“And,” Frank added. “He has that bald spot.”
“Frank!” Hal yelled.
“Huh?” Dean sat up.
“Go back to sleep,” Frank told him. “Hal was just making fun of you.”
“Grow up,” Hal told him.
“I missed you guys,” Henry said.
“Can we just …” Hal held out his hands. “Discuss a plan for tomorrow. Direction, feelings, ideas, whatever.”
“They’re throwing us off,” Robbie said. “They’re here, close. If Johnny is drugged, he’ll wake up soon. Fort wants us to think they went over. We need to watch our camp.”
“Why do you say that?” Hal asked.
“Fort didn’t think he’d be a thousand years in the future, he’s going to need supplies.”
“Yes and no,” Frank said standing a distance from them. “I think he knew he was going to the future and maybe even this far. He needs the pendants. That’s what we have to watch.”
“That’s smart,” Robbie said.
“I am.”
“Will you stop? Why would he want the pendants, Frank?” Hal asked. “They have one direction. Back to Beginnings. He thinks he killed you. Everyone knows this. He’s missing.”
“Not really,” Henry said. “I heard them talking. They hid people to throw off Joe.”
“And …” Frank add. “The definitive word is ‘they’.”
Dean groaned as he sat up and ran his fingers through his hair and inched closer to the fire. “Good word, Frank.”
“Thanks. Did Hal wake you?” Frank asked.
“Asshole,” Hal quipped. “Now that we praised Frank’s use of a four syllable word. Do you really think he’ll come back for the pendant?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t he?” Frank said, as he sat down. “I mean. What’s here for him? He’s not from here. And he left that person behind.”
Robbie turned to Henry. “Did you get a look at this person?”
Henry shook his head. “No.”
“So he’s in Beginnings right now?” Robbie asked. “Some dangerous man from the future.”
“Should be easy to find.” Hal said. “Dad may not notice, but others will. Ellen... for example. A new face. A new person. He has no idea how to get anywhere. We know he’s from the future. He came through from Fort’s time. He’ll stand out like a sore thumb.”
“He will … Unless …” Dean said. “Okay, hear me out. He’s from the Fort’s time, right? God I can’t believe I didn’t think of this.” He ran his hand over his face. “Yes, he’ll stand out like a sore thumb. A newcomer. Unless … unless everyone thinks he’s Frank.”
“What?” Hal barked. “How they hell is that possible?”
Dean lifted his eyes to Frank.
Frank peered across the fire, making eye contact with Dean. “Fuck.”
“Exactly.”
“What?” Hal asked.
“Fuck.” Frank repeated.
SEVEN -BEGINNINGS
He started to think that maybe he misunderstood 10-A-A-4-2-2 or ‘Fort as he was called in Beginnings. After all. Fort sounded different than when he heard him talk just before they both stepped through the time devices. But 9-B didn’t arrive at the same time as Fort. In fact, Fort had been in Beginnings for some time. Enough time that he had had picked up a new dialect and lingo.
So when he was told, “You need to stay here.” 9-B just assumed it was for a few minutes. Even after 9-B was told to wait in that empty warehouse alone, he thought Fort would be right back. They had just finished putting people in a room and telling them they were going to a dance of sorts. 9-B didn’t even know what a dance was.
“We’re going to tell them we’re taking them to a rave,” Fort said.
“What is a rave?”
“It’s a really intense dance.”
“What is a dance?”
“It’s a place you go to … dance. When you dance you move your body to music.”
“Sounds ridiculous.”
“Looks it too.”
His knowledge was limited to what he was allowed to learn. Learning about ‘dance’ was a luxury topic not given to 9-B. People moving their bodies to music seemed like a complete waste of time.
Yet, those in Beginnings were thrilled and willing to go dance.
How easy the people of the past believed things. 9-B didn’t consider himself all that gullible, until the hours passed and he was still in that shed of a room. He could hear the dance people talking away, though he couldn’t make out the words. As the hours passed and Fort didn’t return, he grew hungry and thirsty.
Finally, he fell asleep and woke up to the dance people shouting. Not a scream for help, but rather shouting their answers to an interrogation.
“A man in a ninja mask took us,” they said.
9-B didn’t know what a ninja mask was, he wondered if that was what they were calling his facial protection gear.
Before long a loud, angry sounding man came along and freed them. He expected someone to open his door, but they didn’t.
At that point he realized Fort wasn’t returning for him … yet. He didn’t even know where Fort went. Just like it was his job to do what men like Fort said, 9-B, when told to stay behind did.
He never questioned. Fort said he was leading the group of mercenaries into a future far beyond their own so they could do no harm. 9-B thought that was a noble way to spare their lives and the others of Beginnings time.
9-B didn’t believe in killing humans. Only LEP and select animal. In fact, most from his time wouldn’t dream of taking a human life. Human life was precious. Except the clone. He was an abomination created to be a superior being who would destroy the world.
Fort called the clone, “Doctor Evil.”
Hearing that frightened 9-B a little. He was glad they set the explosives to destroy the clone. Even though he worried that the clone was not alone. Fort assured him he was and the clone would be no more.
Mission accomplished.
Problem was, 9-B was stuck in the past fifty years before he was even born. He didn’t have the access to history that Fort had. He did know about Beginnings. Everyone did.
He also knew he would die of thirst and hunger if he didn’t do something soon. He couldn’t stay in the warehouse, he had to leave it.
9-B thought about wearing his mask, but then again, he would stand out. The best way for him to get food was to be smart and stealthy and go out and find some. Beginnings had many people, if walked around without his mask, he would blend right in. No one would know.
<><><><>
It was back to the clinic again for Joe. The call from Jason was a relief for Joe and also a worry. After telling Danny to ‘look for the ninja mask man”, Joe made his way to meet up with Jason.
“Here’s what I don’t get,” Ellen said to him the second he stepped inside.
No, “Hi, Joe.” Or “Can I talk to you?”
Just … “Joe. Here’s what I don’t get.”
“Not my problem, Ellen, I’m a busy man” he tried to walk by her in the hall.
“Oh, no I am not Andrea. Don’t pull that line on me.”
Joe kept on walking.
“Five stitches in Roy’s head. Yet, why, if Dean is at the quantum lab with them, did Roy come here for sutures and why is Johnny beating up poor Roy.”
Joe stopped walking and turned around. “Johnny beat up Roy because isn’t up to speed on Johnny, and Dean, well, hates Roy and refused to stitch him.”
“I’m going to call him.”
“Don’t call Dean. He’s busy, he probably is on his way to Creedville. Seems, Creed over did it at the rave last night.”
“There was a rave last night? It wasn’t Thursday.”
Joe tossed up his hand. “I don’t know, Ellen, now I have to find Johnny.”
“Joe. I am suspicious.”
“I don’t care.” He picked up the pace, then at the end of the hall, he stopped. “Ellen where is Johnny?”
“I’m
not saying.”
“Ellen!”
“Oh my God. Why are you yelling at me? He’s with Elliott.”
“Thank you.” Joe’s head hurt, it was still morning, and he grew more concerned the longer his sons were lost in time.
As he approached Elliott’s room, he heard Johnny’s laughter and he walked in.
“Oh, hey Pap.” Johnny said. “I’m sorry I hit Roy. I was coming through swinging.”
“Well, you’ll have that.” Joe walked over and kissed Johnny on the head. “Glad you’re okay. Now …” Joe pulled up a chair. “Tell me.”
“You want the nutshell version or full version?”
“Give me the nutshell and I’ll ask questions.”
“I was watching my dad, I heard voices by the trailer, and I saw Henry. Got knocked out and woke up a thousand years in the future. Like some sort of bad Scooby doo, Fort told me he drugged me, left his buddy from the future here, Henry wasn’t involved, and he sent me back here while he went to 1984 to find Ronald Reagan and use the name Tenanay Fortutu.”
Joe rubbed his brow. “How … how did he send you back here and how did he get to 1984.”
“Check this out. When he got here he had a time kit, hid it in the underdeveloped area. After he killed my father, he had no plans to go back to his time. He had no plans to use Jason’s time machine. Just when you guys told him about it, rigging the machine, everyone following he thought it was a good idea to go through Jason’s machine, have everyone follow, he leaves, they keep looking for me and him...”
“So it was a trap.”
Johnny nodded.
“Just so you know, your father is alive.”
“Yeah, Jason told me. And that Dad, Uncle Hal, Robbie and Dean are all there.”
Joe looked at Elliott when he gasped. “What?”
“Frank, the Captain, Robbie, Dean and Henry are a thousand years in the future chasing Fort and Johnny, when he’s here in Beginnings.”
“Apparently so,” Joe said.
“Mr. Slagel, if they used a time machine, why are they not back?”
“I haven’t a clue. Johnny left last night and just came back, so there’s some sort of delay,” Joe said. “I don’t know. I don’t understand it. Johnny? Did Fort say why he wanted your dad dead?”
“Like we thought. Dad lives the Great War isn’t as bad. Dad dies … Fort lives.”
“The Back to the Future effect,” Elliott said. “What about this other guy?”
“9-B,” Johnny said. “That’s what Fort called him. He could care less about that guy. He left at the same time as Fort to help him, like his thug, and got behind somehow. Fort left him here because he didn’t want him around.”
“Is he dangerous?” Joe asked.
Johnny shrugged.
“When did you hear them?”
“I was watching the trailer and all of them were there. Dad, Uncle Hal, Uncle Robbie and Dean. They were there for a while. Going in and out. I have no idea what they were doing.”
Elliott answered. “They stole the Danny Hoi book Roy brought from the future, made a copy and were reading it as a guide.”
Joe turned to Elliott. “How do you know? You were in a coma.”
“I don’t know how I know,” Elliott said. “Maybe they were in here talking about it and I heard it somehow. But that’s what I know.”
“Like you knew it was a trap?” Joe asked.
“Excuse me.”
“You woke up from the coma warning them not to go to the future it was a trap.”
“Wow, I … don’t remember that.”
“Well, if it’s true, you knew about the book,” Joe said. “Anything else, say… you know.”
Elliott scratched his head. “This is odd. But they’re fighting.”
“LEP?” Joe asked.
“No,” Elliott said. “Each other.”
EIGHT – POLW
After a series, of “Are you sure?” and “You’re joking, right?” Hal finally lost it.
“Are you out of your mind?” he blasted Dean. “What in the world would possess you to do that?”
“He asked.” Dean pointed to Frank.
“I asked.”
“Oh, I don’t care that you asked,” Hal said. “Why would you listen, Dean?”
“I’m great,” Frank said.
“Shut up, Frank.” Hal snapped.
“No, you shut up and quit picking on Dean.”
Henry interjected. “I don’t think he’s picking on Dean.”
“Oh, look at you,” Robbie said. “Kissing ass to get someone to like you.”
“Shut up, Robbie.”
“No, you shut up.”
Dean placed his face in his hands. “Oh my God.”
Chaka tapped Frank on the shoulder and gave a quizzical look. “Oh, yeah,” Frank snapped his finger. “Let me catch you up to speed. Dean…” he pointed to Dean. “Is a mad scientist as well as a doctor. You were in his lab. He experiments on things. Well, Dean, wanting to conquer something decided to play God and make clones. But they aren’t made like in a movie, they are embryos, babies that go in the mother’s stomach and grow.”
“Frank,” Hal said. “He doesn’t understand.”
“Yes, he does. Don’t you?” He asked Chaka.
Chaka nodded,
“See,” Frank said. “Now don’t get confused or anything, Dean isn’t God. Just because he made a clone in his own image. God made man in his own image. We covered that the other day.”
“Very confusing,” Chaka said. “I grew up believing that man was the less intelligent species.”
“And while we’re here,” Frank said. “We’re gonna find out how it got switched. When we go back, I’m going to show you a movie called Planet of the Apes. You’ll love it.
“Okay, enough,” Hal said. “Back to Dean and the fact that he lied about destroying the clones.”
“No, I didn’t.” Dean argued. “I did destroy them. Just not all. So somewhere out there, was a Dean and Frank embryo just waiting to be implanted. God help us all.”
Frank turned to Chaka. “Dean made one of me. He didn’t destroy it. He’s thinking that someone grew another me in the future.”
“That is convenient,” Chaka said. “If this is true, and the other you is in Beginnings. You must capture him and keep him well, that way if you need a spare part, he can be of use.”
“Use him for spare parts for me?” Frank asked. “That’s a thought.”
“Whoa.” Dean stood. “That is a great idea. There are things the healing agent isn’t touching.”
“Like my heart?” Frank asked. “You keep checking that.”
“Why do you keep checking Frank’s heart?” Hal asked.
“Because I have one,” Frank said. “Unlike you.”
Hal grumbled.
Dean explained. “Because in every future Frank dies young of a heart attack. I want to be on top of that.”
“Wait.” Frank held up his hand. “If I need a heart and we get one from the clone of me, does that mean we have to kill it?”
Everyone just looked at him.
“What? It’s a viable question.”
“The word you mean is valid not viable. No, it isn’t you asshole,” Hal told him. “He can’t live without a heart, so yes to get the heart he’d have to die.”
“Whoa. That’s sad. What if I killed him?” Frank asked. “Would that technically be suicide? I wouldn’t want people to think I killed myself, but if I killed my clone, that would be killing myself.”
Hal faced him. ‘If you killed the clone, then technically it would be murder.”
“No,” Frank shook his head. ‘Think about it. Someone walks up to me and says, ‘hey Frank, who did you kill?’ and I said, ‘me.’ Then technically I am killing myself which is suicide.”
“Technically he has a point.” Robbie said.
“Technically my ass. Stop defending him” Hal barked. “It’s not suicide. Suicide is when you take your own life.”<
br />
“Exactly,” Frank said. “My point. Suicide.”
“No!” Hal shouted. “It’s not suicide.”
“Hey, Hal,” Robbie said. “Ever notice how much you’re like Dad when he’s not around.”
Hal bit his tongue and tilted his head. “Frank. If Dean killed Roy? Would that be suicide on Dean’s part?”
“No. Totally different situation.”
“What?” Hal laughed out in disbelief. “How is it different?”
“Because Dean and Roy are different now. We made sure we surrogated their personalities.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Hal asked. “You surrogated their personalities?”
“I don’t know, but it sounded good.” Frank nodded.
“Oh my God.” Hal closed his eyes.
Everyone turned and looked when Chaka laughed.
“I don’t know what all they were saying,” Chaka said. “But you sound like me and my brothers.”
“Oh, cool.” Frank translated. “Chaka said, even though he didn’t understand everything. We sound like him and his brothers. And you Hal, are an asshole like his brother.”
“Oh, stop, he did not say that,” Hal argued.
“Did to, didn’t you Chaka?”
Chaka nodded.
“If I can,” Henry said. “Why are we arguing about the clone? Why are we even discussing this? Dean only was tossing out a theory. Based on what? He lied. He never destroyed Frank’s clone. Just because this ninja guy came from the same time frame when they grew the clone Dean doesn’t mean they grew the Frank clone, as well. Think about. Really.” He looked around to everyone. “What are the odds, right now, that another Frank is running around in our time? It’s silly and absurd...”
“No.” Hal shook his head slowly. “It’s not silly or absurd. It can’t be. It’s … Beginnings.
NINE – BEGINNINGS
“Oh boy,” Danny Hoi spoke the words as he breathed out slowly from his mouth.
It had been a long morning; the day was far from over and things had just taken an obscure turn.
He didn’t mind filling in for Joe. Usually though when he did, everything went crazy, as it was.
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