The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

“Salvation.” Joe said. “Now, don’t play the messages or I’ll steal the phone.”

  “Fine.” Ellen pouted.

  Andrea placed the appetizers on the table. “Enjoy while they’re hot.”

  Joe rubbed his hands together. “I love family meals.”

  Andrea drew a quirky look, raised her finger and looked as if she was counting. “Joe? Is Jimmy not coming?”

  Joe halted in the middle of placing food in his mouth.

  “Joseph Anthony Slagel.” Andrea gasped. “Did you forget about him again?”

  “No.” Joe shoved food in his mouth. “I told Robbie to do it.”

  “Nah-uh.” Robbie defended. “You told Hal.”

  Hal, who was eating, choked. “You both are telling tales. Own up to the fact that we forgot to invite him again.”

  “I didn’t forget.” Joe said. “I told one of you boys to invite him.”

  Snide, Hal smiled. “Then I believe the brother who forgot was Frank.”

  Ellen stepped forward. “And Frank asked me to do it. And I …” She grinned at the knock on the door. “Remembered.”

  Jimmy walked in. “Hey, sorry I’m late.”

  Joe looked brightly. “There you are! We thought you forgot about us.”

  “How can I?” Jimmy chuckled. “We’re family. We’d never forget about each other.”

  “Not us,” Joe said.

  “Never,” Frank added.

  “Couldn’t happen,” Robbie said.

  Hal grinned. “You’re always first on our mind.”

  Andrea’s eyes closed. “Sweet Jesus, the Lord is swimming through the bullshit in here.”

  Everyone stopped and turned.

  Ellen lifted a finger. “Did you just swear?”

  Andrea kept walking.

  Joe shrugged. “Must be the menopause.”

  “I heard that!”

  The empty plates were gathered, and just about every Slagel fired up a cigarette. Andrea rose from the table, “Ellen, give me a hand with the dishes?” she asked.

  “Sure, but I don’t see why the men can’t do it.” Ellen said.

  “It’s our duty,” Andrea responded.

  Ellen chuckled. “It isn’t the nineteen fifties.”

  “Sweet Jesus, Woman, if you ever want to keep a husband, perhaps you should be a bit more domesticated.” Andrea raised an eyebrow, grabbed a plate and turned.

  “Gees,” Ellen stood. “What is up with Andrea?” Ellen began to gather dishes. “Joe, can I come to the meeting tonight.”

  “No.” Joe told her. “You have that other thing to work on.”

  “What other thing?” Ellen asked.

  “You know, that other thing.” Joe emphasized.

  “Oh,” Ellen walked to the kitchen and stopped. “No, I don’t. What other thing?”

  Joe huffed. “The thing you and Frank are doing after the meeting.”

  “Oh.” Ellen said drawn out. “Yeah.” She took the plates into the kitchen and returned quickly. “But if he and I are doing it after the meeting, why can’t I go to the meeting.”

  “Because you have to be preparing.” Joe said.

  Hal looked curious. “What are they doing?”

  Joe shook his head. ‘Don’t worry about it.”

  Robbie asked. “Does it have to do with Bigfoot or the mutilator?”

  “You can say that,” Joe responded.

  “Cool, can I help Frank?”

  Before Frank could answer, Joe did. “No. You have to watch the regions and I want you in tracking tonight.”

  “Are you following Dean?” Robbie asked.

  Quickly, Andrea darted from the kitchen, “Please don’t tell me you think Dean is the mutilator.”

  “Well, Andrea,” Joe said with folded hands. “It is a possibility.”

  “Sweet Jesus Joe, this is ridiculous.” Andrea argued. “You should not be following the man.”

  Joe waved out his hand at her.

  Andrea gasped.

  Jimmy spoke, “I don’t understand why Ellen can’t come to the meeting.”

  Ellen smiled. “Thank you Jimmy.”

  “Simple,” Joe answered. “I don’t want her there. Besides, I really do need her mind on the plan that her and Frank have.”

  Andrea questioned. “What is this plan? Does it have to do with Dean?”

  Ellen’s mouth opened.

  Frank interjected. “No. Our future. Mine and El’s. We’ve been promising my Dad her and I would work things out, right El?”

  Ellen stammered. ‘Uh, yeah.” Her eyes shifted to Andrea. “I guess. I’m not too thrilled I’d rather go to the meeting. What’s it about Joe?”

  Joe shook his head. “You’ll find out tomorrow at the community meeting.”

  “Swell,” Ellen sunk back in her chair.

  ****

  “Midnight,” George grumbled. “Why in God’s name would he schedule a meeting at midnight?”

  Bertha answered, “It’s not midnight there.”

  “Well it’s midnight here!” George snapped, then calmed himself. “Sorry.”

  “Do you want me to handle it?” Bertha asked. “I can just update you later.”

  “No, no.” he shook his head. “I’ll take the call.”

  The phone rang.

  “Speaking of which,” George press the speaker button. “Yeah.”

  “Good evening to you, too.” Joe said.

  “It’s midnight here.”

  “Well, it’s not midnight here. I don’t want to keep you long. But this is important and I thought I’d do the humanitarian thing and include you.”

  George looked up to Bertha and rolled his eyes. “How thoughtful.”

  “Yeah,” Joe said. “Anyhow. I have you on the speaker. Not sure if you can hear Mike or not.”

  George mouthed, “Great. Manis.”

  “Mike, you there?” Joe asked.

  “Yeah, I’m here.”

  “Can you hear Mike?” Joe asked.

  “Unfortunately.” George answered.

  “Frank?” Joe questioned.

  Another roll of George’s eyes.

  “I’m in contact with God.” Frank said.

  George looked up to Bertha.

  She shrugged.

  Frank continued, “He said he wishes all of you could hear him, but doesn’t mind communicating through me.”

  George made an exhausted face. “Christ,” he said. “Frank Slagel is even more whacked now.”

  “Hey!” Frank snapped. “George?”

  “What?”

  “Bite me.”

  “Nice. Very nice.” George said. “Asshole. Grow up.”

  Robbie’s snickering carried over the lines.

  “You, too.” George said.

  “Hey, George?” Frank spoke up. “God said good thing you aren’t in front of him right now.”

  “Oh, yeah, why is that?” George asked.

  “He said he’d slap you.”

  George made a scoffing face. “I’m sure God has better things on his mind than slapping me.”

  “Nope,” Frank said. “He awaits the day.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Enough,” Joe interjected. “We’re not here to fight, we’re here to inform.”

  “He started it.” Frank defended.

  “Actually, Dad,” Robbie interjected. “George did start it.”

  “Good God,” Hal added. “Can we just get on with it?”

  George held up a finger. “One. One brother makes sense.”

  Frank’s loud whispered carried to George. “But Dad I hate him.”

  “We all do, but that’s beside the point.”

  George lifted his hand. “Is there a point to this meeting? Jesus, it’s like the time I tried to do a cabinet meeting online in a Government Chat room.”

  “See,” Frank said. “Now he’s talking about the past.”

  “We need to,” Joe said. “George, you were President at the time of the plague. We need to discuss the Fredrick
son with you.”

  George paused. He had to think. “Fredrickson?” he looked at Bertha. “Do we know about Fredrickson?”

  “He’s not one of our men is he?” She asked.

  George shrugged, then spoke to the phone. “I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about. Should I?”

  “I should think so. The Fredrickson is a meteor hurling toward earth. Not extinction level. But destructive.”

  George chuckled and fluttered his lips. “That was a worry for a while, but last I heard it was going to be a miss. A near miss.”

  “Do you have any info on it?”

  “At the White House.” George answered. “It’s not important. Like every other scare it was wrong.”

  “I don’t think so,” Joe said. “In fact, we have an expert …”

  George chuckled. “Would that be Frank’s God?”

  “No, asshole, Frank’s God is an expert in medicine.”

  George hit the mute button and looked at Bertha, “Oh now they have Gods for things.” He twirled his finger around his head. “Live in your own world, think in your own world.”

  Joe continued, “We have an astronomer, and he and Godrichson visited an observatory and researched. Looks like the Fredrickson is a reality.”

  Frank spoke up, “God wants to know if the impact date is exact to the month, day or hour, and how it will affect us.”

  George said, “Gee, wouldn’t God know this?”

  “Uh, no,” Frank quipped. “That’s why he’s speaking through me.”

  “Aren’t you special?”

  “Blow me.” Frank sapped.

  “Fuck off.” George retorted.

  “Enough.” Joe yelled.

  “Hey, George?” Frank called out. “Dead man when I see you.”

  “You missed your chance before bozo, you’ll miss it again.”

  “Enough!” Joe yelled again. “Frederickson is a reality, and will hit in seven months. The Far East.”

  Mike’s voice was heard. “So, what does it have to do with us?”

  Joe answered, “It’s a pretty big meteor, it’s gonna throw enough dust and debris into the air to cause weather changes for a while. At least a year. Temps are going to drop by ten degrees, now I know that’s not much, but without proper preparation, we can forget good crops.”

  George interjected, “Weather patterns should be significant, mainly over Europe and the Northeast. I remember reading what would happen if it impacted.”

  Mike asked, “We aren’t talking about an ice age?”

  Joe replied, “No.”

  George added. “I’ll get a team, head to the White House, but if I’m not mistaken, we were told to change our harvest times. Meaning, if we plant in May, we can’t plant until June or July Harvest late.”

  “Greenhouse more,” Joe said.

  “But you have to have the means. Beginnings has the means. We do too.”

  “Mike?” Joe asked. “Do you have the means to secure your crops, back up with greenhouses?”

  Mike answered, “Our greenhouse capabilities are very limited.”

  “That’s what I thought,” Joe said. “So I’m going to make a suggestion to you. I think, during these next six or seven weeks, you should make preparations to move out this way.”

  George clenched his fist, grinned and mouthed to Callahan, “Yes, he’s out of there.”

  Mike responded with silence.

  “Mike?” Joe called him. “The initial impact is going to cause temperatures to pummel, you won’t be able to plant this summer.”

  “We have stock.”

  “Is it enough?’ Joe asked.

  “We’ll make it last. You said a year, right.” Mike said.

  Joe’s sigh was loud. “Are you telling me that you are staying put?”

  “It’s my town,” Mike defended.

  “Yeah, it is.” Joe told him, “Which means as leader of that town you have an obligation to your people. Tell me honestly, what does this decision have to do more with?”

  Mike replied, “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “I mean, does it …” Joe grumbled. “Frank, quit saying everything I say.”

  “Dad, God needs to hear you.”

  “He hears me fine.” Joe continued. “Mike does your decision have to do with what you think is best for your town, or the fact that you want to stand ground because the Society wants you out.”

  Again, Mike delivered silences, and then, “We stay.”

  George exhaled and shook his head. “Manis, as much as I hate to admit it, Joe has a point. You …”

  “Hadley,” Mike cut him off. “Begging your pardon, but you are the last person who should be telling me what do to. Meteor or no meteor. We stay put and wait it out.”

  George tossed his hands in the air.

  In the communications room, Joe paced, hands in pockets, listening to Mike. “Son, if you …”

  “We stay.”

  “Fine.” Joe gave up. “All right, anyone have anything they need to add. George if you get that info can you share.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll share. I’ll fax it.”

  “ASAP.” Joe instructed. ‘Thanks. And that’s it. Frank?”

  Frank, who was seated, lowered the phone from his ear. “God said he’s got things in motion.”

  “Good.” Joe nodded. “Then it’s a wrap. Good night everyone.”

  A double click was heard, signifying George and Mike had ended their call. Joe turned, he saw the look on Hal’s face. Staring out, contemplating. “Hal? What’s going through your mind?”

  “Mike,” Hal replied. “You know and I know, he’s not leaving because the Society wants him out. I think it’s a fool decision, but one I’d probably make, and stick by until my senses kick in. Frank is going there in a few days maybe he can speak to him. Frank?”

  Frank didn’t reply, he was talking on the phone.

  “Frank?” Hal called him again.

  Frank held up a finger to Hal. “So, okay, Make sure you bring those electro balls, because if we still have the Bigfoot problem, they’ll fuckin rock on him.” Frank snickered. “True. And, um, no. Sorry, I know you’d like the come, but it’s a Slagel thing. We’re taking him down. Okay. Bye.” Frank hung up. He faced Hal.

  “Done?” Hal asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Can you speak to Mike when you go there?”

  Frank snorted a laugh. “Uh, Hal, of course, I’ll speak to Mike. What. You think I’m gonna fuckin’ ignore him the whole time I’m there.”

  Hal sighed out. "I give up.”

  Joe gave a wave to Hal. “Don’t worry about it. Talk to Frank when he gets close to his trip. Easier that way.”

  Robbie added, “Mike is reasonable, I just don’t think Frank is the one to talk to him.”

  Frank gasped. “I can talk and reason to anyone.”

  “Not that you aren’t the greatest,” Robbie said.

  “I am.”

  Robbie smiled. “But, Mike is hardheaded. Bet me El would do better.”

  Frank nodded. “What are we talking to him about?”

  Joe replied sarcastically, “Flowers, Frank, you asshole.”

  “Oh, okay,” Frank nodded. Paused, then, “Why are we talking to Mike about flowers?”

  “We aren’t!” Joe yelled. “About the meteor.”

  “We just did!” Frank yelled back.

  Jimmy lifted his hand. “Can we not yell at Frank? Patience my family. Frank is not understanding because he was engrossed in a telephone conversation. Ease up.”

  With a disgusted look, Hal spun to Jimmy. “Oh, will you knock it off. You haven’t been around him in seven years. Tell me that after you hang around our hardheaded brother for a while.”

  Jimmy shook his head. “He is still my brother. My older brother. I’ll respect him.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Frank grinned. “Looks like you’re outnumbered four to one.”

  “What?” Hal smirked. ‘How do you figure?”

&nbs
p; “You’re the only one who isn’t on my side.”

  Scoffing, Hal smiled. “Frank, do you honestly think that our father is on your side.”

  “Um, yeah.” Frank said. “He hates you. You carry a sword.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Hal asked.

  “When did Dad ever need a reason not to like you?”

  Hal snickered. “Frank, I have news for you. Dad, always liked me. It was you he tolerated. I’m his favorite.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Ask him,” Hal pointed.

  Joe shrugged with a chuckle. “Well, Frank, Hal was my shining star. After all, which one of you boys run your own town.”

  Frank gasped. “So rude. I’m hurt. And I really have to go. Robbie keep me posted.”

  Robbie gave a thumbs up.

  “Wait!” Hal called out. “What exactly is this thing you and El are up to?”

  Frank walked to Hal, lowered his face close to Hal’s and whispered, “Sex.” He grinned.

  Hal winced. “Oh, stop it.”

  Laughing, Frank backed up. “Actually, Godrichson gave Robbie an idea. If Dean is the mutilator, or even if he took his own agent, then his DNA would show it. El can do a DNA test.”

  Hal nodded. “So is she using his sperm?”

  Everyone groaned loudly.

  “What?” Hal lifted his hands. “Viable question.”

  “No” Frank snapped. “Blood. That’s what I’m doing. I’m getting a blood sample.”

  Joe asked out, “You? Not Ellen.”

  “Me,” Frank replied. “If Dean is up to something, El can’t walk up to him and ask for a blood sample. He’ll get suspicious.”

  “How do you know?” Joe asked.

  “She tried.” Frank said. “He got suspicious. So I’m gonna do it. I’ll get the blood. And he won’t even know it.”

  Joe saw it. The look on Hal, Robbie and Jimmy’s face. Perplexity. He raised a silencing hand, and decided to ask for the group. “Frank? How in the world are you, you, Frank gonna get blood from Dean without him knowing.”

  With a wink, Frank pointed to his temple. “I got a plan.” Then he turned and walked out.

  ***

  Dean watched her. In the lab door, leaning against the archway, he stood unnoticed. Why was she playing that song? A song he considered theirs? With the music at a low volume, Ellen sat before a computer in the dimly lit room, body swaying lightly to the beat.