Terms (The Experiments Book 3) (8 page)

Huge calorie filled breakfast before her; Cal lifted her fork and dove in.

Jake knew something was up when he called the house and Rickie said Cal was busy. He wouldn’t have thought much about it had Rickie not said three times, she was consuming a boring healthy breakfast.

What was going on?

Jake was on his way home, and he didn’t tell Rickie. In fact, the best way to see what they were up to was to do what he did best. Infiltrate his own home without being noticed.

And he did so with ease.

He could hear the back and forth between Rickie and Cal.

“Anything?” Cal would yell.

“Nope. Have another.” Rickie yelled. “Coast is clear. No Sarge.”

“Thanks!”

No Sarge
. Jake snickered at that as he stood not two feet from Rickie. But he couldn’t stand unnoticed much longer, the second he heard Rickie sniff, he knew Rickie had caught his scent.

In front of the window, Rickie, wide eyes, slowly turned. His mouth opened and he got part of Cal’s name out, but it was cut short when Jake’s hand smothered over his mouth.

All finished chewing, and washed it down with a swig of her extra light coffee. “Did you say something Rickie!”

“He was trying to warn you,” Jake said as he walked into the kitchen, Rickie to his chest, still holding his mouth.

Cal screamed and immediately and protectively grabbed her plate.

“Fuck.” Jake still had a clutch on Rickie, who had begin to squirm. “Cal, this binge eating has to stop.”

“Binge eating?” Cal asked. “Normal eating. And could you let Rickie go?”

Jake released Rickie.

“Ug!” Rickie fluttered his lips. “I have Sarge’s steering wheel cleaner taste in my mouth. Ug!”

After a glare to Rickie, Jake returned to Cal. “No, normal eating would be healthy eating. That is not healthy.” Jake reached for her plate.

“Don’t touch my food.” Cal growled.

“Oh, nice, very nice.” Jake nodded. “Cal, give …his eyes shifted to the coffee creamer and the spoon. He lifted the spoon. “Cal? Why is there a damp spoon in the powered creamer?”

“I was eating it.”

“You were … Oh my God.” Jake walked to the phone and lifted it.

“What are you doing?” Cal asked.

“I’m calling the doctor There is something not right about you eating this much.”

“Sarge, stop,” Rickie said. “I think you’re being too hard on the Cal-Babe. You’re gonna make things worse.”

Jake hung up the phone. “You may be right. I don’t know. Rickie, I am just looking out for her best interest.”

“Dude, her best interest, or yours?” Rickie asked. “Do you want Cal-Babe not to gain weight for her, or are you afraid you’re gonna have a blimpo wife like you told Chuck?”

Cal gasped.

“What?” Jake blasted. “I did not say that.”

“Did too. Implied it.” Rickie nodded.

“Rickie, quit starting trouble.’

Rickie snickered and inched his way to Cal. “Cal-Babe you just enjoy that stack of pancakes with two pounds of butter. Tell Sarge. Did you gain a lot of weight with Jessie?”

“Nope,” Cal shook her head. “And I ate just as much.”

“Did you gain this much weight with me?” Rickie asked.

“Rickie,” Jake snapped. “How can she gain weight with you? She’s not your mother.”

“Oh, man, Sarge. Total low blow,” Rickie hung his head low. “Cal-Babe is the only real mom I have ever known. It’s like so wrong of you to insult the motherly goodness she has shown me.”

“Rickie, I apologize,” Jake said humbly. “You’re right.”

Rickie nodded. “Thanks Sarge. So did you Cal-Babe. Did you gain a lot of weight with me?”

“Not at all,” Cal answered. “You’re were my easiest child to give birth to.”

“I rule.” Rickie gave thumbs up.

“You both are ridiculous.” Jake said. “And Cal, you might as well eat now. As a matter of fact, we’ll go to lunch too. Eat. We’re having dinner at Col. Roberts house, and I don’t want you to be a glutton.”

Cal’s mouth hung open.

“Whoa!” Rickie perked up. “Dinner at the Bob’s house. Cool. Can I come?”

“No.” Jake answered.

“Why?”

“You’re busy.”

“No I’m not. I’m going.”

“Rickie, you are not going,” Jake said stern.

“Dude think of it as practice for the prez.”

Jake winced. ‘Christ. I’m gonna make you practice, don’t you worry.”

“Cool, so I can go tonight.”

Jake grumbled.

“Practice, Sarge. Got to learn all my P, Q, R, S, and T’s.” he snickered.

“No,” Jake corrected. “You have to learn to speak without saying ‘like’ every ten seconds, and dude.”

“Why?” Rickie asked.

“Because it is ill mannered to do so.”

“So, you don’t like think the prez says dude?” Rickie asked.

“No, I don’t believe the president says dude.”

“How do you know?” Rickie asked. “How do you know, he’s not just chillin’ at the big white house, sitting back with his best buddy the vice president, having a few beers, smoking some weed and saying. ‘What’s this button for dude?’”

Jake stared at Rickie in total amazement that he would even ask such a question.

Rickie enjoyed watching how perturbed Jake was. But sprang forward when the phone rang. “Got it.” He grabbed it. “Graison residence, this is Rickie how can I help you dude?’

Jake closed one eye, with a cringe. “He almost had it.”

Cal smiled

“Dude!” Rickie said brightly. “How’s it going hop a long?”

“Rickie.” Jake snapped. “Is that Billy?”

Rickie nodded.

“Don’t be rude, stop calling him hop a long.”

Rickie waved out his hand. “Yeah, she’s here. Being totally abused by the Sarge. He keeps calling her fat.”

“I do not.”

Rickie ignored Jake. “Dude, yeah, I’ll be there. Gonna go visit with the president dude for a while. Chill at the Whitehouse and hit on his babe daughter.”

“Give me that,” Jake snatched the phone from Rickie. “Bill. This is Jake.”

Cal rolled her eyes. “Like he doesn’t know that mouth.”

“How’s the leg?” Jake asked, then snapped an annoyed look at Rickie who said, ‘is that a trick question?’

Then Billy responded, “Is that  a trick question?”

“You know what?” Jake said. “I give up on all you people. I at least thought I could have a decent conversation with you. Anyhow, before I give the phone to Cal, I need you to monitor her dietary intake Bill, while she’s there. She’s been eating irresponsibly and gaining quite a bit of weight.”

“Jake,” Billy snickered. “She’s pregnant.”

“Why does everyone make it a point to tell me that?”

“Because she should be allowed to eat. Hey, if she gains weight, look at it this way. There’s more of her to love.”

Jake nodded once. “I appreciate that old saying, but I don’t need more of Cal to love. She’s is plenty right now, thank you very much.”

“You dick!” Cal shouted.

“Cal, call me dick one more time …”

“Dick.”

Jake grunted and handed her the phone. “I quit.”

Cal smiled a she took the phone, “Billy.”

Rickie nudged Jake. “See Sarge, see how happy he makes her.”

“Rickie …”

“Imagine, two weeks on a paradise pregnancy Island, Sarge. I may not even intrude if he lets her eat.”

“Rickie.”

“What?”

“Do you want to go to Col. Roberts house tonight.”

“Yes, Sarge, I do.”

“Go away then.”

“Eye-Eye Sarge.” Rickie saluted and took off.

“I hate when he does that.” Jake mumbled to himself, then snapped a look at Cal who laughed loudly on the phone. He tried to divert his attention elsewhere, like the dirty dishes, but he couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the overly friendly conversation that, for some reason, got under his skin.

***

Aldo had fueled the private plane, and awaited clearance on the Cleveland runway for take-off.

The first Monday of every month seemed to be nothing but traveling. But this particular Monday the traveling didn’t bother him much. Four cities in one day, and one of them was awfully close to a place he wanted to stop.

Whether he was welcome remained to be seen.

He wished it were near Caldwell though because he needed to see the face of Greg Haynes.

The morning phone call was a surprise, and Haynes gave very little details, only that there was going to be a mini experiment, four men were invited and would Aldo like to participate.

Details. Details. Give me details. Was Aldo’s proclamation.

Haynes declined. One million entry. One year. One chance to double. It wasn’t much of a win, but it was a chance to be the first investor in CSC-1. Cere-Stasis Challenge.

A new version of the Iso, not to replace it. To be the intermittent. Designed to breed funding, and satisfy the multitude of requests for research.

How much fun can one institute get from bizarre research studies?

The first of hopefully many.

Details forthcoming.

In or out.

Period.

Aldo was in, and Haynes merely said ‘we’ll be in touch.’

Obviously, his curiosity piqued.

“We’re getting ready to take off, Mr. Connilucci.” The pilots voice came over the speaker. “Would you mind buckling up for that, please.”

Aldo chuckled. “Buckle up? As if this seatbelt is going to make any difference if we crash.” He fastened the belt, and pressed the intercom to return comment. “All buckled.” He raised his eyes to Carter who fastened his seatbelt as well. “Is this ridiculous or what?”

“There have been survivors of take off crashes,” Carter commented. “Never hurts.”

Aldo winked. He liked Carter. He never met a man whose background was as sparkling as Carter’s. He didn’t make it a habit of taking the chief of his security with him on business trips. Usually just a henchman sufficed, but he wanted Carter to know the ropes. To know what he did and know the people Aldo trusted. He wanted his friends to know Carter; Aldo had plans for a long relationship.

The plane taxied and took off. When safely in the air, Aldo removed his belt, and re-booted the laptop.

“Do you need me to do anything?” Carter asked.

“No just hang tight.” Aldo leaned forward, after a few clicks, he smiled. “I’ll be.”

Technology. With the ‘bleep’ Aldo got wind that Cal was on line. He liked talking to Cal because she used the Internet Camera. Aldo used one as well, but not on the plane. He was only able to relay his messages using his voice, but Cal was different.

Aldo laughed. Especially when he accepted the invite to chat and was greeted with a movie box. A work out disk for pregnant women.

“What is that?” Aldo asked.

“Jake got it for me after lunch. What an ass. Can you believe it.” Cal said.

“You guys have always been exercise freaks. What’s the problem?”

“I’m exercising now,” Cal replied “But I guess he thinks if I work out properly then I won’t eat as much.”

“Are you eating that much?”

“Well yeah, Aldo, I’m pregnant. But I think Jake is used to me really not eating so all of the sudden he sees me eat a bowl of Rocky road and he’s having a fit.”

Aldo glanced up at Carter’s chuckle.

Carter shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir, shall I leave.”

“No. No.” Aldo replied “Cal, tell the big son of a bitch that my wife used to go get five roast beef sandwiches and consume them all in the limo ride home. He needs to, how would Rickie put it? Chill.”

“You’re funny, Aldo. Of course, Jake is making me eat before we go to his C.O.’s house for dinner tonight.”

“Oh,” Aldo said heartrending.

“Aldo, you sound disappointed that I’m doing that.’

“Well, Cal, to be honest, I’m going to be in Charleston until 8, and I thought you and I could have a late dinner. I’d invite the big guy, but I know he won’t come.”

“Aldo, Jake has us slated to leave the Robertson’s by nine. You know how he is about his agenda. I can meet you then.”

“Perfect,” Aldo smiled. “Call me when you get back.”

“Sounds good.”

“See you then.” Aldo disconnected their chat and glanced to Carter. “It’s an all go. You get to meet that very special friend of mine after all.”

“I look forward to it,” Carter said as the corner of his mouth raised in a protective smile.

***

The filet mignon was seared to perfection, and glided through his mouth, melting like butter. The potatoes seasoned just right, the perfect crispness to the green beans, and the salad fresh. The fruit was bountiful. Billy wasn’t in Kansas anymore when it came to hospital food.