Four days later, excellent results (Wyatt POV)

Wyatt Clarke

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Four days passed. I looked for a real job. And it was getting close to the soonest time I could check up on Tess and expect to see any results, according to the documentation.

Every hour that passed, I became more of a nervous wreck.

What if she figured it out? She wouldn’t figure it out, would she? Was I that stupid? I told myself it was impossible, but everybody thinks they got away with it until it turns out the police caught you on a gas station camera on the night of the crime.

I ran through it all again in my mind. I’d covered my tracks. I’d been careful about the subliminals I chose. I hadn’t even tried anything untoward. This couldn’t be it, could it?

I had to change my shirt right before I left for Tess's house - I'd sweated straight through it.

When I arrived, Cassy, her little sister, let me in. If I did my math right, Cassy was 18 by now. It was weird to see the annoying little sister so grown up. Stuck with her for a minute, I thanked Cassy for answering the door, but luckily Tess joined us and saved me from having to have a conversation with the little sister who I hadn't spoken to in years.

“Here to check up on your little project, huh?” Tess asked, grinning.

She had no idea. “Also to hang out,” I said. “Do you know the test phrase for CD 1?”

Tess thought about it for a second, and an odd expression came over her face. “We should do this in my room,” she said to herself. Then, brusquely, she turned and walked away.

“That was weird," said Cassy, suddenly too close.

I jumped in alarm, then looked to the side, finding Tess's little sister leaning out from behind me and watching her sister go.

I shoved Cassy's face away. "Mind your own business, squirt."

I quickly followed Tess to her room, scolding myself for letting Cassy take me off guard. Nosy little punk... some things never change.

After I entered Tess's room, she locked the door behind me and gave a smug smile. “The key phrase," she enunciated, "is 'I am Primed for Full Conditioning'."

Speaking that particular phrase aloud didn't seem to faze Tess, or really sink in at all for that matter. She spoke the words without so much as batting an eye.

My god. The subliminal conditioning actually worked. I mean, uh, of course I knew it would work. 'd planned this from the beginning, hadn't I?

Everything I’d read from the black project's file made it clear that I'd stolen lightning in a bottle. Pandora's box. Aladin's lamp. Why wouldn’t it have worked? Why the hell would I have risked everything, absolutely everything, on testing a subliminal conditioning method on my oldest friend, if I hadn't been convinced it would work beforehand?

Short answer, I wouldn’t have. Easy.

Still. Hearing Tessa say something so out of left field as I am primed for full conditioning made it click. This was real. This was happening.

I was a genius. Tessa would thank me later. Eventually. When I was finished with her as my test subject...

But plans for the future would have to come later. All at once, there was so much to do, so much to try! Where would I start?

I didn’t know. In that moment, the only thing I was certain of was that today was going to be the beginning of a great summer.

Tessa cleared her throat. I snapped out of my headspace.

“Now you owe me another forty dollars."

My hand went defensively to my back pocket, over my wallet. “Hey. I paid you at the start.”

Tess studiously adjusted her glasses. “Mm, yes, but if you want to test more than one CD, you need to give me more than one money.” She beckoned with a hand.

Greedy little...

“Question survey first," said. I pulled out my handy dandy notebook, reaffirming the cover story to Tess.

Although, at this point, I really was researching subliminals. Real subliminal learning, capable of overwriting human behavior, not some dusty, discredited theory merely hypothesizing its existence. I really did want to find out all about the CD and how much it had actually impacted Tessa.

In a minute, me and Tess were sitting on the floor while I meticulously quizzed her on each aspect of the assignment.

When I asked her how the music was? Tess's answer came with a smile.

“It was kind of meh at first, but the music selection really grew on me. Hope it's not a breach of protocol that I copied the tracks to my computer.”

I glanced down at the first item in my notebook. 1. You love this music. I put a checkmark next to it.

I looked up again. “Did you mind listening to the CD?”

“Nope. I signed up for this, don’t worry about it,” said Tess. “I listened to the whole thing about seven or eight times, a couple times a day, pretty much. It’s not really that long.”

I checked off the next item. 2. You don’t mind listening to Wyatt’s CDs. You will listen to them as often as you can.

We continued like that for a half hour. I proceeded down the list, checking off item after item.

3. You want to participate in Wyatt’s tests.

Check.

4. Do not worry about the subliminal contents of Wyatt’s CDs. They’re perfectly safe for you.

Check.

5. You are eager to experience more powerful subliminal effects.

Check.

6. $40 is more than enough compensation for being Wyatt’s test subject.

Check.

7. Key phrases are uninteresting and unremarkable. You will not think of them outside of giving them to Wyatt when he asks.

Check.

8. The key phrase for CD #1 is ‘I am Primed for Full Conditioning’.

Check.

9. You will only ever repeat key phrases in private. When you’re talking about the CDs or their effects, do so secretively.

Check.

Nine for nine. A perfect result. Tess demonstrated 100% uptake after only four days.

I began to sweat again. Perfect wasn't possible. The studies didn't mention results this strong. Not in less than a fucking week.

Was Tessa lying to me? Testing me, to see if I'd come clean? Were there men in black suits waiting for me downstairs, when I'd finished incriminating myself on tape?

“So... to be clear,” I said again, hand shaking as I pretended to keep notes, where I was really just scribbling jibberish, “w-what are your thoughts again on the phrase ‘I am Primed for Full Conditioning'?”

Tess scrunched up her nose. “You mean the key phrase for CD 1?” She shrugged casually. “It’s just a random phrase, isn't it? 'I am primed for full conditioning.' it’s not like it means anything.”

I **** myself to relax. I didn't care if the head of the NSA was coaching her through an earpiece, Tess was not that good of a liar, let alone an actress. She'd once had a panic attack in 4th grade when she was given a single speaking line in a school play.

I hadn't been found out. I was safe.

“Cool, cool. Cool." I let out a nervous laugh and clicked my ballpoint pen a few times for extra good measure. "Just checking. Got to be thorough."

With the diagnostic complete, and with my greatest fears unrealized, we transitioned into just hanging out.

Tess caught me up on how things were in town since I left. Some of the same old drama from high school, but new drama as well, with different actors moving onto the stage.

Afterward, I stayed for dinner and a movie with the Lewis clan. Hanging out with everybody together like old times, eating popcorn, went a long way to unwinding the damage the shock that Tess's alarming progress with her subliminals had done me.

With the sun setting, on my way out the door, I handed Tess her $40 payment and the next CD. I'd see her again soon - and with the CD I'd left her, the next time I did, I'd find out whether her reaction to the first CD was a fluke, or something more.