The Nerd Ascension Pt. 01

Brooke sat down in one of the leather couches and started looking through the papers. From the corner of her eye, she could see the same guy who checked her out earlier. He was staring intently at her and making the young blonde even more nervous than she already had been.

Trying to ignore her audience, Brooke flipped through the release trying her best to decipher the thick legal jargon. As far as she could tell, she was giving up any right to privacy in exchange for the privilege of Mark Griffin's presence. She consented to electronic surveillance, a credit check, and even a strip search. She also agreed to never discuss the meeting with anyone and that she wouldn't file a lawsuit against anyone participating in her appointment. With just a few minutes to read such a massive document, there was no way she would ever get a full sense of what she was signing. Even so, she desperately needed Mark's help.

Brooke was relieved when one of the other ladies in the waiting room returned to the reception window with a signed copy of the same document. At least this wasn't something Mark put together specifically for her. As excessive as the document was, it appeared to be a standard waiver.

Brooke finally decided to go ahead and sign the release. She figured that she could always leave the meeting if Mark asked her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. It would take a lawyer to effectively sort through the document, and she was no lawyer.

"Here you go," Brooke said handing the waiver to the lady behind the window.

"Excellent," the receptionist responded. "Do you see the empty containers by the coffee machine?"

Brooked looked back and saw a stack of several decorated boxes, each about a cubic foot large. "I see them," Brooke answered.

"Good," The receptionist replied. "I need you to put your clothes and all your belongings in one of those boxes then bring it to me. I'll keep an eye on your things while you meet with Mr. Griffin."

"Excuse me," Brooke snapped. "You want me to take off my clothes. You must be out of your fucking mind."

"Watch your mouth, young lady," the woman scolded. "Until you're cleared, you can't bring anything into Mr. Griffin's office. That, unfortunately for you, includes your clothes."

"There's no way," Brook demanded. "Are you telling me that everyone who visits Mark has to strip naked first?"

"Mr. Griffin rarely meets with visitors. When he does, they have to remove their clothing first. You don't have to meet with Mr. Griffin if you don't want to, but, if you choose to do so, your clothes stay here."

"Fuck this," Brooke snapped. "And don't tell me to watch my mouth."

Fuming mad, Brooke made her way back to the elevator bank. She slammed her fist against the down button hoping to get out of the massive office building as quickly as possible. Just as the elevator door opened, her phone rang. It was Emily.

"What?" Brooke stepped into the elevator and smashed her finger into the button for the first floor.

"Are you not meeting with Mr. Griffin?" Emily blurted back at Brooke. "He's expecting you."

"They want me to take off my clothes first," Brooke snapped back. "This is such bullshit. How do I even know it wasn't Mark who got me fired in the first place?"

"Now calm down," Emily consoled. "You know Mr. Griffin didn't get you fired. That was Janice's doing through-and-through."

"So, what?" Brooke returned. "Now I have to strip naked just to see Mark. He's apparently trying to get back at me for what happened in college."

"No," Emily insisted. "This is somewhat standard protocol for Mr. Griffin. He's a little paranoid about people wearing wires or trying to bug his office. Last year, he insisted that first-time guests would have to strip naked before meeting with him. He does it to just about everyone, guys included."

"You're telling me that he makes everyone meet with him naked?" Brooke asked.

"Not everyone," Emily replied. "Just new guests who haven't been cleared through his security team. Most of the time, he has a week or more to plan a meeting. This gives his team ample time to check into whomever Mr. Griffin might be meeting with."

"Fine," Brooke responded as the elevator landed on the first floor. "Have them call me when I'm cleared. Then I'll meet with your psycho boss." As Brooke stepped out of the elevator, she noticed Emily waiting for her.

"Hi, Brooke," Emily said making a point to hang up her cell phone. She put her arm around Brooke and led the former school teacher back into the elevator cab.

"What are you doing?" Brooke protested even though she didn't try to break free from Emily's grip. "I'm not going back up there."

"Just ride back up with me," Emily said. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"Fine," Brooke said. She crossed her arms over her chest in frustration.

Emily pressed the button to the twelfth floor. "Let's just catch our breath. Shall we?"

The two ladies rode quietly up the atrium wall. Unlike Brooke's first trek up the elevator path, this trip felt as though it lasted an eternity.

Once back on the twelfth floor and out of the elevators, Emily walked Brooke to a metal bench. "Are you okay?" Emily asked.

"Am I okay?" Brooke fired back sarcastically. "I lost my job yesterday, and I have no idea what to do. Now they're telling me I have to take off my clothes just to meet with the mighty Mr. Griffin. No, I'm not okay."

Emily leaned into Brooke and gave the former school teacher a hug. "Mr. Griffin can help you," Emily whispered into Brooke's ear. "He will help you."

"By making me..."

"Don't worry about that," Emily interrupted. "So what if you have to get naked for a few minutes first. Your Janice problem will be solved once and for all."

Brooke looked deeply into Emily's eyes as if trying to discern the truth. "You promise?" Brooke asked. "You promise he'll take care of everything."

"I promise," Emily repeated. She held a hand over her heart and tilted her head slightly. "But you have to get back in there right now."

"Will you come with me?" Brooke asked.

"Sorry," Emily responded. "You have to do this on your own. If you want Mr. Griffin's help, you must face him first. I had to do the same thing, and I'm glad I did."

"Fine," Brooke relented. "I'll do it. Will you at least wait for me?"

"I will," Emily said. "I'll wait for you down by the fountain. We'll get a drink when you're done."

"Thanks, Emily," Brooke said. She gave Emily a cautious hug. "Thanks for everything."

Brooke slowly made her way back to the security office. She wasn't looking forward to what she had to do, but she was well aware of her life's impending futility. She could only hope that Mark would go easy on her.

"You're back," the lady behind the glass window joked. "Better hurry up and get ready if you want to see Mr. Griffin today."

Brooke understood that by 'get ready,' the lady actually meant 'get naked.'

Brooke walked past the same guy and two women who were in the waiting room a few minutes earlier. This time, all their eyes were unmistakably trained on her as she prepared to remove her clothes. She knew she couldn't let her audience freak her out or prevent her from following through with her mission.

Brooke picked up one of the decorated boxes and set it on a leather couch. She opened the lid cautiously. Somehow, the empty space inside the box felt intimidating, like a black hole. Along with her wardrobe, she would be packing away her pride and even control over her own life. To her, the box represented surrender. She was yielding to Mark, the same guy she helped torment in college.

Brooke first removed her security badge and dropped it into the box. She figured there wouldn't be anywhere for her to clip it to, at least not anywhere appropriate. After the badge, she took a moment to remove her black heels and matching belt. She then slid her thigh-high stockings off one by one adding them to her fancy box. With her accessories in the container, she accepted that it was time to put her naked body on display. She was about to give everyone in the waiting room a show.

Brooke looked behind herself and scanned the room. She glared momentarily at each member of her audience until they looked away. She figured they would return their gaze soon enough, but she wasn't going to make it easy on them.

"Hurry up, Miss Mitchell," the receptionist said from behind her glass window. "Mr. Griffin is expecting you."

Keeping her back turned to the room of spectators, Brooke fought to steady her shaking hands. She unbuttoned her red silk blouse slowly revealing a black lace bra. Her bottom button wouldn't seem to let go of its hole, something that always happened when she removed this particular top. Frustrated and unable to work the fastener free, Brooke ripped the plastic circle from its thread.

As Brooke pulled the blouse off her shoulders, she could imagine what the other waiting room occupants and the receptionist saw. The back and shoulder straps of her bra would hardly titillate her audience, but the first glimpse of her brazier portended the more revealing view to come.

Brooke reached around herself and slid her skirt's zipper down her backside. As the skirt separated, she imagined the group checking out her black panties tucked uncomfortably into her ass crack. As she slid the skirt down her legs, the snug material tugged against her silk underwear and momentarily revealed her butt cheeks to the group. Not wanting to face the waiting room occupants or show off more than necessary, she cautiously avoided turning toward the spectators as she stepped out of the skirt.

Brooke thought she heard the two ladies whispering to each other behind her back. She assumed they were discussing her striptease but couldn't tell whether their observations were complimentary or otherwise. Ultimately, it didn't matter. She would never see anyone in that room again. She just had to fight through the striptease and prepare for her real test, facing Mark Griffin while completely naked.

"Miss Mitchell," the receptionist prodded gently. "We have to leave now."

Brooke knew she couldn't stall any longer; she had to quickly remove her last articles of clothing. First, she reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. One after another, she slid the shoulder straps down her arms then let the garment fall to the floor.

Cautious about keeping her back to the waiting area, Brooke grabbed her panties and, with a quick jerk, pushed them down her legs. She picked up her bra and panties from the floor and threw them into the decorative box. Brooke carefully positioned her hands over her tits and pussy then turned toward the receptionist and other onlookers.

"I'm ready now," Brooke said. "Can we go?"

"Sure," the receptionist said. "I just need your box first."

Brooke did her best to put the lid on the box and pick it up while keeping herself covered. Holding one hand over her pussy, she released the other hand from her tits just long enough to lift the container off the couch. She slowly carried the box to the receptionist and carefully set it on the window's base.

"Do you have your badge?" the receptionist asked.

"Really?" Brooke said. "I put it in the box. Why do I need my badge?"

"Sorry, Miss Mitchell," the lady said. "We can't leave without your laminate. You have to have it with you at all times."

Brooke realized she had no choice but to expose her breasts to the waiting room occupants. There would be no way to dig her badge back out of the box while keeping herself completely covered. She set the box on the chair and frantically started rummaging for the plastic badge. She could sense the small group of onlookers gawking at her exposed body.

Brooke could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage as she struggled to locate the laminated identification document. The more she hurried her search, the longer it seemed to take. Finally, after giving the group a nice long look at her nipples, she located the clip-on credentials.

"Got it," Brooke said to the receptionist as she instinctively returned her free hand to its position over her chest.

"Great," the lady behind the window said as she pressed a buzzer. "Come on back here. I'll walk you to Mr. Griffin's office."

As grateful as Brooke was to get out of the waiting room, she was equally nervous about her journey to Mark's office. She knew that he was on the top floor. Certainly, they didn't expect her to take the glass elevator that hovered conspicuously over the atrium. She would be exposed to the entire building.

"I'll take that," the receptionist in said as she grabbed Brooke's box of clothes from the window ledge. The lady locked the container in a large closet then motioned for Brooke to follow her back into the office area.

Brooke kept her hands firmly over her private parts as she followed the lady into a back hall and to a service elevator. As much as Brooke hated traipsing through some unknown building without her clothes, she was thankful for the privacy.

As the elevator doors opened on the top floor, Brooke saw a security desk with an older looking security guard. The man hardly lifted his head as she followed her guide out of the elevator and to his desk.

"Miss Mitchell is here to see Mr. Griffin," the lady said to the guard.

The guard looked over the two women but didn't act as though Brooke's nudity was cause for concern. "Badges," the guard said extending his hand towards the women.

The guard accepted and scanned the receptionist's credentials before reaching for Brooke's identification. In passing over her badge, Brooke had to momentarily expose her tits to the guard, but he offered no reaction.

"Go on back," the security officer said as he returned the badges.

The lady led Brooke down a long marble hallway toward an oversized double-door entrance. The woman then opened one of the solid oak doors for Brooke. "Go on up to the desk and wait for Mr. Griffin. I'll stay here and walk you back down when you're finished."

Brooke stepped into the large empty room. The same marble adorning the main atrium covered the office's floor and towering walls. The room didn't boast any windows, and, except for a large desk and office chair, was devoid of furniture. The open space made her nervous. There was nowhere to hide, not even somewhere she could sit down.

Brooke walked up to the vacant desk and stood quietly with her arms over her tits and pussy. There was no sign of Mark or anyone else. She worried about how long she would be expected to stand there.

Within a couple of minutes, Brooke heard a door open in the back of the room. She hardly recognized the man who joined her in the vast office. He was slender and dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, expensive shoes, and a pressed white shirt with gold cufflinks. Could this be Mark? If so, he didn't look anything like the college nerd she remembered.

The man walked up to the desk and, without a word, sat down. He adjusted his glasses and pulled a manila file folder from his top desk drawer. He paused momentarily to inspect the naked woman standing in front of his desk.

"Hi, Brooke," the man finally said. He opened the folder and started shuffling through tax and other legal documents. "It's been a long time. Hasn't it?"

"Mark...Mr. Griffin...Is that you?"

Mark smiled gracefully. "I get that a lot," he said. "I've changed since my college days. In a way, I have you to thank for that. You and Janice that is."

"About that," Brooke said clutching her naked body tighter than ever. "You know I'm sorry about everything that happened back then? You do remember how I helped you? Don't you?"

Mark took off his glasses and set them on his desk. He looked down momentarily as if he was collecting his thoughts. Finally, he gazed upward at Brooke staring softly as if he could see into her soul. "That's all water under the bridge. Besides, we're not here to talk about me. We're here because you have a problem, and you need my help."

"Thanks," Brooke said. "I do. I do have a problem...with Janice."

"And you would like my help?" Mark added.

"Well," Brooke said shuffling nervously on her bare feet. "Emily said that..."

"Don't tell me what Emily said," Mark interrupted calmly. He methodically picked his glasses back up and slid them over his eyes. "Tell me what you want. Do YOU want my help?"

"I do," Brooke answered nervously. "Please. I do want your help. I need your help."

Mark leaned back in his chair and stared at Brooke with pursed lips.

"Is that okay?" Brooke queried breaking the short but awkward silence.

"Sure," Mark said. "It's okay to ask. It's always okay to ask."

"So," Brooke said. She was surprised there was even a question as to whether Mark would assist her. Maybe he just wanted her to beg, something she was willing, even if reluctant, to do. "Will you help me?"

"Why?" Mark asked after another pause. "Why should I help you?"

"Well," Brooke said. "I helped you when we were in college. Do you remember that?"

"I do remember," Mark replied. "And I'll help you get your job back right away if that's what you want. It's the least I can do."

"What about Janice?" Brooke asked. "Emily said she would do this again."

"What do you think?" Mark asked. "Do you think she'll continue to harass you?"

"I know she will," Brooke answered. "She did it before."

"So you want me to deal with Janice?" Mark returned.

"Yes," Brooke said. "I want you to help me deal with Janice once and for all."

"Then my question stands," Mark insisted. "Why should I intervene between you and Janice? Helping you get your job back is one thing. Helping you stop Janice is something else altogether."

"Why should you help me with Janice?"

"That's what I asked."

Brooke looked nervously at Mark. He wasn't going to make this easy on her. In a way, she didn't blame him; she would likely do the same if the roles were reversed. Slowly, she dropped her hands to her sides exposing her naked body. A decade after she first demanded he remove his clothes for her, she presented herself naked and exposed in front of him.

Mark looked intently and Brooke's naked form. His eyes drifted back and forth between her face and her exposed tits and pussy. Her humiliation was palpable.

"I'll ask you again," Mark said quietly but confidently. "Why should I help you?"

"I don't know," Brooke responded choking back tears. "What do you want? Why don't you just tell me what I have to do?"

Mark rested his chin on his hands and looked down at his desk. After yet another pause, he pressed the speaker button on his phone. "Maggie, can you bring my guest a chair?"

"Yes, Mr. Griffin," a voice returned through the phone.

"And a robe," Mark added.

"Yes, Mr. Griffin."

Seconds later, an attractive woman in her forties opened the same door Mark entered through previously and rolled a chair across the room to Brooke. A plush white robe rested on the seat cushion.

"Thanks, Maggie," Mark said as his assistant started back out of the room.

"Yes, Mr. Griffin," Maggie answered.

Brooke grabbed the robe and draped it around her naked body then sat down in the chair. The soft cotton comforted her body.

"Let's talk business," Mark said. "How about that?"

"Business? Brooke returned. "I would like that a lot."

"I'm going to give you a choice," Mark said. "With your first option, you get your job back but have to deal with Janice on your own."

"Yes. Emily told me about that," Brooke offered. She did her best to conceal her frustration. "What's the second option?"

"The second option is that you come work for me," Mark said.

"Work for you?" Brooke asked. "But what about Janice?"

"She'll be your first assignment," Mark said. "Janice will be dealt with, and you'll be responsible for keeping an eye on her."