Terms (The Experiments Book 3) Read online

  ***

  ‘You’ve got mail,’ the little man stated on Cal’s computer.

  Ready to click, Cal paused for the knock on her door. “Come in,” she called.

  The door opened, and Billy peeked his head in. “You alone?”

  “For the time being.” Cal smiled. “Just getting ready to check my email.”

  “Cal, you are so addicted to the net. I can’t believe all this beauty and you are in this room at the laptop.”

  “Yeah, well, you’d be the same way if your laptop was here.”

  “True,” Billy, hands in pocket walked over to her. “Can I sit?”

  “Sure,” Cal scooted over. “What’s up?”

  “Just seeing how your study went today.”

  “Oh, ready for this?” Cal snickered. “They attached wires to my belly, put me in a room with Marla and made us watch Titanic.”

  Billy laughed. “You’re kidding?”

  “I hate that fuckin’ movie. Marla loved it. I annoyed her, and Caldwell got interesting tests. Her babies excitement reflected her own excitement,” Cal shrugged. “That sort of thing. I told them let me watch Die Hard,” Cal winked. “They’ll see some excitement come from the uterus.”

  Chuckling, Billy laid his hand on her knee. “Wanna grab lunch?”

  “I think I’m supposed to eat with the ladies.”

  “I’m allowed. I’ll join you, unless you don’t want me to?”

  “Don’t be silly, of course, I do.” Cal smiled. “We’ll be so scandalous.” She giggled. “Let me just see who sent me something.” She pulled her laptop forward. “Wow, this is odd.”

  “What is?”

  “It’s from Colonel Roberts. Jake’s CO.”

  “Hope nothing’s wrong.”

  “We’ll find out.” Cal clicked on the email and burst into laughter.

  ***

  “Lt. Colonel Graison, how can I help you?” Jake retrieved his ringing phone with a swipe of his hand.

  “You’re secretary must be out,” Cal said.

  “Cal …” Jake said her name with a smile and leaned back in the chair. “How are you?”

  “Bored. Was. I mean … I was just wondering why you were sporting a cowboy hat Lt Col Pilgrim Graison.”

  Jake grumbled and drubbed his eyes. “Fuckin’ Rickie is on a John Wayne kick, and he buys me this fuckin’ hat. Colonel Roberts is here and orders me to put it on. How did you know this?”

  “Colonel Roberts emailed me a picture.’

  “Great.”

  Cal laughed. “I loved it.”

  “And I miss you.”

  “Yeah, I miss you too.”

  “What are you up to?” Jake asked. “Have you been exercising?”

  “When I can. Get this, I have to go watch movie number two. I watched one before lunch. The Titanic.”

  “You hate that movie.”

  “I know. I’m hoping for Die Hard or Rambo.”

  “You don’t want them, you cry every time.”

  “I know.” Cal said. “But at least I have that chocolate pie to look forward to.”

  “What are talking about?”

  “I won a pie.”

  “Cal, you’re on an experiment. How can you win a pie.”

  Cal snickered. “Ready? They put us in this room this morning and said the first one to figure out the common factor between us would win a prize. I was quick Jake, got it in a few minutes. They were stunned. I won a chocolate cream pie. Can’t wait to eat it.”

  “A slice.”

  “Um, yeah, sure.” Cal said.

  “So what was the common factor?” Jake asked.

  “Well, we all ….”

  Jake waited. “Cal? Cal?”

  Nothing.

  He looked at the phone. The light was out. “Fuck.” He pulled the receiver from his ear. “Fuck, she was just about to tell me.”

  “Hey, Sarge,” Rickie entered the office. “What’s wrong, guy, you looked perplexed?”

  “I lost connect to Cal.” Jake hung up the receiver. “She was just about to tell me something, now I’m left hanging because just as she was about to say it, the connection was lost.”

  Rickie snickered.

  “What? That’s funny.”

  “Nope.” Rickie shook his head. “It’s funny that you think you lost connection.”

  “What do you mean.”

  “Pilgrim, she’s like just about to tell you some vitals and bam, she’s gone? Sounds like Caldwell has a hand in that one. Terminated, dude.”

  It was only a moment that Jake paused, and then he lifted the phone. “You may be right. Do me a favor, go use Adams computer and email Cal from your email, I’m gonna try to call her again.” Jake dialed.

  “OK.” Rickie turned.

  “Weird.”

  Rickie stopped. “What is?”

  Jake showed the phone. “It’s not in service.”

  “Sarge, then you should be happy I’m gonna be there tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, Rickie, I am. I really am.” Jake tried the number again.

  ***

  Greg smirked.

  He couldn’t help it the call from the island telling him that the phone conversation was interrupted pleased him and made his day almost as much as that cinnamon roll. Which ended up getting cold. But Greg vowed his news endeavor would not get cold.

  “What did you do?” Dr. Jefferson asked him upon entering Greg’s office. “Like a kid that is up to something, you have that look on your face.”

  “Yes, I know.” Greg smiled “Just doing a little tweaking here and there.”

  “Really, Greg, this was simple pregnancy study,” Jefferson said “I’m not fully understanding why you insist on making this continuance to the Iso Stasis?”

  “Perhaps I miss the Iso Stasis.’

  “You have other things to worry about.”

  “I’m handling them,” Greg said.

  “Greg.” Dr. Jefferson took a seat. “Look. I have been there. I’ve been in your shoes. I know what it feels like to have not completed the Iso-Stasis like you wanted.”

  “Who said I didn’t do that?”

  “Graison walked. Both of them.”

  “Yes, but …” Greg lifted a finger. “We’ve actually gained though Cal’s walking.”

  “But bothered over the fact you didn’t break the team, and they beat us again.”

  Huffing some, Greg snapped his chair forward. “The reason they beat us is they knew what was coming.”

  “Nonsense.”

  “No, expect the unexpected. So in a sense they were prepared. “Come on, Dr. Jefferson, they thrive on that sort of stuff. My error. I thought I could beat them. And in a sense I did, but not the way I’d like to.”

  “But this little Iso-Stasis part two, you don’t think Graison knows something is up? If it is your plan to beat him, you won’t do it this way. He will be prepared on every level.”

  “No, I disagree.”

  “How can you say that?” he asked.

  “Because expect the unexpected, that’s the way he thinks. I want him to know exactly what is coming his way.”

  “Doesn’t make sense.”

  “It will.”

  ‘This is far beyond scientific.”

  Greg fluttered his lips.

  “No, don’t take that attitude,” Jefferson scolded. “This is science. There is no room for personal vendettas.”

  “Personal, business. Scientific. Doesn’t matter as long as the end results are what you want.”

  “And what end results are you seeking?”

  Greg shrugged. He nervously played with a piece of paper on his desk. “Don’t know yet. Haven’t decided exactly what that will be.”

  “But you’re willing to take it to the extreme?’

  “Absolutely.”

  “Does this have anything to with the new investor thing you set up.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “You’re borderline insane,” Jefferson said. “You know tha
t?”

  Greg smiled. “Absolutely.”

  ***

  “Sarge!”

  Jake winced. Why couldn’t Rickie just leave him alone to prepare his uniform and look for the event? They had a flight to catch I less than an hour.

  “Sarge!”

  “Christ, Rickie what?” Jake yelled from the bedroom in response to Rickie who was yelling from the downstairs office.

  Footsteps. Running.

  Rickie,

  He caught his breath. “Did you know that Ronald Reagan and John Wayne were like pals?”

  “No, Rickie I didn’t know that. And could you please get ready.”

  “I am.” Rickie stood proud in his John Wayne clothes.

  “Rickie, I implore you to reconsider wearing those clothes.”

  “Sarge, like you wanted me to wear something fancy and expensive. I am. Wait until you see the credit card charge.”

  Jake crumbled.

  “Besides,” Rickie said. “The president loves John Wayne.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Just a Rickie Miester observation, guy.” Rickie poked at his own temple. “Ronald Reagan loved John Wayne.”

  “Ronald Reagan is not the president, Rickie.”

  “Yeah, but I think our president liked Ronald Reagan.”

  “Everyone did,” Jake said. “But that doesn’t mean he likes John Wayne.”

  “Dude, who doesn’t? OK, going back down to learn more John Wayne facts to impress the president.’

  “Rickie …” Jake turned around. Rickie had gone. Ran … and it was obvious the way his cowboy boots clomped. “Christ, that kid will cause me never be invited again to the Whitehouse.”

  Jake could see it. First problems with security and getting in. Jake would have to remove the spurs on Rickie’s boots, or else Rickie would be running around the Whitehouse in socks. Which wasn’t a pleasant thought. Jake could see Rickie sock sliding on the marble floors.

  That thought caused him to wince again.

  “Sarge!”

  “Ignore him,” Jake said to himself, and finalized his uniform preparations. He was all ready to place it on. It was freshly pressed, medals ready.

  “Sarge.”

  Jake kept focus. Even though his concentration was intermittently broken by the vision of Rickie spewing forth facts about John Wayne to the president, annoying the Commander in Chief to the point where he told Jake, “Can you tell your kid to shut the fuck up.’

  Jake reminded himself right then and there to tell Rickie the age old say, “Don’t speak until spoken to.”

  “Sarge.”

  Tie. Shoes. Polish. Yes.

  Clump, clump, clump.

  Cufflinks, socks …

  “Sarge!” Rickie yelled directly in the room.

  Jake spun around. “Fuck, Rickie, what?”

  “Sarge, check this out. Did you know John Wayne only dated Latino babes?”

  “Rickie, who cares?’

  “The president might.”

  “I highly doubt that.”

  Rickie gasped. “Dude, you’re being rude. I’m trying to share my knowledge about John Wayne with you so you don’t look dumb when me and the prez starts to chit chat the facts about the Duke. Sarge, you’ll be lost, and the prez …”

  “Rickie, as much as I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me. I don’t think I’ll need to know it.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  “No, I won’t. Now I need to get ready.”

  “Yes, you do,” Rickie said. “You’re being like a woman, Sarge, next thing you know you’ll be worrying about your hair, guy.”

  “Rickie out.”

  “I’m going.”

  “Thank God.” Jake reached over and closed the bedroom door. Outfit ready, he began to get dressed. He heard the phone ring, and didn’t rush to get it. If it were Cal she’d call the cell phone.

  “Sarge.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Sarge!”

  Clump, clump, clump.

  Jake grumbled, and grunted as he heard Rickie run. “What now?” he whispered out.

  After a double knock, Rickie opened the door. “Sarge. Phone.’

  “Take a message, I’m trying to get dressed.”

  “I tried,” Rickie said. “But he told me you want to talk to him.”

  “Who is it?” Jake buttoned his shirt.

  “It’s the chief goof from the toot.”

  “Haynes?” Jake asked.

  Rickie nodded. “What’s he want, Sarge?”

  “I don’t know. But I’m gonna find out.” Jake walked across the bedroom and picked up the phone.

  ***

  Although the phone call didn’t come directly from Jake, it was from Jake none the less. There was no other reason Jake would reach out to Aldo for information, unless he was a bit more concerned than he led on.

  After weeding though the ‘idle’ as Rickie put it, and listening to John Wayne trivia, Aldo finally got out of Rickie the reason for the call.

  The ‘Toot’ had called the Sarge.

  It wasn’t too unusual, Aldo thought, the ‘Toot’ always called Jake. What was it about that phone call?

  Aldo could hear an aggravated Jake in the background coaching Rickie on what to say.

  “Rickie, tell him to just get on the phone.” Aldo said.

  “No can do my little casino-bino, Sarge wilts at that guy.”

  “What doesn’t the Sarge wilt over?” Aldo rubbed his eyes in aggravation. “OK, so, what is going on.”

  “I’m going to see the president.”

  “Yes, Rickie, I know that. I’m talking about with the institute.”

  “Ok, Sarge said …” Rickie paused, Jake yelled something in the background. “All right, all right, all right. Sarge didn’t say, I said. Yeah, that’s it, it’s all my idea to call you dude.”

  Aldo was able to decipher through further hints that Caldwell had called Jake and made yet another request of him in the name of the contract. This was the second time they were using the Iso Stasis contract against him. Neither incident was a big deal. Both requests seemed relatively simple to Aldo, maybe more emotionally testing for the big guy, but nothing he couldn’t handle.

  What Jake wanted to know via Rickie was there anything Aldo knew that would make Caldwell want to use the babies as leverage. Aldo didn’t.

  He wanted to convey to Jake that like with gambling, he has beat the house one too many times, and the house is looking for a way to beat him.

  But again, the two requests were nothing. Which led Aldo to think over the situation. If Caldwell was using the babies, then Caldwell was confident enough in that leverage to get Jake to do what they want? Why waste that leverage on stepping stones? And that was exactly what they were, stepping stones. All leading to something else. Something bigger. A little nudge to Jake here, a nudge there, then ‘bam’ they shove him.

  Granted, to Aldo, in the name of a child, a parent would do anything to protect that child. But they were children. Just children. If Caldwell was going to push the envelope to a huge gamble, then they wanted those children.

  Badly.

  And that was where Aldo felt Jake was concentrating as well. What was it about the unborn Graison babies that Caldwell wanted so badly?

  CHAPTER NINE

  Cal wasn’t asking for a million dollars, but Stan acted as if she were. He kept saying ‘no,’ over and over, as he evaded her in his office.

  “How did you find me?” he asked.

  “I knew you were here.”

  “But still …”

  “Stan.” Cal stayed firm. “You have an office. Come on.”

  “No.”

  “Please?”

  “No.”

  “He’s gonna see it anyhow. And this is by far the best one.” She lifted the photo. “Look how cute the babies are. It’s better than the one I got in LA.”

  “That’s because their sonar equipment is barbaric. Ours is not.”

 
Cal stared at the picture. “They are so cute. I’m so glad we can’t tell if they’re boys or girls.”

  “I could.” Stan said.

  “By this.”

  “No by the serious of shots they sent me.”

  “What are they?”

  Stan stared at her.

  “Stan?”

  “I’m not telling.”

  Cal huffed. “Doesn’t it look like baby A has three arms? It doesn’t does it?”

  “No,” Stan replied. “Baby A does not have three arms. That extra arm is baby B, they are sharing a placenta and sac.”

  “Oh.” Cal nodded “So will you?”

  “I told you no.”

  “Come on, Stan. Just scan it and email it to Jake for me, please? I really want him to see his kids. Please. It’s the best one.”

  “Quit begging.”

  “Please?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll tell Caldwell how great you are.”

  “No.” Stan said.

  “I’ll help you out. Help through some testing if you want.”

  “Like the observers at the experiment?”

  Cal nodded.

  “As much as that sounds good, no.”

  “I’ll sneak you some of my rich deserts.” Cal suggested.

  “Get them. No.”

  “I’ll pay you.”

  “How much?”

  “Fifty.”

  “Make it a hundred and I’ll do it.”

  “Deal.” Cal held out her hand, shook with Stan, and walked to the computer.

  “What is the number on that image.”

  “You mean you can email it directly.”

  “Yes. Number?”

  “Fourteen.”

  “Thank you.” Stan began to type. “What’s his email?”

  “Big Jake, one word, at Iso Stasis, one word, dot com.”

  Mid typing, Stan looked over his shoulder. “You have a website named Iso Stasis?”

  Cal nodded. “We own the domain. It was my idea, especially when I discovered Caldwell hadn’t bought it.”

  “Have you made the website.”

  Cal shook her head. “No. But I figured eventually Caldwell will want the name, so they’ll have to pay for it.”

  “That’s pretty smart.” Stan resumed typing. “I’ll put in the subject from Cal. Anything you want me to add.”

  “Tell him I wanted him to see it.”