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Chapter 2
Part 2

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Chapter Description: The treat.

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[quote][quote][quote]Dragging her young husband behind her, Ms. Vanise led Justin, himself flanked by two hefty security guards, into what looked like a recording studio. Beyond the control console was a large viewing window into the next room. In it two rows of chairs faced a flatscreen TV mounted to the adjacent wall.

Taking on a more serious demeanor, Natalia ordered into a nearby intercom, “Call the next experimental group into the test room.”

Justin contemplated resisting but knew it was futile. Wresting himself free from the guards and navigating the serpentine hallways would no doubt prove next to impossible. And even if such a feat were possible, how would he get away without a car? The questions rolling around in his head ceased when he noticed the door in the test room opening.

“You’re looking through a two-way mirror, Mr. Foster, so rest assured they can’t see you on the other side,” Natalia advised, still keeping a tight grip on Aaron with her free hand.

Justin watched wordlessly as a group of women filed into the test room, one of whom looked instantly familiar. As he strained to get a better view, Justin muttered in a soft, disbelieving voice. “Alyssa?”

“You know one of these subjects?” Ms. Vanise asked, already knowing the answer.

“That’s Alyssa Madison, one of my coworkers. What the hell are you planning to-”

“Oh, shhhh,” Natalia hushed. “No one is going to hurt her. In fact, some have described the experience as rather pleasurable. Well,” she added, “until they snap out of it anyway.”

The nine women found seats and directed their attention toward the screen, which was situated at an angle away from the control room. They appeared ready for a test screening, or maybe a focus group exercise, as some held pens and notepads. The doors soon closed, leaving them isolated in the austere test room. A few leaned over to chat with their neighbors, some of which seemed visibly confused or annoyed.

“Alyssa is not a test subject,” Justin growled through clenched teeth. “I swear, if you-”

“How chivalrous. Do I detect a crush?” Natalia gained a vicious grin. “I assure you, Mr. Foster, your friend won’t feel a thing.” She pressed a row of lit buttons on the console. “Oh, by the way, this room is soundproof so I’m afraid she can’t hear you either.”

Within a minute all of the women, some dressed formally, others casually, sat almost motionless with their eyes locked on the screen. Whatever was splashed across that monitor had immediately captured their attention. Justin noticed the more talkative women had ceased their chatter and now appeared like statues, all staring wide-eyed in the same direction.

“You see, watching TV is like automated daydreaming,” Natalia said, “or inviting an electronic hypnotist into your home.”

“What are you doing to them?”

Natalia flipped a row of nearby switches before returning to face her unwilling guest. “The video feed causes viewers to fall into an immediate trance, priming their minds for incoming information while softening up their receptors. Hypnotists use verbal suggestion to guide their patients. I think you’ll find my technology takes this to another level.” Ms. Vanise licked her ruby lips.

“And what is that?”

“Physical.”

The incredulous 30-year-old balked. “You’re out of your fucking mind. That’s impossible.”

“Is it?” Natalia asked, inching another slider forward until a red light appeared above the console. “Contrary to popular opinion, cutting edge technology and a little bit of witchcraft can work together quite nicely.”

Dumbstruck, Justin gave no response, except to glare aporetically in Natalia’s general direction.

“Now’s the fun part,” she sang, depressing a large green button next to her hip. “Just watch.”

Justin’s gaze returned to the tiny test room, where Alyssa and the other women remained transfixed by the screen. There was no obvious change to the scene at first. The group seemed fully engaged but also strangely relaxed. No laser beams or crackling Tesla coils, Justin thought. Instead, he began noticing subtle changes. Two women in front shifted slightly in their seats, while another tugged at her skirt a few times.

Gradually, Alyssa, like the other women, began adjusting her clothing. The beige pantsuit she wore that morning started to crumple around the waist. Justin squinted, trying to sort out the gentle changes taking place.

In the second row, a leggy woman with gray streaks in her hair grew what appeared to be a thick new head of brunette locks while her neighbor’s wrinkles faded. None reacted, however, to their steadily youthening appearance. Normally, they would no doubt be overjoyed to regain their college physiques.

“Mesmerizing, isn’t it?” Natalia remarked. “Watching their biological clocks wind backward.”

“I... I can’t believe it-” Justin sputtered.

“Believe it, Mr. Foster,” she interrupted. “Oh, and we’re about to come up on my favorite bit. Get ready to lose that hard-on for your little coworker there, Sir Galahad.”

As the seconds ticked by, the women showed more obvious outward signs - faces became fresher, shoulder straps loosened, height diminished. The test subjects were now teenagers, some treading close to puberty’s edge. Alyssa, 28 when she entered, now looked no older than a high school freshmen.

“Stop this!” Justin yelled.

“Too late now,” Natalia replied, growing increasingly aroused by the sight. “Just think. A room full of attractive career women, all losing their assets.”

Minutes rolled by as Justin observed Alyssa’s transformation from adult to young woman to pre-teen. Then, quite suddenly, her head sank several inches.

“Oops, looks like Alyssa just lost her tits,” Natalia laughed.

One by one, they became children. In the back a freckled redhead wearing a tank top fared the worst. Spaghetti straps dangling like untied ribbons, the eight-year-old’s flat chest as now on display for all to see. By that time, only a couple of subjects could lay claim to breasts - and those were dwindling fast. The oldest of the group, a gawky eleven-year-old with two empty bra cups drooping ever southward, now dwarfed the rest of the room. Meanwhile, buried inside the folds of her business attire, the once sexy Alyssa had grown down into a bucktoothed gradeschooler.

“Alyssa!” Justin called, reaching to pound on the glass.

“Aww,” Natalia cooed playfully. “She’s adorable.”

“Change them back!”

“I can’t, Mr. Foster. The deal is done. They’re kids and that’s how they’ll stay - until they grow up again, of course.”

“Why?” Justin said, watching as Natalia’s assistants guided the disoriented youngsters from the chamber, articles of clothing littering the floor.

“They all got too close,” she coolly explained as the parade of mostly topless kindergarteners filed out.

“So you turn them into children?”

“Apropos, no?” she said, flipping the switches back down. “They didn’t know their place, got a little too curious, very immature, and now they’re little kids. Misbehavior never pays, Mr. Foster.”

Speechless, Justin again found himself face to face with Natalia, her eyes burrowing deeper into his.

“Don’t you think it’s about time a woman took charge? You men get to have all the fun.”

“But your invention will turn women into kids too,” Justin countered.

“Every revolution has its casualties,” Natalia responded, wrapping her scarf around his neck. “But I like you, Justin. So I’m giving you options. You can join my little team, be my spokesman when the time comes, and I’ll spare you the treatment. Or, if you want to keep being a hero, I’m sure you’ll make a brave little boy.”

Justin hated himself for considering the offer. What good can I do as a little kid? he reasoned. But at the last second, he pulled himself back. This woman was a terrorist, prepared to cause chaos on a massive scale, bloodless yes, but no less insane. No, he wouldn’t negotiate. There had to be another way out.

“No thanks,” Justin said. “I don’t work for power-hungry bitches.”

“Very well, Mr. Foster,” she sighed, releasing the scarf and motioning to the guards. “Tonight you’ll get a front row seat for the big show.”

Ms. Vanise’s grunts grabbed Justin by the arms and tugged him out into the hallway. He heard the familiar sound of stiletto heels clicking behind them and wondered how he fell into this surrealist nightmare. Time was wasting away and he had no escape plan, let alone a way of contacting his bosses at the network. Natalia’s thugs had confiscated his cell phone the moment they arrived.

Making a sharp right turn, the convoy stopped at a windowless door marked “Viewing Room 114b.” Natalia unlocked the door and instructed the men to sit Justin down on the room’s one lone seat, which faced a giant plasma screen. As the guards buckled his legs to the base, Natalia swirled a bracelet around her finger while circumnavigating the room.

“We’ve done tests on nude subjects, you know,” she said, her voice reverberating in the small, enclosed space. “The males are the most interesting to watch. Very Freudian. After they break from the trance and realize what’s happened to their... you-know-whats.”

Natalia strolled leisurely as she opined.

“Some even get turned on during the process. I’ve gotta say, there’s nothing quite like watching your little penises shrink. It usually happens just before the five minute mark. Kinda like sex,” she joked. “Just imagine. By, oh 9:04 tonight or so, you’re going to be 13 years old - just about to feel your big, proud cock turn back into little prepubescent nub. Wonder how Chelsea will feel about you then.”

“How did-”

“I told you. I do my research,” Natalia continued. “I’ll bet she’s cute too. Let me guess, mousy features, about 5’5”, perky boobs? Don’t worry, her MySpace profile says she loves kids,” she chided, suddenly grabbing hold of his crotch. “You know girls like to say size doesn’t matter, but I find little two-inch peepees just don’t do much for me.”

“Please-”

“God, I love hearing you guys beg. It’s even more fun after your voice cracks.” She let go.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Do I need a reason? It’s about time this city became a little more kid-friendly, don’t you think? Might even earn me ’crime of the century’ status.”

Justin cringed as one of the guards pulled the leather strap tight over his left wrist. The seat’s position made it nearly impossible to avoid the 52” monitor, except by closing one’s eyes. Any minute he expected to have his eyelids pried open with metal hooks.

Bending over just far enough to plant her deep cleavage at eye-level, Natalia playfully touched the tip of Justin’s nose. “Oh, you’re going to make a cute one I can tell.”

The guards exited when their work was finished, leaving Justin alone with Natalia. She obviously enjoyed taunting her prey.

“You and Aaron will get along famously. I’ve told the staff here a number of times he needs a playmate,” she said, almost gleeful. “I should tell you, after about five minutes you’ll feel a slight stinging sensation. Not to worry. It’s just the natural effects of reverse puberty. Can’t have dramatic changes without a little discomfort. But look on the bright side, it’s a lot quicker than real puberty and you can say goodbye to zits and body odor. Oh, and there’s a lot less hair to worry about.”

Still reeling from the shock of Alyssa’s regression, Justin could barely form a coherent thought, much less respond to Natalia’s speechifying.

“Don’t be nervous,” she coaxed, sliding a strand of his hair through her fingers. “It’ll be over in no time, big boy. Some people even want to watch it again when it’s finished. TV can become an addiction, you know.”

With that, Ms. Vanise exited, blowing a kiss back as she did.

The door locked with a heavy metal clank.

Seconds later the screen flickered on, set, fittingly, to NBC. A digital clock overhead read 8:20 PM. Forty minutes Justin pondered. Forty minutes until the Big Apple would receive a big Halloween surprise. All courtesy of his and the other major networks. It wouldn’t be long before it showed up on YouTube. He marveled at the immense aftershocks Natalia’s premier broadcast might produce. Even unsuspecting passersby who happened past an electronics store might glance at a TV screen in the window. Once viewers were locked in the trance, it was game over. It gave a whole new meaning to “captive audience.”

Just as the scenarios soaked in, Justin heard a tinny creaking and turned his head as far as he could. The handle jiggled nervously up and down for a few moments before the door cracked. His visitor was no adult - but a child.

“Aaron?” Justin whispered. “Is that you?”

The moptopped youngster, still outfitted in his Harry Potter regalia, held his finger to his mouth. Justin hushed.

“I don’t know how long I’ve got before Natalia notices,” he said softly while beginning to loosen the restraints. “So I have to make this fast.”

Despite his age, Aaron made relatively quick work of the leg straps, all the while anxiously eying the door. “You’re the only adult here I can trust,” he explained hurriedly. “Everyone else has either signed onto the plan or been turned into kids. Some of the early trials even ended up infants. We were the lucky ones.”

“Do you know a way out?” Justin asked under his breath.

“I’ll show you the best I can. This place is loaded with security,” the boy said, uncoupling the final restraint. “There’s a black BMW behind the compound. I stole the key from her keyring after you entered the test room. Inside, you’ll find a phone.”

“God, you’re like a little James Bond.”

Aaron grimaced at the compliment. “I’m 37. Not exactly little.”

“Sorry,” Justin hastily apologized. Aaron seemed so natural as a little boy, then again he hadn’t occupied an adult’s body for six years. After a while, you probably start to believe it, Justin imagined.

“I can’t thank you enough,” he said, shaking Aaron’s small hand.

“Hurry,” the boy ordered in a high voice that belied his seriousness. “We don’t have much time.”

Aaron gingerly opened the door and peered both directions. Heart racing like a sprinter, Justin followed the six-year-old down the maze of corridors, stopping briefly at each intersection. Intercoms beeped and doors opened behind them, but thankfully, no alarm sounded. The countdown to 9:00 had begun and everyone, it seemed, was distracted by preparations.

“OK, see that emergency exit?” Aaron pointed. “Take it and drive as fast as you can. I’ll try to divert Natalia’s attention away from your experiment room long enough for you get a head start.”

“Thanks again.” Justin smiled down at the little guy.

“You’re welcome. Now go!”

***

Safely inside the BMW, Justin fumbled as he fed the key into the ignition and cranked the engine. Speeding like a bandit he nearly forgot to locate the phone Aaron had promised. Sure enough, nestled beneath a Gucci handbag in the passenger seat, he discovered a half-charged cell phone. Glancing madly back and forth from the phone to the road, he dialed the first work number that came to mind and pressed call.

The phone rang three times - longer than it should take.

“Damn it, Gary, pick up!” Justin growled. “Where are you?”

The phone kicked over to voicemail. “Hi, you’ve reached Gary Brown at NBC studios. I’m either out of my office or can’t come to the phone right now. Just leave your name and a number where you can be reached and I’ll get back to you. Thanks.”

“Gary, this is Justin from PR. I know you’re not the guy in charge of special programming anymore, but I don’t know who else to call,” Justin explained breathlessly. “You have to stop tonight’s Halloween program from running. I don’t care how you do it. Just pull the fucking plug, OK?!”

Passing a sign that read “New York City - 46 miles,” Justin fought back tears. “I’ll take the fall. Just trust me. If you get this message, relay it to all the networks. Shut down the Halloween special before--” he paused, noticing the time display on the dash. The numbers nearly stole his breath.

9:01 PM.

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