Confessions of a Mailgirl Ch. 18

A BRIEF CELEBRATION

Dan Evans stood at the end of the conference table with pen in hand to sign the new contract extending DDE's North American Mailgirls partnership with Hiromoto Industries for another five years. A company photographer who'd been summoned to the room snapped pictures as Evans inked his signature onto the paperwork, then handed the pen to Mariko who did the same. Then the two of them posed together for more pictures as the others in the room broke into applause.

Kelly and I watched all of this from our knees, the naked embodiment of what all of the dry language and legalese in the contract actually produced in the real world. We'd been stripped of our clothes, our names, and most of our rights as employees, and the goal was to create many more like us over the coming years.

After a round of handshakes and some small talk, Evans turned to Mariko. "The lawyers still have some mop up duty left to do on the paperwork so how about joining me and Barbara in my office? I've got some champagne on ice to celebrate the occasion."

Mariko smiled and bowed her head slightly. "Thank you Mr. Evans," she replied in her accented and formal English. "I would be most pleased to join you. Perhaps we can also invite these two mailgirls so that they may serve us?"

Evans turned and looked down on us. "Sure. Great idea."

Barbara also gave us a look but it was hard to tell what she was thinking. I hadn't seen her since that fateful meeting on Monday and now I felt a flood of conflicting emotions. Despite everything, I still had strong feelings for her and felt guilty knowing that I'd asked Mariko to bring her down. She'd left me no choice though, I told myself. This is the only way out, not only for me but for Kelly. The die had been cast so there was no turning back now anyway.

Kelly and I followed Dan, Barbara, and Mariko out of the conference room onto the tenth floor of the tower. This was the home of the company's top executives and had once seemed like a magical place to me that must be filled with extraordinary people. I'd been here enough now as a mailgirl though to know the truth: the people here weren't particularly special. There were some intelligent, highly productive people working on this floor but there were also fools, sycophants, and insufferable assholes. They may wear more expensive clothes and make more money but they weren't necessarily smarter or harder working than the people doing the less glamorous grunt work elsewhere that was vital to DDE's success.

The sight of a couple of naked, collared women obediently following behind their elite corporate masters would have once created shock waves here, but now it barely caused a ripple. In just two short years Barbara had thoroughly changed the culture at DDE, turning something that had once been unthinkable into an organic part of its business environment. This represented a preview of the seismic cultural shift that Barbara envisioned eventually taking place throughout American society.

The five of us entered Dan Evans' office, a large luxurious suite befitting the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. On the right side of the office near a large window overlooking the city was a leather sofa and chair surrounding a coffee table. Barbara and Mariko settled onto the sofa while Evans took a seat in the chair. I'd been carrying Barbara's laptop bag and placed it onto the floor next to her. "Pour the three of us champagne," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am."

On a nearby bar a bottle of Dom Perignon was chilling in an ice bucket. Kelly popped the cork and poured the expensive champagne as I held the glasses. After serving them we were ordered back onto our knees and I once again took Kelly's hand into mine. "Here's to a long and successful partnership," Dan Evans said as the three of them raised their glasses, clinked them together, and took a sip.

"It's a shame Mr. Hiromoto couldn't make it," Dan said to Mariko. "I was looking forward to meeting him."

"Mr. Hiromoto sends his regrets he could not come," Mariko replied. "At his age he no longer desires to make such long journeys."

"Yeah, I don't blame him. How old is he now, if you don't mind my asking?"

"He is 72 now."

"Wow! And he still works full time?"

"Yes," Mariko replied. "Mr. Hiromoto has no desire to retire to a life of tending his garden."

"He's still as strong as an ox," Barbara interjected. I remembered my lone meeting with the man when I witnessed him whipping Mariko in his office. The man did seem remarkably fit for his age.

"Yes, he remains in very good health," Mariko said. She took another small sip of her champagne and then placed the glass on the coffee table. "Please excuse me but there is a subject I am required to bring to your attention. I have been compelled by Mr. Hiromoto to pass on a request from him once our negotiations had concluded."

"Sure," Dan said. "What is it?"

"Mr. Hiromoto requests that Ms. Anderson sign a two year Mailgirls contract."

"Um...what?" Dan laughed, not quite sure of what he'd just heard. "Is that a joke?" Barbara simply stared at Mariko with a puzzled look on her face.

"No, it is not," Mariko assured him. "He believes Barbara would be a more authentic spokesperson for his program in the future if she has served as a mailgirl." I felt Kelly's hand squeeze mine and I glanced over at her. She had a smirk on her face.

"He's serious then?" Dan replied. "Mr. Hiromoto really wants Barbara to work as a mailgirl for two years?"

"Yes. He wishes to purchase Barbara's contract and bring her to Tokyo to work for him." Kelly squeezed my hand again as a stunned look came over Dan's face.

Barbara had been uncharacteristically quiet but she finally spoke up. "Mariko, please pass my apologies on to Mr. Hiromoto but I simply cannot work as a mailgirl in Tokyo or anywhere else. I have many duties here that go well beyond my work in the Mailgirls program."

"I understand," Mariko replied, then opened her stylish handbag and retrieved her smartphone from it. "Mr. Hiromoto has provided me with a video that he believes may help persuade Ms. Anderson that becoming a mailgirl is the best course of action. I am afraid my phone has a very small screen. Is there perhaps a way to project this onto a larger screen?"

"Sure. Let me see your phone, Mariko," Dan said. His tone remained polite but I could tell he was becoming perturbed by the direction of this conversation. Barbara, for her part, wasn't showing any emotion but I could tell the wheels were turning in her head trying to figure out what Mariko was up to.

Dan spent a couple of minutes with Mariko's phone before handing it back to her. "I've downloaded and set up an app you can use to play it on the TV," he said pointing to a large flat screen television on the wall opposite the sofa. "Just select the video file and hit play." Then he got up from his chair, retrieved a remote from his desk and turned the TV on.

"Thank you, Mr. Evans," Mariko smiled. Seconds later a video began playing on the flat screen. It took me a couple of seconds to realize what I was seeing but when I did I reeled with shock. How in the hell did Mariko get this?

ENDGAME

"What the fuck is this?" Dan Evans asked as he stared at the television screen. On it was a video of Barbara putting a ball gag into my mouth as she prepared to whip me as I knelt naked on her floor. I knew exactly what this was now: it had been filmed on the day that I'd brought Lin to her office without permission.

"My apologies but Mr. Hiromoto would like for you both to see this. I will answer your questions afterwards," Mariko said to them.

We all watched in silence as Barbara methodically whipped both of my feet, then turned her attention to my ass cheeks. I looked up at Barbara and her face was flushed with anger. She didn't know this tape existed, I thought to myself. She hadn't seen this coming!

After the video had finally ended Evans turned to Barbara. "What the fuck, Barbara? You taped yourself whipping Nine?"

"No Dan, I didn't." Barbara replied in a sharp clipped tone. "From that angle it had to have come from the MTU in my office. They must have a camera in it." The MTU's were the units bolted to walls and ceilings throughout the complex used to track the movement of mailgirls. Evans immediately glanced up at the MTU in his own office.

"Jesus, Mariko, you've got cameras in these things to spy on us?" he said angrily.

"Only in a few units," Mariko replied calmly. "Mr. Hiromoto ordered them to insure that the mailgirls are not mistreated. He was very shocked, of course, when he saw this."

"Why? Doesn't he like my whipping technique?" Barbara retorted with angry sarcasm. "I suppose I haven't mastered the art of the riding crop like he has."

Mariko smiled. "Mr. Hiromoto understands you were whipping your mailgirl for presuming she could bring a matter to you that should have been handled by subordinates. He believes you were right to whip such an insolent woman." I suddenly realized why Mariko had shown this to Barbara. It was intended as a message to her about her own insolence in demanding to deal directly with Hiromoto rather than with Mariko.

Barbara also got the message. "Please tell Mr. Hiromoto that if I have offended him in any way that I humbly apologize."

"Thank you, Barbara, but you may tell him yourself when you come to Tokyo to serve as a mailgirl."

Barbara let out a curt laugh. "That's not going to happen, Mariko."

"You're damned right it's not!" Evans said angrily as he took his cell phone out of his pocket. "I'm going to call Pete and tell him to rip up this goddamn contract. Putting cameras in these MTU's without our permission is absolutely unacceptable, Mariko. No wonder you insisted on allowing only your own techs to service these things."

"Please, Mr. Evans, I have one more video to show you," Mariko replied calmly. "You may rip up the contract after that if you choose."

Dan stared at Mariko for a minute as if deciding before placing his phone on the coffee table. "Alright then, let's see it. But after that you and your goddamn Mailgirls program are leaving this property for good." Evans was seething with anger and I'd never seen him like this before. Normally he was a pretty relaxed guy.

Mariko smiled and nodded politely to him, then used her phone to start the next video. It took a few seconds for it to begin but when it did it shocked me to my core. Kelly began squeezing my hand again as the two of us stared dumbfounded at the images on the television. The video had obviously been filmed in this office and on the screen we saw a very naked Dan Evans, sporting a very firm erection, kneeling on the floor. He leaned forward onto his forearms and placed his head on the carpet. Then a fully clothed Barbara began whipping his ass with her riding crop.

Evans leapt to his feet, grabbed the remote and pointed it at the television. As the screen turned black he turned to Mariko.

"Blackmail? That's what Hiromoto's game is? He's wants to fucking blackmail me?" he shouted furiously. I looked at Barbara and all of the color had drained from her face.

"Mr. Hiromoto insisted I not show this video until our negotiations had been completed," Mariko said to him. "He wanted to assure you that our continued partnership would be bound by a fair contract."

"Fair?" Dan replied, spitting the word out angrily as he began pacing around the room. "What the hell do you people know about fair? I should've known better than to get involved with the likes of you Japanese gangsters. What the hell does Hiromoto want anyway?"

"He only asks that Barbara sign a Mailgirls contract."

Dan stared at Mariko for a moment, then turned to Barbara. "You have to do it then if that's what he wants!"

"No Dan, I don't," she replied, appearing to have regained her composure.

"Yes you do, Barbara!" Evans said, a mix of anger and desperation in his voice. "My wife and I got married when we were both young and broke. I don't have a pre-nuptial agreement with her so if she divorces me she'll take me for millions. Hundreds of millions! I can't allow this video to get out!"

"That's not going to happen, Dan. Sit your ass down and we'll work this out." The commanding tone had returned to Barbara's voice now. Dan stared at her for a few seconds then did as he was told. She thinks she knows how to get out of this, I thought to myself.

"Dan, I have audio recordings implicating Mariko and Hiromoto in corporate espionage," Barbara said. "They don't dare release that video."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Evans asked.

Barbara looked over at me and Kelly. "They were using these two mailgirls as spies. Number Two there is the one who stole the VR headset," she said referring to Kelly.

"Damn it Barbara, what kind of vipers nest did you invite into our company? How long have you known about this?"

"Quite awhile, Dan. I wanted to handle it quietly so it wouldn't affect the future of our Mailgirls program."

"You and your goddamn Mailgirls program! I never should have let you talk me into this, Barbara."

"If you have evidence of this corporate espionage I would very much like to hear it, Barbara," Mariko said. Her calm demeanor hadn't changed during any of this.

"You know I have it, Mariko."

"Then perhaps you would allow Mr. Evans to hear it."

Barbara pulled out her phone and as she scrolled through it a confused look came over her face. She placed the phone down, then pulled her laptop out of her bag. After several minutes on it she angrily closed it. "You hacked me," she said to Mariko.

"What are you talking about?" Dan asked her. "What's going on?"

Barbara turned to him. "I had hours of phone conversations of these two revealing company secrets to Mariko. I had copies of the files on my phone, my laptop, and uploaded to the company cloud. They're all gone now. We've been hacked."

"Oh my god!" Evans said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "This is all your damn fault, Barbara, so you've got to fix this! You've got to become a mailgirl if that's what they want. We can't let that video get out!"

"No!" she replied firmly. "They still can't release that video. That's evidence in itself that they've been spying on their own clients with hidden cameras. If that gets out it will destroy their program. They'd never sign another licensee and the ones they have now would pull out."

"We don't know that for sure, Barbara!" Evans responded with a tone of pure desperation in his voice.

"Yes we do, Dan. Grow a pair, will you? Hiromoto's not foolish enough to sabotage his own Mailgirls program. This is all just a bluff." Then she turned Mariko. "Please tell Mr. Hiromoto that I humbly apologize if I have offended him but I must respectfully decline his invitation to become a mailgirl."

Mariko nodded. "I will do as you wish, Barbara."

Oh my god, I thought to myself, that's it then? Barbara's going to weasel her way out of this? She'd taken everything that Hiromoto had thrown at her and had fought him to a stalemate! My prospects of getting out suddenly felt like they were crashing to the ground. Then Mariko spoke again.

"There is just one more matter that Mr. Hiromoto would like some information on, please."

"What is it?" Barbara asked coldly.

"He would like to know how the $500,000 he gave you has been spent." Barbara blinked a couple of times but didn't respond.

"What the hell is she talking about now?" Evans asked. "What $500,000?"

"Mr. Hiromoto gave Barbara $500,000 which was intended to help promote his Mailgirls program in North America," Mariko explained to him. "He transferred this money into a Cayman Islands account as she requested. He would now like some documentation that shows how this money was spent."

"I don't know anything about that money," Dan said. "It's the first I've heard of it."

"That money was given to me under the table," Barbara said in a calm, defiant voice. "It was a gratuity for my help in arranging this partnership. That's how business is done over there."

"A gratuity? You mean a bribe don't you?"

"Call it whatever you want, Dan, but once again Hiromoto can't make this public without also implicating himself in it."

"Ah, but this transaction was not under the table," Mariko responded. "It was recorded in our books as a business expense. I have a copy of the relevant page to show you." Mariko pulled a folded sheet of paper out of her bag and handed it to Barbara. Her face turned pale as she read it. "As you can see it was properly recorded and included in our tax returns. So may I assume this payment did not make it into DDE's books?"

"No it did not," Dan said. He was starting to pull himself together now as he directed his anger toward Barbara. "What did you do with the money, Barbara?"

"I used it to pay off my condo, Dan," she replied brusquely. Once again I could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she searched for a way out of this new trap.

"What is the correct legal term for improperly taking company funds for one's own personal use, Mr. Evans?" Mariko asked. "Embezzlement?"

"Yeah, I believe so," he replied. "What would you call it, Barbara?"

"This is a setup, Dan," she replied anxiously, looking more and more like a wounded animal backed into a corner. "They're trying to entrap me."

"Yeah, and they're doing a damn good job of it, too." Evans was starting to reassert control now. He sees a way out of this mess by offering Barbara's head to Hiromoto on a platter, I thought to myself.

"Perhaps there is a way this can be resolved, Mr. Evans," Mariko said. "It is my understanding that Barbara has had two mailgirls living in this condo. I am certain Mr. Hiromoto will see this as an acceptable use of his money to support the Mailgirls program. If Barbara signs over the title to Hiromoto Industries then I believe we can correct this issue."

"You want me to sign over my condo to Hiromoto?" Barbara asked bitterly. "That's your price?"

"Yes," Mariko replied. "I believe $500,000 is fair market value for this condo. Of course your accountants will need to amend your company books to add this transaction which was inadvertently overlooked two years ago. And perhaps there will be a small penalty that DDE must pay to your IRS. This would be a minor matter though."

Barbara glared at Mariko. "Fine. I'll do it if that's what Mr. Hiromoto wants." My heart began sinking again. Was Mariko about to sell me out for the price of a condo?

"Ah, excellent!" Mariko replied brightly. "We will take care of this matter right after your Mailgirls contract has been signed."

"No!" Barbara replied shaking her head violently. "I will not!"

"Yes you will!" Dan said to her angrily. "Barbara, you got me and my company into this fucking mess so now you're going to get us out of it! If you don't do whatever the hell Hiromoto wants you to do I'll have you arrested and charged with embezzlement!"

"No!" Barbara replied stubbornly, then turned to Mariko. "I earned that money for everything I've done to sell Hiromoto's program here in this country when no one else was willing to touch it. You know that, Mariko. If he wants my condo to punish me for my so-called insolence then he can have it. But that's all. After that we're even as far as I'm concerned."

"Mr. Hiromoto is willing to pay fair market value for your condo to keep you out of jail," Mariko said to her. "He is doing this as a favor to you because of the work you have done promoting his program, but he does not consider your debt paid. I must tell you that he has ordered me not to return to Tokyo without your signed Mailgirls contract in hand. If you will not do this for him then he will withdraw this favor and insist that your theft of his money be dealt with."

Kelly was squeezing my hand so hard now I was afraid she might break it. I was scarcely able to breathe myself still not certain of the outcome of this epic match. Then I saw a look of resignation come across Barbara's face as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I knew then that it was over. Checkmate!