Mike suddenly was a car again. John drove to a mechanics shop, and pulled in a team of jump suit clad men with clipboards.
"He's all yours, boys," John said patting Mike's trunk, and tossing the nearest mechanic the car keys. Then he left.
Mike wasn't so sure, but maybe an oil change wouldn't be that bad. Ah, but this wasn't just a mechanics shop - it was a chop shop.
Mike was horrified as the men armed with power tools started to disassemble him. Sanders removed his paint and a greasy hand even unscrewed his shifter. Ow, a detachable penis? Oh, how would he describe this to the technicians. Maybe these guys in the jumpsuits were the techs? Everything went dark as his battery was removed.
When he came to, Mike felt different. He wasn't the car he was when he came in. In some ways he was better, in other ways?
"Hey, I'm here to pick up the car," said a handsome young man.
Mike recognized him from the lab, he had brought John a folder and left. Mike had barely noticed him then.
"Here she is boss, Better no? We'll get a good grade?"
"Ask Professor Garcia, he's your instructor. Now disengage."
The mechanics all vanished.
"Oh, I bet you're wondering about those guys. They didn't know you were a human virtually transformed. They just thought you were a virtual car. They are shop students at Community College, and they were in primitive virt suits. They only saw, heard and sort of felt with their hands. Nothing like what you're experiencing. Now let's make you human again."
"Now what's your name?" the young man began, "I'm Steve," he added.
"Soy Migeulito...Que? Porque no hablo Inglis? No se Espanol? Como me dice?"
"Relax. They must have changed the language setting in your computer. Turn back into a car."
Mike wanted to stop him, but he was a car again.
The man got inside, and sat down. He adjusted the seat, mirrors and put on his seat belt. Then he put the key in the ignition and started Mike up. He fiddled with some buttons on the dashboard, and suddenly, Mike was speaking English, but he was still a car.
"Hey, what just happened?"
"Reset your language to English, and turned on the radio. Preset number one is your language. Preset number two is subconscious. It says Preset number three is dream mode, and car engine must be off for that to work."
"Wait, you mean John could have let me talk?"
"Well, John handled your orientation. If he told you all your capabilities, we wouldn't learn as much. Did the mechanics turn your radio on?"
"Uh, everything kind of went dark, when they took my battery out. I think maybe they played cds in me? I sort of remember Mariachi music..."
"That's fine. Now try number 2."
"Damn, Steve is hot looking, I wonder if he's queer like John. Maybe they're boyfriends. He's got his hand on my dick like John did."
"What!" Steve said removing his hand. Then he pushed preset one.
"I'm not gay!" blurted out Mike.
"I didn't know that the shifter was your dick."
"Haven't you done this test before?"
"I'm a grad student. I've seen the tests, and read what's involved. But I haven't conducted one before, and I haven't seen the results. They want unbiased eyes. I'm sorry, but I'm supposed to give you a 30 minute test drive along a simulated mountain and beach road. And discuss your reactions as I drive you. I really didn't know this was your dick, but I guess that explains your piercing."
"Piercing? I don't have any piercing?"
"Oh, well, I guess you weren't human long enough to check yourself out. Let's get started and then when we're through you can see what I mean." Steve had seen a heavily tattooed pierced Latino. He wondered what the next part of the virtual mechanics class would do to Mike. Professor Garcia told him that tomorrow's class would make the car handicapped accessible. The shifter would be replaced with button controls among other changes. Would that make Mike a woman or eunuch? He couldn't tell Mike about that.
"Wait, what else did they do to me? Hey, my shifter used to be beige leather and wood. Now its black leather and chrome? That's the piercing? The chrome?"
"Sooner we go, the sooner you can see for yourself."
Steve started out of the garage. Gingerly he handled the shifter, and then he kept his hands on the wheel most of the time as he drove up a hill.