Dr. Crick is looking at her tablet and I sit there waiting on the latest blood results. It has been six weeks since my ‘reboot’ and I am now a full B-cup, going on a C. There are other clear signs of the estrogen having its effect on my body. My areolae are huge… Well, Cindy and Dr. Crick say they are well within female limits. My body hair has diminished…actually, I barely have any. Most girls would love it; I hate it. I am getting much…softer… My hair, my skin, my body… I am starting to get curves where I shouldn’t… I am having to go to great lengths to hide all of this at work… ‘A bet lost’ to explain the hair… ‘Colored contacts’ to explain the eyes… ‘Stupid medication’…to help explain the…shift in body fat (making it ‘look’ like I am developing man-boobs)…

Crick finally looks up from the tablet and at me. She says, “OK, Ray. Your bloodwork looks fine. It has been stable over the last four weeks. You are still on the high end of estrogen levels for women; but the level is safe. It is clear that the estrogen is having its effect on your body—that is to be expected. I am happy to see that you have your emotions better under control—I remember how tough it was for me, too. Anyway, I think you are ready to take the next step, at least medically. Are you?

I look at her and don’t say a word. This is the defining moment… What do I answer? If I go forward, there is no sense ever even considering stopping after this… I think she knows that, too… I swallow. Cindy and I have had long discussions over the past several weeks. It was a huge surprise to find out that she is bi… It has also been a great comfort…knowing that these changes are not going to be a factor in our relationship. That does not make it any easier on how they affect me…

I look at her…hard and say, “I don’t know what the endgame really is here… But, I am not going to lose out on the rest of the money… Do your worst…” She smiles…it is a bit scary…then she says, “Well, any ‘endgame’ was clearly spelled out in the contract you signed… I will say this, though… I think that you should be thinking of your plan B—just in case these next steps work. The hormonal changes that you have experienced, so far, can largely be reversed with a hormone reversal. If, and I honestly say that it is a big if; IF these next steps work, they will not be, I repeat, they will not be reversible. So, I ask you again, Are you ready?”

I look at her… I am calm now… I look her clean in the eye…and say, “Yes, I am ready.” She nods and says, “OK. You have been advised. Come with me.” I follow her to new section of the lab—new to me, that is. She says, “We are beginning ‘Phase 2’, now. In this phase, your body is realigned to your new genetic makeup—your female makeup. During your developmental phase, with a Y-chromosome, some things don’t happen. Some of those are easily rectified with estrogen, like breast development. Some just need to be initiated; we will focus on those now. Others will have to first be reversed—then re-developed; those are ‘Phase 3’. Assuming we even get there.”

She is busy loading an injection pistol (that has a long, huge caliber needle; it is really lethal-looking and intimidating) with the pale-pinkish fluid from a vial. She says, “I am sorry, this is going to be a bit painful—but, it will be worth eight thousand dollars to go through with it…” She looks at the gun and says, “Pretty pink, isn’t it? That is just a marker to make sure it is not mistakenly used for the wrong purpose.” She checks the label on the vial again and nods, then she comes over and says, “OK, Ray, lay down on your stomach on this table…” She jabs the needle into my lower back—into the spine, right where my pelvis joins my spine—and pulls the trigger. The fluid is pushed into me and I scream as it burns… She says, “Don’t move—stay absolutely still until I say it is OK…” I am not about to move—I am not really sure I can…

After several minutes, the burning pain is gone…replaced by an obnoxious tingling in my pelvic area. Crick says, “OK, I think it is safe to get you up now. Angela, help me sit him up…” Carefully, I am helped into a sitting position. Crick asks, “How do you feel?” I glare at her and say, “That hurt like hell!” She looks truly a bit sheepish and says, “I really am sorry; I surmised it would hurt some, but, since it has never been given to a human before, all I could do was judge by lab animal reactions. There really is not much I can do to lessen the pain, though—outside of knocking the subject out, and it is important to judge the reaction to prevent paralysis—so, that is not the best option, either… Anyway, how do you feel now?”

I still want to kill her, but say, “It tingles in my whole pelvic region…it is really annoying…like ants crawling over that area of my body.” She says, “That is actually a good sign—the serum seems to be working…initiating the osteoclasts and osteoblasts, as desired…” She looks at the screwed-up face I must be making and asks, “Well, let’s talk about something else for a minute. Did you ever get a chance to go through that algebra book?” I nod and she asks, “And?” I say, “I was really surprised. I thought I wouldn’t make it past a page or two. Cindy didn’t—and I consider us on the same math level. I finished the book in a little over an hour, made 100% on the practice exam, and didn’t break a sweat. It was easy-peasy… I have been meaning to ask about that…”

She smiles and says, “Well, before I say anything, I want to make sure that my friend’s…methods…are the reason for the result and not just a surprising propensity for algebra on your side… I will give you some trig and calculus books to try out… They are from my…friend…, as well. I can’t wait to hear about the results…”

I am squirming now; the tingling/itching in my pelvis is really annoying… She asks, “Is Cindy coming to pick you up?” I nod and say, “She should be here in a few minutes.” She says, “Good. I would not want you driving—jumping around like you are. That should stop in…well, in a couple of days… In the meantime, if I were you, I would be thinking about a girl’s name. I think you may need it if you continue. It seems you are responding admirably to the experiment.”

I really don’t know what to expect from this next round… Crick wouldn’t give me any indication. She just said, “Let’s wait and see, shall we?” So…am I surprised when a week later, after the ‘ants’ have left, that I have real trouble getting my jeans up over my hips? To be honest? YES! Cindy is as perplexed as I am. She takes out her tape measure and takes some measurements. Then she taps her chin in thought. Finally, she says, “It is almost like… Wait a minute…” She takes a few more measurements and then goes online. A few minutes later, she says, “Put on a pair of sweatpants. We need to go to the mall…” I just roll my eyes… It is never a good sign when she says that…

We arrive at the mall half an hour later and Cin takes me straight to a department store. She then drags me to the junior’s section (you know, the one for young women) and then to the designer jeans… She finds a pair of size six, tall jeans and picks them up. Of course they have all of the girly glitter and glitz and lace and stuff on them, but she just ignores my complaints and herds me towards a dressing room. I start to balk at the fact that it is a women’s dressing room, but she just pushes me into it. I am surprised that I have lost so much strength that she can that I am in a booth before I can really say anything…

She grins at me and says, “Don’t underestimate a girl that was center on the girls’ basketball team! Now, try these on. I want to see something…” I sigh and decide I may as well give in, since I am already in here… At least she came in with me and I don’t have to parade around outside… I take off my sweatpants and pull on the jeans. They fit perfectly! The curves cut into the jeans perfectly match mine… Cindy is a little flustered as she says, “Well…your hips are much wider than they used to be… You have the…correct…measurements for a girl…”

I sit there in my new girly, glitzy, lacy jeans—with the hips and waist that fit—and glare at Crick. She is absolutely radiant and giddy. She asks, “Do you know what this means? Do you? No…I guess not… It means that it worked! Your pelvis has been formed to female proportions. You see, a woman’s pelvis is wider than a man’s. It also has different tilts and angles… Yours is now a perfect female pelvis! This is awesome news! I honestly did not expect it to work! I am so excited!”

She is actually almost hyperventilating. Finally, she calms down…and seems to realize she forgot something. She looks at me coyly and asks as she loads another injection gun with another pinkish solution, “Did you get a chance to look at any of those new math books?” I roll my eyes and say, “Yeah…I find calculus as simple as basic addition. What is up with that?” She laughs and says, “Before I answer that, are you ready for the next step? It is worth twenty grand…”

I sigh and say, “That is not fair…you’re withholding information.” She says, “No, I am waiting on an answer from you…” I sigh again and say, “You know that I am not going to say no at this point.” She nods and says, “Lay down on your stomach… And, for goodness’ sake—DON’T MOVE!” I follow her instruction and feel her thrust the needle into my neck—at the base of my skull; into the occipital joint. I don’t scream this time—what is the point. It hurts like Hell—screaming won’t change that…

When Crick says it is OK, I carefully roll over and she and Angela help me sit up. This time the ‘ants’ are crawling ALL over my body…and they are fire ants… I nearly pass out from the pain—but focus on Crick. I do my best to ignore the pain and ask, “You were saying something about my new-found math skills?” Beads of sweat are forming on my brow from the pain. I continue to focus on Crick; I am close to passing out… I look at her and wait. She sighs and says, “You are about to pass out. That will be a mercy. The animals went crazy at this stage... I know you didn’t read your contract… If you had…well… Anyway, the experiment is funded by the government and private holdings… The government side, well…it is…military… Of course they have certain goals for their money… I had to…add in certain…characteristics to the spliced in genetic material… Oh, and welcome to Phase 3…”

And I pass out…