- AK -

Ysadora knocked on Randall’s door office, and on his invitation, she entered. Randall was waiting by the window, and when she entered, he turned to her urgently.

“I will send you on a small mission. There is an investor that is essential to fund Abraham’s plan, but she has some... hesitations, even with my assurances.”

“So she needs to be persuaded,” Ysadora guessed with a corner smile.

“Yes. We need this to go well; Abraham’s plan must be put to use as soon as possible in order to advance our mission.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll take care of this,” Ysadora reassured him, as he gave her the address. “Has Scott contacted you yet?”

“No; he must be doing his usual routine with the newcomers,” Randall distractedly answered.

“What’s your opinion, with what Daniel told you?” Ysadora inquired.

“Just a few hopeful and naive resistance couple; we shouldn’t worry as much. The population will eliminate them sooner or later. However, something will have to be done with these ex-council members; they are threatening to disrupt our plans. We could either let the media defame them so…”

“I believe it best to immediately eliminate them,” Ysadora coolly suggested. “With the amount of time that it would take to incriminate them, they will flee, gain back their money with their offshore accounts, and possibly find some dirt about you to use at their advantage.”

“Will you and Scott take care of it? Abraham and I can’t be involved,” Randall requested.

“Of course. It will be our pleasure,” Ysadora reassured him. “Which mission do you wish I take care of first?”

“The investor. Bohm and Abraham needs the money as soon as possible to advance the plan.”

“Very well; I’m on it.”

“Good luck,” Randall wished her.

“I don’t need any, you know that,” she called behind her as she left the office.

Randall smiled proudly, and returned to his city gazing.

**********************

“Red suits you, ma’am; you should wear lipstick more often,” Daniel commented while delicately applying it upon Ysadora’s lips.

“Makeup is a waste of time, when I don’t require it for persuasion,” Ysadora mumbled, trying to reply without moving her lips.

Due to his calculative and precise movements, as well as higher artistic knowledge than hers, she was letting Daniel take care of the boring part of her mission: applying makeup.

“What specific look do you wish to convey, ma’am?” he asked, spreading the entire collection.

“A woman like her will be used to empty flirts and cheap one-night stands. The key is always be what they can’t find. Give me something very classic, yet foxy and seductive,” she ordered, carefully smacking her now red coloured lips, taking care not to smudge them.

“In that case, ma’am, an ochre eye shadow will intensify your turquoise eyes, while a black eyeliner...” Daniel began, picking up the items as he spoke.

“Just do it, you’re the artist,” Ysadora cut him impatiently.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What did you find with your interrogation?” she carefully mumbled.

“Nothing more than Mr. Cooper’s translation of what we saw in the footage, ma’am. Never met the strangers Madzistrale and Tom before nor after the incident, and his heartbeat and blood pressure indicated he was telling the truth. I however found a strange chemical compound within the pharmaceutical drug that the lady Madzistrale gave Mr. Cooper; my computer is currently attempting to find a match with our database. The result will be available in 13 hours, 21 minutes and 13 seconds.” He paused, then corrected: “My apologies, ma’am, the countdown is now at 13 hours, 14 minutes and 08 seconds.”

Ysadora said nothing. It didn’t surprised her that the man wouldn’t know much about the strangers.

After what seemed an eternity, Daniel stood back, and let her watch the result in the mirror. Despite Daniel having took the ‘foxy’ term a tad too literally, she was surprised anyway at her reflection. She looked indeed classic and seductive, with a touch of dangerous wilderness.

“What do you think, Daniel? Am I seductive enough?” she joked, miming poses.

Daniel stayed silent. She sighed, and walked to her wardrobe to find the perfect dress. After two minutes, his Britannian voice suddenly spoke:

“According to a recensement from various polls across the world, 74.7% of the males, and 52.9% of the females will ask you to go on a date, ma’am.”

“I take that as a ‘yes’,” Ysadora replied, satisfied, and undressing to try out the selection she chose.

“The purple dress on the fifth hanger will not suit your current look, ma’am,” Daniel impassively commented, apparently immune to her complete nakedness.

“Thanks,” she replaced it in the wardrobe. “What do you suggest?”

“The two black dress and the burgundy one-piece suit, ma’am.”

“Not the white or the gold one?” Ysadora examined them.

“No ma’am. The gold will reflect too much your eye shadows and make your lips too bright, as well as giving the impression of having chosen a one colour theme. As for the white dress, it is representative of purity, which, if I am not mistaken, is not your current purpose.”

“Indeed. Well, let’s try the blacks and burgundy then.”

After a few minutes of Ysadora parading the three selected dress, Daniel gave his result.

“Finally. Getting ready is such a hassle,” Ysadora commented, her black flowing dress outlining her curves. “Now, jewellery, or not?”

“It depends of your intentions, ma’am. If the persuasion will be more professional, the lack of jewellery will direct the gaze upon the next touch of colour, which is your hair and your face. If the persuasion is more seductive in intention, then the addition of a noticeable and long pendant will direct the gaze toward it, and inevitably, to your bosoms.”

“I love how you describe such things,” Ysadora jokingly replied, opening her jewellery box. “So a pendant it is…”

“This one, ma’am,” Daniel pointed to a necklace with a small diamond, ending with a long but delicate set of short chains.

“Earrings? For seductive purpose, not professional?”

“No ma’am. The gaze of the target will be distracted from either your bosoms or your face.”

Ysadora smiled. The advantage of having an assistant with no modesty, and especially, no instinctive thoughts toward anyone.

“Is it your first persuasion mission, ma’am?” Daniel asked, as he helped her close the tiny necklace’s clasp.

“No. But this one is absolutely important, and requires a direct-to-the point persuasion, not a lengthy and subtle one.”

“All set, ma’am,” Daniel told her.

Ysadora picked up her purse, assuring herself that her weapon was safely hidden in it, and left her loft.

“I won’t be long; stay here, and if Scott arrives, let him wait here until Randall is available,” she instructed Daniel.

“Yes ma’am,” he obeyed, closing and locking the door behind her.

As she crossed the park to the parking lot outside the parameter, she met Abraham, who was returning to his office. Upon seeing her attire, he froze, and he struggled hard to keep his face cool and unaffected. Ysadora couldn’t help smiling, but she knew that unlike so many others, he was a gentleman. So she gave him a reassuring smile.

“Umm... I never properly thanked you for your intervention yesterday,” Abraham began, keeping his gaze straight into her eyes, which were even more beautiful now. “After your meeting, and my work, I was wondering if you would like, I don’t know... A small drink, after a long day?”

Ysadora smiled, and her heart began to beat faster; she couldn’t explain why, but something about him set him apart from all the men she had to deal with. And for a proposition that she would have once coldly refused, she found herself looking forward to such an evening.

“I wouldn’t say no even to a dinner,” she suggested.

“Great!” Abraham silently sighed with relief. “Well, see you tonight!”

Ysadora smiled shyly, and she resumed walking. Teasingly, she told him:

“By the way, you changed again your tie.”

Abraham frowned, and pulled slightly on the end of his tie; it was indeed now silvery grey, matching his suit.

“But I haven’t changed it!” Ysadora heard the surprised reply, which made her giggle.

After a few steps, she turned back to assure him of the dinner, but he was nowhere to be seen. She frowned, but she soon pushed it aside. The entrance wasn’t so far, and he did say he was going back to work. Now, she had to focus upon her mission.