by James Cole
“Would you consider helping me research this question of my increased endurance?” he asked. “There’s something odd going on there and I would very much like to find out what it is.”
“If I may ask, why would you choose to involve me?”
“Because you are the smartest person I know and you are very nice and I know you can keep a secret,” he replied earnestly.
“Thank you,” she said, sounding embarrassed.
“Are you interested in exploring this with me?” he asked. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to or anything…”
“I am, how do you say, flattened that you asked me,” she said. “But I’d like to think it over first. Do you mind?”
“No, no, not at all. Please, take your time.” Jeremy wondered if June meant to say flattered but did not correct her. Maybe she was flattened.
After not quite kissing June and then her not quite agreeing to help with the secret research, small-talk did little to dent the awkward silence that defined the long ride back to the Facility.
Chapter 11
Thursday, October 9
The very next day, it was June who breeched the subject.
“Can you explain to me again why we must keep this a secret?” she asked. “Wouldn’t it be more honest to ask Dr. Cain for permission to use his lab and equipment?”
“Yes, it would be more honest, but what if we asked and he said no? Or, if he thought this is worth investigating and we did discover something publishable, I’m afraid he might take credit as the primary investigator.”
“What if he catches us?”
Jeremy felt as if he were corrupting June, but if she wanted to be a part of this, she would have to learn to be a little sneaky. “Just make up something if he asks you what you are working on,” he suggested. “Otherwise, we can work on this mostly after hours when it is less likely to be noticed.”
“Okay,” she finally said. “I’ll do it.”
“That’s great, June. I really appreciate this,” gushed Jeremy. “And if at any time you want to quit or whatever, just tell me.”
“I will,” she said with a tenuous smile. “Have you ever had a muscle biopsy?”
“I see you’ve already given this some thought,” remarked Jeremy.
“I couldn’t sleep last night for thinking about it.”
“No, I’ve never had a muscle biopsy.” He could guess where this was leading but he asked, “Why?” anyway.
“Because we have to collect a sample of your skeletal muscle for the metabolism studies we’ll be conducting.”
“Couldn’t you just take some blood?”
“I’m afraid not,” she replied apologetically.
“You’re going to take a plug of meat from where, my leg?” he asked.
“Or,” June replied jokingly, “We could get it from one of the other mitochondria-rich tissues like the liver, brain or heart.”
“Alright, the leg it is. How exactly does one conduct a muscle biopsy?”
“With a biopsy needle, of course.”
With some concern, Jeremy watched as June opened and began to dig around in her desk drawer.
“You’re not going to do it now, are you?” he asked.
June pulled a book from the drawer as she laughed at Jeremy’s skittishness. “I checked out this book from the library this morning. We have to figure out how to do it first.”
“Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better,” he said sarcastically.
Together they read over the procedure. Jeremy was loath to learn that he would have to endure not one, but several sticks of the rather large biopsy needle. Worse, they had no means of obtaining an anesthetizing agent to deaden the affected area.
“We would need a medical doctor to obtain the Novocain,” June said. “I presume you don’t want to involve a physician in all this?”
“No, I don’t think we can do that,” he said. “I guess I’ll just have to suck it up and take it like a man.”
From June’s perplexed look, Jeremy could tell that she didn’t understand the expression. “That’s just another way of saying I’ll have to be brave and tolerate the pain,” he explained.
*****
On Monday, the needle arrived. On Monday night they locked themselves in Jeremy’s lab. Jeremy switched his blue jeans for a pair of gym shorts in the privacy of the cold room located in the back of his lab. When he came out of the cold room, he did not know if his shivering was due to the cold or to his apprehension.
“You know this is going to hurt,” June warned.
“I know,” he replied. “I’ve seen the needle.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Jeremy.”
“All this was my idea,” he said, trying to bolster her. “Let’s just get it over with.”
June, for her part, did fine, at least once she got over her initial squeamishness and after she figured out just how much force was required to bury the needle in Jeremy’s leg.
After the first stick, it was all Jeremy could do to sit still for the subsequent jabs.
When at last she was finished, June asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’ll live,” he said as he held a wad of paper towels on his bleeding thigh. “At least we can move forward with the project now.”
Chapter 12
Monday, October 27
Two weeks later, while Jeremy was working in his lab, Tavalin sneaked up from behind and yelled Boo! so loud that it left Jeremy’s left ear ringing.
“Alright, you got me,” Jeremy conceded. “I’m gonna get an ulcer from this stupid game.”
“Just remember, you’re the one who started it,” said Tavalin.
“I know. If you’ve told me once, you’ve told me a hundred times.”
“What are you doing for Halloween?” Tavalin sounded excited.
“Jinni and I have a date,” Jeremy replied. “I’m supposed to take her to Mario’s for dinner. Why do you ask?”
“Because there is this band playing Friday that we have to go see.”
“What band?” asked Jeremy.
“Singe.”
“Never heard of them.”
“They’re new to the scene but I hear they’re awesome,” insisted Tavalin.
“It sounds like fun, but I don’t know if Jinni will go for it. She generally prefers quieter outings.”
“So leave her at home,” suggested Tavalin. “It might be better if she doesn’t go anyway.”
“I really can’t break my date with Jinni.”
“Aw, come on, man,” implored Tavalin. “I can’t go by myself.”
“I’m not making any promises but I’ll see what I can do.” Jeremy didn’t have the heart to shoot down Tavalin’s plans, at least not right now.
As they were about to part ways, Tavalin asked, “Where did you say we were eating?”
“We?” asked Jeremy. “Jinni and I are eating at Mario’s.”
“Mario’s sounds good,” said Tavalin expectantly.
Jeremy had hoped that Tavalin’s desire to go to see Singe would wane as the week wore on. It didn’t. If anything, Tavalin’s enthusiasm grew. Jeremy knew it would be next to impossible to get out of going to see the band play on Friday night.
Chapter 13
Friday, October 31
It was Jeremy’s idea that they meet at the Facility. Just over one week remained before the dreaded advanced organic chemistry exam, and he thought he might study some this afternoon. He meant well, but for some reason he felt compelled to clean out his desk drawers and straighten up the lab first. Only after he finished those low-priority tasks did Jeremy turn his attention to the high-priority task of studying. He had read a grand total of nine pages when Jinni called a little before six p.m.
“I’m almost ready,” she said. “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
“I’ll meet you out front.”
Even though Jeremy could have used those 20 minutes to read a few more pages, he immediately closed the book and vacated his lab.
“You know,” said Jeremy, “if it were up to me, I’d say we just grab a burger somewhere, but Jinni insists we eat at Mario’s. I would understand if you don’t want to spend your money on such an overpriced establishment – you may want to wait and meet us at the Singe show later.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Tavalin. “I’m looking forward to some fine dining for a change.”
Jinni, as promised, arrived a few minutes later. She parked her SUV in the street and sat beside Jeremy on the front steps of the Facility. As they waited for Tavalin to arrive, Jeremy glimpsed Grady as he exited the building from one of the six front doors. Jeremy didn’t know what time Grady normally left work, but six p.m. seemed later than usual for him to be wandering about.
Jeremy and Jinni sat off to one side of the broad steps, well out of the direct path of anyone leaving the building. Thinking, or at least hoping, that the strange janitor and his albino-like eyes would pass them by, Jeremy focused his full attention toward Jinni. It wasn’t until Grady spoke that Jeremy looked up.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your beautiful friend?” asked Grady. As usual, his eyes were hidden behind the dark sunglasses.
Jeremy stood up and, as politely as he could muster, introduced Jinni as his girlfriend.
“Hi,” said Jinni hesitantly.
“What does Jeremy say about me?” Grady asked, immediately putting Jinni on the spot.
Jeremy had described to Jinni his dealings with Grady, including his penchant for off-the-wall – or even threatening – comments.
“Not that much, really,” she replied. Fidgeting under Grady’s direct gaze, Jinni added, “I know he gave you a ride home, or something.”
“That’s right,” Grady said. “Someday, God willing, I’ll pay him back. Did he also tell you about Reefers Woods?”
Jinni’s uneasy eyes shifted first toward Jeremy, then to the ground and back to Grady. “I don’t think so,” she replied hesitantly.
Fibbing did not come naturally to Jinni. Jeremy wondered if it were as obvious to Grady as it was to him.
“Good,” said Grady. “You’re going to have to be the one to keep Jeremy on the straight and narrow. I don’t think he can do it on his own.”
Jinni nodded but otherwise did not respond.
To Jeremy, Grady added, “Don’t let this one get away. She’s one of the good ones.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” replied Jeremy. “Jinni is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
With Jinni looking curiously on, Grady leaned in close to Jeremy and whispered, “Remember, the harlot always sets herself up in opposition to the bride.”
Jeremy drew back, made uncomfortable by the janitor’s forced proximity. Grady, however, was not finished. He placed a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder, as if to hold him still, and added, “Beware the point of no return.”
Grady turned his attention to Jinni, who was still sitting on the steps beneath Jeremy. Putting his hand on her cheek, he asked, “Wouldn’t she make a beautiful bride?”
Bristling with anger, Jeremy could not answer. It was one thing for Grady to intrude upon his personal space but quite another to violate Jinni’s. At least Jeremy knew to whom the bride comment referred. Perhaps sensing Jeremy’s antagonism, Grady quickly stepped back, adding, “Nice to meet you Jinni. Don’t forget to keep Jeremy out of trouble.”
As Grady walked away, Jeremy put a protective arm around Jinni. “I’m sorry about that,” he said. “I should not have let him get so close to you like that.”
“Why?” she asked innocently.
“He’s not right in the head.”
“He seems harmless enough,” she said. “What did he whisper to you?”
“Just a bunch of Grady-speak.”
“Grady-speak?” asked Jinni.
“That’s the term I coined for all the incomprehensible things the man says.”
“I guess he is a little strange,” agreed Jinni. After a thoughtful pause, she added, “but, for some reason, I like him.”
“He sure seemed to take a shine to you,” muttered Jeremy, “so I guess the feeling must be mutual.”
“Can you blame him?”
For comic effect, Jinni batted her eyes in a most exaggerated fashion.
*****
Jinni squealed and Jeremy jumped in response to the unexpected POP! and they watched with shocked amusement as the purple grape girl let loose a vicious string of obscenities. Someone in the considerable line behind her had popped one of the balloon-grapes that comprised her costume, and she was mad. Tavalin, too, got a piece of her anger, a fierce go-to-hell glare as he doubled over in a spasm of nerve-grating, hyena-laughter. Jinni, embarrassed, rolled her eyes at Jeremy and took a giant step up in line, away from Tavalin and his antics.
A few other patrons, in addition to the purple grape girl, wore Halloween costumes, but just as many did not.
“I’m here as a drunken graduate student,” Jeremy said with an exaggerated (but simulated) slur and authentic beer breath, “and look,” he whispered in Jinni’s ear, “Tavalin is dressed as the town idiot.”
“It’s a very convincing costume, for both of you.” Jinni laughed heartily at her own joke.
A burly bouncer, ridiculously dressed as a French maid, took up their tickets at the door. The place was packed, and Jeremy volunteered to buy the first round. He stood in line while Jinni and Tavalin pushed through the crowd toward the stage to claim a good spot.
After inching forward for a good five minutes, Jeremy stood only one person back from the bar and a cold beverage. He turned in response to a gentle tap, tap on his shoulder and found himself face-to-face with an angel, wings and all. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, with long, dark hair and eyes as black as night.
“I don’t mean to be forward, but could you do me a big favor and buy me a drink?” she asked. “The band is about to start and this line is so long. I’ll pay you back, promise.”
For a second Jeremy couldn’t speak or break eye contact.
“Yeah, okay. What?”
Angels, he discovered, even those of the costumed variety, had a way of shrinking his vocabulary to simple words, four letters or less.
“How about a White Russian?”
“Just one?” Jeremy wouldn’t have been surprised if he had just agreed to buy drinks for two, her and her date.
“What, do I look like a lush or what?” she asked with a cunning grin. “Yes, one will do just fine. I’ll wait for you over there,” she said, motioning toward a less crowded spot behind the lines of people.
She swished seductively away in her delicate, black-lace angel wings, matching gartered stockings, a skin-tight black spandex top and a skimpy black miniskirt. She looked like a lingerie model, and Jeremy couldn’t help but ogle her for the few seconds while her back was to him. He noticed that he wasn’t the only one checking out the girl with the raven hair and angel’s wings.
A few minutes later Jeremy squeezed away from the bar, precariously cradling the four drinks. She stood alone, near the steps that overlooked the pit area where Jinni and Tavalin waited. As he approached, her mouth smiled a little smile, but those black eyes smoldered with a faraway, unfathomable expression.
She spoke, shaking Jeremy from his reverie. “Listen, I really appreciate this. Here’s some money.”
“No problem, just glad to help a damsel in distress.”
The girl picked her drink from the four with one outstretched hand and extended a folded bill toward him with the other. Even her hands were beautiful, smooth and delicate with long, slender fingers. A ricochet of reflected light focused Jeremy’s gaze on a silver ring, intricately designed, which she wore between the second and third knuckle of her
left forefinger.
Jeremy almost, but not quite, refused the money. After all, wasn’t this just another example of a girl using her looks to get favors from gullible guys like him? But he was wrong, or so it seemed, as evidenced by what happened next.
“So are you here with someone?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m here with my date.” Jeremy noticed with a curious detachment that he hadn’t said girlfriend.
“That’s too bad,” she said, and asked, “Have you ever been to Bar Nowhere?”
“No, is that the place to be?” he asked, even as he cringed inside at the stupid remark.
“You should check it out sometime,” she suggested. “I’m there most Saturday nights.”
In a quick and totally unexpected maneuver, the dark angel kissed him, square on the mouth, her warm moist lips parted, her mysterious eyes locked on his. And then, without another word, she turned away and was gone, swallowed by the crowd.
For a moment Jeremy’s senses turned inwardly; he could no longer hear, see or smell the bar and its humanity. He was alone in the crowd, his heart and brain racing dragsters, burning rubber down a hot pavement strip.
Like a movie fade-in, the external world slowly came back into focus. Guiltily he scanned the mob for Jinni and Tavalin. When he finally picked them out, thankfully, neither appeared to be looking his way.
“What took you so long?” Tavalin asked as Jeremy fought his way over to where they stood.
“Too many drunks, too few bartenders,” Jeremy replied distractedly, feigning great interest in the stagehands’ last-second checking of instruments and microphones.
Jinni didn’t say much, just thanks for the beer. She gave no indication that she had seen anything. This was good, except that in his guilt, Jeremy began to worry that she had seen the kiss and was waiting to see if he would confess. Before he had a chance to fully gauge her mood, the band members took their places on the stage and began to play.
As Tavalin’s taste in music did not always match Jeremy’s musical palate, Jeremy came tonight not knowing what to expect. For once, Tavalin’s inclination was correct; the band was awesome, not withstanding its members’ strange appearances.
