Guest Post by Zach!
All these thoughts flowed though my mind was we drove down the 2 lane on a warm summer evening. My best friend Mike, or I guess I should say Toby, had his legs dangling over the edge of the tailgate as I let my head hang out and watched the clouds go by with the wind whipping my blond hair.
It'd been a couple of days and we were settling in nicely to our new lives. Mike and I were best buds for over 30 years- since college. We sort of grew old together. we missed the adventure of our younger days, we were two successful businessmen, both divorced and kids grown. We were in our fifties, at the peak of our careers, didn't have anything to prove to anyone. Looking ahead was more of the same - neither of us worked that hard any more and retirement would just be more of the same. One day I got a call from a business acquaintance of mine, he was working on a start up and I had expressed some of my concerns of growing stagnant to him. He said I might be a perfect candidate for what he was working on. He told me I might want to bring my friend Mike and meet with him if I was interested in a challenge.
I set an appointment and took Mike with me to the new offices of NYI. It was a fairly small facility, but all very high tech. Tom Phelps ushered us into his inner office and offer us a drink. He had some damn good 25 year Scotch, and I sipped it as we got over the pleasantries. Then he hit us with a question -"Do you know what is wrong with the world today?" Mike and I looked at each other we could both think of a number of things, in fact we had discussed that over dinner a few weeks ago. We both looked at Tom waiting for him to answer his own question. "Kids." he said flatly. "They have no motivation, no desire for success like we did." I thought about it for a second, when I got out of college I was raring to go, do the corporate thing get married, have a few kids and live the good life. I don't know if I totally agreed with his premise, but there was some truth to the statement.
He went on, "We need a reboot. I think the two of you are perfect candidates." Mike and I looked at each other, we both raised our eyebrows at the same time, I knew Mike well enough to know he was thinking what the hell did I get him in to. Tom continued "What I'm, we actually, are looking for are aggressive self starting proven professionals to kick things back into high gear. You'll get a new lease on life and a chance to prove yourselves all over again. And if you do well, again and again." Mike started to get up, he nodded to me to join him heading for the door. "Wait guys, hear me out -" Tom motioned for Mike to sit back down. I spoke up, "OK Tom, get to the point."
Tom looked over to me, "OK, we've lined up a number of young folks who pretty much are drifting and have no ambition. They see life as pointless in their minds and are willing to jump forward." "Jump forward?" I asked. Tom looked at me and Mike, not quite sure if he should continue, took a breath and continued "We developed a technology to transfer consciousness from one person to another. We have done a lot of beta testing and our process is solid and safe." Mike spoke up, "Mitch, lets get out of here, this guy is nuts." "No, No wait-- let me finish my proposal" Tom said hurriedly.
Mike and I looked at each other. I shrugged and sat back down. Tom continued,"What I'm proposing is you swap places with a young 20 something college kid, and he you. He can coast in your body and life and you get to relive all the challenge and excitement of starting over. There are a couple of options, we can do a direct transfer where you're you just in a younger body, or a blend. With a blend you get the knowledge and experience of the younger candidate along with your life experience and knowledge." Mike and I looked at each other dumbstruck, "This, this transfer is really possible?" Mike asked. Tom nodded yes.
"We've done about a dozen placements to this point, all without complication and we are looking to expand the program. There are risks, but they are minimal. After the exchange we will set you up with a small stipend to help you get started again, but you really will be on your own, and your life will be truly in your hands all over again. Most of these kids are in their 5th year of college and we know student loans can be a great deterrent to success, so we will arrange a forgivable 5 year loan to pay off your new identities debt if needed. In effect you will start over with a clean slate." Tom let his comments sink in. " We asked the two of you here because we have found starting over works much much better when you have a friend, a confidant to share the experience with." Tom looked and Mike and me,"Take a day and think it over, discuss it between yourselves, but you know this has to remain only between us." Tom got up, shook our hands and ushered us out.
Mike and I rode in the back of my limo in stunned silence. I turned it over in my mind, a do over? There was a certain attractiveness to that, part of me felt a sense of adventure I had not felt in some time. "So, what are your thoughts?" I asked Mike. "Shit, I don't know, there are so many questions." Mike replied. We sat in silence for a bit more of the drive. "Not so much." I finally said. "What do you mean? There is a hell of a lot to consider." Mike replied. "It comes down do you have the guts to do it. Do you have the self assurance to know you can take a life and make a success out of it again staring from next to nothing." I said. Mike just looked at me, I could tell he was mulling it over. "So.... You're considering it?" He looked at me with a questioning look. "I, we'd, be fools not to consider it. Look at us, we've made it - what the hell have we got to prove to anyone? Our kids and ex wives don't really need us, they just need our money. Your kids are just like mine, coasting. They grew up with money, and know they will never really have to make it on their own. We created a trust fund generation and we are not even dead." The more I talked them more I made my mind up, "Fuck yes, I'd like to show my kids how it's done." I thought to myself.
"Listen, I'm in." I said to Mike. "I want to do this with you. We could be room-mates again like we were all those years ago. We had a fuckin' good time back then. We can do it over and show our asshole kids how it's done." Truth is our kids were not that bad but we both had long discussions with them trying to get the point across that they need to succeed on their own merits, they were struggling but we both hoped they'd find their way. Between us we had 5 kids and only one showed a spark of ambition.
Mike looked at me long and hard. I could guess what he was thinking, having basically been brothers for 30 some years there was not much we didn't know about each other. We walked to the elevators to my penthouse still in silence. As soon as I opened the door Mike went to the bar and poured each of us a stiff drink. " So you really want to do this? Give all this up for some shithole apartment?" he said sweeping his hands around the penthouse. I looked around. There were things, very expensive and exquisite things, but in the end just things. Trophies of a life well lived, but being well lived made it in the past tense.
I studied my drink. Looking up I said to Mike "You know, for the first time in a long time, I feel a sense of excitement. We both have a lot, but in a way we have nothing. Our wives and kids moved on for the most part, and while there is an occasional relationship, we both know those women are really only interested in our money." He gave me a knowing glance. I continued " If we reboot this and start with crap anyone that is interested in us will be interested truly in US." I emphasized the last word to make my point. " And regardless of what happens we'll have each other, you've been like my brother for 30 some years, if we get another 50 or 60 there is no one else I'd rather spend it with.
"So, you made up your mind." Mike said a little flatly. I could see he still hadn't made the commitment. "I wont do it with out you." I said matter of factly. "I have to sleep on it" Mike said setting his empty glass down. Silently he got up and walked to the door. He paused, "You really think we can do this? Walk away for everything and every one?" he looked deep into my eyes only as someone that has know you all their life can do. "Yes." was all I said.
I don't know if either of us slept well that night. Me, my mind was filled with possibilities, knowing Mike his thoughts of possibilities were tempered with apprehension. Deep down I knew him well enough that he would take the leap with me if I committed, and I had. Money and possessions did not mean much in the long run. Sure as we got older they helped a lot, but there was a sense of optimism and adventure when you are young and not having a lot of money doesn't stifle that. Back then sleeping on the floor in a dumpy apartment we didn't give it a thought, now we would never consider not having concierge service.
Dawn came and as expected a phone call from Mike. " So you really want to do this? he asked again. "Yup." is all I said and hung up. A little over an hour later there was a knock at my door. I opened it, " So you're in?" I asked, Mike nodded, "No reservations?" "A few, but not enough to stop me." he said giving me a bear hug. "Lets do this, how do we get started?" I pulled Tom's card out of my pocket, and called his cell. "We're in." I said. Tom agreed to meet with us later in the morning and start us on our journey . Before I hung up I said "By the way, how soon can this happen? "As soon as you want." was the reply.
It was just before 11:00AM when we were ushered into Tom's office. We got a warm welcome, Tom looked at both of us "So, you are comfortable doing this? Starting over?" Mike and I looked at each other, then back at Tom and nodded. "OK then, lets get to it." He handed us each a think folder. Inside we found bios, stats, and pictures of young men and a few women, there had to be oven 50. "All these guy's are willing to pass up the middle section of their lives? That easily? Really?" Tom nodded. As I looked through the folder I mentally edited the files as Tom, Mike and I chatted. After about 45 minutes I had narrowed it down to 5 possibilities. I looked at Mike, apparently he had done the same. "OK men, I'll let you work through the possibilities, I'll be back in an hour or so, feel free to enjoy my bar." Tom said as he got up and left.
Mike and I went to the bar, poured a drink and went over to a large table over by the windows. We spread out our picks. Mike and I had 2 picks in common, We discussed it and both decided we did not want to have any conflicts, so we both discarded those. We also found we had the same criteria in avoid men with large families and significant others. Of the 3 remaining candidates in each of our folders we found a pair with one thing in common - they were brothers. Mike had put Toby Martin in his folder and I had put Seth Martin in my folder Toby was a year older than Seth, but both were tall, lanky and blond - a distinct difference from our current dark completions. All they had in the world was each other, their folks had died a few years back. They had a few distant relatives, but they did have a small trust fund to get them through college. Physically they were in good shape, a bit of muscle, no bad habits, no medical issues, a relativity high IQ, but they were both a bit of a slacker.
Mike and I discussed it at some length and we didn't notice Tom returning, "Did you make up your minds?" he asked. We indicated we had and gave him the files. "Interesting choice." he said. "Why?" Mike inquired. "Our past clients opted not to be that close, but I get the feeling the two of you will be quite comfortable having each other as a brother. I think it's a perfect fit for you two." "So, what's next?" I inquired. "You need to decide on how to handle your current situation. Do you want the transferee's to have complete control of your lives to do as they please, or would you like to put everything in trust and give them minimal control?" Mike and I looked at each other for a second and we both knew we wanted to protect what we had built and there was not question, we wanted things in trust. "Trusts" we said in unison. "OK, I'll put you in touch with some of our lawyers, they are experts at setting this up, of course you need to have your own legal teams go over it too, just to make sure you are comfortable with the specifications. It would not hurt to explain you've decided to "retire" or some such thing to avoid questions." Tom said as he ushered us to the suite of offices where the legal experts would meet with us next.
The next week seemed to fly by. Lots of questions were asked, Mike and I both were circumspect and did not give too many specifics. We both gave variations of "We want to try something new" to those that asked. Our kids and ex's as well as our "new" selves were set for life, we both knew we were well off but we both were stunned when the final figures came in. We tossed the idea around about giving Seth and Toby a gift, but Tom said that would link them to us and us to them and told us that was a very bad idea. I said to Mike that after all was this not a test to see if we could make it all over again? So we both decided not to have any contact with our old lives in any way. After the last of the documents were signed we let it be know that we were taking some time off and we'd be away for a while. This would give Seth and Toby a bit of time to adjust to their older lives. The current Seth and Toby would have no such problems was it was summer recess and classes were out.
The day of the exchange we both approached Tom's office a bit nervously. He said we had a few more decisions to make and we needed to meet and finalize a few things. "Well, the big question is how do you want to handle the exchange. Do you want a basic exchange or do you want a blend?" he looked at us waiting for an answer. Mike and I looked at each other, "We thought long and hard about this, we decided to do the blend." I said, Mike concurred. Tom stood there looking at us, "Good choice. Physically you will be them, mannerisms, sexuality and so on - that is a biological given. We found the most successful exchanges were the ones with the blend. As you know it's a one way trip, stepping into a life with your old memories and personalities can be difficult. With the blend that really softens it so to speak. Your knowledge and experience and memories will be intact as I told you, but they will be a bit more in the background. It will take you a bit of time to sort through the aspects of you and your new body, in the end you wont be the Seth and Toby that exist today, and you wont' be the Mitch and Mike that exist today - but a new hopefully more ambitious Seth and Toby. Since you opted for the blend that happens to the transferee's into your bodies too. They will be able to function as you for the most part, we know it works out well for all involved."
At that point he smiled, shook our hands and took us to a large room filled with all kinds of machinery and computers. "We'll talk when you wake." he said and turned an left. A team of very professional people quickly began prepping us. We stripped our clothes and laid on a gurney. A nurse came and inserted and IV. We were rolled into separate rooms with dim lighting, I nodded to Mike as we went out of each others sight. He gave me a thumb's up sign. The nurse injected something into the IV bag, she told me I'd be feeling sleepy in a few moments, that was true - before long I was out.
I became aware of a humming and I was quite groggy. It was difficult to move too much, but I did manage to open my eyes a bit. The room seemed quite bright to me, but it was just me getting used to my surroundings. I could see a bed off in the distance with a form in it. I fell back asleep. I heard someone calling Seth, Seth as they rubbed my arm. I slowly woke up, this time more alert. " Did it work?" I heard a strange voice ask. That was me! My voice! It was soft and kind of deep, not what I expected, but then I did not give that too much thought. " Is Mike, OK?" I heard it again, this time I noticed I had a bit of a soft southern accent. "Toby is fine." the nurse said, "He'll be in soon. How do you feel?" that as a tough question. I felt good, strong, alert, but very different than I had before. Everything sounded odd, off somehow. As I looked around my vision was sharp, but again everything looked slightly off. Colors were richer and hues a bit different. "Don't worry, you'll adjust to your new sensations quickly, can you get up?" I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, the nurse held out a hand and I stood up. I was tall! I brushed the hair out of my eyes, and took a tentative step. I felt steady and the nurse let go of my arm. I took a few more steps and made my way over to the mirror. Fuck! Look at me! 20 years old, tall, long blond hair, decent build! Somehow in the back of my mind I really didn't believe it was possible, it was some elaborate joke, but here I was.
There was a knock on the door, and Mike or should I say Toby came it. "hey little bro, how they hangin'?" he said. I smirked, " Just fine Bro!" He came up and gave me a big brother hug. At that point Tom walked in, " How you boys doing?" his voice sounded different but familiar. I looked at Toby/Mike and shrugged, "OK, I guess" with that little drawl. All these mannerisms felt right and wrong at the same time. "It'll take a bit of time but it wont be long when all this feels natural. Get some rest, you boy's can go home tomorrow." Home. An image of a small apartment flashed into my mind, only to be replaced by an memory of my penthouse. What had I, we gotten our selves into. My big brother slapped my back " Let's git something to eat and think through things." For some reason I felt myself deferring to my brother. "OK, I am hungry..". So we sat and talked over some passable hospital type food, soon we were both tired and went back to our shared room. We both fell asleep quickly.
Before we knew it it was morning. I woke first, took a pee, very strange using my new dick. I looked in the mirror saw my scruffy beard, and long hair, the Seth part of me liked it, Mitch not so much, I decided we'll have to work on that. I stripped looking at my new body closely this time. Noticing the freckles, and a few scars. I had vague memories associated with the scars, I decided I wanted them to be part of the new me, I was Seth after all. I got in the shower and let the warm water flow over me. It felt good, right. I quickly jerked off, without giving a thought to the action. Seth, again. Thoughts of pert little breasts filled my mind, then of long thick dicks. I realized Seth, I, was Bi. No issue there, the Seth part of me knew it was pretty common now days and He/I was cool and open with it. As I finished cleaning up the mess I make in the shower I heard Toby peeing, " Morn'in Bro" he drawled, fuck - we really sound alike! I finished showering, had a little mental battle but got rid of the scruff, at least for now, brushed my teeth, and turned over the bathroom to Toby. He went through pretty much the same thing as me, except I knew he was straight, at least the Seth part of me did.
I got dressed in some old jeans and a T, tossed on some well worn Chuck's. By the time I was dressed Toby was doing the same. Tom knocked on the door, "You boys decent?" he asked, for the first time I realized he had an accent. "Yes, sir" I replied, odd - for the old Mitch, but not so much for Seth. "I got your IDs, your tickets back to California and a bit of cash to help you get started." He said Seth and Toby had set up a meet with a friend to pick them up at the airport, "Tucker" popped into my head, "After this you'll be on your own. I've scheduled a meet with both of you a year from now to see how you're progressing, I hope to see some real improvement in you two. Good Luck!" he said shaking our hands as he left. I looked at Toby, his bright blue eyes filled with energy, " Let's hit it Bro" Mike seemed to be adjusting a bit quicker than me. "Fine, we should be home for dinner." I said.
The trip home was uneventful, got to say it was odd flying coach, folding my long legs into the tight seating. Nobody gave us a second look, no attention, nothing like it used to be when I flew. I knew it would be a long time before I'd get on a plane again, can't do much on a student's part time earnings. Before long we were back in Northern Cali, it was a warm summer evening. Tucker had dropped the top off his Jeep, I sat in the back, leaning out looking at the evening sky, Toby hung his feet out doing much the same. I knew my bro well enough to know what he was thinking - " This is the life, no responsibilities, no worry's, smoke a little weed and get laid, who could ask for more."......
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