This was all a mistake; Tom was trying to be a good Samritan, but the cops didn't understand. Tom was in New York City in the parking lot walking to the store when he saw a man in a ski mask robbing an elderly woman at gun point. Tom always carried a legally concealed firearm, and when he saw the situation, he couldn't just ignore it. He cautiously pulled his weapon and approached the crook from behind. "Drop it punk!" he demanded in a loud voice, while cocking his firearm so the thug could tell he wasn't bluffing. 'Chhhhk-chk' The man complied and Tom got him on the ground with his gun and ski mask removed from him. When the cops came, Tom did all the right things; he surrendered his firearm immediately when the NYPD arrived and handed them his concealed weapons permit. Unfortunately, the woman who was being robbed had fainted and all bystanders that actually saw what happened were long gone. The only witnesses left reported that they saw Tom standing over a man and an old lady while holding a 'really big gun'.
Tom was arrested and taken to jail while the robber was free to go. When he got to the small, overcrowded jail, the police explained that he would be locked up until he paid bail, got acquitted at trial, or voluntarily chose the MORPH program. "I haven't done anything wrong! MORPH is used for real criminals! I want my phone call!" Tom demanded. Tom called his wife, Beth, and explained what had happened. Beth immediately got the kids in the car and headed to the jail, which was an hour drive in rush hour.
The NYPD officer offered Tom the his choices again and Tom refused. "Ok, its your funeral," the cop told him. He was led into the jail and put in a tiny cell with 4 other big, burly, MEAN looking guys. They were staring at him as he was being placed in the cell. Once the cop left, they started hassling him.
"I could eat you for breakfast!"
"Forget breakfast, you'd do for a light snack!"
"Hey little man, you're gonna be my new BITCH!" said Butch, the biggest of them all.
"BOOO!" They all yelled. Tom jumped; he was terrified. For all he knew, he wouldn't last 10 minutes in here. He spent the remainder of the hour in the corner, pressed against the bars with his back to the men. The cop finally returned.
"Your family is here; come with me," he said. Tom followed the officer to the visitor room where you can see the other person through the glass; his wife and kids were there. He picked up the phone handset.
"Hi sweetie, hey guys," he greeted them. "This is all just a huge mistake! I rescued that woman, but the only witnesses left saw me holding the gun; they didn't see me take him down! This is all so unfair! There's no way we can afford the half a million bail payment, or hire a lawyer. They're telling me the only other way to get released is the MORPHPFVTAEOR program, but I didn't do anything! I don't deserve that!
"Honey," said Beth, "maybe it won't be so bad; at least you'll be home with us! I'd like to see how that program works. Excuse me, officer, what would happen if my husband chose to do the MORPHPFVvvvs uhhh, the MORPH program?"
"Well ma'am, for someone accused of armed robery, we would process them through MORPHPFVTAEOR, and they would exit with the appearance of a clown. The program is designed to make it easy to recognize someone who has tried to leave house arrest. His changes can only be removed by a reversal system which we have. He would be de-MORPHED before his trial to remove any bias.
"What? You're going to turn my dad into a CLOWN?!" Morgan cried. Morgan was Beth and Tom's 6 year old daughter. "NO NO NO! NOT A CLOWN! I HATE CLOWNS! THEY'RE SCARY!"
"No, no, no sweetie," Tom said. "Nobody is turning Daddy into a clown; I refuse to be punished for doing the right thing. Clown's freak Daddy out too. We'll figure something out, right Beth? We can pull my retirement fund or something... I just hope I can hold out in here long enough. I'm stuck in a cell with four other guys and they seemed a little too happy to see me, if you catch my drift."
"Tom! Baby!" Beth exclaimed, "You're saying they're threatening you!??! Tom, Swallow your pride and use the MORPH program! Even if they clown you, at least it's only temporary! If you stay here you might be permanently disfigured or ... you know.... D-E-A-D." She spelled out the last word so she wouldn't alarm Morgan worse.
Timmy, their 13 year old son spoke up. "Mom's right Dad, please just do it. It may not be pleasant but at least we'll have you back. I'm really worried about you in here."
"Not that it's any of my business," the cop said, "but you should listen to your family, Tom. I've seen guys like you get eaten up and spit out at this jail. This is just as much to help you as it is to help us. And you DON'T want to become Butch's new 'special friend'.