The Horse Soldier: Beginnings Series Book 10

by Jacqueline Druga

  He kept feeling his insides twitching in a sort of nervousness. He shifted his eyes from the phone, to his work, to his watch. He nearly jumped from his skin when his front door opened.

  Josh kicked off his shoes with a ‘thump’ and shut the door. “Hey Dean.”

  “Josh.” Dean, not like he didn’t already know the time, looked at a watch he was tired of looking at. “Where have you been?”

  “Um . . .”

  “It’s twelve-thirty.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow.” Josh scratched his head. “I’m late.”

  “Yeah, you are. You’re supposed to be in this house no later than twelve,” Dean told him. “Those are the rules.”

  “But I thought that didn’t count if I was at Pap’s.”

  “It doesn’t. Were you at Pap’s?” Dean asked.

  “Yeah. It was boring walking around, so Denny and me, like, went to his room and hung up these really big paper pictures of guys with guitars and long hair. Uncle Robbie brought them back from the old music store in Miles.”

  “Posters.”

  “Huh?”

  “That’s what they were called. Posters.”

  “Did you hang posters on your wall?” Josh asked Dean. “Robbie said he did and my Dad did.”

  “I think I did.” Dean laid down the folder. “Yeah, I did.”

  “Did you ever hear of the Power Band? That’s the guys that are on the poster.” Josh began to chuckle. “Uncle Robbie said they were from all you guy’s era. He said they were pretty cool. And big. But they looked normal size to me.” Josh snickered again. “Paul said next music run, he’ll find one of their songs.”

  Dean was lost. “The Power Band?” He shook his head. “I don’t recall them. My era?”

  “Well you’re like way older than Uncle Robbie, so maybe not your era. No, he said some guy name Frank Sinatra was from your era. That’s right.”

  Dean rolled his eyes. “I am not that much older than Uncle Robbie and . . . I’m sure if he listened to The Power Band, I would have heard of them. The Power Band.” Dean enjoyed the break from worrying about Ellen. His mind dazzled in trying to remember this band. Had it been that long? Was he that out of it back then? “Will you let me know when Paul finds this song. I’d love to hear it.”

  “O.K., I’m going to bed. Night.”

  “Night.” Dean bit his bottom lip and slowly leaned back on the couch. “The Power Band. Why am I not remembering a band that was big? The Power . . . Aw!” Dean had to laugh. He shook his head and stood up. “Josh.” He poked his head around the hall.

  “Yeah?” Josh hesitated before going into his room.

  “Does the poster say, ‘AC/DC’ ?”

  “Yeah. The Power Band. Geez, Dean. Night.”

  “Night.” Dean watched Josh struggled with opening the door to his room, pushing and pushing and slipping through a small crack. Shaking his head, he returned to the couch. As soon as he sat down, he saw the phone. “Hell with it.”

  Reaching for the phone and looking at the number that Danny said would be Hal’s, Dean dialed. He listened to it ring and then instead of a hello, he was greeted with a loud bang and a thump. Then after a few seconds, a very groggy sounding Hal answered.

  “Yeah?” Hal spoke.

  “Hal, this is Dean. Were you sleeping?”

  “Um . . . yeah.” Hal’s voice was raspy.

  “I’m sorry to wake you. I really am.”

  “No. No, that’s O.K., I don’t hate phones again yet. What’s uh . . .up?”

  “Is Ellen all right? She was supposed to call me over an hour ago and she didn’t.”

  “She’s fine. Want me to get her?”

  “No, don’t wake her,” Dean said.

  “No. If I don’t she may get mad. Let me just go tell her you’re on the phone.”

  “Thanks.” Dean smiled as he listened to Hal walk heavily. Where he was sleeping Dean didn’t know. He could hear Hal knock on a door and call Ellen’s name out and then he listened to the footsteps get closer.

  “Dean.”

  “Is she sleeping?”

  “You know what? She must not have gotten back from her walk with Henry. I’ll write a note to tell her you called. But don’t worry, they’re fine here in Bowman.”

  “I’m uh . . . I’m not worried.” Dean swallowed hoping his ‘gulp’ was not heard over the phone. “Please tell her I called and to call me no matter what time she gets in.”

  “O.K.”

  “Sorry to wake you. Bye.” Dean hung up the phone then brought it to his lips. He closed his eyes, shook his head and set down the phone. Telling himself he has to be up anyhow to finish his work, Dean looked at his watch one more time and grabbed a folder.

  ^^^^

  Bowman, North Dakota

  Ellen giggled leaning into Henry as she slumped down in the red cushion seat in the Belmont Theater in Bowman. “Even the end credits are great, Henry.”

  “Everyone is watching them.” Henry looked around behind him and Ellen into the packed movie theater.

  “You do know everyone is gonna think you and Danny are the coolest.”

  “We are,” Henry whispered.

  “This was great. I hated this movie when it was out, but it was so great.”

  “Danny wants to . . .” Henry paused when the room filled with applause and the credits ended. “I’d better go shut down up there, huh?”

  “Can I go with you?” Ellen asked.

  “Yeah.” Henry, on the end seat, slid out into the aisle, and waited for Ellen. The men in Bowman that packed the theater all had positive comments to say as Henry walked by them.

  They made it to the projection booth where Danny was. “Hey, Danny.” Henry walked in with Ellen.

  “Ellen. Henry! My Man.” Danny grinned. “We are heroes now.”

  “And we get Neville points,” Henry stated.

  Danny stood by the spinning reels. “So like what do you think it would take to dismantle this place and bring it to Beginnings?”

  “There’s a theater in Miles city. Why don’t we take that one apart,” Henry said. “You know, Danny, I could do this for you.

  “You sure?” Danny asked. “I mean, you got this up and running.”

  “No go on. El and I are just hanging out and talking anyhow.”

  “O.K. Thanks.” Danny walked from the projection machine. “Night, El. Night, Henry.”

  Ellen smiled. “Night, Danny.” She folded her hands behind her back and moved to Henry as he took over the projector. “This was the best evening I’ve had in a really long time.”

  “Really?” Henry smiled at Ellen brightly as he took the movie reel. He wrapped up the end of the film and placed the reel in the large awaiting canister.

  “It was so old world like.”

  “El, as soon as I saw this place, I wanted to get it running. Sorry it took so long.”

  “Are you kidding? You and Danny together were amazing. I was surprised all those men showed up.”

  “Yeah it was packed.” Henry shut off the projector. “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  Henry held out his hand, motioning to the door. “You lead the way.” He followed Ellen out and from the office to the lobby then out into the street.

  “We need to go to a coffee house now, Henry.”

  “I wish there was one.”

  “There is,” Ellen said, “but they’ve gone out of business.”

  Henry smiled as they started walking down the street. “Aren’t we walking the wrong way back to Hal’s?”

  “Um . . . yeah. I’m sorry. I wanted to take a walk. You don’t mind do you?”

  “No. I’d love it. This place reminds me of Ashtonville.”

  “It does. And . . . this walk reminds me of the one that you and I took. Let’s go up this street.” Ellen pointed to a residential street. “I think that’s why I like Bowman.”

  “Because of this street?”

  “No.” El
len snickered. “Because it reminds me of Ashtonville so much. I think . . . I think there is nothing more in this world that I would like to do than to go back there.”

  “If I could get you back there, I would. Would you want to go?”

  “How are you going to get me back to Ashtonville, Henry? It’s too dangerous to drive and we’d never be able to bring enough gas supply anyhow.”

  “El . . .” Henry stopped walking . “If I figure out a way to get you there, will you go?”

  Ellen spoke near whisper and with so much wanting. “I would love to go to Ashtonville.”

  Henry smiled slightly. “Then you will. I’ll figure it out. I’ll get you there. But there’s one condition.”

  “What is that?” Ellen asked as she faced him.

  “You have to go with me. When I figure out how to do this for you, I want to be the one that does it with you. Deal?”

  In such awe, Ellen looked at him.“Oh Henry, if you can get me back to my home, to see my children’s graves, their rooms, their things. Yes.”

  “Then I’ll do it, El.” Henry smiled.

  “Henry, if anyone else were standing before me telling me this, I’d have a hard time believing it.”

  “El.” Henry closed his eyes. “I thought you lost all faith in me

  “I did, Henry. I’m trying to forgive and forget. I am. But it keeps coming back.”

  “I understand.”

  “You’re . . . shit.” Ellen stepped back.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I forgot to call Dean. Shit.”

  Henry looked at his watch. “I can’t see what time it is.”

  “Well I know it’s after eleven that’s for sure.”

  “Call him” Henry unhooked his phone from his belt. “Here.”

  “You think he’s awake?”

  “Doesn’t matter. If he’s expecting you to call, he’ll want to talk to you.”

  “Thanks.” Ellen began to dial. The phone barely rang one time and Dean answered,. “Oh! You’re awake.”

  “El, what took you so long?” Dean asked.

  “Oh Dean, you’re not going to believe this.” Ellen began to ramble. “Henry is here, right? Well he and I were walking the streets of Bowman, which is so much like Ashtonville. Anyhow, we were walking and he saw the old movie theater. Henry immediately found Danny and you know those two, they don’t stop until they get what they’re working on done. They got the movie theater running. Dean! I watched a movie in a theater. Not a very good one, but a movie. How do you like that?”

  “Wow.” Dean spoke with little enthusiasm. “So are you back at Hal’s now?”

  “No, Henry and I are walking around.”

  “So Henry is with you now?” Dean asked.

  “Yep right here.” Ellen smiled at Henry. “I’m using his phone. He told me to call you. He said you wouldn’t be sleeping. We’re walking on some dark street off of the main . . .”

  “El, put him on.” Dean interrupted.

  “What?” Ellen questioned.

  “Put him on. Please. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Ellen drew up an odd look. “O.K.” She held the phone out to Henry. “He wants to talk to you.”

  Henry had question on his face as he took the phone. “Hey Dean.”

  “You made your point,” Dean said so seriously.

  “Excuse me?” Henry was confused.

  “I’m really pissed at you right now, Henry. I’m so pissed. I can’t believe you of all people are doing this shit.”

  “Dean look, the movie, the walk, just know it has nothing to do with what you and I were talking . . .”

  “Bullshit.” Dean snapped at him. “That’s bullshit and you know it. You wanna be upset about me not having an understanding with you, that’s one thing, You wanna be mad at me. You do it. But this is a dick move Henry and I’m not gonna forget it. You wanted to take the gloves off. They are off.” Dean hung up.

  Henry blinked as he pulled the phone away from his ear.

  “What’s wrong?” Ellen asked. “Is he mad that we are walking? I heard you say about . . .”

  “No.” Henry shook his head and turned off the phone. “No. I didn’t fix something in the clinic that I was supposed to and you know Dean, he was rambling about how I can fix up a movie theater and not fix what I was supposed to back home.”

  “Oh.” Ellen waved her hand. “He’ll get over it.” She started to walk and noticed Henry didn’t. “Henry, come on.”

  Henry stared at the phone. “El.” He extended it to her. “Maybe you should call him back.”

  “Why?”

  “Just . . . . you should call him to say goodnight. I shouldn’t have been the last one he talked to, that’s all. It’s not right.”

  “Henry, I’m sure . . .”

  “El.” He laid the phone in her hand. “Will you please just call him and tell him you love him.”

  “He knows I . . .”

  “El.”

  “Ok, then can we walk?” Ellen asked.

  “Then we can walk.”

  “He’s gonna think there’s something wrong with me. I pestered him all day.” Ellen smiled at Henry and dialed the phone. “Hey Dean?” Ellen’s voice was chipper on the phone. “We didn’t say goodnight and I didn’t tell you I loved you.”

  Henry stepped back with his hands behind his back and moved a few feet from Ellen to allow her privacy on the phone with Dean.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  September 20

  Binghamton, Alabama

  The tromping of boots against the asphalt was like the steady beat of a song. Frank paced before the seventy -five men he had running in place. They held rifles in their hands. On one, they raised the rifles above their heads, two, they brought them down, on three, they extend them forward, and four, they brought them back in. So in unison, so synchronized, they were quick and moved in double time to Frank’s steps.

  “Squad leaders, count it out!” Frank ordered as he walked before them.

  “One.” Tromp-tromp.

  “Two.” Tromp-tromp.

  “Three!” Tromp-tromp.

  “Four.” Tromp-tromp.

  Frank smiled. “Keep it going!” He snapped his finger on their every count out.

  “One.” Tromp-tromp.

  “Two.” Tromp-tromp.

  “Three” Tromp-tromp.

  “Four.” Tromp-tromp.

  “Let me hear it from the ranks!” Frank called out.

  And then the men began, together, loudly, and in time . . .

  “Ugachuga. Ugachuga. Uga. Uga. Ugachuga!”

  “I can’t stop this feeling . . .” Frank talk-sang. “Deep inside of me.” Frank grinned. “Take it back, gentlemen, and with enthusiasm.”

  They took two steps back in their formation, snapped to attention and called out loudly. “One, two. Yes we can. Colonel Slagel is the man! Ooh-rah!”

  “Dismissed!” Frank bit his bottom lip and hid his smile, turned around, and lost the happy look when he saw Peace Ambassador Leonard standing there.

  “Colonel Slagel. A little unconventional, don’t you think?”

  “It’s the way I have always trained my men. You work them, break them, show them you’re human. They respect you more and they’re all yours. I did this too many years in the United States Army. How about you?” Frank raised his eyebrow and grabbed a cigarette from his chest pocket as he walked.

  “I mean no disrespect to your method of training.” Leonard followed Frank. “However.”

  Frank stopped walking. “However?”

  “Yes. However.” Leonard held what looked like a stereo assembly manual. “This is the way the Society expects their men to be trained. Have you read this?”

  “I’m sure I have. But . . .” Frank pointed to his own temple. “I have amnesia so I’m not really remembering anything post- plague. Sorry.”

  “Is that possible?”

  “What.” Frank moved on.

  “Having selective amnesi
a like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like you said you have.”

  “When?”

  “Just now.”

  “Huh?” Frank puffed his cigarette.

  “Never mind.” Leonard held out the book to Frank. “Maybe you would like this.”

  “For?”

  “For refreshing your memory on our training regimen.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you forgot.”

  “Forgot what?” Frank asked.

  “How to train these men.”

  Frank stopped walking.

  Leonard was a good five feet ahead of Frank before he realized that Frank was no longer with him. “Colonel Slagel?” He saw the glare Frank gave him and though he tried not to show it, Leonard was a bit frightened. “Well, yes, um . . . perhaps not.” He rolled up the manual. “I have something else to discuss with you.”

  “What?” Frank started walking again.

  “We’re expecting a very important scientist to be joining us here in a week’s time. In fact, he will head up biology for the Society, but will work and live here for a while. I need you to prepare the best housing available.”

  Frank laughed and stopped walking again.

  “Something wrong?”

  “His house is gonna look like your house, my house, and anyone else’s house that lives in a house on base.”

  Leonard really wanted to scratch his head. “Uh . . . yes. So you’ll see to it then.”

  “Oh yeah.” Frank nodded. “I’ll see to it.”

  “Thank you. I’ll let you be.”

  “Thanks.” Frank bobbed his head forward as he watched Leonard walk away, and then without Leonard seeing, Frank calmly lifted his middle finger and smirked.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Joe set down his coffee on the counter in the clinic lab, leaning into it next to Dean. “So you’ll get up to Jason’s lab soon.”

  “As soon as I can, but I haven’t a clue on how to run a history on his quantum Regressionator.”

  “Maybe I can get Henry to go with you.”

  Dean grumbled.

  Joe looked up in surprise. “Next. Traps.”