I stop at one of the doors and push it open, moving aside to let Sin in. He steps in, his eyes roaming over the large expanse of the room.
While most of the building maintains the facade of the old fortress, these rooms are top of the line. Crisp, clean, white surfaces are everywhere, and though there’s no one working right now, there are a few desks in a side room with various projects laid out. I make a mental note to come visit later in the week to see if there are any updates on the new transportation units.
I move into the middle of the room and stop, turning to look into Sin’s face.
“Will you do what I say?”
When he hesitates, I plant a hand on my hip.
“That’s how this works,” I tell him. “You work for me means I’m trusting you. So I ask you again, will you listen and do what I say?” After a minute, I get a concise nod in return. I smile and turn to the desk behind me, reaching in to grab one of my most prized items. I pull it out, lightly caressing the small device.
“Do you know what this is?” I ask Sin and see him shake his head out of the corner of my eye. I open the small, plastic container attached to the bottom and pull out the small device, holding it between two fingers. To the eye, it looks like a tiny computer chip, but when I see Sin’s eyes narrow, I know he has some idea what it is.
I take the chip and place it into the device, clicking it in.
“Turn around,” I tell Sin. He hesitates again but complies a moment later. I step up to him and flush as I realize he’s too tall for me to reach.
“Ummm, kneel,” I tell him, and he chuckles as he gets down on his knee. The muscles across his back are tight with tension when I place a hand on his shoulder, readying the device against the back of his neck.
“This will sting,” I tell him as I pull the trigger. He doesn’t react, not even a small hiss, though I know it didn’t tickle. I run my hand over the small implant, smiling before I step away. Pulling out my cell phone, I open the app that is keyed to me alone and activate the small mechanism now implanted into Sin’s skin.
Sin’s hand comes up to touch the spot.
“Fucking tracking device.” he scoffs. “This is your leash?”
The mockery in his tone doesn’t bother me.
“Something like that,” I reply, not letting my pleasure bleed through my tone. “Come on, we have one more thing to do.”
I stalk out of the room without waiting for him to follow.
When we enter the security room for the acquisitions, the two men sitting watching the monitors straighten.
“Good evening, ma’am,” one of them says. I look over them both, neither man I know well, and nod approvingly at their show of respect. I despise being called ma’am, but at the end of the day, these men are showing me both the things I desire from my subordinates: respect and fear.
I feel rather than see Sin step up behind me. One of the men’s eyes widen before he quickly looks back to me.
“Gentleman, I need a subject,” I tell them without delay. “What do you have for me?”
They look at each other then start talking in hushed voices before one clears his throat, looking at me.
“Umm, ma’am, I, uhh, I mean, we—”
“What is your name?” I interrupt.
“Uhh, Michael,” he answers, flushing slightly.
“Michael, I require someone who has tracking with a low acquisition cost and no bids.”
Michael straightens up with a nod, turning to a tablet beside him. He scrolls down the list of prisoners before his finger lands on one.
“Two seventeen,” he tells me. “Would you like us to get him?”
“I’d like you to take him from his room and let him out door nine,” I tell Michael who looks at his counterpart then back at me.
“Ma’am?”
“Are you questioning me?”