Your House

[Sounder9-]

Definitely an eye opener of a chapter. You were right about questions really not being answered. As Biceps101 mentioned this story definitely evokes emotions (for me to at time to wrong conclusions, sorry).
Overall it really makes you think, and at the same time have a sense of relief with some resolution for Desmond but possibly more problems for him in the future.

[Sounder9-]

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[GLKnight]

Just a heads up.

Chose to get another installment out in a few days. Figured since people were interested in what happened last time, you deserve to see the outcome of the "rewards" both Desiree and both kids' mom chose to go with.

Also, don't think Desmond's life is gonna be peaches and cream from now on. He has a couple days to himself, yes. But is he truly out of the woods when it comes to the DOE and their experiment?

[GLKnight]

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A little BTS for you guys.

There are twelve files currently in a folder specifically for this story. Only four have their titles revealed. The reason for that? Those are things I've (partially) revealed so far, as well as the installment I'm currently writing. The other eight are IN WORLD files on what's actually happening in the story, and I planned another five to create based on more story elements I've yet to cover.

By the time I'm done with this story, I might just post the worldbuilding elements to show the full scope of the story and what's going on. I mean, it's good practice anyway since I'm working on a bunch of other mediums, too.

[GLKnight]

The ride home was longer than I thought it'd be. I was in a vehicle full of women, all of whom were doting on me. I wasn't expect them to be so considerate, asking if I was alright, wondering if I wanted to stop somewhere to get something to eat, asking about my injuries. I tried my best to respond, but I was very burnt out. Midway home, I saw a burger spot and one of them must have heard my stomach gurgling. So they did a quick drive through order which they said they were willing to pay for. "As an apology for everything that happened," as one of them explained it. It felt so surreal. The hell I know they found out, and now I was being treated with so much consideration? If I was in a better state, I'd have been more paranoid. But as it was, I got my food and we were on our ways.

Eating a couple of my fries, I noticed one of the soldiers, a rather pretty Southeast Asian girl, looking at me. As I glanced at her, trying not to stare, I noticed her eyes had some really striking green to them. Almost an unnatural, vibrant green. As I quickly looked down at my bag, I had to wonder if the contacts she was wearing were prescription? There was no way anyone's eyes could be that electric. Right before I was going to ask her where she got them so I could get a pair of my own some day, I felt the car stop. The women next to me leaned over, unbuckling me and stepping out of the vehicle so I had an easier time getting out.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped on the sidewalk feeling this bizarre mixture of calm and dread. Like when you're looking at a stream that seems almost perfectly still, but you know it takes several lives every year due to how powerful its currents actually are. An unsettled peace, a subtle disquiet that he knew could be disturbed at any moment. But as our neighbors came out of their homes to watch me being led home by full blown military personnel, I knew this would cause ripples in our neighborhood. I could feel my ears getting warmer as I used the burger bag to hide my face, praying to avoid questions.

"Desmond? What's going on?"

But of course, Mrs. Tallarico's good intentions muddied the waters.

"We're sorry," one of the soldiers told her. "But there can be no questions at this time, Emmy. We need you and every other subject to go back inside your homes and give Desmond some space for the next few days until the Head Of Household returns."

"Wait," I called out, turning on the doorstep. "What do you mean by "subject"? Is everyone in this neighborhood involved in whatever you're doing at the-"

I could feel one of the soldiers putting their hand on my arm, squeezing it enough to let me know they meant business but not enough to actually start hurting me.

"Mr. Nowell," the Southeast Asian soldier with green eyes said, a very serious look on her face. "You are currently not at liberty for that information. Now please, head inside your residence. You've had a long day, so it might be best to relax and begin recuperating."

As she kept her gaze on me, the soldier opened the door and gestured inside.

"Please."

Shooting one more look around, I dropped my head and walked into my home, flanked by the Asian soldier and another guard as they led me into the kitchen.

"You're going to need these," the green eyed soldier said, putting a small bag on the kitchen counter. "Painkillers for the next month or so, as well as vitamins."

"I don't need to take vitamins," I sighed, putting my food down. "I'm healthy enough without them. Well, when I'm not busted up like right now."

"These are part of your regimen," the other soldier, a girl with what I think was South Asian features, spat at me. "You're fully registered in the experiment, now. That means you have to take part. And for ones like you, that means you're on these and treatments, Mr. Nowell."

I groaned as I leaned against the counter, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"You don't have to call me "Mr. Nowell" all the time, you know. Desmond works perfectly fine."

"I don't think-"

The soldier with unnaturally green eyes held up her hand towards her fellow soldier, causing her to go quiet.

"That won't be a problem, Desmond. It helps create a familiarity, makes things easier for all of us."

Reaching into her pocket, the green eyed soldier handed me a card.

"If you need anything, you can contact me on my personal line. I'm overlooking your whole neighborhood, so it's best we build these bonds starting today. Now, if you don't have any further questions, we'll be taking our leave. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Nowe- I mean, Desmond."

I watched as the two soldiers silently walked out of the house. The heavy footfalls of their boots echoing across the still house as they all marched back to their vehicle and drove off. Leaving me alone in an almost eerily quiet home for the first time in weeks. As I grabbed my food, my eyes drifted back towards the card I was just given.

"Cpt. Amelia Chaimongkhon." I read, wondering why, after all that I've been through, everyone seemed to be treating me with kid gloves so suddenly. It made no sense. Was there something about me that made me a priority? I don't know. I don't really care, I guess. I chose to let it fall to the wayside. I needed to eat and get some sleep.

------

For two days, I was jumpy and on high alert. I was wary of everything. I didn't know if the speakers were going to make me burn. I didn't know if the refrigerator was going to cut me off. I didn't go outside whatsoever. I purposefully ate as little as possible. I even left the meds and vitamins they gave me alone, toughing it out as my shoulder was screaming at me for relief. It hurt like hell and made me lose sleep, but I put up with it. They wouldn't tell me anything, so I didn't know if I could trust them. Everything was quiet, which made things easier to keep track of. And I honestly preferred it that way.

It was early afternoon on the third day when I heard the car pull up to the house. I was in the middle of trying to catch some sleep, having been awake since 3 AM after I rolled in my sleep and woke up screaming. I'm pretty sure I was so loud that I woke up the entire neighborhood. At most, I had gotten maybe two meals in me, and slept maybe five hours total. So when I heard the car doors close, I was practically swimming through molasses. By the time I heard the front door close, I was getting out of bed.

"Desmond? We're home!"

Hearing Desi's voice brought me a bit of comfort. As long as she was here, I thought, then I could at least make due. When I stood up, I felt like I was drunk. I was so weary and out of it, I was visibly wobbling as I went for my door handle. But a sudden bout of dizziness struck, so I rested my head on the the frame for a second.

"Desmond," she called out again, this time accompanied by the sounds of her footsteps. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I shouted back. "Not feeling too good, though."

"You mind if I come in?" she asked, stopping on the other side. As she got closer, I noticed her voice sounded a little different. Did she have a chest cold or something? Her voice sounded like it was-

As the door opened, I was immediately hit with the scent of sweet flowers. Nothing too sickly sweet, just the kind that were in the midst of full bloom. This was closely followed by her arms wrapping around me, pulling me into a gentle embrace and being mindful of my shoulder. This was the kind of hug I could immediately tell was Desi, but there was something odd about it. It was her, but it felt... bigger? Like I was being covered more.

"I'm glad you're okay!" she said. But being so close to her now, her voice sounded different. Like it was deeper, more resonant. Dare I say, older.

"Desi," I asked, pushing away from her to look her in the face. "Are you-"

I couldn't help myself, pulling away from her as I looked her in the eyes in a panic. It was Desi... but older. When we left for the facility two days ago, she was a skinny 13 year old girl. But now, she looked like she had to be, what, sixteen or seventeen? And she was taller by a good three or four inches, as well! But what really stuck out were her eyes. Her normally hazel eyes, the same color as our dad's, now a vibrant white color, standing out against even the natural whites of her eyes in my dimly lit bedroom. I screamed as I stumbled onto the bed, rolling on my broken shoulder and falling to the floor.

"Desmond!" she shouted as I kept screaming, scuttling into the corner by the window. My heart hammering in my chest as a creeping burn crawled across my chest and neck. As she rounded my bed, I finally got a good look at the rest of her. Her body was evenly muscled, the figure of a lifelong athlete. Where there was once a mousy teenage girl, now there was a strength and power that while still burgeoning, now was undeniable.

"STAY BACK!" I demanded, holding out my hand as I I was creating a shield between us. But Desiree just carefully moved forward, inching her way to me.

"Please," she cooed, raising her hands. "Just listen, okay? This will take some getting used to, so just-"

But as soon as she saw where my eyes were locked to, she went silent. The unnatural blue dots on her hands had spread, now covering the entirety of her palms and up to the tips of her fingers. There, in the daylight, I saw the texture I had seen before now across the underside of her hands. Almost artificial looking, the subtle bumps and creases looked completely alien compared to human flesh. There were no line or marks, looking almost leather like yet super soft and pliant. And like everything else, they looked stronger, too. Her hands were broader, fingers thicker. The hands of someone who looked like they've been lifting weights for years.

"You're not Desi," I cried. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SISTER?!"

"Desmond," she said, her voice sounding hurt. "I promise you! It's me! I swear I won't hurt you!"

"Just give it up. You're not fooling him, Destiny."

My eyes slowly drifted to my door, growing wider as I looked at the figure standing in the doorway. Her figure cut an immediate presence underlit by my room and the hallway. She was wearing a pair of denim cutoffs that highlighted her long and powerful legs. The way her jacked thighs gave off the illusion they had burst through whatever she was wearing, leaving behind the Daisy Dukes she was left with. Trailing up, her abs were sculpted to six pack perfection. Deep groves of a powerful core tapering up in a perfect V towards a powerful upper torso. Lats pulling a red spaghetti strapped tube top taut as a pair of prominent breasts pushed out into an incredible valley of cleavage. Her broad shoulders leading gracefully to shredded arms and the beginnings of what would absolutely become a bull like neck in time. And on top of it all was the smirk of my mother, staring at the two of us with eyes that that seemed to glow with unnaturally vibrant red irises.

"You know they told you to stop calling me that," Desiree told her, quickly getting upright as she moved towards our mother. "To help with the acclimatization!"

"And they also said NO FIGHTING," mom shot back. "Our bodies are still stabilizing! And we're to not bother your brother, either! Especially after he's been re-evaluated."

Mom threw a folder on the bed, shooting me a look that could kill.

"As for you," she said. "You got your wish. You've been granted A Rank status. I hope you enjoy everything that entails, Desmond. Because I promise you, it's not what you think you'll be getting."

With a snap of her fingers, mom walked out of the room. Desi took a step towards the door, stopping to look back at me with a sorrowful look on her face like she wanted to say something to me. But one look at my frightened face told her it might be best to say nothing. So she lowered her head and left, closing the door on the way out. I waited a few moments, fighting back my terror and calming myself down. But fell into a state of solemn confusion as I realized that what I didn't know was deeper and more terrifying than I could ever possibly imagine.

[Sounder9-]

Well this is a twist! On one end he's become A Rank but on the other end to what ends. Great Update!

[GLKnight]

I can fully admit that after I saw what had happened to my sister and mother, I was well and truly freaked out. I completely shifted my schedule for a while, basically living at night, sneaking downstairs to eat maybe a meal or two a day. Whenever I left my room, I was bombarded by their perfumes. It was so strong, like they had been spraying it around the house in a bizarre battle for airspace. I had to cover my nose and mouth, or else it would start making me lightheaded. I mean, lightheaded in a good way. I don't actually know how to describe it. It smelled nice. Sometimes, really nice. And every time I thought of either of them in my room, I swear I could smell those damn scents like reflex. Maybe I was getting used to it? I don't know, really.

What didn't make things easier was the fact that almost every day, while I slept in my darkened room, Desi was always trying to get me out of my room. Usually at the same time, she'd knock loud enough to be heard, but soft enough to not really disturb me. She would ask if I was "alright in there" or "wanting some company". Or even told me things like how I "shouldn't sleep the day away" or that she "really needed me to discuss"... something with her, I don't know. Whenever she said we needed to talk, she always trailed off like she was scared I wouldn't like what she had to say.

But I couldn't look at her. I couldn't look at mom, either. All I saw since their return wasn't how their bodies looked bigger and stronger. It wasn't that my baby sister now looked like a Junior in High School. It was their eyes. The way mom's glowed an angry red while Desi's glowed white. It made me realize that the soldier who took command of my ride home, Captain Chaimongkhon? She wasn't wearing contacts. She just happened to be in direct sunlight, which washed out the glowing aspect to hers. A truth of what mom signed us up for had signed up for had been staring me in the face the entire time. And to my great shame, I was too much of a fucking idiot in the midst of a meltdown to notice.

After eight days of being trapped inside my room, I thought things were weird enough. But on the ninth day, at around 5 AM, I was awoken by the sounds of construction as the house began to shake. All day, it didn't cease. There were many loud voices coming and going, it was hard to keep track of. They even came upstairs, asking questions and talking about renovations and designs. I curled up in my bed, eyes peeled on my door as they drew closer. My mind going crazy with worry that they, too, had eyes that glowed unnaturally. But as I heard the handle turning, my mom suddenly told them, loud enough so she knew I could hear her as well:

"That's my son's room. His room's the only one to remain as is. He told us to focus on the rest of the house."

Then they slowly walked down the hall, entering the room she took from me. The one I worked with a designer on, that gave me the open space I craved after living in a tiny spare room in our old house for so long. A room that she would use to store so many things that it felt downright claustrophobic at times. A room the same size as the one I currently slept in. I stayed there, in my bed for hours, unable to get back to sleep as the noisy work went on until dark. When they finally stopped, I peeked out of my room to find dark hallways under a cloudy night sky.

I had to feel my way downstairs, taking step after careful step so I wasn't running into anything like a missing stair or nails. Inching my way towards the ground floor, I couldn't see much beyond the occasional plastic sheets or living room lights in a neighbor's house across the street. Flicking the living room light switches, I learned that the power to the house had been turned off. I hadn't gotten my phone back, so that basically meant I couldn't talk with anybody. But as I looked around, I noticed orange dots in the most random of places. Those must have been the speakers and security setup that... that made me... made me b-b-b-bur-

Closing my eyes and focusing on my breathing, I walked towards the kitchen. Thankfully only clipping my knees and feet on things a few times before walking into the kitchen to find the refrigerator both turned off and completely empty. So I did the only thing that came to mind: I sat down at the table and sulked in the darkness. No food, no electricity, no way to contact anyone. With a sigh, I lowered my head to rest it on the kitchen table, only for two pill bottles to poke me in the eye. I turned my head and winced, knocking both bottles over as I stopped caring. Hearing the pills rattling inside them as my shoulder ached fiercely while my eyes slowly adjusted to the low light.

There beneath the pills, was a handwritten note. I didn't have to guess who it was probably from.

"Sorry," I mumbled to myself. "But I can't read it right now, Desi. It's too dark."

Grabbing the pill bottles, I put my head on my arm, closing my eyes and trying to drift to sleep. But that wasn't gonna happen as the headlights of a car pulling into the driveway lit up the house a bit. I remained still, heart hammering in my chest as whoever drove up opened the front door. Their footsteps echoed through the silent house, heading to the kitchen with a calm but confident gait. A paper bag was gently placed by my arm before they pulled out a chair. And with a sigh, sat down across from me.

"Are you doing okay, Desmond?"

I groaned, lifting my head to see the white glow of her eyes directly on me. It was a frightening image, seeing what felt like a pair of disembodied eyes in the darkness, trained on you with unerring precision. I could tell they were Desi's by the kindness that lay in them, but it still cared the ever loving shit out of me, all the same. They weren't natural, plain and simple. I could feel my legs bouncing as the anxiety grew, wrestling with my urge to get up and walk away from the spot right then and there. When I realized that I hadn't said anything yet, I knew she was actively trying to not scare me further as she waited for my reply.

"I'm scared," I told her. "I don't know what's going on and I'm too scared to ask. Things aren't right, Desi. Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?"

I watched as my sister closed her eyes and sighed. From the outline I could see, it looked like she was slightly hunched over. Her fingers bridged as she rubbed her nose down to her chin, elbows on the table. One of the things she always did when she was struggling with her frustration. Then she stood up and walked over to where the fridge was.

"Did you read the folder mom threw on your bed?"

As I thought about what happened a week ago, I heard her fumbling with some keys.

"No," I told her. "At least, not yet. So much happened, like... you know."

Desi threw the darkened fridge door open, as the sound of her moving things around cluttered and collided. Closing the fridge door, I heard the sound of a soda can being opened before it was placed right next to my hand on the table.

"Yeah," Desi sighed. "I tried, but it wasn't enough. That's on me, Des."

"No it's not," I said, my voice getting louder. "It's whoever's running that fucking experiment! They're the ones who-"

"Don't talk about my sisters like that!"

The sudden anger in her voice caught me by surprise. Desiree had never yelled at me like that before. It was like I was touching an extremely raw nerve or something, talking about something that should be best left unsaid. So I didn't push harder, gently feeling around in the dark as the glowing rings in Desi's eyes ominously watched me.

"I'm sorry," she said, quietly. "I must have scared you, yelling like that. I didn't mean to. It's just... I can't help it, you know? I've been angrier lately. Like I want to fight all the time. But I don't want to feel that way."

As my fingers grazed the bag she brought, I felt her hand take hold of mine. Across her palm and fingers, I felt the individual bumps on my flesh as they seemed to pull my hand closer to hers. The soft, leathery skin somehow both soft enough to not be abrasive, yet also callous-like that gave her an incredible hold on my own. It was so strange, how balanced and multi-layered it all felt in the dark. At once the grip of an athlete, a warrior, a friend and a lover.

The strength and power in her hand was... I don't quite know how to describe it. Kind of at odds with how alien the whole situation was? It was a grip of intimacy more than consolation or grief. In fact, something about the touch of her hand tingled. I don't honestly know how, but she felt downright electric. The feeling of her hand on mine, the way my heart was hammering in my chest, the smell of her perfume making me heady. The overall combination mixed with how tired and hungry I was had started to do a number on me. I think I was... God help me, a sudden sourness sank into my gut as I realized I was becoming excited around my own sister. Maybe... Maybe I was getting excited BECAUSE of her. That couldn't be why... Could it?

I slowly pulled my hand away from hers, tugging the bag along by the tips of my fingers. I had to change the subject quickly, or else something might have gone in a direction I'd regret, I'd feared.

"So I have to ask," I said, opening the bag to find out what she brought. "Why's the power turned off?"

Desi's hand passed in front of her face, blocking her eyes as she ran it through her hair. I grabbed the contents lying inside her package, pulling out a deli sandwich and some chips.

"The Department approved the reconstruction of the house," she huffed, clearly not happy about the topic. "It's being renovated so that it's a more suitable place to live for us. Every house on the block is getting upgrades. But as the only A Ranks in the neighborhood, we're the first to receive this benefit."

I don't know what it was, but there was something about the way she said how things were going that bugged me. Some crucial bit she was leaving out.

"You're hiding something," I told her. "What is it?"

Her glowing eyes disappeared for a second before I saw light eking out between her fingers as she rubbed her face again.

"Fine, I'll tell you before mom gets the chance to. The DOE bought your house from the bank. The property and everything that resides on it is now owned by their branch of the government in the name of eminent domain."

I tried to keep it together. I really did. I tapped my fingers, I bounced my legs, but it all quickly built up until I launched myself out of my chair, throwing it to the side as I started screaming. Over and over, in a purely primal waterfall of sonic emotions. Expletive after expletive, I went hard. My throat hurt, my lungs burned. Every single element of my being was white hot at this absolutely mockery of existence I was now in. I screamed for what had to be several minutes until I was hoarse, barely croaking out words as my whole chest felt like cinders.

As I leaned over the kitchen sink, my breath coming in hard and ragged, I felt Desiree's arms wrapping around me from behind. I still wasn't used to how strong she now seemed. It felt... nice. After dad died, mom now really comforted us like this, so I took it upon myself to comfort Desi when I could. I guess I just seemed so helpless, she feels it's her turn to do the same for me.

"It's okay," she whispered. "Just let it out. I know what you've been through, Des. Holding it in for years for my sake."

My hands went for hers, holding onto them tightly.

"This was supposed to be a place where you could get away from mom," I croaked, clearly still riled up. "I've been fighting to get approval, mere weeks from a hearing about guardianship. Then... Then this fucking EXPERIMENT! It's like mom knew and found a way around everything! She just keeps taking everything from us! Even taking away... my house..."

I could feel her chin on my shoulder, hear her slow and steady breathing. I felt a warmth I hadn't felt in over 10 years. I had never had a girlfriend, so I never had an intimate moment where I just felt comforted by someone else. Desi must have felt me shuddering, because her arms just got tighter. Holding me closer than anyone else ever had.

"You've fought for so long," she whispered in my ear, trying to soothe my mind. "For both of us. It's my turn to do the same."

And suddenly, like a phantom, I felt her arms let go of me. I turned around, hearing her walking down the hallway towards my... mom's office.

"Where are you going?" I called out.

"Finding something to light the room," she said. "If I'm to protect you, we have things we need to discuss. And that requires you being able to see."

It'd require me to see? What does that mean? Wait, how was she getting around so easily right now? It was pitch dark out.

"Speaking of which, how are you walking around no problem?"

"Using my feet," she said, almost like a snarky reply than anything else. "Do you have any emergency lights?"

"Hallway closet, a box on the top shelf."

As I heard the closet door open, followed by the sound of a box being pulled out, I rubbed my eyes as I moved back towards the table. Barely having enough time to pull everything to my side as Desi unceremoniously dropped the box where my food had been.

"Careful!" I told her, chuckling.

"Relax," she said as she pulled out an electric lantern and opened it up, lighting up the whole room. "I knew what I was doing, bro."

"Bro? That's a knew one for you?"

She smiled and shook her head, planting a couple more lights around the room.

"I've been hearing some of the other sisters in the gym using it. Probably rubbed off on me, I guess."

"That's the second time you've said that," I said as she sat down. "Why are you calling them your "sisters"?"

The look on her face told me I had touched a nerve, but one that she knew she'd have to deal with some day.

"The DOE demands we call each other "sisters", in order to build a sense of camaraderie. Every woman involved in the Experiment is going through similar treatments, just like mom and me. It's all explained in the folder."

"That I haven't read yet," I muttered, trailing off as I mentally kicked myself.

"Yeah," my sister said, smirking. "That you haven't read yet. Which is why I drove back from the hotel mom and I are staying at, to make sure you got something substantial to eat and to talk about-"

"Wait a second," I told her. "What do you mean by drove? You're only fourteen!"

"Not anymore," she said, holding up a set of car keys. "As of my last treatment, I'm officially sixteen years old."

I could feel my gut twisting as she said it. Sixteen years old?! They somehow made my little sister two years older in two days time?!

"That shouldn't be possible," I said, incredibly concerned. "There's no way they can just make you older than you actually are! That's impossible!"

Desi gave me an off-putting smile as she flexed her right arm, showing off the fair bit of muscle her body now had as her bicep caused her short sleeve to become taut across the baseball sized muscle it was covering.

"Just like it's impossible to put on a good twenty pounds of muscle and gain a good three inches of height?"

I knew the point she was trying to make, but that wasn't the matter at all. And she knew it.

"Desi," I said, grabbing the box between us and putting it on the floor. "You know that's not what I'm talking about. This is what I mean when I say I'm purposefully being left in the dark, okay? Something's happened to both you and mom, and I'm pretty damn sure all the other women we've met! Stop trying to hide things from me and tell me what's going on!"

Her smile disappeared as she lowered her arm, leaving a canyon of silence between the two of us. Then, with a sigh, she put her hands on the table and slowly flipped them over. Her palms turned upwards underneath the somewhat harsh light of the nearby lantern as she slid them towards me.

"It's a radical experiment," she said. "It works completely different on women than it does on men. For women, it completely changes our DNA. We are getting faster, stronger, tougher. We are being called Neos, built FROM humanity but no longer OF it. But with men, it ensures increased capacity for survival. You will be more resilient, able to take more, do more and most importantly, be able to continue the survival of the species. Because that is what this experiment is for: survival."

I couldn't fully grasp what she meant. The blue skin, the change in her physique, how she was suddenly older, the way her eyes glowed. Was she... Was she implying that she was...

"Are you... Are you saying that you're no longer... HUMAN?"

Desiree closed her eyes and deeply sighed, bridging her fingers as she looked at me with an intense and almost mournful sadness.

"I'm sorry," she said, voice shaking. "But after the last treatment, I may still be your sister, but I'm no longer human. Which is why we need you, Desmond. Why I need you. The more this body changes, the easier it'll be to just lose myself to them. Which is why mom signed you up. You see, while we're going to become something more than human, we need men like you to undergo treatments for two crucial reasons."

She raised her hand, holding up her pointer finger.

"The first reason is that having a tandem presence as we transition away from Humanity is reportedly the surest way to prevent any complete loss of control. That goes for both men AND Neos."

Desi suddenly paused, looking unsure about what she wanted to say next. Deciding it was best to just get it over with, I pushed forward for her.

"And the second?"

"The second," she said, looking as serious as a heart attack. "Is the mutual survival of both Humanity and Neos. Which means that the treatments may not turn men into Neos, but it does guarantee one of the most basic necessities to prevent both species from dying out."

I wracked my brain, trying to figure out what she was implying. Women were turned into Neos, an apparently new species of beings? Meanwhile, men were NOT becoming Neos, but they were NECESSARY for Neos to survive? Was there something about their compatibility that would necessitate-

Wait. Compatibility?

...COMPATABILITY.

Desiree just slowly nodded her head as she saw me figuring out what she was truly implying.

Neos are essentially a new species.

Men were being made COMPATABLE.

"Desi," I said. "Are you saying that mom signed me up to be-?"

She hung her head and sighed, a deep element of pain in her voice.

"This is why mom has been so adamant about you being "put in your place" before now. She always saw you as pathetic, so she forced you into this program without your knowledge and has been especially harsh until now. She knew you'd be an A Rank, which meant you would be one of the most viable men in the program. So when you had a nervous breakdown, she was especially mad her actions were found out. From this point on, you're to undergo treatments under my care until I finish my transition. I'm sorry, Desmond."

I emotionally shut down after she finished explaining what I was apparently avoiding this whole time. What my sister had been trying to protect me from this whole time. Why everyone else treated me with extra care and consideration. Why mom was being especially harsh.

Mom was trying to completely break me before my evaluation.

An A Rank evaluation for men meant I was to become prime breeding stock for the Neos that the women in the experiment were being turned into.

[Sounder9-]

Wow a nice update (and before holidays too, Thanks)! Now it brings to question what is this threat that brings this kind of radical experiment to even occur!

[GLKnight]

I must have gone silent and not known it, because the next thing I knew, Desi had moved next to me, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Earth to Desmond," she called out, snapping her fingers. "You alright, bro?"

I... I think so," I stammered, clearly still out of it. "It's just-"

"Just what?"

I looked her square in the eyes, the concerned look on her face.

"Why did this have to happen?"

I could see she was thinking about it, but my sister quickly shrugged her shoulders. She pushed my sandwich towards me and stood up, walking out of the kitchen.

"Don't know," she said, nonchalantly walking towards the stairs. "Now eat up, we need to talk about your role in the Equivalence Experiment. And take your meds!"

I just sat there as I heard her heavy footsteps confidently walk up towards my room. My shoulder was aching badly, my head was throbbing, chest and throat still smoldering from screaming. I looked at my sandwich, feeling phantom pangs of hunger. I knew I needed to eat, but I had no appetite. Digging my fingers into the palm of my hand, I needed to feel something, ANYTHING intense that wasn't outside of me. Even if it was a split second. I didn't hear her footsteps as I raised my fist, focusing on the need to vent my frustration.

With incredible force, I brought my fist down like a hammer and slammed it into my shoulder. I immediately crumpled as my world exploded into white hot pain, screaming as I found myself falling into Desi's arms again.

"DESMOND!" she shouted, louder than my cries as I felt a grinding sensation in my shoulder. "Why did you do that, you idiot?"

"I don't know," I admitted through tears, rocking back and forth. "I just- I have no control anymore, Desi! I thought- I thought I could control how I feel, but-"

But she just shushed me as she reached up and grabbed one of the pill bottles, popping it open effortlessly and feeding me one of them.

"It's okay," she cooed, quickly putting the soda to my lips. "Just a painkiller, Des. Just relax, breathe deep. You're gonna be okay."

"I'm not," I told her. between groans "I think- Fully broke-!"

I heard her grumble a "damn it" under her breath, but I knew Desi was focused more on what I did than the why. I watched her pulling out a phone and begin texting someone.

"Who- Who are you-?"

"It's okay," she told me. "Don't worry. I'm just telling them to send someone here to check on you, okay? We can claim it was an accident so this doesn't look bad on-"

"..On you?" I asked, finishing her sentence.

Her silence to my question told me everything I needed to know. So I, in turn, stayed quiet. My legs fidgeting as I laid in her arms, waiting for the medication to kick in. After about an hour, right as the pain started to fade, someone pulled into the driveway Then, the sounds of doors slamming shut.

"Don't worry," Desi said, stroking my hair. "Help's arrived."

The door was thrown open as several people ran into the house. Three soldiers, all with orange glowing eyes, quickly surrounded us, gently pulling me away from Desi's arms and laying me on the floor. Each strapping monitors to my wrist or waving strange equipment over me.

"Elevated heart rate," one of them said.

"Scans show full breaks in the Acromion," another added. "And possible damage to his Glenohumeral."

"He's stable but definitely worse than before, Doctor Lawler."

Before I could turn my head, she came into view. She was clearly younger than when I first met her, the grey now replaced by a full Auburn that was thick and wavy. She was also bigger, clearly showing some solid muscularity that pulled her clothing tight against her body, adding to her shapely silhouette. But her eyes. Her bright, vibrant electric blue eyes cut through the harshness of the lanterns' LED light. As she put one hand on my chest, she gave me a gentle smile.

"Heartbeat's steady," she said. "Thank goodness!"

I would have asked her how she knew, but I just let it go from how out of it I was feeling.

"You got upgrades," I whispered, the strain I put on my throat finally getting to my voice.

"Don't talk," she told me. "I need to know how this happened."

"Mom's been isolating him," Desi said, sitting back down at the table. "And I've been trying to give him space. But after what happened at the facility, he's been in his room except when he needed to eat. Today was when renovations began, so I snuck back in to talk with Des. But when he found out his- OUR house had been reclaimed, he lost it. In his explosion, he tripped and landed hard on his shoulder."

Doctor Lawler, listening to every word Desi said, just nodded her head before turning her attention back towards me.

"Just be honest," she said, seriously. "Is she telling the truth? Just nod or shake your head, okay?"

I looked over at Desi, her white eyes filled with intense worry that I would reveal the truth. It was the face of someone scared of the consequences, an innocent who had never done that sort of thing in their life before. I could practically hear her pleading me to lie, to go along with what she said.

I knew that if I didn't do as she asks, then my sister would get in trouble. And that would lead me being left alone with mom. And if that happened, then I knew things would get even worse for me. So, out of pure reflex, I did as she asked and nodded my head. God help me, I immediately turned back into my pre-teen self and caved to the wishes of others so that I wouldn't be hurt again.

"I hope you're telling the truth," Doctor Lawler said, holding my head and staring at me with her unnaturally blue eyes. "But even if you're not, you are one of our highest priorities, Desmond. Isn't that right, Captain?"

The sound of boots calmly walking towards us drew my attention as Captain Chaimongkhon's electric green eyes stood out in the darkness. Even underlit by the harsh LED lanterns, there was an incredible stern beauty to her. One that commanded respect, though as I lingered on her features, there was a... I don't know, gentleness? Like, an inner strength to her, almost like a force of nature as she almost seemed to float towards us.

"We can't have anyone abusing the menfolk," she said, her eyes calmly moving between Desiree and me. "Especially those with the highest compatibility. We have to keep those too weak and too important to our survival from harm until we can finish this part of the experiment and move on to the next phase."

I felt something stinging my hand, looking down to see one of the soldiers calmly drawing blood as it wormed its way up the tubing into a cluster of vials on top of a little controller, hissing in her hand as they filled with incredible speed. A little beep went off as another soldier was looking at their tablet.

"Initials are in," she said. "Blood is thickened, possible signs of anemia due to malnutrition. Clotting factor is high."

Doctor Lawler reached over, grabbing the soldier's device and looking it over.

"We might need to have him on some blood thinners, as well as stronger pain medication. And we need to get him on a higher calorie diet for the malnutrition. Blood sugars, cholesterol and hormone levels are normal. Which means you haven't been taking your meds, have you?"

I looked away in embarrassment, closing my eyes as I lowered and shook my head.

"After what Laura did to him," Desi said, handing her the bottles. "He's been wary about taking them. It's disappointing, but also to be expected if you know our history."

"I heard about that," Captain Chaimongkhon said, kneeling down next to the doctor and I. "But you have to take them, Desmond. Otherwise there will be severe complications, okay?"

"What... kind?" I asked, sounding like a phantom wind.

"Let's put it this way," Doctor Lawler said, taking a scanner from a soldiers hand and lifting my shirt as she put it on my abdomen. "Just as our treatments improve our bodies, so too will your treatments affect yours. You'll become better, look better. But if you don't start the hormone treatments now, then your treatments might not even work. Or worse, you might suffer an overall withering of almost every facet. Your mind will slow, your body weaken. You will lose more height. You will age rapidly. But the one thing that WILL happen is your reproduction organs will atrophy to the point of uselessness, above all else."

"In other words," Captain Chaimongkhon said, putting her hand on my good shoulder. "We want to make you a better man, but if you don't take your medicine, you're going to become a frail eunuch. And I know you don't want that."

The scanner in the doctor's hand beeped, causing her to grumble and hand the tablet back to the woman she took it from.

"I should have known," she said, tossing the scanner to a soldier as she pulled down my shirt. "Stomach ulcer is starting to develop. This means another thing to deal with to get you healthy enough for your first time."

"You keep mentioning his first treatment," Desi asked, opening the bag of chips on the table. "Has it already been scheduled?"

The soldiers quickly started to clean up as both Captain Chaimongkhon and Doctor Lawler took seats at the table, stepping over me like I was nothing as I laid on the floor.

"One month's time," Doctor Lawler told her. "We need him at a conversion factor of Three before we put him in the machine. And for that to happen-"

"He needs a lot of care," the Captain added. "This might mean restructuring the Head Of Household so it has to be filled by two figures instead of one. This also means he has to have a broader diet, unlike what he was listed under originally. And his bones have to be knit enough to endure the treatment."

I heard someone tapping on the table a few times, obviously noting they were cutting in.

"Can you please stop talking about Desmond like he's just some kind of pet?" Desiree asked. "I mean, he's laying on the floor next to us, fully awake, for fuck's sake!"

I watched as Doctor Lawler shuffled her feet, nervously.

"Sorry," she said. "Desmond's our first A Rank of his kind, and I just want to be thorough. I apologize for being so... clinical about this. He's under my care, and a LOT has happened to him. And there's more on the way..."

Getting up from her seat, Desi walked to where I was laying. Gently lifting me up, she slipped behind me, wrapping her arms around me and acting as some sort of upright pillow as I lay against her. Her chin on my good shoulder as she held me close.

"We'll deal with that as it comes," Desi told them, nuzzling into me as she gently squeezed me like a teddy bear. "But for now, he's priority number one, okay?"

Captain Chaiwongkhon lightly knocked on the table three times, whether a habit or something that just happened, I don't know. But as she stood, silently deciding a course of action, her eyes turned towards the two of us. I have to say, despite how gently she seemed, her eyes were intimidating. As I stared up at her, it felt like I was staring into the eyes of a giant, a massive and powerful force whose gaze was locked on a gnat, despite knowing how big she really was.

"Then here's how it's going to happen," she said, taking full command. "He will join you at the hotel you have been provided until this house is finished. Once there, we will finish medical treatments for his injuries. When it's time for furnishings, we will meet with you to give him a comfortable layout. I will fill out the forms for Dual Head Of Residency and place Desmond under your direct care. When you are in the hotel, I will work with Doctor Lawler here on arranging a dietician to talk about his needs. And you, Desmond, will TAKE your medications so that you can prep for your first treatment. Are we clear on this?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am." Desiree replied, as I nodded my head dully.

"Good," she said, turning towards the doctor. "Do you want them to be taken back to the hotel by us or would you like a moment alone with them?"

"Both," Doctor Lawler answered, clearly giving the two of us a look like a teacher who was about to admonish two of her students. "I need to have a word with these two real quick. If that's alright by you, Amelia?"

Glancing down at us, Amelia shook her head before turning on her heels.

"Of course, June. Clean up and line up outside, ladies!"

With an impressive flurry of activity, the small unit of soldiers made quick work of the cleanup before marching in double time towards their vehicles, with Captain Chaimongkhon closing the door behind them. As the house settled from their exit, Doctor Lawler slowly slid from her seat and onto the floor across from us. Sitting cross legged as she took a deep breath and exhaled through her nose.

"Tell me the truth."

"Was it that obvious?" Desiree asked, her voice wavering as I felt her slip behind me a bit. But Lawler just chuckled as she shook her head.

"One of you is too stupid to be anything but honest, and the other is too innocent to do it effectively. You're nothing like your mother, so at least be forward about what's going on. We can't afford either of you getting hurt, sister."

"I did it," I croaked, my voice barely able to rasp as I shuffled in Desiree's arms to sit upright to act as her shield. "To myself."

"Really, now?" the doctor said, leaning back. As she did, she put her arms behind her for support. Causing her arms to flex, puffing out her chest and causing a button to launch off her shirt and land on my crotch. Making a little valley of cleavage appear as her shirt spread open enough to show off the creamy skin hidden below her professional attire. Her moderate breasts resting high and firm, acting as a mountain range that rose and fell with every breath she took. I was honestly unsure if she didn't notice or didn't even care that it happened.

"H-He said he feels powerless," Desiree told her, calmly reaching down and brushing the button off my crotch and causing my eyes to go wide at the brazen action. "So he made his shoulder worse, as a way to have some form of control."

The disapproving look on Lawler's face cut me deep as she clicked her tongue.

"Self infliction of wounds. Classic signs of issues relating to trauma, usually within teenagers looking for an emotional release. I'm not going to put you on antidepressants, but I think it'd be in Desmond's best interest to get some form of therapy for years of built up trauma."

I wanted to say something, but the doctor just raised her hand.

"Not done yet," she continued. "From now on, no more games like this. Understand, Desmond? And you need to stop doing things your mom would pull. It's unbecoming of a child like yourself, Destiny."

"Desiree," my sister cut in. "I requested my name go back to Desiree."

The stout woman with glowing blue eyes slapped her thighs as she chuckled, slowly standing up with a smile.

"You know by the time this is over," she asked, stretching her arms over her head. "Your vessel's not going to be in the same form as it was at the start, right? Might as well go with the new name to make things easier on yourself and Desmond."

Shuffling to her feet, I felt Desiree pick me up from where I was sitting. Making me feel like a cat being carried by a fully grown human, awkwardly dangling in her arms while I got my feet back underneath me without my permission.

"That doesn't matter," Desi told her. "My body, my life, my choice, my identity."

Lawler tilted her head from one side to the next, considering Desi's choice of words then shrugging her shoulders.

"Whatever you say, sister. You still have time before you're had enough treatments and your name is locked in. But I really suggest you give it some thought. You know I'm considering the name they picked for me."

Desi rolled her eyes, grabbing the soda and bottle of non-painkillers from the table and handed them to me.

"I still think Maisie doesn't suit you."

"But it IS different enough from before," Lawler fired back, smiling. "And that's what this is all about. Ensuring things change for the better. You're A Ranks, and I'm a B Rank. Things are WAY better so far, and they're only going to get better as women like you and I transition into Neos."

I must have looked hurt at being left out, because Doctor Lawler walked over (God, she was taller than before, and she was quite tall to begin with) and began to ruffle my hair like you would a little kid's.

"Don't think I'd leave you out," she said, sounding saccharine and halfway between facetious and genuine like I was a child. "Only the best men possible can be made truly compatible for Neos!"

I coughed, wanting to say something about all this, but knew I wasn't going to be listened to tonight. So, as a show of good faith, I carefully plucked a pill from the bottle, popped it in my mouth and quickly followed it with a sip from the can.

"You see," Doctor Lawler said, smiling at me like a pet as she playfully scratched my head. "Easier than you thought."

I moved my head, quickly tiring of her futzing with my hair.

"Anyway," she said, giving me a disappointed look before moving towards the living room. "You should pack his bags for the stay. You know where it is, Desti- Desiree. We'll be outside waiting for you."

We waited until we heard the front door close, Desi's arms around me as if she was trying to not lose me. I could feel her head laying on my back, just breathing deeply in order to calm down. In, holding her breath to a count of five, exhale. Over and over. Her forehead below my right shoulder, sounding like a child slowly falling asleep.

"Stay here," she told me. "I'll get your things, okay?"

As she let go of me, despite my body feeling like I was floating due to some pretty potent painkillers, I could feel something deep inside my veins pulsing. Causing my fingers to twitch as she walked past me. I wanted to reach out to Desi once again, grab her hand, bring her in for a hug and thank her. But I didn't as she walked towards the stairs. So, deciding it was best to wait, I sat down at the table.

Putting my face in my functioning hand, I began to breathe deep to try and calm myself down. But all I could smell was Desi's scent. The scent of warm spring and flowers in bloom. Of sweet breezes and growing fields. Her perfume was strong, invasive and  delightful. I could only imagine my sister in the spring, smiling happily and free away from our mother. Her white irises glowing like white hot suns as she drew near. Holding me close to her. Her black eyes staring deeply into mine as she looked down on me. A veritable mountain of strength and power as she leaned in close, her lips nearly met to mine as she-

"I got your stuff, so let's go."

Opening my eyes, I turned my head and saw Desi standing in the living room, holding up a few bags with one hand. Each one bulging obscenely, with one unable to be fully zipped up.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Shaking my head, I stood up and walked over to her. But when I reached for one of the bags to help, she pulled them away.

"Uh uh," she tittered. "You're hurt, so that means I get to do the heavy lifting, okay?"

I wanted to fight her on this, but I was honestly too tired. So I just nodded my head, moving past her and opening the door. Greeted by Captain Chaimongkhin, waiting patiently for us.

"Are you ready?"

I just nodded my head.

"Good. Let's go, ladies!"

With that, the soldiers that came with her climbed into the military vehicle they arrived in. And in the front passenger seat was Doctor Lawler, looking somewhat bored.

"About time," she called out as the East Asian officer climbed into the driver seat. "It's getting late, kiddos! Let's get moving!"

I stopped, wondering if I was really doing the right thing by going along with everything. There was something still so very, very wrong about all this. I could go and expose everything, try and get help. But if things were this well organized, it stood to reason that they could make sure I would just not be a problem anymore. I didn't honestly know what to do anymore. I felt lost.

"Desmond..."

Desi calling to me broke my train of thought. But as my eyes drifted towards her, they grew wider at what she was in front of. She must have seen the look on my face, as she smiled brightly and nodded my head. My car! She had gotten my car back! I leaned over the hood, on the verge of tears at the sight of the exact make and model of dad's pride and joy. I perfectly copied it down to hardtop roof and paint color and interiors, though with modern details like electronics and whatnot. I thought mom had taken that away from me, too! When it was gone, it felt like I had lost one of the few pieces of dad in my life.

"I asked them to get it back," she said. "I figured I'd keep it a surprise until you're well enough. Then I'd give it over. But you gotta promise me that you'll go through the treatments, okay?"

I rubbed my eyes, nod my head and ran to the passenger side to climb in. The interiors were completely detailed, everything clean and new. I ran my hand across the console, beaming in joy at having my ride back as Desi slid into the driver's seat.

"I have to admit," she said, putting the keys in the ignition. "Mom was pretty slick. She used some backdoor sites and sold the car for about a grand. But I asked the DOE and they-"

I wrapped my arm around her, holding her tight as I shuddered with every breath.

"Thank. You."

I must have surprised her, because she was speechless at the first bit of happiness I had in what seemed to be years. A small gift that clearly made a big impact, as I hugged her as tightly as I could with only one arm. Truly appreciating what she had done for me, and what she probably has been doing since this all began.

"Okay," she chuckled, gently pushing me off of her. "We should get going. I'm pretty sure our escort's getting antsy."

I nodded my head as she turned the engine over. Signaling our two car convoy that we're moving out. I closed my eyes in relief as they led us down the road and towards wherever I was going to be staying for the time being thanks to the DOE.

[Sounder9-]

Interesting developments all around. One question does remain what has happen to Laura? Also it is interesting that the good doctor isn't an A rank, you would think that someone with
that much control over the entire process would be. Overall a great update!

[GLKnight]

Interesting developments all around. One question does remain what has happen to Laura? Also it is interesting that the good doctor isn't an A rank, you would think that someone with
that much control over the entire process would be. Overall a great update!

There's actually an entire document I've written about how the Equivalency Ranking System works. I feel it's at this point that attention to details is going to be REALLY important. Because you've seen A Ranks and F Ranks, but what about the OTHER Rankings? And what's the deal about the usage of certain descriptors when it comes to Neos and Humans?

Also, there's a certain kind of theory in play. But it might not be what you think. Starting next chapter, the real direction of what I have planned for the story will come into play.

[Sounder9-]

Interesting developments all around. One question does remain what has happen to Laura? Also it is interesting that the good doctor isn't an A rank, you would think that someone with
that much control over the entire process would be. Overall a great update!

There's actually an entire document I've written about how the Equivalency Ranking System works. I feel it's at this point that attention to details is going to be REALLY important. Because you've seen A Ranks and F Ranks, but what about the OTHER Rankings? And what's the deal about the usage of certain descriptors when it comes to Neos and Humans?

Also, there's a certain kind of theory in play. But it might not be what you think. Starting next chapter, the real direction of what I have planned for the story will come into play.

Awesome! Yeah that was kinda bugging me as to the entirety of the compatibility portion and thinking "Ok so what about 50% compatibility what does that look like" and also what kind of complications are happening behind the scenes. I'd imagine there must be some extra eyes, ears and noses in the mix not to mention deformities and mutations, nothing is ever 100% successful.

[GLKnight]

Interesting developments all around. One question does remain what has happen to Laura? Also it is interesting that the good doctor isn't an A rank, you would think that someone with
that much control over the entire process would be. Overall a great update!

There's actually an entire document I've written about how the Equivalency Ranking System works. I feel it's at this point that attention to details is going to be REALLY important. Because you've seen A Ranks and F Ranks, but what about the OTHER Rankings? And what's the deal about the usage of certain descriptors when it comes to Neos and Humans?

Also, there's a certain kind of theory in play. But it might not be what you think. Starting next chapter, the real direction of what I have planned for the story will come into play.

Awesome! Yeah that was kinda bugging me as to the entirety of the compatibility portion and thinking "Ok so what about 50% compatibility what does that look like" and also what kind of complications are happening behind the scenes. I'd imagine there must be some extra eyes, ears and noses in the mix not to mention deformities and mutations, nothing is ever 100% successful.

This is actually a very specific subgenre I'm writing. The vagaries are a different, bigger red flag than you might think.

[GLKnight]

"Desmond? Wake up, Des! We're here!"

I must have passed out as we were driving away from the house, because I felt Desi's hand gently shaking my leg. Rubbing my aching eyes, I looked at her. Her eyes glowing brightly against the dimly lit interior.

"...sorry." I weakly whispered, my voice raspy and irritated.

"You must be utterly exhausted," she said, leaning over to unbuckle me from the seat. "Let's sign you in and get you to your room, alright?"

I just nodded my head and reached for the door handle. But as soon as I pulled it, my eyes lifted and went wide at what I was seeing before us. The place was HUGE. Closer in design to an insular community home facility than to an actual hotel, it was a massive complex that screamed "this took far more money to build than you could ever dare consider as a guess". Easily a mile long, it looked like it could withstand a nuclear attack without a single scratch on it. And it was so tall, I was pretty sure you could fit an entire city's population in there. Taking a quick look around, I noticed there were practically no other markers of civilization around us. No lights, no easily seen roads, no towns or gas stations, nothing. Making this the only place for miles.

"...where... are-?"

"Three hours out," Desi said as she hopped out of the car and flung open the driver side passenger seat. "Maybe 200 miles from home? Now c'mon! They're waiting to check you in."

My shoulder began to ache pretty bad as I got out. Taking another quick look around, I was shocked by just how quiet everything was. I would have called it serene, but the omnipresent pressure of the hotel or whatever it is loomed far larger than everything else. I felt like I was staring at a monolith, undefiable and ancient like an impenetrable fortress of old. Walking towards it, I was reminded of an Architecture course I took in college. Specifically a type of building structure that was popular in the mid-20th century called Brutalism, I think? Just massive buildings made of concrete and shapes that gave off an air of inhuman design. Though the windows in normal Brutalist buildings were smaller, and the entrance for this place was a lot more inviting as I noticed it was lined with several trees along the pathway from the parking lot that were highlighted with warmer lights to guide the way.

As we walked in, the darkened glass doors slid open to reveal a lobby that immediately felt like I was back in the underground facility back in the mountain outside town. I could feel my heart beating strongly in my chest as my anxiety began to rise. Desiree, however, just strolled up to the front desk and the woman behind it.

"I'm back," she said, gesturing towards me. "Is my brother's room ready?"

I could only stand there awkwardly as I noticed the clerk's eyes were a vibrant electric orange color. Her smile somewhere between professional and welcoming.

"Of course," the redheaded clerk sweetly told us as she leaned over to get a better look at me. "You're going to be the first man ever allowed to stay at Equivalence Estates! Isn't that EXCITING?"

I made no sound as I nodded my head, the unease of the woman's focus growing. When she saw that I wasn't responding like she hoped, she turned back towards Desi and began to pout.

"Not much of a talker, is he?"

"He lost his voice recently," she told the clerk. "So please forgive him. He's been through a lot lately."

The clerk's smile returned, leaning forward enough to cause some cleavage to show through her shirt as she locked her eyes on me.

"You just get some rest, okay? And if you need anything, just ask for Jenna!"

As I felt Desi's hand on my good shoulder to guide me away, I quickly nodded my head and let her take me to a nearby elevator. But as I walked off, I noticed the faint hint of... strawberries and mint? I looked around to see where the scent was coming from, but all I saw was Jenna waving at me with a much different, almost hungrier look in her eyes. I mean, don't get me wrong. She was attractive, but not really my type. I honestly don't know what it was, but something told me to not even bother. That there was someone else for me. But as I stepped onto the elevator and went up to my room in silence, I had to ask myself "Someone else? Who was this someone else?"

Caught in a woozy bubble, I hardly noticed the elevator coming to a stop, let alone the sound of Desi's voice as she was talking to me the entire time. Barely snapping out of my daze at the tail end of her one sided conversation.

"...need me to get you anything?"

"N-no," I creaked out, rubbing my eyes as I stepped out into the hallway. Mutely following Desi to where I would be staying for the foreseeable future.

"Anyway, your room will be right next to mine. If you need anything, I'll give you my spare room key so you can see me whenever you want."

As we passed room after room, I noticed that each door was adorned with a nameplate. One after another, each plate had the name of a different woman on it. Only furthering the idea that I was truly the only man in the building.

"I think we should hit up the dining floor tomorrow," Desi said as she came to a stop at the end of the hall. "There's a phenomenal pizza place that has every topping you could think of! Just think, a triple sausage and onion pizza! Just like you told me you wanted last year!"

I looked at the doors we were each standing in front of. Me in front of what was obviously Desiree's, with the name "Destiny" written on its plate. And Desiree in front of mine, the nameplate empty of any wording at all. A small but crushing reminder of my lot in life so far, of everything I've fought for and how easily it was apparently taken away from me. Her eyes tracked the direction I was looking, becoming crestfallen as she realized what I noticed.

"We'll get that fixed right away," she said, frowning slightly as she slipped the keycard into the lock as a beep sounded with a green light. "This is just a minor setback."

I just felt tired as the door opened, rushing inside to get to sleep only to find both Doctor Lawler and Captain Chaimongkhon waiting for us in the middle of a very well lit and very expansive looking apartment.

"There you are," Doctor Lawler cheered. "We were getting a bit worried you got lost!"

"Desmond passed out in the car," Desi happily explained. "Exhaustion just set in and he was out like a light as we pulled out of the driveway."

"It's understandable," Captain Chaimongkhon tittered, marching over to me to look me directly in the eye. "You have been through a lot. And you're our first A Rank among the men, Desmond. So consider this a special invitation, courtesy of Desiree."

Without any explanation, Doctor Lawler began to take my shirt off of me. I squirmed to try and stop her, but she put her hand on my chest. I could feel my skin tingling at her touch, like she was brimming with static electricity but not enough to properly zap me. She looked me in the eyes, giving me a slight pout.

"I need to take your shirt off," she said, slightly whining in an unprofessional way. "We're in better lights now, and I need to see how your shoulder is looking. Just let me take it off? Please?"

I could see the Asian officer just covering her eyes in embarrassment behind the doctor, shaking her head in disbelief. But all I noticed was the tingling of my skin and the pleasant aroma of apples and cinnamon. It just smelled so good, I closed my eyes as I took it in. Not even noticing my arm being taken out of its sling as my shirt was removed.

"How did you do that?" Desi asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"You'll learn it in time," Doctor Lawler told her as she inspected my shoulder. "And speaking of learning, your shoulder's getting darker. Which means you definitely broke what was already weakened with fractures. Though there was no ruptures or internal bleeding, which is good. Don't want an artery to get torn. Amelia, can you give me a hand?"

Chaimongkhon sternly nodded her head as she held my arm straight as the doctor grabbed something black nearby and started to slip my arm into it.

"This is going to be a bit uncomfortable at first," Amelia told me, slipping the thing up over my damaged shoulder, wincing as she wrapped some padding around my neck, chest and back, and underneath my arm. "But once it's on, you'll thank June for designing this device. One part automated cast, one part air brace."

I watched as Doctor Lawler pressed a button, activating a full series of mechanisms as the sound of compressed air and various clicks filled the room. I could feel a slight constriction in my arm as something bent my elbow at chest level. All the while, the thing on my arm and shoulder began to inflate, creating enough padding to protect my limb from being jostled or touched.

"How does it feel?" Doctor Lawler asked, flicking the splint with her middle finger, causing a "toonk" sound. But I was flabbergasted at the design. It had a cool cybernetic like design, like something straight out of a video game or something. My hand had this really cool synthetic glove on it, with these cool wire protector ridges and some buttons. And on the wrist was this little console that showed what had to be a pressure gauge for the padding, as well as monitored my blood pressure and some other things like remaining power and more.

"...h-How-"

Doctor Lawler, however, shushed me with a mischievous look in her eyes before I could ask.

"No talking, now. What we need is for you to get better, okay? For that, you will need to follow my instructions."

Reaching over to where she grabbed the brace, she pulled out a bag and handed it to Desiree.

"These are his medications. These are all new and don't have names yet, so pay attention! Yellow pills are for his stomach, and he's to take two with every meal. Green pills are his painkillers, those are to be taken once every eight hours so he can sleep at night. Red pills are his hormone treatments, specifically coded so he won't forget to take one pill every four hours. I don't recommend doubling up on them, as that can lead to undesired levels before his first treatment. As for his diet, I want him eating at least three times a day, aiming for about 3000 a day until treatment. After that, he should be okay enough to start exercising."

"Speaking of which," Captain Chaimongkhon added. "You missed out on today's training, Desiree."

"I know," she said. "But if I hadn't, Desmond would have probably-"

"No buts," she retorted. "You know you cannot miss any bit of training. I'll forgive it this time, but you MUST go to combat training before you can call it a night."

"But that's the class that has-"

The look in Captain Chaimongkhon's eyes changed instantly. The gentleness vanished in a heartbeat, quickly becoming the look of someone who was being challenged and was more than willing to rain hell down on whoever dared. Instantly making Desiree cease questioning and quietly submit like a child.

"I know," the Captain told my sister. "That's why. Consider it part of the consequence of insubordination. Are we clear, sister?"

Desiree quickly started nodding her head, fear in her eyes.

"Y-Yes, sister."

You could hear a pin drop as the tension began in the room broke like storm clouds, as we all held a collective breath for one beat.

"Well," Doctor Lawler sighed, clearly uncomfortable at the sudden uptick of aggression. "I think it's time Amelia and I got going. We'll both be staying in the Estates for a few days, to keep an eye on you. If you have any questions, you can come see either of us, Desmond."

Motioning for her to follow, the green eyed soldier took a deep breath, breathed out of her nose and returned to the calm state she was in before.

"Make sure to do as we say," she told me. "We only want what's best for you."

Shifting her gaze, Amelia gave Desiree a stern look. One that seemed to remind her of where she stood in things.

"As for you, you have thirty minutes before training. Do not miss this one, as well. Or else..."

With a quick salute, Captain Chaimongkhon walked out of the room I was staying in alongside Doctor Lawler, leaving Desiree and I alone. As I looked at her, I could see she was clearly shaken by the encounter. I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her. But it only seemed to make her more worried.

"I know it was the right thing to do," she said, growing more upset. "But this isn't right! I shouldn't be punished for making sure you were okay! Now they're forcing me to train with... with..."

Not knowing what to do, I did the only thing I knew could show her my support. As soon as my arm wrapped around her, she embraced me, as well. Shuddering with every breath as she slowly fought off whatever was bothering her so badly.

"Y-You're right," she told me, her face nuzzling into my bare shoulder. "I have you. And we gotta stick together, no matter what!"

Letting go of me, Desiree quickly wiped her eyes as she pulled everything out of the bag she was given onto the nearby table.

"Don't forget: one yellow every meal, one green every eight hours, one red every four. And keep what the doctor said in mind! ONE red! Don't double up, okay?"

With a flourish, she reached into her pocket, pulling out a wallet and putting two room keys alongside the pill bottles.

"These are your keycards. Your card will grant you access into most of the Estates features like dining, entertainment, leisure and so on. But keep in mind, you are in a separate program than I am, so you're restricted from some areas. My spare will allow you access to my room, but that's about it. Don't lose these, as they're hard to replace."

Gently reaching out, I grabbed the keycards and put them in my pocket. I knew Desi was being serious, so I put I promised myself I'd do as she asked. Giving each other a quick glance, Desiree quickly went in for another hug before making her way towards the hallway. Stopping to give me one more weird look of guilt before leaving me alone in what I only had to assume was an apartment, in a complex big enough to count as a city that was labeled a hotel, as the smell of sweet flowers in bloom filled the room.

Though I don't know why, as I didn't smell Desi's perfume when I was hugging her. You'd have thought I'd have smelled it then?

Weird...

[Sounder9-]

Another awesome update! It looks as though Desmond is already changing from the initial "vitamins" given to him and in a way emitting his own pheromones.
It also seems that Neos can also emit pheromones at will, and subdue the "menfolk", but like most things, great power comes with great responsibility. 
One question lingers how long has this "department" been around and to what level of technology/resources has it had access to? At the very least I can safely
guess who Desiree is training with. Also I hope he doesn't "accidentally" take two red pills!

[GLKnight]

Another awesome update! It looks as though Desmond is already changing from the initial "vitamins" given to him and in a way emitting his own pheromones.
It also seems that Neos can also emit pheromones at will, and subdue the "menfolk", but like most things, great power comes with great responsibility. 
One question lingers how long has this "department" been around and to what level of technology/resources has it had access to? At the very least I can safely
guess who Desiree is training with. Also I hope he doesn't "accidentally" take two red pills!

I'll reveal right now that Desmond doesn't emit his own pheromones. However, any and all Neos DO have access to rankings. And he is the first (and so far ONLY) A Rank that they know of.

As for Neos, this is one of the things I've been hinting at the entire time. What specific reason would Neos need to have a pheromone system? Humans aren't supposed to actually SENSE pheromones. But somehow, Desmond's able to pick up all these different combinations of scents from different women?

As for the rest, those questions will be answered. Maybe not immediately, as the story will take a full year in-universe to tell. But for an erotic Sci Fi Horror story, slow is probably the best way to take it.