Sam has hid from the world for most of his life but a chance encounter threatens to burst everything open, and reveal a world he never expected.

Sam walked through his apartment. He had far fewer parties here than he'd expected when he'd moved in. In truth, he didn’t have a single party. Only a few had ever been inside.

Now empty, everything seemed smaller.

Sam stood at the balcony and lit a cigarette. How many times had he stood here at night, dressed in full femme, his small rebellion against a cruel world. Hidden under a canopy of stars, this place had been his sanctuary.
He tossed the cigarette over the side and watched the sparks from the ash float into the darkness.

“My last one,” he promised himself for the thousandth time. This time he meant it. His therapist told him he was running away from his problems, but she didn’t know Tommy.

It had been a month since his friend surprised him.

“Holy shit. How’d you get here?”

Tommy stood on the front stoop of Sam’s third floor apartment. “The fraternity gave me your address. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No. Not at all.” Sam did his best to keep a straight face as he told the lie.

He recognized his former roommate straight away. Tommy was a little thicker in the middle, but otherwise looked the same. He still wore the same hairstyle - blondish-brown hair to the side that showed no signs of thinning. A tailored suit complimented his 6’2” frame.

“Nice outfit.”

“You like it?”

“I bet I could buy five suits for the price you paid for that one.”

“You gotta dress the part.”

Chicago had some of the best law firms in the world and if the rumors were true, Tommy was a fast mover.

“What brings you to St. Louis?”

Tommy's trademark grin disappeared. “I thought an old friend might be happy to see me. I had business nearby and thought I’d stop by. I can leave if you’re busy.”

Sam shook his head, “No … no. I wasn’t expecting you.” He opened the door slightly wider, hoping Tommy wouldn’t look too close at the outfit laying on his couch.

Tommy said, “The guys missed you at the 10-year reunion. I’d hoped to see you there.”

Sam looked at his toes. “Something came up.”

“You didn’t return any of my calls.”

Sam said, “Things have been crazy at work. You know how it goes.”

Tommy nodded but his face looked blank, “I thought we might have a drink. For old times sake.”

“Yeah???” Sam stepped through the door’s frame, hoping his large frame might block Tommy’s view. “We could go right now.” Sam said, as he shut the door behind him.

Tommy took a step back. “Uhhh … sure. Is there a good bar around here?”

“There’s one up the street.”

“Sounds good. You lead the way.”

The two old friends walked in the awkward silence down the sidewalk. Sam took several quick looks at Tommy’s face, but he betrayed no emotion. The benefit of courtroom training. Their last parting hadn’t been friendly. It was one of the reasons Sam took the job in St. Louis.

They made it halfway when Tommy asked, “How about the Cubs?”

Sam shook his head. “You’re still rooting for them?”

Tommy said, “They’re better than the Cardinals.”

“Talk like that will get you lynched in this town.”

“Heh.”

Sports. The universal conversation filler for men who desperately want to talk about other things.

They’d planned to move to Chicago after graduation, but everything changed when Tommy met Danielle. She and Tommy went to Northwestern for Law School. Sam ended up in St. Louis. When the invitation to their wedding arrived, Sam tossed it in the trash.

A few of the bar's other patrons looked their way as they entered. A sign at the door said they could grab any seat.

Tommy asked, “Do you usually sit at the bar or a table?”

“The bar’s fine.” Sam said, not wanting to admit this was his first visit.

Tommy looked around. “This place is a little rough around the edges, but it isn’t too bad.”

“You and I have seen worse.”

Tommy laughed, “God knows that’s true.” He paused for a second. “Did you hear Danielle left me?”

“Yeah.” The sudden change of topic stole Sam’s breath. He’d wondered how long it would take his friend. “I was sorry to hear about that.”

Tommy’s smirk said he didn’t believe him. “I went to the reunion to see you.”

“Really?”

“Do you think we can stop lying to each other?” Tommy said, “I’ll start. I don’t have business nearby.”

“Oh.” A burst of feelings tickled Sam’s stomach. He blinked a few times hoping Tommy might not see.

"You didn’t give me much choice.” Tommy continued, “You’ve avoided my calls. You skipped the reunion. I know you were mad at me, but I didn’t think you hated me.”

“I don’t hate you Tommy.”

Tommy didn’t flinch, “I thought I might hear from you after the divorce was final. I know you hated Danielle. You could have called to gloat. You predicted it the last time we spoke.”

Losing Tommy to Danielle hurt more than Sam dared admit. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Tommy.”

Tommy raised his hand, calling for another drink. “Everyone asked about Danielle at the reunion.” A glisten appeared in Tommy's eyes. “It was Danielle this and Danielle that. I needed my wingman at my side.”

“I couldn’t go … it’s complicated.”

“I know.” Tommy took a deep breath and sighed, “It was hard to be mad at the guys. I know I screwed things up in our Senior year. It was like Danielle had me under her spell. Nothing else mattered.”

Sam could see the pain etched in his old friend's face. There was no avoiding the topic. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’ve never had a woman who made me feel so …” Tommy paused. “… full. Law school was great but things changed once we got jobs.”

“I’ve heard you’re doing well at the law firm.”

Tommy didn’t take the bait to change the subject. “I’m not sure why she ended it. At least the divorce was easy. Danielle didn’t want a thing. She gave me the house.”

“It can’t be that bad, Tommy. You’ve got an amazing job, and it’s not like you’ve ever had problems picking up women. I bet you’re swimming in them.”

“It’s not the same without my wingman.” Tommy smiled for the first time since he brought up Danielle’s name. “I miss you, dude.”

Sam’s insides turned to mush. When Sam first met Tommy, his friend had a date with a different girl every week. Most of the guys in the fraternity followed Tommy to get his cast-offs. Sam had his own reasons. “I wanted to go to the reunion, but our last conversation got heated.”

“I know.”

Sam could see the pain in his friend’s eyes. “I'm sorry, Tommy. I’ve been a jerk. I should have returned your calls.”

Tommy nodded, “It’s in the past. I need a friend right now.”

“Whatever you need, Tommy.”

The pair talked until the bartender threw them out, and they parted as friends. Sam figured it would be another ten years before their next meeting. A week later, he got a call the next week from a marketing firm in Chicago who had an opening for a senior marketing analyst. It was a client of Tommy’s who owed him a favor. One month and five interviews later, Sam had the job.

It took the guys from the moving company less than two hours to clear out the apartment. It’s scary how quick the total accumulation of a person’s existence can be erased from a place. But Sam didn’t allow them to move everything. The attic held his most prized possessions, and now all of them lay spread out on the living room floor. With Tom living in close proximity, it was time to say goodbye.

Sam folded every piece carefully and placed them in the suitcase, then waited for it to get dark. A loud splash announced the first suitcase hitting the water of the quarry. It stayed on top long enough to become worrisome, but the suitcase wasn’t watertight, and it eventually sank beneath the waves. Sam held the second suitcase in his hand for a long while before opening it up and pulling out a small bag. He couldn’t get rid of everything.

The second splash followed. Thankfully, it sank much quicker.

A scan in all directions showed no signs of anyone watching. It would be years before anyone found it, if ever. If they did, they’d have more questions than answers.

Sam’s hand shook as he lit a final cigarette. He had a long drive ahead.

The movers arrived at Tommy’s house at 8AM. His friend had been all too willing to volunteer his house as Sam’s temporary residence, with a constant reminder Sam could live there on a permanent basis if he wished. Sam said no, afraid of the part of himself now laying at the bottom of a quarry. He needed time to figure things out. He needed to know if he could change.

All his big stuff went into storage. All the little stuff went into Tommy’s garage.

Sam couldn’t complain. Tommy's house was a bachelor’s dream. His friend had at least three big screen TVs with a fully stocked wet bar and a small hot tub in the back. They’d laughed at the thought of the trouble they could have gotten into if they’d lived there in college.

Tommy covered his walls with pictures of the past, but none contained Danielle.

When Sam left college, he stood 6’1”, and only a few pounds above his high school weight of 175 lbs. Few who saw him now would believe they were the same person. The bulge around his middle long ago passed from spare tire to obese, but Tommy never said a word about the change in his appearance.

A new town -- new habits and his new job didn’t start for another two weeks. There as no time like the present to get started.

Sam found the box with his old bike in the garage. He’d meant to throw it out years ago but the memories made him hang on to it. The chain came off easy, as did the crank. Sam checked all the components one by one. In college, he’d been good enough to place in a few local races, and the fraternity counted on him to be the anchor leg in the school’s relay race.

Ten years was a long time for a bike to lay dormant but Sam spent most of the morning cleaning each part and adding a good dash of lubricant. By mid-afternoon it felt reasonably road worthy.

His old bike gear lay amongst his other clothes. He didn’t have the heart to throw it out either. Squeezing into it was another matter. Sam had second thoughts as he looked in the mirror. The biking shorts were at least two sizes too small. To pull them up to his waist, meant they grew so tight against his crotch his private parts crept up into their hiding spots in order to avoid excruciating pain.

The lycra top didn’t look bad the first time he pulled it into place but a single breath caused it to roll up past his belly, giving the appearance of a half tank top. It looked ridiculous, but Sam didn’t have time to go shopping for anything bigger, so instead he hid both items under a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before throwing his bike in the trunk of his car.

Everything felt different as he pedaled. His thighs were on fire but he had expected that. What he had not expected was just how difficult it was to keep it going. The crankshaft made a clicking sound, and the derailleur refused to work. It took three miles before a cramp in his thighs forced him to turn around.

Sam was a mile from his car when he heard a ‘pop’ and the sound of rushing air.

‘Dammit.’

Years of repression and deliberate self-delusion flared through his body.

His saddlebag contained several spares, all at least eight years old. Age was part of the cause for the flat, but there was no denying his flabby body the real cause.

Sam didn’t hear the sound of the approaching biker or the squeal of her brakes.

“Need some help?”

The woman standing over him straddled an expensive looking bike. He’d never been very good with women.

“I’m about done here.”

“Are you sure?”

Sam had barely started removing the inner tube. He’d forgotten so much. “I’m good.”

“I’ve got time. I’ll wait to make sure it’s roadworthy.” She stared at Sam, and Sam not knowing what to say, returned his attention to his bike. A large gust of wind hit him as he pulled out the old tube. He replaced it with a new one, then reset the tire. As begin using the air pump, he saw the woman had not moved.

She said, “You look like you’ve had a lot of experience changing flats.”

Sam did not look up, “I used to ride a lot.”

“Do you want some company on the ride back? I’d feel responsible if you got another flat and had to walk.”

Sam started to object, but it would be nice to have company. “Sure.”

Sam hopped on his bike, his crankshaft making a loud groan at first touch.

“It sounds like your bike needs a tune up.”

“Yeah, it’s been in storage for years.”

The woman smiled but didn’t say anything.

Sam did his best to act normal. It had been years since he’d been alone with a girl. Girl wasn’t the right descriptor of the person riding beside him. She appeared to be in her early thirties with calves showing the definition of someone who’d spent many hours in the saddle.

She spoke again, “What’s your name?”

Sam mentally smacked himself for his utter lack of game, “My name is Sam. Sam Gibson.”

The woman gave him a big smile, holding her hand out with an ease but using Sam’s tone of formality, “My name is Tracy. Tracy Spellman.”

Sam tried to think of something to say, finding relief when Tracy spoke again, “What do you do for a living, Sam?”

“I work in advertising. I just moved to the city.”

“Nice. Welcome to Chicago, Sam. I’d imagine it’s a great town for someone in your profession.”

“I’m not sure, but I’m hopeful. I got in a rut at my old job.”

“How so?” Tracy seemed genuinely interested.

“It worked long hours and had no life. I needed a change.”

“Is that why you’re riding today?”

Sam tried to hide his increasing heavy breaths. “I guess so. I’m out of shape. Sorry if I’m slowing you down.”

Tracy stared as the stiff breeze in their face quickened, “I have a proposition if you are interested.”

“A proposition?” Sam’s face reddened, “I … uhhh...”

“Not that kind of proposition.” Tracy laughed, “I’m a sales rep for a bike company, but my primary job is working with athletes to improve their training. In fact, my company is having a competition to see which of their reps can train the fastest rider. I had a student but they dropped out. I thought you might be interested.”

Sam shook his head, “Ten years ago, I would have loved to take you up on your offer, but right now … I'm a waste of your time.” At that moment, the derailleur decided to shift gears without warning. “And as you can hear, my bike isn’t in much better shape.”

Tracy gave a sympathetic look, “Trust me. You’d be helping me. My boss expects me to show up with someone. And your bike is no issue as you’ll use our equipment. I’m sure this whole this is the idea of a marketing genius like you but I follow orders..” Tracy laughed at her joke, then winked at Sam. “Why shouldn’t I help you?”

“I guess…” Sam blushed, “I don’t start work for another two weeks. When do you want to start?”

“Tomorrow. We have a lot of work to do. The race is on Saturday.”

“Saturday!?!? There’s no way I’ll be ready for a race by Saturday.”

Tracy smiled, “I think you’ll be surprised at how quickly you improve. If nothing else, I’ll have our technicians work on your bike. In the meantime, you’ll have to put up with me for a week.” She flashed a brilliant smile.

Sam’s front bike tire wiggled as he fought to retain control. It didn’t make sense for a beautiful woman to try this hard, but he’d be a fool to turn her down. “Ok.”

“Awesome. I’ll meet you here first thing tomorrow and you can sign the contracts.”

“Contracts?”

“Come on, Sam. You know nothing is done in the business world without a lot of paperwork. I’ve got to clear you with my bosses, and you’ll need to sign a few things. It’s no big deal.”

Sam shrugged, “Ok.”

They were approaching the parking lot and Tracy asked, “Meet in the parking lot at 9am tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

“Great.” Tracy said. “My car is further down the path. I’ll see you then.” Sam watched as she sped away faster than seemed possible.

Tommy was in the kitchen when Sam arrived. “Out seeing what Chicago has to offer?”

“I went to the park for a ride.”

“Heh.” Tommy nodded, “You lived on that thing in college.”

Sam patted his belly, “I haven’t used it much lately.”

Tommy didn’t engage, “Speaking of bellies, are you hungry? I’m about to finish making dinner.”

“I’m famished.”

Sam had worried when he'd accepted Tom's invitation, the ten years of separation would lead to awkward silences. An outsider watching them now would never guess they hadn’t seen one another in a decade. Sam knew he shouldn’t be surprised. He’d once been closer to Tommy than anyone else in his life. The ease of their conversations gave a happiness he’d dearly missed.

“I’m going to be out of town all week on business, but I’ll be back on Friday. Why don’t we plan on dinner, then a night on the town. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to a club with my wingman at my side.“

Sam gave thought to mentioning Saturday’s race, but knew Tracy was crazy. There’s no way he’d be ready for a race that quick. “I don’t envy you living out of a suitcase all week.”

Tommy said, “It’s not so bad. I’m staying in a fancy hotel and I’ll be eating in the best restaurants.”

Sam scoffed, “I know that’s a lie. It is more like room service while you work on a laptop and any fancy meal in a restaurant usually involves a client and a lot of sucking up. I don’t envy you in the least.”

Tommy nodded, “It shouldn’t be too bad. We’re doing a bunch of depositions for an upcoming trial. Do you have any big plans for the week?”

“Nope. Maybe I’ll see the sights.”

“I feel like I’m abandoning you.”

Sam said, “Don’t worry about it. I need to find my way around the city, and I’m too old to have a babysitter. To be honest, I’m looking forward to a week of peace and quiet. I can’t remember the last time I could truly relax. I am going to try to enjoy it.”

“You’re making me jealous.”

Sam smiled and their conversation drifted. They chatted aimlessly for a few more hours before going to bed.

Tracy typed a text message into a secure datapad. It arrived in Amsterdam seconds later:
I met someone today. My scan didn’t find anything unusual, but their shields were much stronger than expected. Probably a waste of time, but I need to keep up appearances.

---

---

Sam has hid from the world for most of his life but a chance encounter has burst everything open. Sam meets Tracy at the park and they begin their training.

Chirping birds woke Sam from his slumber. Stiffness in every muscle and joint made moving his arms and legs too difficult, so he rolled to the edge of the bed, and hit the floor with a thump.

Pain radiated through his entire body. “Goddammit!”

The clock showed a quarter to 8AM as Sam dragged his body across the bedroom floor. About halfway to the shower, he decided on a different course. Sam limped through the living room, through the kitchen, and looked around as he got to the back porch. A flip of the switch turned on the water jets. Not seeing a soul, Sam took off his boxers to reveal his nakedness. A step into the hot tub brought instant relief.

“Ahhhhh…”

Sam tried to stretch but pain made him stop. Memories of the previous day’s ride and thoughts of what faced him today whirled in his brain. Sleep took him almost at once.

When he woke, Sam lay still for a moment, then jumped out of the water after realizing what he’d done. “Shit … shit … shit…” He ran naked through the back door, tracking water into the kitchen. A look at the clock showed twenty minutes after eight.

He fought through the pain, pulling on his biking pants and jersey. After a check in the mirror, he grabbed a clean pair of shorts and t-shirt, and wore them over his biking outfit.

Tracy sat at a picnic table when Sam arrived at the park. Sam did his best to move at a quick pace but the tightness had returned.

“Good morning Sam!” Tracy greeted him, “It’s a beautiful day isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Beautiful.” Sam said, rubbing his thigh, “It’s amazing how quick I got used to sleeping in.”

Tracy gave a dutiful laugh then got right to business, “We need to complete the paperwork.” She pointed to the half ream of papers on the table in front of her.

“Seriously? All of that?”

“Businesses move on paper. You know that. We can’t go further without a signatures on our standard contract.”

“Have you ever heard of data tablets?”

“My company is old fashioned.”

Sam shook his head, “Grrr… My roommate is a lawyer. I hear they bill by the page.”

Tracy placed the contract in front of Sam. The lead page started … ‘Contract of understanding between Sam Gibson and Maxus Athletics, Inc’. Sam read a couple of pages before yawning. It looked like a standard contract to hold the company harmless in case of injury. It also mentioned that the company had all rights to the data collected and that they loaned the equipment only for the time mentioned in the contract. Sam stopped reading at page three and scanned the rest. He said, “It looks standard.”

Tracy nodded, “It’s boilerplate. I’m sure you’ve seen lots of these.” She held out a pen.

“I sign the last page?”

“You sign, then I sign.”

Sam signed, and Tracy did likewise.

Tracy held out her hand. “Now we shake hands.”

“Seriously?”

“A handshake is a matter of principle to our founders. A deal isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on unless you seal it with a handshake.”

Sam shook his head as he Tracy’s hand. He watched as she put her other hand on the contract.

Tracy said, “Repeat what I say.”

Sam said, “This is getting ridiculous.”

Tracy pointed across the parking lot to a shiny new bike. “Do you want to ride it?”

Sam stared at the bike, a near duplicate of the one Tracy rode the day before. “It looks nice.”

Tracy spoke again, “Repeat after me.” She tightened her grip but her eyes didn’t betray a hint of a smile. “I promise to abide by the contents of this contract.”

Sam repeated, “I promise to abide by the contents of this contract.” A breeze hit the table as Sam said the final words causing papers to fly in every direction. Tracy did her best to catch them but some flew away.

Sam stood to help gather them. "Ouch ... ouch ... ouch."

“Don’t worry about this mess, Sam. Go change.” She handed him a box. “Today's outfit in there.”

Sam looked in the box filled with biking tights and jerseys. “I can’t wear my clothes?”

“It’s in the contract.” Tracy smiled.

“Grrrr…” Sam growled. “Why do I feel this isn’t the last time I’m going to hear that phrase?”

“Come on, Sam. You work in marketing. You know how this stuff works.” Tracy straightened the gathered paperwork and placed it in a box. “This contest is an advertising campaign and all riders are expected to wear our equipment. Maxus isn’t a charity.” Her face softened, “Trust me. We spare no expense on research and always use the latest technology. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you how much some of these things cost.”

Sam picked up a jersey which looked to be a man’s medium. “This isn’t going to fit.”

“Our clothing is made of special polymers which stretch to fit the wearer. You won’t find a better mix of style, fit, and support on the market.” Tracy spoke in a monotone voice which reminded Sam of a sales pitch.

Sam nodded. “I'll try.”

“Good.” Tracy smiled. “By the time you're done, your bike should be ready.”

Sam walked to the bathroom and spread the items on the counter, one by one. All had the name Maxus stitched in the same Roman script. He tried the tights first. When he pulled them to his knees it didn’t seem possible to pull them further but somehow they relaxed allowing him to pull them to his waist. A look showed the purple and black racing tights covering him from ankle to his waist. He had to admit, the soothing pressure felt good on both quad and calf.

Curiosity got the better of his as he squeezed his head through the jersey’s tight opening. One arm, then the other found its way through a sleeve. A simple tug pulled the jersey tight, the whole giving support and yet loose at the same time.

Together the outfit seeming to absorb the pain when he woke though any spell broke as soon as he looked in the mirror. His reflection showed every misshapen bulge.

Sam turned away, decided to pull his shorts and t-shirt over top.

Tracy shook her head as soon as she saw him, “Sam, you can’t wear those.”

“I have to wear them. It's too embarrassing.”

Tracy held up the contract. “You agreed to participate, Sam. Work with me. I promise you’ll be surprised by the amount of progress you make. Maxus Corp has worked for fifty years to perfection our training regime.”

“Yeah?” Sam asked, “Then why haven’t I heard about you?”

Tracy shrugged, “Our company is very exclusive. Rich people pay top dollar to work with us. They get advantages less fortunate people could never hope to purchase.”

“Then why am I here?" Sam asked, "I’m not rich or exclusive.”

Tracy didn't look happy. "I met someone I thought I could help."

"I do need help." It felt good to say that.

“Contracts work both ways Sam. We give you something and get something in return.” Tracy’s resolve appear to be reaching a boiling point. “Take off the clothes.”

“People will stare.”

Tracy shook her head. “Didn’t you literally move here yesterday? Why do you care what people think? It's not like they know you.”

Sam sighed, “That’s true.”

“Take off the clothes and you get to ride this.” She patted the bike's seat. Tracy stared at Sam. She pulled out a tape measure and started measuring Sam’s body, occasionally stopping to type into an electronic device.

Sam asked, “What are you doing?”

“Making final adjustments to fit the bike to your frame.” After each measurement she typed into a small datapad, then pulled out a hex wrench and adjusted the seat and handlebars, “It won’t take long.”

"OK." Sam nodded and began to remove his oversized shirt.

Tracy pointed to the nearby table. “Put those on when you're done.”

On the table sat Maxus branded biking shoes, gloves, and a helmet.

Sam pulled the gloves, “How do you know my sizes?”

“I’m good at my job, Sam. How do those tights feel?”

Sam stood. "Good.” Better than good but he wasn't going to tell Tracy. All hints of soreness left his legs.

“You get to keep everything if we pull off a miracle Saturday. The gloves, the helmet, the clothes. Even the bike.”

Sam looked down at his flabby body. “Unlikely.” It would take years worth of weeks to fix his flabby body but every journey has to start somewhere. “You said you could fix my bike.”

“Of course. Put your bike in my van. I’ll take it to our workshop after we finish here. Our specialists will put a rush on it.”

“Sounds good.” Sam smiled as he walked to his car. He’d get his bike fixed and get to spend a week with a pretty girl. All in all, a good trade for some humble pie.

“Are you ready to start?”

Sam took a deep breath. “As ready as I can be.”

“Great.” Tracy pointed to a spot next to the picnic table.“ “We’ll start with some light stretching.”

Sam couldn’t remember the last time he stretched, “Stretching?”

“A good warm-up is the best way to prepare your body before a ride. It helps avoid injuries and allows me to push you harder.”

“OK…” He’d never found stretching useful but Tracy was the pro.

He sat on the grass next to Tracy, and tried to imitate her flexibility. He failed badly.

“Close your eyes.”

“OK.” Sam did as she asked.

“Take a deep breath. In …”

Sam took a deep breath.

“Good. Now let it out.”

Sam breathed out. His thoughts turned to his new job. He had a safe position in St. Louis. This one came with no guarantees.

“In … and out.”

Sam took a breath. It was ridiculous coming to this city.

“Focus Sam. In … and out.”

So much time had passed…

“Better. In … and out.”

Sam’s mind drifted to thoughts of his bike rides back in the day. He pedaled for hours as he became one with his bike. Miles passed without thought.

“In … and out.”

“In … and out.”

“In … and out.”

“Sam?”

Sam opened his eyes and looked at his feet. His legs stretched further than seemed possible. He looked up.

“Ready to go?” Tracy stood over him, holding the new bike.

“Sorry. I fell asleep.”

Tracy smiled. “Want to give it a go?”

Sam smiled back as he stood. “Yeah.”

The bike was a black composite material with purple markings. It had to be made out of some material other than his carbon fiber like his bike. It felt as light as a feather. A spin of the tires showed no hint of imbalance. A check of the break created immediate stopping power and no squeaks. The front of the bike held an impressive looking cycling computer and under the seat was a saddlebag full of tools. A check of the undercarriage showed an air pump, and two full water bottles.

“It’s a beautiful machine.”

“I told you. We ride the best.” Tracy handed him several Maxus branded energy bars. “You’re going to need those. Put them in the jersey pockets. Are you ready for a test run? Let’s see how the bike fits.”

“Yeah.” Sam put his left toe on a cleat, the rest of his body pivoting over the frame with an ease impossible the day before. Sam clicked his right foot into the cleat. The bike felt perfect.

Tracy called out, “Go once around the parking lot.”

Sam had pedaled twice before Tracy made her request. “Way ahead of you.” The bike obeyed his command at once.

“Slow down,Sam. Ease into it!” Sam didn’t listen. He was halfway across the parking lot then leaned into a tight turn. The bike turned on dime allowing him to pedal hard towards the start. He couldn’t help a big smile as he stopped, “That was incredible!”

“Every Maxus bike is custom made.”

Sam did some calculations in his head. He’d spent $1,500 on his bike, but it was nothing compared to a custom job. $15,000 … $50,000 … more? “Can we get started?”

Tracy laughed. “What happened to the shy guy who said he couldn’t do this?”

Sam stood on the pedals, “He hadn’t tried this bike. It’s amazing.”

Tracy gave a knowing look. “Good to hear. We’re going to start slow with a little base work.” She mounted her bike with ease, her feet attaching to the cleats without looking. “Follow me…if you can.”

Sam watched Tracy speed off at a moderate pace. He re-clipped his toe in the cleat and took off to catch her. It didn’t take long.

Tracy had a grin on her face when she turned. “Stay in my draft. Concentrate on staying within a few feet of my back tire.”

Sam nodded. He’d ridden in a peloton many times and knew how it helped to conserve energy. The pair fell into a nice cadence as their speed increased. He focused on his legs. Smooth easy strokes.

Tracy increased her speed. Sam focused on his breathing.

“Stay within yourself, Sam.”

"I'm trying."

Tracy turned and shouted, “Everything ok back there??”

Sam nodded, afraid to speak.

Sam always loved the feeling on a bike. For a time he’d considered getting serious but then college ended and dreams of adventure fell into the humdrum demands of the business world. The wind in his hair brought it all back. There was something primal about being in nature on a beautiful day, speeding along under your own power.

People who never rode didn’t appreciate the little things in nature. A fifteen mile-per-hour cooling breeze became a thirty mile-per-hour gale if you hit it head on. The hills few noticed in cars looked like a mountain on a bike.

But the downhills were worth it.

Tracy’s voice rang in his ears as they screamed around a turn. “Remember to breathe.”

Sam took a deep breath, Remembering Tracy’s instructions.

“In … and out.”

“In … and out.”

“In … and out.”

“Sam?”

Sam shook his head and noticed they had stopped under a shade tree.

Sam shouted, “What’s wrong? I thought things were going well.”

“You need to eat more.”

Sam shook his head as he patted his belly. “I need to lose some weight.”

Tracy shook her head. “You said you used to ride a lot so you know how it feels to bonk out and I’m not carrying you back to your car. You’ve got to keep eating.”

“I will. It’s only been …” Sam looked down at his cycling computer. It showed a few minutes after noon. “What the hell? It feels like we rode for fifteen minutes.”

“Did you go into a zone?”

Sam shook his head again. “It seemed so effortless.”

Tracy smiled. “I told you our equipment is good but it helps when I’m training someone with natural talent.”

Sam couldn’t take his eyes off the odometer. “I can’t believe we rode 35 miles. I couldn’t do 10 yesterday.”

Tracy smiled, “I told you I’m good.” She handed him a foil packet with the name Maxus written across the front.

“What’s this?”

“It’s energy gel. Concentrated carbs. Make sure you drink water with it.”

Sam ripped open the foil and squirted some into his mouth. “Wow … that’s nasty. It tastes like paste!”

Tracy asked, “Did you add water?”

“No.”

“Add water. It tastes better.”

Sam squirted water into his mouth then added a little gel. He swallowed then choked out a response. “Not much better.”

Tracy grinned. “It’s not made for taste. Eat it all. You need it. Once you’re done we’ll do some more stretching. I’ve pushed you hard today, but I know you can do more.”

Sam sucked down the gel, gagging a bit as he joined Tracy under a nearby tree. His legs screamed in protest but this time he found he could almost mimic Tracy’s pose. “Ready to breathe?”

Sam nodded and closed his eyes.

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

“Sam?”

Tracy stood over him.

“Ready to go?”

Sam nodded as he got to his feet. “Yeah ... sorry ... I keep zoning out.”

The pair sped off, taking the same positions as before. Tracy rode in front. Sam focused on her rear. This time, Sam found it easier to slip into the zone.

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

“Sam?”

Sam shook his head when he saw his car. “We’re back?”

The odometer showed they’d gone 63.4 miles.

Tracy nodded. “We need to stretch. You’ve done well for the first day, but we need to cool down or you’re going to feel it tomorrow.”

Sam sat. Tracy didn’t vary her routine much and he’d gotten the basics by now. As she led him through a series of stretches, he did the quick math. They started about 9:30 and now it was almost 3PM.. Adding in a rest break put their speed around thirteen miles-per-hour. This was nothing compared to the speeds he achieved in college but that took years of practice.

“Good start.” Tracy stood above him, “Are you ok to get home?”

Sam felt dizzy but nodded, “Yeah.”

Tracy pointed at the picnic table. It held a few extra boxes with a Maxus label.

“Everything on the table is yours. Inside you’ll find clothing, energy drinks and a few training aids you might find useful. Remember to drink lots of energy drinks and carbs to build your glucose reserve.”

Sam nodded.

Tracy asked, “Meet here at 9AM tomorrow?”

Sam nodded again.

“Good.” Tracy smiled. “I’ve got to get to the office to file your paperwork and analyze today’s results. Everything good?”

Sam nodded a third time. He watched Tracy jump into her van and speed off before attempting to stand.

Sweaty clothes lined Sam’s path through Tommy’s house. The bubbles of the hot tub felt heavenly when he jumped in. He had no idea how long he lay there when the first twitch began.

It started in his thigh and didn’t take long until it graduated to full-blown muscle spasms through both legs. Sam limped naked through the house when the nausea hit. He started to run when he realized he wouldn’t make it otherwise. He dove for the toilet as he entered the bathroom, the contents of his stomach coming out in a sudden rush.

“Bleeechh…” Sam groaned. “Nasty.”

His body hugged the cool floor until the feeling rose causing him to rise and repeat the process until nothing remained but the retching. He lay on the floor for another hour until it felt safe to stand. When he did, he found his lower intestines decided to join in on the fun.

Sam had no idea how long he sat on the toilet. A look in the mirror showed a person he barely recognized anymore.

Why had he allowed himself to get so out of shape?

Sam waited and waited until it felt safe to stand, laughing as he walked naked through the house. It was a good thing Tommy was out of town. He could only imagine what he’d say.

Knowing solid food out of the question, Sam found the case of Maxus energy drink on the dining room table. Sam cracked open a bottle, and drank it down in a few gulps.

Sam nodded, “Not bad.”

The second bottle tasted better.

When he opened the third, his dehydrated body continued to soak it up like a sponge.

This wasn't the first time he’d gotten sick after bike ride. Overexertion mixed with a lack of calories can play havok on a person's body. “So dumb.” Tracy was right. He wondered what the ghost in this house's walls might say if they saw him now. Tommy would say something sarcastic. And then there was Danielle. She and Tommy had bought the house right after college. Tommy said she’d been gone for a year but Sam could feel her presence.

A look in Tommy’s bedroom showed a large king sized bed, much bigger than a single person needed for sleep. The surrounding furniture had a definite feminine vibe. The wall next to the bathroom showed the image of a woman in a simple frame.

It had been years since Sam had seen a picture of Danielle but it looked like she hadn’t aged a day. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Perfect teeth. Tommy never stood a chance.

Sam knew he shouldn’t but he opened the closet door anyway. Rows of expensive suits, dress shirts, khaki pants, and golfing shirts filled most of the interior. No one needed this much clothing but Tommy bought it to fill the void. In between suits of blue, black and gray, Sam saw a hint of color. Closer inspection showed large blue nightgown hanging near the back. It would look good on Danielle but she could look good in anything. Removing it would be a betrayal of trust beyond any friendship.

“Fuck it.”

Sam crept like a thief through the garage to find his things. The box he needed was in the middle of it all, placed in one box, sitting inside another box.

He didn’t dare look at the pictures as he made his way through the house. He didn’t dare look at himself in the mirror as he placed the items from his makeup case on the counter.

“My last time.” Sam said,

As he finished, an ocean’s worth of guilt washed over him. He'd do better tomorrow.

Sam woke in a panic. He’d expected soreness, but nothing like this.

Pain radiated from every limb, the worst centered on his chest. It wasn’t much of a surprise considering how many times he’d puked but it took all his energy to retrieve his cell phone from the bedside table.

When he picked it up he shouted, “Shit.” Tracy never gave her number.

His body needed a good three-hour soak, but the clock showed 8:30AM and he didn’t want to be late. It took five minutes to crawl to the kitchen and another five to put on a pair of clean biking tights. He started to pull the jersey over his chest when the pain hit.

“Ouch … ouch … ouch.”

The pain in his chest wouldn’t stop.

It took Sam a minute to regain his feet, a look in the hallway mirror showed his face had regained its color. A look at his chest showed it raw and blistered.

“Rookie mistake.”

He once learned how to avoid this through many blustery fall days riding his bike. The best way to avoid chafing was a good slathering of vaseline on each nipple. Now… the only thing that could prevent more pain lay at the bottom of a quarry in St. Louis. Unless…

Sam picked up the box of Maxus gear and turned it upside down allowing the contents to fall to the floor. Inside he found a week’s worth of biking tights, pullovers, jerseys, socks, and biking caps piled on the ground along with a smaller box which sounded solid as it hit the pile. The last item to fall out was a sports bra.

Sam snatched it with an eagerness he tried to ignore, pressing the satin-looking material against his face. Its material felt as soft as it looked.

It pulled on easily, the bra caressing his sore nipples like a cotton diaper might a baby's sore bottom. Another tug pulled the bra taut, a reverse show of the technology displayed a day earlier when his oversized butt and considerable belly fit into the pants and jersey much too small for him. This time, when Sam pulled the jersey into place, he saw no signs of the bra underneath.

This disguise would surely hold for the five minutes while he told Tracy the bad news. He was in no shape to ride today. He’d spend a day in the hot tub instead.

Tracy sat on her bike when Sam arrived.

“Sorry I’m late, Tracy. I’m in no shape to ride.”

Tracy frowned, “Are you sure?”

Sam nodded. “I was sick most of the night. I feel terrible.”

Tracy shrugged. “Well. If you can’t go … you can’t go. But I insist we do some stretching. Stretching and breathing can help a body heal."

Sam looked back to his car. ““I guess.” Tracy sat under a nearby tree. When Sam tried to do the same, sharp pains shot through his core.

“Aiirrrgghh!”

Tracy nodded, “Wow. It sounds like you are in real pain.”

Sam shouted back, “I told you!”

Tracy stood and Sam tried to do that same but his legs wouldn’t move.

Tracy said, “Stay there. I think a deep tissue massage might work wonders.”

Sam shrugged, “I’m not going anywhere.” Sam felt Tracy’s hands on his shoulders, a sudden panic rising when he remembered the straps.

“Tracy … I uhh …”

Tracy pressed deeper, the mix of pain and pleasure causing a rise. “Relax Sam. Close your eyes.”

Sam nodded and closed his eyes.

“Deep breaths. In and out. We need to get rid of the toxins in your muscles.” Tracy’s finger pressed deep into the muscles of Sam’s upper back.

Sam tried to breath but the pain grew too much. “Aiirrrggg!”

Tracy asked, “How many energy drinks did you consume last night?”

Sam shrugged, “Three, I think.”

Tracy nodded. “Drink more tonight, even if you feel full. At least five or six.”

“I’m trying to lose weight, Tracy.”

“You’ve lost weight, Sam. At least a few pounds. You worked hard yesterday. The plan was to work harder today.”

Sam took a deep breath as he sucked in his belly. “You think I’ve lost weight?”

Tracy pressed her hands into Sam’s shoulders.

“Aiiiigggghhh! That hurt.”

Tracy spoke with an calm tone. “Breath Sam. Listen to the sound of my voice.”

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

Everything faded into black.

“Sam!”

Sam opened his eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” He saw his legs seated in a yoga pose but hesitated to move for fear of pain.

“Get up, Sam. Let’s see if it worked.”

Sam moved a leg. It didn’t hurt. Neither did his back or his arms or his chest.

Tracy asked, Are you sure you can’t ride today? A short ride would work out the kinks. It’s your call.”

Sam pressed a hand on his stomach. Maybe it did feel smaller. “You say it looks like I’ve lost a few pounds?”

“Five or six by my guess. No pain, no gain.” She smiled, “Or in your case, no pain, no loss.”

Sam shook his head. Tracy might have a talent with bikes but he was no stand up comic, “I’ll get the bike.”

It did feel great to be riding again. The weather was perfect. The bike was perfect. The trail was smooth. Sam stayed a few feet behind Tracy’s tire, soon falling into a rhythmic cadence. He’d always thought a good bike ride was like an out-of-body experience. He spent much of the ride staring down at himself, only stopping when he noticed Tracy’s tire slowing.

A look at the odometer showed they’d ridden 61.2 miles and they’d gone for over 3 hours, an average speed of almost 20 miles an hour!

“Tracy I’m not sure what’s in those supplements but it’s amazing. I’m riding as fast as ever. Whatever you are doing, you have my endorsement.”

She gave a mocking grin, “I’m sure my bosses will be thrilled to hear it.” She handed him a package of Energy Gel. “Remember. Wash it down with plenty of water.”

Sam squirted half the tube into his mouth then squirted in a bunch of water.

Sam shook his head. “This is so gross. Do you ever get used to the taste?”

“Not really.” Tracy shook her head. “How do you feel?”

Sam moved his legs up and down. “Other than eating this stuff, I feel great. Whatever you’re putting into your products, you should market it more. It’s amazing.”

Tracy nodded, “Our supplements can only enhance natural ability, Sam.”

Sam laughed. He’d slung a lot of BS to get a sale in his time. “Do you think I’ll sleep better tonight?”

Tracy smiled, “Drink lots of liquids.”

“I will.”

Tracy put on her helmet and jumped on her bike, “You ready to head back?”

Sam made a face as he swallowed the last of the energy paste. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Tracy waved as her van sped away. She had more reports and more meetings. They’d spent almost seven hours training and Sam didn’t feel a thing.

He was halfway home when the first twitch hit. He downed an energy drink as soon as he entered the house but that made things worse.

“Oh god!”

Sam ran through the house, taking off his clothing as the cramps continued, finding a kneeling position on the bathroom floor as he waited for the inevitable.

He emerged two hours later, his body feeling stretched and torn. Drinking another energy drink didn’t require a trip to the bathroom which was progress though a look in the refrigerator at solid food made him want to puke.

“I'll eat tomorrow.”

As he finished off a third energy drink without feeling better, Sam decided to look for alternatives. Tommy’s medicine cabinet contained all the usual pills. Sam took one of each, though none seemed promising. A check of the smaller Maxus box he'd found in the morning provided better results. A look inside showed athletic creme, more nasty energy gel, sunless tanning lotion, healing bubble bath, resistance bands, stretching straps, and a pair of arch stretchers.

Sam didn’t give it much thought as he grabbed the bottle of bubble bath and headed for the hot tub.

The whirlpool jets felt great on his body as the warmth penetrated his skin. He basked in the jets for a few seconds before adding a small portion of bubble bath. As the suds grew, Sam felt his anxiety build.

Fighting his fear, Sam lay back hoping the healing mixture might do something. He focused on his breathing…

‘In and out.’

‘In and out.’

‘In and out.’

Sam woke to find the jets had stopped. When he stood, the night air felt cold and a brownish-black mass floated on top of the water.

“What the fuck…” As he looked down at his body, not a single hair stood.

In college, Sam had considered shaving his legs to help with his biking. He knew both bikers and swimmers shaved their legs. Swimmers to gain speed. Bikers to make an easier recovery from the inevitable road rash.

He knew a couple guys who’d done it but Sam never dared. He’d fought off all desire though four years of college as living in a dorm and then a fraternity had been a hell of his own making.

Sam stared down at his now hairless body. His pale legs looked better than he expected but he smiled as he picked up the bottle of sunless tanning spray.

The light of the moon gave an otherworldly to from the image staring back in the door's reflection. Sam stared at his hairless chest, nipples still puffy after two days of riding. In the gathering dark, the extra weight of the last ten years almost made them look like tiny breasts.

“If only.”

His clean-shaven skin glowed as Sam applied the tanning spray. He emptied most of the bottle, doing his best to keep it even as worked from head to toe. The liquid felt cold as it evaporated into his skin.

Sam took a last look at his reflection before heading inside. He smiled at Danielle’s nightgown as he entered the bedroom to gather his makeup case. “I’ll stop once Tommy returns to town.”

Tracy typed into a secure data pad. The message arrived in Amsterdam seconds later:
Subject more powerful than expected. Will continue training through the end of week. Suspicions confirmed -- data analysis will follow. Decision needed by Saturday at latest. Recommend subject upgrade to codename status: encrypt identity under codeword Chrysalis for all future communication. As normal channels have been compromised, recommend siloed access to select Oculus personnel.

---

---

Sam has hid from the world for most of his life but a chance encounter has burst everything open. Complications arise when an old acquaintance appears. Things may not be what they seem.

“Who the fuck are you?”

The woman’s voice sounded like a dream in Sam’s head. Then he heard her shout again.

“And what the fuck are you doing in my house?”

Sam jumped out of bed. A petite blonde stood in the doorway.

“Danielle?” Tommy's ex-wife looked like she hadn't aged a day since college.

Danielle gave him a curious look before breaking into a smile. “Are you wearing my nightgown?”

Sam looked down. Shit. “I can explain.”

Danielle shook her head. “No need. I’m not an idiot.”

Sam hurried across the floor, seeing himself in the mirror as he walked. The nightgown didn’t cover much, his frame was too big for the silken woman’s garment. Bronze skin covered him from head to toe. The remains of last night’s make-up covered his face. Between the folds of the nightgown stood the biggest hard-on Sam remembered in a long time.

“It’s not what you think.”

Danielle grinned, “I’m guessing it’s exactly what I think. Good dream, princess?”

“Screw you, Danielle.”

She laughed, her eyes looking at Sam’s face then drifting again to Sam’s waist, “You’re certainly got the tool to back up that statement.”

“Fuck you.”

“Come on, Sam. This is the first time you’ve seen me in ten years and that’s your best insult?” The look on Danielle’s face showed a person having fun. “I know the things you said about me to your frat buddies in college. I know you can do better.”

Sam looked at himself in the mirror. “I … uhh ... ”

“Tell you what …” Danielle put a finger to her lips. “... you’re still half asleep.” Her face softened, “You go take a shower. I’ll make breakfast. Deal?”

Sam tried to think of a witty response as she turned around and disappeared down the hall.

The shower felt great as Sam watched the color on his face washing down the drain. “Are those … abs?” Sam couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his stomach. Probably never.

“What the hell is going on!?!?”

No one could puke as much as he had the last few days and not lose a little weight but the changes he’d experience belonged in the realm of make believe. Despite this, as Sam looked in the mirror he couldn’t help the smile forming on his face. A look at his legs showed a definition he hadn’t seen in years.

“This isn’t possible.” The improvement he saw in the mirror should have taken months or maybe a year but it wasn’t the only change. His hair was longer, and the irritation on his chest hadn’t gone away. In fact, it had gotten worse. He pressed a hand to his breast and winced in pain.

Even his dick looked bigger.

“I need to talk to Tracy.”

Danielle said, “You look good.”

Sam tried to think of something sarcastic to say in response but instead smiled at her compliment. Over the years, he’d learned the art of smiling even when it didn’t come naturally. The learned art of a false grin and a firm handshake closed many sales at his old company.

“Thanks.”

Danielle pointed to the dining room table which held two steaming cups of coffee. “Sit. I’m almost finished here.” As she finished her words the toaster popped up with four pieces of bread.

The clock showed 8:15AM. “I need to leave soon.”

Danielle nodded. “Me too. The scrambled eggs are almost done.”

“So Danielle…” Sam said, “... about what you saw in the bedroom.”

“I apologize for calling you princess. It was out of line.”

“Can you not be a bitch … what?.” Sam blushed, expecting Danielle to say something different.

Danielle turned over an egg frying in the skillet. “Have you told Tommy?”

Sam took a sip of coffee. “Told him what?”

“Come on Sam.” Sam noticed Danielle staring at his chest. “You always looked effeminate. I always assumed you were gay.”

Sam said, “I’m not gay.”

“I know that now.” She stared at Sam with a look that verged on pity.

“Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not.” Danielle placed a plate full of eggs and bacon on the table in front of Sam. “Tommy is a better cook than me but I’m not half bad. Dig in.”

Sam closed his eyes as the smell of bacon filled the air. He’d barely eaten since Tommy left town and it did smell good. He took one bite and then another. “This is good.” He didn’t say another word until he cleaned the plate.

“Do you want the rest of mine? I can’t finish this.” Danielle grabbed a piece of bacon then pushed the plate towards Sam.

Sam stuck a fork in the eggs then grabbed the remaining pieces of bacon stuffing both in his mouth. Danielle watched the display without comment.

“Sorry. I’m really hungry.”

“So it seems.”

Sam said, “I’ve been bike riding the last few days. I’m going again today.”

She pointed at Sam’s tight fitting jersey. “Maxus? That’s top end stuff.”

“You know them?”

Danielle nodded. “I’ve worked with them in the past. You meet all sorts of interesting people in the consulting business. How’d you meet them?”

“Lucky coincidence. I met one of their reps in the park. She’s been helping me.” Sam looked at the clock. “Matter of fact, I need to leave soon to meet her.”

“That’s too bad … I’d love to catch up.”

Sam nodded, “Me too.” His voice sounded more genuine than he could believe.

“I gotta ask one thing before you go.”

“Yeah?”

“What’s up with putting the bubble bath in the hot tub? You do know that’s not a good idea.”

Shit. Sam had forgot about the mess he’d left. “I can explain.”

Danielle smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I called the hot tub guy. He’’ll be out later today to fix it.”

“You did?”

“What are friends for?”

“Danielle… we’re not…”

“Look Sam, I know you don’t like me. I understand. I always suspected your feelings for Tommy were more than as friends. I love him even if things didn’t work out in our marriage and I know you’re his friend.” Danielle held out her hand. “Do you think … maybe … you and I can be friends too?”

Sam took her hand on instinct. Danielle’s firm grip belied her small nature.

“We should start over.” Danielle smiled, “Hi. I’m Danielle. What’s your name?”

Sam shook back. “Hi Danielle. I’m Sam.”

Danielle nodded. “I’m glad I came over today.”

Sam asked, “Why did you come over today?”

“I had to pick up a few things.”

Sam’s suspicion rose, “What did you come to get? This isn’t your house.”

“Who told you this isn’t my house?” Danielle thought for a second then laughed. “Tommy. Of course.”

“Yeah … I mean … this house isn’t his?”

“We’re separated, not divorced. I came here because I needed to pick up a few things from the garage and I heard he was out of town.”

“Oh.” Sam stared at Danielle. It was easy to see why Tommy fell for her. So pretty. So smart. And separated … not divorced? Sam wasn’t the only one living in this house with a secret.

Sam looked at the clock and finished his coffee then stood up and started heading towards the front door, “I hate to eat and run but I do need to leave.”

“Ohhh … ok.” Danielle frowned as she started putting dishes in the sink. Sam almost made it to the door when she spoke again, “Hey Sam?”

“Yeah?”

“You never answered the question. Does Tommy know?” She didn’t need to specify details. Sam knew without asking.

“No.”

Danielle nodded, “It’ll be our secret then.”

Sam said, “Thanks, Danielle. I appreciate it.”

“Of course, Sam. It was good to see you.”

Sam arrived ten minutes late and found Tracy sitting on her bike next to two other riders. Sam pulled the bike from his trunk and hurried to join them.

Tracy gave him a queer look as her eyes scanned his body, “I was getting worried about you.”

Sam returned a sheepish grin. He'd gone through a lot of changes in the past few days. “We need to talk.”

“Of course.” Sam thought he saw a hint of a smile. Tracy pointed, “This is one of my co-workers, Crystal.”

Sam waved a gloved hand.

A beautiful blonde woman waved back, “Nice to meet you, Sam.” She pointed to the woman next to her. “This is Aimee. She’s racing against you this weekend. I thought it might be fun if we trained together.”

Aimee didn’t look up as she returned a shy wave. Sam looked at Tracy but her face betrayed no emotion.

“Do you think I’m up to it, Tracy?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” She passed him a couple of energy drinks, a packet of gel, and a handful of power bars.

Sam’s full stomach rumbled at the sight of more food. “Do you mind if we do some stretching?”

Tracy smiled then looked at Crystal, “Of course. We’ll spread out by the picnic table.”

Sam set his bike by the table, and tried to ignore the jealous stares of passersby. All three women were gorgeous. Their presence started another unconscious response which presented an immediate problem as he sat in biking tights. Crystal smiled as they started their stretch forcing Sam to close his eyes. He’d never been good with women. He’d never been good at talking to one let alone three. Tracy's melodic voice brought a sense of calm. Sam felt a familiar falling sensation. When he opened his eyes, Tracy and Crystal stood over him.

“Are you ready to go?”

Sam found himself sitting in a full lotus position, his impending problem now disappeared. Sam took a bite of his energy bar, then looked at Aimee as she went through a series of standing stretches.

She didn’t look like much at first glance when compared to Crystal or Tracy. She appeared to be in her early twenties, shorter than him at around 5’6” tall and couldn’t weigh more than 120 lbs. She had brunette hair, though her head scarf made it impossible to tell the length. And while he’d dismissed her at first, Sam now saw the telltale legs of a well-tuned biker.

“Have you biked long?”

Aimee looked over, giving an almost embarrassed reply. “Um.. yeah… for about 15 years.”

“Wow, you must have started young. I didn’t start riding until I was in college.”

Aimee nodded and her voice was soft, “Yeah ... I started early.”

A look at Tracy and Crystal showed the two in heated discussion. “Have you been in many races?”

Aimee’s face brightened as she spoke. “I ran in the junior circuits. I got ranked for a while. I rode with a professional team in college but it eventually quit.”

“Yeah.” Sam took a deep breath. “I’m trying to get back in shape. Tracy has been a great help. Have you worked with Crystal for a long time?”

Aimee gave him an uncomfortable stare then looked over at Crystal, who was headed towards them.

“Are you two ready to roll?”

Aimee stood and Sam did the same. “Ready when you are.”

Tracy joined seconds later. “Crystal is going to lead the pack followed by Aimee, then me, and Sam in the rear.”

Crystal laughed. “I’d take Sam in the rear.”

Both Sam and Aimee blushed. Tracy didn’t look happy.. “I told you Crystal … if we’re going to do this, you need to behave.”

“Sorry.” Crystal didn’t look sorry.

Sam smiled to himself as he took his spot at the rear of the peloton. The group started slow and gathered speed as they went. Men passing on bikes from the other direction didn’t hide their stares. A couple even stopped and called out. A few unfortunates tried to catch them but to no avail. Sam could hardly blame them for their efforts. All three women ahead of him were good looking in their own way but Crystal in the lead drew the most attention. She had platinum blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, and her body looked ready for a runway. She was the tallest of the three, at least 5’9” though her body had the lithe look of someone that exercised a lot. Oddly, she’d decided to wear makeup for the ride. The combination made her stand out.

“Focus Sam.”

Tracy’s voice rang in his head. He’d fallen two bike lengths behind the pack.

“Listen to my voice.”

Sam tried to catch the trio but they started moving faster. Panic set it as a breeze hit. Tracy’s voice gave him strength.

“Focus. Relax. Smooth.”

He picked up his cadence, shifting the gears to move faster. The image of Crystal fell from his mind as his cadence got smoother. He focused on Tracy’s back tire as things fell into place. His mind fell into a familiar zone as his feet moved faster and faster.

“Sam?”

Sam looked up to see they’d returned to the parking lot. A check of his pockets showed he’d eaten both energy bars and energy gel. A check of the odometer showed they had gone 124 miles at an average speed of 24mph.

“Holy shit!”

“Calm down, Sam. Don’t make a scene.”

He had never ridden that fast for that long, even in college. Sam whispered under his voice. “We need to talk. There’s something happening.”

Tracy nodded, “I know.” She looked over at Crystal who was walking towards them. “Not now.”

Crystal asked, “Do you want to join us for dinner tonight?”

Crystal loosened her head band, allowing long blonde locks to fall past her shoulders. Sam felt himself harden when she smiled at him. It’d been years since he’d been seen in public with a woman let alone three.

Tracy said, “We can’t. We’re training.”

“You aren’t training all night.” Crystal opened an energy drink and winked at Sam as she gave it to him.

“I’ve got Sam on a tight schedule and my plan doesn’t include you Crystal.”

Crystal laughed playfully then tousled her hair, “Are you his jailer, Tracy? We’re at the Claremont hotel if you want to have some fun, Sam. You can find us at the bar.”

Sam took a sip of the oddly flavored drink. It had a strong taste of pineapple and another flavor he couldn’t quite place. A second drink made him shiver and as he puckered his lips. His problem down below grew a bit more.

Tracy said, “Not happening Crystal.”

“Why not?” Sam spoke without thinking.

“See, Tracy? Sam wants to join us. We could get some dinner and then have some drinks after. Let’s say we meet around 6PM in the lobby?”

Sam nodded. He’d come to Chicago looking for change. Dinner and drinks with a woman like Crystal was too good to pass up. He’d need to get pictures or Tommy would never believe it. “Sounds like fun. Can I get your number, Crystal?”

“Of course.” She pushed a button and a second later Sam got a notification. “I’m sending a couple of pictures too.”
Sam looked at his phone and blushed. Crystal was anything but shy.

Tracy’s face clouded as she stared at Sam, “You’re at a critical stage in your training, Sam. This is not a good idea. Remember, you told me we need to talk about the effects of your training.” Tracy’s gaze lingered on the energy drink in Sam’s hand.

“Oh, yeah.” Sam nodded, “Sorry, Crystal. I don’t have any clothes to wear.”

Crystal nodded, “Makes sense. Our workouts are famous for rapid weight loss. Maybe you could convince Tracy to take you shopping.”

Tracy said, “We don’t have time for clothes shopping, Crystal.”

“Huh…” Crystal smiled, “If you don’t have time then Aimee and I could get you something. I bet I can guess your size. Do you want to go shopping, Aimee?”

Aimee returned an awkward shrug.

Crystal grinned. “It’s a plan then. You two finish your training. We’ll meet at the hotel with some clothes. 6PM sound good?”

Sam said, “Sounds fun.”

Tracy sighed. “6PM?”

Sam watched Crystal speed off. He knew he’d upset Tracy but didn’t care as he took another sip of the energy drink.

Tracy watched Crystal as well, only speaking when she’d left their sight. “Crystal can’t be trusted.”

“She seemed nice.”

“She’s too nice.” Tracy grabbed the drink in Sam’s hand.

“Hey … I wasn’t finished with that.”

“Oh yes, you are.” She poured it on the ground. “Stay away from Camitas brand drinks.”

Sam stared at the label. It had the word Camitas written in script across the top with a hand-drawn picture of a run-down colonial villa. A beautiful woman stood on the front porch. “Is Maxus different?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It’s not the right time to talk about this Sam. Do you trust me?”

Sam said, “I’m trusting you less and less.”

Tracy sighed as she stared at the problem between Sam’s legs. “Go take care of that so we can finish today’s training.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nevermind.” Tracy shook her head. “Forget it. Men and their penises. It makes them so easy to manipulate. You’re clearly in no shape for any more training. We should get to the hotel ASAP.”

“So we’re going out tonight?”

Tracy said, “Only dinner. No drinks.”

“Thank you … thank you … thank you …” Sam shouted at the top of his lungs. “You’re the best Tracy. Do you know the last time I’ve gone out with a woman?”

Tracy sighed, “I’m sure it’s been a long time.”

As stared at Tracy, he felt a twitch in his thigh. “Oh shit.”

“Feeling sick?” Tracy gave Sam a knowing smile.

Sam nodded.

“I was afraid of that.” Tracy said, “Put your bike in my van. You’re in no shape to drive.”

Sam ran to Tracy’s van. By the time they left the parking lot, the spasms had started.

Tracy said, “Calm yourself. Remember your breathing.”

Sam nodded.

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

“In and out.”

Tracy parked under the hotel’s front entrance, and helped Sam through the lobby. The familiar feeling of queasiness hit when they got into the elevator.

“I don’t think I’m going to make it.”

Tracy said, “You’ll make it. Keep your focus.”

The pair sprinted down the hallway, Tracy pressed open the door in a flash.

Sam dove for the toilet as the first wave of nausea hit. He tried to keep it as quiet as he could with Tracy listening in the next room. The process took over an hour. His embarrassment kept him in for a few minutes more. When it felt safe, Sam exited to find Tracy seated on the bed.

“All done?”

Sam reddened, “I think so.”

Tracy passed Sam a Maxus energy drink. “Drink this. It will make you feel better.”

“I thought you said energy drinks were bad.”

“Camitas is different.”

Sam stared at Tracy. “What does that mean?”

“You’ve got to trust me.”

Sam said, “You ask for trust but you don’t tell me anything. Something weird is happening to my body. I’ve lost an impossible amount of weight and you won’t explain it.”

Tracy shook her head, “I have reasons Sam. The sickness was one of the reasons I didn’t want to go to dinner tonight.”

“You’ve known I’ve been getting sick all week?”

“Of course.” Tracy nodded, “Maxus training is intense. We use the latest tech. The energy gel I’ve been giving you is a specialized elixir meant to induce rapid weight loss. Vomiting is one of the side effects.” Tracy paused a second, “Getting sick is how fat cells leave your body.”

“Uggh. So gross.” Sam took another sip of energy drink hoping to get the taste out of his mouth.

"Sorry." Tracy shrugged. “It’s how it works.”

Sam looked down at his stomach. It looked like he’d lost a little more weight. It was hard to be mad when looking at the results. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“In my experience the training goes easier if the subject doesn’t know. You know the old saying – sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” Tracy put her arm around Sam. “If you’d known, you would have spent our rides the last few days worrying about vomiting and that would have affected the training.”

“I thought you lived in Chicago.” Sam looked around the room. It was clear Tracy had been living here for a while. “You didn’t tell me you were staying in a hotel room.”

Tracy said, “I didn’t lie to you, Sam. You assumed and I didn’t bother to correct you. I’m from Boston.”

“Boston?” Sam gave a surprised look, "You don’t sound like you’re from Boston.”

“I’ve lived in a lot of places, Sam. Do you want to know my life story?”

“Sure.”

“Not happening. At least not today.” Tracy put her hand on Sam’s shoulder, “Look … I travel for business a lot. I’m sorry for not telling you the whole truth. Trust me. I have my reasons.”

Sam asked, “Should I assume you aren’t going to tell me the reasons before dinner?”

Tracy said, “It’s better that way.”

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation. Tracy burst in a few seconds later. Aimee followed behind holding a bag from a clothing store.

Crystal looked through the doorway to Sam, “I saw your van outside. I figured we’d stop by.”

Tracy glanced at Sam, “No problem. Sam and I were done chatting.”

Crystal barged into the room. “Great. Aimee brought some clothes I think you’ll like. We guessed on the size but it should be close.”

Sam looked at Tracy and gave him a shrug.

Sam took the bag from Aimee, not saying a word as he entered the bathroom. The dress pants were sized 32x34, eight inches thinner than the clothes he’d brought with him from St. Louis. Even so, the belt was the only thing to keep them from falling.

A look in the mirror showed a confused mess. His hair looked longer, his frame thinner, and his face different. Seeing the image gave a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach while his eyes focused on his chest. All the other things could be explained. The tiny bumps couldn’t.

He’d read numerous stories about girl’s breasts. He knew all about the Tanner stages. He’d spent countless nights laying awake in bed wondering if he should see a specialist to inquire about hormones so his outsides matched his insides.

Sam’s practical knowledge of a woman’s body was less thorough. He’d never dated a girl long enough to get an extensive understanding of her mammaries and yet somehow he felt different as he pressed the darkened areolas over and over.

A look in the mirror showed a person who could pass easily in this body with a little makeup.

“Are you done in there?” Crystal spoke in a sing-song voice.

Sam shouted back. “Almost.”

He pulled on the dress shirt which hung loose on his frame. A turn to the side showed the loose shirt made his ‘pecs’ impossible to see. Sam opened the door.

Crystal said, “Ready to go?”

Sam nodded but didn’t say a word.

Everyone in the bar waved at Crystal and Aimee as they passed as Tracy hurried him through the mob. She pointed to a private room in the back. “Go in there and don’t leave. I need to do something but I’ll be back soon.” Tracy looked at Crystal. “Remember your promise.”

Crystal said, “I remember.”

Crystal waved Aimee to their table and motioned to a bartender.

Crystal said, “How are you liking your training so far?”

Sam wasn’t sure what to say. “I’ve lost a lot of weight. The puking sucks.”

“I bet…” Crystal laughed, “It’s an unfortunate side effect of the training gel but the weight loss suits you.”

“Thanks.” Sam nodded, “You guys should market that stuff.”

The bartender arrived with four beers. Crystal passed one to Sam, “Selling it is complicated but you should ask Tracy. She can explain. She left me with clear instructions. I am not to interfere with your training or she’ll go to our CEO.”

Sam took a long pull on his beer. It tasted amazing. “This is really good.”

“Glad you like it.” Crystal’s smile grew bigger. “Camitas is huge out west. I got a job working for them out of college. I have a few friends in upper management. They stocked the bar for us so feel free to drink as many as you like. We’ve got plenty.”

Sam read the label. Camitas Beer. The picture showed the same old run-down house with a beautiful woman sitting on the porch. “Camitas? Wasn’t the energy drink you gave me made by these same people?”

“Yep. Same one.”

“They make beer and energy drinks? That’s an odd combo.” Sam placed an empty bottle on the table and picked up another.

“Maxus has a clothing line, makes bikes, energy bars, tanning lotion, and energy drinks. That’s an odd combo too.” As Crystal spoke the music blared from the next room, “It sounds like the party is starting early tonight.”

Sam said, “Maxus takes their competitions seriously.”

“You have no idea.” Crystal put her hand on Sam’s thigh. “Do you want to join them, Aimee?”

Aimee shook her head.

“It’ll be fun, Aimee. You should join the others.”

Aimee stood and looked at Sam. “Do you want to come with me?”

Sam felt Crystal move her hand further up his thigh. Crystal said, “I think Sam wants to stay here. Isn’t that right, Sam?”

Sam nodded his head while trying to keep under control.

Aimee gave Sam a look then sighed before turning away.

Sam asked, “Is Aimee okay?”

“She’s a bit of a stick in the mud, but she’s the best rider here. You saw that today.” Tracy’s hand began to move back and forth. “Unfortunately for her, this competition depends on more than riding skill.”

“It does?”

Crystal shrugged, “I’d say more but…”

“Yeah… yeah… I need to talk to Tracy.”

Crystal laughed a melodic laugh. “These competitions are important to the company. Maxus brings in our best salespeople for the race. Tracy is one of our best. You’ll have to talk to her to get details.” Crystal finished off her beer and held up two fingers to the bartender who promptly returned with two more, placing one in front of Sam.

Crystal drank half her bottle in a single pull then sucked on the bottle’s neck. “Of course ... if you and I go someplace private. I might be able to tell you a few things away from prying ears. Totally your choice, of course. No pressure from this gal.” Crystal moved her hand higher.

Crystal didn’t need to ask Sam twice. “Oh yeah … yeah. I’d like to go.”

Crystal smiled, grabbing her purse and both beers, then pointing to a back exit out of the bar. “Follow me.”

Sam’s heart skipped a beat. He knew Tracy would be furious but it had been a long time. No mortal man could stand up to this kind of assault from a girl as good looking as Crystal. Sam snuck through the back door which opened up in the lobby. People stared as he and Crystal walked through the lobby hanging on each other but he didn’t care. The elevator moved at a crawl between floors. Sam downed the rest of his Camitas as they waited.

Crystal smiled but said nothing. Eventually the doors opened.

She pointed him down the hall with a well-manicured finger. When they got in her room, Crystal handed him another Camitas. “Training is thirsty work, Sam. I’m sure Tracy has told you it is important for trainees to remain hydrated.”

Sam smiled, “I doubt she meant beer.”

Crystal lay on the bed, motioning with a finger for Sam to join her. Sam’s heart skipped a beat as he sat and unbuttoned his shirt. Sam closed his eyes as she began to massage his shoulders before removing the shirt completely. Her hands moved lower to his chest causing Sam to let out a soft moan.

“My .. my … aren’t we full of surprises. I see your training is ahead of schedule.”

Crystal’s lips felt amazing on his neck. He nearly lost control as she moved further down.

“Lay back.”

Sam did as she asked, seconds later the belt came off and then pants followed. Both stared at the tower standing between them.

“Move further on the bed.”

Sam shook his head as he followed her orders. “I haven’t done this in a long time.”

Crystal gave a reassuring look, “Don’t worry, Sam. I’m good at this.” The way she spoke reminded him of Tracy, but all coherent thoughts left him after Crystal pulled her dress over her shoulders. It didn’t seem possible a body so small could have breasts so big. He reached out to touch them.

“No … no.” Crystal smacked his hand. “Not yet.” She leaned forward allowing him to press against her belly. She continued to move forward until his member wedged itself between her tits. She moved forward and backward. Forward and backward. Forward and backward.

Sam begged, “Go slower … I can’t…”

“It’s ok, Sam. Let go.”

Sam did as she asked though it wasn’t like he had much choice. His pent up abstinence of the past decade let loose all at once all over her chest.

“Good … good.” Crystal said, grabbing Sam’s hands.

“What are you doing?”

“You want these?” Sam’s hands soon grew wet with a mixture of Crystal’s sweat and his own seed. Crystal moved Sam’s hand back and forth, until the mixture covered her breasts. “Lick them.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“I can’t do that.”

Crystal wiggled her way up to make it easier for Sam to fondle her. “You can. According to the reports you’ve dreamed of little else for the past decade.”

“Reports? What reports?”

“Ask Tracy.”

“Tracy has reports on me?”

Crystal spoke as if reading from a paper. “Subject exhibits all the markers of gender dysphoria. Request permission for gender reassignment.” Crystal looked at Sam. “Tracy filed that report last night.”

Sam asked, “Tracy wants to turn me into a girl?”

Crystal said, “Her report said you wanted to be turned into a girl. Are you saying you don’t want that?”

“No … no ….” Sam shook his head, “I don’t know. Is that sort of thing even possible?”

“It looks like you’ve already started.” Crystal placed a finger on Sam’s nipple and moved it back and forth. “Or are you telling me you haven’t noticed this?”

Crystal moved Sam’s hands to his breast, causing a sticky mess. Crystal leaned forward and licked the area clean.

She smiled. “Now do me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because every guy deserves at least one good fuck in his life.” She smiled as she placed a hand between Sam’s legs. “A shame I didn’t find you first. We might have had a lot of fun together.”

Sam struggled to keep control. If someone had suggested to him a few days ago he would find himself in this position with a woman, any woman, but especially one as beautiful as Crystal, he would have called them crazy. As Crystal pressed herself forward, she moved his head to her breast.

Sam’s world exploded in a flash of color, the room taking on strange hues while bursts of light emanated from both Crystal and himself. Shouts of ecstasy filled his ears as the colors danced on. When Sam opened his eyes he found himself holding Crystal.

She cooed. “Was I good?”

Sam’s brain faded in and out like a wire with a short. “You were… amazing.”

Crystal beamed. “I never tire of hearing that.”

Sam didn’t notice the door open as Tracy entered. He didn’t hear the shouting when Crystal got up. He had no idea how long he lay there until Tracy’s voice shouted through the fog.

“Get dressed, Sam.”

Sam did as she asked but the smile wouldn’t leave his face.. Crystal smiled back as Sam walked to the door. Sam asked, “Will I see you tomorrow?”

Crystal shook her head, “Not unless Mommy lets you come out to play. Either way, I had a good time tonight. I hope you did too.” She winked at Tracy who slammed the door shut.

Tracy didn’t say a word as they walked to the elevator. Sam broke the silence. “I’m sorry Tracy. I didn’t think it would make you this mad. I wanted to do it.”

“I know. I’m disappointed, that’s all.”

“Oh.” Sam nodded, then thought about what he’d done. “Disappointed?” Sam had been overlooked his entire life. He’d always been the beta, never the alpha but now, in this body… “You know … we could … you know … do it … if you want.”

Sam’s comment caused Tracy to stop walking. “You think you and I should have sex??”

As Sam stared at Tracy, he saw a beauty he hadn’t noticed before. Her muscular legs, the lack of makeup, her short cropped hair. “Don’t you?”

Tracy’s guffaws caused people down the hall to turn around and look. “Get over yourself lover boy. We have a lot of things to discuss tonight and your actions have made everything much more complicated.”

---

---

Sam hid from the world for most of his life but a chance encounter burst everything open. Now Tracy has promised to reveal the truth.

Sam’s heart pounded as he avoided Tracy’s stare. “You said we’d talk.”

Tracy turned the door handle to her room. “You and I … we ARE going to talk.”

Sam lingered outside the door, a fear-filled dread filling his mind. “You owe me answers. Crystal told me everything... ”

“Everything?” Tracy turned on a heel, her interest piqued. “What did she tell you?”

Sam whispered his response, the idea so ludicrous on its face. “She said you’re turning me into a girl.”

“Of course she did.” Tracy shook her head, a teasing smile on her lips. “Crystal doesn’t have the cleverest of minds and still … I’m surprised you aren’t sprinting through my door.”

Sam tried to make sense of things. “What are you trying to say?”

Tracy pointed Sam towards the bed and pulled out a data pad. “Sit down and roll up your sleeves. I need to evaluate the damage.”

Sam’s feet moved forward without instruction, he tripped and fell into the bed as he tried to sit. Tracy flashed another smile but Sam didn't notice. A tantalizing smell somewhere in the room called to him. “So, is it true?”

“No, Sam. It is not true. I am not turning you into a girl.” Tracy sighed, “How much have you had to drink tonight?”

“Three or four beers…” Sam shrugged, “… or more.”

“Camitas brand?” Tracy wrapped a velcro cuff around Sam’s bicep, and pulled it tight.

“Yeah.” Sam nodded. “What is that thing?”

Tracy attached a cord to the cuff and the cord to a data pad. The device beeped a few seconds later. She looked at the device and then at

Sam’s worried eyes. “Not much harm. The 0.12 blood alcohol will be a problem. Get ready to run.”

Sam hadn’t registered Tracy’s words before the acid taste of bile crept up his throat. “Oh god.” He made a mad dash to the bathroom, finding the toilet in the nick of time. The harsh smell of alcohol wafted from the bowl below.

Tracy stood in the doorway. “Get up.”

“What did you do to me?”

“I purged the beer from your system.”

“You what? How did you do that?”

Tracy handed Sam a cup of coffee and pointed to a chair. “Sit.”

“No.” Sam said, “You owe me answers.”

“I’ll answer your questions as soon as your mind has a chance to clear.” Tracy took a deep breath. “Your body wasn’t the only thing Crystal screwed with tonight.”

Sam smiled as he thought of Crystal. It had been a long time since he’d had sex. He took a long sip of coffee, remembering the encounter. After a second sip, questions began to form. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like our conversation?”

“Because you won’t.” She pointed to the pot of coffee. “More caffeine. We need your brain awake and there’s a lot to cover. It’s going to be a long night.”

“Come on, Tracy.” Sam ripped open his shirt, popping open a few buttons in the process. “You’re trying to tell me you have nothing to do with this?” A look down showed his nipples had distended even more.

“I am not the one changing your body, Sam.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s not a lie, Sam.” Tracy sighed. “I knew you were hiding things when we first met but no one shows the world their true face.”

“What does that mean?” Sam got an itchy feeling on his skin, like he did at the start of a panic attack.

“Meeting you was either destiny or dumb luck but I’ve been around long enough to not question such things.” Tracy took a deep breath. "When I saw you, I saw someone I knew I could help. I’d had a bad day and you looked like an easy win. I figured … what the hell. My rider quit so I had an extra bike and plenty of Maxus gear.”

Sam thought about the Maxus sports bra in the box she gave him. “Were you training a girl?”

“Yeah.” Tracy nodded. “Her name is Sydney. She’s from Boston, like me. The Chicago branch has an open position and our CEO tasked each branch to find the best candidate. A week ago, the competition had entrants from Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Chicago is the home location so they had two entries.”

Sam rubbed his temples. “The race is a job interview?”

“Of a sort. The race is different than anything you could imagine. Three competitors have dropped out, including Sydney.”

“I don’t need a job.”

“Maxus isn’t any job.” Tracy looked at Sam, her eyes looking hesitant. “Joining Maxus would change your life. We’re a leading member in the most prestigious organization in the world.”

“Don’t you …” Sam said, doing his best to hold off a grin. “... spend your days riding a bike?”

“That’s a cover, Sam.” Tracy’s brow furrowed as she took her time to choose her words. “Maxus is a witch’s coven.”

Sam stared with his mouth open.

“Did you hear what I said? We’re witches, Sam. I’m a witch. Crystal’s a witch. Aimee’s a witch.”

Sam didn’t speak, waiting for the punchline.

“Do you have questions?”

Sam tried to speak but his mouth wouldn’t work.

Tracy’s face softened, “Do you remember the contract you signed on Monday?”

Sam’s blood turned cold. He mouthed the words, ‘Oh shit’.

“Do you remember skimming the contract?”

Fear crawled up Sam’s spine.

“Calm yourself.” Tracy instructed. “Remember to breathe.”

Sam tried taking a couple ragged breaths in and out.

“Good.” Tracy nodded. “I’m sure a lawyer like your friend Tommy would have insisted you read every line. Most people sign documents without reading every word, but the best law firm wouldn’t find anything out of the ordinary in ours. Like all good contracts, the truth is between the lines.”

Sam asked, “You know Tommy?”

“I know everything about you. I’ve had people researching your past. I know the reason you were late for our ride this morning was because Tommy’s ex, Danielle stopped by the house.”

“How do you know that?”

“My people are good.”

“Fuck off.”

Sam stood and Tracy moved her hand. ““You are bound to me, Sam.”

An invisible force pushed Sam back into the chair. “What???”

“It’s in the contract.” Sam tried to stand but Tracy waved her hand, forcing Sam to sit again. “It’s only for a week but during that time you and I are bound as master and student. The contract ends on Sunday at sundown. Until then, you are my charge and as such, Order rules allow me to administer potions, tests, and methods as I deem fit the situation.”.

Sam gulped. “Potions, tests, and methods? What potions? What tests? What methods?”

Tracy sighed. “I didn’t intend to bring you harm. With Sydney gone, I figured our deal would be simple. I’d help you lose a few pounds. You’d salvage my shitty week by letting me perform a good deed. But to help an outsider, Order rules insist we must be bound. That means I am responsible for your actions.”

“Order rules? What’s this Order you keep mentioning?”

“Ah, yes.” Tracy put her hands behind her back, a stance Sam had learned was her teaching pose. “Every witch in the world is part of the Order.”

Sam shook his head, “Like a witch’s union?”

Tracy sat on the bed in front of Sam. “Think of your fraternity. Fraternities at a college are chapters who report to their national headquarters. The Order is the same. Maxus is a chapter of the Order. We select our own members and have our own rules but if we stray too far, they’ll close down our house.”

Sam smiled, remembering the days of hazing freshmen. “Do you have pledge pins?”

“The Order is no joke, Sam. We’ve existed longer than any government in the world. Our courts have case law which goes back a thousand years. Every witch in the world is bound to the Order’s tenets upon pain of death.”

“Death?” Sam repeated, as if that sort of thing needed repeating.

Tracy looked him square in the eye. She quoted, “Ut ex chao.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It’s our motto.” Tracy’s eyes flashed, “It means ‘Order from chaos’.”

“Now you’re scaring me.” Sam took a deep breath.

“That’s good. The Order will do anything to remain in the shadows. We have ever-ready strike teams at our headquarters in Amsterdam waiting to fix problems.”

Sam leaned forward, his head in his hands. “This is a bad dream. Please tell me this is because you’re mad I slept with Crystal.”

Tracy pointed at Sam’s chest. “Can you explain those? Are they a bad dream?”

“No.” Sam placed a hand on his chest and pressed down. “I don’t … I can’t…It’s not...”

“Fear is not helpful in solving our problem.” Tracy put her hand on Sam’s shoulder, her touch bringing an instant sense of calm. “There’s something you need to know.”

“What’s that?”

Tracy said, “You’re a witch too.”

“Me?” Sam looked up in disbelief. “A witch?”

Tracy’s face betrayed no emotion. “Yes.”

“But I’m a guy.”

“Men can be witches, Sam. Don’t be sexist.”

“They can?”

“About one in four witches in the world are men. The Order’s founder was a man and men make up a disproportionate percentage of our leadership.” Tracy’s face looked pained as she made a loud sigh. “You’re a witch and the sooner you accept it, the easier things will go the next few days. You’ve got a lot to learn, and not enough time to do it.”

Sam said, “You’re going to teach me how to be a witch?”

“Not exactly. There’s not enough time for that.” Tracy shrugged, “I’m going to teach you how to win the race.”

“Win the race? Fuck that…” Sam shook his head. “I’m going to Tommy’s house. I’m going to try to forget we ever met.” Sam drank the rest of his coffee and tried to stand but a force pushed him back into the chair.

“I can’t let you leave without knowing all the facts.” Tracy moved her hand as she spoke words in a language Sam didn’t understand. “In the end, it is your choice, but I must warn you. The life of an independent witch is dangerous, and a fool’s errand for someone at your age without training. You need friends.”

“I don’t care.” Sam tried to stand again.

Tracy’s hand moved and Sam found he couldn’t move either leg. “The Order has a name for witches like you.”

“So?” After struggling for thirty seconds, Sam stopped trying to escape.

“Are you done?” Tracy took a passive stance, again with her hands touching behind her back. “Most witches manifest their talent during their teenage years. The Order has an entire department of witches whose sole job is to find teenagers with the talent. They funnel them to schools who can give them proper training.”

“But not me.”

Tracy nodded, “We miss students all the time. Think about it. The United States graduates more than three million high-schoolers every year. That’s three million potential witches in one country. We don’t have the resources to scan everyone so some get missed. Most are no problem as their abilities fade without training.”

“And the others?”

“We call them feral witches. These witches are a potential threat to the Order. Most get purged.”

“Purged?” Sam tried to stand but Tracy forced him to sit.

“A purge doesn’t kill.” Tracy returned to her teaching pose. “The goal of a purge is to return things to normal as our existence depends on remaining hidden. A purge wipes a person’s memories of our organization and rips the magic from their soul. If you don’t win the race, you’ll find yourself on Tommy's couch, with the memories and look from before our first meeting.”

Sam looked down, “No abs?”

“Come on, Sam.” Tracy shook her head. “Let’s stop pretending. Your true interest is the items growing above your abs.”

Sam closed his eyes. So much was happening. He tried to slow his breathing. He tried to make sense of Tracy’s words. “What are you suggesting?”

“You are bound to me through Sunday and I can protect you if you’re accepted into Maxus. To do that you need to win the race.”

The panic boiled through Sam’s blood, “I don’t think I can. It’s too much.”

“You have to try.” Tracy’s face took a serious tone. “I don’t want to scare you but there are things in my world much worse than a purge. I will do everything I can to protect you but our best course forward is to stick to the plan.”

Sam said, “I wish we’d never met.”

“I understand your sentiment. I do.” She put her hand on his shoulder. “But I can’t say I wish we’d never met. You have a rare talent and only need training to blossom. I know I can help you become the person you want to be.” She lifted Sam’s head so they stared eye to eye. “I see you. The binding allows me to see things others can’t. I know you can do this.”

“You think so?”

Tracy said, “I’ve broken a half a dozen Order rules in the past ten minutes by telling our secrets to a non-member. Would I go to the trouble if I thought you couldn’t win?”

Sam drank another cup of coffee but what he craved was a cigarette. It’d been four days and he hadn’t thought about it once since he’d moved. St. Louis to Chicago was three hundred miles by car but it might have been three million the way Sam felt. In St. Louis, Sam lived his days in non-stop sameness as a company brand manager. Only on nights and weekends did Samantha show her face. She holed up in the apartment, only appearing in public for an occasional balcony cigarette before returning to confinement.

“I need to go downstairs.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not safe, Sam.” Tracy said, “I’ve told you too much of our world and other witches might pick up on it. We can’t risk them finding out your powers.”

“My powers?” Sam shook his head. It sounded unreal. “I don’t have any powers. I can’t do a single card trick. How can I be a witch?”

“Witchcraft is about potential. I’m sure that’s the reason Crystal asked you out to dinner.”

Sam said, “That’s harsh. I’ve lost a lot of weight.”

Tracy said, “You think she asked you out because of your looks? You’re not that cute.”

“Ouch.” Sam said, “You didn’t need to make it personal.”

Tracy held her index finger in the air. “Lesson #1 - Assume everyone has an agenda in the witching world. You can’t trust anyone.”

“Even you?”

Tracy shook her head, “Not even me. You have a chance to win if you remember this rule through the weekend.”

Sam tried to stand and found Tracy had released his bindings. “I assume you have a plan.”

Tracy nodded, “I always have a plan.” She pointed at Sam’s chest. “And it has to do with those.”

“My chest?”

“Your boobs are the key to everything.”

“My boobs. Ha!” It sounded weird to hear anyone saying the word referring to him. The bumps on his chest didn’t amount to much. The breast forms Sam hid in Tommy’s garage filled a C-Cup. A training bra would take care of his swelled chest. Sam pressed down on the area.

“So you did lie. You are trying to turn me into a girl.”

“I told you the truth, Sam. I’m not doing anything to you.” Tracy’s eyes looked up and down Sam’s body in a way that made him feel uncomfortable. “You are doing that to yourself.”

“Me?” Sam stopped playing with his nascent boobs. “No way.”

“I agree. I didn't believe it myself when I saw the readings. It shouldn’t be possible. You aren't trained to cast spells. It takes most witches a year of training to learn basic spells.” She pointed at Sam’s chest. “What’s happening to you takes transformational masters decades of training. Only the most powerful can do what you’ve managed to do.”

Sam pressed on a nipple. “It doesn’t look like much.”

“None of this should be happening since you don't have any idea how to harness your power or store magic. My best guess is the weight loss elixir was a trigger for you. It’s like putting a key into a lock. My scans show you’ve been making the changes each night in your sleep. With every change your magic has gotten stronger, and in turn has allowed you to change your body more.”

“So you think if I change myself enough, I can win the race?”

“Exactly.” Tracy stood still, and stared into Sam’s eyes. “Every witch in this hotel knows you’re feral and they know about your crossdressing. They know you’re in my charge and I let it slip that I’m helping you change genders. They don’t see you as a serious threat and if we play it right … we’ll take them by surprise.”

Sam nodded. “Rule #1. A witch can’t trust anyone. You want me to fool them.”

“Now you’re getting it.”

“Okay.” Sam said, feeling more confident, “So what’s next?”

“To complete the process, you and I are going to spend the night together.”

“You want to have sex?”

“As if. Maxus has rules against a master sleeping with their students.” Tracy smiled. “I’ll be sitting in a chair, funneling magic into you as I feel you run low. If my theory is right, we’ll know the truth in the morning.” Tracy tossed a bottle of Maxus Energy Drink to Sam. “Drink this.”

Sam sniffed the opening. It was the intoxicating odor he’d been smelling since he arrived. He took a small sip followed by a bigger gulp. A liquid hit his stomach then cascaded through his whole body.

Tracy said, “Feel nice?”

“Ohmygod!!!”

“What you are feeling is the rush of a large dose of magic entering your system all at once.”

Sam took another sip. This time the feeling wasn’t as strong. “It’s like a mana potion.”

“A what?”

Sam asked, “Have you ever played that online game … Wizards of Lore?

Tracy frowned. “I don’t play online games.”

Sam ignored her. “In Wizards of Lore and magic users run low on mana, they drink a potion and it fills them up so they can cast more magic.” Sam took another sip but didn’t feel anything. “Damn … the feeling’s gone.”

“You’ve filled your magic. I told you. New witches can’t store much magic in reserve and it takes them a long time to regenerate magic without help.”

“You mean mana.”

“Sam…”

“Sorry.”

Tracy said, “Focus.”

Sam nodded, “Sorry. I’m freaking out. It’s easier to think of this as a game.”

“No one’s going to be able to rez you if you screw up in the real world, Sam.” Tracy grinned.

“Hey! I thought you said you didn’t play those kinds of games.”

Tracy said, “I lied.”

“Ha! Another lesson?” Sam nodded as he took another sip. “I’ve been drinking these for the last few days. It’s never felt like this.”

“Tracy bonked you.” Tracy’s face kept a sly grin. “She drank from you like you are drinking from that bottle.”

“Oh.” Sam’s face clouded over. His memories of Crystal felt so nice. “I … I … wasn’t myself.”

“I’m sure you enjoyed it. I hear she is quite talented..” Tracy winked, “Crystal has always had a thing for virgins. It’s one of her kinks.”

“I’m not a virgin.”

“Close enough.” She held up the data pad. “Remember, this measures everything.”

“Harsh.” Sam stared at the bottle before taking another sip. The label read ‘Maxus Energy Drink’ in Helvetica typeface across the top. In the middle was a picture of a woman riding an old bike. Underneath the woman read the words, ‘Carpe Diem’. Not the most original ad campaign but not terrible.

Sam tried to push the memories of Crystal out of his head. “Do you think that’s the reason Crystal slept with me?”

“It’s impossible to know Crystal’s motives.” Tracy paused a second, “Sorry about the ‘not cute’ comment earlier. I have my own issues dealing with men and I took it out on you. Sharp words work on men better than any spell but you didn’t deserve my snark.”

“It’s ok. I’ve never been good with men or women.”

Tracy nodded, her face growing flush. “There are times I hate being able to read men’s emotions. To be honest, there’s a part of me who’s jealous of Crystal. She always does what she wants without caring about repercussions. I’ve never been like that.”

“Well, if you want...”

Tracy interrupted as Sam started to speak, “No, Sam. That doesn’t mean I want to sleep with you. I’m never going to sleep with you.”

“Got it. Understood. Never bringing up the subject again.” Sam’s face reddened. “Sooo … what’s next?”

“We’re going to sneak out of here and get you a cab. You’ll take it to get your car and head to Tommy’s. I’ll meet you there as soon as I’m able.”

Sam’s car sat alone in the parking lot as the cab sped off. A look inside showed no one had stolen anything. He pressed a button on his cell phone on the ride home. Tommy picked up after the fourth ring.

“What’s up Sam?”

“Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Not at all. We’re finished at the client’s office and about to head to dinner.”

Sam asked, “Another late night?”

Tommy’s house looked spotless when Sam opened the front door. The dishes he’d left piled in the sink were in the dishwasher.

Tommy sounded distracted, “You know how it is.”

“Yeah.” Sam let the silence linger. This wasn’t a great time for discussion but they might not have another chance. “Danielle stopped by this morning.”

“She did?” Tommy grew quiet. “What did she want?”

“She stopped by to pick up some things from the garage.”

Tommy said, “Did you fight?”

“We argued some but sorted it out.” The Maxus clothing he’d strewn all over the living room had disappeared. Sam found it folded and sitting on top of the dresser in his bedroom, “She’s nicer than I remember. She told me you aren’t divorced.”

Tommy didn’t answer at first and when he did, he spoke one word at a time. “We … aren’t … legally … separated.”

“Not legally separated, huh? That’s an interesting word choice coming from a lawyer.” Sam said, “You told me you got a divorce and Danielle gave you the house.”

“I missed you, man. I wanted you to move to Chicago and I knew what you’d think. I’m paying for the mortgage and all the expenses. Danielle has her own place downtown.”

“You lied to me.”

“It’s not a lie. It’s …” Tommy paused. “Can we talk about this when I get home?”

Everything might be different by morning. “It can’t wait, Tommy.”

Tommy said, “Sorry, Sam. I have to go. Someone is calling my name.”

The phone went dead.

Sam found the items from his makeup bag lined in a brown on the bathroom counter. A company card sat nearby.

_________________________________
Rejin Consulting, Inc.
Danielle Hudson
Associate Partner
Email:dani.hudson @ rejinconsulting.com
_________________________________

Danielle wrote a note on the back.

‘I was happy to see you this morning, Sam. I sense you’re going through a rough time. I’m a good listener if you need to talk.’

Sam loosened his shirt and let it fall to the floor, his eyes staring at the image staring back. He’d taken a chance moving to this town. If Tracy was right, he’d be unrecognizable by this time tomorrow.

A strange town, no friends, no place to stay, and no job.

Sam turned to the side. “What’s the old saying? The surest way to make someone miserable is to give them everything they want.”

The urge to puke forced Sam to his knees but nothing came out. When he stood, Sam retrieved Danielle’s card from the counter. There’s no way he could talk to her. No sane person would believe Tracy’s story.

“What the fuck am I going to do?”

Sam continued to stare in the bathroom mirror until the chimes of the doorbell rang in the distance.

Tracy strode inside carrying bags in both hands. She looked at Sam for a brief second, then took a longer look around to appraise her surroundings. “Nice place.”

Sam pointed to the hallway. “I assume you want to do this in the bedroom?”

Tracy smiled. “Straight to business?” She sat a bag of women’s clothing on the kitchen counter. “I can feel your hesitation, Sam.” She pulled a wine bottle from the other bag. “We should talk. I’m sure you have more questions. I hit you with a lot of info at the hotel.”

“Don’t you want me clear headed?”

Tracy opened cupboard doors until she found a wine glass. “Non-alcoholic.”

Sam had never been much of a drinker since his college days. Tonight, he wished Tracy had showed up with a bottle of Kentucky’s finest. “Too bad.”

Tracy popped the cork on the bottle. “You can’t run from your problems forever. I’m pretty sure that’s how you ended up in this mess.”

Sam said, “You mean the mess you created for me by asking me to sign my life away in a contract?”

Tracy raised her glass and took a drink. “Touche, Sam.” She poured wine into the other glass and handed it to Sam. “I've spent the last few days trying to figure out how someone without training could suppress their magic ability. I didn't notice it when we first met. My suspicion is you learned to hide it from the world at a young age, which put a damper on your abilities so no one could see the person inside.”

Sam took a sip of the wine, then looked at Tracy. “This wine isn’t some weird witch brand, is it?”

“Nope. Store bought. I can show you the receipt if you want.”

Sam swirled his glass, staring as liquid made circle after circle, “Everything you’ve told me sounds ridiculous.”

“Of course it does. I felt the same way when they told me.”

Sam looked up from his wine glass. “Was it tough when you found out about witches?”

Tracy sipped at her glass. “A recruiter approached me in high school. She was pushy and mentioned I’d qualified for a scholarship. I wasn’t a great student and figured it was a scam but they paid for my Mom and me to visit their college. They put us up in a great hotel and plied us with good food. At one point in the weekend, they split the students off from the parents and told us the truth. I thought it was a joke.”

“That must have been rough.”

As Tracy spoke, Sam's mind wondered about the person in front of him. She was no longer a young woman, mid-thirties if Sam had to guess, and yet most men would kill for an evening with her. But still, hidden behind her confident look Sam sensed a young girl underneath, wearing a boxy dress and long braided hair, crouched under the covers of her bed as tears flowed down her face.

“It was rough.” Tracy said.

“Where did you go to school?”

“Asher College. It’s in Massachusetts.”

“Never heard of it.”

“Most haven’t.” Tracy poured some more wine. “I tried to tell my Mom the truth on the ride home but they’d spelled us so our mouths couldn’t form the words. I cried myself to sleep that night and many nights afterward.”

“That sucks.”

“I adjusted. A few years later they sent me to MIT for graduate school.”

“Wow.”

Tracy swirled the wine in her glass. “My first job out of school was at a large tech coven in San Francisco until a spot opened up at Maxus. I’ve been with them ever since.”

“You make being a witch sound like a job.”

“It’s not a job, Sam.” Tracy nodded. “It’s a way of life. That’s something you need to understand before we go forward. I lost touch with Mom and all my high school friends after graduation.”

Sam said, “I’m not close with my parents. I don’t have many friends.”

Tracy looked at the pictures on the wall, “I know you’re friends with Tommy. There’s no shame in volunteering for a purge. You wouldn’t be the first. If we go forward, we both know things will change more for you than they ever did for me.”

“Yeah …” Sam looked down at his body. “It’s like living a dream and a nightmare at the same time. I don’t know what to do. I’m not good with change.”

Tracy stared at Sam’s budding chest. “Despite all evidence to the contrary.”

“You know what I meant.”

“Sorry. Bad joke.” Tracy looked at a picture of Sam and Tommy in college. “When I was in college, I found myself surrounded by legacy witches. They’d gone to the best private witching academies in high school and made it clear to first-generation witches how they felt. For a long time I wondered if I’d ever be as good as them.”

“Were you?”

“I’m in Maxus aren’t I?” Tracy smiled. “Our situations are different but I have a sense of what you’re going through. You’ve felt like an outsider your whole life so you pretended to be something you’re not. You’ve hidden away in books and involved yourself in relationships you force to fizzle out. You can’t do that in the witching world. Every flaw … every fear … every emotion. There will always be someone looking to take advantage of your innermost secrets. What Crystal did to you tonight is mild.”

Sam asked, “Did you know what she’d do?”

“I suspected.” Tracy nodded. “Crystal has never been a deep thinker.” She put a hand on Sam’s back. “I hoped she’d give you a taste of our world but I never would have left you alone with her if I thought she were a real threat. You wanted you to understand how the witching world preys on weakness and discards the unworthy. The only way to survive is to be honest with yourself. Do you think you can do that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you want a girl’s body?”

Sam stared at a picture of him and Tommy, both well into their cups. He would never forget the night of the junior year mixer with Phi Lambda Phi sorority. Standing next to them in the picture was a girl wearing a goofy grin. She’d told them her name was Danielle. “I’m not sure.”

“Are you serious?” Tracy’s downed the last of her wine, “You’ve dreamed of becoming a woman most of your life. You’ve spent the last ten years living as a woman in private. Now you have an opportunity to make it happen, and you aren’t sure?”

“It’s hard to explain.” Sam felt the start of a panic attack, “I wanted it and I dreamed of it. I closed myself off from the world because of it but at this moment … I don’t know. What if it’s a fetish or something I can live with? What if I’m a man who likes to wear dresses? I’m changing everything. I’ll have to quit my job … my best friend won’t know me … the whole world will look at me different.”

“I’ll help you adjust, Sam. The Order takes care of our own.”

“You said it yourself.” Sam said, shaking his head, “The first rule of your world is not to trust anyone.”

“Aren’t some things worth the risk?” Tracy stood. “Take a good look at yourself in a mirror and tell me you aren’t thrilled with the changes. Our bond tells me the answer. Remember, I’m not doing this to your body, you are. Fear is the only thing holding you back from getting everything you’ve always wanted. You know you want this.”

“It’s a lot to process.”

“We don’t have time for you to get comfortable, Sam.”

Sam looked into Tracy’s eyes, “Do you think I can win the race?”

“Crystal approached you tonight because you scared her today.” Tracy placed her wine glass on the counter. “I don’t know how many times I have to repeat myself until you believe me. I know you can do this.”

Sam nodded as he took a deep breath. “What do you need me to do?”

Tracy held up a bag. “I went shopping while Crystal entertained you. Go take a shower and put on these clothes. I’ll get things ready in the bedroom.”

Sam looked in the mirror as water from his body dripped on the floor. His legs looked as fit as they’d ever been during his riding days. His waist didn’t show a single ounce of fat. He would have killed for this golden tan in college though he’d have difficulty explaining his lack of hair. His chest hadn’t gotten smaller. In fact, the redness looked worse.

Sam turned to the side to see his profile. Like his belly, the area had gotten smaller,his flabby pecs replaced by something much firmer and now pointing up. The breast buds, there wasn’t any other name for it, were surrounded by small mounds and darkening areolas. He’d read enough to know he was past Tanner stage 1.

Sam reached in the bag and found the bra Tracy had purchased. It wasn’t much. Sized 38A. He’d bought many bras in the past, the last a 44D, which were a perfect fit when combined with his flabby chest and C-cup breast forms.

Sam put his arms through the straps then reached behind to fasten the clasp. The bra’s silk material felt smooth as it glided over his skin. The support felt amazing. Sam straightened his posture until he felt an audible ‘pop’ in his back.

Sam said, “Ouch,” though it didn’t hurt.

After a look in the mirror, Sam thrust out his chest. He’d worn many bras over the years but this was the first time he’d seen a bra pressing up hairless flesh, giving the appearance of real cleavage. A strong grip on the counter steadied his feet as tears filled his eyes. The itchy electric feeling of a panic attack flowed through his skin but this time it felt different. Usually, the fear forced him to his knees. Now, he stood tall as his eyes drank in his naked image.

Whether caused by hope, excitement, or maybe even magic, the whirlwind of the past few days swirled in Sam’s brain, dispersing the cloud. Thoughts of Tommy, Danielle, Tracy, and his new job jumbled together as he continued to stare. Tears filled his eyes at the realization he might get the one thing he wanted.

Sam held the dress against his body before putting it on. It slid on easy, exposing curves he hadn’t noticed gathering over the past three days.

“Tracy!”

The door opened in an instant

“Yes?”

“What do you think?”

Tracy said, “You look beautiful, Sam.”

“You think so?” Sam whispered as his tears continued to fall.

Tracy grabbed a tissue. “Your face looks a little splotchy.”

Sam laughed as he wiped his eyes and stared in the mirror. “Would it be okay if I put on some makeup?”

“I insist on it.” Tracy grinned.

Sam sat in the chair and began applying base. Tracy didn’t say a word as she watched from the doorway.

It was weird to have someone watch him do this. Weird and wonderful. He’d held this secret for thirty years and in one day, two women had seen him wearing makeup.

Tracy said, “You’re better at that than me.”

Sam spread the concealer under his eyes. “I had no choice. I was so hideous, getting good applying makeup was my only chance.”

“Stop that, Sam.”

The eyeliner pencil moved with a mind of its own, marking dark lines across his eyelids, “Stop what?”

Tracy said, “You’ve always been a beautiful woman. I thought so the moment we met.”

Sam laughed as mascara covered his lashes, “In the park?”

Tracy moved closer to Sam. “My job allows me to meet new people everyday and my abilities show me their loneliness and their pain. When we first met, I felt a pain so deep I wondered how you got out of bed but when I looked deeper, I felt hope. After we first spoke, I thought it was the hope of moving to a new city but then I saw her. I saw you Sam -- I saw the woman inside."

Sam put the finishing touches on his eye shadow when Tracy held his wig. “Isn’t that too much for bed? I’m going to sleep, and besides, a wig gets hot at night and you wake up to a garish mess that’s hell to untangle.”

Tracy pointed to her own close cropped hair. “You don’t need to preach to me about the benefits of short hair but there will be no half measures tonight.” She held the wig over Sam’s head as they both worked to fix it in place. “That’s better.”

Sam blushed as glanced at the mirror. Tracy was laying it on a bit thick but he appreciated the support. “You are the first person I’ve ever let watch me get dressed. It doesn’t feel weird as I thought.”

“You’re beginning to feel comfort in your skin. That’s a good sign.”

Sam added some lipstick that matched the wig. “I look like a girl.”

“You are a girl, Sam. You always were.”

“Of course. I know.” Sam moved his head from right to left, his red locks flying back and forth.

Tracy held out an energy drink. “Drink up.”

Sam chugged the whole bottle.

Tracy pointed to the bedroom. “It’s time for bed.”

Sam yawned, “Do you prefer the right or left side? I have a bad habit of hogging the blankets.”

Tracy shook her head. “The time for joking is over, Sam. You need to center yourself. We’ll meditate before you go to sleep.”

“I’m too tired to sit.” He jumped on the bed and lay back on a pillow.

“Meditation doesn’t have to occur sitting down.” Tracy spoke in an authoritative voice Sam recognized as an order. “Lay back and relax.”

He sighed, “Okay.”

“Listen to the sound of my voice. “

Sam did as she asked.

“Close your eyes and concentrate on what you want.”

“I don’t…”

“Shhh…. What do you want, Sam? What have you always wanted?”

Sam centered his mind and repeated a single thought: “What do I want?”

His thoughts drifted to Tommy. His thoughts drifted to the nights as a child when he cursed his body. He’d run from these thoughts but he couldn’t run from his dreams. His dreams knew the truth as thoughts turned to Samantha. She smiled as she slipped into oblivion.

Tracy kissed Sam on the forehead as she sensed his brain enter REM sleep. She put another blanket over him, “Sleep well Sam.”

Tracy sent a secure message to Amsterdam:

‘Subject Chrysalis in transition. Impressive results so far. Will send a followup report tomorrow.’

---

---

Sam has hid from the world for most of his life -- Sometimes dreams come true. Somethings they feel like a nightmare.

A voice echoed down from the heavens.
‘Sleep well Sam.’

*****

Sam's eyelids fluttered open. “We’ve got to move.” Tommy stood above him.

“What’s going on?”

Sam tried to get up, but could move. Primal fear filled the air when he looked at the high walls surrounding the darkened hallway. The floor of the hallway was filled with a sort of murky mist, making every step a danger. He proved this when, as he stood, he tripped on an unseen object returning him to the floor. As he lay in the muck, Sam saw he wore a pair of ratty old high tops he’d last worn in college. A look at his chest showed a favorite St. Louis Cardinals straining to hold his bulk. Underneath he wore a pair of baggy shorts with tears.

Tommy helped Sam to his feet. “You’ve got to keep moving.”

“What’s going on?”

A thunderous roar shattered the silence, sending tremors down Sam's spine. A creature emerged from the end of the hall. Steam and smoke rose from its curvy body.

“Is that…” Sam asked.

“Yeah…” Tommy nodded.

"Sammy," the beast snarled in a perfect imitation of Danielle's voice. "You can't hide forever." The creature stood at least seven feet tall with dark brown hair falling down from both sides of her head. Two perky breasts stood prominently from her chest. Most guys might have been cute if not for the leathery skin, horns, and a tail.

Sam took a step back as the she-minotaur's presence grew larger. Spirals of vapor came from her nose with every breath. Each stomp her foot quaked the earth making it difficult to stand.

Tommy stepped forward with his shield held high, as his blonde hair shimmered in the darkened hall. “Run, Sam. I’ll protect you.”

Sam took another step back, and then another. Before he knew it, he was running. A look in every direction showed hall after hall, a maze stretching in all directions. Somewhere, within these tangled corridors had to be an escape.

Sam tripped and fell, this time landing on the skeletal remains of a familiar adventurer. In one hand he held a rusty old short sword he'd plunged into the murky floor, and in the other, a shield. Sam gripped the hilt of the sword and pulled with all his might but the sword wouldn’t move.

Danielle’s voice arched through the hallway as sounds of her battle with Tommy raged, “I see you, Sam. I know you. The real you.”

The pair emerged at the end of this hallway. Tommy turned with a look, “Why aren’t you running?”

“I’m trying to help.”

Tommy said, “You’re not strong enough, Sam. You’ve got to run.”

Sam pulled on the sword again but to no avail as Danielle grew closer with every clang of the sword.

“Run Sam.” Tommy said.

“Yes.” Danielle replied, her voice a mocking imitation of Tommy. Run Sam, Run!”

Sam wanted to protest but his feet had a mind of their own.

He heard Tommy’s cries in the distance. "Come on, you brute! Do your damnedest."

“Did you call me a brute?” Danielle answered in a high-pitched voice, sounding more annoyed than upset. Her words twisted into a guttural bellow as Sam ran faster.

“Dammit. A dead end.”

A closer look showed a small spur carved into the rock. Sam squeezed through the crevice, backing his way down a path no minotaur could follow.

Bang! Crash! Clang! Bang! Bang!

Sounds of the battle took on a melodic tone. Sam closed his eyes in hopes of pushing it from his mind. As he listened, he crept ever further into the darkened crevice until he reached the end.

Resting there, Sam took a few deep breaths, letting them out one at a time. When he calmed himself, he found his hand on something stuck in the mire. The item wasn’t as hard as a sword nor as big as a shield. Sam took firm hold and gave it a good yank, finding he held a simple stick in his hand. He started to toss it back on the floor when the pink glow formed. Soon, the hallway of grays and browns shone the same color.

Sam gripped the stick with both hands as the power grew within. Cool pulses of energy surged down his arms, warming his veins as the power grew and grew. Sam held it until he could hold no more, then pointed the stick at a nearby wall and released the energy in a single blast. Lightning flew from the end of the stick, crashing into the nearby stone then exploded in a flash of pink sparks.

Sam held the stick in front of his face. It didn’t feel like much. The weapon, if you could call it such, didn’t have the weight of steel or the protection of a birch shield. But as Sam held it, he knew what to do.

The sounds of battle weren’t far. Tommy glanced in Sam's direction when he saw him enter the hallway. This brief lack of focus gave Danielle an opening which Tommy managed to dodge.

Sam shouted, “Watch out., Tommy.”

Tommy turned toward Sam, “What are you doing here? I told you to run.”

The look on Danielle’s face bordered on pity. “He knows there is no escape.”

Tommy launched a series of well coordinated attacks. Danielle fended off each with ease. The pair’s movements reminded Sam of a ballet of two skilled artisans performing their craft.

Sam lifted his hand, allowing the electricity to gather around him. Sam waited until he could take no more then pointed the wand at the beast, releasing the burst at once. Danielle roared when the sneak attack struck her breast. Arcs of pink lightning surged over the creature's flesh until her cries grew silent and she fell to the ground.

The pink energy continued to flow through Danielle’s body until she disappeared in a poof of smoke. The pink energy, its target gone, returned to Sam in a flash of light. Sam held the wand in front of his body, hoping the stick might protect him.

It did not. “Ouch. God dammit!” The energy surged into the wand, up Sam’s arm, sending a shock wave throughout his body and him to his knees.

Tommy ran to Sam, “Are you okay?”

Sam knelt forward on the ground, one hand on the floor, the other still holding the wand before him. “Yeah.”

Tommy asked, “Is that a pink magic wand?” His smile grew into a smirk.

“It was all I could find.” Sam explained, his face turning red.

Tommy returned his sword to its scabbard while staring at the spot where the beast once lay. “I’m not sure how much longer I could have held out against her. I needed my wingman today.”

Sam felt a pressure squeezing his heart, “We’ve always made a good team.” He looked at Tommy who looked no worse for wear. “Is Danielle gone?”

“No. You can’t kill that beast.” Tommy pointed around the surrounding hall. “This is her home. She cannot die here.” Tommy picked up something from the floor and tossed it to Sam. “If you’re going to use a sissy’s weapon, you’ll need a holster to match.”

“It’s not a …” Sam wanted to say more but his mouth stopped moving.

He watched the item arc through the air towards him, then dropped it when it hit his hands. Retrieving it from the floor, Sam saw Tommy’s gift was as simple as his stick. The ‘belt’, as it could be otherwise called, was a simple strap of leather twisted in a circle with an attached pouch. Sam pulled it around his waist and cinched it tight. The pouch came to rest on his left hip, and a small leather loop in the belt rested on his right. As the wand found its new home on Sam’s right hip, he felt a burst of confidence and turned back to his friend.

“Tommy … there’s something I need to tell…”

When Sam looked up, he saw his friend had disappeared. In his place stood a shimmering portal. A look around the room now showed darkness and with little other choice, Sam stepped into the light.

A kaleidoscope of light and shadow surrounded Sam, pressing against his skin like cool sheets of satin. The power inside the portal shifted through him, as strong as the sound of a summer thunderstorm, or its bite a reminder of the wind on a snowy winter’s day.

When Sam emerged, he found himself standing on solid earth. His body stepped lighter, moving with unfamiliar ease. His ragged clothes hung loose off a more slender frame, his arms still stinging from the lightning bolt which hit his hands. A look each showed long nails one each shimmering like a mother-of-pearl necklace. Sam felt his face, finding a smooth expanse where once he’d felt stubble.

Sam couldn’t help but touch his face, a smooth expanse where once he’d felt stubble. A more thorough inspection found a few more small changes, unnoticeable to most, but then few ever noticed Sam. Only one person had ever paid him much attention.

Sam shouted, “Tommy?”

He got no response.

Undulating desert stretched for as far as his eyes could see, though he thought he saw trees in the one direction. An attempt at using the magic wand showed it out of power. With little else to go on, Sam walked towards the trees but it didn't take too long to figure out, they weren't getting closer.

With little other choice, Sam walked as strong winds pushed him up and down the sandy dunes. He walked for hours, but the horizon remained the same. Out of desperation, Sam sat and closed his eyes, praying he might find an answer.

"Find yourself," the wind said, its gusts speaking in a faint voice.

Sam jumped to his feet and looked in all directions but saw no one. “Hello?” He got no response.

Now heartened, Sam returned to a seated position and closed his eyes. “Can you help me?”

The winds spoke in a soft voice, “Know who you are.”

Sam tried to meditate, hoping for an answer but the sun’s rays grew hot and sweat soaked his clothes. “My clothes!” Sam said, as he jumped to his feet. He tore off his shirt and pulled down his pants then flipped his sneakers onto the sand. As the sun beat into his skin, the sun’s power flowed into his skin, leaving behind a dark tan which filled him with power.

Sam pulled his wand from its holster, and he held it in the air. A flash of pink lightning illuminated the path through the sand. The trees grew closer after a short hike. Not long after, Sam heard the wash of the ocean. A chill filled him as the temperature continued to drop and a fog crept over the landscape as he arrived at the edge of a cliff.

Sam held his wand before him. “What now?”

"Leap," whispered the wind, its voice strong.

Sam didn’t hesitate. He closed his eyes and stepped into the abyss.

When he emerged, he found nothing but silence.

“Hello?”

A hushed echo reverberated down the halls. Rows after row of books greeted him, their spines smelling a mix of ancient leather and parchment. Countless stories lay hidden under the covers but the corridors went on forever. A person could spend a lifetime here and never find the object of their search. He needed to find a librarian.

Sam closed his eyes and tried to focus. “Hello?”

The sound echoed like ghosts in his memory. The books all told a story, each growing louder as they vied for attention. The rustle of pages applauded his movements, a murmur of encouragement from his past. The joys of summer camp. The nerves of forgotten homework. Tears on his Mom’s shoulder. The disappointment of failure. The terror of someone finding the truth.

Sam’s heart grew lighter with every step. He understood he could be himself here. Every book, every treatise, they all knew his story and they didn’t judge. In this library, Sam’s life read like an open book and no one cared. It was his life written in black and white.

Sam ran to the dresser when he saw it. His first foray into crossdressing didn’t consist of much. A pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, women’s panties, and a training bra. As Sam put them all on, the edges of this reality fraying into smoke and haze. Here, in the heart of his own private cosmos, the weight of his hidden life pressed into his chest.

The ribbons of memories unfurled like a parade of ancient movies. In each Sam saw himself. A boy hiding behind the thickets of his backyard, swathed in one of his mother's discarded scarves.

Another told of the day he tried lipstick for the first time, then spent hours scrubbing his lips.

At college, he watched Tommy appear, full of laughter and a confidence Sam never could achieve.

"Tommy," Sam reached out, but the vision disappeared.

Sam’s hands brushed over the spines of his past, his mind thrilling as his mind told more of their hidden language. This library contained his every hope and dream contrasted with fears and nightmares. Each title was an enigma, the hidden secrets in each one passed between reader and book.

“What do I want?”

Whispers of a hoped for transformation haunted these halls. The power drew him ever closer. No one told him where to find it. Sam’s feet knew the way. He’s run to this place so many times. After school. When he felt low. When he wanted to celebrate. It made everything better.
Sam smiled when he saw the box full of childhood toys. Reaching underneath the toy cars and action figures lay a box. Opening it revealed at flash of color which jumped out of the box and danced around him. Reaching inside, Sam lifted the treasure.

The title of the book read, ‘Making Faces’. He must had read a thousand times as a kid. This copy looked better than dogeared copy he’d tossed it in a dumpster before leaving for college. His second copy now lay on the bottom of St. Louis quarry.

The cover felt cool beneath his touch but Sam felt the warmth inside. He knew the words without reading, they were a part of him now. Page after page turned swirling the air as the haze of colors surrounded him.

"Conceal," instructed one page, featuring diagrams of delicate brush strokes. "Highlight," urged another, revealing secrets to accent hidden beauty. Sam's heart quickened, his eyes drinking in the text. This book taught techniques to transform skin, sculpt features, and redefine one’s very essence.

"Blend," he whispered to himself, tracing the contour lines depicted on the page.

"Define," the next chapter beckoned, showcasing the art of shaping brows.

"Transform," the final words echoed in his mind. His path forward lay clear. A look around at the library of his life all led to this. Sam gripped the book tight as color settled on his face.

"Transcend." Sam clutched the book in his right hand and drew it to his chest, lifting the wand in the other. A sense of longing grew within his heart.

“I’m not afraid.” Sam said, hoping his words didn’t betray his fear.

The past fell away as Sam watched the library disappear around him.

No sound filled the air as electricity tingled his skin. Sam touched his face, his fingernails grazing features which no longer felt familiar. His jawline seemed less pronounced, his cheeks ever so higher. There was a softness there, a tenderness echoing the internal shift he suppressed for so long.

"Is this me?" The question slipped through new lips. His voice too, a more gentle timbre that resonated with the softer edges of his being.

A torrent of tears formed a puddle at his feet, showing a man’s body in its reflection. Sam knew well the paint he’d applied went skin deep and disappeared with every wash. Few could see past his grotesque form to see the girl inside.

“Progress.” Sam shouted.

He took one step and then another, each stride more assured than the last. The terrain changed, solid ground giving way to spongier turf which bounced with every step. Shadows loomed in the distance and Sam knew he had tougher challenges to face.
The air crackled with a charged intensity as the portal materialized in front of him. He didn’t hesitate.

Sam emerged to an unending nightmare, as smoke filled his mind. A distorted mix of reflections surrounded him and in each one he saw a cruel image, each mirror painting him as a man. He walked in circles, looking for escape from images of his misshapen body.

His heart pounding against its cage as Sam shouted, "Why me?" unwilling to stand the sight. The wand had proved useless against the darkness, as had his new magic tome. The mirrors followed him everywhere, no matter where he turned.

Thousands of Sams reflected their image yet none revealed the truth. Sam put both hands to his face, making it impossible to see.

“These images are a lie.”

Eyes closed, Sam traced a remembered route, searching for the madness at its core. The memories drove him forward along the distorted lies until he knew he'd found the right place. He reached out, with eyes still closed, to touch the nightmare's black heart. Its primal energy surged into him, and began coursing through his veins.

The air around Sam vibrated when he put a hand on his holster. Arcs of lightning soon burst forward, a cacophony of loud crashes following as the distortions hit the stone floor. Sam expected silence when the crashes stopped. Instead, he heard the sound of a slow clap.

"Bravo," a familiar voice called from the shadows.

Sam opened his eyes to see Danielle emerge from the darkness, her blue eyes drawing him in.

"Quite the show, Sammy boy," she sneered. Danielle retained her horns but the cloven feet and hands had disappeared. "Did you think you could free yourself of me so easy?"

Sam clenched his jaw. He needed Tommy’s help to beat her last time.

“Why are you here, Danielle?"

Her smile held venom as she spoke. "You know why I’m here."

Sam took a step back, feeling the weight of this woman’s gaze.

"I don’t fear you, Danielle. I’m not afraid anymore.” Sam said, hoping to steel himself against her charms.

“Oh no?” Danielle grinned as she moved closer, her hips swaying in a hypnotic rhythm no man could ignore. Her voice, heavy with mocking affection, wrapped around him like a shroud. "Come on, Sammy," she crooned, a smirk appearing on her deceptive painted lips. "Don't you want to play with me?"

Sam felt the pull, a primal lure beckoning him towards her. Memories of their first meeting tangled in Sam’s mind. He was the one who met Danielle at the fraternity mixer. He introduced her to Tommy. It was his fault.

"I don’t want to play your game, Danielle.," Sam spat through gritted teeth.

“We can have a lot of fun together. We both know what you want.” She pulled her shirt down for a moment to reveal her tits.

The heavy scent of Danielle’s perfume wafted through the room. Her circled pursuit reminded him of a cat about to pounce on its prey. Sam didn’t take his eyes off Danielle, he couldn’t if he dared. Round and round and round she went, the dizzying display pounding Sam’s heart in his chest.

Sam tried to steady himself. He’d come so far. He knelt forward while continuing to watch Danielle’s entrancing figure, finding a piece of glass on the stone floor. He squeezed its sharp edges, causing a freeing pain to shoot up his arm.

“AAIIIRRRGGGGHHH!”

Danielle’s eyes grew confused as a pout formed on her lips. “What have you done to yourself, Sammy?”

Sam used the distraction to retrieve his wand, calling forth the latent magic of this place.

“Transform.” He cried.

A thunderclap followed as his magic surged forth. Danielle's laughter screeched in their battle of wills but Sam's burned brighter.

“You can’t escape who you are, Sammy.” Daniellel taunted, betraying a slight tremor in her voice.

"I know who I am." Sam answered, his voice steady and firm. “You’ve seen the real me.”

Sam raised his magic tome, gathering glass fragments in a whirlwind around him. As his storm began to crest, he focused his mind on the cold dark heart. The shards struck a savage blow, splintering the core into dust. An item clattered to the floor in its absence.

“What is this?” Sam asked but got no answer.

Picking it up, Sam found a small handheld mirror and when he looked into it, the woman of his dreams looked back.

An angry voice boomed through the room, “You thinking you’ve won? This is a temporary setback. You know, I always come back, Sammy. You can’t change who you are.”

Sam didn’t bother to answer. He’d fallen for Danielle’s tricks many times in the past, but he was stronger now. Only a fool fights their true nature and Sam had been a fool for long enough. He entered the portal as soon as it formed.

Sam opened his eyes to see walls all around him.

“The maze again?” He’d hoped from a break.

Remnants of the hallway came into focus as the portal disappeared. A cry of a beast echoed in the darkness ahead.

“Do your worst, Danielle! You don’t scare me anymore." Sam’s high-pitched voice shouted. His confidence dropped,when he entered the next room.

“Sam?”

“Tommy?” His friend stood twelve feet tall in minotaur form with muscles rippling off his bare chest. Atop its head sat two large horns.

“I barely recognize you, Sam.”

“You barely recognize me?” Sam exclaimed.

“Are you wearing a bra, Sam?” Tommy began to laugh.

Sam covered his chest with both hands. “It’s complicated.”

“Is that makeup on your face?” Tommy guffawed.

“I can explain.”

“Let’s hear it.” Tommy looked down on Sam, his friend’s disappointment pressing Sam to the floor.

Sam shook his head, trying to dispel his inner conflict to let his power grow. The wand and tome had helped him win the previous battles. He had to defeat Tommy. He couldn’t let his best friend see. The air around Sam crackled as the lightning inside grew, exploding from the end of his wand in a single burst.

The pink energy struck Tommy's breast, bounced off, and dissipated into the air.

Tommy looked more annoyed than angry. “You want to fight me?” His mocking laughter turned feral, the growl coming from something other than a human.

Sam ran towards the shadows, “You can’t see me like this.”

But he knew this beast could do five steps for every one of his own. A look around showed the scattered remains of other battles.

Tommy’s face grew thoughtful. “I knew I was the alpha, Sam and you’ve always been my beta. I’m the leader, you’re my wingman. But a sissy? I never expected you to be a sissy.”

Tommy’s words hit with the force of thunder. Sam’s thoughts focused on his magic tome and he spoke a magic word, “CONCEAL.” A moment later, Sam’s vision blurred as his form grew indistinct..

“You’re hiding from me?” Tommy bellowed a loud laugh. “You are a sissy.” Sam crept through the room, hoping to find a weak spoke behind Tommy’s back. When he was behind Tommy’s back, his friend turned around and stared at the spot Sam stood.

”I can smell you, Sam.” Tommy took a step forward, leaving no doubt he knew where Sam stood. “Danielle told me you were a sissy when she gave me this power. I didn’t believe her … she was right, sissies smell … delicious.” Tommy licked his lips, his massive tongue bigger than Sam’s head.

A mix of embarrassment and fear drove Sam to the floor, breaking his spell. “This is me, Tommy. This is who I’ve always been.” Sam could sense Tommy's confusion as he stared. His friend's had always cloaked his feelings in bravado.

Tommy said, “I know how you feel about me Sam. You’re weak, Sam. I asked you to join me in Chicago because I felt sorry for you.”

Sam searched through his pouch, hoping to find something else in its depths.

“Pathetic. You think one of your trinkets can beat me?” Tommy flexed a bicep as large as Sam’s torso while smoke rose up from Tommy’s snout and sparks shone from his hoofs.

At the bottom of the pouch sat the mirror. Sam reached inside and looked into it. A girl stared back. An image of himself if he’d been born XX instead of XY.

“What’s this?” Tommy returned his famous grin. “Do you need to pretty yourself up before I eat you?”

Sam turned the mirror around and pointed it towards Tommy. “Look at yourself Tommy.”

The minotaur knelt forward intending to bite down but his eyes caught on his own image. As Tommy stared the mirror doubled in size and then again and again. Soon the mirrors grew as large as the minotaur itself.

“That can’t be me. I’m … I’m … I’m hideous.”

Sam pumped magic into the mirror, causing other visions of Tommy to appear. Sam had seen his friend at his best and his worst. He showed him the latter in every frame.

“Stop. Please stop.” Tommy shouted. “It can’t be true. I am not a monster.”

Sam calmed himself, taking several deep breaths in and out. “It is not you Tommy. We’re trapped in a maze of my imagination and you’re my fears personified.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I can control you, if I want, and I want to see my friend in his true form. I want to tell him the truth.”

The minotaur’s form grew dark as thick lines of black smoke drifted into each mirror. When the smoke cleared, only Tommy remained. Seconds later, the mirror returned to its simple form in Sam’s hand. He turned the mirror for Tommy to see.

“Oh thank god.” Tommy said, touching his face. “I’m me again.”

Sam started to say something but Tommy wrapped his arms around Sam, squeezing so hard he struggled to breathe. “Thank you … thank you … thank you…”

Sam fell into the embrace. He’d hugged Tommy before. They’d had countless bro hugs but this felt different. A tiny tickle grew inside him, and burst into the air. The embers from Sam’s magic lit the room revealing sparkling treasure from end to end.

Tommy let Sam go then looked around the room now full of woman’s jewelry and pink dresses. “So you like to wear girl’s clothing? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sam nodded, “I’ve wanted to tell you.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I thought you’d hate me.”

“I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I let a few scraps of clothing break up our friendship.” Tommy leaned forward, picking something off the ground, and held it out for Sam.

“What’s this?” Sam asked.

“It’s a pretty bauble.” Tommy replied. “I thought a sissy like you might like it.”

“Hey!” Sam cast an angry look.

“I’m joking, Sam. I’m glad you told me the truth.” Tommy offered the item in his hand, “Take this as a token of my apology for being a jerk.”

Sam took the item and held it in the air. It didn’t look special, a simple gold band without any adornment. Sam placed it on his right ring finger.

“It’s a perfect fit.”

“I knew it.” Tommy smiled a perfect Tommy grin.

A portal appeared as Sam returned his items to his magic pouch. He pointed at the shimming orb. “Want to go with me this time?”

Tommy shook his head. “I can’t.”

“I understand.” Sam nodded. He wanted to say more.

Sam headed for the portal, but Tommy stopped him using a firm grip on his shoulder, pulling him back. ”Watch out for Danielle. She’s working with some other lady.”

Sam asked, “Another lady? What did she look like?”

Tommy said, “She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen a lot of women.”

Sam nodded, “Blonde hair, blue eyes, and legs that go on forever?”

“You know her?”

Sam took a deep breath. “It’s Crystal.”

“She didn’t tell me her name.” Tommy’s face lit up as he recalled the memory. “She’s better looking than Danielle. When they caught me, I mentioned it and Danielle got mad and she turned me into that monster who wanted to eat you.” Tommy’s eyes clouded over. “Thanks for saving me.”

“I’m your wingman.”

“Always and forever.”

Sam wanted to say more but it wasn’t the right time. He pulled himself from Tommy’s grip, and continued to stare at his best friend as he backed into the portal to continue his journey.

Sam shivered as the colors in the portal flung him through time and space. His body felt light, almost buoyant, as it shed its invisible armor.

"Who am I?" Sam asked the void, the words barely audible over the shifting landscape. The question wasn’t born of doubt but of wonder.

"You are Sam and Samantha," the portal echoed back. "You’re both the dreamer and the dream."

Sam’s pulse quieted, as acceptance washed over him. The battles so far were steps on a journey with more to come.

Sam emerged in a room thick with desire and whispered promises of ecstasy. His chest heaved as he navigated the dreamlike orgy. Writhing heat from the bodies in the room creating suffocating fervor.

"Come, Sam," crooned their voices, both women and men, a tangle of limbs and silk. "Give us one touch, and you'll know bliss."

A cacophony of moans and sighs swelled around him, as a siren song of pleasure-seekers swayed in carnal repose. Shadows danced across the walls, flickering candles giving the room an otherworldly glow. Every surface seemed to shine, like a reality turned molten under the weight of lust and hunger.

Sam willed himself through the masses. Each step a stumble over silken cushions, while hands reached out to touch the essence within.

"Stay with us, Sam," the women purred, their voices a silken caress against his willpower. Sam saw nothing he wanted in this place. He sought something more than pleasures of the flesh.

Their cries grew loud, so loud his Sam thought eardrums might burst. A despair of hope surrounded him, until he saw his true foe through the haze. A siren among sirens led them. Crystal smoked a cigarette while leaning on a pillar near the edge of the gathered throng. Her curvy figure silhouetted against the ambience of the room.

"Come back to bed, Sammy," Crystal cried, patting the hotel’s bed. The mocking lilt in her voice leaving a sour taste in his mouth. Sam recognized the other women she’d gathered around her, the phantoms of flings long past.

“Come to bed with us, Sammy,” they called. The bed grew to an impossible size, beckoning him with outstretched hands and parted lips.
Sam's breaths came in ragged gasps as he fought through his women of yore.

"Sammy, you're making a big mistake!" Crystal cried.

Sam dodged a set of grasping hands, while jumping over another. The crowd tore at Sam’s bones and muscle, his body straining against their assault.

"Let go of me!" Sam's voice cracked, the rejection overwhelming their pitiless laughter. For a moment his torment ended, opening a path to a door. When he opened it, he found a hallway lined with doors for as long as his eye could see.

With little choice, Sam shut the door behind him though he knew it wouldn’t stop the horde for long. He opened the first door on the left, and found a man with a silhouette similar to his own. This version of Sam was lean and confident but he wore no makeup, and no women’s clothes. In fact, he wore nothing at all as his eyes grew distant while staring between his legs at his most impressive endowment. A most handsome doppelgänger, indeed. A half dozen beautiful bodies fought to service him under the table, the sight causing Sam to fall back and shut this door.

Sam ran to the second door, happy to find a more studious version of himself inside. Old library books called out as his bookish twin looked down between the pages. A woman rose from between the pages, licking her lips before planting a warm kiss on serious Sam’s lips.

Another hurried retreat followed, the experience much the same. Popular Sam, Jock Sam, Artsy Sam, Stoner Sam, Emo Sam, Loner Sam. They all looked like him on the outside but differed in the most important ways.

Sam ran down the hall of this Escher-like trap, as the voices burst through the door.

At the head stood Crystal of course, her voice a perfect mix of charm and desire, both sincere and pleading in its tone. “You can’t run forever, Sammy.”

Sam knew Crystal couldn’t be trusted but deep down he also knew she was right. He couldn’t run forever.

Crystal stopped chasing when he turned around. “Come back to the party, Sam. We will have a great time together.”

Sam nodded as he put his arms behind his back.. “I would, you see. All of you ladies are quite lovely.” Sam pulled his left hand from behind his back, now adorned with a gold ring. “But as you can plainly see, I’m bound to another.”

The sight of the supposed wedding band, sent a wave of disappointment down the hall, the conjured spirits disappearing in a flash. Only one remained. Crystal looked pissed. “I know who you are, Sam.”

“So do I.” Sam said. By this statement he caused Crystal to disappear as well and a look back showed everyone gone. A look the other way showed a woman holding open a door. Sam recognized her at once.

“Welcome, Sam.” She called to him in a voice which matched Sam's own, imbued with a clarity of purpose he’d never possessed.
Sam said, “I’ve been looking for you.”

"Why don’t you come inside?" She urged. Her’s was not a command but an invitation. She stood several inches shorter than Sam, with cherry red hair, and a smile poets could never match. “What’s your name?”

The woman gave a kindly smile. “I’m sure you know. We are the same person after all.”

“Hello, Samantha.” Sam looked around the room but no long saw a door.

The woman nodded, then shrugged. “You’ve kept me locked in here for a long time.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I understand.”

The two met in a warm hug, Sam breathed in Samantha’s femininity, soaking it into every pore.

“You are safe here, Sam. No one can hurt us in this place.”

Sam looked at Samantha’s room. It had all the stuff Sam had bought over the years - every dress, every bra, all the breast forms, makeup, and wigs, but no door . “This is a dream world, Samantha. I can’t stay.”

“Of course.” Samantha was dressed in one of Sam’s favorite outfits he wore in St. Louis. “So what’s the plan?”

Sam watched his dream girl, realizing she wasn’t any more real than the others he’d met. This woman lived her life in a palace of silk and lace. This wasn’t real life. “I need to tell Tommy the truth. I need to tell him how I feel.”

“Oh, silly me.” Samantha said, “How could I forget about Tommy?” Samantha pointed. “We’ll need that for our date.” She pointed at the armoire on the other side of the room. The dress hanging down matched Samatha’s hair, silken, long, and red. On the floorboard sat matching 3-inch heels.

“Our date?”

“I’m a part of you, Sam.” She winked at Sam. “I like to think I’m the most important part.”

Sam nodded then frowned as he held the soft material against his body. “I can’t wear that dress. It’s too small.”

“Don’t be silly.” Samantha picked up the heels then wrapped Sam in a hug, “We’re running late...” As they embraced, a portal formed around them.

Sam emerged in an arena surrounded by darkness. A familiar face stood nearby.

"Look at you, playing fancy dress-up in your little dream world," Danielle said. Her horns had disappeared. A slinky blue dress adhered to her athletic frame. “I can play dress-up too.”

Sam looked down. The red dress now covered his body as he balanced precariously on stilted heels.

“Is Sam playing at being a girl, again?”

The second voice sneered with honeyed venom. Sam recognized it as Crystal’s. A hazy fog extended from her cigarette, its smoke curling inwards entombing Sam in its web. "Did you think all you need to do is put on a dress and you can become someone else?"

Crystal leaned forward, her impossible proportions casting a long shadow. Her lips twisted into a snarky grin as she flicked ash from the cigarette. "Do you think putting on a skirt makes you special, Sammy? A cut of cloth doesn't make you a woman. Are you worried about what Tommy will say when he sees you? He knows what you carry between your legs."

Sam said, “He knows I’m a crossdresser. Danielle already told him.”

“I only told him about the way you dress.” The ice in Danielle’s words shot frost all over Sam. “I didn’t have the heart to tell him your deluded fantasy of becoming a girl.”

“Did you tell him?” Crystal repeated, “I bet you didn’t say a word because you’re a coward Sam.”

Sam tried to pull out of Crystal’s web but the icy stands held him fast.

"I’ve always known you wanted Tommy." The ice in Danielle's voice now came out as a stream, the layers hitting Sam’s feet first as they encased him in a frozen tomb. “Since the moment I met you, I knew you envied me but deep down you know Tommy’s heart will always be mine.”

Sam tried to fight back, his voice barely audible as the ice and webs tightened around him like a vice. “I .. can’t … move.”

Danielle stepped forward, “Submit, Sam. This is the way it always ends. Go back to sleep and we’ll battle again tomorrow. If you go forward, you know Tommy will reject you. He’s only attracted to real girls like Crystal and me.”

Sam fell to his knees, closed his eyes, and bowed his head as he waited for their final blow. He took a deep breath. And another. And another. A dozen breaths, and no result. When he looked up Sam saw the entire arena bathed in a pink glow.
Crystal’s smoky tendrils pulled at him while Danielle’s ice froze him stiff but Sam felt no pressure and no cold.

A voice sounded in Sam’s head. “You are not alone.”

Sam looked down as his body grew hot. His hips widened as his waist shrank, while Sam’s breasts doubled in size causing cracks to form in the ice. The smokey web pulled on the dress’ fabric dress but it wasn’t strong enough to keep Sam from opening the pouch to find the wand, the magic tome, and his mirror.

It wasn’t the baubles which enabled him to stand. He had power unknown to his foes, because today Sam was not alone. They stood together on this day, making the truth clear to all.

They spoke with one voice. “I am Samantha, as I am Sam, we’re both girls if you didn’t know. Our pronouns are she and her. Please use them when referring to me from this point forward.”

Danielle mocked. “You want us to call you Samantha?”

“How boring.” Crystal added.

Samantha stood, breaking both tendril and ice as she stretched to her full measure. A blast from her wand soon followed, filling the darkened arena with its pink light. Samantha next spoke a word from her tome, adding color to her face. A look in the mirror showed she was almost ready for her date.

Danielle shouted, “Do you think you’ll fool Tommy? You’ve still got that problem between your legs.”

Crystal added, “How can you ever hope to compete with girls like me?”

Samantha shook her head, “You both are fools. This maze has never been about him convincing him. This place isn’t real.”

A flash of Samantha’s power turned night into day driving both Crystal and Danielle into the shadows. Seconds later, the portal formed.

Samantha barely recognized the image staring back even if it had been one she’d dreamed of for most of her life. Long red locks of hair cascaded down her back with green eyes and velvet skin. Her red dress clung to every feature. Tonight she had no use for a magic pouch. She’d morphed it into the purse which now sat on the counter.

"Is this me?" she wondered aloud, the words barely above a whisper.

“Nervous?” Danielle walked out of the shadows wearing the same blue dress as before. She joined Samantha at the restaurant’s bathroom mirror and began applying makeup as if nothing had ever happened.

Samantha asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Same as you.” Danielle pointed at the mirror as she began applying makeup. “Looking this good takes work.”

“Tommy won’t be happy if he sees you tonight.”

Danielle nodded, “That’s true. I hurt him, bad. Do you want some advice?”

Samantha shook her head. “Not from you.

Danielle drew a thick line of eyeliner across her eyelids. “Men like Tommy are nothing but trouble for women like us.”

"You have no right…” Samantha paused. “... wait ... did you call me a woman?” Samantha opened her purse to see if she could find anything useful in battle. Nothing seemed pertinent so she retrieved a tube of lipstick instead.

Danielle nodded, “I know your truth. Even though with that thing between your legs, you can’t battle someone every day for as long as we have without gaining understanding about your foe.”

Sam stared at her dress, praying no one would see the tiny bulge. This conversation had the feeling of a trick but Danielle did sound sincere. Samantha repainted her lips dark ruby red. “For what it’s worth, you were right about one thing. I was jealous of you. I never hated you.”

“It’s my turn to be jealous." Danielle pointed at Samantha in the mirror, as she added dark mauve coloring to her lips. "That dress looks amazing on you.”

Samantha blushed, “Thanks.” As she looked in the mirror, she could feel the tendrils of doubt trying to pull her back into darkness. She looked at Danielle, quite aware her doubt was the source of this woman’s magic.

“Don’t worry. I won’t attack.” Danielle pointed around the woman’s restroom. “This is a safe space for us women.”

“Well … uhh …” Samantha gathered her things and took a last look in the mirror before back her way towards the door with an eye on Danielle. “... I appreciate it.”

“Good luck out there.”

Samantha gave Danielle her best smile. “Thanks.” She almost thought Danielle meant it.

The clink of glassware and the loud hum of conversation contrasted to the beat of Samantha’s heart. The practiced clip of her heels on tile set every gaze her way. Eyes from all corners attacked, and no magic in the world could make it stop.

The stares bore into Samantha like razors but she’d learned how to create day from night. She soaked in the unwanted attention like a sponge, turning it into much needed confidence instead.

Tommy waved from across the room. Across his table sat an empty chair.

“Will he accept me like this?” The negative thought destroyed her confidence, a retreat to the women’s restaurant not out of the question

A look at Tommy showed him smiling, giving the confidence to go the rest of the way.

“Sorry it took me so long.”

Tommy stood at Samantha’s approach. “I’m glad you came to Chicago."

“Tommy, before I sit down…” Samantha said, “... I need to tell you something.”

“I would hope so.” Tommy got down on one knee.

Sam looked at his left hand. The gold ring on his finger now held a large diamond jewel in a setting.

Tommy said, “Please say yes.”

Samantha’s knees grew weak. She felt herself falling but Tommy was faster, catching her in his strong arms.

Tommy asked, “Is that a yes?”

Samantha nodded. “Yes.”

Their lips met in a kiss, creating a bubble no storm could reach. Tommy kissed her again and again, each more tender and passionate. Samantha lacked practice but made up for it with enthusiasm.

Someone in the background shouted, “She said yes!”.

As the crowd roared their approval, a burst of light surrounded them all. Samantha wished she could stay in the moment forever but it was time to wake up.

A pile of blankets covered Samantha when she woke. Tracy sat in a chair next to the bed with eyes closed.

Samantha grabbed a pillow from under her head, then tossed it in Tracy’s direction. She waited until it almost reached climax before shouting,
“Wake up, Tracy!”

The pillow descended lazily toward Tracy, though far short of Samantha’s goal. Tracy caught it without opening her eyes.

Tracy said, “Sam … Sam … Sam … you should know by now I’m always aware of my surroundings. I’ve monitored you all night. You don’t think I’d know when you woke up?”

“It was worth a shot.”

Tracy asked, “Do you remember anything after you went to sleep?”

Samantha shook her head. “I never remember my dreams.”

“Too bad.” Tracy said, “You might have learned something. Some of your mumbles sounded interesting.”

Samantha didn’t answer, concerned with the unfamiliar pitch of her voice. She cleared her throat a few times before responding in a more familiar lower tenor, “What happened?”

Tracy gave Samantha a determined stare, “We can do this one of two ways, Sam. I can run a scan and tell you how it compares to last night. Or you can get out of bed and go look in a mirror.”

Samantha tried to pull off the tangled strands of her wig. “I don’t think I’m ready for a mirror.”

“Looking for this?” Tracy smiled as she held the wig in the air. “You were right, it is in bad need of a brushout.”

Samantha felt hair fall past his ears. “This hair is … all mine?”

Tracy nodded. “Yes.”

Samantha tried to pull the hair back but it wasn’t long enough for a ponytail, “I’m afraid to look.” Her throat had begun to hurt so Samantha allowed her voice to raise to a more comfortable octave, “My voice has changed.”

Tracy nodded, “That’s not all you changed.”

“Does that mean?” Samantha reached between her legs, filled with both excitement and fear, “Wait! I’ve still got my boy parts.”

Tracy grinned, “Check out your chest.”

Samantha’s hands moved higher, finding two fleshy mounds where sore nipples sat the night before.

“Ohmygod! These are huge.”

“Let’s not get crazy. You’re a solid B cup.” Tracy tossed a piece of cloth on the bed. “But you will need Sydney’s sports bra for real today.”

“So it worked?”

“Oh yeah.” Tracy’s voice sounded excited. “It worked.”

Samantha played with her new boobs under the covers.

Tracy asked, “Are you done?”

Samantha shook her head no. Tracy ripped the blankets off the bed.

“Hey!” Samantha said, covering herself. “A little privacy.”

“It’s time to get up, Sam. I let you sleep in but we’ve got training to do. Take a shower and get dressed. I’ll finish making breakfast.”

“All right …” Samantha moaned. She attempted to roll out of bed, groaning when she rolled onto her chest. “Ouch. Goddammit.”

“Hurts doesn’t it?”

“Yeah. Like a bitch.” Samantha rubbed her right boob. “Hey … Tracy?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you start calling me Samantha?”

Tracy’s smile grew. “Of course, Samantha.”

Samantha smiled back.

Tracy typed a secure message to Amsterdam while sitting at Tommy’s kitchen table.
Chrysalis performed beyond wildest imagination. Definite Level 3. Probable level 4, maybe higher. Skill set would make her an invaluable asset.

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