A Little Change of Perspective: A Diaper Dimension Story (Chapter 30 - Complete)

[Craisler]

I thought Sophie still was an LPS agent. Did I miss something.

I also wonder why it is so devastating for her to need diapers. Surely, other Bigs must have been affected by the chemical warfare against the Littles. 

Personally, I think the mole (assuming singular) is the doctor’s assistant. 

[Guilend]

3 hours ago, Craisler said:

I thought Sophie still was an LPS agent. Did I miss something.

I also wonder why it is so devastating for her to need diapers. Surely, other Bigs must have been affected by the chemical warfare against the Littles. 

Personally, I think the mole (assuming singular) is the doctor’s assistant. 

Sophie works for someone else. Bigs are very advanced in technology, especially medical. They're almost zero reason for a Big to need to wear diapers once potty trained.

[Craisler]

I did miss something or forgot it from the 2nd paragraph of chapter 1.

In the blue powder attack, it was implied that the powder could affect the Bigs, since they were all covering the noses or holding their breath when the powder was released. A chemical agent like this would likely attack the nervous system, so no amount of retraining or medical intervention would be successful. Therefore, any collateral damage to innocent bystander Bigs would result in them becoming incontinent and needing protective underwear.

[Guilend]

13 minutes ago, Craisler said:

I did miss something or forgot it from the 2nd paragraph of chapter 1.

In the blue powder attack, it was implied that the powder could affect the Bigs, since they were all covering the noses or holding their breath when the powder was released. A chemical agent like this would likely attack the nervous system, so no amount of retraining or medical intervention would be successful. Therefore, any collateral damage to innocent bystander Bigs would result in them becoming incontinent and needing protective underwear.

I assume the effects are reversible in that scenario, but because Sophie was Little and went through the process of getting Big that it's the reason it can't be reversed. And as far as I could tell, the Bigs didn't inhale it and probably didn't inhale enough because of their size and the only ones that might've are Little supporters. If they end up having potty problems, the few that might've been hit with it, would be treated about the same or worse then a Little with potty problems. Other Bigs would either gaslight them or just not believe that something medical is wrong and probably assume they're doing it on purpose because they want to be Littles since they're Little supporters.

[LostBBoyBear]

Hey everyone! Had some extra time today to finish up this chapter before it was too late. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to post the remainder of the chapters, but I think I can safely say at this point, that unless something goes terribly wrong, this story will likely be concluded by next week. If this changes though, I will let everyone know on here.

Also, as a reminder, the poll for my next story is still going on. As a reminder, as usual, I will post my decision of my next story during my final chapter of this story. Until then, feel free to comment here or personally message me what you want to read next. I like all the choices I am presenting, so choose what you want. For those not sure of the choices, just refer to the beginning of chapter 2.

Lastly, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter!

Chapter 27: Searching for Answers from A Closet

I was near ravenous to get back out in the field. Fortunately, with Astrid by my side and being a Big, I felt a newfound level of respect amongst my peers. It could have been an acknowledgement of the work that I put in, but I highly suspected it might have simply been the difference between being a Big and a Little around the office. Littles in LPS were those to be protected or jailed, and there wasn’t much wiggle room on that. So, as I began my therapies while also investigating LPS and BAL, I found the differences frightening, but ultimate a relief that I was once again a Big.

I continually wondered just how much help I would have received if the reversal procedure had gone wrong though. Apparently, and I was frustratingly only told this afterward, but there was about a 20% failure rate of a reversal of the process. The problem was now, I didn’t see anyone in the office who fit into that failure rate, so I very much questioned their ultimate fate. Every time I tried to ask; I was always quickly shut down. Still, my work continued both inside and out of therapy.  

Going to the therapist three times a day while at work and being a Big before, ensured that my recovery only took about three more days after I initially woke up after the procedure. Everything was working normally… or at least almost everything.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Astrid tried reassuring me once the doctor left my therapy room after giving me his latest prognosis of my condition.

“But it is, Astrid!” My patience with therapy was already reaching its limits. Sure, 100 years ago, therapy could take months, but now, it was a matter of days instead. So, I felt my frustration was perfectly natural when I got my new diagnosis.

“But I’m sure tons of Bigs wear diapers still.” She was trying her best to console me, but without personal experience or real numbers to back up her statements, on one level at least, they felt very hollow to me.

“Name one,” I challenged. Astrid couldn’t, but it didn’t matter at this point. I was encouraged to perform Kegel exercises and then time things just right, but for me, there was no strict cure. Apparently, the bluish gas was outlawed for one single reason; it affected the nervous system more than the muscular system, which as much Bigs hated to admit it, the gas would therefore affect them as well. I was no exception, and my condition could very well be permanent. Right now, it was just too early to say except for the notion that I would have to continue to wear diapers until that time had passed. My one consolation though was that at least my diapers no longer sported Princess Poppy or babyish designs anymore. Strictly bland and unicolor for my personal usage from now on. It was a small consolation…

Still, outside of therapy, things were actually going pretty well. With my exercise and drug regimen, to ensure I wouldn’t collapse, or die from shock or the energy required for me to heal back up, I was able to dive headfirst into work.

“Slow down,” was starting to become Astrid’s new catchphrase to me around the office. Often, when I wasn’t in therapy, eating, sleeping, or on my way to or from the office, I was hitting the case as much as I could. Hours spent researching BAL, their origins, and habits, practically made me one of the top experts on them in LPS. Astrid, Aetos, and a few others were worried, but I always told myself that they didn’t have a Little of their own on the line. I did though.

Entering day four, I was already extraordinarily stressed. Hours of work had led nowhere, and I couldn’t help but picture Paul. If he was still himself anymore, I imagined that he was being tortured for information and left destitute in a cell by himself. Even if he hadn’t been regressed, I knew he wouldn’t last long like that. Before, he had me, but this time, he was all alone. Further, with his previous escape attempt, I knew that they would be even harder and more restrictive with him. As much as I hated it though, I knew I had to wait.   

“We found something, Sophie. We have a man in custody,” Astrid said later that afternoon. Waiting and doing everything I could, it was the first good news I heard from her. So, naturally, I quickly jumped up and ran to the nearest interrogation room. Right as I got to the door though, Astrid stopped me cold.

“What are you doing?” I struggled to push against her, but my therapy was still on-going. Facing down a seasoned agent that hadn’t just gone through what I had was clearly still superior to my own current strength.

“Just…” I pushed harder and Astrid shoved me off. “Now wait just one moment, damn it!” I paused but only to take a breath. Still in therapy and running myself ragged lately weren’t helping my endurance against my friend’s blockade of the doorway.

“Just take a breath and listen.” I waved my hand instead of speaking to get her to continue. “Good. Now, I want you to sit this one out. You can watch, but I’ll bolt you to the floor if I need to. Don’t tempt me, got it?”

“Got it.” I wasn’t sure how much I could keep to that promise, but for Paul and the sake of my friend, I knew I at least needed to try.

Coming to the other side of the one-way glass, I saw a member I recognized from when I had escaped the BAL facility. I immediately wanted to throttle him, but I knew from experience that would only guarantee his freedom once his lawyer got involved. For now, it was just Aetos interrogating him… something I wasn’t too keen on, but also knew that I had no choice about.

“You are the tenth BAL member we’ve interrogated today…” I whipped back around to Astrid who clearly mouthed ‘sorry’ to me. I wondered what made this one different and why I had brought in on the tenth, rather than the first. “We know that you are one of the higher-ups in BAL.” Right… that’s why.

“What’s it to you?” the member said nonchalantly. I wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid grin off his face.

Aetos sighed. “Look, your lawyer is going to be here any second. We have evidence that is airtight and will send you away for years by now, with or without him. We know that you’re the one who stole the blue gas, codename Dreamer’s Loss, from a military facility about four months ago.” My rage increased tenfold, especially as I even slightly shifted and my diaper crinkled, but I kept it in check. I had to… for Paul…

The rugged BAL member sighed. Despite my rage against him, I could tell he knew he was cornered with that last piece of evidence against him. If he got the right judge, he could be sentenced to Dark Cliff ‘off the books’ in seconds. “Fine… What do you want from me?”

Aetos smirked and leaned forward. “Give me a name, location, or something tangible I can bring back…” he said cooly, sliding a piece of paper and pen over to his prisoner. “Write it down first. Then we’ll talk.” To my relief, the man started scribbling for a few minutes and then handed the paper back to Aetos. “Very good. Let me see what I can do…”

“I’m proud of you for staying, Sophie,” Astrid said as she placed her hand on my shoulder once Aetos had left the interrogation room.

“Just tell me that Big is going away for a long time to rot…” I wanted him punished and hurt like I had been, but with LPS involved, I knew I just had to take my justice where I could get it.

“Don’t worry… he will be,” my friend reassured me.

The information we gleamed from the BAL member led us to a bar on the edge of town. It was a known pro-Big location, so we knew that part already, but this time, we knew to be on the lookout for a Big and another BAL member called Tom Daley. The BAL member also provided a few locations where they were located, just to seal the deal. Regardless though, LPS coordinated with other agencies and began to infiltrate the bar to look out for this ‘Tom Daley.’

In the meantime, I started to hear rumors from others in the office about a resurgence in LRG. Apparently, several of the members had quit after the raid by BAL, but many had found safety and were already starting to protest. Concerningly though I was informed of two major factors with them.

The first was that from the raid on the warehouse, they believed that they had been sold out by one of their own. It was pure speculation, but back chatter seemed to indicate that beyond fighting Bigs, it was their top priority to find them now. Second though, this iteration of LRG seemed to be more violent. Already, a portal facility had been temporarily destabilized and multiple government official’s cars had been vandalized or even torched. It was all extremely alarming, but just as I was about to investigate, we received some urgent news about Tom Daley.

LPS was no stranger to undercover work. They had sent me out into the field as both a Big and a Little. Figuring the bar wouldn’t take kindly to Littles, they solely relied on some of their deeper cover agents out in the field to stake the place out. It wasn’t long before Tom Daley showed up. We all questioned why he had been named, but according to the undercover, after a few drinks, the man would have admitted to anything, and he wasn’t afraid to boast… especially regarding the capture of a Little from LRG.

It was just a single thread to go off, but for LPS, a Little in trouble was still worth a raid. Highly suspecting it to be Paul, I volunteered to go on the rescue mission as well. To my chagrin, Agent Aetos was there as well. “You know, this might not be Paul!” Aetos warned me on our way over.

“Yeah, I know that,” I replied as I strapped the last of my reinforced Kevlar to my chest. “Still, a Little here is a Little in danger. No harm in busting down a few doors!” Aetos smirked but in a way that unnerved me, just like the old days. Still, I pushed on. “Besides, even if he isn’t here, we might just find that one piece of evidence that links everything up and we find him because of that!”

The assault transport vehicle hit a bump and my diaper crinkled a bit, but I knew no one could hear it. I had been paranoid at first over being discovered on the job, but Astrid and my therapist had suggested a few fixes. The undershirt onesie I was currently wearing was just one of them.

“Better get ready!” the driver yelled at the crew of us seated behind him. “We’re almost there! Infiltrating in one minute!”

“Alright you lot!” Aetos screamed over the bumps and loud rumble of the gravel road we were driving on. “This is it! From our reports, we’ve got at least one Little inside. Sophie here was once an agent, but she’s more here to help with the Little once we find them. Do not approach the Little without her, got it?” Everyone grunted a ‘huah!’ in acknowledgment.

“Perfect!” He then held up his weapon. “Make sure everyone is using the stun setting on these things. They may have kidnapped a few Littles, but we don’t want a bloodbath hitting the 8 o’clock news tonight.” Several saluted and I heard a few more grunts. I was tempted to leave my stun setting off, but I knew I would be in the minority, so I decided against it. After all, we needed prisoners and talkers… not corpses tonight.

The vehicle then screeched to a stop. Everyone quickly stood up and Aetos reached for the rear door handle. “Alright! This is it! Good hunting everyone!” With a final grunt from everyone, Aetos popped the backdoor open and everyone scrambled out.

The first approaches were quiet. I was expecting BAL to be more prepared when they heard the vehicle stop outside, but the few guards that had been standing post were quickly taken out. Each was shot twice by precision shooting. They momentarily convulsed and then collapsed into a heap on the floor… only stunned, not killed.

“Forward, two to the left, two to the right. The rest with me,” Aetos commanded. For my part, I just stuck behind the rest of them going up the center. I was armed, but not being a direct agent, as Aetos had said, I was more here for the Little they held captive… Paul or not.

We crept quietly through the halls. One by one, we took out each of their guards. It was a slow and methodical approach, but the twisting corridors were tricky to navigate, but gave us excellent cover. Soon though, we came to a large room. Several BAL members were situated around a central planning table of sorts, and a few were well armed.

“Okay… everyone takes a shot and then take cover,” Aetos noted quietly after assessing the situation. “On my mark.” We all nodded, he gave us the signal, and then everyone dispersed to their own corners of the upper walkway of the room.

Once we were all in place, Aetos radioed in again. I was nearest to a sign that read ‘nursery.’ It was a different building than the one Paul and I had been in before, but I felt it was a safe bet that if there was a Little here, they would be there. “Okay. In three… two… one.”

The burst of gunfire was immediate and swift. From my vantage point, eight BAL members were taken out at once. “Up above! Up above!” one of the remaining members shouted out. There were still seven of them remaining, but they were at a distinct disadvantage being on the lower ground.

“Fire at will! Fire at will!” Aetos shouted. A hail of gunfire soon erupted again and then stagnated into a shot or two every few seconds.

Soft thuds could be heard from below and from the barriers we were hiding behind from up above. So, when I took a quick peak, I could see little bursts from where the stun pellets were hitting around the BAL members. They had taken cover, but being surrounded on all sides, each went down quickly.

I wanted to move and to find the Little or Paul as soon as I could, but the remaining members on the ground increased their rate of fire. It didn’t matter though. They were now outnumbered, and less than three minutes later, a final pop, groan, and crunch to the floor signaled the last of the BAL members below being taken down.

“Everyone approach slowly…” Aetos went first but was quickly supported on all sides. Some Bigs seemed to be immune to the stun rounds, but it was only about 1 in 10,000. Still, no one wanted to take the risk of being on the wrong end of that individual in case they were faking their initial stun.

Checking each of them though, Aetos smiled. “Congratulations everyone! Each of them is stunned. Good work!” His eyes then shifted down each of the hallways that splintered off the main area we were all standing in now. “Okay. I want two agents down each hallway. The rest stay with me, but Sophie… I assume you’re going to want to head to the nursery first?”

I nodded. “That’s right. If I was them, shorter transportation just makes more sense so I’m guessing the Little in question will be around the nursery area.”

“Good. Logical… as usual.” He then directed two agents to go first and for me to follow them.

As we ventured down the darkened hallway, I still kept my gun at the ready. It was still set on stun, and considering just how deep and far these Great War era buildings could be, I didn’t want to take a chance that there was another contingency surrounding the nursery. If BAL wanted to hurt Littles, they would probably leave one member behind.

Fortunately, though, our surprise of their limited forces here proved to be their undoing. When we came to the nursery section, the room was empty except for a single nannybot, some changing tables, and dozens of cribs, bassinets, or even newborn warmers. The smell of used diapers and disinfectant assaulted my nose in seconds.

“Geez! You think they’ve never been changed,” one of the agents gagged as he staggered out of the room.

I sighed. “It’s a breaking technique for Littles. The more they spend being unchanged, the more they get used to being diapered and not noticing. I’ve seen this kind of thing before…” It was hard not to think of Paul being in that situation right now, so I quickly stomached the intense smell, entered, and then began checking to see which sleeping arrangement he had been placed in. To my horror though, instead of finding the cribs, bassinets, or newborn warmers empty except one, each was filled.

“There must be dozens of these Littles… not just the one,” the other non-gagging agent said as he entered behind me. “You think your Little is in here?”

I honestly wasn’t sure, but I wanted… needed to know. So, I quickly began to search each crib, bassinet, or newborn warmer.

Sadly, as I searched, I began to notice a pattern. Each of the sleeping arrangements corresponded to the likely mentality or physical capabilities now of the Little inside. Newborn warmers were for those at the newborn level, bassinets were for those at the baby level, and the cribs were for the non-regressed or only partially regressed Littles. Finally, though, I came to the one that I had been looking for and had been worried about. “Paul?”

The figure inside was sleeping, but checking the ID tag on the outside of the crib and the Littles ankle bracelet marked him as Paul. Nothing more, but his dark hair and a single scar on his right arm were evident even from far away. It was Paul… my Paul.

I shook him awake and he began to stir. Panic flashed over his face, and he began to wrestle. I quickly had to reach in and stop him from hurting me or himself. “Paul! Paul! It’s me! It’s Sophie!” Paul continued to thrash about, but his eyes soon widened as he saw my face. “There… there… that’s right. It’s me, buddy. Are you…?”

Paul tried to speak, but we both quickly saw the problem with the pacifier gag strapped in his mouth and around his head. “Oh! Shoot! Let me get that.” I briefly rested him on the railing and let my gun slacken by my side.

In a second though, his gag was removed, and he took about the biggest breath of air I think I had ever witnessed. “Oh, thank you, Sophie! Thank you! I… I… I thought I was going to lose it! I…” Without a second though, he then practically launched himself into me.

Surprised, but reassured with his body now pressed up against me, I knew this was no illusion or dream. I had lost count of how many of those I had at this point since he was taken by BAL. I was half tempted to pinch him or my own arm… just to be sure, but his tightening grip around the back of my neck quickly assured me that he was very much real.

“It’s okay, Paul… I’m here. I’ve got you. You’re coming home with me, and I promise that I’ll keep you safe from now on.” Paul didn’t move an inch away from my body, but quickly nodded his head and only gripped me tighter.

With Paul still wrapped around me, I called in for backup and began to search the area for evidence. The records I found were disturbing, but unfortunately just par for the course when it came to kidnapped Littles. Surgeries, hypnosis, torture, and punishment and reward systems had all been set in place for each of the Littles around me. Some already had buyers and seemed to be custom changed for those Bigs, but others, like Paul, seemed more captured for information.

It wasn’t long before I found two of the more important files, to me at least, in the whole stack. The first was Paul’s. While he had been tortured in ways that I never could bring myself to forgive BAL members for, he seemed mostly unaffected mentally at least for his cognitive or creative sides. Unfortunately, his higher reasoning skills and independence traits as mental factors had definitely taken a hit. To be honest, looking at his file, I could almost see how BAL was trying to make him into the perfect Little. They hadn’t finished, but it still made me wonder about his future.

The other file though, Paul and I both gasped as we saw who it was. Being cooped up and sequestered as they were, it wasn’t a surprise to me that Paul didn’t realize he had been taken here but reviewing his file and then finding and peering over into his crib, it was most unmistakably Samuel, the at least now former leader of LRG.

Pleasantly napping, his hair curled ever so cutely over his head, and his clothing was the epitome of the perfect baby, but reading his chart, I wasn’t even sure I could call him Samuel anymore. Severe hypnosis sessions and surgeries had likely left little of who he used to be. Suddenly, the information about LRG growing more violent made sense.

Still, despite the loss of Samuel and what that implied for LRG going forward, the mission was considered a success. While BAL hadn’t been completely eliminated, especially with their leader, Peter having been away on business elsewhere, in one raid, 29 members had been taken down. With their assault of LPS members and being in the same building as the dozens of kidnapped Littles ensured their convictions would stick. Hard labor or Dark Cliff awaited each of them.

So, back at LPS headquarters, we all found it in ourselves to celebrate. Cake, balloons, and streamers all accompanied our success today. For LPS, despite being composed of Bigs, the takedown of a pro-big organization like BAL was a huge win. Nothing good lasts forever though.

Just as Paul took a bite of cake first, I noticed a single envelope on the desk I had been using while performing my investigations into BAL. Due to my personal connection and former status as an agent, Astrid had extended my scope of my usual consulting job. Seeing the envelope, normally, I might have called someone over to check it out, but curiosity got to me first. When I looked inside though, my heart fell a little bit.

Inside were several photos and memos regarding LRG. What’s more, most of them had to do with them searching for the person who ratted out their warehouse location out to BAL which led to the raid. To my horror, most pointed to Paul. Finding a single short note, my curiosity piqued even more. ‘S, I have included in the following info to you. Use it well and stay safe. Your friend.’

I instantly thought of Astrid, or that maybe it could be a trap, but as I looked over the information further, I knew it was legit and that Astrid would have likely just told me. Regardless, apparently, some LRG member spotted Paul on the playground, the day I insisted on leaving the house, and questioned why of all the LRG members taken that night, that he seemed to be the only one in a position that could have been the rat and was fine. From what I was seeing, I was likely getting my diaper changed by my mom at the time the photos were taken, and I think that was the only time I could admit to being truly grateful for a diaper change in public. Still, I had to inform Paul.

“I should reach out to them,” he insisted, his mouth covered in a bit of icing from the cake still, but his eyes full of shock and worry that he would be blamed for the raid.

I quickly wiped it off for him. “Don’t be so foolish, Paul. If they find you at this point, it won’t be good. You saw Samuel. He’s gone and LRG has started acting more violently. If you went back, I don’t that would translate very well for you.”

“Shit…” Paul then looked over the packet of information I had gotten. “Who do you think your ‘friend’ is?”

“I don’t know… but were you able to learn anything while you were captured at least?” I knew it was a desperate question, but with this information and the mole at LRG, I had never felt more vulnerable as a Big.

Paul scratched his head and then seemed to have a thought. “You know… when they were interrogating me, they asked me about specific things they shouldn’t know. Things I only told you…”

I briefly panicked. “Wait… you don’t think I’m the mole, do you?”

Paul quickly shook his head. “No, definitely not, but you told me that you were reporting to LPS what we talked about, right?” With still some lingering shame, I nodded my head. “Well… who did you tell all that stuff to then?”

With a sinking feeling, I knew who he was referring to, but my mind still refused to believe it. Still, he had asked the question, so I knew he needed an answer from me. “Astrid… it was Astrid, Paul.”

“Your friend?” I nodded and we both glanced out at the party. She was laughing with a few of the other agents, completely oblivious to our suspicions about her. “Well… I think we need to know for sure, don’t you?”

I didn’t want to think it was her. We had known each other for years, and I didn’t even question her loyalty to me for a single second. She had been with me through everything, but still… my curiosity burned. If she was the mole, several items would easily click into place and suddenly make sense. She felt too obvious, but I just had to know.

So, texting her to meet by the water cooler, I knew that I could take her by surprise. With Paul acting as my second, he could quickly close the door and ensure we wouldn’t be disturbed. I didn’t want to, but I quickly enacted our plan, and just like I suspected, it went flawlessly as I caught her unaware and dragged her into the closet.

Once Paul had closed the door, I looked at my friend deep in her eyes. “Now, I want to know the truth! This time, all of it!” Nervous, Astrid nodded as quickly as she could. “Good, now are you the mole? Did you betray Paul or I?”

I wanted her to shake her head. I wanted her to be innocent, but instead, she nodded.

Surprised and betrayed, I backed away. I didn’t even think that she could now scream for help or even escape us. I just felt a crack form in my heart.

With my hand off her mouth though, curiously, she didn’t try to run. “I’m sorry, Sophie! I didn’t mean to!”

“What?” I spat back at her. “Betray me and Paul? Just how much did they pay you to sell yourself to a bunch of Bigs? Was it worth the price?”

Astrid shook her head. “No, no, no. I swear! I wasn’t paid off or anything. I just… I…” I could tell she was having trouble forming the right words.

“Out with it!” I yelled impatiently.

Startled, Astrid began to explain. “I… I think someone might be trying to set me up.” I was furious but I still let her explain first. “I just… I was the leak that led to LRG being exposed to BAL. We found out through an anonymous source that they didn’t have enough from your friend Sean for an exact location of the warehouse… so I gave it to them.”

Her words were poison, and I could see Paul seething with fury. “What? How could you? I thought we were friends! Why Astrid? Why? They hurt so many Littles because of that night! Do you even have a soul anymore?” I could feel the hot sting of betrayal in the few tears that rolled down my cheeks.

“It isn’t like that, Sophie. Please! You have to believe me…” I didn’t but I still wanted to know more. The longer I could get her to talk, the more I could learn about the truth of everything.

“I just wanted to flush LRG out and into the open. The LPS brass wanted answers and every day they were putting more pressure on me. In fact, if I didn’t act soon, the mission was going to get scrubbed and you, Sophie, would have been stuck as a Little.” I felt a little softer toward my friend, but I still wanted to know more.

“From what I knew of LRG, I thought they could handle it! They handled BAL well enough at the protest, so why not again?” Her voice was starting to shake, and I could see her emotions as plain as day. If she was lying, she was definitely fooling me.

“So, you thought that BAL members with guns and protective riot gear and the ability to knock down or blow-up walls could have been taken down by a few Littles with clubs at best?” Paul nailed the one question I had on my mind for a while now. BAL was a street level gang, but recently, they seemed like they were all ex-special forces. Something had changed.

Astrid shook her head. “Definitely not. That’s where everything went wrong,” she explained. “I leaked the location, but someone supplied them with more arms and ammunition than they ever had before.” She paused and looked at her feet briefly. “It was one of my first tip-offs that something more sinister was actually going on with LPS. I traced the requisition order back here, but even that led to a dead end.”

A few moments passed, but I needed something clarified first. “So, you were only trying to protect me?” I asked, still hesitant to trust my friend again, but desperate for an answer with that at least.

Astrid nodded rapidly. “Of course! I’ve always tried to help you, Sophie. Why do you think I was the LPS agent that you met in the alleyway? Another agent could have been the mole, and you would have fallen right into their trap. I couldn’t just let that happen.”

It was a touching moment, but it still left one major question; who was the mole? “So, there is a mole, but now we don’t have any leads. That’s just great!” I could feel Paul’s frustration, and admittedly, I shared it as well.

“He’s right… we barely know anything.” I turned back to Astrid. “I’m not sure if I can forgive you yet, but we have bigger fish to fry for right now. So, care to rejoin our mole finding mission?”

Astrid smiled, clearly relieved, and nodded. “Of course.” Her smile soon faded though. “Just how though do you plan on finding out who it is then?”

I sighed. “I’m not sure yet, but first thing first… we need to narrow down the list at least.” We all nodded at each other and temporarily opened the door to peak our heads out and look around.

There were at least 100 agents that the leak could have come from based on what we knew already. Looking out at all the agents still celebrating their victory today, it was hard to fathom the depth of their depravity and the consequences it had already brought to us.

Paul’s effects were still to be determined, but I wondered if he could ever be an independent adult again based on what I read in his file. I was stuck and consigned, possibly forever, to diapers… which I now just felt were in dire need of changing. As for Astrid, she had been hit less, but most of the speculative evidence against the mole in LPS led back to her. Heck, even Paul and I had only moments ago thought she was the full-on mole, rather than just a tiny part of it. Further for her though, I knew that if we didn’t find the mole soon, everything was going to be pinned on her and Dark Cliff always had room for another errant Big in their program.

“So… here it is. The three of us.” I sighed briefly. “Together until the end of this mole hunt?” I asked, placing my hand in the middle of the room.

“Until the end…” Paul agreed, placing his hand on top of mine.

“Agreed.” Astrid slapped her hand in the middle of our combined oath.

We knew the stakes and we knew what we had to do. 100 agents were going to be a near herculean task to undertake, but I knew at least that for the future of LPS, we had to succeed. Thousands, if not millions, of Littles depended on what the agency did right. If we failed, there was no telling what would happen to them. Determined not to let that happen though, the three of us set to work right away.

[Guilend]

On one hand I feel there was a missed opportunity 😂 

I was for sure the nanny bot in the nursery that she found Paul in would out her diapered state to her colleagues 😂 

But I'm guessing that there's one or two reasons it didn't. Either because it had orders to not change their diapers for a certain amount of time or only on certain days or because it's an older model it only saw Littles as it's charges so it only scanned Littles or it had to be told who was it's charge, maybe through a file upload or a chip or something on the Little.

It appears that only Astrid and the doctor knows about her diaper. I'm not even sure Paul knows she's still wearing diapers. Essentially she's wearing a onesie under her clothes. Is it irony that she's basically having to wear baby clothes under her adult clothes only because it helps hide her babyish underwear so people don't think she's a baby? 😂 

I don't think her colleagues would treat her with the respect she's getting now if they knew she was back in diapers.

I knew Astrid must've played a part in what happened with the attack. I'm pretty sure the mole also knows or will know about Sophie's medical condition. They'll probably find out when they figure out she's searching for them. Then they will put her or something to muddy the water and make it harder for her to focus on finding them. What will probably get them in the end is they'll not know that Astrid or Paul is also helping her and not notice them closing in on them.

I'm waiting for Astrid to ask or beg to change Sophie's diaper or check her diaper without asking and it be like something she couldn't resist or realize she was doing. Like a pat on her butt. 

Am I the only one hoping that Sophie and Astrid get together romantically?

They'd make a cute couple.

[BabySofia]

Looking forward to, or at least hoping, Paul and her having a nice life together by his own choice moving forward. He can of course give her a hard time about her own diapees too! It'll be a great relationship! 🙂

[SGTbaby]

I did think Astrid played a part in the leak but this does make sense. I still think she should share her documents to Sophie and Paul.  Maybe a different set of eyes will spot something new. Great set of chapters and I am glad Paul was found again and hopefully things will go better soon! Great story and while sad, I do oook forward to a stirring end!

[Craisler]

At this point, I have to rethink my guess of the doctor’s assistant being the mole. At most, she could be a collaborator, but she’s not in a position to affect LPS policy.  Of the characters we know of so far in the story, only Aetos or Maxine seem to have that kind of position and power.  Aetos is fast becoming the prime suspect.  Unless, of course, a currently unknown character comes out of left field.

[LostBBoyBear]

Hey everyone! Definitely getting close to the finish line here with the story. There are only two more chapters to go after this one, so they should be out in the next week. Unless something happens to deter or force me to pause, the last chapter should be posted next Monday. If something changes this, as usual, I will let everyone know on here.

Now, keeping that in mind, that means there is also now less than a week to let me know which story you all want to read next from the three I outlined in the beginning of chapter 2. Several of you have already, and I thank you for your contribution, but I just wanted to make a point here that I will be announcing the next story I write when I post my final chapter of this story. Until then, feel free to comment here or personally message me what you want to read next. I like all the choices I am presenting, so choose what you want.

Lastly, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter!

Chapter 28: It Wasn’t Supposed to Be This Way

It can be both funny and sad after going back to the way things used to be. With Paul now back in my life and me being the size of a Big again, the pieces of our lives began to shift back into place. Paul would go to daycare, and I would go to LPS as an advisor during the day, but that’s about where the similarities ended though from the last time that we were living in my house together. Some could consider our changes a weakness, but with the trials we had faced so far, it seemed inconceivable to me that we wouldn’t be changed, character defect or not, at least somewhat by them.

For me, I was trapped in diapers. I had tried several times to make it to the potty on time, but all these inevitably ended in failure. Not even reaching the first stage I had decided against pull-ups entirely, which quickly turned out to be a good thing. “Dang it!”

“Wet again?” Astrid asked with a sigh. She knew of my efforts and being my liaison with LPS and working with me each day, especially when hunting the mole, she knew about and could even see my failures directly as well. So, dejected, I nodded my head as I felt the heat bloom in my diaper. “That’s okay, Soph. How about you just go change really quick and we can come back and hit the ground running? Sound good?”

Her cheery demeanor seemed to get me through everything, but I had heard that specific tone from her before. She still respected me, and I could see that in our work, but she was talking to me like I was a Little again. In truth, beyond my size, I very much felt a kinship with Littles over the detest of the diapers that had been forced onto us one way or another. If I was wet, my consequences wouldn’t be as severe by a long shot, but the fear of leaks and the methods I used to stop those didn’t put much distance between me and half the Littles that came into the LPS building.

So, in addition to my diapers, and maybe as a part of being forced to wear them, I felt a bond with Littles that I never had before. I of course had felt a bond and connection with them prior to being a Little myself, hence why I joined LPS, but lately, I saw each of them in a new light. Each Little that came in that I advised on, I could remember the pain or the fear they were showing me each day. Granted, I never had my Achilles tendons severed or my brain cut into, but I felt a sympathy and ache for them that I don’t think I could ever have quite felt if I had never been a Little myself.

Further, in each of them, I saw Paul, especially with his new self after his kidnapping. For Paul, I could see the struggles he started to go through more and more each day. The hints were subtle at first but started to grow with time. “Paul?” No response. “Paul?” Still no response. “Paul!”

He snapped around from watching Adventure Sam and looked at me with heavily reddened cheeks. I never shouted at him unless it was my third attempt to try and get him to listen and he knew that very well by now. “Uh… sorry… I must have just been, uh… distracted.”

I sighed and let the matter go. His fascination and near glued state of being with Little’s cartoons was just one of the many things at the tip of the iceberg of who he seemed to be now. “That’s okay, Paul. It’s just that dinner is almost ready, and I want you to go wash your hands.” He nodded and waddled off. I had another reason that I wanted him to wash his hands, but I just couldn’t be sure yet. Regardless, though, we just had to work through his new changes one day at a time.

So, with his changes, and mine, I think it was just inevitable that our dynamic would change. For us, there was a level of respect that I don’t think we ever could have achieved otherwise. Paul had sacrificed himself when BAL raided Chloe’s house and I had become a Little to broker an immunity deal for him. Events like that might not do squat when coupled with nothing else, but our respect for each other and our previous bond began to blossom in the most unexpected of ways.

“Paul… I think you could use a change…” I told him one day after I had picked him up from daycare.

“Huh?” Paul glanced down at his exposed diaper. Unlike Alice, he didn’t seem to mind the exposure, or at least not anymore. I insisted on onesies and the like, but just coming home or for short periods, I didn’t want to be a nag. “Oh… would you look at that!” He grinned as he poked experimentally into the swollen padding.

I smirked back and began to walk over to him. While I did though, I felt another squirt leak out into my own diaper, and my movement quickly alerted me to the fact that even before that, I had a problem as well. “Oh! Darn it!”

Paul’s infectious grin grew to unfathomable proportions. “You wet too?” He asked the question with such an indifference that any other Little would have been spanked on the spot. For us these days though, I just rolled my eyes. “Guess that means we’re just two soggy people, huh?” We both chuckled a bit over that.

It was a nice, shared moment in this strange new life of ours, but reality soon kicked up with a relentless fervor. We both stopped our laughter as we then heard crying from the other room. Paul sighed. “Guess that’s three then…”

It was a big step to take, but after rescuing the dozens of Littles from the BAL compound, I had become a foster mom to Samuel. It was a lot of work, but Forrest Hill Daycare even gave us a discount for having two Little enrolled now and promised to try and rehabilitate him as much as possible. With them, we had undone some of the work of BAL, but even now, Sammuel’s mental and physical age could still be measured in months rather than years.

“Alright… I’ll get to you first,” I said, sighing as I looked down at Paul. Three diaper dependent people in one house with one changer could be a lot sometimes. “I’ll fix myself up while you make Sammy a bottle, and then we’ll make sure he’s all set. Deal?” Paul nodded, fully assuming his ‘big brother’ role to an adorable perfection as we both ran off to his separate ‘big boy’ room for my first of three diaper changes. At this point, our acceptance of this lifestyle was pretty much all we could do.

Well… that wasn’t the full truth though.

Back at LPS two major events were taking place that were trying to be changed all the time. First, Paul still refused to testify against most LRG members. By now, at least once a week, Astrid and Aetos would bring him in and question him for a few hours. He still hadn’t given them a single name, and what he did tell them, from my own experience, was severely out of date. I got onto him once about it and he gave me back only one reply.

“I refuse to give up members who are innocent in all this,” he defended. “Bigs struck first. We struck back. Now, BAL struck harder, so LRG is just defending themselves more lately.” I hated his logic, but I knew he had a small but still clear point. Astrid was a little frustrated over that notion, but still let it go. Aetos, however, seemed more enraged than ever though. Still, Astrid and I couldn’t think of his broiling steam quite fully these days though. We were neck deep in our own investigations.

What started off in a supply closet we bribed a janitor to use, soon transformed into a steadily growing operation in a room few others could access. Astrid and I started to vet members and breathed a sigh of relief when the director of LPS was cleared. Since then, our pace doubled and we were given the resources we would need, like our new secure room to house our base of operations.

Unfortunately, as we began to pour over more documents, we started to create a new pile of potential moles within LPS. What had begun as only 100 suspects, grew to 300 when we then realized that there could be more than one mole in LPS… not just the one involved in the undercover operation with LRG. Further, and most distressing, even when we got that number down to 206, at least 80% of higher staff and management were still on the list.

“I just don’t what we’re going to do,” Astrid said reluctantly as she poured herself a glass of bourbon at my house later one night.

“Don’t lose hope, Astrid,” my mom tried to console her. Due to the number of precautions that I had taken with Paul with his connections to LRG originally, my house had been secured and was a near dead zone for most bugs, surveillance, and electronic hacking. What’s more, considering that Chloe, Julian, and my mom were involved in this mess as well, they often came over to talk strategy with a few other LPS agents. Tonight, though, it was just Astrid, Chloe, my mom, and I. Paul and Sammy were already asleep, and Chloe had gotten a babysitter for Alice.

“Thanks, Mrs. B,” Astrid told my mom. In truth, my mom told her to just call her by her name, Claude or Claudette, but I think Astrid liked the old-fashioned nature of ‘Mrs. B’ better. My mom didn’t correct it either.

“I just don’t know, mom,” I said, huffing a bit as I slid down on my couch. “We keep narrowing down the list, but I’m just not sure how much more we can within the law.” I took a sip of my wine and sighed. “It’s still at 124.”

“Ooh… that’s not good at all, sweetie.” My mom scratched her head for a moment. “When I was part of OSS, we sniffed out dozens of rats. It’s possible… it just takes some time though.”

“Maybe if I was part of LPS, things would be different, but I can only do so much,” I lamented. I was getting frustrated and fed up with LPS lately. I once felt they were the best organization ever to work for or with, but now, with my new views on Littles and possibly several moles involved on nearly every level of our hierarchy including leadership, I was starting to have my doubts.

“But that’s why you have me.” Astrid smiled down on me and patted my shoulder from above.

I smiled back at my friend. “That’s true… I do have you there at least…”

We all then heard a flush from nearby and Chloe walked out of the bathroom. ‘Lucky…’ She stretched and yawned, and that was always our key that these late-night chats were always getting a bit too long. “Hey sis… I think you might have a bulb going out in there.” She gestured back to the bathroom. “Light kept flickering for about a minute straight…”

I sighed and added it to my already growing mental list of things I had to do around here. I had fallen in love with Sammy by now but being a single mom on top of a mole hunt and full-time job, to not raise suspicions within LPS, was a lot of work. “Thanks, sis. I’ll look at it tomorrow.”

She sat back down, but I could already see her looking at her watch. She offered an outsider’s perspective, which actually helped our group out a lot, but nights like these… I knew she would just rather be with Alice.

“As I was saying…” my mom piped back up. “We used something called a honeypot… or at least a variation of it. There’re a few other names for it, but you’ve already done the first step in eliminating who it could be without a doubt.”

“Then what’s next?” I could hear it in Astrid’s tone that she was already hooked. Considering what she had seen from my mom’s official government file, even one that had been heavily redacted, made her a loyal fan.

“Well, it’s pretty simple,” my mom explained. “You spread misinformation to those who are listening that you have something valuable and then presumably, your mole will go for it. It also usually helps if the bait is something that could identify them. After, you wait and then spring the trap and catch them in the act of stealing.”

“Sounds complicated…” Chloe said, yawning.

Our mom shook her head. “Not at all dear. The trick though is that you need to decide if you’re actually going to use real evidence or simply fake it.”

“Fake it?” I could plainly see that Astrid was already considering it and I knew she would want to know all the angles of this potential plan.

“It’s just what it sounds like, dear.” My mom shifted around and then got up. “You use manufactured or even no evidence at all to lure the mole in. It’s simple and quick, but for certain operations, it just exposes too much risk for most, so it becomes a person decision from case to case.” We were all disappointed by that notion, considering we didn’t have any hard evidence that we could even begin to fake more of to lure a mole out. So, at that point, tired and out of ideas, everyone else went home.

Alone, I then finished my wine in silence and did a last check of the house. With two Littles under my care now, every day was a battle to keep the house clean. Sammy had improved physically, but essentially being a crawler without much mental clarity meant most areas were a disaster zone. Paul would help when he could, but from something I wasn’t sure of yet from his time being kidnapped, certain toys seemed to draw him in, and soon, he got stuck in a loop of playful antics. He seemed happy, so I was happy, but the resulting mess in a few areas needed to be tidied up every night.

Still, I finished my task and started walking upstairs. Curiously, though, right as I reached the top, I saw the lights outside begin to flicker. Remembering back to what Chloe had told me about the bathroom, it grabbed my attention.

Coming back down, I quickly checked my security system and then looked outside when it registered as all systems running fine, which from the flickering, I knew was an outright lie. Outside and to my horror, I could just make out at least a dozen or so figures fully clothed in black and body armor with each armed with assault rifles right at the perimeter of my yard. ‘Shit…’

Panicking, I knew the defenses I had added in place would hold for a minute, and that an automatic distress beacon should sound to LPS. The problem was though, I also knew that it would take time for LPS to get here. So, knowing time was of the essence, as soon as the rest of the power to the house was cut, I would only have…

The rest of the power to the house was cut. ‘Double shit…’

My mind hyper focused for a moment as the lights came back on. I had two Littles upstairs, one who could barely crawl and the other who wasn’t the most reliable defender now. I knew I had few options open to me, so I picked the protection of my family as my priority.

I raced upstairs and quickly jostled Paul up first. “Wha… what time is it?” he asked sleepily.

“It’s still night but come on! We have to go!” I wanted to explain to him so badly what the problem was, but I was already lowering his half-size toddler bed railing and rolling him onto his feet. “Come on, Paul! We gotta go! Now!”

The power flicked off for a second, his nightlight darkening, and I saw Paul’s eyes widen in panic when they came back on again. “Oh! Oh no!” I could see his emotions started to crack under his realization of what was happening, but I knew we didn’t have time. Not giving him a second more, I grabbed him and raced to Sammy’s room.

“Sammy! Sammy! Come on, baby!” He was a heavy sleeper, and while that did wonders for my own sleeping habits, he was essentially just dead weight, shifting only occasionally as I pulled him up to my chest as I set Paul down on the ground, hoping he was more awake now and could follow behind me.

“They’re coming! They’re coming!” Paul screamed in terror. I suspected that his kidnapping incident had left him with a fair bit of PTSD, and I knew that a therapist of some sort was definitely in our future, but for now, I crouched down and gripped him firmly on his upper arm.

“Paul! Paul!” I shook him just a tiny bit. The power cut off again and I knew we didn’t have long. “Focus Paul! Focus!” His eyes darted about, but then finally centered back on me. “We just need to stick together. The defenses can hold out, but we need to get to the back door. I have an exit strategy back there that just might work still. I need you to stay with me until then, okay? Can you do that for me?”

I could see the pure unadulterated fear embedded deep in his eyes, but to my relief, he nodded. “I… I can try…” His voice was so small and frail, but it’s all I needed to hear.

Without a single ounce of further hesitation, I grabbed his hand and started to walk as quickly as I could. I despised how my diaper had bunched up, but in this case, I think it prevented me from completely dragging Paul behind me. I was half tempted to pick him up and just run as fast as I could with my two Littles, but I knew I needed my other hand for one further item.

Racing down the stairs though, it seemed too late to make an exit out the back as several lasers began to aim inside my house through the front window.

“We’re through! Go! Go! Go!” The voice pierced the darkness of the dead of night. I could see neighbor’s lights start to flick on, including Maggie’s and Bill’s. Fortunately, I had anticipated their intrusion through the front, and a few of my automated defenses popped on as the intruders penetrated the outer barrier.

Electric arcs reverberated throughout my front lawn. Small and embedded dart guns popped out and began firing knock-out pellets at each tracked movement. It wasn’t long before they started to panic.

“Fire! Fire! Taken ‘em out!” The voice seemed too high pitched to be a Big, but I shook my head and immediately dropped Sammy and Paul to the ground. I tried to cover them with my body, knowing full-well what was going to happen next.

Zips and pops soon erupted over our heads. Dozens of pictures were smashed, and tiny holes began to appear in my walls, mere inches above my head from the bullets now whizzing through the air. Right at that moment, Sammy woke up and began to wail in earnest. I just clutched him tighter.

I also scooted Paul closer to me for cover, but I noticed something curious right then. I didn’t comment about it and thought that in a certain way it just made sense with what I had previously suspected, but knowing him as I did, it still was a bit of a shock to see. Paul was sucking his thumb.

I had noticed that his digit would appear a little more wrinkled than his other and when I held his hand, occasionally, I would feel a dampness that seemed unusual. I just passed off my suspicions as only that but seeing him cower in fear and try to take comfort any way he could, I knew that Paul had been sucking his thumb all those other times. With the hail of bullets whizzing over our heads now, I couldn’t blame him.

Still, I knew my defense would only last so long. I had seen how this particular group was armed, and I knew that with their own firepower, my defenses would soon be mostly destroyed or inactive. Fearing for that moment and taking advantage of a brief pause in their fire, I raced over to one of my side tables and pulled out the small case I had stowed there.

The tiny metal box was just that and required my thumbprint to open. Doing that though, I popped it open and retrieved the two objects inside. The first was a transponder.

When the power first went out before I spotted them was likely when the intruders first began their assault. That had been at least five minutes ago now and LPS hadn’t shown up yet. So, I knew I needed to take matters into my own hands and smashed the call for help button about as hard as I could. I didn’t want to take any chances for the cavalry.

The second item though, was a gun. I had just cleaned it and aligned its sights the other day, so clicking and sliding the ammo into place, I knew I was set. This time, regardless of who was out there, I was past the point of needing stun rounds.

My defenses then began to slow down, but the intruders’ rate of fire didn’t. By now, I knew their intentions were deadly, so as soon as I heard the last electric arc go off, I began to sporadically fire outside from a small slit in the natural defense of at least my couch. Unfortunately, my firing back seemed only enough to keep them back and all-out assaulting my house. The back way that I had so carefully planned previously, was being riddled with several bullets. We were trapped.

Minutes seemed like hours. Sammy continued to wail, and I could do little for him. Paul, still sucking his thumb and crying, albeit more softly than his ‘young brother,’ cradled him closely. I couldn’t imagine what Paul must have been feeling in that act, scared out of his mind, mixed with confusion over his new instincts and trying to comfort his former leader who was now only acting on instincts. BAL made sure that he hadn’t been left with much else.

Still, in that moment, all hope seemed either foolish or lost. I just had to hope for a miracle, but the realist inside of me wasn’t allowing me to hope.

“Sophie? Paul? Sammy?” I heard a voice ring out from the backyard. It sounded so pure and full of hope, and to my relief, it was one I recognized very well.

“Astrid? Is that you?” I wanted to be sure my ears weren’t playing tricks on me. Deep down, I knew it was her, but my instincts, honed from years of work with LPS, knew to verify first.

“Yeah! I got your signal, and I was still driving home after checking a lead downtown! You all okay?” I could hear confidence in her voice, but a definite worry as well.

“Yeah, but we’re pinned down!” More bullets riddled above our heads. I had managed to keep the intruders at bay, but I was running low on ammo now. I wanted to press the urgency of the situation to Astrid, but I didn’t want the intruders to know either. Something was keeping them back from just massing as a group and into my house. I didn’t know what, but I didn’t want to give them an edge that could erase the reason why they weren’t.

“Hold on!” It was about the only thing I could hear above the yelling from the front yard. Apparently, some of the neighbors had come outside to try and help but had been fired upon as well. Screams echoed from my front lawn, but my attention was focused on my dining room in the rear.

All of a sudden, a mass of rectangular metal charged into the house. It was the lid from Paul’s toy box out there and was now headed straight for us. “Make way!” I then realized it was Astrid charging through, and while she might have just destroyed everything in her path, the bullets had already done most of the work for her. So, finally, she made it to us and threw the heavy lid to the other side of where we were huddled. Tiny dings and zips marked when each bullet hit the frontside.  

“You made it!” I don’t think, besides rescuing Paul, I had ever been happier to see someone in my life. My hope, though small, was growing.

“Why are they doing this?” Paul cried from under us. “I thought we got BAL already! And… and where is the rest of LPS?”

His questions were coming from a place of sheer terror, but they were valid. Astrid and I looked at each other, searching for a reason in the other, but we were both clearly confused. It wasn’t a good sign, but in my moments of not firing, I heard the worst news possible. “She must be out! Move in! Move in!”

The firing died down, but right as I heard the sound of oddly small boots crack over the shattered glass, Astrid threw herself over us and started to fire her own weapon.

“Shit! Shit! Retreat! Retreat!” One figure and then another quickly crumpled to the ground after being by Astrid’s rapid-fire shooting. The figures began to flee while a few others began unloading as many bullets at us as was possible to cover their retreat. Right then though, I could hear the sirens fast approaching. In seconds, my whole living room was covered in flashing red and blue lights.

Hearing the sirens and several groans, Astrid and I slowly stood. It was another beautiful sight of seeing the intruders all quickly drop to the floor and surrender. As LPS got closer though, it became immediately obvious why I had heard higher voices, smaller bootsteps, and that they hadn’t fully assaulted the house when any militant group of Bigs would have. Some lay stunned on the grass, but the rest kneeling were obviously a group of Littles.

Unmasking a few of them, it was horribly and immediately obvious who they were. “Oh no… They’re LRG…” It was hard to swallow that the group I had tried to help so much, and that Paul had even been a leader of the intruders that had nearly decimated the bottom half of my house. Paul seemed too emotional to say anything.

“Why?” I finally had to ask one of the members I recognized as Colin. “Why hit us? Was it just because maybe you thought that Paul had sold you out?”

“You’re both a traitor to LRG. I can’t believe we ever trusted either of you!” Colin then spit on the grass in front of us. “Bernard is out there, and he’ll find you. I mean, Sophie… Susan… whatever! You’re practically a Little with your diapers! How can you expect to stop us? You’re just one pants wetter against a whole movement! You can’t win!” He then started laughing manically.

Astrid frowned and smacked him in the face. “Shut up!” She then looked at the LPS agent holding him. “Just get him out of here!” He continued to laugh, even as he was hauled into a nearby holding van. It didn’t take a genius to know that his future of rational thinking was likely to be very short lived.

Seemingly satisfied, Astrid turned back to me and rubbed my arm in comfort. “Are you okay, Soph?” I wasn’t sure but looking down at the petrified Sammy and the nearly catatonic form of Paul, I knew I needed to go someplace safe and well-guarded. I never thought in a million years I would expect to go back, but I knew where we had to go.

“Thanks for letting us stay here tonight, mom,” I told my mom as I dropped off the bags I had quickly put together from my house.

It was a crime scene now, and while it would be guarded by around the clock agents that Astrid would handpick, I knew it wouldn’t be safe for some time. Looking around at my mom’s house, even by Big’s standards, felt massive, and what I knew about my mom, her security measures were likely even better than mine. The sprawling wood floors, fireplaces, and expansive room weren’t too bad either.

Still, underneath all that wealth, my mom’s changed heart shone through. She then quickly hugged the three of us after I put the last of our bags on the floor. “It’s okay, sweetie. Stay as long as you need. I’ve already prepared the guest room for you and spruced up the nursery for Paul and Sammy.”

Smiling, I quickly put our things in our respective rooms and then put Sammy down to sleep. In an odd way, I almost envied him. Due to his regressed abilities, he was a Little of the moment. While that meant he held onto few things, and relearning skills had practically been a miracle, it also meant that the terror of mere hours ago was forgotten after a fresh diaper and a warm bottle of milk. Paul though… once Sammy was down, refused to let go of me.

So, sighing, and the first touches of morning cracking through the downstairs windows, I cuddled with him on the couch with my mom, just as Astrid came over to see if we were okay and to report on the situation. “Seems like LRG has gone a little rogue since you all were there. Those we were able to question still, and not in surgery, we discovered had received direct orders from Bernard. He’s put out a hit on you within LRG to take you out.”

It all felt like bad news, but Astrid did say one thing that seemed to grab Paul’s attention. “Seems like there was a split though. Lots of Littles left LRG and are hiding out somewhere rather than going after you. The rest…” She didn’t finish her thought, but I knew from my time with LPS that her silence meant that the rest of LPS that had stayed were fair game if captured now.   

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way…” Paul finally managed to spit out after Astrid gave her full briefing to us.

“What do you mean, honey?” Paul seemed to shudder at the thought of what LRG had become, but I knew he had something on his mind now. I wanted to know just what.

He fumbled with his Aprisium Coyotl keychain that I managed to snag from the house and then sighed. “I never wanted LRG to become like… this. Change the world or Bigs views of us, yes, but not this…”

“I know, but we’re okay and that’s what matters now,” I tried to comfort him. Being a part of LRG, even as an undercover operative posing as a Little, I felt the sting of their betrayal, but for Paul… at this point, knowing he had come over from Earth for people like them and to help them… his feeling of betrayal must have run far deeper than I could have ever even imagined.

“No…” Astrid and I looked at him with confusion. “That’s not what matters…”

Confused, but wanting to be supportive, I wanted to encourage him to say more. “No?” Paul shook his head and started to scooch away from me. “Then what does matter?”

“The mole…” Paul said it with such conviction that I think both Astrid and I were shocked over the notion. “As I wondered earlier… how were the defenses shut down and why wasn’t LPS called initially?” I think I could see where he was going with this, but I desperately wanted him to be wrong. “Also, how did LRG find us? Were they tracking us?”

Astrid shook her head. “No. They said Bernard gave them instructions and they followed them to the letter.”

“Exactly.” Astrid looked at him a little funny. “Bernard told them, because someone told him!”

“It does make sense that way,” my mom chimed in, bringing us a few cups of hot tea.

“But we think that the mole, or moles, in LPS are helping BAL… not LRG? Tonight, was all LRG, right?” Astrid quickly nodded. “So, are you saying there’s another faction of moles within LPS as well now?” A terrible thought then occurred to me. “Are you saying we need to start another investigation and eliminate all potential suspects again?”

Paul shook his head. “No, definitely not, but tell me this... When you were first on your mission, you told me that you almost seemed like you were set up to fail, right?” I nodded, recalling all the tiny issues I had on my first day alone. “Right, so LRG wasn’t supposed to be helped, but you actually did your job, survived, and even helped LRG out!”

I could tell that Paul had a great idea, but I just wasn’t making the connections. “I’m not following…”

“I think I am…” Astrid seemed outwardly confused, but still pushed on. “You made LRG better. The mole, if this theory is correct, wanted LRG to fail though.”

“That’s right!” Paul was getting more excited or more crazed about this. I wasn’t sure which then or as he stood up with at least a gleam in his eyes. “So, then put yourselves in the mole’s shoes…” I tried, and I felt I was so close, but I felt I was missing one piece of information to solve everything.

“Oh! Then right after that, BAL got bigger!” my mom noted with excitement. Suddenly, everything clicked.

“Holy…” It was hard to fathom, but I had my final piece. “The mole could support both LRG and BAL if they were pushing a certain agenda against Littles. With my help, LRG flourished, so the mole pushed BAL to take down members of LRG directly. With an assault like the one they did; LRG lost a lot of members and became more radicalized as a result. Tonight was the end result!”

“Yes!” Paul shouted out. We all were getting his point now. “Everyone can see the headlines now. LRG attacks Big neighborhood and shoots up house of local woman. Or even if the news doesn’t report its LRG, since they weren’t wearing their insignia, everyone in that neighborhood knows they were Littles.”

It was a horrible and frightening truth. We didn’t have much evidence to support our theory, but everything fell into place perfectly. Everything could be explained, but now one problem remained. “So… how are we going to get the mole though?” Paul asked, clearly running on revenge and fury over tonight. I just knew that he was going to crash and cry at some point though. “We know there is one, but I just don’t see how. Do you all?”

“What about what Mrs. B suggested?” Astrid asked then asked, breaking the silence in the room.

My mom straightened up in her seat after taking a sip of tea. “Me? My plan of the modified honeypot, you mean?” Astrid nodded. “But then what would you all use? Are you going to make something up? Remember what I told you about doing that though…”

We all knew she was right and that it was too big of a risk, so we all started thinking. Still, after a few long minutes, no one came up with anything… until Paul cleared his throat. “What about me? I could give away information and leak it that I know who was responsible for ratting out LRG.”

“Wait… you?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Astrid, I, and the rest of LPS had been questioning Paul since he came back in, but we had gotten nowhere. I was okay with that, but now, he seemed determined to reverse his position. “Are you really willing to do that?”

Paul sighed. I could see the conflict brewing inside of him and I briefly wondered whether this was any other circumstance if he would still be making this offer now. “I am, but I have one condition…” I nodded and I could see Astrid give her official nod as a member of LPS who could actually make the deal we were striving for tonight. “I will testify but not against everyone. I want to do it just enough that we tempt the mole… the rat from their hiding spot within LPS and end this nightmare.”

“Anything else?” I could see Astrid was already going to say yes, but I could also see the determination and calculations that were likely going on her head right now of how she could spin this to LPS leadership tomorrow… or seeing the sun rise outside, today.

“Yes.” Paul took a deep breath and exhaled. “Catch this rat and I’ll testify completely. No half-truths. You want the guilt from LRG… to bury them fully, I’ll do it. Just catch the mole that led to what happened tonight that almost hurt my family.”

Astrid thought about it for a second more and then nodded her head. “Deal.”

Paul and I both sighed with what I could tell was both a mixture of relief and apprehension. The big problem with the modified honeypot scheme we were concocting was that the mole would know who was testifying and they could get desperate. In a very real sense, things could get worse before they got better. So, I took Paul’s hand and nodded at him to reassure him. Like before, no matter what, I would be there for him until the very end.

[Pierry Louys]

Wow that’s was a intense chapter ! Liked the plan 

[Guilend]

I understand Sophie getting a tad annoyed at Astrid with how she's slowly starting to talk to her like she'd talk to a Little, but Sophie she be happy Astrid hasn't started giving her butt pats or nonchalantly checking her diaper. Though I'm not sure if her mother can show the same amount of restraint now that Sophie is staying with her.

So it would seem that whoever the mole is, isn't really a friend of BAL, but aren't afraid to use them as a weapon to get what they want. Like the ends justify the means sort of thing. 

When Sophie's mom first mentioned the plan I thought that they didn't even know what this mole really wants that they could use to lure them out. It would have to be enough for the mole to risk exposure and be worth the risk for them for the reasons. Then after the attack and we learned it was the mole behind it I knew they'd have to use Paul as bait. Which could turn out really badly, however since the story is about to end and I don't think they're going to be a sequel then I'm pretty sure Paul isn't going to be kidnapped again, but he could get hit by some sort of regression gas or injected with some regression drug before the Bigs get to him. 

My theory is that the mole tried to end Paul using like some sort of injection but Sophie tackles them and during the fight she gets injected. Now with her being a Big it doesn't regress her, not completely, but it will take away her bowel control and maybe she'll start sucking her thumb under stress.

My other theory is Sophie gets held hostage by the mole.

[SGTbaby]

I look forward to the culminating chapters and how this fully plays out at the end!

[Guilend]

I am kind of sad that it's so close to the end. 

[LostBBoyBear]

Hey everyone! So here is the penultimate chapter of this story. Rather than saying it at the end, I know full-well that this story could have stretched out for several more chapters. At one point, I was even considering making this whole thing a trilogy by itself. I decided against it though, because I wanted each chapter to mean something very specific. I dawdled and fleshed out certain concepts in the beginning, but I wanted the plot to really move after Sophie was reduced in size and I think I’ve done that here.

I know many of you probably would have wanted to see more from this story, but I think 30 chapters is plenty long, in fact, its my longest story on here yet (though not the longest story that will ever post on here). Regardless though, for those of you saddened by the ending coming soon, just remember that another story is just around the bend.  

Next, as a reminder and coming of that thought, I will be posting my decision and the results from you all in my next and final chapter for the next story I will write. Likely posting Monday still, everyone is still free to comment here or personally message me with what you want to read next of mine from the options listed in chapter 2. I like all the choices I am presenting, so choose what you want and just let me know.

Lastly, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter!

Chapter 29: Smells of Cheese Often Attract Rats as Well

Holding Paul’s hand outside of LPS headquarters in front the visitor’s entrance at the base of the steps leading in, I’m sure we both looked like any other doting mommy and Little duo that could be seen millions of times all over this world. Paul was wearing his checkered buttoned up shirt and nice corduroy pants, which did nothing to hide his diaper bulge, and a simple overcoat. He insisted on looking more mature today, but in some strange sense, to me and likely to most others, especially with his trimmed and slicked-over hair, he seemed he was only playing at being a grownup now. For me, though, my suit jacket and skirt combo seemed right out of the LPS manual. The dark blue diaper bag slung over my shoulder just added to the scene of my authority and gentle domination like any other good mommy… but like so many other things on this journey, not all was what it seemed.

I was diapered and the diaper bag had a pocket dedicated just for me. As for Paul, he had exhibited more signs of slippage and his thumb sucking only grew more prevalent when he was nervous. Today was a prime example, which was just one of the many reasons I was holding his hand. Paul was testifying today and the last thing he needed people to see was his moment of vulnerability. His ego was fragile enough as it was already.

Per Astrid’s suggestion though, as I couldn’t be in with him when he testified, I had purchased him a small stuffed animal of the Aprisium Coyotl mascot, ‘Kelsey.’ Safely tucked in the diaper bag for now, ready or not, I sighed and then looked down at Paul. “You ready for this?”

Despite the bluster forming already in the air from the tail end of the year now, I could feel Paul’s hand was already sweaty from nervousness. Still, he nodded. “Let’s just do this… before I change my mind.” I gave him my best sympathetic smile, a reassuring squeeze to his hand, and then guided him up the stairs and into the building.

As we had planned, Paul only stuck to half-truths and obfuscations or old information for the moment. He mostly began to implicate people who were already guilty to anyone in the know, but to his interrogators today, they seemed pleased with what they were hearing. As opposed to before, this time, Paul actually began sharing some of the finer details to flesh out his stories and add to his legitimacy. For all intents and purposes with LPS, he was unleashing a flurry of useful intel to them.  

It was a wonderful moment, but two things occurred that upended most of our original plan. First, the mole still wasn’t biting. The group of us investigating tried as hard as we could, but ultimately, the mole remained hidden.

Secondly, though, the LPS warehouse, safehouse, and headquarters building had burned down. Torched by angry Bigs or by the remaining loyal followers of Bernard, no one really could say. What we did know though was that while Paul’s testimony wasn’t questioned and was deemed as valuable, LPS had a new toy to play with in the form of all the rubble from the warehouse site.

So, Astrid and I went back to what we were doing, and Paul slowed down on his testimony, using exhaustion as an excuse to explain why it was taking longer to debrief than usual. It was a tense time, but I was just happy that with a few suggestions from my mom, more LPS agents could be vetted. “I’m glad we can count you among the more loyal around here, Shelly.” I stood up and shook her hand.

She smiled and shook it back. “I’m glad as well. Would have been here sooner as well but when I sent you that note about LPS suspecting Paul of being their rat, I had to stay anonymous.”

“That was you?” I had kept the knowledge from that note in the back of my mind since I had read it. In a way, it was one of the reasons I upped the security in my house and was extra cautious when the lights began to flicker.

Shelly nodded her head. “That’s right. Found out about it from one of the Littles we had found afterward that had escaped LPS. They had nowhere else to go, and when I heard about their suspicions of your Paul… well, I knew I just couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

Things like that kept happening more and more. It turned out that Astrid and I were just the tip of the iceberg of those associated with LPS who suspected something foul was going on within the agency. Shelly ignored her orders and sent me the information on Paul anyway and other agents were relying on their instincts to salvage their missions in the field to help Littles out against orders. One agent wasn’t so lucky though and had fallen into a trap set by pro-Bigs somewhere south of the border. We still hadn’t heard back from them or our rescue team.

Naturally, from that type of situation everyone was already tense. Unfortunately, though, it started to leak that an investigation was underway in LPS that was somehow tied to LRG. Teams were split in their alliances and tensions only rose when more evidence was recovered from the LRG warehouse. Piles of burned documents and equipment were unloaded in the garage downstairs and were being sorted through daily. The process was slow though, but coupled with Paul’s testimony, to our relief, our group of loyal and good LPS agents started to notice some odd behavior with those we hadn’t fully or couldn’t vet yet.

“Have you all seen Agents Scythian and Aetos lately?” Shelly asked one day in our secretive room. Her new perspective had sped things up even further and her outgoing personality amongst the other agents had given her a unique insight.

“You know…” I mused. “Now that you mention it, they have been a little suspicious lately.” I quickly recalled to all the times I had noticed them taking over investigations and trying to pressure agents under them for completed outcomes. I just chalked it up to them being an overbearing boss or agent, but now…

“Take it easy with your accusations you two,” Astrid quickly warned. “Both have been on the rise in LPS for years now and are dangerous enemies to have… especially without hard evidence.” She then turned specifically to me. “Soph, while you were undercover, Agent Scythian got a promotion and is now in charge of the Littles acquisition group.” Her tone gave me pause as if it should be a group I was both familiar with and frightened of.

“And they are…?” I asked after a moment of silence. With me only consulting still, my knowledge of LPS had a few holes in it now.   

Astrid sighed with a tone of deep shame. “Basically… they’re one of the more sinister things that’s ever been approved of in LPS. They’re essentially all highly trained agents that specialize in covert ops. They’re primary mission is in taking down violent Littles.”

I blinked as my mind tried to comprehend this group. I didn’t like it one bit when I finally did. “What the…?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. From why I had joined LPS, it felt so polarizing to what they were originally intended to do… protect Littles.

“It gets worse…” Everyone in the room leaned in. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t heard of them before, though, given the nature of their work, that wasn’t too surprising. “They have total authority when assaulting a building, facility… pretty much whatever, but it’s been left up to their discretion what they consider a threat or not.”

“That can’t be…” Shelly was beyond shocked, and I was at a loss for words. Seeing the other agents’ faces in the room as well, I knew we weren’t alone.

“It is.” Astrid sighed again, this time in the likely burden of carrying around all these facts that could destroy us all. “Soph, the raid on that BAL facility with Paul… Scythian was there as well. I didn’t find out until recently and I thought more people had heard but… those BAL members…”

“What about them?” I had to know. I feared her answer, but seeing justice done to the BAL members we had captured… the ones responsible for hurting Paul and Sammy… had been a moment of grace for my own mind within LPS since I had returned to work.

Astrid sighed again. “All of them were immediately questioned, sentenced, and then shipped elsewhere…” A gasp went up in the room. It was a violation of our policies to even convict Bigs in that manner, but that didn’t seem to matter in their case. My fists clenched in rage.

“No one cared about them, because they were bad people,” Astrid tried to explain, “but they’re gone.” Her head dropped down. “I’m sorry, Soph. I thought you knew…”

The mood in the room quickly soured after that, but it also gave a motivation that I hadn’t seen yet in all the agents working directly with the mole hunt. By the end of that week, not long after New Years Eve, we had been able to narrow the suspect pool down to 81. There were still a lot of members, and that concerned everyone, but it was still progress.

Then, a near miracle happened.

Due to the vetting of several more members, we felt that the majority of LPS staff were now on our side. They had been cleared of charges, and a few others had been looped in. Knowing the evidence from the warehouse could hold some key to what we were looking for, we ensured we could trust as many of the staff as we could muster on the team. Scythian and Aetos inserted a few of their own, but the director finally halted the number of members directly working on the project. Fortunately for us, one day, it proved to be just enough.

“Soph!” Astrid burst through the door and seemed exhilarated. I looked up from my notes on Aetos and looked at her expectantly. “We found something!”

My eyes bulged and bolted to my feet. “Where? When? How? Who?” Several questions raced through my mind. This conspiracy had gone on long enough and I could tell that everyone just wanted to end it and feel safe once again in their jobs. 11 members had already resigned since first learning about the mole hunt.

Astrid nodded and guided in a shy and fumbling agent. Sadly, Stanley was an agent of little value in the field, so he mostly worked in analysis and performed administrative duties that no one else wanted, but most importantly now though, he was loyal. “M… ma’am…” His nervousness around me was almost cute.

My reputation had taken a bit of a hit since Colin had blurted out that I wore diapers now when we took him in after the assault on my house. Fortunately, Astrid had managed to spin it like a war wound and had been boasting about everything I had done for LPS, when I wasn’t even an agent. Most everyone shut up after that.

“Thank you, Astrid.” I then turned my attention to the slightly trembling agent in front of me. “It’s okay, Stanley. Just tell me what you found.” I walked over to him and then sat down in a seat. I made sure to put on a smile in order to ease his discomfort. Inside though, I was near bursting for him to tell me what he had found.

“Y… yes, m… ma’am…” He then reached around him, and while I tensed for a moment, thinking the worst, he only pulled out a single evidence bag from underneath the lab coat that any agent or technician wore when sifting through the rubble of the LRG warehouse. Soot stains covered most parts of his coat. “I… I found thi… this…”

I calmly held my hand out, and with shaking fingers, Stanley handed it to me. Based on Astrid’s persistent smile, I took it that she already knew what I was going to find. So, even my own fingers began to tremble in anticipation. Finally, though, I got a good look at it. “Wait… is this…?”

Astrid quickly nodded. “Yep!” She came over to me and pointed to the section of the document in the transparent evidence bag. “Right here…” I started reading the remains of one paragraph. ‘LPS is sending coordinates to prime target. Do no… empt to hold back. Figures inside ar… posable. Extreme prejudice is gran…d.’ The document was heavily charred, but from what we could read, it was direct evidence of a conspiracy between LPS and LRG… just as Paul first suspected.

I looked up and smiled at Astrid. “This… this could be what we’re looking for…” She said nothing, but I had to look back down at the single piece of paper in my hands. To me, more than our constitution or declaration of freedom stored in New Columbia, this document was the single most important I had ever seen in my life.

I looked back up to Stanley and smiled. “Thank you for this… really. This means more to us than you ever could know.”

He blushed. “Thank you, ma’am. It was no… nothing. B… but I figured you all sh… should see it at least…”

I nodded. “Most definitely. In fact, you might have just saved LPS.” That was an exaggeration of course in the literal sense, but I knew it was just what Stanley needed to hear right then.

Regardless of my exaggeration though, the document was highly important, so, I thanked him and then sent Stanley to search for more evidence if he could any. I realized one problem with the paper however and sighed. “Too bad there aren’t names attached to this thing…”

Astrid sighed. “I saw that too… but maybe that doesn’t matter…” I looked at her questioningly, but I had seen the look that encapsulated her face now. Somewhere, brewing beneath her pensive expression, she had a plan.

And I was right. The next day, as part of Paul’s slow given testimony, we had him testify that there was evidence that connected both LRG and LPS. He also gave a location where it could be located, which just happened to be the latest pile being extracted and examined from the LRG warehouse. Soon, the whole agency was in a buzz, and several agents on our mole list began to look nervous.

It was a gamble to show our hand like that, revealing the likely mole from the connection we implied of LRG to LPS, but it was the honeypot we had been trying to create for weeks now. To sweeten the deal further just in case though, we had Paul bluff and note that the document revealed the names of the conspirators as well. It was a lie, and therefore a major risk, but at this point everyone agreed that it would be worth it to catch the mole and end this operation. So, that night, we lay in wait for the trap to be sprung.

“Are you sure you installed those off-grid security cameras?” I asked Astrid nervously.

She nodded and took a sip of her coffee from her ‘World’s Best Agent’ mug. “I did. Watch.” She then leaned forward and hit the power to the monitors in front of us. They had the normal feeds of the building, but also now included those looking in on the evidence room as well. “See, Mrs. Doubting pants? Just as you asked for.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, fine. I believe you. I just… I need this to be done already.” I sighed and briefly looked back at the monitors. Still no movement. “Paul, Sammy, and I just need to go back to normal lives…”

Astrid looked a little sad for a moment. “You know… as much as I hate having a mole in LPS, it’s been nice seeing you again… like old times, huh?”

I smirked and nodded. “Yeah… me too. I can’t say I miss some of those old stakeouts or missions in the swamps in Flosus, but it has been nice seeing you regularly again.”

She smiled and it quickly seemed like she had a question for me. “You think maybe… after this… we could…”

“Wait!” I spotted movement. “Look! On the monitor!” I hated stopping Astrid like that, but my pulse began to race as I saw a single figure lurk just off camera.

“Look at that…” Astrid pointed to the main normal feeds. “Can’t even see him. He’s avoiding the cameras…”

“But not the ones you installed…” Astrid shook her head and I smiled and picked up my radio. “All units… this is it. Be ready and be prepared to go on my signal.”

“Roger… awaiting your signal…” Astrid and I knew the agent searching would be strong, swift, and smart. They likely knew the building well-enough to make a quick getaway, so in anticipation, we had at least 30 agents perched all around the evidence room in secretive locations. I just needed to give the signal, and each would emerge, and another team would come in and capture the mole once and for all.

Watching the monitor, the mole made sure to leave no trace of his movements and clearly had been trained in assault procedures and espionage tactics. Looking over our remaining files, it narrowed it down to ten suspects.

Then, as soon as he touched the evidence and pivoted away, I gave the signal to my radio. “Go! I repeat, this is the go order! Capture the suspect now.”

“Roger…” The lights immediately flashed on. In seconds, our loyal agents captured the mole, still leaving his mask on until Astrid and I got there as planned.

Both of us entering the evidence room, Astrid gave the signal and Shelly removed the mole’s mask. It was clear who it was from the start. “Agent Aetos…” I don’t think I will ever forget the look of hatred and betrayal in his eyes as he was then pulled away and into one of the interrogation rooms. Two of his top agents and first recruits in LPS were now taking him into custody.

Three hours later, the initial interrogators had broken him down enough that it was deemed safe and valuable enough for Astrid and me to enter. Using a truth serum of sorts, it took longer to kick in but could cause the most hardened of trained agents to reveal anything. For Littles… it was lethal, and for Bigs… mostly illegal, however in this case, the director gave us permission to use it. Astrid and I could tell that their feeling of betrayal and annoyance of a mole in their organization was grinding on their patience and good will. In truth, neither of us minded.

“Well… if it isn’t my two least favorite agents,” Aetos chided us both as we entered. “Got any diaper rash lately, Sophie?”

I nearly took a wing at him right there, but Astrid held me back. “He’s not worth it, Soph. Let’s just ask our questions and go.” I shuffled her off and just took my seat opposite of our old mentor, glaring at him the entire time.

“Ladies… I’m here, you’re here… so, let’s make a deal.” I hated his smugness and confidence in all this, but I knew with Astrid in the room, a deal was going to be made. Despite the truth serum, subjects could withhold information or obfuscate. If we struck a deal, however, Aetos was likely to open to us more, and further, if he lied, we could build a clause to the deal that could void all benefits to him from the deal.

Astrid sighed but had come prepared. She reached into the file that she had brought in with her and laid out a large sheet of paper and a pen in front of Aetos. “This is it. Sign this or there’s no deal and you go away to Dark Cliff. Considering you’re an agent who has sent Littles there before, I’m sure you know what that means…”

For the first time since I had known him, I could see a fleck of fear in Aetos’ eyes. The truth serum was definitely working on him. Seeing little things like that honestly made my day in situations like these. Aetos was our mole and I had lost track of how many innocent Littles had paid the price for his treachery.

Still, he took the paper, read it briefly, and without question, signed on the bottom line. “So, where should we start?”

Astrid sighed and placed her hand on my arm to indicate I should go first.

I had looked forward to this day for so long, but now, only one massive question lingered in my mind. We knew pretty much everything else, but I wanted to know about the very nature of this plot. “Why Aetos? Why?”

He smirked and it disgusted me, but I could tell he wasn’t going to hold back a single item. “The Midas Society offered me money. Pure and simple.”

I wasn’t satisfied. “That’s it? All this… for money?” It was the oldest excuse and reason in the book, and while the Midas Society being involved didn’t surprise me, I still wanted to know more. There just had to be more.

Aetos scoffed. “It was more money for one task than I ever could make as an agent here in three lifetimes. Paid out when I retired in mostly offshore accounts. I couldn’t pass it up.” He then leaned forward. “But you’re right... there was another reason…”

I leaned forward too, almost to the point of our foreheads touching, but Astrid pulled me back. She wasn’t being driven on pure emotion and she knew how badly that type of situation could go for me, Aetos cuffed or not. I made a mental note to thank her on behalf of my forehead not getting smashed in later…

Aetos grinned wickedly. “Littles are a blight on our society or should be the babies they really are. There is no in between. Therefore, when babies act up, you spank them. End of discussion. So, when the Midas Society offered me money to put a permanent end to LRG for a lot of money, of course I wasn’t going to say no. I restored the balance from those tiny uppity rebels.”

I was too flabbergasted by what I was hearing. The hate and vitriol I had long feared since my time as a Little had been unleashed on our society and the city of Aprisium by the want of more money and the old ideology of Bigs. Before Paul, I am ashamed to admit that even with my more progressive views, I usually only saw Littles as children in a very real sense. Masquerading as adults perhaps, but still needing the watchful hand of a Big within their lives.

Everything I had been taught, led me to that conclusion. Coming to their planet, it was stricken with disease, poverty, nuclear fallout, and a civilization on the verge of total collapse. Seeing them as children, even beyond their diminutive stature, was just a natural conclusion. After Paul though, my stances had changed. Seeing Aetos spout his insane and near ridiculous reasons, I could see that very clearly now.

“So, arming a pro-Big group like BAL seemed the only logical way to eliminate or radicalize LRG as I had agreed to,” Aetos continued to explain. “It was just too easy…” I had tuned him out in my shock before, but now, he was essentially just confirming everything we already had suspected. Never stopping our recordings of this interview, we were getting everything.

As he continued to talk, I had one further realization. Despite his own radicalization over Littles and their place in our society, he was right in that they were ‘vulnerable and ripe for the picking.’ Littles needed something more… something more legal, but as much as I tried to think of a solution, I was coming up blank.

Aetos then leaned forward once again in his chair. “I want a new deal.”

Astrid and I were stunned that he would make such a request after already signing his first. “No can do, Aetos,” Astrid shot back confidently and even sticking her finger hard into the signed deal he had just made. “You signed a deal; you stick to it.”

Aetos squinted at both of us and then leaned forward with his hands clasped together. “And what if I told you all the names of the co-conspirators in this little mess here, huh?” His villainous grin made my skin crawl. “Imagine that… wrap up all the moles in one basket. I think I hear promotions and bonuses in the wind.” His eyes sparkled in an unnerving manner.

My stomach sank. Any more leverage in his deal and with our current justice system, he might even only serve house arrest for a few years. The deal Astrid had made was slipping away before my eyes. I wanted to throttle him on the spot, but I knew I couldn’t. Astrid and I suspected there were more moles in LPS beyond Aetos, so it was a deal I knew had to be taken. If we didn’t, the director would force us to or remove Astrid, and therefore me as well, from the case.

Astrid then pressed her middle finger to her earpiece. She had popped it in to link her with the outside monitoring and recording room just in case more information came to light with the quick turnaround of the portion of the case so far. I nearly held my breath waiting for what she was hearing. It was either good news that his new deal proposal to us would be flushed, or it was the director forcing us to take it instead.

Then, she smiled, and my heart leapt with joy.

Astrid leaned forward. “Sounds like a good deal to me, but you wanna know something?” I could hear her growing playful tone. I knew she had heard something good for sure now. I just didn’t know what yet.

“What?” Aetos asked smugly.

“You always sucked at computers.” Aetos faced dropped and it clicked to everyone in the room, including me, what Astrid had just been informed. “We got your computer and we bust it open like a piñata. So good of you to keep all the records of your fellow coconspirator colleagues. I’m sure they’ll be so thrilled when they find out eventually…” She smirked and then stood up while I followed her. “Enjoy your deal with us, former agent Aetos…”

He sat back smugly, but as soon as Astrid opened the door, three ABI agents entered the room, including Julian. “Nikolai Aetos… you’re hereby under arrest by the order of the ABI. Anything you say can and will be held…”

“What are the charges?” he lashed out as the ABI agents began to haul him away. I think in that moment, despite my brother being on the team taking him away, both Aetos and I shared the same confusion as to what was happening.

“It’s simple,” Julian piped up. “You made a deal with LPS today, but that doesn’t preclude you from prosecution by another agency. You just made a full confession to selling guns to a known domestic terrorist group. BAL has been on our watch list for years, so thank you for that.” We both smirked at each other, even more so when the realization of what was happening started to sink into Aetos’ head and he tried to fight the agents strong-arming him through the building as they read him his rights in a court of law.

It was a good moment for LPS, but there was a part of me that hated even to ask Paul to hold up his end of the deal afterward. He still did without me asking though, and with his full confession now, the remaining rogue members of what was left of LRG were brought in, including Bernard and his radicalized and armed group of followers that hadn’t been caught the night they shot up my house.

On the one hand, the day all the warrants came through and the several raids took place, was one of the happiest days of my life. Scores of LPS agents and LRG members nearly walked side by side into LPS headquarters to be arrested.

On the other hand, though, I felt a wave of guilt pile over me. LPS had been cleansed, everyone involved received promotions, bonuses, or both in compensation, and LRG would no longer be a threat. Everyone cheered, especially when it was revealed they were planning a series of bombings of portal facilities and the ABI and LPS headquarters in Aprisium, but Paul wasn’t among them.

February saw a series of sweeping initiatives within LPS to help purge and prevent any future plot like the one the Midas Society had tried to enable. It also saw the increase in hate mail and dirty looks to Paul whenever we went out anymore though.

Bernard’s group of followers had covertly sent out a mass of fliers and information campaigns in the Little community, calling Paul out for trading in secrets about Littles in general. Curiously, no one made the connection to LRG sending out the tips, or the fact of the bombings attached to Bernard and all, but Paul still was bearing the brunt of the blame for the whole mess.  

Each day, I saw him retreat into himself a little more and he slipped further into Littlehood. Part of it was a latent response with PTSD and the trauma that had been inflicted upon him when he had been kidnapped by BAL. The rest was purely his isolation and the guilt he was feeling over betraying his own kind. I was officially his caregiver again, but I felt so powerless to help him, aside from my endless streams of hugs, kisses, and playdates that I set up. Nothing seemed to work. I had got what I wanted in the beginning of our relationship, and Paul now accepted me fully as part of his life, but I felt the price we paid to get here had been too high of a cost for him at least. So, I started desperately searching for answers to help my Little out.

By the middle of February, I was wrapping up the paperwork for the mole case within LPS and my role as a consultant in it. It was probably seeing the names of LPS and LRG so often that made me think more in-depth about both organizations.

LPS was a government-run agency and had set out with a good purpose of protecting Littles within the law but being bound by free hiring practices and a need for powerful agents, it had opened itself up to corruption and scandal through their sordid ambitions. Bureaucracy saw every problem as a ‘hammer and nail’ situation and the very people it sought to protect were now afraid of it.

LRG though, was run by Littles and therefore felt like a safe place for them to congregate. As Shelly had informed us, many of the Littles had few other places to go when it collapsed, largely because they lost their only sense of community and home in this world where they weren’t treated with prejudice or condescension. It was a wonderful community, however, with their operations outside of the law, they were no longer bound to it or could seek its protection. Years of animosity and pent-up rage were unleashed in the form of bombs and bullets when those with more level heads had fled, been captured, or had been regressed. Operating from the shadows gave them a needed edge to survive in this world, but it also made them susceptible to malice and revenge against every Big, regardless of their own beliefs, in the city.

It seemed like a dead-end conundrum to me, but I remembered what I had thought in the interrogation with Aetos. Littles in our society were vulnerable and needed protection from both themselves sometimes and those Bigs that still held onto their old ideologies of being far superior to them. LPS had been too entrenched in the government and LRG had strayed too far from it. Littles needed something more out there for them, and suddenly, I felt I knew just what to do about it.

Not wasting a second more, I ran out to Astrid and explained everything to her. “We need something more than LPS and LRG in this world now. What has happened already can’t be undone, but with my idea… maybe we can remedy it and take a lesson from it.” I paused and took a breath. “So… what do you think?”

Astrid remained quiet and motionless for a moment. Then, I saw the same smirk and look on her face that I had seen so many other times before. She was in, so now, we just needed to find a place to do all this and get the funding we would need in order for my idea to become a reality.

[Craisler]

Interesting chapter.  Sometimes, I wonder if you tweak the plot line based on some of the discussions from the readers.  Personally, I’m a little disappointed at Paul’s downward emotional and cognitive slide.  Given Sophie’s widened perspective about Littles, I was hoping their relationship would ultimately become one of between trusting and respectful individuals.

I like your stories since they have a plot that’s more than just the protagonist becoming incontinent, needing diapers, and being infantilized.  I’m looking forward to what comes next.

[kerry]

 A great chapter, tying up a lot of things and giving hope (that had not existed before) of a better future.

[LostBBoyBear]

1 hour ago, Craisler said:

Interesting chapter.  Sometimes, I wonder if you tweak the plot line based on some of the discussions from the readers.  Personally, I’m a little disappointed at Paul’s downward emotional and cognitive slide.  Given Sophie’s widened perspective about Littles, I was hoping their relationship would ultimately become one of between trusting and respectful individuals.

I like your stories since they have a plot that’s more than just the protagonist becoming incontinent, needing diapers, and being infantilized.  I’m looking forward to what comes next.

I hear what you're saying, and that's totally valid. I was initially hesitant to add that plot thread, but I realized I needed Sophie to feel a guilt that would compel her to have the idea that she mentioned at the end of the chapter. I felt without his slide as well, his kidnapping wouldn't have amounted to much of a plot thread, beyond a few issues. I kept coming back to the question; beyond plot armor, how would Paul escape unscathed and yet Sammy would ge the full brunt of their diabolical treatments? 

This was about the only answer I could come up with, but I did slip in a few rays of hope for his character. Have a little patience until Monday and I think you'll come to appreciate the ending that I ended up going with in the final chapter. 

And thanks for the vote of confidence in my stories. I knew I wanted them to be more than those elements when i first started and I hope I can apease those who want those themes while giving you all just a smidge more. I can't wait for you all to read some of my other stories in walking this line. 

[Guilend]

Am I the only one that almost closed their eyes when the hood was pulled off the mole's head? I did, kind of like when something happens in a movie and you just close your eyes for a second to skip the small part. I of course noticed the problem of doing that for a story I'm reading right before I closed my eyes. 

My reasoning for thinking it was either Aetos or Astrid instead of a unknown character is I knew whoever it was had to have an emotional connection to Sophie. Otherwise the betrayal felt by Sophie wouldn't be that relatable to us, the reader. The betrayal had to cut Sophie deeply so us as the reader would hate him as much as Sophie does. 

Also I absolutely love how API just walks in and is like okay, it's our turn because you just think your I little fucked, we'll make sure you're a lot fucked 😂.

@LostBBoyBear Don't you dare think I didn't notice Astrid was about to ask Sophie out on a date and was interrupted. (Or was going to ask Sophie if she could adopt her, but I find the odds are not good)

I'm a side note, it pains me every time Dark cliff is mentioned, especially in this story. Never once does anyone say what happens in Dark Cliff. Not even rumers, just "bad things happen" or "their faces turn white from just the mention of being sent there". Like I kind of understand what happens when a Little is sent there. My guess Littles are probably experimented on. Definitely have their brains empties. However not sure what happens to a Big that's sent there. It was implied here with Aetos that he might be interacting with the same Littles he had sent there, or at least they'd be able to get to him. Part of me thinks they shrink the Bigs to Little or Tweener size, but I really hope that's not all of them, or at least not something they do right away.

[Craisler]

My guess is that the miscreant Bigs who are sent to Dark Cliff are reduced to Littles.  (The DCI, referenced in the story, probably means something like the “Dark Cliff Initiative,” or something similar.)  The violent, unredeemable ones are regressed and put up for adoption.  The others are given sentences of varying lengths depending on the severity of their crimes and told to report back to Dark Cliff after their sentence has been completed.  Those that have survived life as a Little and able to get back to the prison would then be restored to their original Big status. 

I’m still wondering about the 20% of shrunken Bigs that were unable to be restored (like, I assume, the one that Sophie almost ran into and thought she recognized).

[SGTbaby]

I am curious to see the actual ending as I have a few theories in mind for what it might be. Great overall story and great developments throughout!

[Guilend]

So, it's technically Monday here, 2 hours into it actually. So.....just thought I'd mention, ya know, for no particular reason 😇😁

[LostBBoyBear]

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late posting, but looking back now at the end, it’s kind of interesting to me the process of writing these stories. I’m definitely a planter, which means that while I do plan out my stories (which is one of the reasons they can go up so fast, relatively speaking), I also let the stories grow naturally. This chapter essentially ends how I wanted it to, but with vastly different results, which just took a little extra time to make right. I won’t go into details about what could have been, but I think some of you would have loved it, while others may have hated it. With this version though, I think I’ve struck a nice medium. No final explosions or anything, but a good way to end all this, nonetheless.

In this same thought, I didn’t even realize that I had inadvertently created a trilogy from this story as well. I knew I had formed some loose connections with The Opening story, but in writing this story, I made many connections to another as of yet unwritten story. I definitely think you all will like the black ops and revenge plot lines in that one when it eventually comes out, but I just felt it was something to note here at the end as a curiosity of sorts to me.  

That being said, speaking of the future, I will be choosing the follow-up story with Miss G. I added up the votes on here and those sent to me privately, and there was a tie between this story and the Boys Maturity Reform story. From now until about the middle of September, I have three trips coming up and so my time will be more limited in writing these stories. The follow-up with Miss G is hovering around only about ten chapters now from my initial outline. These outlines aren’t always accurate (especially considering this story was originally only 15 chapters in the first outline), so it could be longer, but the Boys Maturity Reform Story has been more fleshed out and is almost 40 chapters. I will definitely include it and the Bethany story (getting a few votes as well) in future polls, but I think the follow-up story with Miss G has been waiting in my back pocket for long enough.

Speaking of the vote here, I also want to note that there were fewer votes noted in this story than others. I think I will still continue my polls, but I am curious to the lower-than-expected numbers going into this vote. I’ve been contemplating linking to a separate poll website (rather than strictly keeping a tally on a sticky note next to my computer), but I will let you all know if this happens. I think there could be an issue of not wanting to post publicly, and I understand that, but more numbers for these future stories could be more accurate with what you all want.

Looking ahead though, I have no idea when I will start posting this story. It’s not one of my truly shorter stories, so it will definitely bump up against my previously noted several trips coming up. Instead of postponing though, I will try to work around them to get another story out there ASAP. This will mean that there could be a week or longer gaps in the next month or so with my postings, but I’ll try to write and edit as much as I can in the meantime.

Next, I also just want to thank everyone sincerely for their support of this story on here. I have ‘won’ several more days since posting this story, and many of your all’s comments have been truly wonderous to read. I always love when the comment section almost takes on a life of its own regarding plot speculations and playful banter. To be perfectly honest, I was thinking that due to the lack of most regression elements in the majority of the plot line for the main character or even mostly for the secondary character, this story may never be a success on here. Regardless of my feelings or desire to be right most of the time, I am glad that you all have proven me wrong in this case.

Finally, I hope everyone enjoys this next and final chapter of this story!

Chapter 30: L.R.G.

It was a glorious sight to see when both LRG and LPS members faced their just punishments. The state government legislature in Aprisium made a spectacle of it, and while some believed that undercut the seriousness of what happened in what amounted to nearly the past year, most believed it served as a valuable and equal warning to our society. With both trials happening simultaneously, it showed that Bigs and government agencies were not above the law. Many had speculated that Bigs or the government could escape retribution when it came to Littles, but the trials proved different.

Of course, some of the lower tier members on trial only received a stain on their records and extended community service, befitting their crime, but many were shipped out west. As such, Dark Cliff got a fairly substantial load from the incident regarding both Bigs and Littles. It fueled the fires of speculations that Bigs were being shipped elsewhere or something funky was going on, considering Dark Cliff was supposed to be just for Littles, but by the end of March, those rumors mostly just appeared on government conspiracy websites.

Curious to most though, despite the press and many members of LRG put on display, the actual name of the organization of the Littles on trial was never publicly acknowledged or announced. LPS members, my family, and a handful of Littles knew that it was LRG who was on trial, but the media remained silent about the Little’s affiliation.

“I can’t believe the media won’t even give LRG credit for all this!” Paul complained as he sat back on the couch after another rogue member from LRG was sent to Dark Cliff Prison. “It’s like they never even existed!”

I sighed and turned off the TV without notice. “Hey!” Paul complained, now trying to grab the remote from my hand high above his head. “I was watching that!”

“No…” I corrected, “you were complaining about it and then you would have moped about it, like you have for the past few weeks now. I don’t know why LRG isn’t being mentioned by the media, but neither of us can do anything about it. I’m very sorry, but it’s time we move on.” I placed the remote on the kitchen table and then turned back to Paul with a sigh but in an attempt to raise his feelings as well. “How about instead of watching all that again, you go over to Roger’s? I’m sure he would love to pl… hang out with you today.” Paul groaned, but knowing he was hitting a brick wall with me by now, only grabbed his coat and headed over.

As I stared through the window, I sent Maggie a quick text telling her that he was headed over. Since she had noticed Paul looking gloomier than before when he first got home and seeing that Roger had been lonely without an equal like him lately, she made a fully open offer of her house whenever Paul wanted to come over. I had extended the same offer, and it even got to the point where we would message each other whenever we weren’t going to be at home, just in case.

As soon as I got the ‘thumbs up’ message back from her and saw Paul disappearing inside her house, I closed the blinds and sighed. I had just lied to Paul without hesitation before in that moment.

I didn’t want to do it, but I hadn’t seen any alternative when I first started lying to him about LRG when the trial first started. The thing is, I really did know the main reason the name of LRG was being left out of the media.

Several of the other agents at LPS, with me advising as well, insisted on leaving their name out. As a favor to LPS, they complied. We all believe that due to the nature of the group’s collapse, we knew they could be in a prime position to become a martyr for any Little cause of action in the future. Those following Samuel, my Sammy, would have chosen peace, but in our experience, most would have likely gravitated toward Bernard and would have chosen violence instead. Not wanting that scenario, we left them anonymous to the rest of the public.

Unfortunately, the hits kept coming for Paul.

With the threat of LRG no longer looming and Paul already having turned in evidence against LRG, I could see there was a part of him that wanted to go home. Additionally, his reputation had taken a hit with his old friends, and not seeing him as anything but a gullible puppet for Bigs now, abandoned him completely. Even Little support groups were wary of including him now. So, just wanting him to be happy, I set up a maturity test that his parents insisted on him taking. For them, they believed that Paul was flooded with homesickness and nostalgia for the life he once led, but as they noted, due to his time here, there was a question of how returning to his life back on Earth would even look.

Finding a test that was unbiased towards Littles and would just give us the answers we were looking for; I drove Paul over one Friday morning. The test consisted of several parts and was meant to be tiring and taxing on the mind. Unaffected Earthers could pass the test with ease, even among their… less gifted individuals. When the test results came back, however, we both knew that Paul had to make the decision whether to return to Earth or not.

While his scores were borderline, I shared them with his parents and we both agreed that if Paul was to return to Earth, things would be very difficult for him. Through some programs for negatively affected returning humans to Earth from our dimension, Paul could make it work with a live-in nurse. He could tie his shoes and read for example, but his inability to concentrate, his complete lack of potty training, and his emotional needs and the ways in which he was comforted now would likely be huge obstacles and potentially major sources of embarrassment for him. So, for now, Paul remained with me until he could make a proper decision.  

I helped him improve where I could and Mr. Oliver supplied him countless books to help as well, but we still seemed to be at an impasse. Seeing him walk around the house trying to make his decision and like a man already lost was tearing at my soul every day. I knew my plan had to occur soon or else I would lose Paul forever.

Finally, one day I drove Paul to the more Little-heavy side of Aprisium. “I just want you to know that I’ll always be here for you, honey,” I tried to comfort Paul, now sitting glumly back in his car seat. I had packed his diaper bag as usual, made sure he was at least dry and clean for the trip, and told him we were going out. I didn’t tell him anything more than that.

“I know you’re still sad about LRG, but maybe not everything is as bad as you think?” Paul momentarily shifted in his seat, but then kept looking outside the window as the buildings passed by. I heard him heavily sigh.

“Thank you, Sophie… what you’ve done for me these past months… I don’t think I could ever thank you enough.” I was worried where he was headed with this, but at a traffic light I made sure to turn back to him and pat his outstretched leg in acknowledgement that it was all going to be okay in my own silent way.

He smiled at the gesture and continued. “I… I just don’t know about what to do anymore…” I could hear the loss and aimlessness in his voice. “When LRG collapsed, I at least hoped the news would mention their name, as a sort of memorial, but with their name left out… I feel like everything we did was for nothing… that my own sacrifices, and everyone else’s, were for nothing…”

I had never thought about it that way and I could feel a tiny stab right through my chest as the guilt piled on, knowing full-well that I was one of the chief architects of the policy to exclude the LRG name from the public’s attention. “I’m sorry…”

Paul nodded and just went back to staring outside. He probably thought I was apologizing in sympathy for what he was going through, and that was true to an extent, but I was also apologizing to him for my part in the loss he was feeling now. ‘Just a little longer, Paul…’

A few more traffic lights later, we soon pulled up into one of the recently deserted office parks. With Littles disappearing every day, Little-owned businesses were here one day and gone the next. Using a few pooled funds, we had purchased part of the single brick clad office building in front of us now. If my plan was successful, more could be purchased later.

“Where are we?” Paul finally asked as I plucked him out of his car seat and set him down on the pavement near the front entrance of the building. I could have parked in the parking garage around the back, but I felt the front way seemed a better way to enter today.

“I want to show you something…” I then held my hand down to Paul as I adjusted his diaper bag on my shoulder with the other. As usual these days, he took my offered hand without question. “Come on…”

We casually entered the front of the building, and while dust still covered a few of the surfaces, I was already impressed with the amount of work that had been done to the front lobby. It would need more work and I could just picture it as a welcoming and professional sight to see in the future, but it was a good start for now. Looking down at Paul, I could recognize that he was likely still a bit too gloomy and reserved to question anything he was seeing. Still, we walked over and then hopped in the elevator to go to the top floor.

As soon as we got off, I could see the difference already. Glass doors and polished surfaces greeted us pleasantly. Paul seemed to perk up a little more, but I had purposely left off a few signs for a grander reveal to Paul today.

“Where are we?” Paul finally asked again as we stopped in front of several cubicles, most still smelling like the new padding that lined their gray walls.  

I smiled down at Paul and then crouched before him. “Sweetie… I wanted to do something for you… and for all the Littles in this area. When I was at least the size of a Little, I realized that we needed something more. I had an idea and when I told her, Astrid completely agreed with me.”

“Astrid?” I could tell the gears were starting to run in Paul’s head already. After nearly a month of him passively moving from one daily task to another without much enthusiasm, it was a wonderous sight to see.

I nodded. “That’s right.” I then held my finger up to him and stood back before whistling loudly.

In moments, the two conference rooms off to the side opened and a dozen or so figures piled out and lined up in front of the two of us just like we had planned beforehand. For his part, Paul seemed beyond bewildered and confused. “I… I… I don’t understand…”

A few of the crowd chuckled, but I patted his shoulder and gestured to the crowd. “Paul… I want you to meet the new team I’ve been working with. I’m sure you recognize a few of them…”

I could see Paul squint, but after a moment, his eyes then lit up. While a few of the figures were likely strangers to him, I knew that he at least recognized Astrid, my family, Maggie, Roger, and at least a few others. “Wha… what are they all doing here?”

Again, a few chuckled. “Paul… this is what we’ve been working on.” I paused for a moment. “See, Sophie felt that Littles needed something more in this city… even in this country as a whole,” Astrid started to explain.

“I felt LPS was too restrictive and attached to the government, but LRG was far too detached from mainstream society,” I continued. “Astrid and I brought everyone together here for a specific purpose.” I could see Paul still struggling with a few of the faces, so I knew I needed to explain why they were here further.

Starting on the left, I began to gesture to each figure. “My mom is our insight into the Midas Society. She’s already agreed to rejoin as a periphery member so we can gain insight into their dealings against Littles. The government may not be able to touch them right now, but with her… expertise,” a few of the Bigs laughed, “we can at least stay ahead of them.”

“You don’t know them, but they’re good friends of mine,” I said, gesturing to Jane and Dr. Jackson. “Jane works at the hospital and Dr. Jackson works on a variety of projects all around the world. With both of them, we can stay ahead or at least better know of the harmful drugs like the ones that were released that got all of the Littles sick and hurt their potty training.” Paul still blushed a little over the notion, despite the fact that his diaper was pretty obvious to anyone who looked at him for more than a few seconds. I knew that it was likely already at least a little damp. Speaking of which, just shifting slightly, I knew mine was as well.

Moving on though, I patted the shoulder of my old familiar friend. “I’m sure you recognize Mr. Oliver.” Paul smiled and waved to the elderly figure, curiously one of the few in the crowd that everyone seemed to already know. “He’ll be helping us with research and his general knowledge about pretty much everything.” Most everyone chuckled over that.

“Next, is actually where you come in… as well as Roger.” I gestured to one of the few Littles in the crowd and back to Paul.

“Me? How can I help?” Paul already seemed bewildered and overwhelmed. Looking at him and Roger compared to everyone else, being Bigs, degree holders, experts in their fields, or members with access of some kind, I knew his question and fear wasn’t completely random or unexpected.

“That’s an easy one, Paul,” I noted, quickly trying to ease his mind. “For right now, I want you and Roger to be our insight into the Little perspective. I don’t want this new organization to just be a bunch of Bigs thinking they are doing good. I actually want them to do good.” From Paul’s expression, I knew he was already starting to understand what we were trying to do here, and what’re more, he already seemed to approve of it.

“Right. Next, we have Donna Feldstein,” I explained. I knew she was one of the strangers to Paul and most in this room, but anyone who had ever read a book about Littles or who had watched TV recently, knew her name. She was our most recent acquisition, but likely one of our most valuable going forward.

“She’s an expert in Little psychology and can provide a useful insight into branding and media outlets.” I could see many of the Bigs less familiar with her finally get why I had accepted her onto our team. “If we’re doing something wrong in the view of the public, we can use her knowledge and pivot slightly toward a better image. We play our cards right; our reputation for helping Littles will only grow with time.”

I then gestured to my sister, who of course had brought Alice. Alice could be utilized in her own way to help Roger and Paul out, but her regression had been far more embedded still than either Roger or Paul put together. “My sister here can give us the insight into portal travel, the regulations involved, and the tactics being used to entice humans over here from Earth.” Alice gave a tiny, cute wave to Paul, which he promptly returned, leading to several Bigs doing their very best to hold back on making a scene out of it.

Wanting to move forward, I gestured to the next figure. “Next, is Barry.” The gangly and more awkward of the group, I think he had been surprised when Astrid and I first approached him, but considering he was already warning us about something called ‘Tabers,’ I knew he would be useful. “He’ll provide an insight into food contamination or product placement bent on humiliating or regressing Littles.”

I then moved onto the last three figures, who had already proven themselves invaluable to the organization. “My brother, Astrid, and Shelly here will be our insight into government workings, intrusion tactics, interrogation methods, and most importantly, how to stay above the law.”

Paul seemed unsure about everything he had just heard, but I didn’t see a fear or sadness in his eyes… only curiosity. “So… all this is for us Littles?” Paul asked hesitantly, clearly still absorbing everything I had hit him with though.

I nodded. “Yes.” I sighed and walked back over to him. “At one point, you told me that LRG was needed to change Big society. While I think LRG didn’t always stray into staying on the right side of the law, you all were right in the fact that laws need to change for anything to get better with Littles.”

I then gestured back to the group that Astrid and I had gathered. “We’ve seen firsthand the wide-reaching and engrained problems our society faces when it comes to Littles. LPS can only do so much and most of LRG was destroyed. We’ve come together to fill that void and to fix the laws that need to be added or amended.”

“So… we’re going to protest and go to demonstrations?” Paul asked, even more hesitancy laced throughout his voice now.

I shook my head. “No. We can support those, but we need different tactics if we want to make a change.” I sighed and placed my hand on Paul’s shoulder. “As you saw from Bernard, LRG worked too close in the shadows and employed underhanded methods that put them on the radar of both the ABI and LPS. We can’t have that. If we want to make any lasting change, our new group needs to have a public face and a united front instead.”

Nodding to what I just said, and showing no objections, I then showed Paul the rest of the office. A few office spaces were still cluttered and dusty, but everyone now at least had a desk and a computer to work from. Hours worked here would be strictly voluntary for now, with everyone meeting up at least after work twice a week and then every Saturday for some of the larger events we had planned.

“Uh… do you all have a name yet?” Paul asked after coming back to the entrance way.

“No… I wanted to tell you about this first before we came up with one…” I turned to the rest of the group. “Any suggestions?”

All at once, I heard dozens of names.

“How about the Littles Liberation Army?” “What about Littles Against Unpotty Training?” “No, no. Needs to be the United Littles League.” “Oooh! What about the Pants Pooping League!” “Oh! Oh! Wha’ about Sparklin’ Wainbow Pawty?” Most answers were all a jumble, but a few stood out plainly from the rest for who they were coming from.

“What about LRG?” It was a soft voice, barely heard above the rest, but the lack of urgency and yet combined with a strong sense of firmness entered my ear clearly.

I turned around and looked at Paul. The other suggestions started to die down. “What did you say again, Paul?”

His hands quickly locked and began twisting together in nervousness from all the eyes looking at him now. “Uh… uh… I said… LRG?”

I could see a few members roll their eyes from my periphery vision, but his answer still intrigued me. “LRG, huh?” Paul nodded. “But Paul… LRG was ended…”

Paul nodded again, but I could still see a faint look of determination in his eyes. “Yeah, but the media didn’t connect the Littles on trial with LRG… it… it could be something new…”

His logic was sound, and I could already hear a few murmurs behind me. “You know… he has a point, Soph,” Astrid noted. I spun around to face her. “Only LPS, the people here, or those in Dark Cliff know the truth at this point basically… if we do this, it could bring more Littles to our side faster in the beginning…”

“That’s absolutely right. We could focus on the Bigs later with our good works and non-violence,” Donna noted, competently fulfilling her own role. “I know that a lot of Bigs hate what’s been happening to Littles around them but are just too afraid to speak out. We connect to LRG now; it would bring the Littles in, and we would be able to present a strong front that we are for the betterment of Littles without problem.”

In my mind, I could already see the success of the group with our new name. The mall bombing was associated with it, but with Donna, I knew we could spin that as an easy smear campaign or Littles being bribed to spread false information about LRG early on. With all the secrecy around them, I knew it could work, but I knew that my opinion wasn’t the only one that counted. “Okay… let’s put it to a vote. All not in favor?” No one raised their hands.

I couldn’t help but smile. “All those in favor?” Everyone raised their hands. It was unanimous and I turned to Paul. “Alright, ready to get started?” Paul looked behind me at everyone now apart of this new LRG. A smile, something I hadn’t seen in weeks, soon appeared. He then simply turned back to me and nodded.

*             *             *

Phones rang off the hook and everyone was busily scrambling about trying to fulfill their certain roles within the organization. As soon as we announced ourselves to the public, we had a flood of volunteers apply for roles. Starting off with less than 20, including a few initial members that were attached to one of our main members, like Alice, we had grown to over 200 in a single month.

Branded as ‘The New LRG’ by the local papers, the ‘Little Rights Group’ had already achieved its first victory in campaigning to strike down a bill in the state congress that would require Big authorization for Littles needing to return home. It was simple and likely wouldn’t have passed anyways, but Donna spun the story, and soon, the governor and members of congress were calling us up for further help.

“No, I don’t think that’s accurate, Senator,” Paul noted on the phone as Astrid and I walked into the office, our holding hands quickly dropped… just in case someone wanted to accuse of us bias when we supported each other later during a vote or whatnot.

We both then waved to Paul and saw Sammy already making friends with a few Littles of some of our volunteer Bigs in a separate area of the office. We were already considering adding an office daycare downstairs for them and for the Littles that needed… assistance.

“Yes, Senator. The papers are correct,” Paul acknowledged. “We have started what is known as the ‘movement for the better treatment of Littles.’ I think that any people, Big, Middle, or Little, should be horrified if they knew the full scope of what was going on in Louisianum right now if what we’re hearing is even half true.”

Since LRG had started up officially, Paul spent most of his time here instead of at daycare. He was still regressed in some ways, but he had thrived under the conditions here. Becoming almost a symbol of Little strength, he was at every fundraiser and had spoken to dozens of politicians now about the necessity of LRG. Still, I felt that something was missing. So, I reached out to a few undercover agents in the field to convey a very specific message.

Regardless of that though, Paul soon smiled and hung up the phone. Seeing us, he cheered. “Well, that’s one more senator down for the charity auction this Saturday!”

I smiled warmly, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride for how Paul was doing these days, but I knew I needed to show him something else. “That’s wonderful, Paul, but Astrid and I…”

“Yes, yes. Everyone knows,” Paul said to my immediate blushing. “It’s hard not…”

“No!” I didn’t want him to finish that thought at the office. For now, we had other pressing matters he needed to see. “I want to show you something…” Paul raised an eyebrow and then looked behind me as he saw the surprise.

“Hey Paul…” Patricia said first, leading the other group of Littles behind her, all gathered under our new white and green LRG signage.

“I… I…” Paul was near speechless, and I knew I had done good. He then quickly turned to me. “I don’t understand. Just… how?”

I smiled back and gestured to Patricia. “We knew that a lot of Littles in LRG fled after Bernard took over. From what we know now, it got bad, but Patricia got a bunch of them out before Bernard started anything nasty. Ever since, they’ve been hiding out, but I used one of my contacts to find them… and offer them a place here.”

Paul went back to being speechless and just looked at the Littles before him. I knew there were more out there, hiding in their own pockets, but for today at least, Ronald, Carol, Mindy, Xander, Bill, and Carmen all stood eager but seemingly nervously behind Patricia.

“Come on, come on!” I quickly gestured to the group. It had been awkward at first explaining who I was, and while Carol and Mindy seemed horrified by the notion that I really was their fearless Little ‘Susan,’ our drive of them over here had seemingly lightened that initial reaction. “How about I give you all a tour, and then…?”

“No!” Paul finally popped out. “I mean… let me show them something first…” I smiled, already knowing what he was going to show them.

Paul led the group and I followed along with Astrid behind them. Coming back to the main entryway before the main part of the office, where Paul and I had first stepped off the elevator our first day here together, Paul pointed to a large marble and brass plaque on the wall, something we eventually were going to add to the lobby downstairs.

“Wait… is that…?” Ronald asked, seemingly in disbelief, his eyes staring to the note above the wall piece saying, “Lost but Not Forgotten.”

Paul nodded. “Sophie kept track of all the names of those we lost in the final days.”

I had kept track in a notebook that I had hidden in the warehouse in a safe container, so even when the place burned down before I could pick it up, I managed to salvage it afterwards. Since then, I had gathered even more names, but among them were Sean, Rebecca, Jackson, Tula, Burt, Lamar, Ginger, Katya, Josiah, Steph, Fara, and Fritz. It didn’t take long for the group of Littles in front of us to start to tear up.  

“We wanted to change the world with the old LRG…” Paul started after a brief moment of silence for the fallen Littles. “I don’t know what Sophie has promised you all, but we’re trying to do the same here. So… what do you all say? Are you up for another go of it?”

Xander stepped up first, seemingly brushing off the grief that each of the others were feeling at the moment after seeing the sheer number of names on the wall. Using my records, Paul’s memory, and a few records we had found with BAL of those they had already regressed and shipped off to parts unknown, there were over 60 names listed now.

“Well, we came here for a reason, Paul,” Xander said with a thin smile across his lips. “I figured if there was an LRG out there fighting or working for Littles, we might as well be a part of it.”

Paul teared up a bit himself now, but still smiled to one of his friends. “That sounds like a good idea to me…”

Everyone then hugged it out and I got Astrid to give them the grand tour and jobs that each could fill out uniquely with what we already knew about them. A few, like Bill and Mindy, might have to wait for a special project that would adhere better to their skillsets, which Astrid and Julian had been planning recently, but the rest quickly seemed to ease in. Already, a few were even answering a whole new fresh batch of calls for us.

Gazing out into the office, a small space we were in the midst of expanding by the end of the week into other floors, it was a sight to see. Just as I was about to head back to my own private office though in the back, Paul stopped me. I looked down and recognized his look of needing to tell me something important, so I crouched down beside him. “What’s up, sweetie? Everything okay?”

Paul nodded, still clearly emotional from seeing all his old group members again, likely thinking before that he may never see them again. “I… I just want to tell you…” He blinked a few times and then wiped his forming tears away. “Thank you, Sophie… for all this…”

I smiled and nodded back. “It’s no problem, honey. I saw that there was a problem, and I wanted to fix it, for all Littles… for you…”

Paul sniffled, but still smiled back at me. “Thank you, but I just… I just want to tell you…” He was already having a hard time forming his words. I tried to ease him up a bit by ribbing his back. Being kidnapped was something I would never forgive BAL for, but little gestures like that counted ten times over now afterward. To be blunt, it was probably one of the few reasons I hadn’t sought after my own revenge on them…

Still, for today, I was glad my little gesture seemed to work. Paul eased up and smiled back. “Thanks… but I just wanted to tell you that… well, I’ve decided to stay…”

They were the words that I had been hoping for Paul to say for so long now. I despised our path to getting to this day, but I had long ago asked his parents permission to keep Paul when it seemed doubtful that he could lead a normal life back on Earth. Being forward-minded these days though, I didn’t want to take Paul’s choice away from him. So, for him to accept staying here with me… the feeling was near indescribable, except for maybe pure joy.

I quickly hugged him and spun him around as I stood up and pulled his body into mine. We buried ourselves into each other about as much as we could and embraced the moment. No words were needed. I wasn’t his mommy, and maybe that event would happen one day, but for now, I was just about as happy as I had ever been in my life with Paul accepting to stay here with me. I had always thought of him as ‘my Little,’ and I always worried that I was overstepping, but seeing the massive smile on Paul’s face, I felt an ease in embracing my Little now.

Settling Paul on my side a little while later, when the last of our happy tears had dried, I could quickly tell that he needed a diaper change, and shuffling around myself, I knew that I needed one as well. They were both stark reminders of the pains that we had taken in order to get where we were today. Some could see it as labor lost or the ends not justifying the means.

As Paul and I gazed out into the offices of the new LRG, seeing both Bigs and Littles working together, for us, it was all worth it. We were together, forever changed by the experience of the past year as our lives entangled with each other. We saw the future, not as Bigs, Middles, and Littles as separate and unequal, but being together, and working for a better future as one. Cuddling with each other and moving off, we hoped that what happened to us and that our little change of perspective would soon spread. Hoping beyond all for the accomplishment of our goal of true equality and better treatment, we knew that if someone asked, diapers or not, in the end, it would have all been worth it.

[Guilend]

Yay the last chapter and Miss G won.

 

You know what, this was almost a perfect story.

1 hour ago, LostBBoyBear said:

He then simply turned back to me and nodded.

I was happy. As Paul was talking to the others I felt a cramp. I looked over to Astrid and she was giving me a knowing smirk. She must've known id be getting the cramps about now, from the suppository she had given me earlier. 

I tried to hold it back, but eventually I made to close to my small office before squatting and filling the back of my soaked diaper. It was so humiliating and yet so exciting. I glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. The only person that was looking right at me had an evil grin on her face, Astrid. As I finished I had a grin as I walked over to a stray chair and sat in it while keeping eye contact with Astrid. Now she has a bigger mess for her to clean up. I'm probably getting paddled first, but totally worth it.

Now it's a perfect story 😂😂😂😂

I can't wait to read the next story and I hope your trips are more fun then work.

[LtlGary]

What an amazing and beautiful story. ❤️