"Hello?" The brunette looked up from what she was writing and looked at me strangely before asking, "Can I help you?" What the hell was I thinking? This is the dumbest idea I could have thought of. Oh well, I'll ask anyway. "Can I apply for a job by any chance?" The tall very attractive brunette looked up, pretty shocked. Maybe if I wasn't so skittish she wouldn't ask the next thing I already knew was coming…"How old are you..?" Damn it, there it was… "19..20..!" Good job Emma. The woman looked like she was starting to get annoyed. She took a deep breath and said, "How old are you really?" I just stared at her for what felt like hours. Finally I said, "17…please! I'm desperate." I couldn't look her in the eye, but I could hear her sighing. "You do realize you have to be 18 to work in a strip club, right?" I was still looking down, and started to walk away and said, "Thanks anyway."

"Wait…" I stopped and turned around. She looked sorry for me. Seriously… "Did you run away?" Wait, what? I didn't really know what to say. "Home isn't always so sweet, I needed to get away." Was that a bad answer? It wasn't technically a lie. "Will anyone be looking for you?" Now, I'm the one in shocked. Did she really just ask that? I was starting to get nervous. "I doubt it." I crossed my arms in front of me, trying not to look uncomfortable… even though I was. "I can't hire you, but my boss has another job that you might be interested in. It pays pretty well." She gave an apologetic smile. "What is it?" I asked. "I can't tell you. It's not my job too, it's my job to find young, attractive woman who might be able to." Her hands were shaking. So I said, "Okay, what do I have to do?" She smiled and held her hand out and said, "My names Ruby." I was hesitant at first, but reach for her hand anyway. "Emma." She squeezed my hand and said, "Just let me make a call." I nodded.

I kind of just stood there while she was across the room on the phone. She looked like she was arguing with someone. Finally, after like ten minutes she came back over to me. "Okay, there's an elevator if you go down that hallway, go to floor 62 and the lady at the desk will ask why you're here. Say Mr. Jones is expecting you and that Ruby sent you." My eyes were wide..62?! I've never been in a building that tall before. I just shook my head and said, "Thank you."

This elevator had some really cheesy music. 59…60…61…62! The doors opened up to this white waiting area. It was kind of weird since the sun isn't out and it's super bright in here. When I walked up to the desk, the first thing I noticed was the lady's very green eyes and pixie haircut. She looked up from her computer and asked, "Can I help you sweetie?" I looked around and saw a name board on her desk. Mary-Margret Blanchard. "I'm here to see Mr. Jones, he's e-expecting me…Ruby s-sent me." I rolled my eyes at how nervous I was. She looked me up and down, and then nodded. She pressed a buzzer to the side and then said, "Just a moment, please have a seat." I felt really out of place. Everyone I'd met so far was in leather or a suit, and here I am in my jeans, gray tank top, plaid flannel, and book bag on shoulders. That's one way to make an impression.

I waited for no more than 5 minutes when the elevator doors opened. A man with grey eyes, dirty blonde hair, and a very sweet smile walked out. He spoke a few words with Ms. Blanchard and wink at her before walking over to me. "Emma, right?" I just nodded and he smiled. "My names David. I'll be taking you the next step now." I'm still so confused. "Next step?" He just nodded and held out his hand, and I took it. He led me over to the elevator. I waved to Mary-Margret and she nodded her head. As the elevator doors were about to close he said, "Good evening Ms. Blanchard." He pressed the button 87. Jesus! How tall was this place? I kind of just stood there unsure of what to do. I still have no idea what the hell I'm getting myself into. When we reached the right floor, he walked out and I followed him. It was a long hallway. "Excuse me, Mr. Jones?" He started laughing at me and shook his head. "I'm not Mr. Jones or anyway close to him." Okay… He led me to a room and there was a table, a chair and a mirror. It looked like an investigation room. "Please have a seat Emma." When I sat down he grabbed a clip board and a pen. Maybe it was an investigation. "So, you are pretty confused and have no idea what you're doing here, correct?" I was kind of taken back, but just went a long a nodded. He chuckled, "Don't worry, you're not the first. Relax." I guess I didn't realize how tense I was. "How about a few basic questions, what's your name?" That was pretty simple. "Emma Swan." He smiled as he wrote it down. "Cute name. How old are you?" God, I hate that question. "Seventeen." His smile sort of faded when he heard that but wrote it down anyway. "Any family?" Well, that got my attention. My heart was beating really fast. "No, none that I can think of." I looked down and listened to the pen scribble. "Are you a virgin?" What the hell? How does that have anything to do with anything. "What sort of question is that? What is this job everyone's so secretive about?" He looked up, I guess trying to find the right thing to say. He took a deep breath. "We call it operation Ascension." Interesting name… but what does it mean. He saw the confusion in my face and answered the question I was thinking. "It started 3 years ago. Every now and then we bring in woman. They hand over their rights to us. They become Mr. Jones's property. They all agree to it of course though." Property..? "I still don't understand what you mean." David seemed uncomfortable. "They are to please the men or woman that Mr. Jones sends to them who are a part of the operation. And when I say please, I mean sexually." Oh my god. I understand it now. My eyes must have been wide because David saw the panic in my eyes before I yelled, "You want me to be a hooker?!"