The start is simple enough

Hawk dropped off Valerie near the back entrance to the estate grounds. With her fabricated ID, she was able to get inside without arousing any suspicion. The guard at the door did raise an eyebrow at her already being in her maid uniform, for the other women would usually arrive dressed and change into their skimpy outfits in a small room just inside the estate walls.

Must be great to own clothes, thought Valerie wistfully upon seeing them. Still, this was no time to dwell on her personal troubles. There was a mission that needed to be done. Valerie could feel herself starting to sweat. Had it grown warmer since she had left Hawk's car? She activated her earpiece and checked her getup. The outfit, despite being little more than skimpy lingerie, was surprisingly comfortable.

As she walked towards the mansion, Valerie was grateful for the cool air of the estate grounds. "Valerie, do you copy?" buzzed Iris in her earpiece.

"Copy," she replied, whispering under her breath. "This place is huge. Any suggestions on how to proceed?"

"We don't have any maps of the mansion interior. Dawson remodeled it after he brought the place, and all we know is that the changes were extensive. You'll need to find out where he is on your own."

Of course it wouldn't be that easy, thought Valerie. If it had been, the organization likely wouldn't have asked her to be involved in the first place. She stopped under the shade of a nearby tree and observed her surroundings, looking for an opening.

In the distance, she noticed a young woman step out of the kitchens with a couple of garbage bags in hand. She put them in a trash can, then paused for a moment to light up a cigarette. Valerie decided this was the right moment. She changed her gait to a nervous one and put on an innocent smile, before walking up to the smoking woman.

"Um, hi!" said Valerie, her voice quaking slightly. "I'm Anna. I'm so sorry, but I'm new here. Do you know where I can find out where my shift is?"

The woman, who was dressed in dirty overalls, regarded her with a side-eye. "Another one, huh? Judging from your, uh, uniform, I'm guessing you're part of Mr. Dawson's personal staff."

Jackpot, thought Valerie. "Yes!" she exclaimed, making sure to maintain her air of nervousness. "It's just- I'm new, and I don't know where to go. Can you please help me?"

"You want to go to Mariana's office on the second floor. She handles the staff assignments. I'm sure she'll help you."

With that, the woman dropped her almost finished cigarette and put it out. "Thanks!" shouted Valerie as she walked back to the kitchens.

That's a start, thought Valerie. She had a plan - get to Mariana's office, and hope to find a way to get close to her target there. With that, she made her way to inside the mansion after a short walk through the surrounding gardens.

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