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 Mailgirls On The Run by eltree

   Chapter 18

   /* I rarely watch TV news so I can assure you that the portrayal of Fox
5 news is wholly fictional and is not a portrayal of any person associated
with the actual station WTTG in Washington, D.C.  Also, Hood College is in
Frederick, Md and there is a Hood College Crosscountry Invitational and
neither has any connection in reality to the events and individuals in this
story.  */

   Despite her declaration Megan didn't push the other woman away when she
felt her sliding into bed.  As she relaxed into Charlotte's body comforted
by the skin on skin contact, she dropped into a sound sleep.

   It was still dark when Megan awoke, confused by the arm draped across
her and the soft hand cupping her breast.  She stared at her bedside clock
trying to orient herself.  Sex with Brendan was some weeks back and Lin
should be in Frederick with Maria.  The body pressed against her back
stiffened and she heard Charlotte say, "I hope I didn't wake you."

   "No, it's time for me to be getting up, I need to meet Maria's train to
return her to the bank."

   Charlotte pressed a kiss against Megan's bare shoulder and rolled away
removing her arm and hand from Megan's body.  "What's for breakfast?"

   Charlotte mused, "I'll leave my car here and then get an Uber from the
bank to pick it up on my way home.  It probably makes sense to go in for an
hour or two and let rush hour subside."

   Megan looked up from her phone, "Lin Chang texted me to say that Maria
didn't come home last night and Maria texted that she and Mr Fforde will be
on the usual train."

   "So, your little girl stayed out all night with a boy?"

   "She's nearly ten years older than I am.  I'm not responsible for her
morals, just for providing transport to and from the train station.  And
the boy is a few years older than she is.  It's just curious since the
motive for shuttling her off to Hood was in reaction to her not wishing to
be under the thumb of that particular boy.  They have a long history and
he'll have the spring semester to court her properly."

   "So I'll get to meet the them both."

   Megan was thinking that her Civic was going to be uncomfortably full,
but only Maria walked away from the train towards the parking lot.  Instead
of her normal jeans, shirt, and flats she was wearing an attractive yellow
dress that fluttered down to mid-calf and a pair of heels.  It wasn't a
color that would work for a blond like Megan; however, it suited the tall
brunette nicely though it would work better as Maria gained more of a tan.

   "Where's Mr Fforde?  You texted that both of you were taking the train."

   Maria gestured to the train that was already pulling away from the
station.  "Colin's taking it to a stop with a Metro station so that he can
go home and pick up his car.  He said this was the first time he's ever
ridden the train."

   "If his car is at home and he didn't take the train to Frederick, how
did he get there?"

   Maria smiled, "He drove my Miata.  He had it transported from Texas and
brought it up to me.  We left it at Professor Chang's place so that I'll
have it available at school.  I certainly can't use it at work."

   "Oh." Megan gestured to the woman standing beside her.  "Maria, this is
Charlotte Johnston.  She's a Special Assistant at the bank.  You may
remember her from our last two weekend runs.

   "Charlotte -- Maria Hyland, Mailgirl Fourteen."

   "Pleased to meet you, Ms Johnston.  Are you new?"

   "My husband and I just moved into the area and I mostly work from home.
I was at San Francisco until I got married and my husband was transferred
to England.  We spent two years there and now northern Virginia; he's in
the Air Force and they move around a lot.  So I work directly corporate
headquarters on whatever projects they assign me.  They've insisted that I
spend some time in the office while we live nearby."

   The three women piled into Megan's car, Maria into the back seat.  She
kicked off her shoes, "I don't know how I wore heels all the time.  After
nearly two years in bare feet, flats and sneakers are tough enough.  These
show off my legs which Colin appreciated, but...."

   Megan interjected, "I met your brother yesterday.  He demanded to see
you, saying that he would go to the authorities if we didn't produce you.
We told him that you were off-site and recommended that he ask your mother
how to get in touch with you.  You've been a mailgirl for two years; why is
he showing up just now?"

   "Mom told me that the boys are negotiating to sell the company.  It's
been an acquisition target for years, but she and Dad were determined to
keep it in the family.  It would take a two thirds vote of the ownership to
make the deal and the boys each have thirty percent.  Mom also has thirty
and she's always voted my ten percent.  Maybe he thinks that if he rescues
me I'll vote with them?  Which brother was it?"

   "Paul Hyland, the CEO."

   "And James is the CFO.  They have ambitions beyond the company, but
while they make a good living out of it they have both proposed
outsourcing, mergers, expansion by acquisition.  Dad and Mom always saw
Precision Tools as a family business where family encompassed the employees
and the neighborhood they live and work in.  Mom has hopes for the next
generation.  Paul's eldest is at Cal Tech, James' daughter is at Standard.
Mom's sister's youngest is in business school at Dartmouth.  Maybe I'll
take an active role in the company when I finish my degree."

   "We informed him that you were not at work, directed him to speak to
your mother if he wished to contact you.  I did introduce him to Mailgirl
Twenty and her freshly striped bottom.  He all but drooled."

   "If James and Paul vote to begin a mailgirl program they'll only get my
10% if I head up Human Capital.  I wonder whether my mom would support the
program?"

   Charlotte choked off a laugh.  "I don't think Precision Tools is large
enough to employ more than a handful of mailgirls.  Still it's the kind of
forward thinking your brothers would invest in."

   "What do you know about my dad's company?"

   "When Dr Rodriguez was proposed as an outside director for SG&T Ben
tasked me to do the background investigation.  As your mother has been an
integral part of the company for nearly four decades I now know quite a
bit. I told Ben that she would fit right in with SG&T's ethos."

   "Ben?"

   "My cousin, my boss.  Now, a question for you: why are you here?  Why
didn't you stay in Frederick and just go to class?  You don't need the
money and there is no SG&T job waiting for you at the end of your mailgirl
contract."

   "I dropped out of college fifteen years ago.  My marriage broke up.  I
am determined to run the race, finish out my contract, and complete my
degree.  And when I've accomplished something I can get on with my life."

   "And how many more days as a mailgirl?"

   "Fifteen weeks, sixty working days.  I have a calendar in my room at
Professor Chang's apartment and every Monday evening I put big red X's
across the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday just endured."

   Twenty minutes later Megan drove up to the SG&T loading dock.  A naked
Mailgirl Fourteen exited the car and walked up to ring the bell and begin
the first of those sixty remaining days.

   After making her way to her desk Megan spent a productive morning doing
her actual job.  She did note that none of the running team members were on
the lunch-time punishment roster which augured well for the Sunday training
session.  Charlotte sent her a note -- conveyed by Mailgirl Seven -- to say
she was leaving and thanking her for her hospitality just before eleven. 
Shortly after she finished her lunch at her desk the Mailgirl App alerted
her that Mailgirl Fifteen was back on duty.  Megan would have to inquire
how the seminar in Boston went, but no rush, she would see Fifteen at that
Sunday workout.

   Jeremy Digness, whose note to her back in July had been her introduction
to the concept of the Mailgirl Running Team, called her just as she was
shutting down for the day.  "Megan, we just got notified by WTTG, that is
Fox 5, letting us know that their special report on the Corporate Challenge
will be aired next Friday and they will be airing promos for that report
starting tonight on the Ten O'clock News.  They are not allowing us to
preview the report or any of the promos.  Besides the film crew at the time
trial last month they have also done an interview with Mr Holt and our CEO
in Chicago was asked about the race by the Fox affiliate there."

   "Thank you for letting me know.  So I watch the Ten O'clock News
tonight."

   Megan texted Sarah, Lin, and Charlotte letting them know about the
upcoming Fox 5 special report before making dinner.  She checked the
channel guide and was dismayed to find that the Ten O'clock News was a full
hour long.  At least tomorrow's race was at eleven rather than a mailgirl
training session at 7:30.  Still, she was meeting the other team members at
nine so she couldn't sleep in.

   She set the program to record, but decided she needed to watch it live
so that she would have the maximum time to process whatever was shown. 
This also meant she couldn't fast forward through commercials.  There were
co-anchors for the Ten O'clock News -- an attractive man, probably in his
mid-thirties, wearing a very nice suit and a younger blonde female who
looked like she was dressed to go clubbing after the broadcast.  Megan
rarely watch tv news and even a year post-mailgirl hadn't really gotten
familiar with the local area so most of the local names and places
mentioned were of little interest to her.  She realized that she should get
out more.

   It was nearing eleven o'clock when the male anchor turned and said, "And
here's Fox 5 investigative reporter Tiffany Ambergris to tell us about next
Friday's Fox 5 Special Report."

   The scene shifted to a view of Tiffany seated at the news desk -- Megan
suspected that it was pre-recorded -- and the very blonde Ms Ambergris
responded, "Thank you, David.  The Corporate Challenge is an event so low
key that it has never previously been mentioned on Fox 5.  It's a ten
kilometer race with teams from businesses and government agencies in
Central Maryland.  It has virtually no budget and traditionally attracts
few spectators and many employees of those companies don't even know that
it occurs.  This year however it is sure to attract wide-spread notice
because this year's host, Sloan Guarantee and Trust, will be fielding a
women's team composed primarily of mailgirls.  We asked their coach, Megan
Brooks, about her athletes."

   Now the scene shifted to video of Tiffany standing in the SG&T parking
lot.

   "Megan, can you tell us what is happening?"

   Megan watched herself, "Tiffany, SG&T is hosting the Maryland Corporate
Challenge 10k race in October as part of our outreach to the local
community.  SG&T is determined to be not only a gracious host, but also a
competitive force in the event.  Last fall our women's team finished well
back.  Local management realized that we have a pool of extremely fit,
active women that we could draw from in fielding a team.  None of our
current twenty-four mailgirls have a track background, so this is the third
in a series of weekend trials to select a group for further training in
preparation for the race."

   "Will they be wearing running attire for the race.?"

   "No, nudity is a condition of their employment and at SG&T being a
mailgirl is a 24/7 commitment for the length of their two year contract. 
They will just be wearing the collar with their ID tag, an ankle bracelet
for the timing chip, and we're still sorting out a proposal for a sports
bra, though that may be just for training.  I imagine their race numbers
will be stenciled on their chests and backs."

   The scene shifted back to the present.  "There was a large and
enthusiastic crowd cheering on the eight naked mailgirls at 7:30 a.m.  one
Saturday morning last month.  I'll be bringing you the whole story next
Friday on Fox 5."

   Megan moaned as the camera went back to the live broadcast, "Thank you
Tiffany, we'll be sure to tune into your Fox 5 Special Report next Friday
and I hope we'll have some video of the athletes in action."

   Megan had sent another text to Lin letting her know that she was running
a race at Hood so wasn't surprised to get a response while she was eating
her pre-race pancakes.  Lin texted that she and Susan Allen would be there
to cheer her on.  It seemed that Lin now had a roommate pretty much
full-time -- Maria during the week and Susan on weekends, though Megan
suspected that Susan wasn't sleeping in the second bedroom.  Good for Lin.

   Megan drove to the nearby Park & Ride to meet up with some team members
to carpool to Frederick.  A half dozen runners piled into Dave's minivan
for the drive.  His response to Shayla's teasing about the mom-mobile was:
"Hey, I've got three kids, this just makes sense and when we travel to
Michigan to visit her family it's a lot more affordable than five plane
tickets.  Be quiet or I'll put on "SpongeBob Squarepants" for those of you
in the back."

   Megan had grabbed one of the captain's chairs in the middle and Shayla
claimed shotgun declaring that otherwise she would get carsick.  One of the
men seated in the back bench seat said, "We remember, that's why I'm back
here out of range."

   As they merged onto 270, a woman seated in the back piped up, "Megan, we
haven't met before.  I'm Sharon and didn't I see you on Fox 5 news last
night?"

   Everyone except Dave swiveled to look at Megan.  Shayla was the first to
speak up, "Megan, why were you on tv?"

   "I'm coaching the women's team at SG&T for the Corporate Challenge 10k
and our management decided that the team would be more competitive if they
induced our mailgirls to participate.  The bank employs twenty-four women
that spend their day delivering packages, mail, messages to offices spread
through a large five story building.  The women are incentivised to make
those deliveries in a timely manner which keeps them speed-walking or
jogging between offices for eight plus hours per day.  They are in terrific
shape after a few months on the job."

   "Hold on.  I've read about mailgirls -- don't they work in the nude."

   "Yes, and an incentive to deliver those messages on time is to avoid
corporal punishment.  Mailgirls missing their delivery windows are assessed
demerits and when they accrue enough demerits they are paddled before an
audience of the lunchtime crowd.  Very few SG&T workers go out to lunch or
even eat at their desk."

   "That's barbaric and I can see why Fox 5 is interested.  Are the
mailgirls going to run the Corporate Challenge naked?"

   "Yes.  SG&T's mailgirls are naked 24/7 for the length of their contract.
Management has graciously allowed the mailgirls to wear minimalist running
shoes and modified sports bras for race training.  One of our fastest women
failed to finish the last time trial to select the team because of a stone
bruise -- they were running without shoes or bras until the team was
selected."

   "Mailgirls live and commute naked?  Isn't that illegal?"

   "SG&T mailgirls live in a dorm in the basement of the building and
essentially never leave campus."

   Sharon asked, "So how fast are your mailgirls?"

   "The winning time in the last trial was 40:07 with the other team
qualifiers inside 41 minutes.  That was without any training and none of
the women had run previously.  The women now run on a treadmill one day a
week and train on the course either Saturday or Sunday morning in addition
to their normal duties.  SG&T hosts the Corporate Challenge this year and
laid out a course on campus and through the adjoining park."

   "Running naked through a public park has got to be illegal."

   "SG&T exacted significant concessions from both Montgomery County and
Maryland in the negotiations to locate their East Coast headquarters here
-- not all of those concessions were financial."

   "So, what do you do besides coach a naked running team."

   "I'm a senior financial analyst with a master's degree in finance from
Iowa.  I've been working for SG&T for nearly six years, mostly dealing with
numbers, not nudes."

   Sharon continued, "The reporter said there was a large crowd there to
watch the race she interviewed you at."

   "Yes, the trials and the weekend training runs have been very popular.
SG&T employees invite friends to watch and the news spread.  The pouring
rain last Saturday did thin out the crowd considerably.  We also startle
drivers and cyclists while on the road in the park.  Now can we concentrate
on our race today?"

   Megan had always enjoyed crosscountry though it wasn't her strongest
season.  She was a rhythm runner and was quicker over the consistent
surfaces of road and track than the uneven footing of turf and trail. 
There were about two dozen teams entered in the 5km women's race, mostly
Division III college teams plus club teams from Montgomery County,
Frederick, and Westminster.  She jogged part of the course with Shayla and
Sharon to warm up and shortly thereafter found herself on the starting line
wearing her new MCRRC top.

   The course was a simple, well marked 3km circuit around the park that
skirted around parking lots so the runners didn't cross paths with
automobiles.  There was only one modest hill which was a relief to Megan
whose crosscountry experience had been honed on the flat, fast courses of
the Midwest.  She ran a relaxed first loop, not trying to go with the
leaders.  She heard Dave and Ken cheering her on as they awaited their race
and the higher pitched exhortations of Susan and Lin who she hadn't seen
before the start.  On the second shorter lap, comfortable now on the
course, she accelerated and moved steadily forwards through the stream of
runners, surprisingly passing Shayla in the final straightaway and finished
feeling good about her run.

   Shayla caught up with her just past the finish line and gasped, "Damn,
that hurt.  I'm training for a marathon and these sprints are hard.  Good
run, girl."

   Lin and Susan came strolling up and pulled her into a hug.  "Ugh, I'm
sweaty and gross."

   "I've held you when you were a lot hotter and wetter Ms Brooks."

   Shayla looked at the three women.

   "We all used to work together," Lin explained "and Susan is still at
SG&T though in a different department now than Megan.  There was a lot of
womanly bonding.  You looked good on tv, very calm and professional."

   "I didn't feel calm and was relieved when Jeremy -- he's works in
Community Relations -- stepped in and I could escape to run."

   "So, we'll be watching Fox 5 on Friday."

   "Meanwhile, it's time for the men to run." Megan watched in company with
Lin and Susan, cheering on her teammates, pointing out Ken to the former
mailgirls.  A runner from the Frederick club won the race and college teams
finished one, two, but the Montgomery men finished third, matching the
women which meant they stayed around for the awards.  Megan was called
forward to collect her seventh place medal, then again with the team to
accept a plaque from the Athletic Director.

   On the drive home Sharon inquired, "Is SG&T's entire female team at the
Corporate Challenge going to be naked?"

   "We'll field five or six mailgirls, plus three regular employees who I
expect to be competitive.  We did have enough finishers to score last year
and I'm the only one of the projected top eight that was part of that
group. We may have additional entries that I don't know about.  Charlotte,
who's newly assigned here, and Amanda, who had other commitments last year,
have been showing up at the weekend training runs along with several of the
men.  We three will be conventionally attired.  Mailgirls Three, Four,
Twelve, Fourteen, and Twenty-two will just be wearing shoes and bras."

   "Mailgirls don't reveal their names?"

   "Mailgirls face disciplinary action if they respond to any salutation
except their assigned numbers and any employee who addresses a mailgirl by
name is reprimanded at a minimum."

   "I've heard that mailgirls are just sex toys for the workplace."

   "There are companies where the women are sexually available, but SG&T
has a firm no touching, no fraternization policy.  Health coverage for the
mailgirls specifically excludes contraception and maternity benefits. 
That's not to say that some executives don't get handsy at times, but
that's as far as it goes, besides the correction administered by Mistress
V."

   "I work for the school system and we had a notice about the Corporate
Challenge in the staff bulletin.  Maybe, I'll sign up this year."

   "Well, then you can see how you stack up against mailgirls.  If you're
looking for a career change I can get you an application.  You must be
single, female, free of disfiguring marks, and will be judged on your looks
by some very pervy men."

   Megan drove to the bank Sunday morning reflecting that this was the next
to last weekend training session before the race and then all of this
madness would be over.  She knew Mr Bratz would be pleased, his not so
subtle grousing about the time she spent with the mailgirls had been
getting steadily more obvious and more frequent of late.  An optimist was
see this as a sign of how much he valued her work; after two years as a
mailgirl Megan was a confirmed pessimist.  Two weeks, two weeks -- and it
would all be over.

   Pre-Mailgirl Racing Team Sunday mornings at the bank were quiet.  Only
four mailgirls were scheduled for the morning shift and any other bank
employees that worked through the weekend tended to arrive late.  Only a
major flap would cause a large influx early or indeed anytime during the
day.  Megan had spent many weekends working, usually remotely from her
kitchen table over a VPN.  But with the lure of naked women on the run, the
parking lot was well populated and the coffee shop

   doing a booming business.

   As Megan walked down the curved staircase to the locker room she looked
through the glass walls to see the four mailgirls on duty preparing for
their shift and another pair stretching in preparation for the morning run.
She wasn't surprised to recognize her sister as one of the pair putting on
a show for those fortunate enough to secure a table looking down onto the
locker room.  There was a stir of excitement behind her as the news spread
through the crowd that she would be calling the rest of the team out to
where they could be seen for their instructions.  Ms Barnes had impressed
on her that she was not to disappear into the dormitory.  That directive
wasn't worth arguing about; she had enough battles to fight.

   Mailgirls Fourteen and Twenty-three emerged from the dormitory as Megan
entered the locker room.  Twenty-two looked up at her sister and commented,
"Don't expect too much from Fifteen today, Ms Brooks.  She had her send-off
Friday night and Ms Barnes had her scheduled all day yesterday.  She was
left kneeling in the Employee Dining room for more than four hours last
evening; my knees feel sore just thinking about it.  She's also on the
second shift today."

   "Felicity, I'll have her run with you today.  We're doing repeat one-k's
after our warm-up.  I raced yesterday so I expect I'll be hurting the last
one or two intervals myself."

   The other three mailgirls came through the door and Megan announced,
"We're jogging the three k loop to warm up, then it's six one k runs no
quicker than 3:30, and then another three k loop cool down.  Next weekend
we'll just run an eight k time trial and two weeks from today it's the
race. Any questions?"

   "Can you persuade the IT folks to record the Fox 5 special report and
load it on the computers in the dorm?"

   "I'll talk to them tomorrow.  No rain this morning, let's go." and Megan
led the parade of seven naked women out of the locker room and up the
stairs to the lobby.  Cheers burst out from the spectators above and Megan
muttered, "Ms Barnes is not going to be happy."

   She exited the building still leading when she spotted a group of women
clustered around Bob Starnes.  The mailgirls paused behind her, donning
their shoes and bras after having exited, so Megan made her way forward
wondering what was going on.  She picked out Charlotte's red hair, but
couldn't yet identify any of the others.

   Bob looked past his audience and said, "Here's Ms Brooks.  I have no
objection to any of you participating in the workout today and I'm sure she
doesn't either."

   The women turned to look at Megan and she started dredging her memory to
come up with names.  She didn't work directly with any of the trio, but as
a mailgirl had interacted with virtually everyone.  The skinny Latino
worked in Commercial Real Estate, the diminutive Oriental was a teller, and
the tall blonde was Mr Schmidt's secretary.  Only the third woman met the
mailgirl criteria as to looks, but the diamond on her ring finger protected
her from a career detour.

   "Of course, you can run with us.  We're starting with a three kilometer
warm-up and then we're running one k repeats.  This is the course for the
Corporate Challenge"

   The Latino declared, "I don't see why mailgirls are being allowed to
run, we had a team last year without embarrassing SG&T."

   "Their participation was directed by the fifth floor.  Since we're
hosting the event this year management wanted to field a competitive team
and last year we had only one woman finish in the top fifty.  They
transferred in two men from San Francisco and Chicago, but had trouble
recruiting women.  In the final time trial we ran the beginning of August
five mailgirls ran quicker times than our second fastest last fall and that
was without any training.  We look to have a much stronger team this year."

   "But does SG&T really want to be represented with a group of naked
sluts? And these crowds of men leering at them every weekend doesn't
project the image I'd want associated with the bank."

   Schmidt's secretary -- what was her name?  -- announced, "I know that Mr
Schmidt was not in favor of this proposal; he cares about the image of the
bank.  I'm surprised that Corporate HQ hasn't quashed the idea."

   Charlotte interjected, "My understanding is that it's been the source of
much amusement in Chicago.  But, Ben doesn't believe in micro-managing and
they're staying out of it."

   "Mr Schmidt says this isn't the way the bank operated when Mr Wagenthal
was in charge."

   "Well, times have changed."

   Megan closed the discussion with, "We're heading out on the three k loop
in five minutes, that's the blue line.  The temperature has eased, but make
sure you're well hydrated, ladies." She then turned to scatter the ring of
men clustered about the mailgirls at the water table.

   Sarah came up to her, "Only two more weeks after today of you getting me
out of bed early on the weekend.  I start work tomorrow with the new fiscal
year so the practice isn't hurting.  And you looked good on television,
very poised and professional."

   "Fortunately, Jeremy saved me before I ran out of canned explanation or
had to answer questions.  If tv cameras show up at the race I'm definitely
letting the communications specialists do their job."

   "No chance the cameras would go for Jeremy or anyone from the fifth
floor over you.  They'd prefer your sister probably, well Mistress V since
they still can't show mailgirls on broadcast television."

   "Speaking of Samantha, she told me that Fifteen's send-off was Friday
night so I'm having her stay with Twenty-three.  She's been tapped to spend
her final week training the new Thirteen this week before turning back into
Amanda.  Then off to Chicago the day after the race."

   "Good for her.  Fifteen never did embrace being a mailgirl.  Hopefully,
she'll be able to avoid Ms Aldridge."

   Bob Starnes then called everyone to the line and the mailgirls, the mean
girls, and their escorts started off on the warm-up jog.  Most of the
mailgirls had no problem staying with Megan and the men, but the trio
looked to be working hold on to the back of the group along with Fifteen
and Twenty-three.

   The crowd roared as the mailgirls returned to the parking lot towards
the finish.

   Megan let Bob Starnes give the instructions for the workout.  "Three
minutes and then we start the first of six one kilometer reps.  No faster
than 3:30, this is a workout not a race.  Follow the yellow line around the
perimeter of the parking lot.  The next rep will start two minutes after
the last runner finishes."

   Ken and Charlotte led the way on the first circuit, Megan looking back
to check the progress of Twenty-three and the trio of clothed women.  Bob
Starnes called out "three thirty-two" as Ken and Charlotte finished,
Schmidt's secretary and the other two struggled home to a cry of
"four-o-one."

   The trio skipped the third rep which cut the rest interval for the rest
of the group leading into number four.  Twenty-three and a visibly relieved
Fifteen opted out after four, but Megan proudly noted that the other five
mailgirls were hanging tough, cheered on all the way by the appreciative
spectators.  The last run was very tough and Megan trailed in behind the
three men and Mailgirl Three, feeling yesterday's race in her legs.

   The trio did head out with Sarah and Twenty-three on a last circuit of
the yellow line for a cool down, while Megan, Charlotte, the men, and the
rest of the mailgirls relaxed with one more trip around the blue line.  The
sight of the mailgirls unhooking their bras and slipping out of their
running shoes before they re-entered the building brought forth the
predictable cries of "Take it off" from the crowd trailing the runners up
to the steps of SG&T.

   "Just two more weeks."



   Chapter 19

   /* Just over a week to go until race time.  If only I could write that
fast.  Much appreciation for those who have hung in for the last four years
I've been writing this.  Still don't know how the race turns out, but I've
already written a draft of the second epilogue.  This chapter stands alone
better than most, but it really is meant to be read as one continuous
journey.  */

   Mailgirl Twenty-two had just completed her first delivery of Monday
morning -- copies of the Wall Street Journal for those executives on the
fifth floor that hadn't made the switch to on-line -- when her MMU buzzed
to call her to Human Capital.  She searched her mind trying to think of
something that she had done that would get her called to the office that
managed the Mailgirl Program, but thought she was clean.  Yesterday's
workout had been too strenuous to allow her leisure to flirt with Richard
or anyone else.  Well, Ms Barnes would let her know what she was in trouble
for when she arrived.

   Miss Bradley, the Admin, waved her into the inner office where Ms Barnes
was seated behind her desk.

   "Inspection."

   Twenty-two was conscious of the timer ticking down as she went up on her
toes, arched her back, and clasped her arms behind her head.  Ms Barnes
came around the desk and tapped Twenty-two's MMU just after it chimed,
indicating a late delivery.  "Oh dear, another demerit.  Mistress V will
have you back over the spanking bench before you know it." Ms Barnes
circled around the naked mailgirl before allowing, "Well, your grooming is
acceptable.  Knees."

   Twenty-two dropped down into a kneeling position, knees widespread, feet
together, arms clasped behind, eyes down, breasts and pussy thrust out.

   "The new Mailgirl Thirteen is on her way from the airport.  When she
arrives at the Security Desk, you will meet her and take her to Legal by
way of the Employee's Dining Room where you can observe Mailgirl Fifteen in
the courtyard.  From there you will lead here to Payroll, then back here.
After her orientation, you will escort her to the Med Center, and by then
Fifteen should be properly chastised.  You will turn her over to Fifteen
for training and put yourself back into service.  Now, out and await your
summons."

   Twenty-two rose and turned, departing Ms Barnes' office to sink back
onto her knees on the repurposed yoga mat by Miss Bradley's desk.  Most
mailgirl mats were in heavily trafficked areas which suited Twenty-two's
exhibitionist streak.  Miss Bradley's desk and Ms Barnes' office were at
the end of a corridor traversed only by those actually visiting Human
Capital.  There was a fair amount of foot traffic partway down the corridor
by people checking out the framed collection of mailgirl panties on the
wall, one frame for every mailgirl except Twenty-three who had arrived nude
in a shipping crate.  Twenty-two was sure that some mailgirl would be
handed the task of searching through the crate of Twenty-three's
possessions when they finally arrived from her previous employer.  Mr
Fforde had sicced SG&T San Francisco's legal office on Mohr Brothers to
make sure that Twenty-three got what she was due.  SG&T may mandate that
mailgirls be nude 24/7, eat dog food (well, Mailgirl Chow) out of bowls on
the floor, and have them beaten in public, but they were scrupulously
honest in matters of finance and property.  Well, it was a bank after all.
And their probity did not extend to keeping their hands off of mailgirls'
panties -- those disappeared, never to be seen again, except for the one
pair in a frame on the wall of the corridor leading to Human Capital. 
Still, to get back to the matter at hand Twenty-two would prefer to be
kneeling where she could see and be seen as befitted a mailgirl.

   Finally, Twenty-two's MMU buzzed, directing her to make a pickup at the
Front Desk.  The new Mailgirl Thirteen had arrived.  She raced to the
central corridor ignoring the display of lingerie, made a right to the
service stairs, down two flights, then to the front of the building where a
young woman in a nondescript cotton sundress was standing being carefully
watched by the receptionist on duty.  Twenty-two arrived with twelve
seconds to spare and the woman at the desk promptly acknowledged her
arrival, sparing her from accruing another demerit.

   "This mailgirl has been directed to escort this person to Human
Capital."

   "Well, that means she'll be a person for what, another five minutes."

   "This mailgirl has been directed to escort her by way of the courtyard
off the Employee Dining Room, then to Legal, and Payroll so it will be a
few minutes longer."

   "I saw that Fifteen was strung up.  Ms Barnes wants to show her what
she's in for, I guess."

   "Ms Barnes does not explain herself to mailgirls, and this mailgirl is
not authorized to speculate on her motives."

   "Welcome to Sloan Guaranty & Trust..." the receptionist glanced towards
Twenty-two.

   "Mailgirl Thirteen."

   "...Mailgirl Thirteen.  I'm sure that I will see you about."

   Twenty-two looked at the apprehensive woman in the sundress and said,
"Please follow this mailgirl." The not-yet mailgirl nodded and followed the
naked woman past the front desk and back into the building.

   "I'm Misty Greene, what's your name?"

   "Per Human Capital directive I can only respond when addressed as
Mailgirl Twenty-two.  As of this moment, you're Ms Greene.  Before we leave
Human Capital you will respond only to Mailgirl Thirteen or just Thirteen.
Any other naming leads to demerits and demerits lead to physical
correction."

   The two women made a left turn into a large space, "This is the Employee
Dining Room." Twenty-two gestured at some mats in the middle of the floor,
"Mailgirls eat lunch and sometimes dinner kneeling on those mats."

   They continued across the room to the glass wall looking out onto a
pleasant outdoor space, and then through a door.  Misty made a bee-line to
stand in front of the naked woman standing on the gravel with her arms
wrenched up behind her back, chained to a horizontal bar.  There was a
large red ball strapped into her mouth and she was teetering on a pair of
black high heels.

   "This is Mailgirl Fifteen.  She'll be training you this week.  Friday
will be her last day as a mailgirl.  In two weeks she'll be behind a desk
in Chicago working as a financial analyst.  She just returned from a
week-long seminar at MIT, where she wore clothing for the first time in
nearly two years.  The shoes are to protect her feet from the gravel,
because she's on the racing team and Human Capital is not allowed to
inflict punishment on runners that will impair their ability to run before
the big race."

   "Mailgirls attend seminars?  Racing team?"

   "SG&T is hosting the Corporate Challenge in two weeks which is a 10k
race involving teams from companies and government agencies throughout
central Maryland.  Community Relations' job is to promote the bank as part
of the local community, so they do things like sponsor the race this year.
The fifth floor -- that's the executive level -- is intensely competitive
and if the bank is involved they want to do well.  Last year our teams
sucked, especially the women, and the only SG&T person who placed well was
my sister -- a mailgirl until six weeks before the race.  So, the deep
thinkers on the fifth floor decided to field a squad of mailgirls to
represent the bank.  Participation in the trials was mandatory and six
mailgirls were selected for the racing team.  Fifteen was one of the six,
but her contract runs out before the race and she's transferring to Chicago
so they decided to hold off on the transfer after the race and sweeten the
deal by sending her to external training."

   "But mailgirls don't wear clothing."

   "And we ran the trials bare-ass naked.  Megan and Mr Starnes managed to
convince the fifth floor to allow running shoes and bras -- not like any
sports bra you've ever seen -- for training and the race."

   "I had a track scholarship to college, but lost it when I got injured.
The money ran out and decent jobs were scarce so I signed up to be a
mailgirl, not a decent job, but it pays well."

   Twenty-two looked at the short, bespectacled, somewhat chunky blonde in
surprise.  "Are you still hurt?"

   "No, I'm healthy.  I just couldn't handle the increased mileage going
from high school to college.  With limited scholarships they couldn't carry
an athlete that couldn't compete."

   "We'll have to talk to Megan.  Actually, Fifteen has it easy.  When I
was strung up like that there was the added feature of a sign hanging from
my clamped nipples.  It was a toss-up as to what part of me hurt worst. 
Enough exposition, next stop Legal Services."

   The two women left the Dining Room and headed for the service stairs,
"Mailgirls are only allowed on the elevator if pushing a cart and then only
the freight elevator." Three flights later and into the wood paneled
offices of Legal Services.  Twenty-two stopped at the receptionist's desk
and announced, "Ms Greene to see Mr Smythe."

   The kindly looking fortyish brunette reached over and tapped
Twenty-two's MMU to acknowledge her arrival and spoke to Misty, "He's
waiting for you.  The mailgirl knows the way to his office."

   Twenty-two led the way to a door just down the hall and motioned Misty
to enter.  The nervous new arrival turned the knob and entered, "Mr
Smythe?"

   The young lawyer stood as the women entered and gestured to the chair in
front of his desk, "Please take a seat, Ms Greene." Then he looked at
Twenty-two and barked , "Inspection." The mailgirl rose up onto her toes,
arched her back, and clasped her hands behind her head.  "I do enjoy the
close up display of feminine beauty.

   "Now, Ms Greene, we're going to go over your contract.  Your preliminary
contract covered your transportation to DDE Mailgirl Training Enterprise,
your four weeks of instruction plus meals and lodging, the packing up of
your personal belongings, your transportation here, and shipping your
belonging here.  As a corporate customer SG&T gets a heavy discount on
those charges, should you walk away from the contract that you sign today
you will be billed at the individual rate for those services which is
frankly nothing short of extortionate.  By signing your mailgirl contract
today and carrying it through to completion in two years those fees plus a
cash signing bonus will be covered by SG&T.  Walking away from the contract
you sign today will incur heavy financial penalties that you will not have
the resources to repay.  The folks in Payroll will walk you through all the
financial details.

   "Once you sign the contract you will be obliged to stay in uniform for
the length of your service -- that is just the collar around your neck and
the Mailgirl Management Unit in the armband on your arm.  You will adhere
to the grooming standards as promulgated by Human Capital -- you can see
what they are by looking over Mailgirl Twenty-two there.

   "Ankles." Twenty-two dropped down onto the balls of her feet, spun
around and leaned forward clasping her ankles thus providing Mr Smythe and
Ms Greene an enchanting view of her ass and anus.  Misty gulped.

   "You will notice that she and all mailgirls keep themselves completely
hairless below their eyebrows.  Human Capital can and will dictate your
hairstyle, your cosmetics, everything about your appearance.  Any SG&T
employee is entitled to direct you to take any of the positions in the
Mailgirl Handbook.  You should have been drilled on those in your training.
For any shortcomings in your behavior or appearance you will be assessed
demerits based on the severity of the offense."

   "Yes sir," Misty said quietly.

   "From the time you sign your contract until the day it is fulfilled you
will only refer to yourself as Mailgirl Thirteen and will respond only to
Mailgirl Thirteen, Thirteen, Mailgirl, or just Girl.  Should you be
addressed by any other sobriquet including the name on your driver's
license, your family nickname, slut, whore, or whatever you will calmly
inform the person addressing you that you are to be addressed solely as
Mailgirl Thirteen.  Should you respond in any other way to any other
salutation you will be assessed demerits based on the severity of the
offense.  Corporal punishment, not to include permanent impairment or
lasting marks, is authorized for excessive demerits as well as a wide
variety of transgressions.

   "Beyond making deliveries and responding to employee's questions and
orders there is to be no interaction between mailgirls and other bank
employees, customers, and visitors There is an exception for a approved
visitor for you personally.  For instance, your father or mother could come
to see you at the bank and could schedule a fifteen minute meeting during
working hours under supervision.  It happens very rarely.  There is
especially to be no physical contact between mailgirls and other bank
employees, customers, and visitors.  I will note that contraception and
maternity benefits are specifically excluded from Mailgirls' health
coverage.

   "And finally, as part of your contract you give power of attorney to the
bank to act in your stead in all respects.  Read over the contract and
initial where indicated.  You won't sign until your meeting in Human
Capital."

   Despite long practice Twenty-two began to wobble in her stressful
position.  Smythe noted that and said "Knees," assessing her a demerit for
breaking position, which she hadn't quite done, but any objection would
just engender more demerits.  She unbent, spun gracefully around and sank
down onto her widespread knees, palms flat on her thighs, feet together.

   Ms Greene definitely had the deer in the headlights look.  She paged
through the contract, barely skimming over it, carefully initialing where
indicated.

   Smythe concluded their meeting saying, "Thank you, Ms Greene, I hope to
see more of you." Twenty-two rose and led Misty out of Legal Services and
back to the service stairs.

   Heading down Twenty-two commented "That joke has grown very tired."

   "What joke?"

   "He meant that he literally hopes to see more of you as in your naked
body.  And he will unless you run away screaming now, which would be very
expensive for you.  You went through DDE's mailgirl training, none of this
should be a surprise."

   "I know, but it's like my time at DDE was training and this is the race
which always ramped up my anxiousness."

   The two women exited on the second floor and headed towards Payroll.

   The new payroll clerk handing mailgirl accounts was female.  After a
year plus as a mailgirl, Twenty-two reflexively evaluated every new woman
she saw as to mailgirl potential.  This, Ms Devaney it said on the
nameplate on her desk, looked to have potential: twenty-something,
heart-shaped face, decent tits, no ring on her left hand.  She could be a
future colleague.

   Ms Devaney offered Misty a chair; Twenty-two dropped down into 'Knees'
beside the desk.

   "Ms Greene, I'm going to walk you through the financial aspects of being
a mailgirl.  You will receive a signing bonus upon executing your mailgirl
contract.  We will apply those funds against your current debts: student
loan, credit card debt, auto loan.  We'll sell your car, it's not cost
effective to let it sit for two years paying for tags and insurance."

   Twenty-two zoned out, she'd heard it all before.  The girl from the
running store was a potential mailgirl, she and Twenty could have long
discussions about art, maybe assess asses for artistic merit after Mistress
V had a go at them.  Megan's new friend Charlotte certainly had potential
-- mailgirl lore had it that one of the suits on the fifth floor was really
into redheads -- if not for the husband.  Maybe Human Capital could recruit
marrieds, say offer limited conjugal visits.  Would the proscription of
mailgirls not being on furniture be waived in that case?

   "As an hourly employee you'll be paid $15 an hour, from the time
Mistress V or her designate approves you in the morning until you are
released from duty at the end of your day, less half an hour for lunch and
another half hour for dinner if you work through the dinner hour.  You get
time and a half for work over eight hours in a day or forty hours in a
week, that is $22.50 per hour.  Our records show that most mailgirls
routinely exceed those limits both daily and weekly."

   Maybe instead of the hospitality industry she could get into the
management side of mailgirls at the end of her contract.  She wouldn't ask
Ms Barnes, or Megan, but Ten could likely give her some advice as to how to
break into the business.  Ms Devaney droned on.

   "If the signing bonus did not clear your debts, fifty percent of the
gross of each paycheck will be directed towards debt repayment.  We will
also fully fund your 401K from your paycheck.  Mailgirl 401Ks are invested
in an S&P index fund and a variety of government bonds, our administrative
costs are lower than any other program outside of the government's Thrift
Savings.  What remains of your earnings after taxes will be kept in an
account at SG&T.  Your room and board will be credited to your account as
income at a special mailgirl discounted rate, essentially at cost.  In the
spring our department will prepare your tax forms for a competitive fee and
present them to you for review and signature.

   "At the conclusion of your two year contract you will receive a
completion bonus and will be eligible to receive help from SG&T's
Residential Real Estate and Travel departments for post-mailgirl
relocation."

   That was all the carrot.  Twenty-two knew that you could come out of
mailgirldom -- was that a word?  -- in terrific financial shape even making
minimum wage what with no expenses beyond taxes.  But if you bailed....

   "Should you not complete your two year contract, there are significant
financial penalties.  You would have to repay the signing bonus, you would
be billed for transportation, shipping, and training expenses incurred from
the time you signed your preliminary contract until your personal effects
arrive at SG&T.  You would be billed for the storage of those personal
effects and your room and board as a mailgirl at the commercial rate.  And
you assume the cost of all legal expenses incurred by SG&T in recovering
those monies.  It works out that you would be nearing the end of the
contract before you would break even financially as opposed to staying the
course and coming out substantially ahead.

   "Unlike some mailgirl programs that you may have heard of, SG&T does not
play games with its fiscal commitments, we are a bank after all.  If any
doubts about this promise crop up over the next two years you could ask
this one's -- pointing to the kneeling Twenty-two with some disdain --
sister who subjected my predecessor to an intense grilling at the end of
her contract.  Mr Ambrose commented that Ms Brooks had been wasted as a
mailgirl, SG&T would have been better served by not interrupting her career
as a financial analyst."

   Twenty-two saved that up to tell Megan, Misty looked a mixture of
terrified and confused.

   "Should you continue on to Human Capital and sign your contract, that is
the last chair you will sit in for the next two years.  Mailgirl Twenty-two
will lead you to Human Capital."

   In the stairwell Misty inquired, "Your sister?"

   "My sister worked for SG&T in Chicago and when she transferred here she
was coerced into becoming a mailgirl, Mailgirl Two to be precise.  I was in
college, tired of going to school, not ready to become a 9-5 drone and I
thought that being a mailgirl sounded like fun."

   "You thought it sounded like fun?"

   "Yes.  Megan was horrified when I showed up two months before the end of
her contract.  Looking after me is the major reason she stayed with the
bank, I know it's been hard on her assimilating back into the professional
work force.  Meanwhile, I consider myself as a two year long cos-player
wearing a classic costume.  Megan did not find the joy in being a mailgirl,
she always was too serious.  Being a mailgirl here is not a bad gig. 
Twenty-three came here from some place on the West Coast where she was
basically a sex slave, was gang-raped for her going-away party, and was
arrived here in a crate in really bad shape.  Here it's dog food from a
bowl on the floor, periodic paddlings or canings, occasional more inventive
corrections, and most of the employees treating you like an animal.  At the
end of my contract I'll have a good stake to start my professional life and
a new appreciation of normality."

   Out onto the third floor, then to the corridor leading back to Human
Capital.  Twenty-two gestured to the frames hanging on the walls to either
side.  "Our current roster.  Whatever you have under your dress will be up
there tomorrow morning.  That's the only reason you were allowed panties on
the flight here."

   Misty had been growing visibly more nervous with each step forward, she
started to shake when she looked up and saw the array of framed underwear.
She hadn't understood why the trainer at the DDE Mailgirl Education Center
had taken personal interest in what clothing she had picked out for the
journey to her new employer.  They said the rest of her stuff would be
packed up and shipped to Washington.  She stopped, not sure whether she
could go through with this.

   Twenty-two looked down at the clothed woman standing beside her.  "Look,
I'm not going to tell you it's going to be okay.  I've been a mailgirl for
more than a year and it won't be okay unless your okay encompasses non-stop
degradation, eating dog food out of a bowl on the floor, being beaten for
too many demerits or any other transgression Human Capital dreams up.  Then
there's being naked 24/7, confined to this one building, sleeping in a hole
in the wall, having your entire life regimented by a bunch of misogynistic
bastards.  But it's only two years of your life and you will survive. 
After Human Capital will be the Med Center where you'll be examined by
Nurse Allen, once Mailgirl One.  There will be life after the next two
years."

   Misty took a deep breath and started forward.  Twenty-two reflexively
lowered her eyes as they approached Miss Bradley's desk.  The Admin waved
them into Ms Barnes' office, "You too, Twenty-two."

   They entered to see Ms Barnes sitting behind her desk and Mistress V
standing to the side.

   "Just a moment if you please Ms Greene.  Twenty-two, across my desk."

   Twenty-two stepped forward and bent down across the large shining desk
pressing her breasts into the surface.  Ms Barnes grasped her wrists.

   "Has she behaved herself while escorting you this morning, Ms Greene."

   Misty nodded, too nervous to speak.

   "That's good.  Just three then."

   Mistress V raised her crop and lashed down onto the mailgirl's bare
buttocks.  One, two, three left three neat parallel lines across her
cheeks.

   Twenty-two didn't move until Ms Barnes spoke, "Into the corner with you"
and released her wrists.

   Twenty-two rose slowly, pivoted, and walked into the corner of the
office, nose pressed into the wall, hands clasped behind her head.  She had
not made a sound since entering the office.

   "Twenty-two often has a problem with the basic tenet of mailgirl service
which is do to exactly what you're told and nothing else.  I find that
giving her a reminder every time we cross paths to be helpful.  Now, would
you like to sign your contract?" and she placed the thick sheaf of paper
last seen in Legal Services along with a pen on the desk in front of Misty.

   Misty gulped.  She had undergone four weeks of training leading up to
this moment, but still....

   She stepped forward, flipped to the last page and signed her name and
her clothes and her freedom and most of her rights away for the next two
years.

   "Strip."

   The new mailgirl pulled the simple cotton sundress over her head and
carefully folded it, placing the cloth onto the corner of the desk.  She
stepped out of her sandals and place them on top.  She reached behind her
back and unhooked her bra which dropped down to reveal a pair of large soft
breasts jutting forward, sure to please the mammary obsessed members of
SG&T's executive suite.  Twenty-two, nose to the wall, could see none of
this, but she remembered the whole excruciating ordeal vividly.  She
expected that it got easier in time at those firms where mailgirls commuted
to work and disrobed in the locker room every morning.

   Misty, no, Mailgirl Thirteen, hooked her thumbs into the sides of her
delicate, peach satin panties and drew them down her legs.

   "Hand those to Mistress V.  I'm sure that Mailgirl Twenty-two pointed
out the frames on the walls as you entered."

   Thirteen turned and handed the scrap of satin to the terrifying figure
on her left.

   "Knees."

   Thirteen responded instantly -- that had been beaten into her during the
four weeks.

   "For the next two years, you respond only to Mailgirl Thirteen or just
Thirteen.  You will deferentially correct any one who directly addresses
you differently.  Your primary duty is to carry out any orders given to you
by any SG&T employee or conveyed to you via your Mailgirl Management Unit.
Mistress V will fit you with your MMU when you report to the Mailgirl
Locker Room.  You do not converse with any other employee or visitor and
there is to be no physical contact between you and anyone else.  Your MMU
has a panic button in the event that you are physically threatened.  In the
three years that SG&T has had a Mailgirl Program that button has been
pressed only in testing.  Our employees know what their limits are and keep
their interactions with mailgirls within those limits."

   Mistress V walked over and locked the dull silver collar with an ID tag
reading just "13" around the new mailgirl's neck.

   "Mailgirl Twenty-two will now escort you to the Medical Center for your
last stop before you report to Mistress V.  Dismissed."

   The duo exited Human Capital silently, Twenty-two leading the way back
to the stairway.

   "You'll also need to visit Security to get your ID made.  We don't
actually carry the ID, our collar is our ID, but they'll take your photo
and produce a photo ID to hang over your sleeping niche.  It's also the
photo that goes in your panties frame on the wall in Human Capital.

   "The check-up at the Med Center will be pretty cursory, they'll have all
your medical info from DDE.  But this will introduce you to Nurse Allen,
she used to be Mailgirl One.  Four of the original six mailgirls still work
here: Nurse Allen, my sister, Mailgirl Six, and the former Mailgirl Three
who is Mr Soame's secretary and mistress.  Of the next group Nine and Ten
signed up for another two years and Twelve went off to the San Francisco
office."

   After the Med Center Twenty-two led the new mailgirl down the back
stairs and into the Mailgirl Locker Room.  Mistress V was waiting for them
and sent Twenty-two back upstairs to release Fifteen.

   Megan got a request from Mr Fforde for a meeting in his office and idly
agreed wondering why he just didn't message her to say that he would take
Maria to the train station.  After walking up to the fifth floor Mrs Grimes
waved her back to his office.

   "Yes, of course you can take Maria to the train station, that will get
it off my plate."

   "No, I was going to talk to you about your friends in high places.  You
may survive this mailgirl racing lark after all."

   "What friends in high places?  Mr Bratz likes my work and Mr Dawlish
surprised me by praising me to his Japanese visitors last month, but Ms
Barnes and I clash and then there's Ms Aldridge."

   "I wouldn't worry about Barnes and Aldridge as you have a firm champion
in Maria's mother.  Besides her seat on the Board, she can control Mr
Soames by way of his wife.  Still, I was thinking of your new friend
Charlotte."

   "Charlotte?  She's a Special Assistant reporting directly to her cousin
Ben.  How important is he?"

   "Ben Albertson is the CEO of SG&T."

   "Oh."

   "What do you know about the ownership structure of SG&T?"

   "I've read the potted history that the bank advertises.  It was founded
by three men pre-Civil War focusing on financing new ventures in the West.
Those three families still own the bank, though what six, eight generations
later that's a lot more than three people."

   "Not as many as you might think since there was considerable
intermarriage between the three families and it took the better part of a
century for women to be eligible to inherit.  Ben is a direct descendant as
is Charlotte who actually is a larger shareholder than her cousin being an
only child.  She can't vote her shares until she's thirty, but she has
influence.

   "After grad school she was a management trainee in San Francisco.  About
three years ago they formed a committee to study restructuring their
operations and Charlotte was a junior member of that body, more as a sop to
her ownership stake than anything else.  My contacts there tell me she
essentially took over that effort through a torrent of ideas and sheer
force of personality.  The senior execs never knew what hit them.  There
was considerable relief among the upper management there when she got
married and then followed her husband to England.  Now she's her cousin's
gun for hire, so to speak.  I'm sure she'll review the mailgirl program."

   "I haven't seen any sign of her throwing her weight around and she
appears to be accepting of mailgirls.  She was interested in meeting Maria
on her return Friday."

   "Well, it's good for you if she's in your corner.  And by the way, the
new Mailgirl Thirteen was a high school track star, dropped out after her
first year of college.  You might want to speak to her."

   Megan resolved to send for Fifteen who would have the new mailgirl in
tow when she got back to her desk.  However, that was preempted by the
alert on her system concerning Mailgirl Four who had an accident and was
currently in the Medical Center.  She strode down to the first floor to
check on Four.

   Susan, Nurse Allen, met her at the door, "I presume you're here to check
on Mailgirl Four?"

   "Yes, what happened, how is she?"

   "She missed a step while sprinting down the stairs to make a rush
delivery and broke her ankle.  I did what I could, but it needs setting and
casting.  Security transported her to the County Hospital; she won't be
racing in two weeks.  I'll stay until she returns and get her settled in
for the night."

   "I'll check back in the morning.  I know she won't be running, but Ms
Barnes can't rush her back into service."

   "Don't worry, Human Capital has to give way to my judgment in these
cases.  At most she can kick it up for the doctor on call to review. 
Fortunately for her, Four is a salaried employee so she'll still get paid
while she's laid up."

   "Fourteen and Twenty-three are the only hourly mailgirls on the running
team.  I'll have to check on the new Thirteen, Mr Fforde tells me that she
ran."

   "Thirteen doesn't have the build I associate with a runner, you'll have
to find out."

   Back at her desk, Megan decided to put off talking to Thirteen until
tomorrow.  She could pair up with Fifteen on the treadmill in training this
week.

   Twenty-two was kneeling on a mat outside of Real Estate wondering when
she would be sent to dinner when her MMU pinged with a message.  She
brought it up and read the weekly running schedule: Three and Twenty-three
on the treadmill at 10 a.m.  Tuesday, Thirteen and Fifteen Wednesday,
Twelve with her Thursday, 8k run Saturday at 7:30 a.m.  Apparently Megan
had heard about Four's accident.  In a more normal employee-employer
relationship such an accident might have major repercussions, office work
wasn't supposed to be dangerous.  She'd fallen on those stairs just once,
but managed to grab the railing to break her fall.  After that she saved
her stair sprinting for going up.

   Megan waited until after she finished cleaning up from dinner before
calling Sarah.  "Happy Fiscal New Year."

   "And my first day at work.  It was all either boring administrative
stuff or stuff that I can't tell you or both.  How goes life in the
mailgirlverse?"

   "The new Mailgirl Thirteen started today, Four broke her ankle, and
Charlotte reports directly to the CEO.  Mr Fforde tells me that I'm
fortunate to have friends in high places."

   "What happened to Four?"

   "She was running down the back stairs.  Nurse Allen sent her to the
hospital to set the bone and predicted a cast.  No Corporate Challenge for
her.  The new Thirteen ran track in high school; I haven't seen her yet and
don't know whether she can replace Four on the team.  I may need those
friends in high places."

   "Anything more on your television stardom?"

   "I've been recording Fox 5 News at 10 every night and scanning it for
the teaser for their special report.  I haven't had a speaking role since
the first night, but they show video of flashing legs every night and
glimpses of me leading the way.  So far, no explicit frontal nudity.  I'm
so looking forward to all of this being over."

   "Just two more weeks and then you can start thinking about your future
when Samantha finishes up her contract.  Stay with SG&T, find a new job in
the area, return to the Midwest, you have options.  Hang in there.  I'm
planning on running the Corporate Challenge, no idea how strong the team
here is; Sam says there is a solid core of civilians and some years some
terrific runners among the military assigned here.  If I'm a scoring runner
we're not contenders."

   "Two weeks."

   Megan's first stop Tuesday morning was the Med Center where Susan told
her Four was resting uncomfortably.  "I told her that when she goes off the
good meds and then the ankle starts itching inside the cast, then she can
start complaining.  I'll probably wheel her down to the Dorm tomorrow, but
it will probably be a week before she can start working in the mail room
and she'll be stuck in a chair for another week after that.  She won't be
able to make deliveries, even part-time, for at least a month."

   Megan called Bob Starnes when she got to her desk, realizing that she
should have talked to him yesterday.  She wasn't the only one carrying the
load.

   "Yes, I heard.  Why couldn't it have been Twelve or Fifteen, that's our
marginal pair."

   "Well, we're in better shape than I would have thought a month ago. 
Charlotte is a capable runner and the new Thirteen ran track in high
school. I'll talk to her today.  If she's at all promising we can have her
run the 8k on Saturday and see if she's competitive.  Ms Barnes won't be
pleased."

   "I'll let Jeremy know.  He can sell Thirteen to the fifth floor if we
need her."

   Deciding that the sooner she worked through the mailgirl business the
sooner she could get to real work Megan requested that Mailgirl Fifteen
report to her.  Some fifteen minutes later she could hear the stir in the
office at the sighting of a new mailgirl and looked up to see the two women
approaching.  She reached across her desk and tapped Fifteen's MMU to
acknowledge her arrival, noting that the pair had made it in time.

   "Good morning, Fifteen, Thirteen."

   "Good morning, Ms Brooks." Fifteen continued in an undertone to her
trainee, "Employees are not to greet mailgirls, Ms Brooks can get away with
it as she used to be a mailgirl." Then she addressed Megan, "Can I stay
with you for the next week after I'm dismissed Friday?"

   "Yes, of course."

   "I've got a flight to Chicago Sunday afternoon to meet my new office and
spend some time house-hunting.  I fly back on Friday."

   "Make sure you get in some light running in while you're there."

   "Yes, thank you."

   Megan looked at the new mailgirl, short, stocky, probably C to D cup
breasts jutting out, wire rimmed glasses, shoulder length light brown hair.
She wasn't the template of a distance runner, but Megan knew that looks
could be deceiving.  "I understand that you ran track."

   Thirteen kept looking down, "Yes, ma'am.  I was the state 1A champion in
crosscountry and in the 1600 and 3200 in track my senior year.  Then I
finished second in the 3200 in the Meet of Champions and that got me a
partial college scholarship.  We never ran more than thirty miles a week in
high school, we were doing more than twice that in college when I was
diagnosed with a stress fracture which cost me my scholarship.  "

   "How is your leg now?"

   "All healed, I had no problem keeping up in mailgirl training."

   Fifteen interjected, "Mailgirls don't say 'I', speak of yourself as
'this mailgirl'; again, we can get away with it with Ms Brooks, but usually
each 'I' is a demerit or worse."

   Megan concluded, "You're both scheduled for a training session on the
treadmill tomorrow, depending on how that goes you may be running 8k on
Saturday."

   On Thursday Megan ate lunch with Charlotte in the Executive Dining Room.
It lacked the view of the courtyard provided by the Employee Dining Room,
but did have two mailgirls crouched over their bowls of Mailgirl Chow in
the middle of the room and table service with mailgirls serving as
waitresses.

   "This is the first time that I've sat at a table in this room.  My only
previous visits here were as a mailgirl.  Staffing this room was the prime
reason to expand to twenty-four mailgirls.  What with mailgirls eating
their own meals here and downstairs, serving as the waitstaff here, and
likely a couple or more being punished in the courtyard, those available to
deliver messages could be run ragged, if there was some big deal being
worked across multiple departments.

   "This room is also where the 'no touching' rule is most often violated.
HR usually didn't show up for holiday parties, they didn't want to know. 
Ms Barnes was always ready to blame the mailgirl; I wound up in the
courtyard for both objecting to being pawed and for wantonness.  The
mailgirl is always at fault."

   Megan pointed at the two mailgirls on the floor.  "Those are Mailgirls
Thirteen and Fifteen.  You may recognize Fifteen from our weekend runs. 
Tomorrow is Amanda's last day as a mailgirl and then after the race she's
off to Chicago and an analyst's desk.  She comes home with me on Friday. 
Thirteen, Misty Greene, just started Monday.  She had a track scholarship
to a D2 school.  I need to get her a pair of shoes for the run Saturday so
we can see what kind of shape she's in."

   "Her feet aren't toughened up enough yet?"

   "I doubt it.  Ms Barnes will be pissed, but I need to find out if Misty
can help us.  We're going to run an 8k Saturday and I've recruited some of
the women from the Roadrunners to provide competition."

   "Anthony has no interest in running five miles, the Air Force only makes
him run three so that's enough for him.  He even balks at 5k.  I still have
contacts in San Francisco, I'm sure you could transfer to that office after
the race, or after your sister finishes up her contract."

   "I've never been to the West Coast, that might be something to think
about.  The former Mailgirl Twelve transferred there after her stint here."

   "Think about it.  Did I hear that SG&T is supplying uniforms for the
race?"

   "Yes, well tops.  Powder blue with SG&T in gold across the chest.  Bras
in the same colors for the mailgirls; there's not a lot of fabric on those
bras to attach the letters.  We'll have to see how they look."

   "I'm pushing off just after we finish eating.  Hopefully, I'll beat the
traffic on the Beltway.  See you Saturday morning."