Chaka continued to interpret. “He says he has followed the oddly clothed men with yellow hair since they were at the bridge. He asks where the other one is.”
Frank pointed up to the sky.
“He returned to the land of Gods,” Chaka told him, then watched. “Yes, speak freely. I can be trusted. I work with my Primal God brothers.”
Harry nodded and swiped his hand on the ground. He grabbed a thin stick and began to draw pictures.
Frank looked closely. “Is this a map?” he asked then after pointing to the drawing, motioned his hand around. “All this?”
Harry nodded.
“He is showing you where Hubra are. He wants to know,” Chaka translated. “Where the Gods say he and his tribe can go so they no longer have to hide and run in fear.”
“Do you know?” Frank asked Chaka.
“Even though this is my time, things are different.”
“But I bet the LEP, or Hubra are not. Translate as I talk.”
Chaka nodded.
“Hal, give me the map please.” Frank requested.
Hal handed him the map and Frank rolled it out.
Harry and the others gasped in awe.
“Yeah, pretty cool, huh?” Frank winked then grabbed the stick. “You are here. Hubra … are here and here, wherever. Hubra only migrate east to west. They follow the sun. Only move when they run out of resources. You … and your people need to go…” Frank pointed south. “Here. They’ll never get you. In fact, I am willing to bet there are people like us down there, or close. Just a guess.”
“How did you know this?” Chaka asked. “I know I was always taught there is only land in the direction of the rising and setting sun. A map such as your does not exist in our time.”
“It took man a lot of years to explore. I mean thousands of years to explore beyond their territories. It only makes sense, in the scheme of evolution you guys are young. You haven’t hit the explorer phase yet.”
“Big brother, that is very intuitive and impressive,” Hal said.
“If you think about it. It makes sense.” He pushed the map to Harry. “And you can keep that. We have another.”
“He is very grateful,” Chaka said. “He thanks you.”
“No problem. But we have a journey and mission and need to go. We’ll eat with you because you went to all this trouble. Hey, Chaka ask him if they saw Johnny or Fort?”
Chaka conveyed the question describing two men dressed like Frank.
Harry and the others shook their heads.
“Thank you, anyhow,” Frank said.
Harry further signed.
“He wants to know if he can give you a rufosa or gift as you call it. He wants to give you a gift before you leave. One that will aid you on your journey.”
“Um …” Frank turned to Robbie and Hal. “Should we take the roof thing?”
“Gift.” Hal corrected and shook his head. “Chaka tell him it isn’t necessary, thank you, but we don’t need a gift.”
Chaka conveyed and then translated to Hal. “He said a God not taking his rufosa would be a curse and he would be insulted.”
“Hal, he’s insulted,” Frank said.
“Frank, they have nothing you cannot take something from them,” Hal insisted.
“I think we should,” Robbie said. “I mean we have the flower, it will be another cool souvenir. Plus, he said it will help us on our journey. It could be a cool futuristic compass.”
Hal scoffed. “Robbie, please, looking at this people, it won’t be a futuristic compass. Deny the gift Frank.”
Frank waved out his hand. “I don’t want to insult the man.” Frank looked at Harry and nodded. “Yes. Thank you. We’ll take the gift.”
EIGHTEEN – POLW
“I told you not to take the gift,” Hal griped. “Did I or did I not?”
“What were we supposed to do?” Frank asked.
“Say no thank you,” Hal said. “That would have been polite.”
“You have to admit,” Robbie said. “If we comparing this to Planet of the Apes. He’s like our Nova.”
“Yes!” Frank pointed. “He is.”
“Seriously though, Frank?” Robbie questioned him. “Not saying you were wrong. But what are we supposed to do with him?”
“Harry said he’d help us. He probably has a talent,” Frank replied.
“Nonsense.” Hal scoffed then looked at the ‘gift’. It was skinny boy of maybe twelve or thirteen. His hair so matted and dirty it was hard to tell its color or length. He wore an animal skin around his lower half and fur covered his feet, tied at the ankle.
The boy sniffed a lot, his head going left to right and he zig zagged his body in between them, moving in a chimpanzee manner.
“They’re laughing at us,” Hal said. “Back there, right now, they’re laughing out loud. Saying, ‘Ha, ha, ha, try to tell us you’re a king. Here, take the feral boy. He’ll kill you while you sleep.’”
“Hal!” Frank snapped. “What’s done is done. What are we gonna do. He’s with us. We can always take him back and let Dean work on him. Maybe Dean can find out why he can’t talk and solve it for the future...”
“What do you think, Chaka?” Hal asked. “Was this a joke or was it a real genuine gift.”
“I think they believe they gave an asset to the God. And he can be an asset. Send the small Primal ahead to look for danger. If he returns, all is fine. If he does not, then you know.”
Hal stopped walking. His mouth opened in shock. “You’re suggesting to send the boy out to see if he gets killed or not?”
“Yes.”
“How can you suggest that?”
“He’s not my species.”
Frank laughed. “That was good.” He cleared his throat. “However, even though that was a good suggestion, and we appreciate the feedback, we can’t send him forward to die. It wouldn’t be cool. Besides, I think he likes me. Huh, Rufus. You like me.” Frank handed him a small piece of beef jerky the patted him on the head.
“You feed him like a pet!” Hal groped. “And we all know what happened the last time you have a pet. You stopped feeding him. You’ll probably stop feeding … what did you call him?”
“Rufus.”
“Where did you get the name?”
Frank pointed. “That’s what he called him. He said Harry wanted to give us Rufus.”
Hal breathed out sharply. “Rufosa.”
“That’s what I said.”
“No, you said Rufus.”
Frank waved out his hand. “So I use the nickname. I don’t call you Halbert or Robbie, Robert. I don’t call Chaka Chocolate.”
“You’re an ass,” Hal said.
“Hal, why are you always ….” Frank stopped walking and lifted his hand. “Stop. We’re here.” He looked back to them over his shoulder. “We’re in Bowman.”
It wasn’t what Hal envisioned. Even though he knew they were a thousand years in the future, after hearing that it was the sacred city, somehow he expected it to be still partially standing. Like ruins of ancient times. Even the leaning tower of Pisa was a thousand years old and was still in existence. He didn’t expect to see his town, or rather what was left of it, intertwined within the forest, As if someone how it had become one with nature.
Parts of buildings, moss covered and broken emerged from the ground. Hal couldn’t even figure out which building was which.
The only thing he did recognize was the church. The huge stone masonry church that graced the corner of Bowman has lost the top portion of its steeple. Time had stolen that. There were no doors, yet the archway remained. The back wall was almost a hundred percent intact. The roof was gone, of course. Potions of the pillars still stood erect. While the pews had long since disintegrated, the marble floor, miraculously was still there. Unlike every other building, no trees had gown threw it.
“Remarkable that this is still standing,” Hal looked around.
“I’m betting because this is known as a sacred city, L
EPS, Primals, they come here. That’s why the church isn’t overgrown,” Frank said.
Robbie stomped his foot. “Floor is still here, which means, the basement is still there.”
“The big question is, how do we get down there?” Hal asked. “I mean, the sacristy is gone and that led to the back stairwell.”
“What do you think Chaka?” Frank asked. “Do you know a way?”
Chaka didn’t answer.
Hal turned his body to see Chaka staring at the opposite wall. “What it is?”
Chaka moved to the wall, frantically smeared his hand against the dirt, stepped back, looked then repeated. “Things have changed. I don’t know how or why. This wall decoration has never been here. I have been to this place many times. Something has happened that made this different than when I was here. I don’t understand the language of the writing...”
Hal couldn’t make out the mural where he stood, he knew it was one. He recognized the faded, yet obvious golden halo.
As he stepped closer, he could see the veil with the halo, and he assumed that being in a Catholic church it was the Blessed Mother or Saint Anne.
Until he saw it full on.
Chaka stared in awe at it and so did Hal.
Robbie laughed. He laughed out.
“Oh my God,” Frank said.
“Robbie, this is not funny,” Hal said.
“Yeah, Hal, yeah it is. I guess things did change. At least we know, for this time frame, how it all started.”
The mural was mosaic and built to withstand time. It took up the whole wall. On top was a blue scrolled banner with writing. Words Chaka had said he couldn’t understand. It was unlike any language Hal had seen.
A woman wearing a blue veil was center, a golden halo encompassed her head. To one side of her, appearing almost angelic were human beings, floating and pointing, on her other side just as angelic and in the same pose were LEP. The woman held a swaddled infant in her arms. The infant also had a halo but clearly was LEP. It was twisted version of Madonna and child. What made it worse was the woman clearly wasn’t the blessed mother, but rather … Jenny Matoose.
NINETEEN – BEGINNINGS
Dean introduced Hank to the concept of a reclining chair. He loved it and once in it, didn’t want to move. Which was a good thing for Dean, because he was tired. He passed out on the couch, trying to grab a couple hours of sleep before starting his day. He had work to do in the lab and he was going to continue working with Hank on being ...Frank.
When Dean woke, it was still dark. Hank was wide awake in the reclining chair.
“I need to stand. I can’t get out of this chair,” Hank told him.
Dean helped him, then told him to have a seat at the dining room table and wait for him.
He left Hank there and then proceeded to take a shower. He felt good, wide wake and ready to go… or so he thought. He decided to check on the kids and when he peeked in on Alex, she looked so innocent and cute as she slept, Dean felt compelled to snuggle with her and he fell back to sleep hard and fast.
Little Billy always knew when his father stayed at the house. He believed his father had no concept of sound and was the loudest person when he took a shower. He dropped the soap, the shampoo and slammed doors. Who was his father kidding? He wasn’t quiet. It always woke up Billy.
He heard his father leave the bathroom and when Billy got out of his bed, fully intending on spending time with his dad, he realized it was in vain. His father was out cold in Alex’s bed. His hair was still wet and Billy knew his father was going to give new meaning to ‘bed head’ when he got up.
Since he was already awake and there was no reason to go back to bed, Billy got dressed, put on his shoes and headed to the kitchen to find something to eat.
He turned on the living room light and stopped cold when he saw him sitting at the dining room table. He wanted to shout out with childlike enthusiasm, “Oh, no way!” because he knew as soon as he saw the build and hair, who or rather what he was. Instead he composed himself, and tucked away his pride in his father’s successful experiment, and hands behind his back walked slyly to the table.
“Hello,” Billy said.
Hank turned and then looked down. His eyes widened. “Did you get smaller?”
“Not since the last time I checked,” He pulled out a chair and climbed up. “Are you just sitting here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You told me to wait here. That was before you got smaller.”
“Ah, I see.” Billy folded his hands on the table. “Let’s test how well you pay attention. What else did I tell you?”
“Say Fuck often.”
“Makes sense.”
“And not to tell anyone you and your female counterpart tortured me last night.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that to get out.”
“No. I was told not to scream.”
“It would wake people.”
“That’s what you said. It hurt.”
“It wouldn’t be torture without pain.”
“Did I ask you …. When did you arrive in Beginnings?”
“Two nights ago. No you didn’t ask me,” Hank said.
“Your name is…?”
“Which one? Is this a test?”
“Yes.” Billy nodded.
“I am 9-B754. I have assumed the name Hank, but if anyone asks, I am to be Frank,” he said. “Did I pass.”
“With flying colors. You have the scars, even though the one under your eyes is about two centimeters too short.”
“You said that last night.”
Billy smiled. “You think you have this Frank act down?”
“You and your female counterpart taught me last night before you put me in the trapping chair.” He pointed to the recliner. “We are supposed to learn more today.”
“Well, let’s go then.” Billy slid from the chair.
“What about the female counterpart.”
“We’ll let her sleep. Hold on…” Billy walked into the kitchen and grabbed the granola container from the counter. He returned to Hank. “Food. We’ll be hungry. We can also stop at the bakery. Gemma opens in a little bit. I always wanted to go there. Ready?”
“Yes.” Hank stood. “Where are we going for this training?”
“All over.” Billy opened the door. “After you.”
“Will you tell me how you got so small so fast.”
“It’s a new experiment I have. It will wear off.” With a shitty grin, Billy waited for Hank to walk out, then he pulled the door closed and followed behind. It was going to be an interesting day.
TWENTY – POLW
The dust and vines that covered the mural were so thick, it had to have been decades since anyone uncovered it.
Click.
Hal grumbled and spun to Frank. “Will you stop?”
“I wanted to get a picture.” Frank lowered his phone.
“That’s smart Frank,” Robbie said.
“I know right.”
“Both of you just stop.” Hal faced Chaka. “This isn’t part of your history?”
“No.” Chaka stared at the mural. “This is similar to images I have seen before, yet it was always with Hubra. The Virgin Hubra mother.”
Hal gasped in shock. “The virgin mother is our history. It was human.”
“We’ve had this argument before,” Frank said. “He’s still not grasping it.”
“My beautiful pet is the mother of the son of God?” Chaka said in disbelief. “How does she get such an honor.”
Robbie choked on his laugh. “I think if she is the mother of the son of God, that means you’re God.”
Chaka looked at him.
“She’s pregnant right now. We think it’s yours.”
His eyes widened. “No.”
“Uh, yeah,” Frank patted him on the back. “So basically, she gives birth to the first intelligent LEP. You created your own future. Man …. Just like Terminator.”
“But w
hat happened?” Hal asked. “I mean, obviously at one time man and LEP lived in peace. It a coexistent world. When did it switch.”
“I don’t know,” Chaka said. “Things have changed. I was always taught God created Hubra in his image.”
“Maybe it’s like in the Planet of the Apes,” Frank said. “Where your leaders always knew the truth, but never told you.”
Rufus darted in between them and started signing and pointing to the wall.
“What is he saying?” Hal asked.
“He says he was taught that at one time Primal and Hubra were equals, then a great sickness caused a devolution process in Primal,” Chaka replied.
“What the fuck?” Frank aske din shock. “He said that. He used that word?”
“No, I used that word,” Chaka replied. “He said it caused them to go backwards and Hubra became the dominant species and had to care for Primals.”
“This is nuts,” Robbie reached up to the mural. “It really is. Now if this is the start of it all we know how to stop it from starting.”
“Yes,” Frank nodded. “Yes we do. I said it before.”
Hal added. “It’s a combination. Break it. Jenny has the first intelligent baby, Frank implants all the embryos to keep the human race alive. We stop Frank from implanting the embryos, the intelligent baby will not have anyone to influence.”
“What?” Frank blasted. “That’s fuckin stupid. Stop both events. Stop the baby and stop the implanting.”
“You want to destroy my child?” Chaka asked.
“We don’t even know it’s yours,” Frank said. “For all we know there may be another one of you running around. She has that reputation, you know.”
“Oh, just stop.” Hal held up his hands. “This is all valuable information. And Frank has photographic evidence. But we are here for another reason. We have to retrieve the box in the basement.”
“How?” Robbie asked. “How are we going to do that? Can we get there? Chaka, any idea?”
Chaka shook his head. “I have no idea how to get to the floor below.”
Rufus tugged on Chaka’s arm and waved his hand.
“What?” Chaka asked.
Escape the Planet of the LEPS: Beginnings Series Book 28 Page 9