Driving in the Wrong Direction

"Okay, well I guess I'd better step on it then. The sooner we get out of here the better," Chantelle reacted with urgency.

"But what about the others?" Sophie panicked.

"I trust them to do their job. Besides, with what you now know you're in the most danger out of anyone. We gotta get way out of here!"

Sophie was glad she ended up in the car with Chantelle. Barbie's second in command was always so cool and clearheaded in every situation. The Team Genius member was just getting her breath back and letting her adrenaline settle in her body when she realised they were heading into a part of the city she wasn't familiar with.

"Hey, wasn't the mansion the other way?" Sophie was confused. Obviously Chantelle was more familiar with Salt Lake than her, but this definitely felt wrong.

"Yeah, we ain't going there yet" Chantelle smiled back.

Suddenly everything clicked.

"You're the rat!" Sophie gasped in horror. She felt like someone had just winded her.

Chantelle just laughed, completely unphased.

"Actually, the only rat in the mansion at the moment is your good friend, Laura."

Again, Sophie felt like she had been punched in the stomach. How had nobody made that connection? She needed to go back to the mansion right now and order her transformed friend to turn back into herself.

"Stop the fucking car. LET ME OUT!" she demanded.

"Yeah, I'm obviously not going to do that," Chantelle replied with the kind of calmness that suggested she had done this kind of thing a hundred times before.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Sophie was banging on the windows now, trying to make a scene. Chantelle calmly turned to her and spoke in a soft yet flawless British accent.

"Please calm down, my little tadpole…"

"Yes Master." Sophie was shocked to find herself reacting almost as a reflex. For a second, it was like Charlie was in the car with her and she couldn't bring herself to disobey.

"Wow, that guy really did a number on you, huh?" Chantelle raised her eyebrows. "You know, before he went wherever NA made him go, Charlie told me all the little hypnotic triggers he had implanted while you were his pet. He may have been a creep, but he was damn good at what he did. If the fool hadn't fallen in love with you, you and all your British friends would be enjoying yourselves on Naked Forever right now, Charlie would probably have been promoted instead of, well, who knows...and my job would have been that much easier. Still, I think I'm going to enjoy our time together!"

"What are you going to do to me?" Sophie asked nervously, almost accepting her fate was in Chantelle's hands now.

"Finish off what Charlie started," Chantelle answered candidly. "But you won't be going to Naked Forever for quite yet. I have other plans for you first."

"How can you do this…to other women?" Sophie asked in disbelief.

"I guess I'm just not that much of a feminist," Chantelle shrugged. "And this is just another job. I actually really like you, Sophie. I think what you and your friends did to that creep kicked fucking ass. But I have to tell you, Naked Club aren't going to be able to stop me."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Sophie spoke with a hint of defiance. She and her friends were used to being underestimated.

"Well, not wanting to brag, but I have a few things in my favour that Charlie didn't," Chantelle began.

"Like what?"

"Well, let's see. An IQ of 158, contacts at the FBI here and MI5 in London that were able to send me detailed reports listing just about everything you have ever done, a photographic memory, extensive expertise in neuro-linguistic programming, reading body language and predicting behaviours, a first class degree in psychology from Harvard..."

Chantelle smiled across at Sophie who looked totally shell shocked. Then her tone softened a little.

"But…there is another thing I have that Charlie didn't that is going to be more important than any of that."

"What?" Sophie just about dared to ask.

"You find me attractive, don't you Sophie? Sexy, in fact."

Sophie blushed and looked downwards, suddenly unable to meet Chantelle's gaze. The secret agent didn't need to be an expert in body language to read that tell correctly.