I'd just arrived at work that morning, and the place was still deserted. I walked from the parking lot to the door, ready to get down to another day of troubleshooting remote networks. My boss was mad at me, and I wasn't looking forward to our meeting later this morning.

I was a little surprised when she greeted me cheerfully, and then had a sort of strange feeling as she introduced a beautiful woman, explaining that I was to have a series of physical examinations in order to clear me for a promotion to a new post, much higher in the company.

Since the required exams could only be done in a very specialized facility I was to be flown to a high-end clinic on an island in the remote Pacific where all of this could be kept secret. I was encouraged to treat it as a vacation, so I packed very lightly for the trip, only one suitcase so I would be able to check it and just enjoy the trip without worrying about luggage and such.