Introduction
The start of a journey in the mind to a point of divergence where the reader is free to chose down which path he or she wishes to continue.
Of Paths to Take
Path to the Crossroads
By: Zylux
Money, why is there never enough of it? It is a question I have been asking myself all too frequently as of late. What little I make is quickly eaten up by rent, utilities, and (if any is left) food. It seems that there’s never enough for even the cheapest of pleasures, and it takes seemingly forever to save up to buy something for, well, lets just call it my secret passion.
It is a passion that reaches as far back as I can remember. It would seem that I have always been captivated by the feminine world. A world seemingly created to tantalize the sense of sight and touch. To draw one in, and retain them with things for the sense of smell and even for the sense of hearing. It’s a world I willing wanted to enter, possibly forever.
I shall always remember my first trip into that world. It began one summer day when I was eleven. I was getting the typewriter from the hall closet near my parent’s bedroom, when a large hanging rectangular cloth bag perked my curiosity. Mother was outside in the garden and sis was hold up in her room. Dad was of course at work, all of which meant I was, for the moment, alone and able to act on my curiosity. The front zipper was in two parts meeting at the middle of the bag. I pulled down the lower zipper and peered inside.
The bag contained mother’s older clothes, things that were of high quality but no longer in style and she couldn’t bring herself to throw away. One dress caught my attention, well the skirt of it anyway, as I couldn’t see the upper half with the upper zipper still closed. It was a full skirt in a large black and silver checkerboard pattern. The squares were separated by thin gold lines, as if drawn on by a pen. It was made of satin and felt smooth and cool as I ran my hands over it. Something inside of me wanted that dress, willing me to take it out of the bag and take it to my room. But I didn’t dare as the chance of being caught was just too great. I would have to wait for a more opportune time. And such a time came soon there after.
It was on a Saturday family night a week and a half later. The plan was for the whole family to go out to dinner at a restaurant and then a drive-in movie. My young mind saw a chance for me to be home alone for a few hours and acted upon it. I complained of a headache and nausea and asked if I could stay home. Finding a sitter at literally the last minute was iffy at best, and it looked like my parents would cancel the evening. Fortunately, I was able to convince them that I was old enough to stay by myself. Mom said that if I felt like eating something later, that there were leftovers in the refrigerator I could help myself to. With everything settled the rest of the family was off, leaving me to my own devices.
I waited for twenty minutes before doing anything, just to be sure that they wouldn’t return to get something they had forgotten. When I had felt that it was safe, I headed for the hall closet. My hand was shaking as I reached for and grabbed the door knob. I pulled open the door and stood for a moment staring at the bag with its hidden treasures. This time I opened both zippers and then spread the opening wide, revealing its contents.
There were many splendid clothes vying for my attention, but I was only interested in one. I seized the black and silver skirt and slid my hand up the dress to the hanger it was on. The hanger was hooked over a thick wire at the top of the bag and it was with some difficulty that I freed it. Instead of examining the dress, I bundled it up and headed for my room in the other half of the house.
Only in the relative safety of my room behind a closed door, did I look over my prize. It was more beautiful then I had imagined. The upper half was made of black satin with some gold metallic thread running through out it, giving it some sparkle. It was sleeveless with a round neckline just large enough for the neck in front and a keyhole opening in back, closed at the top with a loop and button. I was wondering just how one got into it when I discovered the side zipper. After unfastening the zipper and keyhole button and removing the hanger, I stepped back and stared at the dress laying front side down on my bed. It was calling to me, willing me to wear it.
Obeying the call I quickly stripped to my shorts, dropping my clothes on the floor, never once taking my eyes off the dress. Approaching the dress, I slipped both hands under the back hem of the skirt and worked them up to the armholes. I was trembling with excitement as I lifted the dress up off the bed with my arms. I paused for a moment, staring at the cool smooth satin mass on my arms, and then ducked my head down under the hem. I raised my arms up over my head holding the dress by the shoulders through the armholes. When the dress straightened out, I let go of it, letting it float down my arms under what little weight it had.
As I slowly lowered my arms, I looked down at that beautiful black and silver checkered skirt encircling my waist. A strange sensation came over me as I zipped and buttoned it up. It felt like I was in a dream, I just couldn’t believe I was actually wearing something so beautiful. I needed proof, I needed a mirror.
There was a full length mirror in my parent’s bedroom at the other end of the house, but that would mean having to leave the safety of my room, risking exposure. I was hesitant about leaving the safety of my room, but something inside me willed me to do so. I moved to my door and cracked it open allowing me to peer out into an empty hallway. I knew I was alone, but there was a small chance of someone seeing me as I crossed the living room/entry junction. Of course there was also the possibility of my family returning home early to worry about. I was considering making due with the bathroom mirror when once again something came over me. It was like I was quickly losing control of my actions. To my amazement, the bedroom door suddenly flew open, and then the hallway started to move past me, picking up speed as the front entry approached. I dashed across and into the hallway leading to my parent’s bedroom.
Inside the bedroom I paused to collect myself, not wanting to believe what I had just done. It was a dreamlike blur with a lingering sensation of the skirt rubbing against my legs. And there was also the sound, a marvelous rustling sound that was still in my ears. Before I could slip into some daydream, I remembered what I was there for and moved to the mirror with the dreamlike feel and sound of the skirt returning. It was all real, and the mirror confirmed it.
Mother was a little under the average sized woman, and I was tall for my age, but her dress was still too big for me. It would be a couple of years before I could properly fit into it, and a few more after that before it would no longer fit me. I ignored the loose fit and began exploring the dress with my hands watching myself in the mirror. Around the waist I found a couple of string loops and guessed that they were for a belt. That something in me just had to have a belt, so I opened up my mother’s closet and looked inside.
Hanging from a rack on the back of the closet door, I spotted a wide silver belt. I lifted it off a hook and tried it in one of the loops. It fit, and in no time the belt was around my waist with the buckle's clasp fastened in the last hole. I raced back to the mirror. It was a definite improvement, although the dress was still a little baggy on me. I didn’t care; to me it looked and felt fantastic. Some how I tore myself from the mirror and set off to explore the house and see what new sensations awaited me.
I spent as long as I dared in that dress, not wanting to take it off, but knowing I had to before the family came home. When I finally decided that risk of discovery was too great, I headed for my room and changed back into my clothes. The dress was put back on the hanger and bundled up along with the belt. I took the bundle back to the hall closet where the dress was straightened out and put back in the bag with some difficulty. The bag was zipped and the closet door closed. The belt was returned to its spot on mother's closet door. A final check around, to make sure that all was back as it had been, and then it was off to the kitchen. I made a quick dinner from the leftovers I found in the refrigerator. I stayed up a little while longer and then it was off to bed before the family returned. They were none the wiser.
From then on, I took every opportunity to be home alone as a chance to enter the feminine world. And after I grew into "my wardrobe" just wearing a pretty dress wasn’t enough, I wanted to explore the fit and feel of lingerie and even try my hand at adding a little bit of makeup. The end result was what one would expect from a child playing with something he knew nothing about. But to me, it was good enough for some daydreams.
Eventually, of course, I outgrew mother’s things, and a couple of years after that, the nest. Moving out meant that one door to the feminine world would close, but there were other doors I could try. Having my own apartment meant that I could acquire my own wardrobe and indulge in my secret passion on my own terms. Or so I thought, as it quickly became apparent that having anything worth wearing took money, and I just didn’t have, nor could get, a job that paid much more then minimum wage. That was just one of the unforeseen penalties of dropping out of collage to experience the wonders of foreign lands.
My wardrobe ended up consisting of items that had gone out of style and could be purchased on the cheep, and things scrounged from the trash. Most items required some modification to fit me and that meant I had to learn how to sew. A well used sewing machine was found and purchased at a yard sale. It took a lot of practice, but I did become good enough to modify things without it looking like it had been altered. Still, my meager collection of clothing left a lot to be desired and would only add to any bouts of depression brought on by my menial job and lack of money.
On the occasions when my depression would get the better of me, I have found that a trip to the mall could go a long ways toward a cure. I love to window shop at all the fashion stores that cater to women. There is something about all the stylish and feminine clothes that sends me off on wondrous daydreams. I probably should have been even more depressed at seeing all the wonderful things I would, in all likelihood, never get to wear, but I didn’t. Maybe I’m an optimist, or just a hopeless dreamer.
It was on one particularly depressing weekday morning off from work, that I departed for the mall with no clue that my life was about to go in an unimaginable direction. The trip to the mall went as it normally did and I had no trouble finding a parking space in front of a main entrance at one end of the mall, one of the advantages of being there during a weekday morning. Another advantage is window shopping without many people around to stare at me.
At first it looked like it would be an uplifting day as the new fashion season was being kicked off in every clothing store. But fortune was not with me, as the incoming fashions were not to my liking. The main emphasis was on the peasant and bohemian look with sleaze taking up the rest. Gone was any sense of style, class, and true femininity.
I only found disappointment in store after store and my depression only worsened. Soon, I could take no more and hastened out the nearest exit. As luck would have it, that put me on the other side of the mall, down toward the far end from where I had parked. It was a little disorienting, and I had to pause to get my bearings. That’s when I caught a whiff of fresh brewed coffee carried in on the breeze. It had several underlying aromas that told me that it had to be coming from a specialty shop rather than some restaurant.
Coffee houses are one of my guilty little pleasures, one that I rarely have enough money to indulge in. On that day, I did have enough money and figured, why not. If the latest fashions couldn’t cheer me up, perhaps some exotic flavored cup of strong coffee could. Turning into the breeze, I started to follow the sent to its source.
My trek took me to the far end of the mall grounds bordered by a main boulevard, across which was a collection of boutique stores. I quickly scanned over all the little stores, forgetting what had lured me there in the first place. One shop caught my attention and I just had to get an up close look.
I waited for a break in the traffic and then made a dash across the boulevard, ignoring the horn from one driver who I guess would have preferred I had gone down to the light to cross. The small parking lot in front of the shops was quickly crossed, and I found myself staring in the window of a small, high end and custom clothing shop for men and women. Of course it was the women’s half that had my attention. Little did I know then, but I had arrived at a crossroads that would take my life in a direction I could never have imagined.
The reader is now free to choose how he or she wishes to continue. Sorry for the lack of descriptions for each path, but then life doesn't come with a preview when we are presented with a choice of paths to take.
Introduction
This is one of five possible continuations of the story Path to the Crossroads. It is necessary to have traveled in the mind on the path to the crossroads before choosing in which direction to continue. May the reader find adventure, pleasure, and maybe even peace of mind, down the path he or she has chosen to travel.
Of Paths to Take
Path Back Home
By: Zylux
In the display window were many stunningly beautiful things to look at, and I quickly scanned over all from left to right and back again. It was then that a small notice taped to the other side of the glass down in the lower center of the display window, caught my attention.
I stared in disbelief, could this be for real? Morocco no less, with its spicy food, its totally different culture and architecture, its people, and its stark but beautiful landscapes. My mind began to fill with dreams of adventure and romance. With my mind slipping into a dream world, an old feeling surfaced and took control, willing me to apply. Taking note of the phone number, I turned away from the window and quickly crossed the small parking lot in front of the shops, bringing me back to the boulevard. Instead of making a mad dash across it, I opt to make for the intersection with the street that I came to the mall on. That would get me back to the side I parked my car on. It took awhile but I managed to get back to my car and headed on home.
Back home, I settled onto the couch next to the phone. I sat and stared at the phone. I don't know how long it was before I finally got up the nerve to reach out and take hold of it. My arm shock as I brought the receiver to my ear. I sat trembling as I punched in the phone number. As I listened to the other phone ring, I began to question just what it was that I was doing, but before I could come to my senses, the phone at the other end was answered.
"I find for you, how may I direct your call?"
"Um, Lynn, please."
"Thank you, hold please."
"This is Lynn."
"Hi, um, I saw your ad and would like to inquire about the Morocco trip."
"Excellent, but first let me tell you about our service. Our clients are very wealthy and have very exacting wants. They are willing to pay well to have those wants filled. We specialize in finding that unique person to fit our client's special and unusual needs. Most of our work is in matchmaking, but we do get requests for other services. Our Moroccan client is of the latter and has been a difficult one to satisfy. His requirements are strict and are the most unusual we have ever been presented with. May I ask you some personal questions?"
"I guess so."
"Excellent, now you are aware that we seek a lanky individual?"
"Yes."
"How tall are you?"
"I'm six foot."
"Oh dear, that's a bit under our client's wants. How much do you weigh?"
"Well, you see, um, I'm kind of hurting for money so I don't get to eat as much as I would like. I'm afraid my weight is only ninety eight pounds."
"Oh excellent, excellent, you more then meet that requirement. I think the overall look will be acceptable to our client, especially since you are the only one to come close to the client's requirements in nearly a year of searching. Now, are you a full or part time crossdresser?"
"Part time and it's only in the privacy of my home. No one knows of my, hobby."
"I understand. Rest assured that we are very discreet here and that I will be the only one who will be aware of your situation. Of course, in order to recommend you to our client, I will have to see you in person as the client's other requirements can not be ascertained over the phone. With that in mind, I wonder if you might favor me by wearing a two piece swimsuit when we meet.
"That, I don't have, but I'm sure I can come up with something that will suffice."
"Excellent, I will leave that to your discretion. Now, you must realize that if selected, you will of course, have to present yourself to the client and his household staff. Would you be able to do that?"
"Staff, it's not just the client? Just how many others will be involved?"
"Our client is a most wealthy and powerful person. It's safe to assume that there would be many, many servants. It's also safe to assume that you would be well taken care of while in the client's service. Would it be possible for me to see you today?"
"Wow, um, I don't know, this isn't quite what I had envisioned. I'm going to have to think about it first."
"It will take some time to communicate with the client. Can you use that time to come to terms with your worries? I would really like to see you today, not only to give you an assessment of your eligibility but to let the client know that at long last, we may be at the end of our search. And just think, in a week you may find yourself immersed in palatial splendor in one of the most exotic places on earth. Now, what part of the country do you live in?"
Lynn was really pressuring me, and I didn't like it. She also had the ability to turn a phrase, and "immersed in palatial splendor" went to work on my mind. Every image, imagined or seen, from book or movie, flooded my conscious mind. I quickly drifted into a dreamlike state and was unaware that, that something inside me was taking control of my actions.
"Santa Monica, in southern California."
"Excellent, I'll take the next flight out for L.A. and will be seeing you this evening. What number I can reach you at? ... Got it and I don't believe I caught your name."
"It's Jeff."
"Alright then, Jeff. Oh, there is one more thing, do you have a passport?"
"Yes, I got one after I dropped out of collage. I joined some fellow dropouts on a backpacking tour of South America. It should still be valid."
"Excellent, not having to wait a couple of months to obtain a passport should work in your favor with the client. Well, I should have all I will need for now. I will call you from LAX to get directions to your place. So until then, I will say goodbye."
There was a click on the other end of the line, Lynn had hung up. I sat there in my dreamlike state still holding the phone to my ear staring off into space. A fast beeping sound on my end of the phone brought me back to reality. A reality that had me again asking myself just what had I done. In several hours I would be standing before a stranger, dressed and trying to look like a woman. The question of whether I could do it or not was irrelevant, a commitment had been made. Lynn was going to a lot of trouble and expense, chickening out was not an option.
As time dragged by, I gave more and more thought to how I would present myself to Lynn. From the questions she had posed on the phone, it was clear that the client was looking for a specific body type. Lynn's request of a two piece swimsuit, said to me that she needed to see as much of my bare body as possible. Not having a swimsuit of any kind, I decided to wear the shortest skirt I had, a purple mini flip skirt; paired with a yellow halter style top.
Eventually the time came for me to get ready. I laid out on the bed the chosen clothes and a pair of white panties, and then hit the bathroom for some body hair removal, followed by a shower. As I toweled off, I migrated back into the bedroom. The towel was tossed onto the bed next to the outfit I was to wear. I paused to look at the outfit, and began to reflect on just what I had gotten myself into. But I didn't get the chance as the outfit began to call to me, to will me to wear it. That inner something answered the call and it seized control. I saw my hand reach for and take the panties from the bed. I stepped into them and slowly pulled them up my legs, savoring the cool silky feel against my hairless skin. The skirt was next, and it too, was played with before finally being fastened around my waist by a side zipper and button. I also took my time slipping on the halter top, rolling it up from the bottom and tying the ends in a knot behind my back. For some reason unknown, I always enjoyed getting dressed more than being dressed. Oh well, makeup was next.
From a back corner of the closet, an old shoebox was retrieved. It contained what little in the way of cosmetics I had been able to find or procure. I spent longer then usual trying to hide who I really was. The end result was a slightly masculine looking woman, but at least the real me was somewhat hidden away. I was beginning to feel a little more at ease about letting Lynn in on my secret. It was then time to address my hair, which was shoulder length, and usually in a ponytail. I decided to wear it up to counter the usual atmosphere associated with a flared miniskirt. Next was a final inspection.
As I looked myself over in a full length mirror, the phone rang. It had to be Lynn and so it was proved to be. I gave her directions to my place, and then sat down on the couch to put on a pair of black high heel shoes (the only pair of high heels I had). Now, all I had to do was to wait for Lynn.
Time dragged by but eventually there came a knock on the door. I froze in fear. The proverbial moment of truth had arrived, and the question then was, was I up to it? I rose up off the couch and faced the door but couldn't move. There came a second knock and that something inside me took control. The front door was getting larger and closer. I saw my hand reach out and take hold of the door knob. My heart was pounding hard and loud. The knob turned and the door started to open. There was no stopping it and I found myself looking through a narrow opening upon a high class woman.
She defiantly fit the mold of a business woman and was dressed for success. She was wearing a very expensive looking white skirt suit with a hem line about two inches above the knee. The fitted jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a black shirt with the top button undone. Her shoes were white, two inch spiked high heels. The only jewelry I could see were a pair of pearl earrings and a matching two strand pearl choker. She wore her hair up and pulled back from her face. Wire frame glasses with large round lenses, gave her an air of authority, and yet, there was a friendly, disarming look about her.
I moved back from her, opening the door wide enough for her to enter. She took the hint and came in, stopping a few feet past me. While she looked around the room, I closed the door. She turned to face me and then looked me over from head to toe and back. She motioned for me to turn completely around and continued her inspection. It was an uncomfortable experience and I felt like some kind of freak on display. But Lynn didn't treat me like one, she didn't laugh, or worse. Instead she just smiled in a friendly reassuring way.
"Excellent, I do believe that the client will be pleased. I will get a fax off first thing tomorrow as it will be after midnight before I get back home. Now, assuming that the client will accept you, I will go over what will happen in the days ahead."
Lynn covered a lot of ground, and in the process, eased most of my fears. We also chatted socially for a while as her return flight was a couple of hours off. During our time together, she treated me as normal and I became more at ease about being dressed in the presence of others. If I would receive the same treatment in Morocco, then I could go through with it. Time passed all too quickly and Lynn had to leave for the airport sooner then I would have liked. As she exited the front door, she wished me well and smiled at me. But this time it wasn't entirely friendly. No, there was more to it, something along the lines of someone who was about to make an advantages deal.
It was three days later when Lynn called me. My hand again trembled as I reached for the phone and brought the receiver to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Jeff? It's Lynn, pack your bags, you're off to Morocco."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, everything has been arranged, you leave tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow? That soon? I don't know, um, what …"
"The client is most anxious to meet you, and insists that you leave on the next available flight out of the U.S. Relax; all you need to bring is a weeks worth of your normal clothing and personal care items. Everything else will be provided. As for transportation, the tickets are waiting for you at the check in counter. You will fly out of LAX to Miami where you will make a connecting flight to Casablanca. A servant will be waiting at the airport and will drive you to the client's estate. There, you will be filled in on the agenda for your stay."
I was speechless. A dreamlike blur surrounded me as Lynn continued on.
"I've arranged for a shuttle bus to pick you up about two hours before your flight. Good luck, and enjoy. Oh, and don't forget your passport. Call me when you get back. Bye."
Getting to Morocco was a long, boring, and exhausting hassle that I shall skip over. The plane arrived more or less on time at the airport in the fabled city of movies and legends. As I exited the plane I was met by a blast of hot air scented with the aroma of spices, food, and other things less desirable. I was definitely in a totally different world. After getting through passport control, I retrieved my lone suitcase and headed for customs. The official looked over my papers, glanced at my one suitcase, and then waved me through.
In the arrival meeting area, I spotted a man holding a sign with my name on it. I signaled to him and then made my way through the crowd to where he was standing. He took my bag and led me out of the building to a car parked curbside in a restricted area. The car was an antique, French made I think, possibly an early to mid 30's touring sedan. The spotless white and tan body glistened in the hot sun. The servant opened the door to the back seat for me and I climbed in amidst the stares from people milling about in front of the building. I was beginning to feel like a different person, somebody of importance.
It wasn't long before we were underway moving through the city. The route the driver took was clearly made to show off the best parts of the city, and avoid the worst. We eventually made it through the city and out into the countryside. The landscape was for the most part, barren and alien, but I was fascinated by it nonetheless. I took in every detail of every scene that presented itself as we drove on. At one point, I spotted what looked like trees up against some low hills. It was the only patch of green that could be seen in any direction. Soon there after, the driver turned off the main road onto a narrow hard dirt road that led to the trees I had spotted.
It didn't take long before we arrived at the patch of greenery. The trees I had spotted were rising up from the center courtyard of a massive, two story square building. The driver pulled up in front of tall, massive, double wood doors in the center of the front wall. The doors opened, and several servants came forth. One opened the car door and assisted me in climbing out of the car. Another retrieved my suitcase and made ready to walk behind me as I was ushered through the doorway by still more servants each bowing to me in turn.
The scene that greeted me inside the gates was like something out of a movie. The center courtyard was large and impressive, with every room facing it. An open hallway in front of the rooms was created by tall columns and arches on all four sides. The space between columns on the second floor was filled with waist high ornate iron work. All of the buildings outer surfaces were painted in intricate and ornate geometric patterns. The floor of the open hallway was covered in cut stone with glazed tiles that had a geometric design on them fitted in between stones in a regular pattern. At the center point of each hallway, a path of the same cut stone and tiles extended into the open courtyard meeting at a central fountain carved out of a single massive piece of white marble. The fountain was circular, and at each point where the paths met the fountain was a standing lion with its fore paws up on the wide rim of the fountains pool. Water issued forth from the mouth of each lion into the pool. In the center of the pool was a set of five progressively smaller stacked ornate bowls reaching up higher then I was tall. Water cascaded from one to the next and finally into the pool. The courtyard itself was planted in everything from ground cover to trees, most of which were in the palm family. Huge, thick walled pottery jars were scattered here and there as sculptural elements. It was very inviting and was calling to me. I slipped into a daydream in which I envisioned myself strolling down one of the paths to the fountain, dressed in an ankle length, sheer white, frilly and totally feminine dress, with a matching wide brim hat. But the dream was cut short, as I was turned away from the garden and led up a flight of stairs to the second floor and on to what would be my room during my stay.
The interior of the room was even more ornate than anything I had seen to that point. It was furnished in both Moroccan and western style furniture, and was clearly done so as to give me a choice as to how I wished to reside. In the center of the room was a low, small circular table surrounded by four plush cushions. On the table were several silver platters piled high with various kinds of fruit and different kinds of dates, as well as a crystal pitcher filled with water and crushed fresh herbs.
"Sir, I am Moulham, and am most honored to be your aid during your stay with us. If there is anything which you desire, you have but to ask. Now, if you will permit me, I shall present to you some of the things I have arranged to make your visit memorable. Please make yourself comfortable here at the table and freely partake in what you see, especially the water, as it has herbs that will aid in your body's acclimation to our time zone."
I did as requested and as I bit into the most delicious orange I have ever had (a local variety I had never heard off), Moulham filled my mind with the exotic wonders I would see. One of the most exciting was a trip to the ruins of an old palace on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Another one that I eagerly desired was a visit to a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains to partake in a feast of local delicacies. All in all, it was going to be a whirlwind tour and I was beginning to wonder if there would be time to meet my host.
"Moulham, it all sounds incredible and I am most excited. But I wonder, when will I meet my most generous host?"
"Sir, that will be tomorrow morning after you have been prepared in accordance with my masters wishes. Now, if I may take my leave, I will see how the preparations for tonight dinner are progressing. I have chosen a menu that I hope you will find enjoyable. I shall soon return, sir."
Moulham backed out of the room but I was not left alone for three striking mature women remained to pamper me and attend to my every need. I took the opportunity to lie out on a divan as the effects of jet lag were catching up to me. Two of the women took it upon their selves to see that I was kept cool by the judicious use of long handled fans. I felt like I was in a scene out of some old Hollywood movie or in a dream that I did not want to wake up from. I drifted off into a state between relaxation and sleep, to deep for one and not deep enough for the other. Time was quickly forgotten.
I was aroused from my state in what seemed to be all too soon, but actually a considerable amount of time had passed. The evidence of which presented itself by Moulham and a couple of servants carrying covered dishes. The table was cleared and the dishes were set upon it. I was most anxious to sample the local cuisine and hastened to the table but was redirected to a wash basin. There, a servant assisted me in the hand washing ritual that precedes all Moroccan meals. It made sense, as Moroccan cuisine is eaten using ones hand. Finishing the ritual, I returned to the table and sat down on one of the cushions.
As each dish was uncovered, I took in its appearance and then its aroma, savoring each, without even having taken a bite. The spiciness brought to mind the more pleasant scents that greeted me when I disembarked from the plane. I tore off a small piece of flat bread and used it to pinch up a small amount from the first dish and pop the whole into my mouth. This I repeated with each dish in turn. It was all good, but not as spicy as I thought it would be from what I had read. My disappointment did not escape Moulham's attention.
"Sir does not seem to be enjoying his meal. Is there something wrong?"
"On the contrary, this is the most wondrous and exotic meal I have ever partaken in. If I seem disappointed, it's just that I have been led to believe that it would be a bit spicier."
"Oh sir, please forgive, the fault is entirely mine. I thought that it would be best to tone the meal down so that you will sleep well and arise tomorrow morning without any unintended ill effects. Rest assured that before long you will experience Moroccan cuisine in its full glory."
It was of course, a wise precaution. My body was going to have enough to handle just trying to shake off the effects of jet lag. It didn't need the added problems of trying to digest spicy foods that I was not accustomed to. Even with things toned down, the meal was very enjoyable and I couldn't wait to try more. The rest of the evening was filled with music and dance provided by the servant women. I was thoroughly enjoying the experience, but all too soon it was time for me to retire. Moulham instructed one of the servants to remain and assist me in my preparations for bed. I thanked him but declined the offer. Moulham honored my wishes and departed wishing me a good night. I entered the sleeping chamber where I found my usual sleeping attire laid out on a western style bed. After changing clothes, I finished up my usual preparations and retired for the night.
Morning arrived bright and warm. I rose from bed and after completing my morning routine, I donned a white burnoose that had been laid out for me the previous evening. The chatter of birds came drifting in through the open windows facing the courtyard and I decided to investigate. I left my room, moved down the outside hallway to the stairs and descended to the ground floor. As I moved into the garden, I could see birds of a couple of different species all around me. I sat down on the wide rim of the fountains pool and stared off into the garden. I quickly slipped into a daydream, one in which I was dressed quite differently then I actually was. It wasn't long before Moulham approached me.
"Ah, I see that Sir has already risen. I hope this glorious morning find Sir well rested."
"You do indeed, Moulham. I have never had a better nights sleep away from home before. What ever was in the water you gave me has worked wonders. I am most thankful."
"Master will be pleased to hear. I will personally see to it that you are given a bottle of the water to drink upon your arrival home to aid in your readjusting back to your time zone. If Sir is ready, I will see that breakfast is brought to your room."
"Very good, Moulham, I shall return momentarily."
Moulham bowed and moved off in what I assumed was the direction of the kitchen. I took a leisurely stroll back to my room. As I finished with the hand washing ritual, Moulham entered with a servant woman carrying a large covered tray. She put it on the small round table and as I sat down, removed the cover. It was a typical Moroccan breakfast with the main dish being Harira, a soup made of several different cereal grains and vegetables in lamb stock. It was delicious and I was encouraged to eat more than my fill and indeed I found it impossible not to. Given my extreme thinness, it didn't take much before I could feel and see my stomach start to bulge.
"Thank you Moulham, it was absolutely delicious."
"I am most happy you are pleased. If you will be pleased to remove any clothing you are wearing under the burnoose, I will lead you to where you will be prepared to meet my master."
I did as requested, and soon we were at the entrance to a room that was under the one I was staying in. As I entered, I could see that a bath had been prepared for me. The tub was of the deep soaking type, and was sunk into the floor up to the rim. The inner surface was covered in an exquisitely detailed mosaic of pure Moroccan geometric design and colors. It was filled to the rim in crystal clear water, with jasmine blossoms floating on the surface. The scent of jasmine was enticing me to slip into the cool water straight away, but of course I had to wash first.
There were several women servants waiting in attendance. All were stripped down to their strapless bra and panties. Two of the women came up on either side of me, squatted down and took hold of the hem of my burnoose. They lifted it up and off, revealing my nakedness to all. Two others began to smear a cream that had a slight acrid smell over my body from the neck down. The servants then reached into a standing tub filled with soapy water and pulled out large sponges. They began to wash me from head to toe. This was followed by buckets of water that had been heated to body temperature. The water cascaded down my body onto the floor, where it disappeared into the cracks between the large floor tiles. Two of the women took me by each hand and escorted me to the head of the tub. They then assisted me in getting in the deep tub.
The cool water was a welcome refreshment in that hot environment, and I slowly slipped in up to my neck, savoring every second of my slow decent. The intoxicating scent of jasmine became heavier the deeper I sank into the bath. I quickly relaxed, fully giving myself to the magic of the scented water. One of the servants lathered my face, and then gave me the closest shave I have ever had. She had no sooner finished, when another servant began to massage my neck and shoulders, while others fed me grapes. It was all too good to be true, but I didn't care. My mind quickly drifted off into an alternate reality. But all too soon, it was time for me to get out of the tub and continue being prepared to meet the client.
A pair of servants helped me up out of the tub. I took a couple of steps toward a group of servants holding the fluffiest white towels I had ever seen. Stopping in front of the group, I was quickly surrounded and patted dry. Two of the women exchanged the towels for fair sized puff pads and proceeded to powder me from head to toe. Two others then anointed me with fragrant oil. One of the servants that had been standing by, then approached me holding out a bikini panty like garment. It appeared to be made of a sheer scarf like material with a white silk liner. On each side was a small bow with a long sheer scarf hanging down. I stepped into it and as the woman brought it up into place, tucked my self in, so to speak. The liner turned out to be of a heavier, elastic material and did a very good job of hiding my, um, true gender.
A servant, holding a floor length, white silk, tube shaped gown, approached from just behind me and came to stand before me. She held it out in front of her, high enough for the hem to not touch the floor. She then lowered the gown to the floor, descending to her knees as she did so. The woman let go of the gown and leaned forward, reaching out towards my hands. I placed my hands in hers and she gently pulled me toward her. As I stepped into the center of the gown, she let go of my hands. The woman then took hold of the top of the gown on each side of my legs and pulled the top of gown up to my chest. The top of the gown was cut at an angle and ended as a narrow strap on the front and back on my left side. A woman approached me from my left. She took up both straps, and then tied them together over my left shoulder with a single loop bow. The gown hung from my left shoulder, straight down to the floor, without the slightest bulge to be seen anywhere, not even from my still extended stomach. The two servants pulled slightly back from me, and then with a sweep of their hands, motioned me to a near by chair.
I moved to the chair and sat down. A woman came up behind me and began combing my shoulder length hair straight back from my face. She gathered it up into an elaborate bun at the top back of my head. A silk scarf was tied around the base of the bun, with the long end falling down behind me. Four other women went to work on my finger and toe nails, cleaning, trimming, filing, and painting them. After they finished, a pair of open toed sandals were slipped onto my feet. A delicate chain like ankle bracelet was secured around my left ankle. A wide plain gold bracelet was slipped onto my left wrist and snapped closed.
The woman who did my hair went to work on my face. She brushed a pale powder over my face. She then highlighted various features of my face with slightly darker powders. She finished up by applying a minimal amount of makeup around my eyes and mouth. I became concerned about how little makeup had been used; as I knew from my own experiences that it took a lot of time and effort just too partially hide my male features. My concern wasn't shared by the woman, as she seemed happy with the end result. I was hoping that someone would present me with a mirror so I could have a look see, but it was not to be. Two of the servant women reached out for my hands and pulled me up from the chair and started to lead me out of the room. As we progressed across the room, I took every chance to check myself out in any reflective surface we came upon. The images were disappointing at best, as the surfaces were curved or rippled. I tried to mentally filter out the distortions and came to convince myself that I looked feminine enough.
As we walked, my mind began to recall all of the events leading up to this moment. I had been pampered, fussed over, and treated as if I had been a real woman. There had not been any snickers, or strange looks, or behind the back whispering. Never in my life had I felt so alive, so like the woman that inner something seemed to want me to be. I proudly marched on toward my destiny.
My trek took me across the garden to the other side of the courtyard and to the room where the client was waiting for me. We entered a small receiving hall where a servant man was standing midway along the right hand wall next to an entrance to another room. He parted the beads filling the entrance and disappeared inside. He shortly reappeared through the beads, then pulled the beads to one side and bowed to me. He motioned me to enter with his free hand. I advanced and entered what turned out to be a large elaborately and richly decorated room. At the far end of the room, was a large rotund man dressed in a white burnoose, partially surrounded by one male and three female servants. He was sitting on, and surrounded by a huge pile of silk pillows, and stared at me with a smile on his face. I suddenly became aware that I was now alone, my entourage having remained outside the room. Not knowing what was going to happen, scared me stiff and I was unable to move. That inner something seized control and the room started to move past me. I got about two thirds across the room, when the man made a slight hand gesture, indicating me to stop. I then noticed that there was a thick rope hanging down from above, just off of and ending just below my left shoulder. The man nodded to someone out of sight. The rope began to move.
I became aware of a small monkey descending the rope. It reached out towards my shoulder and grabbed the free end of the bow. The bow surrendered to the monkey's tugging and came undone. The monkey scampered back up the rope as the gown slid down my body, unhindered, all the way to the floor. I stood there, appearing to be an almost totally naked woman. The man's smile broadened into a leer. He began to rub his hands together with increasing intensity. He started to lick his lips as he nodded his head as if to say "yes, Yes, YES". I instantly became alarmed and wondered just what had I gotten myself into. What did he want from me? What was he expecting me to do?
Suddenly the man turned and looked toward a servant standing next to the entrance to a side chamber. He clapped his hands twice and the servant pulled the beads in the opening to one side. In walked a young girl dressed in a silken gown and scarves. She looked like a miniature princess and couldn't have been more then seven years old. She headed straight for the man who greeted her with open arms. She hugged the man as he embraced her. He then lifted her up, and sat her on his ample lap.
"My precious Daughter, do you see that woman standing there? I wish you to take a good look at her. I want you to remember her image, for you see, if you don't eat your vegetables, you're going to grow up looking like THAT!"
In spite of that humbling, life altering reality check, I did manage to enjoy the rest of my once in a lifetime adventure. It was all worth it, and I do not regret my inner something taking the path it did.
Introduction
This is one of five possible continuations of the story Path to the Crossroads. It is necessary to have traveled in the mind on the path to the crossroads before choosing in which direction to continue. May the reader find adventure, pleasure, and maybe even peace of mind, down the path he or she has chosen to travel.
Of Paths to Take
Path to the Left
By: Zylux
In the display window were many stunningly beautiful things to look at, and I quickly scanned over all from left to right and back again. It was a stunning sundress in the left half of the display window that finally seized my full attention. It was on a mannequin that faced toward the center of the display, allowing me to move to the side and get a peek at the back of the dress. It was an incredible dress, made of a sheer, white lacy fabric, over a more solid white liner. It was covered all over in black, palm size, abstract flowers that looked like they had been dry brushed on with a wide, course paintbrush. The cowl neckline was trimmed in a wide, white satin ribbon that was attached all around until about a half inch before the back zipper. The ends of the ribbon were free and long, extending down the back past the waist. There was a matching hat, with a wide brim around a half spherical dome. It was also trimmed in a white satin ribbon, about half as wide as the collar ribbon, with free ends extending down past the shoulders. It was spectacular, and definitely not your mother's sun dress.
It was one that a woman of means would wear to high tea, or an upscale luncheon, held outdoors in a garden or perhaps at the race track with the upper crust. I slipped into a daydream, so deeply that I could hear and even smell the horses as they thundered past. I was surrounded by wealthy women dressed in their finest day wear, engaged in idle gossip while sipping Champagne. It was a wondrous illusion that was suddenly shattered by a car horn. My daydream was replaced with the image of the driver who didn't take kindly to my crossing the street at mid block. I turned to stare at the intruder with a less than friendly look.
The intruder turned out to be a Mercedes convertible with the top up that had pulled into a parking space just to my left. The woman inside looked back at me apologetically and mouthed "sorry". Then she bit her lower lip as she looked me over. She must have liked what she saw for she pushed a button that opened the passenger side window and then motioned to me with her head to come over. Curiosity got the better of me and I was soon bending down at her cars side peering in the open window, getting an eye full.
She was a knockout, with a high class sophisticated look about her that reeked of a sexuality I quickly became envious of. She was dressed in what had to be, a very expensive white miniskirt suit. The fitted jacket was unbuttoned, reveling a black shirt with the top two buttons undone. The only jewelry I could see were a pair of diamond stud earrings and a snug fitting, two inch wide, plain gold bracelet with no visible joint on her left wrist. She wore her hair up and pulled back from her face. Wire frame glasses with large round lenses, gave her a sophisticated look with an underlying tone of authority. Her shoes were white, four inch stiletto high heels. It was a safe bet that she was not a secretary. She sat with her legs spread apart, far more than what was needed to drive the car. Combined with the look she was giving me, it was almost like she was extending to me an invitation to sex. That would be an attractive offer as I could undoubtedly learn a lot from her, if she was willing to teach.
"Sorry I startled you, I accidentally hit the horn. Hope I didn't destroy too good a daydream for you."
"Um, ah, well, I wasn't daydreaming, just lost in thought."
"I'm not buying that. Your posture said that your mind was clearly off somewhere far from here and you were wearing that sun dress. I can't say that I blame you, it's stunning, and has been a favorite among the girls where I live since it first became available. Do hop in and tell me all about your dream."
"I don't think I should do that."
"Nonsense, I'd love to hear it for I have the means to restore your daydream in a way you can't begin to imagine. But come, get in and let us not talk through an open window."
I had a bad feeling about listening to anything more she had to say. I wanted to get away from her while I could. But that something inside me was quickly taking over. It was intrigued by what she had just implied and wanted to hear more. I watched with a sense of dread as my hand reach for the door handle. The door opened and I watched myself slide in and settle on the seat, closing the door behind me. The woman pushed a button that closed the window.
"Now this is more like it. I'm Lynn."
"Um, I'm Jeff."
"A pleasure to meet you Jeff. Now, about your daydream, how would you like to wear that dress for real, and not only that, but be made up to look like a woman, and be accepted as one by all you will meet?"
"First off, this is all rather unnerving, how could you know what was going through my mind? And second, I could never pass as a women, so please don't try to tempt me with something that could never be."
"Admittedly, it will take considerable work, but I assure you, you will eventually look as much a woman as I do."
"Yeah, right, and I'm sure you have some prime 'wetlands' property to sell me."
"I'm serious, for you see, I'm really a boy."
"What? No, that’s not possible. I'm not buying it."
"It's true. Come, stick you hand up my skirt and check it out for yourself. You will find that I'm still originally equipped."
"NO!"
"It's alright; go ahead. If I like it, I might even let you do me, seeing as how I find you kind of cute."
"NO, stay away from me, let me out!"
"Wait, look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just having a little fun. But you see, I really am a boy, and were once as you are now. I was always dreaming, never thinking I could really be. But then one day, I meet someone who offered me a way to obtain my life's dream, and voile, you see before you the end result. Pretty convincing, no?"
"Very, I was completely taken in, that's assuming all of this is true."
"Hey, I've given you permission to verify what I say, check me out."
"I don't like your method of verification."
"No problem, I'll just hike my skirt and pull down my panties."
"NO, STOP! I'll take your word for it."
"You can take ME if you want."
I was speechless and just stared at Lynn. She smiled back at me in a more than friendly manner. I knew I should get out of her car and put as much distance between us as possible. But I wasn't in control. That something inside me was. It was mesmerized by Lynn's alleged transformation, and it wanted to know how it was done. I tried to counter with thoughts of just what price Lynn had to pay.
"Um, no, um, look…"
"Can it happen for you? Yes, you can be as much a woman as I or those I reside with."
"Reside with? Like in a house or apartment house? And they are all men posing as women and are as convincing as you?"
"Yes, we reside together at an estate just inside the high rent district in town. Tell you what, why don't you come join us for a day and get an idea as to how much of a woman you could be. You will be pampered, dressed, and made over. You won't be perfect by our standards, but will be good enough to walk around in public without anyone suspecting."
"Sounds expensive, I…"
"It's on us."
"That sounds too good to be true, there has to be a few strings attached."
"Just one, you have to listen to a sales pitch toward the end of your visit."
"Well that's where you lose as I barely have enough money to keep …"
"Not a problem. We offer a financing package that will most certainly fit in with your situation."
"Just what all is in this service that you are offering?"
"The extent of the transformation we will provide you will be laid out during the sales presentation. Now, can I offer you a lift somewhere?"
"I could use a ride back to the mall where I parked."
"Not very private, but I'm game."
"Look, I think it would be better if I just walk back to my car."
As I reached for the door handle, Lynn reached into her purse and pulled out a card. I opened the door but before I could get out, she thrust the card at me.
"When you are ready to live your dream for a day, come pay us a visit. The directions are on the back of the card. Ask for me at the receptionist, and remember, the earlier you come, the longer you can tryout being who you really want to be. Now, are you sure I can't give you a lift back to your car? I promise to behave and not tease you anymore."
Oh how I wanted to get out of that car, but I had again lost control of my actions. That something inside me was completely taken in by Lynn and wanted to observe her a little while longer. The car door closed and I watched my hand reach up and take the card from her hand, slipping it into the left back pocket of my pants. Lynn smiled at me, but it wasn't all friendly, it seemed to contain a note of triumph. It was cause for alarm, but before I could act she had fired up the engine and was backing out of the parking space.
Lynn prodded me for directions, and we were shortly at where I had parked my old, beat up VW bug. She parked next to it and I finally managed to regain enough control to extricate myself from her car. She surprised me by also getting out. She folded her arms over one another on top edge of the car roof, and looked across at me with a touch of seduction.
"I think I'll have a look around in the mall, care to join me? We can have lunch together, my treat."
"Thanks, no. You've given me a lot to think about. My mind will be elsewhere for a while. I fear I won't be much in the way of company. Thanks for the lift."
"My pleasure, hope to see you again, soon. Bye for now."
I unlocked my car's door and opened it, but instead of getting in, I turned to watch Lynn walk away. She walked with the unmistakable gate of a real woman. It wasn't overdone, or forced, just a natural feminine walk with an air of confidence and sophistication. As Lynn approached the entrance, she passed a couple of young men standing off to the side. They whistled and called out to her. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand, but then gave them a little flip of her head and brought her left hand up to the top of her ear, running her fingers around it. She walked on, adding a little more sass to her walk. The young men reacted in a predictable male simian way. They didn't have a clue.
Just as she came to the entrance doors, a man leaving the mall came out one of the doors Lynn was headed for. His eyes were locked on Lynn, and he held the door open for her. She thanked him, added a bit of a flirt, and then continued on into the mall. He just stood there, still holding the door, watching her walk away. While I could easily guess the thoughts that were running through his mind, I was more fascinated by him not suspecting that "she" was actually a "he". Envy of Lynn began to overtake me and I found myself wanting what she had. I fought back by once again asking myself just what did she have to pay and how did she pay it? Lynn disappeared from sight, putting an end to any reason for my standing there staring at the building. I got into my car and shortly thereafter was headed for the malls exit.
The trip back home was a nightmare, my mind kept drifting off to thoughts of Lynn and her invitation. It was a constant struggle to force my mind to pay attention to driving. I did manage to make it home safely, although as to how, that remains a blur. I wasted no time getting back into the isolation of my apartment. Once inside, I removed Lynn's card from my back pocket and dropped it on the coffee table. I collapsed onto the sofa and laid back with my eyes closed, letting my mind go wherever it wanted, and it wanted to dwell on Lynn and her offer. I eventually tired of that line of thought and made several attempts to change my thoughts to something else, but failed. And that was the way things would go for the rest of the week. No matter what I was doing, Lynn's invitation would slowly take control of my thoughts.
Monday of the following week was an off day from work, and that inner something seized the opportunity. It forced me to rise far earlier than I normally did on a day off. I was in a daze as I got dressed and made ready to go out for the day. I came into the living room and spotted the card Lynn had given me, still where I had dropped it on the coffee table nearly a week earlier. My inner something caused me to reach out and pickup the card. I stared at it as I moved toward and out the front door. A dream like haze surrounded me as I walked to where my car was parked. It wasn't until I had gotten into my car and had put the key in the ignition, before I could come back to reality. But I didn't question my actions, I had an idea as to what my inner something wanted, and I wanted it too.
On the back of the card, there was a small map that started at a well known intersection in the city. From there, it traced a route that led up into the hills that overlooked the city. Definitely the high rent district. I got my aging car to start with no more than the usual trouble and headed off across the city. The traffic was what one would expect from morning rush hour, but eventually I left it behind as I got closer to the hills. I was completely alone as I drove up into the hills on a narrow, winding road.
It was a beautiful drive with the steep hillside on my left, and trees and brush obscuring most of the homes on my right. Trying to find the right address under those conditions and watch the road at the same time proved to be difficult at best and I ended up driving past it. When I realized that I had gone too far, I changed my search to finding a spot where I could safely turn around. Having accomplished that, I returned back down at a much slower pace. This time I was able to spot a nearly hidden sign with just the house number on it next to a narrow opening in the bushes. I turned off the road into the opening and found myself on a narrow gravel road that descended down the hill for a short ways to a large compound. There was a small parking area in front of the near end of a long building. What looked like the only entrance to the building was at the far end of the small parking area. I parked in the spot next to the entrance and looked around.
Through the twin glass front doors I could see the receptionist, who looked up at me and smiled. I froze and started to question just what it was I was doing and why. Suddenly my car door opened. I slid out of my car and slammed the door closed all the while keeping my eyes fixed on the buildings entrance. The glass doors began to move toward me until they were close enough that I could reach out and pull one open. I was too scared to do it but I had once again lost control to that something inside me. I watched my hand pull the door open and entered the lobby.
"Good morning sir, how can I help you?"
"Um, I'm here to see Lynn."
"I believe she is in. Who shall I say is calling?"
"Jeff."
"All right Jeff, just make your self comfortable and I'll page her. Lynn, please call the receptionist, Lynn."
The receptionist was a mature woman who must have been a stunning beauty in her day. She was dressed in a stiff white, long sleeve shirt with the top button undone, and what I guessed (from what I could see) was a black, slim skirt. A very business like look. She wore her hair up which added to an over all business like attitude. There wasn't much in the way of jewelry, but I did notice that she wore the same gold bracelet as Lynn had. Not wanting to be caught staring at it, I turned away and started to look about the lobby. It was very industrial looking except instead of pictures of product; there were pictures of some exceptionally beautiful and sophisticated, high class women dressed to the nines. I was fast slipping into a daydream when the phone rang.
"Receptionist. Yes Lynn, there's a Jeff here to see you. I will let him know. Jeff, Lynn is on her way."
"Thank you. Say, um, who are all these women?"
"They are some of our employees, both past and present. Lynn is on the far wall."
"You're up here also I'll wager."
"Yes, but I won't tell you where. The picture was taken many more years ago than I'm willing to admit to."
"Can't be that many years ago. What kind of company is this?"
"Lynn will fill you in, all in good time."
Just then Lynn entered through a door next to the receptionist.
"Jeff, it's so good to see you again. I was beginning to think you weren't going to accept my invitation. Well, come along, there is so much to see and do. But first, we need to get you ready."
I followed Lynn through the door and into a short hallway that intersected a very long hallway that appeared to run the length of the building. We turned left into the much longer portion and traversed but a short distance before she turned off into a small room on our right. It was a barren room except for some kind of long thin box hanging from a circular track mounted to the ceiling, and a portable folding screen like one would find at the doctor's office in one corner. There was what looked like a plain door in the middle of the far wall, but there was no handle. Standing off to the side was a mature woman, dressed in the same manor as the receptionist, holding something in front of her with both hands.
"This is our digital scanner; with it we will scan an image of your entire body into our computer. I will show you why later. Go ahead and step behind the screen and strip off your clothes, draping them over the chair that is back there. Paula here will hand you a special pair of panties to put on. Come on out when you are finished."
I had considerable misgivings over what was requested of me, but that inner something forced me to comply and I soon found myself behind the screen, stripping of my clothes. Reaching for the panties extended out to me by Paula with her left hand, I noticed that she too wore the same gold bracelet as Lynn. As I came out from behind the screen, Paula slipped in behind me and gathered up my clothes. She then made a quick exit out the doorway I had entered through.
"Oh hey, wait, where are you going…? Um, where...? She took my clothes."
"Relax, it's okay, you won't need them until the end of your visit. They will be waiting for you in a guest room. Now, if you will kindly take a position on the 'x' on the floor, we will scan you into the computer. That's it, arms slightly out to the side. Excellent, now hold still as this will take awhile."
The long thin box began to emit a narrow horizontal beam of red light that moved from head to toe and back repeatedly as the box slowly moved around me. When it arrived back at its starting point, it powered down. The silence in the room was suddenly broken by a disembodied female voice.
"We got it, and it's a good image."
"Excellent. Alright Jeff, let's get you cleaned and dressed."
The door on the far wall popped open and Lynn motioned me to enter. I was becoming more that a little apprehensive, after all, I was nearly completely naked, my clothes, wallet, and keys were gone, and I was being prompted to pass through what might be a one way door. Lynn started to crowd me and I found myself trying to stay away from her. But that only took me toward and through the door with her following behind. As soon as we had entered the new room, the door closed behind us. The only other way out that I could see was the same kind of door in the middle of the left wall.
This new room consisted mostly of an open shower. Standing before me were two striking mature women clad in just plain white strapless bras and panties. My eyes quickly glanced at their left wrists. The bracelet was there. They motioned me to join them in the center of the shower area. I decided to keep the panties on, figuring that if they wanted me to take them off they would let me know. I moved between them and they got to work.
They covered me in a thick cream that had an acrid smell and had a slight burning sensation. They left me standing there while they cleaned up at a wash basin. When they had finished, one of the women pushed a large chrome button next to the basin. A shower of water heated to body temp assaulted me from multiple heads in the ceiling above me, washing all traces of the cream from my body. When the streams of water turned off, the two women came at me and began smearing another cream over my body. This one had a cool feel to it as well as a baby powder sent. As before, they left me to stand alone while they cleaned up. After a short while, I was again drenched in water until all traces of the cream had been washed off. Once again they came at me as soon as the water turned off, this time with large, white, fluffy towels. As the two women dried me off, I became glad I had elected to keep the panties on, which were surprisingly dry. I guessed that some kind of waterproofing had been applied to the material that they had been made of. The two women finally finished drying me off and then scanned me from head to toe and back. Then one of them looked at Lynn and gave her a quick affirmative nod of her head. Lynn nodded back and motioned me to follow her as she turned toward the door in the left wall.
The door opened and I followed Lynn through into what was a small room. In the middle of the room was a chair one would find in a beauty parlor. Next to it was a small cabinet with a large assortment of makeup items on top. Standing next to the cabinet was Paula, the woman who had taken my clothes from the first room. She looked me over, and motioned me to sit in the chair. She opened one of the cabinet drawers and withdrew a breast form and a tube of adhesive. After applying some adhesive, she positioned the form on my chest and pressed. The adhesive worked fairly fast and she was soon repeating the process with the matching form. Paula moved behind me, picking up a small hair dryer from on top of the cabinet as she passed it. She began to dry and comb my shoulder length hair straight back from my face. She gathered it up into an elaborate bun at the top back of my head.
Makeup was next, and she started by blending the edges of the breast forms to my chest. My face was next, and suffice it to say that it was a long involved process, at the start of which, Lynn had disappeared out a door opposite of where we had entered. My less than female features gave Paula no end of frustrations. But after what had to have been a couple of hours, she stared at me with a smug look of triumph. I would liked to have seen the results but there wasn't a mirror to be seen anywhere in the room. I looked at Paula, but before I could ask her for a mirror, she motioned to the door Lynn had gone through. The door popped opened and I pressed on, alone.
The room I then entered was huge and filled with racks of clothes, all of which was casual to formal daywear. In the middle of the right hand wall was an opening to another huge room filled with what looked like evening clothes. There were several women either dressing or searching for just the right outfit. I was so absorbed in the scene before me, that I didn't notice that I was being approached on my right.
"You must be Jeff. Hi, I'm Gina, Lynn told me to expect you. Come over this way and we will fit you with some suitable lingerie."
I followed this new woman, sneaking a look at her left wrist. The bracelet was there. She led me off to the side to a small alcove containing a small bank of drawers. She pulled open one of the top drawers, and then turned to leave.
"Pick out what you would like to wear. I'll be just outside while you change."
I quickly scanned over the contents of the open drawer before spotting a matched white, lace trimmed, bra and panty set. Very feminine, and that something inside me just had to have it. I stripped off the panties I was wearing and tossed them into a small hamper off to the side. I stepped into the new panties and pulled them up. The bra was next, and it offered me a new sensation with the breast forms I was wearing. The weight of the forms combined with the restraining effect of the bra created a feeling of what being a woman must be like. I rather liked it and began to wish that I had real breasts. Even though there was no way to see what I looked like, I still came out of the alcove feeling like a woman. It was wondrous and I wanted more.
"All set? Now, Lynn mentioned that you are interested in a particular sundress. Our sundress collection is along the left hand wall and runs from casual to upscale. And there is something you might want to consider in making your choice. At noon today there is a garden luncheon on the central lawn that a sun dress would be perfect for. It will be a very formal affair so if you wish to attend, then you will have to select a dress from the upscale section."
I couldn't believe it, had I heard right? It sounded like a version of the daydream I had when I first met Lynn was about to happen for real. It was just too good to be true. It had to be a setup, but I didn't care. Besides, there was no stopping that inner something and it wanted to experience this new opportunity to the fullest.
We had come to the left wall and Gina motioned me to precede her down the aisle. As I moved along, things got better and better. The dresses became more feminine and expensive looking until, down toward the end, I spotted what that something inside me, and I, desired. It was the very dress that was in the clothing store window that I had fantasized about wearing. I quickly seized one in my size and copying what I had seen others do, slipped into it right there in the aisle, and zipped it up the back. The matching hat was to be found on a shelf above the dresses. I pulled it down and placed it on my head. I looked at Gina; she smiled, and nodded her approval.
"You have excellent taste. You should consider joining us. You would fit in well. Come, I will show you where we keep the shoes."
As she led me out of the daywear room, I looked around for a mirror to check myself out in, but none was to be seen. We entered the evening wear room, and I was greeted with rack after rack of the most exquisite clothing one could imagine. Judging by the pieces that were on the ends of each rack, one could easily find an outfit suitable for any occasion one would come across, and for any modern era as well. As I gazed upon the treasures around me, a childhood memory of a special dress surfaced and I wondered if they could possibly have it. I scanned all I could see, hoping to catch just a hint of that marvelous skirt that beguiled me as a youth. It was a long shot that didn't pay off.
Gina was making for some side chambers on the other side of the room and wasn't wasting any time. I scrambled to catch up with her. We ducked into one of the chambers that had the biggest assortment of shoes I had ever seen. I found a pair of white high heels in my size with wide two inch heels that would be perfect for the garden luncheon and slipped them onto my feet.
Gina led me back out and into a second smaller chamber containing an extensive collection of jewelry. It was overwhelming and I was like a kid in a candy store with only a nickel in hand. Sensing my dilemma, Gina guided me to the pearl section. It was a sensible choice, simple and yet so elegant. I picked out a single strand pearl choker and pearl stud earrings, perfect for a high society luncheon. Gina picked up a small string of pearls and secured it around the base of the bun my hair was in. It was the perfect touch.
"It looks like we are finished here. Come, we have one last stop and then I will turn you back over to Lynn."
The last stop turned out to be a room with several alcoves. Each alcove had full length mirrors arranged so that when one stood in the middle, one could see all sides of ones self. At long last I would be able to see how I looked and hastened into the nearest alcove. The image that greeted me was beyond anything I could ever have imagined. I was staring at an elegantly dressed woman, no great beauty, but not a plain Jane either. I wanted to just stand there and take it all in, but that something inside wanted to show the world what I had become. I came out of the alcove all smiles and with an inner glow that must have been reflected in my face, judging by the way Gina was looking at me. She led me out into a hall and down to a large sun room where I spotted Lynn sitting at a small round metal table with a glass top. She was looking over some papers but looked up as I approached.
"Jeff, well just look at you!"
I stopped short of Lynn. Taking hold of the skirt on each side, I held it out and then slowly turned completely around like a young girl would as she showed off her first frilly dress. Lynn smiled at me with the look of someone about to pull of an advantages deal.
"Most excellent, you have exceeded my expectations. So, are you ready for a tour of our facilities?"
"I am, lead on."
Lynn gave me the grand tour. The compound was amazingly well equipped. I don't think it lacked anything one could want. For recreation, one could choose from (but not limited to) swimming, tennis, racket ball, volley ball, hiking, horseback riding, as well as a host of table games. For keeping in shape, there was a gym and a luxurious spa. For the mind, there was a reading room and a media room. I know I'm leaving a lot out, but there was so much but listing it all might become boring for the reader. There was so much to see that by the time we had completed the tour, it was time for the luncheon in the garden to start.
Lynn led me to a large lawn in the center of the garden and introduced me around to all. For some strange reason she introduced me as Jeff, not even inquiring if I had a fem name that I would prefer to go by. I was upset by that, but before I could protest, everyone began to acknowledge me as Jeff, but at the same time, treated me as a woman and not as a man made up to look like one. My protest died before I could give vent and I accepted that I was still Jeff. There was one other thing that I noticed; everyone was wearing the bracelet, guests and servers alike.
Lynn took her leave and left me to enjoy the luncheon with the others in attendance. I was enticed into many conversations covering a wide range of topics. But one topic seemed to be taboo and that was anything about the company or how the facility fit in. It struck me as odd and mysterious and gave me a sense that there was something that just wasn't right. Even with that mystery hanging over me, the luncheon was an experience that, even without the horse racing, far exceeded my daydream, one that I simply did not want to end. But of course it did end, and everyone began to migrate off to other areas.
I had made many a new friend, three of which came over and invited me to join them in a game of doubles tennis. I quickly accepted and the four of us headed off to the daywear room. They led me to the sports wear section where I picked out a cute little white tennis dress. After we changed clothes, we took what we had been wearing to the laundry/dry cleaning room. Then it was off to the courts where we played a couple of sets. I got a hard workout but still had a lot of fun. I wasn't nearly as good as the others, but that didn't seem to bother anyone.
After the game, the four of us decided to take refreshments in the sunroom. We sat around one of the larger tables where we engaged in small talk over a cup of coffee (the kind one would find in a coffee house) as the afternoon progressed toward evening. It was then that, one by one, my new found friends excused themselves, saying that they had to get ready for an evening out. Soon I was alone, left to reflect on the unbelievable events of the day. To say that I didn't want the day to end would be the understatement of the decade. It had been as Lynn had said it would be, for I not only looked like a woman, I had been treated as a woman, and had even felt that I was a woman. It was something that I wanted to continue for the rest of my life. But the old question of the price one would have to pay began to surface once again. That's when Lynn put in another appearance. This time her look and manner were more business like.
"It is time for our little presentation. Come with me."
Lynn led me back through the building. I had no idea where I was until we intersected with the long hallway not too far above where the hall from the main entrance joined. We turned down the hallway toward the entrance hallway to a room just our side of the one with the scanner.
This new room had a large flat screen monitor on the far wall at eye level for a person who was sitting. In front of it were a desk and two office type swivel chairs. There were only two things on the desk, a keyboard, positioned in front of the left hand chair, and a gold bracelet in front of the other. It was the same bracelet as Lynn's, except it was elongated and I realized that it was in the opened state. Lynn took a seat at the keyboard and motioned for me to take the other chair.
"You have previously asked of me the extent of the transformation we will provide you. I can now answer your question. We can transform you into a sophisticated, high class shemale. The transformation will not just be physical, but psychological as well as sociological.
"The physical will consist of a series of plastic surgeries to completely feminize your face and give you a look of beauty that men are most attracted to. The bulge of your Adam's apple will be made to disappear. Your waist line will be raised and your hips will be made more rounded and feminine. A regimen of hormone treatments will be started, for the purpose of breast development and a softening of your skin. Facial and most body hair will be treated so that it will no longer exist. The end result will be that you will not only look like a woman, but will feel like one to the touch."
"Wow, you're talking about a permanent change, not dress up and acting. I don't know if I can handle that."
"Not to worry. You will be trained to accept being a shemale for the rest of your life. You will also be trained how to act in all aspects of high society. You will be able to mingle with the affluent and hold your own in style, action, intelligence, and conversation. You will be kept apprised in current world events, and will be able to hold your own in any high level discussion of said events."
"This all sounds way too expensive, far beyond my means."
"As I alluded to when we first met, we do have a financing package that you can afford. The payments will be spread out over quite a few years and you will be required to join us."
"That doesn't sound too bad, considering that I'd really like to spend the rest of my life here."
"Excellent, but there is more to it I'm afraid. You will be employed to see to our client's pleasures in what ever capacity they require."
"Um, just exactly what does that mean?"
"You will become a high priced shemale escort."
"By escort, you mean that I would go out in public with a man?"
"Usually, but we do get the occasional woman client. The way it works, is a client will call us requesting a 'girl' that he or she has picked from our catalog to accompany him or her to a specific event at a specific time. The chosen 'girl' is informed of the event and time and prepares accordingly. The client picks her up at the appointed time and returns her before noon the following day."
"The following day, as in sleep with?!"
"Yes, after all I did say 'see to our client's pleasures in what ever capacity they require.'"
"Do they realize that they aren't getting a real woman?"
"Yes, of course, that's why they come to us, it's what they want."
"Wow, that's something I've never thought about. I mean as far back as I can recall, I've wanted to dress like a woman, even look and act like a woman. But to perform as a woman, in bed with a man, that's just not something I can do."
"I felt the same way when this very offer was made to me. However, as my transformation into a shemale progressed, I came to think of myself as a woman. My training made it so that I could act and think as a woman, as well as sexually please a man in a way that he would come back for more. I eventually became the woman that, deep down, I had wanted all my life, and I wanted more. It wasn't enough to pass as a woman, I wanted all the pleasures that a woman is entitled to. I wanted a man to desire me, to hold me, to caress me, to be inside me, to make me his. It is a feeling that still burns within me."
"Sorry, but that is just not in me. I enjoy dressing up and occasionally trying to look like a woman, and in that regards, what I've experienced today has been a fantastic once in a lifetime experience. But to do what you want of me, no, I can not."
"But don't you see? You can't go back to what was. It won't be the same. You will never have the funds to get anywhere close to what you had today. And you don't want to go back, do you? Come on, admit it, you don't want to, do you?"
My mind was becoming filled with thoughts that I didn't want and couldn't block. It frightened me and I quickly become so scared that I couldn't look at Lynn, let alone answer her. I just looked down and shook my head no.
"Excellent and I'm sure that once you see how your transformation will turn out, you will be more then ready to join us. But before we have a look see, there are a couple of things you need to be made aware of. The first is that there is the possibility that a client will become so enamored by you, that he will want you all to himself. To that end, he may purchase you from us to be his wife. While this is rare, it has happened often enough that you must consider the possibility of it happening to you. Actually, that's not a bad thing. A client who is able to make such a purchase would be quite wealthy and it's safe to assume that you would be well taken care of in a rather lavish manner.
"The other thing is not so pleasant I'm afraid. Your virginity has considerable value and will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Sadly, romance is not usually on the mind of the winner, and since they are paying for the privilege, so to speak, it will be their way, not the way you may have, or will come to dream of."
"Well, I do thank you for a day I will never forget, and while there is much I do like in your offer there is far more I don't like. It is time for me to go."
"Not just yet. You have enjoyed our hospitality for the better part of this day, it is only proper that you sit through the entire presentation."
"That may be, but I still don't want to hear any more. This is just not for me."
"You don't need to hear, just watch. The plastic surgeon we work with has analyzed your scanned image and has submitted an image of what he feels can be achieved with a high degree of success. You can't tell me that you are not the least bit curious as to how you would turn out. I'll just bring up the image of you that we scanned into the computer."
That inner something willed me to remain seated. It wanted to see. Lynn entered something on the keyboard and a nearly naked image of me appeared on the screen in front of me. She zoomed in until my head filled most of the screen.
"We will view your transformation in stages. First, however, you will need to pickup the bracelet in front of you and slip your left hand through it."
The bracelet, the one everyone I had met was wearing, and now I had an idea as to why. The thought as to the significance of the bracelet terrified me, and I didn't want anything to do with it. But I wasn't in control, that inner something was. I watched my right hand slowly reach out and pick up the bracelet from the table. I stared in disbelief as I slipped it over my left hand and positioned it at my left wrist.
"Excellent, now hold the bracelet as if you were going to squeeze it closed, but do not, for it is self locking and once closed, it can not be opened. You must understand that closing this bracelet will signal your acceptance of our offer to transform you, as well as your willingness to join our group under the terms laid out until your debt is paid or you have been purchased as a wife. Also understand that it cannot close on its own, or by accident, as there is considerable resistance in the locking mechanism. It will take force to close it, force YOU must apply. Now let us have a look at the woman you can be if you so choose."
Lynn hit a button on the keyboard and the image on the screen morphed into a slightly more feminine version of me. Another hit of the button and my male features had vanished. A couple of more hits and my face was clearly that of a woman, a surprisingly attractive one. Lynn pushed another key and instantly a professional makeup job had been applied. The end result was stunning.
"No, no, this has got to be a trick. There is no way I could look like that. Do not tempt me with false promises."
"There are no false promises. As I have already said, the surgeon feels that given the current technology and his skills, what you see is what can be accomplish if you so desire."
The image on the screen had me in its grip. There was no way I could divert my gaze. I began to shake as I fought my inner something to keep from applying pressure on the bracelet.
"Of course it will be even better with an appropriate hair style. Let's run through a few examples, shall we?"
I wanted to say no, but my inner something forced me to nod my head as if to say yes.
"Excellent, we'll start with some short styles and progress to just beyond shoulder length."
Lynn pressed a few buttons and the image suddenly had a pixie cut hair style. Combined with the makeup job, the look was very sophisticated with a youthful cuteness. As I stared, the hair style morphed into a classic bob that was just as stunning. And then into another, and another, and so on ending with the style my hair was currently in. It was deliberate on Lynn's part and I knew what she was up to. I was determined to resist. That did not escape Lynn's attention. She pressed on.
"Of course just looking good is not enough, you need something to wear that is at least equal to how good you look. We have an extensive wardrobe, and you will have no trouble finding that perfect outfit for any event you are called to attend. I would even be willing to wager that you would be able to find, or come very close to, any outfit you have come across in your life time. Perhaps there is one in particular that may have some special meaning for you?"
It was an obvious trap I had to avoid.
"No, there isn't."
"Shame on you for trying to lie to me, I can see in your eyes that there is. Come now, describe it to me."
Resistance was futile for that something inside me knew what it wanted, and so did I.
"It's…it's a dress that I last wore a long time ago. The upper half was black satin with gold threads running through it. The lower half was a satin full skirt with the hem falling just below the knee, in a black and silver, large checkerboard pattern, with thin gold lines separating the squares."
"Sounds elegant, I'll just make a few entries in the search function, and let's see what we get."
A few images came up on the screen, and my eyes immediately locked onto one. I couldn't believe it. There on the screen before me was the first dress I had tried on in my youth, the one that had enticed me into the feminine world.
"I'd say by your look that we have found your dress. Which one is it?"
I was speechless, and all I could do was point.
"Excellent, fifties glamour, if I'm not mistaken. Let us see how you would look wearing it."
Lynn pressed a button on the keyboard and the view zoomed back to show all of me. A couple of more buttons were pushed and my image on the screen was suddenly clothed in the dress I had pointed to. It was simply spectacular.
"Well, is it as good as you remembered?"
It was, but my inner something wanted more.
"Not quite, there was a wide silver belt."
"That should not be a problem. Let's see, um, there. How does that look?"
It wasn't just perfect, it was better, for this dress fit me. I wanted it, to wear it, to experience the magical wonder all over again. I drifted off into a daydream only to have it shattered by the bracelet. It had moved. I looked at it and was shocked to see that it had started to close. Had I caused that? The reality that I had, scared me. I knew I had to get out of there while I still could, but the image on the screen wouldn't let go of me.
"You have excellent taste and it's quite stunning on you. Many a man would be proud to have you on his arm as you go to dinner. Or perhaps it is the ballet he is taking you to. I can see that appeals to you, but you would need to wear a petticoat as fashion for the ballet dictates a much fuller skirt. Shall we see how that would look?"
"No, please don't. I … I think it is time for me to leave."
"Leave? But you simply must see just how feminine you could be. I know you want to."
Before I could say or do anything, Lynn had pressed a button on the keyboard and the skirt flared out exhibiting a slightly fuller, more feminine look. I could feel my fingers applying pressure on the bracelet.
"Better, but it needs to be fuller. A second petticoat should do it, don't you think so?"
I wanted to shout "STOP". I wanted to get out of there, but I was frozen speechless and immobile, so mesmerized was I by the image on the screen. I was fast losing control. I didn't know how I could continue to fight off that something inside me if this went on any longer.
"No protests this time? Excellent, let us see then."
Lynn pressed the button again. This time the change was much more dramatic. The skirt bloomed out almost to its maximum flared shape. It was incredible, and oh how I wanted to wear that outfit for real. The desire within me translated into pressure on the bracelet. It moved, causing me to refocus my attention on the bracelet and I quickly eased my grip.
"So glamorous, and with class. Does it get any better? Wait, it just might. Now that I think about it, I do believe we have this design in an opera length. I'll just check through the inventory. Ah, we do indeed, and it says here that it was last worn several years ago. Well, I'm sure that you will change that the first chance you get. But of course, we don't have to wait; we can see how you will look in this gown, right, now."
Lynn pressed a few buttons and the gowns skirt extended to the floor, maintaining its flared shape. A couple of more buttons were pressed and opera length gloves, a diamond tiara, with matching earrings and necklace, were added to the image. I began to visibly tremble as I fought the urge to squeeze the bracelet. Lynn sensed victory and moved in for the kill.
"Of course, if you are going to the opera, you will need a date. Shall we see who has come for you?"
More buttons were pushed. The image rotated until I was looking at it's back. Then the view moved toward the image, closer and closer, until the view was from within the image, looking through its eyes: my eyes. My mind began to merge with the image until I was the image. I could see the black and silver checked skirt flaring out around me. I wanted to explore it, but there came a knock, and a door materialized in front of me. It opened; revealing a very handsome, well to do man dressed in a black tux with a white shirt and a black bow tie. He looked at me from head to toe and back with a cross between a smile and a leer, and then began to nod his head as if to say "yes, Yes, YES". He extended his hand out to me. I watched my hands reach down and grab hold of the skirt. I lifted the skirt and moved toward the man. My ears were filled with a sound, a marvelous rustling sound. My mind filled with the memory of when I had first experienced a similar sound, so long ago. But it was not to last.
From the bracelet came a click. Once again I had been brought back to reality. I looked down at the bracelet, although I did not need to, for I knew what had occurred. It had closed and locked, with no visible joint lines. It was barely loose around my wrist. There was no way to remove it.
"Try to open the bracelet."
"It's okay, um, I know…"
"Go ahead, try. It will help you accept what deep down inside, you really wanted all along."
I moved my fingers to the side of the bracelet and pulled. It didn't budge. The joint lines remained invisible. There was no going back. As I stared at the bracelet, a hard to describe feeling swept through me. It was sort of a combination of relief and acceptance. Lynn reached out, placing her fingers under my chin. She gently coaxed me to lift up my head and look her in the eyes. She was smiling.
"Come, the plastic surgeon is here and awaits you."
I rose from the chair and started to move toward the door.
"So, do you have a name you wish to go by?"
"Yes, Audrey."
"Most sophisticated and with an old world air about it, excellent. You will be our first Audrey, and with your taste in fashion, I have a feeling you will be quite popular with the more cultured of our clientele. But that is a little ways off in the future. For now, you can reflect on how in a little while Jeff will go to sleep for the last time, and tomorrow morning Audrey will awaken for the first time."
The reality of what was happening to me, what that something inside me wanted to happen, filled my mind as I stepped through the door into the long hallway and on down a path from which I could never return.
Introduction
This is one of five possible continuations of the story Path to the Crossroads. It is necessary to have traveled in the mind on the path to the crossroads before choosing in which direction to continue. May the reader find adventure, pleasure, and maybe even peace of mind, down the path he or she has chosen to travel.
Of Paths to Take
Path to the Mall
By: Zylux
In the display window were many stunningly beautiful things to look at, and I quickly scanned over all, coming to rest on five mini skirts laid out across the floor at the front of the display window. Each was expertly tailored using high quality fabrics in a variety of different designs, stimulating a different vision of the type of woman who would wear such an expensive skirt and the radically different men she would be surrounded by. That something inside me not only wanted to slip into those skirts, but an appropriate daydream as well.
One skirt in particular was quick to grab my attention. It was a slim fitting, beige, wool mini skirt with a wide waist band and two button, side zip closure that wanted to pair up with a matching fitted jacket. It had a cut and an overall impression of being very expensive and would be worn by a sexy, sophisticated, intelligent woman of means in a boardroom filled with powerful men, each competing for the wearer's attention. Now there was a dream I could spend some time in.
But that was not to be, for a very different type of skirt caught the attention of that something inside me. It was a flared, rube red sequined, mini skirt that shouted sex. It was the kind of skirt a woman looking for a fun night would wear to the top night club. She would thrill at all the men jostling with each other, trying to be the one to dance with her and hoping to be the one she would go home with. It was a dream that my inner something wanted to slip into, but I didn't, and I forced my gaze to move on.
My attention focused on a pleated, turquoise and gray plaid, mini skirt that invoked an image of a school girl with a pixie haircut. My mind dressed her in a white, long sleeve, turtleneck pullover sweater with a thin black belt around the waist. I smiled at the sweet, innocent picture as she headed for an exclusive private school. That something inside me did NOT like it and quickly changed the girl to a young woman by adding an ample chest. It then slipped her feet into black, high heeled pumps. Her hair became long and wavy. College was on her agenda.
The sweet innocent look was fast eroding away when suddenly; a breeze momentarily shifted a broken metal sign dangling from a poll on the outer edge of the parking area, briefly reflecting a ray of sunlight into the display window. The bright flash of light lasted just long enough to light up a straight, pure white mini skirt. My attention was completely captured by the nearly blinding light reflected off the skirt. My thoughts were instantly transported to the deck of a cruse ship, littered with wealthy people, all dressed in white suits, engaged in social activities of the day. I wanted to dwell on all the possible continuations of that day dream, but that something inside me forced me to move on.
My attention then came to rest on the last skirt, a blue denim mini skirt with a two inch wide, turned up hem instead of the normal turned under hem. I followed my inner something as it slipped deep into a day dream in which I was pulling that skirt up my legs, securing it in place with the front button and zipper fly. An unbuttoned blue and white checkered shirt materialized around my upper body. I slowly tied the bottom of the shirt into a knot, leaving the upper part unbuttoned. I had in my mind an image of raw sex appeal that needed a place to go, but where? The rodeo? Logical but no, for the skirt was high end and it demanded a classier venue. Like, a horse breeding farm where the wearer would be the owner … no, the daughter of the owner, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, swinging side to side as she sashayed out to the stables, seeking out the beefy hired …
Once again my daydream was shattered, this time by a car in a hurry, coming from my right that quickly decelerated to a stop directly behind me, its engine throbbing with the sound of pure muscle. I heard the driver side door open followed by the sound of first one boot hitting the pavement quickly followed by the other.
"You there! Turn around with you hands out to the side, now!"
I did as commanded and found myself being confronted by a woman police officer staring at me over the roof of her cruiser. She stared at me as she slammed the door closed and came around the front of the car. The intensity of her stare caused me to glance away. My attention refocused on her name tag, which read: Sergeant Lynn J____. From what I had seen of her, I could tell that she was a striking woman with a tough, hardness about her. She wore her hair up in a tight bun at the lower back of her head that stuck out from under her cap. As she approached me, I could see that she was at least six feet three, a couple of inches taller than me, giving her the tactical advantage of holding the high ground. She came to stand close in front of me as if to intimidate me. She then peered around me and stared down at the floor of the display window. A smile appeared on her face as she caught sight of the mini skirts. Her smile intensified as she looked back at me, and then took a step back in order to give me a good looking over from head to toe. But the smile turned more into a leer as her visual inspection came to focus on my right arm. She grabbed my right wrist, raising it up and turning it to expose a small tattoo on my right inner forearm. The look on her face told me that I was deep in that brown stuff.
"What do we have here, a gang tattoo?"
"Um, no no, it's a symbol of a karate dojo I used to belong to."
"You expect me to believe that YOU are some kind of marshal arts expert?"
"Hardly, but I was really into it in my high school and early college days."
"Well, I'm not buying that and I was just going to cite you for that little sprint of yours across the boulevard that caused one driver to swerve into another lane, but this ups the ante. I'm going to run you through the system. Show me your ID."
I slowly, deliberately, took out my wallet and extracted my driver's license. With a slightly shaking hand, I handed my license to the officer. She took it back to her cruiser, opened the passenger door and slipped in with her legs outside the vehicle. She reached over and snatched the hand mike from it's holder on the police radio and jerked it up close to her mouth. She said something and then read my license number into the mike. She dropped her hand with the mike into her lap and waited for a reply. It wasn't long in coming. She got back out of the car, leaving the door open, and strutted up to me with a look of disappointment.
"Alright, you came back clean, but I'm still going to issue a citation for jaywalking."
"Do you have too? Look, I didn't mean to do that, it's just that I got seduced by the smell of coffee…"
"Coffee? That's the shop down on the end."
"Yeah I know, it's … Okay, look, I was on a walk around in the mall, but started feeling kind of depressed after looking at the new, um… Well, I needed some air and stepped outside, and then I caught the smell of coffee, but I got distracted … It's complicated, can you just give me a warning instead? My jobs not much more than minimum wage…
"Hurting for money are we? Alright, you've got your warning, but with a condition, or two. For now, you can show up at the dojo on Linux just north of Pascal at eight o'clock tonight."
"Whoa, wait a minute, what for?"
"If I read you correctly, I think you will fit in with a program the department has created, and rather well I should think."
"What kind of program?"
"Never mind. I just have to check you out on a couple of things. All you need to worry about, for now, is being there on time. Got that?"
"Yes ma'am, I'll be there."
"Excellent. Now then, you're a ways from home, how did you get here?"
"By car, it's parked at the far end of the mall."
"Makes sense. Well, I have a few personal questions best asked in private. I can do it here in the car or, if you are done fantasizing about wearing those mini skirts and have no further interest in coffee, I can do it while giving you a lift back to your car."
Wow! Where did that come from? I know that the police have a heightened sense of observation, but that just shocked me to the core. I froze, unable to move. All I could do was wonder just how much of my daydream was obvious to her. Sergeant J____ leered with pleasure at my surprise as she turned away and headed for the front of her car. With her no longer leering at me, I was able to override my shock and got in the police car through the open passenger side door just as she opened the driver side door and slipped in behind the wheel. I indicated my accepting a lift by closing the door and buckling up the seat belt. Sergeant J____ shot me a sly smile then shifted into drive and drove on to the end of the mini mall where there was an exit. Almost directly across the boulevard was an entrance to the malls parking lot. After waiting for a break in traffic in both directions, she gunned the engine and speed across the busy street.
Once in the parking lot, Sergeant J____ maneuvered onto the main artery that ran in front of the side of the mall I had exited on. That’s when she engaged me in a conversation about my personal life, work, and family or more accurately, lack of family ties, having alienated my family by dropping out of collage and becoming a common laborer. But it wasn't a friendly conversation. It felt more like I was being interrogated, but for what I couldn't tell.
We rounded the end of the mall, and with the parking lot still sparsely used, I was able to point out my aging VW bug. Sergeant J____ abruptly stopped on the main road near my car. I thanked her for the lift and got out of the car. As soon as the car door closed, she sped off in the direction of the mini mall. I stood there and watched her car disappear in the distance before getting into my own car and making for home.
Once back at home, my mind was free to dwell on the officer's demand that I meet her at a dojo later that night, the reason for which escaped me. What could a female police officer, karate, and a lack of money add up to? And there was my fantasizing over mini skirts that didn't escape her attention, was that a piece in the puzzle or something for her pleasure?
Not knowing what lay in store for me at the dojo, I figured it would be best to have an early dinner so as to meet what ever waited for me with an empty stomach and a fueled up body. A can of soup fit the bill nicely and was consumed about an hour before I had to get ready. As the appointed hour drew near, I retreated to my bedroom to change clothes. My old karategi was retrieved from a forgotten corner of the closet and laid out on the bed. I stripped to my shorts and then put on the white trousers and white jacket. The blue belt denoting my mid kyu ranking was lifted off the hanger and secured around my waist. An old pair of sandals was pulled from the closet and I slipped my feet into them. I grabbed my keys and my wallet, and then headed for, and out, the front door.
I made my way to my assigned parking spot without running into anyone that I might have to explain my appearance to. Upon getting into my car, I leaned over to stuff my wallet in the glove box. Straightening up, I put the key in the ignition and turned it on. The engine of my aging VW bug finally fired up after the usual protests. I backed out and headed off to my appointment with Sergeant J____.
The trip to the dojo was uneventful and I had no trouble finding the place. Finding parking was a different matter. I ended up parking on the opposite side of the street and up from the dojo. The key was removed from the ignition and transferred to my left hand as I got out of my car. I surveyed the street looking for a break in traffic intending to sprint across, but I didn't; after all, it was jaywalking that got me into whatever mess I was in. Reluctantly, I walked down to the intersection with Pascal and crossed. I worked my way up to the dojo, hoping that I was on time.
Entering the dojo, I was greeted by a typical scene of students stretching and warming up on the mat. They were adults, mostly white belts with a few yellow belts mixed in. Sergeant J____ was easy to spot, although she was not in uniform. Instead, she was wearing a white pants suit with the jacket off and draped over her arm, revealing a black, long sleeve shirt, the top button of which was undone. She was standing at the edge of the training area in white pumps with a low, wide heel, engaged in conversation with a man dressed in his karategi and a black belt with two yellow stripes on one end indicating a second dan ranking. As I came up to them, the officer noticed me and turned to greet me.
"You have arrived and slightly ahead of time, excellent. Master K____, this is Jeff, the person of interest. Jeff, meet Master K____. He will be assessing your physical and defensive skills."
"Nice to meet you Jeff. Come join my students in some calisthenics and then I'll put you through the test."
As the students moved into formation before Master K____, I moved down to the back edge of the mat and turned to face it. I slipped out of my sandals, bent down to put my car key in one of them and straightened up. I made a partial bow before stepping onto the mat. Master K____ took note and gave a slight nod of approval with his head as I took a position at the end of the first row of students and made ready. We were really put to it. It was beyond any doubt, the most intense workout I had experienced since my quitting karate when I dropped out of collage to explore South America. I would be feeling it in the morning.
With calisthenics out of the way, the students sat down on the edges of the mat. Master K____ had me take a position at the center of the mat facing the students. He then called up the largest of his students, wearing a yellow belt. While my adversary was a few inches shorter than me, he was at least twice my weight and definitely stronger than me. Master K____ had him attack me from the front, than the side, and finally from behind. I fended off all attacks, broke all holds, and, as if to put an exclamation point on my performance, put my opponent on the mat. I couldn't help feeling a bit proud of myself; after all, it had been years since I last engaged someone in combat. Master K____ did not seem to be impressed.
Instead he called up two other students of average height and build, and then had both of them attack me together. We were put through several more scenarios, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. Master K____ had the students retake their seats on the mat and then turned to face me. He issued a roaring one word challenge in Japanese. I responded by assuming the standard tee formation and we engaged in combat. Master K____ was clearly my better, but in the end, I had given a good account of myself and even managed to stay on my feet. We bowed to each other and then shook hands. He gave me some words of praise, and then motioned for his students to rise.
As the students paired up for the day's lesson, I exited the back of the mat pausing to pick up my key and slip my feet into my sandals. Master K____ had moved to engage in a brief conversation with Sergeant J____. As he turned to rejoin his students, the officer looked at me and smiled, but it wasn't entirely a friendly one, it was more along the lines of someone about to make an advantageous deal. The officer watched me come up the side of the mat to her.
"How'd I do Officer?"
"Let's talk proposition, but not here. There's a coffee shop just around the corner. And you can call me Lynn."
Coffee shop? Oh great, that's what lured me into this mess in the first place. We walked to the coffee shop for the most part in silence. As we came up to the shop I noticed a police car parked in front. Two officers were seated at a table for four just inside the front door enjoying a cup of coffee, the immediate area around them was clear. As we joined them, I noticed a couple of empty cups in front of the empty chairs and a half filled pot of coffee.
"Jeff, this is Captain Larry S____, and Lieutenant Frank Y____. Gentlemen, this is Jeff D____, the man I told you about."
"Have a seat Jeff, and help yourself to the coffee."
Lynn took a seat next to the Captain, leaving me to seat myself next to the other officer. I poured myself a cup of coffee, and then set the pot in front of Lynn. I started to savor it as Lynn briefed the two officers on the results of the test.
"Master K____ has just checked him out and has signed off on him. He's a little tall, but otherwise perfect for Operation Drag-net. He's got the defensive skills, no close social ties, and the right mind set. I say we give him a try."
"Whoa, what's this Operation Drag-net, Captain?"
"We have a problem concerning a recent rise in muggings and rape. We have had to pull to many officers off other assignments to patrol and catch the perp in any given hot spot. That leaves too much of the city without adequate protection for an unknown length of time. And with the budget cutbacks we just don't have the money for additional officers. What we do have, is enough money from drug property seizures for bounties. That's where you come in. We send you into a trouble spot, dressed appropriately, to draw out the suspect. When successful, you signal Lynn and her partner, who will come in and make the arrest. When the suspect is convicted and in jail, you will collect the bounty.
"Um, what do you mean 'dressed appropriately'?"
"Usually that means dressed and made up as, a woman."
"Wait, isn't that something the police are already doing?"
"Yes, but only a few have proven suitable enough to be effective, and they have been used so often that they are being spotted. We need fresh faces. So, are you in?"
"I'd have to think about it. And just out of curiosity, what kind of numbers are we talking about?"
"It depends on the case. The more difficult and dangerous the suspect and the more urgent it is to get him off the street, the bigger the bounty. But you can figure on this range, with some reaching this level."
The Captain wrote some numbers on a napkin and slid it across the table to me. I looked at it in a state of astonishment having instantly compared it to what little my job paid. I folded the napkin in half and stuffed it into my left back pocket. And with that, the meeting was over. Everyone got up and headed out the door. Outside the shop, Lynn pulled me off to the side out of hearing of the Captain and Lieutenant who were engaged in conversation.
"What's to think about? You will actually get to wear skirts similar to the ones you were daydreaming about. And the makeup artist we hire on an as needed bases, will make sure you look like you should be wearing a skirt."
Once again Lynn shocked me and all I could do was stare at her. My inner something seized the moment to force upon my thoughts the idea of being made up to actually look like a woman. For some reason, I seemed to thrill at the idea and started to drift off into a daydream. But I was instantly brought back to reality by Lynn. She was intently smiling at me, but again, it wasn't entirely friendly. No, it was more along the lines of someone who had stumbled upon some forbidden secret she could use to advantage.
"Look, you have the opportunity to make a difference, to make life a little less worrisome for the women of this city. Besides you still 'owe' me, so come in to the station tomorrow when you can, and ask for the Captain. There's some paperwork to fill out and you will need to be briefed on procedures."
"What you are asking of me is far more than waving some jaywalking fine."
"True enough, but that's no longer a factor. There's more at play here and you know it. It's obvious to me that deep down inside, you want to do it. I dare say that you relish the idea of not only dressing the part, but looking the part."
Lynn smiled at me a friendly reassuring way, but the thought of her possibly knowing my secret, was to embarrassing and I couldn't look at her. Instead, I just looked down and gave an affirmative nod of my head.
"Excellent. It's just as I thought earlier. You ARE perfect for Operation Drag-net. Now, are you working tomorrow? Yes? Then I'll inform the Captain that you will be in directly after work."
Lynn reached out, placing her fingers under my chin. She gently coaxed me to lift up my head and look her in the eyes. She was smiling, but it quickly changed into a leer. Lynn turned away and headed for the Captain, leaving me to stare at her in shock. I slipped into a daze as I headed off to cross Linux and turned up street to my car. I remained in a daze as I drove home, walked to my apartment, and eventually made ready for bed. Sleep didn't come easy as there was just too much running through my mind and all of it was overshadowed by the potential of some sort of extortion if I tried to back out. Would Lynn, a police officer, actually resort to that? It was not a thought one could drift off to sleep on.
Things didn't improve much the next day. I headed off to work, sore, restless, and still in a daze, and stayed that way to the end of my shift. It wasn't until well after work, with me staring at the entrance to the police station, that the reality of what I was about to commit to, managed to bring me back to the conscious world and I froze, unable to move.
I stared at the entrance for what seemed like an eternity but was actually less than ten seconds. My hesitation wasn't due so much as to the danger involved, but more to being dress in women's clothing in public and surrounded by many who would know I was a man. I was at an impasse until that something inside me rose up and took control. Suddenly, the entrance became closer and larger. I watched my hand reach for, and seize, the door handle. The door was pulled open and my inner something dragged me through. One of two officers behind the front desk looked up at me.
"Can I help you sir?"
"Yeah, um, I'm Jeff D____, here to see Captain S____. He's expecting me."
"Yes sir. I'll need to see some ID and you will need to fill out this security form."
I pulled my wallet from my back pocket, took out my driver's license, and handed it to the officer. He looked it over and handed it back to me. It was put back into my wallet which was returned to my back pocket. As I filled out the form, the officer called the Captain and informed him that I had arrived. Just as I finished the paperwork, a security door just to the right of the front desk buzzed and opened. It was the Captain carrying a folder with some papers in it.
The desk officer took the form from me and issued me a visitor's badge, noting its number on the security form. As I clipped it to the front pocket of my shirt, the Captain ushered me through the security door. The door closed behind us with the sound of a massive deadbolt being electronically thrust into a locking receptacle. A feeling that there was no turning back swept over me.
The Captain led me to the briefing room with floor to ceiling windows along the front. Inside, there were rows of tables with chairs, all facing to the left end of the room. At that end were a podium, an overhead projector, and a view screen. The Captain handed me the folder and ushered me through the door.
"Have a seat Jeff; you have some paperwork to fill out. Now, even though you are not a police officer, or even an employee of the police department, there are rules and regulations that govern our actions that you will need to be aware of, as well as procedures you will have to follow in the course of drawing out and apprehending a suspect. An instructor from the academy will join you shortly and will fill you in. I'll see you at the end. Welcome aboard."
Great, more paperwork. It took no small amount of time to fill out all the forms, with each one being more invasive of my personal life than the one before. The last one was a questionnaire that delved into my psychic. I had yet to finish when the instructor entered the room. We exchanged greetings before he laid another stack of papers in a binder, in front of me. He setup a few papers of his own as I finished off the questionnaire.
As soon as I finished with my paperwork, we started on the instructor's. There was a lot to cover and it quickly became apparent that I was getting a general overview of something that a police cadet would have to spend days, if not weeks, learning. Some of it made sense, while some of it seemed to be handicaps imposed by the courts. It all came down to officer safety verses the suspect's rights and the documentation of all that transpired and how much of it would apply to me even though I was an outside consultant, of sorts. When all was said and done the instructor led me from the room to the Captains office which was close by.
"All done? Thanks for coming in Tom. Okay, Jeff, I'll be reviewing the paperwork and Tom's assessment. The questionnaire will be reviewed by the department psychologist. If he signs off on you, then everything goes to the Commissioner. When he signs off, Lynn will then be able to call you in when needed. She is the primary field officer for this operation and has the final say on who, when, where, and so on. You should hear from me one way or the other within a week. I'll see you to the front desk."
We walked back the way we had come with the Captain pointing out different departments and other things. The impromptu tour ended when we reached the front security door. The Captain nodded to an officer in a glass booth off to the side. A buzzing sound came from the door as well as the heavy thud of a dead bolt being electronically pulled back. The captain opened the door for me and I slipped through. We wished each other a good night before the door once again closed with the ominous sounds imposed by a needed security. I checked out with the same officer at the front desk and then departed the station, got in my car and headed for home to wait out the decision on my fate. Four days later, the Captain called me after work. I was in.
Note Worthy Case no. 1
My first case came in the late afternoon of the very next day. It had been a miserably boring and physically exhausting day at work. I had thankfully made it home in one piece and had just collapsed onto the sofa to try and recover, when the phone rang, annoying me to no end.
"Yeah?"
"Jeff? It's Lynn."
"Hey Lynn, what's up?"
"An urgent case. It's low risk and should be perfect for you to start out with. The university over on the west side has experienced three rapes on campus in the last five weeks. Needless to say, they don't want there to be a fourth."
"Understandable, but can the police afford to get involved when the attacks occur so infrequently? Surely campus security can increase patrols where the rapes have occurred."
"A pattern has emerged that makes the attacks predictable but that knowledge comes with a couple of manpower problems for campus security. First, the attacks have only occurred during well attended, on campus, sporting events in virtually deserted areas of the campus. During these events, security is so swamped with traffic and crowd control that it doesn't have sufficient personal or budget to adequately patrol the deserted areas, where no one has any business being alone in the first place. It's likely that the suspect has observed what patrols there are long enough to know when he has a safe window to operate in."
"Hasn't the administration issued a warning to avoid that area?"
"They have, and that brings up the second problem. The corridor where the attacks have occurred is a convent route between the southern apartments and the commercial part of the campus. Normally, there is enough security personal as well as student traffic to ward off any trouble, so the students have pretty much ignored the warning."
"So, prevention has failed and it's time to ferret out and remove the problem. I'm in."
"Excellent. I'll call in Elaine, our makeup artist. On your way in, you are going to have to pickup a suitable outfit. There's an open mall close to the station with a couple of stores that work with the department. Have you got a pen and paper handy? I'll give you their names, who to see, and a code for billing the department."
"Um, jus' a sec… Okay, ready."
Lynn dictated the info as I wrote it down.
"Got it?"
"Yeah, I got it."
"Excellent. Oh, and not to worry, the stores personal are used to helping officers who have drawn mugging duty. They are very supportive of the work our officers do. You can rest assured that there will be no jokes or laughter during or after your visit. Their professional mannerism should lessen any embarrassment you may develop from having to select and try on women's clothing. Of course, that's assuming you don't have something suitable in your closet you can press into service. Be at the station by six."
Once again, Lynn had shocked me speechless, but before I could recover and give protest she had hung up. An image of her sitting at her desk, looking at her phone, and chuckling to herself filled my mind. There was nothing I could do about it, so I shifted my thoughts to what I needed to do before leaving for the station. Considering the day I had, a shower was in order and I would need to shave, and not just my face but my legs as well. Of course I could wear thigh length opaque stockings instead, but that was something a male officer would do. The suspect might consider that in his selection of a target. I wanted him to choose me and that meant eliminating anything that would hint of my being a decoy. With a game plan in mind, I forced my self up off the couch and headed for the bathroom.
As I entered the bathroom, I started to strip off my clothes, hanging them on a hook on the back of the door. Shaving my face was first on the list and was done at the sink as usual. Next were my legs, something best done in the shower. I lathered up, grabbed the razor and got in the shower. I turned on the hot water valve just enough for a trickle to come from the shower head and got to work. It wasn't long before my legs were silky smooth. All that was left was to clean the rest of me.
I was about to turn up the shower when another potential of blowing my cover came to mind. It concerned the soap. The soap was grabbed from its holder and brought to my nose. It had a slight masculine fragrance. This was the one time when smelling like a man in public would not be a good thing. Fortunately, there was an alternative at my disposal. About a year earlier, I had purchased a "luxurious pampering home spa" soap that has the fragrance of baby powder and flowers. I used it on dress up nights when I had the desire to feel extra feminine.
The soap was retrieved from a small sealed container under the sink. Upon opening the container I was immediately hit by the fragrance and my thoughts turned to it being too feminine for a man, after all, I still had shopping to do. That something inside me didn't care and it willed me to put it in the showers soap holder. I complied, but resolved to use it sparingly. The shower was turned up and I stepped in. As I lathered up and rubbed the soap across my skin, the fragrance filled my nose.
The purely feminine scent turned my thoughts to what I would wear on the assignment. An image of the clothing store display window where I was first confronted by Lynn materialized in front of me. In my mind, I again looked down at the five mini skirts on the floor. The turquoise and gray plaid pleated mini skirt jumped up at me and filled my field of vision. As I slipped back into the same daydream I had back then, I came to realize that it was the perfect outfit for the assignment, not my version, but that of my inner something. It wanted that outfit, and I wanted it too, as soon as possible. A new energy surged through me and I quickly finished up all I had to do in the bathroom.
I got dressed in fresh clothes and headed off for the kitchen. Once again, soup was the sensible choice. A large bowl was pulled from a drawer and set on the counter. A stale half loaf of French bread was retrieved from under a cover at the back of the counter. A thick slice was sawed off using a serrated knife and placed in the bottom of the bowl. I selected a can of chicken and vegetable soup from the overhead cabinet. It was opened by the pull tab on the top of the can and the contents were pored over the bread in the bowl. The soup was warmed up in my microwave oven and then quickly consumed while standing at the counter. I didn't bother to clean up; I just left everything where it was and headed for the door, grabbing the list I made, still by the phone, in passing. Getting to my car and then to the mall was uneventful and made without any delays.
At the mall, I started to drive along the front of the stores trying to spot the ones on my list when I noticed a couple of college aged girls excitedly entering a store displaying a youthful look in the front windows. It was on my list and I quickly parked in front of it. I sat there, staring at the entrance knowing what I had to do, but quickly realized that if I started to think about it, I probably couldn't do it. So, I took a deep breath and opened the car door, slipped out, shut the door and made a beeline for the store entrance, all in one non stop motion. I was determined to enter the store and head straight for a saleswoman. A good plan, that went out the window the moment I stepped inside. That's when I noticed it was a women's wear only store and I instantly stopped dead in my tracks. Needless to say, I did not fit in with the few customers that were browsing through racks of clothing. That didn't go unnoticed and a saleswoman quickly approached me. She came up close to me and addressed me in a low voice.
"I'm Gwen, may I help you sir?"
"Um, yeah, um, I'm on assignment with the police department, and I ah…"
"Oh, I see. Forgive my saying, but you don't exactly fit the profile of a police officer."
"I'm not. I'm more of a bounty hunter that the police have brought in for a particular case."
"Well, this is different, and we certainly want to help. What type of look are you in need of?"
"A female college student."
"Oh yes, I have heard that there has been a couple of incidents at the university. We get quite a few students and have dedicated a sizable area to them filled with the latest fashions for a young woman. It's right over here. "
One look in the direction she was moving in with me following slightly behind her, said it all; there was nothing that would come anywhere close to the image in my mind. I started to look around as I followed her, slowly falling further behind as I did so.
"These have just arrived. This section down here is geared to the college … um, sir…"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, nice, but someone wearing the latest in fashion would be someplace where she could show it off to the most people. The suspect is prowling the more deserted areas of the campus. I'm thinking something more dated but still attention grabbing."
"I see. With those criteria, your choices are going to be limited. I think that the best chance of finding the right look will be in our closeout section. It's over this way."
I followed Gwen around circular racks of clothing to the other side of the store. Projecting out from the wall were hanging bars for all of the outgoing fashions. Gwen went straight for a section near one end. She pushed some clothing to the end of the rack and some more to the center isolating a group of clothes that were styled to appeal to the tastes of a college aged girl. As she started to spread out the isolated group of clothes, I spotted it, it being a pleated mini skirt in a red and pink plaid.
"There! Um, I believe this one should fit in with the current campus atmosphere."
"Quite right, and as I recall, this style was rather popular early in the school year and should still carry some favor with a sizable portion of the student body. Now, given your height, I would suggest an athletic look. We do have sweat shirts in the school colors with graphics that would imply that you are a member of one of the women's teams."
"A good idea, except there's a game on tonight. Anyone involved with school sports would definitely show support by being at the game. I'm going to be in an area about as far as one can get from the game and still be on campus. Do you have a pullover turtleneck sweater in white?"
"Yes, but I think pink will be more your color with this skirt. We have that in stock. It's over this way."
Gwen had lifted the hanger with my skirt choice off the bar and was already heading off for parts unknown. I followed her to another part of the store to a table display where she grabbed, in passing, a pink turtleneck sweater. She then headed for a changing area in the back of the store. I instantly became apprehensive at the thought of having to try on women's clothes in public. I knew I had to, I just didn't think I could, after all, the other customers had probably seen me pick out the skirt as well as being led to the dressing rooms. It would be easy to assume that they had put two and two together.
Gwen passed a row of stalls down to what looked like an aisle way at the end. It turned out to be another stall but it was recessed back about ten feet creating a very private changing area. That feature and the realization that there was no one else in the changing area, yet, eased my anxiety. As I turned the corner, Gwen leaned in to whisper something to me as she handed me the clothes.
"I'll stand guard here, and if it won't embarrass you, I can offer my opinion as to how close you've come to the look you require and make any need suggestions."
I gave her a slight affirmative nod of my head and headed down to the changing stall. My inner something wanted to sprint down to the changing room and it took all I had to keep from doing so. Still, once safely in the room, I hung the clothes on a wall hook and then stripped to my shorts as fast as I could. I looked at the skirt hanging up on the wall. It began to call to me, willing me to wear it. I obliged. The sweater quickly followed.
Turning to a full length mirror that was on the wall opposite of the wall I had hung the clothes on, I gave myself a good looking over. That something inside me wasn't satisfied with my just standing there. It quickly took over and I found myself striking pinup girl type poses. One was quickly followed by another until I remembered that the saleswoman was waiting for me and I reined in my inner something as best I could. Still, I couldn't resist one last look. It was a youthful, sexy look, but it was falling short of my vision. It needed a belt and I quickly thought of a reason for one. With a deep breath and a visibly shaking hand I opened the door and stepped out.
Gwen, upon hearing the door open, turned to face me. She looked me over from head to toe and back. She then had me turn around and continued her inspection. I began to feel like a freak on display. As I came to again face her, she gave an affirmative nod of her head and then started to walk toward me. She came up to me, leaned in, and addressed me in a low voice.
"This outfit works for the look you want and you wear it well, you should be a most appealing target. The only addition I would recommend would be tennis shoes. They will make any confrontations with an assailant easier to handle."
"Good idea. I would also like a thin belt, so an assailant coming from behind can't pull the bottom of the sweater up above my head, restraining my arms and blinding me."
"A precaution I would not have thought of. You are quite the professional; I can see why the police have called you in. I'll get the shoes and belt while you change back into your clothes."
Gwen looked at my feet before heading back to the display area. I backed into the changing room and proceeded to change back into my clothes despite my inner something's wishes to the contrary. Gwen soon returned with three pairs of white tennis shoes and a thin red belt. I tried on the shoes and selected a pair that fit perfectly. Gwen gathered up everything as I put my own shoes on. It was on to the register.
Gwen rang up each item and then brought up the total. She keyed in a discount before asking me for the billing code. I showed her the paper I had written it on. She copied it onto the stores copy of the receipt and placed it in a special drawer under the register. She placed the clothes and my copy of the receipt in a large bag with the stores name and logo on it. As she handed the bag to me, she leaned slightly towards me.
"Good luck and may your hunt be successful."
I gave Gwen a quick nod of my head as I took the bag from her. I made for the front entrance in as manly a gate as I could, in anticipation of drawing stares from some, if not all, of the people in the store. I got to my car in short order and as I slipped into the driver's seat, dropped the bag onto the passenger seat. It was off to the station.
At the station, I checked in at the front desk as before, but was issued a slightly different badge. It read: Unescorted Visitor. The officer informed me that I was to proceed to the briefing room. He pushed a button and the security door was unlocked, allowing me to enter. I knew the way, and it wasn't long before I arrived at the briefing room. The Captain, Lynn and another officer were looking over a map of the campus and discussing a tactical plan with the head of campus security by phone.
"Hi Captain, Lynn, Officer."
"Jeff, you're early, excellent. Meet my partner, Pete. Pete, this is Jeff, he's tonight's decoy."
"Welcome to the team Jeff, I've heard about your karate prowess from Lynn. Looking forward to working with you. I see you've done some shopping. Come on, I'll show you to the locker room where you can change.
Pete ushered me out of the room and turned up the hallway with me along side of him. We engaged in some more welcoming small talk before the conversation turned to the job at hand.
"So, have you done anything like this before?"
"Nope, this is definitely a first."
"Not to worry, Lynn says that you can handle it. Besides, this is a really low risk case. There are no weapons or other paraphernalia being used by the suspect, at least, not so far anyway. Here we are."
We entered a large square room near the right side wall. Directly opposite in the far wall was an opening to what looked like the bathrooms, and showers beyond that. To our left were the lockers. There was a row of them against the front and far walls with a double row down the center of the room stopping short of the left hand wall leaving a gap wide enough to allow the passage of a person. There was a long, narrow, continuous bench in front of each row. Up against the left side wall between the first two rows of lockers, was a tall double door cabinet.
There were a couple of officers changing clothes and Pete introduced me to them. They had heard about a new decoy joining the Operation Drag-net team, saw my shopping bag with the stores name prominently displayed and put two and two together. They started in on some good natured ribbing. I tried to laugh it off, but inside my anxiety level was going ballistic. Thoughts of having to put on women's clothing in front of these guys, (and anyone else that should come into the room) were quickly turning into a hellish nightmare. I felt like a freak being forced to perform for the amusement of others. Pete led me down to the cabinet at the far end of the first aisle.
"This is our general supply and mugging duty accessory cabinet. In here you will find breast prosthesis, wigs, purses, and a few other things we have accumulated over the years. You are free to make use of anything in there you think will aid in the capture of the suspect. And, over here, is your locker."
Peat had slightly turned from me and was indicating with an open left hand, a locker near the end of the center row. There was a brass plate pop riveted to the door at average eye level, just like all of the other lockers in the room with one little exception: my name was engraved on the plate.
I cannot begin to describe the feelings that welled up inside me. May it be sufficient to say, that for the first time in my life, I didn't feel like an unwanted outsider, or a freak, that didn't fit in. Instead, I felt like I was part of a team, a member with a special skill, and would be using that skill in unison with the other team members, each employing there special skill, for some greater good. The trauma of dressing in women's clothes in a room full of men evaporated. I could do it, and the ribbing that would surely come, would be nothing more than an initiation rite into an elite group.
"I'll leave you to it. Elaine will be waiting for you in the little room directly across the hall. See you back in the briefing room."
"Thanks Pete, I'll rejoin you as soon as I can."
I opened up my locker and spotted a couple of hangers, hooks, and a small metal tray attached to the right side wall. I put the bag on the floor and started to strip to my shorts. Silence, so far so good. After hanging up my clothes and placing my shoes on the locker floor, I reached into the bag and pulled out the mini skirt. That’s when the ribbing picked up again. I shall skip over what was said, as well as my less than witty comebacks.
The ribbing didn't last long and I turned my attention to getting dressed. I took a deep breath, and as I exhaled, stepped into the skirt, drawing it up my legs and fastened it around my waist with the side button and zipper. Turning to the cabinet, I opened the doors and had a look see. My immediate need was something that would give me a woman's chest. I spotted the breast prosthesis on one of the middle shelves. I picked it up and examined it. It looked similar to a strapless bra except instead of cups, it had hollow, breast shaped, hard plastic forms. I was about to put it on like I would with any bra when the thought that, that might not be such a good idea in front of the guys. After all, I didn't want anyone to know that I actually had considerable experience in putting on a bra. Instead, I put it on backwards, fastening the two hook strap in front of me, then twisting it back around and up into place.
The turtleneck sweater was pulled from the bag. I held it by the bottom hem, shaking it open before slipping my arms inside and into the long sleeves. I ducked my head down, and as I raised my arms upward, slipped the sweater over my head. I pulled it down into place, straightening the bottom over my skirt. The belt was retrieved from the bag and fastened around my waist. I picked up the bag and dumped the shoes out in front of me, folded up the bag and stuffed it in the locker. I put on the shoes before turning back to the cabinet. I looked through the wigs that occupied one of the upper shelves, grabbing one with long wavy hair that came close to the look of the girl in my inner something's version of the daydream.
There was a small mirror on the inside of the locker door and I made use of it to set the wig on my head. Once I was satisfied with the fit, I checked the effect it had on my appearance. I was far from looking like a desirable woman. My chances of being an effective decoy were not good, unless Elaine could work some kind of magic. It was time to find out if she could.
I reached into my locker and took my badge from my shirt. It was clipped to the turned down collar of my turtleneck sweater. The locker door was closed as I turned to the cabinet once more. I spotted a black clutch purse on a middle shelf and grabbed it. Of course, a red one would have been more suitable, it just wasn't an option. The door was closed and I turned to face the guys, expecting all kinds of whistles and crude comments. I was in for a surprise.
"Sexy with a touch of trash, that'll work."
"If the perp is out tonight, you won't have any trouble luring him into action."
"Definitely, but hey, don't take any unnecessary risks. Your primary goal is to make it home alive, bring in the suspect is a bonus. Remember that."
"You've got a great team to back you up, just keep in mind that it will take time for them to come to your aid."
"Thanks guys, but unless it's a really dark night, the suspect's liable to pass on me, I look more like a man than a woman."
"So, do you think I would make a decent looking woman?"
"Wow, you've done this?"
"I was doing it back in the early days, when we did our own makeup. I wasn't very good at it, but I was still able to fool my share of suspects. But eventually the suspects wised up and we had to take things up more than a notch or two. That's when the decision to bring in a professional makeup artist was made. Elaine has worked wonders with many an officer."
"I guess there's a chance for me then. If you will excuse me, I have a date with Elaine."
"Luck and success."
My confidence level shot up, at least among the officers, the general station populace was another matter, one that made its presence known as I made ready to leave the shelter of the locker room and enter a public area. Wanting to minimize my exposure to anyone in the hall, I made as dignified of a dash across the hall as I could, surprising Elaine in the process who was seated at a small desk filling out some paper work.
"Oh! Well, you must be Jeff. Hmmm, I have said that I do like a challenge."
Elaine put down the pen and rose up out of her chair. She pointed to a small table with a chair sitting parallel to it, tucked into a corner of the room that was out of sight from the hallway. Sitting on one end of the table was Elaine's makeup kit; a large tool box with a hinged lid and assorted drawers down the front.
"Have a seat at the table and get comfortable, this will take awhile."
"I'm kinda curious as to how you can make ME look like a woman. Men and women have different facial structures and I find it hard to believe that you can alter masculine features to appear feminine with just makeup."
"I can't really, but I can minimize male characteristics by using light to dark shades of a foundation that matches your facial skin tone to alter the way light reflects off of your face. It's more of a matter of creating an overall look and feel and not letting the eye dwell on any particular part of the face long enough to see that something isn't quite right."
"Sounds fascinating, and if it's alright, I would like to somehow watch you work."
"You know, you're the first one who has wanted to watch. What the heck, sure you can watch. Let's see, I've got a hand mirror in one of these drawers, ah, here it is. Here you go. Hey, if you are really interested, I can do a play-by-play as I go."
"Yeah, that would be cool."
Curiosity wasn't the only reason I wanted to watch. I wanted to learn how to properly apply makeup, something that has haunted me from my earliest childhood attempts. I also wanted to find out just what types of makeup I would need to achieve a convincing feminine look. Such knowledge could transport my dress up sessions to a whole new level and who knows where beyond that. I took the mirror by the handle and sat down in the chair.
Elaine pulled open the top drawer and took out a few bottles of flesh colored liquid makeup. She held each individual bottle up to my cheek in succession before eliminating and returning all but two bottles back to the drawer. The last two bottles were held up to my cheek together. She moved them around to other parts of my face before returning one to its place in the drawer. I tried to spot the name of the color she had selected, but it eluded me.
Having decided on the base foundation color, Elaine got to work applying it to most of my face. She then started to apply lighter and darker shades to various features of my face, explaining what she wanted to accomplish and, more importantly, how she would do it. I watched her work intently from beginning to end, committing everything to memory.
The end result was astonishing. I was far more feminine in appearance than I thought I could ever be. The male features I had developed over the years were still there, but my eyes refused to focus on them. As amazing as that was, the best was yet to come.
Elaine started to apply details to various parts of my face, starting with my eyes. Her explaining the reasons behind the type of makeup, the color selection, and the technique of application were invaluable. I watched intently as Elaine added details to the parts of my face that people would take note of. The end result was that of a young woman with minimal makeup, but with a couple of accents to attract the attention of young men.
"You're all set. Good luck out there."
"Wow, this is the perfect look for the assignment. You are a master of your profession. The suspect isn't going to have a clue until it's all over, thanks."
Either forgetting (or may be not caring) that I was wearing women's clothing; I strutted out of the room and into the hall where the realization of where I was hit me. But luck was with me as that section only had a few people moving about and I made it back to the briefing room without incident. That's when my luck ran out as the Captain and Pete razzed me but good. Lynn didn't say anything; she just stared at me lustfully, slightly biting her lower lip. She then picked up an object that was on the table in front of her and reached out to hand it to me.
"Here, slip this over your left hand and close it around your wrist."
The object turned out to be a thicker than normal chrome bracelet that was about an inch wide. It had a flat oval shape and I realized that it was in the open position. I slipped it over my left hand, positioning it over my left wrist. Pressure applied to the two halves forced them to slid together and close with a click.
"The bracelet contains a transmitter. You will be required to wear it on each assignment and is to be kept in your locker when not in use. It's activated by placing your fingers outside both edges and squeezing. I, Pete, and the head of campus security, will have a receiver and will come on the run when you signal. Give it a try."
I squeezed the bracelet as instructed and the room was instantly filled with multiple beeping sounds from Lynn and Pete's receivers. They both reset their receivers before Lynn continued the briefing.
"Now, as to tonight's game plan, I'll drop you and Pete off in the campus commercial area. You will proceed as if you had just finished eating at one of the restaurants and are returning to your apartment on the other side of the campus. As you enter the first trouble zone, Pete will hold back out of sight of anyone in the zone until you reach the central lawn. He will then start following you. Campus security will be stationed at the bottom edge of the lawn between the two trouble zones and will join Pete in following you. I will have driven on to the opposite side of the campus and will be out of sight at the far end of the second trouble zone. Any questions?"
"None."
"Excellent. Let's saddle up."
"The three of you be careful out there, you especially Jeff. This isn't a friendly match at a karate dojo. This is for real and the suspect won't be following any rules of engagement."
It was a sobering reminder of the potentially lethal dangers I could be facing. My mind quickly filled with all of the possible outcomes of the night's activities to the point where the only response I could make to the Captain was to nod my head in acknowledgement. The three of us exited the briefing room and headed down the long hallway that would eventually end at the station's back entrance. Looking ahead I could see that the hallway was filled with people who were coming, going, crossing, or standing around engaged in conversation. I quickly became intimidated and the hallway turned into a gauntlet of torment that stretched to infinity. But as we moved down the hall, nothing happened. Either no one knew I was a man or they were so used to men in the guise of a female decoy that it had become a non event. What ever the case, it was a welcome relief.
Eventually we made it to the back entrance and strolled out into the night. Lynn's cruiser was close by and we piled in with me in the back. The trip to the university was, for the most part, uneventful, although I did get some stares from passing motorists. Perhaps they thought I was some bad girl under arrest. It was a thought my inner something seemed to like and my mind started to fill with scenarios along those lines. For reasons unknown, I was powerless to resist. Oh well, It was a way to pass the time.
As we arrived at the campus commercial area, I removed my badge and put it in my purse, then looked out at a sparsely populated scene. Lynn dropped Pete and me off at a spot out of sight of the few students who were moving about. As she drove off, I headed for the first target area with Pete holding back until there was enough distance between us that no one would think we were together. The route I took was virtually deserted, making things easier on my mind. I made it through the commercial area without incident and came to the start of the southern academic part of the campus.
I entered the first problem area and strutted down the path, imitating the walk of a woman as best I could, while at the same time, trying to be observant of my surroundings. It wasn't long before I came to a spot where on my left was a knee high block wall with a bench like top. There was a lawn between the wall and empty classrooms on the left. No place for an attacker to hide. The right side was a different matter. There was a line of chest high bushes with a narrow lawn between them and more empty classrooms on the right. There were gaps in the bushes at regular intervals. A tailor made spot for any assailant, and I shifted the bulk of my attention accordingly, but I passed through without incident. A less problematic area about twice as long as the previous then presented its self. This too was negotiated without incident.
As I came to the southwest quadrant of the central lawn, I had to pause. The openness of the central lawn was intimidating and there I was, a man dressed in women's clothes, makeup, and a wig, for all of the world to see, with no place to hide or take cover. But I wasn't going to collect a bounty by standing there, so I mustered up the courage and strolled into the open. As I nervously crossed the central lawn, I became aware of the cool night air caressing my exposed legs. A mild breeze kicked up sending the coolness up my skirt and onto my shorts. A shiver spread through my body but not from the cold. It was from the shock of a totally new sensation, the likes of which I had never come close to experiencing before in any of my dress up sessions within the confines of my apartment. That something inside me thrilled at the new experience and wanted more. It started to take over my actions and thoughts. I surrendered to it and let go of all inhibitions, allowed my movements to be even more feminine, if not mildly exaggerated, and quickly forgot that I was in a wide open public space. I willingly slipped into a dream world. But it was not to last as I was jolted back to reality by voices.
A small group of young men and women had emerged from the darkness coming down from the top half of the lawn. Their path put them on an intercept course with me at the mid point of my path. Panic took hold, I wanted to turn and retreat to the relative safety of where I had come from. My inner something said that wasn't going to happen and willed me to continue on. My confidence was all but gone as I meet the group of young people. They crossed in front me without taking any adverse notice and continued on to the southern edge of the lawn where campus security would be. My mind looked on the event as having passed for a woman (whether I actually had or not) and my confidence level shot upward. I continued on in the unmistakable gate and air of a young woman.
Having crossed the lawn, I entered the second problem area trying to act like I was unaware of any hidden danger. The area appeared to be a mirror image of the first problem area. The fairly secure part didn't present any problems and I was soon faced with having to pass through the much more hazardous portion. If the suspect was out and about, this is where he most likely was. Once again, I dismissed the left side with its knee high block wall and directed my attention to the right side focusing on the first gap in the bushes when suddenly, from behind the short wall to my left front, up popped a muscular young man of average height. He wore an executioner's mask that covered everything but his mouth and lower jaw. Grinning at me with pure malice in mind, he placed his right hand on the wall and hopped over it with his left hand reaching out towards my face. It was clear that he intended to rush me, cover my mouth with his left hand, and as he slipped behind me, wrap his other arm around me to facilitate dragging me through the gap in the bushes to do as he wished with me. I wasn't about to give him the chance.
Before his feet could hit the sidewalk, I had dropped my purse and turned to face my attacker, stepping back with my right foot into the standard tee formation. Bringing my hands up in a karate defense posture, I gave voice to a loud kiai. My, would be assailant, pulled up short staring at me wide eyed and in shock. Having turned the tables, I fixated his attention on my eyes by staring back at him with malice of my own, and then delivered a right front kick to his groin. He didn't see it coming.
The young man grabbed his crotch with both hands and slumped to the sidewalk on his knees. I squeezed the sides of the bracelet and then stared down at the suspected rapist and watched him roll onto his side as I retrieved my purse. Lynn came on the run from the east end, with Pete and another man coming in from the central lawn. Lynn, having the shorter distance to cover, arrived first with the glaring look of a lioness protecting her cub. She relaxed upon seeing the suspect laying on the sidewalk in a fetal position. She bent down and, with some difficulty, pried the suspect's hands from his crotch and cuffed them behind his back. She was reading the suspect his rights as Pete and the other man arrived. Pete gave Lynn a hand in lifting the suspect to his feet before removing his mask. The unknown man reached out to shake my hand, which I readily took.
"You all right? I'm Lance, campus security. This is definitely our guy; he matches the victims' descriptions. It doesn't look like he gave you any trouble. Nice work."
"Thanks. No trouble, although he did surprise me and that brings up a change in landscaping I'd like to suggest. This, and an identical spot in the first problem area, is the perfect setup for a mugger or rapist. Anyone walking through here on alert to danger is going to be concentrating on these gaps in the bushes, and not peering over this wall, as it's doesn't appear to provide enough cover for any would be assailant. That was exactly what I was doing when this guy sprang up from behind the wall. His mistake was coming at me from in front of me and not from behind me. My guess is that he gets some kind of thrill at seeing terror on his victims' face. With my defensive training, that gave me the edge and, well, you can see the results. Anyway, to make this area safe, most of these bushes have got to go."
"I'll include that in my report to the dean."
"And you have a report of your own to make, Jeff."
"JEFF?! You telling me that’s a dude? That can't be, I watched her walk in from the lawn, just like a girl would, and as she got closer I could see every subtle movement of her body, I could even smell her and it wasn't perfume but still feminine. It all said that it WAS a girl. That's just not…"
"Hey, I said you have the right to remain silent and we prefer you do so."
We all exited the area the way Lynn had come in to the waiting cruiser. Lance shock hands and thanked each us and then watched us get into the car with Pete and the suspect in the back, me in the front passenger seat, and Lynn behind the wheel. He waved us a final goodbye as Lynn drove off.
Just before we reached the station, I retrieved my visitors badge from my purse and clipped it to the turned down color of my sweater. We exited the cruiser with the suspect in Pete's control and entered the station. Security checked us in before the suspect was escorted to the processing area by Lynn and Pete. I headed for the locker room. As I moved through the station, I noticed that it was mostly filled with new faces, people who hadn't seen me with Lynn and Pete and probably didn't know that I was a decoy. The most attention I received was from the men, but they weren’t looking at me as a man in drag, they were staring at me as they would towards a woman they had interest in. It was both disturbing and thrilling and it wasn't long before that something inside me was willing me to remain dressed.
As I came to the briefing room, I gave serious thought to filling out the paperwork before changing clothes, but quickly ruled that as a bad idea given Lynn's jabs alluding to her knowing of my secret hobby. I moved on to the locker room which was thankfully vacant. I changed clothes as fast as my inner something would allow, pulled open the bracelet with some difficulty, slipping it off and putting it in the tray on the locker side wall, and then headed for the bathroom. There I found things that would aid in the removal of my makeup. Still, it took some time before I was able to remove all traces of Elaine's handy work. I looked in the mirror at the real me, and a feeling of emptiness swept over me. Was I missing my other persona? It was neither the time nor place to dwell on it as I still had a job to finish in the briefing room.
My timing couldn't have been better. Lynn and Pete had just arrived and were pulling various forms from open vertical holders on the far wall. Lynn pointed out the forms I would need and both Lynn and Pete helped me in filling them out. It was a lengthy process and by the time I was finished with the nights work, it was well after midnight. I wished Lynn and Pete a good night and headed for the front desk. There I checked out before heading out the door to my car. The trip home was uneventful and I was soon dragging my tired self through the front door of my apartment. My day job would be waiting for me in the morning so I made ready for bed.
I fell into bed, but sleep wasn't fast in coming. My mind was filled with what the suspect had said of my performance and referring to me as "she" and "her" even though I had been reveled as a man. And then there was the reaction of the men at the station. I really had passed as a woman, and not just in looks, but in movement and attitude as well. That something inside me thrilled at the thought, while I found it a bit unsettling, after all, I had never before thought of being a woman, just dressing like one, and looking somewhat feminine, and only in the safety of my apartment. That latter thought brought back to mind my experiences in crossing the central lawn. I couldn't help but wonder what other sensations I was missing out on by being confined to my apartment. There would be more thoughts on that subject in the days to come.
Note Worthy Case no. 2
Being the new man on the team, it would be some time yet before the criminal element would come to know of me and become more cautious. It was something that was not wasted on Lynn and she took full advantage of it and me. In my first two weeks after my initial case, I was called in on no less than seven cases. They were a hodgepodge collection of muggings, purse snatchers, flashers, and molesters. All were very low risk cases and consequently didn't come with much of a bounty. But that was okay, as any supplement to my low paying job was welcome. There was also no real opportunity to really put my martial arts skills to use, something that started to bother me with each successive case. Still, I was gaining the needed experience required to draw a higher risk case where my skills would come into play. Another element that was lacking, was the chance to work side by side with Lynn, during which time she would be able to observe first hand just what I was capable of doing in drawing out and apprehending a suspect, hopefully to my advantage when she had to choose a decoy for a high risk case. It was an annoyance that grew with each case until it became an obsession. But no sooner then when my desires to work with Lynn peak, did I receive a call one night just after arriving home from work. It was Lynn with a case tailored to fit my desires.
“Hey Jeff, Lynn here. I've got an unusual and problematic assignment for you. A tennis club over in the wealthier side of town has a sexual assault problem. None of the victims, save one, can give any kind of a description of the assailant as the attacks are always from behind and extremely silent. None of the victims knew they were about to be attacked until they were seized from behind with one hand holding a foam pad over their mouth or pushed in the back over or into something that would muffle their screams and would be held in to it with one hand on the back of their neck. With the free hand he would use some kind of tool to slice open their clothing over the area he wants to assault. Once he has access, he does what ever he can before somebody can happen upon the scene and compromise his identity. All the victims were too occupied with trying to keep from being suffocated to resist being molested. One woman was able to recover from the shock and regain her breath enough to slightly twist around as he released her to make his escape to see that he was wearing high end running shoes and a hooded sweatshirt that she thinks was drawn tightly in around his face.”
“Boy, that's not much to go on. I don't suppose any of the staff are in the habit of wearing a sweatshirt, are they?”
“Nope, and neither are the outside services or the club members. We also don't know how he selects his target as there is no common trait among his victims. The places of attack are as varied as his victims.”
“So we have nothing. How do we proceed?”
“What we can surmise from the interviews with the victims is that the assailant is very weary and easily spooked, so the usual officers and decoy isn't going to do it. You and I will be going undercover as close friends and new club members.”
“Wait, just the two of us? Pete's not going to be in on this one?”
“Haven't decided on that yet. The sudden appearance of three new members in the form of one of the standard police mugging teams of two female plus one male might tip off the attacker. So, for now its just you and me, and I've informed the club's president of that. I've also arranged for us to take tennis lessons from the club pro. That should help us to establish ourselves as legitimate members. Once we become above suspicion, we can try to entice the assailant to act.”
“Wow, this one sound like it's going to take a lot of time to pull off.”
“You've got that right. Tomorrow after you get off work, pick up a woman's tennis outfit and meet me at the station. We'll go to the club in my personal car.”
“Understood, see you tomorrow.”
My inner something wasn't about to wait twenty-four hours before shopping for female attire. I had yet to empty my pockets after arriving home so could depart at once. My inner something was pleased and willed me out the door. I didn't have to consult my list of stores that Lynn had dictated to me for my first case as the store I had purchased the outfit for that first assignment would most likely have what I needed. No time was wasted in getting to my car or getting underway. I was soon once again parked in front of that store, but this time there was no hesitation, no mustering up the courage to leave the safety of my car and enter the store. Once inside, I directed my attention to finding the same saleswoman who assisted me on my first visit. I saw her near the close out racks where I had gotten my first outfit. Gwen spotted me, stopped what she was doing, and came straight for me.
“Welcome back sir. Called in for another bounty hunt I assume?”
“Yes. This time I am in need of an outfit for women's tennis.”
“That's an easy one. Tennis dresses are over this way.”
“Um, yeah, um, a dress really isn't going to fit the assignment. I want to be able to transform my outfit at the right time from something appropriate for tennis to something far more risque and therein be more in keeping with my goal of the suspect choosing me as his next victim. I can't do anything with a tennis dress, but with a mini skirt and a button front shirt I can go from common to standing out just by undoing the upper buttons of the shirt, or undoing the lower buttons and tying the lower half into a knot.”
“Hmmm … yes, I can see it now ... and I believe we have the makings for the right outfit over this way.”
I followed close behind Gwen as she quickly wove her way around circular racks of clothing. We had crossed over more than half of the store when we came to a table with bright halogen lights shinning down from above. The table was covered in women's sports wear in shorts, skirts, skorts, and dresses, all in a multitude of fashion colors. But I was only interested in the white mini sports skirts and one in particular stood out from all the rest. The intense lighting made it as blindingly white as the skirt I saw in the custom clothing stores display window. This one had the added advantage of being very flared making it perfect for a tennis outfit. I slipped past the saleswoman and grabbed it. The waist band was elastic which meant that it would fit me without having to try it on, and being sports wear, the underpants were an integral part of the skirt, so I wouldn't need to acquire women's panties. While I salivated over the skirt, the saleswoman had proceeded on to a rack of sports wear shirts and was pulling out a white one that would easily fit the duel role needed for the assignment. All that was left was to settle up the bill and head home as quickly as traffic would allow.
The trip home took the usual time, but the aroused state my inner something was in, made it seem to be more than twice as long. I finally made it back to the apartment complex and quickly parked my car in my assigned spot. I grabbed the bag containing my new outfit and headed for my apartment at a faster than usual pace. Upon gaining entrance to my apartment, I made a beeline for the bedroom. The bag was dropped onto the bed in passing as I made for the closet. The only thing need to complete my outfit was a pair of white low top sneakers, something I had acquired for a previous assignment. They were quickly retrieved from the closet floor and I turned back to the bed. Once the shoes were added to the bag, I would be all set for the next days assignment.
Of course I just HAD to try on my new clothes, so instead of adding the shoes to the bag, I dropped them on the bed and seized the bag by the bottom corners. The bag was lifted up and my new outfit spilled out onto the bed. I quickly stripped naked, tossing my clothes towards the hamper in the bathroom. Putting on my female attire was just the opposite as my inner something willed me to explore each piece. In good time the deed was done and I started to pose in front of my full length mirror, mimicking various tennis postures I would be making during my tennis lessons. When the “lessons” were over, I undid the upper buttons and examined the effect that had on my outfits overall look. I then buttoned the shirt back up and pulled the shirt tails out of the skirt, unbutton it up to where my breast would be and tied the tails together. The new look was not only examined on it's own, but was compared to the previous look. Both looks worked, but my inner something wanted me to go with tying the lower half in a knot. While I was in favor of that, I figured it would be better to wait until I could scope out the tennis club to decide on which look to go with.
Having settled on my game plan, my thoughts turned to dinner and the rest of the evening. Thoughts of changing my outfit so as to not risk spoiling it during the fixing and eating of dinner failed to materialize, although precautions around food (and everything else) were taken in earnest. I remained dressed until bed time. Surprisingly, my inner something didn't make my changing clothes for bed difficult. My shoes were dropped into the bottom of the shopping bag. My tennis outfit was folded and placed on top of the shoes. The bag was lifted from the bed and the hand loops were hooked on the closets doorknob. As I slipped into bed, my mind turned to the coming assignment and the thrills that would come with it. In spite of the excited state I was in, sleep wasn't long in coming.
The next morning found me bounding out of bed before the alarm clock went off. My morning routine and breakfast were completed by the usual time. The only difference in that mornings routine was to pick the shopping bag off of the bedroom closets doorknob before heading off for my day job. I intended to go straight to the police station after getting off work. Work itself, was the usual mind numbing repetitious tedium that I was always glad to see come to a days end. Once free of the bedlam of everyone trying to get out of the company parking lot at the same time, I could shift my thoughts to my assignment with Lynn and my spirits began to lift as I headed off for the station.
Having to cross the city during rush hour was always a hassle, but I arrived at the station none the worse for wear. I quickly parked my car, grabbed the bag with my outfit, and made for the station door. I checked in with the officer on duty and headed straight for the locker room. The aisle in which my locker was located was devoid of officers. I was able to strip necked, put on the breast prosthesis, and my tennis outfit without any “spirited” interruptions. The special bracelet I was required to wear on all assignments was lifted from the tray attached to the inside wall of the locker and slipped onto my left wrist. I closed the locker door and turned to the mugging duty cabinet where I obtained a long blond wig and a white shoulder purse. A visit with Elaine was next.
Elaine had arrived while I was busy changing clothes and was just starting to set up to work on me. Outside the usual greeting pleasantries, there really wasn't any need for conversation. My outfit dictated what needed to be done. With the makeup, Elaine went with a minimal look, and I watched her work with the aid of a hand mirror as usual, adding to my mental notes. When Elaine had reached a point where she was satisfied with her work, she fitted the wig to my head. She fussed with it until she was satisfied with the way it fit and secured it in place. She then gathered up the long hair into a loose knot at the back of my neck. The finished look was perfect for the wealthy tennis club. One could call it sophisticated casual. The briefing room was next.
I entered the briefing room and found Lynn already there along with the captain. She was wearing a white tennis dress and canvas shoes. The form fitting skimpy dress really showed off the muscular physique she had acquired at the police academy, and she was surprisingly quite hot, kinda of in that Amazon woman sort of way. But what really caught my eye was the bracelet on her left wrist. It was identical to mine. On the table were two receivers and I quickly worked out what was going on. Without a second officer to pair up with, Lynn might come under attack and I would be her only backup. It was a tremendous vote of confidence in my apprehension skills by Lynn and I was determined to not let her down, not that failure was an option to begin with mind you. On the table was a large aerial photo of the club grounds.
“Hi Captain, Lynn.”
“Jeff, you're here sooner than I was expecting. Excellent. We were about to do a tactical workup. Come, join in.”
“Yes, by all means join us. You can help Lynn locate where each attack took place on the photo. If you can spot a pattern or any commonality, don't be shy, just shout it out.”
“Will do.”
As the Captain read off a list of the places where attacks occurred and what the attacker did, Lynn and I scoured over the photo, with Lynn affixing a small round color coded sticker on the photo when we both were sure of having found the right spot. It was a tedious process that took some time to complete. In the end, the photo had seemingly random stickers all over it, but the color coding suggested a couple patterns. Lynn was quick on the pickup.
“What I'm seeing is the minor groping attacks are occurring anywhere there's a convenient hiding place from which an unobserved attack can be made, along with a fast unobserved escape route.”
“I see it too. I can also see a lot of places that fit that scenario, enough so that the attacker doesn't have to use the same spot very often. The two of you will have your work cut out for you.”
“Yeah, the success rate isn't going to be high. Jeff and I may have to take a far more dangerous line. Notice that the more serious molesting and the rare rapes all took place in very secluded locations where the chance of a witness happening upon the scene during the time needed for the attack were virtually nil. Very few locations fit that scenario.”
“I really don't like where you're going with that given that there is just the two of you. You are going to have to come up with something better before I sign on. You are also going to have to work out how the attacker chose his victims and what he decides to do to them.”
“I've got a crazy idea on the latter Captain.”
“Lets hear it Jeff. We'll take anything at this point.”
“Okay. I get the impression that this attacker doesn't have a specific goal in mind. He could be letting the victim dictate the assault. Suppose he follows the victim and takes the first opportunity presented by the victim to launch an assault. Or perhaps he's studied the victims routine long enough to see a pattern and takes a position ahead of the victim. In both cases the location of the assault would then dictate what the attacker can get away with.”
“Damn, that's it! I'm sure glad it's you I called in on this one. Excellent!”
“Great call Jeff, but that's just one problem solved. We still have to discover how he chooses a victim and come up with some suspects.”
“Shouldn't take Jeff and me more than routine investigative work to ferret that out, once we get established as new members.”
“All right then, it's game on. You two get a move on, and be careful. I really don't don't like the idea of there not being other officers around.”
“I don't either, but this guy is just too easily scared off.”
Lynn and I picked up our receivers and tested them as we exited the briefing room. Of course that alerted everyone in the station to our presence. Both of us were the recipients of assorted wolf whistles and catcalls as we headed out to where Lynn's car was parked. Just before we got underway, Lynn and I both put the receivers and our badges into our purses.
The trip to the tennis club was a long one, during which Lynn hit me with a question that left me scratching my head. She asked: what female name would I like to be called by? It was not something I had ever thought about, not during my dress up sessions or on any of the assignments I had been called in on. Up until that moment there simply hadn't been any reason to have a female name as I had been acting alone. This assignment was just the opposite as I would be spending a lot of time with Lynn and other club members. I had to think about it and finally came up with Joyce, but don't ask for a reason, I haven't got one. Another question that came up pertained to my using a female voice which was also something there hadn't been a reason for. For the rest of the trip, I experimented with different pitches to my voice with Lynn critiquing and giving advice. I soon had a new voice that met with Lynn's approval, although I was going to have to be very conscious about using it. I imagined that it would take some time before it would be natural for me slip into.
We arrived at the tennis club well ahead of our court time and amused ourselves with stretching and warm up exercises until we got our court call. We met the club pro who introduced himself as Liam. To me it was obvious that he was European. Lynn picked up on his accent and combined that with his name to peg him as Swiss. Liam was a strong and handsome man with the perfect touch of outdoor ruggedness. I couldn't imagine him having any trouble finding women who would sleep with him. I quickly dismissed him as a suspect. Lynn put him far down on her list.
Liam took both Lynn and I on at the same time. He really put it to us and worked us to exhaustion. We should have been, at the very least, some what peeved at him for such a grueling first lesson, but we weren't. Liam had a charm and sense of humor that totally disarmed any ill feelings. I even found myself looking forward to the next lesson. With the lesson over, Lynn and I strolled off together to seek refreshment and make a few contacts. We also did some reconnaissance together of a few areas where attacks had occurred before heading back to the station. Back at the station and with the Captain joining us in the briefing room, Lynn laid out a game plan with the aid of the photo of the club grounds.
“For the next lesson we will proceed as we did today. The third lesson is when we make a change to the routine. At the end of the third lesson, I'm going to get friendly with Liam for a while and see how much info I can extract from him. Jeff, while I'm with Liam, you will head off to the club house by this route. At the club house you will chat with club members and the staff. Being a new member, they will want to fill you in on all of the pleasures to be had at the club, who to become friends with, and on who you will want to avoid, and more importantly, WHY they should be avoided.”
“I'll give it my best shot.”
“Excellent. After I leave Liam, I'll take the exact same route and meet up with you in the clubhouse. This way if either of us should come under attack, the other will know where they are and can quickly come to their aid.”
“Understood”
“Let's call it a day then.”
The first few tennis lessons were spread out over a couple of weeks and as per Lynn's game plan, we split up after the third lesson to canvass for suspects separately. It was at that time when I changed my routine as well. As I left the tennis courts, I altered my outfit by undoing my shirts upper buttons. From my observations of female club members, I felt that it would allow me to standout and yet fit in with the upper class atmosphere of the club. Men started to take notice of me. Women took notice of me as well and while some snub me out of jealousy, a few warmed up to me and advised on who NOT to flaunt myself in front of. It was exactly what I wanted and I made a list. Lynn's plan with Liam and others around the tennis courts was bearing results as well, and she was making her list, but we held off comparing our lists until Lynn felt we had the majority of possible suspects. That time came at the end of a day with no new leads for either of us. In the briefing room at the station with the Captain, Lynn put her list of suspects on the table. I didn't need to be prodded as I was anxious to show Lynn my efforts at “basic police work” and quickly put my list next to Lynn's. All three of us spotted and shouted out at the same time the one name that was on both lists: Juan A____. We had our suspect.
“Juan isn't someone I've met. Jeff, what can you tell me about him.”
“Not much as I haven't had any contact with him. I do know what areas he works in and have briefly observed him. Juan is your basic Latino staff employee. Nothing separates him from any other Latino staff employee except possibly his shoes. I didn't get a good look at them but I think they are running shoes. Also, several of the club members have advised me to watch out for him, claiming that he has stared lustfully at them as they passed by, with a couple adding that he started to follow them. Other than that...”
“That's good enough. The shoes and his behavior make him the lead suspect. Here's what we are going to do. We will proceed as we normally do after a lesson except I won't be far behind you. When you get to the club house, seek out Juan and engage him in a conversation on some pretext, but don't come on to him. Act totally disinterested. Do it long enough for me to catch up with you. Once I'm with you, I'll suggest we have a drink at the outdoor bar before we leave. You will say that you have some business to take care of at the club office. I'll say that I have something to do as well in a very public area and will meet you in the lobby afterwards. That should make you Juan's only safe choice and take a hiding position ahead of you along the only route to the office from the outdoor bar, that's assuming he's interested and sticks around to eavesdrop on our conversation. I'm also going to call in Pete. He will be undercover as the date of a club member and will be waiting for her in the lobby.”
“Understood.”
“Excellent.”
“This plan is the safest you've come up with given the layout of the grounds and the suspects weariness, but Lynn, with you at one end of the attack zone and Pete at the opposite, you can still come under attack. I do not want that, understood?”
“Understood. I'll stay in public view at all times.”
And with that, Lynn and I headed off for our respective locker rooms to change clothes and head for home. For me, it would be a long drive as there was just too much on my mind. The game plan, the risks, the layout of the club grounds, and all the unknown variables ran through my mind in a multitude of combinations causing nothing but worry. The next couple of days would pass slowly, but pass they did. Finally, it was game day.
Game day arrived like any work day with my being rousted out of bed by my alarm clock. But it was far from being the typical work day morning. My mind was commandeered by the assignment and my morning routine and getting to work were done by habit with little comprehension. The same can be said of my performance on the assembly line at work. It wasn't until I was parked at the station that my mind focused on the real world. From that point on I was in attack mode and worry was left outside the station entrance.
The procedure inside the station had become routine during the course of this lengthy assignment. Everyone involved had become well practiced with their part, and Lynn and I were quickly ready and on our way. Pete was briefed on the route from the outdoor bar to the office and would arrive at the club just after our tennis lesson would come to the days end. Events at the tennis club followed the usual line and we were soon wrapping up the days lesson. I put my part of the game plan in motion and headed off to seek out Juan. I was not quite out of hearing when I heard Lynn apologize to Liam, saying that she couldn't chat with him due to having to take care of some club business.
As usual, I followed my routine of undoing the upper buttons of my shirt and sashayed off to the clubhouse. I entered the club house and scanned the area for Juan, but without success. It looked like he was working a different area. I headed out for the outdoor bar and made for a point where I could scan the whole area. I didn't see him, but he saw me. Juan came out of the shadows to my left. I spotted him out the corner of my eye and quickly turned my head in his direction.
“Oh, my, um, you startled me.”
Juan acted apologetic and started to smile, but quickly changed to acting shy so he could drop his head to look me over. As Juan partially raised his head, I could see his smile turn into a leer. I had his interest, and conversation with Juan wasn't going to be necessary to keep him around until Lynn could join me. He wasn't going anywhere, besides, Lynn had just emerged from the club house and was looking the area over. I turned away from Juan and waved to catch her attention. Lynn spotted me and waved back. She quickly closed the gap between us and greeted me.
“Well I finally caught up with you Joyce. I'm tired and parched, what say we get some refreshment before we head for home?”
“I'm all for it Lynn, but I can't do it for long as I have to take care of some business at the office before it closes.”
“Perfect. Something has come up and I've got to reschedule our next lesson. We'll just meet in the office lobby.”
Lynn and I moved away from Juan who was still close at hand, working on some piece of equipment. We took a seat at a small table in front of the outdoor bar. After we each ordered something nonalcoholic to drink, I covertly looked over to where we had left Juan. He had disappeared. Lynn didn't have to turn around to know that the game was afoot, she could read it in my face. We finished up our drinks and parted company.
My trek to the office started out with enough people around to ward off an attack, but that quickly changed as I left the social areas of the club grounds for a path less traveled. I was about half way to the office when my right wrist was grab by a strong hand from behind and to my right. I was quickly yanked into a remote side chamber. From my study of the aerial photo, I knew I was in a hidden grounds maintenance yard, where one of the serious sexual attacks had occurred. My attacker easily spun me out of view and up against a waist high planter. He then grabbed the back of my neck and forced me to bend over at the waist. He pushed my face down into some ground cover between a couple of bushes as he wedged his feet in between mine. As I fought for breath through foliage and dirt, I reached for my bracelet and squeezed it. My attacker slid his right foot outward, forcing me to spread my legs open. It was clear as to what he wanted to do to me.
What my attacker wanted was certainly not what I wanted, but my means of fighting back were limited by the situation. He was inside my legs and up against the planter, so I couldn't counter attack his lower legs or feet. My only option was to try and bring one of my legs up onto the planter, hopefully bringing my foot up past his body. I could then twist onto my side and slam my foot into his rib cage while swinging a forearm against his arm that was gripping the back of my neck. I quickly put my option in action, but my attacker countered by pressing his upper body down onto my back. It was going to take some work and time to get my foot into position.
While I was busy with my plan, my attacker was busy with his. I suddenly felt a pointed plastic object being inserted into the fabric of my skirts built in panties just inside the reinforced leg opening. He started to pushed the object across towards the other leg opening, slicing my skirts panties open. My attacker's attention shifted to gaining access to my private parts giving me the freedom I needed to engage my plan of attack. I reached forward and grabbed the trunk of a small tree. Using the tree as an anchor, I was able to pull myself up into the planter far enough to be able to draw my leg up and in front of my attacker's body. I quickly twisted onto my side and thrust a side kick into his stomach sending my attacker staggering backwards. As I started to push myself out of the planter, I could, for the first time since the assault began, see my assailant. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood drawn tightly in around his face so that only his eyes were visible and he was wearing high end running shoes. There was no doubt: this was our man.
My attacker had been momentarily stunned into inaction by my fighting back. That moment was used to take a tactical assessment of the situation. I spotted another way out that would take the suspect away from Lynn and Pete. Before I was fully out of the planter, I quickly twisted my body in the direction of the better escape route intending to cut off the suspect. My attacker realized what I was up to and instead quickly turned and headed out the way he had dragged me in. I was out of the planter and in hot pursuit just as quickly, but my attacker had a good head start and was very fast. My mind was caught up in the moment and all sort of tactics raced through it, including the amount of time that had elapsed since I had activated the bracelet. Both Lynn and Pete had to be close at hand. I suddenly realized that I could alert them to what was happening and yelled out at the top of my voice where the suspect was, and as he turned onto the path I had been on, that he was headed in the direction of the office. My tactics had worked, for as the suspect came up to a large tall bush next to the path, he was met with a bear hug by Pete, who had heard my call and had hid behind the bush. Pete slammed the suspect to the concrete walkway, knocking the wind out of him. All of his flight and fight left with his breath. I came to a stop just short of him with Lynn coming up behind me.
Pete did the arrest while Lynn opened up the hood of the suspect's sweatshirt, pulling it back off his head, revealing ... Liam! Lynn and I were both stunned speechless. The immediate question on my mind was why did he, of all men, have to resort to molesting women? If he wished, he could spend every night with a different woman and never have any trouble in finding one who would willingly hop into bed with him. Come to think of it, why wait until night? Liam could find sex virtually anytime he wanted. And why me, given that he had been socializing with Lynn and knew her habits? I really wanted to ask Liam those questions, but this was an arrest and it was forbidden for me to interact both at the crime scene and at the station. Answers would have to wait.
The unanswered questions continued to fill my mind as we escorted Liam to the office and out to a waiting police cruiser Pete had call in when he got my signal. The questions persisted during the trip back to the station, the changing out of my clothes and makeup, and the filling out of the paper work. I managed to get everything done in a little more than the usual time, but Lynn and Pete had yet to join me. That wasn't normal. A thought suddenly occurred that maybe they were interrogating Liam. I quickly decided to stick around and wait for them, hoping they could provide some answers to those questions that still nagged me.
It was some time before Lynn and Pete joined me in the briefing room. They had indeed been in on the interrogation of Liam by the Captain. Lynn assessed the situation along with the inquisitive look on my face to put me out of my minds misery. Liam had broken down during questioning and fessed up to why he was attacking women. Lynn was limited in what she could divulge but she was able to say why Liam had chosen me to assault. With Lynn being friendly with Liam, he felt he would have no trouble in getting her to sleep with him, but with me it was totally different. I had not shown any interest in Liam what so ever and that, he simply couldn't handle. He just HAD to demonstrate what he could do with me, and Lynn had given him the opportunity to do so when she couldn't stick around after the lesson and chat with him. Liam had followed Lynn on a parallel course until she meet up with me. He was able to work out that we would split up after our drinks and used that time to retrieve a hidden stash of clothing, change, and get into a position to intercept me. Liam's confession blew me away. To think a man of Liam's desirability would want me to the point of … well, let's just say, that the different ways the assault could have gone filled my mind for some time. Oh, and the tool he used? It was a compact, razor blade, letter opener. The pointed plastic part was the blade guard and was to be inserted into the end of the envelope flap, guiding the blade as it cut the envelope open.
Note Worthy Case no. 3
In the fortnight that followed, I drew a couple of mugging assignments and a rapist that was targeting joggers at dusk. The assignments didn't present any problems nor did they present me with the opportunity to dress in something really feminine, just jeans and sweats. Disappointing, but that was about to change, big time. It started one morning with the phone ringing just as I finished getting ready for work.
"Hello?"
"Oh good, I got you before you left for work. We've got to talk."
"Lynn? I'm running a bit late. I really should…"
"We've got an assignment for you in the financial district. It's at a parking structure that serves a business and office complex. There are at least two suspects and possibly more. They drug and kidnap their victim, take her to a house in an unknown location where more men await. As the victim recovers from the effects of the drugging, the suspects take turns raping her over a period of several hours. They then drug her again and take her back to where they kidnapped her, dump her, and take off. None of the victims have been able to describe the vehicle or the house and the number of assailants seems to vary. Also, they hit any given location once, and then lay low for six to eight days before hitting a new location. That means we have to predict their next likely target locations and cover all of them and hope we get lucky. So far, we either haven't been in the right place or they can spot cops as decoys and move to a new location. We've needed a break and a new game plan to go with it.
"The break we may have gotten last night. Two men were spotted sitting in a van backed into a parking space in a parking structure by a lone woman as she entered. She became apprehensive but didn't panic. Instead, she smartly made like she had forgotten something, and retreated back to the place she works at where she reported the incident to security and they contacted us. An undercover officer was sent to the scene but the van was gone. We're hoping they don't know that they were spotted, or will think having been spotted that we will assume that they will try else where and will try again tonight at the same location figuring we will cover somewhere else. As to the game plan, officers have been ineffective so we need someone new who can handle possible multiple attackers, and that means you. Jeff, this one is really risky, in more ways than I would like think about. I really wanted you to have more experience before calling you in on a case like this."
"Hang the risk, these bastards have to be stopped and the only experience I can get is on the job. I'm in. When do you want me to be at the station?"
"Five. The attacks have occurred after most of the people have left for the day. They're looking for stragglers with no witnesses."
"No problem. I'll come in directly from work."
"Scratch that, call in sick. You need to get a top of the line business suit and usually that means it will have to be altered to fit and that takes time. You will have to be at the store when it opens, select something suitable, and talk them into having it ready by this afternoon."
"I see, consider it done. What can you tell me about their target selection?"
"Not much, except that all the victims have been executives or executive secretaries with no pattern in looks or clothing other than sophisticated and expensively dressed."
"I wonder if it's a movement or attitude that's the trigger. Well, I will dwell on that later."
"Excellent. Oh, and there is no limit on the expenses for this one. Get whatever you need to make it work."
"Understood. See you at five."
I depressed and held the switch hook, and then released it to call in sick at work. With that taken care of, all that was left was to take a seat and wait for the hour the stores would open. With the free time, my mind naturally turned to what I would like to wear. I leaned back, closed my eyes, and drifted into a daydream. I found myself back at the custom clothing store and once again staring down at the five mini skirts. This time, it was the beige mini skirt that jumped up at me still begging to be paired up with a suitable jacket. My mind quickly obliged and assembled the perfect outfit.
Oh how I wanted to wear that outfit, and the thought that might I soon be doing just that, combined to cause time to slow down, making my wait painfully long. I could no longer sit still and began to pace the room, but that only made things worse. My inner something came to the rescue by transporting me back to the boardroom I entered in the daydream I had back at the custom clothing store. The long wait became more bearable.
Finally the time came when I could leave and arrive at the store when it opened. I grabbed my wallet and keys and sprinted out the door, filled with anticipation. I got in my car and headed for the open mall. My target was a store of an upscale clothier anchoring the prominent end of the mall. It wasn't on my list but I didn't care, it was the best chance of having exactly what I desired. I quickly parked in front and for once, luck was with me as a saleswoman was in the process of unlocking the door. There was no hesitation in getting out of my car and making for the store entrance. The woman had turned away and was heading off for parts unknown when I reached the door and entered.
"Excuse me . . . I need a skirt suit that speaks of power, wealth, and sex … in my size."
"Um, what? I'm sorry; did you say a, skirt, suit?"
"Yes, I'm on assignment with the police department. We're after a rape gang with high tastes, and I'm the bait."
"Oh, well, this is certainly a first. How soon do you need the, um, suit? All of our clothing is altered to precisely fit a client and that can take a week."
"Yeah, I figured as much, but off the rack isn't going to draw these bastards out. The problem is, this gang only strikes once in one place before they go back into hiding for a while. We got a break in the case and may have an opportunity of apprehending them to tonight. I'm afraid that’s going to require that the suit be ready by this afternoon, before five. Can it be done?"
"Oh my, well, we certainly want to help the police capture these horrible men. Let me see what we can do. In the mean time, our executive line is over this way. Please look it over to see if anything will fit your requirements. I will rejoin you momentarily."
The saleswoman headed off to a backroom. I busied myself in quickly scanning over a group of mannequins dressed in various styles of skirt and pants suits, coming to rest on a beige suit consisting of, a wool skirt with an inch and a half wide waist band and a hem falling an inch above the knee. The matching jacket was form fitting with princess seams. The color was perfect, the cut of the skirt was exquisite and sophisticated with a tapered look ending in a slight flair at the bottom, but the hem line was way to long for the look I so desired. That would have to be changed.
I began to alter the hemline in my mind, then slipped into a daydream in which I was wearing my version of the suit altered to fit me perfectly, showing off every feminine curve I only wish I had. I strutted through a pair of massive mahogany door and into a boardroom filled with powerful men lusting after me. It was a dream I wanted to last forever only to have it shattered by the return of the saleswoman.
"I have wonderful news. I have explained the situation to Vivian, our head of alterations, and she is thrilled at the chance to assist the police in such an important task. It will be put ahead of everything else and WILL be ready for you by the hour you need it. Have you found a suit that will meet your needs or may I be of assistance in selecting one."
"This suit is an eye catcher, making it perfect for the job at hand, except that the skirt is too long."
"No problem, we can shorten it to any length needed."
"Yes of course. But I need a mini skirt and I fear that there won't be enough material left to maintain the lines and style of the skirt, as well as the way it hangs on the body."
"Not to worry, our people are the best in the business. If anyone can pull it off, they can. Now, I have found an area in the back where our seamstress can fit the suit to your body in complete privacy. If you will just follow me sir."
The saleswoman led me deep inside the store. As we approached the entrance to the backroom, I spotted, spread across a section of the back wall, a flat display of silk blouses with long sleeves ending in two button cuffs. A bright yellow one grabbed my attention, overshadowing all of the others and I figured it might have the same effect on the suspects.
"Oh hey, wait a minute. This yellow blouse should work well with the suit and could be just the attention grabber needed to get the suspects to choose me as their target."
"Yes, indeed, it really stands out. And you are right; it will pair up beautifully with the suit. You have quite the fashion sense. I can see why you have been chosen to be the bait."
"Thank you, but it's more a case of studying the victims and trying to spot what triggered the suspects."
"Yes, that would account for most of it, but not all. I think you may have a talent that you are either not aware of … or don't want to admit to. Now, I suspect you will be in need of a few accessories to go with your suit. If you will permit me, I will gather what I believe will complete the outfit."
I was a little shocked by her little hidden remark and could only nod my head in favor of her offered assistance. We reached the area in the back that the saleswoman had found for the fitting of the suit. It turned out to be where the seamstress and her assistants ply their trade. Brief introductions were made and then the saleswoman gave the name, model, and color of the skirt suit to Vivian. She pulled a tape measure from her pocket and started to wrap it around various parts of my body, calling out numbers as she went. An assistant wrote all down on a pad before heading of to multiple racks of clothing, quickly returning with the skirt suit of my dreams in my size. The saleswoman took note of the measurements of my upper body before departing for the public part of the store.
I was shown to a nearby, out of public sight, fitting room where I was able to strip and put on the suit, then return to the seamstress. The saleswoman had returned but once again departed after having dropped off a yellow blouse. The fitting of the suit and blouse went the same as for any mans suit and shirt except for setting the hem of the skirt. Due to its flared styling, the hem couldn't simply be folded under and pined. Instead, the middle of the skirt had to be gathered up all the way around to raise the flared hem to the desired length. Given the proximity of my, shall we say, original boy's equipment, that job was given to me. It took no small amount of time for Vivian to adjust and readjust the panels of the skirt until it hung on my body, in a shortened version, the way it was originally designed to. All the while, I was employed in constantly hiking up my skirt like some sex pot, something that seemed to please my inner something.
Eventually, all of the markings and pinning needed to make the suit and blouse fit me were completed. I changed back into my clothes and handed off the suit to the seamstress so that the alterations could begin. It was then off to find the saleswoman and take care of the bill.
I found her at the register, with a matching beige leather brief case and a pair of matching low heel pumps. A quick look around showed that there was no one in the store as well as an absence of foot traffic outside, so I slipped off my shoes and tried on the pumps right there at the register. The shoes fit my feet almost perfectly; the saleswoman had hit it on the first try. I looked at her with a smile of surprise and nodded my head in appreciation of her expertise. She seemed to be quite pleased.
"Will you be requiring anything else, sir?"
"No, I think this will do it."
"Okay then, I'll just bring up the total. I've keyed in the employee discount. I imagine the police budgets are rather tight in these economically troubling times. Still, the final tally is substantial. Um, how do you wish to address the total?"
"Oh, um, there's a way of billing the department. You can call Captain S____ at the station. He will fill you in on the procedure and give you a billing code."
"The Captain and a code, my, this is becoming rather exciting. I beginning to feel that I'm part of some secret mission."
"Actually, a high degree of secrecy is required, as it is imperative that we eliminate any chance of tipping off the suspects."
"Not to worry, we are used to high profile clients and are most discreet in the handling of their accounts. Well then, if we can be of no further service, we will see you latter this afternoon."
On the way home, I stopped at a video rental store to pickup a couple of movies that had women executives in them as a training aid. I reasoned that it wasn't going to be enough to just dress, look, and walk the part; I would need to have the attitude as well, and I didn't exactly know what that was. Back at my apartment, I dropped the videos and my keys beside the video player and headed for the bedroom. I figured that it couldn't hurt to change the mind set by changing into a mini skirt. My meager inventory gave me two to choose from; a very short purple mini flip skirt, and a longer but really tight white spandex mini skirt. The latter was pulled from the back of the closet and quickly changed into. I also took off my shoes and slipped on a pair of black heels, the only pair I had.
I strutted back into the living room and quickly inserted the first video into the player. Taking the remote, I stepped back a few feet from the TV. I pressed play, then fast forwarded to the first scene with a well dressed, woman executive in it. Pressing play once again, I proceeded to watch her intently, observing how she held her head, her hands, as well as her stance when standing. I watched her walk, turn, and sit. I took note of how she entered a room, interfaced with those in the room, and how she left a room. Then I began imitating her, trying to do everything she did and in the manor she did it. This procedure was repeated again and again with other scenes until it was lunch time.
A meager lunch was assembled from some leftovers in the fridge. While my lunch warmed up in the microwave, I grabbed a chair from the kitchen table and took it to the living room, placing it in front of the TV. A fold up tray was retrieved from the coat closet next to the front door and setup in front of the chair. By that time, the microwave had completed its task and my warmed up lunch was retrieved and placed on the tray in the living room. There would be no eating at the kitchen sink this time as I had something else in mind.
I swapped the video in the player with one that I knew had a scene of an executive woman at a business lunch with a man she had interest in. Just like in all of the other scenes I had observed, I imitated her every move and attitude, even the way she talked and flirted. Of course, my actions had no use in the performance of my assignment other than a way to better understand the type of persona I was soon to slip into. At least, that's what I kept telling myself. After lunch, it was back to practicing things that actually would be used in my assignment.
Time flew by and an instinctual glance at the clock showed me that I had to be at the station in an hour, plenty of time. But I needed extra time to pickup my suit on the way, and there was no telling what that would involve. The decision was made to leave right then and there. I moved to the video player to turn it off, pickup my keys and head for the front door. I had just cracked open the door when a gust of wind pored though, caressing my bare legs. That's when I realized that I was still wearing a skirt! The door was slammed shut as I ran (which reminded me that I was also wearing heels) back to the bedroom to change. After a quick inspection to make sure that nothing else was amiss, I was once again headed out the door and soon on my way to the open mall.
The trip to the store was thankfully uneventful and finding parking near the store entrance wasn't a problem. As soon as I entered the store, the saleswoman caught my attention and motioned me to the backroom. The look of pride on her face said that all was ready. It was indeed the case, for upon entering the back room, I spotted the suit and blouse on hangers on a portable rack. Vivian lifted the clothes from the rack and headed for me. She ushered me to the same changing room I had used that morning. She hung the clothes on a wall hook and left me to change. Given the slight time restraint I was under, I ignored my inner something's desires, and quickly changed clothes.
The fit and feel was like nothing I had ever come close to experiencing before. As I turned to look in the full length mirror, my ears were filled with a wondrous rustling sound that instantly transported me back to my childhood and my first experience wearing a dress. There was no way I could keep from slipping into character even though I wasn't made up as a woman and I didn't try. Instead, I came out of the changing room in full character and sashayed up to Vivian with an arrogant attitude. She in turn stuck up her nose and with a flippant wave of her hand, had me turn around. I did that, and more, for I took a couple of steeps away from her before turning and striking a pose I had learned from the videos.
Vivian motioned for me to walk back to her, watching how the suit conformed to my body as I moved. She was not totally pleased. She had me turn to a full length mirror that was off to the left rear of her sewing desk. As I looked at the image of me, she bent down, grabbed both sides of the skirt and gave it a twisting downward tug. She then slightly adjusted the coat on my shoulders before smoothing the sides from just under the armpits down to my waist with her hands. It was a dramatic improvement. The fit and the look were now perfect and I took note.
Vivian positioned herself behind and to my right. She stared at my image in the mirror and again stuck up her nose, then made a quick affirmative jerk of her head and shot me a look that shouted, "Take THAT mister got to be ready by five!"
With a big grin, I nodded my head several times in acknowledgement of her efforts and retreated to the changing room in my usual manly gate. I changed clothes, hanging the suit and blouse back on their hangers. I emerged from the room carrying the clothes by the hangers. An assistant reached out to take the clothes from me. As she threaded the hangers up through a large plastic bag, I thanked Vivian and her assistants all for their efforts in getting the job done. The assistant finished pulling the bag down over the suit and blouse and handed it back to me along with a large bag containing the brief case, shoes and the receipt. They wished me success as I headed out of the backroom and hurried out the front door. I wasted no time in getting into my car and making for the station.
At the station, I parked as close to the entrance as I could, grabbed the bag, and walked briskly to the door. After the usual check in, I was let in through the security door. I headed straight for the locker room. The locker room was deserted, a rare event that I took full advantage of. After quickly stripping to my shorts, I then slowly got dressed, savoring the fit and feel of each item of clothing before putting on the next item. The last two items were taken from the bag, the shoes and the brief case, both of which were set on the floor in front and beside me.
I was slipping on the shoes, when two officers entered the locker room. Upon spotting me, they let forth the usual hoots and wolf whistles. While the officers had their fun, I picked a short haired wig from the supply cabinet and aided by the small mirror on my locker door, affixed it onto my head, tucking my long hair up under the wig. A bit of finger combing was applied before closing up my locker. I clipped my badge to the collar of my blouse, straightened my skirt and jacket, picked up my brief case, and started to head out. The way the suit hugged my body, combined with the sound generated by my movements, caused me to slip into character once again. A mistake, for as I slipped past the officers, my unmistakable gate of a sophisticated woman showed it's self to its best advantage, much to the delight of the officers who really gave it to me. Once that got out, there would be no way to live it down.
I quickly left the locker room and crossed the hall to the room where Elaine would hopefully be waiting for me. Just before entering the room I heard Elaine call to me from down the hallway. Being still something of a gentleman, I waited for her to come up to me and followed her into her little room. She put her kit on the table before looking me over from head to toe and back.
"Nice suit, ritzy. So, anything special need in the finished look?"
"Yeah, a sophisticated and powerful, upper class business woman."
"Hmmm, it's doable."
Elaine handed me the hand mirror and got to work. It was a longer and even more startling transformation than ever before. When she had finished, I had the required look. It was a look I absolutely loved for reasons unknown and that something inside me seemed to tolerate, although, I got the impression that it would soon demand changes. Elaine scrutinized her handiwork with a critical eye, fixing anything that wasn't perfect as the needed look demanded that everything be in place, be it clothing, makeup, or hair. It was the latter that seemed to present a new problem.
Elaine looked at the wig I had selected, but just shook her head no. Without saying a word, she plucked the wig from my head with the fingertips of her right hand. As if to add emphases to her actions, she paused before unceremoniously dropping it from a height just above my head into my lap. She then took a large comb and a small spray bottle from her kit. She misted my hair with what I think was water, although it may have had something else mixed in. Using the comb, she drew my long hair back from my face, styling it into a small bun at back of my head. From the bottom drawer of her kit came a short strand of pearls. This she fastened around the base of the bun. A matching strand of pearls was fastened around my neck. Simple clip-on pearl earrings completed the look.
I thanked Elaine for her incredible efforts, plucked the wig from my lap, and returned to the locker room to return the wig to the cabinet. There were a few officers engaged in sports talk, but became dead silent as soon as they spotted me. They just stared at me as I replaced the wig back in the cabinet and headed back out. I can only imagine what was said after I left. It was on to the briefing room.
In the briefing room I was greeted by a large number of officers with comments of astonishment rather than jokes, a change I seemed to relish for some unknown reason. It wasn't long before we got down to business. Simply sending in officers to arrest the suspects and hoping that one or more of the victims could identify them was iffy at best. Better would be to apprehend them in the act of kidnapping a victim, me in particular. That was assuming that they had returned for another attempt. But verifying that they were there by sending in an undercover officer to spot them was out of the question given the wariness of the suspects. So, the tactical plan was for each company in the complex to form its people into groups according to where they were parked so that they could watch each other as they made for their cars. Once the vast majority of people were safely on their way, the few who remained would be held back so that I could make my trip to the parking structure and hopefully lure the suspects into action. The ease of containing and apprehending of the suspects would depend on the layout of the parking structure and the surrounding area.
A tactical analyses of the parking structure revealed that it consisted of two floors plus additional parking on the open roof. There was an entrance/exit off the street that led into the complex with an exit only on the opposite side. The ground floor would be where we would focus our attention as all previous attacks occurred on a floor with a quick exit. The upper floors still presented a problem in that the suspects could be using them to observe women, selecting one that fit what ever criteria they were using, as well as scan the area for police. The latter meant that Lynn and backup officers would have to setup some distance from the structure and out of direct sight, increasing the danger level for me. And as for me, I would drive my own car into the complex parking in front of a building with an entrance that was out of site of the parking structure. There I would wait in my car until I got the signal to move out on a portable police radio tuned to a tactical channel not available to those with police scanners. With the plan set it was time to head out.
Lynn, Pete, and backup officers headed off for the back entrance, while I made for the front entrance carrying the portable radio. Of course I had to explain myself to officers on both sides of the security door. All were at first confused, and then shocked and astonished as they realized who I was. I rather liked it and my mind focused on why. That something within took advantage of the diversion and seduced me into slipping back into character yet again. The officers behind the front desk were left to stare at my backside with their mouths hanging open. I knew I would pay for that the next time I came in and I didn't seem to mind. With a smug and snobbish air, I slipped into my car and was soon headed for the office complex.
The trip to the complex was uneventful outside of some stares from passing motorists, not unexpected given my looks verses my car. I entered the office complex by way of a trucking access road, out of sight of the parking structure. From what I could see, the complex was devoid of activity except for a couple of groups of office workers headed for the parking structure. I proceeded on to my tactical position and parked. There was nothing to do but kick back and try to relax. Ten minutes later, Lynn's voice disturbed the silence.
"All units check in."
"Backup one in position."
"Backup two approaching position."
"Backup three in position. Traffic barriers are being deployed."
"Jeff, in position and ready."
"Security has given us the signal that the area is clear of people and all remaining employees are being held back. Jeff, move out."
"Understood."
"All units, heads up. Jeff is on the move."
I extricated myself from my car to the stares of a few curious onlookers that had accumulated in the office lobby I was parked in front of. Paying them no mind, I straightened out my skirt and jacket, as Vivian had done, before making for a path that would take me to the parking structure. Emerging from between a couple of buildings, I came in sight of the structure and possibly in the view of the suspects, if they had returned. There was a park like zone between the office buildings and the parking structure. As I started to cross, I took off the jacket and slung it over my left shoulder. I gave a slight toss of my head, positioning it to add a superior air to my sophisticated look. If the suspects were surveying the area for a target, then I would definitely have their attention.
It took a little bit of time to reach the parking structure, time I absolutely savored as I fully loved my new and very different persona. I sashayed into the parking structure without looking around, trying to give the impression of being a powerful person that nobody would mess with, ignoring any impending danger. A little more swing was added to my hip movement and it wasn't just to make me a more tempting target, no, it was more for my inner something that seemed to crave it. It wasn't long before I heard a car engine being fired up.
The vehicle began to move and sounded like it was headed for me from behind. The vehicle pulled up along side me but not far enough for me to see what it was in my peripheral vision. I then heard the side door slide open, telling me that it was a van. It looked like the suspects had indeed returned and had just taken the bait. As I readied for action, there came the sound of shoes hitting the concrete floor directly behind me. I instinctively moved away from the sound but was quickly overtaken. From behind, the assailant wrapped his left arm around me just under my "breasts". I could tell that he was about six inches shorter in height than me, but that didn't deter him in the least. Before I could "scream for help", he raised his right hand up to my face. It contained a wadded up piece of cloth which he pressed over my mouth and nostrils.
"Well, if you ain’t the quintessential stuck-up rich bitch. You need to come down off your high horse girly, and mingle with those not so fortunate, so we're going to take you to a party, and YOU’RE the entertainment!"
A chemical smell invaded my nose and my vision began to blur. It had to be either chloroform or ether. I was in big trouble and I knew I had to send out a signal for help before I became too incapacitated to do so. My arms were free enough that I could reach and squeeze the bracelet and did so. But it would be some time before help could arrive, I had to counter and fast. My initial struggles resulted in no change to my situation, suggesting that my assailant was well practiced and knew what to expect and knew how to counter. By doing the opposite of what was expected, I could possibly throw him off his game, leaving him open to making mistakes. Quickly, I bent backwards and pushed with my legs forcing my upper body to slide up and over his. With the back of my neck pushing back against my assailant's forehead and my shoulders pushing down onto his collarbone, I forced my assailant to bend backwards to the point of losing his balance. He was indeed taken by surprise and rational thought gave way to instinct. He refocused his attention to trying to keep from falling backwards on to the hard concrete floor, instead of countering by twisting to one side allowing me to fall to the floor with him on top of me. The mistake I was looking for.
With his attention diverted, I turned my head into the bend of his arm, freeing my mouth and nose from the anesthetic infused cloth. Before he could refocus and move his hand to again cover my mouth, I shot my left hand up onto his right elbow, pushing it up and allowing me to duck under his arm and slip out of his grasp. I was free and ready to go on the offensive. I spun to my left, and being taller than him, easily delivered a left back fist over his arms, to his jaw. My attacker staggered back and turned away from me. I charged, wrapped my arms around his upper body and drove him forward, slamming his face into the side of the van, a windowless cargo van. All the fight left him and I released him to crumble down onto the cold hard concrete floor.
Even before my assailants knees buckled, I was on the move, jumping into the van through the open side door, I gave a quick check of the cargo area for another suspect. Not seeing anyone, I continued on to the driver. The driver panicked and took his foot off the brake, moving his foot toward the accelerator, but before the driver could hit the pedal, I was on him. I swung the outside of my left forearm up under his chin and into his throat, pinning his head back against the headrest as I twisted and threw my body up on top of his. The van had started to creep forward, but I stopped it with a right side kick to the brake pedal. Keeping the pedal depressed gave me extra leverage in my efforts to keep the second suspect under control. Just then the parking garage was filled with the squeal of tires making a sharp turn on the concrete floor. Red and blue flashing lights bounced off of anything reflective announcing Lynn's and Pete's arrival. Police sirens were heard, indicating that backup officers were approaching the parking structure.
Lynn spotted the van with the side door open and put the cruiser on an intercept path, coming to a screeching stop behind the van. More screeching noises signaled that the entrance and exits were being blocked. Lynn and Pete bailed out, slamming the doors shut as they made for the van. The action brought the first suspect to his senses. He staggered to his feet and took off on the run with Pete in close pursuit. Lynn came up to the driver's door with gun drawn and fire in her eyes, but relaxed when she saw that I had the suspect pinned to the seat. As she holstered her gun, she opened the driver's door. She grabbed the suspect's left hand and slapped the handcuff around the wrist. Lynn twisted the suspects arm giving her control over him. That gave me the chance to back off the suspect in order to put the shift lever in park, turn off the ignition, and apply the parking brake. Then, working together we were able to turn the suspect enough for Lynn to seize his right hand and finish cuffing both hands behind his back. Lynn was then able to manhandle the suspect out of the van without any help from me. With her right hand gripping the handcuffs and her left hand maintaining a firm grip on the suspects left shoulder, she guided him to, and around, the front of the van.
I then took the chance to put myself back together. With use of the rearview mirror I was able to adjust some errant strands of hair. My makeup needed some attention, but I wasn't equipped for that. The best I could do was to fix some smudges with my fingers. Moving into the cargo area of the van gave me the room and privacy needed to hike my skirt and pull down the blouse tails. The skirts hem was tugged down back into position followed by my smoothing it out with my hands. As I made for the open side door it suddenly dawned on me that I was acting just like any woman would in that situation. And I had no need too as my part in the apprehension was over. It had been automatic as if my mental process had switched from male to female. My realization of what I had been doing switched my mental processes back to male. It was something I would have to explore later.
As I exited through the side door of the van, Pete arrived on scene with the first suspect in custody. Seeing that all was in hand, back up officers holstered their guns and began migrating to the crime scene. Both suspects were told to have a seat on the floor with their backs against the van where they were read their rights. The suspects were helped back up onto their feet and put in the back of Lynn's cruiser. The van was secured and left for a police tow truck. Gradually, everyone piled back into their cars and began moving out, except for me. I had to walk back to my car.
I strutted out the way I had come in a normal manly stride, that is until I cleared the parking structure and was no longer in view of the officers. A quick scan of the area around me showed that it was void of people, so I figured it couldn't hurt to slip back into character. It was a thrill that increased with each step I took. The sound of high heels on the concrete walkway, the feel of the setting sun on my body, the warm fresh air brushing gently across my face, were all something I could never experience in the confines of my apartment.
I had nearly reached my car when people began to emerge from the surrounding office buildings. The all clear must have been given. I was pretty much ignored until I came to stand next to my aging VW bug. My look of wealth and power was countered by the poverty and low status suggested by my car. That's when many guessed that I was not as I appeared but was in fact a decoy the police had employed in the operation. Hushed comments started to flow through the crowd and soon all began to stare at me. I should have felt like a freak on display, but didn't. And instead of looking for a place to hide, I began looking back. A sort of thrill came over me as I noticed that the men were looking at my face and body with various levels of desire written across their faces, and the women were looking at my suit and the way it fit my body with either jealousy or envy written on their faces. I was so absorbed in observing others as they passed me that I failed to notice a slightly geekish man at the back of the pack approaching me on an intercept course.
"Excuse me; are you the one the police used to draw out the rapists? Yeah? Wow, that's really something. Say, would you like to celebrate your success by going out to dinner with me? There's a five star night club near by that caters to those of us in management."
"Um, I'm not a woman."
"Ah, yeah, well, I thought that might be the case. I can't imagine the police using a woman in these situations, although I was hoping it would be different. I mean, you really come off as a very desirable woman, one I would think many a man would like to be seen with. Well, actually, I'd LIKE to be seen with you. Hey, women are going to look at me, then look at you and get jealous. They're going to want to find out just what it is that I've got that a woman of your stature and class wants. They might even slip me their phone numbers."
"An interesting theory, but I've got a lot of paperwork to fill out. Besides, to be effective as a decoy I have to limit public exposure. Sorry, but hey, thanks for the vote of confidence."
I quickly got into my car and headed back to the station. The man's comments filled my mind. Once again I had actually passed as a woman and I liked it even more. Somehow I was able to include driving in my thoughts and safely made it back to the station. The routine at the station was the same as always, that is until I strolled into the locker room. There were only a few officers either getting ready for their shift or coming off duty. It was one of the off duty officers who responded to me first as I made my way to my locker.
"Whoa Miss, wrong room."
"Very funny."
"What do you mean … wait, JEFF!?"
"Yeah, like, who else would I be?"
"Hey, sorry. But no kidding, you had me completely fooled. Seriously, I thought you were one of the women in upper management."
"Thanks, credit Elaine's talent and a high end clothing store."
"Oh it's more than that. It's the way you carry …"
Just then a couple of the backup officers burst into the locker room in a loud celebratory mood.
"Hey Jeff, congrats on a great bust. Officers have hit the suspect's home and found four men in various states of undress with sex paraphernalia, drugs and other crap. Man, what these bastards were doing to women makes me sick and mad as hell."
"Yeah, but can any of them be convicted? They weren't caught in the act and their victims were dazed by drugs. A defense lawyer would use that to discredit their testimony."
"They all match the descriptions given by their victims, but you're right. To counter that, they will be isolated from each other so that none will know what the others are saying or doing. As each suspect is interrogated, they can be played one against the others. Trust me, suspicions will build in their minds until one cracks and tries to cut a deal by turning on the others."
"Don't worry; they will get what's coming to 'em. But hey, this calls for a celebration, what say guys, beer and pizza?"
"Yeah, that's always good."
"Hey Jeff, don't change clothes, go as you are. After all, you're not only the man of the hour, but the WOMAN as well!"
That set everyone off. The jokes were non stop. I even got a couple of date proposals. For some reason, I loved it all and really wanted to remain dressed as well as stay in character, but I knew it would not be a good idea. That something inside me was not happy and wasn't about to go down without one heck of a fight. It made the removal of my skirt suit and my makeup sheer torture. But I endured, and forced my inner something to surrender. I put on my street clothes without any further problems.
Paperwork was next on the agenda and was completed in due course. I was then free to join the celebration while Lynn and Pete still had to change clothes before joining. I had been given directions to the pizza/beer joint and easily found it. Upon entering the place I was greeted by cheers and raised mugs of beer, a lot of hand shaking and pats on the back. An ice cold, thick walled mug filled to the top with beer was thrust into my hand. I readily took it and raised it in a toast to all before drinking it all down in one pass to the cheers of all. I quickly melded into the celebration and became one with all of the officers.
Lynn and Pete soon arrived and received a greeting equal to my own. The celebration soon turned to story telling, comparing note worthy busts of the past with the current one, as well as the trials and tribulations of those officers who had drawn mugging duty in the past. These were stacked up against my efforts, a comparison that inwardly pleased me. In the end, a great time was had by all, for it was a chance to put aside, for a brief moment, the stress and depression that comes with the job of being a police officer. It was just after 11:00 pm when the celebration came to an end and everyone headed home.
In the days that followed, my mind was naturally filled with the details of the assignment. But it wasn't so much my success, but the dangers I had face for real and the way I had handled the situation. I had reacted in a calm, methodical manner using rational thought without a hint of panic. I became convinced that I could handle a life threatening situation and wanted to show Lynn that I could. That opportunity was not long in coming.
Note Worthy Case no. 4
It was a warm evening and I was relaxing in front of the TV after a meager dinner. Given the day I had had, lying around in my underwear staring at some totally forgettable mindless entertainment was quite appealing. I had just found a comfortable position when the phone rang. I let forth a groan as I reached for the phone, thinking to myself "No, it can't be, not this time." It was.
"Jeff? Lynn. We have a case that's got an extra danger factor to it. It's a mugger who targets women and is packing a gun, and it's not for show. He used it on a victim who decided to fight back. Fortunately her wound was minor and she managed to escape."
"That shouldn't be a problem. I've got training in defending against an armed adversary."
"Not this time. I don't know how your skills will stack up against a gun and I'm in no hurry to find out. We'll talk about the tactical plan and a special purse you'll be carrying when you get here."
"Um, okay. So, what's the location?"
"An older park that has lacked in maintenance due to budget cuts. It's overgrown, dark, and cooler than the streets, which means that it attracts people on warm and hot nights despite it being a perfect environment for muggers. Hot nights also mean trouble all over the city. We are spread pretty thin trying to keep a lid on things and haven't been able to address all of the muggings. But the shooting has put this guy at the top of the priority list. We have to take him out. He operates during late evening when everyone is abandoning the park and heading elsewhere. Be at the station by 8:00 tonight."
A feeling of disappointment filled me. I had the skills and I knew how to use them. It was an opportunity to show that I could handle a greater range of situations. All kinds of thoughts filled my mind, mostly of the speculative kind, including one on Lynn not trusting in my abilities. It was depressing, calling for the usual cure, a trip to the mall, but not the big one. This trip would be different as I wouldn't be window shopping, but shopping for, and buying, a new outfit for the night's assignment. I could have made due with some outfit from a previous assignment, but deep down I wanted something more provocative and sexy, something that might provoke the suspect into doing something more then steal my purse, forcing me to defend myself. I got up off the couch, put on some suitable clothes, grabbed my wallet and keys, and headed off for the open mall.
During the trip to the mall, I thought about what would most likely accomplish my goal. It quickly dawned on me that the assignment was the perfect opportunity to dress in another mini skirt that would come close to one of the five mini skirts I had daydreams about at the custom clothier. It was the denim mini skirt I now craved, and I knew which store in the open mall would most likely have it, even better, the store was on my list. It wasn't long before I had reached the mall, found parking, and entered the target store.
I didn't seek out a saleswoman, but headed straight for the women's sportswear section. I quickly spotted a rack of denim skirts in several lengths and came to stand in front of the mini skirts. I selected one in my size, pulled it from the rack, and looked it over, comparing it to the one in my daydream. It matched my dream skirt except for the hem. This one had the normal turned under hem. I really wanted a turned up hem, but none of the skirts had one. I peeked under the hem to see how it had been formed. It wasn't as wide as the hem of my dream skirt, but it was reversible, and I had the time to do it. Then the thought occurred to me, why not get a longer skirt, alter it to a mini skirt, setting the hem the way I want in the process. I replaced the mini skirt and sidestepped to a section with skirts that had a hem two inches above the knee.
Not wanting to waste time by having to seek out a saleswoman, explaining the situation, changing into the skirt, and so on, I decided to check the fit right where I was, something that would have horrified me not all that long ago. A covert glance around showed that all of the other customers were engaged in their own pursuits and none had a direct line of sight at my lower body. I removed the skirt from the hanger and held it in place against my body, quickly checking the fit at my waist and hips. I could tell from my past experiences that it would be a tight fit, but that would be in keeping with my goal. I looked around for the next needed item.
A rack of checkered shirts was spotted nearby. As I approached it, a section of blue and white checkered shirts seemed to jump out at me. One in my size was quickly located and pulled from the rack. I held it out at arms length as I gave it a critical looking over. It matched my daydream perfectly. I couldn't believe that for once, fortune was with me. There was no need to check the fit as I wouldn't be buttoning it up but tying the ends in a knot. It was off to the register.
I laid the skirt and shirt on the counter in front of the saleswoman. She stared at me with a less than approving look, until I showed her the billing code. She looked a little surprised, and then nodded her head as if to say she understood and rang up my purchase. She bagged the clothes and handed the bag to me with a friendly smile that seemed to wish me success. I made a quick exit, and headed for home. I had some sewing to do.
Home was reached as quickly as traffic would allow. I quickly parked in my assigned spot and then practically ran to my apartment. It wasn't so much as to avoid contact with people that could become awkward given what I was carrying, as to simply wanting to modify and experience all the sensations offered by my new outfit. After gaining entry to my apartment, I headed straight for my bedroom where I had a small desk that had my sewing equipment. The skirt was pulled from the bag which was then dropped on the bed. I took the skirt to my sewing desk where I pulled out a chair. As I sat down in the chair, I pulled open the center drawer. A seam ripper was retrieved and put to work cutting and removing the stitching that was holding the folded under fabric of the hem in place. The hem was reversed folded and moved up to the length I desired. I determined the width that would match my dream skirt and folded the excess in between the hem and the skirt. A regular seam stitch was used to attach the hem as an exposed hemming stitch would be vulnerable to being easily broken by any physical contact. Next, an iron and board were pulled from the closet and setup. When the iron was up to temp, it was used to press the fold that defined the hemline. The skirt was finished and ready to be tried on. It fit just like in my daydream.
It was time to head for the station. It was off with my skirt and on with my pants. The bag with the shirt was picked from the bed and the skirt was stuffed back in the bag as I made for the front door. I would soon be at my locker in the station. I just couldn't wait.
After the usual routine at the station, I did indeed find myself in front of my locker ready to strip off one persona and slip into a new one. By that point in time, everyone had become accustom to my being a decoy. The jokes had died off and were replaced with critiques of my fashion choices, something that I came to enjoy more and more. I had soon changed clothes and headed out to my appointment with Elaine amidst rave reviews and the odd date proposal.
As to my session with Elaine, a minimal makeup look was in keeping with the part I was to play. I really wasn't going to need anything more than hiding what little masculine features I had. The session went quickly and I was soon headed for, and entering, the briefing room where the Captain, Lynn, and someone new, were waiting.
"Hi all."
"Jeff, meet Hank. He's my partner for tonight. Pete's down with the flu. Hank, meet tonight's decoy, Jeff."
"So you're Jeff. I have been hoping to meet the man who has been racking up some very impressive numbers, and I'm beginning to see why!"
"Thanks, but I don't think I've done much more than anyone else. I'm just doing a job as needed."
"No need to be modest. You're the talk of the station."
"Alright, alright, let's get down to business. Jeff, this is the shoulder purse you will be carrying, it has a hidden tracking device. As to the plan, it's nothing more than dropping you off near the park entrance and waiting for your signal that the perp has taken your purse. DO NOT offer any resistance. And DO NOT try and follow him. Just return to the car. Leave him to us. Understand?"
I nodded my head in the affirmative, but inside I was fuming, after all, if Lynn really felt that I had the karate skills to do the job she had coursed me into doing so long ago, then she should let me do said job. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became, almost to the point of bursting into a confrontational argument. It was something that started to translate into unconscious body movements. Lynn picked up on that and shot me a look filled with warnings. I snapped out of my thoughts and took a deep breath. As a diversion, I reflected on my being part of a team, an experienced team on which I was still a rookie and still gaining experience. I backed down and resigned myself to doing what was required of me.
The briefing was wrapped up and we headed off for the back entrance to Lynn's waiting cruiser. I got into the back seat with Hank jokingly opening and closing the door for me. Lynn seemed to be a little miffed for some unknown reason but said nothing. We made the trip to the target area mostly in silence, which seemed to make the time to get there longer than it actually was.
Upon arrival, Lynn parked back from the park entrance well out of view of any one there. I got out of the car, adjusted my skirt, slipped into character, and walked along the sidewalk to the park entrance. I turned onto the main path that wound its way through most of the park in a grand loop. Foot traffic was mostly couples, young and old, and a few single old men. All were leisurely making for the entrance. The further I went the fewer people I came across, until finally I was totally alone and in the most overgrown area of the park. It was the perfect scenario for a mugger. I continued on, scanning the area in front of me, tensed and ready for a man with a gun to jump out of the bushes some where in front of me. It was not to be.
Instead, from behind, there came a rustling of bushes, but before I could turn, a large muscular arm quickly materialized at my left side, wrapping across my body at mid torso pinning my left arm to and slightly behind my left side. The attacker's right arm came over my upper right arm, pinning it to my side as well, with a large meaty hand coming to cover my mouth. I overcame my initial surprise and began to struggle, trying to free myself from my attacker's grasp. But he was far too strong and I quickly realized that my struggles were futile. I changed my tactics to trying to reach the signaling device on my left wrist. But I couldn't move my arms towards each other enough to be able to reach the bracelet. He then started to drag me into the bushes. That was a place I didn't want to go. Given my slim build and being so under weight, the dense vegetation would severely limit my mobility. The chances of escaping his grasp and turning on him would be virtually nil. I had to go on the offensive and fast.
I lifted up my right foot and first slammed the side of it into the front of his shin, then pushed it down his shin onto his foot with all the power my leg muscles could generate. Pain shot up his leg causing him to relax his hold on my right arm. That was all the opening I needed. I quickly moved my right arm out and up to force his right arm up and away as if I was trying to slip under it. He responded by trying to force my arm back down to, and against, my body, but that was what I wanted. I combined his strength with my own to propel my elbow down and back, burying it deep into his ribcage, bending forward as I did so. The blow knocked the wind out of him, but not enough to cause him to loosen the grip of his left arm. Not a problem.
I straightened back up, throwing the back of my head into his face. My assailant staggered back dragging his left arm and hand across my body. Going with the force, I twisted to my left, freeing me from his control and leaving me facing my nemesis. He was unarmed and clearly not the person we had come for, which meant that Lynn's non confrontational orders were no longer in force, something that pleased me immensely. I selected and locked on to my target, and then delivered a spinning, right back fist, to his temple. He dropped like a huge bag of … manure, and was down for the count. All that was left was to signal Lynn and Hank.
Both came sneaking into the area following the signal emitted by the tracking device in my purse with their hands on their guns ready to draw. They were straining their eyes to penetrate the darkness trying to spot an armed assailant before he could spot either of them. They soon spotted me standing on the path and quicken their pace towards me pulling up short of the unconscious mass on the ground. They stared down for several seconds before looking up at me with a look of disbelief, for while the perp was my height, he was at least four times my mass and five times my strength. Lynn stared at me with her mouth open slightly, shaking her head and pointed at the suspect.
"How?!"
"It'll be in my report."
"Wait, this isn't the guy we came here for. Oh my…. Do you know who this is? This has to be the Bear Hug Rapist. He has terrorized half a dozen places here in the east side for months. He has brutally raped dozens of women while avoiding every officer in the department we've sent out in the guise of a decoy, and given his size and strength, we did not dare send out a female."
"Maybe your guys just aren’t man enough to be woman enough to draw this guy out."
"So it would seem."
"Well, whatever the reason, an objective has been satisfied. I guess we'll have to address the original one another time. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head back to the car. I need to freshen up and readjust my accoutrements."
My inner something thrilled at the thought of my having achieved what other male decoys could not. I was more than a decoy; I was a female impersonator and a damn good one. My inner something loved it, and it wanted more. It forced me to continue my guise of a woman, although force wasn't necessary as I willingly came along. My performance drew stares from Lynn and Hank.
"Oh that just isn't right. You sure that's a guy Lynn?"
"Yeah, but I'm beginning to wonder. On the other hand, you can't argue with success."
Note Worthy Case no. 5
The month that followed didn't bring much in the way of police work and the cases that I had been called in on were on the level of my first case. It was easy money, but nothing to write about. It was disappointing, but the biggest disappointment was that there was no chance to add to my small police required wardrobe. I was always able to put together an outfit from a previous case or cases. It wasn't all bad though, and one of the more pleasant things to happen was bounties from my earliest cases starting to show up in my recently opened bank account.
The money was more than welcomed and was immediately put to work stocking my pantry, improving my living conditions, and upgrading my car, the latter coming about as the result of a police drug property seizure. I was able to negotiate a deal where the car was payment for a few cases. It was a perfect deal as I didn't have to wait for an auction and the car fit my look when on assignment. That was something that had become more and more needed, for I increasingly had to arrive on scene in my own car instead of with the police due to word being spread throughout the criminal community that the police had a new, and very effective, decoy. The car I choose was a sports car, a convertible, in red with a black interior with a few years on it but still stylish enough to fit the type of woman I usually took the persona of.
With all of the necessities addressed, I could turn my attention to my hobby. My first thoughts were to hit the open mall, using my being a police decoy as a plausible excuse to try on and purchase women's clothing. But that eventually got overruled. While I could limit my purchases to stores where the saleswomen already knew I was a decoy, and still come away with some nice outfits, most of what I desired didn't fit in with the type of police work I was doing, especially lingerie, for which there was no need. There was mail order, but that could be painfully slow, and besides, I would have to order a lot of catalogs and that could bring some unwanted attention. An ideal solution seemed to be out of reach and depression started to take hold. It was time for the usual cure: a trip to the big mall.
On the way to the mall, I spotted a large computer and electronics store with large ad banners covering the front. One of the ads was on something pertaining to the internet. And then it hit me; the internet was the perfect solution. I could carouse an unlimited number of stores in total anonymity with no need to order any catalogs as the inventories were online. There would be no processing delays, postal time would be cut in half, and packages would arrive in a discreet manner. I made a hard right turn into the parking lot at the next available drive way, quickly threaded my way through the lot and parked as close to the entrance as I could.
The store was huge containing virtually everything in the way of consumer electronics and parts. I threaded my way through the maze of aisles arriving in a roundabout way at the computer section. What lay before me was overwhelming to say the least. I had no idea as to what I needed to get online. A salesman spotted me in my state of bewilderment, figured that he could talk me into buying more than I really needed, and quickly approached me with dollar signs in his eyes. I could tell by his phony smile that he did not have my best interests in mind. To possibly counter that, I explained that I worked with the police and needed a basic system to expand my search for suspects to the internet. That reined him in and it wasn't long before I had a slightly better than basic system with some future expansion capabilities, along with an internet package deal. He also showed me how to hook everything up and installed the browser and security software for me. I paid for it with a newly acquired credit card (my first one!) and push it all out to my car in a shopping cart. The boxes were large, but I somehow got it all to fit in my little sports car and headed home.
Getting everything into my apartment took a couple of trips between the car and my living room. I decided to set my new computer on an ell shaped students desk I had salvaged from a dumpster outside of the university apartments at the end of the school year. It was back when I had just gotten my apartment and needed everything on the cheap. One would be amazed at what gets tossed out as the campus closes for summer vacation and the students have to vacate their campus apartments. I had stuck it into a corner of my living room where it has sat pretty much unused. It has turned out to be the perfect setup for my new computer.
Mastering this new (to me) technology took awhile, but soon I had a feeling that I knew what I was doing. It was then time to address my hobby. I started with stores that I was familiar with from my trips to the mall. The fashions they offered had not improved any since that fateful day some time ago. I was slipping into the same feeling of disappointment and depression that I had back then. Escape was imperative.
I switch to a search engine and after several failed tries, found a site that had a list of boutique clothing stores. Each stores site was visited in turn. There was much that appealed to me, and I quickly became immersed in all the beautiful things I could at long last afford. Actually there was too much and having to settle on one outfit (to see how the system worked) was going to be more of a nightmare than a pleasure. I was busy noting my favorite outfits and who had it, when I brought up a site offering fashions for an evening out. The clothing being offered ran from sexy to outright trashy and while I did find a couple of items of interest, the vast majority did not appeal to me. Just as I was about to close that window and bring up the next store on the list, my inner something spotted a skirt that it just had to have. A feeling that I had seen a very similar one before, swept over me. It didn't take long to realize that it was at a very familiar store, one that I had revisited in my mind from time to time. My inner something brought to the forefront the same daydream I had when I first saw that similar skirt. I indulged my inner something for what seemed a long time before forcing an emergence from my dream world.
To my shock and surprise, I found the skirt in an online shopping cart. I then watched helplessly as the on screen cursor position itself over a matching jacket that was then added to the cart. The image on the screen inexplicably changed to one displaying purses. The cursor quickly moved to a matching clutch purse. That too suddenly appeared in the cart. Checkout was next on the cursor's agenda. I sensed my hands reaching out for something. I stared down to see my fingers dancing across the keyboard, giving out my personal information and then my credit card number. I was not in control, but merely hanging on for the ride. Then suddenly things came to a stop, but the ride was not over.
The cursor invited a new site to join in. The new site quickly displayed its offerings: lingerie. The allure of something so purely, and exclusively, feminine drew me in. I slowly scanned over each image, one by one, line by line, page by page until one image reached out and grabbed me. It was a matched set of lingerie that was more than feminine, it was sexy but with class. It wasn't designed to be covered up by some dress, but to be seen, and just by an audience of one. I desired it and willed the cursor to purchase it. The cursor complied, and sensing victory, brought up other sites from which more purchases were made until a complete head to toes outfit with accessories and makeup had been assembled and bought. All that was left to do, was to wait.
After about a week, packages started to arrive, but I didn't open them. Instead I took each one to my bedroom closet and placed them on the floor off to one side. I would wait until all had arrived before opening, and then only when depression had me in its grip, needing a cure that only a dress up session full of new wonders could provide. That day wasn't too far off and would prove to be the most pivotal day in my young life.
That day started off ominously enough with my being awakened by the sun streaming through the bedroom window instead of by my electric alarm clock in the dark. I glanced at the clock for a clue as to what had happened only to be greeted by a blank screen. Great, a power failure. I leaped out of bed and hurriedly got dressed. There was no time for breakfast as I had to get to work as fast as possible. That was not to be, for even through I now had a fast sports car, every traffic light in my corner of the city was dark and every controlled intersection became a four way stop. It took forever to get through the black out zone to reach work which, naturally, was outside the black out zone.
My boss was none too happy about my being late even though it really wasn't my fault. But it didn't matter as my position on the line had to be filled and my boss had shifted a lot of people around. He was in no hurry to shift them back again just to accommodate me. So, for the remainder of the work day, I was assigned to a maintenance and clean-out crew, arguably the worst job in the company. After what seemed like an eternity, the end of shift whistle loudly announced the end of my ordeal. I headed for my car and home, tired, sore, filthy, and reeking of things not to be desired.
I drove home in a daze, not being able to recall just how I got there, nor how I came to be standing in my bathroom, staring at a pathetic image of me in the mirror behind the bathroom sink. That image needed to be changed. I started the transformation by stripping off my filthy, smelly clothes, dropping them on the floor right where I was, and made ready for a shower. But a hot shower wasn't going to be enough, it would need help, I knew just what was needed. From under the sink I pulled out the small sealed container with its special treasure within. This time it would not be used sparingly. It didn't take long for the bathroom to become filled with a very feminine aroma.
With showering out of the way, it was time to get dressed. I walked out of the bathroom completely naked headed for the bedroom closet. From the closet I retrieved the packages that had come in the mail not all that long ago and piled them on the bed. A razor blade was retrieved from my sewing table and I approached the pile of packages on the bed with desire clearly written across my face. The one I wanted first was quickly spotted, seized, and placed in front of me. The tape that sealed it closed was cut with the blade. Then it was slowly opened so that my anticipation of wonders yet to be explored would build. A couple folds of tissue paper were peeled back revealing the treasures within.
Out came a bright red bustier with black lace trim and tiny black bows. There were at least a dozen hook and eyes for closer in the back. As I wrapped the garment around my torso and started to fasten the hooks from the bottom up, I could tell that I would be a tight fit and combined with having to reach around back, it would get more and more difficult to make the hook and eye connections as I moved up the back to the point where I had to literally wrestle with myself to get it completely hooked up, and I loved every exquisite second of it. I retrieved a pair of breast forms I had carved out of a foam cushion found in the trash and inserted them into the bustiers cups. Matching panties were then pulled from the box and slowly slipped on. I explored the fit and feel of this totally new experience, even putting on a little show in front of my full length mirror. The look was elegant in spite of the sexiness of the red color. I loved it, but that something inside me didn't, it wanted a change and it wanted it now, but I wasn't about to give in, and didn't. My inner something was down but definitely not out for it had an ally, the packages on the bed, and they were calling.
The sirens call soon won me over and I was back at the bed tearing open a small heavy shipping envelope. Out came a pair of self supporting, black, fishnet stockings. I knew the detrimental effect they would have on the look I had, and liked, but for reasons unknown, I slipped them on anyway. The effect was as feared, for the look had gone from elegance to flat out sex. I stared at the image in the mirror, telling my self that I didn't like it, but I couldn't tear my eyes from it. It seemed to me, that deep down, I liked that look, and wanted more. I found myself moving back to the bed.
I watched my hands reach out and take hold of a small flat box. It was cut open as before. Slowly I extracted a white silk, sleeveless, pullover top with a Mandarin collar and closure. I savored the cool smoothness as I slipped my hands, and then arms, in through the bottom opening of the garment. The sensations continued as I lifted my arms up over my head, letting the top slip down my arms and over my head. Slowly, I lowered my arms, then took hold of the bottom of the top and pulled it down into place. The bottom of the garment came to just below my waist line. There was a short slit in both sides telling me that the top was to be worn out over a skirt or pants. It took a little time to figure out how to close the odd fasteners stretching across my shoulder. I eventually succeeded and as a reward, played with the top awhile before again turning to the packages on the bed.
The largest of the boxes was dragged to the edge of the bed in front of me, and slowly opened. Out of the box emerged a small, but heavy, dark red sequined mini skirt. It had an Oriental look to it with a slit on both sides that reached more than half way to the waist. It was a real eye catcher and trashy as all get out. I unzipped the back zipper, lowered it down in front of me, and stepped into it. As I pulled the skirt up my legs, I rocked it side to side causing the hem to smack my legs. That triggered a hip wiggling dance that continued as I teasingly pulled up the zipper. It was trashy and sexually suggestive. It was a turn on, and for reasons unknown, I wanted more.
I refocused my attentions, and reached back into the same box. Out came the matching red sequin jacket. It too, was heavy, and I enjoyed the effort of working my arms into the sleeves and setting the jacket onto my shoulders. I struck a couple of poses in front of the mirror before reaching into the box to retrieve a matching red sequin clutch purse. That was set off to the side as the now empty box was cleared off to make room for the next box.
The new box was the size of a shoebox, very fitting as it contained a pair of shoes. The box was slowly cut opened, a fold of tissue paper was peeled back revealing a bright red, four inch spike heeled pump. I lifted it from the box and looked it over, bringing it up close to my eyes. As I did so, the smell of new leather filled my nose, something that I had not experienced before. I loved it, as with all of the other new sensations and feelings all ready experienced, and that triggered thoughts of why. Was it a girl thing, something they alone enjoyed? Did that mean I was more of a girl than a man who liked all things feminine? Could it mean that deep down, I wanted to be a girl and just never wanted to admit it before? These thoughts scared me and I wanted to rid them from my mind. I forced my attention back to the shoe I was holding in my right hand.
It was the left shoe, and I bent my left leg up and across in front of me to slip the shoe on. It was a woman's action, not that of a man, reinforcing my thoughts. I tried to ignore them by peeling back the paper in the shoe box to expose the other shoe. Seizing it with my left hand, I slipped it on in the same manor as the other. It was on to the next box.
I had to pause before opening this box as its contents promised a whole new experience, one that would take my dress up sessions to levels I could only visit before in my daydreams. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out to try and calm myself, for my heart was visibly pounding with excitement and anticipation in my thin chest. As I drew in a fresh breath, I reached for the cutter. With a slightly shaking hand, the box was cut open. Inside were all the various types of makeup a woman would use to detail her face, in colors that would set off my outfit. Beneath that was a sample kit containing a dozen small bottles of foundation makeup. It was the perfect way for me to determine which shades and colors worked best for me without having to risk exposing myself in the makeup aisle of some store. I couldn't wait to put what I had learned from watching Elaine to use. The box was taken to the bathroom and placed on the vanity top. Everything was removed from the box and set in a line near the back of the vanity top, except for the foundation sample box. That was placed front and center and opened.
I looked over the small bottles of flesh colored makeup, marveling at the magic they contained. Who would have thought that something so small could change a person's apparent gender, to give someone a whole new persona, and in the process, allow that person to enter a world befitting that new persona? I certainly would not have believed it given my less than feminine features, had I not witnessed the transformation preformed before my very eyes, upon my very self. With that thought in mind, it was time to attempt the transformation for myself.
I reached into the kit and removed a few of bottles. I then started to hold each individual bottle up to my cheek in succession, just as Elaine had done at the beginning of our first session back in her office in the police station. I was able to eliminate all but two of the bottles. These final two were moved around my face as I observed how they blended in with the color of the various parts of my face. It was a difficult choice, but I made my selection and returned the other bottle to the kit. I noted the color name before drawing from the kit lighter and darker shades. Mimicking Elaine's handiwork as best I could, I began visually reshaping my facial features, highlighting this, while reducing that. It took no small amount of work, and rework, (and more rework) before achieving the desired results of my efforts. While I had a ways to go to equal Elaine's work, I had done damn well on my first try. Feeling rather proud of myself, I marveled at the emerging woman in the mirror for some time before glancing down at the cosmetics lined up along the back of the vanity top. It was time to complete the emergence.
The second half of the transformation began by picking up the eyebrow pencil. I stared at the pencil while running through my mind each and every movement of Elaine's hand as she stroked the pencil across my brows. Finally, I got to work, and while it took me a lot longer than Elaine, my eyebrows became more pronounced and had a definite feminine curve, sweep, and taper. A kind of thrill shot through me, and while what I had just done was very simple and easy compared with what was to come, it gave my confidence a needed boost. Without any hesitation, I picked up the mascara and began applying it, drawing on my observations of Elaine's expertise as to how. And so it would go with every cosmetic needed to give me the look that I inexplicably seem to desire, right down to the final application of lip gloss to my bright red lips. The end result was astonishing as it was clearly a painted woman that stared back at me from the mirror. I couldn't help but turn my head one way and back the other again and again. But soon there came a call from my bedroom, telling me that it was time to open the last package.
I tore myself away from the mirror and returned to my bed. The only unopened package was pulled from the debris of all the other packages and set before me. I savored the opening of this box more than the others, for it was the piece that would complete my transformation and signal the start of a completely new adventure. It was a bleached blond, china doll styled wig, normally a cute and innocent style, but the bleach blond color took the look in an opposite direction, one befitting my outfit and makeup.
The wig was lifted from the box and inspected. It was slightly mussed up from its trip through the postal system and I did a little finger combing as I headed back into the bathroom. The wig was worked over my own bunched up hair and set in place upon my head. With the aid of the bathroom mirror, it was further set to order with my comb. Having finished with the wig, I was free to take in the whole image in the mirror. I was nowhere to be seen. No one would suspect that the woman in the mirror was in fact me. I marveled at my handiwork once again, striking different poses, and taking it all in. Soon, a desire to see the entire head to toes picture swept over me. It was to the full length mirror once again.
The image reflected back to me was hot, it was trashy, it was sexy, it was of a bad girl looking for fun, and I loved it. But why? It was so not me. Something else, something rooted deep in my primitive desires was at work. I tried to tell myself that I did NOT like what I saw, but couldn't resist striking pose after pose, each one being sexier and more suggestive than the one before. This continued until I had seemingly exhausted all possible poses. Still, I wanted more. I wanted something else.
I backed away from the mirror as far as the room and furnishings would allow. Then, I came at the mirror in my idea of a sexy walk. It was a failure. My lack of experience paired with having only having enough room for a couple of steps didn't allow me to develop the walk I wanted before having to stop. Considerably more room was needed, so I turned away from the mirror and made my way out of the bedroom into the hallway.
Upon entering the living room, it quickly became clear that I wasn't going to find the needed room there, or anywhere else in the confines of my apartment. Dejected, I lost interest in my play. An unconscious glance at the clock showed that it was well past my usual meal time. Hunger then let its presents be known, and I made for the kitchen where I assembled a dinner from leftovers of previous dinners. It was an eclectic mix but it managed to draw me away from my sadness. Soon, my attention was redirected back to the problem of finding more room. A thought came to me that additional space could be added to the living room by starting in the hallway, and even more by starting in the bedroom and finishing in the kitchen. I couldn't wait to give it a try and sprang from the kitchen table, leaving the remains of my dinner where it lay.
It was a good idea, but it only took a couple of passes to see that it wasn't good enough. To get the walk I wanted, I need a long enough straight line to get the right swing of my hips, the best placement of my feet, the right amount of twist of my upper body, and lastly, the uppity attitude I seemed to desire for some reason. There were far too many turns and detours imposed by the confines of my little apartment to accomplish my goal. Still, I spent considerable time working on my walk and managed to extract a significant amount of pleasure as I made each pass, to where I slipped into a daydream in which I was a celebrity at some event before fans and the media. The daydream was reinforced on each return pass as it ended in front of the mirror. There I would pause to strike a pose for the cameras in my mind. I was having the best dress up session of my life, only to have it brought to a halt by the phone ringing. I reluctantly deviated from my intended path to answer the phone. I snatched the receiver from the cradle and brought it to my face figuring, or more like hoping given the late hour, it was a wrong number.
"Hello?"
"It's Lynn. We've got one that can use your talents."
"What, at this hour?"
"Sorry, but yeah. The suspect is a flasher and a groper who has been playing cat and mouse with us all evening, while accosting any woman he comes across. We have been able to chase him off before he can do any real harm, but we haven't been able to catch him, he's got too many escape routes for us to cover."
"All right, I'm … I'm in. What about Elaine?"
"She won't be needed. The area is dark and poorly lit. No one will tell you're not a woman until they are in your face. But even that won't matter. It's a business district situated where an old industrial section, a sizable working class neighborhood, and a small neighborhood popular with the gay, shemales and transvestites, meets. It has a high proportion of bars, night clubs, and gaming centers. Scattered through out are a few bars that cater to the gay community, so no matter where you are, you will fit in. So just wear an outfit from a previous assignment and get over here as soon as possible."
Wear something from a previous assignment? My inner something said nuts to that. I had spent a lot of time perfecting my makeup and dressing in a complete head to toes outfit that my inner something had willed upon me. I was hot and reeked of trashy sex. The thought of removing any part of my new look repulsed that something inside me and it prepared for battle. This time, I would be the one to surrender.
"Ah, yeah, sure, um, where do you want me to meet you?"
"The best thing for you to do, is from your place, go east to Unix, then south to Lisp Avenue, then turn east to the checkpoint. The situation is constantly changing, so I'll relay instructions as to what I want you to do at that time."
"Understood. I'll be on my way shortly."
"Excellent."
I could have left right then and there if not for one little concern. While I had given in to my inner something by going on assignment dressed as I was, I didn't want anyone to see me dressed around my apartment, even if I didn't look like me. I retreated to the bedroom for a solution that would satisfy both me and my inner something.
From my closet came a pair of baggy pants and a hooded coat. These were slipped on over my outfit. My wallet and keys were added to the purse as I picked it up from the bed and that in turn was stuffed into an inside pocket of my coat. I pulled the hood up to cover as much of my face as possible and headed for the front door. But before opening the door, I slightly pushed the curtain that covered the front window aside and covertly looked out. No one was about, and after taking a deep breath, I exited my apartment and made for my car.
I reach my car without incident and quickly slipped inside. By good fortune, the top was up and I was able to pause for a moment to collect myself, experiencing something of a thrill out of what I had just done before getting underway. I left the apartment complex, turning on to streets that were lightly trafficked. They became nearly devoid of traffic as I turned onto Lisp and headed into the industrial section. My trip came to an end at the police roadblock at the intersection of Lisp and an unknown cross street. There was a small group of cars being denied access and in the process, effectively blocking the road. It looked like I was going to have to walk in. I pulled over to the curb and parked. As I got out of my car, I took off my coat and dropped it onto the driver's seat. I dropped my pants and added them to the coat. My purse was plucked from the coats inner pocket before locking up my car. I came up along side of the stopped cars to an officer that appeared to be in charge.
"Sorry Miss, no admittance to anyone at this time. The area is closed."
"I'm Jeff. Lynn called me in."
"Oh, um, right."
The officer reach up to a microphone fastened to his uniform up near his left shoulder and squeezed a side button.
"West check point to Lynn."
"Lynn, go ahead."
"Jeff is here."
"Excellent. Jeff, there's a backstreet about fifty yards up from your position that will get you to where I want you to be without being seen. It's a little more than a quarter of a mile long ending at the top of a parking strip on a main street with a few bars. Work your way through the parking lot to the southern most bar. The suspect is on the move and appears to be headed for that area. If you don't run into the suspect, then I'll meet you at the last bar and we'll go from there."
"Understood."
As I started up the cross street, the night air caressed my exposed legs, bringing to mind the sensations I felt on my first assignment at the university as I crossed the central lawn. I wanted to experience that again and tried to come up with an excuse that would justify my having to slip into character long before I needed to and failed. My inner something said screw that and I sashayed away from the checkpoint in the gate of a woman. I could feel the stares of the officers and the people stuck in their cars all the way to the backstreet, and I liked it.
The trip down the backstreet promised to be long, lonely, and boring. My mind quickly drifted off the business at hand and slipped back into the dress up session I was enjoying before Lynn's call. I once again tried to imitate a walk befitting of the way I looked. This time there was plenty of room to work on it without being constantly interrupted by the confines of my apartment. I didn't have the same degree of security my apartment offered but the uninhabited feel of the back street came close enough. I was able to let myself go and it wasn't long before I felt that I had achieved my goal. I was feeling proud of myself and wanted more, but I had a job to do.
An assessment of where I was revealed that there was still a third of the back street left to traverse, and I thought why not continue my roll play and take in all the pleasures and experiences that being outdoors at night had to offer. While the area was deserted, I was still out in public, and that meant there was the possibility of being caught in the act, something that would have horrified me just a few weeks ago. Now, I didn't care. In fact, I WANTED to be seen. But there was more to it, I wanted feedback, and the more sexist the better! I strutted on with a whole new attitude, one fitting of the way I looked and walked, all the way to the intersection with the parking strip and the main street.
Reaching the end of the backstreet signaled that it was time to refocus on the job at hand, but it was not the end of my performance. The disguise and act more than fit the situation and I turned into the parking strip unabated. The parking strip didn't offer anything more outside of a small group of men on the outer edge leaning against a couple of cars or sitting on the pavement with their backs against a car. I altered my course and headed for them telling myself that the suspect might be among them or close by. Of course the real reason was that I wanted to see how much of a rise I could get out of them. But as I approached them, I could see that they were dressed in filthy, wrinkled work clothes, unkempt, and too drunk to even look in my direction. I became disgusted with just the thought of them lusting after me. I veered off and pushed on, still with an unexplainable inner desire of men wanting me.
My new course temporarily pointed me at a night club in the middle of the row. There were placards across the front advertising shows featuring female impersonators and one in particular caught my full attention. It claimed that it was open armature night. That was it. That's where I would find exactly what I craved. My inner something seized upon that and I found myself headed straight for that club. I quickly came to the edge of the parking area and scanned the street for traffic. But as I looked down the street, I spotted a police car in front of the last bar. It reminded me that I still had a job to do and there was no telling how long it would take. My inner something argued that the competition could end at any time, closing my window of opportunity and there was no way of knowing just when a new one might open, if ever again. But abandoning my assignment would certainly close the window on a terrific job, not to mention the much needed income. It just wasn't worth it, so I shrugged off my inner desires, and headed back into, and on down, the parking strip.
I soon came to the end of the parking strip without being approached by the suspect. A feeling of failure swept over me that not even thoughts that the suspect may not have been in the area could shake. Doubts about my looks and action filled my mind and depression took over. It was all I could do to cross the street and prod on to the bar at the end of the row where Lynn awaited me. She was easy to spot. As I moved toward her, my mind filled with unrealistic thoughts of her chastising me for not being an appealing enough target to do the job. As she spotted me approaching, a look of surprise flashed across her face.
"Is that you Jeff? Damn! Will you look at you! Wait, where'd that outfit and wig come from? I don't recall you wearing either one on any previous assignment. And full makeup? Elaine wasn't called in and you didn't have time to do that, which means that you must have… Oh ho! So, just what have we got going on here Mister? Or should I say Missy?"
The only thought that filled mind was "Oh s____!" This was something I hadn't figured on when I surrendered to my inner something's desires. How could I have been so blind to think that Lynn, who I had worked so close with on all of my assignments, wouldn't notice that I was wearing a full make up job, as well as a bright red sequined skirt and jacket that was far beyond what any previous assignment had required? I was found out and there was no escape. My thoughts turned to "And just what do I do now?" I had to come up with something and fast, but Lynn was staring at me with a triumphant grin, and I couldn't focus my mind away from her. Indecision started to sweep over me, causing my mind to go blank. That's when my inner something rose up with its own idea of a rescue.
"It's nothing that you haven't already suspected from when you first confronted me in front of that custom clothier."
I could not believe I had said that. My mind quickly filled with ideas on how Lynn would respond and none of them good. I brace for the worst. But it didn't come. Instead she ran the tip of her tongue under her upper lip as she stared down at me with lust in her eyes, nodding her head as if to say "yes, Yes, YES". It was becoming increasingly obvious that she desired me, but in what capacity?
"Well, be that as it may, it is all for naught. About five minutes ago, the suspect doubled back, slipping past officers in pursuit. He was captured by an officer who was holding back, just in case."
"So, I won't be needed?"
"Yeah, you're free to go. But you know your efforts don't have to be a total waste. Why don't you come by my place later? We'll spend the rest of the night exploring this, enticing, side of you."
"Wow, that's unexpected, and for reasons I can not for the life of me figure out, I find rather intriguing. I'd like to say that you're on, but I want to check out a night club up the street. It features female impersonators and its open armature night. Something inside me wants me to join the competition."
"Too bad I have to return to the station and fill out the usual paperwork. I would love to see you perform."
"No problem, I can give you a private show at your place sometime."
Wow, another "I can't believe I just said that." moment. Just where are these words coming from and why? I nervously looked at Lynn, fearful of her response. She stared back at me with a big smile that said that she loved the idea. She reached out to touch and gently caress my cheek with her fingers. Her touch was magical, a sensation the likes of which I had not experienced before radiated from the point of contact and spread throughout my body. And with it, a new feeling of calm swept over me, for my secret was out and it didn't mater, at least with Lynn anyway. As I reluctantly turned away and headed back to the nightclub, my inhibitions and fears disappeared. That something inside me was no longer needed as I slipped back into character all on my own. Suddenly, I heard a loud wolf whistle coming from behind. I quickly whipped my head around and shot Lynn a look of feigned surprise. I slightly stuck out my tongue, wiped the tip my right index finger down it, and then applied the moistened tip to my lower posterior accompanied by a loud hiss. Lynn was beside herself and was clearly turned on.
There were a lot of thoughts rushing through my mind as to just what was going on with Lynn, thoughts that I suddenly had a desire to explore to the fullest. But I had another desire, a much stronger one, one that forced my mind to refocus on the nightclub with visions of my doing well enough in the competition to being offered a gig as a female impersonator, performing regularly in front of a packed house of sex crazed men lusting after me for real and no longer being confined to daydreams influenced by some inner something.
It was a path I would love to travel down in the evening, wanting of desire, and returning back from in the wee hours of the morning, satisfied to the max.
Introduction
This is one of five possible continuations of the story Path to the Crossroads. It is necessary to have traveled in the mind that path before choosing in which direction to continue. May the reader find adventure, pleasure, and maybe even peace of mind, down the path he or she has chosen to travel.
Of Paths to Take
The Path to the Right
By: Zylux
In the display window were many stunningly beautiful things to look at, and I quickly scanned over all ending at a skirt suit on the right side of the display window. It was a stunning and very expensive looking, gray hound's-tooth, three piece suit displayed on a faceless mannequin that was facing more to the center then to the front. The jacket had two rows of buttons leading up to a high collar and was form fitting, but there was also a wide attached matching belt that allowed the wearer to snug the jacket even closer to the body. The jacket was half off reveling a tight, form fitting, matching vest over a white, long puff sleeve, silk blouse. All very feminine and attention getters, but the show stopper was the slender, ankle length, pencil skirt.
It started with a narrow, tight waist band, and then came straight out, quickly curving down and tightly fitting the hips and legs all the way down its length. The effect was one of accentuating the feminine form. From what I could see of the back of the skirt, there appeared to be a short walking slit. But even with the slit, I surmised that one would have to walk with short steps, placing each foot directly in front of the other, forcing upon the wearer an air of feminine sophistication, as well as a feeling of being restrained or captive.
It was a masterpiece of feminine design and I didn’t just want to try that suit on; I wanted to experience it. I began to wish that I was able to pass as a woman and was employed as a secretary, an executive secretary, with a sexist boss who took advantage of women in his employ. My mind was filled with thoughts of how wearing that skirt would make it impossible to escape from his advances, forcing me to surrender to his wants. The more I daydreamed, the more obsessed I became with wearing that suit to the point of considering entering the shop and asking if I could try it on! The only thing holding me back was having to reveal my secret, having to endure the embarrassment and the looks I would get, or possibly worse. If there was only a way around that, some reason for my having to try it on. I became so absorbed in trying to come up with a plausible excuse that I failed to notice that I was being approached from the right.
"Stunning isn’t it? Conservative, concealing, and yet so sexy and with class. You won’t find anything remotely close to it anywhere else."
I jumped back with a start and turned to find myself being confronted by a high class woman. She appeared to be a company executive and was dressed for more than success. She was wearing a very expensive looking, white miniskirt suit. The fitted jacket was unbuttoned, reveling a black shirt with the top two buttons undone. Her shoes were white, three inch spiked high heels. The only jewelry I could see were a pair of diamond stud earrings, a long thin gold necklace descending deep into her shirt, and a half inch wide, c-shaped gold bracelet on her left wrist that had some symbols on it that were more fitting of a world other than this one. She wore her hair up and pulled back from her face. Wire frame glasses with large round lenses, gave her an air of authority. Her look and posture said that she was used to being in control, in the boardroom as well as in the bedroom, and was accustomed to getting her way.
"You scared me. I’m afraid I didn’t catch what you were you saying."
"I was saying that you won’t find it anywhere else. You may as well resign yourself to having to pay their price. Of course custom tailoring to fit that someone special perfectly is included."
"What? Ah, no, I um, was thinking that a friend at work would be interested."
"So you are considering buying it as a gift?"
"Heavens no, I could never afford anything like that."
"Perhaps I can help you with that. I have a proposition for you. Shall we discuss it over a cup of coffee?"
"Well, okay."
"Excellent, follow me. You may call me Lynn."
"I’m Jeff."
I followed her over to the coffee house, where we took an outdoor table out of hearing range of the other patrons. On the center of the table was a menu held vertically in a holder listing all the different coffees offered. I scanned down the list as a waitress came to take our order. I spotted one called tropical spice and ordered it. Lynn seemed pleased with my selection and smiled at me, but it was not a friendly smile. No, it was more along the lines of someone who was about to make an advantageous deal. The waitress noted Lynn's choice and headed back into the shop.
"So, you have an attraction to women’s clothing I see, and not just any clothes, but the more stylish and upscale, with purely feminine lines. Given your already alluded to lack of monetary funds, I imagine that you've never had the chance to wear such finery. Would you like the opportunity to do just that?"
"Oh hey, wait a minute, you have the wrong…"
"Stop right there. I can spot your kind a block away. I saw how you stared at that skirt suit with a far off look in your eyes, so you can drop your pretense. I can even speculate that you were fantasizing about wearing it, perhaps in some kind of business environment. Now, if you are willing to do a little playacting for me while dressed, I can give you the opportunity to wear clothes you can only dream of."
"Boy, I don’t know…."
"I can pay you one hundred dollars an hour."
I was speechless. Was this woman serious? Did she realize that she was offering me a couple of days pay to engage in my secret passion? And all I had to do was let her participate in some way. Paid to dress, and judging by what she was wearing, in clothes I could never have afforded. It was just too good to be true, and that’s usually not good.
"Well, I can certainty use the money so you’ve definitely got my interest, but I‘ve got a few questions."
"Excellent, but let’s continue our negotiations at my place. After I calm any fears you may have, we can start our first session. For now, enjoy your coffee."
The waitress suddenly appeared with our order, set it on the table and moved off to another table. Both Lynn and I began to sip our coffee. I smiled in delight of the flavor of the exotic brew. Lynn, on the other hand, leered at me from over the top of her cup and I could see in her eyes that she was impatient to leave for her place. But she knew the value of giving me enough time for her offer to work on my mind. And work on my mind it did. That something inside me was taking control of me, willing me to do what ever this woman wanted of me. I was fast becoming hers, and the look she was then giving me said that she already knew it.
We finished our coffee with Lynn picking up the tab. She gave me a ride in her Mercedes convertible back to where I had parked my old VW bug at the mall. I exited her car for mine and then followed Lynn to her hilltop home on the Pacific coast in Santa Monica. Small wonder that she could offer me a hundred dollars an hour, a thought occurred to me that I could hold out for more.
I parked my car behind Lynn's on the semicircular driveway in front of her mansion sized home. We exited our cars and she escorted me to the main entrance. She unlocked and opened the tall, massive, wood double doors and motioned me to enter with her following. Lynn closed the doors behind me, and then moved past me, motioning me to follow her. We ended up in the living room which was decorated in a contemporary, albeit lavish decor. But it all paled compared to the view offered by the far side of the room. The entire wall was composed of floor to ceiling glass panels, and looked out on the Pacific Ocean with the coastline far below.
I approached the windows and stared at the view for sometime before turning to see where Lynn was. She was sitting on a couch in a very seductive pose. She was more on her side with her legs drawn up onto the couch. Her left elbow rested on the back of the couch with the back of her left hand under her chin. Her right hand was on her right thigh just below the hem of her skirt. Lynn was looking me over from head to toe and back. She was undoubtedly dressing me with her eyes, in her clothes.
"Come, do sit down. Now, I believe that you have some questions for me, and I can guess that the first one is why have I made such an offer? That's an easy one. While your secret pleasure is to dress in all things feminine; mine is having men dress in my clothes and model them for me. Finding a man with the right build and mind set is difficult at best. Getting him to do it and come back for more is even more difficult, hence the monetary offer. Money has a way of getting people to do things that they wouldn't ordinarily do."
"Well, I guess that sort of makes sense, but it still sounds too good to be true. I can't help but wonder if there is some dark perverted thing you want to blackmail me into. Cameras have become quite small and can be hidden anywhere."
"A valid concern, but rest assured you will never be forced to do anything. A willing participant is far more enjoyable than one that is merely going through the motions. As far as cameras go, there are no cameras, hidden or otherwise, nor will I be photographing you unless you wish it. And even then, you will have full control over what happens with the images."
"Okay, but I still feel that there is more to this than dress up and playacting."
"You are correct. There is another offer that I might make to you, but that will come latter and only if you prove suitable. Now, if there is nothing else, come with me to my dressing room."
There were a couple of minor questions I would like to have asked, but Lynn had gotten up off the couch and was walking out of the living room. Clearly our Q&A was at an end. I rose and followed her out and into a hallway leading to the private part of the house ending in the master suite. From there, I followed her into a side chamber that proved to be her dressing room.
It was large and impressive, with the right side and back walls covered in many tall, beige colored bi-fold doors. The intersection of the two walls was recessed and lined with several full length mirrors forming an alcove where one could stand and inspect all sides of one's self at once. It was something one would find in an upscale clothier. Most of the left hand wall was covered in racks and drawers with all of her shoes, accessories, and most likely, lingerie. An L-shaped makeup table was tucked into the intersection of the left and entrance walls. There were a couple of antique looking, oval back chairs, upholstered in a very rich and luxurious red fabric, facing the right wall. The decor reeked of luxury from the deep pile white carpet to the mini chandelier light fixtures hanging from the high beige beam and white paneled ceiling. I was completely overwhelmed and my inhibitions were breaking down.
Lynn allowed the room to work its magic on me, and while I was engrossed, she took the opportunity to remove the necklace from around her neck. From it dangled a small key which she used to unlocked a small drawer of her dressing table and withdraw something from it. She relocked the drawer, put the necklace back around her neck, and turned to face me, extending her hand to me while holding two one hundred dollar bills. The thought of what was about to happen scared me stiff, and I was unable to move a muscle. Lynn gave me a little smile and then walked past me to the closets on the right side wall. She opened one set of bi-fold doors revealing the treasures hidden behind.
That certain something within once again took control of me as I scanned over what could be seen of the business suits and dresses visible to me. As I stood and stared, a curious thing happened, the closet started to move towards me, becoming larger the closer it came. I unexpectedly found myself beside Lynn who again held out the money, this time, I took it. She smiled at me in triumph as I folded the money in half and stuffed it into my pants left back pocket.
"Excellent, for the next two hours you are mine. Now you will begin removing your clothes and placing them over that chair."
As I complied, Lynn moved over to the left side wall and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out a matched, white silk lace panties and bra set. From two other drawers came a white silk camisole and half slip. She returned to me and laid the items over the other chair. Lynn continued on to the open closet. She stood in front with her left arm across her abdomen. She rested her right elbow in her left hand and pinched her chin.
"I think a light brown will be a good color for you, and we will keep it on the conservative side for now with a knee length skirt. Here, this is the suit you will model first."
Lynn handed the hanger with a wool skirt suit on it to me. The suit had some weight to it and was extremely well made; it must have cost a bundle. The three button jacket was very feminine and slimming with its princess seams. Only in my dreams did I figure I would ever wear something remotely close to what I was holding. Soon I would actually be wearing it and being paid to do so. It really was just too good to be true, but I no longer cared. While I had been occupied with examining the suit, Lynn had opened another closet door and was about to hand me a dark yellow, long sleeve shirt.
"I have found that this shirt works well for me with this suit. It will be interesting to see if it works as well for you. You should find a pair of shoes that will fit you in the far racks. The plastic bags on the end contain footlets and stockings, your choice. When you finish dressing you will join me in my office. It's at the end of the hall just before the living room, on the right."
Lynn closed the closet doors and then turned to me with a less than friendly look.
"A few words of warning. Looking through my closets and drawers without permission is not allowed. This is my private room, you will respect that or trust me, you shall regret not having done so. Try not to keep me waiting too long."
Lynn walked out of the room with a very authoritative manor. If I had any thoughts of looking through Lynn's closets, her warning permanently excised them. Turning to the task at hand, I stripped off my shorts and tossed them onto the rest of my clothes on the chair. As I put on the lingerie, I discovered that Lynn had included a pair of gel inserts that were to be slipped into the bra cups. The weight and restrained movement that they added to the bra was a new sensation for me, one I would liked to have explored, but seeing as how I was on the clock, there just wasn't time for it.
The shirt was next, followed by the unlined straight skirt which offered another new sensation. After fastening the back hook and zipper, I lifted the skirt and half slip up by the hem to facilitate straightening out the shirt. When I had finished, I let both fall back into place. The heavy skirt straightened out with a sudden and sharp tug on my waist. I loved it and wanted to explore it some more, but I knew I had to finish getting dressed and present myself to Lynn.
I moved to the shoe rack and picked up a plastic bag containing a pair of footlets. It opened easily, allowing me to extract the strange foot wear it contained. They were made of slightly heaver fabric then nylon stockings and only covered part of my foot, a little less than what a typical slip-on shoe would cover. Next was the shoes, and Lynn's collection was extensive, consisting of a wide range of colors and styles, all in several sizes. After a couple of tries, I found a pair of two inch heels that fit, and exactly matched the suits color. I headed towards the mirrored alcove, pausing once to slip on one of the shoes and again at the alcove to put on the other. The image that greeted me in the mirrors was more then I could have hoped for. It was a stunning and sophisticated suit that fit me perfectly, and in my mind, looked great on me. Of course I was looking at the suit and not the overall picture. I was still, for the most part, a guy in a skirt. None the less, I was ready to present myself to Lynn.
As I started to leave Lynn's dressing room, the reality of what was about to take place once again sank in. I became scared about standing before Lynn in her clothes, afraid that this was all a setup, that she would laugh at and humiliate me. I couldn't have taken that. By the time I entered the hallway I was visibly trembling. Then, that something inside me once again took over; it wanted to enjoy the moment, to experience it to the max. That inner something, combined with the feel of the heavy skirt along with the sound, that intoxicating sound, made by the jacket against its lining and the skirt against the half slip as I moved, drew me into coming along.
By the time I entered Lynn's office I felt very feminine and alive. I came to stand before Lynn. She slowly looked me over, staring at me with what looked like a cross between a leer and a smile. She seemed pleased, but I couldn't tell if that would be good for me, or really bad.
"You wear that suit well, and with a sophisticated air about you, excellent. Now turn around for me, yes, excellent. Now walk to the desk and sit on the front edge."
I did as prompted, barely sitting on the edge, keeping my left foot on the floor and drawing my right foot up, hooking it behind my left leg. Picking up some papers from the desk top, I held them in my right hand while I brought my left hand up, bending my fingers and placing them under my chin as I looked at the papers. Lynn was visibly pleased.
Lynn continued to have me pose for her in various parts of her office. She also had me wear the jacket buttoned or unbuttoned or even take it off depending on the look she wanted. I was really getting into it and that inner something started to take every opportunity to add some sultriness, if not outright sexual overtones to each pose. Like when Lynn had me sit in the office chair. I sat down in as ladylike manner as I knew how, positioning my legs together and angled to the side. I picked up a pen from the desk and then leaned back in the chair, folding my left arm across my abdomen. Resting my right elbow in my left hand, I began to gently tapping my chin with the pen as I stared into Lynn's eyes. Or when Lynn had me retrieve a file from the bottom drawer of the file cabinet, I didn't squat down, but instead bent over deeply at the waist, keeping my legs straight and my rear high in the air. I also kept my chin up as I sorted through the folders.
Lynn soon called a halt and had me follow her back to her dressing room. There she motioned me strip off the suit and place it back on the hanger. She took the suit from me and hung it back up in the closet, then pulled out a powder blue skirt suit. From another closet came an electric blue, satin blouse, with long sleeves and wide three button cuffs. She handed it all to me, closed the doors, then turned and walked out of the room with the same authoritative manner as before, all without saying a word.
I started to dress by first taking off the half-slip and laying it over the back of the chair with my street clothes as the skirt was lined and a slip wouldn't be needed. The skirt was a tight hip hugger, and short with the hem being about two inches above my knee. I found the perfect pair of shoes in the shoe rack, putting the pair I had been wearing back in their place. It was then off to the mirrored alcove, pausing to put on the shoes as before. My eyes again went straight to the image of the suit. It was no less impressive than the previous suit, and I was once again feeling very fortunate to not only wear such expensive and beautiful clothes, but be paid to do so. If I was in a dream, then I didn't want to wake up. Of course, I wasn't being paid to stand around looking at my self in a mirror, so I quickly made to join Lynn in her office.
Upon entering her office, I moved, as before, to stand in front of her, then turned away and walked to the desk. That something within me, gave her something to watch as I did so. Having an idea of what Lynn wanted, I started to strike various poses with Lynn interjecting new instructions every so often. Things went as with the first outfit except Lynn began to fidget a bit in her chair.
As with the previous outfit, Lynn, after a while, called a halt and had me follow her back to her dressing room. I traded the powder blue suit and the blue blouse for a new suit consisting of a black miniskirt and a short, black, two button jacket. She hung up the blue suit and blouse, and then retrieved a bright red, sleeveless, silk blouse that buttoned up the back. Lynn looked straight into my eyes with her mouth slightly open. She slowly ran the tip of her tongue under her upper lip, and then turned to close the doors and leave as before. It was a bit disturbing but quickly forgotten with the thought of wearing another of Lynn's expensive suits.
I quickly dressed, although the blouse did slow me down somewhat, as I just didn't have previous experience doing up buttons behind my back. The collar was a standing, folded over collar that fastened in back with two little hooks. It was snug fitting around my neck, feeling a lot like a choker. I selected a pair of black high heel shoes and slipped them on. I picked up the jacket and slipped it on as I moved to the mirror for a final check. It was an interesting mixed image. The miniskirt said "trashy" but the rest said "but with class" and I loved it. With my eyes focused on the suit, I felt that something more was needed. Looking at the wall with the racks and drawers, I spotted a wide red belt. It was the perfect touch, and I picked it off its hook and fastened it around my waist over the jacket, drawing it in to closely fit my body. It was time to join Lynn.
As I had previously done, I stood before Lynn, letting her look me over before beginning the session of posing. She stared at me with more intensity then before. She also became restless, changing her position in the chair and started to fidget again. Her actions alarmed me, and I quickly backed away and got to work.
Lynn indicated how I was to pose and I did as instructed. It was going well, except she became more restless with each passing minute. Suddenly, as if she couldn't take it any more, she rose from her chair and came at me. She started to interact with me as if we were in an actual office environment and I was her employee. I played along, but I became worried as her body language said that she had more in mind then just playacting. Things quickly intensified and I felt that it would be in my best interests to stay away from her, avoiding situations where I could be trapped. Lynn didn't seem to mind my resistance and continued to play some sort of seductive game. But eventually she tired of the pursuit and called a halt. I followed her back to her dressing room, but with a couple of paces more between us. That proved to be unnecessary as Lynn had resumed the same impartial authoritative air as before.
Back in her dressing room, I started to undress by removing the belt and laying it over the back of the chair. As before, I stripped off the jacket, skirt, and blouse, put them back on their hangers, and handed all back to Lynn. She hung everything back up, but instead of pulling out a new outfit, she turned and faced me.
"You have done well. I am most satisfied with your performance. Now, I believe that there is enough time left for one more outfit. You may indulge yourself."
She shot me a sly smile, turned away, and walked out of the room leaving the closet doors open. I couldn't believe it; Lynn was giving me free access to her career wear. Standing there looking over all the suits and dresses, I wondered how I could decide on just one when that something inside me took over. It knew what it wanted, and I quickly came to want it too.
Hoping it was there, I sorted through the skirt suits, but without success. Dejected, I looked toward the dresses when a thought occurred to me. Of course it wasn't with the skirt suits; it would be too long to fit into the allocated space. No, if it was there it would have to hang with the pant suits.
I nervously rummaged through the rack of pant suits and in the middle of the rack found what I desired. My hand was shaking as I seized the hanger and pulled it from the closet. It was all there, the long gray hound's tooth pencil skirt, the matching, belted high collar jacket, and the form fitting vest. Even the white, long puff sleeve silk blouse was there. It was definitely too good to be true, it had to be a setup, but I just did not care. The suit I had daydreamed about was actually in my hands, and I just had to experience wearing that suit, no matter the cost. Each piece was quickly removed from the hanger and laid over the chair. I stepped back and stared at the suit. It was calling to me, willing me to wear it.
Obeying the call, I quickly removed the shoes I was still wearing dropping them on the floor, never once taking my eyes off the suit. I picked up the blouse and slipped my arms into the long cool sleeves. The buttons were fastened up as fast I could. I grabbed the skirt and held it low in front of me so I could step into it. But the skirt was too long to just step into without pinning the lower portion between my foot and the floor. So, holding it by the waist, I gathered it up until I could step into it with the hem just touching the floor. Once both legs were in, I was able to shift my grip to just the waistband and work the tight skirt up my legs and hips. After tucking in the blouse, the side button was fastened and the side zipper pulled up. I wanted to explore the fit and the restraints imposed by the style of the skirt, but that inner something wouldn't let me stop dressing. It forced me to press on.
The vest was next followed by the jacket. It was then time for the shoes. It was with some difficulty that I squatted down to pickup the shoes I had dropped on the floor as the skirt was very tight and confining. Walking in that skirt also proved to be somewhat of a problem. I ended up having to take smaller than normal steps and had to place each foot directly in front of the other. It was just as I had surmised when I had stared at an identical suit in the clothing shop window.
The shoe rack only had one pair of gray shoes in my size and they had three inch spike heels, more than a little out of my league. Not having any other choice, I took the shoes from the rack. But trying to put them on brought forth yet another problem. The skirt wasn't allowing me to bend my leg nearly enough for me to reach my foot and maintain balance. I was going to have to sit down to put the shoes on. It was back to the chair.
Having finally completed dressing I rose from the chair and took a few tentative steps towards the mirrored alcove. It was slow going and rather unstable in the unfamiliar shoes, hopefully I could adapt before joining Lynn in her office. But even with the problems I was having, I was feeling more feminine and sophisticated with each step. It was magical and I loved it. I couldn't believe that I was really wearing such a wondrous suit, I needed proof. The mirrors gave me the proof I needed. My eyes locked on to the suit. The form fitting jacket combined with the way the skirt hugged my hips and tapered down to my ankles gave the illusion of my having a woman's figure. I left the alcove and made for the exit, with an air of confidence and sophistication. Never in my life had I felt so like a woman.
But it wasn't to last. As I passed the makeup table, I caught a look of myself from the waist up in the mirror. This time my eyes focused on me, not the suit, and the illusion of femininity was shattered. That had to be changed, but then again, Lynn didn't seem to want me to look like a woman. Could a middle ground be found? Perhaps an answer could be found on Lynn's makeup table and I moved over to it as fast as the skirt would allow.
A look around her makeup table turned up a comb. I used it to try and give my hair a more formal feminine style. My hair didn't want to cooperate; it was going to have to be forced. Spotting a tube of styling mousse, I reached for it but stopped short. Lynn's warning had come to mind. Her warning addressed her closets and drawers, nothing was said about her makeup table, and I decided to risk it. I picked up the tube, took the cap off and squeezed a small amount into the palm of my hand. The tube was recapped and put back in its place on the table. I then rubbed my hands together and applied the mousse to my hair.
This time my hair responded to the strokes of the comb. I comb it straight back from my face, but gave it a feminine touch by curving it around my ears and adding a little flip curl at the back of my neck. The end result was my still looking like a young man, but with a more feminine air about me. I liked it, but would Lynn? There was only one way to find out, so I headed out of the room, through the bedroom, and down the hall.
It was slow going and I didn't care, for the suit had me in its spell. The fit, the tightness, the way it moved, the way I was being forced to move, all combined to excite my senses like never before. I was a whole new person, and did not want to go back to the old one. I strutted into Lynn's office and walked past her headed for the desk. At the desk I picked up a note pad and struck a pose. I looked at Lynn to see if she had instructions for me. She leered back at me. She started to rub her hands together, nodding her head as if to say "yes, Yes, YES". She rose from her chair and came at me. Between the confines of the skirt and the instability caused by the shoes, trying to stay away from her fast became impossible. She had no problem backing me up against the wall next to some file cabinets. Lynn began to fondle my body with her left hand, and then gently stroked my face with her right hand. I tried to resist and escape, but she would have none of that. She pressed her advantage on me with an increasing intensity. I became scared and wanted her to stop.
"Please don't, this is not what we had agreed on."
"You have assets that can provide you with a very good life. You just need to know how to use them. I can help you develop them to their fullest, come with me."
"No, I think we should stop now."
"Why? You don't want to stop, as that would mean having to take off that suit. You don't want to, do you? Well, do you? Answer me, do you?"
"No."
"No, what? Well, answer me. No, WHAT?"
"No, I…I don't want to take it off."
"Of course not, you enjoy wearing my clothes and posing for me, don't you? You are even enjoying my playing a womanizing boss to your submissive secretary, aren’t you?"
I had become so scared that I couldn't look at Lynn, let alone answer her. I just looked down and gave an affirmative nod of my head.
"Of course you are, you've dreamed about it, and now you are being paid to live that dream. And you will continue to live your dream as there is much more of this scenario to come in the future, but for now, I have a new proposition for you."
I knew that I didn't want to hear it, but not knowing what was to come scared me even more. I wanted to get out of there. Lynn backed off just a little. It was an opportunity for me to squeeze out of my entrapment and I took it. I made for the office door as best I could, but it was no good, she only had to walk briskly to keep up with me. She cut me off in the hall, blocking any escape to the outside. Lynn leered at me as she advanced upon me. I kept backing away, but that only got me closer to the bedroom, the very place she wanted me to be.
Once we were deep inside her bedroom, Lynn stopped coming at me. Instead she left me to duck into her dressing room, knowing that I couldn't make any real escape attempt hobbled as I was by the long tapered skirt. I knew it too, and didn't try. Besides where could I go? My car keys were in my pants pocket and my pants were in Lynn's dressing room. I would have to get past Lynn not once, but twice, and would have to wiggle out of the skirt if I was to have any hope of escaping. She would have no trouble preventing that.
Lynn unlocked the drawer of her makeup table and took something metallic out of it. She closed and relocked the drawer. Lynn rejoined me, fondling a c-shaped copper bracelet in one hand. It looked like one of those healing copper bracelets that were so popular not all that long ago, except this one had symbols on it, similar to the ones on Lynn's gold bracelet.
"You have shown me that you are well suited to satisfying my, secret pleasure. Your performance in my office far exceeded what I expected, and if your performance in bed is anything close to that level, then I shall consider myself fortunate to have you in my employ. Now, as I've already said, I have a new proposition for you. You see, I am not alone in my pleasures; there are other women out there who enjoy having men model their clothes and possibly have sex with afterwards, on their terms not the mans. This bracelet I'm holding will identify you to them as one who will entertain such pleasures, for a price, both for you and me. It is to be worn whenever you leave home, and there are certain places you will frequent for these other women frequent them as well. I will give you a list before you leave."
"I don't think I want to go that far. This is all just too much too soon. For now, I would have to think about it, at best."
"The only thing you need to think about is all the money you will earn. And for doing what you enjoy, and for what you will come to enjoy. Why, it won't be long before you can afford the suit you are wearing, the one YOU CHOSE to wear. Oh don't worry, the shop owner is aware of the bracelet and will personally see to it that your purchase is a pleasant experience. And if she takes a liking to you, she might even offer you some sort of a discount in exchange for entertaining some, shall we say, pleasures of hers."
That was all that, that what ever it was inside of me needed, and it seized control. I was trembling as I watched my hand slowly reach out and take the bracelet from Lynn's hand. I stared in near panic as I slipped it onto my left wrist, and then twist it into place. I couldn't take my eyes off it; I just continued to stare at it, not believing what I had done. Lynn reached out, placing her fingers under my chin. She gently coaxed me to lift up my head and look her in the eyes. She was smiling, with an air of triumph about her.
"Come, there are some things you will need to learn in bed, things that a woman does not expected of the usual male lover, but does of one who submits to their special pleasures. And yes, you will be paid for it."
And so began a new and very different life for me, down a path from which I do not wish to return.
Introduction
This is one of five possible continuations of the story Path to the Crossroads. It is necessary to have traveled in the mind that path before choosing in which direction to continue. May the reader find adventure, pleasure, and maybe even peace of mind, down the path he or she has chosen to travel.
Of Paths to Take
Path Ahead
By: Zylux
In the display window were many stunningly beautiful things to look at, and I quickly scanned over all from left to right, but it was a ball gown in the center of the display window that caused everything else to fade into the background. It looked like something that belonged in a different time, a more civilized time. A time when women took more care in how they looked. A time ruled by elegance, glamour, and all things feminine, completely opposite of what I had been assaulted with earlier.
It was a white strapless gown with a black wisteria vine and small clusters of lavender blooms entwined around the gown. The bodice was tight fitting to the waist, where the skirt came straight out, quickly curving down, tightly fitting the hips, and then forming a straight skirt down to the ankles. Attached at the waist in back was a very full half skirt that descended to the floor and possibly more. I couldn't tell, as the half skirt flared out to the sides blocking any view to what it was doing behind the gown. I was captivated by that gown, and so was that something within me. It demanded to see more, especially the back of it. Of course that would mean having to enter the shop. That would be risky for I would surly slip into a daydream which might lead to someone discovering my secret and who knows what consequences that could lead to.
As I wrestled with my inner something, I noticed a young woman emerge from a backroom and call to a mature woman behind the sales counter. She joined the young woman and both disappeared into the backroom. It was a chance for me to pop in, see the back of the gown and exit with no one the wiser. But I was too timid to act, until that something inside me became impatient and seized the moment. Suddenly, I found myself moving to the left, toward a recess in the middle of the front of the store. It was the entrance, and I watched my hand reach for the door handle. Before I could comprehend what was happening, I was inside the store and quickly moving to the back of the display and to the gown that had so captivated my inner something.
The back of the gown was magnificent. It was half backless with a hidden back zipper. The half skirt was swelled out over the rear as if a small bustle was under it before cascading down onto the floor forming a short train behind the mannequin. I was so taken by the gown that my plan was completely forgotten. I stood there in a hypnotic state, looking the gown over again and again until the price tag caught my attention. I watched my hand reach out and seize it. The price brought me back to reality and the realization that the gown would never be within my means. Depression was beginning to well up inside. It was time for me to go.
I turned away from the gown only to find myself facing the mature woman I had watched disappear into the back room. She was a striking woman and was dressed in a very expensive looking white skirt suit that came to slightly above the knee. The fitted jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a completely buttoned up black shirt. Her shoes were white, with wide, one inch high heels. The only jewelry I could see were a pair of pearl earrings and a matching single strand pearl necklace. Her hair was done up and pulled back from her face. Wire frame glasses with large round lenses, was a youthful counter to an otherwise mature look. She in turn, looked me over and gave me a smile that seemed friendly enough, but I couldn't help wondering if there wasn't something else to it.
"Hello, I'm Lynn, the owner. You are perhaps interested in the ball gown, for someone special in your life, but the price has scared you away?"
"Yeah, it's way out of my range."
"Actually, it's a bargain at that price. It's simply a masterpiece of versatile design. For you see, it's actually four pieces, not one. Come; let me show it to you."
I was uneasy, and my mind became filled with thoughts that she suspected my secret. I wanted to leave but that something inside me wanted to know more about the gown and willed me to stay.
"We shall start at the back with the simply marvelous half skirt with its yards and yards of fabric. The height of femininity, is it not? And it holds a surprise, for it is really a separate full skirt that is bunched up and attached to the waist band with some hidden fasteners. When worn as its own skirt, it is ankle length in front and long enough in back to form a short train. Very elegant, and would be suitable for the ballet, or with a couple of petticoats, opening night of the opera season.
"Now, as for the long straight skirt, it too holds a surprise. It is actually two pieces that are attached at the knee with more hidden fasteners. See how the pattern draws one's attention away from the overlapping seam? The long version, paired with the matching top or another compatible top, would of course be suitable for most formal events. The knee length version paired with the matching top or a more casual top would be excellent for an evening out.
"The top of course, could be paired with nearly any plain skirt in ones wardrobe for a casual to formal look. I dare say if you were to give this gown to the special lady in your life, that she would be most appreciative. It would certainly become her favorite outfit, or should I say, outfits."
"Yes, well, its versatility does put the price in perspective, but as I have already said, it is way out of my range. My job doesn't pay much and with my limited education, there really isn't any chance of my finding a better one."
As I continued to stare at the gown, my mind started to drift into a daydream in which I imagined myself dressed in all the different looks it had to offer. I knew I shouldn't, but I just couldn't help it, I had come to want that gown almost to the point of obsession. Lynn watched me for a minute, and then jolted me back to reality.
"Perhaps I can help you with that. We have a fair size wedding party to outfit and the sheer magnitude of what must be done has outstripped our labor and equipment resources. I am in need of someone who can help out where needed. You look like you can fill most of our needs. By any chance do you do any sewing?"
"Some, being a bachelor with little money I do most of my shopping at thrift stores. Finding things in very good condition and in my size is rare, so I learned how to alter things to fit me."
"Excellent, I would like to offer you a temporary second job with as many hours as you can handle. And I dare say, at a far better wage."
"Tempting, but…"
"And, as an employee, you would be eligible to buy anything we offer at cost plus ten percent. That would cut the price of this gown nearly in half."
"That is an attractive offer, but I would probably spend all I make. I'm not in the habit of saving money, since I've never had enough to save."
"Not a problem, I can keep your wages on account until you have earned enough to purchase the gown. Do we have a deal, um; I don't believe I caught your name."
"It's Jeff, and yeah, it's a deal."
"Excellent, come on back with me and we'll see who can use you the most."
I followed Lynn into the back room. There were four young women feverishly working on various items of clothing. But my eyes quickly fell on one who was working on a wedding gown with a huge skirt that reeked of femininity. Oh how I wanted to work with her.
"Girls, I have found us some help. This is Jeff and he is willing to do what ever you need, or at least try. Jeff, starting over on the right, we have De. She is working exclusively on the bridal gown. Next we have Sandy, working on the bridesmaids dress. Over on this side is Gerry, working on the mens suits. And behind her is Anna, working on the women's dress suits. Now, who has the most pressing need?"
"That would be me. I'm having a difficult time assembling the mens suits without the use of a form to hang the pieces on, seeing as how all of the forms have been commandeered by those working on the dresses."
"Alright Jeff, you will be working with Gerry first."
The young woman before me looked more like a husky young man. She was dressed in a man's blue, short sleeve shirt and relaxed fit blue jeans. Her hair was very short with a boyish cut and parted on her left. The only feminine touch was in the front, where the hair was long enough to slightly sweep across the forehead and around towards the ear. She even had a stance that had a more masculine air than a feminine one.
"Happy to have you on board Jeff, as I can sure use the help. So, let's get a look at you. Boy, you're on the thin side aren’t you? Well I can still make use of you for a while. Strip to your shorts and put on this shirt."
I did as instructed while Gerry picked up a pair of pants she had been working on. The pieces were being held together mostly with pins. She assisted me in putting them on without it coming apart. Adjustments were made and then she tacked the pieces together with needle and thread. When she had finished, she picked up the basic shell of the matching jacket and slipped it onto me. As with the pants, she adjusted the various pieces and seams, tacking all in place. She then added the remaining pieces in turn tacking them in place. It was a lengthy process, and before she had finished Lynn came into the room carrying a large box that had been delivered by an upscale deli and announced a lunch break. This was fast becoming a job I could like.
As Gerry removed the unfinished suit, I took the chance to look around. I was amazed at the number of suits and dresses in all stages of completion and all had the look of being part of some overall theme. I had never even heard of a wedding being planed out on such a level as this. I got dressed and joined the others. Everyone had gathered around a table in the center of the room that had been quickly cleared. Lynn put the box on the table, removed the lid, and then she and Sandy spread the contents out on the table. Everyone assembled their lunch from the various containers and took a seat. I gave in to curiosity and inquired about what I saw around me.
"So, Lynn, is all this for one event?"
"Yes, it's for an extravagant wedding."
"But this seems to be going far beyond the usual design for a wedding party."
"Yes, well the bride is an extremely rich bitch and a royal pain in the lower posterior. She wants total control over everything and everyone, including what the guests will be wearing."
"So that's why there are so many identical looking suits and dresses in two colors."
"Exactly, and even though it's not as large a wedding that one would associate with the wealthy, the added wardrobe requirements are enough to cause a lot of work for us, enough to outstrip our resources. I had ordered an additional adjustable dress form from a Canadian supplier in anticipation of the job, but it has been held up in customs for reasons unknown. You helping us out will take care of part of our equipment shortage until the form arrives."
"Sound like this job will end once the form shows up. Perhaps I can be of use in ways that a form can't."
I was shocked. Where did that last sentence come from? Had I actually said that? Had anyone pick up on it? A quick glance at Gerry gave me the answer I didn't want. She was looking at me with a big smile. I was so distracted by Gerry that I almost didn't hear Lynn's reply.
"Not to worry. I'm sure we have enough work in other capacities to keep you on for quite a while."
Lynn turned her attention to the others and started to obtain updates on everyone's projects. From their answers, it was clear that there would be lots of overtime for everyone in the weeks to come. We finished lunch and everyone got back to work. I continued with Gerry for what seemed like forever until she decided to call it quits for the day. Or perhaps I should say night for it was quite late and I suddenly realized that we had worked through dinner. Hunger seized me and my stomach let the world know. It didn't escape Gerry's attention.
"It sounds like you could do with a bite to eat, same here. I know of a small soup café not to far from here where we can get a light but filling meal. Care to join me?"
"Sure, but I'll have to go get my car first as it's parked over in the mall."
"I'll give you a lift and then you can follow me to the café."
The others seemed to take a queue from Gerry and started to make ready to leave also. I followed Gerry out the back door and to her car. It was an older Karmann Ghia that had seen better days, although it still had a lot of power left as Gerry demonstrated with a white knuckle ride to the mall. We had no trouble finding my car as it was one of only a handful let in the parking lot. I quickly transferred to my car and then followed Gerry to the café.
We were able to park in front on the street as the area was nearly deserted. The scene inside the café was almost as deserted for we had arrived just before closing, we would have to order to go. Gerry suggested we have our meal at her place, to which I quickly agreed. Our choice was limited to what was left, but both of us easily found something to our liking. Gerry selected a thick beef and vegetable soup, while I opted for the summer minestrone. Our selections were packed in spill proof containers and put in a bag, while Gerry picked up the tab. We wished the owners a good night and headed back to our cars.
I followed Gerry for a couple of blocks to a small apartment complex. I made use of the guest parking while Gerry parked in her assigned parking space. When I got out of my car, I spotted Gerry making for an opening in the middle of one of the apartment buildings. Hurrying to catch up with her, I found her waiting at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the second floor. I followed her up the stairs and over to a corner apartment. She unlocked and opened the door ushering me inside.
The apartment was well decorated, but there was a lack of feminine frills. Indeed, it seemed to be more on the masculine side. Gerry walked past me headed for the couch behind the coffee table, placing the bag with our soups on the table and sat down. I followed her lead and slipped in beside her. She retrieved our soups from the bag and we dug in. It was excellent and I mentally added the café to my list of places to frequent.
Our conversation during the meal was mostly on finding out as much about each other as we could. Our lives turned out to be very similar. Both of us classed ourselves as outcasts shunned by the general public, although as to why, neither of us elaborated. It also meant that neither of us dated much and while I had virtually no social life, Gerry had a select group of friends that she got together with nearly every Saturday night. As to what she and her friends did together, Gerry didn't get into for we had finished our meal and she shifted her full attention to me.
She slowly moved closer to me and then when she was up against me, began to caress the back of my head and neck, staring intently into my eyes all the while. Our conversation rapidly dropped off and then, as if triggered by some mysterious queue, Gerry leaned into me. Her actions scared me a bit and I leaned back from her, bringing my hands up to fend her off. She grabbed both of my wrists, and forcefully pulled my arms above my head as I fell back onto the couch. She pressed her body down onto mine, pinning me to the couch with more strength than I had to resist with. I was at her mercy, she knew it, and took full advantage, kissing me hard and long until I finally surrendered to her will. We began to make out with Gerry taking the lead.
Her aggressiveness continued even after we had migrated to the bedroom. It was an unusual session with me spending most of the time on my back, with Gerry pinning me to the bed. As the session in bed progressed, I came to like being in a position of vulnerability more and more. I did manage to obtain the upper hand a couple of times and it would last until Gerry would decide to reverse things once again. All in all, I was stimulated in ways I had never experienced before, making our first session the best sex I had ever had and it wouldn't be the last.
The next day I had to go to my day job, but as soon as the end of my shift came, I was off to Lynn's shop. When I got to the shop, I checked in with Lynn and then slipped back into the back room. Gerry was sewing together the suits she had assembled with my help the previous day. When she spotted me, she stopped work and came out from behind the sewing machine. She put me to work the same as the previous day. We would continue the same routine for the next couple of days until one late afternoon when she had a surprise waiting for me.
"Great, you're here. I've come up with a way for you to be of more use to me then you currently are. I made these early this morning and I'm anxious to see if they will work. This is an old body shaper of mine from my fat days that I've reworked to give it a man's shape and padded it to fit you. Combined with this larger shirt that I've also padded to fit you, I should be able to make use of you for a couple of days more."
Gerry was holding the body shaper out for me to take. I stared at it in shock for what seemed like an eternity but eventually redirected my gaze to Gerry. She was looking at me intently with a smile that seemed to have more to it, like she knew something.
"Wait a minute, um, you want me to…"
"Why not? No one's going to notice and even if they do look they aren't going to recognize it for what it once was. See for yourself, there's not even a hint of anything feminine left about it."
Reluctantly, I took the garment and stepped into it pulling and wiggling it up my body and into place, much to Gerry's delight. I put on the shirt and we got to work. Gerry had been right, nobody noticed, or if they did, they didn't say anything. I became more at ease about wearing a piece of feminine apparel in the company of others. It allowed me to continue to work with Gerry for the next couple of evenings. We would work late into the night, and when combined with the eight hours at my day job, I was usually wiped out by the time she would call it a night.
That's when Gerry would take advantage of my condition. She would invite me to dinner at the soup café then try and lure me back to her apartment to spend the night. I occasionally accepted for I liked being with Gerry socially. It was in the bedroom that trouble was brewing for me. She exploited my weakness to turn the tables. More and more she made love to me not the other way around. It bothered me, but not as much as my inner something accepting her advances and willing me to surrender to her. It was definitely not a normal relationship, but I quickly grew to liking it and the frequency of our sleeping together quickly grew to four times a week, far more than I had ever had before. And while my social life with Gerry was on the increase, our working together came to a temporary end one evening when she ran out of suits that would fit me with or without the padded suit.
"Looks like I'm going to have to turn you loose, you're not beefy enough for the suits I have left to do."
"Sorry, I'll see what Lynn has for me."
"Not so fast. I have a better idea. Hey Anna, I could use the large dress form for a while. I'll trade you Jeff for it."
"Well, I was hoping to work out a deal with Sandy for the regular dress form, but I should be able to use him instead for a while. Okay, it's a trade."
Anna rolled the dress form over to Gerry's work area, then took me by both waists and "rolled" me over to her work area.
"So, Jeff, I need to assemble a few dresses. You have any hang-ups about wearing a dress?"
"Um, I guess not, I mean it's just clothing, and it's not like…"
"I can put up a makeshift screen to give you some privacy."
"That will most likely draw more attention and increase any teasing that will undoubtedly come my way. Besides, it looks like everyone will be too busy to even look at me."
"I like your attitude. As long as there are no objections, and since you are already stripped to your shorts, let's get started."
Anna picked up the breast attachment from the form she had traded to Gerry and held it up before me. I backed away, but before I could utter a word of protest, she gave me my options.
"To get the right look and fit to the bodice, you are going to need a woman's chest. Now, you can wear this or you can wear my bra with some stuffing, your choice."
I didn't answer; I just raised up my arms enough for Anna to place the attachment to my chest and then held it in place as she secured the elastic straps behind me. Anna pick up from her sewing table an assembly of the three main pieces of a bodice that she had pinned together. She raised it up over my head and down onto my shoulders. She adjusted the seams until she was happy with the way the assembly hung. More pieces were added, seams and darts adjusted, until she was satisfied. The skirt portion was added and that's when the teasing began. Fortunately the teasing was on the mild side and I was able to endure with a small amount of embarrassment.
Anna didn't partake in the fun. Instead she proceeded to adjust the fit and so forth, until after a considerable amount of time I stood in plain view of all wearing a very sophisticated and stylish dress. While it was obviously under construction, it was complete enough that I and the dress received rave reviews from all, including Lynn when she had come into the backroom investigating what all the chatter was about. Lynn seemed rather pleased to find me dressed the way I was.
From what was being said about the dress and from what I could see, I imagined that the look must have been was very close to the ball gown I so coveted, at least from the bust line down. Like the ball gown, the dress was tight fitting to the waist where it flared out and down, hugging the hips, and then transitioned to a straight skirt with the hem just below the knee. Even though the seams were only pinned and tacked together, it felt and looked fantastic, stimulating that something inside me. It wanted to see more than what I could just looking down at the dress and I came to want it too. A mirror, I needed a mirror.
I quickly became so obsessed with wanting to see myself in a mirror that I tried to covertly look around for one. My search fell upon Gerry who stared back at me with what can best be described as a cross between a leer and a smile. I panicked and quickly looked away, ending my search and fearing that Gerry had discovered my secret passion. As I wrestled with my thoughts, Anna finished up a final inspection. She soon added the matching jacket, making adjustments as needed.
Helping Anna was good for a weeks worth of work. While outwardly I acted indifferent to my roll as a dress form, on the inside, as each dress approached completion, I thrilled at being able to wear such an expensive and sophisticated dress again and again. It was a constant battle to hide my enjoyment from the others. But my enjoyment was about to come to an end when Anna finished with the last dress suit that would fit me. I suggested that she borrow the padded shaper Gerry had made.
"That could work for one or two more. Hey Gerry, can I borrow that thing you made to beef him up a bit?"
"Sure, it should be off the end of the table. Yeah, here it is, it's all yours."
"Thanks Gerry. Okay Jeff, here, I'll help you put it on. Wait a minute; is this what I think it is, and you've actually been wearing it?"
"Yeah, and I would appreciate it if you would keep that on the quiet."
"Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. After all, you didn't give me any hassles over wearing dresses for the last week, and come to think of it, I do believe you were enjoying it."
"Very funny, now, if you've had your fun, can we get back to work?"
"Oh, anxious to get back into a dress are we?"
I didn't answer, I just acted annoyed. Of course, she didn't know it, but she had been right. Once I had wiggled into the suit, she got to work assembling yet another dress. But it quickly became apparent that any enjoyment I would get from it would be blocked by the padding. Things don't always go the way we would like.
For the next couple of evenings, I was put to work cleaning up the work areas, restoring some order to the back room, helping out where I could, and even doing some sewing. While I'm fairly good with a sewing machine, I'm not very fast. Still, it helped move things closer to completion and was appreciated by all.
As the deadline for the first fitting approached, everyone became more frantic and upset over how much work was left to do. My work load became more varied, although I lost the job of stand-in dress form when the ordered form finally arrived. It was disappointing but a different opportunity would present itself late one evening.
Sandy, having been assigned the bridesmaid gowns, had been given exclusive use of the only adjustable dress form the shop had before the ordered one arrived. She had been able to assemble all without worrying about equipment shortages. But a new unforeseen problem was presenting itself, for the bridesmaid gowns had an unusual cut to them in front and Sandy was worried as to how that would affect the way the gown moved in back when the wearer was walking. She tried to get one of the other girls to model them for her, but none could spare the time. She was clearly upset and was work herself into a panic. I saw an opportunity to try on something I thought I would never get to and took it.
"Perhaps I can be of help; I could model it for you."
"What, you would be willing to do that in front of everyone?"
"Ah, um, how about we move into the storage room? There should be just a long enough clear area for you to watch for what ever it is you're looking for."
"Works for me, let's go."
Sandy picked up her sewing kit and a gown that had the best chance of fitting me and preceded me to the long narrow storage room. I stripped to my shorts, laying my clothes over a stack of boxes that had yet to accumulate a layer of dust. Sandy dressed me in the gown and then turned me away from her. I took that as my queue and started to walk down the room in as womanly a manor as I was capable. At the end of the clear area, I turned around and walked back to her. She was not happy and wasted no time making adjustments to the gown. I was again pressed into service as a model followed by more adjustments and more modeling. We continued for nearly two hours before Sandy was finally happy with the way the gown looked and moved. She sent me off on one last turn when Gerry pooped in on us.
"Oh ho, what have we here? You didn't mention that you were a model of women's wear."
"I'm not, so don't go getting any ideas."
"Too late, I've got a great one to run by Lynn."
"Hey, leave him alone. Jeff helped me when neither you nor anyone else would when I really needed it. If not for him, the first fitting would have been real ugly."
"It's a bridesmaid dress it's supposed to be ugly."
"Come on Gerry, you know what I mean."
"Ignore her Sandy. I for one think you've come up with a super design. It looks great, with class and style, and yet doesn't overshadow the bride. I think everyone will be happy, even bridezilla."
"Aw, thank you Jeff. That's so sweet of you to say."
Sandy looked at me with mischief clearly on her mind. Suddenly she grabbed me by the shoulders, pulled me to her, and kissed me hard. I figured out what she was up to and played along. Gerry tried to act like it didn't bother her, but I could tell she was fuming with jealousy. Sandy let me come up for air and then helped me take off the gown. I got dressed as she gathered up her tools.
"Well, I just came back here to see if you and Jeff were ready to call it a night."
"Wait, what time is it? Oh wow, we spent more time back here than I thought. Yeah, that's enough for tonight. Let's get out of here."
We exited out the back with Gerry doing the lockup routine. Sandy bid us a goodnight and was soon off for home. Gerry invited me to dinner at a much nicer restaurant than we usually ended up at. Given the way she was looking at me, I figured that her jealousy was upping the ante and I felt that it would be in my best interest to accept. Dinner was fairly quite, it wasn't until we were at her place before she became more vocal. We were seated next to each other on the couch when Gerry started to tease me about catching me strutting around in a dress.
"You know, from what little I saw, I'd say that wasn't the first time you've modeled a dress."
"First off, I've never modeled anything before and don't plan to. Second, I wasn't modeling that dress. Sandy needed to adjust the design for proper movement and I was helping when no one else would. And lastly, what you saw was the end result of her efforts, a final check if you will."
"So you're saying that it took her the better part of two hours to teach you how to walk in a dress?"
"No, it took two hours to fix the design. She didn't teach me anything."
"Oh, I see, you're a natural at walking like a woman. I do believe I can make good use of this newly discovered talent of yours."
I stopped short of replying, realizing that I was in a no win situation. I looked away and with a negative shake of my head, put up one hand as if to say "stop already". Gerry broke out laughing and then, with a look of triumph, bounce up off the couch, grabbed me by the wrist of my raised hand and yanked me up off the couch. She pulled me towards and into the bedroom where her aggressiveness and actions let me know that I was hers. It was something that my inner something took great enjoyment in and once again caused me no small amount of concern.
Things at the shop continued as they had been. The first fitting came and went with very few problems, and it looked like the entire job would be completed on time. My being of use to everyone was dwindling with each passing day. Still, Lynn kept me on.
It had been arranged that the clothes would be ready to be picked up on a Friday by members of the wedding party. It turned out to be a very long day. The parade of people coming in for a final fitting and paying off their bill stretched into the evening. Eventually the last couple was taken care of, and their departure triggered an impromptu celebration for all with one exception, me. For everyone else it meant that the impossible workload, the long hours, and all the stress, was at an end. For me, it meant that my temporary job was at an end. Lynn called everyone together for an announcement.
"This had been the most demanding job on all levels that we have ever had. Everyone has exceeded my expectations by a wide margin. Well done all. Now, I have rearranged our workload such that everyone can take a much needed one week vacation effective Monday, except for you Gerry. You will have to delay the start of your vacation for two days due to some work that couldn't be rescheduled, sorry."
"Not a problem, I can handle it."
"Excellent, I will fill you in before you leave tonight. As for you Jeff, you have proven to be a valuable resource in a surprisingly varied capacity. This wedding job will no doubt bring in considerable new business, creating a need for a person who can fill in anywhere needed. I would like to offer you that job on a regular full time bases effective as soon as you are available."
"Wow, thanks, I accept. I'll give my current employer a last week while everyone is off on vacation."
"Excellent, but Gerry will need your assistance for a few hours on Monday and an hour or two on Tuesday. I will leave it to the two of you to workout the details. If no one has questions or other business, then let us call it a day. Enjoy your time off, you have earned it."
Sandy, Anna, and De filed out the back door with me following. Gerry and Lynn had moved off out of hearing and were no doubt discussing the coming workload. I waited for Gerry outside and didn't have long to wait, she came out the door staring at me sporting a big grin. I was at once puzzled by her look and as she offered no clue as to why, was unable to determine if it would be good for me, or really bad. As she smugly strutted past me, she suggested a much fancier restaurant than any we had previously dined at before. Guessing that she felt a small celebration was in order, I quickly agreed.
After dinner, I followed Gerry up into the hills overlooking the city. We pulled off the road on the crest of a ridge that offered us a magical view of the city lights spread out below. I wasted no time transferring to Gerry's car. She in turn wasted no time engaging me in a heavy make out session. She was on fire and clearly the aggressor with unmistakable male overtones. For my part, I just enjoyed the new experience. That turned Gerry on even more and we soon climbed into the backseat. It wasn't long before the car was a rockin'.
I declined following Gerry back to her place for the night as I had drawn a Saturday shift at my day job. I got home at a late hour and just fell into bed. My mind wanted to dwell on Gerry's actions in the car, but was overruled by the need for sleep. I was barely able to strip off my clothes before succumbing to the sandman.
Saturday morning came all too quickly, and I oozed out of bed in a zombie like state. A quick shower woke me up enough to enable me to get dressed and drive to work. Once at work, I gave my one week notice.
Monday morning found me again at work. I had talked with Gerry about my leaving work an hour early so we would have enough time to get what she need done, but she had things to do in the morning and would start her day a couple of hours late. The day dragged by, but finally quitting time came. I punched out and headed for Lynn's shop. After checking in with Lynn, I got with Gerry.
She was altering an ankle length dress a customer had purchased the previous week and would be picking up Tuesday. She put me to work on the hem, but what should have been an easy job became more complex by the cut of the skirt. If it had been normal, it would have been a long straight skirt. But this one had a left side slit to mid thigh. At the knee, both edges of the slit opened up by slowly curving down to and wrapping around the side of the right ankle where they joined together. Very sexy, but a bear to adjust the hem length and still maintain the same curve on front and back. After we had both finished our tasks, Gerry took the dress and put it on the adjustable dress form. That's when I was able to see just how sexy it was.
It was jet black with an iridescent sheen over the entire dress. It was strapless and backless with the top of the bodice cut like a bustier. The dress closed with a hidden side zipper. As she inspected the dress all over, I became more and more envious of the dress form. After some time, and with a look of satisfaction, Gerry looked at me.
"Take off your clothes and step up on that small low platform over there."
"Ah, um, why?"
"Because the form doesn't have legs and you do. I need to inspect your work as well as make an overall inspection and the form isn't tall enough to do either. So come on, besides, you didn't seem to mind doing it for Sandy."
I offered no argument and complied more willingly than I hoped she knew. Once the dress was on, Gerry had me pose and then walk a little. I loved every second of it and was having a hard time concealing it. It was an incredible dress that one could not help but feel sexy in. Gerry completed her inspection without once trying to tease me or even look at me funny. I stripped off the dress and Gerry took it out to Lynn. I started to put my clothes back on as Gerry returned.
"Not so fast, we have one more that needs altering."
It was Lynn. She had been a couple of paces behind Gerry and was carrying the ball gown that I so desired to wear, the one that had lured me into the shop so many weeks before. I couldn't believe it; I was actually getting a chance to wear it. Lynn laid the gown out on Gerry's sewing table, and the two of them started to separate it into its four individual pieces. Gerry picked up the top and unzipped the hidden back zipper completely open like a jacket. I held my arms up out of the way as she slipped around back of me. She wrapped the top around my torso and zipped it up the back. It was then that I noticed the built in bra which, given the tops design, made sense. Gerry adjusted and pinned the top to snugly fit my body as Lynn looked on.
"Um, is it my imagination or are you trying to fit it to me?"
"You of course, after all it's yours according to Lynn, right Lynn?"
"Yes, you have enough money on account to buy it and I assume that you still want it."
"Well yeah, but it's for…"
"Gee, let's see, you're not married so it can't be for your wife and you've been sleeping with me, so you can't have a girlfriend. You've admitted that you don't have a social life, so it can't be for a close friend. I've gotten the impression that you aren't close to any family members, so that rules them out. That just leaves you, wouldn't you agree Lynn?"
"I would indeed. And also to be considered is you slipping into a daydream as I finished up pointing out the gown versatility. It looked to me that you were trying to imagine your self wearing this very gown in one, if not all, its variations."
"And Lynn let's not forget his willingness to not only wear a dress but model one as well. Something he hinted that he would be willing to do on the day he started working here."
"I caught that one as well. Now, Jeff, considering how much you are spending on this gown, don't you think it should fit you perfectly?"
I was too embarrassed to even look at Lynn, let alone answer. She reached out and with her fingers under my chin, gently coaxed me to raise my head and look her in the eyes. She was smiling in a reassuring way.
"Admit it; it's for you, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is."
"Excellent, he's all yours Gerry. Call me when you get the gown completely on and fitted."
"Will do."
Gerry had finished with the top and was holding the knee length straight skirt for me to step into. As I obliged her, a strange feeling swept over me, a kind of relief mixed with a sense of peace. My secret was out and it didn't seem to matter to those around me, at least not with Gerry and Lynn, but I suspected that Sandy, Anna, and De knew as well and felt the same. At any rate, the fitting promised to be one of the most wondrous experiences of my life for I no longer had to hide my feelings and could experience it to the fullest. And there was a lot to experience with the gown being in four pieces with each piece having to be fitted separately and with the others.
Gerry fussed with the knee length skirt until she was at long last happy with the way it fit my waist and hips. After adjusting the hem to fall at mid knee, she added the piece to make it an ankle length skirt. She gave the lower half a slight taper, adding a subtle touch of class to the original design and adjusted the hem to fall at the top of any shoes I would be wearing. I loved it and couldn't wait to go for a walk in it. But that would have to wait as Gerry quickly stripped the skirt off me.
She took the straight skirt back to her sewing table and exchanged it for the full skirt. The disappointment I felt over having my exploration of the long, straight skirt cut short was trumped by the new experiences the full skirt had to offer. Gerry took her sweet time with the skirt. When she had finished, she stood before me looking over the skirt with a satisfied smile. As I watched her, the smile slowly turned into a big grin.
She looked around the room and then headed off to some place behind me. She quickly returned accompanied by the most wondrous rustling sound. Instantly I was transported back in time to my youth when I had first experienced a similar sound, but this was far more intense. Gerry came to stand before me holding a very full bridal petticoat. I stared at it with my eyes and mouth wide open. I couldn't believe it; I was about to experience wearing the most feminine petticoat I had ever seen.
Quickly, I reached down and grabbed my skirt, lifting it; bring the hem up to my knee. Gerry piled the petticoat on the floor before me and guided me as I stepped off the platform into it. With some difficulty, she worked the petticoat up my legs and under the full skirt. As she did so, I let go of the skirt, reached behind me, and unfastened it. That made it easier for Gerry to get the petticoat into its proper place. I refastened the skirt and as I stepped back up on the platform, she fluffed the skirt out over the petticoat. The end result was incredible.
The skirt flared out all around me. It was so feminine, so wondrous, that I just had to have that petticoat, no matter how long my wages would have to remain on account to pay for it. I wanted to see how I looked in a mirror but as before, none were to be seen. There was the mirrored alcove out front that customers used to check how they looked on all sides at once. That something inside me wanted to dash out front and have a look but the thought of public exposure and ridicule held me back. My inner something wasn't to be easily denied, and a battle royal was quickly building. The more I fought my inner something, the more fidgety I became, and the more I move in place the more the skirt and petticoat, combined with the sound they made, worked their magic on my mind and strengthened that something inside me. It wasn't long before I had lost the battle and was ready to risk it all.
As I made to step off the platform, there was a sudden release of tension from around my waist. That was quickly followed by first the skirt, and then the petticoat falling down my legs to the floor. Gerry had finished fitting the full skirt and was removing it and the petticoat in preparation for the next phase of the fitting. I stepped out of the skirt and petticoat with Gerry's help. She left the skirt on the floor but took the petticoat back to her table, exchanging it for the long straight skirt. Once again she helped me into it. She picked up the full skirt and bunched it up into a half skirt. Gerry worked the top of the skirt under the hem/waist band of the top and secured it in place. She spread the skirt out to the sides and then arranged the short train out behind me.
I quickly looked around me as best I could. What greeted me was off the scale. It was the ultimate in femininity, not even a bridal gown could match it, although without the wisteria pattern it could be worn as a bridal gown. I slipped into a daydream in which a veil and a bridal posy materialized and I was being photographed and admired by all around me. It was a dream I wanted to remain in forever but it was soon shattered by Gerry.
"Hey Lynn, we're ready for a final look see."
Lynn came hurrying into the backroom. Upon seeing me she gently clapped her hands together and brought them up to her mouth, touching her finger tips to her lips. She stayed that way as she moved around me looking me over with a critical eye. Unlike my daydream, I felt more like a freak on display.
"Stunning, simply stunning. That gown looks fabulous on you, and you wear it well. If it looks this good on you, then it will look good on any woman. I have a good mind to photograph you and use the picture in an advertisement. Of course I will pay you a royalty on each gown sold.
"I'll skip on that. I'm not up to any public exposure."
"As you wish. Well, I must return to my task out front. Well done Gerry."
"No public exposure at all? What if I can take you to a place where everyone is different from whom society says they should be? A place where you can wear your gown in all its variations and receive compliments instead of ridicule. In short, a place where you can relax and play at who you want to be in the company of friends doing the same. Would you be interested?"
"I don't know, um, I'd really have to think about that one."
"What's to think about, don't you want to show off your new gown? It's the perfect place to do so. Tell you what; come with me Saturday night as my date. I love wearing a tux and it would be a blast showing up with you on my arm dressed as you are. We would be the best cross-dressed couple there."
"Are you saying that you usually attend dressed as a male?"
"Of course, hasn't it been obvious that I would rather look and act a man more than you want to look and act a woman?"
"I guess that does explain a few things."
"Things you rather like, don't you?"
I didn't answer and she just grinned at me.
"Let's get this off you and go home. I'll work on it tomorrow and I promise that it will be ready when you come in."
The following day found me working a full shift as Gerry wasn't going to need much in the way of help and the final fitting of my gown would be after the shop closed. The day dragged out longer than it usually did as the anticipation of what lay in store for me occupied my every thought. My shift came to an end and I dashed out the employee entrance. I was in my car and headed for Lynn's shop before traffic could jam the parking lot exit.
Gerry spotted me as I came in through the back door. She held up the gown to show me that she had indeed completed the alterations. I started to tremble with excitement as I realized that the dress I so wanted was, at long last, mine. But trying it on would have to wait as we both had work to do that had to be completed before Gerry started her vacation. We finished up about fifteen minutes before the closing hour. All that was left was the final fitting of my gown.
I wasted no time in stripping off my clothes and stepping onto the small platform. Gerry started to dress me, rebuffing my attempts to help. I quickly gave up and let her have what ever enjoyment she derived from dressing me. Soon I was wearing the completed gown, and it was better and more wondrous than before. I just had to see myself in a mirror but that still meant a risky move to the mirrored alcove out front. I looked toward the front of the shop and leaned as if to step off the platform but didn't. The shop was most likely closed but there might still be a customer left. I began to fidget as indecision took over. Gerry picked up on my dilemma. She raised her hand indicating me to remain where I was. She turned away from me and headed out into the front of the shop.
She soon reappeared in the doorway, motioning me to come to her. I started to move toward her when the reality of what was about to take place sank in. I became scared about leaving the security of the back room. I knew that the shop was indeed closed and clear, but there was still a chance of being spotted by someone looking in the windows. It was a risk, and for what, to see my self in a fancy set of mirrors? Then, that something inside me once again took over; it wanted to extract every last grain of wonder and pleasure this rare chance had to offer. It willed me to move and as I did the feel of the long straight skirt on my legs combined with the sound and drag of the half shirts train reinforced that inner something's grip on my actions. Suddenly I was entering the public part of the store and was headed for the alcove. At the alcove, I discovered that Gerry or Lynn had repositioned a rack of clothing to shield the alcove from view from outside. With a feeling of relief, I entered the alcove.
What greeted me exceeded my daydream and I couldn't get enough. I could have stood there for hours, but I knew that Lynn and Gerry were ready to go home. Reluctantly I left the alcove and headed back to the backroom. But I passed the entrance and continued on to where Lynn was. She looked me over and nodded her approval, but that wasn't why I had sought her out. I summoned up the courage to say that I would be interested in the bridal petticoat. She just smiled in a reassuring way and said that she would take of it.
Back in the backroom, Gerry helped me out of the gown. Together we folded up the pieces and packed them in a large flat box that had the stores name and logo on the cover. I tucked the box under my arm and followed Gerry out the back door. Outside we set up a date for Friday night, and then wished each other a good night. We parted and went our separate ways.
In the days that followed, I spent a good part of my time exploring all of the different looks my new outfit had to offer. It was wondrous and promised to be a better cure of any future bouts with depression than the mall could ever be. With the coming of Friday, my thoughts returned to Gerry and our date. I was anxious to see her for during our time apart I realized that our relationship was becoming more than just friendship and sex.
Friday night Gerry picked me up and took me to a community sponsored play. While there was no question that it was an amateur production, it was an enjoyable and fun play to watch. We then went to our favorite soup café for a late dinner. Gerry kept trying to steer the conversation to one she had started after she had fitted the ball gown to me. It was a conversation I didn't want to talk about especially in a public place. But it wasn't until I started to become upset that she finally dropped it and took me home.
Back at my place, Gerry again brought up the same conversation. We did discuss the pros and cons of my joining her and her friends on Saturday night, but I stuck to my position that it wasn't for me. Gerry seemed to give in and switched her attention to caressing the back of my head and neck. Soon there after we were in my bedroom for the night.
Morning came and it was over breakfast that Gerry renewed her efforts to get me to join her group. She again invited me to attend as her cross-dressed date. I sternly declined but she persisted and our discussion quickly became an argument and a heated one at that. It ended when I practically threw Gerry out. She acted hurt as she stormed out.
I spent the better part of the day alternating between being fuming mad at Gerry and fearing that I may have lost her. All the while, Gerry's invitation kept trying to push its way to the front of my thoughts crowding all else out. It was approaching evening that, that something inside me joined the battle and was urging me to accept Gerry's invitation, finding arguments in favor. I fought back with thoughts of being in front of strangers, being gawked at or worse. My argument with myself was wearing me down, leaving me tired and open to depression, depression brought on by thoughts of not seeing Gerry again. I didn't want to call Gerry, as she would probably renew the argument and I just didn't want that. It was clear that I needed to get my mind off Gerry and I had just the ticket.
I raced into the bedroom stripping of my clothes as I headed for my closet. I ripped the door open revealing my meager wardrobe. From a drawer I retrieved the only pair of panties I had and put them on. I also retrieved a pair of breast forms I had carved out of a foam cushion found in the trash. The ball gown was next and I seized the hanger it was on. On the bed I laid out the full ball gown with the long straight skirt and the full skirt bunched up into a half skirt. And then I stepped back to look at it. It was calling to me, willing me to wear it, to again experience the wonders it held just for me. I eagerly answered its call. I savored getting dressed; stretching out the process far longer than it should have taken. By the time I had finished getting dressed, all thoughts of the unpleasantness with Gerry had been banished. It was good, but I wanted more.
I put my long hair up in a bun at the top back of my head, tying a thin black ribbon around the base of it. Makeup was next and I took extra care to hide as much of my male features as possible. The end result was the best ever. Never before had I felt so feminine and alive. I couldn't help but dance about the room; making fast turns and watching the short train whip around behind me. It was wondrous and I wanted even more. I moved into the living room and continued to dance all around the room. My dance came to a halt in front of a chair. I took hold of the half skirt and spread it out behind me as I sat down in as ladylike a manner as I knew how.
I slipped into a daydream in which I was going to a Grand Ball and was awaiting for my date to come knocking upon my door. Visions of what the ball would be like filled my mind when the anticipated knock came. I moved to the door and waited for it to open revealing my date to me. But it didn't open. Instead, I was jolted from my daydream as there was another, louder knock. It wasn't a dream; someone was knocking on the door for real. I moved to look through the peep hole and saw a man dressed in a black tux with a white shirt and a black bow tie. I jumped back with a start. Was I still dreaming or had reality and my dream world merged? And if not, why was there a man in a tux at my door? The knock came yet again.
"Come on Jeff, open up, it's me, Gerry."
Gerry, why was she here and dressed in a man's tux? I had clearly turned down her invitation. If she thought she could change my mind she could think again. Anger again welled up within me and I had a good notion not to acknowledge her, let alone let her in. But I wasn't in charge. I watched in disbelief as my hand reached for the door knob. I started to tremble as the knob slowly turned. I was in near panic as I watched the door open, unable to stop it. I looked out upon Gerry standing before me looking very handsome in her tux. She looked at me from head to toe and back with a cross between a smile and a leer, and then she began to nod her head as if to say "yes, Yes, YES". She extended her hand out to me.
"Shall we go?"
I didn't answer, but merely smiled, took her hand and let her lead me down a path to the other side.