Christmas in Zonei Pt. 08

He knew he was out of his depth dealing with a mind-controlling mod, and in an uncharacteristic bout of common sense, he'd called in the woman who was the premier expert. Now he was regretting it.

He wanted a quick resolution to the mystery. He didn't believe that a broken mod could rebond. CorpSci had tried for years to repair broken mods with zero success. Why, now, would a rogue broken mod suddenly bond on his own with a random human—a male human, no less? It just didn't make sense.

Not only did Hernandez want to solve the mystery—surely the mod had found a miracle drug or some type of treatment to cure him—but he wanted credit for it too. He wanted to be lauded as the man who had reinstated a functioning warrior pair and discovered the means of fixing other broken mods. That was looking less likely by the minute. Dr. Granger was pressuring him to let her take them to the CorpSci labs. He couldn't let them out of his control—if he did, all the glory would go to CorpSci and he would get a big, fat nada for his efforts.

"And he's not capable of knocking anyone out with just his mind," Dr. Granger was saying. "Your guy probably just fainted from low blood sugar or something."

Captain Hernandez looked at her steadily. He knew his dark eyes were piercing but the doctor didn't seem the least bit intimidated. "They're hiding something and I intend to find out what it is. I don't believe for a minute that Raeden has rebonded."

Dr. Granger raised an eyebrow at him. "I read through all the information you forwarded me and I think it's a pretty good bet that he has. I don't know how or why, but if you let me take them back to my lab, I can find out for you."

"I'm not done with them yet," Hernandez snapped, unable to hide his frustration at the lack of progress his people had made on discovering the mod's secret. "You can have them when we're completely finished."

"Will there be anything left of them by then?" she asked icily.

Just then there was a sharp rap on the door, and before the captain could even bid the visitor to enter, the door swung open and Ms. Matsuoka, one of CorpSec's senior telepaths, stepped in.

Telepaths were few and far between. Almost twenty years ago, when the Corporation had first discovered that there were normal humans out there with telepathic abilities, they had started a program of testing. Those who rated a five or higher on the telepathic scale, which went from zero to ten, were taken to a secure facility to be trained. Unfortunately, there were only a handful of them, and some had not taken to the training. Those who had were now employed by CorpSec as interrogators and spies. They were held in very high esteem. Much like mods, CorpSec both revered and feared them. They were given high-ranking positions with all of the accompanying perks in an effort to keep them under CorpSec control. Hernandez wasn't sure they had been entirely successful with regard to Ms. Matsuoka. No one controlled her but herself.

Although she was not one of the highest rated, registering just barely above a five on the scale, she was one of CorpSec's most effective mind readers. Between her telepathy and her startling dominatrix persona, her ability to make both men and women cower in fear was legendary.

Captain Hernandez tried to keep from goggling at her red spike heels and tight leather skirt. When his eyes finally travelled up to her face his breath caught in his throat. She was glaring at him with an intensity that caused his balls to draw up. Now this is a commanding woman. I'll get on my knees for you anytime, honey.

Her lip curled slightly as she continued to stare him down.

"Ah, Ms. Matsuoka." Hernandez was pleased that his voice was steady. His insides were turning to jelly under her gaze. "Are you done reading the small one's mind? What did you discover?"

"I've discovered that you have spared no expense in taking care of him," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "He is so uncomfortable from your treatment, that there is almost nothing that can be pulled out of his mind. I did verify that the mod can establish a mindlink with him, but I don't how strong it is. I got the sense that this is a recent discovery for them."

"A mindlink," Michelle murmured, a small smile playing on her lips. "So it is true that Raeden has rebonded."

"That's all you got?" Hernandez asked, disappointment coloring his words. She had been his best hope for a quick answer to the mystery.

Her glare intensified to a level that could have frozen Niagara Falls in a second flat. The captain felt himself shrinking under her frigid gaze. She flicked her right wrist and a sharp crack reverberated through the room, making him jump.

Holy shit! How did I not notice the riding crop? She must have been holding it behind her back or maybe I was just too mesmerized by her steely glare. Now Hernandez couldn't take his eyes off the leather implement. His cock, which had been half hard ever since the beautiful doctor arrived, now swelled to an uncomfortable stiffness. A vision jumped into Herandez's mind: he was naked on the floor, his arms stretched out and hands tied to the legs of his massive desk. The telepath was standing between his thighs. "Legs up!" she ordered. He lifted his legs high into the air and she smacked his taint sharply with her riding crop.

Hernandez let out an audible whimper which startled him out of his erotic daydream. His eyes left the riding crop and snapped to Lieko's face. She had a small smile playing on her lips.

Oh my God! Is she reading my mind? Does she know what I just imagined? Hernandez barely stopped himself from whimpering again. The vision in his head was back suddenly, striking him again sharply at the base of his balls as the real Lieko brought the riding crop once more against her leather-clad thigh.

"You've been a very bad boy, Captain," the vision in his head said. "I think you need to be punished."

Hernandez couldn't breath. His cock was drooling precum all over his designer briefs. Please, yes please, his mind begged.

Lieko turned her attention to the doctor and Hernandez finally managed to take a breath.

"Well, hello Doctor Granger. What a pleasant surprise." Lieko did not sound particularly pleased.

"Likewise," the doctor replied dryly.

The telepath shifted her gaze back to Hernandez and he was trapped once more like a fly in honey.

"I won't be able to get a thing from him until his physical needs have been taken care of," she said, her tone leaving no doubt that she disapproved of his handling of the situation. "The only thoughts in his head right now are that he's hungry, his legs hurt, and he needs to go to the bathroom. He's been laying on that table so long he's probably getting bedsores. I suggest you start taking better care of him, otherwise even I won't be able to help you."

She took a step toward him and raised her riding crop. He swallowed, unable to take his eyes off the black leather device. He flinched as she touched him lightly on the chest with it.

I'm officially on vacation now," she said, running the crop very slowly down his chest. "If you have further need of my services, you'll have to wait until after the first of the year." She stopped when the crop reached the waistband of his pants.

Once more he found himself naked in his head, this time tied hand and foot to his chair, his rock hard cock dribbling all over his stomach as she teased him with the crop. One more strike, he thought. Hit me with that lovely crop one more time and I'll cum all over the place.

She withdrew the crop, tucking it under her arm. "I hope you are not too frustrated with the delay," she purred. Then she spun on her heel and strode out of the room, her leather-clad hips swinging with power, grace, and sensuality.

Hernandez took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He felt like he was waking up from a dream.

The red-haired doctor was glaring daggers at him. "Captain Hernandez," she said tightly, "I will have the warrior pair transferred to the science lab at once. You are obviously unfit to care for them. I don't believe you will get any more information out of them without extreme and destructive means. Need I remind you how valuable a functioning mod is to the corporation?"

"But—"

She cut off his protest. "I know how you got your position, Captain. I know why your predecessor was reformed."

The captain's blood ran cold. How much does she know? The previous CorpSec captain in charge of mod activities had taken a hard fall due to the fiasco that had resulted in Lyzel's death and Raeden's demise. Hernandez wasn't sure exactly what had happened to him, but he hadn't been seen since shortly after the incident had happened. Rumor had it that he had been reformed and sent to work in the arctic oil fields. Hernandez thought he had covered his own tracks thoroughly. Surely she can't possibly know about my involvement in that incident.

"I did some research on the flight in," the doctor continued softly.

Hernandez froze, staring at her in horror.

"I see that Raeden had a partial morf, not once but twice, during the days preceding his full morf on the twenty-second. CorpSec did not even check on him. That shows an appalling lack of competence and concern on the part of your department. It is incredibly irresponsible to ignore an unusual occurrence that involves a mod, especially one as potentially destructive as Raeden."

This was news to the captain. He hadn't had a chance to look into the records they kept on Raeden's data feed. He stared at the doctor in dismay. How the hell did I end up with so many incompetent people working for me? Will the doctor report me to General Halbert? Holy shit! I'd better do something about that damaging data. He quickly schooled his features into an implacable expression, but he was sure that Dr. Granger had seen his flash of panic.

"I suggest you take care of your own house before you start worrying about mine," she said, standing and smoothing her grey wool skirt. "Now, Captain Hernandez, while you make arrangements to have them transferred, I will meet with Mr. Takemoto."