When we were comfortably settled, Darren took a deep breath while he thought how to introduce the matter that he wanted to discuss, but quickly decided just to get on with it and start.

“As you know, I am working in my uncle's property development company, Cartwright Projects. We are currently working on proposals for a major out--of-town development of a designer-outlet shopping centre and associated office and residential complex, I can't give you any details at the moment as it is commercially very sensitive. However we have found that the current landowners and their lawyers are getting very off-hand and have drastically increased the price of the site suggesting that another buyer is interested. We believe that there is a leak in our organisation, possibly tied in with corruption at the council, and need to get to the bottom of it. Would you like to help us find out who is responsible?”

“Sounds more like a job for a PI than a journalist, why me? I know that I dream of some cutting-edge stories and the fame and kudos that would go with them, but I haven’t got a lot of experience of that sort of thing.”

“Without going into details, you have some qualities we think would help. However it would mean that you would have to come to work for us for a while , get to know our people and get them to talk, so you will need to get leave of absence from your editor for a while, but you can promise him that it could result in a big exclusive story for him at the end of it. Obviously we will match your current salary and any appropriate expenses, so you will not lose out in the meantime, and there will be a big bonus if you are successful.”

“Let me have a word with my editor, but I'm sure that if I promise him a big scandal exposé that he will agree to an unpaid leave of absence.” Tell me a bit more about what you want me to do.”

“Despite the fact that we are the developers of major projects we are only a small team and we contract out all of the professional services, architects, designers, engineers, surveyors, project managers, lawyers and suchlike. There are only my Uncle James who originally trained as an architect before founding his development company, his finance director John Chisholm, Sally who acts as secretary and PA to both of them, Bill Miller who has been with James as project director since the company was formed, me learning the ropes with the intention that I eventually take over, Maggie and Carl the two assistants for John, and 4 admin assistants, Jo, Becky, Liz and Angie. It is worrying that in such a small close-knit group that someone is undermining us.”

“Why do you need me and where do I fit into the picture?”

“The only people who know about out proposed project are the staff, the current landowner our lawyers, and the Chief Planning Officer at the council has been made aware of our intent but not the details. We have gone to great lengths to keep it under wraps and not involve any of our usual professional advisors and designers, as if it goes ahead we stand to make an enormous amount of profit. Somebody has obviously passed on some information and we need to find out who, and what we can do to get it back on track. As to where you fit in, Sally is going on maternity leave and we would like to replace her with you.”

“So we want me to do her job to see if there is any gossip or any suspicious activity going on that I can pick up on.”

“That's just about right, but, and please think about this before replying, it will be necessary not just to do her job, but to be a direct replacement for HER. We want you to work not as Jack but as Jane.”

“You can't be serious, I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous. Why do I have to work as a woman and what makes you think I could pull it off?”

“You are a reporter and have a nose for the unusual, if there is anything untoward going on you will sniff it out. We think that putting you in place as yourself would look suspicious, even in this day and age a male PA would stand out like a sore thumb and raise questions. Also the women are more likely to chat and share confidences with another woman than they would with a man. You are more than comfortable in the company of women, you are a fast typist, you can do shorthand, and you can make a perfectly passable imitation of a female.”

“What do you mean, what gives you that idea? I’ve only dressed as a girl once and that was a long time ago and only for Halloween. I’ve changed a lot since then.”

“Have you looked in a mirror recently,? I’m not being nasty but take a good long look at yourself. You are about 5’6", 140 lb., your hair is over your collar and ears, you are still in student-look mode, you still have a high tenor voice, the fluff on your chin will never turn into a beard, you are not exactly an image of strong masculinity. With the right clothes and makeup we are sure that you would easily pass and blend in. Besides, I have heard that it wasn’t just the once and that there were at least three other occasions where you went out as Jane, and very successfully too.”

“Things have changed since then, and I assure you that those were the only times I have dressed as a girl.”

“As I said this could be a big story for you, at least give it a try. I am dating quite seriously with Jenny’s friend Susie, who is now running a hair and beauty salon, and have talked it through with her, in fact it was her who suggested that you might be the right person for the job. She is sure that she can make you perfectly believable. She doesn't know the details of why I want you to do this but is prepared to help me and you to make it work.”

“I had enough trouble years ago which even followed me to university, I have serious doubts as to whether this will work, but if I agree to this, it will have to be to be a strict secret, I don’t want to start all that bother again.”

“Of course. The only people who need to know are Uncle James, me, and Susie. However she thinks it would be a good idea to not only change how you look, but to get you acting and thinking as a female by getting you together socially with the old gang of her, Jenny, Babs, and Linda, are you happy to involve them too?”

“I’m ok with the girls knowing, after all they have seen me dressed up before. Fine, tell Susie I will give it a try but if I look ridiculous or can’t act the part convincingly it’s all off.”

I phoned Mike Bradley my editor, to arrange for unpaid time off. He was hesitant at first as he would have to arrange for one of the other reporters to cover my duties, but when I dangled the carrot of a big story in front of him, he was only too quick to agree. He was intrigued as to what I would be doing, but was prepared to trust me, even though I wouldn’t give him any details.

Early on the following Sunday I nervously arrived at Susie's salon which was closed for the day so there were no staff or customers for me to feel even more embarrassed in the presence of. Since agreeing with Darren to give this a try I had been full of nagging doubts and not sleeping particularly well and the last things I needed were sneaky looks and gossip about me as if I was a freak. However It had all been arranged and I felt that I had no choice but to go ahead, took a deep breath, and looked around to make sure nobody saw me going into the salon as I walked in.

As I entered the salon to face the consequences of what I had agreed to do, I was surprised to see not only Susie, but my sister Jenny too, both standing there with big grins.

“Hi Jack, we were just having a bet as to whether you would turn up, but I told Susie that no matter what your other faults might be, you wouldn’t back away from a promise. We don’t know why you are going through with this, but you have agreed and Susie, with my help, will do our best to transform you into a girl.” Jenny said as she gave me a hug, before letting Susie take charge.

“Right Jack we are starting right now, before you get cold feet and walk out of the door, go and take all your clothes off and put on the smock that’s on the stool in the changing room. That will be the last we see of you, from now on we will be working on Jane, so you better get used to it, and to all the things us girls have to suffer in the cause of what men consider as our natural beauty.”

Five minutes later feeling an absolute idiot in the pink smock and mules she had left out for me Susie led me to a large table and had me lie face down on it.

“First things first, you are not too hairy body-wise but there is a lot of cleaning up to do, so please just lie there in silence while we give you a good wax and get your skin as smooth as a baby's backside.”

It was not as painful as I had read about in stories with people screaming when the wax and hair was pulled off, but I was glad when she had finished my shoulders, arms, back, legs, and even the indignity of the hairs in the crack of my bum, but I was glad when it was finished, until she then asked me to turn over.

“Jenny can finish your front, and I will concentrate on your face. Unless you intend to grow a beard sometime in the future it will be better to laser your facial hair, it will look a lot smoother and more natural than even a very close shave which you would have to do every day. It will also mean that you would not have to use concealer and can use much less makeup which will look much more natural, plastered-on makeup would only draw attention to you. Is that ok for you?”

“ I’m not really a beard type of person, so just do whatever you think is necessary, but don't forget that Jack will be back when all this is over.”

I’m sure that the pair of them were enjoying inflicting all this pain on me, they never stopped smiling and giggling as they chatted while working on me. They tried to draw me into their chat, but I was just so wound up at what I had committed to that I just lay there in silence while they fussed around me.However it was soon over, other than my scalp, eyebrows and lashes and a little feminine triangle at my groin, I was now completely hairless and smooth-skinned. I was then covered from head to toe in moisturiser by Jenny, glad that it was my sister rather than Susie doing it as I am sure she would have caused me an arousal at least, before putting my smock back on.

“ That wasn’t too bad was it, you are already looking quite presentable? You should be ok for a month or so which will last until you have finished whatever it is you are up to, but you may have to come back and go through it all again if fuzz starts to show. Let’s get over to the basin and start on your hair, then we can have a break for coffee and biscuits.”

While Susie was washing my hair and applying all sorts of lotions to it, Jenny was cleaning up shaping and painting my toenails a deep shade of pink, before taking a good look at my hands and deciding that I needed nail extensions.

“I keep telling you to stop biting your nails, it would have been a lot easier if I just had to shape and paint them. You really need to take more care of yourself for the next few weeks. Don’t worry you will not be getting long talons, just enough to go past your fingertips and have a bit of shape.”

While Jenny had been chatting and doing my nails, I hadn’t really been watching what Susie had been up to, while she was washing and treating my hair, but she finally wrapped a towel around my head and brought over coffee, cake and biscuits.

“ That’s about halfway now, let’s have a break, while you tell us what on earth you are doing, we deserve to know a bit more. I will then finish of your hair and we'll then take you through the mysteries of makeup.”

“I really appreciate what you are doing, but I can't tell you. I am following up a story and going undercover to see what I can find out and for various reasons It is better if I do it as a woman. As I am sure Darren has told you, I need to be as convincing as possible as a natural woman, I will be working with a team of women and need to fit in with them, and not stand out .”

“That's what we expected you to say, but it was worth a try. We'll still do our best with you today to get the looks right, but after that you really need to be with us Babs and Linda, and learn from us how to talk walk and act. I don’t think looks will be a problem , but you really need to now think ‘girl’ and totally forget everything you have learnt to do as Jack, when you leave here there will be no more mention of Jack, as far as everybody is concerned you are Jane and will be treated and referred to by us as if you always have been her.”

We moved over to her workstation and she unwrapped my hair and started brushing it out and snipping away here and there.

“It’s really lucky that you haven’t had a hair cut for ages, it is actually long enough for me to do things with, I’m glad that we can style it without having resort to extensions.”

I tried to see what she was doing but she had covered up all the mirrors, so I had no choice but to let her get on with it without any comments from me. She then used large tight rollers all over the top and sides, put a hood over it all and moved me to yet another workstation.”

“Before we start on teaching you the art of makeup, what are the main things that Jack would notice when he meets a girl?”

“I don't know, clothes figure hair and her smile I suppose.”

“No need to be coy, we are all girls together now, by figure I take it that you mean, like all men, her breasts, and don’t pretend that I am wrong, particularly if we are wearing low-cut tops it is difficult to get them to lift their eyes to look you in the face. To really get into the role you need realistic natural looking boobs and I have got exactly what you need.” Susie said opening a box to show me a pair of flesh coloured breast forms which were a good match for my skin colour. “For your frame size 36B should be about right, not too small, but not too difficult to handle, as you will soon learn what I mean. Open up your top and drop it down and we will fix you up with your new friends for the foreseeable future.”

She had me lie down on the bench again as she applied glue to the forms and my chest, and fiddled about with them to ensure that they were correctly placed and blended in, After a few minutes she took her hands away and told me to sit up I suddenly felt the extra weight pulling on my skin and looked down to see what looked like enormous lumps on my chest.

“ Are you sure that these are the right size, they look far too big?”

“Spoken like a true girl, we are all critical of our own breasts, they are too big, or too small, or not firm enough. They are the right size for you, you are no different to the rest of us, we are all either B or C cups.”

“Don't worry you will soon get used to them, let’s get you into your first bra, it's a big moment in a girl's life, and will make everything a lot more comfortable for you. Until you get used to your breasts and feel comfortable going without a bra you'll be better off wearing one.” Said Jenny, handing me a plain unadorned white bra.

Following their instructions, i put my arms through the straps slipped the breasts into the cups of the bra, and tried to fasten the clips behind my back. They had a good laugh at my first attempts , but I eventually managed to get it all connected up, and looking down I was amazed at the cleavage I now had and how natural everything looked, particularly after Jenny adjusted the straps to tighten it up a little bit.

“That seemed awkward, but after a few times you will soon get the hang of it and will have no bother That’s it then, I think that you are now officially Jane, welcome to the sisterhood, let's get you made up and dressed and we can then unleash you on the world.”

After what seemed like an awful long time when Susie trimmed and shaped my eyebrows and both of them took turns at applying lotions creams and all sorts of strange colourings to my face, they were eventually satisfied that I was now presentable. All the way through the process they described what they were doing and why, but to be honest there was too much information and my brain just couldn’t absorb it all.

Back in the changing room I discovered that Jack's clothes had mysteriously disappeared while I was being worked on in the salon and replaced with what I vaguely recognised as a lot of Jenny’s stuff.

“Put on some panties, and tuck yourself back if you know what I mean, we don’t want any nasty bumps and bulges showing, and I will then come in and see what clothes suit you.” Jenny called through the curtain.

“Right, let's see what fits,” she said eyeing me up and down, “no trousers for the moment you need to get used to skirts. Tights first, as well as helping your legs look better, they will also tend to hold all your bits in place. They actually look good, you haven't got a bad pair of pins on you. That denim skirt does not suit you it's a bit snug and you haven’t really got the backside for it, try the black flared one. Much better, now try the lacy cream top to go with it.”

“Don't you think this tops is a bit snug and skimpy, it is quite tight and really shows off my breasts and cleavage?”

“That's exactly what it is supposed to do, you'll have to get used to tight clothes, it's the way we girls wear things, if you have a figure, flaunt it. Until you get used to the new you, if you are self-conscious about your boobs, put on that purple cardigan, it goes well with your hair colour. Those black sandals should look ok with what you have on they only have a 2” heel you should be able to manage that. Let’s go and show Susie, she can finish your hair and you can then have a good look at yourself.”

“Wow Girl, I am jealous, I think we have created a knockout, let me brush out your hair to see the finished job.” Susie gushed as I came ut of the changing room.

She quickly removed the rollers, brushed it out, played with a few of the stray bits that hadn't worked quite as expected, gave it a spray, stood me in front of the full-length mirror and removed the towel covering it.

I did a double take at the mirror, turned around to make sure there wasn’t somebody standing behind me, and stared at the reflection coming back to me. It was amazing, what Susie had done, staring back at me was a quite cute red-haired young woman, who, as Jack, I could quite easily be attracted to. I couldn’t speak until Jenny put her arms around me.

“What do you think then Sis, are you happy with what you see?”

“Is that the finished job, the hair looks a bit wild and unbrushed to me?”

“ Are you doubting my judgement young lady?” Susie bristled, “that casual windswept style is very fashionable at the moment for women and girls your age.”

“I’m speechless, I wouldn’t have believed it. Why the red hair though, isn't it going to make me stand out rather than just quietly blending in.”

“The way you look and dress has to scream feminine, there has to be no question that you are Jane, a young modern professional woman, and there has to be no chance of anyone linking you to Jack.” Susie quickly replied, smarting slightly at any suggestion that her judgement was wrong.

“I got carried away, and almost forgot, sit down again for a minute.” She was soon back and I suddenly felt a sharp prick in my earlobe and jerked and gave a little squeal. “Don't be such a wimp Jane, I do this to 8 year old girls and they don't even flinch. You have to have pierced ears, a girl of your age would be considered a bit weird without them. We’ll just put some sleeper studs in for the moment, you and Jenny can get something decent later.”

I couldn’t resist having another long look in the mirrors, I couldn’t really believe how she had made me look.

“ You men are so vain, when you have been beautified you spend more time looking in the mirror than my female clients.”

“ What !! You’ve done this to other men before Susie?”

“You’d be amazed at how many men have been in here for a full makeover, there’s always some excuse of a fancy dress party or suchlike, but it’s obviously more than that with some of them.”

“ Don’t you feel embarrassed with them?”

“Not at all, if it keeps them happy, and they are not doing anyone any harm, good luck to them, and they usually tip very well too.”

“That’s enough chat, It’s time to go, the others will be waiting expectedly for us. The makeover is only part of the job though, not only do you have to look like Jane,” said Jenny “you have to learn to really be her too, that will not be so easy. Susie has already tidied the place up, and has gone to change from her uniform tunic dress into her street clothes, so grab the coat and bag from the chair and we'll set off to see Babs and Linda to let them see the new you.”

“What about my clothes and things?”

“You won’t need Jack's clothes for a while and I've already moved your keys and phone into your bag and moved your money and cards into one of my old purses. I’ve also added a few bits and pieces you will need, makeup, tissues, hairbrush nail file, and things like that. Come on, your new world awaits.”

As she led me to the door she took a close look at the way I was moving. “Don’t forget, shoulders back no slouching forward, you have a pert pair of breasts show them off, don’t be self-conscious about them, and take smaller steps, just look at what Susie and I are doing and do the same ”

Full of strange feelings and sensations I warily followed her and Susie out to the car. From the tip of my painted toes, the heels of the sandals affecting my balance and walk, the cool draught being acutely felt on my bare legs, the tight feeling in my groin, the bounce and sway of my boobs, the taste of my lipstick, the smell of the perfume, to my hair blowing in the breeze, my mind was a mass of confusion and strange sensations. I didn’t really remember the journey to Linda’s, my thoughts were elsewhere, contemplating what I had done and what awaited me.

“Come on Jane, stop daydreaming, let’s go and introduce you to the girls.” Jenny snapped at me as she took me by the hand to lead me into the house.

Linda and Babs had obviously been waiting with eager anticipation and the door was opened before we got there. They both stared at me in disbelief before giving me a huge group hug and dragging me inside.

“Wow, you look amazing Jane, Susie has done an unbelievable job on you.” Linda shrieked as she continued to stare.

“OMG, I feel totally underdressed in my Jean’s and tee shirt and with my hair tied back in a ponytail, I wish I had dressed up a bit more.” added Babs.

For the rest of the day, after all the initial shocks and comments, I was subjected to intense scrutiny and correction by the girls. Every move I made, every word I spoke, every reaction to what they were talking about was followed by three pairs of eyes and ears, my head was soon buzzing with all the things that I should or shouldn't do.

“I think that's enough for the moment, Jane is wilting and looking a bit shell-shocked.” Jenny came to my aid. “It’s time for a break, let's all head off to the pub. I think that she is passable enough for any casual inspection there, come on girls, get your coats on.”

To be continued