Revenge - Chapter 6

Revenge

By Karen Singer

Chapter 6

The morning was half over and Steve was heavily involved in the details of the company’s new project.  He was so engrossed that he didn’t even know he had a visitor until a shapely set of legs with a body to match, suddenly sat down on his desk.  “Carla!” he said with great enthusiasm.  The gorgeous woman had been one of his favorites to date in the past.  “What’s up?”

“You tell me,” she replied playfully.  “You sent word that you were looking for me.  You wanted to tell me something?”

Steve was more than a bit surprised.  “I did?  Not that I remember.  But of course I’m always on the lookout for you!  Has anyone told you today that you’re gorgeous?”

Carla laughed.  “Just you.  No, but really, I ran into Monica a little while ago and she said you wanted to tell me something.”

Steve was instantly wary.  “No.  Nothing I can think of.  Unless you’re free for dinner later tonight?”

She slapped playfully at him.  “Stop it.  I can’t tonight anyway.  I wonder why Monica told me that.  Maybe I’d better ask her.”

“No!” Steve replied, a bit too nervously.  “I mean, maybe I better ask her instead.”

“Okay.  But let me know what she says, okay?”

“Sure, Carla.  You bet.”

As Steve watched Carla walking away, he had to wonder what that bitch Monica was up to now.  He wanted to ask her, he needed to ask her, but he was hip deep in his work just then and couldn’t take the time.

A little while later, Ruth poked her head into his cubicle.  “Hi Steve, sorry I wasn’t at my desk earlier.  Monica said you were looking for me?”

Steve was beginning to grow worried.  “No, I wasn’t looking for you.  Maybe she meant somebody else.”

Ruth seemed puzzled, “I was sure she meant you.  Oh well, I’ll check with her.  Bye.”  And she was gone, leaving Steve to ponder and worry even more.

But when his boss, Mr. Carter stopped in to say that he had also run into Monica and been told that Steve was looking for him, Steve got really worried.  He had no choice but to phone down to the shipping department to talk to her.  He dropped his voice to a whisper so no one could hear him, but still, it was a loud and angry whisper.  “You bitch!  What are you up to?”

“Why Stevie,” Monica’s voice purred over the phone line.  “So good of you to call.  I just thought you’d like to tell those people yourself about what kind of underwear you prefer.  Or would you rather I do it for you?”

Steve was shocked.  “You wouldn’t dare!  Listen you witch, I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but whatever it is, it’s not going to work!”

Monica’s voice cut like a knife.  “You watch your mouth, you bastard.  I suggest you be very nice to me and do what I tell you to, or you’ll regret it even more!”

“Like hell I will,” Steve replied angrily.  “You stay away from me.”  He slammed the phone down angrily.  The bitch!  He glanced at his new watch that he’d had to buy since his old one was now missing.  It was lunch time, or close enough.  He gladly got up and headed for the elevators.

Further down the hall, watching Steve step into the elevator, was Diane.  As soon as the elevator had started down with Steve in it, she stepped into his cubicle.  As she had hoped, the idiot hadn’t even logged off of his computer.  Less than a minute later, she left his cubicle again, the flash drive in her hand containing a backup copy of Steve’s entire contact list from his email program.  The procedure to get it was ridiculously easy.  She had practiced it a few times earlier to make sure she could do it quickly.  Steve leaving his computer open had been the only question.

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

Later that afternoon, Steve’s computer signaled that an email had come in from Monica.  There was no way his curiosity could keep him from looking at it.

Dear Stevie,

Take a good look at the attachment, then call me.

Monica

With growing concern, Steve opened the attachment.  It turned out to be a screen shot of another email.  He had to blow it up a bit to read it.  But when he did, he nearly died.  The copy of the email was a letter to his boss, describing the fact that Steve preferred to wear women’s underwear, and that he had insisted on showing them off to both Monica and Diane, despite their protests. 

Steve couldn’t grab his phone fast enough.  “You wouldn’t dare!” he hissed into the receiver as soon as Monica was on the line.

“Why Stevie,” Monica’s voice purred back at him.  “Of course I would.  As you can see, the email is already written.  And Diane and I are both ready to tell Mr. Carter how you practically forced us to see what you were wearing.”

“You damn bitch!  You’ll ruin me!”

“Not if you do everything we tell you to Stevie,” she purred back over the phone.  “Your nice boss and your precious standing in your department, doesn’t have to be upset at all.  You just have to do what we say.  That’s all.”

Steve looked back at what was on his screen.  The damn bitch just might send it.  He couldn’t allow that.  He’d lose his job for sure.  “Bitch!  What is it that you want?”

“Stevie,” the voice purred.  “First of all, I suggest you watch your mouth.  You better be nice to us from now on.”

“Yeah.  And what else?” Steve asked angrily, but careful to avoid angering her even more.

“Why, not much.  Just meet us down here right after work so we can discuss this further, that’s all.”

“Discuss it….  You must be crazy!”

“Crazy enough to send this email.  What do you think?”

The damn bitch!  She just might!  He was stuck again.  “I’ll be there, you bitch.  I’ll be there.”  There was more than a hint of threat in his voice.

“Oh Stevie….  As I said, I suggest you be a lot nicer to us from now on – and watch your mouth!”  Then the phone line went dead.  She had hung up on him.

“Shit!” he yelled loud enough to attract the attention of everyone around him.

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

Steve didn’t exactly hurry down to the shipping department after work.  It was more like he was bracing himself for an attack with every step.  The truth was, while he was worried about whatever it was that Monica wanted, he was more worried about her magic.  It was hard to fight what you couldn’t see.

The door to shipping was closed, but it opened easily when he pushed on it.  Diane was waiting for him on the other side.  “Hi there Stevie,” she said in an all too taunting voice.  He couldn’t help but notice the look of wicked glee on her face.  “Follow me.”

She led him back through another door to the tiny office that she and Monica shared.  Monica was sitting at one of the desks, but also in the room were Carla and Ruth. 

“Hi Stevie,” Carla said as he walked in.  Was she laughing at him?

“Stevie, Stevie,” Ruth said at almost the same time as she shook her head.  He got the impression that she was definitely laughing at him.  And then she did let out a laugh.  “I never would have thought!”

“And to think you even asked me out to dinner earlier,” Carla exclaimed with a laugh.

“You bitch!” Steve said angrily to Monica.  “You told them!”

“Of course I did Stevie,” Monica replied.  “But before we go any further, maybe you’d better have a good look at my computer.”

Steve looked closer at the screen next to her.  It was turned so that he could see it easily.  On it was the email that she had threatened to send to Mr. Carter, and the mouse pointer was hovering over the send button.  He looked at Monica’s hand, her finger was resting on the mouse button, ready to send it in an instant.  “Don’t!” he said, suddenly afraid that she really would send it.

“Oh Stevie, that’s entirely up to you.” 

He hated that taunting voice of hers.  “What do you want?”

“Oh, not much,” she replied lazily.  “For starters, we all want to see what underwear you’re wearing today.”

“What?  Not again.  I’m not wearing any panties.  I threw them all out.”

“Oh Stevie.  That’s such a shame.  But maybe you better pull your pants down and show us anyway.”

Steve let out an angry sigh and began unfastening his pants.  He quickly pulled them down to show them the boxers he had on underneath.  “There!  You see!”

“Darn it!” he heard Diane behind him say.  “So disappointing.”  Carla and Ruth were both chuckling.

But Monica was continuing.  “Oh Stevie.  No panties.  It’s such a shame.”

“I told you before, I don’t wear them!”

“I think Diane and I have already seen for ourselves that you do.  Haven’t we?”  Steve remained silent.  “No matter.  I’ve decided that since you seem to like them so much, that maybe it’s time you got back into them again – permanently!”

Steve looked at her oddly.  He couldn’t quite understand that.  “Permanently?”

“That’s right Stevie, we all want to see you wearing pretty panties every single day from now on.  Don’t we girls?”

“That’s right,” Steve heard Carla agree as he continued to stare incredulously at Monica.

“That’s crazy.  I’m not going to do it.”

“Then I guess I’ll just push this button and send this email.”  She moved the mouse to make sure it was over the send button.

“Stop!” Steve cried, afraid she was about to really send it.  “Shit!”  What was he going to do?

But Monica was speaking again.  “Now Stevie, I asked Carla and Ruth here to help you…stay on track so to speak.”  He heard more giggling from each of them.  From now on, we’re each going to find you at different times during the day, and when we do, you’re going to have to prove that you’re wearing your pretty panties.  If not, well, you wouldn’t really want Mr. Carter to get this, would you?”

Steve looked at her aghast.  “That’s crazy!”

“Maybe,” Monica replied, “but you’re the one who was crazy enough to wear them in the first place.”

“But….”  Steve was lost for words. 

“Oh, and Stevie, since you were so disappointing for us tonight by not wearing any, then we want you to come back here tomorrow night for us all to see you at the same time again.  Understood?  Hmm?”

Steve just stared at her with his mouth open.  She had to be the craziest bitch he had ever heard of.  He wasn’t about to do that.  He glanced at the computer screen, her hand was still poised to send the email.  How could he not do it?  If she sent that email, he’d be ruined!

In a state of shock, he left them and went out to his car.  But his anger was growing with every minute.  After he pulled out of the parking lot, he pulled over and waited.  A short while later, he saw Monica’s car leaving too.  He followed it.  Eventually, she turned into a rather rundown apartment project.  He watched as she walked up the stairs and used her key to open one of the doors.  “I’ll get you…bitch!” he said out loud.

Steve drove home, barely noticing where he was driving since his mind was raging with monstrous things he’d like to do to her.  The crazy bitch had told two more women.  And now she wanted him to keep wearing panties again.  The bitch!  He’d fix her good.  He just needed to take care of that magic of hers first.  That was what worried him the most.  But now at least he knew where she lived. 

As soon as he got home, he got to work.  First things first though, he had to keep Monica happy for a while.  The panties he had bought before were still in a large trash bag along with the other things he had mysteriously found himself wearing on Saturday.  He had been too lazy to carry them out to the dumpster, and now he was glad.  He pulled the panties out again.  Hopefully, if he could figure out what to do about her, he wouldn’t have to buy any more of the stupid things.

Then it was on to more important business.  How do you fight a witch?  How do you fight magic that you knew nothing about?  And he was fairly sure there were very few people on the planet that did know. 

Grabbing his computer, he got onto the internet and began searching.  He looked up how to fight against magic.  Other than one site touting magic charms for protection and a few others suggesting religion, he didn’t see much of anything to help him there.  He looked up witchcraft and got even less help.  Looking up voodoo turned out to be useless as well.  He spent half the night looking as thoroughly into magic of any kind as he could, and got nowhere.  Almost. 

The one thing that most of what he had read had in common, was the use of spells.  And after reading what he had, and thinking about many of the movies he had seen in the past, one fact stood out perfectly clear to him – there had to be a book.  Somewhere, the witch had to have a book of spells.  It only made sense.  It was the only way she would be able to know how to do some of the unbelievable things she had done to him…all of which were totally unbelievable to him. 

She had to have a book.  And in order to stop her, he had to get that book away from her.  Without it, she would be helpless against him…or at least she wouldn’t be nearly as powerful.  Either way, he needed that book.  Besides, with the book in his possession, maybe he could learn to use the thing against her.  It would certainly serve her right!

So that left the one big question.  Where was the book?  He went to bed that night pondering just that problem. 

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

The next morning, as tired as he was, Steve still couldn’t stop thinking about the problem.  Where did Monica keep her book of magic spells?  He considered many possibilities, but he was quickly starting to reach one big conclusion as to her most likely hiding place.  The problem though, was that he didn’t know enough about her to be sure.

He wore the pink panties to work again.  He didn’t dare not do it.  He was too afraid of what Monica might do.  Other than being overly tired, all was going well for him until he had to go to another office to coordinate on the project.  On the way there, Ruth suddenly saw him and dragged him into a nearby empty cubicle.  “Show me,” she demanded excitedly.  Steve thought she looked like a kid in a candy store over the matter.

Feeling more stupid and bothered about it than ever, he looked around to make sure nobody could see into the cubicle, then he quickly unfastened his pants and just opened them up so she could see his panties.  “Oooo, pink,” she declared happily.  “Wait till I tell the others.” 

Steve just hoped she wouldn’t tell them too loudly.  “Can I go now?” he asked quietly.

“Of course,” Ruth replied.  “I only had to check.”

Steve continued on to his meeting, only thinking about how dumb that panty check had been.  He realized though that he should have done something while Ruth had been checking his panties.  Next time, he wouldn’t forget.

On the way back from the meeting, Carla saw him and joined him in the hallway.  “I need to see your panties!” she whispered.  She too seemed to be excited about it. 

“But Ruth just checked me,” he argued. 

“I know,” Carla replied, but I still have to check too.  They were walking together in the hallway.  There was no private space for them.  Carla looked around then quickly dragged him into the ladies room with her.  Steve was petrified being in there with her, but once again he complied with her wishes and once again he was finished quickly.  But before he left, he asked, “Carla, do you and Monica spend much time together?”

“Me and Monica?” she asked.  “Why?”

“I don’t know.  I guess I’m wondering why she decided to tell you.”

“Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact that she knows you and I dated…at least we used to.”  She shook her head.  “I never had a clue you were this way.”

“I’m not!” Steve argued, but Carla clearly didn’t believe him.  “So you and Monica don’t hang together at all.”

“Nope.  In fact, I hardly know her.  She hasn’t exactly worked here very long.”

Steve realized he’d get no more useful information about Monica from her.

After lunch, he again ran into Ruth, and she dragged him into an out of the way spot for yet another check.  While he was pulling his pants apart so she could see, he asked, “So, you and Monica are good friends?”

“Monica?  I barely know her.”

“But she pulled you into this.”

“She called, and told me, and I have to admit, I was really intrigued.  I mean, face it, you had quite a reputation around here for dating all the ladies…the free ones anyway.”

He did.  He had never dated Ruth of course.  He was fairly sure she was married.  He quickly realized that Ruth wasn’t going to be any help to him either.  So where the heck did Monica keep her book?  His original suspicion was beginning to sound like the only possibility.

The worst panty check came after work of course, when he once again had to meet with all of them at the same time.  “Is this really necessary,” he asked.

“Of course it is,” Monica replied. 

Letting out an exasperated sigh once again, he undid his pants and quickly pulled them down. 

Diane was behind him.  “Steve, turn around so I can see too.” 

He turned toward her and realized too late that she was holding her cell phone in her hands and was aiming it at him.  Click!  Steve was mortified.  She had just taken his picture!  Before he could pull his pants up, she took another one. 

“That’s just for our records,” Monica explained.  “I suggest you keep doing what we say.  Right?”

He didn’t like the way Monica had said that.  “Yeah,” he agreed sullenly.  He couldn’t wait to get his hands on that book…wherever it was…and he was betting she kept the thing right in her own apartment.

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

After work, Steve thumbed through the many contacts in his phone and found the number for Chad, an old friend from High School.  He hadn’t been particular buddies with Chad, but since they had been on the football team together, he still had his number.  But if anybody could help him now, Chad could.  Chad had a certain…reputation.  Chad had been in and out of prison a few times.  Chad knew people.

He dialed the number.  “Hi Chad.”

“Steve, is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me.  How’ve you been?”  The two talked about minor things for a few minutes.  Then Steve got down to business.  “Listen Chad, I need a favor.”

Chad listened to what Steve had in mind for a few moments, then he stopped him before he could go any further.  “Are you crazy?  You don’t want to do that Steve.  If we get caught we could go to jail.”

“Yeah, I know, but this is important.  No, it’s vital!  Chad, please!”

“Steve, look, I’m not about to take that kind of risk again.  Not now at least.”

“There’s five hundred dollars in it for you.  Please, what do you say?”

Chad sighed, he really needed the money.  After being in prison twice now, decent jobs were hard to find.  “Okay,” he finally agreed.  Where and when?”

Once that part of Steve’s plan was arranged, he had the next part to set up.  He pulled up his boss’s number on his cell phone.  “Mr. Carter.  Hi.  This is Steve.”

“Hi Steve.  What’s the problem?”

“Uh…remember when we were talking about me taking some time off?”

“Yeah, you need some?”

“Yes, I really do.”

“Do you really need it right away?  You know how important what you’re working on is right now.”

“I know,” Steve replied.  “I was thinking more of trying to take all next week off, not this week.  That way I can finish the piece I’m doing right now and maybe get ahead on things too.”

“Well,” Mr. Carter replied, “if you can do that, then as far as I can see, there should be no problem.  We’ll talk about it in the morning, okay?”

“Great, Mr. Carter.  Thanks!”

With his boss’s permission set for him to get away for a while, Steve made one final phone call to another friend.  “Brian, how are you?”

“Stevo…” Brian replied.  “Haven’t heard from you in a while now.  What’s happening?”

“Hey Brian, I’m taking a few days off next week, and was wondering if I can use your cabin again.  A week of just fishing and relaxing would sure do me some good right now.”

“No problem Steve,” Brian replied.  “I’ll leave the key for you where we usually put it.  Will that be all right?”

“Great Brian.  You’re a lifesaver.”

Steve hung up the phone.  Now he had just one last thing to arrange, and he would do that tomorrow at work.  By the time Monica found out what he was about to do, he’d be many miles away up in the mountains.  Far enough where he didn’t think even her magic could reach him.  And hopefully, with a little luck, he’d never have to worry about her magic again. 

He just had to get through the rest of this week first. 

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

That night, Karen was once again logging onto his computer while Steve slept, just as she did most nights.  But this time she was very distressed.

Dear Susan,

I’m afraid that Steve is about to do something really, really bad.

Karen told Susan all about what had gone on with Monica and now the other women as well.  But the bulk of her email was all about what Steve planned on doing to get back at Monica.  And once again, Karen asked Susan for her advice on what to do about it. 

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

Susan read Karen’s email with growing concern.  The fact that Monica seemed to be back again was causing a few wrinkles in her plans.  She had thought that Monica was finished with Steve and finally out of the picture.  Obviously that wasn’t the case.  But that wasn’t her biggest concern.  Steve seemed to have bigger issues on his mind.  Issues that needed to be dealt with.  But how?

She wrote quickly back to Karen,

Dear Karen,

Stay quiet again for now.  Let me think about this.  More tomorrow.

Susan