Todd was carrying the big brown cardboard box loaded with the supplies from the pet store and Chad's gym bag stuffed with Chad's clothes.
"Yo, Chad, I got supplies. I overheard Rick and Bruno, they did this to you," Todd said.
"What the fuck, Todd!" shouted Chad.
Todd dropped the box, "but they said it was permanent?"
Todd stared at the cage. Chad's face and body were tan instead of covered in dark fur, but something was off. Chad still had four paws and a barrel shaped body and tail. Todd leaned in close, and examined Chad's head. His ears were higher up on the side of his head, and his entire face and body were covered in short tan hair.
"I guess your nanites are still active, Chad. My folks raise Staffordshire Terriers, and until you only those breed of dog occupied this cage. Now it looks like the nanobots turned you into a Staffordshire - well mostly."
"I'm still human," Chad insisted.
"Not really. Here I show you with my camera phone. See the teeth in your mouth are dog teeth. Your nose is cold. You're a dog with a human face. I bet a bit more spray will fix that too, Chad. Oh, I have to stop calling you that. It will be a dead giveaway to our teammates Bruno and Rick. They're looking for a dog called Chad. I thought about Champ, Fido, and Max, then I remembered your middle name. When your mother was angry when we were toddlers she'd call you by your full name. Bet most people think the R for your middle initial stands for Robert or Rick. But it really is the perfect dog name for you, Rex!"
"But I'm not a dog, Todd," Chad protested.
"I bet you're just thirsty and hungry, boy," Todd said. He took one of the bowls over to the nearby hosebib and filled it with water. Then he slid it through the slot opening at the bottom of the cage.
Chad tapped the bowl with one paw, then the other. He sighed and lowered his head and began lapping up the water.
"Thanks, Todd. Guess, I was thirsty. So Bruno and Rick did this to me? Why?"
"Dunno. I just overheard them, I wasn't part of the conversation. Wait Thom told me a few days ago that he and your brother Brad had been told that Bruno was getting a dog him wanted them to train. I bet that was you." Todd talked while filling the other bowl with dry dog food.
"Brad? Oh, gawd no," Chad moaned.
Todd slid the bowl of dog food into the cage with Chad. Chad sniffed it. He looked at it with disdain. He sniffed again. He took a bite. He was surprised how good it tasted. He was soon chomping away. Dogs have shorter attention spans than people. Brad, Bruno and Rick were out of sight and out of mind. Todd was here. Chad had food and water. It was all good.
"Oh, crap! I forgot our school band competition is this weekend. Thom said Brad would drive me to the airport. I have to finish packing."
Chad spoke unintelligibly with his mouth full of dog food, as Todd disappeared into his house.
Ten minutes later, Brad's truck drove up the gravel drive. Chad's canine hearing could pickup snippets of their conversation as Todd told Thom and Brad about Chad. Chad had a bad feeling as Thom drove off with Todd, his musical instrument, and suitcase leaving Brad. Chad's older brother looked at the cage containing Chad, and began to saunter and swagger toward his naked caged dog boy brother.
"Aw, Chad, I know you wanted to be voted MVP of the water polo and baseball teams in addition to football MVP, but dogs can't play those sports, do they? Still you can be most valuable puppy or pooch?" Brad said as he knelt by the cage.
"Brad, we are brothers. You're going to help,
right ? Please get me out of here." Chad said looking up at Brad with his puppy dog eyes.
"Yeah, Ch- I mean, Rex. Todd told me what Bruno and Rick said. I had no idea that you were going to be the cock hound they wanted me to train."
Brad rummaged in the box that Todd had left, then opened Chad's cage.
"The cage wasn't locked. If you don't want to be inside, why didn't you open it yourself, Rex?"
Chad was partly out of the cage with his paws against Brad's chest. Brad was squatting effectively blocking Chad's easy exit. Brad grabbed Chad's dog body and began inspecting it like the dog professional he was.
"Why didn't I let myself out? Look bro! No hands!" Chad said waving a paw in front of Brad's face
Click. Brad fastened a new leash and collar around Chad's neck. Then he stood leading Chad out of the cage into the old barn.
"Hey, what gives, Brad? You said you were going to help, didn't you?"
"Come, Rex," he said tugging on the leash. Then he added, "I am helping, Rex. You're going to be a dog permanently thanks to Rick and Bruno. And believe me I'm going to deal with those two for messing with my family. But you're a dog, Rex, and you always will be. So I'm going to help you to be the best dog you can be, understand?"
Chad was no standing inside an old high walled horse stall. It reeked of dogs and sex. Brad tied Chad's leash to an eye hook attached to the back of the stall. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.
A dog barked in the distance. The barking was getting closer. A big black mastiff appeared next to Brad.
"Hey, Max, you remember Chad don't you?"
Max barked happily. Sniffed. Trotted toward Chad. He sniffed Chad all over. Chad shuddered. The big dog had given Chad the creeps when he outweighed Max. Now he was about 50-60 lbs lighter than the mastiff. Then he noticed that Max's red conical cock was out of its sheath.
"Oh, no, Brad, you're not thinking of-"
"Rex. There's only room for one alpha in a pack. Max is the alpha, so you are going to be beta."
Chad was pulling at his leash, as Max prepared to mount him from behind.
"Rex, Rex, Rex. You know how this is going to play out. Max breaks all the dogs I train."
"No! I'm not a dog! I'm Chad!" The dog faced Strafford Terrier shrieked.
Brad sprayed him right in the face with the Flea Spray that Todd had given him. Chad sputtered and closed his eyes as the nanobot laden spray blasted him in the face.
Brad kept spraying as he said, "Goodbye, Chad. Hello, Rex!"
Chad's countenance shifted from human to total pit bull.
Chad barked and whined. Max did what he did to all new dog trainees. Max was proficient at his job, and enjoyed doing it.