The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  Joe sighed out and took the report. He read, with a matter of fact, no emotional feel from the beginning. “States here he arrived at the front gate region, positioned twenty meters from the main entrance with four other men, At Callahan’s request. Sgt. Slagel was three meters away, taking a sniper’s position in a tree. He received a radio call that perpetrator was spotted and Callahan was in route. At approximately zero one-thirty hours, a single shot was fired. Private Stevens was struck in the head. Sgt. Slagel then ordered us back. Stating perpetrator had a sniper’s position. At which time a second shot was fired and Private Anthony was killed.”

  “What happened with Robbie?” Jimmy asked.

  Joe shook his head while reading. “Says pulled back, another man shot. Callahan arrived. Took cover. Was on radio…shot.” Joe shook his head again.

  “Wait. Wait. Wait.” Frank interrupted. “This was Mike? Obviously he was picking off Society soldiers. He had to be using a scope. How’d he hit Robbie and why?”

  “Here it is,” Joe said. “States, Sgt. Slagel came down from his sniper position. President Hadley has rushed on to the scene when Callahan was shot …”

  “What the fuck?” Frank asked.

  Joe shook his head. “His right hand man was down. I don’t know.” Joe continued. “The spot lights came on. And … ah … Okay.”

  “What?” Frank asked.

  “Sgt. Slagel stepped before President Hadley and was shot in the leg. President Hadley then retrieved Sgt. Slagel’s weapon and shot perpetrator. President Hadley immediately applied a tourniquet to Sgt. Slagel’s leg and called for help.” Joe set down the report.

  Frank sighed out. “So our brother saved George’s life.”

  “And …” Joe tiled his head. “In return. Looks like George may have saved him. A leg wound. Tourniquet. Bet me any money the wound was gushing. Arterial hit. George knew it. Robbie could have bled to death in three minutes. That’s my guess.”

  Hal whistled. “Talk about a turn of events. Anything about Mike? Dead? Captured.”

  “Doesn’t say.” Joe answered. “Frank, get a hold of Dean. Give him Hadley’s number. Have him call and call until he speaks to a doctor down there.”

  “Dad,” Hal said. “I’m sure they do have good doctors working on Robbie.”

  “I’m sure they do,” Joe said. “But … that’s only what they told us. It’s the Society. Our sworn enemy. Until I speak to my son directly, call from Lange, George, report or no report …” Joe lifted the report and let it fall. “Until I hear from Robbie, I’m still in the dark.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  March 8th

  It took all night, but Dean finally managed to speak to the doctor that took care of Robbie.

  “The bullet hit the femoral artery. No bone breakage,” he explained to Ellen. “They repaired the damage. But he lost a lot of blood. His on his fourth bag, but his vitals are up.”

  “Blood count?”

  “Not bad, last count was just under four mil, so they pretty much have him back to normal.”

  Ellen sighed out in relief, grabbing her chest. “I am so glad to hear that.”

  “They don’t foresee any complications. They just want to hold on to him for a few more days.”

  Ellen nodded. “I understand. And Frank said Mike shot him?”

  “That’s what he said. From what Frank gathered by the report, he thinks Mike aimed for Robbie’s leg, because Robbie blocked George.”

  “So he saved George’s life.”

  “And let’s not forget, George saved his. He put the tourniquet on. Had it been someone else, they may not have recognized or paid attention to the fact he was bleeding to death.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know. Tell me about it.”

  “You better call Frank with the news.”

  “Yeah,” Dean lifted the phone. “But you do know this means we’re stuck here.”

  “I know. How do you feel about that?”

  Dean shrugged. “Nothing we can do. It’ll give us more time to play with Lars’ things.”

  “True. But, there’s one thing I worry about.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Making it home in time for my wedding.”

  On that, Dean smiled, said no more and dialed the phone.

  ****

  Joe tried, he got up … quietly. Made coffee, and really wanted to get out of the house before Andrea woke. Aside from the fact it was Sunday, and she didn’t have to work, she was in a sense injured. Lars diagnosed her with a tin ear. She was experiencing high volume ringing which would subside in a day or two.

  But until then, Joe needed to keep his distance.

  “Shh.” He hushed Frank. “Keep it down.”

  “I am.”

  “Softer.”

  “I am.” He whispered loud.

  Joe grumbled. “Let me get my coffee and we’ll head out and then you can tell me.”

  “I can tell you here.”

  “I know. I know but …”

  “Frank!” Andrea yelled. “Did you hear anything about Robbie?”

  “Christ.” Joe winced.

  Just as loud, Frank answered. “Yes. I was about to tell my dad!”

  “Good! I want to hear!” Andrea said. “Joe! Can I make you breakfast?”

  Not feeling like exchanging a ‘what’ for ‘what’ Joe simply shook his head.

  “What’s the news, Frank?”

  Joe held off his ear.

  Frank answered. “Robbie is fine! Artery hit! Repaired. Stable and Improving!”

  “Blood count?” Andrea asked.

  “Almost normal.”

  “Sweet Jesus. That’s wonderful. I’ll lead a prayer for him in church.”

  “You do that.” Frank whispered.

  “Joe.” Andrea turned to him. “Will you be there for that?”

  “I won’t need to. If you’re leading the prayer. I’ll hear it wherever I am.”

  “What?”

  “Son of a bitch.” Joe grimaced. “I’m out of here.” He grabbed his coffee. “Frank?”

  “Where are you going?” Andrea asked.

  “Crazy.” Joe mumbled, then yelled. “Have work.”

  “What?”

  Frank replied. “Work.” Oh. Okay. Have a good day. I’ll stop by later.”

  Joe walked out.

  ****

  Callahan.

  It was Robbie’s first thought, the second he opened his eyes. Was she okay, alive, dead. He remembered getting hit in the leg, falling, and fading from consciousness.

  Slowly everything came into focus and he found himself staring up at ceiling tiles. A shift of his eyes to the right brought a window, straight ahead bathroom. He knew without a doubt he was in a hospital.

  It was a typical hospital bed, and Robbie reached over for the controls.

  “Need help?” a male voice asked.

  Robbie blinked. He didn’t know the man who stood there in hospital scrubs. Robbie nodded.

  “Did you want to sit up some?”

  “Please.”

  “Let me know when,” He said as he adjusted the bed.

  “When.” Robbie was in a sitting position.

  He chuckled. “My name is Bruce. I’m your nurse.”

  “Not doctor?”

  “No. He’ll be in shortly. How are you feeling?”

  “Not too bad. Dizzy.”

  “That’s normal. Your blood pressure is back up. You lost a lot of blood.”

  “Artery hit.”

  Bruce nodded. “And no one told me you had a robotic arm. I was worried when I came in take your vitals and couldn’t get a pulse.” He laughed. “Then I looked in the chart.”

  “Am I still at Quantico?”

  “You were stabilized there, but you needed surgery. You’re in DC. President Hadley flew you in.”

  “Wow.”

  “Tell me about it. I didn’t know he could fly.”

  “Once again …” George’s voice entered the room. “Ano
ther person too young to have voted for me. How are you feeling Robbie?”

  “Good.”

  Bruce excused himself with a ‘call me if you need me.”

  After informing Bruce to let him know when the doctor arrived, George turned to Robbie. “No pain.”

  “Not much. Hey, thanks … thanks for flying me in.”

  “No, thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Saving my life. You took that bullet for me, Robbie. I won’t forget it.”

  “How’s Callahan.”

  George pulled up a chair. “May I?”

  Robbie nodded.

  George sat down with a sigh. “She’s not good. The bullet wound wasn’t the problem. It passed through the right lung, they repaired that. Hell... she didn’t even lose the baby.”

  “She’s pregnant?”

  George nodded. “Get this, to Mike’s son.”

  Robbie’s eyes widened. “He’s a little person, and she’s …”

  “Freaky huh? But, she didn’t miscarry. The problem is, when she was shot, she fell and hit her head. She lost cerebral fluid with the fracture and … even if she wakes up, she won’t have motor functions, be able to hear, see ….”

  “So make her A SUT.”

  “Ah, the Frank acronym for CME.”

  “Yeah, seriously, George. If we could make Dean see again, surely your people can program the chip to restore her mobility and senses.”

  “I’m not sure we can. We don’t have our programmer.”

  Robbie snickered. “Then you need to talk to Danny Hoi. He and Henry did the Dean chip. Hell, they came up with a butler chip.”

  “I heard a lot of things about Danny Hoi from Henry. Maybe for the sake of Callahan he may help out if needed. If she survives this.”

  “I’m sure he will.” Robbie paused. “I’m afraid to ask. Mike?’

  “In a holding cell.”

  “You …. You didn’t kill him?”

  “I wanted to. But I don’t know what to do with him.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  George shrugged. “Right now, I think he wants to die. He has a death wish. He came here for me knowing full well, his chances of survival would be slim, even if he got me. That was apparent by the way he exposed himself. So, death is he wants. Do I want to give him that? I think taking away his freedom like a criminal is what I want to do for now. I have other things on my mind. First of which is …” George reached into his pocket and handed Robbie the phone.

  “What’s this for?”

  “Call your dad. I’m sure you are the only one he wants to hear from to know you’re fine.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Robbie took the phone and dialed. “Hey …” he smiled. “What’s up, Dad? It’s Robbie.”

  ****

  Joe basked in the after feel of the Robbie phone call. Robbie was fine. Although he didn’t know the details, or how long of a recovery Robbie would have, Joe had the one thing he needed. Reassurance from his son via his son’s voice.

  Robbie was feeling fine and even joked about it.

  After that call Joe took in the feel. He felt relieved.

  “Got a minute,” Danny asked as he opened the door following a single knock.

  “Danny, yes.” Joe snapped forward in his chair. “You’re up early.”

  “Oh, I haven’t been to bed yet.”

  “The incident in Bowman.”

  “No, not that. I was working on a project and I was so close to finishing I just couldn’t stop until I did. You know how that is.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Would you like to know what it is?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Thought you would.” Danny set a laptop on Joe’s desk, and then proceeded to run the power cord and another.

  “What are you doing Danny?”

  “Showing you.”

  “Do I need my glasses?”

  “Probably.”

  Joe grumbled and placed on his glasses. “I have computers, you know that.”

  “Everyone knows that, Joe. This is more than that.” Danny stood behind him. “Okay, it’s booted up. Double click on the icon of my face.”

  “How? There’s no mouse.”

  “It’s a laptop mouse.”

  Joe looked around the keyboard.

  “Never mind, I’ll do it. Danny reached in front of him. “I have it all set up. This is the administrative computer. It’ll be in here always.”

  “What’s this username?” Joe asked, peering to the screen through his glasses with a tipped chin. “Password?”

  Danny typed. “I’ll give you all this information. I have it written down for you.”

  “Danny,” Joe said irritated. “What are you talking about?”

  “This. Watch.”

  Joe’s head bobbed. Then he stopped when a voice came on the computer stating, ‘You have mail.’

  “I have what?”

  Danny, high pitched and excited, said. “You have mail. Joe! I did it. I brought back …”

  “Jesus Christ.”

  “Email.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “Look, Joe, an email from me.”

  “Open it.”

  “No.”

  “Come on …”

  “No.”

  “Joe, you’re making me feel bad.”

  “Christ almighty, all right.” Joe clicked on it. “It says hi.”

  “Yep.” Danny nodded proudly. “Your email address is president at Hoi dot com.”

  “Christ.”

  Danny grinned. “Check it out. I gave it to Beginnings first, because I figure I gave the IFFY tracker to Bowman. Fair is fair.”

  “Of course.”

  “So, you’re probably wondering how this will this work,” Danny spoke rapidly and with excitement.

  “How much coffee did you have Danny.”

  “You are.”

  “I am what?”

  “Wondering.”

  “No, actually, I’m not.”

  “Joe, I’m feeling bad here.”

  “Fine. Fine. How is it going to work?”

  “Glad you asked.”

  “Christ.”

  Danny explained. “First I set up about a twenty email accounts. The starter accounts. Every computer in Beginnings that is part of the community now has email software. I did that last night. Anyhow … email can be accessed on the mechanics computer, security computer …”

  “Security doesn’t have one.”

  “They do now.”

  Joe rubbed his eyes. “There are reasons we don’t give Frank computer access.”

  Danny continued. “I have a sheet…” He pulled a paper from his back pocket. “All the email addresses you need for now. Your wife has one.”

  “Great.”

  “I can’t give you the passwords. I can only give those to individuals.”

  “Understandable.”

  “I have four computers set up in the library for public access. Anyone who wants to set up an email account needs only to go to Hoi dot com and register. Not that there’s a world wide web... yet.”

  “Danny …”

  “By later today, Bowman will have their ten computers in the library, they’re bigger, and Hal will have his own along with the clinic. Creedville, Jordan and Doyle camp by tomorrow.”

  “Danny.” Joe peered at him. “Are you aware that most of the world was wiped out by a plague?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is about as close to the apocalypse as you can get. End of the world. Back to basics. Barbaric. Why in Christ name do we need email?”

  “To communicate, Joe.”

  “We communicate just fine.”

  “Yeah, but, Joe, people need this.”

  “No,” Joe shook his head. “They don’t.”

  “They want this.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble, Danny, but I really don’t think anyone is going to be that excited about this.”

  A si
ngle knock, brought in Frank. “Hey.” Frank said. “What’s up? I was wondering … whoa. You got a computer.”

  “Yes,” Joe answered. “Get this, Danny brought back email.” He gave a nod of sarcasm to Frank.

  “Oh my God.” Frank grinned. “No fuckin way.”

  “Way,” Danny said.

  “Fuck. Yes. Can I have an email account?”

  “Already have one set up for you. Hero Frank at Hoi dot com. Got a computer in your office now. Email account and everything.” Danny grinned.

  “My dad has one?” Frank asked.

  Danny handed him a sheet. “Here’s all the assigned email addresses so far.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Frank grinned. “I’m gonna send you an email Dad.”

  “Why?” Joe asked.

  “Because I can.”

  Danny, pleased, turned to Joe. “What was that you were saying about no one being excited?”

  “It’s Frank. He doesn’t count.” Joe said.

  At that instant, another knock, and Dan from security came it. “Oh, hey Joe. Danny. Frank. Joe wanted to let you know everything went smooth last night; I’ll email you a preliminary report as soon as I get back to the office. Did you hear Frank? We have email.”

  “Isn’t that fuckin great?” Frank asked.

  “Check your email. I sent you a joke,” Dan said.

  “Yes. See ya.” Frank bolted from the office.

  Dan looked at Joe. “Sorry Joe, I would have sent you a joke, but I just got your email address off of Danny. I didn’t have it when I was testing the library computers.”

  Joe nodded.

  Dan stepped back with a point, “I’ll email you.”

  Joe pointed back.

  When the door closed, Danny smiled. “This is great. It’s going to be the newest rage. Hoi mail.”

  “Hoi Mail. And this has been working for how long?” Joe asked.

  Danny looked at his watch. “Two hours. It’s so great. And I’m ready for the overload. I know it’s gonna be used at first.”

  Joe grumbled. “Hopefully, it’ll take most people some time to get back into the swing of things, and they won’t go hog …”

  Bling. ‘You have mail.”

  Joe looked down. “Christ, it’s from Frank.”

  “What’s it say?”

  With a heavy sigh, Joe opened it. “It says ‘hi’.” He shook his head.