Courtney carefully removed her left foot form the all-white sneaker and placed it on the bare concrete of the lab. The coolness felt good against her warm sole. She repeated the movement with her right foot. She wiggled her purple toes and then stooped down. Her right hand reached into her left shoe first and pulled one flattened brown blob from within. Her eyes glanced to the right. 

Behind a large pane of glass sat numerous government and military officials. Vilecio was close to securing a major contract for the De-atomizer (AKA Snot Gun) and Courtney was to show that they had mastered Re-atomizing. An important requirement due to the Geneva Code (Brittany called it bullshit). Their faces contorted in disgust as she held both blobs, Brad and Tanner, in her right hand. Their forms were slick with her sweat.  

The gathered faces watched as Courtney unceremoniously walked across the floor of the lab to a large vat. Her bare feet made audible slaps against the concrete. She tossed the pancake sized blobs into the vat and then walked over to a computer. She stooped down and clacked at the keyboard. 

The lab went dark, and the vat sparked and bubbled. Blue liquid within spilled over the edge and splashed onto the floor.  15 seconds later, the bubbling and sparking ceased. Courtney stood up from the computer she hunched over and walked to the vat. 

All eyes in the room focused on her as she now stood over the still liquid. Her right hand reached in and rummaged around. She smiled and began pulling her arm from the vat. Brad's neck was held in her hand as she lifted his 3ft tall body from the tank. She held him above the tank and looked him in the eyes. He returned the look but full of fear. 

“Good morning, subject 989776.” She spoke. 

“G-good morning, Miss Hodges.” He replied as she choked and spat out blue liquid from his mouth and lungs. 

“Do you know what today is?” She asked. 

“I-it should be November 8th, 3 months from my last reatomizing.” Brad replied.  

“Very good.” She coo’d and then placed him in a nearby glass cage. 

She repeated with Tanner who also passed with flying colors.  

Courtney let the men rest and returned to her prior spot in the center of the lab in front of the glass. 

“And, as you can see, our subjects are alive and kicking. Minds intact. Ready to be interrogated or made use of in any other fashion.” Courtney finished the presentation with her hands behind her back. 

The group stood and clapped. Courtney watched as a woman dress in a blue pants-suit turned to Brittany and said a few words. Courtney looked on as they shook hands and Brittany gave her a thumbs up. 

Minutes later, Courtney stood with Brittany and those from the room around Brad and Tanner’s cases. Their naked bodies were not shielded in any fashion. She fielded questions on her research and accepted their congratulations.  

“Very impressive.” Brittany gushed as the two sat in Courtney’s office. 

Courtney blushed, “Oh, couldn't have done it without my team.”  

“Oh. C’mon. We both know you’re not that modest.” Brittany replied. 

Both women laughed. 

Courtney stared across her desk at Brittany. Her 12ft body struggled to fit in the chair which was already upsized to be comfortable for anybody up to 10feet tall. She watched as Brittany wore a sneaky smirk. 

“What?” Courtney asked, curious. 

“Well. You know how I said I couldn’t promote you anymore until you graduated” Brittany asked.  

Courtney nodded which prompted Brittany to continue. 

“So, I did some string pulling and got approved for one more.” She smiled at Courtney. 

Courtney felt herself float on air, “No way!” 

“Way!” Brittany replied. “You’ve been invaluable since your arrival, so I wanted to give you this. Also comes with a bump in pay, of course.”  

Courtney’s, still bare, feet slapped happily against the carpet of her office.  

From within their tank on the other side of Courtney’s office, Kyle, Courtney Vance, and Amanda stared at one another. They couldn’t' believe this girl’s luck. Courtney followed Brittany from her office and winked at her pets. The other interns which shrunk on her initial day were returned to their families. 

After a small ceremony with Brittany and her team, Courtney stepped from the tube and into the steamy air. She wore a tight black bodysuit. A fresh pair of larger clothes was waiting in her office and an entire wardrobe was being delivered to her new apartment paid for by Vilecio. 

“Damn. Not only are you my boss, but now I gotta look up at you?” Katrina spoke jokingly.  

Courtney smirked. She now stood 8ft 8in in bare feet. Other than Katrina, her next tallest team member was over a foot shorter than herself.  

“Feels right. The superior looking down at her subordinates.” Courtney looked Katrina in the eyes. 

Katrina blushed as Courtney’s eyes bore into her. She turned her head away nervously. As the two had grown closer and spent more time together, she noticed Courtney was becoming more dominant. She often emphasized that Katrina was her employee when they had spats. Katrina wondered how this new change would shift things. Courtney already insisted on being called “Miss Hodges” by her when they were in the office. 

“Hey, Kat.” Courtney said, “Would you mind being a doll and getting Brad and Tanner situated in their new homes? Brittany got me a fresh pair of Stan Smiths to try.”  

Katrina was taken aback by the request, but simply listened to her boss/crush “Certainly Miss Hodges.” She replied as chipperly as she could muster. 

“Alright. I’m going to go make things official with HR.” Brittany waved and left. 

Brittany paid no heed to the interaction. She simply congratulated Courtney and left. Whatever happened down in the lab was none of her concern as long as the results kept happening. She had her own empire to worry about.  

As Courtney walked to her office. Katrina went on with her task. She soon stood over Brad and calibrated her deatomizer. The small man cried below. 

“I served my purpose. Please. Just let me go. Or send me somewhere else. I can’t go back to being that...blog. I’m starting to remember things and feel things.” Brad begged. 

“Sounds like your neuro-chip is doing its job then.” Katrina replied without emotion. “And your purpose isn’t served until Courtney says so.” Katrina placed the final calibrations on the pistol-like device in her hand. She aimed it downward and commanded, “Hold still.”  

Katrina knocked on Courtney’s door.  

“Come in.” The younger woman’s voice came in replied. 

She walked in as Courtney was slipping into a new pair of blue jeans. A simple white blouse acted as her top. 

“Hey, babe...” Katrina began, but was shot a look by Courtney. Katrina sighed. “I have your shoes ready, Miss Hodges.”  

This got a smile from Courtney and a “Thanks Babe” in reply. 

Katrina gritted her teeth at the double-standard. It reminded her of her first boss, a misogynist who constantly humiliated her. He became a grease-stain under one of her sneakers eventually. She doubted Courtney would or that she could submit her to the same fate. However, she wasn’t so sure Courtney felt the same way about her. On one hand, the two’s relationship blossomed since the auction a month earlier. They often spent weekends together and had romantic dinners. On the other, Courtney would emphasize that she was Katrina’s boss and would occasionally joke about demoting Katrina if she messed up, though Katrina was sure these were only jokes.  

“You can just drop those by the fish tank. If you could, check the results of Yesterday’s heat test and then loop around with Ameila for discussion on the new materials for the SMOL cannon...” Courtney didn’t even look at Katrina as she spoke.  

Katrina took a few steps toward the fish tank in which Courtney’s three permanent pets resided. She looked down at Amanda who cringed. At least she could always count on Amanda always respecting her. Katrina dropped the shoes and left without a word. 

A chill ran down Amanda’s spine as she watched Katrina leave. She thought about all the torture she had been put through by the woman and was thankful Courtney was around.  

Courtney, completely oblivious to the rising heat around her, laced up her shoes and left her office... 

------------------ 

Brittany walked into HR at an awkward moment. 

“FUCK YOU THIS PLACE IS CORRUPT AS FUCK.” A 7ft man screamed at Megan Smith and one of her employees. His thick brown hair was a mess and his face red as a cherry.  

“Mr. Kline. I must ask you to maintain your professionalism.” Megan stepped forward, her 9ft frame dwarfed the man. She was in no way scared, instead more annoyed than anything. 

“Fuck your professionalism. I gave my 20s to this place, and now that I’ve earned a hefty pay raise, I’m suddenly going through a demotion for my ‘attitude’. I don’t even have a family because of how much sweat I put into this place.” Mr. Kline, obviously upset, breathed heavily as he looked up to Megan. 

“I understand, but we’ve received many complaints and we mu-” Megan tried to speak but stopped herself as Mr.Kline raised a fist a began to swing. 

A flash of light with a small ‘pop’ filled the room and steam was left where Mr. Kline once stood. 

“Figured I’d step in at that point.” Brittany said, her personal SMOL device in her right hand. She stepped forward toward the pile of clothes that Mr. Kline once inhabited until she, Megan, and the other HR rep stood in a small circle around the clothes. They watched for a second as there was movement in one of the pant legs and the nude man came running out.  

“Oh. Now you fucked up!” Mr.Kline continued, “I’m going to sue this place for all it-” His voice was cutoff as Megan removed her left foot from her flat and placed it atop the man. She rolled her eyes. 

“Alrighty, hun. The adults are gonna talk now.” Her pink nailed toes rested heavily on the man; his screams were muffled in their internal earbuds. “What’s up?” Megan asked Brittany. 

“I was just down in R&D. Gave Courtney that promotion we discussed.” Brittany smiled down at Megan and the other HR rep. 

“Oh goody!” Megan clapped happily. “Hear that, Frank? Yet another one of our lovelies advancing on up.” 

“MMMMPHHP” Frank’s muffled response was heard. 

“If you could get her updated in the system, I would greatly appreciate it.” Brittany asked.  

“Anything for you!” Megan replied. 

“Thanks for being you!” Brittany shot back with finger guns. 

“MMPHMPH” Frank’s muffles once more emitted from under Megan’s foot which she lifted from the tiny man. 

Frank gasped for air as the appendage was removed. “P-please no more.” His body was reddened from the short time under pressure and heat. 

“Are you going to be a good boy?” Megan raised an eyebrow and lifted her foot on its heel over Frank. 

“Y-yes! Please! I’ll be good.” Frank replied. 

“Was 5 inches good, or did you need him smaller?” Brittany asked, which earned a fearful glance from Frank. 

“Hmmm. 5 inches should be good. Right Frank?” Megan chewed on her lip. 

“Y-yes. 5 inches is perfect, Miss Dunham.” He replied enthusiastically. 

“Good boy.” Megan lowered her foot which caused Frank to scream, but she simply patted his head with her big toe. “You see what happens when you have an attitude?” She sounded like a mother scolding a small child. “Now instead of getting demoted a few feet, you’re under feet. Not too fun is it?” Megan asked teasingly. 

“N-no.” Frank replied, the reality of the situation settled in on him. 

Brittany watched the sudden turn around with great interest. It was amazing how simply SMOLing somebody was enough to break them. Usually the louder the bark, the more they crumbled. 

“Now about that lawsuit threat. As you should know, we don’t take legal threats lightly.” Megan crossed her arms and stared down at the tiny man below as her barefoot tapped against the ground. 

“I-I'm sorry. I d-didn't mean it.” Frank tried to back pedal to avoid any more of Megan’s wrath.  

“Good. Because if you did, I’m sure the girls down at legal wouldn’t appreciate filing paperwork while you filed their toes.” Megan threatened and stamped her foot back down, earning a small yip from Frank. With a smirk, Megan lifted her foot once more over Frank. 

“Why so scared? You were Mr. Big and tough a minute ago.” She wiggled her toes and flexed her foot over Frank who cowered in its shadow. 

“I-I don’t want you to crush me...” Frank sputtered out. 

“What makes you think I would do that?” Megan asked. 

“T-that’s what happened to my brother...” Frank replied. 

“OH Yeah. Wasn’t that last year?” Megan asked aloud. 

“On my birthday.” Frank answered morosely. His tiny voice beamed to all 3 women in his vicinity. 

“Crushed by one of the interns for not using the right brand of polish, right?” Megan asked. 

“Y-yes.” Frank replied  

“Seems pretty logical to me.” Brittany teased as she stood with her arms crossed as well. 

“Sounds like a simple solution. Don’t piss anybody off.” Megan replied matter-of-factly. This earned a nod from Brittany and the other HR rep. 

Megan placed her foot down in front of Frank. The size difference was like that of a Blue Whale to a child.  

“If you don’t want to be toe jam, you can start by licking mine.” Megan spread her toes. “Come on...” 

Frank slowly walked to his fate... 

“Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life, Frank Kline.” Megan clasped her toes around Frank’s head and laughed.