"Why do you want to know that?"

"Well, by your name plate on your desk, I'd guess you are Jane Orton. What's the point in not telling me?" I waved the gun vaguely in her direction.

"I. I'm Julie. Julie Kensington. Please. I'm only here about a job. I. I don't even w-work here. Please just let me go." The other woman spoke up softly front her chair answering my question.

That explained the dress and the paper that Jane had dropped to the desk. Probably the application, or resume.

"Alright girls. You do what I say and n.o.body has to get hurt. Okay?"

They both nodded. Terror cemented to their features.

"First of all Jane. I'm afraid that your name kind of clashes." The woman looked really confused. Of course, she didn't know about the *other* Jane currently shoplifting from her store. "What's your middle name?" I asked her gently.

"Kara."

"That's pretty. Can you remember to answer to that name instead? You don't really look like a Jane anyway. How old are you, Kara?"

She looked a bit confused. Probably difficult to get used to answering to a new name. I gave her some leeway.

"Kara?"

"I'm. Thirty-three. Why do you want to know that?"

"Julie?"

"Twenty-six. Please just let us go. What do you want?"

I picked up her application. I scanned it. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

"I'm just curious, Julie. You are twenty-six. And you've listed your education to third year of college. What are you doing here for a job?"

"Please just let us go."

"I asked you a question, Julie. I guess you don't have to answer it if you don't want. It's not like I work here either."

"Oh G.o.d. What did you ask me?" Fright apparent on her face.

"Why are you applying for a job here? When you obviously are more qualified for, what is it? Astrophysics?"

She swallowed. Afraid not to answer. "I just ran out of money. I haven't finished my courses. And there aren't a lot of summer jobs in astrophysics. Please. I just want to get out of here. Alive."

I nodded. "You just want to get out of here alive. You seem like a smart girl. Third year astrophysics, after all. You want to live. That's understandable. What are you willing to do for me, if I agree to let you go?"

Julie paled. Her mind doing the female thing. Gun plus threats plus not wanting cash equals rape. Simple. Fascinated I watched as the thoughts flitted across her eyes.

"Please. I don't want to be raped."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kara begin to rise out of her chair. I casually swung back towards her. Gun leveled at her chest.

"Kara. Be smart. Sit back down. You aren't going to be real effective with a hole in your chest." Kara paled and sat back down heavily.

"Okay. Okay. I won't try anything. Calm down. Please. Can't you put the gun down? Please? We'll do whatever it is you want. You look nervous. Are you on drugs?"

I laughed. "Drugs are for losers. What the h.e.l.l would I need drugs for?"

I turned away from Kara and concentrated on Julie again.

"Julie? I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"Oh G.o.d. Please don't rape me."

"Don't me silly. I'm not going to rape you."

"Wh-what do you want from me then? I don't have much?" She began to reach for her purse. She didn't really look like she believed me.

"I don't want your money. Sit still."

She s.n.a.t.c.hed her hand back and sat up straight again.

"What do you want?"

Kara echoed the sentiment. "What do you want?" she repeated.

"What if I asked you to strip for me? Both of you?"

They both paled. It took Julie a second to respond.

"I thought you said that you didn't want to rape us."

"First of all. I said that I wasn't going to rape *you*. And I won't. Second, I didn't say anything about Kara over there." Kara paled significantly. "Third, having you strip is hardly raping you. You might be embarra.s.sed a little, maybe even border on being humiliated, but it will hardly hurt you. You take off your clothes every night, don't you?"

"I don't want to take off my clothes."

"If I thought that you wanted to, why wouldn't I just walk up to you and ask? Why would I need this?" I twisted the gun in my hand.

"Oh G.o.d. Please. Just let me go? I haven't done anything to you."

"Julie, honey. You aren't going to like anything I want you to do. And you are absolutely right. You haven't done anything to deserve this. Sometimes life just isn't fair. But I'm the one with the gun." I shrugged.

"I'll scream. Someone will come."

"So scream. I won't try and stop you. I won't even shoot you for trying it. But I do promise that I will punish you later for it. And you'll like my punishments a lot less than you'll like stripping for me."

I watched as Julie took a deep breath. Considering her options. Suddenly she let go an earsplitting scream. I almost covered my ears.

"Please! Somebody! Help me. Help us. He's got a gun. Please. Call the police. Help."

Kara had added her voice to the commotion. I just leaned back against the wall and let them holler. Shaking my head. I glanced towards the window and saw the three nude women, in aisle six now, look up and try and locate the source of the noise. Looking up towards the ceiling.

Finally, they let up. Probably feeling a little silly, especially when I hadn't dashed from the room at the slightest call for help.

"Finished with the noise making, ladies?"

"Someone will come." Kara intoned without emotion. "I would be gone by the time the police show up, if I were you."

I actually laughed. The two women looked distinctly uncomfortable.

I raised the gun again. I aimed it at Julie's knee. She went pale.

"Please. You said you wouldn't shoot me. Even if I yelled. Please."

"I'm not going to shoot you for yelling. I'm going to shoot your knee because you aren't stripping."

"Oh G.o.d. Please."

"You want another chance?"

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Simply because I want to see your body."

She tried to keep me talking. "So you can rape me?"

"G.o.dd.a.m.n. How many times do I have to rea.s.sure you. I'm not going to rape you."

Her face paled.

"Now. Are you going to strip. Or am I going to shoot your knee?"

Slowly her hands moved to the throat of her blouse. Her fingers fumbling at the b.u.t.tons. Her nails were long and painted a deep shade of purple. It looked professionally done. Even a star pattern painted onto her right index finger. I seemed to recall that one of the most effective things in an interview being clean, well groomed hands. She had certainly taken that advice. She whimpered, took another look at the weapon in my hand and finished unb.u.t.toning it. She swallowed heavily. Lowering her eyes, she pulled the blouse free of her skirt and dropped it on the floor. She was wearing a plain white bra. Front closure.

"Julie?"

She looked up. Uncertain what to do next anyway. Tears in her eyes.

"Can I see your hands?"

She obediently held her hands out. Palms up. Confusion in her face.

"Turn them over." She obeyed. Turning over her hands. "Nice nails." I commented. "Professionally done?"

"I. I had a couple of interviews today. I had heard it might help to do it. My. My friend does them. As a hobby. Sort of."

"Stand up."

The frightened girl stood. She was still wearing a dark skirt. Nylons. And three inch black pumps. Being topless, except for the bra, was actually quite appealing. She had nice b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Probably didn't even need the bra.

"Continue."

"Please don't make me do this. I don't want to take them off. Please?"

"Julie. You must know by now that I will make you do it no matter how much you beg. Taking off the blouse didn't hurt, did it?"

Her mouth clamped shut. Frightened again. Her fingers reached behind her and pulled the zipper down. The skirt dropped around her ankles. She stepped out of it and kicked it away with her foot. She was one of those girls that didn't wear panties with their pantyhose. I supposed it really wasn't necessary, but I'll bet she regretted it today. I could faintly see her through the thin material. Her face was flushed bright red.

"Happy now?"

"You ain't done, are you?"

"Oh G.o.d. Please don't make me go further. Please? Haven't I humiliated myself enough for you, yet?"

"Julie?" I motioned to her lower body with the gun.

"Oh G.o.d. Okay. Okay. Stop waving that thing around."

She closed her eyes and her hands moved to the front of her bra. "Please?" she implored one last time. I didn't even bother replying.

"Oh G.o.d," she whispered as she unsnapped the clasp. The bra fell to the sides, still covering her. She shrugged her shoulders and peeled the material back from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She shuddered as the satin slipped off her body and fell at her feet. Tears were falling down her face as she tried to cover herself with her hands.

"Julie. Still more to go, you know. Take your hands away. I'll see them eventually anyway."

"Oh G.o.d. Not more. Please. Have some mercy on me." This girl still had no idea that this strip show would probably be one of the easier things I wanted her to do.

"Come on. Don't have all day."

"G.o.d. Why aren't they coming?" she whined. Referring to their yelling match earlier.

Hanging her head, she worked her pumps off with her toes. Finally, resigned that she was going to have to do it anyway, slipped the dark nylon down her legs. Her legs were perfect. Pale skin in contrast to the pantyhose. She pressed her bare legs together. Her light pubic hair was just vaguely visible as she squirmed.

She swallowed. "Please. Can I put them back on now?"

I laughed. "Julie, honey. You aren't going to be putting them back on for a while. Or until your police show up."

"Oh G.o.d. Please. Have some decency."

"Me? Decency?"

"Let me at least sit back down."

"Okay."

She self-consciously sat her bare bottom back into the chair. Squirming. Crossing her legs and crossing her arms over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Softly crying.

I turned to the woman I'd renamed as Kara.