Closing the folder, Elaine was shocked to discover two hours had passed. It certainly didn't feel like it. Carol understated things when she called the material 'interesting reading'. Elaine was shaken to the core and felt absolutely filthy.

"Have you shown this to anyone else?"

"Not yet," Carol replied. "I started that research after Danii failed the audition for your film."

"Your daughter? Good lord, Carol!"

"I know. We had no idea what the film was about. I certainly would've turned down the role once the particulars came out."

"Then why do you say the film needs to be made?"

"The actresses in the film have already progressed to the self-infliction stage. Even without being in a film, they'd continue to inflict pain on themselves."

"Eventually," Carol continued, "the odds will catch up with them and they will, most likely, become part of the 90%. The film is, in a way, an end to their suffering. An end to the parents' suffering."

"How sure are you of that percentage?"

"Reasonably sure. I interviewed the friends and families of fifty former actors and actresses. I've researched the deaths of over 500 actors and actresses."

"In almost all cases, the death was self-inflicted; either through conscious decision or by an accident related to the self-infliction of pain."

"And you think the Child BDSM industry is to blame?"

"I do. Like I said, I interviewed the families of former performers. What I found is that they almost all start out the same way."

"A well-meaning parent - mother or father - takes the child to an audition. The child passes without being told what they will be doing in the film."

"The producers woo the parent with offers of good pay, and - after discussing the details of the film - assure the parents that the pain will be minimal. Staged, mostly."

"During the filming, the child is heavily praised for cooperating with the filmmakers. Thus, the conditioning begins. For the first few films - maybe three or four - they stick to the 'mild' bondage themes."

"During this time, however, the children are encouraged to associate pain with pleasure. After a while, the desire for the pain is no longer merely a part of the act, but a real desire."

"In between films, the performers start to experiment with masochism. The pain becomes a drug; one almost as addictive as nicotine, alcohol, or heroin."

"The children, because the cognitive abilities are not fully developed, cannot see where their behavior is leading them. They think receiving pain gives them the necessary skills to inflict pain."

"They're wrong and it catches up with them. They have the equivalent of a drug 'overdose'. They misjudge the severity of their actions and end up killing themselves inadvertantly."

Elaine was crying by now. Carol had done her crying before and now she was able to keep herself under control. Rising, the younger woman retrieved Elaine's glass and refilled their drinks.

***

Elaine was deeply troubled. Between the data in the envelope and Carol's reasoning, it truly appeared that the child bondage industry, itself, was to blame for the untimely deaths of many of its performers.

Add into the mix the fact that Carol's daughter, Danii, was a performer for these films, and it painted a terrible picture for the younger woman. Elaine could not begin to imagine the pain these findings had caused her friend. Knowing that you were guilty of corrupting your own child...

"What do you propose, Carol?"

"Well, for your actresses, it's likely already too late. As I've said, they're already inflicting severe pain on themselves to feed their cravings."

"It's conceivable that psychiatric help could help them, but the evidence suggests that the success rate is very low; maybe as low as 1%."

"In addition, the actresses likely already know what fate has in store for them. I know that Tyra already knows she won't survive next week's shooting. Tyra's fairly sure that Kelly and Renee also know."

"We - the actresses, the mothers, Jim, and Bernadette - are having a weekend retreat at my place starting tonight. We'll have fun at the pool and have a barbecue. Probably even have a bonfire."

"It won't all be fun and games, though. Tomorrow afternoon, all of us will sit down and explain, in detail, what the little girls face next week."

"If the girls respond well and accept the idea of their mothers killing them, the mothers will likely accept both offers. They'll kill their daughters and then be killed, themselves."

Carol took a sip of her drink and sat back, letting Elaine think about what the younger woman had said. Elaine was lost. She didn't know what to do. Everything Carol had said pointed to the idea that the movie should be abandoned. On the other hand, Carol had also said that the movie should be completed.

"Carol," Elaine said, shaking her head in confusion, "I'm completely lost. You show me this information condemning the child bondage industry yet say that we should continue with the movie. I just don't get it."

"This movie concept is a timebomb. It's going to happen sometime. The sooner it happens, the sooner we can do something to prevent further movies. Elaine, if I can, I am going to change the industry."

"Right now, it's possible that other studios have noticed the opportunities presented by this bill. It won't be long before other movies are in production."

Seeing Elaine's sudden realization, Carol continued.

"I know what you're thinking. We could give up on the film and go after the bastards that make the next one. The problem is that the different studios are more extreme."

"With Jim and Arnie, the girls will go willingly. They'll beg to be killed. If I don't completely miss my mark, they'll want to be tortured prior to their deaths."

"Once the movie is completed and shown, we'll begin to attack the industry, showing where it leads. I know more than a few congressmen and congresswomen who have children in the industry. They'll support us."

"Carol," Elaine said. "It is too big. You will never convince them to shut down the BDSM industry."

"I'm not trying to shut it down; just change it. Frankly, I don't even care about the snuff side of it. What I'd like are age restrictions or psychological evaluations."

"I want documentation from a licensed professional stating that the child is cognizant of the consequences of their actions. I would prefer that BDSM and snuff be limited to anyone 16 years old or older."

"By that point in their development, they'll have a better understanding of consequences. They may still decide to take part in BDSM, but it will be a more-informed decision."

Elaine thought about it for a while as she sipped her drink.

"You know, Carol," she said after a few minutes, "I have friends in Congress as well. A few hundred years ago, they used to have age restrictions on lots of things: alcohol, tobacco, movies, games, and more. This may work."

"That is what gave me the idea," Carol replied. "When the global economy collapsed in 2025, it took almost 150 years to oust the anarchists and re-establish the rule of law. A lot of what was in place prior to the collapse is still being rediscovered."

"Anyway," Carol said as she rose to her feet, "thank you for listening to me, Elaine. I really need to go, now. I need to prepare for my guests. You're welcome to come as well, you know."

"I appreciate that, Carol. I really do, but I think it would be inappropriate for me to be there."

"I disagree," Carol argued, "but I do see your point. Jim and Arnie will be in contact with you concerning the decisions made this weekend."

Leaving the older, troubled, woman staring at her back yard, Carol left to prepare for the sleepover.

***

The guests started arriving at 6:30pm. Leanne and Tyra were the first to arrive. The Fastennes gratefully accepted drinks (wine for Leanne and a soda for her daughter).

The two adult women talked while Tyra, encouraged by Carol, stripped off and jumped into the pool. Tyra loved to swim. The only problem was that she would be naked.

The little 10-year-old hadn't brought a swimsuit. After being nude in front of the camera crew all week, the little girl had no problem running around sans clothing. She was just afraid Carol might object.

Carol had no problem with that. As far as she was concerned, this was a clothing-optional zone this weekend. Anyone who wished to go naked was perfectly welcome to do so.

Tyra hadn't been convinced until Carol stripped out of her own clothes and sat beside Leanne in a pool chaise. Looking to her mother for guidance, the little girl was amazed to see her mother follow their host's lead.

The 10-year-old, her fears placated, stripped off and dove into the pool. She was just getting used to the cool water when Renee, Kelly, and their mothers arrived.

Seeing the general dress around the pool, the Dupois' and the Greens stripped, the young girls joining Tyra in the pool while the mothers joined Leanne and Carol in the pool chairs.

"I'm not really sure about this," Monique said. "Aren't Jim, Arnie, and their receptionist..."

"Bernadette," supplied Lauraine.

"...Bernadette - thank you, Lauraine - are't they coming as well?"

"They are," Carol said with a nod. "Trust me, though. This is nothing new to them. Besides, they have seen your naked daughters all this week."

"True," Monique said doubtfully, "but my husband was the only man to see me naked. I am not sure I like being naked in front of Jim and Arnie."

"They're going to kill me next week," Leanne said quietly so the young girls could not hear. "In the face of that, does it really matter if they see me nude?"

"My God," Monique whispered. "Do you think they would require us to be naked when they kill us?"

"I do not know that they would require it, but it would leave less of a mess. This way, they could also donate our clothes without worrying about ruining them with blood."

Monique thought about that for a few minutes. Unlike Carol, Lauraine, and Leanne, Monique was a big woman. She was what once was called 'Rubenesque'. At 5'9", she weighed close to 170 pounds and was a little self-conscious about it.

"Think of it this way," Leanne whispered. "If you do this like I'm going to, you won't be around to see the film and therefore, won't be embarassed by it. You'll be too dead to care."

Monique had been in the middle of sipping her soda and the ridiculousness of it all made her laugh, spraying Leanne with the diet beverage.

"See," Leanne asked, stifling her irritation at her bad timing, "because I am naked, I can just jump into the pool to rinse off. If I had been clothed, I would need to wash this outfit simply because I had bad timing."

The other women laughed as Leanne jumped into the pool.

"Seriously, Monique," Carol said. "There is nothing wrong with how you look. There is nothing to worry about. You were naked with us the other night. I understand that Jim and Arnie are guys, but they're good guys."

"She's right," Leanne said as she returned from the pool. "I've known Jim and Arnie for years. With some of the other producers, I'd be right there with you, but Jim and Arnie are sweet. Trust us."

Monique did trust these women. She wasn't really sure when that started, but there it was. Seeing Lauraine strip down and jump in the pool, she decided to just go with it. She removed her clothing and joined the girls and women in the pool.

***

When Bernadette and Jim pulled up at Carol's house, they noticed that they were the last to arrive.

"You ready for this," Bernadette asked her boss.

"Are you kidding? The only reason I'm going with this is because I know Carol and she's probably right. The girls may already know that this is a snuff film. If so, I want to hear what they think of it. I want to know what we can do to make it easier on them."

"I've known Carol for years and if she says they know, they do. The fact that they want to talk rather than pull out is encouraging."

***

Finding the front door unlocked - as Carol had told Bernadette it would be - the two entered Carol's house and, after locking the door behind them, went through the house to the pool in the back yard.

The unclothed nature of the pool's occupants might have surprised Jim, but Bernadette - without hesitation - stripped off and joined the rest in the pool. After a startled moment's delay, Jim followed suit.

***

Saturday evening, as Carol was checking on the barbecue, the three mothers, their daughters, and the movie director sat at the picnic table and discussed the topic of the hour.

"So," Jim started hesitantly, "I understand we have an inequality of expectations and understanding."

"Huh," Kelly asked, puzzled.

"I understand you may know more about this film than I've mentioned."

"Oh," Tyra said with a sweet smile. "You mean like the fact that you're going to kill us?"

The three girls giggled at Jim's uncomfortable wince at the abrupt revelation.

"Yes," Bernadette said, taking the lead. "When did you figure it out?"

"We overheard someone say something," Tyra said. "After talking about it, we decided that it isn't a bad way to die."

"Someone," Jim asked. "Something? Who did you hear and what did they say?"

Renee shook her head with a shy smile.

"We can't tell you about that," the little black girl said. "We weren't frightened off and we don't want the person or people involved to get into trouble."

"We understand the threat to your business, Jim," Carol said. "If this had turned out badly, then I'd fully back your decision to sack the guilty party. The truth is, though, that this revelation has allowed your little actresses to convince their mothers to go through with this project."

"If you feel the need to say something," Leanne said, "do it in front of the entire staff and issue a warning concerning any further loosening of tongues. The guilty party or parties may, or may not, reveal themselves with guilty behavior. They will, however, get the point, so please don't punish them this time."

Jim wasn't happy with it, but, as Carol had said, it'd only made the production easier this time. As Leanne mentioned, though, a warning was warranted as it could have gone badly.

***

After dinner and dessert - an apple pie Carol had made that day - everyone sat by the pool. Jim still had more he felt they needed to discuss.

"You're not scared about all this," he asked the little girls, mentally kicking himself for possibly wrecking the whole thing.

"More nervous than scared," Renee said. "I understand that you'll be cutting our heads off. Is that correct?"

"Well," Jim said hesitantly, "that's mostly correct. Your heads'll be cut off. If you agree, however, it'll be your own mother who does it."

"Really," Kelly asked excitedly as she turned to Lauraine. "You're going to cut my head off, mommy?"

Lauraine looked uncomfortable with her daughter's excitement about dying by her mother's hand.

"Yes, dear," the mother said to the little redhead. "If that's what you want, then yes. I will."

"Fuck, yes," Kelly said ecstatically before looking sheepishly at her mother. "Sorry for swearing, mommy."

The adults laughed at the incongruity of a little girl being afraid of her mother hearing her swear when the mother had just promised to kill the little munchkin.

"It's okay, kiddo," Lauraine said, smiling at her daughter reassuringly. "I've been using that word a lot this week, myself."

The other two girls agreed to their mothers performing the deed. They weren't as excited about it as Kelly, but they did seem pleased at the prospect of their mothers killing them.

The conversation turned to the rest of the filming. Having the girls agree to die willingly took a lot of pressure off of Jim, but there were other concerns to discuss, as well.

"Okay," he said, turning to his actresses and their mothers, "that's settled. Thank you, little ladies. I really appreciate your cooperation in this. There is, however something else we need to discuss."

The little girls looked to him, puzzled.

"The ending is set. The build-up, however, isn't. This week, we gave you a taste of torture. You, Kelly, and you, Renee, are new to this so you may not know, but, as Tyra has probably told you, we are a bit more extreme than previous films."

"This is because you need to look hurt when the end comes. You need to act like the end is a release. You accept it because it will end the pain."

"I think I understand," Renee said. "It is like when the doctor put Chelsea to sleep after she caught cancer."

"Chelsea," Jim asked.

"Our pet cat," Monique said. "She had leukemia and was put to sleep by the vet."

"Yeah," Renee agreed sadly. "She was in a lot of pain and the doctor said that it would be a mercy to kill her quickly rather than let her live for a long time with incurable pain."

"Very good," Carol said, entering the discussion. "It is very much like that."

"Yes," agreed Jim. "We are going to hurt you. We are going to hurt you more than you have ever been hurt before. You will be cut, bruised, and bloody when your mothers cut your heads off."

Kelly was almost bouncing with delight.

"Are you gonna break our bones," she asked excitedly. "You going to break our fingers and toes, our arms, legs, or ribs?"

Jim was stunned. This little girl was a serious masochist.

"If you would like, sweetheart," he said, slowly, "we will. But be aware. This will be an incredible amount of pain. Once we start, we will not stop. Do you understand?"

Kelly was so excited, she could not speak. She just nodded vigorously.

"And you two," he asked, turning to Tyra and Renee. "Do you want this as well?"

"I don't know about breaking bones," Renee said, "but I would like to be cut up. I used to cut myself and I loved it. You can cut me anywhere. My cunny, my butt, anywhere."

"Jim," Tyra said. "I prefer amputation. Do you think we coud do something like that?"

"I do," he replied after a moment's consideration. "If you three are certain, we can accommodate all your wishes."

"When do we start," Kelly asked. "Tonight?"

"No," Jim said. "We will start on Monday. You three will be split up for your tortures. Because you will be visibly hurt, you won't be able to leave the studio. Once you get there Monday, you won't leave until we carry out your dead bodies."

"Okay," the redhead said agreeably.

Jim had talked to the parents earlier and they agreed to leave out the bit concerning the mothers' demise. As the mothers would not be killed until after all three girls were dispatched, there seemed no point in bringing it up.

"Enough talk," Carol said abruptly, seeing Tyra try to stifle a yawn. "I think it is time for our little actresses to head off to bed. Tomorrow is Sunday and we can play in the pool all day."

Everyone agreed and went to bed.

***

Sunday passed quickly. The little girls had a terrific time. To the adults, however, the time passed too quickly. Each had their own skewed perspective on the upcoming week.

For Jim, he was beginning to rethink his position on snuff films involving children. He was still a bit squeamish, but he could see how he could live with it. There were other firms that would take advantage and exploit the children and their parents.

Jim, however, saw how the women had changed over the last week. He was certain that a sizable part of that change was due to Carol's influence. Carol could be a pain in the ass at times, but now, he was seeing another side to her.

For Carol, this was a tremendous learning opportunity. After her research, she could see, for herself, the pain and eventual acceptance in the choices the parents made.

She, herself, could never make that choice. Danii was too precious. Monique, Lauraine, and Leanne, however, were given little choice in the matter. The little girls had forced the issue.

The mothers of the actresses were in awe of their daughters. The little starlets were actually looking forward to the pain and suffering the next week would bring, culminating in their deaths at week's end.

Bernadette was intrigued. After talking with Carol, she knew how far these women had come in accepting the choices of their daughters. Two weeks before, they were horrified at the idea of sacrificing their kids to cater to some sickos' entertainment.

Carol, Bernadette could see, was very helpful in bringing the parents around. After their earlier discussions, Bernadette thought Jim and Arnie may need to put Carol on the payroll in a counseling role for parents of their little starlets.

Carol may be able to help identify when the children are going too far. Bernadette did not like it, but it was too late for Kelly, Renee, and Tyra. Hopefully, it was not too late for Danii. Carol may be able to prevent the children from becoming addicted.

Filming ~ Day 6

Monday morning arrived and the three starlets entered the studio, knowing that they would never leave again. The mothers, not quite sure how they felt about it, decided to stay at the studio with their daughters. Jim and Arnie had no problem with that.

The planned schedule had been altered. Jim contacted Elaine on Sunday and both agreed that the girls were going to suffer enough with just beatings. The electricity, fire, and knifeplay had been cancelled. Elaine was severely conflicted. She was willing to call the whole thing off, but Carol had advised that they continue as planned.

The girls were excited. They had been anticipating this since they had heard their fate on Saturday night. Now, they would feel pain like nothing they had ever experienced. They were not sure they wanted their mothers in the room during their torture. That could be weird.

Their mothers knew that they liked pain, but watching their little girls receiving that pain would be difficult. The mothers, without knowing, shared their daughters' feelings. They were not sure they wanted to watch their daughters be abused.

They would be there if their daughters wished it, but it was honestly the last thing they wanted to see. It was odd, really, they were willing to kill their own daughters, but were uncomfortable with watching the little girls receive pain.

***

Bernadette saw everything and, after talking with Carol, understood more than anyone else. Jim and Arnie were not comfortable with killing children, but the little girls were committed and if the job was left to others, the more sadistic producers could be far crueler than Jim and Arnie.

The parents were conflicted. They would kill their little girls, but were reluctant to watch the torture of the little darlings. Although the mothers were confused over this, Bernadette knew that it was the subconscious understanding that they would be bringing an end to their children's pain. Bringing an end to pain was acceptable. Assisting in the delivery of pain was not.

The little girls knew, at some level, that their mothers were uncomfortable with the idea of watching the preteens as they were tortured. This understanding made them uncomfortable with asking their mothers to watch the infliction of pain on the little starlets.

The sad part was that no one was talking. That was causing serious misunderstanding on the parts of all participants. She was going to have to do something about this or this would be a disaster of gargantuan proportions.

***

The mothers, daughters, and producers were sitting silently in the studio, drinking their drinks (coffee for the adults, soda for the kids) when Bernadette entered the room.

"Ok," she said, startling everyone else. "This is unacceptable. You all have made some assumptions that may or may not be accurate. We need to talk this out if we wish to proceed."

The others looked at her, amazed at the fierceness of her tone.

"What do you mean," Lauraine asked.

"How we will do this, for one," Bernadette replied. "Do the mothers want to be present while their daughters are filming their scenes? Do the daughters even want their mothers to be there? Are Jim and Arnie sure that they can even do this? Should this be done? You all think you know the answers, but, what if you are wrong?"

She smiled as she saw the others realize that they could be wrong.

"I am going to go talk with the other actors," Bernadette said. "You figure out how you want to do this."

***

After Bernadette left, Tyra looked at her mother.

"Do you want to be there when they beat me, mommy?"

"Only if you want me there, baby," Leanne replied with a smile. "I will always be there for you."

"If you are doing it only to please me," Tyra said, "then I do not want you there. I like the pain, but I know you don't. I know you are there for me. I know you will do what you need to do at the end of this week. I know you will kill me. I am happy you will do that, but you don't need to watch them hurt me."

Kelly and Renee were nodding in agreement. Monique and Lauraine sighed audibly as they realized that they would not need to watch their beautiful little girls get tortured. Jim was still troubled, though.

"Tyra," Jim said, "Kelly, and Renee, do you really, and I mean really, want to do this? Once we start, there is no turning back. We will hurt you more than you have ever been hurt before. And at the end, your mothers will cut your heads off while you are awake and can feel everything."

The girls just looked at each other for a few moments.

"Yes, Jim," Tyra said as the other little girls nodded in agreement. "We really want this. We are sorry if our mommies don't want to do this. They do not need to kill us. Other people can do it."

"No, baby," Leanne said. "We will do it. It will be the last thing we do together. I love you and would do anything for you."

"I feel the same way," Monique said, looking at Renee.

Lauraine just nodded at Kelly, who smiled back at the older redhead.

"But," Leanne continued, "if you truly don't mind me missing your torture, I would prefer not to be there."

Tyra smiled as she nodded.

"I understand, mommy," she said. "Thank you for allowing me to do this."

Monique and Lauraine talked with their own daughters for a moment before announcing that all mothers fell the same, just as all daughters felt the same. It was unanimously agreed that the mothers would not be present during the torture. When that was agreed, the mothers and daughters turned on Jim.

"Jim," Leanne said. "You know who your competitors are. So do I. If you do not do this, they will be the only alternative. I think we both can agree that working with them would be much, much worse. I know you and I know you will do this right. You have to do this. And if you are approached in the future to do more films like this, you should. You are the right people for this."

Jim, though not happy, agreed with Leanne's analysis of the situation. The other producers were assholes. They only cared about the bottom line. They did not care what their actors wanted as long as they made money.

"Okay," he said. "We will do this. It is ten o'clock now. We will begin at eleven o'clock. We have separate rooms for all three girls. They will be tortured at the same time. The shooting should last about 90 minutes. If you ladies don't mind, could we trouble you to get lunch for us?"

Leanne, Monique, and Lauraine merely nodded.

"Then, we will get our little starlets ready. We will gather here at one o'clock this afternoon for lunch."

***

Jim pulled up in front of Carol's house at 6:30pm. He had called earlier and Carol had mentioned that Danii was staying at her grandparents longer than originally intended.

Carol had figured that she could be helpful to Jim and the other mothers this week so Danii would not be returning until next Sunday. By then, the shooting would be done. Jim might still need a sounding board, but it would not be anywhere as crucial as it would be this week.

Carol met Jim at the door with a drink in her hand. Jim looked at it for a moment before entering and taking a sip.

"I don't know if this is a good idea," he said.

"What," Carol asked. "Coming over here?"

"No. I am not sure I should be drinking."

"Relax, Jim. It is only one drink. It is intended to help you relax. If you are that concerned, there will be no more."

Jim nodded thoughtfully. Quickly draining his glass, he handed the glass back to Carol.

"Thanks," he said. "I do need to relax, but I cannot afford to get drunk. I need to be able to think tomorrow and I do not bounce back as easily as I did twenty years ago."

"I don't think any of us do," Carol said with a smile. "That's part of what I miss about my twenties. I could drink a fifth of Jack and be absolutely fine the next morning. If I tried that now, I would be a wreck tomorrow morning."

"Same here."

"So, Jim, you sounded quite upset on the phone."

"Uh, you could say that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"We started the beatings today."

"And?"

"And," Jim asked incredulously. "This is different from when we were beating other children."

"Of course," Carol replied with a smile. "These beatings are real. This is the first time that you have intentionally caused real, serious harm to children."

Jim hung his head. Carol nailed the issue, as he knew she would. If he decided to continue with this business, he knew Carol would be invaluable in the future. He would need to see if she would consider working for him. She would screen the applicants to see if they were sincere in their willingness to perform in a snuff film.

"Carol, I do not know if I can do this."

"You have to, Jim," Carol said with a sad smile. "If you do not, you know what will happen."

"The other producers will not hesitate to go through with it."

"Exactly. This film is going to happen. At least with you in charge, the little starlets will suffer only as much as necessary. Others will not be as considerate of their actresses."

"But that still does not make it right."

"Jim," Carol said while shaking her head, "in this world, 'right' is not something we see too often. But, consider this. You can make it as 'right' as possible. Tell me about today."

"You know me, Carol. I am not usually squeamish. I have been in this industry for years. I have hurt kids; sometimes severely. While I have never taken pleasure in it, it never bothered me too much, either."

"Yes?"

"This is different. I know that in three days, I will be responsible for the deaths of not three, but six beautiful women and girls. The worst part, however, is the joy the kids are taking in the coming event."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"I thought it was," he said. "It's funny, though. I knew that Tyra liked the pain. That was obvious from her earlier performances. There is a big difference, however, between embracing pain you know will end eventually and cheerfully taking part in a performance you know will end with your death."

"The girls know this, Jim," Carol said. "They also know, however, that their deaths are inevitable. This past weekend, I spoke extensively with all three of the girls. They have all come to terms with the idea that their fascination with pain will lead them to perform dangerous acts."

"They know that they will likely underestimate the seriousness of their actions and likely kill themselves one day. That is the happy ending, by the way. The bad ending is where they permanently disfigure themselves or leave themselves alive but completely incapacitated."

"So what," he demanded, frustration causing him to scowl. "We have no choice but to kill them ourselves?"

"No," she replied. "You could put an end to the movie. You could give Elaine her money back. To be honest, I do not think she would pursue the idea."

Jim's eyes lit up in delight. That idea had merit.

"But it will not save the girls," she continued. "They will die anyway. Maybe not by your hand, but they will die nonetheless."

He sagged in his seat. Fucking Carol. Why did she always have to be right?

"If you do go through with this movie, though, it will be a clean death. It will be over quickly and there will be no chance of them surviving with seriously crippling side effects."

"In addition," she continued, "we know your competitors. They will not be long in discovering the potential for this kind of film. When they do, how do you think their little starlets will be treated?"

"Fuck, Carol," he moaned. "What am I supposed to do?"

"First, continue with the film. It is too late for everyone involved. Second, prepare to make more of these films. When this industry blossoms, it would be great if there is at least one production company that cares about its little snuff princesses."

"Will you work with me," he asked.

"Of course."

"I do not mean this time only," he said, raising his hand to stop he from committing herself without understanding. "If I am going to do this, I want to run an evaluation on all actresses and and their guardians. I do not want actresses that choose this because they mistakenly believe this is the only future they have."

"Jim..."

"If I am going to do this, I want you working for me. I would like you to have an office in my studio where you can interview potential actresses. I will not accept any actresses that do not fit the same profile as Tyra, Renee, and Kelly."

"I agree," she said.

"Then, you'll work for me?"

"Yes, Jim. As long as you understand that I have other clients, I will work for you."

"Done," he said.