IMMOLATION: Chapter 12

Matt was fiddling with his laptop and Joan, standing behind a cinder block pillar, burned in the room beyond. Matt still seemed too eager, too excited by what he saw for Judge Dervin's liking. Still, Joan had invited him, allowed him to set up his equipment to take measurements. Joan was, after all, an adult and she could make her own decisions. As much as Judge Dervin wanted to intervene, he couldn't think of any legal way to do it.

He could at least go and ask Matt about his findings, rather than spying through the partially opened door at the back of the observation room. And given the fact that, even after a year of observation, they knew so little about Joan's fire, Judge Dervin knew he should be excited that Joan was looking for help, for understanding.

Joan's fire was reaching its peak. She'd be going out soon. Judge Dervin wavered on the threshold, gripping the doorknob in his hand, wanting to go in and yet not wanting to overstep his bounds. And so, Judge Dervin decided it was time for him to be moving on. He gently shut the door he'd been peaking through and walked off down the corridor, wringing his hands and shaking his head.

Judge Dervin often wandered the courthouse, thinking over cases and the like, and so no one bothered him as he walked, thinking about Joan and Matt. Things would probably be more straightforward if it weren't for the fact that Joan was so much like his own daughter. He tried so hard to raise her right, protect her. She turned out alright, he supposed, but they hadn't spoken in years. There was never any one moment that drove them apart, no momentous argument or fight. She just stopped calling home and he stopped calling to check up on her. Last he'd heard she was happy living and working in Texas. Though she was still unmarried and Judge Dervin lost a little more hope with each passing year of ever having grand kids. Perhaps things would have been different if his wife had been with them longer. He wasn't even sure if his daughter remembered her mother.

Judge Dervin found himself back at his own chambers. His desk was clear except for one sheet of paper. He'd been considering it before he'd been distracted by Joan and Matt. Old pictures of his family smiled down at him from the shelves that lined the walls and he finally made the decision he'd been wavering on for the last few weeks. In a few short strides, Judge Dervin reached his chair behind his desk and sat down. The paper in his hand, he picked up his phone in the other hand and dialed the number he'd been contemplating. After two rings a pleasant sounding receptionist answered the phone.

“College of Science, Physics Department,” She said. “May I help you?”

“Yes, I'm trying to get a hold of Doctor Muto,” Judge Dervin said, reading the name off the paper held in front of him.

“You may be in luck,” The receptionist said, “I believe he's in his office right now. One moment please.”

She placed him on hold and Judge Dervin listened to the prerecorded classical music that came across the phone line scratchy and distorted. At least it wasn't adverts or such things. He could never stand those. Even still, the music wasn't winning any prizes either. The piece they'd picked wasn't a particularly inspiring one. He'd have preferred something by Bach or—

“Hello?” A Japanese man spoke as the music cut out.

“Hello, Doctor Muto?” Judge Dervin asked.

“Speaking,” Dr. Muto had a very straightforward sounding voice, very business like and Judge Dervin had no trouble seeing him and Matt getting into disagreements.

“Doctor Muto, this is Judge Dervin. I have a few questions about one of your previous students. Do you have a few minutes?”

“I have an appointment in another fifteen minutes,” Doctor Muto replied curtly, “If your questions can be finished in time for me to prepare for that appointment, then yes.”

Judge Dervin smiled. So often in his work people would beat around the bush, talking in circles as they tried to get out of trouble. Having someone speak so directly was a welcomed break.

“The young man in question is Matt Wellis,” Judge Dervin explained, “Do you remember him?”

Silence on the other end.

“Doctor Muto?”

“Yes, sorry, I remember him,” The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable. “Brilliant young man. Great potential. A most unfortunate end to an otherwise stunning educational career.”

“Yes,” Judge Dervin said, frowning. The sudden anger in Doctor Muto's voice was disturbing. “What can you tell me about his research?”

“I am sorry,” Doctor Muto said in his usual, quick manner, “But that is not a discussion that I have time for. Perhaps if you told me the situation he is in now I may be able to give you some information that would be of use.”

“Of course,” Judge Dervin replied, frowning even deeper. The straight talk was not nearly as pleasant as he had anticipated. “Are you familiar with Joan Darcy?”

“Yes. She's quite well known in the scientific community.”

“Well, Matt has begun taking an interest in her and when I questioned him on the subject he referenced some research he'd been working on while in school. Research the two of you disagreed on.”

“I see,” Doctor Muto said but did not elaborate.

“While I'm sure Matt is working under the best of intentions I would really like to hear from you your perspective on the project,” Judge Dervin worded the proverbial nudge as best he could.

“A heat reactor is like the cold fusion reactor in many ways,” Doctor Muto said through what sounded like tight lips. “You see, they both sound like great ideas, they both promise clean and efficient energy, and the sources to power each are seemingly all around us.”

“So what's different about them?” Judge Dervin asked, knowing he was taking the bate that Doctor Muto had laid for him.

“The difference,” Doctor Muto said, “Is that cold fusion doesn't work.”

Judge Dervin was confused. “But Matt said you didn't believe in his thesis. He said you were opposed to it even.”

“The mathematics and scientific theory behind heat reactors were proven long ago. This is nothing new. Where Matt and I disagreed,” Doctor Muto bit each word, “Was on matters of engineering and implementation.”

“So you just didn't think he could build it?” Judge Dervin couldn't believe that that was the reason behind it all.

“No, that is not it,” Doctor Muto said without hiding his impatience with the conversation. “I believe he could have built it, in fact I still have the prototype he designed while still a student here.”

“You mean he's already proven his ideas?” Judge Dervin interrupted.

“Again,” Doctor Muto said, “The ideas are not new, only the methods of accomplishing it. But, I can see there is not going to be enough time for us to do justice to this topic at hand and so if you'd like we can resume our conversation at a later date.”

Judge Dervin checked his clock, he should have had at least another five minutes. Still, he didn't want to press his luck.

“Very well, when shall I call back?” He asked.

Judge Dervin could hear muted voices on the other end of the line. It seemed as though Doctor Muto was already speaking with his next appointment.

“...yes, yes, Bird Feather, in a moment,” Doctor Muto said. “Judge Dervin, are you still there?”

“Yes I'm here,” He said.

“I should like to come and meet with you if that's alright? I can come down next week and if Matt wants to be there as well then go ahead and invite him,” Doctor Muto's mood had shifted drastically. He was still agitated, but now fear lined his words. “We can go over the whole thing then.”

“I'll talk with Matt and get back to you with a specific time, then?”

“Yes, yes that will be fine. Any time next week. Good bye.”

Judge Dervin sat, listening to the sound of the disconnected line.