Terms (The Experiments Book 3) (5 page)

“Caldwell.” Billy nodded. “An experiment. What’s the catch?”

“There really is none.” She looked at Aldo when he snickered. “Seriously. I don’t get paid the compensation the other women do. But there’s no catch.”

“Has to be a catch.” Billy said.

Aldo added, “That’s my point. What about the fact that you two are off and about again, while Jake is home alone.”

Cal laughed at that. “Aldo, don’t be silly. Why would that be a catch?”

“Sort of like a mental endurance for your husband,” Aldo replied.

As if he said the funniest thing in the world, Cal giggled “Aldo please, why would Jake worry?”

“You can’t be serious?” Aldo asked “Cal, you two have a history of romping on tropical islands and getting yourself in trouble.”

“We’re fine.”

Billy said, “I have to agree with you Cal. That can’t be it.”

“See?” Cal smiled arrogantly at Aldo. “Billy agrees. No real catch.”

“Oh, I didn’t say that,” Billy stated. “I just said I didn’t agree with Aldo that Jake’s mental endurance was the catch. They are sending you, Cal. Miss Survivor. On a research study. Please, it’s Caldwell. There’s a catch.”

***

Cleveland, OH

The Iso Stasis Application sat on his desk with a handwritten note that read: ‘Fill out at your leisure. No promises. Greg.’

Carter Gray at forty six looked better and fitter than a lot of men half his age. He was lean and strong, with cropped hair that hadn’t even begun to grey yet.

On his desk was a picture of a woman. A beautiful woman, and in that picture was Carter and two other young girls, both teenagers. The photo had collected as much dust as his West Point Diploma that perched next to it.

He clicked away on the keyboard, finishing off a simple ‘thank you.’

The attachment to the email needed opening and with a simple ‘click’ of it, a program ran.

An image appeared on his screen, and Carter smiled a smug smile, he began the process to print it.

Finger tapping on his lip, he watched the printer ejected the image on high quality photo paper. It took a while, but Carter had time.

Once it was finished, he flapped it to make sure it wouldn’t smear. Trimmed it to the actual image so as to remove the white of the paper, then grabbing a roll of tape, walked off.

In his modest two bedroom apartment, cluttered with books and other memorabilia of his life, Carter opened  the door to a closet.

A walk in closet he had transformed. He turned on the light and stared at the wall.

Magazine covers, photos, articles, all graced that wall. And like the picture he held in his hand, they all had to do with Jake.

He found a spot on his wall collage and adhered the photo there.

There was something about the wall. It wasn’t a shrine, nor was it  a twisted psychotic obsession, it was more.

A goal.

Above all the photos, magazine and newspaper clipping, hung a sign.

“Live it. Learn him. Beat him’

After reading it like he always did, Carter shut out the light, walked out, and closed the door.

***

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Jake could smell the pizza as the aroma ascended from the kitchen. Fresh pizza, just delivered, and it annoyed him. He didn’t want to smell that, he wanted to smell Cal. He tried to do so desperately as he unpacked a few items.

He couldn’t believe it. Home again, and home alone … again. He had to keep reminding himself it wasn’t like the last experiment. Cal would be home and it wouldn’t be long before he saw her or talked to her. In fact, he debated on calling, but didn’t want to bother her. She’d call when she had time.

Why she hadn’t had the time to call... now that bothered Jake. At that moment though, he concentrated on getting unpacked and back into the swing of things. He had the debriefing already done, but he was sure he’d have a million other things to do the next day at work. Had it not been for important issues, he probably would have declined having company.

The sound of it should have bred a smile on his face. The sound of Rickie shouting out, long and singing, “Dude!”

Instead it irritated Jake.

“Dude!”

Jake shook his head and continued the task at hand.

“Sarge, like hurry, The Chuck Miester has arrived!” Rickie shouted.

‘Ignore him,’ Jake thought. “Does he actually think I can’t hear.”

“Sarge!” Rickie screamed.

“Rickie, Jesus Christ, I know!”

Within seconds, the running, thumping footsteps drew nearer.

“Christ,” Jake grumbled.

“Sarge.” Rickie stood in the doorway.

“Rickie. What?”

“Like Chuck is here.”

“Like I know.”

“So like why aren’t you coming down?’

“Because, Rickie I am busy.”

“Dude, that is so rude.” Rickie laid his hand on his chest. “Our friend. Who we haven’t seen in like forever, is here. But you’d rather stay upstairs and sulk because of the Cal-Babe.”

“I am not sulking.”

“Prove it.”

“Prove it?” Jake dropped a shirt. “Rickie …. I’m busy. I won’t be long.”

“Those clothes can wait. I’m sure the Chuck Miester is just dying to see you. His friend. His big friend who won’t even …”

“Rickie!” Jake yelled. “Fine. Fine.” He set down one more item. “I’ll go see Chuck.”

“Cool.” Ricky raced from the room, yelling as he did. “Dude! He’s coming.”

“That kid. For sure he’s going with Cal on that island.” Jake made his way out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and he stopped in the foyer.

No one was there. He peeked in the living room. Empty.

“Where the fuck are they?” Following the scent, Jake went to the kitchen.

“Jake!” Chuck hurried to him. “Man, you look good. Where’s your tan.”

“I lost it.” Jake extended his hand. “I was trapped in a fuckin’ building for the end.”

“Nice to see you, too.” Chuck said.

Jake grunted, and moved to the refrigerator, He grabbed a beer and handed one to Chuck. He paused mid opening he noticed the young man, with two tone hair, and a blue smock sitting at the kitchen table. “Who are you?”

“Dude,” Rickie said. “This is my friend.”

“Rickie, you just got back. You didn’t have any friends when you left. How do you have one now?” Jake asked.

“I’m cool?”

“You’re not that cool to make a friend that fast.” Jake turned to the odd looking young man. “And you are?”

The young man introduced himself. “I … I … I’m .. Sss-Bill.”

Jake cocked an eyebrow. “Bill.”

“Dude, didn’t you hear him?” Rickie asked. “Sss-Bill.”

“Rickie, don’t be rude, the man has a stutter.”

“No he doesn’t. I asked him. Do you dude?”

Bill answered “N-No.”

“See.”

Jake opened his beer. “Where did he come from?”

“The store. I bought him.” Rickie snickered. “Kidding. I went to get the beer and I invited him. He was done working. Ain’t it cool Sarge, I made a friend. Just got back and the Rickie-Miester is making friends. I’m just a popular dude. That’s like my new goal, to make lots of friends.”

“Swell,” Jake took a  swig of his beer.

“Speaking of friends,” Chuck spoke up. “Where’s Cal?”

Jake stopped drinking.

“No,” Chuck grumbled. “Don’t tell me. Please don’t tell me. The Great Jake did it again.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Jake asked.

“Cal. Another experiment and another broken heart. She left you again, didn’t she?”

“Shut the fuck up Chuck. My wife did not leave me. For your information, she stayed in Los Angeles. Billy was sick and she was worried. Pneumonia. Lost his leg. That sort of thing.” Jake shrugged.

“That sort of thing?” Chuck laughed. “Jake, wait. Billy survived?”

“Yep.” Jake nodded.

“No fuckin’ shit. Billy survived.”

“Yep.”

“How did that happened?”

“Haven’t a clue.”

“Dude,” Rickie intervened. “Billy wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t for the Sarge. Man, he was the awesome guy. Slimy little flesh eating slugs, clawed their way into Bigfoot juniors flesh, and the Sarge here was like Johnny Appleseed. Took an Ax and whacked off his leg. It was awesome. Can I have a beer?”

“No,” Jake answered.

“Please?”

“No.”

“Just one.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Rickie! Fine. Have a fuckin’ beer.”

“Thanks Sarge.” Rickie went to the fridge. “Sss Bill? You want one?”

Bill nodded.

“Wait.” Jake said. “He’s not old enough to drink.”

“So.” Rickie said.

“So?” Jake questioned. “So we don’t distribute alcohol to minors in this house. It is illegal. And wrong.” Jake took the beer from Rickie. “Give him milk.”

“Dude, that’s weak.”

Jake waved out this hand. “Does a body good.”

Chuck was enjoying the bantering he missed so badly. “So Jake, Billy survived because of you?” Chuck said. “I still would have pegged him to die.”

“Me too.”

“Cal is coming back?” Chuck asked. “We don’t have to trot of to LA, and kidnap her like the last experiment?”

“We didn’t fuckin’ kidnap her. Man … and why are you eating pizza?”

“I’m hungry.” Chuck lifted a slice.

“You got fuckin’ work to do.”

“Why are you so pissy?” Chuck asked.

“I’m pissy because I have three hundred fuckin’ messages on my answering machine, that’s why. You have to delete them. I’m fearful about my email now.”

“As well as you should be.” Chuck said,

“Fuck.” Jake twitched his head. “You forgot to check my email.”

“Um no, that’s not it.” He took a really long drink of his beer. “In fact,” He smiled. “You’ll get a kick out of this.”

“I doubt it.”

“Sure you will. You don’t have to worry about checking your email. I kind of sort of forgot to pay for your Internet connection. So all your email just bounced back to the person who sent it.”

“Fuck!”

“Sorry.”

“Fuck Chuck. Fuck. So now I have to reconnect my Internet and not only write a letter of apology to the cable company, I have to apologize to everyone that sends me emails.”

“Look at it this way, Jake,” Chuck gave a swat to Jake’s arm. “At least the email list of apologies won’t be that long. I didn’t think anyone liked to write to you.”

“Aren’t you funny, asshole. You did it to me again. I trusted you and you did it to me again.”

“Jake. Jake. Jake. Lighten up. You’re just hungry.”

“I am.” Jake grabbed a slice of Pizza.

“And I’ll delete those messages, I promise.” Chuck said. “So, how did Cal handle the experiment this time.”

“Like a champ. We kicked butt his time.” Jake nodded.

“So she’s doing good?” Chuck asked.

Rickie giggled.

“What?” Chuck smiled and shifted a view to Rickie. “What?”

Rickie, just laughing, shook his head.

“He’s fuckin’ weird.” Jake shooed Rickie. “Anyhow, Cal’s doing good. Gained a little weight, but other than that …” Jake took a drink, winked, and smiled. “She’s good.”

Again, Rickie laughed.

Chuck couldn’t figure it out. What was so funny? Jake didn’t seem fazed at all. Something was up. But Chuck was certain he’d find out sooner or later. He wasn’t going to worry too much about it. At that moment all he wanted to do was kick back and enjoy the fact that his friend was back safe and sound.

***

Reading seemed like a good idea that evening. The Army had published a new survival guide while he was gone, and Jake always looked forward to those. It would pass the time, and deter Jake’s mind as he shifted his eyes from the pages of the book to the telephone. He had a pillow propped next to him and his hand rested upon it, like it often did on Cal’s leg or backside. Of course the pillow was a lot less firm than Cal. But at the rate Jake saw her going with her eating, it wouldn’t be long before the pillow was the firm one.

He didn’t mind that. He was going to have a family, and he’d just have to get Cal back on a strict training regimen.

Again he paused in his reading when Rickie blasted out, “All-E, All-E, in free Dude.”

Jake huffed. But just as he placed himself in the mind frame to ignore Rickie for the millionth time, there was a knock at his door.

“Hating to say it, come in.” Jake called out.