Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 ï>¿Mailgirls On The Run by eltree

   Chapter 17

   Samantha, Mailgirl Twenty-two, was just finishing up her weekly Skype
call to her parents -- "I love you, too, Mom." -- when she felt someone
behind her.  She turned and saw Fiona, Mailgirl Twenty-three, standing
there looking anxious.  She held up a finger asking Fiona to wait and
closed the connection.

   "It's been over a year now and I still can't convince them that Megan
did not lure me into a life of sin."

   "What?"

   "My folks freaked out when Megan became a mailgirl and then blamed her
for me deciding to become one as well.  My dad still won't talk to her and
from what my mom says most of her conversations with Megan are about me or
trying to guilt her about me.

   "But, how can I help you?"

   "I need to talk to someone about last night."

   "Uh, yeah.  With your previous job.  You know, it would be really
helpful if they could recruit a psychiatrist as a mailgirl; or at least
hire a psych major.  The closest we have is Ten and she was just HR.  A
couple of the women have been near hysterical the first few days, weeks. 
Megan said Fourteen was so closed down when she arrived that they couldn't
get through to her at all.  She was more with it when I started, but really
I didn't notice much of anyone else except Megan who freaked out upon
seeing me.  And yes, yesterday.  The send-off is a tradition.  Nurse Allen,
Mailgirl One that was, says it's a way to show the woman who is leaving
what she is leaving.  It's the intimacy among mailgirls, the coercion, the
us against an uncaring world, being aroused by the whole awful situation.

   "I think of the whole lifestyle as performance art.  A number of us that
get off by making out in the showers, as much as by the unseen audience as
the physical stimulation by the other woman or women.  I can even get
excited with the physical punishments, rising above the pain to focus on
how I'm making the guys in suits drool and they can't touch me.  I know
that wasn't your experience, I was there when you crawled out of the crate,
and I truly hope you can come to appreciate the ups of this life.  Megan
wasn't really good at that and she had real troubles adjusting once she was
back in her cubicle.  She's doing better now.  Ms Barnes is going a little
nuts with this running team thing, but Ten says Megan has some backing from
the top bosses to make her chill.  We'll see, being strung up in the
courtyard with that sign hanging from my nipples was no fun at all."

   Twenty-three looked down.  "It just brought up memories of Mohr Brothers
and I was terrified.  And this will happen with every mailgirl that
leaves?"

   "Yes, it wouldn't be fair to leave anyone out.  Ask Thirteen, I bet
she'll say that she's going to be sorry to miss the send-offs that happen
after she catches that plane for Miami."

   It had been a blessedly mailgirl-free day when Colin Fforde walked into
Megan's space shortly after lunch on Monday.  "Ms Brooks, I'd like to take
Maria to the train this afternoon."

   "Are you sure it's not too early?  It might be better if you weren't
there to watch her transition from naked mailgirl to college student."

   "I think it's better if I take her to the train than collect her on
Friday and deliver her back to servitude."

   "I see your point there.  How about if I meet you at the loading dock at
five and we let Maria choose.  I can let her know that I have work to
finish up.  Not a lie since dealing with mailgirls has absorbed an
frustrating amount of my time and energy.  I had enough trouble just
watching over my sister and now I feel like I'm standing between Ms Barnes
and all twenty-four mailgirls."

   Megan pulled up at the loading dock in her Civic a few minutes before
five.  Mr Fforde was standing there leaning against a silver Tesla. 
Apparently SG&T paid senior members of its legal staff better than
mid-range financial analysts, even those that were ex-mailgirls.  Maria
walked out right at five, Megan could see Fforde stiffen at her appearance.

   "Maria, I have your stuff here and Mr Fforde is waiting to take you to
the train station.  I have some work to finish up this evening."

   "That's all right, just hand me my clothes.  Colin, turn around while I
get dressed.."

   Mr Fforde obediently turned his back on the naked woman who quickly
donned the casual clothing -- no bra or panties, of course -- that she had
removed Friday morning.  "Megan, you need to talk to Fifteen.  She had her
meeting with Ms Barnes this afternoon and she wants to talk to you.  Colin,
I'm ready.  I don't want to miss my train."

   Megan watched the pair drive off, then moved her Civic back to the front
parking lot and went to track down Mailgirl Fifteen.  She walked into the
lobby and ordered a tea from the coffee shop before sitting down while she
brought up the Mailgirls App on her smartphone.  Fifteen was at rest in
Marketing -- that is, she was kneeling on a yoga mat besides the Admin's
desk there -- so Megan put in a request for a pickup at the Security Desk.

   Fifteen came jogging down the hallway less than a minute later and Megan
called her over to where she was sitting.  She pressed the screen of the
MMU noting that Fifteen had arrived with twelve seconds to spare. 
"Fourteen said that you needed to talk to me."

   Fifteen had automatically gone to her knees in front of Megan and
without looking up said, "Ms Barnes called me up to Human Capital today. 
I'm scheduled to attend a seminar in Cambridge next week.  I'm to fly to
Boston Sunday afternoon and then back on Friday after the seminar.  I'll
spend the following week training the new Thirteen.  My last day as a
mailgirl is that Friday."

   "That's great.  Do you know what they'll have you doing between your
last day and the race?"

   "No, but what I need to ask you is if you will pick up my trip documents
from Travel and then help me collect my clothing from storage.  I'll need
work-appropriate attire for the seminar."

   "That may be a problem."

   "You can't help?"

   "I will, but how much weight have you lost since you became a mailgirl?
Most of my clothing still fit, but I was running fairly seriously leading
up to my transfer to Maryland.  Sarah, Mailgirl Five that was, found that
most of her lawyering clothes hung on her.  Pants were loose in the waist
and tight on her thighs and calves.  Maria, Fourteen, hasn't complained,
but she's just been wearing casual clothing for class and she had dropped
weight with her issues before becoming a mailgirl.  They should provide you
with a credit card along with your plane tickets and hotel reservations and
you may need to exercise it at the mall before catching your flight.  Oh,
and you may want to buy panties -- there won't be any in your storage.

   "We'll go to the storage unit after the workout on Saturday and if
necessary, we'll leave here Saturday.  I'll talk to Mistress V and
Security, no need to alarm Ms Barnes.  Meanwhile, you've got the rest of
this week to get through and the treadmill on Wednesday and training
session Saturday morning.  Do your best to avoid accruing demerits this
week; you don't want to be sitting on a freshly beaten bottom next week."

   From the mailgirl standpoint it was a quiet week for Megan.  Punishments
were limited to Mistress V's paddle for mailgirls reaching twenty-five
demerits.  All the runners except Twenty-three were up to a solid hour on
the treadmill -- overdistance for women training for a 10k.  Charlotte
stopped by to visit as she was closing up on Thursday and the pair had
dinner together while Charlotte waited for the evening rush on the Beltway
to subside.

   Megan was waiting for Maria when she got off the train Friday morning.
The older woman walked up to her and sighed, "Why am I doing this?  I'm
perfectly happy in Frederick: attending class, wearing clothes, eating real
food, not worrying about Ms Barnes directing Mistress V to whip my ass or
worse.  I could just stay.  SG&T isn't going to send a snatch squad to
bring me back and I wouldn't be forfeiting some life changing payoff."

   "Yes, it's all up to you.  But, I've got to get to work and if you're
coming, hop in."

   "Well, what's up with Fifteen?"

   "She has a seminar at MIT next week...."

   Megan picked up an envelope from Travel that afternoon with information
on Fifteen's seminar, hotel reservations, credit and debit cards for Amanda
Peterson, and a cell phone with an app for the airline and her e-tickets.
She also got the key codes for the storage facility in the basement and
Fifteen's lockup and was told that her id was now authorized to enter.  In
between her mailgirl errands she still managed to get some actual banking
work done.

   Saturday morning Megan woke up to the sound of rain.  She brought up the
weather app on her phone and noted that the rain was forecast to continue
into mid-afternoon.  A cold front had moved into the area bringing the rain
as well as dropping temperatures into the fifties.  There were going to be
some unhappy mailgirls this morning.  She and Bob Starnes had discussed
this possibility and decided that it was better to introduce their novice
runners to inclement weather in a training session rather than possibly
facing rain for the first time at the Corporate Challenge.  Actually it was
better conditions to run in than the heat and humidity of July and August.
She sent texts to Brendan, Ken, and Charlotte saying they would be running
an 8k that morning and got up to make her morning tea.

   As she walked down the stairway from the lobby Megan could see that
there was an animated discussion going on among several of the mailgirls.
The mailgirls that were working the early Saturday shift were showering,
shaving, brushing each others hair, putting on makeup.  Mistress V was just
watching Twelve and Fifteen talking and gesturing to Twenty-two.  The
mailgirls who had made the breakfast run had probably given the weather
report.  Twenty-two had grown up watching her sister head out the front
door into rain and snow when she was running track in high school and was
likely assuring her fellow team members that they would be going out to run
as scheduled.

   As Megan entered into the locker room every eye inside the glass walls
turned to look at her.  "I'm sure that you've all heard that it's raining
-- well, it's coming down in buckets.  And I'm equally sure that Twenty-two
has regaled you with stories of her sister who would head out the front
door to run in thunderstorms and blizzards.  I did draw the line at
tornadoes.  You won't melt.  It's better if you're introduced to running in
the rain now rather than chance it the day of the race.  We can hope for a
beautiful fall day; the race will go off in anything short of a weather
emergency.

   "We're going to run an 8k time trial today, just one run and then back
into the building.  Unless the weather clears in the next half hour you'll
leave your MMUs in their charging stations -- the IT department won't
certify them as waterproof.  Mistress V will meet you at the door with a
high-viz harness to wear -- that's so SG&T will be on sound legal ground in
any wrongful death suit should some driver claim diminished visibility when
they run us down on the road through the park.  After you finish you will
exchange your vest for a towel at the door so that you won't track water
through these august corridors and head straight for the Mailgirls Locker
Room or the Women's locker room at the Fitness Center -- I recommend the
latter as those showers have hot water and we'd like to avoid hypothermia.

   "And no, I did not head out into those thunderstorms and blizzards in
the nude.  It was Iowa." Megan turned and headed back to the lobby to see
who would be joining them for the run.

   Megan found Charlotte and Sarah chatting in the lobby.  "Where are the
men?"

   "Ken took Brendan and Sam off to the locker room to change."

   "Anthony opened one eye this morning, heard the rain and decided that
not even naked women were enough reason to get up early to run in the rain.
He's a weather wimp, but if he had tossed in driving on the Beltway in the
rain as a reason I'd be inclined to agree with him."

   "Wait until it snows, then you'll see real chaos.  Sarah, I'd like you
to run with Felicia again; she's just going to do 5k.  Then the two of you
can collect towels from Mistress V when you re-enter the building and take
a warm shower in the fitness center."

   "That's off-limits to mailgirls."

   "I don't want either of you taking a cold shower after running in the
rain -- it's not that warm today.  I've cleared it with Mistress V; I
imagine Ms Barnes and I will have words on Monday.  Oh, and Mistress V will
be handing out florescent yellow harnesses for the mailgirls to run in; I
want everybody visible on that road; the Security guys agree with me. 
Likely to be another point of discussion on Monday."

   "You go, girl."

   Mailgirl Twenty-two was at the back of the queue of naked women waiting
to go out into the rain.  Four was already wearing her harness which
consisted of a bright yellow strap around her waist and another strap
cutting diagonally from shoulder to waist strap -- nothing of interest was
obscured, but she was sure that this would be reported to Ms Barnes.  Megan
was getting bolder although Twenty-two noted that she was risking their
backsides, not hers.

   Twenty-two would have been happy to have been proven wrong on her
prediction that her sister was going to lead them out into the rain, but
here they were.  It might be worth it for a hot shower.  Fourteen had
reported that good food and hot showers were the highlight of her week of
freedom.  Her assessment of the joy of wearing clothing again was at best
tepid.  She said both she and Professor Chang wore very little when alone
together in the apartment in the evening.

   Oh, God.  It was time.

   By the time Twenty-two made her way to the showers, Three and Four were
already toweling themselves dry -- much nicer and larger towels than
provided in the Mailgirls locker room.

   "A hot shower and a significant lack of lechers out to cop a feel.  It
was almost worth running in the rain."

   "I did notice a dozen or so cars in the parking lot idling along the
course.  But the only guy I saw standing outside was Mr Starnes at the
finish line.  Did you hear your time?  I barely paused when I passed him; I
just continued on to the entrance and Mistress V with the towels.  We did
get to put on a show for the men in the coffee shop -- they looked confused
when I headed down the hall instead of down the stairs to the locker room.
And Twenty-two, we bow to you in your knowledge of all things Ms Brooks."

   Twenty-two turned to face the other pair, "I did live with her for the
first twelve years of my life and then when she was home from college. 
It's not easy following a perfect daughter."

   Later that afternoon a pair of attractive blondes were chatting in the
women's clothing department at Macy's.  The stockier, bustier woman was
incongruously clad in a shapeless pair of sweats.  "Fuck it, Ms Brooks, I
can't believe that nothing fit.  I'm going to have to spend a mint buying
new or having skirts taken in.  Most of my dresses still work and some of
my jackets, but did they have to take all of my panties and bras?"

   "It's a tradition I'm told.  Some firms do a brisk business in used
mailgirl panties.  There are collectors, apparently.  I was told that SG&T
donates what they don't display to local homeless shelters.  And how much
weight did you drop when you became a mail girl?"

   "No more than ten pounds, well fifteen, but I looked good enough to be
recruited as a mail girl."

   "So you're fifteen pounds lighter and the weight got redistributed
somewhat as you got more active which is why none of the narrow pants fit
and your high boots don't zip all the way up.  Once you stop the constant
running about and escape the scientifically controlled diet you'll likely
add those pounds back on -- just not before the race, please."

   "Well, today I just need to buy enough to get me through the next week
and then I'll ship everything to Chicago."

   "Oh, and when you come back on Friday don't pack any of your new bras
and panties in your suitcase.  They'll just disappear."

   Monday morning as expected Megan logged in to read a message to see Ms
Barnes as soon as she arrived.  Well, if she got it over now it shouldn't
disrupt the rest of her day and she could settle down to real work.  On her
way to Miss Bradley's desk she paused to note Mailgirl Fifteen's panties up
on the wall -- expensive and classy, just like the rest of the clothing she
and Fifteen had examined Saturday afternoon.  They were definitely a cut
above most of the other twenty-two pair of panties displayed along the
entrance to Human Capital.  (Mohr Brothers had not sent along any panties
with Mailgirl Twenty-three.)

   The admin looked up at Megan and announced to the intercom, "Ms Brooks
here to see you, Ms Barnes." She looked back at Megan and said, "You may go
in now."

   Ms Barnes started in even before Megan made it all the way through her
office door.  "Ms Brooks, you continue to overstep your bounds.  Forcing
the mailgirls out into the rain was well beyond what they are expected to
endure, but then you had them clothed in vests, handed out towels when they
finished their ordeal, and then directed them to use the showers in the
Fitness Center.  Where do you get off with these actions?"

   "Ms Barnes, it very well may rain on the Corporate Challenge and Mr
Starnes and I would rather introduce the women to running in inclement
weather in practice rather than wait for the race.  As for the high
visibility vests I cleared that with Security -- it was an obvious safety
precaution.  The towels were to prevent them from dripping water all
through the lobby which would have been a safety hazard.  And the hot
showers were to head off any possibility of hypothermia -- that I can get
the Med Center to sign off on.  These were all elementary safety
precautions.  I ran high school and college track in Iowa and there as in
Maryland races are not canceled on account of rain, nor were practices."

   "And what about Mailgirl Fifteen?  According to the Security logs she
left the building in your company.  Where is she?"

   "Mailgirl Fifteen, Amanda Peterson, should be attending a seminar at MIT
at this moment.  I can only confirm that I saw her go through security at
BWI Sunday afternoon on her way to catch her flight to Boston.  I picked up
her documents from Travel Friday afternoon and drove her to the airport on
Sunday.  She is scheduled to fly back into BWI Friday morning."

   "And where was she from the time the race ended until you drove her to
the airport?"

   "Travel supplied me with access to the Mailgirl Storage Area so Mailgirl
Fifteen and I went there after the race to pack clothing for her trip to
Boston.  She is attending the seminar as Ms Amanda Peterson, a financial
analyst at SG&T, not as a mailgirl.  Ms Peterson's taste in clothing is
more expensive and more finicky than mine; she was horrified to find that
virtually nothing fit to her liking.  And there was a lack of underwear as
I'm sure you're aware.  So we spent Saturday afternoon at the mall
acquiring an acceptable wardrobe for this week.  Only marginally acceptable
according to Ms Peterson; Macy's is not where she is used to shopping.  I
didn't see any reason to shuttle her back and forth to SG&T, so she spent
the night in my extra bedroom and then we both went for a run Sunday
morning.  I impressed upon her the necessity to keep up with her training
until the race.

   "Now, if you're satisfied Ms Barnes, I have work to do."

   "Ms Brooks, I will be reporting this to the fifth floor."

   "Please do."

   The only feedback Megan received was a note from Bob Starnes saying that
Mr Dawlish would prefer that she and Ms Barnes work out their differences
without sending them up to senior management.  Otherwise her week proceeded
as normal.  Mr Fforde took Fourteen to the train station Monday afternoon
and the rest of the mailgirls did their hour runs on the treadmills
throughout the week.  It was Thursday afternoon when things went off the
rails.

   Megan was deep into researching a new investment proposal when she was
interrupted by a naked woman.  Mailgirl Seven said, "Ms Brooks, you are
required urgently in the Executive Conference Room.  Ms Barnes and Mr Holt
would like your assistance."

   Megan could blow off Ms Barnes, but Mr Holt was a different story so she
saved her notes and locked her screen before heading off to the fifth
floor.

   She entered the conference room where she saw Mr Holt seated at one end
of the table and Ms Barnes standing facing a middle aged man in a well
tailored gray suit that didn't match his red face.  Ms Barnes looked to the
open door and seeing Megan said, "Here's Ms Brooks.  She seems to be in
charge of your sister these days.  I suggest you speak to her." Then Ms
Barnes brushed by Megan and exited the room.

   "Mr Holt, could you fill me in?"

   "This is Mr Paul Hyland, CEO of Precision Tools in Massachusetts.  He is
inquiring about his sister.  Mr Hyland, this is Ms Brooks; she is a
financial analyst and also the co-Director of the SG&T Racing Team which is
her connection to your sister.  Mr Hyland has demanded that we produce his
sister and he seems to be planning to take her away."

   "Wouldn't Mr Fforde be more appropriate for this discussion than me?"

   "Mr Fforde has taken the day off and is not responding to texts, emails,
or phone calls."

   "You need to produce my sister immediately.  Otherwise, my next step is
to go straight to the authorities."

   "Mr Hyland, Maria is not on site at the moment.  She recently signed an
extension to her contract that places her in a part time status.  The local
authorities are fully cognizant of SG&T's employment practices and our
policy is to allow employees in her position to initiate contact, but
barring a court order their contact information is not provided to outside
parties."

   "If she is not here, I demand that you tell me where she is.  I am not
an outside party, I am family."

   "If you leave your contact details we can pass them on to Maria.  It
will be up to her if she wishes to reach out.  I will note that I met with
her mother, Dr Rodriguez, two weeks ago and I subsequently learned that she
met with Maria during her non-work time.  She knows how to contact Maria
during those days.  I suggest you speak with her."

   "My sister cannot possibly have any interest in working here in a menial
position.  What hold do you have on her?"

   "Maria signed an employment contract with SG&T and both parties are
honoring the terms of that contract.  Since she began part time status she
has reported to work on schedule and I expect that she will continue to do
so for the length of her employment."

   "But this is white slavery."

   "Actually our twenty-four mailgirls are a diverse group though granted
they are all female, young, and attractive.  Think of airline stewardesses
in our grandparents time.  Would you like to meet a mailgirl?"

   "Yes."

   "Mr Holt, can you call Mailgirl Twenty to join us.  As a senior
executive Mr Holt is able to request a specific mailgirl, most employees
requesting a mailgirl's service get whichever mailgirl the system assigns
to the task, usually the closest available woman."

   "And those services are..."

   "Mailgirls deliver messages, documents, physical mail, and office
supplies as needed.  Studies have shown that the employment of mailgirls
increases the efficacy of the entire workforce."

   The door to the conference room was opened by a busty brunette of medium
height wearing wire-rimmed glasses.

   "Twenty, come here and I'll clock you in." The mailgirl held out her MMU
to Megan who noted, "sixteen seconds to the good.  Where was that speed
when we were holding running trials?"

   Twenty then stepped back, feet set shoulder width apart, back slightly
arched to better display her breasts, eyes downcast.

   "Knees."

   Twenty gracefully sank down onto her widespread knees, hands behind her
back, gaze lowered.

   "That is the basic resting position for mailgirls.  Mailgirl Twenty has
a master's degree in Art History and was working as a teaching assistant at
a very good school when she applied to become a mailgirl.  She's been here
for just over a year working for minimum wage, time and a half for
overtime. Mailgirls never just work a forty hour week.  She is fed and
housed in addition to her monetary compensation and she has comprehensive
health coverage through the bank at no cost to her.

   "Toes."

   The mailgirl rose up onto tiptoe with her hands clasped behind her neck.

   "Turn."

   She spun about to face away from the other three who now could see the
welts across her shapely bottom.

   "You missed the daily punishment session Mr.  Hyland.  It's very
popular. Twenty was one of three mailgirls that was bent over in the
courtyard at lunchtime and chastised for excessive demerits.  She then ate
her lunch -- a scientifically balanced nutritious blend that looks and
tastes like dog food -- out of a bowl on the floor of the employee's dining
room.  Such is a mailgirl's life.  This is what your sister has endured for
the past two years and only now have you come to look for her.  I suspect
your motive is other than looking out for her welfare."

   Mr Holt rose "That's quite enough Ms Brooks.  I'm sure Mr Hyland
understands now.  As Ms Brooks said, Dr Rodriguez will be able to tell you
how to get in contact with your sister outside of her employment here."

   Megan returned to the office to find Charlotte chatting with Madison. 
The redhead tossed off a last comment and followed Megan to her desk.

   "I was wondering if you're up for dinner again this evening.  Anthony's
got some farewell bash for one of his co-workers transferring out and I'm
not psyched to fight my way across the Potomac to an empty house.  And
what's got you into a state?"

   "I just got called up to the fifth floor to meet with Mailgirl
Fourteen's brother.  He's demanding to see her and not only does the bank
not allow mailgirls to have visitors, but she's not even here today."

   "But, aren't SG&T mailgirls 24/7?"

   "Yes, however mailgirls Thirteen through Eighteen's contracts expire
within the next several weeks and both Fourteen and Fifteen were among the
top five in the time trials.  So, Fourteen signed an extension to allow her
to work four days a week for the rest of the year while attending college
the other three days.  Fifteen is currently at a seminar at MIT.  She's
transferring to Chicago, but not until after the race.  Fourteen's been
taking on-line classes for the past year and this way she'll be able to
finish her degree in the spring.  I'll fill you in on her saga over
dinner."

   "So, why did they call you up to explain things to her brother?"

   "It's Ms Barnes job, but she apparently sold Mr Holt on the idea that
she has an 'adversarial relationship' with Fourteen -- I wonder why -- and
that I was a better choice to talk to about her.  It made no sense to me
and I rather lost my temper with Mr Hyland; my understanding is that he and
his brother have some issues with their step-mother, Fourteen's mother, but
I'll bring you up to date on all things Mailgirl Fourteen at dinner."

   "Sounds like this isn't a conversation that we want to carry on in a
crowded restaurant.  How about I pick up dinner and meet you at your place?
How does Indian sound?"

   "I'll give it a try, not a lot of Indian restaurants in Iowa."

   "England is overrun with Indian restaurants and curry is more popular
than fish and chips.  I'll pick up something not too extreme.  See you
about 6:30?"

   Megan had just started towards the front door of her building when she
saw Charlotte pull up in a BMW Z3.  It looked like special assistants made
more than financial analysts or maybe just had different spending
priorities.  Charlotte walked towards her with a carrier bag in one hand
and a six pack of beer in the other.

   "I even found British beer to complement the meal."

   Megan disappeared into her bedroom to change while Charlotte unpacked
the carry-out containers.  She emerged to find the other woman rooting
through her kitchen cabinets.

   "Your glassware collection is sadly deficient, just tumblers and wine
glasses.  You do have a bottle opener don't you?

   "I haven't patronized this restaurant before, but these choices usually
aren't too spicy.  Just go easy with the beer, Old Peculier is potent
stuff."

   "Where to start with Mailgirl Fourteen?  Maria Hyland is in her
mid-thirties and grew deeply depressed when she was unable to carry a child
to term.  She lost several pregnancies and having kids was important to
both her and her lawyer husband.  Divorce sent her even deeper.  Her ex's
old law school buddy Colin Fforde decided turning her into a mailgirl was
appropriate shock therapy.  It seems to have worked and then Fforde
arranged for her to take on-line college courses -- she had dropped out to
marry her lawyer -- using a terminal in the law library where he could keep
an eye on her.  He also put forward the scheme to convert to part-time
after she made the running team so that she could start taking classes on
campus while extending her contract to the end of the year.

   "I got pulled into it when Maria wanted to get some distance between her
and Fforde; Mailgirl Ten asked for my help.  Maria had dropped out of Mount
Holyoke, Lin Chang -- formerly Mailgirl Seven and now a professor at Hood
-- is a Mount Holyoke alumna, and with that connection Maria is now at
Hood, bunking with Lin three days a week.  I put her on the commuter train
to Frederick Monday evening and Lin handles the other end and then sends
her back Friday morning.

   "Maria had just gone off to orientation when her mother stopped by the
bank to introduce herself.  She was recently named to SG&T's board and is a
sorority sister of Mrs Soames.  She kicked Soames out of his office to talk
to Mailgirl Ten and me about Maria.  She's just stepped down as Director of
Research at the family firm which is now headed by the step-son that came
looking for his sister today.  After thoroughly impressing/terrifying me
she drove up to Hood where she hobnobbed with the college president before
meeting up with her daughter."

   Megan had cleaned her plate and opened up a second Old Peculier while
disgorging Maria's history.

   "Mailgirl Ten?"

   "Mailgirl Ten is an HR professional that was co-opted as a mailgirl and
then went on to sign up for a second two year contract.  She still has good
contacts in HR and does her best to take care of the other mailgirls. 
Human Resources has issues with Human Capital and they're unofficially
willing to help Mailgirl Ten work around Ms Barnes.  When Fforde came up
with his college/contract extension scheme Mailgirl Ten arranged for HR to
send me Maria's resume and transcripts, via mailgirl, of course.

   "Today, before I left work, I tried to call Maria, but it just went to
voice mail.  So I called Lin and found that Maria was heading off to dinner
with Mr Fforde.  Lin said that Maria had her take her clothes shopping in
Frederick yesterday to find a dress for dinner tonight.  Fforde has a long
history with Maria so I'm not surprised by the dinner invite; I'm a bit
shocked that Maria seems so eager."

   "So you're a former mailgirl and training mailgirls to run; I would have
thought that you would be doing your best to put as much distance between
you and mailgirls as possible.  Why not take a job elsewhere?"

   Megan sighed, "Of the eleven mailgirls that completed their two year
contracts four quit SG&T, one transferred to the San Francisco office, and
three signed up for another two years.  Mailgirl Three had been Mr Soames
secretary/mistress and she returned to those roles, Susan Allen went back
to the Med Center, and then there's me.  Two months before the end of my
contract Human Capital brought on Mailgirls Nineteen through Twenty-four
and I was appalled to find that Mailgirl Twenty-two is my sister.  She
applied for the job.  My dad is a college professor, my mom runs a web
design business; they have two children.  The older was an honor student,
an athlete, a well-behaved and rather boring child.  The younger rebelled
early and often and is a self-described party girl.  My parents spent
nearly two years vacillating between crying at me and lading me with guilt.
After Samantha became a mailgirl they blamed me and and stopped taking my
calls until Sam declared that she wouldn't call them if they didn't talk to
me.  So, I stayed here at SG&T to keep an eye on her.  Too many of my
co-workers can't get past seeing me as a degraded, naked courier and it's
been hard.  I honestly don't know what I'll do when Sam's contract is up."

   "I think I'm going to invite myself to spend the night.  I need to meet
Maria.  Besides when I tell Anthony that I slept with a mailgirl he's going
to be so envious; I expect that to lead to some great sex tomorrow when we
meet up.  Is it true that all mailgirls are or become lesbians?"

   Megan sighed.  "Of SG&T's original twenty-four only Mailgirl Twelve was
an avowed lesbian.  But then we embarked on two years of nudity and
non-stop degradation with enforced no relationships between mailgirls and
the rest of the workforce.  For two years we were pretty much non-stop
sexually stimulated and in desperate need of consolation, available only
from the other twenty-tree mailgirls who were the only ones we were allowed
physical contact with and the only ones who understood what we were going
through.  There is a lot of promiscuous girl-on-girl action and some deep
long term pairings.  Four went off with Twelve to San Francisco.  One and
Seven look to be settling into a committed relationship, Lin now has Maria
as a housemate three days a week and Nurse Allen on the weekends.  Oh, and
there's Eighteen who Maria's mom outed as Mrs.  Soames kept woman.

   "That being said, I'm offering you my guest room, not my bed.  I'm still
trying to figure my life out."