Talon’s claws
Chapter 19: Out of Focus
War Room, White House
President Avitus gazed down upon the three dimensional representation of New York State.
It was a marvel of 21st century technical magic, Even the God Elagabalus found the device mildly entertaining, Enough at least for him to view the scene using Avitus eyes. As the projection displayed nothing directly involving sex the God’s omniscient attention soon drifted elsewhen.
Elements of the US Army glowed green, concentrations of slave militia were blue, Hermaphrodites in pink and Talon’s forces in blood red.
The land itself was shaded to show ownership. Most of Manhattan was marked Grey for uncontrolled, small red areas speckled Greenwich Village and midtown, to the east, Queens and Brooklyn had large areas of pink; More importantly there were a few areas of blue ringed with red.
The isolated blue patches indicated where slaves, acting under orders to proceed as if everything were normal, had found themselves surrounded and penned in at the various tourist attractions of New York. In effect they had unintentionally become the equivalent of the 82nd airborne on D-Day, forming the beachhead for the upcoming war. The state of these beleaguered enclaves was the main concern and reason for the briefing.
Castle Clinton, the Empire State Building, Liberty Island, USS Intrepid, the Met and the Guggenheim were all holding out, the Natural History Museum and the MoMA, which had also reported in initially, were now ominously silent.
“Well General?”
“The situation is stable Mr. President. The enemy appears satisfied keeping our ad-hoc militia units contained without alerting the Free-Wills.” Reported General Sault.
As with all the command staff the General was nude, whilst some of the Whitehouse regulars were still uneasy with the new un-dress code, the General, a native of New Orleans, had no such hang-ups.
“Further back, we have regular units fixin’ to set up road blocks at the major pinch points west of the city here, here and here. The cover story is a major Yakusa terrorist alert. We have the troops scanning all the Free Wills, just in case the enemy tries to slip a few of his spawn into the interior.”
“Recommendations?”
“Sir. Get the kid gloves off. Go in hard; have every single remaining Free Will scanned for contamination. If they resist or belong to the enemy, shoot em dead, if they cooperate get ‘em safely indoctrinated.”
“You know we cannot do that General. Master Troy was quite firm in his wish that the remaining Free Wills be conserved in their natural un-guided state.”
“With respect, Master Troy is dead because we were not allowed to deal with this in a proper military manner. He was the greatest man I have ever known, but he lacked the killer instinct necessary to deal with this.”
Avitus face flushed with anger. “You will not question Master Troy’s wishes again. It is our duty to ensure that the world be reorganized in accordance with his wishes. Reflect upon your error and arrange for your atonement”
The general bowed his head in acknowledgment.
“Now, what can we do to aid our militia legions without provoking a response from the enemy or allowing the Free Wills to become alarmed?”
“Sir, We can easily reinforce the Intrepid, Liberty and Castle Clinton enclaves. The other two enclaves will be a problem they are too well guarded. Any attempt to break through or evacuate will almost certainly provoke a reaction.
I recommend we move up the 72nd New Orleans and deploy them in company strength to the southern enclaves. They’re the best trained in H-weapons so are ideal for this sort of semi-covert op.”
“Make it so.”
Lair
“They will reinforce their territory here and here via amphibious vehicle. They have concluded that they cannot assist the other places without causing a noticeable confrontation.” reported the Advisor beast emotionlessly.
Talon nodded. The boy had been a valuable find and now that he had been altered, given a larger brain with reduced space assigned to emotional responses, the quality of his analysis had become exceptional.
“I deduce that you will create amphibians to interdict enemy camps and later all of Manhattan Island.
Addendum: There is an adequate source of young male swimmers trained to athlete standards gathered at Columbia University for the Coca Cola Inter-University Swim Challenge Gala 2004.
Addendum: the Rainbow Avenger Studz will be capable of aquatic operations with only a minor genetic amendment. Projected full operational deployment for your forces within 8 hours” said the advisor beast picking up a cube of diced brain from the dog bowl that served as his feeding trough.
“Excellent, you have performed well” replied Talon turning to head toward the trophy room where the ex-superheroes were stored.
They stood against the wall each immobilized in one way or another. He’d found it humorous to leave them self aware and free willed for the time being, rather like a library of unread books, saved for a rainy day.
Six stood to attention in their Rubberoid skins, unable to move, not even to attend to their erections. Their eyes followed him with a delightful level of hate. Occasionally the Rubberoid on the end of the line would stretch as if a hand were pushing out from it’s chest, this was the one called Speedo, trying once again to escape the body he was wearing, most entertaining.
Two had been snared by his tentacled thralls and were even now deeply asleep as their DNA was upgraded.
The one called TK had been wheeled into a corner and left. Having no thought but masturbation he was no threat.
The only one that did constitute a risk was the one called S-
T. Unlike the others S-T had been one of those involved in killing his original human form.
That meant S-T was due a long and exquisitely painful existence. He planned to use S-T as the canvas for a rather special invocation, it would take at least 5 years to apply the tattoos and there hadn’t even been time to get started yet. For now the naked superhero was merely bonded to the wall with thick strands of thrall-cum hardened like steel, his hypnotic eyes covered to prevent their use.
That left only the one called Studz, frozen in a pose of trying to pull loose his metal faceplate.
A master of gadgetry, he’d built his own armor and used some form of virtual reality mind control to recruit bystanders to aid in his battles.
During the assault two of his battlebeast thralls had managed to push their penis tipped appendages through the gaps in Studz’ battlesuit and pump it full of genetically active cum, effectively immobilizing him in a squidgy mutagenic soup.
He’d intended to just wait and see what emerged but the Advisor beast’s suggestion meant the evolving creature would require closer inspection and a little fine tuning.
The battlesuit obscured the body beneath in polished chrome plates. It was apparent that the suit’s electronics were now imbedded into the flesh beneath. Also the chest plate had molded itself to the body, now sported a pair of nipples and a fine muscular physique. A few hours before it had been a chunky hard edged lump of robotic equipment.
Personally Talon had no great use for technology preferring to create living tools that performed better in most cases; but this merging of the two might prove useful.
Quickly he pushed the head to one side exposing the skin between two of the banded neck plates. Delicately he inserted claws into the joint and injected two separate doses of venom. The first a genetic accelerant the second an enzyme that would ensure the new creature was highly suggestible.
“Shagnasty!” he yelled “pick this up, we are taking it swimming”
Uris Building, Columbia University
Nicholas hung up the phone frowning. Something wasn’t right back home in Cedar Rapids. In fact the whole world seemed to have a not rightness about it.
He’d flown out here to take part in the swimming gala the day before the President..no.. Presidents, it hadn’t been just the US one, had all resigned.
Having done political studies as his academic option he knew exactly how unlikely it was that :— A/ so many world leaders would resign within 24 hours and B/ that the respective opposition parties hadn’t closed in like predators around a wounded animal.
That had been the first thing... And now the weirdness had spread to home. When he’d called, his brother had had big news. He and Blanko were now dating and both had volunteered for militia duty. Blanko was a ‘top’ apparently.
The problem with that was :— A/ his macho homophobic bro had been regularly porking Jenny Stibbens for months and B/ Blanko was a ‘new romantic’ sissy boy with more interest in blusher and cavalier style ruffed shirts than anything remotely military.
“Y’ got problems?” Asked Christian a member of the New Orleans U. team.
“Nothing really” he replied his voice heavy with irony " My brother just turned gay, got engaged to a make-up wearing poetry reading ass-bandit and then joined the military”
Christian’s too perfect mouth twitched slightly into a smile before managing to look serious again.
For some reason Nicholas noted that Christian was wearing colorless lip-gloss. Then shook his head, naa, there was nothing to be read into that, a lot of swimmers used it to protect their lips from the chlorine in the water.
Besides Chris was alright, he was one of those few people who could mingle between the various swim teams and be friends with all of them even though they would be competing against him at some point.
“If dat’s what he prefer, fair play to him. Back home in N’orleans that sort o thing’s pretty common, not like some other parts.” replied Chris again with the quirky smile “You’ll have t’ decide what sort of dildo to give as a life-bonding present. Smooth? Ribbed? Flavored?”
Nicholas grinned despite himself.
“Oh and I suppose you know exactly where to buy such a bizarre item”
“In dis City? You don’ wanna to go there Girlfriend. There’s places in this town where a straight swim trained boy’d last oooh..5 seconds tops”
“Yeah I can believe that, damn muties! Anyhow It’s not just that. It’s the political situation something really screwy is going on.”
“Politics? I can’t say as ah’ve been paying attention. Too focused on winnin’ the event.”
“A load of nations suddenly decided to get new leaders a couple of days ago...And then there’s the French... what the hells that all about? According to the ‘Dow Jones-Today’ on NBC they’re buying every bra in Europe”
“The French? Who knows what they think?” replied Christian who paused suddenly his eyes widening.
Nicholas turned to see what was going on.
Six people had entered the long concourse. They were an oddly mixed group, three appeared to be identical triplets, the next two appeared to be nurses or novelty strippers, the costume/uniform would do for either, the last of the group was a boy dressed in black leather, lower legs and feet bare against the concrete floor.
“I..do..not.. Believe it”
“Huh?”
“Silver. the leather boy, his name’s Silver, I know him from back home. I’d better go say hi, seeya later Nick” said Christian hastily ending the conversation.
Puzzled, Nicholas decided to loiter nearby and find out what was going on :— A/ Because Chris was acting weird and B/ Because there was always a chance the babes really were strip-a-grams.
“Silver!” yelled a voice from across the hall
Silver glanced across recognizing the voice instantly. Cade really was good at finding people, they’d been in the Uni less than 5 minutes and there he was, the one person he needed to contact.
*Someone you know?* asked Troy sleepily inside his mind.
This was the first telepathic thought Troy had sent in over an hour. Turning the French into loyal members of The Mistress’ Sisterhood had taken a lot out of him, more than he had allowed Letoya or Silver to perceive at the time. It had left him in desperate need of rest and he’d effectively left Silver in charge while he recovered.
With Troy soundly asleep and no specific orders, Silver had decided to take time for this small side trip. He hoped his master wouldn’t mind.
*He’s Christian Duquesne, my cousin; you’ve met before. He’s a member of our university swim team. He’s the pride of our neighborhood having actually shaken your hand.*
*Of course, I’d quite forgotten. They were so eager to win in my name. You know, I nearly decided to have the entire swim team spend the night. But that would have left them exhausted just before the big competition.* thought Troy, in a sleep heavy voice.
*I thinkin’ they woulda preferred that option.*
*Yes, but then I had intended to reward them with two nights with me after they’d won.*
*Can I tell him what’s going on Master?*
*You decide. I need to rest* replied Troy, his presence receding back into sleep in the mental equivalent of turning over and pulling the sheets over his head.
“Silver! What Y’ doin’ way up here?” said Chris wrapping him in a bear hug.
“Company business, Chris, I can’t talk much about dat. These boys are Cade, Dace and Eddy, and the ladies are Gavina and Afterma. Guys this here’s m’ cousin Chrissy”
“A pleasure” replied Christian nodding to them. Before turning back to his cousin.
“What in Master’s name is going on Silver? I just finished telling a nice boy from Iowa dat his brother suddenly turnin’ gay ain’t necessarily a bad thing. I can think of only one way such a ‘change of mind’ might have happened.”
“I figured you wouldn’t know” said Silver as if he had suspected as much. He glanced around and then whispered. “Things have gotten a little complicated. Our Master kind of decided it be best if most of the world was fully on our side.”
“Fully?”
“As in completely, all of it”
“Woh, that is so cool. We won’t have to pretend anymore.”
“You will for a little while longer. Apart from a few lucky ones, like these five, New Yorkers ‘re off limits.”
“So, how come dey all got you doin’ the important stuff? No disrespect but you’re still only a trainee thief.”
“I graduated top of my class. But that’s beside the point. Listen up; I’ve only a few minutes spare and figured the way you swimmers use Focus Techniques to concentrate you wouldn’t have noticed what was going on.. Besides, dis many athletes, it’s like a magnet for a certain sort of trouble”
“You’re right, I’ve been using Focus to ignore the distractions, I only got a whiff of something weird going on like 2 minutes ago. I guess I’m going to have to start paying attention to de outside world. Anything I can do to aid you in your mission?”
“Pack your laser and stay vigilant. Look I’d love to hang wid you and bring you up to speed. but I have duties that must come first " replied Silver
Christian understood about duty and nodded. Duty always came first for any of them.
Silver looked distracted for a moment, then adding, “We’re being watched. Over there by the water cooler.”
Christian glanced in the indicated direction; it was Nicholas, his slightly red-necked friend.
“That’s just Nick, I’ll take care of it. As I say, I am at your service, Silver. Txt me if you need me or any of the others on the swim team”
“Txt might not be safe, but I will find a way. For now I must get moving.” said Silver turning to his companions “Cade can you locate that Unicorn again?”
“Sure, if you can find someplace where I can scan from” replied one of the triplets as they moved away.
Christian watched them go with an increasing level of unease. Txt was insecure? World enslavement? Unicorns?? There was a lot to discuss with his team mates.
Nicholas watched the two embrace, and felt a strange mix of emotions. Confused at the obvious intimacy, a healthy dose of contempt for the possible gayness of it and well hidden even from himself a twinge of envy.
Having spoken to the newcomers Christian headed back over.
“My Cousin, come all dis way to see me compete. I wasn’t expecting him.” he explained
“That’s cool.” Replied Nicholas feeling relieved that he’d been mistaken about his friend’s suspect behavior.
“We’d better hustle if we’re fixing to get any pool time. Can’t have those Southern Methodist Texans hoggin’ all the lanes” suggested Christian
Nicholas nodded in agreement; most of the teams had issues with the over- competitive SMU Texan team.
Walking down the corridor he felt a chill as if they were being watched. He glanced around; It was two guys stood by a staff only door, study books in hand but bare-chested with tattoos that dipped below their jean line; both pairs of eyes followed as if they were tracking his every move.
West 121st Street
The unmarked van pulled to a stop next to the building’s loading bay. Five bare-chested students swiftly opened the doors and bowed their heads as the van’s occupants emerged. The first, a man in a white lab coat was clearly in charge, the second a skinny kid dragged what appeared to be a chrome plated statue of a naked human.
The scientist hesitated inspecting his five loyal slaves. Raising a finger that morphed into a claw, he drew a single tattoo line on the cheek of their leader before departing inside.
As soon as their master was gone the other four gathered around eager to lick their overseer’s wound clean and possibly taste the venomous ink for themselves.
Changing Room
Christian slung his bag against one of the changing room pegs and began to strip down, careful to use the mental disciplines that all New Orleans boys were trained in from an early age. It would not do for him to become aroused by the presence of so many fine Free Willed athletes.
Even with the startling news that this particular city was the only one not in the process of being absorbed into the Slave Protectorate, It was still essential that he and his swim team companions not be detected as different.
It was a shame really; there were so many boys in this room that would benefit from the certainties that having a master provided.
Nicholas in particular could use an attitude tweak; the poor boy had suppressed so much in order to appear hetro.
Christian suspected Nick wasn’t even consciously aware of his natural tendency. Doubtless he rationalized the hard-on he sported every time he put the Speedos on as just a handling error, rather than being caused by the ‘accidental’ views of other swimmers that he always took.
The rest of his U. of N.O. teammates wandered in to get undressed next to him; Darren to his left, Rimmer and Torpedo to his right. The latter two going by the fake names Peter and Adrien whilst away from home.
“Hi Chrissy”
“That’s ‘Christian’ whilst we bein’ out of town.” admonished Christian “Listen, we got troubles guys. My thief of a cousin is here. He says pack a laser, there’s gonna be trouble.”
“Silver? Who let that maniac out? This isn’t part of his Guild Exam is it? Fixing to Steal the Chrysler Building or some other hair-assed scheme” asked Rimmer
“No..no I don’t think so. I’ve never seen Silver this serious. Peter, I think we’re seriously out of the loop, we’ve been so focused on training-to-win that we missed somethin’ major. Have any of you looked at a TV since we arrived?”
“Of course not. We’ve spent 16 hours a day in the gym or meditating, just like you have.” said Darren
“Exactly my point. Did y’all know for instance that the French have abolished gender? No more He, She, his, hers y’all have to refer to them now as S’he and hir’s. I think we should be fixin’ to phone home after this session, see if there’s any guidance, our orders have almost certainly changed”
Torpedo frowned “Actually I phoned earlier, there was fault somewhere. I couldn’t get a line out to New Orleans.”
At that point the Texans entered noisily, dripping wet, dressed in identical white Speedos, the S.M.U. crucifix logo embroidered on the right leg. They effectively ended the New Orleaner’s whispered conversation as they barged through.
“Your turn pussies” sneered Brad, the S.M.U. team leader
“Yeah, pussies” agreed Fred one of his intellectually challenged teammates.
That comment earned the Fred a glare from his team leader. Brad knew enough to realize his echo just made the taunt sound exactly as dumb as it really was.
Across the far side of the room Nicholas and his Iowans looked ready to make something of it anyway.
“Come on guys” said Christian to his team mates in an extra loud voice “lets grab us the inside lane while the Iowans argue with the Mexicans.”
The comment effectively emptied the room as the various swimmers each decided that they wanted lane choice leaving the Texans glaring at the door in fury at the perceived racial slur.
After a few seconds Brad heard a slow clapping from the door at the far end of the empty room, the one leading to the corridor. As one, they turned to glare at the new arrivals, a freshmen and a professor.
“Not too smart. But then smart doesn’t cut it does it, only the winning is important isn’t it” said the professor
“Sir?”
“You want to show those ‘pussies’ you’re the best there is, right?”
“Hey! We are the best, they ain’t got no chance” replied Brad, bristling.
“Of course, of course. But it doesn’t hurt to have an edge does it.”
“If this is an attempt to sell us some enhancer shit, you can forget it. The blood tests are way too strict”
“Ah, but it is only the chance of getting caught that stops you isn’t it. What if I had something new, something that didn’t show up on the tests? Something you only need one dose of.”
Brad glanced at his team mates, he knew very well that each of them had spent a hard couple of weeks in de-tox after the disgraced former football coach’s ‘special’ pills had turned out to be horse stimulants.
“What will it cost, Sir?”
“$500 payable.. after.. you win.”
Brad’s eye’s narrowed. It was a lot of money even for him, but paying up might well be avoidable, after all, this chump would have to track them back to Texas in order to collect.
“Ok you got a deal.”
“Mr Shaggy” said the Professor
The freshman opened a briefcase to display 30 vials of a milky blue liquid.
“Drink”
Nervously Brad took a vial, as did the others, following his lead. He inspected it as if it were poison.
“There’s no side effects?”
“Drink!” snapped the scientist, suddenly, loudly.
It was an order; all four hastily gulped the stuff down, obeying without thought, too startled to do anything but obey.
Brad knew the taste, recognized it instantly, having eaten the evidence of his own masturbations, the taste was quite unique.
“You sick fucker! This isn’t a performance enhancer! Its cum!”
“The Door, My Shaggy” instructed the professor calmly.
The freshman walked to the poolside door behind them, as he went his right arm seemed to become enflamed, swelling with impossibly massive muscles lined with a threadwork of veins. The massive hand clasped the poolside door’s locking bar and twisted it until it blocked both leaves of the swing door.
Having done the job Mr. Shaggy’s arm reduced back to normal size. He turned to face them arms crossed over his deceptively narrow chest.
“I will concede there’s a certain genetic element to It.” admitted the professor with dark humor before continuing “I’m not normally into justice, but I do appreciate the irony of a betrayer betrayed. You thought, my price was easy to avoid, that you could run off back to Houston and never see me again, that was the plan? Wasn’t it Bradley.”
“How, how do you know that?”
“Because I can read your mind, moron!” said the Professor with contempt “That you intended to break our deal really isn’t relevant. You see, you never were intended to pay that particular price. Once you drank, your money and your pampered upbringing stopped being relevant to your existence.
All that is relevant to you now is your total obedience to me. I am feeling generous today, I will allow you some time to come to terms with that reality.”
Brad felt a twinge in his chest, something had moved.
“But, sadly, we can’t have you running around campus doing what your instincts demand, not yet anyway.”
“You don’t own us! We..we’ll sue!” yelled Fred, stupid as ever.
“Hardly” chuckled the Professor, looking at the wall clock; he wasn’t wearing a watch. “Well now, time to be off. Pay attention boys; you will find yourselves undergoing a few changes; you will accept and welcome them. Your first priority once I have left will be to purchase full body swimsuits; a full coverage suit is much ‘cooler’ than Speedos and will hide the Changing from those who should not see it. As far as your conscious memories go, the last 10 minutes never happened”
Brad blinked, there was a professor wearing a lab coat standing in front of him.
“Can I help you sir?”
“Maybe later” said the professor turning to leave. “Come Mr. Shaggy, we must be off; people to do things to see”
“Yes Mr. Talon”
Brad watched them leave, frowning. There was something he should be remembering. Inside his chest something made a wet gurgling sound. He smiled to himself feeling a heady elation; he was Changing.
The Pool
Christian flowed through the water using the mental focusing discipline he had learned in high school to exclude everything but the far wall, only becoming aware of Nicholas in the lane next to him when he surfaced at the end of the length.
“Damn you’re fast, man!” gasped the Iowan
“You’re no slow mo y’self Nick” Christian complimented, switching back to normal mode and admiring the way the water droplets trickled over Nick’s upper torso.
“How do you do it man? Your eyes were closed and yet you managed to stay in lane the whole way.”
“Its a mental discipline thing. I shut out everything but de sound of the water lappin’ against the finish wall, sort of like the way a dolphin or a naga would, and then I just go for it.”
“Listen. I know we’re on opposing teams and all, but could you teach me how to do that?”
Christian hesitated, caught in a dilemma. His first instinct was to say yes and then show Nicholas how much better it was once Free Will was no longer a factor. But from what Silver had said there was a strict order that the inhabitants of New York were to remain free.
“I don’t know Nick”
“You’re faster than me man, even without this concentration trick, where’s the harm?”
Perhaps there was a way; Free Will was about choice, if he could persuade Nicholas to choose the path of obedience on his own, then no rule would be broken. Even if he didn’t succeed in turning Nick into a fellow slave, he could at least break down his self-damaging homophobia.
“Well, ok. But you got to know Focusing is a hypnotic technique, it’s not simple, and it will take at least a couple of hours to teach you the basics.” said Christian hauling himself out onto the poolside.
“I’m cool with that, the competition doesn’t start for a while anyways” replied Nicholas joining him on the pool edge.
In the next lane Dar caught Chrissy’s eye and gave him a disgusted ‘I know what you’re doing, you dog’ look.
Chrissy gave him a broad wink.
“Come on, let’s find someplace quiet to do this”
As they walked back toward the changing room they met the four Texans walking one behind the other eyes locked straight ahead.
Chrissy recognized the symptoms of a brute force hypnotic command from his own militia training. As the four barged past intent on their task he grabbed the one on the end of the line.
“Hey where y’all going Fred?”
“Full body swimsuits are cooler than Speedos” replied Fred cryptically in an almost robotic voice, pulling free he hurried to follow the other Texans.
“I swear they are getting more obnoxious every time we meet them” said Nicholas
“It’s not their fault dis time. Someone’s played a prank on them. They’all been hypnotized”
“Like the way I just agreed to be hypnotized?” asked Nicholas uneasily
“No. There are two sorts of hypnosis. There’s the regular consensual sort where the subject only does things he wouldn’t mind doing. And then there’s harder brute force type mind control where the subject is really just a victim with no say in his fate”
“And they’ve had the second sort done to them? Shouldn’t we tell someone?”
“Tell who what? That we think the Southern Methodist University team’s sudden desire to wear full body swimsuits is unnatural? I’ll bet you the Texans have no recollection of who ordered them to suit up, and its not as if they’ve been ordered to commit a crime. In fact if I were setting up something like that they’d be claiming it was their own idea”
Nicholas looked at his friend more closely.
“If you were doing it?.. You sure know a lot about hypnosis, how come?”
Chrissy hesitated realizing he’d said way too much. Then again with the rest of the world including Nick’s entire family already learning the Way of Obedience there was little harm in some honesty.
“Sure do know. Basic hypnosis happenin’ to be a pass/fail course in high school back home. You don’t graduate without knowing how to make someone think they’re a rooster. In fact all my swim team have the equivalent of a doctorate in the subject.”
“Now you’re just shining me on!” replied Nicholas in disbelief.
Christian used his towel to wipe some of the water from his glistening torso and turned to look Nicholas in the eye.
“No Nick. I am deadly serious. If y’ believe one thing today, believe this; I know hypnosis.”
Nicholas shrugged, somewhat disconcerted by the tone of incredible seriousness that Christian put behind the statement. This was all getting a bit deep, so he decided to change subject.
“Whatever man. Lets go n’ get started on this focusing shit. Who gives a fuck if those arrogant longhorn brained Texans wear Speedos or not anyway”
As they approached the changing room they could see a small crowd of swimmers, mainly the Hawaiian team and some coaches trying to force the door, which appeared to be jammed.
“Lets go via the fire exit” suggested Nicholas.
Chrissy nodded.
Poolside
Had anyone been listening to the two spectators sitting alone in the otherwise empty spectator seating they would have heard an unusual conversation.
The younger of the two, a freshman in a “I own NYC” sweatshirt turned to his lab coat wearing companion.
“Why aren’t we doing more of them Mr. Talon?”
“Because we don’t need to Mr. Shaggy”
“But...I thought you wanted hundreds Mr. Talon”
“Patience Mr. Shaggy, I will have hundreds.”
“Oh.” replied Mr. Shaggy and after a few moments of deep thought “Can I massage anything Mr Talon? I am sure you must be feeling..um.. constrained.”
“Indeed Mr. Shaggy. You may see to my feet while we wait.”
“Nothing higher up Mr. Talon?”
“No Mr. Shaggy. Just the feet.”
“Yes Mr. Talon. If I might comment Mr. Talon you seem remarkably mellow today.”
“Would you have me be a throat ripping, sex crazed monster all the time? Mr. Shaggy”
“Frankly Mr. Talon, yes I would. This is all a bit tame...and the very thought of your fangs ripping out my throat again is making me quite excited.”
“Restrain yourself Joseph, be satisfied with my toes. The point of this exercise is to not do it in the expected way. Predictability is a weakness, versatility is strength.
Consider Mr. Shaggy, we have several hours to observe these fine boys, we can sit here, drink Slushies and discuss the merits of their nearly naked bodies, all the while knowing that their fate approaches inexorably.”
“What will they look like when they are ready Mr. Talon?”
“Patience Mr. Shaggy. Wait and see”
Faculty Offices
It had taken some time to find a small empty room; things had been hampered by the fact that the changing room with their clothes still inside had been taped off. Apparently the reason for the jammed door was that some mutant had twisted the locking bar like a pretzel.
The sight of two damp Speedo wearing athletes had caused much humor and many covert glances from those of the 18,000 students lucky enough to be in those corridors as they wandered in search of privacy.
As a resident of New Orleans, where clothing was optional at best, Christian had had no great problem with it. Nicholas on the other hand had not enjoyed the experience.
The room they found was a professor’s office with a padded leather director’s chair behind a leather-faced oak desk; in front of the desk was a much more utilitarian guest chair.
Grabbing a marker pen from the desk-tidy Christian scrawled ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ on a piece of paper and blu-tacked it to the outside of the door.
“There, that should ensure we’re not interrupted.”
“Finally! Lord God, that was embarrassing!”
“You have a fine body, tain’t nothing to be embarrassed about.” replied Christian looking around the office clearly searching for something.
“Watcha looking for?”
“Something to act as a focus. Like I said this is a hypnosis ting. Normally I’d use a phase pulsed infrared fractal spiral generator. Unfortunately mine is in my sports bag. So I’ll just have to make do with something shiny on a piece of string.”
“A phased pulse what?”
“It’s a laser, you aim it at a person’s eye and it projects a hypnotic spiral pattern. Works in about 1/100th of the time it will take us to achieve the same with a conventional focus.”
“And you take one swimming with you?”
“I didn’t want to leave it lying around in the dorm.” lied Christian. In truth militia standing orders specifically required him to go armed with a Slavemaker at all times whilst in Free-Will territory.
“Ahah! Perfect” he exclaimed picking up a small glass crystal shaped like an airplane.
Pulling the drawstring from the Speedos, which covered very little and left even less of his physique to the imagination, he tied the cord about the airplane, looping it around the wings.
“Nicholas, go sit in the big chair, recline it as far as you like and get real comfortable.”
“Ok”
“Ready?”
“Ready”
“Good, we’ll start with simple breathin’ exercises and then see how we go. Remember If you want me to stop at any time, all you need do is raise your hand.”
“Ok, so you want me to focus on the crystal right?”
“No. I want you to relax and breath”
“But I thought...”
“Ah-ah!..no. Just breath. In out, in out”
Nicholas did as he was told and soon began to feel slightly drowsy. Christian dangled the crystal airplane in front of him and he immediately stopped breathing and focused on it.
“No...just breath...in out, in out.”
Nicholas did as he was told, the airplane was too close anyway, he’d had to go cross-eyed to force it into focus.
“How many planes do you see?”
“One”
“So you don’t see two overlapping images? One for each eye?”
“Oh! right! Yeah I see two.”
“Calmly, Deep breaths, that’s it”
“How many?”
“Two”
“Now I want you to see three for me. Tell me if you can see three. Remember deep breaths”
Nicholas understood how it worked. Each of his eyes saw the crystal plane and his mind should be able to match up the two images into a third bi-focused image. Except it wasn’t quite like that, he could see at least five overlapping planes like a kaleidoscope image but more intertwined.
“Five” he said drowsily
“That’s very good Nicky, now watch them drift further apart. Tell me when the five no longer overlap. By forcing them apart you’rr proovin’ that your mind is stronger than reality. As they move apart you find it easier to relax, easier to listen.
“Apart”
“That’s good Nicky, you are breathing just right now, keep it just like that, regular, in out, in out.
We will now learn the secret of Focusing. We now know that your mind can manipulate reality by forcing the airplanes apart. We will now assign a single thing to concentrate on like winning the race or listening to my voice.”
Nicholas nodded slowly, this all seemed to be going incredibly well.
“I want you to make everythin’ go away exceptin’ my voice. All the traffic noise, the babbling students, make them go away so that you can listen only to my voice.”
Nicholas frowned until gradually everything was silent and his brow relaxed. He moved his lips to say “I can’t hear nothing” but no sound escaped them.
“Well done Nicky. You reached the second level. You can now do what you saw me do in the pool. You can exclude everything exceptin’ the one thing you’ve chosen to focus on. We can stop now or I can take you up to the next level. Nod your head to continue or raise your hand to stop.”
Nicholas nodded. He was gaining abilities so fast it would be stupid to stop now.
“To go further you must be totally relaxed and at peace with yourself, face your deepest fears and make them go away just like you did with the sounds. ”
Nicholas nodded. Yes this was definitely worth doing.
“What is your deepest fear?”
Nicholas frowned
“Flying?” he lied
“Deep breaths, calmly, don’t hide from it, you can only overcome it once you have acknowledged it. Flying is nothing, you have a deeper fear, name it for me”
“I’m afraid that I might be gay”
“That’s it, force the rest of it out into the open.”
“I’m afraid that boys will notice how I look at their cute butts and then they will laugh at me and not be my friends”
Jackpot! Thought Christian.
“Good, you can beat it Nicky. Use your focus to fade it all away, permanently gone. Tell me when it’s gone.”
“Gone”
“Are you sure? Lets test it. Do you find me attractive?”
“Oh god yes! I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you since we met. The way water trickles down that hot body of yours when you get out of the pool, the way you are so self confidently gay without anyone noticing, that hot accent, the way you’re full of mystery like some secret agent.”
Wow! Double jackpot. Not only did Nicky have the hots for him, he was even getting hard just from thinking about it.
Time to finish the session, give Nicky’s new self time to bed in. Tempting him with the final seduction into obedience should wait until later.
“That’s very good. Nicky, I know you feel empowered, I am very proud of the progress y’all have made. And now it’s time to switch the sounds back on can you do that?
“Yes” said Nicky confidently, hearing himself say the word.
“Now its time to focus on the airplanes, bringing them together. How many do you see?”
“Five....three...one”
“..and wake up”
Nicky looked past the crystal airplane to see Christian’s lips just inches away behind it, glistening with that transparent lip-gloss, his torso heart-stoppingly close.
Whilst he’d been Focusing Christian must have climbed up onto the chair’s arms so that he was perched as if sitting on his lap, supported just above it so that he hadn’t felt anything.
Suddenly He realized he’d confessed exactly how he’d really secretly felt...and Christian had said he was proud of him.
“How do you feel?”
“I feel like someone who just told some stranger that he’s got the hottest body I’ve ever seen”
“Y’ know how t’ flatter a boy Nicky”
“You..You don’t mind that I said that?”
“Not at all, actually I’ve been hoping that you’d get around to sayin’ it, rather than just burnin’ a hole in my crotch with your x-ray vision.”
“This is so... I can’t believe it.. I can’t believe I’m saying this without any fear at all. ...I’m in love, Christian. I’ve been ripping myself apart inside for days trying not to admit it. I love you.”
“Please, If we are to be bonded, you must call me Chrissy. I’m only Christian whilst ah’m in New York.”
“Chrissy then; what’s bonding?”
“Our equivalent of marriage”
“So, like, you just proposed?”
“I believe I did”
“I accept. Is there a ceremony?”
“Several actually...and there’s quite a few things you’re going to have to know about life in N’orleans. But that can wait until after we’ve done somethin’ about you’re virginity problem”
“What virginity problem!?”
Chrissy ran a finger down Nicky’s chest as he explained.
“Well most religions have this stupid no sex before marriage bullshit. With a N’orleans Bonding Ceremony it’s not considered legally bindin’ if we haven’t fucked each other’s brains out in eight different positions... before the ceremony.”
“That’s so hot, but how come?”
“It’s so both parties understand howta pleasure the other properly”
“What are the eight positions?”
“Here, I’ll show you”
Chrissy reached behind him and Nicky felt the tight constraint of his tiny Speedo being released and tucked under his balls. The hand gently lifted his stiff cock to vertical and a heavy tight fiery warmth settled onto it.
“Oh! Chrissy!” he gasped nearly shooting his load in the first five seconds of his first time butt-fuck.
Only applying his new ability to Focus saved him from the humiliation of a lightning fast end to their lovemaking. Things got better from there.
Darren headed to the men’s room, cheered by the thought that there was always an outside chance of a cottager taking his time at the urinal.
He was disappointed; the only person in residence was one of the Texans. He was wearing a skintight latex bodysuit, one of the expensive new “sharkskin” type with its extraordinary aqua-dynamic surface.
He noted with a slight smile that Brad was having a little trouble finding the seal on the front flap.
Finally the Texan got it loose and Darren’s eyes widened. Brad was a Big Ol’ Boy. Unless his expert eye was wrong that was an 8″ semi-hard uncut.
Brad started peeing...it was black, like squid ink or oil.
“Master’s Will ! You need to see a doctor about that shit Brad!” exclaimed Darren
Brad turned to face him, the black stream hitting Darren on the thigh and trickling down his leg.
“Shit! Watch where your spraying y’ stupid fuck!”
“Awesome! Look guys, I’ve started to Change, I’m peeing in black now!”
Suddenly Darren felt his arms being grabbed by people he hadn’t known were there.
Brad continued what he was doing and Darren could feel two more hot streams hitting the back of his legs.
Suddenly Brad stopped peeing, as did the ones behind him. They no longer held him captive.
“A full coverage swimsuit is much ‘cooler’ than Speedos” said Brad conversationally before returning his attention to the urinal.
Darren stood still for a moment watching the black stain fade into his skin, considering Brad’s words.
“Yes. A full coverage suit is much cooler than Speedos” he agreed.
“You will be undergoing a few Changes, you will accept and welcome them” said one of the others helpfully.
“But others must not know that you are Changing” added the third.
Darren moved back to the urinal and let his own stream go. By comparison it was only very slightly grey, but that was ok, there was plenty of time for The Changing to darken it further.
Having finished he joined the small crowd at the water dispenser, his bladder needed refilling before he went in search of some cool swimwear.
The next corridor was a busy one. Chrissy held out his hand. Nick looked at it as if it were a snake, but forced himself to put his own hand into the soft comforting embrace.
“Y’ see! There’s no need to hide how we feel from them. Focus yourself past it”
“You’re right” Nick agreed kissing his beloved full on the lips to prove that he could overcome the remnants of his fear. Let the students watch, it would do them good to see some honest love.
After a few seconds they pulled apart and began to walk unhurriedly back toward the changing room. Nick could only imagine what a sight they must be, two lean muscular swimmers walking hand in hand with only the skimpy black Speedos to cover and constrain their obvious arousal.
“So tell me, you didn’t sound surprised when I told you that my brother’s got a boyfriend. How come? It sure as hell surprised me” he asked, determined to unravel at least some of the enigmas that surrounded his soon to be mate.
Chrissy hesitated, trying to sort out the priorities of true love and duty. Fortunately true love was one of the exceptions to the absolute priority of duty that Troy Masterson had decreed.
“There’s no easy way to tell you Nick. If what my cousin Silver said is true, everyone outside New York State has become gay in the last three days.”
“Say WHAT!!” said Nick stopping dead in his tracks.
“All of them Nicky. Your parents too”
“But.. but why?”
“I don’t know. I wish I did. Masterson could have done it years ago but he always insisted that he had enough boys t’ care for with just N’orleans.”
“Governor Masterson? You mean you didn’t know? He was murdered last Tuesday. A terrorist attacked him whilst he was meeting King Wills, they had a state funeral and everything.”
Nick was alarmed by the look of terrible wrenching pain that crossed his lover’s face.
“Chrissy? Are you all right?”
“You wouldn’t understand. But it explains a lot. Sean, Jean-
Claude and Avitus were always inclined to be more pro-
active, and assassinating Masterson would definitely provoke them.”
“Spill it Chrissy! all of it”
“Ok.. N’orleans. Its been 100% gay for years; we’ve bin hidin’ the fact from everyone. Masterson was our leader. Everyone in N’orleans owes..owed.. Him their lives; he saved us all from a genocidal murderer called Talon.”
“So how does that justify turning everyone else..including me, gay!”
“I don’t know! And I didn’t turn you gay. You know that! I never did nothing to you that y’ didn’t want!” replied Chrissy sounding raw and wounded
Nick glanced around, they had gained an audience of wide eyed undergraduates; their presence stopped his angry outburst dead, he still didn’t fancy discussing his Gayness in front of strangers....And now that he had calmed down he had to admit Chrissy was right, he hadn’t done anything underhand to him.
He fingered the tiny crystal airplane on its Speedo cord, a gift his lover had placed around his neck, a present, a token of their love, given after their exploration of the eight sexual positions.
He reached out a hand, placing it on Chrissy’s naked shoulder. “I’m sorry man. I shouldn’t have shouted. I know you didn’t force me, and I loved everything you did to me...its just so much to take in”
Chrissy looked him in the eye and the last remnants of their argument got shunted aside to make way for the shear thrill of looking into his lover’s slightly reddened eyes.
Nick was about to lean into a kiss when a loud New York accented voice interrupted
“Hey! Fuck the kiss n make up bullshit. Whatcha mean everyone outside Nu York got turned gay? I got family in DC!”
“Yeah! And my brother is in New Hampshire!” added another
Chrissy turned even paler and hugged Nick close whispering in his ear “close your eyes”
Nicky obeyed, taking the moment to appreciate the renewed full body contact. A flashbulb seemed to go pop and he saw red through his closed eyelids.
Opening his eyes he could see that everyone in the corridor had stopped in their tracks.
Chrissy closed the secret compartment on his college ring.
“Everyone forget the last five minutes and go to your next class” he instructed and then dragged Nick hastily away
“Was that some sorta ‘Men in Black’ hypno-ring?”
“Same principle. Its called a ‘one-shot’, we’re issued them in case of an emergency.”
“You make it sound like you’re an agent in enemy territory”
“You say it in jest but dats exactly what we are. Think about it, The slightest slip would’ve revealed N’orleans secret to the world. How do you reckon the likes of Bush would have reacted to findin’ one o’ his cities was a Gay Utopia with a completely un-American set of laws an’ government. We’d have been another Cuba”
“Yeah I can see how that might not have gone well. I guess you weren’t kidding about the learning hypnosis in high school then”
“We have a lot of classes not on de curriculum Washington thinks we’ bein’ taught. You remember my Cousin Silver?”
“Yes, almost as cute as you”
“He’s trainin’ to be a thief. In fact I thought he was in New York for his exam.”
“An exam in thieving? So he’d have to nick something to pass?”
“You got it”
“But..god..there’s so many questions. It’s almost like encountering an alien culture” exclaimed Nick noting a twinkle in Chrissy’s eye and a smirk “What?!”
“When we get home, I’ll take you to a see a Snake Dance. Personally I support the Rattlers, but the Diamondbacks are giving them a run for it this year.”
“I have a sneaking suspicion you don’t mean Football. And how that has to do with aliens is beyond me.”
“Nope. The sport I mean is a hell of a lot sexier than football. But I tink I’ll keep that as a surprise.” said chrissy mischievously but then turning more serious. “But you’re right we’ve lived in different cultures; and right now it’s possible there’s a war out there someplace, between what’s left of the ol’ USA and our Protectorate. We’re gonna have to find out what’s goin’ on and soon.”
They walked on for a while, still hand in hand, both in a somber mood, Chrissy wondering how best to serve his Master’s successor and Nicky torn between his lover’s the strange seductive lifestyle and the inescapable truth that Chrissy’s superiors had had his family’s sexual preferences interfered with to suit some obscure purpose, almost certainly without consent.
Poolside
Darren hauled the gallon container of drinking water into the pool room and placed it next to his towel. The Changing was making him increasingly thirsty, and a full bladder was critical to the Changing of others.
Between them he and his Texan brothers had begun The Changing of nearly two-dozen swimmers and other students. His emissions were now as black and potent as those of his brothers. Internally his plumbing had changed so that the act of emitting his black was now as sensuously rewarding as ejaculation had previously been.
A shadow crossed him and he looked up, it was Brad.
“Hi Dar, can I have a swig?”
“Sure!”
The big Texan sat down next to him and leaned close.
“I’ve Changed again. Look into my eyes and watch this!” he whispered removing a pair of opaque shades.
Three layers of eyelids blinked across his eyes, each from a different angle.
“Wow! I can’t wait!”
“They make my distance vision kind of blurry but underwater I don’t need goggles.”
“You get me any more brothers?”
“Two of the Cal-techs”
“I got University of Seattle’s Coach”
“Cool”
Dar felt his cock stretch again. It was now almost down to his knee tucked tight into one of the rubber legs.
“A Change?” asked Brad noticing the ecstatic flicker of emotion
“Yeah, It was just fixing to get longer again. How’s yours doing?”
“Just below the knee and a bigger girth at the top, balls internal now” boasted the eldest changeling
Brad took a final swig and Dar was disappointed to notice his brother had drained nearly half of his gallon.
Gym
Rimmer walked over to where Torpedo was Focused on power lifting.
“Hey Adrien.”
Torpedo ignored him, too deeply Focused on his reps. Knowing that shouting or waving his arms about would make no impact Rimmer gave the swimmer’s nipple a flick with his finger.
Torpedo hesitated, brought back to normal awareness by the unusual stimulus.
“Hey Adrien. Look over there.”
Torpedo hauled himself up to a sitting position and looked across to the gym entrance where Rimmer had pointed.
In the doorway stood Chrissy with Nicholas the Iowan holding his hand. Both were still dressed for the pool.
“Tell me he didn’t..”
“Looks a lot like he did, the lucky dog. Lets just hope he hasn’t blown our cover”
“I’d say he’s blown more than our cover, judging by that soppy smile.”
The only other person using the gym was a hulking quarterback. Chrissy walked up to him and said something. The Jock nodded, picked up his kit and left. Meanwhile Nicholas was sticking a sign hand made no entry sign to the outer face of the door.
“Looks like they want some quality time”
The two approached, Nicholas seeking out Chrissy’s hand again so as to remain in physical contact.
“What’s happening Christian?”
“Nick, permit me to introduce my friends Rimmer and Torpedo.”
“Let me guess, Peter likes to lick ass and its obvious why Adrien’s called Torpedo”
“Christian...?” said Rimmer asking an unaskable question. He dare not speak it without breaching security as badly as he feared his friend had.
“I have some good and bad news guys. First the good bit. Nicky has agreed to bond with me. We’d like you two, and Dar of course, to attend our stag orgy.”
Rimmer looked from one to the other in amazement. This changed everything, true love superseding all orders.
“Congratulations guys, y’all can count on me n’ Torpedo here to do our darn’dest to seduce you away from each other”
Nick blushed and then added, “I gather I’m supposed to invite half the guests. But I don’t know enough gay guys”
“No worries, we’ll just hypnotize your team mates so that they’re eager to experiment and then wipe their memory later” reassured Torpedo.
Nicholas gave him a hard look.
“Wrong thing to say Torp.” advised Chrissy, “Which I guess brings us to our bad news. Troy was assassinated last week. As near as I can figure Avitus and the others have retaliated with a massive recruitment drive. In effect The Protectorate controls the entire world... with the exception of New York.”
Nick glanced from one to the other seeing the same look of grief and loss he’d seen on Chrissy’s face earlier. Then, oddly they both seemed to go expressionless for a second.
His eyes narrowed “Did you just use Focus to avoid the pain?”
“Yes, we did. Please try not to mention it for now. That particular train of thought is distressing as hell”
“Sorry”
“So. What do we do? Like I said when we started discussing it earlier. I couldn’t get a phone line home,” said Torpedo
“Which kind of indicates someone doesn’t want anyone in New York getting new orders from home”
“Oh that’s comforting”
“There’s Silver. He’s had more recent contact with home. We could call him up.”
“Unfortunately he also said that phone messages weren’t secure; said he’d find a way to contact me. So we can’t just ask him,” sighed Chrissy
“That doesn’t leave a lot of options. I guess we’ll just have to compete as intended and hope he gets back to us.” shrugged Rimmer
Torpedo nodded in agreement.
“um actually there’s another option” said Nick
The three New Orleaners turned toward him.
“Well before Chrissy met his cousin, I’d just had a freaky call from my brother. He was full of how he’d gotten a boyfriend and joined something called the militia. If I understand all this rightly, then he’s now on your... I mean our... side. So in order to contact New Orleans all I need do is phone home and get him to relay a message.”
“Brilliant! Boyfriend” said Chrissy hugging him. " I know choosing to be on ‘our side’ wasn’t easy for you”
Nick let his hands surround the orbs of Chrissy’s ass pulling him close. “Lover, I’m still not entirely convinced turning everyone I know gay was justified. It’s going to need one heck of an explanation and I won’t get an explanation until we’ve contacted New Orleans.”
Chrissy felt a chill of doubt run up his spine. What if Nick decided that turning Iowa into a loyal part of the Slave Protectorate wasn’t justified?
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
The phone was ringing.
A hand fumbled its way out of the mass of intertwined bodies and picked it up. The local militia had been practicing camouflage body painting, it had evolved into a celebration their new sexuality and then moved to the biggest house they could find for an orgy.
The hand put the phone to a ruffled cum stained mop of shoulder length green hair and listened. After a few moments the hand pushed the handset between a crotch and some legs to reach another ear.
“For you” said the owner of the hand before losing interest.
Nick hung up the payphone.
“He’s grumpy says we interrupted an orgy. He didn’t get through; he’ll keep trying though. Says he got a ‘you are 671st in a queue’ message”
“It figures, if its how I think it is all the new recruits will be ringing in, eager for their first orders.”
“Well the swim Gala starts in about five minutes. We’d better just win our races and check back with him after.”
“Get our teams together then. Who’s up in the first heat?”
“SMU Texans, Honolulu U., Seattle U. and University of Virginia”
Dar didn’t recognize his teammates until they were within 12ft; the Changing having long since adapted his eyes. Only the fact that he had mirror shades on prevented them from noticing the way he was rapidly blinking his new eyelids against the horrible dryness of the air.
Having experienced several surges of Change he knew that he had the big change building within him. Soon; it would be soon, and this time it wouldn’t just be a body part here or there, it would be all of him.
“Hi Dar. We got some major things to discuss after the race,” said Christian.
Dar nodded, not wanting to speak, when there was a new change that he needed to perceive, experience and embrace.
Fortunately something distracted Christian’s attention and his ex-friend moved away. Looking around he saw him moving to join the group from the University of Iowa.
“...just wanted you to know something important about my personal life.” explained Nick fingering his crystal airplane nervously
“So you finally decided to come out?” asked Robert
“You... knew?”
“Man, who did you think doesn’t know? You can’t exactly hide your feelings when wearing Speedos. And you my friend, have been flipping us the bone for the last three years” smirked Theo
“Yeah we’re just pleased you’ve finally come to terms with it.”
“Ok well here’s something you don’t know. This here is my lover Chrissy. We’re going to be married. And you lot are invited to my gay stag night.” replied Nicky quite satisfied to see his three friends looking slightly uneasy but not rejecting the idea outright.
Behind them the announcers had finished the roll-call for the first heat. All that remained was the actual starting pistol.
Dar heard the crack of the starting pistol. It was the signal; finally it was time.
Discarding his shades he sprinted toward the pool and dived in; colliding with a Speedo wearing Virginian who had just launched himself from the starting block.
The disguise of the swimsuit was no longer necessary; one quick flexing growth spurt split it down the seams to be discarded like an old snakeskin.
With several normals in the water, the first priority was to start them on the path to their own Changing. He relaxed his bladder control allowing his potent black juices into the water.
The Virginian, seeing the black cloud spreading through the water grabbed the side of the pool and began hauling himself out, confused by what was happening. His muscular back mottled with oily blackness, which faded into his skin before he was half way out.
“Let the Changing take you brother. Return to the black waters, relax, breath it in, become one of us” Dar instructed in a seductive whispering voice no longer designed entirely for use in air.
The new brother released his grip on the tiled pool edge and slid back into the comforting blackness.
Dar took the time to release his Virginian brother from his Speedos as he drifted passively near the bottom, absorbing more of the black.
Satisfied with the new brother’s progress he concentrated upon his own changing inhaling the water deep into his lungs and for the first time exhaling through the gill slits that the aqua suit had hidden.
His penis brushed against his ankle, he did a lazy somersault to observe his changed equipment. His penis was now thicker than a leg at it’s root, tapering down to more human proportions at its tip, a ridge of skin like that of an eel formed a keel top and bottom providing him with a better means of underwater movement.
Experimentally he undulated his penis propelling himself through the murky waters...No more walking, excellent!
A webbed and clawed hand brushed against him. He glanced down; it was his new brother, changing far more rapidly in the concentrated ink, his gills already pumping the mutagens throughout his system.
There was a movement above, humans milling around poolside confused by the opaque water, one got too close. With a powerful twitch he surged upward grabbing an ankle and pulling his soon to be brother into the water.
A webbed hand reached out of the black water pulling in one of the concerned athletes who had crowded around the pool edge. Nick glanced at Chrissy. “What the fuck was that?”
“I have no idea. But I think now’s a good ol’ time to arm ourselves. You Iowans, stick close to my team. We’re combat trained for things like this.”
Rimmer and Torpedo jogged over throwing Chrissy a sleek phallic looking device that looked like a cross between a phaser and a dildo.
“Dar’s in there. He just suddenly took off at a run and dived right in. Whatever is doing this must have gotten to him” informed Rimmer
“Pass the slushie Mr Shaggy”
“Yes Mr Talon. If I might say, this is worth the delay, I can’t wait to join in.”
“This is but the beginning. Now we shall awaken our metallic friend and get this pool party moving right along.”
Under the spectator stand Studz flexed his metal-coated hand and pulled loose the dustsheet that had kept him hidden. He took a moment to inspect his cool new body; he no longer had any difficulty controlling technology, thanks to his master’s mutagens. As for his loyalties, all it had taken was a final injection of will suppressing venom to make him understand his kinship to the dark brothers spawning in their pool.
His master had told him that he was to care for them and lead them in their mission. His kin needed to be more numerous, it was his function to provide them with the raw humans.
Picking a victim in the stands he activated his virtual reality projector.
The boy glanced down at himself in surprise, perceiving himself to be suddenly unclothed and better endowed than he was used to. Those next to him turned to look at him and expressed their own surprise at the enhanced physique, completely fooled by the mirage.
The illusion progressed to the next stage, black leather strapping flowing around the victim to form the classic x-
shaped chest piece, shortly followed by thigh straps, arm bracers and cock leashes.
The boy stood, his mind now fully under control, ignoring family and friends he walked forward pushing other spectators out of the way.
The instruction was very simple “Go for a swim, let nothing stop you.”
In the past Studz would have established control over just one or two bystanders to help with the crime fighting. Given how simple the current command was, it was easy to multi-
task. He targeted another dozen spectators and commanded them to enter the black waters.
Nick heard a slight electronic humming noise to his right.
One of the swimmers next to them seemed to transform, his body suddenly replaced from the neck down with a bulkier more muscular one that was soon wrapped in black leather strapping. Without warning the swimmer, a member of the Chicago team, started to walk toward the pool.
Chrissy waved his weapon in the direction of the leatherized swimmer... it beeped.
“Transmissions in the theta sleep band. Rimmer, zapp that guy, strength two”
“On it.”
Rimmer dashed around in front of the leatherized swimmer and shot him in the eye with the hypno-laser. The leatherboy illusion seemed to flicker as the hypno-laser interfered with it creating a moiré pattern of light and dark.
“Shit, its a strong one, going to strength four” commented Rimmer
“This is getting’ hazardous. Torp, hit the crowd, wide angle strength one, stampede them outta here.” instructed Chrissy dropping easily into his militia trained persona.
“Aye Captain” acknowledged Torpedo aiming his Slavemaker at a bank of seating and sending a basic ‘Flee!’ command.
As one, the spectators in that seating block got up and clambered hurriedly down.
Shagnasty frowned and began cracking his knuckles. One of the swimmers had pointed a device at a sector of the seating causing a cone shaped area of people to stand and collect their belongings; He was pretty sure that sort of thing wasn’t to be tolerated.
“Would you like me to take care of that Mr Talon?”
“No, Shagnasty. It is only fair to let my new servant demonstrate his power. See, he has chosen one of their companions to join our forces thus distracting the weaklings from their task.”
Shagnasty took note of the dropping of the ‘Mister’ and smiled; Master’s civilized persona was slipping...finally.
Nick felt a gust of wind against his semi-hard 9 incher and the tight clasp of three leather cock leashes. He looked down upon a set of honed bodybuilder muscles that weren’t his own.
The muscles glistened as if oiled, the smell of new leather from the cross shaped chest straps he appeared to be wearing assaulted his nostrils. He felt an overwhelming need to swim and began walking calmly but purposefully toward the polluted waters.
“Nicky!!” shouted a vaguely familiar voice behind him.
“Nick listen to me! You bin trained! Focus your way past it. Don’t let dem take ya!”
Nick frowned. Knowing that swimming right now would be wrong, wrong, wrong. His feet continued to move him forward even though he wasn’t at all sure about where he was going.
Ahead of him something pulled itself out of the water, standing upright gill slits moving on its slick oily flanks. It extended its webbed hand to him ready to pull him into its pool.
“Master’s Will Nicky! Focus now!” shouted the voice
The sight of the creature like some monster from a black and white B movie, combined with the shouting desperate voice, cleared his head. It was easy, using his rising terror as a focus so that his fear and a desperate need for help fed into itself blotting swimming and everything else out.
Suddenly the entire hall seemed to glow, every person in it having a crackling kirlian aura. The effect only lasted for an instant before the glow seemed to pull in toward him. It was as if each individual strand of energy were accelerating toward his body.
The mysterious energy interacted with the bodybuilder illusion disrupting the slick muscles allowing him to see his own body beneath.
He needed help, desperately, anyone would do, The Rainbow Avengers, Team Blue Static, hell, even Chrissy’s cousin or the goddam President! He absolutely did not want to get closer to those creatures.
Nassau Street
Pedestrians looked up in wide-eyed terror as 15ft sphere of reflective stuff formed on the third floor of a building, cutting through everything.
Five seconds later it was gone and so was a spherical portion of the building. A woman holding a coffee cup and several bikers could be seen standing around the edge of the hole looking shocked.
Reporters were soon called and notice was taken of similar incidents, one near the Strawberry Fields, one at the northern end of Greenwich village, and finally the most noteworthy...the oval office itself!
Chrissy lunged forward tackling Nick, his momentum pushing them clear of the hemisphere of grass, topsoil and granite that had suddenly materialized above Nick’s head.
The floor shook as the mass hit the tiled surface, spilling the six people who’d been standing on it onto the floor. One at least had the reactions to return to his feet in a single rolling motion.
“Hi guys! A’ Told y’all to keep an eye open fur trouble”
“Silver?!”
Further conversation was interrupted by three more energy sphere’s dumping their contents into the now panicking arena.
One appeared to have contained alien organic stuff that held people trapped, bonded to its surface; the second had contained a bedroom full of young men; the last holding a portion of the Oval Office.
For a long second everything stopped apart from the oiled leatherboys walking obliviously toward the pool. Everyone seemed too shocked by the sudden presence of the debris to do more than look.
Nick looked around in amazement Everyone he’d thought of to call for help was here...and judging by the two suited, mirror-shade wearing agents clustered around a third figure, that even included the President.
“Did I do that?” he wondered aloud
“Yes you did” said a voice using Silver’s mouth to shape the words. He sounded kind of English, fairly young, but somehow full of authority and care.
Apparently Chrissy recognized the voice turning toward his cousin with a curious look on his face somewhere between shock, relief and puzzled awe.
“But..they said..” Chrissy stammered. Silver gave him a quick frown and a ‘not now’ shake of the head.
“Fortunately Nicholas, your wild uncontrolled power seems to have summoned a most effective posse.” said Silver still in the oddly inflected voice.
Around the vast hall the newly arrived were getting to their feet, trying to get a handle on what had just happened to them and what was happening in their new location.
By then nearly two dozen of the creatures had hauled themselves out of the pool and were busy grabbing anyone within reach shoving them toward the water.
Glowboy was the first to react, hurling a bolt of orgasm inducing energy at one of the trapped Rainbow Avengers destroying the Rubberoid bondage suit that held him entranced.
It was almost as if a signal had been given; suddenly there was chaos and fighting on all sides.
Blue Static sending a bolt of electricity eating into a creature. The creature jerking around as the energy ripped through him.
A 3ft tall angel gliding feet first into another creature’s eyes and then sweeping around on pure white wings.
The rending of metal, as a man of chrome ripped his way out of the tubular steel spectator seating; moving like some unstoppable robot using a part of the seating as a club.
The presidential bodyguard suddenly wearing the body of an oilled leatherboy, trying to break the neck of his fellow agent until the President’s hand touched and subdued him.
Silver’s under-dressed nurses, back to back, punching rubber encased opponents with the power of a heavyweight boxers.
And the creatures, many more now, the liquid seemingly potent enough to mutate its victims in minutes.
Nick felt a presence in his head. Without understanding how he knew it, he understood that it was the owner of the voice that had used Silver’s vocal chords.
It was a presence that commanded instant respect. Nick knew that he would follow this one into hell itself if he were asked. The presence smiled inside his head and Nick understood clearly that his unspoken loyalty was considered worthy.
*There. Its done, you are truly one of us now and worthy to be Chrissy’s Bond-Mate.*
*How can I serve you..master?* thought Nicky savoring the mental taste of the word.
*You must use your newfound power to break this up. We are not ready for an all out fight with the Enemy.*
*I don’t know how master*
*You see the two in the stand?* asked the voice.
Nick looked up to where a man in a lab coat and a freshman sat, apparently unconcerned by the mayhem around them. The lab-coated man gave a signal to his companion who stood up and seemed to swell becoming almost a caricature of muscular might.
*Make those two go away. Think of a place and send them* instructed Master
It was almost as if Master was showing him how.
A sphere of reflectivity formed around the two and a second later they and a portion of the plastic seating were gone. His actions seemed to have an instant consequences, each of the amphibious creatures turned to look at the empty space and then began moving at their best speed to the nearest exits. Those still partly mutated in the pool clambered out to follow.
The man of chrome and the rubber suited figures continued to fight savagely but the odds had swung against them.
The man of Chrome was finally felled by a skinny kid of about 15 who had arrived with Blue Static’s party, an electric-like blast of red energy sped from his hand dropping his opponent onto his knees, head bowed.
Satisfied with his work the kid walked over and patted the shiny metal head.
In what seemed like only a minute the battle was finished; the only people moving were on their side and the only sound the occasional crunch of shattered glass.
Nicky felt Chrissy’s presence next to him and that was really all that was important.
“You don’t be scarin’ me like that man!” said Chrissy holding him close.
Nick smiled, he had some news that would make Chrissy a very happy slave.
“I have something to tell you Chrissy. I know you’ve worried that I wasn’t properly enslaved; that you were trying to figure out a way to persuade me to submit voluntarily. You don’t have to! Our Master made me understand, I’m one of us now. I belong to him, just like you do...and he approves of our love.”
Chrissy didn’t bother to speak; he just kissed. The Kiss became deeper and Nick closed his eyes so that all he was aware of was the smooth muscular body pressed against his.
The kissing must have gone on longer than he imagined. When he opened his eyes he found that they were surrounded by patiently waiting superheroes, mutants and others.
Blue Static, the strange nurses, several Rainbow Avengers, his Iowan buddies, The President of the United States, Rimmer and Torp, the skinny kid with a proprietary arm on the tiny Angel’s shoulder, all of them waiting for the two of them to stop snogging.
“If its not too much trouble” said the Blue Static pair, both of them speaking with one voice. “We’d like to know where you sent them”
“You sent them?” asked Chrissy pulling back slightly from their embrace to look at his lover.
“Uh yeah. I guess I really am genetically gay. You know how it is, a stressed gay has a chance he’ll develop mutant powers. I was so frightened I pulled every helpful person I could think of to right here... and then Master showed me to send those two guys away.”
“Well done you talented beauty!”
“I know it’s cool news guys. But where’d ya send ‘em Nicky?” said Rimmer.
“Only place I could think of where they wouldn’t be getting away without help and where there’s unlikely to be people they could hurt... I sent them to Bikini Atoll”
“Damn! You couldn’t think to send that fucker to the moon then?” grumbled one of the Rainbow Avengers a ruined scrap of Rubberoid bondage suit clinging to his neck.
“I’m not a murderer!” growled Nick and then added defensively “and it was the best I could think of”
“Don’t fret sugah. Mistress has diverted some French Special forces to settle the score. And I assure you our sissy boys got no problem with shoot to kill orders.”
Sea Knight Helicopter, Bikini Atoll
Capt Huguenot adjusted hir bra strap. Still genetically male S’he wasn’t yet comfortable in the false practice breasts. S’he supposed it would be easier once they were replaced with real ones.
“ETA five minutes, lock and load Mademoiselles.” S’he instructed
The Reservoir, Central Park
Dar slipped silently below the still waters, giving a bubbly sigh of relief at being back in his natural environment. His brothers had fled blindly toward the nearest water, the Hudson, that had been a mistake. The humans had chased after them capturing many.
He’d avoided their fate, using his old training to focus past the instinct heading away to the south east instead. The simple expedient of squirting a cab driver with black, gained him a brother and a fast ride to Central Park.
The reservoir was much more suitable, unlike the fast flowing river, the reservoir waters were drunk by millions. It would take them a long time to darken the waters, but eventually there would be a wave of Changing as the city became what Master had intended.