TG short stories (M2F)

A Simple Test... Part 2

Mark spent more time filling out medical forms, and signing the NDA and liability agreements. It made him feel a bit unnerved with all the legal stuff, but he did note that it said he'd be compensated if he was unhappy after the tests. He saw a few places where it looked like their charitable compensation might be snuck away through a loophole though.

Now, Mark was in a physical examination room, just like any he might've found when visiting a doctor.

Sharon was testing his blood pressure as he sat quietly.

"I... I could get in trouble for saying this Mark," Sharon said, "cause... cause I don't want you to think that this is sketchy. The people here are very good people. They know what they're doing. But... but this is some... radical testing you'll be engaging in."

Mark perked up. "You mean I will get to do the testing?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, removing the blood pressure test strap, "but it's because we don't often get people as willing as you."

"Is this... that bad?" Mark asked.

"It... it depends," Sharon said. "I'm not allowed to say anything. Just... that they'll do some psychological testing on you with this."

"You mean...," Mark asked, "like my reaction?"

She nodded. "Again, I can't give specifics. But... just be prepared."

"Okay," he said.

"But you said that you're here because you lost a scholarship?"

He looked away in shame. "Yes. And my school year job ended, so I... I don't have any way to pay for housing and for school next semester."

Sharon paused in what she was doing, and gave him a smile. "I can't promise this Mark, but because you're willing to do tests like this, there's a chance that you might be offered a job here."

Mark jolted upright at that. "Really?"

"Again, I can't promise anything," she repeated, "but the staff here try to take care of volunteers at your level of testing."

Now Mark was in a good mood.

Sharon continued her tests.

"Okay," she said when she was done, "now, I'm sorry to leave you here, but I've got more questions for you to answer on the tablet. Some of these questions are of a sensitive nature, but if you're willing to answer all of them, and in depth, it will help us get a good test for you."

He nodded, accepting the tablet and stylus. She left the room.

The questions, just like before, started out as fairly simple. But this time, it seemed like it wanted to get to know him. It asked him basic things like what his favorite color was - purple.

As he answered the questions, he seemed to sense similarity between the questions. He figured that this was like many tests he'd taken in school - it was adaptive, that his answers informed what questions came next. Judging by the complexity of his answers, that he was writing them out, it also seemed like an AI was analyzing his answers too.

The get-to-know you type questions continued.

What is your favorite thing to do for fun?

Swimming, he answered, especially in the ocean.

Next question.

If you could choose between being able to fly, being able to run fast on land, or being able to swim easily underwater, which would you pick?

Swimming he picked.

The questions got more personal. They asked him about his connections with family and friends. He was honest. Perhaps bluntly so. He did not have much desire to see his parents again. Maybe his siblings in a long time, but never his parents.