Chapter 10

  SNAP

  Kelton found himself lying in the frame in the lab, face to face with a security guard. The guard whooped in surprise and staggered backward away from him. The guard landed in a heap on the floor, staring at Kelton. “Jiminy Christmas! Where did you come from?”

  The woman guard appeared at the door. “Stand back!” she commanded. “Stay where you are. There's no need to get physical here. Jimmy’s just doing his job!”

  Jimmy flustered, “He just came out of nowhere. He must have been in that magic box on the table. He jumped me when I could only see him out of the corner of my eye.”

  “Jumped him? How could I jump him? I'm lying on the table.”

  The woman in blue helped Jimmy from the floor. “Sir, you just need to get your things gathered up. We will escort you to your car. I warn you against any further assault. This is going into our report.”

  “I didn't even touch the guy. There was no assault!” Kelton shook his head. This day had taken a terrible turn.

  The guards watched as Kelton stashed his papers and the cardboard boxes holding his personal effects into the back seat of the Nova. It had started to rain. The driver's seat was wet because of the window he had not been able to roll up. It took a few tries to start the car. He backed up, shifted into drive, and drove slowly from the parking lot. The security patrol car followed closely behind until he was clear of the campus.

  Deke drove slowly home, trying to figure out how he was going to tell Gillian about all of this. Yesterday he was on the verge of riches. Today he's unemployed.

  He pulled into the driveway. Climbed out of his car and walked slowly up the steps. He leaned his head against the door for a few seconds, then turned the knob. The front room was empty. “Gillian?”

  “I'm in the laundry room,” she called as she walked into the kitchen/living room and threw her arms around Deke. “I’m so glad to see you. I just had to rinse out the detergent bottle to be able to run a load of laundry. I'm really looking forward to payday! We are out of everything,” she said. Deke felt the strength leave his legs.

  “How was your day?” asked Gillian. She pulled back to arm’s length, still holding his hands, and looked into his face. “Oh no, what happened?”

  Deke took a deep breath and told her about the day's events. He started with Alex and Beta’s unauthorized experiments. He went into detail about his frustration that he had not been able to replicate his experience. They had experienced no consciousness while in the box.

  Gillian dropped Dekes hands and put her hands on her hips. Her face got hard. “You let them get in the box? What were you thinking? I'm already freaking out about you having been in the box. I know it saved your life, but what else did it do to you?” She started to pace around the kitchen in a small circle. “ I don't know! You don't know! Nobody knows. And now your team is experimenting on themselves? You're lucky you haven't been escorted off the campus.” She glared into his eyes.

  Deke looked at his scuffed shoes. He tried to look back at Gillian and could not meet her gaze.

  “What?” she demanded.

  Ever since Tilly had left the lab this afternoon, the stress had been building up in Kelton. He had been blindsided by his team, by Tilly, and the security guards. It had all happened so fast that he hadn't considered how he felt about it. Gillian's tone was the final turn of the screw. To his surprise, the floodgates opened. “What do you mean ‘what’?” He raised his voice. He had never raised his voice to Gillian before. “I've had a wild, wild day.” His voice got even louder and more intense. “The people I work with, the people who are supposed to have my back, did everything they could today to mess up my life. Alex and Beta with their loose cannon experiments. Chaz narcing on the team to Tilly. Do you know I got marched out of the lab and to the parking lot by a security team? Everyone saw me. The entire physics department thinks I'm a thief or worse. My crappy Nova wouldn't start. When I finally did get it started, I barely made it home on what gas was in the tank.” Tears of anger and frustration ran down Kelton’s face. “I drive up into my crappy yard and my crappy house. Somehow, I think I'm going to get some understanding when I come in the door... and now this?” Kelton’s eyes challenged Gillians.

  Kelton imagined that Gillian would soften, put her arms around him, and try to offer some comfort. He was mistaken.

  Gillian's voice grew sharp and quiet. “Don't you raise your voice at me. I will not allow you to speak to me like that. Your team screwed up under your direction. You're trying to justify playing fast and loose with the protocols because you're ‘changing the world.’” She held up her fingers in air quotes. “You're endangering yourself, your sanity, your job, and security... and your marriage! I'm with Tilly on this one. You have gone too far. The only reason I haven't escorted you out of the house myself is that you didn't get in the box again.”

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  She glared at Kelton. Something in his face must have betrayed him. “You got in the box again?” she asked incredulously.

  “Yes, I got in the Box again. I had to! Tilly was closing the lab and shutting the project down. I had to know,” Deke said through clenched teeth.

  Gillian turned away. “Don’t speak to me in that tone! In fact, don’t even speak to me! The damage you've done to our lives today, it's just... I can't even get it out. I have to leave. We need a break.” She paced the room. “My mother's been having kind of a tough time lately. I'm going to stay with her. You can do whatever you want. I just can’t watch you destroy our lives.”

  Deke stormed out of the house and slammed the front door on his way out. He stomped down the walkway, waving his arms, mentally continuing the argument. A tiny blue smart car pulled up in front of his house. Distracted, he nearly walked into the car. Looking up, he saw Alex and Beta were in the car.

  “What's up doc?” called Alex.

  Kelton looked up. “Oh, hi Alex, Beta. It's been quite a day, hasn't it?” He tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. “What are you doing in this section of town?”

  “We need to talk with you. You weren't answering your phone, so we drove over.” Beta said from the driver's seat.

  “I'm not sure I can manage productive conversation right now,” said Kelton.

  Beta plowed ahead. “Alex and I have already received emails from Tilly. Tilly put Chaz in charge of the project. The email says we have a contract with the university that needs to be fulfilled. We are to report back to the Milton Cohen building tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. He wants to get the project back on track.”

  This stopped Kelton in his tracks. “It's only been one hour since we left the lab. That's an incredibly short time to get any kind of action, especially in a university.”

  Beta said, “That's exactly what we were saying. Tilly must have been planning this for days!’

  “By ‘we,’ Beta means both of us.” Alex interpreted. “If we don't report tomorrow, we’ll be expelled from the university and forfeit this semester's credit hours. The worst part is that we are expected to testify against you in an upcoming hearing.”

  “If we comply, any complaints against us, against us and Alex, will be held in abeyance,” said Beta.

  Kelton sat down on an unkempt patch of grass, his elbows on his knees and cradling his head in his hands. Beta and Alex got out of the car and knelt on the ground next to Kelton.

  Kelton pulled out his phone and scanned the notifications. “I've got an e-mail from Tilly here, too.” He tapped the phone.

  Notice of Disciplinary Action This is to formally notify you that a disciplinary hearing regarding allegations of professional and clinical misconduct has been scheduled. The details are as follows:

  Date: Tuesday, October 9

  Time: 3:00 PM

  Location: Dean’s Chambers, Room 605, Milton Cohen Building

  You are required to attend this hearing. Failure to do so may result in further disciplinary action being taken in your absence. Please come prepared to discuss the matter and present any relevant documents or information.

  Sincerely,

  Robeson Tilly PhD, FAPS

  “This day just keeps getting better and better.” Kelton shook his head, laid on his back, and stared at the sky. “Well, it looks like we all got bit in the backside by our enthusiasm.”

  “It's just so unfair. We are on to something huge; I mean, this is a paradigm shift. And now they're cutting us out of it. This is our work. Your work, Doctor Kelton!” Said Beta.

  “They can't make me testify against you,” said Alex. “It was my chicken that caused the whole problem. Don't worry, Doctor Kelton, Beta and I won't cooperate with them.”

  Kelton drew in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then blew out a sigh. He sat up and looked at Alex and Beta. “Yeah, we cut some corners today, but I have seen lots worse done in the Milton Cohen building. This isn't about protocols or rules or even scientific integrity. It's just academic politics and greed. We should have seen this coming- I should have seen this coming. Tilly’s had way too much interest in my work- In our work. His unannounced appearances in the lab should have been a big red flag. There is no way that all these notices and documents were created in the last two hours. He's obviously been planning this for weeks. Chaz just gave him the opening he needed today.” His head slumped to his chest. “What a weasel.”

  “Well, Chaz had a tough couple of days,” Beta defended.

  “I don't mean Chaz Is a weasel. I'm talking about Tilly.”

  Alex jumped in. “Yeah, Chaz had a scare, but I'm still P.O.’d with him. All this time we've been working with him on this project, hanging out together. It's a huge betrayal… And he's now in charge of the project- and who knows what's going to happen to us. I can't afford to get expelled. I can't even afford to lose my job.”

  As they discussed what to do next, the door to the house opened, and Gillian appeared on the front steps carrying a suitcase and her purse. She fumbled down the steps, made her way to her car, and threw the suitcase in the back seat. She noticed Alex and Beta sitting by Deke on the front lawn. “Deke, I'll be visiting my mother for a little while.” She looked like she wanted to say more but shook her head, got in her car, and drove off.

  Kelton acted like he didn’t hear her.

  “Is she going home to mother?” Alex tried to joke.

  Beta elbowed him and gave him a harsh look.

  Kelton ignored the exchange. “Look, there's no reason for you guys to get crushed in these wheels of academic politics. Just go to the hearings, talk as little as possible, and keep whatever position you can. This is either going to get resolved, or it's not. For now, let's just assume everything is going to work out O.K. Don't get expelled, don't lose your positions”.

  “What are you going to do?” asked Beta.

  “It looks like I've got the house to myself for a little while. I'll give it some thought, make some calls, and hope for the best.”