by D A Buckley
“On second thought,” Dr. Mathis said, “I’ll come with you and we’ll get that numbed up straight away.” Dr. Mathis glared again at the receptionist.
The room down the hall was sized more appropriately for child-sized Hu. Within a minute or two she was also out cold and the electrodes attached. Ramos entered the room and activated his control console on the small desk in the corner. Hu’s blue capsule was exchanged for a red capsule and her synaptic responses were managed until she had full control of her enhanced faculties.
Dr. Mathis returned to Ken’s room prior to Hu regaining consciousness.
“Well, hey there, Doc. Long-time no see,” Jared, formerly Ken, said cheerfully.
“Hey yourself, Jared. How do you feel?” Dr. Mathis scanned the room to make certain that all monitors had been turned off.
“Tip top and ready to pop. What’s with you, Doc?”
“What do you mean, Jared? I’m fine. Just not as exuberant as you seem to be today.” Dr. Mathis reached down to take Jared’s pulse more to offer a human touch to keep relieve the anxiety that being in a medical environment can cause. “You always amaze me, Jared. Pulse excellent, blood pressure excellent.”
“You’re pheromones are kicking into overdrive and your skin charge is on high, Doc. The blood vessels in your eyes are madly engorged, and your heartbeat is elevated. Either you want to elevate our relationship to a new level or you’re mad at me for something.” Ken’s, that is Jared’s, senses were getting sharper with every transition.
“You know it’s getting harder and harder to keep secrets from you, Jared.” Dr. Mathis smiled and patted Jared’s hand. “ I have no privacy around you at all anymore. But don’t get too carried away with your awesome self. I’m not interested in adjusting our relationship and I’m definitely not mad at you. I’m just a little disappointed in our staff sometimes.” She hoped that her quick thinking deflection would redirect Jared’s attention.
“Sorry, Doc,” Linda, the receptionist heard Dr. Mathis’ lament from down the hall and called from the front desk. “You, as much as anyone, knows she can be a handful.”
Jared smiled and asked, “You keep secrets from me, Doc? Cause if you're wanting to elevate our relationship, well, I can’t see that happening if we can’t trust each other. I mean…”
Dr. Mathis smiled with as much warmth as she could muster but spoke in her well-practiced almost academic voice. “I’ve already told you, Jared. I like our relationship just the way it is…professional. However, I’ll admit, we, that is I, thought it best, at first, to withhold certain technical details from you so that you would only have your transitional aspects to deal with. I’m beginning to think the time has come to let you see the rest of the picture…”
“The rest of the picture? You mean, like Jackie in the room down the hall? She and I always meet up here. But neither of us ever has any memory of how we got here. When our missions are completed we have a complete blank as to where we go. It’s like living out ‘Ground Hog Day’ over and over again.”
“I’m sorry, Jared. I hadn’t realized that you were beginning to recall memories from mission to mission. I thought that every time we transitioned you that all your previous memories were lost.”
“Is that what you thought, Doc. Or is that what you hoped?”
“Jared,” Dr. Mathis tried her most empathetic bedside tone of voice. “Please, do not read anything unethical into what’s happening here. My staff and I have been very careful to look out for your welfare and Jackie’s. You don’t fully understand everything that’s happening here, I know that, but you must trust me.”
Jared cleared his throat and then looked directly into Dr. Mathis’ light green eyes. “Medically, of course, I trust you, Doc. But what exactly is happening here? Every time I transition I remember more and more. It’s putting the fragmented memories together that has taken some time. And I am concerned about Jackie. Right this moment she is experiencing the same level of anxiety as I am. Her heart rate is elevated and the galvanic voltage on her skin is quite erratic.”
“Wow, your increase in perceptiveness amazes me every time we bring you back.” Dr. Mathis tried again to deflect his line of questioning. “What can you tell me about Jackie then?”
“Well, she’s asking about me for one thing.”
“What do you mean she’s asking about you? She’s in a separate room down the hall and she’s unconscious…isn’t she?”
“Well, yea. But she’s aware. I can hear her vocal cords moving. She’s asking about where I am. She’s not certain. And I think she’s wanting answers to the same questions that I’m asking. We have a right to know, don’t we, Doc? We’re not lab rats or something. Are we, Doc?”
Dr. Mathis struggled for an answer when the door opened and Ramos stepped in.
“Doggone that’s awesome,” Ramos said as he entered the room looking down at Jackie’s file in his hands. “Hu’s numbers are increasing exponentially from transition to transition…”
“Well hello, Ramos.” Jared smiled broadly. “You know, you really ought to get that heart murmur looked at. Sometimes, like today, it sort of acts up. So, her name really is Hu. Her unaugmented name, that is. She’s very smart according to the entries in her chart that you’re reading there. And, I must say, you seem a little too interested in her physique Ramos. You should get out more and mingle a little bit.”
“I should what?” Ramos stammered. “No. No, I’m married. I’m just…are you reading my mind?” Ramos asked nervously closing the file folder.
“No. But you were so excited while reading Hu’s chart that you were actually speaking below your breath. I heard you as you were walking down the hall. By the way, the receptionist thinks you’re hot.”
“I do not,” Linda called from her desk.
Ramos smiled and then stuttered, “Who? Linda? Really?” Ramos blushed and turned to Dr. Mathis, “Doc have you seen these latest readings?” Ramos was now completely self-conscious. Pointing toward the front desk and Linda his face was red and he practically blurted, “Doc, we’re not…we’re not doing anything.”
“You bet your butt we’re not,” Linda called again from the front desk.
Dr. Mathis rolled her eyes at Ramos. “Better than that. I’ve been talking to the results.” She nodded her head towards Jared. “It seems that repeated transitions have enlarged the capacity of the neurons and synaptic connections in the brains of our two friends here. In between transitions their brains are adapting to the increased demand for cognitive resources by developing new neural pathways, like a body builder building muscles. Apparently, we’ve missed how much they are remembering from past transitions and missions.”
“Don’t be so nervous, Doc,” Jared said reaching up and taking hold of her right forearm. “We’re not Frankenstein Monsters. We won’t hurt you. We’re still us at heart. We’re just far more capable than you have been able to observe from the outside.”
Dr. Mathis nervously stepped back and withdrew her arm from Jared's grasp. “I’m sorry, Jared. I’m just very concerned on so many levels. I don’t want to hurt you or Jackie. You two are two of the first to walk down this path. How far can you safely go? I don’t know. Will the transitions ever become permanent? I don’t know. Will they ever become deleterious? I don’t know. I am anxious because I don’t know the answer to so many questions. I am especially anxious about what I don’t know even to be anxious about. I don’t know what it is that I don’t know. No one does.”
“Well, I can understand that and I appreciate your concerns for us. Let me ask you, Doc. When I transition back to, thank you, Ramos, to Ken, am I aware of the transition? I mean it’s a Flowers for Algernon kind of thing…isn’t it.”
“I’m not saying anything. How are you doing that?” Ramos protested.
“It’s subconscious for you, Ramos.” Jared chuckled. “You can’t help it. When you’re excited or stressed and you think things your vocal cords form the words and I can hear you speaking to yourself. It’s nothin
g paranormal.”
Jared turned back toward Dr. Mathis, “Doc, do I know that I go back to normal, that is to Ken? That’s the name Ramos just read on my chart. And what are the chances of making this enhanced state my new normal? Does Ken remember being me? I suppose not though or he would be very upset at being him…this is getting complicated, Doc.”
“Fair questions, Jared. I just don’t know the answers…yet. If Ken is aware of anything he has not made his observations known to me or to Porter.”
“Ken’s handler?” Jared asked.
“Essentially, yes, but really simply an observer and early warning system in case…”
“In case one of us blows up? What are the problems with leaving us like this?”
“We don’t know. I don’t know. A final permanent transition could very well kill you. We’re talking about your brain. One thing does seem apparent here. Though your capacities increase with each transition your ability to maintain those capacities remains constant. Your physiology is not yet demonstrating an ability to make any permanent adaptation. You are in no way evolving. I don’t think I even believe in evolution anymore. You are simply being chemically and electronically temporarily augmented. Your DNA is not changing at all.”
“How long does the transition hold, Doc?”
“Every instance so far has lasted for exactly one hundred and forty-four hours…six days. And when we transition you back you enter a sort of aestivation state for another six days. Your synaptic systems require that long to settle down, re-transition back to Ken, and recover.”
“And this is the depth of the science at this point?”
“I’m afraid it is. Yes.”
“Well, then let’s enjoy what we have.” Jackie’s somewhat squeaky voice came from around the corner from the open door.
“Sorry Doc,” Jared said with a smile. “I knew she was there. We both have a right to know what’s happening with us.”
“Yes, you do. And I promise that I will withhold nothing from either of you from now on. For the moment, you have your mission brief uploaded. Are you ready to proceed?”
“I know I am. I am ready to lead this mission to success,” Jackie said with groggy enthusiasm.
“Lead?” Jared queried. “Did I die or something half-pint?”
“Let me tell you something, jolly white giant…”
“Jolly white giant?”
“You heard me. I’m the person of color here.”
“Color? Asian isn’t a color.”
“Well, if you want some color I can turn your butt black and blue in a heartbeat…”
“Doc, I need a new partner,” Jared feigned complaining. “There’s something wrong with her.” Jared pointed at Jackie.
“Alright, knock it off you two. You’re like a couple of siblings.” Dr. Mathis was relieved that the conversation had finally turned away from questions she was not prepared to answer.
Jackie and Jared looked at each other and started laughing.
“Come on partner, or should I say, my brother from another mother?” Jackie said. “We got to earn our embarrassingly low government paychecks.”
CHAPTER TWO
The flight to Los Angeles, being at government expense, was of course, in coach which made the three-hour flight very uncomfortable for Jared.
“You know, they could make these seats just a little narrower,” Jared said loudly just as the flight steward passed his seat.
“I think they’re quite generous,” Jackie said with a smile and a self-satisfied tone while turning the page in the current copy of People magazine. “Why don’t you just lean back and take a nap? Oh, I know why. Because you’re a giant and the chair doesn’t fit and the pillow is too small. You know, you complain…a lot!”
“The chair doesn’t fit,” Jared whimpered and squirmed in a vain attempt to find a comfortable position. “The headrest hits my neck four inches beneath my head. It’s like hanging my head off a table. And who’s greasy, lice-infested head was here before mine. And this pillow isn’t a pillow, it’s a…a…Oh, I don’t know what it is but it is definitely not a pillow. And don’t even compare your experience to mine. You would be just fine in a child’s car seat…”
“Do they have those? Cause I would really like to get my feet up in the air. You know what I mean, jolly green giant?”
“I thought I was a jolly white giant?”
“That was before we hit that turbulence a few minutes ago.” Jackie laughed. “You should have seen your face, ha! I thought you were gonna hurl for sure.”
“You can’t even see my face. All you can see is the bottom of my chin…”
“Is everything all right here?” the flight Steward had returned to their row. “Your conversation is a bit loud and the other passengers are beginning to get concerned. The manifest has you listed as Jared and Jackie Strange. Husband and wife…I presume?”
“We most certainly are not husband and wife,” Jared practically squealed. “This mini-ingrate is my daughter…”
“Well, I find that hard to believe,” the Steward said. “She is obviously oriental and you’re, well…
“A jolly white giant,” Jackie said laughing.
“She’s adopted, from a medical research lab. She’s actually a test tube baby that failed to thrive.” Jared glared at the Steward. “Actually, I saved her from a life in the sex trade when I rescued her from her alcoholic Chinese parents while on embassy duty in Shanghai a few years ago.”
“I see,” said the Steward not taken in by Jared’s cynical attempt at humor. Leaning closer he lowered his voice and said to Jared, “Does she know that she’s adopted?”
“Well, I certainly do now,” Jackie squealed with a feigned cry followed by several forced sobs. “I thought you were my daddy.” she continued crying while grabbing Jared’s forearm. “Does that mean that mommy isn’t really my mommy?” Jackie really laid into the crying now. This caused a great commotion from the nearby passengers.
“How insensitive,” a hippie-looking lady seated behind Jackie said angrily to the Steward. “How could you say such a horrid thing to this poor child. You’re certainly not helping at all. She can’t help being a test tube baby.”
Jackie responded by ramping up the volume in her crying. “I didn’t know I was adopted. And now I’m a test tube baby,” she wailed.
“Oh, this is just great,” Jared moaned at the Steward and threw his hands up in exasperation. “Do you see what my life is like with this thankless mini-Mao?”
A black woman across the aisle was now standing next to the Steward. “How can you say such a thing? Can’t you see the trauma this poor child is experiencing? I can tell you what it’s like to feel powerless and abused…”
“I’ve been so abused,” Jackie wailed. “I just want my mommy. Who is my mommy?”
“If I had a gun I would shoot myself,” Jared moaned to himself while turning toward the window.
“Sir.” The Steward’s voice was stern, “I must caution you to not use the “G” word on this flight…”
Jackie screamed, “My daddy’s gonna shoot himself.”
Now everyone within earshot was certain there was someone on the plane with a gun. Why else would the Steward be asking passengers for help in subduing this man tormenting the hysterical little Asian girl next to him on the plane?
A rather large man unbuckled his seat belt and went to rescue the little Chinese girl from the deranged man.
“I’ll snap your pencil-neck head off your shoulders,” the man literally bellowed at Jared. “You leave that poor little girl alone.”
“Sir, please return to your seat, I have this under control,” the Steward ordered the large man.
“I can see what’s going down here,” a second man arriving at the row said aloud. He placed his hand on the shoulder of the large man. “I’m with you, brother…let’s roll.” He turned his head and raised his voice and addressed the rest of the passengers, “Everybody…get your cell phones out…”
> Katherine and Ramos arrived minutes later on a government-chartered Gulf Stream G1100.
*****
“You know, Mr. Strange, it is a felony to incite a riot on any commercial aircraft in flight over the US,” the Los Angeles police officer said through the Plexiglas divider in the holding cell at Los Angeles International Airport. “And, I must say, that your treatment of this sweet little girl, your own adopted daughter, is simply the worst I have ever encountered in thirteen years on the job here. Doesn’t she deserve your love, Mr. Strange?”
“Where is my…my daughter?” Jared asked barely recovered from the tasers used by the four police officers when he exited the plane at the arrival gate at the airport. The index finger on his left hand was uncontrollably tapping on the counter. “Look what you’ve done to me. I don’t know if I’m ever going to recover from this…this police brutality…I have a lawyer who would love to…”