Mike & Karen Ch. 20

"I enjoy the freedom is affords me," Karen said simply, leading them into a study hall she already knew wasn't currently in use. "In here, please."

She gestured for them to sit in some chairs arranged (mysteriously conveniently) in a circle at one end of the room, and sat down once they were all comfortable. "Thank you, by the way, for this opportunity. I am looking forward to it."

"You've done shoots for us before, haven't you?" Cheryl asked as she looked around the hall, as if she was assessing it.

"Well, when I was much younger, admittedly," Karen said, smiling. "Your magazine did a piece at Blackwell Manor about my parents, and also out at my boarding school about the girls there."

"Well, we have four days to get all of our shots, and we can try and work around your class schedule, but I make no promises," Cheryl stated. "If we're pressed for time, are you able to cut corners on class or miss one?"

"Well, I... yes," Karen said rather hesitantly. "I try not to, of course. Four days seems like a long time."

"We're being mindful of your workload, and the magazine spaced it out," Cheryl explained. "Before we came to meet you, we took a walk around various buildings to help determine where the best lighting and shots would be for what we have planned. We have your wardrobe for each day back in our hotel, and we can-"

"I apologize for interrupting, but you have already scouted out your shoot locations?" Karen asked. "And my wardrobe?"

"We might have to rethink some wardrobe ideas," Cheryl replied, smiling genially. "To be honest, I don't think we expect you to look... well... like you."

Karen's tone was just polite enough. "Oh. Please elucidate."

Cheryl looked at Beth, who now took over. "Miss Gordon, would you please stand?"

Karen obligingly stood. It suddenly occurred to her that she was taller than everyone on the crew except Anderson. She was wearing snug jeans and a form-fitting crème-coloured cashmere sweater. Beth walked around her while the others looked on, trying not to gape. Karen almost never felt self-conscious about her height or her figure, but there was a twinge of it now.

"If I may be indelicate, my dear, we didn't quite take into account what your measurements would be when we picked your wardrobe," Beth stated. "You're very proportional to your height, so it is misleading. And your bust is larger than we came ready to accommodate."

"I see," Karen said neutrally. "So what does that mean?"

"Many of the outfits we brought simply wouldn't fit you," Beth explained, studying Karen's body intently. "You're absolutely stunning, and that's a good thing, but we may need to improvise."

Beth looked over at Cheryl, who took over. "Miss Gordon, I know you said that you prefer campus life, but am I right in assuming that Jonathon Blackwell made sure his daughter had various expressions of attire available?"

"If what you're asking is, did my father make sure I have plenty of elegant clothes handy on a moment's notice in case high tea with the Her Majesty the Queen happened, then yes," Karen said. "I have more than a few available."

"Good, because we may have to rely on some of them," Cheryl stated. "Beth will do what she can with the various outfits the magazine provided, but we don't really have time for many alterations, even with four days to get this done."

"I somehow doubt that my chic and society clothes will look all that good in the light of one of our science labs," Karen pointed out.

Cheryl and Peter looked at each other. The man shrugged. Cheryl turned back to speak to Karen. "We have a pretty full list of locations we've already chosen, but we'll do what we can to fit your science lab in there."

"I thought this entire shoot was centered around the notion of society women breaking into science."

"It's a pretty title, and a progressive one, for sure, but we're not in a position to sell less issues of the magazine in the name of progressivism," Cheryl said. "One of the most eligible heiresses on the continent is what our readers want to see, and we always deliver. Now, we should go to your dorm room and take stock of your wardrobe, to see what we can match with our chosen locations."

None of them seemed to notice the thundercloud hanging over their model's head as she escorted them to her dorm room.

***

A strip mall, Toronto, the present...

"It's really handy that there are still surplus stores around," Valentina mused as she wandered through the aisles, looking at the large assortment of camo patterns available on clothing sitting on the shelves. Some were splotchy, some were stripey, some were grey and blocky. Anyone participating was to buy at least four full sets of clothes, barring boots. "Ooh, that one's pretty."

"I'm not sure 'pretty' is the effect you should be going for, Val," Trilby mused, following just behind. She'd promised Mr. DeBourne she'd at least try to keep her overeager co-worker focused on the task at hand. It wasn't that they were pressed for time, but you couldn't be too careful with Val. They hadn't even been working together a month, and Trilby was well aware of exactly how easy it was for Valentina Prospero to fall down just about any rabbit hole.

Valentina looked at her and sniffed. "Mrs. DeBourne and Miss Blackwell are both shopping for outfits. Go ahead and tell me that they're not gonna look sexy as Hell in whatever they decided on."

"Maybe, but they're both ultra-fit, and they have figures to- hey, how do you keep your figure, anyway? I never see you exercising," Trilby wondered.

Val shrugged while she continued pondering outfit choices. "Iono, good eating and clean living, I guess. And my Italian-Irish genes mean I have nice boobies and a cute butt."

"Well, keep your boobies and butt looking for your outfits, the bosses said you should buy at least four full sets. They'll take them in or alter them how ever you like."

"I know, right?" Val said, wistfully leaning back against the shelves and looking up at the ceiling, her shopping mission once again forgotten. "Have you seen the serger and sewing machines they have access to? You could unthread and remake a suit of armour with those things."

"C'mon, Bubbles, back to work," Tribly said, pointing at the endless rows of camo clothing. Her co-worker sighed and resumed her search, looking for sizes. "Even I've gotta find stuff to wear, and I'm just the cheering section."

"Yeah, teamwork and solidarity! Up top!" Val giggled, holding up her hand for a high-five. Trilby shook her head and complied, making sure Val stayed on-mission. Trilby had already spied some funky fatigues done in psychedelic tie-dye colours and would be getting those. Missing by a size or two wouldn't be an issue, since they could be altered and taken in.

Elsewhere in the store...

"Whaddya think, Alex?" Alexa asked as she held up a camo-pattern T-shirt. It was certainly going to be snug in the chest, but that was the intent to begin with, making Alexa's large tits stand out prominently. She had no doubt her sister would do the same. "I'll crop the bottom to expose my sexy flat belly, put gussets in the armpits for range of movement, and maybe relax the stitching on the rear of the arms..."

"I think you'll look amazing in it, you know that," Alex chuckled, watching as his aunt held the shirt that was at least one size too small in front of herself and pretended to model it for him, twisting left and right slightly. She'd already found pants that would sit low on her hips, and with a gusset between the legs, she would have all the range of motion she could possibly need. "You could be wearing a potato sack, and you'd make it look sexy."

"Thanks," she giggled, knowing he meant it, and that he was right. While perfectly capable of being modest, Alexa was well aware of how stunningly attractive and downright sexy she was. "I need like a bandolier thingy, that'll go around my waist and stay in place on my tits. That'd look awesome."

"You and mom'll have to figure out how to make that happen," Alex said, shrugging. "I can't even picture that shirt lasting more than three minutes before it just rips apart."

"Mmmm, wouldn't that be sexy," she purred, leaning into him and whispering in his ear. "It shreds somehow, and my tits are exposed for all to see..."

"Well, I'd certainly have a good ten seconds of solo action while everybody else just stops and stares," Alex laughed. "But y'might wanna think about wearing a bra, those paintballs hurt."

She giggled again and kissed his ear before whispering in it. "Alex, I've been lovers with Freja for years, it takes a lot more than a couple of hits with paintballs to hurt these girls. It may sting, but that'll just turn me on..."

Alex shivered and his hand went up and curled into Alexa's long, thick blonde hair, gripping it and making her moan softly. He held tight enough that he pulled back her head back so that he could look into her eyes, with were flashing with delight at his dominance.

"Keep that up and we're getting arrested, because I'll pin you down and fuck you right here in this store," he said in a low, sensual growl that made her wet instantly.

Nearby...

"I am thinking that we can easily find some good, sturdy clothing here for the event," Freja mused as she walked with Jeanie up one of the aisles.

"You're butt's gonna look so cute in whatever you get, Fre," her wife giggled, patting Freja's behind. "And I've gotta find my set too."

"Why, yndling?" Freja asked. "Not that I object, but you are not participating, so it is not required."

"I think it should be, for team spirit," Jeanie pointed out. "But more'n that, you and Lexi and Lady Prof and the others are all gonna look so fucking sexy in your combat clothes, and I don't wanna be left outta that. I can always use it for roleplay night."

"This is so very true," Freja agreed, loving the thought of her wife is sexy camouflage. "You are always having the best ideas, my love."

"Just doin' my part," Jeanie purred as she brought Freja in for a kiss.

Elsewhere on the shop floor...

Dave wandered around with Yolatunde and Ari in tow elsewhere in the store, pointing out to them what they'd need and telling them to not worry too much about a perfect fit, since Mrs. DeBourne had already said she'd alter all the clothes personally.

"So literally all you have to do is pick the right size and what you think you'd look best in, and then they make it fit," he said. "We don't have a colour theme or pattern scheme. Mr. DeBourne said he and his son're wearing black head to toe."

"Nothing frightening about that," Ari sighed. "Giant blond men with freaky blue eyes wearing all black? My ancestors're screaming in delight."

"Not as much as your mother screamed when she insisted on meeting your new employers," Tunde pointed out, making Dave grunt in amusement. Ari shot him a sour look. That visit had been something of a fiasco for him. He'd made the mistake of telling his parents that he was working now as the cybersecurity guru for a private family and his mother, in her eternally nagging, badgering way, had insisted on meeting them, to make sure they were good enough to employ her little boy.

She had almost screamed in terror upon encountering Mr. DeBourne rather suddenly, since she barely cleared his waist. Predictably, the DeBournes had been gracious and hospitable, which frustrated his mother no end, since she could find no particular fault with them, aside from being goyim.

"The tall blonde girl, the younger sister," his mother had remarked to him during one of his visits to his parents' home in Clanton Park. "Is she available?"

"Mom, I can't begin to tell you how unavailable she is!" he'd laughed.

He wasn't used to this sort of work environment, admittedly. It felt like he was part of a family, and he was reasonably certain that it was meant to feel that way. It suited his employers to like their staff and be happy to have them around. The DeBournes used the smaller dining room for most of their meals, unless there were important visitors, and they had no qualms at all about staff members eating with them, talking about their day. It was... pleasant.

Ari's job was slightly different from everyone else's in that he was essentially on-call 24/7, to respond to alerts about security threats. True, he had a laptop and a handheld device that were hooked into the system, so it was easy to respond to issues; it wasn't like he was chained to his desk. Like Andrea with the plumbing and electricity, he did preventive maintenance and then waited to see what happened.

"Whaddya think?" he asked, looking at some of the camo prints. "This variable grey city pattern for me?"

In another section...

Andrea was standing with Karen and Mike, pondering choices for the two women. Mike was happy to have any staff member who volunteered on his team, but given her athleticism and build, he had high hopes for Andrea especially. Outside of his wife, his son, Alli, and probably Freja, she was likely to be the most use.

"Think they'd lemme wear this tank top?" the young woman mused, holding it up. It had a standard camo pattern on it, and given her build, it was likely to be a bit snug. Then again, crop and tank tops were what she wore all day at work, under her overalls. It no doubt helped keep her cool while she was working with the boilers and other infrastructure in the basement.

Karen smiled. "They might appreciate you wearing some pasties over certain parts if you're going to do that, just in case the shirt decides to move askew. Not everyone who plays is over the age of eighteen."

"Okay, noted, but do you think they'll care if it's a little tight?" Andrea asked, holding it in front of herself. Her breasts weren't as large as Karen or Alexa's, but probably the same size as Jeanie's, meaning that in a snug tank top they'd definitely be on display.

Mike chuckled. "I am pretty sure the owners won't mind, seeing as how hot women in tight outfits is part of their politically incorrect advertising."

"Annnnd what do you two, my bosses, think?" Andrea asked somewhat tentatively.

Karen smiled wickedly and leaned in. "We'll crop it for the game, so it will be even hotter on you. Then, if you like, you can wear it while you're working."

Andrea hid her face in her shirt, so that they couldn't see her blush.

"You okay, Miss Kachelmeier?" Mike asked, amused.

"Yeah, but..." Andrea murmured from behind the material. "Is there a lineup already behind Val to have sex with you two?"

***

St. George Campus, 1987...

They were sitting in one of the oldest and most stately rooms of the university, in the Croft Chapter House, dating back to 1859. The rotunda building was largely unused at the moment, a silent, solemn reminder of glorious days gone by.

So it was easy for the team from the prestigious magazine to wrangle a few hours of time inside the facility, to take pictures of one of the university's most renowned and prized students. The governing body gave them all the time they needed.

"So this used to be the laboratory for the university?" mused Beth, looking around. The round space had ribbed, vaulted ceiling, painted a royal blue. The walls beneath were white, and the floors wood. There was an elegant, if empty feel to it. "We can work with this."

"I always wondered what it would be like to do experiments in here, during its heyday," Karen agreed, looking around. She was wearing a long pea jacket to protect the outfit beneath from the weather outside, and a little case she carried held her shoes and stockings for the shoot they'd planned. "Black-box science was only barely a thing, and that fascinates me."

"And I think with a little window dressing, we can turn this into an elegant setting for our first shots," Cheryl concluded, nodding. "Pete, Anderson, lights and our props, please."

The two men hurried out to the cube van holding all their equipment, while Cheryl continued to inspect the premises. Beth, who handled outfits, makeup, and hair, waited patiently for the boys to get back. Once they'd set up the lights for the shot, she could make any adjustments to Karen as were necessary. She suspected there wouldn't be many.

"Let's see this outfit you're wearing, darling," the short, stout blonde woman said, coming up to their model. Karen nodded and quickly slid her sheer, black patterned nylons up into place before putting on her elegant heels. Then she removed her long jacket, displaying what lay beneath for the first time.

"Oh, wow," Beth breathed in wonder, loud enough to get Cheryl's attention. The woman came over to look and Karen could tell she was similarly impressed.

Karen was wearing a black jacket laced with golden ivy and blossom motifs. Her short skirt, which came to her mid-thigh, was similarly patterned. The colours played stunningly well against her shining bronze hair and golden-amber eyes. She stood before them, tall, elegant, regal, and so very chic.

"Will this do?" she asked, smirking as she placed one hand on her hip.

"Y-yes, I think that will do nicely," Cheryl managed to say. "Good... good choice, Miss Gordon."

"Thank you," Karen replied, turning her head to see the boys hurrying in, carrying their camera and lighting equipment, diffusers and filters. "I thought it might work in these environs." She knew she had to give them some of their coveted 'glam' shots before she could get some more serious subject matter going. There was bound to be give and take, after all.

Cheryl moved a chair into position, and then a small, round table. Some props were set on it, notably a tea pot, saucer, and teacup. The lights, diffusers and filters were set up quickly, and then Beth asked Karen to sit in the chair so that she could adjust her makeup for the lighting.

"So we'll be taking quite a few shots today, just of this set, and then we'll choose the best one or two from it as part of the article," Cheryl explained while Beth used a fine stippling brush on Karen's cheeks to complement the light arrangements Pete had set up. "While we're at it, we can ask you a few questions, sort of a lead-up into what we're getting at here."

"I would like that very much," Karen mentioned, holding still for Beth. "There's plenty to talk about, so filtering it down to the essentials of my work is-"

"Okay, we're ready," Anderson interrupted as he finished checking the camera, set on a tripod to Karen's front. "When do you wanna start, Cher?"

"The sooner the better, I think," the woman in charged mused, now holding her own handheld camera, a Hasselblad 500ELX. "We don't want the light through the windows to shift too much. Now, Miss Gordon, we-"

"Please just call me Karen, if that's allowed."

"Very well," Cheryl said agreeably. "So this first set, in this room, simply has you sipping your tea. You look more than elegant enough, so perhaps we'll try to add an element of casualness to it, okay?"

Karen nodded, settling back comfortably into the chair, while Cheryl moved around at various angles, seeing what room she had to keep the lights and other equipment out of the shots. Anderson was already checking the focus of his tripod-mounted camera. "Now, let's have you sipping from the cup and leaning casually in your- excellent, good, stay like that and let me grab a shot or two..."

Karen had instinctively settled in, but slouched down just slightly, her long, stocking-clad dancer legs visible now, cambering at the knees. She shifted her head slightly in the direction of Cheryl and looked over at her while sipping out of her teacup. The index finger of her free hand rested just inside the lapel of her jacket, no longer a distraction in the photo. Free hands were a distraction and conflict of focus.