Читать книгу Virtually His - Gennita Low, Gennita Low - Страница 10

Internal focus wasn’t Helen’s strongest point. She much preferred action; thinking too much only muddled up one’s life. However, these new games were designed to make her work mentally as well as physically, and she couldn’t help but feel a little pissed off. She hated being manipulated and these days, someone was doing a whole lot of manipulating of her mind and body.

Helen scowled, then quickly schooled her features. The last time she had betrayed herself like that, someone had pushed her through a series of exercises that he knew she would dislike, even though she now knew how everything worked, that nothing was actually real.

She looked around the room. She had learned much about it in the last couple of months. The CAVE Ultimate—Cave Automatic Virtual Environment—was a ten-by-ten-by-ten room that was the newest in virtual reality immersion. Since its invention at the University of Illinois in Chicago, certain government agencies had further developed and enhanced the unique features of this new technology.

One of the unique features of the CAVE was that it allowed multiple participants to experience the illusion that was virtual reality, with one participant controlling the environment. That first experience from two months ago—that had all been done with her alone in this room, with her invisible instructor in charge somewhere in the COMCEN complex. She now knew that he was in a similar CAVE somewhere, wearing the same type of special bodysuit that she was wearing but with the controls all on his side.

That part of it was tough for her. She hadn’t liked what had happened that first time, even though she now knew they were testing her. No, he was testing her. She’d had this feeling all along that that dream-world into which she’d been thrown was entirely his creation.

He’d had her put in darkness so she would feel unbalanced. That had solved the problem about the special glasses, too. If she had been able to see, she would have seen the VR goggles that covered half her face floating a few inches above. He had given her that stupid paralytic drug so that she couldn’t feel the rotating mechanical VR chair on which they’d placed her. All those feelings of being carried, being upside down, and the dizzying rush of movement were created by that equipment.

Even after watching it in action without her on it, she was still amazed at how everything coordinated with those goggles. Wireless tracker-tabs that looked like sticky markers were placed on certain points on a person’s body, and these tabs corresponded to the chair, letting it know exactly how to move the person. That was how she was manipulated physically. It was interactive virtual reality at its finest.

This was probably the most expensive playroom she’d ever had the privilege to romp in. Not bad for a dirty Russian orphan who only wanted a new Barbie doll, eh?

Helen grinned at the thought. Oh well, let him be diabolical. She was tired of controlling her emotions when he was around.

He was silent today. Not a word. It made her want to rile him to get some reaction, but that would only betray her irritation. Today they’d used the wireless trackers and a new pair of gloves. She’d stood on a glorified treadmill that created the illusion of motion while she got used to “spatial control of nonspace,” as her scientist-tutor Dr. Cunningham had explained to her.

She was being prepared for the final frontier, so to speak. TIVRRV, appropriately pronounced TERROR, stood for Total Immersion Virtual Reality Remote Viewing, the top-secret project that required body and brain immersion and stimulation. Anyone who volunteered for this crazy experiment ought to be terrified.

He was so damn quiet—why didn’t he say something? Or was that the new test?

“You know, I’ve never had my brain waves synchronized with a man’s before,” she drawled, touching the lever to the right of the chair. The goggles raised slowly above her head. She peered up into them. Nothing, of course. “What exactly does that do, in your words? These scientists haven’t been able to explain it to me satisfactorily enough. I can’t get excited at terms like Immersive Visualization and Interactive Mind Flow.”

She waited for ten seconds. The remote viewing training had been the toughest of everything she had been through, for her, because it was all about letting go mentally. But this new trainer, with his secretive ways, was taking it even further. He was ruthless with his need to control her and he didn’t care if he made her furious while doing it. In fact, she was sure he was somewhat amused by her rage. She was waiting for the day she’d see him in the flesh; she was going to wallop him.

When she’d told him that, he’d replied, in that odd quiet way that always made her nerves sing, “I look forward to it.” And then he’d kissed her.

Who was he? What was he? She wanted to know everything about him like she was sure he did about her. Not everything, she corrected fiercely. He couldn’t read her mind. If he could, he’d know just what she’d thought of him after what he’d put her through the first time in the CAVE. And all the torture she was going to put him through. It still pissed her off to think that somehow he managed to turn her on with his kisses. She had been celibate way too long.

After two months, he still managed to rattle her when he ordered her to walk into a dark room. Not fear. Anticipation. His body felt so real and hard when she was crushed against him. He’d slowly tip her head back and then bend his down toward hers, taking his time, until every nerve in her body screamed silently for that kiss. He was toying with her. Bastard.

“Hello?” she called out softly. Fine. She didn’t want to be polite anymore. The memory of those first sessions with him still ticked her off. “Just so you know, I didn’t think that last kiss was that fucking great interactively. Next time, don’t freeze my body up and I might show you exactly how to kiss a woman, asshole.”

She turned at the sound of a cough. It was Derek the boy wonder computer wiz. A very embarrassed computer wiz, his face flushed as he looked at everywhere but her.

“Ahem, umm, Miss Roston, can you follow me to the programming room?”

Helen cocked her head. “Cutting short my training today?”

Derek shook his head. “Actually, we’re ready to go to Test Bravo. We’ve finished the program that will enable you to choose an avatar for yourself as well as your monitor. Now we’ll test it after we’ve connected the brain wave simulation program.”

More techie terms to learn. Test Bravo. That meant she’d passed Test Alpha. “Okay, let’s go,” she said, then stopped short. “Wait a minute…did you say for my monitor? Is that the same as my trainer?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s the same person.”

“And we’re creating an avatar for him?” She understood the term. “I know an avatar is a representation of a user in a shared virtual reality. It’s usually some form of animated entity in web forums or web interactive games, right?”

“Our new program goes beyond that,” Derek said, with a proud smile. “You’ll be amazed at our human simulation software and advanced digital mapping. Everything looks and acts superreal. In any case, you have total control, ma’am.”

Helen smiled widely. “Is that right?” she drawled, and looking up at the goggles, she gleefully rubbed her hands. Test Bravo sounded more fun already.

“You mean I can program the avatar to look like some Greek god if I want to?”

Helen sat back in the chair, crossed her ankles and clasped her hands behind her neck. She laughed, her amusement ringing out in the small room, as she rocked her chair gently. She narrowed her eyes speculatively as she stared at the computer screen, then turned to Derek, who was standing in front of it.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, trying to keep his face straight. “Greek god or any deity you have in mind. Your monitor said you choose how you want to see him.”

Helen laughed again. This might be the easiest part of her training. A virtual reality simulator with her own self-designed trainer. After a grueling year of hand-to-hand combat training with handpicked military personnel, she liked the idea of being the one in control again. It wasn’t quite so much fun when a bunch of men were ordering her around and she had to undergo strenuous testing all the time. Not to mention the medics and scientists standing around, constantly poking and prodding her.

“Well, then…let’s modify this hideous male you’ve designed for me, sweetie.”

The programmer’s face flushed pink at her teasing. Clearly he wasn’t used to someone like Helen Roston. He slid a quick glance at her long Lycra-clad legs. “What’s wrong with the model? I thought most women like their men tall, dark and handsome.”

Helen arched a brow in mockery. “Excuse me, but are you telling me I’m like most women?”

“She isn’t. She’s one hot babe who will kill you in a hundred different ways,” a voice mocked back from behind them.

Helen didn’t turn around. “Ha, said the guy with the killer looks.” Flyboy was one of the most handsome men Helen had ever laid eyes on. An awful flirt, too. “How come you didn’t use Flyboy as a model, Derek? I heard he did a VR program for some big project to attract government funding.”

Flyboy came up behind her and Helen felt his hands on the back of her chair. “Sweetheart, why would you need a VR version when you have the real thing right here?”

Helen looked up and grinned. “You know, I can get Derek to make my VR trainer look like you and then I can do all those unmentionable things that you keep promising me.”

Flyboy grinned back and winked. Derek coughed. “I could,” he said in a careful voice, “but really, I think it best if your trainer-avatar is someone you imagine, Miss Roston. It is simulated training, but there’s a real person whose brain waves will be connected to yours, and, it’s not a great idea psychologically to bond with a real person who isn’t real…I mean, you know what I mean….”

His voice trailed off and he shrugged. He opened his mouth to continue but Helen waved him off. “Understood,” she told him and shrugged at Flyboy. “See? Can’t have you as my dream guy either. There’s too much brain wave—” She waved her hand dramatically and added, in a mock British accent, “Brain wave immersion, creating cerebral confusion between reality and illusion.”

Even Derek couldn’t help chuckling at the wry mimicry of the professorial tone of Dr. Hollingsworth, the scientist in charge of Mind Viewer, the thought immersion program. Helen had had to sit through a few of his lectures as he explained what she meant to the program and how the experiments were supposed to work. That was when she’d first met Flyboy. Since he had been in a simulation program recently, he’d joined her a couple of times so he could also answer her questions. She was glad. She understood Flyboy’s easy layman’s description better than Dr. Hollingsworth’s technical language.

Besides, Flyboy was the only one of the infamous nine commandos who had taken the time to get to know her. He had introduced her to other operatives, widening her circle of new friends.

Helen liked him. She hoped the rest of the commandos would accept her as easily as he did.

“I’m heartbroken,” Flyboy said, giving her ponytail a swift tug. “You’ll just have to go out with me and I can make your dreams come true, Hell.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, let’s get this started.” Helen straightened in her chair and sucked on her forefinger. “First, forget those bulging muscles. I mean, you made him look like some romance model, like what’s-his-name…”

“Fabio,” Derek supplied helpfully.

“Now how is it you come up with his name immediately?” Flyboy countered.

Derek whipped out a paperback. His face was flushed again. “I took this off my sister’s bookshelf. He is Fabio, isn’t he? I thought I did a pretty good job with the digital imaging. I did add some changes, of course.”

“You did use Fabio as a model!” Helen stared at the book cover in amazement. It portrayed a half-naked man with long hair, his muscles impossibly ripped. She looked at the other model on the computer screen. Yup, the likeness was there. Same longish hair and muscle tone. She thought of what had happened to her during that first run-through of CAVE Ultimate. Revenge was going to be so sweet. A wicked grin broke free. “Well, let’s see the goods, Derek. Take his pants off.”

“What?”

“Sheesh, if you’re going to design my trainer’s avatar and he’s to be specifically to my taste, shouldn’t I get to order all the details?”

There was a short silence. Flyboy burst into laughter. He pulled a nearby chair between Helen and Derek. “I want to see this. Let’s check out the junk on Miss Roston’s made-to-order trainer, Derek.”

“I…”

Helen patted the man on the back. He had the look of someone facing torture. “Come on, I promise it’ll be over soon. Let’s start easy. Peel off his pants. And I want him blond, please.”

“What happened to tall, dark and handsome? Or is it because I’m blond?” Flyboy asked.

“Oh, shut up, you. He’s my Greek god, and I want him blond, and much sleeker, with chocolate eyes.”

“Hey, I have blue eyes!”

“Make his eyes chocolate, Derek.”

“Yes, ma’am.” But he was clearly reluctant to give up his “creation.”

“Leaner, not so muscular.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I know you meant well, Derek, adding that fur, but really, not so much chest hair, please.” She suspected that Derek grew up playing too much interactive Dungeons and Dragons on the Internet. The avatar he created was the classic “I kill for food and magic” stereotype she’d seen advertised in game store windows.

“What, you’re going to bury your face in his chest? These are going to be some VR training sessions! Are you sure the powers-that-be want that?” Flyboy asked, laughing.

Helen turned to Derek. “Didn’t they order you to tailor the thing to my taste?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. The idea for this phase of your training is to simulate the missions before you get your dosage. You need your trainer to talk you through as your body reacts to the drugs and the doctors thought it best to give you a measure of control of his avatar.”

“Uh-huh. Hear that mumbo-jumbo, Flyboy? That means I get to make the guy as sexy as I like, and I demand a blond Greek god with chocolate eyes. For a start.” Helen cracked her knuckles. They were going to play with her mind, anyway, so why not have some fun with it? It was strange, but meeting her so far invisible trainer added a level of excitement that she couldn’t explain. It wasn’t going to be a real meeting, but better than that shadow he’d been using in the CAVE. “Let’s start from the top.”

“He looks a lot better than the model Derek cooked up for your avatar,” T. observed. She leaned over to take a better look, then laughed. “Oh my God, she’s having fun, isn’t she? That’s Helen for you.”

“Is she ready?” the man questioned.

“Oh yes, as ready as a test supersoldier superspy can be,” T. said, half-seriously. “She’s been trained by Special Ops. She passed several of the CIA remote viewing tests with flying colors. She’s achieved 72.5 percent accuracy. She’s one of my best operatives and she’s not called Hell for nothing, you know.”

“Yes, but she isn’t the best.” He turned to look at T. “You are.” T. fluffed her hair. “Darling, how do you do that? Praise and accusation at the same time. I couldn’t take two years off for that kind of training, you know that. It’d ruin my nails. I picked the best operative we had. She’s single, unattached, and very ambitious. She wants to do this.”

It wasn’t a good enough explanation for him. He wanted to know the real reasons. “She’s single and unattached—you’re sure of that.” It wasn’t a question. He didn’t want any third-party complications when he was just beginning this phase of their relationship.

“That’s what she says and she’s been training very hard all this time. I haven’t seen any romantic affiliations except for some go-nowhere dates. I trust my operatives, and when Helen said she would do it, she meant it. That girl is very talented—I’m lucky the CIA didn’t snatch her from me.”

“She’s too independent. CIA doesn’t like that.” T. shrugged. “That’s what GEM is. We’re all independent and if they don’t like it, why do they keep contracting us? Are you going to have a problem? This is going to be just as tough for you. Your brain waves being linked to hers during experimentation. Those scientists called it mind-bonding, darling and…” She cocked a brow. “We know how your mind is.”

He smiled for the first time, a small quirk of his lips. He canted a brow in answer. “What, you don’t have confidence in your top operative playing mind games with me? And it’s Mind Setter, T.”

The two phases to the Mind Viewer program were named Mind Setter and Mind Former. The first phase set the brain immersion in motion, linking him to Helen by synchronizing their brain waves during sleep, then after a period, during tests. They’d started this phase a couple of months ago.

“Darling, I prefer my term. What’s happening is more intimate than mind-setting, or whatever Dr. Hollingsworth calls it.” T. crossed her arms. “Remember, Helen isn’t just trained in NOPAIN now. She has all these things being experimented within her mind. Who knows what she would do to you?” A challenging gleam entered her golden eyes. “Bet she’ll fight you all the way. GEM operatives have great resistance.”

Yes. A dangerous woman. The man returned his gaze back to the screen. “Not if I look like that. She can’t do anything to me with that image in her head.”

T. looked at the new image of the avatar. “Superspy. Remote viewing-trained. Combat-ready. And once she takes the drugs, she should be a supersoldier—fearless, with little capacity for emotion, and less need for sleep. You’ll probably be the only one holding on to her mind. Be gentle with her, hmm?”

“I thought you said she would give me trouble?”

“I just don’t know about the drugs. You never know with drugs. You, better than most, understand how that is. They’ve done things to you in your program. That’s why you’re a perfect balance. Guide her through her first mission and get her back safely.”

“I’ve no intention of failing, T.,” he said softly. It wasn’t the guidance part of Mind Setter that would be the problem between him and Elena Rostova. It was getting her ready for him.

“Okay, I put on these goggles and then he’s just going to be there?” Helen loosened her ponytail. She weighed the goggles in her hand. Lightweight plastic, malleable in feel. “We can talk and everything? Do we need to go to the CAVE to test this?”

Dr. Kirkland, Dr. Hollingsworth’s second-in-command, shook his head and pointed to the virtual reality chair and equipment at the far corner of the room.

“Not today. This is just a run-through and we thought we’d try out the new VR Portal. We’re going to monitor your heart rate and vital statistics. You can talk while we get both your brain waves in sync.”

“Wait, he’s here somewhere? We aren’t using a simulated program?” Helen looked up at the doctor sharply. “Where?”

“He’s in a similar test room, Miss Roston,” Dr. Kirkland said as he nodded to his assistant. “This is just a test to see whether the communication comes through.”

“But it’s virtual reality.” Helen pretended to frown. She understood what was going to happen but it didn’t hurt to hear the doctor’s version of the truth.

“The simulated reality is virtual but your trainer is real. You already know that. He has to be, or you won’t be able to get real instructions when you’re in your remote viewing state.”

“Oh, I know I don’t see him—it’ll be my blond god but still, do I have to call him something?”

“Miss Roston, we’ll get to that as soon as we start this program. Right now we don’t even know whether you two are in sync.”

Helen grinned. “Doctor, I’m in control of this hottie in my head. How in sync do I need him to be?” Flyboy chuckled as the doctor tried to remain serious. She turned to Derek. “You make sure he’s still naked. I want to see the goods before I agree to have you guys mess my mind up with drugs.”

The reference to the more serious aspect of the experiment brought a quick nervous nod from the young programmer. Helen gave him a soothing smile. Ironic, really. She was the one who might go psychotic and she had to comfort the poor guy. She looked at the goggles in her hand. This was it, the final phase before…

She could feel her heart beating faster and she glanced up to see the doctor looking at her closely. Like she was some mouse in his lab, she bet. Oh well. She had agreed to this. She took in a deep breath. Fear, especially of the unknown, was normal.

A beep distracted her. Flyboy reached for his back pocket. He gave a sigh. “Damn. I have to go, babe.” He stood up. “Call you later? Drinks? Massage?”

Helen wrinkled her nose. “I have to go to philosophy class. Want to come along?”

Flyboy shuddered. “You’re kidding me.”

Her smile was devilish. “Come along and find out,” she invited.

Flyboy shuddered again. “You win, Hell.” The beeper went off a second time. “Got to go. Later.”

Helen nodded to Dr. Kirkland and held out her arm. She remained quiet as he read her statistics to his assistant. The goggles sat in her lap, their gleaming surface reflecting parts of her face. Such a little thing with such power. She had done VR before but this was going to be different. This time, unlike the CAVE, someone was going to be in her head. Remote viewing was weird enough. This was going to be one step more into her strange new role of supergirl.

Fifteen minutes later, she was strapped into the sensor jacket, sitting on the VR chair. Derek looked at her expectantly. Dr. Kirkland adjusted the headgear.

“Ready when you are, Miss Roston.”

Helen nodded. “Ditto.”

She knew what to expect. At first it would be dark, like a movie theatre. Without the sensor jacket, she could see a whole movie on a huge screen all in her head. Then, when they turned on the switch or whatever they called it, she would experience virtual reality in a training facility, all her movements guided by the sensors. It wouldn’t be the same without the CAVE’s special sen-surround elements, though.

She’d been thinking a lot about this. The training in the CAVE was for him to test how her mind worked. That was why he kept pushing her buttons. That was why he was always in control. This time, in the Portal, it would be different; she would be controlling the missions with her remote viewing. It seemed that her secret trainer was preparing himself to deal with her.

One more difference than the CAVE. He’d be closer now, too. He’d be in my mind. Anticipation squeezed the pit of her stomach.

She glanced around in the darkness. A few seconds went by. “I don’t see anything,” she said out loud.

“Hang on one more minute, Miss Roston,” Derek said in her right earpiece. “Still trying to get the signals right.”

Helen rolled her eyes behind the goggles. Idiots. They were going to fry her brain cells before she got to see her yummy dream guy.

Fried brain cells for a naked man in your head. Who’s the idiot?

Helen jerked in her straps. Whoa. It was still dark, but that was definitely not her voice. There was no shadowy figure, though. She coughed. “I think I hear something,” she said out loud. “Derek?”

“Okay. That’s good. Keep trying.”

“Keep trying? Keep trying what? You’re the one who’s supposed to know what’s happening!”

Silence. Helen waited for a moment, then sighed. Obviously the doctor had told Derek to shut up. She peered into the darkness. Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Should she say hello out loud? Uh-uh. No way were they going to witness her making a fool of herself talking to nobody. She was going to think this conversation, see whether that worked. As in remote viewing with her guide during the CIA training sessions, she moved her lips and spoke silently. It usually took several minutes before the internal conversation became “normal” enough where she wouldn’t be aware of the need not to talk out loud.

“Yoohoo!” she called, in her head. “Yoohoo, naked guy, wherever you are!”

Silence.

Helen made a face. “Dammit, I know that you can hear me!”

“Thought you wanted to see me.”

Great. She hated smart-asses.

“Thought you liked my ass. You requested nice and tight, buns of steel, if I remember correctly.”

Helen sat there, stunned for a second. Whoa. Wait a minute. He could read her thoughts. She had thought…

“You had thought to have a conversation with me, which is how it’ll seem to be once they get all those electrodes to work correctly….”

“Can you read every thought?” she asked fiercely, realization rapidly dawning on her. Damn. The brain wave synchronization. Of course he would be reading her thoughts. She was thinking this reality. The talking was virtual.

“I’m your monitor, so in virtual reality land, I monitor your thoughts. I’m sure I’ll get to know you better as we continue this.”

“Wait a minute!” A sudden burst of light caused Helen to blink, her eyes trying to focus. There was a strange humming in the back of her head, or maybe not, because it went away as soon as she tried to concentrate on it. Movement to her right. She turned.

Oh, my. Naked guy at three o’clock. He was exactly as she’d told Derek she wanted her trainer to look. She found that she could walk toward him as he stood there in all his glory. She gulped as she circled the magnificent man, checking out the details. He looked so real! This virtual reality program they were using was simply amazing.

Facing her trainer, she gave him her trademark devilish grin. “Oh, yeah!” she whooped.

“I gather you like me naked.”

His voice had a sexy Southern drawl, just as she’d requested. Helen grinned again. “This is too cool for words,” she told him, smirking wickedly. “It’s good to finally see you. Don’t you like being naked?”

He looked down at himself and a glimmer of a smile touched his beautiful lips. “It’s your program for now.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Once they get it all ready, I’m supposed to get all serious. But right now, you’re mine, mine, mine!” Helen badly wanted to touch him, but something stopped her from reaching out. She liked the idea of finally having him at a disadvantage. Cocking her head, she drawled, “But they didn’t say I couldn’t have you naked all the time, even if you’re training me.”

“Won’t it be boring? Looking at this body all the time?” There was unmistakable laughter in that voice.

“Hey, I made you, so how could I get bored of you so soon?” crooned Helen. She was getting more intrigued by the real man behind this. What other things could he teach her, besides the stuff they’d been doing in the CAVE? And what was his role?

“More than you think.”

She blinked in surprise again. She had to learn how to control her thoughts in here.

“You’re quick. See, the first lesson’s almost over.”

He reached out and touched her face. She felt his fingers caress the spot just below her earlobe. It felt real, just like in the CAVE.

Which reminded her—she smacked his hand away. “I want to know something. I—” Looking at him, she found she couldn’t talk seriously to a man standing so nonchalantly naked in front of her. She swallowed, trying to recapture her irritation. “I want to know something about that first night.”

“What would you like to know?” He didn’t seem puzzled about which night.

“What if I hadn’t guessed that it was some kind of virtual reality program? Would you have…continued?”

“Taking your clothes off, you mean? Touching you?”

He was blunt. Helen hadn’t wanted to say those words. She shrugged. She still hadn’t reconciled with the knowledge that she’d been turned on by that phantom kiss. “Yes,” she said.

“Yes.”

She glared at him. “Even if I’d said no?”

“You hadn’t,” he pointed out. “If you remember, you said you’d kill me, but not once did you say ‘stop’ or ‘no.’ So yes, I’d have continued.”

He was right. She’d been furious—both at her response to his kiss and then at his intimate touching. “Would you if I had?” she insisted.

“Yes. It was a test, Elena. Either you pass or fail it.”

He lifted his hand and caressed the side of her face again. A shiver ran down her spine.

“What name should I call you?” Could one sound breathless in one’s mind? His fingers tickled sensuously. She could feel a frisson of awareness sliding like silk against her skin. She’d gotten used to him touching her. She should be mad as hell at what he’d put her through, but now wasn’t the time to challenge his way of introducing himself. After all, Dr. Kirkland was trying to get the goggles to work right. She was sure she’d foul up their equipment testing if she started kicking Naked Guy’s ass.

“You choose.” There was mockery now in that voice, too, as if he’d read her mind again.

“No, you choose.” She wanted to see how clever he was.

He leaned closer and she swore she could smell cologne on the man. This was freaking unbelievable. His breath even tickled her ear. “Hades,” he whispered. “And you’ll come when I call.”

He snapped his fingers. There was that humming again and the lighting in the room dimmed.

“Miss Roston? We’re done for now. Please stand by while we take each sensor off.”

Hey, wait a minute! Where did he go? It was over? Helen looked around as the place returned to darkness. She hadn’t even checked him out thoroughly yet! “Hey, you!”

Of course he didn’t answer. It was strange as she sat there, seeing nothing, trying to grasp the memory of what just happened. Damn. It left her feeling bereft. Hades. Hell and Hades. Damn smart-ass.

The goggles came off and she blinked again, her eyesight focusing back on Derek the programmer. He looked extremely pleased, as if something grand had happened. Oh yeah, of course. They had managed to sync brain waves today. Yippeedo.

“How was the avatar, Miss Roston? Everything like you ordered?” he asked.

Helen sniffed. She didn’t like the way it had ended. She was the one in charge still, wasn’t she? He was still her naked guy.

She shook her head as they freed her from the straps and sensors and whatnots. She swerved the seat toward the computer. Mr. Hades was going to get a big surprise.

“Not quite,” she said and tossed Derek a wicked look. “I found him lacking in the size department. I want to make some parts bigger.”

She had been watching Derek earlier and with her photographic memory, she repeated a sequence of typing on the keyboard. Then she played with the mouse and watched the cursor on the screen follow her movements.

She hated to admit it. Those times in the CAVE, when he’d chosen to put her in roles where she felt dominated, pushing at all her hot buttons, testing her emotions as if he wanted to learn how to switch her on and off, had sometimes left her feeling vulnerable. She didn’t like that at all, and the bastard knew it. She knew he was testing her mental strength, to see how far she would allow him to go.

She wrinkled her nose. She was going to push some buttons herself. Her forefinger tapped on one of the keys several times. And a few more. She laughed in naughty satisfaction. Revenge was satisfyingly sweet.

“Hell, yeah!”