Kats (conclusion)

This also amused and even seemed to delight her. "Now that would sure be boring, wouldn't it? No. There will be plenty of Kats, just to make sure the next phase of our plans come easily and without too much bloodshed."

"And what plans are those?"

She fanned her hands and calmly proclaimed, "The mass conversion of men into women."

Ron looked up and noted, "Except for those men who have agreed to help. Right?"

Both Kats turned to look at him and the talkative one gave a little nod of her head. "Of course. That is our arrangement. The same deal that we extend to Toby. Are you smart enough to take advantage of it?"

Toby pressed his lips together tightly, then slowly relaxed. "Do I have any sort of guarantee?"

She turned her head and sighed. "Want me to sign a paper?"

"Would you?" Toby folded his arms.

After tapping her lip gently with her finger, she stood up and said, "That's not really the way we work. But I can assure you that our intentions are not malicious. We just want what's good for the whole of humanity. Furthermore, you need not worry a moment about your sister, your mother, or your dear Aunt Gloria."

Toby clenched his hands to his side. "What about my dad and uncle and every man I've ever known?"

Her hands slid firmly to her hips. "They will all be better off with us around. There will be an adjustment period, but we intend to make that as…painless as possible. And I assure you that they will all be the same on the inside…just opened to brand new possibilities."

Toby cast his eyes towards the demurer of the two Kats. "Who was she before all this and who were you?"

The talkative Kat bent towards Toby, some of the amusement lessened in her features. "You seem more a man full of questions than a smart guy. But fair enough. I know just about everything about you."

She stepped back and spread her arms wide. "I was just a normal girl living a banal, average existence of emotional subsistence. My family had a clear idea of my goals for me and when I was going to burp out the first of their grandkids. They treated my college work as a bit of rounding for social gatherings. I was to marry soon and marry well. It was like a fucking 19th-century novel."

Her jaw tightened for a moment with her gaze focusing off of Toby like a laser beam into the wall. But the moment of tension soon passed. "However, that's no longer my future thanks to what being a Kat has brought me."

The cushion sunk too far in for Toby to get much of a leap. He doubted he could get a good move on her with the other watching him. And he had no idea of what method they used for conversion.

Leaning back in the couch, he asked her, "So, how did you become a Kat?"

She held up a palm and clutched her fingers. "Two previous Kats came to my house. They'd known about my distress and worries. They understood what it meant to be under social pressures. They offered the possibility of rewriting all the rules. I accepted immediately. And I was surprised by how simple it all was. One breath, a simple, depressed girl. Next breath, a radiant one empowered by purpose with bright hair as a badge of honor."

Edging his way out from the deep part of the couch, Toby turned his attention back to the other Kat. He pressed her on her introduction.

Brushing at her short hair, her mouth undulated before she spoke. Her voice was softer and much weaker-sounding than the other Kat. "It wasn't too long ago. And I'd rather focus on the future with helping…my fellow Kats with their goals for the good of humanity." Her words came out a bit monotone to Toby.

Focusing on the quiet Kat, Toby asked bluntly, "You were a guy when they changed you into a Kat, weren't you?"

Her silence was confirmation enough for Toby. The other Kat moved between them and cleared her throat loudly. "There. You have our answers. We're quite happy with how things are, and so will be everyone else when we're done. Now, what is your answer?"

Toby crackled his knuckles a little and looked down at the floor. He could just see the black cord of the lamp on the table next to the couch. Ron coughed. After a moment, he glanced up at the long-haired Kat and told her, "How should I give you my answer?"

She raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "How? Just simply say you're honored to join our efforts."

Toby leaned so he was right next to the table with the lamp. From his angle, the two Kats were almost overlapped. "I mean…I'm kinda thinking about how I should say it…because I could just say "never on your life" or "screw you" but probably the clearest is just this…" He held up his middle finger.

Before she could huff her dissatisfaction, Toby reached around and picked up the lamp. The cord came out with a single tug and the lamp sailed towards and just over both Kats. Despite his feelings, Toby had no intent to actually hit them and figured this was a better distraction.

The lean to the left also lifted him off the couch and had him moving towards the door. He kept a close eye on his side for Ron. Seeing that he was still over by the table, Toby took off and ran. On his way, he yanked down the fire alarm in the hallway.

The ear-piercing shriek consumed all other sounds. He kept going, eyeing the door a moment for any trick or trap there. The bar was unlatched and the chain was off. He easily flung it open and slammed it closed behind him. Then he picked the nearest section of hallway and kept running.

The other apartment doors were starting to open with confused people poking their heads out. Toby used them as obstacles between himself and any unseen pursuers.

It didn't take long till he was huffing down the steps to the ground level. Once outside, he weaved between some freshly-planted trees and staggered into the parking lot of the apartment complex.

He rubbed his shoulder and darted a hand down to where he'd been injected. There were no strange or worrying sensations.

His eyes darting around for brightly-toned redheads, he made his way onto the sidewalk. A couple cars passed by on the street. He looked back to the apartment, expecting that the Kats would run out after him any moment, or at least Ron would.

Shuffling around on the sidewalk, Toby stuck out his thumb. The cars kept rolling by. He thought about standing in the middle of the street. He could make a car stop, but he had no idea what he'd tell the driver. He knew yelling, 'It's the Kats! They're after all of us! They're everywhere!' would sound crazy.

Edging away, Toby finally managed to get a small, red sedan to stop by the curb just past him. He darted over, leaned in the window, and froze.

The girl next to him on the passenger side and the girl driving both had that strange, raspberry tone of red hair. They turned at the same moment to look him in the eye. His legs shook as he took his hands off the car.

The girl nearest him leaned through the open window, smiled, and asked, "Can we help you?"

Trying to keep himself from falling to the ground, Toby shook his head and said, "No. Forget it."

The driver leaned as well and asked, "Are you sure we can't help?"

Toby grit his teeth and raised his voice. "No. I don't need help!"

The girls kept their smiles as the nearest one answered, "All right then. See you soon. By the way…nice hair." The car slowly drove off.

A sick feeling rising from his gut, Toby tugged on a strand of his hair. Instead of Meg Ryan locks, a bright, colorful mass of red hair glowed in his vision. Batting at it did nothing to restore it.

His heart racing, his only thought was to run and keep running. But, as he ran through the nearby park, something seemed to accelerate inside him. A strange tingle flowed across his skin, followed by a sudden chill.

Clinging to a nearby tree, he looked down and saw that his skin was smoother than normal. Moving had none of the usual, abrasive feedback.

Pushing those sensations aside, he kept going.

Next, his clothes began to feel loose around his waist and his shoes began to slap as he walked, as though they were too large for his feet. Reaching under a billowing shirt, he tightened his belt as much as he could and it still wasn't enough.

Roughly, he tied it so it would hold.

His winded grunts felt so small as he squeezed them out.

Across the park, he could see the communication tower of the local police station. The only goal he could see, he aimed towards it and kept moving, ignoring all things behind and around him.

An extra motion of his chest, not much but more than normal, was also easily ignored with the looseness of his shirt.

He put aside all other sensations except the station growing ever larger in his vision.

Toby pushed his feet forward through his shoes so they wouldn't fall off. His steps ground and scuffed their way like each motion was a battle.

He pushed up the steps and through the glass door.

At the front desk, a man with a Telly Savalas-level of baldness clicked the keys of his computer and slowly turned to look at Toby.

Panting and holding back the new sensations all over his body, Toby staggered to the chair in front of the officer and felt hot tears flowing over his smooth cheeks.

"You gotta help me. These…people they threatened me. And they injected me…"

The officer rushed around the desk and stretched out a hand to Toby's shoulder. "My God. Let me help you. Come on."

Led by the officer's thick, muscular hand, Toby made his way over to a chair beside a desk. The officer kept his hand on Toby's shoulder as he asked, "Do you need anything, Miss? Water? Restroom?"

The quick, barely spoken 'Miss' sent a shudder through Toby. He nodded and said, "Yes…please."

The officer guided Toby to the ladies' room. Once the door was latched, Toby knew all he needed to know from his hands searching his clothes.

Her breasts, faintly revealed through her oversized shirt as she peered into the mirror, were about the same size as the Kats.

Her hair was the same style as before but raspberry red. Some aspects of her face were still her own but forcibly reshaped by an outside hand.

After ignoring any need for the toilet and splashing some water in her face, Toby returned to the concerned officer.

The officer stayed with Toby and tried to get more details. She gave her name and accepted cups of water graciously but didn't know what to say.

He didn't push her. He looked her in the eyes and assured her, "It's gonna be okay. They're gonna send over a special investigator to help you if you can't remember or you don't feel safe to say what happened. But, you're safe now."

Toby looked back at him, feeling so small and frail. Despite all she'd been through, Toby felt an ease come over her. She let herself breathe and her heart rate slowed.

After she finished her fourth cup of water, the officer, who was seated opposite her, looked up and smiled as he announced, "Here she is."

Toby turned to look.

Standing before them, in a blue and white suit, was the special investigator. She approached with a smile and her hand outstretched.

Her hair was long and bright, raspberry red.

"Hi. I'm here to help. You can call me Officer Kat."