“Master Charles will see you now,” one of Charles’ fembots said, escorting #1 and #3 into Charles’ office. Sydney’s taste for minimalism and vigilance had rubbed off on her apprentice. Like hers, Charles’ office was more of a sparsely decorated suite with two-way mirrors for monitoring clients, a small refreshment area, and two visitor’s chairs positioned in front of his large desk which anchored the room to its polished wood floors.


Charles himself stood behind the enormous desk, hands clasped behind his back, his strong jaw set in place. His auburn hair swept away from his face. He was tall, at least six foot four and solid as a rock. But it was his steel gray eyes that captured your attention. It was like looking into heavy thunder clouds. The three ladies walked towards his glory and stood stark still waiting for orders.


“Master Charles,” they nodded.


“Ladies,” he gestured to his assistant, prompting her into action.


“Please sit,” she offered before being dismissed.


“Thank you,” they sat in unison.


Charles studied them and smiled. “Well ladies, you haven’t changed at all. Sydney has managed to keep you in line. I’ve missed you all. You made my training---easier,” he gave #3 a covert grin. Her eyes broke to the floor for a half second.


“Permission to speak freely, Sir?” #1 asked.


“Granted,”


“You have done very well for yourself,”


“Yes, I have. Your Mistress keeps me very busy,” he looked around the room and gave a flirtatious smirk.


“I’ve missed you,” she smiled back at him. “You were always kind and generous.”


“Kind and generous?” He snorted. “I f I didn’t have your support I wouldn’t have survived my apprenticeship. Five years of training and I still can’t match her skills. I doubt I ever will,” he chuckled. “Sydney was a taskmaster. I see that she hasn’t given you proper names. Why not?”


“We mean nothing to her.” #3 answered without hesitation.


“As it should be. This is her way. We don’t question it,” #1 added. Charles nodded in approval.


“Do you ever regret the lengthy time you spent with us? Would you have rather trained under someone else?” #3 asked.


“No,” Charles answered without pause. “Sydney is the best in the business for a reason; she has refined her craft to a virtual art. She’s earned her status, it wasn’t given to her, and she didn’t take any shortcuts. And she is extremely loyal to her underlings. I couldn’t have asked for a better Mistress.”


“And what do you think of Master Mark?” #3 pressed.


Charles’ face darkened. This was a daring move on her part. A submissive never asked a Dom their opinion of another Dom. Were it not for their personal connection, Charles would have grounds to reprimand her without Sydney’s permission.


Charles gave #1 a quick glance and then answered, “Mark is one of a kind. His talent is matched only by his intelligence,” he stood and offered the ladies a bottle of water which they politely refused. “Don’t presume he doesn’t already know what has happened. He is powerful and very cunning. Though controversial, Sydney has made a wise choice. If anyone could weather this storm it would be those two.”


“Don’t you think we have enough time?” #1 asked softly.


“It depends on how far the news has spread and what’s being said. Where do we stand?”


“As of this morning I’ve received emails from DC and Maryland.”


“Good, that’s Lee’s territory. He’s capable of handling his guys. What else?” Charles insisted.


“It’s being said that they’re consolidating their clientele and bringing in apprentices.”


“Bringing in apprentices from where?” Charles inquired.


“Some say from the West coast. Others say Europe.”


“Shutting us out of the game,” Charles mumbled under his breath.


“Yes Sir. The rumors have enough factual bases to give them creditability. I’m sure you’re aware Master Mark has taken on a new apprentice from Germany. Word has it that he is one of most promising students anyone has seen.”

“Mark and Sydney would never cook up this sort of scheme. That’s not the way they operate. They’re far too loyal to pull a stunt like that.”


#1 leaned forward, “Do you believe everyone else feels the same way? I mean, there’s a lot of money on the line. At the lower levels there will be menacing talk but at the higher levels threre will be talk of conspiracy. They will use scare tactics to mobilize the lower Doms.”


“What’s the worst that could happen?” #3 asked.


Charles exhaled a long thoughtful breath. “They will attempt to garner the support of powerful clients---there will be an uprising and Mark and Sydney will be shut down over night. And you ladies will never work in the industry again.”


“But we didn’t do anything wrong,” panic crept into #3s’ tone. “How can we be held responsible?”


“Anyone who appears to have any involvement, regardless of their depth of knowledge, will be finished.” He pointed out.


“Then will you help us, even if it means your ruin?”


Charles grinned and flipped through his address book. “Of course. I would walk through hell for Sydney, which given the state of current affairs is exactly what I’m about to do. I’ll rally the troops from my side and reach out to a few clients,” Charles lamented. The ladies didn’t move. He saw the concern on their polished faces. “Don’t worry ladies. Your Mistress and Master are the best in the business, they have earned our respect. We will protect them. Besides, disloyalty doesn’t sit well with influential CEOs who secretly enjoy getting spanked.” He raised his eyebrows and the ladies giggled for the first time. “That’s what I wanted to see,” he stood ushering them to the door.


“Thank you, Master Charles.” He closed the door behind them.


“Alright. Let’s get to work.” He said dialing the phone.







“Lee. It’s Charlie. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I haven’t spoken to you in a month. It’s been hellish around here. Listen, I’m sure you’ve heard the news,” he paused. “I’ve been working with Syd’s girls to put out the fires up this way. I need you to jump in.”


“I’m already on it,” said Lee, Sydney’s former apprentice. He gave a light wink to his assistant as she dropped files on his desk. She blushed, a bit shaken. “I’ve made a few calls and I have a meeting with Gustavo in ten minutes. Do we have any idea who the flame fanners are? I don’t mean the little guys. I’m talking about the guys at our level.”


“I’ll email you their names. And Lee, don’t go light on them. This is Sydney we’re talking about. We can either contain this fire on our own or deal with her when she returns. I think you know what the best course of action is.”


“Have you ever known me to go light on anyone? They’d better hope they catch me in a good mood. Sydney is going to loose it when she finds out. Hell hath no fury like that woman scorned! I venture to guess the list won’t contain the names of any former underlings,”


“We’re not suicidal.”


“What about Marks camp? What do we have?” Lee asked, chair tilted back, his feet kicked up in the corner of the desk.


“That man has serious connections. There’s no wonder the lower Doms are freaking out. Mark and Sydney have the potential to bankrupt us. We have the backing of everyone I’ve spoken to,” Charles exhaled.


“But?”


“But, we’d better have things tied up in a nice little bow before they return. If we don’t have something to hand them, our asses are on the line.” Charles reclined.


“You’re preaching to the choir,” Lee proclaimed waving Gustavo into the Holy Grail of his presence. “I have to run, Gustavo just walked in. I’ll take a look at the list and get to work. Bye.”


Lee stood and greeted Gustavo. His Scandinavian ancestor dwarfed Gustavo’s Latin genes. Unequally matched in looks and status, Gustavo waited for Lee to take his seat.


“I know why you’ve called me. I’ve heard the rumors.”


“Good! Then I won’t bore you,” Lee logged into his computer.


“No, I understand. These things…they are…are sensitive.”


“So, you’re with us?”


“Of course I am. I have the highest respect for Syd…” he caught himself. “I have the highest regard for Mistress Sydney and Master Mark.”


Lee wasn’t impressed by his recovery. He opened Charles’ email as Gustavo continued to drone praises for the couple. Second name on the list: Gustavo. His jaws tight, Lee shot him a deadly cold narrow gaze. Gus had the nerve to come into his presence and lie. Lee took a moment to collect himself before cutting him off.


“Gus, I get it. You hold them in very high regard. This is just a quick meeting to remind you of where your loyalties lie. We wouldn’t want you to get mixed up in some hair-brain scheme that would ruin you and those around you,” he uttered stone faced. “You see Gus, Mistress Sydney taught me everything I know and I tend to be extremely protective of her. If you fuck with her, you’re fucking me. And while she’s away, on a much deserved vacation, her apprentices are doing a bit of house-sitting and we don’t allow people on the lawn,”


Gus attempted to interject but was silenced when Lee stood prompting him and then walked him to the door with his arm around his shoulder.


“Please tell your underlings that if any of them step out of line they will answer to me….directly.” He opened the door. “And Gus, if you ever come to me again reeking of betrayal, I will cut your balls off and feed them to your wife,”


Gus swallowed hard.


“You have got twenty-four hours to clean up your mess, and then I’m coming to look for you. And if you run, I will find you.”


He closed the door, softly.


“Jackass.” Lee muttered.