The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments) by Jacqueline Druga

getting that from, Major?”
    “Well, I asked you to join me in a work out today. You turned me down.”
    “It was five in the morning.” Cal said in her defense.
    “I think that was your excuse.” Jake said and opened the manuscript without further interruption from Cal. “If you would have come with me, you’d probably be in bed right now crashed. Then again, I would have had to slack a bit for you, and that would have made me antsy.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “So it probably was a good idea that you didn’t work out with me today.” He turned a page raising his eyebrow.
    “Major Graison, I’ll have you know that I could keep up with you better than you expect.”
    “I highly doubt that.”
    “You do, do you? And I’d bet anything that you wouldn’t have to slack.”
    “You don’t think?” Jake said arrogantly.
    “I don’t think. Maybe not the first day or two, but after that, I’d keep up with your big military ass in a heartbeat. That is, within reason.”
    “Oh, of course,” he said non-believingly. “Within reason . . .” Jake lifted his one hand up. “Is that meaning, like no more than a quarter of a mile hike?”
    “Oh . . .” Cal grunted. “You’re so arrogant, you frustrate me.”
    “Then it’s a good thing we don’t work out together, you’d probably frustrate me.”
    “You know what I should do? I should work out with you. That would show you.”
    “You can’t do that, Cal. I start at five in the morning.” He turned a page of the manuscript.
    “I can get up at five in the morning.”
    “Oh, you can, can you? Well, why don’t you show me what you got?”
    “You’re on.” Cal pointed at him with a firm finger. “Tomorrow I start with you.”
    “Good.” Smiling to himself, Jake shifted his eyes to look at her, trying not to show his pleasure in having her join him.
    Cal’s mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe I just took the bait. You baited me.”
    “Yep, I did. And now, let’s get back to the books.”
    “Jake.” Cal stopped him. “No, you’re wrong. They can’t be important.”
    “Cal, I’m telling you. They are part of a mental thing here. John’s fucked up comment to you yesterday made me start to think. If they were just informational books, then why didn’t they tell us Griff was deaf? That’s something pretty big to leave out.”
    Cal paused for a second. “All right that’s a point. And on that, remind me to brush up on my sign language.”
    Jake was surprised. “You sign.”
    “Have so all my life. My mother was deaf. I was speaking sign language before I spoke words. I can remember when I was about four or five, I used to think my mother could hear, but she pretended to be deaf to block out my father’s loud yelling.” Cal smiled. “I remember that vividly about him.”
    “He yelled a lot?”
    “Sure. My father was a Drill Sergeant. No wait . . . a Master Drill Sergeant.”
    “I see.” Jake nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. “So your father was your strict military upbringing?”
    “Yeah, well, my father was military, but he died when I was very young. My stepfather is the one I’m talking about. He’s the only father I really remember. He was a good man. In fact, he took care of Jessie, raised her so I could finish school.”
    “I take it you’re still close to him. Is your mother still married to him?”
    “No.” Cal crossed her arms and brought her knees up some. “My mother died when I was fourteen. My step-father raised me; I stayed with him. He was a good guy. He passed away three years ago.”
    “Sorry to hear that.” Jake exhaled. “So . . . your back ground explains why you recognized me as a Major.”
    Cal gave him an odd look. “How did you know I recognized you as a Major? You said you didn’t remember meeting me. In fact, you said you only pay attention to people that capture your attention.”
    “All right, I do remember meeting you. And yes, you captured my attention. How could you not, you walked