Amoeba (The Experiments) (23 page)

Jake’s snicker rumbled from him until Cal backhanded him. “Cal, what is with the abuse today? Fuck.”

Cal spun around. “You had me almost eaten by a shark
, Jake.”

“Me? Cal, I wasn’t the one on my period.”

Cal gasped and turned back away from him. “I really hate you.”

“Just so you know, I’m making mental notes on your behavior today.”

Cal ignored his anal remark, and walked quickly to catch up to Greg who had led the group toward another section of the compound, where there were three building. Two were metal structures with windows, and one of them was a long and plain log cabin type building which was bigger than the bungalows.

“This is storage
,” Greg said, indicating the first building. “And as always, by lot we picked who gets the key to this building. You can pass it along or keep it. And, Mr. Kale, you have won those honors.” Greg tossed the key to Larry.

Jake hunched down to Cal. “Don’t think I’m not stealing those fuckin keys off of him first chance I get.”

“I’ll help,” Cal whispered back to him.

As Jake laid his hand gently on her back, he felt Cal move closer to him. He smiled. “Is this our truce
?”

“No, I’m cold.”

Jake shook his head with a chuckle, and pulled Cal even closer.

“Utility building.” Greg pointed to the next one
building. “Laundry room, kitchen, dining area. The Graisons will tell you that it works out well when you come up with a clean-up and cooking schedule to split between you.”

“Dude.” Rickie spoke up. “No they won’t. Cause, like
, last experiment, they were on clean up all the time because no one liked them.”

Greg cleared his throat. “Boy.” He spoke with sarcasm. “That uh . . . surprises me. Moving on . . . the last building is the recreation room. We’ve stocked it with some forms of entertainment. Games, reading materials
, and such. We suspect a lot of your gathering time will probably be spent in the unity circle outside you bungalows, but if you get bored there, you can come here. Any questions?” Greg waited. “All right. This is where I leave you. You know the rules. No one will leave this island, for any reason, for the next six months. So take care of yourselves. We have limited medical resources here, and it could get tough if you get sick or hurt.” Greg looked behind the pack as a younger man neared the circle. “And here’s my assistant, Leo. now. He will give you the keys to the bungalows while I steal Rickie.” Greg approached Rickie and took him by the arm.

“Dude, where we going?” Rickie asked.

“Just want to show you where you can retrieve those privileges you get.”

“Excellent. I supplied a huge list.”

“That you did.”

Rickie bobbed his head walking with Greg. “So
, like, dude, do I look like the teacher’s pet right now?”

“Yes you do
, Rickie.”

“Cool.” Happily
, Rickie kept on moving while occasionally, just because it was stuck in his head, he hummed the theme to Hawaii Five-O.

Even though he knew he couldn’t lie down on the bed, Greg found it visually appealing. In his sleeping quarters at Caldwell, two rooms he had made into one, he set the dress shirt and tie he had worn that day on the bed. He made his way to his closet, and in his reach for a sweatshirt, there was a knock on his door. Tossing on the UCLA garment, he moved to his door and opened it. “Dr. Jefferson?”

“What are you doing in here?” Dr. Jefferson asked.

“Changing. I have some paper work to do and I wanted to get comfortable.”

“I thought for sure you’d return to the control center upon your arrival.”

“In time. With the accident and such, I have some paperwork to do.”

“I think you should make it top priority.”

“Why is that?” Greg asked.

“Because you have a control room full of investors
who are anxious to see you and very antsy.”

Greg looked
surprised. “They’re still here?”

“Oh
, yeah. And they aren’t leaving without answers. Especially Daniela and Watson,” Dr. Jefferson said.

“I see.” Greg raised his eyebrows a few times. “Well then, let me go see them and talk to them.” He walked from his room. “You know
, for a group of men who made fun of the experiment yesterday, they certainly aren’t in any hurry to go home from such a dull event.”

Dr. Jefferson slowed in his walk with Greg. “Did you . . . did you plan this immediate occurrence?”

Greg chuckled. “What? The explosion? The shark attack?”

“Yes. Did you plan these things to happen this early in the event?” Dr. Jefferson repeated his question.

“No.” Greg shook his head. “Absolutely not. You give me far too much credit. I promised an exciting experiment. Would I go as far as to start eliminations this early into the game?”

“Yes.” Dr. Jefferson walked with him.

Greg just turned his head, smiled, and kept on walking.

^^^^

The doors to the control room were closed. Dr. Jefferson watched as Greg reached for the doors, paused, took a deep breath, and, in a slouching walk, entered the room in which he was immediately bombarded with an eruption of questions.

“Gentlemen.” Greg held his hand up. “Please.” His voice dropped. “Please. I am still very shaken by what happened today. I don’t . . . don’t know what went wrong.”

As Dr. Jefferson closed the doors, he had to ponder on what he witnessed. Greg, distraught? What had happened to the smiling, arrogant man?

“I’ll tell you what went wrong
,” Mr. Daniela spoke up. “Three hours into the game and my investment is down the tubes. I lost my participant in that accident.”

“I . . . I apologize.”

“I lost mine, too!” George Watson shouted. “Two million dollars and I’m out?”

“I don’t know what to say
,” Greg solemnly told them. “This was something out of our control and totally unexpected. There is nothing we can do about accidents. You have that in your Investment Agreement.”

Aldo shook his head. “Never in an experiment has there been an accident like this. Nothing like this has ever happened this early in the game. Even though I still have my team, to me this doesn’t quite seem fair that these two men placed such a big investment into the experiment only to have no more interest before the first day
’s end.”

“A gamble
,” Douglass commented. “I know it’s a tough break, but they took a gamble, Aldo.”

Dr. Jefferson
, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. “Mr. Douglass is right, Aldo. Just like the people who come into your casino, Mr. Watson and Mr. Daniela stepped in here fully aware.”

Mr. Daniela was listening to words he really didn’t care to hear. “So that’s it. I’m out?” Shaking his head he moved to the door.

Mr. Watson walked over and joined him. “I just wanted to experience this. I guess next time.”

“Or now
,” Greg spoke up, grabbing their attention as they started to leave. “There is something you may want to think about.” He walked toward the two men. “I have an extra person on that island. Not Rickie, he is not a participant. However, for a small investment, say half of what you bought into the game before, I would be willing to make Billy Griffith a participant for you. Or for both of you if you wish to split. It’s up to you. Billy is up there. You can still be in the game.”

Mr. Daniela and Mr. Watson looked at each other. And at the same time, they both walked away from that door and back into the control room.

Their actions gave their answer to Greg, and at that second made an unknowing Billy officially a participant.

It was runny, but it was ice cream nonetheless, and Rickie enjoyed every spoonful of that vanilla ice cream covered in hot fudge as he sat at the fire with the five remaining male participants.

Lou watched th
e spoon Rickie held dip into the bowl, drip, and go into Rickie’s mouth. “That looks really good.”

“Dude.” Rickie slurped it up. “It is. Like, it melted on the way back
, but I had to eat it here so, like, everyone could boil in the island heat with jealousy.”

“It’s not hot
,” Lou commented. “Actually, it’s chilly.”

“O
kay.” Rickie took another bite.

“That looks really good. Can you get ice cream at any
time?”

“Sure
, dude. Like,
you
have three wishes. I have, they said, seventy five I came up with.” Rickie hesitated in bringing the spoon to his mouth. “Want some?”

“Yes.”

“Too bad,” Rickie snickered. “Kidding. Tell you what. I’ll get you some tomorrow.”

“Really?” Lou smiled. “I’ll tell
you
what. I’ll make you a deal. You get me stuff like that ice cream, I’ll do something for you.”

“Guy, you aren’t gay
, are you?”

“No.”

“Okay, just checking.” Rickie held up his spoon. “Didn’t want you to think I wanted them kind of favors. I have something else in mind that you . . .”

“What’s wrong.”

“Check out clarinet.” Rickie pointed.

“Who?” Lou looked. “Oh
, Reed. What about him?”

“Is it my imagination or
, like, are his nipples really shiny?”

“It could be the heat from the fires.”

“No guy.” Rickie stood up and crept around the fire, his eyes staring at Reed’s shirtless chest.

“As I was saying
,” Reed said, “Tropicana approached me with the offer and that was when I quit flying. Free tan, free sunscreen, and I graced a few billboards.”

Paul
, who was knitting, shook his head. “I can’t say I ever saw you on one, but I don’t look unless it’s a woman.”

Larry Kale
, who was part of the conversation, had to question. “Yes, but was that a smart move on your part? Flying is a career, and modeling can be lost in a heartbeat. You can get old, fat, bald, or . . .”

Reed gasped. “Please. I plan on never becoming less that distinguished. If you take care of yourself, you can fight the effects . . .” Reeds eyes widened when he felt the presence close to him. He lowered his eyes to see Rickie, so close
, staring at his chest. “Is there something wrong?”

“Dude, like
, why are your nips so shiny?” Rickie asked.

“I put a lotion on them to make them looked this way.”

“Guy, they’re, like, in an erection projection. Do you mean to have them like that?”

“Yes. It makes the chest look more massive. It impresses women.”

“Cool.” Rickie bobbed his head. “Have you tested it on other parts of your body to see if it works there too?”

Paul reached for the knitting needle that
had dropped from his hand. “Why does this interest you so much, Rickie?”

“Dude, like
, I’m laboring in perplexity on why like Book here would apply that stuff to his chest. Me, I would most definitely be sporting it elsewhere.”

“Why would you want to?” Larry Kale asked. “It would be embarrassing to walk around like that.”

“Not for me, guy. I’m a monster, and parts of me are . . .” Rickie growled. “Beastly. So . . . like hanging out here. Did anyone bring stuff to make S’mores?” Rickie received no answer. “Hot dogs? Bug spray? Okay, I got the idea. Since the convo is, like, rank, let’s sing campfire songs. Anyone? Anyone?”

Lou raised his hand. “I’ll sing with you
, Rickie.”

“Excellent-a-Mundo. Let’s start religiously with a little Rickie-Meister version of
Michael Row the Boat Ashore
.”

^^^^

‘My Cal rode the door ashore, Rick and Lou saw. Then she hit Jake with a board, Rick and Lou saw.’

Rickie and Lou’s singing carried into Billy’s bungalow and into the bathroom where h
e and Cal stood in the room lit only by a dimmed red bulb. A long board lay over the sink with pans on it. With tongs, Billy swished the photo around in the developer.

“Cal, check this out.”

Cal looked into the solution. “Oh wow.”

Billy turned his head to Cal who was right there. “Great shot
, huh? Who would have thought her head would wash up so suddenly.”

“Kind of looks like she’s on vacation and someone buried her in the sand.”

Billy titled his head. “Yeah, it does.” He took the picture from the solution to the line that was strung across the bathroom, and hung it up to dry. “But this one here is my favorite. I was really lucky the film didn’t get ruined.”

“It should have.” Cal turned around. “Which picture are you talking about?”

“This one.” Billy pointed to a picture of Cal. Her hair blew slightly, and she had a peaceful look on her face. “I took this one on the pier before we left. It was while you were watching Jake come back from bitching out Henrietta the Eighth. Look at that look in your eyes, Cal.”

Cal moved closer. “What about it.”

“See, you don’t see it, but that look is the look every man wants to have the woman they love give them. God, what I wouldn’t give to have someone look at me like that.” Billy stared at it. “Jake has to have this.” Billy reached up and touched it to make sure it was dry, and then he took it down.

Cal looked at all the photos that
were hung up. “Billy, you think you have enough of me?”

Billy smiled. “Sorry, I just kept taking them.”

“God, I’m gonna start to think you’re obsessed with me.”

“Obsessed
,” Billy said softly. “Yeah, you know what, I guess I am obsessed with you, Cal.” He turned his head to face her. “I think I have been obsessed with you since the first moment I saw you.”

Her closed mouth widened in a chuckle. “O
kay, yeah, sure. Cute.” She pointed back to the door. “Are we done? Jake’s gonna start to miss us.”

“Yeah, we’re done. It’s safe to open the door.”

“Good let’s go.” Cal stopped as she turned the knob. “Billy, this picture stuff is really fun. Can I help you again?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Thanks.” Cal opened the bathroom door and stepped into the large room. “Uh! Bright light. I’m blind.”

Smiling, Billy looked at the photo he held of Cal, then after a slight hesitation, he walked from the make
-shift dark room.

^^
^^

Still sitting on his porch, Jake was grateful that the campfire songs had finally ended and Rickie had moved on to telling ghost stories. At least, even if it was a little, Jake could get some enjoyment out of those. Waiting and watching for Cal to return from her film developing with Billy, Jake was surprised when another person approached his small porch.

“Hey
, son.” With a slight limp, Judge walked up to Jake. “Mind if I join you?”

“No
, not at all.”

“Thank you.” Lifting the fronts of his pant legs, Judge sat down on the step below Jake. “So, you aren’t much of a socializer I can see.”

“Not on something like this.”

“I see. Trying to determine who you can trust.”

“Oh, I know who I can trust.” Jake took a drink of his beer. “My wife. I trust Billy. And as strange as this seems, I trust Rickie.”

“So you’re not even going to try.”

Jake looked at Judge. “With all due respect, sir, I got a fuckin fifty-thousand dollar bounty hanging over my head. Would you trust anyone if you were me?”

Judge laughed. “I guess not.”

“So let me ask you a question, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all
,” Judge said. “I’m an open book. Ask away.”

“Why are you here? What made you go on the experiment? You never stated.”

Judge took a moment before he answered. “The Theodore King that first applied to the experiment was my son. My eldest. Now, he applied ‘cause he heard about the large compensation, and I didn’t blame him. See, he has a daughter who’s ill, and he is swamped with medical bills like you would not believe. He’s had trouble getting a good job, so I told him I would take care of his family while he was gone. But Colleen, my grand-baby, she took a turn for the worse about six months ago. She has Aplastic Anemia. Do you know what that is?”

“Yes.” Jake nodded.

“Well, knowing how badly Ted needed the money, annd the fact that I was tapped from helping, I contacted the experiment and asked if I could fill in for my son because he couldn’t leave his daughter, and they agreed. They did a special interview process for me, and I got picked, which was right on time, ‘cause they found a bone marrow donor. Insurance pays for that, but they wouldn’t pay to bring the man over from Spain and put him up in the States, so I did. I used the money for that.”

Jake hesitated in another drink. “Used? You don’t get paid till the end.”

“Yes, I know. I kind of took a loan out against it. Caldwell was real helpful in giving me a false agreement that failed to state that there was a chance I wouldn’t get paid.”

“So money was your drive.”

“No.” Judge swayed his head. “My family is my drive and my reason for doing this.” He lifted his head, motioning towards to Rickie. “You demonstrated great protective instincts over the boy. Let me tell you something, Lt. Col. Graison, when your children hurt, you hurt. And you wish with all that you are to be able to go through that pain for them, to take it away. I’m doing the best that I can to do for my children now.”

Hearing Judge say that made Cal’s name ricochet through Jake’s mind and think of her daughter Jessie. Jake looked at Judge who sat on the step below him
, a man that wrung his hands, a man who peered at Jake with wise and aged eyes.

“If I had a choice in the matter . . .” Judge chuckled
, “. . .I’d choose to hit the lottery.”

That comment brought a smile to Jake’s face as he took in another drink of his beer.

“But what are the chances of that, right?” Judge asked, lifting one hand then clasping his hands together again.

“About the same as someone making it all the way through the experiment.” Jake saw Judge look up
at him with a twitch of concern in his eyes. “I’m, uh, I’m sorry.” Jake closed his eyes and shook his head. “That was really uncalled for, and I apologize sir.”

“No, don’t. Perhaps I needed to hear that. I suppose that’s why I came to talk to you. You’ve done this before. Son, I’ve got six months to be on this island. I’m smart. I know that money is not going to come easy
, especially for someone like me. I guess I’m hoping that you can at least tell me what I’ve got to do to make it. Because . . . I want to go back home to my family.”

Jake closed his mouth tightly and lowered his head to his beer bottle as Judge stood up. “I need you to understand my position on talking to people here.”

“I do. And I want you to understand mine.” Judge stopped walking to talk to Jake. “Yes, that fifty extra thousand would . . .” Judge smiled and gave a humming moan. “It sure would come in handy. But I’ve been a man of integrity all my life. Giving up my life for the hundred grand is one thing. To take a man’s life, or a woman’s for money is another. I want to go home, but I want to be able to face my family. Besides, I’m getting old. Don’t move right since I broke my hip. Maybe in my heyday I could have taken you out . . .” Judge smiled. “Unfortunately, I’m no longer in my heyday. Goodnight son.” The judge turned and walked way. He looked back one more time at Jake when he saw Cal and Billy walking to the bungalow.

Cal slowed in her walk to the porch watching Judge leave. She grabbed Jake’s hand which he lifted to her. “Hey sweetie.” She bent down and kissed him. “Come inside, Billy had something for you.” Cal slipped her hand from Jake’s and went in.

Billy stepped on the porch after Cal. “Hey sweetie.” He leaned to Jake.

“Bill,” Jake warned with a smile and a shake of his head. He stood up, finished off his beer, and followed behind Billy and Cal.

Billy stood
in the center of Jake and Cal’s place. The room he stood in was like his, and like everyone else’s he guessed. There was an open area off to the right of the door in front of the fireplace, and a bed directly ahead. To the left of the one night stand, was a desk, to his right, between the bathroom and closet door, was a dresser, and off to the other side of the fireplace was another. He whistled. “Man, it’s no wonder you two got the bigger bungalow.”

Cal looked at him as if he were silly. “Billy, there’s two of us.”