Talk N Tease.

“Good,” the armored John Doe says, his voice coming out of his exterior helmet like a demon. "Because that’s exactly what I paid for.”

Glimmer jumps as she hears him speak for the first time. Despite being nothing more than a mere mind under all that armor and helmet, it's fitting. Glimmer could see the clear dark accents in his clothing when he stood. Dark gray with hints of red. The man strides close as she aims for the bar.

She stepped backward, her eyes glancing at the timer again. 4 hours…

“How do you propose we begin, then?” Glimmer says, trying to control the situation, but she falls flat when she hears the slight quiver in her voice.

The contractor towers over her in height and bulk. Although he looks lean, she knows he’s likely 50% man and 50% machine; the apparent lines of implants etch his fingers and wrists. The first client for Glimmer, was a contractor, and was closer to 80% machine and 20% man. The client was enthusiastic about showing her all the upgrades and modifications he had implanted into himself.

Despite the size difference of this particular contractor, Glimmer found a slight sense of arousal from this man. His stature and swagger as he strode to the bar. Shifting her attention to what she found attractive made it easier to let go of the fear gripping her.

He propped himself on his elbow as he studied Glimmer, whose black, form-fitting dress contrasted with a colorful palette of glitter and eyeliner. Her choppy blue hair graced her shoulders as she looked up at him. Glimmer could see herself in the reflection of his domed visor, an eyeball etched with a pyramid with a singular blood shuteye staring directly upward. Her warped body seemed more petite than she was, however.

The contactor cocked his head; she imaged a smile on a featureless face beneath the mask. “I promised the girls here would be pretty,” his remark makes her smirk slightly, but he opted to continue with a tarnishing question. “You’re not diseased, are you?”

His question was so out of place and outlandish to Glimmer that all previous concerns vanished in a blink. “Am I diseased??”

A ghastly laugh emits from his distorted voice box. “Relax, Glimmer. I’m kidding around. I just opened your Cyber-link that’s connected with Pink Heat,” he was such a matter of fact; it almost seemed like he was explaining something between the client and the entertainer.

Unbeknownst to her, he mused while eyeballing her track record and medical history. His helmet's display lit up with facts about Glimmer all in one readable slide. Behind the transpirate page was the girl he was reading about, standing with her arms crossed, still displeased with his earlier question.

Employee Profile: Glimmer Veil

Position: Entertainer

Employee ID: GV-0023

Service Record: Glimmer Veil has been a valued member of Pink Heat's entertainment staff for over two years, specializing in luxury companionship. She has an impeccable track record in client satisfaction, serving an elite clientele including politicians, business executives, and international visitors.

The Contractor flicked his eyes, reading the other details:

Client Demographics:

• Politicians and Diplomats: 35%
• Business Executives: 30%
• High Net-Worth Individuals: 20%
• Entertainment Industry: 15%

Clearance Level: VIP Access, with special authorization for sensitive client engagements.

He need to himself, whatever she was saying dampened by his disinterest with her. He opened her medical record.

Infectious Disease Screening:

• HIV: Negative
• Hepatitis B: Negative
• Hepatitis C: Negative
• Syphilis: Negative
• Gonorrhea: Negative
• Chlamydia: Negative
• Herpes Simplex Virus: Negative

There was more, obviously. But this is all he needed. Of course, there was ShadowByte's sheet, too which he lightly skimmed as he regarded Glimmer.

“What can ya’ do?” He says, his voice still morbidized by his helmet’s speaker.

Glimmer flinched; he spoke with such clarity this time that it came out loudly. “Take off your helmet,” she said, staring at her reflection. She swallowed her fear and stepped forward, brushing his false skin with her organic fingertips. “Please?”

The contractor scoffs, the touch against his skin doing nothing to excite him. He still looked at her, a slight tilt to his head as he spoke. “Would that make you feel safer?”

Glimmer quirked her lips into a cute smile as she nodded slowly. Her eyes adjusted as she leaned in, pressing her chest together. The contractor glanced at ShadowByte’s message and relented before reaching under his chin to unlatch the strap that kept his bucket in place.

Glimmer didn’t know the helmet glowed until it faded. He pulled it off his head, revealing a rugged but good-looking man beneath. His rough beard looked patchy as if he hadn’t shaved in a while. Tufts of brown hair stuck out in all directions, and his eyes were dark green. “Feel safer?” his voice had a slight accent she wasn’t familiar with, still American, more local than some of the men she’s dealt with from the area.

She tilted her head to one side as if to study him closer. He followed her gaze and smiled at her, a disarmingly white and friendly smile that caught her off-guard. “What is it?” he snorted softly.

“You didn’t look how I expected you, too,” Glimmer’s gaze softened as she took in his features.

“A lot of girls expect me to have an eyepatch,” the contractor says with a grin.

Glimmer chuckled, shaking her head, and she focused on his smile. “Not that.”

“The hair keeps me warm during winter,” he leaned in.

Glimmer chuckled again but shook her head playfully, enjoying the chemistry for once. “You’re handsome,” she says. “Why’d you hide that from me for so long?”

“If I told ya, I’d have to kill ya,” he says jokingly, but he means it. The smile and tone don’t alarm Glimmer, however.

Despite her attraction to this newcomer, she’d rather chat. “If you killed me, I couldn’t make you a drink.”

“A drink?” The contractor mused. “What drink?”

“What you want?” Glimmer eyed him with a glint in her eyes. “I can make you something.”

“An escort that can make a drink? I’ve found my wife! Irish Coffee, sweetheart.”

“I can do that,” she promises, gliding into a familiarity of the actions and recipe. She looks up at him and clears her throat before speaking. “So, what brings you here? If I’m allowed to ask that.”

“Try asking for my name first,” he grinned, watching her dance and avoid making the mugs clank as she pulled out the coffee beans. She

Glimmer glanced up. “What’s your name, cutie?” Her smile grew as she anticipated his response.

“My friends and enemies call me Sevens,” he says.