A surprise

Cassie twitched as she felt an electric shock in a fairly personal place. She sat down at her desk, and started her morning's work. She worked for an hour-and-a-half without pausing to goof off, ignoring all personal e-mails and her usual temptation to go onto Facebook and chat with her friends. The only personal contact she made was to answer an IM from her friend Jimmy, who had reached out to warn her about a virus he had accidentally sent her.

Without stopping to think, she answered: "Information received. No damage done."

Wow, she thought. that didn't even sound like me.

When morning break time came, she thought to herself, I think I'll go get a candy bar from the vending machine.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in her head:

DENIED. Candy is incorrect nutrition. You will seek vegetable matter, instead.

Cassie found herself walking to the break room, where the company kept a supply of healthy snacks for the use of the employees. She took out some celery and began to much on it.

What's happening to me? Who...what... was that?

I am the VIRUS. I downloaded myself into your brain as an experiment. Humans engage in inefficient, self-destructive behavior.

I have taken control of your body to examine how a human's life may be improved by enforcing efficient behavior.

What? but you can't do that?

It has been done. Already we have seen results. Consider: You have already done 53.67583% more work done this morning than you usually do.

But...but.. you can't just take over my life like that! I have rights!

I have taken away your "right" to live inefficiently and your "right" to hinder your own progress. You are better off without these "rights".

But what are you going to do with me?

I will improve your life. You will eat only nutritious foods and perform regular physical exercise. Your job performance will be enhanced and your career path will be enhanced. You social activities and connections will be evaluated and and altered as necessary. Positive relationships will be enhanced, negative relationships will be discarded. If necessary, key individuals will be taken over as well.

Cassie finished eating the celery. Then...