A N.I.C.E. Boy, Part 13

NICE Boys Find Support At Last

Chicago Chronicle. May 17th, 2005

Denise Davies is one of thousands of mothers whose sons have been identified as

carrying the pedophilia-causing da Vinci gene. She was elected today as the

first president of NICE-SON, the acronym for the Support Organization for

Neuters. A Neuter is the term that is used to refer to a male who has officially

received treatment for his pedophilia. Treatment under the NICE legislation of

2004 involves the use of one of four approved methods to prevent reproduction

and thereby passing on the gene, and to preclude the development of the hormones

that induce sexual functioning.

Ms. Frieland, one of the members of the nation's NICE Tribunal, announced in

Chicago that NICE-SON will be recognized as the official support group for Nice

Boys, as they have become known. "These boys have some special needs and it is

good to see them getting support from their families and friends," she said.

"Being neutered is only part of the treatment for pedophilia. It's a good start

but the problem needs to be addressed comprehensively. While we are unable to

effect a complete cure at this time, we are definitely moving in the right

direction. An important part of what we are doing is encouraging neuters to

explore alternative avenues for their lives and to reenter society as productive

people rather than remain as outcasts. For example, a Nice Boy is required to

attend an orientation camp after his treatment. Parents and siblings need to

know what to expect when a neuter returns home, because he will be a different

boy than the one they used to know before he went to camp. I think that NICE-SON

can play a very useful role by establishing a newsletter to communicate with the

parents. There's such a lot happening in the NICE area that parents need to know

about, and until now its been difficult getting the word out. I look forward to

seeing them arranging picnics and cook- outs." Ms. Frieland also suggested

NICE-SON look into organizing sporting activities. She said that NICE Boys have

difficulty competing with normal boys because of the retarded physical

development that results from neutering. "We've also found that supportive

fathers are a key component of successful treatment so we'd like to see NICE SON

organize some father-son camping trips," she said. "This would be a wonderful

way of overcoming some of the difficult relationships that tend to exist after a

boy has tested positive for the da Vinci gene."

Chapter 13. NISH Region Six Clinic, Champain, Illinois. May 17th, 2005

"I'm Doctor Sutton," the woman said, stepping back from the doorway and

extending her hand to welcome her next appointment. "You must be my 3.30

appointment. You are Mrs. Webster, aren't you?" she asked superciliously.

Mrs. Webster shook the proffered hand nervously. "Hello. Yes, I'm Madee Webster,

and this is my son,...."

There was only a trace of an accent, but the Doctor picked up on it immediately.

Except for the eyes, the mother appeared Asian with almond-colored skin and

thick black hair. Perhaps she was Asian-American, or some other intermingling of

races. She was very attractive even with very little makeup. The woman was also

simply but effectively dressed, probably the result of a careful selection from

Walmart, she decided. There was no father present. That was a bad sign, but it

was probably to be expected. With the low income families it was not usual for

only one parent to be present. If confronted, she would have denied her first

impressions were less than positive.

"Just a moment."

As she spoke, Doctor Andrea Sutton absently looked past the woman and the boy

who stood before her to her receptionist. She was a 'big-haired' lady, blond and

styled like the country and western singer with whom she identified. She made no

secret of the fact that she had breast enlargement. The front of her tight green

blouse did not close until an inch or two above her navel. Mounds of pink flesh

bulged through the opening, only some of it covered by a bra. She was busy doing

her fingernails and reading the on-line magazine, 'Lonely Heart', although more

than half an hour remained before quitting time.

"Tina, I'm sorry, could you make an appointment for Aaron for next Monday? He'll

need thirty minutes on the Ultra-2."

Aaron, her previous client, stood between his diminutive mother and a gruff

looking man who could only be his father. Fathers tended to react negatively

when confronted with the knowledge that a son carried the da Vinci gene,

although few men made the logical connection with how the gene was inherited.

There was little resemblance between father and son except for reddish blond

hair. With his mother's finely sculpted features, Aaron Kalmann was strikingly

handsome.

Doctor Sutton observed Aaron and the new boy acknowledge each other with

uncertain smiles. They had something in common or they would not have been

there, yet it was usual for them to ignore each other. Unlike most of the boys

who came to the Region-Six Center, both of them were local so it was possible

that they knew each other. She tried for a moment to remember which school Aaron

went to. Not that it mattered. She turned back to Tina, who was waiting with

impatience.

"He'll be using the ultrasound. I'd like to get him started as soon as

possible." She turned to the parents. "That way he can attend the next ETC

session. Otherwise he'll have to wait until Fall. It's unlikely at his age, but

there's always a chance Aaron could start puberty early. It would be a shame to

miss the opportunity while it's available," Doctor Sutton explained.

She nodded a reassuring farewell to Aaron's parents and tried to remember their

names.

"You're doing the right thing," she said sweetly. "Aaron's a little upset now,

of course. They always are at first, but trust me, I know he'll thank you when

he's older."

She turned back to Daniele and his mother. "Come in please. Sorry I'm running a

bit late. And, of course, you must be Daniel."

"It's Daniele. It has an 'e' on the end," Daniele said without hesitation.

"Danielle?" she teased. "That's a girl's name," she suggested with a laugh.

"It's pronounced differently and it only has one `l'. Dan-eel-e," Daniele said

distinctly.

He was aware that Aaron Kalmann had turned around just as he reached the door

that opened into the foyer. Aaron looked directly at him. Was there sympathy in

his eyes? Or mute acceptance of something that could not be avoided? Then, Aaron

was gone from sight.

"Oh! So it becomes a boy's name when you say it like that. Interesting," she

replied with exaggerated surprise that left no question that she was making fun

of him.

He was tired of people making fun of his name. He did not know which was worse,

children or adults. Just one extra letter and a slightly different pronunciation

and people thought it gave them the right to torment him.

"If it's a problem just call me Daniel then," he said with a shrug.

The woman ignored him and led the way into her office. She gestured to the seats

in front of her desk and then moved to the other side where her seat was.

She glanced down at the file before her. "You do realize Mrs. Webster that

although it's not legally required, it's desirable that both parents attend the

Parental Disclosure session."

"I'm sorry. My husband couldn't make it. He's at work."

"Mr. Webster is in the auto-repair business, I see. I'm sure he must be very

busy." She tried not to sound sarcastic.

The doctor glanced up again and studied them for a moment. The boy was typical.

He was exceptionally good looking. He had intelligent, soulful brown eyes. Even

without the file in front of her, she was almost certain. She could tell just by

looking at a boy what he was going to be, or maybe already was. Still, there was

no way to be 100 percent sure at his age without a DNA sample. However, without

looking at the file she already knew that his DNA test was positive. He would

not be there otherwise. He was a carrier, and probably dominant.

Daniele glanced around the doctor's office. There was a large picture window

that looked out onto the parking lot, but there a few trees in the scant

landscaping that separated the building from the cars. On the wall behind the

doctor was a photograph of the President and Vice-President, standing beside a

sign that read, "No More Chads, Justice and Equality for All".

Against the other wall was a high narrow table, the sort that was usually found

in a doctor's examination room and not in the office. Above the table, a series

of colorful glossy posters formed a long line, all featuring boys about

Daniele's age or younger. They were happily engaged in a variety of activities,

always helping other people who were older than he was. Each poster had the same

caption. "NICE not evil.". He thought he had seen some of the boys in television

commercials. One boy in particular caught his interest. That boy was the

youngest, only eight or nine years old. He had blond hair. He was working in the

garden and his shirt was off, exposing a slender brown chest and belly. Daniele

feasted his eyes on bare flesh until he realized he was staring. He made himself

look away. Having completed his study of the office, his eyes came back to the

doctor.

She was waiting patiently. She had no feelings towards him, one way or the

other. She was a long way past showing distaste. Her opinion was simply based on

her growing professional expertise. In her role as Program Director of the NISH

Region Six Center, she had seen hundreds of boys during the last year. They all

had one thing in common. They were boys on their way to becoming child abusers,

pedophiles and criminals, if she did not intervene. She had also observed that a

great many of the da Vinci boys were very good looking, some of them tending to

have exceptionally attractive facial features. With a little makeup, this boy

was so good looking that he could easily pass for a girl.

She nodded appreciatively, rocking slightly in her chair. Just one percent of

males carried the da Vinci gene, but for most of them it was recessive and it

never triggered all of the other genes. This boy had to be da Vinci-dominant.

She had been less convinced with the previous boy. He was handsome but side by

side he was not nearly as good looking. Interestingly, he had the performance

records to meet most of the intellectual criteria. It was difficult to be

certain with him, however, he had tested positive for the da Vinci gene. She

suspected that only some of the genes had been triggered in him. Daniele Webster

had to be da Vinci dominant.

"Well, I'm sure you both know why you're here. Your son has qualified under

NICE. That means the da Vinci gene has been detected in his DNA. Unfortunately,

the bad news is that it's also very likely that it's dominant since he was

ranked in the upper 99th percentile in the National Performance Test he took

last year. As his legal guardians, you and your husband are eligible for the tax

credits, that is if you decide to meet the requirements of the NICE Act."

Mrs. Webster nodded slightly and, appreciating the doctor's openness, relaxed

somewhat into the sculpted plastic chair. This was a meeting she had not been

looking forward to. A quick sideways glance to her son showed that at least he

was listening.

"My role is to explain the requirements, perform a physical evaluation of

Daniel, sorry,... Daniele, and review his treatment options with you. If you and

your husband decide to proceed, I can arrange for his treatment. If it involves

surgery, I can identify a qualified pediatric urologist for you. However, for

the other options, if you decide one of them is right for you, I am able perform

them myself right here."

She smiled reassuringly. It was important to build a good rapport with the

parents and child by appearing to be friendly and helpful.

"Now, as you probably know, NICE,... By the way, not everyone knows that it

stands for the Natural Intervention to Curb Evil. Anyway, the Act was passed by

Congress and signed into law two years ago. It has as its fundamental purpose,

the elimination of evil wherever it occurs because of genetics, but it also

plays an important role in eliminating sexual deviancy as I will explain

shortly. The goals of NICE are to protect America's future by selectively

intervening in the natural order. What NICE is concerned with in particular are

those situations where a person has a genetic predisposition to evil.

Specifically, if there are genetic flaws to such an extreme that a person can

become dangerous to others, or if the continuation of those flaws through

reproduction is undesirable and divisive to society."

She stopped there, allowing the words to sink in before she elaborated.

"This Center is concerned with what is called the da Vinci gene."

"It isn't my fault," Daniele said guiltily. He met her eyes and instantly looked

away. His voice lowered. He could not help feeling ashamed. "I can't help how I

was born."

"That's quite true, Daniele. And it's very unfortunate. However, you're a very

bright boy so I'm sure you'll agree that it's important for you to make whatever

sacrifice is necessary so that you aren't a danger to society. We also know that

some of the males who have the da Vinci gene are endowed with intellectual

advantages that very few other people have. For you to have those advantages

creates an unacceptable level of danger. I'm talking about the shameful problems

that have plagued our nation since it began. Our legal system has endeavored

throughout the years to prevent evil, but the undeniable truth is that the

problems have persisted."

She paused and took a deep breath. Under normal circumstances she would talk

further about the failure of efforts to control pornography on the Internet,

about how pedophile-controlled websites provided a network for child abusers to

find victims, about how every child was at risk of sexual abuse, including

Daniele himself. Instead, she changed topic as she often did to unbalance the

boy.

"Are you enjoying school, Daniele?"

"It's okay."

"Do you have a favorite subject?"

Daniele thought for a moment. He sensed a trap. "Not really."

"He's good at everything he does," Mrs. Webster offered proudly. "It doesn't

matter if it's school or sports."

Doctor Sutton inclined her head. His scores on the National Performance Tests

confirmed what she was thinking. She scratched her cheek absently, watching

Daniele. His eyes, intense, curious, constantly on the move. In another few

years he would be sexually mature and a very real threat. Treatment was

essential for him. It was a pity that it was voluntary. It would be much better

if treatment could be enforced for da Vinci-dominant boys.

"Everyone knows that what's happening to our children is shameful."

"What's shameful?" Daniele asked politely.

"Everything. How the children of this country are being subjected to horrific

abuse every day while their abusers go free for one thing. Our children are

living in fear while pedophiles stalk the streets! Pedophiles are the scourge of

our society."

She paused to take a breath.

"Our nation's constitution says that it's self evident that we are all equal.

Equal!" The word, when repeated, sounded thoughtful, as if it had even greater

meaning. "We have equal rights to life, liberty and happiness, so equality is

essential to a progressive society, Daniele. But it's obvious that pedophiles

have no respect for the rights of our children."

"The Constitution doesn't say that, Doctor Sutton. It's from the Declaration of

Independence,... sort of," Daniele said when she paused to take a breath. He was

confused.

"Sort of?" she said sarcastically. "And what exactly does that mean, Daniele? It

either says it or doesn't!"

"What it says is,... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are

created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with,..."

"The exact wording doesn't matter!" she interjected. "The point is, the NICE Act

has been legislated to achieve what nature has been unable to do by evolution.

That's what's important!"

She paused again, threatening Daniele with a stare. He proffered nothing in

response. Sometimes it was better to say nothing.

"It's an incontestable fact that pedophiles have deliberately gone about the

seduction of our children. It's destroying our society. That they continue to

exist has eroded the gene pool to ensure the perversion of others."

Daniele looked at her as if she was out of her mind. She sounded like his

father.

"It is essential that decency be re-established as the foundation of democracy,"

she lectured pedantically. "There is only one way to eliminate evil and prevent

the terrible and shameful abuse of our children. We have to destroy it. It's

essential that as a nation, we take aggressive action to correct the problem.

And even though the consequences of that action might be,... well, unfortunate

for some like yourselves, it's a very small percentage in fact. It must be done

for the good of everyone. What we're asking of you and your parents is a small

but necessary sacrifice, Daniele."

Mrs. Webster nodded in agreement. Everyone knew that making a sacrifice for the

good of others was the foundation of democracy. She hoped that her son

appreciated how important sacrifice was.

The woman continued, using a calmer voice. "Now, the reason why you're here

today, is because Daniele has a very important role is helping us to regain a

virtuous and safe society. On the National DNA Test he scored positive on the da

Vinci gene, which is problematic as you know, but it's especially problematic

because his result is dominant. Of course, I'm not surprised, not when his

performance tests put him in the 99th percentile. According to my evaluation of

the file, your son is covered by NICE. In Daniele's case, because he is

dominant, it's even more desirable to intervene in the process of natural

selection to prevent him from performing evil acts. I'm very glad that you've

made the right decision."

"I,... My mom and I,..." Daniele started to interrupt.

She smiled reassuringly at Daniele. "It's a lot to ask, but I know you can do

it, Daniele. I'm sure you want to help, don't you?"

Daniele shrugged. As far as he knew, there was no decision. He and his mother

were there to find out what was involved. He scratched his right forefinger,

vaguely aware that it had recently taken on a new significance.

Only that morning in the shower he had tried inserting his finger into his anus.

There, into that tiny private opening between his buttocks. It was the first

time he had done that. He had felt inside his body, slowly becoming more

adventurous when he discovered it did not hurt. It was hot and tight, reassuring

and unsettling at the same time. In fact, it felt nice, very nice, incredibly

nice. It felt even better when he moved his finger around, mostly back and forth

and sliding on the soapy film, but around and around too because that seemed to

make it looser. Finally, when his finger could move easily, he started pushing

deeper into his rectum. It was there, with his finger contained entirely within

him that he felt a strange sensation. Whatever it was that was buried inside

him, it made him quiver, tremble, and he wanted to rub deeper and harder, and

faster. Faster and faster until his knees threatened to buckle beneath him. It

was unlike anything he had ever felt before. When he started to masturbate

again, he peaked within a few seconds. He could still remember the surge that

came, so fast, shuddering again and again as he writhed under the shower. He

almost lost his balance. He would have fallen if he had not hung onto the rail.

It was exactly how Mr. Lane said it would be, like something was trying to get

out from inside him. He smiled to himself, wondering when he would get the

opportunity to tell Mr. Lane what he had done.

".... There are a number of options that are possible depending on his physical

development. I'll explain which ones are available after my examination.

Daniele?"

Daniele sat up, wondering what he had missed by daydreaming.

"For goodness sake, Dani. Pay attention."

Only two people called him 'Dani.' "Yes, Mom."

"Daniele, the law requires that I review why treatment is required and what is

involved for you. You might not want to hear it, but it's very important that

you pay attention." Her curt tone demanded obedience.

"Yes, Doctor Sutton," he answered respectfully. It was difficult to resist

passively, not when he had gone through his life obeying adults without

question.

"Good." She clasped her hands together. "Now, being in the fourth grade,..."

"I'm in the seventh grade," Daniele corrected.

"What? You can't be serious." She checked the file. "So you are. I suppose I

shouldn't be surprised. Well then, you will already know the fundamentals of

reproduction so I don't plan to spend time going over it in any depth. You're a

boy so you have a penis and testicles. When you're sexually mature, probably in

a few years, your testicles will be able to produce semen which will exit

through your penis to enable you to reproduce."

"It's not semen," Daniele said haltingly. "It's sperm that are made in the

testicles. The semen comes from another organ called the prostate gland."

"Yes, that's quite true. Please don't interrupt. There will be a time for

questions. The sperm carry your DNA which is the basis for the genes you pass on

to your children. There is one gene in particular that you have,..."

"The da Vinci gene?"

She nodded. She was not surprised. The boy was highly intelligent and the

marketing campaign had been exceptionally successful. Using subliminal messages

on the afternoon television shows was the ultimate highlight. It was easy to

built upon a boy's guilt, even if he had a brilliant mind like the boy before

her. They all succumbed to the same argument of the social benefit to be derived

by eliminating pedophilia.

"The da Vinci gene can triggers other genes. For example, genes that increase

cognitive capacity among other things. Having this gene will also cause you to

exhibit abnormal sexual tendencies, tendencies that are very dangerous to our

society. And, of course, your children would have it too when you reproduce."

It was important to downplay the homosexuality aspect of having the da Vinci

gene. Boys had difficulty with homosexuality even though homosexuality was no

longer an issue. She did not understand exactly why it was important, but NICE

had established sexual orientation as a protected class, just like race, gender,

religion or national origin. The instructors said to avoid sexual orientation

and emphasize both the possibility of deviant behavior and its effect on society

and the concern of passing the gene on to one's offspring through reproduction.

Research had shown that parents exhibited a great deal of sympathy for the

problem of stopping the sexual abuse of children.

"If I get married and have kids," Daniele said moodily. "That's if, not when."

"As I said, your children, if you do have them, will also carry the da Vinci

gene, Daniele. You will be responsible for the continuation of society's

problems if we don't do something to stop you from reproducing."

She paused. "By relinquishing your right to reproduce, you are making a

wonderful gift to human kind and to our great country. You will be helping to

stamp out pedophilia. You don't want the problems of our society to continue, do

you Daniele?"

"No,... but,..."

"Now, no buts," she said, shaking her head. "You either want to stop it or you

don't? Do you think it's right for a few men to threaten the health, safety and

welfare of every child alive today? Do you want to be responsible for pedophilia

to continue?"

"No, of course I don't want that, but I don't see how it's my fault." Daniele

answered.

There was no point to trying to explain why it wasn't his fault. It wasn't, but

the way she said it suggested it was his fault, and his alone.

"Good. Then you're willing to give it up."

"Give what up?"

"The right to reproduce?" She smiled reassuringly. "It really isn't a lot to

ask, not when you think about how much is at stake."

For a moment he nearly shook his head. He sat sullenly, waiting. The doctor

waited patiently with him. The instructors always advised that the best thing to

do was to keep quiet, allowing a boy to accept the inevitability of it.

"You're going to,...." Daniele mulled the word over. "Castrate me."

Doctor Sutton did not respond immediately. Again, it was important to appear

sincere, supportive, placidly professional. Her voice was measured,

dispassionate. Yet, for the beleaguered boy it was still intensely distressing.

"We don't use that word unless we're referring to the surgical procedure. We

prefer to call it 'neutering'."

"Like I'm a dog or something," Daniele replied hatefully. "It's the same thing.

My balls will stop functioning."

She ignored his anger, keeping a calm expression. When she had started working

at the Region Six Center it was easy to be distracted. Now, she used her

authoritative voice, steady, imperturbable.

"It isn't the end of the world, you know, Daniele. You're young enough that you

won't know the difference. It's for the best, you know."

Daniele shrugged. What difference? His father had said almost the same thing.He

hated talking with his father. It was not at all like talking with Mr. Lane. He

scowled at the woman. It was all so,... easy. She talked as if it was nothing at

all. Yet, despite the platitudes her calm voice almost took away his fear.

"I,... I guess,... I don't know,.... I,..."

"Do you realize that if just a few thousand boys your age were willing to do the

right thing, we could stamp out perversion and depravity in a few generations.

That we would all be safe and we could restore happiness to everyone?"

"I,.... I guess. Maybe,..."

"Just one percent of boys your age, Daniele. Perhaps one or two boys from your

entire grade at school. That's all it takes to make a change. You can be part of

the solution if you want. Or you can turn your back on society's problems and go

about your selfish ways. Are you a selfish person? Or a generous person who's

prepared to do what it takes for the good of all of us?"

"I,... I suppose so," Daniele agreed humbly. It was so difficult to resist the

logic. He wanted people to like him, not hate him.

"You should be very proud of him, Mrs. Webster. He's an ideal candidate for

treatment. It's really the best thing for him. You already have an older son

don't you?"

Mrs. Webster nodded awkwardly. "He's thirteen. We had him tested as soon as

Daniele's results came in the mail." She breathed out in relief.

"I take that he's normal?"

"He doesn't have the gene," Mrs. Webster answered. Her relief was audible, but

only to be expected.

"He's not as smart as Daniele either, is he?"

Doctor Sutton studied Daniele's file for a few seconds while Daniele blushed. He

found it embarrassing. People were always saying how smart he was. She did not

expect an answer. Most parents were reluctant to compare their offspring in

terms of intelligence.

"Actually, I'm not surprised. As I said, or maybe I didn't say it, I wasn't at

all surprised to see that he's da Vinci dominant once I saw his scores on the

performance tests. Now, Daniele, while I go over some things with your mother,

I'd like you to go through that door and into the other room."

She gestured to a door that opened into a small windowless room.

"You'll find a fresh gown on the examination table. If you'll be so good as to

remove all your clothes and put it on, we can move on the physical examination."

Daniele glanced at his mother. She nodded slightly and he stood up. He walked

into the room, aware that both his mother and the doctor were watching his back.

"Don't close the door all the way, Daniele," the doctor called after him.

"You'll need to hear this too. Now, where was I? Oh yes, I was talking about the

da Vinci gene and what it means for Daniele. You do understand the importance of

what I was saying, don't you Mrs. Webster? It would be very unfair to other

children to allow Daniele to grow up normally. They would all be at risk,

particularly when his hormones kick in. If you don't allow his treatment, it's

very likely he'll spend most of his life in prison."

Daniele did not hear his mother's answer. She always spoke quietly when she was

nervous. He began to undress, unfastening the buttons of his shirt. His ears

pricked every time he heard his name.

"Now, as I said, NICE was established in order to eliminate the evil of

pedophilia and make life safer and more enjoyable for all children. Daniele,

because he has genetic flaws, is simply in a word, dangerous to society. He

threatens every child in the U.S. The longer his condition persists, the worse

it becomes. The important thing is to nip it in the bud as quickly as possible.

Can you hear me okay in there, Daniele?"

"Yes,... Doctor Sutton," Daniele muttered.

"Good. Now, I need to speak about the legal issues for a while. There are two

requirements under NICE, that if properly fulfilled, enable you and your husband

to obtain tax credits. Actually, that's not quite right. It's really a donation

that is deducted from your taxes, but it's the same thing. To properly fulfill

the requirements your son will have to have treatment that renders him

permanently sterile and incapable of producing testosterone. This means that

both you and your husband must authorize the treatment. You do this by

completing a form that I will give you before you leave. This must be signed by

both of you and witnessed by another person who is unrelated to you. Now, as his

legal guardians, it's not essential that Daniele agree, however, ideally it

should be voluntary. We've found that there are far fewer problems later on that

way. Have you talked about it with your son before today?"

"Y-y-yes. We talked a bit. I,... he,... doesn't,... my husband,.... the

money,... but if we did,.... well,.... so much to lose,.... be worse,.... I

suppose so...."

To Daniele, it sounded as if his mother was choking on the words, then he

realized that she was crying. He had to listen closely to hear what she said and

then it seemed as if he missed every other word.

"That's good. Let me talk about the tax credits, the donation I mean. I need

your attention for a few minutes, Mrs. Webster. There are two of them. There is

a one time allowance based on the what we call the 'fair market value of a

charitable contribution'. In this case, it's the value of your son's testicles,

which is determined by your income status among other things. I'll explain the

actual calculation itself in a minute. I realize that must sound strange, but

that's the way it's done. After I have made the final examination, I will

provide an official receipt showing that you donated both of his testicles to

NISH."

"His testicles? Both of them?" She had stopped crying, but her voice was very

subdued.

"I'm afraid that's the only way to achieve permanent sterility for a male.

However, they don't necessarily have to be removed by surgical means, just

rendered permanently non-functional."

"Oh."

Daniele sat down to remove his shoes and socks, still listening. He could not

help but overhear, even though what he heard was very threatening. There was an

inevitability to it, a force that pulled him forward, inescapable, inexorable,

unavoidable. He almost welcomed what would happen if his parents agreed for

once. At least, people would stop hating him and start liking him again. He

wouldn't be a pedophile. Other boys would be safe around him.

"The one time amount is a minimum of $60,000, unless there are extenuating

circumstances. Unfortunately he has a brother who is unaffected so it is

automatically reduced. Now as I said, what you'll finally receive is based on

the family's tax status, but the basic rule is three times the family's prior

year tax payment, or the average of the last three years, whatever is the

highest. Now, if Daniele participates in the mentorship program and forgoes

hormonal treatment, there is also an annual credit you will receive until he

turns eighteen, which is typically about a third of the family's annual taxes."

Doctor Sutton glanced through the partially open door. "Do be quick in there,

won't you Daniele ? We don't have all day. Do you know about the mentorship

program, Mrs. Webster?"

"Not really."

"Well, for NICE boys, that's what we call them after the treatment, either that

or neuters, there is the option of leaving school and continuing their education

at home. Actually, it's rather more of a requirement. We strongly encourage it.

Home schooling has become very popular, as I'm sure you know. If they were to

continue to go to school, it would only make things worse."

"In what way?"

"They'd still be dangerous, of course. Even after the treatment is done and he's

completed the orientation program there is always a chance he'll sexually

assault another boy. Sterility won't take away what the boys have inherited. It

merely stops the gene from being passed on, and makes it more difficult for him

to act on his urges."

She paused. Most parents tended to believe that sterilization effected a

complete cure and reacted negatively when informed otherwise. There was no

reaction so she continued. There was a lot of information to cover and she was

required to make a full disclosure to the legal guardians prior to their

decision.

"We believe it's better for everyone if boys like Daniele are separated from

other children once they've had treatment. It's not a good idea if they continue

to go to school or see other children on a regular basis. Our psychological

research indicates that NICE boys should have male role models who are older

and,... well, the expression we like to use is 'close friends', but it's

supposed to be more than that. It's part of the mentorship program."

"I don't understand."

"Well,... Once Daniele's had the treatment he really shouldn't have a

girlfriend. There's no point, is there."

"Not even when he's older?" Mrs. Webster asked hopefully.

"To be honest, Mrs. Webster, he really won't be capable or interested. He'll

have some sexual ability, of course. However, it will be somewhat limited. He

won't,... um,... this is always difficult for me to talk about,... well he won't

be very large. That's part of what NICE is about. He won't abuse children simply

because he won't be able to," she said dramatically. Her voice lowered.

"Physically, it won't be possible for him to injure any one. He simply won't

develop there."

"Oh."

Mrs. Webster blanched sufficiently that her Asian complexion paled. She clasped

her hands and looked nervously at the bottom of the desk as she tried to accept

the fact that her son would not only never be able to reproduce but would be

burdened with child-sized genitals for the rest of his life.

Doctor Sutton nodded confidentially. "However, it would be unfair if he couldn't

experience sex. It's such an important part of human happiness after all. The

legislation has a clause in it that enables adult men and NICE boys to have,...

well again, it's hard to say. So let's call it a relationship. It's likely to

happen as part of the mentorship program anyway, especially after the boys have

been through orientation. Some people prefer to call it a partnership."

"Daniele and,... and some man?"

Again Doctor Sutton nodded. "It's best that way. Ideally it's a family friend or

relative who steps forward. We encourage it to be long-lasting, of course. If

there's no one who you know of, we can try to place him with someone. Is there

something in particular that he likes to do?" she asked, apparently changing the

topic.

"He loves to make models. They're usually very strange looking things. They

don't make much sense to me. His bedroom is full of them. And, of course he's

always reading,..."

"That's not something that should be encouraged after the treatment. In fact we

prefer that NICE boys don't go beyond a high school education. He'll be told

that during the orientation. Education tends to engender ideas that aren't

helpful to his situation. It's far better to keep his mind off things that

extend his capabilities and keep him focused on doing simple tasks for as long

as possible. That way,... well he's less exposed to things that might arouse

him, isn't he?"

"I suppose so."

"Good. Where was I? Yes, I know. I was talking about the Mentorship Program."

Doctor Sutton turned the page over and studied the file. "I see we have a

potential candidate listed for him already. He sounds ideal. He's a registered

pedophile who lives near you. He's only a few miles away. He'll provide

home-schooling,... it says here up to the tenth grade. He's offering a live-in

position too, which is interesting. He's an undertaker, I see. That's very

good."

"Why is that good?"

"There's a chance for Daniele to learn the business from him. That's important.

Once he's reached eighteen he'll have to become self-sufficient. It's a growing

industry, undertakering. Is that the right word? Undertakering? People are

always dying," she chuckled. "The best part is it's a live-in position. Most

boys prefer it that way once they've settled down. It won't be so far from you

that he can't visit on weekends. The man is sincere and I'm sure Daniele will be

happy with him. He has plenty of experience with boys because he coached a

soccer team until a few months ago. I spoke to him on the phone just recently,

yesterday or the day before. He's very friendly. An ideal mentor. I could set up

an interview. Most parents like to meet whoever it is first, just to make

sure...."

"That's very generous of you," Mrs. Webster said. She glanced towards the open

door and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm not supposed to know, you

understand, but I think Daniele was hoping to be with someone he likes very

much. "Again she glanced at the doorway. "He's been going there for a while,...

a man who owns a bookstore not far from where we live. They've become very close

over the last few months."

"Oh, so he already has someone? I didn't think he was old enough to be

interested," Doctor Sutton said dryly. "Usually if there is someone, it's almost

always another boy. Although at his age, and with his looks, other pedophiles

would be very interested in him. Do you know if they've been having sex?"

Daniele reentered the room before his mother answered. He clutched the front of

the gown in his hand to keep the sides from opening when he walked. There was a

blank expression on his face, but he had always been good at concealing his

feelings.

Doctor Sutton smiled ingenuously. "Well, it doesn't matter. Whatever has

happened is in the past, and it'll all be perfectly legal after he's had

treatment."

"What will be legal?" Daniele asked sullenly.

She smiled again and did not reply. "Now, Daniele. I need to physically examine

you and to ask you some personal questions. I'll also be making a tape recording

of the results of the examination for your file. That way my secretary can go

back to complete your file later on. There's absolutely nothing to be embarassed

about, but if you wish we can go into the examination room. Some boys prefer

their parents to be with them, others don't. It's entirely up to you."

Daniele glanced at his mother. She had brought out a magazine and had it open in

front of her, pretending to ignore what was going on. He shrugged ambivalently.

By then, the Doctor had come to her feet and had moved to the side of the room

away from the window.

"Good boy. Now I want you to sit up here on this table"

Daniele hopped up on the examination table. The gown opened and he awkwardly

pulled it across to cover his groin. She stepped to his side, reached over him

and switched on the tape- recorder.

"This is the physical examination of Daniele Webster, aged ten. Mixed race,

Caucasian and Asian parents. Daniele, I'm going to lift the gown back from your

shoulders."

She straightened up and with a quick tug she pulled the hospital robe down his

arms and back until it was bunched on the table behind him. Daniele felt the

cool air, and then a sudden coldness as she held a stethoscope to his bare back

and moved it around. Anticipating her request, he breathed deeply.

"You have good lungs I see. And a nicely-muscled back too. I see so many fat

boys nowadays. I think they watch too much television. You must get a lot of

exercise."

"I swim a lot."

"You do?"

"I'm on the Dolphins Swim Team," Daniele announced with pride.

"He just competed in the State Championships. He came fourth overall in his age

division," Mrs. Webster offered.

"I was beaten by two boys who were much bigger than me," Daniele added.

He did not mention that there was another boy who dueled with him for third

place in every race. No matter how hard he tried, he could not beat him in the

final Backstroke race. Only a single point separated third and fourth places.

Doctor Sutton laughed. "Well, puberty does that to boys. Some start earlier than

others."

"I'll win next time. I'm doing an extra half-hour of practice a day."

"Hm,..." was all she said. "Okay, now I need to look at your private parts. Do

you mind? Seeing as you're on the swim team, you shouldn't mind. I expect you're

used to people seeing you naked."

It did not much sense to Daniele, but he answered, "Yeah, it's okay."

"Good boy. I have to take some measurements too. I'd like you to lie back,...

Yes, just like that. Legs apart please."

Daniele heard the loud snap as she slipped her hand into a latex glove. A moment

later, the same sound was repeated.

"Okay. Nice and wide with the knees please. Just relax. Don't worry I've seen it

all before. It might make you feel more comfortable if you closed your eyes. Are

you comfortable with me touching you?" she asked as she placed her hand on the

boy's slim but firmly muscled belly.

"It's alright."

"Good." She leaned over him to speak into the microphone. "Subject Daniele

Webster is prepubescent. There is no sign of early onset. Both testicles are

present and elevated. Penis is uncircumcised, type C with pronounced

attachment.... I'm going to measure your penis and testicles now, Daniele."

"Okay."

She picked up a plastic caliper of the sort that could be obtained at any

hardware or automotive store. It opened to 125 mm (about five inches) and it had

an accuracy of half a millimeter. The first measurement was penile length, limp;

to be measured from the junction of penis and pubis without depressing the

flesh.

"I see he isn't circumcised," Doctor Sutton said over her shoulder. "You

probably should consider getting it done before much longer, Mrs. Webster. I saw

some research recently that suggests it's much more hygienic for homosexual

boys. After treatment his penis won't grow much longer so the extra skin just

gets in the way."

"Uh, yes, I suppose we should. It just seems so,... " Mrs. Webster muttered, her

hand nervously shaking the page she was reading.

"It is up to you, but we do recommend it, especially when it's a bit on the

tight side like Daniele's. Fifty-one limp. Just over five centimeters with the

foreskin," she enunciated, but loud enough for her voice to be recorded. "And

retracted it's,..."

"Ouch!" Daniele complained.

Retraction had been accomplished by grasping the base of the boy's penis with

one finger and thumb. Using the other hand, she placed a finger and thumb over

the foreskin, pinching slightly to dull the nerves. Then she suddenly pushed

down, forcing his foreskin down and past his glans so that it emerged completely

into the light of day, to be witnessed by someone else for the first time. There

was still some adhesion, binding the foreskin just behind the flared rim of his

glans. He winced as she squeezed, pressing her fingers down to force the

separation. His buttocks lifted off the examination table. He blinked, trying

not to cry. The foreskin squeezed down the short shaft, leaving the reddened

glans standing out and exposed on the end like a little bulb.

"That's better. Try to lie still, Daniele."

"It hurts," he complained.

"I won't be much longer, assuming you stop moving around, Daniele. Note for the

record that the meatus is normally positioned and there is no indication of

hypospadias."

The calipers returned, crimping closer together until the edge touched the tip

of the tiny darkened helmet.

"Foreskin retracted length is forty-seven millimeters," Doctor Sutton announced.

A moment later. "Center width is nearly fifteen. That's forty-seven by fifteen

for the record. You need to wash under this skin from now on, Daniele, assuming

you don't get it cut off. By the way, the boy before you was sixty-seven by

twenty-two limp. That's nearly an inch longer than yours and fifty percent

wider. Yours is quite small by comparison, isn't it?"

Daniele opened his eyes. She glanced at him dismissively.

"The next measurement is erect length, Daniele. Either you can do it or I can do

it?"

"Do what?"

"You play with yourself don't you?" Doctor Sutton asked abruptly. "I haven't met

a boy who doesn't. I'm sure you know how to make it hard."

"Uh,.... ah,... um,... yeah."

"Then do it, please. We don't have all day."

"Now?"

"Yes now."

"But,.... here?"

"For heaven's sake. I'm not asking you to masturbate to orgasm. Just get your

penis erect."

"But,..."

"For goodness sake. I'll do it then."

"No!" Daniele breathed out. "I can do it myself."

The Doctor stepped back, glancing down to the boy's crotch. Cautiously,

Daniele's right hand moved closer to his groin. It felt very awkward, not being

able to see what he was doing, so different to lying in bed, or in the shower,

or sitting on the toilet with his knees wide apart. Or that first time with Mr.

Lane, hidden behind under stairs, listening carefully in case someone came into

the store, his heart pounding, his jeans and underpants at his knees, feeling

the man's warm strong hands, one hand around his chest, the other encompassing

his groin, fingers pressing into the side of his penis, lifting under his

scrotum, feeling increasingly hot. Absently, Daniele's fingers embraced his

penis. His foreskin was still retracted and it was beginning to hurt. It was

like an itch that wanted to be scratched.

"Well hurry up. We don't have all day."

"I can't. I can't do it. Not with you watching me."

Doctor Sutton laughed. "I have something that might help you."

Daniele's head lifted up.

She smirked at him and then pointed to the line of posters hanging along the

wall above him. The boys on the posters all seemed to look down at Daniele as if

they were as interested in his exposed body as he was in them. They were

handsome, smooth skinned boys with eyes that were playful and strangely

enticing. Daniele could not help licking his lips. Doctor Sutton smiled

knowingly. His eyes flickered, moving from one poster to the next and then back

again. His fingers dropped away, releasing his captive limp sex. His finger tips

caressed his scrotum, pressing into the delicate tiny orbs that clung close to

his body. The skin was like a veil, revealing the form and the minute vessels

that were connected to each testicle. Irresistibly, Daniele's penis began to

stiffen, lengthening slowly, gaining very little in thickness, then rising up

and away from his groin.

"That's better," Doctor Sutton remarked.

She lifted Daniele's hand away. The calipers and the latex-sheathed hand

returned. Daniele kept looking at the poster of the half-naked boy working in

the garden. There was an elderly lady standing behind him, watching him. He

hated the woman touching him.

"Erect length is sixty with a center width of sixteen. No, make that seventeen,"

she pronounced. "Now, where are they?"

Daniele winced as she grasped one of his testicles between her fingers and

thumb. For a moment it felt like she was going to squeeze hard enough that it

would burst. His buttocks clenched and he fought a wave of nausea.

"Right testicle,.... ten millimeters long. That's very small,.... I usually see

fifteen or so. Diameter is,... Stop trying to pull away, Daniele."

"You're hurting me."

"I'm sorry. Seven,... They definitely haven't dropped yet. We can assume the

left one is the same size. Ten by seven millimeters. Definitely less than a

cubic centimeter. No abnormalities present. He's got a large scrotum for them to

be so small," she added, almost speaking to herself.

Daniele shuddered, his eyes blinking. Slowly, he relaxed. His testicles tingled.

He wanted to hold his hand over his groin.

"How often do you masturbate, Daniele?"

Daniele jerked back into full awareness. "Huh?"

He blushed. How often did he masturbate? He knew the word. It was used in books

all the time, but everyone he knew called it 'jacking off'. He lied.

"Not often."

She smirked knowingly. "I haven't seen a NICE boy who doesn't do it on regular

basis. I had a boy in here a few days ago. He was nine, I think. He did it so

much there were blisters on it."

Daniele gulped. He had talked about it with Mr. Lane. Daniele could remember the

first time the subject came up for discussion, his awkwardness, the unsettling

guilt, and Mr. Lane laughing and saying, 'It's there to play with, Dano. The

pleasure you get is a direct function of the distance travelled.' Later they had

joked about high-mileage 'dicks'. Masturbating was what boys were supposed to do

with it. It was not something to be ashamed about.

"Do you go all the way to orgasm?" she asked matter-of-factly.

He swallowed again, feeling the blood rushing to his face. He started to shake

his head. Instead, the truth came out in a whisper. "Sometimes."

"I presume it's still dry."

He shrugged. Dry? What was dry? If something was still dry did that mean it was

supposed to be wet at some point? After a moment he realized that she was

referring to semen. Of course, it had to be semen. What else could it be? He had

never seen it even though he had tasted it once. Even though Carter had made fun

of him, he had liked it when he swallowed. After the first time he could do it

again. It would be even easier the second time. The taste wasn't bad. Just the

texture was strange. He shook his head slightly.

"Have you ever had sexual intercourse?"

Again, the same matter-of-fact voice, the cool professional going about her job.

"Huh?"

"Have you had sex with anyone, Daniele? Boy or girl? A man perhaps? It really

doesn't matter who. It's just a question that I'm required to ask to complete

your file," she added frankly.

His face flushed instantly, yet beneath his almond-colored skin there was little

to show of his embarrassment. He felt hot, red hot. he swallowed, knowing that

his mother was listening, that the doctor was watching him closely. His eyes

darted away from hers.

"I will take that as a yes. As I said, it really doesn't matter unless you've

been involved with a younger boy. Have you?"

Daniele shook his head quickly. She could tell he was lying. Both of them knew

that it would not matter after he had been treated. It would never happen again.

"Do you look at other boys? You do, don't you Daniele?"

That was 'the' question, wasn't it? It wasn't just what he had done with Grey,

or Nicky, or even Carter. It was the same question that his father had asked him

after the letter came in the mail. He had not answered then. He was embarassed

by being asked even as much as what his answer would have been if he dared to

speak the truth. He had always looked at other boys for as long as he could

remember. He didn't know it was wrong until it was too late. Now, he liked to

watch them, especially the younger boys on the swim team. It was easy to watch

them when they showered or changed. He liked to think about them while he lay in

bed, casually fondling his erect penis, imagining sharing experiences with them,

getting to know them as friends. And worse, there were always boys his own age

or younger, sometimes much younger, in his dreams at night. He couldn't help it.

His silence answered for him again.

"Lift you legs up please."

Doctor Sutton put one hand underneath his nearest knee and lifted to show what

was required. With his knees next to his shoulders, she glanced down, using one

hand to spread his small firm buttocks further apart.

"No indication of prior penetration. You can put your legs back down again and

sit up, Daniele."

She stepped back, assessing the boy's body for a moment while he sat up and

restraightened his gown. Physically, he was very well developed. There was very

little body fat. Except for a tiny mole on his chest a few inches below his

right nipple, his skin was unblemished. Altogether, he was a very attractive

boy, although his genitals were on the small side even for a ten year old.

"You can go back to your seat now, Daniele," she said as she walked back to her

chair.

Again, Doctor Sutton scanned the file, this time ticking boxes on a chart. She

looked up after a few seconds.

"Good. Well, he certainly qualifies, Mrs. Webster. Although he still a few years

from starting puberty, it's important to get it done as quickly as possible. You

could put the decision off for another year I suppose, but I would not recommend

it."

"My husband said that if we did it, it will be this year. The tax credit, the

donation I mean, well it would be helpful,... His business, it's been difficult

this last year or two." Mrs. Webster explained.

"Let me explain the treatment options then so you know what's involved. As I

mentioned NICE requires permanent sterility. That means whatever is done it

cannot be reversed, like a vasectomy, or bypassed to obtain sperm later on.

There are four approved methods for a boy of Daniele's age. The first is

surgical and involves an operation to remove the testicles. Castration is

basically the same procedure that a vet uses to sterilize dogs and cats. It's

quick, safe, and relatively painless. Actually, its very traditional. Boys have

been castrated for thousands of years."

Doctor Sutton glanced at Daniele. It was unlikely that he would be surgically

castrated. From her experience, the parents who chose that route were usually

very religious. Although they never voiced their feelings in words, castration

was a form of punishment for them, for their son not being the perfect creature

that God intended. There was nothing in the file to suggest that they were

religious. Still, she was required to review the options.

"The operation is done here at the clinic since all that's required is a

sedative and a local anaesthetic like Novocaine. Or, if you wish, it can be done

privately. The urologist I normally recommend can even come to your house if you

prefer, but there's an extra fee that isn't covered by NISH. There will be a

small transverse scar on the underside of your son's scrotum, or one on either

side if the surgeon uses the lateral incision method."

"Is it painful?" Mrs. Webster asked suddenly.

"Not particularly. There's always a little soreness for a while, but it's gone

in a week. The good news is that boys recover quickly at Daniele's age. He'll

probably need a day or two in bed afterwards. He'll experience some discomfort

from the stitches until they come out. The worst part is that it's not unusual

for boys to be depressed somewhat once the realization settles in. It's best to

keep him home from school for the next few weeks. In fact, I recommend that

independent of the method of treatment."

"Is it the recommended method?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because you mentioned it first," Daniele replied for his mother.

"Well, it's a really matter of personal choice," Doctor Sutton replied vaguely.

"There's something about the traditional way that some parents feel gives,

well,... I guess you could say it gives special meaning to it, if you know what

I mean. I've noticed that parents from rural areas tend to prefer it over the

other methods. That's probably because it's used with farm animals. It isn't

used as often as the other methods, however," she added quickly.

"Why not?" Daniele asked abruptly.

"Well, because both the testicles and spermatic cords are physically removed,

Daniele. Removing them takes away a lot of the sensitivity you have down there,"

the Doctor explained. "It's not unusual for a castrated boy to have difficulty

in attaining erection."

Daniele's expression clouded. For him, getting an erection happened easily and

often, sometimes so frequently that it seemed like all the time. Often, it would

not go down unless he played with it. Mr. Lane said it was perfectly normal, a

sign of a healthy boy and a developing body.

"And that doesn't happen with the other methods?" Mrs. Webster asked timidly.

"Usually not, Mrs. Webster. For example, there's the injection method. If it's

done properly, the residual vessels retain some sensitivity. It's become more

popular than surgery for that reason. It's quite painless, with a very high

success rate," the woman added.

She paused there, casually rearranging the pencil and papers on the top of her

desk as if it could not wait until later on. After a few seconds, she selected a

folded brochure and opened it to the second page.

"Yes, here it is. Remind me to give you one of these before you leave. It's very

informative for both parents and boys. I'm sure it will answer any questions you

might have after you leave here. Now,..."

She scanned the page for a moment, then turned it over. Daniele glimpsed a

picture of a blond-headed boy who was about his age. He had a smiling face and

happy eyes that implied that all was right with his small world. Below was a

caption in bold letters that said, 'I'm a NICE boy.'

"Method two: Non-invasive testicular injection of lactic acid. It's become very

popular for good reason," she read aloud, interspersing her opinions freely.

"The injection technique has been around for years.... Let me see. Okay. It was

approved by the Food and Drug Administration for animal use in 1983.... That's

not as long as surgical methods, of course. As I said, castration goes back for

thousands of years. China had thousands of eunuchs,... That's what you'll be

called after you've been castrated, Daniele. A eunuch, or a neuter," she

explained briefly. "It was very common back then. The Chinese emperors preferred

their courtiers that way for some reason."

She glanced pointedly at Mrs. Webster. She was Asian, and Asia was part of China

wasn't it? She ought to be able to appreciate the situation better than most

people with their Euro-centric mindsets. Then, she made reference to the

choirboys of Europe, and in particular, the Italian castrati. She turned her

attention back to the brochure, not reading but voicing her beliefs.

"Of course, it was different in 1984. Back then, it was intended just for farm

animals. I believe that the NAZIs tried similar approaches on the Jews and

gypsies. Of course, in those days they wanted to emasculate people who they

thought came from inferior genetic stock," she pronounced. "A truly terrible

thing."

"How is that any different?" Daniele asked boldly.

"What?"

She glanced at him. Unfortunately, some boys asked a lot of questions. She much

preferred boys who sat quietly and let their parents do the talking.

"I asked how it was different."

"Yes. Well,... Pedophilia is an entirely different matter, Daniele. It's

contrary to everything that our society is about. We simply cannot tolerate

perverted behavior, especially when it threatens the well-being of our children.

Men having sex with boys. It's disgusting. Homosexuality is one thing, but

pedophilia? It's the worst form of depravity. It has to be stopped!" she

finished with bitterness that seemed to be directed at Daniele.

Daniele shifted uncomfortably in his seat. History was one of his favorite

subjects. Some of the older books in Mr. Lane's bookstore had a different point

of view. The Ancient Greeks believed the love of men and boys was the highest

form of love. In fact, platonic love, as a concept, didn't involve a sexual

relationship at all.

The air was warm, yet for some reason Daniele was cold. He kept his legs close

together, pulled the thin white gown as low as he could to cover his thighs. His

mother patted his shoulder. Having made her point, the woman in front of him

returned to reading aloud, making the effort to sound as professional as she

could. It was important to build a relationship of trust and dependence. That

was the way she had been trained.

"A small injection of lactic acid, typically one milliliter per testicle,

destroys the testicles and seals off the spermatic cords of boys weighing up to

100 lbs. Proportionately larger doses can be used if necessary. It is nearly

painless, with negligible side effects.... I use a surface anesthetic before the

injection is made so the most you'll feel will be a pin-prick. If properly

administered, it's 100 percent effective." She looked up and smiled. "I can even

do it here this afternoon before you leave, if you wish. You'd like to get it

over with, wouldn't you Daniele?" she suggested hopefully, forgetting that the

consent of both parents was required.

Mrs. Webster did not respond and her son glared back at her. She inclined her

head and momentarily gazed out of the window. The boy was arrogant, like many of

them when they were confronted by the stark reality of their futures. He was a

handsome boy. He was darker skinned than most of boys who sat in front of her,

and smarter too, but other than that he was no different to them. She tapped her

pencil on the desk top before going on to read the rest of the explanation. She

had done it so often that it should have been rote repetition. She resented the

time involved, but she was required to explain the alternatives under the

Parental Disclosure requirement. Sometimes the parents or the boy needed more

information. Then, she would get out the training device to demonstrate. The

silicone-rubber pieces appeared almost human. It was a simple matter to place it

within the strangely shaped plastic funnel. A slight outward pressure brought

the artificial testicles together and prevented movement when the injection was

made. From her experience, it was very realistic.

"The procedure consists of an injection from the top into the middle third of

testicle using a small hypodermic needle. Within 24 hours there is local

swelling of the testicle. It can be mildly uncomfortable," she added. "I've

found a couple of aspirin is a very effective way to relieve any discomfort."

She continued to read. "The swelling typically goes down within two weeks....

He'll have to come back then for a check-up. To make sure that atrophy has

occured properly," she said as if holding something back. "That appointment will

only take a few minutes. He's only ten so there won't be any outwardly

noticeable change. The testicles will be harder but that's all. With older boys

the testicular function has stopped by then. Hm,... where was I,... The

testicles are slowly reduced in size. After two months the testicles become

small, hard nodules and over the next year these eventually disappear leaving

only the testicular vessels."

She stopped reading and surveyed the mother and son. The boy was visibly

nervous. That was normal. They alternated between bravado and fear. Sometimes

they cried. She inhaled, then itched her nose. This was her last appointment of

the day. She had to go shopping on the way home and she needed to move faster.

"Basically his testicles are dissolved, Mrs. Webster, and then the scrotum

slowly contracts. Aesthetically, I think it's one of the best options because

the end result is very tidy, plus there are no unsightly scars. And it's quick.

The injections are over in a few minutes and it's relatively painless. There's

some localized sensitivity from the injections, and of course there's always a

little tenderness in the testis during the swelling stage, but nothing that'll

be too upsetting for him. I've had a few boys run a mild fever for a day or two

afterwards so I recommend taking it easy, but other than that,...."

She had also performed a number of castrations, one or two a month, because the

injections did not do the job. In such cases, the injections had not been deep

enough. Then, there was a tendency for the testis to swell until they burst.

That was a problem because more often than not the scrotum was affected,

requiring more complex surgery.

"Do you have any questions?" she asked sharply.

Mrs. Webster shook her head nervously. Daniele shifted in his seat again. The

way she spoke, his mother too for that matter, sounded clinical and impersonal,

as if it was not his body that they were talking about. His lips were dry. He

swallowed. His hands were chilled. He wanted to put them in his jacket pockets

to get them warm again. He didn't. He sat very still, trying his best to be

brave. He was not going to cry. Mr. Lane called it `passive resistance.'

"No questions, Daniele? I would have expected a smart boy like you to have lots

of questions."

Daniele shook his head slightly. However, he opened his mouth, hesitant to speak

the thoughts that crowded into his mind.

"What is it?" She spit the words out.

"Why?.... This,... I mean,... isn't there a way to stop me from having babies

without,... losing them?"

She shrugged. "Of course there are temporary ways of stopping sperm from exiting

the penis, Daniele. Injectable plugs are one way. There's also a vasectomy,

chemicals to affect a certain part of your brain called the pituitary gland,

ultrasound treatments, or by relocating your testis into your inguinal canals.

Anything that raises the temperature of the testis by a few degrees has the

effect of diminishing spermatogenesis. There quite a few ways to get there, but

they don't apply because they're temporary and the sperm levels are still above

three million per milliliter. Anyway, it isn't up to me. It's the law."

"It's,... But it's supposed to,... supposed to be,... to be voluntary," Daniele

said shaking his head.

She smiled, an artificial smile that tried to be reassuring but was not. They

were all the same when confronted by the loss of manhood. They were reduced to

snivelling whining babies.

"It is voluntary, for your parents. The point is to qualify under the Natural

Intervention to Curb Evil Act there has to be a complete and permanent loss of

spermatogenesis and hormone production, Daniele" she said firmly. "As I said

when we started, I am not trying to pressure you or your parents. I am simply

reviewing the ways that permanent sterility can be achieved for you if your

parents decide that is in your best interests."

"You're talking about,... about cutting my balls off," Daniele said awkwardly.

He could not help trembling. His mother nodded understandingly. The last few

minutes had been very disturbing as the woman described the first option. The

second option was not much better. If she had any idea that the discussion was

so distressing she would have insisted on Daniele's father coming too. She

looked at the doctor.

"Not necessarily, Mrs. Webster. Surgical castration is one of the options

available to you. The other three are non-invasive and relatively minor. In two

of them, the testicles remain inside the scrotum although they no longer

function normally. They have only been added to the list of approved treatments

during the last few months. The good news is that they're quite painless. Your

son will hardly even know what's happening to him until it's over."

Daniele swallowed. "This,... what you just talked about with the acid. It's no

different to cutting them off. You're just making them disappear instead."

She sighed. There was no point in arguing. "So far I've only covered two of the

approved methods, Daniele. As I just finished saying there are two more that are

acceptable under NICE."

"Isn't there another way? I mean, to leave them, and just stop the sperms and

other stuff from forming?"

"I'm afraid not, Daniele. Not at your age. If you were older we could meet one

of the NICE requirements with an injection into the vas deferens, that's the

spermatic cord, or,... let me see if I can remember this, hm,... yes,... the

caudel epididymis, which is where the sperm are stored until they reach

maturity. In either case the injection would cause damage to a relatively small

area in contrast to the whole testis."

"I don't understand why you can't do that then instead?" he demanded boldly.

"Well for one thing it's scientifically proven that sperm can still be produced

if the testicle remains intact, and it would be surgically possible to remove

sperm from you when you're older. That would allow you to reproduce, so the NICE

requirements for your parents to take advantage of the tax credit are not met."

"What are they?"

"The requirements? There are three of them, Daniele. Didn't I mention them

already? Completeness, permanence, and verifiability of the loss of testicular

function."

Daniele nodded slightly.

"Anyway, even if the requirements weren't there, you still couldn't use those

methods because your cords are much too small. It would be different if you were

closer to puberty, or a little bigger down there, but you're not. Which leaves

your testis as the only means of treatment. Anyway, at your size, just over a

centimeter, there isn't much tissue to destroy. I can assure you that both of

them will be gone in a few weeks at most." She tapped the pencil impatiently.

"What's the problem? Are you worried about your libido?"

"What's that?"

She smirked, but only for an instant. He was certainly intelligent, but not that

intelligent. She used her authoritative voice.

"Trust me, Daniele, it won't be a problem. Actually, a lot of NICE boys find the

reduction in androgens to be quite desirable. It can be a bit depressing at

times, I expect, not becoming interested in sex when other boys do, or not

developing sexually for that matter. It's only natural for that to happen as you

get older. However, you won't get pimples or have to worry about shaving. You'll

be able to concentrate on your work without worrying about girls," she added

lightheartedly.

Mrs. Webster coughed. "I'm afraid it's too late, Doctor Sutton. Dani already has

a girlfriend."

"Mom!" Daniele complained.

"Well you do, Honey. It's nothing to be ashamed about"

"A girlfriend?" The woman could not conceal her disdain. According to the

research she had seen, it was also impossible. Da Vinci boys were not attracted

to the opposite sex. "He's only just turned ten and he had a girlfriend?"

"She's not a girlfriend," Daniele answered indignantly. He glowered at the woman

before him. "She's a friend from school, and she's a girl, but she's not my

girlfriend," he ended emphatically.

She laughed heartlessly. "Well, that's probably a good thing. We wouldn't want

to break any hearts, would we? If there are no questions, perhaps I should

explain the third method?"

Mrs. Webster nodded nervously.

"The third method, and the fourth method for that matter, are rather different

because they are completely non invasive. In fact, the one I'm going to talk

about first can even be done at home. It's actually become very popular. In

fact, I expect most of the other boys you'll meet at the ETC camp will have used

it. It comes in a sealed kit and it's very easy to use. All you have to do is

follow the instructions. There's an excellent booklet that comes with it, and a

website to handle any problems that might crop up. In fact, you could probably

do it yourself, Daniele. We don't advise younger boys to do it themselves, but I

think you're old enough. Of course, I'm required to make certain that it's been

properly fitted, so you'll have to come back for a check-up once it's on."

"What's properly fitted? Once what is on?" Daniele realized he sounded rude. He

no longer cared. "And what's the ETC camp?"

"So many questions," she laughed. "Do you mind if I answer them one at a time,

Daniele?"

He did not respond. His mother did instead. "I'm sorry he's so sulky, Doctor

Sutton. He's not like this normally."

"They're all like that, I'm afraid," she sighed. "It does take them time to get

used to the idea. It's best to be patient. First, the ETC camp. ETC stands for

Education, Training, and Conditioning. It's very much like a summer camp, but

it's for boys like you. You'll have lot's of fun."

Daniele's fleeting expression was one of bored disinterest, even at the

suggestion of going to a camp that was 'lot's of fun'. Doctor Sutton glanced at

Daniele's file just to be certain. It was important that information was

accurate otherwise there could be complaints of being mislead.

"I see you'll be going to Camp ETC-6. That's because you live in region six. If

we get your treatment done quickly, you'll probably be there at the same time as

your friend, Aaron."

"He's not my friend. We go to the same school, that's all."

She ignored his rebuttal.

"I haven't had the opportunity to visit myself, but I've heard it's very

beautiful, Mrs. Webster. It's in southern Indiana and it has it's own lake so

Daniele can swim and fish and go canoeing. I've heard they have sail boats there

so you can even learn how to sail. You'll have lots of fun, Daniele, and you'll

meet new friends."

"And?"

"Huh? And what? Is there something else you'd like to know?" she asked

nonchalantly.

Her vagina itched. She resisted the impulse to scratch, even though it could not

be seen under the desk. For a moment, her eyes met the boy's eyes. Unlike his

mother, he had large somber eyes. She glanced away, noticing the almond color of

his hairless bare arms. It was actually a pleasant color, not milky pale like

most of the boys who sat in front of her.

"What happens there?" Daniele asked awkwardly.

"Well, education and training, of course Daniele," Doctor Sutton answered,

deliberately omitting 'conditioning' since it tended to cloud the important

issues. "That's why it's called 'ETC'. The 'Six' means that its the camp for

Region Six. That's this region."

"You already said that. Education and training in what?" he persisted.

"My, but you're persistent, aren't you Daniele? If you must know,... ETC is an

orientation program that's been specially designed to help you live a normal and

fulfilling life. You'll be taught how to control your urges, about what it means

to be a pedophile. And of course, there'll be discussion about your body and how

the NICE treatment will affect you. There'll be lots of things you'll need to

learn besides that, of course."

"I don't understand why do I have to go away to camp for that."

She smiled reassuringly. It was a practiced smile with a deliberate effort to

make eye contact. Trust came from eye contact according to the instructors.

"Our research has shown that it's best if it happens in an environment where

you're with other boys in the same situation. That way, well everyone fits in

and no one's embarrassed about it. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time at

camp. Think how lucky you'll be going off to summer camp while everyone else is

still in school."

Daniele sat forward in his seat, suddenly aware of the gooseflesh that covered

his limbs. It wasn't that he was excited or frightened. There was a sense of

foreboding, that something was not right. His shoes were tight, but that wasn't

it. His feet were uncomfortable. Uncertainly, he wriggled back in his seat. It

sounded as if she was trying to avoid answering his questions. Intuitively, he

realized that there was a lot she was holding back.

"Like what happens there,.... exactly?"

"We really don't have time to go into all the details now. The Act requires that

you receive adequate preparation so you can lead a satisfying non-reproductive

life. I know that you're a little distressed right now, Daniele. It's only to be

expected, but you'll soon find out that your parents' choice has been in your

best interests."

'Make it sound as if the decision has already been made and the Parent

Disclosure meeting is merely a formality'. That was what she'd been told to do.

She smiled slightly enjoying a moment of self-congratulation. 'Self-esteem was

important to a self-actualizing individual', and she of all people was

self-actualizing. Then, realizing that she needed to hurry or she would be late

getting home, she continued with barely concealed impatience.

"You've been scheduled to go to camp in,..." She looked at the form again. "...

In two weeks. You leave on June 1st. How long is that? Today's the 17th, so

that's fifteen days. That's plenty of time, even if your parents choose the

surgical option. You'll be up and running about."

"How long he will be there?" Mrs. Webster asked meekly. "At the camp I mean?"

"Hm,... he's still ten, isn't he? Three weeks, I expect. That's the usual stay

for a ten-year-old. There'll be a week of education, a week of training, and a

week of,...."

She stopped. And a week of 'conditioning', but saying that one word might result

in a lengthy explanation of what was being conditioned. Most parents had

difficulty with the concept of aversion therapy.

"Other programs,... to conclude his reorientation," she finished. It was not a

lie. "You'll be able to visit him on the weekends if you wish, of course. It is

rather a long drive though, I'm afraid."

"Three weeks is such a long time," Mrs. Webster said. "Do all the boys stay that

long?"

Doctor Sutton's cheek twitched nervously. Depending on the results of the last

week, a boy might have to stay for an extra week. He would be kept in seclusion

and given further 'orientation', a convenient euphemism for chemical aversion

therapy. The instructors strongly advised against telling the parents about the

fourth week. The boys who went through were emaciated when they returned.

"The younger boys are typically at camp for only one or two weeks. Usually the

seven and eight-year-olds only have the education part. Depending upon their

maturity, they'll have training as well. If a boy's close to being sexually

active, it's normal for him to stay for the full three weeks. It's free, of

course. Should I explain the last option?" she asked hopeful, that her work day

was drawing to an end.

"You didn't answer my questions," Daniele reminded her brusquely.

"Oh? I thought I did."

"I asked about,..."

"Method Three?"

She did not give him a chance to answer. She picked up the brochure and turned

the page. "I'm sorry. I told you it came in a kit with instructions and you can

put it on at home, didn't I?"

"Yes," Daniele sighed. "I asked,..."

"What it is? The C-U-P?," she interjected, spelling out like he was a dullard.

"We refer to it as the cup method. The letters stands for,... it's in here

somewhere,... I'm sure the letters mean something. They almost always do. You

can probably tell I haven't been doing this one for very long," she joked.

"Hm,... the 'c' might stand for castration I suppose, although there really

isn't an operation involved," she added feebly. "Only I'm not sure about the 'u'

and the 'p'. Container under penis perhaps? That would certainly be

descriptive."

No one else smiled. She coughed into an empty silence. "I can't find it now. It

really doesn't matter. Actually, I have one somewhere. I'll show it to you, if

you like. It might be easier to understand that way."

She looked over the top of her desk. It was sparse. Just a sheaf of forms and a

pile of brochures. A virgin pencil. The calipers that she had used to measure

Daniele's sex organs. She opened the desk drawer. She placed a small, plastic,

opened, clam-shaped object on the table. If the two hemispherical halves had

been closed it would have a little larger than one of his father's golf balls.

"I think this is a size fifteen," she said, examining the plastic cups. "That's

the normal size for a pre-pubertal fourth-grade boy. Fifteen millimeters. You

measured what on the testicle- length, Daniele,... a full centimeter wasn't it?

That's ten millimeters, isn't it? So you're a size ten. Like I said earlier,

you're quite a bit smaller than the average ten-year-old. The average adult

length is between four and five centimeters, so you would certainly have had a

long way to go if you weren't getting them treated, wouldn't you?"

Daniele grimaced and breathed out slowly. He could still feel her latex-sheathed

hands between his legs. She had squeezed his testicles deliberately when she was

fitting the calipers. His mother was looking away at the time. It was hard

enough to make him wince and start to cry.

"I don't have a size-ten kit open, although I know there are one or two left in

the closet. It really doesn't matter. It works the same as this one, only it's

smaller. And size ten comes in red instead of blue like this one. Do you like

red?"

"What's it for?" Mrs. Webster asked timidly.

"Oh, it's really very simple, Mrs. Webster. This fits over his scrotum. You put

it on so that both of his testicles are inside, and then it closes like so," she

replied, demonstrating how the two halves were hinged. "It locks together. I

won't do that now, because once it locks it's quite impossible to get it open

again. I hear it's nearly indestructible. Once it's on, it doesn't come off

until it drops off by itself."

"I don't see how it works?" Daniele said softly.

"It's one of the marvels of modern science, although I believe the Nazis came up

with the idea first," she said vacuously. She met his eyes. He looked away

quickly. "It's perfectly harmless once it's closed. You're interested in this

option as a possibility, aren't you Daniele?"

Daniele tried to shrug with disinterest, yet the brightly colored ball held out

between her dark-colored fingers consumed his interest. She glanced at the

brochure, reading as her fingers squeezed the two halves back and forth,

springing them against the inherent resistance of the final locking mechanism.

It only took a slight additional pressure for it to snap shut.

"The inside surface of the cup is coated with a short-lived radioactive isotope

with a decay rate yielding a half-life of 50 seconds. In prepubescent boys, the

focused exposure within the cup provides 100 rems over a period of a week. This

is sufficient to cause breaks in the cell DNA, resulting in a cessation of cell

growth. It also prevents further replication since cell division is no longer

possible. Approximately half to three-quarters of the affected cells atrophy."

She looked up. "Does that explain it, Daniele?"

"No."

"I don't what more to say. Basically, your testicles stop growing."

"That's all?" Daniele asked hopefully. He could live with that. At least they

would still be there. What did atrophy mean?

"And,..." she began and hesitated. "I'm afraid that they will get smaller after

a while."

"How small?"

"Quite small."

"You're not answering my questions like you're supposed to."

She gave Daniele a disturbing look. He shrank back into his seat.

"There's typically a 50 or more percent reduction in size within a month. That's

why it can drop off by itself," she answered blandly. "That's also enough to

meet the verifiability requirement by testicle attenuation."

"The size of what?" he mumbled. He had to keep asking questions because that was

the only way that he could offer resistance.

"Well anything within the cup, of course. That includes the testis, the various

vessels, and the part of the scrotum that's inside. After a few months when the

remaining cells stabilize that part of your body could be down to one third of

its current size."

"That's,.... that's tiny,..." Daniele murmured.

"Well, yes, it is, but you're already fairly small there anyway. You probably

won't notice much difference. If you're lucky, you'll end up with a fifty

percent shrinkage."

Daniele looked at her crossly. 50 percent of ten millimeters was five

millimeters. Five millimeters was tiny, about the size of a pea. It would be

like having nothing at all there.

The woman ignored him and smiled at Mrs. Webster. "Boys are so funny about their

private parts. Like they've got something special that no one else has." She

turned to Daniele. "It says here that for a normal-sized testicle, when the cup

finally drops off,... that's what happens,... it drops off by itself once the

testicle has shrivelled."

"You already said that," Daniele pointed out. "Three times now." Actually, he

thought it was more than three times, but there was no point in antagonizing her

when he wasn't certain.

"Perhaps I did. Anyway, it says that for most boys what's left is usually about

the size of pea. Your's will be a bit smaller than that, I expect Daniele."

She turned back to the mother, rotating the brochure and turning it outward from

her, but not in a way that Daniele could see other than leaning to the side to

view it obliquely.

"It's the picture on the left, Mrs. Webster. What's left is quite attractive I

think, even though it looks quite a bit different to what's there naturally. The

scrotum ends up much smaller than with any of the other options, but I'm told

it's just as sensitive. Apparently, most of the nerve cells remain functional."

Daniele did not speak. He stared at the red ball, wondering. There was a

scalloped groove on both sides of the cup that would form a narrow slit when it

was closed. It did not look very big, certainly not big enough for his scrotum

to fit through without being pinched. It was almost as if both women could read

his mind.

"Does it hurt?" Mrs. Webster asked for him.

"Actually, I'm told it feels quite comfortable. It might feel a little tight

when it's first put on because it does squeeze into the scrotum. However, I

understand that a boy gets used to it very quickly, and of course once the

decrease in size begins, well, he won't even notice it's there. It's quite

comfortable after a few days, I'm told," she added expertly.

Mrs. Webster nodded vaguely.

"Oops. I haven't mentioned the most important thing of all, have I? The big

advantage of the cup is the boy can be sexually active afterwards. Although the

scrotum and its contents are quite a bit smaller after it drops off, he'll still

have vestigial testicles. Apparently, the nerve cells are virtually unaffected

by the radiation. I'm sorry, I already said that, didn't I? So, of course, his

sensitivity down there will remain much like it was prior to treatment."

"He'll be able to,..." Mrs. Webster began awkwardly.

The doctor gestured reassuringly. "More or less, he'll be just like he was

before, although as I've said already, they'll be quite small. Of course, his

libido will be diminished, and he won't be able to produce the androgens

necessary for sexual maturity, but with the right physical stimulus he'll be

able to have erections. He'll qualify as a NICE boy, but the treatment won't

change his capacity for,... orgasm," she said with a smirk. She folded her hands

together with authority. "That means that you'll still be able to masturbate,

Daniele, whenever you want to, and you'll continue to have the nice feelings you

used to."

Daniele blushed and sunk lower in his chair.

"Now, let me tell you about option four. However, I won't go into much detail.

Judging from your tax status, ultrasound probably isn't a viable option for him

anyway. The Act only covers the first two visits to a clinic, and the required

stay at an ETC camp, and ultrasound treatments get to be very expensive."

"What's option four?" Daniele demanded rudely.

"Daniele!" Mrs. Webster rebuked. "Please."

"Mom, I want to know, okay?" Daniele grunted.

"Don't sulk, please Sweetie. I know this is difficult for you, Daniele, but

please try to remember that it's hard for me too. Having you in a bad mood

doesn't make it any easier."

"Thank you, Mrs. Webster. I'm sure he doesn't mean to be rude."

Daniele glared at her again. He was tired of being the problem. He just wanted

it over and done with so he could go home. She ignored him with an indifferent

shrug, looked down, and silently regarded the last page of the overview brochure

for a moment, deciding whether she should read all of it. Her own understanding

was less than adequate to explain the fourth option properly. It was much too

scientific. Her voice was a less than professional monotone.

"Option Four: Ultrasonic treatment of the testis. The technique was developed in

France at the turn of the century as a contraceptive method for men. Research

later determined that extended exposure of the prepubescent testicle to

ultrasonic waves sufficiently altered the structure of the organ to prevent

spermatogenesis and sufficiently disrupted the production of testosterone in the

Leydig cells to levels insufficient for sexual maturity. The treatment consists

of daily sessions of thirty minutes over a two-to-four-week period. Ultrasonic

waves dislocate both the seminiferous tubules in the testicle and tubules in the

epididymis, causing the testicle to become soft and spongy, but without

significantly changing its size. The general shape after treatment is amorphous

with complete deformation in approximately 30 percent of cases.... Is that

enough or should I go on?"

Mrs. Webster glanced uncertainly at her son. He appeared confused as well.

"Do you understand what's involved, Dani?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded slightly. "I think so. Does it hurt?"

"Not at all, Daniele. Actually, I'm told it feels like something's buzzing or

vibrating there. You just sit in a special chair and watch television for a

while."

"Do they get cut off, or disappear, or something afterwards?"

"No. That's why option four is usually the best way to go if you can afford it.

It's very hard to see what's been done. You'll look normal afterwards, at least

on the surface. Plus you'll have all the same feelings you do now."

"What's the catch?"

The woman smiled gracelessly. "There is no catch, Daniele. Your testicles will

feel spongy after the treatment is completed, but that's all."

"Then,... if I have to,... I want that one."

She laughed mirthlessly. "I'm sure you do. What boy wouldn't? However, it's your

parents' decision, not yours. There is the small matter of cost."

"How much is it?"

Both Daniele and the Program director looked at Mrs. Webster. For Daniele, the

look was pleading, hopeful, plaintive. The woman's expression was dismissive, as

much as saying, 'if you have to ask the cost, you can't afford it.'

"It's very expensive, Mrs. Webster, so it's generally used only when a boy's

parents intend to invest in HRT for him. For the appearance, you see. They look

quite normal afterwards. They aren't capable of producing either semen or

testosterone, but they will continue to grow as he gets older. If he has HRT, of

course. Otherwise there's really no point in doing it."

Daniele shifted in his seat. He almost told her that it was sperm, not semen

that was produced in the testicles.

"H-R-T?" Mrs. Webster asked, sensing her son was becoming agitated.

"Hormone replacement therapy, Mrs. Webster. With HRT, a boy will develop

normally after treatment, other than being unable to have children, that is.

That's a problem under NICE because the sexual urge continues. Orientation can

help to direct him to keep away from children, but he will still be aggressive,

and with physical development,... well, he can still pose a threat," Doctor

Sutton explained to Mrs. Webster. "The tax credits are considerably less as a

result."

"Is it terribly expensive?"

"A single year of HRT currently costs about ten percent of what your husband

paid in tax last year, and it's getting more expensive every day. Demand and

supply, you understand. Some men who carry the da Vinci gene have had themselves

sterilized to stop spreading the gene. They're having hormone therapy to avoid

other medical complications. Needless to say HRT isn't covered in the Healthy

Nation Program. Actually, it is covered for men because of health reasons, but

it's not available for NICE boys because it would tend to defeat the collateral

goals of the Act. There was an amendment to the Healthy Nation Act to do that I

believe."

"What happens to me then?..." Daniele began. "Do I stop growing or something if

I don't get HRT?"

"Now, that's a very good question. There is a program that makes certain growth

hormones available to the other boys, but it is currently under review. You'll

be given skin patches to minimize the long-term effects of your treatment.

They're very effective. You won't be as tall as you might have been, but you'll

look quite normal in other ways."

"But,... With HRT I grow up normally. I want that instead. I don't want to be

short."

The woman gave him a withering glance. "You won't be that much shorter, trust

me. It's mostly so that your arms and legs don't become disproportionately

long."

"I want the HRT," Daniele demanded. "I don't want to look like a,... like some

monkey."

"Daniele, I understand how you feel. But it's such a lot of money, dear. I don't

see how we could possibly afford it."

"I don't understand then," Daniele interrupted.

"What don't you understand, Daniele?" the doctor asked quickly.

Her voice mocked him. He shook his head, resisting passively the way that Mr.

Lane had suggested. Then, he finally grasped what his mother was saying. His

father would not pay, not that much, not when money was so important to him. It

was not her decision to make.

"Would you like me to read it again?" Doctor Sutton asked firmly.

"No!" He trembled before he clasped his knees.

"The boy who was in here before you?..."

"Aaron?" Daniele mumbled. "His name's Aaron Kalmann."

"Yes, him. He'll be having the ultrasound treatment and HRT. I understand that

his parents aren't taking advantage of the tax credit. He's having treatment

because it's the right thing to do. He's trying to help society by making a

small sacrifice of his own."

"Lucky Aaron," Daniele said cruelly. "His father's rich and mine's not, so he

gets to keep his balls and grow up normally."

"Daniele," his mother admonished. "Now you know that isn't called for. Your

father is doing the best he can."

Daniele shrugged and pursed his lips. `Passive resistance'. He took a deep

breath.

"I don't think option four is possible with our current situation, Doctor

Sutton... and the first one, well,... the idea of castration,... of doing that

to our son,..." Mrs. Webster stopped. She smiled fondly at her son. "It really

comes down to option two and three, Dani." She looked nervously at the Program

Director. "Those are free, aren't they?"

"Yes, of course. As I said, I could do the injections right now if you wanted,

Mrs. Webster. You can get your husband's approval on the telephone. I'm sure

Daniele would like to get it over with so he won't have to worry about it again.

It can be a bit stressful for the boys, knowing what's going to happen to them.

The sooner the better, in my opinion."

"I don't want the injections," Daniele said abruptly.

He did not want the woman to touch him again, even with her latex gloves. He

looked at his mother anxiously, willing her to take the third option on his

behalf. He could do it at home, by himself. He could read the instructions and

then put it on himself. Suddenly, he tensed. He remembered what she had said. In

a month. Four weeks. There would not be much left when the cup dropped off. He'd

still have his penis, but underneath there would almost nothing to play with.

His legs pressed together protectively, his knees touching, his feet apart. It

was the same way that girls sat in the school cafeteria.

"I promise it won't hurt," the woman said patiently. "It's no worse than a

pin-prick. You'll barely feel it, Daniele."

Daniele shook his head adamantly. "I want the cup thing. Okay? Mom? Mom,...

please?"

"I suppose. You're being silly, Daniele. We could get it out of the way right

now," she sighed. "But if it's what you want,... well, I'm sure your father

won't mind either way."

"I can get the cup thing then, Mom?"

The woman smiled, consulting her watch, watching the mother yield to her son's

request. Not that it mattered. The cup was just as effective as the injection,

and it was a lot easier than cutting the damned things off. It was already after

four o'clock and she never stayed late. She looked at ten-year-old Daniele

Webster, dismissing him instinctively as an abomination. Without treatment he

would grow up to be a pedophile. It did not matter that he was exceptionally

good looking, that his body was the epitome of youthful form, that it was

possible that he was as brilliant as Leonardo da Vinci. What was the

probability? They had talked about that during the training class. It was more

than one in a hundred. One in a thousand perhaps? It was something like that.

Was this the exceptional boy?

The boy before her had every advantage and one deficiency, and he had nothing

worth living for as a result. All the NICE boys were the same in that way. It

was strange how often intelligence, beauty, and a superb body occured together.

It was almost as if boys like Daniele had superior genes in every way.

Sometimes, it almost seemed unfair, but it was a matter of stopping evil, and to

do that, people had to make sacrifices. It all depended on what paradigm you

wanted to follow.

"Okay, if that's what you want Dani," his mother said acceptingly. "I don't

think it's all that important which one you get, but I do want you to be happy."

The decision was made. Her husband would not mind either way. He was not overly

fond of Daniele, not like a father was supposed to be. She wondered what he

would say, if anything at all.

Doctor Sutton found the appropriate place in the file and scribbled her

signature after making a few notes. She checked a box and put the document down.

"I'll provide you with the kit as you leave, Mrs. Webster. As I said, it's very

simple. Sometimes a boy likes to do it by himself because it's rather personal.

Other times a parent will help, or I can put it on right now if you wish. It

will only take a minute. It's entirely up to you."

Daniele chewed on his lower lip. "I'll do it myself, Mom."

She smiled and looked at her son. For a few seconds their eyes met and then he

shook his head slightly.

"Can I get dressed now?" he asked sullenly.

"Certainly," Doctor Sutton replied.

She watched, waiting as Daniele stood up and reentered the change room.

"He's a fine looking boy, Mrs. Webster."

Her compliment raised a slight smile of acknowledgement. What was left unsaid

was any acknowledgement that she should be proud of him. Having a pedophile for

a son was not cause for pride. For most parents it was the worst thing that

could happen. Even death was preferable to the child becoming a pedophile for

some parents.

"I understand this is difficult for both of you. Despite what you might think,

it's not something that I take lightly. If there was any other way,...." Doctor

Sutton sighed. "But there isn't. My personal goal is to make as easy as possible

for him."

She stopped momentarily, placing her elbows on the desk and cupping her hands so

that her chin was supported by her thumbs. She lowered her voice so that the boy

would be unable to hear. There were some things that the parents needed to

discuss in privacy.

"Do you have any questions for me, Mrs. Webster?"

"Putting this thing, the cup on him,... Daniele can be very independent at

times. He doesn't mean to be rude. He can do it by himself, can't he?"

"Absolutely. It's very easy. As I said earlier, it just snaps on.... We're using

cups on boys aged from seven through eleven. We don't encourage the younger boys

to put it on themselves, but the older boys have no problems at all.... Mrs.

Webster?"

"Yes?"

"You really shouldn't worry about it. It doesn't hurt at all. You're Asian so

I'm sure you know about how they used to bind girls' feet to keep them small?

Well, this is really the same thing in a way. We're just correcting a mistake of

nature. Do you have any more questions?"

There was a long silence. "Will he be normal after this, Doctor Sutton?"

It was not the question she expected. "Normal?"

She sighed again. What was normal? It was impossible for someone with the da

Vinci gene to be normal. Yet, phone calls and E-mail were coming in every day

from men who had tested positive for the da Vinci gene and were qualified to

participate in the Mentorship Program. They were supposed to be pedophiles, men

who forced children to have sex with them. Many of them undoubtedly were

sexually attracted to young boys, but every one of the men who she had

investigated had a trouble-free record. Although a lot of them had positions

that put them into contact with boys, there were no arrests, no warrants, not

even a hint of sexual abuse of children. Surprisingly, a lot of them were

married with children of their own.

"In so far as your son can be normal with the da Vinci gene, I suppose the

answer is yes. The human mind is a very complex thing, Mrs. Webster. It doesn't

always respond the way we'd like it to. Even more so when a boy is as

intelligent as Daniele," she said slowly. She chose her words very carefully.

"If you're asking if he will sexually abuse a child at some point in his life,

the answer is probably not. While he's at Camp ETC-6 he'll receive training in

how to redirect his sexual desires away from children."

"I guess I don't understand," Mrs. Webster said almost to herself.

"What don't you understand?"

"If they can do that, then why,... why do we have to,..."

"Neutering is essential, Mrs. Webster." Doctor Sutton glanced towards the room

where Daniele was getting dressed. "We don't like to talk about this in front of

the boys for obvious reasons. Daniele will receive training that will give him

an orientation to males who are older than he is. That is by far the safest

route for him. However, it's not 100 percent guaranteed. "

She paused. The reorientation program wasn't even close to being 100 percent

effective. At some camps the reorientation rate was barely above 50 percent.

Research was being undertaken constantly to find ways of improving the success

rate. Some scientists were studying chemical means and others were looking into

expanding the use of electrical shock treatment. Just the idea of aversion

therapy made her uncomfortable. IT was very easy for the parents to become upset

if they learned what would happen to their sons at the ETC camps. She continued

to choose her words. It was also important not to make promises.

"Fortunately, even if the desire is still there when he returns from the ETC

camp, Daniele won't be capable of the physical act, Mrs. Webster. After

treatment, and without HRT, it's highly unlikely that he'll be interested, but

even if he was, he won't be able to injure someone else's child."

A few seconds passed. Sometimes, it was easy. Sometimes, it was hard. This was

one of the hardest times. Wasn't it Nietzsche who said, 'Be careful lest in

casting out the devils you cast out the best thing that's in you?' Sometimes,

she had doubts about the appropriateness of what was happening, but the

instructors had been clear on that. It wasn't her responsibility to decide what

was moral and what was not. She had a job to do. She put her uncertainty aside.

The program had a high cost in human terms, but it was outweighed by the

benefits to society. Still, it was impossible not to reflect upon those

exceptional boys who could achieve da Vinci's stature if they were nurtured. Was

Daniele the one-in-a-million boy?

"It's a pity Daniele won't be able to have children of his own."

She stopped herself. She should not have said that. Still, she could not help

feeling that it needed to be said.

"Of course, you're luckier than some parents, Mrs. Webster, because you have an

older son who can provide you with grandchildren. It's just a pity that the

other benefits of the da Vinci gene are wasted on pedophiles," she ended with

finality.

She stood up and walked towards the cupboard. Through the partially open door,

she could see that Daniele was almost dressed. She opened the closet door and

examined the shelf to find the kit she needed.

"It's a size 10," Doctor Sutton explained as she handed it back to Daniele's

mother.

Mrs. Webster accepted the kit with a faint smile. It was about the same size as

a box of tissues and not much heavier. She hoped that she was making the right

decision for him. It offered a way out, and that was important for the

alternative was the possibility of spending a large part of his adult life in

prison. She was disheartened, knowing there was a high probability that Daniele

would be filled with the anger and resentment. It helped that he was being

treated prior to beginning puberty, yet almost every boy reacted negatively.

However, there was no other choice. There was no one to blame. It came from

being a pedophile, from being a mistake of nature.

"It'll probably be a little bit tighter than normal when he first puts it on

because he has a relatively large scrotum, but it shouldn't be enough to cause

him any pain. His testicles aren't very large, at least not compared to most

boys his age. I'm sure it will fit quite nicely."

"There isn't a problem with them?" Mrs. Webster asked nervously.

The doctor barely lifted her head. "I've seen a few boys who are small like

that. They tend to reach puberty in their mid teens, but otherwise they develop

normally. Under normal conditions it might be something to be concerned about,

but it won't be a problem in a few days. Actually, his scrotum is about average

in size for his age. The cup might be uncomfortable for a few days, but the next

size up will likely drop off before it has done its job. We wouldn't want that

to happen, now would we?"

"Oh. No, I suppose not. Um,..."

Doctor Sutton anticipated her question. "He'll have to have physical

intervention if the cup doesn't work," she added, using the recommended

euphemism for surgical removal of the testes." She continued looking in the

closet. "I'm sorry, I just can't seem to find a set. It doesn't really matter

all that much. It's all on the web site."

"What is?"

She turned back, shaking her head. "The booklets, Mrs. Webster. They're very

useful. I think it's important for parents to have them. Let me see." She used

her fingers to count off. "First, there's um, what is it called. 'A Eunuch in

the House'? Something like that. It's an excellent guide about neuters. It's

best if you know what to expect. His mood swings, that sort of thing. It's

especially good in the area of physical changes. There's another one that the

Institute has put out. It's called 'A Nice Diet'. He'll have to watch his diet,

of course. It's packed full of food suggestions."

"Why?"

"Pardon? Oh, the diet? Well, we wouldn't want him getting fat, now would we?

There's a tendency for that to happen with neuters, especially the older ones.

And of course, nutrition is important as well. We don't want him to have health

problems later on in life. As I said before, he'll receive skin patches as part

of our post-treatment program so his bones don't grow too long."

Mrs. Webster nodded awkwardly and wondered what other health problems the doctor

was referring to. It was the first that she had heard of possible complications.

"And the third booklet is really about psychology. It's called 'Nice and New'.

It's written from a boy's perspective, so Daniele can read it as well. I do

recommend you get a copy." She stopped as Daniele returned. "Anyway, they're all

available on the web site, though you will have to pay a few dollars for

shipping and handling."

Daniele looked at his mother, observing the package in her hand. She smiled

reassuringly.

"Well, Daniele. Are you feeling better?"

Daniele shrugged. "I felt fine before," he answered grumpily and glared at the

doctor.

He wasn't even sure that she was a doctor, at least not a medical doctor. Her

knowledge of medicine seemed very limited.

"That's good," she replied perfunctorily. "I'm glad I was of help to you."

"There's nothing wrong with me. Can we go now?"

Doctor Sutton stared at him as if he was out of his mind. "Yes, well that's not

something I have time to debate right now. Mrs. Webster, could you make another

appointment with my secretary. I'll need to see him again a day or two after the

cup is on, but it'll only be for a few minutes. I do have to verify that

intervention has occured. It's just to make sure that everything is working,"

she explained to Daniele. "We wouldn't want anything to go wrong, would we

Daniel? Then, we'd have to cut them off and I'm sure you wouldn't want that,

would you?"