Some new security measures for the office

I left the foyer with a mixture of excitement and nervous energy. My mind was still racing with possibilities. The computer wasn't a joke. It wasn't some weird old program with a fancy name. It had actually changed something.

The question was how far it could go.

I was halfway down the hallway toward the basement when I heard footsteps coming from the opposite direction.

"Alex?"

I looked up and saw Jessica Kim approaching.

Jessica was the head of security for Artemis' Activists, which was a little ironic considering she was probably one of the least intimidating people in the building. She had the kind of presence that made people feel comfortable rather than guarded. She was athletic, maybe 5’ 4” on a good day, and there was nothing harsh about her. Her expression was usually relaxed, and her smile lit up any room she was in.

"Hey, Jessica," I said, stopping.

She smiled warmly. "There you are. I was wondering if I'd run into you today."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

She shrugged. "I haven't seen you outside of the basement much lately. I figured Angela had you buried down there permanently."

I laughed despite myself. "Honestly, some days I think she might."

Jessica shook her head, her expression turning sympathetic. "I don't understand how she can be so hard on you. You're one of the few people here who actually fixes problems instead of just complaining about them."

That caught me off guard.

"Wait...you think that?"

"Of course I do." She looked genuinely confused that I would question it. "Alex, half this IT infrastructure would fall apart without you. Hell, before you got here, we used to have day long outages. The fact you’ve kept everything going while she’s been screaming down your neck…well it’s aspirational.”

I smiled. "That's probably the nicest thing anyone here has said to me in months."

"Well, someone needed to say it."

There was something about Jessica that made it easy to talk to her. She didn't have the sharp edges that most people in the office seemed to develop after working under Angela for too long. She wasn't trying to climb a ladder, prove a point, or win some office politics game.

She just did her job and treated people like people.

"So," she said, glancing toward the basement door behind me, "what's the project today?

I hesitated.

The computer.

For a brief moment, I considered telling her.

Not about what it could do. Not yet. But maybe just mentioning that I had found something interesting.

Then I thought of something better. A test, to really see what the computer could do.

"Something like that," I said. "Just cleaning things up."

Jessica nodded. "Well, if you find any lost gold down there, let me know. That basement has been a disaster for years."

"Will do."

She started walking away, then turned back.

"Oh, and Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't let Angela get to you."

I looked at her.

Jessica smiled.

"You're doing fine."

Then she continued down the hallway, leaving me standing there.

For some reason, that bothered me more than Angela yelling at me ever had. Was what I was about to do ethical? I shook my head. I could always revert the changes.

I rushed into the basement, closing the door, and immediately fired up the PC. I was met with the familiar loading screen.

I scrolled down and selected Jessica’s name.

JESSICA KIM

Job Title: Head of Security

ADD FIELD EDIT FIELD REMOVE FIELD

I selected add field, added my change. The computer’s voice rang out again “change accepted”. I selected add field again, then a third time.

JESSICA KIM

Job Title: Head of Security

Uniform: Dominatrix outfit (Latex corset, thigh high latex boots, riding crop, latex thong)

Enforcement Philosophy: Zero tolerance

Disciplinary Doctrine: Dominatrix

Professional Priorities: Absolute Compliance, Total Submission, and Psychological Dominance

ADD FIELD EDIT FIELD REMOVE FIELD

I sat back. If this worked…if friendly, upbeat Jessica became a dominatrix in the office…it would be a good benchmark for how powerful this computer actually was. Changing someone’s title and work uniform were one thing, but an entire personality was another.

I pulled into the employee parking lot earlier than usual. The morning air was cool, and only a handful of cars had arrived. Leaning against my own car, I watched employees trickle toward the entrance, trying to look casual while my heart hammered in my chest.

Then I saw Jessica Kim's silver SUV rolled into the lot.

She parked, gathered her bag, and stepped out.

I straightened immediately. This was it. I searched for...something. Anything. A different hairstyle. A different way of walking. A different expression…but there was nothing. She looked like she always did. She looked over and spotted me.

"Morning, Alex!"

"Morning," I answered, unable to hide the confusion in my voice.

She walked over, coffee in one hand, keys jingling in the other.

"You're here early."

"Couldn't sleep."

"I know the feeling." She laughed softly. "I kept waking up thinking today was Friday."

I blinked. She had the same laugh. Same friendly, easygoing attitude. Hell, if anything she seemed even nicer despite it being Wednesday morning.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The one where you’re working on a problem that you can’t solve. Same one you had 1 month ago when the servers went down and it took you two days to get them back up. Which…miracle worker in my books.”

"Oh." I forced a smile. "Yeah. Just...thinking."

She nodded sympathetically.

"Well, don't work too hard. The building will still be here tomorrow."

"I'll do my best."

"See you inside."

I watched her walk toward the entrance, my stomach sinking. It hadn't worked.

I’d spent half the night imagining what I’d see this morning, wondering how reality would twist itself into a new shape. Instead...Nothing. Jessica was just Jessica. The sort of person who apologized if someone else bumped into her. I let out a long breath.

"Too much to hope for I guess.” I said to myself. “Still…Uniforms and stuff is still fun.”

I walked into the office, trying to console myself about the amount of power I still had. As I walked dejectedly down the hall towards the stairs to the basement, I heard a creak behind me. Turning, I saw the door to the women’s locker room open and my jaw dropped.

The first thing I heard was the rhythmic, lethal *clack-clack-clack* of six-inch stiletto heels thigh-high latex boots striking the polished marble of the floor. Jessica Kim stepped out, and the transformation was staggering. Gone was the warm, approachable woman who greeted everyone with an easy smile each morning. Her posture alone seemed transformed. Her shoulders were squared, her back perfectly straight, and her expression was carved from stone. She surveyed the room with calm, practiced precision, as though unconsciously cataloging every employee, every exit, every potential problem. Her black latex corset, shined to a near mirror sheen, was cinched tight, aggressively lifting and pushing her B-cup breasts upward until they were nearly spilling over the structured edge, glistening under the fluorescent lights. Below, the daring latex thong sliced deep into her cheeks, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination as she strode forward with a predatory confidence. She had on a high-collared leather choker that pressed against her throat, the silver ring glinting as she tilted her chin up with an air of absolute superiority, while her elbow-length gloves gave her hands a clinical, detached feeling as she gripped the riding crop, slapping it into the palm of her left hand. Slung precariously across her hips was a wide leather belt, designed more for visual impact than actual utility. It didn't buckle tight; instead, it rested cock-eyed and loose, dipping low on her right. Aside from her standard key ring and flashlight, hanging from it were also a pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs, swaying in a slow, hypnotic rhythm with every provocative swing of her hips, their metallic *chink-chink* echoing through the hallway. On the opposite side, a heavy-duty leather leash and collar combo were looped casually through a heavy silver ring.

She glanced back towards me, gave me a friendly nod, then turned and strode purposefully down the hallway, heading towards the main office, doing her normal security rounds. Suddenly, her gaze locked onto Sarah, a timid 18 year old intern. She circled her like a shark, the latex of her boots creaking with every precise step. "Uniform infraction," she declared, her voice cold and official, as she pointed the tip of the riding crop to a barely visible crease in Sarah's skirt. "Failure to maintain a crisp professional line. That is a Level 2 violation." Without warning, I watched as she drove the riding crop firmly down, the leather tip biting sharply into Sarah’s thigh, eliciting a stifled gasp of shock. "The penalty for negligence is a thorough cleaning of the security apparatus," Jessica commands, stepping forward so her towering stiletto boot is inches from Sarah's face. "Down. Now." Sarah sank to her knees, her eyes watering, but she didn’t resist…she simply leaned forward and began to lick the polished latex of the boot, her tongue tracing the surface.

I glanced around the office as Sarah continued lapping at the boots, fighting back tears. No one was batting an eye. To them, this was all normal, just another day in the office. The new Jessica having Sarah lick her boot was now no different than being written up for losing your ID card.

JESSICA’S POV

I shut my car door and smiled as I spotted Alex.

"Morning!"

He looked tired. Poor guy. Angela has been riding him hard for months. We chatted for a minute before I headed toward the building. I made a mental note to check whether Facilities had fixed the loose handrail by the east stairwell.

Entering the women’s locker room, I chuckled. It used to be the only locker room before Alex got hired. Poor guy. To keep in compliance with state labor codes, Angela had been forced to create a male locker room also. She’d finally given in and had one of the janitor closets converted. She had been pissed about that for months.

As I walked over to the punch clock and swiped in, I put myself into what I liked to think of as “security mode”. The day's security priorities lined themselves up in my mind. Unauthorized visitors. Fire exits. Building access. Incident reports due by noon. By the time I reached the locker room, I was in the zone.

As I stepped into the hallway, the office noise diminished. Employees glanced up before returning to their work. Good, I thought to myself. A visible security presence discouraged problems before they started.

I paused in the corridor, scanning the room with practiced efficiency. Nothing unusual. Monica was already at her desk. Emily was sorting the morning mail. Alex...Alex was staring. He looked almost bewildered. Did I forget something?

I glanced down at her badge, then over her equipment. Everything appeared to be in order. Key. Check. Flashlight. Check. Cuffs. Check. Collar and leash. Check.

Poor guy, I thought. Angela must have really gotten to him yesterday.

I made a note to check on him during lunch and then began my rounds.