The Story of Alex and Alexis

My name is Alex, and I loved Alexis from the moment I laid eyes on her. Not just beautiful, but the first friendly face I'd seen since life plucked me up from our quiet little village in nowhere Philippines and dropped me off in the middle of huge and cold Hammond High School.

Being 16 and the new kid in a school largely full of people that had been together for 10 years was an experience I was unprepared for. I didn't look like them, I didn't talk like them and I didn't act like them. But there was Alexis, smiling and welcoming me. The only ray of hope that entire year.

I didn't fit in with the Americans. I'm small compared to them. 5 feet 5 inches and not just slim, but downright skinny. Just my genetics. Alexis understood that feeling, having immigrated from Malaysia 4 months ago herself. Together we made up the entire Asian population of our rural school.

Very quickly our friendship grew. By the next year, we were inseparable. "The two Alexes", "Alex squared" and "His and hers Alexes" were some of the nicknames we heard.

Privately, we called each other "one" and "two", as in Alex one and Alex two. I am "two" because she was there first. Later, it became our own little code for when we had something serious to discuss. If she called me "two", I stopped what ever I was doing and listened.

Our romance grew out of our friendship. Not at first, but it really started to blossom towards the end of our senior year. We both knew we had to secure our educations before anything else - a hallmark of good Asian parenting, but we found our moments to explore our growing romance too.

Naturally we went to the same university. We took different majors - Alexis chose journalism, and I took computer engineering. We kept chugging along with our relationship too. We were intimate for the first time our second year of college. Our bond was growing strong, and adding the intimacy only helped it along.

After graduation from university, we each found a job in the nearby big city, and moved in together, with the promise to our parents that once we got established in our career, we would marry.

Alexis followed the path you would expect a young journalist to follow. Namely being mentored by an experienced reporter and basically becoming his assistant at first.

He often gave Alexis simple, easy assignments that were "beneath him". Part of paying your dues, I guess.

Then about 6 months in, Alexis stopped complaining about the puff pieces he was giving her. In fact, she stopped talking about work in any detail at all.

However, it started requiring her to work some odd hours. And no, I absolutely do not think she was cheating on me. I know, I know. Everyone thinks that, but I paid attention and there were no other signs.

I could track her by the phone finder app, and she was always where she said she was going to be. She never locked her phone or took calls/texts in private. None of the signs were there. She just said she was working on a special project for work. I saw no reason to doubt her.

She really seemed to enjoy whatever her new assignment was, but it was stressful. I could see the effect it had on her. Those signs were apparent. She was not good at hiding her emotions.

One ordinary Thursday about 18 months after we graduated, I got home to find Alexis very quiet and withdrawn. Of course, I asked her what was up and tried to be funny to cheer her up.

She just looked at me as I made the normal idiot out of myself. She waited until I shut up to talk.

"Two, I might be in trouble." She said barely above a whisper.

That got my attention, and I sat down beside her to get the scoop about what happened.

"I've been working on a big story for Jacob (her boss), and the things I'm finding out are very disturbing. I can't say for sure, but I think I'm being followed. I am worried." She explained laying her head on my shoulder.

Naturally concerned, I told her we should call the police.

"If we do that, it will destroy everything I've been working on for the past year. I just need you to comfort me and remind me to do the right thing here." She squeezed me.

I told her I most definitely would take care of her and offered to go with her whenever she felt like she was being followed.

She assured me she was ok, and I definitely couldn't walk her to her work assignment. I made her promise me that she would call me or the police if she felt in danger because no job was worth jeopardizing her safety over.

Everything seemed OK for a while after that. She was still stressed but seemed to be ok. Just abnormally quiet.

Then a few weeks after our talk, she text me while I was working.

"Two - meet me at our spot ASAP." The cryptic text from Alexis read one day. Our spot being the fountain in the park near our college. The spot where I asked her to marry me. She said yes immediately, but we agreed to keep it to ourselves and wait until we were financially prepared.

I hustled over there, and it was crowded. Being a Friday morning, there were lots of people in the park. I didn't see Alexis anywhere, so I waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Finally, she zipped up to me on a bicycle.

"Where did you get the bike?" I asked.

"No time." She puffed out of breath. "I'm being followed, but the bike gave me a cushion. Take this and go."

She pushed a note into my chest, and before I could even ask what the hell was going on, she rode off.

I opened the paper, and it was only letters and numbers. It looked like a password. Then it clicked. The password for her cloud account. She had to think she was in trouble to resort to this.

That sent a shiver up my spine. She needed help but was pushing me away. Did she think she was protecting me? Did she think I wouldn't fight by her side all the way to the gates of hell and back? What the fuck is going on?

I started heading back to our apartment, but a thought ran through my mind. What if she really is in deep trouble? What if she is, in fact, protecting me and it isn't safe to look at whatever is in her cloud account from our computer or my phone?

Otherwise, she could have just text the password to me. She used paper because it can't be intercepted electronically. I needed someplace secure to look at this.

I'm not a spy or secret agent, so I don't have super spy gear with fancy security measures. No, safety for me meant anonymity. An internet Café? I could already be being followed too, and Wi-Fi in a café isn't secure. I needed an anonymous hardline device. And I needed to get there without being followed.

Again, not being a secret agent or anything, I don't know how to see if someone is following me in anything but the ordinary manner, and I don't know how to lose someone who is following me other than random bullshit I could think up.

I remembered my route to the small city library in the bad end of town from my university days. It's always virtually deserted and it will be easy to spot someone out of place there. I went to the subway entrance and first took a train going away from my destination, paying cash for my pass so it doesn't appear on my bank card.

Four stops later, I saw my opportunity. As we pulled in, the train going the other way was loading. When we stopped, I jumped off the train, ran up the stairs, then across the platform and down the other side, jumping on the other train. I watched my car to see if anyone got on after me. When the doors finally closed, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I doubled back past my original starting point, then continued to the metro exit. I ran out of the subway and down to the bus stop, then caught the crosstown bus to the library. As before, nobody got on with me. I might be ok.

I used to go to that library to study because it's peaceful and much less crowded. When I got there, I sat facing the door for over 20 minutes waiting. My heart was beating fast. Both from fear and anticipation of finding out what kind of trouble Alexis is in. I had no idea what she had on there she wanted me to see.

When I was finally convinced that nobody followed me, I got the computer in the corner, facing the entrance. I logged on to the cloud and entered Alexis's password. There were several folders, and one document simply titled "two". That's what she wanted me to read.

I opened the document, and it was a letter of some sorts. I started reading.

"Two, if you are reading this then I'm on the run. Jacob had me helping him with a big big big story. Three days ago, he went missing, and now I fear I'll be next. Obviously if you are reading this, then my fears were confirmed but I managed to stay a step ahead of them.

My only leverage are these files. I've gathered some very interesting pieces of information, but I've only scratched the surface. I'm still looking for the smoking gun that will give me the undeniable proof I need to take this to the authorities. I must be getting close if they came after me too.

Just who "they" are is the key to unraveling this puzzle. Jacob had me infiltrate a group called the Women's Liberation Front. What I found out is that they are far more powerful than Jacob first thought. It looks like they had a lot to do with the DEI initiatives and other subversive programs launched in the past few years.

They pushed to get women into power, and the DEI program was a tool to accomplish that. I haven't gotten the details of their plan, but it's looking like they are planning something to do with who runs the government. I think they literally want to overthrow the current government and use the leverage females have as the population majority to stay in power.

So, you're asking how does this concern you, and how can you help me? You won't like the answer, but it's my last resort. My cover must have gotten blown, so I can't go back inside the WLF. The only way this ends well for me is to expose them publically with the proof of their plans. Since I can no longer investigate from the inside, you are going to have to do it for me.

Right now, you are asking how the hell you can do that. There is only one way two, and I know this sucks but it's the only way it can be done. You have to go undercover and get in the WLF. You are going to have to become a woman.

Once the shock of that wears off, reread this section. Two, they only let women in the group. They are thorough too. You can't do this halfway. It's going to take your full commitment, but if you find the evidence I was getting close to, we can expose them and get protection. It's the only way I can come out of hiding.

Listen to me closely. You can do this. Don't let your "male ego" stop you. I love you just the way you are, but let's be honest here. Physically you can pull this off. We are the same height. We are very close to the same size. You already have the hair.

You have my clothes, my makeup and everything you need at our apartment. Just don't do it halfway. You will have to be over-the-top convincing to stop anyone from suspecting you. You might even have to resort to drastic measures. There is security at the WLF, and they search people very thoroughly. You might have to do that thing we talked about doing, but for you, not me. ;) I'm sorry for that.

I mean this, helping me is the greatest thing anyone has done for his girlfriend. This is like superhero shit. I promise if I had another way, I wouldn't ask you. I wasn't going to ask for help at all until they caught on to Jacob, and therefore me by extension. But they did so I really need your help.

I'll find you when it's safe. I'll know when it happens. Trust me on this one. I will find you. I can't tell you where I've gone, but I had enough of a clue that things were going bad to plan this out a little. I just wished I had more time. I felt I was really close to the truth.

Don't try to find me and trust no one. Assume you are being watched at all times. Download my files and delete them from the cloud. It's only a matter of time before they find this account.

With your computer skills you can get the evidence that was eluding me, but you have to be inside to do it. All of their computers are off any network, but that can be your way in. They need lots of computer people because of the tedious system they have to use to stay hidden. You are more than smart enough to pull this off. I'm counting on you two. I love you!"

I sat back in the chair, not realizing my attention to the entrance had drifted. I don't know if anyone got in the library when I was reading, but I had a bad feeling. The one where the tiny hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Being a bit of a computer nerd, I pulled the flash drive out of my pocket I always carry with me and sent the files there. Risky, but I had no choice. I needed to get out of there.

I deleted the files from her cloud account and then deleted the account. It won't stop them, but it will slow them down a lot. I made a beeline for our apartment. I was surer than ever I was being followed. It was just an instant, but I kept seeing the same woman over and over again behind me.

I suddenly felt unsafe at our apartment, so I grabbed our suitcases and packed up all our stuff. Not just mine, but hers as well. Leave no evidence.

I threw them into our car and drove to the bank. I emptied our savings and got it in cash. It took a lot of explaining to get that much cash at once, but I got it. I drove to the airport after leaving the bank.

I used my credit card to buy a one-way ticket to the Philippines, then I ditched my phone in an airport bin. They could track my location with it.

I went through security, but I didn't get on the plane. Instead, I walked to the domestic terminal while staying inside the airport. Then I went up to arrivals and took a taxi to the bus station.

I took a bus to the other big city in our state 2 hours to the south. Once there, I got a hotel room at a pay by the hour place because they take cash, then I chilled for a couple days. It was a lot of trouble just to make what I hoped was a clean escape. All my fears had been confirmed. Alexis was not only in trouble, but I was too.

If I did what she asked, it would be too suspicious if I showed up at the non-profit that fronts for the WLF immediately after they exposed a mole, so I'd have to wait a while. That meant I had time to kill. I spent the time in the hotel room thinking everything through. Alexis chose her words carefully. She was trying to soften the blow, but I know what she was warning me about.

Her message was two-fold. First, she was right. If I half-assed it, I'll be caught. I had to be so convincing that they don't suspect me at all. Second, she was nicely telling me that if I get in, I'll be searched. Thoroughly enough, that a stuffed bra would be quickly discovered.

The thing we talked about that she mentioned was breast implants. She was gently telling me that fake boobs would get me caught. That created a huge problem for me. It's one thing to put on a dress and pose as a woman, and a completely different thing to be able to stand up to that level of physical scrutiny.

Really, it was her that originally brought up the idea of getting implants. She's part Chinese, so she is slightly taller than the average Malay woman at 5 feet 5 inches, but not well blessed in the breast department. She is very beautiful, but having small tits was something about herself she was interested in changing.

I thought to myself, "Would I give my life to protect Alexis?". I didn't answer quickly. I really thought it through. So I asked myself, could I imagine my life without her? Yes, but it would never feel right. I'd always have a hole in my heart. "Would I regret it if I had the chance to save her and didn't do it?" Again, yes. It simply isn't the person I am.

So, after two days locked in my room with just my thoughts, I decided I had to do this. Not only for her, but also for myself. If something happened to her and I didn't do everything in my power to help her, I'd never be able to live with myself.

Therefore, the final answer was yes. I'd give my life for her. That meant that doing this, no matter how embarrassing or distasteful it was going to be, can't be as bad as living with the regret if I don't help her. I had made my decision.

My first order of business was that Alex had to disappear in that very room, right then. I could not emerge as him. Maybe I wasn't followed, but I couldn't risk it. All it takes is one security camera or one accidental sighting and we are both doomed. Like Alexis warned me, I had to fully commit.

I decided that there was no better time than the present to get this over with. I put on Alexis's clothes. Not just a shirt and pants, but the whole tamale - underwear, dress, makeup, shoes, everything. Of course it was embarrassing, but I needed to go ahead and get the first time out of the way. Hopefully it would get easier the longer I did it. I definitely needed practice with the makeup, but the little bit I did was passable for the time being.

I packed everything back up and called a taxi. It felt weird the first time I got called "Miss". I'm sure I blushed. My first stop was Walmart to get a reloadable visa card, a new laptop and a new phone. Walmart would only let me put $500 on the card, but that was enough for the moment.

Next item was securing transportation. I made a new Uber account and got a ride to a car lot. I bought a 6-year-old gray Toyota Corolla. As bland of a car as has ever been. I paid cash and drove it off the lot.

I had to be careful because I had no ID and no insurance. I found a dumpster behind a strip mall and dumped what was left of Alex in it. My whole life at the bottom of a dumpster. Clothes, ID and all my possessions. Every trace of me gone.

I searched the web for a room to rent and found one at a house already shared by three other people. They were hesitant to rent it to me at first, since I could offer no ID or references, but paying in cash helped, so I got it for six weeks. Guess they assumed I was safe since they thought I was a woman.

Basics taken care of, I got to work. I may not be a hacker but finding out how to get on the dark web isn't hard. What is hard is finding a reliable source to get a new ID. It's not like they had yelp ratings for fake ID providers.

But a fake ID just won't cut it for me. I needed something that would stand up to at least a cursory check. I needed a real ID. I sent out several messages asking for more information from possible sources then moved to my next order of business.

I saved this task for last because it is going to be the most difficult part for me. Each key stroke caused me mental and emotional pain, but I found a doctor who was highly rated and had an opening tomorrow. I got an appointment to see her to discuss breast implants. I never in a million years thought I'd be doing that.

With that task done, I ordered some delivery food and started reviewing makeup videos on YouTube. When that got too boring, I went to some web sites designed to help trans-women act more feminine. Alexis was right. I had to be convincing so every tip I could get was important.

My appointment on Tuesday led to my procedure on Friday. Amazing how paying in cash finds "a sudden cancelation" where they can squeeze you in. I got 300ml implants, which the doctor recommended would give me B-Cup breasts, same as Alexis.

I was sore as shit for the first week, so I spent it laying in bed and eating delivery food as I continued watching and trying out makeup techniques and videos like how to walk like a woman, etc.

Other times I reviewed the files Alexis left me. Really suspicious stuff going on at the WLF. She had names of government officials, properties, accounting ledgers and emails referring to plans of some type. Useful, but unfortunately, not damning. Alexis had marked obvious code words that were repeated throughout a lot of the files and had pages of notes and her thoughts. I had to get details of those plans and the hierarchy of the organization to go with the proof.

When I needed a break, I logged onto the dark web and worked on getting an ID. I made an agreement with one guy who said he would probably need a couple of weeks to get me a good ID. He flat out told me he knew where to go in Los Angeles to find a woman that looked like me. Then it was only a matter of lifting her ID. Of course she would eventually get a duplicate, but the ID he takes will still look and work the same.

I know it's a dick move, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. I hoped her inconvenience would be outweighed by the greater good. For the price I was paying, she had better look like the new me.

By week 3 post surgery I thought I was going to live. Still sore and bruised, but I could move around ok and touch my new breasts. The tight sports bra the doctor had me buy really helped as it kept everything from moving about too much. It was my first purchase of female clothes.

I was Feeling a little better when it finally hit me that it was far more than just getting implants. It threw off my balance and presented other problems like blocking my view. I couldn't lay flat on my back with my laptop on my chest anymore. Mostly it just felt off having boobs. While not happy I had to do it, at least the doctor did a great job. Although small, they looked real and were pretty impressive. That made me laugh, because I was still looking at breasts by male standards, even my own.

While I mostly laid around in Alexis's casual clothes, I did dress up when I went out of the house. No, I didn't like it, but it was necessary. I tackled two new challenges that week - the first was figuring out how to put on pantyhose. I only had a few leg hairs to remove, so shaving was easy, but they still felt different from pants. I felt slippery in them.

The second challenge was trying out her dress shoes. Wearing her heels was both easier and harder than I expected. Harder in the beginning, but I caught on pretty quickly. Remembering the videos about how women walk helped. Their feet go in a straight line more than men when the walk.

When wearing heels and you put your foot down, don't go "heel then toe" like you do in rubber shoes. You put it all down together. In no time I had it down. The heels actually helped me get the feminine walk down better. I didn't know if I should be happy that I had become a normal looking and acting woman or not. I guess I should stay focused on my purpose and not overthink it.

The next week, the ID guy let me know he had it. Both a driver's license and a passport. Since he had both, he increased his price. I asked for the photos first to make sure they looked close enough.

While it was a little unsettling how much the woman looked like me, she did wear her hair differently than I do in both photos. She had a ponytail. While my hair is long enough to be put in a ponytail, I'd have to buy some of the things women use to tie their hair up. Neither Alexis nor I wore ours like that. "Be thorough", her words echoed through my head. If I copied the style in the ID photos, it would make me look more like her and avoid questions.

I made the drive to LA and got my IDs. With that huge problem settled, I worked on getting a new job back in our city. I was quickly running out of money, and gainful employment would certainly be expected by anyone checking on me at the WLF.

I had a couple of interviews set up before my lease ran out, so I got car insurance under my new name and drove back to our city to get started with the next step.

A few observations I had as I got further in the experience of being a woman. First, driving in heels takes some getting use to.

Second, when I tried out one of Alexis's outfits that included a shirt that left my midriff bare. It was a bit unsettling. It made me self-conscious. Even though I am very skinny, the additional exposed area was a bit unnerving. Maybe because I had breasts now, but it was uncomfortable.

Next, I wasn't prepared for just how different women's products are. Not just the perfume, but deodorant, body wash and shampoo all smell and feel different than men's. At first, it was a lot of new scents to me. I felt strange actually smelling like a woman, but I got accustomed to it. I smelled a lot like Alexis which was kind of comforting.

One big realization I had was I finally got the shedding of the bra first thing as soon as you got home. Instant relief! A new experience for me. Bras are uncomfortable. Probably worse of you have large breasts.

Finally, a lesson I learned was if you wear a skirt or dress above your knees, you really have to watch how you get out of a car. My first attempt didn't go well. Very embarrassing.

I used most of my remaining cash to get an apartment across town from where we lived before. It reduced the risk of running into someone who might recognize me. It's a small chance that I'd be recognized, as my appearance is quite a bit different than before, but better safe than sorry.

As Alexis suggested, from the minute I landed back in our city, I went full feminine. We are talking about dresses or skirts, makeup, often pantyhose and heels. Anyone seeing me would not see a hint of masculinity in my appearance. Don't give any reason for suspicion.

With my new ID, I made the initial contact with the charity that fronts for the WLF. Volunteering wouldn't get me investigated by them, but better to get my face known and start laying the groundwork to get inside.

My second job interview went well. Not only was the interviewer, Baker, impressed with my knowledge and performance in the skills test, he called me cute. Not really sure if I should take that as a compliment or not, but it was good to know my "disguise" was effective. I guess I should have found it a little inappropriate at an interview, but I needed a job.

The only drawback was the position was not remote. I'd have to go into the office everyday, as I'd be responsible for on-site networks. Still, better than nothing. I didn't dread it as much as I had when this started weeks ago. I really didn't think too much about the clothes anymore. They are just clothes. The underwear though, was a different story.

Yes, some of it was a bit uncomfortable to wear. Bras aren't fun and all of Alexis's bras are super feminine. All lace and pretty and such. Maybe it's weird, but wearing the bra felt appropriate now that I had boobs. I felt naked without one.

Panties are much more complicated. I learned to be conscious of the sight of my underwear through anything I was wearing. Not just colors bleeding through, but awkward looking lines and shapes. If I wore anything tight around my bottom, I had to pair it with appropriate panties.

That meant smaller cut bikini style, thongs and even g-strings. Yes, having a string up your ass is weird as hell, but necessary to look like an ordinary 24-year-old woman. It's how Alexis dresses, and most women our age dress. So, to keep up my disguise, I did too. After a while, you stop thinking about it.

I got the job offer on my phone from Baker. It was a good offer, not great. They needed help as soon as possible, so I accepted the job and agreed to start on Monday.

Training was minimal, as they had no one supporting them on-site and I pretty much knew what I was doing anyway. Quickly, I was introduced to several of my coworkers and found many of them pleasant and even friendly.

It wasn't a bad job or bad environment to work in. Baker is a little strange, but everyone else is great. He doesn't approach me from the front when he wants to talk to me. He comes up from behind me and often puts his hands on my shoulders. I don't know if he does that on purpose or not.

Otherwise, I stayed busy, which was good. It helped take my mind off being in Alexis's office clothes the whole day. It's an adjustment for sure. I also had to start peeing sitting down in case anyone was in the bathroom with me. More than once I nearly walked in the men's room. After my first day of work, I ran errands to get the things I needed for my apartment.

The next day, one of my coworkers invited me to eat lunch with her. Maricel talked to me the whole time we ate, curious to know about me. It was a pleasant conversation right up to the end.

"Ayrin (my new name), do you have a tampon? I think my period is starting." She asked me.

Completely caught off guard, I bought time by digging through my purse, only to report that I didn't have one in the bag I was carrying. Something new I hadn't considered ever coming up. I made a mental note to buy a few in case that ever happens again. Plus, anyone searching my purse would probably expect me to have a couple. I don't know, all of this was new to me. I was just winging it.

The one thing Maricel did was help me to integrate into the office group. By the next Friday, the 6 women who apparently hang out together wouldn't take no for an answer from me when they asked me to join them at McCaffrey's Irish Pub after work.

Two things became apparent during the 5 hours we were there. First, they had no idea I wasn't a woman and that I only liked women. They kept encouraging me to dance with guys and telling me I was sexy and that I dress too conservatively.

Second, they liked me a lot. Of course I was trying to fit in, but I not only felt like I was "in" their group, but maybe even they were a little too comfortable with me already.

I knew women talked about guys and what couples get up to in the bedroom sometimes, but holy crap they were dirtier than us guys are. The things they said made me blush. Too many details about the fun they got up to. It was crazy.

The only concern I had was should I "come out" to them as lesbian or lie about it. I was new in their group, and didn't want to alienate myself to them if they had something against lesbians. I didn't know them that well yet - I was just learning about them. Besides, this was all temporary anyway.

Maybe not the best decision, but given the information I had at the time, I made the best decision I could and lied. I let them think I was a straight woman. I wasn't as raunchy as they are when they asked me personal questions, but I didn't let on that I had never been with a guy. Which is natural since I am a guy, but I sure as hell couldn't tell them that.

Besides, it's not difficult to fake it since I know a lot about being a guy. I just underestimated how dirty they were. But after all, they are from my age up to mid-thirties, so having fun isn't wrong for them. Just a little surprising they talk so openly about it. It was easier to just tell them stories about me and Alexis but leave out the fact that I was actually the guy in the stories.

I spent most of Saturday volunteering at the charity. Definitely suspicious stuff going on there. Maybe because I knew something was going on and I looked for it, but definitely odd. Too many people coming and going from restricted areas of the building to be legit. There were too many people who seemed to have nothing to do with the charity there.

Still, nothing I could do without access. I started researching the names Alexis found so I could recognize their faces and keep notes on their comings and goings. It would also help me categorize their rank within the WLF.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was frustrated with the slow pace of progress. Alexis had been working on this for months and months. I wasn't going to get there quickly. I guess I just wanted my life back, but I had to be patient. It was not easy to do so.

Add that stress to the stress of the normal daily grind plus the stress of having to pose as a woman and it was eating away at me. I had to figure out how to let some stuff go or get some stress relief. I hadn't had any fun since this all started.

I settled into a bit of a routine. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays I volunteered at the women's charity. Friday night I went out with the group from work. At least one part of my plan worked. No one anywhere suspected I was Alex, and I was a guy.

The second Friday night I went out with the office group, we went to a few different bars. They warned me that I was no longer "new", so they would not be holding back, and they expected me to get into it more.

In addition to wanting me to dish more dirt on myself that meant more drinking, not refusing to get dragged into their shenanigans and having to create a little more elaborate lies about my past exploits. They wanted details and they expected me to dish and have fun.

Cheryl, one of our group, literally dragged me onto the dance floor at one bar, and as embarrassing as it was, I had to dance with a guy. From an outside perspective, it looked completely normal. A guy and a girl dancing. Just like thousands of people were doing in the city, but to me, it was very strange. I had to play my part, but having a guy's hands on me was mentally uncomfortable. After a couple of songs, I made my way back to the table only to get hauled out there again.

More drinks certainly helped, and we had a spirited gossip session about the office. Trying to fit in, I asked if anyone else found Baker a little creepy.

"He's always behind me and even said I was cute in my interview." I jumped in with, only to be met with silence.

Finally, Abby took it upon herself to be the spokesman for the others.

"Ayrin, you didn't notice that he has a huge crush on you?" she asked.

"No." I bluntly replied. "You really think so?"

"Honey, he gets behind you because he's looking down your shirt." She followed with.

"Oh." I was stunned. "I hadn't realized that."

I didn't know how to feel about a guy trying to check out my new tits. I mean I guess it's normal for guys to like women, but none of this was normal to me. Having a guy crushing on me certainly was not normal. Was I actually attractive as a woman? Is that good or bad? It made my head hurt thinking about it.

That gossip set off a round of laughter, followed by some good-natured teasing that I should dress sexier just to tease him.

"Oh my God, his eyes would pop out of his head if you were to wear a miniskirt to the office." Maricel chimed in with. "You have some, don't you?"

Before I could respond, Amber joined in. "Or don't wear a bra one day." Which sent them all into another fit.

"He would probably get a boner looking at your firm tits." Amber teased again.

Not a thought I wanted to have. As I said, they are pretty dirty minded. Not what I expected, but they soon moved on to another target of their good-natured jokes. All usual stuff for people our age. I knew they meant well.

Another week went by, and there was not any progress. Frustrated, I had a few more drinks than normal Friday night before I realized I was feeling it a bit. Probably just the stress, but it did relax me. Given our group, not necessarily a good thing considering they thought I was a straight woman.

Nothing crazy or even weird for a group of women, but definitely not the kind of shenanigans I wanted. Abby invited some guys to join us at our table, so they pushed two tables together and they bought us more drinks. My first free drink.

More drinks were probably not what I needed, but I didn't rock the boat. Slowly and subtly, the two groups intermixed. A tall white guy was chatting me up. He bought me yet another drink and sat beside me.

After a while, a few of the people got up to dance, and he asked me if I would join him. Then a group decision was made, and everyone got up to dance. Stuck again and not wanting to make a scene, I joined them dancing with the guy.

Not a big deal, and a completely normal activity if I actually was female, so I had to go along with it. He was "friskier" than the guy last time, but his hands stayed on the lower part of my back - upper part of my butt.

That is until a slow song came on and he pulled me close. Now his hands were firmly on my ass. Ugh, it was torture, but I endured it. When we all went back to the table, he put his arm around me. I guess to ward off anyone who might also be interested in me.

At the end of the night, we were all getting ready to leave and several of our expanded group were exchanging numbers. He asked me for mine, and I didn't know what to do. I was totally unprepared for this. Maybe I had too much to drink to think clearly, but the idea popped into my head that I could give it to him and just be busy every time he asked me out.

So, I did just that. I hoped it would be the right choice. I was not used to being asked for my number. It was the first time ever in fact. The next week at the office, everyone acted normally, just like that kind of thing happens all the time.

It probably does, but I was seeing and experiencing from the other side now. I was feeling a bit down that week. I had been there for over a month, with no real progress towards my goal.

"Dress up tomorrow, we are going some place different." Cheryl told me on Thursday.

"As in fancy?" I asked.

"No, wear something sexy." She replied with a mischievous grin but refused to elaborate further.

I was perplexed. Where were we going and why did I need to dress up? Sexy is not something I had done yet, but naturally Alexis had some more sexy clothes, so I guess I did now too. I just never expected to wear any of them.

I tried to keep it simple without going over-the-top. I didn't really want to do "sexy", so I did it only halfway. It was getting cooler at night, so black was not strange to wear. I found a black miniskirt in Alexis's clothes and put it on with a sleeveless white top under a blue button-up dress shirt. Something I'd seem Alexis wear before.

I left a few buttons undone- just enough to show a bit of the white top without looking inappropriate for work. I wore black hose and boots to complete the look. I checked my outfit in the mirror. I would say a woman wearing this looked classy and somewhat sexy. It was a little weird being my first time in a miniskirt. The girls in the office were all dressed similarly, but they still wouldn't tell me our destination.

When we were done with work, we went to a bar I'd never been before. It was a dive bar, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm not a rich prude by any means. Fewer people there meant fewer people looking at me. Maricel brought us a tray of shots and told me this is just the warmup for later.

Two plus hours and several rounds of drinks later, we piled into an Uber van to go to our second destination. I silently griped in my head when we pulled into a dance club - a real meet market. This was not going to be a fun night for me, but I steered my nerves, determined to at least put on a happy façade. Just young people having fun.

I wish they had told me we were going there. For the first time ever, I thought about the shoes I was wearing, regretting my choice. I had worn a pair of Alexis's high heeled boots. Not good for the dancing they would drag me into. I was going to find out just how well I had adapted to wearing heels I guess.

"Everybody's getting laid tonight!" Abby joyfully declared as we walked up to the entrance.

Because we were all female, we got in for free. One more new perk, I guess. Cheryl pulled my blouse out of my skirt, unbuttoned it and tied the ends under my boobs, exposing more of my skin trying to make me look sexier.

"You have such a sexy tan little body." She explained. "You need to loosen up."

If the warm-up drinking, we did at the dive bar hadn't got everyone buzzed, the copious amounts of drinking we did at the club sure did. I didn't have to buy a single drink. None of us did. Guys used it as an opening to talk with us. Really different being approached instead of being the one instigating it. I found it awkward at first.

Everything was pretty normal in the beginning, but as we got more and more drunk, things cranked up. More drinks, more dancing, less space between the people dancing and a less appropriate style of dancing. Yeah, I endured things I never imagined I'd have to, like getting my ass ground on by a guy.

I don't really understand if it's normal or just happened to be that way that night, but people pretty much paired up. I was trying to avoid it, but my friends weren't helping me out. They actively encouraged me to pick a guy and gave me their opinions of guys around me.

Two guys seemed to be both trying to get my attention, and since I was trying to avoid them, they both just tried harder. Having two guys buying me drinks got me really drunk. I guess they thought it was the key to getting me into bed.

Little did they know that was never going to happen, but I didn't do a good job stopping myself either. Maybe the stress had gotten to me, I don't know, but I was shit faced. It was a bad choice by me, and I lost control of the night.

I was no longer making any conscious decisions. I was just going along with the group. I was aware of things but not reacting well. Like the guy grabbed my butt, but I didn't realize it until a moment later. Like I was out of sync with time.

All my friends had pretty much made their choices. They had progressed to dirty dancing, making out at our table, and lots of intimate touching, probably bordering on offensive if we weren't at a club. Meanwhile I was fighting just to stay conscious.

I don't know what happened because I wasn't really listening to the conversation anymore, but suddenly they were all out dancing and I was still at the table with the guy. He was sitting close and talking but I wasn't listening.

My grip on consciousness waned. I guess my friends assumed I had made my choice too. It wasn't a sudden stop, but a slow, gradual fading away of my awareness. I skipped forward in time and the next moment I was aware of found the guy kissing me and feeling my breasts.

"Stop." I weakly protested as I tried to shake the grogginess.

He didn't listen. He pushed his tongue into my mouth. Gross! That sobered me up, but not as quickly as I wanted. After a long couple of minutes, I found the energy and pushed him off me, forcefully telling him to stop.

He offered some kind of apology, asking why I suddenly didn't like it. Apparently, he had been kissing me for a while, and I hadn't realized it. He apologized again and beat a hasty retreat when my anger started to overcome my drunkenness. When my friends got back, I told them I was getting an Uber home. Maricel went with me to make sure I got there safely.

After that, I started skipping some of the nights they wanted to "get laid". Not my scene I told them, and it wasn't a problem with them. They just thought I was ok with it when I let the guy make out with me. They didn't realize I hadn't decided anything. I looked conscious but I wasn't. My body was acting on its own. The lights were on, but nobody was home.

The regular nights out with them were bad enough, so I didn't need the wilder nights. An unnecessary stress to me. I had to reel in my drinking, or it would get worse. The few crazy nights I went out with them I did better not getting overly drunk. I didn't want to end up in the same situation or worse.

Days and weeks passed, then I got a break. I was at the charity, and the charity manager, Sara, and another person were looking at her computer when I got there, as it was giving her problems.

I offered my help, and they gave me the desk where I got the connection problem resolved in no time and her computer back up and running. I played it cool and waited. They would eventually come to me if I was patient.

It was a full 5 months after all of this started, and more than 3 months after my wild night at the dance club, when Maricel asked to take me to lunch on a Monday.

She wanted to talk to me. She told me the guy she had been dating - the one she met at the dance club asked her to marry him, which she accepted. I told her I was happy for her and congratulations.

"Thank you, Ayrin." She took my hand on the table. "I want you to be one of my bridesmaids."

I was happy for her. I was happy as we walked back to the office. I sat at my desk and started going through the work request tickets I had for the day when it hit me. I hadn't even thought about it being unpleasant to have to wear a bridesmaid dress and do wedding stuff.

It hadn't crossed my mind that it was a super female thing. Should I be disturbed by how well I'd become Ayrin? Had I lost the old Alex forever?

Nah, he's still in me, just sleeping. Waiting for Alexis to return. I hope she can return. I have to have faith in her. The sooner, the better. I was lonely and missing her.

The wedding was in two months, so that would keep me even more busy. At the charity, Sara started asking me for computer help, almost like the problems had been set up to test me. Maybe they were, but that helped me towards my goal, so I didn't mind.

I had wedding gown shopping trips, caterer tastings, wedding planning meetings and other activities I was a part of. I also had my own dress fitting. I had no idea there were so many rules for being a bridesmaid.

Not only the dress and shoes were determined by Maricel, but a specific shade of pantyhose, nail polish and our hairstyles had to be chosen by her. I had to get fitted and buy a strapless bra for the bridesmaid's dress. That was different. My collection of women's clothing was growing. At least it no longer bothered me to buy and wear them.

Then one day at the charity, I got introduced to some of the people who I'd seen coming and going to the restricted area. I knew who they were from Alexis's files, but didn't show it.

There was a general discussion about women in general. They were feeling me out to see if I would support their goals.

I tried to come off as open to it, but not overly enthusiastic about it. Just my read on the situation. Don't be too obvious. Play a little "hard to get".

Meanwhile, I had to endure a Bachelorette Party. It wasn't that bad, but still not fun for me. Nothing inappropriate happened - no, the bride wasn't fucking the stripper or anything. Just a normal Bachelorette Party.

All 4 of us in the bridal party had to endure a "turn" in the hot seat. Namely a folding chair in the center of the room where the stripper gave us a lap dance. I gritted my teeth and kept a happy looking demeanor as a guy wearing nothing but a pouch rubbed his crotch on me. I wasted no time vacating the chair when my turn was over.

In-between the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, I worked at the charity, and Sara told me one of the board members wanted to talk to me. She told me the woman would meet me there in two weeks on that Saturday. I was low key excited. This was it!

The wedding went well. I did my part. Did my duties. Danced the dances I was supposed to, made my toast and helped clean up when the reception was over. My evening ended unceremoniously when I hung the bridesmaid's dress in the back of my closet, hopefully to never see light of day again. I laughed at myself thinking that. Too female of a thought for me to have had. I'm probably the only guy who owns a bridesmaid's dress.

I was anxious all the following week for my meeting. Thankfully work wasn't very demanding. If I had encountered a difficult problem, I probably would have messed it up.

I kept to my routine, knowing I was probably being watched. I made sure to go all out with my clothes - leave no doubt. I felt like I had my disguise down well. I'd spent months with the women from my office, and they didn't suspect a thing. Maybe I came off as a little conservative, but being Asian usually accounts for that. I was just one of the girls.

I kept to my plan on Saturday. I wore a white Oxford shirt and a black skater skirt with the black boots to the charity. Lots of leg and very feminine looking. Sara greeted me and told me the board member would be along later.

From Alexis's files, I recognized her as Karen Kraft. Alexis had placed her between number 2 and number 5 in the organizational structure, and likely the leader of our local office. She controlled a lot of wealth and a lot of businesses, some of which had sizeable "security" teams. Alexis had circumstantial evidence that she already controlled the senators in Washington from our state.

Sara introduced us, and we sat down to chat in Sara's office.

"Ayrin, I'm going to be blunt. We've been watching you and think you can help us with a more important project than the charity. We are working to really push women to the forefront of politics, business and the judicial system. I think you can help us accomplish that." She made her pitch.

"And why me?" I asked, making sure not to appear too anxious.

"You are a beautiful, smart young woman who wants to help others." Karen said what sounded like a practiced line. "You are exactly the type of woman we want to elevate and train to lead the next generation of women into the spotlight."

"What would you want me to do?" I followed up with.

"We need lots of support, and you've demonstrated an impressive skill with computers and networks. Technology is our future, and us old codgers need young blood to push us forward on that front. We are on the cusp of something big and need your help."

I made her jump through a couple more hoops before declaring my interest in helping their cause. I low key laughed to myself every time she talked about me being a good example of the type of woman they needed. If only she knew the irony.

Sara joined us then, and Karen welcomed me to the cause before taking her leave. Sara picked up the phone and asked for Rachael, then hung up.

A woman I had seen come and go before came to Sara's office to fetch me. Not a boss, but more like middle management level. She escorted me through the secured door.

We stopped just after the door closed behind us. Two security guards were waiting for us. One had a plastic tote in hand.

"Ayrin, we take security very seriously. There are many people who want to impede the project we are working on." Rachel explained. "I apologize for the security measures, but please understand that it's necessary."

One of the guards held the bin to me. "For all your belongings." She instructed me. "No phones, recording devices or electronics are allowed. You will get them back when you leave."

I put my purse and phone in the bin.

"Please raise your arms." The other guard told me.

Then she very thoroughly patted me down, including my naughty bits. I should say, not just patted me down, but made damn sure I wasn't sneaking in an electronic device hidden in my bra. Expecting the thorough pat-down, I had worn pantyhose because they helped hide the one thing I couldn't disguise. Being nervous as hell didn't hurt keeping things "in check" down there.

The guard finished feeling me up and nodded at Rachael who started the tour.

I only got to see about half the building. As expected, I'd have to earn their trust.

She explained that their computers were not connected to an external network. The had extra PCs, so she needed my help to fix problems but the computers would be brought to me. She showed me the IT office with four desks and several computers lying around.

"Don't do any snooping in the computers." She cautioned me. "Everything is password protected, and the password we give you will not allow access to sensitive material but just be careful."

They asked when I could help, and I gave them roughly the schedule I was volunteering at the charity.

Once again, I got frustrated at the slow progress. The one thing I did figure out was there was a target date coming up in about 6 months. Everything was gearing up for that.

Otherwise, I kept filling in the holes in Alexis's files, all the while thinking about her. I missed her fiercely. My will power was running out. I admit, I thought about misbehaving, but I realized I wouldn't know how to explain my appearance to a woman. I already knew a lot of guys wouldn't care, but I don't go that way despite my near miss before.

I had been at the WLF for 3 months when things finally started moving. It was a Saturday and one of the security guards came and got me. She escorted me to an office and said I was to fix the computer.

Doesn't sound like a big deal, but it was a boss's computer, and I was being trusted to do so in her office. Apparently, I had reached a level of trust. I was careful not to do anything suspicious, and I got her going again. It was the first ray of light in the long tunnel I had been stuck in.

It started happening more and more. The trusting me part. I got access to more areas. They stopped escorting me everywhere. I think it was a time issue as much as anything. The level of activity was ramping up. They even asked me to come in more often. They didn't have time to babysit me anymore.

Two months later, I quietly mourned/celebrated the one-year mark of the start of my personal project. The day I walked through the doors of the charity as a woman.

I was quickly running out of time to get the proof we needed, but so were they. I figured out the date of the "event". September 30. Exactly 4 weeks away. I had to get more aggressive.

I started taking chances. Looking at the files of the computers I fixed. I concentrated on collecting passwords and looking for the smoking gun.

I had the name of the project as well as each sub-part. I just lacked the proof that would end this. One last piece of the puzzle to collect.

One week, then another passed. I was getting desperate. I was nervous they were on to me, but it was none other than Karen Kraft herself who gave me the opportunity I needed. With only 2 weeks to go, she no longer had time for security protocols. My being there on a Saturday was a happy coincidence. She needed my help, and I got told to go to her office.

What most older and less tech savvy people don't understand is that deleted files aren't really deleted until they get overwritten. The nightly security protocols took care of that, but at that very moment, I had access to everything she had looked at that day.

I easily had her issue diagnosed and dove into the files she had looked at that day. I quickly realized it was too big to read in the short time I had. I took a huge risk and pulled out my flash drive I always carry.

I figured out they don't check my crotch close enough to detect a small flash drive hidden there because of the protection the pantyhose gave me. I long ago started wearing them every day. I'd stick the drive between two thin panty liners. If they did feel something when searching me, I could claim it was "that time of the month" and it was just a pad. That would hopefully stop any further inquiries.

I copied what I could and covered my tracks. I pulled my flash drive out and returned it to my hiding place before going back to the IT office.

I had to wait for the library to open on Monday to look at the flash drive contents, as I was too suspicious to look at it in my apartment. I called in sick to work and used my same route to go to the library and hopefully get there without being followed.

The first thing I did was make a new cloud account and copy everything to it. Call me paranoid, but I felt like I was being watched. In case anything happens, I have another copy at least.

I kept one eye on the door and the other eye on the screen. I spent hours and hours going through all the files. I didn't even eat I was so focused.

I found the org chart and nearly cheered out loud. Not the evidence I needed, but critical to get everyone involved. Security if I found what I needed and went to the police, so they could catch all of them. If anyone escaped, they would come after me.

"Closing in 10 minutes. Please take your selections to the counter." The announcement said. I was out of time.

Begrudgingly I pulled out the flash drive and put it in my purse. I'd have to pick it up again tomorrow. It's been 13 months. One more day won't kill me. Probably.

The feeling I was being watched didn't leave. I high tailed it home and stayed inside. If someone was following me, they had the opportunity to take me already. They must be waiting to find out what I know or what I had taken. That or I'm finally cracking under the pressure.

I called off again on Tuesday and went back to the library. The computer was untouched, so I kept going through the files. Slowly the plan took shape in the files I read. There were people in positions of power who were on board with the plan.

The security forces of the WLF would be allowed to enter the Capitol building unopposed. Their job was to take out the senators and representatives not with the WLF. A smaller force would wait until that event started and take out the supreme court on their way to a protected room underneath the library of congress.

With no mention of the president, I wondered if it was possible she was on board with the plan? A mystery I'd have to dig into further, but first I needed to get the proof.

Again, I looked all day, and at 330, I finally found it. The file containing the plan, contingency plans and offshore accounts where the money that funded everything was stored. I had everything. I had finally found the evidence I was looking for.

I had a brief mental celebration followed by a flash of terror. I was now in even more danger than ever. Big danger, and I was at my most vulnerable.

I copied it all to the cloud and emailed it to an old email account I had from way back when I gamed in the Philippines. I removed my flash drive from the computer and hurried out of the library going home. So far, everything was quiet. I thought about what to do with the information. Alexis would say go to the press, but she also said don't trust anyone.

My thoughts were to go to the police, but I didn't know who I could trust. The secret service and Capitol police were compromised. How many of the local police were too? It made me physically ill thinking about it.

I didn't know who to trust. My instinct was to run. To get somewhere nobody knew me. Then I could figure out who I could take the information to.

I took all night considering my options. I decided to run. Get to another town and safely away from the WLF. Then I could figure out what to do. I most definitely was feeling very exposed and vulnerable.

I would simply drive far away. Easy to see if you are being followed on a long trip. I packed enough stuff for a while and prepared to leave.

As soon as I left my apartment, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up again. It was too quiet. Too obvious.

I got to my car and took off. It was too easy. Shit! I wasn't thinking well. They would be tracking my car. I needed a new ride. I circled around and spotted a suspicious car following me from a safe distance. Maybe not, but I had to assume they were.

I parked and got to the subway. Two dangerous looking women followed me. I tried my switching trains trick, and two other women followed me. Coincidence? I don't think so.

I tried the bus, and the car was back. I felt them closing in on me. I got off the bus and ran off on foot. Then I saw them. They were ahead of me, coming my way. So, I doubled back, and the other two were there. The only way to go was an alley, but I knew if I went down that alley, I'd be dead. I was trapped.

The first two goons got to me and said I was coming with them. The other two flashed credentials around telling all the bystanders that they were FBI. Too obvious to be real. Real agents don't make a show of it. I was in deep shit.

Out of nowhere an SUV came to a skidding halt right next to me. The window down and the driver shouting "Get in! Get in! Get in!".

Not knowing who he was, but quickly deciding that it couldn't be a worse result than getting taken by the fake cops, I jumped in. He sped off and put some distance between us and the goons who were surrounding me.

"Alexis sent me." He shouted, the adrenaline still pumping through both of us.

He stayed busy for a while, watching to see if we were being followed as we drove around in a random looking pattern. I guess eventually he was satisfied and changed course, heading to our actual destination.

"Who are you and how do you know Alexis?" I asked.

"She hired me a month ago to find you and keep you safe." He replied in a more business-like manner.

I noticed he didn't give me his name. Probably on purpose.

"So, you've been following me for a month?" I followed with.

"Not every minute until this week." He explained. "More like watching over you until you started calling off work. Alexis said that meant it was all going down, and I stayed on you 24/7 after that."

"So those people..." I wanted to confirm.

"Are enforcers for the WLF." He looked at me briefly. "They were going to make you disappear."

Having it confirmed sent a shiver up my spine. I had been that close to death.

"Where are we going?" I got my last question out.

"Somewhere safe - to where Alexis is." He replied, not losing his all-business demeanor.

We drove for hours, entering California. By late that afternoon we approached San Diego. He took me to an Asian area of town, then an area he identified as mostly Malaysian. Finally, an apartment building in the middle of a busy street.

We pulled up outside the building and he shut the car off.

"Wear these." He ordered, handing me a hat, hoodie and sunglasses.

Then he quickly walked me inside and up to the third floor where he knocked on apartment 302.

A Malay woman opened the door and let us in. As soon as it closed, I was tackled to the carpet.

Alexis squeezed me so hard I couldn't breathe.

"You almost got yourself killed you stupid idiot!" she shouted at me but didn't let me go.

She wouldn't stop squeezing me, but we managed to get to the couch. She commented that my hair was now longer than hers and then fired off a million questions. I had a million for her too, but the lady who let me in interrupted us.

"You must be so hungry. Let's eat first, then you two can talk in private." She suggested.

So, we ate very delicious food, and I did realize I was hungry. In all of this, I had not been taking care of myself. Not sleeping well or eating well. For the first time in a while, I relaxed a bit. Just a tiny bit.

The guy Alexis hired excused himself after that and left, wishing us good luck. We were on our own again. I never did get his name. I guess his job was complete.

We went to a bedroom of the apartment. Obviously, Alexis had been staying there for at least some time. So, we caught up.

She had initially fled to a remote part of Malaysia and spent 10 months there. 2 months ago, she came back here to stay with a friend of her Auntie. She told me she has not been out of the apartment since she arrived. She feared if she was spotted, I would be compromised.

She said a lot went on in Malaysia and she wanted to tell me about it, but I told her we could talk about it when this was over. Which reminded us both that this was not over.

"So, how do we end this?" I opened the discussion up with.

"The guy I hired to watch you is ex military. He told me about a Marine commander I can trust. Part of the reason I came here, but just to be safe, I think we send the files to some other people who can act if plan A falls through." Alexis suggested.

"Not a bad idea, but we would put whoever we send it to at risk also." I replied. "We have to choose carefully. Who do we send it to?"

"I think my guy has proven himself to be trustworthy." Alexis suggested.

"Yes, but he's in the same basket as the Marine we will go to." I countered. If he's setting us up, he won't be a good backup."

"Then we send it to Jacob's boss at the Post." She offered. "He's an asshole, but an honest one. I think he will agree to sit on it until we get to the Marine commander."

"I can help with that." I replied. "I can set it up so that the file is encrypted until a certain time and date. He could break the encryption, but that will take longer than we need to get to the base anyway."

So, I set it up using the laptop Alexis had bought when she got back to the US. We sent everything to his email with the instructions to hold it until next week. If he hasn't heard from us by then, he should publish everything.

Our plan was to go to the base in the morning. We were talked out after that. The stress of the task waiting for us the next day took the air out of our balloon. We just laid in bed, holding each other.

In the morning, we got cleaned up and ate breakfast. It was time to get dressed.

"Uh, Alex, I don't have any clothes for you." She said, worried how I would react.

"It's OK, I'm used to wearing your clothes. In a way, it made me remember you each time I got dressed." I replied. "And since I don't have any of my old ID, you better call me Ayrin, so it doesn't raise any questions."

We would drive her friend's car to the military base. Alexis said she knew how to get in touch with Commander Taggard once we got there. We didn't expect any trouble.

However, as soon as we pulled out and started the short trip to the base, that thought proved to be wrong.

"One, we are being followed." I told her.

"Shit! How did they find us?" she said, looking back to see who it was.

"They knew our approximate location, but not exactly where we were, otherwise they would have started kicking in doors." I theorized.

"Get down!" I shouted as the back window shattered. Apparently, they were done playing nicely.

I jammed the accelerator all the way to the floor and tried as best as I could to stay ahead of them, but they were closing in. Now a three-car group, it looked bad for us.

The base wasn't far, and the traffic forced them to fall in line behind us. But that meant it also offered us little room to maneuver. I drove on a curb and around traffic which got us a few car lengths of a lead, but it was looking bleak as automatic weapon fire erupted from behind us, spraying the car with bullets when I wasn't swerving around.

We raced down streets for several minutes, barely staying ahead of them and dodging gun fire. Then the gate to the base came into sight, but the road also opened up allowing one of the cars to start moving up beside us and one to move in behind us, boxing us in. Alexis and I were both screaming. We weren't going to make it. I saw the guns take aim at us.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted the white SUV an instant before it slammed into the bad guys beside us, driving them into the ones behind us. A miracle from God himself, delivered through the guy Alexis had hired. Guess he wasn't done protecting me after all.

It gave me just enough daylight to speed through the entrance to the Marine base. The last car chasing us skidded to a halt at the entrance, thinking twice about chasing us onto a Marine base.

With guards streaming out of the base incoming building, we came to a stop near to them. Guns drawn; they shouted at us to show our hands. We didn't resist as they pulled us from the car and placed us in handcuffs. The brig on a Marine base would be far safer than outside with the WLF assassins.

We were separated and they started questioning me. Twenty minutes in, a man came entered the room, whispered to the lead interrogator and they suddenly stopped. They all left the room, leaving me there alone. After what felt like an eternity, one man came back in.

"The password for your flash drive." Was all he said.

So, I gave him the password.

Another eternity later, the same man returned with two military police. They removed the handcuffs off my wrists and the man apologized saying it is protocol and what not.

I was escorted to an office where Alexis was sitting in a chair in front of a desk.

"This is commander Taggard." Alexis informed me.

"Hello Ayrin." The commander addressed me. "We are finding some very interesting information on your flash drive. Alexis has been telling me a very crazy story. I think you probably need to pick up where she left off."

So, I gave the long story of infiltrating the WLF and what I found. He asked questions and commented several times at my caution, trying to tell me I was right to be concerned. After I finished, another man came in handing the commander a folder. He opened it and started reading the contents.

"So, Alexis, how do you know the Ghost?" he turned to her.

Alexis told him about getting on the dark web when still in Malaysia and searching for protection when she decided to come back to the US. The ghost got her set up at the friend of her Auntie without being spotted by the WLF. When I started getting close to uncovering the truth at the WLF, she hired him to protect me.

"The ghost saved my ass in the sandbox more times than I can count. He's the best but got a medical discharge after getting injured over there. You were right to trust him. He's currently in our hospital receiving treatment for a gunshot." The commander addressed Alexis.

"Is he going to be ok?" she asked concerned.

"It will take more than that to kill the Ghost." He replied.

"So, down to business." He refocused our discussion. "You have given us very compelling evidence. Of course, it must all be verified, but that's not my job."

I started to worry, but we were right to trust him.

"I know someone at the DOJ that I trust. I'm bringing them in to take over this investigation. There's a lot to do, but they can get started right away. They will have to determine who is compromised even within their own ranks all while stopping the coup, assuming what you gave us is correct." He summed it up.

"What will happen to us?" I asked. "We will be killed out there."

"Which is why we are going to keep you here until this all gets sorted out. No safer place than a base full of Marines. If all of this is accurate, you have done our country a great service." He answered.

"Colonel." The commander barked. "Make our guests comfortable. And put them under guard. In fact, double the guard in case we have one of these WLF terrorists in our ranks."

We were escorted out of the commander's office and driven to the guest quarters. A supply officer met with us and gave us exercise gear to wear until she could get a detail together to get us some civilian clothes. Interestingly, they gave me the female set, including underwear. My disguise had even fooled the Marines. I wonder how closely they scrutinized my ID.

When the civilian clothes arrived, they were identical sets of women's clothing. Alexis asked if I was ok with that, and I told her it was fine. I'd spent 13 months in women's clothes. I was used to it, and comfortable in them.

By Saturday we were briefed by two FBI agents. They had indeed verified enough of the evidence we had given them to determine the plot was real. They were making plans on how to catch those responsible but needed to give them enough rope to trap themselves in the act.

Their biggest emphasis was making sure none of the management level members got away to try again. By next week, it would all be over, and the next phase would begin. It would take years, maybe a decade for all the legal matters to be resolved.

The commander gave us the courtesy of watching it all go down the day the FBI moved in from the comfort of his private quarters and big screen television. He told us that Congress had a secret early morning meeting and voted to remove the president from office based upon the twenty fifth amendment. It all happened very quickly but dominated the world news for months.

Commander Taggard said we were officially being turned over to the care of the FBI the next week. I don't know if we were still in danger or if the FBI was trying to make an impression on us, but 8 huge, black SUVs rolled through the gate of the Marine base.

We all met in a conference room provided by Commander Taggard. We were introduced to the new acting Director of the FBI, Paul O'Riley. He greeted us warmly, as everything was "off the record".

"First, I want to thank you both for everything you did for our country. Impressive work by you both." He smiled as he shook each of our hands. "Second, I want to offer you each a position in the FBI. We find ourselves suddenly in need of people we can trust, and right now there's not two more trustworthy people in the country than you two.

Alexis squeezed my arm as her way of saying thanks to me as well.

"I assume you accept the jobs?" he joked, and we both laughed as we confirmed it.

"Not only will working at the FBI keep you safe, but we've prepared a new identity for each of you to help your private life stay private." He motioned to an agent who gave us both a manila folder.

He again thanked us and said we should report to the San Diego field office in a month, and to tell the receptionist he sent us. They will know what to do from there.

That meant we had a month to get settled and maybe take a vacation. Only problem was, we were broke.

That worry didn't last long as no sooner than they left, Alexis was tearing into the manila folder and pulled out a check for a year of back pay from the FBI. Seems like our start date had been adjusted back to when this mess all began, or close enough to it.

"Oh, check your new identity." She suddenly thought of something.

I quickly caught up and opened my folder pulling out a California drivers license that very clearly said "female".

"I'm sure we can get that fixed." Alexis said. "Probably a technician just used your current ID to create the new one.

"Yeah, probably." I agreed.

"Unless...." She got a mischievous grin on her face.

"Unless what?" I asked, not sure what she was saying.

"Unless you want to stay my sexy femboy?" She snickered.

"Why? Do you like it?" I asked in surprise.

"What if I do?" she replied in a more serious tone. "What if I find you sexy this way? Would you stay this way if I asked you too?"

"Are you serious one?" I got serious too.

"Yeah, I am two." She smiled. "I can show you just how much I like it once we get out of here, but we need to have that talk we've been putting off first."

We left the base and found a quiet spot on the beach. For a long time, we just sat in the sand and listened to the waves.

"I fucked up two." Alexis broke the silence with.

She let me process it, assuming I knew what she meant. I did. I knew there was more to our lack of intimacy since we were reunited than just not having any privacy.

"I was vulnerable. Lonely. Scared." She started, then stopped. "No, I don't want to make excuses. You deserve better than excuses."

"Who was it?" I asked.

"My first boyfriend from when I lived in Malaysia." She looked out at the ocean. "When I got back, he started coming around. He made his interests clear. He didn't take advantage of me or anything. I let it happen. I let my guard down, and I was wrong."

We sat there for a while, not talking. Far too much had happened since we parted to let my anger get going now.

"Do you love him?" I asked.

Alexis laughed. "No, not at all. Frankly, I don't even know what I first saw in him. I don't even like him. I don't want to insult you, but it was more like a way to deal with the stress. When I got my head out of my own ass, I left and came back here. I'd rather be dead than keep hurting you. I wasn't going to keep making that same mistake."

"I understand." I replied. "I didn't do so good dealing with the stress either, but I managed to build in safeguards to protect me from making poor decisions because I was stressed. Even so, it still didn't go all that good for me either."

Again, silence overtook us as we dealt with the past.

"All I can do is say I'm sorry, even though I know it's what everyone who cheats says."

"Yes, but you were honest when you didn't have to be. And I believe you are actually sincere, unlike most people who say it. I gave my honest assessment.

This time the silence went on as we watched the sun going down. We were less than a foot from each other, but it felt like a world apart.

"I'm scared two." Alexis admitted. "I don't want to lose you again, but I deserve it. It's all my fault and I have no one to blame but myself. You put your life on the line for me and went through hell, but I stabbed you in the back. I've been hating myself ever since."

"I forgive you." The words came out of my mouth but sounded like someone else said it. "One thing I learned through all of this is you make my life better, and believe it or not, I still trust you. If you could have lied to me and not shown the stress and guilt of your mistake, I probably would never trust you again. But you couldn't lie to me, and you couldn't hide it if you tried, so I still trust you."

"However, if you ever" I didn't get out of my mouth before she interrupted me.

"I'd never forgive myself, so you don't have to worry about that." She gave a forced smile. "I'd be so busy kicking my own ass you'd never get the chance. It was a stupid mistake and even more than not wanting to make that mistake again, I don't want to be that stupid. Just keep me away from alcohol please."

"I'm with you on that one. It makes me dumb too." I admitted.

"So, what happens now?" she asked me very nervously.

"Hawaii." I replied.

"What?" Alexis asked.

"I think you owe me a week or two with you only wearing a sexy bikini on the beach." I tried to lighten the mood. We had enough stress for a lifetime already.

Alexis moved next to me and put her head on my shoulder. Did I forgive her too easily? Probably, but hurting her because she hurt me would only weaken our bond. I can tolerate a lot if someone is truthful with me. Sure, the physical part is bad, but losing the trust would have been worse. She deserved a break for being honest with me. It went a long way to helping me get over it.

No, I was good with my decision. Life is strange, and ours was stranger than most, but in the end, I still had her. I still could count on her and trust her. I was at peace with writing it off as a mistake.

"Only if you wear one too." She blurted out. She wasn't joking either. She liked my new look. She proved it a crazy number of times on our two-week vacation. She admitted she wanted me to stay like this.

Her only complaint was "It's not fair your tits are better than mine!". A conclusion she arrived at when a passing tourist checked me out while I was wearing my own bikini. I usually wore some tiny shorts with it, but left the front unbuttoned as Alexis convinced me that was the style.

It was a problem we corrected on our next vacation, kind of. Alexis finally got the implants she had always wanted - becoming a D-Cup, but only after convincing me to do the same. She said she liked sharing clothes, even bras with me, and insisted she wouldn't do it if I didn't too.

Do I regret becoming a woman? Not at all. Alexis is the only person whose opinion I care about, and her actions told me that she really did like it. A lot.

We finally did get married, by the way. Oh, and someone at the FBI has a sense of humor. Our new names are Casey (her) and Kacie (me). So, we are still one and two.