"Well, we want you to become our son."
Jack certainly wasn't surprised by the words that came out of the woman's mouth, but he was nonetheless seized by both terror and euphoria. The former came from Jack's rightful sense of paranoia that had developed as he defaulted more and more on his crippling debt. But it was also his common sense acknowledging that Jack was openly discussing breaking the law in some brandless diner.
But the euphoria he was currently experiencing kept him firmly seated in the booth across from the persistent married couple. For how normal they looked, Mary Ann and Micheal felt increasingly weird and creepy to Jack as they nonchalantly planned his future.
Yet as weird as they seemed, they offered Jack the one thing he has willing to do anything for: a debt free existence.
And so he sat, picking away at a meal that had long gone cold as he parlayed with the people that were to become his new mom and dad.
"I'm sorry guys, but I have to ask," Jack stated flatly, "Why are you two doing this? Why not just adopt some poor kid instead?"
Micheal, who was 44 years old and sported a dark goatee, seemed to deeply consider Jack's question. The two men were some 6 years apart from one another yet there was no feeling of egalitarianism between the three adults.
The dark haired man finally responded, "Adoption is too expensive these days."
Jack snorted, "More expensive than breaking the law?"
"My husband is an Adjuster. Agetripping you will not be a problem." Mary Ann responded for her husband. She was 43 years old and had a mature beauty to her. It frankly had Jack spellbound, he normally wasn't attracted to women older than him but he could certainly make an exception for the curvy chestnut haired woman in front of him.
"So it's just a matter of convenience for you?" Jack said doubtful in tone.
The married couple exchanged a solemn look before Micheal finally turned to face Jack directly. "My wife and I are unable to conceive a child on our own. We thought we had become accustomed to a childless existence, but the way the Agetripping industry is heading. I just thought I could do something with my profession that I'm proud of." Micheal said.
"We want to give people like you a second chance at life." Mary Ann continued for Micheal. "You're a good person, but you aren't good at being an adult. That's why we want to help re-raise you ourselves. To give you the proper upbringing you deserved the first time around."
"Look I don't want to be your kid!" Jack yelled, "Why can't you just change me into a 20 something and allow me to walk free?"
"This is an exchange Jack." Micheal said with a sense of dominance in his voice. "For giving you a new life, we expect you to become our son in return. We both want to gain something from this."
"But I don't want to give up my adult independence! It's not worth it!" Jack yelled.
"You wouldn't have met us here if you actually believed that." Mary Ann said. "You're welcome to decline our offer, here and now and live the rest of your life as it is. Or you can come back to our house, get agetripped, and start anew with our family. It's up to you Jack."
Jack considered their words, they were right and he hated admitting that to himself. If he was destined to become their son, Jack at least wanted some assurance of what age he'll be agetripped to. "Can I pick how old I'll be?" Jack finally submitted.
Micheal and Mary Ann beamed with joy. Their prayers for a child finally being answered by a peer only a handful of years their junior. Mary Ann was the first to speak to her prospective new son, "I think the three of us can come to understanding in that department my sweet."
Jack, knowing this was the last freedom of choice given to his adult mind, mulled over his options. He finally said....