Statue in Silicone II: Weekend Getaway

By Grey Scribbler and Zapped!

Part 2

Not for those under 18 (or whatever the legal age for this sort of stuff is in your area). If you are offended by graphic
descriptions of sexual activities, especially non-consensual ones, then don’t read this. All characters and situations are fictional.

Copyright 2016 greyscribbler@yahoo.com and zappedstories@yahoo.com

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Between the twinkling shore lights and the starry sky above, the view of Lake Tahoe was truly enchanting at night. Heidi and her friends sipped red wine as they watched the moonlight dance across the surface of the water. The sparkling ripples gently lapped against the shoreline and the deck pilings below, putting everyone at ease. They’d all been catching up on each other’s lives since they’d last met up for brunch at Manzanita. As the foursome rehashed their most recent events, none of them remarked when their silent host removed his iPhone and began fiddling about on the screen...

Their guests may not have noticed Daniel’s activity with his phone, but Heidi did. She knew that it meant that Victoria was already in position. She imagined the young woman standing in her case in the darkened display room, her consciousness fading into blackness as her skin tightened and muscles stiffened. Now frozen into place, the young co-ed would stare out glassily with unseeing eyes. A shiver ran through the brunette at the mere thought of it, partly in excitement, and partly from jealousy.

A slight smile crossed Daniel’s lips as he examined the read-out. After a few quick taps, he went to slip the phone back inside the inner liner of his blazer when Carrie turned around, in search of a refill for her drink. “Hey, can you get reception on your phone?” the blonde called out.

“Did you need to make a call?” their host innocently asked.

“No,” the real estate agent replied, frowning, “but I might be getting a text about a sale. I checked earlier, but my phone wasn’t picking up.”

“Ah, no, sorry,” Daniel commiserated, a resigned look on his face. “The one problem with this place I suppose, no mobile coverage. There is a landline if you need one.”

“Oh, maybe tomorrow, I suppose, too late to call now.” Carrie, having spotted the opened bottle, seemed more concerned with emptying it than pursuing her business dealings.

“If you can’t get coverage, what were you doing with your phone?” Annie asked, suspiciously. Uh, oh, thought Heidi, So much for none of them noticing. She hoped Master could come up with something to divert her friend’s curiosity.

“Oh,” Daniel smiled, “I was just getting ready checking something. Phones are so much more than communication devices. It’s amazing what you can do with them.” One tap of his phone and floodlights sprang to life, illuminating the surface of the lake. ‘Oohs’ and ‘ahs’ sprang from their guests. Daniel casually glanced over at Heidi, and the couple shared a silent moment of understanding from across the sundeck... Heidi mouthed the words ...Go ahead and Daniel immediately nodded in agreement.

“Well,” he said, rubbing his hands with a theatrical flair, “How about I give you lovely ladies a guided tour of some of my finest work?”

Heidi wondered what Sara’s reaction would be when she next saw the pretty co-ed. Slipping straight back to the dining room after showing her friends their rooms had brought Heidi a surprise. She hadn’t expected anything unusual in Max’s report; after all she’d known her friends for years. His suspicion that Sara played both sides of the fence had caught her unawares. She’d thought it impossible, Sara had never shown a hint of bisexuality. However, watching her friend’s reaction to the maids, (Victoria in particular), had forced Heidi to reassess her opinion. She still wasn’t quite ready to believe it though...

The guests all nodded in agreement to Daniel’s suggestion and headed back inside. Heidi chatted with her friends as they followed Daniel through the manor, happily describing the many artworks mounted on the walls. Carrie and Sara cooed happily and even Annie was grudgingly impressed.

“Wait a minute,” the travel agent said at one point, stopping short in her tracks. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Probably,” said Heidi. She walked over to where her friend stood. Annie was looking up at a painting done in colourful Pop Art style. The portrait was of Twiggy; the willowy model-turned-actress from the sixties. Heidi went on to confirm, “Yes, that’s an original Warhol piece.”

An excited chatter developed among the guests.

Daniel then directed them to a painting with a maidservant pouring milk from a jug. He went on to instruct, “This Vermeer is much rarer than the Warhol, dating back to around 1660 or so ...At least that’s what the historians tell me...”

Carrie chimes in to ask, “So, um; what would a painting like that be worth?”

“I hesitate to put a price on fine art such as this,” Daniel said with a frown. “It’s truly a one-of-a-kind, as are most in my collection. That’s probably why I rarely part with any of my pieces.”

Carrie continued to press, “...But if you were to guess?”

“Well another Vermeer came to auction at Sotheby’s a few years ago; I recall that one fetching a little over 6 million pounds.”

Carrie and Annie quickly did the American conversion in their heads while Sara oohed in the background. Many more amazed reactions followed as the tour continued...

Eventually Daniel came to a stop in front of an ornately carved door made of mahogany. Before opening it, he pulled out his iPhone and gave it a few quick taps. “There,” he confirmed, “that should be right for this time of night.” He opened the door, and with a sweeping gesture of his hand, he invited his guests inside...

The group stepped through the archway and into the mystical world beyond. Heidi could see that the initial impact on her friends upon entering was a collective “WOW!” She couldn’t suppress a feeling of smug satisfaction on her master’s behalf.

The area beyond was large and open, with a vaulted ceiling, skylights, and many large panel windows. Polished marble floors and rich mahogany woodwork set the exclusive tone of the room. However, the even bigger draw was the glass-sided display cases spread throughout; some were set evenly in the middle of the floor, while others were placed up against the walls. A few more occupied the narrow spaces in between the ample windows. There were spotlights shining down on a few of the freestanding figures, while many others were underlit by the accent lights in the bottom of the cases that housed them.

The models themselves were truly impressive. Not that, as Heidi knew, Daniel claimed any responsibility for their form, but rather the processes that created them. Both were represented here, the boring old method and the newer one, the one that Heidi had experienced first-hand. She sighed, allowing herself a little tremor of pleasure at the recent memory... ...Mmmm.

Yet Heidi couldn’t allow herself to be too distracted; it could make things difficult if her friends thought she was behaving oddly. Fortunately, their attention was everywhere but on her. She could hear their gasps of astonishment ...see the wonder in their expressions as they took in the nearest displays.

“They look so real,” Sara whispered, her eyes going wide in amazement.

“Maybe a little too real,” Annie quipped from beside her.

“I mean it’s like they’re actual people just pretending to be frozen,” Sara continued. “It’s sorta creeping me out!”

Heidi suppressed a smirk as she watched Sara shake off a sudden chill, the young nurse perhaps unable to decide whether to move closer for further inspection ...or make a last-minute dash for the door.

...If you only knew, the brunette thought.

Heidi’s companions were in front of the case that held a male figure; thickly-bearded, with long black hair that was knotted and greasy. He’d been outfitted in barbarian garb, and was posed as if standing on guard. He looked out at the door with a glassy stare, watching for any unwelcome intruders.

“Hey,” Carrie called out, “Isn’t this the guy from Thrones? I think I remember that episode.”

“Yes,” replied Daniel appreciatively, “Will is one of our earlier works; though I prefer to use our newer process these days. I still like to keep him around for sentimental reasons.”

“Oh wow,” Carrie exclaimed, “I mean he’s so, well ...lifelike.” “I’m glad you think so,” Daniel replied.

“A bit disturbing if you ask me,” Annie criticized.

“Some people do feel that way,” Daniel agreed, his tone then switching to that of a college professor. “Tis funny how something can be so strikingly authentic, yet deeply unsettling; whether it’s from the skilled hands of a taxidermist, or even a wax sculptor. Yet we can't seem to stop looking at them ...Perhaps it’s the lack of animation that disturbs some, while others find it quite fascinating.”

...Like Carrie, Heidi thought. She’d been watching her friend study the beefy male, the blonde’s curiosity growing by the second...

“I’ve seen wax figures up close before,” Carrie challenged, “But this guy seems a little, well; different.”

“Why don’t you open the case and see for yourself,” Daniel offered, “tell me if he feels just as real as he looks.”

Carrie didn’t hesitate. She opened the door of the display case, eagerly reaching inside. She prodded the figure’s bulky arm, at one point even brushing her hand across his hairy chest. “Hey,” she said, turning to their host, “just how accurate is he?”

“Our unique process can capture an exact likeness to within +/- 0.006%,” Daniel coolly replied. “So, how do you make them?” Annie inquired.

“Extensive body-scans,” Daniel answered before going on to explain, “We only use the highest-quality silicone that money can buy. It’s a process that took several years and many trials to perfect...”

...At least for the old process, Heidi added silently.

She watched as Sara joined Carrie in examining the figure. A little more hesitant than her friend, Sara cautiously reached out and touched the model’s forearm. Heidi could see the artificial skin give under pressure, then resume its normal shape. “That’s so cool,” Sara murmured. Heidi wondered if her friends would be able to pick out the subtle differences between this figure, and the hyper-realistic models to come. Curious, she stepped-in closer to her friends...

Carrie looked over at Daniel, who was preoccupied with describing the process to Annie. The leggy blonde then glanced downward at the statue’s waistline, where she thought she could make out the imprint of his cock simply by the way it tented his deerskin. She leant over and whispered to Sara, “...Think he’ll mind if I take a closer look?”

Heidi could already guess where Carrie was looking. Apparently, Sara could as well...

“Are you crazy?” Sara warned beneath her breath, “You can’t do that!”

“Oh yeah? Just watch me,” Carrie teased, “Well give me some cover!”

Daniel looked over just as his guest started untying the drawstrings on the figure’s period-correct trousers. “Please,” he kindly warned, “Our models deserve at least some level of privacy.”

Carrie hastily withdrew her hands and then turned to face her friends. Heidi had a frown, while Annie just shook her head in total disbelief...

“What in the hell is wrong with you?” the travel agent demanded.

“What?” Carrie differed, “Can’t blame a girl for being curious!”

“I’d say that’s a lot more than just being curious!” Annie scolded.

“I tried to warn her,” Sara reminded.

“AHEM!” Daniel interrupted, eyeing his guests accusingly. Both Carrie and Sara looked down at their feet, as their host waited to pick-up from where he’d left off. “...As I was trying to explain; he’s not quite as unique and sophisticated as some of my later works. Take these two for example...”

Daniel indicated two cases beyond the barbarian that were nearer to the walls. These held female figures, both staring sightlessly at their audience.

Whether her friends realised it or not; these two figures were far more interesting than the last one, and Heidi couldn’t help but smile...

Annie was already examining the one to the left. “This one sorta looks like Julia Roberts,” she said, a frown obvious in her voice, “but I don’t remember her dressed like this in any film.”

...And that isn’t Julia Roberts, Heidi smirked to herself. Though she could understand her friend’s assumption, the close resemblance to the real movie star was quite uncanny. This facsimile was wearing thigh-high leather boots with four-inch heels, a dangerously short denim skirt, and a skimpy suede vest that was trying its best to contain her two other assets. Even without the heavy makeup and the stereotypical pose, the figure just screamed, —Look at me: I’m a streetwalker! The silent tramp stared sightlessly ahead; one hand braced on her out turned hip, while the other arm was raised to hail her next trick.

Heidi smiled as she looked in on the figure ...You deserved everything you got! ...The character’s pose was demeaning, (even border-line lewd, if viewed from behind). Her expression held just a hint of desperation ...of need ...now it was frozen in place forever, always offering, never satisfied. Heidi knew that the figure before them was Mallory Saunders, the haughty art critic who once dared to criticise Master’s work. Not modelled on her, but the actual woman herself; now processed and posed as Master saw fit. Heidi had heard the satisfaction in his voice, as he’d explained his choice of outfit and the specific pose for Mallory. If she was happy to make money from demeaning his art, then her just punishment would be spending eternity as the image of a cheap street whore. It was only her talent as a copywriter, and their master’s occasional need for such services, that earned her any freedom at all...

...Silly Bitch!

“—isn’t that right, Heidi?” Daniel suddenly asked, snapping her out of her reverie.

“Wha?”

“I was just explaining to our guests how I had Mallory here posed as Erin Brockovich during the last exhibition at the museum. But under normal circumstances, this is her usual station.”

“Uh, yes ...Mm-hmm,” Heidi stuttered, “Right.”

“Sheesh,” Annie muttered in disgust, still studying the questionable replica ...Men!

“So you can change their poses?” Sara queried in surprise. “I always thought that mannequins were fixed in place?”

“Only with my newer models,” Daniel replied, humbly.

Heidi looked around to see what Carrie was doing. The blonde was examining the character to the immediate right, which surely was a distinct contrast to the Ms. Robert’s look-a-like. Heidi smiled at the match between Carrie and the figure in front of her. Like the blonde, the figure wore a tight-fitting dress, but the motionless woman looked more elegant than her friend. Her stance had a casual gracefulness to it; one hand posed daintily, palm up and the fingers splayed outward. Her other hand held up a fluted wineglass by the stem. The brunette’s long, wavy hair flowed out over her bare shoulders. This mannequin was meant to convey class, (which, from what Master had told her), was nothing like what the woman depicted prior to their unlikely encounter. Heidi walked around behind the case, noting that the back of the dress was cut very low, dipping to just above the last few vertebrae of the figure’s back. Master had it designed like that on purpose, and she knew this was to conceal the tribal tattoo just above the figure’s shapely rear...

“Oh man!” Carrie exclaimed, “Are those the real deal?”

Heidi wondered whether it was the figure’s fine jewellery or the imported stilettos that had caught her friend’s attention ...Probably both, she thought. She circled around to the front and watched as Annie and Sara came over to investigate...

“Of course they are,” Daniel replied very matter-of-factly. “Knock-offs wouldn’t do her justice.”

“Geeze,” Heidi heard Carrie mutter, “if those really are genuine Christian Louboutin’s, I can’t imagine what he paid for them.”

“Some of his shoes can fetch as high as ten grand,” Annie remarked.

“It almost looks like she just stepped off the red carpet or something,” Sara reasoned.

Heidi just smiled and thought ...Not very likely. Marielena belonged anywhere but in high society; she had been picked up straight off the street one night; all piercings, tattered clothes, and attitude. The latter had vanished as soon as she was processed, but other changes had taken considerably longer. For instance allowing time for the black dye to grow out of her knotted hair; letting it reach the appropriate length that he wanted; providing her with a proper diet to soften up her lines and remove the gauntness that hard drugs and living life on the street had given her. It had taken quite some time to regain the healthy, toned, figure she’d once had, but the gradual makeover finally allowed her to be added to Daniel’s permanent collection. The scar from her nose ring would never grow out, but Heidi thought the makeup covered it well enough. She knew Master liked perfection ...And contrast. The difference between the woman’s previous life and the sophistication she now exuded was something that he highly valued. Her friends moved further into the room, with Carrie still exclaiming about how much the last figure’s accessories had cost. Heidi ignored the comments, her eyes glued on Sara. She wanted to know what her friend’s reaction would be to the next figure. That thought was rewarded as the young woman’s breath caught and she came to an abrupt halt.

...So maybe Max was right!

“Oh —my —god,” Sara managed at last, her feet slowly dragging her toward the case, until her nose was practically pressing up against the glass. Her eyes went as wide as saucers over the beautiful vision posed before her. Inside, a beaming blonde cheerleader stared out with unseeing eyes. Her short pleated skirt was blue and white and did very little to hide her finely shaped legs. Up top, the plunging neckline of her cardigan exposed the tanned tops of her breasts. The youthful complexion of the figure’s unblemished face, coupled with her spellbound expression, captured Sara’s full attention. She reached out, her hand pressing lightly against the glass, just inches away from the mannequin within.

“It’s ...it’s Victoria,” Sara breathed, completely captivated by the amazing likeness. “No way,” Carrie countered as she and Annie joined their friend.

“Woah,” Carrie expelled a moment later, leaning over Sara’s right shoulder, “That’s crazy; we were just talking to her a little while ago. This looks exactly like her —to a T! ...Kinda freaky isn’t it?”

Annie peered in at the mannequin from Sara’s left, “I’ll say...”

...Not that freaky at all, actually, Heidi thought to herself ...If they knew this really is Victoria, then they wouldn’t be so surprised. Well, not by the resemblance anyway... Heh!

Unfortunately, Victoria was only a part-time member of Daniel’s collection, (at least until she graduated). Then she could take a fulltime job with him without any messy disappearance to handle. ...The same goes for her pretty friend Madison, Heidi mused. The unsuspecting co-eds had been lured with the offer of paid work-experience. A healthy dose of scopolamine in their mineral water during their interviews, and their processing had been some of the easiest to handle, (or so she’d been told). Master was very generous to allow them to retain most of their previous lives between the short periods they spent posing for him. Soon they’d be joining the collection on a more permanent basis. Their limited freedom allowed Daniel to test the limits of the egg-shaped control devices and other aspects of his process ...Not that such experiments came without risks, as Heidi had seen (but didn’t understand) during her own fateful visit to the museum.

The thought of Victoria and Madison attending their classes, socialising and going about their routines, while the eggs hummed away inside their tight little pussies, always keeping their thoughts limited to whatever Master wanted them to think, was so fucking hot, that Heidi felt weak in the knees whenever she pictured it. She could understand why the blonde had a case here, (even if she didn’t occupy it that often). Madison was pretty, but Victoria was absolutely stunning. That still didn’t explain Sara’s reaction to that particular girl. It wasn’t as if her friend hadn’t been around beautiful women before ...Master said that Carrie and I are just as attractive as Victoria. And she might need to lose a few pounds, but Annie is no slouch either. Heidi resumed her silent observation, wondering where Sara’s obvious obsession had come from...

“D-does she know the figure, is, um, dressed, like ...Well like this?” Sara squeaked.

“Of course she does,” Daniel replied. “She even supplied the uniform.”

...Is that it? Heidi wondered ...Was there a hot blonde cheerleader back in high school, or was it some hot-to-trot co-ed that pushed all the right buttons during college?...And if so; just how far was Sara willing to go with her? Only time would tell.

Heidi watched as Sara swallowed hard; her friend’s eyes still glued to the immobile figure inside the case. Now both hands were pressed to the glass, as if she were ready and willing to cross that last remaining space in between them...

“It really does look like her,” Sara gushed. “I mean, there’s the cute little mole on her cheek; those gorgeous green eyes; the same colour hair ...And look: she’s even wearing the same hoop earrings...” Both Annie and Carrie took a step back from Sara, and that was enough to free the young woman’s gaze from the figure. She quickly turned around, looking from one to the other, noticing how her friends were eyeing her with suspicion...

“What?” the young nurse asked, going flush with embarrassment. “Girls check each other out all the time... sort of like sizing-up the competition, ya’ know? ...Oh come on; don’t tell you’ve never done it before...”

Again, her two friends gave Sara a doubtful look. Carrie leant over to Annie, her whisper obviously pitched just loud enough so that all would hear, “Sounds like someone has a crush on a mannequin.” “Nooo,” Sara denied.

“Yessss,” Carrie smiled back, obviously enjoying her friend’s growing discomfort. ...Annie just raised her eyebrows in agreement.

Sara’s face went beet-red from all the humiliation. She quickly stepped away from the motionless figure and pouted, “You guys are real assholes, ya’ know!”

“Come on now,” Heidi said, finally coming to Sara’s defence. “Daniel’s figures are incredibly accurate and it can be a bit of a shock seeing one of somebody you’ve actually met before.”

“Whatever,” Annie shrugged, “It’s obviously a clever fake; she hasn’t blinked once the whole time we’ve been standing here. I seriously doubt anyone has that kind of control over their body...”

“Why don’t you just get it over with and ask Daniel where the real Victoria is,” Carrie teased, “Maybe she could use a study partner.”

“That’s not even funny,” Sara protested, “I’m certainly not ...you know —just leave It.” ...Completely flustered, she hurried off to the next display.

Annie glanced over at Carrie and criticized, “A study partner?”

The blonde just shrugged her shoulders in reply. Heidi flashed an amused smile at Daniel, before looking up at Victoria and giving her a quick thumbs-up. “Keep up the good work, kiddo!”

“She can’t see you,” Daniel teased.

“Well obviously,” the brunette quipped, before slapping him on the arm.

True to her owner’s word, the young co-ed continued to stare out, her eyes unblinking. She didn’t even track the couple’s movement, as they slowly progressed to the next display...

As the pair approached their three guests, Daniel proudly announced, “Ah; and a little something for you, Annie. This presentation was left over from my Universal horror exhibit.”

The display in question was a freestanding affair, surrounded by velvet ropes and with spotlights shining down. In the center were two figures; one obviously being Dracula, the other a beautiful blonde in a sheer nightgown. She stood before him, arms loose at her sides, as she stared up glassily into his mesmerizing eyes...

“Which film is this one from Ann?” Carrie quizzed.

“Son of Dracula,” Annie responded, (and then after a slight hesitation) added, “I think... I don’t know, I’m not that much of an expert, but yeah, it’s got the right feel to it.” Heidi’s friends discussed the amazing detail of both the figures and their wardrobes.

“It looks like that hot blonde is about to get it!” Carrie observed, before biting her lower lip in anticipation.

“Oh she got it, alright,” Daniel joked. “Drama students always provide some of the best raw material.”

Carrie and Annie looked at each other in strange wonder as their host led them all towards another exhibit on the opposite wall. As they passed the back of Victoria’s case, Heidi noticed that Sara’s eyes were drawn to the co-ed’s shapely rump, which was nicely framed by the vertical pleats of her blue and white skirt. The young nurse gave a quick double take as she took in the lower creases of the co-ed’s ass, just barely exposed beneath the hovering hem. Sara swallowed hard once again...

“So what’s up with all the windows?” Carrie questioned. “If you had just plain walls, there’d be so much more presentation space available.” The real-estate agent indicated the large glass panels in question, which surely gave a spectacular view of the lake and the manicured lawns during daylight hours. “You make a legitimate point,” Daniel admitted, “But I like displaying my work in as much natural lighting as possible.”

“...Plus it gives the mannequins something nice to look at,” Sara added rather oddly.

Annie and Carrie both gave their friend a peculiar look.

“Oh look!” Sara shouted, pointing at a diorama-like display with an actual car in it.

The group came to a halt before another roped-off exhibit that occupied a portion of the right-hand wall. The presentation was titled “Pole Position” and it featured a Formula 1 racer parked before a painted backdrop of a mock winner’s circle. Standing at left was a handsome male figure, suitably dressed as the arrogant racing driver. His crash helmet and gloves were tucked beneath one arm, as he stared out at a fixed point, his chin proudly raised. Heidi immediately dismissed him, (being one of the few artificial figures), yet in the corner of her eye she could already see Carrie admiring his taut lines. Heidi, however, was more interested in the artificially enhanced beauty that stood to the right. Korean-borne Han Song Yee was quite a legendary street racer in her own right. Maxwell had happened upon her as she stood, arms crossed, broken down on the side of the road one fateful night. He brought her home to meet his boss, and the rest was history. Keeping the display theme true to her vocation, Daniel had dressed her as a bubbly race queen in a bright yellow bodysuit with checkerboard accents. One pantyhosed leg had managed to wrap itself around the fearless driver’s own leg, as she merrily waved the flag for a seemingly never-ending race... Next to the Formula 1 display stood another glass enclosure. Staring out from within her confines was a dusky-hued woman with attractive Native American features. The frozen squaw was dressed in a skimpy deerskin tunic that showed off her deeply bronzed skin, while matching fringed boots covered her feet. Among the appropriate accessories were a braided armband and headpiece (actually hand-woven from hemp on a nearby reservation).

“Hey, is she modelled on the Disney character?” Annie asked.

“You’re the film buff,” Heidi replied, already knowing the answer. Then she pointed to the name on the brass plate labelled ‘Little Wanton’ and said “...but if you happen to speak Native Powhatan, then there’s a clue!”

Sara was already admiring the beautiful figure, whose shimmering black hair swept out over one shoulder and nearly hung to her waist. “Look, she even has the necklace!” she exclaimed, pointing at a blue band with a white crystal pendant hanging from the figure’s slender neck.

Annie and Carrie slowly turned, raising their eyebrows once again...

“What?” Sara asked, raising her hands in a semi-shrug. She went on to defend herself, “I just happen to like that movie, ok?”

Heidi briefly wondered whether Jacqueline Humetawa would share the same opinion, now that she was forced to model the title character in perpetuity. It probably wasn’t quite what the young lawyer had expected when Master had approached her to take up a position with his company. Still, her look was one of serene calmness, so maybe she wasn’t all that disappointed...

...Or perhaps Master just prefers her to look that way.

“The studio wanted her for a temporary display,” Daniel explained. “When they were finished, they offered her back. I was tempted to add her to the movie exhibition, but decided to use her for an upcoming fairy tale exhibit instead...”

“Pocahontas was a real person,” Annie disputed.

“So I’m aware,” Daniel snapped. He paused for a moment, before continuing on a little more calmly, “...but myths and legends are often grounded in reality.”

“You could re-use Dorothy,” Heidi suggested, indicating the elegant figure near the entrance to the room. Heidi knew Master was quite amused by the contrast between the innocent film character and the life the woman had actually led.

“Dorothy?” Carrie asked, confused.

“Oh yes,” Daniel replied, turning back in the direction of the door, “she was posed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz in my last exhibit. You’d be surprised how much she resembles Judy Garland when she’s in the proper costume.”

“Well, I suppose,” Annie allowed, glancing back at the unmoving figure. “She looks like she’s got a little more up top than I remember.”

“Funny, but the paying public didn’t seem to mind,” Daniel disputed.

“Yeah,” Carrie shrugged, before raising her hands and cupping her own ample chest just to emphasise her point. “Can’t ever go wrong with big boobs...”

Both Daniel and Heidi smiled as Sara started to blush.

The host gestured for his group to join him at the next display, explaining as they walked, “My next exhibition is going to focus on female spies and action heroines. The theme will be “60’s spy flicks and the media they’ve inspired.” It will cover both films and television shows, as well as other forms of entertainment.”

“Are the exhibitions that important?” Carrie asked.

“Most certainly,” Daniel replied, flashing his brilliant smile. “The One-Offs actually bring in more money on tour than with the Hollywood contracts, especially after they’ve travelled around most of the country. Places like the Alternative Comics Expo; Comic Con; Wonder Con; etc. In fact: my mannequins have sparked a lot of interest over in Japan recently. It seems that wealthy businessmen have quite an obsession for American women dressed as dolls. ”

“You mean dolls based-off of American women,” Annie corrected.

“Yes, of course,” Daniel amended.

Heidi couldn’t help but smirk; in part due to the irony of her master’s answer, as well as the thought of visiting Japan herself, one day. She couldn’t think of a more distinguished honour than to represent the One-Off brand in a foreign land, posed as one of the select few that would make their creator even more famous. Or maybe free, guiding select groups around displays of motionless women. Whichever it was, she knew it would only be a temporary assignment. She belonged to her Master, forever.

Shaking her head to clear the daydreams away, Heidi hurried to catch up to her friends.

Daniel had led the group over to the last models, which were mounted on round platforms in two facing rows of four... “Oh please,” Annie said, rolling her eyes as she took in the first three figures on the left.

“I did say inspired by,” Daniel reminded them, as he stopped in front of the middle pedestal. His attentive group looked up at a busty blonde who embodied Felicity Shagwell of Austin Powers fame. She was displayed in the actual costume that Heather Graham wore in The Spy Who Shagged Me; from her dark blue jumper down to the knee high boots.

Heidi was sure that Ms. Graham’s zipper was never pulled quite that low in the movie, but that’s how Master wanted it, and it certainly wasn’t her place to object.

Daniel looked at the shapely figure admiringly for a spell, before turning back to his guests. “Pamela here was a big hit in my Goldfinger display...”

“Don’t you mean Shirley Eaton?” Annie cut in, immediately correcting him.

Daniel frowned, looking mildly annoyed. “Shirley Eaton is eighty now, my dear; my process models life as it is. I needed someone who resembled Miss Eaton back when the movie was originally made, hence Pamela here. I do believe she’s a better physical match for Miss Graham though. If I should ever decide to redo the Goldfinger exhibit, I may need to find someone to replace Pamela.”

Annie furrows her eyebrow, as if slightly suspicious. “And why do you keep referring to it as Pamela?”

Heidi’s heart sank... We need to be very careful here, the brunette thought ... Annie’s no dill.

Daniel considered his answer very carefully. “To be honest ...it’s the same reason men name their cars, or why pilots named their airplanes during World War II. Why did Leonardo da Vinci name his painting the Mona Lisa?” “He makes a good point,” Heidi defended.

“Yeah,” Carrie added, “Stop being such a Debbie Downer, Ann!”

Annie fell silent, but she still looked more than a little suspicious.

“Besides; this facsimile was modelled from another student at nearby SNC,” Daniel informed them, “and her name was Pamela.”

“So she went to the same college as Victoria?” Sara chimed in.

“Ah yes,” Daniel confirmed, “In fact, Pamela was the one that referred Victoria. You might even say she was her mentor.”

“Ohhh,” Sara replied, before looking back up at her ‘stiff’ competition.

“Sometimes finding the proper subjects is half the fun,” Daniel continued. “Being able to locate that one woman who has just the right look that I need, and then being able to, uh; ...convince her to model for me, can be a bit of a challenge.”

“...A challenge?” Carrie asked, furrowing her sharp eyebrows in thought. “Why’s it such a challenge? I assume you pay them well. Hey, if the money’s right, I’ll even model for you.” The busty blonde struck a provocative pose, thrusting her chest out and cocking her hip in Daniel’s direction.

...If only you knew, Heidi thought. “Well,” she then added aloud, “the body scanning part is a somewhat lengthy process, and, umm, no clothes are allowed. Actors and actresses are used to doing nude scenes, but with so many technicians around, it can be rather awkward for some people...”

“I don’t think that would be a problem,” Carrie bit her lip, obviously still considering the idea. “So, um,” Sara swallowed noisily, “Victoria would have been, you know; —naked?”

“Yes, Sara,” Annie spelt it out for her, “she would have been completely in the nude. You’re the nurse; aren’t you used to seeing that sort of thing every day?”

Heidi watched her Asian friend turn away, obviously trying to hide the surprise on her face.

Daniel, ignoring the teasing, indicated the figures to either side of the one he’d called Pamela, “And what do you think of these two?”

Even though it was obvious Annie was no fan of the source material, she was still interested enough to look. Carrie had no such qualms and lent over to peer closely at the figures. Even Sara joined in after a little while.

The figure on the left was a brunette modelled as Vanessa Kensington. She’d been posed with her long, shapely legs braced several feet apart, her gun raised upward and at-the-ready. The silver lame dress she wore shimmered beneath the drop lighting, riding-up high enough to expose her incredibly slender thighs. The figure on the right was a cocoa-hued African-American beauty, wearing an orange outfit made of glossy vinyl. Her hip-hugging bellbottoms flared out at the ankles, while her sleeveless top bulged outward across the chest, revealing her impressive cleavage. The platform shoes; afro hairdo; and heroine pose, (one hand braced on her out turned hip, while the other formed the universal gun sign), should have been enough of a giveaway to the source of her inspiration. However, if anyone happened to miss it, the name ‘FOXXY’ spelt out across her belt buckle left very little doubt.

“I think they’re pretty good matches,” Heidi admitted at last. It was an honest opinion; the figures strongly resembled Elizabeth Hurley and Beyoncé Knowles, respectively. She wasn’t sure how long it had taken Master to find two women who so closely resembled the actresses, but she did wonder what they thought about their chance to model such famous figures, (even if their true identities were ultimately smothered beneath borrowed fame).

Annie instantly recognized the one on the right as Foxxy Cleopatra; the sassy undercover FBI agent from the third instalment of the Austin Powers films. Of course only Daniel and Heidi knew her real identity. In truth, she was Eboni Skye; a well-known (and very convincing) Beyoncé impersonator that he’d tracked down on the Vegas strip. Now she got to live in the limelight on a more stable basis.

“You couldn’t get the real actresses to model?” Carrie asked.

“Unfortunately, no,” Daniel replied, his disappointment quite clear. “You have to consider all the contractual obligations that come with union performers, the issues with shooting schedules, etc. ...So I decided to seek out some convincing look-a-likes instead. I consider it more of a challenge that way and it’s one that I’ve met quite well, actually...”

“So they only have to be convincing, but not perfect,” Annie assessed.

“Oh c’mon,” Carrie said, hand gesturing in frustration, “If I hadn’t been told I wouldn’t know it wasn’t them.”

“Um, yeah,” Sara agreed, a little more hesitantly, a hand slowly reaching towards the figures before Annie snatched it back.

Heidi just rolled her eyes, as Daniel shrugged. “Well I do try my best, anyway...”

The fourth figure in the line and standing next to Foxxy, was a strikingly featured young woman, her slightly slanted eyes and lightly coloured skin spoke of her mixed heritage. Her full lips were outlined in bright red lipstick and her dark hair fell in waves just past her shoulders. Her body was angled towards Foxxy, but her head was turned to her left so that she looked out toward her audience, her chin angled down to further emphasize the cold, confident look on her face. The figure’s aggressive stance made her hair fall forward over her right shoulder and back over her left. She was wearing a form-hugging red dress, which ended just inches from the floor. Her right foot was planted firmly in front of her, the clean line of her leg revealed by the split in the dress that reached to her hip. The figure wore four-inch heeled black stiletto pumps, the sharp angle pulling the model’s calf muscles taught. Her arms hung at her sides; the left hand clenched in anger, the right holding an assault rifle. Although pointed at the floor, the figure’s steely gaze left no doubt that she was ready to use it ...Or at least she would have been ready, if she hadn’t been frozen in place...

Heidi knew that her Master had found the young woman working in a bookshop in New York. She’d seen a photo Daniel kept from that day and had been amazed at how he’d spotted the resemblance to the actress she now modelled. Between the thickly-framed glasses, and with her hair pulled back into a frizzy bun, it was hardly obvious. The dowdy clothes had completely hidden her shapely figure. Daniel had tempted Annabelle Leung with the offer of standing in for her famous look-a-like as an entry into show business ...I bet she didn’t suspect that ‘standing’ was all she’d ever be doing.

“Oh, I know who that is,” Carrie cried out, waving her hand in excitement.

“It’s Maggie Q from Nikita.” Annie cut in.

“I said I knew this one!” the blonde protested.

“Only because it’s new enough that you remember its first run,” the brunette chided.

“So what?” Carrie shrugged. “Why would I want to watch some stupid old show? The new ones are way better. Old stuff is bor-ring.”

"Boring?” Annie spat. The dark-haired woman then made an obvious effort to calm herself. “Still, I shouldn’t expect a bimbo like you to appreciate the classics.”

“Bimbo?” the leggy real estate agent shock her head, “Can’t you think of a better one than that? At least I’m not some film nerd watching what some stuffy old guys tell her are the ‘classics’.” The blonde leant forward and gestured with her fingers to emphasise the quotes around the last word.

“You’re idea of classics is any shoe style that manages to last two seasons.”

Carrie narrowed her eyes and smiled, “A good stiletto is timeless baby.”

“Blonde, just, blonde.” Annie proclaimed, as if that was enough to settle the argument.

“Brunette,” Carrie retorted.

The two women dissolved into giggles as Sara and Heidi sighed and rolled their eyes. They’d heard the same exchange (or its variations upon it) more times than they could count. Annie and Carrie enjoyed trading barbs, so their friends put up with it.

“So, uh, I get these ones,” Carrie said at last, before turning around to face the figures in the opposite row, “but who are these other hotties supposed to be?”

Annie just shook her head and immediately criticized, “She’s hopeless, just completely hopeless.”

“Okay, smartass,” the blonde shot back, “Why don’t you tell us who they are!”

Heidi stole a glance as Daniel stepped back, apparently happy to let Annie take over as the guide.

“Sure,” Annie said, stepping up to the figure at the left. It was based off another attractive brunette; this one with a “Flip” hairdo that was all the rage back in the sixties. Much more unusual was the figure’s slinky outfit, which was a form-fitting catsuit made entirely of stretchy crimplene. The ‘Emmapeeler’ (as it was soon dubbed by the press) not only started a fashion trend, but also set the gold standard for female spy-wear of the era. The extremely pliable, yet snug-fitting material was glued to the mannequin’s body like a second skin, (so much so, that Sara was already sneaking peeks at the twin points of her erect nipples, and the deep camel-toe showing in her undercarriage). A chain-link belt looped around her narrow waist, before joining together in the front by a chrome-plated hoop. The figure stared out straight ahead, her chocolate brown eyes glassy and distant. The subject’s colour-keyed flats set shoulder-width apart, while her fisted hands were ready at her sides, as if daring all comers to take her on.

“This is obviously Emma Peel from the original Avengers series,” Annie instructed before going on to boast, “...As famously played by Diana Rigg from 1965 through 1967, only to be replaced by Tara King, who was portrayed by Linda Thorson.”

“Wow,” Daniel started to clap, before leading everyone into a much louder applause. “Now that was very impressive, Annie.”

She took a quick bow, before moving onto the next figure, who was also a brunette. This one sported a much shorter ‘Bob’ cut. The style of her outfit was typical sixties-era mod, judging by the black and white diamond print turtleneck, the sporty red beret and deliciously short skirt. Down below were a pair of glossy knee-high boots. She might have represented nearly any young woman from the era, but the way she held her revolver straight out in front of her warned that she meant business.

“And this one appears to be Agent 99, as played by Barbara Feldon,” Annie instructed.

“Ooh,” Sara interjected, quickly raising her hand, “I know that one too; Get Smart!”

“Wait, who?” Carried asked, noticeably confused.

“Silly girl,” Annie condemned. She then turned to Daniel and cupped her hand to her mouth to whisper, “...This one isn’t familiar with anything made prior to the year she was born.”

“Well sooorry,” the blonde countered, “We don’t all spend our free time on the couch watching old crap!”

Sara immediately face palmed, while Heidi shook her head ...I probably wouldn’t have gone there! Not with the theme Master’s chosen.

Fortunately Daniel seemed unperturbed by Carrie’s faux pas. “Alright, ladies,” he interjected, “That’s two out of two. But can anyone guess this one?”

The next model was an ash blonde with her hair also styled in a Flip-do. Unlike the others, this one had been fashioned to appear older, perhaps approaching her fourth decade, yet she still maintained an hourglass shape. The suggestive facsimile had been attired in a silk nightgown that clung to her curves and shimmered beneath the overhead lights. There was a wide slit that ran clear up to her hip, revealing the lacy upper band of her dark stocking, and the chrome-plated derringer tucked within. The deep swoop of her plunging neckline revealed the impressive swells of her 32D’s, as she gazed out at her admirers with smoky-eyed indifference...

“So Annie,” Heidi asked, “any ideas?”

“Hey,” Annie replied, seemingly perplexed, “I never said that I’ve seen every spy movie that’s out there.”

Really?” Carrie muttered crossly.

“I don’t know the answer either,” Sara admitted, her eyes roving over the mannequin’s risqué décolletage, “But that mannequin really knows how to fill out a nightgown.”

Their hosts threw glances at each other, both of them smirking.

“I’ll give you a clue,” Daniel said, before attempting his best Sean Connery-era Bond impression, “...I must be dreaming.”

“Oh of course,” Annie exclaimed, throwing her hands up in disgust, “Who else could it be.” “Well, who is it?” Sara demanded.

The amused artist hinted, “She was portrayed by a thirty-eight-year-old actress by the name of Honor Blackman.”

In a rather low and very sultry voice, Heidi purred, “My name is Pussy Galore.”

“For real?” Carried exclaimed, “how’d they get away with a name like that?”

No-one could think of a suitable reply.

Heidi guessed that the conservative woman posed in front of them had probably seen the movie, it was still famous enough despite its age. She wondered, though, if the woman, whose name was Margaret Rutherford, had ever realised the obvious reference of the character’s name. Or what she thought about modelling such a character in perpetuity. Heidi was sure the woman had never worn make-up that thick, at least back when she’d had any say in the matter.

Margaret’s husband had made some sort of deal with Master. But when James Rutherford had died suddenly his widow had refused to honor the arrangement. Master could see a place for Margaret in his new exhibition, so he’d decided to collect her in lieu of the money he was owed. Arranging for an absence to cover her processing hadn’t been easy. But Master had managed it and once it was done her two teenage daughters were safely sent off to an exclusive boarding school. Amber and Phoebe were now finding their mother increasingly distant and uncommunicative. She’d have to be released for school holidays, but other than that her place was now here.

Heidi watched, amused, as Annie considered the final figure. It was another cute brunette, her hair fashioned once again in a flip, which curled outwards on the ends and around the back of her neck. She wore a black leather coat that fastened at the waist with an enormous buckle. Beneath the coat was a bright orange mini-dress, the lapels of which, framed a generous amount of cleavage. The slinky dress rode up high on her thighs, leaving her long legs exposed down to her knee-high leather boots. Matching accessories included an orange Alice band and a black leather choker. Like some of the others in the set, she stood posed in an action stance, with an automatic pistol gripped within one of her gloved hands. The figure, (though glassy eyed and staring), reeked 60’s era spy girl.

Annie glowered at the figure, obviously stumped.

“Have any ideas?” Sara questioned her friend rather innocently. Annie shot her a look that made her take a step back. The young nurse then turned to their host to ask, “So do we get any clues?”

“Oh, I think we’ve had enough of those.” Daniel smiled.

“Don’t tell me there’s something you don’t know,” Carrie beamed, clearly hoping Annie would fail the test.

Annie glared at her friend but said nothing.

“It was a trick question,” Daniel finally admitted. “She’s not from a film; the character’s name is Cate Archer, and she’s actually from a video game set in the 60’s.”

“Psshht,” Annie expelled beneath her breath, “...geeky boys.”

Heidi laughed, as Carrie stuck her tongue out in their friend’s direction. She quickly withdrew it when Annie reached out to snatch it.

“Hah!” Carrie teased, “I’ve got the fastest tongue in Tahoe, sweetie!” “Yeah, I’m sure you do,” Annie criticized. As the group slowly drifted back towards the entrance, Annie finally acknowledged, “I have to admit that your work is very thorough. I’m not so sure about the nature of some of the subjects, but yeah; they’re still pretty damned impressive.”

Daniel simply smiled in acknowledgement.

“Now, you said that you used two different processes?” Carrie inquired.

“Yes,” Daniel confirmed before going on to explain, “There’s the older, much cheaper way that’s good enough for film, and then there’s the newer one that I prefer to use for my exhibitions.” “Which ones are which?” Sara asked, looking around at the surrounding figures.

“Well let’s see here: Dracula; the F-1 driver; the Thrones figure; and a few others that I keep over at the museum were all made from the old process,” Daniel informed. “I might change those out over time. But all the rest that you see here are from the latest process.”

Annie frowned, and Heidi wondered if her friend had realised all the female figures were from the new process, and none of the males were.

Sara’s eyes widened. “So you have even more than what’s here?”

“Oh yes,” Daniel advised, adding, “I like to rotate my stock every-so-often just to keep things fresh.”

Sara quickly nodded in understanding. Looking around the room the young nurse noted that while most of the display cases were occupied by beautiful women (or occasionally men) of varying ages and races, a few remained vacant, indicating that Daniel hadn't quite completed his collection...

“Say; I noticed you gave our barbarian friend a bit of a feel,” Daniel kidded. “Perhaps you’d like to examine one of my newer models?”

Sara opened her mouth and then closed it very quickly. Heidi wondered if she was about to suggest Victoria... “I do, I do!” Carrie jumped in.

“I think we’ll try these two,” Daniel decided, pointing at the pair of figures just beyond the warrior. Carrie headed over to the society girl. Whether the blonde was interested in the figure itself or just her expensive jewellery, Heidi wasn’t so sure. Annie quickly followed, while Sara looked on, uncertainty written on her features.

Heidi made Sara’s choice for her, guiding her friend over to the streetwalker. “C’mon,” she urged, “I promise she won’t bite.”

Being up this close, Heidi knew that the slight differences between Mallory and the barbarian would be a little more obvious. Sara stood, unmoving, right next to her, seemingly caught up in all of the faithful detail, just as Heidi had been when she first attended the exhibition. She knew all-too-well about the source of that realism, but Sara wouldn’t have a clue...

Heidi opened up Mallory’s case and encouraged her friend, “Well go on.”

She heard a slow intake of breath as Sara leant over, her eyes judiciously scanning over every line and pore. By now, she was so close that Sara had to notice the slight artificial sheen. The same one her friend would recognize on Heidi if she looked too closely. Fortunately, Sara’s attention was fixated on the frozen figure before her, marvelling at how the process had captured such minute details as the little brown moles on her arms, the cuticles on her fingers, and the faint blue veins on the backs of her hands. The young nurse finally reached out, (albeit with caution), to gently touch the mannequin’s arm. Heidi was certain that Sara would notice the skin wasn’t quite as firm as the barbarian’s had been, yet still not quite as soft as human skin either. Sara rubbed the tips of her fingers together, noting how slippery they were from touching the skin. She then gripped the mannequin’s wrist for a moment, as if checking her pulse. Heidi knew that the figure’s skin would be cool at first, but would soon warm beneath her friend’s touch...

A startled gasp suddenly escaped from Sara’s lips, and she jerked her hand back in surprise. Then she started giggling at her own embarrassment. “Yeah, um, —AHEM ...That’s pretty crazy!”

“That is pretty crazy,” Carrie echoed from where she stood leaning into the case on the opposite side of the room.

“Still a bit too creepy if you ask me,” Annie protested. Standing beside Carrie she had started looking closer into the glazed eyes of the high society figure with concern, even noticing the little tear ducts and what appeared to be—

...Wait, it can’t be, the travel agent hesitated, is that an actual hole from a nose piercing? Daniel was keeping a close eye on her. Even Heidi noted the unwelcome change in Annie’s demeanour. Wanting to avoid any further suspicions, she gave her master an apprehensive look and he nodded his head toward the door... “Well, I think we’ve seen enough of my handiwork for one day,” Daniel advised his guests before going on to joke, “Perhaps we should allow them some rest.”

Carrie and Annie gave one another some more odd looks, before turning away from the displays. They walked away mumbling something between themselves, as Daniel closed the case behind them.

Heidi did the same, and Sara turned away with a bit of a frown. She was the last guest to leave the room, lingering well behind the others, seemingly unaware that her friend was observing her from afar. Sara’s gaze fell over to Victoria one last time, softly biting her lower lip, before turning back to follow her friends...

(To be continued)