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Chapter 10 by darkchill darkchill

What was it?

Investigate first, wine second

Something about the idea of old files belonging to your home's previous occupants tickled your curiosity. You crept up to the office nook and called back toward Aimee, "You bring that bottle back up to the kitchen, I'm going to gather some reading material..."

Aimee coughed out "kh-nerd-egh!" with a giggle before wandering back up the staircase. You watched her butt disappear up the stairs, and turned your attention to the office corner. Her cough had been fake, but it *was* dusty down there.

There was an L-shaped desk set into the corner, an upholstered swivel chair, two filing cabinets, and a bunch of drawers. Not knowing where to start, you started off with the filing cabinets. As you approached them though, you noticed something strange.

In the light of your phone's flashlight, you could see footprints in the heavy dust. They weren't as obvious on the rough concrete near the stairs, but showed clearly against the thick plastic laid out for the office chair. The prints were scattered all around the area, but mostly near the two filing cabinets.

You started pulling out drawers, and found most of them full of the usual office stuff like staples, blank paper, pens, etc. One drawer was locked tight. The disturbed dust was starting to make breathing difficult, so you picked up the pace on your investigation.

You turned to the cabinets and opened them both, finding a collection of boring-looking files. The most interesting by far was one labeled "Gregory Ryder" that made you smile. Greg hated being called 'Gregory.' You grabbed the file and pulled it out, but something clinked to the ground as you removed it.

The object was a small key, which you immediately tried on the desk drawers. The desk was heavy oak, and you doubted anyone could have gotten into that drawer without a key. Sure enough, the key turned and drawer slipped open easily. Inside you found a single blue folder labeled 'TTP233C.' You grabbed it and took both files upstairs, clutching them to your chest.

It felt good to breathe freely back in the kitchen, and you found Aimee pouring wine into two bottles.

She turned to you with a grin, "You made it just in time! What did you find?" She'd moved the cookies into the kitchen from the living room, and you grabbed one as you set the folders down.

"I'm not sure," you said honestly. "Somebody was down there not too long ago, maybe to clear out some of Greg's dad's stuff? ...but most of the stuff I found was old and boring."

"Told you!" Aimee stuck her tongue out at you, handing over a wine glass. Then she plopped onto a stool and looked across the kitchen island at you, her arms crossed under her chest. Was she *intentionally* emphasizing her chest?

*Why wouldn't she, with boobs like that?* said a voice in your head. You felt the dizziness from earlier returning, but felt more comfortable with it now.

You ignored it, and opened the second folder you'd found downstairs, sipping at your wine. You left the 'Gregory' folder alone. "I *did* find this though! Something... I don't know what."

The first page was blank, but the second looked better. It was copied from some other record, and you didn't understand much of what it said, but what you *did* understand made your jaw drop.


"Subject 12 - 1658D24"

Name -redacted-

Age 18

Contacted via: Email

Action taken: Testing lab 3

Status: Relocated - Entertainer

"Subject 18 - 1653A45"

Name: -redacted-

Age: 42

Contacted via: Front desk

Action taken: Testing lab 2

Status: Relocated - Companion

"Subject 8 - 1664C41"

Name: -redacted-

Age: 26

Contacted via: Phone

Action taken: Testing lab 4

Status: Escape - Deceased


The entries went on for several pages, and were all that filled the folder. Each of them bore a redacted name, age, a subject label, a method of "contact," and a status. A couple had "escaped" written beside them... but what did that mean?

It looked like... What? Human testing? You held the pages out to Aimee, who shrugged.

"Weird," she refilled both your wine glasses, then picked up one of the pages. "Somebody wrote on this one... 'Queen of Hearts - Caramel.'

You checked the entry:

"Subject 19 - 1655B23"

Name: -redacted-

Age: 32

Contacted via: Email

Action taken: Testing lab 1

Status: Relocated - Entertainer

Beside the "relocated" entry, somebody had scribbled down 'Queen of Hearts - Caramel' in precise letters.

"Do you think it's a place?" You asked Aimee, curious.

She pulled out her phone and typed something in, then giggled. "It's a strip club!" Aimee tapped something and the sound of some heavy bass music played through her phone's tinny speaker.

"Huh." This was very weird. 'Caramel' was probably a stripper then?

You sipped your wine and moved behind her, watching the screen over her shoulder. Aimee's perfume wafted up from her hair, but didn't seem nearly as cloying as it had earlier. "Maybe we should contact Caramel..?"

There was some advertisement playing on MeTube. An announcer described the various deals and things that one could expect to find at the club. Mostly though, the video featured the sexy bodies of the club's employees as they shook their ...assets... to the music. You watched one girl straddling a pole, mouthing 'fuck me' at the camera with a look of **** need on her face.

*She looks like she's having a lot of fun,* said a voice in your head. This... was actually turning you on. You were breathing quickly, and felt a heat building between your legs.

The video ended, showing a logo that featured a single playing card, the Queen of Hearts. The woman on the card was a naked shadow though, with ridiculous curves, crooking a finger toward the viewer.

You opened your mouth to speak, your breath heavy...

What did you say?

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