Trish, my secretary, dropped the FedEx letter on my desk nonchalantly. "Taking a trip," she asked?

"Hmmmm?" i replied, my head buried deep in financial projections and my attention riveted in resolving that stubborn circular calculation that had eluded me for the past 15 minutes.

"This is another one from that 'Excursion' place. What is that, a travel agency? I just wondered when you were going. I had planned on taking some time off, too, you know, and we always seem to plan the same weeks. And YOU always seem to get them." i hated her petulant pout when rank got the best of her.

My heart froze as she said the word "excursion." For me, in the life i had chosen with a decidedly sadistic and creative Master, the word had an entirely different meaning from the Club Med cruises that Trish called fun.

"I don't think it will be a problem, Trish. Hey i'm trying to think here.. will you snag my calls and shut the door on your way out?" i struggled not to look at the blue and white envelope sitting there in the middle of my cluttered desk, knowing that i'd be hard pressed to hide my trembling and arousal.

"Sure. Wherever you're going, bring back pictures. I'm on my break. Be back at 10:30." Pictures? Not bloody likely! Trish pulled the door behind her, sneering ever-so-slightly as she always did at the V.P. behind the name on my door plate.

i snatched the envelope up and studied the return address. It was the code he'd worked out when i first became His: the return address on the mailing label told where i was to meet him, and the suite number was the time. "101 Maple, Suite 1800." A tawdry area of downtown, this evening at 6:00 p.m. i groaned inwardly as i realized how many hours i would have for the anticipation and torment to build.

i chuckled when i realized that in his inimitable way, he even communicated that he knew just how i was feeling. In the "billing reference," he'd added the initials "W.E.T."

i shook the envelop, fully expecting it to be empty as it had been in the past. Wrong again. The man never failed to surprise me. i unfolded the note that he'd included:

    "There's a package in the back of the minivan. Do not open the package
    till you get to the rendezvous point. I'm sure you'll know what to do then."

i faked my way through a couple of meetings, made the few phone calls that my mind could handle, decided to postpone working on Trisha's performance review, had my nails done at lunch to kill time, and agonized as the hands crawled around the face of my watch.

i made small talk with the guard, signed out at precisely 5:02, and made my way past the buildings that were expelling thousands of professionals like me. Bet none of *them* are doing what i am tonight (whatever the hell it is), i thought as i glanced at a few anonymous faces in the crowd. i reached the garage, which always made me a bit skittish with its shrouded corners and echoes of random footsteps, and unlocked the minivan. M had always joked that it was a perfect place for a kidnap scene--not tonight at least.

Ever try to ignore something like a mysterious package? Impossible. i honestly don't remember the traffic, or the Maple Street Exit, but i do remember searching for 101 Maple for about 15 minutes. All that was on the damned corner was a bus stop and, praise to the great parking spot gods, a meter with $.75 left on it. i parallel parked, not an easy feat on a good day, turned off the motor, and clambered back to get the package. 5:52 p.m. Not bad.<BR>

A typed note, taped to the outside of the box. (i love it when he plays "Treasure Hunt.") "Dress. Chain between your legs and run it through the cut in the back of the dress. Make a lovely belt for yourself, dear, and lock the padlock behind you. Leave your purse and lock it, along with your car keys, in the van. Take the 6:09 bus. i do so hope you don't miss it--it's the last one tonight. Sit in the middle of the very back seat.. hands behind you, legs spread wide like i know you can. Make me proud of you." As i read, i felt the unmistakable gnawing of fear usurping all other emotions. And he knew that, for his unsigned note ended, "Fear is erotic, don't you think?"

Damn, i had what, 10 minutes now to get undressed and into whatever getup he'd chosen for the night. Like a kid on Christmas morning, i ripped open the box to find a khaki colored t-shirt, the one that he'd sliced with his knife. The one that was slit up both sides, with the huge neckline and arms cut out that made it impossible to hide my breasts. i cursed under my breath and looked around guiltily that he might have heard me.

i shed my wool suit and $150 blouse, leaving them in a ball on the seat. At least this excursion didn't start in the middle of the day, and it's dark out here. Left the thigh-high stockings on.. he liked me in stockings. No panties of course. Bra was gone in a split second and tossed casually atop the other clothes.

i squatted in the van, draped the clanging chain between my legs and parted my lips, gasping at the cold steel against my hot wet softness. i slipped the t-shirt over my head and saw where he'd added a hole in the back, for the chain belt. i drew the chain up tight against my cunt, pulled the chain up and through the hole, wrapped it around me, and snapped the padlock shut. i arranged the t-shirt to cover as much as i could and slipped my pumps back on. The transformation from Vice President to vice slut was complete with 3 minutes to spare.

Following his directions, got out of the van, i locked my purse and keys inside and then realized i didn't have bus fare. Fuck. Now what?? He hadn't said anything about it. Fuck. My brain had relinquished all thought capabilities to my cunt, and my cunt had forgotten. Fuck. i waddled over to the bus stop to try and figure out how to sweet talk my way onto the bus without a cent to my name.

The unmistakable whoosh of hydraulic brakes and diesel fuel warned me that it was show time. With all the grace my chained cunt would allow, i climbed the stairs into the (thankfully) empty bus.

"Ummm.. i'm really sorry.. but i seem to have locked my purse in the car and i was hoping....."

"Were you given permission to speak to me?" the bus driver interrupted, scowling.

Sheesh, they're *everywhere*, i thought. But i humbly responded, "No Sir."<BR>

"Then take your seat."

The bus lumbered off even before i had made my way to the rear of the bus. i settled in the middle of the back seat, just as i had been instructed, spread my legs wide, and placed my hands behind me.

The chain pinched and vibrated against me as the bus moved deeper and deeper into sleazy neighborhoods. i saw the driver arrange the passenger-view mirror to get a better angle of the show i was putting on, and i felt violated by his leering gaze. His eyes left my cunt long enough to glide the bus to a stop, and i heard the doors open.

i watched with fascination as a man boarded and exchanged a few words with the driver. DriverDom reached into his pocket and handed something small to the newcomer, who traded it for an envelope. DriverDom looked at me and opened the envelope, and i was horrified to see him counting the money it contained.

When he finished, he spoke to the stranger. i swear, if there was such a thing as a Dom secret handshake, it passed between them. "It's all there. Man, a thousand bucks. She must be some piece of ass. Don't drop that key, or by the looks of those chains slicing her, you won't be getting much out of her. Or should I say, you won't be getting much INTO her. She's all yours. At least for a few hours."

Then he turned full face to me. "Out of my bus, cunt... but first i want you to clean that seat. Lick it up.. Don't want my boss to see your juices runnin all over that fine industrial grade vinyl."

Oh .. i was mortified beyond words, but i did as i was told. i bent over, fully exposing all my charms, and licked the seat clean. He was right. It was wet. Proof of how wet i was, even at the prospect of being sold to god-knows-who. A grand. A grand whore. Dazed, i rose and awaited instructions.

"Crawl to me, ass first. I want to see what I paid for." The stranger's voice was quietly assured, calm and possessive. The humiliation of crawling across the gritty floor of the city bus flamed my face and my desire. i crawled until i reached his feet, the chains pulling and pinching with every movement.

He helped me to my feet, as any gentleman might do, and inspected me then and there. He pulled my t-shirt from my body, slipped his hands through the armholes, and pulled and twisted my breasts. He pulled on the chain at my waist, which pulled the steel so it cut even more into my cunt. He raised the bottom of the shirt and displayed my ass to the driver. He took me by the arm and said softly, "My car's over here. Let's go."

His first private words to me were a comfort. "Seven, Three, Nine, Nine, Four." It was the code that Master and i had worked out, my PIN number he called it. If he ever loaned me to anyone, that person would be given the code so that i knew he had Master's permission. That was also my sign to submit fully to this person, because he was acting in Master's stead.

He helped me into the car, pulled away, and spoke as he drove. "Did your Master mention that he'd applied for membership to a private Co-op?" i shook my head, and my puzzled expression must have trumpeted my ignorance. "Very exclusive. Limited membership of like-minded individuals. There are some monetary fees involved, when the application form is first submitted. Happens to be $1000. Background checks are run, and the couple is watched for a period of time to see if they are our kind of people."

i blushed in the darkness, remembering of other excusions and the feeling i'd had of being watched. Not merely observed .. but that creepy kind of slight paranoid feeling of being stalked.

He continued. "If our observations and background checks are satisfactory, the Master is invited to fulfill his first membership duty. The application money is cheerfully refunded when and if the applicant surrenders a piece of cherished property to the Co-op for a set period of time -- 12 hours. Let's call it an initiation rite. If you perform to our standards, your Master will be admitted to full membership. If not... well let's just leave it at that for the time being. I'm sure you will do fine, just as you have in the past."

He paused a moment for effect. "Your mother is a delightful woman, by the way. Most charming."

i was trembling with fear and anguished that they had spoken to my mother. i'd taken such care not to divulge my involvement in this lifestyle, and i had no idea what they had said or not said to her.

He pulled into the lot of a nondescript but slightly shabby industrial building. "Let me just say a few final words. You will have no say in what will happen over the course of the next 12 hours. Neither does your Master. You will be back at work tomorrow morning, just like any other day. Oh, isn't Trish charming? I'm glad that we were able to get her the position as your assistant. I'm sure she'll be delighted you've joined us, though she usually takes more of a 'leadership' role in Co-op matters." It was an extraordinarily evil chuckle that escaped his lips as he continued.

"Nothing is to be spoken to anyone, including your Master, of what transpires during this time. He will not participate in this event, however, he will be apprised of the activities at the appropriate time. He has agreed to this, and I have a signed statement to that fact if you wish to see it."

i shook my head no.

"Very well. As of right now, for the next 12 hours, the Co-op owns you. Tonight, I will be the one primarily responsible for you, and you are to call me Owner. You are to call everyone Owner. You are property -- chattel -- and that is what you will be called.

"I assure you of your long-term personal safety. Every participant in the Co-op undergoes thorough physical examinations on a regular basis, and a condition of membership is that everyone participates in sexual activities only with other associates of the Co-op.

"There will be a few temporary reminders by the end of your visit. If you do well enough to admit your Master to full membership, there will also be a permanent marking that will identify you as Co-op property. Your Master will be requested to surrender you occasionally in the future, if the Owners choose to exercise that right. Now, get out of the car, please, and remove your shoes and stockings.<BR>

"By the way, you've just earned your first point. Your Master did not say to wear shoes and stockings, did he?"

Abashed, i had to admit that he hadn't.

"chattel can accumulate three points without repercussion. Points never expire and they continue throughout your Master's term of membership. On the fourth point, your Master's application is considered void, full ownership of you will revert to him, and he will be shunned by all other members of the Co-op. He will no longer enjoy the financial, career, and social benefits of participating, all of which I assure you are quite extensive. But I'm sure there will be no further indiscretions."

He reached into his coat pocket and removed a key, which i realized was the small object that he had been given by the driver. He walked around me, slid the key into the lock, and released me from my chains. Then, there in the parking lot under the glare of the halogen street light, he ripped the t-shirt from my back and left me nude and shivering in the damp cold evening.

He placed a large, hard piece of rubber between my teeth and told me to bite down. It looked a bit like a bathtub plug. He snapped a leash through the D-ring that was affixed to the outside of the contraption. "Lose the gag, earn a point." He tugged, seemed to approve of the amount of tension that he felt, and gestured for me to get to my hands and knees. Wordlessly, he led me across the gravel parking lot and into the building.

(C) ClairMatin 1999
Clairmatin@aol.com