This is a series of stories that are a sort of sequel to two text-adventure games. Each installment is a complete story on its own, but for a full understanding, the reader may want to start with Chapter 1.
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I threw down my pen in disgust on my dining table. I glared at the tables and charts and references spread out there before me. The idea of developing a new suburban country club out here on the west side of the city, where there were none, had rooted my mind and would not let go. And it could work. The numbers, the opportunity were clear. Construction seed capital could be raised by selling founding memberships to wealthy or well-off prospective members, who would certainly pony up big cash to buy front of the line memberships in a new, beautiful club in an area of the metro area that had lots of money, but no such facility. Housing developers could be sold the excess land lining the course to raise the remaining needed funds. Expert staff would also be needed, but that was down the road, and I had ideas anyway.
But.
To set up the corporation and sell those founding memberships, I needed the land. I calculated that I needed at least five, preferably six or seven hundred contiguous acres to build a really good course and surround it with the right sized neighborhood. Where could I find it, and how would I pay for it if I magically found such a seemingly non-existent plot?
I stretched my shoulders and noted that it was a good thing that today was my workout day with my personal trainer Courtney. Since I had been working with her, I had dropped the few pounds I needed, gotten a bit more stamina, but most importantly, I was more limber and recovered from strenuous activity, be it exercise, sex, gardening, or whatever, much faster than I had since I was a teenager. She was worth every penny.
I arrived and she buzzed me into her small studio, situated as it was on the backside of an inconspicuous warehouse facility. Courtney was always a sight to behold, and I always had to struggle to keep my gaze on her down to a sub-creepy level when I was working out.
"There you are!" she exclaimed as I entered. She bounded over, full of energy as always, but she actually hugged me. That was new. "Did you know that this is my first fully-booked month since I opened?"
I congratulated her warmly, but she slapped me on the shoulder and said, "Yes, I've only just this week figured out how much of that increase in customers came from you! You never told me, you stinker, but you've be a one-man volunteer sales force for me!"
"I just wanted to make sure you stayed in business," I said easily.
"Yeah, well when you first walked in here, I was mostly just making the rent. Now, I am making mon-ey! I'm ahead of, instead of behind, my business plan!"
"And a lot of it is because of you! Look," she went on excitedly, pointing at her master schedule on the wall. "I've gotten four customers just from among your co-workers. Well, three. That doughboy Steve flamed out. And I have seven people who work for your clients. But the big number is all the neighbors around here that are due to you."
"Really? I don't think I even know that many neighbors yet."
"No, I only have about four who got my name from you, but there are so many more who were referred by them in turn! It all comes back to you!"
I leaned against a weight rack and looked pleased at her. "I'm stoked! But it wasn't like I was running ads for you. I just kept you in mind. That isn't that hard."
"Seems like it might be," she answered cryptically, "But who gave you permission to lean? No one leans in my dojo, Hoss! Get on that treadmill."
And the session was off. Helping her business seemed to have earned me the reward of being pushed even harder. And Courtney kept prowling around me, watching my every move. Once I got off the treadmill (she took the settings up to nine once or twice for the first time), I was more than warmed up. I was tired. Before we got to weights, she wrung me out with old school calisthenics and yoga.
Courtney had not corrected my pushup form in several weeks, but there was zero tolerance today. Someone must have complained though, since it wasn't her bare foot pushing down on my ass to keep my body straight as a rail, but the palm of her hand. Indeed, the agenda today seemed to be less yelling than usual, replaced by more shoving. As she knelt and held down my ankles while I did crunches, Courtney added, "Once I figured out you knew so many of my clientele, I've been asking about you."
Um. That could be tricky. "Oh really?" was all I could gasp. The crunches left me with no more air for probing questions.
"Yes. I just wanted to see if you were eating well and taking care of yourself on the regular, or if you are only living the healthy life when I'm watching you. That sort of question."
I collapsed on my back, unable to finish the last three crunches she had demanded today. "I'm a good boy, I swear," I said, heaving a deep breath of air. Inside, I was little worried. What were the various women I had sent here saying about me? What might they be saying to each other? What might Courtney tell one about what another said?