Amoeba (The Experiments) (53 page)

Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

Lyle’s head, laying over the back of his chair, lifted forward. With his eyes still closed, he used the back of his hand to wipe the small amount of drool from the corner of his mouth
, and he reached over to shut off the alarm clock that he thought was beside him. His hand dropped upon a round object, but not the alarm clock. His hand fell onto Barb’s breast as she sat in the chair next to him in the control room.

Smack!

“UH!” Lyle felt the sting to his hand and opened his eyes. “Sorry.” He rubbed his eyes. “I heard my alarm.”

“You heard an alarm all right.” Barb, sipping her coffee
, pointed to the monitor of the dark unity circle. The infrared lighting was on. “Look.”

Sniffling and groggy, Lyle tried to focus. He did and he smiled. “Jake.”

It was a long but good writing night for Billy. Sitting, one leg up in the desk chair, fingers clicking, face glowing from the computer screen, the only light in the room.

“ . . . in a first real comparison. Things are much more clear
, and I feel better about it myself, though what I felt emotionally was still the same. Full, overwhelming. Other aspects were not. When I touched tonight, I felt tonight. There was no seeking more. It was right there. Tonight the differences were clearly there. I had denied for so long the effects of the drug, and now I know, looking back, what some of them were: The numbness of skin that I somehow chalked up to the excitement of the moment. The lack of feeling in the fingertips which caused me then to grip more in order to have that skin sensation against mine. Feeling as if I were in a dream state. Foggy. I remember the warmth, magnified beyond belief, sweeping through me, addicting. However, in my recollection now, there was one thing that should have tipped me off then. What was I thinking? Did I actually believe that I could exceed the human boundaries and limits that nature sets forth? I must have. For I totally missed and never questioned the fact that both my emotional and physical states of arousal remained long after, not only the average man, but the youngest and fittest of men, would have folded in defeat. Now, with my conscience somewhat a bit more . . .”

Billy, startled, stopped typing when he heard the click-click, of the door. His fingers lifted and his head turned to see Jake poke his head in. Before Jake’s name could escape from Billy’s open mouth
, Jake held up a silencing finger and waved Billy out to the porch.

Billy stood from his chair, hit ‘save’ for his document
, and slipped out the door. Running his fingers through his hair he stepped on the porch.

“How is she?” Jake asked him as soon as Billy walked out.

“She’s doing good. Jake, it’s ...” Billy’s smile turned to a cringe. “Oh, Jake.” He covered his mouth and nose with his hand and stepped back. “Man.” Billy tried desperately not to breathe in.

“Funny.” Jake ran his hand across his own face covered with mud and blood.

“I take it all went well?” Billy spoke through his hand.

“They won’t be a bother anymore
,” Jake spoke with certainty. “Listen, don’t tell Cal I’m back yet.”

Billy
, keeping his head turned and down, only moved his eyes to Jake. “I have news for you, the second you step into that room, sleeping or not, Cal is going to know.” Billy coughed the sickness from his throat.

“I want to surprise her . . .”

“You’ll be a surprise all . . .” Billy gagged again. “Right.”

“Ha, ha, ha.” Jake stepped back off the porch. “I’m using your shower and I’ll be back. O
kay?”

“You’re what?” Billy whispered loudly. “Jake
, don’t touch my towels.”

Jake lifted his hand in a wave as he moved across the unity circle.

“Jake.” Billy whispered again, then walked off the porch to him, but not too close. He waited for Jake to turn around.

“Yeah?” Jake asked.

“It’s great . . . it’s
really
great that you’re back.”

Jake smiled. “Thanks.” And smelly, tired
, and wanting to get cleaned up, Jake headed to Billy’s bungalow.

^^^^

Besides feeling a million times cleaner after his half hour shower, and besides the exhaustion, a sense of familiarity hit Jake the moment he walked inside the dark quiet bungalow. It wasn’t the room that was familiar, but Cal. The feel of her filled the room. And like every person has their own scent, Jake missing her so much was immediately pummeled by the scent of Cal, and he breathed it in deeply with a smile and walked softly to the bed.

She lay on her side, gripping the pillow like Linus and his security bank. The sheet covered most of her. Her bruised, yet always perfect leg, protruded out
, and Jake instinctively touched it. While bringing his knee to the bed his hand ran softly up her thigh, barely grazing the skin. And when his hand reached her hip, as slowly and gently as he could, Jake slipped into bed. He brought the sheet over with a slight flap to cover them both. Trying with diligence not to shake the bed or disturb her, he inched his way to Cal, all the way until her back pressed against his body. Sliding his hand from her hip across her stomach, Jake kissed Cal softly, whispered the words, ‘I love you’ and so comfortable, Jake shut his eyes and passed right out.

Rough, big, and sporting the wedding band that had to be custom made for him, Cal recognized the hand well as she opened her eyes to see it draped over her hip. Immediately she was filled with excitement, pulling on the heavy arm, feeling it, then spinning to her back to see Jake looking so peaceful, almost child-like as he slept.

“Jake
,” she whispered his name with enthusiasm, laying her hand on his cheek. She brought her lips up to his softly closed mouth. “Jake.”

Jake nuzzled his head slightly, kissing Cal without opening his eyes. Then without saying anything, only giving a slight moan, he brought her back closer to him and continued to sleep.

^^
^^

“Dead!” Jake blasted to Rickie while pointing to the door. “Now out!”

“But
, like, Sarge, you have to tell me how,” Rickie pleaded. “Billy said you smelled real bad.”

“Out. They’re dead. That’s all you need to know. Out.” Jake opened the door for him. “And you
, too,” he told Billy. “You spent enough time alone with my wife. Which, by the way, you need to work on some fuckin inner strength, pal.”

Billy turned white as a sheet. “What . . .what do you mean Jake
?”

“Hmm.” Jake grumbled. “Out.”

Not really wanting to get further into Jake’s comment, Billy hurried and left. Rickie slowly moved out behind him, and Jake closed the door.

“Cal.” He stepped down into the room as she sat at the table. Jake spoke strongly. “First off
, I missed you. I worried about you and I love you dearly. But . . . you pissed me off. You are really pushing my limitations as an understand man when you hit on other men and use illegal drugs in my absence.”

“Jake.” Cal slowly closed her eyes and stood up. “I’m sorry.”

Jake grumbled. “I doubt that. I tell you what it is. I just give you way too much attention and affection. You can’t handle it and go into withdrawal when I’m not around. I hate to think of what you were like when I was away for nine weeks last tour.”

Cal smiled and stepped into Jake. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He wrapped his arms around her.

“Just thank you.”

Jake lowered his head to her and kissed her. “Now, change of tone. Let’s sit down.” He grabbed her hand and led her to the table again. “Sit down.” When Cal did he knelt before her. His hands clasped hers. “You looking like this right now . . .” Jake exhaled. “Makes me feel really good. I am so glad you’re better. So glad. My heart was broke, Cal. I couldn’t think at first. Then as I walked around out there, all I did was think. And I need to tell you something.” He lowered his lips to her hand. “I realized how badly I wanted to have a baby. Our family. And Cal, as soon as we get back, the second we get back, I want to start trying.”

“Jake . . .”

“No, listen to me, okay?” Jake stood up. “What I’m going to say is very difficult.”

“Jake . . .”

“Cal, please.” Jake held up his hand. “For a month we got used to having a baby. I’ll understand if you don’t want to try again. I will. Do you?”

“Do I what? Want to have a baby with you?”

“Yes.”

“Of course I do. Jake
, I . . .”

“Cal, listen. Not that I mind putting out fifty thousand dollars. I don’t. But you still, you still don’t know what you’re getting. Do you know what I mean?”

“No.” Cal shook her head. “You’re rambling. And that is unusual.” She stood up. “But I need . . .”

“I won’t ramble. Now
, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea here. No, wait. I’ll explain it so you don’t get the wrong idea. Clinically and medically speaking, I think, I think we should talk to Billy about possibly supplying what we need to father the baby.”

Cal began to laugh.

Jake swayed his head. “I didn’t intend for that to be funny.”

“It’s not. But can you tell me
why Billy?”

“He’s your
, well, friend. And . . . we know him. And I just got used to the fact that he was the supplier. Fifty thousand dollars or not, a part of me will still wonder, you know.”

“Yes I do. And I’m glad you don’t mind Billy being the, as you put it, supplier.”

“Why? Were you thinking of it?” Jake asked.

“No.” Cal moved close to him. “Jake there’s something you need to know.”

“What’s that?”

“Sweetie . . .” Cal rested her hand on his cheek. “I’m still pregnant.”

Jake’s heart dropped and his mouth opened. “What . . . you’re . . . I thought . . .Cal?”

Cal nodded with a smile. “They did an ultrasound. They tested me and I did miscarry. But . . .” She stopped him before he could say another word. “I miscarried . . . one of the babies. The second embryo is still attached and doing fine.”

“Oh my God!” Jake said with such a gasp.

“That was my reaction
, too. I thought I lost it. I thought it was over. Who would have thought we were given a second chance, Jake? We were given a backup plan. And isn’t that so like the Graisons, always with a backup plan?”

“Cal.” Jake spoke her name in awe
, but still within the lines of Jake’s inability to show his enthusiasm. “I am so happy.”

“Really?”

“Oh God yes. Cal . . .” Jake searched for words. He didn’t know what to say. His eyes locked on to hers and he lowered down to his knees. His hands, fingers spread, laid--like a kid in discovery--on her stomach. Then moving them to her hips, Jake pressed his lips to her and pulled Cal to him and held her.

^^^^

Standing in the center of the bungalow room, Cal looked up to the open ceiling hatch.

“Watch out
,” Jake called down.

“Can I come up?”

“No.” With Jake’s answer down came a rope ladder. “Long enough?”

“Yes. Please can I come up?”

“No climbing,” Jake ordered.

Cal watched the ladder pull up
, then Jake’s feet as they emerged from the ceiling and Jake jumped down. “When?”

“Couple days.” Jake dropped to the floor. “O
kay, watch.” Jake walked to the bed and lifted the M-16. “You’re tall enough to do this. One good jump . . . which you won’t do now . . . and you should be able to catch the stand of the gun on the rope ladder bringing it down.”

“Why are we going over this?”

“Humor me,” Jake told her. “If I’m outside, and you need out, this is your route. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. You know what’s going to be next, don’t you? They’re really gonna start to throw the physical stuff at us. And with you in your condition . . . no, Cal, no rolling those eyes, with you in your condition, we have to make everything a little easier.” Jake reached up to the rope that dangled, pulled on it, and shut the hatch. He untied that rope. “Now, let’s start working on those batman hooks for our ropes. I want to put not only ladders in Billy and Rickie’s rooms, but I want them to have a climbing rope as well.”

“Sounds time consuming.”

“It is.” Jake tossed the rope he held onto the bed “Of course, Rickie doesn’t need an escape route. As you know now, he can monster his way out of anything.”

Cal giggled. “Not you
, too, Jake. Are you buying that Rickie going monster story? Jake?”

“Cal?” Jake turned slowly and looked at her. “No one broke it to you?”

“Broke what?”

Jake bit his bottom lip.

^^
^^

Cal’s mouth was wide open in shock as she sat on the floor with Jake and Rickie. “No. You’re joking, right?”

Jake shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

“Rickie?” She looked at him. “You really go monster?”

“Not very often
, Cal-babe,” Rickie assured her. “Only when the need exceeds.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “It’s under control.”

“Jake!” Cal gasped. “I bet you were shocked when you saw this.”

Rickie laughed. “Cal-babe
, like, the Sarge knew for years.”

Cal’s eyes grew wide as she glared at Jake. “You knew?”

“Cal, in my defense . . .”

“You knew for . . . for years and you didn’t tell me Rickie was a Stasis?”

“Cal, please.” Jake held up his hand. “Rickie is not a Stasis. Maybe wolfman Rickie, but not a stasis. Instead of the moon, it’s his emotions that transform him. Why tell you? We had it under control.”

“You should have told me! This poor boy.” Cal pulled Rickie into her. “This poor boy probably needed to let this secret loose and you wouldn’t let him.”

“There was no need to.” Jake grunted as he watched Rickie, head to Cal’s chest, smiling. “And get off.” He pulled Rickie away. “That’s incestuous. Anyhow, this is why I work him out, to run out his energy so his emotions really don’t get the best of him. Cal, you should see how far this kid can jump.” Jake nodded, impressed. “He is like the ultimate soldier and . . . he can’t die. Well, unless we sever his brainstem.”

“Ouch.” Rickie grabbed the back of his neck. “Like
, dude, don’t even say that.”

“So the institute told you?” Cal asked.

“Yes,” Jake answered. “They discovered by accident that Rickie turned monster when the president interrupted his soap opera on a Friday afternoon. Since then, they felt exerting him would help, and I have exerted Rickie. The other day was the only other time he really turned.”

“Not true.” Rickie held up his finger. “I turned another time.”

“When?” Jake asked, then his eyes widened. “Oh.”

“When?” Cal repeated.

“Cal.” Jake interrupted. “The story does not need to be told.”

“When?” Cal looked at Rickie.

Jake saw Rickie getting ready to explain. “Rickie, it is not appropriate discussion to be having with Cal.”

“When?” Cal asked again.

“Rickie,” Jake warned.

Rickie snickered. “Sarge, she’s
, like, drilling me here, I have to.” Rickie faced Cal. “Cal-babe, it was, like, so funny. I turned monster the first time I had sex after, like, coming back to life. I was with Estelle . . .”

Jake cringed. “Rickie. No details.”

But Rickie continued on. “We were, like, rockin, you know and, like, all of the sudden . . .”

“Rickie
!” Jake snapped. “Enough. Cal, I heard this story. You don’t need to hear details.”

“Yeah I do.” Cal laughed. “Go on.”

“Cool.” Rickie bobbed his head. “So there we were, doin the deed.” Rickie held out his hands and shifted his body.

“Rickie!” Jake yelled. “Do we need visuals?”

“Like, yeah,” Rickie said. “Have to get the feel of the story. So in the middle, Cal-babe, all of the sudden, this growl comes from me. I look down to my hands strategically placed on her butt.” Rickie snickered at Jake’s audible wince. “And my fingers are longer. Like really long. Then Estelle, right, she start’s screaming . . .” Rickie femaled his voice. “Oh, Oh, Oh Rickie, you animal give it to me.” Rickie held up his hand. “And I’m thinking, whoa, like I’m the king, I was making her sound like you, Cal-babe, when you and the Sarge go at it. So I’m growling and going , she’s screaming and I’m thinking, you know, if my hands are bigger maybe . . .”

“Rickie!” Jake yelled.

“And . . .” Rickie winked. “Ha, ha, ha. I
was
the man. And I was like Herman on Lilly. I was the monster.”

Cal shifted her eyes to Jake who covered his face. “Then what happened?”

“I killed her,” Rickie stated calmly. There was silence when he saw Cal’s mouth drop open.

“Well.” Cal cleared her throat. “You couldn’t help it, could you
? I wondered what happened to her. Oh well.”

“Cal.” Jake snapped at her. “He’s lying to you. He didn’t kill her.”

“Oh.” Cal shrugged. “It made sense though.”

Rickie started to laugh. “Really
, though. When the act ended, so did the monster being inside the Rickie-Meister. I came home and told the Sarge all about it. He, like, didn’t want to hear it then either.”

“Do you blame me Rickie?” Jake said with
an edge. “The visual of you having intercourse is bad enough. But you having relations with a fifty-year old heavy set flabby woman was a revolting image I didn’t wish to have before bed. And Cal, why do you have that look on your face?”

It was if she were in thought. And Cal was. Her head
was tilted with a far off look. “Rickie?” She spoke slowly. “If you go monster while having sex, what about . . .”

“Cal
, please,” Jake stopped her.

“What about when you . . .”

“Cal.” Jake gave his usual siren yell.

“Well?” Cal looked at Rickie despite Jake’s whine.