Lucas (20) POV
Right as Dad reached the doorway, I called out.
"Do you even hear yourself Dad? You made terrible financial choices putting the family at risk, and when they backfired, you expect me and David to fix your mistakes! Getting a second mortgage seemed like a great way to pad my college fund that you didn't contribute to for the first 18 years... Using your retirements to make it look like you didn't do something stupid seemed like a great idea too... and now we have this idea... You do even realize that if I switch bodies with someone, it will mean I don't finish my diploma and neither you nor David are ready to step in and finish school as me. All your and my hard work would have gotten us, is two people's lives completely messed up. You should refinance or do bankruptcy or something and just cut your losses."
Dad just glared and walked off. I saw long ago that he's always quick to lay blame and hoping to catch others off guard and make them feel immediately apologetic. Such a dick...
7:55 David's POV
There had been heated discussions throughout the house this evening specifically in the hour and a half since dinner. Mariah was on the phone with her friend, Dad was having an argument with Lucas and then trying to calm Mom down, Brad was angry at his cartoon shows and yelling constantly at them while everyone else was occupied.
I was going over my options. there was a reason this was happening, I didn't know or understand what it was, but there was a reason. It doesn't benefit only dad to do this otherwise he wouldn't have been in the pool with us...
Maybe this is all some kind of test? For loyalty? We have been taking his statements at face value maybe he was meaning something else, like... like... Well whatever it is I should play along.
*Knock, knock, knock* "Hey son, can I come in."
"Sure thing Dad."
Dad came in and sat down. He pulled two sealed containers from his pocket and handed one to me. "We need to drink this in preparation for tomorrow." I could see he had been through the emotional ringer, his eyes were puffy and he looked exhausted.
I opened the container and smelled it, it didn't smell. I swirled it around, its black color was uniform, "What is this?"
"The Doctor I spoke to said it was Nanobot thingys, and they would help prepare us for tomorrow when we go to the facility."
"But I have school tomorrow, I'll fall behind." I said concerned.
"That's for me to worry about, all you need to worry about is drinking this. Cheers." Dad raised his cup waiting for me to clink it.
"I'm not going to wake up in your body tomorrow after drinking this am I?" I asked cautiously.
"No, he said this was purely to get data somehow, no swapping yet." Dad reassured me and jiggled his container.
I clinked his container and drank the fluid as quickly as possible, mimicking what I have seen in movies. It had no flavor and if I didn't know it was midnight black I would have said it was water.
Dad chugged the liquid too, "I love you son." then he got up to leave the room.
"You can count on me Dad!" I said hoping he would end the charade.
He hugged me and then left without telling me what he was really up to...
The next morning. Body-swap Experiment... Day 1. Still Davids POV
Dad woke me up around 5 and by 6 we were walking out the door. Lucas, Mom, and Dad had their own vehicles so Dad taking his car wouldn't be a big deal cause Mom still had the SUV and Lucas can handle himself and help out for the next 3 weeks.
Around 7 we had reached the city and hit rush hour traffic, by 7:45 we were there. Dad found free parking and we walked a block to the place we were supposed to be. After going to the receptionist we were promptly escorted into a private room where someone was waiting for us.
The next hour and 45 minutes was an explanation of the NDA for the technology we see, an NDA for the procedure we undergo, an NDA for the people other than each other whom we meet, medical waivers, explanation of the anticipated and possible but unanticipated side effects, including but not limited to, cancer, bone issues, process rejection, premature re-aging, youthening, death, seizure, heart failure, and potential assimilation by the computer they are using.
After we had signed all the documents saying that we knew what we were doing and agreed to it a doctor appeared with more black liquid to drink which we did. He then took us to another room Where he had us stand in different locations and went to a computer for a few moments. there was a slight buzzing sensation and everything felt a little warm but it was temporary.