Webster

WEBSTER

By Amanda Desiree

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Copyright © 2024 by Amanda Desiree

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Published by Inkshares, Inc., Oakland, California

www.inkshares.com

Edited by Adam Gomolin

Cover design by Tim Barber, Dissect Designs

Interior design by Kevin G. Summers

ISBN: 9781950301621

e-ISBN: 9781950301652

LCCN: 2023939603

First edition

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

PART two

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet, Phd

Letter From Ruby Cardini To Tammy Cohen

Letter From Ruby Cardini To Tammy Cohen

Announcement From The New Haven Register

Postcard From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet, Phd

Closed-Circuit Footage

Closed-Circuit Footage

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Private Interview Between Reid Bennet And Celia Armendariz Circa 1989

Closed-Circuit Footage

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Closed-Circuit Footage

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Cardini

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Excerpt From Dumb Animal? Preis-Herald Recants Stance On Webster’s Language Skills

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Video Footage: 20/20 Interview With Taniesha Jones

Home Video Footage

Unedited Interview With Isaac Morgan Circa 1991

Notes By Eileen Fenn

Notes By Janet Fairbanks

Notes By Janet Fairbanks

Notes By Janet Fairbanks

Notes From Janet Fairbanks

Notes By Keith Branneman

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet

Video Footage:20/20 Interview With Taniesha Jones

Unedited Interview With Isaac Morgan Circa 1991

Video Footage: 20/20 Interview With Taniesha Jones

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Notes By Edgar Torrance

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Notes By Taniesha Jones

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Video Footage: 20/20 Interview With Taniesha Jones

Letter From Tammy Cohen To The Daltons

Dark Lady Of Trevor Hall Terrified Talking Ape

By Patricia Hartigan

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Radio Show Whispers In The Dark

Letter From Tammy Cohen To Ruby Dalton

Letters To The Editor Of The Newport Daily News

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Unedited Interview With Isaac Morgan Circa 1991

Notes By Taniesha Jones

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Archival Film Footage

Closed-Circuit Footage

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Uncorrected Proof Of All The Rats Were White

(And Some Even Wore Lab Coats): On Racism And Sexism

In The Sciences Today By Taniesha Jones

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet, Phd

Closed-Circuit Footage Video Session #428

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Memo From Jeff Dalton To Manfred Teague

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Cohen

Closed-Circuit Footage

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Terror At Csam: How I Escaped An Angry Ghost And A Roomful Of Possessed Apes

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Unedited Interview With Isaac Morgan Circa 1991

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Whispers In The Dark

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Another Attack: ‘Dark Lady’ Nearly Kills Marianne Foster

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Dark Lady Casts Long Shadow

Letter From Tammy Steinmetz To Ruby Dalton

They Were All Over Me! Foster Mauled By Demon Chimps

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Foster Phantom A Fraud!

So Long, Marianne!

Video Footage: 20/20 Interview With Taniesha Jones

Closed-Circuit Footage

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Uncut Interview With Keith Branneman

Undated (Partial) Memo From Manfred Teague To Csam Staff

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Call To Action By Brad Vollmer

Petition In Friends Of Smithy V. Center For The Scientific Advancement Of Man And Manfred Teague

Assorted News Headlines November 12, 1978

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Diary Of Ruby Cardini

Assorted News Headlines November 21, 1978

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Vincent Cardini

Excerpt From Private Interview Between Reid Bennet And Samantha Stone, Esq., Circa 2000

Signs Carried By Protesters Outside The Courthouse

March 13, 1979

Smithy Trial Begins By Elizabeth Mackintosh

Court Transcript, Friends Of Smithy V. Center For The Scientific Advancement Of Man

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Smithy Trial Begins By Elizabeth Mackintosh

Court Transcript

Excerpt From Smithy Trial Begins By Elizabeth Mackintosh

Political Cartoon

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Court Transcript

Whispers In The Dark

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Court Transcript

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

From Specter In The Courtroom; Witness Faints By Gordon Daviot

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From The Latest Word On ‘Smithy’?

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Whispers In The Dark

Video Footage: 20/20 Interview With Taniesha Jones

Letter From Tammy Steinmetz To Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Talking Nonsense With Chimpanzees By Randall James

Whispers In The Dark

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Whispers In The Dark

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Court Transcript

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Whispers In The Dark

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Vincent Cardini

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Postcard From Jeff Dalton To Ruby Dalton

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Letter From Jeff Dalton To Ruby Dalton

Khj-Tv News Broadcast

Whispers In The Dark

Transcript Of Kmj Radio Broadcast

Whispers In The Dark

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Fresno Today With John Bell, Courtesy Of Kjeo

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet

Excerpt From ‘Dr. Frankenstein’ In The Flesh: Manfred Teague Testifies By Elizabeth Mackintosh

Court Transcript

Excerpt From ‘Dr. Frankenstein’ In The Flesh: Manfred Teague Testifies By Elizabeth Mackintosh

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Surveillance Footage Courtesy Of Fresno Family Zoo

Television Broadcast Courtesy Of Kfsn

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium

By Reid Bennet, Phd

Archival Footage

Court Transcript

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Court Transcript

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Letter From Gail Beveridge To Vanessa Ralston

Home Video Footage

Fire Inspector Says Csam Fire Was Vandalism

By Gordon Daviot

Friends Of Smithy Become Disciples: Inside Fresno’s Newest Religious Movement By Dan Ross

Letter From Tammy Steinmetz To Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Private Interview Between Reid Bennet And Samantha Stone, Esq., Circa 2000

Notes Left For Smithy At The Disciples Of Smithy Shrine

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Excerpt From Trespassers Seek New Ghost At Trevor Hall By Patricia Hartigan-Hendricks

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Deposition Transcript Of Ruby Dalton

Letters To The Editor Of The Fresno Gazette

Home Video Footage

Private Interview Between Reid Bennet And Celia Armendariz, Circa 1989

Khj-Tv News Broadcast

Illustrated Flyer

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Television Broadcast Courtesy Of Kfsn

Court Transcript

Court Transcript

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet, Phd

Court Transcript

Court Transcript

Court Transcript

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Excerpt From Borley’s Verdict By F. C. Howe

Diary Of Ruby Dalton

Television Broadcast Courtesy Of Kfsn

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Outtake Footage

Letter From Tammy Steinmetz To Ruby Dalton

Letter From Ruby Dalton To Tammy Steinmetz

Video Footage

Video Footage

Excerpt From Piers Preis-Herald’s Address To The Committee For The Scientific Investigation Of Claims Of The Paranormal Csicon, 1998

Video Footage: The Eliot Guthrie Hour

Excerpt From Smithy: The Millennium Compendium By Reid Bennet, Phd

Acknowledgments

PART TWO

EXCERPT FROM

SMITHY: THE MILLENNIUM COMPENDIUM

BY REID BENNET, PHD

CHAPTER NINE: NEW START, NEW PROBLEMS

Defeated and distraught after the latest tragedy, Preis-Herald’s researchers relinquished their work of fourteen months, their controversial headquarters, and their dreams of scientific greatness, separating to pursue individual, uncertain futures.

Nobody’s future was less certain than their research subject’s.

The dissolution of the Yale study ought to have ended Smithy’s story. His name should have been lost in ignominy, relegated to an obscure historical footnote or a puzzling trivia question. Instead, his transfer to a new home launched a new and frightening phase in the saga that would eventually grip the world . . .

LETTER FROM RUBY CARDINI

TO TAMMY COHEN

August 7, 1975

. . .While I’m grateful to Piers for allowing us to accompany him and Smithy to Fresno, I wish I hadn’t seen what I saw. I’ll try to give you an accurate picture of what happened without making you feel as dispirited as Jeff and I do.

The Center for the Scientific Advancement of Man is the most aptly named organization I’ve ever seen: its sole purpose is to advance and enrich one Manfred Teague, AKA Man—not Fred, not Manny—just Man.

Dr. Teague is sixtyish, stocky, and florid-faced with pale eyes, thinning blond hair, and a little Van Dyke beard. He also has a god complex and an excessive taste for drink. If ever I thought Piers was arrogant, I did him a disservice. 

When we entered the lobby of the visitor center, we were greeted by a giant portrait of Teague in formal attire standing astride a bearskin rug beneath a lion’s head mounted over a fireplace. A dog lies supplicant at his feet while a chimp cowers in his arms and a large bird (a hawk, I think) perches on the mantelpiece behind him. I’m surprised he didn’t force the artist to include a concubine with a bowl of grapes and a palm frond in the background. The work is called Man and Beasts, and it typifies Teague’s worldview. His laboratory is Man’s world, and he rules it entirely: animal subjects, research assistants, office staff. 

Visitors. 

Man met us without the least courtesy. Rather, he acted like we’d done something to offend him, although we were on time and had come at his invitation. He looked over Jeff and me once, briefly, then focused his attention on Piers. He never even shook our hands or asked our names. 

Teague was even colder toward Smithy. You would think, having paid such a large sum to acquire him, Teague might show some excitement at seeing him. Instead, the first words out of his mouth were, So, this is the little beast. Let’s have a look at him. He then proceeded to thoroughly inspect his new toy, check his gums, feel his muscles, etc. 

Poor Smithy cringed the whole time. He was so anxious, he was shivering. Jeff held him steady during the examination and groomed him to try to calm him. About halfway through the interview, Smithy signed, Who are you? but Teague didn’t react. He didn’t seem to care that his chimp wanted to talk to him, nor did he ask for a translation. Clearly Smithy’s language abilities are what make him so valuable, so I’m puzzled as to why Teague never addressed them. He merely said Smithy looked healthy enough, even if he was too well-fed, and that he should eventually breed successfully. Then he led us outside to the cages.

Teague’s chimps are actually well-off compared to some medical test subjects, though I grit my teeth as I write that. Unless they’re actively participating in a trial, they don’t have to live in a tiny box with bars in some darkened basement. They reside in twos and threes in large outdoor cages with small trees, climbing platforms, and ropes, almost like zoo enclosures. The campus includes about fifteen acres of fields and groves and a small man-made lake where the chimps are occasionally taken for walks. I hope Smithy gets lots of exercise. I can’t imagine how he’ll survive if he has to stay caged all the time.

The first attempt to put Smithy in a cage failed. Teague unlocked the door and told Jeff to toss him inside. Poor Jeff started to carry Smithy into the enclosure, and Smithy went wild. He tried to clamber over Jeff’s back and escape. He thrashed and pulled at Jeff’s hair and beard something awful, but Jeff never complained. He kept telling Smithy that everything would be all right, but I could hear tears in his voice. I’m sure Smithy did, too. 

Finally, Piers took Smithy from Jeff and carried him into the enclosure himself. Smithy clung to Jeff so tightly, Piers struggled to peel him away. God forgive me, but I hoped in a dark part of my soul that Smithy would take a bite out of Piers. 

Up in their branches, the other animals in the cage screeched and threw sticks (and other things) down on the new arrivals. I’m surprised our boy didn’t have a heart attack. He hasn’t seen any other chimps since he was born and had no idea what was happening except that he was in danger. The whole time, the hair on Smithy’s back and arms was standing straight up like porcupine quills.

Teague told Piers to leave Smithy there. I protested, arguing that Smithy, as an outsider, would be attacked. The bastard just laughed at me. Kid, that’s the law of the jungle. Your fancy little Lord Fauntleroy has to learn what he is and where he is. Getting bitten or scratched is a chimp initiation. He’s got to find his place in the hierarchy. Then he showed me a cattle prod and said, If things get out of hand.

Jeff went in the cage and helped disentangle Smithy from Piers. The poor little guy clung to them both. Jeff kept asking Smithy to let go, and, after about ten minutes, Smithy did. Teague stood by, toying with the cattle prod the whole time. I think Smithy sensed what would happen if he didn’t behave.

When Piers and Jeff exited the cage, Smithy leapt for the door. Teague barely shut and locked it in time. Our poor boy hung on to the bars and cried, signing, Out! Out! over and over. Then he signed, Sorry, like he thought we were leaving him there as punishment. It made me sick. The only reason I didn’t cry was because I swore to myself I wouldn’t lose it in front of Teague. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me as a ‘weak’ or ‘soft’ little woman.

Teague told us to come back to the house and have some lunch, to leave Smithy to get used to his new home.

When I looked back, Smithy had given up groveling at the door and retreated to a corner of the cage farthest from the other chimps—who were mercifully still in their places in the trees. He was rocking back and forth with his hands over his face, like maybe he thought it was all a bad dream he could wake from if he first rocked himself back to sleep.

I can’t bear the thought of leaving him in that place. He must be so frightened. His friends are gone, his home is gone, his clothes are gone. He’s been thrown in with a bunch of strange noisy monsters out to get him, and he has no idea why. No matter what he did at Trevor Hall, he doesn’t deserve this. Throwing Smithy in the deep end and expecting him to swim isn’t workable. Chimps can’t swim.

The whole thing sickens me. Literally. I feel like I’m going to throw up any minute, and I haven’t eaten anything since we boarded the plane. Once we got to our hotel, I cried for over an hour. Jeff held me, and he cried, too.

Despite Teague’s clean break philosophy, we mean to reason with him. Jeff and I have talked extensively, and we agree we’re not willing to leave Smithy behind. We’re going to appeal to Teague to take us on as researchers at his facility. It’s not such a crazy idea. We have experience handling primates, and we practically have our degrees in hand. I could transfer my credits to the local university and finish up there, or petition Yale to let me take a yearlong sabbatical for more field experience. It won’t be forever. Eventually, we will have to let Smithy go, but not like this. Not right now. We’re going to stand by our boy as long as we can and help him adjust. Then we’ll go home.

If Teague won’t let us stay, we’ll just have to kidnap Smithy.

Wish us luck!

Ruby

LETTER FROM RUBY CARDINI

TO TAMMY COHEN

August 10, 1975

Dear Tammy,

We’ve succeeded! Sort of.

Man has agreed to add us to his staff. Jeff is relieved. He was having nightmares about Smithy being in that place. Now we’ll be able to keep an eye on him. Perhaps seeing a couple of friendly faces will buck him up enough to adapt to his new circumstances.

The downside is that now we’ll be in that place. That’s almost enough to give me nightmares. I keep telling myself it’s jitters: I was reasonably prejudiced against CSAM at first because Man was taking Smithy from us. I was primed to see horrors everywhere, so naturally I found them, and in doing so, I overlooked the positives of the organization. CSAM has conducted some interesting and wide-ranging research. This could be a great opportunity. I must believe I’m doing the right thing.

I agree with what Jeff said on our first day here: Smithy’s our responsibility. He’s like a defenseless child, our child! He depends on us. We can’t cast him out like garbage. Even if he hurt our friends, we can’t judge him without trying to understand why, and we’ll never get that chance if we turn our backs on him like Piers. Piers’s experiment is in ruins, so he’s pissed. For him, Smithy was only a route to more accolades. For me, Smithy represents the best part of my life. It’s because of Smithy that I met you.

He can be sweet, even when he’s tearful or raging.

We’ll start our new jobs in two weeks. That leaves us time to make some bare-bones preparations. Jeff will stay in California and look for a place for us to live. Meanwhile, I’m going back to Connecticut to arrange the move. I have to gather my things, sell off or give away what I can’t take with me, and do the same for Jeff. He’ll be back to oversee the packing of his camera equipment.

We’ve decided something else, too: we’re in this together, and that means getting a license from the justice of the peace. I’m full of butterflies and tearful but triumphant at the same time. I expect CSAM to be the worse, but I’ll have a better to counter it.

I called my folks last night for the first time in over a year. I had thought to write but suddenly I wanted to tell my mother my news. When she answered, I hardly knew what to say after so long. Mom sounded surprised—and unsteady, once she knew it was me—but she stayed on the line. We had a long talk about all that’s happened in my life and about Jeff and our plans. Vince had filled Mom in on more than I had expected, but of course neither of them knew about me pulling up stakes to move West. Mom cried over that, but I suppose that’s natural upon learning your lately estranged daughter is moving thousands of miles away. I think she’s happy, nevertheless.

My dad even got on the line for a bit. That was more nerve-wracking, but we stayed cordial. He’s not happy that I’m going the secular route instead of marrying in the Church, but Jeff is a Methodist, so we couldn’t have a Catholic celebration, anyway. I think Daddy’s at least glad I won’t be living in sin anymore. He started to warm up a little toward the end of the conversation. He even made a crack about grandchildren. Maybe he thinks getting married will get me to stop thinking about an advanced degree and turn me into Suzy Homemaker. We even talked about them coming out to New Haven for the wedding, but it’s short notice. At least talking is a start. 

I’d better wrap up and start packing because we have tons to do and not much time to finish it all. I’ll wire you about the dates for our departure. Please come! I’d love to see you again before we leave.

Warm regards,

Ruby

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM

THE NEW HAVEN REGISTER

August 27, 1975

Kurt and Martha Dalton are pleased to announce the marriage of their son Jeffrey, age 25, to Ruby Veronica Cardini, age 22, of Scranton, PA. Miss Cardini is the daughter of Umberto and Patricia Cardini.

The couple wed in New Haven on August 26th. Both attended Yale University and met while collaborating on a research project. They move to California in September; Jeffrey will pursue a graduate degree at Fresno State University.

POSTCARD FROM RUBY DALTON

TO TAMMY COHEN

August 30, 1975

Front: Image of Santa Cruz Boardwalk;

Text: Santa Cruz, California

We made it! We’re honeymooning in Santa Cruz, about halfway between CSAM and my darling new in-laws. My older, married SIL Angie has offered to help me set up house, though our new apt hasn’t space for much beyond a murphy bed and coffee table.

I finally got to walk on a real beach! It was magical. We found more magic at the Mystery Spot, a natural wonder where gravity is askew, water runs backward, and people appear to shrink or grow depending on where they stand. We skipped the Winchester House though; we’ve had enough of haunted houses.

Please visit us soon!

xoxo

Ruby & Jeff

EXCERPT FROM

SMITHY: THE MILLENNIUM COMPENDIUM

BY REID BENNET, PHD

CHAPTER TEN: PHASE TWO

. . . Manfred Man Teague was already infamous among his peers. After Smithy arrived at CSAM, Man’s reputation grew more controversial.

While he was long regarded as a controlling, unpredictable firebrand, most people were unaware of Teague’s deep-seated paranoia, or that he spied on his employees throughout the facility. Hidden recorders gathered audio. Security cameras were conspicuously placed in laboratories and the animal quarters, but cameras were also secreted in the break room and the offices of Drs. Edgar Torrance and Janet Fairbanks.

Lawsuits inevitably brought these recordings to light. The ensuing transcripts shed additional insight into the experiences of the Daltons, their fellow researchers, and the chimps.

CLOSED-CIRCUIT FOOTAGE

Date: September 3, 1975

Location: Corridor D, Research Animal Quarters

The concrete-walled, windowless space is arranged like a kennel. Animals are stacked in twenty-one sturdy chain-linked cages three levels high. Each cage is roughly five-by-five-by-six feet. The room is devoid of natural light; overhead fluorescent fixtures provide the only illumination. Each cage contains a macaque, capuchin monkey, or chimp.

A stout blond woman wearing a dark sweater, plaid skirt, and tights, weighs food on a scale near the sink on the left side of the room. She fills a series of plastic trays. The door to her left opens and a black woman wearing jeans and a T-shirt enters, followed by Ruby.

Taniesha says,  . . . only a few on the ward right now. Later I can show you the ones outside.

Marianne looks up from the trays, puts her hands on her hips, and asks, Is she allowed in here?

Taniesha says, Man said to show her around, so I figured I’d introduce her to some of our subjects.

Ruby says, Hi, Marianne.

Marianne doesn’t respond and returns to her work.

Taniesha crosses to the opposite end of the room, away from Marianne. She points out the cages, and says, Our little guys, the capuchins and the macaques, don’t have real names. We go by the codes on their ID bracelets. See: Monkey #IA689.

Ruby asks, "Why’s that?

Taniesha says, Ah . . .they don’t tend to be as hardy as the apes. But we still give them nicknames. I call this one Bozo. All that hair sticking up looks to me like a clown’s wig. The chimps get proper names. Right now, we’ve got twenty-four; twenty-five with yours. Only twelve are in trials currently. Taniesha points to the highest cages and says, The one on the left is Bashful. Next to him is Kidd, as in Captain. Then Woolly, Nero, Fred, Bill, Gef—

Ruby says, Like my husband! Are they all males?

Marianne points directly behind her to two chimps on the lower level and says, Those are Camille and Violetta. Dr. Pankhurst named them. He’s not here anymore.

Ruby asks, Why?

Marianne says, He was an opera buff. He named them after tragic heroines.

Taniesha says, I don’t think she was asking about the chimps, Marianne. Pankhurst wanted more latitude to pursue his inquiries. He said Man was too overbearing. It’s a shame; he was cool. Even if he did always blast opera music.

Taniesha pauses in front of one cage. The chimp inside fidgets listlessly with a corn husk and watches the two women with suspicion. Taniesha says, Man’s particularly proud of this one.

Ruby asks, Any special reason?

Taniesha says coldly, "He acquired her all by himself."

Ruby watches her questioningly.

Taniesha adds, In Africa. Man goes there pretty often. He calls it his ‘shopping trip.’ He usually brings back new specimens, but mostly I think he goes for sport. Rosalie here served both purposes.

Ruby asks, How do you mean?

Taniesha says flatly, He likes to hunt, as you may’ve guessed. Rosalie and her mother were minding their own business one day when Man was out hunting. He shot and killed her mother. Said she was gonna attack. Took the baby girl home to experiment on her.

Ruby, visibly shocked, says, My God!

Taniesha turns from the cage to face her, expression wooden. Exactly.

Ruby asks, "Did he—? Does—? How do these animals come to be here? Has he acquired any others that way?"

Taniesha says, Not with his own hands, but that’s common practice among animal traders, regardless of what the governments might say. Of course, some chimps are bred stateside, like this one. She steps in front of the next cage, and the ape inside stares back. This lady is Eleanor. Man named her.

Ruby asks, For the Queen?

Taniesha says, For Eleanor Roosevelt. That’s who he says she looks like.

Ruby says, Oh. She gazes at the chimp’s wrinkled face and says, Hello, Madame Eleanor. You’ve got a cool namesake.

Eleanor turns her back.

Ruby says, Hmmm. She’s not very sociable.

Taniesha says, She’s on meds. I’m not allowed to say what kind.

Marianne says, You don’t know that!

Taniesha says, OK, fine. Eleanor’s in a double-blind trial, but her symptoms of moodiness and withdrawal are more in line with the drug than the placebo.

Ruby says, "Am I allowed to know what kind of trials are going on?

Taniesha says, Sure. We’ve got three active drug trials and one more in the red-tape phase. A mobility study. An aggression study—seeing what colors or noises or combinations thereof are most noxious. Some off-the-wall stuff, but you get used to it . . .  She hesitates in front of a row of empty cages. "Ahhh . . . it looks like one study is in progress now. Victoria—we say Old Vic ’cause she’s been around the longest—should be in here. The other chimps in our collection are Wendy, Ajax, Muriel, Rocky, Nando, Grandee, Ted, Philip, Fanny, Belle, Old Kate—she’s right behind Old Vic in the matron department—and Mr. Splitfoot. He’s got the devil in him; we have to keep him and Nero separated."

Ruby whistles and says, Wow. That’s a lot to remember.

Marianne snickers, and Ruby glances back at her.

Taniesha pats her shoulder and says, You won’t be working with them all at once. You’ve got time to learn their names. And you will. They’ll become familiar, and they’ll grow on you. Unfortunately.

Ruby asks, Why do you say it like that?

Taniesha looks somber and says, Some of the trials we do here are hard on the apes. Sometimes they leave marks. Or worse. Kidd used to play all the time, just like a kid. He’d spin in circles when he was out in the big cages or anywhere he had room; put his hand on the ground and push himself till he got dizzy. But he went through a trial . . . I can’t even remember what it was now . . . 

Marianne washes her hands at the sink and calls, Meningitis.

Taniesha says, Yeah, complications from the disease they injected him with to test the vaccine cost him the mobility of his arm. Now he can’t swing—and he certainly can’t spin. You hate to see that kind of thing happen, but you can’t do anything about it.

Marianne says, Better it happens to an ape than some poor kid. We do important work here.

Taniesha says grimly, "Yeah. Well, that’s all for corridor D. Corridor E—for external—refers to the outer enclosures, if you hear anybody mention that. Now I’ll take you back to C . . . "

She opens the door and leads Ruby out.

Ruby pauses at the threshold to glance back at the cages. Her gaze travels over the imprisoned animals, then she shuts the door.

Marianne turns off the faucet and loads the trays into the refrigerator.

CLOSED-CIRCUIT FOOTAGE

Date: September 8, 1975

Location: Corridor B, Lab B

Ruby and Taniesha, each wearing a work apron, stand in a corner, whispering inaudibly. Ruby slouches, hands in her pockets, but both women jump to attention as the lab door opens. Ruby squeals as Smithy, on a leash, runs inside with open arms. He stops short, jerked backward by Man, who enters the room behind him.

Man orders, Heel!

Smithy struggles, prying at the collar around his neck.

Ruby kneels and signs to him, Stop. Be good.

Smithy whines.

Man jerks the leash again and says, None of that! Now do you see why I don’t want him to have anything to do with you? You get him worked up.

Ruby stands and puts her hands behind her back in a submissive pose. She says, Sorry, sir. I expect he’s just excited. He probably didn’t know I was still here. I’m sure he’ll calm down momentarily.

Man says, He’ll expect you to treat him like a little prince. He’ll start whining and begging you for favors. Man points to Taniesha. Don’t you allow it!

Taniesha shakes her head and promises, I won’t.

Man says, I’m expecting you to keep an eye on both of them. He points to Ruby. I don’t want her spoiling him! You’re going to be managing this chimp for the coming series of trials, Taniesha. We’ll see how he takes direction from one of his African cousins. You monitor him the first week and make him heed you. This one is a little higher maintenance than most. You see, he apparently can talk. But I’ll let that one— again pointing at Ruby—explain all that to you. No coddling, girls! I mean it. Now, I have an eleven thirty meeting down the hall, and I want absolutely no disturbances. Keep it down in here. I’ll be seeing you later.

Man tosses the lead to Taniesha and leaves. Smithy stays in place, cowed, watching the door close. He looks up at Taniesha and trembles.

Ruby hisses, Ass!

Taniesha says, Two more years and I get my degree. Just two more years, and I’m done.

Ruby asks, How do you stand it? Don’t you ever want to punch him in the face?

Taniesha says, Only every day.

The girls laugh.

Ruby approaches Smithy at last. He throws his arms around her legs, and Ruby comforts him.

Taniesha watches, letting the leash hang loose. She asks, What’s this about your chimp talking?

Ruby says, Oh, I thought everyone knew.

Taniesha shakes her head.

Ruby continues. Smithy’s always lived exclusively with people. He uses sign language to communicate with us. I think he sees himself as human. His skills are remarkable. He knows more signs than any other simian in a language study to date. At one point, we measured him learning twelve new signs a week, and he retained them all over a week later. He’s hungry for new words. If you don’t teach him the sign for something he wants to know, he’ll make up his own sign for it and teach it to you.

The chimp looks up at Ruby and bats his eyelashes.

Ruby laughs. Yes, we’re talking about you, Smithy. He’s vain, too.

Taniesha says, "Wait . . . I think I read about this chimp in Time. No, that animal was called Webster."

Ruby says, Yes, Webster’s his official name, but everyone on the project called him Smithy. He likes that name best.

Smithy signs to Taniesha, Who are you?

Taniesha asks, What was that?

Ruby says, ‘What’s your name?’

Taniesha says, It’s Taniesha, Smithy. She holds out her hand. Smithy stares at it, then up at her face.

Ruby says, He wants to know your sign. See, within the Deaf community, people choose a distinct sign that represents something meaningful about themselves. It’s faster than trying to finger-spell your name. If you’re a musician, for example, you might combine the sign for playing an instrument with the first letter of your name: say, the letter T and ‘guitar.’

Smithy again signs, Who are you?

Ruby asks, So, who do you want to be, Taniesha? How do you want to identify yourself to Smithy?

Taniesha says, Ahhh. I don’t play any instruments. I’ve got a tattoo of a rose on my left shoulder, and my right ear is pierced three times.

Ruby says, OK. Smithy, this is our new friend, Taniesha. She signs, Friend, puts the T-sign over her left shoulder, and pinches her right earlobe. Go on, just like this. She repeats the sign.

Taniesha copies Ruby. She says, Taniesha, Taniesha, I’m Taniesha.

Ruby says, This sign means ‘friend.’ She links her index fingers together.

Taniesha mimics it, repeating, Taniesha. I’m your friend. She signs her name and ‘friend.’ Smithy glances from one woman to the other. She asks, Is he getting it?

Ruby says, Be patient. Sometimes he plays dumb. Let’s do something else. She turns her back on Smithy. So, like I said, Smithy was raised as a human and ate human meals: burgers, spaghetti, p-i-z-z-a. What do you feed the chimps here?

Smithy’s ears twitch, and he makes the sign for ‘play.’

Taniesha says, Well, the Man provides a healthy, balanced diet for his subjects. It’s probably not too tasty, though: a mash of grains and lentils supplemented with leafy greens and fruit. Sometimes at supper, there’s also some kind of meat.

Smithy signs ‘play’ more rapidly. Taniesha notices and asks, What’s he—

Ruby interrupts. Do the chimps ever get special treats? Say, on their birthday or after completing a difficult trial?

Taniesha says, No-o, no birthdays. We do reward them with food sometimes, maybe a banana or an apple. If your boy has a sweet tooth—

Smithy signs, Play Taniesha.

Taniesha exclaims, Hey! He said my name!

Ruby speaks and signs, Good boy! What do you want to play?

Taniesha imitates the sign. That means ‘play’?

Ruby says, Uh-huh.

Smithy signs, Tickle. He runs to a corner and hops up on a chair. He signs, Taniesha tickle.

Ruby says, He wants you to play tag. If you catch him, you tickle him.

Taniesha says, I’m not chasing him around the lab. If Man comes back in—

Ruby says, Man’s in an important meeting. Besides, Smithy will let you catch him so he can be tickled.

Smithy signs, Play, and runs to the opposite corner.

Ruby says, Go for it! You’ll get to know each other this way.

Taniesha runs after Smithy. He runs back to the other corner. She chases Smithy around the room while Ruby watches. Finally, Smithy jumps onto a chair and Taniesha corners him. Smithy whimpers.

Taniesha says, It’s OK. I’m a friend. She signs, Friend.

Smithy slaps her arm, and she recoils. Ow!

Smithy pulls at Taniesha’s shirt tail and sniffs at the material.

Ruby says, It’s OK. He’s just playing.

Taniesha looks at Ruby for a long moment, then cautiously reaches out to Smithy. He pulls back.

She signs, Friend, and offers her hand again. Smithy seizes it and tugs on her fingers, examining them. Taniesha scratches Smithy behind the ears with her other hand. Smithy hoots and she scratches his back. Taniesha starts to tickle Smithy and he squeals. Smithy slips past Taniesha and jumps into Ruby’s arms.

Ruby says, That’s a good start.

Taniesha says, He ran away from me.

Ruby says, But he let you pet him. And he didn’t bite you.

Taniesha says, You didn’t say he bites.

Ruby says, Because you’d have been nervous. Smithy can sense fear. This way, you got to play a nice game instead. See, Smithy? Now you’ve made a new friend. 

Taniesha approaches; he watches her closely. She pats Smithy’s back; he submits. 

Now, Ruby asks, what else can you tell me about their meal plans?

LETTER FROM RUBY DALTON

TO TAMMY COHEN

September 19, 1975

. . . For a minor private research lab, CSAM is surprisingly large, comprising a learning center where the doctors occasionally lecture to CSUF and the laboratory complex where the research occurs.

The latter is where I’ll be spending most of my time. It features a well-lighted reception area and an atrium with a fountain (Corridor A). Farther back and farther down (to save surface space, Man had the land excavated so the hallway slopes down, and parts of the facility are underground) is a row of offices and lab rooms (Corridor B); the doctors each have their own office (Man’s is twice as large as the other two, with a view of the fields).

The rest of the staff congregates in a central office space with desks, typewriters, and a mimeograph machine (Corridor C). Nobody gets a private desk; each assistant takes whichever seat is available during their shift. This area is subsurface, so we have no view. We do have a little kitchenette/break room, very modern, with a microwave, refrigerator, and too-bright lighting.

The last section (Corridor D) houses the animals actively participating in a study. This area looks like a dog pound with cages stacked one atop another. The animals within have barely enough space to stand at full height or turn around. Fortunately, a sanitary drainage system prevents the animals on the bottom level from being showered by the waste from their upper neighbors. Some labs overlook those logistics. Nevertheless, it’s a brutal, barren prison. The inmates shiver, shudder, and stare at you with wondering, accusing eyes, questioning what they’ve done to deserve this exile—and what horrors you plan to inflict on them next.

The rest of the campus is open and landscaped. The external primate housing (Corridor E) consists of naturalistic enclosures with trees and rocks, located a quarter-mile from the laboratories. Remarkably, these cages aren’t overstuffed; I haven’t seen more than five animals in an enclosure at one time. Beyond is open terrain: trees, a man-made lagoon, and some terraced gardens for growing crops to help feed the animals. From time to time, researchers take the animals out on leashes to walk, run, and climb for exercise. The groundskeeper lives in a trailer among the cages so he can attend to the animals’ needs promptly. He’s an interesting character, but more about him later.

Man owns two dozen chimps, twenty capuchin monkeys, six spider monkeys, and thirty macaques. Eventually, I’ll work with them all on various research projects, but for now, I’m assigned to the chimps, which is what I most wanted.

You know, I thought working with Smithy for the past year made me experienced, but I’ve never been around real chimpanzees. It’s like they’re a different species altogether and Smithy is an odd hybrid we created—something between humankind and the animal kingdom.

Real chimps are foreign and more than a little frightening. They’re so loud. And aggressive. They push and bite each other to show dominance or protect their daily rations. Smithy’s worst tantrums at Trevor Hall would be standard behavior here. You probably wouldn’t be surprised by how readily they smear and fling their feces at one another, but it made me recoil. Man liked that.

At first, I was surprised he granted my request to work with the chimps because he’s not a generous man, but now I believe he wasn’t doing me any favors. I think he gave me this position because he wants me to see what Smithy is up against—and what he expects Smithy will become now that he’s removed from genteel human society.

Man’s chimps vary widely in age and mental capacity. The oldest has been with the facility since its inception twelve years ago; the most recent acquisition before Smithy has been here eight months. None has any experience with signing, but I’ll encourage Man to introduce them to it. When and if I manage to gain any clout in this place.

Most animals are used in medical testing and sometimes end up incapacitated—or dead. Man is always eager to increase his supply against future losses. That’s why he bought Smithy.

It chills me to hear Man speak so cavalierly about attrition. I don’t think I could administer a drug or perform a procedure I knew would irreparably harm a chimp, even if my job depended on it. God forbid Man ever orders me to do something that would harm Smithy directly. He’s twisted enough to do it.

Man’s never once shown me courtesy. He won’t even address me by name: I’m Girl, or Hey, you. Yesterday, he shoved a stack of handwritten notes at me to transcribe and barked, Now! It wouldn’t cost him a thing to be civil to me. He’d still be the big shot.

Fortunately, the other people who work here seem more humane.

My favorite person so far is Taniesha Jones, a part-time lab assistant about our age. She’s a graduate student at CSUF, where Jeff is trying to get some final classes. Taniesha’s been working for the Man for almost two years. She’s smart, focused, and efficient; yet, Man is horrid to her. He’s constantly cracking awful jokes about her skin color. He’s rude to all the women, from what I’ve seen, but Taniesha gets the worst of it because she’s black. After seeing what she endures, I’m ashamed of pitying myself. Part of me wants to urge her to quit and find a new job where she’ll get more respect, but my selfish side doesn’t want her to leave me behind in this dump.

The other junior female researchers, both full-time, are Marianne Foster and Eileen Fenn.

Marianne is a snooty twenty-year-old who lords over me the fact that she’s younger and yet knows so much more than me. (In my defense, I’m new; once I learn the routines, I should be able to keep up with her). Marianne’s been