Amoeba (The Experiments)

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Jake.” Cal said his name softly.

  “I’m sorry. I just have been . . .”

  “Oh, Jake. I’d love to start a family with you.”

  Jake genuinely grinned. “Really?” He received a nod and Jake embraced Cal. “Thank you.”

  Rickie, finally finding his game, let out an ‘ah’ when he saw them. “So, like, you guys are gonna give me a brother or sister. Cool.” He gave a thumbs up. “But why are you guys going to some stranger to donate? You, like, have the living sperm factory right under your roof.”

  “Rickie.” Jake pulled for the embrace. “Please.”

  “No dude, check it out. I’ll donate, then you know where you’re getting it from.”

  Jake widened his eyes, “I also will know what I’m getting, Rickie, and we kind of know what you are.”

  “All the more reason, Sarge,” Rickie explained as he stood up. “With my pow-wow make up, guy, even if it’s slight, just think, there’ll be a chance Cal-babe may never lose another child. Check me out, I’m gonna hook up the new game.” Rickie hurried over to the large screen television.

  Jake and Cal just looked at each other.

  ^^^^

  Billy was so shocked when Jake answered the door, that he literally dropped his suitcase and let out a gasping laugh. “Jake?”

  Jake was smiling, the Santa hat tilted on his head, wearing a black tee shirt and jeans. And, of course, from his smiling lips dangled an unlit cigar. “Hey, Bill. Merry Christmas.” Jake shook Billy’s hand causing Billy to fumble with the gifts he held. Jake pulled him in and grabbed the suitcase then shut the door.

  “Wow. You’re in the holiday spirit.”

  “And you’re late. But . . . I’m not saying anything. Check this out. Cal and I are having a baby.”

  Billy went speechless. “Cal’s . . . Cal’s pregnant? I didn’t think . . .”

  “No, not yet. In about ten months or so.” Jake reached into his tee shirt pocket and handed Billy a cigar. “Here. Come on in.”

  Billy followed Jake into the loud living room where Chuck and Rickie were intriguing themselves with a game on the floor.

  “Billy, you know Chuck. Chuck!” Jake called out to an occupied and cheering Chuck. “Never mind him. Hey, at least now that you’re here, we have a forth for wrestling. This television-produced game stuff is really great.”

  “Can I see Cal first?” Billy asked.

  “Sure. She’s in the kitchen.”

  Billy trailed behind a strangely upbeat Jake into the kitchen.

  “Cal.” Jake drew her attention away from the turkey. “Cyber boy is here.”

  Cal turned around with a smile, set down the knife, and hurried over to Billy. He was able to set down the two gift boxes before the embrace. “I was worried. I heard about the storm over Cleveland,” she told him.

  “Yeah.” Billy kissed her on the cheek. “We were grounded for three hours.” Billy noticed Jake leaving. “Jake, can you wait . . . just one second.”

  “Sure.” Jake came back in. “I need a beer anyhow. Bill?”

  “No. I had four Jack Daniels on the plane. I thought we were crashing.” Billy waited for Jake to get his beer. “I have gifts, but I have one I want to give both of you at the same time.”

  Jake, drinking his beer, stepped closer to Cal.

  Billy looked up with a chuckle to Jake in his portrayal of a large Santa. “All right.” He took a breath. “I hope you guys like this. Cal, I think you will. I got a present before I left for the airport, and I wanted to share it with you.”

  Cal smiled and folded her arms. “What is it?”

  “I got a call.” Billy’s eyes went from Cal to Jake. “It’s not exactly as I expected it to be. In a way, it’s kind of better. Still, the end results are the same, right?”

  “Bill.” Jake set down his beer on the counter. “You’re fuckin killing me. What?”

  Billy smiled. “Guess what?” He hesitated in a dramatic fashion. “I’m going with you guys to Iso-Stasis Thirteen.”

  Atlanta, GA

  December 25th - 8:00 p.m.

  Carrying his eggnog drink, Greg followed Dr. Jefferson into the study. Dr. Jefferson’s house was big and quiet, the aftermath of his family’s departure being over and done with.

  “Have a seat, Greg.” Dr. Jefferson pointed as he walked behind his desk.

  “Thank you.” Greg sipped his eggnog. “Excellent.” He held it up.

  “It’s from a carton.” Dr. Jefferson folded his hands. “Now tell me. What were the conditions?”

  Greg took a deep breath. “I told him. Like the other people there, he would be housed and fed for the six months. We’ll supply him with his three things. He must abide by resources brought and left with him. He has to abide by the experiment participant rules. He can’t contact the outside world until he leaves. The only is that he receives no compensation like the others, but he does get to leave with his story. And pictures, of course. I’m allowing him to bring his journalist supplies. He signed no statement of confidentiality.”

  “I see.” Dr. Jefferson nodded. “So you enticed him with this offer to cover up the fact that you were roped into bringing him along?”

  “Roped, sir?” Greg shook his head. “I wasn’t roped, I had this planned. I needed a tenth participant in order to be eligible for the Lithgow fund.”

  Dr. Jefferson looked curiously at Greg. “Then why didn’t you make him into a participant?”

  “Because I wanted him to be an unwitting participant, and I wanted him so eager to go, that he would go under any circumstances. He’s not costing us a cent other than food.”

  “It doesn’t worry you about this freedom of speech you gave him?”

  “No, sir, not at all. All information or notes he takes, along with photos or videos, are ours if he fails to emerge.”

  “You seem . . . you seem awfully sure of yourself and this move. I’m not, and it’s worrisome.”

  Greg shook his head at Dr. Jefferson in a ‘don’t be’ manner. He took a sip of his eggnog. “I am very sure that William Griffith Jr. will not come back to civilization. Not with what I have planned.”

  “Like father, like son?” Dr. Jefferson asked. “You think it will be mental failure?”

  “Possible, but not probable,” Greg said with confidence. “I don’t see young Mr. Griffith as a bumbling, babbling, psychotic idiot. I see Mr. Griffith dead, killed in the midst of the experiment. Killed, I’m forecasting by . . . Lt. Col. Graison.”

  “Cal and Billy are great friends. Jake kills Billy, Jake kills the team.”

  “Exactly.”

  Dr. Jefferson leaned back in his chair running his hand under his chin. “You must have something planned.”

  “Oh, absolutely. I wouldn’t make that prediction if I didn’t. And I have had it planned for a very, very long time.”

  A smile of pleasure finally graced Dr. Jefferson’s face for the first time ever over any plan that Greg had had for Iso-Stasis thirteen. “This could be very interesting and rewarding entertainment for the investors. This, along with the bounty, adds an air of mystery to the experiment. For the first time it will spark some interest from the get-go.”

  “And wait until you see what I have planned for the ‘get-go’.”

  In a demented sort-of-way, Dr Jefferson and Greg had a happy-thought, Iso-Stasis Experiment moment.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Fayetteville, North Carolina

  December 26th - 3:30 a.m.

  Like seventeen-year-old boys at a high school football game, Jake and Chuck erupted in loud screams as they jumped up from their seats on the living room floor. Cal cringed as she carried four beer bottles and a bowl of popcorn through them. Her one eye fluttered in annoyance as she kept moving.

  “Cal,” Jake called out to her, swaying a little in his stance. “We won.”

  Cal winked. “Good for you.” She walked further away, mumbling, “God, I could drown in a pool of immature testosterone in there.”
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  “Rickie!” Billy scolded.

  “Dude, I didn’t mean it.” Rickie rubbed his eyes. “I can’t see anymore. And like, you’re as hammered as Sarge and Chuck. You suck, man, at this wrestling shit.

  Was it silence that Cal finally heard as she did the dishes? After six hours of what Rickie started as the tag-team wrestling frenzy tournament, and which then turned into a drinking blast of grown men playing video games with a vengeance, she did believe it had finally came to a quiet ending.

  “Chuck’s crashed on the couch,” Jake stated, still wearing the Santa hat as he came into the kitchen with Billy. “Rickie’s on the floor.” He picked up a bowl off the counter and carried it to Cal at the sink. “Need help?”

  Cal slightly chuckled as Jake’s aim for the sink basin was off. “No, I think I can manage.”

  “We’ll get you tomorrow, Jake.” Billy leaned into the counter as he spoke. His hair was messed up, eyes glossy.

  “Ha!” Jake said loudly, causing Cal to drop a dish. “Cal, please. Noise. Anyway.” He faced Billy again. “Ha!”

  “Jake!” Cal yelled. “God, look at you two. You’re pathetic. I have never seen you this drunk, Jake, and if you plan on having another wrestling tournament, you’d better get more booze. You went through almost two cases of beer and . . . and my bottle of Jack.”

  “Shit.” Jake ran his hand over his head knocking the hat off. “No wonder I’m so tired.” Jake rubbed his eyes. “Cal, you mind if I go to bed?”

  Cal smiled. “Not at all.”

  “Okay.” Jake staggered to her and kissed her. “Love you.”

  “I’ll be up soon,” she told him as she did her dishes.

  “Okay, night Bill.” Jake moved to the door.

  “Don’t kiss me Jake.”

  “Ha!”

  Crash! Another dish dropped from Cal’s hand. “Jake, go to bed before you scream one more time and I kill you.”

  “I’m gone.” Jake waved and walked from the kitchen.

  Billy lifted himself from leaning on the counter as he watched Cal shut off the water, grab a towel, and proceed to pick up the broken pieces of plate. “Here.” Billy walked to her. “Let me help you.”

  Cal laughed as she saw him grab pieces from the counter. “Oh, you’re a good one to be touching sharp objects now.”

  “Who, me?” Billy snickered. “I’m fine.”

  “Right.” Cal shook her head. “But . . . if you want to live dangerously, go on. Be my guest.” She held out her hand. “But I know a piece went into the dishwater.”

  “Don’t cut yourself,” Billy told her while gathering the small pieces on the counter and laying them on the towel.

  “Me? You. I’m not the one . . . ow!”

  “Did you cut yourself?”

  “Considering I screamed I’d say . . .” Cal pulled her hand from the water. “Shit.” Upon removing her hand from the sink, her palm immediately seeped with blood.

  “Oh shit is right.” Billy turned on the water and grabbed her hand placing it under the stream. He ripped a paper towel from the roll. “I don’t think it needs to be stitched.”

  “If it does, I’ll get Jake to do it.”

  “Not tonight I hope.” Billy commented.

  “No, I want my fingers to not be joined.”

  Laughing, Billy shut off the water, placed the towel in her hand, and rolled her fingers over it. “There. Hold it up. Wait . . .” He led her to the island counter totally controlling her moves.

  “Billy what are you doing?”

  “Lean in.” He laid his hand on her back and took hold of Cal’s elbow resting it on the counter. “There. Now your hand is elevated.”

  “Boy I’ll tell you what, you drunks tonight are something else.”

  “I’m not drunk.” Billy leaned with his back on the counter. He stood next to Cal so he could face her.

  “Really?”

  “Okay, maybe just a little.” Billy winked. “But, I had a really good time tonight.”

  “Good. I’m glad, and I’m glad you decided to join us for Christmas.”

  “I am too. Jake was hysterical being in such a good mood. Of course, he put the damper on it when he told me the experiment would target me to kill me first to shut me up.”

  “He’s right,” Cal’s said. “They’re gonna try something with you.”

  “Yeah, but you know what? I’m ready, because you and Jake have been very helpful. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Cal smiled. “And just so you know, I am very glad you are going.”

  “So am I.”

  “I guess your Christmas is complete, huh? Getting something you really wanted and have waited years for.”

  Billy closed his eyes slightly and tilted his head. “I can think of something I want more, and getting it would have made my Christmas complete.”

  “Like what?” Cal seemed shocked.

  “Like . . .” Billy had an open mouth grin. He turned his body a little more to face her. “Like . . .” He chuckled, almost with embarrassment. “Okay, you can’t make anything of it.” He closed one eye while still holding the same smiling expression. “I mean no harm, okay? It’s just something I’ve wanted.”

  “What? Is it something deadly?”

  Billy snickered. “It could kill me, yeah.”

  “What is it?” Cal laughed with curiosity.

  “Don’t hit me.”

  Again Cal laughed at him. “Billy, why would I hit you?”

  Without warning, Billy slipped his hand behind Cal’s neck pulling her gently and just a little to him as he lowered his head to her. He pressed his lips against Cal’s softly. Parting her lips with his, and with a slow sweeping motion of his mouth, he kissed her, then pulled back. He bit his bottom lip. “Now my Christmas is complete.” he told a stunned Cal, quickly stepping back. “Just . . . just know that was something I have been wanting to do for a really long time. Goodnight Cal.” With a subtle closed-mouth smile, Billy took another step back, turned, and lifted his hand in a goodbye wave as he left the kitchen.

  Slowly staring at the empty doorway, Cal brought her lips into her mouth, tasting the hint of Billy’s kiss that remained. After running her hand down to her stomach, she let out a heavy breath, blinked her eyes several times, then shook her head in shocking surprise. “I am definitely watching how much they drink tomorrow.” After shaking her head, Cal exhaled, shrugged herself back into clean-up composure, and returned to finishing the dishes.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Caldwell Research Center - Los Angeles, CA

  March 2nd - 10:55 a.m. PST

  The building only looked about two stories high. It was small from the front, but another building, gray in color, extended all the way back. Trees surrounded the structure, which was located a little outside of the city on its own property. A parking lot held only eight cars, one of which was Greg’s.

  Greg stepped from the double glass doors of the building, looking up to the sun and squinting, feeling a little warmth.

  “Bitter.” Dr. Jefferson walked out. “Ah, better.”

  “Hopefully the technicians will have that air conditioning fixed before the meeting this evening.” Greg motioned his hand toward the parking lot. “Shall we head to the restaurant to check on preparations?”

  “Yes.” Dr. Jefferson stepped down. “That . . .that was impressive.” He pointed back to the building as they closed in on the car.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m not understanding the approval of the costs. When you said second site, I thought you meant an office.”

  Greg smiled as he opened the door for Dr. Jefferson, then walked around and got into the car himself. “Actually, the cost was hardly anything. The site was pretty much equipped with mostly what we needed. We only had to make some adjustments and additions. And the cost was offset by the new funding provided by the scientific study houses and businesses that are looking at us for results.”

  “Amazing.”

  “
I wanted it to be a surprise for you.” Greg pulled from the parking lot and passed the guard booth. “Don’t lose that identification tag, they won’t let you back on the property without going through all the clearance again.”

  Dr. Jefferson stopped in his reach for the tag. “I’ll leave it on.”

  “So how were our monitors when you left?”

  “Strangely excited. Lyle, Barb, and Tina are working on the final phases of training the new people, but they’re all settled into their quarters.” Dr. Jefferson peered out the window as they drove down a tree-lined back road.

  “Good. Glad to hear that. Now all you and I have to do is check how the plans for the investors’ dinner is going and wait . . .” Greg took a nervous breath, “. . .for the holding event.”

  “The beginning of the moment you have waited for.”

  Turning off the two-mile back road onto the main one, Greg gave a look of confidence laced with a hint of nervousness to Dr. Jefferson.

  Beverly Wilshire Hotel - Los Angeles, CA

  March 2nd - 2:45 p.m. PST

  The two small green duffel bags that Jake set on the floor in the hotel room were a hundred percent contrast to the suite that he and Cal stepped into.

  “Oh, wow,” Cal said in awe as she stepped into what looked like a living room.

  The bellman handed Jake the card keys. “The bar is fully stocked,” he said, indicating it. “Off to right are the two bedroom suites. Should you require anything, please do not hesitate to call.”

  Jake nodded in appreciation, and he tipped the bellman even though Jake carried his own bags.

  “Oh, Jake.” Cal spun around to Jake who stood before the just closed door. “This is unbelievable.”

  “It is, isn’t it?” Jake carried the two smaller duffels into the living area and set them down. “Jacuzzi and everything.”