"Alright Margaret, pitch your idea to me, and tell me why I should divert resources into it." said Aaron, as a much more composed and freshly cleaned up Margaret sat down in front of him.
"My idea, Master Zakhrov, is to take the comfort, health and safety complaints out of the equation when it comes to high-heels and skirt-suits. If your stilettos are as comfortable as sneakers, and your skirt-suit is as comfortable as sweatpants, then whether to wear them or not becomes a matter of aesthetics, ideology and preference rather than comfort, health and safety." said Margaret.
"A few small problems with that. Unlike Sirius Software which enforces a strict dress code, the rest of the world is perfectly at ease with women showing up in shapeless rags or barely clothed. I'm afraid aesthetic elegance is a dying commodity, and engineering something like what you have in mind is going to make those clothes even more expensive than what is out there already." said Aaron coldly.
"That's the other reason I came to you, Master Zakhrov. By making my store - The Feminine Professional - an official Sirius Software partner vendor, I can sell these on store credit to Sirius Software employees, and for hard cash to the rest of the public." said Margaret.
"So you want me to engineer and manufacture your inventory and then sell it back to me? That's like asking me to pay for what I already own." said Aaron coldly, as Margaret began to squirm again.
"Do you already have a storefront lined up?" asked Aaron.
"Y-yes sir, Miss Kate is selling her store to me." said Margaret, her voice trembling.
"Summer's Shoe Store? Why is Kate selling it?" asked Aaron, his curiosity piqued.
"Her profits have been steadily declining, and so she wants to sell it to pay for Law school. She's training as Mr. Esposito's paralegal." said Margaret.
"Alright, but we'll be doing an end-to-end line of clothing, including office-inspired fetish wear, so come up with the designs, and I'll flesh out the engineering specs.
Have Harry and James help you with the store revamp, and I'll start a limited production pipeline, since we need new security uniforms anyway.
And Margaret, make sure you market this right. I'm not going to bail you out if you don't turn a profit." said Aaron coldly.
"Thank you, Master Zakhrov! I promise I won't let you down!" said Margaret, her voice filled with excitement.
"Master Zakhrov, is it wise to spoil her like that?" asked Natasha.
"I'm right here you know." said Margaret, pouting at Natasha.
"I'm not spoiling her, Natasha. Her clothing line means that I can reduce resistance towards compliance with the Sirius Software dress code. Potential employees will be more accepting of the dress code if they don't have to pay through the nose, and if the clothing is actually comfortable." said Aaron.
"See Natasha? I'm helping him" said Margaret, her voice smug.
"Alright, you've got what you wanted. Now beat it. I've got a reactor to salvage." snapped Aaron, and Margaret quickly got up and left the office.
----
Natasha monitored the security camera feeds with a knot of uncertainty in her stomach.
Aaron had instructed her to watch the feeds while he had gone into the mine to work on the reactor.
She shook her head and chuckled to herself: "I can't believe I'm pining to be by his side. Ugh! I need to focus and protect the compound!"
She took a deep breath, and focused on the feeds, her eyes scanning for any signs of trouble.
A small red flash from the feed window of a camera monitoring the main access road caught her attention. It showed a black SUV approaching the security checkpoint.
She quickly switched focus to the security checkpoint camera, picked up her phone, and called Andre.
"Mr. Esposito, you better come quickly. We have the FBI paying us a visit." she said as the SUV pulled up to the security checkpoint, its driver window rolled down and a woman in a black formal pantsuit showed the checkpoint guard an FBI badge.
"Dammit! Stall them! I'll be there in five minutes!" said Andre.
"Got it." said Natasha, hanging up. She clicked open the intercom to the security checkpoint. "Checkpoint Alpha, direct the agents to the temporary office."
"Copy that, Ms. Parker." replied the guard, as he directed the SUV to the temporary office.
----
Natasha came out of the temporary office as the SUV pulled into the parking lot.
Two agents got out of the SUV, a tall blond woman with distinctly Eastern European features, wearing a sleek black pantsuit and low heels that hugged and emphasized her toned form and graceful curves, and a petite brunette with a pixie cut, wearing a loose-fitting men's style suit that made her look even smaller, and a pair of well-worn sneakers.
"Well, well, well. Special Agent Rochelle. What brings you out here?" asked Natasha, recognizing the brunette from her CIA days, and as one of Senator Goldberg's plants in the FBI and other federal organizations.
"It's Raven! And what the hell are you wearing Natasha? Are you Zakhrov's new dominatrix or something?" asked Rochelle, her voice dripping with contempt and indignation.
Natasha just smiled coldly, and sauntered closer to Rochelle, the six centimeters of high heel enhancing the height differential, and forcing Rochelle to look up in order to maintain eye-contact.
"Hey, strong silent girl. Can you tell me why you fine ladies are here?" asked Natasha, ignoring Rochelle.
"How dare you dead-name me and then ignore me! You're under arrest for obstruction!" shouted Rochelle or Raven, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.
Natasha smirked, and clenched her fist, activating the electric shock function in her glove. Rochelle flinched backwards at the crackle of electricity.
The blond agent, who had been silent until now, stepped forward between Rochelle and Natasha, and gave Rochelle a firm chop on the head.
"Knock it off, will you." she admonished Rochelle, before turning to Natasha.
"I apologize for my partner's brashness miss. I'm Special Agent Olga. We got a hit from your company performing a background check search of a Hakim Hussein. He is on our terror watch list, and would like your cooperation in bringing him in for questioning." replied the tall agent in a slight Slavic accent.
"I see, does he have any known associates?" asked Natasha cautiously.
"Yes. We know he is associated with a Mustafa Al-Sadiq previously known as Mario Gonzales. We suspect that they are part of a terror cell called Osirak-Jihad, their agenda is to revive Iraq's nuclear program and build weapons of mass destruction." replied Olga.
"And we have a warrant to tear this place apart for any evidence of their activities! If your boss is involved in nuclear terrorism, then we will find it!" piped up Rochelle angrily.
"Quiet pipsqueak! Adults are speaking." snapped Natasha.
Rochelle went for her side-arm, but Natasha beat her to it, and had both her guns pointed directly at Rochelle's heart, before Rochelle could even pull hers out of the holster.
"Tsk, tsk. The FBI training standards have started to slip." mocked Natasha, as Olga facepalmed.
"Ms. Natasha, stand down. No amount of Mr. Zakhrov's political connections will save you if you shoot my partner." warned Olga firmly.
"Then muzzle this bitch! I'm not going to tolerate her baseless accusations." said Natasha coldly, her weapons still drawn.
"Raven, wait in the car." said Olga, as she stepped between Natasha and Rochelle.
"Olga, you can't be serious!" protested Rochelle.
With a small smirk, Olga moved with lightning-quick speed and twisted Rochelle's arms into her handcuffs, securing her wrists behind her back. Then, ignoring her screams and threats, lifted her like a child and carried her to the SUV.
She threw Rochelle's kicking and screaming form into the back seat, slammed the door shut, and locked it with the key-fob.
She then turned back to Natasha who had holstered her guns, and was watching with a bemused expression.
"I've always wanted to do that." chuckled Olga.
"Alright, shall we discuss this further in the office? It's rather hot out here." said Natasha.
"Please." said Olga, just as Andre raced into the parking lot in his Corvette.
"Alright. What's going on here?" he asked, getting out of the car and looking at Natasha and Olga.
"Special Agent Olga here is looking for a Hakim Hussein, who is on the FBI's terror watch list. She claims that he is associated with a Mario Gonzales, who is also on the watch list." said Natasha.
"Well, I suppose that makes this a little easier. Natasha, show her the security footage." said Andre, as he walked over to the temporary office.
"Sure, follow me." said Natasha, leading Olga into the office.