Going Down
Jo watched her body appear to split in two as the lift doors opened with a soft whoosh and a gentle ping. She took her ID card from the slot beneath the call button and said “Morning Stephanie” as she stepped into the empty lift, the doors closing behind with the same gentle noise, trapping Jo in the small single person lift.
“Please insert your card into the slot.” A slightly robotic female voice instructed and a small green strip flashed beneath the card reader. For a couple of seconds after she had inserted her ID, the lights behind the floor buttons flashed on and off in an apparently random sequence as the computer read the card and determined the owners access levels. Eventually only 2 lights remained flashing, the first marked ‘G’, indicating the ground floor, and the second below it marked ‘B’ for basement where the company’s archive was kept.
With her identity verified the lifts voice said “Good morning.” And after a slight pause as her name was appended to the standard greeting “Jo. Please select your destination from the options available.”
Jo pressed the B and the light remained lit, all others extinguished. “Going down.” Again the slight pause before the voice finished “To the archives.” Jo hated that last bit; she would have preferred it if ‘Stephanie’ had just said she was ‘going down’.
Jo knew the lift wouldn’t stop anywhere between the eighth floor where she had boarded and her selected destination, and if it hadn’t been for the mirrored doors giving at least the illusion of extra space the lift might have felt quite claustrophobic.
When she had started working for Argent Industries three long months ago, as a junior researcher on a six month contract, she had been amazed at the level of security the firm engaged in; it just wasn’t possible to get anywhere in the building without an ID card and the lifts would only allow you to go to floors to which you had clearance from the security division; the lift doors closing as soon as you entered and would remain so until a valid destination had been entered, or the security team arrived.
“Floor seven.” Stephanie announced, although Jo could never tell whether the lift was moving or not, and each floor took about half a minute to traverse. Stephanie was, Jo decided, like all her sisters in the building, amongst the slowest lifts in the world.
A small ding informed Jo that the lift was about to give some company information, at first, this had annoyed the hell out of Jo, but her supervisor had explained that all such messages were really important and, as everyone used the lifts at least once a day, it was an ideal way to disseminate company information and policies. Quite often however the message was just to let staff know that the company had won a new contract or to remind staff that they were not allowed to smoke anywhere on the company’s site etc, and so Jo only half listened to them now.
“Argent Industries.” Stephanie announced, “Is pleased to inform you of our latest acquisition; Robertson Incorporated. This merger will allow Argent to continue its expansion into the area of robotics and artificial intelligence. Thank you for your patience.”
Neither AI, nor Robotics were not part of Jo’s portfolio and so the information was simply ignored as Stephanie told her they were currently at floor 6.
Jo stifled a yawn as they passed floor four, and dreamily apologised to Stephanie for her rudeness. If Stephanie heard, she made no reply.
If Stephanie announced floors below four, Jo missed it as she stood looking into her own pale blue eyes reflected in the mirrored doors, only shaking off her drowsiness as the door opened with a swoosh and Stephanie told her she had reached the basement level, and wished her a pleasant day.
Jo loved the archives; row upon row of shelving only just wide enough to walk between, and more often than not she was down here alone in the dehumidified vault, the low lighting turning on and off automatically as a person walked, illuminating a small world around them, the rest of the stacks in virtual blackness. Sometimes she would stand absolutely still, hardly breathing and wait for the lights to go out leaving her in pitch blackness that half scared, half excited her.
She easily found the rack that held the legal documents some top-flight executive had asked her department to find out. She retrieved the relevant pages and went back to the lift, sliding her card into the reader and pressing the call button.
The lift opened and, as instructed, Jo pushed her card in to Stephanie’s slot, something that always made her smile. She watched as the lights did their little dance, her finger ready to press floor eight, but when the lights stopped and Stephanie gave her slightly stilted greeting, the 8 button wasn’t lit, in a bit of a panic she tried to retrieve her card so she could try again but it was stuck fast. “Please select your destination.” Stephanie repeated.
Jo looked at the lights and saw that instead of floor eight, it was the button for floor thirty-six, the very top of the building that was blinking slowly. ‘Finally!’ she thought, ‘a glitch in the mainframe, maybe security isn’t as good as it thinks it is.’ She considered pressing the ground floor and reporting the fault to Kevin on the front desk, but she realised that for the first time, that was not an option that was available to her. With a shrug she pressed the only illuminated button and Stephanie said, “Going up to,” Pause “Human Resources.”
Nearly half an hour later Stephanie opened her doors and allowed Jo to alight, she knew there had been several announcements along the way but she hadn’t taken much notice of them, if indeed any.
Just outside the lift was a tall redhead in a tight fitting black skirt suit worn over a pristine white silk blouse. A dark green silk scarf was wrapped tightly around her milky white throat and tied in a neat bow at the side. Jo found her eyes drawn inexorably to the woman’s large firm breasts. Suddenly she realised she was staring and a blush burnt her pale cheeks. She tore her eyes away from the lovely tits and looked at the woman’s face.
Jo thought she would melt on the spot. A pair of glossy, ruby red lips were formed into a welcoming smile that was reflected in her dark green, almost black eyes. “Hello, Jo. I’m Karina Thomas, Senior Vice President for recruitment and allocations, pleased to meet you at last. I have heard so much about you.” The redhead said in a voice so dark and smooth it made Jo think of liquid chocolate.
Jo had to stop herself curtseying; she wasn’t used to mixing with such exalted, not to mention attractive company. Suddenly Jo realised the woman was holding out her hand in greeting, the long slender fingers crowned with bright read nails pointing towards her. Taking a hold of herself she took the woman’s hand in hers, noticing how cool her skin was and how firm and assured her grip, and she held it that little bit too long before blushing and releasing it.
“Please follow me.” Karina said and turned, walking through a maze of cubicles housing busy secretaries, assistants and associates who were much too engrossed in their work to notice a temporary research assistant, or glorified filing clerk as Jo really thought of herself.
Jo would quite willingly have followed Karina to the end of the world, watching her full hips and tight derriere sway as she sauntered on her three-inch heels; but the journey was much shorter than that, although Karina’s corner office with two of its walls made entirely of glass, affording a wonderful view out over the city below, almost seemed like the edge of the world.
Karina seated herself behind her huge oak desk that was totally free of clutter, the only item marring the polished surface a single manila folder exactly in its centre. With a warm smile she offered Jo a seat opposite her and opened the folder. Jo was too far away to read its contents upside down and contented herself with looking at Karina instead; the afternoon sun shinning behind her, lighting her wavy red hair, making a fiery halo around her face. Jo was quite impressed that although the woman was obviously a few years older the Jo, she must have fairly scampered up the corporate ladder, breaking goodness knows how many glass ceilings along the way.
“Well Jo.” Karina said, at last looking up from the folder. “How are you finding life at Argent Industries?”
Jo gushed about it being a wonderful opportunity for her to work for such a large organisation, even on such a short-term contract.
“Speaking of your contract.” Karina interrupted the flow and glanced at the papers in front of her again. I see you have another three months of it to run.”
Jo confirmed that was the case, and, as it wasn’t often a lowly contactor got to see anyone in HR, let alone the Senior Vice President, she tried her luck saying she rather hoped she might be able to get an extension when it finished.
“That won’t be possible, I’m afraid.” Karina informed her. “It’s company policy not to re-hire contract workers. And, as to the remainder of your current contract, I have to inform you we have terminated it as of this moment.”
The blood drained from Jo’s face, this job was the best paid, and the easiest Jo had ever had. It was bad enough to find out that she had no chance of renewing, but she had bought things on credit, knowing, or at least thinking, she was secure for the next three months at least. In truth she’d spent as though the job was permanent and she was due a couple of years back pay!
Jo looked at Karina’s compassionate, caring face and stared as it suddenly lit up the room as she smiled and said. “I’m sorry, that was cruel of me. The reason we need to cancel your contract is that you can’t be both a contractor and an employee.”
Jo thought she was going to faint, her emotions were on a roller coaster and it wasn’t helping being so close to this very personification of Jo’s Sapphic desires.
Karina turned one of the pages round and pushed it across the desk to Jo. “This is the offer we would like to make you, I’m afraid that even if you don’t take it your contract has already been cancelled, but of course you are free to turn down the offer.”
With slightly shaking hands, Jo picked up the sheet and read it, three times! They were offering her a fulltime position as a ‘Logistics, Information Facilitator Technician’, on a salary twice as much as she was pulling on her contract.
She asked what the job actually was, in real speak not HR, but Karina reluctantly informed her that such information was privy only to employees of the company once they had signed a very binding non-disclosure agreement. “Suffice it say,” Karina informed her pleasantly. “It is a vital role within this company, one that helps us stay a happy and efficient organisation.”
“Where do I sign?” Jo said with an eager smile, and was passed another sheet of paper and Karina’s antique silver fountain pen that she took from her inside jacket pocket. “This is the non-disclosure agreement; you will receive your full job specification from your departmental head.”
Jo appended her moniker on the dotted line and passed it and the pen back to her new employer, who said as she put the unread but signed document back in to the folder. “Good, now if you’d like to come with me. I’ll introduce you to your new supervisor who will train you in your new position, and we can get started your induction.”
Once more Jo trailed happily in Karina’s wake; she couldn’t be certain, but she thought they were going in a different direction to the one they had taken earlier but eventually they arrived at a block of lifts. “Can I have your card please?” Karina asked.
Jo didn’t need to ask which card, and a little reluctantly handed over her key to the firm, and watched in horror as Karina flexed it until it broke in two, the useless plastic thrown into a waste paper basket. With a smile that raised goose bumps on Jo’s flesh, Karina produced from her breast pocket a similar card, although this one was corporate silver, not plasticy white. Still smiling, she handed it to Jo saying. “This has already been programmed for you, giving you access to your newly assigned floors.”
Karina took her own card and slipped it into the slot beneath the call button, and it was then that Jo realised this was not the bank of lifts she had arrived by, for here there were two identical slots and Karina motioned Jo to slide hers in below her own.
Without the normal long wait, the doors slid open and a familiar voice asked them to enter. Although larger than the one-person lifts she was used to, the cabin was certainly not twice the size and with both women inside it was decidedly cramped, especially as the silvered doors swooshed and closed. The only way the lift could accommodate the two of them was for Jo to stand on the left with Karina on her right and slightly behind her, her right breast brushing against Jo’s shoulder.
“After you.” Karina said, indicating the reader, and with a frisson of excitement, Jo inserted her card; realising that there were ten new buttons, marked ‘S1’ to ‘S10’, apparently below the basement. Jo had not even been aware that there was anything below the archive room.
The buttons flashed and eventually Stephanie welcomed Jo, and she noted that there was no longer the slight delay before she said her name; Jo assumed that her details were now on a different personnel computer, internal rather than contract. She looked at the buttons to see which had remained illuminated. Just like earlier the ground floor was not an option and the only button still lit, blinking temptingly at her, was the lowest, ‘S10’. With a nod of encouragement from Karina Jo pressed the button.
“Jo has opted to go to sub level 10.” Stephanie informed the two women before continuing. “Would the second passenger please insert their card.”
Karina put her right hand on Jo’s waist ‘to steady herself’ as she leant forward and slid her monogrammed silver card in the slot below Jo’s.
No lights flashed and Jo was almost certain Stephanie had a touch of awe in her voice as she said “Welcome, Miss Thomas. It is a pleasure to take you and your companion to sub level 10.”
“I thought you would have access to the whole building.” Jo said a little surprised that the control panel hadn’t lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Oh I do.” Karina said. “Only you don’t, so the lift won’t allow the doors to open on any floor you don’t have access to.”
Jo felt very small at that moment and was relived to hear Stephanie announce that they were currently passing flour thirty-seven, anything to break the silence.
As Stephanie informed them that they were passing floor thirty-three Karina reached into her suit pocket and took out a slender sliver canister and pulled the case off to reveal a deep red lipstick. Looking in the mirrored door she let the tip slide over her already perfect lips and Jo couldn’t help but watch.
Jo noticed the air suddenly feeling quite warm; Karina’s scent, that when they were outside and even in Karina’s office had seemed light and fresh, now seemed heady and filled the small space, making the very air seem heavy.
“That’s a beautiful colour on you.” Jo said as Karina rolled her lips and started to re-sheath the creamy stick.
“Would you like to see if it looks good on you too?” Karina asked, her voice, if anything even huskier than before and Jo thought her legs were made of jelly as she imagined Karina kissing her naked body, leaving red creamy marks like ownership brands. But of course that wasn’t what Karina meant and she let Jo know by putting a hand on her shoulder and turning her pretty head towards her. Gently Karina cupped Jo’s chin in her hand, her thumb resting just below Jo’s bottom lip. She tilted the blonde’s head back and started to apply the luxurious cosmetic to Jo’s already kissable lips.
Jo suppressed a moan as she let this gorgeous creature paint her lips a glossy red, each stroke of the long red stick adding depth to the colour and enhancing the shine. Jo’s eyes seemed unable to look away from the dark green pools that concentrated so ardently on Jo’s lips. “There.” Karina said at last, as she replaced the silver sheath, releasing her hold on Jo before turning her back towards the mirrored doors. “What do you think?”
With Jo’s corn blonde hair, pale skin, light blue eyes and her light grey suit, the red lips shone like a beacon of lust. Karina lowered her head, her chin almost resting on Jo’s shoulder and whispered softly, her breath warming Jo’s ear. “A little bright perhaps, maybe if your wore your hair a little shorter. Without asking permission Karina started to scrape Jo’s fine hair back with the glistening red nails of her left hand, combing the soft silky locks over her ears and gathering it tightly in her right hand behind Jo’s head.
Jo had never worn her hair short, certainly not as short as it appeared now, but just the fact that Karina was holding her hair, pulling it tight to her scalp made Jo moan softly that she thought it looked wonderful.
With her slim dextrous fingers Karina twisted the hair even tighter letting it corkscrew before twisting it back on itself and fixing it in a knotted bun.
Again Karina rested her chin on Jo’s shoulder, her left hand on the young woman’s waist and looked critically at the reflected image. Her right hand stroked Jo’s throat as she said “A little something to create a contrast I think.” The words were hardly audible and Jo felt them as much as she heard them.
Jo watched transfixed as Stephanie told them they were nearing the fifteenth floor, she couldn’t believe she had missed so many, as Karina untied the small bow that held the scarf.
With deliberate slowness Karina untwined the choker, wrapping it around and around her hand and Jo realised that it was actually almost gossamer thin, the apparent depth of colour arising from the number of times it covered itself.
At last the scarf came free and Jo trembled as Karina held the loose end against Jo’s milky white neck and started to wind it around, each circle a little tighter than the last the green building slowly as she felt her breathing restricted a little, but whether it was from the choker or Karina’s musky scent she couldn’t think, let alone say.
Just as she thought that if the tourniquet was tightened even a fraction more she would asphyxiate, the end of the scarf appeared and Karina tied it tightly in place and looked at Jo’s reflection in the mirror to assess the effect.
“Lets see if it is your light grey jacket that is making those kissable lips look soooo red.” Karina breathed. Her hands reaching around Jo and pulling her jacket lapels back and out, her fingers brushing Jo’s hard, erect nipples and blowing the smouldering desire to a tiny white hot flame. The jacket fell to the floor and Jo thought her legs would give way beneath her and so she was grateful for Karina’s left arm slipping around her waist to offer her support, holding her tight, the pressure on her diaphragm making it even harder to breath as Karina whispered softly “blue and green should never be seen.” Just as Stephanie told them that Jo had reached sub level one and should continue to go deeper.
Karina started to unbutton Jo’s light blue blouse, the red nailed fingers deftly slipping the mother of pearl buttons through the holes and Jo realised what she meant about blue and green and was happy when her blouse joined her jacket on the lift floor, her breasts firm and asking to be fondled.
“Jo, you are at sub level two and going deeper.” Stephanie informed her as Karina answered the call of Jo’s breasts while she unzipped her skirt and let it fall unheeded to the floor.
Jo moaned as her nipples were teased and pulled and she started to lift her hands to help Karina just as she reached sub level three and was once again instructed to go deeper. “No. Your body is mine.” Karina said as she held Jo’s wrists tightly bringing them back behind Jo where she held them in the small of Jo’s back, all the time her eyes holding Jo’s captive in the mirrored doors.
As she reached sub level four Karina slipped the thin leather belt from her skirt and wrapped it around Jo’s wrist, pulling it tight until Jo’s fingers tingled. “Good girl. You are now at sub level five and descending.” Stephanie encouraged as Karina’s hands started to snake over Jo’s body, the right slipping inside her pretty pink panties as Jo reached sub level six and continued to go deeper, just as Karina’s finger did inside Jo’s dripping wet pussy.
Now the air was thick with the combined scent of Karina’s heady perfume and Jo’s natural musk, making it almost impossible for Jo to breathe, little lights danced before her eyes as she struggled to supply her brain with oxygen.
“When you reach sub level ten, you can cum to accept your new position.” Karina said, her deep dark voice soft and warm against Jo’s ear as the young blonde reached sub level seven and couldn’t believe she would last to ten, but Karina had inducted lots of new employees, it was the major perk of her job and her skills were unsurpassed; had she asked her inductees, she was certain they would have given her ten out of ten, even without her having to tell them to.
Jo writhed in response to the teasing fingers inside her and the whispered warm words and kisses against her ear as she entered sub level eight.
Karina’s hand covered her nose and mouth as Jo suckled the finger pushed into her welcoming mouth and the small lift started to darken and Jo passed sub level nine.
At sub level ten the doors of the lift parted and a scream of ecstasy echoed in the dimly lit chamber as Jo accepted her new position with Argent Industries and obeyed as Stephanie ordered her to follow her mistress.
Like a lost puppy, Jo trailed aimlessly behind Karina, oblivious of the large curved bank of monitors showing the inside of hundreds of lifts, some empty and others with employees staring blankly ahead as they listened to the information being fed to them. She didn’t even notice the large leather chair that sat at the focus of the screens.
Karina reached one of three metal slabs, one of which was empty, the other two supporting what looked like identical twins, both dressed, if that were the correct term in tight fitting silver latex catsuits with close fitting hoods, only their faces which were slack and lifeless were uncovered, their lips and eyes painted a bright silver. Without any further orders Jo stopped a few paces behind Karina who typed a command in to a small keyboard on the side of the nearest slab.
The previously inanimate body twitched and its silvered eyelids opened to reveal dark eyes that seemed to focus on nothing. With precise, almost jerky movements the silver girl sat and then swung round to stand.
“LIFTUnitThree, Please relive LIFTUnitOne.” Karina instructed and LIFTUnitThree headed towards the large leather chair and the large bank of monitors.
“Good afternoon.” LIFTUnitOne said in to the microphone attached to her headset as she glanced at the recognition software’s monitor and continued. “Andrew. Please select your destination from the options available.”
LIFTUnitThree retrieved a matching headset from the curved desk as the girl in the chair said in response to another set of lift doors opening and an employee stepping inside “Please insert your card into the slot.”
Both silver girls glanced at the recognition software monitor as LIFTUnitOne said “Good afternoon.”
“Thelma. Please select your destination from the options available.” LIFTUnitThree took up the baton seamlessly.
The two drones changed places and LIFTUnitOne said to Karina in the same monotone as all the LIFTs. “Welcome Miss Thomas.”
Karina smiled, but it appeared to have no discernable effect on LIFTUnitOne. “Following the takeover of Robertson Incorporated, and in recognition of the sterling work you have done for Argent Industries over the last three years.” Karina explained. “You have been reassigned on promotion to the new division on the twenty-third floor. I have brought your replacement and as soon as you have trained her, you will take up your new post along with seven other units as a Researcher Of Binary Organic Technology, and you will be designated as ROBOTUnitEight. I trust this is acceptable.”
“I only wish to serve the founders of Argent Industries in whatever capacity they choose.” The current LIFTUnitOne recited.
“Oh, by the way, the scarf and belt are mine, please forward them to my office.” Karina said as she turned to Jo and told her “You are an asset to the company and if you work hard and follow your trainer’s example, in three or four years you too could look forward to a new and exciting role, helping you serve the company to the best of your abilities.”
Karina turned and headed for the lift and Jo started to follow until LIFTUnitOne put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
With her card in the slot Karina pressed the call button and LIFTUnitThree opened the door for her. Just before she stepped inside to leave Jo to her new career she turned and said. “Oh and LIFTUnitOne, if she calls you Stephanie, just ignore her.