Caught in 4K

"Alright..." Barrow said, folding her contract, and tucking it into his jacket. He wasn't entirely satisfied with her answer, and he knew that there was more swirling around inside her head than she was going to share with him.

"One favor, though," Abby began.

"Okay."

"Can I tell people that you blackmailed me into this?"

"I'd prefer that you told people you volunteered."

"Right, right. I mean, right. But, my parents, maybe?"

Barrow reached into his pocket, and pulled his phone out. He handed it Abby, and asked, "Would this help?"

The moment she saw the image, Abby blanched. She knew what it was, and knew immediately. How had she been so stupid? How could she not have realized there were cameras in the stairwells at USF?

It was clearly her. Red hair, black dress, black suit jacket. She'd kept her clothes on, at least, but that was small comfort. Her dress was around her waist, her legs were spread open, and her hand was buried under her panties and pantyhose. The camera must have been in the opposite corner, and the resolution above-and-beyond what one might have expected out of security footage. They'd likely been installed by Human Capital, to catch a mailgirl red-handed in the act of doing exactly what Abby was doing to herself. It was a video, but Abby didn't need to press "play" to know Barrow had captured the whole thing.

"Hold on," Barrow said, leaning over the phone, and swiping to the right. "I've got a couple more."

The next image was no better. It was the interior of Abby's office, as seen from her desk.

"You hacked the camera on my laptop?"

Barrow nodded absentmindedly. "The angle's not as good as the stairs, though." He wasn't a wolf, who'd trapped her in his jaws. He was simply proud of what he had on her, as if the two of them were discussing a third party. "You can't see much below the desk, but you can see it on your face." He swiped right again, and then reached for the phone. "...and here, the audio on the third one is the best..."

Abby pulled Barrow's phone away from him. "I don't need to hear," she said. "I was there."

She didn't know what she should have expected. She knew going in that she'd be caught -- Wendy had been caught, Georgeann had been caught.

"And you know about the basement, then?"

"No," he said, shaking it head. "What about the basement?"

"Fuck," she swore. "Never mind."

She'd piqued his curiosity, but he didn't press. At least, not at the moment. "You're not the only one, if that helps," he offered. "It's more men than women, though."

"You have those on your phone, too?"

"Why? Are you interested?"

Abby sighed. It didn't matter, did it? She'd already signed on as a mailgirl, and had agreed to humiliate herself over and over, time and time again over the next two years. Based on her recent track record, she'd be doing exactly this, in front of an audience down in the cafeteria, before the end of the week. She was embarrassed, of course. Humiliated. But she was more embarrassed by the fact that Barrow had likely watched this two weeks ago, and had kept silent about it until now.

"You were going to release this if I said no?"

Barrow looked at her blankly, and took back his phone. "Honestly? I was probably going to release it either way."

Abby couldn't help herself; she laughed. "Oh god," she chuckled, wiping away a tear. "What an asshole."

Barrow laughed along with her, and took the insult in the gentle, joking way it had been offered. Almost as a compliment.

Abby said, "I need another cigarette."