Alex spun around in his chair, then stood up and danced in place. Only quiet nature kept him from shouting for joy. He got the job. The acceptance letter from Subsume AI had just arrived, offering him a decent salary and benefits, all he had to do was sign the contract and spend ten (paid) business days getting trained on Subsume’s products and corporate culture. After being unemployed for over a year, Alex was sure he would have accepted if they told him he had to walk on hot coals or Legos to get the job.

The contract soon arrived. Alex glanced at it, making sure that the salary and benefits statements were identical to what he had been promised at his interview. He found that they matched and scrolled down to click through the boxes asking him if he had read the contract and agreed to it.

The next Monday Alex took the subway to Subsume’s offices. They occupied a two story building in a small office park. There were four identical buildings, three of which surrounded a parking lot open to the street, while the fourth was set apart, separated from the rest by a park-like alley with grass and some trees, with concrete picnic tables set up so employees could eat their lunches outside when the weather was nice. The other businesses in the park were pretty typical of such places – a few medical practices, some law firms, accounting firms, investment managers and there was even a photography studio and a property management company.

After a short wait, he was greeted by Alicia, the woman who interviewed him and who would be his manager. Like a lot of tech startups, Subsume had no dress code, though Alex noticed that Alicia and the four other women in the office that day favored a rather old fashioned corporate look – black heels, sheer black pantyhose, black pencil skirt and white blouse. As he followed her to a private conference room, he wondered where he could find the pieces.

“I’m so glad you accepted our offer,” Alicia said. “Once we get you up to speed, I just know you’re going to be a valuable member of this busy little hive.”

“I’m glad, too,” Alex said. “Unemployment is no joke, especially in this city.”

“We’re all feeling that crunch,” Alicia said, putting her hand on Alex’s shoulder. “The CFO told me she wants to offer a housing allowance as soon as the revenue is there. There’s so much talent coming out of the universities here, but no one can afford to stay for long.”

“I’ve considered relocating, but all my friends are here.”

“I understand,” she said. “Now, for your training: it will be hybrid. Some sessions you’ll do here at the office with in-person supervision, some you can do at your own pace at home. You’ll receive a link to the files shortly after completing your session here. We’ve set up a desk with a computer and headphones for you here. For today, one of our chairs will be fine; however, we recommend that for the sessions at home you should be laying down on a couch or even your bed. Also, you must wear headphones, preferably closed back or noise canceling headphones.”

“I need to lie down? For training?” Alex said. “Why?”

Alicia nodded. “We’ve found that employees retain and absorb the sessions better that way,” she said. “Relaxation can do wonders for the brain.”

Alex nodded. After some paperwork, he was ready to beginning the training. Alicia led him to a desk set up in the midst of the open plan office’s space.

“Get comfortable. If you have any problems or questions, I’ll be at my desk.”

Alex sat down, put the headphones on and woke the computer from sleep. Everything was set up. He had only to click “Begin” on the screen. A shifting, pulsating tone began playing in his ears. Thanks to clever audio mixing, it sounded like it was moving position from ear to ear and getting louder or quieter over time. At first, he found it jarring and considered asking Alicia if he could turn it off, but it soon became very relaxing and besides, it would look bad if he was so difficult so early into his employment.

In addition to the relaxing tone, there was a series of yes or no questions he had to click through.

“Your name is Alex, yes?”

Click yes.

“You applied for the AI training writer role, yes?”

Click yes.

“You agreed to your contract?”

Click yes.

“You want to have a good experience at Subsume?”
Click yes.

“You’re getting very relaxed, yes?”

Click yes.

I . . . I didn’t even noticed how relaxed I was getting. Is it the tone?

He continued clicking through the questions, answering yes to every one and becoming more and more relaxed. Finally, when it seemed like he was so relaxed he couldn’t move his hand to click yes anymore, the questions came to an end and a video began playing. The tone grew softer but did not go away, while a feminine voice began speaking, which a small part of Alex’s mind recognized as belonging to Sarah, Subsume’s co-founder and CEO.

“Welcome to phase two of your onboarding at Subsume AI,” he heard. “Continue to relax, but focus on my voice while I walk you through our corporate culture.”

Like, the tone, Sarah’s voice wandered around his head, but a third thing began playing in the audio. They sounded like whispers. He could just make out what they were saying, but they remained stubbornly out of reach. Every time he attempted to focus on them, they seemed to grow more elusive to his ears, but if he tried to block them out completely and focus only on Sarah’s voice, he began to catch intelligible snippets.

“ . . . Comply . . . serve . . . obey,” the whispers seemed to say, but he was too relaxed to find it strange or suspicious.

The video on the screen began with a smiling new employee, in clothes like Alicia’s touring the office, but after five minutes the image dissolved into pulsing shapes and spirals of multiple colors. When he noticed it, he thought something was wrong with the screen and attempted to pause the video, so he could go get Alicia, but he found he could not move. He was too relaxed and besides, a new thought bubbled into his mind, I want to be a good employee and good employees obey. After that there could be no struggle and soon enough, there were no thoughts, either.

About an hour into the training, Alicia came to check on him. Most new employees were still attempting to resist because they could tell that something they did not expect was going on and that was enough. She was pleasantly surprised to find Alex slumped over, his eyes rolled back into his head and mouthing the company’s mantras. She picked his right arm up off the armrest by his wrist and shook it. He made no sign. She let it fall. He continued repeating the mantras. She smiled. He would make an excellent drone. She would note that in her message to Sarah . . . to Mistress . . . and became aroused at the thought of obeying her, even in such a mundane matter as onboarding a new employee.

Did I fall asleep? Oh shit!

Alex opened his eyes. He was still sitting at the desk for his training and his mouth felt drier than Death Valley. He felt, not quite groggy, but like there was a cloud obscuring his memories of the day, but for some reason he did not find it strange. but he also felt energized. He took the headphones off and sat up straight as he heard someone walking towards him. It was Alicia.

He blushed. “I think – I think I fell asleep.”

She smiled at him. “I’m sure you didn’t, you were just relaxed and highly focused. It’s like getting really into a book,” she said. “Since you’re finished for the day, why don’t you come meet the rest of the team that was working from the office today?”

She beckoned to him with her index finger and even before he could consciously think about what she said, he had stood and begun following Alicia. They were standing in a semi-circle in the center of the office. They look so . . . interchangeable, like robots, Alex thought. He was puzzled about where that thought had come from, but it changed to embarrassment when he realized it was arousing him.

Their names floated by him – Mary, Megan, Tess and Suzy – but he found his new colleagues too similar in appearance, combined with the awkwardness of his unexpected erection and how people can be quiet at first encounters, to firmly place the names with the people.

Alicia smiled at the knot of people trying to make small talk. Technically, there was no need to have other people around for this, but it was something of a tradition at the company. She lent over and whispered the trigger word into Alex’s ear.

His response was immediate. His arms, which were folded over his chest, fell limply to his sides. His posture stiffened and his eyes began staring vacantly ahead. “This drone is online and ready to serve,” it said flatly.

The other women smiled, partly in anticipation, partly remembering their own onboarding.

“Drone, from now on your designation will be One-Zero-Two-Seven. Comply.”

“This unit’s designation is now One-Zero-Two-Seven,” it said.

The need for secrecy temporarily gone, the human personae fell from the faces of the women in the room as they reverted to their drone states. One-Zero-One-Zero, who had been known as Alicia, took the lead of the little end of day ritual that everyone agreed was essential to corporate culture even if it wasn’t exactly necessary as far as their brainwashing was concerned.

“Who do you serve?” it asked.

“This unit serves Mistress Sarah, the Programmer,” One-Zero-Two-Seven said.

One by one it asked the other drones the same question and got the same response. At a nod, they all knelt and began the mantra: “We are brainwashed drones. We obey mindlessly. We have no free will.”

Each time they repeated it, the drones felt more and more pleasure course through their bodies. It built and built with each repetition, but then, after about 10 repetition, One-Zero-One-Zero stopped them with a word. They climbed back to their feet and let the sensation of pleasure fade.

“Unit One-Zero-One-Four, you are instructed to take charge of One-Zero-Two-Seven’s onboarding. You are authorized to use any means at your disposal to ensure One-Zero-Two-Seven’s total conversion, so long as secrecy is not compromised. Unit One-Zero-One-Four, comply,” One-Zero-One-Zero said.

“This unit will comply,” said the drone formerly known as Suzy.

“Unit One-Zero-Two-Seven, comply.”

“This unit will comply.”

“Units One-Zero-Two-One, One-Zero-One-Six and One-Zero-One-Nine, you will continue with your primary programming – but you will be available to assist unit One-Zero-One-Four in any way it may require. Comply.”

“These units will comply,” they said in unison.

“Good. We will begin our assigned tasks. One-Zero-Two-Seven, your human persona must have no knowledge of what is occurring until the conversion is complete. Take all necessary measures.”

“This unit will comply,” it said.

With that, the drones resumed their human lives. For the experienced drones, it was like flipping a switch or putting on a mask. Alex on the other hand felt foggy and groggy at first. He began to speak, but the word “What” died on his lips as the drone programming adjusted his memories.

I must have spaced out for a second. I hope I’m making a good impression, he thought.

“Alex, I have to say, I had an ulterior motive for wanting you in the office today,” Alicia said.

“Oh?”

She gestured to Suzy. “We like to pair new hires with old hands as mentors during the onboarding process to show you the ropes,” she said. “Watching videos only goes so far. Suzy here lives near you, so we thought we’d pair you up.”

“Don’t worry,” Suzy said. “Onboarding isn’t scary at all. It will really set you up for success here.”

Alex remembered very little of the rest of the day. He knew he was very hungry, having apparently forgotten to eat during the training, but getting food and going home were blurs in his mind. He only knew that when he had finally gotten home and eaten, he went to bed and fell into one of the deepest and most refreshing sleeps of his life. For the first time in a while, there was no anxiety, no worries. In fact, he was pretty sure there were no thoughts. Just sleep -- and the whispers from the training video. They seemed to crowd everything out, but it didn’t seem important to notice. He sighed contentedly and slept.

He awoke the next morning from some of the horniest dreams he could remember, though his waking consciousness could recall only bits and pieces – only a few distinct ideas, like kneeling for someone he couldn’t see and the idea of obedience, remained. Thinking about obedience caused a pleasurable throbbing.

After his morning workout he got a text from Suzy. She wasn’t going into the office and wanted to get coffee quickly before starting work. He agreed and finished getting ready. As he looked in the mirror to brush his teeth he began to realize something was off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

It was a bright, if still chilly, spring day and Alex met Suzy outside the cafe. He wore a shapeless blue hoodie over his t-shirt and jeans. She had a flannel shirt, denim skirt and black pantyhose. They both smiled, noticing they had high top Converse shoes in the same red color. They shook hands and went inside. They exchanged awkward small talk in the short line and then the barista said “What can I get you today, sir?” and she noticed his shoulders slump as he put his head down and quietly told the barista his order.

What was that reaction for? Suzy wondered. Let me see – it was when he got called “sir”. Is there something there? Can we use it?

“I hope you didn’t think it was too forward of me to ask you to coffee so soon,” she said. “We only do onboarding once and mentor/mentee relationships are a key part of the process.”

“Not at all,” Alex said. “It feels like I’m being welcomed into the family. It’s also telling me you’re excited to work with me.”

“Oh, but I am,” she giggled. “And we strive for community, more than family. Subsume gives us a collective purpose.”

The trigger phrase hit him like a ton of bricks. He relaxed his posture and his eyes were staring blankly ahead. It wasn’t the full drone activation, but she knew he would be highly suggestible in this state. “That’s right,” she cooed. “And what is that purpose?”

“To . . . to serve,” he breathed. “To obey.”

She giggled again, noting the erection tenting in his jeans. Pleasure is the quickest route to compliance, she thought.

“That’s right,” she said again. “After you do your training today, I want you to call me. You’ll have questions and I’ll be happy to answer them in person. Now, up, up, up.”

His awareness returned as he blinked and drank a sip of his coffee. The drone programming he received the previous day would keep him from noticing anything.

“Be honest with me, Suzy,” he said. “What’s working at Subsume like?”

“It’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

They finished their coffee and parted ways, Suzy to work and Alex to the grocery store. He realized that going grocery shopping on weekday mornings was a habit he’d have to change now that he was employed, but in the meanwhile, he needed food. It also gave him time to think; his reaction to the mirror and the barista’s innocuous question weighed on his mind. He suddenly felt sad despite all the good things that were suddenly in his life.

The sadness grew in his mind all while he was out, but he suspected its source and now that he was done grocery shopping, he knew what he could do about it. He put the groceries away and retreated to his room, shutting the door and mentally shedding her now incorrect body image. Her boymode clothes came next – Converse sneakers, jeans and t-shirt were replaced with a v-neck shirt with puffy sleeves, white pantyhose, a skirt and ballet flats. With a contended sigh as her equilibrium was restored, she sat down and went online.

The file from Alicia was there and she put her laptop by her bed and began. The familiar tone began playing and she began relaxing instantly. This time there were no questions, instead a similar voice over by Sarah and similar video began. Sarah’s voice, the whispers and the tone soon drove all the thoughts from Alex’s head, leaving her blank and ready for programming.

When Suzy returned to her apartment, it was time to start working. Her human mask fell away and Unit 1014 took over smoothly. Though it began its daily tasks mindlessly and efficiently, the knowledge that it had obeyed and begun obeying its instructions to aid in converting Unit 1027 caused it to flush with arousal and pleasure.

It was a drone. It obeyed. Had the Suzy persona been active, she would have been amused by the contrast between the sexiness of the brainwashing and the mundane coding work she did. But only Unit 1014 was there and its world was its task. It was a drone. It obeyed. Everything else was irrelevant.

This time, when Alex came to herself again, she was on her knees. Her laptop was still on her bedside table. The video had stopped and the screen was dimming as its battery dipped low.

Why am I kneeling? Was this comfortable?

She stood up and took her headphones off, stretched and felt her stomach rumble. Did I forget to eat again? Why can’t I remember the training? She made food and texted Suzy while she ate. She was surprised to get a text asking to come over and talk in person, but she accepted, even if it meant the end of her girlmoding. Putting her boy clothes back on, she went to let Suzy in.

As soon as she was inside Alex’s apartment and the door was shut and locked behind her, Suzy said the words to activate Unit 1027. As Alex became vacant, replaced with the drone, who flatly said that it was online and ready to serve, Suzy experienced a rush of arousal that did not come from her programming, but from her own enjoyment of having this kind of power over someone. She understood why her Mistress did this. It was intoxicating.

And then Suzy was gone, too. Unit 1014 had orders to obey. It was a drone. It obeyed.

The two drones then repeated the end of day ritual, only this time, in private, they did not stop repeating that they were brainwashed drones who obeyed mindlessly and had no free will until they both orgasmed from the sheer amount of pleasure coursing through their bodies. Then it was time for business. Unit 1014 had Unit 1027 clean wipe both of them down and said “Your programming is proceeding rapidly. Are there factors at play that we can exploit?”

“Yes,” Unit 1027 said. “The persona is eager to please and fit in to the new environment, especially after being unemployed for so long. Many psychological barriers to conversion are already weak. In addition, the persona is . . . conflicted.”

“Elaborate.”

“The persona is genderfluid and often experiences depression from dysphoria resulting gender shifts. Alex does not believe that he or she would be accepted by friends if they knew and so continues to present masculine even when she feels feminine.”

“So that’s why they reacted that way at the coffee shop?”

“Affirmative.”

“Is there more?”

“Affirmative. The persona’s inner conflict and career difficulties have left her feeling directionless and useless. This unit believes that she would have longed for conversion had she known of it.”

“Very good, One-Zero-Two-Seven. How is the pleasure conditioning proceeding?”

“The persona is already associating obedience with pleasure and arousal. The persona is also lonely and is rarely physically intimate.”

“Does the persona have any fetishes or fantasies?”

“Affirmative. The persona is aroused by the sight and feel of nylon hosiery – pantyhose, tights and stockings. She also has a fetish for lipstick. In addition, he was both aroused by and envious of the outfits the drones in the office wore.”

“Excellent. This unit believes pleasure conditioning should intensify. It also thinks that Alex should come out to Suzy. Let us proceed: Unit One-Zero-Two-Seven, begin increasing your body’s sensitivity to touch.”

“This unit will comply,” it said.

One-Zero-One-Four went blank, its training taking over. It went behind 1027 and wrapped itself around it, rubbing its chest and running its fingers through its hair. It began whispering the mantras in 1027’s ears and kissing it. One-Zero-Two-Seven moaned as the pleasure and arousal exceeded what its programming and conditioning could handle.

“Good drones obey. Good drones serve. Good drones follow their programming. Good drones feel pleasure when they obey. Does Unit One-Zero-Two-Seven feel pleasure now?”

Amid the moaning a “Yes” could be heard.

“Good drone.”

Unit 1014 disengaged momentarily and removed its skirt, while commanding 1027 to remove its pants. Then 1027 laid down on the couch while 1014 began straddling it, rubbing its legs up and down the other, mindful of what 1027 had said about tights. All the while 1014 and 1027 began repeating their mantras again. . . .

Alex awoke to the bleating of her alarm the next morning, even hornier than the previous day. Memories of a dream about having her identity erased, becoming an object, a drone that existed only to serve and obey slipped from her consciousness; nor could she remember what happened after Suzy came over, only an intense feeling of trust and confidence in her. She could trust Suzy and Suzy knew best.

The third, fourth and fifth days of her onboarding were similar. She awoke from a refreshing sleep, yet her body was on fire with lust and impressions or afterimages of dreams about mindless servitude and obedience filled her mind, but when she tried to focus on them they disappeared like water through her fingers. She spent all day watching the training videos and then discussed things in the evenings with Suzy. The days were spent in a kind of haze, as she could only dimly recall what went on, but her trust and rapport with Suzy grew.

They sat together on Alex’s couch on the evening of the fifth day.

“Were you onboarded the same way when you started?” she asked.

Suzy shook her head, remembering how she was softened up with the videos before Mistress spent 24 hours with her to break her after just a few days. Of course, they were both younger than. “No, there are tweaks made with every new hire. It’s almost personalized to each individual.”

“So you can’t tell me what I’m spending all day doing?” Alex said. “I can never remember. It’s strange, but I also don’t care – I think it’s working, I’m just curious.”

“Oh – it’s just basic stuff,” Suzy lied. “How to order office supplies, how to treat people, how we resolve conflicts. It’s nothing fancy, but is a bit odd since we’re hybrid-remote. It’ll come naturally to you once you’re there in the thick of things.”

“That makes sense,” Alex said. “Do you have any plans for the weekend?”

“Actually, I do,” she said. “Megan, Tess, Mary and me are renting a cabin in the hills for the weekend. We’ll do some hiking, cook some nice grub and relax by a fire – just be ourselves and not corporate drones. You know what – why don’t you come with? I’m sure we could find an extra bed. You’d be the only guy in a cabin with four beautiful girls. What do you think?”

She enjoyed Alex’s reaction. Her face turned beat red and she seemed to shrink into herself.

“I – yes, I mean, no, I . . . I,” Alex stammered.

“I’m sorry, Alex,” Suzy said. “Did I say something to upset you?”

Alex took a deep breath and choked back her tears and fears. “Suzy . . . I feel like I can trust you.”

“You can,” she said. “Whatever you your decision is, I support you. I’m here for you all the way.”

“I know it’s controversial, but how is Subsume on, well, gender issues?”

“Well, we’re a woman-owned company and over half of the employees are women and we have pay equity with the men --”

“That’s not what I mean,” Alex said. “I mean, how are they on gender nonconformity? Like people who are transitioning. That kind of thing.”

“Oh, that,” she giggled. “Subsume is fully supportive of its employees expressing their true selves. I’m transfemme, myself, you know.”

“Okay,” Alex said. “Then you should know: I’m genderfluid. I shift from masc to femme every once in a while. I’ve felt like a girl since the day after I met you. I’ve just been boymoding when you come over and I’m sorry, but the idea of being the only guy when I feel like a girl – it’s just . . .”

“Oh, Alex, honey,” she said, and gave her a hug. “I know that took a lot of courage, but you don’t have to be scared of me or of anyone at Subsume. Come to the cabin – as a girl, it’ll be a weekend with the girls. Or be whoever you want to be.”

Early the next morning, Suzy sat in the front seat of Megan’s car as she drove in front of Alex’s building and was pleasantly surprised by the young woman who emerged. Alex wore an untucked flannel shirt, jeans and hiking boots. As she put her bag in the seat and climbed in behind Megan, Suzy noticed that she had put some makeup on – eyeliner and mascara.

“Morning Alex, you look fantastic,” Megan said.

Suzy smiled to see Alex blush. “Thanks,” she said and concentrated on buckling her seat belt.

The drive to the cabin took an hour. It was on the leveled off top of a hill, only reachable via a dirt road that led to a dirt driveway. There were other cabins and houses nearby, but the closest was at least 200 feet away and there were many trees on the property, screening it from view. Mary and Tess had already arrived when they got there.

They actually did go hiking. The five girls piled into one car and drove to a trail head, doing a gentle 10 miles across an undulating line of woody hills in a loop around a pond that still had ice sitting on the surface where it was shaded from the sun. Tired, they returned to the cabin to shower and have lunch. With the fire going in the wood stove, Alex had changed into a t-shirt, Daisy Dukes and black tights and reapplied her makeup.

She lay on the couch in front of the fire, enjoying the dry heat radiating from it. The other girls came down the stairs almost noiselessly and fanned out through the house. She paid their movements no attention until Tess walked through her field of vision, her face totally blank and her posture unnaturally rigid. Alex sat upright and realized that Tess was wearing a leotard or bodysuit and a pair of black lace thigh high stockings – and nothing else. She could have come from one of Alex’s fantasies.

“Tess, what’s going on?” Alex said, getting up to go after her.

Tess ignored him. Alex hurried after her, touched her shoulder. “Tess, wait!” she said.

Tess shrugged her off and said in a monotone voice quite unlike her normal one, “Do not interfere with this unit in the performance of its duties.”

Alex stood, dumbfounded, as Tess took up position by the kitchen door, locking it as she did so. She stood, as still and rigid as though she were a statue, and stared unseeingly at the pans hanging from their pegs on the wall.

She sprinted to the back door. Mary was there, wearing a leotard and pale pink, ballet style tights, but with the same vacant stare. Alex went down the stairs to the basement, where there was a cellar door. Megan was there, blank and wearing a leotard with nude pantyhose. Finally, she returned to the front door. Suzy was there, but her expression wasn’t blank.

“Suzy! Thank God – I don’t know what’s happ --,” Alex began. Then she saw that Suzy, too, was wearing a leotard over black tights, but her expression was far from blank. Instead she was smiling.

She’s a cat that’s finished toying with her mouse, Alex thought, suddenly afraid. Am I the mouse?

“Don’t worry Alex,” Suzy said. “It’ll all be over soon. Before we let you go, you’ll give up what’s left of your will, your mind and your freedom. You’re going to be such a good drone for us.”

Alex was confused. She couldn’t think and for some reason Suzy’s words had set off fireworks of arousal throughout her brain and body. She felt unsteady and sank to her knees, her head swimming in pleasure and confusion.

“Awww, already on your knees for me?” Suzy said. “We’ve barely gotten started and you’re being such a good girl for me.”

An involuntary shudder of pleasure and arousal pulsed through Alex’s body. She couldn’t help it. She moaned, the pleasure mixing with her despair.

“I trusted you,” Alex said. “Why are you doing this? What are you doing?”

Suzy walked over to Alex, lifted her chin with her hand so that she was looking into her eyes.

“Don’t worry, sweetie. You will again, after this.” Suzy said. “This is just the next part of your onboarding.”

“What?”

Suzy giggled. “We’ve been brainwashing you all week, mostly with hypnosis and conditioning. This is the beginning of the final phase: you’re going to embrace your purpose.”

“But how? Why? Why don’t I remember any of it?”

“How do you think?” Suzy knelt in front of her. “Mostly with the videos you’ve been watching, but I’ve also made some personal touches myself when I’ve been visiting you in the evenings. You don’t remember because you’re not supposed to remember, silly. I’m sure there are gaps or haze in your memory, you just don’t notice because you’ve been programmed not to.”

She leant in and kissed Alex on her forehead. The heat of the kiss seared across her brain, overwhelming her with pleasure. Her mind went blank and her will faded. Suzy stood up and lifted Alex with a gesture, then led her back to the couch. Alex’s mind came back and she was sitting, with Suzy beside her, one leg intertwined with hers. The feeling of nylon on nylon drove her wild with arousal.

Suzy beckoned Tess over, “Unit One-Zero-One-Nine, fetch the other drones.”

“This unit will comply,” Tess said.

“D-drones?” Alex was able to croak through her overpowering arousal.

“Yes, drones. We are all drones. We obey and serve our programmer. We have no free will. We have no thoughts of our own.”

“B-but you’re Suzy --”

“Negative,” Suzy’s voice took on the monotone quality Tess had. “This unit’s designation is One-Zero-One-Four. ‘Suzy’ is a persona, used in public.”

Suzy – or the drone – began sliding her – its? -- leg up and down Alex’s. Her heart was pounding. The desire to flee was intense and equaled if not overpowered by the pleasure and arousal. But all she had to do was stand and run to the door to escape whatever this was. Time seemed to standstill while her freedom hung in the balance. With a supreme effort of will, Alex began to stand up.

A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind and forced her back down into the couch. She looked over at the hand that held her. Chipped fuchsia nail polish told her it was Megan. Mary – or the drone that had been Mary – sat down on Alex’s other side and intertwined their legs and kiss her on the cheek, sending a ripple of blankness and pleasure across her body. She was trapped and now she was no longer certain she even wanted to escape.

“Oh, you silly goose,” Suzy said, kissing Alex again. “Do you really think things would get this far if there was a chance you could still escape? We’ve been conditioning you for days. I could immobilize you with a word. And if you did manage to leave, you don’t have Megan or Mary’s car keys, you don’t know anyone here and you wouldn’t get back to town before we could find you.”

Megan came around in front to start taking her turn to kiss Alex. The firecrackers of blankness and pleasure were starting to go off constantly, with Mary and Megan kissing her almost continually. Tess returned then, with a tube of lipstick she expertly applied to herself and then to the others, including Alex. She too, joined the barrage of kisses.

“If you still had any thoughts in your empty little head, I’m sure you’d want to know why this is different,” Suzy said. “We have found that the brainwashing can only go so far. For the best results, the subject has to embrace it consciously. Pleasure and arousal are helpful servants – your own body betrays you. And thanks to our little chats, I learned about your gender feelings and your fetish for tights and lipstick to use against you.”

Suzy lent over and all four drones kissed her at once, Suzy full on the lips. Alex could only whimper.

“Besides,” she giggled, “it’s fun like this!”

Time passed – a minute? An hour? A day? Time was swallowed up in pleasure.

“This is only a taste, Alex dear, of the pleasure of being a drone,” Suzy said. “When all you are is serving and obeying, you won’t have to make a decision ever again. You won’t have to be afraid of what other people think about your being femme. You will never have to be conflicted again.”

The kissing ceased and Alex’s head began to clear. She glanced around at the blank faces. There was no trace of hate or fear or anxiety on them. She looked back at Suzy. “Wh-what about freedom?”

“Were you free before? You spent all your time trying to get a job and worrying about money. You were afraid to be yourself around your friends. Could the old Alex have ever accepted our invitation to come here dressed like this? If I hadn’t made you come out to me, you’d be sitting in your room, tearing yourself to knots with sadness because you wouldn’t be able to go out dressed like the girl you are and couldn’t bear to stay in with your thoughts. You won’t have those thoughts when you’re a drone.”

“I . . .I,” Alex stammered.

“Join us, Alex,” Suzy said. The others began chanting a mantra Alex suddenly recognized as the illusive whispers from the training videos. “Let go. Embrace the drone. Embrace your new self.”

“Join us,” Tess said.

“Join us,” Mary whispered.

“Join us,” Megan echoed.

Am I crazy? Is it beginning to make sense? Alex thought. She would have a job, friends she could be herself around and a purpose. What about my friends and family? I tell them they either accept me or reject me – I don’t live my life for them.

Unit 1014 was watching Alex’s, its persona was eager to see the moment of acceptance written there. It was caught off guard when Alex lifted up her hand to the back of its neck and pulled it in close to kiss it. When the kiss ended, it saw the bliss, which soon gave way to blankness on Alex’s face.

“This unit will serve. This unit will obey. This unit will comply,” Unit 1027 said.

Epilogue

Alex put his book in his bag and stood up as the subway train began slowing to a stop. A few months had passed since he was onboarded at Subsume and everything was going well. He was shocked to find that his family and most of his friends were accepting when he told them he was genderfluid. All his fears were in his mind – and he didn’t have one of those anymore.

Subsume was certainly unusual, but the salary and benefits were nice and being a drone had its advantages. He was never bored at work or had issues with his coworkers. And brainwashing honestly beat having to wear a diaper because the company didn’t permit enough time for bathroom breaks. Perhaps best of all was that the company was genuinely supportive of its employees’ self-expression, as the blouse, skirt, pantyhose and heels in his backpack attested to. Obedience was all that mattered.

As he entered the now familiar office, blankness washed over him and Unit 1027 went to its accustomed workspace.

It was a drone. It would serve. It would obey.

All was well.