The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

Ellen nodded.

  “Dean never destroyed his embryo.”

  “Nope.”

  “So you telling me now is what puts it in my mind.”

  “Danny, from what Roy, the clone has told me, he doesn’t resent or regret his life. He has done great things. Great things. He is an amazing mind. He absolutely respected and adored you. You communicated with him, but never in person. You didn't want to influence him. But he does attribute you with putting it in his mind and rebuilding the time machine.”

  “Wow” Danny repeated his earlier sentiments.

  “So, I’m telling you. We will change things for the better. We will make the Great War a great victory. But there are some things that probably won’t change.”

  “Like?”

  “Like infertility. It was in the Aragon Window future, Roy’s future, it will be there. The artificial womb is important. And so is the Clone. You have to promise me, right now, despite how great things get, even if the world is rosy, you will, forty years from now, bring forth Roy’s embryo and do the exact same thing that was done.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, Danny, I’m fearful if you don’t, if you don’t make that promise, when Roy fixes things, he will disappear like in the movie Back to the Future.”

  “We don’t know that.”

  “We can’t take that chance,” Ellen said.

  “Ok.” Danny nodded. “You have my word. But you’ll have to teach me the artificial womb and where the embryo is.”

  “I was kind of thinking that I would introduce you to Roy as Roy and not as Dean.”

  “I would like that.”

  “He would too,” Ellen said. “But this portion of it all. Has to be a secret. OK.”

  “You got it. I bet there’s so much I can learn from him.”

  “We all can. And since you’re around the longest, you’re the one to learn.”

  “Holy shit.” Danny ran his fingers through his hair. “I live a long life.”

  “Danny, you live passed a hundred.”

  Danny’s eyes widened. “I live to be a hundred.”

  “Passed. Roy invented a transfusion, a cell regenerator that kept you energetic. You were never sick. You simply went to sleep one night. He was at a loss because you were so healthy and fit.”

  “Did I … did I still have my hair?”

  Ellen laughed. “I don’t know.”

  “One more question,” Danny said. “Why Happy Days?”

  <><><><>

  Elliott Ryder looked at his watch and shook his head. “Ellen had been gone just over an hour and he was getting concerned. Just as he was about to go and find her, the door opened.

  “Sorry,” Ellen announced as she walked in.

  “What have you done?” Elliott asked.

  “What?”

  “You’ve been gone an hour. You spilled your guts, didn’t you?”

  “Oh my God, Elliott. You sound like Hal.”

  “I apologize.”

  “And no, I did not.” Ellen hung her coat on the tree.

  “What did you tell him?”

  “I confided in him for technical reasons. I told him I wanted him to have the cloning sequence, and the genetic mapping and materials for the nine original clones that Dean destroyed.”

  “Did he ask why?’

  “Of course,” Ellen took a seat at the table “I told him that with the Great War approaching, someone aside from us needed to have it.”

  Elliott exhaled. “And that’s it?”

  “Yes.”

  “And that took an hour.”

  “No. We discussed, Jenny, Trish, hair, Henry … that sort of thing.”

  “OK, I was just worried.”

  “No, need.” Ellen waved out her hand. “So what did you do?”

  “Played Yahtzee with him for about a half an hour. He beat me three times, fast, too, and I quit.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “He asked if I minded staying here until you returned. He wanted to go to the lab and write a book tonight.”

  “He’s going to write a book tonight.”

  “Yes, said he’s confident he can get it done.” Elliott shook his head. “He is very strange and truly believes everyone thinks he’s Dean.”

  “I know. Isn’t that great.”

  “Ellen,” Elliott had question to his voice. “Are you sure you didn’t tell Danny anything you shouldn’t have.”

  “We discussed my lack of a period.”

  Elliott winced.

  “Is that what you mean?” Ellen asked.

  “Forget it.”

  “You wanna still hang out?”

  “Absolutely, in fact …” Elliott stood. “I want to play Yahtzee.” he retrieved the game from the counter.

  “Why? I thought you’d be burned out.”

  “My ego is crushed, so I have to beat someone.”

  Ellen laughed, and watched as Elliott set up the game. She felt somewhat bad for not being honest with him, but knew and was confident that everything she did and said, was really in the best interest of Beginnings’ future.

  <><><><>

  “We look so gay,” Robbie said, “Placing on his tassel cap and gloves.”

  Jason tossed an annoyed look his way. “When you were there before, it was snowing and cold.”

  “And radioactive,” Robbie said. “Which nuclear winter could have accounted for that?”

  “True. But it will still be January,” Jason said. “So put on your hat and gloves.” He lifted the machine. “OK, location. I have figured out a couple of his presets. One is new York City, another Los Angeles, Vegas …”

  “Vegas,” Dean said with a snap of his finger. “Let’s go to Vegas.”

  “Why?” Jason asked.

  “To test and see if it can be used as a travel resource and not just a time machine.”

  Jason nodded. “Good thinking. OK, take off you caps and gloves.”

  Both Robbie and Dean did.

  “You’re not?” Robbie asked.

  “No,” Jason replied “We’ll only be there a second or two.” After initializing the machine, and passing through the Princess Leah phase, he set the current year, and then set the location. “Vegas,’ he said. “Now I’ll set the time frame.” As soon as he did, the machine beeped three times and Princess Leah appeared.

  “Roy, Roy, Roy.” She shook her finger at him. “You’ve made an error. Two weeks ahead, one hour back. Have a safe journey.”

  Jason raised his eyebrows. “Well, it can’t be used as a travel source. Now that it’s out of the way, let’s do our first test. Shall we? Caps.”

  “Fuck.” Robbie put on his tassel cap.

  So did Dean.

  Jason went thought he sequence of steps, adding the coordinates. “Now,” he said. “I do hope that I have the numbers correct. It goes down to the decimal. We may be somewhat off. But we’ll still be in Beginnings. 47.564 X 107.554. Enter.” He looked up, holding the unit. “January, one PM. Ready.”

  Robbie took a deep breath and nodded.

  Dean nodded as well.

  Jason pressed the green button.

  The coordinates were off. They arrived about twenty yards north from the quantum lab and trailer.

  Dean closed his eyes the moment they arrived.

  Robbie gasped out, a gasp that led to a chuckle. And then he started to laugh.

  It was cold. January cold. The wind whipped hard, pelting daggers of chills at him, but mid laugh, Robbie dropped to his knees. His hands landing on the ground, fingers digging into the hard, cold earth of Beginnings … in gratefulness. He raised his head and grinned widely, while looking at the lab and the trailer in the distance.

  “This is not …” Robbie said. “Guys this is not the same scene me, Frank, and Hal witnessed.”

  “Are we sure, Jason?” Dean asked. “Are we sure we came to the exact same time?”

  Just as Jason started to shrug, he stopped. His eyes shifted, then body pivoted. He held up a finger and r
aced to it.

  A stick, two feet high, perched from the ground with a yellow cloth tied to it as a flag. Dean followed.

  “What is it?” Dean asked.

  Secured to the stick was an envelope. On the front it read: Open when you return.

  “My handwriting,” Jason said, snatching the envelope. “We’ll find out once we opened this. It’s cold. Let’s go back.”

  HG Wells along with the note in hand, Jason and Dean walked to Robbie.

  He showed Robbie the letter, and when Robbie stood …

  Zap.

  Warmth.

  Dean shuddered. “That was weird.”

  “What does it say?” Robbie asked. “What does it say?”

  Jason set down the HG Wells. “I just amuse myself at times.” He opened the envelope. He skimmed it with his eyes, and then read aloud, “I hope I hit the mark. I estimated from our trip of where we arrived. I may have been off. If you get this, obviously I was not too far off. The purpose of the time trip was not only to test the machine but also to see. I need to tell you that you did indeed arrive at the desired time. I can only go by the reports of the Slagel three. To which they had told me of a future, not far in the distance. A future bleak, cold, gray, and by tests, radioactive. A future where my lab was no more. As you have witnessed that is not the same future. Something, has occurred to rectify that. I cannot, nor will not tell you any more of the events, other than to continue your current path. To let things take place naturally from here on in, to not influence or try to figure out if your steps are correct. Just let things happen. Including you, Robbie, you know what’s best to do. You will get all your answers by this point in time. There was a problem with our future at one time. Whatever Joe did, he did for a reason, and he did it to ensure the sun would shine on Beginnings on this January day. It does.” Jason paused to smile peacefully. “Oh, I left myself a post script. PS. Have fun with the HG Wells. The power source must be charged by the sun two hours a day.” He folded the note.

  “It’s fixed?” Dean asked.

  “Looks that way, yes,” Jason said. “Obviously from now to then, things occur and events are different. Things that Joe could not be around for.”

  “He must have influenced them wrong,” Dean said.

  “I would agree,” Jason replied.

  Robbie stepped away from the group, running his hand over his face. “My Dad needs to know. He needs to know that whatever he did, whatever he is doing, worked. You advised me to take things naturally. OK. I am. Naturally, and instinctively, and that I know what’s best to do. You know what I want to do.”

  “Find Joe?” Jason asked.

  “Yes,” Robbie said. “He’s here. He’s in Beginnings somewhere. It’s time for me to find ... my father.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  April 2nd

  “I appreciate it, Frank,” Hal said, taking a seat at the ‘talk table’ in Frank’s office.

  “No problem,” Frank replied. “I’m not understanding why you didn’t just call him.”

  “I did. He didn’t answer. Our brother has been successfully avoiding me for two days.”

  “Do you know why?”

  “I have a feeling.”

  “Do you think he’s just busy? I mean he’s still adjusting to head of Security.”

  Hal chuckled. “He’s avoiding. You’ll see.”

  A knock came at the door, and Robbie poked in his head. “Hey, Frank.” He stepped inside. “You wanted to …” he shifted his eyes to Frank. “See me.”

  “Actually, Hal needs to talk to you.”

  “Oh, yeah? Hey, Hal. I gotta run, Frank, I’m really busy.” Robbie stepped backward. “Maybe later.”

  “Hold it.” Frank said.

  “But, Frank …”

  “Stop. Shut the door,” Frank ordered. “Get back here.”

  Robbie shut the door. “Fine. But I don’t want to hear how I’m not doing my job.” He stared at Hal the entire time he walked to the table.

  “Thank you, Frank,” Hal stated. “As you can see. He wanted to run again.”

  Robbie shook his head. “You can be such a bitch.”

  Hal fluttered his eyes. “Excuse me?”

  Frank winced. “Robbie, come on. What the fuck?”

  Robbie huffed. “He’s been chasing me around for days. I’m busy.”

  “He’s your brother.”

  “Yeah, still.”

  Hal blinked. “Yeah, still.” He shook his head. “Well, how about this? I won’t keep you long. I just have a few questions to ask you.”

  Robbie lifted his hand and let it drop. “Go on.”

  “How’s the investigation going?” Hal asked.

  Robbie nodded. “Going. We’re stuck on the second sets of prints. Doesn’t match anyone in Beginnings. Since Ellen has exposed herself to the clone, not exposed in breasts way, although we don’t know that for sure. Since she is on good terms. I’m not rushing to fingerprint every other person.”

  Frank gave a look of agreement. “Sounds good. See what the clone gives up.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So …” Hal lifted a finger. “Tell me this. Is it part of the investigation or not that you and Dean were opening Dad’s tomb.”

  Frank swung a look. “What?”

  “Excuse me?” Robbie asked.

  Frank questioned. “Dad’s tomb was …”

  “Hold on,” Hal said. “Two of our night time scouts saw movement in the cemetery at four in the morning. They didn’t go in, but reported the incident to Sgt. Ryder, who in turn went to the mausoleum. There he found a hand print on the tomb itself, the sealed lid to the tomb, off slightly, and two foot prints. One Beginnings’ issued combat boots …”

  Robbie interrupted. “That doesn’t mean …”

  “One Chuck Taylor’s.”

  “Hmm. Really?” Robbie asked innocently.

  Hal rolled his eyes. “Please. Robert. Everyone knows you and Dean have formed this alliance. You go there constantly. Everyone knows Dean is the only one who wears Chuck Taylor’s.”

  “The clone.” Robbie said.

  “Has switched to cowboy boots,” Hal stated. “Now what’s up? We know it was Dean. Was the second man in the mausoleum you?”

  Robbie looked at Frank, then down to his hands.

  Hal asked. “Well?”

  Robbie nodded. “Yes.”

  Frank’s eyes widened. “Robbie, what the fuck are you doing opening …”

  Robbie held up a halting hand. “If I may?”

  Frank nodded.

  Robbie took a deep breath. “Hal I have been avoiding you, because I knew you knew when you said something. You know I can’t lie.” He paused. “It was me and Dean and I’m embarrassed about what I did. I … I was desperate. I ….was desperate. That’s all I can say.”

  “Was it for closure, Robbie?” Hal asked.

  Robbie shook his head. ‘Investigation.”

  Frank gave a curious look. “Was there something we missed?”

  “No.” Robbie said. “We didn’t open the coffin. Just exposed the coffin. It was something we had to do to get the effect. I … we …. We went to the mausoleum to hold a séance.”

  “A séance?” Hal asked.

  “Yeah, you know,” Robbie explained. “Try to conjure up Dad’s spirit to get him to talk to us. Maybe tell us what he saw.”

  Hal’s head went back. “Oh my God.”

  Frank gave a closed mouth nod. “Makes sense.”

  “What!” Hal blasted. “It makes sense?”

  “Yeah,” Frank said. “I mean why not go right to the source. Dad.”

  “Exactly,” Robbie said. “See, Frank, thanks. I’d knew you’d understand.”

  “I do. Any luck?”

  “No,” Robbie replied. “Just some spilled wax from the candles.”

  “Stop,” Hal instructed. “You went to the cemetery to hold a séance?”

  Frank asked. “You have a problem with that. You used to do that all the time.”<
br />
  “Yeah, when I was twelve,” Hal said. “Not as a grown man. I know better.”

  “Now, so do I,” Robbie replied. “It didn’t work.” He sighed heavily.

  “You are so full of goddamn shit,” Hal snapped, “Why were you there? What were you looking for?”

  ‘Hal!” Frank barked. “He said why he was there.”

  “And I don’t believe him.”

  “Why!”

  Hal flubbed in frustration. “I don’t know, Frank. It sounds farfetched. Robbie and Dean holding a séance. Dean a scientist.”

  “In Dean’s defense,” Robbie said. “He advised it wouldn’t work. He was bored, that’s why he went.”

  Frank held out his hand. “There you have it.”

  ‘There I have nothing,” Hal said, hard. “Why are you so quick to just buy this?”

  “Because I know what Robbie’s thinking? All that is running through his mind is how he has to talk to Dad, and needs to talk to Dad.”

  “Frank!” Robbie yelled. “Quit reading my mind. God!”

  “Sorry.” Frank shrugged. “It’s loud.”

  Hal breathed heavily and stared at Robbie. “Robert, come on. We’re all grieving. But to go in to Dad’s tomb and …”

  “I know, Hal. I know.” Robbie lowered his head.

  Hal reached over and laid his hand on Robbie’s hand. “If you need to talk, come to me. I’m sorry I accused you of lying.”

  “I was desperate Hal.”

  “I know.”

  “Robbie,” Frank said. “We all know what you are feeling. OK? No more going to Dad’s grave and doing séances.”

  “I promise.” Robbie stood up. “Can I go? I have things to do.”

  Frank nodded. “Oh, hey, Robbie?”

  “Yeah.” Robbie paused at the door.

  “You know, if you want to talk to Dad…”

  “You are gonna say just talk. Are you?” Robbie asked. “That his spirit can hear me anywhere?”

  “Um, no.” Frank replied. “I was going to say, follow Andrea. I’m sure you’ll get a chance to talk to Dad when his ghost pops by her. She has some sort of psychic link with him.”

  Robbie’s eyes widened. “Follow Andrea. Wow. Thanks Frank,” he said brightly. “Thanks!” he rushed out the door.

  Hal just glanced at Frank. “Do you think that is helping him?”