“I need to warm you up. I don’t want you getting sick on me.” He reached outward for a wash cloth and began to wipe her off.
“I can hardly stand.” She spoke groggily.
“Don’t worry about it. I have you. Just relax.”
“Please get me out of here, Jake. I’ve had enough water for today.”
“Humor me just a little bit longer.” He brought his lips down to her cheek and kissed her softly.
Cal let her arm drop. She reached behind her and felt. He had left them on. She smiled a tired smile and let him hold her in the warm stream of water slipping in and out of consciousness the whole time.
^^^^
Rickie watched from a short distance as a wet Sarge tightly tucked in a sleeping Cal. A part of him felt impressed. What he had witnessed, in fact what he had witnessed in the past week, was human nature. What people do or say when they really care.
He guessed what surprised him the most as he watched Jake was the fact that someone so strong, so independent, could look so grateful just to be able to look at someone they thought they never would see again. It seemed out of character for him. Rickie supposed that Jake wouldn’t let everyone see him like this. Perhaps at this moment, Jake didn’t care. Dressed in his fatigues, looking so intimidating and yet, there he sat, brushing Cal’s wet hair from her face with his hands, sitting in a chair close to her bed. Watching and staring into eyes that were closed. And every couple minutes he would close his own eyes and lean down to kiss her. Was this the same guy who looked like a madman when he returned from seeing Griff? Was this the same man whose stone cold face was splattered with blood when he calmly walked back in the room, put away his revolver and took Cal to the shower?
“Sarge?” Rickie stepped closer speaking low, “You think she’ll be fine?”
Jake, startled from his thought, turned his head. “Oh, Rickie.” He stood up. “Yes, I do. I think she may have hypothermia. What we have to watch for is pneumonia. You know with her lungs getting water in them and all. She’s not coughing all that . . .”
“How do you know all this?”
Jake shrugged. “Years of experience I guess. I don’t know. Look . . . with all that’s happened I did not get a chance to thank you.” He extended his hand to Rickie. “Thank you very much.”
Rickie shook the large hand that seemed to bury his. “For what?”
“You played a big role in saving her life. If you weren’t with me looking, I wouldn’t have found her in time.”
“Dude, you did it. That shit you did, I didn’t even think was real. I thought that was something they only did on television.”
Jake smiled at him.
“When you were getting dressed . . . she uh,” Rickie motioned his head to Cal. “She was talking about Griff.”
“What did she say?”
After a blink of hesitation, Rickie answered. “It was kind of pointless. Said he’s not deaf, he’s crazy. He told her he was . . . indestructible.” He hid a slight snicker. “Sorry.”
“He sure died as easily as any other man, huh?” Jake raised an eyebrow. “Rickie, you are welcome to work on our city if you want.”
“Dude, I might just do that. Thanks.” Rickie smiled and watched Jake sit back down in his chair. “Hey, Sarge, are you going to sit there all night and watch her sleep?”
“No, Rickie. I’m going to sit her all night . . .” Jake said as he grabbed Cal’s hand, “and watch her live.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Caldwell Research Institute, Atlanta, GA
October 24 - 6:45 P.M.
Stormy and rough weather made for a bumpy flight on his private jet from Las Vegas. Aldo’s stomach turned some and he eagerly awaited the smooth ride in the limousine from the airport to the research center. The limo that was always packed and ready to go with remedies to help his queasy stomach. Of course Aldo always had a queasy stomach after flying. No matter how bumpy or smooth, private plane or commercial, flying was not one of his favorite pastimes.
He didn’t know why they wanted him back so soon after his mini vacation especially since he was going to be at the institute in a few weeks for the investor’s meeting. But Dr. Jefferson said it was important.
With his curiosity piqued, Aldo fueled his private plane and headed east. Clearing his meetings for a single day’s visit, Aldo had arrived jet lagged at the research institute.
“Sit down,” Dr. Jefferson told him. “Please.” They were alone in the observation room.
Aldo looked at the monitoring wall. Not one monitor was lit. “What’s going on?”
“There’s something we must show you.” Dr. Jefferson used the remote to on one monitor only. It showed a wooded area with a stream. “You’ll find this interesting.”
Aldo, sitting back puffing a Marlboro, saw a dark dressed figure emerge from the woods. “Is that the catch?”
“Yes it is. Watch.”
“Shit.” Aldo stood up. Griff was dragging a kicking and fighting Cal. “Holy shit.” His hand went to his head. “Where is Graison?”
“At this particular moment, he’s realizing she’s gone.”
“Why is she having so much trouble with him?” He witnessed Cal’s struggle, a vain struggle, and all her blows, her attempts to fight him were futile. “This isn’t the same woman who kicked the pervert’s ass.”
“It is.” Dr. Jefferson placed his finger to his lips to shush Aldo. “He’s had the treatments, Aldo. He’s very strong and she’s no match for him at all. As you can now see . . .” With a press of a button the screen played in slow motion.
“Oh, my God.” In horror he watched as Griff, holding Cal’s hair, knelt with one leg on her back and submerged her head in the stream. “Where’s Graison?” Aldo breathed heavily through his nose, his heart beating rapidly as he saw Griff lift Cal’s head and then dunk her again. On the third time he held it in the flowing water until her body stopped moving. “No.” Aldo’s face reflected his disgust at what he saw. He snarled as Griff took off through the woods. “She’s dead.” He blindly felt behind him for his chair, and sank into it.
“Please, Aldo. There’s more. Keep in mind, the nearest we could figure out, Griff took off running when he heard Graison and Rickie.” The screen went fuzzy then cleared. “We edited the four minutes of nothing. Ah, here . . . here it is.”
“Rickie?” Aldo leaned forward. “What is he saying?”
“The sound isn’t picked up. We think he’s screaming for Graison.”
“Graison is going to flip.” Aldo’s head tossed from side to side, and then he perked up when Jake appeared in the monitor and dropped to his knees. He quickly looked at Dr. Jefferson when he noticed Jake place Cal on her back and begin to try to resuscitate her. “Does he?”
“Watch.”
Dropping his head in relief, Aldo relaxed and spoke softly, “Yes.” He stood up watching the Major hold his girl. “He saved her. He saved her life.”
“Never in the history of the Iso-Stasis has a participant ever brought another person back to life, let alone even attempted it.”
“I can’t believe he did that. She was dead.”
“Yes, Aldo, you were out of the game and he helped . . .”
“Fuck the game.” Aldo moved closer to the screen. “I like this girl. He saved her life. Did he take care of the bastard? Did he blow his fuckin’ brains out?”
“As a matter of fact he did . . . several times.”
Extending his finger, breathing a short breath with every point, Aldo motioned toward Jake. “I like this guy, too.”
Dr. Jefferson flicked on the rest of the monitors. “That’s all I wanted you for. I really thought you needed to see how the odds are stacking in your favor. Graison’s investor saw this last night. He’s not happy.”
“Graison’s investor can suck off for all I care. He’s a fuckin’ worm.”
“Yes . . . well.” Dr. Jefferson glanced at his watch. “Look at the time. I must be headed home.” He handed the re
mote to Aldo. “I’ll send Stan and Lyle back in. Feel free to watch again.”
The second Dr. Jefferson walked out, Aldo watched again.
I-S.E. Twelve - Seal River Complex, Manitoba, Canada
October 24 - 9:30 P.M.
“Bed!” Jake ordered as he returned to Cal’s room and spotted her sitting on the floor.
“No, Jake. Let me work on the city.”
“Cal.” He marched up to her, took her arm and lifted her to her feet. “You need one more day of rest. No cold floors. I don’t want you sick. Humor me.”
“All right, all right. For as much as I humor you, I should be doing standup on HBO.” She let him lead her to the bed. “Can I at least just lie on top of the bed?”
“With covers, I’ll allow it.” He helped her on the bed. “You keep forgetting that you died yesterday.”
“Oh, I didn’t die.” Cal lifted her legs on the bed. “I just think that God merely had me in a certain limbo just so I could realize how much I really don’t want to leave this earth.”
Jake smiled as he covered her with a blanket. “I think God had you in that limbo just so I could see how much I need . . . I need you.” He fixed her pillow and laid her down.
“Need me? Please Jake. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you.” Cal sat up and placed her hand on his. “I owe you my life.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. How about you just owe me your body instead?”
“That’ll work for me.” She let her fingers run softly across the back of his hand. “I’m surprised you want this body. It has taken some knocks up here.”
“Are you kidding? I love this body.” He ran his hand up her leg. “Bruised or not bruised.”
“Of course, but why is it you haven’t taken anything but a punch since we’ve been here?”
“You don’t think anything happens to me? Cal, every time you take one of those knocks, something happens to me. I may not feel it physically, but trust me, I feel it.”
“Oh, listen to you.”
“I’m being honest. Yesterday . . .” He lowered his eyes. “When that happened to you, I was scared. I was really scared. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve been scared about anything? The last time was in the third grade. I had to be an elf in the Christmas pageant.” Jake, who was being very serious, was somewhat disturbed when Cal burst into laughter. “Why are you laughing? This is not funny.”
“I’m sorry.” Cal covered her eyes. “It’s just that . . . you had to be one big elf.”
“I was. I towered over the other kids. I looked ridiculous. My mother brought out pictures of that to embarrass me all the time, even after I turned sixteen.”
Cal smiled and rested her head back. “What were you like as a teenager?”
“Rickie.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope, not at all. I lived life back then. I never cared about anything; fun was all that mattered. When my parents were killed my senior year in high school, all that changed.”
“So you enlisted?”
“Yes.” Jake edged his way closer to her, looking solemn. “I was alone and the service became my family, my life. It’s all I had, so I was determined to do it right. I guess doing things right has become a compulsion for me.”
“You aren’t kidding.” She slid her hand down his face and moved closer to him. She placed her lips softly on his. “I’m finding it hard to believe that the man sitting here used to be like Rickie.”
“I grew up. I like to think that I have values, old fashioned at times, but values.”
“You do.” Cal bent her knee up and rested her chin on it as she hugged her leg. “You, Major Graison, have a very strong sense of morals. That’s to be commended. I think if you ever find the right woman for you, you are going to be a great husband. You’ll protect her, take care of her, and you will never stray on her. That’s what I believe. You may not be the most affectionate husband, but you’ll always be there.”
“I really think I may have found . . . I’m not affectionate?”
“Between the sheets you are. But otherwise . . . it seems like it’s awkward for you.”
“OK, it is.” Jake moved even closer to her. “I’m trying though.”
“You are. But you’re the type of person, Jake, that will always be awkward with spontaneous affection. Like now, I think you’d like to kiss me, but you just won’t. So I’ll just . . .” Cal lifted her head and moved her leg out of the way for him. She grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him to her as she lay down.
But luck wasn’t with Jake.. He had been waiting to kiss her since the bet, and there he was with the opportunity, and then there was Rickie.
“OK,” Rickie yelled loudly as he walked into the room with them. “I’ve had a Rickie revelation.”
Jake sat up, cleared his throat and scratched his head. “Rickie?”
“Guys, if you are like wanting to do the wild thing, you going to have to shut the door. A closed door will keep me away.”
Jake faced him. “It never has before. Now what is your Rickie revelation?”
“OK.” Rickie walked closer to the bed and pulled the desk chair up to join them. “Here it goes. I have decided to walk the straight and narrow. Lead a different life.”
Cal looked upon him curiously. “What is bringing this on?”
“A lot of things, but mostly, yesterday. When I saw the Sarge and what he did for you, that’s what I want. I want to help people. Be able to do that. If I don’t, I’ll never get the respect that he is getting right now from me.”
Jake was shocked when he heard Rickie say that even though Rickie was still calling him Sarge. “Thank you, Rickie.”
“No problem. So . . . like this soldier stuff you do. Are they hiring?”
Jake laughed. “Always. Do you want to enlist?”
“Yep.” Rickie sat up. “I want to do what you do.”
With a closed mouth Jake nodded. “You want to be a Ranger? If at the end of this thing, you’re still serious, I’ll see how I can help you. Get you down at Fort Bragg with me.”
“Thanks, dude.” Rickie reached out and slapped Jake in the arm. “One more thing, will I have to have a haircut like yours? Not that it isn’t a stylish do on a man of your size, but I like my locks.”
“You’ll have to lose the hair, Rickie.”
“What if I’m like only part time, you know Monday, Wednesday . . .”
“Rickie,” Jake groaned.
Rickie closed his mouth and pretended to lock it. “So, Cal-babe, did you know the Sarge breathed you back to life?”
“Yes, I did.” She smiled at Jake. “I saw him.”
“Whoa.” Rickie moved his chair closer “Were you like hanging up above our heads looking down?”
“Sort of,” Cal answered. “At first there was darkness and I was moving. Then I felt like I was being pulled, and the next thing I knew I heard Jake cry out. I was standing right there with you guys. It’s odd. Since Jessie died, I could care less if I left this world or not. Yet there I was with the opportunity at hand to see her again and all I wanted to do was live. I stood over Jake’s shoulder begging him, ‘Please bring me back, Jake. Please bring me back.’”
Rickie’s shriek was shuddering. “Oh! You’re giving me chills.” He stuck his arm between the two of them. “Look, goose bumps.”
Jake couldn’t take his eyes off of Cal. “You were telling me that?”
Cal nodded. “I put my faith in you, Jake. You didn’t let me down. I thought I was a goner.”
Rickie had to get his two cents in. “You were. And . . . if it was anyone else trying to save you, you wouldn’t have come back.”
Both Cal and Jake turned their heads at the same time to him.
“Serious, dudes. It’s a Rickie theory. You came back Cal, not because the Sarge just saved your life, but because he gave you a part of his life. He had to give up a part of his, in order for you to have yours.”
Cal’s eyes widened. “R
ickie that is too, how can I put it so you understand, deep?”
“Hey, what can I say? I’m a modern type of guy. I say what I feel.” He placed his hand to his chest. “I’m sensitive. But to add a little to my Rickie theory, Sarge, you’re probably not going to live as long as you were supposed to before. Maybe you won’t see forty. Wait . . .” Rickie scratched his head. “You’re past that, right so fifty then.”
“Rickie,” Jake snapped, “I’m not forty. And I’d like to sit alone with Cal now.”
“Fine, I’m going.” Rickie moved to the bathroom and stopped. “One more thing” he said ignoring Jake’s moan. “That stuff you said, Cal, about getting a chance to see your kid,” he waited for Cal to look at him. “As much as they miss us, too, they like don’t want us cramping their style. They want us here. We’ll see them when it’s our time.” With a short wave Rickie shut the bathroom door.
Cal stared, stunned by the profoundness of Rickie. “Is this something new or has he always been like that?”
“Maybe Rickie is changing.”
“Dudes!” With a bang the bathroom door flung open. “One more thing. Check out this tune.”
Listening to the blasting of distorted guitar music, Jake, in defeat, dropped his head to Cal’s leg. “Then again, maybe he hasn’t.”
TRAPPED
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Investors Meeting - Caldwell Research Institute, Atlanta, GA
November 16 - 8:30 A.M.
There was one less investor at the meeting. Aldo expected there would be. Fr. Dan’s investor conceded to the fact that his horse has been declared mentally incapacitated. It doesn’t matter if your horse walked away or was carried out barely alive, if they are declared mentally incapacitated, then they and the investor are out of the game.
It irked Aldo to the point that his back hairs were standing on edge. That weasel Stewart, Graison’s investor, stood there, his skinny balding self, rubbing his nose with an overused tissue talking to Jefferson. And in Aldo fashion, he eavesdropped.
The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments) Page 24