Stan typed.
“Tell him I’m fine, having fun and eating healthy.”
“So I take it a whole bag of chocolate licorice is healthy.”
Cal waved him off. “See him soon, I love him.”
Stan nodded.
“Oh! And…” Cal tapped him on the shoulder. “Tell him to give Rickie a hundred bucks for me.”
“Got it.” Stand finished. “It’s sent.”
“Ah, Stan thank you,” She gave him a hug. “You’re a sweetheart.”
“You won’t think that tomorrow.” Stan swirled his chair to face her.
“Why? You aren’t making me watch another sappy movie are you?”
“Not only that, you Cal, are on the ‘feed me right’ schedule.”
“What? What the hell is that?”
“For three day you eat good, healthy food. You will be provided with ample snacks, all of which will be healthy. Your calorie intake won’t be cut so it won’t be like a diet. But it will be healthy.”
“Fuck. Are you serious?”
“Very much so.”
“But why me, I’m the worst one, I live off of junk food?”
“Cal, this is a research experiment. The fact that you live off of junk food makes you perfect.”
“Fuck. Ok.” Cal turned. “I want to show this picture to Billy, then stock up on the junk. What time does it start?”
“Eight AM.”
With an agreement nod, Cal walked to the door.
“Oh, and Cal?”
“Yeah.” She paused mid opening.
“We will check your room for a stash.”
With a grumble, Cal walked out.
***
“Why the hell does she need a hundred dollars?” Jake mumbled, sitting before his laptop on the plane.
“What’s that Sarge?” Rickie asked.
“Cal needs you to bring a hundred dollars.”
“I don’t have a hundred dollars, the toot didn’t pay me yet.” Rickie said.
“She wants me to give it to you.”
“Something wrong with her email?”
“Why?”
“Stan sent that. What else did he sent you?”
“What are you talking about, Rickie.”
“Sarge guy, God of illiterate email dudes.” He sat down next to Jake. “The email has an attachment. What is it?”
“Says number fourteen.” Jake checked. “Good thing you were here Rickie, I wouldn’t have even noticed.”
“Open it.”
“I will.”
“Are you gonna tell the Cal-Babe about what Caldwell wanted?” Rickie asked.
“No.”
“Can I?”
“No.”
“Can I make her guess?”
“No. And Rickie, I’m trying to open my attachment.”
“And I’m trying to see what it is?”
“Can I have some privacy? It could be personal.”
Rickie snickered. “Like a naked picture of a pregnant Cal-Babe.”
“Rickie …”
“Oh, Sarge, that would mean someone else would have taken it and …”
“Rickie there are other seats on this plane, go away.”
“Fine.” Just as Rickie stood, the flight attendant approached.
“Sir, I’m going to need you to disconnect your cell phone, we’re getting ready to take off.”
Jake nodded.
Rickie whined. “Now we have to wait in suspended suspense until later to see the attachment.”
“I’m sure meeting the president will take your mind off of it. Besides, it’s on the computer now. We’ll look as soon as we’re in the air.”
“Dude, I can’t wait for that. Like I have like all my John Wayne facts all ready. I’m gonna impress the prez.”
“I’m sure.” Jake disconnected the phone from the laptop, as soon as it did, it rang. “Graison.”
“Aldo.” Aldo said.
“Hold.” Jake handed the phone to Rickie. “It’s Aldo, tell him we are taking off.”
Rickie took the phone. “Hey guy, it’s the middle miester. We’re taking off, so it’s got to be brief, guy, we’re meeting the president. What’s up?”
“Tell Jake we need to talk. Tell him to call me ASAP.”
Rickie chuckled. “OK. Assep. Got it”
“What?”
“I’ll tell him.”
“Rickie …” Aldo tried to talk but Rickie hung up and shut off the phone.
“Here you go,” He gave Jake the phone. “He said you and him need to talk and from this moment on call him Assep.”
“Assep?” Jake questioned. “What he thinks changing his name is going to cover the fact that he and I talk.”
Rickie lifted his hands. “That’s what he says.”
“Well, I’m not calling him. If he has a message he can talk to you.”
“Should I call him Assep?”
“I really don’t care.”
At that moment, the attendant announced take off, and Jake and Rickie stated into the flight.
***
There were three speeds in which Billy typed. Cal had learned them. There was the average speed when he was trying something technical, or copying. Slightly faster was the email speed, but the fastest he typed was when he was writing.
At his door, Cal could hear Billy’s fingers as they whapped against the keys at an incredible high rate.
He had to be writing.
She listened, knowing he only really kept them up in sections. Whip through some. Pause. Whip through. Pause.
Depending on where he was and if he knew what he was writing, the pauses varied in length.
It had been a while, and a long stretch of typing; Cal knew she’d get that break soon. When he stopped she raised her hand. Just as she was about to knock on his door, he clicked away again.
After two or three times of missing her brief window, Cal held her hand close to the door so as not to miss the opportunity.
The split second he stopped, she knocked.
He had heard her. She knew that because the pause was long and soon followed by the opening of the door.
“Hey,” Billy said brightly. “Why didn’t you just come in?” He opened the door wider for her.
“You were writing.”
“How did you know?”
“I could hear.” Cal stepped in. “I don’t want to bother you.”
“Oh, no bother. In fact …” Billy led the way further into the room. “Maybe you can help me.”
“I’d love to.”
“Cool. Because I’m stuck. Let’s sit.” He walked to the sofa. “What brings you here?”
“This.” As Cal took a seat next to him, she extended the ultrasound picture. “The babies.”
Billy was in awe. “Wow.” He wisped out. “Oh wow. Wow, look how great. This is …” He stopped, and titled his head. “Does one of them have three arms?”
“No, that’s just the other baby peeking in.”
“Oh, whew.” He breathed out. “Not that it mattered. Can I have this?”
“No.” Cal took it back. “I’ll see if I can get you one, though.”
“I’d like that.” Billy smiled “Because the one girl looks just like me.”
Cal gave a quirky look. “What makes you think one is a girl.”
“One’s a girl, one’s a boy.” Billy said.
“How do you know?” Cal questioned, thinking Billy had some deep psychic baby prediction skill.
“Because those are the better odds. Fifty-fifty chance I’m right.”
With a playful nudge to Billy, Cal laughed. “OK. So, what do you need my help with?”
“OK, check this out.” Billy rubbed his hands together. “Haynes’ brother in law or something like that, is a huge network big wig, and he approached Haynes about doing a reality show. Haynes came to me with the project.”
“What does he want from you?”
“He wants me to develop possible …”
&nbs
p; “No,” Cal stopped him. “This is a huge opportunity. Haynes has to want something.”
Billy shrugged. “Maybe it’s all part of my good guy for Caldwell image.”
Cal sputtered a ‘hmm’ in thought. “Maybe. Anyhow, go on. He needs you to develop it.”
“Yep. But first I had to submit to him a list of reality show ideas.”
“And you’re having a hard time coming up with some.”
“No, I came up with some. Even sent them off. Caldwell has them already.”
“Then what do you need my help with?” she asked.
“Well, I would like your feedback on my ideas. And …” Billy said. “I’d love your help on the project. Because once an idea is taken, we’d have to develop it further. I thought it would be a blast for you. Because they are looking for something to start filming right away.”
“OK.” Cal nodded. “I think I might like that.”
“And there’s one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“One of my ideas involves Jake. If they accept that one, which I doubt, but if they do, I need your help to convince Jake to do it.”
Cal choked a laugh. “Jake on a reality TV show. No way. He won’t do it. We laugh at those.”
“He may. Jake hates them so bad, he may want to do one to make it authentic.”
“So you want him to be one of the contestants?”
“Not exactly, I want him to be one of the stars.”
“Jake? My Jake?” Cal laughed.
“Yes.”
Cal laughed again.
“What is so funny.”
“Jake a star. Sorry …” She flung out her hand. “Anyhow, what’s the Jake idea.”
“I’ll get to it. But I’d like your feedback, and thoughts on some of the ideas I submitted, OK? Tell me what you think.”
“Shoot. I’m all ears or belly.”
Billy smiled. “Ok. Keep in mind these are all elimination reality shows. First one …” His view moved to the computer where he clicked a few times. “Country Bride.”
“Country Bride.”
“Yeah, 8 really, city, city girls moved to the country where they are eliminated each week by bumpkin Joe, the hot local farm boy. He owns a lot of land, great with horses, down to earth and looking for a birthing bride.”
The corner of Cal’s mouth raised. “You’re kidding?”
“No, what do you think?”
“How are they gonna get eliminated?”
“By determining which city girl can be a country girl. By doing things like plowing, making pies, riding horses. What do you think?”
Slowly Cal nodded. “Could work.”
“You think?”
“That’s a possibility. That’s not the one Jake’s in, right?”
“No.”
“Ok. Good because I just couldn’t see Jake in that one. What’s next?”
“You didn’t like it.”
“I liked it, but not sure Caldwell is going to pick that one.”
“You might be right. Next …” Billy examined his document. “New Kids. Where you have six family, and they all swap kids. The least adjusted family of the week gets eliminated. Now .. the kids are not allowed to tell which parents are theirs. The parents will never meet the other parents. And the kids change weekly between families.”
“Oh, you got to have a bogus set of kids.”
“What do you mean?”
“OK, since they will never know which kids belong to which family, you should toss in a bogus set of kids each week. They are holy terrors. A real challenge.”
“That … that is a good idea.” Billy typed. “I have to send the updated notes to Caldwell, they couldn’t have decided yet.”
“Probably not. Now, would Jake be in this one?” Cal asked. “Because he is not good with children.”
“No, he wouldn’t be in … wait.” Billy turned his body to face Cal. “Jake’s not good with children.”
“Not at all. Does he look like he’s good with children?”
“No, not at all. But Jake said he’s good with kids.”
“Jake thinks he’s good with kids.” Cal winced and shook her head. “Not. It’s gonna be entertaining when the twins are born.”
“I bet.”
“Ok, what’s next? I liked the family one.”
“Thanks … um …” Billy scrolled. “Pre Cops.”
“Pre cops?”
“Yeah, you have a bunch of police academy recruits and we watch them graduate to become cops.”
“Hmm.” Cal stared. “Is Jake in this one? That sounds like a Jake one.”
Billy shook his head. “Not that one.”
“Oh. OK. Next.”
“You don’t like it.”
“Well …”
“You wouldn’t watch it?” Billy asked.
“I stand more of a chance tuning into Country Bride. Pre Cops sounds formulated and over used.”
“It’s not.”
“I know but it sounds like it’s cliché. You need to get something entertaining, funny, and something people want to watch. Pre Cops doesn’t sound like it. So that’ll be the one Caldwell will pick it.”
“You think?”
“Yeah, because so far it’s the weakest one. What’s next.”
“Now, me I like this one. ‘The Next President.”
“Presidential candidates?”
“No.” Billy shook his head. “We’re gonna find a high powered political aid job, and take eight Republicans and make them work for the job. Put them in different situations, make them debate, campaign, so forth.”
“Republicans. Wow. That has to be Jake. Jake is a staunch republican. No one’s more conservative than him.”
“That’s true. But this one isn’t Jake’s either.”
“Wait. Stop. What is Jake’s?” Cal asked. “I want to know.”
“Well …. I thought Jake would work best as someone putting a group of individuals through rigorous training, and mental breakdown.”
Cal smiled. “That is so Jake. It is.”
“I thought so too. I thought, let pit them against Jake. ‘Jake can Break’, will be the motto. And we’ll see if Jake can break them. Each week he has to decide who goes or who stays. The last remaining will be the winner.”
Cal really perked with interest. “Oh Billy, I would watch that. In fact, Jake maybe interested.”
“You might want to hear what the show is fully about. It deals with high schoolers.”
“Even better. Training.” Cal fluttered her lips. “You know Jake, he claims he is good with young people and could mold them. What’s it called? What kind of training?”
Billy held up his hand. “The title should tell you a lot.”
“Go on.”
He hesitated, and then Billy recited it. “Cheerleader Boot Camp.”
Cal froze.
“Cal?”
At first her lips stammered, she was at such a loss. Then with a questioning look and titled head, she whispered almost voiceless, “Cheerleading Boot Camp?”
***
“Cheerleading Boot Camp,” Greg said as he dropped a folder to his desk in dramatics.
Dr. Jefferson looked as perturbed as he did confused. “Cheerleading Boot Camp.”
“Don’t you love it? The moment I saw it, I presented it to the network execs and they loved it. We’re gonna interview right away, start filming right away. Don’t know when it will air.”
Jefferson shook his head. “I don’t get it. It sounds lame.”
“Lame. Hardly.” Greg sat down. “How’s this for a intro …” he raised his hand, and spoke like an announcer. “He trained many a men for a living. He placed the world’s killers in the field. Now .. He faces his most daunting group ever.”
Dragged out, Dr. Jefferson said. “No.”
“Yep.”
“Graison.”
“Yep.”
“He’ll never agree to do it.”
Haynes gave a closed mout
h smile. “He will.”
“Contract blackmail again?”
“Of course. In fact, he already knows he is going to be partaking in something. But he brought up a point. The Army has to OK his participation.”
“Will they?” Jefferson asked.
“Of course.”
“Graison, I’m sorry, will fight this when he finds out they’re cheerleaders.”
“Graison won’t have a clue. That was a big selling point to the network. He is going to go in there thinking he has to ship shape eight teenagers who are pathetic. Sure, they’ll be pathetic, but they’ll be an enthusiastic bunch when he meets them.”
“Oh my God,” Jefferson laughed. “This .. This could be quite enjoyable.”
“If not for anything else, just to really irk Graison. To shake him. This could do it. He faces monsters. Fire. Amoebas … but now he is going to face his worst nightmare. We are going to find the most annoying, high pitch, squealing, enthusiastic, backward, nerdy, worst at cheerleading, teenage girls we can find.”
Jefferson’s hand shot to his mouth. He was speechless.
“Good huh?,” Haynes nodded. “Thank Billy for it. He came up with it.”
“Unreal.”
“The motto of the show is going to be ‘Jake can Break’, but …” he winked. “We’re gonna see how eight teenagers can break Jake.”
“You know …” Jefferson waved a finger. “This could be a money maker inside. I bet we could get investors. Bring them in during the filming.”
“Already thought of that.”
“So you’ll be doing it?”
Cocky, Greg folded his hands on his stomach and leaned back. “This wouldn’t be the Iso-Stasis if we didn’t. Would it?”
***
Rickie was not a happy camper, in fact he was upset. ‘Really, really, upset’ as he put it to Jake that the dudes who protect the president had to take his belt buckle and spurs. Rickie tried to tell them he wasn’t an ‘I spy’ guy, and there wasn’t anything hidden in them, but they didn’t buy it. He had to listen to Jake say over and over, “did I or did I not tell you to leave the John Wayne gear at home?”
Rickie held firm that the dudes who protect the president didn’t think he was as security risk; they just wanted his cool things.
But he still looked cool. Despite the fact he was without his spurs and buckle. He still had his hate, boots and other clothing items. Rickie knew he wouldn’t get lost in the shuffle or over looked. Fashionably, he stood out, just the way he wanted.
Terms (The Experiments Book 3) Page 15