"Come on, man. It's just a little thing. One little body mod. It'll be fun!" My friend says as he pulls at my sleeve.
I'm not so sure about that. I've never stolen anything before in my life, but it seems like a good way to get caught by the cops if store employees are watching for shoplifters. And besides, I don't want to do something illegal. I could lose my student financial aid if I get caught. FAFSA has some strict on that.
"I..." I trail off just before another of my friends gives me a light shove.
"Come on! Do it, pussy!" He says with a grin on his face. All of my friends start chanting together.
"Pussy! Pussy! Pussy!"
They're all laughing at me now, and they keep pushing me around until I can't take it anymore.
"Man, fuck you guys! I'll do it! I ain't no pussy!" I snap at them and push back against their teasing. For some reason, they laugh even harder.
I storm out of the alleyway we were hanging out in and head down the street toward the adult entertainment store. It's not much of a walk. The shop is only a few blocks away. I flip the hood of my hoodie as I walk. The last thing I need is a security camera getting a clean shot of my face.
The place looks pretty normal from the outside. There are several glass windows painted black along the front of the building. Iron bars are bolted into the brick over the windows. A neon sign buzzes intermittently as the words 'open' flash on and off. The faded storefront sign reads "New-U".
I approach the door and pause for a moment before reaching out for the handle. What if they call the cops or something? I quickly grab hold of the handle and pull on the door. It opens without any resistance.
Inside, there's several glass countertops lining the area with enough room for an employee to walk behind them. Several small racks sit out on display in top of the countertops. There's at least half a dozen or so aisles off to the right side. They look similar to the aisle shelving I see in the grocery stores but they're not as deep. A lone bored employee sits on a stool behind the counter, reading a magazine. They don't try to make eye contact or even look up as I walk in.
"Toys, lubes, cuffs, and other fun stuff are upfront or hanging on the walls." they say before pointing to their left. "Mods are over there. If something's not in stock, ask and I'll check for it in back. I'll need to see some ID when you check out."
I nod and walk past the counter towards the shelves to my right while keeping my head down. I don't know what I expected inside. Maybe a bunch of porn ads running to sell me things? Instead, the place is mostly empty. The inside of the counters are lined with various toys and devices used for foreplay and masturbation. There's a lot more than I was expecting, too.
A guy comes around the corner in a hurry, bumping into me. He's reached the cash register before I can even open my mouth to apologize. I shrug it off and head into the aisles for mods. My friends didn't specify a specific mod I had to steal. That's why I grab the nearest box without looking at it or what it does. With some luck, the guy that bumped into me is still paying out as I head for the counter. It isn't until I get close to the register that I make a mad dash for the door.
"Hey! Stop!" I hear someone yell behind me, but I ignore them and run for it. I barrel into the door and keep running. I'm almost to the end of the block before I slow down to a fast walk. I turn back to look for the person chasing me, but there's no one there. I stop and lean against a nearby wall, panting hard. My heart is pounding in my chest like a jackhammer.
"What the hell." I mutter under my breath. I glance around again, but there's no sign of anyone following me. I start walking back toward the alleyway my friends are waiting in. As soon as I get within sight of the alleyway entrance, I spot two figures standing in the shadows between buildings across the street. One is tall with dark hair, wearing a leather jacket. The other is shorter and lankier than me, wearing a tight tank top and short shorts. They both have their hands shoved into their pockets.
"Who are those guys?" I whisper to myself as I walk toward them. The taller figure turns his head towards me and stares me down for a few seconds before turning away. A third guy comes out of the alleyway when I get close, and the trio starts walking the other way. They seem to be ignoring me now. When I reach the alleyway, I find my group of friends are all nursing noticeable bruises or bloody noses.
"What happened?" I ask them.
"Did you get it?" one of them asks me.
"Yeah, but-"
"Give it." he commands, hand out. I give him the box. He takes it and briefly looks at it as a grin crosses his face. He opens the box and withdraws a tiny white cylinder with two flat ends and a red button in the middle. "Hold him." He says and points at me. My friends laugh as they each take an arm. I feel a sudden jolt of pain shoot through my arms and knees as they hold me down.
"The fuck?! Let go of me!" I yell in protest. Before I can struggle, the cylinder is pressed against my neck and a short "Pfft!" chills my blood as the injection mechanism delivers its payload. He quickly flips the cylinder in his hand to the other end and presses it against my neck. Another short "Pffft!" causes me to twitch. Neither injection hurt but that's not the problem! That cylinder carried nano-tech designed for transforming some or all of the user's body!
"Why?!" I scream as panic sets in. He laughs as he wipes his nose.
"Misery loves company." he sneers. Then, I feel my heart skip a beat as the serum cocktail of nanites and chemicals go to work.