Page 9

CHAPTER

NINE

ASHER

A sher watched with interest as his fellow retreat attendees piled into the large dining hall, chatting casually with one another as they lined up to grab breakfast. Aside from himself, Karlin, and Ned, there were five others who would be staying on-site.

“How well do you know these people?” he asked Karlin, keeping his voice low.

“Aside from Bajwa? About as well as you do.”

He nodded, watching as the others filled their plates with food and began making their way toward the table one by one.

He had done as much research as he could with just their names, but he hadn’t gotten very far on most of them.

No criminal records, no crazy news articles, no sex offenders.

It was likely that they were all what they claimed to be: a completely random group of individuals who had reasons to want to try an experimental psychedelic.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be surprised later.

A short, somewhat stocky man cleared his throat loudly and remained standing as the last of the guests settled down in their chairs near Asher and Karlin. Doc Bajwa, he assumed.

“Good morning, everyone,” the man said brightly, a chunky gold ring flashing on his finger as he clapped his hands together. “As most of you know, I’m Dr. Daman Bajwa, and I am so thrilled that this exciting day has finally arrived! Before we eat, let us give ourselves a quick round of applause!”

The others began to clap and Asher joined in, stealing a glance in Karlin’s direction. She was clapping, too, but the grin on her face was clearly plastered on.

Not for the first time, he felt a pang of pity for her. She had a lot on her shoulders. The outcome of the next two weeks would affect her life irrevocably, even if it went well.

“I would like everyone to stand up, one at a time, and introduce yourselves. Keep it brief, please–I’m sure you will forget a name or two, but by the end of our two weeks together, I’m sure you will all have become dear friends.

Experiencing the magic of DX8 together has a way of bringing people together at a deeper level, so I hope your hearts are open!

And remember: teamwork makes the dream work! ”

Though the man was clearly a huge nerd, Asher had to admit that Bajwa’s enthusiasm was pretty infectious. He found himself returning the man’s beaming smile without needing to fake it.

Karlin had told him that Bajwa lived, slept, and breathed DX8, but he hadn’t expected the man to have such childlike excitement about the whole project.

From what research he’d managed to do into the man, Asher had assumed his goals were simple: successfully research groundbreaking drug, make a ton of money, live happily ever after.

He didn’t doubt that it was indeed Bajwa’s plan to do just that.

But now, seeing the man in person, he understood how Karlin and many others had continued to work beneath him for so long despite his tyrannical management style, not to mention his willingness to take dangerous risks with their patients’ health.

If the man was faking his passion for his area of research, he was one heck of an actor.

“Now, let’s begin with my lovely colleague and partner in crime,” Bajwa continued, gesturing in Karlin’s direction. She raised her hand and gave an awkward wave across the table.

“Thank you, Dr. Bajwa,” she said, smiling sweetly, though Asher noticed that she had flinched at his particular choice of words.

“I’m Karlin McKenna, senior research scientist. You’re welcome to call me Karlin.

At least until I finally get my PhD, then Dr. McKenna it is,” she joked.

“I've been pretty busy in the lab lately, but we’ll get there eventually.”

Everyone chuckled appreciatively, including Asher, though he was mainly focused on the sadness he could see hidden behind her pretty blue eyes.

He had no doubt she’d been dreaming of a PhD for a very long time, and now, thanks to her courage, she was risking her entire future in an industry that she clearly loved.

And even though he doubted she’d believe him if he told her as much, he had become utterly determined to do everything within his power to make sure she came out of this situation stronger than before.

He wasn’t going to fail this time. Not the other innocent patients, and definitely not Karlin.

An older man with a silver moustache and an actual cowboy hat was up next, and he introduced himself as Paul Durant, age sixty-five. To no one’s surprise, he was a rancher in Montana.

Asher was next. He introduced himself as Axel Bishop, age thirty-two, and told everyone that he was a drummer for an indie grunge band in Austin.

It was the perfect cover, as far as he was concerned.

He could wear all of his old band tees, colorful Converse sneakers, and well-worn jeans that Gabe periodically tried to ban from the Forge Brothers Security office.

And, more practically, no one was going to produce a drum set he couldn’t play at the evening bonfire.

Asher paid polite attention to the final three patient introductions–a middle-aged woman named Lily, and two younger women named Cora and Destiny–but he was already beginning to feel he’d been sitting still for way too long.

He wanted to get to know everyone, but like Bajwa said, that wasn’t going to happen over a single breakfast, anyway.

And for the moment, he was eager to see what their first day on a drug research trial was going to be like.

“Now, I want to give you all a recap of our rules,” Bajwa said, looking over the cluster of patients with the air of a proud mother duckling as he drew a folded piece of paper from the breast pocket of his shirt.

“We have a bit of a list here, I know, but this is serious business. We will be saving lives with the results of this trial, and you’re all going to be a part of it. ”

Asher tried to listen, but by about rule number eight he’d begun to zone out Bajwa’s cheery speech.

Everything the man said had been basic common sense, and in any case, he listened to enough rules and lectures from Gabe to last him three lifetimes.

He was going to take full advantage of his time away from the office and loosen up just a little.

At long last, Bajwa decided to take a breath and gestured toward Karlin. “Now, if you’re all finished with breakfast, Karlin is going to take over our little tour. Follow us, please.”

“Don’t worry about the plates,” Ned chimed in from somewhere behind them, almost making Asher jump. Where had he even come from? The man was definitely at least a little bit creepy.

“Thanks, Ned,” Asher said quickly, handing over his well-scraped plate as he got out of his seat. “Appreciate it.”

The cook nodded and seemed pleased, but Asher was already switching his focus in Karlin’s direction as she, Bajwa, and the others began filing slowly toward the door.

He hurried his pace a little, not wanting to wind up at the back of the pack. Karlin gave him a pointed look as she opened the door of the dining hall and gestured for the others to pass her and head outside.

“Pay attention,” she mouthed at him as he followed.

He gave her a silent salute. Yes, ma’am. He’d definitely be paying attention.

He wanted to get a feel for where the off-limits areas of the retreat site were. But he also doubted he’d be able to peel his eyes away from Karlin for long, even if he wanted to.