Discovery

by Douglas E Roff

  Adam paused, looking at Misti as he came closer to the couch, then sitting on the edge, right beside her.

  Then he continued, “But I’m not an idiot. And I know I can change. I want to change. For you, to be better and not act like such a petulant child. But I need your help. I cannot change the things about me that need changing if you don’t help me with that. And I don’t like when you are angry with me. I’m not trying to piss you off. I know our life together won’t be smooth. We’re not exactly normal, you and me. But when we are together we can be our normal and that’s all I want. I want the best life possible for you and me. And our kids as soon as I knock you up.”

  “Two, three or four?” Misti said, looking totally serious.

  “Sorry?”

  “Two, three or four kids, Papa? What else did you think I meant?”

  “Not always certain. Big family, a litter of kids running around everywhere. Messy, loud and babies crying constantly. Chaos and havoc.”

  “Really?”

  “No. Those are the names I picked out for the boys.

  “What?”

  “Chaos and Havoc.”

  “Very funny. You’ll be a great Dad. I know you will.”

  “Why? I’ve shown no real talent for family.”

  “Not true, you big lunkhead. You have huge talent for family. But mainly for one reason. You want to be a Dad. A Dad, not just a father.”

  “Aren’t they the same?”

  “No, one is a biological description. The other is a choice. One takes a moment in time and the union of DNA. The other takes a lifetime of love and patience. I’m glad I married you … most of the time anyway. Sometimes you’re a total mess and a real disaster but I see promise in you every day.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Because every day I learn how to love you just a little bit more. A tiny bit but it’s always there, moving in the right direction.”

  “Even today?”

  “Especially today. I’m sorry I lost my temper with you. You know I’m a little crazy, right?”

  “I do.”

  “But you know how much I love you, right?”

  “I do.”

  “Then climb on board the Misti Express and show me that you love me. Just hold me. I need to feel you next to me.”

  “I can do that.”

  ***

  “OK, it’s time to go.”

  “Go where?”

  “Over to Rod and Cindy’s. We’re having dinner with them and their tribe.”

  “Oh?”

  “Just the girls. Cindy thinks tonight is a designated ‘hump night’ for her folks.”

  “We aren’t ever going to do …”

  “No,” Misti said. “No designated anything. Ever.”

  “Even when I’m old and ugly?”

  “Nope. Never gonna happen, sweetie.”

  “Good to know.”

  “By the way…”

  “Yes.”

  “The girls miss their uncle who has been far too busy lately to pay much attention to them. Very bad, popi. So tonight, you pay extra attention to them, tell them how pretty their dresses are and how cute they look. Got it?”

  “Is that the right … socialization?”

  “They’re little girls. Of course, it’s the right ‘socialization.’ They get ‘tough’ and love from both their mom and dad. Who knows what they get from Uncle Edward. He’s a disaster on wheels.”

  “Mom and Pops?”

  “Spoiled, candy and all other forbidden items Rod and Cindy never know about.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I know everything, Adam. Everything and everyone’s secrets. Don’t forget that. I’m everywhere.”

  “You’re scaring me a tiny bit.”

  “Be afraid, be very afraid.”

  “Forgot your meds, eh?”

  “Alright, so the girls are bright and active, happy and healthy. Now they need to know they’re loved every minute of every day by everyone, including you. You need to say it. Out loud. To them. Got it?”

  “I do. I’ll do better. Starting tonight.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.”

  “You could easily be confused with a tyrant, you know.”

  “I know. Great isn’t it?”

  “Yeah. Just what I was thinking. Great.”

  ***

  The barbeque was excellent and the rest of the meal terrific. Cindy and Misti cooked and gabbed like two sisters would, neither having had one in real life, and just went on about their business, ignoring the boys but including the girls. Rod and Adam were both banned from the kitchen, except if they said the secret password, which the girls made up as they went along. The night got sillier and sillier and when bedtime came around, Adam asked if he could put his little nieces to bed that night.

  Rod and Cindy looked at each other in disbelief. They knew Adam loved their girls but his parenting skills, and the soft touch, were not thought to be in his tool box.

  “Of course, Adam. The girls would be thrilled, wouldn’t you girls?”

  They were, of course. They loved their handsome young uncle with the pretty girlfriend who always stopped by to say hello. She was nice and fun. And she paid attention to them and brought them little presents. New Aunt Misti was so very welcome in their lives.

  “What’s that all about?” Rod asked Misti, when Adam walked the girls, each holding one of his hands, looking up at Adam and giggling all the way to bed.

  “Your brother can be trained. It’s not even that hard. Everything he is and will ever need to be, the good guy that he is in his heart of hearts, is there. Right there. He just isn’t always … aware. He just needs a little encouragement.”

  Cindy said, “He’s a different man now, you know. Different and happier. You know I’ve always loved him; not like you do, Misti, but we’re very, very close. I know he hurts inside, and I don’t really understand his pain, but it’s there and it’s terribly, terribly real for him. When we in high school I could see how desperately he was searching for something, struggling with himself and his demons. He was sixteen, working on his Ph.D. from CalTech, a forty-year old intellectual giant in the body of a teen. But his pain was evident, and it broke my heart to watch him. He was so alone. We were all around him, night and day, but much of the time he was there, all by himself. Nothing I could do but watch and pray.”

  “I know. I had struggles myself. Not like his. But Edward was there for me and he always seemed to understand my mind. He took the time, made sure I was busy. We wrote to each other every day. I told him everything. Everything. There was no part of me I did not bare to that man, and, in return, he loved me. Not for any reason other than he loved me. I’m mental, you know that?”

  “I know no such thing. You’re my sister and I love you. You’re perfect, just as God made you.”

  “I am not. My demons are deep and dark, my waking visions frightening. But I shared all the darkness with Edward and I had a savior who believed in me, trained me and set me on the right course. He promised me nothing, except one big thing. The only thing I ever wanted. Adam.”

  “I don’t understand. How could he promise you something like that?” Cindy was astonished.

  “I don’t know but when the time came he did. Now our bargain is complete, and I must take over for him and take care of my husband. It’s what Edward wants. I must do for Adam what Edward couldn’t do for his own son, but what he could do for me. In a sense, he trained me to be Adam’s wife, protector and teacher. I will never let either of them down, never. And I love Adam so much it hurts sometimes. I ache for him and I feel him. I know what he needs before he knows; I finish his thoughts, not his sentences.”

  “And, some tough love?”

  “That too. Like today. But I also let Adam be Adam. I let him show me his darkness and share it with him. Bring it out and look at it. Then we put it away. Maybe for later but maybe never again. He can’
t do that with his father, but he can do that with me. I adore my husband and always feel safe when I am with him. Only him. Edward, I trust and love but he’s a schemer and manipulator. He’s capable of almost anything and not all of it is good. Adam comes by his demons honestly. But that boy loves me. Loves me. Not despite my darkness but because of it. I know our love will be painful and our path crooked, but we will stroll that path together. And I will never leave him. Ever. We are pair bonded for life.”

  “Is there such a thing as loving a man too much?” Cindy was suddenly worried for her friend, not because of Adam, and because of Adam.

  “Yes. And I do. I don’t exaggerate in the least when I say I cannot exist without him. Nor do I believe, he without me.”

  “I think Hannah felt the same way. She just wasn’t right for him, of course but she loved him very much. She just never understood him. Poor thing.”

  “I know. And I don’t mean to be callous but I am. Hannah was practice. And I got the ring. She is his past. I am his future. Nothing will ever change that.”

  “That’s cruel, Misti.”

  “I know. But she’ll be back in all our lives soon enough. Then maybe we can all be friends. Better?”

  “Better. That’s the Misti I adore.”

  “Don’t get me started.”

  “Not tonight, anyway. What are you guys doing for Christmas?”

  Chapter 6

  “Did the girls give you any trouble?” Cindy asked Adam when he reappeared in the living room a half an hour later.

  “Naw. They’re little angels, both of them.”

  “Must be runaways. My girls aren’t angels; not even close.”

  “You’re the Mom. I’m the uncle. Different jobs.”

  “Meaning?”

  “I get to spoil them rotten behind your back. Then let you and Rod deal with the horrible consequences.”

  “You wouldn’t!”

  “I would! And I do! Hah!”

  “I’m telling Rod. And Mom.” Cindy laughed.

  “He’s standing right next to you. I think he knows this already anyway. Besides, what’s he going to do in the face of two little girls? He’s powerless; he’s only the Dad.”

  Cindy said, “Rodrigo? You going to stand there and let your brother spoil our kids rotten?”

  “Absolutely. Just wait ‘til he has kids. Then we get our revenge. Sweeeet!”

  Misti jumped in, “Enough of this chit chat, boys and girl. Let’s hear what you kids were doing in ‘New Joisey’? Dish!”

  They retired to the living room, got cozy as couples, refreshments in hand, then Rod began to explain.

  ***

  “With a technology generally nearing completion, but our prototype gadgets nowhere near operational, we began the next phase of development. We had just concluded some laboratory beta testing over a two-month period or so and were generally happy with the results. But now it was time to do some field testing before we started on our first live covert operation. It was a bit of a rush job given our circumstances, so some shortcuts were employed.

  “First we had to decide who we would surveil and where. For obvious reasons, we stayed here on the campus of the Institute and decided to choose subjects who either didn’t know or didn’t care about the project. The consensus target of choice was you, big brother. We figured if we bugged you, you’d be more inclined to get on board with the rest of the project. Right?”

  “Wrong!” said Cindy. “I had the good sense to discuss this incredibly dumb idea with Misti, who was very clear that no matter what we wanted to accomplish, spying on you, Adam, would achieve the exact opposite of the intended effect.”

  “Although the idea of bugging your bedroom with full audio and video capability had some appeal to my filthy minded wife,” Rod added, laughing.

  Misti smiled, “And that, family, was about the only thing my equally perverse husband might have agreed to. But we digress, don’t we gurls?”

  “We do,” said Rod.

  “We do?” asked Adam, chuckling. “Do I get a vote?”

  “No.” said Misti, “And let’s move this along. She looked at Adam, and whispered, “Down boy. We can discuss your media needs later.” Adam smiled the smile of a man who knew he would be well rewarded later for his good behavior now. This new life of his with Misti, he thought, was really working out. Really, really working out.

  Cindy smiled, then Rod continued. “What we really wanted to do was to test whether the functionality we tried to build in to the prototype worked and, if it did, how well. So, we decided to chuck the idea of attacking some innocent bystander and test whether it worked with someone who knew full well what we were trying to do. So, we set up three independent tests, one with Edward, one with Mom and one with Pops. We also ran some highly technical experiments on researchers at the Institute but those were covert and short term. In and out quick. Detection, operability and functionality. Our prototypes worked well but not well enough to meet the operational standards of our working hypothesis.”

  “Which was?” Adam interrupted.

  “That these newly created molecular scale materials could be managed electromagnetically, wirelessly and independently as well as provide the full suite of stealth functions as required. Audio, video and data theft. The whole package.”

  “And?”

  “And infiltrate any structure or mechanism, secure a source of power, steal everything possible that is digitally stored using existing SigInt software capabilities, then broadcast that info securely to a remote location.”

  “Go girls!” Adam said. “I’m impressed with the scope and complexity of the undertaking. Go on.”

  “The only weak spot was we couldn’t convince our software genius to help out as much as we needed, so we did work arounds.”

  “You cheated on me? With other nerds? I’m devastated.” Adam laughed, but was a little taken back nonetheless. But this time he knew and understood why. This situation was of his own making.

  “Well, we weren’t ‘gettin’ any’ at home, so to speak, so we had to find temporary solace in the arms of other programmers. We lusted for you, but you rebuffed our advances. What else could we do?”

  “I’m going to cry my eyes out later but, for now, just keep talkin’.”

  Misti looked at Rod and Cindy, “You see what I have to put up with? He says he won’t cooperate then has a hissy fit if you don’t ask. Go figure.”

  Cindy smiled and said, “Men: if we didn’t need ‘em, there’d be a bounty on ‘em.”

  Rod feigned surprise, then continued, “As I was saying, Cindy and I ran the tests by ourselves, according to rigid experimental protocols developed by Mom and Pops, every day for three weeks to see if we could get the data we were after. We gave no advance warning about when the test would begin, or end and we asked our subjects to act and conduct themselves normally. That meant no unusual electronics, no detectors and no other precautions. Just act normally. We came and went like we always do; nothing out of the ordinary.

  Then, we set up some additional control test sites, conducted some ancillary tests on campus. Technical stuff and component analysis. You know, does ‘A’ work better than ‘B’, but not as well as ‘C’. Everything else was conducted in our own homes.”

  “Wow, and you didn’t even tell me. I wanted to play!” said Adam, feigning a slight fit of pique.

  “Yes, we know. But we also know that what little you contribute helping us out on our Gens project is because Misti is making you. And you’re fighting us and ridiculing us every step of the way. Now, if you were fully on board, we’d have allowed you to collaborate with us in the sandbox. But … oh … no. You still really believe at that tiniest subatomic core of your inner being that we are wasting our time, so we decided to go to Plan B which, as you know, is the plan we use right after Plan A. Plan A, of course, was working with you openly and cooperatively. So, to truly convince you and relieve Misti of her obligation to corral y
our cooperation whenever we needed you, we decided to try out our gizmo as is, and verify proof of concept.”

  “And did you?” Adam asked, excited to hear more.

  “Hold your horses there, boy genius. I’m telling this story. And I’ll get to the super juicy and unbelievably cool parts soon enough. But first you have to hear about all our genius moments, then eat-your-heart-out!”

  “Bro’, you’re killin’ me. I’m sorry I was so stubborn. But now you’re just being mean and cruel and have turned my sweet innocent and unsuspecting slip of a wife into an agent provocateur and spy against me. Please continue; it’s totally awesome!”

  “Oh brother,” Misti said. “Just wait ‘til we get home mister.” Then turning to Rod and Cindy who were laughing. “And don’t you ever wonder what the color of the sky in his world? Rod, please continue. It must be getting past his bedtime. He’s both delusional and an amnesiac.”

  “We know.” said Cindy. “We’ve seen this movie before, believe me.”

  “You too Cindy Lou? I’m hurt. I’m genuinely crushed. You know, emotionally. Where were we again?”

  Rod continued seeing that, through the nonsense, the interest in Adam’s eyes was genuine. “So, we took about three weeks of intense experimentation then compiled results. The end.”

  “Oh no you don’t. You forgot test results and ‘New Joisey’.”

  “Ah yes, there was that. Cindy, take over from here. It was your operation.”

  Chapter 7

  “So, sis, you oversaw this little operation? I guess that begs the question of who put you in charge. Care to elaborate?”

  “Certainly, big brother,” said Cindy, somewhat impatiently. I think you …”

  “Go on Cindy,” Misti said. “Ignore him when he gets like this. I do, and as his wife I give you permission to not take the bait on questions he already knows the answer to. It’s maddening and annoying when he does this, and he does this far too often.”