Getting into the body suit was much more invasive than Mike expected. He nearly screamed when the probe was inserted down his urethra. Another probe was shoved in his anus. Every opening in his body had something put into it.
Then there were hours of boredom as the technicians went over every detail of the suit making sure it was connected to a nerve ending on Mike's body. They were very thorough and as far as anyone could tell, Mike didn't have a single nerve ending that hadn't been touched by one of the technicians. The process was a mixture of pleasure and pain. The pain was mild, like having a hair pulled, but it was enough to keep Mike uncomfortable for the entire process. Mike had only agreed to one session so far but if it was this uncomfortable putting the suit on, Mike thought about changing his mind and doing consecutive days so he wouldn't have to go through with that process again.
Then finally, the suit was activated and Mike entered virtual reality. At first though, he sensed nothing. It was like he'd instantly become blind and deaf and was now floating in empty nothingness. He couldn't feel the body suit anymore but he couldn't feel his own skin either. He had entered a virtual reality world where nothing existed.
Then he began to feel a mild pleasure over his whole body. It felt sweet. That struck Mike as odd that his skin felt sweet but Mike liked the sensation.
Then his virtual reality world began to fill up with things. First there was a wooden floor. Then there was a full length mirror. Then there was a throw rug. Then there was a closet. One by one things began to appear. Then there was a wall. Then there was a tree outside. Then there was a roof. Finally, there was a sky.
Mike walked over to the mirror to look at himself. He looked exactly like himself. He touched his mouth and his mouth looked and felt like his mouth. This virtual reality world was so much like the real world that Mike couldn't really tell a difference. He didn't recognize the room he was in but his body was so correct down to the smallest detail that there was nothing to suggest that Mike was not standing in a real room touching his real body.
He felt a little self conscious about his nudity since he knew the technicians were still monitoring him. Mike looked in the closet for clothes but it was empty.
Then John Scanlon appeared in the room, also naked.
Mike asked, "Hey, what are you doing here?"
"The doctors wanted to just announce instructions to you but I told them that it would seem to you like a disembodied voice. I convinced them that it would be better to give you a guide through this virtual reality that you could see and talk to so I volunteered."
"So you're like a hologram?"
"No, I put on the bodysuit too. I can feel and smell and taste as well. This way I can give you more hands on guidance."
"Can we wear clothes?"
"Sometimes. Depends on what they are studying. What would you like to wear?"
"Jeans and a t-shirt would be fine."
John waved his hand and a strange interface appeared. John pushed some buttons and then he and the interface disappeared. Then jeans and a t-shirt appeared in the closet. Mike put them on.
John's voice could be heard saying, "Go outside."
Mike asked, "Where are you?"
John said, "I'm here, just go outside."
Mike went outside. It was a nice sunny day in what looked like a nice neighborhood.
Suddenly, Mike's clothes squeezed his privates before transforming back into John Scanlon.
Mike said, "You were my clothes? You did that just to fondle my balls didn't you."
"You signed a contract saying it was okay. It's all part of the study and now we're going to transform you into a car."
Mike said, "I didn't sign up so you could fon. . . " but he couldn't complete his sentence after he became a car.
John got in and started Mike up. John drove around for a while. It felt weird to Mike. He could see as if his headlights were eyes. His tires felt like his hands and feet being massaged by bubbles. It wasn't a bad experience except that Mike had no control. John steered and Mike couldn't even speak to make a protest.
They drove for a while and John held the gear shift much more often than he needed to. Finally, Mike was changed back into a human.
"You bastard. Keep your hands to yourself."
John said, "Just describe your experience so the technicians can know how the V.O.S.T. is working."