Cailin thought fast. She had no intention of letting their driver get killed, but what could she do? Even if the man started out now, he wouldn’t get far in his van, and out here in the desert, he would stick out like a sore thumb. No, there was only one way to save him.
“Mona, you need to give him some vaccine.”
“What!?” The girl gaped. “Are you crazy? We’d only have five samples left!”
“Would it be enough to make more?”
“I…don’t know. I guess so. I’m not a scientist.”
“And I may not be a scientist either, but I’m pretty sure we count as samples, too. So, your vaccine technically isn’t going to waste.”
“I guess…”
By now, the sound of helicopters had gotten noticeably louder. Cailin rolled her eyes. “Look, are you going to do it or let this guy get killed? Mei might be that heartless, but I doubt you want that on your conscience.” The Asian girl flinched at being called heartless, but she remained quiet.
Reluctantly, Mona ran to the van and got out her case. Taking out one of the syringes, she approached the man.
“Wait, hold up!” He protested, backing away a step. “Don’t I get a choice in all this? I kinda like my body as is!”
“Sorry, but it’s this or death? Which do you prefer?” Cailin finally spotted the helicopters bearing down on them. “Better choose now. They’re almost here.”
With a long stream of curses, the man grabbed a syringe and plunged it into his arm. A couple seconds later, the changes started.
Cailin nodded and lowered her gun. “Welcome to our little group. Maybe now would be a good time to ask your name.”
The rapidly changing man slumped to the ground. He clenched his teeth in pain as his bodily proportions altered into a pleasing hourglass and his limbs became more slender and delicate. “Luke. Luke Johnson.” Even as he answered, his voice rose in pitch, ending in a smooth alto. The hair on his scalp grew long, tumbling over his narrower shoulders.
“Alright, Luke, I guess you’ll be needing a new name from now on.” Cailin thought for a while. “Should we call you Lucy?”
This got a grimace from the soon-to-be woman. Oddly, he/she seemed to be getting younger, although it could just have been that all the recent craziness had simply aged the man before his years. “How about Lexi? It was my sister’s name, but…well, she won’t be needing it, these days. I can carry it for her.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Lexi it is.”
At that point, the new Lexi finished her transformation into a lovely girl with mocha-colored skin and clear hazel eyes. Hefting her E-cup breasts, she let out a gasp at the sensations. After that, the helicopters touched ground nearby.