Hank drifted back to consciousness, groaning, his head throbbing in pain.

“Ah, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Like crap.” Hank told the bespectacled panda scientist beside his bed. “My head hurts.”

“That’s to be expected.” Dr. Larson said. “A side effect of the experimental procedure. It should pass soon enough.”

“I sure hope so.” Hank said. The slim rat laid back as the doctor went to work checking his vitals.

Oh, how I wish my research budget had been able to stretch to better quality test subjects. And to more than one. Instead, I got stuck with this pathetic loser…

The rat stared at the panda in shock. What was that? He had heard the doctor say that, but the panda hadn’t spoken, and he hadn’t heard it through his ears. The words had just kind of… appeared in his head.

Dr. Larson noticed his expression. “Is something wrong?”

“Well, I…” Hank began, but stopped as more of the doctor’s words arrived in his mind.

There better not be something wrong! The procedure went perfectly, the synaptic stimulator was in full working order. I swear if this fucking idiot has screwed up my experiment, I will fucking kill him!

Suddenly, Hank felt wary about telling the panda too much. “No.” He said, steadily. “I’m fine, just the headache getting to me a little.”

“Very well.” The panda said, his expression radiated kindness and caring, but Hank could see a determination in his eyes that he hadn’t noticed before. “If it gets too bad, let me know, and I’ll get you a painkiller.” He returned to his work, taking readings and making notes as he examined the rat.

Hank’s mind was racing. What the hell was going on here? Was he… was he reading the panda’s mind, hearing his thoughts? That wasn’t supposed to happen! The doctor’s big experiment was supposed to stimulate brain growth, lead to an increase in intelligence. That was what he’d agreed to be a test subject for. It certainly wasn’t supposed to make him psychic!

As he was wondering what to do about this, whether or not to tell Larson about this apparently unexpected result of his experiment, more of the doctor’s thoughts came to him.

He’d better ace the intelligence tests this afternoon. I can’t deal with disposing of another fucking failure and trying to find another test subject gullible enough to not ask too many questions about this experiment or my credentials. This idiot has no idea I was stripped of my medical licence and my experiments are illegal…

“What?!” Hank spluttered, in utter shock, before he could stop himself.

“What is it?” Dr. Larson ask, putting on a mask of concern.

But Hank could see into his mind, whatever telepathic ability he’d developed was coming easier to him now. He could feel the seething rage at the possibility that something was wrong, that his experiment might be in danger.

And now he found he could look through the panda’s memories. He saw the highly intelligent scientist begin a promising career in medical research, believing that he would make discoveries that would change the world. And he saw him going too far, ignoring safety procedures, getting test subjects killed, leading him to him losing his licence, barely avoiding prison on a technicality. And finally, he saw him restart his research in secret, with the help of some shady investors, determined to prove to the world his intelligence by making a major breakthrough, no matter how many lines he had to cross, how many test subjects he had to kill.

“Mr. Jones? Hank? What’s wrong?” The panda was asking as the rat pulled out of the memories and returned to the here and now.

He stared at Dr. Larson in horror and fear, realizing just how much of an insane monster he was. Hank cursed himself for coming here, but he’d needed the money so badly…

Perhaps I need to abort this test. He heard the panda think, as one paw moved to a pocket of his lab coat, and Hank suddenly knew that it was where he kept an emergency syringe containing a massive sedative overdose.

Hank lashed out instinctively, acting in fear and desperation. No! Don’t touch that! He thought.

Larson suddenly yanked his paw out of pocket, empty-handed. He looked at the paw in confusion, not knowing why he had just done that.

Did I do that? Hank wondered. He supposed it made sense. He could read minds and memories, it wasn’t too much of a leap that maybe he could control them as well.

As a test, he thought about the doctor taking off his lab coat and throwing it aside.

A moment later, the panda stripped off the coat and tossed it away.

“What the hell is going on here?” Dr. Larson demanded.

“I’m the one in control now.” Hank laughed. “And you will not be killing me like you did your past test subjects.” With a thought, he made the panda doctor kneel and claps his paws behind his back and stay there.

“How are you doing this?” Larson growled, trying and failing to move. Hank saw his thoughts as he put the pieces together and came to a conclusion. “A side-effect of the procedure? Some manner of telepathic ability?”

“Yes.” Hank confirmed, getting up from the bed, feeling energized by his control of the panda, noticing that his headache had gone at some point. “I’ve been listening to your thoughts, and I’ve seen your memories. This ‘loser’ now knows exactly who you are and what you’ve done.”

“I see.” The panda said, glaring at him intently.

After a few seconds silence, Hank said. “I can hear everything you’re thinking, you know. All the plans you’re trying to make to escape, get me under control, study me, dissect my brain, take advantage of my telepathy. I’m not going to give you a chance to do anything. You’re far too dangerous to ever let loose, and not just to me.”

“Then what are you going to do, Sir?” The panda asked. He paused. “Wait, why did I just call you that?”

“A little test.” Hank smiled. “I wanted to see if I could push things a little further, make an alteration to your mind. Now, you will always address me with respect and call me ‘sir’.”

“I fucking well will not, Sir!” The panda growled. And then tried again after realizing what he’d said. “Damn you, sir, you fucking…” He stopped and let out a snarl of frustration.

Hank watched him, considering the idea that had just occurred to him, wondering if he could pull it off. Now he knew he could make alterations to the panda’s mind, perhaps he could do something much more extensive, a complete overhaul. Telepathically brainwash the monster into someone new, someone better.

As he saw it, his options were limited. He could hardly let him go. And he couldn’t kill him, he wasn’t a murderer. Turning him into the authorities could lead to his new abilities being discovered, making him a target for any who might want to study or exploit him.

This was the best choice, he told himself, as he closed his eyes and focused completely on the panda doctor’s mind. Instinct seemed to take over, the telepathic power coming so easily to him now as he reached into Larson’s mind and began twisting and altering every aspect of it.

There was some resistance. The panda tried desperately to hold onto his old self, but Hank found his own mind was far stronger now, easily overwhelming Larson’s feeble mental defences and worming his way into the deepest recess of his brain, wiping away the person he had been, transforming and reprogramming the doctor’s mind as he saw fit.

He didn’t know how long he was at it, but eventually he was satisfied with his work and pulled back, leaving the panda’s head and opening his eyes as a great rush of euphoria washed over him.

Hank laughed. Who knew brainwashing someone could feel so good?

He looked at Larson. The panda was smiling warmly and gazing at him in adoration. The only thoughts in his head now were genuine concerns about the rat’s well-being and questions about what he could do to help him and make his life better.

Just as he had been programmed. Hank knew. The adjustments he’d made meant that the panda would now only think about helping others, never doing any harm. And doing whatever he could to help and serve Hank in particular, in any way he could.

Hank patted the kneeling panda on the head. “Could you fetch me my clothes? I’d like for us to get out of here.”

Larson jumped to his feet. “Yes, Sir! I’ll be right back!” he scampered away out of the room.

Watching him go, Hank made a mental note to remember to destroy the doctor’s equipment and research before they left. Best to make sure what happened to him was never done again, even if it had been an accidental, unexpected result.

Then it would be back to his normal life. But it would be far from normal now, with telepathic powers and a panda servant. He still needed money for several big debts, but he was sure Larson would give him what he was owed. In fact, he was absolutely certain the panda would be more than willing to give him every last cent he possessed.

And beyond that, there would surely be plenty of ways to make some money with abilities like his. And if anyone got in his way, he could deal with them… after all, as he’d discovered, brainwashing someone felt so damn good, he wouldn’t mind doing again if he had to!

In fact, there were already a few old enemies, people who had denigrated him or bullied him, that could deserve some brainwashing, as far as he was concerned. That would be fun!

Hank sat back and smiled. His future was looking like it was going to very fun and interesting!