Jon entered the building and went straight to their lab. They weren't really doing anything important, just sitting around and watching TV. When Jon entered the room, Keith jumped up out of his chair, surprised.
"Oh, it's only you. I thought it might have been Bruce."
"Is he still bothering you two?" asked Jon.
"Yep, still pestering us. But what are you gonna do? We work for him. Bosses are always like that, right?"
"I wouldn't know. I don't have a job."
Eric walked out from behind his desk, holding a can of coke in his hand. "Then you're the lucky one."
"Why are you here, Jon?" asked Keith.
"Well, I wanted your opinion on this." Jon showed them the stone.
"What about it?"
"It's magic. It grants wishes."
"Oh, sure, Jon," Eric said.
"Yeah, that's not funny," Keith said. "Just because our field of study has to do with the paranormal, you have to make a joke like that? Ha, ha. Yeah, it really wasn't funny."
"It's not a joke. I got it as an inheritance from my grandfather. He said it's an Incan stone and it does grant wishes. I'll prove it." Jon held the stone in his hand and said "I wish that for the next ten seconds Eric's hair would change from brown to blue." The stone flashed and a look of shock came over Keith's face.
After ten seconds, Eric's hair returned to its normal color of brown.
"I told you."
"Wha ... how ... is it really true?"
"Yeah, it is."
They couldn't believe it. And it took them a moment or two to have it all sink in. After a bit, Eric spoke up. "Why are you showing this to us?"
"I want you to run tests on it."
"Tests? Why?"
"I want to know where it really came from and what it really is."
"Why don't you just wish it?" asked Keith.
"I tried that. It didn't work. The stone refused to work when I wished for the history of it. Maybe with all of your equipment, you could deduce the information that I want."
"Okay." Eric extended his hand to take the stone, but Jon didn't give it to him right away.
"But before I give it to you, I wish that this stone would not be destroyed by any of your tests." The stone flashed. "That means my wish was granted. At least I hope it was."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when I wished about the origin of the stone, it flashed then too."
"Hmm. We'll have to look into that."
"Okay, thanks guys. These means a lot. I'll come by tomorrow after school to see how you're doing. See you then."
"Okay, Jon. Bye." They waved to each other and Jon left the building and went home.
