Chapter 25: Progress

13 November 2025

Jenny sat still in her lab, internally processing the past week. The accidental discovery of the Master had triggered an amazing acceleration of both her research and her perspective.

The science had been fantastic. With Rebecca, Sarah and herself as the first cohort, and Ginny as the first of the next generation of subjects, Jenny suddenly had new data to evaluate and new theories to consider. If she had still been left to her own devices, and free to act or publish as she saw fit, her findings could have made her wealthy.

Among other things, the activated virus overrode sensations of fatigue and fear. Jenny could now document conclusively why she and Rebecca had slept less in the early days, without suffering a noticeable decline in endurance or focus.

Moreover, recognition of risks was reoriented. She and her colleagues had become eminently aware of what could be dangerous to the Master, and what might prevent them from fulfilling their purpose and their responsibilities. But they had a much more tenuous connection to their previous sense of self-preservation. Among other things, Jenny had leapt to interpose her body between Bob and what she thought was a mugger when they walked in the West End. She nervously laughed after realising it was just a movie poster on a theatre marquee.

Another surprising side effect was the complete absence of jealousy. She experienced all of the classic physiological hallmarks of being madly in love with Bob, even as the scientist in her scoffed at the idea. But the one set of responses she never felt was anything associated with his having other women.

In fact, it was the opposite. She saw other women as potential additions to his coterie. (She had mentally omitted the term harem, although she couldn’t avoid a sense of arousal at the concept.) Jenny theorised that the maternal instinct for procreation had been hijacked by the virus also.

One more path for future research, she thought.

None of this was likely to ever go public, though, unless Master desired it. Jenny was exploring the science to aid Bob in obtaining what he wanted.

Bob had been so happy after he enslaved Ginny. He brought her to the lab to show her off, and he had a proper hop in his step after their threesome shag. Jenny shivered at the memory of that redhead’s tongue. Now that they were both on the same team, Jenny also dropped the antagonistic use of Ginny’s given name.

An obediently devoted PA wasn’t enough, though. To please the Master, Jenny was preparing to bring more important women into his possession. And the virus kept rewarding her for her transgressive goals.

She closed her eyes, feeling the tether to Bob. Being bound to his will was everything that she had ever wanted or needed. It was only right for Bob to have that sort of connection with his wife.

And with his daughter as well.

Jenny sensed Bob’s pain when he talked about Livy. How estranged he felt from her, with her growing up and growing apart, and then moving out.

But Jenny didn’t have to allow the natural course of events to sadden her Master. She had it within her power to give him back the domestic bliss he craved.

She smiled from the pleasurable sensation with which she was being rewarded. It wasn’t a sharp spike of arousal, but rather like a calming cloud of contentment. Her desire to bring harmony to Master’s life was good and right.

With the discovery of the claiming mechanism, the possibilities of expanding the Master’s reach were endless. His bank was rife with opportunities. The city of London had millions of women, and all he had to do was want one and she would lay the groundwork to make it so. Then, he simply had to claim her.

“You must be thinking about him,” Rebecca commented as she ducked her head through Jenny’s doorway. “You don’t normally start stroking yourself in the middle of deconstructing cellular constructs, or whatever it is you do.”

Jenny realised her colleague was right. Her hand had slipped between her thighs while she was contemplating the unfettered takeover of… of anyone, really. The idea alone had triggered her, and she knew that she would be implementing it.

“You caught me,” Jenny admitted. “I was thinking about all those voices of independent women out there, trapped in their chaotic lives.”

“And then you pondered bringing harmony to each of them in his service, didn’t you?”

“You know me well, Rebecca.”

“Let’s just say that you aren’t the only one who has been working on that particular project. Meet me for lunch in an hour, and we can compare notes.”

Jenny smiled. “You’ve got yourself a date.”

***

A few hours later, Rebecca and Sarah were working in Jenny’s lab while she was meeting with a supply representative in the auxiliary office. Following the lunch, the lab had added to its remit social mapping to go along with scientific inquiry.

Rebecca stood at one workstation, her posture straight and her movements devoid of any wasted energy. Sarah sat at a secondary terminal, similarly focused but embraced by a more free-spirited energy. Since being claimed, Sarah had returned to the excited girl she had previously been. The tug-of-war for her soul had been won, and her enslavement had ironically freed her from the seeming conflict between who she was and what the virus had turned her into. Now, with Bob to guide and inspire her, her creativity was permitted to bloom again.

Their eyes — one pair shimmering with a deep emerald light, the other a flickering, expectant amber — scanned streams of data to find new targets for Master. They weren't just looking at subjects, however. They were looking for ways to bring greater satisfaction to both Bob and the women they considered for him.

“Sarah, do you have any friends or co-workers who you think would be good options for Master?”

The auburn-tressed woman tapped her teeth with the tip of her stylus while she thought about the question. Then she smiled.

“Chloe. She’s my closest mate. At least she was, before… before this. I haven’t seen her in weeks. I pretty much put everyone on hold.”

Rebecca made a note. “Would you like to reunite with your friend, Sarah?”

Sarah’s eyes lit up.

“Do you think that would be okay? I didn’t want to do anything that would upset you. Or Jenny. Or… or him.”

“I think it’s a brilliant idea, Sarah. I’m sure that any friend of yours would be wonderful for Master too.”

“Chloe’s really nice, and so pretty. Oh, I can’t wait to see her again, and to help her understand.”

Rebecca quietly enjoyed Sarah’s excitement. On one hand, she was pleased that Sarah had this affectionate feeling towards her friend. On the other, it reminded Rebecca that she had almost no one in her life about whom she felt that level of connection.

Being a woman and a solicitor was nearly as challenging as being a woman and a scientist. Yes, times had changed from decades past, and there weren’t quite as many chauvinist pigs in both fields as there once had been. Or perhaps they had just learned to do the bare minimum to avoid getting sued or fired.

She still remembered how many nights she had to choose between having a social life or attending to her studies, and her experiments, and her clients’ needs. Inevitably, Rebecca made the latter choice more and more frequently, and found that her social circle had largely shrunk to the others in her business environs.

Perhaps that had explained why Jenny had been such a lovely surprise when she came out of her stuck-up shell. More than anyone else, Jenny understood the struggles with which Rebecca dealt in the field of science. The two of them together could mingle with a group of colleagues, while never actually getting too close with anyone else.

“Are you okay, Rebecca?” Sarah asked. “You suddenly seemed distracted.”

“Yes, Sarah, I’m fine. Just thinking.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

Rebecca shook her head. “Don’t worry, little one. I haven’t gone mental or anything.” She forced a laugh, before she turned her attention back to the task at hand. “I have been thinking about Master’s family, and I know Jenny has also. He is so very sad about the two of them. It isn’t right that he is deprived of happiness and love at home.”

“From what I’ve picked up, the big problem is his wife. The way he talks about her, she is cold and impossible to please. A bloody shrew, from the sound of it.”

“I don’t want to go too far in blaming her without knowing more. It’s not easy to be a successful woman to begin with, much less a wife and mother too.” Rebecca wanted so badly to just blame and demonise Mary. After all, Master was everything to her, and she was being taught on a constant basis to believe that Master should be everything to anyone he wanted. And yet, something kept her from going that far.

After all, Rebecca could have easily been a Mary, had she chosen a slightly different path. If she had sacrificed some of her hard-charging desires in the working world, and built a relationship with a partner. Heaven knows, she had men lined up for her in the past.

“Family can be tough,” Rebecca muttered. Ultimately, it wasn’t her place to make decisions about the Master’s future.

Rebecca turned her attention back to her monitor to try to regain her lost momentum, when she heard a persistent vibration.

Her eyes scanned the lab, and she spotted the offending device. Jenny had left her personal mobile phone to charge during her meeting.

The buzzing continued as she hopped off her chair, and gracefully made her way around the workbench.

She picked up the phone, and checked the screen. The caller ID flashed as the iPhone lit up: EMILY.

In a past life, Rebecca would have remarked, “Speak of the devil,” given the discussion of family and friends. Instead, she pondered the opportunity which was presenting itself to her.

Rebecca swiped the screen and held the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

"Jennifer? Oh my god, finally!" The female voice was high-pitched and frantic. "I’ve been trying to get hold of you for hours. I’m literally broke and I need to borrow - wait, who is this?"

"I’m Rebecca. I’m a colleague of Jenny," Rebecca replied, trying to project a level of professional warmth. "She is currently… indisposed with her work. She has spoken of you often though” – a lie about which Rebecca felt no compunction or shame – “so I felt I knew you well enough to answer for her"

"Oh. Right. The 'Genius' is busy," Emily groaned. "Typical."

"Actually," Rebecca continued, her tone shifting, "I was hoping we might talk. I want to plan a surprise for Jennifer to celebrate her success. Something to honour her new breakthrough. Could you meet me for coffee? There is a shop just around the corner from our lab."

"A surprise? For Jen? She’d probably hate that, which makes me totally down for it," Emily chirped, her self-centred urgency easily redirected. "I’m like ten minutes away. Red top, distressed jeans - you can’t miss me."

“Consider it a date,” Rebecca said charmingly, as the call closed on the other side of the line.

Rebecca stared at the phone. She swiped the call log, deleting the just-completed entry.

“Who was that?” Sarah asked idly, as she continued her own work.

“That was Jenny’s younger sister. They don’t get along well, especially since Emily is highly irresponsible and selfish. Perhaps it would be good for Jenny if I incorporate her sister into our project, but… quietly. Master’s influence might be just what the girl needs to quieten the chaos she brings to our architect’s life. That said… Jenny doesn’t need to know about this right now. It would just be a distraction."

Sarah looked up briefly, and watched Rebecca with wide, amber eyes. “Whatever you say, Rebecca. You know best.”

“Good girl, Sarah.”

Rebecca gathered up her personal effects. She had a date to keep.

“Sarah, you shall reach out to your friend. I shall take this appointment to bring Jenny’s sister into the fold. And after that, Jenny should be available so we can return to the broader project of expanding Master’s circle of control.”

Rebecca donned her jacket, which had been hanging on a stand near the entrance of the lab. She felt a surge within her, and a sudden metallic taste flooded her mouth.

She was on her way to bring another soul into the beautiful, quiet thrall of the Master. As she walked toward the lift, she didn't feel like a predator. Rather, she pictured herself as a gardener, going out to pluck a weed and replant it as a flower.