Andersonville 5 - The Guilty Soul                by: Kelly Davidson

 

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!

 

Anderson 5 - The Guilty Soul

by Kelly Davidson

Edited by PattiB

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.

 

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 ½ 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...

 

 

© 2001
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