Her friend Mara picks her up after the procedure

Elena steps out of the sterile lobby into the biting February chill, her mind a fuzzy swirl of half-formed thoughts and an insistent rumble in her stomach. The facility's glass doors whoosh shut behind her, sealing away the hum of machines and that weird, lingering warmth in her scalp. She blinks at the gray parking lot, pulling her coat tighter around her curves—big boobs straining against the fabric, hips swaying just a little more than usual without her even trying. Her long dark hair hangs loose, framing a face that's always turned heads: full lips, sharp cheekbones, eyes that look innocent even when they're not. At 5'10", she towers over most girls in law school, her body a perfect hourglass that Mara has always envied in secret.

Food, she thinks again. Then… something else? The thought flickers away like a bad signal.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket. She fumbles it out, squinting at the screen. A text from Mara: Here. Black Honda out front. You okay?

Elena spots the car idling at the curb, headlights cutting through the early dusk. She waves clumsily and hurries over, sliding into the passenger seat with a relieved sigh. The interior smells like Mara's vanilla air freshener and faint coffee. Mara—petite, sharp-featured, with straight blonde hair and a perpetual "I'm in control" smile—glances over, her eyes flicking quickly over Elena's disheveled blouse and flushed cheeks.

"Hey, girl," Mara says, voice warm but her grip on the steering wheel a tad too tight. "How'd it go? You look… wiped. The IQ boost kick in yet? I swear, that startup changed my life—smarter, sharper, all that."

Elena leans back, rubbing her temples. Words feel like they're swimming upstream. "It was… weird. They did the thing. But now I'm just hungry. Like, starving. Can we get burgers or something?"

Mara's smile widens just a fraction—too perfect, too quick. Internally, she's already piecing it together: Elena's usually razor-sharp banter is gone, replaced by this dull, distracted vibe. Something went wrong, Mara thinks, a secret thrill bubbling up. Finally. All those A's she stole from me, all the professors fawning over her tits and ass… if she's dumber now, she's done. But aloud, she keeps it helpful: "Burgers it is. There's a drive-thru up the road. Tell me everything while we wait in line."

As Mara pulls out of the lot, Elena starts rambling—slow, halting, like she's reading from a foggy script. "They had this helmet thing. Made my head warm. Then some program… Multiplier? Said it was a demo. Reversible in 60 days. I think it was supposed to make me smarter, but… I dunno. I feel kinda spacey. And horny? Wait, no, that's not right. Just hungry."

Mara's eyes gleam in the dashboard light, but her tone is all concern. "Multiplier? Huh, must be some add-on. Don't worry, I'll look it up for you later. Sounds like a glitch—I'll help fix it." Horny? Spacey? she thinks. This is gold. If she's dumb and ****, I can nudge her right off the edge. Set her up with Jake or one of those frat losers… get her knocked up and out of my way for good.

They hit the drive-thru, and as Elena orders a massive combo meal with extra fries, Mara plots her first move—casually mentioning a "chill party" tonight with "some hot guys who could take your mind off things."