Noah hesitated and opened the file and was shocked when he saw that he was to become a 5 year old boy named Max. According to the profile his family was from the country. Noah looked up at the police in shock.
"You guys are kidding right?" Noah asked.
"No like we said our safety experts choose this profile, in that area towns are small everyone knows everyone else so if the people looking for you don't see anyone sticking out they won't even bother" the cop explained "if they even think to look there in the first place" he added
Noah thought this was ridiculous and tried to get away but the police held him. They stripped him down, being 16 Noah was going through puberty well. He had average sized muscles and a very slight tan. He had some chest and pubic hair but not a lot, it looked as though that had just started growing in. They strapped him down to a table as he struggled.
"Don't worry this won't hurt, the process is painless, remember this is to help you not hurt you" a police officer said as he pulled out a needle. He then injected Noah with a serum.
Noah stopped struggling against the straps as he felt dizzy and his body was reacting to his commands as quickly as he had hopped.
Noah could only watch as he shrunk in height, going from 5'7 to a height of 3'9 in a few seconds. He watched as his body hair retracted back in on his chest, pits, and pubic area. All hair gone except the hair on his head. The hair on his head shrunk back into his scalp leaving a buzz cut. He watched as his skin tanned more getting a nice dark tan. His muscles vanished, but some slight fa grew in. Not quite a fat kid but filled out, perhaps plays little league sports. He watched in shock as his penis and balls shrunk to be the proper size for a kid his age. His hair turned blonde and his eyes took on a nice green color.
He could suddenly move again, by now the restraints were too big for him. He hopped it was all over but then a wave of dizziness came over him.
"What now?" He said out loud noticing his voice was now high pitched like the little kid he had become.
"Some mental changes so you don't stick out like a sore thumb in your new life, you used to have to act the part of the area we move you to, now it's much easier." One cop explained.
"Also it will help you forget what you've seen for now, if they somehow find you they would have literally no way to prove that you saw anything" another added.
A cloud descended on Noah's mind. He lost all his memories, even his memories of the murder he witnessed, and book learning, he knew only basic math and reading now. New memories started flooding in. His name was Max, he was 5 years old and they youngest of 2 sons his parents had. They lived in a house with a big yard and he loved to play around in the mud or play around with his brother. Being naked was optional too because his parents didn't care if he was just in the yard. He also loved to play with a sling shot and went hunting with his dad sometimes. He had toy guns but was too young for a real one, so he hunted using the sling shot as best he could.
Internally what was left of Noah was screaming trying to fight back, he was ok with the protection program but he didn't want to be some dumb kid. But Max's mind was just too strong.
"Now Noah while you can still hear us, this is temporary until we find the murderer, then we will use a serum to change you back so you can be a witness in the trial" a cop explained. It made Noah feel better to be reminded it was temporary but still. That's when the last of Noah's mind faded.
Max slipped from under the straps. He found his clothes near by, a football jersey and a pair of jean shorts, with a pair of briefs.
"Ok Max the examination is over, your parents are waiting outside to take you home" a doctor said smiling. (Though could have just been an officer dressed as a doctor).
"Ok thanks" Max said in a new southern accent and smiled as he left the room to go see his parents.