Tracy Bullit 2 - Mission Improbable

[Gummybear]

This story takes place a couple of months after Keeping Secrets.  It's hard for me to tell, but I don't think it's necessary to read the previous story to enjoy this one, but if you want to read about how Tracy and Kat met, that's where to go.  And as always, I will be updating the tags as the different parts are posted to avoid spoilers.

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Mission Improbable
(Part 1 of 13)

"Shit!" Tracy looked out of the window of her van. Big, fat raindrops splattered against the windscreen.

 

"What's the matter Häschen?" Kat's voice on the other end of the phone line asked.

 

"Rain. "That's going to make flying harder." A single one of those big drops could upset the balance of Tracy's little drone. It would also make audio surveillance next to impossible.

 

Lightning flashed somewhere behind the car, illuminating the trees in front of the car briefly. The thunder that followed only moments later drowned out whatever Kat said.

 

"What was that?" Tracy put Kat on speaker while she climbed around the seats to the back of the van.

 

"I said 'just be careful'. I wouldn't want to take care of a zapped, little bunny. You're fussy enough when you're just wet."

 

Tracy felt a blush creep up her neck.

 

"Kat," Tracy pleaded, the whining tone painfully clear even to herself.

 

God, I sound like a four-year-old.

 

"Oh come on," Kat said. "It's not like there's anyone else in your car with you."

 

"How do you know?"

 

"Well, is there?"

 

"No," Tracy admitted. She was struggling to find the neck hole inside her dark grey rain poncho. The stiff plastic of the poncho crackled slightly with static electricity as she pulled it down. The mesh of hair-thin metal wires inside the plastic would hide and distort Tracy's heat signature, making her much harder to see with infra-red cameras. She wasn't expecting anybody to be using that, but if she had to be somewhere in person, she was not going to take any chances.

 

Tracy picked the phone up from the suitcase holding most of her surveillance gear. "Anyway, are you doing anything tonight?" Tracy didn't actually hold her breath; at least not physically. She always felt awkward asking if Kat was free. Asking a dominatrix if she's working felt to Tracy like asking 'are you fucking someone'. It wasn't like she was jealous when Kat was seeing clients. Well, maybe a little. She knew what she was getting into when she and Kat started... dating?

 

No, that wasn't the word she'd use. Maybe 'seeing each other'? No, that didn't seem right either. They weren't two high-schoolers making out between classes. 'Sleeping together' didn't feel right either, although it was true in the most literal sense.

 

Tracy was so lost in her search for the right term that she missed Kat's answer. She shook her head to dismiss the thoughts.

 

"What was that? You dropped out there for a second," Tracy bluffed.

 

"I said I have a client all night. Sorry."

 

Tracy sighed. "Okay." She had hoped that she could snuggle up to Kat after having had to be out in the rain. Even if it was only for a few hours. Sleeping like that was so much more restful than sleeping alone.

 

"Aww. Were you hoping for some snuggles after you were done?"

 

Tracy suddenly realised something. "All night, you said? Are they there now?"

 

"Relax Häschen. It's not like they can hear you."

 

"Still, you know I hate it when we talk like this when you have other people there."

 

"You didn't seem to mind last week when Jessie and Uncle Dieter had us over for dinner."

 

Tracy sighed again, almost rolling her eyes at Kat. "That's different and you know it. They think we're... you know, dating." Tracy cringed at the word. It wasn't like they hadn't gone on dates. But there was a big difference between 'going on dates' and 'dating'. At least in Tracy's mind.

 

"We can have breakfast," Kat suggested. "Or maybe lunch. I don't know how late it'll be before I get some sleep."

 

"Mmm-yeah. Breakfast sounds nice. Surprise me." Tracy knew that Kat could hear her smile. "Do you want me to wear my..." Tracy hesitated, "you know..."

 

Kat laughed. "You can say 'diaper' Häschen. It iss not a naughty verd." She said the last sentence with an exaggerated German accent that made Tracy smile.

 

"I know. It just feels weird to say it."

 

"You know, it's funny. You have more trouble saying the word than you have actually wearing them."

 

"Yeah, yeah. It's hilarious," Tracy said dismissively.

 

"Scheiße, I have to go," Kat said as there was some noise in the background that Tracy couldn't identify. "Tomorrow, wear your diapers if you want to. Or not. We'll figure something out. Bye."

 

"Uh, bye," Tracy said, but Kat had already hung up. "...I guess." She put away the phone and opened the car door, looking out into the downpour. Even before stepping outside, she imagined she could feel a greasy trickle down the back of her neck. Tracy grabbed her camera and checked the batteries.

 

Almost fully charged.

 

Before she slipped the strap over her head, Tracy made sure the waterproof casing was properly closed.

 

Wouldn't want foggy lenses that I can't reach.

 

Tracy stepped out of the van and found herself ankle-deep in a puddle that hadn't been there when she parked.

 

"Damn." Tracy stepped out of the puddle and shook her feet to get some of the water out of her shoes.

 

"Not exactly the greatest start," she said to no-one in particular. Grabbing a black, plastic briefcase and a small tripod, Tracy closed the door and locked it. The alarm activated with a quiet chirp. Then she trudged off into the bushes.

 

Half an hour later, Tracy was in place. She was crouching in a bush halfway up a small hill. Below her was a footpath with a metal bench and a trash can with a couple of impressive dents. Tracy absent-mindedly wondered what could have made the dents. They looked too big to be from bikes, but the footpath was too narrow and twisting for cars. ATVs maybe?

 

Tracy checked her watch: A quarter to one. In fifteen minutes, that trash can was going to be one of the richest trash cans in the city. Tracy shifted her weight, moving her knee out of the small brook that had appeared only minutes after she had settled down in her bush. Her mind drifted back to earlier that day.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Tracy had been in her office, working on the final report to a client when there was a quiet knock on the door. Tracy checked the camera outside the door. Kat had insisted she install the camera and reinforce the office door after a case had gone badly, in a death-threat kind of way a couple of months earlier.

 

Outside the door was a woman and man. They didn't look like a threat, so Tracy pressed the button to unlock the door. The lock buzzed and clicked and after a few moments, the couple entered. Tracy pushed her keyboard aside and motioned to the chairs in front of the desk.

 

"Please, have a seat."

 

Tracy found her trusty notepad and pencil. Then she pushed the phone to the middle of the desk.

 

"You don't mind if I record this..." Tracy paused and studied the couple for a few moments. The man was sitting with his eyes lowered, turned slightly towards the woman, who in turn was sitting back in the chair with her legs crossed, looking relaxed and confident. Tracy figured that she was the one in charge. "... Ms?

 

"Wilford," the woman said. "Nalah Wilford. And I'd rather you didn't. I don't want any of this coming out."

 

"It's only to help my note-taking, but if you're uncomfortable with it..." Tracy picked up her phone and put it away.

 

"OK Ms. Wilford, what's the problem?" Tracy tried to sound professional.

 

"Marc here fucked up," She answered matter-of-factly.

 

Tracy looked from one to the other and back and again. "I'm going to need a little more details than that."

 

Ms. Wilford looked coolly at Marc. "Well? Tell her what you did."

 

"There was this email, and I thought it was from Miss Nalah and I clicked on the link in it and-"

 

"And the idiot opened a back-door into the system. Look, I couldn't care less that they hijacked his webcam and caught him undressing and getting into position for me under the desk in my office."

 

"I-" Tracy began, a little taken aback.

 

"I do, however, care that they caught me on camera as well. And as if that wasn't enough, they encrypted the entire system, locking us out."

 

"And let me guess, they want money to unlock the system and not release the video."

 

"Yeah, fifteen thousand." Ms. Wilford said it like it was more an annoyance than a serious sum of money.

 

"Not to point out the obvious, but isn't this a police matter? Or at the very least, your IT department? Why hire someone like me?"

 

"If we use yesterday's backups we lose all the logs from a crucial deposition, plus we'd look incompetent." Ms. Wilford glared at Marc. "And going to the police wouldn't get the files back in time for the trial either. I figured the simplest solution is to just pay them."

 

"Okay? But then why hire me?"

 

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not OK with what happened. I want you to find out who did this so I can make them regret it. And as for why you specifically? You came highly recommended from a business associate of mine. A Mrs Devereux?"

 

"I see," Tracy said, trying to sound neutral since she didn't know how much Ms. Wilford knew about the case in question. "So, fifteen thousand. I'm assuming they didn't want to meet in some back alley with a suitcase full of cash."

 

"Unfortunately not. They wanted the money in some stupid cryptocurrency, Ding-Dough, on a thumb drive, and they wanted Marc to drop it off at a specific location at 1 am. tonight."

 

"So, in..." Tracy checked her watch, "...eleven hours or so. I'm assuming they gave the whole 'don't contact the police' warning or something like that. Will getting the money be a problem?"

 

Ms. Wilford shook her head.

 

Tracy put down her pencil. "Well, since they've been smart about the money, our best bet is probably to follow the actual thumb drive once your husband makes the drop and hopefully identify the blackmailers that way."

 

"Oh please! Like I'd marry him." Ms. Wilford rolled her eyes. "I deal with enough fucked-up marriages at work. Marc's my personal assistant."

 

And your executive stress relief toy, it sounds like.

 

Tracy opened her desk drawer and rooted around in it for a couple of seconds before bringing out a bright yellow thumb drive. "Use this for the money," she said and handed it to Ms. Wilford. "Now, this is a rush job so I'm going to have to charge extra."

 

"I expected as much. Camille told me the rates you charged her; I'll double it."

 

That was more than Tracy had been planning on charging, so she simply nodded. "I also have a couple more conditions. First of all: My job is to follow the thumb drive, or the information on it, to the blackmailers without them realising it. That is, until they've given you the password to unlock your system. So until that happens, you're going to follow the blackmailer's instructions to the letter. Agreed?

 

"Sounds reasonable."

 

"Also, whatever you're planning for whoever did this, I'm not involved. Once I've identified the blackmailers, my job is over."

 

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Ms. Wilford's smile sent a chill down Tracy's spine. It was like a cat watching a canary with a broken wing. Tracy decided she didn't want to get on Ms. Wilford's bad side.

 

They spent the next twenty minutes getting all the details Tracy felt she needed. After Ms. Wilford and Marc had left, Tracy started planning. She would park a drone by the drop and follow whoever came to pick it up.

 

Tracy opened the box of drones and checked the battery levels of the one with the best range. It only had a basic camera and microphone, but it was small enough to escape notice. After checking the map of the park where the drop-off was, she found that the drone should be able to follow the thumb drive to any of the parking lots in the immediate area. After that, it was just a matter of recording the licence plate and the traffic cameras would do the rest of the job for her.

 

The thumb drive even had a tracker that she could activate remotely in case she lost track of it. If whoever picked it up scanned the drive for bugs, they wouldn't find it until it was too late. Tracy had to admit that she had a similar tracker on her car keys and that she had had to use it more than once.

 

Content that all the technical preparations were done, Tracy went to bed. If she was going to pull an all-nighter, she should start out well rested.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Movement on the path below brought Tracy back to the present. Somebody halfway hidden by a big, green and white golf umbrella, approached the bench. It was Marc. He looked around nervously.

 

"Come on," Tracy mouthed silently. "Don't get creative. Just make the delivery and walk away." Marc fumbled in his pocket and brought out Tracy's yellow thumb drive. Tracy zoomed in on Marc with her camera as he kept fiddling with the thumb drive. He was turned halfway away from her so she couldn't see exactly what he was doing.

 

"Come on," Tracy kept whispering inaudibly. "Be a good, little executive fuck toy and do what you're supposed to." As though he had heard her, Marc turned and looked in Tracy's direction. She froze, trusting her poncho, the darkness and the distance to hide her. That, and the fact that she had told Marc and Ms. Wilford she would be using her drones to track the drive. Eventually Marc looked away. Tracy slowly brought her hand back to her camera and zoomed out a little, letting it catch the area surrounding the bench.

 

Eventually Marc stopped looking around. He looked down to his hand where the thumb drive was before tossing it into the trash can. Then he hurried off down the path where he had come from. Then there was just the almost sizzling, white noise of the rain pouring down. Tracy imagined she could hear a plink, plink whenever the faint, yellow street light flickered, but other than that, nothing happened.

 

Suddenly, there was a flash and an almost immediate, deafening crash of thunder as the lightning struck somewhere nearby. Tracy thought she could see something in the bushes by the footpath. She switched the camera to thermographic, turning everything dark grey and black; everything except the bright heat bloom of somebody hiding in one of the bushes.

 

"Now what do we have here?" She zoomed in, trying to get a good picture. Unfortunately, thermographics was never made for identification purposes, so the face remained an unrecognisable white blur.

 

Tracy was so focused on the person in the bushes that she almost missed the movement by the trash can. Tracy turned the camera back and switched off the thermographics when she saw no heat signatures. Something reminiscent of a bug the size of a small plate was scuttling out of the trash, holding Tracy's thumb drive in its pincers. It fell from the opening, but instead of hitting the ground, it rose with the unmistakable whine of high-speed rotors.

 

Shit, they're using a drone for the pickup.

 

Tracy fumbled in her pocket for the remote control for the tracker. She pressed the button and the little light on the remote switched from red to a blinking yellow.

 

"What the..." Tracy pressed the button again, but the light stubbornly refused to change to green.

 

"Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit." Tracy reached for the briefcase on the ground next to her. She opened it and lifted the largest of her camera drones out from its foam housing. Unlike its smaller cousins, this one was capable of operating without Tracy having to steer it manually. In one fluid motion, Tracy switched it on and threw it up in the air.

 

The rotors started up almost immediately and it rose up with a buzzing sound like the world's biggest wasp. Tracy had programmed it to follow the signal from the thumb drive, and failing that, it would try to track movement below. The amount of rain, however, made the latter option a long shot. She pressed the button on the remote one more time, but the light still didn't turn green.

 

"So much for plan B," Tracy grumbled. She rose, leaving the briefcase and tripod with the camera, and ran down the hill towards the person hiding in the bushes. Whoever they were, they were her last chance of finding out what was going on.

 

Tracy half ran, half slid down the hill, branches and twigs scratching noisily against her poncho. The figure in the bushes looked in her direction, obviously having heard her. There was a flash and a sharp crack of thunder.

 

No, not thunder. A gunshot. The fucker's shooting at me?

 

Tracy wanted to turn around, or hide behind something, anything. But her legs, apparently having made a deal with her momentum, just kept going. There was another shot, the bullet hitting the trash can with a metallic clunk.

 

The figure turned and tried to run, but slipped on the mud and fell. The gun landed in a puddle, out of reach of both of them. Tracy dove forward, landing with her elbow in the man's stomach in a move that would have made a pro wrestler proud. The man folded up, coughing and moaning. Tracy picked herself up and was about to give him a kick when she recognised him.

 

"Marc?!?"

 

Marc was too busy gasping for breath to answer.

 

"What the hell are you doing here?"

 

"Help-helping Mistress Nalah," he wheezed.

 

Tracy had a sinking feeling. "What did you do?"

 

Marc rolled over on his side and tried to sit up. "Tracking bug," he coughed, "on... on the drive."

 

"Gimme."

 

"Wha...?" Marc asked with a bewildered look.

 

"The bug tracker. Now!" Tracy demanded, trying to sound extra bossy in the hopes it would speed things up.

 

Marc fumbled in his pockets and held out a small, cracked, plastic rectangle. Tracy grabbed it, noting the silver company logo above the small screen.

 

TeraTech Electronics: Fantastic range, but shitty transmitter shielding. That could explain my tracking problems.

 

Tracy left Marc in the mud and ran back towards her equipment.

 

"Call 'client one'," Tracy told her phone as she struggled up the slippery slope.

 

Ms. Wilford answered almost immediately. "Yes?"

 

"Bullit here. Is the money still there?"

 

"Yes, it's still all here," Ms. Wilford started. "No, wait. They just moved it."

 

"Password?" Tracy suppressed a curse as she slipped and almost fell.

 

"Not yet. Do you have them?"

 

"No. Still working on it," Tracy said between gasps of breath as she reached the briefcase and knelt down next to it. "There was a complication. I'll call you back."

 

Tracy hung up and pulled out her pocket knife. She used the screwdriver to pry open the casing of Marc's tracker, cutting a small gash in her hand when it slipped. Ignoring the stinging, Tracy examined the circuitry inside, quickly finding the receiver and reading its frequency from the little sticker on it. She dropped the tracker and grabbed the drone remote. The screen showed a map of the park and the drone's search pattern. Tracy input the new tracking frequency and the drone immediately picked it up, abandoning its previous pattern and homing in on its new signal.

 

Tracy's phone rang.

 

"What do you mean 'There was a complication'?" Ms. Wilford asked sharply when Tracy picked up.

 

"I thought we agreed that you were to follow the drop-off instructions, or did I misunderstand something?" Tracy glanced back down to where she had left Marc, but he was gone.

 

"Yeah, that's the deal."

 

"So what's the deal with Marc sabotaging my plans by putting a cheap and obvious bug on my thumb drive?"

 

"He did WHAT?!? Where is that little fucker? Is he still there? Marc! If you can hear this, don't bother coming to work tomorrow!"

 

There was a beep from Tracy's remote control indicating that the drone was approaching its target. Tracy switched from the map to the camera view and the small screen showed a parking lot. There were maybe a dozen cars; no lights or movement.

 

"Look, I still have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. With a little luck, whoever they are didn't notice Marc's bug, or if they did, they're going to be greedy and ask for more since you tried to track the drive. Either way, we still have a shot at finding them. it's just going to be a little trickier and take a little longer."

 

"Just. Find. Them." Ms. Wilford hung up.

 

Tracy left the drone in a holding pattern above the lot and picked up her equipment. Marc had already scurried off to wherever he stayed when he wasn't under Ms. Wilford's desk, leaving the gun in the puddle where he had dropped it. Tracy picked it up before heading for the car. She didn't like guns, but leaving it for someone else to find wasn't an option.

 

Too many irresponsible idiots running around; and not just Marc.

 

By the time Tracy reached the car, she was panting and sweating, cursing the poncho for trapping so much of her body heat. She put the camera and the drone remote on the passenger seat. Then she pulled off the poncho and threw it in the back along with the empty briefcase. For a little while, she just stood there, letting the rain cool her down. Then, before she got too wet, she got in and started the engine.

 

The drive to the parking lot didn't take long; maybe ten or fifteen minutes. Tracy's attention was divided between the road, which was wet and slippery, but thankfully empty, and the screen showing her drone's bird's eye view of the parking lot. Only one car had left the lot since she started driving, and she had a good picture of the car and its licence plates. Hopefully the cameras in the area would help her get a picture of the driver. The thumb drive still hadn't moved, but Tracy hadn't had time to check if the car, or its driver, had been anywhere near it.

 

Tracy picked up her camera and used it to quickly scan the lot. No heat sources; human or engines. As the drone slowly descended, Tracy saw the thumb drive in a puddle. She got out and carefully picked it up. To Marc's credit, the tracker dot that he'd put on on the drive at least matched its colour, but it was still obvious if you knew what to look for. And Tracy had no reason to think the blackmailers didn't. They had been smart about avoiding identification; cryptocurrency payment, drone pickup and quick transfer of the money. So Tracy doubted there would be fingerprints on the drive, but maybe she was lucky and they had screwed up. She put it in a paper bag and put the paper bag in a plastic box of rice she kept in the car precisely to dry out wet electronics. Even if there weren't physical fingerprints, there would be electronic ones.

 

Tracy picked up the drone and put it in the back of her van before climbing in herself. She started the computer and began scanning for available wifi networks. Again, Tracy doubted that the blackmailers would have used an open network when they transferred the money, but at the moment, long shots was pretty much all she had.

 

Thanks a lot, Marc.

 

At least there weren't too many networks in the area. Tracy shuddered to think what the list would have looked like if this had happened downtown. Since pretty much everything in the area was closed for the night, there shouldn't be too much computer traffic to sort through.

 

Tracy loaded a sniffer program to copy the details about the last twenty minute's traffic on the open networks. She noted down the names and details of the protected networks so she could come back the next day to check them out.

 

She debated whether she should have the last can of energy drinks while driving home. On the one hand, it was late and drinking it might keep her up even later, but on the other hand, she was thirsty and really tired. The adrenaline rush of tackling Marc had been a great pick-me-up, but the problem was that as soon as it wore off, it seemed to take with it all the caffeine stored in her system. Concern for her fellow drivers won, and at the next red light, Tracy opened the can and emptied it before the light turned green. She grimaced at the taste. She would have preferred the original what-our-chemical-engineers-think-strawberries-taste-like flavour, but the store had been sold out and all they had had left were the we'll-pretend-this-tastes-like-kiwi-but-all-you-get-is-a-furry-tongue flavoured ones. But caffeine was caffeine, and hopefully, drinking it on an empty stomach would mean that it'd kick in quickly.

 

By the time Tracy reached home, she had gone through most of what she called the energy drink caffeine cycle. She had seen individual air molecules vibrating, had tingly fingers and a pounding pulse. Now she was crashing; her stomach was grumbling and her brain itched. She parked in the parking garage across the street and made her way back to the office, being eternally thankful for her landlord having fixed the elevator.

 

Tracy stumbled through the door. It was a struggle to even open the boxes with her equipment so it would dry while she slept. There was only one thing she wanted to do before getting out of her damp clothes and falling into bed. Tracy opened her fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. She knew better than going to bed thirsty. She peeled off her clothes, lay back on the bed and put on a diaper before wrapping herself in her blanket. After all, she also knew better than going to sleep with a rapidly filling bladder without taking some precautions.

 

 

***

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 2 of 13)

 

When Tracy woke up, sunlight was streaming in through the blinds, there was a warm body hugging her from behind and her diaper felt swollen and damp. All things considered, not a bad way to start a day. As she stirred, one of the arms encircling her reached up to brush the hair away from her face.

 

"Good morning," Kat purred in Tracy's ear.

 

"Mmm." Tracy smiled and wriggled closer.

 

"Did you have a good night?"

 

"Mmm-yeah, and no."

 

"Oh?"

 

"Ransomware attack. They wanted me to ID the attackers. Should have been easy enough."

 

"There was a snag?"

 

"There was a snag." Tracy sighed.

 

"What happened?"

 

Tracy quickly summed up the events of the night before, leaving out the names of Marc and Ms. Wilford. When she got to the part about Marc shooting at her, Kat sat up.

 

"He shot at you?!?"

 

"Mm-hmm. Good thing he wasn't hired for his aim."

 

"It's not funny," Kat said pointedly. "What if he'd hit you. He could have killed you."

 

"I know. I just... I don't know what came over me. All I wanted to do was to duck behind something and hide, but my legs just didn't want to stop."

 

"Stupid legs." Kat gave Tracy's thigh a playful, little slap. "And after your little Gus Sonnenberg moment? Then what? Did you find them?"

 

"Who's Gus Sonnenberg?"

 

"A wrestler back before the Second World War. Did a lot of flying tackles."

 

Tracy blew a little raspberry at Kat. "You're such a nerd."

 

"Come on, I can just see it. My little bunny jumping up and landing on Bob with a squish, her generously padded butt pinning him to the ground."

 

"His name isn't Bob," Tracy pointed out. "And I wasn't wearing my diaper at the time."

 

"Oh shush. My version is cuter and more cartoony." Kat reached down and gave Tracy's diaper a squeeze. "So if you weren't wearing your diaper in the rain, why is it wet?"

 

Kat teasing her like this was nothing new, but it never failed to make Tracy blush.

 

"Aww, did my little girl wet herself?"

 

"Yeah," Tracy admitted in a whisper, hiding her face behind her hands.

 

"And?"

 

"Kaaat," she pleaded.

 

"You have to saaaaay it," Kat sang.

 

"Change me? Please?"

 

Kat wriggled herself out from under Tracy. "On one condition: That you eat a proper breakfast."

 

"Yes, mom." Tracy rolled her eyes.

 

"Hey, I mean it. You can't live on that shit you're eating."

 

"Okay, okay." Tracy knew better than to continue the discussion. She kicked the blanket aside and felt the warm sunlight on her bare skin. Lying exposed like that, wearing nothing but a diaper, and a wet one at that, would have been unthinkable for Tracy only a few months ago. But Kat had cured her of that. Tracy hated the expression, but one baby-step at a time, they had managed to make her comfortable enough to wear only her diapers. At least in her own bedroom. When she slept over at Kat's, she would still insist on wearing a comically oversized t-shirt as a night dress.

 

"You know that if I change you, you're going to be wearing diapers all day, right?" Kat said in a mock-serious tone. That had been another one of their little rules: If Tracy put the diapers on herself, she was allowed to stop wearing them whenever she wanted. But if she asked Kat to do it, Kat got to be a bossy mom for the rest of the day and keep her in diapers for as long as she felt like.

 

"Do I have to? I have to go out and talk to people today."

 

"Hey, you're the one who came up with the rule. If you don't like it, you can always change yourself."

 

"But I don't wanna," Tracy whined. "I like it better when you do it."

 

"Aww. Is my little bunny feeling needy?" Kat stroked Tracy's cheek.

 

"Maybe a little."

 

Kat smiled and chuckled as she got out of bed. She took Tracy's hand and helped her up. Tracy felt the diaper sag a little as she stood.

 

Kat led Tracy to the bathroom which was so small that there was barely enough room for the both of them to be in there at the same time. Kat slowly undid the tapes and pulled the diaper off Tracy, bundling it up and putting it in one of the plastic bags that Tracy had in the bathroom for just that purpose. She had made sure they were different from the ones she used for all her other trash so they'd be harder to trace back to her if anybody went dumpster diving.

 

"OK Häschen, you get in the shower and get cleaned up, and mommy'll be waiting in the bedroom with a fresh diaper for you."

 

Tracy felt it was a little weird that Kat referred to herself as 'mommy' when they were together like this, but Kat seemed to like it. Also, since Kat insisted her clients call her 'mistress' or 'ma'am', it helped Tracy separate their time together from Kat's job. Knowing that whatever they had together was different from what her clients had, made it feel even more special.

 

"Now hop to it Häschen," Kat said and gave Tracy's butt a playful, little swat, derailing her train of thought. Then she squeezed past Tracy and left the bathroom.

 

Tracy stood under the warm spray and felt the water rinse away the sweat and dirt from the night before. She hadn't realised how grimy and dirty she had been before looking down and seeing what the rain hadn't managed to wash away.

 

How did Kat even bear to snuggle up to me like she did?

 

Eventually Tracy felt clean enough and stepped out of the shower. She quickly dried herself and wrapped a dry towel around herself. It was a little shorter than she would have preferred, barely covering her butt, but Tracy told herself that she probably wouldn't be wearing it for very long.

 

When she came out of the bathroom, Tracy saw that Kat had put on a t-shirt and sweat pants and changed the sheets on her bed.

 

Probably just as well. Those sheets were most likely just as ripe as me.

 

"Come here sweetie," Kat purred. When Tracy came closer, she held out her hand.

 

"Towel," she said softly, almost whispering.

 

Tracy knew that it was pointless to argue. She undid the towel and handed it to Kat who spread it out on the bed. Tracy realised that Kat was giving her the whole package deal and not just a quick diaper change.

 

Standing naked in the middle of the room while Kat finished her preparations felt awkward; more awkward than being diapered by Kat. The feeling of vulnerability that came with being naked in front of someone else was something Tracy doubted she'd ever get over. When Kat was actually putting the diaper on her, she would give Tracy a feeling of just being cared for. It made lying there naked feel completely different from how it felt when she was just standing there, almost like she was on display.

 

Kat patted the towel and Tracy obediently sat down on it and lay down on her side and rolled over on her back, putting herself dead centre on the bed. She looked to both sides, noted her position and smiled.

 

I always did have good aim.

 

"What's so funny," Kat asked.

 

"Oh nothing."

 

Kat spread Tracy's legs and knelt between them, slowly running her hands up the outside of Tracy's thighs. As her hands moved inwards, Kat scratched Tracy's pubic stubble with a fingernail and frowned.

 

"We should take care of that, don't you think? Itchy babies can get so very cranky."

 

Oh shit. She's in full mommy mode. Definitely not a good night.

 

Tracy realised that this was something Kat needed as much as she did. She nodded.

 

"Will you do it?" Tracy asked quietly.

 

"Of course Häschen. You just lie there. I'll take care of everything." Kat crawled backwards off the bed and walked to the bathroom. She returned a minute later with a damp washcloth, a can of shaving foam and a razor.

 

Kat quickly gave Tracy a pair of foam undies. Then she leaned in close.

 

"Now hold still my er... my little cream puff. We wouldn't want any nicks or cuts, would we?"

 

Kat slowly and carefully ran the razor across Tracy's skin, removing every trace of stubble. It didn't take very long, and when she was satisfied with the results, Kat wiped away the leftover foam with a clean corner of the washcloth. Tracy shivered briefly as the newly shaved skin was caressed by an otherwise imperceptible draught.

 

"There we go. All smooth. Doesn't that feel better?" Kat's voice took on a sweetly maternal tone.

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

"Now you be a good girl and lie here quietly while I put away these things. Can you do that for me?"

 

Tracy nodded. Kat disappeared to the bathroom. She stayed in there a while, but when Tracy heard the toilet flush she breathed a little sigh of relief.

 

At least she's not in there crying.

 

That had happened once before, after Kat had had a session with a long-time client who had died shortly thereafter. That night had been when they had found out that letting Kat do her mommy thing to Tracy helped them both deal with the stress of their jobs.

 

Kat emerged from the bathroom, picked up one of Tracy's diapers and knelt down between Tracy's legs again.

 

"Now let's get you properly dressed," she said cheerfully and unfolded the diaper. Tracy lifted her hips to let Kat slide it in under her.

 

As Kat sprinkled baby powder on Tracy, she gave her inner thigh a little pat with the back of her hand.

 

"So, after you did your wrestling thing, what happened?"

 

"I followed Marc's signal to a parking lot, but I was too late."

 

"So that's Bob's name." Kat smiled and pulled the diaper up between Tracy's legs. Tracy suppressed a groan as she realised what she had revealed. "Let's hope nobody entrusts you with state secrets."

 

Kat taped the diaper in place and crawled off the bed, putting the baby powder into the plastic box under the bed where Tracy kept her diapers. Next she piled the blanket and pillows up in a heap at the head of the bed and sat down in front of it, leaning back. She spread her legs and patted her thigh. Tracy wriggled her way up between Kat's legs until she was lying with her head against Kat's stomach.

 

Kat began stroking Tracy's damp hair. "So, if you were too late to the parking lot, who are you talking to today?"

 

Tracy smiled and leaned back. Despite the heat of the bedroom and the sunshine, the warmth from Kat's body felt wonderful. "Mmmm, right now I seriously want to say 'nobody'. Can't we just stay like this all day"

 

"Now, now. We can't have you shirking your responsibilities like that. Now tell me who you're talking to."

 

Tracy sighed. "Just the companies around the lot. I'm thinking maybe the blackmailers hitch-hiked on one of their networks. So I need to get a look at their logs for last night."

 

"I think I smell a sneaky plan." Kat chuckled. "Either that or..." Kat reached down and patted Tracy's diapered crotch.

 

Tracy closed her eyes. "Mmm, they're about to be visited by an agent for an obscure law enforcement agency."

 

"Sounds like I'm going to have to come along to make sure you don't get into trouble. And besides, who knows when you might need a change."

 

"Kaaaat," Tracy whined, knowing full well it wouldn't work. But she still felt that her pride required the attempt.

 

"Isn't pretending to be a cop illegal?"

 

Tracy grinned. "Only if you actually claim to be a cop. If they only assume it, you're not technically breaking the law."

 

"Oh you're a sneaky, little bunny."

 

"A sneaky, little bunny with an official-looking ID-card," Tracy added.

 

"And is the sneaky, little bunny hungry?"

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

Kat reached down next to the bed and brought up a plastic box. She placed it on Tracy's chest and pulled the lid off. Tracy tried to get a better look at what was inside, but Kat put a forearm across her chest to keep her from moving.

 

"Now don't do that or you'll spill it. Food goes in your mouth, not on the sheets." Kat lifted a carrot stick out of the box and dipped it in some kind of creamy dip before feeding it to Tracy.

 

"Like it?" Kat asked as she picked up a second carrot stick and ate it.

 

"Mm-hmm." Tracy nodded while she chewed.

 

"Better than those terrible energy bars, right?"

 

Tracy wrinkled her nose. "Mmmyeah, they're yucky. But carrots don't taste so great after ten hours in a hot ca-mmmph." Kat interrupted her by shoving a new carrot stick into her mouth.

 

"That's no excuse for not eating properly. Sounds like I'm going to have to keep an eye on you and those bad habits of yours for longer than just today."

 

Tracy looked up at Kat and rolled her eyes. Kat only smiled in return and fed Tracy a piece of something yellow with a slightly peppery taste. For a couple of minutes they didn't say anything. Kat kept feeding Tracy and slowly stroking her hair. Eventually the box was empty and Kat just wrapped both arms around Tracy and held her close.

 

"Tough night?" Tracy asked. They had always been able to talk about what was wrong, although Kat sometimes used her maternal role to talk about things as if talking to a child. Tracy found it a little weird, but at the same time oddly comforting. Kat's silence today, however, worried her.

 

"Yes and no," Kat answered after a long silence. "I ran into someone I didn't know was in town while I was out with my client. And she didn't realise I was working before things got... really awkward."

 

Tracy grimaced.

 

"I don't really want to talk about it," Kat continued. "At least not now. OK?"

 

Tracy nodded.

 

"Good." Kat gave the top of Tracy's head a kiss. "So, time to fill in your new partner about the case. Who are we working for? And did they manage to unlock their computers? Your clients, I mean."

 

Tracy shrugged. "No idea. They might not like that Marc tried to track them, so maybe they'll demand more, or maybe just not give them the passwords out of pure spite."

 

"But you tracked them too," Kat pointed.

 

"Yeah, but I'm good at hiding it. But anyway, I'll talk to Ms. Wilford later today, so I'll find out if they've been in touch again."

 

"So for the moment we're working as if nothing has changed. Computers still locked."

 

"And sex tape still ready to be revealed." Tracy added.

 

"There's a sex tape too? Do tell."

 

"I haven't seen it, obviously. But apparently the blackmailers used the webcam on Marc's computer to catch his providing Ms. Wilford with some... executive stress relief."

 

"Oooo. A bit of secretary action? Naughty." Kat wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, making Tracy chuckle.

 

"Did you at least get a look at it?" Kat asked.

 

"Nah. And I wasn't about to ask her for a copy."

 

Tracy had to admit to herself that she was a little curious about the sex tape. Marc wasn't an unattractive man and the idea of him kneeling naked under a desk was an appealing thought. Although in Tracy's mind, Kat was seated at the desk instead of Ms. Wilford; and Marc had morphed into the only one of Kat's clients she had ever met: A nameless woman that had looked a lot like Tracy.

 

It wasn't like Tracy wanted to be the woman under the desk, but she would like to watch.

 

"I'd offer you a penny for your thoughts," Kat said, interrupting Tracy's train of thought. "But I'm pretty sure I can guess."

 

Tracy blushed, and when Kat saw it she continued. "I guess we'd better get moving if we're going to track down your porn."

 

"It's not my-"

 

"Oh shush. Do you have another one of those ID cards?"

 

 

***

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 3 of 13)

 

Tracy steeled herself before opening the car door. The comfortably warm morning had turned into a miserably hot and muggy day. She was feeling sweaty despite the air conditioning in Kat's car. The grey pantsuit she was wearing didn't help. The fabric felt itchy and stiff compared to the cotton and synthetics she usually wore, but it did make her look more official; more like a government employee. In addition to the uncomfortable clothes, her diaper felt hot and clammy, even though she hadn't used it. At least not yet.

 

Tracy looked over at Kat, who looked infinitely more comfortable in a crisp, black suit and tie. Her usually messy hair was slicked back and she looked more like an agent in some shadowy government agency that shouldn't be named, than the semi-legal drug-dealer and part time dominatrix she was. A part of Tracy's mind wondered if the suit was one of her 'work'-outfits, while another part didn't want to know the answer to that question.

 

"How many more?" Kat asked. She sounded like she was bored and beginning to regret tagging along.

 

"Only two more." Tracy tried to sound more cheerful than she was. If Kat was bored, she might decide to make things more interesting by embarrassing Tracy in some subtle way that would go unnoticed by everyone else, but would still make her feel incredibly self-conscious.

 

"I still can't believe they give you the info, just like that."

 

Tracy grinned. "The whole trick is to have the right attitude. You have to... sort of give off this air of entitlement.  Like when you ask questions, you expect them to be answered immediately and respectfully; when you ask them to do something, you expect immediate compliance."

 

Kat grinned and arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not a closet domme?"

 

"Fuck you," Tracy rolled her eyes at Kat.

 

Kat kept grinning. "Is that supposed to be an insult or a to-do list?"

 

Tracy sighed. "Can you at least try to take this seriously?"

 

"Yes ma'am. Absolutely ma'am." Kat quipped back and opened the car door.

 

The outside heat overwhelmed the air conditioning and forced Tracy out as well. She stood and adjusted her jacket. She knew her diaper was thin enough not to cause a noticeable bulge, but it still felt huge.

 

"Ready?" Tracy took a deep breath and tried to shift her attitude to 'I-expect-immediate-compliance'.

 

"Yeah. Let's just get this over with." Kat put on her sunglasses. "I'm beginning to think that your idea of staying in bed wasn't so bad."

 

Tracy didn't answer. She just gave a little smile and walked towards the entrance to the ambitiously named ProtoDev Global.

 

The door was locked, but when Tracy knocked on the glass, the woman at the front desk looked up from her screen and buzzed them in. Tracy stepped inside the blessedly cool front office.

 

"Yes? How can I help you?" the woman asked. She looked at Kat who had taken up position by the front door and stood at a parade rest that would have made a drill sergeant weep with pride.

 

"Ah, "We're with the Internet Data Integrity and Oversight Division." Tracy flashed her ID, making sure her thumb was covering the name of her fictitious agency.

 

"I.D.I.O.D.?" the secretary asked hesitantly.

 

Tracy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes yes, make the jokes and get it out of your system. I'm just glad they didn't find a word beginning with T instead of Division."

 

"Treaty?" the woman suggested.

 

"Not. Helping," Tracy replied icily. "Look, we need to speak to whoever's in charge of your IT-department."

 

"That'd be me," the woman said.

 

"Right. Last night someone used a network in this area for some activities that I'm not at liberty to discuss. I would appreciate it if you could check to see if there was any unusual traffic on your network between one and one-fifteen last night."

 

"Don't you need a warrant for that kind of information?"

 

Tracy took a deep breath. "How many networks do you think you can access from here?."

 

"A lot?"

 

"Yeah. And if I want to root through their records, I need a separate warrant for every single network. Do you have any idea how much paperwork I have to fill out for every single one of those warrants?"

 

Tracy leaned on the desk and spoke quietly. "I'm not asking you to give me the data. I just want to find out if there's any point to filling out all that paperwork. If they didn't use your network, that's one less warrant to fill out."

 

"Is that legal?"

 

"Technically, yes. After all, you're not giving me the data, you're just checking for suspicious activity. And if you happen to find anything, you're just being a concerned citizen by letting me know that I should get a warrant. Or, if it's OK with your legal department, you could give me the data. That would probably be the least disruptive course of action. For your business, I mean." Tracy glanced back at Kat who had barely moved a muscle. Her living statue act was really quite unnerving.

 

"I have to check on some things. Do you mind waiting a couple of minutes?"

 

"Not at all."

 

Tracy watched the woman disappear through the door to the back of the building. She leaned forward and glanced surreptitiously at the computer. She hadn't locked it before leaving. Tracy looked around for surveillance cameras. Not seeing any, she brought out black box the size of a pack of cards. Tracy nonchalantly put it on the front desk next to the computer and pressed the button on it.

 

If she's this careless, why shouldn't I give myself access.

 

The button flashed green a couple of times, signalling that it had copied the necessary credentials to access the system. Tracy slipped it back in her jacket pocket and looked back at Kat who still hadn't moved. A small bead of sweat was making its way down the side of her neck where the sunlight hit it.

 

Tracy walked over to Kat and leaned against the wall next to her.

 

"What do you think?" Tracy asked quietly.

 

"I bet she'll say that legal insists on a warrant before letting you know anything," Kat whispered, barely moving her lips

 

"Oh? What makes you think that?"

 

"Come on, there's no way they're not doing something shady, if not downright criminal back there."

 

"I don't know."

 

Kat pulled her sunglasses down her nose and looked at Tracy over the top of them. "Tell you what, I'll make you a bet. If they let you know anything at all, I'll take you out for dinner tonight."

 

"And if they don't?"

 

Kat leaned closer. "You're still dry, aren't you?" she whispered.

 

"Kat," Tracy hissed.

 

"If they want a warrant to let you know anything at all, we're not leaving this building until you're wet. I'm guessing you should have some 'reserves' ready to make that happen." Kat smiled almost imperceptibly and pushed the sunglasses back up.

 

Before Tracy had a chance to reply, the door opened and the woman returned. Tracy walked back to the front desk.

 

"I'm sorry," she said. "But our attorney says, and let me get this right, 'if you want to go fishing in our pond, you'd better have a permit'."

 

Kat touched her ear. Then she cleared her throat. "Agent Hopper?" she said, "HQ needs us to handle a leak."

 

Tracy had to force herself not to roll her eyes. "Seriously?" she asked.

 

"Orders," Kat replied curtly and shrugged.

 

Tracy leaned on the front desk and sighed heavily. She tried to make it sound like a sigh of frustration as she let go.

 

The diaper was hot and clammy enough that there's wasn't even the usual warm rush. Instead, the itching was replaced by a momentary swelling feeling as the trickle increased to a steady stream. For a few moments, Tracy felt the wetness pool between her legs.

 

How the hell is she able to make me agree to do this with a single word? And actually make me go through with it too. It's not like I'd ever come up with this on my own. Peeing in my diaper in front of a complete stranger, like I'm a... baby? Is she just doing more mommy-things? Mommy-domming? Mommynatrixing?

 

Tracy could already feel the diaper begin to swell. In a minute she would be waddling in a very un-governmental-agent manner. She tried to clamp down and stop it so she wouldn't have a leak, but it was no use. Luckily she hadn't had a full bladder so the stream soon turned back into a trickle and stopped completely.

 

"I guess we'd better go handle that leak then," Tracy said and rolled her eyes. She pushed herself away from the desk and turned to walk to the door. Kat opened it and the blast of hot air from the outside instantly made Tracy feel sweaty. The fresh heat trapped around her crotch didn't exactly help; nor did the flush of shame from having done what she just did.

 

"We'll be back with that warrant later," Tracy said over her shoulder. "Unless the other companies have what we need," she added just before the door closed behind them. Making a conscious effort to not waddle, Tracy headed for the car.

 

"Why do you do that?"

 

"What do you mean?" Kat opened the passenger side door of the van for Tracy.

 

"Make me... you know..."

 

"Well, you are my little baby girl today. And good little girls do what their mommy tells them."

 

"Kaaaat."

 

"Now, no more whining. You get in the car before I just change you right here in the back seat."

 

"Oh you wouldn't." Tracy stared at Kat who gave her a steely look.

 

"Do you want to try me?" Kat said quietly, her voice a velvet glove around an iron fist.

 

"No," Tracy admitted meekly.

 

"Good. Now get in. We have to go back to HQ."

 

Tracy eased herself inside. She knew it was impossible, but she could have sworn she heard the squelch that she felt when she sat down. Kat got in behind the wheel and put a hand on Tracy's knee.

 

"Want to get changed before hitting the last place?"

 

"Mm-hmm." Tracy nodded. "I don't think we'd be very credible as highly trained government agents if I waddled into the office like a duck."

 

"A very cute duck though," Kat pointed out. Tracy just looked back at her.

 

As they headed back to where they had parked the van, Tracy had to stop herself from trying to slide back and forth in her seat. The humiliation of having been made to wet herself in front of a stranger, didn't diminish the way her wet diaper felt.

 

And did I actually get forced into doing it? After all, I could have just said no and just wet myself afterwards. Do I like this? It's terrifying, but it also feels really good, kind of like the first times I wore diapers...

 

"Sweetie. No playing with yourself in public." Kat's voice interrupted Tracy's train of thought. Tracy quickly pulled her hand away from her crotch. She looked away, her cheeks burning.

 

Why do I keep losing control like that when I'm with Kat?

 

"Does my little girl want a little alone-time before I change her diaper?"

 

Kat's question only made Tracy blush even harder. "No," she mumbled and focused her attention on the street outside.

 

"Are you embarrassed Häschen?" Kat reached over to stroke Tracy's hair.

 

"Why do you make me do this?" Tracy asked, still facing away. "I don't think it's fun at all."

 

"First of all, I'm not making you wet yourself. You're choosing to do that yourself. And I'm only telling you to do these things because I think that deep down, you like it."

 

"No I don't," Tracy protested. "It's humiliating."

 

"That's what you said about wearing diapers too. Remember?"

 

"That's different. I wasn't wearing them, and certainly not wetting them, in public."

 

"Baby steps Häschen, baby steps." Kat pulled up next to Tracy's van that they had left parked in a back alley. "OK, we're here."

 

Tracy opened the door and eased herself out of the car, wincing at the squishing sensation as she turned in her seat. She felt the diaper sag a little as she stood and hoped there hadn't been a leak on the short ride.

 

Apparently Kat had read her mind again. "Relax. No wet spots," she said.

 

Tracy opened the side door of the van and climbed inside. Kat locked her car before joining Tracy in the back of the van. She closed the door, plunging them both into the stuffy gloom.

 

Kat sat down on the box behind the passenger seat and patted her lap. As Tracy sat down, she spread her legs so Tracy's diaper could hang between her thighs. Then she wrapped her arms around Tracy's waist and pulled her closer.

 

"Are you upset with me?" Kat asked as she rested her chin on Tracy's shoulder.

 

"It's just... Sometimes it feels kind of like you're working through your frustrations by going all mommy on me. Maybe we could try, I don't know, talking about it? Instead of having me piss myself in public, I mean."

 

"The way you were behaving in the car tells me you did like it; even if you won't admit it." Kat played with Tracy's belt.

 

"I'm serious Kat. You need to tell me what's bothering you." Tracy swatted Kat's hand away.

 

Kat sighed heavily. "Fine. But promise you won't get weird about it all."

 

"Kat, I'm sitting on your lap wearing a wet diaper and suspecting you're about five minutes away from gagging me with a giant pacifier. Who am I to be all judgy?"

 

"Now that you mention it, a gag like that would be really cute."

 

"Kat," Tracy said as sternly as her position allowed.

 

"Fine, fine. But can you at least pretend to be my little baby girl and let me change you while we talk?"

 

Tracy turned and looked at Kat.

 

"Please?" Kat asked, suddenly sounding very small and insecure.

 

Most of all, the tone in Kat's voice just made Tracy want to hug her and say that she didn't have to talk about it, but she realised that that wouldn't solve anything and this, whatever it was, was something that needed to be dealt with.

 

"OK," Tracy said and rose. She checked that the curtain between the front of the van and the back was completely closed before beginning to undress.

 

While Tracy took off her jacket and pulled down her pants, Kat spread a blanket out on the floor of the van. She had to push Tracy's bean bag chair and the suitcase with her drones all the way to the back of the car, but when she was done, there was enough room to lie down.

 

Tracy, in the meantime, had kicked off her shoes and stepped out of her pants, and stood there wearing only a white shirt and her slightly sagging diaper. When Kat was done with the blanket, she squatted down and crawled onto the blanket before lying down and rolling over on her back. Kat spread Tracy's legs and knelt between them.

 

"Aww, is my widdle baby girl wet?" she asked in a high-pitched voice.

 

"Uh-huh." Tracy nodded. Then for good measure, she put her thumb in her mouth. "An I'm mot bun ye'," she said around the finger.

 

If this doesn't get her talking, nothing will.

 

"OK, wha' happeped las' nigh'?" Tracy asked.

 

"Once upon a time," Kat began while she sat down on the blanket, resting Tracy's legs across her lap and slowly stroking Tracy's thigh. "Deep in the forest in a faraway land, was a magical town called... Urwald. And in Urwald lived a little girl named Katarina.

 

Oh man, she's really going full out here.

 

Tracy took the thumb out of her mouth long enough to ask "Was she a pretty princess?"

 

"They didn't have princesses in Urwalt, but she was pretty. She had long, blonde hair, and she was smart. Really smart."

 

"Just like you?" Tracy asked, playing along.

 

"Yes, I guess. She loved playing in the woods and learning about all sorts of flowers and plants. Now, one day, a new family came to Urwald. They were a mommy and a daddy and two girls and a boy. They were kind of strange because they all only had one name. The mommy and daddy were called Sierra and Marley, and the children were Rosemary, Coriander and Basil."

 

"Are you kidding?!?" Tracy looked at Kat in disbelief. Kat nodded seriously.

 

"They came from a different country called Oregon, and only the grown-ups knew the language they spoke in Urwald. Well, they knew a little of it, but their children didn't. So some of the children in Urwald had to teach them."

 

"Mm-hmm?" Tracy tried to seem interested as she felt a small trickle of pee escape her to tickle its way down to pool by her butt.

 

"Now, since Katarina was the same age as Coriander, she got the job to teach her."

 

"Makes sense," Tracy mumbled.

 

"Coriander was smart too and she learned the language really quickly, and she and Katarina became really good friends. They did everything together. They went exploring in the woods, they played house together; they even practised kissing together."

 

"Sounds like they were really good friends," Tracy said and grinned.

 

"The best." Kat smiled wistfully. "In fact, when Katarina was thirteen and Coriander was fourteen, they ran away and planned to get married."

 

"Mm-hmm." Tracy was beginning to see where this was headed. She took Kat's hand in hers and gently stroked it. "Kat? Did you run into your ex-girlfriend last night?"

 

"Wife, actually." Kat looked down.

 

"Wife?"

 

"Yeah," Kat said sheepishly. "Cory and me actually did get married. The priest was high as a kite when he did it, but it's still valid."

 

"And did she know you were... 'working'?"

 

"OK, are you done?" Kat gave Tracy's diaper a little squeeze.

 

"Kat?" Tracy asked, not letting her change the topic.

 

"Not at first," Kat admitted. "But I think she figured it out."

 

"Oh?"

 

"My... date calling me 'Mistress Katarina' probably gave it away."

 

"I guess. And what did she want? Or was it just random?"

 

"I don't know. She did say she wanted to talk later." Kat crawled back between Tracy's legs and began undoing the tapes. "Now, is mommy's little bunny done?" she said, effortlessly slipping back into her mommy role.

 

I guess I'm not getting anything more out of her yet.

 

Tracy nodded and lifted her hips to let Kat pull the wet diaper out from under her. Kat spread her legs enough that Tracy' thighs rested on hers and her butt was hanging in mid-air. The cool touch of the wipes Kat used to clean her sent a shiver up Tracy's spine. Being cleaned like that was her second favourite thing about wearing diapers.

 

Kat held up the tube of anti-rash cream. "Do you want the cream?"

 

"Uh-huh."

 

"Use your words Häschen. Do you want the cream?"

 

"Yes please."

 

Kat squirted out a generous amount on Tracy's mound and began to spread it out, making sure she got into every nook and cranny. When Kat's slick hand slipped between Tracy's buttocks, she giggled and twisted.

 

"Stop fussing sweetie. We're almost done." Kat dried her hands and pulled a fresh diaper out of the bag she liked to call Tracy's diaper bag. She unfolded it and slid it in under Tracy's butt. Then she eased herself backwards, lowering Tracy onto the diaper.

 

Kat cocked her head and looked at Tracy's crotch. "It's almost a shame to cover this up. Isn't it, my little, glazed doughnut?"

 

Tracy just stuck out her tongue. Kat laughed and pulled the diaper up between Tracy's legs and taped it in place. She added a long strip of duct tape across the front in case she got some of the diaper cream on the tapes.

 

"There, isn't that better?" Kat stroked the diaper.

 

"Mmm-yeah."

 

"Good, because you have to get dressed. There's still one more company that needs a visit from the idiot agents."

 

Tracy sighed and rolled over. When she got up on all fours, Kat squeezed her diapered butt, making Tracy let out a surprised squeak.

 

"Kat!"

 

"Sorry, Mommy just couldn't resist. Your little baby butt just looked so adorable."

 

Tracy stood and pulled on her pants, tucking the shirt inside. "You know we're not done talking about last night, right?" Kat shrugged non-committally and picked up the blanket, stuffing it into the diaper bag.

 

 

***

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 4 of 13)

 

"Fuuuuuuuck!" Tracy's drawn-out curse was directed at the universe in general and her lack of progress in particular. She crumpled up the printout she had been working on. It was a rainbow of highlighter ink and pencil notes. She had gone through nearly all the records from the companies near the parking lot, and so far she had only found one lead that had looked promising. Of course, that lead had also turned out to be a dead end. Just somebody using the network to watch porn in the middle of the night.

 

Tracy only had three sets of records left. Thankfully, those records were digital. Tracy cursed the other companies for having wasted her time by only giving her hardcopies.

 

You'd think they'd want to be more cooperative with something as official-sounding as the I.D.I.O.D.

 

Tracy looked out of the office window at the rooftops shimmering in the afternoon sun. The only sound in her office was the slight rattle of the air conditioning unit and a low hum that was a mixture of the cheap fluorescent lights and the traffic a couple of streets away.

 

Kat had dropped Tracy off at her van after they had visited the last of the companies she wanted records from, leaving Tracy to do the boring part of her job.

 

"Now you be a good, little girl while mommy runs some errands and maybe you'll get a treat," she had said and kissed Tracy's cheek.

 

Tracy worried a little about Kat's mommy kick. Whatever was on her mind was obviously a big deal and Tracy was pretty sure it had something to do Kat's... ex-wife? It still felt weird to think of Kat as married. She decided that she would have to continue their talk the next time they were together.

 

Just then Tracy's phone buzzed briefly

 

 

Kat:

Soooo, wie geht's? Find anything useful?

 

Tracy:

Nothing yet. Only 2 left.

Kinda buzzed frm hi-litr fumes ;)

 

 

The reply came almost immediately.

 

 

Kat:

Well-behaved little bunnies don't get

high without their mommies. ;-)

 

 

Tracy couldn't help rolling her eyes. She stuck a pencil behind her ear, put her thumb in her mouth and made bambi-eyes at the camera as she took a picture and sent it to Kat. She knew she shouldn't play into Kat's refusal to deal with her issues, but mommy-and-bunny-time was their thing and she didn't want it to stop; even if Kat sometimes took it a bit further than Tracy liked.

 

The phone buzzed again.

 

 

Kat:

Aww... Is my little Häschen still padded and comfy?

Or does she need a change?

 

Tracy:

Still wearing & still dry.

 

Kat:

Enjoy the afternoon.

Mommy will come pick you up at seven tonight. :-*

 

 

Tracy read that last message a couple of times, going over it in her mind.

 

"Mommy", not "I". Is she planning on keeping this up tonight? I guess we're going to have to a little discussion about that.

 

Tracy returned her attention to the computer that was busy cross-referencing the information she had already entered with the records from the last two companies. So far, nothing looked out of the ordinary. It was already at just over forty percent. Another half hour or so and it should be done.

 

Tracy turned her chair around and put her feet up on the windowsill. Looking out of the window, she saw a man working on an antenna on the roof of the building across the street. He wasn't wearing a uniform and when Tracy got up and looked down on the street, she couldn't see anything that looked like a company truck.

 

Tracy rolled the drone suitcase over to the desk and opened it. She brought out one of her medium-sized drones and carefully put it on the desk. Next she turned on the remote control unit and pulled out the control cable, letting it hang over the edge like a fat, yellow, spiralling snake.

 

After opening the window a little bit, Tracy rolled the suitcase over to her sofa and laid down. She moved her hair out of the way and plugged the control cable into the socket behind her right ear.

 

Tracy felt her body grow heavy as the familiar sensation of the security paralysis set in. When the tunnel vision began, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the drone's sensory input replace her own.

 

After a few more seconds of darkness, Tracy found herself on the football-field-sized desktop, looking at her own giant body. She looked up and down, left and right, testing the movement of the camera. Stretching her fingers, she could feel her little pincers scrape against the fake wood. A quick thought turned the rotors on, momentarily drowning out all other sound. The noise-cancelling software activated soon enough, reducing it to a low hiss. Then, with a twitch of her buttocks, Tracy took off.

 

Tracy hovered above the giant desk for a few seconds. Then, she slowly flew towards the window, slipping out through the barely big enough crack.

 

The updraught from the street made Tracy shoot up and almost hit an air conditioning unit on the floor above. She cut the throttle and gravity pulled her in a graceful arc that gave her a little distance from the wall. At the apex of the arc, Tracy nudged the throttle back up and stabilised herself. She hovered for a few moments, getting her bearings, and then headed across the street.

 

Tracy increased her altitude to get a better view of the rooftop. The man was still there. Tracy circled, trying to get a look at his face, but his cap and the fact that he was looking down all the time prevented her from seeing anything other than his rather large ears.

 

Landing on another antenna, Tracy crawled down to get a better angle. She almost had it when the man looked up and immediately dove to the ground, rolling behind a ventilation duct.

 

What the hell?

 

Before she had a chance to do anything other than power her rotors back up again, the man popped back up and pointed a... something at her. Tracy's field of vision tumbled end over end as her rotors lost power and her controls froze. She fell uncontrollably, hitting a junction box at the base of the antenna before coming to rest upside down on the roof. Tracy was about to try disconnecting and reconnecting when she saw the man vault over the duct he had been hiding behind. She barely had time to snap a quick picture of his face before she was treated to a close-up of his boot, coming down hard on the camera.

 

Tracy's eyes shot open. The sofa felt like it was a boat in a storm. It took a couple of precious seconds before she had control of her limbs again and could pull the control cable from her skull.

 

"Fuuuck," Tracy breathed. There was still a residual tingling in her hands and feet from the safety paralysis and abrupt disconnection, but she rolled off the sofa and crawled over to the window, carefully peeking out at the building across the street. The roof was empty, at least as far as she could see, although there were plenty of places to hide.

 

Tracy grabbed her pepper spray and ran out, barely pausing to make sure the door locked behind her. She ran down the stairs, almost tripping over some cardboard boxes on the second floor and emerged from her building into the baking sun. The door of the building right across the street was locked and refused to budge when Tracy shook it. Peering into the narrow alley between the building and its neighbour, Tracy saw a fire escape. She had to climb onto a garbage container to reach it and as she climbed it, it creaked ominously and sprinkled flakes of rust into the alley below.

 

Panting for breath, Tracy reached the top of the fire escape. She crouched and quickly peeked over the edge of the roof. She couldn't see anybody, but there were more than enough of places to hide. Tracy slipped over the edge and crouch-ran to the nearest vent. Gripping the pepper spray tightly, Tracy slowly made her way towards the antenna, ducking from cover to cover.

 

Tracy reached her goal without seeing anyone. She crouched silently and listened, but couldn't hear anything. Suddenly there was a screech of tires and the roar of a powerful engine. Tracy rushed to the edge of the roof and looked down, catching the rear of a black car turning the corner at high speed a block down the street.

 

Tracy walked back to the antenna the man had been working on. Examining it more closely, she realised it was some kind of directional antenna and that it was pointed right at her office window. The control box at the base of the antenna was still open and Tracy crouched down to get a closer look.

 

"Yeah, that's going to need a specialist to figure out," she said to herself. Tracy pulled out her multitool and detached the top of the antenna and the control box from the pole and tucked them both under her arm. The roof access door turned out to still be unlocked, a piece of duct tape having been taped across the lock, so Tracy could just take the stairs down instead of the fire escape.

 

Once she was on the street, she headed for the parking garage. The security booth was shockingly empty.

 

"Jamal?" Tracy called, the absence of the ever-present, old security guard suddenly worrying her. "Jamal!"

 

"Hold your horses, I'm coming. Just gimme a minute." The voice came from around the corner. Tracy hurried there and saw Jamal closing and locking a well-concealed door.

 

"It's getting to be so bad that an old man can't even go to the bathroom," he grumbled as he walked back towards his booth.

 

"Jamal, this is important. I need you to check your tapes to see if a car drove past here the last three or four minutes. A black one."

 

"With lots of horsepower? And a driver who's still not entirely used to it?"

 

"You saw it?"

 

"Nah." Jamal shook his head. "Heard it though. Plus those are a dead giveaway." He pointed at the skid marks on the street in front of the parking garage exit.

 

"It was in here?" Tracy felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. "How long?"

 

Jamal put his newspaper down next to the old computer terminal in his booth and tapped a few keys.

 

"You in some kind of trouble again?" he asked as he frowned at the screen and then tapped a few more keys.

 

"I'm beginning to think I might be."

 

"Ah, there we are. It came in here about five hours ago, prepaid for a day."

 

Jamal squinted at the camera feed while he fiddled with the controls, skipping back and forwards on the recording.

 

"Looks like the same guy in the car both coming and going." He jotted something down on the corner of his newspaper, before tearing it off and handing the scrap of paper to Tracy.

 

"I'm guessing you want the license plate," he said with a wink.

 

"Thanks." Tracy knew that there weren't any cameras inside the garage itself. That was one of the reasons she used it. Now that had come back to bite her in the arse. Five hours was more than enough time to bug her car before going up to the roof to work on the antenna.

 

Tracy thought back. Five hours ago she had been out of the office, pretending to be a government agent.

 

Shit! They could have gotten to the office as well.

 

"Jamal, can I borrow your phone?"

 

"Yeah, sure." Jamal fished out a positively ancient phone and handed it to Tracy.

 

She racked her brain until she remembered the number she wanted. The phone rang while she tapped her foot impatiently. After what felt like forever, a gruff voice answered.

 

"You have five seconds before I hang up."

 

"Marko, it's Tracy. I'm going to need you to make good on that favour you owe me."

 

"I thought we were even after I helped you with that redhead with the huuuuge-"

 

"Okay, okay," Tracy interrupted. "I still need that favour though."

 

There was an exasperated sigh on the other end. "What?"

 

"I need a complete clean-up. Two-room flat and a car."

 

"That's a pretty big favour. It's not going to be free."

 

"Fine," Tracy said through gritted teeth. Marko's services weren't cheap, but he was one of the best counter-surveillance guys she knew.

 

Besides, I can probably bill Ms. Wilford for it.

 

"How old is... the dirt?" Marko asked.

 

Tracy rolled her eyes at Marko's insistence on using code phrases. The man was professionally paranoid, which was annoying, but also made him very good at his chosen profession.

 

"Probably no more than four hours, but it might be as old as twenty-four."

 

"And is it a rush order?"

 

"Marko, It's my own office and car we're talking about here, so yes, it is a bit of a rush order."

 

"Fine, fine. Don't get your panties in a bunch."

 

Oh you have no idea just how bunched-up my underwear feels right about now.

 

Tracy sighed. "Just do me a favour and do the car first."

 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be right over."

 

Tracy hung up and handed the phone back to Jamal.

 

"Sounds like you're in more than just a little trouble." Jamal put the phone back in his pocket and sat down.

 

"Yeah, I might be," Tracy admitted. "Look, I need to get some stuff from my office. If a guy that looks like a cross between Santa and a Russian mobster shows up looking for my van, could you let him know where it is?"

 

"Sure. Your usual spot?"

 

"Yeah. I'll just leave this here." Tracy put the antenna and control box down next to Jamal's chair. "I'll be right back."

 

 

***

 

 

Tracy jogged across the street and took the elevator up to her floor. Once she was in her flat, she grabbed the bright yellow bag containing all of her diapers. It was the only thing she was sure couldn't have been bugged. If Marko was coming to do a complete bug sweep, she wanted the bag out of the flat. Marko was good at his job, but he was also pathologically curious, so she had no intentions of leaving him alone with anything embarrassing.

 

Next Tracy grabbed her laptop, external hard drive, her box of thumb drives and all the printouts and put them in the suitcase with her drones and the remote control gear. She considered slipping into the bathroom to get rid of her diaper, but since she had no idea if there were hidden cameras, she decided against it.

 

Good thing I didn't wet it yet.

 

She gave her office one last, quick check before pushing the suitcase out and locking the door.

 

While waiting for the elevator, Tracy pulled out her phone and turned it off. Then she pulled the SIM-card and and the high-capacity storage chip and put them both in a plastic pocket in the back of her little notebook.

 

Let's see you try to bug my phone now.

 

When Tracy rolled her suitcase up to Jamal's booth, he was back in his usual position: Chair tilted up against the back wall of his booth, the newspaper crossword puzzle on his lap, one pencil in his hand and a spare one behind his ear. He looked up as the wheels on Tracy's suitcase rattled across a grate.

 

"No communist Santa yet," he said.

 

"It's still early. Marko takes a lot of detours. To 'throw off whoever's tailing him' or whatever his paranoid delusion du jour is.

 

"He a member of the tinfoil hat brigade?"

 

"If he's off his meds, yeah, then he's nuttier than squirrel shit. But if he was, he'd never leave his bunker to help me out."

 

Jamal nodded and returned his attention to the crossword puzzle. "Giant Gaul; starts with an 'A'?"

 

"Asterix?" Tracy suggested.

 

"Only five letters. And besides, Obelix was the big one." Jamal sucked the top of his pencil.

 

"Then I don't know."

 

Tracy sat down on the curb next to the booth. The next five minutes passed in silence.

 

"So, what is this thing?" Jamal asked and nodded towards the antenna next to his chair.

 

Tracy shrugged. "I don't know exactly. It's some kind of antenna that the guy in the car had pointed right at my office."

 

"That doesn't sound very good."

 

"Sure doesn't. I'm hoping maybe Marko can tell me just what it is."

 

Again, Jamal just nodded and they sat in silence a while longer.

 

Tracy was just about to get up and stretch her legs a little when an old, tan van rumbled up the street, turned into the parking garage and sputtered to a stop. Behind the wheel was a huge beard with a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap on top. It almost looked like Cousin Itt wearing a disguise.

 

"New car Marko?" Tracy asked sarcastically?

 

"Go ahead and laugh," he said, lowering the sunglasses to look at her over the top of them. "But they can't mess with the electronics if the only electronics is the radio. I'm not dying in a mysterious single-car accident. Nuh-uh."

 

"Riiight." Tracy rose with a grunt. She slung the diaper bag over one shoulder, tucked the antenna under her arm and then grabbed the handle of her suitcase.

 

"Jamal? Just put him on my tab, would you?"

 

"Sure, sure," Jamal said and just waved Marko through as he raised the boom.

 

Marko followed Tracy down the ramp to her car. He parked next to it and opened the door, easing his considerable bulk out with a groan from the car's suspension.

 

"Wanna take a look at this before we start?" Tracy held out the antenna.

 

"I guess. What is it?" Marko switched out the sunglasses with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses.

 

"I was kinda hopin' you could tell me."

 

Marko poked around in the control box, moving wires around to get a better look at the circuit boards. After a minute or two, he looked up with an expression like a junkie looking at a pile of his favourite drug marked with 'Free samples'.

 

"Can I have this? Please? I've wanted one of these for ages."

 

"Depends. What is it?"

 

"Super-sensitive electromagnetic sensor."

 

"Sooo, not a bug?"

 

"Oh, this is not 'a bug'. This is a highly sophisticated piece of surveillance equipment. This puppy can detect the radiation coming from a computer screen with so much detail that it can basically read a screen through a wall."

 

Tracy swallowed. This was sounding more and more worrying.

 

"Are you sure? That sounds awfully sophisticated for a bunch of ransomware hackers."

 

Marko chuckled. "Tell you what, you let me have this thing, I'll give your stuff the full scrub and still let you say I owe you one."

 

Tracy had to stop herself from whistling. "Throw in one of your burner phones and we have a deal."

 

Marko nodded and opened the side door of his van, putting the antenna and control box inside. He rummaged around in a plastic storage bin and pulled out a mobile phone, still sealed in its plastic packaging and tossed it to Tracy. Then he got a big tool box out and closed the door.

 

"Mind checking this stuff first?" Tracy opened the suitcase and removed the printouts, but leaving all the electronics in place.

 

"Not the other bag?" Marko asked.

 

"I've had it with me all day. No way they could have got to it."

 

"Fair enough."

 

 

***

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 5 of 13)

 

Fifteen minutes later, Marko declared her suitcase and its contents clean. Three locator bugs and a microphone lay in the coffee can he used as a Faraday cage.

 

"You still need to check the computer and phone for malware, so I wouldn't use'em just yet."

 

Tracy nodded. "How long do you think the car'll take?"

 

"An hour, an hour and a half maybe. Cars are easy since you need different kinds of transmitters. Plus they're smaller. Would be a lot faster if you didn't have electronics in the car. Then I could just fry everything with my EMP-bomb."

 

"That thing you built out of a microwave oven?"

 

"Oh, I've improved it since then. I use it every week on my car, just to make sure they aren't tracking me."

 

"Every week?!? That can't be healthy."

 

Marko shrugged. "My nuts are toasted so I'm not having any kids. But I wasn't planning on that anyway."

 

"Right. Well, no EMP-bombing my car, OK? I'll go get some lunch. You want something?"

 

"Nah, I'm on a new diet." Marko turned on a headlamp and turned towards Tracy's van. "Keys?"

 

Tracy handed him the car keys. "I'll be back in an hour then."

 

"Wanna leave the suitcase here? I promise I won't look."

 

Tracy laughed. "We both know you won't be able to keep that promise." She grabbed the suitcase and her diaper bag and headed for the exit.

 

Once she was out on the street, Tracy wrestled the new phone out of its packaging and pulled the little plastic tab out to activate the battery. Next she sent a text message to Kat.

 

 

Tracy here. Equipment bugged.

Probly car and office 2.

Be careful. Will call later.

 

 

Then she looked up Ms. Wilford's number in her notebook and sent her a text too.

 

 

Tracy Bullit here. This may be

more serious than we thought.

Get a burner phone and call me

back on this number. Do NOT call

from your home, office or car.

They may be bugged.

 

 

To Ms. Wilford's credit it didn't take her more than ten minutes to call Tracy back. It sounded like she was calling from inside a wind tunnel.

 

"Where are you calling from?"

 

"Ms. Bullit, this is not my first rodeo. I'm on the roof of my office building. And before you ask, I'm the only one up here. Now talk to me."

 

"I'm guessing you still haven't gotten the password."

 

"No."

 

"You probably won't get it either. I don't think this was about money. If it was, they wouldn't bother bugging me, using equipment so sophisticated it made my counter-surveillance guy drool, and then just abandoning it when they were discovered."

 

"Good point."

 

"Now, if they're willing to spend that much on me, I'd imagine they've spent even more on you. I would assume your office, car and home have more bugs than the mattress in a cheap motel. We need to talk and go over what I've found. I'll call you in about an hour to let you know where."

 

"I'll have our security guys do a full sweep here in the meantime," Ms. Wilford said.

 

"Oh, and you should probably warn Marc too. Even if you did fire him."

 

"Not following orders like he did, he can go fuck a duck." Ms. Wilford hung up.

 

"Ooooo-kay," Tracy said to the dead line. She put the phone away and looked up and down the street, weighing her options. After a couple of minutes, she headed for the petrol station one block over.

 

Five increasingly sweaty minutes later, she walked through the doors and was met by a cold, almost frigid blast of air. For a second, Tracy just stood there, feeling actual goosebumps on her bare arms.

 

She pushed the suitcase to the giant fridge in the back and grabbed a couple of cans of it-may-not-taste-like-oranges-but-at-least-it's-got-the-colour-right energy drink. After a few seconds' hesitation, she also grabbed one of the untouched-by-human-hands-and-should-probably-stay-that-way sandwiches, checking its date to make sure it wasn't expired. Then she headed for the cash register.

 

The pimply-faced teen behind the plexiglass screen took a few moments to notice Tracy and look up from his phone. When she had paid, Tracy asked to borrow the key to the bathroom.

 

"That's for customers only," he pointed out.

 

"I kind of figured as much." Tracy took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Her diaper had absorbed enough sweat to feel uncomfortably hot and itchy.

 

The teen stared at her blankly through the plexiglass; Tracy stared back. She slowly lifted one of the cans she had just paid for and slowly waved it back and forth.

 

"I bought these."

 

"You don't have a car," the teen said smugly. He was clearly enjoying the tiny measure of power he felt like he had. "No gas, no piss," he added unnecessarily. He moved to stand between Tracy and the hubcap the petrol station apparently used as a key ring as if he was worried she could reach through the barrier to grab it from its hook on the wall.

 

"Seriously..." Tracy looked at the name tag, "...Bob? Is this really how you want to do this?" She tried to sound menacing, but knew that it wasn't working.

 

"Fine, be that way." Tracy turned and left. On her way out, she stopped at an elaborately stacked display of cans of motor oil. She moved a few of the bottom ones to deliberately make the whole display unbalanced.

 

"Come on; really?" Bob said. "Do you have to do that? It took me forever to stack those."

 

"Well, I think it looks better like this." Tracy nudged one of the bottom cans with her foot, making the whole thing wobble. "But then again, if I were a customer, I might care a little more about not making the lives of the employees here more miserable than they already are."

 

"Fine fine fine. You win." Bob grabbed the hubcap from the wall and pushed it through the barely large enough slot in the barrier. "Now will you please stop?"

 

"Of course," Tracy said with a smile. She grabbed the hubcap and headed for the door to the bathroom next to Bob's plexiglass cage. She could see him breathe a sigh of relief as she moved away from the wobbly display of motor oil.

 

Once inside the bathroom, Tracy locked the door, put her diaper bag on top of the suitcase and opened it. She dug around inside until she found a thick, plain plastic bag and her box of baby wipes. Then she undid her jeans, pulling them down. The white plastic backing of her diapers peeked out over the top of her bright pink boxer briefs. They weren't really her style but they were a compromise between Tracy's more girly panties, which looked ridiculous over the diapers, and the big plastic panties Kat sometimes wanted her to wear to prevent leaks. Tracy pulled the briefs down as well and tore the tapes open, ripping the plastic backing. As she pulled off the diaper, the smell of stale sweat rose from it. Tracy was suddenly very glad she hadn't used the diaper before this whole thing started.

 

Tracy put the diaper in the sink and cleaned herself off with the wipes as best she could, putting the used ones in the diaper before rolling it up and putting it in the plastic bag and tying it closed. For a few moments she thought about putting on a fresh diaper, but decided against it. When she pulled the briefs back up, there was a familiar feeling like there was something missing, and when she pulled up the jeans, they too felt oddly loose. Tracy smiled. She loved the roomy feeling of not wearing diapers after having worn them for a while almost as much as the tightness of having just put one on.

 

Tracy checked herself in the mirror one more time, then she flushed the toilet for appearances' sake and washed her hands. When she exited the bathroom, she saw that the display of cans had been fixed and Bob was back in his cage. She put the hubcap on the counter and slid it through the slot in the plexiglass.

 

"Have a lovely day Bob," she said with an obviously fake cheerfulness and left, resisting the urge to kick the display on the way out. Tracy put the plastic bag with her diaper in one of the dumpsters next to the petrol station and then she headed back up the street.

 

When she reached the parking garage, Tracy waved to Jamal before heading down the ramp, but he was too busy with his crossword puzzle to give her more than a quick nod. Tracy sat down inside the rear hatch of Marko's car and watched him crawl around the back of her van, waving around what looked like three different devices duct-taped together.

 

"Want a drink?" she offered as she cracked open one of the cans she had bought.

 

Marko looked at her, his eyes comically enlarged by the goggles he was wearing. "Don't touch the stuff. Rots your brain."

 

"Since when? You used to have a six-can-a-day habit."

 

"Like I said: New diet." Marko ducked back inside the van.

 

Tracy took a bite out of her sandwich and chewed the rubbery cheese. She watched her van rock as Marko moved around inside it, muttering to himself

 

"Now where the fuck are you hiding you little sshhhi- Gotcha!" Marko emerged from the back of the van. "That's the last one," he said and dropped the bug into the coffee can. "Seven locators and two microphones. Somebody really wanted to keep tabs on you."

 

Tracy nodded and swallowed the final bite of the sandwich, washing it down with a mouthful of synthetic orange flavour. Then she got up and grabbed the coffee can.

 

"So what are you doing with those?" Marko asked as he picked up his tools.

 

"Oh, I figured I'd give 'them' something to follow," Tracy said and began walking down along the other parked cars, planting one bug on each of them. Then she gave Marko back the coffee can and handed him the spare key to her office. "Just leave the key with Jamal when you're done."

 

Marko took the key and picked up his big toolbox, locking his car and activating an absurd number of alarms.

 

"Oh, and Marko," Tracy said as she got into her car, "stay the hell out of my medicine cabinet."

 

 

***

 

 

Tracy tried to figure out where it would be safe to meet Ms. Wilford. She wanted somewhere loud enough that it would be hard to bug, and also outdoors so she could keep an eye on her car to make sure nobody bugged it again. She finally decided on the downtown street market.

 

It took Tracy less than twenty minutes to reach the market. The music from half a dozen stereo systems and countless conversations formed a near-constant noise that would mask most conversations. Tracy parked her car near a food truck and sent a message to Ms. Wilford where to meet her. Then she went to get some proper lunch.

 

Tracy was halfway through a plate of barbecue when Ms. Wilford showed up. She wiped her hands on a napkin and waved her over. Tracy had found a table right below a speaker blasting some generic k-pop. When she sat down, Ms. Wilford gave the food a disdainful look.

 

"What the hell is that?" she asked.

 

"Menu just says 'meat'," Tracy said. She pushed the plate to the middle of the small table. "Want some? It's pretty good."

 

Ms. Wilford pushed the plate back towards Tracy with a single finger. She looked like there had been a dead rat on the plate.

 

"I'll pass."

 

Tracy shrugged and put her napkin over the plate. This pretence of hiding the food seemed to put Ms. Wilford more at ease.

 

"So why did you want to meet me here?"

 

"We need to figure out what's going on, and my office hasn't been debugged yet. And based on the number of bugs we found just in my car, it's going to be a while until yours is clean too."

 

"That bad?"

 

"Seven location trackers and two mikes." Tracy held up nine fingers for emphasis. She could see Ms. Wilford almost whistle.

 

"I don't think the ransomware attack was a blackmail attempt," Tracy continued. "I mean, yes they tried to blackmail you, but that was just to cover up for something else. Otherwise they would have already given you the password or contacted you with a new demand for not following their instructions. I'm guessing that neither of those two have happened."

 

Ms. Wilford nodded affirmatively.

 

"So in a way, Marc's clumsy attempt to save the day was actually helpful. Just not in the way he thought it would be."

 

"He's still fired though. I can't have an assistant who can't follow simple orders."

 

"He tried to shoot me. I don't care if he never works again. But if whoever bugged me also bugged you, it's reasonable to assume he's bugged too. So you should probably let him know so he doesn't reveal anything to whoever did it."

 

Ms. Wilford considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Good point. But we still need to figure out whoever's behind this."

 

"Yeah, I've been giving that some thought." Tracy suddenly felt like a character in one of her hardboiled detective novels and wondered if the whole conversation would have been ever cooler in black and white.

 

"Obviously following the money is a good starting point. When you hired me, you said that using a backup instead of paying the ransom wouldn't really affect you too badly, right?"

 

"Yeah. We lost the logs from a couple of routine meetings and a deposition."

 

"And when was the, uh..." Tracy hesitated momentarily, "...recording, of you and Marc made?"

 

"A couple of days before the system was locked."

 

"So it's safe to assume whoever did this had at least partial access to your systems for at least that long."

 

Ms. Wilford nodded again.

 

"The deposition. Big case?"

 

"It's a divorce case; with lots of money that we can't find."

 

"And losing those logs is a big setback?"

 

"Pretty big, yeah." Tracy could see how being reminded of this annoyed Ms. Wilford.

 

Tracy really wished she had a fedora she could tip to just the right angle. She leaned in closer. "I think it's all connected to that case. Would you set up a meeting with your client when your office has been debugged? I think we need some more information before deciding on how to proceed."

 

Ms. Wilford rose. "I'll call you tomorrow. Same number?"

 

"Yep. I'll let you know if it changes."

 

"Good. And next, I pick where we meet." Ms. Wilford turned and left without waiting for an answer.

 

Tracy waited a little while, but the plate of luke-warm meat looked less appealing with every passing minute, and the music was beginning to annoy her. Eventually she got up and walked back to her car. leaving the rapidly cooling food behind.

 

Once inside the car, Tracy called Kat. She put the phone on speaker while she slowly made her way from the street market.

 

"Hello Häschen," Kat purred when she finally answered. "How are you doing?"

 

"I've had better days."

 

"Aww. You sound like you need a hug."

 

"Yeah..." Tracy paused. "Look, my place is off-limits until Marko gives it the all-clear. Do you mind if we just stay in tonight? I really don't feel like going out and also, my wardrobe is kind of limited to what I'm wearing right now."

 

"Of course sweetie. Do you still want me to come pick you up?"

 

"Nah. I'll come to your place. It'll be safer."

 

"Are you sure you're all right?" Kat sounded worried.

 

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Want me to bring anything? Take-out or something?"

 

"Nah. I'm making dinner. Oh, maybe pick up something to drink. Not any of those terrible energy drinks of yours. Wine; red wine. Something that goes with a spicy tomato sauce."

 

"I can manage that. Anything else?"

 

"Uhh... no, I can't think of anything else."

 

"OK, see you in..." Tracy checked her watch, "... about an hour or so?"

 

"Can't wait, my little bunny." Kat made kissy-noises before hanging up.

 

Tracy put the phone back in her pocket and began making a mental list of what she needed to do. Her regular phone was probably not infected with some kind of malware, but she had wirelessly tagged enough phones herself to know that she couldn't be sure. Her computer was almost certainly infected with something. Anybody bugging her office would have to be a complete moron to ignore the computer. And who knew what could be hiding on any one of the thumb drives.

 

Tracy stopped outside a small electronics store and bought a new thumb drive, making sure it had a write-protection switch. She plugged it into her phone and went online to download the programs she needed to clean up her computer and her regular phone.

 

"OK. Wine," Tracy said to herself. She resisted the temptation to head for a store with expensive wines. The chance of impressing Kat was weighed against the impossibly snooty attitude of the people who invariably worked in stores like that. Instead, she stopped at what looked more like a mid-range liquor store. The clerk was still snooty, but not intolerably so, and recommended a few different bottles that he said would work with the dish Tracy described. She pretended to think about it for a few seconds, then picked a bottle at random.

 

Back in the car, Tracy headed for the junk yard where Kat was still staying. At a red light, she had the creepy feeling of somebody watching her. There was a dark blue SUV she was sure she'd seen before. Tracy felt an uncomfortable knot in her stomach as it followed her through the turn. She turned left at the next light; the car was still there, two cars back.

 

"Well, that's not good," Tracy muttered to herself. She looked in the mirror again. The windows of the SUV were tinted so she couldn't really see who was inside. If it was somebody following her, she needed some way of finding out.

 

At the next light, Tracy didn't drive when it turned green. She just sat there, checking the mirror. It took about 3.2 seconds before the cars behind her began revving their engines or honking their horns. A second or two more and one of the cars behind her pulled out around her, the passenger giving her the finger as they passed. Another car followed closely behind the first. The SUV didn't move.

 

Just before the light turned red, Tracy stepped on the accelerator, making the van leap forward. She turned the wheel frantically to turn down a narrow side street amid a cacophony of horns. No-one followed her. Tracy kept going a little while longer before turning back onto a regular street. Over the next half an hour, she slowly made her way to the junk yard, taking numerous detours, doubling back and using every other trick she could remember for spotting a tail. She couldn't see any other cars that could be following her.

 

"God, I'm turning into Marko. Next I'll be wearing a tin foil hat and worrying about the contamination of my precious bodily fluids." Tracy took a final look in the mirror before stopping outside the gate to the junk yard. She left the car to unlock the gate in the chainlink fence and push it open. After driving through and locking the gate behind her, she waved at Diego who had come out to see who opened the gate.

 

"I see the alarm is working. Sorry. I didn't think you had turned it on yet," Tracy called out as she climbed back inside her van.

 

"You staying the night?"

 

"Probably."

 

Diego nodded and went back inside.

 

Tracy drove further in and parked next to Kat's shack. She grabbed the wine, slung her bag over her shoulder and dragged the suitcase with all her drones to Kat's door and knocked.

 

 

***

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 6 of 13)

 

Tracy knew that Kat was a bit of a social chameleon, but what opened the door still surprised her. Kat's hair was no longer slicked back like it had been earlier that day. Instead, it was back to the messy rats' nest that she had ended up with after getting rid of the dreadlocks a couple of months earlier. Also, the severe suit had vanished in favour of black sweatpants and tank top, and an honest-to-god flowery apron.

 

"You doing the whole hausfrau-chic?" Tracy couldn't resist a grin.

 

Kat ignored Tracy's comment and helped her roll the suitcase inside.

 

"So why did you bring half your office with you?" Kat pushed the suitcase to the side.

 

"Marko cleared it of physical bugs but I still need to run a full malware check on everything. Mind if I just get that started?"

 

"That depends." Kat wrapped her arms around Tracy and pulled her close. "We should probably get you changed first. I mean, if you're wet." Kat slid her hands down to cup Tracy's buttocks and gave them a squeeze. Then she stopped.

 

"Where's your diaper?" Kat asked sternly. Tracy felt a sinking sensation in her stomach.

 

"I had to take it off. I was all sweaty and itchy." Tracy couldn't help marvelling at how Kat could make her feel like a misbehaving, little girl with a single sentence.

 

"And did you have permission to do that?"

 

"Kaaat," Tracy whined.

 

"Did you?" Kat repeated.

 

"No," Tracy admitted with a slight pout.

 

"Bedroom. Now." Kat stepped back and pointed to her bedroom door.

 

"Really?" Kat set her bag on the floor.

 

"You're the one who made the rules, not me."

 

Tracy knew she couldn't win and headed for the bedroom. Kat took off her apron before picking up Tracy's bag and following her.

 

Kat closed the curtains and turned to Tracy. "Now, undress."

 

"Seriously?"

 

Kat gave her a cold stare. "If you keep misbehaving, I'll put you in a onesie for the rest of the night."

 

"You wouldn't."

 

"Wanna bet?" Kat raised an eyebrow.

 

Tracy looked back at Kat and saw she was not kidding. "No," she said and lowered her eyes. "I'll be good."

 

Tracy took a breath. "But can I use the bathroom first? I really have to go."

 

"That's what the diaper is for," Tracy pointed out.

 

"Yeah, but not this."

 

Kat paused as she realised just what Tracy was saying. "Okay, but make it quick. And you're coming straight back to the bedroom afterwards."

 

Tracy dashed out of Kat's shack and almost ran the house. She knocked on the door and waited for a few moments before entering.

 

"Don't mind me. I just have to use the bathroom."

 

Jessie was sitting at the desk working on something that looked like a spreadsheet on her computer and Tracy could hear Diego doing something in the kitchen.

 

"Oh, hey Tracy," Jessie said as she looked up. "How's business?"

 

Tracy shrugged. "Okay, I guess. If somebody's bugging my office, I must be doing something right, right?"

 

"Seriously?"

 

"I have Marko cleaning out my office."

 

"Marko? The..." Jessie whistled a cuckoo and twirled her finger at her temple.

 

"Yeah, that's the one. Anyway, he's debugging the office so I'm staying with Kat tonight."

 

"Oh, I'm sure that's the only reason," Jessie said and smirked.

 

Tracy felt her cheeks grow warm. She was pretty sure Jessie only thought she was sleeping with Kat, and that she had no idea about the diapers.

 

"Yeah, anyway, I just have to use the bathroom." Tracy inched her way towards the bathroom, suddenly eager to get out of the conversation.

 

"Sure, sure. I can take a hint." Jessie chuckled and returned to her spreadsheet. Tracy ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

 

Ten minutes later, Tracy re-emerged, feeling a lot lighter. Diego was on the sofa, channel surfing with one hand and eating a sandwich with the other.

 

"You two crazy kids have fun then, while me and Jessie play the old married couple." Diego half-saluted her with his sandwich.

 

Tracy hurried back to Kat's shack. As she opened the door, Kat's voice greeted her.

 

"Well, you certainly took your time."

 

"Sorry." Tracy headed for the bedroom. When she entered, she saw Kat had spread a towel on the bed and was sitting on it, fidgeting with one of Tracy's thick night diapers. She put the diaper down and rose, stepping close to Tracy.

 

"Diaper time," Kat said quietly. "Undress."

 

Tracy slowly undid her jeans and pulled them down along with her underwear. She kicked off her shoes and stepped out of the pants.

 

Kat walked around her, tracing a feather-light line along Tracy's hip and across her left butt cheek with a single finger. There was a creak as she stepped onto the bed. She reached over Tracy's shoulder with one hand and grabbed her chin, pulling her head back gently, but firmly.

 

"More," she whispered in Tracy's ear, and let go, stepping off the bed and walking around to face Tracy again.

 

Tracy swallowed and pulled her t-shirt up and over her head, then dropping it on the floor next to the jeans.

 

Kat reached up and slowly stroked Tracy's cheek and down her neck.

 

"More," she whispered, barely audibly.

 

Tracy struggled to pull the sports bra up the same way as her t-shirt, but its tightness made it hard to make it look as casual as the t-shirt. In the end, though, it joined the other clothes on the floor.

 

"Such a good girl." Tracy felt herself blush at the compliment.

 

How is she doing that?

 

"Now lie down."

 

Tracy sat down on the bed and lay back. Kat put a hand on each knee and spread Tracy's legs before crawling onto the bed to kneel between them.

 

"Lift your butt sweetie."

 

Tracy did what she was told and felt Kat slide something in under her. When she lowered her hips again, she felt the all too familiar paper-like sensation of a diaper. She let out an involuntary, little giggle.

 

"You like that?"

 

"Mm-hmm." Tracy bit her lip and nodded.

 

Kat gave her a generous dusting of baby powder and pulled the diaper up. Tracy wriggled her hips and tried to make contact with Kat's hand through the thick padding. Kat smiled and gave Tracy's diapered crotch a light slap.

 

"That's no way for a good, little girl to behave."

 

"I'm sorry," Tracy said and pouted.

 

Kat adjusted the diaper and taped it in place. "There; much better," she concluded and crawled backwards out from between Tracy's legs.

 

"No snuggles?" Tracy asked and made big Bambi-eyes at her.

 

Kat laughed. "Later Häschen. I have to keep an eye on the dinner. Now, you get dressed so you can fix your computer before we eat." She turned around and left the bedroom.

 

For a little while, Tracy just lay there in the orange gloom created by the late afternoon sun filtering through Kat's curtains. Then she sighed and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Sitting up, Tracy realised that the diaper Kat had put her in was far too thick for her to wear her jeans. She looked around, trying to find the overnight bag of clothes she kept at Kat's.

 

"Kat?" she called out. "Where did you hide my spare clothes?"

 

"Bottom drawer."

 

"Oooo, I have a drawer? That practically means I've moved in. Are we going steady?" Tracy asked teasingly.

 

"Well, I have to take care of my little baby, don't I? Now get dressed. dinner is almost ready."

 

"Yes, mom." Tracy pulled out the bottom drawer in the dresser next to the bed and found a pair of burgundy sweat pants and a white t-shirt. She got dressed and tied the drawstring so the pants wouldn't just fall off. When she walked out of the bedroom, the diaper made her waddle a little.

 

"Kat? Did you have to use the night diapers? You know they make me walk funny."

 

Kat turned to look at her. "But I love that sexy, little waddle of yours," she said. "Now come and taste." Kat dipped a teaspoon in the steaming pot and held it out to Tracy.

 

Tracy let Kat feed her the teaspoon of tomato sauce. The taste of tomato and onion and herbs filled her mouth, quickly followed by just a little too much chili.

 

"Mmm."

 

"You like it?"

 

"Yeah. Maybe a little bit spicier than I'm used to, but good," Tracy said diplomatically.

 

"The spaghetti'll probably help with that."

 

"Yeah, probably," Tracy agreed.

 

"OK, just give me another ten or fifteen minutes to boil the spaghetti and then we'll eat."

 

Tracy nodded. "I'll just get started on the computer in the meantime."

 

Tracy opened the suitcase and pulled out the laptop. After plugging the charger into the wall, she hooked the drone control unit and her phone up to it.

 

I might as well get everything done in one go.

 

"Kat? Can I borrow that ridiculously large USB-hub of yours?"

 

"Of course." Kat left the kitchen for a moment to disconnect an almost comically large twenty-five-slot USB hub from her desktop computer and hand it to Tracy.

 

"Does Diego know that you're up to your old tricks?" Tracy asked while she connected the hub to the laptop and began plugging all her extra thumb drives and external hard drives into it.

 

"What Uncle Dieter doesn't know, won't hurt him." Kat leaned down and gave Tracy 'the look'. "Right?"

 

"Mm-hmm." Tracy nodded.

 

"Good girl." Kat kissed Tracy's forehead and returned to the boiling water to drop the spaghetti into it.

 

Tracy found the thumb drive she had bought and made sure its write-protected switch was on so it wouldn't become infected with whatever might be on her computer and plugged it into the side of the laptop. Then she switched off the computer's wifi and turned it on.

 

The computer started up just like it always did. Messages complaining that the wifi was off and offering to help her fix it popped up almost immediately, both of which Tracy ignored. She accessed the thumb drive and started the cleanup program. It did a brief scan and listed the connected devices. Tracy checked the list to make sure that all her drones were listed, along with the remote control unit itself, her phone and everything that was plugged into the USB hub. Then she set the program to do a complete scan and cleanup. A status window popped up, letting her know that it would take an estimated two and a half hours.

 

"That's not too bad," Tracy muttered to herself. The estimate immediately jumped to eleven hours. "Yeah, that's more like it."

 

Tracy got up and went to help Kat set the table.

 

 

***

 

 

Half an hour later, Kat leaned back in her chair.

 

"Mmm." she sighed and closed her eyes. "I think I may have outdone myself this time."

 

"Yeah," Tracy agreed. "Best dinner I've had all week."

 

Tracy grabbed the plates and carried them to the tiny sink in the corner while Kat moved the kitchen table up against the wall to free up some room. Then they both sat down on the worn-out sofa. Tracy was beginning to feel the effect of a long and stressful day. All she wanted to do was to snuggle up to Kat and relax, but there was something that couldn't be postponed.

 

"Kat?" Tracy slid down until she lay with her head in Kat's lap, looking up at her.

 

"Mm-hmm?"

 

"I think we need to talk. About Cory."

 

Kat sighed.

 

"And not with story time. I mean really talk," Tracy continued. She felt that she should really be sitting up for this, but she just didn't have the energy. Also, lying like this might be the compromise between story time and an actual grown-up conversation that Kat needed.

 

"You know I love you, right?" Kat slowly stroked Tracy's hair.

 

"Yeah?" Tracy wasn't sure she liked where this could be headed.

 

"And that I'd never want to mess up our..." Kat hesitated, looking for the right words. "...whatever this is."

 

"I know," Tracy reassured her. "But ever since you ran into her, you've been going a little overboard."

 

"OK, this... what we have, I mean, it's different from my clients."

 

Tracy nodded, letting Kat do the talking, at least for now.

 

"But when Cory showed up, I realised something."

 

A small, sarcastic voice in the back of Tracy's mind couldn't help but point out how the otherwise hyper-confident Kat all of a sudden seemed very insecure and vulnerable.

 

"I... I think I still love her," Kat blurted out.

 

That felt like a kick in the stomach to Tracy, and it was obvious that Kat noticed. She pulled Tracy closer.

 

"It doesn't mean I don't love you anymore," Kat reassured her. "It's different."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"It's like... You know how when we're together it's all snuggling and comfort, right?"

 

"And you miss the sex?" Tracy asked after a short pause. The puzzle pieces were beginning to fall into place in her brain.

 

"Kind of, yeah. But it's not just that. You're both really special to me and I don't want to lose my best little girl."

 

"Ooo-kay?"

 

"I just really want to make sure you're OK with me and Cory." Kat paused and took a deep breath. "And I thought it'd be easier if you got to know her, maybe."

 

"Are you asking me to approve your girlfriend?"

 

"When you say it like that, I guess it's kinda weird."

 

"A little, yeah. And now you want me to meet her?"

 

Kat brushed Tracy's hair out of her eyes. "I guess I kinda am. I mean, Auntie Cory is important to mommy, just like mommy's little bunny is. And she really hopes you like her too."

 

Tracy could tell that Kat wasn't really in mommy-mode, but she decided to play along to see where she was going.

 

"When?" Tracy asked.

 

Kat hesitated.

 

"Kaaaat?"

 

Kat looked uncomfortable and actually squirmed a little.

 

"Tonight?" she finally said, in a very small voice.

 

"Tonight?!?" Tracy struggled to sit up. "Are you nuts? Do you see what I'm wearing? I have to get out of this before she shows up or she'll think I'm a complete nutcase." Tracy began clawing at the edges of the duct tape Kat had used to make sure her diaper stayed in place.

 

"No she won't," Kat said calmly and put a hand on top of Tracy's.

 

"But I'm..." Tracy shook off Kat's hand and continued to fumble blindly at the tape.

 

Kat grabbed Tracy's wrists and pulled her hands away.

 

"No. She. Won't," Kat said firmly. Then her tone softened. "Trust me." She let go of Tracy's wrists and brushed a stray lock of hair out of Tracy's eyes.

 

"Do you trust me?" she asked after a few seconds.

 

Interesting. Not 'do you trust mommy?'

 

The weirdly calm and analytical voice in the back of Tracy's mind pointed out Kat's choice of words and how she clearly wasn't in mommy-mode.

 

She's not just playing. This is serious.

 

"Yes?" Tracy said hesitantly.

 

"You're going to be just fine." Then Kat grinned. "And if mommy's little bunny is still feeling a little shy, she can hide in her big blanket." Kat patted the fuzzy blanket that lay draped over the back of the sofa. It was big enough for the two of them to snuggle up together under when they watched movies.

 

"Yeah, 'cause that's how a grown-ass woman behaves," Tracy remarked drily.

 

"Oh shush. She's going to love you just like I do." Kat paused and smiled mischievously. "Well, maybe not exactly like I do."

 

"But can I at least put on a thinner diaper?"

 

"Are you wet?" Kat asked back. Tracy shook her head. "Then no. If you're that worried, you can put on the tent."

 

'The tent' was an almost comically oversized hoodie that Jessie had bought for them as a gag gift. It was big enough for both Tracy and Kat to fit inside at the same time, provided Tracy was behind Kat. Not that that was likely to happen. After all, Kat was the big spoon, not Tracy.

 

"Maybe I will."

 

"You'll only look like you're trying to hide something," Kat said in her most infuriatingly reasonable voice.

 

"Well, I am trying to hide something," Tracy pointed out and sat up.

 

You're only making it more likely that she'll figure it out," Kat warned.

 

"I don't care." Tracy got up and headed for the bedroom to find the giant hoodie.

 

A few minutes later she returned wearing a sweater so big it could easily be mistaken for a poncho if it wasn't for the sleeves.

 

"You look ridiculous Häschen."

 

"Thanks Mom. At least my diaper bulge isn't out in the open."

 

"No, it certainly isn't. Now come here." Kat patted the seat next to her. Tracy sat back down and Kat pulled her closer. For a while they just sat like that.

 

This is just perfect. Why would Kat want to change any of this?

 

"She doesn't, stupid. She just wants something more. Something you can't give her. And can you really blame her? This isn't just about you, you know.

 

Tracy sighed and closed her eyes as she rested her head against Kat's shoulder.

 

"What is it?" Kat asked. She ran her finger through Tracy's hair. "Having second thoughts about Cory?"

 

"No, not really. I mean, I understand why you want her in your life, but it still feels kind of weird. It's kind of like having your girlfriend asking you about having a threesome. Part of me is going 'Interesting,' complete with wiggling eyebrows and everything. But another part is worried she's being replaced."

 

"Oh Häschen, she could never take your place. Mommy only has one little diaper-bunny." Kat kissed Tracy's forehead, giving her a serious case of what Tracy liked to call 'the fuzzies'; the warm and comfortable feeling that was like being wrapped in a big blanket and held closely and not having a care in the world.

 

"So, how long until she's here?" Tracy finally said.

 

"An hour or so, I guess."

 

"Mm-hmm." Tracy nodded and closed her eyes. It had been a long and stressful day and it wasn't over yet. Tracy took a deep breath and tried to will herself to relax.

 

There was one thing she could do that would make her feel really relaxed.

 

No. I'm not going to meet Cory like that. It's embarrassing enough that Kat is making me wear this ginormous diaper. I'm not going to be wet as well.

 

Tracy took another deep breath. Part of her just wanted the world to go away; to shrink until the only things that existed were Kat and her and the sofa, floating in a sea of nothingness. No sounds, except the sound of Kat's breathing. Tracy found that she was breathing in sync with Kat. In and out; slowly in, and then out again. It almost felt like Kat was growing bigger. The warmth radiating from her melting away Tracy's worries and...

 

A knock on the door brought Tracy crashing back to reality.

 

"I'll get it. It's probably Cory," Kat said and rose. "Did you have a nice nap?"

 

"I fell asleep?" Tracy asked, her brain not quite firing on all cylinders yet.

 

"I think you needed it. You were out like a light."

 

"Oh shit!" Tracy's hands flew to her crotch, giving her diaper a squeeze through the multiple layers of clothes. She breathed a sigh of relief. Still dry.

 

Kat crossed the room and looked over at Tracy, who nodded back. Then she opened the door.

 

 

***

[YourFNF]

Okay this is getting interesting. Trying to remember why Tracy and Kat can't have a romantic relationship? It was probably something they discussed and I'm forgetting😅🤷‍♀️

[Gummybear]

It's not that they can't.  Tracy loves the closeness and cuddling with Kat, but sex (at least in real life) isn't really her thing.  But keep reading.  There will be developments.

Also, thanks for commenting.😁

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 7 of 13)

 

The woman who entered was just as opposite from Kat as her uncle Diego. Whereas Kat was short and with a petite, almost boyish figure, Cory was built like a model. She was tall and curvy in all the right places. And to top it all off, she had a flowing mane of thick, auburn hair.

 

No wonder Kat's in love with her. She's gorgeous.

 

Tracy was immediately jealous and decided that she didn't like her.

 

Cory gave Kat about two seconds before wrapping her arms around her and giving her a hug, and a faceful of boobs.

 

Yeah, that's right. Just ignore me. I'm just the plain one wearing a giant hoodie; the background decoration.

 

Tracy's mental sulk was interrupted by Kat.

 

"Cory, this is Tracy; my... um, girlfriend, I guess."

 

Tracy decided she was going to play it cool for the time being and got up to shake Cory's hand. But before she knew what happened, Cory had wrapped her arms around her and was giving her a hug as well. The warm, musky smell from Cory's leather jacket tickled Tracy's nostrils.

 

Damnit! She even smells great. And how does she manage to wear leather in this heat without sweating? It's just not fair.

 

"Yeah, I guess I should have warned you. Cory's a hugger," Kat said as she sat back down.

 

"I noticed," Tracy remarked when Cory finally let go. "So... you're Kat's ex-wife?"

 

"Kati told you about that, did she?" Cory chuckled as she sat down next to Kat on the sofa. Tracy sat down in the worn-out armchair across the table from them and pulled her legs up until they were hidden inside the giant hoodie.

 

"Kat, please; not Kati. You know I can't stand that pet name."

 

"Why do you think I use it?" Cory grinned mischievously. "Anyway, it's not the whole truth," Cory continued.

 

"Cory..." Kat warned.

 

"What? She might as well know the whole story. So what did Kati tell you?"

 

"Um... That when you were fourteen, the two of you ran away and convinced a completely spaced-out priest to marry you."

 

"Yeah, that part is true. We even managed to keep it hidden for a couple of months. But the guy eventually sobered up and then the whole thing was annulled. Kati's dad was pissed. Kept on ranting about how marriage was an antiquated custom that only served to restrict true love and blah blah blah..."

 

"So he didn't have a problem with the two of you being together, only that you actually got married?"

 

Kat shrugged. "That, and mom was angry we hadn't told her."

 

"Well, she wasn't angry, 'just very, very disappointed'," Cory said with a laugh.

 

"Sounds familiar," Tracy murmured and gave Kat a look.

 

"Anyway, we stayed together for another couple of years, even got our own little place." Cory took Kat's hand and just held it.

 

"That's overstating things a little. It was a treehouse that was barely big enough for the two of us."

 

"Still, it was big enough for two sixteen-year-olds to play house."

 

Tracy looked up, her interest piqued. "Play house? So did Kat like to go all mommy back then?"

 

"Oh yeah. You wouldn't believe the things she convinced me to do." Cory blushed slightly. "Why? Is she still doing that?"

 

Now it was Tracy's turn to blush. "Kinda, yeah."

 

Cory turned to look at Kat with a raised eyebrow. "Reeeeaaally," she said. Kat just smiled awkwardly back at her, not saying anything.

 

For a few moments the three of them just sat there silently. Then Cory began to snicker, and within seconds Kat and Tracy had joined in. The next couple of minutes were filled with uncontrolled giggling. As soon as one of them managed to stop, a single glance at one of the others would simply restart the whole process.

 

Eventually, however, they managed to calm down. Tracy hated to admit it to herself, but despite her previous resolution she found it harder and harder to dislike Cory. She seemed like a genuinely nice person.

 

Tracy figured that probing deeper into Kat's mommy-tendencies from when she was younger might lead to some awkward questions for herself, so she made an effort to actively avoid that particular topic. This did not put a damper on the rest of the evening though, as Cory had more than enough stories about stupid things she and Kat had done when they were younger. The lack of bad mushroom trips, 'borrowed' motorcycles and almost getting caught while having sex in public in Tracy's past made her feel like she had had a very sheltered and quiet childhood.

 

Eventually, Tracy found herself nodding off and figured she should probably go to bed.

 

"I'm going to have to get some sleep. It's been a couple of really long days," Tracy said and yawned.

 

"Oh, well, it is getting kind of late," Cory said. "I should probably get going."

 

"You don't have to do that on my account. I'm sure you two have lots of catching up to do. And besides, I'm so tired I could probably sleep through an earthquake tonight."

 

The look on Kat's face told Tracy that that had definitely been the right answer.

 

"I'll come tuck you in, Häschen," Kat said and got up too. She turned to Cory and said "I'll be right back."

 

As soon as the door to the bedroom was closed and the two of them were alone, Kat looked at Tracy.

 

"Well?"

 

"Well, what," Tracy said, playing dumb.

 

Kat stepped closer and stroked Tracy's cheek. "Does Auntie Cory get the bunny seal of approval?"

 

"Kat, you don't have to go all mommy every time we talk about this. We have to be able to talk about this as grown-ups."

 

"Yeah, I suppose." Kat looked down.

 

My god. The only thing missing would be if she started scraping her feet.

 

"But yeah, she seems nice."

 

Kat beamed up at Tracy. "I'm so glad you like her." She gave Tracy a hug.

 

Tracy pulled off the giant hoodie. She decided to keep the sweatpants and t-shirt on and sat down on the edge of the bed. Kat wrapped the blanket around her and kissed the top of her head.

 

"Now you get some sleep, and Mommy will come join you after Auntie Cory has left."

 

Tracy curled up on the bed, already half asleep. "I'll be right here," she murmured as Kat quietly went back to the living-room.

 

 

***

 

 

When Tracy woke up again, it was dark. It took her a moment to realise that she wasn't in her own bed. The next thing that slipped through the sleepy fog of her brain, was how quiet it was. Even the ever-present sounds of traffic seemed to have diminished to a distant hum. Tracy reached back for Kat, but found that she was alone.

 

Did she fall asleep in front of the computer again?

 

It wouldn't be the first time Kat had insisted that she was just going to check 'one more thing' before joining Tracy and then losing track of time or simply falling asleep in her chair.

 

Tracy reached down and gave her diaper a quick squeeze to make sure she hadn't wet it in her sleep, but it was still dry. She breathed a sigh of relief. She hated it when she had accidents. Tracy briefly considered wetting herself and then asking Kat for a change, but decided against it. Despite the excellent mommy-potential of a situation like that, Kat might also tell her to wait until the morning. Or almost just as bad, she could tell Tracy to change herself, which was just boring. Kat could sometimes be really cranky if she was woken up in the middle of the night.

 

Tracy froze as she heard the thump of something hitting the floor. It came from the living room. Tracy held her breath and listened closely. It was really quiet, but she could hear Kat moving around.

 

Oh good. She's not asleep yet.

 

Tracy threw off the blanket and got out of bed. She almost tripped over the hoodie on the floor as she slowly and silently made her way to the door. It was only a few steps, but the inky darkness made it feel a lot farther.

 

Tracy paused with her hand on the door knob, listening, but the only thing she could hear was Kat tossing and turning on the sofa.

 

Why wouldn't she just come to bed? I wouldn't have minded waking up to Kat climbing into bed with me.

 

Tracy opened the door... and froze. Kat was lying back on the sofa, one arm stretched out and gripping its back, the other was up her tank top fondling one of her breasts. And between her bare legs was a large, flowing mane of auburn hair. Kat's head was thrown back, her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth gritted as she tried her best not to make a sound.

 

Tracy knew she should just quietly close the door and go back to bed and pretend she never saw a thing, but she couldn't. She just stood there, completely mesmerised, watching Kat inch her way towards an orgasm.

 

My god, she's beautiful.

 

Over the years, Tracy had spied on dozens and dozens of people having sex. Catching people cheating on their spouses was pretty much the bread and butter of being a private investigator. She had mostly done it at a distance using her drones and cameras, but a few times Tracy had had to go old-school and peek through windows herself. This, however, was completely different.

 

It felt like some of the cheesy porn Tracy would deny she ever watched. The only thing missing was the soundtrack. But unlike when she was watching porn, or working a case, Tracy found that she was actually feeling... guilty for watching. This felt private. Even so, she couldn't stop.

 

As Cory reached up and around Kat's hips to pull her closer, Tracy felt her hand, moving almost as if of its own accord, slide down and inside the waistband of her sweatpants. It slid across the smooth plastic as she slowly began to rub herself through the diaper.

 

It was stupid, and reckless, and to be honest, more than a little weird, but it also felt so good. Tracy wondered what it would be like to be behind Kat while Cory did her thing. Just holding her close, nothing more; feeling Kat writhe against her body as she came.

 

The thought surprised Tracy a little. Most of her fantasies only had her watching, not taking part. The annoyingly analytical voice in her head woke up and started wondering why that might be the case. Just then, Kat slipped up and let out a soft moan, halting any further examination of the subject.

 

That single sound did more for Tracy than anything she had ever watched; real or staged. She wanted to be part of what made Kat make that sound. Maybe not the cause, but she wanted to qualify for the participation trophy.

 

Tracy found herself matching Cory's rhythm, more or less, and she was getting closer to the edge herself. Just as she was about to hit her peak, she looked up at Kat again, and found her staring right at her. And smiling.

 

Shit! She's seen me.

 

But it was too late. Kat's stare pinned Tracy in place as she came. It was as powerful as any orgasm Tracy had experienced in porn VRs, and those were usually massively amplified to make them borderline addictive. She leaned against the door frame as her knees went wobbly. She let out a shuddering breath; part of her brain warning her to be quiet while another was bouncing off the walls, squealing with ecstasy.

 

Tracy came down from the orgasmic high to just float around in a pool of oxytocin and saw that Kat was about to come. Her head was thrown back and she was grabbing the back of Cory's head. As she tensed up, Kat let out a little squeak.

 

Aww, that's so cute. She sounds like a defective rubber ducky.

 

Tracy decided to use Kat's orgasm as her opportunity to hopefully stay out of trouble. She pulled her hand out of her pants and quickly stepped back, closing the door as quietly as she could. If she could sneak back to bed without anybody hearing her, maybe she could convince Kat that she hadn't been watching her and Cory. Tracy stepped over the hoodie on the floor and almost tripped over the sweatpants as they slid down her legs to trap her ankles. Tracy quickly stepped out of them and crawled into bed, wrapping the blanket around herself.

 

Tracy didn't have time to fall asleep before the door opened quietly. She closed her eyes and pretended to be sleeping. The mattress shifted as someone sat down next to her. A hand gently brushed Tracy's hair away from her face, but she kept feigning sleep.

 

"Häschen, I know you're awake."

 

"Huh?" Tracy asked in her best sleepy voice. "Oh hey Kat."

 

"Don't." Kat leaned down and whispered. "I know you watched us." She rubbed her nose against Tracy's cheek. "Did you like it?" she asked quietly.

 

Tracy turned her head to look at Kat. "You're not mad?"

 

Kat chuckled. "Cory likes an audience. And me? Well, I know how you like to watch."

 

"I don't... I mean..." Tracy protested weakly.

 

Kat stroked Tracy's hair. "We knew you were awake long before you opened the door. You stopped snoring."

 

"Were you two... you know... just to make me... Hang on, I don't snore!" Tracy's brain finally caught up with what Kat had said.

 

"Whatever you say sweetie. And you are allowed to say 'fucking'. Nobody's going to wash your mouth out with soap."

 

"Kat."

 

"Having sex? Boinking?"

 

"Kaaaat."

 

"Bumping uglies?" Kat grinned. "And no, we didn't put on a show just for you." Kat got serious. The worried look on her face clearly visible even in the dim light of the bedroom. "You have to believe me, this wasn't how I wanted to do this. We were just talking and then one thing led to another. We wanted to kind of ease you into this whole thing."

 

"Kat, it's OK. Sure, it was a little weird. And kinda intense."

 

"Weird? In what way?"

 

"Can we talk about it later? Please?" Tracy reached her arms up to Kat for a hug.

 

"Of course sweetie." Kat pulled Tracy close and stroked her back. "But you're sure you're OK with this?"

 

"Mm-hmm. It's just... When I watched you, I felt kind of... not jealous." Tracy struggled to find the right words. "I don't know... left out, I guess. Not from the sex, of course. I just wanted to... be part of the whole thing, I guess. Does that make any sense?"

 

"I suppose." Kat just held Tracy for a while. Then she took a deep breath. "So do you think the three of us are ready to become sort of a little family?"

 

"I don't know. What do you mean?"

 

Kat half-shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. Maybe kind of like what you and me have, except Cory'll be part of it too. And kind of like Cory and me, and you can be as much part of it as you're comfortable with."

 

"Is it safe to come in?" Tracy jumped at Cory's voice coming from the living room. Had she been there all along? Had she heard everything?

 

Kat looked at Tracy. She realised that Kat was asking for her permission. When Tracy seemed unsure, she said "Mind giving us another minute?"

 

Tracy took Kat's hand. "Kat, I'm still wearing... you know," she whispered.

 

"Oh, Cory figured that out pretty much right away. She saw your waddle and recognised it. It was pretty much the first thing she asked me after you went to bed."

 

"And she's cool with it?"

 

"Sweetie, she thinks it's cute that you're my little baby bunny.

 

"But would she be, you know," Tracy hesitated a moment. "Changing me?" she whispered, almost inaudibly.

 

"I guess you'd have to ask her. Would you want her to?"

 

"No, I don't think so. I like it when you do it." Tracy took Kat's hand and placed it on her hip. Kat stroked the smooth, white plastic with her fingertips.

 

"And does my little girl need a change now?" she whispered, sliding her hand from Tracy's hip to her crotch. Tracy moaned softly as she gave the diaper a little squeeze.

 

"No." Tracy shook her head. "I'm not wet yet."

 

Kat slipped a finger inside the diaper, making Tracy gasp. "I don't know. You feel pretty wet," she said and grinned.

 

Tracy stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry.

 

Kat withdrew the finger. "But seriously, are you okay with Cory joining us?"

 

Tracy's mind raced. Having Cory be part of their 'family' wouldn't be your average relationship, but then again, neither was the relationship between just her and Kat. Over the years, she had seen her share of relationships crash and burn when a third person was introduced, no matter how much everybody insisted they were ready for an open relationship. Jealousy was a funny thing that way. But on the other hand, the fact that this wasn't about wanting to have a threesome might be what could make this work. After all, they all had their very specific roles. She was the baby and Kat was mom. And Cory would be mom's special friend.

 

"I think so," Tracy finally said and nodded.

 

"OK. Now do you want to come out in the living room with us?"

 

Tracy wrinkled her nose. "Nah, I'm good right here. You go have fun."

 

"Well, we were kinda done, so..." Kat picked up the blanket. "Cory? It's OK. You can come in now," she said.

 

The door opened and Cory entered wearing nothing but a smile. Tracy looked away."

 

"Aww. Look who's shy all of a sudden." Kat stroked Tracy's cheek.

 

"Oh be nice. She's just adorable," Cory said.

 

Kat lay down next to Tracy, pulling her close and kissing Tracy's forehead.

 

Cory studied the bed for a moment. "This is going to be a tight squeeze," she said. Then, to Tracy's surprise, she climbed into bed behind Tracy, wrapped her arms around her and snuggled in close before pulling the blanket up over the three of them.

 

It took a while for Tracy to go back to sleep. The sensation of being the middle of a cuddle sandwich was a novel one. The feeling of both Cory's warm, naked body against her back and Kat's cotton-covered chest against her cheek was confusing, but in a good way.

 

Maybe this'll all work out.

 

 

***

[YourFNF]

I am so glad they are talking openly about this and working it out. From what I'm seeing it seems like Tracy is demi/flux-ace with a voyeur(shocking given her work I know XD)  and ageplay kink. I really hope she gets to have some fun and learn about herself in this developing throuple....

[Gummybear]

Mission Improbable
(Part 8 of 13)

 

When Tracy woke up, she felt a little like she was cuddling an octopus. Not in a cold and clammy way, but there were limbs everywhere. There were arms wrapped around her from both directions, a warm breath tickling her neck and soft, bunched-up cotton against her face.

 

Tracy opened her eyes. The morning sunlight filtered in through the blinds, casting striped shadows across the bed and the three naked bodies on it. Well, one naked and two almost naked bodies. Kat's tank top had slid up and she had managed to get one of her arms out of it, exposing half her chest.

 

Tracy smiled and reached down to check her diaper. Still dry. She tried to wriggle out from between Kat and Cory.

 

"Don't," Cory murmured from behind Tracy's back. She slid closer to pin Tracy in place.

 

"Hmm?" Kat opened her eyes. She pulled her tank top away from her face and looked down at Tracy. "G'morning," she said sleepily.

 

"Hey," Tracy replied, suddenly feeling very awkward lying between the two women.

 

Kat noticed how high up her top was and grinned mischievously. "Aww, did my little baby want some breakfast?"

 

Tracy blushed furiously as Cory chuckled behind her back.

 

"Be nice babe," Cory said and brushed the hair out of Tracy's face. "You don't always have to try to embarrass people you know."

 

Tracy wasn't quite sure how she felt about Cory defending her like that. I felt nice to have an ally against Kat, but on the other hand, she did kind of like it when Kat babied her. Up to a point, at least, and as long as it was in private.

 

"I'm sorry sweetie." Kat kissed Tracy's forehead. Then she reached over her to run her fingers through Cory's hair. "So, did the two of you sleep well?"

 

"Like a log." Cory reached over Tracy to grab Kat's butt. "But next time we do this, we do it at my place. My bed is bigger."

 

"Mmmm, now you're just giving me ideas." Kat smiled.

 

Cory moved her hand from Kat's butt to Tracy's hip, letting it rest on the plastic of her diaper. Do you two want some time alone to... you know, handle things?"

 

Kat looked down at Tracy again. "Well Häschen? Do you need to be changed?"

 

"Kaaat," Tracy whined, her cheeks reddening again at how straight-forward Kat was being about her using diapers.

 

"Oh come on. You've been lying between us wearing nothing but a diaper the whole night." Kat leaned closer and whispered theatrically: "I think Cory may have noticed it."

 

"No, I'm still dry," Tracy mumbled into Kat's chest where she'd buried her pink face.

 

"Well, I have work in a little while, so I have to get going anyway." Cory sat up and half crawled, half slid off the bed. Standing naked in the stripy morning light, she stretched and sighed softly, looking like something out of a soft-core porno movie. Then she cracked her neck, immediately ruining that mental image.

 

Tracy watched her before looking back at Kat. "Kat, you're drooling," she said, amused that Kat actually reached up to the corner of her mouth.

 

Cory laughed. She leaned down and gave Tracy a kiss on the cheek, then she gave Kat a significantly longer kiss on the lips. Tracy couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy at that kiss, although she wasn't sure if it was because she wanted to be the one to kiss Kat like that, or if she also wanted a kiss like that. Before Tracy could make up her mind, however, Cory had left the room.

 

While Cory got dressed in the living room, Kat played with Tracy's hair. "So..." she said when they heard the front door close, "are you still OK with this?"

 

Tracy thought about it a little while before she spoke. "I didn't expect her to be so..." She paused.

 

"Unbelievably hot?" Kat suggested.

 

"Yeah, that too," Tracy admitted. "But I was going to say 'nice'."

 

"Aww, I just knew you'd like your new auntie."

 

"Kat." Tracy rolled her eyes.

 

"Oh stop that. You can let mommy have a little fun with her little bunny." Kat pulled Tracy closer and nuzzled her neck.

 

"Mmm-kay," Tracy murmured as a delicious shiver made its way down her back to set up camp between her legs. She gave a small gasp as Kat's hand found its way down there as well.

 

"Are you sure you're still dry?"

 

"Mm-hmm."

 

"Well, it's a shame to waste a perfectly good diaper, so I'm not changing you until you're wet." Kat ran her hand slowly across the taut, white plastic.

 

"But Kat..." Tracy began.

 

"Sshhh." Kat began to slowly rock Tracy back and forth. "Just relax. Let it all out. It's OK."

 

"But I can't do it like this. Not with you holding your hand...there."

 

Kat just kept rocking Tracy and stroking her diaper. "It's OK. Just relax and let it go," she repeated over and over until it was almost like a mantra.

 

The warm sun, the gentle rocking and Kat's whisper all made Tracy feel like she was floating on a cloud. A soft, fluffy cloud that smelled just like Kat. She leaned her head against Kat's chest and closed her eyes. Listened for her heartbeat; inhaled her scent.

 

God, she smells good.

 

Then, after a little while, there was a momentary twinge of pressure, followed by the familiar bloom of heat spreading across her crotch and down between her legs.

 

"Kat, I-"

 

"Shhh. I know." Kat leaned down and kissed her forehead, letting her hair fall to create a golden cage for their faces. She kept stroking Tracy's diaper and rocking her. "Just relax; just let it all come out," she whispered.

 

Tracy felt divided. Part of her wanted to just snuggle up to Kat and let her take care of her, floating away on that imaginary cloud for the rest of the day. Another part said that she should get dressed and get to work. After all, there were blackmailers to expose and money to be made. The former won out, at least for the time being, and Tracy surrendered herself to Kat's gentle touch.

 

"That's a good girl," Kat whispered. "Such a good little girl."

 

Tracy closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't help smiling at the praise, despite its childish tone. She wasn't really a big fan of Kat talking to her as if she was a baby, but right now it just felt... right. She was Kat's little girl. It had felt so perfect spending the night just being held by Kat and Auntie Cory...

 

Tracy stopped herself. Did she actually already think of Cory as 'Auntie Cory'? Was she really ready to share Kat with someone else? Share Kat's... love? And was she ready to share herself with Cory? Figuring out her relationship with Kat had been hard. And adding another variable to that equation would only make it that much more complex.

 

All these thoughts whirled around Tracy's mind as she lay close to Kat. Kat's hand between her legs, stroking her wet diaper; not so much arousing her as reassuring her that Kat would love her no matter what she decided. Kat's arm around her, holding her close and making her feel safe and protected. And Kat's hand gently petting her hair...

 

Hang on. Three?

 

Tracy paused as basic arithmetic and anatomy caught up with her. She opened her eyes to see two pairs of eyes looking adoringly down at her. One pair framed by a blonde rats' nest, and the other, a luscious auburn mane.

 

"Cory? What..."

 

"I forgot my bag," Cory said sheepishly. "And then I heard the two of you. When I peeked, you looked so adorable that I just couldn't help it. And Kat said it was OK."

 

Tracy suddenly became extremely aware of her very wet diaper. "Did you watch when I..." Tracy felt as if her entire face burned with embarrassment.

 

"Um... kinda, yeah," Cory said. "But you don't have to feel ashamed about it," she quickly added. "I know how you feel. Trust me."

 

Tracy looked away. She felt like she wanted to sink into the ground and disappear forever, but Cory slipped a hand under her cheek and turned her face to look into her eyes.

 

"Trust me," she said. Something in her eyes stirred something deep inside Tracy. A feeling of kinship maybe? Of mutual experiences?

 

"Have you...?" Tracy asked hesitantly.

 

Cory nodded.

 

"Still?"

 

Cory shook her head. "It wasn't my thing," she said and looked away. After a few seconds, she stroked Tracy's cheek. "But I'm glad Kat's found someone. Someone to care for. This way, I mean."

 

Cory stood. "I'm sorry for intruding like this. I didn't mean to..." She paused. "Can you forgive me?"

 

Tracy didn't say anything, but reached out for Cory's hand. When Cory offered it, Tracy brought it to her face, letting it cup her cheek as she kissed the palm. Cory breathed an audible sigh of... relief? Then she hurried out again, leaving Kat and Tracy alone once more.

 

"Weeeell... that went well," Kat said after a long, awkward silence. Tracy looked up at her and Kat looked back. Then she began to laugh. A giggle at first, but soon they were both rolling on the bed, laughing and gasping for breath. Kat almost fell off the bed and Tracy was pretty sure her diaper got just a little bit wetter.

 

Eventually they both calmed down enough to talk without breaking into new fits of laughter. Kat held Tracy close and rested her head against her chest. Tracy wondered if she should play into Kat's mommy-thing and seek out her breast, but decided against it.

 

Maybe another time. If I do it now, we're never getting out of here.

 

"I'm sorry," Kat said. "I shouldn't have invited Cory back in without checking with you first. I wasn't really thinking."

 

"It's OK," Tracy said, drawing lazy, little circles on Kat's stomach. "I think I'm going to have to have a little talk with her about a few things though."

 

"Oh?"

 

Tracy nodded. "But not just yet."

 

They lay there for a while longer, just enjoying the closeness. Eventually, Kat spoke again.

 

"So, I suppose we should get you cleaned up and changed."

 

Tracy sighed. "Yeah, I guess it's time."

 

Kat grabbed a box of wipes and knelt between Tracy's legs. After slipping a small towel under Tracy's butt, she undid the diaper and pulled it off. Despite the warm room, Tracy couldn't suppress a shiver as the fresh air hit her clammy skin.

 

Kat quickly pulled Tracy's diaper out from under her and rolled it up. Then she began cleaning her. Tracy giggled as the edges of the wipes tickled her inner thighs.

 

"You like that?"

 

"Yeah. It tickles." Tracy answered while biting the tip of her thumb.

 

"Well, try to stay still Häschen; we're almost done."

 

A minute later, Kat crawled backwards off the bed and stood, leaving Tracy lying naked and spread-eagled on a tiny towel on the bed. She picked up the wet diaper and the used wipes and put them in a plastic bag.

 

"And does my little baby want a nice, fresh diaper?"

 

"Yeah, kinda. But I might have a meeting with a client so I think I should pass?"

 

"Are you suuuuuure?" Kat waved one of Tracy's diapers back and forth. "These look aaawwwfully comfy?"

 

Tracy smiled. "Maybe later. When this whole mess is done."

 

"OK." Kat sounded mildly disappointed. She put the diaper down. "Can I at least make sure you eat a proper breakfast before you go?"

 

Tracy pretended to think about it. "Okay," she said, trying to make it sound like a big sacrifice. Kat rolled her eyes and left the bedroom.

 

Tracy picked up her clothes and dressed quickly. She felt sort of sticky with day-old sweat and decided that a long, hot shower would be at the top of her to-do list for when she got home.

 

When she walked through the door Kat handed her a fresh cup of coffee and a bread roll. Tracy sipped the coffee and sat down to check the results of the malware scrubber. According to the summary on the laptop, the computer, and four of the thumb drives had all been infected, but the phone and drone controller had been clean.

 

I guess they didn't have time for those.

 

Tracy updated her defence programs to look for similar programs. She also sent the quarantined malware files to a couple of hacker acquaintances. Then she took the phone off airplane mode and checked the messages that had accumulated over the last eighteen hours. A few spam messages that had managed to evade her spam filter, two messages with some background information for an old case that she had finished already and a reminder to renew a subscription to a website. None of them were particularly important. The only thing that really mattered was the message from Marko that had been sent only two hours earlier.

 

According to the long, rambling message, Marko had found half a dozen cameras and microphones in her office. He also said that he cleared them out and installed a couple of cameras to keep an eye on the door and windows in case someone else broke in. The passwords and frequencies for them had been left on a thumb drive with "the old guy in the parking garage".

 

Tracy bit into the roll which sprayed a shower of crumbs and earned her a disapproving look from Kat.

 

"What. You gave it to me. Did you expect me not to eat it?"

 

Kat rolled her eyes. "Just get out of here before you spill your coffee too."

 

"Okay mom." Tracy tried to sound like an exasperated teenager. "Talk to you tonight?"

 

"Sure sweetie. Try not to get bugged again." She gave Trace a quick smack on her butt as she wrestled the suitcase with all her electronics out the door.

 

 

***

 

 

Tracy wrapped the towel around her head like a turban and tied the bathrobe closed before leaving her bathroom. Showering had felt wonderful and it had been the second thing she did after entering her office. The first had been to change all the frequencies and passwords on the hidden cameras Marko had installed for her.

 

She sat down at her desk and began putting her thumb drives and other electronics back in their place. Then she started up the laptop and continued going through the records she had been working on the day before.

 

Annoyingly, the final records yielded no useful information and Tracy glared at the computer screen.

 

"Why couldn't you be the regular kind of stupid target," she growled at the screen. "Just parking near surveillance cameras, or using crap equipment. But nooooo. You had to be good at your job; and have equipment that's so expensive and fancy that Marko needed new underwear after seeing it. And, and..." Tracy's little rant was interrupted by her burner phone ringing. It was Ms Wilford.

 

"Yes?" Tracy sat up straighter. Ms. Wilford couldn't see her, but it still felt right to seem somewhat professional, even if she was only on the phone. And was wearing a bathrobe.

 

"Ms. Bullit. Are you free for dinner? My client would like to meet."

 

"Um, yes, dinner's fine,"

 

"Good. You familiar with El Campo Verde?"

 

"No," Tracy admitted. "I can't say the name rings a bell."

 

"It's a god-awful, Mexican sports bar downtown." Tracy could hear Ms. Wilford's grimace of disapproval.

 

"And that's where he wants to meet?"

 

"Thank god, no. But there's a small Indian restaurant above it that serves a surprisingly decent chicken korma. Seven thirty." Ms. Wilford hung up before Tracy had time to answer.

 

"Well, I guess I'm having Indian tonight," Tracy said to the dead phone line.

 

 

***

 

 

Finding El Campo Verde proved to be easier than Tracy had expected. Things there were so loud they could probably be heard half a block away. Tracy put one of her smallest drones on top of the sun shade to act as a spy camera before leaving the car and locking it.

 

Getting to the door of the Indian restaurant was almost like an obstacle course of chairs and bodies. The sports bar was packed with people; many of them dressed in black and purple football jerseys. When Tracy finally managed to reach the door and climb the stairs on the other side, the noise abated somewhat, but it was still loud enough to make it hard to hear what was being said six feet away. Tracy was beginning to see why Ms. Wilford had picked this place for their meeting. Unless there was a microphone at their table, it would be virtually impossible to hear what they said.

 

"Yes? Can I help you?" Tracy's train of thought was interrupted as a short man in a bright green Nehru jacket. Tracy was relieved that he didn't have a fake Indian accent. It really wouldn't have matched his pale, freckled skin and ginger hair.

 

"Ms. Wilford's party?" Tracy looked around the man, trying to get a look at the other guests. She needn't have bothered. The place was almost empty.

 

"This way please." The man led Tracy around a corner to a table where Ms. Wilford sat with a handsome, dark-haired man in his late thirties.

 

"Ah, Ms. Bullit. Please sit." Ms. Wilford gestured to one of the empty chairs.

 

"Ms. Wilford." Tracy sat down. "Mr...?"

 

"Novak. Gustav Novak." Mr. Novak had a little bit of a generic eastern European accent.

 

Tracy sat down and picked up the menu.

 

"Oh, we're not here for the food," Ms. Wilford said. Just as she did, a roar of noise rose from the bar.

 

"Ah, I see." Tracy looked around. "Well, the decor is nicer than the street market."

 

"Now let's make this quick. We only have..." Ms. Wilford checked her watch, "...a little over ten minutes until half-time."

 

"Right. So like I told you before, I think the ransomware and blackmail was just a smokescreen for your loss of that deposition. I'm guessing you still haven't heard from them?"

 

Ms. Wilford shook her head.

 

"Hang on. Blackmail?" Mr. Novak looked from Ms. Wilford to Tracy and back again. "Nobody said anything about blackmail."

 

"They weren't blackmailing you Gustav." Her lack of patience audible.

 

"Now, you said the deposition you lost was related to a divorce case; I'm guessing yours Mr. Novak. And you have no non-digital records of it?"

 

"God, who uses those any more," Ms. Wilford said dismissively.

 

"And is there enough money to justify the use of equipment so sophisticated that it makes my security guy drool?"

 

"Easily," Mr Novak said. "My wife may not be a technical genius, but she knows how to spend money wisely. If she hired people for something, she would hire very well qualified people."

 

"I guess the easiest way to find any information linking her to this whole thing would be to have a peek at her computer." Tracy picked up one of the small cakes that looked like a coil of rope and took a bite.

 

"Thought about that. Whatever computer she used is either long gone or, more likely, cut off from the net."

 

"So we reconnect it. You could probably do that Mr. Novak, right?"

 

"Hardly. Whenever I'm in the house, she has a guy watching my every move. I wouldn't even be able to get into her office during her parties."

 

"Parties?" Tracy and Ms. Wilford both asked.

 

"She hosts these wild sex-parties every month or so. I told you about those, didn't I?"

 

"No, you most certainly did not. So it's not just that she's trading you in for a younger model, it's this too?"

 

"Well, yes," Mr. Novak admitted. "Anyway, like I said, even if I were to go to one of those parties, I wouldn't be able to slip away."

 

"Well, if we were to get someone else to break in, that'd be illegal and legally I can't have any part in that."

 

"Of course, of course." Tracy nodded, her expression one of faux seriousness. "I wouldn't dream of getting you involved in anything unethical."

 

Ms. Wilford rose. "I have to get going. I hope you both have a good evening."

 

"Oh, before you leave, do you know any reliable computer intrusion specialists. I may have a lead on a completely unrelated matter. Absolutely nothing to do with this whatsoever."

 

"Of course. Call me when you have the details. I may know someone." Ms. Wilford nodded to the waiter and then headed for the door.

 

When the door closed behind her, Mr. Novak turned to Tracy. "What was that about?"

 

"Oh, we're totally breaking in to snoop through your wife's computer. We just can't say it in front of her. This way, she can claim we lied to her if we get in trouble."

 

Mr. Novak nodded. "And the computer intrusion specialist?"

 

"A hacker. I can do your everyday, run-of-the-mill hacks, but based on what you said about your wife's hiring practices, we're going to need somebody who is a lot better than me."

 

Tracy noticed there was a lull in the noise from downstairs. "Maybe we should get some food while we wait for the second half of the match to start." Tracy eyed the menu hungrily. "How long do these half-time breaks last?"

 

"Only fifteen minutes."

 

"A quick snack then."

 

Five minutes later there was a small tray of some kind of deep-fried, small buns on the table along with cups of milky tea with a deliciously spicy smell. Tracy and Mr. Novak sipped their tea silently and waited for the second half of the match to start.

 

"So what are you planning?" Mr. Novak asked once the noise had risen to an acceptable level again.

 

"Your wife's parties; what kind of party are we talking about?"

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Swingers? Furries? Good, old-fashioned orgies?"

 

"They spank each other. And lead each other around on leashes and things like that," Mr. Novak said, obviously feeling very awkward.

 

"Ah, I see." Tracy took another sip of tea. "Did you ever go to any of these parties?"

 

"Good heavens no. I steer well clear of the house whenever she throws them."

 

"Well, you're going to the next one. Do you know when it is?"

 

"Sometime next week. Friday or Saturday, I think. I was planning to leave town for the whole week."

 

"Find a reason to stay. We're crashing the party."

 

"You and me?" Mr. Novak's eyes were wide with surprise.

 

"Oh no. Your wife's people undoubtedly know my face. But I think that could work in our favour." Tracy sat back. She had the beginning of a plan.

 

 

***