Few people were actually arrested. Most were simply ushered out of the bar so that the damage could be assessed. Both Jim and Jeff were arrested. A.J. wasn’t although the police did stare for a moment.

All those arrested were brought to the Santa Monica police department to be booked. Jim and Jeff were ushered to separate cells. A.J. came for Jim about two hours later.

Jim was led out of his holding cell and into a room to be greeted by A.J. and the bartender. The sergeant who led them to the room left them alone to have a private conference.

“How do you feel?” A.J. asked.

Jim found a chair and sat down. “Pretty shitty, actually,” he said. “Never been in jail before.”

“You won’t stay. I’ve got everyone to agree not to press charges if you don’t.”

“Charges!” Jim yelled. “That mother-fucking cock-sucking son of a bitch attacked me! He should be the one to worry about charges!”

“In case you haven’t noticed, he’s not all together stable. Forget the son of a bitch.”

“What?”

“I said forget him. Both you and Karen should file restraining orders to help keep him away, but let him wallow in the mire. Your bigger concern is Mike over here.”

Jim shook his head. “Whoa, back up. Mike?”

“The bar is badly damaged,” the bartender quietly said.

Jim hung his head in his hands. “How bad?”

“About thirty thousand dollars worth, I’d guess. Not counting the fact that we’ll have to close while renovations are done.”

“Shit!” Jim stood and walked over to the far wall. “I’m sorry, Mike. I am truly sorry.”

The bartender smiled. “I know.” He walked over to Jim and put an arm on his shoulder. “Look, Jim, I’ll let you in on a secret. I own that bar.”

Jim looked up, startled.

“You’re also one of my best customers,” the bartender went on. “You won’t be banned from the place. Hell, I even like being called Mike. I read science fiction, I know the reference. It adds character to the place.

“But Jim, you know what business is like in my bar; slow. Tonight was the busiest I’ve ever seen the place and it was two-third’s empty. If I’m closed for a few days, it could kill me.”

“Insurance?” Jim asked.

“Not enough.”

Jim hung his head down, shrugging off the bartender’s arm. After a moment of awkward silence, he turned to A.J.

“Can you get my things?” Jim asked.

“Sure,” A.J. replied. He opened the door to leave the room, and a policeman stuck his head in.

“Lady here to see you,” he said to Jim.

“Show her in,” Jim answered.

Karen came into the room and threw her arms around Jim, kissing him. She looked tired, and had been crying.

When they separated, Jim said, “You heard?”

“Yeah,” Karen replied. “A.J. called me. Got here as fast as I could.”

“Thank you lover.” Jim looked at Karen. “You’ve had a good cry. What happened?”

“Saw Jeff.” A tear rolled down her right cheek. “I think he understands to leave you and I alone now. I made him feel ashamed.”

Jim hugged Karen in silence, comforting her as best he could. He failed to notice A.J.’s return until some items were dropped on the table. Jim let Karen go and picked up his checkbook.

“Mike,” Jim said, writing, “I’m writing you a check for sixty thousand dollars. You’ll be able to afford one day service that way. Who the hell do I make the check out to?”

“Joshua,” the bartender replied. “Joshua T. McFerrin.”

“Shit,” A.J. said. “Too many people’s names start with the letter J.”

Jim handed the bartender the check. The bartender excused himself from the room with thanks.

Jim hugged Karen again. There were a few moments of silence, which A.J. finally interrupted.

“Come on you two,” he said. “Let me take you home.”

Karen looked up at A.J. “Not yet,” she replied. “One more thing.”

She looked at Jim. “I want to do the sex experiment.”

Jim’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at Karen in absolute shock, unable to say anything.

A.J. raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Or is this a reaction to your ex-husband?”

Karen looked up at A.J. “Of course it’s a reaction to Jeff. Look, the only way I’m ever going to get out of Jeff’s world is to immerse myself in another. Yours is handy and I’m familiar with it already.

“I know how much this means to both of you, and if I want to stay I’ll have to fit in. Your research is stymied and I can help.” She looked into Jim’s eyes. “If we have to fuck in the name of science, then we’ll fuck in the name of science. Can you do it, lover?”

Jim nodded.

“Fine,” Karen said. “We’ll set up video cameras and give the tapes to A.J....”

“I’ll have to be there,” A.J. said.

“Why?”

“He sees film and video differently than he sees real life,” Jim said.

Karen sighed. “That should have occurred to me.” She looked up at A.J. “I can do it. I’ve seen that monster of yours you call a cock, so I guess you can see me.”

A.J. clapped his hands together. “Great,” he said. “We’ll have to do it the day after tomorrow, before we go to San Francisco. That’s the only time we’ll have, and I need a little time to prepare.”

“Fair enough.”

Jim stood up, holding Karen’s hand. “Let’s get out of here,” he said.

As they left, they ran into Jeff. He looked very sad and depressed. “I can see the problem now,” he said, walking away.

Jim got the attention of a policeman. “Someone had better follow him,” he told the officer, “before he hurts himself.”

The officer nodded and went to find someone who would do so.

Karen looked up at Jim. “Take me home,” she said, “and fuck me. Fuck me until it hurts.”