The technicians stepped back and threw a switch.The technicians stepped back and threw a switch. There was a humming sound and Joe felt the skin on his right calf tingle. After a period it stopped, only to be repeated at another location on his body. There was the odor of burned hair in the air. Finally, the bands were removed and a mask was fitted over Joe's face and the procedure was repeated there. The technicians removed all their equipment. An aide came in and helped Joe to the bathtub. Dr. van Damme changed the video pickup to the bathroom and she and her staff observed as Joe was bathed. They watched with fascination as the goo was scrubbed from Joe's body, for along with it came his hair. All of it! "As you can see it is quite effective. We can choose the area to be treated. The process is quick, cheap, and relatively painless. You will notice that the subject now exhibits no hair anywhere on his body except in the pubic region." Joe was put back in bed and administered a sedative. Totally hairless, and bald as a baby, he drifted off to a gentle sleep. CHAPTER 5 Joe lay face down on an operating table in an amphitheater. He was anesthetized and could neither feel nor move. In his euphoric state, he could not pay attention as the as the surgeon described what was happening to him. "Today I am using micro-miniature appliances, incorporating fiber optics and lasers, to demonstrate some inspiring developments in surgery." "First, I am performing liposuction to effect body contouring. As I am sure you are well aware, this is a high profit margin business for us. However, I am going beyond conventional routine here today. In order to create on the subject the smallest waistline possible, as called for in the treatment protocol." "Accordingly I have made a small incision at the spine where the lowest set of ribs connect. I then insert a multiple lead fiber optic cable to carry video, transmit laser energy, and control the miniaturized equipment." The surgeon accomplished this and went on."Now I simply cut through each rib at the spine, severing them. I inject a radioactive compound, with a short half-life, into the marrow to kill it. Next I apply a sealant to the spine to prevent any attempt at reattachment. |