Do No Pharm
A Mercynaries Story from SinComics.com

Nate aimlessly shoved his mouse around as he read yet another rejection from his sorry excuse for an agent. It was the third one this month and being told that he had real talent and that the company was just waiting for the right place to display it had grown old. What was the point of a theater degree if several years out of school the best gig he ever got was for a shampoo commercial? He leaned back in his chair and groaned. He couldn't decide if it helped or hurt that the studio actually sent notes for why they passed him over. "Too meek for a leading man" was the big one at the top of the scanned filed. If he tried out for football, was that the way to get an acting job!? Nate glared over at the mirror and saw his reflection glaring back. Sure he was on the short side and sure he was slim and his blonde hair was feathered, but "meek"? He preferred to think "lithe" or "a dancer's body". Exactly the kind of handsome guy that should be on TV. If it wasn't for his roommate having a spare bed in his apartment... The sound of the door senor jingling out in the hallway made him startle. Speak of the devil.
Sal, the real owner of the apartment, came bustling in with a bag of groceries. "Hey, Nate, did you hear-", then Sal looked at his friend's face. "Another one?"
Nate nodded and reached out to help with the bag. Before he could grab it, a sweet voice rang out from the doorway. "Oh, Honey! Come here!" Tamara, Sal's girlfriend, threw her arms around Nate's neck and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Nate hugged back and set her down. "Thanks, Tams." Tamara was great, Nate's favorite of Sal's girlfriends over the years. He'd dated around after college, but once he met her, Sal was set straight and buckled down. It didn't hurt that instead of bringing girlfriends back to the apartment, Sal would go to Tamara's house instead, so Nate frequently had the apartment to himself on the weekends. A few too many lonely weekends for his taste, but the quiet was nice even if it meant he couldn't find a date.
Sal lugged the groceries into the kitchen and Nate could hear the two mumbling about something as they put the things away. He shuffled over to the couch and idly picked up a magazine until the pair returned. When they did, Sal was nervously looking everywhere but at Nate and after several moments, Tamara elbowed her boyfriend in the side. Sal grunted and addressed his friend. "So, Nate... Tams... she..."
Tamara dramatically sighed and threw up a hand. "Nate, honey, I have a job offer for you."
"Tamara, no. I mean, thanks, but I don't want handouts. If you guys need me to help out more on rent, I can find a part-time job and-"
Sal frantically waved his hands. "No, no! That's not it at all. Tams, she... Just hear her out."
Tamara strode over to the couch and patted a seat for Nate to sit down next to her. "Now, Nate, you know my family..." Nate shot a nervous look over at his roommate. He didn't know much about her outside of them hanging out as a group. She saw the confusion in his eyes and gave him a pitying smile. "Nate, you're sweet and innocent. Tamara Grinmar. Grinmar? Of Grinmar Pha-"
"Of Grinmar Pharmaceuticals! Wait, you mean your family owns them? They're like the largest company in the country. I didn't know you-"
Tamara smiled and cocked her head. "Largest in all of North America, but that's beside the point."
Nate slapped his forehead. "I never put that together. I mean... Ugh. No wonder your house is so nice!"
Tamara giggled and put a hand on Nate's and looked him square in the face. "That's me. But like Sal said, I have a... job offer for you. It's odd, but I need you to hear me out. All the way!"
Nate nodded slowly. "Sure, but I don't see what's so..." He looked over at his friend, but Sal just sighed and slowly shook his head.
"As I'm guessing you didn't pay attention to, Grinmar Pharmaceuticals spun off Grinmar Biotech a few years and it now exceeds the medical division in profits. My family has really-" She caught herself proudly boasting, cleared her throat, and resumed. "That's not important right now, but long story short, the company is doing really well, my parents are retiring, and I'm in line to take over. Well, not entirely take over, because my sister... I can't assume the leadership or inheritance without my sister. We... bickered as children. And teenagers. And adults... Mommy and daddy weren't happy with that so in an attempt to either make us get along, or to punish me, I can't take over the company without her approval."
Nate nodded slowly. "I... see? Sorry, but what's the issue, Tams?"
"My sister, she..." Tamara rolled her eyes back once more and groaned. "Gina went off to travel the world on a 'spiritual quest' after dropping out of school. She said she's 'sworn off material goods' before boarding daddy's jet and flying halfway across the-" She caught herself again. "Ahem. Nobody has seen Gina for years and I have no way of getting in contact with her. I can't wait for her to just show up a decade from now when she gets bored of faking being one with the world, so I have a plan. If I were to, say, fake my sister's approval. If some actor were to fill in for her?" She saw the confusion in Nate's eyes again and panicked. "Nate, we need you! You're the only one I can trust! This is kind of maybe technically fraud so I can't trust some actor from an agency. You- You could totally pass. We're both blonde, your skin's just a bit darker but if she's been overseas-"
Nate bolted up off of the couch and shot a glance over at Sal. His roommate just held up his hands and looked away. Nate glared over at Tamara again. "This is insane! I can't- Your sister!?" He slumped back onto the couch and banged his head on the wall. "I'm supposed to be bulking up to get roles. When they hear I'm a crossdresser-"
Tamara gently grabbed his hand. "No, no! See, nobody would ever know. We'd keep it a complete secret. Nobody has seen Gina in ages and then she'd just disappear again with nobody the wiser!"
Sal piped up from the back. "It would be one heck of a show of acting talent. And you do need a gig..."
Tamara nodded rapidly. "It will be over super quickly! You'd just have to show up for the signing, agree that we get along now, and then you'd get your half of the inheritance and I'd get the other half and the company. You could keep all the money as your fee! Nobody would know it was you, it will be over in a flash, and it's kind of a lot of money. Like... A lot a lot..."
Nate bolted up again. "This is crazy. B-Both of you! It's crazy." He awkwardly spun around and escaped for his room.
Tamara shouted back at him and he headed away. "Just think about, Nate! Honey, please!" Nate placed his hand on the sensor and the door softly came down behind him.

That night, Nate tossed and turned , unable to sleep. He kicked at the covers as he stared at the ceiling. How could Tamara ask him to do that?! Didn't she understand how insulting it was? Sal must have told her about the previous rejection letters. Nate buried his face in a pillow and groaned loudly. He was talented enough to pull it off, of course, that wasn't the issue. And the money would be nice. After his college tuition and years without a substantial gig, it would be REALLY nice. He had kind of been mooching off of Sal for a few years. Not out of laziness, just desperation. Doing this to pay back Sal would be noble. It wasn't for Tamara or himself, Nate was just doing what a good friend would do.

The next morning, Nate groggily stumbled out of his room. Tamara and Sal were cuddled on the couch watching the news. "I'll do it..." Tamara and Sal looked back over at Nate wide-eyed. "I said I'll do it."
Tamara squealed and bound over to her new hire, climbing over and kicking Sal to get to Nate. "Honey, you are THE BEST!" She threw her arms around him and gave Nate a big kiss on the cheek. Oh thank you, thank you!"
Nate felt good inside, even though he regretted he had come to this. He looked over and Sal gave him a thumbs up and mouthed "Thanks" to his friend.

Tamara giddily made breakfast for her friends and drowned out the uncomfortableness with her sunshine. Nate eventually worked up the courage to speak again. "So what comes next? What do I... do?"
"I'll call mommy and daddy's people and set up a meeting. A few days from now, we'll get together, sign some papers, and we'll be quite happy."
"Tams, it's not quite THAT easy. C'mon. You know what I mean."
She dismissively but cutely waved her hand. "It won't be much. I'll pop over to my place for a few things, we'll run some tests, and you'll be perfect!"

Nate milled around the apartment, lost in thoughts about how all of this could go wrong while Sal and Tamara were out. He stewed over how he just threw his life away if he gets caught. He'd wind up in jail. And they'd all know he was there after crossdressing. He was an idiot, he never should have agreed to- The jingle of the door sensor took him out of his stupor. It was already midday and Tamara was back. She entered carrying two small plastic containers while Sal lugged a box behind her. After dropping the box, Tamara gave her boyfriend a kiss. "Thanks, Love! Now off with you! Nate and I have work to do." Sal groaned, but gave his friend a slap on the back and a smile as he went off to his room.
Nate suspiciously eyed the containers. "What's all that..."
Tamara beamed. "Some fine Grinmar products for bath and home! It won't hurt for you to know a few before we go to the company. It could help sell the illusion!" She popped open one of the plastic containers and pulled out a pink bottle with pictures of rose petals decorating it. "Depilatory! Wash up with it." Nate looked over the bottle like it contained deadly acid. "Don't worry about it! Just don't get it on your head and it will be fine. It's great stuff and we've been selling it for years." She pointed a leg out at Nate. "A razor has never touched these legs and look how beautiful and smooth they are."
In the shower, Nate followed the directions, liberally applying the lotion to his body. He winced in anticipation of a burn but just felt a slight tingle. The stuff actually smelled kind of nice. Nate supposed there was a reason that Grinmar was worth billions of dollars and dominated every scientific industry. After a quick shower, Nate was free of the goo but now hairless. And colder than he was before. His skin still tingled and felt more sensitive now that it was bare. There was a knock on the door so Nate quickly threw a towel around himself.
"You decent, Hun?"
"N-No! I haven't changed yet. Give me a second to-"
Tamara groaned outside and Nate could hear her slump against the door. "You're not supposed to change. Let me in!" Nate flicked the sensor and the door slid up. Tamara pushed the larger box into the bathroom with her and pulled out a wrapped package on top. "Here you go, dear. Change into these."
Nate looked it over and furrowed his brow at the feminine underwear inside. "Why would I have to wear this? Nobody is going to see-"
Tamara stopped him and ripped open the packaging. She held up the panties and motioned to them like a game show model. "They're special. See, look. They have padding sewn into them. It will make you look like you have some curves. Not quite as nice as mine, but they'll get the job done." Nate sighed and grabbed the panties. He squirmed into them and fidgeted. They were padded all right. He could feel the extra weight on his hips and butt and couldn't stop trying to adjust them. Tamara handed him the bra and Nate looked it over. It seemed to have some kind of gel filling it out. It felt completely natural, if not a bit hefty. "Nate, stop feeling yourself up and put it on."
"I'm not-" Tamara flashed a grin and Nate just sighed. After slipping his arms through the straps and clasping it shut, he could feel the heft on his chest. "You couldn't have gone with anything smaller?"
"My sister DOES look like me, so we have to be close. Now you know what I put up with to be beautiful."
"And modest." Tamara laughed but gently slugged Nate in the shoulder before leading him to where she had the rest of the packages laid out.

Nate looked over the spread of feminine clothing on his bed. He gently picked up a pair of stockings with just his thumb and forefinger like it was going to attack him. Tamara gave him a gentle nod. Without a word, Nate sat on the edge of the bed and rolled the stockings up his legs. They glided easily over his smooth legs and sat snug at his upper thigh. Next, Tamara handed him a knee-length gray skirt with a cute slit up the side. It hung loose on him to hide any clues to his manhood and the slit helped draw the eye away. Finally, he slipped on a burgundy blouse-y sweater. It too was loose and flowing but hung off his padding breasts.
Tamara nodded and smiled. "You're doing great! You can definitely pull this off, Nate. Er, Gina! My sister's name is Gina, so let's get you used to hearing and responding to that." She held out a choker but Nate recoiled from it.
"I'm not wearing a collar!"
"It's NOT a collar. You need something to cover up your neck and Adam's apple. This will do that and it's a bit flashy to draw attention away from your face. The less people scrutinize your looks, the better. Keep them focused on the clothing and style."
Cursing under his breath, Nate snatched the choker and clasped it around his neck. It wasn't as uncomfortable as he expected, but he still wasn't pleased.
"We're almost there, Honey. Here, mirror and sit." Tamara pointed to the bed and handed him a small mirror. "Pay attention so you can do this without me." She pulled a small kit out of the remaining box and a tube of lipstick. "My stupid hippy sister wouldn't wear makeup, but I want you to put on at least a little. It will help the disguise and make you look more civilized than whatever she's dressed like living in a cave or whatever the hell she's up to now." Nate ignored the editorializing as Tamara applied a thin coating of mascara and a light shade of lipstick to his face. After puckering up to spread the color, Tamara clasped her hands.
"I knew it. I KNEW it! You can totally pull this off. You're awesome!"
Nate looked down into the mirror and angled it around so he could take it all in. He did pull it off rather well. He didn't look like an exact duplicate but it was close enough as long as nobody investigated further. Nate looked back up to see Tamara holding a pair of black heels in front of his face.
"Aww, Tams, c'mon!"
"It will help cover up any height differences. Gina was a little big taller than me. It's just two inches, barely anything! You wear these, I wear lower heels, and we're golden."
The shoes were on the tight side and he wobbled as he stood up, but Nate quickly adjusted to the new feeling and followed Tamara out to the living room.
Tamara made a grand gesture and Sal looked up from his book. "Preeesenting, my long lost sister Gina!"

Sal looked back and forth between his beaming girlfriend and grumpy roommate. "It- It works. But I... There's nothing I can say that's not super awkward, right?"
Nate grimly nodded. "Right."
"Saaal! Tell Gina how good she looks! She did a great job!"
Sal dropped the book and defensively leaned back in the chair. "Yeah, I mean, it goes without saying. You did great, Love, and Nate looks good too. But... his voice with those looks. It's... odd."
Nate nodded. "I'll need a few days to practice it but I think I can work on getting it a little higher and softer if I just-"
Tamara butted in with a case the size of a ring box. "Have it covered, dears. Nobody questions why you're taking things out of the labs when you're the boss's daughter. Science to the rescue." She snapped open the box and pulled out a tiny chip on a thin plastic rod. "Say 'Ahhh', Gina."
Nate nervously complied as Tamara gently held his jaw and lowered the tiny device down his mouth. He felt it push into his throat, then she removed the now empty rod.
"Tams, what the heck as th- that. That. That?" Nate pawed at his throat as his voice cracked and shifted as he spoke.
"Grinmar's very own acoustic modifier! We developed it for people with speech disorders or injuries. It takes the air and vibrations you produce speaking and modulates and corrects the sound to be cleaner and easier to understand. In your case, I calibrated it to match my voice, so you'll sound a bit like me, modified by your own natural voice so it's still distinct. That will speed up your work super fast!"
Still desperately clutching his throat and disturbed by the feminine voice coming out of it, Nate spoke. "This isn't permanent, is it!?"
"Of course not! Once the deal is signed, we deactivate it and it drops into your stomach to be dissolved or eliminated or whatever. Then you'll be back to normal as you order fancy drinks on a private beach with all our money!"

Over the next few days, Nate thought about the money and beaches to get him through the awkwardness. Tamara had left him several costumes to try so he stayed dressed up throughout the day until it all felt natural to him. Sal had been ordered to only refer to his roommate by her new name and it led to some uncomfortable moments between the two. Finally and after days had passed, they got the call from Tamara.
"It's time, Sis! I'll send the car over!"
Nate dressed and the chauffeur activated the apartment's beacon that it had arrived. Before entering the car, Tamara gave Nate a once over and approved his makeup and outfit before entering the meeting spot's coordinates into the GPS and their ride whirred out onto the street.

Sal waited in the lobby and wished the two luck as they entered the elevator to the penthouse. Tamara gently rubbed Nate's back. "You'll do great, Honey. Just remember everything we practiced. We're in and out and rich." Nate nodded and the elevator beeped that they arrived at their destination.
Standing at the end of the hall were a man and woman. Despite being the heads of the corporation, Tamara's parents tried to stay out of the spotlight so it was Nate's first time seeing them out of pictures Tamara gave him to study. He could hardly believe they were old enough to be retiring but figured that if you had a biopharmaceutical company at your command, you were privy to the best care and pampering money could buy.
Tamara strode forward first and held out a hand for both her parents. "Mommy, daddy, so nice to see you again." They exchanged pleasantries and Nate stepped forward.
"Mom. Dad."
Tamara's mother leaned in. "Gina! Have you finally given up whatever foolish pursuits you had overseas?"
Her father tutted and patted Nate on the shoulder. "Dear, we talked about this. Gina, Love, it's good to see you again. How did you..."
Tamara butted in quickly. "Gina and I have been talking for the past year. And then when your proposal came in... We decided she should come home. She came to see me, we resolved our past, and had a girl's day out."
Her mother nodded. "I thought that lipstick looked a bit much, but... Tamara." Tamara glowered at the slight to her fashion sense.
Her father beamed though. "Wonderful. Wonderful! This is exactly why we put the restrictions on your inheritance. Nothing brings family together like money and stops all that pointless bickering. You children..."
Tamara seized on the opening. "Yes, the deal, father. Shall we conclude business before the pleasantries?"
"There will be plenty of time for that with the Board, for now-"
Tamara immediately jumped back in. "The Board? I thought we were- You said we were going to sign. I've had my publicist get the release ready for the exchange and-"
Her mother clucked. "We're transferring a corporation, dear, you're not signing a lease on a car. The Board will sign off on it, but paperwork must be filed and procedures followed."
Tamara stammered, frustrated and slightly angered. Her father stepped forward, "While you girls are here, come, sit down and talk."
Tamara snapped back to herself and thought quickly. "No, no, the-the publicist! I need to talk to her and stop her from publishing the release about the transfer. Gina, come with me. You need to sign off on it too." Tamara grabbed Nate's arm and pulled him back down the hall.
Her father gave a single wave. "Very well, girls. I'll have the men send you the details for the event. You- do have a phone, Gina?"
Nate giggled the best he could. "Just got back, so not yet. Send it to Tamara for me!"

Tamara stewed the entire ride back to her house and Nate quietly filled Sal in on the details. The car dropped her off at the front door, which after a quick scan, identified her, opened the door, signaled the lights, and chamber music started to fill the halls. The roommates followed her to the den.
"We're going to need to do some modifications..." Tamara muttered as she paced back and forth. "I have some things in the lab."
Sal shrugged to Nate and turned to his girlfriend. "What do you mean, Hun?"
"Modifications. Gina won't pass like just that. We're going to need to up our game if we're surrounded by people and if we have to address the Board more closely."
"Tams, you're not really thinking of going ahead with this still. Maybe this is a sign?"
Tamara shook her head. "Don't be silly. It's just a setback. There's too much on the line. It's going to be a bigger event so we'll have to dress up a bit and a baggy blouse and skirt won't cut it."
Nate stepped back and shook his head. "This is going too far. The disguise is one thing, but we're pushing things now and we're more likely to get caught if this gets big."
Tamara rushed over to him. "Gina, you can't back out now! This is small! It's just a party and then we're in the clear. Come on and-"
"Sorry, Tams. I really am. But this is... It's too much." Nate turned to walk out of the room and when Tamara went to reach out again, Sal held her back.
"Hey Nate, wait for me in the car." Nate nodded and left the room while Sal stayed back and talked to his girlfriend.

Sitting in the back of the car, Nate fidgeted with the skirt until Sal returned. He plopped down next to Nate and dialed in their home coordinates for the car. Nate spoke up without looking at Sal. "Tams wasn't too mad, was she?"
"Nah. Just... disappointed,"
"Come on, Sal, you heard what she said."
"I know, I know, but... She's not asking THAT much and it's a really big payoff." They both stayed silent for several blocks as the car sped through the streets. "We do owe her."
"Sal, that's low."
"I'm serious, man. Look, rent in this city is expensive. And with you out of work, Tams has been helping with the bills." Nate shrunk back from that. A little hurt his friend would use that against him, but also that he was a burden without knowing.
The rest of the ride was silent until they pulled up to the building. As Sal programmed the car to return home, Nate quietly muttered, "Call her tomorrow."

The next afternoon, Tamara appeared at the apartment carrying two small silver cases. She placed them on the table and gave Nate a tight, silent hug.
They separated and Nate pointed to the cases. "Are those... What you mentioned?"
Tamara nodded and handed him one of the cases. "Straight from work. Nice and clean, no records of anything missing and nothing to trace either of us to them even if somebody did notice the shipment was light."
She handed one of the cases to Nate. It was cold to the touch and he had to apply effort to release the latches. A small puff of steam escaped from the case as it popped open. Inside were two thick plugs filled with a swirling blue goo and two wrapped applicators. Nate looked at the needles and furrowed his brow. "Is this going to hurt?"
"No, no, dear." Tamara opened one of the wrappers and screwed on the piece to one of the plugs. "Nobody uses those barbaric old needles anymore. The tip actually has hundreds of micro-needles so fine you can barely see them. Shirt off!" Nate complied and breathed in deeply. Tamara held the device up to the left of his chest and held down on a button on the plug. After a few seconds, she smiled. "The needles are in. See? Didn't feel a thing." She pressed a button on the bottom of the plug and the device let out a quick hissing sound. The goo inside rapidly drained and Nate felt a tightness and pressure in his chest. "And number two." Tamara copied the process on his right side and Nate started to breathe heavily as he felt a pulsing pressure inside him. Tamara nodded and returned the two plugs to the first case. She pulled out a tablet from her purse and started typing. "Everything looks good. The readings from the bio-gel are perfectly normal and it's taking well."
Nate bent forward and gripped his knees. "Tell me this is safe again. Please!"
"Of course! Grinmar bio-gel has been used in hospitals and clinics since before we were born. Your batch is just filler to get your shape right. Once we're done, we inject a neutralizer and your body will break it down. Round two."
Tamara pried open the second case and prepped the next two plugs. She hooked a thumb in Nate's shorts and gently lowered them to inject the plugs between his hips and buttocks. "Give it a minute to set before you sit down, Honey." She back to typing and nodded at the numbers on her tablet.
Nate groaned as the pressure grew inside him and his chest started to push out. Slowly but steadily, he saw his chest expand. He held his breath tight and grimaced but the gel continued to fill out. Within minutes, the gel had ballooned out so it looked like he had two firm, pert breasts. Not quite as large as Tamara's but they undeniably looked like breasts to anybody else. Once he finished gawking, he quickly pivoted and slapped a hand to his backside. His butt and thighs had also expanded out, giving him a definite set of feminine curves. The weight on his chest was understandably foreign and strange, but Nate was more bothered by the heft in his backside. He'd been sitting on it all his life and it never felt like that.
Tamara put away her tablet. "The event is this weekend, so you just have a few days to get used to it. It's going to feel pretty different from the padding, but once you're settled in, start moving around to get accustomed to how it feels and your body acts. I'll have some new fresh clothes delivered over and a dress for the event. Everything okay?"
Nate fidgeted more. "It's great."

Nate spent the next two days getting used to being undeniably more "Gina" than "Nate". His new curves were a distraction and he found himself losing his balance more. Chairs felt softer but he squirmed more and had to break himself of that. He even tried going out for a jog as a final test, but since Tamara hadn't sent over a sports bra, he quickly learned that was a mistake.

Tamara sent the car over on the day of the event. She greeted Nate at the door and ushered him to the vehicle. "Gina, dear, one final test but it's going to be a fun one."
Nate instinctively knew that wasn't true but he was just a day away from a big payout and returning to normal, so he played along. Eventually, the car slowed to a halt and the two stepped out in front of a storefront.
"A salon?! Tamara, that's too-"
She shook her head and pushed the actor forward. "It's a perfect final test. If we can put one over on a beautician, we can surely fool everybody at the party tonight. Plus, it will be nice to have somebody else handle your makeup so you don't have to do it yourself. Relax and enjoy it."
They entered the shop and the owner strode over to Tamara and the two laughed and hugged. Nate looked around and took in the opulence of the place. Each station was spread far apart with plenty of privacy. Soft music and a vague fruity scent flowed through the entire salon. Before he could wander, the owner came over and gave him a kiss on the cheek and ushered him over to the back room. He was wrapped in towels and his hair sprayed down before behind shuffled to a chair. She leaned him back and an assistant started to blow dry and comb his wet locks. Tamara returned and spoke to the owner more, but Nate couldn't hear them over the dryer. The beautician massaged several different oils and lotions from a multitude of bottles into his scalp before the headmistress turned her attention back to him and laid out a number of small vials. She flashed a bottle of nail polish to Nate before unscrewing the cap. He tried to recoil but had nowhere to go in the chair so he resigned to the pampering. She expertly and rapidly applied all manner of makeup from the bottles, brushing and painting as the strange sensations made his face tingle. He groaned under his breath that each vial contained the Grinmar stamp on it. Finally, she held up a tiny bottle of a pinkish-red liquid and leaned in.
"You're lucky, Love, you have a very powerful friend there. We usually reserve this for only the richest clients." She gave Nate a wink and unscrewed the cap. Delicately, she painted Nate's lips and he had to fight to stop himself from puckering up or pushing the brush away. The coloring tingled like thousands of microscopic bubbles and his lips felt tight and puffy. The experience ended and Nate was finally able to pucker up and feel relief. The owner twirled the chair around and presented him to the mirror.
"It looks... lovely, ma'am."
"Oh, so polite. You don't see that in most of the rich girls that come my way. You're welcome back any time, Love."
Nate continued to stare into the mirror. He'd never quite realized the power of makeup before. His features looks softer, lashes longer, and lips fuller. His hair had more bounce and even appeared longer as it tickled the back of his neck and strands fell over his ears. He startled when Tamara placed a hand on his shoulder.
"See? Wasn't that nice? If you want to come back after this all done and we're rolling in riches, you just let me know."

Back at the apartment, Tamara presented Sal with a brand new tuxedo and a kiss on the cheek. "You go get changed and I'll help Gina with her gift." She hurried him off and pushed Nate towards his room. On his bed, there was a brand new dress laid out next to some stockings and a smattering of necklaces and bracelets. Nate held up the dress. It was a rich blue and softer than anything he'd ever worn.
"Kind of a deep cut there, Tams..."
"You're holding it backwards, Honey." Nate flipped the dress over and shuddered to see that the neckline was even deeper on the other side. "Now you can see why the bio-gel was necessary. The old padding just wouldn't have worked in that. Go get dressed. I'll change too and help you with anything needed."
After she left the room, Nate undressed and slipped on the stockings. He exhaled a final time and dropped the dress over his head. It draped down over him but he had to tug it down over his hips. It was tight around his backside and thighs but flowed at the bottom again. He had to admit, he looked gorgeous. On a woman. A woman would have looked gorgeous in the outfit. Tamara burst back in and squealed.
"Gi-na! Beautiful. Just beautiful! Turn around, turn around!" Nate complied and executed a halfhearted twirl. "Wonderful job. I don't want to pat myself on the back again, but I totally know how to pick an actor." She presented Nate with a pair of stiletto heels and picked out a few choice pieces of jewelry. Once she was done playing dress-up, she summoned Sal and hurried them off to the car.

Once they arrived at the party, Tamara sent Sal off to mingle and took Nate straight over to her parents. "Mommy, daddy! Let's get down to business."
Her mother raised a glass to Nate. "Gina, dear, you look positively civilized for once. Tamara's doing, I take it?"
Nate curtsied the best he could in the dress and shot Tamara a glare. "She's... insistent."
Her father chortled. "You used to say she was a pest. You two ARE getting along much better."
Tamara smiled. "It's truly the family way to get business done first. The Board?"
"Right this way, dear."
Tamara's parents led the two through the gaggle of guests as Nate suffered a flood of comments about how cute he was and how beautiful he'd grown after his trip overseas. A fine woman worthy of the Grinmar name was the one that made his eye twitch the most. Soon, he was standing in front of a group of men and women in stuffy business suits standing away from the revelry and guests.
Tamara immediately stepped forward and worked the group, shaking hands, calling for drinks, and slapping backs. Nate was thrilled his instructions included notes that Gina always stayed out of the business so he could hang back. He shifted nervously on his heels wishing he could head back to the main room with the hors d'oeuvres. He smiled and nodded when attention was turned his way, but that's all they required of him. Tamara started typing on some tablets that were presented to her, signing documents, and then called Nate over.
"Gina, Love, everything is set."
Nate was ecstatic. "Congratulations, Tam- Sister! I know you'll be a fine owner."
Members of the Board murmured in agreement. Her father chortled once more. "Yes, dears. Once the merger is completed, the company will be yours."
Nate glanced over at Tamara. "Merger?"
"Yes, dear. A necessary part of modern business. It just doesn't make financial sense to spin off the new division with so much competition. But oh, don't worry your pretty self about it." He tousled Nate's hair and Nate immediately hated that man. "Why the Senasyne members are already out there. Go, mingle and have fun, dear."

Nate and Tamara sauntered out of the room and he hurried her to a side room before they got to the main area.
"Tams! What was that all about?!"
"Don't worry, don't worry. It's all official. Everything is done, we just need to wait it out. The money is yours and the company is mine. Just as long as the merger is signed."
"What does that entail? How long is this going to take? You said I'd be back to normal after tonight!"
"You can be, Honey, you can be. Just help the deal along. Go out there, party, and be a cute distraction. The happier they are, the faster the deal will go through."
"And what will YOU be doing?"
"The same, Gina! Shaking hands, kissing babies, talking shop. You don't have the head for the business side, so you're better suited for the eye candy."
"If I decline?"
Tamara prodded him in the chest. "You won't."
"What's going on here? None of this was in the plan!"
"Yes, these new developments required a new plan. And if you want your money, you'll follow the new plan. Especially if you want to be changed back."
Nate recoiled at that and gritted his teeth. He tried for a deep growl, but the voice chip ensured it was anything but threatening. "How long have you known about this!?"
"The initial setback with the Board was genuinely a surprise. Our parents left that out of the initial deal. Typical of them. But when Father sent us over the invitations, he included more details and I had time to set a few things in motion."
"How long... how long has Sal known?"
Tamara furrowed her brow. "I filled him in after receiving the invitations. He agreed it was best if we continue."
Nate was hurt to know his friend played a part in all of this and stormed out. He had no choice but to play along. It wasn't about the money anymore, he just needed to put an end to all of this. He put a hand to his chest. He had to get rid of these as soon as possible. They felt even heftier and more intrusive now.

Nate surveyed the main room and the people partying. He couldn't trust any of them. If Sal was willing to work with Tamara against him, any person in this room could be willing to backstab him or turn him over to Tamara. As he looked over the guests, two stood out. A blonde woman was perched over the buffet table eating plate after plate of shrimp cocktails while a redhead stood near her heckling a waiter to bring her more drinks. Something about them seemed off. They were dressed... well, but not like the rich guests. And they certainly didn't have the composure of the upper-class around them. Just as Nate was about to step towards them, an arm slipped around his waist and pulled him back. Nate yelped and spun around to see a tall, handsome man with coiffed brown hair dressed in a pristine black suit.
"Hello. I'd heard the Grinmars had a lost daughter, but I wasn't expecting this. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm-"
"You're Pyotr Senas!"
He bowed slightly. "I didn't think we'd met before."
"Your face is on magazines and plastered over the Internet every other day."
Pyotr blushed and seemed a little flustered. "I- I don't really go in for that. My publicist does those deals. It's... awkward."
"You're the one... Your company is merging with ours?"
"It's true. It only makes sense. My people are just working things through with yours. Forgive me for being forward, but... I think if we could talk somewhere privately, we could get to the important matters and the deal would move more quickly, no?"
Nate swallowed hard and clenched his teeth. This was exactly why Tamara wanted him this way and dressed like he was. If he declined, it might hurt the deal or Pyotr could draw it out further out of spite. But if he played along... "That sounds nice. I really do need to stay with my sister tonight. Show off for the investors and all. You know how it is."
Pyotr nodded with a smile. "Indeed. Indeed. What do you say about tomorrow night then?"
Nate forced a smile. "Sounds... lovely."
Pyotr gave her his number and with a kiss to Nate's hand, walked back to the crowd. Nate sighed in relief and jumped when another hand slapped down on his shoulder.
"Awkward. Suuuper awkward."
The redhead from the buffet line grinned and raised a glass to him.
"Who are you?!" Nate whirled around to see the blonde too.
"Mercy and Ruth at your service. Long story short, we know what's going on."
Nate recoiled. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. I, Gina, am going to go get my parents and-"
The blonde, Ruth, laughed. "Suuure. Merc?"
Mercy placed the device on her arm onto Nate's chest. "Phew. This one is rife with super science. What is that? Genetic modifiers."
Nate cautiously looked at the two. "Bio-gel..."
Ruth held out a hand. "Well come on, let's get out of here. We'll help clean you up and put this nastiness behind you. Nice dress though."
Nate was thoroughly confused but was struck by an idea. "Wait, wait... Can we delay this?"
Mercy looked exasperated. "Say what now? We kind of want to do this and go home. You're out of shrimp."
Nate composed himself. "If you change me back now, Tamara gets her way. She gets all the money and the company. They'll think Gina just flaked again. Would you help me?"
Ruth groaned. "We're not going anywhere until you're cleaned up, so what do you want?"

Back at the apartment, Nate woke up groggy after the night's events. He'd drank a bit too much during the schmoozing after talking to the two bounty hunters. Or whatever they were. He vaguely remembered Tamara dropping them back at the apartment, kicking off the dress, and passing out in his bed. Nate took a quick shower and grabbed the first outfit hanging in his closet. As he clasped the bra closed, it was tight, uncomfortably so. He ran back to the mirror and looked over his chest. It wasn't his imagination at the party, they actually were bigger. He was sure the extra weight at the party was just because he was angry and focusing on them more, but this... Nate grabbed his phone and immediately dialed for Tamara.
"What did you do to me, Tamara!?"
Her voice was groggy and tired. "Hmmzat?"
"My breasts! They're!"
"N'ah. Wow, this quickly?"
"What do you mean? What did you do!?"
Tamara chuckled on the other side. "A little further insurance. Something I mixed in with your injection in case you decided to delay things. The gel will continue to replicate and pump out hormones the longer you leave it active. Leave it in long enough and who knows..."
Nate slammed the phone down, collapsed on his bed, and screamed into his pillow. After wiping the tears from his eyes, he picked the phone back up and dialed Pyotr.
"Gina, so wonderful to hear from you so soon!" Pyotr sounded annoying healthy and chipper after the party.
"I-I just couldn't stop thinking about what you said last night. What do you say to lunch?"
"Wonderful! That's fantastic! Oh, thank you!" Nate heard him clear his throat and compose himself. "That sounds lovely. I'll send a car around noon."
"See you then!" Nate hung up and paced in his room. He had a plan. And Pyotr was going to play a big role. It was riskier now though. The longer he waited... Nate didn't want to think about it. He had to trust Mercy and Ruth could pull of their side of the plan and he would set up his.

Nate returned from his date with Pyotr exhausted. It was mentally draining to keep up the charade of being a bubbly heiress all day. Sure the lunch was exquisite but the boat ride, the walk in the park, and then the new exhibit at the museum! He had to bail when Pyotr offered to take "Gina" to a new club he'd just purchased. Nate stumbled through the apartment door and was face to face with Tamara.
"Sooo, Gina. Pyotr Senas, eh?"
Nate straightened up right away. "How did you-"
Tamara grinned. "I have some people that keep tabs on him. Always good to watch the competition." Nate just grunted in response. "But, oh I want to thank you!"
"You do?"
"Yes, yes! This is such a big help with moving the deal forward. Pyotr would never dream of canceling the merger now if it would upset you!" Tamara hugged Nate tightly. "Thanks, Honey! I was a bit worried you'd be cross with me."
Tamara strode back to Sal's room and Nate slunk back to his. He kicked off the heels and plopped down on his bed. Looking through his pockets, he saw there was already a message from Pyotr on the phone he bought for "Gina". It was already shaping up to be more work than he thought to execute his plan. But if those two ladies could pull off their side, it would be worth it. Nate reluctantly texted back that he would just LOVE to play tennis tomorrow and what a great suggestion that was.

A week later, Nate was sitting in Pyotr's private box at his club when he felt a message buzz in on his phone. He glanced at it quickly to see a simple "We're ready. -Mercy" scroll by. This was it! The next few days would make or break everything. When Pyotr returned with fresh drinks, Nate leaned in close.
"Pyotr, dear. Could we go somewhere a little more private?" Pyotr's eye lit up and he gracefully took Nate's hand and led him to the upstairs of the club. The music could only faintly be heard in the penthouse office once Pyotr closed the doors and blinds. He scooped Nate up, kissed him on the cheek, and sat him down on Pyotr's lap. Nate bit his tongue and screamed internally. "Pyotr, I've been thinking. About the merger and our companies..."
Pyotr nodded. "I'm thrilled you're interested in how it's going!"
Nate nodded. "Yes, yes, that's exactly why I wanted to talk. My sister, she wants to keep me out of the business and run it herself. And you know how bossy she can be."
Pyotr rolled his eyes and nodded slowly. "I have met Tamara several times through the years before our companies were close. You're an angel for putting up with her."
"Exactly!" Nate leaned in close so his chest pressed tight against Pyotr. "I've been thinking about doing something... naughty." The executive blushed brightly and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think there's a way to... cut Tamara out of the deal? She's my sister and I love her, so we can leave her some kind of payoff, I don't want to-"
Pyotr nodded and smiled. "Of course, as much of a pain she is, she's still family. But I think we can make some... arrangements. The Board will be quite happy for there to not just be a merger, but a union. With you and I running things together."
"Oh, goody. You're a doll!"
Nate was pulled forward into a passionate kiss and he clamped his eyes shut. He'd been dreading that last part, but he got to keep his shirt on, so it wasn't as bad as he was expecting.

The next morning, Nate awoke to a commotion in the apartment. His door zipped up, Tamara rushed in and grabbed him by the collar, slamming him into the wall, and shoved her tablet in his face.
"What the hell is this, Nate!?" Nate could just barely make out a message titled "New terms and conditions" on her screen. "You went behind my back, didn't you!? Trying to cut me out of the deal. I want you to tell my everything. EVERYTHING! Or so help me I will pump you so full of chemicals you won't be able to stand up."
She dropped Nate to the ground and he backed into the corner. "It's Pyotr. He wants to share the company with Gina and is worried about what you might do."
Tamara paced back and forth, stewing but her mind racing. She finally stopped and looked Nate up and down. "You think I won't play this game? You think I'll just give up like that!? Here's the situation, your deal is going through and I'm stepping in for you. I made you, it will be easy enough for me to take on that role." She started rattling off a checklist. "Just need to cut my hair, pump myself up a little. And you... Extensions for your hair, swap clothing... From this point forward, I'm taking over the role of Gina. I'm going to agree to these terms, but you're going to be Tamara. You're going to sit in the back, agree to the merger, and think about all the money you just lost. My parents and the Board are old. They'll die off or retire soon enough. Once they're gone and the deal is no longer in the spotlight, I'll crush Pyotr, take over the company myself, and go back to being me." She grinned with a sinister smile and poked a finger into Nate's face. "If you do ANYTHING to ruin this, my threat still stands. Get dressed and then you're coming with me. I want you in my sight until everything is done. I want you to see this backfire in your face and everything you'll lose."
Tamara stormed out of the room and Nate fired off one last message on the phone before getting dressed and dragged to Tamara's house.

It was the night of the final handover and Tamara shoved Nate through the front door. Despite everything at stake and the situation, he was feeling more comfortable than the previous party. Tamara had him forgo the heels and gave him a looser, more concealing dress to hide to aide in the swapping the of the Tamara and Gina personalities. To pass as Gina, Tamara was more made up and flashed expensive jewelry. The minute she walked in, Pyotr was at her side with a loving embrace and kiss. Nate could practically feel Sal seethe at seeing his girlfriend in the arms of another man, and the spite made Nate feel a little good inside. True to their form, the family got down to business first. Nate had to initiate the paperwork to pass for Tamara, but he quickly signed the forms declaring that Tamara would no longer seek ownership and would not compete with the new Senas-Grinmar merger. He was handed the code for a cash transfer, which he immediately put through on his phone and transferred to his own bank, and then handed the paperwork to "Gina". Nate could hear the rumblings of how well Tamara was taking the blow, but they all wrote it off as her not wanting to make a scene, followed by snide comments about how they never really liked her anyway so it was probably better for the company, even if Gina was an oddball.
Moments before the real Tamara could sign the paperwork for Gina, Pyotr cleared his throat. "Gina, my love. On this momentous day, I don't want it to be just our companies that join together." A hushed gasp came from the members of the Board. Pyotr got down on his knee and produced a small box, that he then popped open to reveal the largest diamond Nate had ever seen in person. Tamara looked back at Nate and Sal in a panic. Sal clenched his fists and stepped towards Pyotr, but Nate grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Easy there. If she turns him down, the whole deal could fall through." Sal grumbled and relaxed.
Tamara nervously accepted in Gina's stead and the room erupted in clapping. Pyotr gave a polite nod to the woman he thought was Tamara and Nate replied with a huge grin. Pyotr seemed pleased to have his new sister-in-law's approval, especially after the deal. All eyes were on the new couple, so Nate took the distraction to send out one final text. Tamara and Pyotr signed the final paperwork and the room erupted in clapping once more. As the members of the family and Board crowded around the newly engaged business owners, only Nate noticed the green flash in the hall. The strange blonde and redhead snuck into the room and flicked a few of the TVs to life.
The redhead smiled when Nate came over to them. "I have to say, man, this was kind of fun. Vigilante action and acts of heroism."
The blonde nodded with a sly smile. "The news should be hitting any moment now."
Nate checked over his shoulder. "Are we all set to go?"
Mercy nodded and pointed to her the gauntlet on her arm. "We'll be out of here as soon as it goes down."
"I think I'm a millionaire now. Do you two... can I pay you?"
Ruth shook her head. "Your money's no good to us. Besides, you're going to need it to get out of the country or something. I can't imagine these two will be thrilled."
Nate shuddered. "I... hadn't thought of that. I'll need to go into hiding until this blows over..."
The trio turned around as murmurs started to fill the room and the gathered party started to talk louder and louder. "Somebody turn that up!" a voice rang out.
The TVs were quickly boosted to full volume as the screens were filled with reporters hurriedly talking about a massive release of private information from the Grinmar labs. Thousands of documents detailing the failures of products in testing and confidential documents had arrived at the desks of news stations around the city.
The Board was in a panic. They were unreleased products and tests, so there was no harm to the public, but how could the information have been released. It would be a public relations nightmare to explain that to the everyday citizen. This was a stain on the trusted Grinmar name!
Ruth pouted. "Where's my stuff? Mercy had the easy job!"
The redhead stamped her foot. "Easy!? Do you know how much portaling around I had to do to grab that information AND get it to the stations. I'm a certified secret agent now."
Nate beamed, too giddy to hide it. Not that the collected members were looking anywhere near him; they were glued to the reports and shouting into their phones at unfortunate secretaries and assistants on the other end. Suddenly a collective gasp rang out.
Ruth proudly stuck out her chest. "I think that's mine!"
The news reports were interrupted by yet another story with the Grinmar name plastered all over it. Early investigations were showing that Grinmar Biopharmaceutical's formulas and documents were appearing on file sharing sites across the globe. In a move that could bankrupt the company, an attacker released extraordinarily sensitive information to the public, entirely for free.
Nate ushered his new friends towards the exit. "You just released the good stuff, right? Not the junk they pumped me full of?"
Ruth shrugged. "What do I know? I'm not a chemist. I saw files with formulae and I copied them."
Nate nodded. "I guess I kind of feel sorry for Pyotr. I think we just bankrupted him in the process. He probably has some money stashed somewhere, right?"
Mercy glared. "We've delayed this mission long enough. Do you REALLY want to stick around for your phony boyfriend."
Nate hurriedly clasped her hand. "No. No! Let's get this over with, please!"
Mercy tapped her gauntlet and a green door appeared in front of them. "Hop in and we'll take you out of here for a detox. You owe us a drink though."

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