The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

“Why?”

  Sneakily, after a snicker, she walked over to the other counter, opened the drawer and pulled out a folder. “My surprise for you.” She laid the folder down for Dean.

  He read the words. “Classified? Our eyes only.”

  “And Christopher’s. Go on take a peak. I got Jenny to agree to …”

  Dean shrieked when he opened the folder. He immediately shut it.

  Ellen continued. “Agreed to do nude shots for Chris.”

  “This is just wrong.” Dean slid the folder over to her.

  “But will it work?”

  “Probably.”

  “That’s all that matters.”

  “I’m getting coffee.” Dean stood up and walked across the lab. “Want some?”

  “Yes, please.”

  No sooner was Dean out of the lab, Ellen heard the call of her name accompanied by a ‘Can you come here please?’ she stepped out into the hall, Dean was staring down toward the door.

  “What’s up?” She asked.

  “What’s wrong with Frank? Did he get hurt?”

  Ellen looked. Her head tilted in the same manner as Dean’s, and nearly the same way as Frank’s. His leaning body neared the double glass doors.

  “He looks hurt,” dean said.

  “Yeah he does.”

  They watched. Frank reached the double glass doors, stopped, set down his rifle, opened the door and walked in. But he walked in sideways.

  “Why is his arm up like that?” Dean asked.

  “God, I hope he didn’t throw his back out,” Ellen replied.

  “Frank? Throw his back out?” Dean shook his head. “I would be shocked.”

  They stood there as Frank made his way to them.

  “Hey, Dean. El.” Frank grunted, hopped and twisted. “You have an examining room open for this.”

  “Uh …” Dean stammered. “Yeah, Frank, room two. Go on in.”

  “Thanks. I need to take care of this.” He handed Ellen his rifle, “Can you hold this? Thanks.”

  “Sure.” Ellen’s arm dropped with the weight of the weapon.

  Watching Frank open the door to the examining room, Dean turned to Ellen. “You want to see what happened?”

  “I’m holding his gun. Yes.”

  The door remained open, and Ellen and Dean reached the archway just at the point where Frank released a grunt, and the examining table rattled with a thump.

  “Frank?” Dean questioned as he stepped in the room. “You straightened out.”

  “Yes, Dean, I did that many years ago.”

  “Huh?” Dean scratched his head. “You ... you were walking crooked.”

  “Fuck, Dean, you would too if you were carrying an I.F.I.”

  “A …”

  “I.F.I.”

  “Frank? What the hell is an Iffy?”

  Frank huffed as if Dean should have known. “It’s an anagram.”

  “An anagram.”

  “Invisible Fuckin Idiot.”

  “You mean it’s an acronym.” Dean stated.

  “What is?” Frank asked.

  “The name Iffy. It’s an acronym. Not anagram.”

  “Whatever.”

  Dean mouthed the word ‘whatever’ with question.

  Hands on hips, Frank nodded.

  “Frank.” Dean lifted his hands in defeat. “I’m confused.”

  “That happens.”

  “I mean, I’m not seeing your point in that.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Huh?”

  “You couldn’t.” Frank said.

  “Frank Where is this conversation going?” Dean asked.

  “To the Iffy.”

  In total frustration, Dean growled and rubbed his face hard.

  At that point, somewhere in the ping pong match of conversation, Ellen took notice. She stepped to the examining table in wonder. “Why is there blood dripping on the floor and where is it coming from?”

  “Fuck.” Frank rushed to the table. “I have him on his stomach.”

  “Who?” Dean asked.

  “Fuck, Dean, the Iffy.”

  Dean just stared.

  Frank clarified. “The invisible Fuckin future Idiot. Fuck. Now that’s two ‘Fs’ I have to change it.” Frank reached to the table and with a slight grunt caused the table to move again.

  This time, Dean and Ellen saw table move and the seeping pool of blood that floated about eight inches about the table.

  Ellen stepped back.

  “I killed it. But I don’t think he’s dead.” Frank said. “He’s still bleeding, and I was wondering if you can give it a try to save him. We could get information from him.”

  Dean chuckled. “How? How am I supposed to operate if I can’t see him?”

  “Oh. I have to take his suit off anyhow for Danny.” Frank felt around at the head of the table, then with in a second, off went something that revealed the face of the soldier.

  Light brown skin, long wavy black hair.

  “Wow,” Ellen looked. “He’s hot.”

  After a quick snap at her, Dean felt for a pulse. “It’s strong. He’s still alive. El, prep me room one.”

  “Got it.” Ellen backed up and raced out.

  “Frank can you help me get him out of this suit and down to the OR we’ll see what we can do.” Dean’s hand began to feel around. “This is amazing. Can you help me?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I can’t make any promises.”

  “As long as I get the suit.”

  “Abso …” Dean paused, shook his head with a smile, and proceeded with the help of Frank to find a way to remove the suit and expose the injured soldier.

  ***

  The house felt empty and it had little to do with the amount of items that Tigger and Johnny took. Of that, they didn’t take much.

  Mike was engrossed and lost in the fact that Tigger was actually going to do it. He was going to leave him and Lodi. Johnny, too.

  He had been watching them get ready for days, preparing for the journey. They would leave at sun up tomorrow.

  Mike would be alone.

  He’d be lying to himself if he said he didn’t think about changing his mind, and going. But pride kept him standing strong and unwavering in his initial decision. Mike never wanted to go in the first place.

  He would however, venture out to Beginnings if things got tough. He did have the in scope as a retreat.

  He made his way to the living room and peeked out the curtains at Tigger who sat on the porch with Johnny. The weather had started warming up and it was an unusually warm March day. Any snow remnants had melted.

  The phone vibrated on his hip first, then followed through with a ring. It startled Mike and he answered it.

  “Manis,” Greeted Hadley.

  “If this is an attempt to get me to change my mind. Or a threat …”

  “No. No threat,” George said. “You can consider this an information call.”

  “Go on.”

  “I just spoke to my right hand woman. Callahan. Did you know her and your son had a fling?”

  “I am painfully aware of that.”

  “Well, here’s something else to be painfully aware of. Callahan just told me she is pregnant... your son is the father. You may want to tell him before he leaves.”

  Just as fast as the information was delivered, the phone call ended.

  Mike’s insides gnawed and then eventually folded and felt as if they fell right out.

  He wanted to scream, cry, and get angry.

  Tigger was going to be a father. He had gotten Callahan pregnant.

  What would Tigger do? Would he run to Callahan? Change his whole course of action? It was in answering those questions that Mike made the conscience decision to never mention the phone call or the paternity to his son. Right or wrong, he just wasn’t going to do that to Tigger. It was better that he didn’t know, and just moved on with his life.

  ***

  Against the odds, and despite the loss of blood
, the depth of the bullet, Dean had saved the man. He had to move fast, type his blood, hit him with the healing agent, and hope for the best. But the young man of about twenty-five was strong and fit.

  Dean didn’t have long to examine the uniform. In fact, Frank snatched it up immediately and took it to Danny Hoi. The ‘invisible’’ predator story was true. Dean didn’t believe it and thought Frank made up the story to cover the fact that someone kicked his ass.

  Amending the I.F.F.I, for invisible fuckin’ future idiot, Frank gave him the run down. They weren’t soldiers of the future, from what he gathered they were the first line of defense against the LEPS, or as they called them Killer Babies.

  The population grew out of control, and despite the tools and information Dean gave in the future he visited, the Killer Babies kept reproducing. The only way to beat them was to get them without their knowledge.

  After laughing at his own bad joke of, Is it an Iffy situation here, Dean? Ha Ha Ha.” Frank left, and Dean got to work.

  The surgery didn’t take long. Ellen didn’t assist. Andrea did. Only because she happened to see what was happening in the clinic and was curious.

  Ellen took advantage and decided to go get further information from Fort.

  The post OP response was better than expected, and Dean moved the Iffy to a room.

  He would check in again after an early lunch.

  When he returned, Patrick said the vitals were stable and strong, but the patient hadn’t awakened.

  Dean walked in.

  The heart monitor beat steadily. There was an underlying hiss of oxygen that flowed to the young man. Dean walked to the bed. “Who are you?” he whispered, and pulled out his pocket recorder. “March fourth. Patient, male, approximately twenty-five years of age was brought in to the clinic with a single gunshot wound to the stomach. His survival is a miracle considering who shot him,” He dropped his voice to a mutter. “Frank doesn’t usually mess up.” He spoke normal. “He had nominal loss of blood. Vitals were weak but steady. Removal of the bullet was a success and …”

  “Dean.” Ellen walked in.

  Dean shut off the recorder.

  “I’m sorry, you were taking notes.” Ellen said. “I’ll come back.”

  “No, that’s fine. I’m fine.”

  “How is he?” Ellen walked to the bed.

  “Actually,” Dean ran his hand down the back of his head. “Good. Better than expected. Did you get anything from Fort.?”

  “Only that the tattoo on the back of his neck should tell us a little.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Okay, Fort said that if the tattoo starts out LH, he is a LEP hunter, meaning he tracks the Killer Babies. If he has an LA, he is an assassin. Then, again, Fort said it could be just someone who got hold of the suit.”

  “Let’s find out.” Dean moved to the head of the bed.

  “He looks different Dean.”

  “You mean hot?” Dean asked hands reaching for his head.

  “Aside from that, I mean different. He’s very Islander like.”

  “You mean Samoan or Polynesian?”

  “Exactly. But his skin color is too brown. It’s not African America brown, or golden brown, it’s a weird brown.”

  “DNA testing can give us an original.”

  “You should run it.”

  “I will.” Dean lifted his head. “Ah … LA-98768.”

  “How sad, Dean.”

  “What is?”

  “That we evolve into a world where we are only numbers.”

  “Well, El, before the plague that’s what we were, now we just are in a literal sense.”

  “That’s profound.”

  Dean smiled and grabbed the chart. “Let’s give him a name.”

  “Yeah, let’s.”

  The both stared at him.

  Dean sighed. “Any thoughts.”

  Ellen shook her head. “We should give him a name that matches what he looks like.”

  “I agree.”

  Silence. Sighs.

  Dean tapped a pencil on the chart. “Let’s call him Bob.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Dean wrote down the name Bob Smith. “He is no longer a number. Did you... did you ask Fort about the numbers.”

  Ellen nodded. “He said the population was getting minimal. If you recall that is why we went. People had to be manufactured, and the government decided that it would be easier in the long run since they were children without parents, to manufacture them and train them for one thing.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “I suppose there are people who aren’t numbers. And, according to Fort, will be in the future. The future to him.”

  “Speaking of that. Now that you have proof that Fort is from the future. Are you releasing him from Containment?”

  “No.,” Ellen said.

  “No? Why?”

  “He’s still a survivor Dean. Future or not, that doesn’t mean he can live in civilization.”

  “That is a very good point.”

  “Thank you. I just wish Joe saw it.”

  “Speaking of Joe, I thought he’d be here.” Dean said.

  “He wanted to but, last I heard there was a Slagel conference regarding something very important. They had to meet up …” She glanced at her watch. “About now.”

  “And… were they able to recall Jimmy?”

  Ellen snickered. “I’m sure Jimmy is there.”

  “Actually …” the voice entered the room. “I’m right here.” Jimmy entered. “Heard we had a weird thing happen. Wanted to check it out. What were you saying about me?”

  Dean immediately looked at Ellen. “Call Joe.”

  Ellen winked, nodded, and rushed from the room.

  ***

  Joe got the call, and breathed out a sigh of relief over it. He paced about Jason’s lab, hands in pockets watching as Danny hooked up the recording device to the computer.

  “And you’re sure …” Joe said. “We aren’t gonna miss your message.”

  Jason shook his head. “I’m positive my future self knows about all the delays. Danny how is that coming.”

  “Good. Good.” Danny stood up straight. “I want to be able to edit and tweak if the message is as garbled as you said the first one was.”

  Jason nodded. “My future self knew this, and it’s probably why he chose you.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Danny said. “You know, all these messages from the future are ruining the surprises that life has in store for me. I am inadvertently altering the future.”

  “That’s why we need to record this,” Jason said. “If all goes as planned. If this message is about something we have to stop, then the bleak, radioactive Beginnings future may all be in vain.”

  “It still may all be in vain,” Joe added. “Remember Fort talked about Sam the mannequin.”

  “Then if that’s the case, then there shouldn’t be a message from the future, or one that is completely different.” Jason smiled. “God, I love science.”

  “You mean science fiction.” Joe chuckled.

  Danny gave a queer look to the men who were just amusing themselves over the simplest thing. Hoping it was senility, Danny returned to his work.

  ***

  “But you have to look at how great this is, Elliott,” Hal spoke on the phone as he walked. “We are getting a chance to do something to make the future better.”

  “Here is what I don’t get, Captain.”

  “Shoot.”

  “If Dr. Godrichson had the ability to send a message or two back to the past, then why didn’t he do so before you went on the time test.”

  Hal not only paused in his walking, but paused in thought. “I ... I don’t know. Do you have a theory on it?”

  “Not really. But obviously, something has changed since that first trip.”

  “Which tells us that Beginnings, or rather lack thereof, is not the problem.”

  “It’s something else. Something that happened since the
first trip.”

  “A lot has happened,” Hal said.

  “The machine opening up from the future, obviously brought not only the clone, Julie, and an undetermined amount of Invisible Predators, but it brought a turn of events that Dr. Godrichson felt should be changed.”

  “Events that, theoretically, Fort would have no clue about.”

  “None. Because he came through the machine.”

  “Damn it.” Hal cursed. “Okay, we’ll find out soon enough. The suspense is killing me.”

  “Even then you may not find out.”

  “What do you mean?” Hal asked.

  “Didn’t Jason say the first message that came through was garbled, distorted? You may have a puzzle to figure out before you get all your information.”

  “Thank you, Elliott for placing a damper on things. If you are envious of my position right now, keep it to yourself.”

  Elliott laughed. “Captain, when does it start?”

  “As soon as Jimmy gets here.”

  “It’s not like him to be late.”

  “No, it isn’t. But it is like us to forget about him.”

  Again, Elliott laughed.

  “So right now, Frank, Robbie, and I are wasting time so as not to be waiting on Jimmy giving it away that we …”

  “Forgot about him again?”

  “Exactly and …Let me get back to you Elliott.”

  “What’s up?” Elliott asked.

  “I just spotted my two brothers breaking into the mobile lab.” Focused on them, Hal hung up. “What are they up to?”

  Frank sniffed. His head went from left to right, head extended and he sniffed.

  “What do you get?” Robbie asked.

  Frank shook his head, walked toward the back room of the mobile. “Someone’s been in here. Recently… within the last couple days.”

  “Dean?”

  “Nope. I know Dean’s scent. I don’t know this one.”

  “It would have to be something that came through the machine.”

  “The foot prints indicated that,” Frank said. “The clone.”

  “Could be,” Robbie watched Frank sniffed around. “You know, Frank, I’m liking the fact that you’re so hound dog like at times.”

  “Pretty cool, huh?”

  “I’m telling you.”

  “One day it will be gone.”