'd filled with as much of her clothes and items as she could fit into them. He told Lara, "Pamela will ship the rest of your things to you in a few days." They walked to the underground parking garage and Scott tossed the suitcases into the trunk of his Jaguar. He then opened the passenger door. Lara smiled at him as she entered the car. Thirty minutes later and just past the halfway point to Bedford Hills Scott turned to Lara and asked, "How are you doing Lara?" "Okay. I'm a little nervous maybe." "You've got nothing to be nervous about Lara. I'm you're benefactor. You're in good hands." PART THREE- CULTIVATION A half hour later Scott pulled his Jaguar into the long gravel driveway and guided it up to the detached three-car garage. "We're here Lara," he announced. Lara looked to the right and saw the large colonial. "You've got a nice house Dr. Scott," she said. Lara sensed a vague familiarity with her surroundings. "Thank you. Please call me Willis." "Okay." Scott retrieved the two suitcases from the trunk and he led Lara into the house. He showed her into a large ground-floor bedroom and set the suitcases down. "This will be your bedroom Lara. It has its own bathroom. Do you like it?" Lara scanned the large bedroom and replied, "Yes. It's very nice Dr. Scott.... er, I mean Willis." "Why don't you unpack and settle in. Join me in the kitchen for lunch when you're ready. Okay?" "Yeah, okay." For the next half hour Lara leisurely unpacked her clothes. She then attended to her bathroom needs and touched up her makeup at the lovely vanity in the corner of the bedroom. Satisfied with her appearance she made her way to the kitchen upstairs. Scott was preparing ham sandwiches and he noticed the sounds of the approaching high-heels. He looked up and saw Lara standing in the kitchen's entranceway. She looked absolutely magnificent in the simple white cotton dress and matching 3" heels. Scott felt as if he'd won the lottery. "Come in and have a seat Lara. I've made some sandwiches. Do you like potato salad and pickles?" "Sure." Scott put the food in two plates and set them down on the kitchen table. He poured cold lemonade into two glasses and set them down too. He sat down at the table across from Lara and they ate in silence for a few minutes. "Do you like your food Lara?" "Yeah." "Is there anything else you'd like?" "No thank you Willis." They finished their meals and Scott asked, "How about some coffee Lara?" "Okay." Scott made a pot of coffee and he sat back down at the table as it brewed. He smiled at Lara and clapped his hands three times. Her eyes became glazed. "Can you hear me Lara?" "Yeah." "Are you nervous?" "A little." "Well you shouldn't be nervous. Do you know why?" "Why?" "Because I'm your benefactor and I have your best interests in mind. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I shouldn't be nervous because you're my benefactor and have my best interests in mind." "That's right. I do. That's why you feel completely calm and relaxed staying in my house. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I feel completely calm and relaxed staying in your house." "That's right. You do." Scott then clapped his hands twice and watched as Lara batted her long eyelashes. Lara felt fresh and invigorated. She also felt calm and relaxed about staying in Willis Scott's house. She appreciatively smiled at him. *** Lara settled in comfortably over the weekend. She sunbathed on the backyard patio and she took a few walks around the neighborhood. She shared all her meals with her benefactor which he'd graciously prepared. And at night she and Willis watched television together. Lara felt calm and relaxed. She was at peace with herself. On Sunday night they sat on opposite ends of the couch in the living room and watched television. Willis turned to Lara and asked, "How do you like the movie so far?" "It's okay. Do you like it Willis?" Instead of answering Scott smiled and clapped his hands three times. He asked, "Can you hear me Lara?" "Yeah." "Before you fall asleep tonight you will think about how you'll spend your time all alone in this house while I'm at work. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "Before I fall asleep I'll wonder how I'll spend my time while you're working." "That's right. You will. And do you know what you'll decide?" "What?" "You'll decide that you should do all of the housekeeping. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll decide I should do the housekeeping." "That's right. You will. You'll decide that it's only right for you to do all of the cleaning, shopping, cooking, laundry, ironing and sewing. Isn't that correct?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll decide it's only right for me to do all the cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, sewing and ironing." "That's right. You will. And do you know why you'll make this decision?" "Why?" "Because you'll realize that I'm at my job all day earning the money that defrays our living costs and it's sensible that you do your fair share of work by taking care of the housekeeping. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll realize that you earn the money to pay for our living expenses and I should do my fair share of work by taking care of the housekeeping." "That's right. You will. And as you begin to do the housekeeping you'll come to realize that you enjoy it. Won't you?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll come to realize that I enjoy doing housekeeping." "That's right. You will," Scott said and he clapped twice. Lara noticed that she felt fresh and invigorated. She looked at the television and saw that the local news was on. She turned to Willis and asked, "Is the movie over?" "Yeah. It just ended," he answered and looked at his wristwatch. "It's late Lara. I've got to return to work tomorrow. I better turn in." "You're going to work tomorrow?" "No choice Lara. It's how the bills get paid. I'm usually back home by 6:00. Goodnight." "Goodnight Willis." Lara returned to her bedroom and she disrobed and stepped into the shower. She enjoyed the feel of the warm spray as it made contact with her breasts and genitalia. Lara yawned as she toweled herself dry. "Guess it's time for me to turn in too," she decided. Lying under the bed covers she thought about what Willis had said about returning to work tomorrow. She wondered what she would do all day alone in the house while he worked. And then it occurred to her. She softly whispered, "I'll do all the housekeeping. I'll take care of the cooking, shopping, cleaning, laundry, ironing and sewing. It's the sensible thing to do. After all Willis is busy earning the money to pay all the household bills. I've got to do my fair share of the work around here." Lara smiled and fell asleep with a contented expression on her face. *** For the next three weeks Lara kept herself busy by performing housekeeping activities while Willis worked. She kept the colonial vacuumed, dusted and well-scrubbed. She also did all of the food shopping and prepared delicious meals. And she took care of the laundry, ironing and sewing too. Although Lara discovered that housekeeping was hard work she'd also come to realize that she enjoyed it. She took pride in performing her household chores and beamed in delight when Willis complimented her on a meal or when he commented on how spotless the house appeared. And Willis, in turn, took note of Lara's growing satisfaction in performing housework and he made a decision. "It's time to take it up a notch," he concluded. So that night as they sat at the kitchen table and sipped at their after-dinner coffees Willis clapped three times and asked, "Can you hear me?" "Yeah." "Right before you fall asleep tonight you will think about how bored and frustrated you've become lately. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "Before I fall asleep I'll think about how bored and frustrated I've become." "That's right. You will. And do you know why you're feeling bored and frustrated?" "Why?" "Because you've come to realize that you're now a pretty young girl and you want to have a boyfriend. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll realize I'm a pretty young girl and I want a boyfriend." "That's right. You will. And do you know exactly why you want a boyfriend?" "Why?" "You want a boyfriend so that you can have a romantic relationship to satisfy your emotional and sexual needs. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I want a boyfriend so I can have a romantic relationship to satisfy my emotional and sexual needs." "That's right. You do. And do you know what else you'll discover?" "What?" "You'll come to realize that you want me to be your boyfriend. Isn't that right?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll realize that I want you for my boyfriend." "That's right. You will. And do you know why?" "Why?" "Because you'll come to realize that I'm very handsome and that I'm the one who you want to satisfy your emotional and sexual needs. Isn't that correct?" "Yeah." "Say it Lara." "I'll realize that you're handsome and that I want you to satisfy my emotional and sexual needs." "That's right. You will," Scott said and he clapped twice. Lara blinked her eyes. She noticed that she felt fresh and invigorated. She looked at Willis who smiled at her. Lara smiled back. That night.... Lying in her bed Lara struggled to fall asleep to no avail.. She tossed and turned. "What's wrong with me?" she wondered. She felt bored and frustrated but didn't know why. And then it hit her. She realized that she was a pretty young girl without a boyfriend. "What I need is a boyfriend to satisfy my emotional and sexual needs," she decided. Lara continued to think about it and sighed in frustration. "Where can I find a boyfriend?" she wondered. And then her thoughts turned to her benefactor. "Willis is a nice man. And he's so handsome too. Not only that but he's a doctor. I wonder if he'd be willing to be my boyfriend?" she pondered. Lara ultimately decided that there was only one way to find out. The next night.... Lara placed the plate on the kitchen table and gently brushed her hand against Willis' hand. He looked at her and she smiled. "I hope you like the lasagna Willis. I know how much you enjoy Italian food," she said and smiled again. Willis tasted the lasagna and said, "Hmm. This is delicious Lara." "I made it just for you," Lara said and smiled once more. And this time she batted her eyes too. Willis felt overjoyed at Lara's flirtatious behavior. "This is going to be a slam dunk," he thought. They finished their meals and took their after-dinner coffees in the living room. Lara sat down on the couch right next to Willis. She looked up at him and said, "You know Willis, I'm really glad you're my benefactor." "Well Lara, it's been my pleasure to help a pretty young girl like you." "Do you really think I'm pretty?" "You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen Lara." Lara blushed and asked, "Do you really think so?" "Absolutely. And if I weren't such a gentleman I might even try to kiss you." Lara looked down at her lap and softly said, "I don't think I'd mind that." Willis smiled in excitement and he placed his hand under Lara's chin and gently lifted her head up until their eyes met. He smiled at her and she smiled back. He then lowered his head and placed his lips on hers and they softly kissed. The kiss became amorous as they opened their mouths and their tongues met. Willis finally broke the kiss and he asked, "What do you say we go upstairs to my bedroom Lara?" "Okay Willis." They hastily made their way into Scott's bedroom and swiftly shed their clothes. They climbed into the queen-sized bed and they embraced. They resumed kissing. Scott took one of Lara's supple breasts in his left hand and softly massaged it. He snaked his right hand down her soft torso until he found her clitoris which he gently stroked. Their tongues remained deeply entrenched in each other's mouths. Lara moaned in sensuous delight as she felt the dampness develop between her legs. And then she felt the flame ignite. Scott climbed onto Lara and entered her. He thrust back and forth. Lara felt the fire in her essence grow and spread. She rocked in unison with Willis and panted wildly. They rocked and swayed for what seemed like forever and just as Scott shot his load the inferno between Lara's legs erupted and sent its burning embers throughout her body making her tingle and tremble in opulent delight. Scott fell off Lara and rested beside her as he breathed heavily. She too gasped for air. As Lara's labored breathing attenuated she happily thought, "I've got a boyfriend!" *** Over the next month the intimacy between Scott and Lara grew and prospered. At his invitation she moved her clothes into his bedroom and shared his bed every night. Lara became a very happy girl. Her enjoyment at keeping house was only exceeded by the euphoria she felt by having a boyfriend who satisfied her emotional and physical needs. And as for Willis Scott he felt as if he'd died and went to heaven. Lara cleaned and cooked for him and she pleasured him with no questions asked. And it didn't hurt that she was absolutely gorgeous. "I've finally met the perfect girl. I've reached the summit," he decided. Or so he thought. PART FOUR- DETECTION Tony Rizzo sat behind his desk in his spacious office on the second floor of the TGI Building. He impatiently awaited the arrival of Michael Shaughnessy, a partner in the private detective agency of Ryan, Shaughnessy & O'Brien. Rizzo had engaged the services of the detective agency eight months ago in his thus far futile attempt to ascertain the whereabouts of Daniel Goldman. He thought that the tactics used by Shaughnessy in his efforts to locate Goldman should have bore fruit by now. But Goldman was, unfortunately, still at large. Shaughnessy had unscrupulously and illegally hacked into the Social Security Administration's computer data base to scan for all new Social Security numbers issued to females between the ages of 20 and 35. He believed that Goldman had adopted a new identity and had necessarily arranged for the issuance of a new Social Security number as an integral part of her plan to avoid detection. When Shaughnessy found a subject within the parameters of his search he tracked her down and took a snapshot which he delivered to Rizzo for his review. Rizzo had already viewed over two hundred snapshots without any sign of Goldman. Rizzo was becoming annoyed and impatient with Shaughnessy's lack of success in locating Goldman. He wanted results and he wasn't getting them. And Alan Pendrake was getting even more impatient with Rizzo's failure to find Goldman. He'd taken to yelling at Rizzo and humiliating him during executive meetings. It was getting harder and harder for Tony to hold his tongue. Rizzo knew that if he didn't find Daniel Goldman soon his days at TGI were numbered. The knock on the door broke his train of thought and Rizzo said, "Come in." Michael Shaughnessy entered the room and sat down on the chair in front of the desk. He said, "Hi Tony. How's it going?" "Not too good Michael. That is unless you've finally done your job." "Well I've got twelve snapshots for you to look at this time. And they all come with Social Security numbers from a new sector of the data base. I've been trying to break the encryption on this sector for months now and I finally did it." Rizzo looked dubious and he said, "Okay, hand them over." Rizzo looked at one snapshot after the other and didn't see Goldman. He was getting mad. And then he looked at the next-to-last shot and brought it closer to his eyes. It looked like Daniel Goldman. He retrieved a photograph of Goldman from his desk drawer and he placed both photos on his desk and compared them. Discounting the blond hair on the new photo they matched. "Holy shit! It's her!" Shaughnessy smiled in satisfaction and proudly exclaimed, "See, I told you it would work!" "Do you know where she is?" Rizzo asked. "Turn the snapshot over Tony." Rizzo looked at the back of the photo and read, "23 Bleecker Street." He excitedly noted, "That's right here in New York! She's just a twenty minute cab drive away!" "I took the shot as she walked out of that building Tony. I think she may work in that building." "Can you find out?" "Absolutely." "Well what's keeping you?" Two hours later.... Tony Rizzo's phone rang and he picked it up on the second ring. It was Michael Shaughnessy. He excitedly said, "I just checked out 23 Bleecker Street Tony. And get this. There's a detective agency on the third floor by the name of Stein & Goldman. I hung around for over an hour and I saw your mark walk into the office. She's the Goldman in Stein & Goldman." "It took you eight months but you finally earned your fee Michael." *** Tony sat at his desk and thought about how he would handle the Goldman matter. He considered many different actions and weighed the pros and cons of each. After an hour he made his decision. He would lure Goldman into a trap and kill her. Tony would prove to Alan Pendrake once and for all that he was no slouch. He decided that he wouldn't even tell Pendrake of the discovery until after Goldman was dispatched. He would then walk into Pendrake's office and present him with a photograph of Goldman's corpse to achieve maximum shock value. He couldn't wait to see Pendrake's pleased reaction. Tony also decided that he wouldn't tell his wife Pamela what he'd planned for Goldman. He didn't want to place her at risk and he also thought she wouldn't approve. Tony didn't want her to see his ruthless side. Rizzo reached for his phone and punched three numbers. Howard Minter picked up on the first ring. "Tony Rizzo here Howard. Would you mind coming down to my office? I need to talk to you about something important." *** Danny Goldman sat behind the desk in her office and waited for the 2:00 appointment to arrive. Her partner Max Stein was working an arson investigation and Danny was doing all of the client interviews today. The intercom buzzed and Danny pressed the button. "Your 2:00 is here Ms. Goldman." "Send him in Debbie." Danny watched as the man entered the room. She immediately noticed his receding hairline and small eyes. Danny said, "And you would be Allan McCalister?" "That's right." "I'm Danielle Goldman. Nice to meet you Mr. McCalister." Danny extended her right arm and they shook hands. She said, "Make yourself comfortable and tell me what I can do for you." McCalister sat in the chair in front of the desk and placed his briefcase on the floor. He said, "Well Ms. Goldman, I own a clothing warehouse in the garment district. And during the last month we've had a number of robberies." "How many?" "Four to be precise. And each time it was on a Wednesday night." "Hmm. That's odd. What was stolen?" Danny asked. "Women's dresses. Twenty to thirty dresses per robbery." "Did you report the robberies to the police?" "Yeah. They don't seem to have a clue." "Don't you have a night watchman? Or a security alarm?" "No. I suppose I was looking to avoid the additional expenses." Danny pondered. McCalister's story didn't sound right to her. She decided that she really wasn't interested in the case. But she was curious about what McCalister wanted from her so she asked, "What exactly is it that you would like me to do?" "I thought that perhaps you could stake out the warehouse tomorrow night since tomorrow's Wednesday. You know, do a little surveillance maybe?" "Well to tell you the truth Mr. McCalister this isn't the type of case we normally take on." Danny thought she observed a slight look of panic in McCalister's face. "I'll....I'll make it worth your while Ms. Goldman. I'm prepared to pay a fee of $10,000." Now Danny knew the story wasn't right. A man who's too cheap to pay for a security guard or alarm doesn't offer to pay a fee like that. She said, "That's a lot of money for one night's work." "Well, I...uh...want to get to the bottom of this." Danny observed that McCalister had begun to perspire. She asked, "May I see your business card?" "Well, I don't...uh...I used my last one a few days ago. I just placed an order with the printer." Danny noticed that McCalister was becoming nervous. She was about to ask him what he really wanted when he said, "I need to use the men's room. May I?" "Sure. It's in the hall. Just ask my receptionist for the key." McCalister left the room and Danny reached into a desk drawer and came away with the small tracer node. It was no larger than a wristwatch battery. She arose and walked around to the front of the desk where she knelt down and dropped it into McCalister's briefcase. Five minutes later McCalister returned and said, "Sorry for the interruption." "Hey, when you gotta go you gotta go. Tell me something Mr. McCalister. What's the address of this warehouse of yours?" "It's at 232 West 38th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Will you take the case?" Danny wrote down the address and answered, "I suppose so. But I'll need the entire fee in advance." "Okay Ms. Goldman," and McCalister opened his briefcase and removed a bundle of cash which he proceeded to count. He then handed Danny $10,000 in hundred dollar bills. He also handed her a key and said, "This is the master key that opens the front and back doors." Now Danny was absolutely certain that something was wrong. Clients never carried that much cash around or agreed to pay the whole fee up front. McCalister was way too eager for Danny to take this case. Danny said, "Check back with me on Thursday Mr. McCalister. I'll let you know what I found." *** A half-hour after McCalister left Danny made her way down to the street and walked across the block and into the private parking garage. She found her Lexus sedan and entered it. Danny then engaged the ignition and guided the car out onto Bleecker Street. At the first red light Danny reached down and flipped the switch on the tracer console. She watched as the console activated to reveal the large green circle with the red dot on its outskirts. Danny drove for twenty minutes as she kept one eye on the road and the other on the console. She made over twenty right and left turns as she guided the red dot into the center of the green circle where it began to beep. Danny double parked and looked to her left. She gazed at the TGI Building. Danny softly said, "Well, well, well. They've finally found me." *** Danny sat in the recliner in the living room of her apartment and thought long and hard about what to do. She ultimately decided that she needed to play it out. She would check out the warehouse tomorrow night. "If I don't," she thought, "they'll only come back for me and the next time they won't be so subtle." Danny perfectly understood that she needed to strike at her enemies before they struck at her. But she knew it would be dangerous and decided that she needed backup. She also decided that she didn't want to involve her business partner and lover Max. She cared a great deal for Max and didn't want to place him at risk. Danny reached for her purse on the coffee table and dug out the small slip of paper. She stared at the cell phone number written on it. The one that belonged to Rico Abruzzi, the former mob associate who now free-lanced as a hired thug. Danny had used him before and had been more than satisfied with his work. She retrieved her cell phone from her purse and dialed the number. Rico answered on the fourth ring and said, "Yes?" "Hello Rico. This is Danielle Goldman." "Ah, Ms. Goldman. How nice it is to hear from you," he said in his slight accent. "I'm in a bit of a fix Rico. Are you available tomorrow night?" "For you Ms. Goldman I am always available. Tell me what it is that you require." The next night.... It was 8:30 and night had fallen over Manhattan. Danny engaged the ignition of her car and pulled it out of the private garage around the block from her apartment building. She made her way over to Seventh Avenue and turned left. Danny drove for 15 minutes and found a parking space on 39th Street. She exited and locked the car. She began the short walk. Danny was barely discernible as she briskly strolled the sidewalk. She wore black pants, black sneakers, and a black jacket. She'd bunched her long blond hair under a black beret and she'd smeared grease paint on her face. She blended in seamlessly with the night. Five minutes later Danny stood before 232 West 38th Street. She stared at the large dark wooden building and wondered what she'd gotten herself into this night. Danny looked at her watch and saw that it was 8:50. Rico was supposed to meet her here at 8:45 but she saw no sign of him. She waited another 5 minutes and grew impatient. "Maybe he's already inside," Danny thought. She knew that Rico was well-schooled in the fine art of entering a locked building. Danny retrieved the key from her pocket and unlocked the door. She entered the warehouse. *** At the precise moment that Danny parked her car on 39th Street, Rico Abruzzi heard the sharp pop as he sped down Eighth Avenue in his black Lexus SUV. At first he thought it was a gunshot and he ducked down. Then he heard and felt the thumping sound and realized he'd had a blowout. He parked his vehicle and examined the flat front tire. He looked at his wristwatch and saw that it was 8:40. He frowned and hastily retrieved the jack and spare tire from the rear of the SUV and got to work. *** Danny slowly walked down the darkened corridor. She held the pearl-handled .22 in her right hand. In her left hand she held the small tubular flashlight which she moved around to reveal the racks of dresses which framed the corridor. Danny reached the end of the corridor and turned left. She shone the flashlight's beam straight ahead and illuminated the short aisle which branched to the left and right ten feet away. She took three steps and stumbled forward and fell to the ground as her feet got caught in the tripwire. As soon as Danny went down Tony Rizzo darted out from behind the large cardboard box and swooped down on her like a hawk on a field mouse. He brought the blackjack down hard on the nape of her neck rendering her unconscious. *** Rizzo waved the smelling salts under Goldman's nose and he watched as she shook her head in reaction. He moved away from her. Danny blinked her eyes open and noticed that she couldn't move. She looked down at herself and saw that she was tied to a small wooden chair. She looked up and glanced around the small dimly lit room. She saw a large man standing in the corner with his arms crossed. He approached her and asked, "Do you know who I am?" Danny studied his face and answered, "Yeah. You're Tony Rizzo, the scumbag who handed me off to that pervert Oscar Halpern." Rizzo's face reddened and he said, "You know Goldman, you've caused me a lot of trouble. I nearly lost my job because of you." "You call that a job Rizzo? I don't think so. What you do for a living is a malignancy." "Enough talk Goldman. It's time for you to make your exit." Rizzo raised his .9 millimeter and pointed it at Danny's chest. He softly squeezed the trigger but before he could fire the shot he felt a sharp pain in his arm that made him drop the gun. Rizzo looked at his throbbing arm and saw the small dagger embedded in his forearm. His arm was drenched in blood which dripped onto the floor. He turned around and his face met Rico Abruzzi's right fist. *** Tony Rizzo stirred into consciousness and looked into the face of Danny Goldman. He realized that he couldn't move. He looked down at himself and saw that he was securely fastened to the chair with duct tape. He wondered why there was a large canvass mat on the floor beneath him. Rizzo looked back up at Danny and asked, "What are you going to do to me?" The fear on his face was evident. "I just want to ask you a few questions Tony. And if you cooperate and tell me the truth I just might let you live. Will you tell me the truth Tony?" "Yes....yes. I promise." "Good. Who else knows that you found me?" "Howard Minter." "Is he that beady-eyed nervous moron who came to my office yesterday?" "Yeah. That's him." "He works at TGI too?" "Yeah. He's a psychologist." "How about Dr. Pendrake and Pamela Wilkins? Do they know you've found me?" "I haven't told them. They don't know." "And Willis Scott?" "He doesn't know either." "So you were going to take me out and then brag about it to your associates. You were even going to take pictures of my corpse," and Danny held up the camera she'd found in the room. Rizzo remained silent. "Tell me something Tony. What is this place anyway?" "It's just a TGI-owned warehouse where we keep clothes for our clients." "I see," Danny said and she walked into the far corner of the room where she conferred with Rico. "Well, what do you think Rico?" she softly asked. "He appears to be telling the truth. He is trying to save his life." "That was my impression too, Rico. What do you think we should do with him?" "He tried to kill you. If you let him live he will try again. He cannot live." Danny thought for a moment. She did not like taking a life but she knew that Rico was right. It was either Rizzo or her. She looked at Rico and nodded. Rico then removed the garrote from his belt. Tony Rizzo watched as Goldman talked to the tall man. He knew they were discussing his fate. His heart pounded. Rico walked towards Rizzo. He held the garrote in his hands. He looked down at the frightened man and said, "You have served your purpose Mr. Rizzo. There is no further reason for you to live." Rizzo shrieked, "No! Wait! Please....don't! I can pay you!" Rico slipped behind him and wrapped the garrote around his neck. He began to pull. Rizzo pleaded, "No! Please...stop! Don't....ughh...." Danny watched in morbid fascination as Rico slowly pulled the two small wooden handles and tightened his grip. She saw the thin red line develop around Rizzo's neck. Blood dripped down until his entire torso was drenched. And then she heard the sick grisly sounds as the cord cut through tissue and bone. Danny looked into Rizzo's bulging eyes and witnessed his horror as the crunching sounds grew louder. She reached her threshold and turned her eyes away just as the cord cut through his neck. Rizzo's decapitated head tumbled down his chest and loudly thumped onto the floor where it rolled a few feet away from the chair and came to a stop. Danny looked down at the head and was thankful that it had landed face down. But when she looked up at the headless body she viewed blood gushing up and out of the neck's stump. Danny became nauseous and turned away once more. Rico noticed her discomfort and said, "I will clean up and dispose of the body Ms. Goldman. There is no need for you to stay." "Thank you Rico." On her way out Danny stopped at a rack and shone the flashlight's beam on a few dresses. She found two nice ones in her size and took them with her. *** Danny returned to her apartment and immediately showered to cleanse her body and mind. She tried to wash the memory of the evening's grim and lurid events from her mind. But it was impossible. She knew that what had happened tonight was indelibly etched into her mind and could be neither forgotten nor minimized. Lying in bed with her head propped up against the pillow Danny recapitulated the night's events. She realized that she should never have entered the warehouse alone. By doing so she'd come to within an inch of losing her life. If it weren't for Rico's eleventh hour appearance Rizzo would have easily killed her. She was ashamed of herself for making such a significant and costly tactical error. She'd been working as a private detective for four years and was proud of the way she'd handled herself in previous difficult encounters. But not tonight. Tonigh