Chapter 5

That evening, the news had another report on The New Plague: AMORFS. Apparently, the Powers That Be had a new working assumption. The three components had been spreading separately, harmlessly, in their own ways. But when the carriers came together at the rally, the components combined and started to have an effect.

While one of the components was clearly a MORF variant, the other two weren't quite as clear. They were already spreading separately again. And none of them were mutating the way the original two had done. That was considered good news, since it made the possibility of some kind of prevention or cure more practical.

Another mystery was the effects. The effect on adults was remarkably superficial and consistent. Body hair and facial hair became fur, except for two small patches high on the forehead. Those fused to become small horns. Their vocal cords thickened to the point of becoming useless. By the standards of regular MORFS, that was nothing. One out of three didn't even suffer any significant fever or discomfort.

The effects on adolescents were indirectly more pronounced, but not directly. Directly, they seemed to defeat the genetic resistance some people have to MORFS. Beyond that, the usual range of changes seemed to be involved, with a few exceptions. None of the victims seemed to develop any powers, and all seemed to undergo a more thorough transformation than average. Also, they were about 10% more likely to change sexes under the new combination than the average MORFS sufferer.

Angel's father couldn't help but notice her reactions to the news. He strongly suspected that she had more to do with it than she let on. But she clearly didn't want to say anything, and he didn't really blame her. It hurt to know that his own daughter felt she had to keep things from her parents, but he understood that it was only going to get worse as she finished growing up.

He didn't have to like it.

They weren't as close as he would have liked. Especially after the long separation during the move. And it didn't help that the transformation happened during that separation. Or that other important events happened then. He loved his daughter every bit as much as he had loved his son. But he didn't have the easy closeness they had once shared.

If the news report got Angel thinking, the movie they watched got her positively churning. It was one of those "close buddies put together and pull off an elaborate scheme" movies. What did she have? Her talents. Radar, Cassandra, Otter, and Star Dawn. And maybe Lena knew of some other trustworthy people.

She started getting excited. For the whole summer, she had been reacting. Learning to be a girl. Learning to use her new abilities. Learning her way around her new home. Changing her self concept. Even the thing with Jerry was reactive.

Now, she was going to start something. She wasn't sure what, but it would be something they could have fun with, and something they would keep people from knowing they were involved with. Something people would talk and speculate about for years.

Something. She had no idea what.

Hey Lena! You busy?

Just soaking in the tub. Why, you got some emergency?

No emergency. Just something to think and talk about.

Well, I'm not going anywhere at the moment. Shoot.

You know that movie, where the friends team together to scam the guy who hurt a friend of theirs?

Yeah, I know it. Oh, God! Don't tell me you're going all fan girl over Leo Cesene! There was laughter behind that thought.

God, no. I was into that movie before this summer. I like the action stuff.

Ok, sure. So?

I want to do something like that. She went through a jumble of images and ideas, not really finding the words.

Ok, stop. STOP! I get the idea. You want to build yourself an adventure, like in the movie. Some sort of scam, that will leave people talking, but not about us.

Yep.

What's the payoff?

The payoff?

In that movie, it was revenge. And a lot of money. In others, it's been the freedom of a loved one, some sort of valuable treasure, or just lots of money. What's the payoff?

For me, the adventure. I need your help getting past that. We need a goal. And people we can trust, with useful skills and contacts. Can you give it some thought?

Sure. We'll talk tomorrow. Now leave me alone, so I can jill off in peace!

Angel was stunned by that image. She knew it turned her on, but wasn't sure how or why. From the videos, she knew that her old habitual responses would take a long time to fade. And that thinking about someone else doing something sexual was usually a turn on, even if you're not attracted to them.

Mostly, it made her want to explore a sadly neglected part of her new self.

She said her goodnights, then went upstairs. Two different sets of images were fighting for her attention. She was still excited from the movie, and the beginnings of her plan. But she also got excited by visions of fingers and things those fingers could be doing.

After letting the images, and her actions, carry her over the edge a couple of times, she thought she heard some gentle laughter in the back of her mind.

After breakfast the next morning, she got two phone calls. One was from Jerry, saying that he was feeling fine, and wanted to take her up on the tan and reading. The other was Andy, asking whether she would come to the theater that afternoon, to "talk about something." While he was being somewhat mysterious, he was not being melodramatic about it.

Her father had already left for work, but she managed to catch her mother on her way out the door, and let her know the plans for the day.

"If you're going to have that boy over here, make sure you have someone like Lena here with you."

"Why?" Angel was genuinely puzzled.

"You haven't been a girl all that long, but by now even you should know better. Think back, before the change. If a girl had invited you over to her house, while her parents were gone for the day, what would you have thought? Especially if you ended up with most of your clothes off?"

"Oh." Angel really hadn't thought about that. Despite thinking of herself as a girl, or sometimes a young woman, she was still thinking of him in terms of "another boy". She never even thought about the fact that he knew her as a girl, and would react to her as a girl.

She still had some things to learn.

Lena laughed when Angel contacted her. She agreed with her mother, that Angel still had a lot to learn.

While they were waiting for Jerry to show up, Lena went over some things that Angel had ignored or forgotten.

"Don't treat the guys like you did when you were one. Some of the common gestures and comments will be interpreted very differently. If you're lucky, you'll be written off as a tomboy. More likely, they'll either call you a bull dyke or think you're coming on to them. Think about it. Remember when you were at school last year. What was your first reaction if some strange girl, or one you barely knew, came up to you the way another guy would?"

Angel was beginning to really hate it when someone started one of these lectures with a reminder of when she was a boy. From her new perspective, that boy was not always the way he had thought of himself. That boy thought he was polite, respectful, and perhaps a bit enlightened in his interactions with girls. Now, she saw that he was lecherous, dismissive, judgmental, and more than a little voyeuristic. Remembering things he thought, things he did, things he would have done if he had the chance - the thought of some boy acting that way toward her, thinking that way about her, was disturbing.

Jerry got there, and Angel knew that her timing was bad. He was within hours of showing the telltale symptoms.

"Did you tell your mom about the MORFS?"

"Uh ... no. I kept trying to bring it up, but I couldn't."

"Well, you'll have to tell her now. It's happening today. Soon. You need to get to the doctors as soon as you can."

"What will I become?"

"You'll have some of the characteristics of a lizard, a gila monster, but you'll mostly look human. You'll stay male. You'll get a little stronger and taller, and have some sort of zap. That's about all I can tell you."

"Will I have a tail?"

"Probably not. Now call."

They ended up driving him to the clinic, where his mom would meet him. On the way, they suggested symptoms to tell the doctor. Lena agreed to follow him in mentally, and help if he needed it.

He needed it.

She helped him answer first the nurse, then his mom, then the doctor, in ways that created the appropriate impression. by the time he actually saw the doctor, he didn't have to fake much. He was starting to feel really lousy. The descriptions and answers were enough to get him the test, and that confirmed it. MORFS.

His mom took it well. She had gotten a ride to the clinic from a coworker, and used her car (which Jerry had borrowed, and the girls had used to drive him there) to drive home. Lena "called" another friend, who owed her a favor, and he drove them home.

While they were eating lunch, Jerry's mom called to thank them for getting him to the clinic, and to apologize for leaving them stranded. They assured her it was no problem, and wished Jerry well.

Sometimes, even in a world with MORFS and powers, a coincidence will happen.

Hey, Radar! Answer your door! David laughingly thought.

I'm next door. Come to Angel's house. Then out loud, "David's on his way over. You won't believe why."

"Oh?"

"I'll let him tell you himself."

At the sound of footsteps outside Angel looked at Lena, who nodded. "Door's open! Come on in."

"Geez! Don't tell me you got even more powers. That would be too depressing."

"No, just some good friends." Angel replied, indicating Lena

"Oh. Yeah. I even knew she was here." He theatrically slapped the side of his head.

"Whazzup?" When he looked a question back, Angel continued, "She wouldn't tell me."

"They're having some sort of competition over at the pool, so I thought you might like to come to the movies with me. I can't buy you tickets, but at least I have my dad's clunker to get us there."

Family joke, Lena explained. The car is practically new, and very nice. Not enough room in the back seat for traditional sports, though.

Angel laughed before she could stop herself. The tone of that last thought left no question about what kind of "sports" Lena was thinking about.

"As a matter of fact," she replied, after recovering her breath, "we were just about to go looking for a ride to the old Chinese. The assistant manager wants to talk to me. I'll spring for the popcorn."

"Deal. Talk about what?"

"He didn't say. Probably something about my little demonstration, though."

They filled him in on the events at the theater, skipping over the reason for ambushing Jerry. Once he knew it had something to do with Penny's premonitions, he accepted the limited information.

"Is he going to be all right?" David didn't know Jerry, since they were different at different schools, but he did know the nature of Penny. "Cassandra doesn't waste predictions on trivial stuff. Damn it."

Lena noted with amusement that David was thinking about the time he had tried to get Penny to predict the Lottery numbers. He never quite believed her claim that she couldn't. Angel looked back and forth for a second, then gave up.

"He should be ok. We took him to the clinic this morning, in the first stages of MORFS."

"That's good. The ok, not the MORFS, What will he be like?" He remembered their earlier conversation about her powers.

"Mostly normal. A little bit reptilian, and some interesting abilities, but mostly normal."

"Oh." Then he switched gears. "When do you need to be there?"

"In about an hour."

"Mind getting there a little early? There's a matinee in about 45 minutes I'd like to see."

"Sure. Just give me a minute to get ready."

"Us a minute." Lena corrected, and followed Angel to her room.

They fixed their hair and makeup (although Angel still didn't like wearing the stuff), and Angel grabbed her purse. Then they were off.

On the way to the theater, he started talking about an old interest of his: things from the popular culture of a century ago which could be useful now.

"For instance, in the comic books of the 1960s the people with powers had logos, icons which identified them. The heroes and the villains, and even some of the groups. I even thought of some for some of you." He fished in his pocket, pulling out some folded up papers.

Most of them were ancient images - a parabolic antenna on some triangular frame for Radar, a sphere on a small stand for Cassandra, some small mammal curled halfway into a ball for Otter, And a frame with an animal hide for someone called Tanner.

"Who's Tanner?" Angel asked.

"You," he replied, pointing to Lena's arm. Lena laughed. "There's another one for you, though."

She looked through and found some more abstract images. Part of a five pointed star above a line for Star Dawn, a triangle topped with a circle with a small oval above it for Angel. "I'm not sure I like the name Tanner, but I can see where an alias could be useful."

She thought a moment. "What about you?"

"I don't have any powers."

"Neither did some of those ancient heroes and villains." She knew she was goading him a little with the "ancient" part, but it kept him going.

"They had special skills and gimmicks. And almost all of them were, like, heads of major corporations and had lots of money. I can barely afford the movie."

"Ok, so what kind of powers would you want? What would be your ideal morfs result?" Angel prompted.

Lena continued with "If we found a magic wishing spot for MORFS, what would you wish for?" Privately, to Angel, she thought I have an idea for your scam.

David thought a moment. "I always wanted to fly. But that is kinda common. I know! I saw this 'ancient' program," he looked at Angel as he emphasized ancient, "on ESP research in the old Soviet Union."

"What in the where?" Angel had heard the old terms, but wasn't sure what they were.

"ESP is another word for psychic stuff, and the Soviet Union used to be where the EastBlock Confederation is. Or parts of it, anyway."

"Oh, Ok. So?" Angel noticed the beginnings of an oddly familiar tingling.

"Well, there were a couple of things they were looking at that seemed pretty cool. One was remote viewing, which is pretty much what we now call telesense. People could supposedly see, and sometimes hear, what was happening in other places. Like a holocast without the cameras."

Angel thought about every boy he had ever known, including her previous self, and what they would use that ability for first. She smirked and asked "And the other thing?"

"Some of them could use their minds to create a picture on photo paper. I'd want more, to be able to do it on any paper or cloth."

Angel couldn't stand it any more. Laughing, she said "So you want to be able to peek in the girls' locker room, and make your own porn out of what you see?"

Davis turned red. "That's not..."

"You know," Angel interrupted, mischief in her eyes. "There is an easier way. A change that would actually let you be in there."

Despite himself, David was interested. "Yeah?"

Lena joined in the fun. "And even let you see and touch those wonderfully naughty girl parts all you want."

"Like invisibility or something?" He started getting caught up in the image.

Lena turned to Angel. "But it would kinda mess with the balance of the group. We don't have all that many guys."

David nearly ran off the road as he realized what they were getting at. "But ... but I like being a guy!"

"Maybe we could meet him half way?" Lena cracked.

Angel took a second to catch on. "But then we'd have to start using all those funny pronouns. And it would still mess up the body count."

David barely squeaked "But..."

"That's true," Angel continued, as though seriously considering the matter. "We'd have to decide whether he should have a nice tight little male butt or a rounder, softer female one." Both girls dissolved in laughter.

"I don't wanna be a girl. Not even halfway." The wail was exaggerated for comic effect. The girls stopped laughing.

"And what, exactly, is wrong with being a girl?" Lena asked, in an arctic voice. After she saw a number of images flash through his mind, from periods to bras to being on the receiving end of sex, he found his voice.

"Nothing. If you're born that way. But I've been a boy my whole life!"

The car got very quiet. And David struggled frantically to understand why.

You ok? Lena asked Angel.

Mostly. But I may as well tell him. Isn't he figuring it out about now?

Pretty much.

"I'm sorry, Angel. I didn't know. When did it happen?" It never paid to underestimate David's intelligence.

"Beginning of the summer. And yes, it was a helluva shock and a lot to get used to. But now it's just a part of life."

"Lucky."

"How do you figure?"

"You changed just about the time you moved. No awkward problems with the people who knew you as a boy."

"Actually, I changed en route. I don't recommend it. And most of the people I saw before I got here were relatives. They knew. In fact, they took turns training me in the finer points of being a girl."

"They did a good job. I never would have known. Except for that awkward silence, that is."

"They concentrated on the usual giveaways and the practical stuff. For a lot of the rest, we had an all purpose excuse: a history as a tomboy."

"You just seem like an ordinary girl."

"Ordinary?" the temperature in the car dropped.

"You know what I mean. You're pretty, and smart, and all that stuff. You don't need to go fishing for a compliment with a harpoon! You don't seem any more different than the other girls than the rest of the other girls do."

"Huh?"

"Girls ... people are all different. Like Chaos Theory, the differences are bounded for certain groups. You fall within the normal boundaries of differences for girls around here. Well, for everything but your powers. And even then..."

"I get the idea. You can stop chewing the leather now. I think it's soft enough."

Now it was his turn. "Huh?"

Lena explained. "Time to leave the foot in mouth disease behind, and move on," she grinned.

"Just as well. We're here anyway." He was obviously relieved.

As he parked, he commented. "By the way, that was only number 3 on my list of things to do with the powers."

Angel looked at Lena, who nodded.

"At least you admit it was there. What were the top two?"

"Spying and cheating." Lena chuckled.

"Well, I wouldn't have put it that way. Finding and catching the bad guys, and seeing what the teachers and politicians don't want us to see."

"Yep," Angel agreed with a grin. "Spying and cheating."

Wisely, David gave up. When they got inside, Andy was in the lobby. He was talking with a girl in one of the ticket stands, but when he saw them he broke off and walked over to them.

"You made it! Thanks for coming. I don't think you'll need backup, though." He said with a smile. "Radar, I know. Who's your other friend?"

Angel handled the introductions. "Andy, this is David. Among other things, he was our ride here. David, Andy." The boys shook hands. "They were going to watch a movie while we talk."

"Great!" he enthused. He walked them over to the person he had been talking with. "Karen, please comp these two on my authority. Code 17."

While they got their tickets, he took her across the lobby and through a small door. Then up some stairs to an office. "My boss would like to talk to you about an offer."

Angel smiled, but inside he called out Lena! I may need some backup.

Trouble?

I don't think so. But could you monitor things while I'm in here? I may be in over my head

Ok. There's just you two and an older man. He's the manager of the theater. They seem upbeat.

There was mostly good news. The manager was impressed, but a little skeptical, when Andy told him about her warning and help. He wanted to verify her abilities, just to be able to say he had.

He presented her with a tray with a half dozen slides on it. She saw right away that there was a trick. In addition to the samples in the usual place at the center of the slide, one end of most of the slides was also contaminated. After another quick look, she changed her mind. It wasn't necessarily a trick.

"Um, the person who prepared these ... did he or she take a break partway through the batch?"

"Yes, he did." the manager answered in an odd voice.

He's the one who prepared them. Lena verified.

Ouch. This won't be fun.

"Well," she continued, hesitantly, "He didn't wash his hands very well after going to the bathroom. These four," she pointed, "Were handled at this end with unwashed hands. And he might want to see his doctor soon. He's developing a bladder infection."

She then went on to identify the formal samples, and sterilize the slides. And the contaminated parts of the tray.

Impressed, the manager went on to make the offer. He explained that they had five theaters in the Denver area. Her job would be to inspect each one at least once a month, and document and, if possible, neutralize danger spots. He knew that labor laws limited how much she would be able to work, especially after school started. He couldn't offer her much money, or much in the way of a title, but he could offer some benefits. In additional to health insurance and the like, she would get free movie passes and concessions.

He's willing to go salary, and a title of assistant manager. And he thinks he might be able to get manager, if he has to. But he really hopes you won't push that.

"I'd have to be at least a lead, or an assistant manager, to get them to take me seriously enough. And they'd know if I had anything less than the salary that went with the title."

He started to look worried, but she went on. "How about if we start me as a lead, with the salary and the perks we discussed, for the first month. Then, when they all see the value of this, you can justify the promotion."

He's thinking about it. But worried about whether it will work out.

"And if I don't prove the value of the whole thing, you can fire me. No hard feelings."

That seemed to settle it. They shook hands, and he gave her some forms to fill out.

She still had one reservation. "I'll have to clear it with my folks, first. But I don't think it will be any kind of a problem."

"I understand. Talk to them, and call me here tonight. If you can't reach me, let Andy know."

"Ok. And if it's yes, I'll get this stuff filled out and back to you."

"Great. Andy will show you out."

He thinks he did well in the negotiations, and he's happy with your suggestion. Now let me watch the movie!

"Your friends are in theater three, if you want to join them. The movie just started." At her nod, Andy walked her past the ticket taker and pointed the way. "You know, you could have gotten more for this."

"Yeah, but he wouldn't have been happy about it. A little compromise goes a long way."

"Ah, yes. She is wise beyond her years." He grinned. "Enjoy the movie."

She had no trouble finding her friends in the half empty theater. They were sharing a tub of popcorn, and they had saved her a seat beside Lena. They all enjoyed the movie (and the popcorn), and then it was time to go.

Lena knew what had happened, but Angel explained it to David. He thought it was a great idea. And he liked the idea of free movies. Angel apologized for not buying the popcorn, but he said that he came out ahead - the popcorn cost less than the movie ticket would have.

They got back on the subject of his fantasy morf, and Angel felt something click inside her. Somehow, she knew that she had just created a MORFS cocktail that would give him what he wanted.

"Too bad there isn't such a wishing place." He was saying.

Lena gave him an odd look. "Well, actually ... can you keep a really big secret?"

"Aw, come on Radar. You know I can."

"You remember Pope Hill?"

"Pope Hill?" Angel asked.

David explained. "Back at the end of the twentieth century, there was this huge gathering for Catholic youth here. The Pope came, and addressed them in a place set aside in the State Park that's by the reservoir."

"Which Pope?"

"Saint John Paul."

"No relation to George or Ringo," Lena snickered. The joke was ancient, and often fell flat when people didn't recognize the names.

"Anyhow, sometime later some of the people around here started calling one of the little hills in the park Pope Hill. Supposedly, that's where he did something." He turned to Lena. "So what about the hill?"

"There's something there." She said, with a tone of mystery.

"Yeah. A hill."

"No. Something more. Something I can sense and communicate with, a little."

"A ghost?"

"I don't think so. But something."

What's going on? Angel asked Lena.

A trial run for your scam. A biggie. she grinned. Then, out loud, "If you go there with me, you might just get your wish."

"Yeah, right."

"What have you got to lose?" Lena responded, just as Angel thought at her.

What's the plan?

We create the illusion that the place, rather than you, is responsible for the custom morfs. We use him as a dry run, then let him in on it after he recovers. He's smart, and those powers he wants could be useful.

Angel shrugged acknowledgement.

They went to Angel's house for some water bottles, then walked to the State Park. Lena and David knew where they were going. Angel just enjoyed the scenery. The hiking and bicycle trails were well marked and easy to follow.

They came to a small rise, with a historical marker. The marker was dated 2043, and was placed by a Catholic youth group to commemorate the 50th anniversary of an address by the sainted Pope. Angel took his arm and asked him "Are you sure you're ready for that change?"

"Sure, why not?" He answered flippantly. His body language and expression betrayed more emotion.

Lena gave her the details. He's torn between disbelief and hopeful excitement. Let's do it.

Pretending to stumble a little as a distraction, Angel used the hand on his arm to transfer the package her body had made for him. As she recovered from the "stumble", Lena got David's attention.

"Ok. I seem to work as a catalyst, here. I'm in contact with whatever it is here, but you need to do your part. Relax a little, and let your mind form an image of the new you. It has its standards and, as far as I can tell, some limits. If your request is too dangerous, it may be toned down or turned down. It can accept childish motives, like your peeking, but not malicious ones. Malicious requests can cause a nasty rebound." She started feeding him a very faint reaction which, if full blown, could become a sort of religious awe. She slowly ramped it up as she continued. "You may get all that you want or only part of it. The more you picture it, the clearer it becomes. You might get some sort of a feeling about it's response, as you continue to shape your vision. It says it is getting some of it, and it feels you will like what you get. It won't be exactly what you want, because of its limits. But you will find a few unexpected bonuses will more than make up for that." He was barely listening. Angel thought that his look was what they meant by beatific.

While all that was going on, Angel's little present was spreading through his body, preshaping the DNA changes and preparing him for the transformation. She estimated two days before he showed the usual fever and so on.

Lena said "Done!" sharply, and let the feeling drain away. Some remained, without any input from her.

"That was ... interesting." he commented, shaking his head. "Now what?"

"Now we go back to the house for a snack." Lena grinned. "All this walking has given me an appetite. Angel, do you have any more of those pancakes?"

"Sure. And some other stuff. Now I know I'll need that job. I'll need the money just to feed the gang." They all laughed, but Lena noticed an odd resonance with the word "gang". She left it alone for the time being.