The Experiment of Dreams Read Online Free

you.”
    “You’re sure? It’s no problem.”
    “Absolutely. As you can see, my nerves don’t need the extra caffeine anyway.” He gave her a big smile and she walked away, returning with a stack of napkins.
    “Well,” Dr. Wulfric said, “that was fun.”
    “You burn yourself?” Ben asked.
    “Oh, I’m fine.”
    They were quiet as Dr. Wulfric cleaned the mess, then he heard Ben’s voice crack. The boy was laughing.
    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I wasn’t trying to laugh.”
    Dr. Wulfric felt his own face form into a smile, and he started laughing as well.
    Good, he thought. That ought to lighten the mood.
    “Now,” Dr. Wulfric cleared his throat. “Where was I before I embarrassed myself … our employer. He wants you to know that he appreciates any work you may choose to do for him. Whether or not you decide to go forward with the project is completely your own decision.”
    “Um, right … I would hope so.”
    “He is truly thankful for the work you’ve done at the hospital and hopes you are happy with the bonus Dr. Wright recently offered you.”
    “Right, that … so it was your employer who gave me that money?”
    “Yes, in a way. Our employer recently made some very considerable contributions to the Annapolis Foundation for Sleep Research, and he is now on the board of directors as a silent partner. It’s more of a title than anything else—he doesn’t do any hands-on work. He’s not even a doctor … anyway, you could say that the money came from him, the hospital, and all the doctors and staff. The man is, well, a bit of an eccentric. He has many interests both at home and abroad. He contracted us—my assistant and me—not very long ago to continue work on a project we had begun at Johns Hopkins.”
    “If you started the project at Johns Hopkins, why not finish it there?”
    “Finances, my boy, finances. We ran out of them. Johns Hopkins cancelled the funding for the project. Then, a few months later, our employer approached me with an offer to continue the project under his directive. This project, this work—is too important to simply give up on. We’re onto something big, and when I say big, I mean huge. Enormous.”
    “And you’re not going to tell me, right? I have to see it for myself.”
    “Until we show you the lab, yes. I think that would be the best course of action.”
    They were quiet, sipping their coffee and eating their food. Dr. Wulfric finished eating and folded the napkin over his plate.
    “This lab,” Ben went on, “I’m guessing it’s not an ordinary lab, like in a hospital.”
    Dr. Wulfric nodded. “By traditional standards, no. Technically, it’s one of a kind. There’s no other lab quite like it anywhere in the world. I’m sure of it.”
    Ben nodded. “And the money?”
    “Our employer is a generous man. He would like to pay you just to come see the lab, for taking up your time. He knows that you’re a busy man.” Dr. Wulfric doubted Ben was busy at all, but he was not about to say anything.
    “Where’s the lab?”
    “The Hamptons.”
    “The Hamptons? Like, the Hamptons in New York? That’s, what, four hours away?”
    “Three and a half, with no traffic.”
    “Christ. Well, when does he want me to go? And what’s the pay?”
    “He will pay you one thousand dollars for the day. You can drive yourself if you want, or he is willing to have you driven there and back.”
    “A thousand dollars just to check it out? That’s nuts!”
    “Cash.”
    “This is fucking sketchy, pardon my saying so. You want me to get in a car and be driven several hours away to do some unknown, off-the-record experiment in some stranger’s house?”
    “Well,” Dr. Wulfric shifted in his seat. He wished that Ben were still laughing. Maybe I should burn myself again. “I understand what you’re saying, but let me explain something—and I would like to be completely honest with you.” Dr. Wulfric put his cup down on the saucer, lacing his fingers. “We didn’t