Sara hated going to the unemployment office. She hated waiting in line with bums and ne'er-do-wells. She hated talking with caseworkers who offered little but dead ends and false sympathy. She hated the fact that despite being a bright, young woman, she couldn't land a job because she had no skills. There had been no money for college after high school, so Sara was forced to make do in a small town that just didn't have anything.
Hated it as she might, Sara was there again, hoping for a break. After a two-hour wait, the caseworker informed her that, once again, there was nothing. Sara stepped outside, downcast, cursing the hand that life had dealt her.
As Sara walked to her beat-up 1988 Ford Tempo, she looked up to find someone in front of it. It was a man, well-dressed and well-groomed. Slim, with thinning black hair, the man looked at least forty. His clothes and demeanor were that of a man for whom life had been good, the antithesis of Sara's life. In contrast, Sara was nineteen with pale skin and long blonde hair. She was beautiful, but her worn clothes and depressed attitude often countered this asset.
"Who the hell are you?", Sara asked in an irritated tone.
She was in no mood for strangers, especially those who reminded her of her current status. "No need to get angry, miss," the stranger replied. "I am here to offer you an opportunity, if you'll come with me."
Sara smirked, "Nice try, mister. But I'm not that dumb. Now get out of here before I call the police."
The stranger merely grinned. "My dear lady. We are in a public area, in broad daylight. This would be far from the ideal place to stage an abduction or something else with so many potential witnesses."
Sara thought about this and followed the stranger to his car, a new Lexus. Stepping inside, Sara spoke. "OK, you have my attention. What do you want?"
The stranger smiled, "As I said, I'd like to give you a job."
Sara gave a cynical look and asked, "What's the catch?"
The stranger sighed, as if he were preparing to give a long speech. "I am conducting an experiment of sorts. I want to see just how far someone will go for money."
Sara looked outraged. "So you want a personal slut? No thanks, I may be poor but I have no interest in being your whore for a few hundred bucks."
The man just raised his eyebrows and spoke in a calm voice. "How does $200,000 for one month sound? That, plus any gifts you incur while in my service and tuition if you wish to go to college. My resources are vast."