Week 1: Thursday, 6th Dec 2029, Afternoon

I spent the rest of the morning poring over Lisa’s paperwork. Both Vivien and Mikhail were riddled with exploitable weaknesses, and with Yoko’s particular brand of mischief, the options were endless. That was Yoko for you: reckless, incorrigible, but indispensable, her talents more valuable than all her defiance put together.

A stray idea flickered to life as I traced lines between names and incidents: Vivien and Mikhail, two forces in the arcology who’d never truly collided, simply because they’d had no reason to. If I could manufacture a conflict, the fallout could be explosive. The trick would be to keep Vivien’s mother out of it; the older Holt was too sharp, too practiced. I couldn’t afford her attention, not until Vivien was already securely in my grasp. But that day will come, and it would be easier than most would think.

I scribbled half-formed strategies onto my pad, lost in the web of possibility, when a knock at the door broke my focus. “Lunch is ready, Master,” Jennifer called.

“Come in,” I replied, straightening in my chair.

Yoko slipped in first, her usual impish grin firmly in place, followed by Jennifer balancing a tray. Both wore nothing but short aprons, barely decent, legs and curves on full display, the aprons swinging high enough to leave little to the imagination.

“Jen said Chinese food’s about color, aroma, and taste,” Yoko declared. “And apparently, so is the chef’s outfit.”

I chuckled. “Appreciate the showmanship, Jen. Set it down and rest on the couch. I want to run some plans by you.”

“No problem, Master,” Jennifer replied, arranging the tray with practiced grace. The food was simple, solid home fare: tomato and egg soup, broccoli gleaming with oyster sauce, stir-fried fish I couldn’t name, and a perfect bowl of rice. Humble, but inviting.

I dug in, letting the flavors anchor me as my mind stayed two steps ahead. “Vivien, we can afford to wait, she’ll be dangerous if she panics and calls her mother. But Mikhail, we need him gone. X-4 needs a lesson in who’s really in charge.”

Jennifer had already settled onto the sofa, apron hiked up, Yoko curled beside her with her tablet in hand. “What’s your plan?” Jen asked, tone attentive.

I glanced at Yoko, eyebrow raised. “Before we get to that. Yoko, you need an upgrade for your device?”

Yoko barely looked up from her screen. “Now you trust me with tech?”

“Under supervision, yes. You know the rules.”

She flashed a grin. “I’ll send you a shopping list, boss.”

I nodded, turning back to Jennifer, appetite for both food and scheming alive behind my eyes. “As for the plan. We start with a simple contract with Vivien, then make sure Mikhail finds out.”

Jennifer cocked her head, attentive. “Please elaborate, Master.”

I spooned up some soup. “I make a formal purchase from Vivien, something important, crucial for setting up our business. She benefits, so she’ll be eager to oblige. We can even overpay, since credits aren’t a concern anymore.” I flashed a knowing smile at Yoko. “And I’ll insist on a high-security bond in case of delivery failure. Just to make it official.”

Jennifer nodded, wheels turning.

“We leak word of the contract to one of Mikhail’s minions. They’re useless, but all too eager to score points. Knowing Mikhail, he won’t pass up a chance to disrupt our plans. He interferes, sabotages the delivery. Now Vivien’s on the hook for the penalty, and the two of them are at each other’s throats. With the penalty funds, we get leverage to squeeze Vivien further, see how far she’ll bend.”

Jennifer’s lips curled in a sly smile. “I can be the bad cop here, Master. When Vivien’s delivery falls apart, I’ll play the insubordinate **** in front of her, challenge your judgment, push her buttons, exploit her insecurities. You punish me, I escalate, and she’ll feel compelled to prove me wrong. Who knows, we might draw out that hidden submissiveness to older women, maybe even lure her in for a night to prove herself.”

“Excellent.” I leaned back, already picturing the scene. “I’ll need you in those meetings. Start planting your **** early, see how she reacts.”

Jennifer inclined her head, eyes glinting with mischief. “Always a pleasure, Master.”

“What a bunch of skimming assholes,” Yoko scoffed, shaking her head. “Count me in, Master.”

I tossed her a crooked smile. “Just punch your keypad and make sure the whole operation’s as transparent as glass. I need the delivery details to land in the right hands, see what you can make happen.”

Yoko’s eyes sparkled, already tapping away on her device. “Easy as ABC, Master. All too easy for the Smiling Man.”

“More like smiling ****,” I shot back, watching her lips curl in a mock pout.

She stuck out her tongue and got back to work, Jennifer already slipping into her practiced, demure pose. The plan was in motion; time to see just how quickly Vivien Holt could be maneuvered into checkmate.