Attempt to escape bonds

  None of my efforts turned up any success. My interlocutor smiled sadistically. On any other person that smile would have been horrifying. But on her, perhaps because I had other things to be terrified about, it was almost attractive. 

  She started to pace around me, like a cat around wounded prey. ?Before things get started, I should explain what?s about to happen. See, I work for a rather unusual company. I believe that the vulgar phrase for our business would be flesh-peddling. Slavery, if you prefer a more clinical term. In case you haven?t guessed, you?ve been selected to serve as wares.? ?     All of a sudden, she sat down cross-legged in front of me. ?If it makes you feel any better, I consider it rather a complement. The difficulties of advertising, shipping, and of course training mean that we only select those who have the absolute best for whatever purpose they will be used for.? She laid her index finger under my chin and brought it up to face her. I was too intimidated to resist. ?In your case, the quality in question is, of course, beauty. I?ll let your mind fill in the blanks.? 

 She stood up and pushed me on my back with her foot. Then she started pacing again. ?But before we get to any of that, the first stage is training. The idea of training is to absolutely maximize obedience and loyalty. Any lack of that, any refusal to follow a customer?s orders classifies you as defective merchandise. And our company never sells defective merchandise.

  ?Now, I know what you?re going to say. You?re going to say absolutely nothing because you?ve got something stuffed in your mouth. But if you did have the choice to say something, you would go on about how no matter what I can do to your body, I can never affect your soul, just like all the other would-be Epictetuses we get here. My response? I?m not particularly interested in your soul. Have fun with it. I?m going after your brain. And you?ll be stunned just how easy it is to toy with a person?s brain, using only two tools.? ?     She knelt again and counted off on her hand. ?Pleasure? and pain.?