Polls for the continuation and additional materials are available to all free subscribers on my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/830779
If you like my art, sketches, stories, transformations you can find more like this on my Patreon page or you can also support me with donations here. Every bit of support is truly appreciated, but just having you here means the most to me - without you, none of this would have been possible. Thank you very much!
Check also my shop at DeviantArt for other works
— “Complete the operation,” they said… — Cassie whispered when they were alone in the room. In the corner, a screen flickered with what seemed like medical footage, but the sound was muted, making it hard to decipher what was being shown.
— We just have to trust the higher-ups, — Mark replied quietly, pressing his lips together. He scanned the room, trying to memorize as many details as possible. “They know what they’re doing,” he reminded himself, though he checked the secret message pulsing through the tiny transmitter hidden in his shirt pocket, installed specifically for this mission.
Unexpectedly, the door opened again, and two medics entered, each with a mask covering their face. In their hands were devices resembling metal collars with flashing colored indicators, glowing red, green, and blue. One medic stepped toward Cassie, snapping the device around her neck with a quick motion. Cassie felt the cold metal against her skin and a sharp, unpleasant prick at the back of her head. Her body barely flinched, but instinct took over, and she betrayed nothing.
— It’s… a necessary measure to prevent side effects, — one of the medics said in an impassive tone, noticing her look. — The procedure involves temporary synchronization of nervous systems; otherwise, the transfer process could lead to irreversible consequences.
Mark frowned, sensing the tension rising in the room. When the device clicked around his neck, a strange chill spread through his body, and his head spun. He clenched his teeth to hold onto his composure, feeling the medic’s gaze linger on him a moment longer than usual before he looked away.
— Such a waste of a body, — muttered one of the medics, his eyes lingering on Mark. He shook his head slightly, almost regretfully, studying Mark’s broad shoulders, strong arms, and solid build. A hint of regret flashed in his eyes, as if he genuinely mourned the “loss” of such a physically gifted specimen. — It’s always a shame when… resources go to waste.
— What? What do you mean, “body”? — Cassie snapped, trying to stay calm, though an unsettling thought had already formed in her mind. She met Mark’s eyes, and he didn’t bother to hide his suspicion. This clearly wasn’t part of their plan.
— There’s no need to worry, — the medic said, noting their alarm, and made a dismissive gesture as if brushing off their fear. — We’ve done this a million times, — he repeated with slight irritation, nodding for them to follow him.
Cassie and Mark exchanged glances, each trying not to show their worry. They were led down the narrow corridor in silence; the sterile walls and flickering lights only amplified their unease. Their steps echoed, mirroring their own thoughts—this was definitely beyond the plan.
— What the hell… This feels all wrong, — Cassie muttered when the medic moved a few steps ahead. — I’ve never seen a “procedure” like this.
— Quiet. They’re watching, — Mark whispered, nodding toward a dark rectangle of a camera above the entry to the next turn.
They were ushered into a spacious room with two high-backed chairs that looked like surgical seats. Suddenly, the door shut behind them, and Cassie realized: they were not alone. A quick glance around revealed a group of people, each masked and in white coats, with one reeking of antiseptics and medical chemicals.
— Sit down, — ordered another medic, his voice cold and harsh, echoing off the bare walls as if spoken through a microphone.
Before they could even think about how to respond, they were pushed into the chairs and securely strapped in, their arms and legs immobilized with straps that left no hint of delicacy. Mark tried to jerk free, but the straps were pulled so tightly that even his solid build was fully restrained.
— What are you planning to do? — Mark demanded, every muscle tense as he tried to understand what was happening. But the medic only raised his eyebrows slightly, as if the question amused him.
— We’re giving you a new life, as agreed, — he said it with the same chilling calm one might use when reading instructions.
— This isn’t what we signed up for, — Cassie shot back, struggling to twist her hands out of the straps, but the restraints held tight, squeezing her wrists as if calibrated precisely to her new level of anxiety.
Mark gritted his teeth, struggling to keep his composure even as his insides churned. Control over the situation was entirely gone. “Where’s the backup?!” he thought desperately, scanning the room in vain.
— Enough talking, — one of the assistants murmured, exchanging a look with his partner before pressing a button.
At that moment, both Cassie and Mark felt an icy surge spreading from the collars around their necks, like liquid metal seeping under their skin. The sensations started sharp and painful but quickly turned into a strange heaviness, freezing their muscles and making it impossible to control their bodies. Their heads spun, and their eyes began to close. In the last seconds before the darkness claimed her, Cassie glanced at Mark: her partner’s head had already fallen limply, his face pale.
“This isn’t the plan…” was Cassie’s last thought before the world disappeared.