The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  Mike glared.

  “Look.” Frank said calmly. “Why don’ you relax. Calm down. And then he’ll stop running.”

  Mike scoffed. “Are you ... are you of all people giving me fatherly advice?”

  An ‘ouch’ came from Lars.

  Frank clenched his jaws. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that.”

  “Oh, really, why is that?”

  “One because you’re in a pissy mood. Two … I’m not feeling like laying you out with your whole town watching.”

  Mike laughed.

  Lars slammed his glass and spun around. “Michael Manis I will always side with you. But you have been in a foul mood picking a fight with everyone for days. Let this go. Let Tigger alone. Whatever he did will still be a wrong when you calm down.”

  Mike ignored Lars.

  Lars shrugged. “You’ve been warned.”

  With an arrogant grin, saying so much as ‘you think so’ to Frank. Mike stepped even closer.

  “Take it on back big man,” Frank said. “Now. Out of my space.”

  “Your space?” Mike was steaming.

  “You know what?” Frank raised his hands. “I promised El.” He stepped to move out of the way.

  Mike blocked.

  Frank chuckled. “We playing bully now? What the fuck? Come on. Don’t let your bad mood and your bruised ego get you in trouble again.”

  There was silence in the bar. In fact. The men kind of just backed up.

  Except for Danny Hoi.

  Danny allowed for Mike to be hit once by Frank. Knowing full well, Frank’s mutated capabilities, and seeing how in control Frank was trying to be, Danny tried to defuse. After all. It was his responsibility as a Beginnings ambassador to keep the calm.

  He stood, hands in pockets and inched his way to the stare down.

  Reaching out, Danny tapped Mike and spoke smoothly. “Hey, come on.”

  Was Mike that on edge? That ready? With the simple tap on his shoulder, being so unlike himself, stressed and ready to explode, Mike spun toward Danny and when doing so, nailed him hard. Danny flew back.

  That was all it took for Frank. He sailed out his left hand.

  Coming out of his punch, Mike was greeted with a tight grip to his throat.

  Frank had to stretch for the grip, but knew it would be there long... In bringing Mike forward, Frank raised the big man from his feet and delivered one quick, yet effective jab, releasing his hold on Mike after the hit.

  Mike stumbled a second, but was ready. The two feet back was enough of a distance to give Mike a charge. And shoulder first he rammed to Frank, spearing him in the gut.

  The squeal of chairs rang out as everyone moved out of the way.

  Mike purchased a hold onto Frank, but before he could heave him upward, Frank shoved him back some. Mike stood straight, charged again, but this time, Frank darted out of the way. Before Mike slammed into the bar, Frank used the momentum of Mike, and a turn of his own body, grabbing hold of the huge man, and launching him out of the way.

  Powerfully, as if he weighed nothing, Mike sailed, crashing into a grouping of tables, knocking them down like bowling pins.

  Frank spun again, reached up, and latched onto Tigger’s arm, just as he was about to nail Frank with a bottle. “Don’t even think about it.” Frank snatched the bottle from Tigger’s grip and slammed it on the counter.

  Some men scurried to help Mike.

  Danny rushed to Frank’s side, as numerous men in the bar stood slowly in defense of their leader.

  “I can’t believe you threw him like that.” Danny said through clenched teeth. “Holy fuck.”

  “I know.” Frank whispered.

  “You think they may come after us.”

  Frank shrugged. “I think we’re good. We can take them,” He whispered. “As long as you do that Kung Fu shit.”

  The man wall turned and almost tauntingly, like a circle of slow moving zombies, they moved to Frank and Danny.

  “Stop!” Lars shouted out. “All of you.” He stepped in front of Danny and Frank. “Do not even begin to tell me you group of men want to take on these two? And you …” He pointed to Tigger. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You hid behind Frank. You started this whole mess and you try to hit him with a bottle.”

  “He hit my dad.”

  “Your dad went after him first. As a matter of fact, he hit Danny without reason. And you men want to just mob them?”

  One of the men spoke up. “The chief wouldn’t have been in a foul mood if they didn’t come here starting trouble in the first place.

  “Starting trouble?” Danny asked out. “Is that what you think?” With a shake of his head, bravely he walked to the table and grabbed his lap top. “We didn’t come here to start trouble. We came here to help.”

  Mike chuckled out a laugh as he stood straight. “Help? You came to show how much in control Beginnings is gonna be. That is why I’m not going to Beginnings.”

  Silence.

  Suddenly, many of the men started questioning.

  “You’re not going chief?”

  “You mean you’re staying back and wading through.”

  No one noticed, amongst the revelation of Mike’s announcement, Tigger, shocked, slowly sat down on the bar.

  The men voiced their support, chanting out to each other that that if Mike stays, they stay.

  “Yeah.”

  Lars was amazed. “And what of the Society?” he asked loudly, drawing attention. “They want us out. They have stated they will remove us. Do you think a couple hundred men can take them? Hold Lodi? I know you want to hold your ground gentlemen, but you won’t have to worry about the meteor, the Society will get you first.”

  “Then they’ll get one hell of a fight.” One shouted.

  “This is not what was agreed upon.” Lars argued. “Danny. Frank. Tell them.”

  Another man stepped forward. “Why do you care what Beginnings thinks? This is your home, Lars. Not them. Beginnings wasn’t the original plan. If we don’t want to go, then heck, we stay.”

  Frank finally spoke up. “I couldn’t agree with you more. Danny?”

  Danny lifted his hand. “Me either Frank. You know what I say. If they don’t want to come…”

  Frank finished the sentence “Fuck em. Let’s go.” He gave a twitch of his head, turned, and opened the door for Danny. “Gentlemen. Have a nice life.” After Danny stepped out, Frank wasn’t behind him.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ellen didn’t realize how tired she was, and had every plan to stay in town. Actually, Mike offered her the room again. But she politely declined, when she found out that Frank and Danny were staying by the plane.

  All she had heard from Lars was there was some trouble.

  What was going on? Her previous trip to Lodi wasn’t anything like this one. There was never any trouble. None of the men seemed that way. But then again, they hadn’t mixed with Beginnings men as they were doing.

  Lars was at a loss on what to do, he told her that. He also shared that Mike’s mood was atrocious and it was affecting his behavior badly.

  Ellen felt badly for Lars when he made his way to them on the street where the plane rested. He brought food for them, to which Danny replied, “No thank you. We want nothing from Lodi.”

  “This isn’t from Lodi, this is from me,” Lars said.

  “Thank you, again, but no.” Danny repeated. “We’re good.”

  Danny Hoi was the resourceful guy. He actually thought ahead, packing food for the days they’d be there. One box, as if he were going on a camping trip. The small town area where they had landed didn’t have much. The people of Lodi long wiped out the town. But they left things Danny could use. Curtains were made into sleeping bags. They would stay in the plane. Though cold, it would work. They were able to retrieve gasoline to run the plane every so often to warm it up.

  That was the one resource they took from Lodi. After all, they wanted Ellen out there for the surgery.

&
nbsp; All else.

  Danny had it covered. Frank was grateful.

  There wasn’t as much food as he’d prefer, but it would work. They’d leave early.

  “I’m recommending, El,” Danny said as they sat round a campfire. “That if Lodi wants to move to our province, they do it on their own. I already called Joe.”

  “I really don’t understand. There have to be some people in this town who don’t feel the way that Mike feels. Lars for example. What about those people?” Ellen asked. “Are we just gonna forget about them. Leave them to their own resources?”

  “Absolutely,” Danny responded. “But they haven’t a clue on how to use their own resources. Did you notice how fat these people are? They aren’t starving. They sit around with nothing to do. Let them figure out how to get to us.” He shrugged. “I don’t care. I got a black eye trying to be diplomatic from a big man with an attitude problem. Now I have an attitude problem and am worshiping Frank the way he threw him.”

  Frank chuckled. “Thanks, Danny.”

  Ellen turned to Frank. “You feel the same way?”

  “Yeah, El, I do.”

  “What about Johnny? He needs follow up care. He can’t go to the Society. He can’t. He certainly can’t be left to his own resources to get himself home. Although, I think he could. Beginnings voted to allow him in Jordan, Creedville, and Doyle camp. I can care for him there. But not if he doesn’t get there.”

  Frank sighed out heavily. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you. We came here to help them get trucks ready, estimate what they need and give them the clear route.”

  “Yeah, El,” Danny added. “We were only trying to help. So when they arrived they’d have a home. Hell, I know I could have made that town look just like this. But … not anymore.”

  Suddenly, a voice from the darkness emerged. Tiny. Tigger. “What if they made it to Montana? Where would they go? A group I mean.”

  Frank tossed his cigarette. “If it isn’t the little trouble maker now.”

  “You mean big?” Danny asked.

  “No, I mean little.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” Tigger walked toward the fire.

  Frank shooed out his hand. “Go away little man. No one wants you here.”

  “Are you always such a dick?” Tigger asked.

  “Pretty much so.” Frank said.

  “See? You guys are basing your opinion on a bunch of drunks in the town. They aren’t the whole town.” Tigger said. “You got some old timers who don’t want to stay. And other men. It’s not that they don’t love Lodi, they do. But none of them want to die for a piece of land. They’d rather die for an entire country and they only time they’ll be fighting for this country is when they fight alongside you guys out west.”

  Danny asked. “Is there talk in town?”

  Tigger nodded. “An uproar. More don’t want to go than do. But that doesn’t change the fact there are some that want to go. So, I ask you. If we show up, then what? Can we have that town?”

  “How many we talking?” Danny asked.

  “Forty.” Tigger replied.

  “We’d have to move you in with Creedville or Camp Doyle. But, you have to understand, we’re not really happy about helping you get there.”

  “You know what? We don’t need your help to get there. Just let us know we’re welcome when we arrive.”

  “Lars?” Danny asked. “Is he coming?”

  Tigger shook his head. “He said he can’t leave a bunch of dying men. He said he’s just gonna join the Society and kill George.”

  Frank smiled. “I knew there was a reason I liked Lars.”

  “I tried to kill George once,” Tigger said. “I failed.”

  “Don’t feel so bad about that,” Frank gave a swat to his arm. “Me, too.”

  Ellen said, “Tigger, stop. You keep saying ‘we’ are you going?”

  “Yeah, I am, El. Actually, I’m putting the trip together. Colt has an old greyhound he’s gonna refurbish, and drive. Johnny’s gonna navigate. We’ll be good.”

  “Are you leaving your father if he stays behind?” Ellen asked.

  “I love my Dad, El. I love him to death. But, this is a bad decision. Right now he thinks I’m working for the Society.”

  Frank laughed. “What?”

  “Why?” Danny asked. “Why does your father think you’re a Johnny, sorry Frank?”

  “Because he knows I was talking to Bertha and I told Bertha that Beginnings is letting Johnny into the province.”

  Slowly, Frank face changed. “Who is Bertha?”

  Danny replied. “Callahan. George’s right hand man. Jimmy told us about her.”

  “Fuck. Why would you tell them that?” Frank questioned.

  “She asked.” Tigger shrugged.

  “Why are you talking to her?” Frank furthered.

  “I love her.” Tigger waded through the shocked expressions. “When she was in town, she and I, well, sort of … hooked up.”

  Danny coughed a choke. “I heard she’s huge.”

  “Yes.” Tigger nodded.

  “Tigger,” Ellen interjected gently. “I can see why your father is thinking this way. You can’t give info to the Society.”

  “I know this.” Tigger agreed. “And don’t you think I know what is pertinent information and what is not. So what. They know Johnny is allowed into the west. Big deal. I tried to explain it to my father, but he wouldn’t listen. I’m not giving them secrets or inside information. I’m not helping them.”

  “Intentionally,” Frank said. “You don’t know.”

  “Yeah, I do. I’m smarter than that.” Tigger defended. “You know, all you people, my dad included have to stop. Stop asking and wondering what all I said to her, and ask me an even better question.”

  Danny did. “What would that question be?”

  “What all she said to me.”

  ***

  “Three types of people usually occupy a bar after closing," said Lars as he walked into the Lodi bar, eyes focused on Mike who slumped over a drink. “The bartender. The entertainer or the town drunk. Which are you?”

  “I’m not in the mood.”

  “Are you going to slug me, too, Mike?” Lars grabbed the bottle and poured a drink.

  “What’s wrong with me Lars?” Mike rubbed his eyes.

  “A lot on your mind. The move. The not moving. Johnny’s surgery. The strange mutant Beginnings man named Frank.”

  “Is he for real?” Mike asked. “I weigh 285 pounds. He threw me like …”

  “Like you weighed fifty.”

  “Yeah. I couldn’t believe I was lifted from the ground. Had to be his adrenaline.”

  “Or else Beginnings has given new meaning to steroids.”

  “Could that be it?” Mike asked.

  “Nah. He’s built too normally. You look more like you’re on steroids with the Cro-Magnon forehead.”

  “Thanks.”

  Lars smirked. “Feeling any better?”

  “No.”

  “I went out to the highway to see them, see if they need anything. They don’t want our food, or help, nor do they want to give theirs.”

  “Oh, well.” Mike shrugged.

  “I had a conversation with your son. You do realize he isn’t a traitor.”

  “I know.” Mike grumbled. “By why does he have to open his moth about anything?”

  “Who knows? Love?”

  Mike cringed.

  “I do know he is leaving …”

  “For the Society?”

  Lars smacked Mike’s hand.

  “Hey, what was that for?” Mike asked.

  “Your son is not leaving for the Society. He is leaving for Beginnings. As soon as Johnny is well enough to make the trip and prior to the Fredrickson, he is leading the Colt Greyhound to the west. His own westward expansion, I suppose.”

  Mike drew his drink to his lips.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

  “He goes, He goes.”

&nb
sp; “And you?” Lars asked.

  “I made up my mind, Lars. I was born in Lodi … I’m gonna die in Lodi.” Mike finished his drink in one swallow, stood, set down the glass, bid a goodnight and walked out of the bar.

  ***

  In the old world Joe would have never of thought about operating a motor vehicle after drinking more than two drinks. But it was Beginnings and he knew where to drive. It wasn’t as if Joe was intoxicated. He wasn’t even close, but he always felt that more than two drinks slowed him down just a bit.

  But Beginnings was a different story.

  No one really drove in Beginnings and no one really left town to walk anywhere. If they did it was rare and they stayed on paths jeeps couldn’t take anyway.

  Joe was supposed to meet Jason at the social hall. In an odd occurrence, Jason didn’t show. Joe checked out the time, it was pushing eleven o’clock and Jason was over an hour late.

  Worried some but not much, Joe hopped in a jeep and drove out to the quantum lab. He could see as he approached that the spot light was still on. The spot light was often the guiding light to the area, as the lights of center town were the guides from.

  Pulling to the lab, Joe saw more than the ‘overnight empty’ lights were on and that told him Jason was there. He must have walked out, because Joe didn’t see a jeep.

  He parked, got out, and going in, peeked in the window. Jason sat at his counter, four computers illuminated.

  He sipped coffee, clicked keys with one hand as a cigarette perched between his fingers.

  Joe gave a courtesy knock and opened the door at the same time Jason yelled, “Come in.”

  “Hey, where you been?” Joe asked, shaking the chill and shutting the door.

  Jason looked at his watch. “Shit. I had no idea it was so late. I am so sorry.”

  “Not a problem. I didn’t frighten you, did I, coming up here.”

  “No, I heard the jeep. But figured it was Dean.”

  “Dean?” Joe asked. “Why would you think it was Dean?”

  “True. Dean hasn’t been driving. He’s been walking.”

  “Really. All the way out here.”

  “For the past couple nights. In fact. I heard him go in the lab, when I left last night.”