“Yoni was a challenge.” Jason reached inside a storage compartment and removed a paper-thin clear aero gel sensory helmet. “Put this on, the inside of the helmet will conform to the size and shape of your skull. Close your eyes. When you feel a buzz, mentally repeat your phrase or passage three times, then give me a thumbs-up and I’ll shut it down.”

Following the boy-genius’s instructions, I placed the lightweight helmet on my head. Its curved interior was comfort-fitted and surprisingly soft to the touch. After a moment I could feel its internal skin squeezing gently over my skull, brow, and ears—an electrical vibration tingling my scalp.

Vanilla sway. Vanilla sway. Vanilla sway.

I opened my eyes, giving Jason a thumbs-up. The buzzing sensation ceased. Removing the headpiece, I handed it to the cryogenist. “You’re sure this will work?”

“Sure as I’m standing here. The moment the neural-generated command is received, the pumps activate, draining the tank. Once the tetrodotoxin clears, you get a shot of adrenaline to the heart and you’re conscious again. It’s not how I’d want to be woken up, but it’ll do the trick.”

“You’re a good man, Jason Sloan. Just keep this little secret between us, and five weeks from now you’ll be smelling colors and exploring all your lost memories.”

“To hell with that. I want to tap into my primordial DNA, trip on ABE while reliving my existence as a Neanderthal. Better yet, maybe I can claw my way back through evolution, crawling on all fours as a prehistoric mammal!”

I shook my head. In the world of chocolate and vanilla, Jason Sloan was pistachio.

Chapter 13

13

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

—MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI

Day nine. My shift over, I entered Stateroom Seven in need of a shower, food, and sleep. I could smell Lara’s perfume as I crossed the living room and entered the bedroom.

“Good evening.” She was lying in bed, wearing only one of my T-shirts.

“Lara, what are you still doing here? You’ll be late for your shift.”

“Thought I’d be bad today.” Raising her model-thin legs, she playfully walked up my chest with her toes, the action exposing her naked lower torso. “Let’s be bad together.”

I felt my erection growing larger as ABE recorded my egotistical thoughts of revenge sex that I could later flaunt in front of Andria. My groin urged me on like a horny teenager: Just do it, Ike. We need this, Ike. This is therapeutic sex, dude, exactly what the doctor ordered.

I took a step back, allowing her legs to fall. “This isn’t going to happen, Lara.”

“She doesn’t want you, Ike.”

Listen to her, my groin seemed to urge, she’s making sense.