Amoeba (The Experiments) (72 page)

“How’s it going to be done?” Aldo asked Greg the second he returned to the meeting level.

Greg dropped a folder on the table as he stood at the end. “We got together a team and we have a plan. Now
, the participants have voted to wait until Rickie has come out of his regeneration before they get rescued, which is good. Airlifting that cocoon not only will take an abundance of time, but it would be tough, and we’re not going to have the room. Now here’s the plan. As soon as Rickie awakens we move on it. First chance. Two . . . air and rescue fire choppers will fly from Honolulu to our island. These only seat six, keep that in mind. And we have some surplus that has to come back. So, barring any amoebas by the center, one chopper will swing by lifting one of our controllers from the roof. Once they have him, then both choppers will dump the contents of their water tanks onto the bungalow region. Those tanks will be filled with sea water, and we feel that should be enough to saturate the area, dissolve what is there, and give us the time to lift them. The first chopper will land, and it will take with it Rickie, Cal, Reed, and Billy. Jake and Lou will stay behind and load what bags are going back into the second chopper. They’ll get in, the second chopper then swings by and gets the two remaining controllers and our data. We have a scientist that feels that the amoebas will eventually die out when they run out of food. When that happens, we go back and get the rest of our materials. We don’t expect complications. We’ll get our people and participants off that island and away from these things before they can do any more damage, and we will put this amoeba episode behind us.” Greg paused and took a long breath. “That is, of course, as long as one of those things doesn’t get off the island with our participants.”

Porter smiled gloatingly holding up his long straw. “Yep. Always did have the luck of the draw.”

Richard moaned and stepped back.

Stan bobbed his head side to side speaking in a monotone. “Yes, you are the man.”

“Stan, Rich
, come on. You’ll fly out next, I’m sure.” Porter winked and lifted his bag. “Well, wish me luck.” He grabbed for the rungs of the ladder that led to the roof and began to climb.

Stan turned and walked down the hall with Richard. “One, just one.
Just let one of those things be on that roof.”

“That’s terrible
, man.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yeah it is.” Richard looked back to see the hatch opening. “He owes me seventy-five bucks, and I didn’t get it yet.”

^^^^

A loud grunt of disgust came from Jake when his foot slammed into one of them. He looked down to Billy’s fireboxes “You and these fuckin boxes.”

“Sorry Jake.” Billy moved them closer to the door. “This is what I’m taking. I can buy new clothes
, but I can’t buy proof to my story.”

Shaking his head, Jake moved to Cal. He paused to lift his eyes to the helicopter noise. “Choppers
, Cal. Get ready.”

“Jake.” Sadly
, Cal zipped a small bag. “Look, let me wait and fly out with you.”

“No.”

“Jake, I have a really bad feeling about this. Really bad.”

“Cal, sweetie. I can’t take a chance of you being on this island one more second than you need to be
, okay?”

“Why?”

“Why?” Jake smiled. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. Me staying behind, something could happen. I doubt it, but it could.”

“Then for sure I won’t go. I won’t.” Cal was adamant. “If something is going to happen
, then it happens to the both of us.”

Jake smiled and kissed her. “It’s not just the both of us anymore. Get ready
, because as soon as that water hits and that chopper lands, you’re on it.”

Cal didn’t say anything, because she just didn’t want to go. And her gut told her
that it was something more than just her dedication to staying by her husband’s side.

^^^^

“There.” Porter pointed for the pilot.

He wore a cap
and glasses. The pilot, Lloyd, had a thick southern accent. “Holy mother of Jesus. Will you look at that.” He brought the microphone to his mouth. “Benson, this is fly boy do you copy?”

“Roger that
, fly boy.”

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing down below?”

“What the hell are they?”

“My guess is our target. All right, we’re gonna have to double this. Let’s you and I circle around, second pass we drop what we got,
you do a scan of the region, and I’ll drop down and pick up the first load.”

“Roger that
, fly Boy.”

^^
^^

The sounds of the choppers faded then drew in close again. The release of tons of water upon them sounded like a tidal wave headed their way. It beat upon the roof of the bungalow so fiercely that Cal covered her ears and feared that at any second, the stick of a shack they were in would crumble down.

Jake watched from the window and he smiled, watching the last of the water fall, seeing a mist rise up as the amoebas, in the tress, on the roof and everywhere, just disappeared. “It worked.” Jake turned to the awaiting group.

Reed shrieked with joy, grabbing Rickie’s arm. “Es oh. Es oh.” He pulled at Rickie.

“Like, dude. I have to get my things. I’ll meet you outside.”

“Oh-ay.” Reed smiled
, and despite Jake’s warning he flew outside, splashing in the large puddles, jumping up and down and waving to the chopper above.

Surrounded by the eight investors and Lyle and Barb, Greg wore a headset, staring at the monitor screens while he communicated with the pilots. “How’s it looking guys?”

Lloyd’s voice came over the speaker. “Caldwell
, we see an all clear below. Lots of water for safety on the ground. I’m lowering for pick up.”

Greg clenched his fist amongst the investors’ cheers. “Let me know wh
en you . . .”

“Damn it
,” Lloyd bitched.

“What’s wrong?” Greg asked.

“My second tank didn’t unload. It’s stuck. We’re gonna have a weight limitation happening here. What ya want me to do boss? Pull up and let Benson hang down?”

“Where is he?” Greg asked

“Circling,” Lloyd answered.

“No. Let’s not waste time. Pick up the boy and the woman, let Benson get the rest.”

“Roger that. I’m lowering.”

Greg bobbed his head in anticipation.

“Haynes.” Aldo moved closer to him. “Why didn’t you just let the other chopper land? We could get more in there.”

“Rickie and Cal are of first importance. I can’t chance waiting on the other chopper.”

Lloyd came over the speaker again. “I’m down, we’re opening the door. Only one . . . hey! Some bald guy missing an ear just jumped in.”

“Damn it
,” Greg bitched. “Can you handle the weight of the boy and the woman, too? They’re small.”

“Yeah. Shouldn’t be a problem. But where are they
?”

“They’ll be there.” Greg shifted his eyes to Cal’s bungalow. She was moving to the door with Jake. “Hurry up.”

Lyle’s voice, loud and startling, was not the one they expected to ring out in the control room. “Holy shit!” He sprang up. “Where did they come from? Dr. Haynes. the aerial!”

Greg’s eyes moved to the aerial shot. His hand covered the mouth piece of his headset
. “Oh my God.”

Lyle’s head swayed. “The
y’re coming in from all angles. And fast, too.”

Aldo watched the nervousness on Greg’s face. “There’s tons of water down there
, right? They move on the ground. This shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Greg’s eyes moved f
ast and rapid to the unity circle, the aerial view, and to Cal’s bungalow where Rickie was looking at music disks in debate. “Lloyd,” Greg spoke into the microphone. “Abort and pull back.”

“I don’t have the cargo
,” Lloyd said.

“Abort.” Greg breathed fast,
and his heart raced watching the aerial view and seeing the four black clouds moving closer and closer. “Shut the damn doors, abort and pull back now! Now!”

“Haynes.” Aldo called with warning. “They’re leaving the bungalow.”

“Cal, they’re waiting.” Jake held her arm, leading her towards the helicopter. “And they shut the door, look.” They stepped off the porch. “Lou, bring that bag and tell Rickie to hurry.”

Lou
, walking out with Billy, stuck his head in the door. “Rickie, the cab is waiting. I’ll bring your music.”

“Dude, I’m there in a second.”

Shrugging, Lou pulled the door closed hitting the step of the porch just after Billy stepped down. Lou stopped. “Jake! Jake!” Over the chopper blades he heard it, the hissing, whistling, and rustling.

“What the fuck!” Jake held his hands up as he watched the chopper lift. “Hey!”

“Jake! Get in!” Racing forward, Lou grabbed Billy by the arm spinning him in the run. “Get back in! They’re coming! Jake!”

Jake
who was still in the center of the circle with Cal, couldn’t hear Lou over the noise of the hovering helicopter. He shook his head, at Lou, holding his ear. “What?”

Lou leaped forward, swept up Cal
, and turned back, figuring if Jake could see him, he certainly would realize that something was wrong if he was stealing his wife,

And Jake did. At the same moment Lou grabbed Cal, Jake not only heard it but saw it. Every tree in the woods that surrounded them shook violently. And through the shaking trees
, Jake saw the green of the trees turn black with amoebas. “Shit.” He backed up with a splash and bolted toward the bungalow for safety. But before he reached the porch, Jake saw something happen that he didn’t expect, and he thought he was a goner. A cloud, thick, black, and huge, formed when, from the trees, the amoebas flew out and joined together. They rose up high, causing night to fall over the compound. Knowing that was an opportunity to make an escape, Jake leaped for the porch, but not before seeing the cloud of amoebas lunge for the moving helicopter, completely bombarding it and covering every single inch of it as the chopper careened away.

Jake slammed the door with his body as he made it inside.
He leaned against the door, ignoring the voices of Cal, Rickie, Billy, and Lou, and closed his eyes. He breathed heavily, his heart raced, and he knew what was going to happen next. And Jake was not wrong.

Boom!
The crashing and exploding of the rescue helicopter was so violent it shook and vibrated the bungalow causing them to not only lose their footing as if an earthquake had hit, but worse. The explosion caused the two windows in the main room and the bathroom to shatter.

Crash-crash-crash. Cal held her head as she ducked the flying glass
, and Jake lunged forward, pulling out the first dresser drawer he passed in his run. He ordered, “Lou, Rickie, grab and dump a drawer! Cover these windows! Billy, Cal, hammer and nails are in the closet. Get them now!” Jake dumped the drawer and slammed it against the window behind the bed.

Lou grabbed a drawer and ran to the front window, while Rickie brought one to the bathroom. They breathed a sigh of relief, holding the drawers to the windows, sealing off the outside world
, grateful for the smallness of the windows. They had made it, and just in the nick of time, because it wasn’t long after Rickie banged his drawer up against the window that the amoebas attacked loudly, in full force, and with a mighty vengeance down upon the bungalow.

“Lloyd, abort and pull back.”
Greg’s voice played over the speaker
.

“I don’t have the cargo.”

“Abort. Shut the damn doors, abort, and pullback now! Now!”

“Doors closed and we are aborting the rescue.”

Silence came over the airways before Lloyd, in near panic, called out.

“What the . . . holy mother of God
!”

“What’s happening . . . Lyle
, pull them up. Let me see. Lloyd, what’s going on?”

“Covered. I can’t see.”

“Can you make it to the ocean?”

“I can’t see. The weight is . . .”

Reed’s scream carried over.

“Oh God, they’re coming in the vents. The
y’re just pouring . . .”

Lloyd’s painful scream en
sued, followed by silence, then finally . . . static.

With a painful expression, Greg turned to face the eight investors who had watched the botched rescue attempt over and over. Looking totally worn out, Greg began to leave the room.

“Haynes.” Aldo stepped to him. “Are you sending the second chopper back
?”

Greg stopped walking. “No. He’s in Honolulu and that’s where he’ll stay.”

“But you can’t leave them there.” Aldo followed him. “You saw all those things.”

“I did. And
you
saw how far they can jump up. I cannot take a chance on another rescue mission. Sending a chopper over there, having them clear the way only to have more jump out of nowhere. They’re all over that island, Aldo.”

“What about a sea rescue.” Aldo pursued. “Have our people suited up and head into the ocean. Pick them up there.”

“Can’t do it. If the amoebas don’t get them, the sharks will.”

“How can you be so sure about that
?” Aldo asked.

“Because we infested those waters. We dumped food there for a period of time to keep those sharks there
, and now they’re staying.”

“Christ.” Aldo was taken aback. “You cut off the only viable escape route.”

Greg began to get upset, and he stepped toward to Aldo with an angry vengeance. “You think I would have done so had I known about these amoebas? No. We tried to get them off that island. We failed.”

“Try again.” Aldo insisted.

“We can’t.”

“Fuck
, Haynes, those are human beings on that island, and with them, some monstrosity of nature.”

“That’s right.” Greg tilted his head. “And I’m beginning to think the best way to ensure that those monstrosities of nature
, as you called them, stay on that island is to just take no chance of picking them up when we pick up our people.”

Aldo stammered some in shock. “You’re . . . you’re just gonna leave them there?”

“Until we find an operable means of destroying those amoebas. Sorry. Our participants have to stay right where they are.” Taking a short breath, and closing his eyes briefly, Greg turned away from Aldo and left the room before any more could be said.