This story is based on the story called, "I, My Sister" and was written by Diana Christy (07/97). I would like to thank Diana for allowing me to use parts of her story in mine. I would also like to thank Arcee and Darkside for offering suggestions needed to finish this story. I could not have written this story without their support. Thanks guys!

Warning: This story contains sexual material and transgender themes. If you're not 18 or over, or are offended by such material then don't read it! This story can be posted on Fictionmania or any other free sites however, I do ask that you notify me first before doing so.

The Life And Death Of Al Parker
Part 1 - Jennifer's Beginnings
By Kelly Davidson

Chapter 1 - Easy Money

"Ten thousand dollars," said the fat, bald man.

Al Parker was shocked at the offer. He had heard Klein Walker was a cheap son of a bitch but this was an insult.

He pushed back his anger and calmly replied, "you have to be kidding Mr. Walker. You want me to break into a very secure research lab and steal information that you'll turn around and make millions off of. We're talking about real jail time here if I get caught!"

"If you're as good as you claim you to be then that isn't a concern now is it?" Klein sarcastically snapped back. "I could find a dozen other people to do this job!"

"Yes, that's true," the young man replied, "but then your chance of success is much lower, isn't it? The last thing you need is to send someone who'll get caught and then tell the police everything." Al stopped talking for a moment to let comment sink in. Klein Walker may be a cheapskate, but he wasn't a fool.

"I know this security system like the back of my hand," Al continued. "Hell, I used to work with the company bigwigs during my stint in the army -- trying to find ways around this system. I know its weaknesses and secrets and I was trained by the army to get in and out of a location without anyone even knowing I was there. But if I do get caught, it will appear as if I was there for other reasons."

"How will you accomplish that?" Klein demanded.

"That's my concern," the private detective replied. "But for me to take this job it's going to cost you $150,000 in cash".

"THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!" Klein shouted back, trying to bully the younger man into a lower amount. "I'll give you $20,000, take it or leave it."

The pair continued to haggle for another 5 minutes before they finally agreed on $50,000. Not as much as Al had wanted but he could live with that amount.

"Here are the plans for the house and the other information you asked for," said the fat man handing over a large envelope to Al.
"The lady will be leaving for Washington this evening and won't be back until Friday night. Her bodyguard is almost never there when she's gone, we checked. When will you be leaving?"

"Tonight," Al answered quickly. "With luck, you'll have the information no later than Saturday. In the mean time I'm going to need an advance to handle my travel expenses, say about $5,000?"

"I'll give you $1,000 and not a penny more until I see what you're going after." Klein laid down a stack of bills down in front of the detective, now turned corporate spy. "See you in a few days then." Klein turned to some paperwork on his desk. It was his way of impolitely dismissing the young man from his presence.

"In a few days," Al repeated back. He didn't bother trying to shake Klein's hand as he left. The private investigator may now be working for him but that didn't mean he had to like it.

As he walked out of the office, Al's mind was in deep thought. There were a number of things that needed to be done before he left that night. With just under a week left before Christmas it would take even longer to accomplish these tasks since he had to fight the vast crowds of last minute shoppers. He was so deep in thought, that it wasn't until Al heard his name for the third time that he realized someone was calling him.

"Hey Al, wait up!" said the voice from the other side of the street. He turned to see his friend, Jim Baker, running up to him.

"Hey, what planet were you on?" Jim asked. "I've been yelling your name for over a minute."

"Sorry about that," Al replied sheepishly. "I've got a lot on my mind." He decided to spill the beans.

"I'm on my way to the jewelry store to buy Sally an engagement ring. I already have one picked out. I just needed the money to pay for it."

"Hey, congratulations buddy. When do you plan to ask her?"

"Christmas Eve," Al replied back happily.

"That's great buddy. So what the hell were you doing in Walker's Enterprise? Don't tell me you work for him now?"

"Sort of," Al explained. "He's hired me for a job and I'm leaving tonight. I hope to be back by Saturday."

"Tom doesn't know about this, does he?" Jim asked. Tom was Al's partner and the closest thing to family that he had. Tom also knew, like half of the Seattle police force, that Klein Walker was a career criminal who had always managed to stay one step ahead of the law. His partner's one goal in life was to put Klein behind bars for good. If Tom found out that Al was doing a job for his old adversary, well, the shit would hit the fan.

"No he doesn't Jim, and I'd like to keep it that way. If you ever run into him please don't say anything, okay?"

"Hey man, no problem Al," said Jim and then eased the situation. "I won't be around for the next few weeks anyway. The army's sending me out on a mission tomorrow. Sorry Al, but I can't tell you were I'm going. You understand."

Al shook his head. "I understand, but just before Christmas. That's one of the reasons why I didn't re-enlist. You can never plan anything in advance. Hey look, give me a call when you get back in and we'll celebrate over dinner or something."

"Sounds great buddy," Jim smiled. "Talk to you when I get back."

Al shook Jim's hand and watched him leave. The army had treated him well but unlike Jim, he'd been ready to leave after his four years were up. But not Jim, he was a career soldier and enjoyed the life. The detective thought that was a mistake. His friend was smart and could easily land a good paying job almost anywhere. Well, Jim was happy and how many guys could say that about their job. Right now Al had his own life to run and he didn't have any time to waste. There would be a train leaving for Salt Lake City tonight (wrong tense) and he needed to be on it. The detective turned and started walking towards the shopping mall.

***

Dr. Sarah Jensen stretched far back in her chair. She felt stiff from sitting so long and being in this windowless office didn't help matters. It would have been nice if the contractors had included at least one window when they were setting up this room but her bosses wouldn't hear of it.

'Oh well, it wasn't too high of a price to pay for working at home,' Sarah thought. She decided to take a break and get a cup of coffee.

As she closed the office door the doctor heard it lock automatically. This was another price to pay for working at home. The security agency had insisted the door to her office remained shut and locked anytime she was away. At least she didn't have to use a key to get back in; the door was equipped with a palm reader, the newest thing in security systems.

And then there was Gerald, the security agent assigned by the agency to watch over her and the lab. He was the biggest price she had to pay for working at home. Still, it wasn't that bad. At times she was glad he was there to help her out. Today however, was not one of those days. Gerald was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper when she walked in.

"Good afternoon doctor. How's it going?" he asked.

"Fine I guess. I still have a lot of work to take care of before I leave tonight." She spotting the dirty dishes Gerald had piled up in the sink. "Why didn't you put these dishes in the dishwasher? It's only three feet away!"

"Hey doctor, it's not my job. I'm only here to protect you and keep an eye on the lab, not play maid. But leave it there, I'll get to it later!"

Sarah knew he wouldn't. They had been down this road many times before. She also knew that he knew it would bug her until it got done and she would end up doing it for him. The doctor was a very neat and orderly person who insisted on a tidy house. It wasn't in her nature to leave a mess lying around for very long.

"Speaking of maids, when do we get a new one?" she asked while grabbing a dirty plate. It had been over a month since the last one quit and she was getting tired of doing her research, the housework and picking up after Gerald.

"I don't know yet doctor. The last two didn't check out. There are a couple of others I plan to talk to next week but you know how careful we have to be with the work you do."

'As if that had anything to do with it,' Sarah thought to herself. What it really came down to was how pretty and willing one of these new ladies would be to go to bed with him. In the past 2 years they had hired six different female maids with the oldest being just 23 and the youngest only 19.

They would work for a few months while becoming Gerald's girlfriend and everything would be just fine. But then the bodyguard would grow tired of them. Once the romance faded these women usually didn't want to be around him anymore so they would just quit. Gerald may be charming and good-looking but underneath all the glitter he was still a chauvinistic pig.

"We need to get a new maid 'soon' Gerald!" she complained. "It's affecting the research I'm doing and we don't want that to happen, do we? I don't care if the next new maid is 80 years old; I want you to hire someone new by the end of the year! Do you understand me Gerald?"

Sarah took a deep breath to calm down. She was under way too much stress at the moment and having to fly to Washington to meet her boss didn't help. She really needed that vacation she would be taking after Christmas. New Years Eve couldn't come soon enough for her.

"Okay doctor, calm down. Once you get back from Washington we'll take care of the matter." Gerald tried to change the subject. "Speaking of which, do you want me to drive you to the airport tonight? It would give you a chance to relax before the flight and you wouldn't have to leave the car in the airport garage."

"No thanks, I'll drive myself," Sarah answered back. The last time she left her car with Gerald he had driven it for the entire week. When she got it back there was an empty gas tank and two, long ugly scratches on the driver's door.

'Not this time buddy', she said to herself heading back to her office. There was still an hour or so of work left to do before she would start packing.

***

Chapter 2 - Road Trip

Al stared out at the mountains slowly going past the boxcar door. There was no better way to travel than by train...in this case a freight train. He was standing inside a yellow boxcar with the name "Railbox" printed on the outside; one of thousands just like it that roamed all over the United States and Canadian railroads. "Next load, any road." was its slogan. In this case he was the load, the road was the Union Pacific railroad, and his destination was Williams siding, located just north Salt Lake City. As luck would have it, the UP main line ran less than a mile from the house he was going to break into.

It was the third day of his trip and Al was dirty, smelly, and tired. The last item he could take care of once he got to his motel room. The other two would have to wait until he got this job done. Just in case he did get caught breaking in, he wanted to give the appearance that was a nothing more than a homeless vagrant. But he knew he wouldn't get caught.

Al thought of himself like James Bond! Daring, cunning, resourceful, and able to work himself out of a tight situation when he needed to. He had spent most of his time on the train planning how to get in and out of the house in case he ran into any trouble. His disguise was nothing more then a safety net in case all else failed. The private investigator was convinced nothing would go wrong.

He saw the sign with the word "Williams" printed on it located right next to the track switch. The train was going much slower now as it strained to climb the steep grade it had just encountered. Al picked up the two backpacks he'd brought along and slung them over his shoulder. His favorite pack, covered with railroad patches front to back, contained food and water he had taken for the trip - as well as a change of clothes he would change into once the job was complete. The other pack had been custom designed to hold the equipment he needed to get past the security system. It had been liberated from the Army depot shortly before he was discharged.

Al waited until the train slowed to about 10 miles per hour before jumping off. Then he stood by the track and watched the rest of the cars slowly roll by. He didn't know it then but it would be the last train he would see for a long time.

The hike to the house was hard but he didn't mind. Normally the private detective ran 5 miles a day and was in excellent shape. Being cooped up in the boxcar had been the hardest part of the trip so far and Al was enjoying every step he took.

As he cleared the woods, Al spotted what he had come for. The house was located on a small hill surrounded by a high, brick wall and to the trained eye, a very elaborate security system. Anyone climbing over the wall or gate would set off an alarm alerting the people inside. Wanting to get a better view, the private investigator climbed a tree near the wall. From there he could see a beautiful, expensive home with a windowless room added to the rear. Compared to the rest of the house that room looked out of place.

In the driveway was a brand new Ford Mustang. The information he had been given said it belonged to the bodyguard, Gerald. Today was Friday and Al figured he would most likely be going out for the evening. At least that was what he hoped would happen. There was no car in the garage as expected. The owner, Sarah Jensen, was obviously still in Washington and wouldn't be home until later that night. It was a perfect setup! Now all he had to do was wait until it got dark, come back, get the information he needed, and then go collect his $50,000 from Klein Walker.

Al left the woods and started jogging down the road toward a motel located three miles away. The detective was tired and looking forward to a decent 8 hours of sleep in a real bed. Less then an hour later he arrived at the 3rd class joint called The Sunset Motel. The owner looked much like the place did, old and run down. 'Well, beggars can't be choosy', Al told himself as he walked in.

"I need a room - one that's quiet and away from the traffic," Al told the owner/manager.

"I'll give you number 4," the man replied back. "It's clean, quiet and the shower works." The owner emphasized the word "shower". Well, at least he smelled the part.

Once in his room, Al unfolded the map of the house to look at it once more. He really didn't need to look; the private investigator had a photographic memory. Still, his army training had taught him to be thorough.

"Piece of cake," he said to himself lying down on the bed. Less then 10 minutes later he was sound asleep.

***

Gerald was furious. His car, his brand new Mustang wouldn't start. It was less then three months old and already it had developed ignition problems.

"What morons!" he muttered to himself after he'd hung up the phone with the local Ford dealership. The manager had promised to pick up the car within the next hour and find out what the problem was. In the meantime he was stuck at home miles from anywhere. The dealership manager had assured him that he would get his car back before the day was over.

They'd better or there will be hell to pay! Gerald said to himself.

***

Tom McClain arrived late at the office but wasn't surprised to see Al not there. They both worked irregular hours and coming in late was part of the job. He looked down at the answering machine and noticed several messages waiting to be played back - some of them were a few days old. Tom frowned slightly. Al was supposed to have taken care of this while he was away.

'Well, maybe he got called out on his own assignment,' Tom thought. It had happened once before. He clicked the play button and listened to the messages on the machine. None of them were from Al.

'Damn it!' Tom swore silently. How many times had he told Al to check in and let him know what was going on. His partner had all the makings of a great detective but was also too much of a lone wolf. While being a private investigator wasn't as dangerous as some detective novels made it out to be, there were still some tense moments at times. And if anything bad did happen to his friend well, Tom needed to know where to start looking.

Well, he would talk to his friend when he got in. In the meantime Tom had his own work to do. He had to fill out a report for a woman who had suspected her husband was cheating on her. She was right of course, he was. When would they ever learn?

***

Chapter 3 - Inside the lion's den

Al woke up to the sound of the radio broadcasting a winter storm alert. It was already getting dark outside and the weatherman was warning everyone of a severe snowstorm that would hit the area sometime after 9pm.

'Perfect,' he thought to himself. 'The snow will cover up all my tracks after I leave.'

He studied the map of the house one more time before taping it to the underside of the drawer. Carefully he slid the drawer back into the slot. Then he grabbed the backpack with the equipment. As he stepped outside a blast of cold wind greeted him. Well, he would warm up in a few minutes. Al did some stretching exercises and then started jogging toward the Jensen house.

***

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T FIX IT UNTIL TUESDAY?" Gerald yelled into the phone. "Take the part off one of the other cars on the lot."

The bodyguard listened to the manager's poor excuse on why this couldn't be done. He had watched them tow his car away with the assurance it would be fixed by the end of the day. Now the dealership waited until 5 minutes before they closed to tell him it would be Tuesday before the part would come in.

"What about a rental?" Gerald demanded. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY? You have an ENTIRE LOT FULL OF CARS I COULD DRIVE!" The manager on the other end tried to explain about their insurance not covering such a situation but Gerald cut him off.

"Screw YOUR insurance," said Gerald in a fit of rage. "I have my OWN INSURANCE AND I WANT A CAR RIGHT NOW! NOT NEXT WEEK, TODAY!" Sometimes yelling got him what he wanted but not this time. Gerald slammed the phone down in a fit of rage.

"GREAT! A Friday night and no car to go anywhere." The bodyguard sat down on the couch to sulk. If only Dr. Jensen hadn't taken her car. Now he would have to spend Friday night home alone. But Gerald didn't realize how mistaken he was.

***

The sky was starting to spit snow when Al arrived at the main gate. There was a light on in the living room but the car that had been parked in the driveway was gone. Quickly he moved off to one side of the surrounding wall towards a clump of trees. In this type of weather it would be impossible for anyone to see him from the road.

He took a few steps back and made a running jump for the wall. His fingers grabbed the edge and slowly Al pulled his head even with the top to see what he was up against. Imbedded in the bricks were a series of sensors spaced about every six inches. They were designed to pick up large objects climbing over the wall, like a man for instance. The sensor's range was only a few feet at best; but then it didn't need to be more since the wall was almost seven feet high. It would have taken a giant to jump over the wall and clear the sensors without breaking a leg (or two) on landing.

Al looked around for the place he had spotted earlier in the day. A thick tree branch had been allowed to grow over the wall making it the perfect bridge to cross. Carefully he climbed high into the tree until he got to the branch. After making sure it wouldn't break, he slowly inched his way out across it. Once passed the wall, Al placed a rope over both sides of the branch and gently lowered himself down. When his feet touched the ground he retrieved the rope and looked around for a junction box.

The house was protected by a high-rated security system called 'The Nighthawk'. It was the same system Al had worked with before while in the Army. 'The Nighthawk' was simple in terms of hardware but very effective in what it was designed to do. Each system had it's own standard computer that could be located anywhere inside the house. Attached to the back of the computer was a high powered receiver.

By using radio signals, it allowed the system to be free of wires between the computer and the sensors; wires that could be cut both accidentally and on purpose. The sensors in the wall were connected to a device called the junction box. Its purpose was to collect the data from the sensors and pass it on to the receiver via a narrow-band signal. The signal was scrambled between the two locations making it almost impossible to duplicate. Because of its strength, the signal was equally impossible to jam unless someone used a jammer the size of a small car. In the case of the latter, any interruption in the signal would cause alarm to go off making the attempt pointless.

All in all it was a beautiful system but it had one major flaw -the junction boxes were not made to be tamper-proof. Instead of having the front panel monitored with a sensor so the computer could alert someone when the door was open; it was kept shut with a cheap metal latch that a 2-year-old could have opened.

Al had tried to warn the company about the problem but the designer's arrogance wouldn't allow him to admit there could be anything wrong with his baby.

"After all," the designer had lectured the young army soldier like some college professor who was berating a student for questioning something so obvious; "first you have to get to the junction box - which of course is impossible anyway. So why increase the security of the box if a intruder can't get to it in the first place."

Al almost rolled his eyes when the designer then started talking about how much more expensive the system would be with the change. He had checked to see what the cost would have been. All together, the parts wouldn't have added up to more then $20 per box. If they went with just a simple, high-rated lock, then that price was almost cut in half. What was a couple of hundred dollars extra to someone buying a $100,000 system? It was well worth the cost considering it would have increased the security protection of 'The Nighthawk' tenfold.

At the Jensen house there were two junction boxes assigned to each of the four walls for a total of eight.

'That salesperson must have done some fast-talking,' Al told himself. 'One box per wall would have done the job nicely.'

The private eye spotted what he was looking for behind a bush and went to work. First he pulled out a digital tester and turned it on. The numbers on the display panel were lit making them easy to see in the dark.

Next he hooked up the leads to the junction box circuits and hit the scan button. What few people realized when they purchased a security system was that there was always a back door built into them. This allowed the service people to monitor and calibrate the system without having to pry the password out of the owner each time this was done. In a matter of minutes his tester had figured out the code needed to disable the sensors on that part of the wall for one minute. Sixty seconds would be plenty of time to cross over the wall and get away. Al punched the code into the memory, disconnected everything, and packed the digital tester back into its backpack. Then he made his way over a set of trashcans next to the garage window.

Being careful not to make any noise, he tucked the backpack into one of the cans and covered it up with trash. While Al was confident the house was empty, he wanted to be sure no one was inside before he brought anything in. After all, what would a transient be doing breaking into a house with a backpack full of expensive, electrical equipment?

Prying open the garage window was easy; it wasn't even locked. But in the process of climbing in, Al knocked over a can, which made a loud rattling noise as it hit the floor. The PI almost jumped out of his skin when he heard it hit the ground. He stopped dead in his tracks and listened carefully to see if he could hear anyone coming.

***

Inside Gerald heard the can fall and laid down the newspaper. He didn't believe things fell for no reason so he quietly tiptoed over to the door and put his ear to it. Listening carefully, he was soon rewarded by the sound of footsteps walking across the hard garage floor. Then the handle on the door jiggled.

***

Al tried the door even though he knew it would most likely be locked. Well, that really wasn't true. It was fitted with one of the cheaper door locks you could buy.

'Very typical of the world we live in,' Al thought to himself. 'Buy a super expensive alarm system for the house but protect the outside doors with a $2 lock.' He took out a pick and in less then 30 seconds he had it unlocked.

***

While this was going on, Gerald's training was kicking in. He walked inside a closet and closed the door until there was just a crack to see through.

'Better to find out just whom I'm dealing with before acting,' he thought to himself. His right hand gripped the gun that was already out of its holster. It had been a while since he had had a reason to use it. What he saw come through the door surprised him. In walked a skinny, dirty man dressed in shabby clothes.

'A thief!' If so he was going to be in for a rude surprise.

Next to the door was the alarm panel. Al noticed the ready light was green, indicating the system was waiting to be turned on.

'Also very typical of the world we live in today,' Al said to himself. In the army his commander had drilled into him to turn on the alarm whenever he was leaving a secure area. Yet most people only set the alarm when they would be gone for more then a day - sometimes not even then. Al didn't see the point of having a security system if you weren't going to use it all the time!

He stood by the door for a moment and listened. The car outside was gone and the house seemed to be quite deserted. If the bodyguard were in the house he would have known it by now. Al headed up the steps toward the bedrooms, unaware he was being watched.

Gerald was sure he was dealing with an ordinary thief. The intruder was heading upstairs, not towards the lab. The bodyguard put his gun away. He wouldn't need it to take care of this job. After about 30 seconds he headed up the stairs behind Al.

***

Al entered the main bedroom and started going through some drawers packed with expensive lingerie. 'This doctor sure has good taste,' he thought. Underneath a pair of lacy underwear he found some expensive gold rings.

'Jackpot!' Al almost said out loud. Maybe he wouldn't have to use any of the money Klein Walker had given him to get back home.

His original plan had been to get some stuff together in the event he was caught, making him look like an intruder rather than an industrial spy. Then, after he got what he had came for, he would put everything back the way he had found it. But the lure of easy cash was just too inviting. The investigator now understood why criminals continued to rob houses even when they no longer needed the money. It gave them a high.

Looking in another drawer he found $700 in cash rolled up in a pair of pink socks. This was getting better. Other drawers revealed similar items he could sell for lots of money. Al stuffed them all into a small bag he had brought along.

"Now for the real prize," he said quietly to himself. As he turned towards the door Al came face to face with the biggest man he had ever seen in his life.

"Hi there," Gerald said with a smile. Al felt something hit the side of his face and a moment later found himself on the floor. As the private investigator tried to get up, he was rewarded with a blow to his side that knocked the wind out of him. Then came a sharp blow to his back, leaving him partially paralyzed. Al gasped for air and looked up at the big man standing above him, still with a smile on this face.

"I...I," he gasped. "I made a mistake...the wrong house."

"Yes, you made a big mistake my friend," Gerald replied back. "And now you're going to pay for it." The bodyguard reached down to hit the intruder hard again.

***

Chapter 4 - The wrong choice

The flight had been a long and Sarah was glad to be home. Pulling into the driveway she noticed the light was on in her bedroom.

'That's rather odd,' she thought as Gerald met her at the door.

"We have a small problem," he said to her.

***

Al was locked in a small room located inside the very lab he was supposed to have broken into. His body was bruised and bleeding from the beating he had taken. Gerald's punches felt like he was being hit with a sledgehammer and the bodyguard seemed to take great pleasure in distributing them even when it was clear Al was no longer a threat to him.

As he lay on the bare cot, his eyes turned to the large mirror located on the wall that the lab office shared. He had been too groggy to notice when Gerald brought him in but guessed it was really a one-way mirror. He rubbed his head and tried to think about what had happened. The physical pain was bad but it was his pride that hurt the most. After all his planning, what had gone wrong?

Gerald had questioned him roughly for over an hour about how he had gotten over the wall and what he was doing here. Well, at least Al had the satisfaction of knowing the screw-up didn't occur there. But that had been over an hour and a half ago, the police should have arrived long ago. If only he could see what was happening on the other side of the mirror.

***

On the other side of the mirror Sarah stared at the intruder lying on the cot. "How did he get in?" she demanded to know.

"I'm not sure," Gerald replied back slowly. "As you can see, I questioned him extensively. He told me that he pole vaulted over the front gate. I guess that's possible, he's in pretty good shape for a transit; but I didn't find a pole anywhere near the gate. He said he needed some money for a place to stay. Here are all the things he had on him."

Sarah looked at all the items Al had taken from her room, some of them having a very high sentimental value to her. She really did need to get a safe, didn't she? Cash could be replaced but not sentimental items. There was also a wallet containing an ID card with the name of "Joe Smith" and his picture on it. Odd, he was wearing the same clothes in the picture that he had on now and the ID card was several years old. It had to be a fake.

"I was getting ready to call the police but...," said Gerald.

"Yes," Sarah finished for him. "That's the last thing we need right now."

There was more at stake here than a simple break-in. If the agency found out what had happened they would force the doctor to move out of her home and into someplace they felt was more secure. If she refused well, they may not cut their support for her research but she couldn't take that chance, could she?

The doctor was so close to achieving her goal and needed the test subjects the agency provided her with. But what could she do? Gerald could take care of the man and not have it bother him but her? No, she could not be a party to murder. She would rather turn him over to the police first. So was there another way? Gerald read her mind and prepared to spring a plan he had been thinking about before she had shown up.

"There is another way we can handle the situation where the police don't have to be called in and no one gets hurt," he told her in a cunning tone. "It also fixes another problem we talked about earlier. Remember how you were telling me we needed a maid and I told you about the security risk. The problem is finding someone we can trust...or control."

Sarah didn't even look over at Gerald. She just stared at this dirty, most likely smelly thing that had invaded her home and tried to steal her precious possessions.

'Why not?' she thought. 'The police would only turn him lose in a few days to steal from someone else. This bum was never going to find a job and here she could offer him real security where he would serve a useful purpose. Outside he was just another leech on society.'

"We have to make sure he has no family or friends before doing 'anything' to him," she finally said. "We don't want someone coming around later looking for him. Let me in so I can question him."

"Hold your nose," said Gerald as he unlocked the door. "He stinks pretty badly!"

Al didn't rise as the bodyguard and Dr. Jensen strolled into the room. Damn it, how was he going to get out of this mess without being arrested? And if he was arrested, how was he going to make sure no one found out who he really was? Well, the police hadn't been called otherwise they would have been here by now. Al decided to play it cool and see what they wanted. The lady spoke to him first.

"So, I understand you went through my things looking for stuff to steal. What do you have to say for yourself?" she asked sternly. Her bodyguard wasn't kidding, he did stink.

"Hey lady, I'm sorry. It's cold outside and I didn't want to spend Christmas in the snow. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone, honest. I'm very sorry, please let me go. Please?"

'Not a bad act,' Al thought to himself.

"What about your family? Don't you want to spend time with them?"

"Don't have no family. My parents were killed in a car crash by a drunk driver when I was two years old. I lived in an orphanage until I was 13, then I ran away." Al didn't mention he had been caught a few days later and sent back.

"So no family? No one to miss you?" Sarah asked in what sounded to Al to be a concerned tone.

"No, no one. I'm all-alone with no one who cares for me. I take care of myself. I've done so for a long time." Al looked down on the ground trying to create sympathy for himself. Being so close to Christmas, people tended to be more generous to the less fortunate. It was a dirty trick but Al needed to use every one in the book if he planned to get out of this mess. He couldn't have realized he was writing his own death warrant.

"How come you're in such good shape for a transit?" asked Gerald.

"Hey man, it's a hard life, with no health policy if I get sick, you know what I mean? I spend hours in railroad boxcars with nothing to do so I might as well keep in shape, right? Besides, it protects me from the other people who ride the rails."

'He's perfect,' Sarah said to herself. There were no family members or friends who would miss him. He's kept himself in good shape, which was needed for what she had in mind. Yes, he would do very nicely.

"I'll give you a choice Joe. I can call the police and have them pick you up or you can help me with my research. I will need a sample of your blood and skin. Don't worry, it won't hurt at all. And, you will need to spend the next 48 hours here while I conduct my tests. The sample is for some genetic research I am working on. I'll even let you keep the cash you took from my sock drawer. So, what do you want me to do?"

Gerald knew his boss had made up her mind to use him when she mentioned the word's "genetic research". It was a big breach of security to mention what they were doing here and Dr. Jensen knew it all to well. There was no way this Joe Smith, or whoever he really was, was going to walk out of this lab alive if he decided wrongly.

Al on the other hand considered himself very lucky. Not only could he avoid going to jail, he may even earn some money out of this. At least he wouldn't be going home empty handed. He would have loved to teach this big ape a lesson but if that was the cost of not spending Christmas in jail, along with a small sample of his skin and blood, it was worth it. Al started to roll up his shirtsleeve.

***

Chapter 5 - Crossing the "T"s, dotting the "I"s

Sarah was pouring through the thick books on her desk. The hardest part of the process was making up a word -- one word --which had never been spoken before and would never be heard in public. It sounded so easy and yet it wasn't. The problem was, you never knew when the test subject (that is how she thought of Al now) was going to run into someone from a foreign country where in English the word meant nothing but in their language it did. She was on her third word; the first two had failed to be unique. One had been a medical term in Russia and the other was a common name for a tool in Spanish. The odds against hearing such a word were great but if it happened, the results could be disastrous.

Her computer was searching the CD's (there were 19 of them) containing numerous words from around the world. It checked to see if the word she typed in existed or sounded like any of the other words the CD's had on file. But even they didn't contain all the words (yet) and she still had to look in real books to be sure.

The computer beep and displayed, "NO MATCHING WORDS FOUND." Sarah also hadn't found the word listed in any of the books she checked. So, this was the word she could use. 'Ekala!'

Next the doctor looked at the profile sheets of several donors she had received from around the country. All of them were young females between the ages of 18 and 25. She looked at each one carefully and picked out what she thought were the best two. One was a 23-year-old named Cindy Baker. From the report she had beautiful blonde hair and a body to match. She was also intelligent and carried herself well.

The other was an 18-year-old female named Jennifer Anderson. She was a cheerleader and an "A" student in high school. The person taking her report had given her a top score of 5 in several categories including looks, poise and mannerism. Sarah thought about it for a moment and put Cindy Bakers profile back in the pile.

"Sorry Cindy, I have to go with the younger woman this time." There was one more thing she had to do before going to bed. 'How late was it?' she wondered. The clock showed it was almost 3am. Sarah looked up the number and dialed.

"Sam, this is Sarah Jensen. I have a job for you. I need you to find out what is happening with a Jennifer Lynnette Anderson." She gave him all the information he needed. "I also need you to find me a new female ID around the same age range and Sam, I want you to keep this to yourself, understand? Yes, I know that will double the price; I'll pay it. Okay, thanks Sam. You can fax me the information when you get it. Night."

Dr. Jensen hung up the phone and stretched. It had been a busy day but tomorrow, no today, was going to be an even busier one. Still she didn't feel tired despite being on the move for more then 20 hours straight. The excitement of starting a new experiment had kept her going half the night.

Now came the hardest part, waiting on the information to come in from Sam. She peeked behind the curtain at the man sound asleep in the room. Gerald had found the vagrant a pair of sweat pants and T-shirt to wear along with a bar of soap. He made sure the man had taken a shower before being locked up for the night.

How strange that fate had brought this stranger to her. In less then 48 hours he would go from being a useless vagrant to a great asset for her use. She would learn so much from him, more than she had been able to learn in the past year. Hopefully he would prove what Sarah already thought to be true about her new drug. She took one more look at him then dropped the curtain and headed up to bed.

***

It had taken the better part of the morning but Sam had found and faxed the information to her. It was better then Sarah had expected. Jennifer Anderson had been killed in a traffic accident a few months earlier. Her older brother and sister had died years ago and her parents were retired and living in Florida. They apparently didn't have any close relatives (there were none listed on the report Jennifer had filled out when she agreed to donate her tissue sample) so there was no chance on running into anyone out near Salt Lake City who knew her. Sam was asking if he should reactivate her Social Security number or provide Sarah with another identity of someone else who had been born around the same time. Sarah thought for a moment.

Here was an ideal situation to use the real identity of the donor from which the sample had been taken. In many ways, she was going to bring Jennifer Anderson back to life. To bad she couldn't allow Jennifer's parents to see her again because she was sure they must have been devastated. Losing a child had to be hard to deal with, but losing all three of them at different times must have been pure hell!

Well, she couldn't let them know about her creation. In fact, no one but Gerald, herself and this vagrant could ever know the truth. That was why she needed a proper ID for this subject, in case the people she worked for decided to do a little background check themselves. This subject would need a driver's license, credit cards and a checking account. In short, she needed to be just like everyone else in the world.

Sarah was amazed how everything seemed to be coming together. She had needed a maid and a subject to test her drug on, and then this vagrant showed up that no one would miss. Then she needed a new identity for him and the real donor's information was readily available. It was like some higher being was pulling all the strings together for her. Now that all the strings where in place, she was ready to begin. She would start the process after the subject had his supper.

***

Tom was more then just a little concerned. It had been over three days since he'd heard from Al and that just wasn't like him. He had already left 2 phone messages on his home answering machine asking him to call. Well, Tom decided he was really going to give it to his friend the next time he saw him. Taking off like that and not telling anyone where he was going was irresponsible and stupid. Tom tried to stop thinking about it as he turned back to another case he was working on.

***

In his locked room Al had time to think about everything that had happen in the past 24 hours. He should have been home by now, kissing Sally and getting ready for Christmas. Instead he was prisoner with no idea what was really going on. He wondered if this Dr. Jensen would keep her word. Suddenly the door opened and Gerald walked in carrying a tray of food.

"Better eat it all," he informed Al laying the tray on the desk. "That's all you're going to get for tonight".

They had fed him breakfast but not lunch so Al was hungry. He dug into the hot food, enjoying every mouthful. He was sure the big ape was watching him on the other side of this mirror.

'Well let him enjoy himself,' Al said to himself. 'In another day I'll be out of this prison and on his way back home.'

'Home!' The word sounded so nice. Al started to dream about how wonderful it would be to get home and sleep in his own bed. All of the sudden he felt very, very tired. Strange, he never went to bed this early and yet...he couldn't keep his eyes open. Al moved towards the cot and fell onto it. In less then a minute he was sound asleep.

***

Chapter 6 - The experiment

He woke up in a chair located in Sarah Jensen's bedroom. Someone had removed all his clothes and placed him in a robe. Still a little groggy, Al looked around and saw a small pile of clothes on the bed. Dr. Jensen was standing in a corner looking at a laptop computer while Gerald stood next to him. The private investigator felt a slight pain in the back of his neck, as if it had been pricked. He also could see and feel several sensors attached to his legs, chest, arms and head. Looking at the clock next to the bed Al realized he had been asleep for over three hours. What the hell had happen to him in those three hours?

"Ah, I see you're finally up," Sarah said to him cheerfully. "Good, we can begin our experiment."

"What experiment? I didn't agree to ANY FUCKING EXPERIMENT! And what the HELL are these fucking things?" Al demanded to know while pointing at one of the sensors on his leg.

"Those are the newest thing in the medical community; wireless sensors. I can pick up all your vital signs on this computer without the need of wires. They're much more comfortable to wear than the old type. Don't worry, you will only have them on for a few days." Sarah smiled warmly at him but Al sensed it was forced rather then one of genuine compassion and concern. "Now, if we can begin. Since you seemed to enjoy going through my things I thought maybe you'd like to try some of them on. I want you to go over to the bed and put on my clothes."

Al Parker was taken back by the request/demand. "Are you crazy lady? There's no way in HELL you or that big ape of yours is going to make me put on your clothes. I don't know what you take me for but you can forget that idea. Call the fucking police if you want but I want no part of this."

"Oh, that's too bad," Sarah said with a disappointed frown that Al sensed was also being forced. "I was so looking forward to seeing you get dressed in some of my finest lingerie. Perhaps I can make you change your mind."

She moved closer to him and spoke, "Ekala! You will do exactly what I tell you to do. You will not try to hurt Gerald or myself in any way and you will never speak the key word Ekala out loud. Ekala! "

She paused for a moment then said, "Now, I want you to get up and get dressed in my clothes that I have laid out on the bed." Al felt a slight burning in his neck but ignored it.

"I said are you crazy lady? There's no fucking way..." he stopped short in mid-sentence. Despite not wanting to, he found himself getting up and walking towards the bed. When he tried to stop himself, the burning sensation in the back of his neck got stronger.

"What the hell, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" he yelled out to Dr. Jensen. She didn't answer, instead keeping her eyes glued to the computer screen in front of her.

Al removed the robe and then watched in horror as his hands; his own hands, reached out and picked up a pair of pink, nylon panties. He suddenly felt a strong desire growing inside him to put them on.

"No, no, stop! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" he shouted to his now useless hands. He didn't want to put them on and yet in the back of his mind he knew he was going to do just that. He stepped into the panties and pulled them up his naked body. Then he picked up the bra.

"GOD DAMN IT, STOP!" Al shouted out to his body. In the back of his mind he didn't want to do any of this and yet he couldn't a prevent himself to doing so. Al felt like he was on a runaway roller coaster with no control over what would happen next. He was only along for the ride.

Al hooked the bra just like he had seen his girlfriend do many times before. Then he pushed his arms through the straps and straightened it the best he could. Next he picked up the lacy blue half slip off the bed. He concentrated on trying to stop the action before it happened. But the more he tried to fight it, the greater the desire to put it on grew.

"You DAMN BITCH! STOP what you're doing or I swear to God I'll break your fucking neck!" He shouted out more threats but noticed Gerald didn't move from his corner to try and stop him.

Dr. Jensen meanwhile gave him an emotionless expression and looked back down at the computer screen again. Stress levels, respiration, heart rate were all way up, far beyond normal. It was a good thing this subject was in excellent shape, otherwise there could be some serious damage.

'Well, enough of this,' she thought. It was now time for phase two. She cut him off in the middle of some more threats.

"Ekala! You shall remain happy and calm. You will not issue any more threats and you will enjoy doing what you are doing. You will only answer questions in a nice and polite way from now on. Ekala!

Immediately Al's outside appearance changed from anger to an almost unnerving calm. Inside his stress level rose up to 220, 80 points higher than what was considered normal. But to Sarah's surprise, his heart rate dropped from 160 to 140 and his respiration showed some improvement as well. She hadn't expected that to happen.

"Oh, this is so pretty!" Al remarked as he slid the half-slip up to his waist.

Gerald started to chuckle, enjoying every moment of the show. The doctor looked up at him sternly. She took her experiments very seriously and didn't want anyone around who didn't feel the same way.

"Gerald, why don't you wait outside in the hallway until I need you." The bodyguard gave her a questioning look. "It's okay, I have things under control and it looks as if our guest is enjoying this now, isn't that right Joe?"

"Oh yes doctor. I just love putting on your clothes," Al replied. This was totally opposite of what he'd wanted to say. Inside Al was like a boiling volcano ready to explode. He tried to concentrate and block out this need to wear her clothes but it only caused the burning in his neck to increase and the desire to grow even stronger.

Gerald nodded and left the room without saying a word, while Al started putting on a pair of the doctor's pantyhose. He used to love watching Sally get dressed whenever he spent the night at her place. But now...now he was doing the same thing based on what he had learned from watching her. And worse, there was nothing he could do about it. It was so frustrating, so embarrassing. Sarah watched the readouts some more and then spoke to him.

"You know, if you calm down and just accepted what's happening then things would go a lot smoother for you. Getting dressed up in women's clothing really isn't so bad, I do it all the time." She giggled slightly at her own comment.

"Thank you for the advice doctor." 'Damn it!' He wanted to yell and threaten her but all he could do was reply back in a nice, calm way.

'How am I going to get out of this?' he thought. 'Think man, think!'

After Al put on the pair of pantyhose he reached to pick up the dress she had laid out for him. No, he wouldn't put it on. He was going to fight this with all his might. He concentrated as hard as he could to stop himself.

'No! No! No! I won't put this dress on! I'll stop myself from doing it. I won't do this! I have control over my own body. No! No! No! I won't do this.' He kept repeating that in his mind but all it did was build up his desire to wear the dress even more.

His hands gently lifted the dress off the bed and held it up in front of him. It was a beautiful blue and white flower dress trimmed with white lace at the neckline and hem. If Sally had been wearing it he would have been drooling all over her. It was a real feminine dress and knowing that only made it worse for Al. He knew he was going to put it on. No matter how hard he concentrated, how hard he tried to avoid it, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Still he tried, concentrating now on just the word, "no". His only reward for the effort was a burning sensation in the back of his neck and a desire to put it on that reached a 'feverish state'. Every part of his body was telling him that putting on the dress was the right thing to do, that it wanted to feel the dress against his skin. Inside Al's mind screamed out to stop but his body just wasn't listening to him anymore. After a few seconds of struggling, he lost the mental battle. There was nothing Al could do but watch and suffer in silence as his hands worked the dress over his head and pulled it down over his body.

The doctor meanwhile watched the readouts with fascination as they rapidly increased. The subject's stress level reached 260 and continued to climb. His heart rate reached 170 but quickly dropped back down to 120 after the dress was on. Respiration was still high but showed strong signs that he was getting tired of fighting. Perfect, just as she had predicted. But there were still other tests to perform before she could be sure everything was all right.

"You did a very good job, Joe. Now I want you to sit down at my vanity here." Al did as he was commanded in silence despite the fact he tried to say no.

"Okay Joe, I want you to put on this wig and then some makeup. Don't worry if you can't get it on right, we can fix that later."

This constant fighting within him had drained Al, still, he tried resisting with what little strength he had. It didn't matter, he watched his hands reach out and pick up the blonde wig the doctor had set out for him. With care, he placed it over his head the best way he knew how. Then his attention turned to the makeup lying about on the table. He had seen Sally fool with her makeup before but he'd never actually watch her put any on. Sarah gave him some directions but Al ended up doing a terrible job. He put on way to much eye shadow, some of the mascara ended up on his nose, and he didn't get all of the lipstick on his lips.

Sarah patted him on the shoulder after he was done. "There, that isn't too bad for a first time." She smiled at him in the mirror and Al couldn't help but smile back. How he wanted to wipe that smile off her pretty little face.

The readouts on the computer were going down now. Heart rate was at 100; respiration was almost back to normal. His stress rate was at 190; still high but showing signs of improvement. It was time to proceed with the next step.

"Come with me Joe. It's time we find out the TRUTH about you." Al stood up to follow her out of the bedroom.

"Oh, I'm sorry about the lack of shoes," she told him opening up the door. "I didn't have time to buy any high heels in your size. Besides, I didn't see a need to spend good money on shoes you would only wear once."

Al was relieved over the doctor's last sentence; at least he wouldn't have to repeat this experiment again. He couldn't have been more wrong about anything else.

***

Chapter 7 - And the truth shall set you free

Gerald was standing in the hallway as they walked out.

"Hi gorgeous!" he said with a smirk. Then he started laughing uncontrollably at Al. Inside the private detective was embarrassed and angry. He wanted to strike out and teach this asshole a thing or too. Sarah noticed Al's stress level increase on the computer screen.

"Now Gerald," she told him. "Joe is our guest and needs to be treated with respect... no matter how he's dressed. However Joe, I feel we need to give you a new name - something to match the way you look. We'll take care of that after we start our chat. Lets go down into the living room where we can talk."

Sarah led the way followed by Al and then Gerald, who was still snickering with delight. Al took a seat on the couch across from his two captors.

"Let's begin Joe." Sarah flashed him a quick smile. She was enjoying herself. "What is your real name?"

"I told you. It's Joe Smith, just like my ID says."

"I'm sorry, but I really don't believe you." She smiled at him like someone who had the upper hand and knew it. "I see we're going to have to do it my way. Ekala! You will speak only the truth whenever you are asked a question. You will only answer my questions in a calm manner. Ekala! Now, what's your real name mister?"

Al felt a slight burning in his neck. "My name is - Al Parker."

'What the hell?' He had planned to say Joe Smith just as before, not his real name.

"I see," Sarah replied with big smile. "So Al -- how about we call you Alice instead? You look more like an Alice to me."

The private investigator felt his ears burn from shame and embarrassment. When he was a young boy, a much bigger and older kid had once called him Alice. The older kid had paid for his mistake with a bloody nose. Al wanted to do the same thing to Dr. Jensen right now.

"I hate that name so don't call me that again." Al was surprised at how rude he was able to sound despite her command to remain calm. Perhaps they hadn't worked all the bugs out yet?

Sarah looked over at him with a frown. "I see we need to help our friend here concerning manners Gerald. Ekala! You will no longer be rude or short tempered with Gerald or myself again. You will only answer our questions in a nice, calm, civil manner. You will like your new name and answer to it until we give you another name. Your new name for now is Alice. Ekala! Now, what do you think of your new name Alice?"

"Oh, I love it Dr. Jensen. Thank you for picking it out." Inside Al cringed at what he was saying. What had happened to him while he had been asleep? Did they plant some sort a mind control device in the back of his neck that was making him tell the truth? Well, he would try this again.

"Okay Alice, how old are you?"

"I'm twenty...I'm twenty-two," he replied and then cursed. He had wanted to lie and tell them he was 23 years old. There had to be a way around this control of theirs.

"Very good Alice." Dr. Jensen stopped to observe the readouts on the computer before continuing. "Now Alice, I want you to answer my next questions carefully. Where are you from, why were you in an orphanage, and when did you run away?

"I was born in Kansas City. My parents were killed in a car crash when I was 2 and I was sent to Saint Mary's orphanage. When I was 13, I managed to run away and have been on the run ever since."

'BINGO!' Al said to himself. For the first time since this nightmare experiment had begun he had hope. What he had told her was in fact true and yet -- it didn't reflect what the real truth was. Yes, he had run away from St. Mary's when he was 13, only to be caught 3 days later and sent back there. But that period was a defining point in his life. From that moment on Al always felt like he was still running to get away from that place. It was one of the reasons he had enlisted in the Army when he was only 17 years old.

At St. Mary's, Al had been a master at deceit. He could spit out facts which, while true, misled people so they'd believe something that was totally false. It was like telling everyone your Uncle was in prison but then not mentioning he was also the warden. In the army this skill had served him well and with the help of others, he had managed to fine-tune his methods.

So that was the way around this control of theirs. As long as they didn't ask him specific questions such as his name or age, he was free to mislead them with facts. He wasn't actually lying to them, was he?

"It sounds like you've had a hard life." Sarah said, trying to sound sympathetic but not doing a very good job at it. "So, no living relatives you can visit? No living brothers or sisters that you know of?"

"As I told you, none. I was an only child." Al didn't mention that he thought of Tom as a brother. He didn't have to since she hadn't specified if he felt like he had a brother. Gerald asked the next question.

"How did you get onto our property without setting off the alarm?"

"I was able to climb a tree and use a branch to get past the top of the wall. Then I used a rope to lower myself to the ground." Al left out how he was planning to get out.

Gerald wasn't happy with Al's answer. He was in charge of security and it was his job to ensure everything was safe and secure. Yet a $100,000 security system had been breached because he had allowed a tree branch to grow over the wall. So damn simple and yet...he had failed to see it coming. Well, he would fix that problem.

But something else puzzled Gerald. Why hadn't the heat sensors picked the transient up when he was over the top of the wall? Unknown to Al, the Security Company had also imbedded some heat sensors in the wall and they had a much longer range. Then Gerald remembered there had been a lot of snowfall that night.

'The snow must have blocked the heat coming off this transient's body long enough for him to get across. Damn it,' he swore to himself. 'He should have realized this would be a problem. How often did it snow here anyway? To damn much! This bum's answers didn't reflect well on his ability to keep things safe and secure. It made him look like a fool, and in front of Dr. Jensen.' Gerald didn't like being made a fool of. This Al Parker was going to pay for his sins when he got him alone. Sarah could see what Gerald was thinking.

'Well, too bad,' she thought to herself. It was good to see Gerald's ego broken down a little from time to time. It also gave her something to hold over him and the worst thing about it for Gerald was, he knew it. She smiled inwardly and turned back to her guest to ask another question.

***

The two of them questioned Al for over an hour but fortunately didn't find out what he really was doing there. The private detective had been able to twist about 50% of the truth around to make them believe his original cover story. After they were done, Gerald led him back to the lab. A few minutes later Sarah appeared carrying something.

"Here, you can't sleep in that outfit tonight. I got you something a little more comfortable to wear. Take off the dress, slip, pantyhose..." Oh, what the hell, she wasn't a cruel person, "and the bra Alice. Then put on this nightie while I fix you something to help you sleep."

Sarah noticed his stress level, which had been averaging around 150, take a jump on the computer. It really was amazing to watch him follow her instructions so calmly while knowing at the same time that he was like a boiling volcano inside.

Rested after his last battle, Al resisted the best he could. After stripping off the doctor's clothes, he picked up the black, silky nightgown she had given him to wear. Inside his mind was screaming, "no!" while on the outside he was calm and collective. His hands placed the nightgown over his head.

'Damn it -- listen to me you stupid body. It's me, your brain. Stop, stop, STOP!' Al felt so helpless as his hands reached into the sleeves and a moment later the nightgown slid down his body just like it was supposed to.

"Oh good," Sarah observed. "It's not too small on you. I was afraid it wouldn't fit since you're slightly bigger then me. I hope it's not too snug, that's the biggest nightie I own."

"It fits fine," he purred back at her. "And so pretty - I love it. Thank you for letting me borrow it Dr. Jensen." Inside Al died a thousand deaths.

Sarah flashed him a smile while keeping an eye on the computer readings that were going wild again. "You're welcome Alice. I want to help you with your process in any way I can. Now, take this pill and swallow it like a good girl. It'll help you sleep through the night. You need to be well rested since tomorrow is going to be a very busy day for us."

'What the hell is she planning to do to me tomorrow?' Al wanted to know. He swallowed the pill as commanded and got into bed.

"Good night Alice," Dr. Jensen said while turning off the light and closing the door. She checked to make sure it was locked and dismissed Gerald for the night. Then she sat down at her desk and began printing out the results. It took over an hour.

***

"Tom!" The voice on the other ended sounded very worried. "This is Sally. Have you seen or heard from Al in the past few days?"

"No Sally, not for some time," replied Tom. 'Damn, she's worried about him too.'

"Well I haven't either. Al was supposed to be back by now but he isn't. I haven't seen or heard from him in four days. That's not like him."

Tom sat up in his chair. "Back? Back from where Sally? Did he tell you where he was going?"

"No. He called me on Tuesday at work to say he was going out of town and would be back this morning. He didn't tell me where he was going, only that he had been hired to do a job for someone he referred to as Mr. W. I'm really worried Tom, he should have called me by now if he was going to be delayed."

Tom realized that his partner had to be in some kind of trouble. If nothing else, he knew that Al would have given Sally a call by now.

'Damn it Al,' Tom swore to himself. 'Why didn't you tell someone where you were going.

"Don't worry Sally," Tom said in his normal voice to try and calm her down. "I'll go over and check his apartment right now. I'm sure he's okay. Probably got hung up somewhere and forgot to call you. You know how Al is sometimes. Look, I'll give you a call as soon as I find out what's going on, okay?"

"Please do that Tom," the distraught female pleaded to him. "I don't think I can sleep tonight without knowing he is safe."

"Don't worry Sally. Al knows how to take care of himself. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Tom hung up the phone. Now he was deeply worried. Al was the closest thing to a family that he had. No, he was family! Tom grabbed his friend's apartment key and headed out the door; wishing he hadn't waited so long.

***

Chapter 8 - Final Checks and Dead ends

It was another late night for Sarah Jensen but she didn't mind. The doctor was used to working long hours and in this case it wasn't really work to her. Sarah loved doing research and tonight she had learned so much. The results from the experiment were very promising and showed that she could now proceed with the next step.

While Al had been asleep the first time, Sarah had injected two serums into the back of his brain. One of them was the behavior serum, which had worked extremely well. She figured that it would from past subjects she had injected however, this was the first time she had used it to control someone who was 100% uncooperative and it went off without a hitch. Tomorrow she would trigger the physical serum and study those results. They promised to be just as interesting The doctor walked over to the two-way mirror and stared at her test subject sleeping soundly in his bed. Sarah would have liked to given him one last night as a man before tomorrow but that just wasn't possible. Doing so would have involved bringing someone in from the outside or satisfying him herself. Well, Sarah couldn't allow someone in for security reasons and she made it a point to never get emotionally involved with any of her subjects.

"Oh well, I guess he'll have to live with his memories," she spoke to herself. "If he has any that is?" Besides, there would be far better memories when the subject was ready for his first sexual encounter as the new person she was going to turn him into. The doctor wondered if the real Jennifer had been experienced or not. It would be fun to see how she would react to the situation, as a virgin or a young woman with experience.

***

Tom had torn the apartment apart and came up with very little. Al's computer indicated that he had last checked out the Union Pacific Railroad web page but for what purpose Tom didn't know. Several messages waiting on Al's answering machine indicated he had been gone since Wednesday evening. Even more frustrating was the fact Tom couldn't find anything on this "Mr. W" Al had mentioned to Sally.

But it was what Tom didn't find that worried him. Al had a box of old clothes he kept in his closet for special night work and they were gone. That could only mean Al was doing some sort of undercover work and if he got caught? Tom decided he had better start checking the hospitals next.

***

Gerald walked into the room and pulled Al out of the bed. "Time to get up gorgeous," he told Al. The bodyguard gave the other man an evil smile; the type one gets just before something bad happens to them. "Use the bathroom and step outside."

Al obediently stepped over to the toilet and lifted up the nightgown. The extent to which they were able to control his movements frightened him. This was some kind of evil experiment and he didn't want to stick around to see how it ended. He finished what he needed to do and stepped into the lab. Sarah Jensen was at her desk looking down at the laptop computer. Gerald was nowhere to be found.

"Good morning Alice," she said with almost no emotion in her voice. "We're ready to begin the next phase of our experiment. I need you to get totally undressed. Once you are done, I want you to stand straight and look only at me."

Al did as he was told. The room was chilly but he was happy to be out of the nightgown and panties she had forced him to wear. He wondered what this mad doctor was going to do to him next. He didn't have to wait long to find out.

***

Tom sat at his desk going through all of Al's files. He was looking for someone his partner had worked for or knew whose first or last name started with the letter "W". There were a number of people in his files that matched that criteria.

Checking the hospitals had been a waste of time. In one case he'd driven over an hour only to find out that it wasn't Al lying in the hospital bed, but some other poor, as yet, unidentified man. Another dead-end. No one had seen or heard from his friend in over four days.

Sally was beside herself and Tom ended up spending the rest of the night at her apartment trying to calm her fears. If things didn't pick up soon he was going to have to file a missing person on Al with the police. But there were still a few things he could check out before that happened.

***

Chapter 9 -- Two + Two = Five

The readouts on the computer were going crazy. Sarah had never seen them so high before with any of her other test subjects. But then, they had been willing up to this point. She issued the next command.

Ekala! Facial modification and hair modifications. 2749726. Ekala! Al braced himself for what would happen next. He knew things were happening to his body but not what or why. Since this all began he was now several inches shorter and the hair on his chest, arms, and legs had disappeared.

Things in the room began to get fuzzy and for a moment the private detective thought he might pass out. This time there was a sensation around his face, as if it was being pulled in different directions only from the inside. It wasn't painful, just a strange tugging feeling against his skin. There was also a pulling sensation around the top and back part of his head. It felt like his hair was shooting out of his head with tremendous speed. After a few moments the tugging stopped and Al regained his senses. What he felt scared the hell out of him. Before his hair had been cut short in a military fashion. Now he could feel the sensation of long hair lying on his bare shoulders and back.

What the hell had happened? If only he could turn his head just slightly to look in the mirror next to him. Instead all he could do was remain perfectly still like a statue while this mad doctor did whatever it was she was doing to him. But what the hell was her plan? Al began to worry that what had happened the previous night was a prelude to something even more terrible this morning.

Sarah saw the expression on his...her face. Well, it was time to let Mr. Parker know what was really going on.

"Okay Alice, I think I've kept you in the dark long enough. Turn around and look at yourself in the mirror."

The young man did as he was commanded and got the shock of his life. What he saw were the makings of a beautiful woman, with long dark hair, and pretty, facial features staring back at him. The problem was, it was 'him'!

Before the doctor had started, she had given Al limited free speech in case he needed to tell her about any pain he felt. But for the moment he couldn't find the words to speak. How could this be happening? How was any of this possible? Then Al remembered.

'"Genetic research!" Those were the words she had used. 'Oh my God, what have I stumbled onto?'

"What...What are you doing to me? Why do I look this way?" Al couldn't take his eyes off the image of the girl he now knew to be him.

"I guess you have a right to know," Dr. Jensen started out slowly. "In case you haven't realized it, I'm changing you into a female; in this case, an 18 year old female. You see, I needed to find out some things about the serums I've been working on. It's just not possible under normal testing conditions. So, I took the DNA from a young woman and incorporated it into your system. By the end of the day you will 'be her'. In fact, I picked up several outfits yesterday based on the measurements she wrote in her profile. They should fit you quite well." Sarah stopped to let this all sink in before continuing.

"I know all this comes as a shock and sounds painful. Don't worry, it won't hurt you at all. As for what happens next? After your transition, you will become my personal maid. I may have plans for you in the future but not right away. I'll pay you of course and make sure all your needs are met. You will learn responsibility and in time I know you will accept your current position. It really isn't that bad Alice dear."

Al couldn't believe his eyes or his ears. He was going to be *trapped* as a...as a woman. And be a maid for how long...the rest of his life? He was going wear women's clothes and makeup like any other female? And not only would he look and dress like a woman, but he would act like one as well? And everyone he met would accept him as if he was a naturally born female?

'Oh God no, don't let it be so. Let this nightmare end now,' he prayed.

"No please, I don't want to become a girl. I can't live like this. Please, change me back to the way I was...please. Don't do this to me. I'll do anything you ask of me but please don't change me into this woman!" Dr. Jensen suddenly became very angry.

"Change you BACK? WHY? So you can become a 'useless leach' on society again?" Sarah took a deep breath to control her anger. This person would have taken her most precious possessions without a second thought for her feelings if luck hadn't played a part in all this. Yet now he, no, she was asking Sarah to consider her feelings when she wasn't able to consider those around her. How many other poor victims would this 'dirtbag' hurt just to satisfy her own selfish needs? How many would be injured by her lack of respect for others? And yet she had the nerve to beg to be turn back.

Sarah was beginning to realize how angry she was over catching this thief. She had worked hard to earn what she had and many of the things this thief was going to steal were her only link to a family now long gone. All this anger had been building up inside her for some time and now it was trying to work its way out. No, she had to calm down. This wasn't about revenge after all; this was about doing research. She took another deep breath and continued.

"I'm keeping you out of jail young man. If I did let you go sooner or later you'd get caught again and then my tax dollars would be used to support you in prison. Instead, I'm giving you a chance to do something useful with your life and serve a need of mine. Besides, it's too late to turn back now. If I tried your nervous system wouldn't survive the transition back. The only option we have left is to continue so..."

The doctor cut Al off before he could reply. "Ekala! Voice modification. 427681. Ekala!" Al felt a burning in his neck. It was like having a sore throat only his vocal cords seemed to be repositioning themselves. Then the burning stopped as quickly as it had begun.

"Now, how do you feel Alice?" Sarah asked.

"How do I feel? I feel like..." Al stopped in mid-sentence. He was talking but the voice he heard wasn't his own. It was so soft and sweet and so...so feminine.

'Oh God, no!' he thought. Now he was not only beginning to look like a woman but sound like one too. Al realized he was slowly being put to death, that each command was replacing his former male self with this other woman's DNA - and so far he was powerless to do anything about it.

"You have a very sexy voice Alice," the doctor said smiling. "It's going to drive all the men crazy."

"You bitch!" Al said in a crude but calm voice. "I'll get you for this. I may not look or sound like myself, but I'm still Al Parker inside and you can't change that. The first chance I get you and that well-dressed gorilla will pay for this. Do you hear me, you will PAY!"

Suddenly it dawned on Al that he had actually been able to raise his voice back at her. Not only that, the control to do as they command seemed weaker.

'Is the drug wearing off?' he wondered?

Dr. Jensen didn't notice the slight loss of control. Instead she looked at him with a weak smile and shook her head.

"There, there now. Threatening people like that isn't very lady-like. I see we need to help you out some. Ekala! You will speak and converse in a happy, feminine manner at all times. Your tonal inflections will be feminine, ladylike, or girlish as the situation dictates. You will not refer to your transformation or speak of anything that has happen to you starting from the time you arrived at my home unless given specific permission to speak your true mind. From now on you will only use the mannerism of a young woman. Ekala! Now, how do you feel Alice?"

"I feel...fine Doctor Jensen. Thank you for asking." It took a moment for the words to come out which Al had fought hard not to say. There was a sense of relief knowing the behavior serum wasn't as strong as it had been a few minutes before. If Al could get control of his body for five minutes he could set the record straight. For now he little option but to play along until the time was right.

"Very good Alice," the doctor said. She seemed generally pleased with his progress. "Now, I have a surprise I've been saving for you. Since you don't like your current name, I'm going to issue you a new one. Actually you should react well to it. It's the name of the person who's DNA sample we are using. Are you ready for me to tell you?"

Before Al had a chance to answer Sarah spoke out the dreaded key word which had turned his world upside-down. "Ekala! From now on you will respond only to your new name. You will not respond or refer to your old name, Al Parker, at any time or to your current name, Alice. You will only refer to yourself and respond to your new name. Your new name is Jennifer Lynnette Anderson. Ekala! Now, please tell me your full name."

Suddenly Al changed his mind about playing along. The thought of saying his new name was unbearable to him. To do so would be like admitting he was no longer Al Parker. He placed his name in his mind. 'My name is Al Parker. Say it out loud. Let her know who you really are.' But what came out of his mouth was very different.

"My name is Jennifer Lynnette Anderson." Al's heart dropped, he hadn't even been thinking his new name.

"Very good Jennifer," Sarah said with pride. "You're doing very well. By tonight the old person you used to be will no longer be there." She paused for a moment. "Don't worry Jennifer, you'll still have your old memories and be able think whatever you want. All my serum does is help you along so you'll continue to be a happy, normal young woman. Soon you'll want to dress and act as a young lady all the time. You will become a new member of society, one that gives and no longer takes. And in time you will give!" she added with a wink.

'How dare she?' Al thought angrily. What right did she have to decide who was fit to be a member of society and who wasn't? This wasn't about just getting even anymore. Someone had to stop her before...before what? What was the real plan here? What was he missing? Sarah's calm voice knocked him back into reality.

"Well Jennifer, I see we need to work on your mannerisms and movements. You still stand like Mr. Parker. Let's fix that. Ekala! You will perform all physical moments and mannerisms as a young lady would. You will move, sit, stand, eat and conduct yourself in all physical aspects as a young lady would. Ekala!"

Almost instantly Sarah noticed a change in the way the younger woman had been standing. So straight and proper, someone had taught her well. To bad she couldn't activate the real Jennifer's memory. But Dr. Jensen was still years away from accomplishing that.

"Let's try walking Jennifer. I want you to go over to my desk."

Al did as he was commanded, walking very gracefully in the process.

'She's such an attractive young woman,' Sarah thought to herself. 'I wonder how Gerald will react to her?'

"Well Jennifer, it's time for you to get dressed. We have a busy day ahead of us."

She picked up a bag from the chair. "Inside this bag you will find your underwear and makeup. Don't worry, in a moment I will issue a command that will help you understand how to get dressed and properly apply your makeup. After you are done we can start on your other training. Are you ready? Ekala!.."

***

Chapter 10 - Lost souls

Tom watched the sun rise from his office window. He wondered if Al was still alive to see it. After missing for almost five days, Tom knew his friend's chances were slim. But he wasn't ready to give up hope yet. There had to be something he had missed or overlooked.

On his desk was a list of people he was going to visit that day. Maybe one of them would know where his partner was or at least give him a clue as to what was going on. Either way, it was a lousy way to spend Christmas Eve. As Tom studied the list carefully he didn't know that there was one name missing from it; that name was Klein Walker.

***

Al followed the doctor from the lab to the kitchen. On the way they passed close to the front door. How he desperately wanted to use the door to escape from this mad house. But the doctor had issued him a command so he couldn't leave the house unless told to do so. Dr. Jensen had assured him that in time he would be allowed out on the grounds and even the freedom to go into town alone. But for now, he would have to be happy being able to roam the house freely.

Gerald was at the table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper when they walked in. The look on his face was priceless. He had seen the procedure done several times before but none of the other volunteers had been as attractive as this one. He observed her long, dark hair, her pretty face, and her sexy legs. It was hard to believe that a couple of hours ago this had been a smelly, ragged young man. He was dressed in a black dress that went down below his knees.

'That's too bad,' Gerald thought. She had the legs to show off. The dress she wore was really something a middle-aged woman like Dr. Jensen would wear, not a young and sexy 18-year-old girl. The only item that could have been considered sexy about Jennifer's outfit were the two-inch heels that she wore. Maybe he could change that.

"Gerald, I would like to you to meet Jennifer Anderson, our new maid," Sarah introduced them as if they were meeting for the first time. "Jennifer, this is Gerald Rogers. If you have any questions Gerald is the person to ask."

"Hello Jennifer," Gerald said in his most charming voice. "It's going to be a pleasure working with you."

Al blushed. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rogers."

'Damn!' He was acting like some kind of love-struck teenager when deep down inside he hated this asshole. When would this nightmare end?

"Please, call me Gerald. And like Sarah said, if you're not sure about something, please let me know." Gerald gave her a charming smile, which caused Al to blush again in embarrassment.

Sarah interrupted the moment. "Jennifer, I'm sure you must be hungry. Why don't you show us your cooking skills and fix us some breakfast."

"Yes Dr. Jensen." Al smiled obediently and went to work making them bacon and eggs. In a few minutes he had whipped up an excellent meal for all of them.

"This is very good Jennifer," Gerald said after they finished eating. "You're going to make someone a great wife!"

Al blushed again but inside was insulted by Gerald's latest comment; one that he knew was really meant as a cheap shot about his current situation. How could things get any worse? But he knew they would if he didn't find a way out soon. There were still parts of his manhood left but by tonight they would be gone for good. That didn't leave him much time. He had to find a way to break this control and soon.

While all this was going on Sarah sat and observed how Gerald reacted to her newest creation. Her bodyguard disliked a number of different types of people, Africa-Americans, Jews, and gays especially. It was hard to see Gerald as a bigot since he could be so charming to anyone when he needed to be but Sarah knew that he was. Gerald had a bigoted dislike for certain groups of people and felt superior to them, although he didn't openly show it very often. It was for this reason Sarah had worried a little about what Gerald's reaction to seeing Jennifer would be. After all, Jennifer had at one time been a man just like him. That would put Jennifer on the same level as a gay, drag queen in Gerald's eyes. Sarah was glad to see her bodyguard was reacting well to her new test subject. What she didn't pick up was that behind the charm, Gerald was plotting his revenge against this outsider who had made him look like a fool in front of the doctor.

"Jennifer, I want you to clean up the dishes and put them away. Then Gerald will show you to your room so you can freshen up. After you're done, I want you to report to my office so I can go over your duties with you."

She gave the Gerald a quick nod and left the room. The bodyguard sat there staring at the young girl picking up the dishes.

'God, if only you weren't really a guy!' he thought to himself. 'How much fun I could have with you. He needed to fix his hair and wear some sexier clothes but other than that he was beautiful. Any man who didn't know what he really was would want him.'

Al was aware of the other man's staring but couldn't do anything about it. Instead he gave him a flirting smile as he cleaned everything up. It felt so natural to do so, even if it did go against every desire he had inside him. Quickly the new maid finished with the dishes so he could be shown to his new room and hopefully, left alone for a few minutes.

His bedroom was located down a short hallway not too far from the kitchen. It was actually a mini apartment that was made up of two rooms. One of them was the bedroom, which had a small, private bathroom off to one side. The other was a living room, where he could entertain visitors.

'I guess I won't have much use for that room,' he told himself.

"I'll wait in here while you fix your hair and freshen up," Gerald told her. "When you're done come and get me."

The new maid walked into his new bedroom and closed the door. Alone, he tried to speak out the key word but "EK" was the only thing he could get out. That was better than last night. He couldn't even make an "E" sound when trying to say the word.

Next Al tried writing out the key word. To his surprise, he was able to write it out with very little resistance. There were more things he wanted to try but the growing desire to work on his hair finally won out and he found himself sitting down at the makeup table and picking up a brush. However it didn't bother him. Now he had hope, something he didn't have an hour earlier.

It took 20 minutes for Al to fix his hair and apply his makeup. When he walked back into the living room Gerald was sitting on a couch watching TV. As he looked up Al noticed a strange look appear on his face. It was a look of interest.

'She's so beautiful,' Gerald thought. He wanted to take her right there and then. Then he got a hold of his senses. WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING? This was a guy standing there and even after the transition was complete, this person would always be a guy inside. He could never be interested in someone like her. And yet Gerald couldn't convince his body what his mind knew. She looked so inviting.

"You look much better Jennifer. Lets go see Dr. Jensen and find out what she has in store for you today." Gerald watched her stroll out the door in a feminine manner.

'Man, it was going to be hard to resist her,' he said to himself.

***

"Are you sure about this?" Klein Walker asked the question again. Al Parker was now two days overdue and the crime boss was not a patient man. When Al had failed to call him Saturday evening, he had sent two of his men over to his apartment to find out why. Their report didn't make him very happy.

"Yes sir I am. We watched his apartment last night and saw his partner, Tom McClain, go inside and search it. After Mr. McClain left, I told Harry to continue watching the apartment while I followed him around. I'll spare you all the details Mr. Walker; the bottom line is he's tearing up the town trying to find his partner. No one has seen or heard from Al Parker since he left town, not even his girlfriend. I also checked with my friend down at the station. The Salt Lake Police haven't picked him up either. It's as if he's just disappeared into thin air."

The tall man stopped talking for minute then decided to ask the question anyway. "Do you think he took the money and ran?"

"Are you kidding, for a GRAND? No way! Even if he decided to take the money and run he would have taken his girlfriend with him."

"Then he must have been caught and someone is holding him, other than the police that is."

"Are you sure the Salt Lake Police don't have him?" Klein asked one more time.

"Absolutely," the tall man replied.

'Then the people at the lab must have him,' Klein deduced. 'Great! Just fucking great! Now he would have to wait at least a year before trying anything like this again. Not to mention finding out what changes they made to the security system during that time. All that boiled down to more money he would have to pay out to get the information he needed.' The fact that Al Parker had most likely paid for this mistake with his own life didn't matter to Klein. All that mattered now was the money he would lose over this, both real and potential.

***

Chapter 11 - One small step to freedom

It was already starting to get dark outside as Al cleaned the big living room window. Dr. Jensen had given him a list of things to do such as fix meals, change the beds, clean the bathrooms, and dusting. At first Gerald followed him around to every place he went but after an hour he got bored and only checked on him occasionally. It was during these times of being alone, that Al worked on saying the code word out loud.

The behavior control serum was definitely getting weaker. He was able to spell out the code word without any trouble at all. Even better, he was able to say "EKAL". In time he would be free of this control but time was one thing he didn't have a lot of. If he didn't get full control of his mind soon it would be too late.

Al wondered if resisting further commands would speed up this process. No, if he did that they would know and any chance of escape would be gone. It wasn't time to panic yet. He put the vacuum away and went to the kitchen to fix dinner, the last meal he would have to cook for them. In a few hours he would be either be free...or dead.

***

What happened to Al Parker may not have mattered to Klein but it certainly did to Tom. He had talked to five people that day that knew or had worked with Al recently. None of them had been of any help.

"Damn it Kiddo, where are you?" Tom said out loud when he got inside the car. "Kiddo" was his nickname for Al.

A few more places, a few more leads. If Tom didn't find anything soon he would have to report Al's disappearance to the police. Not that they would find anything more than what he did, which up to this point was zip.

"Why didn't you tell someone where you were going?" Tom said to himself. He was beginning to lose hope of finding his friend alive. The more time that passed, the worse his friend's chances became.

***

Dinner lasted longer then normal as Sarah talked about past Christmas's she had had with her family. Al stared at the coming storm brewing outside the house. A warm front had moved in temporarily raising the outside temperature just above freezing. The weatherman was calling for a bad thunderstorm followed by dropping temperatures and heavy snow. Already he could hear the thunder crashing outside and see the lighting flashing through the window. But his mind wasn't on the storm; it was on Sally.

Al should have been home with Sally by now, trading Christmas gifts and having a romantic evening in her arms. He had planned it all out. Right about now he would have been asking her to marry him. To hear her say 'yes' would have made him the happiest man in the world. But he wanted to buy an expensive engagement ring and didn't have anything saved up. That was why he'd taken this crazy job. And that was why he was in this situation. He had been such a fool thinking it would be easy breaking into such a place. He had screwed up royally and he was now paying the ultimate price.

Sarah's voice brought him back to reality. "Jennifer, why don't you clean up the dishes while I finish wrapping up a few little details in my lab. We should be ready to proceed with your final process after that. I'm sure you'll be much happier once we complete your transition."

"Yes doctor, I can't wait." Al now had enough of his control back to say what was really on his mind but held it in check. It wasn't time to tip his hand yet. The question was, should he just run away and get help or pay them back first and then escape? He couldn't take the risk. Once he told a few others what was going on here, there would always be time to come back and get his revenge on both the doctor and Gerald.

"Here Jennifer, let me help," said Gerald as he picked up some dirty plates. Sarah almost fainted in disbelief. Gerald had never offered to help with the dishes before. Maybe being around Jennifer would do him some good after all.

Al didn't want his help, what he really wanted was 30 seconds to unlock the back door and escape over the wall. Then he would use his army training to escape capture and make his way to the nearest telephone. After that, he wasn't sure, but for his plan to work he needed 30 seconds without Gerald hanging all over him.

Gerald didn't know why he was doing this. He knew who Jennifer was and yet it didn't seem to matter. Soon she would be a total woman, at least on the outside. Did it really matter what this person thought inside? His mind kept saying yes, that he should feel uncomfortable about her and yet he didn't feel that way. Instead it felt so natural being around her. He didn't know why and he didn't know what to do about it. Should he fight his desires or give into them? Would giving in mean he was gay? He didn't know. All he knew was he was physically attracted to her...no him...no her. 'Damn it! It could drive a person crazy trying to figure it all out.'

After the dishes where put away he asked Jennifer to go into the living room with him. "My neck really hurts. How about giving me a neck rub honey?" he asked.

"Sure sweetheart," Al purred back at him. "Sit down here on the couch."

'Right next to this big, heavy lamp,' Al added to himself. 'But not so heavy that I can't pick it up and swing it.'

Gerald did as he asked and Al started to rub his thick, muscular neck. If only he had the strength to snap it. He had to restrain himself from trying - the lamp would be good enough for now.

"Now, close your eyes and lay back sugar," Al cooed to him sweetly. "I want you to relax while I work the tension out of your body."

'And in a minute you're going to meet my friend, Mr. Lamp, and by the time you wake up I'll be over that wall and long gone,' he added silently.

Once Al felt Gerald was totally in his power he made his move. First he positioned his body closer to Gerald's head while removing one of his hands from his neck. His perfume distracted the bodyguard from realizing he now had a free hand. Al noticed the smile on his face as he caught the perfume's sweet aroma. With his free hand he grabbed the lamp and dragged it closer to him.

"You're such an attractive man Gerald - I have a special surprise for you."

Quickly Al grabbed the lamp with both hands and swung it with all his might. It happened so fast that Gerald didn't have time to react. The lamp hit him squarely on the side of his head and knocked him to the floor. Somehow Gerald managed not to pass out. Al didn't wait for him to get up; he dropped what was left of the broken lamp and headed for the front door and freedom.

***

Chapter 12 - Road blocks

Al came so close. He was less then a few steps away from the door when Doctor Jensen shouted out, "Jennifer! Where are you going?"

Ignoring the doctor's question, Al reached for the door handle only to hear a loud thud before he was able to turn the knob. He tugged on the door handle a few times but it was frozen and wouldn't turn.

'What happened?' Al asked himself. He turned and got his answer. Dr. Jensen had pulled from her pocket a small remote control device that could be used to turn on the security system from anywhere in the house. The doors couldn't be unlocked until the system was reset at the main control or-an idea popped into the detective's head. Al turned and ran right at the doctor who was standing between him and the hallway.

"Ekala! You will stop running and stand still. Ekala!" the doctor shouted out with fear in her voice. Al felt a slight burning in the back of his neck and a strong desire to do as he was commanded but pushed it away. Running as hard as he could, Al ran straight into Sarah and knocked her to the floor not far from where Gerald was trying to get up. He was now totally free of their mind-control.

He ran down the long hallway, past the lab, to a small closet where the electrical box was located. The security system may have been the top of the line but it was totally useless without power. Al swung open the fuse box door and with all his might pulled out the main breaker. Immediately the hallway went dark and then an emergency light kicked on, providing just enough light to see where he was going. There was an outside door located near the closet; Al tried the knob only to find it wouldn't turn. How could the system still be operating without power? It wasn't possible unless.

Al ran back to the lab door and discovered the green ready light was still shining out from the palm reader panel. A wave of despair came over him. The security system must be located on a separate circuit. Most likely its electrical box was located inside the locked lab. Al kicked the panel in anger, causing sparks to fly from it and lighting up the hallway like the 4th of July.

***

In the living room Dr. Jensen hovered over Gerald, checking to make sure he was all right. There was blood dripping down his face from a slight cut on his forehead but the real damage she realized was to his ego. She saw the deep anger in his eyes.

"Where is he?" the bodyguard asked with a slur, still not fully recovered from the blow he had taken.

"She ran down the hallway and a moment later the lights went off. I put the system on a level 2 alert so she won't be able to open up any doors or windows or use the phone."

Sarah knew Gerald understood what a level 2 alert was but explained it anyway since he was still rather groggy. A level 1 alert would have brought in the police.

"We have to find her Gerald before she finds a way out or causes any more trouble," Sarah said looking anxiously at her bodyguard.

"He won't get out, this house is like a fortress now," he replied back with certainty. His training kicked in. There was one way maybe.

"Stay here Doctor, I'll be right back." Gerald disappeared into the dark garage and a minute later returned with two flashlights. He handed one of them to Sarah.

"Does your computer still work?" he asked.

"Yes, but the sensors on Jennifer only have a range of about 20 feet and they don't work very well through walls," Sarah replied.

"That'll be good enough. It'll let us know when he's close. Let's go find him." Gerald led Sarah down the hallway.

***

Al, in the meantime, was starting to panic. Kicking in the panel hadn't released the door to the lab. He ran into the exercise room and closed the door behind him. There was no backup light in this room so it was pitch black except for the lightning flashing through the window.

He tried the window but it wouldn't budge. In desperation he picked up an exercise weight and threw it at the window with all his might. To his surprise, the weight broke the glass but bounced back into the room. Upon careful examination, Al discovered there were bars across the window. Even with the proper tools it would take at least an hour to cut through them. He didn't have the time or the tools to do the job. Sarah's voice rang out from the hallway.

"Come on out Jennifer, you can't get away." A moment of silence followed. "I promise, I won't let Gerald hurt you for what you did to him. I only want to complete your process to make you whole. You can't go through life the way you are. I promise it won't hurt at all. Now come on out Jennifer, lets not waste any more time."

A bolt of lightning lit up the room followed by a deafening thunderclap. The hard rain was making it impossible for Al to hear anyone walking outside the door. By now his panic had turned to despair. Every female emotion inside him wanted to break down and start crying -- to accept defeat. Tears began to form in his eyes.

'NO damn it, not yet.' He was still Al Parker, at least his mind and some parts of his body still were. He couldn't give up as long as there was still a chance of escaping.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Al tried to calm down and figure a way out of this predicament. Okay, he couldn't open any of the doors or windows as long as the security system was on; and there didn't seem to be a way to turn it off. That meant he had to bust his way through one of them. To do this he needed something bigger than these exercise weights, like a battering ram. Whatever he used, it would have to break through on the very first attempt. The mad doctor and her henchman would be on him before he had a chance to try again. But what had that much force that he could use?

A light went off in his head. The car! The doctor kept the keys to the car in the ignition. Right now the car was parked in the garage which was located on the other side of the house. If he could get to the car, he could smash through the garage door and ram the front gate. There was only one problem. He heard Sarah speak again.

"Come on out Jennifer, this is silly. You'll feel a lot better once we're done. There's no need to play this game of hide and seek; I saw what you did to the security panel. I'm not mad, I swear. I know you're just confused and angry but once we finish your transition you will feel a lot better. By waiting it's only making it harder on you. So come on out now Jennifer. Be a good girl and lets finish what we started without anymore problems."

"Why don't you just yell out the code phrase and finish the process?" Gerald whispered to her.

"Because," replied Sarah with a tone of annoyance, "I need to see the data when the transition happens. Something is very wrong here. Supposing I change her and as a result she dies because I'm not around to save her? Or she decides to kill herself? Or the code word doesn't work? I need to be there when this happens. Now lets find her fast, before something else happens." Gerald began searching the room right next to the one Jennifer was in.

The problem facing Al was Gerald and Dr. Jensen. It was unlikely they would let him run past them and Al knew he didn't have the strength to escape either one once they got their hands on him. He could think of only one way to get past them. Mentally he got ready for the game.

In high school, Al Parker had been a running back on the football team. In one game, he had scored the winning touchdown by running over two linemen near the goal line in the final seconds. Now he was in the same situation, only this time the prize wasn't six points -- it was his life. He wouldn't get a second chance at this.

Gerald moved to the next set of doors. It was possible Jennifer had gone upstairs using the back stairway but he thought this was unlikely. No, she would most likely try to stay close to the ground. Sarah touched his arm; the computer was picking up something. Jennifer was close by.

There were two doors remaining, one on each side of the hallway. Gerald chose the door to the weight room first. Al crouched down low behind the exercise bike as the door opened up. Lightning flashed and he saw Gerald's face as he looked around. In his mind he was ready. He heard the coach's voice yelling at her to hit them low and hard. The hard rain outside sounded like the cheering of hundreds of fans, urging him on to victory. For a moment he was back on the football field, reliving that last play of the game. Gerald stepped inside the room while the doctor waited in the hallway. He heard the word "hike" and sprung into action.

Gerald's weight was almost twice that of Al's so it wasn't a simple task of running over him. He had to use Gerald's weight to his advantage. Instead of coming at him head-on, Al hit him from the side. His charge, along with Gerald's weight, forced Gerald's body to move sideways and he fell over a weight bench. The blow also took its toll on Al and he came stumbling out of the room with only half the momentum he had started out with. That momentum carried him straight into Dr. Jensen who was clutching a computer in one hand and a flashlight in the other. Both ladies hit the wall hard and fell to the ground, only Al never stopped moving his feet. Before Sarah had a chance to grab anything he was already up and running for the garage. Gerald came out and stopped to help Dr. Jensen up.

"After her you fool. She's getting away," shouted the doctor.

"He won't get far," Gerald said with a confident smile. He grabbed the flashlight and walked quickly to the garage while Sarah followed in confusion.

***

Chapter 13 - False Hopes

He swung open the car door and jumped inside. "Please be there," he prayed.

His hand reached for the ignition and touched the keys. Yes, it was going to work. He was going to get away.

Quickly he turned the key and the starter moaned to life - and that was all it did. The car didn't start.

"Come on you piece of Junk!" Al tried again and once more the car refused to start.

"DAMN IT! START!" Al yelled as he pounded on the steering wheel in frustration. Once more he turned the key and once again the results were the same. The starter turned over but the motor wouldn't catch.

"Going some place Jennifer?" Sarah stood by the door looking down at her with a stern look.

"Not without these she's not doctor," said Gerald as he leaned over the door holding some wires.

"No. NO!" Al repeated as tried to start the car one more time.

"It's time Jennifer!" Doctor Jensen said crisply, as if she was talking to a lab animal. "Just relax, this won't hurt one bit."

"No, please don't do this," Al pleaded with tears in her eyes. "Please, stop what you're doing. No Pleaseeeee."

Sarah ignored the pleas. "Ekala! Breast and vaginal modification. 0000001. Ekala!"

Al became frozen in time. The behavior control may have been on the fritz but the modification serum was working just fine. A gentle tingling grew in his chest and he desperately wanted to rip his blouse open to look at what he knew was happening there. The tingling grew to sharp, pins and needles and Al thought he could just see the gentle outline of a nipple starting to show through his blouse. Inside he felt sick and no matter how hard he concentrated to stop the changes, the pins and needles grew in intensity. By now the twin bulges in his blouse were growing as the flesh inside it expanded.

The breasts, HIS breasts were forming and with every passing moment seemed to get larger and more pronounced. As hard as he tried, he couldn't scream or stop the changes happening.

A sharp, stabbing sensation in his groin almost reduced him to blind panic, and it was the change he had been dreading the most. He felt something withdraw into him and wave upon wave of mixed emotions overloaded his brain; half pleasure, half terror. In his mind he knew what was going on, even though he was powerless to stop it. He felt his limp, flaccid penis start to shrink inside itself, getting smaller and smaller as the flesh was reformed into his vagina. Al wanted to throw up in shock but that too was denied him by the control serum. Then it was over and Al had control over himself again.

His first feeling was that of utter disbelief. This couldn't really have happened. He touched his large breasts and felt a cool wave of excitement come over his body. The feeling soon turned to sickening horror as the consequences of what had just happened started to sink in.

'No, this wasn't happening! It has to be a bad dream,' Al screamed silently. He reached his hand underneath the skirt in the hopes that his penis was still there. He didn't find it. The look on his face told them everything.

"Congratulations Doctor, it's a girl!" Gerald announced with a smart-ass grin.

Al lost his temper. "You bitch! You killed me. You KILLED ME! Your experiment failed doctor. You may have turned me into a woman but I'm still Al Parker. You failed doctor. YOU FAILED! You can't control me anymore. You can't make me act the way you want me to act. Do you hear me DOCTOR? YOU FAILED! You will have to KILL me now but at least I can go to my grave knowing you are a FAILURE, that this whole damn experiment of yours DIDN'T WORK!"

"Dr. Jensen, is this so?" Gerald asked. He saw the cold look on Dr. Jensen's face and realized it was true. Jennifer words had hurt the doctor worse than the bruises she'd received a few moments ago. If there was one thing the doctor took seriously it was her work. It was her pride and joy and when something didn't go as planned, she always took it hard.

Sarah didn't speak for a moment. She thought about what could have gone wrong, about what was different with this experiment from the others. And just as important, could the problem be fixed? None of the other subjects had shown any kind of behavior problems like this before. Why was Jennifer different? Then it struck her. Of course!

"I made a...slight miscalculation Gerald," admitted Sarah. It was as close to saying 'I screwed up' as the doctor would come.

"Fortunately this problem can be fixed. Gerald, help Jennifer out of the car and to the lab. I need to make a slight modification."

Jennifer started to scream and kicked at Gerald but it was to no avail. He scooped her up like a baby doll and carried her to the lab.

***

Chapter 14 - The fix

Most people spent Christmas morning opening gifts and sharing warm moments with their loved ones. Tom McClain spent his morning filling out a missing person's report. It was a technicality since there wasn't anything for the police to go on. With no sign of foul play, Tom would be lucky if the detective assigned to the investigation would spend more then a few hours on the case. Most likely the detective would consider this a case of someone who left town to start a new life without telling anyone. So the report would be looked at and then filed as unsolved until someone brought something in that justified its re-opening. In a week everyone except Tom would forget about it. That meant it was up to him to find Al and bring him home.

The private investigator didn't have the money or time to do a full-scale search; he was barely making it as it was. But Tom made an oath that he would find out what happened to his friend no matter how long it took. There was still a chance he was alive although Tom couldn't convince himself that this could be true. He knew Al Parker was dead. Now he had to find out why.

***

Sarah Jensen sat at her desk going over some final notes on her report. It had been a busy week and in a few hours she would be on a plane headed towards a luxurious resort. It was going to be great to get away for a few days. Jennifer walked into the lab carrying a cup in her hands.

"I brought you some coffee doctor. I hope you don't mind."

"No, thank you Jennifer. I was just thinking how nice a cup of coffee would taste right now." She stared at Jennifer for a moment. How relaxed her maid appeared to be. Only her eyes seem to tell a different story. There was something haunted about them.

"Do you and Gerald have any plans for New Years Eve?" Sarah asked while taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh yes, he asked me to a party. I can't wait!" The excitement in Jennifer's voice seemed to bubble over. "I only wish I had something special to wear to the party. I haven't had the time to buy anything nice and well...I want to make a good impression on Gerald."

Sarah smiled warmly. "I understand Jennifer." There had been a time in her life when she had had a crush on a guy. It was refreshing to see the same type of reaction in Jennifer.

"Tell you what Jennifer. Why don't you knock off for the rest of today and go shopping for some new clothes. I still owe you $700 from our agreement last week and I'll give you an advance on your salary. That should be enough for you buy some nice outfits to wear."

"Oh, thank you Doctor Jensen. You don't know how much I appreciate this." Again, her eyes seem to be saying something different.

"You're welcome Jennifer. After Gerald drops me off at the airport the two of you can go shopping." She started to speak but Sarah stopped her. "I know you've come a long way this past week Jennifer, and you want to surprise Gerald with a new outfit for the party. But until you get your driver's license you need Gerald to drive you around. You understand my dear."

"Of course Dr. Jensen. It's okay. I enjoy spending time with Gerald. He's been so nice to me, even after I hurt him. I want to make it up to him...and to you."

"I know you do Jennifer. You've been trying very hard and it shows. I told you it would be easier once the process was finished. Now, run along and change into something else. Oh, and tell Gerald I want to see him."

"Yes Dr. Jensen." Jennifer walked out of the room with a special bounce in her step. The doctor sat there for a moment and thought about what Al Parker had to be feeling. Anger? Rage? You could never tell there was a struggle going on inside her mind. Turning back to her computer, Sarah started typing in some more notes only to be interrupted by Gerald a moment later.

"Good morning doctor. Jennifer said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I understand you and Jennifer have plans for this weekend."

"Nothing special. I'm meeting a few friends at Dewey's to celebrate the New Year. I'm taking Jennifer along to keep an eye on her since you won't allow me to keep her locked up anymore." Gerald made his disapproval of the doctor's decision known.

It had only been two days since Sarah had deemed it safe to allow Jennifer to move back into her own room. Up to that point she had been spending part of her days and all of her nights locked up in the observation room. Gerald was still uneasy about the doctor's decision to let her roam free.

"I told you Gerald, you don't need to worry about her anymore. This time the mind control serum will hold." Gerald looked at her with doubts.

Sarah sighed. "Okay, I screwed up last week. I knew the serum would start attaching itself permanently to his DNA after six hours. I should have realized that by changing his DNA into Jennifer's DNA the behavior serum would become weak and ineffective. As you can see, injecting her with the serum a second time has corrected the problem. I've also modified the serum so this won't happen again. If anything, it was a good learning experience."

"We got lucky doctor," Gerald said quietly

"Don't you think I know that," Sarah snapped back. "I make mistakes too. But this was one mistake I was able to correct. She won't give us anymore problems. Yes, we need to keep our eyes open and make sure we didn't miss anything. But even now, what can she really do about her situation. I have permanently made sure she can never tell anyone she was a man or let anyone know what really happened to her unless we instruct her too. Jennifer is fine Gerald. You need to stop treating her like a prisoner who needs to be watched every moment of the day and more like a member of our staff."

Sarah took a deep breath and continued. "I told her to take the afternoon off and go shopping for some clothes. She's really looking forward to your date."

"It's not a date doctor," Gerald replied back annoyed. "I told you I'm just taking her along to keep an eye on her, that's all."

"Well she sees it as a date. In any case, here's a thousand dollars. Make sure she buys everything on this list first. Anything left over can be spent on clothes. Make sure she gets at least two nice dresses."

"Great!" Gerald rolled his eyes. "I get to spend a entire day shopping with 'the freak'."

"Don't call her that!" Sarah replied back angrily. "Jennifer is a real woman, even if she didn't start that way. Try to forget what she did to you and treat her as if you just met. You may even find out that you like her company."

"Sure," Gerald replied back. He wasn't interested in a long-term relationship, especially with someone that had made a fool of him twice -- once by breaking into the house and the other by almost escaping. He couldn't wait for the doctor to leave on her trip. Payback for Jennifer would be a real bitch.

"Try!" Sarah said one more time. If Gerald had one weakness, it was his ego. "I'm going upstairs to finish packing. I need to leave within the hour." Dr. Jensen headed off to her bedroom leaving her bodyguard to lock up.

***

Chapter 15 - Small Breaks

Tom clicked the play button on Al's answering machine.

"Hi, this is Rob Davis from Precious Stones. We have your ring in Mr. Parker. Can you please give me a call today so we can arrange a time for you to pick it up? My number is...."

Tom wrote down the phone number on a scrap piece of paper. What ring was this man talking about? He checked the phone book and found the store wasn't that far away.

"Maybe this will be the break I need," Tom told himself as he left Al's apartment.

***

Gerald drove Jennifer to the local mall. He hadn't figured out how he was going to extract his revenge, only that it would be a long, slow, and sweet process. Every now and then he would look over and catch her staring at him. She would quickly turn away and blush. Under normal conditions this would please Gerald but there was nothing normal about this.

Al on the other hand was feeling totally opposite of what he was showing. Inside his feelings ranged from anger to fear at the thought of going out in public for the first time. He knew that the people at the mall would accept him as just another young female shopper. Some of the men would stare at him, others would make crude comments behind his back, and most would desire his new body. And the women, they would understand and accept him as their own. At that moment Al had never felt so out of place in the world.

"Okay, where do we need to go first?"

"Let's head to Wal-Marts. Their prices on cosmetics are low and I'll have more money to spend on an outfit for tomorrow." Jennifer flashed him a small smile.

Gerald realized the doctor was right about how this freak felt towards him. Well, he would change that once they got home.

***

"Susan, how are you?" Sarah wrapped her arms about the other lady and gave her a big hug.

"I'm fine Sarah," Susan Bennett replied back smiling. "You're looking good girl."

"Oh, looks are deceiving. I've had a hard week at work. Trust me, I'm ready for this break. How are the kids?" Sarah asked as she followed her friend to the rooms that had been reserved for them.

"Cynthia is doing great. She started school in September and is spending New Years Eve with some of her girlfriends. Keith on the other hand has been giving me all kinds of problems. I'm hoping our move to San Diego will change his attitude. But enough about them, what have you been up to?"

The two ladies continued to chat as they walked to their rooms.

***

For Gerald it seemed like an eternity. First Jennifer had to buy underwear. That was an experience in itself. There were so many different things she had to buy. Panties, bras, slips - the list went on.

After that came her makeup. Jennifer couldn't get just one type; she had to get several bottles of the same items, all in different colors and shades. Gerald guessed the real Jennifer must have had quite a collection of stuff when she was alive. All this searching took over two hours. Then Jennifer started looking at a few dresses on a rack.

"How does this look Tiger?" she asked holding up one of the dresses.

Her nickname for him annoyed Gerald. So did the dress. It came all the way down to her knees.

"How about something a little bit shorter Jennifer?" he suggested. "After all, you want to look real nice for the party tomorrow."

"Oh, I can't do that. Short dresses aren't very lady-like. And my mother would kill me if she knew I wore something so revealing."

Gerald frowned but then a smile slowly took its place. A plan developed in his mind and for a moment he debated the risk of using the keyword in public. Checking to make sure no one was nearby, he pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

"Ekala! You like wearing short skirts and dresses. You enjoy showing off your body and dressing as sexy as possible. Ekala!" Jennifer put the dress she was holding back on the rack.

"These dresses aren't the style I'm looking for Gerald. Let's go look somewhere else." Jennifer picked up her purse and headed toward the cashiers to pay for her other items.

***

Chapter 16 - Discussions

Sarah took a sip from the glass of ice water she had brought into the steam room. The large room was empty except for the two of them. Susan had been her roommate and best friend in college. Those had been such fun times. They had both been well known on campus and at times had to fight the guys off so they could study. It was rare to have a weekend when they didn't double date. In college they had been like twin sisters, so much alike and completely inseparable.

But then it happened. On one of those double dates Susan met Mr. Right and after graduation she married him. For years Sarah didn't hear from her friend very often as their paths took off in different directions. Then one night Susan's husband was killed in an automobile accident. His death had been hard on her friend but Sarah had been there to talk with her on the phone during those long, dark nights. Now it was like being back in school again and they spent most the day talking and laughing like two teenage girls.

"So Sarah. You haven't told me about your work. What are you up to?"

Sarah took another sip of water and decided how to answer the question. Well, if she couldn't trust Susan who could she trust?

"Susan, you have to promise not tell anyone, okay? This is very top secret."

Susan giggled then realized her friend was being very serious. "Of course Sarah, you know I can be trusted." Her face reflected the mood of the conversation."

"I've been working on a new drug that has shown some very promising results. I can't tell you everything, only that it's big."

"How big?" Susan asked, her attention focused on every word her friend was saying.

"Remember in college how you always wished you looked more like Leslie Yale? With my new drug, I can make that happen. I can make your body look like anyone you wish it to be, male or female."

"You're kidding? That's incredible Sarah."

"I know. However it's not perfected yet and there's still a lot of testing to do. But think of it Susan. If this drug is successful it will allow us to grow new arms or legs for someone who had their original one amputated. Birth defects could be wiped out with a simple injection. And people with a bad heart, liver or kidneys could have a new one grown for them. But the most important aspect of the drug is, eternal youth. No one who took this drug would ever need to grow old again. Of course, we could only allow 'certain' people to have access to my drugs." Sarah emphasized the word "certain".

Susan didn't know what to say. It sounded like a fairy tale and if anyone else had told her she wouldn't have believed it. But she knew better with Sarah. If there was one thing her friend didn't joke about it was her work.

"How close are you to perfecting this drug?" she whispered.

"Very close Susan, within a couple of years. I can grow new organs but there are certain side effects, bad ones I'm afraid, which in the end leads to death. And most bodies can't handle the stress from the drug's effect. There's a limit to what it can do and my...boss...can't seem to understand why this research is so important. I'm trying to go one way with it and he wants me to go in a totally different direction. It's very frustrating."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Before the doctor could answer, a couple of other ladies walked into the steam room ending their conversation.

***

"How do you feel about your new outfits?" Gerald asked.

"I hate them you asshole! They're way too short! I look like a fucking hooker in them. If you think I'm going to wear them just to entertain your perverted desires you're wrong! I'm not going out in public dressed like that."

For the first time in over a week Al had been given permission to speak his true mind. He was angry and embarrassed about the day's events. He had gotten used to being dressed as a girl in front of Dr. Jensen and Gerald but going out in public was different. 'Horrible' was the word that came to mind.

Then there were the outfits Gerald had forced him to buy. Slutty and whorish in appearance, yet he had tried them on in front of a dozen other people who all commented on how sexy he looked in them. It was embarrassing knowing that he was making himself look more like a sex object than a normal person of the human race.

"Oh, I think you will pretty girl. I have plans for you tomorrow. There is this great guy I want you to meet. He's going to love you, if you know what I mean." Gerald winked at her.

"No way asshole, I'll resist him. I'll do things to make sure he knows I'm not a real girl. I can do that too, I know how. I'm sure the doctor won't be very happy when she finds out and then it will be YOUR butt in a sling!"

Al was worried that Gerald was serious about his threat but didn't show it. Instead he gave him the biggest and sweetest smile he could.

"You're bluffing." Gerald responded but Al picked up on the uncertainty in his voice and turned to attack.

"I always figured you for a cheap, two-bit pimp Gerald. What's the matter, couldn't make it in the CIA? It shows asshole!"

Gerald slapped Al hard enough to send his female body to the floor. "Shut up BITCH!"

Al wiped the blood from his lip. "That's no way to treat a lady asshole. No wonder the only date you could find for tomorrow night is your own right hand. I noticed it's much stronger then the left one, as if it gets a daily workout." Al saw that his words were hitting their mark.

"I said SHUT UP!" Gerald reached down to hit Jennifer again but stopped. If he knocked her around too much and left bruises he would have to explain himself to Dr. Jensen. His plan to torment Al Parker had backfired and now it was this bum that had gotten the best of him. There was nothing he could do but stop it before things got out of hand.

"Ekala! You will return to your regular self. You will not talk about this to anyone. Ekala!" Jennifer stood up and smiled lovingly at Gerald. "Go to your room. I don't want to see you again tonight."

"Certainly tiger. Goodnight." Jennifer smiled and walked away. Gerald headed for the exercise room. He had a lot of frustration to work off right then.

***

Chapter 17 - Party time

Susan and Sarah hadn't been able to pick up their previous conversation until the next day. They were enjoying a pleasant breakfast while checking out two men sitting close to them.

"Sarah, were you serious about what you told me yesterday?" asked Susan.

"Very much so Susan. Of course we would have to limit the number of people who would have access to my formula but I can safely say you and your family would be included. You asked me if there was anything that you could do to help me out. Well, there is one thing you could provide me with, money!"

Susan was taken back a little. Her friend had as much, if not more money then she did. Sarah saw her reaction and explained.

"Yes, I could do it on my own but I'd rather not. If the people I work for saw large amounts of cash being taken out of my account they would know I was up to something. What I need is an outside source, one that they can't track, to finance my research. In time, I'll pay you back plus give you access to my formula. I know your daughter has some inheritance money coming in soon. I would only need part of it, say one million dollars. As collateral, I would name you as the beneficiary of my estate if anything does happen to me. It's worth three times the amount I want to borrow." Sarah turned and smiled at the two men sitting at the other table.

"That's not a problem Sarah. I've already talked to Cynthia about the inheritance money and she's agreed to share it with me. I would like to learn more about your research, maybe visit you sometime in the coming year if that's okay?" She also turned to smile at the two men.

"That'll be fine Susan. Maybe you could bring your family with you. I haven't seen them in a while. Then I can show you everything. You won't regret it Susan, I promise"

Sarah noticed the two men, hopeful dates for the New Years Eve party that night, stand up and walk towards them. She smiled inwardly; it had been a while since she had spent the night with a man.

***

"Hurry up Jennifer," Gerald yelled from the living room. Working out last night hadn't helped his bad disposition. More than ever, he was determined to extract his revenge on her. All that changed when she stepped into the room.

"How do I look Tiger?" she asked.

Jennifer was wearing a short, black leather skirt and a bright red blouse. Her legs were encased in a pair of dark hose that led down to a pair of bright red, high-heeled shoes. Her long dark hair was beautiful, showing hours of work so it would be just right, and her makeup was perfect. She looked so pretty and sexy standing there with a mischievous smile on her face.

"You look fantastic Babe," Gerald blurted out, suddenly forgetting who she really was. She was by far one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

Inside Jennifer, Al was screaming to get out. All day long he had fought the efforts of his own body to get ready. He had even tried wearing something a less revealing but the desire to look as sexy as possible, just as Gerald had commanded him to do, had won out. Now as Jennifer, Al was being drawn out the door, where he was sure to be the spotlight of the party. If only Jennifer's body could go but his mind could stay at home.

"Lets go Jennifer. It's time to make your debut." Gerald held the front door open and watched as she strolled out to the car with her heels clicking. His interest in her peaked again.

***

Chapter 18 - The end of innocence

The New Year's party was fun, at least for Gerald. Throughout the night his friends kept coming up and asking where he had found such a "dish". Jennifer, under Gerald's insistence, ended up dancing with most of his friends that night but at midnight wound up in his arms.

"I guess it's that time Jennifer," he said with a sly smile. Al, who was inside Jennifer, was beside himself.

On the inside he was screaming, 'Don't you dare kiss me you asshole. Don't even think about it.' But outside all he could to do was blush and prepare for what was to come.

"I guess so Tiger," she replied back in a warm, sexy voice. Gerald reached down and kissed her. Al felt like he was going to throw up. His new body on the other hand reacted in a very pleasant and normal way. He fought to stop the reaction but realized it was a losing battle. All of sudden Jennifer's young female hormones began to kick in and the excitement started to build up inside. Finally they both came up for air.

"Come on Jennifer. Let's start the New Year off right." Gerald bid good-bye to his friends and quickly pulled her out the door.

***

Once they got home, Gerald began kissing and touching Jennifer's body more intensely. Despite his best efforts, Al was unable to stop Jennifer's body from reacting the way it did. As if on cue, Jennifer started responding to his kisses more affectionately and her female emotions kicked into overdrive.

Inside Jennifer, Al was trapped in a sea of conflicting emotions. Gerald's touches felt so good to his new body yet at the same time he struggled to fight these feelings off. Gerald reached down and pulled off her top, exposing her lacy bra to him. Then he started to unzip her skirt. All of the sudden Al experienced a new emotion; concern. She pushed Gerald slightly away from her.

"I...I think we need to slow down some Gerald. I'm...I'm not ready for this yet. I'm sorry, but I'm can't go any farther with you. Not at this time--not until I'm married. You understand Tiger, don't you?"

'So, the real Jennifer had morals after all,' Al thought to himself. 'Maybe she had been raised a good Catholic girl all her life.' It appeared her natural reaction was to resist sex until marriage. But Gerald wasn't about to stop now. He was ready to take her, with or without her permission or regardless of whatever moral values she held.

"It's too late to slow down Jennifer. I want you badly. I need you badly." He paused for a moment to catch his breath. "Ekala! You want to have sex with me. You can no longer stop yourself from having sex with me. You will give yourself completely to me. Ekala!"

Al's feelings changed from resistant to totally giving in. Inside there was nothing he could do but take in all the sexual feelings bombarding his mind. It was horrifying and confusing to him.

"Let's go to my room Tiger. I want to make it for the first time in my own bed." Despite Al's best efforts, Jennifer grabbed Gerald's hand and quickly led him to her room. Inside Al was screaming at the top of his lungs to stop this madness. Why couldn't he stop the one act he found so horrible and disgusting.

Gerald stopped Jennifer just inside the door and rapidly removed her bra, revealing her young, firm breasts to him. The thought of her still being a virgin excited him that much more. No one had touched these breasts before. No one had screwed her before. He was going to be her first. And to think he had almost passed this up. What the hell had he been thinking?

Slowly he started sucking on one breast while caressing the other with his hand. Jennifer's body began to react in a favorable fashion while inside Al's anger turned to panic and fear. How far would this pervert go? He felt Gerald's hand reach down and proceed to remove Jennifer's pantyhose and panties.

'This can't be happening. Please, let this be a bad dream. Please God, make him stop,' Al begged.

Al tried to rationalize what was happening. This was just a fucking nightmare. Yes, any minute now he would wake up, or the police, or Dr. Jensen, or Tom would barge in and stop this madness. But there was no cavalry coming over the hill this night - there was only the two of them in the big, empty house.

After stripping off every piece of her clothing, Gerald picked Jennifer up and placed her on the bed. Without taking his cold, sex-starved eyes off her naked body, he removed the rest of his clothes and got on top of her.

Inside Al was crying as he waited for the insertion. It was like waiting for a doctor to stick you with a needle; that nervous, horrible feeling where you wish it was already over. Jennifer's body on the other hand, was primed and ready the way nature had designed it to be. Sweat began to appear over her body and Al wasn't sure if it was out of her fear, sexual desires, or both.

'Oh please God -- don't let this happened to me,' he cried out inside. The excitement from his female body began to replace the fear and Al started getting angry with himself for enjoying this so much. 'Oh please don't let this happen. Oh please stop this now. Oh please...Oh GOD!'

Al felt Gerald's penis enter into Jennifer's vagina. It was the most pleasurable and horrible experience he had ever felt. For a moment he just lay there not knowing what to do. He was going to have sex with a man and worse, he was being made to enjoy it.

'God, please let me die right now,' Al screamed silently. Then Gerald's voice reached with another command.

"Ekala! You will start having multiple orgasms. Ekala!"

Al felt the pressure building up inside him. Just when he thought his body couldn't have felt any better the pleasure doubled. His female body clamped down on Gerald and it felt...so good. Then the first orgasm stopped and the next one started, and then the next one, and then the next. With the start of each orgasm Jennifer's body pushed upwards against Gerald's hard body, forcing him inside her even more. Suddenly Al's mind went blank and for a moment he was lost in a sea of complete pleasure. When Jennifer's body slowed down and he regained his senses, Al felt Gerald's stuff inside his female body. Every part of his body was covered in sweat and shaking with excitement.

Gerald looked down at her with a wicked smile. "I didn't notice anything strange to make me think you weren't a real woman, did you?"

Al felt like he was going to be sick.

***

It was pitch black outside the window Al stared from. Somehow staring into the darkness made the young woman feel better. His body was still shaking from the sexual episode it had experienced a little while ago but inside his true feeling raged.

'How could anyone do something like this to another person?' Al thought. 'How could Gerald have violated his wishes and taken advantage of his body while knowing his true feelings of not wanting to have sex with him. And the worst part was, his new female body had enjoyed every minute of it. Just thinking of the experience caused shivers to go up and down his spine in anticipation.

Gerald had been tired out from their moment of passion and was snoring soundly in her bed. But Jennifer's body could have gone on all night and was currently wishing for more. Inside Al felt numb. Was this what it was like to be raped? To have every ounce of dignity, every shed of self-respect stripped away from you. Al couldn't even look at himself in the mirror; he was too ashamed. He had enjoyed it, every damn minute of it, and even now found himself wanting more. Because of that he hated Gerald more then ever.

"One day I'll pay you back you bastard. One day."

***

Chapter 19 - Repercussions

Sarah was driving back from the airport in a very pleasant mood. Her New Year's Eve date had been very satisfying and now she felt like a totally new woman. Tomorrow she would have to go back to work but today she dwelled on the previous events.

"God, he made me feel so good," Sarah said to herself. All her previous stress had been left at the resort and she was ready to start this year off right.

'Maybe I should have a one-night stand with a stranger at the beginning of every New Year,' she thought.

Seeing Susan had also cheered her up. Sarah didn't have many close friends; her work just didn't allow it. But being around Susan made her realize how great it was to laugh and talk with another woman again. The two of them were so much alike. Now that her friend was moving to San Diego, it would be easier to get away and visit her on the weekends. Maybe they could double date again, just like in the old days. Sarah pulled the car into the garage and walked inside her house.

"Hello doctor," Gerald said to her. "How was your trip?"

"It was fine Gerald." Sarah didn't see a need to tell him all the fine details. She noticed Jennifer wasn't with him and he seemed to be acting very strangely.

"Where's Jennifer?" she inquired.

"In the exercise room working out." A small smiled appeared on his face. Sarah instantly became suspicious. Finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"What's going on Gerald? You're acting awful guilty about something. Didn't you take her shopping like I told you to?"

"Of course I did doctor. And nothing is wrong. I just realized you were right; that I needed to start treating Jennifer like a member of the staff, that's all. She really is a... pleasant person to be around." His small smile was replaced by a big smile.

"Right," she replied in a sarcastic tone. Sarah didn't believe him for a minute. "Get my bags and take them upstairs, will you please. I need to check on a few things."

"Of course doctor." Gerald gave her another smile and walked into the garage.

'Well something is going on here,' Sarah said to herself. She would try to find out what that was from Jennifer. She found her maid on the floor mat doing sit-ups.

"Hello Jennifer."

"Hello Dr. Jensen, how was your trip?"

"It was fine Jennifer." Sarah closed the door so they wouldn't be heard. "Do you know what's going on with Gerald?"

Jennifer looked down at the ground in guilt but didn't say anything. Sarah realized she was going to have to help Jennifer out some.

"Ekala! I want you to speak as your true self and answer my questions truthfully. Ekala! Now Jennifer, what's going on?"

"He RAPED me doctor, that's what's going on. He took advantage of the situation and used me even when he knew I didn't want him to."

Al's anger began to focus. It wasn't really Gerald's fault; he was just an asshole. The real person responsible for last night was Dr. Jensen.

"You did this to me," the young woman hissed. "You created the situation and then you failed to protect me. Once again you screwed up doctor. I hate you for this! Do you hear me Dr. Jensen? I HATE YOU! One day I'll even the score for killing me, for locking me into...."

The word "failed" dug into Sarah's skin like it had a week earlier. She cut Jennifer off sharply.

"Ekala! You will return to full control and behave as the young lady you have been commanded to be. Ekala!"

'That idiot!' Sarah said to herself. 'Didn't Gerald have ANY idea what he was doing? Didn't he understand the opportunity he had caused her to miss? No, he probably didn't. If she had known ahead of time she would have hooked some sensors up to Jennifer body to study the effects. Now the opportunity was gone for good. Worse yet, Gerald didn't understand the consequences of his actions. Well, she would explain it to him in term's even he could understand. But first she had to deal with Jennifer.'

Calmly she replied back to the younger woman as a mother would to her daughter when explaining the facts of life.

"I understand your fear Jennifer. But it's perfectly normal to have sexual relations with your boyfriend, especially one as charming and handsome as Gerald. When two attractive people are together it's going to happen sooner or later. And you are a very attractive young woman Jennifer. The first time is always the hardest...I understand. It's all new to you - and you're afraid about doing everything correctly. Trust me, you'll find it much easier the next time. In fact, you'll find it the most enjoyable aspect about being a woman. In the mean time, I'll talk to Gerald and help him understand. But let's not hear any more talk about being taken advantage of. It's a very natural act when a man and an attractive woman get together like that. You did enjoy yourself, didn't you?"

"Oh, yes doctor. It was...wonderful." Jennifer blushed while answering the question. "Thank you for your advice doctor. Last night was a little scary and I felt bad about what happened afterwards but -- now that I know it's very natural for us to...be together like that, I feel much better about it."

"I'm glad Jennifer." Sarah gave her a stern smile. "Why don't you go change into a pretty dress. I'll tell Gerald to take you out some place nice and then tomorrow things will be back to normal. Oh, and please let him know I would like to see him in my lab after he is done unloading my things. I have something for him."

"Yes Dr. Jensen," Jennifer said obediently.

'So this was the doctor's solution; DO NOTHING. It was all "natural" was it! Well there was nothing natural about being forced to have sex with someone you didn't want to have sex with. It was RAPE!'

Al knew last night would be replayed over and over again. As long as he kept Gerald happy then as far as Dr. Jensen was concern, everything was fine. He began to feel sick over the thought of last night being repeated over and over again.

Dr. Jensen unlocked the lab door with her key. It would take months to fix the security panel Jennifer had destroyed, so now she had to deal with the inconvenience of carrying a key around. She sat down at her desk and started rummaging through a drawer for something.

"You wanted to see me doctor?" Gerald asked as he closed the door. He was still acting a little guilty, like a boy who had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Here!" Sarah said as she tossed him a box of condoms. "I suggest you use them the next time so we can avoid any problems."

Gerald was taken back by her suggestion. "I don't use these things. And why would I need to with him...her."

"How many times do I have to say this!" Sarah said raising her voice as a mother would to a young child. "Jennifer is a REAL woman now. That means everything about her works just like a REAL woman. That means she can REALLY get pregnant with your child. Do you want that to happen?"

"So what? If she does get pregnant it can be taken care of. What's the big deal anyway, it's just a simple operation." Sarah almost lost her temper.

'Stupid male chauvinistic attitude!' It was obvious Gerald had no clue or responsibility when it came to dealing with women. It wasn't that he was stupid, Gerald had a very high IQ according to the agency records. The problem was he didn't think of anyone but himself outside of work. Well then, it was up to her to think for him.

"It is a big deal but I'm not going to explain it to you right now. What I am going to do is set up an appointment for Jennifer to see my doctor and get checked out. If everything looks okay she can start taking birth control pills. But even then it's going to take 30 days for the pills to kick in so get use to them," she said while pointing to the condemns. Gerald had a glum look on her face.

"Cheer up Gerald. It could be worse. Think how Jennifer is going to feel when she finds out I set up an appointment for her to see my gynecologist."

All of the sudden Gerald didn't feel that bad anymore.

***

Chapter 20 - A starting point

Tom stared at the map long and hard. So, Al had gone to Utah. He had rushed down to the store and questioned the man who sold his friend the ring. From him, Tom learned his friend had put $500 down on a $3,000 ring with the promise to be back on Sunday to pay off the balance. A quick check of Al's savings account showed he didn't have anything near that amount of money saved up; nor had he taken out or applied for a loan at the bank. The jewelry store manager remembered that he had more than $500 on him when he counted out the down payment -- at least $400-500 more.

'Where in the hell did Al get that kind of money,' Tom asked himself? The salesman also remembered Al telling him he was going on a business trip to Utah. Unfortunately that was all he remembered. The private investigator turned back to the map that he had been staring at for almost two days. Utah was a very, very big state.

Tom sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, trying to piece things together. He now had some idea where his partner had gone but no clue as to what was so important in Utah.

Second, someone must have advanced Al the money to make the trip. But if that was true, why hadn't this client called Al to find out what was going on? Surely they would have left a message on his answering machine by now, asking him to call them back. After all, you just don't throw $1,000 away unless money doesn't matter to you. That meant whoever sent his friend to Utah probably knew what had happened to him. Maybe they even took care of him once the job was completed.

And finally, there was the money? What kind of job would have paid at least $3,000 for four or five day's worth of work? That kind of money was unheard of in this business. Most jobs involved trying to catch cheating husbands in the act or tracking down deadbeat fathers, hardly worth $3,000.

Suddenly Tom had a troubling thought. Supposing Al had gone to Utah to do something that wasn't legal? This would explain all the money he had on him and why he hadn't let anyone know where he was going or why.

Somehow his disappearance all centered on this Mr. W, whoever that really was. Find him and you would find the answers to these questions. Unfortunately there were millions of people whose last name started with the letter "W" and Tom couldn't even be sure if this person's name did start a "W". It may have been a code letter Al had made up to cover his tracks. All Tom could do now was wait and hope for a clue to the puzzle. He looked eastward out the window at cold, cloudy day. His friend was out there somewhere.

"I swear buddy, I will find you. If you're alive, hang in there. Just hang in there."

Tom turned back to his computer and started typing up some notes for his most recent case. On the folder it was titled, "Al Parker - missing person."

To Be Continued in Part 2 - What every happened to Al Parker?

This story is based on the story called, "I, my sister" and was written by Diana Christy (07/97). I would like to thank Diana for allowing me to use parts of her story in mine. I would also like to thank Arcee and Darkside for their support and suggestions that I needed to finish this story. A special thanks to Elaine for all her hard work in proofing the story and her suggestions on a number of different issues. I couldn't have written this story without their support. Thanks guys!

Warning: This story contains sexual material and transgender themes. If you're not 18 or over, or are offended by such material then don't read it! This story can be posted on Fictionmania or any other free sites however, I do ask that you notify me first before doing so.

The Life and Death of Al Parker
Part 2 - What Ever Happened to Al Parker?
By Kelly Davidson

Chapter 1 - Lost souls

Tom sat back in his chair and took a long swig from the bottle. He needed a drink after viewing that last body. This was the third time in the past month he had been asked by police to try and identify a body. In this particular case the person had died a very horrible death. Tom knew he would be having nightmares tonight over what he had seen - just like had from his previous two viewings. To make sure it wasn't really Al, he had forced himself to look closely at the face of the grisly corpse. Its image was now burned soundly into his mind. The only comfort the detective had was knowing the body wasn't that of his friend.

The detective tried to remove that image in his mind as he took another long drink. The alcohol burned his throat and already he began to feel light-headed from its numbing effects. He would need it to sleep tonight.

***

Al stood in front of the window staring out at the darkness beyond. The clock indicated it was almost four in the morning and in less then an hour he would have to start getting ready for another day in hell. Being turned into a woman had been horrible enough, but being stripped of his freedom was unbearable. This place, with all of its comforts, was still a prison and Al's only purpose for living was to serve his two masters.

During the day Al's master was Dr. Jensen, who issued orders to clean the house and make the meals. In the evenings his master was Gerald, who made him do things that inside he found repulsing while outside his female body found to be very pleasing.

It seemed important to Gerald that Jennifer enjoyed what he did to her physically, even if he knew emotionally (and Al had told him many times before) he hated every aspect of their actions. There was no reprieve for Al from Gerald. If he resisted him in any way then a spoken command would end his resistance.

Al turned and watched him lying in the bed snoring softly. He didn't dare wake him up. Even after an exhausting night of sex, he could still wake up and find himself in the mood. He was a pig, containing the worse aspects of what a man could be. He cared nothing about Al or his feelings; he only cared about his own selfish desires.

So each morning Al would wake up and pray that this would be the day someone would come to rescue him. He figured someone, the police, Tom, or even one of Walker's men should have shown up by now. But no one ever did.

'Why hasn't anyone shown up to save me?' he asked himself. 'Hasn't my disappearance mattered to anyone? Isn't there anyone out there looking for Al Parker?'

The answers to these questions were as dark as the night outside the window.

***

Chapter 2 - First break!

"Hello. Can I speak with Tom McClain please."

"This is Tom, what can I do for you?" Tom didn't recognize the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Well, I don't know if you remember me but my name is Jim Baker and we met at a party last year. I'm a friend of Al's and I'm trying to get a hold of him. I tried his apartment but the phone has been disconnected with no forwarding number. I was hoping you could tell me where I could reach him."

Tom took a deep breath before speaking because he hated this moment. Al had a lot of friends he had kept in contact with and every week, Tom would get a call from one of them asking if he knew where Al was. Tom thought by now it would be easier for him to deal with Al's disappearance but he found the opposite was true. Each conversation was always more painful then the previous one.

"He's not...around. Can you tell me when you last talked to him?" There was a moment of silence of the other end as if the man wasn't sure how to answer the question.

"Well, it was about a week before Christmas. I was being shipped out on an assignment and..." Tom cut the other man off before he finished.

"When did you say you talked to him last?" Tom shouted in disbelief. The man on the other end gave him the same answer. "Are you sure it was the week before Christmas?"

"Well, let me think. Yea, that would be correct. I saw Al on the 20th. He told me to give him a call when I got back into town. I should have been back sooner but my assignment took a little longer then I thought it would. Why?"

Tom could hardly contain himself. Was this the break he had been praying for? Could this person fill in the pieces to the puzzle of Al's disappearance?

"We need to meet Jim and now! Where are you?"

***

Tom walked into the restaurant and over to the man sitting in the booth in his army greens.

"Jim Baker?" The man shook his head yes. "I'm Tom McClain. Thanks for meeting with me at such short notice."

"No problem. As I said, we met at a party last year. I guess you don't remember me; you were pretty plastered by the time I showed up. Now, can you please tell me what this is all about?"

The waitress brought over a cup of coffee for Tom and left. The detective stared into the cup for a moment before answering Jim's question.

"Al's been missing for almost two months now. The last time anyone heard from him was around Christmas, when he phoned in. That call was made on December 20th, the same day you talked to him. That means you may have been the last person to see Al alive before he left town. Since then no one has heard from Al."

The experienced detective looked intensely at the soldier to gauge his reaction. It was one of genuine shock and concern.

"What?" Jim gasped. "Al's missing? Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"A general idea but not enough to go on. Al said he was going on a trip but didn't say where. I've been able to track his movements to Utah but there the trail goes cold. Do you know where he was going or what he was up to?"

"No, not really," Jim replied in a voice that indicated he was holding something back. Tom picked up on it immediately. Normally he would have let Jim tell him when he was ready. But after two frustrating months of searching and coming up empty, Tom wasn't in the mood to play games.

"What is it? What are you holding back?" he demanded to know.

"I promised Al I wouldn't tell you," the soldier answered back, his face showing signs of conflict. Jim didn't want to break his promise to Al and yet...if his friend was missing shouldn't he tell someone?

"Jim, look. Al's been missing for almost two months now. If you know anything about where he was going or what he was up to then I need to know about it. His life may depend on it." Tom stopped long enough to swallow his pride. "Please Jim, I need to know! You don't know what kind of hell I've been going through since he disappeared. I have to find him!"

The soldier stared down at his drink trying to decide what to do. He had given Al his word he wouldn't tell and to Jim, his word meant everything. But that was before...before what? Before Al had been murdered or kidnapped? Jim didn't want to believe his ex-army buddy was dead. So if he was still alive but being held against his will then he needed help in order to get free. Wasn't helping out his friend more important than his promise to keep quiet?

"I don't know where he was going," Jim started off slowly. "Al didn't tell me that part. All he said was that he was doing a job for someone you knew and that he would be back in a few days. My God, he told me he was going to propose to his girlfriend on Christmas Eve. He looked so...so happy when I saw him last. I can't believe he's missing."

Tom knew Jim was telling him the truth. No one except the jeweler and himself knew about the engagement ring. He pressed the army soldier for the answer that was burning in his mind.

"Who sent him? Who is the mysterious person who sent Al on this assignment?"

"You're not going to like it Tom," Jim whispered. "It was Klein Walker. I saw Al coming out of his building that day and he told me he'd been hired by Klein to do some kind of job for him. He didn't tell me what that job was and I didn't ask. That's all I know Tom, I swear."

'Klein Walker...Mr. fucking "W" himself!' Tom swore silently. 'Damn it Al, why did you have to get mixed up with that scumbag?'

Now it was all starting to fall together. Klein had hired Al to do something illegal by offering him more money then he had seen in his lifetime. The amount of money Al had on him had fit this scheme too. Klein usually fronted his pigeons with $1,000 for expenses unless the job demanded more.

"Thank you Jim. You've helped me out a great deal."

"If you find him, will you please let me know. If I'd known this would have happened..." Jim's voice trailed off. There was a lot of guilt in his tone.

"It wasn't your fault Jim." Tom replied as he stood up. "You couldn't have stopped Al if you wanted to. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go see the person who's responsible."

"Good luck Tom." Jim lowered his head and stared at the table in silence.

'Luck!' Tom said to himself as he left the restaurant. If there was anyone who needed luck it was Klein Walker when he got his hands on him. That son of a bitch had helped murder his best friend, someone Tom considered to be like a brother. His anger grew as each step took him closer to Klein's office a few blocks away.

***

Chapter 3 - Meeting with the devil

"I'm sorry sir, you can't go in there. Wait! Stop! Security!" The woman cried.

Tom buzzed by Klein's secretary and forced open the office door. The fat man was sitting at his desk looking over some business papers. For a brief moment there appeared a look of anger on Klein's face that someone would dare barge into his office unannounced. His anger quickly turned to fear however, when he saw the intruder was not an employee but rather Tom McClain.

"Where is he, you fat son of a bitch? Where is he? What suicide mission did you talk him into?" Suddenly two men grabbed Tom from behind and proceeded to pull him out of the office. Klein held up his hand to stop them.

"Well, well, if it isn't Tom McClain," he said, a forced smile replacing the fear that had been there just moments before. "It's been a long time since we've talked. So what do I owe for the pleasure of this visit?"

"You know why I'm here," Tom snarled back. "I want to know what happened to my friend, Al Parker. I want you to tell me what you did to him?"

Klein got a confused look on his face. "Al Parker? Aww, of course -your partner. I heard you quit the force and became a private investigator. You should have stayed where you were McClain; I've heard your business hasn't been doing to well lately."

"At least it's an honest living, which is more then can be said about you," Tom shot back while tugging at the two men holding onto his arms.

"Why, I don't know what you mean McClain," Klein replied back in a hurt tone. "As you well know, I've never been found guilty of any crime despite the fact the police and DA accuse me of something new each month. But that's the price I pay for being rich and successful. There will always be little scum like the police, the DA, or you who'll want a piece of my action. I've put more than one lawyer's kid through college, just to defend my reputation and good name."

"I'm not here to discuss your legal problems Walker!" Tom snorted back. "I want to know where Al Parker is! I know you gave him $1,000 and sent him to Utah. I want the address of where he went and the reason why you sent him. You can tell me what I want to know now or...I can come back after your goons have gone home and get it from you the hard way."

"Don't threaten me McClain," Klein replied back angrily. He was uneasy to learn that Tom knew so much about his business between him and Al Parker. "I've eaten people like you for breakfast. Hell, you're not even big enough to be considered a snack. If I tell you anything it will be out of the goodness of my heart, not because of your empty threats. I suggest you reconsider your position and actions before I have my boys throw you out of my office on your ass."

Tom knew deep down Klein was a coward. Without his bodyguards to protect him he was as helpless as a newborn baby. Unfortunately Klein did have his bodyguards and Tom realized a need to change his attitude. He took a deep breath to calm down and asked the questions again in a less threatening way.

"Okay, where is he Walker? Where is Al Parker?"

"I don't know where he is," replied Klein who held up his hand to stop Tom from saying anything more. "He didn't tell me where he was going in Salt Lake, only that he had something which would make us both really rich men. Where he was getting the product from I don't know. Of course if he were doing something illegal then I wouldn't have gotten involved. As you know, I run a legitimate business here." The last line was added with a touch of sarcasm. Tom frowned but didn't say anything.

"He told me this product was on the up and up. Said it was a new medical drug that the inventor was trying to sell to someone. Naturally I was interested and wanted to know who this person was but your partner wouldn't tell me."

"You supplied him with the money," said Tom knowing he wasn't being told the entire truth.

"So what? There's no crime in that," said Klein who went over to the bar to fix himself a drink. "He told me he needed some money up front for travel expenses and I felt it was worth the risk. As it turns out he took my money and ran. And they call me a thief boys."

There was a muffled laugh from his bodyguards. Klein swallowed his drink before continuing.

"The bottom line is, I don't know anything more than what I just told you and I didn't do anything wrong. If your friend was involved in something illegal then that was his problem, not mine. That's all I have to say to you. Now, before you leave I want you to see how the results of your reckless actions have hurt others around you."

Klein picked up his phone and spoke, "Janet, I'd like to see you in my office right now." A moment later the secretary Tom had buzzed by appeared in the doorway.

"I'm tired of your screw ups Janet. If this had been someone with gun I'd be dead by now. You're fired! You have five minutes to clean out your desk before security escorts you out of the building."

The middle-aged women looked like she was going to start crying right there and Tom felt sorry for her. She stood in the doorway for a moment as if she was going to say something then turned and left.

"Was that really necessary Walker?" Tom asked angrily. "She didn't do anything wrong. She couldn't have stopped me even if she wanted to."

"That's right," Klein pointed out. "You screwed up, not her. But since I can't punish you directly I'll let you live with the fact that you cost someone else their job. Maybe that will cause you to stop and think the next time you decide to come barging in on me again. Boys, show Mr. McClain the way out."

Klein's bodyguards roughly pulled Tom out of the office and toward the front door. On his way out they passed by the secretary cleaning out her desk. She had tears in her eyes. Tom had to say something, if nothing else to ease his own guilt.

"You're better off working for someone else Miss. Trust me on that."

She looked at Tom with angry eyes that could have melted the hardest soul. "Tell that to my three hungry kids when I can't afford to put food on our table you creep."

Suddenly Tom felt very ashamed about his actions.

***

Chapter 4 - Right way, wrong way

Tom knew a lot more than before his visit to Klein Walker's office. Al had gone to Salt Lake City to pick something up. What that was he didn't know but more then likely it was some kind of medical drug. While Salt Lake was still a major city, it at least it narrowed down the search. Tom planned on heading out there but first there was a little business matter he had to take care of. It was late and the detective hoped she would still be up.

Janet Arkley lived in a house that was old and rundown. The front yard was littered with toys and the bushes that bordered it looked like they hadn't been clipped in a long time. Her mini-van was over 10 years old and was showing signs of neglect. It was a clear case of a single mother who had too many jobs to do and too little time to do them. From the road, Tom could see there were still a few lights on inside. Gathering up his courage, he walked up to the door and knocked. Janet Arkley opened up the door and stared at him coldly.

"What do you want?" She asked in an unfriendly tone.

"A few minutes of your time," answered Tom holding up a folded one hundred-dollar bill in front of her face. "I really need your help."

"Really! And what makes you think I'd want to help you out or be interested in your money?" she replied back harshly.

"Three hungry kids," Tom answered matter of factly. Janet Arkley stood there for a moment deciding what to do before letting him in.

"I really don't know anything," she said while taking the bill from his hand. "You're wasting your money."

"Let me be the judge of that. Do you remember this man coming into Klein Walker's office on December 20th?" Tom showed her a picture of Al Parker.

"No. As a matter of fact I wasn't even there that week, I was on vacation with my kids. See, I told you that you were wasting your money. Until today I'd never even heard your friend's name mentioned. I take it he was a friend of yours?"

"You could say that. He's been missing since Christmas and I'm sure your ex-boss knows what happened to him. Look, did anything strange happen when you got back? Did anyone new or suspicious show up asking to talk to Klein Walker?"

Janet thought about it for a moment. "No one showed up but Mr. Walker did beef up his security right after Christmas. For a while he had two men standing outside his office door all the time. When I asked why they were there he told me to mind my own business. That's the only thing I remember being different."

'Right after Christmas!' Tom thought to himself. 'So Klein did know what had happened to Al. Maybe he was even involved in Al's disappearance. It wouldn't have surprised Tom any. Klein Walker was the worse kind of human scum there was.'

"Okay, thank you for your help Ms Arkley. You've told me more than you realize. Oh, there is one more thing." Tom handed her a card. "I felt very badly about causing you to lose your job today. So I made a few calls and was able to secure you a new job with the Seattle Police Department. The pay and benefits are good and well, it's my way of saying I'm sorry. If you like, you can start tomorrow at 9am. Just ask for Johnny, he'll take good care of you."

Janet took the card and smiled for the first time that night. "Thank you Mr. McClain. I thought you were just like Klein Walker and all his other associates. I've misjudged you."

"That's alright Miss Arkley. Now I have to be going."

Outside Tom felt a lot better about himself. He had pulled in a lot of favors from his former boss to get her hired but the look on her face had made it all worthwhile. Tom got into his car and looked at the map one more time. His next stop was Salt Lake City.

***

Al sat at the vanity table preparing his female body while Gerald watched TV in the next room. He hated this time of the day more than any other. Gerald was forcing him to do things that, as Al Parker, he wouldn't have dreamed of doing to Sally.

As Al brushed the long brown hair, his thoughts kept going back to Sally. He wondered if Sally still thought about him after all this time. How he wished he could be back in her warm, loving arms again. Sally knew how to make love to a man. What Al was doing trapped in Jennifer's body wasn't making love - it was far from it. All he was doing was serving one man's perverted desire. Oh, there was pleasure in the acts that his female body was forced to with Gerald, but it certainly wasn't love. And without love, no matter how enjoyable it was, it made the events seem empty and meaningless.

The nightgown, for lack of a better term, didn't even cover his exposed rear. That was just the way Gerald liked it, so he wouldn't have to work on taking something off. Al dressed like a tramp around him.

'No, that wasn't right,' he thought. 'I am a tramp; doing things no respectable lady would do.'

During the day he behaved as a prim and proper maid but at night he was Gerald's plaything and personal whore. Nothing Al did could prevent that from happening. And that's what hurt Al the most - being commanded to behave in a manner that was the exact opposite of what he was.

It was time. Al put down the brush and picked up some perfume to spray on Jennifer's body. If he were lucky, sex with Gerald would be over in less than an hour. Then he could get some sleep and forget about this living nightmare, at least for a little while. That was the only time Al was really free, when he slept. Only then could he dream about getting his hands around Gerald's neck and holding on tightly until he saw the life slip away in the bodyguard's eyes. Al opened the bedroom door and in Jennifer's shapely body, sashayed up to Gerald to begin another empty and meaningless night of sex with him.

Chapter 5 - A needle in a haystack

On the map, Salt Lake City didn't look that big. In reality the city was spread out over many miles and with no real starting place, it was like trying to find a needle in a field full of haystacks. The first thing Tom did was check out the police stations and hospitals to see if someone matching Al's description had been spotted. It turned out to be a dead end.

Next he purchased a detailed map of Salt Lake City and marked all the pharmaceutical companies. Klein Walker was a very sly person, using lies mixed with just enough truths to keep someone guessing. Tom reasoned Al probably had come to Salt Lake City to steal, not buy a new drug for Klein Walker that the fat man would turn around and make millions off of.

After checking out all the companies on the map, Tom started doing the same to the motels that were close by. The number of motels soon climbed to over 50. Tom looked at his watch and made some quick calculations. In 12 hours he had to head back home to take care of his own business. Figuring 2 motels an hour, he could visit maybe 24 of them on this first trip. He wrote down some information about the first motel to check out and then drove off.

***

"How long do you intend to keep me here?" Al asked freely yet unable to express his true anger. Dr. Jensen had private conversations with him from time to time where Al was allowed to speak freely. Al didn't know why Dr. Jensen did this nor did he care. All he wanted was to get out of this mad house.

"Oh, not for more than 10 years or so," Sarah Jensen answered back as she pulled out a cigarette. "You have to understand Jennifer, your change was expensive and it's going to take a while for you to pay me back."

"Pay you back?" Al replied back sweetly. "Just give me a gun and the control to pull the trigger and I'll pay Gerald and you back right now."

Dr. Jensen frowned. "I'm not amused by your answer Jennifer. You could at least show me a little gratitude. I took you out of a cold, drafty boxcar and provided you with a nice place to stay. You now have a warm bed to sleep in, nice clothes to wear, and real security in your life. In addition to that, I set you up with someone who cares about you deeply."

"Don't kid yourself doctor!" Al replied back in a calm but cool voice. "Gerald is an asshole who only cares about himself. He isn't concerned about my welfare anymore than I am about yours or his. And no matter how good a life you give me, it can never compensate for my lost freedom and sexual identity. You had no right..."

Sarah cut Al off sternly. "I had every right to do what I did. You were going to steal from me blind without any considerations for my feelings. You weren't a member of our society. You were just some bloodsucking leech who makes the society of decent, hard-working people weaker. In time it would have been my tax dollars that would have supported you in prison or some other program; just so you can live a life with no responsibilities. I decided to get my money's worth. What I did to you served a higher purpose. From you I learned all kinds of things about my serum. You saved me almost a year's worth of work and if this information came at the expense of someone like you then so be it. But don't tell me I didn't have the right to do what I did to you; not after what you were going to do to me! At least my actions led to a successful conclusion. Where were your actions taking you? I'll tell you - to jail! At least what I did served a useful purpose!"

Al held his tongue. How grand it would be to tell Dr. Jensen the truth and let her know she'd screwed up again. But how would telling her the truth benefit anyone? Klein Walker would get his maybe but who else would suffer? Would telling the truth also put Sally's life in danger? And what about Tom? If he were looking for him then telling the truth about who he was would ruin any chance of a rescue. No, it wasn't time yet.

"I had a life which you had no right to change," Al argued. "You don't know how I would have turned out. What gives you the right to play God?"

"I'm tired of this," Sarah answered back. She spoke out a command and Al's freedom to speak his mind vanished as quickly as it came. "I want you to fix dinner half-hour later than usual tonight Jennifer. I have a lot of work I need to catch up on."

"Yes doctor," Jennifer said with a smile. "I'll let Gerald know. Will that be all?"

"Only one more thing." Dr Jensen took a puff of her cigarette and gathered her thoughts. "What I did to you Jennifer is permanent, it can't be changed. You can continue to hate Gerald and me or accept that fact and start living your 'new' life in your 'new' body. You'll never get an opportunity to hurt us...I guarantee it. And since Al Parker had no friends, no one even knows he's missing. Accepting these simple facts will make your life much more bearable. In time you'll even thank me for what I did. You are what most men want in a wife - pretty, affectionate, a good housekeeper. And with Gerald teaching you how to...well, how to be the perfect lover this will ensure you a long and happy life with whomever I decide you'll fall in love with. You see, I'm going to make sure you marry the right man with the right connections to help my research. I'll get what I want and you...well; you'll get a life that you could only dream about before I found you. So you see, I don't intend to keep you here as my maid forever. Once you leave, you'll be able to live your life the way you want to, with some restrictions of course. You'll be able to decide how many kids you want to have, what type of house to live in, what clothes to wear, and other day to day decisions. You'll be free but the first step to your freedom is accepting who you are now. Think about that Jennifer. You may go now."

"Yes doctor. And thank you for the talk." Al closed the door as he left.

"So damn close," Dr Jensen said out loud while pulling out another cigarette. She really needed to quit smoking. If only her boss would allow her to devote all her time to project Phoenix instead of project Peace. Then she wouldn't be so stressed out all the time.

She pulled up Jennifer's file on the computer and began typing in some notes. After all this time she seemed no closer to being broken and accepting her fate than the first day she'd been changed.

'What would it take?' Sarah asked herself. Well, there was still plenty of time to find that out. She made a few more notes then closed the file.

***

Chapter 6 - Change of plans

It had been two long fruitless days and Tom was exhausted. He'd actually been able to visit 27 motels during his short stay in Salt Lake City; but only a dozen of them could be ruled out as places Al hadn't stayed at. At this rate it would take months to check every motel in Salt Lake City.

Tom closed his eyes for a moment. He had managed a few hours of sleep in his car on the way back but that had only been enough to get him home. What he needed now was a decent eight hours of sound sleep to feel refreshed again. He checked the answering machine for messages; there were several of them.

Tom sighed. Being a private investigator was a cutthroat business. If you didn't get back with a client soon they would go somewhere else. He picked up the phone and started dialing the first number.

"Next time I'll plan my trip more carefully," he said out loud.

***

"Will that be all Miss?" the lady behind the checkout counter asked.

Al nodded and pretended not to notice the other woman's stares toward Gerald as she reached for her wallet. Today was Tuesday, grocery-shopping day. Sarah Jensen enjoyed eating fresh vegetables with her meals so every Tuesday and Friday Gerald would drive Jennifer down to the store to buy some. Normally nothing happened on these trips but today was going to be different.

The clerk's name was Dianna. Every time they came into the store she would stare at Gerald with big, wishful eyes; hoping that one day he would talk to her or even ask her out. Gerald enjoyed this game and made it a point of always getting in her line even if it meant waiting a little longer to pay. But today he had a little surprise for the love-struck cashier. He caught her eyes and smiled. She smiled back.

"What the HELL are you looking at BITCH?" Jennifer demanded to know in a loud threatening voice. The clerk was taken back by the rude and mean demeanor of the younger, more attractive woman.

"What? Why, um, nothing. I'm just doing my job Ma'am." She turned back to the register.

"The HELL you are!" Jennifer said loud enough so that others in the store could hear her. "I saw you checking out my man! MY MAN, not yours. Do you understand me? Mine!"

Before leaving the house, Gerald had commanded Al to act and respond to Dianna's flirting as an angry and jealous woman. Al was ashamed at his actions even though he couldn't do anything to stop them. The checkout lady had no idea this was just another little game to pump up Gerald's ego.

"I'm sorry, it wasn't like that at all, honest. I was just trying..."

Al cut her off at the knees. "That's right, you are SORRY! You're one of the sorriest women I've ever seen. No wonder the only thing you can do is LOOK at a man. You're a pathetic, ugly bitch!"

Al saw tears form in the woman's eyes as his words found their mark. How could Gerald stand there and be so cruel? How could he hurt someone who's only crime was to have a crush on him? This lady would have given the world to be with him for one night and he was trashing her feelings for his own personal enjoyment. She'd never know the real truth about Gerald or how better off she'd be without him. All she'd remember was the young witch who had come into her store and cut out her heart.

Al picked up his purse and headed out of the store. He heard Gerald tell the approaching manager with a chuckle, "bad PMS day," as they left. Once outside Al looked back and saw the woman crying uncontrollably at her register while the manager tried unsuccessfully to comfort her. A cold chill ran through his body. Gerald came up and put his arm around him.

"I didn't realize you cared about me so much," he said, very pleased with the results. "That was some cat fight you had back there over me."

"Not half the fight I'm going to give you once we get in bed," Al said with a seductive smile and totally opposite of what he really wanted to tell this asshole.

***

It was Tom's fourth trip to Salt Lake City in the past six weeks. His first three visits had been futile. No one had seen or even heard of Al Parker. The last motel, number 126 on his list, had been like all the others.

Tom was getting frustrated at his lack of progress. He checked the next motel on his list called the Sunset Motel. Tom compared its location on the map with the pharmaceutical companies in the area. It seemed unlike he would find any answers there, this place was at least five miles from the nearest one. Well, the place had to be ruled out didn't it? Tom decided to get some dinner first before continuing on with his search.

***

Chapter 7 - Paydirt

It wasn't much to look at. The motel was made up of 10 rooms and some of them had the windows boarded up. Clearly the entire place was in need of some major repairs. In this case its name, the Sunset Motel, fit Tom decided. The sun had definitely set on this dump long ago. Tom entered the motel office and found an old man sitting in a chair reading a newspaper.

"Can I help you?" the manager asked cheerfully enough.

"I certainly hope so," said Tom who pulled a picture of Al Parker. "I was wondering if you'd seen this man before."

The manager looked at the picture and tugged at his chin as he thought about it. "I sure have. He spent a couple of nights here and stiffed me for the bill. Even left some of his stuff here."

Are you SURE THIS IS THE MAN YOU SAW?" Tom shouted out in disbelief. After so many weeks of searching and coming up empty, he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"No need to shout sonny, I ain't deaf yet," the old man replied back in an annoyed tone.

"I'm sorry mister that I got so excited. It's just that I've been looking for my friend for a long time and you're the first one who has seen him."

"Oh, a friend of yours is he?" the old man replied. "Well, to answer your question, yes, I'm sure that was him. And if you catch up with your friend you can tell him personally that I'm not returning any of his stuff until he settles up."

"Can I see what he left behind please?" Tom asked, hoping it would contain a clue about where Al had gone.

"Well, okay," the old man answered reluctantly. "But just to look at, I ain't letting you have it."

The manager ducked into the back for a moment then reappeared carrying a backpack in his hands. "Does this belong to your friend?"

It was Al's backpack all right, Tom could have spotted it a mile away. The pack was covered with railroad patches that Al had picked up from several railroad shows. It was his pride and joy and he would have never left his backpack behind without a good reason. That meant he must have been planning to go back to the Motel before he disappeared.

"Do you remember when you last saw him?" Tom asked.

"Well, lets see now. He was here just a little bit before Christmas. Came in off the street and boy, did he smell. Stayed a couple of nights and then vanished without a trace. He stiffed me for both nights."

Tom doubted the last part of the manager's story but didn't want to upset the man by calling him a liar. Besides, he really needed his help.

"So what's your connection to him?" the old man asked curiously.

"He's like my brother," Tom replied. "How much does his bill come to? I'd like to settle up."

"Well, lets see now." The man rubbed his chin in a greedy kind of way. "It was within a week of Christmas so I have to charge you our holiday rate. That would be $50 per night. Then there is the storage fee for his stuff; that's $30 per month. Tell you what, lets just call it an even $150."

Tom wasn't in the mood to barter. He handed over the money and took the pack from the manager's hands. Quickly he started going through it and came across a picture of a house surrounded by a high wall and a heavy gate. It wasn't anything Tom recognized so he laid the picture on the counter.

"Have you seen this house before?"

"Well...it's looks familiar. I just can't seem to place it yet," the old man answered back with a sly grin.

Tom sighed and laid a twenty-dollar bill out on the counter. "Does this help your memory?"

"Oh yea, now I remember. I pass that place on my way to the lodge every week. Funny how you forget things like that."

"Yea, real funny," Tom replied sarcastically. "You don't know who happens to live there, do you?" The man got another sly grin on his face. Tom laid another twenty-dollar bill on the counter.

"If I recall, the house is owned by a lady name Jensen. I think she's a doctor or professor of some kind. There's also a man named Gerald Rogers who lives in the house with his girlfriend. Her name is Jennifer something. I don't know what any of them does for a living."

"How do you know this Gerald fellow is living there with his girlfriend? Maybe he's romantically involved with Miss Jensen and this other lady is her daughter or niece."

"No, it's his girlfriend all right," the old man stated firmly. "One night I was at the bar minding my own business when they walked in. She was dressed real nicely in a way that gets stares; you know what I mean? And so I was sitting there drinking my beer and enjoying the view when all of the sudden this Gerald fellow walks up and knocks me to the ground. Told me I was staring at his girlfriend too much and he was going to teach me some manners. Fortunately the police arrived before he had a chance to hurt me."

"Sounds like a real sweetheart," Tom told the manager. "How far is this house from here."

"Not far. I can draw you a map if you want," the old man offered.

"How much?" Tom asked in a sarcastic tone.

***

The map to the house was free but it cost Tom $60 to rent the same room Al had stayed in. This was because someone had already reserved the same room for the night and now the manager was going to have to disappoint them by putting them in another. At least that was his story for charging him almost double the normal cost of the room. Tom didn't fret about it; he had a more important job to do.

He started searching the room to see if Al had left anything behind. When he pulled out the dresser drawer he found what he was looking for; a large envelope had been taped to the bottom. Inside the envelope was a wealth of information about the house and its security system, including a small blueprint. Circled on the blueprint was a small, windowless room at the back.

"What could be so important about this Jensen lady and the small room attached to the back of her house?" Tom wondered out loud. The room appeared to be to small for a complex research lab. On the other hand, while Tom didn't know a lot about security systems, he did know a high price setup when he saw one. Many of the top research labs he'd visited when he was a cop didn't carry this much security. Either this lady was paranoid about the outside world or she was trying to hide something.

Then there was Mr. Rogers and his girlfriend. Why were they there? Were they her companions, protectors, or guards? Tom would try to figure that out later. He looked at his watch; there was still enough time to see the house before it got dark. He got into his car and drove off using the map the manager had drawn him.

***

Chapter 8 - A view to a kill

"The doctor wants to know if dinner will be on time. I guess she's hungry. So am I, only not for food," Gerald said with a mischievous smile.

"I'm still on my period tiger," Al replied back. There was a sense of shock at saying the words, "my period."

"The curse," as Sally had called it, started happening to Jennifer's body a few days earlier. For some unexplained reason it had taken this long for his female body to experience its first period but once the process started it was long, hard, and painful. Al's mind was under a constant bombardment of strange, new feelings due to the hormone changes inside his female body. A wave of sadness gripped his soul and wouldn't let go.

Already depressed about his current situation, Al felt like he could break down and cry for a week. Not that any of this mattered to Gerald. He wasn't about to let Al's problems get in the way of his pleasures. He found out, much to his horror, that there was other ways to please Gerald that didn't include straight sex. A shiver went up his spine just thinking about it.

"That's okay babe, I'm not a selfish guy. You can find some other way to please me tonight." He gave her a wink and reached for her breasts.

***

Tom sat in a tree that provided a good view of the living room, dining room, and part of the kitchen of the house. He could see a young lady wearing a maid's uniform cooking something over the stove. Tom snapped some pictures using the telephoto lens on his camera. Suspect number one.

A man appeared behind the maid. Suspect number two! He said something to the maid and then started fondling her breasts. These two had to be Gerald Rogers and the woman Jennifer the motel manager had referred to. Gerald was a big man and he had to be at least 10 years older than the attractive maid who didn't even look 20. Tom sighed, maybe one day he would find a girl like that to be his true love.

Suspect number 3 walked into the living room from a hallway at the back of the house. She was an older woman, yet still very attractive. 'This had to be Dr. Jensen,' thought Tom.

Gerald must have heard her coming because he stopped what he was doing with the maid and went into the dining room to greet her. A moment later the two of them sat down at the dining room table and the maid started serving them dinner. From his binoculars it looked like roast beef and potatoes and Tom suddenly wished he'd brought something to eat. He made a mental note to bring some snacks next time.

Over the next several hours, Tom took more pictures and made notes on the three suspects. Later, after dinner was served and the dishes were picked up, he observed the maid walk towards her bedroom. It wasn't too long after, that Gerald did the same thing.

Tom couldn't see directly into Jennifer's bedroom window but he did make out the light shining from the area where her room was.

Moments after Gerald entered into her bedroom the light went off. Around 30 minutes later the doctor also went to bed, turning off the lights as she walked upstairs. In a few minutes, the house was completely dark.

Tom looked at his watch and could see from the luminous dials that it was almost midnight. Carefully he climbed down from the tree and made his was back to his car without a flashlight. He made another mental note to bring one the next time.

The private investigator started up his car and drove back to his motel room to get some sleep. In a few hours he would have to start heading back home. During the drive back he would try to figure out what his next move would be. There wasn't any rush; it would be at least five days before he could make it back.
Business had started to pick up for him. There were a lot of cheating husbands and wives in Seattle this time of the year.

***

Chapter 9 -- More questions

"Are you telling me this is all you could find out about these two people?" Tom asked Rob in surprise.

He could have found out more about the President of the United States than what his friend had on Dr. Jensen or Gerald Rogers. His own search for information on these two people (Tom didn't know what Jennifer's last name was) had come up empty so he turned to Rob to find something for him. Normally Rob always returned with good information but not this time.

"I'm sorry Tom, but it's as if they don't exist," Rob explained. "If you can get me their driver's license or social security number I could find out more about them but right now this is as much I can give you. It's very strange really."

"What do you mean?" Tom inquired.

"Well, normally I could find basic stuff like their full names, banking statements, or utility bills just from the information you provided me with. I couldn't even find that. It's as if someone wanted them to be invisible. But what's really strange is their tax forms. I have a direct line into the IRS building and I can't find one tax form on either of them. I mean NOT ONE and we are talking about 20 years worth of old records! That alone makes this situation strange. Who ever these people are, they have some very high connections to be able to hide stuff like that."

"Any idea who those connections might be?" Tom asked curiously.

"CIA maybe. Most likely it's some sort of secret faction of the government. If I had to guess, I would say this all points to some sort of black project; one which someone or some group doesn't want anyone to know about. This Gerald fellow is probably a bodyguard."

"Okay, thanks for your help Rob. You should get your check in a few days."

"Forget it, I didn't earn it this time. Look, get me a social security number and I'll get you something worth my fee."

"Sure, I'll just go and ask them for it," Tom laughed back. "Thanks for all your help Rob."

Tom hung up the phone and stared out the office window in deep thought. How could he get a hold of those numbers Rob needed?

***

Al was sleeping in his bed alone. For the first time in months, Gerald wasn't there to bother him. Tonight he'd gone out without taking Jennifer along. Al didn't know why nor did he care. He was happy not having him touch his female body for one night.

At that moment Al was having a dream and it was a wonderful dream. In the dream he was Al Parker again and he was lying in bed with Sally; just like they use to do before this nightmare began. Sally was touching him; whispering for him to wake up.

The dream felt so real; Al could feel Sally's warm hands rubbing the back of his neck. It felt so good to feel the touch of a real, caring woman again. And Al could smell Sally's perfume although it wasn't the brand she normally wore.

Al could hear her talking to him, telling him to "wake up" so she could play with him. That was when the dream became strange; Sally was calling him Jennifer, not Al.

Sudden Al realized he was only half-asleep and this wasn't entirely a dream. He woke up to find a blonde woman sitting on the bed touching and talking to him. Gerald was at the foot of the bed watching them with a smile.

"What the hell is going on?" Al demanded in a tone that held more shock then anger. "Get your hands off me you QUEER!" The woman quickly removed her hands from Al's body.

"I thought you said she liked women?" the blonde woman snapped at Gerald. "You promised me 200 bucks, where is it? I want it now!"

"Take it easy Lucy, you'll get your money. Jennifer, come with me."

Al covered himself up with a blanket and followed Gerald into the next room. Lucy heard Gerald saying something that sounded like a command but couldn't make out what it was. A moment later Jennifer came back into the bedroom smiling. She reached into her purse, pulled out a wad of bills and handed them to Lucy.

"Here's your $200...and two hundred more if my boyfriend gets to join in."

***

Tom had been sitting in the tree since before sunrise. For the past several weeks he had been watching the house off and on for days at a time; trying to learn the patterns of the occupants inside. There wasn't much to learn. The older lady rarely left the house, leaving the others to take care of things for her on the outside. Most of her time was spent hidden away in the back of the house.

Gerald and Jennifer went out frequently, usually on the weekends, but it was never to the same places. The only time Tom knew for sure when and where they would be was on Tuesday and Friday. Those were the days they went to the grocery store.

Searching the Internet had proved somewhat useful. Tom had discovered Dr. Jensen was scheduled to fly out to Washington, DC in a couple of weeks. He had been searching the airline computers for recent trips the three of them had taken and had come across the information. Her return trip was scheduled for a few days later. Tom knew an opportunity when he saw it, but he was unsure how to use it.

He lifted his binoculars and searched out parts of the house. There was still a slim hope Al was alive and being held against his will inside the house. He watched as the maid made her way around the living room dusting everything. Dirt didn't stand a chance around her because she went at her job in an almost fanatical way.

Tom yawned and stretched a little bit. Not much was happening today as was the case of the previous days. But today was going to be different from the rest. An event was taking place almost 1,000 miles away that would put a spin on his investigation.

***

Chapter 10 - The Accident

Keith Bennett turned to his left and looked down. He could see his sister, Cynthia, swaying slightly in her harness about 30 feet below. She gave him a frightened, worried look as she swung lightly up against the sheer granite cliff. She looked tired, a bad sign.

'Damn!' Keith swore to himself. 'Why did I let her talk me into this in the first place? If mom finds out she's up here with me, she'll have my head on a platter! I know better than to try this with a novice! '

He'd never climbed this part of the cliff before and it was turning out to be much harder than he thought. It was definitely not the place where a novice like his sister should be climbing. He looked around to see how their situation could be improved. About thirty feet to his left he spotted a ledge that jutted out from the cliff wall. If they moved over to the ledge, his sister could rest for a while and from there the climb up would be much easier.

"Don't worry, sis. I'll tie you off over here and then you can climb up and we'll move left. Just keep cool. This part is a little trickier than I thought."

He gave her a quick smile to try and calm her down. Cynthia tried to smile back but she was obviously a little afraid. Keith moved his left hand over to another finger-hold, stretching out with all his might. Just as he got a good handhold on the cliff-face he heard a sharp crack of breaking granite. Instinctively he looked over to his right where his own line was strung through. The piton was stuck deep in a small crack and was holding securely.

Then he heard the short, sharp cry from Cynthia. He looked down and saw his sister bobbing slightly in her harness. Immediately Keith looked over to her piton and saw it tilting dangerously downward -- an inch or so further out from the crack than it should have been!

Keith opened his mouth to tell his sister to reach onto the cliff face and find a handhold but it was too late. There was an even louder snap as the piton came out of the crack and flew downwards under her weight.

As Keith saw his sister start to fall, he felt the first tug of the slack end of her line. It quickly snaked out from the D-ring where it hung, as yet unsecured, on his climbing belt. Keith didn't even hear her terse cry as she fell. His mind was intent on getting the loose end fastened to his waist before the line went taut. As he grabbed the line to tie it around himself, he unconsciously braced for the inevitable jerk. But as quick as his hands moved, the line ran out; zipping through his clutching fingers just as he almost had it about him.

He looked frantically down at her as she as fell; tumbling once against the sheer wall -- her limbs flailing like a rag doll. When she finally reached the bottom there was a sickening thud followed by silence. His sister didn't move and Keith knew she was dead. No one could have survived that fall. He was responsible for the death of his only sister.

A nauseated feeling grew inside his stomach and Keith thought he was going to get sick right there on the rock ledge. Then he become distracted from the terrible sight by the glint of sunlight that reflected off the rooftop of a car as it pulled up next to Cynthia's body. To his horror, his mother stepped out and she was the last person he expected to see.

***

It took almost ten minutes for Keith to negotiate his way down to the floor of the narrow canyon. During the descent he wondered if it wouldn't be better to just let go and fall next to Cynthia. At least it would spare him from what was to come.

His mother was no longer crying when he reached the ground. Her tears had been replaced by a stoic, expressionless stare. Keith felt sick about what had happened to his sister, but he was now frightened of his mother. He knew there would be no forgiveness from her, even though it had been an accident. He wondered why his mother, someone who always maintained control, hadn't rushed to call an ambulance or someone for help. But then, certainly she could see that it would do no good. He had to face facts; his overconfidence had killed his twenty-year-old sister.

Keith took off his climbing harness and walked slowly over to where his sister lay. At that moment he wished he was invisible and his mother wouldn't notice him. His mouth was dry and his heart was pounding with fear and sorrow.

"You! You did this!" She hissed at him, almost on the verge of crying again. Keith recoiled, his fear of her growing again. He always wondered how a beautiful woman like his mother could make him feel so afraid. But looks only hid the domineering personality she had. Maybe it even enhanced it.

"How could you? You knew she shouldn't be climbing with you!"

"But -- but she -- she wanted to." Keith's emotions took over as he blurted out, "Oh, God, Mom! I didn't mean...I mean...can't we...shouldn't we call for help...or something?"

"What for?" she blurted out. "Can't you see what you've done? Your sister, my daughter, is dead!"

Susan Bennett walked briskly past him to her car. Thinking his mother was going to use her car phone to call for help, Keith followed. But instead of calling for help, she reached into the front seat and grabbed her purse. Opening it up, she pulled out a handkerchief and gently started wiping her eyes while staring down at the dirt.

She stood there, staring down for what seemed an eternity, while Keith grew more and more afraid and uncomfortable. He was scared and was looking to her for guidance, but none seemed to come. Then she straightened up, as though she had come to some conclusion in her mind, and stared at her son.

"Who knows you two were up here?" Her question startled and confused him.

"What? Why do you ask?"

"Just answer me! Who knows?" his mother asked in an angry and curt tone that unnerved Keith.

"No one. We didn't tell anyone where we were going. Honest!" Keith couldn't understand why his mother would be asking him something like that.

"Did you see anyone after you got here?"

"No, Mom. No one comes here but me." She nodded and looked down again, as if thinking over again some plan she had conceived in her mind. Keith had no idea what it could be until he remembered the money...his sister's inheritance.

Cynthia was the sole beneficiary of their grandmother's will --eight million dollars sitting in a New York bank. His mother had been one of her heirs before his father had been killed two years earlier. His grandmother had adored Keith's dad, who had died in a car accident after a visit with her late one night. It was a visit he'd made alone because Keith's mother hadn't wanted to go.

After the accident, grandmother blamed Keith's mother for her son's death and had removed her from the will. About two months later the old lady died and it was then that they found that Cynthia was the sole beneficiary. Keith didn't know why his grandmother had removed him from the will too nor did he care anymore. But his mother sure did!

The will stipulated that Cynthia would receive her inheritance only when she turned twenty-one. His mother had spent long hours lecturing them both on how wrong it had been for Grandma to have written her out of the will. Now Keith knew what was dominating her thoughts. Her daughter and their eight million legacy were lying dead a few yards away. The will stipulated that if for some reason Cynthia couldn't accept the money, it would go to several different charities.

Susan reached into her purse and took out a cigarette. Lighting one, she blew out a stream of smoke and looked sidelong over at Keith. She spoke deliberately, matter-of-factly.

"I knew you'd be up here with her. I saw your gear missing from the garage and the extra rope you'd just bought. I couldn't find Cynthia in the house and I just knew you'd try something like this with her!"

Keith felt daggers fly from her eyes as she spoke but it was familiar to him. They hadn't gotten along for a long time and now it was all coming to a head. But instead of defending himself, he looked down at the ground in shame and fear. His mother was right -- this was all his fault.

"I suppose you know what this means? Besides the fact that your sister, my daughter, is dead, we now have no way of recovering our family inheritance! Do you realize what this means?" She repeated.

Keith looked up at his mother, her anger registering harshly on her face. He opened up his mouth to plead with her but she cut him off.

"When you told me about this place, you said there was a cave -or a fissure or something nearby. Something that was deep and you couldn't see the bottom, didn't you?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, pointing to a clump of rocks not far from them, "it's over there. But why?"

"Never mind. Come with me."

His mother walked over to where Cynthia's body was lying. Keith instinctively followed; still shaken and not knowing what else to do then she stopped next to the body and turned to look at him.

Pointing her finger firmly at her son, she sternly said, "now listen to me, Keith. You're going to help me and you are not going to argue with me or say anything! Do you understand?"

Keith nodded, afraid to do otherwise.

"Now come over here and help me with your sister."

She grabbed one side of her body and Keith dejectedly followed her lead. They dragged Cynthia's body over to the fissure and proceeded to push her in. Despite her small size, it was a tight fit and they had to maneuver her body around to get her inside.

It was like a bad dream to Keith. He couldn't believe his mother was treating his sister's body this way and that he was helping her without hesitation. But fear was a very powerful tool and his mother knew how to use it against him. With one final push Cynthia's body disappeared into the darkness below. Several seconds later they heard a 'thud' as her body hit the bottom of the narrow cave. His mother picked up a rope and threw it in.

"If anyone does find her they'll think she was climbing into the cave and fell to her death. Let's go now Keith. We still have a lot of work to do."

The dejected son followed his mother back to cars in guilt and shame. Along the way he whispered a silent prayer to Cynthia; asking her to forgive him for what he'd done and for being to afraid to stand up to their mother to stop it. He wondered if his mother had said a prayer for her too.

***

As night came the temperature rapidly dropped well below freezing. This was the worst time of the day for Tom, sitting in a tree shivering while trying to keep his mind focused on what he was doing. To make matters worse, a stiff breeze had picked up making it seem even colder. He checked his watch. Soon they would be going to bed and Tom could go back to his motel room and craw into a nice warm bed himself. He noticed the maid walk over to the phone and answer it. The phone call was about to make the detective's night even longer.

***

Chapter 11 - Discussions

"Hello, Doctor Jensen's residence. May I help you?" Al answered pleasantly in Jennifer's voice.

"Yes, I need to speak with Sarah Jensen please. Tell her it's very important." Al detected a hint of distress in the female caller's voice.

"Who should I say is calling?"

"Tell her it's Susan Bennett and it's very important that I speak with her now."

"I will see if she is available. Please wait." Al put the call on hold and went back to the lab where the doctor was working.

"Dr. Jensen. There's a call for you from a Susan Bennett. She says it's very important that she talks to you. Do you want to take the call?"

"Yes I do. That will be all for now Jennifer. Please close the door as you leave." Dr. Jensen waited until her maid left before picking up the phone.

"Susan, how are you?" It only took a moment for Sarah to realize her friend wasn't fine at all.

***

Tom watched the maid come back to finish cleaning up the dining room. The phone call stuck him as being rather odd. Sarah Jensen had never had a phone call this late before. Apparently the call didn't concern Gerald in any way. He was still in his room glued to the TV set. Tom put down the binoculars and wrapped his arms around his body to stay warm. The night was getting colder and more miserable by the minute.

***

"How are you doing Susan?" Sarah asked in a concerned voice. She remembered how hard it had been on her friend after her husband had been killed.

"I see...good. I'll try to get a flight out tonight. What? Yes, I remember what I told you in December. Yes I was very serious about what I said." Sarah thought it was odd that her best friend would be asking her a question about her research at a time like this. Then she found out why.

"Are you sure Susan? Once I do that he can't be turned back...Alright, I understand. What about Cynthia? Are you sure no one will find her body? Good. And you're sure this is what you want to do? How do you think he'll feel? Un uh, okay. Now listen, I need you to bring me a piece of her hair off her clothes or brush. You need to be sure it's hers, understand? And pack some of her clothes, he'll need them when you're ready to return home. Then find out what time your flight comes in and call me back. I'll be there at the airport to pick you up...Okay Susan. Don't worry, everything will be all right. I'll see you sometime tonight. Take care of yourself. Bye."

Sarah hung up the phone and lit a cigarette. Smoking helped her think at times like these. She wondered if her friend had really thought this all out. Well, there was still time for Susan to change her mind wasn't there. The earliest they could start would be in the morning. Maybe she'd even try to talk her college roommate out of what she wanted to do. No, she wouldn't do that because there was a lot at stake for both of them.

Sarah grabbed a pen and started making a quick list of things that needed to be done. The first item on the list was going to be the hardest, telling Gerald about this breach in security.

***

Five minutes after receiving the phone call, Dr. Jensen walked into the living room and instructed the maid to do something. Tom watched Jennifer disappear up the steps and reappear a moment later with Gerald in tow. The doctor dismissed her maid, who nodded obediently and went off to her room. After she left, Gerald and Dr. Jensen became engaged in a very intense conversation.

***

"Her daughter was killed in a climbing accident and she needs my help. She's flying out here tonight with her son, or rather, her new daughter."

"Why didn't you tell me she knew?" Gerald asked, his voice teetering on the edge of complete rage. He wondered what the hell the doctor had been thinking about; telling friends what she was doing and worse, not informing him that she had done so.

"Do you realize what this could mean if someone from the agency finds out? You're not supposed to tell anyone doctor and if you do, I'm supposed to be informed."

"Look, it's my research," Sarah snapped back. "I know and trust Susan like she was my own sister. And even if you did know beforehand what difference would it make? I didn't feel like getting a lecture then and I sure as hell don't want one now. I told her Gerald. What's done is done and I can't change that. Right now she needs my help and I'm going to give it to her."

"And how many other people have you told doctor?" Gerald asked bitterly. "The agency has rules that we both have to follow. We just can't break them whenever we want."

"You mean like Jennifer?" Sarah quickly pointed out. "Remember, that was your idea Gerald. The way you spend so much time with her explains why you insisted having me use the DNA of a pretty, young female. Well, now it's my turn Gerald. My friend needs my help to get back her daughter and I'm going to do it."

"And if you friend decides a month later that she wants her son back what are you going to do about it? She does realize this is going to be a permanent situation, doesn't she?"

"Of course she does Gerald. Do you think I'm an idiot? I explained that to her twice and I'll do so again when she gets here. This isn't just about losing a daughter, trust me." Their conversation was interrupted when the phone rang again.

"That must be her," said Sarah. "I'll get it."

***

Tom saw the doctor pick up the phone and write something down on a piece of paper. After she hung up, the two of them talked for another minute and then she went upstairs. Whatever the conversation was about, it was clear that Gerald wasn't happy about what he had been told.

Sensing something big was about to happen, Tom decided to wait and see what unfolded next. Two hours later Gerald and the doctor drove off in her car leaving Jennifer alone. Shortly after that the bedroom light in the maid's room went off. For the next couple hours Tom stared at the dark, silent house trying to stay warm and wondering what the hell was going on.

***

Chapter 12 - The last night of Keith Bennett

"There they are," Sarah told Gerald. Susan saw them and walked up to her friend with her son in tow. Sarah gave her a hug and then turned to her son.

"So you're Keith," she said. Sarah stared at boy and made a summary. There wasn't anything special about him, just a typical 17-year-old. In fact, he was rather small for his age although rock climbing had firmed up his body. Well soon she would turn him into something more than just an average male.

"Let's get your things and we'll be on our way. We still have a half-hour drive ahead of us," Sarah told them.

Gerald turned and led the way in silence while the two ladies walked behind him saying very little to each other. Keith Bennett tagged behind them wondering how this friend of his mother was going to help them out with Cynthia's death. If he had known what his mother had planned for him he would have ran out of the airport screaming at the top of his lungs.

***

"Finally!" Tom said softly to himself as the car pulled up to the gate. He'd begun to wonder if they would be back at all that night. The car slowly drove up the driveway and stopped next to the front door. To Tom's surprise, four people got out of the car; the doctor, Gerald, an older woman and a young man who couldn't have been more then 17 years old.

Gerald went back to the trunk and pulled out three suitcases while the others went inside to get out of the cold. A few minutes later, Tom saw a light go on in one of the spare bedrooms. Gerald walked into the room carrying two suitcases and set both of them on an end table. Then the older woman walked into the room and started undressing.

"You really shouldn't be watching this you pervert," Tom told himself, yet unable to bring the binoculars down from his prying eyes. Despite being in her mid forties, she was still a very attractive woman. What she did next was a total surprise. After changing into her nightgown she sat down on the bed and started crying.

"What is that all about?" Tom asked out loud.

His binoculars turned to follow the doctor coming down the steps. She exchanged a few more words with Gerald and headed towards her lab while he headed for Jennifer's bedroom. Tom pulled out his stopwatch and started it. Almost 2 hours later Dr. Jensen reappeared and headed upstairs to bed. A few minutes later her bedroom light went out and the house became dark again.

By now Tom was totally confused. Just who were these people and what where they up to? Whoever they were there were two things that he was sure about. First, Gerald wasn't happy about them being there and second; the older woman seemed to be greatly upset about something. However he didn't have a clue why.

Too tired to think about it clearly, Tom climbed down from the tree and headed back to his car. He would get a few hours of sleep and be back in the morning before the sun came up. Maybe by then he would be able to figure out what was going on.

***

Chapter 13 - The Phoenix

Al walked into the kitchen at the usual time to prepare breakfast. He was surprised to see Dr. Jensen already up and waiting for him.

"I have a assignment for you Jennifer. I want you to listen to me carefully. Ekala!..."

***

Tom took his spot in one of the many trees he had scouted out before. This tree gave him an excellent view of the living room and dining room. He figured Dr. Jensen and her guest would be using these rooms the most. The detective was surprised to see Dr. Jensen already up and about at such an early hour. Normally she didn't appear downstairs for another half-hour. Tom tried to get comfortable in the tree as he waited for the day's activities to begin.

About 30 minutes later, the older woman and the young man, who Tom guessed be her son, walked into the dining room and sat down at the table with Dr. Jensen. It was then, Tom noticed the first strange occurrence of the day, Gerald wasn't joining them.

The bodyguard had never missed breakfast with the doctor in all the times he'd been watching them. Could he still angry about the events of the previous night? The maid came into the room and started serving them coffee. Tom noticed she picked up a different pot to serve the boy. It must contain tea or some other drink he deduced.

***

'He's just a young man!' Al said to himself. 'No, that wasn't right...he was still a boy. How could his mother or the doctor even think of doing this to him? Worse, he has no idea about what's going to happen and I can't tell him.'

Al gave him a sad look as he poured him a cup of the drugged coffee, hoping he would get suspicious by his actions. Instead he gave Jennifer a pleasant smile as if nothing was wrong. The doctor noticed the look on Jennifer's face with displeasure. Here was something else for her to take care of later on.

"That will be all for now Jennifer," Dr. Jensen said firmly. "I'll call you if we need anything else."

All Al could do was politely smile and walk away. Deep down he felt guilty about being part of the process that was going to end this young boy's life. Why couldn't he do something about it? He wanted to, he really did! Inside he was screaming at the top of his new female lungs not to let this happen. So why couldn't he save this boy from his fate? Why couldn't he warn him? Why? He prayed to God that he wouldn't have to go through this transformation and that this boy would wise up and go running out of the house before it was too late.

***

"Is everything ready, Sarah?" Susan Bennett asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Susan. We're all set. We need to finish our coffee and then we can get started." She glanced at Keith as she spoke, making him feel a little uneasy. He took a sip of the hot liquid, unaware it was drugged.

Dr. Jensen and Susan chatted for a little while as they finished their coffee, making small talk but not really saying anything. Keith wondered when the subject of his sister was going to come up. After he'd emptied his cup, Dr. Jensen stood up and nodded to her friend that it was time for the next step.

"Come with us, Keith. It's time we got started." Keith gave her a quizzical look but didn't say a word. He knew his mother would tell him what was going on in due time.

The doctor led them down the hallway to a metal but stylish door. She unlocked it and gestured both of them to go inside. Other than the lack of outside windows, Keith didn't notice anything strange about the room. There were a couple of computers on one table and a desk that was clean and bare except for a desk pad and a crystal ashtray. He noticed an expensive cabinet with a lock on it sitting next to the door they came in.

Along another wall was a huge bookcase containing a large number of thick, medical books. On the opposite wall hung a drape with a metal door next to it. Keith wasn't sure if the drape was there for decoration or for some other purpose. He noticed the metal door next to it had two locks, one on the handle and the other a deadbolt.

Dr. Jensen motioned them to take a seat in the two chairs that were pulled up in front of the desk. Keith began to wonder if she was really some kind of hotshot lawyer. Perhaps that was why his mother had come here, to plan out some sort of legal strategy to get Cynthia's inheritance in spite of her untimely death. But any more ideas he had about Sarah Jensen being a lawyer ended when she went to the closet and put on her white lab coat. She sat down at her desk facing them but this time she spoke directly to Keith.

"Well, Keith. Your mother has told me all about what happened yesterday." She looked at him accusingly which caused the young man to squirm a little in his chair. It was obvious to him that Dr. Jensen thought Cynthia's death was entirely his fault.

"It's fortunate that your mother called me right away," she continued. "If we're to save the inheritance, we need to act fast and decisively. I'm sure you'll agree."

Keith didn't know what else to do but nod. It all seemed so clinical, as though his sister's death didn't really matter any more. The only thing that did seem to matter to them was the money. Sarah leaned forward and looked directly at his mother.

"As I explained to you Susan, what we propose to do requires only about an hour to accomplish the preliminary phase. The second phase, that is the physical modifications, will occur as fast or as slow as you want them to. I recommend that you take it slowly, maybe over a couple of days. That way there's less stress imposed on the body and it will give you time to incorporate the third phase, the personality modifications, into the physical moods without much discontinuity. In other words, you don't want to have the subject appear as one thing and act as another. Do you follow me?"

Susan Bennett smiled and replied, "yes, I'm clear on that point Sarah. You mentioned it yesterday and I believe I can work it out so everything will seem normal to anyone who might observe us."

"Good. Then I think we can begin. I'll give you a detailed list of the order in which to trigger the physical modifications. I'll also give you a list of behavioral modifications with my recommendations as to where and when to incorporate them. But you may deviate from that list if it suits your needs. Only the physical moods must be kept in order. Be careful not to deviate from that list too much or there might be some problems. And don't forget to stop for the time period listed on the sheet when you reach that stage."

Susan nodded while Keith tried to understand what they were talking about. None of it made any sense to him. Why were they talking about physical and behavioral modifications? What the hell did that have to do with the inheritance? Or with Cynthia?

He looked questioningly at his mother, who was looking over at him now and smiling slightly. Keith felt nervous and unable to grasp why he was being kept in the dark about everything. Why didn't they just tell him what was going on? He opened his mouth to ask when he felt a shiver start in his back and go up to the top of his head. He thought it was just a chill but then it happened again, only this time he went rigid in his chair. He sat there paralyzed, unable to even move his mouth as it hung partially open.

"Well, Keith. It appears that you're just about ready to begin." Dr. Jensen flashed him a re-assuring smile. "Just try and relax. This won't hurt and I'll be through with you in just a few minutes."

The doctor stood up and spoke as she walked past him.

"The drug that's controlling your movements right now will wear off in about fifteen minutes. Please don't worry. It has no lasting effects and only serves to keep you still while I administer these serums."

'Serums? Drugs? What the hell is she talking about?' Keith's drugged mind tried to make sense of what she said. He was petrified with fear. He heard the doctor opening up the cabinet behind him as she spoke to his mother.

"This first injection Susan is for the behavioral modes. Remember that it will not only trigger the behavioral modifications, it also serves to trigger the physical modes by use of a key word, followed by coded number arrangements. Before I give it to him, remember that all behavioral and physical modes will have to be preceded by a key word. This serum acts on the base of the brain, incorporating the key word into his genetics. It's like teaching him a word or phrase without him ever having heard it before. The brain synapses automatically recognize the word and they will react to it, triggering other responses throughout his system. Don't use the word unless you're ready to give him a set of instructions or trigger a physical change with the proper number arrangements. Understand?"

"Yes. What will the key word be?" Keith's mother asked calmly, as if she were asking for the price of a lettuce in grocery store.

"I chose a word that he wouldn't hear unless you said it. Actually, it's not a real word. There would be too great of a chance that he might hear it from someone else accidentally. So I made one up. When you're ready to trigger a mode, just say 'Jolexo'. The vowels are clear and can't be confused with other words. Got it?"

Susan repeated the word and told her friend that she did.

Keith felt someone's hand tilt his head forward. He wanted to bolt out of the chair but couldn't move. Then he felt the cold touch of an alcohol swab on the back of his neck.

"This injection will place the serum into the base of his brain. It will take effect in just a few minutes, so don't use the key word until I'm through and you have the list in front of you to refer to." A second later, Keith felt the sharp sting of a needle on the back of his neck. It was followed by a slight burning sensation that quickly faded!

'Oh, Shit! What are you doing to me?' Keith wanted to cry out. 'God mom, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt anyone! Please, don't hurt me! Please, I'm your son.' But he couldn't say any of the things that flooded into his head. He heard the cabinet door open again as Sarah continued to speak to his mother.

"This injection will place the genetic DNA and accelerator serum into his system. It contains the necessary instructions for all of the physical modes. In addition, it will incorporate any behavioral modes into his learned muscle responses. He won't have to think about changing his mannerisms, his physical movements and actions, or his behavior when you trigger a response. As you know, we all learn things as we repeat them while growing up. They become learned responses. He won't need to learn them. They'll already be there, waiting to be triggered. Once these learned muscle responses are triggered, they become the only responses he has. All the others are deleted from his brain. Make sure you're ready for them to occur before you trigger them, otherwise, remember what I said about the person not fitting the image. Understand?"

"I understand," Susan replied.

"Good. Here are the two lists. The first list, labeled 'B' for behavior, gives my recommendations for the order in which to modify his behavior in accordance with the physical modes. Simply say the key word once, read off the mode or say whatever it is you want him to do, then repeat the key word again when you're done. Speak clearly and slowly...don't rush it. And do it when it's quiet around you. You don't want him confused by background noise or something someone else might say while you're giving him an instruction. Okay?"

"Yes, I've got it."

"This list, labeled 'P' for physical modes, must be read in order. Each mode is followed by a number code. Say the key word, read off the physical change, then read the number code, then say the key word again. I've listed an example below so you'll remember. Make sure you're alone when you do this. The change will occur almost immediately and you don't want anyone to see it happen. By the way, the physical changes won't hurt him. A special anesthetic is released during the genetic and matter transformation process. He'll just lose mobility while it's happening and then he'll be fine. Understand?"

"Yes, it's all clear to me."

The panic in Keith had reached a fever pitch by now. He didn't know what they were planning to do but he knew he wasn't going to like it. He tried to get up but his body refused to budge. Dr. Jensen spoke again

"Now remember that during all of this, he'll be aware of what's happening. I can't change his memories or the basic persona in his mind. He'll be completely aware of what's happened, he simply won't be able to act in any other way than is prescribed by the modes. Don't worry though, each time we've done this, the subject never gave us any problems. In fact, you can even give him a command that will allow you to speak with him, as he really is, whenever you want. Just remember to turn it off when you're through, otherwise his physical appearance and physical behavioral won't match with what he says. The command for that is on the last line. Okay?"

Susan said that she understood and Dr. Jensen proceeded with the next step. Keith heard someone approaching him from behind again. He felt the cold swab on the back of his neck followed once more by a needle stick and then a burning sensation. He thought his heart was going to pound out of his chest as his mind reeled with fear and confusion. Then he saw Dr. Jensen come around and sit down at her desk again. He looked in horror at the large empty syringe that she placed on the desk in front of him. He realized that the contents of it were coursing through his body doing who knows what!

Sarah smiled, "don't be afraid, Keith. You'll be fine in a few minutes. The drug I gave you should wear off shortly. I'll leave all of the explanations of what's going to happen to your mother. If you haven't guessed at what we're doing here by our conversation, I'm sure it'll all be clear to you quite soon."

Keith wanted to yell and lash out at her for violating his privacy and his rights! But he was unable to do anything.

Sarah looked over at Susan and said, "in a few minutes you should be prepared to give him the first two behavior modes. You don't want him to regain his mobility without some measure of control over him, alright?"

"Okay, Sarah. Just let me know when to proceed."

She nodded and asked, "are you planning on returning to San Diego with him as he is now, or will you be making some changes first?"

Keith found that he could move his head a little and looked over towards his mother. 'As I am now? Making changes first? What the Hell was this mad doctor talking about?'

"I was hoping to return home with enough basic changes already made so there wouldn't be any questions about Cynthia's disappearance. Our flight doesn't leave until seven this evening. I can finish with the rest when we're home. Would that be alright?" Susan asked.

"Oh, that's fine. That way I'll be able to make sure everything is working out okay. You can start as soon as you're ready. I assume you brought enough things for him to wear?"

"Oh, yes. I packed enough to get by. You're sure they'll fit alright?" Dr. Jensen looked over at Keith, noticing that his head was now turning freely as he looked first at his mother and then back at her.

"No problem. All the changes will be made to exact specifications. If the sample DNA from the hair was only a few weeks old, all modifications will be to the most recent physical standards."

She looked back at Keith and said, "He's coming around now Susan. Get ready to give him the first two commands."

Keith felt himself being able to move slightly. His fear was gradually being replaced by anger over the way he'd just been treated.

'My mother and this doctor are insane,' he concluded. Keith wasn't sure what they were up to but he wasn't going to wait and find out. As soon as the drug wore off he was going to make a break for it. Then he was going straight to the police to tell them everything - including Cynthia's accident. It may mean he would end up spending some time in jail for dumping her body but this situation was getting out of hand. He started to stand up when the doctor spoke again.

"Okay, Susan. Go ahead. He's going to get up."

"Jolexo! You will remain calm and do as I say. You will not tell anyone about what has happened to you. And you will never speak the key word out loud for any reason. Jolexo!" Then Mrs. Bennett firmly added, "stay where you are, Keith!"

Just as he came to his feet Keith heard his mother speak those words. There was a slight burning in his neck that he ignored. However, when he tried to move towards the door, he found himself just standing there! No matter how hard he tried, Keith couldn't make his legs move! Susan Bennett stood up and walked in front of him.

Keith gave his mother a pleading look and said, "oh, mom! Please! Don't hurt me! Please let me go!"

"Keith, I want you to thank Dr. Jensen for her help and then I want you to follow me upstairs."

The young man looked over at Sarah Jensen sitting at her desk with an amused smile on her face. Anger rose up inside him. 'Thank her!' He was going to tell her what he thought of all this and threaten her. But as Keith tried to speak out the words he meant to say it was at that moment he began to realize the true extent of what she had been done to him.

"Thank you, Dr. Jensen," was all that came out of his mouth.

No threats, no four letter words, nothing different than what his mother had told him to say. Keith couldn't understand what was going on. How could they control him against his will? His anger was quickly replaced by fear again.

"You're welcome, Keith. I hope you'll be able to accept your situation and be a help to your mother. I'll see you later for lunch." She smiled again as she sat back in her chair while taking another languid puff on her cigarette.

Keith followed his mother back upstairs and into the bedroom where he'd slept the night before. She closed the door behind them and told him to sit on the bed. Unable to resist, Keith did as she commanded.

"Mom?" Mrs. Bennett looked up at her son with almost no expression on her face. "Mom? What are you doing with me? Why -why are you doing this? Please, I won't tell anyone! Please stop!"

The young man felt like he was going to break down and cry; partly out of fear and partly out of the way his mother was treating him. But instead of showing sympathy toward her only son, Susan gave him a look of disdain and moved within inches of his face.

"You'll find out soon enough!" she hissed slightly. "You didn't think I'd just let eight million dollars fly out the window because of your selfish stupidity, did you?"

She was just barely keeping her anger in check and Keith became more frightened over what she planned to do to him. It was obvious she had little regard for his own wants at that point!

"Since you are the reason we are in this situation - you're going to get us out of it! Now keep quiet and get undressed. When you are done put your clothes on the bed."

Keith tried to resist, but found himself doing what she had commanded him to do. A moment later he stood in front of his mother completely naked. She picked up the pile of clothes from the bed and left the room.

***

Tom had watched the two ladies and young boy drink their coffee and leave in the direction of the lab.

"Damn, why couldn't there be at least one window in that room," Tom muttered to himself.

Almost thirty minutes later Susan Bennett and her son re-appeared and headed upstairs. Tom kept an eye on the older woman's bedroom. A few minutes later she walked into the room carrying some clothes in her arms. She placed them on her bed and went over to a suitcase on a table. Tom couldn't be sure but the clothes she laid down looked like the ones the boy had been wearing that morning. The older woman grabbed the suitcase and carried it out the door.

"Damn it!" Tom cursed as he realized that he'd picked the wrong tree to sit in. The boy's room was located on the other side of the house. The private eye debated about moving but decided to wait and see what happened. It turned out to be the wrong choice. He watched the maid clean up the dirty dishes and then moved on to her next assignment, dusting. Gerald appeared, dressed in a pair of gray sweat pants and a T-shirt. He spoke to Jennifer for a moment and headed towards exercise room. The rest of the morning was uneventful.

***

Susan walked back into Keith's room carrying Cynthia's old suitcase. She placed it down on the bed and turned to Keith.

"Come over here," she commanded. Keith followed her over to the freestanding mirror in the corner.

"Now, you wanted to know what's going on here? Well, I'm about to show you. Look at yourself in the mirror and listen to me."

Keith looked at his reflection. He was still slightly taller than his mother who was standing next to him in her high heels. She looked at the list in her hand and started to speak clearly and slowly to him.

"Jolexo. Height and weight. 49837. Jolexo."

Keith felt a burning sensation grow in his neck along with a loud buzzing in his head. He felt a slight numbness creeping throughout his body until he couldn't feel his hands or toes anymore.

Suddenly the room began to spin as his mother seem to get taller right in front of his eyes. To his horror, he actually began to shrink in size by several inches. But that wasn't all. Keith also saw himself getting thinner. His weight, though there hadn't been much before, seemed to melt away into nothingness. A moment later, the buzzing subsided and he was looking at a much shorter image of himself.

His mother moved around in front of him, blocking the terrible reflection in the mirror. She was at least three inches taller then her son now and was actually looking down at him.

"Well," she said matter-of-factly, "Sarah certainly knows what she's doing. You must be five foot five inches now and that looks about right."

A fleeting, terrible thought ran through Keith's mind. 'That was Cynthia's height! Could mom be planning to - no, that's just not possible. Even if it was, she wouldn't do that to her only son, would she?'

"Alright, Keith. Watch yourself in the mirror again. Let's try the next step. Jolexo! Basic Figure Modification and Skin Modification. 36712. Jolexo!"

'Nooo!' Keith tried to yell out. 'Stop this!'

He felt the numbness return over his body again. This time the buzzing was much louder and sounded like a swarm of angry bees. Keith wanted to cover his ears to block out the noise but couldn't move his hands. He knew it would have been a useless gesture since the buzzing was coming from inside his head, not outside.

As he watched in horror, his shoulders narrowed, his arms shortened, his waist got narrower and raised higher up on his torso. His hips grew outwards into the basic shape of a - .

'Oh, God! Oh, please noooo! This can't be happening to me. She can't really be doing this to me!' Keith tried to scream. He watched as his hips became the basic shape of a girl.

When the buzzing stopped, Keith looked clearly at the image in the mirror. It was now that of a flat chested girl with a penis. Only the face looked familiar but even that had taken on a different look. The softer skin that covered his body made him look more like his sister.

'Oh, God! It was true!' Keith suddenly realized. It all made sense now. This was how his mother was planning to get the money! He was going to take Cynthia's place! He was going to become her!

"Well!" Susan started out. "I'm very impressed with the results so far. You're starting to look more like your sister now." She paused for a moment to give her son an evil smile and to take in what she had just said.

"I suppose you've figured this out by now, Keith," she went on. "Since you caused her death, it's only fair that you take her place and make sure we don't lose our inheritance, don't you agree?"

Keith was in too much shock to answer her.

"Well, let me see," she continued as she looked down at the paper in her hand. "A couple of more things and then we can get on with some of the behavioral modes. Jolexo! Facial Modifications and Hair Modifications. 2749726. Jolexo!"

Keith felt the numbness returning to his body. He closed his eyes so he couldn't see what was happening next.

***

An hour passed -- then two. Tom shifted in the tree trying to get more comfortable, an impossible task. Everything in the house seemed to be normal. There was no sign of the mother and her son since they went upstairs. Finally she appeared coming down the steps followed by an attractive, younger woman.

"Who in the hell are you lady and where did you come from?" Tom asked himself. Could this be the young man dressed up as a girl he wondered? The young woman did look a little like him but no; she was much shorter than the older lady was and the boy would have been taller than both of them. Maybe you could change the appearance of how someone looked but even Tom realized that you couldn't cut several inches off his or her body.

The two ladies walked into the dining room where Dr. Jensen greeted them. Each of them took a seat at the dining room table and started chatting.

***

Dr Jensen smiled at the two ladies when they entered the room. Seeing the look on her friend's face only convinced her more that she had done the right thing. Susan was thrilled to get her daughter back - even if it meant the loss of her only son. Of course, she already had plans to fix that little problem sometime in the future. But for now she stood there admiring her work.

"Oh, Susan! I'd no idea your daughter was so pretty! I'm so glad everything is working out so well! She's just - so perfect!"

"It's you who should be proud Sarah. We never could have done this without you! Thank you so much!"

"It was my pleasure Susan." She motioned for them to sit down at the table. "It isn't often I get to see the fruits of my labor in action." She followed every movement of her friend's new daughter as she femininely smoothed her dress underneath her thighs and gracefully crossed her legs after sitting down.

"Cynthia, honey. Why don't you thank Sarah for helping to make you such a beautiful young lady. Her voice came out just perfect Sarah, and I want you to hear her."

Deep inside the young man cringed. He hated being put on display like this. But as hard as he tried his smile remained and in a girlish, high voice -- his sister's voice, he said, "thank you, Dr. Jensen."

"You're welcome, Cynthia," Sarah turned to face her friend. "Did you stop the process where I recommended on the list Susan?"

"Yes I did. However, I did skip ahead one item to get her fingernails out to full length. I hate those fake nails and I wanted her to feel more natural."

"Oh, that's no problem. In fact, there are a few other things you can do if you want before tomorrow. You may have noticed there are items on the list marked by an asterisk. It really doesn't matter when you do them. But I placed them where they are for continuity."

The other woman nodded, looking once again at the list and smiling.

"Have you made sure you have given her all the behavioral modes that she'll need to fit into her new role properly?"

"I think so. We covered several things up in the room, but there are still a few other things that I was saving for later. I thought you might want to observe them, too. And if you have any suggestions, please feel free to mention them. I want to make sure there is nothing missing from her normal behavior...nothing to draw undue attention to herself. I'm sure you must have changed some things since experimenting on your first subject."

Dr. Jensen nodded. "That's right. After the first try, we noticed some errors in the way the subject assimilated the behavior of the donor's DNA. Sometimes there were abortions in the translation. But, we haven't had any problems where the two individuals involved were closely related. I'm sure she'll do just fine."

"That's comforting to know. By the way, how many transformations have you done?"

Dr. Jensen straightened up smiling, obviously enjoying talking about her work.

"Well, let's see. We've done four same sex transformations. That is, we've changed two males to other males and two females into other females. Those are fairly easy and we did them primarily for government agencies. You know, witness protection programs and a couple of CIA operative jobs. They were actually the first tests we did. We were originally funded by the government and I can't really go into those cases."

Susan nodded, understanding the secrecy involved.

"Then, we received government approval to test out some gender changing experiments. We've done three so far. Cynthia makes the fourth. Of course, as I explained to you before, this is all still very top secret and I'm relying on you to keep this quiet. The advantage to this type of procedure lies in its secrecy."

Susan again nodded that she understood and Sarah went on.

"The first sex change procedure was with a volunteer. It was a young man who was working with the CIA in a foreign country. He was twenty-three at the time. We used a twenty-one year old woman from the agency as the DNA donor. He turned out just fine, but we had some problems with his personality and behavioral modes. It seems the female donor was, shall we say, a bit promiscuous and he, or shall I say she, became a bit of a problem. The CIA eventually asked us to reverse the process. I'm afraid she died in the attempt. That's when we learned the process was irreversible. Any attempt to change the subject back to how they were, placed too much stress on the nervous system. Once changed, it's for good."

Keith reeled in horror. 'Oh, God! That was it then! There is no going back if they completed the process.' At best, even if they stopped the process now, he would always appear more female than male no matter how he dressed. 'Why is this happening to me? Cynthia's death was an accident! How can my mother do this to me?'

Sarah continued while Keith's mother listening intently, obviously intrigued by her friend's description of the other subject's changes.

"The next subject was a woman who had been left for dead after a botched assignment for the FBI. She was in pretty bad shape, a victim of the Mafia. But they nursed her back to health and needed her to go back in undercover to finish the assignment. There was just no way to get her back in as a woman, so she was asked to undergo the process and go in as a man. I'm really not sure if she volunteered or was forced into it in some way. In any event, the process worked well with her because we used a cousin of hers as the donor. She's still working for them I hear and is doing just fine, except he's now married to one of the Mafia bosses daughters! I've always wondered what that must have been like for her." Susan smiled and wondered too.

"Now the last time I did this it was a little different. It was the first time I did one on my own. That is, I didn't have any orders to do it from the government. I had just gotten home late one evening after flying back from Washington DC. Gerald, who's a government security agent assigned to watch over the lab, told me he had caught someone breaking into the house. Gerald's been with me now for almost five years and he knows everything that goes on around here. He was about to call for the local police when I came home."

Now Keith and Susan were both getting intrigued over what she was saying.

"It seems the young man he caught was a vagrant; travelling through the area and looking for some easy cash. Needless to say, I didn't want the local authorities poking around here and Gerald decided that was best, too. But we were in a quandary as to what to do about the young man sitting locked up in my basement. That's when Gerald reminded me of how often I'd been complaining about not being able to hire a decent maid to help around the house. So to make a long story short, we used the DNA of a young woman that was around eighteen at the time. She had participated in a sampling my associates held in Florida a few months prior. I can't remember the details now, I believe her application said she was a high school cheerleader. Anyway, we put the young man, who was about twenty-two, through the process, changing him into a lovely, eighteen year old girl. The behavior modes were easy, I just turned him into a domestic, able to cook and clean and help me around the house."

Then she winked at Susan and added softly, "and Gerald put in a few modes of his own. Now he doesn't take any time off at all to go into town, unless it's with Jennifer, if you know what I mean." Both ladies laughed devilishly while Keith sat there stunned.

'Oh, my God! The maid!' The pretty, young woman he had found so attractive was just like him. Keith sat there smiling, unable to register on his face the horror he felt inside. 'That poor guy! Forced to be a maid to serve this evil doctor and worse...to be a playmate for her bodyguards amusement.'

About that time Gerald strolled into the room. He seemed bigger then Keith had remembered and was wearing a plain, gray suit. Now that he knew what the bodyguard really was, the man looked like a government agent.

"Oh, Gerald," Sarah announced, "you're just in time for lunch. Would you ask Jennifer to serve us please?"

Gerald smiled slightly and gave her a nod. "Yes, Doctor, I'll tell her now." He went into the kitchen and returned a moment later, taking a seat next to Dr. Jensen.

"Gerald," the doctor said as she stubbed out her cigarette in the crystal ashtray in front of her. "I'd like you to meet Cynthia Louise Bennett, Susan's daughter."

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Bennett," he said politely.

"How do you do, Gerald," Keith replied back sweetly in Cynthia's voice.

The bodyguard was about to say something else but was interrupted by the clicking sound of high-heels as Al walked into the room carrying a large tray in his small hands. Al flashed Keith a momentary sad, sympathetic look. Keith looked away from the stare, unable to stand the thought that she had once been a male like himself.

The maid resumed smiling and sat down the tray containing several small sandwiches and some juice. When Al was done setting out the plates he asked in a sweet, high pitched, obedient voice, "is there anything else I can get you Dr. Jensen?"

Sarah smiled and said, "that'll be all Jennifer. Have you already eaten lunch?"

The maid returned her smile and replied, "yes, Ma'am."

"Then why don't you go to your room and change into something more appropriate. You can join us for coffee in the living room after we've finished our lunch?"

"Yes Dr. Jensen," said Al who then flashed a quick smile at Gerald and left the room. Sarah took a small bite from a sandwich, passing the tray around to Susan before talking again.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy talking to Jennifer after we've had lunch Susan. It'll help you to see how well things will work out with Cynthia."

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be fun. And maybe Cynthia can learn something from her, too," Susan replied giving her new daughter a quick wink.

***

"What the hell's going on here?" Tom asked out loud. He watched as the maid headed off to her bedroom.

'Isn't anyone going to take some food upstairs to the boy?' he thought. 'No the better question was why wasn't he joining them? Had he done something wrong and was he now being punished for it.'

There was also something else that caught the detective's eye. He noticed Gerald seemed to be more tense then normal. A couple of times, when the bodyguard moved just right, Tom was able to catch sight of the gun hidden underneath his suit coat. And his smile seemed forced, as if he was nervous, almost frightened, about the two houseguests sitting in front of him. It was the fear that confused the private eye the most. Why would he feel threatened? These people couldn't have posed much of a threat to Gerald even without his gun but it was clear something was bothering him.

After lunch, the bodyguard disappeared into the kitchen while the others went into the living room and sat down. The conversation appeared relaxed until Jennifer walked into the room interrupting them.

Tom gasped partly out of surprise and partly out of lust. She'd changed out of her maid's uniform and was now wearing one of the sexiest outfits he had ever seen. She'd put on a short, tight red dress with a pair of matching red leather, spiked heels. Her make-up was immaculate, with her shiny red lips locked in a perpetual smile. Tom was so busy watching her he didn't catch the expression on everyone else's face.

***

Sarah smiled as she saw the reaction on her friend's face. "Quite a difference, don't you think, Susan?" she asked coyly.

Susan Bennett raised her eyebrows and nodded, looking wryly over at her friend. Dr. Jensen chuckled a little.

"Like I said, Gerald had a few behavior modes for Jennifer of his own design. Oh my, how rude of me. Cynthia, I'd like you to meet my maid and Gerald's girlfriend, Jennifer Lynnette Anderson. Jennifer, this is Cynthia Louise Bennett."

"Hello, Cynthia. Pleased to meet you," Al smiled pleasantly at Keith as if he was unaware of who he really was - or had been.

Keith tried to look away, but instead returned her smile and replied back, "it's so nice to meet you, Jennifer." His sweet, feminine voice betrayed his inner anxiety over talking to this beautiful young woman who had also been a man like himself. He wondered what this person was really feeling inside. Was he still angry over what they had done to him? Did he still have his own thoughts?

Gerald came into the room with a tray of coffee and gave each of them a cup before settling down next to Jennifer. He placed his arm around her shoulders and gave her a slight squeeze. Al smiled and gazed lovingly up into his eyes. Susan lit a cigarette and blew a column of smoke off to one side while watching them interact.

"If there's anything else you'd like to try or do for Cynthia, Susan, now would be a good time. I would be more than happy to help you out with any suggestions or have Jennifer demonstrate her own conditioning, if you think it would help you out."

"Well Sarah, since you brought it up. I was wondering about something. Will this Cynthia be able to do everything that her sister did? I mean, her sister had many different aspects to her personality and habits. Will she assimilate all of these automatically or will I have to give her all the necessary commands to do so?"

Sarah thought about the question for a moment before answering it. "She'll assimilate almost everything her sister did in a natural way, but some things may require a command. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, her sister smoked and I haven't seen any inclination on Cynthia's part to do so." Dr. Jensen raised her eyebrows a bit.

"Well...I really don't know if she'll start doing that on her own or not. I'm sure you'll want to make sure she does everything just like her sister. I suppose you should just give her the proper command and let it go at that. It can't hurt to be redundant with behavior modifications."

Mrs. Bennett looked over at her ex-son who pleaded with his eyes not to do anything else to him. Then she turned back to her friend and asked, "does it matter if I say the keyword in front of Jennifer?"

"No, but first we should give them both commands to never say the other one's keyword out loud. Then they'll never be able to override a command for each other if they are left alone."

Sarah then commanded both of them never to use each other's keyword out loud. "Okay Susan, you can begin anytime you like."

"Jolexo! You'll begin smoking ladies cigarettes just as your sister did Cynthia," Mrs. Bennett commanded in a clear, crisp voice. "You normally smoke the same brand as her and you'll do so in the same fashion and manner as she did. You'll smoke as often as she did, about a pack and a half a day and you'll not quit smoking unless I tell you to. Jolexo!"

Keith felt the burning in his neck subside and realized that he didn't feel any different than he had a moment before. But then a strange desire started to grow inside him. He found himself reaching for his purse and opening it up. Immediately he understood what he was looking for. A feeling of frustration came over him when he didn't find what he was looking for.

"Mother, I've run out of cigarettes. Could I please have one of yours?" Keith asked.

"Of course my dear," Susan said smiling as she handed him a new pack of Virginia Slims. Keith thanked her and gracefully pulled one of the long, white cigarettes out of the pack. He started digging for his lighter but couldn't find one. Gerald leaned over with his lighter in his hand.

"Please. Allow me Cynthia."

"Oh, thank you Gerald," Keith leaned forward and lit the cigarette in his mouth. He took a deep puff and felt his stomach turn over from the taste. Now he remembered why he never got into the habit of smoking. Not only did it lower his ability to climb it also made him sick to his stomach. He found the cigarette he was smoking quite disgusting.

"Well that worked out fine," Susan said. "I'm going to have to make sure I remember everything about Cynthia's habits and incorporate them into her own as I think of them."

"You know," Sarah started out. "I've been wondering how difficult it would be to modify a subject into a behavior that neither the subject nor the donor ever had indulged in before. This might be a good time to try it out. Gerald, do you recall if Jennifer smoked prior to her transformation?"

Gerald looked thoughtfully for a moment then said, "I don't believe so, Doctor. But it was only about a day that he was held here before you began the process."

Dr. Jensen stared over at Jennifer who was fidgeting slightly and looking down at her lap. She already knew from past experience where this was leading.

"Ekala! Jennifer, I want you to speak as your true self. Answer me truthfully. Did you smoke prior to your transformation? Ekala!"

There was a sudden change in Al's attitude. Now able to speak freely, the smile vanished and he sat upright, moving slightly away from Gerald as he did so.

"No, Doctor. I didn't! And I won't do it now either! You people are crazy! You can't do this to..." Al was cut off in mid-sentence by Sarah's stern, quick voice.

"Ekala! That's enough, Jennifer. You will now assume your proper role as my maid and Gerald's girlfriend. Ekala!" Al resumed his ladylike posture and leaned slightly back towards Gerald as if nothing had happened.

***

Outside Tom noticed the strange behavior. For the briefest of moments it appeared as if the maid actually lost her temper with Dr. Jensen. It was something he'd never seen happen before. But then the doctor said something sharply to her and she settled back into her position against Gerald as if nothing had happened.

"Strange," Tom muttered to himself. He wondered what that was all about.

***

"Gerald, if you don't mind, I would like to try a little experiment with your girlfriend. I'm sure her donor wasn't a smoker either, being a cheerleader and all. So I'd like to see if the behavior modification process could incorporate that behavior into her personality as easily as it did for Cynthia. Alright?"

"Sure, Doctor. I don't mind at all."

Sarah looked over at Jennifer and spoke slowly and clearly. "Ekala! Jennifer, you are a cigarette smoker. You smoke about a pack and a half a day. You smoke the same brand as I do, Bensen & Hedges 120's. You'll not smoke when acting as my maid, unless you do so on your breaks. But you will smoke as often as I've commanded you to when you are off duty, such as now. You'll always smoke in a ladylike and graceful, seductive way. You especially enjoy having Gerald light your cigarettes for you, just like a lady would. You'll do this as I've commanded. Ekala!"

Keith watched Al's eyes glaze over slightly while the doctor was speaking to him. He wondered if this was the way he looked when his mother was issuing commands to him. After it was over Al opened up his purse and started searching. A look of disappointment appeared on his face.

"Oh, Gerald, I'm out of cigarettes again," Jennifer pouted. "Would you be a dear and get me a fresh pack?"

The bodyguard smiled and replied as he stood up, "sure thing, honey. I'll be right back." He left the room and re-appeared a minute later holding a freshly opened pack of cigarettes in his hand. He sat down next to Al who looked up at him, smiling brightly as he took the pack from him.

"Thank you, sweetheart," he purred sweetly. Then, without hesitation, he plucked out one of the extra long, white cigarettes and held it between her fingers as though he'd done it a million times before.

"Would you give me a light please, honey?" Al asked softly.

Gerald pulled out the lighter from his coat pocket again and lit the long cigarette that he held in the tips of his fingers. Al leaned back slightly and took a deep puff while smiling up at Gerald as if everything was normal. Sarah smiled proudly, obviously pleased with the results.

"Well I guess that answers my question," she chuckled. "Gerald, you may cancel that command at any time you wish. I'll leave it up to you."

Gerald stared back as Al took a long, lazy puff on the cigarette and then energetically exhaled a long column of smoke up and away into the air. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll keep that in mind."

It was obvious to Keith that Gerald enjoyed watching Jennifer behave that way and had no intention of stopping her from doing it. He tried not to think about the other things that the agent made her do. It was also becoming evident to him that his mother and Dr. Jensen enjoyed this level of control they had over others. He began to realize that his mother was not only unconcerned about how this bizarre change was effecting him...she was enjoying it!

"Susan, why don't I take this opportunity to give you a little tour of my facility? Gerald, you can join us if you like. I'm sure that Jennifer and Cynthia could use the time for a little 'girl talk' while we're gone. Besides, I'm certain that Cynthia could use a little respite from all this and would like to ask Jennifer a few things that only she could answer."

Gerald became uneasy over the doctor's suggestion. He didn't know which idea bothered him more; leaving Jennifer and Cynthia unattended to talk about their current situation or having Dr. Jensen give her friend a tour of the facility without him. It was a big breach of security but he knew better then to remind the doctor of that. He decided it was probably better if he did his job and tagged along with the doctor to see how much she said about the place.

Susan was also concerned about leaving the two young ladies alone and expressed it. "Sure, I'd love a tour of this place Sarah but...well, do you think it's okay to leave them alone together?"

Sarah gave her a reassuring smile. "Oh, it won't be a problem at all. I'll just give them the proper commands and it'll be fine."

She faced the maid and looked her straight in the eyes. "Ekala Jennifer, listen carefully! You may be your true self while we are absent from the room. But you'll speak and act only as the young lady you've been commanded to be. You may engage in conversation and speak freely with Cynthia, but you may not conspire against me or anyone else. You'll behave this way only until I return to this room. At that time, you will revert to the behavior that you are constrained to now. Ekala!"

Next Sarah spoke Cynthia's keyword and commanded her to do the same. As the three of them rose to leave, both Al and Keith felt the control to speak freely return to them. Gerald looked back at them as he left the room. He was sure it was going to be an interesting conversation and was almost sorry he would be missing it.

***

Chapter 14 - Personal Experience

Al stared intensely at the young woman who just a few hours before had been a healthy, young male.

'Just like me,' he said to himself. 'My gosh, he must be more terrified about what is going on than I was.' Keith, struggling to stem his emotions seemed embarrassed and unsure of what to say. Stubbing out his hated cigarette Al decided to break the ice.

"I guess they haven't had time to...you know...change you completely yet," Al started.

"Uh... no. I think they have to wait...for a while before...before they finish it." Keith looked down at the ground in embarrassment at the prospect of what was to become of him.

"Take it from me, it's not something to look forward to. I know."

Almost immediately Al felt horrible about what he had just said. This poor kid had enough problems without having him adding to them. At least in his case, he'd no one to blame but himself. But this poor child had been betrayed by his own mother, someone who was supposed to be protecting him from people like Dr. Jensen. What kind of personal hell was he going through because of this? And yet, Al had acted so insensitively towards him. The old Al Parker would never have said anything like that. What kind of person was he, or rather, had he turned into?

The scared, young woman looked up and asked a question. "Uh, Jennifer. Uh...when...when it happen to you...uh did...did it...hurt?"

What could he tell him? Al gave him a sympathetic look, realizing that if it hadn't been for the control holding back his emotions, he would have burst out crying before finishing the question. Al wanted to wrap his arms around Cynthia and tell him everything would be okay but knew better. What this kid needed more then anything was the truth. Sugarcoating what was about to happen would only make it harder for him to accept things when the final transformation was complete.

"No...no it didn't hurt...at least how you mean," Al started off slowly. He found the words painful to say. "But it hurts like hell inside. I mean...one moment you're a guy...and the next...and the next moment you're a...a girl. It was...terrible. But it was much worse later...when...when he started giving me commands and...and taking advantage of me."

That horrible moment where his life had been changed came back to Al. There was Gerald, standing there with an evil smirk on his face and the doctor, ignoring the plea's to spare his life, what was left of it by then. He would pay them back for what they did. But the words seemed hollow and empty now. A new feeling was starting to take over his mind; it was one of defeat. Was that really possible anymore? Would he be able to set the record straight some day? Nothing so far had broken the control they had over him. His fate seemed to be set in stone. Tears formed in his eyes and he quickly turned away. Keith could see and hear pain in her voice but he had to know. He had to ask the question.

"Did he...does he...uh, use you like that?"

Al looked straight at Keith with a stone expression on his face. Then his expression softened some and Keith saw it was a look of embarrassment, not anger. "I'm sorry, Jennifer. I shouldn't have asked."

Al managed to give him a weak smile. "It's OK, Cynthia. I know you're just as frightened as I was when they first did this to me. Yeah, he uses me all the time. The worst part is that he makes me like it. I mean, inside my mind I hate what he is doing to me but outside -- my body enjoys it." Al lit another cigarette and continued.

"The first time we did it...I was so scared and sick inside. But...but he commanded me to...you know, have an orgasm with him! It felt so...so", he closed his eyes and whispered, "so good! I couldn't stop it from happening. I think I passed out for a second and when I came to, I could feel his...his." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"I wanted to die. It was the worst moment I've ever experienced. He had no right to do that to me." Keith felt the pain and shuddered at what might lay ahead for him. What did his mother have in store for his future? Keith wanted to comfort Jennifer somehow but didn't know how.

An idea flashed into Al's mind. Maybe he should tell Cynthia the truth about who he really was. Then, once Cynthia left this place, he could get a message to Tom and let him know where he was. But he quickly dismissed that idea. The plan was too risky, not only to Cynthia but to everyone else involved. If Cynthia was caught trying to make the call, and it seemed unlikely his mother wouldn't monitor whom he talked to, Tom's life could be in danger. No, he had to wait for the right moment. But in the back of his mind Al wondered if that moment would ever come.

"I hate them," Al continued. "They'd no right to do this to me. I was just looking for enough money so I could eat that night. I wasn't going to hurt anybody. Jesus, I was just looking for some quick cash! I was wrong...doing what I did. But that didn't give them the right to do this to me."

"I know how you feel Jennifer. I didn't mean to kill my sister. It was an accident. Then the next thing I know, I'm here and this morning...this morning they did this to me. I think my mother has gone insane! I can't believe she's done this to me."

Al nodded as he took another drag on the long cigarette and held it gracefully off to his side. "I hate the things Gerald makes me do! This smoking thing is just another way to make me look like the whore he wants me to be! Someday...someday I'll get even."

There was a question that had been gnawing at Keith since this nightmare started. "Jennifer...Uh...are you...I mean...completely a girl now? I mean...could you have a...a baby?" Al blushed slightly.

"I have to take my birth control pill every day. Yeah, I could get pregnant...if I'm not careful. And with Gerald around me all the time I have to be very careful. The first thing I do every morning is go into the bathroom and take that damn pill. My worse fear is that the doctor may decide to experiment with me and allow me to get pregnant. I know she's interested in seeing how this would affect her serum. She's made comments about me having children several times already." Al shuddered at the thought of having a baby. "I guess in her own way the doctor sees me as her daughter."

"Jennifer? Can you remember everything about what it was like before they changed you? I mean...can you remember your name and where you came from and who you were?"

Al smiled slightly at the question. "Sure I can Cynthia. You don't forget anything. But you can't talk about it much. Even now, when we're granted free speech, you can't say your real name. Go ahead and try. Tell me your real name."

Keith tried. "My real name is Cynthia . . . Cynthia Louise Bennett."

"See what I mean? My real name is...my real name is...Jennifer...Jennifer Lynette Anderson. You can no longer control certain things that you say. You'll never be able to tell anyone you were once a guy. And even if you could, by the time they're done with you no one would believe you anyway."

"But they didn't command me to say I was a girl yet. And I'm really not a girl...at least not yet. I'm still a man. See? I can say it. I'll bet you could, too, if you tried. Maybe someday you'll be able to tell someone and find a way to make them believe you."

Al slowly shook his head. "They have already taken care of that with me. Though I can speak freely of other things, if anyone ever questioned me, I know I would have to tell them I am and always have been a woman...or a girl. And Gerald makes me say things even worse. I hate him."

Al and Keith hadn't noticed Gerald standing near the entrance to the living room. Leaving them alone to talk had been too much for him to bear. So when the doctor suggested that he go check up on them Gerald jumped at the chance. He knew the doctor was now probably telling her friend all kinds of things that she wasn't supposed to tell anyone. But he didn't care.

'How can I stop her?' he asked himself. 'I can't be with them every minute of the day.'

He knew that Dr. Jensen would simply wait until he was gone to tell her friend everything about her research. Hell, she may have already told her that already. So let the doctor have her fun -he was going to have some fun of his own.

"She's right, you know, she does hate me. But she can't help but love me, too. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" He touched Jennifer's hair and smiled evilly at her.

Although still smiling from the control he was under, Al's free speech hadn't been removed yet and he planned to make it count.

"You're a pervert, asshole...and a pathetic excuse for a lover. The only women you're able to get are the ones you can control or pay for...and even then I bet they fake it pretty well so you won't feel bad. I never had to pay for my women Gerald...but I bet you've had to all your life. And someday you'll pay for this too!"

Anger flashed in Gerald's eyes. Despite everything he had put this bitch through she still had the strength to go toe to toe with him and worse...win. He knew he shouldn't let her get to him but he couldn't help it. This tramp wasn't fit to be in the same room with him and yet she was the one who was constantly making him feel like it was the other way round. He was better than her, he knew it. And yet she knew just what to say to get under his skin. Well, this time he would teach Miss Smart-mouth a valuable lesson on who was really better than who around here. This time he would do it in front of one of her new friends.

"Jolexo! You will return to full control and behave as a young lady again. Jolexo!" Gerald turned to Jennifer and said, "Ekala! You will return to full control and behave as I've instructed you to. You will behave completely as my girlfriend and lover. Ekala!"

After Al's eyes cleared up, he looked lovingly up at Gerald and asked, "hi, handsome. Where's the Doctor and Ms. Bennett? Cynthia and I have been having a lovely talk. You know, just girl things."

"The Doctor and Cynthia's mother are talking in the study. They asked me to come out and entertain you two lovely ladies while they get caught up on old times." He flashed Jennifer an evil smile. "Cynthia, why don't you accompany me and Jennifer to our playroom. I'm sure Jennifer would love to show you her room and our playroom attached to it, wouldn't you dear?"

Al nodded readily and grinned. "Oh, yes Gerald. That's a great idea. Come on, Cynthia! You'll just love it!"

All three of them stood up and headed to Jennifer's bedroom.

***

Tom watched the three of them leave. He lowered the binoculars and pondered over what was going on. This entire visit didn't add up and yet he didn't know why. What he found most puzzling was that he hadn't seen the young boy since early that morning. From the resemblance with the young woman who showed up today, Tom deduced they were related, maybe even brother and sister. And yet, stranger still, he hadn't seen them together. Why did the girl appear only after the boy had disappeared? He raised the binoculars and stared back at the house wishing it would reveal some of its secrets.

***

Chapter 15 -- Project Peace!

"Project Peace," Susan said. "That's an ironic name."

"Yes, isn't it," Sarah replied. "I laugh when I first heard the name and read what it's objective was all about. Remember Susan, now that you know what the real purpose of my serum is you can't tell anyone."

"I understand Sarah. But why not talk to your bosses about Phoenix? I'm sure they would see the importance of the project."

Sarah sat back in her chair and took a drag from her cigarette.

"I've tried Susan, but they don't want to divert any funds or time from Project Peace. Once I work out all the details and Project Peace is completed, then maybe they will listen and allow me to continue my research. But that could be 5, 10, or 15 years from now. I don't want to wait that long." She paused to put out her cigarette and light another one.

"For the first few years I worked hard on Phoenix and got some very interesting results. Then someone higher up decided it was pointless to continue my project without world security. So they came up with Project Peace and told me to put Phoenix on hold. In a way some very useful things have come out of this project. What we did to Keith is a result of what I learned from Project Peace. Without it, I wouldn't be as far along today as I am now."

"Well I'm impressed Sarah. As soon as Cynthia turns 21 I'll get you the money you need. I promise!"

"Thank you Susan. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Like I said, I can't use my own funds without them being aware of what's going on."

"But why would they care? You'd be working on Project Phoenix during your own time and with your own money. Why would it matter to them?"

"Because my bosses feel that if I have time to work on Phoenix then I'm not devoting all my time to the Peace project. The two projects are identical in many ways but yet they are also totally different. And then there are the clinical studies which have shown that the average researcher who tries working on multiple projects at the same time ends up working three times longer to complete just one of them. In other words, he or she is less effective working on two projects at the same time than if they were focused on just one project. In some cases they end up not completing either one of the projects they were working on. Of course I am not your normal researcher but my bosses won't listen to me." An exasperated look appeared on the doctor's face.

"Male bosses can be idiots," Susan joked, "because they have two heads to think with and usually think with the smaller of the two."

Sarah let out a loud laugh. "Oh Susan, I missed your humor so much. Lets go make ourselves a drink and talk about something else."

***

There wasn't much for Tom to observe the rest of the day. The four of them sat down at the table while the maid, who had changed back into her regular uniform, served dinner. The young man who had been present in the house that morning didn't join them. After dinner, the bodyguard packed up the car and pulled it in front of the door. Dr. Jensen, the older lady and her daughter got into it and drove off, without the young man.

'Where could he be?' Tom wondered.

He observed the maid stand in front of the window smoking a cigarette as they drove away. There was a sorrowful, almost painful expression on her face, much too painful for just a common parting of old friends. A minute later she stubbed out her cigarette and walked back to her bedroom.

The private eye waited around for a while. A couple of hours later, the doctor and her bodyguard returned home. They talked about something for a moment before departing in different directions -- the doctor headed upstairs to her bedroom while Gerald made his way to Jennifer's room for his nightly activities.

Tom climbed down from the tree and drove back to his motel room. He sat down in the recliner with a pen and pad of paper to write down his thoughts. There were a few things bothering him.

First, an older lady and her son show up at the house in the middle of the night. Their visit appeared to have been unexpected and Gerald wasn't happy about them being there. Shortly after they'd arrived, the doctor ended up spending two hours in her lab working on something. In the meantime, the other woman just sat in her room and cried about something for almost an hour.

The next morning Dr. Jensen, the older lady, and her son have a quick breakfast and head off in the direction of the doctor's lab. Thirty minutes later the mother and son leave the lab and go upstairs. After a couple of hours the mother comes back downstairs only this time with a young woman in tow, maybe her daughter. They leave later that night without the boy, who hasn't been seen since the early morning.

Then there was Jennifer. Who was she really and where did she come from? The motel manager indicated she wasn't from around this area. He had first seen her sometime in late January at a local bar with Gerald.

Private investigators relied on their instincts and something about Jennifer set off alarms in his head. She just didn't fit in and yet Tom didn't know why. Maybe one of the reasons was her age. She was too young to be a government agent and Gerald was almost 10 years her senior. True, some women were attracted to older men, but it was the way she dressed for the bodyguard that bothered him.

While younger women did tend to wear shorter outfits, off duty Jennifer dressed more like a call girl as if to please Gerald. Why would a young woman, with such good looks, put herself down by dressing that way? During the day she was a prim and proper housemaid but after hours she dressed totally differently, like a cheap hooker. Nothing about Jennifer added up.

The solution to this dilemma was simple; he had to meet Jennifer and find out what she was really like. The problem was finding a time when she was outside the house by herself. Gerald always seemed to accompany her whenever she went out and 90% of the time that was to a bar or club. The only time he knew for sure when Jennifer would be alone was when they went grocery shopping. Like clockwork, Gerald and Jennifer always went to the same store on the same days and at the same time. This pretty much limited his options on where and when he could meet her. Unless he wanted to wait around for months in the hopes of finding a better location he would have to risk trying to talk to her at the store.

Tom got out his calendar and checked to see what his schedule looked like. It would be at least 10 days before he could make it back to Salt Lake City due to several new cases he'd picked up. Actually this worked out to his advantage. He needed the time to think up a way of convincing a certain highway patrolman to help him out.

The private eye got undressed and laid down in his bed. One more time he prayed to God, as he had been taught in the orphanage, that Al was still alive and he would find him. Tom forgot that God sometimes answered prayers in his own way.

***

Chapter 16 - Cold, hard decisions

The clock on the dresser read 4am. Al had just experienced a nightmare, a horrible nightmare. In it he was Al Parker again and he was standing on the edge of a dark, bottomless pit. His legs were frozen in place, preventing him from moving away from the edge to safety. All he could do was stand there, using his arms to balance his body from falling into the dark abyss below. Then Jennifer appeared out of the dark, a perpetual smile painted on her face. He begged her to pull him away from the pit before he fell into it but she didn't lift a finger to help. Instead she continued to smile and said two words to him, "my turn."

Al felt her hands press firmly against his back. With one hard push he fell forward into the darkness below. As he started to fall Al got one more look at Jennifer who was standing over the edge watching him, a perfect, waxed smile still on her face. Then everything went black and Al woke up with a sudden jerk. The bed sheets were wet from the sweat of his soaking body.

Al stood in front of the bedroom window looking out at the cold, dark night as he had done so many nights before. It was only a dream but to Al it had seemed more then just that. To him it was a sign. He took a long, deep, hated puff and felt the smoke burn his throat. How he hated these damn things.

When he had been Al Parker he had treated his body as a temple. Each morning he woke up early and ran between 5 to 7 miles before breakfast, usually in the cold Seattle rain. In the army he'd been careful to limit the amount of alcohol he drank each week, which was unusual for someone in the service. And he never put these cancer sticks in his mouth. Too much smoking and drinking defeated the purpose of trying to keep in shape. But now, thanks to Gerald and Dr. Jensen, he was being forced to do a detestable habit that he hated so much. Could it really get any worse?

"Could it?" Al asked himself. What was life going to be like for him now as a young woman? What kind of future was he really facing? It was time to start facing reality. For the next several years he would begin his day at five in the morning. He would cook, clean, do laundry and make beds like a mindless robot just to please his female mistress. Then, after all this was done the real personal hell began, pleasing his male master.

True, one day Gerald would leave for bigger and better things but then who knew what his replacement would be like. He, or she, may end up treating him worse then Gerald did, if that was possible.

Al considered the situation was about as bad as it could get. He had been stripped of the freedom to live life the way he wanted too and was being forced to have sex with someone that he deeply despised. Maybe the next person would fall in love with him and treat him right but would he be happy with them, knowing they could change any of his actions with a simple command? And what about Dr. Jensen's promise to set him up with the perfect husband. Would he be happy with a new partner based on the doctor's agenda and not his own love? What kind of future was that? What did the future really hold for him now?

"Nothing!" he said out loud. For months his hate and anger had kept him going. It had kept him focused on staying alive while all these new and terrible things were happening to him. But seeing what they did to Cynthia had touched his soul. He had been fooling himself all this time. There was no way out of this for him or for Cynthia.

"That poor kid," Al whispered. "He didn't do anything wrong. His sister's death was an accident. But he paid the ultimate price anyway and worse, I helped them do it."

Seeing the process done to another person had broken Al. These people could and would continue to do this to others and there wasn't anyone who could stop them. Not him, not the police, no one. They were above the law.

"There's no one to help him," Al said softly. "Or help me." At that moment it became clear to Al they had won! He accepted that now. No matter what he did, it wouldn't make a difference. He couldn't stop them...he couldn't even stop himself from helping them. What happened to Cynthia was just as much his fault as theirs. His fantasies of getting even with Dr. Jensen and Gerald were just that, a fantasy. It was over.

A train whistle blew in the distance, catching his attention. Al walked over to the living room window and stared out at a certain spot in the horizon, between the trees and front gate. There he caught a glimpse of what he was looking for. In the dark distance he could see the headlight of a Union Pacific freight as it headed westwards toward...home. If only he could catch that train and get out of here. If only he could be himself for 5 lousy minutes. But there was only one way out now. He had to take his own life. It was time to die.

While it had taken months to come to this conclusion, the answer seemed easy for him to accept. The hard part was figuring out how to end his life? It wasn't like he could slit his wrist or take some pills. The doctor had made sure that as Jennifer he wouldn't be allowed to hurt or kill anyone, including himself. No, if he wanted to die then he had to do it in a way where it would be an accident and not intentional. But how could that be done? Al stared out the window and thought about it some more.

***

Chapter 17 -- Meeting of old friends

The next ten days passed quickly for Tom. He had worked on seven cases during that time and had been able to close five of them. All in all it had been pretty good week. Now he focused on this current dilemma, meeting Jennifer Anderson. Tom parked his car across from the store and waited. He didn't have to wait long because right on schedule Gerald's red Mustang pulled into the store parking lot.

Tom waited until they both went inside before pulling into the parking lot and heading into the store. He quickly spotted them picking up items off the shelves. Being careful not to be seen, the private eye watched and waited for his opportunity. When Gerald went off to another area of the store, Tom saw his chance and took it.

Grabbing a head of lettuce, he trotted up to Jennifer and asked, "excuse me Miss, can you help me with something?" Her reaction to his question shocked the hell out of him. Her eyes got real big as if she was seeing an old friend for the first time in years. Then she threw her arms around Tom and gave him a big hug.

"Oh Tom, you found me. Oh God how I missed you"

"Excuse me Miss, have we met before?" He tried to pry the young woman off but she held on tight. What was going on here? He knew they hadn't met before and yet she was acting as if they were old friends.

The young woman released her grip slightly and whispered cautiously, "Tom, listen to me. There is great danger here. Please help..." She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Gerald approaching them.

"What's going on here honey?" Gerald asked unpleasantly as he took his position beside Jennifer. Tom answered for her.

"Nothing mister. I needed some help and thought she worked here. Excuse me Miss, but have we met before?"

Jennifer shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I've never been to Dragon's Lake before. In fact, I don't even like caves. You must have mistaken me for someone else."

Her response mystified Tom. Not only had Jennifer lied about knowing him, although he had no idea where they may have met, she also knew about Dragon's Lake. Only a handful of his closest friends knew about that place and most didn't know anything about the cave she was talking about. In fact Dragon's Lake wasn't even on the map. It was just a name Tom had given the place after finding it years ago. The lake's real name, if it even had one, was unknown to him.

He had stumbled onto the lake by accident a few years back while hiking in the wilderness. It was a small, beautiful lake fed by runoff water from the melting snow of a nearby mountain. The lake was filled with fish, turtles and other water creatures and just a few feet above it sat a small cave that overlooked everything. The area reminded Tom of a childhood fantasy when he pretended to be a knight heading off to fight dragons and so, he gave it the name Dragon's Lake.

Tom visited the lake at least 5 times a year. It's remoteness made it the perfect place when he wanted to fish, camp, and get away from the rest of the world. In all the time he had gone there he had never once taken anyone with him. Yet this woman seemed to know all about the place. How could that be? Tom was about to ask her something else when Gerald ended the conversation abruptly.

"You got the wrong person pal. I suggest you get some help up front." Gerald gave him a slight push with his hand, a warning that Tom picked up on, while at the same time grabbing Jennifer's arm and pulling her away.

As they walked away the young woman turned and looked back at Tom with eyes that almost seemed to be pleading with him to help her. The odd thing about her reaction was, she wasn't struggling to get away from Gerald.

The private eye watched from a safe distance as Gerald led her up to the cashier to pay for their groceries. Only then did he release his hold on Jennifer so he could pull out his wallet. She kept looking at Tom with her sad, empty eyes. Her boyfriend didn't notice; he was too busy trying to pay for everything and get out of there as quickly as he could. Once that was done, he grabbed the bag of groceries with one hand and Jennifer with the other and pulled her quickly outside to the car.

Inside the vehicle he angrily asked, ""WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? WHY WERE YOU HUGGING AND TOUCHING HIM THAT WAY?"

Suddenly Al realized that he'd been a fool. His actions had raised Gerald's suspicions and put both him and Tom's life in danger. If he started asking him straight questions then everything would be lost. It was time for some more half-truths here.

"He was kind of attractive," Al said softly. "I just wanted to talk and get to know him a little better, that's all."

"You mean you actually thought he was good looking?" Gerald asked although not really too surprised. Dr. Jensen had told him this could happen. She suspected that once Jennifer accepted her situation she would start reacting the same way a real female would around the now, opposite sex; actually giving up her past male ideas and feelings. And Gerald had to admit this stranger was fairly attractive.

"Well...yes I did," Al answered carefully. "I don't know why but I found him very attractive. I just couldn't help myself, I had to hug him."

'Won't this make Dr. Jensen's day when I tell her what happened,' Gerald thought to himself. Every time the doctor made a breakthrough in her research she would go out and celebrate. That meant a long night for Gerald, who would have to go with her and listen to the doctor rambling on about how smart she was. Maybe he wouldn't tell her what had just happened. Jennifer spoke again, interrupting his thoughts.

"You do know he's not half as good looking as you," Al said with a twinkle in his eyes that Gerald hadn't seen before.

'Damn,' Gerald said to himself. 'Jennifer must have forgotten who she used to be. She's acting more like a normal woman than I've ever seen her act before. Maybe this was a sign that things where changing inside her. It could explain her mood swings over the past several days.'

Al reached over to give Gerald a kiss but he pushed him away. Normal reaction or not, he wasn't about to share Jennifer's affections with anyone else.

"We can take care of this little problem right now," he said with a frown. "Ekala! You will no longer find other men attractive. You will only devote your attention to me and not look at other men. I'm your only lover and you will only want to have sex with me. Ekala!"

'Only sex with you,' Al chuckled to himself. 'Oh Gerald, if you only dropped your ego for a moment you may find out what's really going on here.'

Al placed his hands on Gerald's chest and smiled sweetly into his eyes. For once Al's insides matched the happiness that the female outside showed. Tom was here, in Salt Lake City. That meant he was looking for Al. He hadn't been forgotten. Al Parker was still a someone in the world. The fact that he'd tried to contact Jennifer at the store while she was alone could only mean Tom had some idea of what was going on. Al hoped the clues he gave him would help.

'If you are going to do something Tom, please do it fast. I can't take much more this.' Al started kissing Gerald's neck as Jennifer's hands moved down to unzip his pants.

***

From inside the store, Tom watched the car peel out of the parking lot in a hurry. His impression of Gerald was that of someone who had a really short fuse with a powerful body to match. That type of combination could turn into a dangerous situation.

"You might as well forget her friend. Not only is she is totally devoted to that guy, she's also a real BITCH." Tom turned and came face to face with a lady cashier.

"So you know her then? Can you tell me something about them?" The tag on her uniform said Dianna. She must have been close to 30 and while not totally unattractive, she could have improved the way she looked if she invested a little bit more time in her hair and makeup.

"Know her?" The lady looked to make sure the manager wasn't close by then lowered her voice. "She's the biggest BITCH I know and such a phony too. A few weeks ago she started smoking to impress her boyfriend. I guess she felt it made her look more grown up! All it does is make her look like a cheap slut with a bad habit...and I don't mean the boyfriend."

"I see." That piece of information was interesting. Tom pulled out his pad and started making a few notes about her smoking. "When did you first meet her?"

"I'm sorry, I don't answer questions very well on an empty stomach." Tom looked up from his writing and saw the cashier smiling at him.

"You know, I'm the same way Dianna," he replied smiling. "Maybe we could talk about this over dinner tonight? What time do you get off?"

***

Chapter 18 - Old debts

The next morning Tom left Dianna's apartment with an extra spring in his step. It was amazing how one night with a soft, warm woman could straighten out a cluttered mind and make everything clear again. Tom didn't have a steady girlfriend and opportunities like that didn't come along very often due to the hours he worked. Yesterday had been just another day, nothing out of the ordinary. Today the sun was shining brighter then normal and the birds were singing louder then usual. Everything was as it should be.

Quickly he made his way back to his motel room to shower, change and checkout. Ahead of him lay an hour's drive to his next destination, a meeting with an old friend. Tom hoped they would still be friends after their conversation. He had a feeling it was going to turn ugly.

***

Al had found it impossible to sleep that night. Every half-hour he would wake up and go to the window to see if there was some sign of Tom out there. Every shadow raised his hopes only to have them shattered when he discovered it really was just a shadow, not someone lurking about. Al assumed, incorrectly, that his friend knew all about what had happened and had come to rescue him. What he failed to realize was that his story was so unbelievable that not knowing all the details would lead someone to a different conclusion. Outside of the doctor and Gerald, no one else had any idea that inside Jennifer's body was the mind of Al Parker.

By morning his spirits had fallen as quickly as they had soared the day before. Today was going to be no different than any other day. He was still a prisoner trapped in his female body.

***

Tom noticed Kevin Brown as soon as he walked into the restaurant. It was really kind of hard not too. At 6'2", 225 pounds (all muscle), the Black State Highway patrolman looked more like a football player than a cop. In fact he'd played football at a Texas high school and at least three colleges had been interested in recruiting him at one time. But that was before Kevin had decided to go into law enforcement and once he made up his mind it was set.

His presence caused instant respect among the people in the building, not so much by his size but by how he was dressed. Like most law enforcement officers, Kevin took a lot of pride in the way he looked and how he did his job. It was obvious by looking at his waist that the patrolman kept in shape and hadn't seen the inside of a doughnut shop in years. His uniform was pressed and spotless and his shoes were so shiny that you could see your face in them. He waved at Tom and walked over to the table.

"Tom, it's great to see you again. How are you doing?" he asked with a big Texas drawl. Kevin had the whitest teeth Tom had ever seen. During their training at the academy, Tom use to kid Kevin that if he just showed his teeth and growled he could stop any crook in his tracks by scaring them. Kevin, who was a good-
natured guy at heart, would always let out a bear-size laugh at the ribbing he received.

"I see you're still a Seahawks fan," he said pointing to the Seattle Seahawks cap that Tom was wearing. "When are you going to pick a real team to follow?"

"They beat your team this year, didn't they Kevin? I would say they're doing okay. Anyway, sit down and order something, I'm buying."

The patrolman got a shocked look on his face and grabbed his chest like he was having a heart attack.

"What? You're buying? My heart can't take it. Who are you and what did you do with the real Tom McClain?" The two men laughed and quickly started getting up to speed on what each other was doing. After they finished eating Tom decided it was time to talk business.

"Kevin, it's great to see you but I didn't ask you here just to talk. I need a really big favor. Only you have to promise that you won't tell anyone what I am about to say."

"Sure Tom, I owe you a few. What do you need me to do?"

"I'm afraid you won't like it much." The big State Patrolman's toothy smile faded.

"What is it?" he asked in a cool and businesslike tone.

"I need you to get some information for me. I need a driver's license and social security number from someone I'm investigating."

"Why?" Kevin inquired so Tom spent several minutes telling him why.

"Look Kevin, recently I found out that Al went to Salt Lake City. Klein Walker sent Al out to retrieve something, an experimental drug I believe. I'm not sure what this drug does but you can bet Klein Walker figured he'd make millions stealing it."

A frown appeared on Kevin's face. The State Trooper didn't like Klein Walker any more than Tom did. A few years earlier, a police officer and his young son had been murdered because of Mr. Walker. The problem was they could never prove it but cops didn't forget things like that.

"Why come to me? You could let one of the detectives in Seattle handle it. I'm sure the Salt Lake City Police Department would cooperate with them."

Tom shook his head. "I haven't told anyone about this Kevin. Look, there is something wrong here. I don't know what it is but the fact that Klein Walker is involved is the icing on the cake. And to be honest Kevin, I don't trust anyone else's ability to solve this case without more facts."

Kevin understood Tom's position because Al was Tom's best friend and that made it personal. It was also the reason why Tom needed to let someone else to help. The problem about a case becoming personal was that the person investigating first starts bending, then breaking the rules to find out what really happened. Even if the investigator did find out the truth, by that time he'd probably have broken so many laws that a third year law student could get the charges dropped without any trouble.

"Look Tom, let me make a call. I have a friend on the Salt Lake force who is a first rate detective. He can check this out..." Tom didn't let him finish.

"No Kevin!" He stared into his friend's concerned eyes momentarily before continuing. "Kevin, you don't understand. I can't tell you why, call it a hunch, but this case is bigger then you, me, or any detective on the Salt Lake force. Look, if someone from the police department goes poking around, these people are going to hear about it and then Al's life will be in danger."

"After almost four months? You really don't think Al is still alive, do you!" Kevin phrased it more as a statement of fact than a question.

Tom stared down at the table and said softly, "no, I don't." Then his face shot up and he stared angrily into Kevin's eyes. "But that doesn't mean I should give up. I'm close Kevin, real close, but I need your help."

"What exactly do you want me to do Tom? It's not like I can pull someone over without a reason. Salt Lake isn't even in my patrol district."

"Oh hell Kevin, the entire state is your patrol district. You guys can go anywhere you want."

"If I'm going to be patrolling in the Salt Lake City area then I need a damn good reason," Kevin replied. "I just can't take off and drive, I need to let my superiors know where I'm going and why. It's that simple Tom."

"Okay, say you got a tip from a concerned citizen about a speeding car that almost hit a few kids. Sure you could turn it over to someone else. But explain to them that it's a matter you want to handle personally. They would buy that."

"Except that would be a lie," Kevin answered strongly. "Tom, you're asking me to lie to my superiors, people I look up to and respect. You know what that means to me and then you want me to pull someone over for no real reason just so I can get some personal information to pass on to you. Tom, we're talking about lying, breaking patrol rules and wasting taxpayer's money. I can't do that. Look, let me talk to my friend..."

"I said NO Kevin." Tom took a few seconds to calm down before playing his trump card. He hated to do this but he didn't have any other options left.

"Kevin, you owe me. Remember the harbor incident. I covered your BUTT and it almost cost me my job. But I never told them. NEVER! Don't talk to me about rules. If you were so DAMNED CONCERNED about the rules you would have cleared my name back then. Instead I took the heat for your mistake. You owe me Kevin. You owe me BIG TIME!"

It was rare for Kevin to lose his temper. Tom could have counted the number of times he'd seen him do so on one hand and none of those times had been directed at a fellow officer. But today was a first. Kevin didn't say anything but his mood changed quickly and his face got red. Tom knew what that day at the harbor meant to the State Trooper. From that point on Kevin had vowed to follow all the rules and be the best, most honest cop he could be. To this day, Kevin had done just that and now Tom was unfairly shoving a mistake he had made as a rookie back in his face. Worse, he felt Tom was trying to blackmail him into breaking the rules again to get what he wanted. Tom saw the change in Kevin and switched tactics.

"Look, I'm sorry buddy. I know what you're thinking. Yes, I could get this information through other means but that'll take months. If there's a chance Al's alive then I need this information now, not later. Please Kevin, I'm begging you."

Kevin stared coldly into Tom's eyes, obviously still upset despite Tom's humble apology. For a moment the Tom didn't know what he would say. Finally the state trooper spoke.

"Okay, I'll do it. But let's get one thing straight MISTER HOTSHOT INVESTIGATOR. I do this and we're EVEN! YOU GOT THAT? The books are closed on what happened three years ago. You never mention what happened that day to me AGAIN. ARE WE CLEAR?"

Tom nodded his head. "I understand buddy...and I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"Don't be sorry." Kevin snarled back. "Just tell me what you want me to do."

***

Chapter 19 - Joyride

Officer Brown sat on the side of the road waiting for the target to appear. Tom informed him the two suspects always went to the market every Friday at the same time. Just to be on the safe side, Kevin still got to his spot 30 minutes early. Right on time, the officer saw the car speeding around the bend. He put up his radar gun and in two seconds had three different hits. They all showed the car was doing 51 in a 45 M.P.H. speed zone. Only six miles over the limit; not much but enough to ease his conscience that he wasn't stopping them without a good reason. He pulled out behind them and turned on his lights.

"Oh Shit!" said Gerald when he saw the patrol car. "What the hell is he doing out here?" He made a nasty comment when he discovered that the officer pulling him over was also black. Al sat there and listened to the garbage spilling out of Gerald's mouth. He never understood this type of hatred in anyone.

By the book, Officer Brown walked slowly up to the driver side window while checking out the car. Before getting out, he noticed the driver was angry and had been yelling some profanity, which included the "N" word. The things you could pick up by looking at the person's mouth in their rear view mirror.

"Good morning, sir. I need to see your driver's license and registration please," Kevin requested as politely as possible.

"What for officer?" Gerald asked in a defiant tone. He didn't hide the fact that he had a problem with police officers, especially black ones. "I wasn't doing anything wrong. You had no reason to stop me. None at all"

Kevin ignored Gerald's remarks and attitude. He was too much of a professional to let some bigot get the better of him. He continued his routine in a very businesslike fashion.

"Well, for one thing sir you were speeding. I clocked you doing 51 in a 45 mph speed zone." Gerald rolled his eyes as if he couldn't believe he'd been pulled over for going six miles over the limit. "And the second reason is your passenger isn't wearing her safety belt. That's not safe either. I need to see your license as well ma'am."

Al started to open up his purse but Gerald stopped him. "Wait a minute, she's a passenger. Isn't that my responsibility?"

"Are you over 18 ma'am?" Kevin asked. Al nodded to indicate that he was. "Not when she's an adult sir."

"This is BULLSHIT officer! If you're going to give me a ticket then do it so I can be on my way -- but leave her out of your personal crusade! I'm sure you'll still get your quota, being so early in the month and all."

Kevin kept his temper. The worst thing he could do right now was get mad and cause a bad situation to get worse. He had learned this lesson through years of experience and staying calm and business-like had helped him get out of more then one bad situation. In a way it was kind of comical to watch this grown man act like a five-year-old who had just had a toy taken away from him. But Officer Brown didn't dare laugh either.

"This isn't a crusade sir, it's a traffic stop. Now, I need your license sir and yours as well ma'am. Or, if you prefer, we can all go back to the patrol office and you can talk to my supervisor about these violations."

Gerald's temper flared at the options the trooper had just given him. He grabbed Jennifer's license and threw both of them at the officer.

"Here, now don't take all day. I'm a busy person!" Kevin noticed the young lady turned her head and looked out the window, too embarrassed to even look at him.

"Please wait right here sir, I'll be back with you in a moment." Kevin got into his car and ran the licenses. While waiting for the reply he jotted down the information Tom had requested. The young lady seemed so nice, why would she hang around with a creep like that? He noticed the man was yelling out the "N" word again mixed in with a few, choice four-letter words.

The dispatcher called back and gave officer Brown some additional information on the car. He debated about writing Gerald up but decided against it. He wasn't supposed to be there anyway. Besides not handing out a citation would take away this bigot's reason for being angry and maybe make him realize just what kind of a jerk he had been. Kevin got out of his car and walked back to the Mustang.

"I suggest you slow down Mr. Rogers. Speeding killed more than 150 people in this state last year. And I also suggest you have your passengers buckle up as well. Seat belts do save lives."

Gerald, surprised that he wasn't going to get a ticket despite the way he'd treated the officer, took the licenses out of the officer's hand. "I'll remember that next time...sir. Thank you."

As Kevin watched them drive off before getting in his car, he thought 'maybe that guy killed Tom's friend?'

He looked at the information and debated; there was still time to back out. No, he would send Tom the information once he got back. Perhaps some good would come out of it. Maybe his friend would see he was way over his head and finally seek some help. Deep down Kevin wasn't mad at Tom for what he did - he was concerned. The fact that he'd brought up his screw-up at the harbor years ago to get his help only showed how desperate he really was to find Al Parker. Kevin cleared with his dispatcher and sped off.

***

Chapter 20 -- Questions but no answers

Almost 24 hours after Tom faxed the information to Rob he received an answer back. It was all very interesting. Gerald had been an above average high school student before attending Yale University to study law. But into his second year he dropped out of college and all records about his life had ended. There were no income tax returns, no traffic citations, no bank records, no social security, work information, no nothing. It was as if he didn't exist anymore, which of course, he did. His last official residence had been in Washington, DC but that had been several years ago.

The report on Jennifer was much more complete and interesting. She had been a top student in high school that had earned her several scholarships; including one to the University of Florida, which she had accepted. But then, for some unknown reason, the scholarship she had earned and accepted went to someone else.

Tom sat back in his chair in puzzlement. Why would someone with a real future want to become a housemaid? That just didn't make any sense. Even if there had been some kind of parent trouble at home, she was old enough and had the means to attend college on her own. Why throw away something like that for a low paying, manual job when you could get a higher paying and more challenging job with room to grow? It was as if Jennifer had lost her focus on life.

He shifted through her papers some more. Her last known address was her parent's house in Lakewood Florida. Tom picked up his phone index and pulled out the business card of T.J. Byrd, a private detective living in Miami, Florida. They'd met at a Private Investigator's convention in Atlanta the previous year. Tom had attended one of the classes the older investigator was teaching and had been impressed by TJ's natural ability to solve the unsolvable cases. Like Tom, TJ ran his own investigating service in Miami only his business was doing very well and he had three full-time people working for him. Tom picked up the phone and dialed TJ's number. He was surprised to hear TJ answer the phone.

"Hello, this is Byrd's investigating. How can I help you?"

"Hi TJ! This is Tom McClain. How's the weather down there?"

TJ laughed. "Sunny and warm. Better than what you've been having. I heard it's been either raining or snowing in Seattle for the past 12 days now."

Tom laughed. "Only 10 days TJ, but the weatherman is predicting more rain over the next several days." He wondered how TJ knew what the weather was like on the other side of the country. The man seemed to know everything. "Look, this is costing me money TJ. I need to hire you to do a job."

"Okay Tom. Is this for you or someone else?

"It's for me, it's a personal matter and I need you to be discreet about it. I don't want the parents contacted, at least not yet, and I'd like you to handle this personally TJ."

"Okay Tom. As one PI to another I'll give you a special rate. I know you could use a break. What do you need me to do?"

"I want you to get me everything you can on a Jennifer Lynette Anderson. I'll fax you the information I have on her. I need personal stuff, her school records, what kind of person she was, how she used to dress, any problems she had at home, stuff like that. Oh, and I'd also like a recent picture of her if you can get me one."

There was a moment of silence on the other end as TJ scribbled down the information. "Okay, send me what you have and I'll get right on it. I should be able to get back to you in a couple of days. Can I reach you at this number during the day?"

"Yes and TJ, thanks for the special rate. You're right, I could use a break right now."

"I understand buddy. The first couple of years are the hardest until you build up a reputation. Oh, and by the way, my offer is still good. If you ever decide to leave Seattle you can get a job working down here. I could use another good investigator. And as an extra benefit, there are plenty of pretty, young girls in bathing suits looking for a single, young man."

"What, and give up all this snow and rain?" Tom laughed. "Do you know how many women there are running around in long trench coats? I'll think about it TJ. Talk to you later."

Tom hung up the phone and turned to his current case. This time it was a husband who suspected his wife wasn't being faithful. All the facts he had dug up so far seemed to point that the husband was right.

***

The phone rang a couple of days later. Tom picked it up and was greeted by the friendly sound of TJ's voice. "Hi Tom."

"Hi TJ! What have you got for me?"

"Plenty," TJ said. "This Jennifer Anderson was one smart cookie. She held an "A+" average in High school and finished number one in her class. Let's see, what else." Tom heard some papers being moved around.

"She was a high school cheerleader...a club leader in SADD, Students Against Drunk Drivers, which is ironic...and was also a member of the local drama club. Looks like she enjoyed the arts a lot."

TJ cleared his throat before continuing. "She was the youngest of three children in her family. Her sister, Linda, was raped and murdered a few years ago. I talked to a friend down at the station and that case is still unsolved by the way. The police think it was a serial killer that is currently on death row for a few other murders. They're hoping he'll confess some day so they can close it. Until then her case remains open."

"Lets see, what else? Her brother died of cancer about eight years ago. Her teachers told me Jennifer wanted to be a research doctor because of his death. She wanted to help find a cure for cancer so other families wouldn't have to go through what her family did. They all thought she was smart enough and had the drive to accomplish what she had set out to do. Overall, everyone I talked to described her as a friendly, outgoing, and well-liked kid. An All-American girl you might say. I fell in love just listening to people talk about her. It's very sad about what happened," TJ added with heartfelt sorrow. "I wish I'd met her."

"I'm sure your heart will mend buddy," Tom joked. "She's one small fish in a big sea. There are others out there." He noticed there was a long pause of awkward silence as if TJ hadn't found his humor funny.

On the other end of the phone TJ was thinking it was a rather cold thing to say considering what had happen to Jennifer Anderson. Didn't Tom have any feelings for what the parents must have gone through? TJ thought Tom was a warm and understanding person but maybe he'd misjudged him.

"Do you want me to tell you where she can be found?" TJ asked in a business-like tone. The hell with a special rate, he was going to charge Tom full price for being such a jerk.

"No thanks. I have her address in Salt Lake City." There was another long moment of silence from TJ.

"Tom, are you sure you have the right girl?"

"What do you mean TJ? Sure I'm sure. I talked to her less then two weeks ago. The information I sent you came off her own driver's license."

"Tom, I thought you knew...okay, now it makes more sense. Look, you couldn't have talked to the real Jennifer Andersen."

"Why not?" Tom replied, more confused by TJ's demeanor than ever.

"Because Jennifer Anderson, the real Jennifer Anderson, is dead. She was killed by a drunk driver last July."

"No way! Are you sure TJ?" 'This really threw a monkey wrench into the case,' thought Tom

"I have the newspaper article and death certificate to prove it Tom. Her boyfriend was drunk and drove them both into a tree. Jennifer Anderson wasn't wearing her safety belt and was thrown out of the car. She died an hour later at the hospital. Over 400 people attended her funeral, most of them classmates. There was also a big write up about her in the newspaper. Her boyfriend walked away uninjured and is attending college now."

"TJ, do you have a picture of her?"

Sure do. One from her yearbook and another from the newspaper. Let me fax them to you." A moment later the fax machine started spitting out her image and Tom looked at the pictures. The woman he had spoken to and the person on the fax could have been twins.

"TJ, are you sure her parents didn't have any more children? Could Jennifer have had a twin sister perhaps?"

"I didn't run that down Tom but my gut feeling is no. If Jennifer did have a twin sister most likely I would have run across her some time in my investigation. No one I talked to mentioned she had a twin sister but they did tell me about her older brother and sister. Even the write up in the newspaper doesn't mention one. I kind of doubt that everyone would forget to mention a twin sister if Jennifer had one. Why do you ask Tom?"

"You won't believe this TJ but I talked to this same person a couple of weeks ago."

"Then you were talking to a ghost buddy, or someone who looks just like her. Jennifer Anderson is dead."

"Okay, can you confirm that for me TJ? I mean other than the death certificate."

"Are you thinking she faked her own death? Forget it Tom. Once I found out she'd been killed I talked to a friend on the Lakewood force. He happened to be the first person on the scene and handled the investigation. He was there when Jennifer Anderson died at the hospital. Hundreds of people viewed her body at the wake. No Tom, she's dead. No question about it."

"Okay TJ, thanks for everything you've done. Go ahead and fax me what you have and UPS me a hard copy along with your bill. You've earned it."

"Let me know if I can help you anymore Tom. Bye." TJ picked up the bill he was going to send to Tom. It came to $250, half of what it should have been and a bargain for all the running around he had done on this case. He thought about it for a moment then wrote, 'Paid in full! You owe me one Tom.' TJ slipped the bill into a large envelope and prepared the contents for delivery.

***

Chapter 21 - New trade

Tom knew this day would come. He knew from the moment he found out Al had broken into this house that he was going to have to follow him inside. Staring at the house through a set of binoculars all day wasn't going to get him the answers he needed. He had been waiting for the right moment and now it had arrived. The doctor was leaving for Washington the following night and wasn't scheduled to return until two days later. If Tom caught his own flight and rented a car; he could get there just before she left. That would give him the opportunity he needed to get past the security wall.

But there were still a couple of problems to tackle. First, the bodyguard and maid would still be in the house, at least part of the time. And second, he needed the equipment and training to get past the security system. There was only one thing to do. Tom picked up the phone and called Al's friend, Jim Baker.

***

"Okay, you did good that time," Jim told him. "However, you still need to be careful with the amps here. This security system is very sensitive to electric relays and if you aren't careful they'll set off the alarm. You came close to doing it that time."

"Right. I guess we should try it again then." They had been at it for almost five hours straight and Tom was getting tired. Jim saw that.

"Lets take a ten minute break Tom. I could use one and so could you. Do you want something to drink?"

"Diet Pepsi if you have it," Tom said as he rubbed his head, trying to work out the headache he had developed. In three hours he was going to be on a plane heading towards Salt Lake City. Once there he would have less then two hours to rent a car and get to his hiding spot before the doctor left. Tom knew he was cutting it close.

He had called Jim not only to supply him with the equipment to turn off the alarm but also give him some training. As it turned out, the security system was much more complicated then he'd imagined. His last attempt to bypass the security system had taken over 30 minutes. In contrast, Jim was able to bypass the alarm in less then two minutes and he wasn't really trying.

"Look Tom." Jim began. "I know what you said before. But maybe I should go..." Tom stopped him off before he finished.

"No Jim. Not only is this job dangerous but it's also illegal. I know how much the army means to you. I won't have you risk your career because of me."

"But it's not for you, it's for Al," explained Jim. "Tom, you don't even know if the system they are using is the same as in these diagrams. The Security Company could've upgraded it by now. And even if you do get in undetected you may not get out. Time is against you and that's where I can help."

Tom knew Jim was right. He also knew that two people brought a lot more attention to themselves than one.

'No,' Tom decided. He couldn't handle the responsibility of putting someone else in danger.

"Jim, I know you want to help out and you have so far, but I need to do this alone. Look, if I run into trouble I'll give you a call and fly you out myself. Is it a deal?" Jim nodded. "Good, then lets try this again. I need to get my time down to less than 20 minutes."

***

Chapter 22 -- Discovery

The flight to Salt Lake City had been uneventful. Tom grabbed his bags, rented a car, and in less than an hour after stepping off the plane was outside Dr. Jensen's house. Immediately he moved behind a bush next to the gate and waited. Phase one was complete.

About 20 minutes later Gerald walked to the back of the car carrying a couple of bags with the doctor right behind him. He placed the bags in the trunk of the car as the doctor said something to him. Whatever it was Gerald nodded in agreement. As he turned and went back inside, Dr. Jensen got into the car and drove slowly up to the entrance. Tom scrunched down low behind the bush and watched as the gates opened slowly. He had to time his entrance perfectly. Just as the car drove past the gate, Tom ran the other way keeping his body lower then the passenger window. Once inside the compound, he flung himself to the ground and waited. The gate started to close and the car drove off. Phase two complete.

Carefully he moved closer to the house, darting between the trees that lined the driveway so he wouldn't be seen if someone was looking out a window. When he got close enough to the main window he peeked inside. There was Gerald on the couch reading a book while Jennifer stood in the kitchen cleaning up. After she was done, she strolled over to the bodyguard and started kissing him. It wasn't long before he had removed her dress and bra to expose her firm breasts.

"Come on, get a room you two," Tom said softly to himself.

No sooner had he made the suggestion than Gerald picked Jennifer up and carried her off to her bedroom. Tom moved to the side of the house looking for a way in. He found one when he got to the garage window and discovered it had a broken lock. Quietly he slid it open and used his flashlight to look around. He noticed there were several cans laying on the floor where he needed to step.

Slowly the private investigator worked his way inside the garage, being careful not to make any unnecessary noise. Once he was firmly on the floor, Tom tip toed over to the house door and quietly opened it. Carefully he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Phase three was now complete.

Tom played with the idea of trying to open the lab door first but decided against it. Now wasn't the time to fool around with a lock while there were still people in the house. Instead he headed up the stairs to check out the bedrooms. He first looked in the guestroom at the top of the stairs. A five-minute search turned up nothing. He tried another room only to come up with the same results.

Tom wasn't sure what he was really searching for, only that he would know what it was when he found it. He turned his attention to Gerald's room and it was there that he found something interesting. Inside a desk drawer was a crumpled up piece of paper entitled, "Behavior codes". On it was a list of commands that began and ended with a key word. The last command contained an instruction to let the person speak freely as their true selves.

"So they can control people!" Tom said out loud. If that was true then Al could still be alive only unable to control his own actions.

This particular list had commands related to a female subject. Did this mean Gerald was controlling the maid, issuing orders to dress and act the way she did? It would explain a lot about her actions. It also meant she was an unwilling partner in all this, whatever all this was, and why she had warned about the danger in this house.

However, it also left a lot more interesting questions unanswered. Why did this maid look like someone who'd been killed in a car accident the year before? And how did she know who he was when they hadn't met before? What was the connection? And what was the keyword mentioned on this list? He had to get closer to Gerald and Jennifer if was going to find the answers to any of these questions.

Swiftly Tom made his way back down the stairs towards Jennifer's bedroom. The door was wide open and he could hear some moaning noises coming from inside. Tom crept into the other room connected to the bedroom and peeked inside. The two of them still engaged in their business. Tom waited them out.

Finally Gerald rolled over on his back breathing heavily. Jennifer, completely naked, moved over and lay on top of him.

"You're such a great lover," he said seductively.

"So I've been told," Gerald said with a chuckle. He reached over and touched her. "And you're a horny little thing, aren't you? Can't get enough of me, huh?"

"Lets just say I'm in love with you tiger." He started to run his hands through the hairs on his chest. "I love you so much. You mean everything to me."

Gerald frowned. The last thing he wanted was to have this...this person desire him that way. Well, he could fix that easily enough.

"Ekala! You will not say you're in love with me anymore. You will not refer to being in love with me at anytime. You only want to please me, and be pleased by me, but you do not wish to seek a permanent relationship with me. Ekala!"

'There, that should take care of that,' he thought.

"I'm going out to get a beer. I want you stay here and get ready for our next session. I'll be back in an hour." Gerald needed to get away for a while. Jennifer's comment had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Sure thing lover. I'll be waiting."

The bodyguard got dressed and walked out of the room. Tom heard the front door close and the sound of his Mustang starting up. Al put on a silk robe and walked into the bathroom. Tom peered out the door far enough to see Gerald's car drive past the gate. They were alone now. It was time to learn the truth about what was going on here.

Carefully he made his way into her bedroom and stopped by the bathroom door. He could see Jennifer looking in the mirror, working on her face. Tom took a deep breath and got ready. Then in one quick moment he reached around the corner and grabbed her from behind, putting his hand over her month at the same time. It was a useless gesture; no one could have heard her scream anyway. But Tom didn't want to have to hear it. Jennifer struggled for a moment and started making a muffled sound that Tom didn't understand. He spoke to her softly.

"Shhh, shhhh. I'm not here to hurt you. I need some information about a friend of mine that's all. Calm down." Jennifer became relaxed and stopped fighting.

"Ekala! You will revert back to your normal self. You will not try to hurt me in anyway. You will answer my questions truthfully when I ask you. Ekala!" Tom released his grip on her but to his surprise, instead of stepping away from him, Jennifer turned and buried her face into his chest.

"Oh TOM! Oh GOD, you FOUND ME. I HAD ALMOST GIVEN UP HOPE!" Tears flowed freely down Jennifer's soft face.

Tom found her reaction totally out of place and so far, par for the course. Why was this stranger acting like she had known him all her life? Tom didn't ponder her reaction very long - he wanted answers.

"Look lady, I don't have a lot of time. I need your help. I'm trying to find a friend of mine. His name is Al Parker. Have you seen or heard of him before?"

Al inside Jennifer calmed down enough to speak. There was pain and frustration on her face as if she was struggling to say the next words. "I'm....I'm......I'm Jennifer Lynnette Anderson."

Tom noticed the stress from saying the words seemed to overwhelm her. She let out a frustrated wail and started crying uncontrollably in his arms again. Tom held Jennifer's head up and looked straight into her eyes.

"I know who you are lady...or at least who you claim to be. I'm not interested in your story right now. I'm trying to find my friend. He's very important to me and I've been searching for him for a long time. Now, have you seen him or not? Do you know if he is still alive?"

"Yes...yes...he's right here...." Al said between sobs. "My name is...my name is Jennifer...Jennifer Lynnette Anderson. Oh God please help me for once!"

'This lady's becoming hysterical,' Tom thought to himself. He became frustrated at her answer and shook her a little in the hopes she would regain her senses and start making sense.

"I don't CARE what your name is LADY! Look, if you help me out I promise I'll help you but RIGHT NOW I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MY FRIEND! NOW WHERE IS HE? TELL ME!"

"My name...my name...my name is Jennifer Lynnette Anderson."

Tom's anger grew. He gripped the maid's arms tightly and brought her face only inches away from his. DAMN IT, STOP TELLING ME WHO YOU ARE. I WANT TO KNOW WHERE MY FRIEND IS RIGHT NOW! WHERE IS HE? DAMN IT, TELL ME!"

Al didn't know what to do. How was he going let Tom know who he really was when he couldn't even speak out his old name? God, so close and yet just out of reach. He couldn't even tell him something simple like who he really was. It was so damn frustrating. There had to be a way to let him know. Then he thought of one.

"KIDDO!" Al shouted out at him. "KIDDO!"

"Kiddo? What about Kiddo? That was my nickname for Al. Where is he? TELL ME!"

"It's me Tom...Kiddo. I'm right here. I'm Kiddo!"

"Al?" Tom released his grip and blinked hard. Could this young lady standing in front of him really be his friend? It was all starting to make sense now. "Is that really you Al? My God, what...what happened?"

"Oh Tom, you wouldn't believe what they've been doing to me." Al buried his head back into Tom's chest and started sobbing loudly.

Tom wrapped his arms tightly around Al's body and gave him a big hug. "It's okay Kiddo, I'm here now. I'm here."

***

Chapter 23 -- Revelations

It took almost 10 minutes for Al to calm down to the point where he could talk again. He sat on the bed smoking a cigarette and wiping away the remaining tears from his eyes.

"I've been wondering if you'd ever show up," Al told him. "God, I had given up hope that anyone was even looking for me until I saw you at the grocery store. I wanted to reach out and tell you everything but I couldn't say a word."

"Al, what's going on here? Who are these people and what are they doing?"

"You mean you don't know? Didn't Klein Walker tell you anything?"

"Klein Walker took the fifth Kiddo. He told me you approached him about selling him some kind of drug but he didn't know where you were getting it from."

"That fat bastard! He set this entire thing up." Al thought about it for a moment. "But if he didn't tell you where I was, how in the hell did you find me?"

"With a great deal of luck Kiddo. It wasn't easy and there were a lot of dead ends. My big break came when I found your backpack and all your diagrams hidden in your motel room. To be honest, after all this time I didn't expect to find you alive!"

Al shook Jennifer's head. "I'm not alive, not the real me. Kiddo died a long time ago Tom. Now there is only Jennifer and her existence is unbearable. At least I'll get my revenge before I die."

Tom wasn't happy about what he had just heard. It meant Al, or rather Jennifer, was in worse shape than he first thought. Tom was going to have to work real hard to save Al and he would need a plan soon.

"Let's not talk about that right now Al. I want you to tell me everything; how you got here, what happened to you, what they are doing in this place, everything. Start talking."

And from that point on Al told him everything he could. He told him about the conversation with Klein Walker and how Gerald had beat Al up once he'd been caught. Then he told him about the doctor and her serums, how they'd changed Al's body into Jennifer's and controlled his mind and were later used to do the same thing to Keith Bennett. Then Al told Tom how Gerald had been using and abusing him all these months. By the time Al was through talking he was close to tears again.

"It's okay Kiddo. You're safe now." Tom said giving Al a reassuring hug.

"Look Tom, lets destroy this place and get the hell out of here. I'll get dressed and then we can start a fire and burn this place to the ground." Tom grabbed Al's arm before he had a chance to stand up.

"You can't leave yet Kiddo."

"What the hell do you mean I can't leave? If I stay in this place one more minute I'll go crazy. I have to leave right NOW!"

Tom looked straight into Al's eyes. "No, you can't. Think about it Kiddo. If you leave they'll start looking for you. You'll never be safe no matter where you go. You know too much about what they are doing for them to leave you alone now. Your disappearance would leave too many questions unanswered. They'll keeping searching until they find you. Maybe it won't be tomorrow or next week or next year, but they will find you. And when they do they'll bring you back here, only the treatment you'll receive will be far worse than it is now."

"Alright, then lets stay and when Gerald and the doctor get back we'll kill them."

"And then what?" Tom asked calmly. "Instead of being hunted by them it would be the entire United States police force that would be searching for you. Even if you told the authorities the truth they wouldn't believe it. You would either be sent to jail or a mental institution for the rest of your life."

"So what are you suggesting I do? STAY HERE and continued to be this asshole's sex slave and the doctors personal maid?"

"For right now, yes. But only for a little while longer until I can put together a plan of action." Al began to panic at the thought of being left behind. Tom couldn't really be serious about this.

"I...I can't...do...do that Tom. You don't know what it's...it's like. You don't know what he is going...going to make me do...do to him...to please him," Al sobbed. "I can't Tom, I can't. Not any more, not when I've tasted freedom. Please, don't make me stay. Please don't leave me alone with him, I'm begging you." The light on the security box went on signaling that the gate was opening up. Gerald was back home again.

"Look Kiddo, I don't have time to argue about this anymore. I promise, I'll be back in two days - 48 hours. I need time to think this all out. Trust me Kiddo. I'm not abandoning you, I'm thinking of your safety. Right now this is the safest place for you. I'll be back, I promise."

"Noooo, please don't leave me," Al begged as he clung tightly to Tom's arm. "I can't do this anymore. Please don't make me stay Tom...please. Don't leave me alone with this asshole. Take me with you."

"I'm sorry Kiddo, I really am. Ekala! You will revert back to your old self. You will not tell anyone about this conversation or that you met with me. Ekala!" Tom hoped that would do it. Then he then gave him one more command and some instructions.

"Okay, get into the shower and remember Kiddo, I'll be back in 48 hours. Hang in there."

She gave him a slight smile and went into the bathroom to take a shower. A few moments later Tom heard the front door close followed by footsteps coming down the hallway. Gerald walked into the bathroom and said something to Jennifer that Tom couldn't understand before getting into the shower with her. Tom peeked around the corner just in time to see Jennifer get down on her knees. He shuddered at the thought of what must be going through Al's mind. It had to be hell on him. Carefully Tom crept out of the room and made his way back to the front door.

To Be Continued

This story is based on the story called, "I, my sister" and was written by Diana Christy (07/97). I would like to thank Diana for allowing me to use parts of her story in mine. I would also like to thank Arcee and Darkside for their support and suggestions that I needed to finish this story. A special thanks to Elaine for all her hard work in proofing the story and her suggestions on a number of different issues. I couldn't have written this story without their support. Thanks guys!

Warning: This story contains sexual material and transgender themes. If you're not 18 or over, or are offended by such material then don't read it! This story can be posted on Fictionmania or any other free sites however, I do ask that you notify me first before doing so.

The Life and Death of Al Parker
Part 3 - Beyond the Lines of Friendship
By Kelly Davidson

Chapter 1 -- The plan

Tom sat in his motel room staring at the blank wall across from him. He didn't have a clue on how he was going to get Jennifer, or rather Al, out of this situation safely. He had gone through half a dozen plans in his mind and each one he deemed wasn't feasible. But from these plans he did realize one thing, Dr. Jensen was going to have to die. There was no other alternative that he could see. If he let her live then their lives, as well as many others, would always be in danger. Yet knowing that fact didn't help ease his conscience. He had never been part of murdering someone before. Even when he had been on the police force he would never have shot at anyone with the intent to kill. Now he was being forced to go against his own principles to save others. It didn't sit well with him.

Then there was Al. It was clear Al was on the brink of committing suicide if he didn't do something fast. The only thing stopping him was the control Gerald and Dr. Jensen had over his mind, and maybe a deep desire to even the score with everyone involved. But once that was over, so would his desire to live one more minute trapped in Jennifer Anderson's body. It was odd to think that way but the fact was, Al Parker was trapped in another person's body, even if at one time it had been his own. Tom wondered if the situation could be reversed or altered somehow. Of course what Al really needed was outside help but first he had to find something else for him to hold on to.

`Wait, maybe that wasn't right,' he suddenly thought to himself. `Maybe what Al needed was an extension of the current situation.' Tom smiled as he kicked the idea around in head. Yes, this idea may work if he played his cards right.

Slowly but surely Tom began to devise a plan to free Al from his situation. It all centered around when Dr. Jensen got back from her trip. Al would have his revenge and more by the time this was over. And the good doctor's project would be finished for good.

***

Al kept looking out the window every chance he could. Tom was out there, waiting for the right moment to rescue him. The last two days had seemed like an eternity to him, especially since most of his time had been spent with Gerald. Normally Al would have spent the majority of his time cleaning the house and fixing meals. But with Dr. Jensen gone, Gerald put a hold on the housework so Jennifer would have more time serving his selfish needs. But tonight, if everything worked out as Tom planned, Al would be free from his grasp for good.

Gerald reached out from behind and lifted up the hem of the silk dress Al was wearing. He gave Jennifer a devilish grin. "I see you're wearing the dress that I like so much. Let's say we go back into your bedroom and find out what else you have on that I like."

Gerald took the maid's hand and Al followed the bodyguard back to his bedroom like a mindless robot. But Al didn't care this time; it was all part of Tom's plan.

***

Tom took one more look at the mirror before leaving his room. Although he considered his chance of success as being better then average, he also knew there was a good chance he might fail. Such failure meant the end of life, as he knew it.

"Well, it's too late to turn back now," he told the reflection in the mirror. He was now committed to see this through.

Tom drove to the house in silence, not even listening to the radio. He didn't want anything to distract him as he went over the plan one more time in his mind. Everything had to be perfect.

After parking his car on a side road where it couldn't be seen, he jogged slowly up to the gate. Carefully he looked around to make sure no one was watching him. The last thing he needed was a witness seeing him go in.

Convinced everything was safe, Tom punched in the code Al had given him and the gate slowly began to open up. When it opened wide enough he darted inside and hit the close button. The gate closed back up and locked. `So far so good,' he thought.

He made his way up the driveway, darting between trees in case Gerald happened to be looking out the window. When he was close enough to the house, he saw the light on in the kitchen; a signal Al had left for him indicating that Gerald was distracted and the coast was clear.

Quietly he unlocked the front door with a key Al had given him and stepped inside. A careful check revealed Gerald was with Al in his room. He looked at his watch -- there wasn't much time left. Tom walked down the hallway toward the lab.

***

Sarah Jensen was happy to be home. Her trip to Washington had been very long and tiring. More than that, it had been very upsetting. Her boss was a butthead who didn't understand any of the potential that project "Phoenix" represented. The entire time she was there, he had made it a point to remind her that she worked for him, and the only thing she should be concerned about was project "Peace".

"It seems," he told her in front of a group of other paper pushers, "that you're not devoting all your time and effort to this project. Remember that you work for me. I paid for your office, your bodyguard, and your computer equipment plus all the research material you needed to get this project started. It's time you considered that and started producing."

Sarah would have been more open to his criticism if he hadn't been such an `ass' about it and belittled her in front of ten other people. But he wanted to pound the point home that she was his employee and he was the boss, not the other way around.

"Stupid male-ego jackass!" Sarah shouted as she opened up the gate. "I'd like to see you get as far as I have with your limited intelligence. You couldn't even turn on my computer without screwing that up. My work isn't like building a house. There were no blueprints to what I am doing. It's all based on theory, guesswork, and trial and error. Getting results takes time, months, sometimes years. What the hell would you know about hard work anyway?"

The doctor parked her car in the garage and got out. She didn't bother with her suitcase; that was Gerald's job. She was a little surprised to find no one in the living room waiting to greet her.

`The two lovebirds must be busy again,' she said to herself.

Well no matter. She would talk to them later when they were through. Just as the doctor was getting ready to head upstairs she heard a noise coming from the hallway - a low tapping sound. Dr. Jensen peeked around the corner and was surprised at what she saw. She reached into her purse and pressed a button on her box.

Chapter 2 -- Schedule of events

Gerald noticed the light on his security box indicating that the gate was opening up but he was too busy at the time to care. After all, the doctor didn't need him to greet her at the door. It wasn't like they were married. Then the warning buzzer went off, indicating there was trouble and the doctor needed help fast.

"Holy Crap," Gerald yelled as he struggled to put on his underwear and grab his gun at the same time. He ran out of the room leaving Jennifer alone in the bed wondering what was going on. Then it hit Al.

"Oh my God, its Tom. They found him." Al grabbed Jennifer's silk robe and followed Gerald out of the bedroom.

***

Tom was on his knees trying to pick the lock on the lab door when he first noticed it. It was that funny feeling you get when you know you were being watched. He looked up to see the doctor standing there in the hallway with a gun pointed right at his head.

"I suggest you stay right there and don't move," she warned him. "I'm a expert shot." About that time Gerald showed up behind her, his gun also drawn.

"Are you okay Dr. Jensen?"

"I'm fine Gerald. But it looks like we have a visitor." About that time Al arrived and Tom could see the panic on his pretty face.

The bodyguard looked at the intruder carefully for a moment before a light went off in his head. "You! I know you. You're the guy from the store who was hugging my girlfriend. What the hell are you doing here?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Tom replied back pleasantly.

"Oh, I can do THAT!" Gerald answered angrily. He took a step forward, his gun pointed directly at the intruder's head. Sarah stopped him.

"There is a better way Gerald. Since he wants to see what's inside my lab so badly, why don't we let him. Stand up you and step aside."

With two guns pointed at him, Tom did as he was told. Dr. Jensen unlocked the door while Gerald stood guard over him. After the door was opened, Gerald pushed him into a chair near the doctor's desk and strapped him down. The Doctor put her gun back in her purse and turned to face him.

"You're in a lot of trouble my friend. I suggest you tell me what you are doing here or else. We can do this my way or...the hard way." Sarah made a motion to Gerald who moved closer to Tom in a threatening manner.

"I'm looking for my friend," he told them calmly.

"I see," Sarah said, a little amused by his answer and calm demeanor. "And you think your friend is in this house. I can assure you he or she is not. But just to humor you, what's your friend's name?

"Al Parker," he replied back with a smile.

The doctor felt as if her body had been slammed into a brick wall. That was the last name she expected to hear. Al Parker had led her to believe he was a vagrant without any friends. But this man they'd caught wasn't a vagrant. In fact he was dressed like a regular person. So why would he be interested in a dirty, smelly, useless tramp unless...unless Al Parker really wasn't what he said he was? But that would mean he had been able to lie to her while under her control serum. Sarah looked over at Jennifer who was standing there fidgeting.

"What makes you think your friend is here?" she continued.

"Because this was the last place he was seen alive," Tom answered.

Gerald, who was furious about another break-in happening under his nose, asked the next question. "Who are you and what is this Al Parker's connection to you?"

"My name is Tom McClain. I run a detective agency in Seattle and Al Parker is my partner. A few months ago a man by the name of Klein Walker sent him on a mission to steal some information from you. I didn't find out about all this until recently. Once I started searching for him, I was able to track his movements here."

`At least if I fail Klein Walker will get his,' Tom thought.

`Detective agency!' Sarah was shocked at what she had just heard. All these months of believing her serum had worked without a hitch were shattered. Now she was finding out there were some very serious glitches with it. What else was wrong with her research?

"A PI you say," Gerald spoke angrily. "Well, you picked the wrong house to investigate my friend and I'm going to make sure you realize that."

Tom ignored the bodyguard's threats and focused his attention on the doctor who seemed to be having a hard time dealing with what he had just said.

"I need to know what happened to him Ms Jensen. I want to know if he's still alive. You have to tell me."

A small smile replaced the doctor's shocked look. She turned to a cabinet and started pulling out some stuff from it.

"I'll do better then that Mr. McClain, I'll show you exactly what I did to your friend. This Al Parker must really mean a lot to you, seeing that you would risk going to jail for him."

"Al was like a brother to me," Tom stated firmly. "I would give up my life to save his." He saw Al lower his pretty head in shame.

"Like brothers, uh?" Gerald grinned. "Soon you'll be more like sisters to each other." He let out a small chuckle but Dr. Jensen gave him a stern look that made him shut up. She mixed something into a glass and set it in front of him along with a loaded syringe.

"I'll give you a choice Mr. McClain. You can either drink what's in the glass or I can give you this shot. What's in the drink won't harm you; it's just a small sedative to help you relax. So which method do you prefer I use?"

"Just Tom, please Doctor and I hate needles so I'll make a deal with you. I'll drink what's in this cup without any complaints if you allow me to ask a few simple questions. Do we have a deal?"

"Of course Tom. Just as long as you understand that I reserve the right to refuse answering any question you may ask. Gerald, please remove the restraint from his right arm."

The bodyguard did as he was told. Tom picked up the glass and lifted it high in the air, as if toasting his host, before drinking it down. Once done, Gerald re-attached the restraint.

"That will be all Gerald," Sarah told him. "We'll talk about this later."

"Doctor, I don't think I should leave you alone with him," he protested.

"Nonsense. I have my security box in case I need you. Beside, you still need to get dressed," she said, pointing at his underwear. It was a good excuse to get him to leave because she didn't want him hanging around to hear what she was going to say next.

"Alright doctor, I'll be right outside if you need me." Gerald still wasn't convinced that leaving her alone was the right thing to do. After he was gone, Dr. Jensen sat down at her desk and lit a cigarette.

"Before we continue, I need to ask you something Tom. How much do you know about what's going on here?"

"Not much," the private investigator lied. "I know this is some kind of genetic research lab but I'm not clear about it's purpose. If I had to guess, I would say you are experimenting with human DNA to reproduce another human being, like cloning frogs or sheep."

"Close but I'm still years away from that. No, it's much more complicated than that Tom."

"I'm really not interested in what you're doing here doctor. All I want to know is where my friend is. Is Al Parker still alive?"

Sarah eyed her new test subject carefully as she took another long drag from her cigarette and blew the smoke into the air.

"He's alive. No real harm has been done to him. In fact, I would say he looks better now than before I first met him." She glanced over at Jennifer who was now staring at Tom -- panic and despair clearly in her eyes.

"No real harm, that's good to hear." Tom replied. `Right! All you did was change his gender and turn him into your slave you self-centered bitch'.

"Where is he doctor? I want to see him."

"You've been looking at him all along Tom," the doctor replied back with a cold, thin smile. "Only he no longer goes by the name of Al Parker, he now prefers the name of Jennifer Anderson."

Tom acted surprised even though he knew the truth before she had spoken it.

"Al? Al, is that really you?"

"I'm afraid he doesn't respond to that name anymore Tom. You see, it wouldn't look right for a pretty, young lady to respond to a man's name so we had to, for lack of a better term, block that from happening."

"Jennifer, is what the doctor telling me the truth?" The maid sadly nodded.

"As you can see Tom, she's very convincing. But it appears she was able to fool me on a number of things. I'll have to be more careful the next time."

"Let us go Doctor," Tom pleaded with her. "You've got what you wanted. I promise, if you let us go you'll never hear from us again."

The doctor looked at the private eye sharply. "If only it was that easy! Unfortunately I can't do that. Jennifer's ability to lie to me despite being told to tell the truth has raised questions about the effectiveness of my drug. So you see, I need her more now then I did before we met. And I also need you too Tom." The doctor stubbed out her cigarette and walked back over to the cabinet.

"What for doctor? You already have a maid and a girlfriend for your bodyguard. From what I can tell, your he seems pretty happy with the current arrangement you set up for him. Oh, now I see, you're lonely too." Tom's hands began to feel heavy from the effects of the drug.

"Don't flatter yourself Mr. McClain," Sarah Jensen snapped sarcastically back at him. "The last thing I need is a male gigolo messing up my life. No, I have other plans for you. Tell me Tom, do you prefer blondes, brunettes or redheads?"

"Why blondes of course doctor." Tom hesitated for moment then continued. "Blondes do have more fun." He watched his friend react to the last comment and shook his head slightly.

"Good!" the doctor replied. "I was supposed to perform a sex change next week and was told the new person needed to be a blonde. The donor's DNA I'm using is supposed to be very pretty."

"Is that what your research is all about doctor? Changing men into women? Sounds like a feminist thing to me."

Sarah sat back down at her desk and lit another cigarette.

"Oh, I don't mind telling you Tom. In a little while you won't be able to repeat to anyone what I'm about to say. You see...this procedure is just a by-product of the serum's real purpose. What I'm really trying to do is develop a drug that will re-generate the body cells again and again. Do you understand what that means?"

"Eternal youth," Tom replied.

"And eternal life," she added. "A person who takes this drug, maybe once a year, would look the same 1,000 years from now as he or she does today."

"But there's a problem, right doctor?"

"Yes," Dr. Jensen said with some annoyance. "The nervous system can't handle more then one treatment of my serum. And while I'm able to create healthy, working organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys -- they don't stay that way for very long. After a few weeks they simply give out."

"But if you've been able to work out the re-generation process, surely this problem wouldn't take too long to fix."

Tom couldn't move his legs. The drug was starting to paralyze parts of his body.

Sarah took another puff on her cigarette. "A year or two at the most. But unfortunately I have a boss who sees my project in a whole different light. You see, my drugs can be used both ways, to preserve life and to take it away. Just as it can re-generate a new, healthy organ, it can turn a healthy organ into a dead one. One drink and the correct code and its instant heart attack time. My boss refers to it as project Peace." She rolled her eyes while saying the project name.

"But if you can do that now why delay the..."

"Because Tom, he's a stubborn jackass," Sarah said before Tom had finished talking. "He wants to see the serum modified. He wants it to work over a period of time instead of instantly. He wants...who knows what he really wants. The point is I'm spending all my time on project Peace instead of what I really want to do. And I'm so damn close too."

"I must hand it to you doctor, your research has impressed me." Tom made a motion toward Jennifer.

"As I said Tom, she is only a by-product. But if you're impressed now, just wait until you see what I have planned for you. You see, my boss is not only a jackass, he's also a skirt chaser." She gave him a cold smile.

"I see. And you plan to," Tom flashed her a quick smile back, "enlist my help in getting him to see things your way." He could feel the drug's icy grip taking over his body.

"You're very clever Tom. I would use Jennifer but...well, lets just say Gerald has become very attached to her. But don't worry, I'll make sure he gives you a few lessons before your trip to Washington."

Tom tried to get out a reply but his lips froze in mid-sentence. The doctor stubbed out her cigarette and smiled smartly.

"I'm sorry I have to break my promise to you Tom, but there are a couple of shots I need to give you. However, I'll make it up to you. I will give you one last night as a man with Jennifer unrestricted. I couldn't allow that with Al Parker unfortunately but then, he wasn't the most pleasant person to deal with. You I actually like so it's a pity things have to end this way."

Dr. Jensen picked up a syringe from the table and walked over to where he was sitting.

"Jennifer, come here. I want you to see how this is done. You may need to do this one day."

"Yes doctor." Al answered obediently placing his hand in the pocket of the robe he was wearing. He positioned himself behind Dr. Jensen.

"Lets see, where is that...." The doctor never got to finish her sentence. Al grabbed her from behind and forced a handkerchief over her nose and month. The doctor struggled to get back to her desk where her security box lay but Al held on tightly and in the process both ladies fell to the floor. A moment later the doctor's body went limp. Tom prayed Gerald hadn't heard the struggle going on but then he didn't know the lab was soundproof.

"Tom, are you okay?" Al asked. All Tom could do was move his eyes.

"Don't worry, it should wear off soon and I'll be right here with you." Al grabbed his hand and held on to it tightly.

By the time the doctor came around, Tom was back to his normal self. She felt a prick on the back of her neck and reached her hand around to start rubbing it. That was when she noticed someone was standing over her. She looked up and saw Jennifer looking down at her with a smile on his face. "It's my turn now doctor."

***

Tom wouldn't let Al harm the doctor despite his vocal objections. "You'll get your pound of flesh, I promise Kiddo." The remark shut Al up for the moment and he turned his attention to the doctor.

"I want you to get me another vial of this control serum doctor." Sarah did as she was told, unable to do otherwise.

"Okay Jennifer. Here's what..."

"That's not my name Tom," Al yelled at him angrily. "My name is" there was a struggle on Al's face, "Jennifer Lynnette Anderson. Damn it, why can't I say my real name?"

"Okay Jenn... Al. Look, for right now let's use your female name. This isn't the time for me to get confused and ruin everything. We still have lover boy to deal with."

"Okay?" Al reluctantly agreed.

"Good. Now here's what I want you to do. Take this drug and...."

Chapter 3 -- Gerald's turn

Gerald waited impatiently in the living room for something to happen. "Damn Dr. Jensen and her independence!" he muttered to himself.

The bodyguard knew what was going on. He had figured it all out a long time ago. Dr. Jensen was devoting more time to her own research and had enlisted the aid of her friend, Susan Bennett, to finance it. Once he found out about the inheritance money Susan's daughter was supposed to receive, it doesn't take long to figure out what was going on. That and the fact Dr. Jensen's boss, Dennis Butz, had already talked to him several times about the lack of success she seemed to be having lately concerning project Peace.

Despite being assigned to assist the doctor in her research --she still insisted on doing things her way, without his help. Well this time he should be in there, protecting her. But what did she need to be protected from? The intruder was tied up and Jennifer was fully under her control. What danger was she really in?

No, that wasn't what was bothering him. What was really eating at him was the fact that Dr. Jensen had captured this intruder, not him. This time he had literally been caught with his pants down and once again Dr. Jensen had been there to not only see him fail, but had bailed him out. Damn, he should have realized something was up when Jennifer started paying that much attention to this man at the store. Instead he had been sucker into a false sense of security by her charms, which had made him fail to do his job properly.

That was why he had been given this assignment, because he was the best of the best in his class. Yet over the past few months he had failed to protect the project not once but several times. If it wasn't for dumb luck, his failures would have been exposed and he would be looking for a new job. Even now Dr. Jensen was in her lab questioning the intruder instead of letting him do his job. Gerald's ego was in need of a major stroking and there wasn't anyone around to do it. He heard the lab door close and the sound of footsteps coming towards him. It was Jennifer.

"Hi Tiger." Al said with a big smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better now that you showed up. Are you still naked underneath that robe?" He eyed her like a hungry cat watching a mouse. "You know, we really didn't get a chance to finish what we started. Maybe we can do that now." He reached out and pulled her down on top of him.

"Silly sex-starved boy, not with the doctor in the next room I can't. Besides, I only came out here to change. The doctor wants me back in the lab to help out. But while I'm here, let me fix you a drink."

"How is the doctor doing in there?" Gerald asked curiously. "Is she getting any answers out of him?"

"You mean `HER'!" Al giggled as he emphasized the word "her". "No, actually she hasn't asked `Her' anything. I think she intends to let you question `HER' when the time comes."

`Good!' thought Gerald. At least the doctor still trusted him to do his job.

"So what does Miss-what's-her-name look like?" Gerald asked in curiosity.

Al handed Gerald a drink. "Her new name is Cindy and she is one blonde knockout. In fact, I'm a little insecure about being around her. I'm afraid she may win your heart and then you'll lose interest in me."

"I don't think you have to worry about that...you're still good in the sack. Besides, I've always wanted two love mates at the same time." He smiled at the thought and downed his drink in one gulp.

"Oh, you have, have you. Well, maybe I can convince you to let me be your favorite. You know, the doctor is kind of busy right now." Al opened up the front of the robe revealing Jennifer's naked body to him. "See anything you like tiger?"

"Come here so I can get a closer look," he replied with a devilish grin on his face.

Gerald started kissing Al's perfumed neck as he lay down on top of him. He began to feel a little weak but pushed the thought away because he had more important things on his mind. By the time he realized what was going on it was too late. Al clamped his hand over his mouth so Gerald couldn't say anything. He mumbled out something, most likely Jennifer's keyword followed by a command, but Al was unable to make any real sense out of it. When Al was sure the bodyguard was fully paralyzed he lifted himself off him and tied the robe back on to cover Jennifer's body. Tom appeared next to Al.

"So you like blondes Gerald. I'll see what I can do with the doctor but be careful," Tom hesitated for a moment, "blondes do have more fun." Al's demeanor suddenly changed.

"I'm glad that's over," Al shouted. "I told you I was going to pay you back asshole. I told you I was going to GET EVEN WITH YOU. I TOLD YOU..."

Tom softly cut him off. "Al... that can wait. First things first." He handed him a cotton ball and a syringe. Al found the mark and injected it into Gerald. Now the only one left in the house not under the control of the serum was Tom.

There was an emotional release inside Al once this was done. The hell that he had been experiencing these past few months was finally over. Al looked at Tom with tear-filled eyes and in a shaky voice said, "I better get dressed now. I'll be right back."

It was the way he said it that concerned Tom. The tone of voice signaled great danger. While Al claimed that he was fine, the voice told a different story.

Tom waited until after Al left and turned to Gerald. "Zomlix! You will remain seated and not try to talk. You will never repeat your keyword or say Jennifer's keyword again. You will not try to harm Jennifer or me in anyway. You will remain calm and relaxed. Zomlix!" Gerald's eyes glazed over and then returned to normal. With that done Tom followed after Al.

Upon entering the bedroom he found Al lying face down on the bed crying. Tom felt so bad that he forgot about his own anger at the moment. Al would need a lot of love and understanding before he could continue on with a life as Jennifer. He sat down on the bed next to Al and gently touched him.

"Hey, it's okay Al. This nightmare is over now. Soon we'll be on a plane heading home. I already have our plane tickets to take us back to Seattle."

"I'm...I'm not going Tom." Al replied between sobs. "I don't want...want to go. I don't want to live...not like this. I can't live like this. I want you to command me not to move and then set the place on fire. Destroy this house and everyone in it so they can't do this again to someone else; so there won't be any more victims like Keith Bennett or me."

Tom grabbed Al by the arms and faced him. "Are you CRAZY Kiddo? Do you have ANY idea what it took to find you? Do you really think I spent all this time tracking you down so I could watch you die in some FIRE? WELL YOU'RE WRONG, I DIDN'T! We have a few scores to settle still and one of them is with Klein Walker."

"Then do it without ME!" Al cried out. "I can't go on. I don't want to go on. Let me DIE!"

"Listen to me Kiddo. You're going to make it, do you hear me. I need you buddy. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? I NEED YOU! All these months have been HELL on me too. Al, it's going to get better, I promise. I'm going to take care of everything."

"How?" Al sobbed.

"By starting with the good doctor and Gerald." It was time to execute the second part of his plan.

Chapter 4 --In and out

While Al got dressed Tom went back to the lab to talk with Dr. Jensen. She was still sitting in her chair as he had told her to do.

"Okay doctor. Trijola! I'm going to ask you some questions and I want you to answer me truthfully. I do not want you talking unnecessary or asking me any questions. You will only answer my questions with truthful answers. You will also remain calm while answering me. Trijola! Now, can you change Jennifer back into Al Parker?"

"Yes. But if I did she would die," the doctor replied back calmly.

"Isn't there anything you can do?"

The doctor shook her head. "No. Once the process is done it's permanent. Even if I had his DNA sample, which I don't, the process of returning Jennifer back to her old male self would result in death. Her nervous system couldn't handle the stress a second time."

"I see." Tom rubbed his chin. That idea was no good, time for plan B. "How young can you transform an adult person into a child and still have it be safe?

"Perhaps as young as two but to be safe I wouldn't make an adult person any younger than three years old. The DNA sample would have to be that of a normal size three year old, otherwise there would be problems with organs and skin restructuring."

"Okay, then let's start looking in your files for a normal, three year old child. A blonde, three year old female child Dr. Jensen."

The doctor went over to her filing cabinet and in a few minutes had pulled out half a dozen folders. Tom looked through them and gave her the one he thought was the best.

"Now, lets start working on the physical side of this process. I need one for this child," he handed her the sample from the file, "and another for this one." Tom handed her a file from the top drawer of her desk.

"That subject is a part of project Phoenix," Sarah replied.

"What's project "Phoenix?" Tom asked curiously.

"It's a project to transfer one persons memory's into another persons mind. If successful, it will allow you to change the recipients body and memory's to match that of the donor's." Tom was stunned.

"Do you mean you can replace a persons memories with someone else's? Why didn't you just give Jennifer an entire new set of memories? Why only recreate the body but not her mind?"

"I'm not that far along with the project," the doctor answered. "At best I can only transfer about 5% of a person's memory and even then most of the real old memory's wouldn't be there. I also needed tissue samples from a certain part of the brain -- which wasn't available in her case. The only thing Jennifer received from the original DNA donor was what we call her learning process. Since the real Jennifer Anderson had done the same thing so many times it was a part of her body function."

"Like brushing your hair or walking a certain way," said Tom. "So that was how you were able to control Al like you did. You made her learning traits the dominant features in her behavior. Al couldn't have acted any other way."

"That's correct," Sarah confirmed.

"Okay, let me get this straight. With a sample of memory brain tissue you can transfer a person's memories, at least the most recent history, into another person's mind?"

"Yes -- but that wouldn't have worked on Jennifer. The real Jennifer Anderson died some months before. Her brain cells are dead and totally useless now. This sample has to come from living brain cells with the same DNA as the body DNA. In other words, you can't mix the two. The memory DNA and body DNA has to come from the same person. Using two different DNA's, one for the memories and one for the body, would kill the subject. The exception to this mixing process is when you change a person's body DNA without changing the memory. There are no side effects that I know of."

"That you know of doctor?" Tom responded sarcastically. "How comforting to hear you say that." He paused for a moment. "Alright then, is there any way to remove Al's memories from Jennifer's mind?"

"Death is the only way," the doctor answered matter of factly --too matter of factly for Tom's taste.

"Death is not an option here doctor." He noticed she seemed to have something else she wanted to say.

"Okay doctor, I hear you. Trijola! You will speak as your true self. You will remain calm while talking to me and will not try to leave the room. Trijola!"

"Tom," Dr. Jensen started off. "I really didn't want to hurt you. I could tell you were a man who knew how to get things done --not like my overly muscular bodyguard who doesn't have a clue. Look, I know we got started off on the wrong foot but you have a place here."

"As a blonde knockout to please your brain-dead bodyguard? No thanks doctor."

"Of course not Tom. Look, I had to do what I did because of Gerald. If you had come to me in person, without getting him involved, we could have worked something out. But by doing it the way you did, you forced my hand. I had no choice but to control your movements and change you."

"But now you do have a choice, right doctor?" Tom asked doubtfully.

"Yes. You have proven your worth to me. You have shown me that you can think things out, something Gerald lacks. I could insist to my boss that you replace Gerald and he would go for it. Or I could change your body so you would look like Gerald! Think of it, you would have his body and all his privileges but still be you. And I would give you complete control over your body, I promise."

"But there is more." she added. "I'm offering you a chance to live forever as a young man. With my research and your help we could make this project a success. Think of it, we could repair millions of broken bodies. No one would have to suffer with pain or illnesses any more. We could bring happiness to the entire world. Total peace. Think about what we could do together."

Tom was thinking. Did he have the right to let the doctor die when she could do so much good to mankind? Was he throwing away paradise for the entire human race? Was he committing a crime against the entire world?

"TRIJOLA! You will STOP talking and ONLY answer questions WHEN ASKED! You will not talk to Tom about this again. TRIJOLA!" Tom turned to Al who was standing in the doorway glaring at him angrily.

"ARE YOU GETTING STUPID OR WHAT? Don't LISTEN to her, LOOK AT ME! THIS IS THE PEACE SHE IS TALKING ABOUT! ONE QUEEN BEE SITTING ON HER THRONE while the rest of the world SERVES HER! She isn't out to SAVE the world Tom -- she's out to enslave it, like she enslaved me. This is HER PEACE TOM! I'M THE FUTURE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT!"

The truth hit Tom like a ton of bricks. Al was right. The doctor wasn't doing this research to help others -- it was for more selfish reasons.

"Thank you Al, I see your point. We're almost done in here, how is lover boy doing?"

"Oh, he's almost ready," he replied with a slight smile.

Chapter 5 - Bar room blitz

Dr. Jensen drove off in her car followed closely by Tom in his vehicle. Al and Gerald stayed at the house to wait until it was time for them to show up. Tom had to caution Al several times not to do anything to Gerald while they were alone. Still, as he left to follow Dr. Jensen to their next stop, he worried if he had done the right thing.

Dr. Jensen fought for control over her body but after a few minutes realized it was futile. She then changed tactics and thought about how the serum worked. An idea popped into her mind and she realized there was still a chance to work herself free, providing she had the time. Unfortunately, time was something Sarah figured she didn't have much of. She was positive Jennifer didn't plan to let her live much longer.

Pulling up to the `Joe's Bar and Grill', the doctor knew what she had to do. Once inside she ordered a drink and quickly gulped it down. No sooner had she put the glass back on the counter than she ordered another and downed that one as well. The bartender raised his eyebrows. If the doctor kept this up she would be unable to drive herself home.

Tom walked into the bar and took a seat in the corner where he could keep on eye on both the doctor and the clock. He observed her put away another drink but wasn't to concerned because it was part of his plan. He didn't know that it fit into Sarah's plan too. By the time Gerald and Al arrived, the doctor had just finished off her tenth drink and was definitely under the influence.

The bartender made eye contact with Gerald and motioned him over. He whispered something to Gerald who nodded his head in agreement. After they were finished talking, the bodyguard walked over to where the doctor was sitting.

"Come on Dr. Jensen, I think you've had enough. Let me drive you home."

"You can take me home but I'M DRIVING," she told him in a slurred voice.

Dr. Jensen grabbed her purse and staggered out the door followed closely by Gerald who was making sure she didn't fall over. Jennifer stopped long enough to tell the bartender they would be back later on to pick up Gerald's car. Tom waited five minutes after they left before getting up and also leaving. He drove his car to the designated spot located half a mile away on a deserted side road. Gerald and Jennifer were already out of the car waiting for him.

"Get Gerald in my car," Tom told Al. He looked over at Sarah Jensen painfully. "I want to say something to the doctor before we go. Leave us alone for a minute, will you?"

"Sure Tom, just don't get any ideas. I owe her. Come with me Gerald." The ex-bodyguard followed Al back to car like a faithful puppy dog. Tom stared at the doctor knowing what was going to happen and hating every moment of it.

"I want you to know doctor...I'm very sorry about this. I really wish it could have ended in a different way. Please forgive me."

The doctor didn't say anything. Instead she gave him a quick smile as if to say `I understand'. Al appeared behind him with her purse and Gerald's wallet.

"I'll take it from here Tom. Why don't you go back to the car and wait with Gerald." Al was concerned that Tom might change his mind and spare the doctor's life. He really didn't have the guts to kill someone; not that Al Parker did either but that was before Dr. Jensen had put Al through this hell. Al had suffered too much from this mad doctor's nightmare experiment to let anyone stop him from getting his revenge. It was Dr. Jensen who had abandoned him to Gerald's perverted sexual fantasies without even a second thought so why should Al care how she felt. Tonight was payback for everything Sarah Jensen had put him through.

After throwing Gerald's wallet into the front seat, Al pulled out a pint of blood taken out of Gerald's arm. He proceeded to pour the blood all over the front seat and dashboard. Next Al did the same thing to the back seat with a pint of Jennifer's blood. Once that was done, Al walked around the car rolling down all the windows.

"You won't need to wear these where you're going," Al taunted the doctor as he unbuckled her seatbelt. "Now, listen to my directions carefully. I want you to drive to lookout point..."

***

Tom watched the car make a U-turn and drive off in a hurry. It would be the last time anyone would see Dr. Jensen alive again. Al got into the passenger side of the car. He turned to smile at Gerald and said, "Are you ready Tiger? Then let's begin. Zomlix..."

***

Dr. Jensen didn't have much time. The serum wasn't permanently attached to her DNA yet and the large amount of alcohol she consumed had weakened its effects. She concentrated on gaining control of her hands to shut off the car while her foot pushed down hard on the accelerator and the car leaped forward. She was less than a mile from a hairpin curve where her car was to have a most spectacular ending. At the curve there was a deep embankment with a river at the bottom. The speedometer reached 60, then 70, and then hit 80. She could see the guardrail ahead that protected the curve. At that speed the car would burst right through it. Her hand began to move but very slowly.

Sarah Jensen knew she had seconds to live. Turning off the key wouldn't stop the car in time and she was going too fast to make the corner. Her hand reached down and pulled on the door handle.
The car door opened up and Dr. Jensen started to fall out of the car just as it struck the guardrail. She felt her body being thrown through the air and then everything went black.

***

"Zomlix! Body and hair... Zomlix!" Tom stared into the rearview mirror in pure amazement. Watching Gerald's body change was shocking. Everything about the process looked so unreal. He glanced over at Al who was smiling and enjoying the moment. Months of pain, anger, and frustration caused by Gerald were starting to work their way out. But the best was still to come.

Chapter 6 -- Investigation

Utah law required that the Highway Patrol investigate every accident on a state highway that had a fatality. Normally Kevin wouldn't have been called to an accident so far away but the local patrols were already busy with two other crashes and the local police had asked for his help. It took Kevin almost 30 minutes to drive to the crash site. When he arrived, two deputy sheriff officers greeted the trooper.

"Hi Kevin. I'm surprised to see you out here. You must have had some drive."

"Hi Bob. Dave." He shook both officers' hands. "The local patrols were backed up so they called me. What have you got?"

"So far one female, who we believe is the driver," Bob started off. "She was ejected from the vehicle and landed over there." The deputy shined his flashlight at the place where she had been found. "She's at the hospital now but I doubt if she will last the night. Her name was Sarah A. Jensen. She lives in the area."

The deputy was interrupted by the tow truck driver, who asked if it was all right to start pulling the car up the hill. Bob gave him the okay and the three officers walked over to the embankment to get a better look of the recovery process. Even from the roadside Kevin could see that the car was a mess.

"We think she had two passengers in the vehicle with her. I've sent volunteers down the river to search for them but so far they haven't found anything."

"What makes you think that there were two other people in the car Bob?" Kevin asked.

"We found a purse and wallet outside the vehicle that don't belong to the victim. Dave, you got those driver's licenses on you still?"

"Yea, right here Bob." The other deputy sheriff pulled them out of his pocket. "The two people missing are a Miss Jennifer Anderson and a Mr. Gerald Rogers." Kevin's head turned sharply when he heard the names.

"You okay Kevin?" Bob asked.

"Yea...I'm fine. It's just that I pulled them over not to long ago for speeding. I let him go with a warning."

"Too bad they didn't get the message. We estimate the car was doing at least 80 mph when it hit the guardrail. To top it off, the lady we sent to the hospital had been drinking heavily. I'll bet you a week's salary that she's at least twice over the limit," Dave stated in disgust.

"Eighty miles per hour and stinking drunk. This would be a great Driver's Ed movie if we had all the bodies," Bob added.

"Where do you think the other bodies are?" Kevin inquired.

"We think they were thrown into the river," Bob explained. "The car flipped end over end a couple of times and then spun sideways before landing partially in the water. We found a shoe inside the car and another near the river. One of them was a man's shoe and the others belonged to a female however -- they were too small to belong to the woman we sent to the hospital. Most likely the shoes came off their feet while they were being ejected from the car."

"And there's also a lot of blood on the passenger side and back seat, as well as on the dash and doors," Dave added. "It looks like they got tossed around pretty good before being thrown out. Here, take a look."

He pointed his flashlight inside the car that the tow truck driver had just pulled up. There was blood everywhere inside except on the driver's side.

"Looks like the driver was thrown out before it started flipping," Kevin observed.

"Yea, we think so too. Oh, we found this on the woman driver." Bob handed Kevin a book of matches.

"It's from a local bar not too far from here. I already had Dave ask the local police to check it out. Mr. Roger's car is parked outside the place. The bartender didn't see them get into the car with Ms. Jensen but Miss Anderson did say they were leaving Mr. Roger's car behind and would be back later to pick it up. I guess they decided to take a drive and get some air." Bob pointed to the windows that were rolled down.

"Stupid people," Dave added. "The bartender said that Mr. Rogers and Miss Anderson weren't impaired in any way but they let the one person who was drunk drive for them. Just plain stupid."

Something bothered Kevin about the Dave's statement. Except for being a bigot, which was it's own form of stupidity, Mr. Rogers didn't seem like an idiot. For him to get into a car being driven by a drunk driver and leave his brand new car behind didn't make sense. Surely he would have insisted on driving the doctor home himself.

"Where is this bar Bob?" Kevin asked. "After we clear up this mess I want to talk to the bartender myself."

***

"Thank goodness for 24 hour stores," Tom said to Al. Gerald needed some new clothes since his old ones were now too big and the wrong style.

"Wait here with Gerald, I'll be back in a bit." Al got out of the car and walked into the store. It was close to Easter and the store still had a great selection of outfits to choose from.

***

"I'm Officer Brown from the State Highway Patrol. I'm investigating a road accident and I would like to ask you a few questions if this is a good time."

"Sure officer," the bartender said while he continued to clean a glass. "My name is Jimmy Boyd. I heard about the Doc, Gerald and Jennifer being killed. What a tragedy but I did warn him."

"What do you mean?" Kevin asked.

"Well, Miss Jensen came in and started drinking down one Mind Twister after another. That's our specialty drink here, I created it myself," Jimmy added proudly. He waited for the officer to finish up his notes before continuing.

"Anyway, about 30 minutes later her friend, Gerald, and his girlfriend, Jennifer, walked into my bar. By this time the doctor was, a term I like to use -- completely shit-faced, and was in no condition to drive. So I called Gerald over and told him someone needed to take her home. I offered to call a cab but he told me he would take care of it himself. The three of them left and that was the last time I saw them."

"Did you happen to see which one was driving the car when they left?"

"No, I'm sorry officer. I just assumed it would be Gerald but I didn't actually see him get behind the wheel of the car. It was kind of funny in a way. I've never seen the doctor drink so much in all my life. It was almost as if she was trying to get drunk as quickly as she could."

Kevin thought the bartender's last statement over for a moment before asking another question. "Did anyone else leave with them?"

"No not really. There was a stranger wearing a Seahawks cap that came in shortly after she did. Come to think of it, he left a few minutes after they did. But he wasn't with them; he sat over there in the corner. First time I've seen him in here before."

Bells starting going off in Kevin's head. Tom was wearing a Seattle Seahawks cap when they last met. "Can you tell me what this man looked like?"

The bartender gave Kevin a pretty good description of someone who looked a lot like Tom. The patrolman pulled out a picture from his wallet. "Is this the man?"

"Yea, that sure looks like him. Is he a friend of yours?"

"Sort of. Thanks for your help Mr. Boyd. I'll let you know if I need anything else from you." Kevin went outside and sat down in his patrol car. He gripped the wheel hard, part out of anger and part out of fear about what his instincts were telling him.

"Damn it Tom, what did you just do?" He hated to think this could be a case of another good ex-cop gone bad. Tom was his friend and now a suspect in a... what? A possible murder case? That was for Kevin to figure out. He called his patrol office to tell them he was clear and headed back to his district.

Chapter 7 -- New plans, old plans

"It took you long enough," Tom said to Al. Even though it was in the middle of the night, the parking lot was well lit, and Gerald was dressed in a way that was sure to have raised suspicions if anyone had seen him. The last thing they needed was to try and explain the situation to the police.

"Get used to it Tom! Besides, I wasn't sure on the size and I had to get some assessors. Now lets get moving." Al got into the back seat and pulled out an outfit from one of the big bags he had.

"What do you think Tiger?" Gerald's eyes went wide with horror.

***

The phone rang very early in the morning at the Butz's residence. Dennis was an early riser but even 3am was a little too early for him. He fumbled around for the phone in the dark and picked it up.

"This had better be good...WHAT?"

The lady on the other end explained that she was a dispatcher for the Sheriff's department and that a friend of his had been involved in a serious automobile accident. When the investigating officer had checked her purse he found this number, informing them to call in case of an emergency.

"How bad is she?" Dennis asked. "I see. Yes, thank you officer." He wrote down the name of the hospital where she had been taken. "Yes, I'll be on the next plane to Salt Lake tonight...eh, this morning. Thank you again officer. Have a good night."

He hung up the phone and sat upright in his bed. Today was going to be a very long day. His wife asked him what was wrong to which he replied it was government business. That was enough to please her and let her know that he couldn't talk about it.

Dennis Butz put on his robe and made his way downstairs to his office. He unlocked the safe and pulled out his personal phone book. Once he found the name he was looking for he picked up the phone and dialed. A sleepy voice answered on the other end.

"Doctor, this is Dennis. We have a code black in Salt Lake City. I repeat, a CODE BLACK! I need you to get on a plane and fly out there. I am going to activate project Phoenix as of right now. Yea, I know. Look, don't argue with me, just DO IT. I'll work out the other details here...Yes I have a person in mind. Just get me what I need and don't create any suspicions. Say an old family friend asked you to check on her, okay? Right! I'll have a plane waiting for you, be on it within the hour. From what I've been told we don't have much time. Give me a call when it's done. Bye."

Dennis hung up the phone and took in the gravity of the situation. If Sarah Jensen died before his person got there, project Peace would die with her. He picked up the phone to make sure the private jet would be waiting for the doctor when he got to the Denver airport. Then he went back upstairs to get dressed.

***

They walked through the terminal quickly. To everyone in the building the three of them appeared as a normal couple. An older male, his younger and pretty wife, and the cutest three-year-old anyone had ever seen. She was wearing the frilliest dress that Al had been able to find and was clutching tightly onto a doll in one hand while holding on to her mother's hand with the other. Many of the people in the airport stopped and commented to each other on what a pretty little girl she was. They didn't realize inside this cute, little girl was actually a full-grown adult male by the name of Gerald Rogers.

At the check-in counter the blonde attendant took their names and bent down to talk to the little girl who had caught her eye. "My, don't you look pretty tonight princess. Would you like a sweet?" The little girl shook her head shyly causing the attendant to laugh.

"She's so cute in that outfit."

"It's her Easter outfit," Al explained. "She wore it to a wedding and gave me such a fit about taking it off that I decided to let her wear it home." She patted Gerald on the back, who moved closer and hid his face in Al's blue jeans.

"Such a shy thing," the attendant chuckled. "What's her name?"

"Tracy." Al answered half-smiling.

***

The first chance Kevin got he placed a long distance call to Tom residence but there was no answer. Kevin knew there were dozens of other places Tom could be besides Salt Lake City, but he would have felt better if the private eye had answered the phone. Checking on a hunch, he called the airport to check on the flights out of Salt Lake to Seattle. There was one that had left about a half-hour earlier. The attendant checked the passenger list for the officer and sure enough Tom's name was on it.

Unable to rule him out, Kevin left a message with the crash investigator to have Dr. Jensen's car checked in the morning, especially around the rear bumper. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe these people didn't crash on their own. Maybe someone helped them.

Chapter 8 -- Homecoming

The flight from Salt Lake City was completely uneventful. At that time of the night most of the lights inside the plane where turned off so the passengers could sleep. Despite sitting in the dark, Tom stayed awake and thought about the upcoming events. There was so much left to do.

He looked over at Al who had managed to fall into a fitful sleep. He wasn't out of the woods yet. Turning Gerald into Tracy had bought him time, but it wasn't the solution to saving Al's life. If he didn't get him help soon Al would kill himself. His friend needed to accept what had happened, that he was now permanently Jennifer Anderson and could never be Al Parker again. Tom wasn't sure how to accomplish this task but he did realize two things. First, it would take more than one person to get Al to accept himself as Jennifer and two; he was way over his head on this one. What he needed was to find someone who could help. He had an idea on who that someone might be. When they landed Tom loaded everyone into his car and drove to a nearby hotel.

"We're not going home?" Al asked in a surprised voice.

"Not right now Kiddo, I'm beat. In fact we're all beat. Lets get some sleep first." Tom's real reason for going to a hotel was so Al wouldn't be around any sharp objects. He deemed it too risky until Al got some real help.

He could have ordered Al not to harm himself and he did consider doing just that. Doing so would have put his mind at ease and it made good sense but he also knew that this would be a fatal mistake. If he did issue an order, even for Al's own good, the results would be disastrous. Al would start comparing him to Dr. Jensen or Gerald and ruin any chance of him gaining his trust. What Al needed was someone he could trust to protect him while at the same time not feeling that they were trying to take advantage of the situation.

Tom got a room with two queen size beds. He set Tracy on the couch and covered her up with a blanket. She looked so peaceful sleeping just like an angel. He wondered what kind of dreams Gerald would be having.

"Take that bed Kiddo," Tom said, pointing to the one farthest from the outside door.

Al nodded and went into the bathroom to remove his clothes. A moment later he came out wearing only a pair of panties and the T-shirt he had worn on the plane. Al lay down on the bed and turned off the light. Tom stripped down to his underwear and got in the other bed. Then he waited and it didn't take long.

For the first few minutes Al tossed and turned in the bed. Then he heard Al sniffing as he tried to hold back the tears. Finally he got up and walked over to Tom's bed.

"Tom?" Al said in a tearful voice.

"It's okay Kiddo, I understand. Get in." Al lay down next to him and buried his face deep into his chest. Tom's T-shirt became wet as the floodgates opened up again.

"I don't want to be alone...not tonight...not ever. Please hold me, please don't let go of me," Al wept.

"I won't Kiddo. It's okay now." He wrapped his arms around Al and gave him a re-assuring hug, while fighting off his own desires within. Al may have been like a brother to him but he certainly didn't feel like one now. Tom tried to think of other things as he held on to him tightly. Al felt so soft and warm lying there against him.

He thought about telling Al in a joking way that he needed a cold shower but quickly changed his mind. Al didn't need to hear comments like that. What his friend needed to hear was that someone cared for him as a human being, not as some sex object. Tom did care for him of course and was overjoyed to have Al back again. But he was also a normal, heterosexual male and well; Al was now in the shape of a warm, attractive female and that made things a little difficult for Tom.

"You can sleep here tonight," he told Al. "I'll hold on to you and won't let go Kiddo. You're safe here, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you again." He pushed away his own thoughts for a moment and tried to concentrate on what was really important here.

"Tom, I need to do something for me."

"Sure Kiddo, anything. What is it?"

"I want to call home. I need to talk to my parents."

"Kiddo, your parents are dead, just like mine. Don't you remember?"

"I know that Tom," Al sniffed. "I mean Jennifer's parents. Ever since this...this happened to me I've had a desire to call them. I guess it was part of the learned responses I inherited. Whenever Jennifer was out someplace she must have called home to tell them she was safe. It's been driving me nuts and of course Dr. Jensen wouldn't let me call them. Now that I'm free I can make that call, to let them know she's safe. But I don't know where to find them."

"I don't either Kiddo," Tom lied. "But I'll get you the information. Now, get some sleep, we have a big day ahead of us." Al was exhausted and five minutes later he was sound snoring softly in his arms.

Tom wondered how he was going to pull off this request. Well he would figure that out later. First there was a lady they needed to see in the morning, maybe two women if things worked out. Al moved slightly and Tom felt his soft warm body pressing against his. He really did need that cold shower.

***

"I'm Dr. Schnegg. I'm here to see a patient by the name of Sarah Jensen. She was brought in a few hours ago."

Troy Harper had been told to expect a specialist in the Jensen case. He wondered whom this Miss Jensen was that would cause a high price doctor to fly out in the middle of the night to check on her.

"We've been expecting you Dr. Schnegg. I'm Dr. Harper." Troy held out his hand for the other doctor to shake it. "I've been taking care of her just as you requested. I'm afraid there isn't much hope Doctor. Her brain was severely damaged in the crash and even with the life support systems we have her on she won't last more than a couple of hours. I've already had to resuscitate her twice. Clinically she's brain dead and there's no hope I'm afraid."

Dr. Schnegg looked at the chart and smiled at his colleague. "You've done well Dr. Harper. Now if you will allow me, I need to examine her myself in private. It was her request that I do this you see." He handed him a legal document that Dr. Harper quickly scanned over.

"Of course Dr. Schnegg. Everything seems to be in order." Dr. Harper handed the legal paper back to him. "You will find her in room 311."

Dr. Schnegg took the paper back and thanked him for all his help. He walked into the room with his bag and closed the door behind him. Ten minutes later he re-appeared.

"Terrible blow," he stated. "I see no reason to let her suffer anymore, do you Dr. Harper?"

"None Dr. Schnegg." Troy felt good about being asked. Even though Dr. Schnegg was now legally in charge of his former patient he still had the decency to ask him for his opinion. This doctor had real class.

"I agree Dr. Harper. If it's okay with you, I would like to remove some of the life-support systems, at least the ones that will allow nature to take it's course without causing her to suffer any more."

"I think that's the humane way to handle this situation Dr. Schnegg. I'll get a nurse to help you."

"Thank you Dr. Harper," Dr. Schnegg replied. "These moments are never easy to handle alone."

***

"Well, did you find anything?" Kevin had waited almost two hours past his shift to see what Pat Knight could find.

"Nothing conclusive Kevin, the car is a mess. It does appear that the auto was kept in good shape before the accident, no rust spots anyway. The back bumper was messed up pretty badly but I did find some dents that may not have been caused by the accident."

"Could that have been caused by a..." Pat answered the question before he finished.

"I'm sorry Kevin, but that's impossible to tell for sure. The bumper is pretty well twisted and any evidence wouldn't stand up in court. If you want my expert opinion, this dent right here was caused by another car." He pointed to the small dent on the driver's side of the bumper.

"However, when that dent happened is anyone's guess. It could have been last night at the crash site or last year in a parking lot. There isn't anyway for me to tell."

"Okay, thanks Pat. I have an idea on when it happened."

Kevin walked out to car, his mind still on the accident. Under normal circumstances he would have written this crash off as the result of a drunk driver who was speeding and missed the curve. But he knew things that troubled him and while Pat's report didn't prove anything, it didn't disprove anything either. Because of the speed involved and knowing Tom had been interested in at least two of the three people involved in the crash; it was equally probable that someone had been chasing the car and forced it off the road. But could that someone have been Tom?

Just as he was just getting ready to leave, his supervisor came out to give him the news; Sarah Jensen had died less than half an hour earlier. He told Kevin to go home and get some rest first. He would pull the report and place it in his mailbox to fix when he got back in tonight.

Kevin drove home in a foul mood. Now there were three people who were dead, or so he thought. It was up to him to determine if it was really an accident or murder.

Chapter 9 -- Pain, anger and tears

After Tom dropped Tracy off at the baby-sitter's house he drove Al to their next appointment.

"Where are we going Tom?" Al inquired

"To see someone." Al gave his a puzzling look but he said, "Trust me on this Kiddo."

A few minutes later they pulled up in front of a worn out building that was located in a poor part of Seattle. The sign on the outside indicated it was a woman's shelter.

"Why are you bringing me HERE?" Al demanded to know.

"Because you need to be here Kiddo. You need to talk about what happened, to help you heal."

"That's BULLSHIT TOM!" Al shouted out. "Once we take care of Klein Walker then I will be HEALED. I'm past accepting who I am. I'm...happy now. All I needed was to be was free of their control, to be myself. Now I can live again, even if it is as Jennifer Anderson."

Tom saw through the smoke screen. Al was closer to taking his own life now than when he had first found him as Jennifer. True, they still had a score to settle with Klein Walker but once that was over so would his desire to stay alive.

"Look, trust me on this Kiddo. If it doesn't work out then fine, you don't have to come back. But do it for me."

Al became angry and turned away so he wouldn't have to face Tom. "You're treating me as a woman TOM. I'm not a WOMAN! I'm not like any of these women who need to be here. I don't need to talk all this out like they do. I'm still a MAN INSIDE! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT? I can HANDLE it MYSELF! Stop treating me like a woman who has been abused."

Tom swung him around and looked deeply into his eyes. Al was biting his lip and trying not to cry. "I'm not Kiddo, I swear I'm not. I'm treating you like a person who has been through HELL. If you like we can find a male counselor to talk to you. But personally, I think you'll feel more comfortable with someone who knows how it feels - who knows what that HELL IS LIKE. I can listen to you buddy but I can't help you, I don't know how. THEY CAN! Please, do this for me."

Al wiped the tears from his eyes and put on a brave front. "Okay, I'll go in but if I don't like what's going on, if it doesn't help me out, then I'm leaving. Is that clear?"

"That's all I am asking you to do Kiddo. If this doesn't help we will leave together. Come on, Redina is waiting for us."

***

Redina Wolfe was a 26-year-old black woman who had been raped by two white men on her way home from a store 10 years earlier. While most of the black community was in an uproar about what they considered to be a racial attack, Redina knew better. Rape wasn't about color any more than it was about making love to someone. It was a crime that involved one person having the power to do something over another person.

Rape didn't have any bounds and it affected everyone regardless of their race, religion or gender. One of the hardest things for Redina to deal with wasn't with the women who had been raped - it was their men. Most felt like they had failed to protect their loved ones despite not even being in the location where the rape took place. Not only did they feel guilty about what happened, most wouldn't even admit how they felt or talk about it. Unlike the women Susan saw, their nightmare would continue until they faced the truth or left the relationship. At least the women she dealt with learned to cope with what happened to them and not let it ruin their life.

The police picked up the two men who had raped her a few days later. At the trial their lawyer had done his best to discredit Redina but she held firm. In the end, the two men were convicted and sent to jail for three years. Prior to the trial, Redina`s mother had seen some disturbing changes in her daughter's personality. Determined not to let this event ruin her daughter's life, her mother had brought Redina to this same shelter and that day had changed her life forever.

Before she had been a self-centered, 16-year-old who didn't care about anyone else besides herself or her friends. But after talking to the shelter's counselor, Redina started reaching out to help others. When she turned 18, she started counseling other women who came in and found her niche in life. After a few years, she was running the shelter and it was rare for her to take a day off. Tom's friend on the police force had told him that Redina was the best counselor around. She would need to be.

While Al sat down in a chair Tom went up and told the volunteer receptionist whom they were there to see. Moments later a dark skinned woman appeared next to the Tom. The older woman glanced over at Jennifer and realized she was looking at a train wreck. The young woman's hair was unkempt, her face was free of makeup, her eyes where bloodshot from crying and her clothes were unkempt. Clearly this woman wasn't concerned about how she looked and she looked like hell.

"Mrs. Wolfe, before you talk to my friend, I'd like to speak with you first. I think there is something you need to know before you can begin."

"Very well." She gave the younger woman a smile. "I'll be right with you Jennifer." She led Tom back into her office and closed the door.

"So, what do you need to tell me Mr. McClain?"

"What I am about to say you may find hard to believe but please, trust me, it's all true. However, you can't repeat this to anyone otherwise her life and mine would be in grave danger."

"Mr. McClain, I can assure you that I will keep anything you or Jennifer tell me in confidence. And believe me, I've heard some pretty wild stories since I've been here."

"Not like this Mrs. Wolfe." Tom started out by telling her how his friend had been caught and turned into Jennifer Anderson.

***

Dennis Butz stared at the man through the one-way mirror and carefully considered his next move. The man's name was Robert White and he was a cold-blooded murderer. In a short but terrifying six-month period he had managed to rape and kill three young women and was suspected of at least four other rape/murders. The problem for the prosecutor had been there wasn't enough evidence to convict Robert White in the last four cases. It really didn't matter -- the first three murders had been enough to have Mr. White sentenced to death.

Since the trial Robert White had been fighting that sentence with all his might. Dennis knew the murderer was scared to die, even though he wasn't afraid to kill others. But this scumbag would die eventually, even if it took a few more years. That was what he planned to play on. Dennis motioned to the guard to let him into the room and took a seat across from the convicted murderer.

"Who in the hell are you and what do you want?" Robert White demanded to know. "If you're a cop or reporter I ain't answering no questions."

"Me?" Dennis started out. "I'm your best friend. I'm the one who is going to pull your ass out of the fire. My name is Dennis Butz. For now let's just say I work for the government."

Robert let out a brave, arrogant laugh. "Is that so Mr. BUTTs! Well now, how do you plan to "pull my ass" out of this mess if I may ask?" Dennis ignored the insult for now, his revenge would come later.

"It's Butz, not Butt's. And it's Mr. Butz to you, Robert, unless you want to rot in your cell until the time comes for them to strap you down. Now, are you interested in getting out of here today or not?"

The words sparked Robert's interest. He was being offered a way out of this hellhole? "Okay MR. BUTZ, I'm listening. What do you want and how does it get me out of here?"

"It's like this Robert. I need you to take the place of an employee of mine who was killed last night in a car crash. This doctor was working on a top-secret project that had some pretty high funding. You're the perfect height and weight to take this person's place." Dennis didn't mention that his employee had been female.

"Me, take his place? I don't know anything about doing research! And if it's that important a project I doubt if I would be much help."

"Someone else would do the research for you Robert." `That isn't too far from the truth,' Dennis thought. "All you have to do is allow us to alter your appearance so you will look like this dead researcher. I'll take care of the rest."

"How do I know this guy isn't some ugly son of a bitch? Show me his picture so I can see what this dead doctor looked like," he demanded in a defiant tone.

Dennis Butz slammed his hands on the table in anger. "There are NO pictures Mr. White. I'm offering you a chance to get out of here...TODAY! If you want to jerk me around then I will find someone else. There are three other people on my list, let's see what they have to say about a get out of jail free card. If you want to rot in here that's up to you. Personally, I would listen to what I'm offering. A luxurious home in a warm, sunny place. Fine food, nice clothes, and all your sins, for lack of a better term, forgiven. You'll be free to go and do as you please as long as it's within the law. And I don't have to tell you this but I will. Not only was this person loaded, they also happened to be very attractive. So you get everything, the money and the good looks."

"And women?" Robert asked while looking for the attached strings. "How about women? Do I get those as well?"

"If you want, sure. As many lovers as you desire and whenever the mood hits. I don't care about that aspect. To be frank Mr. White, I just need your body. I have a legal document here placing you into my care. Sign it and in thirty minutes not only will you be out of here, but you will also be a free man as well. So, what do you want me to do?" Dennis held the paper out in front of him. Robert White grabbed it and signed his life away.

***

Al tried looking at a magazine but was too nervous to read anything. Even though he hated smoking he really could have used a cigarette right now to calm down.

`What am I going to say this to person?' Al wondered. `Damn it, why did Tom bring me here in the first place? This person can't help me. No one can.'

Al fidgeted in the chair a little and wondered what was taking them so long. Tom wasn't telling this lady about him being Jennifer, was he? Oh God, he hoped not. But deep down inside Al knew that he was. Tom was doing what he thought was best, even if he didn't agree with it.

`He wants to treat me like a woman who has been raped and abused,' Al thought. `But this woman has no idea what I went through. I'm a man, not a woman...not mentally that is. I don't think or react like a real female. No female could begin to understand what I've been through or how it felt.'

He wanted to leave this place so badly. It would have been easy for him to get up and walk out that door since Tom had released all restrictions over him. He was free to do as he pleased. But if he left, where would he go? He didn't have a home anymore.

Besides which, Al needed Tom to hold on to. Tom was like a security blanket and Al needed his friend to protect him from all the dangers outside. What he needed was time - time to clear his mind and figure out what he was going to do. But that was easier said than done. Al felt more confused and afraid now than before Tom had rescued him. The world had become a very cold and cruel place since his transition into Jennifer and he was totally unprepared for it.

`Damn it, I've never been so afraid before. Why can't I get over this? And what the hell is taking Tom so long?' He looked back at the front door and thought about leaving again but couldn't get up to the courage to move.

Finally, after about 10 minutes, Tom walked back into the lobby with Redina. The dark skinned lady smiled and said, "Jennifer, lets talk some."

Tom came over to where Al was sitting. He got up and grabbed him by the arm. "Tom, let's go. I don't need to do this...really. Please, just get me out of here."

Tom looked directly into Al's face. It was filled with pain and fear, more than Al could bear. He really needed help badly.

"Please Kiddo, do this for me. At least give it a try." He gave Al a small hug to reassure him. "It's okay, Redina is very open-minded. Just give her a chance. You need this buddy, trust me please."

Al gave the Tom a worried look. "Will you go in with me?"

Tom shook his head. "You have to do this yourself Kiddo. Go on, I'll be right here when you need me. I promise I won't go anywhere until you come out."

Slowly Al released his grip on Tom and followed the counselor into her office. Once the door was closed Redina gave her a weary smile. Male or not, here was a person who needed a rescue boat like the one she had needed 10 years earlier.

Al looked around the office, unable to even look directly at the woman's face. He felt ashamed, embarrassed, angry and a whole range of other emotions as well. Yet Al couldn't let them out...didn't know how to let them out. So nothing did come out and he held it in and it HURT. GOD, HOW IT HURT.

"How are you feeling Jennifer?" Redina asked, trying to break the ice between them. Getting started was the hardest part of the process.

Al shrugged his slim shoulders and stared down at the floor. "I guess...I guess Tom told you about what happened...about who I really am?"

Redina nodded, "yes he did, but I'm not interested in that right now Jennifer. Tell me about Gerald and what he did to you all those nights." She saw the floodgates begin to open up in the younger woman. Here was the first step. The road to recovery was a road filled with pain, anger and tears.

Chapter 10 -- False Freedom

It only took 27 minutes, not thirty, for Dennis Butz to arrange the release of Robert White from prison. Fifteen minutes later they were on a private jet heading west. The ex-prisoner sat back in an over-stuffed seat drinking a gin and tonic from the bar on the plane. He had a wide smile on his face that went from ear to ear. It was all starting to sink in now. Not only had he beat the death sentence the judge had imposed on him, he was also a free man. However, appearances were deceiving. In this case neither his freedom nor his revoked death sentence was real.

"I have to admit Mr. Butz, I thought you were giving me a load of bull crap when we first talked. But I like the service so far." Robert White raised his glass and gave Dennis a salute. "Where are we going now?"

"To your new home," Dennis said with a sight smile. "I know you will enjoy it. Soon we'll start the process of your new life."

"Good. I can't wait to get out of these prison rags and into some nice clothes again!" Robert turned to eye the young, attractive female agent who was fixing him another drink.

"Don't worry Robert. I had Trisha here pick out something nice for you to wear once we get there."

"I found the outfit very appealing to me," the female agent spoke honestly as she handed Robert White a new drink with something extra added. "I can't wait to see you try it on."

"And I can't wait to try it on for you," Robert chuckled. "Maybe we could have dinner afterwards."

`Man, it's been a while, hasn't it? Dennis Butz did say I could have all women I wanted with this deal. I hope I haven't lost my touch,' he thought.

Trisha just smiled as Robert took the drink from her hand and drank it down. If he hadn't been paying so much attention to the female agent, he might have noticed his drink tasted a little different. In a few minutes he was fast asleep in the chair. Dr. Schnegg came into the main compartment carrying his black bag.

"Here are the papers Doctor. It's all legal now, just the way you like it," Dennis Butz told him. Dr. Schnegg nodded and pulled out a syringe from his black bag.

"Help me roll him over onto his stomach," the doctor told them.

***

"And then he started touching me. I tried to stop him...wanted to stop him...but I couldn't. And he made me ENJOY it...I didn't want to...I tried to fight it, I really did...please believe me that I TRIED not to enjoy it but...but he MADE ME! And then he called me names and made me feel so...so...so DIRTY. Oh GOD, I'M FEEL SO DIRTY!"

Redina watched the tears flow freely from Jennifer's eyes. The counselor reached over and wrapped her arms around the broken woman.

"It's okay Jennifer, I know how you feel," she said softly. "I felt the same way afterwards. But you're the victim here sister, do you understand? YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. Let it out now Jennifer. Let go of this pain you're holding inside you."

Al put his head on Susan's shoulder and started crying louder and harder then he'd ever done in his life. All the pain, anger and guilt that had been trapped inside for so long was coming out. In the waiting room Tom heard Al's crying and looked at his watch, it had taken almost 20 minutes. He took a deep breath and smiled at what he heard. It was the sound of freedom. His friend had reached rock bottom. Now there was nowhere for Al to go but up.

Thirty minutes later the two ladies walked out the door. Al's eyes were bloodshot but his face was clear of the pain that it once held. Where there had once been stress lines on Al's female face was now replaced with calmness. Al wasn't free from the demons yet, that would take time. But at least now he had some strength to deal with them.

"I would like to talk to you again in a couple of days Jennifer," Redina told Al. "And I would also like you to attend one of our support groups. Here is the information." She handed Al some papers.

"Thank you so much Redina." Al said weakly, wrapping his arms around the dark-skinned woman. The counselor gave Tom the thumbs up while she hugged the teary eyed woman back.

As they left the building Tom debated about the next part of his plan. Should he wait? No, the other woman needed to move on with her life as well. It would be painful for Al but once it was over they would both be stronger. The longer he waited, the harder it would be on the both of them.

"I need to make a phone call Kiddo. I know this may not seem like the best time but I need to meet with someone. It may not be a bad idea for you freshen up a little at my apartment." Al nodded but he was thinking about the dream he had, where Al Parker had been pushed into the dark, bottomless pit to be replaced by Jennifer. "My turn" Jennifer had said. "My turn."

Chapter 11 -- Unhappy Reunion

"We're here," Tom said. Al looked out at the restaurant and saw a familiar face.

"Sally? Oh my gosh, it's Sally, Tom. God she looks so good. I can't wait to hold her again." He noticed Tom was frowning at him.

"Al, you can't tell her who you are," he said firmly.

"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T TELL HER! Tom, I MISS her. I LOVE her. I wanted to MARRY THAT GIRL AND SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH HER."

"I know buddy, I know. But listen to me for a moment. Sally has been living in HELL not knowing what really happened to you. She loves you and if you told her the truth she would accept you...for now. But Kiddo, you're not the man you once were. What kind of life can you offer her?"

"Plenty Tom. I could still..." Al stopped talking. Anger flashed in his eyes as he was unable to find the words needed to complete the sentence.

"Look Al, I'm not against gay relationships and you know that. But I think we both know Sally couldn't handle one. She would try but in the end she would be miserable and so would you. Al, this woman has a shot at putting this nightmare behind her and starting over with someone new. But the only way that's going to happen is if you're willing to do the right thing here. It's up to you Kiddo but ask yourself this -- how much do you really love her?"

"I love her a lot you son of a BITCH!" Al yelled. "Do you think this isn't painful for me, seeing her there and knowing I'm not the person I used to be. You take me to where she is and then tell me I can't let her know who I really am. You're asking me, NO, TELLING ME to make her think I'm dead so she can move on with someone new. WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITHOUT HER IN MY LIFE? I LOVE HER TOM! GOD, I LOVE HER!" Tears began to form in his eyes.

"Al, listen to me. Sally needs a chance to live a regular life with a man she can have children with. Kiddo, sometimes it's hard but if you really love someone that much...sometimes you have to let go of them for THEIR OWN GOOD. What happens when it doesn't work out? For the rest of her life Sally will feel guilty about not accepting you as you are now. If you tell her the truth, she will never have a happy, normal life again. We BOTH KNOW THAT, DON'T WE? We both know I'm RIGHT!"

Al knew he was. The question was, how much did Al Parker, what was left of him, still love her? Enough to let her nightmare end so she could have a normal life once more? Or only enough to be selfish and hold onto memories that could never be repeated?

"Let's go," Al said coolly.

Sally spotted Tom walking over to her with a younger, very attractive woman and stood up. "Tom, you said you know what happened to Al."

"Actually it's not me. This is Jennifer Anderson and she knows what happened. I'll let her tell you."

Al stared into Sally's worried, but pretty face. What should he do? What should he say? How much did he really love Sally?

"Did you really love him?" Al asked.

"Very much so," Sally replied.

"I'm sorry." Sally's face turned sour.

"No! NO! TELL ME HE'S STILL ALIVE." Sally buried her face into her hands and started crying. Al went over and held on to her. He couldn't go through with this; he had to tell her the truth. But what was the truth? Was Al Parker really alive? Was he still alive the way she needed him to be?

"How did it happen?" Sally asked with a sob.

"I can't...I can't talk about it right now," Al began. "It's all too painful for me to recall. But his death wasn't painful. I was there when it happened. He loved you. The last thing on his mind was you Sally. He told me to tell you something if I ever found you."

"What was it?" Sally asked in-between sobs.

"That he loved you so very much, both in body and in soul. That he had hoped to spend the rest of his life with you and have kids together and grow old with you, but he knew it wasn't meant to be. So he told me to tell you to move on and find someone else. He wanted you to be happy and not dwell on what happened to him. He wanted you to make someone else as happy as you had made him. Only in that way could you prove how much you really had loved him and allow him to finally rest in peace.

Sally sat there not knowing what to say. Al on the other hand was trying hard to keep control of himself. Letting Sally go, the woman Al Parker had loved so much that it hurt to be away from her arms, was killing him. The two women grabbed on to each other and started crying while Tom sat back and watched. Al had done the right thing. Now after 4 months of pure hell and putting her life on hold, Sally could move on. And so could Al, in his own way.

Chapter 12 -- Odd man out

Robert White was horrified at what he saw. Dennis Butz had promised him many things and so far he had delivered on all of them, only not in the way Robert had expected. The house he was staying in was fabulous, filled with many nice things that he could only have dreamed of owning. The bank account he was shown had more money in it than Robert could have made in three lifetimes and the food was first class. But it was the clothes; all those fine clothes Dennis Butz had promised him that he objected to. Seeing them for the first time made him understand what was really in store for him.

"Please, I don't want to put it on. Stop what you are doing please."

"But you said you couldn't wait to try this outfit on for me," Agent Trisha replied back in a pouting voice. "I'm very disappointed to hear you say that. I guess this means dinner is off too."

"I've changed my mind," Robert White said, his voice filled with panic. "I didn't know what you expected me to wear. Stop this, all of this, I beg you."

"Did the women you murdered in cold blood also beg Robert?" Dennis Butz asked sternly as he walked into the room."

"BUTZ, whatever the HELL you have in mind I want it stopped. Change my body back to the way it was and take me back to JAIL. I HAVE..."

"Rights?" Dennis finished the sentence for him in an acid tone. "Not any more scumbag. Have you forgotten about the contract you signed with me? You gave up all your RIGHTS to me. In a nutshell, your ASS is mine to do with as I please."

"YOU LIED TO ME!" Robert White shouted.

"NO, YOU DIDN'T ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!" Dennis snarled back. "Everything I promised you I have delivered on. A nice house, good food, money in the bank and -" Dennis picked up a pair of lacy panties from the bed and held them in front of Robert's face, "nice clothes." He stuffed the panties into Robert's hand and smiled. "Like I said, everything I promised you would get I have delivered on."

"Okay, you misled me. I want to break the contract NOW."

"Sorry, you can't. It clearly says that once we start changing your appearance the contract can't be broken." Dennis ran his finger up Robert's small blooming chest causing him to shiver. "So you see, there is nothing you or I can do to stop this. In a few days the families of the women you MURDERED will get a letter from me. In it I will write how you tried to escape and were killed in some horrible fashion. These families will probably send me a thank you card. Justice will be done for them, for the women you murdered in cold blood, and to you."

"Why me? Why not someone else. There must be worse criminals than me you could use," Robert asked.

"True, but most of them have either families or friends who see them frequently. You, on the other hand, haven't had a visitor since you arrived in prison. Your parents are dead, your sister hasn't talked to you in over seven years, and in the two years you have been incarcerated you still didn't have any close friends on death row. You, Robert White, will not be missed. That makes you the perfect candidate."

"Do you really think I will go along with this?" Robert asked in a last ditch desperation. "I'll tell everyone I meet who I am and what you're doing."

Dennis looked at him in amusement and chuckled. "I don't think so Robert." He turned to the female agent and said, "we will start up project Phoenix tomorrow once the transformation is complete. Do you think you can handle him by yourself Trisha or should I have a guard come in?"

"Oh, I don't think Roberta will be giving me any problems boss. Besides, I don't want to embarrass him anymore then he needs to be but thanks for offering." Dennis waved his hand at her and gave Robert one more smile before leaving the room. Trisha turned to Robert also wearing a wide grin. She was going to enjoy this.

"Now Robert, let's get you dressed. Come over here and put on your new clothes. I can't wait to see how you look in this dress." Robert's feet started moving him toward her as commanded.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" he shouted.

***

Al didn't say anything as Tom drove them home. He stared out the car window at the all the people on the sidewalk going here and there. How normal everything seemed to be. Finally he got up the nerve to ask Tom what was really troubling him.

"I'm really dead, aren't I? I mean Al is. He doesn't exist in this world anymore?"

"I'm afraid not Kiddo. I didn't now how to tell you that."

"And what you did to me back there at the restaurant, that was for Sally's benefit, wasn't it?" There was a hint of anger in his feminine voice.

"Yes," Tom answered matter of factly. The time had come to confront his friend.

"That was a cold-hearted thing you did to me back there, Tom! Do you know how close I came to telling her the truth? Why did you do that? WHY?" Al demanded to know.

"Because I HAD TO," Tom snapped back. He pulled the car off to the side of the road and faced Al. "That poor girl has been twisting in the wind ever since you disappeared. I couldn't let her go on one more day thinking that Al Parker may still be alive; that one day he would pop back into her life. I knew she loved you and if she didn't hear the words that she would keep on loving and holding on to your memory. Her life would remain on hold until this chapter in her life was over. I couldn't let this go on any longer for her sake."

"But why ME?" Al asked angrily and on the verge of crying again. "Why didn't you tell her I was dead? Why didn't you tell her how much I loved her?"

"Because you needed to LET GO TOO!" Tom yelled back, allowing his anger to finally come out. "I'm sorry Kiddo, but you are NOT the person you used to be. I LOVE YOU Al! You're family to me and I can't tell you how happy I am to have found you alive. But let me explain to you what kind of hell YOU PUT ME THROUGH.

"For the first few weeks after you disappeared I didn't eat or sleep very well. I lost more than 10 pounds the first two weeks; TEN POUNDS worrying about what had happened to you. You left without a word and worse, you went behind my back to do a job for that devil, Klein Walker. You DIDN'T EVEN CARE HOW I WOULD FEEL ABOUT THAT!

"Do you want me to tell you about the nightmares I had Al? Or HOW that feeling of guilt ate inside of me every GODDAMN day; viewing one dead body after another, half of me hoping it wasn't you while the other half hoped it was so you wouldn't be missing anymore? Do you want me to tell you about all the leads I hunted down that turned out to be dead ends and how DAMN FRUSTRATING IT WAS? DO YOU? I've done my share to help you out. I've paid YOUR TAB AT LEAST THREE TIMES OVER. Now you want me to tell your girlfriend, who loves you more then anything else in world, that you're DEAD so YOU WON'T FEEL ANY OF HER PAIN? NO, I'VE DONE MY SHARE. IT'S YOUR TURN NOW BUDDY! IT'S TIME YOU START PULLING YOUR WEIGHT AGAIN! YOU CAUSED THIS FUCKING MESS, NOT ME! IT'S TIME YOU PICKED UP AFTER YOURSELF! IT'S TIME YOU FACE THE PAIN YOU CAUSED OTHERS TO FEEL!"

Tom paused for a moment to re-gather his emotions. This blowup had been coming ever since he discovered Al's connection to Klein Walker. Now that his anger was out of the way, it was time make peace. He took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone.

"I love you Al, I really do. You've always been like a brother to me and I'd do anything for you. What I did back in Salt Lake City proves that. I risked my life to save yours and I would do it again if I had to. But don't ask me to carry you anymore...not when you're able to walk by yourself. It's time you got on your feet buddy. It's time you started living again."

Al stared out the window and thought carefully about what Tom had just said. How true his words were. He had no right to get mad at his friend for what he did. This wasn't Tom's fault; it was his. Nothing could change that fact. Too many people had suffered as a result of his actions. It was time to face that fact and become responsible for what had happened. Sally deserved a normal life instead of wasting it by hanging on to the hope Al Parker would be back. And Al shouldn't expect Tom to handle every one of his problems because it was too painful. He was the one who had caused all this pain.

"Tom, I'm sorry for getting mad at you."

"I know Kiddo. I'm sorry too for yelling at you the way I did."

"You rescued me and I'm grateful," Al began slowly. "My words can't begin to describe how grateful I really am. I should have told you that sooner. I've been very selfish these past few days...I'm sorry."

"It's okay buddy, I understand. You've been through hell Kiddo. A normal person would have cracked by now."

"Tom."

"Yes Al?"

"Don't call me Al or Kiddo anymore. That person really is dead...I can accept that now. My name is, is...Jennifer. Please call me that from now on."

Inside Tom breathed a sigh of relief. Al or rather Jennifer was back on the road to living again, not just existing in someone else's body.

"Okay Jennifer. Oh, I almost forgot, I have something for you. A present you might say." Tom reached into the back seat and handed over a box he had been saving for the right moment. This seemed to be it

"What is it?" Jennifer asked opening up the box. Inside was a folder containing a bunch of papers.

"It's from TJ, you remember him don't you? It's all the information he has on Jennifer's parents...your genetic parents."

"How...how can I contact...?"

Tom turned and smiled at Jennifer "I'm still working on that Kiddo...sorry Jennifer."

But his friend didn't hear the last part. Jennifer was too busy going through the papers and photos in the file. For the first time Tom saw a beautiful smile on her face that wasn't being controlled. Things were starting to look up at last.

***

It was Kevin's co-worker who told him what had happened. Karen Jones had made a call to Florida to break the bad news to Jennifer's parents only to get a very unexpected response. At first she didn't believe what she had been told, it was just too bizarre. But after checking out the facts with the Lakewood police there was no way it couldn't be true. She found Kevin in the conference room doing some paperwork.

"Hey Kevin, I'm glad I found you. That Jennifer Anderson woman who you think died in that car accident the other night. She was killed while riding in a car with a drunk driver."

"I know that Karen!" Kevin replied, a little annoyed that his Karen would be telling him the obvious. "The hospital tested Miss Jensen's blood level, it was two and a half times over the limit

"No Kevin, you don't understand. Jennifer Anderson was killed while riding in a car with a drunk driver last year in Florida."

"Get out of here!" Kevin replied, figuring it was yet another one of the endless pranks that she was always pulling on him. "If that's true then this accident would make it the second time she died. I've only known one person who came back to life after they were dead and she didn't look like him."

"Look Kevin, I swear I'm not making this up. I don't know who that was in the car last night but I'm telling you that Jennifer Anderson died in a car crash last year."

Kevin laid down his pen and rubbed his head. This accident seemed to get stranger by the hour. "Okay Karen, how do you know that?"

"I was able to track down what I thought was the victim's parents by using the social security number on the drivers license you gave me. I called the parents this morning to inform them that their daughter had been killed in an accident only to have the father curse at me and tell me that I was a little late telling him. He told me his daughter had been killed in a car crash last year. I thought maybe he was in shock or in denial but he insisted I was wrong and hung up on me. So I decided to check with the police department in Lakewood and they confirmed what he told me. Jennifer Anderson was killed in a car accident last year when the drunk driver she was riding with drove his car into a tree."

"Did you ask the father for a picture of Miss Anderson by chance Karen?"

"No, I'm afraid not Kevin. He hung up before I could say anything else and I don't think he will be too helpful if I call him back. But I did fax the officer a picture of Miss Anderson from her driver's license. He said the girl in that photo looked just like the Jennifer Anderson who was killed in Florida."

Kevin pondered this new development. What the hell did all this mean? A girl who was already dead dies again in the same type of accident? Impossible, she looked pretty alive when he had pulled her over earlier. So why would someone want to take up the identity of a young lady who was already dead? Kevin bet Tom knew the answers to these questions. It looked like he was going to have to make a trip to Seattle and talk to him.

Chapter 13 -- Payback time

"And that's my plan for Klein Walker and Keith Bennett," Tom finished. "I'm sorry Jennifer, it's the best I can come up with. I know that I'm asking you to do a lot. If you can't deal with it I'll understand. It'll just take more time for me to come up with another plan."

Jennifer thought about it. What Tom was asking her to do was a lot but at least he was asking. Then she thought about Keith Bennett and what he must being going through right now. Could she continue to let him suffer when she had the power to stop it? They couldn't change him back; his fate was set in stone the same as hers. But at least they had the power to free him, to let him live his life as Cynthia the way he wanted to and not as an extension of his mother's second childhood.

"I'll do it Tom but I'll need you to help me." Tom understood what she was saying. "However, I do have one condition. I get to pick out the getaway disguises. Is it a deal?"

Tom was surprised that she had agreed so fast to his plan; he had expected at least a little argument. "Sure, that's fine with me. You realize we need to get started on this right away."

Jennifer nodded. "I know. Lets do it now before I change my mind, okay."

"Sure, I understand. Ekala..."

***

Klein Walker took his usual seat at the bar and scanned the room. It didn't take him long to spot the beautiful woman in the corner, all alone no less. She was much younger than him but that didn't matter to Klein. This woman was exactly how he liked them; pretty, blonde, and wearing a short skirt that showed off her gorgeous legs. She must be new in town; he hadn't seen her before. Klein called the bartender over and told him to send another drink to her table.

"Watch this boys," he said confidentially to his two bodyguards.

The waitress took the drink over to the woman's table and pointed to where they were sitting. The blonde hair lady mouthed the words, "thank you," at him and smiled.

"That's my cue boys. Stay here and watch the master in action." Klein picked up his drink and waded over to the attractive blonde.

"Hi, my name is Klein Walker. You must be new here, I haven't seen you before."

"Hi Klein," the woman replied in a deep southern voice. She extended her hand seductively to him. "My name is LuAnn Stone. I'm in town for some business and I was beginning to think that this would be a boring night for me."

"So did I until I saw you," he replied back.

***

The motel was located on the other side of the parking lot from the bar. Tom peered out the window and was worried. He hated not being inside the bar where he could keep an eye on Jennifer but that would have been far too risky for what he had planned.

A thought crept into his mind. Maybe Klein wouldn't be interested in Jennifer. No, that was crazy, of course he would. Jennifer had pulled out all of her female magic to be as desirable as possible. If Klein didn't find her irresistible then he was brain dead. In fact, Tom had taken a cold shower after she'd left to cool down. She looked hot tonight. No, Klein would be interested. All he had to do now was wait; something he found very hard to do when his friend could be in trouble.

Almost 30 minutes after Klein had entered the bar he came out with a blonde lady holding on to his arm. His two bodyguards were close behind, scanning for any sign of trouble in the parking lot. Here is where the real danger began. Everything had to go just right or someone would be dead.

The four of them headed over to LuAnn's motel room as planned. Tom closed the drapes and turned on the TV so they would think the room was occupied. Then he waited. It was all up to Jennifer now.

When they reached the room, one of Walker's bodyguards went in first to make sure everything was all right. Klein explained rather boldly that he was a very important man and couldn't take any chances. The bodyguard checked the doors between the two rooms and found them locked. Just to be safe, he shoved a chair underneath the knob so it couldn't be opened. Convinced that the room was safe, the bodyguard motioned his boss and his new girlfriend inside.

"Can I fix you boys a drink?" she asked.

"My men don't drink while on duty, isn't that right guys?" The two men shook their heads and eyed the lovely lady who was about to become another mark on their boss's belt. "But hell, I'll take one. Why don't you boys go outside and smoke while LuAnn and I get better acquainted."

The men nodded and left the room. Klein picked up the key and handed it to one of the bodyguards as he left. When they were gone, he closed the door and locked it. He felt secure knowing that his men were just outside within shouting distance in case there was trouble. LuAnn handed him the drink.

"Here you go sugar! Drink up." Walker took the glass and gulped it down in one chug.

"Wow, you must have been thirsty sugar." LuAnn said. "Do you want another?"

"Not right now you pretty lady. All I want for the moment is YOU!"

Klein Walker pulled the blonde woman into his arms and started kissing her hard. As he was doing this, his hands moved up her short, black dress. She didn't resist him. Instead she returned his kisses and started moaning deeply at his advances. He pulled her down onto the bed in anticipation of what was to come next. She got on top of his 300+ pound frame and with one quick stroke pulled off her dress like it was on fire.

"Does this interest you sugar?" she asked while showing off her large chest that was pushing out of her tight, lacy bra.

"You bet it does pretty woman." Klein growled. Her southern voice was driving him crazy. It had been years since he had scored with a southern belle, especially one as pretty as this. He would definitely have to get her number after this was over and fly her back up sometime.

Klein reached out for her lacy bra only to notice his hand felt a little heavy. He brushed it off as a normal reaction from all the drinks he had at the bar. But then he realized he was feeling a little strange and LuAnn picked up on it.

"Here, let me help you." She moved her chest closer to his face and Klein caught the sweet scent of perfume between them. But he wasn't thinking about her breasts anymore. Something was wrong with his body.

`Damn it, why does my entire body feel so heavy,' Klein asked himself? `Am I having a heart attack?' No, he didn't feel any pain in his chest but...panic set in.

"Get off me, I'm not feeling very well." He tried to move but his entire body felt stiff. He opened up his mouth to say something else only this time all that came out was a garbling sound.

"Lay still sugar, I'll be right back." Jennifer gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and walked over to the door that separated the two rooms. She removed the chair and opened up her door then she gave a quick knock on the other. It opened up and Tom walked into the room.

"Hi Klein. How have you been?"

The fat man looked at Tom with wide eyes knowing that he was in big trouble. He tried to say something but nothing came out.

"Don't try to speak Klein. It only makes it harder on your body. Oh don't worry. The drug she gave you won't kill you. In fact, you'll be back to your normal self in say...oh 10 minutes. Well, almost back to your normal self. We need to make a few small adjustments." Klein Walker stared back at Tom wondering what was going to happen next. One thing for sure, he would kill this son of a bitch himself after all this was over.

"Oh, by the way, what do you think of LuAnn? Quite a dish, don't you agree? But then we all know, `blondes do have more fun'." Jennifer's smile turned to anger as if a switch had been turned on inside her. She leaped on top of Klein and placed her hands tightly around his throat.

"You fat son of a bitch...you set me up and left me for dead. I'll kill you for that." With all her might she squeezed tightly around his fat neck. Tom rushed over and pulled the angry woman off him.

"Jennifer, calm down. Remember our plan. We need him alive."

"Just give me another minute Tom, please," she begged. "Just enough to let him feel the cold hand of death coming to get him."

"We don't have time for that Jennifer," he told her softly. "Now calm down and help me flip him over."

It took both of them to flip Klein's over onto his stomach. Jennifer was being less than gentle with him and Tom had to warn her about it.

"Where are they?" Jennifer asked.

"Right here." Tom handed her the first injection.

Klein felt the cold touch of an alcohol ball followed by a slight pinch in the back of his neck. A minute later there was second pinch and shortly after that there was a third.

`What the HELL are they doing to me'? He wondered.

"Do you think the memories will still be there?" she asked.

"The doctor said they would be, some of them anyway. It's all experimental but I'm sure at least part of it will work. We'll know more once we triggered the memories."

Tom issued Klein a command to talk quietly and not move unless he was told. When the drug finally wore off, he ordered the fat man to sit up.

"What do you want Tom? Money?" Klein asked in a whisper. "I can give you plenty, more than you can spend in two lifetimes. Just release your control over me and I'll give you everything you deserve."

"Like you did to Detective Taylor and his son?" Tom answered angrily. "Do you really think you can buy yourself out of this? Don't be foolish Klein, money doesn't matter to me."

"Then what does?" he asked in surprise. "If you don't plan to kill me, if it's not about getting even or about money, then what do you want?"

"Who said it wasn't about getting even Klein?" Tom grinned sharply at the fat man. "I said we needed you alive, I didn't say anything about not getting even. But before I tell you what I want, there's someone you need to meet. You remember Al Parker, don't you? He's changed a little since you last talked. Of course he has you to thank for that." LuAnn, AKA Jennifer, had taken off her blonde wig but Klein still didn't see the resemblance.

"Al...Al Parker? Is that really you? But you'r..."

"Dead!" she answered for him. "Yes, thanks to you I'm dead! I thought you should see first hand what they did to me you fat little worm. They caught me and turned me into a woman but I never told them why I was there. I thought you would come and get me out of that hellhole but instead you abandoned me and left me to rot. If it wasn't for Tom I would still be in that HELL-HOLE."

"As you can see Klein," Tom interrupted, "Al still has a lot of built up anger towards you. But don't worry; I won't let him hurt you. We, rather I, need you alive and well."

"Let me go RIGHT NOW and I'll let you both live," Klein threatened. "I'm too big to sneak past my men and in case you forgotten, they're right outside the door. Sure we can wait but if I don't walk out that door in the next couple of hours they'll come in looking for me. You're just as trapped as I am McClain. Give it up now if you want to live."

"I have a better idea Klein," Tom replied. "Why don't I show you first hand how the serum works."

Klein Walker looked at Jennifer in fear but Tom read his mind. "No, not like that even though you so richly deserve it. I have something else in mind. Now keep quiet and listen up..."

Chapter 14 -- Walk on the wild side

By the time Tom was done no one would have recognized the person standing in front of him was actually Klein Walker. He was almost 200 pounds lighter and several inches taller. Jennifer walked in from the other room where she had been changing. Her hips and stomach were padded, making her appear 50 pounds heavier then she really was. Gone was her short dress and blonde hair she had worn before; it had been replaced by a long skirt and a short, red wig.

"What do you think?" she asked Tom.

"I think I liked you better as a blonde," he joked. "No one will recognize you now. How does Klein look?"

"Very impressive." Jennifer got closer and looked directly into his face. "He looks exactly the way he should."

"Good, then lets put on our disguises and get out of here. Come with me Klein." The three of them walked into the next room.

"Your outfit is in the brown bag on the bed Tom," Jennifer told him. "But first, look what I brought for our friend to wear."

She pulled out a short, pink dress covered with white lace and a large, fluffy petticoat. Tom watched the reaction on Klein's face and chuckled.

"Very nice but I think something a little bit more conservative would have been better. He's going to stick out like a sore thumb when we leave."

"Better him than us," Jennifer shot back.

Tom nodded in agreement and picked up his bag. To his surprise, instead of finding a pair of pants and a shirt, he pulled out a short, black skirt and a pretty tan sweater. He held them up for Jennifer to see.

"What's this? Did you give me the wrong bag or something?" he asked in bewilderment.

Jennifer flashed him an evil grin. "Welcome to MY world Tom!"

***

The two bodyguards leaned against their boss's car that was now parked near the room he was in. They noticed the light in the room next door go off.

"Must have gone to bed," one bodyguard commented to the other.

The other bodyguard noticed someone peaking out the window. "Something's up Sam." Both men immediately focused their attention on the door as it began to open up.

The first person to step out was a heavy-set woman. She looked at them cautiously and whispered inside, "it's okay, don't be nervous. They won't hurt you." She grabbed a hand and gently pulled out another person dressed in a short, pink dress, white heels, and a wide petticoat that made the short skirt spread out. Then another person stepped outside wearing a tan top, a short, black leather skirt, and a pair of shiny black and tan 2-inch high heels. The bodyguard read them instantly.

"It's a bunch of QUEERS!" he told his partner. He shouted out to them, "Hey you...in the pink outfit. Your SLIP IS SHOWING!" Both men broke out laughing.

"Ignore them," the heavy-set woman commanded while leading them away.

The bodyguard couldn't resist one more shot as they were leaving. "Hey lady, why don't you lose some weight! Maybe then you could find some REAL MEN to date!" He noticed the guy in the pink outfit look back at them. "I wasn't talking to you little lady. Hell, you're the PRETTIEST in the bunch! I bet you get LUCKY tonight!" The men started hooting and laughing in an uncontrolled manner.

`YOU FOOL'S!' Klein wanted to yell back at them. `It's ME you idiots -- HELP ME! They're going to take me away. Stop us and check the room. Can't you see this is all wrong? You're supposed to be protecting me. STOP THEM DAMN IT!'

Klein stared at the corner of the motel, as it got closer with every step he took. Once they turned that corner it would be too late. He tried to stop walking but couldn't. He looked back at his bodyguards to give them a hand signal but they were too busy laughing and making jokes to notice. They came to the end of the motel and Klein turned the corner. His old life ended at that point and a new life awaited him.

The walk to Tom's car wasn't far but it did require passing by some other people who all had a chance to stop, snicker, and make a joke at what they saw. Jennifer and Tom dropped back about 20 feet so they could enjoy the show. A couple of young ladies that Klein surprised outside their door decided to have a little fun at his expense.

"Oh my GOD Janet, would you look at her. She's wearing the same color dress you are." The two women stepped in front Klein blocking his path.

"And such a pretty color on her too. What's your name Sweetheart?" Both women giggled while Klein tried to get around them, unable to say anything and too embarrassed to do so if he could.

"I guess she's shy Mary. Hey, let me look at your outfit honey." Janet grabbed Klein's hand and spun him around causing a couple of guys to hoot and whistle at him. The two ladies burst out laughing as Klein walked away at a much faster pace. The two women were too busy joking and laughing at him to pay much attention when Tom walked by; although he did hear one of them ask, "is that another guy in that skirt?"

A minute later the three of them piled into Tom's car. Jennifer turned around to face Klein and asked, "Did you have a good time Klein? I sure did." Then she turned to her friend. "Now aren't you glad that I picked out that outfit for him to wear Tom? They didn't even pay attention to you."

"Actually I was a little disappointed," he joked. "I mean, my first time out in a skirt and no one even whistled at me. I was hoping to turn at least a few heads."

"Well if you want, you and I can go out clubbing after we drop Madonna off," Jennifer laughed. "Then you can get all the attention you want."

"Sounds like fun but I'll pass. Let me ask you something, how in the hell do you stand these HEELS? MY feet are KILLING ME!"

"Lots of painkillers Thelma. You know it was a man who designed high heel shoes to entrap the female population. It's only fitting you should wear them from now on."

"No thank you," Tom replied with a cringe. "Say, how do I get back into my apartment without being seen? I don't want my neighbors thinking I dress like this in my free time."

"That's not my problem Tom. I guess you should have thought of that first." Jennifer giggled at his predicament.

"I didn't know I would be wearing this getup. You picked this out for me, remember? And I swear you made sure it was the most uncomfortable thing to wear. I can't keep this skirt down."

"Like I said Tom," Jennifer answered with an evil grin, "welcome to my world."

Chapter 15 -- Missing persons

Several hours passed before the bodyguards decided they should check up on their boss. First they knocked but that didn't get them an answer. Sensing there was a problem; one of them unlocked the door and both bodyguards rushed in with their guns drawn. They did a quick search of the room but their boss was nowhere to be found. Almost immediately one of them noticed the unlocked door leading to the other room. He motioned to his partner and kicked the other door into the room the drag queens had occupied. They found that room empty as well.

Immediately they left and phoned the police. The first car arrived on the scene within five minutes. An hour later detective Dave Power was assigned to investigate Klein's Walker's disappearance.

"So Klein Walker bit the big one!" Dave said pleasantly to himself. This was going to be a pleasant night after all. There would be plenty of cops celebrating at the local pub after the shift was over. As he got out of his car, one of Walker's bodyguards boldly approached the detective.

"It took you long enough to get here," he said in an arrogant voice. "My boss is missing and I want action!"

Klein's Walker's bodyguard was more then a full foot taller than Dave Power was but that didn't intimidate the veteran detective. At the police department he was known as 'the bulldog' because of his cold-steel toughness and ability not to be intimidated by anyone no matter how tall they were. Besides, Detective Taylor had been a good friend of Dave's and while he hadn't been assigned to that case, he knew enough about it to know who was responsible for Taylor's death. He wasn't about to let one of Walker's two-bit goons push him around.

Detective Power smiled pleasantly and turned to the man finger-printing the door. "Hey Charlie, did you hear that. Make sure you give this job your best. We don't want any screw-ups like the last time, okay?"

The middle-aged cop looked up and gave Dave a stupid grin. "No sweat boss. See this rag, I'm wiping the area first to get rid of any dirt so the fingerprints will show up real nice and clean."

Dave rolled his eyes in a dramatic way. "Charlie you IDIOT! You're supposed to dust and THEN WIPE, not the other way around."

"Oh," the cop answered dumbly. "Is that why I'm not getting anything to show up? Thanks for the tip boss. I'll try doing it your way next time."

The detective turned back to the bodyguard and smiled. "Rookies...what can you do?"

The bodyguard got angry at what he considered a lack of enthusiasm on the detective's part. Well, he would light a fire under his butt real fast. Figuring Dave's small size would make him an easy pushover; the bodyguard made his move but it was a big mistake.

"What are you, a BUNCH OF KEYSTONE COPS?" he shouted. "Get this IDIOT OUT of here and get someone who KNOWS HOW TO DO HIS JOB RIGHT. I WANT ACTION RIGHT..."

Dave cut the bodyguard off cold. "LISTEN ASSHOLE! DON'T stand there and tell me how to do MY JOB, UNDERSTAND? I KNOW what I'm DOING, Charlie knows what he is DOING, ALL THESE OFFICERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING! We DON'T need YOU telling us HOW TO DO OUR JOB! I ISSUE the orders here, NOT YOU. HAVE YOU GOT THAT?" By this time several other officers had joined Dave's small circle and they all carried loaded guns. The detective continued giving Walker's bodyguard the third degree while at the same time explaining to him why keeping quiet was in his best interest.

"Now, as far as I can tell there is no way Klein Walker could have stuffed his fat ass out that back window. This leads me to believe he had to come out the front door and guess who would have been the last ones to see him leave? Let me answer that for you; it's you TWO HOODS! In my EXPERT opinion that makes you bozos the PRIME suspects in his disappearance. So do you want to explain to me how 300 pounds of lard could have walked right past the both of you without being seen...or do I start GUESSING?" The bodyguard knew he was way over his head and backed off quickly.

"Hey look, I'm sorry detective. I'm still a little shook up over all this. You're the expert here, not me. Do you have any leads sir?" The last thing he needed was to have his boss's friends believe they had been responsible for bumping him off.

Dave's angry face changed back to a wax smile. "I don't know yet son, I just got here. I haven't looked at any of the evidence yet." He turned to the other cops standing around him. "What about it boys, do you have any ideas as to what happened to Mr. Walker?"

"I do Dave," one senior police officer spoke up. "I noticed the bathroom has one of the older type toilets in it. You know, the large ones they use to make thirty years ago before they started downsizing them. I bet someone flushed Walker down the john and now he's floating in the sewer with all the rest of the crap." Several of the officers started to chuckle.

"I don't know, it would have taken a mighty big plunger to stuff his fat ass down that small hole," Dave replied skeptically. "Anyone else have any ideas?"

"I think someone stuffed him in the trash compactor with the rest of the garbage and then tossed him in the dumpster out back."

Dave scratched his head as if he was in deep thought. "Do they really make dumpsters that will hold that much garbage?" There was more snickering and chuckling among the group.

"How about the drag queens you guys talked about in the next room?" another officer asked. "You told me the door between the rooms had been opened and one of the, umm, ladies, was rather heavy."

"Really!" Dave added with some amusement in his voice. He turned and looked directly at Walker's bodyguard to see the expression on his face. "Did your boss wear dresses often or only on special occasions?"

"That queer wasn't our boss," the bodyguard insisted. "First of all, they were all too skinny to be him and second, our boss never wore dresses! He's a man's man."

"Uh huh!" Dave replied back in an unconvinced tone. "Well boys, as you can see we have 'several' leads to work on so I'm sure we'll find your boss soon. But just in case we don't, maybe you should consider looking for a new job." Dave left no doubt in the bodyguard's mind that this would be one case Seattle's finest wouldn't solve.

The bodyguard opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it. He realized a hopeless situation when he saw it. Instead he turned and stomped back to his car to join his partner.

`Score one for the good guys,' Dave said to himself.

Chapter 16 -- Third Degree

That night Tom managed to sneak into his apartment without being seen by his neighbors. At least he had the good fortune of being able to change out of his disguise. Jennifer made Klein keep his clothes on until the next day, when the transformation was almost completed. It kept her busy.

Tom was also busy working on the several items that needed to be done before they left. He had just gotten off the phone with the airport to reserve tickets for their flight when there was a knock at the door. Tom opened the door to find Kevin standing on his porch looking very official in a suit and tie.

"Kevin, what a surprise! What are you doing in Seattle? Come in."

"Thank you Tom. I'm on official business. I'm investigating a car crash that happened last weekend and I'd like to ask you some questions."

"Sure Kevin, take a seat." At that particular moment Jennifer walked into the room to see who Tom was talking to. Kevin recognized her immediately from their last meeting with Gerald. She was the last person she expected to see in Tom's apartment.

"What the hell, you're supposed to be dead!" Kevin pointed to the couch. "Both of you sit down there. I'm placing you under arrest for suspicion of murder. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right..."

"Kevin, this isn't necessary," Tom said.

"Shut UP TOM, I'm doing my job! Now listen to what I say before you speak another word. Then, if you still wish to talk, I'll be more then happy to hear what you have to say." Tom let Kevin finish before trying to explain.

"Look Kevin, it's not what you think. I didn't kill anyone, I swear."

"Sure Tom. You contacted me looking for information on two people who you think had something to do with Al's disappearance. Not long after that both of them are killed, along with a third person, in a terrible accident. Only one of them wasn't killed, instead I find her here with you. That means you're involved somehow and I want to know HOW. So do you want to talk to me, or to the Seattle detectives? It's your choice."

About that time Tracy trotted into the room from her nap. "Mommy, who is that man and why is he so mad at you?"

"It's okay honey," Jennifer answered. "Why don't you play on the floor over there with your doll." The little girl did what she was told. Tom looked at Tracy and then back at Kevin.

"First of all Kevin, as you can see neither Jennifer Anderson or Gerald Rogers were killed in that crash. They are very much alive."

"I can see Miss Anderson, where is Mr. Rogers?"

"I'll tell you in a minute but first I'm going to tell you what happened to Al Parker. He is alive, in a sense." Kevin saw the woman stare sadly at the ground.

"Are you okay Jennifer?" Tom asked in a concerned tone "I can talk to Kevin alone if you like."

"No...I'm okay. It's just a little painful to relive this all again."

"What is she talking about Tom?" Kevin asked. "Where is Al Parker?"

"He's sitting right next to me Kevin."

"But the only one sitting next to you is Miss Anderson."

"That's correct Kevin," Tom answered in a truthful tone. "Please sit down Kevin, this may take a while."

For the next 15 minutes, Tom went over everything that had happened to Al Parker. It was way too much for the officer to take in and accept. Still he listened, as his police training had taught him, in the hope he could pick out the truth from the lies. He had to admit; it was a well thought out fairy tale.

"Okay, lets say I believe you Tom. Then what happened to Mr. Rogers? You said he is alive. Where is he then?"

"He's been in this room with us all along Kevin. He makes a cute three year old girl, don't you think?" Kevin observed the little girl look up and give him a smile.

"You want me to believe you turned a 6 foot tall adult man into a small child?" Kevin asked in disbelief and anger. "Do you think I'm an idiot Tom? I want the truth this time or I'm taking you both in."

"It is the truth Kevin, all of it I swear," Tom insisted.

Kevin sighed and decided to play along for a moment. "Okay, lets say I believe everything you told me is true. If that's the case then I'm going to have to charge you with kidnapping and taking someone across the state lines. Do you understand what the punishment is for that crime? Mr. Rogers has rights you know."

"RIGHTS!" Jennifer screamed out in rage. She stood up and looked the officer squarely in the eyes. Tom tried to calm her down but she pushed him away.

"You want to talk ABOUT RIGHTS OFFICER BROWN? THEN LETS TALK ABOUT MY RIGHTS FIRST? WHERE WERE YOU WITH YOUR BOOK OF RIGHTS WHEN THEY WERE CHANGING ME from a MAN into a WOMAN OFFICER BROWN? WHERE WERE YOU AND YOUR DAMN BOOK OF RIGHTS WHEN GERALD WAS 'RAPING ME' EVERY DAMN NIGHT? WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW UP IN YOUR FANCY UNIFORM with your BOOK OF RIGHTS to STOP HIM? What the HELL did you or anyone else do to protect MY RIGHTS? WHO DO I SEE about my RIGHTS being VIOLATED not ONCE or TWICE BUT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN?" Angry tears formed in Jennifer's eye. Tom waited a moment before speaking.

"Kevin, I know you have a job to do but I want you to think about what that job really is. It's to serve and protect people, not turn them over to the executioners. If you turn us in you're signing our death warrants. Sarah Jensen's boss will not only come after Jennifer but me as well. That was why we had to fake her death. As long as they think Jennifer is dead she's safe. But if you turn us in then we're both as good as dead."

Kevin thought about what Tom said. He had never known Tom to lie and yet his story about Al Parker and Gerald Rogers was so hard to believe. But if the story was true then Miss Anderson, AKA Al Parker, had been put through hell because of Mr. Rogers and Dr. Jensen. Not only that, turning them in would be putting both of their lives in danger; maybe even his own now that he knew the entire story.

Mr. Roger rights had been violated but then he deserved it, didn't he? And Al Parker? Well, even though he had done something illegal, his rights had been violated far worse. This logic was crazy and yet, it made perfect sense too.

"What about Sarah Jensen, Tom? Did you kill her?" Kevin asked.

"No Kevin, I didn't. I had nothing to do with her car going off the road." Tom was stretching the truth a bit but his friend didn't need to know everything.

"Tom, you're asking me to believe something so...so unbelievable. Do you have any proof on what you are saying is true?

"Would a chat with Gerald Rogers be enough Kevin?"

"If that can be arranged, yes...I think that would convince me."

Tom turned to the little girl who was still playing with her doll. "Tracy, come here for a moment." She stood up and walked over to him just like a robot.

"Zomlix! You will talk as your true self. You will not try to leave this room or harm us. You will answer our questions truthfully. Zomlix!"

Tracy's eyes glazed over which Kevin found to be a little scary, like a scene from a horror movie. Then they cleared up and the sweet little girl threw down her doll and glared angrily at the policeman.

"Well, you heard what they did to me. ARREST THEM!" the little girl demanded.

"Are you really Gerald Rogers?" Kevin asked in an unconvinced tone.

"Are you DEAF as well as STUPID OFFICER? They just told you I AM! Now ARREST them and call my boss, Dennis Butz, in Washington, DC. He'll be able to help me."

"Your boss?" Kevin asked dumfounded.

"DAMN IT yes, my boss you stupid N..." Tracy spitted out some racial slurs at the black officer. "Now move your ASS -- I don't want to spend another minute dressed LIKE THIS! And when I'm back to my own self I'm going to make sure the two of you pay, ESPECIALLY YOU Mr. McClain."

It was hearing her call Tom "Mr. McClain" that convinced Kevin. No three-year-old child would talk like that. Tracy started throwing out some more threats but Tom said they had heard enough and spoke a command to her. Moments later she picked up her doll and returned to her sweet self again.

"Does that convince you Kevin?" The officer slowly shook his head, still a little shocked at what he had just seen and heard.

"What do you plan to do with her now?" he inquired. Jennifer answered that question.

"Raise her like my own. Teach her how to respect other people and not judge them based on color, gender or religious beliefs. Make sure she grows up to not only be a proper young lady, but to be compassionate to others as well."

"Sounds like that may take a while?" Kevin observed.

"We have an entire lifetime ahead of us," Jennifer said half-smiling.

"Who knows Kevin, maybe one day your son will fall in love with Tracy and then we'll be related by marriage," Tom added.

"Related by our daughter? Why Tom, are you asking me to marry you?" Jennifer asked in a teasing manner.

"What...no...it's...what I meant was..." Tom couldn't find the words to pull his foot out of his mouth.

"Yes Tom," Jennifer beamed at him.

"Well...I mean...I helped with the creation of Tracy so technically that makes me her father." Kevin laughed at Tom's predicament.

"If you want my opinion Tom you should make an 'honest woman' out of her."

"Well...lets not go overboard here," Tom muttered. "Don't you have to be going Kevin?"

"Trying to change the subject Tom?" Kevin gave him one of his big, Texas smiles. "Actually I do. Thank you for telling me the truth Tom. This is one report I won't mind falsifying. Good luck to the both of you and let me know when the two of you set the date!" Kevin couldn't resist one last friendly jab at his friend.

Jennifer gave the officer a hug and quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Kevin, for protecting me. I'm in your debt."

"It's my pleasure Miss Anderson...Jennifer." Kevin turned to Tracy who was looking at him with her baby blue eyes. He couldn't resist one last jab at Gerald either.

"Listen to your parents pretty little girl. They will teach right from wrong and why you shouldn't hate certain groups of people because of the color of their skin. Maybe one day your parents will let you date my son." He shook Tom's hand and left the apartment.

On his way back to the car Kevin smiled. He knew it was wrong but it felt so good inside to see a bigot get his just deserts. Not by murder or some other type of violence, he was totally against that. But by re-living his childhood with open-minded parents who wouldn't allow that kind of behavior to creep back in again. Now if the rest of the world could be like that. Maybe this was the answer to world peace?

All of the sudden Kevin realized what a dangerous thought that was. It was so easy to impose your own morals on other people while forgetting how imperfect you yourself really were. There wasn't a person or a government on this earth that was mature enough to play God. No, this was one secret that was better to be forgotten.

Chapter 17 -- Prodigal son

The plane trip to San Diego was uneventful. While Jennifer and Tracy slept most of the way there, the person who used to be Klein Walker stared out the window in silence. Tom left him alone in his own thoughts.

When they arrived, Tom flagged down a taxi and gave the driver directions. The trip was long but there wasn't much talking among the four of them. Each of them had a part to play and knew what to do. They arrived at the house located in one of the better neighborhoods of the city. Tom stared at the house and wondered how people could afford to live in places like this. He handed the driver three twenty dollar bills as the four of them got out of the car.

"Stand here," he told Klein, placing him out of sight of the front door. Tom had planned it out so the four of them would arrive while Susan Bennett wasn't home. The private investigator he had hired for this job had assured him the two ladies would be flying back from the Sarah Jensen's funeral late the previous night and that Mrs. Bennett had an appointment with a lawyer in the morning. But Tom had been in this business long enough to know that even the best information could change on a moments notice. He knocked on the door hoping it was still good. A young woman opened the door and smiled.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a feminine manner. A surprised look replaced the smile when she recognized Jennifer standing there next to Tom. "Oh my gosh...Jennifer! They told me you'd been killed." She reached out and gave her a big hug.

"Hi Cynthia. It's good to see you again. I've brought a few people along with me. This is my friend Tom and you remember Gerald, don't you? He looks a little different from the last time you saw him."

Cynthia put her hands over her mouth. "Oh my God...he looks so CUTE!" And he has such a pretty dolly too." Tracy tightened her grip on the doll and tried to hide behind Jennifer's leg.

"I have one more person for you to meet Cynthia," Jennifer told her. Klein Walker stepped out from behind them and Cynthia's eyes went wide as if she was seeing a ghost.

"Oh my GOD!" she gasped.

***

It had taken a while to learn all the information and figure out what was going on. Trisha got off the plane and headed for the first Taxi she saw. The backpack she carried contained the only change of the clothes she had for this trip. The special agent didn't expect to be in town very long, a few hours at best. But she always brought a change of clothes just in case. Her mission was an important one. She had to make contact with Susan Bennett and warn her of the danger she was in.

***

Susan Bennett came home from the lawyer's office with some papers for her daughter to sign. For some reason, Sarah Jensen had left the house to both Cynthia and herself. The lawyer explained this had been done for tax purposes.

Susan choked back the tears astonished that Sarah had been thinking of her. How she missed her friend already. To die in car wreck, along with Gerald and Jennifer; the circumstances brought back memories of her own husband's death. At least Susan could be thankful she had Cynthia back. She would always be grateful to Sarah for that.

Her daughter was seeing a young man who she approved of and any day she expected him to pop the question. Cynthia would of course tell him yes even though deep down she really didn't love him. The marriage would guarantee Susan a comfortable future and an opportunity to raise some more children. In fact, she had already started thinking about how many grandchildren her daughter would give her and what their names would be. The future looked bright ahead but Susan didn't know about the black cloud that lay just behind the front door. She was surprised to see a cute little girl playing with her doll on the hallway floor as she walked in.

"Well," Susan asked pleasantly, "where did you come from princess?" The little girl just smiled and went on playing.

"She's my daughter Mrs. Bennett," someone said from the living room. Susan looked to see who that someone was and got the shock of her life.

"Jennifer? But you're...you're dead!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I'm not dead, I'm very much alive."

"I can vouch for that Mrs. Bennett," Tom said walking out of the kitchen to take a position behind her. She turned angrily to face him.

"Who in the HELL are you and what's going on here?" she demanded to know.

"I'm a private investigator from Seattle Mrs. Bennett. My name is Tom McClain but please, call me Tom. You recognize Jennifer of course but apparently not Gerald. I guess he's changed a little since you saw him last."

"WHAT?" Susan exclaimed as Tom pointed at the small child. "Are you telling me this small little girl is really Gerald, Sarah's bodyguard? He, looks so...."

"Cute?" Tom answered for her. "Yes, we've been told that before. But I'm not here to discuss Gerald with you. I have some very good news for you Mrs. Bennett. Please, step into the living room so we can talk." He motioned to where Jennifer and Cynthia were sitting. Susan took a seat in a chair where she could face all three of them.

"Here mother," Cynthia said. "I fixed you a drink. I thought you might need it."

Susan took the glass and drank it down without talking her eyes away from Tom. She was worried about how much this man really knew. Since Jennifer was here he had to know everything, didn't he? But if that was true, why wasn't Cynthia acting any differently towards her?

"I understand you've offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who has information on what happen to your son. Is that reward still valid?" Tom asked.

"It is," Susan replied. She gave Cynthia a nervous glance but her daughter smiled back as if nothing was wrong. "He ran away a month ago and I haven't seen him since. Do you know where he is?"

"Yes, I have some idea," Tom answered pleasantly. "By the way, how much more of a bonus is there if I can return him to you?"

`What is he up to?' Susan asked herself.

"Is that what this is about, MONEY?" she demanded to know.

"No Mrs. Bennett," Tom said with a half-smile, "that is your vice. Mine is the pleasure I get from re-uniting lost love ones.
I was just wondering how much Keith really meant to you. Considering what you did to him I think it's a fair question."

"I think we both know what you are talking about Mr. McClain," she snapped back, "so lets not play any more games. What is it you WANT?"

"Only to see the happy look on your face when I re-unite you with your son. That will be my reward." Tom, Jennifer and Cynthia all smiled at Susan making her squirm a little. She sensed danger but didn't know why.

"Then let's get on with it." Susan turned to Cynthia only the next voice she heard didn't come from her daughter; it came from behind her.

"Hello MOTHER! I'm glad to see you again. It's been a long time." The voice was dripping with anger and sarcasm. Susan turned to see a young man standing in the doorway. Her mouth opened wide but she had trouble getting the words out.

"My...my...my God," she gasped. "Keith? No, it can't be you...it CAN'T BE!"

"Of course it can," Tom answered for him. "You saw what Sarah Jensen did to Cynthia, or rather Keith who is now Cynthia." Susan turned to her daughter who was sitting there smiling at her.

"Isn't this wonderful mother," she said. "We can be a family again."

"Who...who is that really? Is that Sarah?" Susan asked fearfully.

"No," Tom replied. "I'm afraid Sarah Jensen isn't in this world anymore. Lets just say this is a friend of mine who needed to make a clean start. As for how he became Keith, I think you know the process. Oh, you may not be aware of something, we were able to add something special to the transformation"

"What was that?" Susan asked half-consciously, unable to take her eyes off her long lost son.

"Sarah told you about project Phoenix but not all the details. Well, it seems that before the doctor injected the serum into Keith, the original Keith that is; she pulled out some of his brain tissue first. Sarah never told you about this, I think she wanted to surprise you one day by giving you back someone who not only looked like your son, but also had his memories. Unfortunately, her untimely death ended any chance of that happening but not all of his memories were lost. In fact, everything that happened to him from the last couple days up to that first injection are still very clear in his mind."

"Why Mom -- WHY? How could you change me into her?" Keith demanded to know. "I was your only son. How COULD YOU?"

"Keith..." Susan turned to Cynthia and then back to Keith, unsure of whom to direct her response too.

"Answer the question Mother!" Cynthia added firmly. "I want to know what I did that caused you to do this to me.

"YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER KEITH!" Susan shouted out. "I had to do it. I had to get her back. She was my only daughter. Then there was the money. You caused all this. It was the least you could do to set everything right again. You killed Cynthia."

"No mother, I didn't kill her," Cynthia said.

"It was an accident, that was all," Keith added "I'm very sorry it happened but I didn't plan on it happening. That's the difference between killing someone and an accident."

"What you did to me was MURDER," Cynthia continued. "You used me, your only son, to replace her."

"Not for her good, but for yours," Keith finished. He moved a little bit closer to Susan. "You are the MURDERER Mother, not ME! I GRIEVED for Cynthia. I GRIEVE for her NOW!"

"Did you grieve for ME mother?" Cynthia asked. "Even once?"

"Of course I did Cynth...Keith." She kept turning back and forth between her two children while talking. "But it had to be done. We were going to lose all that money and seeing...Cynthia dead, my only daughter...I had to do it. There was no other choice Keith. I'm sorry but now that you're back," Susan looked directly at the new Keith, "things can get back to normal."

Her son walked over and stood next to Cynthia. "Tell me mother, did Dr. Jensen ever tell you about project 'Peace' and how it worked?"

"Not how it worked," answered Susan suspiciously. She didn't like the way the question had been asked.

"Let me explain then," Cynthia replied happily. "You see, unlike the serum which the doctor had to inject into the back of my brain, this formula can be taken by mouth. In fact, you can place it on a sandwich or in a drink to hide the aftertaste. Keith, why don't you show mother how it works."

Keith put his hand on Cynthia's shoulder. "No, I think after all this time you earned the right sister." Cynthia smiled back at her brother.

"Why thank you Keith. That was very thoughtful of you, don't you agree mother?"

Susan gave them a sick smile. What were they up too?

"Heartsmart, 1239856!" Cynthia said.

Susan felt as if a weight had been placed directly on her chest. Immediately she started having trouble breathing and fell to the floor. Keith stood there glaring at her while Cynthia continued to sit in the chair with a calm smile on her face as if nothing was wrong. Tom and Jennifer just sat there in silence and watched -- it was out of their hands now. Susan reached out to her children as if to say something but the pain wouldn't allow it.

"Goodbye MOTHER," Keith told her in an angry voice.

"Goodbye mother," Cynthia added sweetly. "Say 'Hello' to Dr. Jensen when you get to HELL!"

Susan's heart gave out and she lay on the floor dead. Tom looked at her body in bitterness. He had hoped this matter could have been handled another way but both her children insisted they wanted her dead as punishment for what she had done to them. It didn't make him feel any less dirty knowing it had been their decision and not his.

Cynthia looked up at Keith and smiled. "It's over."

He smiled back at his sister and replied, "Yes...it is."

***

They were a block away from the house when Trisha saw the lights from the ambulance and realized that she was too late.

"Stop the car driver and wait here. I'll be right back." Quickly the she made her way down the street to where a small crowd had developed. She arrived just in time to see a body being carried from the house. An older lady followed the paramedics out and walked over to a woman who was close to where Trisha was standing.

"The poor dear. It looks like she had a heart attack. I guess seeing her missing son was too much excitement for her heart to take."

`Missing son,' Trisha thought? `But Mrs. Bennett's son was actually her daughter, Cynthia. At least that was what she had been told. Who could this other person be?'

A young man appeared on the front steps and motioned the lady back over.

"There he is now. I'll be right back." Trisha took a few pictures of the young man standing there using a hidden camera inside her purse. Then she quickly headed back to the cab. She had to report this to Dennis Butz right away. It was a good thing she had packed a change of clothes just in case.

Chapter 18 -- Choices

"Hi TJ. This is Tom. I have another job for you."

"Sure Tom, what do you need me to do?" the Florida detective asked.

"I want you to contact Jennifer's parents. I need you to convince them to get on a plane and fly out to Seattle to meet with me."

"That's a pretty tall order Tom," said TJ. "Can you tell me how I'm supposed to convince them to fly across the entire continent to meet with someone they've never met before?"

"Tell them it has to do with their daughter, Jennifer. And tell them it's a free trip in first class with $1,000 spending cash, which I'm going to send via Western Union along with an extra $500. I'm paying you this time buddy."

"Okay, thanks Tom. I'll get started on this right away. When do you want them to fly out?"

"Let's make it four days from now. That would be the 9th. I'll going to be tied up in San Diego for a few days attending a funeral."

"I'm sorry to hear that Tom," TJ said in a sympathetic voice.

"Thanks TJ but it's okay. I wasn't very fond of this person anyway."

***

Susan Bennett's funeral was well attended by neighbors and friends from the country club she attended. Afterwards Cynthia grabbed Tom's arm and asked if he would walk with her for a bit. They went outside the reception room and were greeted by yet another sunny California day.

"What's on your mind Keith?" Tom asked.

"That's the problem Tom, I don't know what's on my mind. Where do I go from here?"

"I guess anywhere you want," Tom answered truthfully. "In a few months you'll be a very wealthy person (he avoided using the term 'lady') and you can do anything you wish."

"That's not what I mean Tom," Cynthia said in a confused tone. "I mean, first of all there is Keith. Do you know how weird it is seeing yourself standing there in front of you and treating him like he was you -- while at the same time knowing you're the real Keith? It's crazy! I'm Keith Bennett; I just don't look or talk like myself anymore. And the other Keith, well, he looks and talks like me but doesn't have any of my memories, at least not very many of them."

"Only about 5% from what Dr. Jensen told me," Tom replied, "and most of those memories would only be a few months old.

Cynthia stopped walking and looked directly into Tom's eyes. "The problem is Tom, I don't know who I am or how I should act anymore. I don't know what to do. Should I try to live as Keith...or as Cynthia? Do you know what the answer is?"

Tom gave her a warm smile. "When I talked to the doctor and she told me the process was irreversible, I knew there were two people I had to rescue; Jennifer and you. Since I couldn't change you back to the way you were before, I tried to do the next best thing. To give you a chance to live your previous male life through someone else."

"So that's why you brought Keith back?"

"Yes. He doesn't have your old memories but everything else is the old you. By giving him your input you can turn him into the way you wanted to be. In a nutshell, you can live your life as Keith through him much like your mother was trying to do to you. I know it's not as good as the real thing but it might make your life more bearable."

"And what about the person inside Keith now?" Cynthia asked.

"He is of course aware of everything that's going on, but as long as you have control over him he can't do anything about it anymore than you could when your mother was controlling you. I don't think it will be as painful for him as it was on you or Jennifer. I mean, he's still a male and we gave him another 40+
years to live in a comfortable environment. He deserves a lot worse but that can't be helped."

"And Cynthia?"

"I know you still feel guilty about her death Keith. From what the other Keith told me, it was total accident. Okay, maybe bad judgment on your part but not murder. However, you have a chance to make up for that bad decision by living her life. I don't mean doing everything as she would do. I mean living your life in a way that respects her and at the same time, is your own path. The only other option you have is surgery to make you a male again but to be honest, I don't think you'd be very happy with the results."

Cynthia turned and stared out at ducks in the pond. "Thank you Tom. I think I know what to do now." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and they started walking back to the house.

"There is something I want to give you. Call it your payment for freeing me from my mother." She placed a key into his hand.

"What's this?" Tom asked curiously.

"It's the key to Sarah Jensen's house. You see, after her death she willed everything she owned to my mother and me. Now that my mother is gone it's all mine. I don't need the money, I have plenty right now and in a few months I'll have even more. So I'm giving everything, her entire estate, to you. It's going to take at least a year to get everything settled and that'll mean a few trips to Salt Lake City but I'm told its worth a few million. I want you and Jennifer to have it. Heck, I don't think I could stand going back in that cursed house again."

"Thank you...Keith or is it Cynthia?"

"Cynthia. That's who I'm going to be from now on."

"Thank you Cynthia." They went back inside the house to be with the other guests.

***

Sox Anderson sat on the couch drinking a beer and watching an afternoon baseball game on TV. He didn't know who was playing and he didn't really care. Nothing in life mattered to him anymore. His wife, and it was a term he used only for convenience, was in the kitchen washing dishes or doing some other useless chore to pass the time. They didn't talk much these days. Once he had loved his wife so much that it hurt to be away from her for more than a day but Jennifer's death had changed all that. Now they were both wrapped up in their grief; both angry about losing the last of their three, beautiful children, and they had no one to take the anger and sorrow out on except each other.

His drinking hadn't helped. Sox was an alcoholic who, with the help of a local AA group, had worked his way out of the gutter years ago. Now he was drinking himself right back there and he just didn't care. For the briefest of moments it helped him forget the pain he felt every day. There was a knock at the door. Sox grumbled to himself about having to get up and answered it. It had to be a stranger, most likely a salesman. None of their former friends visited them anymore. At the door was a tall, good looking man who was nicely dressed.

"What do you want?" Sox inquired rudely.

"Mr. Anderson? My name is Theodore Jones. I'm a private investigator and I've been hired to contact you."

"What for?" Sox asked. TJ noticed the man seemed to be a little impaired and it was still early.

"It's about your daughter, Jennifer, Mr. Anderson."

"My daughter's DEAD Mr. Jones," Sox told him bitterly. "She was killed in a car crash last year."

"I know that Mr. Anderson, I'm not here about the accident. This concerns another matter. Can I come in please? I think your wife should hear what I have to say. It concerns her as well."

Sox made a motion for TJ to come in, almost spilling his beer in the process. The living room was a mess. There were beer cans and dirty plates scattered over the place. Mrs. Anderson walked into the room to see who her husband had let in. TJ observed her swollen eyes, unkempt hair, and the sorrowful expression on her face, all signs of the deep grief she was suffering.

"Sit down," Sox said as he plopped clumsily on the couch and reached into the cooler to open up a fresh beer. "You want one?"

"No thanks, it's still too early for me. The reason why I'm here Mr. and Mrs. Anderson is that I've been asked to invite you out to Seattle to meet with my client."

"Who's that?" Sox asked.

"His name is Tom McClain. He would like to meet with you both tomorrow afternoon."

"Why?"

"I don't know Mr. Anderson," TJ answered truthfully. "He didn't tell me what it was about other than it had something to do with your daughter, Jennifer. He did want me to tell you that if you go, you wouldn't regret it. I have two first class plane tickets in my pocket with your names on them. There'll be a Limo waiting to pick you up at the airport and drive you to where you need to go. And," TJ pulled out a wad of money from his pocket, "$1,000 in spending cash. Think of this as a free vacation Mr. and Mrs. Anderson."

Mrs. Anderson didn't say anything. She just stared at the ground in silence, wrapped up in her grief. Mr. Anderson looked over at his wife and then back at TJ. "Are the drinks included on this flight?"

"Yes sir," replied TJ. "But I would recommend you don't overdo it. You're going to need a clear mind when you get there."

"How do we get to the airport?" Sox asked.

"I'll pick you up in the morning and drive you there myself. My car isn't as nice as a Limo but you'll find it rides nice. Once you get checked in I'll give you the tickets and money and then you'll be on your way. Any questions?" Mr. Anderson shook his head while Mrs. Anderson continued to stare dejectedly down at the floor.

"Good. Then I'll inform my client you are coming and will pick you up tomorrow at 11am. See you then." TJ let himself out and walked back to the car.

`I wonder why Tom wants to meet with these people so badly,' TJ asked himself as he got into his car and drove off.

Chapter 19 -- Tearful reunions

The flight to Seattle had taken almost 6 hours. No sooner had the Anderson's disembarked from the plane than they spotted a uniformed man holding up a sign with their names on it. Mr. Anderson identified themselves to the driver who led them to the limo. As the driver went back inside to collect their bags, Sox rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"I've heard they keep these things well stocked. Let's see what we have here," he said eagerly to his wife. To his disappointment, instead of finding beer and other types of alcohol in the refrigerator, Sox found it loaded with fruit juice and pop.

"What the HELL IS THIS?" Sox asked furiously. He waited impatiently for the driver to come back and demanded to know where all the alcohol was.

"I'm sorry Mr. Anderson, but Mr. McClain ordered a nonalcoholic car for you. Please sit back and relax, we have a 45 minute drive ahead of us."

"Rotten BASTARD!" Sox said to his wife. "I dislike the man already and we haven't even met him."

His wife didn't say anything. She was staring out the window of the limo at a young woman who was trying her best to get three young children into a taxi.

"That was me 15 years ago," she whispered to herself. Mrs. Anderson couldn't understand why God had punished her this way? Why had he taken all of her good children away from her? What had she done do deserve this? Hadn't she been a good Catholic mother to them? Hadn't she raised her kids the best she could by his words? So why then had God decided to punish her so?

Ever since Jennifer's death, Mrs. Anderson had asked herself these questions over and over again. After almost a year it had taken its toll on her. While her husband fell into his own deep depression and started drinking heavily again; she wrapped herself up in a blanket of guilt and grief. The love they once had between them disappeared as suddenly as Jennifer's life had slipped away that horrible night. She didn't hate her husband; she just didn't have any love left in her to give. Every part of her body was filled with a wall of grief and anger so high that it touched heaven. Only God could tear down that wall and he wasn't listening to her.

The drive was quiet and uneventful. Sox grumbled a little more about the lack of alcohol but for the most part the Anderson's didn't speak. The reality was, they didn't know what to say to each other. When the driver pulled up into an apartment complex, Sox was surprised at what he saw. He was expecting to be driven to a big, fancy house away from everything, not some middle-class apartment building.

"Why did you stop driver?" Sox asked.

"We're here," the driver told him as he got out of the car to retrieve their bags.

"You have to be kidding, check the address again. This Mr. McClain hired a PI to find us, flew us out first class, and had you pick us up in a limo. All this took more money than we both make in a month. Does this look like a place where someone with that much money would live?"

The driver just smiled back. "I'm sorry Mr. Anderson, but they just pay me to drive the car. I don't get to pick the destination. If you will follow me please."

He put their bags on the cart and led them to the apartment number as he had been instructed. A few people stared out at the Anderson's, wondering why someone who drove around in a limo would be stopping there. Tom was already outside waiting for them when they showed up at his door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, I'm very pleased to meet you." Tom reached out and shook their hands. "Just leave the bags here driver, I'll take them in myself." The driver did as he was told and left.

"What's the meaning of this Mr. McClain?" Sox asked in an angry tone. "We've never met and I'm sure you didn't know my daughter. So why did you drag us all the way out here?"

"If you come inside I'll explain everything Mr. Anderson. Please." Tom gave them a smile and motioned them inside. Mr. Anderson walked in followed by his wife who didn't make eye contact. He was unimpressed with what he saw. The apartment didn't have a lot of fine things. In fact, Sox didn't see anything to suggest this man had wealth of any kind.

"Okay Mr. McClain, we're here. Now what is it you want to talk to us about?"

"It's a little complicated Mr. Anderson," Tom started out. It was then that Mrs. Anderson saw a young woman standing in the kitchen doorway staring at them. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"JENNIFER?" she cried out. "Is it you?"

"Mrs. Anderson..." Jennifer's lip started shimmering and tears formed in her eyes. "Mom...mommy?"

"Oh my God Jennifer." Mrs. Anderson flung her arms around the young woman and hugged her tightly.

"Oh Jennifer," she said sobbing, "they told me you had been killed. Oh GOD...I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH."

Tom became a choked up watching the reunion. Mr. Anderson's reaction was a little different. He grabbed Tom by the arm and pulled him close.

"Oh right McClain, what the HELL is going on here?"

"I suggest we sit down Mr. Anderson. This is going to take a while."

***

Tom spent 20 minutes explaining to Mr. Anderson about everything that had happened. When he finished he looked over at Jennifer and Mrs. Anderson sitting in the kitchen talking, laughing and hugging. Tracy was in there also, showing off a picture she had drawn (at Jennifer's request) for her new grandmother. Mr. Anderson just sat there dumbfounded.

"So, that isn't really Jennifer," he stated, his voice reflecting the disappointment that he really felt. "The person sitting in the next room is just a cheap copy of the original."

"She's as real as you want her to be Mr. Anderson. It depends on how much you let her into your life."

"My daughter is lying in a grave in Florida Mr. McClain. This...this person isn't her and never will be. My." his voice cracked a little with emotion, "my little girl is dead."

"Is that why you started drinking again Mr. Anderson? To hide from the pain by using the bottle as a shield?" Tom saw his words hit their mark.

"What the hell do you know about PAIN McClain? Have you ever lost a child before? I HAVE! THREE of them!" Sox pounded his fist into his other hand. "Do you have ANY idea what that pain feels like?"

Tom nodded and spoke. "When I was four my parents, older brother and my Uncle Mike went to a movie while I was left at home with a baby-sitter. I begged them to let me go but my mother told me I was too young and it would be well past my bedtime before they got back. Sometime after I fell asleep, I was awakened by a social woman who was picking me up out of my bed. They took me to a house I had never been to before and a few days later I wound up at St. Mary's orphanage. I kept asking the nuns where my mother and father were but they wouldn't tell me. Finally, one nun told me my parents, brother, and Uncle Mike were in heaven with Jesus. Years later I found out they had been killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. He survived to face trial but everyone important in my life was gone."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Sox said soberly.

"Please, there is more. A few weeks later Al was brought in. He was only two and a half at the time and a drunk driver had also killed his parents. Despite our age difference, he became a replacement for my lost family. When he disappeared, it was like losing my family all over again except this time I was old enough to understand what was going on. When I found Al, I was so thrilled it didn't matter to me that he was no longer a man. We may not be related by blood Mr. Anderson, but I love Al Parker as if he were my own brother. I would give up my life to save his, just like you would have given up your life to save your children. He means that much to me."

"Okay, I understand what you are trying to say but this is different. The person in there doesn't have any of Jennifer's memories. Nothing about the trips we use to take together, or her first prom date, or the dollhouse I made for her fifth birthday. It's all a blank"

"Yes Mr. Anderson, you're right. She doesn't have any of those good memories...or the bad ones either. She doesn't remember the pain of losing a brother and sister. She doesn't remember the times you would come home drunk yelling at your wife. She doesn't remember the last moments of her short life or the pain it caused the both of you. Jennifer has been born again, just as you remember her before the accident, but without any of her memories -- good or bad. You have a chance to build some good memories with her Mr. Anderson, starting today."

"DAMN IT, it's not enough for her to look and act like Jennifer. Can't you understand that?"

Tom took a deep breath and played his trump card. "Mr. Anderson, if your daughter had survived the accident but it had left her without any of her memories would you turn your back on her?"

"Of course not," Sox answered angrily. "She would still be my daughter."

"Why?" Tom asked point-blank.

"Because, she would still be my flesh and blood."

"Exactly my point. The person in there is your flesh and blood, right down to the DNA. The trouble you're having is that Jennifer; the original one that is, was killed. But that's the only difference between the two, other than the lack of memories. The person in that kitchen is Jennifer Lynnette Anderson, your flesh and blood...your daughter. Let me ask you this. How many times did you ask God to bring her back after her death?"

"More than I can remember but not half as much as my wife," Sox replied sadly.

"Mr. Anderson, your prayers have just been answered. Your daughter IS back. Not many people get a second chance like that."

Sox looked like a defeated man. "When the police came to the house and told me she was...dead, I didn't believe them. It was only after identifying her body that I knew they were telling me the truth. I felt so...so much pain. I mean...how much can one man 'take'. Losing one child is hard, two is like living in a nightmare but three." He closed his eyes for moment to fight back the tears.

"Jennifer was our youngest child and my favorite. She was always so pleasant and nice to everyone. She was one of those people who you wanted to be around all the time, you know what I mean? She brought so much love and joy into our life. Then she was gone and my...no, our joy, my wife Norma and I, was gone. I didn't see much point in going on so I started drinking. It took the pain away, at least for a little while. But it always came back when I sobered up."

Mr. Anderson struggled to find his next words. "Now you show me someone who looks like her, with a new granddaughter no less, and tell me it's my daughter back from the grave. The news is a little hard to swallow."

"I know it is Mr. Anderson but you have two choices as I see it. One of them is to stop drinking, get back on the wagon, and start picking up the love and joy you lost when Jennifer died. Learn how to start living again."

"And the other?" Sox asked.

"Go back home and do what you were doing before we met. Continue to drink yourself into an early grave and toss almost 25 years of a strong, happy marriage out the window. Be alone with nothing inside you except for the pain of an empty life snapping at your heels until you do physically die. Emotionally you already have died, both you and your wife. Mr. Anderson, I'm offering you life, please take it. PLEASE!"

Sox stared at his wife and their re-born daughter. It was the first time since the accident he had seen his wife happy. No, Mr. McClain was right, living. His wife was alive again.

"I need to meet her," he told Tom. The two men got up and walked into the kitchen where Jennifer was sitting. Sox stared at her for a moment, unsure of what he was supposed to do next. Then he opened up his arms. Jennifer stood and fell into them.

"I've missed you baby," he whispered as tears formed in his eyes. He felt the love and joy of being around her returning. "God how I missed you. Please don't leave me again."

"I won't daddy," Jennifer said with tears in her eyes. "I want to stay with you from now on." Mrs. Anderson stood up and put her arms around the two of them. Her eyes were also filled with tears of love and joy. Tom turned to Tracy who was standing there looking a little bewildered.

"From every tragedy there is always good that comes out of it Gerald. You may want to remember that." The little girl smiled but Tom was sure that wasn't the reaction she really wanted to give him.

***

That night Tom took Mr. Anderson to his first AA in meeting in years. It did him a lot of good. Afterwards Sox left with a renewed interest in life and the strength to stop drinking, at least until his next meeting.

Later on Sox had a private conversation with his wife and told her everything he and Tom had talked about concerning Jennifer. It made no difference to her. While Mrs. Anderson knew this person was missing her daughter's memories, she still had all her traits and mannerisms. As far as Mrs. Anderson was concerned, this was her daughter Jennifer given back to them.

Chapter 20 - Jennifer Lynnette Anderson

The next morning the five of them drove to the airport and boarded a plane for Salt Lake City. It was, what Tom figured to be, the last step on Jennifer's road to a complete recovery. While Tracy and her new grandmother played a travel game they had picked up at the airport, Jennifer stared outside the plane window thinking about what was to come. The anticipation inside her grew.

Far below she picked out an eastbound freight traveling on the same railroad tracks she had used to get to Salt Lake City. How long ago that trip seemed. Now she was heading back again only this time she wasn't alone; this time she going back with people who cared about her.

When they arrived, Tom rented a van and drove everyone out to the house. It looked the same to Jennifer as when she had last left it weeks earlier. Tom parked the van in front of the house and everyone got out to go inside. But as Jennifer moved closer to the front door she began to panic.

`What's wrong with me?' she asked herself. `I'm safe now. They can't hurt me anymore.' But she didn't feel safe. All the fear and hopelessness she had felt while being trapped inside this luxurious prison started to come back to her. She stopped a few steps from the door in a semi-frozen panic.

"Are you okay Jennifer?" Tom asked in a concerned voice.

She gave her friend a weary smile and nodded. She was far from being okay but this had to be done. If she didn't face this fear now she would never be free of it. With all her strength she forced herself to walk through the front door.

They spent a few minutes looking at some of the items in the living room before heading back to Sarah Jensen's lab. The room was completely empty now. Even the desk the doctor had worked at was gone. Tom guessed her bosses had hired someone to move everything out of the house that belonged to them after she died. He wasn't too concerned about what they might find; he had ordered Dr. Jensen to destroy all information on Jennifer and Al Parker before they had left.

Jennifer noticed a few other things missing, a lamp, some jewelry and a few other odds and ends but most of the personal stuff had been left behind. It seemed so odd to think that all this stuff belonged to her and Tom now.

"Look at all these fine things," Sox said while admiring a wooden mantle clock above the fireplace. "What do you plan to do with it all?"

"Sell most of it I guess," Tom replied. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jennifer leave and walk back to her old room. Mrs. Anderson also saw her go. The two-made eye contact and Tom read her mind. She saw the pain starting to surface inside her new daughter. She gave him a wink to tell him everything was all right, that she would take care of it.

`Mrs. Anderson, you are one amazing lady,' Tom told himself.

***

Jennifer stared at the surroundings of her old bedroom. There was her bed, the place where she had not only lost her female virginity, but her human dignity as well.

She opened up the closet and started going through the clothes she had been forced to wear. Some she would keep but most would be thrown away when she found the strength to do so. On the vanity table was her jewelry and makeup, lying there in a neat, organized order. A strange feeling came over her as if they were calling out to her to try them on.

Suddenly Jennifer felt a deep sense of dread as reality hit her hard. She may be free to walk out of this house anytime she wanted too but she would never be free of this female imprisonment. It was a LIFE-SENTENCE!

The thought was too painful for Jennifer to bear. Quickly she turned and left the room to escape how she was feeling. But in her mind she kept hearing the words, "life sentence" repeated over and over again.

The others were in the kitchen fixing lunch when she walked back into the living room, all except for Tracy that is. She was sitting on the floor playing with a game her grandmother had given her. She looked up at Jennifer and a small smile appeared on her face.

"You bastard!" Jennifer hissed at the little girl. "You did this to me. You and that crazy bitch you used to work for. I hate you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? I HATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME."

Tracy just continued to sit there and smiled as if she was totally unaware that Jennifer's anger was directed at her. The fact was Tracy couldn't have reacted any other way. But Jennifer was too angry to remember that Gerald was now going through the same hell she was. She felt Tracy was laughing at her; that her smile was genuine and she was expressing her joy over what they had done to her. Jennifer's hand tightened into a fist. She was going to teach this asshole a lesson, Al Parker style.

"Jennifer, are you okay?" The voice startled her back into reality. Mrs. Anderson was standing in the kitchen doorway watching her moments very carefully. Tom and Sox peered out from behind her to see what was going on.

Jennifer just stared at them in silence. They didn't understand; they couldn't understand. They had no idea how it felt to have your gender switched against your will; what it was like to be forced into someone else's body and life. Jennifer thought she was passed all this but now it was crystal clear she wasn't. She didn't accept her situation anymore now than the first day Dr. Jensen had changed her. She was still trapped and miserable. The ex-maid tried to say something but couldn't find the words.

`What good would it do, they wouldn't understand anyway!' She looked back at Tracy who was playing with her game again. `I have to get out of here before I really do lose it.'

But there was still one more place she needed to visit before she could leave. That was where Al Parker, had died. Without saying a word, Jennifer turned and headed to the garage. Mrs. Anderson recognized the troubled look on her face. Fortunately she knew how to deal with problems like this from raising three kids of her own.

"You men folk stay here and take care of Tracy. I'm going to have a little talk with Jennifer."

Tom smiled and nodded his head while Sox looked at his wife in puzzlement. Mrs. Anderson smiled back. She knew Tom would explain it to him.

***

The area where the car should have been parked was clean. There wasn't even a grease spot on the cold, concrete floor to mark where the car had been. Jennifer bent down and touched the area. A wave of sadness and regret came over her.

`If only I could go back in time and change all this,' she said to herself. `I could be Al Parker again. I could marry Sally and have kids and...and be a man once more.'

Jennifer felt a good cry coming on again. Damn it, how she hated the way these female hormones made her react during these times. Al Parker never cried but she did now at the drop of a hat. Worse, she usually felt better about it afterwards. Even now, when she had control over her own emotions, she still didn't act the way she used to when she was Al Parker.

"Who am I now?" Jennifer whispered to herself. "What am I? What am I going to do with my life?" How she wished she knew the answers to these questions.

"This is where it all happened, isn't it?" someone asked her. "This is where they changed you."

"Yes!" Jennifer answered bitterly as she turned to face Mrs. Anderson. "This is where I died. This is the place were I became...became trapped in this new body. This is were my life ended."

"Jennifer." Mrs. Anderson hesitated for a moment. "Al...Please sit down next to me. I know you may not be feeling up to it but I need to speak with you for a moment." Jennifer did as she was told while trying to fight off the wave of depression coming over her.

"I know you see this as a horrible place Al," Mrs. Anderson began, "and you have a right to feel that way. I can't begin to imagine how you must have felt when this happened or how you feel now. I'm so sorry all this happened to you." She put her arm around her daughter to comfort her.

"I know this sounds selfish Al, but when I look at this place I don't see sadness; I see great joy instead. You see, to me this place isn't where Al Parker died, it's where Jennifer was re-born back to me."

"Mrs. Anderson...I'm not...I'm not really Jennifer," she sniff. "All my memories are of Al Parker, not Jennifer's. I just...I just had to call you, to contact you. It was part of the learning response I received from your daughter's DNA and it was driving me nuts. I was climbing the walls not doing something what I felt I should be doing."

"I know Al, I know," Mrs. Anderson said in an understanding voice. "But will you listen to an old woman for a moment please. When Jennifer...died, it was like the entire world collapsed on top of my husband and I. All of our dreams of seeing Jennifer getting married and having a son-in-law to share time with and having grandchildren we could spoil; they all vanished when she was killed. It was hard on both of us when our son Steve died followed later on by our other daughter, Linda, but at least we had Jennifer to hold on to. When she died...so did we." Mrs. Anderson took a deep breath and Jennifer could see how painful this was for her.

"It's hard to lose a parent," Mrs. Anderson continued. "My mother and father have been dead for over 10 years now. It still hurts knowing they are gone. But losing a child, someone that grew inside you, someone you raised and took care all those years...that's so different. Your parents are a link to the past but your children...they are your future. Seeing them die is like seeing your future die as well."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Anderson. I'm sure it must have been very painful dealing with their deaths."

"It has been Al. It's been so very hard. You see, after Jennifer's death Sox started drinking because he couldn't face the future without her. As for me, I gave up on life. I didn't see any point in doing stuff like taking care of the house, visiting friends...or trying to be a woman. I kept asking God why this had happened; what had I done wrong to deserve this?" A small smile appeared on Mrs. Anderson's face.

"But when I saw you and learned how you came to be...I realized that God wasn't punishing me at all. Jennifer died at the hands of a drunk driver, not by God. You see...I thought it was something I did and it had nothing to do with my actions at all. I know God didn't take her away from me. But I do believe he gave her back to me through you. Let me explain why.

"Tom had a nice long talk with the doctor while you were with Gerald. He found out that Dr. Jensen had over 3,000 female samples in Jennifer's age group alone to pick from. She could have used any one of them but out of all the samples she picked my daughters DNA. Fate? No, I don't believe it was. I think God did it for a reason. I think he knew we needed Jennifer back, even if it was only her outward appearance and not her memories."

"I'm not...I'm not so sure Mrs. Anderson. I prayed for God to let me break free when I was being...being." Jennifer couldn't say the word "rape" in front of her.

"I know Al, I know. I didn't want any of my children to die either. But bad things do happen, even to good people. Now, can I ask you a personal question?" Jennifer nodded. "Did you ever ask God to give you new parents after your father and mother were killed?"

Jennifer lowered her head. "All the time. I don't remember my real parents; I was too young when the accident happened. After the social worker brought me to Saint Mary's I had a hard time adjusting without them. I felt so lost and abandoned."

Jennifer looked up at Mrs. Anderson and smiled slightly. "I remember there was this older kid who was picking on me one day. I was sitting there crying and telling him to leave me alone but he wouldn't. That's when Tom showed up. He walked over and pushed the older kid away. He protected and kept an eye on me after that. From that moment on he became the older brother I never had and the family that never adopted me.

"Tom was there for me even after he left St. Mary's. I still remember the thrill I got looking up in the stands during the football games and seeing him sitting there. He could have been doing ten thousand other things on a Friday night but instead he was there, watching me play and cheering me on. I use to ask God every night to find a family that would adopt both Tom and I. A family that would love us and let us to grow up together. But he never answered my prayer."

"You're wrong Al!" Mrs. Anderson responded firmly. "He did give you a family...if you still want one. Sox and I, we want to be your parents Al. We want to be a part of your life and take care of you and watch over you. We want to be there when you get married and have kids and share in your joy and happiness. We want to be a part of your life and Tom's. I'm sorry we're a little late," she added with a tearful smile. "But I think you need us just much as we need you."

Jennifer turned and looked into Mrs. Anderson's eyes. They were filled with love and kindness. The one thing Al had prayed for all his life was coming true. Parent's who would love him and Tom as their very own.

`No, that isn't right,' Jennifer said to herself. `She really was "their" child. Al Parker didn't exist anymore. She really was Jennifer Lynnette Anderson.' How easy it was for her to say that name now.

The two ladies hugged each other as the tears started flowing from their eyes. Each tear released the demons that both women had struggled with for so long. Jennifer and the Anderson's had come full circle.

Epilog -- One year later...

Tom sat back in his chair by the pool reading the newspaper and soaking up the warm, afternoon sun. His stocks were doing well for a third month in a row. If this kept up his investment would double by the end of the year.

He put down the paper and watched Mr. Anderson building a playhouse for Tracy near the corner of the yard. She was buzzing around him in excitement (obviously under the suggestion of Jennifer) asking him to explain every detail of what he was doing. Tom was surprised Sox was able to get anything done under these conditions. However, he could see his father-in-law was enjoying her company. He just smiled and answered all of her pointless questions while continuing to work. Sox even took the time to let Sally hammer in a few nails. Jennifer came out of the house and handed Tom a glass of Lemonade.

"Tracy looks so happy, doesn't she?" she whispered.

"Thanks honey!" Tom took the drink from her. "I think they both look happy. I haven't seen Sox smile this much since our wedding. He really enjoys being around small kids. Speaking of which, I should be doing this for you."

"Oh, don't worry. You'll get your chance in my next trimester," Jennifer said holding onto her slightly fattened stomach.

They hadn't even been married six months yet and already Jennifer was pregnant with their first child. It hadn't taken long for Tom to realize he was in love with Jennifer and she in love with him. At first the situation was awkward but there was no stopping the attraction, both physical and emotional, between them. Soon they were past that awkwardness stage and love bloomed between them.

After deciding to get married they discussed going to Las Vegas for a quick and simple ceremony. But when the Anderson's found out about their plan they had other ideas. They insisted their daughter was going to have a traditional Catholic marriage in a real church. So when the day came, Jennifer was marched down the isle by her father wearing the same wedding gown her mother had worn 25 years before.

Most of the people they invited were those who knew Tom (it was too risky to invite anyone else). Cynthia was there as Jennifer's maid of honor and Kevin stood in as Tom's best man. Even though Jennifer really didn't want to go through all the fuss, she and her mom had a ball getting everything ready. By the time her wedding day rolled around they had grown very close to each other. And getting married on the Anderson's 25th wedding anniversary made the day that much more special to the four of them. Jennifer didn't think anything could top that experience until she learned she was pregnant.

Prior to their marriage, Tom had purchased some land and contracted to have a couple of houses built on it -- one for them and the other for their new parents. The Anderson's sold their home in Florida along with most of their old furniture and furnished their new place with stuff they had received from Sarah Jensen's old house. Tom had been able to sell the house much quicker than he expected for a nice amount.

Mr. Anderson continued to attend AA meetings and had been on the wagon for over a year now. Mrs. Anderson in the meantime was enjoying her new role as a grandmother for Tracy and old role as a mother; spending time teaching Jennifer the things she needed to know. She also joined a woman's group at church and had made several close friends. This kept her busy most of the day. Both Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were enjoying a new lease on life.

"Where's Mom?" Tom asked.

"Fixing cookies. I was going to have Tracy help her out but I think dad's having too much fun with her right now so I'll do it. See you later babe." She gave Tom a quick wink and walked away.

Tom lay back in his chair and smiled at his good fortune. It was strange how all this came about from such tragic beginnings. But in the end everything had all worked out. Dr. Jensen and Gerald had received their just deserts for what they did to his friend, Al Parker. Cynthia Bennett was now free and no longer a prisoner of her mother. She still had some issues to work out as Cynthia but she was strong and Tom knew everything would work out okay for her. Klein Walker, now Keith Bennett, was gone and no longer a menace to society. And as for Jennifer and himself -- they now had what they had always wanted; someone they could call mom and dad. Real parents.

`But it was the Anderson's who were the biggest winners out of all of us,' Tom thought. 'Through these strange chain of events their lives had been given back to them. How could anything top that?'

He smiled and then went back to reading his paper.

***

"She's definitely pregnant," the agent told her. He handed the thick file over to her. "From the doctor's report everything looks fine."

"Thanks, I'll let you know if I need anything else." The man nodded and walked out of the office leaving the woman alone. He wondered why she was so interested in this young lady.

The woman glanced at the file briefly. She didn't remember much about her past life, only the last few days of it. She put the file in the drawer for safekeeping. Now wasn't the time to think about it, there were more important jobs she had to work on right now. Sarah Jensen turned to her computer and started typing in some more notes.

END

This story is dedicated to Susan M. Bidwell - a young lady who died before her time.

 

Andersonville 1 - Home Sweet Home!
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

Dennis Butz worked on some last minute paperwork with a certain relief. In a few hours his dream would become a reality and then the real work would begin. He heard his secretary buzzing him.

"Yes?"

"Your 7:30 appointment is here Mr. Butz."

"Thank you Nancy, send him in." Dennis rose and greeted the muscular-built man as he entered his office "Good morning Apollo." The director gave him a slight, mischievous grin. "Your father isn't with you?"

"You didn't really expect him to come, did you?" Apollo answered back.

"Pissed off, is he?"

"Let's just say the town of Peace River is lucky to still have a courthouse standing after he found out what you did." The young God gave him a concerned stare. "That was a dangerous thing to do Dennis, out-maneuvering him like that."

"Like he out-maneuvered me on the plains of Apur?"

"That's ancient history Dennis." Apollo warned.

"Tell that to your father!" Dennis almost shouted back. "We wouldn't need Andersonville if he wasn't so stubborn." The director took a deep breath to calm down and continued. "But you're right Apollo, I didn't call you here to discuss past events. Today we begin a new era in our history."

"When does it start?" Apollo asked with great curiosity.

"This morning. I'm having the Anderson's picked up, along with Tom McClain and his family." There was a small, pressed smile on the man's lips when he mentioned the detective's name. "Trisha is meeting them at the airport and will bring them here. I'd like you to be there with her."

"I don't work for you," the God of truth announced defensively.

"You misunderstood me Apollo, it was a request, not an order. A first, positive move in the mutual cooperation between our two people."

"A number of your people still object to what you're doing."

"Yes," Dennis sighed. "But given time they will come around. Your father could help speed the process along if he were willing."

"Show him that Andersonville works and he will be. What you did to him didn't help."

Dennis smiled slightly. "I couldn't help myself. But I promise to behave from now on." Apollo gave him a 'can you be trusted' stare. The director sighed at the lack of trust that still existed between them. "We are both creatures of truth Apollo, you have my word on this. No more tricks on your father. As proof of my good intentions, I'll drive Gerald to Peace River after everyone leaves."

"You're not allowed there and you know it," Apollo told him sternly.

"I am well aware of my agreement with your father, Apollo. I have no intentions of ending up as a resident of Peace River like my friends. One of your people can meet me at the crossroads, I'll make the drop there."

Apollo nodded with some satisfaction that this was agreeable.

"So, will you go?" Dennis asked.

"I'll go," he half-grunted.

"Good. There's a plane waiting to fly you to where Trisha is. I'll inform her that you're coming. Tha--Thank you Apollo." He held out his hand, which the God took.

'A couple of years ago this would have been unthinkable,' Dennis thought to himself. How the times have changed.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town -- just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

Sox Anderson looked over at his son-in-law with slight concern. For months Tom McClain had been hiding his pain - almost too well. But Sox saw it and he knew if his son-in-law didn't talk about it soon that it would destroy him. He cleared his throat.

"What's on your mind Son? You seem troubled."

"Noth - nothing Dad," I stuttered. "It's this business deal. I've never made a land deal before. I been studying their proposal for weeks and I still don't feel like I'm ready to be involved. Now they want me to take a look at what I'm going to be investing in and - it's a little disconcerting not knowing what I'm doing."

"That's why you brought me along Son. I may not know a lot about real estate but I can spot a crook when I see one. Don't worry, it'll work out fine." Sox continued staring at his adopted son in the hopes he would keep talking but the young man went silent.

"What is it Tom?" he inquired. "What's really eating at you?"

"I guess it shows." I got a discouraged look on my face and continued, "It's me and Jennifer Dad, we're having problems. I guess you know that by now."

"I figured you were. Jennifer hasn't been the same since - the baby."

"It's more then just that Dad." How could I explain to my father-in-law that I didn't love his daughter anymore? The first year of marriage had been like a fairy tale to us. Our love was so strong that whenever we made love there was nothing to compare it to. I couldn't begin to imagine what it would be like without Jennifer next to me. And when she got pregnant, I fell in love with her even more. Then, tragedy struck our young and fragile lives. The baby, our son, had been born with an incurable nerve defect; a genetic disordered that Jennifer had probably picked up from the serum Dr. Jensen had administered to her. Six hours later he died in her arms.

It was a devastating blow, only to be followed up later by another blow that was even more shattering. Test revealed that Jennifer would never be able to bear children without the same thing happening again. In fact, their family doctor was amazed Tracy had been born without the defect until it was explained that she had been adopted.

'No side affects! That's what Dr. Jensen had told me,' I thought bitterly. Well, the damn bitch had screwed up again. Or maybe she was reaching out from her grave to extract her revenge on us.

"Want to talk about it Son?" Sox asked.

I pulled my car into the airport parking lot and stopped. "It's over Dad. After months of trying it's all over. I - we don't love each other anymore; not in the way we use to. It's not that I don't want to be around Jennifer anymore. I love her Dad, but not as my wife. It was foolish to think I could forget my past with her."

I got out quickly and started walking toward the terminal. Sox got out of the car and caught up with me.

"I knew something was bothering you Son. I suspected there were problems. But before you give up, maybe the two of you should see a marriage consoler. A death can put a lot of strain on a marriage."

"I wish it were that easy Sox, but it's not. When I look at Jennifer I don't see my wife - I see my sister. Just as I used to see Al as my brother. I do love her, but not in the way I need to love her. Making love to her now just feels wrong. I wish it wasn't like that but we both feel that way. I'm sorry Sox."

The older man raised his eyebrows slightly. "Sox is it. So I'm no longer your dad now?"

I stopped walking and turned to the older man who I had come to love as my own father. "Jennifer is your daughter - I'm your son-in-law. I can put two and two together."

"So what you're saying is that since you've announced your intentions to divorce Jennifer, I no longer want to have anything to do with you, is that right?" I didn't answer him so he answered the question for me. "Well you're wrong Tom. Norma and I need you in our life just as much as we need Jennifer. You're my son Tom. You're as much of a son to Norma and I as Steve was when he was alive. Don't ever think that what happens between you and Jennifer changes the way we feel about you. We'll work it out one way or another."

"Thanks Dad." I said softly.

"I mean it Son. You're family, don't ever forget that."

I spotted a finely dressed petite woman standing by the entrance. "We can talk about this later over dinner - alright Dad?"

"Sure Son. Let's get started on what we came here for."

I smiled slightly; my father-in-law had a way with words. As we got closer, I noticed a huge, muscular man standing nearby. It brought back memories of another person I once knew - or rather still knew only now he looked different.

"Hi Tom, glad you could make it." The woman extended her hand to me.

"Good Morning Ms. Brown. This is my father, Sox Anderson. He's going to be joining us on this little field trip if that's all right."

That's fine Tom. And how many times have I told you to call me Trisha instead of Ms. Brown?" She gave them both a friendly smile.

"You'll have to excuse my son-in-law Trisha, he's famous for forgetting stuff when he's around an attractive woman." Sox returned her smile with his own, causing the young woman to giggle slightly.

"Oh, I almost forgot, my business associate will be joining us. This is Mr. Atkins."

"Please, call me Pete," Apollo told them.

"So, shall we get started," Trisha said. "Follow me, my plane is over here."

The way she twisted her rear in that short skirt I would have followed her anywhere. That's when I noticed Pete Atkins was walking behind us, almost like a guard. There was something unnerving about this man. It wasn't just his size that bothered me; the man seemed to have an air of confidence in his personality as if nothing could hurt him. It was the same confidence I had seen in Gerald years ago; only the ex-bodyguard no longer had that attitude today.

We stepped onto a rather large jet, which could have held thirty or more people. No sooner had we gotten into our seats than the plane started taxiing. With a loud roar of its engines, the jet raced down the runway and took off on an easterly heading.

"How long before we get there, Trisha?" I asked.

"About an hour Tom. Why don't I show you and Sox the diagrams I have drawn up during this time."

Trisha laid a large drawing out on a wooden meeting table and started going over the finer details of the project. While she was going over the plans I noticed that Mr. Atkins remained sitting a few seats back watching us carefully.

'No, that isn't right,' I said to himself. 'He seems to be watching me.'

My father-in-law didn't seem to be concerned; he was caught up in the charm the younger lady was dishing out to us.

About 45 minutes later I excused myself to use the bathroom. As I walked toward the back the man gave him a pleasant smile as if nothing was wrong. But when I turned my head back quickly I spotted the man watching me with a nervous look on his face. Now I knew it was a trap.

The truth of the matter was, I had been expecting this day to come for some time now. I knew we been living on borrowed time since I helped Jennifer escape from Dr. Jensen's house but now, today, our luck had run out; Dr. Jensen's bosses had come to collect on an old debt. I only wished my father-in-law could have been spared from whatever was about to happen to us but it didn't appear as if that was going to be the case.

I locked myself in the bathroom and considered my options. There weren't many. I didn't have a weapon on me - not that I would use it if I did. Besides, I didn't want to spend the rest of my life running and looking over my shoulder. I considered not coming out of the bathroom but that was just plain silly; they would only come in after me. So I tried to think of another option and came up empty.

But I did have one ace on me as I took off my jacket and turned one of the sleeves inside out to make sure it was still there. Hidden inside a small pouch of the sleeve was my emergency backup plan in case anything happened to me. It was a small, leather case that contained two vials of the doctor's serum with my DNA sample; along with a spare driver's license, a couple of credit cards and $1,000 in cash. Dr. Jensen had warned me sternly that I would never survive a second transition back to my original self but I didn't believe her. The doctor had been wrong about her serum before.

Upon leaving the bathroom, I decided to look out the airplane window and see if I could figure out where they were. What I saw sent a shiver up my spine. It was an airforce base, one that I had seen pictures of on the Internet; one that the Air Force told people didn't exist. It went by many names - Dry Lake, Dreamland, and more commonly, Area 51.

"Relax Tom, no one's going to hurt you." It was the voice of Pete Atkins.

"I've heard that line before," I said turning to face the bigger man. "What's going to happen to my family?"

"They'll be brought here in an hour or so, perfectly safe I assure you." The big man, who I now took to be a government agent, flashed me a comforting smile. "You're only here for a visit, I promise. In a couple of hours you'll be leaving again."

'Dead or alive?' I wondered. "And where will we be going after that?"

"That depends on you Tom. There's a gentleman who wants to meet with you. Take my advice, listen carefully to what he has to say." The muscular man sounded sincere.

"Can't you tell me what this is all about?"

"I'm afraid not. You see, it's sort of an agreement I worked out with him. We'll be landing soon, let's get to our seats."

The man motioned me forward in a polite manner. Seeing that I really didn't have a choice, I did as I was told and took a seat in front of the mysterious man. A few minutes later we felt the tires of the plane hit the runway pavement and then taxi to a nearby hanger. When the plane stopped Trisha stood up and gave us both a smile.

"If you both will follow me please." She opened up the door and stepped outside. Sox followed her out and was shocked to see soldiers with assault weapons standing near the plane.

"What's going on here?" he demanded to know. Trisha tried to calm him down with a comforting smile.

"Don't worry Sox dear. Nothing is going to happen to you as long as you don't try to escape. Let me assure you and your son in law that any attempt would be futile. You're in the middle of the dessert, many miles from any town. If the soldiers don't get you the sun and elements will. Trust me, there isn't anywhere to run." Her voice was pleasant but the tone was very matter of fact, and the comforting smile never ventured from her face. "Now please follow me."

I took my place beside Sox and whispered, "Don't worry Dad, I'll get you out of this mess."

"Where are we Son?" he whispered back.

"Ever hear of Area 51?" The older man's face went pale, he had.

Trisha Brown led us through a series of hallways with Pete following close behind. At least the soldiers didn't come with us although I suspected both agents were armed to the teeth. We stopped at a door, which Trisha knocked on and opened up. She went in followed by me, my father, and finally, Pete Atkins.

"They're here." Trisha told the person who had the back of the chair turned toward us. The chair turned slowly around, revealing the one person I had actually expected to see when I found out where we were.

"Hello Tom." The voice was neutral, neither pleasant nor unpleasant.

"Dr. Jensen," I replied back in a similar fashion. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Am I?" she answered in mock surprise. "You don't seem to be surprised to see me."

"Maybe it's because I always knew you'd pop back into our lives one day doctor."

"Tom, is this the person that brought back my little girl?" Sox asked eagerly.

"Well, I see someone appreciates all my hard work," she smiled ever so slightly. "I'm Dr. Sarah Jensen - the one who gave Jennifer back to you."

"At the cost of Al Parker's life!" I added dryly. "Or have you forgotten about that little detail doctor."

"Let's not be bitter Tom," Sarah answered sternly. "I paid for what I did with my own life if you recall."

"But now, somehow, you're back from the grave and you run this place."

"She doesn't run this place," someone else said. "I do."

A well-dressed man in his late 40's walked into the room and held out his hand to me. "I'm Dennis Butz. You don't know how glad I am to finally meet you Tom. I've heard and read so much about you."

"Dennis Butz," Sox repeated the name. "I've heard your name before."

The man smiled and said, "Think hard Mr. Anderson. It was almost two years ago, just before you met with Tom and Jennifer in Seattle."

"You're the man who put an end to that miserable scumbag who murdered my daughter, aren't you. I definitely want to shake your hand." Sox grabbed a hold of the man's hand with both of his and shook it vigorously. "My lovely Linda didn't deserve to die that way. Thank you for finally bringing justice to her and all the other women he murdered."

Dennis Butz smiled appreciatively at the elderly gentleman. "You're quite welcome Mr. Anderson. You don't know how much pleasure I got out of putting an end to that ugly chapter in your life - as well as all the other families. But I'm afraid the information was a little off. You see, Robert White didn't really die, he just got replaced."

"I don't follow you?" Sox replied confused.

"I do Dad. It means Dr. Jensen isn't really who she appears to be. Remember me telling you about Keith Bennett and how we activated parts of his memories. That's what Mr. Butz did. He cloned the doctor from Robert White's body."

"You're very perceptive Tom," Dennis said with a grin, "and also very right. But don't be discouraged Mr. Anderson, this is a far worse punishment for Mr. White then death."

Sox suddenly got anger. "If he's like Keith Bennett then you can give him the power to speak freely, isn't that right Mr. Butz?"

"Yes," Dennis answered cautiously. He knew where the man was heading with the question.

"Then I want to talk to him directly - man to man."

"I don't recommend it Mr. Anderson," he warned strongly. "Robert hasn't improved with age. He's still the same worthless scumbag today as when I first met him."

"All the more reason why I have to speak with him. Please Mr. Butz, I've waited years to tell this low down murdering-scum what I thought."

Dennis sighed realizing this was a mistake. "All of you, step outside for a moment while I get him ready." The four of us stepped outside and waited by the closed door. A minute later Dennis Butz let us back in.

"Okay Robert, remember what I told you about trying to stand up. You may start talking now," Dennis commanded him.

There was a panic wail from Dr. Jensen, who then started jabbering, "Please, please help me. This is horrible. If I have to endure another damn period I'll lose my mind! Set me free, I beg you."

"Do you know who I am?" Sox asked angrily.

"Please, please help me," Robert continued to beg while ignoring the question. "I don't deserve this. I thought there wasn't anything worse then death but there is. Oh God, she's going on a trip next week! We - we're suppose to be meeting a man at the hotel for a long weekend get away. MY GOD, SHE'S PLANNING TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM ALL WEEKEND LONG - I know, I CAN READ HER THOUGHTS. I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BUT SHE WON'T LISTEN TO ME. SHE IGNORES WHAT I WANT TO DO. IT'S MY BODY - NOT HERS. She has no right to it or to tell me what we're going to do. She's already forced me to try on several sexy teddy's and nightgowns for our weekend date. It's NOT HER BODY, IT'S MINE. PLEASE -- HELP ME GET IT BACK!"

"I want to know about my daughter, LINDA! What did you do to her you monster?" Sox was clinching his fist hard, barely able to keep his anger under control. Robert, realizing his pleading was falling on deaf ears, changed tactics. Misery loves company after-all.

"Yes, I remember Linda," he sniffed slightly. "Dark hair girl, pretty face. GREAT FUCK! She was an experienced whore!"

"You're lying!" Sox sibilated. "My Linda was a virgin. She was saving herself for marriage. She would never have sex before marriage you lying-scum."

"You're delusional old man. Who was in a better position to know - you or me?" he laughed loudly in a feminine pitch. "Of course, you weren't there - when she was BEGGING FOR YOU to save her. Yes, I had a lot of fun that night. She died slowly - painfully. You should have seen her cry - no SCREAM for me to stop!" A look of pure, evil pleasure appeared on the doctor's face "Apollo," Dennis whispered to the muscular man.

"The knife I had was very dull," Robert continued. "It had to hurt like hell when I cut her no-good..."

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Sox lunged forward but Apollo was ready for him. He caught Mr. Anderson in mid-air and pulled him back.

"Enough Robert, stop talking." Dennis ordered.

"He murdered my daughter! Why...Why." Sox kept repeating as he broke down crying. I moved towards my father-in-law but Dennis held out his arm and stopped me.

"Trisha, take Mr. Anderson to conference room A, and stay with him until Dr. Green arrives." The young woman nodded and gently led the weeping man away.

"As for you Robert, you can plan on spending more weekends like the one coming up. Plus," Dennis added with a thin smile, "I'll make sure to throw in a few other surprises for you. Pete, see to it that Robert is taken care of and Dr. Jensen is returned back to her proper place. Tom, if you would follow me please. We have a lot to talk about and not much time."

He led me down the hallway to a large, luxurious office filled with expensive office furniture. It was almost of the size of a small apartment and I noticed there was even a small kitchen in the corner.

"Not bad, don't you agree."

"Must have cost the taxpayers a pretty penny," I observed.

Dennis laughed slightly as he made his way to his private bar. "Drink Tom?"

"No thanks."

"Sure?" Mr. Butz asked with a mischievous grin. "You're paying for it after all."

"Since you put it that way. Give me a whiskey-sour on the rocks - without the drugs in it of course." Dennis chuckled at the last part and went about his task. While he was mixing the drinks, I looked over the many awards hanging on his wall - a few of them over 200 years old.

"Some of the many awards my ancestors received for various services to our grand country. I keep them on my wall as a reminder for what they fought for - true patriots everyone one of them." He handed me my drink and motioned for me to take a seat in one of the comfortable chairs nearby. "They help me to remember what I'm trying to do here."

"And what is it you're doing here Mr. Butz?" I looked at the drink with some reservation and decided I didn't have anything to lose. I took a sip but didn't notice any strange tastes to it.

"Please Tom, there's no need to be formal here. Call me Dennis."

"Okay Dennis - what are you trying to do here?"

"Yes Tom, a very good question. I sometimes find myself asking the same thing." The man stopped talking and stared back at me.

"And?" I asked a little impatiently.

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't answer your question Tom," Dennis smiled slightly while taking a sip of his drink.

"Well Dennis, I must say that was a waste of time. What other games should we play? Counting the dots on the ceiling of your office?

The older man chuckled. "Sorry Tom, it's part of my nature to be secretive. Okay, I guess you're curious as to why I brought you here."

"Just a little," I answered back with slight sarcasm.

Dennis smiled warmly. "Dry humor, I like that Tom. Yes, but I think you're right, we need to get down to business. You knew this day was coming, didn't you."

"More or less. I tried getting rid of any evidence of us but I knew there had to be some loose ends out there. Frankly, I thought a bullet to my head or a horrible car crash would be the way this would all end."

"Tom McClain, you're my guest. I have no intentions of hurting you or your family. I brought you here to offer you a job, not end your life. You're much too valuable for me to simply kill you."

"What kind of job?" I found myself somewhat interested in what he had to offer me.

"I'm starting up a new project in Montana and I need good, quality people to help run it. You'll start out as the assistant to the Court Judge. Your duties will be to keep records on everything that happens in his court - as well as other events around town. Then every Friday you'll email me a weekly report. Now if you think this sounds like a menial job you're wrong - it's one of the most important jobs there is. You'll find working for the judge to be most interesting. He's a little rough around the edges but you'll get used to him - just like he'll get used to you."

"Sounds interesting Dennis but I already have a job trading stocks on-line. It keeps me busy."

"Okay Tom, let's cut to the chase." Dennis Butz leaned forward in a very serious manner. "I know about your son and how it's affected your relationship with Jennifer. I also know your marriage is going down the toilet. And most important, I know how your friend, Al Parker, really feels about his current role as mother and wife. Like Robert in the next room, he's never accepted his role as Jennifer Anderson and most likely never will. Oh, he has good weeks, sometimes even an entire month. But then he goes back to denying who he has become. It's been a burden on your marriage and now - now with the death of your son, your marriage can no longer stand the stress.

"Seems like you've had your eye on us for some time now," I said in a neutral tone.

A pressed smiled formed on the man's lips. "I've followed your career with great interest. I also knew this would be a hard sell since you have a somewhat suspicious mind, so let me add some incentives to my offer. If you take this job than I guarantee you that Al Parker will be a 100%, bonafide male by the end of the day. I'm serious Tom. Your friend won't look like he use to but he'll be a young, healthy male again with all his memories in tack."

I eyed him with deep suspicion. "Okay Dennis, what's the catch?"

"Only one - that he stays in my little town without trying to escape until the day he can be trusted to keep his month shut. Then he'll be free to leave whenever he wants. But I doubt that he'll want to. Your friend will find living in Andersonville to be very pleasant. So will you Tom."

"And the Anderson's? What happens to them?"

"They go with you of course. After all, I named the town in their honor. It has a rather charming sound to it, don't you think? And they get their children back as well."

"Are you telling me you can bring back the dead?" I asked.

Dennis shook his head and said, "No, I can't. But I will provide them with replacements just like the ones they remembered. In fact, they won't even remember their own kids dying. To them it'll be as if they lived in Andersonville all their lives. You'll see some positive changes in both of the Andersons when they don't have to live with that terrible burden. Oh, one thing. It's rather a small item but you need to know. Tracy won't be going with you."

"What do you mean she won't be going with me?" I replied angrily. "She's my daughter. I just can't abandon her to you."

"Lets be realistic here Tom. Tracy is no more your daughter then she is mine. She's a 30-year-old man who is being forced to pretend she's a well-behaved 5-year-old. Her real parents want him back. And after tonight, Jennifer won't need her. It's better this way. Gerald has been punished by you two long enough. If you don't give him back well, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when his father comes looking for you."

"Okay Dennis. We've been talking about what happens if I accept your job offer. Now what happens if I don't? You give me a shot of the doctor's serum and order me to do it anyway, right?"

"Not really Tom. Yes, I would have to give you - all of you - a shot of the control serum so you'll never be able to tell anyone about what you've seen and talked about today. Then I'll send you all home - except for Tracy that is, she stays here. You'd be free to live out the rest of your lives as you want without any interference from me."

"Sounds too good to be true. How do I know you're not lying to me?"

"Because Tom, I never lie. If I can't tell you the truth then I'll tell you I can't tell you the truth. I don't lie, not even to spare someone's feelings. Besides, the control serum is a failure. I couldn't use it to control you even if I wanted to."

"What do you mean it's a failure? I saw what it did to Al. He couldn't have acted any other way then a young female under its control."

"You're missing the point here Tom -- 'control'. When this happens it takes away the 'free will' of the person and turns them into a mindless robot. I need someone who is free to think for themselves, not follow my orders to the letter. Oh, it works great for someone who's dusting tables and fixing meals - slave labor you could call it - but it's useless when you want the person to think for themselves. The job I'm offering you requires a lot of personal decisions and the freedom to act on it. You can't control that without losing what abilities the person has to offer."

I nodded; it made sense. "So Dr. Jensen - "

"That's right, she's a failure. Her mind is so locked down that she can't finish her research anymore. I thought that re-creating her thinking process would fix the problem, but it didn't. Without her mind free from the control serum she's totally useless to me. And unless I release Robert's mind as well, there's no way to fix this. It's ironic that the only one who has a chance of fixing this problem is Dr. Jensen, the one person under its control.

"You guarantee me that the Anderson's or Jennifer won't be hurt?"

"I do." The phone rang and Dennis picked it up. "Thank you," he said to the party on the other end and hung the phone back up. "Your wife and mother-in-law have arrived. I need to know your decision Tom."

"Right NOW? Can't I discuss this with them?"

"No, you can't. It's your decision alone Tom. Whatever you decide effects all of them. I need your answer now so I can make the arrangements."

"I don't trust you Dennis."

"Then don't take my offer Tom. I have enough control serum at this facility to get you out of here within an hour. But ask yourself this, do you really want to go back to your old life? Does Jennifer? What about the Andersons once they lose their only grandchild? Will any of your lives be complete again? If you take my offer I'll make sure their lives are complete. And I promise you more excitement then you'll get by trading stocks on-line all day Tom."

I thought carefully about what Dennis Butz had just said. I hated making a life-changing decision that affected all of them but what choice did I have. Could the Andersons stand losing another child in their lives? They had grown so attached to Tracy. And what about Jennifer? Dennis Butz had been dead-on about Al not accepting who he really was. Maybe if our son had lived things would have been different but now Al hated being Jennifer and my wife more then ever. It had destroyed our marriage and I could see it was slowly destroying my friend.

"When do we leave?" I asked. Dennis Butz smiled back triumphantly.

******

They had been brought to a small but comfortable room - except for Tracy that is. She had been separated from Jennifer and her Grandmother when they got inside the complex. I walked into the room and gave them both a hug.

"Tom?" Mrs. Anderson asked nervously.

"It's okay mom. We're all okay. Dad's fine and will be joining us shortly."

"What's going on Tom?" Jennifer asked.

"I was talking with Dr. Jensen's boss. They know who we are and what we did Al." Jennifer raised her eyebrows slightly. It had been over a year since I had called her by her past name.

"The doctor is still alive?" Jennifer wanted to know.

"Yes, in the same way Keith Bennett is alive. Her boss, Dennis Butz, is moving us to a town up north." I paused for a moment before adding, "And you should know buddy, he's going to make you a man again."

"Have you gone NUTS!" Jennifer yelled back. "You know what they did to me! Do you think they're going to make amends for everything that happened to us and then set us free."

"Yes Al, I do."

******

The little girl sat at the table playing with her doll while Trisha sat close by in silence. Apollo stood in the darkened room watching the little girl play through the one way mirror. There was irony in this moment he thought humorously. Well, it was time for him to explain to Gerald what the real irony of all this was. Apollo gathered up his nerve and opened the door that separated the two rooms.

"If I may have a moment please." Trisha nodded and left the room. The little girl watched as Apollo raised his hand slightly and snapped his fingers. The spell that had been controlling her vanished.

"APOLLO!" The little girl ran over and hugged the God's massive leg affectionately.

"Hello Brother," he replied nonchalantly.

"Where's Father? Didn't he come with you?"

"This is Butz's domain, he isn't about to come here. You'll be seeing him tonight in Peace River when we get back."

"Where are you going?" he demanded to know.

"That's not your concern Brother! Just be ready to leave for Peace River in an hour."

"That's unacceptable," the little girl raved while kicking over a chair. "I want to be changed back into my male form right NOW! Use your power and take me to him"

"He's not interested in seeing you right now Brother. As a matter of fact, he's not very happy with you at all. You disappointed him by going to work for Dennis Butz, our sworn enemy."

"If he hadn't taken away my powers I wouldn't have had too. He cursed me by changing me into a mortal."

"No Brother, you did that yourself. You still haven't taken responsibility for your own actions."

"It was one human female - what's her life compared to the millions out there?"

"Every life is sacred Brother. Every life is unique! He was hoping you would've learned this lesson while being trapped in your current body, but I can see the lesson has been lost on you."

"You mean to tell me he knew where I was all this time and didn't do anything to free me?" Gerald growled.

"Correct Brother. We've known where you've been for almost two years now. Diane wanted to rescue you but Father wouldn't allow it."

"That lousy son of a..."

"Watch your tongue Brother. He may not be in this room but he can hear you if he wants."

"If he is listening then he's most likely laughing his butt off." Apollo nodded that was probably true. No doubt his father was listening in on them with the help of the orb.

"Cheer up Brother. Soon you'll be seeing your family again, in a slightly different light that is."

"You don't mean..." Gerald responded in horror.

"If I were you Brother, I'd get used to wearing dresses for a long time," Apollo smiled ever so slightly. "Don't worry Brother, this will be a family affair. Diane and some of the others ladies have already offered to help you along in your new journey."

"HE CAN'T DO THIS!" the young girl tried to roar.

"He's not doing anything," the God of truth explained. "You did this by your actions. Maybe after a lifetime of living as Tracy he will change you back - maybe. It depends on how well you fit into your role."

"I'll never go through with this!" he snarled. "Never - do you hear me. And he can't make me either."

"Then my advice to you Brother is to get used to wearing dresses and playing with dolls for a very long time. You know what happens to those citizen's in Peace River who don't accept their new roles."

"He wouldn't!"

"I wouldn't tempt fate. You may be his son but you've disappointed him too many times. What you did to Jennifer Anderson sticks sorely in his mind. You made him look very bad in front of everyone by your 'actions.' It's one of the reasons why he left you where you were. He doesn't tolerate sexual assault or abuse from anyone, especially his own children." For once Gerald didn't have a response.

Apollo sighed slightly and continued. "Dennis Butz will be driving you to Peace River after everyone has left. I would advice you to be polite to him on the way there."

"I won't get into a car with that Macoe!"

"Would you rather I make arrangements to have Mercury or Mars pick you up instead?" Gerald cringed in terror at the thought. "I didn't think so."

As he walked away Apollo smiled inwardly. His father had arranged for both Mercury and Mars to meet Dennis Butz at the drop off point - a small detail that he had forgotten to mention to his brother. He wasn't sure if his father felt the situation required both of them to be there or if both Gods had volunteered to pick him up. Most likely the latter was true; neither Mercury nor Mars liked Gerald very much. Then again, a lot of his other family members felt the same way. It would take them almost an hour to drive his brother back to Peace River from the drop off point - an hour of pure hell on his brother for sure. Mercury and Mars wouldn't allow an opportunity like this to pass them by. Apollo was glad he wasn't in his brother's shoes.

******

We had been flying north for more then an hour. I sat in the back, separating myself from the others. Had I made the right decision? In the distance I could make out the town of Andersonville - almost dead center in the middle of thick woods.

"We should be landing soon Tom," Pete said to me. "Care to join us up front"

"May I ask you a question Mr. Atkins."

"Only if you call me Pete," he replied with a comforting smile.

"Why me? Why not pick someone else for this job?"

"I guess it all relates back to what you did to Gerald. Something like this has never happened to us before. You gained Dennis Butz's respect by your actions, even if you did ruin all his plans by killing Dr. Jensen.

"Wait a minute, what do you mean 'something like this has never happened to us before.' Who is this 'us'?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you Tom. For now, let's just say you have a pool of untapped resources within you."

"And you want to tap them, is that it?"

"Something like that. But this isn't about you, it's about stopping a conflict that has been going on between our two people for a very long time now."

"Care to tell me what it's all about?" I asked. "It would be better if I had a little background on what has happened than going into this job blind."

Pete gave me a serious glance. "I'd like to tell you everything Tom, but I'm not allowed. When the time is right, you'll be told. For now, not knowing won't affect your job. In fact, not knowing will probably make your job easier."

"What about Tracy? What's going to happen to her?" I was still slightly concern about her fate.

"You don't need to be worry about her Tom," he stated with a mischievous grin. "She's going to be well-taken care of when she gets back home. When my sister, Diane, found out that Tracy was coming to Peace River, she made sure her room was properly decorated. Tracy may not end up being the happiest 5-year-old in town but she will be the most pampered. My brother is going to find life very different than what he once knew." Apollo couldn't help but chuckle just a little at his brother's punishment.

"You mean Gerald is your brother?" It explained why the two had similar body structures.

"Yes, my evil brother you could say. He has no respect for others. What he did to Jennifer each night," Pete got a distasteful look on his face, "was hideous. Which is why I hold no grudges against you or your friend, Tom. It was a fitting punishment for him. It's also why your friend is being changed back into his male form again, to right a wrong."

"How is that going to happen?" I wanted to know. "And if you're brothers why don't you have the same last name?"

Pete just grinned back at me and said, "That's also something I can't talk about. As for how Al Parker is going to change back into a man, you'll see when we get there. Don't worry, the process isn't painful and it'll be over in less then a minute." He stopped talking and pointed out the window. "Look Tom, you can see your new home from here."

Below I spotted a number of two and three story buildings making up the business district of Andersonville. There was one main road through downtown stretching four blocks long. Close to downtown was a good size park with a small pond. The houses were scattered on three sides of Andersonville - the larger neighborhood being located on the East Side. Toward the west I noted a rail-line serving an impressive-looking mine complex. As I looked closer I saw other railroad tracks slithering around the town serving various businesses.

There weren't any houses prior to entering Andersonville so anyone driving in would have to go through downtown first before getting anywhere. Looking north, the main road north dead-ended near a giant lake. And as if that wasn't enough, the town was located in a box canyon, with huge cliffs on the west, east and north sides. Unless you were an experienced rock-climber the only way out of Andersonville was the main road from the south.

"Beautiful, isn't it!" Pete said. I nodded my head - it was. "Maybe we can go fishing at the lake one day, I hear it's supposed to be good. We'll be landing at the airport soon, let's get our belts on." The big man patted me on the shoulder and moved forward to join the others while I continued to look down at the town.

The landing was smooth and unremarkable but it did nothing to help calm my nerves. I couldn't stop the jitters inside my stomach, knowing that we had arrived at our new home. I didn't trust Dennis Butz and as much as I wanted to, I didn't trust this Mr. Atkins fellow either. What were they really up to? Pete had mentioned a conflict between their two people. What type of conflict and which two people were they? Was it some kind of private family feud?

The first indication there was trouble was when we stepped out onto the tarmac. A tall, skinny cop with a bushy mustache was there to greet us. He stood there calmly, perhaps one of the most laid-back cops I had ever seen. Yet he had a slightly suspicious look on his face as if he was expecting trouble.

"This is Sergeant Williams," Trisha said. "He's going to follow us to see the judge." I noticed Pete Atkins didn't get out of the airplane, instead opting to stand inside the doorway.

"If you will get in the van please," the officer told us. "And buckle up, I'd hate to have to issue you a ticket on your first night in town." The officer's joke broke the ice and even I found myself smiling.

"Tom?" Pete said just before I got in the passenger side of the van. "Take care of yourself. I'll be seeing you soon." Then he ducked back inside the plane.

Trisha drove the van while Sergeant Williams followed close behind in the dark-colored police car. "Pretty laid-back cop," I threw out while putting my plan into action. I moved the emergency pack out of my pocket and with one hand, jammed it up underneath the padding of the seat. I just hoped I'd be able to find the van once what ever happened to me was over.

"Dave's a nice guy," Trisha replied. "It took us a while to find him. If you want some advice Tom, you should get to know him better. He's a good man to have in your corner if he feels you can be trusted."

We pulled up in front of the huge city hall building. It had three massive pillars supporting an equally massive overhang. The building was two stories tall with Victorian-type windows and made entirely of brick. No expense had been spared when the contractors had put this building together. Trisha led us inside to an impressive looking reception area where another tall, well-built cop was waiting for us.

"These doors lead to the courtroom," Trisha told them, pointing to a pair of dark, wooden doors. "You'll get a chance to go in there later if you want. Right now the judge is waiting for us in his chambers. This way everyone."

She led the way with us in the middle and the two cops following at a close distance behind. The looks on the police officers' faces indicated they were concerned that someone in our party might change their mind and try to leave - although Trisha didn't seem to be concerned. Maybe it was in a cop's nature to be on the lookout for trouble.

We walked through a small office and straight into the judge's chambers. The Judge was a well-built man in his late forty's, wearing an expense 3-piece gray suit that looked like it had just been pressed. He stood about 6' 2" and sported a nicely trimmed beard that made him rather distinguished. But it was his eyes that caught everyone's attention - he had cold, steel blue eyes that made him somewhat intimidating when he stared at you. The frown on his face indicated he wasn't too happy at the moment.

"I've been waiting for you," he started out in an almost unpleasant tone. "Let's get this over with so I can leave."

He closed his eyes and held out his hands together in front of him. The four of us, Jennifer, the Andersons, and myself stood there wondering what was going on. To our amazement, the Judge's hands started to glow as if a light had been turned on. Moments later a ball of energy, about the size of a small grapefruit, rose slowly out of his hands. It stood still for a moment then took off in a flash and struck Jennifer in the chest. She moved back slightly, as her body seemed to absorb the light. A second later more balls of energy shot out and hit the Andersons, causing them to shift back slightly.

I tried to move but found my feet frozen in place. Then I saw a ball of light rise out of the Judge's hands and come right at me. It hit my chest, causing me to move back slightly although I hadn't felt any impact. It was more like a reactionary movement, knowing that something had hit me. A slight tingling of pins and needles spread throughout my body and then quickly faded. I felt slightly dazed but managed to maintain my balance.

"What was that?" I asked.

"You can go home now," the Judge announced unceremoniously. One of the officers, Dave Williams, started pulling me out the door while the others seemed to be walking out on their own. Jennifer, it was still her, gave me a worried look but didn't try to stay. She seemed relieved to be leaving the presence of this man.

Outside we were loaded into the same van that we had ridden in before, only this time Sox got behind the wheel. I noticed that both of the Andersons had an almost hypnotic look on their faces. Only Jennifer and me seemed to understand what had just happened.

"Officer," I asked Dave Williams as he helped me into the van. "What's going on here."

The officer smiled back and said, "You'll find out soon enough son. Just try to relax and not fight it." He closed the door and Sox drove off in a hurry.

"Dad, where are you going?" I demanded to know. He couldn't possibly know his way around town.

"Home honey," he replied without any thought.

'Home?' My father-in-law's answer and strange behavior perplexed me. And why was he calling me 'honey?' I was about to ask him something else when Sox began to change before my eyes. His hair started growing thicker and darker - and he sat up a little bit straighter in his seat. In the rear-view mirror I could see my father's face getting younger as some of his wrinkles started disappearing.

I looked over at my mother and saw that she was also going through some changes as well. Her gray hair turned to a darker shade of brown while become fuller and longer. Her face also started looking younger - at least 10 years younger. What shocked me the most was that neither of them seemed to notice these changes that were happening.

As I turned to say something to Jennifer I was equally surprised to see her, or rather him, changing as well. My wife had grown taller in stature; her long hair disappearing and being replaced by short, dark hair. Her face now appeared boyish, about that of a 14-year-old and showed many of the same facial features Sox had. The jeans and blouse she had been wearing changed into a pair of cutoffs and tee shirt and girlish shoes into a pair of sneakers.

Suddenly, I felt an attack of pins and needles inside my body. To my horror, I started shrinking in size by several inches. While this was happening I felt a heavy concentration of activity around my chest and groin area.

'Oh no,' I gasped. I hadn't asked to see what changes Dennis Butz had in store for me. I felt my hair growing longer and by now there was no question on what my fate would be. This Judge, who ever he was, had decided to change me into a girl. I deduced that the people in charge must have figured this was a fitting response to what I had done to Gerald.

With great terror I watched my breasts start to grow. I could feel the skin stretching, as they grew bigger before my horrified eyes. My butt moved in the seat on its own - and I discovered this was due to that fact my hips were shifting as they changed to a more female-like mode. My clothes also started shifting to fit its new body. The pants I was wearing changed into a pair of girl's jeans that showed off my female figure. The shirt and jacket became a loose fitting blouse and colorful vest. Then there was a great deal of intensive tingling in and around my groin - announcing that a change was taking place. I felt some tugging around my manhood that wasn't painful but caused me to sweat in fear. Suddenly the tingling stopped as if a switch had been thrown. I didn't have to look to see what it had done, I knew. I sat there in a semi-state of shock.

"We're home," someone shouted happily from the rear seat.

I turned and saw what I could only guess to be a younger version of Jennifer. She looked to be about 12 years old but was just as cute and beautiful as the older version. And there was also something odd about her - a slight twinkle in her eyes that didn't look right. It looked like a small white light in her pupils.

The place she had called home was a very nice two-story, white-framed house build on an acre of land. There were trees surrounding the property and along the roadway giving the place a lot of privacy. In back was a small pond with several ducks swimming in it and some thick woods.

Jennifer scampered out of the van first despite being in the back. She seemed to be a ball of energy that couldn't be contained. Al, who used to be Jennifer, got out next. He looked around in a daze, wondering if this was all just a dream. I followed him out of the van and we both looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Hey Son, think fast," Sox said picking up a football and throwing it at them. The teenager caught it with remarkable ease.

"He called you Son?" I whispered to him. "That must mean you got changed into Steve? Jennifer's playing over there so that means...Oh no?" I gasped.

I ran into the house looking for the first mirror I could find - while at the same time terrified at what I would see. For some reason I knew exactly which room in the house was mine and headed right for it. There was no question that it was a girl's room when I entered. The bedroom was painted light pink from top to bottom with a darker pink rug to match. The big canopied bed, quilts, old dolls on the shelves, and the furniture all announced this was a girl's room.

Still in a state of bewilderment, I peeked slowly into the mirror in fear of what I might see; my reflection told the story. I stood about 5'5" and weighted around 115 pounds. My eyes were now baby blue, and I had shoulder length, brunette hair that had been feathered in the front. The rest of my body was pretty much that of your typical female body and I couldn't help but notice that I now looked like a younger version of Mrs. Anderson, my mother. Just to make sure this was for real, I opened up the purse I had carried in and pulled out my new driver's license. It read "Linda E. Anderson, Female,"

"Oh God, I'm 17 years old!" I said out loud. Next I turned to the dresser and started opening up the drawers in the hopes I would find something familiar. Instead I found them filled with panties, bras, slips, and other female things that my new body now required. I rushed over to the closet and flung it open only to gasped in horror. It was packed with all kinds of female wonders, including a large number of skirts and dresses. There must have been at least 15 pairs for shoes, fortunately most of them being the low-heel kind.

'Oh my God, it's true!' I cried out inside. 'They turned me into Linda Anderson. That's what Dennis Butz had meant by the Anderson's getting their kids back.' Al had become Steve; I had become Linda. But who in the hell was Jennifer? She hadn't been there in the van when we first got in, I was sure of that.

"Are you okay Tom?" Steve asked softly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Make them change me back?" I answered with tears in my eyes. Steve walked over and gave me a big brotherly hug. He felt so strong to me now - or maybe it was because I was now so weak.

"You're Linda, aren't you? I guess that makes sense. Tom - Linda, it's not as bad as you think."

"That's easy for you to say, isn't it Al. You're a man again."

"I think it's better if you call me by my current name Linda. And I'm not a man; I'm still a boy. I think I'm only 14 years old."

I gave my new brother a mean stare. "Stop calling me Linda damn it! I'm still Tom, do you understand? I'm not your damn sister!" Steve put his arm around me and sat me down on the bed.

"Tom, remember in the lab - when we had just gotten control over Sarah Jensen. You called me Jennifer and I told you that wasn't my name? But you told me now wasn't the time to get confused and spoil everything. I don't know what's going on here but I think until we do, it's better that I don't refer to you as Tom in front of anyone. We need to play along with this charade for now."

"That's easy for you to say, isn't it?" I cried out. "You get to play the part of the boy. Me - I'm supposed to be your older sister. How can I play a role I'm not accustomed to?"

"I'll help," Steve offered. "First, don't panic. This isn't the end of the world. I know what you're feeling right now; I felt that way too. And I had more than two long years of practice being Jennifer. It seems bad at first but it gets better, I swear it does."

"Oh, cut the bullshit Al! You never got used to being a woman so don't sit there and lie to me about it."

"It's Steve now - not Al," he stated firmly. "And my circumstances were far different so don't try comparing your experience to mine. I was thrown into the arms of a sexual deviant and a doctor who didn't care how I felt. She allowed him to rape me every night without a second thought. You don't know what kind of hell that was to accept; knowing you were going to have sex with someone you hated and couldn't do anything about it. That's how I began life as Jennifer Anderson - in a hellish way. But you, look around you. Sure you're a young female now but you were dumped into a nice, family setting with people who love and respect you. I wasn't, and being Jennifer always reminded me of the nightmare I once lived in. Is it any wonder I hated being Jennifer? It wasn't being a woman I hated so much, it was knowing why I was turned into one."

There was logic to what Steve was saying but I didn't want to admit it. I wasn't ready to rollover and become this sweet young woman for everyone to see. I was going to fight this condition. I was going to find Dennis Butz and this Judge and have them change me back.

"I think it's time we see what this town is all about Brother. Why don't you and I go for a drive."

******

I told my mom, now my real mom, we were going out but would be back soon. I opened up the van door and retrieved my emergency pack from underneath the seat.

"What's that?" Steve wanted to know.

"My insurance policy back to a normal life," I replied. We got into my new car, a 1996 white Chevy Cavalier. Not much in the way of power but it got great gas mileage.

"Where are we going?" Steve asked me.

"West, toward the mine I saw when they flew us in. No doubt they'll be watching the main road out of town. So we'll going to try the rail yard first."

"You mean you're planning on escaping? But we just got here," Steve protested slightly.

"I have 'no' intentions on staying in this body Al. Once we get out of this place I'm going to use the doctor's serum to change me back. Are you with me or not?"

Steve nodded his head that he was but it was clear he wasn't happy about leaving. There was a risk that he may end up being turned back into Jennifer if he tried. But he couldn't turn his back on me, someone who had been there when he needed me the most? Normally I wouldn't have involved him in this but I needed his skills if I hoped to accomplish what I was starting.

I parked the car close to the small railroad yard and looked around before getting out. There didn't seem to be anyone watching them, a good sign. However, I was a little surprised about the lack of cop cars in the area. We looked out at the small rail yard filled with cars, most of them open 100-ton hopper cars from the mine.

"Let's get in that car," I said, pointing at the yellow boxcar close by. Steve stopped me.

"Let's get in the Southern boxcar instead," motioning to the one right behind it.

"What difference does it make?" I wanted to know.

"The last time I rode in a 'Railbox' boxcar I got turned into Jennifer," Steve said glumly.

"Oh - sorry. Okay then, but let's hurry. It looks like the train is getting ready to pull out."

I led the way, checking to make sure no one saw us as we got closer to the boxcar. I spotted a sign on a nearby pole that read, 'Warning, you are now leaving sector 125. Level 2 security is required' but paid no attention to it. All I was worried about was catching the next train out of town without getting caught in the process. When we were about 10 feet from the first track I suddenly ran into something that felt like a cushion. It stopped and threw me back.

"What the hell?" I cried out to my brother. Steve put his hand forward and felt some resistance, as if there were an invisible wall in front of him.

"It feels like it's some kind of force field," Steve blurted out. "It must be there to keep people from doing what we're trying to do."

"Then let's see if I can run past it." I took a few steps back and ran forward with a full head of steam.

"Linda, wait," Steve shouted but it was too late. I hit the field hard and it gave - allowing me to go forward for about five feet. But then it recoiled and I found myself being thrown back in the opposite direction at a much faster speed. Steve was able to catch me on the rebound to keep me from falling hard to the ground.

"I was going to tell you that won't work but you didn't listen," he pointed out. "The force field most likely reacts to a strong push with more power. The harder you run into it, the stronger it gets. It's hopeless trying to run past it."

"Then let's try something else," I angrily responded while shaking Steve off me. "My car may not be very fast but I bet I can shake them if they try to pursue us.

"You're can't be serious Linda?" Steve said with disbelief. "You're going to try and outrun the Andersonville police force? Their cars are made for high-speed chases. You'll never get away from them."

"Look, are you in or out?" I asked in an angry tone that indicated I didn't want to argue about it.

"In," Steve said reluctantly.

"Then let's go." We got back in the car and I headed toward downtown. When I turned the car onto Main Street we found it completely void of traffic. There weren't even any cars parked in front of the parking meters.

"Do you notice anything funny about this picture Steve?"

"Yea. It's 4:30 on a Saturday afternoon and there aren't any cars or people out. It's like a ghost town. Where is everyone?"

"Maybe we're the only ones here," I answered. "Let's not worry about that right now. Be on the lookout for cops - we're about to leave town."

We passed a sign that said, 'You are now leaving Andersonville, have a nice day and drive safely'. I checked the rearview mirror but didn't see anyone following we.

"That was too easy," Steve said. "Where's all this security Mr. Atkins was telling us about?"

"Maybe they didn't think we would actually leave," I replied while not believing my own words for one minute. The people in charge had to figure we would at least try to leave. About a mile out of town the car crested over a small hill and we saw the outline of a town ahead of them.

"What town is this?" Steve asked. "I thought Andersonville was in the middle of no-where."

"It is," I answered with a bad feeling inside.

We passed by several businesses, including a small strip mall that looked abandoned, and stopped at a traffic light right next to a huge building.

"Um, Linda, you're not going to believe this - look." I looked to my left and saw an impressive looking courthouse with three huge pillars. Written on the stone frame above were the words, "Andersonville Courthouse."

"How in the hell did we get here?" I yelled.

"Maybe we went in a circle," suggested Steve knowing that we hadn't. The road out of town had been as straight as an arrow.

"Let's try this again," I replied.

I punched the accelerator and headed out of town 'again'. We passed by the same 'You are now leaving Andersonville' sign we had gone by not more then 5 minutes before. And just like before, when we crested over the small hill we found ourselves looking south at Andersonville again.

"FUCK!" I swore loudly. "Tell me this isn't a bad dream."

I spun the car around and headed back the way we just came. There was an orange sign that read, "Warning, road dead-ends 1,000 feet ahead but I ignored the sign and kept driving.

"What are you doing?" Steve screamed at me. "Are you trying to get us killed?" He could make out the metal guardrail across the road, with several orange barrels in front to protect it.

"This is some kind of loop," I told him angrily and not thinking clearly about what I was doing. "I'm betting this is really a secret way out of town. If it's not then we should find ourselves heading into town from the south."

"But what if this loop only works one direction?" Steve queried as we found ourselves on top of the barrier. It was too late to stop even if I wanted too.

There was a horrible scrapping sound as the Chevy plowed head-on into the plastic barrels at nearly 30 miles per hour. While the barrels took most of the impact the front of the car still managed to reach the metal guardrail which infected a terrible blow on the front bumper and grill. The plastic pieces buckled backwards and cracked in several places as the car continued to move forward at nearly 15mph. The front frame pushed upward into the radiator breaking it open and causing a mixture of steam and water to shot out in the air. The car continued to move forward despite the massive blow as the hood of the car bent upward in a vicious V-shape.

Inside the vehicle the effects of the crash were less felt. The seatbelts we were wearing along with the airbags took 99% of the impact. One of Steve's knees managed to hit the dashboard that would cause it to bruise later on, but the safety devices had kept both of us from getting any serious injuries. Then the accident was over. The Cavalier had gone from 30mph to zero in less then a 10th of a second - not even enough time for the brain to comprehend what was happening. But it had left over $2,800 worth of damage to the car's body.

"Are you okay?" I screamed in shook and panic at the thought I had been wrong.

"I'm - I'm okay," he answered, still dazed from the accident while he grabbed onto his knee. "My knee hurts but I don't think it's broken. What about you?"

"I'm fine, just shaken up some. I better check the car."

I stepped outside to check the damage - it was bad. Then I heard a car pull up behind us. There was an officer standing halfway outside his car staring at us and shaking his head back and forth with a silly-ass grin on his face. I sat back down in the driver's seat and put my head on the steering wheel.

"Oh God, has this been a bad day," I said out-loud.

******

"I can't believe you would do such a bonehead move!" Sox started yelling when we got home. He had driven down to the police station to pick us up and hadn't said a word to me the entire way home. Now his anger was coming out in full fury.

"You're supposed to be the smart one in the family. Graduated a year early and number one in your class. So WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING OF YOUNG LADY?"

I tried to think up an answer. It was clear Sox didn't remember anything that happened before we arrived in this quaint little town. He truly believed he had lived in Andersonville all his life. So how could I explain to him that I had been looking for a way out of this town? I stood there biting my lip trying to think of a good answer.

"WELL, I'M WAITING 'EINSTEIN'! Don't tell me you planned on running into that wall." I continued to stand there nervously; I had never seen my father this mad before.

"I'm sorry," I replied quietly, "it just happened."

"It just happened!" Sox mocked me while rolling his eyes. "You could have been killed. Worse, you could have killed your BROTHER." It was a poor choice of words but my father was too angry to realize it.

"Sox, let's try to calm down." Norma interceded. "They're both okay, that's what's important." She tried placing her hand on his shoulder but he brushed it off.

"No, I'm not going to calm down. DO YOU KNOW THE RIBBING I'm going to get on Monday when my co-workers find out that my bright daughter, the one I've been bragging about for months, ran her car into a wall? I'll be the laughing stock of the company. And by the way Missy, you're paying for the damages out of your own pocket. You can walk or ride a bike to work until your car is fixed. Maybe that'll teach you some responsibility in driving a car." It was too much pounding for me to bear.

"I'm SORRY!" I shouted out. "I'm sorry to be such a disappointment to you. I'm sorry you value Steve's life OVER MINE. I'm sorry I'm not like Jennifer, your favorite daughter who can do no wrong."

"Now wait a MINUTE YOUNG LADY," Sox bellowed. "I said no such thing."

"Yes you did!" I cried out. "Yes you did. When I was Tom McClain you use to tell me all the time how Jennifer was your favorite daughter - and how different your two girls were. It became clear that you liked Linda the least of your three children."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Sox's voice boomed out. "Who in the HELL is this Tom McClain and why are you referring to him as if he were you? I don't know anyone named Tom McClain and you sure as 'HELL' aren't him. So now you're telling me I have a daughter who is both 'STUPID' and 'CRAZY'?

"I'M NOT CRAZY!" I screamed back. "You know you feel that way about Jennifer and me - and I know it too. You're just not man enough to admit it."

Sox turned beet red in anger. He was about to say something else when I turned and ran upstairs to my bedroom in shame and embarrassment. Upon entering the room I threw myself on the bed and started bawling my eyes out. Why hadn't I thought about what I was doing first? Sox was right, it had been a bonehead move. But I had let my anger at the situation get the best of me. It had always been my downfall.

I cried some more and for some reason, the more I did the better I felt. As Tom McClain I rarely cried, it just didn't feel right. But now it felt so natural and was a relief to do so. I heard a car start up and drive off in a hurry. There was a short knock on my bedroom door and someone asked if it was okay to come in. I dried the tears from my cheeks and told them to enter. It was my mother. She looked at me with loving, compassionate eyes and sat down beside me while gently placing her arm around me.

"It's okay honey. Your father was mad; he really didn't mean all those things he said about you downstairs. He's taking a drive to cool off and when he gets back everything will be okay, you'll see."

"Mom," I said, enjoying the comforting touch of my mother's compassion. "I'm so sorry for embarrassing both of you like this." My eyes teared up and I found myself wanting to cry again. Mrs. Anderson guided my face into her shoulder and held on to me tightly.

"There, there sweetheart," she said in a comforting tone. "It's okay. We all do dumb things now and then. I've always been very proud of you Linda. You've grown into such a strong, young woman." There was a noise at door. It was Jennifer standing there looking at us with big, soft eyes.

"Linda, I'm glad you weren't hurt," she said with big, teary eyes. I held out my arm and Jennifer came rushing to me. The three of us sat there in a big group hug.

******

That night was very un-restful for me. The events of the previous days kept filling my mind and every couple of hours I would wake to discover I really was girl just like in my dreams. Once I got up and listened to the crickets chirping outside in the cool night. It seemed so unreal to be sitting in this house like a regular family member. I lay back down to sleep and was surprised to see my mother opening up the curtains to a lovely sunrise.

"Rise and shine sleepy-head," she announced cheerfully.

"What for?" I groaned. "I want to sleep some more."

"You can't, you have to get ready for church."

"Church?"

"It's Sunday morning. We always go to church as a family. Let's see," Mrs. Anderson opened up the closet door, "why don't you wear your yellow dress today Linda. You always look so pretty in it." She hung it on the door handle.

'Church! Dress!' I wasn't ready for this. "Can't I stay home mom. I'm really not feeling like myself today."

"Oh come on now Linda," Mrs. Anderson responded cheerfully as she pulled the blankets off my bed. "All your friends will be there. Now let's get cracking."

I forced myself out of bed and got into the shower, letting the warm water run over my long hair and down my new body. It felt surprisingly good. The last time I had taken a shower was when I had still been a 'he'. Now I had long hair, wide hips, breast, and - yikes - internal plumping.

Yesterday's events seemed like a blur and so far away this morning. I had wrecked my car; the only way to get out of this god-forsaken town Dennis Butz had dumped me into. And the argument with my dad, being bawled out like I was actually his own child. I remembered a much different person when I had been Tom and Sox was just my father-in-law. Sox had never treated me this way before. Was it love that had caused him to act this way? I heard a pounding on the door; it was my sister wanting to come in.

My sister, it sounded so foreign and yet exciting to me. To have a real brother and sister, as well as parents who thought of you as their own; it was a dream come true for me. But then I looked at my new body and realized everything wasn't right. Why couldn't the Judge have allowed the Anderson's to have two sons and one daughter? What harm would it have done - they wouldn't have known anyway?

I wrapped a towel around my body and let my little sister in. Jennifer smiled sweetly and thanked me for doing so. Now I knew what Sox had meant that first day we had met at my apartment. Jennifer was a pleasant child to be around, and now she was my little sister.

I dried off quickly with the towel. It didn't seem to bother Jennifer that she saw me partially naked. In fact the younger girl didn't seem to even notice while she brushed her teeth. I slipped on my robe, glance one more time at my younger sister, and left. Steve was waiting nervously for me in my bedroom.

"Um, Lin - Tom. Do you need any help getting ready? I can help, I've had plenty of experience you know."

I started laughing out loud. "Do you know how ridiculous that sounded. Like you wear women's clothes all the time." Steve just gave me an embarrassing grin. "Are you happy Steve, now that you're a male again." I had to know if this had been the right decision.

"More then I can tell you Tom," he smiled brightly. "You had something to do with this, didn't you?"

"Yes, only I didn't know I would end up as a young woman, especially Linda Anderson. It's all so weird to believe this has happened."

"It took me a while to get used to it to Tom. But it's not too bad and I'll be here to help you whenever you need it."

"Then start by calling me Linda. If I'm going to accept all this then I need to be treated as your sister." Steve nodded his head to signify he understood. "I um, guess I could use your help with this outfit - like what kind of slip I should wear and what shoes to put on, maybe help picking out some jewelry."

Steve beamed and said, "That I can do. Let's start with your underwear. Do you have a full slip in there?" I didn't know, I had avoided going through the girls' clothes yesterday - especially the underwear.

"I guess I should check, shouldn't I." I opened up a few drawers and found three full slips, one pink, one blue, and one white.

"Which one?" I asked.

"The pink slip is prettier but wear the white slip so it won't show through your dress. Now let's find you a pair of shoes." I didn't seem to own a yellow pair so Steve pulled out a pair of black shoes with almost no heel to them.

"If you want, I would suggest putting a few yellow ribbons in your hair to make it stand out more. You could dress flashier but it's probably not a good idea to wear something flashy to church.

"No, I guess not," I agreed. "I better get dressed now." My brother turned to leave but I grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Steve, I'm sorry about yesterday. It was a stupid thing to do. I'm so glad you weren't hurt. Please, forgive me."

"I've done a few stupid things myself Tom which you had to pay for. If I hadn't made that deal with Klein Walker we wouldn't be here right now. But I'm happy we are. We now have a real mom and dad plus a great sister. A REAL HOME Tom! And the Judge made us young enough so we can stay with our parents for a few more years but inside we're old enough to appreciate them." He grinned with happiness. "Okay - that's the last time I call you Tom Sis. Wow, it's getting late. I better get ready myself." He left my room in a hurry.

I closed the door and pulled out a pair of yellow panties from my underwear drawer.

'Might as well try to color coordinate' I thought, not knowing what difference it really meant. The old Tom McClain certainly wouldn't have bothered with such foolish things.

I pulled the panties up my legs and around my waist. Next I hooked a yellow bra around my chest and placed my breasts into the cups. It actually felt good having them secured instead of bouncing around all over the place. I placed the smooth, nylon slip over my head and it slid down into place with almost no help from me. I decided to look at myself in the mirror and noticed that I didn't look half-bad standing there - maybe even a little sexy.

The pantyhose were a little bit more difficult to put on. The last time I had worn a pair was when Jennifer and I were sneaking Klein Walker out of the motel room past his two bodyguards, more than two years ago. It took me three tries but finally I was able to roll them up my legs without getting a run in them. The dress my mother had picked out was stylish, with a high neckline and a faded flower print on it. It fit me like a glove and in fact, looked like it had been worn quite a few times before. I wondered how someone could keep track of all these small details like supplying me with a wardrobe that included worn looking clothes.

I sat down at her makeup table and put on the gold necklace that Steve had picked out for me. It made me look more grown up. Next I placed a bracelet around my wrist. Engraved on the side was "With all my love, Dad." I almost cried thinking about the fight I had with Sox yesterday. I wondered if he was still mad at me.

I avoided putting on any makeup, my face didn't require any and I didn't want to try applying any at this moment anyway. But I knew I would have to experiment putting some on before tomorrow, my first day at work. Something told me inside that it was better if I presented myself to the judge as a young, mature woman, not some scared unconfident little girl. I made a mental note to ask Steve for some tips later on. There was irony that I had to ask my brother for tips on how to dress and look like a woman.

'I bet Dennis Butz is having a great laugh out of all this,' I thought to myself.

Deciding not to put anything in my hair, I headed downstairs for breakfast. I found my mother at the stove cooking up a stack of pancakes and eggs with a happy smile on her face. I sensed my mother was someone who enjoyed giving of herself, so she thrived on taking care of her family. No wonder it had destroyed Mrs. Anderson when she had lost all three of her children. She no longer knew what to do with herself anymore.

"Good morning honey," she said pleasantly. "Breakfast is almost ready. Can you give me a hand getting it on the table?"

"Sure mom." I had never seen Mrs. Anderson like this before. Even after she had unofficially adopted Al/Jennifer and me as her own children there had always been a certain sadness in her mood. Now, free from the knowledge her children had been killed, she flourished with joy. I realized the old Jennifer had been a lifeline for the older woman for the past two years but not a cure. At least Dennis had been right about how my mother would thrive about not knowing they had all died.

My father came into the room joking about something with Steve, both dressed in a pair of good pants, nice shirt, and tie. It was obvious that my brother had taken to his new role with gusto. Sox looked at me with slight embarrassment and said good morning. Suddenly there was an awkward moment between the two of us, which thankfully was interrupted when Jennifer came bouncing into the room full of energy and smiles.

"Hi pumpkin," Sox said to her. He reached down and gave his younger daughter a big hug, who returned his with her own. Mrs. Anderson in the meantime was placing the last of the food on the table.

"Okay everyone," she said with warm energy, "let's eat."

We sat down at the kitchen table and dove into the pancakes, eggs, and sausage she had prepared for us. I found this to be a strange but wonderful feeling of eating a meal as a family. They were nothing like the meals we had had together at my house when I had been Tom McClain. There was closeness, like a bonding of family members.

Sox and my brother were talking about the high school football team Steve was trying out for. Both were excited about the upcoming season, still a month away. Mrs. Anderson sat there watching with a content look on her face. Jennifer didn't say much, although I did catch her trying to take some of my pancakes off my plate in a playful manner. I was getting used to having a little sister around.

After the meal was done and the plates had been picked up we piled into the family van and headed to St. Michelle's church a few miles away. It was a small, white church with a tall steeple surrounded by towering pine trees. I was surprised to see about 40-50 people inside the church but like Jennifer, they weren't really real people. It was the eyes that gave them away, a white twinkling in the pupils when you looked right at them. Otherwise they looked, dressed and even felt normal to the touch. What was strange was my mom or dad didn't notice the irregularity.

There was only one other person in the church I knew was normal besides Steve and I and that was Officer Dave Williams. He was seated on the other side of the church with his wife and two sons who also appeared to be normal people. I remembered what Trisha Brown had told me and decided to talk with them after church.

The service wasn't as bad as I expected. While not a regular church going person in the past, I still had a strong belief and faith in God that he did things for the best. Now I prayed with a passion for my parents, my brother, and for myself. I prayed to have the strength to accept what had happened to me and what was still to come.

After the service I made my way over to Sargent Williams. His wife stood close by, a pretty woman in her early thirty's. Their kids were still fairly young, about 5 and 8 years old.

"Hello Officer Williams," I said cautiously.

"Hello Linda." He grasped my hand softly. "I'm off duty right now, so you can call me Mr. Williams."

"I didn't think cops were ever off duty." I was a little annoyed that he hadn't offered to let me call him by his first name. He was going to treat me as a young kid, not as an adult. In reality I was almost as old as he was, but reality didn't seem to have a place in Andersonville as I was discovering.

The cop smiled oh-so slightly. "In Andersonville things are a little different as you may have noticed. Allow me to introduce my wife, Janet. Honey, this is Linda Anderson."

His wife smiled warmly and said, "Dave's told me so much about you." She gave her husband a side look and continued, "I bet you must be excited about starting your new job tomorrow."

"I'm not really sure yet," I stuttered out, wondering if his wife knew the full story about what was going on. "I hear the Judge can be a little hard to get along with at times."

"You'll do fine," Dave replied but with some caution in his voice. "Just remember who you are now and what you're supposed to be doing. It'll work out okay."

'Who I am now!' It was the first indication anyone had given me since I arrived that I wasn't really Linda Anderson. Even the cop who had taken care of my accident yesterday had played dumb, acting as if I had been Linda and lived in Andersonville all my life.

"Mr. Williams, can I talk to you in private for a moment please?"

He hesitated. "Not now Linda, I promised to take my family to the lake for a picnic after church. Plus I have to be in early tomorrow to welcome five new 'residents' to our town. I'll talk to you after the Judge gets done with them, if you still want to talk that is."

It wasn't the answer I was hoping for but if the man didn't want to talk I couldn't make him. I said goodbye to Dave and his family and watched them walked away. Trisha was right, he did seem to be a decent guy. As I turned to go back to my family I found my path blocked by a girl about my age.

"Hi girlfriend," the redhead teenager said. She gave me a quick hug that I reluctantly returned. "Why didn't you call me last night?"

'Call you, I don't even know who you are,' I wanted to tell her. This place was crazy. Cops claiming I lived here all my life; strangers coming up to greet me like we were old friends; parents who remembered me as their daughter. I wondered what other surprises were in store for me.

"Yesterday was a bad day. I wreaked my car and my dad was really upset with me," I told her.

"Are you okay?" For not being real this fake person held a look of deep concern on her face like she meant it. Perhaps that was how things worked around here - these temporary people were here to make the new citizens feel more relaxed and maybe even normal in a non-normal situation.

"I'm doing better, my car's a mess."

The red-hair girl gave me a comforting smile. "It can be fixed, at least you're okay. Look, Teresa and I are going over to the mall, want to join us?"

"I better not, I think I'm grounded even though my dad hasn't told me so. I better stick around the house today." The other girl gave me an understanding look.

"I'll call you later. Good luck on your job tomorrow." She gave me another hug and happily trotted off.

'Luck?' Why was everyone wishing me good luck on my new job tomorrow? Was I going need it? This Judge didn't seem like a very happy person and Dennis had warned me that he was a little rough around the edges. Even officer William's had expressed some reservations about tomorrow. Someone tugging on my dress pulled me out of my daydream.

"Daddy says it's time to go," Jennifer told me. I could see the others were already getting into the van.

"Then I guess we better get going," I told my sister with a smile.

******

From my bedroom window I stared out at the lush, green, lawn below. Twenty-four hours! I had been here that long and had already made a mess of things. I had managed to crash my car, turned my father against me, and make a first class fool of myself in front of everyone. Oh, Dennis Butz had to be laughing his ass off right now I figured. Yet there was a sense of peace and security being here in Andersonville. I was normal now, just like all the other kids I had gone to school with when I was Tom McClain.

I used to envy them being dropped off at their homes with their mother or father waiting for them outside, while I had spent my entire life in an orphanage. It wasn't that the orphanage had been so bad, but it wasn't like being in a real home with loving parents to call your own. Now if only I could make amends for the past 24 hours. There was a slight knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I said.

The door open slowly and I was surprise to see it wasn't my mom or Jennifer but my father. He looked at me with sad, loving eyes. "Can we talk sweetheart?"

"Sure - sure Dad." Sox sat down on my bed across from me and leaned forward.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you the way I did yesterday honey."

"No Dad, I'm the one who should be sorry. It was a bonehead thing to do."

The older man shook his head. "We all make mistakes Linda. Lord knows I've made my share. But you've always been a smart and mature girl all your life, it's hard for me to think of you as still being a young girl and not yet an adult."

There was that 'kid stuff' again. I was in my late 20's; not some mindless teenage kid who didn't have a clue about what life was all about. Why couldn't they treat me as such? My father continued.

"I guess it shows that I do favor your sister a little more, but it doesn't mean I love you less Linda. You have always been so independent all your life - you never really needed me."

"That's not true Dad," I said while wondering if it really was. Had the real Linda been so independent and unattached from her father? "You've always been a big influence on my life.

"But you never wanted me in your life sweetheart. Sure, we did a few things together but your independent streak never allowed us to be very close. And then there was - my drinking problem. I guess that had a lot to do with it. I wasn't a very pleasant person to be around when you were growing up. Thank God for the local AA chapter! They helped me become a better man."

I was a little shocked to learn that Sox remembered being an alcoholic. It meant this make-believe life of mine didn't hold happy answers all the time.

"Daddy," I started off while finding it easy to fall into the role of his daughter with him sitting across from me. "I've always admired you for courage to stand up to your problem. That's where you went last night, wasn't it. What I did and said almost caused you to drink." The middle-age man shook his head.

"No, that's not true and don't you believe it. I've had this trouble ever since I joined the Navy. It was my crutch for too many years, to blame my drinking on everyone else but myself. The truth was, I didn't have the courage to face my problems so I hid from them by drinking. But now I know better, except it cost me my relationship with you. That's why I spend so much time with your sister, she's like my second chance to experience all the things I never could with you. You've never seemed able to forgive me for how I use to be.

"Oh Dad." I got up and sat down on the bed next to him. "I have forgiven you, and I want to have a good daughter/father relationship with you. I just hope I can be the daughter that will make you proud."

"You already have," he said with a heartfelt sigh. "I am so proud of you. Graduating a year early while still being number one in your class. You've grown up to be a lovely, young woman."

I cringed slightly at the 'lovely, young woman' part. I still hadn't gotten use to that idea yet.

Sox hugged and patted me on the back. "Come on, let's go downstairs and sit on the front porch for a while. Your mother is fixing a pitcher of ice tea and we can sit outside and talk about your new job. I bet you can't wait to start?"

"I'll let you know tomorrow Dad." Sox just laughed and led me downstairs.

Fade out...

This story dedicated to Mathew Shepherd, who lives in the hearts of all open-mind people.

 

Andersonville 2 - Judge-less
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

The warm glow of yesterday's conversation with my father ended in the cold reality of Monday morning. The cold reality that I was a young, teenage girl. The cold reality that I was expected to act like a girl, something totally foreign and yes, something I found even a little scary. And the cold reality that I had no idea why I was here or where this life would take me. The only thing going my way at the moment was the pair of comfortable, low-slung heels I wore with the blue dress my mother had insisted I wear today. They made an uncomfortable clicking sound as I walked across the hard floor of the courthouse reception area. This would be my second meeting with the judge and to say I was nervous would have been an understatement.

"Good morning Miss Anderson," said one of the officers I hadn't met before. I noticed he was guarding five prisoners, all of who gave me a slight leer. "Your office is down the hall and to the right."

I nodded but didn't say a word. It was a little unnerving to meet people who seemed to know you while you didn't have a clue as to who they were. I passed an elevator and set of restrooms along the way and made a mental note of them. I had no doubt that I was now expected to use the ladies room - another unpleasant cold reality. When I entered my office there was also a lovely African-American woman standing over a small table fixing coffee. She turned, smiled, and held out her hand to me. "Hi, you must be Linda Anderson. I'm Ashlee Gang."

"Nice to meet you Ashlee," I responded. "Do you work here?"

She laughed slightly as if I had made a joke. "Oh no, I came here with the judge this morning. I work in Peace River as the judge's assistant, just like you. I'm only here for the day to train you on your new job."

"One day?" I was surprised. "Will I know everything by then?"

"Enough," she responded confidently. "Most of what you need to know you'll pick up as you go along." She was interrupted by the intercom.

"Miss Gang, if you will bring Miss Anderson inside my office we can get started."

Ashlee nodded and led me over to the door leading to the Judge's chambers. After a quick knock she opened up the door and we both went in to find the judge sitting at his desk shuffling some papers around. He didn't seem to be very happy and when he saw me his mood didn't change. I took an instant dislike to the man. He gave me a stern look and started talking. "My name is Judge Jasper. You will refer to me as either 'Your Honor', 'Judge Jasper', or just 'Judge'. You will not tell anyone else what goes on inside here except for your weekly reports to Dennis Butz." There was a note of disapproval in his tone over the last sentence. "As you may have guessed, things are different in this town." He gave me a short smirk and continued. "I tend to run a tight ship here and I expect a few things out of you. First, you will work late when it's necessary. It won't happen very often but it will happen. Second, I expect you to be here on time every morning. If you're even a minute late you can expect to be docked for it. Third, you will always dress in a professional manner and won't do anything in your personal life that will embarrass this office - like your little accident this weekend."

I felt my temper rise a little but kept my mouth shut. 'What a prick,' I thought.

"Yes Miss Anderson, that is right. I am a 'PRICK' if you get on the wrong side of me - which you already have. Let me assure you that you were not my first, second, or for that matter, my last choice to be my assistant. But since you are working for me it means your soul is mine. So God help you if you screw up. Are there any questions?" The way he had laid out the question was a clear indication he didn't want me asking any. Besides, I was a little shook up to discover he could read my mind. I shook my head 'no'. "Good," he said with some satisfaction. "Now we can begin. If you both will follow me please." The judge opened up the door and led us into the courtroom.

Fade out...

######

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town -- just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

"All rise," barked out Sergeant Williams. "The Municipal Court for the City of Andersonville, Montana, is now in session. The Honorable Judge Jasper is presiding."

The Judge took his seat on the bench while I followed Ashlee over to a small desk in the corner. It was covered with several recording items, including a tape recorder and a video camera. Both were hooked up to a PC computer, a brand I couldn't make out, that was used to burn both the image and voice onto a CD. All this high tech made me wonder what Andersonville was all about. There were a few people in the courtroom. One of them was Sergeant Williams, who was standing near the judge. There were two other officers too, one standing by the front door of the courtroom and the other standing behind the defendant. The person on trial was a middle-age man dressed in an orange prison uniform. He seemed confused about why he was here. There was also a tall, blond woman with brown eyes dressed in a very professional pants suit standing near us. She flashed me a quick smile and turned back to the judge.

"Sergeant Williams, what is our first case?" Judge Jasper inquired.

"David Lee Jarvis your honor. He was found guilty of breaking and entering for the fifth time. Also various petty crimes including forgery, fencing stolen property, and lying under oath."

"I see Sergeant Williams." Judge Jasper turned to man who was doing a remarkable job of staying calm. "And what do you have to say for yourself Mr. Jarvis."

"What's going on here," he objected. "No one told me I would be on trial when I got here. This is supposed to be some kind of alternative sentencing to my crimes. Where's my lawyer, I know my rights. I want one--" He was about to go on when his voice seem to give out. His eyes went wide as he grabbed his throat but all that came out was a slight gurgling sound.

"It will be easier on you Mr. Jarvis, if you answer my questions from now on - do you understand me?" The man shook his head. "Good! Now let me explain the procedure here. This is not a trial. You have been found guilty of your crimes and have agreed to forgo your original sentencing to whatever new sentence the acting judge - in this case me - determines you should serve. That is what I am trying to determine right now." The Judge shifted through some paper work and looked back up at the defendant. "From your criminal record, it's clear to me that your life has been filled with selfish acts due to a lazy attitude. You haven't even held a regular job for more then 6 months. You've been totally irresponsible with your life, even failing to send child support to your two kids. But all that stops here. Is there anything you wish to say before I pass sentence?" Judge Jasper waved his hand and the man was able to speak again.

"Wait a minute, what is this?" Mr. Jarvis asked.

The Judge frowned slightly but didn't answer him. Instead he held out his hands and closed his eyes as if he were concentrating on an image in his mind. The palms of his hands began to glow and a white ball of light with twinkling blue sparkle rose from it. Mr. Jarvis, who had a front row view of what was going on, stood there in fear. The ball of light/energy floated over the Judge's hands for a moment then took off like a bullet right at its intended target. Mr. Jarvis gasped and tried to run but his feet seemed to be planted firmly to the ground. The ball hit him right in the chest and disappeared. Almost immediately the changes started. Not being a very tall man, Mr. Jarvis started growing by several inches. His hair changed color, from dark brown to a platinum blonde while growing longer until it was halfway down his back. The bewildered man felt his hips raising up and become shapelier while there was an outward pushing on his chest. They grew to become rather nice size breast. His face changed from being old and rough to a smooth, feminine look. In less then 20 seconds the middle age man that had been standing there was now a pretty 22-year-old female.

"Welcome to your new life Miss Wilson," the Judge told her unceremoniously.

"What the - who - what happened -- for --" the young woman didn't know what to say. Her face registered the shock she was feeling.

"Officer Philips, if you would help Miss Wilson to Dr. Green's office please," Judge Jasper commanded. I noticed the blond lady near me nod at the judge and take a hold of Miss Wilson's hand while the officer held on to the other.

"Come on dear, we have a lot to talk about," the doctor stated in a comforting tone to the frighten woman.

"But - but I'm a man," she expressed with uncertainly. "I can't be a woman. I don't want to be a woman!" There was a small shriek in the hallway right after she left.

"You may bring in the next case Sergeant Williams," the Judge said.

******

There were four other men that appeared before the judge that morning. But unlike Miss Wilson, they left the courtroom as young girls between the ages of 6 to 14. And for some strange reason, they didn't seem to remember who they were. The younger ones looked around and asked for their mommy while the teenagers simply said 'thank you' to the Judge and left in a hurry as if they had something important to do. After court was over, Ashlee spent the rest of the morning showing me where to store the CDs, what reports to fill out, and other duties I would need to do. It wasn't that hard. The Judge meanwhile locked himself in his chambers and didn't come out.

"It's better that you don't disturb him after a hearing," she told me. "He can tend to be a little cranky at you if you do."

I was about to ask Ashlee how much crankier he could get when she looked at the clock and decided to break for lunch. So we grabbed our purses and headed out the door.

"You don't know how lucky you are to have a Pizza Hut," Ashlee told me as we entered the restaurant. "It's the one thing I miss about my old life. I used to live on their pizza."

"Doesn't Peace River have a Pizza Hut?" I asked trying to find out all I could about this mysterious town she had come from.

She shook her head vigorously from side to side. "No, and I think the Judge wants it that way. There are a few family run restaurants but no major chains like Wendy's or Taco Bell. At least you have a McDonald's; it's been years since I've had a Big Mac."

"When was the last time you left Peace River?" I was curious as to how much freedom Judge Jasper allowed his people.

"This is my first time out," she exclaimed. "I arrived in Peace River about nine years ago. It was more of an accident on my part and it certainly was an adjustment once he changed me. But now I wouldn't dream of leaving."

We were interrupted by our waitress, who took our order. Once she left I began to question Ashlee again.

"Who are you," I inquired. "I mean really." Ashlee sighed slightly. "It's better that you don't know Linda. Who I used to be doesn't matter anymore. And I was just like you at one time, scared to death of what was to come."

"I'm not scared!" It wasn't really a lie. The truth was I was terrified with the thought of spending the rest of my life as Linda Anderson. I wanted to be Tom McClain again. "I just want to know what the hell is going on. Do you know who the judge is, I mean really?"

Ashlee nodded her head slowly. "Yes, I do, but I can't tell you who he is or what you're doing here. They told me I couldn't tell you. I'm really sorry Linda."

"They?" I replied. "Look, you have to tell me something, I'm going crazy here. You do know who I used to be, don't you?"

"Yes, I was briefed on the way in. You were Tom McClain, a retired detective who was playing the stock market and making other types of deals. You were married to your best friend, Jennifer, who used to be a man herself. You recently lost a son and your marriage was - "

"Okay, so you do know me," I interrupted and a little sore about her bringing up my son. "Don't you think it's fair if I know something about you - please?"

"Linda," she started out. "You seem like a nice person and I really want to be your friend. Trust me, you don't want to know about my past, I wasn't very pleasant before I became Ashlee."

I pouted a little in silence. It didn't seem fair that she knew my complete history when I didn't know anything about her. She saw my brooding and smiled gently.

"It really means that much to you, doesn't it?" She took a drink of her diet cola and continued, "I used to be known as Matt Stover. I was 35 at the time I drove into Peace River by accident. I was on my way to what I thought was an important meeting." There was a look of guilt in her eyes.

"What kind of meeting?" I asked.

"A KKK meeting," she whispered back uneasily.

"Are you telling me you used to be white?" I was astounded.

"Yes, I was. Does that surprise you? You see I hated black people not because they did anything to me, but because I felt they were different. I also wasn't very respectful to women either. They were sex objects to be used to satisfy my manly needs. So, when the judge got me into his courtroom he decided to teach me a lesson in both areas. He made me into an African-American woman. It was horrible at first, I mean, I was everything I feared and loathed. But after I accepted who I was it got better. In a couple of weeks I couldn't imagine being anyone but Ashlee Gang. Tell me Linda, when you look at the Judge who do you see?

"A middle-age white man in a black robe."

Ashlee gave me a big grin. "I thought so. When I look at the Judge I see a middle-age black man. Someone else may see him as an Asian or Native American. The point is, he's trying to show us it's not the outside color that we should be looking at, but it's what's inside the person that matters."

"Who is this Judge then?"

She got a concern look on her face. "I told you Linda, I can't tell you. Believe me, I would love to but I can't and even if I did you wouldn't believe me. All I can tell you is that Judge Jasper is a nice boss to work for once he gets to know you."

"Right," I responded sarcastically. "Ashlee, the man hates my guts."

She gave me a soft smile. "I don't think he hates you Linda. He just isn't happy with the current situation. Working in Andersonville wasn't his idea."

"You mean someone is forcing him to work here."

"No, you can't force the Judge to do anything. What I mean is he was obligated to come here and isn't very happy about it. Look, despite what you may feel towards the Judge you're going to find out that he is a very honorable man. When he gives his word he keeps it, even if he doesn't want to keep it. I think that's what the problem is, the Judge is obligated to serve here and he isn't happy about it. Give him a few days, he'll cool down and then you'll see the real side of him."

"What about this morning? Does he always turn men into women?" Ashlee laughed lightly. "No, just most of the time. I've kept a few statistics since I started working for him. In the cases of men over the age of 18, about 71% get turned into woman. For the woman that rate is even higher, about 90% get changed into men. Of course we get almost twice the number of men than we do woman coming through our town."

"Over 18? He changes kids to?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes," Ashlee said with some reservation in her voice as if she wasn't sure she should be telling me this. "Not many but we do get some. However, the judge never makes them any older than they already are and usually they don't have a memory of their past life. I've only known him to change the gender of five kids, all male to female."

"Where do these people come from?"

She frowned slightly at my question. "Look Linda, I've said too much already. Let me give you some advice instead. Andersonville is nothing like Peace River - not in the way it's run anyway. It's hard on the Judge to run his town the way he wants to and then this town under another set of rules. Give him time to adjust and be patient with him. He really is a nice man to work for once you get to know him. As for yourself, accept who you are and don't look back on your old life. You'll find the rewards of starting over with your current experiences to be a wonderful gift. Look, our food is here."

The waitress placed our pizza on the table and Ashlee dug into it with great enthusiasm. I was surprised to see how many slices the slender woman was able to put away. I tried asking her about various things but she either turned the conversation to something else or ignored my question altogether. However, I did feel a certain bond toward her. She felt like a big sister who was genuinely concerned that I would fit into my new role. When we got back from lunch Officer Philips was waiting for us in my office. He was a tall, dark haired man who had let his mid-life bulge get the best of him. Despite being overweight he looked fairly professional and even carried a pleasant smile. I noticed he wasn't wearing a wedding band, which surprised me a little. I would have thought all the cops in Andersonville would have been married.

"I've been waiting for you to return, Miss Anderson," he said with a grin. "Dr. Green would like to see you. Her office is on the second floor, room 212."

"Who's Dr. Green?" I wanted to know.

"You'll find out when you get there." I heard the cop chuckle as he left.

"Do you know who she is?" I said to Ashlee.

"I've never heard of her before. Maybe she's a medical doctor and needs to examine you. I'll finish up here while you're gone."

"Sure - thanks." I wasn't to thrilled about seeing this doctor, and I certainly didn't want anyone examining my new body. As I made my way toward the steps the elevator door opened up and a man wearing a business suit walked out. 'Why walk when I can ride,' I said to myself. I got inside the elevator and hit the second floor button, only the door didn't close. "What's going on here," I said out loud with some aggravation. I hit the close button several times but nothing happened. "Stupid elevator!" I started pushing the number 2 on the panel and close door button at the same time but the door remained open.

"Something wrong Miss Anderson?" It was Dave Williams standing in the hallway giving me a humorous grin.

"Yeah, I can't get this stupid door to close." It annoyed me slightly that I had to explain the obvious to him. Why else would I be standing in the elevator pushing these buttons?

"Yes, we've been having trouble with it," he explained. "Step out into the hallway for a moment and let's see what happens." I did as he told me and almost immediately the door closed. "Looks like everything's fine now," he said turning to leave. I pushed the service button several times but nothing happened.

"Hey!" I yelled back at him. "It's not opening now."

The cop turned back and looked at me. I noticed a small smile underneath his bushy mustache. "I'm afraid the elevator has been out of order for months Miss Anderson. But don't fret, the stairs will be good exercise for you."

"Months! But I just saw somebody get out of it!" I protested.

"I'm afraid that's impossible Miss Anderson, we can't even get the door to open. Now you better hurry, you don't want to keep Dr. Green waiting." Before I had a chance to reply the officer turned and walked away. 'Damn head games,' I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. Were all the cops like him, denying reality? I made my way up to the second floor and found Dr. Green's office. There was the blond haired woman I had seen in court earlier fixing a small pot of coffee. She looked up and gave me a warm smile.

"Hello Linda," she said in a welcome tone. "Please come in, I'll be with you in a moment."

She went back to fooling with her coffee machine. The free time gave me a chance to look around the room. Her office looked out over Main Street, which at this time of the day was still slightly crowded with cars from the lunch time rush. While it was a rather small room there was a comforting atmosphere about it. In one corner a filing cabinet and small desk. In another area of the room there were a couple of chairs, a couch, and a lamp. Hanging from the walls were paintings of different locations - a view of a forest and a waterfall, as well as other beautiful places. There was no doubt in my mind that this Dr. Green was a psychiatrist. As for the doctor, she was a skinny and attractive woman in her late twenties, wearing a white, silk blouse and a pair of brown pants with a matching jacket. There were several gold chains around her neck and a huge ring to indicate she was married. Her eyes were light brown and she had a trusting smile. If I had still been a man I would have found her interesting but now - now it didn't have the same effect on my body.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Linda. I just moved into my office over the weekend and I'm not very well organized yet. My name is Dr. Caroline Green, but you can call me Carol. Can I get you anything to drink, coffee or tea maybe?"

"No thank you doctor," I replied rather smugly. I wasn't about to get too friendly with a psychiatrist. I planned to keep her at arm's length.

She laughed softly. "I don't blame you for feeling that way. I guess I would too under the circumstances."

"So you know who I am?"

"Of course," she answered honestly while opening up a file lying on her desk. "You 'used' to be Tom McClain and were married for almost two years to your best friend. You had an adopted daughter named Tracy and you were an orphan for most of your life. Do you want me to go on?"

"No thank you, I know my own history. And you're wrong Dr. Green, I didn't use to be Tom McClain - I still am Tom McClain. So let's not play any games. Why am I here?"

"Please, sit down Linda." She made a motion for me to take a seat in a chair near her. "Or Tom if you prefer." I felt the last part was added to humor me, which only added to my silent anger.

"Wouldn't you rather have me lie down on the couch instead," I taunted.

"That's up to you," she answered in a tone that was surprisingly comforting. "Look Linda, I'm here to help, not pick your brain."

"What kind of help are you offering me?" I asked with great mistrust. "A way out of this fantasy world?"

The doctor giggled softly. "No Linda. I'm offering you a way to fit in. Let me explain what my role is. I'm to be your mother, your girlfriend, your helper, and guide in your new female world. I've had a lifetime experience at being a woman."

"So you were born a female, is that what you're trying to tell me?"

"Correct. Whatever you need to help dealing with your new role I'm here for you. Over there," she pointed to a small feminine table, "I can show you how to apply your makeup properly. If you need advice on dating, you can ask me. And when you get your first - period," she said the word softly, "I'll show you how to insert the tampon."

I winced at the thought.

"It's going to happen Linda, sometime in the next three weeks I suspect. And when it does. I will be there to support and help answer all your questions," she said in rather smoothing tone. "But we also can do fun things together," she added brightly. "We'll go shopping and I'll help you pick out clothes and underwear - things that all young women need. And we'll go out to lunch together so you can see and feel how women interact with each other. Soon it'll be like second nature to you."

"What about now?" I asked. "Supposing I'm not interested in having you show me how to apply my eye shadow or lipstick?"

"Then we can talk about other things, like staying healthy. Even though you're a young, healthy female, you'll need to start taking care of your body differently than you have in the past. For instance, take drinking water. It's important that you drink a least 6 glasses of water to keep your skin smooth."

"Wait a minute! Stop, stop, stop!" I launched out of my chair and stood in the middle of the room. "I don't 'want' any of this. I don't 'want' the shopping trips or the girl's night out or the dates with boys opening up doors for me. And I sure as 'hell' don't 'want' the monthly 'PERIODS' you're talking about!' All I want is to be me again - Tom McClain - an all-American male. How long will I be stuck in this role?"

She looked at me with a touch of concern. "He didn't tell, did he! I'm sorry Tom, I thought you knew. The fact is you will remain Linda Anderson for the rest for life. I know that sounds a little scary right now Tom - but I promise with my help you'll look and act like any natural born woman by the time we're through. You just need to learn how to adjust."

"That's the point 'doctor'," I almost snarled. "I don't want to adjust. I was very happy with the sex I was born with. I liked being a man just as much as you liked being born a woman. Can't you understand that?"

"I do," she said sympathetically, "but I can't change your future. Tom, sit down please and listen carefully to what I have to say."

I did as she asked with a glum look on my face. "Why Judge Jasper turned you into a woman I can't say. You could ask him but I don't think he'll give you the answer you are looking for. Remember what you told your friend, Al, when he got changed into Jennifer?"

"Yes and how do you know what I said?" I demanded to know.

"Because I talked to your brother earlier. I see every new resident who remembers their past life, it's my job. But I digress - you told him that Al Parker was dead and he needed to accept being Jennifer. Tom, you need to do the same thing."

"But that's different," I almost yelled out. "Al couldn't have survived another treatment of Dr. Jensen's serum. He was forced to remain living as Jennifer Anderson. If that weren't the case I would have turned him back into Al Parker myself. But with me, all the Judge has to do is wave his hands and I'm a man again. This isn't a permanent situation - it can be changed! I could become Tom McClain again."

"Technically you're probably right. But the reality is he won't do it. I'm here to prepare you for your new life as Linda Anderson. If he were planning on changing you back then I wouldn't have been assigned to this task. I'm sorry Tom, it's not the answer you wanted but it's the truth. You have to accept that you're now Linda Anderson and will remain so until you die." Dr. Green paused for a second before continuing. "If you like, I can prescribe some medication that'll help make it easier for you to accept what has happened." It was laid out on the table like an offer, one which I had no intentions of accepting.

"No drugs doctor, I'll fight you on that."

"I don't want to fight you Tom," she responded carefully. "But the offer is there if you want to take it. It won't affect how you think, only how you feel about certain things."

"You mean like men, don't you?"

"Yes, among other things. It'll help you accept your womanhood much easier. Either way you're going to have to accept and live with the fact you are now Linda Anderson, a young woman."

"Who do you report to?" I demanded to know.

She looked a little hurt by the question. "No one Tom. Whatever you tell me stays in this room. If it was any other way I wouldn't have taken this job."

"And I can talk to you about anything?"

"Only in here," she cautioned me. "Once you leave this room you have to revert back to the role you were given. Call this a small respite from your current reality."

"Okay, then why is it everyone seems to deny the reality of the situation. For instance, Sergeant Williams told me the elevator was broken and they couldn't even get the door to open - only I not only saw someone get out of it, I was standing in the damn thing until he pulled me out. Or the fact that if you try to leave town you find yourself entering back into Andersonville from the north!"

"Well," Carol Green started out; "one reason is because this doesn't happen to us. We can come and go whenever we want. In fact, I don't live in Andersonville; I live in a town nearby. So for us that reality doesn't happen to us."

"But you know it does happen, right?"

"Yes." At least Dr. Green was truthful about it. "Well the cop who gave me a ticket Saturday acted like I was nuts. Did he know about this loop, or whatever you call it?"

"He knew, but he's been told to act like it doesn't exist. And I was really upset to find out the boys in the bunker let you crash. In fact, I have a meeting with their supervisor in 10 minutes and I'm really going to raise hell with them. Both of you could have been seriously hurt or killed."

"Bunker?" I asked.

The doctor blushed slightly at her mistake. "I wasn't suppose to tell you that Linda. Look, forgot about what I just said. Instead, I want you to concentrate on your current life. Accept who you are and try to enjoy the things being a woman has to offer. It's a lot more pleasant than you think." She gave me a warm and caring smile that I took to be genuine. "I guess we should talk about your restrictions before you go."

'Restrictions' I wanted to yell out. So now I was being restricted on what I could and could not do. This was never mentioned in the deal I made with Dennis Butz. "What are you talking about?" I demanded to know.

"Every resident assigned to Andersonville is given a restriction level from 1 to 7, seven being the most restrictive. Most new residents have a level 5 status but you were granted a level 4," she told me pleasantly.

"And that's suppose to make me happy?" I responded. "What does this mean to me?"

"Basically it means you can go anywhere in town and outside the city limits to the north - up to where the cliffs are. This will allow you to go camping in the woods anytime you want as long as you clear it ahead of time with Sergeant Williams or myself. Under normal conditions you would have long-distance and Internet privileges but those are being withheld from you right now - I'm sure you can understand why. Give it a couple of months and even those restrictions will be lifted. There are other things you can do that we can talk about on Wednesday."

"It sounds like I'm in prison."

"Oh Linda," she said jokingly. "It's not like that at all. This is only being done for your own protection. Once you become accustomed to your new life you will be given more freedom. But to be honest, I can tell you're still a little upset by what has happened and you may make a rash decision that could affect your life here."

"Like run my car into a wall?" I said.

"Yes, something like that." She gave me another one of her warm, welcoming smiles that was supposed to break the ice but I ignored it. I was a prisoner in Andersonville and she was one of my wardens who was going to tell me what I could and could not do by her timetable. I wasn't pleased at all. "Well, I have to go to my other appointment and you need to get back to work young lady."

I felt like the "young lady' was added by her to re-affirm my position here. "I'll see you again on Wednesday afternoon Linda. Maybe we can do lunch on Friday if you feel like it." I didn't say anything as she walked with me down the stairs. I was in a state of semi-shock to learn they planned to keep me as Linda Anderson for the rest of my life. After saying goodbye I pretended to go into the bathroom but instead peeked outside to see where she went next. It came as no surprise to me that she got into the elevator. So there wasn't any question about it, the elevator was the way to the bunker she had mentioned. That meant the people I saw exiting the elevator weren't really business people at all but some kind of technical personal. When I walked back into my office Ashlee was filing some paperwork.

"How did it go?" she wanted to know.

"It was different," was the only answer I could come up with. To be honest, I didn't know how it had gone. The doctor was planning to see me three times a week which lead me to believe it hadn't gone all that well.

"Now that you're back, I want to teach you how to focus on a subject."

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"When the Judge changed you into his assistant, he gave you certain powers. This was done so he and his people could channel into one of the residents and find out things about them. Here, let's give it a try. Take my hand and focus on Peggy Wilson, our first case of the day. Picture her in your mind and when you have her - let your mind go."

I took Ashlee's hands and got a mental image of Peggy in my mind. Then I relaxed a little and found everything around me go black. I felt my mind moving, as if being transported through a long dark tunnel, and suddenly I was in her old male body looking up at the Judge who was talking. It was weird; I could feel Mr. Jarvis/Peggy's fear, anger, concern, and a range of other emotions as well. Right now he was asking himself what he had got into as the judge was getting ready to pronounce his sentence. Unexpectedly, I was jerked back down that same dark tunnel and into my own body again.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It was the story of her life. We could have gone forward or backward from that point but I didn't want to overdo it your first time. How do you feel?"

"Tired," I responded. I felt like I had just had a 30 minute workout on my treadmill. "How long did that last?"

"About 10 seconds. Don't worry, it gets easier every time you do it. In a month you won't even feel any side effects."

"So you're telling me I can tune into anyone's life whenever I want?" Actually it was kind of cool thought.

"No," Ashlee told me. "You can only use the power when the Judge or one of his clan gives you permission to do so. If you try it on your own it doesn't work. Oh, one more thing. Don't believe everything you see or feel. It's possible for the individual to make up things in their mind that seem true but really aren't. Sort of like telling a lie over and over again, after a while it feels like the truth to them."

"How will I know when that happens?" I asked.

"You won't. In some cases you'll just have to use your instincts. But it's not your job to figure it out, the Judge will take care of that."

"How often do you have to use this power?" All of the sudden I had a deep desire to find out everything I could about the Judge and his people. I suspected with their attachment to Area 51, they were space Aliens who had crashed on the earth and decided not to leave.

"I use my power about 2-3 times a day but I live in the same town that they do. I suspect that the number of times you have to use your powers will be a lot less. However, that could change soon. Many of the Judge's people have business interest in Andersonville that will require them to come here on a fairly regular schedule.

"Like me?" someone said humorously. In the doorway stood a young man, perhaps 25 years old, wearing a business suit and tie. He was about 6 feet tall, skinny but not too skinny, and wore an almost boyish grin. "Hello Ashlee, how's it going. And this must be Linda Anderson. You've made quite a stir among our people Linda, or should I say, as Tom McClain you did."

I was surprised to see he was so open not only about himself but my past as well. Other than Carol Green, he was the first person to admit who I once was.

"Mark, you know the rules," Ashlee responded but her warning wasn't too stern. "Linda, this is Mark Merrick. He's one of our police officers in Peace River. Watch out for him."

The man faked a painful look. "Ashlee, I'm hurt. I'm one of the nicer people in Peace River. Beside, I'm starting up a business here in Andersonville." He handed me a card that read 'Mercury Connections' with a dark picture of the Roman God Mercury - without the wing shoes. "I have a small store at the Andersonville mall," he continued, "where I sell cell phones, fax machines, Internet services. If you need something that deals with communications I'm the person you want to see Linda."

"Don't you think it's a slow business to get into?" I asked him directly. "Most of the residents can't call outside this little town of yours, let alone have Internet access."

He spotted me a knowing grin. "True, but you can always use a cell phone to call your boyfriend anytime during the day." So now we were back to playing mind games again. "Really, I can make you a good deal on a cell phone Linda - and the Internet access when it becomes available to you."

I looked at his card and noticed there was something odd about the dark figure imprinted on it. Then I figured out what is was and asked, "I thought Mercury wore wing shoes?"

He flinched at the comment. "They were in style at the time." Mark Merrick explained as if he knew the Greek God.

Of course I knew that was nonsense, the God Mercury didn't exist.

The policeman/salesman quickly changed the subject and said, "Stop by my store sometime this week Linda and I'll set you up with a brand new cell phone and knock 20% of the first month."

"I'll think about it Mr. Merrick."

Ashlee interrupted us. "Did you need to see the Judge before we go Mark?"

"If he's in." The man looked toward the door for a moment as if he were sending a mental message. "Looks like I can go in. I should only be about 5 minutes or so Ashlee. Linda, it was nice meeting you. I hope you'll take me up on my offer." He shook my hand then opened up the door and went inside.

"What's going to happen in 5 minutes," I asked.

"Mark's flying me back home."

"But what about my training? I'm not ready yet," I protested vigorously.

"You'll do fine Linda. Just don't do anything to make the Judge mad and everything will work out fine." 'As if that was possible,' I wanted to say. The man was impossible to get along with.

******

I finally made it home from my first, exhausting day at work. Fortunately for me the Judge didn't come out of his chambers the rest of the afternoon. He did call me in once to complain that I hadn't made his coffee strong enough and made me make him another pot while he belittled me for it. It was enough to make me want to scream but I somehow found the strength to hold my tongue. Now the pleasant smell of chicken and mash potatoes ran through the house. It was one of my favorite meals.

"Hi sweetheart," mom said tenderly. "How was your first day at work?"

"Rough," I replied.

Dad gave me a smile and chuckled. "Welcome to the working world honey - it's not like high school."

I wanted to argue that I already knew what the working world was like but knew it was a useless battle. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson didn't remember their own past lives and they sure didn't remember Tom McClain. To them I was simply their daughter Linda, who they had raised all these years in this quiet little town. But then, the good news was they didn't remember losing Linda, Steve, and Jennifer. For them, not remembering their past lives was probably the best thing that could have happened to them.

"I've made your favorite dinner to mark your first day of work," Mom said proudly.

"Thanks Mom," I replied in a tired voice and then, to her surprise, gave her a big hug. She was such a warm and caring woman, and a great mother. The kind of mother I used to dream about while growing up in the orphanage. Having her around almost made up for having to pretend to be her daughter.

"Can I help you with anything?" I offered.

"Would you set the table for me?" she answered.

"Sure mom." I grabbed some plates and started putting them around the dinner room table.

******

Day two was much like day one except I didn't have Ashlee to lean on. Judge Jasper was in his usual foul mood that day. The police led five male prisoners into court, one at a time. In the end, each one was turned into a young girl between the ages of three and 10. Fortunately for them, none of the little girls remembered their past lives. I wondered if it was a random event on what person they became or if Judge Jasper decided beforehand. My guess was the latter since Dr. Green wasn't present in the courtroom this morning to guide them through the trauma and shock of being changed into another person and/or gender. After the morning court dates Judge Jasper disappeared into his chambers, leaving me to work on the pile of paperwork he had given me. An hour later my phone buzzed and it was the Judge calling me into his office again. There was an impatient look on his face.

"I'll be gone the rest of the afternoon," he said with a scowl as if he didn't trust me to be alone. "But before I go, I want to practice your focusing skills with me. Take my hand!"

It was a rather rude command but I obeyed. I took his hands and suddenly felt my head was being invaded by his thoughts. "You're fighting me!" he said to me sternly. "Why?"

But I noticed he wasn't really talking with me, rather he was invading my mind with his thoughts. "What - how - I can hear you talking to me." I replied back in real words.

"Of course you can young lady. Now stop fooling around and focus on our second case of the day - little Tina Felts."

He jerked my hands slightly to focus and I felt myself going into a slight trance. There was Tina as a young boy, maybe 7 years old, running from his father who was half drunk. The much bigger man was holding a belt in one hand and an open bottle of beer in the other.

"Come back here you little shit!" he yelled at the frightened boy. "I'm going to teach you to respect me from now on."

Tina tried to run into his room and lock the door but his father got to him first. He threw his son hard against a wall and Tina ended up on the floor.

"Now I'll teach you not to back-talk me." He raised the belt up high over his head and brought it down with all his might. I could feel the pain of belt hitting the boy's shoulder and back - as well as the fear and sadness that he was feeling. It was too much for me to handle and I jerked myself out of the trance.

"My - my - God. How could he do that to his son?" I wanted to know. Judge Jasper never said a word. Instead he stood up and went back behind his desk, a sorrowful look on his face. I could see he felt the same way I did. "Judge?"

"Miss Anderson," he said in a firm but neutral voice. "You need to work on your skills more. For one thing, you tired too easily. Being a young girl, I can understand why but we need to get you up to speed. I want you to start jogging at least 3 miles a day. This will help tone your body and build up your tolerance. Do you understand?"

I did and nodded my head.

"Good, I hate repeating myself." He stood up. "I'm leaving now. You will not enter into my office unless it's to drop something off on my desk, do I make myself clear?" I nodded my head again. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Close the door as you leave."

I spent the rest of the afternoon filling out paper work and filing the previous morning cases. But no matter how hard I worked, my mind kept going to back to Tina Felts. In her past life he was known as Flex Kalua, a three-time loser at stealing other people's cars. The last time he had been caught red-handed boosting a new corvette from his neighbor's driveway. I had to admit; at least he lost his freedom by going out in style. The judge presiding over his case had decided the man was hopeless and threw the book at him. Flex had been given so many years in jail that by the time he got out he would have been too old to drive. While I didn't have a lot of sympathy for criminals, I wondered what kind of person I would've turned out to be if a father who was a drunken-monster had raised me. So maybe Andersonville was supposed to be a second chance for people like him. It seemed like a pleasant idea anyway. Then I remembered Pete Atkins telling the town was set up to stop a conflict between his people and theirs. If this was so, why did they need other people to fill in the blank spaces? I was so busy thinking that I didn't realize it was after five o'clock until my dad showed up.

"Working late honey?" he asked me.

"Sorry Dad." I grinned foolishly. "I guess I lost track of time. Let me grab my purse."

"No problem dear, I wanted to see where you worked anyway. Nice office by the way."

"I guess. I would introduce you to Judge Jasper but he's already left for the day." But then I began to think that I hadn't actually seen him leave, so maybe he was still in his office. "Let me drop some papers on his desk and then we can go."

I slipped into his office to find it empty and ventured he must have slipped out through the courtroom to avoid passing by me. I laid a few files on his desk that he had wanted and locked the door as I left.

"I hope mom made something good for dinner," I said as we left. "I could use a good meal after today."

Dad just laughed and put his arm around me as we walked out to the car.

******

I thought the first two days of working for this monster had been bad but I was about to be in for a rude awakening. He came bellowing out of his office door even before I had a chance to sit down. "What is the meaning of this," he demanded to know.

"What?" I asked innocently enough. I had no idea what he could be so mad about.

"You have these papers in the wrong order. I want the profiles of the person last, not first. And you misspelled several words and used improper grammar. Look," he pointed his finger at a sentence. "You used 'a' instead of 'an' here. It's all screwed up. I want you to retype it over again and this time file everything the way it's suppose to be - do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal!" I replied softly back in an acid tone and on the verge of losing my temper with him. He returned my reply with a stare that almost made me wish I hadn't said it that way but it was too late now. I held my ground and gave him an icy glare back. Then I noticed a slight, thin smile on his face as he turned and went back into his office. It was the first thing he had done out of character this week and left me a little unnerved. We had two more transitions that morning only this time neither one had a criminal record.

One was a middle age lady who was dying of breast cancer. Her file said she'd been divorced for almost three years and didn't have any living relatives. It made me wonder if the other people Judge Jasper had transformed had also been loners. She was changed into a 13-year-old girl with long, red hair and didn't seem to remember her past life.

The next case was a 27-year-old man who had decided to kill himself by taking an overdose of aspirin. Judge Jasper told him in strong words that he needed to learn a lesson about thinking of others so the Judge turned him into a 25-year-old mother of two. The man remembered what happened and wasn't very happy as Carol Green and a couple of the police officers pulled her away. I could see Dr. Green was going to have her hands full this morning. No sooner had I taken a seat at my desk than the judge came out of his chambers and gave me an icy stare.

"Have you forgotten about your appointment today?" he asked "What?" I responded. "I'm not suppose to meet with Dr. Green until this afternoon."

"I'm not talking about Dr. Green," he said thinly. "I'm talking about the ticket you got over the weekend. You were suppose to be in court 5 minutes ago."

"I'm - I'm sorry Judge Jasper," I responded in an apologetic tone. I had completely forgotten it was this morning. I stood up to enter the courtroom via his chambers but he blocked my path.

"Where do you think your going," he steamed.

"To court like you asked. I always follow you into court."

"Not this time," he hissed slightly. "You're a defendant, you enter my courtroom like anyone else young lady. Now go around to the front and enter like you're supposed to - and don't stop along the way. I want you in my courtroom in 60 seconds."

Before I had a chance to reply he walked into his chambers and slammed the door. My temper rose and I was going to follow him anyway but good sense got the best of me. I walked down the hallway, turned toward the courtroom doors and went in. The judge was already seated and waiting.

The cop who had given me a ticket, Officer Tabler, was watching me with almost an amused look on his face. I took my place where so many others had before and faced the Judge.

"Well, I'm so glad you could join us today Miss Anderson," he said in a dry tone. "Officer Tabler, would you please tell us why we're here."

"I cited Miss Linda Anderson Saturday afternoon for running her car into the dead-end barrier on the north end of Main Street Your Honor. While she hadn't appeared to been drinking, she was acting in an irrational manner. Damage to the wall is estimated to be about $500."

"I see officer." Judge Jasper turned to face me directly. "It's a good thing you weren't drinking Miss Anderson or you'd be in real trouble. Not only are you underage, but I take a very dim view of people who drink and then get behind the wheel of a car. I'm going to fine you $150 dollars and -"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "Aren't you going to give me a chance to explain myself?"

"EXPLAIN YOURSELF?" Judge Jasper roared angrily. "You mean you really believe you have a good explanation for running your car into a wall - besides just being plain STUPID!"

The bile rose in my throat. I should have kept my mouth shut but my anger got the best of me. "Yes, I can. It's this damn road. When I -"

"Watch your language in my courtroom young lady," he warned me. "Do you understand me?"

Oh yes, I understood him fine. He was a prick and a bastard who was going to make my life a living hell for reasons I hadn't figured out yet. He was pushing me to lose my temper but I wasn't going to let that happen. No, I was going to show him I was a better man then he was even if I did have a female body now. I took a breath to calm down and then continued.

"Forgive my language, Your Honor." The judge got a surprised look on his face as if he wasn't expecting me to reply this way. "But when I left Andersonville heading south I found myself coming back into town from the north. So I thought if I drove north I would end up on the south side of town." The judge gave the police officer a look as if I was talking to him in a foreign language.

"Is this what you meant Officer Tabler by her acting in a irrational manner."

"It is your honor. Miss Anderson was also yelling and cursing at me. I finally had to restrain her and have her father pick her up."

"That's a lie," I yelled out.

The judge hit his gavel hard against the bench. "You're out of order Miss Anderson. If this officer says he had to restrain you then I believe he had to restrain you."

"He held my arm and placed me in his car Your Honor. It isn't anything like he is describing to you."

"So now he's exaggerating, is that it Miss Anderson?" I could see where he was going with this and didn't reply.

"I asked you a question young lady."

"Yes Your Honor." It was the wrong thing to say.

"And yet you want me to believe your foolish story about trying to leave town. I think I know who is exaggerating here."

"But it's the truth," I insisted in a tone that was teetering on the edge of rage. He slammed his gavel down again.

"That's enough Miss Anderson." I could almost see the steam coming out of his ears. "I find you guilty of reckless driving and damaging city property - as well as putting other lives in danger. I'm fining you $350 plus court cost AND - I'm ordering you to pay for damage to the wall. However, I'm willing to wave $100 of your fine providing you write Officer Tabler here a one page letter of apology for your rude treatment of him within the next 24 hours."

The officer looked rather smugly at me.

"I'll pay the full amount Your Honor," I said, letting my disgust show through. It was worth $100 to hold on to what little pride I had left.

"Suit yourself Miss Anderson. Court is adjourned." The Judge went back into his chambers while Officer Tabler made his quick exit out the side door. I stood there for a minute shaking in anger. I wanted to scream at someone but there wasn't anyone around, and I most certainly wasn't going to break down and start crying and give them any satisfaction - despite my new female emotions wanting me to do just that. I was going to beat them at their own game. I was going to be a stronger man than all of them. I wasn't going to let them break Tom McClain down. I held that in my mind and went back to my office to re-type the reports from the previous days. I wasn't going to let this 'monster' break me. Almost an hour and a half later I had retyped and arranged the files the way Judge Jasper had wanted them to be. I thought it would make him happy but I found out I was wrong.

"Look at the way you worded these sentences," he started out. "It could mean anything by the way it's written."

"What do you mean," I asked looking at the sentence. "It says that you asked Mr. Marshal if he had anything to say before you passed your judgment. He replied that he didn't understand and you told him he would soon. Then you proceeded to transform him into Candy Bailey"

"Yes, now you see what I am saying?"

"No, it looks fine to me," I answered. My anger was now rising faster then I could control it.

"How can I work with such inapt help!" he started to rave. "Ashlee knows how to run a courthouse but you, an untrained monkey could do a better job. Must I do everything MYSELF! Is it too much to expect a little help from you now and then? How can I adapt under these conditions."

It was too much for me to bear and I exploded in an angry rage. "You self-centered selfish Ass! You wouldn't know good help if it came up and bit you in the butt. You think you're having problems adjusting, try stepping into my shoes. I get turned into a girl, am forced to dress, act, and live as one - I get dumped into a crappy job with an unappreciative monster for a boss and on top of all that, I have to worry about getting a period. You think you have it hard - I'll trade places with you any day of the week. You think you can do a better job on these files?" I grabbed them from his hands, "than you do them." I threw the files on the floor with all my might and the papers scattered all over the place. Judge Jasper stood there with an almost triumphant look on his face. I found tears streaming down my face and ran out of the room in embarrassment. He had won - he had broken me. I was ashamed at myself but I couldn't stop the cry that I felt coming. I ran into the restroom - too upset to realize it was the men's room. But once inside I didn't care. I dashed into the first stall slamming the door behind me and then I buried my face in my hands and started crying. I had told myself I wouldn't break down like this but I couldn't stop the tears. It was almost a relief as each tear and sob came out of my body. Slowly I began to feel better and in a few minutes my sobbing slowed down. I heard someone walk into the bathroom and over to my stall. At first I was afraid it was the Judge but from the look of the shoes and pants I realized it was one of the Andersonville Police Officers. He knocked on the stall door.

"Miss Anderson, are you okay?" It was Dave Williams and there was a touch of concern in his voice.

"Does it sound like I'm okay," I shot back in cynical tone and immediately regretted doing so. I opened up the stall door and stepped outside wiping the remaining tears from my eyes. "I'm sorry Sergeant Williams, I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

He actually gave me a small smile as if he understood. "You're using the wrong restroom Linda. I'm supposed to issue our new residents a ticket if they make this mistake but - I'm going to overlook it this time seeing that you were upset when you entered. But please try to make a more conscious effort next time. We don't want to upset any of our visitors who happen to be here some day."

"Thank - thank you Sergeant - Dave." His bushy mustache rose slightly. "You're not supposed to call me by my first name either - at least not yet. Judge Jasper wants to see you in his chambers. But first," he held up my purse, "I think you should go to the ladies room and freshen up some."

I thanked him for my purse and went into the ladies room. I looked at my face in the mirror - it was a mess. So I carefully worked to get it back into shape. I wanted to look my best when I marched back in the Judge's chambers. I was going to show him that he'd won the battle but not that war, that my spirit hadn't been broken yet. I made careful strokes with my mascara, making my eyelashes appear longer and darker. Then I re-applied my eye shadow more carefully than I did this morning, making sure it covered the entire eyelid. My foundation had held up okay but my blush needed major repair. I ran some over my cheeks giving me an almost cheery look again. Finally I pushed out my lips and ran my pink lipstick over them. I didn't look perfect but at least now you couldn't tell I had been crying. Even the redness in my eyes was gone. I was ready to face the judge and whatever punishment losing my temper had cost me. It couldn't have been as bad as the last two and a half days I thought. I straighten out my dress and hose then stepped out of the bathroom. With every step I took my confidence grew; Judge Jasper was going to see a strong individual. Then fear struck - whom I was kidding; I had seen what the Judge could do. I stopped and debated about going in but I knew I had to. If I didn't I could never face myself in the mirror again. I took a deep breath to settle down then walked into my office. To my surprise, Dennis Butz was standing next to my desk.

"Hello Linda," he said pleasantly.

"Dennis, what are you doing here?" I was so happy to see him standing there that I forgot I was supposed to be angry with him for putting me in this position.

"I heard there was a little trouble," he said with a small grin.

"Yeah, you could say that. I have to see Judge Jasper now."

Dennis took my arm and led me out of my office. "Why don't I take you to lunch instead. My car's right outside."

It didn't sound like I really had a choice in the matter. I got inside the large Buick and he started driving south out of town. Dennis pulled out his cell phone and punch in a number. "Barry, this is Dennis Butz. I'm leaving town with Linda Anderson, authorization 34-delta black. Thank you Barry." He put the phone back in his pocket and continued to drive as if nothing was wrong.

"Where are you taking me," I asked nervously.

"There's a nice place just outside of town," he replied without taking his eyes off the road. "I figured you could use a little outside field trip after this morning. We'll be there in a few minutes, just relax."

The car crested over the same hill that had taken me back into town days before only this time there was nothing but open road ahead of us. I noticed we ran over three, black metal plates that crossed over the entire road. A couple of miles later Dennis pulled the car up to a small building called the Track Side Inn. We seemed to be the only customers there.

"This way," Dennis said and like a true gentleman, held the door open for me. A server greeted us at the door. "Peter, we'd like a table by the tracks."

The man nodded and led us upstairs to the balcony that had about 15 tables on it with umbrellas. Our table overlooked two, well maintained sets of railroad tracks that ran next to the restaurant. Dennis held my chair out as I sat down and then took a seat across from me.

"I took the liberty of ordering for both of us," he told me. "Peter, I'll take a cold Coors and bring the young lady a Bud light please."

The man nodded and left.

"Don't you know you could get in trouble for serving beer to a minor?" I said, making sure he caught the sarcastic tone of my voice with just a hint of anger.

"You look like you could use a drink right now," he responded with a grin. Peter was back in a moment with our drinks and our meal. Dennis had ordered both of us a chicken sandwich with fries. Then the waiter left us alone. "I guess your new job hasn't been working out so well," Dennis said with slight amusement.

"You could say that. By the way, you forgot to mention that my new job would require me to wear dresses," I replied sarcastically while I hold out the hem of my dress.

"Oh?" he smiled in mock surprise. "It must have slipped my mind. Yes, you'll be required to report to work everyday as a young woman. Sorry I didn't mention that sooner."

"So, now that I'm fired are you going to turn me back into a man?" Dennis got a surprised look on his face. "Fired? What makes you think you're fired?"

"Isn't that what this lunch is all about? To break the news to me gently so I won't ball my eyes out? Besides, I'm sure Judge Jasper isn't going to want me around after today."

The director laughed heartily. "Yes, the Judge was a little steamed about what you said. He gave me an ultimatum - you or him."

"So that's it then," I replied a little relieved. "I'm out."

"No," Dennis told me in-between bites of his sandwich. "Judge Jasper's out. I released him before you got there."

"You mean you fired him?" I was surprised.

"Not really. I'm replacing him with someone else." He paused to chuckle as if it was part of an inside joke that I wasn't a privy to. "And believe me, the judge wasn't any happier when he found out who I got to replace him. Tomorrow you'll have a new boss to report to. Trust me Linda, you're going to get along with her just fine."

"What about Judge Jasper," I inquired.

"He'll go back to Peace River where he wants to be anyway. When the new judge is out, he'll fill in; but I suspect he'll be a lot more pleasant to be around. You see Linda, Judge Jasper wasn't really angry at you, it was me he wanted to get back at."

"I don't understand, what did you do to him?" Dennis took another bite of his sandwich and I could see him debating how much he wanted to tell me.

"It's better that you don't know that part of the story. What Judge Jasper was trying to do was prove a point. First, he turned every new person brought into Andersonville into a female. Next, he started pushing you to lose your temper. You have to understand that while Andersonville may be my project Judge Jasper was the one running the show - under my rules that is. This created quite a stir with his people and he wanted out - but I wouldn't let him. So he decided to get back at me at your expense I'm sorry to say. If I had let him continue the entire town would've been filled with woman in a few months. I really had no choice but to let him out of his obligation."

"What about me?" I demanded to know. "When do I get changed back into a man."

The director gave me his first serious look of the day. "You don't. You'll remain as Linda Anderson for the rest of your life."

"May I ask why?" I had been expecting that answer but still, it was a little hard to swallow. I knew I should have been boiling mad at Dennis Butz but I wasn't. True, I was now a woman but the situation I have been thrown into - a warm, loving family setting - was something I had always desired while growing up. I was starting to believe that being Linda Anderson for the rest of my life was worth the price. Of course, I still hadn't experienced all the things a woman does, like dating, periods, or having babies. These things I still found a little scary.

"You can ask me Linda but I won't tell you, I have my reasons. You may not like or agree with them but I always do things for a reason." He stopped long enough to take a drink of his beer and continued, "I'm going to do something I normally don't do. I'm going to reward you for sticking in there the way you have. I'll allow you to ask me one question Linda. Whatever you ask I will answer it as completely as I can."

"One question," I protested. "I have 100's of questions I want answered." "Sorry. Only one question today." He held a single finger up in front of me. "How about letting me ask multiple questions on one subject then," I countered. "I'll even let you decide when to let the questions stop without a protest."

Dennis thought about it for a moment. "Agreed. What do you want to ask me?"

There were many questions burning in my head but one had been at the top ever since this started. "The Andersons. Why did you give them back their family? They seemed to interest you somehow."

A thin smile appeared on Dennis Butz's face. "A very good question Linda, I guess I should start at the beginning. When you and Mr. Parker ruined my plans, I wanted to see you both dead! I even had the elimination order on my desk waiting for me to sign it. I was furious, no, enraged. You don't know how much of a blow that was to my plans by killing Dr. Jensen. But I decided to think about it a week before doing anything rash. I'm glad I did." He ordered us another beer from Peter and continued. "During that week fate stepped in. I knew Al Parker was a duplicate of the real Jennifer Anderson and of course, I had her sister's killer in my protection. Robert confessed to Linda's murder, as well as the other three ladies he was suspected of and two more no one knew about. Well, I guess he really didn't confess on his own; he didn't have a choice. Anyway, I started investigating the Andersons just like you had and found out about them losing their three children. I've always been a man of justice, Linda, and in this case I felt the Andersons needed a little. Yes Linda, I felt compassion for them just like you did. I made up my mind to help them if I could. So imagine my surprise when I found out you flew them up from Florida to meet with you. Not only that, but you did it in the hopes that Jennifer would take the place of their real dead daughter. So I asked myself why? With the title to Dr. Jensen's house in your hand you didn't need anything from them. Then it hit me - you saw the same need for justice in their life that I did. I knew I couldn't kill you then. And I knew I had to find out more about you."

Peter brought us both another beer and cleared some of the empty plates away then retreated to the back.

"The only thing that saved you from my wrath, Linda was how you treated the Andersons. You became their children and from my sources I knew they were happy again. This gave me an idea, to really give them back their children."

"By using Al and myself," I added.

"Is that really so bad Linda?" Dennis asked me straightforward. "Wouldn't you have done the same if you were in my shoes? The Andersons got what they so desperately needed - while you and Mr. Parker got what you wanted. Al was a good match for Steve and you were a fair match for Linda. Besides, I couldn't allow you to stay out there in the real world knowing what you knew. By this time the construction of the town was already underway, I just changed the name of the town to Andersonville."

"What about Jennifer and all the rest of these made up characters that populate the town? What are they there for?"

"You already answered your own question Linda. They're there to populate Andersonville. We need to keep up the appearance of a normal town after all. They're sort of like temporary people, when someone new comes in they're transformed into one of these holders and become a real person. The eyes are a problem of course but give our technicians another six months and you won't be able to tell the real people from the temps."

"So one day Jennifer may become a real person."

"Not may, Linda, one day she will be real. I've given special instructions on what type of person will take over her life. She really is a sweet, young thing, just as the Andersons remembered her; just as others remember her."

"So where does Project Peace fit into all of this?" Somehow I knew the project had been more than just assassinating people.

"That's not part of the subject I agreed to talk about Linda," he stated with a frown. "I have no intentions of answering that question."

"Then can you answer me this? Dr. Jensen didn't know the real purpose of her serum, did she?"

"No." A pressed smile replaced his frown. "It was better to keep her in the dark of what my true plans were. Besides, she was too interested in trying to find the secret to eternal life. Living forever is highly over-rated, trust me."

"Because you can't die," I pressed. "All those awards on that wall actually belonged to you, don't they."

Dennis chuckled. "No, I will die Linda, just like you. If I'm lucky I'll live another 30 years or so and then - " He held out his hands to indicate it was a mystery to him. I feared the next question but I had to ask.

"What about my friends, like Cynthia and Keith Bennett. What happens to them?"

"In time I will move them here. Cynthia will be changed into a male, if she wants to be that is. The new Keith, or should I say, Klein Walker, won't be so lucky. In fact, he'll end up in Peace River to face Judge Jasper. Of course before that happens, all of Keith's memories will be merged into Cynthia's mind. Your friend, Kevin Brown, will be handled a little differently. He'll be asked to join our police force."

"And if he refuses," I inquired.

"I don't think he will," Dennis replied back matter of factly. "You may not be aware of this Linda but Kevin is burned out on the patrol. He wants a job where he can spend more time with his family with normal hours. Being the cop that he is I think he'll fit in well here in Andersonville. You're worried about harm coming to your friends Linda and that is a commendable feature, but you're worrying needlessly. None of them will be harmed in any way." He looked down at his watch. "Wow, it's getting late, I better get you to the mall."

"The mall? I'm not going back to work?"

"I think it's better you give Judge Jasper as wide a birth as possible while he clears out his stuff. Besides, I think you could use a break today. I've arranged for Carol Green to take you shopping today - sounds like a lot of fun."

"If you're a girl," I uttered unceremoniously.

Dennis beamed, "Which you happen to be now. Besides, you need to know what type of clothes to buy so you'll fit in. Isn't it better to have someone helping you with your new role than just throwing you into the water and watching you splash around and make a fool of yourself. Oh, that reminds me." Dennis flipped me a set of car keys. "I'm replacing your car. Your accident shouldn't have happened and the person responsible for it has been transferred out. Apparently he thought it was rather funny at the time but he wasn't laughing after Dr. Green got done talking to him. And I've given orders to make sure no one will remember the accident, including your parents. Just don't try pulling that stunt again Linda, there isn't any way out of Andersonville unless I allow you to leave. Please accept that as fact."

"Thanks Dennis." I looked at the keys and got a wide grin. "Tell me they belong to a Corvette."

"Close," he answered with his own devilish smile.

******

I drove into work the next morning behind the wheel of a shinny, cherry red Camaro. It wasn't your regular stock Camaro - this car had chrome rims, a custom spoiler, a beefed up motor, and a jacked up suspension. It looked ever bit of the muscle car that it was. I pulled into my reserved spot in the court parking lot. "Nice car, Linda," Sergeant Williams said to me with an appreciative grin. "Thanks Sergeant Williams," I replied back with delight. It was amazing how a car could change my outlook on life. I had been so excited when I first saw it that I took Carol Green on a two-hour cruise of Andersonville - which was hard to do considering it only took about 15 minutes to circle the town. But the time hadn't been a total waste since we spent most of it talking about the many problems I was dealing with. Then we went shopping, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Oh sure, it was embarrassing having someone discuss what bra size you need to buy or what color slip wouldn't show through what color dress. And Carol tried leading me towards a discussion on feminine products but I drew the line there. Finally Dr. Green stopped trying and we started looking at jewelry. We found some necklaces that would go great with a couple of outfits I bought and couldn't resist. By the end of the day I had spent well over $300 dollars on clothes and accessories.

When I got home later that evening dad was outside tossing the ball around with my brother. Steve's eyes nearly popped out in envy when he saw me pull up. And Dennis was true to his word; my father didn't remember a thing about my accident although my brother did. Apparently the power only worked on the temps and those who didn't remember their past lives. And most important, I spent a stress-free night at home knowing I wouldn't have to face 'the monster' the next day at work. I couldn't see how this new judge would be worse.

The new judge was already in her chambers when I arrived at my office. She greeted me with a smile and waved me inside her chambers. "You must be Linda," she said pleasantly. I could tell I was going to like her already. "I'm June Herns, your new boss. Would you like some coffee Linda, I just made a fresh pot."

I accepted her offer and she motioned for me to take a seat next to her on the couch. "I guess we should go over the ground rules of what I expect of you," she said in an almost welcome tone. "There isn't much I demand that you wouldn't be expected to do at another job. Dress nicely, be on time, and always be pleasant to our visitors. On Fridays you can dress down, what I mean is you can wear pants and a sweater but no blue jeans. When we're alone you can call me June but other times I want you to use my title. Any questions?"

It was so nice to be treated as a human being with value that I almost didn't want to jinx it by asking her any questions. But there was one burning in my head. "Only one June, but I'm afraid it may be too personal to ask."

She reached over and patted my knee with her hand. "My child, if it's too personal I'll tell you. Now what would you like to know?"

"Well," I started off slowly, "Dennis Butz told me that Judge Jasper wasn't too happy to find out he was being replaced by you. Can you tell me why?"

She laughed cheerfully. "I used to be married to the old goat but he cheated on me so many times that I left him. Now I try to make his life as miserable as possible. You might say I'm the one person he actually fears."

"Judge Herns, I think we're going to get along real well," I said with a huge smile.

Fade out...

This story is dedicated to all the survivors of child abuse, both physical and emotional. May you find the support and strength to deal with it like I did.

 

Andersonville 3 - The Price of Revenge
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

Linda Anderson - the do anything wonder woman. That's what the job title should have read. Not that I was good at everything I did; I was just expected to do everything around the office. That included making coffee, filing folders, scheduling appointments, and now fixing expensive computers. I had placed my favorite music CD into the slot of my computer and the darn thing had decided it wasn't going to give it back. So I did what any normal person would do, I kept hitting the release button while cussing with rage. Strange as it may sound, that didn't work. So now I was resorting to more drastic measures by using a screwdriver.

June Herns had mysteriously excused herself from my presence about 15 minutes before. I didn't think about it too much, I was busy using my interpretation of the Jaws of Life on the CD unit. Just as I was getting ready to jab the screwdriver into the slot I saw the reason for her hurried exit.

"Judge Jasper?" I gasped in surprise at the sight of the man standing in front of my desk. I recovered quickly. "What can I do for you Judge."

"Please come with me Miss Anderson." I was in shock, he had actually been civil to me by using the word 'please' and in a rather cordial tone.

"What do you need from me Your Honor?" I felt it was better to remain polite than be rude and piss him off. He wasn't the type of person you wanted to get on the bad side of, although I already was.

"My daughter would like to meet and have lunch with you in the park. She already has everything set up." He gave me a warm, thin smile that caused me to become a little nervous. This wasn't the same person I had worked for just a few weeks ago.

I grabbed my purse and followed him out to the park. There, underneath a large tree, was a picnic table covered with sandwiches and other types of delights. An attractive young woman, maybe 23 or 24, was waiting for us. She had long, blonde hair that was tied up in a ponytail making her appear even younger. But in her crystal-blue eyes I could see signs of disdain, as if she was angered at the sight of me standing there.

"So you're Linda," she spatted out my name with vermin.

"And you are?" I asked in a somewhat neutral tone. It was clear this meeting wasn't going to be a pleasant one.

"Diane," she replied as if I should have known her name. Then she added, "Gerald's older sister."

So now I knew why I was here. She wanted to confront me, to tell me what kind of bitch she thought I was. Well fine, I was ready for her. Let the bitch give me her best shot.

"Having Gerald as a brother is not my problem," I responded defiantly. I looked squarely at the judge to see what his reaction was but if he had one he hid it well. "Do you also have something to say to me?" I asked him.

Judge Jasper surprised me by giving me an almost sad, sympathetic look. "This is between my daughter and you - I'm only here as a witness." He sat down at the picnic table and reached for a sandwich.

"So what is it you want from me?" I semi-politely asked the other woman.

"To see for myself what Gerald is accused of," she said with a stern look. "You will show me what happened."

"What do you mean?" I asked with shock and anger. "I wasn't present when he was 'raping' my friend each night!" And I didn't think I wanted to know either. But she grabbed my hands and pulled me close with incredible strength.

"Concentrate!" she demanded. "Think of your friend as Jennifer Anderson."

Suddenly everything went dark and I found myself in her body. I couldn't make out much, but I knew it was in her old bedroom at the Jensen house. I was lying on her bed and could sense I wasn't alone. A hand reached out and grabbed my breast.

'Oh NO - Please, not again,' I heard Jennifer cry out in panic and fear. 'Not again - GOD, PLEASE MAKE HIM STOP!'

A face appeared out of the darkness. It was Gerald and he had a vicious glare on his face. "This time I going to make it hurt 'BITCH' for telling Dr. Jensen our little secret." His fingers reached down to her groin and I could feel him starting to violate me. Jennifer screamed but only in her mind.

'No - No,' she sobbed to herself. 'Oh God, NOOOOOO please - make him stop. Someone, in the name of Jesus, stop him please!' She was almost in a hysterical state now - with waves of pleasure from his advances starting to work their way in.

'I WANT TO DIE!' she yelled out in pain and horror.

It was too much for my mind to take. I broke the link and snapped my hands away from the other woman. My eyes blinked a few times and I found myself back in the park. Diane turned to look away from me, her face full of rage but somehow I knew it wasn't directed at me. Judge Jasper continued to sit there calmly munching on a sandwich as if he hadn't seen anything. But I knew he had, I could sense his presence in the dream. He looked at the two of us and cleared his throat.

"I'll leave you two ladies alone so you can talk." He rose up from the table and slowly walked away.

My body was still shaking over the experience and I felt like I was going to vomit. I knew my friend had suffered plenty under Gerald's control but I had never known the full scope of it. Now - now I understood the real hell he was talking about. I had experienced it first hand.

Diane never turned to look at me but I could see she was different lady from the one I had met just a few minutes ago. She struggled for a moment as if the words were hard to say.

"I - I can't be your friend right now. But I don't blame you for what you did. Please leave me alone now."

'Friends?' I thought. I wanted to ask why she thought I would even consider being friends with the sister of someone who had violated my best friend several times. But the horror of what I had just seen and felt took the fight out of me. All I wanted to do at the moment was hug my brother and tell him I now understood why being Jennifer Anderson had been so hard for him to accept.

As I walked away I turned to see what Diane was doing but she was already gone - along with the food and everything else. It was like she had never been there.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

Colonel Myers was sitting back in his chair and thinking what a great job he had. Inside the bunker he had access to unlimited resources, both in men and material, and the best part was that almost no one knew they were there. The bunker, as it was known to those who worked there, was located almost 40 feet below the Andersonville Courthouse. From here he could watch and direct all the activities within a 20-mile radius. There were hundreds of hidden cameras located all around the town, and many more on the main road leading in.

His staff consisted of 3 real men - each of who commanded of a crew of 25 temporary people. The temps monitored the camera screens and other devices around the town and reported any problems back to them. His men in turn reported any problems back to the Colonel that they felt required it. It was then the Colonel's job to decide how the problem was to be handled.

To make things interesting for his men, each temp was given his own life. When their shift was done they were simply turned off and stored in the computer until it was time to start work again. But the computer interjected events into their programs during this off time. So when their shift started up again, the temps would joke and tell their supervisor about the ball game they went to last night or the waitress they went out on a date with - all the while his men knew they had never left the cold memory of the computer disk. Each shift had its own set of temps which worked together to help build a strong team. As a result, the Colonel and his men began to see the temps as real people, not just computer-generated images.

The intercom squawked. "Barry, can I see you for a moment?" Colonel Myers picked up his coffee and walked the short distance to the Sergeant's monitor.

"What's up Jeff?" Colonel Myers asked. Inside the bunker, they rarely used proper titles unless there was a visitor present. His Sergeant's name was Jeff Summers, a good-looking man with a nice build who stood about 6'1'. He had recently turned 21, and his friends had decided to help him celebrate by giving him a huge beer bash. The Colonel had participated in the festivities, and was still feeling the effects of the party three days later. The other men, all of whom were at least 20 years younger, didn't seem bothered with any type of hangover the next morning.

"We have a car heading east on the access road," the Sergeant explained in an almost monotone voice. "Speed is 53 miles per hour. I ran a quick plate check and the car came back stolen three days ago. I'm trying to get more information, but I thought you would like to know ahead of time."

"How far is he from the turnoff?" the Colonel asked.

"At his present speed, about 8 minutes." Barry Myers frowned. That wasn't much time to decide what to do.

The Sergeant's screen beeped as more information started to appear. "Got something. The LA Police believe a Greg Saunders stole the vehicle. I'm printing off his police record now. Want me to pull up his picture from the camera shot Colonel?"

"Do it, so we can compare it to the picture on the police printout." Barry waited until the printer was done and ripped it off. He looked at the man's rap sheet and his anger grew.

"Do you have his face up yet, Jeff?" Barry Myers demanded. The Sergeant noticed his boss was suddenly a little impatient. This meant they had a real scumbag on their hands.

"Coming up now Colonel." The picture from the camera wasn't very good, but it was enough to make a positive ID, and let them know it was Mr. Saunders driving the car."

"What have we got, sir?" Jeff asked with great curiosity.

"A child molester wanted in two states. He murdered one of his twelve victims and jumped bail. What lame-brained, bleeding heart judge would allow this scum to post bail?" Barry picked up a blue phone nearby and waited for the other party to pick up.

"Bird dog, this is the big dog here. We got a hot one heading your way that's five minutes out. I want you to put out the welcome mat for him, and implement plan two. We'll watch from here." The Colonel hung up the phone while the sergeant turned on the camera that over-looked the house and intersection.

Inside the farmhouse a world of activity started up. One soldier sat down at the main control panel and started flipping switches. Two hundred yards down the road, a rock moved sideways, and a sign popped up from the ground. It read: "Andersonville - 5 miles", with an arrow pointing to the north. Not far away, another sign rose up indicating the road to Andersonville also lead to Canada. More signs appeared from out of the ground advertising various businesses in Andersonville.

While this was going on, three soldiers were busy putting up the 'bridge out ahead' signs leaving only two ways for the car to go - back the way it came, or straight into Andersonville. About 30 seconds before the car arrived at the intersection, everything was in place, and the soldiers were back inside the farmhouse. From the bunker, the Colonel and his men watched the activity with silent appreciation. The Major in charge of the farmhouse operation had trained his men well.

As the car approached, the driver saw the signs in the road and slammed on his brakes. For a moment, the man sat there as if trying to figure out what to do. Then he hit the gas and headed north toward the trap. When he had crossed over the three metal bars in the road, the Colonel knew they had him for sure. He picked up the blue phone again.

"Good work bird dog - I'm very impressed by your work. We have him now, return everything back to normal status. Thanks guys." The Colonel hung up the phone and picked up a red phone right next to it. This phone rang into the Andersonville police station.

"Dave, this is Colonel Myers. We have a bad boy coming your way; I'm having the printout sent to you. He just crossed our first trap and is heading into town. I'll let you know where he decides to stop." There was an acknowledgement on the other end, and the Colonel hung up. Now it was a waiting game to see where it ended.

Sergeant Summers switched the only road into town onto the main screen. While they waited, the men took bets on where Mr. Saunders would end up. One of them picked the motel while the others picked a couple of restaurants. Colonel Myers' gut told him the man would end up at Louie's Bar and Grill, which was located just off Main Street, so he wasn't too surprised to see him pull up in front of the place, much to his men's astonishment. He chuckled slightly as he pocketed their money and made his call to Sergeant Williams. It was the Andersonville Police's case now, although his men would continue to monitor the situation with interest to see what happened next.

Colonel Myers told his Sergeant to come and get him when the fun started and went back inside his office. There was a report that needed to be completed, and he wanted to get it done while it was still fresh in his mind. Overall, he rated their latest execution as a high B+. The only weak link had been him; he had taken way too long to decide what to do.

'Well,' the colonel thought, 'I'll have to make sure I do a better job next time.' He was halfway into finishing the report when the intercom went off again.

"Barry, you better get out here. We have a rocket on wheels coming down the road." The Colonel didn't waste anytime getting to the Sergeants desk.

"What have you got?" he demanded to know.

"A Chevy sir," the sergeant's voice registering the stress of the situation. "It came up on us suddenly. I have him clocked at nearly 84 miles per hour. I'm working on his ID now sir, it should be up in less than a minute"

Dave turned and looked at the nearby monitor, which showed a still screen of the car as it passed the first checkpoint. Information from Sergeant Summer's search started to appear on his screen.

"Car is registered to a Paul Baxter. No wants or warrants. Except for minor traffic tickets, he doesn't seem to have a criminal history. Current address is Lakeview, California. He sure is trying to get somewhere in a hurry, though."

The name stuck out in the Colonel's mind - it was familiar. He started shifting through the paperwork he had on Mr. Saunders and found out why. One of his victims had been Leslie Baxter, age 7. Found murdered almost three years ago after having been sexually assaulted.

"Bring up Mr. Saunders file again," the Colonel ordered in a military tone. The Sergeant snapped to attention and a moment later the information was on his computer screen. "Focus on this victim," Barry said pointing to one of the names. "I want the parents' names." The computer keys clicked as the Sergeant went about his task in a quiet and professional manner.

"Got it sir. The little girl's parents were Mary and Paul Baxter. Last known address, Lakeview California." The Sergeant said the town's name with surprise in his voice.

"How far out is he Sergeant?"

"At his current speed sir - he'll be at the turnoff in under 2 minutes."

The Colonel swore to himself. He had told the town's designers that the access road needed to be a least 5 miles longer in each direction. He now had 90 seconds to decide the outcome of someone's life. He looked at Mr. Baxter's picture on the TV screen - there was a look of determination on his face as if he were a man on a mission. Could he let him fail? Dave Myers picked up the blue phone that was answered immediately.

"Bird dog, this is big dog here. We have a visitor who will be coming up on you in less then a minute. Get out there and greet him. If he wants to know about the last car that went by you, then point him in the right direction. Do you copy? Good - doghouse out."

The Colonel placed the handset back on its cradle and took a drink of his coffee. He stared at the main screen and prayed he had made the right decision. Paul Baxter's life was about to change - he just didn't know if it was for good or bad.

******

I was driving at a breakneck speed - taking chances that the slightest mistake could cost me my life. But then again, I really didn't have a life anymore - not since that monster had destroyed it. I had been searching for the bastard for more than 2 years - ever since he jumped bail and went to Canada. What followed was 821 days of fruitless searching, but I wasn't about to give up. Then I learned he had made his way back into the United States to visit a friend and attend to some business. Now I was hot on his trail.

A gas station attendant many towns ago had recognized the man from the picture I showed him. Better still, he had had a conversation with the man I had was searching for, and learned he was heading back into Canada through the Michigan border. I thanked him and headed off in the direction of the man who had murdered my little girl after taking away her innocence. While she lay in her grave, he was free and starting a new life. It wasn't fair - and I was going to see to it that justice prevailed. The anger rose in my throat - this monster didn't deserve to live, let along start a new life. He had almost an hour head start on me, but I wasn't going to let up. I was determined to catch up with him before he crossed into Canada again.

I flew past a sign that said "Andersonville 5 miles" with an arrow indicating that I needed to make a turn up ahead. When I came to the "T" intersection, I saw a middle-aged man working near the side of the road. I slammed on my brakes and stopped beside him. I was surprised to see my sudden stop didn't even startle him. It was almost as if he'd expected me to stop.

"Excuse me," I interrupted. "I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for a man in a black Ford. He may have driven past here in the last half hour or so." It was a long shot, but I was praying my good luck was still holding out.

"Yea, he passed by about twenty minutes ago," the farmer replied. "He wanted to know a good place to eat around here, so I sent him to Louie's Bar and Grill in Andersonville."

I couldn't believe my good fortune. Not only had the farmer talked to the monster, he knew exactly where to find him.

"Did he look like this?" I asked holding up the picture of my daughter's murderer.

"That's him," the man answered pleasantly.

"Thanks for your help mister. By the way, where does this road lead?

The farmer shook his head. "Nowhere. It dead-ends in the town of Andersonville. This is the only way in or out of the town."

"Thanks," I muttered in a rushed tone. I hit the gas and pointed my car down the two-lane road. Damn, someone is smiling down on me today. There was no way the monster was going to get away from me now.

As I raced toward Louie's Bar and Grill all kinds of thoughts were rushing through my mind, mostly of my little girl. I pictured her sitting in the playground swing smiling at me. I turned away for a moment, and when I looked back she was gone. It was a nightmare that had haunted me for many nights; but soon it would be over. There was a .357 bullet in the trunk of my car with his name on it.

The bar/restaurant was located one block off the main road through town. As I pulled up to it, I spotted the stolen car immediately. One of the detectives on my little girl's case had given me the information on it. He knew how much this case meant to me, he just didn't know how much.

I parked my car next to his and retrieved the gun from the trunk. I had waited almost three years for this day, and yet, at that particular moment, I was beginning to have second thoughts about killing him. Yes, he deserved to die, or have something equally horrible happen to him, but did I have the right to kill him? I pushed the thought aside. That decision had been made years ago, and I wasn't about to back out now. I stuffed the gun under my shirt and walked inside.

Louie's Bar and Grill was your typical hole-in-the-wall bar. The air was filled with thick smoke and the smell of stale alcohol. The place wasn't very crowded, so it didn't take me long to spot him. He was sitting in a booth near the back without a care in the world - chomping down on a steak the cook had just made for him. My blood ran cold, and I reached for my gun. Before I could pull it out though, someone grabbed my hand.

"That's far enough, sir," a tall, skinny man dressed in a regular shirt and pair of slacks said to me. He pushed me into a booth and held my hands down. This caught the attention of the monster, who tried to get up. He quickly found a gun pointed right in his face by another officer, who had stepped out of the back room.

"Show me your hands right now," the tall man demanded from me. I knew he had to be an uncover police officer. A few more uniforms arrived and we were both taken out of the bar in handcuffs. In a way, I was relieved that I hadn't gone through with it; that I hadn't crossed the thin line that still separated me from him. But then, I also felt angry with myself - that I had failed my little girl by allowing him to live. The monster was placed into the back of a police car - a sneer on his face when he saw it was me. Unceremoniously, I was placed in the back of another police car.

"He murdered my daughter," I tried to explain to the officer as we drove off.

"We know," was all he said back. We rode the rest of the way to Police Station in silence, and I was a little concerned. The officer - his nametag said Phillips - didn't seem too interested in my story. Didn't he understand that I was the good guy here? But then again, I had gone into the bar with the intent to kill the other man. I wasn't any better than the monster.

To my surprise, we were taken straight into the courtroom instead of to a jail cell. What struck me even more funny was how the officers acted toward us. They seemed unconcerned about our story, as if they already knew everything about us.

I was seated across from Mr. Saunders, who was putting up a brave front; even grinning a little. But then again, why shouldn't he be happy? He had escaped death from my hands. The worst they could do was send him back to California to face trial. Even that would take a while if he fought extradition. All in the name of his rights! It made me sick to think that no one in the court system seemed to be concerned about my daughter's rights or the rights of the other little children he had violated. What about their rights to grow up in a happy and safe environment?

"All rise," bellowed one of the police officers. "The Municipal Court of Andersonville is now in session. The honorable Judge Herns is presiding."

I was relieved to see the Judge was an older woman - maybe even a grandmother. It meant she could be more emotionally attached to the rights of my murdered child than a male judge. Not that she could really do anything to Mr. Saunders - but perhaps she would have sympathy toward my plight, and speed up his extradition back to California.

"Sergeant Williams, what is our first case?" she asked with displeasure. I could tell from her tone that she had a good idea who Mr. Saunders really was.

"Greg Saunders, Your Honor. He is charged with molesting twelve children that resulted in the death of one of them."

I couldn't stand it any longer. I stood up and shouted, "That's untrue Your Honor. The officer is making it sound like it was an accident, but he meant to murder my Leslie. Your Honor - she - she was only 7 years old." My voice cracked a little when I told the Judge my daughter's age.

The Judge hit her gavel on the table, but not too hard. "Mr. Baxter, I understand how you feel," she said in a soft but firm tone. "But do not interrupt this proceeding again - do I make myself clear? You'll get your chance to talk before I announce my sentence. Mr. Saunders has already been found guilty of his crimes in this court."

Suddenly the monster didn't seem to be so confident anymore. He had expected a simple hearing, not to be tried for his crimes.

"Wait a minute," he protested. "You can't find me guilty of anything - this isn't proper procedure. Where's my lawyer? I'm supposed to have one present."

"You don't need a lawyer Mr. Saunders," the Judge explained in a somewhat acid tone. "You're guilty of these crimes, there isn't any doubt about that. What I'm going to do to you next is still undecided. I recommend you choose your next words very carefully.

"This is BULLSHIT!" he yelled back at her.

"Interesting words," she told him in a calm, even tone that even made me shiver in fear. "I'll keep them in mind when I sentence you." I could sense danger by the way she said the words, but didn't know why. After all, what could she really do to him? The female Judge turned and looked at me.

"Do you have anything to say Mr. Baxter before I continue with Mr. Saunders' punishment phase?" I could see the monster was trying to say something else, but nothing seemed to be coming out of his mouth.

"No Your Honor," I answered in a timid voice. I was beginning to fear for myself, a selfish act.

"Really Mr. Baxter?" the Judge asked in mock surprise. "He murdered your only daughter. You've spent more then two years trying to track him down while ruining your life in the process. And now, after you have him in front of you, you have nothing to say? Tell me Mr. Baxter, what would you like to see happen to Mr. Saunders? A painful death maybe?"

It was a question I had been asking myself for three years now. I just didn't want to see the man dead; I wanted to see him suffer for his crimes before he died. But I wasn't thinking of him, I was taking a hard look at what I had become. The problem was, I didn't know what that was. Then I thought of my poor, little girl, lying there on that cold abandoned factory floor where he had left her. He didn't even have the decency to cover her up after he was finished, instead leaving her to lay there naked. I knew what I wanted to happen to him, I wanted him to suffer just like my little girl had.

"Your Honor, I want him to receive the worst punishment possible. Most people think death is pretty bad, but I want his punishment to be worse than death. I want him to suffer the same way he caused all those other little boys and girls to suffer, some even to this day. I don't know what that punishment would be, and I know you can't honor it. But you asked for my opinion and that's what I want to see happen. I want him to suffer for his crimes, not just die for them."

Judge Herns nodded thoughtfully. "An interesting punishment you are suggesting Mr. Baxter. Most people would have been satisfied with a long, lingering death." She sat there for a minute in silence, as if she were thinking. Then, there was a look of resolution on her face.

"I usually don't make it a point to listen to my ex-husband," she started out, "but in your case Mr. Saunders, I'm going to take a page out of his book. Mr. Baxter, I'm going to honor your request. Watch carefully and remember - this is what 'you' wanted."

She stopped talking and held her hands out in front of her body. As strange as it may sound, it looked like the palms of her hands started to glow. She closed her eyes as if she was concentrating hard, and I could see her lips moving slightly, as she muttered something under her breath. Her eyes opened back up and I saw a ball of light the size of a baseball rise from her hands. It was almost like a vapor, except for the green and yellow dots that moved around it. The ball hovered above her hands for a moment and then sped off with incredible speed and hit Mr. Saunders squarely in the chest. The man stepped back as if he felt the impact, but to be honest, from my view, it looked like the ball of light had gone right into him. There appeared a look of discomfort on his face.

"What - what's happening to me?" the monster cried out as he was finally able to speak. "I feel funny all over - like my body is changing." At that moment, his hands started getting longer and to my horror, turned into tree branches. Tiny leaves started sprouting from them as more branches appeared from his body. Then his feet started to change as well. Where he once had feet there were now roots which disappeared when his pants fell down and turned into a bag.

"Stop, HELP - AGGG," he screamed, as his mouth turned into the bark of the tree, and then his entire face disappeared. A moment later, all that remained of Mr. Saunders was a five-foot tall Maple. I sat there in a semi-state of shock - my words had caused another person to be turned into a tree.

"From now on Mr. Saunders," the Judge said clearly, "when the children touch and climb you - you will still get turned on, but won't be able to do anything about it. And as a special bonus, after the sun goes down, you'll relive the pain of each child you harmed, including the one you murdered. You will remember for the rest of your life what you were and what you have lost. Since you are a young tree, that will be a very long time, long after your victims have gone on to their own reward."

My stomach began to turn, and I felt nauseated. What had I done? Yes, he deserved to be punished, but like this? Yet this is exactly what I had wanted to happen - to have him suffer like I had all these years. However, the sweet taste of revenge I had desired for so long didn't taste sweet at all. It was like a bitter pill.

"Does this satisfy your thirst for revenge Mr. Baxter?" the Judge asked me in a somewhat harsh tone. I wanted to answer her, but I was growing sicker by the moment.

"You're - you're - honor." I could feel my bile starting to rise up my throat.

"Out the door and to the right Mr. Baxter," she responded softly.

I placed my hand over my mouth and ran out of the courtroom as fast as I could. When I reached the bathroom stall, I threw open the door and upchucked everything I had eaten that morning, then continued to heave. I couldn't remember being so sick to my stomach.

Once I was done, I sat down on the toilet and started sobbing uncontrollably. All these years chasing this man so there would be justice and for what? It hadn't brought my lovely child back. Instead, it consumed and destroyed my life. After all these years of hunting this monster, I now knew the price of revenge - why didn't I realize it back then?

I stepped over to the sink to splash some water on my face. I took a careful look and saw that the last three years had been hard on it. It seemed as if I had aged 10 years since this nightmare began. An officer, his nametag said Sergeant Dave Williams, walked into the bathroom.

"If you are ready Mr. Baxter, I need you to come with me," he told me.

"Where are we going?" Then I realized I really didn't care. I just wanted my life to be over.

A thin smile appeared below his bushy mustache. "To finish the job you started," he told me.

'Finish?' I thought. What more was there left to do? He led me out to a police cruiser where Mr. Saunders was sticking out of the trunk. I got in the passenger seat, and we drove a few blocks to a park. Once there, the officer pulled out the new tree and a shovel.

"This should be a good spot," he said, but his statement really wasn't directed at me. I sat on a nearby bench and watched him dig a hole in the ground. The officer was a strong man, and in a matter of minutes he had dug the hole deep enough. He pulled out a small pocketknife and cut open the ball around the roots of the tree. Large amounts of dirt began to fall out and I began to wonder what body parts the dirt had once been.

The cop placed the tree in the hole, and then started shoveling the dirt back around it. In a matter of minutes, the human tree was planted. Sergeant Williams gave me a small nod, walked back to his car, and drove off. I just sat there in a daze, not knowing what to do next. Then the sound of kids laughing distracted me. Not far away there were some small children playing on a jungle gym. They giggled and chased each other without a care in the world. Considering what I had seen, they didn't have to worry about the dangers of the outside world. My daughter had once played like that - happy and carefree. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"A lovely sight, isn't it." The voice startled me, and I saw Judge Herns sitting next to me staring over at the same group of kids. I hadn't even heard her show up.

"I mean the kids," she sighed. "They grow up so fast, but during the time between birth and adulthood they are so wonderful. Nothing can replace that feeling of being a parent, don't you agree Mr. Baxter?"

"Your Honor," I started out humbly, "I want to apologize for running out earlier. I didn't mean to disrupt your court like that, I know we still have business to talk about."

She gave me a cordial smile and said, "My child, I understand completely. Very few men wear their feelings on their sleeve like you do. We'll get to you in just a moment."

"Your honor, what you did to Mr. Saunders in the courtroom. How - I mean, who are you?"

"The more important question Mr. Baxter," she said with a serious tone in her voice, "is who are you? You're not the same man today as you were when you started this quest three years ago, are you?"

"No, I'm not. And to answer your question Judge, I don't know who I am anymore. I thought I did. When my baby died, I wanted to bury the bastard for what he did." I chuckled sickly. "And I finally got my wish."

"But that doesn't make you happy Mr. Baxter, does it?"

"No," I answered truthfully. "My little girl is still dead. Somehow, I thought that catching him would make everything right again, but it didn't. It cost me my wife, my job, my house - my whole damn life. I've been such a fool these past few years."

Judge Herns shook her head as if she understood what I was trying to say.

"Forgiveness can be a valuable tool in life, Paul," she told me. "I'm not saying Mr. Saunders deserves forgiveness, but you need to forgive yourself for what happened to your daughter."

"I should've kept a better eye on her that day," I said looking down at the ground in guilt. "That's what a father is supposed to do - right? Protect his kids. Well I failed Judge - big time. I can never forgive myself for what happened."

She patted me on the knee. "Then I'll start the process, my child. I'm forgiving you for bringing a gun into Andersonville and trying to kill someone. You're free to go and pick up the pieces of your shattered life. I'll have to remove your memories of this event, but if nothing else, you'll know Mr. Saunders got what he deserved. Come see me when you are ready." She stood up to leave.

"What about if I want - I mean, can I - will you." I found the words impossible to say.

"Is there something you wish to ask me?" the Judge said while looking down at me with her dark, brown eyes. I couldn't get the words to come out of my mouth. I had no right to ask, and was terrified of what she might say. But where else did I have to go?

"Will you let me stay here?" I asked softly. "I don't have any other place to go, and I'm too old and tired to start over again." The Judge sat back down on the bench and gave me a serious look.

"Do you understand what you are asking, Mr. Baxter? If I allow you to stay, you'll never be able to leave Andersonville again. Even if this is a lovely town, you must understand it will become your permanent home. It also means that I'll have to charge you with your original crimes. Your life will be mine to do with as I see best, and you'll no longer be known as Paul Baxter anymore."

"Do you mean that I may be turned into a tree like the monster?" I was fearful of what would happen to me.

She smiled slightly to push that thought away. "I only turn people into trees if they deserve it, Paul. No, you will remain human and take the place of one of our temporary residents. You'll be given a new and rewarding life to live as your own as long as you follow the golden rule of loving everyone as you want to be loved."

"Sounds wonderful," I said honestly.

The Judge narrowed her eyes slightly at me. "It can be Paul, if, and when, you accept who you become. That's the hard part, living as someone else. So I want you to think about this because once you agree to my offer, I won't change you back, no matter how much you regret the decision. It won't be easy, but I promise you'll get back the life you threw away three years ago."

I sat there in silence. There was nothing left in the outside world anymore. Even if I wanted to get back together with my wife, it was too late. She had recently re-married and didn't want to see me again. I suppose I couldn't blame her for that. My career? I used to be in real estate, and while I could get back into it again, my heart wasn't in it anymore. No, I needed to make a fresh start in life, but without a place to live, family to help support me, or money, I would never make it. What the Judge was offering me was a second chance at life.

"I want to take you up on your offer, Judge Herns. And I know what you're going to ask me. Yes, I'm very sure this is what I want."

She gave me a thin but supportive smile. "Let's go back to my office where we won't be seen, then."

As we walked back, I took a look at the new place I would soon call home. It wasn't a bad place; in fact the town was clean and rather charming. It was the type of town you would want your kids to grow up in. We strolled into her office where a young attractive teenage girl was working. The Judge told her to have Carol Green come down, and then ushered me into her office.

"Don't be nervous Paul," she said in a trusting voice. "What I'm going to do won't hurt. I'm going to delay the change so Dr. Green can explain what is happening to you. I think it will be easier for you to deal with it. Please don't try to fight her, Paul, she's here to help you. Okay, are you ready to begin?"

I shook my head slowly. To be honest, I was scared despite her assurances it wasn't going to hurt. I debated about closing my eyes, but decided I really wanted to see what was happening.

The Judge started by closing her eyes and holding out the palms of hands. I could see them start to glow. Next, a small, white ball interlaced with blue sparkles rose out of her hands. It hovered for a moment, then came right at me and hit me squarely in the chest. Although I didn't actually feel it hit me, I did take a few steps back as if it had. There was a slight tingling all over my body that quickly passed. Someone knocked, and the door opened. A beautiful blonde haired woman in a pale blouse and a long, flowered skirt walked in.

"Good morning, Your honor," she said pleasantly. "I see you have a job for me."

The Judge gave her a welcoming smile. "Good morning Carol. Will you please take Mr. Baxter up to your office and integrate him into his new life? Linda can give you his file."

"She already has," the lovely young doctor said, while holding up a large envelope. "Linda certainly is starting to fit in well around here."

"Thanks to you Carol," the Judge winked. "Just don't let her know I said so. Maybe you can work on getting her to dress a bit more feminine on the job."

"I'll see what I can do June, she's still a little stubborn about that at times." The blonde haired woman turned her attention to me. "Well Paul, let's go up to my office where we can talk in private."

We walked past the desk where a young woman, Linda Anderson I assumed, was working. I remembered seeing her in the courtroom earlier when the monster was on trial. She almost seemed too young be working in a job like this. I wondered why the Judge was so interested in seeing her dressed more feminine. It seemed to me that some women were just natural tomboys, although she was wearing a lovely skirt and blouse outfit. She gave me a sad smile and returned to her work.

Carol Green led me past the elevator and explained that we had to take the stairs since it was out of order. It turned out her office was on the second floor overlooking Main Street. The room was decorated in a very nice and profession fashion with pictures of various sights from around the country hanging on the wall. There was a small desk in one corner, and several comfortable chairs, including a couch, in another. The attractive woman motioned for me to take a seat, and got me a glass of water.

"What happens now," I asked nervously, taking a drink.

"Relax Paul," she answered calmly. "Your changes should start in the next minute or so. It's important to remember not to panic when they do, or to be too upset after it's all over."

"Why would I be upset?" I asked, now panicking a little at what I might become. "Am I going to become some old, unattractive man?"

The doctor giggled lightly. "No, nothing like that. In fact you're going to be very attractive when it's over."

I was about to ask her something else when I felt a tingling of pins and needles starting to move throughout my body. Dr. Green smiled at the expression on my face as if she understood what was happening.

"Relax Paul, it's not going to hurt, and it'll be over in a minute. Just breathe deeply and don't panic. Relax."

Her words did little to relieve the stress I was feeling. In a rather short time, based on what I had seen happen to Mr. Saunders, I would cease to exist as Paul Baxter and become someone else. The idea was suddenly very frightening to me.

I felt a heavy concentration of activity around my chest and groin. The skin on my chest began stretching as two mounds started to push outward. I watched in semi-horror as they grew and grew and grew. By the time they were done, my breasts were at least a 'D' cup. I could feel a tugging on the back of my head as my hair grew by several inches until it reached the back of my neck. I could feel the bald spot I once had was now covered with fine, thick hair.

My clothes started changing as well. My pants literally turned into a pair of blue-jean shorts. My shirt remained in place, but changed color and style as it fit loosely over my chest. My butt started moving in the seat and I could feel my hips push out as they moved higher up my body. There was no doubt in my mind now, the Judge had decided to turn me into a woman. I only hoped she would allow me to be changed back once this was all over.

The area of my groin continued to tingle intensively, and I felt my penis shrinking as more internal changes seemed to be happening inside. It was an almost pleasant, tickling effect that was beginning - I hated to admit - to turn me on. My legs grew narrower, as did my arms, and my hands got smaller. Both hands looked so tiny and feminine now, and I gasped hard at the changes being made to me.

With one final pull I felt my penis disappear inside and become my vagina. Then everything stopped at once and I felt normal again - at least as normal as I could. Doctor Green stood there with a smile on her face.

"You look lovely Mary. You really do."

'Mary?' She had called me by a female name. But I didn't want to be known by everyone as a woman - and I didn't want the body that went with it. I didn't want to be lovely, or pretty, or be all the things a woman was supposed to be. I wanted out of my new body and this crazy place they called a town.

"What - what did she do to me?" I demanded to know, but my voice didn't sound as hard as I wanted it to. It was rather sweet and feminine.

"I think you know what she did," Carol retorted in a calm voice. "What you need to do now is accept what has happened to you, and start living your new life."

"But I don't want to be woman," I protested vigorously. "Judge Herns didn't tell me I would become a girl if I stayed."

"I would hardly call you a girl," the doctor answered me back. "First you're a 27 years old woman with three adorable kids."

"KIDS!" I interrupted her. "I now have kids to take care of? Do you know how crazy all this sounds doctor? I was a failure as a father, what makes Judge Herns think I'll make a better mother?"

"Because you'll have me to help you out," Dr. Green told me. "I'm raising two kids of my own, and I have plenty of experience to share with you."

"I won't do this," I said with resolution in my voice.

"You have to," she told me. "You really don't have a choice anymore. You agreed to the Judge's rules, and if you try to back out now, she won't be very happy with you."

"Yeah," I said as if it was a dare. "What else could she do to me that would be worse that what's already happened?"

"You really don't want to find out, Mary - please trust me on this." Dr. Green made it sound like a plea to make me behave.

"Why did she do this to me? Why couldn't she have kept me as a man?" Suddenly I found tears forming in my eyes. Was this part of the curse of being a woman - crying on the spot? The doctor sat down and put her arm around me in an attempt to comfort me. I had to admit it made me feel a little better.

"Mary - okay, Paul, it's not a punishment. Why Judge Herns decided to turn you into a woman I don't have an answer for. Maybe one day she will tell you why - but I'm sure she had good reasons for doing so. What you need to do is forget about your past life and embrace your new one. You really are a lucky lady. Do you want me to tell you about yourself?

"Sure - why not," I sniffed. "Wow me with this wonderful life she stuck me into."

"Sarcasm won't help, Paul," she told me. "Okay, as I said you're 27 and a mother of three. Your husband," I gave her a shocked look, but she grinned and went on, "works as a manager over at the mine. He's an important person at his job for someone so young. He hopes to become president of the mine one day. His name is George Patterson and you two have been married for almost 8 years now. You live in a nice, 4-bedroom house off of Maple Street. By the way, I've seen the house and if I may be so bold, you are going to love living there."

"Look," I started out in the hopes I could talk myself out of this life she was presenting to me. "It sounds great, but I think I'll pass on this. Just let me go see the Judge and work all this out."

She shook her head and said, "It's not going to happen Paul! This is who you're going to be for the rest of your life. If you try to escape, the Judge will only get mad, and then you will have to be punished."

"You really don't expect me to spread my legs for my some stranger I don't even know, do you?" The thought horrified me. "I'm not GAY, DOCTOR."

The doctor grinned as if she had expected me to lose my temper. "Your baby is only a week old. Your family doctor is suggesting you don't have sex with your husband for at least four weeks so this'll give you plenty of time to get used to the idea, Paul. However, since your body didn't actually go through the stress of the birth, you can try it earlier if you want. And you'll find it to be a most natural event when you do. You're going to love sex as a woman, Paul, trust me on this."

"Fine then," I said in frustration. If Dr. Green couldn't see my point, then I would go see the Judge as soon as she let me leave. "So what happens now doctor?"

"Why don't we start with your children, first." The doctor opened up the door and pulled in a stroller. There was a newborn baby stirring slightly inside.

"This is your daughter, Leslie," she whispered softly to me. I looked at the small bundle of joy and my heart broke - I was in love with her. She stirred some more, then started to cry loudly. It always amazed me how something so small could cry so loud. I reached down and picked up the crying child. Almost immediately I felt the bond that happens between a parent and child.

"She's beautiful doctor," I said staring at her. I suddenly forgot about my visit with the Judge. All I could think about was how much this newborn daughter looked like my old Leslie. The baby went from crying to screaming unhappily at the top of her lungs.

"I think she's hungry Mary," the doctor hinted. I looked around for a bag containing her bottles but didn't see one.

"Where are the baby bottles?" I asked with concern.

"There are none. You decided to breast feed her," the doctor said with a grin. I blushed slightly at the idea.

"But I - well - my ex-wife never did that and I ..."

"Don't know what to do," she finished for me with a smile. "That's what I'm here for, Mary. Sit down in the chair." I took a seat while carefully holding on to my new daughter.

"Okay, unbutton your blouse so the baby can get to your breast." I blushed some more but the comforting smile never left the doctor's face. "It's alright Mary, I've seen this done before. You don't have to be ashamed about doing this in front of me. This is what woman do - we share our experience with others."

I guess she had a point, I didn't have anything that she hadn't seen before in the mirror. I unbuttoned my blouse and exposed the right side of my bra.

"Okay Mary, you're wearing a maternity bra, which allows you to unsnap the front of it so the baby can get to your breast without you having to take the bra off. So unsnap it and move the baby's mouth up to your nipple. Leslie will take it from there."

I was no longer embarrassed about what I was doing. In fact I found the idea of nursing my baby a little exciting. I pulled the front of my bra down and stuck little Leslie in front of my breast. She took hold of the nipple, and her crying turned to soft sobs and then the gentle sound of her sucking on my breast. The feeling of nursing her was wonderful. It wasn't a sexual feeling, but it was just as powerful. Leslie continued to nurse while I held tightly onto her warm body and realized I had never felt so happy or complete in all my life.

"You did a good job for the first time," Dr. Green said after about five minutes. I think she deliberately waited that long to give me time to bond with Leslie before interrupting my thoughts.

"Is it always like this?" I wanted to know. "Like she's a part of me? I feel so close to her right now."

"Yes," the doctor said with glowing eyes, remembering her own children. "And it continues even after they no longer need your milk anymore. You will always feel like they're a part of you."

Leslie was sleeping again. I pulled her away from my breast, and wrapped her back up in the blanket. My new baby girl looked like an angel lying there in my arms.

"Next time, use the other breast, and change her diaper before you start so you won't have to disturb her after she eats," the doctor suggested. I nodded, and reluctantly laid her back down in the stroller.

"You said I had three children, Doctor," I said. "When do I meet the other two?"

"How about right now?" Dr. Green replied. She opened the door, and two small boys, about four and five years old, walked into the room. There was something wrong with their eyes, because they twinkled when I looked at them. The doctor noticed my confusion and concern. She pulled out a couple of coloring books and crayons for them.

"Here boys, why don't you color for a few minutes outside while I talk to your mother." Their faces lit up when they saw the coloring books, and they scampered out into the hallway to some chairs close by.

"Their eyes?" I gasped.

"It's alright Mary. It's normal with children who are temps. You'll get used to it."

"You mean - they're not real?"

"Well, yes and no. They are real in the sense that you can touch them. They each have their own personalities - fears, joys, strengths, and weaknesses. They can cry and laugh just like real children, and each one has their own fears. Nothing about them is different from you and me except for one thing - a computer program controls their personalities. In time the Judge will substitute in a real person, making them whole. Then they'll have the freedom to choose, as well as make their own mistakes."

"So this body used to belong to a temp?" I found the idea a little uneasy.

"Correct. Which means you don't have to worry about making new friends, they already know you."

"But how will I know who they are if I haven't met them yet?"

"Simple. If it's a temp, just ask them who they are. They will tell you, and the computer will erase the question from their memory. For a real person, you'll have to do a song and dance until you find out who they are. Oh, one more thing, most of the real people don't remember who they were."

"You wiped out their memories?" I was horrified again.

"Not really. I can't tell you why this happens, because, to be honest, I don't know myself. My guess is that it's easier for them to adjust if they don't know what's really going on. Most of them were criminals who had a rough start. I guess not remembering their past makes it easier for them to live in the present." The doctor looked at her watch and frowned slightly.

"I would love to talk with you some more, Mary, but I have another appointment coming soon. Why don't you stop by my office tomorrow around 11am to talk? Afterwards, we can do lunch together."

Carol opened the door, and I could see my two boys sitting, quietly coloring. I started to push Leslie's stroller into the hallway, but hesitated. Suddenly everything seemed foreign to me and I became scared.

"Dr. Green," I stuttered out. "I'm not - I'm not sure - that I can do this."

She reached over and gave me an encouraging hug. "You'll do fine Paul. Just remember that you're Mary Patterson now and everyone will know you by that name. Why don't you take the kids to the park and get to know them better? By the time you get home tonight everything will seem natural to you - I promise." Carol gave me another hug and called out to an officer who happened to be walking by.

"Officer Philips, would you mind helping Mrs. Patterson get her stroller down the steps and to her car please?"

The police officer smiled and said, "sure thing doc." He grabbed hold of the stroller with both hands and started down the steps with it. Along the way we passed a teenage girl, maybe about 17 years old, being escorted up the steps by another police officer. The look on her face showed signs of distress.

"Hi Troy," the officer holding on to the teenager said as he past us by. "Decided to give married life a try?"

"This is the closest I'll ever get to a family again," Officer Philips responded with a cheerful laugh. "I see Miss Williams was in trouble with the Judge again. You really shouldn't try to escape Peggy, I'll only have to go out and catch you again."

"Screw you Officer Philips," she spat out.

"I'll like to, Peggy, but you're jail-bait now - aren't you!" He gave her an evil, mean grin. "Maybe when you turn 18 once again we can relive some of those old times. Then again, maybe you'll learn that going to bed with me doesn't mean I'm going to help you escape. However, it was fun while it lasted."

I became angry, not only with the officer talking to the frightened girl that way, but also for him talking so openly in front of my children. I suddenly felt very protective of what they saw or heard.

"Officer Philips," I snapped at him. "I would appreciate it if you didn't talk like that in front of my children - or IN FRONT OF ME!"

The cop turned to give me an angry look, but I beat him to the punch, and was already glaring at him. Then it dawned on me, it wasn't just an act; I really was angry with him. I stared him down, and his anger faded quickly.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Patterson," he said in an apologetic tone as he continued carrying the stroller down the steps. The teenaged girl smiled and mouthed a 'thank you' at me for putting this jerk in his place.

"Come on, Miss Williams, Dr. Green is waiting for you," the officer holding onto her arm said. She looked back at me again, then disappeared down the hallway.

I followed the other officer out of the courtroom to a red Dodge mini-van that I assumed belonged to me. I was proven correct when I stuck the key into the door lock and it opened. I thanked Officer Philips for his help, and belted my kids in. Leslie stirred a little while I was buckling her, but faded back to sleep. I had forgotten how much babies slept during their first month of life. This was due to the fact that their bodies were growing at a fantastic rate and they tended to use up most of their energy.

When we got to the park, the two boys jumped out of the van and raced to the giant jungle gym. I unbuckled Leslie's car seat and carefully placed it down next to me on the wooden bench. It was a surprisingly nice, warm day for Montana in early August. I wondered how much snow the town would get, and how much fun my boys would have playing in it. I was surprised to find myself thinking about the future and not worrying about the past. I had only been in this body for a little more than one hour and yet felt like I had been Mary Patterson all my life.

"Is that your little girl?" I noticed a young woman about my age standing next to me. "She's beautiful!"

"Thank you," I smiled. I could tell from the twinkle in her eyes that she was a temp. I also noticed that the more they interacted with you, the more their eyes twinkled. I wondered if whoever was running the show had set this meeting up. I decided to play along.

"I'm Mary Patterson, and this is my daughter Leslie." I extended my hand to her.

"Hi Mary," the woman said touching my hand with hers. It felt so warm, like a real hand. "I'm Susan Brookman. That's my little girl, Cindy, over there on the swing." She pointed to a little girl about 5-years old with curly, brown hair.

"She's cute too," I smiled back in a most feminine manner. It seemed easy to go through the motions at the moment. "Would you like to join me?"

"I'll love to," the temp answered cheerfully, as she sat down on the bench beside me.

"My two boys are over there - John and Michael," I said. "My oldest will be in first grade this year." I was thankful to have remembered to ask them their names on the way over.

Susan giggled. "Better watch out, Mary, my Cindy is kind of boy crazy right now. I swear she's growing up so fast."

'So was my little girl,' I said to myself remembering my old Leslie sadly. It was over, why couldn't I let go of her?

"They do grow up fast," I said with tears in my eyes. Maybe the temps weren't programmed to react to certain reactions, because Susan never gave me a second glance. We spent the next hour talking about various things, like where were the best places to shop in Andersonville, and where could I get my hair done. By the time I was ready to leave, I was convinced the meeting had been a setup by Judge Herns, Carol Green, or someone else to work on my female skills. I felt like I passed with flying colors.

I followed the directions that Office Philips had given me to my new residence. Carol Green was right about my new home - I loved it. It was a two-story brick house with a huge back yard and lush, green grass. There were several tall trees that provided lots of shade in the summer and some protection against snow in the winter. In the back, I could see a patio with some rather expensive patio furniture and a small gas grill off on one side. The only thing missing was a swimming pool, although I imagine the swimming season around here was too short to make one practical to own. I tried the front door and was surprised to find it wasn't locked.

Inside, I found the house decorated for a family with kids in mind. The furniture was nice but not so nice that a spilled drink would ruin it. There was a large family room with a fireplace, and a lovely dinning room off from the kitchen. There was even a toy room on the main floor that my boys scampered off to play in.

About this time, Leslie was waking up from her nap, and the unsettling aroma and loud crying indicated she was more than just hungry. I took her upstairs into the nursery and put her down on the changing table. Now, I had changed diapers many times before, but as a woman it felt different. Maybe it was the bonding process I had with my new daughter, but taking care of her seemed more like a privilege than a chore. In fact, I couldn't wait to hold her up to my breast again to feed her. It was the ultimate experience of being close to someone and knowing you were responsible for sustaining their life.

I took Leslie to my breast and with loving care helped her attach herself to my nipple, as Carol had shown me, in case she had trouble. Slowly, almost rhythmically, as before - she sucked the milk from my body. I felt so attached to her.

After Leslie was done eating, I rocked her in my arms until she fell back asleep. My baby looked like an angel laying in the small downstairs crib in my living room. I spotted some pictures sitting on a small table and went over to look at each one. There was me on my wedding day, being held by my husband, who had one arm draped around my tiny waist. I was wearing a beautiful, white bridal gown with long sleeves and lots of lace. I found myself wondering how there could be a picture of a wedding that had never happened. Still, it was hard to deny the woman standing there with the shiny smile on her face wasn't me. I was younger looking and my hair was a little bit longer but it was still me - or the me I was now supposed to be.

The other pictures were of when my sons were babies. In both cases, I was holding them lovingly in my arms. Then there were pictures of some older couples who I suspected were my parents and in-laws. I could tell which ones were my parents, as I had clearly gotten my looks from my mother.

Then there was my husband. From another man's perspective, he was very distinguished looking. From a woman's perspective, he was a pure hunk. Tall and well built - with a strong smile that was both open and sincere. He was a handsome man with a thick crop of light blonde hair and a mustache. I felt an instant attraction to him.

I tried to shake myself out of the trance I was falling into. I was a man after all - at least on the inside. What I looked like on the outside didn't matter; it was the inside that counted. But then I looked back at the man in the picture and felt a warm feeling of security, of knowing I had someone like him to take care of me.

I moved Leslie's crib near the kitchen so I could make dinner. Tonight, I would go with something easy - spaghetti. I started boiling the water and placed the sauce into a bowl so I could heat it up in the microwave oven. Just as I was getting ready to put the spaghetti into the boiling water, I heard the front door open.

"DADDY!" the boys yelled as they ran down the hallway to greet him. I watched the man give each of them a big hug and a kiss on the top of their heads.

"Have you been good for mommy today?" he asked them carefully. Both boys said they had been. The question struck me as being funny since I've never known a kid to ever admit he had been bad.

"And how are my two favorite girls?" he said with a wide smile. He looked over at Leslie first, and then gave me a hug and a small kiss on the cheek. The boys started giggling when they saw him kiss me.

"What are you two trouble-makers laughing about," he said in a fake, angry tone that caused them to giggle even more. "Go get cleaned up for dinner boys." He kissed me again then went upstairs to change out of his suit.

It was weird being kissed by a man. But what was even weirder was I wasn't turned off by it. It seemed almost like a natural act to me. He was supposed to be my husband, after all, and I his wife, but still - I was a man deep inside. Then I noticed even that had changed. I didn't feel like a man trapped in a woman's body. I felt like a woman - no - a mother to three beautiful children. The thought sent shivers down my spine - it wasn't supposed to be like this.

"So what did the doctor say?" The voice knocked me out of my daydream.

"He says I'm doing fine." I turned and gave my new husband a look over for the first time. He was tall and muscular like his picture, as if he worked out everyday. There was a thick, blonde mustache on his rather rugged, manly face and his blonde hair was cut rather neatly. I noticed a little of bit thinning on the top. His smile was warm and genuine as he looked over at me with interest, not as a woman in the crowd but someone he was deeply in love with.

"What about sex?" he asked with a devilish smile. It should have been a frightful question to me but it wasn't. For some reason I felt comfortable around him - as if I had known him all these years. Maybe it was because he reminded me of myself in many ways. The way he greeted me when he got home. The way he looked at me with his love-puppy eyes. He was in love with me as much as I had been with my ex-wife years ago.

I gave him a quick, understanding smile. "He says I'm not that fine yet. Maybe in a few weeks when I heal properly."

'What was I saying?' I asked myself. I wanted to go to bed with him right now and it wasn't because I wanted to test out my new equipment. I felt like I wanted - no - needed to be intimate with someone else. It had been some time since I had been with someone - much too long.

"Soon I hope," he whispered to me lovingly. "I miss not being able to show you how much I care about you." He didn't have to show me anything, I knew. Before I had a chance to reply, the kids came bouncing in.

"Is it dinner time yet?" the oldest asked.

"I'm hungry mommy," replied the younger one.

"Sit down at the table, boys. I'm getting ready to serve it up now," I told them, smiling.

******

There was a wailing sound in my head. I tried to snuggle back into my bed, but the noise wouldn't allow it. I raised my head up slightly, and was rewarded by the clear sound of a baby crying. Sighing, I squinted at the clock and saw that it read 2:05 - in the morning." I had forgotten about these wonderful two AM feedings.

Slowly I staggered out of bed and walked over to the small crib in the corner of our bedroom. I managed to sneak a peep at my husband who was still snoring soundly, unaware that his daughter was crying. Typical male, but then I remembered it had been the same way when I was a man. I picked up the crying child, who only seemed to scream louder now that she knew I was there. Leslie wanted to be sure I knew she wasn't happy and required my instant attention.

I took her back to the nursery and was rewarded with a wonderful sight and smell as I removed the diaper.

'What a wonderful way to start the morning,' I said to myself. I didn't waste a lot of time thinking about it; I took care of the job as quickly as I could.

After the unpleasant task was done, I went downstairs into the dark living room. I removed one strap of my nightgown off my shoulder so I could expose my breast to the hungry baby. I sat down in a rocking chair and pulled her close to me. Leslie stopped her screaming and went to work. In a few minutes, the sobbing stopped and all I could hear was the sucking sound of her eating.

I sat back in the chair and held Leslie tightly in my arms. Slowly, I started rocking and humming a lullaby to her. I looked out the window and noticed it was snowing lightly. How strange the weather was around here. Yesterday afternoon I was running outside without a coat, enjoying the sunny day. Now it looked like we would get a few inches of snow before morning. I sat there relaxing and watching the snow fall as I held my warm baby against me.

******

Carol Green stumbled out of her bed and made her way down the dark hallway to her home office. She switched on the tiny nightlight instead of the main light that would have flooded the room blinding her. Plopping down into an oversized chair at her desk, the doctor started typing in some codes on her laptop computer. When Carol was done she hit the send key and waited. A few moments later the main screen came up and a message appeared at the top that read, "Good grief, Dr. Green, don't you ever sleep?" She smiled slightly and entered the residential files of the main menu. Carol knew the people in the bunker would be monitoring her actions with some interest - what else was there for them to do at 2:30 in the morning? Everyone was asleep except those who held night jobs, and there weren't many of those in Andersonville.

The question prompt came up asking who she wanted to find. The doctor typed in "Leslie Patterson - 562-33" and hit return. The men in the bunker, at least she didn't know of any women working down there yet, could still deny her access. However, being that the baby was a temp and not a real person the odds were unlikely that they would. She was right, in less then a minute the information popped up on her screen.

Dr. Green used the mouse to go into interactive mode. The screen was blank; indicating that Leslie had her eyes closed. She could have ordered the baby to open them but decided it wasn't necessary. The baby's program indicated she was nearing the end of her feeding cycle.

Carol Green looked ahead to see what other events the computer had planned for this morning. The baby was supposed to wake up at 5AM, but the doctor canceled that entry. She wanted Mary to be alert when she came back to see her in this morning. Besides, it wasn't nice to throw too much motherhood at someone on their first night.

She re-programmed the baby so it wouldn't wake up until 8AM, just a few minutes before her other kids would. And with a few more simple keystrokes, she programmed Mary's husband to not wake her when he left for work. With all the things that had happened to Mary in the last 24 hours, she needed the sleep.

The baby was picking up some kind of noise that Dr. Green could hear coming in softly over the speaker of her computer. She turned up the volume and heard the sound of a woman singing softly. Carol sat back in her chair listening to the wonderful song - a smile of satisfaction appearing on her face. She continued listening for another minute and then disconnected everything and went back to bed.

******

I was surprised and a little worried to see that Leslie had slept through the rest of the night. It was strange for newborn babies to sleep so long. My husband was already gone - I guess he figured I needed the extra sleep, which I did. He was turning out to be a thoughtful spouse. I was also surprised to see my boys were just now dragging themselves out of bed, their hands rubbing their eyes as they came up and hugged me. Both of them wanted to know what I was going to make them for breakfast.

As I made my way to the kitchen, I was shocked to see sun shining and green grass outside instead of two or three inches of snow. The thermometer next to the window indicated it was a balmy 65 degrees already, but still - there should have been some snow left from last night. There was no doubt about it; Andersonville had some strange weather.

The boys insisted on pancakes, and then disappeared into the other room to watch cartoons. After I got done taking care of them, I checked up on Leslie. She was still sleeping soundly in the car seat I had put her in after feeding her this morning. I told the boys to keep it down, and went upstairs to get dressed, carrying the car seat firmly in my hand. Leslie had become like an accessory of mine; I always took her with me.

The first thing I had to do was decide what to wear. I checked my closet and found an assortment of clothes - including a few dresses and a number of skirts and blouses. It appeared that Mary was a skirt and blouse type of girl. I pulled a pair of pants, but stopped and put them back. For some reason I was curious to see how it felt to wear a skirt. I selected a purple-flowered skirt that went down to my knees and finished it off with a plain, purple top and jacket. It didn't seem all that exciting, but I wanted to ease my way into this.

Next, I went into the bathroom and removed all my clothes to take a shower. When I looked back at the full-length mirror I saw the figure of a naked woman staring back at me.

"That's me!" I gasped slightly. I found myself drawn to look at what I had become. My breasts where bigger than normal due to the milk I was carrying, but they were still going to be a good size after I was done breast feeding. My waist still showed signs of the fat I had carried over from my pregnancy but I was in no way heavy. My tanned, smooth legs were among my best features, and I knew they would look wonderful peeking out from underneath a short skirt. The oddest thing was what I saw, or rather, didn't see. Where there should have been a penis I found a void. Forget about my breasts, smooth legs, wide hips, and everything else - this was the one thing I became focused on. It was like reality was hitting me for the first time despite what I had been through the previous day. The reality that I really was a woman now.

A wave of sadness swept over me. I had died - at least the real Paul Baxter had. Everything I had represented all these years was now gone. I still held the memories of my friends, relatives, and accomplishments, but they no longer belonged to me. And if they were no longer mine, what was to become of them?

I spent the rest of the morning getting the kids and myself ready to go. After dropping the boys off at a friend's house, I made a beeline to Carol Green's office. I had to talk to her, to find out what had happened to my old self. I couldn't have just disappeared like this. When I got to her office, she was just dismissing another client - a young teenage boy who looked to be no older then 14 or 15 years old.

"Thanks for the talk, Doctor," he said with a grin.

"It's always a pleasure Steve," she answered with a smile. "See you next week." The young boy nodded at me as he went by.

"You're early, Mary, but come on in," Carol responded in a welcoming tone.

"This won't take long," I said rather unfriendly as I walked into her office.

"Oh?" she said with a raised eyebrow. "By the way, I like the outfit you're wearing." I gave her a short frown.

"Let's cut to the chase Dr. Green. I'm not here to talk about the outfit I have on. I want some answers as to what happened to Paul Baxter."

"I think you already know the answers, Mary," she replied taking a seat. I just stood there glaring at her.

"Not quite. What about the people who knew me - my ex-wife for instance or the detective assigned to my little girl's case? What do they think happened to me?"

"Paul," she started off in a soft tone, "sit down please. I'll tell you what I know. You see, we couldn't just let you or Mr. Saunders disappear like that. So we staged a car crash where Mr. Saunders was killed. His body, or what is supposed to be him, is being shipped back to his relatives this morning."

"Where did you find a body to replace him?" I gasped in slight horror, while taking a seat close by.

"That really doesn't matter, does it?" Carol responded. "The person we used was already dead, we just changed the body to look like Mr. Saunders."

I grumped, "What about me?"

She smiled slightly. "You decided to make a new life for yourself, at least that's what you'll be telling your ex-wife and friends. Then you'll pack up your things and leave town, never to be heard from again."

"So Judge Herns is going to change me back so I can meet with these people?" I was hopeful.

"No Paul," she explained, "we have people trained to do this. One of them will take your place and inform them of what I just told you. You don't have to worry about any of this."

"But I AM WORRIED," I stated with tears forming in my eyes. "I won't get a chance to say goodbye to any of them. What about my ex-wife?"

Carol came over and put her arm about me. "Your ex-wife has moved on, Paul. I know this may hurt, but she doesn't want you in her life anymore. It's just as painful for her to see you as it was for you not to see her. She needs to put this terrible incident behind her, and to know you're going to do the same. Even though she will never see you again, it'll make her happy knowing you're not going to let your daughter's murder ruin your life anymore."

"But I still love her," I choked out.

"And she still loves you, Paul - but not in the way you need her to love you. You've changed these past three years. She cares about you deeply, but she no longer loves you that way anymore. Your ex-wife has a new man to take care of her, one that'll make her just as happy as you once did. She will always love you Paul, always - but only if you let her go. It's time to let her start over again."

I buried my face into her shoulder and started crying. I knew she was right, I had ruined her life and mine with this crusade - as well as many of the other people I once knew. Now we both had a second chance at life. But there was still one more thing I needed to do before I could move on.

"Carol, will you come to me with to the park please?" I sniffed.

******

I stood there in front of the tree that had once been my daughter's killer. I couldn't make peace with anyone else, but I had to make it with him. Carol Green stood a ways back to observe, allowing me some privacy to speak my mind.

"What you did that night," I began, "started a chain of events that destroyed my life and others around me. I've always blamed you for that but now, now I see I'm also to blame for what happened afterwards. I loved my little girl, Mr. Saunders - and I'll never forgot what you did to her. You're a twisted, ugly monster who doesn't deserve a second chance. But even knowing that, I forgive you, Mr. Saunders. Do you hear me? I forgive you. I won't let you ruin my life anymore. Maybe one day I'll even ask the Judge to have mercy on you, but not today. Today, and for many more days to come, I want you to remember what you did to all those innocent children. You're a monster Mr. Saunders - but I'm praying even monsters can change some day."

I turned and went over to Carol, who was standing there silently. She reached out her arms and I hugged her. I felt so much better inside myself now.

"I believe you said we could have lunch together," I told her, wiping the tears from my eyes. I picked up the car seat next to her that held Leslie.

"This one's on me," Dr. Green replied with a smile, as we strolled off towards a local restaurant.

Not far away, Judge Herns stood in silence watching the two women. She had heard the conversation Mary had had with Mr. Saunders with great satisfaction. Mr. Baxter, now Mary Patterson, had come a long way in such a short time. One day, she would be useful in the growth of this town, after she learned how to be a little more merciful. Still, the Judge was proud to have Mary as member of her order. She turned and headed back to the courthouse through the woods.

Fade out...

This story is dedicated to the volunteers and workers of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and other related, drug rehab programs.

 

Andersonville 4 - Fallen Star
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

I couldn't believe I was sitting here. Twelve years ago I was at the top of my game. 'Mack the knife' the fans use to call me. They gave me that name because I would slice through the defense of any team in the NFL. My team, the Cincinnati Bengals, was 14 and 2 going into the playoffs. We crushed the first team we played and kicked Buffalo's butt in the AFC championship. The only thing that stood in our way between our World Championship and Superbowl rings were Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49er's. Despite our record we were a three-point underdog going into Superbowl XXIII. But our coach, who insisted I call him Sam, had a few tricks up his sleeve. With my help we were going to beat the 49er's and I was going to claim my fame in history. Only my claim to fame didn't happen the way I had intended it to.

The night before the big game I was feeling cocky. I had been struggling with drugs ever since I joined the NFL five years ago. A lot of guys did drugs, but some couldn't handle it as well as others. Unfortunately, I was one of those guys. I had already been suspended once for drugs use a year and a half ago. After my drug rehab I stayed clean for almost a year but then started using again. Now I found myself needing a hit. As if it were an answer to my prayers, a good friend of mine showed up with a brief case in his hand. Inside was some of the finest white snow that money could buy. We spent the rest of that night partying and snorting away.

By the time I arrived at the team's meeting place less than three hours before the game, I was stoned out of my mind. I will never forget the look on my coach's face when he saw me. It was a painful look - not because I had let the team down but because I had succumbed to the demon again.

My teammates were devastated by the news, I couldn't have hurt them in worse way. I was their leader on the field and they looked to me for guidance and strength. Football games are 60% talent and 40% emotional. What I did tore the heart out of the team. We lost the game by a score of 42 to 10. No one played well, and everyone knew why. Maybe we would've lost anyway but that wasn't the point. I had let my teammates down - I had let my fans down - I had let myself down.

Not long afterwards I left my Cincinnati residence in the middle of the night. My football career was over. No team wanted me, not even the bad ones; not as long as I had this monkey on my back. I was washed up at 27 with no skills to my name. I started using the money I had saved toward retirement to buy drugs. I needed the white powder to forget all the pain and hurt I had caused everyone else.

It was a bad year, most of the time I couldn't even remember what day of the week it was. It was one endless high that ended when I finally ran out of money. Then reality hit - I was flat broke with a major drug problem. But instead of trying to get help I started looking for an easy way to make some quick cash. I tried breaking into houses but found that I wasn't very good at it. On my first attempted I got nabbed by the police while still inside the house. One of the few friends I had left posted bail for me. I was out for less then three hours when I was caught trying to break into another house.

At my trial the public defender assigned to me was a joke. A six-year-old could have done a better job than he did. I was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in jail, but with good behavior I was out in four.

When I was released I determined to make some kind of life for myself. With the help of my parole officer, I was able to get a janitor's job. Everything worked out well for about six months; then I got back into drugs.

Since my current job couldn't pay for the rent and drugs I got a day job breaking into houses again. This time, with some pointers I had received from other inmates during my stint in prison, I was a little bit more successful. But in the end was caught only this time I was sent back to prison for a very long time. Which brings me to my current situation.

Across from me sat a tall, charming man wearing an expensive suit. It was the third time in the past month he had come to talk to me - mostly about my past life. At first I thought he was a sports reporter doing a story on how the mighty had fallen but as it turned out he wasn't interested in my football career at all, he was interested in me.

"Hello Mack," he said pleasantly.

"Hi Mike," I answered back. His name was Mike Stoner and although he rarely talked about himself, I knew he had to be a religious man. He was always pleasant and polite and never cursed or talked in any way that you could consider being dirty. More importantly, he didn't seem to have a judging attitude that other outsiders I met seemed to carry. There was almost a 'Mr. Clean' atmosphere about him.

"How have you been since the last time we talked?" he asked me. Our conversations always started out this way, the small talk about how I was doing. I guess most guys would have told him to piss off but he was the only person who ever visited me. To be honest, I was happy to see him. At least it got me out of my cell for an hour.

"I've had better days," I replied with a slight grin. But if I was expecting this visit to be like the others I was sadly mistaken.

"I don't have a lot of time to talk to you today Mack." Mike noted the look of disappointment on my face but continued. "I need to ask you something. If I could get your transferred to a new facility would you be interested? I mean a place that doesn't have any bars on the doors or windows. A place where you could come and go as you please. Would that interest you?" A spark of interest flew in my eye - what prisoner wouldn't jump at such a place?

"Does it exist?" I asked. "Because if it does, I'll leave with you right now."

"Even if it means breaking ties with everyone you know, including your family?" Mike asked.

Now that was a tough question. While I wasn't close to my mother, father, or two sisters - they were still my family. And I had a couple of aunts who kept in touch with me by letters although that wasn't on a regular basis. Being told to break ties with them was a big step. But then when you came right down to it - they weren't really what you would consider family in the traditional sense. And I knew they didn't want me around anymore. I had become an embarrassment to them.

"Yes, I would be willing to break ties with them if necessary," I told Mike. "The only time I hear from them anymore is on my birthday or at Christmas time when they send me a card. But they really aren't a part of my life anymore."

The clean-cut man nodded as if my answer came as no surprise to him. It was almost as if Mike knew what my answer would be.

"I'll see if such a place exist for you, Mack." With those few words he got up and left without saying goodbye. As I was led back to my cell I kept wondering if Mike was serious about what he had told me. I hoped he was.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

The intercom buzzed softly on the desk. Dennis Butz reached over and hit the answer button. "Yes Susan?"

"Your 2:30 appointment is here sir."

Dennis grinned slightly. "Send him in." Dennis stood and greeted the younger man who was clearly 3 inches taller then he was.

"Hello Mike, how was your flight?"

"Fine," the young man answered. "But the attendants kept pushing drinks at me the entire way here. I guess they never met a man who didn't drink before."

"They do that in First-class," Dennis said with a laugh. "Can I get you some juice?" The director knew Mike Stoner was a devoted Mormon who didn't drink alcohol or caffeine drinks.

"Ice water please." Mike took a seat and Dennis joined him a moment later with two glasses of water in his hands - one for his guest and the other for himself out of respect for his employee.

"So what have you got for me Mike?" Dennis started off.

"Three possible and one maybe. Two of them are 1-A's. Another I have classified as a 1-D. Then there is this one." He handed his boss the file. "Prisoner 618342 - Mack Davis. I have him listed as a 3-B."

"A 3-B," Dennis said with a slight frown. "You know we're only taking 1-B's or lower Mike. I might consider the 1-D candidate but not a 3-B."

"Can I tell you his story Dennis?" Mike beseeched. The director motioned for him to go ahead - he didn't have anything to lose by listening.

"About six months ago three men jumped my client in the shower to have their way with him. He fought back and one of the men ended up in the infirmary. The other two men testified that Mack started the fight so he got blamed for it."

"And how do you know he didn't start the fight?" Dennis asked point-blank."

"Well, I don't really," Mike admitted. "It's more of a gut feeling that Mack's telling the truth. And seeing that Mack's never been in trouble before and these other three have - plus they are known for this type of activity - it sort of adds up to who is telling the truth."

"I see," was all the director said. He liked Mike Stoner. Mike was one of the brightest recruiters Dennis had - as well as being totally honest. Mike could have marked this prisoner down as a 1-B and no one would have been the wiser about the fight, but Mike didn't do things like that; he gave it to you straight.

"You really want him in this program, don't you?" Dennis asked while glancing over the report on Mack Davis in his hands. Most of it didn't reflect too favorably on the prisoner. "Still, he's a three - and we can't take someone in who has a tendency to pick fights."

"Dennis, if you or I were put in that same situation we would have done the same thing Mack did. The only difference is, we wouldn't have been able to fight our way out of the situation like he did. What the hell was the poor guy supposed to do, smile and let these creatures stick their dicks inside him?"

The director raised his eyebrows. When his recruiter started using profanity and talking dirty it was time to listen to what he had to say.

"Why do you want him in the program so badly?" Dennis inquired.

The man sighed heavily as he tried to regain his composure. "Because I took the time to find out who he is. Look at my report on him, Dennis. He grew up in a neighborhood where drugs and violence were practically on his doorstep. By the time he graduated High School he was reading at a six-grade level and he wasn't much better in his other subjects except for Math. No one took the time to help him grow into what he could be.

"The only thing that kept him in school was the fact he was a great football player and no one wanted to fail him. It didn't matter to the colleges that he couldn't read or write well enough to pass their entry test, they just wanted him for his talent. Then the NFL picked him up and he went from being a big man on campus to a football star loved by millions of fans. But he couldn't handle the fame or maybe he never had a chance because of his childhood. In any case, he needs our help now."

"And where does Mr. Davis' responsibility for all his life mistakes start and ours end Mike?" the director asked scornfully. "Lets not kid ourselves here, he may have not had the cleanest start but he had more chances than most kids in his situation get. He blew it all - big time. So what guarantee can you give me that he won't be a trouble-maker picking fights when he gets to Andersonville?"

"Guarantee?" Mike asked. "I can't give you any, Dennis, any more than I can for a 1-A candidate. I can only give you my professional opinion on this one sir. If he hadn't defended himself from these creatures that attacked him, Mack would be classified a 1-B. He's better suited for this program then most of the 1-A people I've recommended to you in the past."

Dennis stood up and looked out at the Delaware River that ran not far from were he was standing. General George Washington had made the river famous by crossing it on a frosty, cold Christmas night to capture the town of Trenton from the British army the next day. It had been one of the key battles in the Revolutionary War. The director had been a part of that crossing and the battle that followed; in fact he had a medal hanging on the wall of his other office to prove it. Of course he was known as someone else back then and sadly had died in battle before the war was over. But he never forgot all the hardships of that war. The cold winter winds that ripped through his rags they called a uniform. Standing guard duty during the winter months in his hat because he didn't have any shoes to wear. The gun he'd been issued that misfired half the time. And the near-starvation conditions that made their lives miserable. No matter how many times he read about the horrible conditions that the Revolutionary soldiers faced, it never did them justice.

It had been a time of growth for Dennis, and he had learned many important lessons from his leader, George Washington. One of them was to pick good people to do the job and then trust their judgement when they came back to you with advice. It was a lesson that Dennis had taken to heart these past 200 years and it had always served him well.

"Okay Mike," he said turning back to the recruiter. "Offer him a spot in Andersonville. But no special treatment with this guy, understand? Judge Herns has the final say on who he becomes and if he remembers his past; and he can't know that ahead of time. Am I clear about this?"

"Yes - and thank you Dennis," the man answered appreciatively.

The director smiled back. "I trust your judgement my friend. Now let's look at this 1-D client you interviewed."

******

I couldn't believe the offer Mike had made me. A chance to live in a real town without any bars on the window. I would have to work each day but I could own my car, clothes, apartment or house - all the things free people took for granted. The cost, as he explained it to me, was my identity. I would no longer be known as Mack Davis and I would have to stand in front of a judge who would decide my new identity. But considering what I was currently facing, it was a small price to pay for freedom.

Mike also mentioned there would be some kind of body modification when I got there. I should have paid more attention to what he was saying but I didn't. I was so happy to be getting out of prison that I didn't care who I would become. Of course, I had signed a contract stating that I wouldn't try escape from my new home but I had no intentions of honoring that agreement. I planned to stick around for a while and when the time was right, blow the town for bigger and better things.

There were two other men in the van with me as we drove into a town located in the middle of nowhere. We passed by a sign that said, "Welcome to Andersonville."

'So this was to be my new home,' I thought as we stopped in front of a huge courthouse. One by one we were taken out of the van and seated in the main reception area just outside the doors leading to the courtroom. I looked nervously at the other two men who were doing the same thing. None of us had any idea what to expect.

There were a couple of officers standing on each side of us; the officer closest to me was named Philips. I tried striking up a conversation with him but he firmly told me to keep quiet until I got inside.

After sitting around for about ten minutes another officer with a bushy mustache came out of the courtroom and called out a name. One of the men in our group stood up and the officer escorted him inside the courtroom without saying another word. Fifteen minutes passed and then the same officer came back out and escorted the next man in. I got a little concern because I didn't see the first one leave. Ten minutes later he re-appeared.

"Come with me," was all he said in a neutral tone. The other officers followed me in as if they were needed - which I couldn't understand since I had agreed to come here in the first place. The cop with the bushy mustache stood me in front of the Judge who was busy reading some papers in front of her. I took a guess that it had to do with me. She was an older lady, maybe in her late 40's or early 50's. She wasn't unattractive - in fact I was drawn to the motherly look about her. But I could also sense a disciplinary side of her. She wasn't the type of person you wanted to get on the bad side of. She looked up and nodded to the officer who had brought me in.

"All rise," one of the officers bellowed out. "The Municipal Court of the City of Andersonville, Montana, is now in session. The Honorable Judge Herns is presiding."

"Mr. Davis," the Judge started out with some displeasure in her voice. "You've led a charmed life - going from a football star to a lowly thief, and not a very good thief at that from what I've read. On top of that, drugs and a poor choice of friends. Do you have anything to say before I pass judgement on you?"

I swallowed hard. "Well your honor" It was a good start but I couldn't think of anything else to say. What did I have to say for myself? I was a screw-up and I knew it. I had let everyone down.

"I'm waiting Mr. Davis," the Judge said impatiently.

"I'm sorry for what I did," I answered honestly. "I know I let a lot of people down in my life. I wish I could make it up to them but if nothing else, I wish I could make them forget about what I did to them."

I hung my head down low - it was something I had wanted to say for sometime now and it had come from the heart. I could never make it up to anyone - so I wished they would just forget.

"Mr. Davis, I usually don't grant wishes but in your case I'm going to make an exception. When I'm finished with you no one will remember your life or what you did."

I wanted to ask her how she was going to accomplish this but she closed her eyes and held out her hands in front of her. She seemed to be whispering something but I wasn't close enough to hear what she had to say. To my amazement, the palms of her hands started to glow and from it rose a ball that looked to me to be pure energy. She opened up her eyes and stared right at me. Before I could move the ball of energy took off like a bullet and hit me squarely in the chest. I found myself backing up slightly although I didn't actually feel any kind of impact when it hit me.

After it entered into my body I felt a tingling in my chest that seemed to move to other parts of my body. Suddenly I felt myself shrinking, actually getting shorter by several inches. I wanted to scream but something prevented me from doing so. I watched as my big, muscular arms got smaller until they looked like toothpicks. My legs - I could see them now that my gut was gone - started to do the same thing. I felt a large amount of activity concentrated around my groin but I was too concern about my size to care at the moment. I had shank at least a good two feet and seemed to be getting smaller with each passing moment. Then the activity stopped and I found myself able to talk again. I looked down at my body in shock.

"What - what did you do to me?" I tried to scream. Instead my voice sounded like that of a frighten kid.

"Dr Green will explain everything to you Tanra." An attractive blonde woman stepped forward and stood next to me. Then I realized a couple of things. First, Judge Herns had called me by a girl's name. Second, there was a strange feeling in my shorts as if I was missing something. Quickly I reached my hand down the front of my pants and found the area where my better half should have been, now void of anything. An invisible force seemed to yank my hand out of my pants.

"Miss Stewart, I will not tolerate such behavior in my courtroom," the Judge called out sternly. I nodded, too afraid to even protest about what had happened to me. Judge Herns gave me an unpleasant stare.

"Now, you will go with Dr. Green like a good little girl, is that understood?" she continued in an almost hash voice. "If I find out that you misbehaved in any way I won't be very happy - and then neither will you."

I wasn't happy now but somehow I believed what she was trying to tell me. This lady who must have been Dr. Green grabbed my hand and gently led me out the door. One of the police officers followed us to her office upstairs and took a seat in the hallway. The lady doctor guided me to a chair in her office and gave me a pleasant smile.

"Relax Tanra," she said in a warm, reassuring voice. "I'm here to help."

"What's going on," I stuttered out. "What is this place?

"You're in the town of Andersonville," she explained. "As for what's going on, the Judge has assigned you to your new life."

'My new life? What about my old life?' I wanted to know. When I agreed to come here no one told me I would end up as a girl - and a little one at that. I wanted out of this mad house.

"This can't be happening," I insisted. "She has to change me back! You have to convince her I can't live like this." I noticed there was a touch of panic in my voice. Dr. Green just smiled back at me as if I wasn't making any sense.

"Why don't we start with who you are first. Your name is Tanra Stewart and you're 9 years old. You have an older brother named Thomas and an older sister whose name is Jossie. Your father is a miner at the Hades-Ferry colliery and your mother works as a cashier at Albertson's. You are currently in the 4th grade and are a 'C' average student, although your mother has been working with you this year to help you improve your marks. Other than the normal things girls your age like to do, you haven't developed any special interests yet."

"Sounds wonderful doctor," I barked although it didn't sound the way I had intended it to. "Look, I'm not interested in what you have to say unless it's a way out of all this."

"There is no way out Tanra," she said in a way that indicated my condition was permanent.

"Damn it, my name's Mack, not this little girl's name. I'm not going through with this - do you understand me."

"Perhaps this will help," Dr. Green replied back sweetly while handing me a doll. I took the doll out of her hand and threw it against the wall as hard as I could.

"That's it doctor," I said losing my temper. "If you're not going to listen to me I'll find someone who will. Either way I'm getting out of here."

"Please don't try to leave Tanra," she whispered softly. "This is for your own good."

"Try and stop me," I dared her. I jumped out of my seat and headed toward the door to find the Judge. I heard the doctor say something under her breath and then right in front of my eyes a tall, muscular black man materialized in front of the door. He looked like a lineman for NY Giants and had an irate look on his stone-cold face. His entire body blocked the door and I knew there was no way I would be able to make him move.

"Sit down Tanra," the doctor said, this time in a more demanding tone. "We can do it the easy way or the hard way - it's up to you."

I lost my temper and made a lunge at her. But she said something else and another large, menacing man appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me from behind. With almost no effort on his part he picked me up and plopped me down in my chair. I tried to shake him off but it was a useless gesture on my part. Dr. Green turned and faced me again, the doll that I had thrown across the room now back in her hands.

"Here's the deal Tanra. I'll release you if you promise to sit there like a good little girl that you now are and hold on to this dolly. If you try to leave or attack me again I'll use more forceful means to see that it gets done. Do you understand?"

"Yea," I answered reluctantly. The giant man released the grip he had on me and disappeared. The doctor walked over and stuffed the doll into my chest, forcing me to grab it with one of my free hands.

"Good," she said, her pleasant attitude now replaced with a more serious overtone. "Let's start over."

******

Our conversation lasted a little more than an hour. Actually it wasn't much a conversation since she did all the talking and I just sat there listening. Dr. Green went over a list of do's and don'ts - mostly don'ts. Some of the don'ts were I wasn't allowed access to the Internet or make long distance phone calls to people I once knew. I couldn't leave town or skip, to my horror, school. I couldn't back talk adults, curse, drink or drive a car, and I especially wasn't allowed to tell others that I had once been a man; not that anyone would believe me anyway but it wasn't allowed to tell anyone just the same. When we were through talking the doctor ushered me out the door to the waiting police officer.

"I'll see you in a couple of days Tanra," she told me. "Have a good day at school tomorrow." Before I could reply the police officer took my hand and led me away.

"I used to love seeing you play," the cop told me as he pulled me down the steps. I stared up at him.

"You're a Cincinnati fan?" I asked. I was somewhat surprise by how friendly he was treating me. The cop snorted.

"Are you kidding - I'm a Green Bay fan. I saw you play us one year, you really had some moves. Then I saw you rip through Buffalo in the playoffs for 225 yards and three touchdowns. Man, you were hot that day."

"It was one of my better games," I admitted. "I don't suppose you would like my autograph," I offered. It wouldn't hurt to have this guy on my side. I may need him to bust out of this place. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Officer Philips to you," the cop said rather smugly. "And your autograph's no good anyway. The Judge made sure no one ever heard of you before. What you did in that Buffalo game and all those others never happened."

"What are you talking about?" I argued. "I'm in the NFL record books. Millions of people know my name. You can't erase things like that on a whim." The officer just smiled down at me.

"You'll find out who's right and who's wrong. There's your sister so be good." He gave me a slight push toward a teenage girl I'd never seen before.

"Thank you officer. I'm sorry for any trouble she may have caused."

"It's my job ma'am. Oh, Dr. Green wanted you to know that she'll be picking up your sister after school on Friday. You'll need to make arrangements to have someone meet her up here around 4:30."

"Thank you officer, I'll let my parents know." The stranger grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. "Come on Tanra. We have to get home and make supper before mom and dad get there."

She dragged me outside to an old, beat-up car that I couldn't even make the model off of anymore. We got in and she started driving North on Main Street. That's when I noticed there was something strange about her eyes, as if they were twinkling back at me.

"Where did you get the doll?" she asked in a way that indicated she was trying to make conversation and wasn't really interested in my answer.

"Dr. Green gave it to me," I replied, wondering if this stranger knew who I really was. She grunted and continued driving. The doctor had warned me not to try but I wasn't about to quit without a fight.

"I'm a man - you know that, don't you?" The teenage girl turned and gave me a funny look.

"You're crazy, sister - and I should know since I changed your diapers when you were a baby. No wonder the school wanted you to see this Dr. Green. First it was monsters under your bed, now you think you're a little boy. What's next?"

"But I'm not a little girl - or a little boy for that matter," I insisted. "I'm a full-grown man trapped in this child's body. My name is Mack Davis and I used to play football in the NFL. Check the Internet, you'll find my name out there."

"Look," she said sternly back to me. "I'm in no mood for these little games of yours Tanra. I have a history paper due tomorrow that I haven't even started yet. If you think I'm going to let you off the hook by not helping me fix dinner you're wrong. If you keep this up, I'll tell dad and he'll really fix your wagon - got that?"

I sat there in silence wondering what to do next. This person was acting like she had known me all my life yet we had just met. Even stranger was the twinkling in her eyes. The more she interacted with me the more they flashed. I found it a little creepy.

We pulled up in front of a small, two-story house surrounded by other houses of similar size. I had to admit there was a certain charm about my new home. The neighborhood was certainly different than the one I had grown up in.

"Set the table 'brat'," she ordered when we got inside.

"Where are the dishes?" I asked. She rolled her eyes angrily at me.

"I told you I wasn't in the mood for your games," she hollowed. "Now get the table set while I start dinner."

She pushed me in the direction of a long cabinet along the wall. Inside I found what I was looking for. Based on what the doctor had told me about my family, I set the table for five people. When I walked into the kitchen to tell my sister I was done I was rewarded with an apron thrown at me.

"Peel some potatoes," she ordered. There was an authoritarian tone in her voice that caused me to think twice about refusing. Fortunately I had learned to peel potatoes when I was a little boy and went to my task with eagernest. It had been years since I had peeled any potatoes and I found myself enjoying the task. It gave me a chance to sit down and plan my next move. I thought about sneaking out of town in the middle of the night but nixed that plan. There was no way I was leaving Andersonville until I was changed back into good old me.

Next I thought about hiding in the Judge's office and when she came in I would overpower her and force her to make me 'me' again. But I dismissed that plan as well. If she was able to turn me into a little girl it was unlikely I would be able to scare her into doing my bidding - let alone overpower her. No, I needed a better plan. A teenage boy walking into the kitchen interrupted my thoughts. From the way he went over and grabbed some food off the counter this teenager could have only been my brother.

"Where have you been?" my sister yelled at him. "You should have been home half an hour ago."

"I had football practice this afternoon and then my friends and I went over to Larry's to check out the women," he said with a boyish smile. "You know how much they adore me! Chill Sister."

"I'll 'CHILL' you," she threatened with a spoon. "You're supposed to help with dinner tonight - remember."

He hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Darn, I forgot again."

"Well I didn't," the voice of an older woman said. She was slightly tall, skinny, and had a very tired look on her face. In her hands were two bags of grocery. "I told you specifically young man to get home right after football practice and help out around the house. Here, take these bags from me."

My brother did as he was told without an argument and set them on the counter. My mother was someone who demanded and got respect in this house.

"But mom, you can't expect me to do woman's work," he protested.

"Woman's work? Since when is having a clean house and a warm meal on the table just a woman's responsibility?" my mother asked.

"Aww mom, you know what I mean. Girls are always playing house and stuff like that. It's like you train for this all your life."

"Who's been filling your head with this garbage?" my mother demanded to know. "Your good for nothing football pals I bet. Well, in this house the men and women are equal - which means we don't segregate our jobs young man. Now help your sister with dinner."

"Why not just put me in a dress and apron?" I heard him protest under his breath. My mother heard it too and gave him a silent stare.

"Wait right here," she said in a calm but even tone. A moment later she returned and threw something at him. "Put it on!"

It was a dress, a worn out red dress with white flowers all over it and clearly one of my mother's. My brother stood there holding it in his hands with his mouth hung slightly open in fright while my sister stood there laughing her head off. Even I started to giggle at his predicament.

"Go ahead and put it on Thomas," my sister teased. "I bet you'll look lovely in it."

"Shut up Jossie," my brother snapped back at her. "Mom, you can't be serious about this."

"Do you want me to get you one of my 'bras' to show you how serious I am?" This caused my sister and me to laugh even harder.

"Mom listen. This is no disrespect to you but women are better at certain things than men are."

"Like cooking, cleaning, and changing poopy diapers on screaming babies - is that what you're saying?" By now my mother wasn't just a little annoyed with my brother; she was steaming. And every word my brother said only dug the hole a little deeper "Well yea. I mean, it's what your mind is tuned into. To stay home and take care of the family - it's a nurturing thing. And men, they're better at providing for their families."

"So let me get this straight," another voice rang out, this one definitely male. "Since your mother has to work to help support us - then I'm not really a man? Is that what you're saying son?" It was my father returning from work. He looked tired after putting in a full day down in the mine.

"Um, no dad," my brother replied, trying to weasel out of the mess he had talked himself in to. "I wasn't saying that at all."

Both of my parents gave him an unpleasant glare. "Perhaps you shouldn't say anything else and do what your mother says before you do find yourself in that dress," my father said, "as well as in one of her bras and panties sets! Thomas placed the dress on a chair and turned to help his sister without saying another word. My father gave my mother a kiss and asked how her day had been.

"Hectic," she started out. "We really need to get some more cashiers down at the store. How about you honey?"

"Same old, same old. We started opening up a new vein today. Toby seems to think it's going to be a big strike. The test looked good anyway." He turned and smiled at me. "And how's my cute little girl today."

'Cute little girl?' The thought made me ill. Still, my father looked like a kind man who was devoted to his family. I thought of something to say but my sister beat me to the punch.

"She thinks she's some kind of football star daddy."

"Oh," my father said humorously. "For what team?"

"Cincinnati," I told him. "I'm Mack Davis - or as my fans used to call me, Mack the knife because I used to slice through the defense of any team." My father laughed as if I was joking.

"You have some imagination pumpkin!" He rubbed my head in a playful manner. "But I would prefer you played with your dolls instead. One football star is enough in this family. Of course, maybe you can give your bother some pointers."

"Dad!" my brother protested. "What could she know about football?"

"I know more than you do," I snapped back at him. "Go ahead, ask me anything."

"That's enough you two," my father said. "Now finish dinner while your mother and I try to relax a little." I saw them both smile at each other then disappear into the bedroom to change clothes.

"Watch what you're doing Thomas," my sister yelled at my brother.

"Stop being so bossy Jossie. Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you're in charge." Their argument continued until my mother came out a few minutes later to put an end to it. Somehow my brother and sister managed to get dinner ready without fighting anymore.

When we sat down to eat my father made us join hands as he said the blessing. Then he engaged each one of his children in conversation. My father seemed to be generally interested in what each of us had done that day.

I thought about what I wanted to say. 'Well Dad, I just got out of prison today because, unknowingly, I agreed to become your daughter. The reason why I was in jail is because I started breaking into houses to support my drug habit. Now don't get me wrong dad, you seem like a nice guy and all, but I really don't want to be your sweet little girl anymore.'

However, when he did ask me what I did today I made up something to please him. He was just like everyone else in my family - one of those people with the twinkling eyes. I knew trying to tell him the truth was a waste of time.

"So, whose turn is it to do dishes tonight?" my mother asked after dinner was over.

"It's Thomas's turn," my father answered.

"Dad, I did the dishes last night," he protested loudly.

"And you'll do them again tonight and for the rest of the week after what you said to your mother," he told him sternly. "And I'll help so we can have one of those private father-son talks you enjoy so much."

"Aww dad," he grumbled while picking up the dishes from the table. My father followed him into the kitchen with an armful of dirty dishes in his hand.

"Let's do your homework Tanra," my mother said in a tired voice. "Go get your book bag."

Now the last time I had done any homework was when I was studying a playbook. In school I had never been a very studious student. I knew football, not my brains, was going to be my meal ticket in life. However, I didn't know back then that I would end up inhaling it all through my nose. It wasn't that I was stupid -- I was just lazy. And as long as I kept scoring those touchdowns and winning games my parents didn't care that I was a 'D' average student. By the time I had got to 8th grade other kids were doing my homework for me. They were glad to do it just so they could hang out with one of the most popular guys in school. Back then I was a chick magnet and what I didn't want they were more than happy to pick up. Now, I thought sadly, I was the chick.

I started pulling out my books and found a crumbled up piece of paper that turned out to be my math assignment. It seems my captors had thought of everything.

"Your teacher told me you need to work on your fractions more. Try doing what you can and I'll help you work out the rest." My mother watched closely as I worked out the first problem. Even though I had never been very good at math I didn't have any problems with the first three problems. The fourth one was a little tougher but I managed to get it done. When I got to the fifth problem I didn't know what to do.

"Okay Tanra," she said in a nurturing voice. "Make a box like you did with the first one. Now put the numbers in their places. Good, now which is bigger, five or two?" She continued this way, supplying me with simple but useful hints while letting me work out the problem. Over the next twenty minutes I began to get the hang of it.

"It looks like that's all the homework you were assigned tonight," my mother said once I had finished the last problem. "Go get into the bathtub and afterwards you can watch a little TV before bedtime."

I made my way upstairs with uncertainty. I wasn't sure what to expect to find in my room. It turned out I shared the room with my sister, a situation I was sure she wasn't happy about being the oldest. I stood there in the center of the room not knowing what to do next. Where were my clothes? Which dresser was mine? I didn't want to start rummaging through everything to find what I needed.

Then I remembered what Dr. Green had told me. I closed my eyes and asked the question 'Where is everything in my room?' Suddenly, like magic, the answers started popping into my head and I knew where everything was. It was kind of a little funny to ask a question and have the answer pop into your head like that. I gathered up some pajamas and headed to the bathtub.

It was odd seeing my naked body for the first time. The lack of my penis screamed out I was a little girl and I found myself wanting to cry over its loss. I was no longer a man, something I had become accustomed to all these years. I didn't see how I could fit in and continue living in this new role, and I didn't want to spend the next few years playing with dolls and learning how to be a good mother or *gasp* wife. I found myself dreaming of ways to get out of this town.

The pounding on the door brought me back to reality. My sister was yelling at me that it was past my bedtime. I discovered I had been in the tub for well over an hour daydreaming. I dried myself off and got dressed in the pajamas I had brought in. My mother was already waiting in my bedroom to tuck me in. I looked at the clock - it was only 9:35pm. I sometimes didn't get out of bed until this time to party all night.

"Sweet dreams Tanra," she told me with a loving smile while handing me a teddy bear. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and turned off the light. I found myself very tired from the day's events and closed my eyes. In a few minutes I was sound asleep.

******

The hallways were packed with swarms of excited students as I entered my new school. I felt a sensation of panic standing there with other 8 and 9-year-old kids - who really were 8 or 9 years old. I was a full grown, adult man - at least on the inside. But here I would be seen and treated as just a young child.

Not knowing where to go, I stood in the corner and closed my eyes to concentrate. I asked the question on where to go but to my frustration, the answer didn't come to me.

"Having trouble finding your room Tanra?" I opened up my eyes and saw a middle-age woman standing there with a cordial smile on her face. She had brown, curly hair that was stylishly cut so it hung just below her shoulders. The hem of the peach dress she wore ended at least 3 inches above her knees and only enhanced her beautiful figure. But not only was she gorgeous, her face held a look of vast wisdom.

"It's room 103 - down the hall, turn right. It's the 2nd room on the left," she told me even before I had asked the question.

"How did you - "

"Read your mind," she finished for me with a satisfactory smile. "Because I'm the superintendent of the school district and it's my job to know everything about my students."

It took me a moment to realize she hadn't really answered my question. "That's not what I asked - or was going to ask YOU." I was starting to get a little frustrated. "Who are you?"

"My name is Mrs. Miller," she said looking at me curiously with her big, blue eyes. "Now you better get to class Tanra before the bell rings." She gave me a slight push in the direction of my room and headed off in another direction. Even though she looked normal enough, for some reason I felt like I had been in the presence of someone who wasn't quite human.

I managed to get to class just before the bell rang. Looking at the other kids in my class, I noticed most of them had that twinkling effect in their eyes - all except for one boy. He gave me a quick smile but didn't seem to notice I was different from the others. There was a young woman writing something on the chalkboard that I assumed was my new teacher. When she turned to face us I realized she was also a real person. She must have noticed the same thing in me because she gave me a strange look and smiled slightly. I later learned her name was Miss Johnston.

"Okay class," Miss Johnston told us. "We're going to do your math test first. Clear your desk of all books and papers - and keep your eyes on your own test." Everyone did as they were told and she started passing out the test to us.

I looked at the first question; it was a fraction problem. I'd never had much luck with tests but then being a football star I'd never felt a need to worry about them in the first place. I decided to give it my best shot. I worked on the first two problems without much trouble and breezed through the next five. Problem number eight gave me some trouble but then I remembered what my mother had taught me and I worked out the answer. By the time the teacher asked for the test back I had answered all the questions.

I couldn't' believe it. Suddenly a surge of pride rose up inside me. I couldn't remember the last time I had completed a test. Nor could I ever remember feeling like I had 'aced' one before. I had passed a test - me - Mack Davis. I felt like I was on top of the world.

Feeling cocky from the test I dove into our history assignment, raising my hand and begging to yell out the answers. Sure, it was little kids history but for the first time in my life I knew the answers. I couldn't remember the last time I felt so good about myself. In high school I had been a dumb jock but now I was as smart as any other kid in class - maybe smarter. By the time recess rolled around I was beginning to like school. As I went by Miss Johnston to go outside she stopped me.

"I'd like to speak with you for a moment Tanra." There was a note of concern in her voice.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked fearfully when we were alone.

"No," she said smiling. "It's just that - you usually don't participate in class so much. Has anything changed recently to make you act so different?" I could see it in her eyes - she wanted to know if I remembered.

"My mother helped me with my school work yesterday." I could almost see the hope fading from her eyes. "And, I wasn't always like this."

A look of recognition appeared in her eyes. "So you know who you used to be?" I nodded that I did.

"So do I," she told me. "I've been here for almost a month and you're only the fifth normal person I've met."

"What about Tony?" I asked curiously. He was the regular boy in class who I had seen earlier.

"He doesn't remember a thing," Miss Johnston replied. "Look, we can't talk long or they'll get suspicious. This Dr. Green seems to know about every move I make. It's like this whole damn town is wired or something. So don't let on that we talked. If you stay after school some day we can discuss everything. But just so you know, I'm trying to find a way out of here."

"Why not just refuse to play their game? Tell them you're not going to be this Miss Johnston person anymore." A frighten look appeared on the woman's face.

"I tried that once," she whispered softly to me. "I told the Judge to go to hell, that I wasn't going to do this anymore. She turned me into a little baby and I spent the next three days in the hospital nursery. It was terrible. All the nurses thought I was a little baby and treated me like one. They talked to me in baby talk, changed my diaper," she grimaced a little, "and fed me with a bottle. When the Judge asked me what I wanted to do I begged her to return me back to this life. She did so with a warning that I would find myself back into baby for good if I didn't behave. I never want to go back there again."

My hopes were shattered. I thought by refusing to play my new role it would get me changed back to who I once was. Instead it was a one way ticket to a life in diapers. A cold chill went up my spine.

"I have a plan though," Miss Johnston told me with hope. "Judge Herns can't change us all into babies. I figured if a group of us got together and refused to carry on this way, she couldn't ignore that. We could negotiate a life that we want.

"How many have you got so far?" I asked. A discouraging frown appeared on her face.

"Unfortunately, no one yet," she answered. "But I believe Judge Herns left us with our memories for a reason. If a group of us got together and refused to play along in this game it will ruin their plans. Alone they can control us, but together we have strength. What do you say - are you in?"

'Am I?' I found myself wondering. While I wasn't happy being a 9-year-old girl I realized it was better than the life I had once been living. For one, my craving for cocaine was gone. I no longer had those earlier morning shakes, the hallucinations, or that helpless feel of being out of control until I got my next score. In my past life I would have paid anything to be rid of that demon.

Then there was my family - a real family. My other parents weren't bad but they had never been there for me either. If I skipped school, so what? As long as I kept scoring touchdowns for the team they weren't concern. I never had to show them my homework, never had to study in front of them, never had to explain my bad grades to them. They were too wrapped up in their own lives to be concerned about mine. But my new parents were different. They were involved and challenged me. They wanted to make sure I succeed in life by using my brain and not just my muscles. They wanted me to grow up to be a well-balanced person who could read and write like everyone else. The Judge had made me young enough to achieve that dream.

"I'll have to think about it Miss Johnston." There was a deep look of disappointment on her face since she had expected me to jump at her offer without a second thought. She told me we would talk later and shooed me out the door.

I ran to join my other classmates on the swing set and suddenly felt alive again. My drug problem and then my stay in jail had robbed me of that feeling. Now I was free to run and jump and do anything I wanted. I had forgotten how wonderful that felt.

"Hi," I heard someone say to me. It was Tony standing there in front of me with a shy grin on his face.

"Hi back," I replied. Suddenly I felt a little embarrassed standing there talking to him. The last thing I needed was to have the teachers talking among themselves about how cute of a couple we made or be teased by the other kids in my class. I tried walking away but he followed me like a puppy dog.

"I'm playing football this year," he boasted.

"Really!" I answered still walking. His remark caught my attention and instantly I knew what he was doing. Tony was trying to think of something to say to impress me and make me like him. Then again, I had done the same thing when I was his age.

"So what position do you play?" I asked while looking around to see who else was watching us.

"I'm a fullback, and I'm going to score lots and lots of touchdowns," he announced proudly. I looked carefully at his body and calculated he would be lucky to get across the line of scrimmage.

"Want to see me play this Saturday?" he asked with big, hopeful eyes.

"I don't know, I may have to wash my hair that day." I said it with a tone of sarcasm in the hopes he would get the message and leave me alone. He did.

"Oh," he whispered sadly. "I understand."

He turned and walked away, his body language indicating I had hurt him more than I had intended to. Suddenly I felt incredible guilty for what I had said. He didn't seem like a bad kid after all. All he wanted was someone in his class - okay, a girl in his class to watch him play. Maybe he would go far in football if he had some positive encouragement. And I had just ripped his heart out like I had done with my past teammates.

"Wait Tony," I said before knowing what I was doing. He turned and looked at me - the slight glisten of a tear forming in his eyes. "'I'm sorry about what I said. What time is the game?"

******

My mother was helping me with spelling words. She looked tired but her interest in me never wavered - or her encouragement.

"That was very good Tanra, I'm proud of you. You got all of these words right the first time." She gave me a warm, encouraging hug and I was elated by her words of praise. It only made me want to do better and please her more. But in the back of my mind something was bothering me.

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Sure honey," my mother replied.

"Would you still love me as much if I wasn't that smart?"

She pulled me in close to her. "I would love you no matter what Tanra. I've been in love with you ever since the delivery nurse laid you into my arms. All your father and I want is for you to be happy and try your best. Does that answer your question honey?"

I didn't answer her; I was too busy giving her a bigger hug back.

******

It was close to 11:30 and I was hungry. I couldn't wait for the bell to ring so I could eat my lunch and go outside to play. Most of the stuff Miss Johnston went over in class kept me interested because I knew enough about what she was saying to understand. Every now and then she would add on more details to the subject that I hadn't known before. I was learning and enjoying it.

"Well class, I was very pleased with your test scores from yesterday," she informed us while passing out our math test. "Some of you improved greatly over your last test."

When she handed me back my test I was shocked. At the top of the page in red ink was a score of 100. I couldn't believe it; I had aced the test. I couldn't remember acing a test before. Miss Johnston smiled brightly down at me.

"Congratulations Tanra. You got the top score in the class." The other kids looked at me with surprise and envious eyes. Apparently Tanra hadn't been a very good student before I took her place. At that moment the bell rang.

"Alright class," Miss Johnston said to all of us. "It's time for lunch. Let's line up at the door." Everyone did as they were told which struck me as being kind of funny. At my old school the students didn't respect their teacher. They would laugh or joke and not follow instructions the teachers had given them. But here it was almost a given that if your teacher told you to do something you followed it to the letter.

We proceeded down the hallway in silence - also a given since talking in the hallway wasn't allowed. My mother had packed my lunch today so I brought my milk and took a seat by myself. To my surprise, a couple of other girls sat down next to me. Both of them were those unreal people.

"You must have studied hard for that test," said one of the girls in my class. Her name was Nancy and she wasn't an unpleasant person to be around although she did tend to rattle on in class. The other girl I had never seen before.

"Kind of," I agreed while trying to think of a quick way not to have to talk to them without hurting their feelings. It seems these unreal people had feelings too. The other girl sat there politely in silence eating an apple. She was at least two years older than me and kind of cute sitting there in her white pants and pink sweater. Her dark hair was in a ponytail that was held together by a single, pink ribbon.

"Do I know you?" I asked the new girl.

"I'm Jennifer," she responded sweetly.

"Jennifer Anderson," Nancy added. "My best friend."

I looked squarely into Jennifer's flashing eyes. "Is Linda Anderson your sister? The one who works at the courthouse that is?"

Jennifer nodded her head. "My sister started working there a couple of months ago. I hope to be just like her one day."

"You mean real?" I stated sarcastically.

The young girl gave me a surprise look back. "I'm real?"

"No you're not," I argued in an attempt to find out what happened when they were confronted with the truth. "And neither are you," I pointed to other girl. "You're both fake, or something along those lines. You don't have a soul or anything like that."

If I had expected to get an argument out of them I was about to be disappointed. Both girls started giggling as if I was telling them a joke.

"What are you girls laughing about?" I turned just in time to see Tony sliding smoothly into the seat right next to me, a sly smile on his face. This was just great. Not only did I have fake friends to deal with but also a boyfriend as well. Could my social life get any worse?

"Tanra thinks we're ghosts or something," Nancy laughed.

"Is that so," Tony grinned at me. "Still coming to my game on Saturday?" He asked the question loudly enough so his friends at the next table would hear him. Tony wanted to make sure everyone knew about our little 'date'. I played with the idea of embarrassing him in front of them by pretending I didn't know what he was talking about; then I remembered the sad expression on his face when I blew him off yesterday.

"I'll be there." The boys at the next table started snickering with glee as Tony started going into a long, boring recap of his life as a star football player. I almost laughed knowing I was seeing a mirror image of myself almost 30 years ago. When I was a young boy the only thing I ever talked about to girls was how great I was at playing football. Of course, unlike Tony here, I had been a great football player.

As we made our way outside to play Miss Johnston was standing by the door waiting for me. She pulled me aside from the other kids so we wouldn't be heard.

"Have you thought about what I asked you yesterday?" I saw the pleading hope in her eyes.

"Yes," I replied swallowing hard. "I'll help find other people to join us."

She smiled triumphantly. "I'm so glad to hear that. You better go before someone catches on. We'll talk about this later when we're alone."

As I made my way outside I began to feel guilty. Was I really unhappy with my new life? Compared to my old life this was heaven. Okay, I was now a little girl and one day I would grow up to be a big girl but so what? I was given a second chance at life. Then I got scared. What happened if the people in charge found out I was a part of this? Would they take this new life away? Suddenly I realized how comfortable I was being Tanra Stewart and how much I now had to lose.

******

After school I spotted Dr. Green in her car waiting for me out front. She gave me a slight wave and motioned me to get in. I noticed she had a friendly smile on her face, a common trait of hers.

"How was school Tanra," she asked as if she was really interested.

"Okay I guess." I didn't want to let on how much I had been enjoying it.

"Good," she said still smiling. We talked some more about school but I sensed she was waiting until we got back to her office to hit me with the big stuff. Once we were there she started.

"I see you didn't take my advice after you left the other day," she stated with some disappointment.

"What do you mean?" I asked knowing exactly what she meant.

"One of my don'ts - don't tell anyone you're a man. It's not allowed."

"I couldn't help myself," I tried to explain. "Do you know how much of an adjustment this is to me? I had to tell someone."

"That's what I'm here for Tanra," Carol Green stated firmly. "To talk to about these things so I can help you work them out."

"But you're one of them!" I said in a raised voice.

"No - I'm not," she answered in a comforting tone, too comforting for my taste - like she was comforting a real 9-year-old child who was scared and confused.

"As for disobeying my instructions," Dr. Green continued, "which by the way, are there for your own good, I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish you."

"Yea, what else can you do to me?" I stated defiantly. "I mean, how can my punishment get any worse."

A small smile crept over the doctor's face. "By taking away some of your privileges. Since this wasn't a major offense, I'm going to be lenient. I'm changing your bedtime from 9:30pm to 9:00 on school nights and 9:30pm on weekends. Don't worry, your mother will go along with this." My jaw dropped down slightly.

"That's not fair," I yelled back.

"Life isn't fair," Dr. Green replied. "If you don't believe me ask the little girl you stole money from to buy drugs with. She had been saving her allowance for months to buy an easy bake oven." I kept silent knowing she had a valid point.

"How long is my punishment for?"

The doctor thought about it for a moment and said, "one month. If you behave, I'll lift my punishment and give you more freedom. It all depends on you Tanra."

"Can I ask a question?"

"Of course you can Tanra," the doctor answered cheerfully. "I'm here to answer any questions you have if I can."

"What do you expect of me? I mean, I'm not really a 9 years old girl and you certainly can't expect me to act like one. So what am I supposed to do until I grow up again?"

She nodded carefully at my question. "You need to embrace your childhood Tanra and forget who you once were. Learn to have fun again. Think of this as a second start at life."

"As a girl?" I asked smugly.

"It's not as bad as you think," Dr. Green explained. "Forget that you're a girl now. What's important is that you relive your life without making the same mistakes as before. All your regrets are in the past now. Remember them and then live life to overcome them."

I wanted to believe the doctor but it wasn't easy. Despite how much I had screwed up my old life, I still wanted it back - at least part of it. Why couldn't they send me back to the point where I had first started using drugs? But I realized that that wasn't where I had made my wrong turn in life. It had started long ago when I was still a kid. By the time I got to the NFL my drug use had been unavoidable.

"I'll try Dr. Green."

******

The football field they were playing on was located behind the elementary school. It wasn't much to look at, a big plain field that someone had put white strips across to show the yard markers and boundaries. But to the kids playing on the football team it was a field of dreams. I arrived about 15 minutes before the game started so I could wish Tony good luck, I knew he would need it. I saw him standing there among the other boys who were much taller and better built. He got a huge smile on his face when he saw me and strutted over.

"Hi Tanra. I'm glad you came to see me play." His confidence seemed to grow seeing me stand there.

"So am I," I said with a sweet smile to help boast his ego. "I hope you do well today."

Before he had a chance to reply Coach Falk called all the players to gather around him. With nothing else better to do, I walked over to where the Coach had laid down his papers and other stuff. I was starting to feel a little blue being there - I loved the game of football in all forms. If there was one thing I was going to miss being Tanra it would be not being able to participate in the game anymore. I guess I could try out for the team since girls were allowed to play football in today's world. But with my small body I didn't have much of a chance making the team. When you came right down to it, bulk did matter in football.

I saw the statistic sheet lying on the ground and decided to take a look and see how Tony did in his last game. It didn't take me long to see that Coach Falk had used the wrong formula to figure out everyone's stats. I had learned how to calculate my own statistics back in high school. My career and salary was based on those numbers. - I lived and died by them. Having nothing else better to do I picked up the sheet and started figuring them out the right way.

"What do you think you're doing young lady," the coach said to me sternly when he saw me fooling around with his stuff.

"Well, um, sir," I started off, trying to act like a nervous 9 year old. "I noticed you figured up the statistics for your players incorrectly and was fixing them for you." He took the chart out of my hand and looked carefully at the ones I had corrected.

"The High School coach wants me to keep stats on all my players. The darn thing is," he said with a frustrated expression, "I don't know what the heck I'm doing."

"I do coach," I told him. He gave me a skeptical stare. After all, the only thing he saw standing there was a little girl.

"You do, uh?"

"Well, yes. You see - it's sort of a hobby of mine, I like working with numbers. If you want, I'll do the stats for you." I flashed him a hopeful smile.

"I don't know," he said reluctantly.

"Look Coach Falk, give me a chance. If I screw up what have you lost? You're still going to have to do them over again anyway.
I may be able to save you the time."

He gave me a careful look over. "Okay. I'll try you out. But if you mess up --"

"I won't," I replied back confidently. "Thanks for giving me a chance Coach. By the way, do you have any game sheets?"

The coach looked surprised. "You know how to do the game stats too?"

"Oh yes - it's easier if you do them during the game." Coach Falk flashed me a smile for the first time that day.

"I never had the time to do them during the game," he said while handing me the booklet. "Here, um, what's your name?"

"Tanra," I told him. "And don't worry about the stats Coach, just concentrate on the game."

He nodded and took his position on the sidelines while I started writing down the information. It wasn't as much fun as being out there but at least I was still part of the game.

Tony did pretty much as I predicted; not getting very far past the line of scrimmage before the defense tackled him. One time three lineman converged on the little kid at the same time and buried him for a one-yard loss. In the NFL you would have felt a hit like that until the next game but Tony got up smiling. At half time our team was ahead 14 to 12. I worked out the numbers and showed the Coach my results. I could tell he was impressed.

"We get a least 3 extra yards every time we run to the right," I pointed out.

"So I see," he said with an appreciated grin. "Tanra, I must admit I was skeptical at first but you've proven me wrong. You're doing a great job!"

Praise! It felt good to do a job and be appreciated for it. Of course, there wasn't anyone around to praise you for a job well done after you'd successfully robbed a house.

"How would you like to be my stats person for the rest of the season?" he asked me. I found myself bubbling over with delight and told him I would be happy to. I could tell from the way he looked at me that he was just as pleased with the arrangement.

The rest of the game was played out a little differently. With my numbers, Coach Falk ran plays that should have and did get good results. Even Tony got into the act, running for 20 yards on one play around the weak right. Afterwards he came up to me, a proud look on his face.

"Did you see my run?" he asked excitedly. "I almost scored a touchdown."

He hadn't come close to scoring but I wasn't about to break the young boy's ego. In fact, I found myself wanting to boost it. Tony reminded me a lot of my old self - only without the talent I once had. Still, with hard work, Tony could make the High school team and maybe even a spot on one of the lesser-known college teams. He could be a superstar in his own right if things went his way.

"You did great," I whispered as I reached over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. His eyes went big as his friends started making all kinds of hooting and kissing sounds as young boys do when they tease each other. Tony just stood there looking dumbfounded and at a lost for words.

"Come on Tony, hit the shower," the Coach told him while dragging him away. He gave me an appreciative glance. "See you at the next game Tanra."

"Thanks Coach Falk, I wouldn't miss it for the world." He smiled and headed back to the locker room with his team. I stood there feeling great about myself. I was useful again. I wasn't some low-life thief strung out on drugs. There were people depending on me and who respected me for who I was. Then a horrible thought cross my mind - Miss Johnston. What if they found out about her plan and my decision to help her out?

******

As I made my way nervously down the courtroom hallway I was hoping she would still be there. I was relieved to see the doorway to the Judge's chambers still open and equally surprised to see Linda Anderson there on a Saturday. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and old T-shirt, not the professional attire I had seen her in before. She looked up from her work and smiled at me.

"Can I help you Tanra?"

"Please - I need to talk to the Judge."

She gave me a look of caution. "The Judge and I were just getting ready to leave. Are you sure you want to talk to her?"

"Yes I do, and it's not what you think. I need to see her."

"Let her in Linda." The Judge was sitting at her desk with a pleasant look on her face as I took a seat across from her. "Now, what can I do for you my child?"

"I need - I need to confess something to you Judge Herns." There was tension in my voice that wouldn't go away.

"Well Tanra, confession is good for the soul," she said somewhat sternly. "What is it?"

"Well, you see," I stuttered. "I don't want to get anyone else in trouble but I kind of - well, I kind of agreed to join some people in an attempt to get turned back into my old self. I know I'm in trouble Judge Herns. But I wanted you to know that I'm sorry for doing this, very, very sorry."

"I see," she responded while giving me a look that wasn't as stern as it was a moment ago. "You know you shouldn't have done that."

"Yes," I sniffed slightly and lowered my head in shame. "It's just that, well, I wasn't sure what to do at the time. This life takes a little getting used to."

"And now Tanra?" she asked with interest.

"Well, I still have issues to deal with but - I feel I have a better handle on all this."

"I see," the Judge replied again. "So what do you think I should do with you?"

"I suppose I need to be punished for this. That's the way it works around here, isn't it? You break a rule and you get punished for it."

Judge Herns softened slightly. "Not always Tanra. There's a fine line between doing something wrong and making a mistake. You also have to balance punishment with mercy and forgiveness. I believe this is one of these times."

"So - you're not going to punish me?" I was a little surprised by her answer.

"No. I expect such attempts from our newcomers. I don't like seeing them and we have to nip it in the bud, but it's not a surprise to me when it happens. Since you made it a point to come to my office and express your regret, I don't see how punishing you serves any purpose. So we'll forget this ever happened."

"Really?" I said as my mood started picking up. "Thank you Judge Herns."

She gave me a motherly smile and said, "Why don't you go outside and play now."

I flashed her a grin and galloped off to enjoy the rest of the day.

******

I watched Tanra leave and sighed slightly. It meant more paperwork for the file I had just completed. Well, the update could wait until Monday at least. I locked her file in my desk and went in to say goodbye to the Judge.

"I'm getting ready to go June, unless you need me for something else."

"No. Thanks for coming in today Linda - I appreciate it. By the way, do you have any big plans for the weekend?"

"Not really. I may catch a movie later on tonight if I feel like it."

"No date?" she asked.

"I'm not ready yet June."

The Judge looked at me with loving eyes. "Yes you are Linda. You just need to let go of your past and accept who you are now."

"You sound like Dr. Green," I retorted.

"Do I?" she said with a small smile. "See you on Monday."

I turned to leave and then stopped. "Judge, may I ask you a question on the Tanra Stewart case?"

"You may ask," she replied back in a humorously fashion. "What is it my child?"

"Well, on the classification for Tanra, you have her listed as 'forgotten'. I've never seen that listing before, what does it mean?"

"It means that most of the people Mack Davis once knew don't remember him anymore. In a sense, he never existed."

"But wouldn't that change their history if he hadn't existed in their life?"

"Yes, if I had let it," Judge Herns explained. "Mack's departure would have left a huge vacuum and since nature abhors a vacuum - it would have re-written history. If I hadn't stepped in and done something about it things would be very different today."

"But one man?" I asked somewhat astounded. "How much change could Mack have made on the world."

"You'd be surprised my child," Judge Herns replied. "But I won't go into all the details."

"So you made sure that history didn't change?"

"No, that would have been impossible," she admitted. "The outcomes remained the same but in a different fashion. For example, the San Francisco 49er's still won the Super Bowl but by a different score. Mack also had a son that he didn't know about. I had to make sure his mother thought someone else was the father. Two of Mack's friends met people through him that they would later marry and another eight couples were married indirectly because of those couples. I had to make sure they all got together through other means. And then there were those people Mack stole from. Sadly they had to remember being robbed because even a bad experience in life can have positive, life-changing affect for the future.

"One troubled boy learned first hand how bad it felt to be a victim of a crime. He went from being a slacker to an 'A' student in High school and is now studying to become a lawyer. Another family purchased a security system after Mack broke into their house. Six months later it saved the daughter from being raped and killed, although no one will ever know that. So you see, we affect the lives of others around us and they in turn affect others that then affect even more people. It's like dropping a pebble in a pond and watching the ripples fan out. That's the way human interaction is, it doesn't end with just a small circle of friends."

I nodded that I understood. The amount of fine detail that needed to be fixed was mind-boggling. How Judge Herns was able to do it was beyond my scope of understanding.

"So if Mack Davis never existed, who took his place on the football team?"

"Someone by the name of Wilson," Judge Herns told me. "His first name escapes me right now."

"How did he do?" I asked "About the same as Mack," she said with disappointment. It was odd that history kept repeating itself all the time. She hadn't even meant for that to happen - it had done so on it's own.

"Have a good weekend Linda," she told me.

"The same to you June."

Fade out...

This story is dedicated to all the TG writers out there, who make the days easier to deal with by posting new stories to read each day.

 

Andersonville 5 - The Guilty Soul
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

The sun wasn't even peeking over the hills when the alarm started going off. I hit the snooze button several times but eventually realized I was going to have to get out of bed and get ready for work. I stir slightly, stretching my legs and arms in a poor attempt to wake up. Then I noticed something odd - my underwear felt wet. I reached down to be sure and was rewarded with a touch of dampness around my crotch.

'Damn, I wet the bed,' was my first thought. The last time I had wet the bed was when I was 4 years old. It must have been the strangeness of this new body - I had had some weird dreams last night. I rubbed my fingers together and noticed they were sticky, not wet. A sick feeling rose up inside of me!

I reached down there again only this time I put my fingers underneath my panties. When I pulled my hand back up there was blood on my fingers.

"OH GOD!" I screamed.

******

I dressed rapidly - not worrying about taking a shower or how I must have looked. Then I drove my car as fast as I could to the courthouse. Normally it would take me five minutes to get there but I made it in less then two. As the car went screaming into the parking lot I saw the doctor's car parked in the rear. I turned sharply into a parking space and slammed on the brakes; squealing the tires the entire way. Somehow I remembered to grab my keys and purse as I left my car in a flying gallop. Out of nowhere appeared Officer Candy, a new hire for the Andersonville Police Department. There was nothing sweet about the man like his last name indicated; he was an honest to God 'Prick'.

"What the hell do you think you're doing young lady hot rodding into town like this?" he berated me.

"I need - to see - Dr Green right away." I wasn't paying attention to the officer's tone. I was in a state of panic and shock.

"You can see her after I write you up," he told me angrily. "I don't care if you do work for the Judge, you won't get away with this." I saw Dave William's approach us from the corner of my eye with look of concern on his face.

"What's going on?" he wanted to know.

"Dave - officer - sergeant," I began to stutter in an unstructured sentence. "I need to see Carol - please - right now."

"She must be drunk," Officer Candy told his supervisor. Dave looked closely at my face and then at the small stain appearing on my pants.

"Let her go Nick."

"What?" the officer replied in surprise. "Not until I write her up for speeding and reckless driving I won't."

"I said let her go - NOW!" Dave ordered. Officer Candy released his strong grip on me while glaring at his supervisor.

"She's upstairs in her office," he told me softly. "I just got done talking to her. Now go."

I didn't have to be told twice. I ran into the courthouse and went up the stairs as fast as I could. Carol Green was watering a plant when I arrived. She turned and gave me a worry look.

"Linda, what's wrong." She could tell I was upset.

"I - it's - can't - NO!" Oh, I was really doing a good job of explaining the problem. Then I saw Dr. Green look down and she knew. She rushed over to me and put gave me a hug.

"It's okay Linda, it's okay," Carol said in a comforting tone. She pulled me over to the couch and sat down next to me "No - no, I don't want this," I cried while burying my face into her shoulder. "Make it STOP!"

"Oh sweetheart - I can't," she replied in a smoothing tone. "We both knew this day was coming. I tried to prepare you for this Linda. It's not the end of the world, it's the beginning."

"But I don't want a damn period," I replied back in an almost hysterical state. "I can't have one. No, no, no. Stop it, please. I don't even know what to do with that - that thing."

"It's okay honey - I'll teach you," she cooed to me in a motherly tone. "It's not so bad - really." I started bawling louder.

The doctor wrapped her hands around me and hugged me tightly.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

"Come on Keith, hurry up," Cynthia Bennett yelled up the steps. "Tom's going to be here any minute."

"I'm coming Sis." The young man strolled down the steps wearing a pair of blue jeans and a plain tee shirt. Typical brother - and also what Cynthia used to be before she had met up with Dr. Jensen.

"Couldn't you dress a little nicer," she told him. "This is supposed to be a business meeting and Tom is going to be here any minute."

"Relax sister, this deal is going to happen, or not happen, no matter how I'm dressed. Beside, Tom's never on time." As if to prove the young man wrong, the doorbell rang.

"That's him you moron!" Cynthia shouted. She could have ordered her brother to change but decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

"Well, at least tuck in your shirt brother," she told him. Cynthia opened up the door and saw Tom standing there with a big grin on his face.

"Cynthia, how are you?" Tom gave her a big hug.

"I'm doing fine Tom." She returned his hug and added a small kiss on the cheek. She noticed Tom was alone. "Where's Jennifer?"

"Back at the house," he replied with a grin. "She wanted to have something special ready when you arrived. Are you guys ready to go?"

"Well I am but as you can see my brother isn't," Cynthia said with a frown while looking over at her brother.

"Hi Tom," the young man said.

"Hi Keith." Tom reached out and shook the young mans hand. "You really need to clean up your act some, you look like a beach bum."

"What's wrong with that," he replied with a smile. Maybe it was his imagination but Tom seemed to be acting a little differently today.

"Nothing I suppose," was all Tom said. "Well, if you're ready we can leave for the airport. You're going to love the land I picked out; it's near the small town of Andersonville. Should be worth something in a few years - Andersonville is really growing."

"Then let's get going," Cynthia said with a false smile. She sensed Tom was acting differently too.

They drove to the local airport were a rather large plane was waiting. It was designed to hold 20 people or more but there were no markings on its side to indicate who owned it. Cynthia found that rather odd. Why would a company rich enough to own and maintain a plane not advertise who they were?

"We got lucky," Tom said as he led them to the plane. "Any larger and this plane would've had to landed at the airport an hour away."

Just outside the plane they were met by a rather attractive young woman dressed in a blue business skirt suit. She gave them both a welcoming smile.

"This is Trisha Brown, the brain-storm behind this land deal I'm introducing you to," Tom announced.

"Please, call me Trisha," she told both of them while holding out her hand. "Tom has told me so much about you."

"Has he," Cynthia said giving Tom a mischievous grin. She noticed he didn't respond back like he normally would have.

"Well, if there are no objections why don't we get going," Trisha told them. "I can go over the finer details of this deal on the plane."

"Sounds good," Keith answered but Cynthia could see even he was now starting to have his doubts about this. They had no sooner gotten into their seats that the plane started taxiing to the runway. Cynthia felt the plane power up as it made the turn and started down the runway at tremendous speed. In less than 15 seconds they were airborne.

"Your pilot doesn't waste any time, does he." Keith observed. "By the way Tom, are you still flying that old bi-plane of yours?"

"I take it up now and then," he grinned.

"Remember when we had to land in that field?" Keith said. "I don't think I told you that story sis. The engine overheated and Tom had to set us down in a field out in the middle of nowhere. We sat there for two hours while the engine cooled down and Tom worked on the engine. Finally he was able to figure out the problem and fix it. Good thing the NTSB inspectors didn't find out about it, they would have grounded the plane for a month."

Tom laughed. "They never knew we landed. Turns out one of the hoses got plugged up with dirt. Once I blew the dirt out of it, the engine ran fine."

'LYER,' Keith wanted to yell out. He had just made the story up to test out a theory. Tom, or rather this imposter, had failed it miserably.

"Why don't we go over these plans now," Trisha told them as Tom and her turned toward the conference table. Keith made a danger signal to his sister and reached in his backpack.

"I got a better idea," he said pulling out his gun and pointing it at the two of them. "Why don't you tell us what the hell is going on."

"Keith," Tom gasped in surprise. Then he noticed Cynthia had also drawn out a gun from her purse. "What's going on guys?"

"You tell me," Keith answered stonily. "What did you do with the real Tom McClain?"

"Keith - Cynthia, it's me," he told them. "Why don't you believe me?"

"For a couple of reasons," Keith explained. "First, the story I told you about the plane was bullshit but it was the final proof I needed. Second, the real Tom McClain was never on time whenever he came to visit us. And third, Tom never shook my hand - he always hugged me like I was part of his family."

"Keith, put down the gun. I can explain everything," but Keith and Cynthia could both see the man was starting to unravel. "The reason why I've never been on time before is because of Jennifer. I don't know how to tell you this pal, but she takes forever to get ready. And as for shaking your hand Keith, well - since you're a man now I didn't think you would feel comfortable having me hug you."

"That's a good story imposter," Cynthia hissed slightly. "So let me ask you this. Remember when we were walking outside after my mother's funeral. What did you tell me about my sister's death?"

The man stuttered and his face grew pale. "That was a long time ago Cynthia! I don't remember what I told you."

"You would if you were really Tom," she said cocking her gun at him.

"Alright, enough!" Trisha shouted, staring down Cynthia and Keith squarely in the eyes. "You're right, this isn't your friend standing here. We're taking you to him right now. I swear, no harm will come to you."

"I don't believe you," Keith said pointing his gun directly at her head. He wondered if he had the guts to pull the trigger if he had to.

"If you don't plan to harm us then why didn't you just have the real Tom pick us up?" Cynthia asked.

"I can't tell you," Trisha replied calmly. "When you see him you'll understand why. Now put down your weapons before someone gets hurt."

"I have a better idea," Keith said getting angry again. "Why don't you tell us everything you know before we decide to kill you both."

"I'm sorry, I don't have time for this," Trisha said with a frown. "Fail-safe Alpha."

Out of thin air two huge, muscle men appeared and grabbed for both of them. Keith managed to fire point-blank into the man who was grabbing his gun but the bullet didn't even phase him. In a matter of seconds they had disarmed Cynthia and Keith and were holding on to them securely. Trisha walked up to them with a disappointed look on her face.

"I really wished you two had listened to me," she said softly.

******

Dave Williams watched the plane land on the Andersonville airport runway. He had been told to expect two new guests and give them the VIP treatment. So when he saw them being taken out of the plane in handcuffs he was a little confused.

"What's going on Trisha?" he asked cautiously.

"Nothing Dave," Trisha said with a weary smile. "Just a little misunderstanding on that plane, that's all. I think we can take the cuffs off them now."

She motioned for Cynthia and Keith to hold out their hands and unlocked the metal bracelets around their wrists.

"Now I expect the two of you to behave from this point on,
understand?" Trisha told them.

Keith and Cynthia both nodded their heads. They were in a strange place without a weapon or any idea of where they were. Keith noticed the frightened look on his sister's face - the same look she had just before plummeting to her death years ago. Trisha turned to the officer.

"To be on the safe side Dave, I suggest you put them in the back of your cruiser until you get to the Courthouse. We wouldn't want them trying to leave when they just got here."

"Good point." Sergeant Williams opened up the back door of his squad car. "Get in please."

Keith and Cynthia did as they were told and Dave shut the door locking them in.

"I'll have some backup waiting for me at the Courthouse, they won't get far if they try to run. Are you heading back out now Trisha?"

"Yep," the woman answered with a grin. "You know what they say Dave, no rest for the wicked. I'm glad to see things are working out so well for you and Janet."

The cop smiled. "She was a little unsure at first but now she loves Andersonville. I guess it's all the clean air and that feeling of security this town provides. No one trying to shoot at me like they did in LA. I can't thank you again for recruiting me."

"You earned it Dave. Say hello to Janet for me. Maybe next time I can stay long enough to have dinner with the two of you - my treat of course."

"We should be treating you for all you've done," he replied back seriously. "Don't be a stranger Trisha."

She gave him a wave and got back on the plane. No sooner had the door closed than the plane started moving back to the runway to take off. A minute later Dave watched it soar into the sky and disappear. He got into the car and pick up his radio Mic.

"Philips - pick up."

"Yea Dave," the radio squawked back.

"Have Officer Tabler and Candy meet me at the Courthouse steps. I'm bringing in a couple of visitors."

"Will do, out." The radio went silent again. Sergeant Williams turned to his guest and saw the young man holding his sister in his arms. She had a scared look on her face.

"Please don't worry Miss, no one's going to hurt you, I promise. I'm taking you to the Courthouse to meet a friend of yours. It wasn't supposed to be done this way - I swear."

"Officer," the young man spoke. "Can you tell me what this is all about?"

"I wish I could son, but I don't know myself. Sit back and relax, we'll be there in about five minutes."

Keith held on tightly to his frightened sister, partly out of protection and partly out of his own fear. He watched the town go by outside the window of the patrol car. There were several nice houses in the distance and what looked to be a rather nice size park. Ahead he could see a line of buildings that he took to be the business section of town. The police car stopped at a light and turned right. Two blocks later they pulled up in front of the courthouse where a couple of police officers were standing on the steps waiting for them. One of them reached down and opened up the car door while the other motioned them out.

"Follow me," Sergeant Williams told them. He led them inside the Courthouse and down a long, tiled hallway to a room. He opened up the doors and motioned them in.

"Someone will be with you shortly," he said in a comforting tone as he closed the door with them inside.

******

Across the hallway I was sitting in a small room with my brother Steve and Dr. Green. My brother was watching the small TV screen with some concern.

"I guess we need to go in and explain to them what this is all about," he said.

"Maybe we should give them a few more minutes to calm down," I suggested. I had seen Cynthia and Keith a few months earlier, before arriving at Andersonville. It was both a welcoming and heartbreaking sight to see them sitting there just across the hallway. I knew one of them would be disappearing for good.

"I don't think waiting is going to help Linda," Dr. Green commented. The longer you wait the more scared they are going to become."

I reluctantly agreed with the doctor's logic and headed for the door. Dr. Green told us she would wait in the room and watch. If we needed her she would join us.

Steve and I stepped over to the door that Officers Candy and Tabler were guarding. They were my two least favorite officers in Andersonville, although Tabler did have some redeeming characteristics. I couldn't see any in Officer Candy.

"You two be careful," Officer Tabler cautioned. "If you need us just yell."

"Thank you officer," I replied. It didn't hurt to get on the officer's good side. Officer Candy didn't say anything, opting to glare at me instead. I could see he was still upset that Dave Williams hadn't allowed him to write me up for reckless driving. I smiled at him anyway and opened up the door.

Keith and Cynthia were sitting at the table holding on to each other. I guess they were surprised to see two teenagers walking into the room instead of a couple of menacing men in black suits. We both smiled in an attempt to reassure them that everything was going to be okay.

"Hello Keith, Cynthia," I said slowly. "I know you may not believe this, but I'm very happy to see you again."

"Who are you?" Keith asked while trying to sound brave. I could hear the nervousness in his voice.

"I'm Linda Anderson and this is my brother Steve, at least that's who we're known as in Andersonville. The truth is guys, we used to be Tom and Jennifer McClain."

"Tom?" the young man asked looking directly at Steve.

"No Keith," my brother replied. "I used to be Jennifer. My sister used to be Tom."

"Oh Tom." Cynthia rushed over and gave me a hug. "I'm so sorry."

"Wait a minute," Keith interrupted in an angry tone. "How do we know it's really you this time? Remember the man we met on the plane Sis? He looked just like the real Tom but it wasn't him. How do we know whoever is in charge isn't trying to fool us again?"

"You - you saw me?" I gasped.

Cynthia nodded. "He picked us up at the house. I swear, he looked just like you."

"Which brings me back to my original question, how do we know it's really you and Jennifer this time?" Keith demanded. I guess I couldn't blame him for being a little paranoid. I turned to his sister.

"Cynthia, do you remember what I told about your sister's death? I said you needed to live your life in a way that respected her life but was your own path. Remember?" I proceeded to tell her some more stuff that only the two of us would know.

"Keith, it's Tom and Jennifer," she said with a look of trust in her eyes. I noticed Keith relaxed a bit. "Tom, what's going to happen to us?"

"Something wonderful guys. The Judge is going to change you back into a male after she combines your memories."

"What does that mean Tom, combine our memories?" Keith inquired suspiciously.

"Please guys, call me Linda. I'll explain why later." They both nodded so I continued. "In a few minutes Steve and I will take you over to see Judge Herns. She's going to move your memories, Keith, into Cynthia's mind. Then later on today, she'll transform you back into a male body."

"What happens to my current body," Keith protested. "I happen to like it in here."

"Keith, please," Steve said. "You're going to get your life back just like me. Only in your case you'll remember living as both Keith and Cynthia during these past two years. The good news is, you'll be a man again."

"Suppose - suppose I don't want to be a man again?" Cynthia said. Keith looked over at his sister.

"Are you crazy sister? Do you really want to remain as a woman for the rest of your life?" Cynthia gave her brother an uncertain look.

"You don't understand Keith. I've had to live my life as your sister for the past two years. Once this judge merges our minds together then you'll know why I'm asking this question."

"I'm not going to let you make me live as a girl for the rest my life," Keith shot back.

"Guys," I interrupted, "this is a two part process. First we have to transfer Keith's memories back into his old body. Then we have to wait a few hours before anything else can be done. You can talk about this after the merger - it'll be a lot more clearer then."

"Won't I be a like separate person inside her body?" Keith asked.

"You keep thinking that you and Cynthia are two different people Keith but you're not. Look, think of it as living outside your body for two years and then being returned to it. It wouldn't be as confusing as you think."

"Do I have a choice?" Keith wanted to know.

Steve answered for me. "Not really Keith. But if for some reason it's too uncomfortable, the Judge will separate the two of you. You have to trust us on this."

"Tom, Jennifer, I do trust you," he said. "I just don't want to lose me."

"You won't," I promised. "We better go now, follow us."

We led them out of the room and down the hallway in silence. The two cops stayed a respectable distance back but I noticed both of them kept a sharp eye on us. When we entered the courtroom the two cops stayed outside in the hallway. I was surprised to see a familiar person standing in the courtroom wearing a blue police uniform. On his sleeve was a patch that read 'Peace River'.

"Mark, how are you?" I greeted him.

"It's Officer Merrick, not Mark. Try showing a little respect for the law Miss Anderson," he said in a somewhat stern voice. Then a huge smile broke out on his face. "How's your phone working out Linda?"

"Fine I guess. I really don't use it that much but it makes my parents happy knowing I can call someone if my car breaks down. So what are you doing here Mark?"

"All the other officers were busy so I was asked to escort Mr. Walker to Peace River when this is over. Judge Jasper is very anxious to meet with him."

"I hope the Judge gives him what he desires," I whispered to him. I could tell from the officer's thin smile that he would.

"I've never seen you in a police uniform before," I commented.
"You're pretty official looking wearing it."

"You'll be seeing a lot more of me over the next couple of weeks. Your police force is being sent to Peace River for some training and I've been asked to fill in while they're gone."

"Cool," I replied. "Maybe we can have lunch and you can tell me what's really going on around here." He flashed me one of his most charming smiles.

"I really don't know what you're taking about Linda," he said but I knew he did. He was part of whatever this game was.

The door to the Judge's chambers opened and Judge Herns walk up to her bench and took a seat. She made a welcoming head motion and even smiled slightly at the visiting officer.

"Officer Merrick, thank you for coming. I trust your trip was well."

"Better than expected Your Honor. My father sends his regards." This got him a swift look of discontent from the female judge.

"Let's begin," Judge Herns said. "Since this isn't a crime, I'm going to forgo the formalities and get straight to the point. Cynthia and Keith Bennett, if you would stand and approach the bench please."

They did as they were told, with Steve and I right behind them for support. The Judge gave them her warmest, comforting smile.

"I know what happened Keith, your sister's death was an accident. Please don't be afraid of me."

"What - what are you going to do to us?" Keith wanted to know. Cynthia just stood there in silence.

"I'm going to right some wrongs here my child. Please stand still until I'm through."

She closed her eyes and raised up the palms of her hands together. Although I had seen this many times before it still captivated me whenever the Judge performed her magic. Judge Herns hands started to glow and then a small ball of energy with red spots circling around rose out of her hand. It hovered for a moment, then with great speed shot off and hit Keith squarely in the chest. He backed up slightly but purely out of reaction since I knew he didn't actually feel any kind of blow. That was when I noticed there was something different than the other times.

Keith's eyes glazed over as if he was in some kind of trance. He stood there like that for about 30 seconds before the ball shot back out of his body, made a U-turn, and shot into Cynthia's body. It happened so fast that Cynthia didn't have time to react.

"I'm me again," Cynthia gasped out loud. "I can remember everything about my past life as Keith - and my life as Cynthia. It's incredible."

The person who used to be Keith Bennett but was now totally Klein Walker started talking as well.

"How did you do that?" he asked in a somewhat shaky voice.

"Mr. Walker," Judge Herns said in a rigorous tone. "You're lucky my ex-husband is judging you and not me. I suggest you use what little time you have left to think up some defense before you face him. Officer Merrick, get this person out of my sight."

The officer grabbed the old Keith's arm and pulled him out of the courtroom. Judge Herns then turned to Cynthia.

"Mr. Bennett, it's going to take a few hours before I can do anything else, so I've arranged for Linda to have the rest of the day off. She can show you around your new home and answer any questions you may have. I'll see you back in my courtroom at three o'clock." She rose from her seat and disappeared into her chambers. Cynthia turned to me.

"Now what?" she asked me.

"Why don't we go for a ride?" I said.

******

Inside the bunker things were starting to pick up. One of the temps working under Sergeant Summer's command spotted something suspicious. He picked up his phone and called his commander.

"Jeff, can you take a look at sector 135. I think we may have a problem."

The Sergeant flipped his screen over to see what his man was so excited about and saw why. There was a pink, flashing spot on his screen, an indication that one of their citizens was about to enter into a restricted zone. If they did it could only mean one thing - they were trying to escape.

The reason why his employee was so excited was that such a find gave him a reward of 50 points in the pool. Each man was awarded points for spotting problems in his sector and at the end of the week the one with the most points won the pool. Their reward was a paid night out on the town for him and three of his friends. Of course it never really happened but the computer always made sure they remembered having a good time. And unless the winner was married, the computer also made sure they scored with one of the lovely ladies it dreamed up.

Jeff Summer's clicked on the identification key and was surprised to see it was Peggy Wilson's. The last time she was caught the Judge had reduced her age until she was 17 years old, complete with a mother and father to watch over her. And then there were the restrictions placed on her on top of that. He figured Peggy would have learned her lesson by now.

"What do you think Jeff?" the temp asked with excitement. "Do you think she's going to run?"

Before Jeff could answer the question the dot changed from pink to bright red. The Sergeant picked up his phone and hit a button.

"Colonel Myers, we have a runner."

******

It had taken less then an hour for me to give Cynthia/Keith the grand tour of Andersonville. For a town of 35,000 people, there wasn't much to show. There were three schools in Andersonville, a High school, a Middle school, and an Elementary school. Other than the fact they looked newer than most schools, there wasn't much to see from the outside. The small strip mall Andersonville had wasn't too exciting either for those who had lived in a big city where 100+ stores in a mall were the norm. And unless you were a train fanatic like my brother, the small railroad yard west of town didn't offer much excitement either. By 11:30 we found ourselves back in the center of town and decided to have an early lunch at McDonald's.

"At last I feel at home," Cynthia said as she munched down on a Big Mac sandwich. "Since I'm about to lose this body anyway, I guess I don't have to worry about my figure."

"You're lucky," I replied taking a small bite of my hamburger. There were only so many chicken sandwiches I could take, another thing I missed about being Tom.

"Linda, can I ask you a personal question? Are you happy?"

There was a trace of concern in Cynthia's question and I took a moment to gather my thoughts.

"I've been asking myself that question for weeks now Cynthia," I started. "In some ways I'm happy. When I was growing up, I always wanted a family like the one I have now. I would have paid any price to be normal like the other kids I went to school with. Now I have one, and it's better than I had even imagined. And in this reality Al really is my blood brother, even if I do have to call him Steve. And I know he's never been happier since being released from the female prison he was in."

"So what makes you unhappy?" she asked in a whisper. I gave her a slight, frustrated frown.

"I really loved being a man Cynthia. I mean, being Linda isn't bad at times but I miss being Tom. It's the little things I miss, like standing up to pee," I giggled slightly.

"No, it's more than that. It's the way people treat me now, so differently. They can't understand why a woman like me would want to go camping by myself instead of going out on a date. Or why I'm so independent all the time, like a man. And speaking of which, after years of dating women I'm now expected to start dating men. The thought is so foreign to me."

I sighed softly. "And this morning I started my - my first period. God, you talk about being unhappy."

"Oh Linda," Cynthia said reaching out and placing her hand on top of mine. "I know how horrible it was when I had my first period. But it gets better over time."

"No it doesn't!" I replied sarcastically back. "Every month it's going to be the same thing; the cramps, the flow, the feeling that I'm on some kind of emotional roller coaster. And it only serves to remind me that one day I may have a baby - or two - or three."

"Is that so bad?" Cynthia asked. "If I do become a man again that's one thing I'm actually going to regret losing - being able to bear children."

"I haven't even asked you yet, what's it like having all your memories back."

"Like I never really lost them," Cynthia/Keith explained. "It's strange, I can remember living my life as Keith up to the point when my mother took me to see Dr. Jensen. After that I remember everything as Cynthia up until you freed me in your apartment. From that point on I remember living my life as both Cynthia and Keith. It's kind of strange but not like I thought it would be."

She took a drink of her soda and continued to explain. "Take my memories of Keith for instance. One minute I was in the doctor's office being stuck with a needle and the next minute I'm standing in your living room. See what I mean? If I think specifically about one event then I become that person. But if I don't, the two memories intermix together. It's like I lived two lives at the same time."

"I guess you have," I concluded. I noticed the restaurant was getting filled. "Let's go to the park and talk some more."

******

Three police cars pulled up to a stop on the fire road. Officers Candy, Tabler, Philips, Thomas and Williams got out and faced the woods that stood between them and the town. Each officer had a radio so they could hear instructions from the bunker. Sergeant Williams looked over his men with a certain pride. Dennis Butz had promised him the best police force in the land and he had delivered on that promise. Even Officer Thomas, who was a temp, was a professional cop. It was a shame he would be losing Thomas one day to a real person.

Dave picked up his radio and punched in the proper frequency. "Doghouse, this Sergeant Williams. We're in position - where is she?"

"About 1,000 yards south of you Dave and she's heading right at you. I suggest you spread your men out about 50 yards and move in. She won't get away from you."

"Roger, thanks Doghouse." Dave looked at his men and motioned two of them to his left and the other two to his right. "Remember, she's going to be scared and unhappy when she sees us so be careful." Then he made a forward motion and they all went into the wood together.

******

Peggy Wilson couldn't see the cops ahead of her. The woods were thick with underbrush and trees, giving her a false sense of security that nobody knew where she was. The terrain had been tougher than she thought it would be but in a few hours she would be far enough away from Andersonville to head west. Then she would find somewhere to hold up until she thought up her next move.

Dr. Green had said the contract she signed was binding and gave the people in charge a right to do whatever they wanted to with her body. Well, maybe that was true and maybe it wasn't; however, no one had told her they would be changing her sex, just some body modification. Peggy thought that meant some kind reducing program or plastic surgery, not gender reclassification. She wasn't going to stand for it.

The young woman thought she heard some noises ahead and fell down behind a log. To her horror, the noise grew until Peggy could make out the sound of several people walking her way. All of a sudden they stopped walking and someone spoke.

"Please come out Miss Wilson, I don't feel like chasing you through the woods today." Peggy recognized the voice, it was Dave Williams and he was close.

"I know you're out there Peggy. Don't make this any harder than it has to be. Come back into town with me and I'll put in a good word for you with the Judge. I'll tell her you made a mistake and agreed to come back on your own. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Like the last time," Peggy yelled back while standing up. She saw Dave Williams standing less then 10 yards away with two other police officers next to him. "I told her I was a man - instead of changing me back she turned me into a teenage girl. Does that sound like understanding to you Officer Williams?"

"I can't help that Peggy," he told her honestly. "You have to live with the cards you've been dealt with."

"Damn it, my name isn't Peggy, it's David Lee Jarvis! You should know, you're the one who announced my case."

Officer Williams nodded and replied, "I remember, but that was before Judge Jasper assigned you a new life. David Jarvis doesn't exists anymore, you have to accept that Peggy. Please, take my hand. This is your last chance to go back into town on your own." Dave held out his hand to her with high hopes.

"Go to HELL PIG! I want out of your pleasant little town."

Peggy turned to run but officers Candy and Thomas had already circled around the young woman without her knowing it. Peggy screamed in fright and tried to get away but both officers tackled her to the ground and had the handcuffs on her before she could do anything else.

"Doghouse, this is Sergeant Williams. We have Miss Williams in custody.

******

"It's pretty, isn't it," Cynthia remarked, as she looked at the colored leaves in the autumn sun. "Soon the trees will be bare and it'll be winter. I bet they get a lot of snow around here."

"Not as much as you may think," I replied. "I was watching the news last week and from what they were saying, we should've got hit with a pretty good snow storm. But when I woke up the next morning there was less than 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. Dennis Butz told me it's because the town is in a valley but I don't believe him. I think they're able to control the weather somehow; don't ask me how."

"So this nice day -"

"Has something to do with their control center that runs this town. I think they can modify the weather just enough to keep it from being crappy all the time. I mean, all the towns around us get 7 inches of snow and we got a dusting. Valley or no valley, something isn't right."

"How long has Andersonville been in existence?" Cynthia asked.

"They started building on it less than two years ago - or so they claim."

"You think the town has been around a lot longer?"

"To be honest Cynthia, I don't think the town exists at all. I think Andersonville is just like the temps around here - some kind of holographic image. I think it took two years to build it all on computer."

"Why do you think that?"

"Think about it Cynthia. Andersonville must have at the very least 15,000 structures in it. You have houses, office buildings, schools, malls, motels, restaurants; to build a town that size in less than two years would require a massive workforce. Yet from what I've been told, no one in the area seems to know about this place. Plus the material load for such a project would be enormous. You'd have trucks and railcars arriving here every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With that much traffic it would be impossible to keep this place a secret from the locals. In fact, I don't think the one road into town and the rail line could have handled it all."

"But it seems so real."

"So do the temps but they're not. You can touch them, kiss them, talk to them, but when it comes right down to it they're not real. Andersonville is just an extension of who they are - a computer program. At least that's my theory."

******

"Smart girl, isn't she Jeff? How she was able to figure that all out. I guess I'm going to have to include this into my report to Dennis Butz," Colonel Myers said while shaking his head. It was a good thing they had a listening device on the bench where the two ladies were sitting.

"Think he'll do anything about it?" the Sergeant asked, causing his boss to smile.

"You like her, don't you?" Jeff pretended that he hadn't heard the question. "I don't think Dennis will do anything to her. He seems to favor Linda for some reason."

"She seems like a nice, young girl," Jeff commented. "I just don't want to see anything happen to her, that's all".

"That's all, uh?" Colonel Myers smiled. "Take my advice Jeff, meet the girl. Just go up and say 'hi' to her sometime."

"Come on Barry, Linda's not even 18 yet. She's jail bait."

"Only for another month. And I didn't say have sex with her, I told you to meet her - in person. Maybe even go out on a date with her."

"She's not the dating type Barry."

"Maybe she hasn't met the right guy yet Jeff," the Colonel replied smiling.

******

"How are the Andersons doing?" Cynthia wanted to know.

"Fine. Judge Herns made them younger and they don't remember their past lives. They remember me as their daughter and in this life Linda never died. I guess that's a good thing for them. They're a lot different to live with now. Both of them seem happier."

"You're lucky Linda. I miss my sister - and even my mom at times."

"Cynthia, do you feel that was a mistake? I mean, what you did?" The young woman nodded her head slightly.

"I was so angry after you freed me - and I saw myself standing there. I guess I - we both should have listened to you. But having the new Keith agree with me only made it seem more right. Maybe - maybe I could have worked things out with her." I saw tears form in Cynthia's eyes as she turned away. I put a loving arm around her.

"You do know you'll be getting a new set of parents with this life." Cynthia turned and looked at me with a surprise look on her face. "It's true. Judge Herns is going to drop you back into a normal family with loving parents. She's really a softy at times."

"You know about them? What are they like?"

"Like my parents. They have two kids; a boy and a girl with another one on the way."

"Wait a minute," Cynthia said suspiciously. "How old are the boy and girl?"

I laughed. "Relax Cynthia, both of them are teenagers. The girl is 16 and the boy is 15. If you choose to be a male again you're be in the same grade as Steve."

"You mean I'm going to have to go back to school?" Cynthia asked in disbelief.

"Yes," I admitted. "But only because the Judge wanted you to have a few years with your new family before you moved out." My cell phone started beeping.

"Better get that," I told her while pulling the phone out of my purse. I was convinced that if a dog was mans best friend then purses were woman's best friend. "Hello?"

"Sorry to bother you Linda," Judge Herns apologized. "But I need you back here for a few minutes. They're bringing in Peggy Williams." My heart sank just a little.

"She tried again?" I couldn't really blame her - I had thought about leaving several times myself. But after being turned into a teenager I figured Peggy would have learned her lesson.

"I'm afraid so," Judge Herns said sadly.

"Okay Your Honor, I'll be there in 10 minutes. Bye."

"Goodbye Linda." The phone went dead.

"I have to go back to the Courthouse for about an hour Cynthia, do you want to go with me?" She gave me a small smile.

"Thanks Linda, if it's all the same to you I think I'll just wait here. I have a lot on my mind right now."

"Okay. I'll come back as soon as I'm through." I could tell she was dealing with an internal problem inside her. I just hope she would be able to work it out before her 3pm meeting with the Judge. I got into my car and headed back to the Courthouse.

******

When I arrived at my office Judge Herns was already waiting for me with a frown on her face. "I'm really sorry to drag you away from your friend Linda."

"It's okay June, what happened?"

The Judge handed me a cup of coffee. "It seems Miss Wilson tried to leave town by heading out through the woods. The police officers caught her but now she's claiming someone threatened to kill her so she was forced to leave. Obviously it's a plan to get out of being punished but I want to give her enough rope to hang herself."

"Your Honor, do you have to punish her? I mean, couldn't you just forget about what she did and let her go this one time." June Herns looked at me with a careful eye.

"I could let her go but what would she gain? She knows the rules better than anyone else. If there's one thing we can't have around here it's people trying to escape. In case you've forgotten Linda, Miss Wilson is a criminal. We took her out of a crowded prison and gave her a normal life. While she may not believe it, she is a very lucky individual to be here. Come with me - I'm going to show you what I mean."

Peggy Wilson was already sitting in the courtroom when we walked in. She seemed scared and I felt a little sorry for her. What could she have done to deserve this? I took my seat next to the computer and started up the process. The Judge looked briefly at the report Dave Williams had hurriedly written up and glanced over at Peggy who was now respectfully standing there silently.

"Well Miss Wilson, I thought our last meeting would have been enough to convince you not to try leaving us anymore. I can see I was wrong."

"Your Honor," she started out, "this is all a big mistake. I had to leave. I was being threatened. Look at these." She handed over some papers to Dave Williams who passed them on to the Judge.

"I see Miss Wilson," Judge Herns said looking over them quickly and then giving the young woman an unimpressed look. "I can understand why you would be scared. Why didn't you tell the police about these notes instead of running off."

The defendant fidgeted. "Well, I dated a cop - and I wasn't sure if he didn't send them. He was kind of mad - when I - when I broke up with him."

Even I could see that Peggy Wilson was lying. She hadn't expected to be caught escaping and this part of her story hadn't been worked out too well. About this time Carol Green stepped into the room next to me. She gave me a silent 'hello' and turned to watch the case unfold.

"Which cop were you dating Miss Wilson," the Judge asked sternly.

"It was - Officer Philips ma'am." I noticed Philips didn't react to the comment.

"And you think maybe he sent you these letters?" she said with some venom in her question.

"Well, I don't really know," Peggy whispered softly, no longer able to face the Judge.

"Look at ME!" the Judge lashed out. "You wrote these letters - DIDN'T YOU?"

"No I - it wasn't like that. I - I can't." She started to break down and cry.

"Miss Wilson, I'm afraid you leave me no choice here. If you had been honest with me from the beginning I might have been lenient but to lie and not take responsibility for your actions, I can see you need some more time to grow up.

"No please - it's not right," she begged. "I've suffered enough!"

"Have you," the Judge hissed. "Do you really believe that young lady?"

"I'm not a lady," Peggy sniffed. "And yes, I have. Living as a woman has been hell on me. I don't deserve this."

Judge Herns made a motion with her hand for me to come forward. "So you think you're a victim here, is that correct Miss Wilson. Well I'm going to show you who the real victims are. Watch carefully - and learn." I noticed that June was looking over at me when she said the last sentence.

The Judge took my hand and slowly everything seemed to change around us. We were no longer in the courtroom anymore - we were in a house that was located in a lower class neighborhood.

"Remember this place Miss Wilson?" Judge Herns asked.

I saw a man climbing through a window that I remembered as being David Jarvis, the person Peggy used to be. We followed him as he made his way around the house dumping items into a sack. He found some jewelry in a bedroom and added that to the contents as well.

"You read about her husband's funeral in the paper and waited until they left before breaking in," I heard the Judge say. "It was the perfect setup. You knew no one would be at the house during that time, the woman would be somewhere else burying her husband. You figured she'd be getting a lot of money from her husband's life insurance so she didn't need these items? If you had bothered to check, you would have found out that her husband had been sick for a long time and they couldn't afford his insurance anymore. It's kind of hard to justify making the payments to a faceless corporation when your child is hungry. But then you wouldn't know about being a responsible parent, would you Miss Wilson?"

The man went into the little girl's room and picked up her piggy bank. He took out a pipe from his pocket and busted it open. There must have been close to a hundred dollars in the pile of broken glass. The crook just smiled and pocketed the money.

"In case you didn't know Miss Wilson, the little girl whose bank you just smashed was going to buy a new bike with that money. It had taken her almost a year to save that much up. She earned it by doing odd jobs for neighbors and saving her birthday money. A very responsible young person but then you wouldn't know about that either, would you Miss Wilson? She had saved up enough to buy the bike but then her father died - and you made sure she would never be able to buy it by stealing all her hard earned money."

I noticed that Peggy wasn't answering but I sensed the Judge had put a gag spell on her so the only thing she could do was listen. The Judge continued with her lecture.

"Look, here they come now. Let's see how they react to your little visit."

A mid-aged, black woman came through the door holding the hand of a young girl who couldn't have been more then ten. Another woman, a friend maybe, and a gentleman followed her in. I could see they had all been crying recently and there was deep grief on the young woman's face.

"Why don't I fix you something to eat Susan," the other lady said. The young widower shook her head.

"I'm not hungry right now Sharon. I just want to be left alone for a while." The other woman draped her arm over the broken woman's shoulder.

"Maggon," she said to the young girl standing next to her mother. "Why don't you show Uncle Mike the money you saved up for your bike."

"Your mother told me it's a lot," her uncle said half-smiling. "Maybe I can take you to the store later on to buy it. I'm pretty good at putting things together."

"So was my daddy," the little girl responded sorrowfully. Her mother fought hard not to burst out crying.

"Come on Maggon, I think your Aunt Susan and mother need to talk." He grabbed the little girl's hand and led her away. The young mother laid her head on the other woman's shoulder.

"What am I going to do Susan? How do Maggon and I go on without Sam in our life?"

"It'll be hard at first," Susan replied in a comforting fashion. "But you're both strong - you'll get through this."

"MOMMY!" they heard the little girl scream. Both women ran into the bedroom to see the little girl standing there crying over the broken piggy bank.

"Someone took my money MOMMY. Why would someone take my money? I've been saving it for so long." She ran over to her mother and buried her head into her mother's stomach. "It's gone - all gone. Just like daddy!"

The mother didn't know what to tell her broken daughter but I could feel her thoughts. She was wondering what kind of person would do something like this. Then she remembered her own stuff.

"Mike, watch her for a moment." The young mother pushed her daughter away and ran into her room. There was her jewelry box turned upside-down and empty.

"Nooooo!" she cried while falling to her knees. The other woman came in and gave her a hug to comfort him.

"All the nice things Sam gave me," she sobbed. "All my memories - they're all gone. Some bastard robbed me of my memories of him."

She broke down in a loud cry as everything got dark and then changed back into the courtroom. I was a little tired and shook up about the experience. I also now looked at Peggy Wilson in a different light.

"She never did get her stuff back," the Judge said angrily. "In fact, you were never charged with this break-in. You got away Scott-free, until today that is. And there are plenty of other victims I can show you with the same results. And you think you've suffered enough, HAVE YOU? If it was up to me you'd be boiled in oil for all the misery you caused this mother and her little girl. But fortunately for you, I have rules I have to follow here. So now I'm going to implement them."

The Judge closed her eyes while holding out her hands. In a matter of seconds a small ball of energy rose swiftly out of her hand and I noticed it didn't take nearly as long as it usually did. Peggy looked like she wanted to protest but either she didn't know what to say or Judge Herns was preventing her from doing so. The ball of energy shot out of her hands and found its mark. Peggy began to shrink and her clothes started changing to that of a young teenager. In a few moments she was 14 years old.

"You've lose three years for your little stunt today Miss Wilson," Judge Herns told her. "I was going to make you even younger but I'm hopping this little display you saw today will help make you think more about others and not just about yourself. However, if I see you in here again I'll turn you into a newborn baby, DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" The young girl indicated that she did by nodding her head fearfully.

"You will go with Dr. Green to talk about this. Don't let me see you in this courtroom again."

She hit her gravel on the bench and walked back into her chambers. I followed her in a moment later. Judge Herns looked at me with tired eyes and a small smile on her face. It was amazing how she could be so stern one minute and so sweet the next.

"That was some trial," I said truthfully.

"Now you know why I punish people Linda," she said matter of factly. "It's not that I don't care about them, I care about them a lot. I want them to become better than they used to be. Life is about learning from mistakes you've made. Unfortunately, not everyone learns from these mistakes and Miss Wilson was one of them. She saw herself as the victim. Maybe she was a victim at one time; she had a rough beginning. But then somewhere along the way she crossed over that line and went from being victim to predator. It's a hard lesson to learn and even harder to accept that you got what you deserve."

"I guess I learned something as well your honor."

"I'm glad," Judge Herns smiled back.

******

I found Cynthia sitting silently underneath a tree. I couldn't be sure, but it looked as if she'd been crying. This puzzled me greatly. If I found out I was going to be turned back into a man I would have been thrilled yet it was almost as if Cynthia was dreading it. I approached her slowly.

"Are you okay Cynthia?"

"I miss her Linda - my sister, Cynthia. Why did I take her climbing with me that day?"

I sat down beside her and said, "because she wanted to go Keith." Cynthia turned and gave me a strange stare. "Yes, I used your old name. Maybe it's time you remembered who you are."

"I know who I am," she replied back in an upset tone. "I killed my sister. I had no right to take Cynthia along on such a dangerous climb. I should have taken her up on an easier side of the cliff but no - I had to prove to her and myself how good of a climber I was. My arrogance killed her."

"Yes Keith, you're right," I agreed quickly. "So what do you want to do about it? Live your life as a woman to punish yourself?" Cynthia gave me an icy stare but I knew I had found out what was bothering her.

"You can't stand the thought of being happy here, can you?" I pushed. "Not as long as you think you're responsible for her death."

"I AM FUCKING RESPONABLE!" she screamed. "I was the one in CHARGE. I should have tied her rope onto me more securely. I should have made sure her pivot was secure. You don't know, you weren't there?"

"It happened Keith, stop blaming yourself."

"I can't," she sobbed. "Even now I can recall clearly in my mind Cynthia falling down the side of the cliff, and see her body laying there with her lifeless eyes staring back up at me. I couldn't even take responsibility for her death; I helped my mother push her into a hole in the ground. I couldn't even give her a proper burial Tom. What kind of man am I?"

"You know you couldn't bring her body up after I freed you," I explained. "What would've happened if the authorities found two Cynthia's with the same DNA and fingerprints. Her body had to remain hidden but soon that will change."

"What do you mean?" Cynthia/Keith asked with tear-stained eyes.

"Read the headlines in the Andersonville Post," I said handing her the paper. The paper read, 'Body found in desert exposes imposter."

"I - I don't understand?" Cynthia/Keith asked. "What does this mean?"

"It means Cynthia's body will finally be put to rest! I don't know all the details, but I'm guessing there are already a couple of substitutes back in San Diego posing as both Keith and Cynthia. They'll go through and clean up all your fingerprints, then start leaving their own lying around the house. When your sister's body is discovered about a month from now, the people pretending to be you will disappear - never to be heard from again. Fingerprints will prove it wasn't the real Cynthia or Keith Bennett living at your house the past couple of years and the hunt will begin - but the police won't find them."

"But - what happens then? I mean to the money and everything. Not that I'm worried about it, just curious."

"The lawyers will take a big chunk of it I'm sure. What's left will go to the charities that your Grandmother wanted it to go to in case your sister died before turning 21." I paused for a moment and looked her squarely in the eyes. "Your sister will finally have closure Keith, you don't need to punish yourself anymore."

"Maybe I like being a girl," she said smartly - anger flashing in her eyes. "This isn't so bad!"

"Isn't it?" I questioned softly. "You're a girl Keith but for all the wrong reasons. If you want to remain as one then do so - but don't do it out of guilt over something that happened two years ago. Do it because *you* want to, because it's the life you want to live. If you think about it, that's what your sister would want you to do."

"I want to - I want to - " She couldn't get the last words to come out. The poor girl broke down in my arms, releasing the guilt demon that had haunted her for so long. After a few minutes she was able to speak again.

"I guess it's time to go," she sniffed.

"The Judge is waiting for us now," I said with a reaffirming smile. "Are you ready?"

Cynthia wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "I - I think so. Linda - no, Tom - thank you. You've always been there for me."

"That's what friends are for," I replied. As I led her back to my car I couldn't get a troubling thought out of my mind. Who was going to help me answer my questions?

******

"Have you decided?" Judge Herns asked pleasantly.

"Yes, I have Your Honor," Cynthia answered nervously. The Judge looked at her as if she could read her mind. It turns out she could.

"I think you'll be happy with your decision," she told Cynthia.

She closed her eyes while raising her hands in front of her. Moments later a small ball of energy rose out of her palms and shot toward Cynthia, striking her in the chest. Her body started to grow by several inches and her hair changed from blonde to dark brown. Her face became narrower but her body weight grew. It was clear to me now - Keith had decided to become a male again. By the time the energy source had finished its work, there stood in front of me a 15-year-old athletic boy. He ran his hands over this chest.

"Linda, I'm a man again." All I could do was give him a joyful smile, while at the same time wishing it was me standing there. Steve stood next to me and I could see he was also happy. He knew enough about the old Keith to know they're going to be good, male friends.

"Welcome to Andersonville Larry Smith," Judge Herns told him. The boy frowned.

"Larry? Couldn't I have a well - flashier name Your Honor?" The Judge laughed heartily, as did I.

"I'm afraid that was the name given to you by your parents," she explained. "Sorry Larry."

There was a knock and then the door opened up. A young, rather attractive teenager girl walked in. She was also a temp.

"Sorry to disturb you Your Honor, I was looking for my brother."

"That's quite okay Sandra. I was just explaining to Larry and Steve about the finer points of what it takes to be a Judge."

She giggled. "You should explain to my brother the finer points of doing his homework. My brother isn't exactly an 'A' average student Your Honor. More like 'C's and 'D's. Not what you would call Judge material."

Judge Herns smiled. "Oh, I think Larry will be doing better at school from now on. You could say this little visit with me has changed him into a new person." The Judge gave me a quick wink.

"We need to get home Larry. Want a ride Steve?" There was a look of interest in Sandra's eyes toward my brother.

"Sure Sandra. I'll see you at home Sis." Steve flashed me a big grin before leaving the Judge's office.

The Judge sighed. "Young love, it's such a precious thing. Reminds me of my first crush. Too bad I married him." I knew she was talking about Judge Jasper from Peace River.

"June, speaking of Judge Jasper - what do you think he's going to do when he gets Klein Walker in his courtroom." The Judge got an evil smile on her face.

"I haven't the faintest idea," she said. But I could tell from the look on Judge Herns face that she knew exactly what her ex-husband planned to do to him.

******

"Well Mr. Walker," Judge Jasper said in a most unpleasant tone. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Judge," Klein spitted out. "I'm a businessman. You may not realize this but I can make you a very powerful man."

"And how can you do that?" the Judge asked sternly.

"I assume you have the same kind of power as that other Judge that I saw earlier." Judge Jasper nodded and Klein continued. "With your power and my organization skills we can go big time. No offense Your Honor, but running a small town is chump change. How do you feel about running the entire west cost? I can make that happen. In one year I can build you an organization that will put you in charge of everything west of the Mississippi River. If someone gets in our way you zap them. I'll worry about the tedious side of running the day to day operations. That's what I excel at."

"I see," Judge Jasper said with interest. "And what will your services cost me?"

"40 percent of the profit Judge. Of course," he added softly. "If that isn't acceptable I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement."

Klein saw that this Judge Jasper was actually thinking about it. But the ex-crime boss had other plans - things he didn't mention. Once the organization was up and running he would find a way to dispose of his partner and his friends. Then he would be the top dog again.

"We'd need to get you a nice place. Nothing too big, something with 26 bedrooms to house you and all your lady friends," the Judge added with a half-smile.

"You're the boss," Klein answered with an evil grin. Images of being a big man flashed in his head. The Judge turned to one of his police officers standing close by.

"Office Deimos, what do you make of all this?"

"I think Mr. Walker is trying to bribe you Your Honor," the cop replied in an even-tempered voice.

"I agree," the Judges agreed, his tone become stern again.

"Wait a minute Your Honor. I was making a business proposition. If you'll let me explain - "

"You've explained long enough Mr. Walker." The Judge held up his hand and Klein's ability to talked ceased.

"Since you've been missing for more than two years now and the Seattle Police Force haven't made any progress in your case - nor do they seem motivated to do so," the Judge said while looking over his glasses, "I see no reason to change that status. To put it simply Mr. Walker, you're already forgotten."

The Judge held his hands out and whispered something under his breath. Klein tried to say something but found it impossible to do so. A ball of energy rose slowly out of Judge Jasper's palms and hovered there for a moment. The ex-kingpin stared at the light in horror and fear - what fate was the Judge preparing to impose on him. He didn't think he could live the rest of his life as a woman. The ball of energy/light moved forward at incredible speed and hit him directly in the chest. Klein felt a strange sensation as he felt his insides changing - then his body shrinking.

'Oh my God, he's changing me into a small child.' But any illusions of him becoming a small child ended when small patches of fur began appearing on his skin as he continued to shrink beyond the size of a child.

'Oh God - oh no,' Klein tried to yell out. His hands turned into claws, and then became covered with fur. Finally the changes stopped. Klein tried to speak but the only thing that came out was a high, squeaking sound. Judge Jasper gave him a satisfactory look.

"Since you were a coward in life I've changed you into a form that best fits you the way you lived. Our business is complete." The Judge waved his hands and Klein found himself in a dark alley covered with trash. Sensing danger, the rat ran to a dark hole in the wall of a building. His nightmare was just beginning.

Fade out...

This story is dedicated to my TS brothers and sisters, who have the guts to stand up to the world and say, "I'm not going to live a lie anymore."

 

Andersonville 6 - Friendship Lines
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

I saw them come out of the courthouse from across the street. There were four of them; all men dressed in business suits. Every day, just a few minutes after 6pm, they left the courthouse to go home. Three of them proceeded to their cars but the fourth man, maybe 21 or 22 years old would walk home to his apartment. Out of the four men, he was the only one who actually lived in Andersonville.

They said their good-bye's to each other and the young man walked off alone. I followed behind him from a discreet distance. Years of experience as private detective were serving me well; my target had no idea that someone had been shadowing him for almost a week now. The young man greeted one of his neighbors standing outside and went into one of the three apartment buildings. Using my binoculars, I watched him get the mail out of his mailbox, number 104. He looked at a few bills then headed down the stairs.

I followed him inside and checked the name on the register. The person living in apartment 104 was named Pete Summers. Although he dressed like a businessman, I knew he had to be working for Dennis Butz. So I decided it was time to meet my co-worker. I just wished I hadn't been wearing my short, red skirt and tan sweater. It had been my mother's idea - in the hopes I may attract the attention of some young man at work. My mother seemed obsessed with the idea that I find someone to go out with on the weekends. It was an idea I was equally determined to make sure didn't happen.

I knocked on his door and waited, pulling down my skirt so I didn't appear too sexy to this young man. I remembered my days of being young and free - although they were never as good as other guys bragged about. Sometimes I wondered why men had to BS about how great their single lives had been. Pete opened the door slightly - then a small smile appeared on his face as if he recognized me from somewhere.

"Miss Anderson, what are you doing here?" he asked as if my visit was a pleasant surprise to him.

"I thought we should meet since we seem to be working for the same boss," I replied forcefully.

"I'm afraid you got that wrong Linda - I don't work for Judge Herns."

"I'm not talking about June Herns. I was referring to Dennis Butz."

"Who?" he stated dumbly.

"Don't start with me," I threatened. "You know who I'm talking about."

"Why don't you come in Linda," he said opening the door all the way so I could come in. I walked past him into the living room and noticed for a bachelor, he kept his apartment pretty clean. "Can I get you a drink Linda, a cold pop maybe?"

"I'll have what you're having," I answered pointing to the bottle of beer in his hand.

"Sorry," he replied with a silly grin. "But you're not old enough to drink yet."

"Didn't I tell you not to start with me. We both know I'm older than I look."

He chuckled slightly but didn't make a move to get me the beer I requested. "Now, what was the name of this person you were talking about?"

"Dennis BUTZ!" I hissed and spelled out his name. "That's B-U-T-Z! Does his name ring a bell now?"

"Nope," he replied taking a drink of his beer. "I'm an independent business man Linda - the only person I answer to is myself." The smile on his face indicated he was enjoying this little game he was playing. I decided it was time to overturn the board.

"Cut the Bullshit Mister! Every day at 7:45 you and your three friends get into the elevator that takes you to the bunker." I saw the man flinch a little. Apparently, no one living in Andersonville was supposed to know about the bunker I had just mentioned.

"So what is it you do down there all day?" I inquired. "Program the temps to play with us - maybe even eavesdrop in on our conversations to find out what we're up to?"

"I really don't know what you are talking about," Pete replied calmly but now visibly shaken. He moved quickly to change the subject. "I was just about ready to order a pizza but since you're here, why don't I take you out to dinner? We can go to Pizza Hut and afterwards - maybe even see a movie."

I knew from his suggestion that I would get no more from him. I was also a little angry at the games he was trying to play with me, so I decided it was my turn to have a little fun. I gave him my best feminine smile.

"Why, what a wonderfully suggestion Pete," I said in a suggestive female tone. "You can take me to dinner - and hold the door open for me while I get in and out of your car. Then afterwards, we can walk to the Movie Theater holding hands - maybe I'll even allow you to put your arm around me during the picture show." I saw a small smile grow on his face. He liked my idea.

"Then, after the picture show," I said softly and in a more seductive tone. "You can drive us up to Fox Lake where we can park and watch the Moonlight bounce off the water.

"And then," I added, putting my hands gently on his chest. My voice became loud and angry. "Then I can watch you jump in the lake you MORON." I pushed him away and turned to go.

As I was leaving his apartment, I heard him yell out, "You know you're very attractive when you're angry." I was too pissed to even reply back at him.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process, the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

"We're lost," my friend told me. I looked over at Rebecca who was studying the map carefully. "I don't even see this road on the map - or the railroad tracks that the man was talking about. Maybe the tracks are covered with snow."

"I don't think so," I replied. "We would have seen some evidence of them even if they were." I noticed the temperature gauge on my Ford Bronco was higher than normal. Considering we were in a snow shower and it was a scant 10 degrees outside that wasn't a good sign.

"How would we tell, Jerry?" she replied. "There's at least 2 feet of snow on the ground."

My friend was right. The snow was coming down so hard that you couldn't see more than 20 yards in front of you. It was a stupid idea to take a trip like this in late October. A cold front had moved in and was dumping snow all over the place that made driving treacherous at best. The upside to this was the pictures we took of the trains fighting the winter storm; they were spectacular. I suspected we'd be able to have some of them published in one of the many railroad magazines.

We had been on the road for almost two weeks now - crisscrossing the Northwest in search of trains and fun. But, it wasn't the railfaning that had brought us out here. It was the dressing up and going out as two middle-aged woman in a different city that had lured us away from our families - well, mine anyway. Rebecca was about to lose hers. Her wife and married son no longer wished to see her anymore. It was a shame; Rebecca was a super-nice person who could no longer live with the lie she had been dealing with for all her life.

"I guess you have a point," I told her. "The tracks could be far enough from the road that we couldn't see them in this crap." I felt the truck slide slightly on the snow-covered road. So much for the theory that 4-wheel drive vehicles didn't slide on ice.

"Maybe we should head south towards Billings," I said. "The roads should be clearer than this back road, although this road doesn't look to bad considering all the snow that has fallen over the past hour."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Rebecca said turning to look out at the snow. "It is pretty to look at though."

She had been born Rodney Allen, a lovely person who I admired for many reasons. We were both TG individuals who had met years ago at a support group meeting. It wasn't long before we discovered we had many of the same likes and dislikes - including trains. Back then, Rebecca had thought she was a crossdresser, but over time realized she was really a woman trapped in a man's body.

Her discovery had put a strain on our relationship, not because I minded but because my wife didn't want her showing up at our house as Rebecca. My wife barely tolerated my crossdressing on a part-time basis and we had long ago agreed I wouldn't crossdress in front of the kids. While I had an obligation toward my wife's feelings, I felt guilty about pushing my friend away. We kept in touch by phone but our friendship suffered as a result.

Rebecca's family was even less open to the idea about her going full time. Her wife threatened to leave and her son made it clear she would never see him and her grandkids again if this happened. There had been a few other things her son had said - nasty things that had hurt my friend deeply. Now in her mid 50's, Rebecca was looking at starting all over again. I had to admire her, I didn't think I could do the same thing if I were in her shoes.

This trip had been my suggestion. Rebecca hadn't gone full-time yet, as there were still a few more details to work on: like telling her boss. She was a private tutor for young kids and there wasn't any doubt about what would happen to her job after she came out. Already a few of her co-workers had commented to her boss about how feminine Rodney seemed to be dressing at work these days. The principal of the school had warned her a few times about wearing jewelry to work and her long hair. It would only be a matter of time before a parent found out they had a transsexual teaching their son or daughter and her career would be over. I thought maybe the trip, one last chance to relax before the shit hit the fan, would do her some good.

So we would drive to a new city and treat ourselves to a day as Jenny and Rebecca. We would visit the malls, go to movies, eat dinner as women, and just enjoy ourselves. The trip was a welcome distraction that Rebecca needed at the moment. In between our stops we would do some train watching, visiting places each of us had read about in our railroad magazine. So far, the trip had been a big success but in another day we would have to head back home to Indiana. I knew Rebecca was dreading it and to be honest, so was I. Oh, I missed my family dearly but spending all this time on the road with Rebecca and most of it dressed as Jenny had been a wonderful experience.

"Try and find out where we are again," I told her again. For our safety, we both dressed as males on the trips between towns. I was fortunate to be shorter and more of the height of a normal woman. But, Rebecca was over 6 feet tall and tended to stand out in a crowd.

"I can't make heads or tails of this," she responded. "Do you see a highway sign anywhere?"

"Not since we turned onto this road. Maybe we should -" I never got to finish my sentence. There was a loud pop and steam started rolling out of the front of the car.

"Oh Shit," I cursed. This wasn't going to be good.

I pulled the truck over to the side of the road and popped the hood. I went outside and lifted the hood to see what the damage was; it turned out to be the radiator. The wind picked up and I realized how much colder it made the winter storm feel. Walking in this weather was out of the question.

"It's the radiator," I told Rebecca getting back into the truck. My entire body felt frozen and I had only been out there a couple of minutes.

"What do we do now?"

"Pray we don't freeze to death in the process of getting help," I told her. "If we're lucky I can nurse the truck to a town where we can get it fixed. The only problem is, I don't know where the next town is." As if it were an answer to our prayers, the lights of a snowplow appeared in the distance heading right toward us.

"I'll see if he can tell us where the next town is," I told Rebecca. I stepped back outside into the freezing wind and flagged the truck driver down. He rolled down his window and gave me a stare.

"I'm having car trouble," I told him. "Can you tell me where the next town is?"

The man looked over at my friend and then at me as if he was unsure what to say.

"Hey buddy - I'm freezing out here. Can you help me out."

"Andersonville," he replied.

"How do I get there?" I asked. The truck driver was starting to give me the creeps. If I didn't know better I'd have guessed he would have rather have us freeze than help us out.

"Go down about 2 miles and turn right at the white farm house. Go about 5 more miles and you'll run right into it. Andersonville Auto shop is the third block down, you can't miss it."

"Thanks," I replied with a smile. "Lots of snow out here today."

The man looked up at the sky. "I've seen worse." Then he gunned his motor and took off down the road.

"Strange guy," I told Rebecca getting into the car.

"He would say the same about us if he knew who we were," Rebecca laughed, causing me to do the same. No matter how bad the situation was my friend always had a way to make me laugh. "So what did he say?"

"There's a town with an service shop about 7 miles away. If we're lucky, the truck will get us there without us having to stop again. Let's just hope we have enough anti-freeze to make it. What time is it anyway?"

"Almost 8am. Hope they have a restaurant in this town."

"If they do I'll buy you breakfast," I said. "How does that sound?"

"Sounds just fine to me Jenny."

I grinned. "I thought it would. Just remember to call me Jerry when we get there. I doubt if these small town folks are as open minded as those in the big cities. And find out where Andersonville is on the map. Maybe we can figure out where in the hell we're at." I started up the truck and threw it in gear.

******

"Unit 21, what the HELL do you think you're doing?" Colonel Myers was hopping mad at what had just transpired. The snowplow driver was supposed to have led them away from Andersonville not point them in the right direction.

"Doghouse, they were having serious car problems," the plow driver replied back on the secure line. "If I hadn't helped them out they may have frozen out there. The weatherman is calling for another 16 inches of snow before tonight."

"Then why didn't you call for a tow truck from one of the other towns?" The Colonel wanted to reach through the radio and choke the man.

"I'm sorry sir - I didn't think of that."

"Well think of this soldier, we don't allow visitors in Andersonville - NEVER! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!"

"Yes sir," the man responded back swiftly.

"Consider yourself on report and return to base." Colonel Myers flipped off the radio in anger before the man had a chance to reply.

"He's only human Barry!" Jeff mentioned to his superior. "He thought he was doing the right thing back there."

"Well he wasn't," the Colonel snapped back. "We can't have people visiting our town. What happens if others find out about our little hideaway? Think of it!"

"I got some information on the driver if it helps," the Sergeant said while holding out some papers. Colonel Myers took a moment to calm down before replying.

"Okay, what have you got Jeff?"

"The truck is registered to a Jerry Kohl from Indianapolis, Indiana. He's married with two kids, 6 and 7. He's 42 years old and works at a place called Software One - I'm looking it up now on the computer. No priors, a couple of traffic tickets. Sounds like a pretty normal guy.

"And what about the other one?" the Colonel stated factually. "For all we know he could be a mass murderer."

"Come on Barry - somebody this clean wouldn't be hanging around with a person like that."

"You can guarantee me of that Jeff? Maybe the guy is a hitchhiker who Mr. Kohl picked up along the way. He may not be aware of who he has sitting next to him." The Sergeant could see his boss was very nervous.

"Look Barry, we'll get them in and out of town in a couple of hours," Jeff reassured him. "By the end of the day they won't even remember being in Andersonville."

"They shouldn't be here in the first place," his boss replied in a very unhappy tone. "Make sure they don't run into any of the temps while they're here - understand. I don't want to have to make them residents. And get some of our people into town right now - code Alpha 1. We can't present these two guests with a ghost town. It's supposed to have almost 35,000 residents, let's make it appear that way to them."

"Yes sir," the sergeant replied formally and left, leaving his boss to stew in his anger.

'One lame-brained idiot has placed the entire operations in jeopardy,' Colonel Myers kept saying to himself. He wished those programmers would get their act together and fix the problem with the temps eyes.

The Colonel's private phone rang and he picked it up. It was one of his men informing him that the transport van was about 10 minutes out. Barry Myers slammed down the phone and cursed loudly several times - he had forgotten about the five new residents scheduled to arrive this morning. With the temps off the street his security was compromised. He decided to call a quick conference with his men to see what could be done to make sure none of these prisoners escaped.

******

Luck was smiling on us. I was able to limp the truck into town without having to stop again. The mechanic took one look at the trouble and smiled. His smile told me this was going to cost me a bundle by the time he was through.

"I'll have to order a new radiator from Lewistown," he said. "Fortunately for you my driver is already there picking up another part. I should have you fixed up by noon."

"Great," I told him. "Can you recommend some place around here to eat. I'm kind of tired of eating at McDonald's all the time."

"Best restaurant around here is Sherry's. Go down two blocks and turn right. They have the best breakfast in town."

We thanked the mechanic and started heading in that direction. I looked around and took everything in. What amazed me about Andersonville was its size and how clean it was. This town seemed to be prospering rather well. What I found strange was the lack of people on the street. I guess most were trying to stay out of the cold, although it seemed a lot warmer here than it did on the road coming in - maybe about 20 degrees warmer and I noticed there wasn't nearly as much snow on the ground. We walked by the Courthouse; a huge impressive building that caught my friend's eye. She gave me a grin.

"I'll catch up with you in a minute," she told me. "I have to check it out and see what it looks like inside."

"Can't it wait until after breakfast? It looks like we're going to be here for a while anyway."

"Come on Jenny, we usually don't eat this early anyway. Look, why don't you hit the dress shop over there and I'll meet you at the restaurant in 15 minutes."

"Fine," I agreed. I watched her cross the street and headed to dress shop up the block. If I found something I liked I could always tell the clerk I was buying it for my wife.

******

"Did you hear that?" Corporal Edwards said to Jeff. The three soldiers were huddled around the listening post that Edward was in charge of. Each of them had a set of expensive headphones on.

"The one guy called the other man Jenny. And why did he suggested to him that he check out the dress shop?"

With the temps off the street there wasn't any way to follow the stranger's movements so the men in the bunker had to rely on their listening devices planted around town. Due to the breakdown in the security, all the police officers were at the courthouse watching over the prisoners, leaving no one available to physically watch their two visitors.

"What's going on?" Barry Myers demanded to know.

"Sounds like we have a couple of fruitcakes sir," Edward replied.

"Why in the HELL isn't anyone watching them?" Colonel Myers asked angrily noticing Jeff and Mac were both listening in on the conversation.

"Sir, all our manpower is either at the courthouse or hasn't arrived yet," Jeff answered in a straight, military tone. "We just barely got someone to the restaurant they're headed to.

"Goddamn it - get some temps in the windows so we can see what the hell they're doing. I told you to make sure they didn't run into any of the temps Jeff - I didn't say pull the plug on them."

"Yes sir," Jeff respectfully snapped back. He had never seen his boss so jumpy before. "You heard him Mac - let's get some eyes on them."

******

Rebecca entered through the front door of the courthouse. There was no one to greet her, but she did hear some sounds coming from behind a set of doors that appeared to be the courtroom. She debated about going in and decided against it - it may upset the Judge. Instead, she walked around admiring the artwork on the walls and ceiling of the entranceway. It was by far one of the most beautifully courthouses she had visited.

There was a door with a sign that read: 'Balcony'. Since there was no one looking, Rebecca didn't see the harm of checking it out. Quietly she walked up the stairs and entered into an unfinished room. It appeared at one time this had been part of the courtroom but now it was sealed off and used for storage. She
noticed a small window off to one side that still overlooked the courtroom. She decided to check out the trial going on.

From the window, Rebecca could see it was a large courtroom with several rows of elaborate, dark wood benches. In front was an equally impressive bench where the judge was seated. She was an older woman who displayed an air of dominance about her. Rebecca counted no less than four police officers in the room - along with a young lady who must have been the court reporter. The person on trial was a fat, middle-aged man who was hanging his head. Apparently whatever the Judge had said to him had had a dramatic effect on his consciousness.

The Judge said something else that Rebecca couldn't understand then lifted her hands in front of her, placing the palms together as if she was carrying something. To Rebecca's amazement the Judge's hands started to glow and a small ball of light came out of her palms.

She watched in half shock and excitement at what happened next. The ball of light shot out of the Judge's hands and struck the man standing in front of her somewhere around the chest. The man stepped backward slightly as if he were going to fall then regained his balance. Almost immediately changes started happening to him. Rebecca watched in pure amazement as his hair started spurting out of the back of his head while changing colors from his original gray to solid black. His weight started disappearing as his hips grew wider and higher - giving him a more female appearance. Then his clothes changed as well, transforming from an orange jumpsuit into a professional, tan skirt suit.

"Welcome to your new life Mrs. Abbot," the Judge said to the new woman who had once been a man. "Officer Merrick, will you make sure she gets to her car okay."

The Judge disappeared into her chambers followed by the young woman who didn't look to be any older than 17 or 18 years old. The officers drifted off as well, leaving the courtroom empty. Rebecca sat down against the wall trying to catch her breath. She was hyperventilating with excitement over what she had just seen. She had to tell Jerry about this right away. Her dream to become a real woman was about to come true.

******

"Well," the Colonel demand, "have you found him yet?"

"I'm still looking sir," Jeff responded nervously. He had several temps looking out the window now but they could only spot one of the men. He had entered a dress shop, which caused the Sergeant to wonder who they were dealing with. The other man couldn't be found.

"Keep looking," Colonel Myers ordered in a military tone. "He couldn't have gone too far."

"Found him sir," one of Jeff's temps announced. The Sergeant breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where?" Colonel Myers barked.

"Walking down the street from sector 5," the temp said. "I didn't catch were he was coming from. Seems to be in a hurry - more like he's trotting than walking."

"Does he look scared? What's in the area that he could have come out from?" Barry demanded to know.

"An office supply shop, a bank, and a plumbing store. There's also the Courthouse." The Colonel's face went pale.

"Sir, I doubt he was in there," Jeff responded. "From what I can tell he seems to be in a good mood. Maybe he just went for a walk around the block."

"And maybe he was snooping around the Courthouse while the Judge was holding trial. Get Officer Merrick on the horn - NOW!" The Colonel saw his career starting to slip away.

******

The dress shop had been something of a bust. A man, and not a very knowledgeable one at that, ran the store. Not only did he not have any idea were anything was, he seemed almost embarrassed to be there.

I walked into the restaurant across the street and took a seat by the front window. Something bothered me about this town - it was the lack of people. Granted, it was a cold day but I didn't pass anyone on the way nor was the auto traffic very busy. Even now I would see an occasional car drive by but not enough in what you would expect to see in a town this size. A young lady came out of the back wearing a pink waitress uniform that was too big on her and looked as if it had been thrown on in a hurry. As a crossdresser, I tended to notice things like that more than the average man did.

"Can I get you some coffee sugar?"

"Decaf please." Since my heart attack five years ago, my doctor had ordered me to avoid as much caffeine as possible. Years ago I had stupidly thought I would live forever and had forsaken taking care of my body. It had reminded me one day with a devastating heart attack, one that almost took my life. And I was only 37 at the time - who would've believed someone so young would have a heart attack. I certainly didn't.

"Kind of quiet around here, isn't it?" I said to her while she poured me my coffee. In fact, the dinner room was empty except for me. It didn't seem natural that I would be the only customer in the restaurant at this time of the day.

"It'll pick up soon," she said with a smile. "Do you want to order now or wait for your friend to show up?" I looked up at her suspiciously.

"How do you know I'm with someone?" The waitress blushed slightly.

"My boyfriend works down at the auto shop. He told me you were coming."

I nodded my head with suspicion. There was something strange about this town, it made me nervous, and now I was beginning to feel paranoid. I chuckled at how stupid I was acting. Imagine, an entire town watching us while trying to hide some dark secret. What a silly idea! Still, I couldn't shake the fact that Andersonville felt like something out of the Twilight Zone.

"I'll wait," I replied with a smile. She returned my smile and disappeared into the back again. A few minutes later the door opened and Rebecca walked in with a look of great excitement on her face.

"Jerry, you won't believe this," she babbled out. I put my finger to my mouth.

"Keep it down, will you. Now what's up?" My friend sat down across from me like she had just won the lottery.

"You won't believe this man, I've discovered something incredible! No, not incredible, wonderful! You just won't believe it."

Our waitress came back out and asked if we were ready to order. I settled for a small stack of pancakes but my friend could hardly contain herself to look at the menu. She finally ordered the special just to get rid of the waitress.

"Okay, now what did you find out?" Considering the strangeness of this town I was pretty intrigued at this point.

"They change men into woman here," he replied excitedly. "I saw them do it to someone less than 15 minutes ago. Jerry, it's like a dream come true."

"Slow down here for a minute Rebecca. What did you see?"

"Well," Rebecca responded with joy, "there was this man standing in front of this female Judge who looked to be about 50 years old. This Judge held her hands together and something shot out of it, like a ball of light. A few moments later he was changed into an attractive, young woman. Jerry, I've found paradise."

"Hold it Rebecca - think about what you're saying. First, this place isn't even on the map. Second, while the people seem friendly enough, it's also obvious they don't want us around. And third, we don't know what the hell is going on here."

"Jerry, don't you get it? That man must have wanted to become a woman just like me. Do you know what happened afterwards - she thanked the Judge? Don't you get it? If this person didn't want to become a woman then she would have been hollering about it. Jerry, I can finally see my dream come true. I can be a woman - I can be whole!"

"Rebecca, for Pete's sake slow down and think about this. What happens if you're wrong? Or if the price of being changed into a woman means you can't leave here again? What about your family?"

"They don't want to see me anymore Jerry. When I start living full time as Rebecca, I'll be dead to them. Look, we can both make a new life here. Andersonville doesn't seem that bad of a place."

"We? Now hold on Rebecca," I said while trying to remain calm. "I have a life back in Indiana. My wife and kids are waiting for me to come back home. I'm not about to abandon them."

"Jerry, think about this. We can both be woman, maybe even real sisters. They must supply you with a new life. Think of the fun we can have."

"Damn it Rebecca," I swore angrily, "I'm a crossdresser, not a transsexual. I happen to like being a man and I also like my current life. That's the difference between you and me. If you want to stay in Andersonville then fine! But when my truck is fixed I'm getting the hell out of this town and forgetting that it even exists."

"You have to stay!" she insisted. "They're going to find out about you anyway and they won't be too happy when they find out you left."

"Look, we can leave together and you can come back later on," I countered.

"What happens if I can't find this place again," Rebecca explained. "What happens if this place only appears every hundred years like that town in England - what's its name, Brigadoon?"

"Come on Rebecca, you can't seriously think that's what this place is."

"Jerry, there's something magical about this place - don't you feel it?" The truth of the matter was I did. I knew exactly what my friend was saying.

I heard the door open and observed a police officer walk into the room and take a seat at the counter. The waitress gave him a welcoming smile as she poured him a cup of coffee.

"That's one of the officers who was in the Courtroom," Rebecca whispered to me.

"Wait a minute, you didn't say anything about cops being there," I replied with caution. "Maybe this guy was a bad man and turning him into a woman was his punishment."

"If that's their form of punishment around here than I'll take it," Rebecca answered back in a humorous fashion.

I didn't laugh at her comment. I could see my friend wasn't thinking clearly about this anymore. All she could see was her greatest desire becoming a reality.

"Think about this Rebecca," I tried reasoning. "What do you think the cops were there for, as material witnesses? Rebecca, this doesn't feel right!"

"I'm going to go talk to him," she told me with a grin.

"No!" I replied back in a panic. "Let's think about this a little longer."

"I can't Jerry, I've waited all my life for this opportunity. I'm sorry buddy, I'll try to make sure they release you after they're done with me."

"Come back," I said in a loud whisper. By this time the officer had heard us talking and was looking at us strangely. Rebecca approached the officer and said a few words to him. The cop listened for a moment and nodded, then turned his head toward me; he had a serious look on his face. I decided it was time to get out of here before he called for backup. I started walking toward the door but in a blink of an eye the officer was standing in front of me.

"You're not thinking of leaving without paying for your meal - are you Mr. Kohl?" the cop asked in a serious manner. I noticed his nametag said 'M Merrick'.

"How did you know my name if we haven't even met before?" I demanded to know in a scared and weak voice.

A thin smile appeared on his face. "Why don't we go see the Judge and talk about it."

"I'll rather not," I told the officer. If my friend was telling me the truth, there was no way of knowing what I would end up as. All I wanted was to get back to my truck and put as many miles as I could between this crazy town and me.

"I'm afraid I must insist," the police officer said in a rather formal tone. I turned to begging.

"Please, just let me go. I promise I won't say anything about what I've seen here."

"Jerry, it's going to be okay," Rebecca said calmly with a smile.

"Shut up you stupid fool!" I gave her an angry look. "Where do you think you are, in the land of wishes?

"Let's go, both of you," the cop said. He grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door. The strength of this man was amazing, I knew I would never be able to break free from him. Rebecca followed behind on her own power.

"You're hurting me," I protested.

"Promise me you won't try to run away and I'll let you walk there on your own," he offered.

"I promise." Seeing how fast the man could move I knew I couldn't outrun him.

We were led inside the Courthouse and down the hallway to a small office where a young, teenager girl was working. She gave us both a momentary, sad look that seemed to indicate our visit with the Judge wasn't going to be all that pleasurable.

"She'll be with you in a minute Mark," the girl said looking back at us with a long face.

Rebecca didn't seem to notice. All she could think about was that soon she would be rid of her male body nature had cursed her with. I didn't say anything to her but I had my doubts about that too. An attractive, blonde-haired woman joined us in the outer room a few minutes later. She was wearing a pair of slacks and a white, feminine blouse. The blonde-haired lady looked both of us over carefully.

"Hi Mark. Are these the two visitors?"

'Visitors' - I hope that would still be the case after the Judge was through with us.

"Yes," he replied keeping a keen eye on me. Apparently, the officer wasn't too concerned about Rebecca who was sitting nearby with a huge smile on her face.

Two more officers entered the room and I gasped when I saw them. Their eyes seemed to twinkle back at us. The intercom buzzed and the young woman picked up the phone, said a few words, and put it back down.

"The Judge wants to see you and Dr. Green first," she told the cop.

Officer Merrick nodded at the two other officers and said, "keep a good eye on them." The two ladies and the officer disappeared behind the wooden door.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Rodney asked.

"What do you THINK they're talking about you jerk!" I snapped. "Our deaths." I looked at both officers standing in front of the entrance. With luck we could overpower them and get away. But then I realized it would be a futile effort; Rebecca wouldn't help me escape and even if I did get past the two cops on my own there was no place for me to run. I was trapped and the people in charge knew it.

"Jerry, I'm sorry for getting you into this. But I had to do something." The door opened and Officer Merrick stepped out.

"You can go now," he told the two officers. They left us alone with just this officer Merrick.

"You don't get it, do you," I said to Rebecca. "This isn't like finding a bottle with a Genie inside who grants you three wishes. We have no idea what's going to happen to us. If they can change men into women then they can change us into something else as well.

"Keep quiet," the officer told me. I gave him an angry glare.

"Why, because I'm telling her the truth?" I snapped at him. "This isn't the Land of Oz and you're not our Fairy God Mother. So what the hell is going to happen to us Officer Merrick?"

"You'll find out soon enough," the police officer replied grimly.

The door to the Judge's chambers opened up and the blonde-haired lady who I guessed was Dr. Green stepped out. "Rebecca, if you would come in now." She had a pleasant smile on her face.

"See, I told you buddy. She even used my female name. Wish me luck!"

As she strolled into the Judge's office I couldn't help but think my friend was walking into some kind of ambush. The door closed behind her leaving me alone with the officer. I sat there sulking. What would happen to me and to my family? The people in charge of this place wouldn't let me go now, I was sure of that.
And without me around to influence my kids' lives, how would they turn out? Damn it, they needed a father in their lives.

"Do you mind if I get a drink of water," I asked the officer.

"Wait here." In a blink of an eye, he was suddenly handing me a glass of water. I took the glass and thanked him.

"You're pretty fast," I commented. He nodded but didn't say a word. "Officer, I'm sorry for being rude to you a few minutes ago. I'm usually not like that, really."

"I guess you could say I didn't catch you on your best day," he said with a small grin.

"That's for sure. I'm normally - " A small scream from the other side of the door interrupted my thoughts. I tried to stand up but Officer Merrick put his hand on my shoulder and held me down in the chair.

"Relax - he's not hurt," the officer told me.

"Then why did he scream?" I wanted to know. It sounded like the scream of a small boy.

"You'll find out in just a minute," the cop replied. "The Judge is almost through with him."

As if on cue the door to her office opened up and Dr. Green stepped out holding the hand of a small child - a male child. There were giant tears on the boy's face.

"Danny, I want you to sit down next to Officer Merrick until I'm done with your friend." The boy did as he was told, giving me the saddest look I'd ever seen anyone give me before. I knew who it had to be.

"Rebecca?" The boy stood in front of me with tears on his cheeks and nodded. I turned and faced the doctor who was standing there in the doorway with a pleasant smile on her face.

"Why did you do this?" I demanded to know. "You knew she couldn't stand being a male anymore." But the doctor made no attempt to answer my question "The Judge will see you now, Mr. Kohl." She made a motion for me to follow her in. I looked down at the boy and then at the officer - I really didn't have a choice did I? So I got up and followed her into the Judges chambers.

Judge Herns was nothing like I expected. She was seated behind her desk but didn't seem like the stern type of person I had been expecting. Her assistant was seated beside her with a notebook in her hands. The doctor pointed me to a seat in front of the judge's desk and took her spot by the window.

"Good morning Mr. Kohl," the Judge started off in a pleasant tone. "I must say, I wasn't expecting you or Mr. Allen to be in my presence today."

"If I told you this was just a big misunderstanding would you let us go?" I asked politely. The Judge chuckled slightly.

"This isn't a misunderstanding Mr. Kohl. Your friend sought me out in the hopes I would change his life - and so I did."

"Rebecca sought you out in the hopes you would change her into the woman that she is Your Honor, not a little boy," I corrected her.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she sighed slightly. "I'm afraid Danny is going to have a hard life ahead of him."

"Why?" I demanded to know. I tried to ask in a way that didn't sound angry but my anger was starting to show.

"A number of reasons which I'm not going to get into." Her tone was calm and cool. "Since you've no business with me - you're free to go. I understand your truck should be ready soon."

"But what about my friend?" I protested.

"He's now a citizen of Andersonville Mr. Kohl. He won't be going with you."

"But turning him into a little boy is a death sentence Your Honor! You can't leave him that way!"

"Why not? He was rather insistence that I changed him. I've done my part - now he has to live with the consequences." The Judge gave me a stern stare that indicated she wasn't going to argue the matter with me.

"What kind of person are you?" I asked angrily. "Turning her back into a little boy was the worst thing you could have done to her. Why not just cut her throat - it would be more merciful."

"I disagree Mr. Kohl. Turning her back into a small boy will make her stronger. She will learn to live with disappointment."

"She's already DONE THAT!" I yelled. "She's had to live as a woman trapped in a man's body all her life. Making Rebecca relive her personal hell one more time doesn't benefit anyone."

"Watch your tone Mr. Kohl," the Judge warned me sternly. "While I understand your concern it's best you remember where you're at. I set the rules here." She thought for a moment and continued.

"However, you do make a strong argument for your friend. Maybe we can work out some kind of arrangement."

"What kind of arrangement?" Somehow, I knew I wasn't going to like what the Judge had in mind.

"A simple one. I'll turn your friend into the girl he wants to be providing you agree to stay here with us." The Judge's offer was like a nightmare; having to choose between my best friend's quality of life and my own family.

"There has to be another way," I told her. "What happens to my family when I don't return?"

"A fair question," Judge Herns responded. "If you choose to stay I'll make sure your family is well taken care of. I'll provide your wife and kids with a suitable father who'll raise them the way you wanted them to be raised. No one will remember you existed, not even your brothers or sisters. In a sense, you'll be wiped out of everyone's memories. Only your deeds will remain and everyone will remember them as being done by someone else.

"And if I decide to leave then I have to live with the fact I had a chance to save my friend from a life of misery and chose selfishly."

"Your friend was the one who was selfish, not you," she explained. "He was willing to sacrifice your life to fulfill his dream."

"You don't know my friend Judge," I shot back. "All her life she's wanted just one thing; to have a body that matched her brain. Because of who she is - Rebecca has suffered at the hands of other people who thought they were better than she was. She's lost everyone for having the guts to stand up and say she couldn't live a lie anymore. Then she sees an opportunity to make her dream come true - how can I blame her for doing what she did? It was like throwing a drowning person a life preserver; of course they're going to grab at it. I would've done the same thing."

"I'm not going to argue the point Mr. Kohl," Judge Herns interrupted. "But getting back to what you said earlier, if you decide to leave you won't remember anything that happened here today. So you see, there will be no guilt to live with."

"But my friend still remains as a little boy."

"Yes," the Judge replied. "If he had remained behind that would have been a unselfish act and I would have granted his wish. Now, his fate rests on your shoulders."

"That's a horrible thing to do to me Your Honor. Even if I don't remember my decision, I still have to make it. Either way, someone pays for how I decide."

"But only one person suffers," the Judge responded softly. "If you stay, I'll turn your friend into a beautiful, young woman and give her a life that she'll be happy with. As for you, I'll provide you with new life as well, one that you will find both pleasant and fulfilling.

"But - but I love my kids Your Honor." I pleaded to her sense of family. "I can't let go of them."

"Then you must do what is right for you. I'll give you until tomorrow to make your decision.

"I can't make a decision by then," I cried. Dr. Green intervened.

"Judge, perhaps you could do something to help Mr. Kohl decide."

"What do you have in mind Dr. Green," Judge Herns asked. I had a sinking feeling that the Judge already knew what the doctor was going to suggest.

"Since you're offering Mr. Kohl a new life, perhaps you should let him live it until tomorrow. Knowing what's in store for him for the rest of his life will make it easier to for him to decide."

"Now wait a minute," I started to say but the Judge waved me off.

"Dr. Green is correct Mr. Kohl. Knowing how you'll be living for the rest of your life will make it easier to decide. Sit still please."

I tried to move but found my body suddenly frozen in the chair - as if some force was holding me in place. The Judge lifted her arms and closed her eyes. I noticed her lips were moving but I couldn't hear any words coming out of them. I looked over at the doctor but she stood there giving me a comforting smile as if nothing was out the ordinary. I looked over at the young teenager who was giving me a sympathetic look at my fate. Then I noticed a ball of energy rising from the Judge's hands. It glowed and despite what it was intended to do, I found it to be rather pretty. When it rose completely out of her hands, the Judge opened her eyes and stared right at me. The ball of light/energy darted right at me and hit me in the chest. I didn't feel a thing when it entered - it was almost as if my body absorbed whatever it was. But then I felt changes, horrible changes, happening to my body.

My hair started growing at a tremendous rate. Even the bald spot on the back of my head seemed to be covered with hair. My body shrank in size and the extra weight I carried disappeared to give me a lean, skinnier waist. My hips moved up and outward and the muscles in my arms and leg disappeared - giving me a more feminine look. Then there seemed to be a great deal of activity in the chest and groin - and I watched in semi-horror as two lumps started to grow out of my chest to become breasts - WOMEN'S BREASTS. I suddenly felt a strange sensation in my groin and I knew what was happening to me. The Judge had decided I would live the rest of my life as a female.

My clothes were going through a change as well. My pants came up and spilt becoming a short, flowered skirt. My shirt changed to a cute, blue blouse while my old brown coat became a high school jacket. I felt, with some fascination, a bra wrapped itself around my two, new breast and a pair of hose worked their way up my legs. Then my old, ratty tennis shoes turned into a pair of black, female shoes.

"I'm sure you won't have as much trouble adjusting to your new clothes as some of our other residents," the Judge said with a wink.

I was scared and slightly upset that the Judge had decided to let everyone know in the room that I wasn't a stranger to wearing woman's clothes. I tried to stand up but found myself a little shaky after the transformation. The blonde-haired doctor rushed over to help me up.

"This isn't what I wanted," I told her somewhat boldly.

"Then you have until tomorrow to figure out what you want to do. For the time being you'll be known around town as Jane Harper, the doctor can fill you in on the rest. I'll see you tomorrow at 8:30. Oh, and Miss Harper - I expect you to behave and act as a young lady now. If you don't, I'll be very disappointed." Somehow I knew that disappointing this Judge wasn't a good thing.

The doctor held my arm and gently helped me out the door. Rebecca, or rather Danny, was still waiting for us in the office with Officer Merrick. When she saw what they had done to me she began to cry.

"No, it should be me in that body. Jerry, tell them they made a mistake."

I got angry with my friend for acting this way. I had just been turned into a woman - a teenager at that - and all she could do was cry that it wasn't her instead of me.

"Shut up you asshole," I yelled, causing the young boy to cry even louder. I felt guilty about what I did but inside it made me feel good. I knew Rebecca was suffering more than I was but I didn't care at the moment.

"Jane, your friend is upset," Dr. Green tried to explain but I cut her off.

"So am I doctor! If she had listened to me in the first place we wouldn't be in this mess; and I wouldn't have to choose between my family and her happiness."

"What?" Danny asked in surprise. "What do you mean? What is she talking about."

"Look," Dr. Green said in a frustrated voice, "stop arguing. Now let's get both of you up to my office where we can talk." She took Danny's hand and led the way while I followed. Officer Merrick gave me a grin and went off in the opposite direction. We walked up to the second floor where her office was located.

"Jane, I'm going to talk to Danny first. I want you to sit there until I'm ready for you."

I didn't respond. I sat down on the wooden bench outside her office and watched the doctor pull my friend inside with tears still running down her face. Rebecca was right about one thing; it wasn't fair for me to be in this body; it should have been her.

I waited around for a few minutes then decided to leave. I wasn't really in the mood to talk to someone who had been a part of changing me into a woman and besides, I tended to think clearer when I was walking. As I stepped outside I was greeted by the chilly air that seemed to go right through my thin skirt. Apparently this new person I had become dressed for style and not practicality.

The cold wind nipped at my legs despite the nylons I had on, forcing me to make a quick decision on where to go. I remembered there was a small mall not far away and decided that was as good as place as any to walk around. I noticed on the way to the mall that the streets were now active with people going to and from; with most of the people being those ones with the funny, twinkling eyes like the two police officers I had seen earlier. A couple of these people even said 'hi' to me as if they knew who I was. They seemed to have no concept that I used to be a man. I hurried along, pushed on by the freezing wind. By the time I got to the mall my legs were frozen.

I spent the next couple of hours roaming the hallways and stores of the Andersonville Mall. I counted 27 stores in total, most of them being clothing stores that did capture my interest. I realized being turned into a young woman wasn't that bad - in fact in many ways it was a dream come true. It was wonderful to go into a store and try on stuff that was short and sexy but still looked natural on me. While I passed pretty well in public as Jenny, I never looked natural wearing a skirt or dress that hung above my knees. Now I had a body that was built for such outfits, and it was well stacked.

I looked at myself carefully in the mirror at what I had become. I now had long, beautiful blonde hair that went halfway down my back and was feathered in the front. My breasts were a C cup but due to my incredible thin waist they appeared much bigger. My legs were tan and beautiful, one of my features. And I had a smile that could melt even the coldest heart. The judge had made me one sexy looking young woman.

I was enjoying myself - so much that I forgot about who I really was and why I was here. But when a young mother passed by holding the hand of a little girl who was about the age of my own daughter, I suddenly felt a pain of guilt. I had an obligation to other people outside this town. My son was depending on me to be there for his baseball games and his troubled teenage years. My precious little girl was expecting me to walk her down the isle one day. And what about my wife, who had put up with this strange dressing hobby of mine and had been there when I was lying flat on my back in the hospital? Didn't she deserve better than having me abandon her like this? Even if she didn't remember me and got a new husband who made her just as happy, hadn't I made a commitment to her on our wedding day in front of a hundred other people and God? My life was no longer my own to do with as I pleased.

I spotted a McDonald's across the street from the Mall and realized I was getting hungry. Braving the cold air, I ran over the restaurant and ordered myself a Big Mac and Fries. It had been years since I'd eaten a Big Mac due to my heart condition and my first bite reminded me of how much I missed eating them. Too bad this meal had more fat in it than I was allowed to eat in an entire day.

As I sat there eating I began to think about how much I was enjoying this new life - maybe a little bit too much. Sure, it was great now but what would happen when something unpleasant came up - like my first period. Would I still be happy wearing skirts and dresses for the rest of my life or would I end up like Rebecca, feeling trapped in the wrong body?

"Mind if we sit down?" a voice asked. It was Dr. Green and that teenager I had seen in the Judge's chambers. I had become so engrossed in my own thoughts that I hadn't seen them show up.

"It's a free country," I said in a somewhat neutral tone. The young girl sat down first and scooted over for the doctor. "How's Rebecca doing?"

"Not bad considering. He's with his mother right now getting acquainted to his new life. You know, I could have sworn I told you to wait outside my office until I was done with him," the doctor stated before taking a bite of what looked like a grill chicken sandwich.

"I wasn't interested in talking doctor. I mean, what is there to talk about? I've been living life longer than you have so what could you possible tell me that I don't already know?"

"How about who you are," she replied back slightly annoyed.

"I already know all that. My name is Jane Anne Harper. I live at 143 Pleasant View Drive. I'm three weeks shy of my 16th birthday and for some reason I like dressing in outfits that aren't convenient for the weather outside. How's that for starters?"

"And your mother's name? Where your father works? How many brothers and sisters you have? Can you answer any of those questions?" Dr. Green asked me.

"No," I said honestly, "but then I'm not really interested in knowing those details. I don't plan to be here that long."

"So you decided not to stay?" Dr. Green looked at me with intense eyes.

"Let's just say I'm leaning that way 'doctor'," I replied back in a somewhat nasty tone. "By the way, who's your friend here? We haven't been introduced yet."

"I'm Linda Anderson," the teenage girl answered.

"So they named a town after you - how nice," I felt myself getting angry at what they had done to me and started being a little rude toward both of them. "And you're part of all this?"

"I'm just like you," she whispered.

"A guy?" I asked suspiciously.

"We don't ask questions like that around here, Jane," the doctor answered for her. "It's better if you don't know. What's important is that you try out this life so you can decide what you want to do by tomorrow morning."

"Do you really think living in this body for 24 hours is going to help me decide, doctor? What it really comes down to is who gets screwed in the end - my family or my best friend. If I stay I'll always feel guilty for abandoning my family. If I leave my best friend suffers, only I won't remember it, which should give me some comfort but it doesn't. That's what I have to figure out here!"

"I could help," the doctor offered in a hopeful tone.

"No thanks!" I replied back in an acid tone. "Do me a favor DOCTOR. The next time you want to help me out again - DON'T! I'm old enough to handle my own problems without you wet-nursing me along. Have you got that?"

Dr. Green frowned and looked like she was going to say something else when I noticed an attractive, middle-aged woman walking toward us.

"Hello Carol, Linda," the new lady said. "And Jane Harper. I didn't expect to see one of my students here at this time of the day." I looked at the teenager in semi-confusion.

"She means you," Linda told me directly. I looked back at the lady who was staring at me with a slight smile as if she were part of an inside joke.

"I'm afraid you got me confused with someone else," I explained. "I graduated from High School years ago." I noticed all three of them were smiling at me now, making me feel just a little bit uncomfortable.

"Always the prankster, aren't you Jane," she replied crisply. "But skipping school is a very serious matter. How would you like to be kicked off the cheerleading squad?"

"Look Miss," I started to argue. "I don't know who you are but you're making a big mistake. I'm not a student - I'm not even a girl. I'm a 42-year-old father of two. And I don't know anything about this cheerleading squad you're talking about."

The new lady seemed unimpressed and then I noticed Linda Anderson was fidgeting nervously in her chair. Apparently, I had just made a big mistake by speaking the truth.

"Have you been drinking young lady?" she demanded to know.

"What? No, but I wish I had," I told her. This was getting ridiculous. "Look, check with Judge Herns - she'll tell you who I am."

"I got a better idea Miss Harper," the attractive woman said to me. "How does 3 days of in-school suspension and a phone call to your parents sound for trying to skip school? Because that's what I'm going to do if you don't come with me right now."

It was strange but even though it sounded like a threat she didn't seem that angry. I turned to Dr. Green who was sitting there silently eating her lunch with a rather amused look on her face. "Look, tell her what's going on."

"Is she asking me for help Linda?" the doctor asked mock surprise. "I believe Jane said she could handle her own problems and didn't want my help!"

"That's what I thought too," Linda agreed a little smugly. I realized they had me - it was time to swallow my pride and eat a little crow.

"Okay Dr. Green, I'm sorry. You were right and I was wrong, I do need your help. I apologize for being so rude to you earlier."

"And for not listening to me when I told you to wait outside my office?" she added.

"Yes, that too," I sigh, then continued. "I've been a bad girl Dr. Green, alright? Now will you please help me out." The doctor beamed at her victory.

"Mrs. Miller. Jane had some business with the Judge this morning, that's why she wasn't in class."

"But the Judge is done with her now - correct."

"Yes," the doctor replied back with a small grin."

"Well then," Mrs. Miller smiled. "Then there's no reason for Jane not to be in school now, is there."

"School!" I choked out. "Now wait a minute! Dr. Green, tell her what's going on! Tell her why the Judge did this." The doctor gave me an entertaining glance.

"But Jane - she's right. Since we don't have anything to talk about I can't see any reason why you shouldn't go back to class. If you recall, that's what the Judge ordered - to live as Jane Harper until tomorrow."

"But - but." I couldn't think of a good argument.

"Let's go Jane," Mrs. Miller said as she grabbed my hand. "My car is waiting right outside."

"Goodbye Jane. Have fun in school today," the doctor said pleasantly. I gave her one of my best glares, which had little affect on her. Apparently she had seen plenty of glares like mine before.

Mrs. Miller, who I later found out was the superintendent of Andersonville schools, gave me an understanding smile as we pulled out of the McDonald's parking lot. "You should be able to make your first afternoon class without any trouble," she told me.

"What class is that?" I asked glumly.

"History," she replied.

"Terrific, I hate History." For some reason Mrs. Miller found my response funny and laughed.

"Here," she said, pulling a piece of paper out of thin air. "It's your schedule for the rest of the afternoon - along with your locker number and combination."

We pulled into the school parking lot and she parked in a spot assigned to her.

"Remember who you are Jane," she told me sternly. "I don't want to hear about any trouble from you. I happen to be good friends with the Judge, if you know what I mean." I had a good idea what she meant. Her and the Judge were alike.

"Now go on. Your next class starts in five minutes." She walked with me until the hallway 'T', then I went left and she went right. Finding my locker wasn't much trouble. I was surprised to open it up and see a picture of a guy hanging inside the doorway.

'Oh God,' I gasped. 'I have a boyfriend?'

He didn't seem bad looking; at least he had a nice smile although he could have been Mel Gibson for all I cared. The last thing I wanted was to get hooked up with a guy. The bell rang and everyone started spilling into the hallway, surrounding me. I felt myself starting to panic being around all these strangers - most of them with those twinkling eyes.

"Hey Jane, where have you been?" The guy, whose picture was hanging up in my locker, but with those funny twinkling eyes, came up and slid his hand around my thin waist pulling me close to him. I almost cringed. A girl with long, reddish hair joined us, also with twinkling eyes.

"I - I had an appointment this morning," I said.

"Nothing serious?" the redhead asked with slight concern.

'No, I only got my gender changed,' I wanted to scream back.

"I'm fine," was all I managed to get out before another bell rang.

"I have to get to class girls. See you later 'fox'," the boy said to me. Before I had a chance to react he gave me a kiss and took off. I stood there in a semi-state of shock; I'd been kissed by a boy.

"I wish I could find someone like Roger," the redhead said to me. I was going to tell the girl she could have him but she grabbed my arm and started pulling me down the hallway.

"Come on, our next class starts in less than a minute and you know how Mr. Tackett is." I found myself being drawn down the hallway in utter confusion.

******

Aww, High School! What wonderful memories I have of those carefree days. Unfortunately, today's reality didn't match up the memories I had. I couldn't believe how much I had once known and then forgotten. It was a real eye-opener. Still, if I decided to stay I had something to look forward to, relearning everything again.

My new girlfriend, Sandra Smith, was in my last two classes. While she talked a lot about her social life, I sensed she took her schoolwork very seriously. I found out this was true when she started answering the questions our history teacher started putting forth to us. It was amazing and fun to watch her in action. We went to our next class, science in this case, and Sandra was pretty knowledgeable on that subject as well. Finally the last bell rang.

"I'm glad this day is over with," Sandra sighed as we put our books away in our lockers.

"Me too," I agreed. Being a teenager, male or female was rough. I had forgotten about all the rituals they had to go through.

I followed Sandra down the hallway as she continued to talk about some great guy named Steve who played on the football team. Apparently he was younger than she was and she didn't know what to do. It turned out that dating somebody younger than you could damaged your social status at school. If my new friend hadn't been so serious about the matter it would have been comical. When we came to the end of the hallway I froze in fright. Next to the door was a sign that read 'Women's locker room'.

"What's wrong Jane?" Sandra wanted to know.

"I - I can't," was all I got out. What could I say to her? There wasn't any reason for me not to enter inside but somehow I felt it was wrong.

"Come on," Sandra said anxiously as she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the forbidden territory. There were already about 20 girls inside the locker room changing, most of them in just their panties and bras. I tried not to pay attention - I felt like a dirty old man since I was old enough to be their father. I opened up my locker and started pulling out my cheerleader uniform without looking at the other girls too much. Sandra, who had already taken off her top to reveal her lacy, red bra, gave me a puzzling stare.

"What's wrong with you Jane, you look uneasy."

"It's nothing," I said trying to avoid her red bra that my eyes seemed to keep getting locked onto. I hadn't seen breast that good since, well it had been a long time. I concentrated on looking straight at my locker as I got changed. There was a red and white top with the word 'Andersonville' printed on it that went diagonal across the chest. The skirt was short, with red and white pleated stripes running down it. A pair of red and white tennis shoes and white socks with red trim completed the outfit. As I left the locker room with Sandra I looked at myself in the mirror and was surprised how sharp I looked. I had always dreamed of being a cheerleader some day, and now I was one.

We assembled inside the gym in front of an older girl dressed in a cheerleader's outfit like the rest of us. From the way she was standing while looking at each of us, it was clear she was one of the head cheerleaders. The name sewn on her sweater said Nancy.

"Alright girls," she spoke loudly while checking each one of us out with a critical eye. "This Friday is the big game against our arch rivals. I want to show those Peace River snobs we're better than they are. That means I want you cheering your hearts out. Group C, up front."

I found myself being pushed forward with Sandra and 7 other young girls while realizing I didn't have the any idea's what routines I was supposed to be doing.

"Alright girls, let's hit it," the head cheerleader said "T-I-G-E-R-S. What does it spell - 'TIGERS'." Our group went into a small dance routine shaking our pom-poms, twilling around and kicking our legs out. I was totally lost after the first few seconds.

"Hold it girls! Jane, what the heck are you doing?" Nancy asked tensely. "Haven't you been practicing like you're supposed to?"

"I - I guess I thought we were doing something else," I muttered weakly, slightly embarrassed that every eye was now on me.

"Well get it right this time," she yelled. "Alright girls, let's try again." This time I was able to keep up for about 10 seconds before I turned left instead of right and ended up running into the girl next to me. Nancy was furious.

"DARN IT Jane, you've done this routine hundreds of time. What's the problem?"

"Hi Nancy," someone said. The voice was familiar to me.

"Linda," the head cheerleader replied in a friendly tone. "Come back to join us?"

"I'm afraid I'm a little out of practice," she smiled.

"You're not the only one," Nancy replied, giving me an evil eye that made me want to craw into a hole and hide.

"Care if I talk to Jane for a moment alone?" Our head cheerleader shrugged her shoulders.

"Go ahead - it can't hurt. Alright girls, group C sit down - Group B, step up." Linda made a motion for me to follow her outside into the empty hallway.

"Having trouble I see," she stated but it wasn't in a 'I told you so' tone.

"You could say that," I replied slightly upset. "How in the hell do they expect you to act normal if you don't know what to do?"

"There's a trick to this," Linda told me. "If you had stayed and talked to Dr. Green you would have found that out."

"Okay, I screwed up," I sighed. "Can't you give me a break? I was upset at the time, and not just because I got turned into girl although that sure didn't help."

Linda flashed me a comforting smile. "I know Jerry. It can push your sanity to the limits sometimes."

"You used my real name," I said with surprise. "Is that allowed?"

"No, not really. But I felt it would help you feel better," Linda answered. I realized that it had.

"So, can you tell me what this trick is?"

"It's easy," she told me. "Just close your eyes and concentrate on what you want to do. Try it now. Think about your cheerleading routine."

I closed my eyes doubtfully and did as she said. Suddenly my mind became filled with instructions of how each cheering routine went.

"That's incredible!" I said with a laugh, my eyes still closed.

"It helps," Linda agreed. "The only thing I knew about cheerleaders before I came here was how much I wanted to date one. It ended up that the real Linda Anderson had been a cheerleader in school, so I remembered all her routines."

"Does it work on other things?" I asked.

"Only things you're supposed to know or do. For instance, if I want to work on my car but I'm not a mechanic then it doesn't work."

"What about the people here - those ones with the funny eyes. What are they?"

Linda sighed. "We have many names for them - shadows, ghost, holders, the most common name is temps - which is short for temporary people. Jane Harper used to be a temp until you came here. That's what happens, we get a new person in and they get assigned to one of these temps."

"Where do all these people come from?" I asked in curiosity.

"I can't tell you that Jerry. I want to but I can't. What I can tell you is that the people here needed a second chance in life."

"What about my friend, Rebecca? Doesn't she deserve that second chance?"

"I believe she does," Linda smiled. "And I think Judge Herns agrees with me."

"Did she send you?" Linda shook her head.

"No, I came on my own. I was a little concerned about how you may be doing. Now I have to get back to work."

"Linda," I said softly. "Thank you for thinking of me. If I do decide to stay - will you - will you be my friend?"

She smiled sweetly and gave me a hug. "Of course Jerry. And despite what you may be feeling right now, living the rest of your life as Jane Harper won't be so bad."

"That's not what's bothering me," I answered. "It's my family. I love them Linda. And despite what the Judge has promised me, I know if I stay I'll feel like I'm abandoning them. If it weren't for them, I'd agree to stay so Rebecca could have her dream. But I don't know what to do."

"You will Jerry," said Linda smiling. "By tomorrow morning you'll know exactly what to do. Look, I'm not good at giving advice all the time but would you like some?"

"Sure." At this point I would take any help I could get.

"Don't think about your family, or your friend, or anyone else affected by you staying. Think of this as one of those crossdressing convention trips you make every now and then to Erie, PA. - except this is the ultimate crossdressing trip. Enjoy being a girl, meeting new friends, and your parents later on tonight. Then compare it to what you'll be giving up. I know what you're thinking Jerry - this isn't about what you want, it's about your obligation to other people. But trust me, if you just concentrate on being Jane Harper until tomorrow things will be a lot clearer."

"Wait a minute - how do you know about the conventions I went to?"

"Credit card receipts," she told me. "Look, I really have to get back to the office. The Judge only gave me 30 minutes and it's been that long already. I'll see you later." She gave me another hug and ran off.

As I watched her go, I thought about what she had said. This was the ultimate crossdresser's dream, to experience living life as a woman. Maybe Linda's advice was the right thing to do. I pulled down my sweater and marched back into the gym determined to be the best damn cheerleader there.

******

It was already starting to get dark when Sandra and I left the school building. We had changed back into our regular clothes and I was cursing the cold air that went right through my thin skirt. I got into Sandra's car - which was fine with me since I had no idea where in the hell we were going to next. She pulled out of the lot and headed toward town to a place called 'Randy's Palace'.

"I hope Steve's there," Sandra bubbled. "He's a fullback on the football team but I hear that the coach is thinking of changing him to quarterback next season. And he's so cute, even if he is a year behind me."

"I can't wait to meet him," I replied with almost the same enthusiasm.

My friend continued to babble on about her new love. Inwardly I smiled, remembering when I first met my wife in college and how I couldn't get my mind off her after that. It took me three months just to get up the nerve to ask her out on a date. Three years later we were married. She had been my soul mate.

We pulled up to a large, drive-in restaurant that was buzzing with people, mostly teenagers from my school. There was a jukebox blaring out a song that I had never heard of and almost every seat and booth was crammed with teenagers talking and laughing out loud "There he is," Sandra whispered to me in an excited tone.

"Where?" I asked.

"Right next to my brother, see."

"Which one is your brother?" She gave me a strange stare and then I realized that since Sandra was my best friend I would've met her brother hundreds of times before.

"Let's go talk to them. You know, I think my brother has a small crush on you," she giggled. "To bad you're already dating someone."

'Yea, to bad for whom?' I thought. There were four teenaged boys sitting in the booth, all between the ages of 14 and 16. One of them, who I guessed was her brother, grinned at me. Then I noticed the other boys were doing the same - as if we were prime beef and they were starving.

"Hi Sis," one of them said.

"Got room for us brother?" Sandra asked while smiling slightly at the boy sitting across from her brother who I figured had to be Steve Anderson.

"Sure, have a seat." They scooted over some and Sandra crammed herself next to Steve while I slid in across from her next to her brother. I noticed that Steve and Sandra's brother were real while Sandra and the other two boys were the temps. Steve looked at me with a little surprise and made a motion with his finger toward his eyes. I nodded that I understood.

"Are you playing this weekend, Steve?" Sandra asked with interest that I could tell wasn't about the game.

"The coach says he may put me in for a few plays. Larry's playing. He burned up the field at practice today with all his fancy moves." Sandra's brother had a huge grin on his face.

"I always play better in snow," he said, looking over at me.

"Where's Roger," Sandra asked.

"He had to work," Steve answered. "I guess he's the responsible one in our group, huh Jane."

"Unlike you," someone interrupted. Linda was standing in front of the table with a slight glare on her face. "You were supposed to meet me at the Courthouse when I got off work, Steve."

The boy grinned at Linda and somehow I sensed they knew each other better than just as brother and sister - more like good friends.

"Come on Linda, it's snowing outside. You don't want me to catch a cold, do you?"

"How would you like me to beat you up in front of your friends?" she shot back while giving him a playful wacko to the head. The other boys started kidding him about being threatened by a girl.

"She's just jealous of my good looks and popularity," Steve teased back in good fun. He leaned farther back in the booth so Linda couldn't hit him again.

"Right," Linda said rolling her eyes. Then she turned to me. "How's it going Jane?"

"Fine," I answered with a smile. I noticed Steve gave his sister a funny look.

"Steve, if we don't get home soon Mom and Dad are going to skin us alive. Let's go."

"I guess we need to get going too, Larry," Sandra agreed as she got up reluctantly to let Steve out.

"You sure know how to ruin a good time, Sis," Larry stated as he stood up. "See you guys later," he told the other two boys who returned his goodbye.

"Why don't I drive Jane home Sandra. I have to go by her house anyway." Larry looked a little disappointed but seemed to understand.

"Okay. Give me a call tonight," Sandra said to me just before leaving. When we got outside Linda led me over to a cherry-red, hopped-up Camaro.

"This is your car?" I asked with envy. "Who do you have to know to get a car like this?"

"Dennis Butz," Steve replied from the back seat as we drove off.

"Who's he?" I asked. Linda answered the question.

"He's sort of like the director of this place. If you decide to stay, I'll introduce you to him one day. For now, let's concentrate on what's important here. You'll be meeting your parents soon - I thought I should tell you something about them."

"They're good parents, aren't they?" I was a little worried that maybe I had been assigned a couple of bad parents. My own parents had been very supportive of me while I was growing up.

"They're great parents," Linda said. "Better than most of those in town. Your mother is like your best friend and your biggest fan. Your father well, he still thinks of you as his little girl. Both of them are very involved in your life in a positive way."

"I don't get it, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Linda answered with a smile. "I just thought you'd want to know, that's all."

"Can I ask you guys something?" I said. "You both seem to know each other - I mean real well."

Steve grinned. "Linda here used to be my adopted brother. We even worked together for a while."

"It's a long story Jerry," Linda replied going back to my male name. "Someday we'll both tell you the entire story."

"I look forward to it," I smiled. "And please, call me Jane from now on."

Linda smiled back. "Okay Jane."

******

The rest of the evening was like living in a dream. Linda was right, my parents were wonderful. My mother seemed interested in everything I had done that day but not in a prying type of way - she really was like my best friend. To my father I was his little girl, whom he loved and respected. Being an only child in the family made me the center of their universe.

Later that night Sandra called to chat about the day's events. It seems her brother did have a small crush on me, admitting it to his sister. It was kind of cute in a way and I was a little flattered to have someone think of me that way. Then Roger called and we talked for almost 30 minutes about how his day went. By the time I hung up the phone I realized I had a lot of respect for the young man. His father had been killed two years ago and he had taken on a job after school to help support his mother and younger brother and sister. I found myself wondering if I would've been as responsible if put in the same situation.

Later that night I changed into an old T-shirt and pair of shorts and crawled into bed. I realized I was happy. It wasn't that I had been unhappy before, it's just that this life had grown on me. I drifted off into a sound sleep dreaming peaceful things.

However, sometime in the middle of the night my dreams changed from being peaceful to more intense. I saw my wife and two kids standing there in front of me. My son was proudly holding a report he had written.

"Look Dad. I got an 'A+' in school today. Can we go out to eat to celebrate?" My daughter held out her hands to hug me.

"I love you daddy," she said in her little girl voice. My wife was watching us, a smile plastered on her face.

"You've made me so very happy honey!" she told me. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I tried to reach out to them but something stopped me. It was Rebecca, standing right beside me holding tightly onto my arm.

"Please Jerry - I know I'm asking a lot, but please stay. I can't re-live my life as a man again." She had such sad, pleading eyes that made me want to cry.

I woke up with a gasp. For a moment, I felt slightly disorientated sitting there in the strange, dark room. I touched my body and realized I hadn't been dreaming; that I was really a girl and in a few hours I had to make a decision that would affect the lives of four people close to me. Linda had told me I would know the answer by then but the answer seemed more elusive than before. I decided to do what I always did when I needed to think. I put on some warm clothes and a heavy jacket and stepped outside in the frosty, cold morning.

It had stopped snowing and the sky was crystal clear, revealing hundreds of bright stars in the night sky. It was so beautiful to look at. I started walking to keep warm and an hour later found myself on a small hill looking down at the town. I brushed the snow off a large rock and sat down. Andersonville looked so peaceful in the freshly fallen snow and being so early in the morning there were very few house lights on.

"Up kind of early, aren't you, Miss Harper?" The voice startled me and I turned to see it was Officer Merrick standing there a few feet away with a slightly concern look.

"I'm not trying to leave if that's what you mean officer," I replied smugly.

"I didn't say you were," he answered politely. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay." As he turned to leave I realized that I really wanted some company.

"Officer Merrick. Can you sit down and talk with me for a little bit?" He smiled slightly at me.

"I'm not busy at the moment." He took a seat next to me and stared up at the stars in the sky. "I never get tired of looking at them."

"Me neither," I agreed. "I used to study the stars for hours when I was younger - I mean in my past life." Officer Merrick grinned but didn't say a word. I decided to play a hunch.

"See that star over there in the east, Officer Merrick? The one just coming up over the horizon?" He nodded slowly. "Well it's not a star at all, it's the planet Mercury. It's known as the 'morning star' because unlike the other planets beside Venus, it's only seen a couple of hours before sunrise or after sunset. A couple of months later you'll see it in the west after sunset, only then it will be known as the 'evening star'. That's because Mercury and Venus have orbits between the earth and the sun.

"I've been told that before," the officer said in almost an uncomfortable manner. I continued to press.

"Do you know that the planet Mercury was named after a Roman God? You see, the planet Mercury circles around the sun every 88 days, which is why it changes position so quickly in the sky each night. Now in myth, the God Mercury was supposed to have been light-footed - a messenger who was extremely fast," I paused for a moment then added, "just like you, Officer Merrick. Able to run a mile faster than you can blink an eye."

The cop stayed quiet for a minute while continuing to look at the planet in the sky. "I'm not that fast," he answered softly.

"I can't believe it's you standing there," I said quietly.

He turned to face me with a thin smile on his face. "Why, because you thought I was just a myth?"

"No - well, okay maybe. I guess I figured if you were real you'd be doing God-like stuff, not patrolling the street of some small town."

"Andersonville is not just a some small town, Miss Harper," he stated matter of factly.

"You got that right," I giggled. "Are there - anymore here? I mean, like your brothers or sisters?"

"I'm here on loan so the Andersonville police officers could be trained by our people. I - we live somewhere else." Then he stopped to give me a serious look. "No one else knows about me, Miss Harper, not even Linda Anderson. You can't tell anyone who I am. Do you understand?"

"Not why you don't want anyone to know, but I promise not to tell anyone."

"Good," he replied and his warm smile returned. "I know this doesn't make much sense to you but trust me, it's better if the others don't know about us right now. In time they'll find out at our choosing."

"Thank you for telling me the truth, Mercury. You could have lied."

"You wouldn't have believed me if I had," he said glancing back into the sky before straightening up. "Your parents will be waking up soon. Come on, I'll drive you home so they won't find you missing and worry."

We didn't talk on the way back to my house. I had hundreds of questions I wanted to ask him but I sensed he wasn't about to answer any of them. In a matter of minutes he had dropped me off at my house and drove off silently down the street. I watched his car disappear around the corner then sneaked back into the house.

I took a shower and got dressed in a much warmer outfit than what I had on yesterday. This time I wore a long flowered skirt and a blue sweater. I brushed my long, golden hair and applied my makeup much more sparingly than I normally did when I was a man. Of course, I didn't need so much now. Afterwards I joined my parents for a real family breakfast. My father was an accountant at the Andersonville bank and my mother was a clerk at the same dress shop I had visited when I first got here. I thought there was some irony to this but couldn't figure out how. Just as we were finishing up breakfast there was a knock on the door. It turned out to be Linda Anderson.

"Hi Jane. You want a ride to school?"

"You bet," I replied while knowing it was just a ploy. She was really taking me to see the Judge this morning.

"Goodbye Mom, goodbye Dad." I gave them both a hug and grabbed my books.

"See you after practice honey," my mother said as I went out the door. She had such a loving smile on her face, my best friend.

Linda fired up the Camaro and we went zipping down the street toward the Courthouse. As I watched all the people going by, I thought how perfect this town was. I found myself wishing I could raise my kids in a place like this, where being nice and respectful of others was the norm and not the exception. Before I knew it, Linda was parking the car in the Courthouse lot.

"Nervous?" she asked as we walked toward the side entrance.

"Plenty," I replied.

"Do you know what you're going to do?"

"I - I think so."

That morning, sitting on the rock talking to Officer Merrick, I had made up my mind. Although I wasn't totally comfortable with the answer, I knew I could live with it.

When we got to Linda's office, I didn't have long to wait. Judge Herns greeted us at the door and motioned us to join her inside her chambers. Dr. Green was already there with Danny, who was standing next to her with pleading eyes. He knew his life depended on what I decided next. Another officer who I hadn't met before joined us. His nametag read Sargent Williams.

"I don't see any reason to drag this out Mr. Kohl," the Judge started. "You've had a chance to try out your new life, what have you decided?

"Your Honor," I said in a shaky voice. "I've - I've decided to stay." The Judge's business-like look never left her face.

"You understand this is for life," she said firmly. "I won't change you back."

I almost backed out when she said it was for life, but then I looked over at my friend and realized I couldn't let her down. At least I would have the comfort of having her around me for the rest of my life.

"I understand Your Honor," I answered softly. "Can I make one small request before you do anything. It's for my friend."

"Of course my child, what is it?" A small smile appeared on the Judges lips.

"This life - as Jane Harper is wonderful Judge. And as much as I would like to keep it, I want to give it to my friend. It's the life she's always dreamed about Your Honor, and I want her to have it."

"But you don't know who I was going to change your friend into my child," Judge Herns said. "Supposing you're not happy with the life I was going to assign him?"

"Begging your pardon Judge, but I don't see that can be possible. From what I've seen, respect and happiness are abound in Andersonville. I'm willing to take that chance in exchange for letting my friend have this life."

The Judge sat back in her chair to think about my proposal for a moment. Then she sat up straight again and gave me a pleasant smile.

"I'll honor your request my child. Danny, stand next to your friend please."

She closed her eyes and raised her hands so her palms were together. I knew what to expect and didn't fight it this time. I saw the ball of energy/light rise out of her hands and then strike my friend. He immediately started to change - growing taller and becoming more like I currently was. I was so engrossed in watching him become me that I didn't realize I had been hit with one of those balls of lights as well. But I could feel it working, as I started growing slightly taller.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to know what was going to happen next. I thought about my wife and kids and said a silent goodbye to them. I knew I had done the right thing even if it hadn't been the easiest thing to do. I had saved my friend's life. In the Bible I had once read that if anyone gave up his life for a friend he would find 'it'. I now knew what that meant.

My transformation stopped - and I felt strange. Slowly, I opened up my eyes and gazed down at my new clothes, men's clothes. Then I realized that I was wearing a beat up brown jacket - my old jacket that I had worn into town the day before. Somehow I knew I was me again. Judge Herns saw my surprise and smiled.

"It's simple Mr. Kohl," she said as if reading my mind. "You don't belong here. Go home to your family." Tears of gratitude formed in my eyes.

******

Sargent Williams drove Rebecca, now Jane Harper, Linda, and myself to the city limits. Officer Merrick followed behind in another car. We all got out and I hugged my friend goodbye for the last time.

"I'm going to miss you Jerry," Rebecca said tearfully. "We've had a lot of good times over the years."

"At least you'll remember them," I replied a little sadly. "I won't even remember you existed when I leave. But I'm glad you were my friend. I love you Rebecca, and I'm so happy for you, I really am. Take care of yourself and have a good life."

"I will," she whispered while giving me a big hug back. "Thank you for saving me."

I turned to Linda Anderson who was also looking a little down. "I guess this is goodbye." She nodded her head silently.

"I'm happy for you Jerry," she said. "While I'm a little sad knowing I'm losing a good friend, I'm glad you got what you wanted. Take care of yourself." She gave me a hug and small kiss on the cheek.

"You too," I responded while returning her hug. "And take care of my friend here. She's a great person!"

I let go of Linda and turned to Officer Merrick who was standing next to the car. "I guess I'm ready sir." He smiled slightly.

"Get in the passenger side Mr. Kohl." As we drove off, I turned to get one more look at my two friends. They smiled and waved goodbye. Then we drove over a hill and they disappeared from my sight for the last time. I turned and looked out the window with tears in my eyes.

"Sad?" Officer Merrick asked me softly.

"I little," I replied. "I'm happy knowing I have my old life back and my friend finally got the life she wanted, but I'm going to miss the people I met here. Can I ask you a question Mercury, what made Judge Herns change her mind? Why did she allow me to leave while still changing Rebecca into the woman she always wanted to be?"

"Your actions," Mercury explained. "You proved to Judge Herns that you didn't belong in Andersonville by your unselfish act. People like you are out there, but they're becoming rarer every day."

"What would have happened if I had decided to leave?" It seems like that would have been the wrong decision.

"She would have let you go," he answered. "Judge Herns never intended to keep you in Andersonville against your will or force your friend to relive her life as a male. But I think you should know that your actions made the Judge feel good inside so she decided to reward you as well. The next time you have a stress test done on your heart your cardiologist is going to be very happy."

"Really?" I didn't know how to react. Judge Herns had given me back twenty years of my life if I kept in shape. "I wish I had known, I would have thanked her."

"That's not her way, Jerry, she believes in doing things quietly. But, I'll let her know that you thanked her."

Something else puzzled me. "Why did she do this to me Mercury? Why did she force me to live my life as a woman for the past 24 hours?"

"The Judge turned you into Jane Harper so you could experience life as a true female. It was gift Jerry, not a punishment. She knew deep down that you've always wondered what it would be like to be a real woman. Now when you dream about your time in Andersonville, the experience will seem real to you, which of course it was. Your forgotten memories will come out with great clarity."

"Now I really want to thank Judge Herns," I told the cop. He nodded and continued to drive.

"I do have one major regret about leaving Andersonville." I turned and gave the officer a serious look. "I'm going to miss our early morning chats."

Officer Merrick turned and grinned. "Believe it or not, Jerry, I feel the same way." He pulled the police car off to the side of the road behind my truck. "Time for you to hit the road Jerry."

I opened up the truck door and got in behind the wheel. "Thanks for everything Mercury. I hope we'll meet again someday."

He chuckled under his breath. "Who knows, that could happen. By the way, what's that on your head." He touched my forehead and I passed out.

******

I must have been dreaming, I heard a pounding on my door. Then I heard a voice.

"Sir, are you alright. Do you need help?"

I stirred myself awake and realized I had fallen asleep in my truck. There was a man outside my window who was looking at me with great concern. Slowly I regained my senses and rolled the window down.

"Are you okay?" the man asked. "I saw you parked outside my house and thought maybe you were sick or needed help.

"Yea, I'm okay. Just tired from all this driving." I stretched my body to wake up. It was stupid of me to take such a long trip alone. I must have been real tired when I stopped because I didn't remember parking across from the white farmhouse. Then again, I didn't remember pulling over either.

"Want me to get you a cup of coffee?" the man offered.

"No thanks, I'm feeling more awake now. How do I get to the main highway from here? I'm heading back to Indiana."

"Go down this road and turn left when it dead ends into another road. Then keep driving until you hit the interstate. You can't miss it, it's well marked."

"Thanks," I said. "By the way, where does this road that I'm parked on go to."

"No where anymore," the farmer said. "Used to be a strip mine about 10 years ago but now it's just a empty hole in the ground."

"Too bad," I said starting up my truck. "Thanks for your help and concern."

"No problem" the farmer replied as he turned and started walking back toward the house.

I put the truck in gear and drove off in a hurry. For some reason, I had a deep desire inside me to get home and hug my family. Soon the road I had been parked on was just a distant memory.

Fade out...

This story dedicated to all the writers of TG Fiction.

 

Andersonville 7 -- Soul Mates
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

There I was, in the file room working hard to make sense of the mess I had gotten myself into. I had accidentally misplaced a file and suddenly everything seemed to be out of whack, causing me a great deal of frustration. As a private investigator I was never good at filing, that had always been Al's job. Now, unfortunately, the job was mine and asking myself how it needed to be done didn't bring up any answers in my head. It was a sink or swim situation and I was slowly going down.

"Looks like you could use a hand," someone said, causing me to look up. It turned out to be Dennis Butz standing in the doorway with a pleasant smile on his face. "Happy Birthday, Linda!"

"You're a little late," I replied with a frown while turning back to the file cabinet. "My real birthday was three months ago."

Dennis laughed and said, "still fighting the system, huh, Linda? Sorry, I haven't had time to pick you up a present yet. Do you have anything in mind that you'd like me to get you?"

"Yeah." I looked up from the file bin and said, "how about giving me a "Get out of Andersonville for free" card; like the ones they have in the game of Monopoly? Because we both know this is just a big game we're playing here."

"Aww, you're upset with me," Dennis said in a slightly belittling voice. "I know how special turning 18 can be. Caught right between being a little girl and a young woman." He chuckled with amusement, but I ignored him, which caused him to prod me even more.

"I was thinking of picking you up some jewelry - or maybe a pretty dress with lots of lace and ruffles. Something you can wear on a big date."

I slammed the file drawer shut and raised my small, feminine fists at him.

"Alright, you want a fight Dennis?" I threatened. "I'll give you one right now!"

"Rough day?" he asked innocently.

"Yeah, you could say that," I told him. "For your information, I already got a pretty dress with lots of lace and ruffles today, from my mother. And since she made the dress herself, it means I'm going to have to wear it at least once a month, or else her feelings will be hurt. And my brother, you guessed it, jewelry! So let me give you fair warning Dennis, I'm nobody's sweetheart today!"

"Sorry," he apologized but still grinning from ear to ear. "However, that leaves me with a small problem; I have no idea what to give you now."

"How about finding me this damn file I'm looking for so I can put this report in it."

Dennis looked at the report in my hand. "Robinson, huh?" He reached into the long drawer and pulled out the correct file. "Here it is," he said grinning smugly.

"How in the hell did you find it so quickly?" I demanded to know, "I've been searching for that damned file for the last 30 minutes."

"It's just one of the many lovable traits I have," Dennis laughed. "Okay Linda, seriously, I'd like to get you something special for your eighteenth birthday. Anything you want, as long as it's not impractical or too expensive."

I thought about it carefully for a moment. "Alright Dennis. There's one thing I want, and it won't cost you one red cent."

"What's that?" he asked eagerly.

"I want to see where that elevator in the hallway leads to. I want a tour of the bunker that sits below the courthouse. And don't tell me it doesn't exist, because I know better. That's the birthday present I want from you, a free tour of below."

"That's it, nothing else" he asked. I nodded my head. "You realize I can't give you a full tour of the bunker?"

"You mean you're actually going to allow it?" I was shocked that he had even considered the idea. I had expected him to turn me down flat.

"Of course I'll allow it. How many times does my special little girl become a young woman?" he replied humorously.

"In Andersonville, it's as many times as you or the Judge want it to happen," I said with a glare. "And I told you to watch it with that little girl crap."

"Oh? I thought that was about buying jewelry or a pretty, lacy dresses for you."

"It's the same thing!" I growled. "So when do I get to see the bunker?"

"Why, right now. Follow me." He led me down the hallway to the elevator and pulled out his cell phone. He punched in a few numbers and waited for someone to answer it.

"Good morning, Colonel, I'm bringing a visitor down with me. As you can see, she's not armed nor do I have any weapons pointed at me. Authorization 13, code Bravo Tango. Level 4 visit. Got that? Thanks." The door to the elevator opened right up.

"After you, Linda," he said in a charming fashion. We got inside the elevator, and the door closed behind us.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process, the earth was almost destroyed by fire and flood as the war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between the two peoples. Both sides recognized that they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge, he challenged the gods, themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration. The name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

We went down deep, at least three stories. I still couldn't believe Dennis was allowing me to visit the nerve center of Andersonville. It made me wonder if the director trusted me that much or if it was because he didn't think I could harm his project no matter how much I knew.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened up to a wide hallway with benches on each side. There were two surveillance cameras located near the ceiling watching our every move. At the end of the hallway was a very impressive, metal door that stood ten feet high and was at least eight feet across.

"We're now underneath the Andersonville Courthouse parking lot," Dennis stated. "But if you're thinking of digging out, Linda, you can forget it. There are three thick sheets of lead between the outside and us. This bunker can survive a 20K nuke blast directly overhead."

"Impressive," I replied while filing that little bit of information away. "And I thought all this was built only a couple of years ago, but the bunker has been here since the 1960's."

"Late 50's actually," Dennis corrected. "It was abandoned in the 70's due to financial reasons. Then, a couple of years ago I dreamed up Andersonville, and the rest, as they say, is history."

He placed his hand on a palm reader and his eye up to a scope device. There was a slight clicking inside the wall and the door slowly opened up. A tall, distinguished-looking man whose hair was slightly graying met us at the door.

"Linda, this is Colonel Myers, our tour guide. Barry, I'm sure you know Linda Anderson from her file."

"Hello Linda," Colonel Myers greeted me warmly. "And Happy Birthday as well."

"You don't miss a trick do you?" I replied as I gazed into the large room behind him. It was filled with more then 70 people sitting in front of computer monitors. Off to the side I saw seven glass rooms, each of which contained a huge mainframe computer.

The main room, where the men were stationed, was set up like an office with plush carpeting and luxurious desks. On another side of the room was a row of false windows made to look like they overlooked the town. From where I was standing, I could see it was snowing outside, giving a peaceful feel to the room. Of course, I knew it wasn't snowing at all, since I had just come from upstairs, but down here the people didn't know that. What puzzled me was how they got them in and out of the bunker without drawing attention to those above. Then one of the men turned and I saw the twinkling in his eyes - they were all temps except for the Colonel and the three men I saw leaving each night.

"Why don't I introduce you to my staff?" Colonel Myers said as we walked to the front of the room. I noticed Dennis stayed behind to ask one of the temps a question.

"Linda, I would like to you meet Mac, Edward, and of course you've met Jeff already."

"Nice to see you again Linda," Sergeant Summers said. The other two men looked on with curiosity. So this was the girl their friend was so interested in. They gave him room to maneuver.

"You told me you didn't work for Dennis Butz," I said to Jeff with an accusing tone.

"Actually Linda, Jeff was telling you the truth," the Colonel intervened. "He works for me and I report to someone else. And we're not very formal down here unless we have a VIP in our presence that requires us to be. I hope you're not one of them?"

"I'm not, and I didn't realize you thought of me as a VIP."

"As you may have guessed," the Colonel smiled slightly, "we rarely get guests down here. So anyone who visits us is considered a VIP. Now, do you have any questions you want to ask - within reason, of course?"

"How do I know what's reasonable and what's not?"

"I'll politely let you know," Colonel Myers grinned.

"Okay, let's start with the town. Is it -"

"No, it's not real," the Colonel answered before I finished asking the question. "Well, the Courthouse is a real building, as are some of the houses, including the one you're living in. The rest of the town is like the placeholders; computer generated."

"I thought they were called temps?"

"That's the common term, but technically they're known as placeholders by the designers. As you know, we have lots of names to describe them."

"How do you create them...the computer images I mean?"

"Sorry." The Colonel made a buzzing noise. "That's classified. And even if I could tell you, you'd be bored to death by the time I was done. It's very technical."

"Can't you tell me anything? Like how many computers it takes to keep them going?" I said, pointing to the different mainframes close by.

"Well, it takes one computer to keep the town up and operational, but we have two backups. One of these backups is always running while the other waits offline. So two of the computers are running at the same time, although only one is really needed."

"So if one computer breaks down suddenly, the whole town doesn't suddenly disappear."

"Exactly," the Colonel answered. "I think you can understand Linda that even going off-line for a half-second would be devastating above. And to be honest, I think we really need at least two more backups for the town. Having five would almost guarantee such a disaster never happened."

"What about the people, the temps I mean?"

"Two computers, both with a backup." He saw the surprised look on my face and explained. "Keep in mind, Linda, it's easy to create a program of a building, all it does is stand there. But when you create a person, the program for them is huge. The temps are created to do everything a regular person does, right down to going to the bathroom."

"You're kidding me?" I chuckled slightly. "They really use the bathroom?"

"Why of course," Colonel Myers answered, as if it was a stupid question. "We want them to be as real as you or I, which is why each temp has its own personality."

"What about their eyes?"

"A small glitch the tech people are working on, we hope it'll be fixed soon. When that happens you won't be able to tell the real people from the temps. Then we won't have to be so secretive about our presence, as we were when Mr. Allen and Mr. Kohl showed up. It should reduce the stress level down here."

"Colonel," one of the men, I think his name was Mac, called out. "We have a target on the ramp."

Colonel Myers and I both walked over the computer screen that showed a picture of a man in a car driving down one of the back roads.

"A new citizen for us?" I asked directly. The Colonel frowned.

"I'm sorry Linda, but this is classified. Yes, it's a car that could end up in Andersonville. But if he's clean, we're going to do everything we can to make sure he avoids us. If you could please step over to where Jeff is."

"Come here, Linda," Dennis Butz told me as he gently grabbed my arm and pulled me away. "There's something over here I know you're really going to be interested in seeing." Dennis didn't release his grip on my arm until we had walked over to where Jeff Summers was sitting.

"Jeff, show me where Peggy Williams is," Dennis commanded. The young man looked at me then at the director with concern. "It's okay, I'm giving you the authorization to do so."

The Sergeant turned to his computer like a good little soldier and started typing in some information. A moment later, a layout of the High School building appeared and then changed to a room inside the school. There were three dots in the room, one pink and two blues. The pink dot was flashing.

"She's at the high school. Second floor, room 212. Want me to find out what class she's in?"

"No, that's alright," Dennis stated. "So Linda, what do you think?"

"You can track her movements."

"Pretty much, as long as she remains within our area of influence."

"How large is the area?"

Dennis smiled at the question. "Sorry, I can't tell you that. Let's just say it goes outside the town borders. The other two dots are also real people. The blue dots are boy residents and the pink represent girl residents naturally."

"What about me? Can you show me where I'm at on your screen?

"Of course," Dennis replied. "Jeff, you know her number, bring her up."

The young man blushed as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He silently typed in my access number that he knew from memory. The screen changed to show the room in the bunker, with only one red dot in it.

"Hey, why I am the only one showing up here? What about you and my secret admirer here?" Jeff hung his head in embarrassment while Dennis laughed loudly.

"When the Judge transformed you into Linda, you were tagged. We don't track the movement of our people down here, or the Andersonville police force, because there's no reason to. And, as you may have guessed already, we have surveillance cameras inside and outside of town watching various locations."

"So big brother is watching," I muttered softly.

"It's not what you think," Jeff spoke out in a defensive tone. "We only watch those who we think will be giving us trouble, like you would if you think someone is shoplifting from you. Normally, we don't pay any attention to the regular citizens."

"Unless you have a special interest in them," I added while giving him the evil eye. The man cringed a little. "By the way, why I am a red dot and not a pink one? Is there something special about me?"

Dennis answered the question. "You're in a restricted area that you don't have the clearance to be in. The computer is just sending us a warning to let us know that. When you get back upstairs your dot will change back to 'bright' pink." I gave Dennis a scowl that he ignored.

"Speaking of which, I believe Steve is most likely waiting for us by now. We should be getting back upstairs." I noticed Sergeant Summers breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"So soon? I was hoping to stay and explore for a couple of hours."

"I'm afraid so," Dennis replied. The Colonel walked over to us with a relaxed look on his face.

"Linda, you'll be happy to know that the person in the car kept on driving. From what we could tell, he was clean. Most likely, he decided to take a back road home and got lost. I guess we'll never know for sure."

"Barry, we need to get topside." Dennis shook the Colonel's hand.

"Always a pleasure to have you down here, sir," he replied with a warm smile. "And it was nice to finally meet you in person, Linda. I hope you can visit us again one day."

"How about tomorrow?" I commented. Both men laughed.

"You never give up, do you Linda?" Dennis replied. He turned to Colonel Myers. "By the way, Barry, I'm taking Linda and her brother, Steve, out of town for lunch to celebrate her birthday. I just wanted to give you a little 'heads up'."

"Fine, I'll let Jeff know," the Colonel replied. "He's going to be disappointed that he can't go with you."

"Tell him to come along," Dennis said giving me a wink. "You don't mind, do you, Linda?"

I gave the director an evil glare. The last thing I wanted was some lovesick male sergeant ogling me over lunch. The Colonel saw my disapproving expression and smiled.

"He's a little busy right now, Dennis," as he gave me a wink. I breathed a sigh of relief; at least I had one ally in this room.

"Maybe next time," Dennis replied. "Let's go Linda."

I followed Dennis back to the elevator while taking in everything that I could. It was truly amazing what they'd been able to accomplish in a couple of years. We got inside the elevator and went back up to the town.

"Linda," Dennis told me in a cautious tone, "I took a big chance by bringing you down here. I don't want you telling anyone about this place. If the new residents knew, it would only make it harder for them to adjust if they thought someone was spying on them all the time."

"But isn't that the truth?" I asked.

"No," Dennis remarked. "Unless they're trying to harm themselves or others; we leave them alone. The equipment in the bunker is being used to provide a safe and normal environment for everyone in Andersonville."

"I guess I'll just have to trust you on that, Dennis," I said, knowing that I didn't trust him at all. It wasn't that I had ever caught him in a lie before, I just didn't trust the director for some reason.

"That's all I ask," Dennis said as we got out of the elevator. Steve was already waiting for us when we got back to my office.

"Where have you guys been?" he wanted to know.

"Out shopping," I replied. He noticed I wasn't carrying anything and gave me a funny look.

"Well," Dennis stated, "I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. Let's get to the restaurant so we can eat."

His car was parked in front of the Courthouse in a reserved guest space. As planned, Steve got into the front passenger seat while I sat in the back. Dennis gave us both a funny glance.

"Is there something going on that I should know about?"

"I was hoping I could talk to you about something, Mr. Butz," Steve answered.

"Oh," he said with some reservation. "You mean about the football game last week?" He started the car and drove toward the town limits.

"Well no, but I'm sorry we lost to Peace River so badly. We tried our best, but we need help with our offensive line. No disrespect sir, but the temps aren't as good as the real thing."

Dennis grinned slightly and tried to bait the young man. "I'm not sure I can do anything about that. And 48 to 13, I think it's more than just the offensive line that needs work. If you want better players you should take it up with Judge Herns."

"I guess you're right about that, sir," Steve answered respectfully.

'Whatever he wanted, it was going to be big,' Dennis said to himself. He decided to stop playing with the young man and find out what this was all about. Besides, it wasn't any fun if they didn't play along.

"Alright Al, what are you looking for?"

Steve shot him a curious glance. "If it's all the same to you, Mr. Butz, I prefer you called me Steve. That's who I am now, and it's who I want to remain."

The director raised his eyebrows slightly. He knew Al Parker had taken well to his new life, the numbers from the computers had shown him that. Dennis just hadn't realized how well until now.

"Okay then Steve," Dennis replied smiling. "But you have to call me Dennis. Now, what can I do for you? Hold on a second." Dennis pulled out his cell phone and cleared their leaving with the people below. "Alright Steve, go ahead."

"I was wondering if you know what's going on with my ex-girlfriend, Sally Johnston?"

"A little," Dennis responded. The truth was, he had been looking over her files a few days ago and had decided to close it. Sally Johnston didn't appear to be a risk to his project, and both Linda and Steve had informed him they had never told her what had happened at Dr. Jensen's house. From what he had found out this appeared to be true.

"The last time I talked to her, she was getting married," Steve said. "I was wondering if you knew anything more."

'So that was it,' Dennis thought. He wanted his old girlfriend brought here. The director had thought about it himself. Sally Johnston had been a victim of all this and he did feel some responsibility toward her well being. But by the time he was ready to move her, she had already become engaged to another man. His agent had reported her soon-to-be husband was a real jerk; but if the woman loved him enough to get married to him, why should he interfere with her plans? Dennis had decided that, considering all things, she had moved on with her life and it didn't require him getting involved.

"From what I know, she's going to get married in two weeks. Her fiance' is a computer salesman. I'm sure they'll be happy together."

"I'm not so sure," Steve replied with a frown. "If I thought that was the case I would let her go. But talking to her as Jennifer, I know there are problems - big problems. You see, women tend to share things, personal things, that a piece of paper can't tell you."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" Dennis asked knowing full well what was coming next.

"Allow me to go visit and talk to her."

Dennis let out a sarcastic laugh. "Oh yea, I'm going to allow that to happen! I just turned down your sister's request for a 'get me out of Andersonville' card, but I'll grant you one! And what do you think you'll say when you see her? 'Hi, it's me your ex-boyfriend - slash - ex-girlfriend.' Sorry Steve, but it's not going to happen."

"Would you please hear me out, Dennis. I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. I really want to stay in Andersonville. I really do love my new life here, and I can't thank you enough for giving it to me. I know I didn't do anything to deserve it, but I've never been so happy before, or felt so normal. Not even when I was living life as Al Parker, and certainly not when I was Jennifer. You don't know what's it like growing up without a mother and father. You miss something wonderful."

"I do know what it's like, Steve. You see, I was an orphan myself," Dennis explained.

"Then you know how much being here in Andersonville means to me. I have 'real' parents who love me!" Steve's voice cracked a little. "But as good as my life is, I can't stop thinking about Sally and how wonderful our life could have been together."

"I don't see how I can help you," Dennis answered, pulling up to the restaurant. "We've all lost loved ones in our lives. Why should you be the exception?"

"Because," Steve said, "you have the power to fix my mistake."

"Your mistake," Dennis replied with surprise.

"Yes," Steve answered. "It was my actions that caused me to become Jennifer and lose Sally. I don't blame anyone else for losing her but myself. And maybe I don't deserve a second chance at her, Dennis, but I'm begging you to let me have one. Because it's not just me who suffered when I was transformed into Jennifer, it was also Sally. I want a chance to fix that mistake."

"You're asking me to send you out there as young teenager." Steve tried to say something, but Dennis stopped him. "Yes, we both know you're older then 14, but not in your current physical state. While I have no doubts you have the 'wits' to survive out there, I don't think you'll fit in at your current age."

"Then make me older, at least while I'm out there."

Dennis shook his head with a frown. "I have no power to do that," he stated. "The only person who could help you is Judge Jasper."

"Why not Judge Herns?" I asked. The last person I wanted to see back in this town was that cranky son of a bitch.

"Because Judge Herns didn't transform you two," he answered in an exasperating tone. "Look, I'm breaking one of my own rules by telling you this. Judge Herns can make you younger but not any older than you currently are. The only one who can do that is Judge Jasper! And don't ask me why - that's just the way it is. She could make you both 4 years old today and turn you back to your current age tomorrow, but she can't make either of you 25 years old."

"What would it take -- "

Dennis shot my brother an angry glare. "Don't - even - ask," he said slowly and clearly. "You couldn't afford the price tag for a favor like that." He softened slightly and said, "Steve, I know it hurts, but you have to forget about her. In the big picture, she's not worth it."

"The hell she isn't," Steve said angrily, while opening the car door. He got out, slammed the door, and started heading back toward town.

"Where the hell are you going?" Dennis yelled at him angrily.

"Home," he shouted without looking back.

"The hell you are! You get back here right now!" Dennis ordered.

I looked at Dennis then turned and ran after my brother.

"Wait a minute. Where in hell do you think you're going, Linda?"

"With my BROTHER. Enjoy your lunch Dennis!"

"You two can't walk back to town all alone!" he screamed.

"Then follow us in your car. It should only take us an hour or two to get back."

"I told you I can't do anything to help you out," he pleaded. "And what about lunch? I said I was starving."

"Get it to go!" I yelled back and continued to walk.

I guess he could have ordered the Marines out after us, but that would have made him look pretty silly. What was he going to tell them? That we were walking back to town and he wanted us stopped?

"Alright! Alright!" he yelled to us in a pissy tone. "I'll talk to Judge Jasper and see if I can set up an interview for you. But that's all I'm going to do - understand? This will be in his hands. DEAL?"

We turned around. "Deal," Steve said. We walked back to him.

"You know, you guys can be a real pain in the ass sometimes," Dennis said as he opened up the restaurant door.

"No Dennis," I replied. "We just happen to play the game a little better than you do at times.

******

True to his word, Dennis set up a time the next week for Judge Jasper to meet with us. Judge Herns made her usual clever exit about 15 minutes before he was to arrive. Steve was waiting in a chair, wearing a suit and tie no less. Judge Jasper walked into my office, dominating, silently, and unsmiling. He stopped at my desk and gave me a cold stare.

"Are we ready to begin?" he asked in an even tone.

"Judge Herns said we could use her office, Your Honor." He nodded and we followed him in. The Judge took a seat behind Judge Herns' desk and looked at me.

"Close the door, Miss Anderson," he commanded, "with you on the other side."

"I beg your pardon, Your Honor," I said politely. "I would like to stay and represent my brother."

"This isn't a trial," Judge Jasper said crossly. "He doesn't need any representation."

"I understand, Your Honor, but with my brother being a minor," both Steve and the Judge shot me an evil look, "he should have a least one adult present with him." I stood stiffly with respect.

"Funny how you play both sides of the street," the Judge remarked dryly. "Your argument has always been that you're both older than you look, and thus should be given adult privileges."

"And yours has always been that we're not," I pointed out.

"Humph," he replied. "Alright then, we'll play it your way. Stand over there by the window and don't say anything else unless you're asked. Do you understand me?" I nodded my head and did as I was told.

"Mr. Anderson, this is a most unusual request. In fact, I must say I've never been asked to do something like this before. Can you tell me why I should honor your petition?"

"Because I love her, Judge," Steve answered truthfully. "And while I have a fulfilling life here in Andersonville, it's not complete without her."

"Suppose she decides not to join you here?" Judge Jasper asked. "I understand she's to be married this weekend."

"Then I'll put an end to this chapter in my life, Your Honor. I won't hold on to her memory anymore. I'll wish her luck and move on."

Judge Jasper sat silently in his chair for a minute debating before clearing his throat. "Despite what you may have heard about me," he shot me a frown, "I'm a fair Judge. Since Sally Johnston was a victim of this entire Jensen mess, I'm going to grant your request with restrictions. First, I'm going to change you back to your original body."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Steve smiled nervously. "I just hope seeing Al Parker again won't frighten her to much."

"Who said anything about changing you into Al Parker?" the Judge replied coldly. "When we first met you were Jennifer Anderson."

"Yes, but..." Steve searched for the words to continue.

"Your Honor," I interrupted.

Judge Jasper spotted me a cantankerous glance. "I didn't ask you anything, did I, Miss Anderson?"

"No, Your Honor," I replied back in a frosty tone. "But you said you're going to return my brother back to his original body, and that would be Al Parker's body."

"Wrong, Miss Anderson, and I'm going to tell you why! The serum Dr. Jensen gave Al Parker changed his entire DNA to Jennifer Anderson's specifications. IN OTHER WORDS," he gave me another ill-natured look, "he may have been born Al Parker but he ended up becoming Jennifer Anderson, the person 'I' had to work with. I expect him to take some responsibility for his past actions and accept that as fact."

"I do," my brother said weakly.

"So, do you accept my proposal?"

I kept quiet this time. Only my brother could decide if it was worth it.

"Do I have to change at all? Can't I go there as Steve Anderson?" To my surprise Judge Jasper actually softened his tone.

"How would it look to have a 14-year-old approach a young woman in her mid-twenties and ask her to run away with him, Mr. Anderson?" the Judge explained calmly. "For your own benefit, it's better if I turn you into someone Miss Johnston knows and trusts if you are to have any chance at success. I know you've had some contact with Sally Johnston as Jennifer Anderson. She would listen to Jennifer, but not some stranger claiming to know her from a past life. And bringing a dead person back would complicate matters for everyone who knew Al Parker."

"But convincing her that I'm really Al Parker in a different body won't be, Your Honor?" Steve asked.

"That's another one of those restrictions I was talking about Mr. Anderson. You won't be permitted to tell Miss Johnston who you once were. You can try talking her out of this upcoming marriage and coming back with you, but you can't tell her why. Again, doing so would complicate things greatly, and I would be very, very angry if I found out you did tell her." He gave Steve a look that showed he meant business.

"Can I ask you something, Judge Jasper?"

"You can, my son."

Steve gathered up his nerve. "Does she love the guy? I mean, will she be happy being married to him?"

"No," Judge Jasper replied simply. "This marriage is a mistake on her part, and her future husband is what I would consider great material for my peaceful little town. But," he cautioned Steve, "I won't interfere with her life, young man, and neither will any of my people. I'll give you 48 hours to stop this marriage, plus travel time to get there. If you can't convince Miss Johnston to come back with you in that time, then that's it. No matter what else happens to her in the future, this is a one shot deal. She either comes with you to Andersonville or she doesn't. Do you agree to my rules?"

"I love her, Judge, I would agree to anything to get her back." A tear of his love for her formed in his eye. This caused the Judge to smile slightly "I thought you would. Stand still, please."

He lifted his hands and placed them together in front of my brother. Then he whispered a few words and a ball of light rose from his palms. Unlike the other times, this ball of energy/light entered my brother's chest at about half the speed it usually did. Almost immediately, Steve's entire body changed back into that of Jennifer Anderson's. Apparently it was easier for the Judge to transform a person back to their original form - although Judge Herns hadn't been able to do the same thing with Mr. Kohl weeks before.

My brother - now my sister - looked over her new body. Judge Jasper had decided she would wear a pretty red and white dress instead of the usual blue jeans she used to wear while I was married to her. The outfit just covered her calves, and to be honest, made her look very pretty. I had to admit the Judge did have taste in women's clothes. However, I don't think my brother was as enthused by the outfit as the Judge was.

"One more restriction that I haven't mentioned yet. It's too dangerous for a young woman to be traveling alone. So you'll have a traveling companion on this trip." My brother turned and looked hopefully at me.

"Don't even think about it, young lady!" he snorted. "Your traveling companion will be one of my choosing, someone I 'trust'." The last shot was directed at me. "I'll introduce you to her now."

Without lifting a finger the door opened and a familiar, blonde haired woman walked into the room. I gasped, why did he have to pick her?

"This is my daughter, Diane. She'll be at your side the entire time you're gone. I expect you to listen and follow any orders she gives you, young lady. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Jennifer answered respectfully. "I won't do anything to ruin your faith or trust in me."

"Good," the Judge managed a weak smile. "You will remain as Jennifer Anderson until you enter back into Andersonville. When that happens you will instantly become Steve again. And young man, I do wish you the best of luck!"

"Thank you, Your Honor." Jennifer turned and followed Diane out the door.

"I told you that you weren't needed," Judge Jasper said smugly while leaning back in his chair.

I thought about coming back with a smart reply but common sense got the better of me.

"I should get back to work," I replied, while making a hasty retreat to my office.

"You think I should have assigned someone else to go with your friend," he said to me. I stopped and turned to look at him.

"Yes," I said firmly. I sensed he was trying to bait me, but I wasn't going to let him, at least not enough to get me into his trap. "Having to take orders from the sister of the person who raped Jennifer every night - I think it's wrong. And I don't see how they can avoid not talking about it either."

"You're right, Miss Anderson," the Judge said half-smiling. "They can't avoid talking about it. And while you may be thinking I'm a sadistic bastard for doing this, I assure you that by the end of the trip, both of them will come back the better because of it."

"I hope for your sake that you're right," the voice of Judge Herns rang out. "Because if anything happens to that young child, I'll hold you personally responsible, you old goat. And you know what that means." She gave him a warning glare.

"Have you ever known me to be wrong, my dear?" Judge Jasper chuckled.

I decided to leave the room before the real fireworks started.

******

The two women drove silently down the open highway in a white Trans-Am that had been specially modified for high-speeds. While Jennifer was impressed with the car, she didn't let on. Instead she choose to stare out the car window. Finally Diane had had enough.

"Look Jennifer," she said calmly. "If we're going to work together we need to talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Jennifer asked knowing full well what she was referring to.

"My brother," Diane said in a serious tone. "I don't condone what he did to you, but he is being punished for what he did."

"Fine," Jennifer lashed out. "So what has that got to do with you and me?"

"Because you're punishing me for being his sister."

"NO!" Jennifer faced the other woman and said, "I just don't think the apple falls far from the tree. I think if your father can produce one piece of work like Gerald, then there have to be others out there just like him. So it's not a matter of punishing you, it's a matter of trust and respect. I don't trust or respect you, Diane!"

"You may not believe this," Diane replied, her voice rising a few decimals above normal, "but no one else in my family is like Gerald, including me! I happen to have a great deal of respect for other people's rights. If I had known what was going on two years ago, I would have stopped my brother immediately."

"Yeah, well those are real fine words Diane, only they don't do JACK SQUAT to help me get over what he did to me each night. Do you know what I feel like right now? Like I'm dirty! All I can think about is how your brother had his hands all over me all the time. Do you have any idea what it's like to be raped over and over with no reprieve? If it weren't for Tom I'd still be experiencing that horror. And you think I'm punishing you?" Jennifer snarled. "Trying living in my body with my memories for a while lady, then you can talk to me about being respectful to others."

"Okay, do you want to talk about respect and rights? Well do you MR. PARKER?" Diane yelled back while speeding the car up to over one hundred and twenty miles per hour. "What about Dr. Jensen's rights? Oh, you showed A HELL OF A LOT OF RESPECT for her rights when you were stealing from her. Tell me AL, how much respect does it take to go through a woman's underwear drawer looking for things to steal? Private, personal items, and you didn't give it a second thought now, did you?"

"I was wrong," Jennifer admitted harshly. "But I never said I wasn't. I have accepted that being turned into Jennifer was my punishment for that crime. But I didn't desire what your bastard brother did to me afterwards, no matter what I was planning to do."

"Punishment?" Diane said in mock surprise. "So you think being turned into Jennifer was a punishment? You don't know how lucky you were to be turned into a woman for a few years. It was the best thing that could have happened to you, you selfish piece of skin. Do you know how much stronger you are because of it?"

"All I know is that I feel dirty," Jennifer snapped back. "And no one in your family has ever taken responsibility, or apologized for what he did to me!"

Diane slammed on the car brakes hard and almost got rear-ended. The other driver flipped her the finger as he went by but Diane ignored it. She pulled the car onto the shoulder of the expressway and faced Jennifer "Is that all it's going to take to end this hostility?' she asked in a temperate tone. "A simple apology?"

Jennifer shook her head. "No! I want to know how Gerald became the piece of work that he is. I want to know where your father went wrong." Diane took a couple of deep breaths to calm down before explaining.

"I don't know, Jennifer," the goddess replied calmly and honestly. "Believe me, many of us have asked the same thing over and over again. Have you ever known someone who was just born to be in trouble all the time? I can't explain it; my younger brother didn't get away with much. My father certainly didn't treat him any differently than the rest of us. But for some reason, Gerald never learned to respect others. One day he pushed someone too far, and the person died because of it. My father was so horrified and angry by what my brother had done, as well as his lack of responsibility for what had happened, that he took away Gerald's powers and threw him out of our town. That's when my brother met Dennis Butz, who assigned him to watch over Dr. Jensen."

"So your father thought that taking away his powers and sending him away was punishment for murder?" Jennifer asked angrily.

"Al, I know you don't believe this, but losing his power was the worst thing my father could have done to Gerald. It was ten times worse for him than it was for you being turned into a woman and having him rape you each night! It's one of the worst things that can happen to us. Please, you have to trust me on this."

Jennifer was silent for a moment. "I want to believe that, Diane, I really do. Not because I want revenge, but because I want to believe that this was all one big mistake. That your father was really trying to punish Gerald when he kicked him out."

Diane looked deeply into the young woman's eyes. "It was a mistake, Jennifer, it was. And I'm sorry for all the things he did to you. It's been very painful for me and to my father. My family has spent a lifetime trying to stop people from becoming what my brother is. It's been a very shameful time for all of us, especially my father. He doesn't show it much, but I can tell how much this hurts him."

"I believe you, Diane," Jennifer sniffed. She felt a good cry coming on again. Those damned female hormones.

"Friends?" Diane asked softly.

"Oh God, yes," Jennifer said and reached over to hug her. The two ladies embraced on the side of the expressway while the cars buzzed by them at 75 mph.

******

"Jennifer! I didn't think you would make it." The bleach-blonde woman gave her old friend a hug.

"Hi Sally," Jennifer replied cheerfully. "This is my friend, Diane. We were driving up the coast and thought we'd stop in."

"You're not staying for the wedding?" Sally seemed a little disappointed that this was only a short visit.

"I'm afraid not," Jennifer told her. 'And neither are you if I can help it,' she didn't add.

Jennifer carefully looked over her ex-girlfriend who she hadn't seen in almost a year. It was the same old Sally, except that she was about 40 pounds heavier and had shorter hair. But her personality was still there, just a little beaten up.

"I heard about your baby," Sally said softly with a sad, respectful look. "I'm so sorry for you and Tom." The comment took Jennifer back; she had forgotten how much it hurt losing their son.

"Thank you, Sally, it means a lot coming from you." The older woman bit her lip and gave Jennifer a comforting stare.

"Let's go inside." Sally suggested.

Sally had moved out of the old apartment that they had once shared many nights together when Jennifer was still Al Parker. The move had occurred a couple months after their first meeting, the one where Jennifer had told Sally that Al was dead. It was true of course; the real Al Parker was dead. But having to tell Sally this so she could continue on with her life had been the hardest thing Jennifer had ever done. Sally's new apartment, while a step up from where she once lived, didn't seem as cozy as the old place.

"Nice place, Miss Johnston," Diane commented.

"Call me Sally," the older woman smiled. "Any friend of Jennifer's is a friend of mine."

"Sally, then," Diane replied with her own warm smile.

"What happened to your rocking horse collection?" Jennifer asked.

"Bill didn't like them messing up the place so I got rid of them," she said a little hurtful. Jennifer noticed there were several trophies and other sports memorabilia on the cabinet where Sally had once kept her collection.

"By the way, how is Tom doing?" Sally inquired.

Jennifer looked at Diane for guidance but got none. "I guess you didn't hear. We broke up."

"Oh no," Sally said sadly.

"It's okay, it's for the best. I still keep in contact with him on a daily basis. In fact we're great friends now." Jennifer gave Sally a reassuring smile to show that everything was okay. It was something she had found out while living as Jennifer; that woman worried and comforted each other.

"Well, Bill should be home any minute," said Sally. "I can't wait for you to meet him Jennifer. He's a computer salesman and last week he sold a 1.5 million-dollar system to a big manufacturing plant not far from here. The commission check from the sale is going to be tremendous - enough for a down payment on a house."

"Still working at your old job?" Jennifer asked.

"No, I'm a waitress at Denny's now," Sally answered while looking away.

"What?" Jennifer blurted out in surprise. Sally had been a purchasing clerk at a plumbing manufacture and a damn good one at that. She had been given several nice raises along with a few awards for outstanding performance. Sally's boss loved her attitude and work habits.

"I had to quit. You see, I was making a little bit more money than Bill was and well - you know how men are."

Jennifer couldn't believe her ears. What had happened to the old Sally she had once knew? If Al had asked Sally to quit her job on account that she was making more money than he was, she would have told him to go to hell. Now Sally was a waitress when she should have been managing the restaurant.

"Sounds like you love him a lot to give up your job for him," Diane observed.

"Oh yes, I do love Bill a lot." But Jennifer didn't hear the passion in the words like she did when Sally had talked about Al Parker.

"Sally. Can I -"

The sound of the front door opening and someone walking in interrupted Jennifer's train of thought. He was a big man, about 6"3' with a belly that indicated he was a heavy beer drinker. He wore a suit that didn't fit very well - obviously purchased when he was 20 pounds lighter. He gave both ladies a smile, but it was one out of politeness, not friendship. Jennifer found herself disliking Sally's fiancé immediately.

"You're home early," Sally said cautiously.

"Yeah, well, I decided to knock off a couple hours early to see you." He came over and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "Where's my beer?"

"Sorry, I forgot." Sally went to the refrigerator and got him one. "Bill's such an important person down at the company. I was just telling my friends about the big deal you closed on last week. Did Harry say how much commission you're going to get out of it?"

Bill plopped down in a chair and took a long swig of his beer. "Those rotten bastards. The bigwigs are giving my commission money to Hank. They say he made the deal, not me. What a bunch of Bull Crap! I do all the shit work and he gets all the glory. If it wasn't for me calling the president of that company and wooing him along, we wouldn't have gotten this contract at all. But you think that matters? Nooo - 'good old Bill' gets the shaft again."

"But didn't you tell your boss about the conversations you had with their president?" Sally asked in a low, inoffensive tone.

"Boy, the blonde really does go to the roots on you, doesn't it," Bill snapped sarcastically. "Of course I told him. Do you think he believed me? Hank happens to lie better than I tell the truth. So he gets a big, fat commission check and I get almost nothing. If it weren't for me threatening to quit right then and there, I wouldn't have gotten anything. But they know who brings in the bread and butter for the company. They sidestep around the issue to calm me down. I had them on the ropes; you should have seen the old man begging me to stay. And since I'm such a nice guy, I forgot about what they did, and agreed to stay; but only if they give me the afternoon off."

His entire story turned Jennifer's stomach. She wouldn't be surprised if Bill came home the next day and told Sally he had been fired by those same ungrateful bastards. Al Parker had tracked down enough deadbeat fathers to know a loser when he saw one. If Bill was doing so great, why did Sally have to quit her job to make less money than him? But to Jennifer's amazement, the man wasn't through bitching about it.

"I tell you, I get half a dozen job offers each week. One day I'm going to quit and then they'll be sorry. To bad I can't prove it was me who made the deal honey, otherwise we'd be living high on the hog right now." Jennifer couldn't take it anymore.

"Why don't you just call the president of the company and ask him to call your boss? Then they would have to believe you." The man gave Jennifer a dirty glare.

"Boy, you don't know nothing about business, do you lady?" he stated rudely. "That may be how they teach you to do things in one of those fancy college books, but in the real world that kind of selfishness could cost my company this deal. How would it look to the president of the company buying the computer if I asked him to let my bosses know who made this deal? It would make us look like assholes."

"Actually," I started out in a lecturing tone. "You would be doing your company a favor by forcing out the truth. The president who bought the computer system would want to continue dealing with the person who talked them into buying it in the first place. Your bosses would benefit by knowing they have an employee like this Hank who steals sales from other people. And of course, you'd get the reward you so 'richly deserve'." Diane put her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing.

"Oh, and one more thing, Bill. I happen to hold a PHD in Business management and communications." That was a lie but Jennifer was convinced Bill wouldn't know the difference.

"You're way too young to hold a PHD!" he said uncertainly.

"I happen to be very smart, Bill. I started taking college classes when I was 16 and graduated from college by the time I was 20. I worked hard and took night courses, finishing in half the time. School was a breeze for me. And, as you can see," Jennifer said smartly while holding out a section of her long hair. "I don't have blonde roots!"

Bill's face turned red with anger. He wanted to explode but wasn't about to do so in front of them. Suddenly, Jennifer felt sorry for what she had said. It was Sally who would have to pay the price later on, but Jennifer wasn't about to let the SOB off the hook yet; she was going to expose him for the loser that he was.

"So give him a call, Bill," she told him firmly. "I'm sure the President will be happy to hear from you and set the record straight."

"I don't have the number, it's at work," he snapped.

"Then call information. I'm sure a company that buys a million dollar computer system is listed in the white pages."

"Look, who in the hell are you?" he demanded to know.

"This is Jennifer McClain and her friend, Diane," Sally said softly. Jennifer could see she was nervous.

"Look, Ms McClain," the man almost hissed. "At my company we do things a little differently. I'm a team player, see? The only reason why I didn't quit today is because the company wouldn't last a month without me. And if they go under, then all my friends I work with would be out of a job. So don't lecture me on what to do, I've made it this far on my own."

'And not very well,' Jennifer wanted to add. This man was filled with hot air.

"Now if you will excuse us, Sally and I have a private matter to discuss. Goodbye." Sally quickly led them to the door.

"He's just in a bad mood," she whispered to them. "We were really looking forward to that commission check. Bill spent a lot of hours making this deal come together, and he's just a little disappointed, that's all. Come back tomorrow, you'll see the real man I fell in love with." Jennifer doubted that coming back tomorrow would change anything.

"Sally, get me another damn beer," Bill yelled from the living room. "Then get your fat butt in here, I need to talk to you."

"I have to go guys, thanks for stopping by." She closed the door before Jennifer even had a chance to respond.

"Boy, he sure was pleasant to be around," Diane commented as they walked back to the car.

"Yeah. He left a real bad taste in my mouth. Now I know what your father meant by being great material for his town. What does she see in him anyway?"

"Her last chance at happiness," Diane said sadly. "Al Parker's death left a big void in her life. She was depressed and started eating a lot, which caused her to gain a lot of weight. She lost her self-esteem in the process, and didn't think any man would love her again. Then Bill came along, only he's not looking so much for a wife as for someone to boss around and serve him.

"But it shouldn't have been that way," replied Jennifer. "Sally used to be a strong woman."

"Even strong people have their breaking points," Diane replied while getting into the Trans-Am. "She cared about you deeply."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Jennifer asked tearfully. "To illustrate how much of a fool I was for leaving her?"

"No," Diane answered. "I'm trying to show you how important it is that we get Sally out of this destructive situation. Bill's not a wife beater, yet, but he's already started to beat her down mentally. We need to make sure he doesn't complete the job."

"Can't your father help? I mean, he did mention that this guy should be at Peace River. You can ask your father to pick him up, and then we could approach Sally and ask her to leave with us."

Diane shook her head sadly. "It doesn't work like that, Jennifer. First, we just don't grab people off the street; they have to come to us. Sometimes we lure them into our town but everything has to be just right before we do that. We just don't take anyone. Second, having Bill disappear would cause too many problems. Don't ask me why; just trust me on this. He needs to be where he is. And besides, my father doesn't want to get involved in this."

"But he let you and me come out here," Jennifer argued. "He's already made that commitment."

"No," Diane said shaking her head. "Dennis Butz made the commitment, my father only agreed to allow us to try. He didn't think it was such a good idea to begin with."

'So Dennis came through for me after-all', Jennifer said to herself. She would have to thank him properly when she saw him next.

"What about Dennis Butz, then?" Jennifer asked.

"He can't help us either. That was part of his agreement to my father in exchange for his help. I'm afraid you and I are Sally's last line of defense. If we fail, she will more than likely marry Bill in hope of finding happiness again."

"And fail miserably." Jennifer added glumly. "Diane, I don't know if we can do this alone."

"No one said this was going to be a cake walk, Jennifer." She stopped the car at a traffic light. "Do you want to go to the motel room now?"

Jennifer stared out at the buildings that made up downtown Seattle. This was her town, and it was like seeing an old friend again.

"Do you mind if we drive around some, Diane? I'd kind of like to see some of my old haunts again. Maybe it will help me think up a plan."

Diane smiled. "You're the boss lady."

******

The night out did Jennifer a lot of good. First, she took Diane to an old Italian restaurant that Al Parker and Sally used to go to all the time. It wasn't one of the fancier places in Seattle, but the food was incredible. That was one thing Jennifer regretted about living in Andersonville, it didn't have a good Italian restaurant.

Next, they went out to a few clubs where Al Parker had hung out. They hadn't changed a bit, something that Jennifer was grateful for. After a while, she realized that being around Diane had a good influence on her. By the end of the night, both ladies had let their hair down, and Jennifer found herself accepting invitations to dance with some of the male patrons, something the old Jennifer would never have done.

It was sad the way things had worked out, Jennifer thought to herself. If she had met Diane instead of Gerald after her transformation, then maybe she would have accepted living as Jennifer for the rest of her life. Instead, the old memories of being with Gerald kept coming back to haunt her.

Early in the morning, the two women made their way back to the motel room. Diane helped the exhausted girl remove her clothes and get into bed. In less than a minute, Jennifer was sound asleep, dreaming about how wonderful tonight had been as a woman. Diane smiled at the dreams Jennifer was having. The young girl, a victim of her brother's evil ways, needed a good night out as a woman to remember.

******

"Come on, Jennifer, time to wake up." The young woman rolled over to face Diane, who looked as fresh and pretty as the day before.

"Let me sleep some more," she moaned.

"You can't. We have to be at the restaurant in an hour and a half. Now get moving." Diane pulled the covers away, revealing Jennifer's half-naked body.

"Hey, what's the big idea," Jennifer said grabbing for a pillow to cover her naked breasts. "Can't you see I'm not properly dressed?"

"If you hadn't been so tired last night, you could have worn one of the pretty nightgowns I packed for you," Diane replied.

"Great, pretty! It always has to be pretty with you people, doesn't it? A pretty dress, pretty bras, pretty panties, pretty slips, pretty jewelry, pretty shoes. Why can't it just be practical, why does it always have to be pretty?

"Because there are too many 'practical things' today that make this world not very pretty at times," Diane explained. "So we do our best to add some color to it and to remind everyone it's not about being 'practical' that matters."

Diane could see Jennifer was back to her usual, grumpy self. She tossed Jennifer a robe to cover herself with.

"Now hit the showers so we can make you all pretty," Diane said smiling.

Jennifer grumbled as she put on the robe and went into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, she came out in a slightly better mood, having been wakened up by the hot shower. She started rummaging through her suitcase.

"Need help?" Diane offered.

"I can manage, Mom!" Jennifer replied loudly. She looked around inside the suitcase for a few more moments and then shot Diane a glare. "There doesn't seem to be anything in here except skirts and dresses."

"Remember what I said?" Diane replied with a smile. "Pretty!"

"Can't I look pretty in a pair of jeans?" Jennifer moaned.

"I suggest the black dress," Diane answered in sweet tone that annoyed Jennifer even more than the lack of pants in the suitcase. "Skirts look good on you, but if you want my opinion, you're really a 'dress' girl."

"Great," Jennifer said, while pulling out the outfit Diane had mentioned. While the dress was respectable looking, it didn't come anywhere near her knees. She started to pout just a little.

"Cheer up, Jennifer, it could be worse. If my adopted Aunt were here, you'd be walking around in something both pretty and revealing. She's real big on promoting love between the sexes."

"Yea," Jennifer responded sarcastically, "and what's her name, Venus?"

"How did you know?" Diane grinned. Jennifer shot the woman another dirty look and grabbed at the lacy bra and panties Diane had packed for her, both quite pretty.

******

At this time of the day Denny's wasn't very busy. The breakfast crowd had just left, and the lunch crowd wouldn't start coming in for another hour. Diane had planned it that way so they could talk to Sally uninterrupted. Al's ex-girlfriend greeted them at the door.

"Jennifer and Diane, did you come here to see me or to eat?

"Both," Diane said cheerfully. "We're hoping you would join us."

"I'm sorry, I can't," she said disappointedly. "My boss won't let me take my break this early."

"Oh, I think I can get him to change his mind," Diane said. "Where is he?"

"Over at that table checking out the morning receipts," Sally said, while pointing to him.

"Let me handle this while you get us a seat where we can talk in private."

"Okay then," Sally smiled cheerfully. "By the way, both of you ladies look nice today, especially you, Jennifer. I love the dress you're wearing."

"Kind of makes her look 'pretty', doesn't it," Diane giggled slightly. Jennifer turned to give Diane an evil glare, but she was already walking away to see the manager.

"Well, don't look so mad about it, Jennifer," Sally said, "She's right. It does make you look pretty. I wish I looked as nice in a dress as you did."

'I wish that I didn't,' Jennifer told herself.

"You look nice wearing a dress," Jennifer stated.

"Right," Sally said while picking up a couple of menus and leading Jennifer into the back room. "I'm a fat pig, no one wants to see me in a dress."

"That's not true," Jennifer said as she watched Diane reach into her purse and pull something out. "That uniform doesn't look bad on you. Besides, it's what's inside that counts."

"Please," Sally responded sarcastically. "Men want to see girls like you in those kinds of dresses, and women like me in these kinds of uniforms. That's the way it is."

"What happened, Sally?" Jennifer asked carefully. "I know Al's death upset you, but why did you give up? You weren't this heavy when we first met, but you've changed since then, and I don't mean just physically." Tears formed in the older woman's eyes.

"You don't understand, about me or Al, or what we had; so don't judge me," she said defensively.

"I want to understand," Jennifer answered back. About this time Diane showed up at the table.

"Your boss said we can have you for an hour. Do you mind taking our order? I'm a good tipper!"

"Sure," Sally answered while wiping the tears from her eyes and taking out her pad. Diane and Jennifer ordered breakfast and Sally went off to hang it up.

"How did you get her boss to let her take off an hour?" Jennifer asked.

"Simple, I slipped him a hundred-dollar bill," Diane explained.

"You gave him a hundred?" Jennifer gasped.

"Relax, it's not going to break me. By the way, I thought we agreed you wouldn't talk to Sally unless I was present." Jennifer had forgotten about that.

"I'm sorry Diane, I really am. It just kind of happened and, to be honest, I forgot about our agreement." Diane flashed her smiled.

"It's okay, Jennifer, I forgive you. Just remember the next time. You know how much of a stickler my father is on rules."

"So Linda's told me. Besides, you didn't miss much. Sally was just telling me how pretty I looked, and I was trying to tell her that beauty is in the soul of the individual."

Diane looked at the young girl thoughtfully. "That's very good Jennifer. You don't know how refreshing it is to hear someone say that besides me. Is that how you see Sally?"

"Yes," Jennifer answered. "Diane, even if she doesn't come back with us, I want more then anything to make sure she's happy. It's what I always wanted." Diane frowned at the suggestion "You can't make someone be happy, Jennifer," she cautioned.

"Are you saying this isn't going to work?"

"What I'm saying," Diane replied carefully, "is that you're not responsible for making sure Sally is happy all the time. Sally may be struggling with a lot of things in her life, but she's still responsible for her own happiness. If she doesn't like something, then she needs to change it. You can't be the one who does that for her. If you think taking her back to Andersonville will be the end to all her problems, then you're going to be sadly disappointed. Sally needs to take control of her life again."

"But I'm the reason she's like this. It was my death that changed her."

"No," Diane stated firmly. "It may have triggered the event but the trouble was always there. Sally leaned on you for support far too much. It's not wrong for two people to support each other, but it is wrong to have one person be responsible for how the other person feels all the time. Do you understand the difference here?"

"Yes, a little." Jennifer replied.

Diane grabbed Jennifer's hands. "Jennifer, sometimes people make their own hell and blame others for it. But the truth of the matter is, they always have the freedom to change directions. Sadly, I've found that most of your kind doesn't do that. They become trapped and then later on, bitter."

"Is that what's going to happen to Sally?"

"I don't know," Diane said softly, "I'm not a fortune-teller, but if I was a betting man like Officer Merrick, I would put good odds on it."

"Then we need to break Sally from this cycle."

"That may be easier said than done. Only Sally has the power to do that. Keep quiet, she's coming back."

Sally gave them a slight grin and asked, "what are you two ladies talking about?"

"About marriage," Diane started out. "Jennifer was telling me how much of a commitment it is. She thinks I'm not serious about the matter."

"All I said, Diane, is that you need to make sure you find the right person before you marry them. You shouldn't get married just because someone asked you. Explore a little; make sure you really love the guy before you make the plunge. Don't you agree, Sally?"

"I guess," Sally said, a little reluctant to join the conversation. "But sometimes finding that Mr. Right doesn't always happen. There are other things to consider, like how good of a person they are, or how much they love you. Sometimes love has to take a back seat to practical things." Jennifer noticed Diane gave her an "I told you so" stare.

"Come on Sally," Jennifer tossed out. "Without love you really can't have a good relationship."

"What is love?" Sally asked defensively. "Is it about two people who can't stand to be apart from each other? Because if it is, then I had love once and lost it. I LOVED AL PARKER!" Tears formed in Sally's eyes, and Jennifer's, too.

"But Al's gone, and it tore my heart apart," Sally continued. "So now I have Bill. Do I love him the same way as I did Al? No, I don't. But I love him in other ways. At least he's here with me today. At least he comes home each night. Okay, so Bill has his bad points - guess what, so did Al. He was always working on the evenings I was off. He always had time to take off a night to see a ball game with his buddies, but never had the time to take off and have a romantic evening with me. And then he left on this big trip of his and never returned. Sometimes I wonder how much he really cared about me."

"He went on that trip to buy you an expensive engagement ring," Jennifer commented. "What more could he have done to prove his love for you?"

Sally gave them a weak laugh. "An expensive ring, huh? Did he really think an expensive ring mattered to me? I would've been happy with a $20 ring from Wal-Mart! Damn him! I loved the bastard, but sometimes Al pissed me off so much. And sometimes Bill pisses me off, too, but that's that way life is."

"Sally, it doesn't have to be that way," Jennifer countered.

"Yes it does," Sally pointed out strongly. "You came here to talk me out of getting married to Bill but it's not going to work. He loves me and that's all that matters."

"He doesn't love you," Jennifer said in a low tone. "You're his servant, nothing more. You need to find someone who loves you just as much as you love them."

"Easy for you to say, Jennifer. You were born pretty; you have men falling all over themselves to be with you. Well, for the 'plain' Jane's of the world, it's a little different; we can't be so choosy. Sometimes we only meet one or two men in our lives who we really like and who really like us. I found my one true love and lost him, so now I'm moving on.

"Sally, I know this is painful, but you need to think about what you're really doing. You need to remember how it felt to be in love with Al."

"It's too painful."

"I know it is," Jennifer replied in a comforting tone. "But you've been carrying around this pain inside you for too long. You need to talk about it."

"Fine then," Sally snapped. "You first!"

"What do you mean?" Jennifer asked.

"Just what I said. You told me a long time ago it was too painful to talk about how Al died, so you've been carrying your pain inside you for way too long now. I want you to let it out, I want you tell me how Al died."

"No, you really don't," Jennifer replied softly.

"Yes, I DO!" Sally insisted. "And I think you need to talk about it, too. Every time we meet I can always tell there is something bothering you about his death, so spit it out. How did it happen?"

Jennifer looked at Diane for guidance but the other woman seemed just as interested in what Jennifer was going to say.

"Alright then," Jennifer started out. "They were experimenting on Al, giving him this untested drug. He was changing as a result of it."

"Changing? How?" Sally demanded to know. Diane gave Jennifer a warning glance.

"It's hard to describe. The doctor in charge was trying to change the way a person looked. Sort of like plastic surgery but without the surgery. She was using a genetically engineered drug that contained another person's DNA sample. I don't know how it worked, only that the changes weren't painful, just life-threatening. She would try a few changes and let him rest for a while. Then the doctor would start it up again. It was horrible to see it happening. Al begged the doctor to stop but she ignored his pleas."

"What kind of changes?" Sally wanted to know, now engrossed in the story.

"Facial changes, body changes. The doctor was slowly turning Al into a woman." The waitress got a shocked look on her face. Diane was even less comfortable, but held her tongue.

"What happened next?" Sally pushed, now totally involved in the fate of her ex-lover.

"Al couldn't take it, he died. He told me how much he loved you, and then he died."

"And what was your involvement in all this?" Sally now demanded to know.

"I was the DNA dummy. They were using my DNA to change Al into me. They were holding me hostage and I couldn't get away. Believe me Sally, I tried to stop them."

"You BITCH!" Sally yelled, standing up suddenly. "You helped murder him. And I treated you as a friend. How dare you act like you're my friend and lead me on this way!"

"Please Sally," Jennifer said standing up. "I didn't mean for this to happen. He told me so much about you, he loved you."

"Damn you, SHUT UP!" Sally slapped Jennifer hard on the cheek. "I never want to see you again, do you hear me? NEVER!"

The waitress turned and ran out the restaurant, crying. Diane got up and put her arms around Jennifer. "It's okay, Jennifer, you did your best."

"No I didn't," Jennifer cried out. "I failed."

"Come on," Diane said softly. "I'm taking you back to the motel."

The entire way back Jennifer sat in her seat crying. She hadn't expected Sally to react this way and figured now she would never talk to her again. But it was much worse than Jennifer knew, and the goddess didn't want to tell her friend why. Diane got Jennifer back into the room and sat her down on the bed.

"Jennifer, I have to go right now. I want you to promise me you won't leave this room until I get back."

"But why?" she sniffed.

"I can't tell you. It has to do with Sally."

"I want to go then," Jennifer answered trying to get up. Diane pushed her back down with incredible strength.

"Not this time. I need you to stay here. Promise me!"

"I promise." Jennifer looked at Diane with hope in her eyes, but the goddess didn't have any to give.

"I'll be back." Diane closed the door and got into her car. She let her instincts lead the way.

******

It was a lonely area overlooking Puget Sound. Diane was parked about a quarter-mile away from where she needed to be as she watched the site with a sad expression. There was still a chance.

"Hello Diane."

"Apollo!" Diane rushed over and fell into his arms.

"Tough case?" he asked.

"Yes," Diane replied with tears in her eyes. "Why does it have to end this way?"

"There's still hope!" Apollo offered, while knowing there wasn't any.

"I can feel it. She's going to do it."

"I know sister, I know. I feel it, too, and it saddens me."

"Then why can't we do something? Why won't daddy let us stop this from happening? Every life is sacred - every life is unique! That's what he's always taught us. So why can't I save this one soul."

"Because it's not our lot in life. We help them make decisions; sometimes they even make good ones but other times they don't. We can't be personally responsible for their happiness."

"That's what I told Jennifer," Diane sniffed.

"And you were right to do so. We may be gods, but we can't interfere with every life we run into."

"Then let's take her back to Peace River," Diane suggested. "She's not a bad soul, certainly daddy can see that."

"For some reason, he doesn't think she has a place in Peace River. We have to abide by his decision."

"But I don't want to," she cried slamming her fist into her twin brother's chest. "I want her to live."

"I want them all to live," Apollo replied. "But sometimes they choose death anyway, despite my best efforts. I don't understand why, but I do have to accept it." They heard a car accelerating in the distance.

"It's her," Diane said softly to her brother. Apollo wrapped his massive arm around her.

"Be strong sister."

The car was going much too fast to make the curve. Sally simply hadn't been paying attention to her driving, and the laws of motion took over. She hit the brakes hard but the car slid on the wet pavement and slammed into the guardrail, forcing the car to flip up and over it. The car tumbled end-over-end down the steep hillside to the ocean below. No one could have survived the crash.

"Goodbye, Sally," Diane said with tears streaming from her eyes. Apollo had a few tears of his own.

"Do you want me to go back with you?" he asked softly.

"No, I need to do this by myself. Thanks for being here with me, Apollo."

"You've been there for me," he replied, giving her one last supporting hug. "I'll see you tonight, we can talk about it then."

"Thank you, brother."

******

Diane didn't go back to the motel room right away. She had to drive around for a while to get her wits back. She had lost people before, but this one hurt. Why did it have to end this way? And how would she tell Jennifer the bad news? As it turned out, she didn't need to. When Diane stepped into the room, the news was on, showing the crash. Jennifer was sitting in front of the TV with tears falling down her face.

"Tell me this isn't real," she begged. "Tell me she's safe!"

"I'm sorry Jennifer, I tried."

"You're LYING!" Jennifer screamed, and ran over to slam her fists into Diane's chest; but the goddess grabbed both of Jennifer's arms before she could do so.

"You're lying," Jennifer repeated over and over again. "You're fucking lying! You're playing with my mind. Tell me she's alive, tell me her death is a LIE. Please!"

"I can't, Jennifer," Diane answered softly, comforting. "Sally is dead, I can't change that."

"I killed her then! My words killed her. She killed herself because of what I said, didn't she?"

"No honey, she didn't." Diane carefully sat Jennifer down on the bed. "She was driving too fast and not being careful. It was an accident, I swear it was."

"But she was upset about what I said."

"No," Diane corrected, "she was upset about what her life had become. That's what she was thinking about when she crashed. Sally had realized you were right. You saved her soul."

"She's dead. I didn't do anything. Maybe if she had lived," Jennifer broke down. "It's not FAIR!" she sobbed.

Diane let go of Jennifer's arms and hugged her tightly.

"It's not fair, it's not fair," Jennifer kept repeating, while keeping her face buried in Diane's breast.

"No honey, it's not fair," Diane cooed softly, while rocking Jennifer slowly in her arms. "It's called 'life', and sometimes we don't get what we deserve, but we have to keep going. Do you understand what I'm saying."

Jennifer couldn't answer; she was too busy crying.

******

It had been one of those long, exhausting days. It wasn't that there had been a lot more to do than normal, it was the new dress that my mother had made for me. It wasn't the most comfortable dress I owned, and half of my time was spent trying to keep it from riding up my butt. The dress wasn't real short, but it was shorter than I liked them. I figured it was my mother's latest strategy in our, 'getting me a date' war. Wearing shorter outfits would cause me to attract more men. I found myself both amused and annoyed by her latest efforts.

I had just reached into my purse to pull out my car keys when I saw a sporty Trans-Am pull up and stop about ten feet from me. The door opened up and my brother got out. He looked sad.

"Steve," I shouted with glee, hoping that would cheer him up. While I knew going after Sally was a long shot, I had hoped he would've succeeded. Seeing him step out alone indicated that he hadn't been successful.

"Hey brother, I know this hurts, but you can't win them all," I told him. "Maybe Judge Jasper is wrong and Sally will be happy with this guy she's marrying. To be honest, I don't think Judge Jasper knows as much as he thinks."

"She dead," Steve said to me with almost no emotion.

"What?" I asked with disbelief.

"I said Sally's dead." Tears formed in my brother's eyes. "There was car crash and she was killed. Oh God, Linda, I lost her a second time. IT HURTS!"

Steve wrapped his arms around me in pain, just like he had years ago when he lost Sally the first time. I held on to him tightly, not knowing what to say. Then I realized there wasn't anything I could say to someone who had lost the love of their life for a second time.

Fade out...

This story is dedicated to my good friend Darkside, who inspired me to reach beyond what I thought I was capable of writing.

 

Andersonville 8 - The return of Tom McClain!
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

"Would you like some desert Linda?" Dennis Butz asked politely.

"No thanks," I answered suspiciously. The man had been acting way too nice to me today.

It had been a pleasant lunch so far. Dennis had started out by asking how my brother was doing, and I could see that he was genuinely concerned about Steve. It had been almost three weeks since my brother's return and his mood hadn't changed much since his first day back. The death of Sally was eating away at him slowly and I was concerned. Dr. Green was seeing him twice a week, and the visits seemed to help for a day or so; but then he would return back to his sad, sorrowful mood. Even Thanksgiving hadn't gotten him out of his depression.

Dennis threw out some suggestions to help out - even offering to have someone take Steve on a train trip outside of Andersonville. But for the most part he didn't have a clue as to how to get Steve out of this rut he was in.

Next we started going over some of the cases I had emailed him earlier in the month. Again, Dennis was rather nice and polite, avoiding his usual jabs meant to raise my dander. Instead, the conversation was businesslike and straightforward. I found myself letting my guard down - a dangerous thing to do with someone like Dennis Butz around.

"Well, this has been a very pleasant meal, don't you agree?" he said smiling.

"Yes, almost too pleasant," I answered in a suspicious tone. "So what gives Dennis?" My question caused the director to chuckle slightly.

"Can't I take you out for a nice meal without a reason? You're too suspicious Linda, you really need to relax a little."

"With you in the same room - I don't think so," I said, giving him a false smile. "Have you ever heard the expression, beware of Greeks bearing gifts?" Dennis laughed but not for the reasons I suspected.

"Okay, there are two things I need to tell you," he said.

"I thought so." I leaned forward and looked directly at him.

"First, I'm going on vacation starting tomorrow, so you won't be able to get a hold of me for a while.

"Where to?" I asked with some interest.

"Hawaii. My wife and I will be enjoying the sun and surf for an entire week. The last time I had a week off was almost four years ago and I spent half of it on the phone taking care of business. But this time I'm not taking my phone - it's just me, my wife, and the romance of a tropical island." He smiled deeply.

"Four years. You must have a wife who loves you deeply."

"Very much so Linda. I'm a lucky man to have someone so lovely who puts up with my long hours. I owe her this vacation and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of our enjoyment."

"Well, that was painless enough. What's the other item?"

"Oh, that's the best part," Dennis replied smiling. "It's a surprise for you."

"Oh-oh," I responded. "Is this a surprise I'm going to like or one I'm going to be cussing you out for when I hear it." Dennis got a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Linda - I'm hurt. When have I ever given you a bad surprise before?"

"How about this body!" I answered. "Finding out I was going to be Linda Anderson for the rest of my life wasn't what I would consider a good 'surprise'."

"Come now - you have to admit I made sure you were attractive."

"Actually, I think the Andersons had more to do with how I look than you did Dennis. But putting that aside, what is the surprise?"

"You remember your friend Kevin Brown?" I nodded my head slowly. "He's agreed to take a job on the Andersonville Police force." I smiled brightly - this was a good surprise.

"When does he get here?" I asked.

"When I get back," Dennis said with some excitement. "He called this morning to tell me he put in his two-weeks notice. I'm going to fly him and his family up on his day off to look over the place and find him a new home."

"Does he know about me - I mean who I am now?"

"No, not yet. I'll break the news when you're there. I think it'll be easier that way. So, what do you think of my surprise?"

"Dennis, you may be a pain in the ass sometimes but you really do know how to make a girl happy every now and then."

We picked up our glasses and I made a toast out loud. "To my friend Kevin Brown - and my sincere, but most likely, short-lived respect to you as a warm human being Dennis."

Dennis just laughed as we clinked our glasses together and drank to my toast.

******

The next morning I rolled out of bed with my eyes half-open. Damn, it was tough being a woman. I had to get up an hour earlier than I use to as a man just to get ready. And the worst part was, I wasn't a morning person.

I stepped into the shower and ten minutes later felt a little bit more human. I walked back into my bedroom and turned on the TV to watch the news like I did every morning. Even though I wasn't allowed to be a part of the outside world I still wanted to know what was going on. I was drying my hair when I heard the TV announcer say something about a cop shooting over the blower. I switched it off and focused on the TV screen. There was the state of Utah displayed next to the announcer with Salt Lake City hi-lighted.

"The shooting occurred around 10 o'clock last night. Utah Trooper Kevin Brown arrived on the scene just as the robber was exiting the store. The suspect fired two shoots, one of them striking Officer Brown in the shoulder and the other in his head." A picture of Kevin's face suddenly appeared on the TV screen. He was wearing his police uniform and had a big Texas smile on his face.

"Officer Brown died early this morning. He leaves behind a wife and a young son. The suspect is still on at large. If you have any info-"

"NOOOOO!" I fell to the floor crying and screaming hysterically. "Oh God, not Kevin - please. Not him!" My mother rushed into the room and wrapped her arms around me.

"Linda - shhhh. What's wrong honey?" What's wrong? Calm down and tell me what's wrong."

She cradled and tried her best to comfort me but it was useless. All I could remember was Kevin's picture on the TV screen - his pure white teeth shining out at me. In less then two weeks he would have been here - safe and sound. Now he was lying in some morgue. I wanted to kill the bastard who took his life and I swore on my friend's blood that I wouldn't stop until I found him.

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process, the earth was almost destroyed by fire and flood as the war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between the two peoples. Both sides recognized that they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge, he challenged the gods, themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration. The name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

I walked toward my office with a purpose. I didn't bother with niceties this morning and the people I passed stepped out of my way - sensing it was safer to do so. As I entered my office Judge Herns was already standing at her camber door waiting for me. She had a sad, concerned expression on her face.

"Come into my office Linda," she said softly. I walked past her without even saying a word and took a seat. The Judge closed the door and sat down next to me. Her eyes showed great signs of distress for how I was feeling. I almost felt like going over and crying in her arms but fought the desire. I wasn't going to let my girlish emotions get the best of me this time.

"I heard this morning," she started out in a low, worried tone. "I know how close you were to Officer Brown and how upset you must be." She placed her hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

"I have to go," I told her point-blank without leaving any room for discussion. "His killer is out there and I need to find him. I owe my friend that much."

Judge Herns shook her head slowly. "That's out of the question Linda. First of all you're needed here. Second, no one's going to take an 18-year old woman seriously. And third, it's way too dangerous to have you traipsing around the country on your own."

"You don't understand Judge Herns, I'm going with or without your permission."

A look of anger flashed in her eyes but I ignored it. At this point I didn't care if she was pissed at me or not.

"You know you can't escape Linda." Her voice was even-tempered with just a chill in the tone - enough to make a sane person think twice about what she was saying. But I was beyond that point - I was enraged. I didn't care what the cost was; all I could think about was avenging my friend's death.

"Think about it my child," she continued in her slow, even tone. "You wouldn't get a mile out of town before you were caught. Then I would be forced to punish you - and for what? A brief moment of anger? A thirst for revenge? It's not worth it, Linda. Let it go."

Tears began to form in my eyes but I fought them back. Maybe it would've been better if I hadn't. Maybe it would've brought back some sanity to my thinking. But I wasn't going to cry - not anymore. I was done crying for Kevin. I wanted action!

"I can't let it go June - I can't. Kevin was like a brother to me. He was the best man at my wedding. I loved him."

"I think you should see Dr. Green," she said softly. "You're upset and not thinking about this clearly. Come on, I'll walk you up to her office. She's already heard the news and is expecting you." The Judge touched my hand but I pulled it away.

"I don't want to see the DAMN DOCTOR, Judge! I want you to have your ex-husband turn me back into Tom McClain and let me go after my friend's killer." Judge Herns gave me a patient but angry frown.

"It's not going to happen Linda," she said in a slightly raised voice. "It's not, so get over it. Even if I asked my ex-husband to turn you back he wouldn't - and I have no intentions of doing so. Your friend's death was a tragedy but you can't let it ruin your life. Now come with me, I'm taking you to see Dr. Green."

"At least let me go to his funeral," I almost begged. She looked at me sharply then shook her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea either. An 18-year-old white girl all alone at a policeman's funeral - you would stand out like a sore thumb. People would ask questions, maybe even spread rumors about the two of you having an affair. And the last thing the poor wife of this police officer needs is rumors like that. In a few weeks, when things calm down, I'll take you to his grave site myself so you can say your peace."

"NO!" I yelled back in anger. "That's not good enough! I have to be there - I have to! And you won't stop me you Bitch!"

"That's enough!" the Judge hissed loudly. I found myself unable to speak anymore. "While I understand your emotional state, I won't have you being rude and nasty to those around you. You may not like my decision, Linda, but you will obey it or else I'll 'break you'! One day you'll see I did this for your own good, Linda - not because I wanted you to suffer. Do you think I didn't understand your thirst for revenge? Revenge is something, unfortunately, I understand all to well! Now come with me, I'm taking you to see Dr. Green."

I felt an invisible hand grab my body and pull me up out of my chair. I was forced to follow the Judge out the door and down the hallway but suddenly found myself able to speak again.

"Judge Herns, please release me. I promise I'll walk there on my own."

"You had your chance, Linda," she replied in a testy voice without turning to look back. "Now you'll do things my way!"

She pulled me all the way into Dr. Green's office and sat me in a chair. Carol looked at the Judge and then at me with great concern.

"Doctor, as you can see Linda is a little upset about the death of her friend. I suggest you activate your security just in case she tries to leave or attack you."

"Yes, Your Honor," she replied. I saw a big, muscular man appear in front of the doorway. He had an evil scowl on his face.

"I'm giving Linda the rest of the day off to grieve," the Judge explained. "Please make sure you have someone drive her home - she's in no condition to drive herself."

"I'll take care of it, Your Honor. Is there anything else?"

"I don't think so." I felt the invisible force let go of me. Judge Herns gave me a sad stare, then left the room in silence - walking right through the man who was standing in front of the door. Dr. Green went over and closed the door then turned to face me.

"Want to tell me about?" she asked calmly.

"What's there to say?" I replied turning to see another muscular man standing right behind me. "I want out of this damn place. I have to find my friend's killer."

"The man could be anywhere, Tom, and they have the entire police force looking for him. By the time you got to Salt Lake City he'll most likely be caught." Her voice was low and reassuring.

"Dr. Green, I have to try! You have to tell the Judge that I need to try!"

"I'm afraid," she replied, "that I can't tell Judge Herns anything. She makes up her own mind in cases like this. My asking her to honor your request would be like talking to the wall; she'll never listen to what I had to say. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea anyway."

"Damn it, you have to let me go," I answered in a frustrated tone. The guy behind me, a temp, was giving me the evil eye. "Look, can you at least get rid of these guys, they give me the creeps."

"You promise to be good?" asked Dr. Green.

"I promise."

She whispered a word and they both disappeared.

"Look doctor, I didn't have a family like most people. So I adopted people along the way, those that were special to me. One of them was Kevin Brown. I went through the police academy with him and we were roommates for a while. Kevin was as much like a brother to me as Al was. But Judge Herns doesn't understand that. Hell, she won't even let me go to his funeral."

"Tom," Dr Green tried to explain, "understand her point. You're Linda Anderson now. Only in this room can you still refer to yourself as Tom McClain and it's with great hope that one day even that'll change. Kevin Brown was Tom's friend, not Linda's. The Judge knows why he means so much to you, but, and this is the key here, you have to let go of your old life. Imagine how it is for some of the other residents who come here. Some have to let go of their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. Some of them even have their own children they have to forget. It's not an easy thing to do but they're expected to do it anyway. They're expected to let go of their old life and start over. Judge Herns expects the same out of you - with no exceptions or special treatment. But the truth of the matter is, she's been more patient with your lack of progress than many of the other residents here. She likes you, Tom, and she wants you to be happy in your new life. That's why she's given you time to grow instead of pushing several issues on you."

"But I didn't want this new life," I argued.

"We've been through this before, Tom," Dr. Green explained in a levelheaded tone. "While you may have felt Dennis Butz mislead you - you did sign a contract with him. And you didn't sign it because of what he didn't tell you - it was because of what he promised you. You came here because you wanted a better life for Al Parker and the Andersons. It was an unselfish act - but even unselfish acts have a price sometimes. You signed on to save your friends from a life of misery but you also agreed to a new life of his choosing. Frankly, you got a better deal than most."

"So I should be grateful, is that what you're telling me, doctor? That before I arrived here in Andersonville I was a kind and wonderful person but now I'm just a selfish brat?"

"What I'm saying," Carol answered calmly, "is that you should count your blessing by being here. Your current actions threaten all the work you have accomplished so far. Do you really want to be turned into a 13-year old, Tom? Because that's what will happen if the Judge thinks you're not adjusting to your current life. Better yet, how about being turned into a newborn baby. You can spend the next couple of years wearing diapers and literally crying about how much you lost. Don't throw it away on a single act of anger, Tom, it's not worth it!"

"I - I want to go home now." The doctor looked at me carefully.

"I'm not sure we're done here," she stated.

"We are, doctor. You gave me a lot to think about today. You're right, I do need to count my blessings and I'm going to start by going home and hugging my brother. Then I'm going to make a list of everything I like about being here. And then - and then I'm going to say a prayer for Kevin and remember the good times I once had with him. I'm going to put this all behind me." I flashed her a quick smile.

"I'd like to see that list if you don't mind," she said smoothly but with a tad of reservation in her voice. "I want you to see me tomorrow morning at 7:30 so we can go over it." The doctor stood up and gave me a hug.

"I'm really sorry to hear about your friend, Tom, I know this is hard to deal with."

"It's Linda," I said, faking a few tears for good measure to throw her off my trail. "It's one of the cost in exchange for all the good that has happened in my life. And it's not so bad when I think about it. Being Linda Anderson isn't the worst thing that could've happened to me."

"No, it's not," she whispered while brushing my long, brown hair away from my face in a comforting fashion. "Being a woman can be very rewarding, but being happy and making the best of your situation has its own reward. Think about that Linda."

"I will," I said giving her a weak smile. "I'm going to miss my friend but you're right - I'm fooling myself by thinking I can find his murderer when the entire police force hasn't done so yet. I know one day he will be caught and then justice will be served."

"You're being very wise, young lady," Carol agreed. "Now, let me see who I can get to drive you home. Sorry Linda, but that was the Judge's orders and I have to obey them."

"I understand. I was here when she said so and I'm not going to argue with you about it. It's one of the things I'm going to work on - accepting things as they are. But do you think you can get Dave Williams to drive me home?"

"He's your favorite, isn't he?" Dr. Green smiled while picking up the phone "I'll see what I can do."

She talked for about a minute and then placed the phone back on its holder. "Dave's waiting for you by the side door. Why don't I walk you down."

"Thank you Carol. You're such a good friend to me." The doctor smiled while grabbing my hand and gently led me downstairs.

"That's what I'm here for Linda. To be your friend and help you smooth out the rough edges. I know your friend's death is painful, but I think you've made some positive changes today because of it. Try to remember that you have people who care about you here."

"I will, Dr. Green." Dave Williams was waiting for me by the door. "Hello Sergeant Williams."

He gave me a sad smile. "Hello Linda. My car's this way." He held open the outside door and followed me out.

Dr. Green's smile turned to a faint frown. She was too good of a psychologist to be fooled by a bad acting job. Linda was up to something and she was going to find out what that was. She made her way to the elevator and waited for it to open. Then she made the long drop into the bunker. Colonel Myers was already waiting for her when the elevator door opened again.

"Good morning Carol. I saw you coming and thought I'd come out to greet you." Dr. Green almost laughed at the comment. Of course he had seen her coming, they monitored the entire hallway and elevator upstairs.

"Good morning, Barry. I think we have a problem that I want to discuss with you."

"Let me guess - Linda Anderson."

"You know then?"

"I saw you walk her down the steps and then have Dave drive her home. I suspected there may be some trouble involved." He motioned for her to take a seat and sat down next to her.

"There is," Dr. Green started out. "Did you hear about the police officer who was killed last night?"

"I heard something about it on the radio this morning. The shooting took place somewhere around Salt Lake City I think. What's this got to do with Linda?"

"The officer was one of her classmates at the police academy - and a good friend of hers."

"Wow, no wonder she's upset," Barry said with an understanding frown.

"Yes. So now she wants to leave Andersonville to track down his killer. Of course Judge Herns refused so she's threatened to escape."

"She said that to you?" Barry asked in a surprised tone.

"To both me and the Judge. Then she quickly shifted gears like she had changed her mind so I would let her leave."

"But you don't think she did change her mind, do you?" Colonel Myers pointed out.

"No, I don't. She's up to something, which is why I'm here. I want you to change her status to a level 1-flight risk. The moment she moves into a secure area where she's not allowed I want to know about it. And I also want hourly checks run on her through the tracker over the next 24 hours. If she doesn't try leaving by then - then I think we can trust her again."

"Consider it done, doctor. What happens if she does try to leave?"

"Then use whatever methods you need to return her. Remember that Linda is emotionally disturbed right now and won't be very happy when you catch her - so use lots of caution. No special treatment on her either Barry - I want her treated like everyone else."

"I understand, Carol. It's a shame, she seems like such a nice kid."

"She has her shiny moments, Barry."

"Jeff isn't going to be too happy to hear about this," Colonel Myers said. "You know he has a crush on her."

The doctor smiled pleasantly. "I suspected as much. You may want to keep him out of the loop on this one."

Colonel Myers shook his head. "No - that's not how I treat my men. Jeff's a professional. He may like her but he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the operation. I won't keep secrets from him or anyone else in my group. If I can't trust any of my men totally then I shouldn't have them on my staff."

"That's your call, Barry. Thanks for talking with me." Dr. Green got up to leave.

"Anytime Carol. Thank you for the heads up on Linda Anderson." He watched her get into the elevator and the doors close.

'A level 1 status,' Barry thought to himself. The doctor was betting that Linda would be running something soon. He went back into the main room to break the news to his young sergeant.

******

Dave Williams was respectfully quiet as he drove me home. I wasn't crying anymore but he could tell I was still very upset. I guess he felt it was better to leave me alone until I was ready to talk.

"Sergeant Williams," I started.

"Call me Dave," he said with a small smile. He wanted to make this as easy on me as he could. "What is it Linda?"

"Have you ever lost a partner before?"

"It's why I'm here, Linda," he answered sadly. "I was involved in a shootout much like your friend was."

"What happened - if you don't mind telling me."

"I don't mind. My partner's name was Mickey. We were on patrol one hot, sunny afternoon, a day so beautiful that you didn't think anything could go wrong. We pulled into a convenience store parking lot to get a cup of coffee when a robber came out of the store with a gun in his hand. He couldn't have been more than six feet from where Mickey was standing when he saw us. Anyway, he panicked and before my partner had a chance to react the robber shot him three times. Then he turned his gun on me and I was hit once in the shoulder and chest. Somehow I got my own shots off; don't ask me how; it's all a blur. It's amazing how fast things happen. Anyway, one of my bullets hit him in the heart and killed him instantly. I don't know what was worse for me - having my partner and friend lying there dead or knowing I had killed a man."

"But it was self-defense," I pointed out. Dave turned to me with a sad expression.

"Does that matter? I still have to live with the fact that I took a life. Maybe I could've aimed lower and shot him in the leg. But it happens so fast that you don't have time to think. Then it's over and you end up with plenty of time to think about it. I still do, every time I'm patrolling Andersonville on a sunny day. I think about Mickey and how my life changed in just a few short seconds."

"What happened next?" I wanted to know.

"I was lying there in the hospital with tubes sticking in me all over my body. I lost a lot of blood from the chest wound and the doctors were fighting to keep me alive. My wife came into the room - I could tell she had been crying. Later on my kids were allowed in as well. It was hell on all of them. When I saw them I made it a point to live. After a few days I was moved into a private room and that's when the real hell began.

"My friends on the police force came in to see how I was doing - and to congratulate me on getting my friend's killer. That's when I learned I had killed him. It was horrible - they were happy and thankful that I had killed another human being but I didn't feel that way. I learned he was only 19 years old - a dumb, scared kid. I felt numb inside. I decided to quit the force."

"So what brought you here?" I asked.

"Trisha Brown. About a month after the shooting I was home recovering when she showed up. At this point I was impossible to deal with and it was putting a big strain on my marriage. I was angry and taking it out on my wife and kids. Little things that never used to bother me set me off and I would become a screaming idiot. My wife was finding more excuses to get the kids out of the house so I could be alone. Then Trisha showed up and started talking to me. At first I was just rude to her but she didn't give up on me. I guess she saw something in me I couldn't see. Finally I started opening up to her - about how I was feeling and the nightmares I had over the shooting."

"About a year later she offered me a job working in Andersonville. My wife didn't want me to go back to police work - I could understand why. But Trisha told me this was one of the safest places in the world and I found out why. I was hesitant at first but I really loved being a cop. Not so much the arresting of criminals, but helping people out and knowing I was making a difference in their lives. My wife finally agreed to check Andersonville out and we both liked what we saw."

"How long have you been here - I mean before I arrived?"

"We got here one month before everyone else. It was like a ghost town but I didn't mind. The temps weren't up and running yet so mainly I spent time with my family exploring the town. And then there were the daily sessions I had with Dr. Green."

"You talked to her?" I was a little surprised by this.

"I needed to, Linda. I was still having a lot of problems with the shooting. Sometimes my wife and I would drive over to her house and we would talk about it the entire morning. By the time you showed up I was back to my old self again. Andersonville not only saved my marriage - it saved my soul." He turned and pulled the police car into my driveway.

"Can I ask you one more thing, Dave? If you hadn't been able to return fire and the robber had gotten away - what would you have done to capture him?" He stared straight ahead in silence.

"Anything that I could," he replied with a frown. "Mickey was a good cop, I miss him."

"Thanks for the talk, Dave." He smiled as I got out and drove off. Steve was waiting by the door to greet me.

"How are you doing, sister?" I could see that despite his own troubles he was plenty worried about me. I knew that would work to my advantage.

"I'm doing better than this morning. Where's Jennifer?" Both Steve and my sister were out of school that day due to some kind of conference.

"Mom took her over to a friend's house and then went to the church for the bake sale this weekend. She said she wouldn't be back until 5."

"Good." I gave my brother a long stare. "They won't let me go, Steve - not even to his damn funeral."

"I'm sorry," he said honestly. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I smiled inwardly, knowing I had him.

"Yes. Follow me." I led him upstairs to my room and went over to my closet. Inside the closet I removed some of the molding around the floor. Months ago I had dug out a little hole in the wall to hide my emergency pack. Carefully I took it out and laid it on the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Steve asked, knowing full well what I was up to.

"If the Judge won't turn me back into Tom McClain then I'll do it myself."

"Linda, this is crazy. Think about what you're giving up."

"WHAT AM I GIVING UP?" I yelled at him. I ran over to my dresser and picked up a handful of nylon panties of various colors.

"Is this what I'm giving up, Steve?" I said while throwing the panties at him. They struck him in the chest and fell on the floor.

"Oh how about these," I shouted picking up a handful of my bras and doing the same. "Or all these pretty slips!" I tossed them at Steve as well.

"Now let's look in my closet," I said flinging open the doors and pulling out some dresses. "How about this? Springy - pretty - sophisticated - charming." The sarcastic tone grew while I described each dress and then tossed it on the floor at his feet.

"Lacy - enchanting - sexy!" I continued. "This is what I'm giving up Steve! My new and unwanted womanhood! I not allowed to say what I want, or do what I want, or dress how I want. And Dr. Green, Judge Herns, and mom are always after me to find a guy to date. Well I don't want to DATE A GUY - and I don't want to play this make-believe game any more! I want out of here - today - NOW!"

"Linda," Steve spoke.

"GODDAMN IT, STEVE - IT'S TOM! Don't you fucking remember anymore? I saved your life for Christ's sake!"

"I know, Tom, I know," he agreed in an attempt to calm me down. "But I won't help you hunt down a man so you can kill him. Even I have limits to how far I will help you."

"I'm not going to kill him," I told him.

"That's not what you told me this morning," Steve countered.

I sighed and calmed down a little. "I know and I meant it. But I had a talk with Dave Williams on the way home and he changed my mind. He told me what it was like to kill a man and how hard it is to live with the aftermath of it."

"He killed someone? Our Sergeant Williams?" Steve gasped.

"Yes, and don't tell anyone. It was self-defense. The man killed Dave's partner and was going to kill him. He had no choice but he's been haunted by the event ever since."

"So what are you going do?" Steve wanted to know.

"I'm going to use all my detective skills to track this man down. And when I find him," I took a deep breath, "I'm going to bring him back to Andersonville for trial."

"Do you know what the Judge will do to you!" Steve stated directly.

"I have an idea and I know it won't be good. Maybe the Andersons will get that new baby girl they wanted me to give them - only not as a grandchild."

"Tom - I don't think that I can do this. What you're asking me to do -"

"What I'm asking you to do," I cut him off rudely, "is to respect my decision and put your neck out on the line like I did for you at the Jensen place. Steve, I've thought about this all morning and I can't stand being in this body one more day."

"How do you plan to get past the security around Andersonville?"

"I'm guessing here, but I believe once I change back totally into Tom McClain they won't be able to track me. I should be able to walk right out of town without them knowing it. I'll catch the five o'clock freight and ride it until I get to someplace where I can rent a car. Then I'll take it from there." I stopped for a moment to stare at my brother. "I know I'm asking a lot, Steve. I know they may come down hard on you. But this is important to me, please understand."

"When I was trapped in Jennifer's body," he said slowly. "I would've done anything to get changed back. Because of you I'm a man again, Tom. I guess what I'm saying is, I understand and owe you that much to help you out; even if I may be punished because of it."

"Thank you, Steve." I reached over and gave him a hug. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't happy about what he was going to help me do. But he was a loyal friend, and he also had liked Kevin Brown.

I watched as he got the shot ready, then I took off my shirt and lay down on the bed. He wiped an alcohol swab over the back of my neck.

"This is going to sting some," he informed me, "but don't move. I have to inject you in the right spot for this to work. Are you ready?"

I nodded my head and closed my eyes. I was about to begin a new journey - one that I wasn't sure where it would lead me too. There was a sharp stick, like that of a bee sting. Then I felt a warm sensation settling in as the serum made its way through my body. I felt Steve pull out the shot and wipe the back of my neck again.

"Is that it?" I asked. Steve nodded.

"That wasn't so bad," I lied. "When can we start?"

"Give it a couple of minutes to work all the way into your system. Try running in place to get the blood circulating more." I did as he suggested and a few minutes later had worked up a sweat.

"Okay, you should be ready. This is your last chance Tom. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I'm sure, Steve," I replied while pulling out the modification list. "I know you think I'm making a mistake but this is what's right for me."

"Okay," he said solemnly. "I would recommend you get undressed first before starting. Do you want me to trigger the physical modifications for you?

"No, you've done enough. I have to take the next step alone. If you could, I'm going to need some clothes to wear after I'm through. Can you find something for me to wear from dad's closet and place them outside my door?"

"No problem Tom. Good luck buddy." Steve closed the door as he left.

I removed my clothes and stood there in front of the mirror. The naked woman reflecting back at me wasn't ugly - she was even kind of cute. In a way I felt sorry for Linda - and for the Andersons. Dennis Butz had had good intentions by turning me into her, even though I resented him for doing so. Linda had been brought back to life and now I was killing her again. It didn't seem fair even though I knew that it wasn't really her standing there in the mirror looking back at me. What would the real Linda Anderson have turned out to be like if she hadn't been murdered? I wished I could have met her just once.

I picked up the list and looked at the first command. I closed my eyes and whispered, "Mecabeach! Height and weight. 49837. Mecabeach!"

I felt a burning sensation grow in my neck that was accompanied by a loud buzzing in my head. I felt a slight numbness creeping throughout my body until I no longer felt my hands or toes anymore. Suddenly the room seemed to spin as I grew by several inches. I got heavier, at least 50 pounds heavier, as my body grew in mass. It was kind of creepy watching this happen and I closed my eyes until it was over. A moment later the buzzing subsided and I found myself looking at a taller, more muscular figure than what I once had been. I breathed a sigh of relief that the serum still worked. I looked at the next modification and said it out loud.

"Mecabeach! Basic Figure Modification and Skin Modification. 36712! Mecabeach!" I closed my eyes and waited.

The numbness returned and the buzzing inside my head was louder - like a swarm of angry bees. I felt my shoulders grow broader as my arms stretched in length and my waist dropped lower on my torso. When the buzzing stopped I opened up my eyes and looked clearly at the image in the mirror. My body was still more female them male but I could see signs of my old body now. The face was still Linda's but it had a much more manish look to it since my skin was no longer as soft as it use to be. I closed my eyes again and said the next phrase that I hope would bring out the old me.

"Mecabeach! Facial Modifications and Hair Modifications. 2749726. Mecabeach!" I felt a great deal of sensation around my face, as if it was being pulled in different directions only from the inside. It wasn't painful, just a strange tugging feeling against my skin. And there was also sensation with my hair only not so much. After a few moments everything stopped and I regain my senses. To my horror, I still had the same hairstyle except it was a different color. Then I realized it was a longer version of my old hair. Apparently the serum could cause hair to grow but not shorten on its own. There wasn't anything a pair of scissors couldn't cure. I looked at my face and smiled. It was 'my' face. I'd never been so happy to see myself staring back at me. I touched it, every part of it, and smiled. I was back!

******

Steve gave me a huge grin when he saw me. "Tom, it's you, and with long hair."

"Not yet," I replied pointing to the two small lumps in front. "I still have to get something off my chest." Steve and I both laughed joyfully.

"You're going to have to carry them around for at least 12 hours," he told me.

"I don't have that long," I replied. "I have to get rid of them before five.

"Tom," he cautioned, "that'll put too much strain on your body. It can't handle all these changes in such a short time period."

"I think I have a way of reducing the strain. I going to go upstairs and meditate until it's time. My body should be recovered by then."

"It's risky," Steve warned.

"It's the only way," I shot back. "I'm guessing that they can still track me as long as I have parts of this modified body. This means I have to turn myself completely into Tom McClain before I leave. It's going to be now or never."

"Okay Tom. I'll make sure I get you up by 4:30."

"Thanks, Steve. And find me a pair of scissors so I can cut my hair." I turned and went back upstairs.

******

"How's it going, Jeff?" Colonel Myers asked. The clock on the wall showed it was almost three o'clock but it seemed like the day had been longer. Barry would be glad when this day was finally over.

"She's still in her room, Barry - see!" Jeff told him pointing to the small pink dot on his screen.

"Don't get your hopes up son. She may be resting up to make a break tonight. That's when most of them try." The Colonel was so sure Linda would make a break later on that he had alerted a response team to be ready for some action tonight.

"She's not going to leave," Jeff replied confidently. "She knows we can track her every move."

The Colonel slapped his sergeant on the back. "You may be right, Jeff." He didn't see a reason to worry the young man. But Barry Myers had a gut feeling about Linda; she wasn't going to take this decision lying down.

******

I was up before my brother came and got me. It was time - time to put my theory to the test. In an hour I would either be rolling southward on a freight train or standing in front of Judge Herns. Steve looked at me nervously.

"Are you ready?" he asked "I am," I said confidently. "Here goes nothing. Mecabeach! Chest and penis modification. 0000001. Mecabeach!"

The numbness swept over my body again. A gentle tingling began in my chest and than grew to sharp pins and needles until it was almost painful. I saw both of my breast slowly shrink into my chest before my very eyes.

'Go baby, go,' I said to them. In a moment they were nothing more then a passing memory. Down lower I felt the same pins and needles effect attacking my groin. It was a weird feeling; I felt my vagina closed up and something grow out of where nothing had been. Suddenly the tingling stopped. Steve looked at me nervously, and I returned the same look. I put my hands down into my pants and felt a warm, lump of flesh. My 'old' friend. I started laughing and Steve did the same. He came over and hugged me.

"It worked," I yelled out with glee. I'm a man again." I laughed even harder. "Want to feel it, Steve?" I joked.

"I'll take your word on it," Steve replied with tears rolling down his cheeks from laughing so hard. I had to wipe a few away myself.

"I better hurry. I need to borrow your bike, Steve."

"I figured you would. I placed it out on the front porch." He held out his hand to me. "Good luck, Tom, and good hunting." I pushed his hand away and gave hug instead.

"I'll call you as soon as I can brother. Take care of mom and dad for me while I'm gone." I released my hold on Steve. "I'd better get going now if I'm going to catch that train."

Steve watched as I got on his bike and pedaled away as fast as I could.

"Good luck, brother," he whispered.

******

Jeff was doing his hourly check on Linda. He didn't let on to any of his co-workers that he was worried about what she might do. Jeff had already decided that he would go over to Linda's house after work to talk to her. Maybe he could put some sense back into her life and better yet - maybe she would even open up and give him the time of day. There was something about Linda Anderson that drew him to her like a moth to a flame.

He brought up her bedroom on the screen but didn't see her mark there. Jeff frowned a little and punched in her id number to do a search. Normally that only took a couple of seconds but after a full minute of searching Jeff became concerned. He switched his computer to the town mode to speed up the process. To his frustration, the computer still didn't find her.

Now the Sergeant began to panic a little. He knew Linda couldn't have left town, the computer would have alerted him if she had tried. And without a car she couldn't have gotten very far on foot. The only possibility was that she could have moved into a dead area of the town. They were finding new ones each week.

Jeff brought up her full file and clicked on the movement recorder. Next he set the timer back an hour and started going forward. Her pink dot moved slightly at times but it never left the room. Then at 4:34pm she just disappeared.

"Oh my God," Jeff gasped. "COLONEL MYERS - I need you out here RIGHT NOW! CLASS ONE ALERT!" The Colonel cut short who ever he was talking to on the phone and made a beeline over to Jeff's computer.

"Calm down son, what is it,"

"It's Linda Anderson sir - she's gone."

"What do you mean, gone?" Colonel Myers asked. "Did she escape?"

"I don't know sir - watch this." The Sergeant replayed the tape for the Colonel and his co-workers who had gathered around his desk. All of them looked puzzled when she simply disappeared from the screen.

"Could it be a glitch on her tracker?" Mac asked.

"Maybe - but it's awful damn convenient that it would go out now," Colonel Myers replied back in a very business like tone. "Mac, have your people run a diagnostic on all systems. I want to see if we have a virus or anything else present. Tony, you and Jeff have your men do a check on every resident. I want to see if anyone else disappeared besides Linda. In the meantime I'm going to have one of the Police officers check on Miss Anderson. Let's not panic yet, this may be a computer glitch." Colonel Myers didn't believe his own words for a second.

******

I made it to the freight yard just as the train was pulling out. I quickly climbed aboard a brown BNSF boxcar and sat down inside it. The train was being pulled by two engines, both ex-Conrail units. The lead unit was a SD40 while the other was a GP38. The boxcar was near the end of the 55-car freight train so I wasn't too concerned that I had been spotted by the engineer. Besides, he had been going into a curve when I ran out making it almost impossible to spot me unless he was looking right at me. More likely he was looking forward where he should have been.

I watched as the town of Andersonville slowly disappeared in the distance. The train picked up speed and was running about 35mph. I heard the train horn blow as we approached a grade crossing and for a minute I heard the warning bells ringing as my boxcar went by. It was replaced moments later by the rhythmic thumping of the track below. I sat back against the wall of the boxcar and tried to relax. In a couple of hours I would be so far away that they would never find me.

******

Steve saw the police car pull up in front of the house. The cop could only be here for one reason, to see where his sister was. Fearing he may try to take him in, Steve made a mad dash out the back door and into the woods. If the officer couldn't find him then he couldn't ask him any questions now, could he?

Officer Candy wasn't very happy about the call. He had been told to drive out to the Andersons and check on Linda's location and mental status. The officer grumbled silently. He was a cop, not a nursemaid for an emotionally distressed kid. Yet here he was checking up on this girl when he would rather be working a speed trap and handing out tickets. Being a police officer in Andersonville wasn't what it was cracked up to be. He knocked on the door but no one answered. Next he tried the door handle but it was locked so he got on his radio.

"Base, there doesn't seem to be anyone home at the Anderson house. Request permission to return to patrol."

"Hold on Nick," Officer Philips told him over the radio. "Let me check and see what the downtown boys want you to do." Officer Candy waited impatiently over the next couple of minutes for a reply before his radio squawked again.

"Nick, Steve Anderson is in the woods behind his house. Barry Myers wants you to locate him and find out where his sister is."

Officer Candy cursed silently. It was one thing to be told to check up on someone, now he was going to have to track down her brother to find out where she was.

"10-4," Officer Candy replied into his radio with disgust. He hoped to hell this was all worth it. The cop made his way out back and came to the entrance of the woods.

"Hey Boy," he yelled. "Stevie, I need to talk to you. Come out here." The cop didn't get a reply back. The officer's radio squawked again.

"Nick, they got your transponder code on the screen with your target. According to the downtown guys, he's about 100 yards to your 2 o'clock. Looks like he's just laying there."

"I'm on it," Candy replied with some enthusiasm. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad call after all. He carefully made his way in the direction given to him and after a couple of minutes the cop knew he had to be getting close.

"Hey boy, I'm on to you. You can't escape me. Come out now and save us both the trouble." Officer Candy was secretly hoping the boy wouldn't come out so he would have to go in after him.

"This is your last chance Stevie," Officer Candy said as he took another step forward.

Steve Anderson rose up from the ground and started running off in the direction of the house. But Officer Candy was ready for that move and ran after the young teenager in hot pursuit. Just as Steve cleared the woods Officer Candy tackled and pinned him down.

"Alright you little punk," he growled, "I told you to come out, didn't I? Now you're coming with me." He grabbed his handcuffs and placed them around the boy's wrist. "When the Judge gets done with you you're going to wish you never ran from me - I personally guarantee that, boy!"

Officer Candy lifted Steve up off the ground roughly and forcefully pushed him forward. Steve almost fell over but the cop jerked him back before that happened.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing, Nick!" Sergeant Williams yelled out. He was still dressed in the street clothes that he had changed into after getting off two hours before. Officer Candy gave his supervisor a blank stare.

"I asked you a question, officer!" Dave Williams stated in an angry tone.

"He ran on me so I took him into custody," Officer Candy answered in a defensive tone. "That's proper police procedure."

"Not with the force you used on him it isn't, Mister," Dave glared back.

"What did you want me to do, Dave, kiss him? He's mine now and I'm taking him in."

"Wrong, Nick! You're taking off those handcuffs and turning him over to me. Then tomorrow you and I are going to have a long conversation about what I just saw and why I 'never' better see it again! Now take off those cuffs before I slap a pair on you."

Dave gave the other officer a look that showed he meant business. Officer Candy removed the cuffs from Steve's wrist and gave him a slight push forward.

"Come with me, Steve," Dave said, putting an arm around the boy as he took him away. Officer Candy followed behind them at a respectable distance.

******

"Sir, it's no use, sir," Mac stated. "We've check all the systems over twice and it's not a problem on our end."

Mac gave his boss a frustrated look indicating that he didn't know what else to do. Their relief had arrived about a half-hour ago and was helping out with the system checks. Colonel Myers' counterpart, Ted Jacobs, gave him a nervous glance.

"Barry, why don't we talk in the office for a few minutes," he said. They both went into the office and closed the door so no one could hear them.

"I don't know how she did it, Barry," the other Colonel stated, "but she got away. We have to report this."

"Come one, Ted, she couldn't have gotten far and you know it. I'm going to order a company of men to sweep the southern area. With the night coming soon it'll be easy to spot her walking around." Colonel Jacobs shook his head.

"I'll take care of it Barry, this is my watch. I want you to go home and get some sleep. I'll let you know when we find her."

"You know I won't be able to sleep tonight!" Colonel Myers replied.

"I know Barry, but you can't stay here all night. You have to lead your men out of here so my group can take over. My men aren't used to work with your temps and your men are dog-tired. Go home now."

"I don't understand," Colonel Myers stated in frustration. "Where in the hell could she be?"

"That's my responsibility now," Colonel Jacobs explained. "Are you sure nothing else left town between the time she disappeared and the time you closed up the border?"

"Just those three trucks I told you about. We stopped and searched one of them. The second truck we have a lead on and C-troop should find it soon. The third," he pointed to the southeast corner of the map in frustration, "the third could be anyway."

"What about the railroad?" the other Colonel asked. "Wasn't there a train leaving around that time?"

"Yea, there was," Barry replied. "But I had my men check the force field twice, it was never penetrated. She couldn't have made it to the tracks."

"Barry, Linda Anderson shouldn't have been able to disappear and make it outside of town without us knowing about it but it sure looks like she did. Now I don't know how she did it, but if she was able to get past our monitors without being seen then most likely she could have done the same thing with our force field. We have to assume Linda Anderson could have gotten on the train."

"Oh my God, you're right," Colonel Myers said. "And her brother is a railroad nut - he would've known when the train pulled out each night. Why in the hell didn't I think of that before?"

"Where would the train be now." Colonel Myers thought about it carefully.

"It would be at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe interchange yard by now," he laughed bitterly. "She could be anywhere. Damn it, I screwed up."

"We don't know that, Barry," the other Colonel stated. "Look, as commander of this shift I'm asking you to take your men and get the hell out of here. Please Barry, don't force me to make this an order. Go home and get some rest. You owe it to yourself and to your men."

"I guess you're right, Ted, we're only getting in your way down here. Thanks for your help."

"We'll find her buddy. I'll call as soon as we do, I promise."

The eyes of all six men and some of the temps were on both Colonels as they made there way out of the office. Colonel Myers' men saw the painful look in their boss's eyes; he was taking this escape on his watch very hard.

"Come with me," he said to his men. Colonel Myers led the three real soldiers and the 75 temps into the massive hallway.

"Goodnight," Colonel Myers told the temps while punching in his code. The temps disappeared leaving his three soldiers and him standing there. Silently he led them into the elevator and hit the up button. None of soldiers said anything to their commander on the way up; they knew what he was feeling. Each man wanted to tear the town apart brick by brick to find her. It was bad enough to have someone escape on your shift but what made it worse was that fact they had been warned she most likely would try. When they got to surface Barry bid his men goodnight, something he usually did when they got outside.

"Aren't you leaving?" Mac asked his commander.

"I'm going to check and see what's going on with the Anderson boy. Maybe he can clear this up."

His men offered to go with him but the Colonel held up his hand. "Please guys, I need to do this by myself. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

The three of them walked away disappointed while Barry made his way down the hallway to the Police office. He found Dave Williams standing outside the conference door stroking one side of his long mustache.

"Anything, Dave?" he asked hopefully "I'm afraid not, Barry," he replied with a frown. "Steve keeps insisting he doesn't know where she is. We've been trying to locate Judge Herns to see if she can help out but so far we haven't found her yet. Steve's parents in the meantime are out in the lobby screaming that we release him. They claim their daughter went camping with a friend, or at least that's what the note says that Linda wrote to them. Of course she doesn't mention who the friend is and when she'll be back."

"Do you think he knows the truth?"

"Oh yea!" Dave answered enthusiastically. "Steve knows exactly where Linda is. I have Dr. Green in there now talking to him but I don't think it's going to do any good."

"Can I talk to him?" Barry asked. Dave gave the Colonel a questioning glance.

"Talk? I've already had to pull one person off Steve today, do I make my point," he stated with a frown.

Barry nodded his head. "You do' Dave. I promise I won't lay a hand on him or raise my voice. I just want to see if I can reason with him."

"Okay, but if you start getting angry I'll throw you out."

The door opened up and Dr. Green stepped out. She gave the Colonel an embarrassed look.

"Anything, Doctor?" Sergeant Williams asked.

"I'm sorry, Dave, he insists he doesn't know what happen to her."

"Why did he run from the officer," Barry asked.

"He says he was scared," Dr. Green replied.

"I can believe that," Dave answered. "Officer Candy is going to have a letter in his file after I talk to him tomorrow. I thought they screened the officers better." The doctor shrugged her shoulders.

"Let me talk to him," Barry said. Dr. Green nodded and the three of them went into the small room. Steve was sitting at the table looking rather worried.

"Steve," Dave said, "this is Colonel Myers. He would like to ask you some questions."

"I'm telling you I don't know anything," Steve blurted out. "Why won't you believe me and just let me go home?"

"Steve," Dr. Green sat down and put her arm around the boy, "your sister is in a lot of danger. We need your help finding her so she can be brought back here safely.

"Why," he sniffed. "So you can punish him? So you can turn him into a little baby - or maybe a tree or something like that. Why can't you just leave him alone?"

"Steve, do you know how dangerous it is for a young woman to be hitch hiking out there alone in the middle of the night?" Dr. Green explained softly. "There're too many crazies out there. I won't lie to you; Linda will be punished for escaping. But she'll be alive and well, isn't that more important?"

"Son," Barry spoke in a comforting tone. "I know you and your friend go way back. If you help me bring her in I'll talk to Judge Herns and make sure nothing bad happens to her. In many ways she's done us a valuable service. Linda's shown us a major flaw in the system that needs to be corrected. I'll let the Judge know this and do whatever I can to make sure the two of you aren't separated."

"Promise?" the teenager asked while wiping the tears from his eyes. Dr. Green handed him a Kleenex to wipe his nose with.

"I promise," Barry said.

"He was on the train," Steve said.

"How did she get past the force field?" Barry inquired.

"He has my cell phone, you'll have to ask him yourself."

"What's the number Steve?" Dr. Green asked.

******

I was driving down the highway in a brand-new Honda that I had rented. Looking ahead I could see the open road going into the distance as far as the eye could see. I was free of my prison sentence and the female body they had tried forcing me to accept. I was as man again and it felt great. There was no director to report to, no Judge I had to make coffee for, no more filing that I had to do, and no more shaving my legs or underarms every other morning. I was free to do whatever I wanted.

After I rented a car I went to a nearby truck stop and got a haircut at the 24-hour barbershop. Then I drove to an all-night department store to pick up some decent clothes. I took pleasure in the fact that all traces of Linda Anderson were now gone. But the greatest satisfaction came when I stood up to pee instead of fighting with my clothes before sitting down to do my business. That and the fact I didn't see those two grapefruits hanging down from my chest. I was totally free from my female bondage.

I heard Steve's cell phone ringing next to me. So it had taken the guys in the bunker this long to figure out I was missing. I was glad I had had some kind of plan already in place before leaving, I wouldn't have made it very far on foot in that short of time. I turned on the phone but didn't say a word.

"Linda?" the voice asked. "Linda, can you hear me?"

I was surprised to find out it was Dennis Butz on the line. I figured it would have been Dr. Green or Judge Herns but not Dennis. My disappearance must have really caused a stir if he was calling me.

"Linda, I want you to say something." I laughed silently to myself before answering.

"How's the weather in Hawaii, Dennis?" I said in a deep, male voice.

"Tom? Tom, is that you? How in the hell did you - " Dennis stopped in mid-sentence as he figured out his own question.

"That's right, Dennis," I chuckled. "I guess Dr. Jensen didn't tell you about the extra batch of her serum that she made up for me. By the way, my contract with you is broken."

"Tom, listen to me," Dennis spoke in a serious tone. "You don't know what you're getting into. I'm serious; you're heading into a ton of trouble. Turn the car around and drive back to Andersonville. If you do I give you my personal guarantee that no harm will come to you."

"What about being turned into a woman, Dennis? Don't you consider that harmful? Why don't you try living as a woman for a while."

"I already have," he replied, "and we're not talking about me, it's you I'm concerned about. Turn the car around and come back now!"

"And if I don't?" I said in an almost threatening manner.

"Then I can't help you," he stated sadly. "When you're caught - and you will be caught, Tom - I won't be able to stop whatever the Judge does to you. But if you come back right now I'll make sure she changes you back to the way you were before you started this little quest of yours."

"And no punishments?"

"Let's be realistic here Tom, you know Judge Herns is going to have to punish you somehow. There'll be restrictions of course, most likely some community work but nothing you can't handle. You'll get to keep your job, car, and most important, your age. But you have to turn your car around right now."

"You don't get it, do you, Dennis," I said gripping the phone tightly. "I'm not trying to escape. I have every intention of coming back to Andersonville once I'm finished with what I came out here to do."

"Tom, there are 10,000 trained detectives and police officers looking for your friend's killer. Do you really think he's going to get away? Do you really think you're going to be the one to catch him? Think about it, Tom, this plan of yours is crazy!"

"I have thought about it, Dennis. It's the principle that matters here. I shouldn't have been denied the right to look for him in the first place! I'm not one of those criminals you bring in every week and I shouldn't be treated like one. I'm going to do whatever it takes to find Kevin's killer."

"Like you did when you went after your friend, Al Parker?" Dennis pointed out. "Look at the mess it got yourself into over that. How many people will die this time, Tom? One, two, a half-dozen?"

"You go to hell you son of a bitch," I answered crossly. "I wish I'd never met you. This is your entire damn fault to begin with. Al and I were innocent pawns in your grand fucking game. Well now I'm out of your clutches and it feels great! I'm free to do what I want and I'm going to find the SON OF A BITCH WHO KILLED MY FRIEND so don't you try and stop me!"

I turned off the phone and threw it out the window with all my might. It was most likely bugged anyway and they would be tracing my call to see where I was. It didn't concern me, by the time they found it I would be long gone. I pressed the gas accelerator down a little more.

On the side of the road a dark figured reached down and picked up the phone - then inspected it for damage.

"You really need to be more careful with your phone Miss Anderson," Officer Merrick said.

"I don't think she heard you, Mercury," Apollo replied. "Maybe you should run after her and tell her." Officer Merrick laughed.

"So what do we do now?" the cop asked in a serious tone. Apollo's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket and placed it to his ear.

"Yes, Dennis?" Apollo said and listened to what the man had to say. "I understand. Okay then, we'll keep him in sight." He turned off the phone and looked at his half-brother who was smiling.

"Follow him to see where he goes, then let me know." In a flash Officer Merrick was gone.

******

I had driven all night, stopping only at a fast-food joint to buy something to eat. I wanted to show up early at my location before anyone suspected I was there. I knew Dennis would have his men watching Kevin's house and as much as I wanted to see his wife and son to wish them my condolences, I knew it was too risky. So I went after a less obvious target, Kevin's partner. I knew he had worked with a female trooper that he got along with real well. I was hoping she could provide me with some clues as to where the suspect might have gone. There were things about the suspect that only the cops would know about and I needed that edge.

The sun wasn't even up when I pulled my rental in front of her house. It was a fairly nice home north of Salt Lake City located in a newer neighborhood. There were bikes on the front porch indicating she had kids around. As I stepped up to the door to knock I noticed someone moving around inside. A mid-age man opened the door and looked at me.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I was looking for Karen Jones. Is she home right now?"

"Who are you?" he demanded to know in a suspicious tone.

"My name is Tom McClain and I'm a private investigator out of Seattle, Washington. Trooper Brown was a very good friend of mine. I was wondering if I could talk to Ms. Jones for a few minutes."

"Look sir," Mr. Jones started out, "my wife is really upset about his death. She was the dispatcher and - well, you can imagine how she feels right now. Can you come back in a day or so?"

"Please," I said while grabbing the door with my hand before he could close it. "I don't have a lot of time. Kevin Brown - he meant a lot to me. He was one of the best friends I had. I came all this way to help find his killer and I need your wife's help."

The man looked at me as if I was a little crazy. Maybe I was, I had been up the entire night and wasn't thinking clearly.

"Mr. McClain - my wife isn't feeling well right now. I suggest you go down to the patrol office and talk to someone there." He tried to close the door but I stopped him again.

"Five minutes - Please."

"Leave or I call the cops," he threatened.

"It's okay, honey," someone said, "I'll talk to him." A middle age white woman with big, puffy eyes pushed open the door.

"So you're Tom," she said softly. "Kevin used to talk about you all the time."

"He was a good friend," I replied back. "I'm sorry to intrude on you like this, Mrs. Jones."

"Please, call me Karen," she said in a low tone while inviting me in.

I took a seat in a worn-out chair next to the couch she sat down in. Karen lit a cigarette and blew the smoke high into the air.

"I'm hope this doesn't offend you. It's a bad habit I picked up in High School that I haven't been able to break. But smoking calms me down at times like these." I noticed her husband was watching her carefully with deep concern.

"It's alright Karen, I use to be a smoker myself. Can you tell me what happened? The news reports don't say much."

The woman took a deep breath. "Kevin had been on patrol that entire evening. It had been a crazy day; you know how it is sometimes being an ex-cop. Some days you're looking for things to do and others you don't have time to use the bathroom. I was going to pick up some milk during my lunch break but never got the chance. At 9:55pm Kevin called me on his cell phone to ask if I needed anything before he came in. He was like that. He was a good - good -" Karen put her hand over her mouth to stop from crying. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Karen, take you time," I said. Her husband gave me a 'I hope you're happy' glare but remained silent.

"Anyway, I asked him to stop at my brother-in-law's convenience store to pick up a gallon of milk. Just as Kevin was getting out of his car the suspect ran out of the store and saw him. Kevin didn't even have a chance to go for his gun - the robber shot him point-blank and then ran off. It was - it was - oh God, why did I send him to that store?" I touched her hand to comfort her.

"You didn't know, and it's not your fault," I told her.

"Then why does it feel like it is?" she cried and almost falling completely apart. She took a deep breath and got control of herself again. I knew I didn't have much time.

"Can you tell me where they think the shooter has gone? Or what kind of car he was driving?"

"The information's right there," she said pushing over a crumbled piece of paper on the coffee table. "I must have stuck it in my purse by accident. It's the APB on the subject. His name is Randy Coe and the last thing I heard was that they think he was heading east but they really don't know. By now he could have gone anywhere. He could have gone north to Canada or south to Mexico. Or he could be held up at a friend's place half a mile from here. I don't know."

I patted her on the hand. "Thank you Karen. I'll show myself out."

The woman didn't say anything in return. She just sat there staring down at the ground. Her husband opened the door for me and shot me a glancing glare as I left. I guess I couldn't blame him, I would have done the same thing in his shoes.

I walked back to my car not really paying attention to everything around me. All I could think about was the way Kevin had died. What a waste! Tears welled up in my eyes but I pushed them away. I was going to show how much Kevin meant to me by catching the SOB, not crying about it. I was going to make sure this murderer was brought to justice. I got into my car without looking first - a big mistake.

"Hello Tom," a friendly voice said. I jumped and turned. It was Pete Atkins, the man I had met on the plane when I first came to Andersonville.

"Pete, what are you doing here?" I really didn't have to ask.

He chuckled softly and said, "I think you know. You have a lot of people trying to find you Tom."

"And are you one of them?" I asked directly.

"That depends. Dennis Butz sent me with a proposal."

"I've already heard his proposal. Why in the hell can't he leave me alone."

The big, muscular man got a puzzled look on his face. "Believe it or not, Tom, he cares about you. And you haven't heard his newest proposal so I suggest you listen to it before turning it down."

"Alright then. Get on with it," I snapped.

"You have two options here, Tom. First, you slid over and let me drive you back to Andersonville. Both Dennis and Judge Herns have promised you'll be forgiven and returned to the way you were before leaving. You'll face some restriction changes but nothing major or permanent. In six months the restrictions will be removed and no one will ever speak or hold this against you - EVER!"

"So all I have to do is go back and pretend I'm Linda Anderson again. How nice for me!" I said with lots of sarcasm.

"I thought you said that being Linda wasn't the reason why you left," Pete/Apollo stated dryly.

"It wasn't," I replied in an enraged tone. "But you know, Pete, I kind of like being a man again. I guess you wouldn't understand how it feels to be turned into a woman against your will, now would you."

"I guess not, Tom," he agreed politely.

"So what's the second option?" I asked in a snappish manner.

"We go after your friend's killer together."

"What?" I almost laughed. "Why would I want your help? You're one of them?"

"Them, Tom?" Pete/Apollo raised his eyebrows. "Who are 'them'?"

"I haven't figured that out yet - but I will. And what help could you be to me?"

"Do you know where Mr. Coe is?" he asked.

"Do you?" I sarcastically shot back.

"He's 103 miles from this location driving east on I-80 at 63mph. If we leave now we should be able to catch up to him by nightfall."

"How do you know this?" I demanded to know.

"I just know Tom. It's part of being one of 'them'," he said crisply.

"What's the catch?"

"There is none. I'll take you right to him. In fact, I'll make sure it's you who catches him and not anyone else. But I must warn you Tom - you may not like the end results of your actions."

"What does that mean?" I asked. It didn't sound too good although I couldn't figure out why. The man was offering me everything I wanted.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to find that out for yourself. And when you do - it'll be too late. So, do I drive - or you?"

"How do I get to the expressway from here?" I asked him. Pete sighed sadly and pointed me in the right direction.

******

"How far ahead of us is he," I asked Pete.

"73.3 miles. And I suggest you slow down - there's a cop on the other side of the hill."

I brought the car down from 80 to 65mph just as we crested the top. As Pete had told me, there was a cop car sitting in the median with his radar gun pointed right at us.

"When were you planning on telling me about him?" I glared.

"Oh, right about now," he responded humorously.

"This isn't some kind of game!" I snarled at him. "Next time give me better warning. The last thing I need is to be stopped for 20 minutes while some cop writes me out a ticket."

"I told you, Tom, you're going to be the one who catches Mr. Coe. I have people out there making sure his destination is clear of cops. All we have to do drive longer than he does."

"Where is he going?"

"I can't tell you, Tom."

"Can't or won't," I spatted out.

"Both actually. Even if I could tell you I wouldn't. It's one of those unpleasant surprises in life that you're going to have to deal with."

"What the hell are you talking about, Pete?" I said raising my voice. "You've been talking in circles ever since we left Salt Lake. Now if I'm heading into some kind of trouble ahead I want to know about."

"You've been in trouble ever since you left Andersonville," he replied calmly.

"That's what I mean," I yelled. What is it about me and Andersonville that everyone seems to find so God damn important?"

"It's not the town Tom - it's you and everyone else there. Andersonville serves a number of purposes and your leaving has disrupted its flow."

"Give me a break," I answered argumentatively. "I'm one person in a town of 35,000. Okay, most of the residents are temps but each day their numbers decrease while we, the real people, increase. You can't tell me there isn't anyone else in Andersonville who couldn't do my job as good, if not better, then I do it."

"It's not the job Tom, it's you." Apollo replied back in a neutral tone.

"What does that mean?" I demanded to know while taking the car back up to 80mph.

"It means you're serving a higher calling. It means you're letting a lot of other people down - people you don't even know about but who are depending on you just the same."

"You're not answering my question? Why am I so important to you?"

"It's not just you - it's everyone in Andersonville that is important. You're part of the circle and your leaving has broken that circle."

His answers sounded like a bunch of mumble-jumble and they were frustrating me. I decided to give up on this line of questioning and try something else.

"Okay. If you won't answer any of my questions about me, how about answering some about yourself?"

"What do you want to know, Tom?"

"Let's start with your real name? It's not Pete Atkins, is it?

"Of course it is," he answered. "I was given this name a long time ago."

"But that's not what your people know you as. Back at the air base, when my father-in-law was questioning Mr. White, Dennis called you by a different name. He called you Apollo. Why?"

Pete/Apollo smiled slightly. "A nickname given to me by my father. He thought I looked like a Greek God. Surely you don't believe I'm him."

"To be honest, Pete, I've seen so many crazy things since I arrived at Andersonville that I don't know what to believe anymore. I do know that the God Apollo was supposed to have been a God of truth and enlightenment. But except for a few parlor tricks up your sleeve, you don't seem to know much of anything."

"I do know one thing?" he replied calmly "Yea, and what's that?" I snapped back."

"I know that the state trooper behind you wants you to pull over."

"What?" I looked back just in time to see the officer turn on his lights. "Shit - why didn't you tell me he was back there?"

"It must have slipped my mind," Pete smiled.

I gave him a toxic glare and pulled my car off to the side of the road.

******

Getting a ticket had cost us 11 miles. That's how far Mr. Coe was able to drive while the state trooper wrote me up. I didn't say anything else to Pete after that except to ask how far away Kevin's murderer was. During that time I kept trying to figure out what my role in Andersonville was supposed to be. Why was my being there so important to other people who I didn't even know? It didn't make any sense.

As we drove late into the night Pete informed me the suspect had stopped driving. This surprised me a little as I figured the suspect would have felt safer driving at night then during the day. And the closer we got to Mr. Coe the more Pete seemed bothered by it.

Finally I asked, "why are you acting this way?"

"You wouldn't understand," he told me.

"I might, I'm a pretty intelligent guy. Something's bothering you, now what is it?"

"I don't know how this is going to end?" Pete stated sadly.

"Well I do! I'm going to find Mr. Coe, slap the cuffs on him, and take him back to Andersonville so he can stand trial in front of Judge Herns. Then I'm going to pray she doesn't throw the book at me. I know I'm in a lot of trouble but I owed Kevin that much."

"The ends do not justify the means, Tom," Pete said. "Two wrongs don't make a right."

"Cheap philosophy," I scoffed. "What about how it makes me feel?"

"How does it make you feel, Tom?" he asked deeply. "Do you feel good about what you've done so far? Do you feel vindicated? Because I don't think you do, Tom. I think deep down you know this quest of yours is wrong."

"Even if I did," and I knew he was right - I was starting to feel that I had made a big mistake by not returning to Andersonville with him, "it's too late to turn back now. I've made my choice; Judge Herns would never let me back into town without punishing me severely. If I'm going to be punished then I might as well go back with my prize."

"It's not as late as you think Tom," Pete said quietly. "There is still time to redeem yourself. If you head back right now Judge Herns will take that into consideration. You won't escape punishment but she will be lenient on you."

"How far ahead is he now," I asked coldly.

"11 miles."

"Then do me a favor, Pete. For the next 15 minutes don't say another word unless it's to tell me where Mr. Coe is."

"As you wish, Tom," he replied back in disappointment. We didn't speak again until I saw a town in the distance.

"Is this where he is?" Pete nodded his head slowly. I looked at clock and realized it was nearly 12:30 in the morning. No wonder I felt so tired, I had been up for over 32 hours without a break; kept going by caffeine pop and bad food. At least I didn't have to worry about traffic at this time of the night; I hadn't seen another car on this road for over an hour. We past by a sign that indicated we were entering into the town limits that caused me to do a double take and slam on the brakes. I backed the car up so the headlights lit up the sign clearly.

"What's the matter, Tom?" Apollo asked with a slight grin.

"You know what the matter is," I said pointing to the sign that was welcoming us into Peace River. "This is your father's town, isn't it?"

"Yes," Pete replied briskly.

"So I won't be taking Mr. Coe back to Andersonville with me, will I?"

"That depends," Pete answered, "on if you can catch him by yourself."

"Well I'm going to give it the old college try," I shot back. "Where is he?"

"Down one block on the right. He's at a place called 'Mickeys', you can't miss it."

"And he's really there?" I felt like I was being set up somehow.

"He is. However, there is one small stipulation I need to tell you about. You have to wait for backup before you can arrest him."

"You mean to tell me there isn't anyone watching him right now?" I was starting to get real pissed.

"We don't need to be there to know where he is Tom," Pete reminded me. "Remember, we're 'them'."

"So what happens when my backup arrives."

"You go in with them and arrest Mr. Coe. The other officers won't interfere with the process unless you call for help."

"Fat chance," I snorted. "I'm going to take him down so fast that he won't know what hit him."

"You'll need this," Pete said handing me a gun. It was my old revolver from my days on the police force.

"Where did you get this?" I wanted to know.

"Does it matter?" he asked. I suppose that it didn't. I placed the gun next to me and drove to the bar. As I got out I stuffed the gun partway down the front of my pants. Pete looked at me with sad eyes.

"I'll be back in five minutes with your backup. Please don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."

I watched as he drove off and started searching for Mr. Coe's car. I found it parked in the back where it was dark. I took a spot near the car where I could watch the entrance to the bar and the highway. I hadn't been there more than a minute when a man came out of the bar and started walking towards me. As he walked underneath an outside light I saw his face and a chill ran up my spine - it was Kevin's killer.

But instead of going to his car he started looking at another automobile close by. Then it hit me; he was planning to boost another car. Suddenly a terrible thought struck me. He had already killed one cop, what would a couple more mean to him. If the other officers showed up at the wrong time he would ambush them like he had Kevin. I wasn't about to let that happen.

I moved behind the vehicle next to the one he was working on to see what was happening. The young man was lying on his back underneath the steering wheel working on the ignition. I drew my gun and took a deep breath to calm down; then ran up to him and stuck my gun in his face.

"Freeze you piece of Crap!" I shouted angrily. The man looked startled and raised his hands so I could see them. Carefully I grabbed the gun out of his jacket - the same one he had used to murder my friend - and tossed it on the grass behind me. The man, who couldn't have been more then 22 years old, looked scared.

"Get up," I ordered. "Slowly or I'll shoot your fucking head off and I damn well mean it." He complied. "Now put your hands on the car and don't you move." I reached for my cuffs.

"It's not what you think Mister," he tried to explain. "My friend couldn't find his keys so I offered to hot-wire his car for him." The young man lifted one of his hands off the hood of the car."

"I said put your hands on the car and keep them there Mr. Coe," I informed him in a threatening manner. "I promise, this is your last warning! This isn't about trying to steal a car, it's about you 'murdering' a cop - a very, very good cop who happened to be a friend of mine." This time the man didn't argue, he knew I had him.

"Now very carefully, put your right hand behind your back," I ordered while not taking my eyes off him for a second I knew I should have waited until my backup arrived to slap the cuffs on him; it would have been the smart thing to do. But I couldn't wait; I wanted to arrest this guy so badly I could taste it. The young man moved his hand back slowly. I reached over to grab it when he made his move.

The young man jerked his hand away then came around with the other hand hoping to hit me in the face; but I was way ahead of him. If he could kill a cop in cold blood I knew he wouldn't think twice about doing the same thing to me. I managed to duck just in time then came back with a foot to his stomach. The man hit the car with his back and spun to the ground. I stuck the gun in my pants and moved towards him.

"Hey man, I've had enough - you win." He held up his hands but I slapped them away.

"Not this time," I hissed angrily. "You started this fight and now I'm going to finish it."

I grabbed his shirt and pulled him up slightly. I took a swing and was rewarded by the solid 'smack' and painful blow of my fist hitting his jaw. His face shot backwards and I released him, allowing him to fall back onto the pavement. Mr. Coe tried crawling away on his back but I followed after him. My anger was starting to build and hadn't reached its peak yet. I picked the punk up by one hand and pulled him onto his feet.

"This is for my friend you son of a bitch." I swung again, this time punching him in the nose. There was a sickening crack that caused blood to spurt out as it broke. He fell back to the ground in pain, both of his hands reaching up to cover his face.

"You're crazy man?" he screamed in pain.

It was true; I was crazy. I was insane with rage and only beating the crap of him would make me feel better. When I moved towards him again he tried tripping me with his feet but I was able to easily sidestep his attempt and returned with a kick of my own to his hip. He rolled over on his side screaming and crying in pain but I had no mercy for him. I got down on my knees and pulled the gun back out of my pants. I grabbed his shirt collar and made him turn to face me. Then I stuck my gun right between his eyes. There was a grim, determined look on my face.

"No - no please," he begged.

I didn't say a word. I could see the panic and fear in his eyes. I was actually enjoying the power I had over this chicken-fried piece of Crap! He begged some more but I blocked out what he was saying. Mr. Coe was no longer a human being anymore; he was some sick, dangerous animal that needed to be taken out before someone else got killed. I felt my finger starting to put pressure on the trigger.

Then everything seemed to slow down. It was strange, but the seconds became like hours. I realize that this event had become a focal point in my life - standing on the thin line between being a good cop and a ruthless murderer. If I pulled the trigger I would become just like Sergeant Williams - haunted by the memory that I'd taken someone's life only I wouldn't have self-defense to fall back on. No, I would become just like this piece of garbage I had been chasing for the past two days. I slowly released my finger off the trigger - then gave him a slight push to the ground and got off him. He started sobbing and curled up into a little ball in fear. I stepped back a few feet and stared at him, still in shock at what I had almost done.

"You lay there until the police come, you hear me?" The man quickly regained his composure and grunted something to me. It was dark between the two cars he was lying at and I couldn't see his body very well.

"I think you broke my foot," he cried while reaching down to grab it.

Suddenly there was a flash and I felt something hot enter into my chest. The gun blast caused my body to be thrown back against the trunk of a car that kept me from falling.

"Oh my God," I yelled while feeling my shirt get wet with my own blood. The strange thing is, it didn't hurt. My chest felt numb and I knew it was bad but it didn't hurt. I lifted my gun up to aim at Mr. Coe but he was already sitting up and had his sights on me. Out of no where someone tackled him just as I saw another gun flash. I felt something hot hit the side of my forehead, causing me to fall to the ground on my side. Through glazed eyes, I could see Officer Merrick putting the cuffs on the suspect.

Another cop, with cold black eyes, walked up and stood over me. He smiled slightly and said, "Mister, if it wasn't for us you'd be dead right now." I tried to say something but everything went black.

******

I woke up in a dark room with a light shinning in from one side. My head hurt and I reached up to touch were I had been shot. To my surprise, I didn't find a bandage there. Next I put my hand on my chest but I didn't feel any bandages there either. When I tried to sit up, I found myself getting dizzy.

"Take a few minutes," I heard someone say. I turned my head slowly and saw Officer Merrick standing there in the lighted portion of the room.

"Where am I?" I whispered. The officer sat down in a chair next to me.

"You're in a Peace River jail cell, Tom. Under the circumstances, we felt it would be better if you stayed here instead of at the hospital. Your little gunfight at the O.K. corral caused quite a disturbance in our town."

I looked closer and noticed I was in a jail cell but the door was wide open. Apparently I wasn't under arrest for anything.

"It wasn't my gunfight, it was the other guy who started shooting at me. I didn't even get a chance to return fire. Which if I recall -" I pulled up my shirt and check my chest but didn't see a wound, "he shot me twice; once in the chest and the other in the head. So why don't I have any wounds?"

"You were in bad shape, Tom. The Judge had to work on you for over an hour to heal your wounds.

"You mean Judge Herns?" I asked slowly while shaking my head to clear my senses.

"Judge Jasper!" he replied.

"Oh God - this is hell!" Officer Merrick gave me a funny look. "I don't really mean that, Mark, it's just that - well, I didn't think Judge Jasper liked me very much. In fact I would've sworn he hated my guts, yet he saved my life."

I tried to sit up straighter but I found myself getting dizzy. My head was throbbing from the migraine headache I had.

"Do you have any aspirin?" I asked.

Officer Merrick smiled slightly and said, "Let's see if I can help." He reached over and touched the top of my forehead. In a few seconds the headache was gone.

"How do you feel now?" he inquired.

"I feel great!" I grinned. "You should've been a doctor Mark - you're wasting your talents being a cop."

"I tried it once," he smiled. "But being a doctor isn't as exciting as running your own business or being a part-time police officer. By the way, just so you know, you've been asleep for over a day now. Your body needed time to recover from its injuries."

"It's Friday?" I asked. Officer Merrick nodded. "What happen to Mr. Coe?"

"He's on trial as we speak. I suggest you use the bathroom to freshen up some. I put a razor and some shaving cream out for you as well as a clean towel to wash yourself with. When you're ready, I'll take you into the Courtroom."

Officer Merrick led me to the bathroom/shower room that the police officers used. I looked at myself in the mirror and was surprised to see nearly three days worth of growth on my face. I rubbed my hands over my whiskers and smiled at the irony of it. Having whiskers was one of the things that made me a man yet I couldn't wait to shave them off every morning. Maybe if I didn't get changed back into a woman I would try growing a beard.

I pushed the thought out of my mind for now. I wanted to get cleaned up as quickly as I could so I could see Judge Jasper fry that little scumbag. I wondered what he did to cop killers?

Ten minutes later I re-appeared out of the bathroom looking and feeling better. I was hoping Judge Jasper was going to have me testified about the other night so I could bury the little worm.

Officer Merrick led me into the courtroom that was packed with people, some who pointed and whispered to others as I walked by. I took no notice to it. Ashley Gang was sitting in the corner taking notes of some kind. She gave me a sad, worried look as Officer Merrick sat me down next to an attractive, 30-year old woman who smiled and shook my hand.

"Mr. McClain," Judge Jasper said in a sonorous tone. "You're just in time for the sentencing part of Mr. Coe's trial."

I could see the young man looked scared and I found myself wishing I had been able to see at least part of the trial. I watched the Judge perform his magic as I had seen many times before. He closed his eyes, raised his hands, and a ball of light or energy, I could never be sure which one it was, started to rise out of his palms. Judge Jasper opened his eyes and the ball of light/energy moved forwarded at a quickened pace and struck the young man in the chest.

I watched with delight as the man began to shrink in size. Maybe Judge Jasper was going to turn him into a dog or rat - something to match what he really was. Then I grew angry as the man didn't change much at all, he simply got younger. When the transformation was complete there stood in front of us a confused, 13-year-old boy. I felt my anger rise, the Judge hadn't even seen fit to make him a small boy so he would be prey to the bullies in school. What kind of justice was this? Judge Jasper had turned me into a girl and I haven't done anything wrong but this person had murdered my best friend in cold blood.

"Officer Denois, will you please make sure this young man gets home safely."

The other officer I saw the night I was shot grabbed the boy's hand and pulled him out of the courtroom. I found myself wishing I had pulled the trigger that night instead of letting up.

"Mr. McClain," the Judge boomed out. "Will you please approach my bench." I did as he asked, giving him a murderous look. "You seem unhappy with my sentencing of Mr. Coe."

"He murdered my best friend in cold blood," I said with vial and hatred. "He tried to MURDER ME!"

"Yes, and now we get to you," he stated coldly. "Officer Merrick, please read off the charges."

"Tom McClain is charged with trespassing, breaking and entering, illegal use of drugs," I felt my anger grow even more, "conspiring to commit murder, two counts of murder - " It was too much for me to bear.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" I yelled. "I never killed ANYONE!" The Judge slammed his gavel down so hard that the thud rang in my ears.

"You will be quiet Mr. McClain until the charges have been read," Judge Jasper said firmly. He nodded at Officer Merrick to continue.

"Kidnapping and taking the victim across state lines," Officer Merrick started back up in a monotone voice. I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Now wait a minute!" I interrupted again. The Judge pounded his gavel on the bench a second time.

"I warned you Mr. McClain." He held out his hand and I suddenly found myself unable to speak. "Continue Officer Merrick."

"Assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful arrest, carrying a gun without a permit - " The charges began piling up. I counted over thirty separate charges by the time Officer Merrick was through. Judge Jasper sat there staring at me with an unmerciful frown.

"Your Honor!" someone called out. I turned to see the woman who I had been seated next to me rise and walk over to where I was standing.

"Yes Ms. Hall!" Judge Jasper said.

"Your Honor, these charges are very serious. I would like some time to talk to my client before you begin."

'Client?' I thought. 'She was my lawyer?'

"Two minutes - in there," Judge Jasper stated sternly as he pointed to a small room off to the side. I followed Mrs. Hall into the room and she closed the door. Suddenly I found myself able to speak again.

"What the hell is going on here?" I demanded to know.

"I thought that would've been obvious to you by now," Ms. Hall stated. "You've been charged with a number of crimes and this is your trial."

"But the charges are all trumped up," I yelled. "He's trying to railroad me."

"He's not trying Mr. McClain, he's already done so," my lawyer explained.

"So that's it then? I've lost before this circus act he calls a trial has even started?" I was fuming mad.

"Mr. McClain, we don't have a lot of time here so let me talk. I know about your case and what he's accusing you of. Even if the reasons for doing these things were valid it doesn't change the fact that you're guilty of the crime. He has you."

"So what am I suppose to do? I asked angrily.

"Plead guilty and throw yourself on his mercy."

I cursed loudly. "This man has no MERCY! I'll plead my case. I'll go over each charge one by one to prove why I'm not guilty of them.

"That won't work Mr. McClain," my lawyer said. "This trial is about you and no one else. If you start bringing up crimes that other people committed to justify your own actions the Judge will stop you. Trust me, he won't let you go there. I should know, I've had almost eight years dealing with him."

"There has to be a way?" I told her.

"Tom," she said using my first name to get my attention. "Did you see that crowd out there when you came in? Do you know I've never seen a crowd anywhere near this size at one of my other trials! Do you have any idea who they are?"

"His clan," I ventured a guess.

"That's correct. This trial isn't about you being right or wrong for what you did; it's about showing everyone who's in charge."

"For what I did to his son, Gerald?"

"Yes. You don't know what kind of impact that had around here. Many of his people supported your actions and still do. And to be honest, I think even Judge Jasper found it an appropriate punishment for Gerald. But the bottom line is, the Judge has egg on his face and he's going to use you to wipe it off."

"So why give him what he wants? Why should I plead guilty to any of this?" I asked sarcastically.

"Because then he can be merciful without looking weak! You play ball and he'll take that into consideration. You go up against him and he'll hang you out to dry!"

"Did he tell you to tell me this?" I asked in an accusing tone.

"No!" she replied back equally unpleasant. "This comes from my experience of working with him. I know how he works and I know how this will end if you don't follow my advice. It's time you think about saving your own skin, mister!"

Officer Merrick tapped on the glass and motioned that our two minutes were up. I stood up to go back into the courtroom when she grabbed my arm and gave me one of the sternest stares I had ever seen anyone give me.

"I'm serious Tom, don't cross him. If you do he'll burn you alive at the stake!" She opened up the door and I followed her back to our seats.

"So Ms. Hall," Judge Jasper began, "you've had time to talk with your client. How does he plead?"

I was mad. Kevin's killer had gotten off with a slap on the wrist and I was about to have the book thrown at me for saving my friend, Al Parker, from Gerald's clutches. There wasn't any justice in this place. I decided if I was going down it was better to go down fighting.

"Not GUILTY!" I said loudly before my lawyer had a chance to answer. Ms. Hall turned and gave me an ugly glare. I looked over at Officer Merrick to gauge his response and noticed he looked worried. Then I looked up at Judge Jasper who had a thin smile on his lips. Suddenly I realized that maybe I should have taken my attorney's advice.

"Then let's begin Mr. McClain," the Judge said. "Tell us, do you consider yourself a good cop or a bad cop?" The question threw me.

"A good cop," I answered slowly. "But I retired years ago."

"Isn't it true you're still listed as a cop on the Seattle force but not on active duty? And isn't it also true that you still hold a detective status at your old job and occasionally have been asked to come in and help out on an investigation?"

"Yes, on rare occasions," I told him, confused at what he was getting at. "The truth is, I still consider myself a part of the law enforcement agency."

"So then, in your own mind you still consider yourself a police officer who is sworn to serve and protect the rights of others, and willing to give up your life in the process."

"Yes." I answered again. I could sense the trap but couldn't see it.

"So as a good cop, explain to us how you could watch someone be murdered in front of you without raising a finger to stop it?"

"What are you taking about?" Suddenly it became very clear what the son of a bitch was trying to do.

"I'm talking about Susan Bennett," he lashed out. "You knew of her children's intent to murder her and yet you did nothing to stop it. In fact you did more than just watch, you provided them with the serum to do the job."

"Mrs. Bennett had imprisoned her son in his sister's body and was running his life," I answered back. "He, both Keith's, decided she should die for what she did."

"Since when do they have the right to decide who should die," Judge Jasper shot back. "Also, both Keith's were under the age of 18. Children making an adult decision to murder someone based on a spur of the moment desire to get revenge. And you provided them with the loaded gun, the good cop."

"It wasn't like that at all!" I responded.

"Wasn't it," he snared. "What part isn't correct? Them making a rash decision on a few minutes of thought or you providing the drug that ended Ms. Bennett's life? Maybe you didn't actually pull the trigger but you were holding the gun just the same."

"But the reason -"

"The reason is 'UNIMPORTANT'," he shouted. You provided the means and then watched someone get murdered right in front of you; only you think that since you didn't actually say the keyword to end her life that you're clean of this crime. Well Mr. McClain, I'm here to tell you that you're WRONG!"

I swallowed hard; Judge Jasper had a point. I thought I hadn't been a part in her murder in any way but I was wrong. What would've happened if both Cynthia and Keith had had more time to think about it? Maybe Ms. Bennett would still be alive today.

"And let's not forget Dr. Sarah Jensen!" the Judge added. "While I make no excuses for what she - or my son for that matter," he looked out into the crowd at someone, "did to your friend, I still find you responsible for her death. As in Ms. Bennett's case, you did the same thing. You thought up the idea to have her killed and then let someone else carry it out. Tell me Mr. McClain, did you really expect Al Parker to act in any other way? He was emotionally distressed and in shock after months of abuse by her, and my son's, actions. Then you come along and free Mr. Parker while at the same time providing him with a way to strike back. Maybe you didn't command Dr. Jensen to crash her car that night but you were there, watching her drive off and knowing what was going to happen. Do you still feel 'clean' Mr. McClain? Do you still feel like a good cop?"

"What could I have done?" I asked the Judge but not as cocky as I had been a few minutes ago. "She had to be stopped before more people were modified."

"That's what the courts are for," Judge Jasper answered in authoritarian tone. "We're here so people won't take matters into their own hands. With Dr. Jensen under your control you could have made her tell the truth to dozens of news reporters. The threat would have been exposed. But instead you choose murder, only you never got your hands dirty, or so you fooled yourself to believe. Do you disagree?"

I didn't answer him, what could I say? Judge Jasper was right, I had taken matters into my own hands and it had resulted in the deaths of two people. I began to see myself in a whole different light, but the Judge wasn't done with me yet.

"There are many other crimes I could go into, but I see no reason to discuss them all. However, let's talk about the kidnapping charges."

"He had it coming," I argued, trying to beat him to the punch. "Just because Gerald's your son doesn't mean you should take it out on me for what I did to him."

"Are you suggesting Mr. McClain," Judge Jasper said while giving me an evil stare, "that I'm bringing you up on this charge because he's my son and I'm seeking revenge?" The Judge gave me a baiting stare; one that I bit down hard on and then realized was a trap.

"Yes, Your Honor! Your thirst for revenge against me is fairly obvious. It's one of the reasons you dislike me and made my life 'hell' when you were serving as the Judge in Andersonville."

"As for disliking you," he stated, "I'll get to that in a moment. As for the kidnapping charges, I'm charging you with this crime because it's a valid charge. Not only did you transform my son, which is where the illegal use of drugs comes in, but you also took him with you against his will. That's kidnapping, Mr. McClain, and don't try to justify it somehow. I will give you points for being a good parent. You treated Gerald as if he were your own daughter and worked hard to bring him up right. But that doesn't excuse what you did. It turns out this was your idea as well."

"And what he did to Al doesn't matter?" I asked bitterly. "At the time I thought Al would always be Jennifer Anderson. So I gave your son a taste of his own medicine."

"So you're suggesting two wrongs make a right then?" he asked with piercing eyes. I tried to think of something to counter his argument but he was right - that was what I was suggesting.

"We have laws, Mr. McClain," he said then narrowed his eyes right at me. "As for disliking you, that's the first correct thing you've said in this courtroom today. I don't like you and not because of what you did to my son. It's that arrogant attitude of yours I despise. The attitude that because other people committed the crime you're somehow not responsible for what happened. Which brings me back to my original question about you being a good cop or a bad cop, Mr. McClain. In my opinion, you're one of the 'WORST' police officers I've ever met. Your swore an oath to serve and protect the people - and that meant everyone including Dr. Jensen, Susan Bennett, and my son. Our laws are not for the ones you feel are worthy of them. You expect others to play by the rules while you do whatever is convenient to fit your needs; and then cry 'foul' when someone steps over the line. A good cop, Mr. McClain? Your friend, Officer Kevin Brown, was a good cop because he learned from his mistakes. But you, you keep making the same mistakes over and over again."

Judge Jasper stopped for a moment to let me speak but I couldn't even look up at him anymore. Everything he had said was true. How many laws had I broken to get what I wanted?

"You have a lot of growing up to do Mr. McClain," he continued in a calm voice. "I hope you don't mind wearing pampers - because you're going to be in them for a long time. Maybe after a few long years with new parents you'll see that getting what you want doesn't come without a price!"

I saw him start to raise his hands while he kept a stern stare on me. Strangely I didn't panic. I felt like such a horrible person inside, and was relieved to know that it was over, that justice would prevail over me.

"Your Honor!" my lawyer interjected. "Before you proceed with your sentencing there is something you should read."

"What is it, Ms. Hall," Judge Jasper replied annoyed that he had been interrupted.

"It's a fax I received from Judge Herns," she stated, holding up a brown envelope. "She called me this morning to say she was sending me this letter to give to you. Her Honor instructed me to seal it in an envelope without reading the contents and deliver it to you just before sentencing. Officer Merrick, if you would be so kind." The officer took the envelope out of Ms. Hall's hand and handed it to the bench. The Judge opened it up and read the fax carefully.

"Humph." He laid the paper down in front of him and looked at my attorney. "Did Judge Herns have anything else to say, Ms. Hall?"

"Only one other thing," she replied uncomfortably. "That if you don't accept her offer she'll come to Peace River and camp outside your office door until you do."

From my vantage point it looked as if Judge Jasper actually cringed a little. He sat back in his chair and thought about it for almost a full minute before turning his attention back on me.

"It would appear, Mr. McClain," he started out in a slow, tranquil pitch, "that Judge Herns wants you back so she can have a crack at you. I can almost assure you that she will not be as lenient as I was going to be, and I'm half-tempted to keep you here anyway for your own protection. However, she's made a strong case for your return and I am going to honor it."

Then he turned up the heat and continued, "However, you'll be turned over to her my way. Officer Merrick will drive you to Andersonville in the back of his police car. You'll be returned to her as a criminal - which you most certainly are as we have found out today. This case is dismissed." He pounded his gavel and headed back into his chambers with the fax in his hand.

"Good luck, Tom," my attorney said to me with a troubled demeanor.

"What - it's - it's over?" I responded somewhat shaky.

Officer Merrick came over and took hold of my arm. "We need to go now, Tom," he said.

Before I had a chance to say anything I was being led out of the courtroom in a daze. I felt as if every eye was on me but I didn't bother looking, opting to keep my stare at the ground. I felt like a whipped puppy that was going home with its tail between its legs. Officer Merrick led me over to his squad car.

"You're not so tough now, are you, Mr. McClain?" someone heckled me. It was Tracy standing nearby giving me a poisonous gaze. She hadn't changed a bit since the last time I saw her.

"You thought you were better than me but as it turns out you're worse than I could ever be," she continued to harass.

"Keep quiet Tracy," Officer Merrick said sternly as he opened up the back door to his police cruiser."

"I won't," she sassed him. "And you can't make me!"

"Perhaps I should talk to your mother about you being disrespectful to a law officer," Merrick answered with an evil grin. "And we both know what that means - a spanking."

"You wouldn't dare," she replied with a look of contempt.

"I've already done it once," he said humorously.

"That was you?" she hissed. "I'll get you for that."

"I don't think so," Officer Merrick shot back with just a touch of anger. "Now get going before I do something you don't want me to do. Besides, I think one of your 'dolls' is calling for you." He flashed her an insulting smile.

"This isn't over, McClain," she threatened before running away.

"Kids these days," Officer Merrick said with a smirk. I actually smiled slightly as he sat me in the back seat of the police car and closed the door.

As we headed out of Peace River I was feeling so low that I didn't even bother looking out the window to see what the town looked like. The Judge's words had ripped through my self-esteem and exposed me for what I was. Ten minutes later we were driving down a two-lane road with trees on both sides. Officer Merrick turned and looked back at me.

"I want you to close your eyes until I tell you to open them back up," he ordered me politely." I obeyed, not wanting to cause any more troubles for myself. I felt the car come to a stop.

"Okay, you can open them back up now." I did and found that we were parked in front of a motel in the middle of a crowded town. There were lots of cars and people going by us. Officer Merrick got out of the car and walked around to the other side to let me out.

"How did we get here?" I asked in bewilderment. Then I realized that I didn't know where here was.

"Come with me," was all he said while unlocking a door and motioning me inside. "I want you to take a shower but don't put your old clothes back on." I noticed he seemed very business like about this.

I simply nodded and went into the bathroom to turn on the shower. I let the hot water hit my body and tried to relax about what was ahead. Somehow I knew Judge Jasper was right - that the worst was yet to come. Yet I couldn't understand why Officer Merrick had brought me to a motel room so I could take a shower. I finished wrapping a towel around me and went back into the main room. He pointed to some underwear on the bed - men's underwear. I was somewhat thankful for that.

"Put them on," he stated firmly.

I slid my legs into the cotton briefs wondering if they were going to suddenly change into a pair of panties. But that didn't seem to be Officer Merrick's game plan. He pulled out a uniform from a dry cleaners bag and handed it to me.

"This too," he said. I looked at it carefully; it was a policeman's uniform with a 'Andersonville' patch on the sleeve.

"I don't get it?" I said confused.

"There's a funeral we have to go to," he answered grimly.

******

When we arrived at the cemetery there were over two hundred police cars parked along the road from different parts of the country, including one from a town in New Jersey. I swore to myself that I would never repeat a bad joke about the people in that state again. I saw Kevin's wife and son, as well as his surviving mother, sitting by the casket. The two women had swollen-eyes as if they had been crying all night while the boy sat there with a dazed look on his face. It was as if he couldn't believe his father was really lying there in the wooden box in front of him. I was having a hard time believing it myself.

We took a spot near some other officers, many of them with tears in their eyes, as the priest performed the last rites on Trooper Kevin Brown. Near the end we saluted our fallen comrade while the honor guards lifted their rifles and fired off a 21-gun salute. Behind me someone played taps.

Tears fell freely from my eyes and I wasn't ashamed about it. I had been to other cops' funerals before but none of them had been a personal friend like Kevin. I thought about our days together at the Academy and later when we were on the Seattle Police Force together. All those good times, never once did I think Kevin would be killed in the line of duty! It was a reality shock of how suddenly your life could end.

"Can I say 'hello' to his wife?" I asked Officer Merrick politely after the funeral was over.

"I'm in no hurry to get to where we need to go," he reply quietly. "I'll go with you."

When Maggie Brown saw me she stood up and gave me a hug and a slight kiss on the cheek.

"Tom, thank you for coming," she said weakly.

"Kevin was my best friend, Maggie, how could I not come? I'm so sorry for you. Is there anything I can do?"

"Thank you, Tom, but I'm doing okay." She looked at my uniform. "Kevin didn't tell me you worked on the Andersonville Police Force."

"It was supposed to be a surprise," I said sadly. "This is Officer Merrick, he's a police officer from Peace River."

"Officer Merrick, thank you for coming."

"I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances," he replied truthfully.

"Maggie, are you still coming to Andersonville?" I asked.

"There doesn't seem to be much point in that now Tom. I've decided to go back to Atlanta to live with my parents for a while."

I nodded knowing it was most likely the best thing she could do. Andersonville didn't really have anything to offer her now. I looked over at her son who was standing there all alone staring at his father's coffin with a sad, painful look on his face.

"How's Kevin Jr. handling it?"

"He's tough," she replied with tears in her eyes.

"Just like his old man," I told her somberly. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"I think it would help," she sniffed. "He hasn't cried since I told him the news. He needs to grieve."

"I'll see what I can do."

I walked over to where the six years old was standing. While I knew he was trying to be brave I could see how much he was hurting inside. His father and him had been very close - like best friends.

"Hello buddy," I said softly.

"Uncle Tom." He ran up and hugged me tightly, as if he was grasping onto a life jacket.

"How are you doing, son?" I asked looking straight into his teary eyes.

"My father - he's - he's really dead?"

"Yea son," I nodded sadly while trying to think of something to say. "But he lives inside you if you keep your heart open to him."

The boy nodded slowly but not fully understanding.

"It's okay to cry if you want Kevin, it doesn't mean you're weak. It only proves how much you really love your father."

The sorrow was too much for the boy to bear. He buried his face into my chest and started sobbing uncontrollably. I hugged him tightly as if he were my own son, and shed a few tears myself.

******

After the funeral Officer Merrick drove me back to the motel to change into some street clothes. To avoid embarrassing me, he had allowed me to ride in the passenger side of the cop car until we got there. But once I changed out of the uniform he made me sit in the back as Judge Jasper had ordered. I sat there silently thinking about the events over the past few days and knowing it wasn't over yet. Where would I be 24 hours from now? Then a funny thought struck me.

"Mark, whose idea was this to allow me to attend Kevin's funeral?"

"It was mine," he replied.

"Won't you get in trouble for this?" It seemed like he had gone against Judge Jasper's orders.

"Maybe - I'm not really sure. I felt you needed closure on this quest of yours." He stopped for a moment then continued. "Just so you know Tom, I thought your actions two years ago were honorable even it they weren't right. Given the circumstances with Gerald, most people would've treated him real badly. But you treated him with dignity, the same way you would've wanted to be treated. It's a shame Gerald doesn't learn. However, I do think my father brought up some valid points at your trial."

"So do I," I sadly agreed. "I'm such a fool!"

"A fool is someone who doesn't learn from his past mistakes, Tom," he said in a somewhat stern tone, "so I think the jury is still out on you."

"Thank you Mark," I answered appreciative. "I'm going to try make better decisions in my life from now on."

"Good - because I really don't want to have to track you down again. It took me almost an hour to find you. I do have a reputation to uphold you know." He turned and flashed me a quick smile. "You look tired Tom. Why don't you lay back and get some sleep. Your body is still recovering from the stress it's been under since the shooting."

I realized that he was right, I did feel tired - no exhausted. I closed my eyes thinking I would only rest for a few minutes. When Officer Merrick woke me back up it was pitch black outside.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily.

"Almost midnight, I told you that you were tired. We're just getting ready to enter Andersonville, I thought you'd want to be awake when we did."

I thanked him as we crested the hill and saw the lights of the town below. Most of the people were asleep at this hour but there were still a few cars on the road. I wondered what kind of reception would be waiting for me when I got to the courthouse. Most likely there would be Judge Herns with half-a-dozen police officers to help haul me off to jail. But when Officer Merrick pulled up in front of the Courthouse there was a single, black Lincoln Continental parked in front. Dennis Butz stepped out of it as we pulled up. He gave me a sad, disappointed look.

"Thank you for driving him back, Officer Merrick." Dennis said politely.

"I'm glad to be of service, Mr. Butz," he replied back cordially. "Good luck, Tom," he said holding the back door open for me.

"Get in my car, Tom," Dennis said with almost no emotion. I took a few steps then stopped and turned.

"Officer Merrick, thank you for everything you did and said to me today." He smiled slightly.

"I almost forgot," the cop replied while grabbing something from the front seat. "I thought you would like this."

I almost started crying. It was a picture of Kevin, the same one that had been on the TV.

"Officer Merrick, thank you."

"Let's go, Tom," Dennis said in a neutral tone.

I followed Dennis Butz back to the car and got in. He was silent and I decided it was best if I didn't ask him anything until he was ready to talk. We pulled up in front of an apartment building and he led me inside. Dennis unlocked one of the doors and ushered me in. It was my old apartment, the same one I had before I met Jennifer. The old ragged couch that pulled out into a bed and the old coffee table that was badly scratched up. The lamps that didn't match each other and a few old paintings that hung on the wall. It was just as I remembered it two years ago.

"There's food and beer in the refrigerator," Dennis told me. "Your meeting with Judge Herns is at 9am, I suggest you get there early." He turned to leave.

"Dennis, stop. Can't we talk a bit?"

He gave me a blank stare. "There's nothing to talk about, Tom. I made you an offer and you refused to take it. Now you have to face the Judge."

"I'm not talking about that, Dennis," I said slowly. "I said some things to you over the phone that were pretty nasty."

"We both did," he replied in a neutral tone as he opened up the door.

"Dennis - wait!" He stopped and looked back at me again. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you these past few days. I was wrong to go after him."

Dennis closed the door and focused all his attention on me for the first time tonight.

"Believe it or not. Tom," he said softly with gratitude, "that means a lot to me. Maybe you learned something from this after all. Good luck with the Judge tomorrow."

He gave me a slight nod, then opened up the door and left. I sat there in my cold, silent apartment. I should've been happy being me again, but I was miserable. I missed Sox and Norma, my adopted parents. No, I realized that wasn't right, they had become my real parents. I had been given a great gift and had thrown it all away in a fit of anger. And there was my brother Steve, who I missed, as well as Jennifer even though she was still just a temp.

All those great times I had never experienced while growing up at the orphanage. The Sunday dinners I helped my mom prepare. The times around the dinning room table where we joked, laughed, and communicated as a family. Everything was perfect except for one thing; I had to live my life as a woman. If there was some reason why I had to be Linda Anderson then I could almost accept that fact but there wasn't. I couldn't see any reason why the Andersons couldn't have two fine sons and one daughter instead of it being the other way around.

I pulled out my bed and tried to get some sleep. I noticed how hard and uncomfortable the sofa bed was compared to my warm bed at home. It was crazy, but I was missing my old life as Linda Anderson. Of course my life as Linda was over now, I was certain of that. I wondered what kind of punishment the Judge had in store for me tomorrow.

******

I walked into my old office Saturday morning and was somewhat relieved to see it looking the same. It seems Judge Herns hadn't replaced me yet. The Judge was sitting at her desk looking at a file. I knocked on the door softly.

"Come in, Tom," she said in a business-like fashion without looking up.

I did so and timidly took a seat in front of her. She continued with her paperwork for a minute before removing her glasses and glancing up at me.

"I have something for you." She pushed forward an envelope from the file she was holding. I picked it up and opened it up. There was a check written to Tom McClain for $37,000 dollars.

"Your Honor?" I questioned.

"It's your net worth before coming here. Since Cynthia Bennett has now been exposed as an imposter, she couldn't have signed the Jensen house over to you. It's a legal nightmare I'm sure. Your double has decided to give back what he received from the sale of the house without a fight. With your personal effects and money you earned from investing, it comes up close to that amount. I rounded it up to keep things simple.

"I don't understand?" I said really confused. "What are you going to do to punishment me?"

"I'm not punishing you," she said while looking back down at her paperwork. "I'm granting your request, desire, whatever you want to call it, to return to being Tom McClain. There's a box underneath your desk; I'm giving you 15 minutes to pack your things and leave."

I sat there stunned, this didn't seem right.

"No punishment?" I asked just to be sure.

"I didn't say that," she spoke without taking her eyes off what she was doing. "I've found that humans have a way of punishing themselves for things they do in life. I'm sure you won't be any different from the others. Go now, I have work to do."

I got up slowly, wanting to say something and not knowing what. I was expecting, maybe even hoping she would lash out at me and we could clear the air. Instead she had given me what I had been bellyaching for all these months - to be a man again. So why did it feel like I was walking away from paradise?

"What about the Andersons?" I wanted to know.

"They don't know you Tom. You will not try to contact them since you've disrupted their lives enough this week. The clock is ticking, I suggest you get to work on cleaning out your things." She didn't even give me the courtesy of a stare when talking to me.

"June, please! Don't be mad at me," I pleaded.

She laid down her pen and looked up at me painfully. "I'm not mad at you, Tom, I'm disappointed. I still care about you - and I wish you the best. But I can't seem to provide what's best for you here. So in a few months - after this Cynthia and Keith Bennett thing dies down - you'll be free to leave Andersonville for whatever life you think will make you happy. It's apparent you're not happy here as Linda."

"Why June?" I questioned sadly. "Why can't I be a part of the Andersons family as another son? Why did I have to become a girl?

"Do you really want to know, Tom?" she asked crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat.

"Yes, I do," I pleaded. "Pete Atkins said my leaving disrupted the flow around here. I want to know what he meant. I want to know why my being here as Linda Anderson was so damn important to everyone?"

"Very well then, I'll show you. Officer Merrick," she called out. The cop appeared at the door.

"Please get her for me." He nodded without saying a word as if this had been pre-arranged. "Sit down Tom, this will only take a moment."

I did as she asked and a minute later Officer Merrick came back and said, "She's here Your Honor."

"Let her come in," the Judge said sadly. A young woman entered into the room with a sad expression on her face. It was Linda Anderson.

"Is this him," she asked. I found myself getting angry.

"Yes Linda," Judge Herns said, "this was your replacement."

"What is this?" I almost shouted. "Is she a temp?"

"Does she look like a temp," the Judge said in a sad but stern voice. I realize that she didn't. The young lady - Miss Linda Anderson - was transparent enough that I could see right through her. Yet I could make out who she was, and she looked just the way I used to look.

"Why Tom," she asked in a sad tone. "Didn't you like my parents?"

"She doesn't have much time here Tom," Judge Herns told me. "I suggest you talk to her first and then I'll answer your questions later."

"Are you really Linda Anderson?" I asked a little skeptical. The ghost nodded her head.

"Can you please answer my question, Tom?" She seemed concern about what my answer would be.

"I love them very much Linda! You don't know how much of a blessing they've been in my life." She smiled but only slightly.

"Then why did you leave them?" she asked in a confused tone.

"I - I made a mistake - a big one. But I never wanted to hurt them - or you."

"I believe you, Tom," she said softly. "My parents are wonderful people and I love them so much. What you're being asked to do isn't easy but the rewards that my parents and I - and even yourself will get from all this is worth the struggle. Please believe me, I'm speaking the truth."

I felt tears forming in my eyes. "I believe you." She gave me a warm smile - for a ghost anyway.

"I'm getting cold, Your Honor," she told the judge with a slight frown.

"Officer Merrick will take you back now, my child." Mark stepped over next to her and smiled slightly.

"Linda," I asked before she left. "Are you happy?" For some reason it seemed like an odd question to ask but I had to know.

"Yes, Tom, I'm very happy in the afterlife - but I feel incomplete. I was hoping you would fix that for me. If you see my parents again, please show them how much you love them. They're worth it." She smiled and went out the door holding onto Officer Merrick's hand. I sat there shaking.

"Now do you understand why we couldn't give the Andersons two sons?" June Herns questioned.

"Because somehow her soul was attached to mine - as Al's is attached to Steve Anderson?"

"Correct," she replied in cold and businesslike tone. "Keeping you a male wouldn't have helped her feel complete - or the 351 other souls that were attached to you. And while I did block out certain memories that the Andersons had, I couldn't block out the fact that they had two daughters and one son. They're not temps who can be programmed like the other parents here. And since Al Parker had already been promised to be turned back into a male, you had to become either Linda or Jennifer Anderson. Since you were less compatible with Jennifer's life, Linda Anderson was the only option left to keep the four of you together."

I nodded and asked, "what did the real Linda Anderson mean by feeling incomplete?"

"Just what she meant, Tom. Linda is happy in heaven. The afterlife is wonderful because there isn't any bitterness or anger in the soul - only the love remains. But in some cases, the soul doesn't feel complete when it gets there. We call them 'lost souls'."

"So all these people here in Andersonville, they're reflections of people who have died?"

"Yes. Every citizen in Andersonville - real and temps - died before their time. Some in accidents, some because of disease, and some from the hands of others. They all have their stories. Most however go on without any problems while others, like the Anderson children, do not."

"But if heaven is so wonderful, how can they feel incomplete?"

"Look at your own life, Tom," Judge Herns explained. "In your case it was the lack of parents that makes you feel that way. In the back of your mind you know that you missed out on something that other kids had. Linda feels the same way. Before Mr. White got his hands on Linda she was a virgin. She had never felt the warm embrace of two bodies becoming one. She would never feel the happiness of walking down the isle as a bride or the joy of seeing her baby crying in her arms right after being born. She would never feel the things a young woman feels that makes life wonderful."

"So she feels everything I do?"

"No," Judge Herns stated. "All the bad emotions are blocked out, only the positive ones reach her. And from your computer report that's only about 43% of the time. I can't justify returning you back into her body."

"Why not just bring them all back?" I asked. "If they're cold just raise their body temperature."

"It's not the lack of body heat that makes them cold," Judge Herns explained. "It's the attitude of the world that makes them feel this way; and it gets colder every year. Once you reach the warm light of God you never want to leave it."

"You're - you're an angel?" I gasped.

"What I am is none of your business, Tom! I gave you your answer now go finish packing." Judge Herns gave me a look that showed she meant business.

I got up and walked out to my desk. There wasn't really much stuff that belonged to me - a Seattle Seahawks cup and a few other odds and ends. The rest belonged to the next person who would become Linda Anderson. I picked up the box and walked out into the hallway. Inside I felt miserable - not only for myself but also for Dennis Butz, Judge Herns, the real Linda Anderson, and the other 351 lost souls I hadn't met. I had let them all down.

I stopped walking and thought, 'What the hell was I doing?' I couldn't leave; I didn't want to leave. I wasn't going to be happy knowing what I had done. I turned and went back to see the Judge. She was still sitting at her desk doing some paper work. I went in and stood in front of her desk.

"Judge," I said stiffly. "Please turn me back into Linda Anderson."

"No," Judge Herns replied sternly, not even looking up when she said it. "Now leave me alone."

I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I never thought she would turn down my request.

"I sorry," I begged! "I really am, June. Read my mind - read my heart. I'm really, really sorry about what I did."

"As I said before," she pointed out sternly while continuing to stare at her work, "your numbers don't justify it. Turning you back into Linda doesn't fix the problem."

"I'll try harder," I pleaded. "Give me another chance!"

She looked up at me with an angry stare and asked, "do you know what your brother's rate is? Almost 89% and that's including losing Sally Johnston for a second time in his life. And don't tell me it's because he's a male - Al Parker has his own problems to deal with being Steve Anderson. Becoming Linda isn't your problem, MISTER! You want everything Linda Anderson has while remaining Tom McClain. Well it doesn't work that way in this town, Tom; you can't have it BOTH ways! You either get the dream life you desire or the reality that you find is lacking but you don't get BOTH!" Judge Herns started picking up steam as she continued.

"You thought being Linda Anderson was some sort a punishment. As it turns out it was one of the greatest gifts you'd ever received. Dennis Butz could have separated you from the others when you got here but instead he insisted all of you stayed together. He wanted you to have your dream, Tom! To have the Andersons as your real parents and Al as your real brother. He did this knowing your capability rate with Linda wasn't very high but he didn't want to separate you from the others. It cost him plenty with Judge Jasper to insure that this was done but he did it willingly for YOUR BENEFIT, TOM! All this time you thought Dennis Butz had you turned into Linda Anderson because he wanted you to be sad and miserable? But now you know the truth, and it's not as cynical as you imagined." I stood in silence hoping it was over but she had more to say to me.

"I treated you as one of my own children, Tom." There was a painful look on her face when she said the words. "Do you know how much it hurts me inside to be treated this way? I refused to let you leave and search for your friend's killer for your own good - not because I'm cruel or wanted to upset you more; and not because I wanted to deny you your right to be free. I knew this little hunt would consume you in the end and I couldn't bear watching that happen."

"I didn't know, June," I sniffed quietly. "Why couldn't you have told me all this in the beginning when I first arrived?"

Judge Herns got up from her seat and stood in front of me. "Knowledge, without the maturity to use it wisely - is very dangerous," she said forcefully. "You weren't ready to know then - nor are you really ready to know now. But I thought you should know the 'real truth', Tom. I thought you should know that we did what we did out of love, not because we're uncaring or don't understand! We understand all too well.

"Tom," she said in a slightly less angry tone. "You're a misguided individual with great promise. I was hopping you would come around and accept this new life we gave you; but I can see we were wrong. And you don't know how much I wish I wasn't wrong."

"Please," I pleaded while fighting back the tears that were starting to well up in my eyes. "I was an idiot. I'll do anything to be changed back into Linda Anderson! I WANT TO BE HER AGAIN!"

"You say that now, Tom," she said with a stern look, "but in a week or two it'll be back to business as usual with you. Look at you, Tom! Being Linda all these months hasn't changed you at all. You can't even be up front with your emotions to me. You want to cry but you won't. Women cry but men don't - isn't that right, Tom? When it comes right down to it, you really want to be Tom McClain even if you are miserable inside."

"No!" I cried falling down on my knees. "I want to be happy - I want to be loved. I don't want to be alone anymore! I'm so tired of feeling alone." I started sobbing hysterically on my knees and continued for a couple of minutes. Then I felt a warm hand touch me on the shoulder.

"You have to be sure my child." I looked up at Judge Herns with tears falling down my face.

"It won't be easy, Your Honor," I answered wiping my eyes. "I'm not comfortable with everything that's expected out of me. But I swear I'll do my best."

"You'll have to do better than that," Judge Herns said while lifting me to my feet. "Dr. Green and I will help you out the best we can but only you can make that final jump into womanhood. And you'll have to be punished for your latest action. You'll have to see Dr. Green every day after work and there will be some strict restrictions placed on you. And I would also be assigning you community service like your brother.

"What does he have to do," I sniffed. I hadn't even thought about how much trouble he was in.

"I gave him 200 hours of community service at a nearby hospital mopping floors and cleaning out bedpans."

"So - I would be working there with him?" A thin smile appeared on the Judges lips.

"What kind of punishment would that be having the two of you work together. No, I've got something else in mind for you. Not only will you be serving the community, but it will also help you in your quest to become a young lady. It just so happens one of my associates is opening up a new business in Andersonville soon. If you stay I'll being signing you up."

"What - what kind of business is it?" I asked nervously. Her smile faded as quickly as it came.

"It doesn't matter now - does it, Tom? Because I still haven't decided what to do here." She looked at me sternly again. "So tell me, why should I turn you back? Give me one good reason!"

"Isn't that what Andersonville is all about, June," I responded weakly. "Second chances?"

A slight smile appeared on her lips. "Yes Tom, I guess it is. Then her look became stern again. "You can never mention what you saw or what we talked about today to anyone - including your brother. And if you ever try to leave like this again Tom..." she threatened.

"I won't, June, I promise."

She nodded her head slightly while continuing to look at me with her intense eyes. "I hope you're telling me the truth. Stand still please." Judge Herns closed her eyes and raised up her hands.

******

I stepped outside into the cold air. The wind was blowing strongly and trying to lift up the short skirt I was wearing. But despite the annoyance I was happy to be here. Being Linda wasn't so bad - and not being her was even worse. It wasn't going to be easy being a woman, but not having the Andersons to lean on when I needed them would have made my life unbearable. I said a small prayer for the real Linda and promised to do as many things as I could to make her happy in the afterlife.

"Hello Linda," said Dennis. He was sitting on the steps waiting for me. He seemed generally happy to see me standing there as I once was.

"Dennis," I smiled widely back at him. "I owe you a lot, more than I realized before."

"The Judge told you about Linda, didn't she?" he asked half smiling.

"Yes - and also everything you did for me. How can I thank you?"

He walked over to where I was standing and whispered, "be happy." Then he gave me a warm smile and started walking back down the courthouse steps.

"Dennis," I called out. He turned to look back at me. "Where are you going?"

"I'm still on vacation, remember?" he grinned. "I'll fly back to LA and then catch an Air Force jet to Hawaii at noon."

"But that will mean at least a two hour wait between flights."

"It can't be helped," he frowned raising his hands.

"How about having breakfast with me, this time it's my treat!"

He smiled. "That's the best offer I've had all week. Let's go." He turned to walk with me.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I said while giving him a funny look.

"What?" he replied puzzled.

"Your arm sir," I answered grabbing it with my hand. "I thought you were a gentleman."

Dennis laughed loudly and led the way to the restaurant.

Fade out...

This story dedicated to Gwendolyn Ann Smith for her, "Remembering our dead" web page at http://www.gender.org/remember. It's a place dedicated to our TG brothers and sisters who were murdered at the hands of others due to hate and intolerance. On the average, one (1) TG person is murdered each month. Would you take a moment to visit the site, bow your head, say a prayer for our fallen brothers and sisters, and remember what we are fighting for - the right to be treated as any other human being. Also, if you have a moment, would you please drop Gwendolyn a note and tell her how much you appreciate her maintaining this site. Thank you.

Andersonville 9 - Never cry wolf
by Kelly Davidson
Copyright 2001

 

Fade in...

The nine men and one woman moved swiftly through the dark night. The commander was in the lead and every sixty seconds he looked to his left and right to make sure everyone was with him. They were, not that he expected otherwise. Each one had been handpicked and under his constant, hard training, they had become a solid team. Each soldier watched their commander with a pair of night-goggles as he led them through the heavy brush. The Captain lifted his fist high up in the air - a silent command for his team to stop.

"Doghouse, this Nighthawk. What's the target's position - over," he whispered into his mic. There was a soft crackle in his earphone.

"Nighthawk - target is 250 yards and 3 degrees to your north. Our map indicates there's a clearing ahead - over."

"Roger Doghouse." The Captain held up his fingers and pointed in the direction of where they were going. Then he signaled each man on his left - giving them an order to spread out 30 meters among themselves before moving forward again. His men did as they were told - executing a wide circle to the north to catch the target in case it got away from the main force.

The commander moved his soldiers forward silently and along the way surprised a deer in the woods, which ran off in a mad dash. The Captain smiled with pride; being able to sneak up on the deer in the middle of the woods indicated how quiet they were being.

The team came to the edge of the woods where they found themselves overlooking a large field. In the center of the field ran a small stream with a number of large rocks situated near it. The commander held up his fist again and called in.

"Doghouse, this is Nighthawk. What's our target doing, over?"

"No change Nighthawk," the Captain's earphone crackled. "The target must be resting - it hasn't moved for over 4 minutes now. Range is 35 yards due north from your position, over."

The Captain made some silent calculations in his head and determined the target was behind the rocks in front of him. He magnified his night glasses and scanned them carefully for movement but didn't see anything. He finger signaled his men to spread out to five meters between them and move in carefully. There was no telling what the target would do when they caught it.

Carefully they moved forward, scanning for moments in the rocks and not seeing any. When they were less than 10 yards from where they needed to be the commander signaled his men to stop again and remove their night goggles. This was the most critical part of the mission - to spot and blind the target before it had a chance to get away.

Suddenly the wind shifted and the Captain heard someone crying close by. He turned on his flashlight and ran toward the spot were the crying was coming from; his team following close behind with their own flashlights. The Captain ran behind the rocks and showed his flashlight in the direction of the noise. He spotted the small face of a scared teenager not more than five feet away from where he stood. She was huddled against the rock in fear, her clothes ripped, her hair mangled, and her eyes bloodshot. Peggy Wilson gave the commander a frightened look.

"Please don't hurt me," she screamed almost hysterically. "Please help me, PLEASE - he wants to kill me."

Fade out...

******

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process, the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two peoples. Both sides recognized that they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town - just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

******

Fade in...

Stephanie Hall walked down the hallway of the Andersonville Courthouse with a certain swagger in her step. She was the best attorney that Peace River had - although with someone like Judge Jasper around her expertise wasn't needed very often. The judge had a way of getting to the truth of the matter. So when he asked if she would be interested in going to Andersonville to defend one of their citizens, the female attorney jumped at the chance. It wasn't just defending someone that caused her heart to pump - she was interested in seeing what this town was all about.

Ashley Gang, her good friend and assistant to Judge Jasper, had told her many exciting things about Andersonville. However, to be able to visit the town, that was something else. She wondered what the judge was going to get in exchange for her services.

Finding Judge Herns' chambers wasn't hard at all, the Andersonville Courthouse had the exact same floor plan as the Peace River Courthouse. For some reason, Stephanie didn't find that odd. In the reception office, she came across a young woman typing on the computer. Behind her desk hung the picture of a black police officer. Stephanie knew who the police officer was and who the young receptionist used to be. She was a little relieved that Judge Herns hadn't punished her too severely.

"Good morning Miss Anderson," Stephanie said crisply as if she didn't know who I really was. I returned her businesslike stare.

"Good morning Mrs. Hall," I replied formally. "Judge Herns is expecting you."

I gave her a weak smile and led her through the chamber door that was slightly open. Judge Herns preferred I kept it that way, so I wouldn't knock every time I wanted to come in. She felt this would encourage me to come into her office whenever I needed to talk."

"Judge - Mrs. Hall from Peace River is here to see you." Judge Herns looked up from her paper work and smiled brightly.

"Good morning Stephanie." She stepped away from her desk and greeted the woman warmly. "How was your plane trip in?"

"Not too bad," the attorney answered while returning her handshake and smile. "To be honest, I couldn't wait to get here and get started."

"Can I have Linda get you anything?" the Judge asked. "Coffee or a soft drink maybe?"

"No thank you June - I'm fine."

"Very well then. Linda, can you please close the door as you leave."

I made sure the Judge saw the disappointed look on my face as I left. As I sat down at my desk to finish up a report I found myself wishing I could be a fly on the wall in the next room. I pushed my curiosity away and concentrated on what I was doing.

******

"So Your Honor," Stephanie started as she took a seat. "Why am I here?"

"Peggy Wilson," Judge Herns replied handing the female attorney a file. "Two nights ago she ran off and got almost 3 miles out of town. One of our strike teams picked her up and brought her back in a hysterical state. She claims someone was chasing after her and trying to kill her."

"Do you believe her?" Stephanie asked.

"It doesn't matter what I believe," Judge Herns answered while fixing herself of cup coffee. "I guess you should know, I have my doubts. She's made this claim before. However, the state she was in seems to indicate something had frightened her."

"Maybe the men who picked her up? That would scare anyone," Stephanie suggested. Judge Herns shook her head slowly.

"I don't think so. She couldn't have known they were there until the last few seconds when they rushed her." Judge Herns handed her friend another file. "Captain Young reported he heard her crying before his team moved in and captured her."

"What about a mind sweep?" The attorney knew June Herns could read memories under some conditions. This didn't sound like one of them.

"I tried," she responded in a frustrated tone. "I did pick up some things. Peggy believes in her mind she was being chased but she was also in a very emotional state at the time. The events may have happened - and then again, she could have made them up. It's too fuzzy to be sure."

"Which is why I'm here," Stephanie said getting right to the point.

"Yes," the Judge answered taking a sip of her coffee. "I've set a trial date two days from now. I want you to defend her."

"A real trial?" the young female attorney asked with raised eyebrows. This was a treat!

"Yes," Judge Herns replied. "The prosecution will be handled by an army attorney from the nearby base. I've scheduled you to meet with him at 11am today in room 23. That should give you enough time to meet with your client and decide how - or if - you want to defend her. I'll be presiding over the trial based on what is presented - not on my personal feelings. Just don't try any showboating and everything should go smoothly."

"Agreed Your Honor, I just want a fair shot." Stephanie paused for a moment. "I could use a good private investigator to help me gather evidence. There's someone in Peace River I know of. Will you allow me to bring someone else in?"

"It just so happens we have a couple of investigators here in Andersonville Stephanie - both good ones."

"But you have one of them in mind for me - right, June?" The attorney smiled slightly knowing how her friend operated.

"I guess it's no secret," Judge Herns replied. "I would like Linda Anderson to work with you on this case."

"No offense, June - but couldn't I have Linda's ex-partner instead?"

"Linda's ex-partner is currently a 14-year old boy - that would hardly look right under the circumstances," the Judge explained. "Besides, he's going through a bit of a personal crisis at this time. Linda would be a better choice."

"It's not that I have anything against her, June," the attorney pleaded her case, "but she didn't listen to me in Peace River and I have to wonder how well she'll listen to me on her home field."

"Fair enough Stephanie. I'll have a talk with Linda and explain that you're in charge." June Herns stopped for a moment and gave the attorney a friendly stare. "Stephanie, you'd be doing me a huge favor by taking her on. My assistant needs to feel good about herself again. My ex-husband may have been right about her actions but he was still a little hard on her. Besides, she knows Andersonville better than anyone you could bring in."

The female attorney thought about it for a moment. "Okay June, I'll work with her. Anything else?"

"Just good luck," the Judge smiled back. She grasped the young attorney's hands. "Thank you for leaving your family and coming out here on such short notice, my friend. I want to make sure we know what happened. If Peggy Wilson is telling the truth - then we need to know."

"I'll do my best June." Both ladies stood up and walked over to the door.

******

The door opened and the tall and thin, blonde-haired attorney walked out with Judge Herns.

"Linda," the Judge spoke, "I would like to speak with you for a moment please."

She motioned me through the door while Mrs. Hall took a seat in my office. I laid my pen down and followed her in.

"Have a seat," the Judge told me. I sat down in a chair across from her.

"Is there something wrong, June?" I asked.

"No my child," she said with a small smile. "I'm re-assigning you to work with Stephanie Hall for the next couple of days."

"Does this have anything to do with Peggy Wilson?" I asked. It was the only thing I could think of that would cause Judge Herns to bring someone in from out of the town. Andersonville didn't have a real lawyer. If it did, he or she would be the busiest person in town.

"It does," she replied. "You should know that Stephanie is a very fine attorney who knows how to get to the bottom of things. At my request, she has agreed to take you on as her assistant in this case. I trust you won't let me or her down."

"You mean - I get to investigate this case?" I was excited about the prospect of turning over rocks to find clues.

"Yes," she said with a warning look. "However, we need to set some ground rules here. Your restriction is still in force except when it's necessary to go beyond the boundaries. When you do, you will let Sargent Williams know and have someone with you at all times. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Honor," I nodded my head.

"Also," she continued, "Mrs. Hall will be in charge of this matter. You'll take your orders from her and clear anything you plan to do ahead of time with her. I don't want you freelancing out there on your own. This is a team effort and she's the leader, do I make myself clear on that point?" I again nodded that I understood.

"Good," she stated while smiling again. "I see no reason why the two of you can't get started right now. Good luck, Linda. Please don't give me a reason to regret my decision today."

"I won't, Your Honor." I gave her a smile and went out to where Stephanie was sitting.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Mrs. Hall," I said politely.

"Call me Stephanie," she said taking my hand and smiling.

"Only if you call me Linda," I replied in the same way. "Where do you want to start?"

"Let's talk to Peggy Wilson first."

The young attorney gathered up her purse and we walked down to the police station. Officer Philips greeted us when we arrived.

"What can I do for you two ladies," he asked while giving me a cautious stare.

"I'm here to see Peggy Wilson. I'm her attorney," Stephanie said while handing over a piece of paper from the Judge explaining the situation and informing them that they were to give her their complete cooperation. Officer Philips looked at the legal form and nodded.

"I'll set you up in conference room B, Mrs. Hall," Officer Philips told us. He led us into the back to a small 10 X 12-foot windowless room and a minute later brought in Miss Wilson. Being in jail was nothing new for Peggy but she looked worn out - as if she were worried about something. Stephanie extended her hand in a businesslike tone.

"Are you here to represent me?" Peggy asked taking Stephanie's hand.

"Yes. I'm your attorney, Mrs. Hall, and you know Linda Anderson."

"I don't want that bitch in the room while I talk to you," the 14-year-old exclaimed. "She works for that Judge lady."

Stephanie gave her an evil stare that cut the woman down and said, "Let me explain something to you, Peggy. I'm your only hope to get out of here. If you want my help, you'll do it my way! Linda is going to be assisting me in this investigation. If you have a problem with that, then I can leave right now and you can have one of the temps take over for me. Now, is that what you want?"

"No," she said with a distrustful eye in my direction. I guess I couldn't blame her since I did work for the enemy.

"Now I want you to tell me what happened that night," Stephanie said firmly.

"It was about 11:30 PM," Peggy started. "I was taking a walk to clear my mind. You don't know how hard it is being a teenager again and having to go to school. Suddenly someone stepped out of the dark and grabbed me. I got scared and tried to scream but he put his hand over my month." I watched Peggy's body movements carefully as she told her story. I wanted to see if she was telling the truth.

"How do you know it was a man?" Stephanie asked while taking down some notes.

"He - he had - well, I could feel his thing," she said while looking down at the table blushing.

"I see. And you're sure it was real?"

Peggy looked back up with an angry expression on her face. "Lady, I used to have one of them. It was damn real!"

"Simmer down Miss Wilson," Stephanie shot back. "I'm asking these questions for a reason. Then what happened?"

"He pushed me down," the teenager replied with a scared look on her face. "Then he started ripping at my clothes to get my breasts and I could feel his hand on one of them. I was panicking - I mean he was going to rape me and there wasn't anything I could do to stop him. That's when he made his mistake. He got up off me just enough so I could move my legs. I kicked him in the groin and he rolled off me in a hurry. That's when he stood up and threatened to kill me. He pulled out a knife, so I ran the only way I could to be safe, into the woods. But he followed me in so I ran harder and found myself lost and unable to find my way back into town. That's when the swat team, or whoever they are, showed up."

"What about how the man looked? You must have got a good look at him when he was on top of you," Stephanie stated.

"He had a mask and dark clothes on," Peggy replied in a scared tone. "But he left his calling card, look!" She pulled up the sleeve of her blouse to reveal several bruises where someone had grabbed her. Stephanie got a look of distaste on her face.

"Tell me something about the man that you do remember. How big was he? How much did he weight? Did he do or say something that was different?"

"I don't know," Peggy replied putting her head in her hands. "He was about 6' 2" and heavy - maybe about 220. He smelled bad, as if he had just got done working out and hadn't taken a shower yet. I can't remember anything else that will help."

From her body language, I knew that at least part of the story was a lie. Peggy Wilson was definitely keeping something from us. If Stephanie knew, she didn't show it.

"Do you think - you can help me?" she asked nervously.

"It won't be easy, Peggy, but I'll do my best," Stephanie said with a confident smile. "Have you got anything to wear for the trial?"

"You mean like a - a dress? No, not a good one."

"I'll find you something nice to wear. Until then you behave and don't talk to anyone else about this." She opened the conference door and motioned Officer Philips to take Peggy back to her cell.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hall." She didn't say anything to me as the cop led her away.

"What do you think?" Stephanie asked me.

"I think she's holding something back," I told her.

"I think you're right. What about her story?"

I thought about it carefully. "At least part of it was true. She was really shaken up by what happened. I could tell that by her body language."

Stephanie thought about it for a moment and looked at her watch. "Let's go meet with the prosecutor and see if he can shed any light on her story."

******

Lawrence Galloway was a tall man with a military haircut. Despite that fact, he was currently dressed like a civilian in a blue suit that did nothing to hide his well-maintained body. He smiled brightly and offered us a drink before getting started. I decided on a diet Pepsi that he retrieved from a small refrigerator.

"I think you should know," he started off, "that I'm willing to work out some kind of deal with you despite the fact I can prove your client is guilty. Judge Herns has provided me with some room to maneuver."

"Don't you think you're being a bit presumptuous!" Stephanie stated. "My client tells me she was chased into the woods by a man with a knife and has physical evidence to back it all up."

"Bruises on her arm, Mrs. Hall?" he smiled slightly. "That could have happened hours before she tried to escape. A fight with another student or maybe even self-inflected to make her story look credible." He shook his head slightly.

"Or they could have been done by someone attacking her that evening," Stephanie replied firmly. "Something happened that night and I'm going to find out what."

"Before you go off looking for the smoking gun," Lawrence said while holding up a videotape in his hand, "I think you should see this first. It will put into perspective what you are up against." He slid the videotape into the VCR and turned it on.

It was a black and white picture of a parking lot behind a warehouse. There wasn't much going on, a few truck trailers parked in a row and an old car off to one side. Suddenly I spotted movement in the distance - as a lone figure made its way up the dark side of the building next door. The person, a young female, was carrying a backpack and had a flashlight in her hand.

"This was taken the night of the escape," Mr. Galloway explained. "I've had the picture blown up which I'll show you in a minute - but I think you can guess who it is."

I saw steam coming out of Stephanie ears as the figure in the video looked around to make sure no one was watching her. Apparently, she didn't see the camera on the next building. After almost a minute of waiting, the figure took off with great speed and disappeared into the woods. The prosecutor stopped the tape and laid a single black and white picture down in front of us. It was Peggy Wilson.

"As you can see," he announced triumphantly, "there isn't much doubt that she left on her own. I've watched the tape for almost a half-hour after this point and saw no other signs of someone going after her. You're welcome to do the same if you want Ms. Hall, but I'm going to have to conclude that her story was made up to cover for her crime. She has tried the same thing once before."

"Anything else," Stephanie asked. Mr. Galloway laid a dirty backpack on the table.

"We found this not to far from where she went in. It appears she fell down a gully and lost it. The pack contains several changes of clothing as well as some food, extra shoes, batteries for her flashlight and about $25.00 in loose change. Now I don't know about you, but when I see items like this I tend to suspect the person was planning on going on a trip for a few days. By the way, the fingerprints on the pack belong to Peggy Wilson."

"Your show has been most enlightening," Stephanie said in an annoyed tone.

"I didn't mean to sound so smart," the prosecutor answered honestly. "I only want to bring an end to this as quickly as possible."

"What are you offering?" Stephanie asked, figuring she might as well hear what her client was going to get.

"One year starting off as a 2-month old baby followed by a return to her current age and 500 hours of community service." I winced at the sentence.

"It's not as bad as you think, Miss Anderson," he explained truthfully. "Judge Herns promised to turn her into a small infant without the possibility of being changed back. At least Miss Wilson wouldn't have to repeat her entire childhood - only one year of it; providing of course she doesn't try taking this to trial and going for broke."

"It's bad enough," I answered. I almost suspected Peggy was being made an example of.

"I'll have to talk it over with my client, Mr. Galloway - but I think under the circumstances she'll take your generous offer."

"I hope so," Lawrence replied with a smile. "I really don't want to make Miss Wilson relive her life again; it serves no real purpose. That's why I asked Judge Herns for a way out of having to take this to trial. I'll need your answer by tomorrow morning otherwise - I'll see you court." He held out his hand to us.

"I'll be in touch, Mr. Galloway," Stephanie replied while shaking his hand. I did the same and follow her out. It was obvious by the way Stephanie was walking that she was very upset.

"Let's go see Miss Wilson again and find out why she lied to us!" Stephanie said to me in an angry tone.

******

"YOU LIED TO ME, Miss Wilson!" Stephanie said harshly. "You pulled me away from my husband and kids to defend you in what turns out to be a LIE!" The young teenager cracked.

"No - no - it's not like that at all," Peggy started to explain.

"The HELL IT ISN'T," Mrs. Hall yelled back. "They have your backpack loaded with clothes and food. They have your past history of you claiming to be stalked. And most damaging, they have a videotape of you clearly leaving on your own. IT'S ALL OVER MISS WILSON! YOU LOSE!"

"I ran because the man came at me with a knife - I swear," Peggy pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"And you just 'HAPPEN' to be carrying a backpack full of food and clothing at the time? What were you planning to do - have a picnic in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?" Stephanie shouted angrily. The young girl hung her head in defeat.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to tell us the full truth, Peggy," I said calmly. Both women gave me a rude look but the teenager's frown faded when she realized I was trying to help.

"Okay," she sniffed. "I was trying to escape, at first. But I changed my mind and came back - I swear." Stephanie snorted in disbelief but I spurred her on.

"Go on, Peggy, what happened next."

"There was man waiting there for me. He was dressed in dark clothes and a hood just like I said. He attacked me and tried to rape me. After I kicked him in the groin he pushed me away and I fell down the small gully. I lost my backpack and flashlight in the fall. He stood up and pulled out a knife. I swear he said he was going to kill me and then came after me. I ran as fast as I could but he followed me. Finally I found some rocks to hide behind. That's when the soldiers caught me."

"Another story, Miss Wilson?" asked Stephanie in an accusing tone.

"No, I swear it's the truth. I was afraid that if I told you I was trying to leave you wouldn't believe what happened afterwards. I was afraid you would think I was making this all up to get out of being punished. But I swear it's THE TRUTH! PLEASE BELIEVE ME!" she cried out. Stephanie stood there unimpressed.

"The Judge is offering you a deal, Miss Wilson," Stephanie said. "One year as a baby followed up by community work. Do you want to think about it?"

"Mrs. Hall, Linda," she sniffed. "I screwed up, I admit that. But, I don't want to be punished for something I didn't do. I didn't run. I know I should be punished for leaving in the first place, but I swear I didn't run. I tried to turn back, I really did!" Something about how Peggy said the words made me want to believe her.

"How much time elapsed from the time you entered the woods until you decided to come back Peggy," I asked. She thought about it seriously for a moment.

"Maybe about a minute and a half. I got into the woods about 100 yards where the gully was and stopped. Then I thought about what I was doing for maybe a minute. That's when I turned back.

"How far did you get before you were stopped?" She sniffed and thought about it again.

"Maybe 20 yards. He popped out from behind a tree and pushed me back."

"Was the description you gave us about him correct?" I asked.

"Yes - it was. You believe me?" she asked with some hope.

"Let's say I don't disbelieve your story." Stephanie gave me a glare but didn't say a word. "Is there anything else you left out."

"No, I don't think so." She gave us both a serious stare. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth sooner. I guess it makes it hard to believe what I say."

"Yes, Peggy, it does," I answered smoothly. "But there are still some questions left unanswered. We'll talk to you soon. Oh and Peggy, I hope you learned something today. You should never cry wolf unless it's true."

She nodded and got up from the table. Officer Candy was taking care of Peggy this time and he held on to her as if she was going to run off. I almost asked where he expected her to go. Stephanie walked over and closed the door - then looked at me with angry eyes.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?" she demanded to know.

"I'm trying to find out the truth," I answered coolly.

"We know what the truth is. She tried to escape and got caught - then she lied about it."

"The first part is correct," I pointed out, "we can't defend her on that. But what if Peggy is telling the truth? What if she did change her mind but was forced to run away? Andersonville could have a real problem on its hand."

"So you believe what she said?" Stephanie asked in almost disbelief.

"We need to talk to Captain Young first before I can give you an honest answer."

The female attorney sighed. "Agreed. Maybe if she is telling the truth Judge Herns will be lenient on her. But, this Captain better tell us something useful or I'm cutting a deal with Mr. Galloway. I'm not going to let Peggy make the mistake of going to trial and spending the next 18 years growing up again."

I smiled inwardly. Despite Stephanie's anger at being lied too, she still had her client's best interest in mind. She picked up the phone and asked the Captain to meet us for lunch.

******

Captain Samuel Young walked into the restaurant wearing his army greens. He was a rather short man with a lean body and huge muscles on his arms indicating that he worked out daily. A man of Native-American descent, he carried a look of determination on his face that whatever he went up against he would win at. He was the type of man you didn't want to cross. Stephanie waved him over to us.

"Captain Young, I'm Stephanie Hall and this is Linda Anderson who is helping me with the case. Please have a seat." The Captain sat down without uttering a word. A waitress came over to take our order.

"Ice water and a salad for me," he told the waitress then added, "I'm on a strict diet Ms. Hall."

"So I see," Stephanie replied and ordered us, much to my disappointment, a couple of salads as well. "As you know Captain Young, I'm interested in the mission you led two nights ago. How would you rate its success?"

"Better than average," he stated rather firmly. "My men's performance was excellent and we achieved complete surprise over the target. From the time we were dropped in until the time we completed our mission total elapse time was 37 minutes."

"Is that your best time Captain?" she asked.

"No ma'am, it's not. We once captured a target in 7 minutes after being deployed."

"Captain Young, please," Stephanie smiled. "I know you're in the military but can't you be a little bit more relaxed while talking about this."

The Captain gave her a bewildered stare. "I am relaxed Ms. Hall."

I giggled slightly - the man was about as relaxed as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

"Captain," I asked. "In your own words, what happened that night?" The soldier gave me an intense stare as if he were getting ready to give away top secret information.

"There isn't much to say. We were driven to the drop off point by truck. Our target, Miss Wilson, was about 2,000 yards from where we were at and heading straight at us, so I deployed men just inside the woods to meet her. But then she changed directions, several times in fact, and we ended up having to chase her into the woods. Near the end, she doubled back and was heading towards town, otherwise it might have taken even longer to capture her.

"Are you sure about that, Captain?" Stephanie asked carefully with interest. I could see what she was thinking.

"Yes ma'am, no question about it. Colonel Jacobs was in charge that night directing us. He can verify what I just told you."

"How far south did she come?" I asked.

"About 70 yards to an old rock pile where we found her 4 minutes later. She was all scrapped up and hysterical. It took five minutes for us to calm her down before we could move her."

"Was she like that when you found her?" The soldier gave me a direct stare.

"I could hear her crying before we got there. In fact, she seemed very happy to see us once she figured out we weren't going to hurt her. One of my men held on to her the entire way back - I mean hugging her, ma'am."

"Do you think she was faking, Captain?" Stephanie asked directly. He thought about it for a moment.

"Miss Hall - I've been on other missions like this before and I've seen some good fakers in my time. If Miss Wilson was faking, then she should get some kind of award for it. I honestly believe something scared her to the point of hysteria."

"Thank you Captain - you most likely will be called on to testify to that."

"I figured so much, ma'am." The waitress brought out our food and we started eating. As soon as the Captain was done, he excused himself saying he had to get back to the base, but he would be available for the trial. I sat there picking at my salad and running through the events in my mind.

"You know you should really eat everything," Stephanie said while finishing up her salad. "It's good for your body." I gave her a somewhat disgusted look.

"Salads aren't really my favorite food. But then, I guess this is one of those changes I have to make," I added with a small frown. To my surprise Stephanie laughed.

"I understand, Linda. I was a steak and potato's man myself before arriving at Peace River."

"You were?" I looked at her, debating if I should ask the question. She smiled rather mischievous.

"Yes, Linda - I was a man just like you. Moreover, I was a pretty good lawyer as well. But unfortunately, nothing else was going right in my life."

"Can you tell me how it happened?" She grinned.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I nodded that I did. "Eight years, three months and 16 days - that's how long I've been Stephanie Hall. Like I said, I had a very successful law practice but only because I worked 16 hour a day. I didn't have a wife or kids - there wasn't any time in my life for such trivial things. The last time I was intimate with a woman, well, I couldn't have told you when. I was a workaholic who was working my way into an early grave.

"Then one day this mysterious woman walks into my office and asks for my help. She wanted me to represent her in a case that involved some sort of land transfer. It was a simple case but she was willing to pay my fee and I decided I could use the break from the rat race. As it turned out, I didn't have any other cases to deal with at the time - which was a first in my professional career. So she drove me to Peace River where I met with Judge Jasper. He told me I needed to be there and that's how I became Stephanie Hall."

"But - how did you take it - being turned into a woman?"

"Badly at first," she said with a frown. "I ended up as a 22 years old woman in a short skirt. I wanted out of Peace River and even tried escaping once. But, Officer Deimos caught me and brought me back in front of the Judge. Judge Jasper was slightly pissed to say the least but I was able to explain my position and - he gave me a chance to redeem myself. He allowed me to practice law again and I found working only eight hours a day was just as rewarding as working 16 hours. Then I met someone, fell in love, got married, brought a house, and had two great kids. It worked out pretty well."

"Do you miss being a man?" She looked at me with understanding eyes.

"No, I don't Linda. While I may have been more financially successful as a man, I'm much better off as a woman today. If I were to change back into my former self tomorrow, I don't think I would be happy anymore. So I count the days and my blessings that I'm alive with a family and happy about who I am. Moreover, every now and then, I get to participate in a real trial. It's not a bad life. In fact it's a good life!" She smiled pleasantly.

"About my trial," I said with my head hanging down, "I'm sorry I didn't take your advice. I let my ego get the best of me and I should've listened to you."

I looked up at her. "But I want to thank you, Stephanie, for everything you did for me back there. I never got the chance to thank you properly before I left."

She gave me an understanding look. "I understand how you felt, Linda, believe me, I was much worse. You and the Judge have a troubled history, but can I give you a little insight here? I think Judge Jasper really does like you. I can tell by the way he treats you."

"You mean like crap!" I stated sarcastically. "I wish he'd like me a little bit less then." Stephanie laughed heartily.

"No, he really is a nice man once he warms up to you."

I leaned forward. "Who is he?"

Stephanie grinned. "Judge Jasper predicted you would ask me that question. And he told me to give you this message - you're not ready to know yet. Sorry Linda, but I have my orders. Just hang in there - you'll find out."

"Okay," I replied in a disappointed tone. "I guess we should talk about what to do next. Do you think Peggy is lying?"

"I don't know," the attorney answered nervously. "The Captain seems to think she isn't but that doesn't help my case. This still could be an act on her part."

"I know, but something doesn't feel right about all this. Why turn back toward town when you're trying to get away? And why drop your backpack containing everything you need and not pick it up. It just doesn't add up."

"I think we need to visit the site where her attack took place," said Stephanie. She picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Sergeant Williams please. Sergeant Williams, this is Stephanie Hall. I want to investigate the place where Peggy said the attack took place and was wondering if you could have someone meet us there. Thanks, that would be great. Bye."

She turned off her cell phone and looked at me sadly. "Sorry Linda, Judge Herns' orders. You can only go into a restricted area with an armed guard by your side."

"I understand," I responded wishing that Judge Herns would trust me more and knowing I had to earn it again.

******

Officer Candy was already waiting as we pulled into the parking lot. He was his usual un-cheery self around me. Stephanie greeted him with a smile and had him lead the way to where the backpack had been found. As it turned out, he had been the one who had found it.

"Right over there," he pointed to a clump of rocks at the bottom of a steep ravine. "I found her flashlight about five feet away in the bushes.

"Did you see any footprints besides hers Officer?" asked Stephanie.

"I didn't even see her footprints," Candy said with a slight smile as he loosened up some. "It snowed 8 inches during the night and covered up whatever tracks there were."

I noticed a red piece of paper like a gum wrapper lying halfway out of the snow. I picked it up and looked at it carefully. "Tell me, Officer Candy, do you smoke?"

"If I did I wouldn't tell you," he answered rudely.

'Always a 'jackass' Officer Candy,' I said to myself. Stephanie came over to see what I had and I handed it to her. The officer looked to see what I had as well.

"It's a gum wrapper - so what?" he stated somewhat defiantly.

"Not just a gum wrapper, Officer," I said with a standoff stare to show I wasn't going to back down. "It's a nicotine gum wrapper - used by those trying to quit smoking."

"Humph," he grunted. "That would include almost every person who's brought to Andersonville. Most of 'your type' are smokers."

"Not really," I smiled while setting him up. "The Judge hates smoking so she doesn't allow it in her town. Everyone she transitions is given a new, smoke-free body. Even the most avid smoker wouldn't feel the need to light up. And since you can't buy cigarettes in this town anyway, there wouldn't be much reason for anyone to use this type of gum unless they weren't transformed."

Officer Candy narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you suggesting it was a cop who attacked Peggy Wilson; that is if you believe her made-up story?"

"I'm not suggesting anything," I replied smiling while preparing to spring the trap, "but that's an interesting thought. By the way, Officer Candy, where were you that night?"

"Why you little son of a - " he cursed under his breath. Officer Candy took an angry step toward me but I was able to move out of his way in time.

"Alright, ENOUGH!" Stephanie yelled. She pointed her feminine finger at the cop. "You, watch from over there." Officer Candy gave me a look that was meant to kill and slowly walked away.

"Seems to have a bit of a temper," I chuckled. Stephanie turned and gave me an angry glare.

"Do you want me to take you off the case right now?" she asked. "Because that was an incredibility stupid thing to do!"

"He was being a Jackass," I countered.

"Aright, so he was," Stephanie agreed. "But he can break you in half without even trying; and believe me, he would have tried. In case you've forgotten, you're supposed to be all "Sugar and Spice", not some smart-ass teenager looking for trouble. If you want to work with me you're going to play it by the numbers - do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," I replied while trying not to smile. "So what do you want me to do now?"

She sighed slightly. "I wish I knew. If only we could see her movements that night. It would at least show us if she was telling the truth.

"Maybe there's a way," I answered. I pulled out my cell phone and punched a private phone number.

"Hello," the voice said.

"Dennis, this is Linda. I need a favor from you."

"What is it?" he asked with reservation.

"Have you heard about the case I'm working on with Stephanie Hall?"

"Yes."

"Well, I need you to give me access to the bunker."

"And may I ask what for?" Dennis asked dryly.

"We need to see the movement of Peggy Wilson that night." I went on to explain what I was looking for. "This is the only way we can be sure Peggy is telling us the truth." Dennis seemed to understand how important the truth in this case was.

"Hold on, Linda." I heard a click followed by the typical boring elevator music. Two minutes later Dennis was back on the phone.

"Alright, it's been taken care of. When you get back to the Courthouse go to the elevator and push the service button. Colonel Myers is out today so Sergeant Summers will be taking care of you."

"Not Jeff Summers?" I asked with disappointment.

"It's either him or you can forget about going down there today, young lady," Dennis replied back smartly.

"Alright, thanks for your help, Dennis. We'll be there in about 10 minutes. Thank you." I turned off my phone and stuck it back in my pocket.

"Who's Jeff Summers?" Stephanie wanted to know.

"Just some guy who asked me out on a date once. I turned him down."

"Why - is he creepy?"

"No," I said. "I wasn't ready to go out with him. Let's go."

"When was the last time you went out on a date?" Stephanie asked curiously.

"I haven't been out on one - at least not as Linda Anderson unless you count the times I went out to lunch with Dennis Butz. Like I said, I'm not ready to date yet."

Stephanie gave me a smile as we got in my car. "You're ready Linda. You just need to get past the nervous feeling of going out with a man. Once you do your life will never be the same."

"That I believe," I half-grinned.

******

Sergeant Jeff Summers met us at the elevator door. "Welcome ladies." He gave me an extra glance over. "Let's go into Colonel Myers' office were we can talk."

Stephanie and I followed him past the temps; each one involved in their own little world. A couple of them said 'hi' to me as I went by causing me to smile slightly. After my return back to Andersonville, Dennis had allowed me to go down to the bunker and apologize to everyone for the trouble I had caused. To help ease any ill feelings, I also brought along 400 chocolate chip cookies that I had baked myself. It seemed the temps had been programmed to like chocolate of any kind and it made me believe that a group of women had written their programs. Jeff took a seat at the Colonel's desk and brought up a file.

"Dennis explained what you're looking for so I took the liberty of getting it ready for you." He hit the return key and the program started. There was a pink dot that quickly turned to red as it approached the restricted area. It stopped there for about a minute then took off toward the woods.

"There's the gully," he said pointing to a line on the computer. The dot stopped, then actually moved backwards slightly. After about 40 seconds, it took off away from town.

"Can you run this back in a loop?" I said pointing to the time line. Jeff punched in a command and you could see the dot moving back and forth on the screen.

"She did come back!" I blurted out.

"It would appear she's telling the truth, at least that much of it," Stephanie agreed as she turned to the young man. "Sergeant Summers, can you tell us how many yards that would be by chance?"

"I can break it down into inches if you like, Ms. Hall," he said with a smile. I noticed he didn't make a move to do it though.

"Is there a problem?" Stephanie asked him.

"Well, you see, Ms. Hall, what you're wanting me to do is going to take a lot of time and as you can see - we're short-handed down here right now."

"I have a paper from the Judge granting me complete cooperation from any agency in Andersonville," she stated while pulling it out of her purse.

"Yes Ms. Hall, I'm sure you do," he replied politely. "But if you read the charter, we're not a part of the town of Andersonville. We may be right below the town but we're our own little community down here. I'm not under any obligation to help you further. Like I said, we're short-handed and I'm a little busy right now.

"Now look here you little twerp," I started but Stephanie stopped me.

"You want something, don't you?" she asked him. "What is it?"

"I was thinking of going to the movies tonight but I hate going out alone." I knew where this was going.

"No way!" I told him. "Now give us the information we want before I break you in half." The young man looked hurt.

"Go on," Stephanie said. I started to protest but she stopped me.

"Like I said," he grinned shyly. "I don't want to go to the movies alone; in fact, I hate eating out by myself. So if Miss Anderson would be willing to accompany me to say a dinner and a movie I think I could be persuaded to get you what you need by tomorrow morning."

"That's it?" Stephanie said. "That's all you want?"

"Well, not quite. She has to be nice to me too. I mean - she has to treat this like a real date, as if she wants to be there. I don't want her complaining the entire time we're together. Oh, and I want her to wear a skirt or dress. It doesn't have to be short, just something girlish."

I glared angrily at the young man who didn't seem to notice. There was no way in 'Hell' that this fantasy date of his was going to happen.

"What time do you want to pick her up?" Stephanie asked.

"What!" I yelled out in surprise.

"How about six," the man said with excitement. "I'm supposed to get off early today."

"Now wait a minute," I tried to argue but Stephanie was ignoring me.

"She'll be ready - all sugar and spice in a nice dress - and heels," Stephanie grinned.

"HEELS!" I roared but my partner was already beating a path back to the elevator.

"You go to hell!" I snapped angrily at the young man who was grinning like a cat that just ate the canary.

"See you at six," he replied happily. I ran to catch up with Stephanie who was making a hasty retreat.

"Just what the hell did you think you were doing back there?" I demanded to know.

"Getting what I want," she replied innocently enough, "and making sure you have a fun night off. You've been working too hard lately."

"Now wait just a minute," I argued. "My social life has 'nothing' to do with this case. Besides, I don't need your help getting me dates."

"Really?" she asked in a surprised tone. "And the last time you went out was?" I fumed silently. "Look, Linda, this is the only way we can get the information I need to defend Peggy Wilson. In case you've forgotten, that's what we are both trying to do here. Besides, it's dinner and a movie - how bad can it be?"

"Fine - then you go out with him," I snapped.

"He's not interested in me," Stephanie said as we rode the elevator back up to the surface. "Besides, you have to admit he's kind of cute."

"Please tell me this isn't happening," I groaned.

"Oh, it won't be so bad," she said as we got out. "You two will have a great time, I'm sure."

"Wait a minute, what happens if I decide not to go out with him? You can't force me to go out with him, you know."

"True," she said with a tight grin. "But then, I can always tell the Judge you're refusing to follow my instructions. Remember, Linda, you work for me."

"And my 'ass' is yours to do with as you please - is that what you're telling me?" Stephanie just smiled. "You know what this case means to me?" I whined.

"Oh, it'll be fun," she said giving me a quick hug as we walked outside. "Now we better get over to your house so you can get all prettied up for him."

"Yippee!" I said with no enthusiasm at all.

******

"There's got to be something you can wear," Stephanie said while going through my closet. "Something nice but not too sexy for a first date."

"How about something long - like my blue skirt?" I half-suggested.

"Too boring," she replied. "You need to wear something bright - maybe something with a flower design on it." I cringed at the thought. I heard the door close downstairs and the sound of my mother walking up the steps.

"Linda, what are you doing home at this time of the day?" she asked somewhat concerned. "You're not sick, are you?"

"No mom, I'm fine. This is Stephanie Hall, she's an attorney from Peace River."

My mother was a pleasant soul and she smiled brightly at the stranger. "I'm pleased to meet you, Stephanie. So what are you two girls doing?" Stephanie answered before I got a chance to.

"We're trying to find a dress or skirt for Linda to wear on her date tonight."

"A DATE!" my mother repeated out loud. I could see visions of wedding bells dancing in her eyes. "With whom?" she inquired.

"No one you know, mom," I answered while giving Stephanie the evil eye for spilling the beans. She just returned my glare with a smile.

"He's a nice young man we met today," Stephanie explained. "He's picking her at six and taking her out to dinner and a movie."

"And you want to get all dressed up to impress him," my mother said looking at me in a new light. I thought I was going to be sick. Didn't anyone care about the fact that I didn't want to go out with him?

"Why not wear the dress I made for you for your birthday?" my mother suggested. "You look so cute in it."

"Oh no, mom, not the dress," I protested slightly. "It's not that kind of date and I sure as heck don't want to look 'cute' for him."

"Which one is it?" asked Stephanie.

"Oh, it's downstairs. Wait right here while I go get it." My mother took off down the steps like a rocket. I had never seen her move so fast before in my life.

"See what you did," I groaned. "Now we're going to be playing dress up for the rest of the day." Stephanie gave me a sisterly hug.

"It's all for a good cause," she smiled. "Relax - this is going to be fun. Look, if you want to get back at him play the part to the hilt. Make him open up the car door for you and pull out your chair. You can be nice and make him work all night." Her idea made me smile a little.

"You know, Stephanie - you're pretty sneaky for a lawyer."

"I thought all lawyers were supposed to be sneaky," she replied with a grin. About that time my mother came rushing into the room holding the dress she had made for me in her hand.

"What do you think?" she asked. I wanted to run somewhere and hide. The dress was pink - light pink, with lace attached to the V-neck collar and a flared skirt that hung almost 3 inches above my knee. It wasn't that the dress was ugly - it was pink. Apparently, the real Linda Anderson loved pink while I on the other hand didn't.

"Maybe something not so bold," Stephanie suggested while giving me a wink.

"You think," my mother replied.

"This is something Linda would wear to a nice restaurant. If I'm not mistaken, he's taking her to Pizza Hut. Why don't we try this instead." She held out a tan sweater with a turtleneck and short, blue-Jean skirt. "You'll look casual but girlish for him at the same time." My mother gave me an approving smile.

I sighed and held out my arms. "Fine - make me beautiful," I told the two of them. They giggled and approached me.

******

When I had told them to make me beautiful, I was only joking. However, they both took me as being serious and went all out to make me look as good as they could. While my mother brushed my hair and worked it into a pretty ponytail, Stephanie carefully applied my makeup. When they were through I looked at myself in the full-length mirror and gasped. Even thought I was dressed in a casual outfit I looked good - damn good. Both ladies stood there smiling over my shoulder.

"See, Linda, with a little work you can look as pretty as the next girl," my mother said with pride in her voice. I could see she was picturing herself twenty years ago - not that my mother wasn't an attractive woman at 37.

"By the way, Stephanie, what were you planning to do tonight?" my mother asked.

"I hadn't really thought about it," she answered.

"Well, since Linda won't be here because of her 'date'," my mother smiled when she said the word, "why don't you join us for dinner. Sox and I would love to hear about your practice in Peace River."

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose."

"We would love to have you join us," my mom insisted. We heard the front door open and close. "That's Sox and Jennifer now. Let's go downstairs so you can meet him."

My father had just put his coat away when we got to the base of the stairs. He came over and kissed my mother, then looked at me with some curiosity. "You look different tonight," he stated.

"She's going out on a 'date' tonight," my mother bubbled as if there were something magical about the event.

"Really," my father said giving me the once over. "Did he fill out a résumé to date my pretty little girl?"

"Dad!" I protested but not too hard. It was nice to have him think of me as his own kid.

"Sox, this is Stephanie Hall. She's an attorney from Peace River."

Pleased to meet you, Stephanie," my father replied with a warm handshake. "What brings you to Andersonville?"

"Some personal business. A friend of mine got in a little trouble and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it."

"I see," my father said turning his attention back to me. "So, honey, tell me something about this boy you're going out with tonight." All of the sudden I felt my mother's interest peak as well.

"I don't know, Dad - he's just someone I met at work. He's been asking me out for a while now and I decided to take him up on it."

"Oh, come on, Linda," Stephanie urged. "Tell them what a great catch he is." She turned to my mother who was listening with both ears. "He has a great job and is such a gentleman - and he's also kind of cute."

"Linda," my mother said with pleasant surprise. "You didn't say anything about him being cute."

"Sounds like he may have stolen my little girl's heart," my father observed.

"Mom - Dad, I'm not going to marry the guy. We're just going to dinner - honest." I shot Stephanie a 'Thanks a lot' look.

"That's how it started with me and your mom," my father said hugging my mother and giving her a kiss on the cheek. She laughed in a loving way.

"Mom, is it almost time for dinner?" Jennifer asked. "I'm starved."

"Of course, pumpkin," my mother replied to her youngest daughter. "Let's go into the kitchen and see how the chicken is doing."

"I'll join you, mom," I said following her to the kitchen. My father and Stephanie went into the family room to talk and it wasn't too long after that when Steve showed up and joined in on their conversation. Right at the stroke of six the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Jennifer yelled while running to the door. "I want to see the man Linda is going to marry."

"Don't tell him that, you little scamp!" I yelled at her. My mother walked over and stood behind me - putting her nervous hands on my shoulders. I hadn't realized what a big deal having me date someone was to her.

"Hello," Jennifer said pleasantly as she opened up the door. "You must be Jeff, my sister's new boyfriend." I closed my eyes and wanted to die.

The young man laughed. "And you must be Jennifer, Linda's younger sister. I've heard a lot of good things about you." My father got up and walked over to the door.

"Good evening, sir," Jeff said politely while holding out his hand, which my father accepted.

"Come in out of the cold, son," he replied. Jeff stepped inside holding some flowers in his hands. He was wearing a nice shirt with a tie and a pair of navy blue pants. I felt my mother push me forward as if I was being present to him as some kind of trophy. When he saw me, he smiled brightly.

"Wow Linda, you look great!" I smiled, partly out of my agreement to be nice to him, but mostly because I enjoyed the attention he was giving me.

"Here, these are for you." He handed me six long-stemmed, red roses.

"Thank you," I replied in a nervous tone. "They're beautiful." My mother stepped forward and shook his hand.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Jeff," she told him. "Linda has been talking about you all day and has said so many nice things about you."

I rolled my eyes at my mother's exaggerations. Apparently, she found him to be quite charming.

"As she has told me many nice things about you, Mrs. Anderson," he said politely. The man was trying for points with my parents.

"Don't you think we should be going, Jeff? I don't want to miss the movie." My mother seemed disappointed that we weren't going to be staying longer. I, on the other hand, knew it would be painful for me if we did stay.

"Yes, I think we should," he agreed - eager to start our date.

"Mom, can you put these in a vase for me?"

"Of course, dear," she replied as she took the flowers from me. "I'll put them on the dinner room table where we can enjoy them while we eat. Now you two run along and have a good time."

"And have her home by midnight, son," Sox added.

I smiled - good old dad. While my mother was on cloud nine at the prospect of planning a wedding, my father wasn't quite as fast to let me go. To him I was still his little girl. How I loved the old man dearly. Stephanie stepped forward to give me a hug and whisper some advice in my ear.

"Relax and be yourself. And don't forget to make him work for this." I giggled and followed him out the door.

******

"So what do you want to talk about," Jeff asked as we waited for our food. We were sitting across from each other so we could talk.

"How about some of the things your boss didn't cover in my last tour," I half-joked. He raised his finger and shook it at me in a playful manner.

"Aww, aww, awww, we can't talk about work tonight, remember." I had to laugh just a little at his actions. "But seriously, isn't there anything you want to talk about?"

"How about you, Jeff? Tell me something about yourself."

"What would you like to know?" he asked with interest.

"Your parents, where you grew up - stuff like that." He grew serious.

"I'm not that interesting really. My parents, my adopted parents that is, live just outside Chicago. I have a half-sister who's in the Air Force over in Germany. I don't see them very often now."

"What happened to your real parents?" I asked softly.

"I don't know, Linda. My mother was only 15 when she had me; I don't know how old my father was. I was fortunate to be adopted when I was still a baby, so I had parents all my life. Still, every now and then I wonder if my real parents ever think of me."

"I'm sure they do, Jeff," I replied in a reassuring voice. "If you could meet with them - what would you tell them?

"I would tell them 'Thanks'," he answered with a smile, "for doing what they thought was best and allowing me to grow up in a normal family setting. Putting me up for adoption was a pretty grown-up decision on their part."

"Sounds like it," I agreed. "So what are your plans for the future."

He looked at me with his soft, brown eyes that could have melted the soul of any woman - even mine if I opened up to him a little. "Find someone to settle down with. Buy a house on a big plot of land to raise some horses, cows, and have a few kids. What about you Linda?"

"I haven't decided." The truth of the matter was, I could picture myself in his dream. I found the thought a little scary but even more so, I found myself thinking how great it would be.

******

I had to admit my date with Jeff wasn't nearly as bad as I though it would be. The guy was actually pleasant to be around. In fact, he was somewhat shy and that made me feel a little more at ease since I didn't have to spend the entire night fighting him off. At the movies, I even made the first move by putting my head on his shoulder. I don't know why I did it, I guess I wanted to see how it would make me feel and it made me feel wonderful.

After the movie we went back to his place to talk a little more but it wasn't long before I found myself snuggling up against him again. He seemed somewhat surprised by my actions but definitely happy about it. Finally, I decided to take the plunge - at least a small one. I sat up slightly and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around me and returned my kiss - only gently. I found a surge of sexual feelings rushing through my body, but was able to control it. He reached slowly for my breast but I moved one of my hands up to intercept his.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay," I whispered back. Being a guy once I could understand how he was feeling. A single woman sitting there in his arms in his apartment with the lights down low. I also knew that I had been sending him signals that I hadn't meant to send.

"By the way, I didn't tell you to stop kissing me."

He gave me an embarrassed smile and we went back to what we were doing. Later, he drove me home before my curfew was up. I was still feeling the sexual excitement going through my body and wondered how women fought it off. Then I remembered that women got pregnant so they had to be responsible. Jeff got out of the car and walked me to the door.

"I had a great time, Linda," he said shyly.

"So did I, Jeff," I replied with a smile.

"Linda - are you - I mean - did you really have a good time or were you just - you know, doing it because it was part of our deal."

Talk about a mood killer. I flashed him a smile.

"Goodnight, Jeff." I reached over and gave him a big one on the lips. Might as well let him think about it the rest of the night. Then I turned and went inside.

"How was your date?" someone asked me from the living room. It was my mom sitting on the couch.

"Mom, were you waiting up for me?" My mother was usually in bed by 10pm so she could get up early in the morning.

"No, not really" she told me picking up a cup of ice water. I noticed she looked upset.

"Mom, what's wrong?" I asked in a concerned voice while sitting down next to her.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said but I could see that it was something. "Just a silly dream I have every now and then."

"Want to tell me about it?" She shook her head 'no'. "It might help," I pressed.

"I don't know where to begin." She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Every now and then it's like I remember living a different life, only it's not a happy one. You, your brother Steve, and Jennifer are dead. I'm sitting in another house as an old woman, all sad and depressed. Your father is there as well, drinking harder than he used to, only I'm not concerned about that anymore."

"Does anything else happen?" I asked knowing there was more truth to the story than what she knew.

"Sometimes there is. Sometimes a man shows up. I don't remember him telling me his name but I think it's Tom. He's a friendly man. I wish he were real, honey, because I think you would like him. He's very nice and considerate and in many ways reminds me of you. Somehow he managed to bring Jennifer back to me; only I don't think it's really her, just someone who looks like her." My mother waved me off. "See, it's a silly dream."

I took her hand in mine and said, "I don't think it's silly, mom, but maybe you should talk to someone else about this. I know this doctor in my office; her name is Carol Green. I think she could help you."

"I'm fine, honey," she answered sweetly. "Look," she held up my hand. "It's just a dream. You're still here - at least for a little until you move out. Then I'll miss you."

"Oh mom," I said with love in voice. I hugged her tightly.

******

"How was your date last night?" Stephanie asked with a smile.

"It was okay," I said nonchalantly.

"Just okay, huh?" she replied coyly.

"Alright, better than just okay," I smiled. "Are you ready to go down below and see what he has?"

"Any time that you are," she answered. I picked up the phone and called Dennis Butz, who cleared it with the men below. A minute later we were standing in a private office with Colonel Myers and Jeff Summers.

"17 feet, 8 inches," Jeff stated. "That's how far she came back before taking off again." The picture on the computer held a much closer view of the terrain.

"What happened after that?" I asked. Jeff started the program at a much slower speed. The red dot representing Peggy Wilson moved slightly from side to side - stopped - moved about 7 feet to the north, stopped again, then headed north at a fast pace.

"That could have been a struggle," I pointed out.

"Or it could have been Peggy Wilson trying to decide what to do," Colonel Myers countered. "Maybe she had second thoughts and decided to run anyway."

"I'm convinced her story is real," Stephanie announced. "While it's clear Peggy did try to escape - I also believe she changed her mind and was coming back based on what I just saw. I also have a hard time believing Peggy would leave her backpack and flashlight behind; items she badly needed to help her escape."

"And if Peggy is telling the truth," I added, "then the person who attacked her wasn't a transformed person." Colonel Myers looked a little uncomfortable at the suggestion.

"It's possible," the Colonel started out slowly, "that someone could have sneaked in from the outside, but I doubt it. The weather was bad that night and they would've had at least an 11 mile hike from the main road that's not monitored."

"What about the soldiers at the nearby base?" I suggested quietly as not to insult the man. I saw that he took none from my suggestion.

"I'll check on that for you, Miss Anderson. If there's a bad apple in the group, the base commander will want to know about it just as much as you do. That only leaves one other set of people to worry about."

"The Andersonville Police force," I said with a bad taste in my mouth.

"And I can tell you, Dave Williams won't be happy to hear his men are being investigated," the Colonel finished for me.

"We don't have a choice now," Stephanie stated. "We better go see the Judge first."

******

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Dave Williams roared. It was the first time I had actually seen Sergeant Williams this angry. "You want to have these two investigate my men? For what reason?"

"To see if one of them has any history that we don't know about," Stephanie calmly explained. "Your Honor, we have to investigate Miss Wilson's claim. There is good reason to suspect she is telling the truth about her attack."

"This isn't an investigation," Dave stated with disgust, "it's a 'damn' witch hunt. They want to focus the blame of Miss Wilson's escape on someone else. Well, I'll be 'DAMNED' if Miss Anderson is going to be nosing through personal information on my men. Your Honor, Linda's one of the reasons my men are here. Who knows what she'll find out or what she'll do with that information? Look what she did with the information she learned while in the bunker!" It was a cheap shot and Dave Williams knew it.

"Okay," Judge Herns said, raising her arms to shut everyone up. "Ms. Hall, is this why you want authorization to have Linda run a check on his men? To shift the blame on someone else?"

"Of course not, Your Honor," Stephanie answered in a slightly hurt tone. "I want to find out the truth about what happened that night. I'm not trying to pin the blame on anyone here." The Judge looked at Sergeant Williams who held a silent, angry expression.

"Sergeant Williams," Judge Herns said softly, "I'm going to allow her request." Dave's face got beet red but he didn't say a word. "However, I agree with you 100% that Linda shouldn't have information about your men. That's why after this is over I'll make sure she doesn't remember anything about the files she looked at. Is this acceptable to you?"

"Yes, Your Honor, I guess it'll have to do," he responded in an acid tone that indicated he didn't like the idea but would accept it.

"Thank you, Sergeant Williams," replied Judge Herns. "I know this isn't easy for you."

We got up to leave but Judge Herns stopped me. "Linda, I want you to stay for a moment please!" After everyone left she turned to me.

"Linda, I'm going out on the limb here for you and Stephanie. Please tell me my trust isn't being misplaced."

"It's not, Your Honor," I told her. "I wouldn't be asking for permission if it wasn't necessary."

Judge Herns nodded slightly. "Just do me a favor, try not to step on any toes in the process. You'll still have to work with these people on a daily basis after this case is over. Keep that in mind."

"I understand where you're coming from June. I won't do anything to misplace your trust in me again. I'll keep this under tight control."

"Thank you, Linda," she replied with a tight smile. Stephanie was waiting for me outside her door.

"What did she say?" Stephanie asked curiously.

"To be careful. I'm going back down to the bunker to look at their records - are you joining me?" Stephanie shook her head 'no'.

"First I'm going to see Mr. Galloway and tell him we don't have a deal. Then I'm going to talk to Carol Green and see if she can provide me with anymore to work with." The attorney stopped and gave me a serious look. "I'm counting on you to find me something, Linda. Give me something I can use - something with teeth."

"I'll do my best, Stephanie. If someone is hiding a secret, I'll find it."

"Good luck then." She gave me a hug and we both headed off in separate directions.

******

Colonel Myers had provided me with my own office to work in. I was busy going through the records of each police officer that Andersonville employed - including Dave William's file. Sometimes it was the quiet ones you had to be concerned about. Out of the five 'real' officers Andersonville employed at the time, only officer Candy, Tabler, and Stevens - a recent hire, were smokers. Officer Philips and Williams weren't. I was looking closer at Officer Stevens when Colonel Myers interrupted me.

"I checked with security at the base," he told me. "There were 117 men out on liberty that night. However, all of them were flown to Billings earlier that afternoon since it's the only good size town around. None of them were AOL at the time the plane took off - two hours after Peggy Wilson was captured. Seeing that it's the only airport around here it's unlikely one of them could've flown here and then back to Billings in such a short time. However, just to be sure I checked with the base control tower for any unidentified planes in the area that night. There weren't any."

"Thank you, Colonel Myers." I frowned slightly at what I had to ask him next. "Can I ask about your men?"

Barry Myers closed the door so no one else could hear him. "I knew you would eventually, Miss Anderson, and I appreciate you asking me in private. Only of one of my men smoked prior to this assignment." He seemed a little uneasy to tell me who that was.

"Sergeant Summers?" I ventured a guess.

"Yes," Colonel Myers answered with some concern. "He's a good man, Miss Anderson, but I also know this makes him a suspect. For the record, I don't believe he could have done something like this."

"Why Colonel?" I was interested in his reasons.

"I know Jeff," he said honestly. "He talks to me about women but not in a disrespectful way. The young man is looking for love, not some cheap thrill. I've seen him push away many of the um - ladies that hang around the officers at the clubs we visit. To do something like this isn't in Jeff's nature."

"Your word means a lot here, Colonel Myers," I said truthfully. "For the moment I won't make him part of my investigation. For the record, I also don't believe he could've done this."

Colonel Myers gave me a relaxed grin. "Good! I don't have to tell you what this would do to the moral of my men if he was suspected of doing something wrong."

"Does he ever talk about me, Colonel?" The man gave me a slight smile.

"Is this part of the investigation?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, just curious."

"We have talked about you, Miss Anderson," he grinned brightly. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some paper work to fill out."

He left my office and I turned back to my investigation of the three police officers. Officer Candy was from Lincoln, Nebraska. He had been divorced twice, no surprise there, and had a son who was 15 years old.

Officer Tabler had been a cop in New York City. He was also divorced, but with no children. I noticed he had several awards for outstanding police work.

Officer Stevens was single and from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He had also earned a few awards for outstanding police work - one where he saved two kids from a burning car. There didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary about the three police officers. I decided to do an intensive Internet search of the police computer for any unsolved rape or murder in those three areas over the past five years. Five minutes later I got a hit.

There had been seven rapes committed in the Milwaukee area in the past two years - all involving young girls under the age of 20. Each MO was the same - a man dressed in dark clothes and a hood approached them from behind, held them down, and raped them. The police had been baffled by the lack of clues left behind and one theory was that the rapist might have been an ex-cop. I looked up the number of the detective in charge of the cases, a Detective Appleton, and buzzed Colonel Myers.

"What's up?" he asked walking into my office and closing the door.

"I want to make a long distance phone call and I know I need your permission to do so," I said politely.

"To who and why?" Colonel Myers wanted to know. He listened carefully to my reasons then wrote down a number in case the detective wanted to call me back. He picked up the phone, not the one on my desk, but on the table close by, and entered in a code followed by the phone number. Then he indicated for me to pick up my phone while he listened carefully to our conversation. I noticed his finger was sitting firmly on the disconnect button in case I said anything wrong. It was clear the Colonel didn't trust me completely and wasn't going to take any chances.

When the receptionist answered, I asked to speak to the investigator. Detective Appleton was a rather grumpy man and carried all the signs of someone badly needing a vacation. I talked about what had happened with Peggy Wilson and he agreed there were some similarities with his cases.

"I found some nicotine wrappers at the crime scene. Did you happen to find any wrappers at your sites?" I asked.

"Cigarette buds," the detective told me. "The woman who were raped all said the man smelled like cigarette smoke so we're guessing they belonged to him." He refused to tell me much more until he could verify who I was. After talking with him for about 10 minutes I hung up the phone.

"Colonel Myers, I have a bad, bad feeling about this." Jeff knocked on the door.

"Yea Jeff," the Colonel said. "What do you need?"

"It's a tape Miss Anderson wanted me to get for her." He handed it to the Colonel who gave it to me. The young man continued to stand there staring at me.

"Is there something else?" the Colonel asked his Sergeant impatiently.

"It can wait I guess," the young man answered. He turned and sadly walked away.

Colonel Myers watched him go and chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I would swear he wanted to ask you out again." I gave the Colonel a dirty look and pushed in the tape.

"What have you got there?" he asked curiously.

"According to Officer Steven's log - he was checking out Rutland's Furniture Warehouse around the time Peggy Wilson was attacked." I watched the clock on the tape and fast-forwarded it to 11:30pm. "If his log is correct, then he should show up on this tape during that time."

Just as I explained what I was doing a police car pulled into the lot and stopped. Officer Stevens got out and started checking the doors of the warehouse. After a few minutes he got back into his car and drove off "It was a nice try," the Colonel said gently, "but there's the proof that he's not the attacker."

I stared at the screen in puzzlement. For some reason, it just didn't feel right.

"You have a register of all trucks and trailers that come in, don't you?"

"Yes, in the computer," Colonel Myers stated. "Why?"

"Can you bring up the number on this trailer and tell me when it arrived and left." The Colonel walked over to my desk and punched in his access code on the computer. Then he started scrolling through the screens until he got to the place where he could enter in a VIN number.

"It came in on the 7th," he looked up at me, "and left on the 9th."

"Almost a week before the alleged attack took place," I pointed out. "Look at the date, it reads the 14th but that can't be correct."

"So someone switched the tapes?" he asked now really interested.

"Someone did more than that, they modified the tape to make it look like it's from another night. This picture is fed into a video recorder at the Andersonville Police station - I guess so you guys can check and see if - well you know."

"If one of our residents tries hiding in a trailers or a railroad boxcar in an attempt to escape from here," he finished for me in a dry tone.

"Yea, I guess so." I felt slightly embarrassing having to bring my escape up again. I wondered if Colonel Myers had truly forgiven me for escaping on his watch.

"What time did it snow on the 14th?" I asked.

Colonel Myers pulled up a weather chart on the computer. "About 1am the next morning - the 15th."

I fast forwarded it to 2am the next morning and hit play. It was snowing hard but the trailer was gone.

"I think this proves your case," the Colonel answered triumphantly.

"All it proves is that someone is trying to hide something from me," I told him. "It doesn't tell me why. But this Officer Stevens is a pretty slippery fellow to do something like this. If it weren't for the trailer in the picture, we wouldn't have known the video was a fake. Pretty stupid thing to do for someone with such a high IQ."

"Sometimes people like that think they can't be caught so they get lazy and sloppy," said the Colonel.

"Well, somehow I have to link it all together." I thought about it for a few minutes and started checking Officer Stevens' work schedule while he was on the Milwaukee Police force. The Colonel saw that I was busy and excused himself from my presence. For the next hour I checked and crossed-checked everything I could on Officer Stevens. What I finally found gave me cold chills. I did some more checking just to be sure.

"Shit!" I said out loud. "What a sneaky son of a bitch." I picked up the phone and called Stephanie.

"Did you find something," she wanted to know.

"Maybe - but proving it is going to be a bitch! We need to catch Dave Williams before he leaves."

"I'll meet you there," she told me and hung up the phone.

******

Sergeant Williams was just getting ready to leave when I showed up. The look on his face said it all - I wasn't his favorite person at the moment.

"Come to arrest someone?" he asked sarcastically. About that time Stephanie walked into the police station and joined us.

"Sergeant Williams - I'm sorry it has to be this way but I think you should see this." I held out a plain manila folder containing a day's worth of investigating paperwork.

He looked at it briefly and said smugly, "In my office." He closed the door behind us, then looked carefully at the report once more. An angry frown appeared on his face.

"This doesn't prove anything," he said while tossing the report back at me.

"Maybe not - but you owe me a chance to find out."

He looked at me with steel-cold eyes and asked, "what's your plan?" I carefully outlined everything for him. A half-hour later Stephanie and I were walking down the hallway to see Judge Herns about a search warrant. Everything had to be done legally it seemed.

******

The next morning, Sergeant Williams had his men assemble near the spot where Peggy Williams had been attacked. None of them looked happy standing there in the cold when we showed up. I led the way as Stephanie followed behind me, the cold wind kicking up our skirts.

"Good morning, men," I said to them firmly. None of them said anything in return so I continued. "I'm sorry to be so dramatic but one of you is guilty of attacking Peggy Wilson." I noticed Officer Stevens shifted nervously.

"And who would that be Miss Lady PI?" Officer Candy snarled.

"Not YOU!" I hissed back the officer. "Although nothing would please me more than to see you hauled back to your own jail in cuffs." I could see that Officer Candy wanted to rush me but good sense kept him from doing so.

"You see, we went looking for an item at someone's apartment this morning and found this!" I held up a necklace in front of them. "It belongs to one of the women who were raped in Milwaukee - the same person who attacked Peggy Wilson recently. The same person who accidentally left his calling card," I told them while holding up the nicotine gum wrapper.

"Where did you get that from?" Officer Philips asked while pointing at the necklace.

"From Officer Stevens' apartment." The other officers looked at him suspiciously. "It was in a box in his dresser."

"I don't know what she's talking about," Officer Stevens said while backing away slightly from the rest of them.

"It's over son," Dave Williams told him. "I was the one who searched your apartment and found the necklace."

"She's crazy," Stevens told the other men. He tried to run but Officer Candy and Philips both grabbed him before he got very far.

"Put him in my car," Dave ordered with disgust. Stevens was still crying about his innocence when they closed the door.

"I think that does it, Linda," Stephanie said to me. "You've at least given me hope that I can get Peggy's punishment reduced. We better get to court now."

"You go ahead," I told her. "Jeff has provided me with Peggy's movements in the wood and I want to check for more clues."

"Not alone, you're not," Dave said sternly. "You're still under a restriction. I'll have Officer Candy go with you."

"Not Candy!" I told him defiantly. "Someone else."

"FINE!" Dave shot back angrily. "Officer Philips."

"Yes sir?"

"Please escort Miss Anderson around the area." Then I heard him whisper, "and keep a good eye on her at all times." He walked away in a huff.

"See you later, Linda," Stephanie said, "and good work." She gave me a smile and walked over to Officer Tabler's police car to get a ride back to the Courthouse.

"I'm going this way," I told Officer Philips.

"You really pissed Dave off with that little stunt of yours," he told me.

"It's not my fault that he has a bad cop working for him," I defended myself.

Officer Philips smiled and gave me room to work. I began searching the bushes and trees in the nearby area for clues. A lot of the snow had melted so I was confident if there was something to be found I would find it. I wanted to make my case against Officer Stevens as airtight as I could. So I thrashed around for almost an hour until Officer Philips spotted what I was looking for.

"Miss Anderson," he said kneeing down, "take a look at this." It was a piece of cloth of a black police jacket. "I remember Officer Stevens telling me he tore his uniform somehow. This must be how it happened."

"We can match the fibers up with his jacket to prove it belongs to him," I said joyfully. "Good work, Officer Philips - I think you just proved our case."

Office Philips grinned at my excitement and said, "I guess we can go back now."

"Not yet," I replied and playing a hunch. "You know, you're very smart Officer Philips."

"Thank you," he responded while sensing I hadn't meant it as a compliment.

"I mean it - you almost got away with it. For a while I thought it was Officer Stevens who attacked Peggy Wilson, until I figured out it was really you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he barked at me. "The cold must be affecting your brain, I'm taking you in."

"Do that and I'll tell Dave Williams everything," I threatened. "You see, the Milwaukee detective suspected it was a cop who was raping all these women. The crime scenes were too clean - except for the cigarette butts that is."

"Which couldn't have been mine since I'm not a smoker."

"Yes, I know. I'll give you points on that one - throwing everyone off your trail like that. The detectives were looking for a smoker - not someone who hated cigarettes. And then the nicotine wrapper you left behind to throw everyone off your trail, very nice touch. We would think, incorrectly of course, that the person who attacked Peggy Wilson was a smoker trying to quit. If Officer Candy were any kind of a cop he would have gotten here sooner and found the wrapper before it was buried in the snow. Hell, we may have been able to pull Stevens fingerprints off it. I'm guessing here, but most likely you saw Officer Stevens throw the wrapper in the trash can and pulled it out when no one was looking."

The officer continued to stare at me and said, "Go on."

"When you found out Officer Stevens came from Milwaukee you had the perfect patsy. However, you made the mistake of committing the crime while he was on duty, so you doctored the tapes. That was real smart, Officer Philips, I must admit. By cutting in three hours worth of old tape with the trailer in the foreground, you knew I would find out that the videotape was fabricated and all the evidence would point to a cover-up by Officer Stevens. But something didn't seem right to me, so I made sure Sargent Williams told you about the search he was doing at Officer Stevens' apartment this morning."

"For what purpose?" Officer Philips asked. I could see his demeanor changing.

"To see if you would plant the necklace on him. What proved it wasn't Stevens was the fact that we didn't find any evidence from all the other rapes. You see, most rapists like to take something with them as a trophy. In the Milwaukee cases, this rapist was no different. He took a ring, or a necklace, or a pair of panties from his victims. But all that Stevens had in his apartment was this necklace - and it wasn't even that nice."

"So he got rid of the other stuff when he moved here," Philips argued. I could see he was getting defensive, a good sign.

"Maybe, but I found something important that proved Officer Stevens couldn't have committed those rapes. In three instances, he was working on the other side of town when the rapes took place. In another instance, he was in the hospital recovering from knee surgery. That caused me to start looking somewhere else. When I found out you lived just outside Green Bay - less than an hour drive from Milwaukee - it got me thinking. So I checked your work record and found you were off each night that the rapes occurred."

"You'll never prove any of this," he snarled.

"No, but I bet Judge Herns can find out the truth if you don't play ball," I smiled evilly.

"What do you want?" he demanded to know.

"I want out of this damn place Officer Philips, and you're going to help me."

"How am I going to do that?" he asked angrily and taking the bait.

"First, you're going to find out were all the weak places in Andersonville are for me. Then you're going to secure me a safe place on the outside to hide until everything calms down. In addition, you're going to supply me with money to live on until I figure out what to do next. So from this point on, Officer Philips, you take orders FROM ME!"

It was too much for the cop to bear. He pulled out his gun and pointed it right at me "I don't take orders from a girl - especially one who is here for committing a crime. So I got a better idea."

"You don't really plan on shooting me, do you?" I asked calmly on the outside while inside I was shaking in my boots. "There's no way you can explain this."

Officer Philips pulled out another gun from his pocket. "See this?" He held the gun out in front of me. "This is how your life ends. The story goes like this. I was looking over this clue we found when you pulled out this gun and took a shot at me in a mad attempt to escape. I returned fire, sadly striking you in the chest and killing you. Your fingerprints will be found on this gun and no one will be the wiser."

"Don't be a fool, Officer Philips," I told him while trying to buy time. "No one will believe your story. Where would I get a gun anyway?"

"That's for someone else to figure out," he said while raising his gun at me. "The Judge won't be able to ask you since you'll be dead!"

"Why did you do it?" I asked. "Why did you attack Peggy Wilson that night?"

"Because we had history," he said lowering his gun slightly. "When she first got to Andersonville she thought she could get out of here by sleeping with me." He grinned evilly. "Stupid girl - but what can you expect from someone with her record. I kind of got used to screwing her every night but when she got caught trying to escape the first time the fun stopped." A disappointed frown appeared on his face.

"That night I saw Peggy sneak out of her house with a backpack. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was planning to do. I made my way into the woods and waited for her. I think you're grown up enough to figure out what I was going to do next."

"And how were you going to stop her from telling anyone?" I prayed he kept talking.

"There're a lot of rocks in that gully, Miss Anderson - big, sharp ones. So if she were to fall and hit her head on one of them, who would suspect me? And think about it, the most secure place in the world and I commit the perfect crime under everyone's noses." He smiled coldly and pointed his gun back at me again. "And it looks like I still can, as soon as I tie up the last loose end. Goodbye, Miss Anderson."

He pulled trigger and there was a loud pop - causing me to jump out of reaction instead of fear. Officer Philips looked at his gun, then at me still standing here unhurt. He pulled the trigger several more times; causing it to make a loud popping sound but his gun didn't shoot.

"FREEZE!" yelled Captain Young as he stepped out from behind a tree not far from where the cop was standing. Several other soldiers followed his lead; their big, dark rifles pointed right at the cop. Officer Philips turned pale.

"When you were changing into your uniform Dave Williams put blanks in your gun. You can pull the trigger all you want Officer Philips - it can't hurt me." I noticed Captain Young's men were moving in cautiously.

"He didn't do anything to this gun," Philips said while pointing the other gun at me. "If I'm going down then so are you."

He tried to bring it up but there was a loud crack and the gun disintegrated in his hand. The cop screamed in pain and several of Captain's Young men rushed over and knocked him to the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief.

When Captain Young came over to see how I was doing and I found myself wishing he would hug and comfort me. I had come face to face with death and my nerves were on overload.

"I'll like to thank the man who saved my life," I stuttered out. A small smile appeared on Captain Young's face.

"Lieutenant Pennington - front and center," he ordered. A thin, attractive woman wearing a camouflage uniform came out of the woods holding a specialized rifle. "Miss Anderson would like to thank you."

"Just doing my job ma'am," she said professionally. I reached over and joyfully hugged her anyway.

******

"All rise," Officer Tabler bellowed out. "The Municipal Court for the City of Andersonville, Montana, is now in session. The Honorable Judge Herns is presiding."

Judge Herns took her seat on the bench and looked sternly at the young teenager who stood there nervously. "Miss Wilson, I've read the report. Your attempt to escape has caused quite a stir around here the past week. You know we can't allow such things to go unpunished."

"Your Honor," Stephanie started out but the Judge held up her hands to stop her.

"Mrs. Hall, I really don't see a need to drag this out any longer than it already has. Peggy Wilson tried escaping from Andersonville and then lied about it. There isn't much else to say, is there?"

"I'm sorry Your Honor - I am," Peggy interrupted. "I tried coming back."

"I guess we'll never know for sure," Judge Herns said with a frown. "However, from what Miss Anderson has discovered I believe you are telling me the truth. I also believe, in time, you would've tried this stunt again."

"Give me a second chance, Your Honor," she begged.

"I have," Judge Herns answered back in a neutral tone. "In fact I've given you two chances with a warning each time of what would happen if you tried this again, but you continue to ignore them."

"But I'm really, really sorry," she said breaking down. "I swear, I won't try it again." The Judge stared at her with an authoritarian look for a moment.

"I have a solution to this problem. Stand still Miss Wilson."

The Judge closed her eyes and held up her hands. Peggy Wilson put her face in her hands and wept at what was to come. The ball of light/energy struck her and she began to shrink. I watched in horror as a basket appeared underneath Peggy's legs and she quickly was transformed into a small infant. All I could think about was what a waste. All my hard work to prove Peggy's case and for what? I hadn't saved her from this fate. Judge Herns walked over to the basket and picked up the screaming child.

"Hush," she said as she cradled Peggy lovingly in her arms. "Now let me explain to you what is happening. You will remain in this form for one week. After that I will return you back to your original life as a 14-year-old girl. I'm hoping this week will be a constant reminder of what will happen if you try to escape again. Next time it will be permanent."

Judge Herns hugged the baby tightly and I could see by her actions that she hoped it never came to that.

******

"I guess this is it," Stephanie said as we stood outside the Andersonville Courthouse. Officer Deimos was standing next to his police car waiting patiently for her. In the back of the car was Officer Philips who was staring forward, a broken man. I felt a little bad for him; he was one cop that I had actually kind of liked.

"What do you think Judge Jasper will do to him?" I asked. Stephanie frowned.

"The Judge doesn't like bad cops as you well know. Since Officer Philips doesn't seem to have any remorse for what he did, the Judge will come down on him hard." Then she gave me a devious smile. "But I still have a trick or two up my sleeve. I'll do my best to make sure he at least remains human."

"Thank you," I said while giving her a hug.

"No - thank you," Stephanie replied. "Not only did you help me solve this case, but I also had a lot of fun in the process. I hope you get a chance to visit me sometime in Peace River."

"Just let me know when Judge Jasper goes on vacation," I laughed. She giggled and gave me one final hug before heading to the car. As they drove off, Officer Philips looked back to give me one last evil glare. I said a silent prayer for him, then turned to go back inside.

Fade out...

This story dedicated to all the TG editors out there who volunteer your time. You ladies and gentlemen are the backbone of our community.

 

Andersonville 10 -- Boy trouble
By Kelly Davidson Edited by Nelson T.
Copyright 2001

 

"Come on out, Linda," Judge Herns told me.

"I don't want to," was my reply back to her. "I look ridiculous!"

"It can't be that bad," I heard Dr. Green say.

"Yes it can," I responded through the closed door. "Why do I have to do this?"

"Because it's part of your agreement for having me change you back into Linda," Judge Herns replied a little sternly. "Now come out here so we can see how you look."

I reluctantly opened the door and stepped out wearing the ridiculous outfit that had been given to me by Vicki Marshall, my dance instructor. It was a full-fledged, pink ballet outfit with a wide tutu overflowing with lace and glitter. There was even a small crown to wear on my head as well as the tight, pink ballet shoes with ribbons on them. I almost screamed when Vicki had handed the outfit to me with a delightful smile that seemed to be stamped on her face all the time. My punishment, one of them anyway, for escaping from Andersonville and causing so much trouble, had been to start attending Vicki Marshall's dance studio and learn ballet. Judge Herns not only thought it was a fitting punishment but felt it would help in my acceptance of who I was - again.

"Oh my," Dr. Green said as she covered her face with her hand to hide her smile. "I mean - oh my."

"It's not funny," I told her crossly.

Judge Herns placed her hand on my shoulder, smiled, and said; "You look adorable Linda. So precious and cute."

"Maybe if I was six years old," I complained.

"That can be arranged," the Judge said calmly while raising up her hands.

I quickly grabbed them with my own and replied, "No, that's okay June. I didn't mean it that way."

"Are you sure?" she asked with eyes that indicated she didn't want to hear anymore complaints out of me. "Because it sounded for a moment like you were unhappy."

"Not with who I am," I tried to explain. "It's just that this outfit isn't something that someone my age would wear. I mean, look at it! It's so - so - "

"Girlish," June Herns finished for me.

"Yes, little girl girlish," I agreed.

"Your friends don't think that way," Carol Green pointed out while trying to hide her amused smile from me.

"My friends are temps, doctor," I shot back. "They don't feel the same way I do."

"And what way would that be?" Judge Herns asked in a somewhat stern tone.

I realized it had been the wrong thing to say. The days of allowing me to grow and accept my womanhood on my own timeline were over. Judge Herns was now forcing the issue on me at a much faster pace. Signing me up for ballet was just one of those methods.

"Look June," I tried to explain, "I'm a adult now. Wearing this makes me feel like I'm 6 years old again. That's not an easy thing to deal with on top of everything else."

"So, you want to feel more like an 'adult', do you," she said with a glimmer in her eye and a smile that caused me to fidget nervously.

"Maybe," I answered weakly. "Look June, I'm trying. Tell her how hard I'm trying, Dr. Green. I'm dressing more feminine, I'm trying to be more cheerful all the time, and I'm even dating someone on a somewhat regular basis."

"You have come far since your return, Linda," Dr. Green answered honestly.

"I see it too," Judge Herns agreed. "Which is why I'm going to honor your request to do something that will make you look and feel more like an adult, young lady."

'Oh oh,' I thought to myself. When the Judge started giving you what you wanted it only meant one thing - trouble.

"In a couple of months the High school will be doing a spring show at the mall. Actually, they do this every year and the promoters always ask for volunteers from high school to participate," Judge Herns smiled. "Even though you've already graduated, I'm sure they won't mind having you join your classmates - in fact, I can guarantee you'll be allowed to participate."

"I guess I could handle that," I replied cautiously.

It was another one of my punishments the Judge had assigned to me; having to wear skirts or dresses all week long, including Friday, which had been a casual 'pants' day for me. So now she was going to make me walk on a stage wearing a spring dress, I couldn't see the punishment in that.

"Well, these are sort of special dresses, Linda," the Judge commented with a thin smile. "You see, it's a spring bridal show and I'm going to make sure you model for both shows." Carol Green giggled at my predicament.

"A - a - a bride!" I stuttered out. Visions of me being dressed in white played havoc on my mind. Oh, how my mother was going to love this.

"Yes Linda, a bride," Judge Herns said with a stern eye. "You don't have any objection to this, do you? After all, you can't look and feel any more like an adult woman then on your wedding day."

What could I say? I smiled as pleasantly as I could and swore to keep my big mouth shut the next time. I didn't think it could get much worse but I was about to be proven wrong.

"Oh, and by the way," Judge Herns said with a somewhat evil smile that indicated she was going to enjoy what she had to say next. "In case Vicki didn't tell you, your dance recital next month is being held at Peace River."

"You mean in front of Judge Jasper?" I swallowed hard.

"I'm sure he'll be there," she answered with a grin.

This time I wanted to scream out in frustration.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town -- just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last; best chance I have of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project is Restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

***

Fade in...

The car slid sideways on the back road, causing me to slow down slightly. I didn't want to die, at least not yet. No, that honor was for the Coon River Bridge just up the road. I wiped the tears from my eyes and paid more attention to my driving.

'Why are people so mean?' I asked myself. 'It wasn't my fault that I had been born with a defective gland that had left me both fat and ugly. Why did the other kids have to pick on me? What had I done to them?'

"Nothing," I shouted out. I had done nothing at all. I was one of the nicest 17-year-old kids in that school and yet I was totally friendless. I hadn't even been asked out on a date unlike my younger sister who had to fight the boys off. She was everything I was not; pretty, confident, and skinny. I on the other hand, I was 350 pounds of fat that the stingiest diet couldn't fix. All because of a gland in my body that wouldn't do it's job. The medication I took helped but only to the point that I wasn't a hundred pounds heavier.

As a result of my situation I was alone, even my mother didn't feel close to me. A former beauty queen, she looked at me with embarrassment whenever I met her friends. Most of my mother's time was spent with my sister, as she lived out her former glory through her. It should've been, would've been me, if it wasn't for this damn, defective gland. I had become the forgotten daughter, a role that I had learned to hate over the years.

Then there were my classmates at school who taunted me. I learned to live with the names and cruel jokes over the years, but I never learned how to not let it bother me. Many days after school I would sit in my room and cry my eyes out. But today had been the worse.

My tormentor's name was Daniel Lewis, a boy about my age who was the high school prankster. He got his laughs at the expense of others; by playing jokes and making his victims look foolish. Even knowing this, I was so desperate to have someone like me that when he said hello to me, I let my guard down. He was asking me about a homework assignment in our science class and seemed interested in having me help him out. Visions of having someone coming over to my house to study danced in my head. Maybe Daniel would even get to like me, and at last I would have a friend to spend time with during the long, lonely hours of the day. I was so caught up in the idea that I didn't feel him slip the note onto my butt when we parted.

As I walked down the hallway I heard the other kids laughing at me. I didn't pay much attention to it - even though they were laughing louder then normal. That's when a teacher stopped me and lifted off the sign. It was piece of paper with the words; 'Warning, Wide load' printed on it in bold, red letters. I looked back to see Daniel standing next to his friends laughing his butt off. I felt crushed, how could he be so cruel; how could they all be so cruel? I forgot about my next class; I jumped into my car and drove off in a cloud of dust. I couldn't stand living in this body anymore; I just wanted to die.

I stopped the car suddenly in front of the bridge and got out. There was nothing special about this place other than the fact I had spent many hours here thinking and tossing rocks into the muddy river below. It stood about 70 feet above Wild Coon River and I knew such a fall in my condition would leave little chance for survival. The bridge was located in a deserted area, allowing me the privacy to die alone just as I had lived my short life. I climbed up onto the rusted side of the bridge and stared down at the dirty water churning violently below me.

I closed my eyes and tears began to fall, then I started bawling loudly. I didn't want to die - I wanted to live! But living had become too painful and this was my only option left. I hugged the cold, metal post of the bridge for comfort then looked back down at the water below.

"Please forgive me, God," I cried out as I closed my eyes. I prepared myself to let go.

"Don't jump, Shannon," someone said softly.

"What?" I opened my eyes and saw a young woman standing nearby with a sad expression on her face.

"How did you know my name?" I asked in a shaky voice. "Don't try to stop me, I've made up my mind."

"I know you have, Shannon," the woman said while moving just a little closer to me. "That's why I'm here. I can feel your pain sister, and I've come to offer you another way out."

"How can you feel my pain?" I questioned with tears in my eyes. "Look at you, you're beautiful. But I'm - I'm - UGLY!"

"No Shannon, you're a beautiful person inside. I know how much it hurts having people pick on you the way they do, because they only see the outside. But I can see the real you, and you're so beautiful. I want to help you see your inner beauty as well."

"How?" I wept. "What can you do to help me? No one," I started to break down and cry again, "no one loves me. No one cares about me. Not my mother, not my sister, and not even my father who I haven't seen since I was a little girl."

"I care, Shannon," the woman said softly. "Please, take my hand and come with me. I'll take this pain of loneliness away."

"Who are you," I sniffed.

"I can't tell you," she replied. "You have to trust that I can do what I say I can do, Shannon."

"Fat chance," I replied. "I'll jump if you don't tell me."

"I know you will," she sighed. "Okay, I'm going to break a rule here. I'm an Angel, Shannon. My name is, Trisha Brown."

"That's a funny name for a Angel, I don't believe you Trisha! I don't believe you're an Angel and I don't believe you really care. I believe you're just like all the others."

"I'm not," she insisted. "If I didn't care, would I be begging you not to jump."

I stopped to let her words sink in. I wanted to believe her; to believe someone still cared about me. I looked back down at the churning water below and realized how much I hated the idea of killing myself. But I had to know what she wanted from me if I was going to get down off this railing.

"What - what do you want of me?"

"I want to make you whole again," she replied.

"How will you do that?"

"By taking you to a place where you'll be wanted. By giving you a new life where people will respect you for who you are. You'll be given a new body, one that matches the inter beauty inside you. But to do this you need to trust me and take my hand." She walked closer and held it out to me.

"Please Shannon, this is your last chance at life. Don't blow it because of some jerk who uses the pain of others to make himself feel good."

"You know?" I asked tearfully.

"I know," she said sadly. "Take my hand Shannon, please." She gave me a hopefully expression.

I grabbed her hand with mine and stepped down off the bridge rail; hoping that the men in the white jackets wouldn't come running out of the woods to tackle me.

"What now?" I asked.

"Now I take you to your new home," Trisha said with a warm smile.

***

The next morning Trisha and I flew to a town in the middle of nowhere. As we drove toward downtown I stared out at the houses positioned along the road. Everything seemed so neat and orderly, not something you would find in a regular town. When we arrived at the courthouse I was quickly ushered into the courtroom and told to sit in front.

"Don't worry, Shannon," Trisha smiled, "this'll all work out okay."

My head was spinning, and I was beginning to feel that maybe I had made a mistake by agreeing to come here. As miserable as I was, I wanted to go back home where everything was familiar to me. A blonde-hair woman entered the courtroom from the side door and Trisha went over to talk to her. The other woman nodded her head a few times then gave me a pleasant smile.

A police officer appeared at the same door a moment later and joined the conversation. He was a good-looking cop with a big, bushy mustache and soft eyes. He whispered a few things to Trisha then took his place near the Judges bench.

"All rise!" he bellowed. "The Municipal Court of Andersonville, Montana in now in session. The Honorable Judge Herns is presiding."

I saw a lady in her late 40's or early 50's walk into the courtroom followed by a teenager girl. The Judge took her seat on the bench and looked over the report handed to her by the cop. For some reason she sort of reminded me of Judge Judy from the TV show with the same name. I saw the teenager girl take a seat in front of a computer and start typing.

"Officer Williams, what is the first case today?" the Judge asked in a dry tone.

"The first case is Miss Shannon Royal. She is brought before you, Your Honor, because she was going to kill herself."

"So I see," the Judge said while giving me her full attention. "Do you have anything to say Miss Royal before I decide your sentence?"

"Sentence, Your Honor?" I was confused. I was on trial? For what crime? The Judge seemed to read my mind and answered my questions.

"Yes Miss Royal, you're trial for a terrible crime," she spoke matter of factly. "You were going to murder someone, yourself. In this court, murder is considered a very serious crime. Now, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Your Honor, Trisha never told me I would be put on trial if I came here." I became worried about what would happen next. I looked over at Trisha but she sat there with a confident look on her face as if everything would work out okay.

"I see, so you have nothing to say before I sentence you," the Judge told me with a frown.

"Wait," I cried out. "Your Honor, it's true I was going to kill myself so I guess I'm guilty of the crime. But please understand, Judge, I didn't make that decision lightly. I was in so much pain, I still am. I just wanted people to like me and no matter how hard I tried, I always failed. The only thing people saw was this body, Your Honor. People can be very cruel."

"Yes, Miss Royal, they can be," Judge Herns nodded. "But that still doesn't make your actions right."

"I guess not," I agreed while hanging my head.

The Judge looked at me in silence, as if debating my fate. Her stern stare made me nervous and I found myself fidgeting a little. Was she going to let me stay or kick me out? More important, did I want to stay?

"Miss Royal," the Judge said in a cool and businesslike tone, "I understand the reasons which drove you to try to commit suicide that day. I don't agree with your actions, but I do understand the reasons. I'm going to give you one last chance to leave this place and return back home to your mother and sister. If you do, any memory of this event will be wiped out of your mind.

"If you decide to stay I'll provide you a with new body, one that other girls will look up to and admire. However, the price of this new life I'm offering is that you'll have to remain in Andersonville for the rest of your life. You will not try to leave this town until I decide you're ready. From this point on Andersonville will be your new home."

Judge Herns made it sound so cold and permanent, like I was giving up my freedom. Maybe that was true but then I realized I wasn't really free at all; not with this body I had. If I went back I would always be the butt of everyone else's jokes and end up trying to kill myself again. I couldn't go back there. Staying and being given a new life was my only chance at saving myself.

"I'll stay, Your Honor," I told her.

"Stand still please," she replied.

Judge Herns raised her hands and placed them together in front of her. She closed her eyes and seemed to be concentrating on something in her mind. None of this made any sense to me, how was she planning to provide me with a new body? Then I noticed the palms of her hands were glowing and a small ball of light with pink sparkles rose from them. The Judge slowly opened up her eyes and focused on me. That's when I noticed my feet were stuck to the ground like glue, and I was unable to move.

The ball of light shot out of the Judges hands like a bullet out of a rifle. It struck me right between the breasts and although I didn't feel it hit me, I found myself backing up as if there had been an impact. Whatever it was caused my body to tingle from head to toe.

"What was that?" I asked the Judge, who returned my question with a thin smile.

"I'm sorry we don't have a male doctor for you to talk to, Miss Royal. You'll go with Dr. Green now who is standing over there; she'll explain everything to you when it happens."

"When what happens?" I asked in a frighten tone.

The blonde haired woman named Dr. Green grabbed my hand and started to pull me away. Judge Herns got up from her bench and went back into her chambers without saying another word. I noticed the teenager girl and Trisha both followed the judge into her chambers. The cop went out in the opposite direction leaving me alone with Dr. Green.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask the doctor who was leading towards some stairs.

"To my office," she replied in a comforting tone. "Just relax Shannon, everything will be okay."

I didn't like the way the doctor had phrased the sentence. Something was going to happen to me and I suspect it wasn't going to be pleasant. Whatever was going to happen to me, it was going to take place in her office and I wasn't going any further until I knew what that was.

"What's - what's going to happen to me?" I asked in a scared voice.

"You're going to be assigned your new life, Shannon," she smiled while gently tugging me up the stairs. "Look, I'll explain what I mean when we get to my office."

Fear came over me. After so many years of being mistreated by people I no longer had the ability to trust anyone. This doctor was being too nice to me; and the only time people were nice to me was when they planned to hurt me. It could only mean that Dr. Green was planning to do something bad to me.

"NO," I yelled out in fear.

I pushed the doctor from behind, causing her to fall forward and hit her head on the stair rail. She collapsed into a small ball and tumbled down to the bottom of the stairs. I heard a sickening snap of a bone as she fell the wrong way on her hand while trying to stop herself. I ran down the steps and jumped over the doctor who was lying on the floor in a heap. I took off for the exit as fast as my fat, little legs could carry me.

"Shannon, stop," the doctor cried out weakly.

I looked back and noticed blood coming from her forehead, which only caused me to run faster in fear. I knew I was in serious trouble now. I blasted out of the courthouse doors and down to the sidewalk. There were a couple of people who looked strangely at me but I didn't pay to much attention to them. I darted to the nearest corner and ducked down a side street into a small dress store.

"Can I help you?" the clerk asked me.

It only took me a moment to realize there was something frightfully wrong with her eyes; they were flashing back at me! I screamed in horror and turned to run back out of the store when I crashed into a female customer.

The lady grabbed me by the arms and asked, "Are you alright honey? What's wrong?"

Her eyes were pulsing just like the clerks, and they seemed to flash even more as she continued to talk to me in an attempt to comfort me. I pushed her away and ran out of the store, almost running into a man and a woman on the sidewalk with those same, flashing eyes. I stared at them both in shock and horror.

'What the hell had I gotten myself into?' I asked myself while running off to find a place to hide.

***

Dr. Green was slow to get up. Her knees were bruised and scrapped and there was a sharp pain in her left wrist indicating it was definitely broken. The blow to her head had left her dazed but at least she hadn't pass out. There was something warm on her head and when she reached up and touched it, there was blood on her fingers. The doctor got her senses together and slowly limped her way down the hallway to the Judge's office not far away.

"Linda, help," she whispered painfully as she made her way into the outer office.

"Carol, what happened?" Linda asked while quickly helping the doctor to a seat. "Judge Herns, come quick!"

Judge Herns came out of her chambers with a grim look on her face and said, "Linda, call Sergeant Williams and tell him we have a new resident loose. He'll know what to do."

Judge Herns gently touched Carol Greens wrist. "It'll be okay my dear."

***

Everywhere I looked there were those people with the flashing eyes. It was like being in some kind of horror movie only it was real. I ran into a back alley behind a store and hid against a dumpster. I had to try and make sense of all this. What was going on here? Was this the new life Trisha had promised me? Was that my fate, to become one of those flashing eyed monsters? I had to get out of this damn place.

Suddenly something started to happen inside me. It was a tingling sensation, like pins and needles attacking ever portion of my body. I felt my skin being pulled inward, as the fat around my waist seemed to melt away. My relief was short live however, as I noticed my breasts were also shrinking until they finally disappeared. Then I felt my skin stretch as I grew almost a foot in height and the muscles on my arms and legs got bigger - much bigger.

My clothes changed as well, and I found my blouse turning into a football jersey while my knit pants became a pair of blue jeans. The coat I was wearing changed into a red and white school Jacket with the name 'Andersonville' printed on the back, and my black hush puppies became a pair of tennis shoes There was a heavy concentration of tingling around my groin, and I shrieked in horror as something long and thick seemed to snake it's way out of where my vagina used to be. Then the tingling stopped and I sat there looking down at my new body in a daze.

***

"I got her, Barry," Mac announced. "She's behind the China shop."

'You mean he,' Colonel Myers almost corrected the young man as he reached for the phone. The only reason why they had her on the screen now was because her transformation was done. Miss Royal was now Bill Maxwell, a 15-year-old bodybuilder on the wrestling team. The Andersonville Police Department was going to have their hands full catching this one.

***

I stumbled out onto the street in my new body, clearly that of a young male. I was in shock and wanted to vomit over what happened. These people were clearly crazy; what the hell had they done to me? I had become part of some demented experiment and sensed I was now in real danger.

I looked around for place where I would be safe while trying to figure out what to do next. Across the street I spotted a moderate size department store where I could hide out. I passed by several people with those flashing eyes; a few of them smiled and said 'hi' to me. It turns out they knew me as Bill.

Upon entering the department store, I saw a mirror close by and walked over to it. I was shocked at what I saw. Before I had stood about 5'4"; now I was at least 6'1'. I touched the mirror, then my own face. It was so mannish; nothing of the old me was left. I lifted up my jersey and was disgusted to find my chest flat and covered with thick, brown hair.

"Get a hold of yourself girl," I whispered. "This can't be real." But I knew without a doubt it was.

Carefully I looked around to make sure no one was watching and pushed my hand underneath my jeans. I was rewarded by the touch of a warm, mass of flesh that could only be one thing.

'Oh God!' I screamed to myself as I jerked my hand back out. 'What have they done to me? Who are these people? What the hell is this place?'

A sales lady walked over and asked if I needed any help. She was like everyone else in this town, one of those people with the flashing eyes. I shook my head and slowly backed away from her like she was a plague. The lady gave me a puzzled looked as if I had lost my marbles, which I felt that I had. Panic was starting to take over; I had to get out of this place!

I combed the store looking for a pay phone to call home; there was still a chance that my mother may want me back. I looked all over the store but couldn't find one anywhere.

'What kind of store this size didn't have a pay phone?' I asked myself.

I debated about asking for help but decided against it. I wanted as little contact as I could with these funny people with the flashing eyes. I decided to try my luck at finding a phone somewhere else. As I turned to leave the store I spotted a police officer standing less than five feet away from me. It was the same one I had seen in the courtroom earlier.

"Stay away from me," I screamed while backing up into the housewares department.

"It's okay son," he tried reassured me while holding out his hand. "No one's going to hurt you for what happened to Dr. Green. I only want to end this peacefully."

"I'm not your son, PIG," I spitted angrily back while grabbing a big cutting knife from the nearby display. "You leave me alone or I swear I'll cut you."

I noticed two more police officers, one of each side of me, move in from my rear but I spun around and swung my knife at them. Both officers backed off quickly and gave me room. I continued to move backwards into a corner so I could keep an eye on all of them.

"You're trapped," Sergeant Williams told me calmly. "We don't want to hurt you, Shannon. We only want to take you to a safe place where we can explain what's going on."

"I don't believe you," I answered, holding the knife out at him. "Don't come any closer or I'll make you pay. I want a car outside the store in 5 minutes.

Sergeant Williams shook his head. "That's not going to happen, Shannon. The only way out of here is past me, and I'm not moving. I know you're scared Shannon, but I really don't think you want to hurt me. Now give me the knife before you hurt yourself." He took a step closer to me.

"STAND BACK!" I screamed while pointing the tip of the knife at my own throat. "I'll kill myself if you don't leave me alone! You're right Officer Williams, I can't hurt you - I don't have it in me. But I can hurt myself - I was going to do it anyway. NOW BACK OFF!" The officer took two steps back.

"Shannon, please put down the knife," I heard Trisha Brown say.

"You LIED to me!" I yelled at her. "You said you were going to give me a new life, instead you're using me in some kind of evil, horrible experiment. Look at what they did to me! I'm more of a freak now than I was before."

"It's alright Shannon, calm down" Trisha tried to reassure me.

"No it's NOT ALRIGHT," I shouted back. "If you don't get me the car I want right now there's going to be blood on the floor."

Suddenly I felt my hand snap away from my neck and fall to the side as if some invisible hand had grabbed onto it. I tried to move it back up but my arm was frozen in place. All three officers rushed over and one of them pried the knife out of my hand. I saw Judge Herns standing there, a look of displeasure on her face.

"Take her back to courtroom and stay with her," she told the officers. I tried to scream but found I could no longer make a sound.

***

"She's dangerous," Judge Herns said in a belittling tone. "That's why we screen people first, so we don't end up with situations like this. It was 'stupid' and 'irresponsible' bringing her here like you did!"

"I was driving close by and sensed she was going to kill herself," Trisha shot back in a disrespectful tone. "What was I suppose to do?"

"YOU LET HER," Judge Herns yelled at the younger woman while slamming her hands on the table in front of her. "She made her decision, you shouldn't have interfered with it."

"Maybe I'm not that COLD-BLOODED," Trisha hissed back. June Herns face turned bright red with anger.

"You're thinking of one mentally disturbed person, I'm thinking of an entire town," the Judge shot back boldly. "I had Linda drive Carol Green over to the emergency room to get checked out, after I fixed her broken wrist that is. What I can't fix is any emotional scares the poor woman may have suffered from this attack. If you had gone through the proper procedures this wouldn't have happened!"

"If I had gone through the proper procedure Shannon Royal would be dead!" Trisha countered.

"IT WAS HER CHOICE!" Judge Herns yelled angrily. "Do you know how much work you've created for the people below? It's going to take hours wiping this from the temps memories."

"Is that how you measure a person's worth 'Judge Herns', by how much work it creates for others. Besides, this was your fault. Why did you turn her into a teenage boy?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Judge Herns snarled. "Why I turned her into a young boy is my own business, isn't that correct, Mr. Butz."

The director looked over at Trisha Brown, who was flushed with anger. Judge Herns was right about one thing; Trisha had no right bringing Shannon to Andersonville without a background check. But then Judge Herns wasn't using very good tact in explaining the obvious to his assistant. That was the problem with the Greek Gods, they never had any qualms about pointing out mistakes others made and pounding the point home. However, when it came to admitting their own mistakes it was a little different. Dealing with them could be quite frustrating at times.

"It is, Your Honor," Dennis respectfully replied. "I agreed to let you decided each person's fate brought before you, and I stand by my word. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone here." Judge Herns gave Trisha a triumphant smile.

"What about Shannon?" Trisha asked while giving him a glare.

"She shouldn't have been brought here in the first place," Dennis answered. "We have rules so such things don't happen, although you're not totally to blame here. Dave Williams should've walked upstairs with Dr. Green to make sure she got to her office safely. That's one policy that I'm going to make sure is enforced from now on. And I'm not happy with what you told Shannon either, Trisha."

"But if I didn't - she would have jumped. Besides, I didn't tell her the real truth."

"That's not the point," Dennis responded softly. "It allows rumors to be spread that could affect the operation of this town."

"Then erase all her memories," Trisha replied while glancing over at the Judge.

"I can't," Judge Herns countered strongly. "Originally, I wasn't going to have Shannon remember anything after the transformation, but it turns out she's very strong willed. Here, check out her profile and see what I mean."

Judge Herns pulled a piece of paper out of thin air and handed it to Dennis Butz. The director looked over the information carefully.

"She's one in ten thousand," he stated out loud for Trisha to hear. The numbers also explained why Shannon hadn't been turned into a pretty, young female. June Herns had made the right choice, although Dennis really never doubted that she had.

"Yes," Judge Herns explained. "So nothing any of us can do will make Shannon forget her past, although I should be able to make her forget about the 'angel' part if necessary."

"We need to think of a way to work this out first," Dennis stated.

"Not we," Judge Herns interrupted while pointing her finger at Dennis, "you! Trisha Brown is your employee and that makes this your problem. I want Shannon - Mr. Maxwell, out of my town within the hour."

"But where can she go?" Trisha protested.

"That's not my concern," Judge Herns stated firmly. "And don't ever pull this crap in my town again, young lady." The Judge slammed the door as she left.

"How can you stand there and do NOTHING?" Trisha asked furiously. "How can you let this 'egone' walk all over me like this? Have you become one of them now!"

"Don't you ever - EVER - fucking insult me like that again, Trisha," Dennis responded in an angry, slow tone. "Have you forgotten what Andersonville is all about? I don't have time for your crap today! It's bad enough I get that type of garbage from others who don't understand what I'm doing but you - you know exactly what's going on here. You of all people should understand what we're trying to do here and how much we have to lose if we fail. If you think it's easy for me to stand here and let her take charge Trisha, you're wrong. There are plenty of mornings I wake up and feel like I'm a traitor to my people - but the fighting has to end or else everything will be lost."

"And what have we accomplished so far, Dennis?" Trisha asked seriously. "All these months, and we're no closer to getting any of our people released then we were before."

"You're talking months - how about the past 4,000 years?" Dennis shot back. "Millions of innocent humans killed, no, murdered, for simply being in the way. And after all that fighting, and all that spilled blood, it hasn't accomplished anything! If we really want to see our people released then this is the only way."

"Say's you," Trisha replied with a frown.

Dennis gave her an angry stare. "If you don't agree with me, Trisha, the door's over there. Just don't let it hit you on the 'ass' on the way out!"

"Very funny, Dennis," Trisha answered. "You'd be lost without me."

"I wasn't lost 60 years ago when you went off to fight in the big war, was I, Trisha? I raised our three children all alone after you signed up and got yourself killed over there. It wasn't easy being a single mom raising three kids in the 40's but I managed to do it without your help."

"I came back later," Trisha shot back.

"Only after the kids were gone and I was an old woman," Dennis countered. "What was it, 22 years later, Trisha? I've taken care of myself without your help and I can do it again if I have to -so let's get one thing straight here, this is 'my' show, not yours. If you don't like how the game is being played," he pointed his finger at the door, "then leave!"

Trisha looked at her boss's eyes and realized he was dead serious. She had never gotten along with the Greek Gods, they were pompous asses. But Dennis was another matter. Trisha was closer to him then any other family member she had ever known.

"Okay, I'm sorry Dennis for what I said and for putting you on the spot. But you do understand why I did what I did, don't you? I couldn't let Shannon kill herself for the reasons she was feeling."

Dennis breathed deeply and said, "Yes, I do understand my friend. But I also agree with Judge Herns on this one, you should've let Shannon kill herself. It's not that I'm cold-hearted, but we have other things to worry about besides someone who's mentally disturbed."

"But she's not mentally disturbed," Trisha insisted. "She was probably just scared and panicked after the transformation; who wouldn't if they didn't have someone around to explain what was going on and to comfort them. She'll come around, I know she will."

"Maybe," Dennis frowned. "But right now we have to figure out what to do with her."

"Send her back home?" Trisha suggested.

Dennis shook his head. "They found her replacement in the river this morning - she can't go back now."

"Peace River then?" Trisha tossed out.

"Maybe," Dennis answered with a frown. "I'll use my contacts to ask Judge Jasper but I wouldn't get my hopes up. Our best bet is to try and get her back into Andersonville in a week or so -providing she isn't a nut case who can't be reasoned with."

"What happens if we can't get her back in?" Trisha asked. Her boss's frown told the story. If Shannon didn't come around they wouldn't need to worry about finding her a place to live.

"Take her with you, Trisha. Prove to everyone that she's Andersonville material so Judge Herns will take her back. I'll give you until the end of the week to get her straighten out as Bill Maxwell. If she doesn't come around by then," Dennis got a distasteful look on his face, "then, I'll have to take care of the problem myself. And if you're really serious about keeping her alive, I would practice up on an apology to Judge Herns."

"I understand," Trisha told him reluctantly. "One more thing before I go, Dennis. How's Project Peace doing?"

"It's slow, but Dr. Jensen is making progress," Dennis Butz said with a dry grin "By the way, congratulations Trisha; it's a boy." He turned and left the room.

***

It was late when Trisha drove me up to a modest ranch style house located in the middle of nowhere. The sky was pitch-black and the stars were shinning in the night sky with intensity. Toward the southern horizon I could see the lights of a distant, unknown city at least 50 miles away. As we drove up the dirt-covered driveway several lights came on, allowing me to see the place better. The dark, green grass was well maintained, as was the white, wooden fence that seemed to disappear into the darkness. The house was red brick with white shutters and showed no signs of aging. Trisha parked the Land Rover in front of the 2-car garage and turned to me.

"Before I remove the restriction that will allow you to speak, I want to make a few things clear," she stated in an authoritative tone. "You're a guest in my house, which means I expect you to act like one and follow my rules. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head vigorously, mostly out of fear. Somehow Trisha had the power to control my moments and speech, for I hadn't been allowed to say anything on the entire trip here. She also seemed to be able to read my thoughts. Whenever I needed to use the bathroom she would pull over and let me go. It was a very strange experience standing up to do my business and being able to get it done so fast.

My captor was a young woman, maybe 24 years old, who stood about 5' 7". She had light brown, wavy hair that hung just above her shoulders and was parted off to one side. Her face was lovely and there didn't seem to be a flaw on her beautiful body. Her tanned, skinny legs would've held the interest of any man, and I strangely found myself attracted to them. Trisha Brown was the type of woman I had always wanted to be; and I was jealous of her. Why was it other people had all the luck?

I found myself being pulled out of the truck by an invisible force and being forced to walk behind Trisha over to the white painted fence surrounding the house. She stopped and looked at me carefully.

"This is your boundary line," she informed me. "You won't try going past the fence without my permission. If you do try you won't like what happens. Allow me to demonstrate."

She grabbed my hand and lifted it up past the fence. Sparks flew and I felt an electric shock running up my arm. Instinctively I pulled it back on my own power.

"That was a light shock," she explained. "If I wasn't holding onto you, the results would have been much more painful. If you cross over the fence you'll be shocked every 10 seconds until you return to the proper side. Then, you'll be shocked every 5 minutes until I make it stop. I hope that won't be necessary."

She paused for a moment to give me a small frown and added, "I take no pleasure in doing this, Shannon. The fence covers over 5 acres of property, which will allow you plenty of room to roam. Try not to think of this as a prison, but as a retreat for you to enjoy. Since you're a young man now, I'll start referring to you as such. Your new name is Bill Maxwell. While you may find everything that has happened to you unbelievable, even frightening, it's the reality of the situation. You are now a young man, Shannon, and you have to accept that fact."

I was starting to feel angry inside. What right did they have to do this to me? How 'dare' they lock me inside a male body without asking my permission or considering how I felt! I was a girl, not some football jock.

"Let's go inside now," she commanded. I tried not to follow but found myself being forced to anyway.

"I really wish you wouldn't fight me," Trisha stated firmly as she led me into the house. "I'm trying to help you adjust to your current situation. Now take a seat on the couch."

I did as I was commanded; I found I really didn't have a choice in the matter. An invisible hand seemed to push me down. I crossed my legs but found that the new mass between them made it uncomfortable to do so. I put my legs down and crossed them at my ankles.

"I see you're learning already," Trisha said then frowned, "although you still sit like a girl. Don't worry, I'll fix that by the time I'm done with you."

'I don't want you to fix it you, bitch!' I tried to scream. 'I want to be returned to who I am.' But whatever power she had prevented me from saying so.

"I'm going to release my control over you Bill, so you can talk. However, I expect you to be pleasant in your manner, like a true 'gentleman'. That means no yelling, no cussing, 'or threats'. Keep your voice low and calm and we won't have any problems." She snapped her finger and I found myself able to talk again.

"My God, what's going on here?" I asked in a manly, but hysterical voice.

"Calm down, Bill," she reassured me gently. "Take a few, deep breaths and then talk."

"WHO ARE YOU!" I screamed while trying to stand up. I found I had the freedom to talk but not to move around.

"Lower your voice or I'll let you sit there another half-hour in silence," she warned me.

I took a few, deep breaths and asked the question again, this time in a more normal tone.

She smiled. "Good, you're learning again. As I told you before, my name is Trisha Brown and I'm an angel. The reason why you're here is because you were going to kill yourself. I couldn't let that happen, not for those reasons, so I saved your life. While you may not believe this, you're a very lucky, young man."

"I'm not a man," I stated while giving her the evil eye. She hadn't said anything about me glaring at her.

"You are now," she replied firmly. "From now on, until you die, you'll be known as Bill Maxwell, a young man with lots of talent."

"Even if I don't want to be a man?" I asked her. "What gives you the right to change me into one?"

"I didn't change you, that was Judge Herns idea. I don't know why it was done, I only know the process won't be reversed."

"This can't be happening to me!" I began to sound more like a frightened, little boy. "I want to see my mommy right now."

"That's going to be hard to do, Bill. You see, Shannon is dead."

"What," I cried out. "But you saved my life! I'm not dead, I'm right here." A horrible thought crossed my mind. "You mean - I, I did jump off the bridge?"

"Yes," she told me with almost no emotion in her voice. "I saved your soul, but the body of Shannon Royal is now a useless shell." Trisha hated lying but it was the only way she could think of to get Bill to accept who he was now."

"Oh no!" I said with shock. "Then this must be - purgatory?"

"No, it's my home," Trisha sighed. "Believe me Bill, what I saved you from was much worse. Suicide is murder, plain and simple. You now have a second chance with a life that you've desired for so long. A life that you could've been living right now if you hadn't attacked Dr. Green."

"I can't take this, I have to talk to my mommy. My gosh, what have I done to her?"

"I'm not going to judge your actions, Bill," the young woman told me. "I'm also not going to allow you to contact anyone, not until you accept what's happened to you. It's late, and this has been a trying day for both of us. I'm going to show you to your room and then tomorrow we can talk some more. In the meantime, I want you to look at this." She handed me a black notebook.

"What's this?" I asked sorrowfully while taking it out of her hands.

"It's Bill's Maxwell complete bio. Something we've been thinking of testing out on our new citizens to get them acclimated to their new home quicker. In it you'll find your entire history starting from the time you were 3 years old until now. It may make it easier to accept what has happened to you. Why don't you look over it for a minute while I prepare your room?"

I scanned through the notebook that contained over 50 pages divided into 5 different sections. The first section was a brief history of my life, like when and where I was born, things I had accomplished, events like the time I fell off my bike and needed stitches. Another section contained a detailed listing of all my friends through the years and ranked them from 1 (a best friend) to a 5 (a classmate in school). There were well over 60 names on the list. Sixty, I couldn't believe it. I could've counted the number of friends of my entire life as Shannon on one hand and still had fingers left over.

Other parts included more personal information concerning clothing sizes, likes and dislikes, hobbies. I found out that my nickname was 'Grizzly', a name I had earned on the football field. I wonder if I would be able to keep up with his reputation. I became so engross in the book that I didn't hear Trisha enter back into the room.

"Let's get you settled in," she said with a small smile. My captor led me down a hallway to a room made up to look like a boy's bedroom. There were football and basketball posters on every wall, a dresser that had trophies on top of it, and a couple of shelves with model boats and cars I supposedly had built. The room also contained a queen-size waterbed, a desk and chair, and a telescope in the corner. The color of the room was pale white but the curtains over the windows were blue - giving it a boyish look.

"This is an exact replica of your bedroom in Andersonville," Trisha said while motioning me in. "Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to other areas of your new home, but for now I want you to get some sleep. Goodnight Bill."

Trisha smiled and closed the door as she left. I thought about opening the door back up but decided against it. Right now I desired the privacy to think about what was going on. My mother thought I was dead, how horrible that must be for her and for my sister. Worse, I was being forced to live my life as a man for my crime and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

I lay down on my bed and cried like I had done so many nights before. I was all alone in the world now, without the comfort of my own mother although she had never been that much of a comfort for me to begin with. Why didn't anyone care about me? Had I commented some horrible crime against God that I had to be punished for it; first by making me fat and ugly and now forcing me to live the rest of my life as a man? Why wasn't I allowed to be happy like other people?

After my cry, and with nothing else better to do, I opened up the notebook that contained all the information on my new life. He -now me - was everything I wasn't in life. He was popular, athletic, and confident. Bill was the boy I used to dream about being with; the boy I now was. I couldn't stand it anymore; I closed the notebook and threw it on the floor as hard as I could. There was no way I was going through with this charade. I flicked off the light and laid down in bed feeling sorry for myself. Sometime later I drifted off into a fitful sleep.

***

I woke up to the sunlight shinning through the windows in my room. The clothes I had were wet with sweat, causing me to have a slight chill. I sat up in bed and tried to wake up. As my eyes focused on things around the room it became clear to me that what happened yesterday wasn't a dream.

"Welcome to the second day of the rest of your life," I muttered to myself. There was a knock on the door and Trisha walked in, with a cheerful smile on her face no less.

"I was wondering when you were going to get up sleepy head," she said joyfully.

"Why do I feel so tried?" I complained looking at the clock to see it was almost 11 in the morning.

"That's part of the process," she explained. "The transformation affects everyone differently. By the way, you shouldn't sleep in your clothes on a waterbed. You'll sweat all night."

"So I see," I answered smartly while touching the damp shirt with my hands.

"Better take a shower and change," she said while pulling some clothes out of a drawer. "Use the bathroom across the hallway then change into these. By the way, this is the last time I'm going to help you get dressed." She gave me a smug smile and left.

I looked at the clothes she had laid on the bed in front of me. A pair of red shorts, a gray tee shirt with the words 'Andersonville Athletic Dept.', white socks, and a pair of white jockey underwear. It looked like I was going to be working out today.

Taking a shower was strange. Rubbing soap over my chest didn't have the same effect as before. Where I once had massive breasts was now replaced with a muscular chest with curly, dark hair all over it. Worse was my new love stick that hung from my body like a limp rod. But when I touched the thing it tingled slightly, causing me to pull my hand back. I washed it while being careful not to start something I didn't want to finish.

After getting dressed I walked into the kitchen where I found Trisha sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee. Also at the table were three people, an older man, a young boy, and a teenager girl. By the stove stood a middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair. Unlike Trisha, they stood in place like statues, as if waiting for a command to do something.

"Aww, I'm glad to see you made it," Trisha smiled. "Now we can sit down and have breakfast."

"What's going on," I asked while taking an empty seat next to the teenage girl.

"You're about to have your first meal with your new family. Allow me to introduce you to everyone. This is your father," she pointed to the man who was looking at the paper. "Your younger brother, Patrick." He was about 9 years old and had a couple of cars in his hands, " And your sister, Samantha." My sister looked to be about 13 years old and didn't look very happy at the moment.

"Behind you," Trisha pointed, causing me to turn, "is your mother. As you can see, she's just about ready to serve breakfast. Normally you don't eat breakfast together very often but seeing this is your first time, I wanted it to be special."

"Look," I spoke while standing up. "I already have a family, and I have a sneaking suspicion that these 'people' aren't really people at all; that they're like the ones I met in that crazy place you call Andersonville. If that's the case than they're like puppets or dolls. Well, I gave up playing with dolls years ago Trisha, and I'm not going to start playing with them again. I 'DEMAND' that you return me back to my real family right now."

"Demand," Trisha said raising her eyebrows slightly. "You're in no position to demand anything. In case you forgot Bill, I saved your life. If it wasn't for me you'd be fish food right now."

"I appreciate that, but it doesn't give you the right to kidnap me. Turn me back into Shannon Royal and send me home."

"Why, so you can kill yourself again," she pointed out to me harshly. "Besides, as I explained already, you're already dead.

"I don't believe that. I don't believe I could've jumped and not remembered something about it. I think you stopped me before I jumped just like I remembered and I'm very much alive in my own body."

"Well, technically you're correct. But in the reality of things, you did jump and die. At least that's what people believe."

"So I didn't jump! That was just a lie."

"Yes and no," she smiled. "If I hadn't stop you then you would have jumped, but instead of changing reality, I let it run its course. So the reality for everyone else is that you killed yourself by jumping off that bridge. See, I didn't lie."

"That makes no sense what so ever," I said turning to leave. "I'm out of here, Trisha Brown, or whatever you name really is. I suggest you seek out a good psychologist and get some help!" Suddenly something invisible grabbed me and pushed me back in my chair.

"I don't have time for your temper tantrums this morning, Bill," she said with a frown. "We're already running late and I have things I need to do today. So let me spell this out to you real clearly. You're going to sit here and converse with your family like a proper gentleman or else! Who knows, you may even get to like it once you get past the flashing eyes. Despite what you may think about them, these temps do love you as their own child."

"Let me go!" I screamed.

"Quiet," she said while waving her hand at me. I found myself unable to say another word. "Since you're having trouble getting started, I'll help you out. By the way, I'm known as your cousin Trisha and everyone thinks it's Saturday. Now try to play along here."

She waved her hands again and the temps sprang to life.

"Hi son," my father said to me over the paper.

I tried not to reply but someone forced the words, "Good morning dad," out of me. I turned and glared at Trisha who flashed me a quick smile.

"Going to work out with your friends this morning I see," the man said with a proud smile.

"Yes dad," the words were forced out of me again. "I'm meeting Steve and Larry down at the Gym this morning. We're going to lift some weights and maybe shoot some hoops later on."

"Isn't Larry the guy you're in love with, Samantha," my little brother teased.

"Shut up you little rat fink," my sister hissed.

"That's enough you two," my mother interrupted as she placed a plate of ham and eggs in front of me. "Pat, stop teasing your sister."

My new mother placed her hand on my shoulder and said, "Good morning son." Then she turned back to the stove to fix her own plate.

There was more dialog between everyone as I dug into my food with earnest. I found myself particularly hungry this morning and ended up asking for seconds, which I got. I also figured I couldn't talk if I had my mouth full. But once I was done eating, I found myself unable to get up from the table. The annoying grin on Trisha's face indicated I wasn't going to get off so easy. Finally I got tired of having the words forced out of my month and started talking on my own. Once I tried complaining about my current situation but found the words quickly stifled. Seeing that I didn't have a choice in the matter, I gave up on the idea of resisting for now and went along with the game. Actually, I found myself enjoying the interaction and almost forgot that they weren't real people. An hour later Trisha asked me if I was ready to go and I joined her in the hallway.

"There, that wasn't so bad," she commented while leading me down the next destination. "I think you were even enjoying yourself back there."

"I was just pretending," I lied. "I only started talking to them on my own because I got tired of you forcing the words out of me."

"And yet," she stopped at a door and looked at me, "you seemed so happy when you were talking on your own; which I didn't require you to be. Were the grins and laughter also part of you pretending?" She gave me a knowing smile and opened up the door to a big gymnasium.

"This is a recreation of the gymnasium at Andersonville High School. You'll find that you spend a great deal of your time in this room working out. Oh, I forgot something."

My jailer pulled out a box from her pocket that looked like a small calculator and walked over to a modem connection. She pushed the small device in and started typing something. Two teenage boys appeared near me.

"Two of your friends. Steve Anderson and Larry Smith." Both stood there like statues looking straight ahead.

"Which one is which," I asked.

"You can ask them yourself," she replied while pressing a button. Both of them came to life.

"Hey Grizzly, how's it going?" one of them asked.

"Who are you?" I asked him.

The boy straightened up and replied. "My name is Larry Smith. I've been your best friend since 4th grade when we met at the Andersonville school picnic. We're on the football and wrestling team together and I've been trying to get you to try out for baseball this year with me. My likes are sports, girls, camping, and fast cars." His glazed stare was replaced with a smile again.

"Hold it," I said, turning back to Trisha. "What just happened here?"

"You asked him who he was and he told you. The other boy's name is Steve Anderson and in Andersonville, they're both real boys. There are others kids I'll introduce you to later on. I have a complete file on all your friends in my computer."

"But I don't know them," I protested looking back at the two boys standing there silently. "Can they hear everything I say?"

"Of course they can, Bill. The only thing is, I've programmed them to ignore anything you say that's out of the ordinary, such as this conversation we're having. So if you try to strike up a conversation about who you once were, they'll just blow it off at a joke and forget what you said. Go ahead, try it."

"Okay, I will then," I told her angrily. "Guys, I'm really a girl trapped in this male body. This lady behind me is crazy; she kidnapped me and brought me here against my will. I'm not Bill Maxwell, my real name is Shannon Royal."

Both boys started cracking up, and I felt a little foolish. Then they stopped laughing and Larry said, "Come on Grizzly, let's practice that wrestling move we talked about earlier. Steve wants to see how it's done."

"I'm going to go now, Bill," Trisha told me. "I have some business to attend to but I'll be home later on. Your friends will remain with you until I get back. Oh yes, I still have your control program running. If you decide to act up, it'll help you re-adjust your attitude. And remember what I told you about the fence surrounding the house. Have fun, Bill."

She turned and left, leaving me alone with these two fake, teenagers boys. I tried to leave behind her but found the door was now locked. My two new friends called me over the mat, which I found myself reluctantly doing against my will. Despite the fact I knew they were some kind of computer program, both teenagers seemed real enough.

"Get down on your hands and knees Grizzly, and I'll show Steve that wrestling move I was talking about."

I did as I was asked, knowing that any attempt to fight the act was a useless gesture on my part. Larry put his hands on my arm and around my chest then proceeded to wrestle me to the mat.

***

Trisha arrived at the church with only a few minutes to spare. She wasn't surprise to find the building almost totally empty. There were a few relatives and friends of the families, but no one else. A couple of girls around Shannon's age were there but Trisha sensed they came only because their mothers had told them to. Shannon's mother sat in the front pew with her beautiful daughter right next to her. It didn't surprise Trisha to see that Shannon's sister was the only one who seemed upset by what had happened. Her mother appeared sadden but almost relieved by her daughter's death - which puzzled the young woman.

The pastor stepped up to the podium and started speaking about how precious life was. Trisha thought of the irony of all this; since her actions to save Shannon's life had gotten her in deep trouble. She turned on her recorder and listened to what everyone had to say.

***

The day didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would. The three of us practiced our wrestling moves for about an hour however, a great deal of that time was spent joking and clowning around with each other. Then the cheerleading squad came in and we sat and watched them spin and twirl in front of us. Steve and Larry remarked about which cheerleader they thought was the prettiest and which girl they would like to take to the prom. Despite the fact I wasn't really interested in watching the girls, I found myself getting comfortable sitting there and joining in on their conversation. I was being accepted as part of the in-crowd, and it felt great.

A couple of cheerleaders seemed to know us pretty well and came over to talk to us between sets. I noticed a few of the girls gave me an interesting glance that made me just a little nervous. I wasn't used to having such positive attention bestowed on me. The only time people had paid attention to me was when there were being mean and calling me names. I didn't know how to handle everything what was happening to me, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

After a nice lunch that my mom made us, we went outside and started throwing a football around. Again, there was the customary joking and playing around that boys tended to do and more discussion on sports and girls. It seemed that that was all they were interested in. Not that I minded one bit, it was great to be able to participate in a real conversation with other kids my age. But in the back of my mind I kept thinking about my old life. I wasn't happy as Shannon so why did I miss it so much?

Later on that evening we sat in front of the TV and watched a couple of videos. One was an old movie from the 70's called "Smokey and the Bandit" with Burt Reynolds and Sally Fields. The other was "Gone in 60 Seconds" with Nicholas Cage.

'Guy flicks," I thought to myself with a grin. We munched out on chips and sandwiches while making jokes about the different chase scenes in the movies. I found myself getting used to the idea of having friends to be around. Just as the second movie ended, Trisha walked into the room.

"Hi guys, have fun today?" she asked grinning widely.

There was that 'guy' word again; it bothered me greatly. I was a girl, not a guy. More to the point, I was a hostage in this place. I gave her a stern look and didn't reply.

"I see," Trisha frowned. "Larry, Steve, I need to speak to Bill now. He'll see you guys tomorrow - goodnight." She pushed a button on the small box in her hand and they disappeared.

"Some trick," I said sarcastically. "Is that what you plan to do to me next, make me disappear?"

"What is it Bill?" she asked directly. "Are you afraid that you may get the life you always dreamed of? Are you so afraid to let people like, maybe even 'love' you, that you have to push them away? Is that what the problem is? I'm trying to help you, not imprison you. So what more do you want me to do?"

"Let me go home!" I told her directly. "My disappearance must be causing quite a stir at home. My parents and classmate must be worried sick about me."

"I wish that were so," Trisha said sadly as she pulled a videotape out of her purse and popped it in the VCR. "I didn't want to show you this, Bill, but I think you need to know the truth."

She hit play and a church appeared on the TV screen. The picture looked like it had been taken with a hidden camera. Then it flipped inside the church and I saw all the people inside - about 20 of them, most of them family members.

"That's right Bill, this is Shannon's funeral - 'your funeral'. I thought you should see this."

I didn't know what to say. I watched in horrified fascination as things unfolded. The preacher said a few, kind things about me but nothing that stood out. Out of the small group of people, only two of them were classmates. Where was everyone else?

Afterwards there was a small meal and I saw Trisha approach my mother. She looked more relieved about my death than grieved.

"Mrs. Royal, I'm sorry about your daughters passing," I heard Trisha say.

"Yes, it's tragic," my mother explained in a cold manner. "But Shannon wasn't a very happy person in life. I'm sure she's in a better, happier place now. They say people like my daughter bloom in heaven. Thank God, I still have my other daughter."

'That was it? No remorse? Nothing about the pain or embarrassment she had put me through all the time? Nothing about the good memories she had of me? Nothing about how much she was going to miss me now that I was gone? What had I done to deserve this?

"NO!" I shouted, standing up. "No, I don't want see anymore of this?

"Bill, please sit down," Trisha said calmly.

"Leave me ALONE you BITCH!" I screamed. "I HATE YOU - AND I HATE MYSELF! WHY? Why couldn't she have LOVED ME! WHAT DID I DO WRONG?"

I ran out the front door and into the cold night. There was a storm brewing as the lighting flashed and the wind howled around me. But I didn't care, let it come. I ran along the fence for over a mile, tripping over several rocks along the way. The thunder boomed overhead and then the clouds let loose in buckets. I ran in the cold, freezing rain as it stung my eyes and made it hard to see where I was going. The truth was, I didn't know where I was going. I felt so much pain inside.

"Why does everyone hate me?" I screamed out against the thunderous storm. "Why couldn't someone in this entire world love me just once? What did I do to deserve all this? WHY GOD, WHY? DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT ME?"

I stopped walking and climbed the fence. I wanted to feel pain -no, I deserved it. I slid over to the other side and was reward with a painful shock. I doubled over in pain but didn't attempt to go back. Another electric shock followed, and ten seconds later so did another. It hurt but also felt good at the same time. I was punishing myself, and I deserved it. I was the one who was weird, not everyone else. I was the square peg trying to fit into a round hole; the one who brought all this teasing on for being different. It was my fault - all my fault.

Another painful shock brought me to my knees but I made no attempt to go back. The painful jolt made me feel better inside -I deserved this, I welcomed it. Another shock ripped through my body and I started crying as the pouring rain drenched me. I grabbed at the mud with my hands and slung it around in pain. I didn't deserve to live anymore.

Sudden the electric shocks stopped and I felt two, warm hands on my shoulders. They were comforting hands and as they touched me the rain stopped as if someone had turned off a faucet. I looked up slowly with rainwater in my eyes at a dark-skinned man with a white beard and warm, inviting eyes. He looked all too familiar to me.

"My child," he told me tenderly, "You mean more to me than you'll ever know. You're like the lost sheep that has come home, and I love you very much. Please forgive yourself for being different -and start loving yourself, as you want others to. And never forget how it feels to be teased for the pleasures of others."

"Jesus?" I sputtered out. The strain on my body from the electric shocks was too much and I passed out in the mud.

***

I was woken up by the sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. Last night seemed like a bad dream except for that fact that my entire body ached because of it. I looked around and found I was lying underneath the blankets of my waterbed wearing nothing but my underwear. There was a short knock on the door and Trisha came in.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"Like I've been run over by a truck," I told her while trying to sit up. The dizziness in my head wouldn't allow that.

"Take this." She handed me a couple of aspirin and some juice. "It'll help take the pain away."

"What happened? How did I get here?" I shook my head to try and clear the cobwebs.

"I found you laying in the mud on the wrong side of the fence," she explained. "I had one of the temps bring you back and put you to bed."

"What about the man I saw last night?" I asked feeling a little better.

"What man?" Trisha asked. "There wasn't anyone around when I found you. You were laying there unconscious in the pouring rain."

"I must - I must have been dreaming them," I replied. I had heard that electric shocks could make a person hallucinate. "I guess you must be pretty pissed at me about last night, huh?"

"No, not pissed," Trisha shook her head, "concern. I know what I did last night was painful, Bill, but you had to see for yourself why holding on to your past life wasn't the right choice - and why you couldn't go back anymore."

"I realize that now," I replied sorrowfully. "I've been blaming myself all these years for all the bad things that happened, and maybe I am to blame for some things. But there are people out there who just don't care."

"They care," Trisha commented, "but only for themselves. Sometimes there's no hope for such a person Bill; they'll never change the way they are in a million years. Other times a swift kick in the butt will do them a lot of good. But you can't blame yourself for their bad actions."

"What do I do now?" I asked in a broken voice.

"You start living Bill. You pick yourself off the ground and start living as if your life means something, which it does.

"As a man?" I asked quietly.

"It's not important if you're a man or woman anymore!" Trisha told me in a comforting tone. "What's important is that you're happy with the choices you make from this point on. I know you haven't had much experience at being happy Shannon, but as Bill, I can offer you a life that will make you happy - and allow you to make others happy around you. All you have to do is accept my invitation and we can begin."

"What about my past life?" I asked. "Is there nothing you can do to help me get any of it back?"

"I'm afraid not," Trisha said with sadness. "The moment you decided to take your own life, that life ended. I'm offering you one more chance at happiness Shannon, only it has to be as Bill Maxwell."

I thought about what she Trisha was offering. She didn't have to tell me what would happen if I refused, somehow I knew. I looked at my warden but she didn't look so cruel to me anymore. She looked like someone who was generally concerned about my well being.

"Do you think we can start over again?" I asked. "I'd like to meet my friends again.

***

The next few days were like a series of practice runs for the real thing. I was introduced to each one of the new friends and allowed time to, for lack of a better term, bond with them. Sometimes it was done on a one on one basis, other times it would be done over a football or baseball game with a whole mess of friends. Thankfully, Trisha didn't try to push any romantic moments on me with any of my female friends. I wasn't quite ready for that.

On Saturday I had been expecting to sleep in but she woke me up before the sun was up.

"What's going on?" I asked while grabbing for a robe.

"We're going to give someone a swift kick in the butt," she smiled.

***

Daniel Lewis was bored. His mother had forced him to come to the school with his twin sister, Danielle, to help prepare the stage for the bridal show today. It was an effort to raise money for a local woman's shelter in town. The problem was there wasn't anything for him to do; it had all been taken care of the night before. So Daniel wander around the school looking for something to do while his mother helped his sister get ready.

This past week had been hard on him; Shannon Royal's suicide had left him shaken and feeling guilty. He hadn't meant to push her over the edge, only to have some harmless fun at her expense.

'Well, it wasn't my fault she couldn't take a joke,' he tried to reason to himself. 'No, I can't blame myself for what happened. After all, it wasn't like I pushed her off that old bridge, Shannon did that herself.'

He started thinking about his next targets to push the guilt away. There was Jimmy Ray, a short kid about half his size with thick glasses. If he could make him cry in front of everyone like a baby he could have a lot of laughs for rest of the school year. And there were other kids he could torment, like -"

"Hi Daniel."

"Huh?" Daniel was jarred out of his trance by one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen. She was about his height, with long, curly blonde hair and a nice rack in front. She was wearing a short, green dress that hugged her wonderful, female body. Her legs were encased in a pair of tan pantyhose that only added to their beauty. And she was wearing a pair of 2" heels. Daniel couldn't believe his eyes.

"Hi, um, who are you?" Daniel asked in a haze. He was in love with this beautiful creature.

"I'm Trisha," she said with a giggle. "I'm kind of new here, but I've had a chance to catch some of jokes you play on people. You're very funny, you know that.

Daniel gave her a wide smile. "I'm glad someone appreciates my jokes. Say, would you like to go outside and get a coke from the pop machine?"

She moved closer and whispered in his ear, "I was thinking more along the lines of going in back and making out; that is, if you want to."

Daniel couldn't' believe his ears. This sex Goddess wanted him, and all because he played a few pranks on some of his helpless schoolmates. Then a thought crossed his mind; maybe this was a setup. Maybe Trisha was a relative of one of his victims who was trying to turn the tables. He would have to be careful here.

"Sure Trisha, lead the way," he said carefully.

She led him inside a large storage room and locked the door. Then she turned and gave him a long, sexy kiss. Daniel felt his hormones starting to kick in. He reached to touch her breast when his body froze in place.

"What the hell," he tried to shout, but instead it came out as a low whisper that only Trisha could hear. "What's going on here?"

"I thought it was time you got a taste of your own medicine Daniel."

"What - what are you talking about?" he asked in a frighten tone.

"You like to make people look and feel foolish then have others laugh at them, that's what I'm talking about. So now I'm going to show you what it feels like. Observe."

Trisha pulled back a curtain to revile a white, wedding dress hanging from the wall. Next to it was a sheer, feminine veil and a large, black suitcase. Trisha slid the case in front of him and opened it up. It was filled with all kinds of female delights meant for him.

"You're crazy," Daniel told her while trying to sound brave. "There's no way I'm going to put that stuff on."

"You know, I believe you're right," Trisha said smiling. "So I'll have the stuff put you on, sort of speaking. First, we need to get rid of your old clothes. They wouldn't look right with what you're going to be wearing."

She waved her hands and suddenly Daniel found his clothes flying off his body at a tremendous speed. A moment later he found himself standing in front of her completely naked. He tried to scream but it came out as a low whisper.

Then she waved a finger at the box and a pair of white panties flew out and landed at his feet. Daniel felt an invisible force lift up one foot and then the other. The smooth, silky panties slid up his naked body on their own causing his body to shiver.

Next his hands rose out in front of him and to his horror; a white, lacy bra drifted over and proceeded to wrap itself around him. With one final snap in the back the bra attached itself to him.

"Why are you doing this?" Daniel tried to scream. "The only thing I ever done wrong was try to make people laugh. You can't punish me for that."

"Yes, but you did it at the expense of others," Trisha glared back at him. "And sometimes you pushed people too far, like Shannon Royal."

"Who are you?"

Trisha ignored the question and pulled out two breast pieces from the suitcase. She stuffed them into the bra and waved her finger again. A bottle of sweet smelling powder floated over and lovingly started to sprinkle its contents all over his body. Daniel continued to protest but Trisha paid no attention to it.

A pair of white stockings moved towards the confused boy. Daniel felt one-foot lift up as the sheer hose gently started to work its way up his leg. When this was done the process was repeated on the other leg.

With another wave of her hand, a very lacy, ruffled petticoat flew out of the suitcase and landed at Daniel's feet.

"Don't do this," Daniel begged to his body but it was no use. He found his feet stepping into the center of the lacy garment without reservation. Slowly the white petticoat worked it's way up his waist on it's own power. Daniel touched the silky material with his hands in horror as it bellowed out at his feet But there were still more surprises/horrors to come. A silky, lace chemise slid its way onto his body and then the sound of clicking caused the boy to cry out in panic. It was a pair of dazzling white, 3" high heels that were walking towards him as if someone were actually wearing them. They stopped in front of his feet, which then stepped into them.

"Now for the big moment," Trisha said to Daniel with a wink.

The big, feminine wedding gown unlatched itself from the hanger and floated slowly over Daniel's head. The boy looked up as the dress positioned itself over his body and slowly started to lower itself onto him. An invisible force lifted his hands high in the air and Daniel felt the silky sleeves of the dress sliding down his arms. Suddenly he found himself lost in a sea of white as dress covered his head, and preceded to slowly move down over the hapless boy. He tried crying out but it was useless effort, no one could hear him. With a small tug on the dress his head popped out of the high lace collar and he could see again. The dress tugged a little more in the back as if positioning itself on his body, and then Daniel felt the zipper in the back moving up the dress, thus sealing him into it.

"What are you?" he asked again in panic. "A witch? Please, just let me go."

"Not until you learned a valuable lesson," Trisha told him in a comforting tone. "You should be thankful I'm not making you go without this." She held up a long, blonde wig that was curled and made up to like his sister's hair. "It took me hours to get it this way."

"I'll look just like my sister," he tried to scream.

"Yes, and better yet," Trisha grinned, "that's your mothers wedding gown you're wearing. I'm sure she'll be so proud to see you in it."

"I can't go out there dressed like this; I'll look like a fool,"
he said.

"Isn't that what you did to Shannon, Kate, Tim, John, -" Trisha continued to rattle of two dozen more names. "Now you're beginning to feel how they felt; and it isn't so pleasant, is it Daniel? Oh my, look at the time. Hush up while I finish getting you ready"

Trisha placed the wig onto his head and played with the hair so it draped down the front of the dress. Then she snapped her fingers and Daniel's face was attacked by brushes, applicators, and lipstick containers that flew out of the makeup box. They danced around his face and waited for their turn to apply themselves to him.

Daniel tried to move his head but found it frozen in place. The foundation felt cool as it was applied to his skin. A light coat of blush was also added and his lips pushed out slightly on their own as an invisible hand applied the red lipstick to them. His eyes closed against his will and he felt something soft and silky being applied to the lids. More brushes and applicators attacked his face, all determined to do their best to make him look as feminine at possible. After the job was done they flew back into the makeup case on their own power.

"You look lovely Daniel, but there's still something missing," Trisha told him. "The final touch."

Trisha grabbed the sheer, white veil and laid it carefully over Daniel's head. She played around with some to get it straight.

"Perfect," she giggled. "Now no one will recognize you until we want them to."

"What - what are you talking about?" Daniel whispered in a frighten voice.

"You'll see," she smiled while opening up the door. Daniel felt an invisible hand push him out into the hallway. There a big, muscular boy dressed in a tux met them.

"This is Bill, your escort Daniel; or should I call you Danielle," Trisha grinned.

"Hi Danielle," I smiled evilly at my previous tormentor.

"Oh my, I almost forgot," Trisha said absentminded while placing a bouquet of flowers into Daniel's hands. "Take these pretty flowers Danielle. A beautiful girl must have pretty flowers on her big day."

I held out my arm and Daniel's hand was jerked over to receive it.

Daniel found himself being forced to lift up the skirt of the wedding dress with his free hand as I slowly led him down the hallway to where all the other girls were getting ready. I knew the wedding dress was heavy to walk in, almost as if it had weights attached to it; and the thick, constricting petticoat caused the dress to sway from side to side making it impossible to run in.

Trisha followed the two teenagers a short distance behind with a careful eye. It wasn't Daniel's behavior she was interested in; it was Bill's. This was a test to see how far he had come in the past week.

I lead Daniel into the back room where the other girls were getting ready to go onstage. Most of the girls had their mothers or a friend helping them. The bridal show was made up entirely of high school girls dressed in their mother's old wedding gowns. On the way to the stage we past by a full length mirror and I halted the precession so Daniel could get his first, full look at what he had become. He gasped in horror at the sight.

"Pretty, aren't you," I said with a slight laugh.

"Please, take me back," Daniel begged in a whisper, this time under his own power so no one else could hear him except for me. "You had your fun, now please let me go."

I didn't answer his pleads. Somewhere in the room I could hear Daniel's sister telling his mom she couldn't find her wedding dress. If they caught him wearing it! A few of the girls rushed by us without paying much attention to Daniel; to them he was just another blushing bride. But several of the mothers who followed beamed at him with pleasure. Apparently he looked just enough like his sister to make them think he really was her. I slowly jerked him out of the daydream and toward the stage.

"Please, I'll do anything," he continued. "What do you want?"

"The satisfaction of getting even," I hissed softly. "You don't know who I am, do you? Well, I'll tell you once we get on stage."

I escorted Daniel up to Ms. Lackey, the girl's PE teacher and director of the show. She was currently peeking out behind the curtain at the young couple on stage.

"Danielle, I see you found your mother's dress after all. Oh my, don't you look pretty in it," she said with a wide smile. It was evident she didn't know who this really was wearing the dress.

"You're on next Danielle," she said, while handing me the card to give to the announcer. "Don't be nervous, just take a deep breath and remember what we went over. Make sure you twirl around twice so everyone can see the back of your gorgeous dress."

We watched the bride on stage smile and do her moves for the crowd. After a couple of turns her escort provided his arm to her and they walk back off stage smiling.

"Okay, your turn Danielle, big smile," Ms. Lackey said sweetly as she gave Daniel an encouraging nudge on the back.

"Mom, who's that wearing your dress," I heard Daniel's sister ask from somewhere behind us. Daniel heard it too and cringed in terror knowing he was caught. Then he cringed even more when the crowd of people in the audience, most of them female classmates with their mothers, started clapping as we walked onto the stage.

"Please, take me back," Daniel begged as I led him over to the announcer. "Don't make me do this!"

"Why didn't you stop when I asked you to?" I replied back in a low, anger whisper. "I ask you to leave me alone all the time but you never did. You kept on teasing and hurting me."

"Who - who are you? I don't know you."

"I'm Shannon Royal," I hissed at him softly. "I've been given a chance to come back and show you how it feels to be humiliated in front of hundreds of people."

"Shannon?" Daniel looked at me in sick horror. "Oh god, I'm sorry Shannon, it was just a joke. I didn't know you'd kill yourself because of it. If I knew it was going to upset you that much, I wouldn't have done that to you. I'm so sorry, I really, really am!"

"Shut up and take this like a man," I told him. "Now lets go and don't forget to smile pretty for everyone."

I practically was dragging him now, as he struggled to walk in the long dress and thick petticoat. I handed over the card that Ms. Lackey had given me to the announcer.

He looked at the card, smiled, and spoke into the microphone; "This is Danielle Lewis and her escort, Bill Maxwell. Don't they make a lovely couple folks? Let's give them a big hand." The entire gymnasium erupted in a storm of applause.

Daniel stood there in a frozen panic but I gave him a strong nudge to move him forward.

"Let's go," I told him, "and don't forget to smile real pretty for everyone."

I marched him out into the middle of the stage and moved my hand up his back without him knowing it. I got a strong grip on the wig and prepared for the right moment to yank it off - when he was walking toward the front of the stage. Then everyone would realize it was Daniel Lewis dressed up in a pretty wedding gown. It would be the ultimate payback for what he did to me. The poor boy would never live this humiliation down.

I started to pull the wig off but something inside my head stopped me. The words I heard that stranger say a few days ago rang in my ears.

"Never forget how it feels to be teased for the pleasures of others," he had told me.

I realized that's what I was doing - feeling pleasure from the pain of teasing someone else. Everything I despised about what Daniel and the others had done to me I was now doing myself. It wasn't right then, and even though I had suffered, it didn't make it any more right now. I released my grip on the wig and looked down at Daniel who had tears in his eyes.

"If you want to get out of this without embarrassing yourself in front of everyone, I suggest you smile pretty, move your hips, and try not to make a fool of yourself. Now move." I gave him a slight nudge on the rear and watched as he struggled to walk toward the crowd in his 3" heels.

I suppose I should have found this funny, and maybe a week ago I would have. But inside I knew what Daniel was feeling and it made me feel sad. Why did this idea sound so good a couple of hours ago when I had rapidly agreed to Trisha's plan?

Daniel walked to the front of the stage and turned so everyone could see the high-collar dress with the huge, white bow attached to the rear. The train of the dress was at least 5 feet long and he had trouble turning around on stage. All the time this was going on the announcer was describing the dress in fine detail.

I looked over to the side entrance and saw Daniel's mother and sister standing next to Ms. Lackey watching him. Mrs. Lewis had a reserved expression on her face as she saw her son turn in front of the crowd with a big smile. His sister on the other hand looked bewildered by his actions.

Daniel didn't have to worry about his makeup; he was a natural blushing bride. He kept looking over at me in panic but continued to go through the motions he had seen the other girl do before him. When he finished, I gave him my arm and gracefully escorted him off the stage into the waiting arms of his mother, sister, and a confused Ms. Lackey.

"Well," his mother said in a low tone, "I didn't know I had two daughters." Danielle chuckled at the comment her mother had just made while Mrs. Lackey looked on with confusion.

"If this isn't Danielle, then who is she?" Ms. Lackey asked.

"Why this is my cousin, Denise," Danielle told her teacher with a slight giggle. "I guess she was feeling left out when my mother started giving me so much attention and decided to take my place."

"Why, you two look so much alike," the teacher exclaimed. "And you make a beautiful bride, Denise." Daniel stood there blushing deeply with embarrassment over the comments.

"Aren't you going to thank Ms. Lackey like a proper young lady," his mother responded in a firm tone. I don't think she knew whether to be concerned or upset with her son.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lackey," Daniel blushed.

"This way, Denise," his mother said firmly while taking his hand and pulling him away. I followed close behind to hear what she had to say to him.

"I had no idea you felt this way, Denise. If I had known about this before, I would've gotten you your own pretty clothes to wear. When I get you home we'll find one of Danielle's prettiest dresses for you to wear and then we can talk about all this. You don't mind Danielle, do you?"

"Of course not, mother," she giggled some more while looking at her brother dressed in her mothers finest. "Whatever it takes to get Denise out of her shell and become the woman she wants to be."

"How thoughtful of your sister, Denise," Mrs. Lewis said in a non-judgmental way while walking Daniel slowly toward the exit. Some of the other girls in the show stared at them with confusion. If that wasn't Danielle in her mother's wedding dress, than who was it?

"Both of you come with me, I'll drive you both home now."

"Can't - can't I change first?" Daniel asked nervously.

"Why?" his mother smiled brightly. "You're so beautiful in that outfit, Denise! You make a very lovely, young bride."

As I watched them leave I felt a sense of satisfaction inside knowing I hadn't embarrassed him more, even though he deserved it. I saw Trisha standing not far away with a small smile on her face.

"I need to talk to you," I said firmly.

"Not here," she replied. "Outside in my car. Follow me."

I was halfway to the door when I spotted her - my sister -dressed in my mother expensive wedding gown. Normally she was always smiling but today she looked depressed. I noticed my mother was nowhere to be found. Trisha looked over at what had caused me to stop and frowned.

"I need to talk to her one last time," I told Trisha softly.

"Bill," she warned me.

"I know Trisha, I won't tell her anything." I looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please Trisha, let me say goodbye before I go."

"Carefully - do you understand?" she stated sternly in a low whisper. I nodded and walked over to where my sister was standing.

"Rachel?" The young girl looked up at me. "I'm sorry about your sister."

"Thank - thank you," she muttered. "Did you know Shannon well?"

"Better than you could imagine," I answered.

"My mother say's Shannon is happy now - I wish I could believe that." I could see the guilt in my sister's eyes.

"I'm sure she is, in fact I know she is."

"How can you be sure?" she asked sadly.

"Because I'm - because I just know. Don't blame yourself for her death, it wasn't your fault. She never meant to hurt you."

"It was me who was always hurting her," Rachel explained sadly. "I was always pushing my good looks in her face. I was the one who always competed with her for mom's attention and got it. I knew it hurt her, but I did it out of spite! I was always mean to her. I'm the reason why she took her life!"

"No," I replied back in a comforting tone. "Shannon told me you two weren't close but her death wasn't your fault. She just forgot how precious life is. Don't blame yourself for her mistake."

I looked over at Trisha who was giving me an impatient stare. "I have to go now Rachel. Just don't let your sisters death ruin your life." I gave her a small hug and placed a pre-written note into her purse without her knowing it. I let go of my sister and started to walk away.

"Wait," she cried out. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" I told her. "Let's just say I'm a old friend of the family and leave it at that. Goodbye Rachel."

"Goodbye," she answered, lifting her hand in the air at me. I swiftly followed Trisha outside into the parking lot.

"Feel better?" she asked.

"Yes, a lot better," I nodded. "Thanks for letting me say goodbye to her back there."

"And for the note," she said smugly.

"Note?" I tried to act surprise but didn't do a very good job at it.

"Yes, the note you placed in her purse. The note you thought I didn't know about. The note where you tell Rachel you're still alive and happy and you want her to be happy knowing that. The note you told her not to share with your mother. That note!"

"I'm sorry Trisha, I had to give it to her so - so she wouldn't be unhappy for the rest of her life. For what it's worth, I didn't tell her anything important - like about you or Andersonville."

"If you had I wouldn't have let her keep it" she told me with a thin smile. "The chances are, Rachel won't believe what you wrote anyway but you shouldn't have tried to disobey me. And speaking of disobeying me, what happened out there on stage. You were suppose to pull Daniel's wig off in front of the audience so they could see it was a boy dressed in that feminine wedding gown."

"I - I couldn't do it Trisha," I answered while hoping I could make her understand. "I didn't want to hurt him like he hurt me. I didn't want to become like him."

She smiled. "You have learned a lot this week, Bill."

"You mean, you're not mad at me?"

"Of course not. You behaved the way I hoped you would behave."

"What about Daniel?" I asked. "What's going to happen to him?"

"Mrs. Lewis is a wonderful lady who is deeply concerned about her children's well being," Trisha explained. "She's been concerned about her son's behavior for some time now and has thought about taking him to see someone. I'm sure Daniel will try telling her the truth but she won't believe it. With no other recourse left to explain why he's in her wedding dress, Daniel will most likely confess his guilt over Shannon Royal's death. His mother will see what happened today, as a cry for help, and out of love will get it for him. Daniel will finally find a way to deal with the pain inside him."

"What pain?" I asked curiously.

"When he was about six years old, his father left and hasn't seen him since. But before he left, he said some pretty nasty things to Daniel, things that damaged his self-esteem - things that no child should've had to deal with. That's why Daniel is the way he is; he's projecting how insecure he feels by making others feel the same way - like you for instance."

"Does he really feel guilty about how he treated me?" I asked.

"Yes Bill, he does," Trisha told me with a sad smile. "Are you surprised? His apology to you was real and sincere. He was very sorry when he heard what you did and felt guilty about pushing you over the edge."

"I had no idea - I mean," I stood there a little stunned. "I'm glad I didn't embarrass him like you asked me to."

"So am I, Bill, more than you know," she said with a grin. "Like I said, sometimes a swift kick in the butt will do a person good. In a few years Daniel won't be the jerk that he is today. He may even end up helping others with self-esteem problems."

"So what happens to me now?" I asked.

"Now you come with me," someone else said. It was Judge Herns standing nearby wearing a nice dress.

"You mean -?"

"Yes Bill," Judge Herns smiled. "It's time to take you home. This was a test Trisha set up so I could see for myself how much you've changed since our last meeting. You've proven to me that you're not the same person I once knew, so I'm taking you back to Andersonville with me."

"I don't - know - what," I turned and gave Trisha a big hug. "Thank you, Trisha, for having faith in me - and for being my friend."

"You're welcome, Bill," she replied joyfully.

"Will I see you again?" I asked.

"Of course you will, Bill," she grinned. "I'll stop in from time to time to say 'hi'. Until then, I want you to take care and make a good life for yourself this time.

"I will," I promised. I turned to Judge Herns. "I'm ready to go, Your Honor."

"Get in the car my child," she told me pleasantly. "We have a plane to catch to Andersonville." I couldn't wait to get there.

"Oh, and Bill," Trisha yelled out to me. "Don't forget about the man who got everything he ever wanted."

"What happened?"

"Why he lived happily ever after," she grinned.

***

One week later - Friday evening I sat there on the bleachers watching Steve, Larry, and their new friend, Bill Maxwell, toss the football around the field. Dennis Butz had told me to meet him here about a very important manner. I couldn't figure out what could be so important that we had to meet on the High School football field. While I waited, I daydreamed about being out there with my brother and his friends. I guess I could have gone down and joined them, although the dress and heels would've made me look a little out of place. I sighed slightly at how unfair this seemed.

"Hello Linda," Dennis greeted me while taking a seat next to mine.

"Hello Dennis," I replied back. "So what's so important that I had to meet you here?"

"I'll tell you in a minute," he grinned. "But first Linda, I want you to know how proud I am having you working for me. I know this hasn't been easy on you, and that you'd rather be down there slinging the football around with your brother instead of being up here in the stands playing cheerleader. However, I wanted you to know there was a reason for this and you've been one of the best employees I've ever had. I have no complaints about anything you've done so far."

"Not even when I escaped?" I asked.

"We all make mistakes Linda. I don't blame you for trying," he chuckled, "and succeeding. But you didn't plan on leaving for good; you intended to come back here and continue living out your agreement with me. You just didn't understand at the time why the Judge wouldn't let you go. But that's in the past, and we don't need to talk about it anymore."

"So is this where I'm suppose to get all mushy and tell you that I always felt like you've been like a father to me, Dennis?" I smirked.

The director let out a hearty laugh. "No, Linda, that would be out of character for you.

"So what are you leading up to?" Dennis was acting very strangely, as if he was both excited and sad at the same time.

"I tell you in a minute," he said in a serious tone. "But first, I believe I've figured out a way to get your brother Steve out of this depressed state he's been in lately. Wait, hold on."

Dennis reached into his pocket and pulled out a black box that looked like a speaker. He coughed and said, "I had this wired up ahead of time, it'll allow us to hear what Steve says. Keep in mind, I normally don't listen in on other peoples conversations."

"I bet!" I sarcastically replied. "So why are we eavesdropping in on my brother?"

"You'll see," Dennis smiled and pointed.

I spotted a blonde-haired girl; wearing an Andersonville cheerleader's outfit, walk out onto the football field. She looked to be about Steve's age, and was absolutely stunning. She had long, tan legs, a face like an angel, and a body that any boy would kill for. She laid her pom-poms down on the bench and started tying her shoes, giving herself a very seductive pose that seemed to be on purpose. The three boys stopped what they were doing and said something to each other. To my surprise, both Larry and Bill turned and walked off the field leaving Steve alone. Bill, I could almost understand not being interested, for I knew who he really was, but Larry was girl crazy.

"Is she a temp?" I asked Dennis. The girl was too far away to see her eyes.

"No, she's very real," Dennis said smiling, not taking his eyes off the two of them.

"I don't remember seeing her before. When did she come in?"

"Today. She's a transfer from Peace River," Dennis explained. "Judge Jasper didn't think she would fit in there so he offered me a trade. I figured the only way to get Steve's mind off his old girlfriend was to give him a new one. I worked it out in advance with Larry and Bill so they would leave him alone with her. Pretty sneaky, huh Linda?"

"I never said you were anything but sneaky Dennis," I agreed.

"Let's see what they have to say to each other, shall we," he replied while turning up the speaker box.

***

"Hi," the attractive girl yelled cheerfully to Steve.

"Um, hi," Steve replied back in an uninterested tone. "You must be new here?"

"Yep," she said with a big smile. "I came to Andersonville this morning and I've met a lot of nice people so far."

"Andersonville is a nice town. By the way, I'm Steve Anderson." My brother held out his hand in a businesslike fashion.

"I'm Sally - Sally Rider," she replied with a grin. "Nice to meet you Steve.

"Sal - Sally," Steve stuttered. The familiar pain of losing his former lover came back to him.

"Are you okay, Steve?" she asked a little concern.

"I'm fine," he answered harshly. "It's just - never mind. I'm sure you'll be happy here." Steve turned and proceeded to walk away.

"Steve," Sally called out. "I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for your sister, Jennifer. Do you know where I can find her at?"

"What?" Steve turned and frowned at the girl. "What do you want with Jennifer?"

"I want to apologize to her. You see - I was pretty mean to her a while back. I blamed her for some stuff she had no control over."

"What stuff?" Steve demanded to know.

"Over the death of my old boyfriend, Al Parker," She smiled at Steve with tears in her eyes. "Do you know where I can find Al now?"

"Sally?" Steve stood in a semi-shock. "Sally - is it - is it really you?"

"It's been a long time 'sugar-cane'," Sally replied using her old nickname for Al Parker. "Much too long, Al."

"Oh my God, Sally, it's you." Steve ran over and hugged her tightly. They kissed each other passionately as tears rolled freely from their eyes.

***

"Well, I think we've heard enough," Dennis said as he turned off the box. I stared at him with immense gratitude.

"Dennis, that was the nicest thing I've ever seen anyone do for another human being. I don't know what to say." I reached over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "But I thought Sally was dead."

"She was," Dennis replied and didn't elaborate. I knew he wasn't going to tell me anything more. "Oh, just so you know, Ashlee Gang is pregnant again. She wanted me to tell you.

"Boy, you're full of good news," I said. "So what did you have to give Judge Jasper in return for Sally? It must have been big."

"It was something very near and special to me," he said slowly. "It's only for a little while, but it wasn't easy to part with." He smiled slightly as he stood up, but I could see something was clearly bothering him.

"Dennis," I asked with concern. "What the hell was it?"

"It was you, Linda," he stated "You're going to Peace River while Ashlee is out on maternity leave." He started to walk away.

I sat there for a moment trying to take in what he had said. I was going to Peace River to work for that - that man, Judge Jasper! The Judge hated my guts, why would he want me in his town for even a day? And why hadn't I been asked first if I would go?

"Wait a minute!" I yelled angrily at Dennis who was now a good distance away. "You can't treat me like you 'own' me. COME BACK HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

I ran after the director as fast as my heels would allow me.

Fade out...

Coming soon - Peace River