As soon as you step out of the elevator, a guy about your age looks out of a doorway. "Ah! Excellent! You must be the test subject." He comes out and motions for me to come into the room he is standing in front of. "Come on, son. Don't have all day."
Son? This guy wasn't any older than I was. If anything he looked more like he belonged in high school instead of college. "Uh, I came here for an interview today and..."
"I know, I know." He cut me off impatiently. "You didn't expect to start right away. But I really need to get these last tests done. Don't worry. You'll get paid for a full day today, and of course, expenses and salary until we finish up."
That sorta threw me, but I followed him into what turned out to be some sort of scientific lab. All electronics, not beakers and liquids and stuff. There were computers and monitors and all sorts of weird gizmos that I couldn't identify all focused on a small circular platform that was about 6 inches off the floor. Over by the back wall was a set of barbells, a treadmill, and what looked like a baby crib. That was weird. But it sounded like I was going to get paid a lot!
"Your file, please." The guy held out his hand.
"Um, I didn't get one." I guessed that was something that came when you got hired. But it should be obvious I didn't have anything with me.
"The USB stick?" He sounded impatient. "Can't they get anything right?" He frowned and I was sure he'd send me back, but instead he went over to one of the computers and brought up a screen. "Well, I am not going to let their incompetence hold things up. Just to verify, you are over 18, consent to non-lethal testing, have no immediate family, and are signed up for the permanent position?"
This was getting confusing, but maybe if I played along I'd get the job by default. Of course, I did have family around and my girlfriend, but that wasn't really any of his business. And it sounded like it was part of the requirements. "Uh, right." What was he going to do if he found out I had lied? Fire me?
He nodded in satisfaction as he pointed to the platform. "Perfect! Stand over there." When I hesitated, he scowled. "Come on, young man. It is a simple direction. I just need you to stand on the platform."
I was annoyed at his tone - the kid must be some sort of genius to be playing with all this equipment, but he didn't have to act like he was my dad. Still, I walked over and stepped up on the platform. He nodded in approval. "Now for the baseline scan."
He typed on the keyboard and there was a thrumming in the air, a deep bass note that vibrated through my skin. Then the gizmos suddenly flared into brilliant light that blinded me for a moment. I threw a hand up over my eyes as heat washed over me and blossomed inside me. I cried out in surprise, but a second later it was over. I still felt warm, like I'd been laying out in the sun, but nothing seemed to have happened.
The kid watched a couple of the monitors, nodding his head. "Very good. We have a clean baseline."
"What is all this about?" I was still uneasy after the strange sounds and lights. "What is this for?"
"Long-term physical modification." The kid didn't really seem to be paying much attention to me. "We need a baseline to establish your starting point." He poked at the keyboard, then turned the monitor towards me. "This is the target. Let's see how close we can get."
He hit a key and the thrumming and lights started up again, but not before I saw that the image on the monitor showed....