The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  “I will walk.”

  “Oh, that’s dumb. I’ll drive you. Let’s go.” Frank tugged him.

  “But, really, a walk is so refreshing.”

  “We can walk. We’ll walk together. I’ll come back for my jeep.”

  “Frank …”

  “Dean. Are you still wanting to run away? The community needs you. Plus, bacon distribution week. You don’t want to miss that today. Everyone’s going to be trying to get bacon.”

  “Bacon? Oh, I love bacon.”

  “Yeah, I know. I was kind of thinking. Dean, you and I could hit the distribution before it opens. I’ll use my authority as president, get us some bacon early, and make breakfast before we have to work.”

  “You’ll make bacon?”

  “And eggs.”

  “Oh.” Roy laid his hand on his chest. “I’d like that.”

  “Good let’s go.”

  “Can you just give me one moment, Frank? I’ll be right there.”

  “Forget something?”

  “Yes.” Roy turned.

  “Want me to take the bag?”

  “No, I need it. I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll wait.”

  After a nod, Roy raced back to the bedroom. He unzipped his bag, turned the tracker on silent, and then checked. No sign of Dean. Seeing an all clear, he put the tracker back in his bag and joined Frank. A bacon breakfast sounded good and much better than jam sandwiches.

  <><><><>

  Robbie laughed. Like a hyena, rocking back and forth, hand across his stomach...

  Dean’s mouth dropped open. “He doesn’t even speak like me. He won’t pull this off.”

  “How won’t he?” Robbie asked. “No one knows he’s a clone. I mean, let’s face it; people have seen you acting pretty whacked lately. They may think you flipped again, or took on a new personality.”

  “People know me better.” Dean scoffed.

  “Uh, Dean. Only those of us close to you know you. You don’t really bother with people.”

  Dean exhaled. “True. God. Was he wearing plaid?”

  “I believe so. Yes.”

  Dean closed his eyes. “He is totally going to ruin me.”

  “I believe so, yes.”

  “Oh God.” Dean stood. He rubbed his eyes. As he drug his fingers down his face he looked at Robbie. “Did you come out here to bring me biscuits or was there another reason.”

  Robbie gazed upward toward Dean.

  “What’s up, Robbie?”

  “Dean, this has to be between just you and me.”

  “Absolutely.” Dean sat down again across from Robbie.

  Robbie exhaled and drummed up seriousness. “I need your help. I really need your help.”

  <><><><>

  Hal stopped rub his stomach in his walk down the street with Elliott. “What were they thinking?”

  “You mean for breakfast?” Elliott asked.

  “Yes. I understand the odd fascination with Oodles of Dan Noodles, but to make them fried with eggs?”

  Elliott shrugged. “I liked them. I think they were good.”

  “They aren’t sitting badly with you?”

  “No. Not at all. Maybe you’re just tired.”

  “Probably. Ellen had me out to nearly two AM, then I was back here bright and early.”

  “You didn’t have to be. I had things under control.”

  “I know. I plan on napping. I need one.”

  “So everything got settled last night.”

  “Yes, and I just heard from Frank that he found the clone.”

  “Really?” Elliott asked. “Is it like Dean?”

  “Frank described him as fucking weird.”

  “Then he is,” Elliott said.

  “I suppose so.”

  “I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to meet him. To see the differences.”

  “I’m sure there are many.” Hal said. “OK, so ... Back to what we were discussing. They’re not savages.”

  “No, Captain, they are not. Our scouts reported that they spoke words.”

  “Wow, verbal rebels, how new.” Hal walked with his hands behind his back. “How many?”

  “Eight. Our scouts weren’t sure.”

  “Only this one incident?”

  “Yes, Captain. They encircled our scout, but he was able to make his escape. They were on motorcycles.”

  “They pursued?”

  “Yes. They didn’t really say what they wanted.”

  “Did you expect they would? Where did they come from and why are we only seeing them now.”

  “North. Canada?”

  Hal laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Canadian bad guys? That’s an oxymoron Elliott. In the pre-plague world the most violent a Canadian got was when the mall closed early.”

  “That is so wrong.”

  “Whatever, Elliott.”

  Elliott stopped walking. “Did you say whatever to me?”

  “Yes, I did. Let’s get the coordinates off of our scout and send more scouts out to look for these men. Perhaps find out where they have come from. Did they have weapons?”

  “It appeared so.”

  “But they didn’t use them?”

  “No, sir. Not at all.”

  “So basically it was either scare our man or capture him.” Hal paused to think. “We really need to get one of their men. Let’s put Creedville on alert.”

  “Already done.”

  “Also no one travels that roadway alone. We have plenty of men to form an escort. It’s not a protected roadway.”

  “I’ll make sure our guard knows that for those leaving.”

  Hal looked at his watch. “I’m going to stop and see Ellen before she leaves for Beginnings. I believe she is alone.”

  “Want me to go to Beginnings with her?” Elliot asked.

  “That wouldn’t be a bad idea. I know that road is secure and perimeter fences are erected, but I’ll take no chances.” At the clinic, Hal reached for the door. “I’ll let her know to find you.” Hal stepped inside.

  Elliott followed.

  “Maybe not,” Hal said. “Or you can tell her yourself.”

  “There’s Blue.” Elliott pointed to the doctor.

  “Blue,” Hal called out. “Is Ellen here?”

  “Nope. She’s gone. Done early. Not much happening,” Blue replied.

  “How long ago did she leave?” Hal asked.

  “About ten minutes ago.”

  “Thank you,” Hal said, and turned to Elliott. “Looks like you’ll have to hit the road. She drives slowly, you should be able to follow her to Beginnings.” Readying to leave, Hal stopped when Blue called out.

  “She didn’t go to Beginnings.”

  “Where?” Hal asked.

  “Had an emergency call in Creedville. A baby being born. First one. She headed there,” Blue replied.

  “Alone?” Hal asked.

  “Yeah.”

  After a grumble and a thanks, Hal walked out of the clinic. “She went alone on that road. She has to be found.”

  “You or me?” Elliott asked.

  Hal put on his bandana. “Both.”

  <><><><>

  The bacon was perfect and Roy enjoyed his breakfast with Frank. Although he wished Frank’s phone didn’t ring as much. Roy didn’t know much about Frank personally and needed to take that opportunity.

  When he arrived at the clinic, no one was there and he was able to fix his Dean tracker to fit in his pocket. A simple vibration would tell Roy when Dean was in proximity.

  But the morning progressed and Dean was nowhere to be found.

  Neither was anything he needed in the lab.

  He had never seen such disorganization. It was horrible. A first he thought someone had vandalized the lab. How stupid he must have looked when he raced from the lab, found the attractive red haired woman, named Melissa, and shouted. “Someone has vandalized the lab.”

  Melissa chuckled. Said he was fun
ny. And when she said, “No one’s going to believe it was Lars, Dean, everyone knows how sloppy your lab is.”

  Roy was aghast.

  How could Dean be sloppy? To him, Dean must have been overworked, and without time to clean up.

  First thing was first.

  Roy cleaned and organized.

  He was there early enough.

  First, he took in the lab. Learned where everything was. There wasn’t a method to the madness. Healing medication was in the same area as pain. Diagnostics were with research. It made no sense.

  Having a photographic memory made it easy for Roy. Once he determined what all the lab contained, he then divided it into work stations.

  Dean would be grateful.

  Not only did the clinic lab look clean and smell clean, it appeared bigger with the lab divided.

  There were urine samples in the fridge. They had requisition for a work up that were dated two days earlier.

  Roy couldn’t believe they sat there that long.

  How inefficient.

  He blamed that on the refrigeration system. There were four cooling units and everything was everywhere. Except medication. That was in an elongated case.

  There was a meat sandwich in with blood.

  That made Roy gag.

  He made signs and hung them on the units.

  One was workups and testing, another for samples and storage, medication, and the final one, the smallest for food.

  He even took the medication unit and divided that between healing, pain, and so forth.

  With the new system, things would run smoother. But everyone probably was used to the old system, so Roy wrote up a sheet with diagrams and placed a copy in everyone’s’ mailbox.

  Where samples should be dropped, stored, picked up.

  A schedule was created for testing times.

  All of the organization took a mere three hours. In fact the clinic just started buzzing when he was done.

  Roy started his urine samples and was working on them when Andrea walked in.

  With a groggy, and slightly sarcastic tone, she said, “Good morning, Mr. Sunshine.”

  Roy raised his head. She had called him Mr. Sunshine. Obviously, it was some sort of greeting ritual in Beginnings he didn’t know about. To call each other by a meteorological event.

  He thought fast. “Good morning …” he turned around. “Mrs. High pressure weather system.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “Good morning Mr. High pressure weather system.”

  The corner of Andrea’s mouth raised in a partial smile. And she set the tray on the counter. “I hate to do this to you but …. But …” Her eyes skimmed around the room. “Who cleaned the lab?”

  “I did. This morning. It’s much more efficient.”

  “You’ve designated the fridges. I have been asking you to do that for years.”

  “And now it’s done.”

  “Wow. I’m impressed.”

  Roy smiled. “Thank you. I left a break down sheet of the new organized lab in everyone’ mailboxes. I think with organization we can get a better flow and get things done faster.”

  “Oh, I agree. What a lovely shirt you’re wearing today, Dean, I really like it.”

  “Thank you. Can you believe someone was throwing this out?”

  “No, I cannot.” She reached and fixed his collar. “Presents a very professional look.”

  “My new look.”

  “I see that and the new attitude. Would this have to do with the understanding you and Frank have etched in stone.”

  Understanding? Roy thought. He didn’t know what they understood about, but he nodded. “Yes, I feel very good about it.”

  “You deserve it.”

  “Thank you. Are these for me?” He asked of the urine samples.

  “You or Ellen. If they can get done by tomorrow, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Oh, I’ll have them done in an hour. I must complete the other ones first. Urine samples are scheduled for this time.”

  “Wow. Thank you. I’ll check back for the results.”

  “Please do.”

  Andrea smiled, turned, and stopped. “Dean? I like this new mood you have. It’s a good one.” She gave a thumbs up. “Keep it up.”

  Roy returned the thumbs up. He did so with a smile. Andrea was doing the Fonz ‘way to go’ sign, he could only return the sign to her.

  He wasn’t back to work long when the Asian man walked in.

  Roy wasn’t quite sure if he was Danny or Henry.

  “You busy?” he asked Roy.

  “No. Not at all.”

  “I got your new card for you.” He handed Roy the Danny Dollar card.

  Roy read it and smiled. “Danny.”

  “Yes?” Danny asked.

  “No. You’re Danny.”

  “Uh ... yeah, I am.”

  “Thanks.” Roy looked at him. “Your hair is very shiny today.”

  “Thank you, anyhow …” Danny cocked back when Roy leaned into him. “What are you doing Dean?”

  “You smell … sweet.” Roy smiled. “Very nice smell.”

  With little enthusiasm, Danny replied. “Thanks. And that shirt is very Richie Cunningham like.”

  “Yes!” Roy blasted with excitement. “Yes it is! I thought the same thing when I put it on.”

  “Are you OK?” Danny asked.

  “Fine. You?”

  “Fine. Anyway … bit of advice. Don’t use the card.”

  “Why?”

  “Personally. I mean, don’t you use it personally. Ben from Fabrics hates you and will always tear it up. Just give it to Ellen if you need anything.”

  “Why does he hate me?” Roy asked.

  “Why does anyone hate you?”

  “I asked you first.”

  Danny grunted. “Just be polite when you use it. OK? Maybe we won’t have to keep replacing it.”

  “Got it.” Roy put it in his pocket. He was well aware of the Danny Dollar card; it was still in effect in the future. “Just give it to Ellen.”

  “Yes.”

  “Tell, me, Danny, are we friends?” Roy asked.

  “Why are you asking me that?”

  “Curious. Would you say we are friends?” Roy leaned against the counter, finger tapping on his chin. He was genuinely curious. Danny seemed like a very nice person and he wanted to know the friendship comment so he wouldn’t make mistakes.

  Danny exhaled. “Not really. No.”

  “Hmm.” Roy nodded. “So why are you speaking to me?”

  “Excuse me?” Danny asked.

  “Yeah, if we aren’t friends, why are you talking to me? Are your niceties fake?”

  “You know what ... you’re a real dick.”

  “No, I’m a real ... Dean.” Roy smiled.

  “Arrogant ... and you wonder why I never do a favor for you.” Danny stepped back and turned.

  “I don’t expect it. You aren’t my friend. Would I do a favor for you?”

  “Not on your life.”

  “Thank you.” Roy made a mental note.

  “You’re an asshole.” Danny stormed out.

  Roy registered it. Friends call each other meteorological events upon greeting. Non-friends call each other body parts when they depart. Before Roy could call out to Danny that he was a big toe, Danny was gone.

  Roy shrugged. His first forced day in Beginnings circulation was a learning experience. A part of him liked meeting the people. He didn’t think he would and he didn’t think he’d fit in. But, Roy saw how easily it was to be Dean and for people to believe it. He decided right there that as long as Dean was gone, he would do his work, and enjoy his life. Perhaps even make friends of his enemies.

  <><><><>

  Dean was breathless.

  He listened to Robbie speak, and then he listened to the tape of Darrell’s interview. He listened several times.

  “And my prints didn’t match?”

  “Dean, no.”

  “You wou
ld think.”

  “Yes.” Robbie nodded. “You would think. You would think of anyone’s prints but my father’s.”

  “Wow.” Dean stood up. “Do you think it’s possible that Joe built that explosive a long time ago, and our killer knew that and using gloves, planted it?”

  “It’s possible. But with the prints on the timer … that’s hard to say.”

  “It doesn’t make sense, Robbie.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “Have you spoken to Frank, Jimmy or Hal?”

  “No.” Robbie shook his head. “I wanted to wait. I want to wait until I have the facts. The why and how of it all.”

  “That’s where your problem is gonna lie,” Dean said. “Why? Why would Joe build a bomb, set it, only to die?”

  “Maybe he didn’t intend to die,” Robbie suggested.

  “That makes sense.” Dean said. “That makes more sense than Joe killing himself.”

  “Ryder said something today.”

  “What’s that?”

  “He said, whoever killed Joe did so to secure something in the future.”

  Oddly, Dean looked at Robbie. “Why would he say that?”

  “Because when you and Ellen went to the future, it was bright and rosy. But you and Ellen were dead in that future. So was my father. Your survival, secured my father’s survival.”

  “The cancer.”

  “Exactly,” Robbie said. “Had it not been for you it would have never been found and cured? He would have passed away and Frank would have been voted leader. Like he was. The person who took his life was from the future and was doing so to stop him from doing something that affected the future.”

  “Then it has to be a Beginnings person.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, why do they care in the future?” Dean asked. “History is done, finished, over. But … someone from Beginnings in a near future could have easily seen something, went back in time and made the determination that it was Joe that caused it. Only someone that knows this time frame would be motivated enough or care enough to try to change the future.”

  “But who?” Robbie asked. “Who came through, killed him, and left. The time machine is broken.”

  “Or is it?” Dean asked.

  “Jason?” Robbie whispered.

  “Not throwing that out there as a fact, but possibility.”

  “What if …” Robbie snapped his finger? “What if Jason told my father about the bad future and he and my father set it up.”