Confront her

Carmen Riley's schedule is free enough to accommodate you later that day, close to the end of business hours, which works for you. With some time before the meeting, you go out for lunch by yourself, then return to the office to plot your approach to Carmen, before taking a brief nap.

You wake up just in time for the meeting. The Riley Industries corporate headquarters is only 15 minutes away on foot and the weather is nice, so you decide to leave your jacket in the office and walk there instead of using your teleportation ring. While convenient, you're constantly aware that if you get too used to using it, you'll soon turn into a fat slob who wheezes with every step if you don't exercise.

The building is a pretty standard skyscraper in New York City, and after you check in with the security at the front desk, you're sent up to the 24th floor where Carmen's office is. When you exit the elevator, you're greeted by a cute young woman who looks like she's barely out of college. She introduces herself as Dina, Carmen's assistant, before leading you in to her boss. While the office space is vast and Carmen has a corner office on the floor, Dina explains that Carmen's department is a small operation, consisting of just her and Dina. You nod knowingly, guessing that Carmen's job and title was a direct result of her father owning the company. You wonder how the other employees feel about it.

Dina knocks on Carmen's door and opens it, letting you in, before she returns to her cubicle about 10 feet away. It's pretty quiet in this part of the office floor and you see that all of the cubicles around are empty. You enter the office and close the door behind you. Carmen is already up from behind her desk, and she shakes your hand and offers you a seat on the couch. Of course, she's dressed differently from the last time you'd seen her, smartly attired in a pink blouse and black pinstripe pencil skirt that goes down to just below her knees, instead of her ninja outfit.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Colins. I must be honest, I was surprised when you contacted my assistant. I'm not sure why a reporter might want to meet with me. I read your story on the celebrity escort ring, it was fascinating how they lead a secret life, though I'm not surprised at all. If you're doing a story about Riley Industries, there are better people to speak with, and if it's about my father, his people will handle that," Carmen says as she sits down next to you on the moderately sized couch.

"John is fine. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. No, I'm not working on a story about Riley Industries or your father. I'm following up on something else," you say, throwing your left arm up on the back of the couch between you and Carmen, getting comfortable.

"Oh? And how can I help?" Carmen looks confused.

"This story I'm working on, it's about a vigilante-"

"There are lots of vigilantes in the city," Carmen quickly interrupts. She's clearly flustered as she has a good idea where this conversation is going.

"True, but this one is more interesting. It's a woman dressed as a ninja, who goes around at night fighting crime," you pause to gauge Carmen's reaction and she gulps.

"That's... interesting. But... what has this got to do with me?" she asks innocently.

"Well, I've done some digging, and it looks like this vigilante has long black hair, slender build, in her mid to late 20s, must have spent some time in Japan, and recently moved to or returned to New York."

"That could be a lot of people." Carmen takes a deep breath and composes herself, narrowing her eyes and looking at you intently. She's sitting upright, slightly slanted to her right to face you, and her hands are on her knees.

You chuckle. "Probably. But last night, I happened to witness this vigilante stopping a mugging in an alley, dressed in a ninja's outfit."

Carmen laughs nervously. "And what? Did you see their face? I'm sure the vigilante had it concealed."

"Yes, she was wearing a mask. I tried to follow her, but she was too quick and I lost sight of her." Carmen looks relieved at your statement, until she realizes you're not done. "But, I didn't give up, and managed to find her again, at a secret costume party in an abandoned factory."

Carmen doesn't say anything. She's probably trying to recall the events from last night and figure out how you know what happened.

"Of course, she blended in well, and it took me a while to find her in the crowded party, until I saw her by the bar." You lower your arm and place your hand on top of one of her hands on her knees. Carmen's eyes go wide and her mouth opens a little, in surprise and trying to find the right words.

"I- I- I still don't get the point of this visit..." she stutters.

"Did I mention I was wearing a Zorro costume?"

Carmen's jaw drops at your final reveal. Your hand moves up and gropes her breast through her silk blouse. She's too stunned to react and she just lets you touch her, as your hand moves from one breast to the other. Her expression looks like she's a million miles away, and it takes a minute or two for her to regain her senses, as she grabs your hand and pulls it away from her chest.

"But after we.... you just... I left.... how did you know it was me?"

"Don't worry about that. But I know for sure, and I can expose you if I write about it."

"If?"

You smirk and Carmen understands what you're getting at.

"So this is ****?"

"Well, I don't want money if that's what you're worried about."

"Then what do you want?"

You wink.

"Oh! But... we've already..."

"Doesn't mean I don't want to again. You were great, and I loved that thing you did at the end." Carmen blushes. "Plus, you seemed pretty eager last night."

"Last night was... different. What's going to... How do I know that you won't expose me after we...?"

"You don't. But if you don't do what I say, I'll definitely write about you and your secret life." You push your hand back to Carmen's chest, onto her right breast, and hold it there. You can almost feel her heart beating furiously in her chest.

She thinks about what you said for a while, before finally nodding to herself. "Fine. Fine. Let's get out of here."

"No, let's do it here."

"What?! No, let's get out of here. We'll get a hotel room," Carmen insists.

"That sounds like a good idea for later. But, right now, this is happening."

"People will hear!"

"I didn't see anyone else around."

"My assistant is just outside."

"Not my problem," you respond. You're already standing and unbuttoning your shirt.