The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  Silence.

  “What? Neither of you thought of that?”

  “Time to go,” a guard called out.

  “Wait,” Dr. Vesna said. She looked at Chaka. “Tell Counsel there will be a delay. There is something I need to do for evidence.”

  Frank smiled.

  <><><><>

  It was no doubt, a courtroom, and Frank’s mind went directly back to Planet of the Apes. Like a senate hearing, perched on a platform was a long judge bench with five seats. The center one, large and royal looking.

  There were two tables before that bench, Frank figured a defense and prosecution. Behind him was an empty court room. It was a closed hearing, not open to the public.

  They were hours behind, but that was a good thing. They awaited the results of blood tests.

  Frank did what he always did when he was bored or nervous, he bit his nails while rocking back and forth in his chair.

  “Stop that,” Chaka told him.

  “Oh my God, each day that passes you are more and more like Hal.”

  “You bite your hard skin covering and spit it on the floor.”

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s a court of law.”

  “Minor detail,” Frank said. “So also a minor detail is your execution. Are you coming back to Beginnings with me or hanging out with the family a while?”

  “You really think they’ll free me.”

  “How can they not?” Frank asked. “the blood will prove that you’re Chaka Wa.” He snickered. “So who is this counsel?’

  “They are the leaders. All scholars and religious leaders. They are known as Prime Elders and are given numbers.”

  “They don’t have names?” Frank asked.

  “They do, but not in this court of law. They are law givers and makers. Prime Elder One, Two, Three and Four.”

  “Ah, and Senator Wa. Got it. Okay, you didn’t answer my question,” Frank said. “Once it proven are you staying back or coming to Beginnings with me? We have that extra pendant.” He brought his finger to his mouth and bit his nail.

  Chaka looked at him. “I will stay a short while to see my family. But my then I will leave. My pet is carrying my child.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe.” Chaka watched Frank bite his nail again “Then I think I will join the UWA with Hal.”

  “Ug!” Frank grunted. “You can’t do that.”

  The door behind them opened and Frank turned around. “Oh, look, it’s Dr. Vesna. She’s my Zera.”

  “Who?”

  Frank waved out his hand.

  Dr. Vesna walked up and sat behind them.

  “Well?” Frank asked.

  “The results proved he is Chaka Wa.”

  Frank chuckled then cleared his throat to look serious. “And are you gonna tell them during the hearing?’

  “I already told Senator Wa.”

  Frank nodded. “So this is a formality.”

  “Let’s hope.”

  “What about you?” Chaka asked. “My lineage doesn’t free you.”

  “Yeah it does. If I can prove innocence by ignorance, I’m out. You being from the future proves that I am telling the truth about myself. Piece of cake.”

  Another Hubra, this one male in a suit walked into the court room and sat at the table next to Frank and Chaka. Frank lifted his hand in a wave, he didn’t wave back.

  “Must be the prosecution. Where is our defense?” Frank asked.

  “We don’t get one,” said Chaka. “That’s not the way it works.”

  “Well how does this work?”

  “They come in. Read the charge, ask how you plead, then the Prime Elders ask questions and reach a decision.”

  “Got it.”

  “All rise.” A voice called out.

  They stood.

  A guard opened a door behind the bench. From the back Senator Wa and four other elderly looking Hubra walked in and took a seat.

  “Be seated,” the guard instructed.

  After they all sat down, Senator Wa spoke, “You both face death and are charged with treason, brutality and murder. How do you plead?”

  Chaka stood. “Innocent.”

  Frank stood. “Not guilty.”

  “It’s innocent or guilty,” Senator Wa said.

  “Okay if we’re being honest, I’m not innocent, but I’m not guilty by reason of ignorance.”

  “Sit down.”

  “Okay.”

  Senator Wa looked at the prosecutor. “Barista Dobdob, proceed.”

  Frank chuckled. “You guys and your crazy names.”

  Dobdob stood. “Thank you, Elders. I am here today representing the fine Hubra and Hubrata of our village. We the Hubra believed unequivocally that these two should be put to death and placed in public exhibition.” Dobdob paced and spoke like an overdramatized attorney. “By his own admission, right here, right now, the man who had given a name of Frank admits to murder. He killed three Hubra and while he saved the life of a Hubrata, he did unleash the creatures onto our city streets.’

  Elder one raised his hand. “Dobdob, I was shocked to hear the vocal ability of such a beast. How do you explain that?”

  “A freak of nature. Just as there are Hubra who an unable to speak anything but ancient Hubra-ese, he is a freak of nature with vocal ability. We should not let his talent get in the way or clear judgement. The Hubra falsely claims to be Chaka Wa….”

  Frank laughed.

  “The Frank won’t even say he is innocent. One claims,” he did quotes with his fingers. “He is from the past, while the other says,” He did quotes again. “He is from the future.”

  “Wait.” Frank interrupted. “Did you just air quote.”

  “Excuse me?” Dobdob asked.

  “Did that …” Frank mocked. “With your fingers Fucking funny.”

  Senator Wa slammed his hammer. “Silence Primal.”

  “No,” Frank replied.

  “Frank.” Chaka whispered.

  “No this is fucking ridiculous.” Frank stood. “And a waste of time.”

  Senator Wa slammed the gavel again. “You will be seated or this proceeding is over.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  “Why are you wasting everyone’s time?” Frank asked. “Especially with him?” he pointed to Chaka. “Dr. Vesna showed you blood results that proved he was your son.”

  At that moment all four Elders looked at him.

  “Oh, he didn’t tell you that, did he?” Frank asked. “Did he. Ask her. DNA doesn’t lie.”

  Dr. Vesna stood. “I performed …”

  “Silence!” Senator Wa pounded. ‘You will sit and stay silent.”

  “Oh my god!” Frank blasted. “You don’t want the truth out.”

  “I don’t believe it. It’s a trick,” Senator Wa scoffed.

  “Yeah, yeah. The proof that he’s your son, means he’s telling the truth about coming from the future. If he’s from the future, that means that there really is time travel and it is something you don’t have. Which means … someone invented it before you. Someone was smarter. That someone was man. Man … not Primal as you call them now. Man.”

  “Man?” Elder Three asked. “There is no such thing as a man.”

  “Yeah, there is. I am man.”

  Elder Two spoke. “Does not matter. Primal or Man, whatever you call yourself. Hubra was here first. Primal are a product of evolutionary process. The ancient scrolls say …”

  “The ancient scrolls are full of shit.”

  Every one gasped.

  “Frank,” Chaka said. “You aren’t helping.”

  “I got this. Trust me.” Frank winked. “You think God man Hubra in his own image? Well, that’s wrong. God made man in his own image and manmade LEP, which you call Hubra. LEP were bred to withstand the elements. Laboratory experiments. Freaks of fucking nature. You. We made you. I …am the reason you sit here.”

  “Blasphemy!” Elder four shouted. “Are you c
laiming to be a God.”

  “No. Well, yeah, well. No. I’m saying I am the blame because when I found the killer babies, or LEP or Hubra I protected them. Manmade LEP and then some little man who is super smart, fucking messed with my DNA and now I am also part LEP. Speaking of which …” He looked back at Vesna. “Did you get me that blood gun. I really want to take it back to Dean.”

  Senator Wa slammed his gave. “Primal Frank. You are found guilty of …”

  “Wait.” Elder one stopped him. “I am not finished and cannot render my verdict. Frank, you speak passionately. Aside from your ability to speak, what proof do you offer?’

  “I can’t prove time travel until you watch me disappear. I can prove I am from the past, we were and are advanced, can speak, and I can prove Man was here first.”

  “How?”

  “Everything you need to see is in the sacred city,” Frank said.

  “It’s been off limits,” said Elder one.

  “So you haven’t been there?” Frank asked. “Well, he has.” He indicated to Senator Wa. “He saw the proof. He knows the truth, that’s why he made the law about it being forbidden to go there. He is claiming the blood tests are a lie. He is hiding it because he doesn’t want anyone to know the fucking truth or your sacred scrolls and everything you live by is out the window.”

  “How do you know this?” An Elder asked.

  “The story is written. I know how it plays out. Let’s all go to the sacred city, I’ll show my proof, you let me go. I say nothing, you can continued to tell the people the shit about the sacred scrolls. I don’t care. I just need to go home … and get one of those blood guns for my friend Dean.”

  Senator Wa waved out his hand. “Take his translator. I see he wears one. Silence the beast.”

  “It doesn’t matter!” Frank shouted. “I can read minds.”

  “Nonsense,” Senator Wa argued. “No one can do that.:”

  “I can. Go on, think something…”He looked at Elder Two. “Not you. Your wife is not going to make her special stew tonight.”

  Elder Two sat back.

  Frank looked at another Elder. ‘I don’t know if Vesna is single, ask her.” He then looked at Senator Wa. “And it doesn’t matter that you stand here and say Chaka isn’t your kid, you know he is and a part of you wants to just talk to him so you can figure out how to change things and what goes wrong.” He looked at Elder Two. “I wish I knew that answer. I don’t. I’m still trying to figure out when and where it flipped. But I do know that at one time, long after me, Primal and Hubra were equals. Lived in peace. I don’t know what happened. Again, every bit of proof is in the sacred city. Go there. Don’t let him blind you anymore.”

  Senator Wa stood. “It’s time to silence this Primal and render our verdict. All state your verdict.”

  “No,” Prime Elder one spoke. “No. I want to see what’s in the sacred city first.”

  Senator Wa tried to argue. “There is nothing there. It is against the law.”

  “A Hubra law,” said Prime Elder One. “We made them, we can break them. All in favor of seeing this proof in the sacred city, raise your hands.

  All four Prime Elders raised their hands.

  Frank grinned and looked at Chaka. “Oh, yeah, final act. We’re going to the ancient city.”

  <><><><>

  All of them. Frank, Chaka, Dr. Vesna, Senator Wa and all four Prime Elders stared at the mural

  “We saw it when we came here,” Frank explained. “The dirt on the wall wasn’t hundreds of years. This church, this town was called Bowman. In my time, my brother leads this town. This is his church. This wasn’t here. I think it was made later, much later. See because in my time … all of this…” Frank moved his hand around showing the mural. “Couldn’t have happened. It shows an equal. In my time, Hubra are still LEPS. I think someone, in the peace time, figured out how it all started and made this. The kicker …this woman … is from my time and the baby … may or may not be his.” He pointed to Chaka. “This shows you that Hubra and men did live in peace at one time. Now I want to show you that man was here first.”

  Stepping out of the way, Frank led them to the hatch and stairwell that would take them down stairs.

  Alex’s laughter filled the basement as Frank showed a video. “My daughter. Hold on …” He played with the phone then held it out. ‘Selfie.” He took a picture and showed it to the Elders.

  They were all amazed.

  Frank indicated to the box. ‘When we came through, we thought we needed weapons. We sent two of our men back to bury this box.” He reached down for the doll and tossed it to Dr. Vesna.

  The second the doll cried out, “Mama” She screamed and dropped it.

  Frank laughed and took a picture.

  Prime Elder One turned to Senator Wa. “Did you know.”

  “Yes, yes, I always knew,” he said.

  “Ha!” Frank tossed out his hand. “I knew it. I told you I knew how the story played out. Go on, tell about how you were afraid of me. How you know my being around was gonna let the Hubra know the truth.”

  Senator Wa nodded. “I hoped I was wrong. Yes, I worried. The sacred scroll tells of an intelligent Primal who leads the Primals to revolution. I knew the day would come when you would arrive.”

  Chaka asked. “What about me?”

  “Yeah,” Frank added. “I mean. He lost you. Your wife, his siblings. Spoiler alert, I know right now you only have one child, but more are coming. He saw you die. All he wanted was to see you and you shot him down.”

  “How?” Elder Two asked. “How is he from our future and you the past, yet you’re together and he fathers a child in your time.”

  “Maybe,” Frank corrected. “we never know with Jenny Matoose. See. We have time travel. It’s in existence for a little while before it’s outlawed. Through a mishap, a time beam shot out and grabbed Chaka. Brought him to our time. I know it’s hard to understand,”

  “I was wrong. On all accounts,” Senator Wa said.

  “Elders,” Prime Elder Three spoke up. “We need to discuss what to do with Senator Wa.”

  “Nothing. You do nothing,” Frank said. “You say nothing. You have a cool village and you’re already on your way to another peaceful existence. Just keep going. Don’t show the mural. Blind faith is pretty powerful. You let them know about this, it’s going to destroy them because everything they believed in was wrong. That’s why fucking NASA never said anything about aliens. If we found out there was life on other planets, then our belief in God would have been shattered.”

  “If you aren’t here to lead the Primals, they why are you here?” Senator Wa asked.

  “Here a thousand years? Chase the guy who tried to kill me and find my son. But here, right now in this church.” Frank grabbed his backpack and reached in. “this.” He held the pendant. “My key to go home. Didn’t matter if you believed me or not. Sentenced me to die. I just needed to grab Chaka, press the button and go home. I need to get back.”

  “This all has been amazing and overwhelming,” said Prime Elder One. “You, Frank, are truly an exceptionally intelligent being.”

  Chaka groaned. “Go on. You know you want to. Say it.”

  Frank grinned. “I am.”

  THIRTY – BEGINNINGS

  Dean’s mind was going a million miles an hour and more than likely was off somewhere else. Joe saw it. Dean didn’t need to say a word, Joe knew him well enough to know that look on his face as he hurriedly examined Robbie and changed the IV bag.

  “Come on, Dean,” Robbie said. “Let me leave. I feel great.”

  “Yes, Dean,” Hal added. “He looks a hundred percent better.”

  “And you let Elliott go really fast,” Robbie said. ‘He was shot in the head.”

  “Robbie, you promised me three days. I want my three days. This is only the second, and that promise was made before you got really sick. That fluid took its toll on you. On your heart, your lungs, your liver. Everything,” Dean said. “We’re
still trying to figure out what got in your blood. I have an idea on why it took hold so bad.”

  Joe asked. “And what is that?”

  “Sometime, individuals who suffered from Rheumatic fever, like Robbie did, later in life have major complications,” Dean explained. “You can’t predict when and if they’ll happen. One of those complications is compromised immune system. Which would entirely explain how he got hit so bad. Now if you’ll excuse me… I’ll be back.” He walked to the door, as he did, Jimmy rushed in nearly knocking over Dean.

  “Oh my God,” Jimmy said emotionally. “Why am I just finding out today, that not only were you hurt and operated on but nearly died!”

  Joe cringed.

  In a rare instance, Hal staggered his words. “Well, uh … you uh ...”

  “Did you guys forget about me again?”

  Joe cleared his throat. “Well, Jimmy, we …”

  “I told them not to tell you,” Robbie said. “I knew I was bad and I just didn’t want to see the hurt on your face. If you makes you feel better, Frank didn’t know either.”

  Jimmy exhaled. “Alright, as long as you’re better and it wasn’t just me.”

  Joe stood. “I’ll let you visit and I’ll be back.” He placed his hand on Jimmy’s shoulder as he passed him. “Glad you arrived in town.”

  “I’ve been here a week.”

  “Yes, that’s right. Sorry my mind is occupied. Excuse me.” Saying no more, Joe walked out.

  <><><><>

  The image on his lab monitor was mentally and emotionally disturbing. It was a gut punch to Dean. Not a surprising one. He saw it coming.

  Ellen placed her hand on his back. “We have faced tougher.”

  “Have we?” he asked. “El, I swear if I didn’t need this monitor, I’d put my fist through it.”

  “I know.”

  “Where’s Roy?”

  “He’s down in the cryo working on it.”

  “I’ll join him in a bit.”