Amoeba (The Experiments) (3 page)

Cal was wanting to kill Jake for ruining her enjoyment of sleeping in on a Sunday. Her body just wouldn’t do it. It wouldn’t stay in bed if the sun was shining even slightly. She knew the sleep thing was going to be top priority on the list of things she was going to have to change in her after-experiment life.

After getting dressed, Cal made the bed
for two good reasons. One, it passed the time until the coffee was finished, and two, she didn’t want to hear Jake bitch about it. Making her way back downstairs, feeling a little more awake, the weird feeling of being in a new place finally set in. The small military style townhouse kept so neat and clean by Jake. Clinical would be the best way Cal could describe it. It even amazed her that when she opened up the cupboard, Jake had all the cups upside down and all the handles pointing right. Perfect spacing was in between each mug. She even had to snicker at the markings Jake made on the counter for each of his appliances so they, too, were perfectly placed.

After pouring a cup of coffee and moving the toaster over half an inch, Cal grabbed a Ho-Ho, unwrapped it
, and proceeded back to the living room. Not a step into the room, not a bite into her cake, and the front door opened.

Jake slowed in his walk in
, the paper under his arm. “Morning. You’re finally awake.”

Cal tried to swallow the cake and choked some. She wiped her mouth and laughed. “Jake, do you always run around outside in your underwear
?”

Jake looked down. “No.” He shut the door and stepped inside. “I was over Chuck’s. I wanted my paper. Fuckin asshole forgot to pay my paper boy.” Jake kissed Cal on the cheek. “Now there’s another letter of apology I have to write. I’m ready to kill him. My credit is ruined.”

“Your credit is not ruined, Jake,” Cal snickered. “Besides, you just got a hundred grand for completing the experiment. You don’t need credit.”

“That is not true. You always need credit. How do you expect . . .” Jake lifted the paper. “To buy a home.”

“With cash.” Cal saw that he held up the real estate section. “And this can wait.” She took it from him and tossed it on the coffee table. “I made coffee.”

Jake’s eyes went to the diagonal
ly-lying paper then to Cal. He saw her bring the Ho-Ho to her mouth. “Cal.” He grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Sweetie. You shouldn’t eat this junk first thing in the morning.” Jake lifted the Ho-Ho from her hand.

“Hey.” Cal reached for it but Jake held it high. “Ass. Give it to me.”

“Later.” He brought the paper wrapping back up around it and placed it on the coffee table.

“God, Jake.” Cal grabbed the cake again.

“Cal.” He reached for it.

“Jake.” Cal smacked his hand away. “Knock it off. I’m hungry.” She backed up. “Don’t
,” She warned.

“All right. I’ll let it slide.”

“Gee, thanks. Now you ruined the fun of eating it.” Cal tossed the Ho-Ho on the table, walked over, dropped down on the couch, and placed her feet on the coffee table. She began to drink her coffee.

After making the newspaper straight and re-wrapping the Ho-Ho, Jake joined her on the couch. “So.”

“So.”

“How did you sleep
?”

“Not well.”

“Why?” Jake asked. “Were you sick? You got up in the middle of the night.”

“No. I had a bad dream.”

“What about”

“About the . . .” Cal hesitated. “About the . . .”

“About?”

“About the anal way you do things around here.”

“Cal. Please.” Jake grabbed her hand. “What is with that word today? Besides, being organized is not being anal. So . . . you’re versed in this living together thing, is this normal, this short sentence conversation we’re having?”

“Yes.” Cal reached for the paper, grabbing a section. “Especially on Sunday’s. It’s very normal behavior that you just don’t talk to your significant other until at least nine a.m.”

“Nine a.m.” Jake looked at his watch.

“Jake, I’m kidding.”

“Don’t do that, Cal. You know I want to get this right.”

“Go get a cup of coffee and we’ll continue this short sentence conversation when you return.”

“I can do that.” He kissed on her on the cheek then stood up. “Cal, I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Me too.” Cal smiled
, watching him walk away, then she reached for her Ho-Ho again.

“Cal?” Jake called from the kitchen. “Is there a reason that you moved this toaster a half an inch to the right?”

Cal’s hand dropped the cake, and with rolling eyes, she plopped backwards into the back of the couch.

Stan Oslowski, a younger, thin, balding man had worked with Caldwell on three experiments as what they called an ‘observer’, and it was the first time in his twelve years with Caldwell that he had ever made it to the field. Brought there because he had become so familiar with the complex from watching it on monitors, Dr. Jefferson thought he may be able to shed some light on where to dig. Stan was filled with excitement for being there, and thought it an extra added bonus when he was present for the discovery of the unexpected mutilated body. He stood with Dr. Jefferson and Greg Haynes as the workers carried the black body bag to the chopper. “Hey,” Stan said, upbeat. “At least we know now a wolf still remains.”

Dr. Jefferson looked sideways at Stan. “Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome.” Stan stood with the two doctors. He nodded his head in the awkward silence. “Well, I’d better be getting back.” Stan pointed behind him.

Greg just smiled at him as Stan backed up and left.

Dr. Jefferson’s eyes stayed focused on the chopper they loaded the body into. “Leonard Helms was his name. Central News Network confirmed he was working with an investigative reporter on a story about the experiment.”

“I take it the reporter was here.”

“Yes. That’s how we knew to look for Leonard. This may interest you to know.” Dr. Jefferson turned his head and looked at Greg. “The reporter’s name is Billy Griffith.”

There was a slight twitch of Greg’s head as he looked confused
ly at Dr. Jefferson. “I’m lost. Why would that interest . . .” The expression changed on Greg’s face when it dawned on him why Dr. Jefferson decided to share the name information with him.

“A game.
, Jake merely stated, as he set his bottle of beer down on the round table where he, Cal, and Chuck sat on his patio.

“Explain game
,” Chuck requested.

“Simple.” Jake played with the label on his beer. “Eight participants, eight investors. All eight go in, only one comes out. The investor who has that participant . . .
wins.” He looked at Cal and winked. “Unless, of course, you form one hell of a team, then you really throw them for a loop.”

Cal smiled at Jake. “They didn’t expect it.”

“Wait.” Chuck held up his hand. “Back to the game thing. So basically, all these investors are doing is placing their bets? I thought this was a legit experiment.”

“It is
,” Jake explained. “Only to make it interesting, they have this side bar betting. Half the two million goes to Caldwell, the other half is the betting pool. And Caldwell throws as much as they can at you. They pit you against each other. Push the mental thing along to break you. Rely on nature’s elements to play a role and then they have the catch, which history shows usually wipes everyone out.”

“The monster?” Chuck said
, trying to get the story right.

Cal bobbed her head back and forth. “Not really. It’s called a Stasis
, a metamorphosis that is nearly indestructible. Jake kicked its ass, though.”

“So what happens in a case like with you two?” Chuck asked. “Did your investors split the pot?”

“Nope,” Jake answered. “They would have, but my investor pulled from the game right before it ended. Then he
died
. . .” Jake raised an eyebrow at Cal, “three hours later in a drive by
shooting
.”

“What was that for?” Cal asked.

“What?”

“The eyebrow thing.”

“Nothing.” Jake grabbed his beer bottle and took a drink.

“And speaking of investors.” Cal looked at Chuck. “My investors owns a resort in Vegas and . . .” She smiled at Jake. “He said as a wedding present he’d be more than happy to fly us out and give us the best room he has for a honeymoon out there.”

“Whoa.” Chuck smiled. “Nice guy.”

“He’s organized crime
,” Jake stated. “And that’s not good news.”

Cal flung her hand Jake’s way. “So what if he is. I like him. He’s a nice guy.”

“He may very well be a nice guy,” Jake reasoned. “But he’s mob, Cal. You can’t plan on remaining friends with him. You should think about severing all ties.”

“Why?” Cal asked.

“Why?” Jake repeated. “My position on base is why. There’s not much I can do now, but once we’re married it will have to stop.”

Cal had a bit of a chuckle to her voice. “Once we’re married it will have to stop? What are you gonna do, put your foot down?”

“Yes.” Jake nodded once.

Cal looked to Chuck who
gave her a cringing nervous smile. “Do you think being my husband gives you the authority to do that?”

“Yes.” Jake nodded his head once. Again.

Cal laughed as she stood from the table. “Uh, Jake? Fuck you.” She turned, slid open the patio doors, and went into the house.

Jake lifted his hand up. “What?” He turned to Chuck. “Was that the wrong answer?”

Chuck looked at him dumbfounded. “Um, no, Jake, it really wasn’t.”

“Thank you.”

“Just a word of advice. Add a little tact to your phrasing when you inform her she has to wear a chastity belt when you aren’t around.”

“See.” Jake grabbed his empty beer bottle as he stood up. “Why do you have to do that?”

“Do what?”

“You have to do that sarcastic shit. Why couldn’t you just say I gave the wrong answer?”

“Because you should know,” Chuck told him.

“Did you see me heading in the wrong direction?”

“What do you mean?” Chuck asked.

“Did you see it building to the point that she would swear at me and storm away
?”

“Oh yeah.” Chuck laughed. “It built to that.”

“Asshole!”

“What!” Chuck jumped back.

“Why didn’t you stop me? Fuck.” Jake tossed his hand though the air and walked to the patio doors.

“Jake?” Chuck called while trying to hide his laughter.

“What?!” Jake blasted.

“Can you bring me another beer?” Chuck lifted his beer bottle and sw
irled it.

Jake grunted at him and went into the house.

^^
^^

Jake didn’t have to make it too far into the house to run into Cal. She rinsed off the dinner dishes, maybe a little louder than she needed to. He watched her for a moment before his long arm intruded into her washing stream, and he held his beer bottle under the water, rinsing it.

Cal shut off the water. “Saying excuse me would have worked.”

“I thought of that. But . . .” Jake tossed his clean bottle in the bright orange trash bin. “Even if I said excuse me, you still would have had something to say. Probably sarcastic.”

“Probably.”

Jake opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. He saw Cal moving toward the patio doors. “Wait.”

“What?”

“I want to talk to you. Please.”

“We have company.”

“It’s Chuck,” Jake said with sarcasm. “He doesn’t count. Besides, he started this whole thing anyhow.”

Cal’s mouth dropped open. “How is Chuck responsible for your ignorance?”

“He knows I want to do this ‘you and me’ thing right. He’s supposed to help me out.”

“Aw
, Jake,” Cal whined as she stopped, pulled out the dining room chair, and sat down. “What am I gonna do with you?”

“What do you mean? You’re gonna marry me. You said you’d marry me. You didn’t change your mind
, did you?”

“Jake, I didn’t mean it literally. Sit down.”

As Jake began to sit, he saw Chuck at the patio doors pointing to his empty beer bottle. Jake held up his index finger in a ‘just wait’ manner. Chuck widened his eyes and pointed at the bottle again. Irritated, Jake flipped him off, shut the drapes, and joined Cal. “Sorry. Now . . . you were deciding on what to do with me.”

“Jake. First of all, this Aldo situation. I don’t let myself like people, or even get close to them ever since Jessie was killed.”

“I know that.”

“I let myself get close to Rickie. And we know what happened to Rickie.”

“I know that too. Cal, what does Aldo have to do with Rickie?”

Cal hesitated before answering. “Everything
. He has everything to do with us being here, too, Jake. First, he watched us, and he stepped from the investors position when he became intrigued with us. He knew my closeness to Rickie. Do you realize how much trouble he went to to acquire those tapes of the experiment so he could have Rickie segments edited for us?”

“Cal. Sweetie. I understand you were touched by that. I was too. And I plan on watching every minute. But . . . that still doesn’t make up for what he is.”

“He is a man with a heart. Had he not stepped in at the last minute and convinced your investor to sell his share of the game, the option to force a single winner would have continued, and we would have both been killed. You know that.”

Jake’s head lowered. “I know that.” He laid his hand on hers. “But the man had my investor shot
, Cal.”

“That was not proven. It was a drive by shooting.”

“In a very influential neighborhood. What, the lawn patrol came by and was pissed off about his grass being too high?”

Cal snickered.

“What?”

“You made a joke. That was funny.”

“I was being serious.”

“Of course you were. Now I’m gonna be serious for a moment. People come into our lives for a reason. And like you, I’m not good at letting them in. But once they are there, we should let them stay, because fate sent them. And they should stay until fate takes them away. Sometimes
, Jake, our jobs should be second to those who touch our lives.”

Jake looked serious
ly at her for a moment. He was quiet.

“Do you understand?”

“Yeah. But Cal, you do realize how easy it is for you to say that. You don’t have a job.”

Cal tossed her hands in the air. “Forget it. Just know, I’m not avoiding Aldo. You can if you want to be rude
, but I’m not.”

“All right.”

“Jake? You really aren’t going to reconsider?”

“Nope. Are you?”

“Nope,” Cal said.

“Look, you have your reasons for wanting to be Aldo’s friend
, and I have my reasons not to. As cold as it is, and as much as I appreciate all that he has done, he’s a skeleton in my closet I don’t need when I go to the Pentagon.”

Cal nodded slowly. “I understand that. It’s a dick thing to say
, but . . .”

“Cal.”

“All right.” She shook her head. “I’ll keep him away from you.”

“Thank you. And I’ll try not to interfere in your Ma Barker role. Now.” He laid his hand on hers. “Are we done fighting?”

“I don’t think we’ll ever be done fighting. And that worries me.”

“We don’t really fight.”

“Yes we do,” Cal said.

“O
kay, we do, but we’ll get passed it.” Jake softened his voice.

“Do you really believe that? Jake, we fought so much up there. We’re still fighting. I think we’ll always fight. Tell me we should be doing this.”

“Absolutely. I love you Cal. You are the first woman I have ever loved, ever gave my heart to. I’m not letting you go. And so what that we fight. When did you or I ever walk away from any challenge?”

Cal tilted her head with a
look of agreement. “You got a point.”

Jake kissed her hand. “Just bear with me,
okay? I’m still new with this relationship thing, but I’ll get it right, I promise. Hey, if I can wade through your adjustment time, you can wade through mine, right?”

Cal pulled her hand from his. “What adjustment time of mine are you wading through
?”

“Adjusting to the move here. Living with me. You know.”

“No. Why do you think I have an adjustment period?”

“Chuck told me.”

“Chuck’s full of shit. I lived with you for seven months. Living with you isn’t going to take adjustment. Living in this house will.”

“We’re getting another one. I got the paper today.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean your marking the counter so your toaster is geometrically placed.” She snickered. “And what is your obsession with this house buying?”

“I have to
,” Jake explained. “I get my promotion tomorrow. I will officially become the Ex-O. I’m getting married. I can’t live in base housing anymore. It’s not right. It was okaywhen I didn’t have a life, but I have a life now. I have you.”

Cal took in a deep breath and moved to Jake
, placing her arms around him. Jake closed his eyes as he held her.

“See
, Cal. This hug thing is really good. I like this.”

Softly
, Cal kissed him on the lips. “Jake, you really need to lighten up in this relationship. . . Now.” Cal pulled back. “Let’s go give Chuck that beer.” She moved to the patio doors and pulled the drapes open. When she did, Chuck was kneeling at the glass doors, pretending he was weakly trying to get in. “Jake?” Cal’s eyes went from Chuck to Jake. “Is he all right.”

“He’s an asshole.” Jake quickly slid open the doors taking Chuck by surprise and causing him to fall forward in the house. Jake gave a single laugh. “Beer
’s in the fridge.” He stepped over Chuck and went onto the patio.