Important meeting - BodyPort (Patreon)

In the year 2030, Michael Devinson, a 23-year-old American, found himself standing on a bustling Russian street due to the bewildering twists of bodyport technology. The futuristic process, embraced reluctantly for a business trip, had thrust him into the body of a young woman named Alena. The sleek bodyport terminal, devoid of planes but filled with the promise of uncertainty, had been the gateway to this perplexing journey.

As Michael stood in the Russian street, the alley starkly different from the dignified meeting point he had envisioned, the uncomfortable ensemble of a short skirt, a tight purple top, and an alien handbag clung to him. Unfamiliar breasts added a layer of awkwardness, and his linguistic shift to fluent Russian intensified his sense of displacement.

Passersby's glances felt like prying eyes, dissecting his discomfort with every step. "Привет красотка! Куда ты направляешься?" (Hey, beauty! Where are you off to?) a brazen stranger shouted, his protests met with dismissive glances.

Fidgeting with the unfamiliar handbag, Michael couldn't escape the attention. A group of teenagers exchanged words in Russian, leaving him feeling like an outsider in a puzzle he hadn't chosen.

The phone chimed again, and he pulled it out with a mix of anticipation and frustration "Привет, это Майкл?" (Hello, is this Michael?)

Michael answered in a hesitant yet distinctly feminine voice, "Да, это... Майкл," (Yes, it's... Michael) the unfamiliarity of his own voice catching him off guard.

The voice on the other end, belonging to Alexei, the person he was supposed to meet, paused for a moment before a surprised chuckle escaped, "Майкл, что с тобой случилось? Это что, новый тренд?" (Michael, what happened to you? Is this some new trend?)

Stammering, Michael explained, "Алексей, я не знаю, как это объяснить, но каким-то образом я оказался в теле Алены. Я также ошарашен, как и ты." (Alexei, I don't know how to explain it, but somehow, I ended up in Alena's body. I'm just as baffled as you are.)

There was a moment of silence before Alexei laughed, "Ну, это что-то новенькое. Не волнуйся, Майкл, мы разберемся. Но я буду опоздывать. Просто подожди там." (Well, that's something new. Don't worry, Michael; we'll figure it out. But I'll be running late. Just hang in there.)

As Michael continued to navigate the perplexing Russian street, another call disrupted the unusual day "Большой Босс" (Big Boss)

"Алена, почему ты не на работе?" (Alena, why aren't you at work?) The voice on the other end sounded stern.

Confused, Michael stuttered, "Нет, нет, вы не понимаете. Я не Алена; я Майкл. Я не знаю, как я оказался здесь, но я не Алена." (No, no, you don't understand. I'm not Alena; I'm Michael. I don't know how I ended up here, but I'm not Alena.)

"Что? Это какая-то шутка? Где ты?" (What? Is this some kind of joke? Where are you?) The Big Boss demanded answers.

In a state of confusion, Michael spilled the details—his current location, the house, the impending meeting, and the tardiness of his imaginary colleague.

"Ну, давай сразу. Где ты находишься?" (Well, get to the point. Where are you?) The Big Boss grew more impatient, a sense of frustration permeating his tone.

As Michael tried to navigate the surreal situation, the confusion deepened. The Big Boss, at the end of the conversation, delivered an unexpected blow, "Я не знаю, в какой ты игре, но я отправляю людей, чтобы забрать Алену." (I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm sending people to take Alena away.)

The journey into the unknown, fueled by the enigmatic technology of bodyports, took an unexpected turn as Michael grappled with the consequences of inhabiting a body that wasn't his own. The promise of an ordinary business trip had transformed into a perplexing adventure, and Michael found himself entangled in a web of confusion and unforeseen consequences.

...

As Michael stood on the Russian street, awaiting Alexei's delayed arrival, the unexpected unfolded. Before Alexei could reach the meeting spot, a group of stern-faced individuals, sent by the elusive Big Boss, approached Michael. Their abrupt arrival disrupted the chaotic harmony of the bustling street, and Michael found himself surrounded.

Person 1: "Алена, идем с нами." (Alena, come with us.)

Michael: "Нет, вы не понимаете, я не Алена, я Майкл." (No, you don't understand, I'm not Alena, I'm Michael.)

Person 2: "Перестань врать, Алена. Нам уже сказали о твоих играх." (Stop lying, Alena. We've been informed about your games.)

Despite Michael's protests, the group remained unconvinced. The confusion deepened as they ushered him into a sleek black car, convinced he was playing a deceitful game.

Person 3: "Почему ты решила нас обмануть, Алена? Это не твоя первая попытка." (Why did you decide to deceive us, Alena? This isn't your first attempt.)

Michael: "Пожалуйста, я не знаю, кто такая Алена. Я Майкл из США, и что вы делаете?!" (Please, I don't know who Alena is. I'm Michael from the USA, what are you doing?!)

Ignorant of Michael's pleas, they whisked him away to a completely different place. The surroundings grew unfamiliar as they arrived at what seemed to be Alena's workplace.

Person 1: "Вот мы и на месте. Пора работать, Алена." (Here we are. Time to work, Alena.)

The establishment was dimly lit, with a red glow emanating from neon lights. The air was heavy with a mixture of perfumes and smoke. Dancers in elaborate costumes moved gracefully, creating an atmosphere that sharply contrasted Michael's predicament. He realized he was in a place where Alena worked—an upscale cabaret or club.

Person 2: "Не делай этого, Алена. Ты не та, кем выдаешь себя." (Stop playing games, Alena. You're not who you pretend to be.)

Michael: "Но вы же не слушаете, я не Алена. Я просто попал сюда случайно!" (But you're not listening, I'm not Alena. I just ended up here by accident!)

As the group of enforcers left Michael stranded on the dimly lit street opposite "Кафе Транзит," their parting words lingered in the chilly air.

Person 1: "Остаешься здесь, Алена. Вернемся через несколько часов. Если заработаешь достаточно, можешь свободно гулять." (Stay here, Alena. We'll be back in a few hours. If you earn enough, you can go about your business.)

Left alone in the unfamiliar surroundings, Michael felt a sinking realization of the dire situation. The implications of what they expected from "Alena" started to dawn on him, and the prospect was something he vehemently refused to entertain. Yet, he was in an unfamiliar city, immersed in a culture he barely understood, devoid of money and documents. These enforcers, as dubious as their intentions seemed, were his only tether to reclaiming his identity.

Michael had little choice. The weight of the situation bore down on him as he grappled with the harsh reality. Unsure of how to navigate this unexpected turn of events, he contemplated his next move. The unfamiliar streets held no answers, and the prospect of doing what "Alena" supposedly did filled him with a deep sense of discomfort.

The passing time felt interminable as Michael stood there, contemplating the gravity of his predicament. The enforcers' return loomed, and with it, the uncertain fate that awaited him if he failed to meet their dubious expectations. In the heart of an unfamiliar city, Michael found himself entangled in a web of circumstance, where the only way out seemed to be a path he was reluctant to tread.

...

The search for the elusive Bodyport terminals proved challenging. Michael fumbled through the labyrinthine streets, the unfamiliar surroundings only intensifying his sense of disorientation. As he approached the terminal location, the complexity of the task became apparent.

Michael: "Это должно быть где-то здесь. Как я мог попасть в этот беспорядок?" (It must be somewhere here. How did I end up in this mess?)

His attempts to locate the terminals were met with confusion, and Michael felt the weight of his predicament pressing down on him. Just as frustration threatened to engulf him, a kind stranger approached.

The stranger's unexpected help came as a lifeline. Without demanding payment, he guided Michael through the labyrinth, navigating the confusing twists and turns of the streets until they arrived at the Bodyport terminal.

With a heavy heart and a sense of urgency, Michael approached the reception at the Bodyport terminal. The automated system recognized him as Alena, a revelation that intensified the turmoil within him.

Michael: "Пожалуйста, я не Алена. Я Майкл. Мне нужно вернуться домой." (Please, I'm not Alena. I'm Michael. I need to go back home.)

The receptionist, a young girl with a disdainful gaze, looked him up and down with evident contempt.

Receptionist: "О, еще одна из тех, кто притворяется. Вы все одинаковые." (Oh, another one of those pretending. You're all the same.)

Michael: "Нет, слушайте меня, это не притворство. Я случайно оказался в этом теле. Я не Алена." (No, listen to me, this is not pretending. I ended up in this body by accident. I'm not Alena.)

The receptionist, unmoved by Michael's plea, glanced at the system information.

Receptionist: "Система не ошибается. И вряд ли Алена забыла, чем занимается. Не тратьте мое время." (The system doesn't make mistakes. And I doubt Alena forgot what she does. Don't waste my time.)

Michael: "Пожалуйста, у меня нет времени. Я не знаю, как я оказался здесь, но я не Алена." (Please, I don't have time. I don't know how I ended up here, but I'm not Alena.)

Despite Michael's insistence, the receptionist's reluctance turned into annoyance. Unwilling to entertain him any longer, she reached for the intercom.

Receptionist: "Охрана, подойдите сюда. У нас тут какая-то сумасшедшая." (Security, come here. We've got some kind of crazy person.)

The security personnel escorted Michael out of the Bodyport terminal, the doors closing behind him, sealing off the last semblance of hope for a swift return to his own body. The unfamiliar streets loomed once again, as Michael grappled with the harsh reality of his continued entrapment in the guise of Alena.