Research free porn video

RESEARCH By GENEVA Marty, a professor, and Dean, a graduate student friend, are working in some archives when Dean uncovers and steals a magic book. Through it he is accidentally changed into a woman. Marty helps the new woman begin making the best of her new reality. Dr. Martin Wright squinted as he stepped out of the doors of the gloomy archives building into the bright sun. It had been a productive day and he had almost filled his notebook with data from the files. Now he was looking forward to sitting with a beer at a caf? to enjoy the rest of the fine day. The summer would be over soon enough and after he and Dean Olafson flew back home to Virginia he would have barely a week to get over his jet-lag before he was back in the rush of the academic year. He had a new course to teach at the university and he was concerned about keeping ahead of the students with his notes. Dean was waiting for him when he arrived at the cafe. Marty was an assistant professor and Dean a graduate student. Marty and another professor, Myles Seymour, Dean's supervisor, had received a joint research funding to look at newly available East European archives. When Dr. Seymour had taken ill he had suggested that his new grad student Dean accompany Marty instead. They got on well together although they were in different departments and one was a prof. while the other was a grad. student. Marty, as he had told Dean to call him, was in the history department and had been on faculty about five years. Dean was beginning a graduate degree in linguistics. He had rapidly adjusted to the first name basis and lost any awe of Marty. Marty raised his eyebrows at Dean's satisfied, almost smug expression. "You pleased we are about done here?" "Well, I'm happy, but not about leaving and certainly not back to doing tutorials for the large first year classes again. And then there will be more grad courses I have to take." "You don't know the half of it," scoffed Marty. "If you were a prof like me then you'd have even more work. But what is it you are looking so pleased about?" "Oh, I'll tell you later, back at the hotel." "All very mysterious!" Marty said, but he let it go. He was tired after a full day in the archives, and just wanted to get a beer or two inside him. They chatted for a bit, idly watching the pretty girls going by in their light summer clothing. That usually caught Dean's interest, Marty thought, but he could see his mind wasn't on it today. Marty watched the girls too, as they passed by, although with a twinge or two of guilt as he had a steady girlfriend, Penny, back home in Virginia. She had been a bit annoyed that he was going to spend a couple of months away from her, but she had accepted it. " Yeah, I suppose it is a good idea for your career, but I can't say I like it." "Well, just suppose I was an anthropologist, spending all the summers among jungle tribes, or digging up bones in some desert!" "Then I would have second thoughts about dating you, despite your great body," she had grinned and slipped her arm through his. Marty missed her. It would be great to see her again. "All right," said Marty, when he and Dean had got back to their hotel room, "what's the big secret?" When Dean told Marty what he had done, he was horrified. He just stared at Dean's smug face. "Are you out of your mind?" he hissed. He would have shouted but he was afraid someone would hear. "You want to spend the next twenty years of your life in a stinking East European jail? Not only that, they could come after me by association! Any academic reputation I have would do me no good! Then, even if they did let us off by some miracle, or technicality, our academic futures would be shot. You'd be thrown out of grad.school. Neither of us would be allowed access to any other library in the future, unless it was the kid's' section of the local library." Marty was indignant, and more than a little annoyed. His budding reputation had helped them a bit to get them access to the old archives, but probably some discreet bribes had helped more. Marty was doing research for a history book he was writing on ethnic migrations. Dean had been instructed to go through old documents to look for the accompanying developments of language. "Look Dean," he pleaded, "it's just plain dishonesty. You have a good academic future ahead of you. Now you are was risking it!" But Dean just shook his head and gave a sly grin. "Relax, Marty, you worry too much. They have to find me out first. To begin with, I bet no one knows of the existence of the book. It must have been misfiled or something. I'm sure no one has been in that part of the archives for years. The dust was thick on the storage boxes. Also, no one stopped me when I left. So I am in the clear." Marty was a more than a little annoyed by the way Dean leaned back self-satisfiedly in his chair, his hands clasped behind his neck. "What I have now could be a research coup. It will make my reputation. It's not everyday, as you know, that anyone finds old book in an archaic language. It had no documentation in the archives. So, as far as one knows it doesn't exist! I'll be doing the world a favor. If I hadn't taken it the book could have moldered away." Marty just shook his head at Dean's nonchalant manner. He didn't like the theft either but he had to let it go. If he informed the authorities about it he could be in deep trouble as well. He forced himself to calm down but he was still skeptical. "So, Dean, even if you can find out what it is about, and translate it, when you publish your findings, where will you say you got it from? Or were you going to just hand the book back and say you were sorry? That it must have just slipped by mistake into your clothing as you were leaving?" Dean looked hurt by his friend's sarcasm. He thought for a bit. " Good point, but I'll face that when I come to it. Maybe I'll get some other old book from an antiquarian bookseller and pretend it was stuck in it or something. Anyway, I can't hand it back. It's mine now, for better or worse, but I think definitely for the better." Marty shook his head with misgivings, but he knew he had little choice. "All right," he sighed, "you'd better tell me how you found this." " I had some old dusty files out of a box and I was replacing them, but they didn't seem to fit. I noticed that there was something tucked away in the bottom, so I emptied the box and lifted the little book from the bottom. It was almost stuck there. I sure did not look like much, only a few inches square, with a kind of old yellow leather or hide cover."I was curious about it. So would you be," he said defensibly. "I wasn't really expecting anything significant, but I was careful with it just the same. The pages were stiff and it wasn't easy taking them apart wearing gloves. Right away I saw it wasn't a printed script; in fact it looked as if it had been hand-written with two kinds of script on the pages." That piqued Marty's academic curiosity. "Recognize any of the words?" "Yes, one was in old Romanian and I could partly translate that. It seemed to imply the little book was on medicine. That was interesting, but not particularly significant. But it's the facing pages." Dean's eyes grew bright with excitement. "These were very strange. The writing looked like some jumbled hybrid of Gothic and Latin script, even with some Cyrillic letters, all in dark brown ink. But the words made no sense. The few sounds I could make out right away made no sense either. I wondered if I was looking at some archaic language, or some minor one that had died out." Marty clicked his tongue. He could see why Dean was excited. Findings like this would be a dream to a researcher, something like a musician finding a lost manuscript by one of the great composers. It could make Dean's name and kick-start his academic career. But, my God, the risks! "Wasn't there anything listed on the file boxes about the contents?" Dean shook his head. "There was no notation about the old book on the outside of the file at all. I even checked the files on either side on the shelves. I checked all through twice just to make sure." "Still, you took one helluva risk!" "Relax, I was careful, I told you! I looked round from my study table, and the old woman at the desk was hacking away with that cough she's had since we arrived, and her head was bent over some old books. The younger assistant, the guy, was as usual, trying to chat up the young female security guard, you know, the blonde one, Olga. She's quite pretty and I don't blame him. Anyway they were engrossed in each other. No one was watching me. It was close to my usual time for leaving, so I slid the little book down into my shorts, and then gathered my notes and other stuff and put it into my case. I thought I would enter the rest of my data in my notes tonight here at the hotel. At least if I had time." Dean gave a grin. "As you can imagine I really want to start examining that little book." They both would have liked to enter their notes directly into their computers to save time but even the noise of the gentle tapping had been too much for the regulations of the archives. Marty could still hardly believe it. " You had no trouble at all at the check-out desk or security?" Dean shook his head. "Nope. Yeah, I was tense, but I forced myself to act casual and I just said that I would see them tomorrow. You know, I've got a lot of stuff. Even if the book is no good, these archives are a gold mine of information! I've a lot I can start work on." Marty was still annoyed by his friend's action, but he felt a bit helpless. What was done was done. Eventually he let himself be persuaded that Dean could not return the book and they were more or less committed. He agreed to go along with it, on the condition that they check in at the airport separately. "Just in case they search you! It's your doing. And I'm going first." In fact, there was no problem checking in at the airport. On the flight, Dean told Marty that he had placed the book in his carry- on luggage, just to make sure it did not go missing. When clearing customs at New York, Marty watched Dean nervously, but there was only a cursory glance by the Customs officer. Dean was home free. Marty did not see Dean again for some days or so after term started until they ran into each other at the cafeteria." Hi Dean, over your jet-lag? So how is the book translation going?" Dean shook his head. "It's very frustrating. I haven't got down to it yet. I'm run off my feet ever since Dr. Seymour died. " "Yes, no one expected that! It was too bad we were away at the time. I would have gone to the funeral." "Yeah, I thought he would be over his illness but then they said he had a relapse and died. So, the department's teaching schedules had to be arranged. Luckily for me they still wanted me as a graduate student but I now have a different supervisor, Dr. Lemnitz, and I got assigned to help with an extra course so it keeps me busy." "Yeah, they pushed some extra classes on me too when I began here some years ago. Even now it 's all I can do to keep my head above water." "How's Penny doing?" "Good. We see each other quite a bit, but we are both busy, her at work and, apart from classes, I've got my tenure hearing coming up. I have to get prepared for it. " "That's next month isn't it? But don't worry. You will do fine. I've heard students talk about various profs, and believe me, Marty, you are one of the best." Marty grimaced. "Yeah, I hope so. Thanks for the confidence boost. Let's hope the tenure committee think the same." He looked at Dean. "You've been here a year now." He waggled his finger. "Wait until you also have a job as a prof, unless you think better of it and go for a more profitable line of work. So better crank these publications out." "I know," Dean sighed. "You don't have to remind me." Marty was relieved when his tenure hearing went well. He had been out celebrating with Penny and found a message on his answering machine when he got home from Dean. He called him back. "I just heard," said Dean. "Congratulations on your tenure. How was the hearing? " "Oh, it all went fine. My publication list looked good, and the reviews were enthusiastic. Besides, they need me! So how's your own stuff going?" "Quite good. Dr.Lemnitz thinks things are going well and I am even on the way to getting some papers written." "Good for you! You work hard." It wasn't until they met again at a party in December that Marty reminded him again about the little book. "After all, if you risked spending the rest your life sweeping floors in an East European jail for it, you might as well find out if it was worth it." Dean shook his head ruefully. "You're right, but I first have to get some publications out on my work at the archives. The legitimate stuff," he grinned. "Well, let me know what the book is all about when you get to it. Maybe it will not have been worthwhile your stealing it." Marty grinned. " Maybe it's an old East European grocery list!" "Ha, ha, very funny! No, it's more than that.'" But three months later, when they met in the pub Dean's mood was different. "You know that work I did at the archives?" His face was animated." Well, I wrote my analyses up in two papers and they got accepted with barely any revisions, so that's two papers for my resume, and it will look very impressive in my thesis. Now I can relax." Marty was impressed. Dean's ability and energy were paying off. "So you can get onto that book finally?" "Yeah, maybe." But when they met for lunch a week or so later, Dean looked a bit more depressed. "What's up? " said Marty. "How's the book now?" Dean shook his head and looked a bit sheepish. "Oh, after I saw you last I pulled out that little book and began to examine it. As I said, it seemed like a book on medicine. The Gothic and Latin letters translated easily, but as soon as I had a few laid out I started to laugh." "An old joke book? From an ancient comedian?" "No, not really, or at least not deliberately funny. You know, it looks like a book for charlatans." He grinned sheepishly. "It's got supposed incantations to remove warts, fix hunchbacks, squints, and even heal wounds, a lot of stuff. All total rubbish of course! The most hilarious thing is at the end. There is a supposed incantation that would change a man's gender." He gave an embarrassed laugh. "And all that effort I put into getting it!" "No equal opportunity spells?" Marty laughed. "Nothing to change women into men?" Dean shrugged. "Maybe there could have been, but it looks like any later pages were ripped out, or lost somehow." Marty shook his head. "Magic stuff!" he laughed. "Then you are all set up. I'll get you a wizard's cloak and wand." "Yeah, it was nonsense, of course, but maybe there will still be some academic interest in it. You see, there are the language and its script involved too. It seems to have connections with Gothic, some Latin, but other characters that might be Old Greek. Some stuff just looks like old Mesopotamian writing. At least there were no Egyptian hieroglyphics!" Marty raised his eyebrows. "Well, you know, maybe you should investigate that. It could be a significant find. Almost certainly there would be some value exploring how all of these were connected and related. Actually, it could have a lot of historical value. I wonder which part of the world it came from originally." Dean looked a bit more encouraged." Yeah, could be worth it. I was frustrated that it is difficult to decipher but I suppose if it was easy to read then it would have less academic significance! I should still be able to get a paper or two from it." "Okay, hope it works out for you. Marty looked at his watch. "Sorry, Dean, gotta go. I'm taking Penny to a concert." Dean grinned. "Ask her if she has a girlfriend my age. Sorry, just kidding! But I've been so busy I haven't had time to meet girls." Over the next few months Marty and Dean saw each other on and off while Dean worked at the old book, trying to make sense of the sounds of words. When Marty talked again with him at a party Dean was more enthusiastic. He said he had made a good breakthrough and he was starting to fit the sounds to the characters. "It took a while, but I began to spot some similarities to Classical Greek, although the words are still mostly just gibberish. Then I realized that whoever the charlatan was who had made it up, he would use gibberish anyway to fool the victims, just like a modern magician might use words like 'abracadabra' and 'hocus pocus'!" Marty saw that Dean needed some encouragement. "Look, you still be able to publish your work. As I told you earlier, it could have a lot of historical value, and it will help in ethnic studies. It would show how some ancient culture had a blend of influences. You might be able to work it up into a couple of papers or more, and with the right spin get a lot of academic credit. Look, all helps if you are looking for a job!" He thought for a bit. "You know, there could be something in it too for me as well, to work out the history. Say, maybe we could collaborate on some papers. I'll run it by Dr. Lemnitz." Penny had come up and taken Marty's arm when she noticed Dean. "Oh, hi Dean, how's things? You two talking shop again, I bet!" She looked at him closely. " You look a bit stressed out." Dean shook his head. "Oh, I keep pretty busy," "Yeah, like Marty" She punched Marty's arm playfully. "Come on Marty, I want to dance." Dean watched a little enviously as Penny pulled Marty after her. He could see that they had become much closer. Penny was a graduate in forensic chemistry and worked in a city lab. She had not liked it, but she accepted Marty's commitment to work hard over the winter. She sympathized because she also was trying to work up some investigations for a major report. Her bosses kept pushing work onto her and she worked late many evenings and sometimes even at weekends.The following week Marty had been hunched over the table looking at his history notes when Penny arrived from her lab. She had her own key to his apartment, but had her own apartment as well. "Hi sweetie," she said, leaning over and giving Marty a big kiss on his cheek. He slipped his arm round her waist and gave her rear a pat. " Mmmm, sexy ass, but be with you in a minute. Just working on this last part of my notes here." "I hope the students appreciate it. You've been hard at the notes all winter." She wandered round the apartment for a bit. She looked at a photograph Marty had stuck in the refrigerator, one taken of him and Dean before they went to Europe."Say, that buddy of your's, Dean. He was working on an old book, you said. How's he coming along with it? Make any sense of the words yet?" "Well as I told you, he thinks it's mainly gibberish sounds." "What was it for, does he think?" "He thinks it is maybe a traveling magician or some medical charlatan. You know, someone just taking the money, reciting a few fancy sounding words to the ignorant peasant or whoever, then skipping town before it became obvious the spells didn't work. Doing the same with the village down the road. Ignorant people might want to believe the spells. They are supposed to heal injuries, and some ailments like club feet, hare lips, cuts and so on. He says he's finally beginning to get it interpreted. There could be some thing in it for me too. Tell you, it's a week or so since I saw him. I'll call him up." Dean suggested they go over to his place the next evening. He lived in the upper half of a run-down old duplex.Penny was barely in the door when she gave Dean a sweet smile. "So Dean, what's this book you have? Marty's been telling me about it." Dean ran his hands through his scruffy hair. "It's on the table over here. I was just working on it." He had the book laid out, with a bunch of dictionaries and scratch pads covered with notes, and his computer.Penny looked at the book and curled up her nose. " This is the book? It looks disgusting. Some old leather or hide cover. Dirty too! Mind if I look at it?" "No, but better put on these gloves first. It's old and I don't want it damaged." Penny had no problem with that. Working in her lab she was used to gloves. She squinted at the cover in the light. "It's in terrible condition. The back cover is gone, maybe some pages at the back too. The binding's ripped." She looked at it closer, a frown developing on her face. "You guys know what this is? This covering?" "Leather, I suppose?" asked Dean. "Yes and no! It's leather, of sort, but not your usual type. I think it's human skin!" Marty felt the hair on the back of his neck rise but his curiosity overcame his revulsion. He shook his head. "Now why would a book used by a charlatan be covered in something like human skin? Ordinary leather would be much easier to get." Dean shrugged. "Oh, maybe by saying it was human skin the guy could convince any villagers of the potency of the spells in it." "Yeah, but it's not as if any peasant would have known enough to check on it." Penny held it closer to the light. "Maybe I could take it into the lab and look at it under the microscope. I'm too busy with my own stuff, but there's a technician in the lab could tell if it really is human skin. "Sure, good idea, but wait until I am finished with it," said Dean. "Oh, I didn't tell you, Penny. This part at the end, it's a spell supposedly to turn a man into a woman." "What, none for making a woman into a man? Now I don't think that's fair!" she laughed. "Maybe there was, but it looks like the pages after this last one have been torn out and lost." Marty scratched his head. "Why on earth would there be spells for making a man into a woman? I can't imagine any peasant holding up his hand to the charlatan and saying, 'Please, sir, I want to become a woman.' You know," he said, "Maybe it was for spies. Maybe a male spy becomes a woman, and she inveigles her way into an enemy's castle or whatever. Uses her woman's wiles to bemuse the enemy. Kills him or gets information and sneaks out again. But then again, there would be a limited market, for that." They all had a good laugh and Penny and Marty said their goodbyes and went to his place. They were barely in the door when she put her arms round his waist. "Oh, woman's wiles, is it?" she laughed, and made a face at him. "That reminds me. You've been so busy recently that I haven't had my chance to use my woman's wiles on you. And I should say, you have been neglecting me. You better make it up to me and give me something to help me think of you this next week. I am going off tomorrow to a meeting. You hadn't forgotten, had you?" Marty shook his head. "Uh, uh, but I'll miss you." She gave him a deep wet kiss. "Yes, correct answer! Hope you're ready. I have something to show you." She pulled her sweater over her head, revealing a white lacy push up bra, then undid her jeans and wriggled out of them. Her panties were lacy too, matching her bra. She wiggled her hips. "Like them?" "Very pretty, but even prettier with them off!" Marty slipped his finger into the waistband of her panties, but she took his hand and led him to the bedroom. An hour or so later Marty was half asleep when he felt her kiss him. As she did so her nipples slid over his chest and he was ready for more action but instead she grabbed her clothes, and he had to content himself with the erotic vision of her stepping into her panties, and redoing and adjusting her bra. She saw him looking at her and wiggled her hips at him. She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Anyway, lover boy, gotta go. Going off to that meeting, starts tomorrow, and I will have to make an early start. At least I'm packed." "Yeah, and stacked!" She stuck her tongue out at him but gave him another wet kiss. "You did good, lover boy. I'll be expecting a repeat performance when I get back." She put on the rest of her clothes. "Now, why don't you lie back and conserve your energy. I'll see myself out." Marty lay in the bed after she left and thought about the day ahead. He did not have any classes that day, so he just pulled on his jeans and a T-shirt, made some breakfast and sat down with some coffee at the notes on his table. He scratched his head as he looked at the table with his notes and the stacked books. It was more hours of boring work ahead, but it had to be done. He was in the middle of making up some lectures and as he was barely a lecture ahead of the students he liked working at home where there were fewer interruptions than at work. What made it more pressing was that the head of the department had been after him to start a graduate course. He worked at his notes most of the day, alternatively staring into the air, writing furiously, or flipping through references, and only taking time to have lunch and coffee. In the late afternoon he stretched and looked at the clock. He shook his head to clear it. He could not concentrate any longer. It was obvious he had had enough. He was beat and bored. He needed a change so he called up Dean. "Hi Dean, how's things with you? You eaten yet?" He heard a negative reply. "Then do you want to go out to go out and have a burger and beer?" Dean thought that was a good idea. At the pub, Marty was amused at Deans' eyeing the pretty waitress' rear as she walked away after serving them. "Cheers!" Marty took a long draw of his beer and smacked his lips. "So how are things now with that book?" Dean shifted his attention back to his companion. "Oh coming along. Actually I'm glad you asked. I'm much better at it now. I've got more practiced so I have got on much quicker. In fact it's just about done. Come on over and have a look."At his place they had another casual look at the book and threw a few ideas about it back and forward, trying to imagine whatever the charlatan could have used it for. Dean was looking pleased with himself. "You know, I spent more time at it last night after you guys left and I now have all the sounds accounted for. I've written them down in a phonetic form just below the supposed spells. That last one, I recited a few words but like all the rest of the spells in the book they just sounded gibberish." They had another laugh at the title of the last supposed spell, 'To Make a Man into a Beautiful Woman.' Marty stretched and looked at the clock. It had been a profitable day for both of them, but he was getting tired. "I'm beat," I said. "I need some sleep." "Oh, did Penny keep you awake last night?" Dean punched him lightly on my arm. "Maybe you should get a girlfriend too," Marty grunted. "You need some relaxation." Dean ran his hands through his long hair and sighed. He looked down at his rumpled clothes. "Yeah, look at this. I'd better tidy myself up. I should get out and get a haircut, maybe some new clothes, before the chairman of the department gets on my case. I've got a meeting with Dr. Lemnitz and the rest of my advisory committee in less than a month so I have my thesis work to update, then I'll have to list of all the courses and tutorials I've helped with. And finally, I have to get to get my publications with some of the reviewers' comments. I think it looks good and I feel fairly confident with it. Do you mind looking it all over, say in a week or so?" "Sure, anything for you, buddy. But you know, you have publications already. That's pretty good for just a grad. student." Marty made his way home, rolled into bed and turned off the light. Having been given tenure, at least some pressure was off him, but it did not mean any lessening of work, at least if he wanted to move up through the ranks.He threw himself into his work the next three days. He got some e- mails from Penny that made him feel better, but they made him realize how much he missed her. He even took some time to check his finances to see how much he could afford for an engagement ring. Three days later, feeling the need of some company again, he decided to call Dean. The phone rang about five times before it was picked up. "Yes?" said a hesitant weak female voice. Marty was slightly taken aback by the female voice. "Is Dean there?" he asked. "Marty?" said the voice. Marty wondered who the woman was. Had Dean had a girl over? How did she know him? She had used his first name. "Yeah, who's that?" he asked. "Marty, can you come over right away? I need you, urgently." Her voice sounded strained. "Who is that?" he asked, but the woman had hung up. Marty was annoyed at first, wondering who the woman was. Then he began to think of all possible scenarios that would have a woman using Dean's phone. When he knocked at the door of Dean's apartment he heard the same strained hoarse woman's voice. "Who is it?' "It's Dr. Wright," he replied. "Are you alone?" the woman asked. Marty frowned. That was a strange question. "Yeah, what's up?" The door was opened a crack and a woman's face peeked out and looked left and right, as if checking. Marty hesitated at the haggard look on the woman's face but before he could react she opened the door more and almost pulled him in. He was about to protest but he just stopped and stared at the woman. She looked terrible. Maybe she had a nice figure but she looked simply bedraggled. Her short blonde hair was a mess, her complexion had red patches and her face was tear -stained. Her clothing did not help her. She was dressed in a pair of Dean's jockey shorts and a T-shirt. Marty saw the little bulges of her nipples poking in it, but otherwise the shirt just hung on her. At last he got his voice back. "Excuse me, miss, who are you? Where is Dean? Is he all right?" "Better sit down, Marty. I have something to tell you. I need your help, badly." Marty became alarmed. "Where is Dean? Has something happened to him? And who are you?" "Dean is here, or what was Dean is here." She emphasized the 'was'. "And yes, something dreadful has happened to him." The woman began to cry. Marty sat feeling awkward as she started sobbing, but in a minute she had herself under more control. She blew her nose. "You see, I am Dean or I was Dean, to be more precise." Marty just stared at this crazy woman and began to protest. He was getting exasperated at the strange questions and her statements. "What the hell are you talking about? Don't be stupid!" He wondered if the woman was a nut case. The woman, whoever she was, just held up her hand as if to quieten him. "You remember that supposed spell book, of the charlatan, that I was working on? Well it's not nonsense! It actually does work! You see, I thought I would do a little more work on it and I read it all out to test the sounds. In a few minutes I started to shiver. Then I must have fallen unconscious as I woke up just a couple of days ago. It was a spell and it worked! I have been wondering what to do ever since and I finally thought of you for help. I was working on getting enough nerve up to call you when you called me. Please, don't let me down. I really need your help." "Don't be ridiculous!" Marty jumped up and began to search through the small apartment, almost expecting to find Dean's body somewhere with a knife or gunshot wound. But there was nothing. He heard the woman crying in the living room, in deep despairing sobs. She came beside him and clutched his arm. "Marty, please, you are my only hope. I know you don't believe me, but it's true. Ask me some questions to test me to make sure I am who I say." This is ridiculous, he thought, but, "All right. Where did we stay when we were in Europe," he asked. "At that hotel, on the side street, just off the main one." "What was our room number?" "Fourteen." Marty was still not convinced. "Where were you born?" "Minnesota, but I was raised in Ames, Iowa." Marty stared at her. What she said was was unbelievable, but she had given the correct answers. "All right," he said slowly. "I'm still not convinced but you'd better tell me exactly what happened." "I'll tell you as much as I remember. Well, you know that I last saw you about four days ago. It was after ten that I got back home but I wasn't sleepy so I sat down at the table and took another look at the book and its contents, that last section I was dealing with, to check it over again. That last page about making a man into a beautiful woman had the longest supposed spell and I thought that if I could do that then the rest would be easier. I went through the process to test the sounds and got the same results as the first I had done it, so I was pretty sure I was on the right lines. "The sounds still didn't make sense and then I had the idea of sounding them all out loud and in sequence to see if it wasn't just nonsense. It only took a minute or so to read it, but they still made no sense. "Then, some minutes later, I was sorting all my paperwork into piles, and dumping rough work into the garbage when I felt a shiver. I didn't think anything of it, but in a minute I got an even stronger one. I got a cold medicine from the bathroom cabinet in case I was coming down with something, but then I started to shiver violently. I was absolutely shaking! And that's it! I remember nothing until I woke up a couple of days ago. And as you see, in an entirely different body!" The woman broke down again. "What will I do?" He shook his head in disbelief. "This is preposterous! Where did you put the book?" "It's here, on the table!" Marty made to pick it up but the woman snatched it away and held him back. " Marty, It's dangerous. Please be careful!" "There isn't any way of reversing this? It's a pretty drastic spell." "No, I've Iooked. Maybe it was in some of the pages that were missing. Now I seem to be stuck!" Marty had to sit down. He shook his head. He was overwhelmed. If what the woman had said was true the book had terrible power. It was magic, and magic should not exist! It was against common sense, against any scientific validity. If the knowledge of the book got out it would threaten society. It had awesome power but no one should use it. "What should I do?" the woman whispered. "How would I know? Maybe the effects will wear off. If it doesn't, you will have a new life to get used to." As soon as Marty said it he wished he hadn't as the woman's eyes filled with tears again. "All right," he sighed, "why don't you wait for a day or so? I'll stay with you and help you." Marty wasn't sure what he could do, but he thought he could at least keep any idea of suicide away from the woman, she looked distraught enough. He also wondered what Penny would say if she knew he spent a night with a woman, and a pretty one too, despite her haggard face and messy hair. "Well first, why don't you get some proper clothes on? " He cursed inwardly. Again he had put his foot in it. All there would be in the apartment would be men's clothes. "Oh first, maybe you'd better have a shower." She had smelled sweaty and slightly rancid. "Yeah, you're right," the woman sniffled and shuffled off to the bathroom. Marty heard the shower start. He wondered about whether he should even be there with the crazy woman, but some time later she emerged from the shower, cleaner and with a towel wrapped round her. She had obviously washed her hair but she was crying afresh. Marty felt uncomfortable. He could not help noticing her shapely figure even under the towel. At least she had covered her noticeable boobs. The woman was sniffling again. "What is it?" "It's the boobs. I had to wash them. I don't want them! And then, between my legs, there's nothing, just a groove." Marty was curious, but he thought it better not to look. "What will I wear?" she complained. "Why are you asking me? God, I wish Penny was here! Oh, let me see what you've got." He was still skeptical but they solved the problem of her clothing with a pair of pants cinched around her waist with a belt and the cuffs rolled up, and a sweater over a T-shirt. Marty was glad, as he was no longer distracted by her nipples. While he tried to get his thoughts together he made some coffee and toast for her. He had eaten breakfast so he wasn't hungry. The woman just picked at her toast. A number of possibilities were running through Marty's mind. "Do you want to go to a hospital to get checked out?" " No!" She shook her head vigorously. "Any doctor would think I was crazy. Let's see if this wears off." "Maybe we better put the book away." Marty got a large envelope, slid the book in, and put it in a drawer. It was obvious that the woman was dead tired so, still feeling a bit self conscious, Marty eventually rolled her into bed and pulled the blanket over her. She went like a light. Then when she was asleep, he went through the apartment twice, just to make sure there were no bloodstains of the Dean he had known, but it appeared she was telling the truth. He wrapped himself in a blanket and settled into an uncomfortable sleep on the sofa. He spent another two days with the woman. She was very fragile emotionally and he frequently had to comfort her. Once he embraced her and held her, but it was very obvious she was a woman with a desirable curved body. He wondered how Penny would view him holding another woman, or even just spending a night with her. Two days later it was obvious that the spell was not wearing off. Also, the woman's appearance had improved. Her blotchy skin had cleared up and her complexion looked almost flawless. She said that all traces of her male pattern hair had fallen out, but Marty didn't want to look at her chest to check. She was quite pretty. Marty broached going to a doctor again but she shook her head violently. "No, who would believe me? They'd just think I was mad. Anyway, what could they do?" Marty shook his head. "Yeah, you have a point, but I've no idea how to handle this." He took her hands in his. He spoke carefully. The woman was still very fragile emotionally, but things had to be done. "Look at me! Well then, you'd better start getting used to the idea of the rest of your life as a woman. First, you'd better establish some identification. Change your credit cards, your driver's license, and maybe your passport. First, you'd better come up with a female name." He ignored the shock on her face. " How about Diane?" "I guess so, " she whispered. He thought she was going to cry again. "Now, this is just as serious. You'll have to convince the people at the university too, I mean Dr. Lemnitz, the people in your department, and the administration, who you are, or were. You know, people get transgendered. You could say that's what you did. It would be true, although it was no surgeon that did it." Diane's face went white. "Are you kidding? Fat chance of that now, I think! You know better than I do that the university gets a lot of supported from a conservative group. And transgender? You know who's a big donor to the university? Yeah, old Senator Murphy. If he ever heard about a transgendered student, his support might dry up. The administration know where their support comes from. They would be scared of any of this leaking out." "Then you'd better start applying to other places, under your new name." "I'm not sure if that would work either and there's the problem of proving who I was. I'll have to think about it. In the meantime, what? Maybe I can get a job like I had when I was going through university, and no, I don't mean a fast food restaurant." Marty looked at Diane's shapely woman's body, its curves barely hidden by the adapted male clothing. " I suppose first, you'd better get better clothing." "Yeah, none of my previous stuff fits." " I agree. So you will need to get some women's clothes. And that probably means the works, not just underwear, but everything. That T- shirt is now too much too big for you. Maybe the shorts would be okay, but that's about all. And look, apart from being totally embarrassed, I'd be absolutely no use at helping you." Marty shook his head. " God, I wish Penny was here. What say I get Penny to take you shopping for proper fitting clothes? We'd have to tell her about what has happened. You okay with that? She get's back tomorrow." Diane shook her head. "One more who'd know all about this, but I don't suppose I have a choice." With a hollow feeling in his stomach Marty picked Penny up at the airport in the morning, and had her drop her stuff off at her apartment. After a bit of getting reacquainted, he began hesitantly, and with great misgivings, "Penny, I have something to tell you. Something awful." Penny jerked away from him. "What!" "No, it's not me. It's not us. It's Dean. It's something unbelievable. You see, that book he was working on, one of the supposed spells. Well, it turns out that they are not 'supposed'. They actually do work!" "Oh yeah, right. What have you been drink...? " Her voice tailed off when she looked at his serious face. "You're kidding! What spell? How did he find out?" "Well, you see, it's most the worst possible spell. You remember that one of making a man into a woman? Well, he read that one, and it did!" Her jaw dropped. "That's impossible!" Marty shook his head. "I wish it weren't, Penny, but Dean is now a woman. She now calls himself, or herself, Diane. You can ask her about it, I've tried to help her but now she really needs a woman's help. You are the only one I can trust." "Come on! You're serious? Why me?" She looked at his serious face. "All right, but I'm sure this is a great big put-on." It was her turn to be shocked when she entered the apartment and saw Diane. She just shook her head slowly. Diane's shoulders visibly sagged. "Hi Penny," she said, so quietly she could barely be heard. Penny had to struggle for words. "What happened?" she asked finally. Marty let Diane tell Penny the story again. It was just as she had told him. Penny even took Diane into the bedroom to check her body. Marty watched Penny's face, hoping she would not see it as some lame tale he had cooked up to explain spending nights with this woman. "I'm still not sure if I believe this," said Diane, "but let me think. All right, first, you can't go around looking like that. You need proper women's clothes." She studied Diane. "I think you are roughly the same size as me so I'll loan you some of mine and then we definitely have to go out and do some shopping. Then we'll set about changing your documentation and making sure your bank accounts are okay." She studied Diane. "I'll go and get some clothing from my place. You can use it temporarily. I'll be back in an hour or so. In the meantime, Marty, you can get this place tidied up. Diane, you take a shower! Marty, put on some fresh coffee! We have a lot to do." Diane finally emerged from the shower, but dressed in the same clothes. Her face looked very feminine, but her hair was not right. She had combed it straight back but it needed some attention. Penny was back in an hour with two large bags and shook out their contents onto the bed. She had brought a pair of her jeans, a T-shirt, a jacket and a pair of shoes. The other bag held a sweater, a shirt, socks, a pair of flat shoes, two pairs of panties and a bra. Diane grimaced at the clothes. Her face was white and then she began to blush when Penny picked up the bra and a pair of the panties. If Penny saw Diane's face she made no comment. "I think this stuff will do for a start. The bra sizing will be more of a problem but at least you will look fairly respectable when we go out to get you your own stuff. And we have to fix your hair!" Penny fussed with it a bit, but shook her head. "A visit to a hairdresser is on the list too!" She pushed Marty out of the bedroom. "Out, you! I have to get Diane dressed." Marty sat nursing his coffee and tried to plan what Diane should do. He sighed. Her work was the greatest problem after adjusting to her new body. He debated the wisdom of Diane going to the department and trying to convince them who she was. If she didn't want to face them, she should send in a letter of withdrawal. If they didn't believe Diane, or wanted rid of her, she would have to look elsewhere and unless there was another graduate school that was unconcerned about transgenderism, her academic career was over. All because of that book! It had probably destroyed her past life. Dean had suffered for his greed. Maybe the book should be destroyed before it affected other lives. Its power was too much. Yet, it was a great find. Marty wondered about the ethics of destroying the book. It was dangerous, but valuable too. He heard the bedroom door opening, and Penny walked out pulling a very hesitant Diane. Marty was totally taken aback. Diane was a very pretty woman and the clothes seemed to fit her not too badly. Penny had dressed Diane in a pair of her jeans, a T-shirt and flat shoes. She must have done something to Diane's hair as it looked tidier also, but Diane was blushing. "She looks almost acceptable, don't you think?" said Penny." Now, if she would only stop blushing!" "It's wearing a bra. It feels strange," said Diane. She wriggled her shoulders. "Well, get used to it. You need it, and it's what women wear. Now Marty, what about something to eat as well?" It was a strained lunch. Dean or Diane, as she now was, was still mostly in shock, probably with the distinctive women's underwear reinforcing the drastic new course in her life. Marty was still shocked too with the changes, but also disturbed by the presence of the new young woman. She was extremely attractive. "Next on the agenda," said Penny, "let's look through all of your old clothes. See if anything can be adapted or used for you." Marty thought it better to keep out of the way while the women again retreated to the bedroom. It was at least another two hours later before they emerged, Penny with a bundle of clothes. Diane following her, looking very forlorn. Marty warily eyed the large pile of clothes to be discarded. Penny caught his eye. "Yes, none of these are of any use. They'd just look strange on her. They have to go!" She looked at her watch. "All right. We have time to get some shopping done. We can dump these in a charity bin on the way. "Marty, we will be back in an couple of hours. My stuff is not quite right on her, but she is now respectable enough to go out into the stores. I'll get some pizza for supper. No, on second thoughts we will eat out!" Diane began to protest but Penny glared at her. "You may not want to, but you have to get used to being out and about and the sooner the better. You can't hide here. Marty, why don't you tidy up here?" "You want me to go with you?" he asked. "No, she'll have to get some bras and stuff as well as outerwear, so you'd be better out of it, and I know how much you dislike clothes shopping with me. Besides, this place needs some attention. You can make yourself useful here tidying up." Feeling a bit superfluous, Marty cleaned up the dishes lying in the sink and swept the floor. In Diane's bedroom he looked the clothes lying on the chair and bed. There was not much left, after Penny's ruthless selection, a couple of pairs of jeans and some T-shirts and socks, and sweaters. He eyed Dean's footwear. It was obvious the shoes were much too big as well and that would be another expedition. A bit later he heard the key at the door and Diane walked in, looking very embarrassed, carrying two bags of clothes. Penny followed her in, carrying another. "I usually don't mind shopping," she grimaced, "but this was quite an experience. Anyway, Diane now has a basic set of clothes and even some shoes." "Excuse us!" They retreated to the bedroom again and reappeared in a half hour. Marty almost did a double take at the pretty blonde woman who sidled out almost pushed by Penny. The new clothes fit her well. She was wearing a loose skirt with a casual blouse top. Penny had even given her lipstick. "Go on! Turn around so he can see you, " commanded Penny. With a pained look Diane turned around. Marty could not but help notice her slim waist and nicely shaped rear. He could even see the outline of a bra beneath her blouse. He looked at her legs. She was wearing stockings or pantyhose and a pair of shoes with small heels. She had nicely shaped legs. But Penny had an exasperated look. "Come on, Diane, stand straight! You are stuck with this. Make the best of it. You are an attractive woman now. Be happy with that!" Marty thought Diane was very pretty. Her clothes were fairly plain, but she would turn heads. She saw him looking at her. "Well, you like it? You like seeing me dressed as a woman?" she said defiantly, folding her arms rigidly, her face reddened. Marty shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare. It just that you are so..." He was going to say 'pretty', but with Penny right behind her he thought it better to keep his opinion to himself. "You look very convincing. No one would ever dream you were ever a man." Oops! That was the wrong thing to say. She began to cry again and Penny gave Marty a glare. "Come on, Diane," said Penny, giving her a hug. "It will be all right. You will survive. You will do fine. We are here to help you. Diane. I think its time for another step for you. You are coming out with us to eat. Look, You are an attractive woman. That's what people will see, not a transvestite. You are no longer a man," she said slowly, emphasizing each word. "Time you got used to it. You have just been out with me to get new clothes. Nobody looked at you much then, did they?" Marty gave Diane a hug too, trying to reassure her. He saw Penny looking at them, biting her lip, and as soon as Diane drew away from him she embraced Marty too. "Marty, you are a gem!" she whispered into his ear. Both Marty and Penny watched Diane carefully through the evening. They thought she actually did very well. They ate at a Greek restaurant and saw her relax a bit when she had some wine inside her. Poor thing, Marty thought. He could not imagine himself going through the trauma. My God, he thought, just suppose he had been with Dean when he read out the spell! Back at the apartment, Penny sat Diane down on the sofa, and put her chair in front of it. "What now?" she asked. " Diane, what do you want to do about work?" " I guess I have to face that. I'm not looking forward to that. I'm not even sure that I can do it." She took a deep breath. "But I'll try." "All right, I will help you there. Tomorrow?" said Penny. "That's too soon, but maybe a couple of days or so. I have to get my nerve up." She was trying to be brave but her lip was quivering. Penny looked directly at her. "That's good, Diane, then tomorrow, we have get your new identity established. Then a new driver's license. Then change credit cards to your new name. Also, you are going with me to get some shoes and more clothes. Women need more than men. Now we better get going. I will call for you tomorrow morning. Are you okay to be left alone?" She nodded her head bravely and Marty and Penny left. Marty was relieved when he called her in the morning to check on her and she answered. Marty had a number of meetings the next day and things to catch up on so he wasn't able to see Penny until a day or so later. "How is Diane?" "Making some progress, but she's a long way to go." "How was shopping the other night?" She made a face. "Very strange. Of course she had no ideas of what to get but we started with the basics. We got her plain underwear and some bras, a skirt, jeans and a dressier pair of pants. And some simple women's tops like T-shirts and blouses and a couple of sweaters. We had another try yesterday and got her more stuff. So she's just about there. I'm taking her out again tomorrow to get some toiletries and other stuff. Also, we have made a start at new documentation and it should be done in a day or so." Over the next few days Marty saw an improvement in Diane. She had changed from moving awkwardly, as if to shrink into herself, to moving, if not confidently, at least in a way that didn't draw attention to herself. But when Marty saw her next she was distraught. He had knocked on her door and had heard a hoarse, "Come in!" so he let himself in. There was an open bottle of wine beside her and Diane was slightly drunk. She had been crying. "You okay?" he asked. "No, not really. You see, I decided I had put things off enough. Penny came over last night and helped me select some clothes. I had decided to go into the department and face Dr.Lemnitz and the chairman." She smiled ruefully. "First of all, it wasn't easy deciding how to dress. I would have to persuade them that I was Dean. But I don't look at all like a man! Just look at my hips, my waist and my bust!" She stood up and turned around to show him, but her manner was resigned and defeated, rather than open. " I'm not sure if I could ever prove who I have been. After all, I have lost height and weight. My figure is obviously a woman's. I know I have no male vestiges. "With this body I would look absolutely stupid in male clothes. And if I dressed in too feminine a fashion it would not help to persuade them either. So I thought I should dress very conservatively, even plainly. This college is a fairly conservative place, after all." Marty thought of the pains he went to, to hide that he and Penny slept together. She gave a sad smile. "Penny called it dowdy but she accepted it and she helped me. I had a plain dark skirted suit, tan pantyhose, plain black shoes, a black purse and just a trace of makeup. So, I took the bull by the horns and I drove to the college. "All along the way I was rehearsing my words, how to tell the chairman who I was - I mean who I had been, - and that I had decided to take a female identity. But I was barely in the department when I saw the secretary, Mrs. Platt, and 'Yes miss, can I help you?' she said. She obviously did not recognize me at all." Diane gave a grimace. "That was enough! Right away I chickened out. There was absolutely no way I could convince them of my story, apart from reading one of them the spell too. Any 'sensible' person would just look at me and would decide I was just crazy." She took a deep breath. She spoke slowly. "So, it looks as if I am stuck, and I'd better get on with my life. But I think I will wait a bit until I have my emotions together before I try to get in another grad school. I have a bit of money in the bank so I am okay for a week or so. But after that I'd better get a job. " Marty shook his head. "Come on, you could apply elsewhere. Not all schools will be like this one, and you have a good academic record. That will help you." She shook her head. " I think I have to lick my wounds for a while. I'm too confused to make any decision. Can you come with me tonight and I'll clean out my stuff?" Diane still had a key to the department and late that night they cleared out her study area. The following day Penny, and Marty discussed the options with Diane. They tried to be supportive, but their comments mostly slid off her back. She seemed numbed, other than showing a quiet anger at herself for her carelessness with the spell, but Marty was encouraged that she now seemed to have some determination to get on with her new life. "You all right for a day or so, Diane?" Marty asked. "I have a lot of work to catch up on." "Yeah, I think so. I've already started thinking about places I could work. I'm good with computers so maybe I can get work in some places that want to build up a female clientele." So she had now made a start to identifying herself as a woman. Marty felt reasonably reassured that Diane was getting herself together, but when he tried to call her three days later he got a message saying the number was disconnected. Puzzled, he went round to her place. When he knocked on the door, there was no reply. He asked the caretaker of the apartment block who told him that some woman had loaded stuff into a car and handed in the key. He had no idea where she had gone. He even let Marty inspect the apartment. It was totally bare. All traces of Diane were gone, other than some rubbish in a garbage pail. All her books and notes and clothing were gone. Then, the next day, he got a note in the mail. "Marty, you have been very supportive. You were a good buddy. Thanks to you and Penny I think I can start to face my new life. I don't think we will see each other again but I will think fondly of you. No, I am not suicidal, but I am taking clean break and moving out of the state to put another life together." So, she had deliberately gone out of Marty's life. More than a little annoyed, Marty made some enquiries but they were unsuccessful and he had to let the matter drop. Work kept him busy and slowly Diane slipped to the back of his mind. Over the next months Penny and Marty got engaged, then married. Marty settled down to working his way through the academic ranks and in eight years he had made Full Professor. Then he was asked to take over some administrative duties and in a few more years, he was appointed dean of the faculty. He much preferred teaching, but the administrative work paid better, and the money was a help with his family. They now had three girls and Penny gave up work, 'temporarily', she stressed, to better look after them. Marty had been the dean for a year when there was suddenly a bit of a crisis in the university funding, and the college had to adjust to a new direction. Marty was no financial expert but a lot of stuff seemed to have taken the university governors by surprise. It appeared that one of the main financial donors to the university, a big corporation, had financial trouble. They appeared to have become financially overextended or lost sales to a competitor and finally, when the banks were no longer able to carry them, they collapsed. Many of their divisions went at fire sale prices and one of their main competitors picked up the pieces. Of course, their donations to the university stopped and this caused a lot of panic. It was a stressful time for Marty. With the loss of support it meant that a lot of departments might have to go and in those departments that were left, there would have to be staff lay-offs. Apprehensive of his own future, Marty discussed their future with Penny. They were now fairly comfortably off. They had three kids. The oldest, Louise, was just into middle school, and the twins Miriam and Helen, were almost finished junior school. If the university collapsed Marty would be looking for a new job. Penny had gone back to work and had been appointed head of her section of the laboratory. If he moved to another city to get a new position it would be a problem for her, yet, if he remained in the city, there would be few options for him. His job was saved by a totally unexpected piece of news. A new corporation that had picked up a lot of the pieces of the former financial supporter had offered to become a financial backer for the university. At first there was great rejoicing on campus, but the new corporation demanded representatives on the board of governors. That was to be expected, but the fall out was drastic. It was soon obvious that they had a different agenda from the previous board. Marty heard details only second hand, but the first meetings of the new board of governors were tense. At first the newcomers did not have quite the right numbers to form a majority and tension continued for a year or so. Finally some of the older group, nominees of another corporation were suddenly gone. That corporation too had been bought over. Suddenly the make up of the board was changed. A lot more money came into the university, and its direction changed from conservative to a liberal one that welcomed many new innovative programs and faculty. It did not go entirely easily. The fallout was considerable. Some of the older faculty members were upset at the way things were going and resigned or looked for new jobs. Marty too was a bit taken aback by the rate of change, but didn't mind. In fact he was glad to see some of the older guys go. The shake-up upset a lot of other donors too, but the funding more than made up for it. All of the remaining governors and faculty members breathed much easier. A year or so later the university had a big occasion to celebrate. It had been given some major funding to start a new Business program. Not only that, there were funds for a new building to house it. Marty and Penny had been invited to a reception for the opening of the new program. They were standing in groups at the reception in the Faculty Club, a bit nervously as the visiting group from the supporting corporation had been held up by a fall of wet snow. Penny had been anxiously looking at her watch. "I'll have to watch my time. The baby sitter has to be home early tonight. I guess I'd better get going." She gave Marty a peck on the cheek. "Bye, see you later, but you needn't hurry. I'm sure you have lot's of schmoozing to do!" Marty gave a grimace. Yes, that was all part of his job. It had to be done. He was a bit bored too but he had to show his face at receptions such as this. It was expected. His friend, Fred Chang, the dean of the Music Faculty, moved over to him. "Your wife abandoned you?" he joked. "Hi Fred, yes, Penny had to run home. We didn't expect the visitors to be delayed this long and the baby sitter needs to be home. At least in another year the kids will be old enough not to need a sitter." Finally, they heard that the visitors had arrived. As they entered, shepherded by the college president, Marty looked them over. He figured he would shake a few hands then make his excuses and go home. There were three men, each with a female companion, wives, he supposed. Two of the women looked much younger than their spouses. Trophy wives, maybe. He grinned at the thought. Marty watched as the new party began to move around the room. Then, behind them, was a dark haired unaccompanied woman. She moved confidently into the crowd. "That's Elaine Ziegler in the rear, a big wheel in the business," Fred observed. "I don't know why she favors these heavy glasses. They don't do anything for her." Marty eyed the woman as she began to work the room, flashing smiles at those presented to her. She was wearing a dark blue knee length dress with matching shoes. Marty eyed her svelte figure. She moved very well, but surveying the room as she did so. Marty guiltily decided she was a good-looking woman, but he agreed with Fred about her glasses. "You'd think she owned the place, the way she looks it over, " he commented. Fred gave a short laugh. "Maybe she does! After all, her corporation pays a lot of our bills." When it came to Marty's turn to meet the party, the woman gave him a warm smile as he shook her hand. Blue eyes looked at him though the dark framed glasses. "Dr. Wright is it? Glad to meet you." He was slightly disconcerted by her penetrating gaze. The woman appeared to be sizing him up. He had heard rumors about her, to the effect that her presence on the boards on many corporations and foundations was treated with apprehension by other members. She had established herself as a force to be reckoned with. He felt slightly in awe of her but they were separated when she was hurried off by one of the university vice presidents. Marty talked with Fred a few minutes, discussing a new program when suddenly, a hush fell over the guests. A policeman had appeared in the room. With growing apprehension Marty saw him talk to the person at the door who pointed to him. With growing apprehension he saw the officer make straight for him. "What's the matter, officer?" Marty asked. "Dr. Wright? Please sir, can we move away from the guests, somewhere quieter. I have to talk to you." With growing apprehension Marty led him to a small room off the main one. "Yes