The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments) (20 page)

John ruffled his hair in confusion. “What are we going to do about this? Obviously we can’t have him hanging around us until he calms down.”

Jake, who had continued to munch on his cereal, called out from his seat. “Lock him in his room. There are padlocks in storage. I’ll go get them.”

Covering her mouth, upset, Jennifer shook her head. “No, we can’t keep him prisoner.”

Carlos looked over at Jake. “He’s right. We have to lock him up. He may get better. He may not. I’m not willing to take that chance. You saw how strong he was.”

Griff signed to Cal.

Cal returned the signing. “Griff agrees also. He wants to know who’s taking him back to the room.”

All heads turned to Jake.

Buried in a bowl of food Jake only lifted his stare. “No.”

Cal held up her hand to everyone, she walked over to the table with Jake, stopping only to wet a cloth in the sink. She sat in the chair next to him. “Jake.” She spoke softly, lifting his chin and turning his head to her. “You’re the only one big enough to pick him up and carry him.” She dabbed lightly to his wound. “It’ll take you a minute.” She laid her other hand flat on his face. “Please.” Gently she dabbed the cloth again.

Reaching up, Jake grabbed her hand that held the rag. “Cal . . .” he stared in her eyes, “you owe me.” Pushing his chair back, Jake got up, moved to Fr. Dan, lifted him up over his shoulder and carried him out.

^^^^

When Jake returned to his room after bringing the locks in from storage, he could hear the shower water just turn on. Not only did he have to deck a priest, carry him to his room, get the padlocks, now he had to wait to take a shower. But it gave him opportunity. He had placed the tiny strips of paper on the bottom of Cal’s drawers, all of them, something he had been doing all the time. He would use this time to see if any papers had fallen out. And if they did, he’d double check with Cal to see if she went in that drawer. Usually, if there was a strip on the floor, Cal was the blame. She never saw the paper or the tiny pieces of lint he placed under her daughter’s photograph and other things she had on her desk. Jake was bound and determined to prove someone had been in her room. His instinct told him so and he always trusted his instinct. If that was the case, and someone was in there, then Jake had to find out who it was.

He knocked once on the bathroom door before opening it to tell Cal he had returned. “Cal,” he called in. “I’m back.”

“Wait. Did you get Fr. Dan situated?”

Jake leaned with is back against the door. “Yeah, I . . .” He shouldn’t have, it was wrong, but Jake’s eyes immediately went to the mirror, Cal was right there. He could see her foggy naked figure through the frosty glass door. He swallowed. “I . . . yes.” He shifted his eyes away and then returned them. “What do you make of this?” He hung his head down, trying to behave badly. “I think it’s the same as with you.”

“I do, too,” Cal shouted over the water. “But we read about him. There was nothing in any of the books. What would his weakness be?”

“The excommunication, you think? It doesn’t make . . .” his eyes lifted, “sense.” He leaned against the door, gripping the handle. “What are the odds that maybe we were . . .” he saw her lift her leg up, possibly to begin shaving it, “…wrong?”

“About what?”

Jake didn’t hear her. He was too far gone, lost in watching her, lost in awe as his imagination took over. Envisioning his dream, he was seeing himself take off his clothes, open the shower door and slip in there with her, the leg, the perfect leg, bent up, that he would lift to his waist.

“Jake? About what?”

“The books, maybe we were wrong about the books.” He ran his hand down his face. Looking toward the mirror, he saw it had begun to steam up. Jake couldn’t figure out if it was his saving grace or his punishment. “I’ll uh meet you in your room. I want to talk to you about getting Carlos’ book.” Nervous, he quickly shut the door.

“Jake?” Cal stuck her head out of the shower but he was gone. She shrugged her shoulders and continued her shaving.

^^^^

Jake felt it the second he walked into, or rather snuck into Cal’s room. He was going to get an answer. The proof was in the small slips of paper that lay on the floor around Cal’s dresser and desk. The piece of lint on Jessie’s picture was out in the clear open view. “Cal couldn’t have opened all these, no way.”

“Jake?”

Jake jumped as he heard her voice call from the open bathroom door. He moved his stare from the desk to Cal. She was peeking out, only her face and bare shoulder were visible.

“I forgot to bring in my clothes. Could you?”

“Um, sure.” Jake walked to the dresser. “You weren’t in your drawers at all?”

“No. I just wanted to beat you to the shower. They’re on my bed.”

“Oh.” He picked them up. Holding her clothes he awkwardly handed them to her with his head turned.

“Thank you.” Cal took them with a giggle and shut the door.

Letting out the breath he held, Jake placed his hand on top of his head. “I am not handling this very well.” he said.

“Handling what?”

God she has radar ears
. “Nothing.” Jake bent down picking up the little bits of paper, his evidence. He had to just figure out who and why.

“Cleaning up my room again?” Cal stepped back in, brushing her wet hair. “What did you want to discuss about Carlos’s book?”

“I want to get it as soon as possible.”

“No waiting? Jake I’m shocked. What’s up?” She sat down on the bed.

“I was thinking, what if we’re wrong about the books?” He sat down next to her on the bed. I mean Fr. Dan was set off about something. You and I know there was nothing in any of the books, except the excommunication, that would give hint that he was off.”

“So then we might be wrong. Why go after Carlos’ book then?”

“His and Fr. Dan’s are all we have left. We saw Fr. Dan, I just want to hurry and get the book thing done with now.”

“Thank God. But . . . Carlos is fine.” Cal stood from the bed. “In fact, he’s a lot calmer than you or I.” She set the brush down on her desk and straightened Jessie’s picture. “When?”

“This afternoon. He does those goofy guitar exercises in the gathering room. You keep him there until I return for you. And you stay there with other people.”

“OK, but what if he wants to go to his room?”

“Stop him. Think of something. Just give me time in his room.” Jake got up and moved to the bathroom.

“How long is going to take to get his book?”

“Just give me time.” Jake stepped into the bathroom knowing that the book was not the only thing he was looking for. Anything possibly missing from Cal’s room was on his agenda for the search.

Carlos stared down to the platform city that lay on Cal’s room floor. He nodded his head at it. “Very nice, thanks.” He folded his arms. “I’m going back to my room now.”

“No wait!” Cal stopped him, blocking him as he walked. “You can’t go yet. We’re talking.”

“Cal, I’m a bit suspicious here.” He smiled stepping toward her. “You follow me to the gathering room. I tell you I’m not playing and you don’t want me to leave.” He tilted his head. “What are you up to?”

“I just wanted to um . . . spend some time with you.” Cal smiled.

“Where’s Jake?”

Cal shook her head. “Haven’t a clue. And I wanted to take advantage of the situation.”

“Ah . . .” Carlos said. “So that’s it. He doesn’t like you around me.”

“Sort of. No.” Cal grew a little nervous as Carlos moved closer and closer.

“Cal. You follow me and drag me to
your
room. I’m flattered.”

“As you should be, I think. Is that arrogant of me?” She giggled and tucked her hair.
Come on Jake, hurry he has that look in his eye. And I just did that universal female flirting thing without thinking.

“Cal? Are you and Jake a couple?” he asked.

“No, we’re sort of partners in this experiment.”

“There’s nothing romantic?”

“No. Please.” Cal scoffed. “Jake and I? Really, he’s not my type.”

“Could have fooled me,” Carlos said.

“Does he leave me a choice?” Cal nervously laughed.

“No.” Carlos shook his head with a smile. “So . . . I’m curious, if it’s not Jake, what is your type?”

A month away from home perhaps?
Cal couldn’t pinpoint what made her spew out the answer she did. She didn’t mean to. But when she saw Carlos with that tilted innocent look on his face, all she saw was David. “You are.”

Another smile crossed Carlos’ face.

^^^^

Carlos’ book lay on the bed and Jake had found it immediately. Yet he had spent his time in a totally frustrating attempt to find something, anything that would give him the proof that Carlos was the one in Cal’s room.

Jake had lifted every piece of furniture and checked every drawer, not once, but three times. As he made his final sweep he saw that he had been gone twenty minutes. “Shit.” Figuring the hell with it, he picked up the book from the bed. “At least I have you.” Flipping through the pages he looked for Carlos’ section. When he got there, he turned a page, wide eyed. “Fuck.” He kept turning the pages. “Nothing, it’s the same as mine.” Slamming the cover he tossed it on the bed, not even caring that it wasn’t in the same place he found it. He left Carlos’ room to find Cal.

Stan made the entrance he was getting quite good at. Flinging the door open with a bang and making his announcement, “Ladies, we are here.”

Tina held up her hand. “
Shhh
. This is good. Hurry, you’re going to miss it.”

Stan and Lyle scooted to the chairs at the table next to Tina and Barb.

Barb moved the bowl of popcorn to them. “Here’s the situation. Jake told Cal—monitor two—to keep Carlos occupied while he checked his room for the book. But he told her to stay in the gathering room. Carlos didn’t want to so Cal brought him to her room.”

Tina zoomed in. “Monitor ten. Jake is heading into the gathering room. He’s looking for Cal. Check out guys what’s happening in Cal’s room. She had to keep him there.”

Stan grabbed a handful of popcorn. “Did he find the book?”

“Yep,” Tina answered. “Saw it was nothing, tossed it down. Then he went searching for Cal.”

Barb pointed. “Check out Cal. And now . . . here comes Jake.”

Stan extended his reach in the bowl. “Ten bucks says he flips and beats the hell out of Carlos.”

Tina stuck her hand out to him. “You’re on, he’s going to put up a front, and he won’t tell Cal.”

Lyle disagreed. “He’s going to know it’s a ploy. It won’t bother him.”

Barb had her say so also. “All of you are wrong. He’s going to get pissed, not beat up Carlos, but verbally slam the hell out of Cal.”

Stan stuck his ten dollars on the table. “Is everyone in?” He watched the other money come down, some in ones, some in fives. “Get ready. Here he goes.”

With bated breath they watched Jake reach for Cal’s room door.