Author's Note: This story is my second I have written to be posted in this genre. I believe I have improved since my first story, William's Construct.

Chameleon was a fun story to write although it is riddled with clichés, many of which were purposefully done. Someone once said that life was one big cliché. There are times I believe that. This story was mostly meant for the reader's enjoyment but I must warn the reader that there is a rape scene and a decent amount of violence. I try not to be explicit and I value storylines over sex or violence but include them when they are relevant to the story.

Please email me at tess2069@hotmail.com for any comments and feedback of just leave them as comments on the website if you wish.
Many thanks to some people who helped me edit this story to make it presentable: Jenny, Mallory, Patti, Zip, and those that wish to remain anonymous. These people helped make this story ten times better than it was by fixing all the technical errors and pointing out some continuity errors too.

Hope you enjoy it.

Standard Disclaimer:
This is pure fiction and anything in this story that resembles someone else's life is pure coincidence. Blah, blah, blah and you get the idea.
This story is not to be posted on any pay sites… ever.

 

Chameleon's Birth

by Triss Morgan

 

Whoever said life is never fair was a genius. They should be slapped on the back and given a Nobel Peace Prize for that very statement. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes life can be very fair, especially for those who are born in wealth and power. They usually don't have to work very hard to keep what they have because of a previous ancestor who worked extremely hard for what they had now. Then there are those that seem to have life made. They are the ones that can coast through life on autopilot and never give much effort to succeeding. They are the ones that have everything going right for them and when it doesn't go right for them, some poor schmuck unwittingly takes the fall for them. It is safe to say that we all know some of these people. They are the ones that are seemingly content and happy when viewed from the outside, but many times that is not always true for these individuals.

But that is all beside the point. I am not talking about wealth and power or those that are set for life no matter what they seem to do. I am talking about one person, me. Yes, me. I was once one of those people who were born to wealth, power, prestige, and everything that seemed good. I thought I was happy since I could do whatever I wanted and my father would provide me with the means to do it. But I found out that I wasn't happy. In fact, I was dreadfully bored. I put up a false exterior with my false friends and we play acted that all was well with us while taking our anger and boredom on unsuspecting people. People who we considered 'below us' weren't worthy of anything more from us then our disdain.

During the beginning of my life, I had never been challenged and I didn't know what my limitations or talents were. I soon found out what they were soon after my 21^st birthday. That is when my self-centeredness brought me into a situation that required me to grow up.

You see, I had an accident, a very real accident. How this accident happened was another cliché of life since life doesn't care what are clichés and what are not when it dishes it out to you. It seems like every story ever written contains at least a cliché or two. This story contains more than a few. I am writing this story more for myself than others to hear my story. It is to help me deal with life after… The Accident. Ok, that was a cliché there but I can't change how it happened. Would you rather have demonic possession or alien abduction instead of … The Accident? I thought so. So sit down, be quiet, and wait for your own life to have a twist in it and hope it is one of the other clichés so you can write your own life story to share with us.

Before I get ahead of myself I should start at the beginning. As I said, I was rich, spoiled, and bored. I was fair to look at but not really handsome. I had my share of girlfriends because of the wealth attraction factor. Huge wealth attraction factor mind you. But they were all superficial, high maintenance, and bitchy when I wasn't wooing or screwing them. My father always drilled into my head that prenuptials were man's best friend. Which led me to never commit to any relationship and I ruined a couple of true friendships because of my spoiled attitude. But I shrugged them off and spent some money and hurt a few poor souls to make myself feel better. I was a real case. I am able to admit that now because of the situation I am currently in. But I wouldn't have admitted it before … The Accident. Stay with me on this one. I am getting to the story now. Oh yeah, and the names have been changed to protect my identity and those who knew me. Now on to the story.

 

* * *

Part 1 – The Inheritance

My name is Derek Banheist and today is my 21^st birthday. It is also an important day because of my inheritance. My father decided to bestow on me control of one of his many companies so that I could prove myself capable of babysitting the rest when he retires or kicks the bucket. My trust fund was also completely released to me today making it another bonus of the new age.

I am 5'8" tall with short nondescript brown hair and eyes. I am a little pudgy around the middle but then who isn't when they enjoy the comforts that I enjoy everyday? Although, I attended college after private school I didn't learn much but I still received top grades because of the hefty donations by my father gave for tax write-offs.

I am currently single, which is good in my opinion. My last girlfriend left me after I told her my opinion of what a woman should be for her husband. She asked for honesty so I gave it to her. She can't blame me for what me and society expected of her. I was innocence of her tears as she rushed out of my life.

Today was a day that was looking good so far: Translucent clouds were hanging high in the upper atmosphere complimented the clear blue skies. A gentle breeze that freshened up the city was cresting the skin of anyone outside enjoying this weather. I was having a slow morning while receiving my manicure and massage – both done outside. They have always helped me relax and my comfort and wellbeing were priorities to me. I couldn't have myself become uncomfortable or distracted. It wouldn't due.

I had an appointment I needed to attend this morning but I blew it off and would show up late rather than on time. I had more pressing matters that I was attending too.

Lying on the table while an attractive blonde was kneading my back ever so gentle but firmly up and down with her oiled hands I decided that this was by far a more pressing matter that needed to be attended too. All I cared about was the moment I was experiencing. The massage only served to enhance the wonderful morning with all the little pleasures going on around me serving to make it a very wonderful day indeed. But the relaxing morning was not to last. I needed to attend the appointment although I would be very late for it.

Showering, dressing, and hopping into my Mercedes, I sped along the highway to my new company for the complete inspection and if the day went well, my first time to fire someone from this new company. I was as eager as a small child during Christmas. It isn't everyday that something new or novel comes along to spark the imagination.

I cut off a few people who were to slow to get out of my way and rushed into my assigned parking space in front of a large, brick building. After turning off the engine I paused a moment to calm myself. I wouldn't want my employees to see how excited I was to finally get my own company to manage. They might get the wrong idea.

I pulled open the front door and stepping into a large lobby while my loafers squeaked along the floor breaking the silence of the area as I approached the front desk. I saw Mr. Andrews standing there with a couple lab coat scientists behind him. He looked like he had swallowed something sour in his fat, sweaty face as he looked towards me but he managed to recover quickly. I was going to enjoy knocking him into his place when the time came. I slowly walked up to him making sure that he knew who was in charge as I smiled my most charming and condescending smile.

"Welcome to Geno Corp. Mr. Banheist," Mr. Andrews said while smiling or trying to smile his best, winning smile, which must have been hard to accomplish with his revolting looks.

"Good day to you, Mr. Andrews. I hope that I didn't inconvenience you with my late arrival but I had some pressing business that I needed to attend to this morning. I am sorry to say that it prevented me from arriving on our scheduled time," I replied smoothly having to suppress my disgust. I had gotten a lot of practice in life at making sure people jumped for me and I never jumped for them.

"Not at all, although we were expecting you hours ago and this late arrival is going to put a limitation on the inspection of the company since we have some sensitive experiments currently running that we couldn't hold off for you," carefully commented Mr. Andrews.

"Nonsense! We shall proceed to tour all of the company before I make any decisions. It just wouldn't be proper to do otherwise and I am sure you could arrange the full tour with the scientists if you carefully drop my name and tell them I would be pleased if they accommodated me on this. We wouldn't want my leadership of this company coming off on the wrong foot because of a minor thing like a delayed tour," I said while smiling sweetly as I walked towards the elevators.

Mr. Andrews was obviously exasperated but he knew which hand fed him now. So he relented and quickly waddled along to direct me into the elevator and down to the first basement level.

On arrival he quickly trotted towards a glass door checkpoint and had a quick discussion with the guard. The door opened soon after and we crossed the threshold into a changing room that preceded the clean environment of the lab. We washed and changed into some white clothing while Mr. Andrews took it upon himself to direct me on the procedures of the lab and what not to touch and do. I just nodded my head since there was no point in arguing that now. I would do something about his attitude when the time came after the tour.

The doors swished open and I coughed from the antiseptic reeking air that rushed into the preparation room. I followed Mr. Andrews inside the sterile environment and he continued the tour of what was being worked on and what had been accomplished so far.

"Over to the left, through the glass window is Lab C. You can see Doctors Walters and Greenburg working in there," he said while waving to the two nerds that fit the stereotypes of live-in-mother's-house-while-playing-D&D-all-night-long type nerds. That thought would appear harsh with most people but I was bored one day and needed to read through the bios of all my employees so I wouldn't be surprised by any of them during the inspection and reviews. The background check for these two confirmed almost every bit of that stereotype, except they were paid enough to live on their own and Walters had a huge comic book collection that rivaled any comic book store on the East Coast. This knowledge helped me know my victims so I could hit them where it hurts the most. It was a fun to do for a boring day.

Mr. Andrews continued droning on, "They are currently working with Lab D in developing retroviruses that can manipulate and reconstruct DNA for hereditary cancer cures. We have been close for many years to completing this project but we have reached a plateau, I am told, that they haven't been able to surpass. Recently, we had Lab D begin working with Lab C to complete the project to push it past stagnation. Lab D specializes in exotic DNA genetic engineering and we hope to shock the project onto a new level. Right now they are performing some experimentation that is rather volatile and we can't disturb them right now."

"Nonsense, they can easily put what they are doing on hold so I can meet them to have them explain their experiments personally to me," I said while strutting towards the glass doors separating myself from Lab C.

"Mr. Banheist, please don't open the door! They are using high pressure atmosphere and pure oxygen to…"

He never finished the statement as I overrode the door using William's code I saw him put in for the clean room. I felt the air rush past me towards the back of the room where Bunsen burners were turned on.

Oh, shit was the first thing that came to my mind as the resulting explosion carried me forward into the room with the flames and the concussion wave from the Bunsen burners. I smashed into the nearest table along the wall that was full of beakers, syringes, and tubs of clear liquid hanging on the shelf above. Pain shot threw me as several containers of glass shattered under my falling body piercing me through the stomach. The shelving broke above me only to spill the tubs of liquid that soaked me completely through. The tubs of liquid saved my life from the rest of the flash fire that burn hotly throughout the lab destroying everything else that was present including the technicians and scientists. Somehow I managed to turn over and distantly observed the inferno as it gave off a strangely fascinating collage of yellows, oranges, reds, and blues, and green flames that danced across the ceiling, through the air, and down the walls of the lab. This fire was like flowing liquid that covered everything with a bellowing, blanket appearance. I briefly wondered at this beautiful yet horrifying destruction that was occurring around me. But that thought was cut short as explosions rapidly followed the first and began to rock the lab with exploding containers and doors. Then something struck me in the side of the head and brought darkness while I wondered how I was going to explain this accident to my father.

 

* * *

Part 2 – Legally Dead

Smoke, ash, and chemical smells assailed my nose making me nauseous. I felt the pain in my head and stomach. I groaned and asked for some aspirin but I didn't get a response. I opened my eyes but I still couldn't see anything other than darkness and I was certain my eyes were open judging from the sting they received. I listened but only heard groaning metal and dripping liquid with the occasional popping sound coming from the distance.

Then I remembered where I was. I was in the lab in Geno Corp. I was inspecting the company as I took it over from my father. I had opened a door to Lab C so I could show Mr. Andrews that I was in charge here and not him. I then mentally kicked myself for opening that door. I should have had Mr. Williams do it instead. Then this mess might not have happened. Now how was I going to explain all this to father?

I groaned again to myself while trying to pick myself up from the ruined table. Pain shot through my stomach and I laid back down not wanting to endure that feeling again. Pain of that magnitude I was not used to ever feeling. This wasn't good. Where were the rescue workers? I am in some serious pain and I need help!

I waited for what seemed like an eternity wallowing in my pain but only a few minutes passed before I began making out shapes in the darkness. Apparently my eyesight was adjusting to the bleak blackness that enveloped me. After a few more minutes I could make out enough detail to see the devastation that I caused. No, I didn't cause it, but that stupid Mr. Andrews caused it by not letting me into the Lab room and letting the nerds perform such a dangerous experiment in the first place. I looked down at my stomach and saw my white lab shirt ripped open with glass and broken syringes sticking out. This wasn't going to do. Detachedly I began to pick out the needles and glass then I took some cloth that somehow wasn't burnt and wrapped it around my middle covering the wounds. This took about twenty minutes to accomplish and the pain what already beginning to fade away.

Looking around again I noticed that the place had lit up well but it seemed to be all grey and smoky. Shrugging and earning a wince from mild pain I looked around for a way to escape since the rescue workers seemed to be on vacation this time of the day. I was going to make sure that they didn't have the opportunity to care about rescuing anyone again once I got out of here.

I saw a hole that led up into the ceiling that must have been the ventilation shaft which looked big enough to crawl through. So I began climbing but it was hard. It looked so much easier in the movies.

Eventually, I started seeing colors instead of the grays as I came around a corner that led to the ventilation grill leading outside. It was sealed tightly with screws. Then I had one of my more brilliant ideas. I pulled the penny out of my loafer and unscrewed the grill from the inside releasing me to my freedom. I know, I know; penny loafers are out of style and I should have traded them in for the clean room shoes as I was supposed too, but I liked them.

Falling unherorically to the grass below, I picked and brushed myself off, then looked around for my assigned parking space. I was markedly disappointed to see rubble crushing most of the cars in the lot, including my Mercedes. I wouldn't be driving home in that. Then I noticed that most of the building was completely destroyed and many of the surrounding buildings had caught on fire or were in rubble too.

I was in deep shit.

I sat on the ground to collect my thoughts on what to do next. I needed to think of some good excuses and explanations for this one. My father wouldn't think it a small coincidence that on my first day of taking over one of his companies that it just happened to explode catching the neighboring buildings on fire and was certainly going to cause millions in suits for him.

The rescue workers had their hands full trying to contain the fires then clean up just yet.

My stomach picked that time to grumble telling me that it was ravenous. My thoughts shifted and eating became my first priority; eating, then a shower, actually. Hmmm, maybe some sleep, too. I yawned and sleep certainly seemed attractively high on the list. Then I would start thinking again.

Standing up from the ground I began walking in the smoky haze towards the nearest payphone to call a cab. After finishing the call I looked down and saw the spectacle I made. Fortunately, I had more than enough cash in my wallet to flash in the cabby's face to convince him that I was well worth driving around. I directed him to one of the 'safe houses' I use to get away from everyone else. I needed privacy and no one but I knew of the place since it was owned by an alias I rarely used and kept hidden.

Upon arriving at the condo I labeled a 'safe house', I immediately ravaged the fridge and cupboards surprising myself on how hungry I was. After I had eaten what normally would constitute a few days worth of food for me I felt extremely drowsy. I then stripped, showered, and fell into bed.

During my slumber I had to get up a few times while barely conscious to fix myself more food to settle the extreme hunger that woke me up. Eventually, after several trips to the fridge and cupboards, I finally fell into a restful and dreamless sleep.

 

* * *

The sun was shining, the room was warm, and I had just awakened from a very restful slumber and instantly knew that not all was right with me. Not only was I fully awake, which never happened until a few hours after I got out of bed, but I felt very strange and seemed full of energy.

I bolted out of bed and surprised myself by my lack of balance as I fell face first on the carpet. There was a jiggling that stopped after a moment that was centered on my chest. My hair had also fallen in my face, which never happens since I wore it short. Something was definitely wrong with me.

Cautiously, I put my hands in front to brace myself as I got back up and noticed that these were not my hands. In fact, these looked like a woman's hands. The fingers were long and delicate and attached to equally delicate hands. My eyes traveled up from there and took in the slim, long, pale arms attached to the hands. Spare, fine hair lightly covered the pale almost iridescent skin. For a moment I thought my eyes were playing tricks with me as my skin seemed to subtly change colors but it was back to pale pink when I blinked. Holding my breath I looked down and saw twin masses hanging down from my chest that blocked my view from going farther down. My mind, soon after that, shut down in denial.

Automatically, I pulled myself up managing to find my balance as I moved towards the large closet mirror. What greeted me nearly stopped my heart permanently.

The woman looking back at me was beautiful with striking teal eyes encased in an elegant, aristocratic face. Her hair was glossy, long, and raven black contrasting greatly with her pale skin.

But that was only above the shoulders. Her body was even more impressive farther down. In my book, which was very big and had many notches from my, um, accomplishments, she would have rated a twelve with ten being the best. You might find a handful of women in the world, if you turned over every rock, that had a body comparable to this one. She looked like a female comic book heroine come to life. She was very tall and appeared very athletic but she still had a soft look about her, not harsh. She probably hit the six-foot mark with large but impossibly firm breasts, tiny waist, flaring hips and the rock hard, slightly bubbled butt that shouted woman to anyone who saw her from any angle imaginable. Still more amazing were her long and Greek artisan sculpted legs that were toned enough to suggest that great strength lay dormant underneath. Her entire body was proportioned perfectly but just a small change in any one of these attributes would throw everything off with an exaggerated and unnatural cartoon look. I was in love and wanted to do her right there and right now.

Then reality hit as my mind turned back on. I am this comic book woman who is staring at me in the mirror! Oh, shit! Then unconsciousness met me as I fell to the ground.

 

* * *

Later, I woke up again still feeling the twin masses on my chest wiggle but I ignored that distraction. I needed to think. I needed to know what happened during and after I left Geno Corp. I needed to do some research on the past couple of days.

I fired up the computer and logged onto the net. Immediately, I noted the leading story on several news sites. "Fire destroys Geno Corp. and millions in surrounding buildings" and "Banheist heir dead from Geno Corp. fire". It continued on the same subject with different viewpoints.

It had been three days since the accident. No wonder they thought I was dead. I just disappeared. I looked down at my body and I could see why someone would think I was dead. I didn't know how I could convince them I was still alive. Perhaps I could talk to my father and explain to him what happened then he could somehow find a way to fix this? Then I remembered how my father thinks, and quickly decided that I would be much better to take my chances on my own for while and let him cool off. Simply put, my father would find someway to exploit me to make enough money to cover his losses. He would consider it fitting punishment for destroying his lab and causing the lawsuits that are bound to follow.

Finally, I stood and moved towards the mirror making a conscious decision to become more familiar with the new me. Upon looking at the beauty in the mirror, I realized that two horny D&D playing scientists were responsible for this new form. They probably created their ultimate woman when bored one day and one of those syringes that stuck me contained her. Damn, if only they were still alive instead of charred pieces of meat in a ruined lab, then I would make them change me back and after that, I would ruin their stupid, pointless lives for changing me into this delectable cunt!

I showered and it was strictly utilitarian since I didn't pause on any part of this body long enough for anything else than to scrub off the grime. After finishing up, I dried and raided my closet looking for anything to wear. Seeing some baggy sweats I quickly donned them but wasn't satisfied with the result. Nothing could hide this body except having a box thrown over it.

Thinking of the next step, I decided to grab some money from a hidden account I set up just in case my father decided to cut me out of my heritance for one of his many paranoid reasons. Since he was my father, some of the paranoia happened to rub off onto me and I had established another account in the event that he found out about the first hidden account. One thing he always taught me was to always have backup plans and fall back points. He also taught me not to completely trust him since business was business.

Time to buy some appropriate clothing that wasn't flashy, clothing that was just enough to cover myself up and not draw too much attention.

With a surprisingly cute grunt coming from my mouth, I moved outside the condo and towards a cab I had called earlier all the while feeling the disconcerting jiggling masses on my chest while the swishing of my hips caused an uncontrollable rolling motion to my walk. The cabby's eyes were glued to me making me feel defensive and self-conscious as I entered the cab. I told him in a rather abrupt manner to drive to the local mall and to step on it. He just leered at me while traveling just below the speed limit as he took turns that were not necessary while constantly checking and adjusting his rearview mirror. I didn't need telepathy to realize what he was thinking. Damn! I needed to find a way to fix this mess.

 

* * *

Part 3 – The Mall

Upon arrival at the mall, I was half tempted to refuse to pay the cabbie the full price since he seemed to have enjoyed the view in his mirror more than the road but I didn't need the attention drawn to me and just gave him the money..

Gathering my courage, I walked through the mall entrance, and entered the large food court full with every type of person imaginable. It didn't take long before I began to wish that I were invisible as the stares began drilling into every section of my clothing covered flesh.

Quickening my pace, I rushed out of the food court and pulled up to an ATM machine. I rummaged through my wallet until I found the credit card to my backup account and then inserted it. It ate my card! Anxiety spread through me as I looked at the camera that was positioned in the corner of the ATM machine. Oh, was I stupid! If someone dug enough into the status of my hidden account, they would be able to find a video with my face all over it. Not good!

That brought me to another thought: my father must have found and closed off of the hidden account. But it was working a few weeks ago when I checked it. Immediately, I had the sinking feeling that my father had an idea of what was going on or at least knew that I was still alive somehow. That would mean he would send his people after me. I found myself strangely thankful for the change to my body to help throw them off but I still wanted to be male! Then I looked up at the camera again. They had my picture now so it wouldn't do any good with a new body now.

Finally gathering up enough common sense I moved away from the ATM and sorted through my wallet to see what I had in resources. I had five hundred in cash that I could use to buy some decent clothing to replace these awful sweat pants and shirt. I had other credit cards that I couldn't use now since they were my 'visible' accounts. I am sure my father was watching those. I had a condom that was expired since I had always been too lazy to use it. My old driver's license which did me no good in my current body. The rest was junk and useless to me. The five hundred dollars I would just have to stretch out until I could reach my backup to my backup hideout for my backup hidden account.

Quickly, I looked around the crowded mall reading the signs by the shop locations and exits. It was uncomfortably apparent that a lot of attention was being directed at me. Most of it was on my firm sweatpants-covered rear or sweatshirt-covered masses. This made me blush unconsciously but, when I realized what I had done, I quickly became angry with myself. That was until I noticed four guys who looked like they were still in college moving towards me. The vultures were finally swooping in and this was the last thing I wanted or needed right now.

Thinking quickly, I moved into the nearest women's store to escape from the lusting eyes of the vultures and the stabs of jealousy of the women. Judging by the frustrated looks, the college boys realized that their prey had escaped for the time being but that didn't stop them from hovering around the store entrance waiting for it to emerge. My feelings were mixed since I was able to escape into a store the vultures couldn't enter but the only reason I was escaping was due to me being female with that causing the trouble to begin with.

Looking around the women's store I couldn't help but shudder as I thought about how centered this shop was for my current form. The clothing racks were filled full with various colors, sizes, shapes, and types of fashion. Advertisements and pictures depicted models in various clothing and lack of, all posing for a camera with the intention to sell.

Closing my eyes I breathed in deep and then out relaxing as much as possible. Eventually, I was able to clear my head and prevent the rising anxiety from overwhelming me. Looking around, a clear thought prevailed in my mind. I thought it would be best to kill two birds with one stone: buy something to replace these sweats while they waited for me. Eventually they would get bored and leave, I hoped. But I had a problem as I moved up to the nearest rack: I didn't know how to dress a woman. Undressing… now that was a different skill that I was happy to say I was very well accomplished at.

"Do you need some assistance?" asked a cute redhead in a bored manner as she moved around the cash counter towards me as I was mulling over my predicament.

Startling me out of my thoughts, I quickly became glad that she had asked me if I needed help since that would take care of my one of my current quandaries. Plus, I didn't want to demonstrate my ineptitude by asking for her help in a women's store. Thinking quickly I answered, "Yes, I am in need of some new clothing because my wardrobe was destroyed in a fire." This was not too far from the truth because my current wardrobe wouldn't fit my figure since the fire in the lab, I thought wryly.

"Oh? What are your sizes and then we can pick some stuff out for you to try on if you want?" she asked seemingly oblivious to my predicament and unease as she adjusted her manner certain of the sure sale she was about to make.

"Um, I recently lost weight and need to be resized," I answered barely suppressing a grimace at that witless answer. Judging from the girl's reaction she didn't believe me either. Well, she can just shove it up her kazoo. She should be home making babies instead of out in the workforce.

"Right. Then lets measure you so we can pick out some cute outfits for you to try on," she said as she directed me towards the dressing rooms with me following behind her dragging my feet and head bowed in shame. I couldn't deny the need any longer for new clothing that would draw less attention. I was prepared to accept my shame.

While behind her I got a decent view of her rear swing left and right. Left and right. I quickly came to the conclusion that this wasn't so bad to be following her to my appointment with feminization. I had her helping me out. Her figure was attractive with her apple shape posterior that was invitingly firm.

Confusion suffused me as I felt my nipples perk up for some reason I couldn't fathom for the moment. It didn't take long as I followed her to soon realize what was affecting me so. I was being turned on, and it was a very weird and different feeling than what I was used to.

Soon, we arrived at the dressing rooms and I was trying to think of a way to avoid another predicament. I realized that I needed to think of something repulsive and do it quickly. The first thought that entered my mind was of Jerry Lewis dancing in a thong on Broadway. That did it with one try. Whew, I thought as my attention was diverted elsewhere. But, being optimistic, I thought of the glass as being half-full, seeing that I was still attracted to women.

With little warning she began measuring me and I was certain she had noticed my apparent arousal since I could see a barely suppressed smile gracing her lips as she brought the tape across my bust. That about set me off as humiliation and shame surfaced much stronger than I had felt since the lab fire. I was about to give her a piece of my mind but she had just looked up as she finished and asked what I would like to wear while still smiling but there was something else to that smile that I recognized quickly. Envy. That almost leveled me when I realized that here I was standing in front of this extremely cute redhead and she was envious of me. Me of all people! I was a male just a few days ago screwing the daylights out of whatever woman I wanted. I never wanted to be in the form that I was in now but I had a woman that I considered pretty and very screwable standing in front of me smiling and she was envious of me! Something then wormed its way into my soul that moment. Something that I had felt so little of during my life that it was almost unrecognizable. It was compassion. I was having compassion for this woman who was envious of me. I would have easily have given her this body instead of me having it. I hadn't asked to be changed like this but here I was in front of this woman who, with expensive and invasive surgery, could never change her appearance from what it was. I was willing to bet that she would jump at the chance to change her body to the one I had now. I wasn't given that option and I ended up in a drop dead gorgeous female body.

These thoughts toned down my shame and humility for being in this body since I didn't want to attack someone who didn't mean me any harm and was only envious of my unwanted body. But knowing my current fate, I swallowed my misbegotten emotions and told her I wanted something nice but practical. I might as well look the part of an attractive but conservative woman. She nodded and soon returned with a black bra and panties. I did not call those being practical, but I didn't argue the point with her and perhaps hurt her feelings. Plus, I needed to get to the other safe house to regroup myself.

With some effort I managed to put on the underwear and she had me try on a teal top with black jeans and sneakers. I was surprised at the tight fit but everything felt snug and rather comfy in a pleasant way. I could deal with this. Then I looked into the mirror and saw an incredibly gorgeous woman staring back at me with an innocently shocked expression on her face making her oh so very screwable. Crap! Jerry Lewis in a thong dancing on Broadway.

With a couple more outfits packaged up that were chosen by the girl, I paid her and left while taking a side exit that entered the concourse of the mall allowing me to avoid the hovering vultures. I could tell that this outfit I was wearing didn't hide me from the ogling I received but it seemed much more modest than the strained sweatpants and shirt. Although, my hair could use help and perhaps a little bit of makeup and then I would be sure to cause whiplash with many of these boys. Hmmm. I shouldn't be having such thoughts.

Shaking my head slightly to push away those thoughts I continued out the door through the parking lot and looked for a cab. Not seeing any I decided to continue walking towards the second safe house hoping to catch one on the way. That wasn't a smart thing to do as it was night and my vision was so good lately that I failed to notice this fact until I was in an area of town that I wouldn't have walked through as a guy and during the day. It wasn't long after realizing the location that I could hear and see a couple of guys following me from behind. This added to my agitation and mental berating of my stupidity.

Pale shadows were cast by streetlights making alleyways and doorframes forbidding terrain. Details inside the shadows were grey and washed out making it impossible for any normal human to see what I was seeing. The men got closer and I became more frightened and began to walk faster trying to get out of this place before the two men behind could corner me for reasons I didn't even want to think about. But fate stepped in and I collided with a man who had stepped out of a side alley next to me. He gripped me roughly covering my mouth and dragged me back inside of the alleyway. The two other men following behind looked in both directions down the street for anyone who might disturb their fun and then they followed us into the alley.

"Well, well. Look like we hooked a fine piece of ass tonight," growled the man who was holding me from being. He pulled me down to the ground with one hand mashed against my rear cheeks with his crotch.

One of the two men leaned down and seized my head as he said, "We don't get too many of your types coming though here and just to show our appreciation we will let you do something for us." By that time the man who pulled me down was feeling up my breasts and pinching my nipples hard causing me to cry out in pain. Tears began to flow down my face leaving wet trails as they passed.

"Please, just let me go. I don't want any trouble. I will walk around your place," I sobbed out through my tears and knew I was in a lot of trouble. I have never so felt as helpless and vulnerable as I did right then. It felt like being tied to the railroad tracks and looking into the distance as a bullet train sped down on me while I squirmed around helplessly in my bonds awaiting my inevitable fate. This wasn't supposed to happen to me!

"Now now, pretty. We can't have you leaving without us showing our thanks for coming into this part of town. Just a little fun for me and the boys and then we will let you on your way," he smiled evilly. He began to unzip himself with one hand while the other grabbed my hair jerking my head back painfully. After extending to full length he shoved himself into my mouth saying, "If you bite me, pretty, you will have a smile across your throat." He continued as he pulled out a switchblade with his free hand.

The other two guys were content for the moment just fondling me, but that didn't last. The rapist who pulled me into the alley quickly unzipped then pulled down my pants and underwear and forcefully plunged himself into me causing a tearing fire to erupt from my unwanted womanhood. I screamed but choked on the piece of meat shoved down my esophagus.

I wanted to die. I couldn't believe that this was happening to me. I felt shame more strongly than any other time in my life. Shame and humiliation that were like a supernova to a flickering flame when compared with the same emotions I had felt only an hour earlier. I didn't want anymore of this bitter fruit. I had been a man damnit!

After that thought, I quickly withdrew into myself to accept my fate: a rapist's whore. I had never felt so degraded or humiliated like I had felt then. So this was what women have to look forward to in their lives? I can't believe that they would accept a fate like this, but what could they do when a man wants to have his way with her? Very little obviously! Men are fucking pigs for doing this to them. They may be stronger but that doesn't mean that they needed to do this to helpless women. We should not be subjected to evils like this!

The reality set in that I wasn't thinking like a guy anymore. I was thinking more and more like a woman as the seconds passed by. I then made a choice to finally accept fate but I only accepted the fate of eventually becoming a full woman. I would not accept the fate of being brutally raped then discarded like these filthy pigs were planning on doing to me. I doubt they would even let me live. I wouldn't if I was still a man and had been driven to do this evil. I could see I was nothing more to them but a passing fancy whom they wanted to dominate, conquer, and discard. I could see all of this as I looked into the lust hungry eyes of my attackers. I had become a woman and the only thing I had left was my life and that would soon be extinguished after they had used me up.

Rage rapidly replaced humiliation, shame, submission, and degradation. This will not happen any longer. I will not go down without a fight!

With that last thought I felt something change in me. Energy suffused throughout me from a place were my womb was now located. I felt stronger and faster but I didn't move yet. I focused my rage into a goal. Escape. I then collected my wits while I readied myself to hit them hard and fast and keep them off balance as I disposed of these pigs for hurting me. Remembering my skin changing colors as I first woke up an idea swiftly followed.

Concentrating hard I found that my hunch to blend in my surroundings was right. It was almost instinctually done. With vengeance, I bit down on the offending meat inside of my mouth spitting it out hurriedly as blood washed over my tongue while I grabbed Mr. Switchblade's wrist. I twisted his hand causing his entire body to flip sideways onto the ground. Before the other two realized what was happening I grabbed the offending appendage that was still in me below and squeezed as hard and I could. What happened then sickened me but it was too late to stop since his testicles literally popped like pressured grapes. The thug the appendage belonged to let out a scream into the higher soprano range that would put any opera singer to shame.

The third guy had seen everything when he stood back after I blended into the shadows. He was stunned at what was happening when I took care of the first two thugs. I then turned my attention to him. His feet seemed rooted to the ground but he managed to put one foot behind the other as he slowly started to back up to the alley front and into the light.

I calmly stood up and pulled up my pants and panties. As soon as they were on I noticed them blend in with the rest of me. I liked this perk that came with the body, I thought while smiling. Switchblade was starting to get up and had yet to catch enough breath to scream out in agony, but before he could, I kicked him in the head hard enough to hear his neck break.

I suddenly felt sick for an entirely different reason. I had just killed a man for the first time. The pit of my stomach threatened to push itself out through my throat. I decided right then and there that I didn't like killing. I don't think that killing someone while I was a guy would have bothered me, but then I never killed anyone as a guy. The thought crossed my mind and I knew that if I needed to I wouldn't hesitate to kill someone if they needed to be killed. My father taught me to be ruthless. I don't think he taught me well enough since this was bothering me so much or my ethics had changed along with my body.

My introspection was interrupted when the third guy turned and started to run towards the entrance of the alley. Instinct took over as I darted after him catching up just as he made it to the front. I grabbed and jerked his hair yanking him back into this dark nightmare just as he tasted the sweet light of the first lamppost outside. I turned him around and gripped his neck. Rage surfaced again as I remembered his intentions towards me. He needed to be dealt with.

He was completely white with fear while mumbling a prayer over and over again when I looked him over. I could only imagine the thoughts going through his mind as he looked at me and saw only a slight blur that seemed more out of a Predator movie than real life. Looking him over I saw that I was lifting him a foot off of the ground with only one hand hold him around the throat. Walters and Greenburg must have spent a lot of time manipulating DNA to create their ultimate fantasy, I mused, astonished at my strength. I then turned my attention back to the praying man but I couldn't kill him. In fact, I found it sickening to just think of maiming him. I decided to be lenient.

"If I hear of you ever trying to rape another woman again I will find you wherever and whenever you fall asleep," I paused a moment for dramatic effect while listening to him mumbled praying. "Oh, and clean up your life and make something of it that is productive to society," I growled out to him while slightly shaking him by his head. I then smelled something that told me he lost control of his body functions. He started to wail like a child at that time. I grinned as I thought of another command. "Treat women as your equals. They are human beings with souls too. Do you understand?" He stopped wailing enough to nod vigorously with a wild, frightened look to his eyes and for a moment I was afraid that he would break his own neck.

With one last look I dropped him and moved quickly away while instinctively staying in the shadows. I needed to get out of this part of town before I dropped my chameleon affect. I didn't want to risk another encounter with thugs or rapists.

Strangely, I feel good about what I did with the last man although I wished I hadn't killed Switchblade no matter how much he deserved it. Maiming Grape Boy didn't settle well with my stomach very well either. I also had a bad taste in my mouth that I needed to take care of and I felt a dirtiness that only a long hot shower could possibly clean… I hoped. But there were now three less rapists on the streets and hopefully another productive member of society. I smiled and dropped my chameleon affect as I spotted a cabby.

 

* * *

Part 4 – Good Samaritan

After spending the last twenty minutes in the cab, I managed to compose myself and think back on what happened. I was now a she and I admit that but then I still felt something inside of me that I didn't understand. I had felt satisfaction after cleaning up the trash that had attacked me. I realized that I was once close to the same level of the trash when I was still a man in the respect that I used women, and bullied, threatened, and frightened people. The only consolation I had was that I was never overtly violent to them, just mean. I will never act that way again but then I won't have the opportunity to act in that same way again since I killed the scientists responsible for my womanhood.

One down side to the fight was the loss of my new clothing and the last of my cash. This will set me back a bit since I have no identification, change of clothing, or money. I just hoped that I could get in and out of my second and last safe house before my father finds it too. It was only a matter of time before he did. Of that, I was certain.

The cabby interrupted my thoughts as he stopped and let me out two blocks away from my safe house so I could walk to it using my new abilities so make sure I wasn't falling into a trap. I didn't have to deal with the constant staring from this cabby but then I had a sneaking suspicion judging from my enhanced abilities of perception that he was quite gay. Ok, I admit to seeing a rainbow and a purple teletubbie hanging on his mirror so it didn't take a rocket scientist to infer that possibility. But it was nice not being stared at like rare meat in a market.

After traveling the last two blocks incognito, thanks to my abilities, I hid in a corner overlooking a small apartment building on the roadside. I started soaking in all the details looking for anything out of place: a man walking along the opposite side of the road going away from the apartment; a trashcan knocked over and a cat searching around the garbage looking for something to eat, I assume; a streetlight shining down on a corner illuminating a hooker as she plied her trade; windows of my apartment shadowed and covered. My inspection stopped. I had found something not right.

I folded the drapes in the window of my specific apartment so that, if disturbed, they would straighten out. The window was always closed and there were not any airflow vents beneath the window to disturb them. I checked my safe houses every month to refill the refrigerator with semi-perishables while crashing to get away from life for a day or two. Unless I had disturbed the drapes myself they had never straightened on their own. Paranoid? Me? I inherited it and it was taught to me. So someone had definitely been inside the apartment in the past two weeks, since the last time I checked the apartment.

My gut instinct was telling me to move on which was new because I never got feelings like this but this one was specific. It was a certain feeling that told me someone was waiting and I should leave. I didn't want to, though. I wanted to know for sure if it was my father's men or someone else who broke in. I needed to know or it would eat me up that I never checked.

Quickly and quietly I moved through the shadows towards the fire escape leading up to my window along the side alley. The ladder was pulled up so it was a good fifteen feet off the ground and there was nothing to move and stand on, and I didn't want the noise so I couldn't move anything under the ladder. So I took a risk and jumped up and was amazed that I was able to jump high enough to overshoot the ladder and hit my head on the bottom of the grating creating a small dong in the alleyway. I automatically grabbed the grating to prevent myself from falling then easily pulled myself up onto the fire escape and the next level amazed at what I had just done.

I looked into my apartment side window. Darkness was all I could see, but my eyes quickly adjusted allowing details to appear. Someone was in there judging by the hints of a foot standing behind the main door. I wasn't sure if I dared take the risk and ease up the window, but soon remembered that I intentionally made it so the windows would squeak if they were ever opened. Bully for me.

Unexpectedly, the foot moved and I found myself face to face with a second person. I was so surprised that I dropped my chameleon abilities revealing myself to the man facing me. He was just as startled as me but he recovered quicker than I as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at me. Instinct drove me and I ducked as the shot went off shattering the window before me sending shards of glass digging into my face. Thankfully, no bullet impacted me. I jumped to the side of the building and somehow managed to land on my feet at the bottom of the alleyway. Looking back up I could see the man sticking his head out of the window looking down at me aiming his gun that soon blasted again. Intense pain traveled through my thigh and up my spine proving that I was too slow in jumping away for the man to miss.

Somehow, I was able to turn on my chameleon ability again and dash down the road and into a nearby alley leading to yet another road that I ran down while feeling the intense pain race up my spine every time I stepped on my injured leg. I fled for several minutes before I was in too much pain to run anymore. I found myself in a park and I carefully eased myself down next to a tree overlooking one of the roads that ran along the park.

I was such a fool. I should have listen to my gut instinct and walked away. Then I wouldn't have this bullet hole through my leg with shattered glass needling my face. I couldn't go to a hospital since my father would place people there to monitor them. That thought led me to another train of consideration as I began thoughtlessly picking glass out of my face.

Why is he trying to kill me? This doesn't make sense to kill his only heir especially after the accident. I didn't think he would be that mad at me for what happened. The accident… I winced as a larger piece of glass was picked out of my upper lip.

Some of the lessons taught to me in college came back and I started to piece together some of what was going on. The DNA genetics experiments that Mr. Andrews talked about had been on a plateau for many years trying to complete retrovirus research that would cure cancer by reconstructing the DNA. But the human genome had only been mapped but a few years. How is it that they are able to manipulate genetics enough to change me into this? The people who are able to change any human being into something like me or something even weirder would be billionaires and extremely powerful. They potentially had a fountain of youth they could charge millions for.

I remembered overhearing a conversation between my father and another man over the phone. He mentioned that he would rather live forever considering something else that I didn't pick up. I just assumed he was saying what many of us thought. My father didn't want to die, but I didn't know if he had a specific reason. He was always paranoid about living for as far back as I could remember. Father was sixty-seven but he looked older than that since his stressful and busy life seemed to have taken a toll on him. So why would he give me the company that was working on a potential fountain of youth and would be worth unheard of wealth? I couldn't answer that one. I needed more time to think and many more clues to help unravel it.

During this time I absently observed a cabby pull over with steam coming from under his hood. He had gotten out and opened the hood to let it cool off and a young lady then stepped out of the back of the cab and talked with the cabby. I should have been amazed but I was too caught up in my own thoughts to fully realize that I was able to hear the conversation from several meters away. She had told the cabby that she didn't have time and would walk the rest of the way. The cabby didn't care as long as he had his money and he continued to curse his vehicle while the woman walked on. This was when I noticed men hanging off to the side of the road just inside the trees. They couldn't be seen by the woman or the cabbie but I could see them because of my enhanced night vision. They soon revealed themselves to the hapless woman as soon as she was out of sight and most likely hearing range of the cabbie.

I knew what was about to happen, and I couldn't let this happen to another woman when I could have prevented it. Without thinking I managed to pull myself up and I ran across the grass as the men surrounded the woman. They grabbed her from behind with one slapping her violently then shredding her blouse as she let out a yelp of pain and fear. This added more rage to my fire as all thought left my mind as it switched over to complete instinct, and I charged forward completely ignoring the pain shooting through my leg.

The first man didn't know what hit him as I dived kicked him in the head causing an audible snap from his broken neck. The next man was wheeling around when I landed, spun around, and caught him in the face with the palm of my hand driving his nose into his brain causing him to soar several feet back into the trunk of a tree resulting in a dull thud that echoed almost silently around the park.

Two men down, and two to go. The first of the two managed to pull out a gun, but before he could use it I charged him and broke his arm. Subsequently, I seized the arm and swung him around to smash headfirst into the ground. He was dead judging from the deformed head as thought pushed itself back into the forefront of my brain.

Intense nausea caused me to fall to my hands and knees retching violently onto the ground as I realized that I had just killed three men without a thought of remorse. I saw my hand on the ground partially covered by vomit and then realized that I had lost my chameleon affect.

I heard a shot ring out and felt something explode out the front of my chest that had gained entry from my back. Shock filled my brain completely, drowning out any pain from registering. I somehow managed to stand and turn around to see the last man fixed several feet away with a gun pointed towards me. Fear and panic was written all over his face that then became more pronounced as I started towards him notwithstanding my obviously gapping chest wound. It was only a matter of time before he squeezed off another round forever ending my brief experience as a woman if I couldn't reach him quickly enough. I wasn't going to make it, I realized as time slowed and calmness set in. I was losing strength and his finger began squeezing slowly down on the trigger to release another kinetic charge of deadly lead and I couldn't stop him.

Out of the corner of my eye I faintly perceived the young lady pull something from her fallen purse and aim it at the head of the fourth man all so rapidly that I felt the man and I were both dragging in molasses. A fateful shot soon rang out clearly and the man's head exploded in a flowery, bloody ruin leaving what little bit of my holed chest intact. What kind of gun was able to do that? I distantly thought. I turned my full attention on the woman and saw the gun clearly. Funny, it looked too small for the damage it did to that guy's cranium. Abruptly, I found myself on my knees and saw the young lady rushing forward to grab hold of me and gently lower my head to her lap.

So beautiful this woman was as I peered up into her striking and lovely face. This was the face of the angel I saved. It was fitting that I would see it before I died. Then I noticed the worry set in her features.

"Are you ok?" I asked stupidly coughing blood from my mouth as I said it. I wasn't able to say more as she started talking rapidly.

"Shit, shit, shit! You have a freaking hole in your chest because of me! You can't die on me. Not when you saved my life!" Tears were leaking out of her eyes as she franticly looked around for something. "Hold on while I call the ambulance," she spurted as she started to apply direct pressure to my wounds causing me to gasp.

"No! No hospital, please," I begged. I had to pause for a moment and swallow as blood filled my mouth. "There are people looking for me who would do me more harm. No hospitals," I managed to say forcefully despite my wounded chest then added as sincerely as possible through my increasing pain. "Please."

The young woman was shedding tears in earnest out of frustration and helplessness. She then begged, "But I need to take you to a hospital or you will die! I can't have you die when you saved my life. What can I do?!" Then she broke out sobbing.

I was beginning to feel for this woman. The new me would probably be doing the same thing as she was doing right now; sobbing. I raised my hand to her face and then another moment of intuition hit me. "Please don't cry. I will survive if you can," I coughed another mouth full of blood out, "just stop the bleeding and get me somewhere I can rest." I don't know why I said that but it seemed like the right thing to say.

After I told the woman how she could save me she managed to collect and compose herself in a very short amount of time that spoke volumes about the woman's steel spirit within. She looked pensive for a moment then said, "I know a place I can take you for that," she paused for another moment longer as she looked like she was formulating some clever plan before continuing, "I have a idea on how to get you somewhere safe but you need to keep yourself alive until I do. I will have to leave you for a sec, but I will back in a few. Just rest here. Ok?"

I nodded my head as she pressed her jacket to my wound. As if cued, darkness rapidly overtook me and brought sweet oblivion.

 

* * *

Part 5 – Laura Stevens

Hungry. That was the first intense thought that crossed my mind as I woke up. I must have said something because soon afterwards someone brought me a plate full of food, which didn't last long before it was empty and I was asking for more. Shame on me I know, but what can you do when your hunger feels more powerful than the need to breath? Fortunately, the young woman, whom I saved and she saved me obviously, was patient with me as she brought me more plates of food. Eventually the hunger subsided to something more manageable.

I looked up at my nurse and felt embarrassed for putting her through the stress of caring for me and somehow sneaking me back to where I was able to rest. Funny, I wouldn't have cared when I was a man. My outlook on everything was changing like my form had already changed.

Pushing the thought aside I said wryly, "Excuse me for being so rude. I didn't catch your name before I passed out last time."

She looked up at me as she placed another empty plate on the dresser and smiled brightly as she said, "No apologies necessary. I am very thankful that you saved my life the other night. I was caught off guard and usually I am not stupid enough to walk in the park late at night. My name is Laura Stevens," she held her hand out and I shook it rather delicately although there was strength behind her handshake, "and I am amazed with what I have seen the past couple of days," she responded eagerly and friendlily.

I was about to tell her my name when I realized that I didn't have one for this body and my old one was hardly appropriate for the new me. A new name has been something I have not thought about since the lab fire and I could hardly use one of my aliases for the money accounts. So instead I said the first thing that popped to mind to quell the steady, searching gaze of my nurse.

"Calypso. Calypso Morana," I grimaced and wondered how the hell I pulled that name out of my hat, but thinking quietly again I said, "But my friends call me Cally."

After adding that I searched my memory from where I remember hearing that name; it was Greek to me in another ironic twist. Calypso meant 'concealed' and Morana meant 'death'. Also, Calypso was some horny, misbegotten nymph that tried to seduce Odysseus during his travels but failed. She fit the phrase, 'a woman scorned' rather well. I knew I should have skipped Greek Mythology in college. I knew that it would never be a benefit in the real world.

"A pleasure to meet you, Cally." She smiled at me while holding my hand. I noticed that she didn't release my hand but gripped it harder. I could tell that she couldn't hold back any longer as she began speaking rapidly.

"Now, what I saw the other day was very amazing. I have seen karate artists before and although you were a bit rough you still tossed them around like rag dolls. But that wasn't the most amazing thing. The two bullet holes in the chest and thigh were the most amazing parts. They both healed up in about twenty-four hours when any normal person who got shot through the chest blowing out half their heart would have died almost instantly." She paused to take a breath and collect her thoughts then continued just as rapidly, "How the hell can you do that? I am not complaining since you saved my life and all but no normal person can do what you did. You seemed to have come out of nowhere and during the fight it was hard to see where you were. You were like a smear of motion that I could catch with my eye. That almost scared me more that being mobbed and almost raped but then I realized you were on my side and…" She stopped her rapid dialog for a minute and looked embarrassed. She was actually really cute, I thought, and probably around twenty-two years old. She had the classic American beauty look with the blonde hair, blue eyes, and conservative but playful clothes that suggested a well-trimmed figure underneath. "I am sorry. I am just excited and anxious at the same time. Please don't let me interrupt you from your own questions. But I do feel that even though you saved my life you still owe me some kind of explanation for what happened that night," pausing a moment she looked embarrassed about something then she added, "Please?"

I knew that I owed her answers but I was not ready to give many right now. "Can you give me time please?" Laura thought a moment then nodded her head in some disappointment, "That is all I can ask right now. I have had to take in a lot in the past few days. I am a bit confused myself about everything that has happened to me. You said I was out for a couple of days?" Another nod from her blonde head. "I honestly didn't know I could heal that well. I really don't know what I am other than female," I had to smile ruefully at my own bad joke. Then I thought of the gun that Laura used to shoot the fourth man with and I found myself asking the question before thinking. "Laura, why carry a gun in your purse?"

Laura looked surprised at the question but quickly recovered and answered, "I have a concealed weapons permit and my dad trained and encouraged me to always carry one especially in the city."

"Yes, but I didn't know that a small gun like that could blow up a head like it did."

"The gun I used was a snub-nosed .38 special, titanium cased, with magnum hollow-point rounds. As you saw, it does the job without problems. I wish I didn't have to kill him, but he would have killed you and I didn't want that to happen to you since you saved me from them." She looked sad but quickly recovered with her bubbly personality that was quickly becoming endearing to me. "Look, I will give you sometime to think before I will ask for more information about you. It is the least I can do for you after saving me and getting hurt while doing that. Whenever you are ready to talk though, I will listen, ok?" she said with her friendly smile. I found myself smiling back and nodding my head. With both of us satisfied with the conversation Laura decided to ask the obvious.

"So… what now?"

Looking around I saw that I must be in her apartment or condo. I wondered how she managed to get me in here but put it aside since it didn't matter for the moment. I placed my hand on my chest where the wound had been but I only felt unblemished skin around my breasts. My breasts. It seemed somewhat natural to say that. Like I was getting used to it. Another memory surfaced from my college years trailed that thought.

I remember a psychology class with a strange professor. He was talking about stereotypes within society and how people acted the parts. He mentioned something that I didn't pay much attention to other than to note that people usually are as they appear in a general sense. The professor said that the body molds the mind to itself. Because of all the interactions between the different parts of the body and especially the hormones flowing through it and because of all that the mind is leashed into thinking certain ways considering the appearance of the body. But this is given in a general sense of attitudes. He gave an example of a man, who is smaller than the what was normal for men in his area, would stay away from certain activities and many times be more submissive or completely the opposite to compensate for his small size. He also theorized, strangely enough, that if a woman was changed into a man and vice versa with man to a woman that both would eventually end up acting the part when they were not trying to compensate and consciously act their original gender. I knew, beyond a doubt, that this was what was happening with me. I was beginning to think things that I would never have contemplated before I was changed and things that I thought about a lot, I don't anymore. I had noticed that I used what could be considered feminine gestures while I talked with Laura and when I shook her had it was a limp, dainty hand shake that a woman would give. This was all becoming too much with this line of thought and I quickly and with great difficulty shoved it all aside. Laura had been watching me during all this time with a searching, slightly bemused look. I decided to answer her.

"Laura, thank you very much for keeping me here as I healed. Judging from the way I had healed I would have to admit you are an excellent nurse to have around." I said this while smiling warmly and felt hers returned in kind.

Feeling more sure of myself, I added, "I hope I didn't inconvenience you much, but… could I possibly stay at your place for awhile so I can get my life back in order, please?" I didn't want to drag her into this but I was desperate and I needed a place to stay. Plus, I liked her a lot and wanted, no, needed a friend. I couldn't remember the last person who was a genuine friend of mine. Not having friends before was my own fault. I wasn't about to start being a prick now. I had changed quite a bit in the past few days. It made me nauseous to think of what I did before to people and potential friends.

Laura became excited when I asked if I could stay longer and nodded eagerly that it was ok. She quickly got up and motioned for me to rest longer but I was wide awake and needed to take care of nature's business.

I was surprised when I didn't feel any pain after getting out of bed. In fact, I felt good, rested, and ready to take on the world. It became apparent that I had no problem balancing myself as I walked into the bathroom as if I was born this way. I felt surprisingly comfortable as I noticed my sashayed glide across the apartment. I hate to admit it but the nerds Greenburg and Walters did some first class work on whatever was injected into me.

After I took care of business I sat down with Laura and we talked a bit about the past few days. I found out as I read the newspapers that the first rapists I dealt with had been found. One reported dead the other found unconscious with his genitals crushed several feet outside of the alleyway. The male cops remarked at how this guy was able to travel so far under his own power given his current condition. They didn't mention the third rapist, but intuition said he was changing his act. I couldn't help but smile at that thought. The still living rapist with the crotch problems, when questioned at the hospital, claimed a succubus seduced him and then destroyed his manhood after he satisfied her. She then supposedly disappeared in a puff of smoke satisfied.

I snorted at that one. If I ever ran into that man again I would once again 'seduce' him but leave him completely castrated and whatever else I could think of doing that wouldn't kill him.

The second set of rapists were all found dead and the police were claiming it was all gang related. They must have had some lazy detectives to have come to that conclusion so fast.

An unexpected wave of guilt on killing the rapist/thugs welled up inside of me almost making me lose my lunch. Laura saw my ghost white, sweaty face and asked me what the matter was. I turned to her but before I could speak I ended up turning my head to the side and puking my half digested lunch all over the kitchen floor feeling like some worthless violator of humanity. I was soon sobbing great, heaving sobs as I ran to the bathroom but ended up slipping unceremoniously on the vomit-covered floor to hit on my back knocking the wind out of me.

After a few moments I finally regained my breath and enough to turn over on my side and cry out my misery. Very shortly after, a stunned Laura was kneeling besides me with a towel as she began wiping the vomit off of me and she stroked my hair.

"Cally?" she tentatively questioned. "Are you alright?"

The first thing that crossed my mind was, 'Do I look like I am all right to you!? I am crying like a bubbling idiot and I physically hurt when I think about what I had done to those men!' But I didn't say that, and bit it off as my self-loathing caused me to cry harder.

Laura was being a very good sport I realized as she helped me up and into the bathroom to clean me up from the vomit. After that, she let me hug her and sniffle in her ear until I finally got my emotions under control enough to pull back and actually talk to her.

"I… I killed those men." I exclaimed between gasping breaths. "They were going to kill me and you, yet I killed them just like that! I… I took them… I took their lives." I quieted down a bit and spoke softly as Laura look at me with compassion. "There lives ended just like that. No more days waking up. No more days of eating. No more sensations of the wind, breeze, touch, taste, and breathing. Someone they loved or who loved them once will no longer see them."

Then another thought hit me that caused me to bury my head in Laura's shoulder again. I caused the deaths in the lab the day I was to take over the company. I was entrusted with the lab and its employees to do what was best for the company. But I killed everyone there when I selfishly opened that door just to prove a point to someone I thought of as arrogant and needing to be put into his place. But I was the arrogant person that needed to be into his place.

"Shush, Cally. It was killed or be killed by those men. You had little choice in what you did and, remembering that you and I were in danger, you acted how you thought of as being the best way in that situation."

"Really?" I pulled back hopefully and looked into her eyes for something to help ease my pain.

"Yes, really! You were not in control of the situation and did what you thought best. Because of you, I am here still alive talking to you. I am fortunate that you were in that park when you were."

That gave me hope, but it was dim when I remembered the lab fire and the people I killed. I wasn't ready to tell Laura about that yet, perhaps later. I did feel a bit better about the situation and resolved to not kill again unless it was to protect myself or someone I loved.

"Thanks, Laura. Your saying that helps me a lot. "I hope I'm never again in a situation so bad that I have to kill again." I said smiling at her.

"If you ever are, remember that sometimes you have a choice of killing or just hurting. But if it is either you or a friend's life over some would-be murderer's life , then don't think to hesitate to protect those that you care for or yourself, ok?" she asked imploringly.

"Thanks. I will do that and it makes sense. Thanks very much for helping me through this, Laura. You are already a great friend to have."

Laura nodded to me with a pleased smile and we both went back to the kitchen to clean up a bit and finish reading the newspapers.

I started in on the obituaries. My father had 'buried' me. I wasn't surprised really. There was something going on with him and everything else that suggested a cover up. I would start digging to the bottom of that as soon as I got my life straightened out.

I learned more about Laura. She had her own business she started at eighteen. She made custom furniture for the upper class and made a very good living judging by her apartment. She had no social life since she worked all the time but she enjoyed her work. Despite me holding back information about myself, we were quickly becoming great friends and she seemed to accept that I was hiding stuff from her and I would tell her when I was ready too.

Around afternoon, I sniffed and commented that something still stinks and Laura gave me this funny look. I realized that my robe was stiff with vomit and I was the one stinking up the place. I just gave Laura a sheepish look and asked to take a shower and was soon directed on what to do.

After the shower, I needed something more to wear than a robe around the apartment. I couldn't use my existing clothing since they were ripped, blood stained, and shot up with bullet holes. Once again I was pleasantly surprised when Laura pulled out some clothing she had gone shopping for after measuring me during my sleep. She had that knack of thinking ahead for the right reasons.

The clothing was all designer labeled and Laura seemed to have a theme going with black, white, grey, and green being the coloring for the majority of my new wardrobe. Yes, wardrobe. She had bought a good fifteen complete outfits with almost as many shoes. This must have been the way she passed the 48 hours while I was sleeping. I was finding myself giggling and laughing with Laura like we were sisters and best friends over the rest of the day as she had me try on outfit after outfit and many combinations between them. I just couldn't help it. Her good nature was infectious, and I was beginning to love her for providing the most fun and relaxation I could ever remember having.

Somehow Laura convinced me to go out on the town with her a few nights later to celebrate our mutual friendship. One black dress with six-inchers, don't ask, and a full makeover later, we were strolling down the sidewalk and into a private club. Despite letting Laura do a complete makeover on me, I managed to get the point across that we should just take it easy tonight and not try to do anything else other than eat. She smiled and nodded saying we would only do what didn't make me uncomfortable. I began to learn that she was very unassuming and willing to trust me with anything. I trusted her completely because of that. I later realized that she must have been starving for friendship or possibly a change in her lifestyle since she had no friends and only acquaintances to talk to. I was happy to provide that change, given that she was my friend through it.

Upon entering the door to the club we immediately received a lot of attention from the male and female patrons. We had the salt and pepper look going between the two of us and I had to admit we looked incredibly good in our black cocktail dresses. But it obviously was the wrong thing to wear to avoid attention, which is what I had originally wanted.

We found a table and the vultures started closing in soon after. I found myself somewhat attracted to some of the men but, with the past experiences so far in this body, I was completely turned off. It was disconcerting being attracted to them knowing what some of their kind tried to do to me a few days before. Laura saved me many times that night and eventually I picked up on her tactics on how to deflect the vult… ahem, guys, and I did some deflecting of my own, rather harshly when I think back on it, but I am sure they would get over the rejection. I soon heard a couple guys whispering comments of 'bitch' in the crowd and I looked to Laura to see whom they were talking about. The amused smile she gave me told me exactly who. I later toned it down just to appease the crowd.

We enjoyed ourselves that night in the club. The food was good and the company even better. We actually danced a couple of fast dances with each other laughing the entire time. Eventually, it was late and we didn't want the fun to stop but decided we could continue it another night. We left the club just after three A.M.

 

(continued)

  

  

  

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