The Inner Struggle: Beginnings Series Book 7

by Jacqueline Druga

  “He’ll do that. He wonders why that baby doesn’t sleep. A small payback from all of us, I guess.”

  “Pay back to Henry?” Frank laughed as he walked into the house. “Well if it’s a Henry payback, I’m paying the debt.”

  “Second reason.” Joe followed him into the house. “Can you spare an hour this afternoon? Jason needs to see you over at containment.”

  “He hates me.”

  “Yeah, well, we all can’t be part of the Frank fan club, can we?”

  “I guess not,” Frank shrugged. “His loss.” Frank walked to the kitchen. “I’ll come over, say around one after I finish my mid-morning rounds.”

  “Sounds good.” Joe checked out his watch. “Now I’d better find Henry. There’s something he needs to fix and I didn’t want to put the req in the requisition box.”

  “Why?” Frank asked as he poured a cup of coffee.

  “Because of where he has to fix it…the mobile.”

  “What the hell can they possibly break at the mobile?” Frank wondered as he set down his pot of coffee.

  “Something in the trailer which works in Henry’s favor, except he can have no contact with Dean, Ellen, or Robbie. I can’t say he’d want to contact them. Robbie said this morning he’s going nuts. Ellen and Dean bicker constantly. And quit smiling about that.”

  “Sorry.” Frank raised his mug to his lips. “So why are we hiding the fact that Henry has to go to the mobile?”

  “I just don’t want people to panic, that’s all.” Joe began to leave. “Don’t forget about this afternoon.”

  “What about it?” Frank asked as he followed Joe out.

  “One o’clock.”

  “O.K.” He moved to the door with Joe. “One o’clock for what?”

  “Frank!” Joe barked. “Containment. Be there. It’s important.”

  “Got it.” Frank held the door open for Joe. “Even though he hates me.”

  “Well go there just to irk him.” Joe saw a smile hit Frank. “I thought you’d like that.” Joe stepped from the home. “Oh and by the way. You wanted to get the kids off to school. What makes you think you know more than Henry?”

  “I do. I’ve been doing it longer.”

  “Really. Then why aren’t they there when school started an hour ago.”

  “Fuck.” Frank heard his father snicker as the door shut. Hurriedly, he headed up the steps to wake all the kids up. He slowed mid stairs when a part of his mind flashed to his and his father’s conversation. “What the hell do I have to go to containment for?” Scratching his head, Frank shrugged and headed the rest of the way up the stairs. He figured he’d find out when he got there at the time that they decided. But some reason, Frank forgot what that was.

  <><><><>

  Ellen’s hands stayed firmly on her hips, her head went side to side, and her body moved as much as her words did in her raised tone she threw at Dean. “It’s no wonder your ass was never promoted past First Lieutenant. They probably figured you would never know if they did anyhow, so why waste the promotion.”

  Dean shook his head trying not to laugh in anger at her. “Where the hell is that insult coming from?”

  “Your lack of knowledge.”

  “My lack of knowledge about what?”

  “Office products.”

  “Oh there it is.” He held his hand out. “Thank you Ellen. Thank you very much for explaining that to me. Here I always wondered why I never made captain. What is it that I don’t know?”

  “This.” She held up a small stack of reports. “You paper clipped them wrong.”

  “I did what!?” His questioned reflected how ridiculous he though she was.

  “Clipped them wrong.” She slammed the papers. “Any moron knows that the big side of the clip goes in the back, not the front.”

  “And any moron knows that it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference.”

  Somewhere, maybe it was the constant turning of his head, maybe it was the remnants of his illness, but somewhere Robbie began to get dizzy. “You guys have me confused.” He held up his pencil. “By saying, ‘any moron’ does that constitute mean things said. I need to know if I’m going to complete Ellen’s list properly.” He saw them both turn their heads to him. “I’ll mark that down as a ‘yes’. I’ll stick it under ‘mean things Dean said’ right under where it states Dean insulted my penis.”

  Dean’s mouth dropped open. “I never said anything to you about . . . forget it. Slagel mentality.”

  Robbie held his pencil up. “Dean . . . insulted . . . . Robbie’s . . . intelligence.” He marked the end of the sentence with a hard dot. “Wow, this is fun. El, I hate to interrupt this ping pong match of insults that’s been going on for . . .” He looked at his watch. “Fifteen minutes. But I would have at least thought you’d put it on hold to talk to Henry.”

  Taking her stares from Dean, Ellen looked to the window. “He’s not there.”

  “No.” Robbie said. “He’s in the trailer fixing that bad outlet that sparked on you twice.”

  “Henry’s here?” Ellen smiled. “Why didn’t he come over? Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “He's probably not allowed?” Robbie guessed. “Ask Dean. He knew.”

  Ellen saw red. “You knew!? Why didn’t you tell me?!”

  “First of all,” Dean spoke defensively, “I don’t have to explain myself. Second, I didn’t want you to know because I didn’t want you two to get close or touch because God knows if you did that, he’d be here in quarantine with us for twelve hours. It’s bad enough I put up with you. I don’t need to put up with that constant, rambling, female-style, old lady gossiping you two do.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Really.” He laid his hand on the counter leaning close.

  “Watch this.” With speed, and before Dean knew it, Ellen flew from the mobile lab. “Henry!” She raced, hearing Dean chase after her. His tennis shoes thumping against the floor at the same speed as hers. “Henry.”

  “Hey El.” Henry stood by the sink, the outlet exposed. “Don’t come too close or else . . .” He knew exactly why Dean screamed loudly ‘no!’ when Ellen threw her arms around his neck, and cut off his words when she placed her lips directly to his. “Oh my God, El.” Henry stepped back. “Why did you do that? Now I’m . . . I’m . . . .” He grinned. “I’m in here with you for twelve hours.”

  Ellen smiled too. “Isn’t that great Henry?”

  “Yeah I missed you.” He looked at Dean who folded his arms. “Isn’t that great Dean? We’ll have fun.”

  “Swell.” Ready to kill Ellen, Dean tossed his hands in the air in a give-up fashion and spun to leave the kitchen nearly walking into Robbie who still held the notebook. “What are you doing, Robbie?”

  “Keeping score.” He closed the notebook. “Dean, she’s winning now.”

  <><><><>

  Dean tried to work, he really did. He kept trying to block out the conversation that went on and on, but despite his head being buried in the computer, their voices kept intruding. No matter how many times he let out that huffing breath, slammed his hands, or even turned around to tell them to shut up, Ellen and Henry kept going. To make matters worse, Robbie would egg them on. A form of Robbie entertainment, Dean deducted. How anyone one could derive that much pleasure out of irritating people was beyond Dean. At least Henry and Ellen sort of did it unintentionally, but Robbie actually planned sometimes on ways to do it.

  Dean had to stop working. This time it had nothing to do with the chattering. It had everything to do with his eyes. He sat staring forward pretending to work, while sitting in total darkness. Did they notice? Would they? It was the first time in three hours Dean actually wanted them to keep talking because as long as Ellen and Henry kept their conversation up, they didn’t notice what went on around them. If they didn’t notice, surely Robbie wouldn’t. Robbie--like everyone else--was to be like Dean was at that moment . . . in the dark.

  With the ceasing of chattering, there was total s
ilence. Dean began to panic. Either they figured out what was happening and they were staring at him like some freak or he just went deaf as well. Why did they stop talking? Are my eyes rolling funny? Shit. Dean tried to figure out what was going on without asking. Then he heard the simultaneous whines from Robbie, Ellen, and Henry. Dean wanted more than anything to ask what was going on but he couldn’t do that.

  “Aw El,” Henry griped. “No. Stay here.”

  “I have to Henry.” Ellen spoke perkily, squeaking her chair as she stood up.

  “Please, please, please don’t.”

  “Henry, I have to.” Tapping him on the cheek, she moved to the window. “I’ll be back.”

  Hard, Henry plopped his elbows on the table, and like a child, covered his ears with his hands causing his hair to stand up and out on the sides of his head. “Let me know when it’s over with.”

  Ellen picked up her radio. “Jenny.” She stood closer hoping to block Henry’s view of her.

  “Hi Ellen.” Jenny shifted to her right. “Why is Henry in there?”

  “Oh.” Ellen spoke so annoyed-like. “Dean’s fault. He was so happy to see Henry, he kissed him.”

  “You’re kidding?” Jenny seemed shocked.

  “No. And he’s supposed to be the big scientist. To think, he was just asking me today why I thought he never got promoted past lieutenant.”

  “He really should have known better.”

  “Call it reaching for affection, Jenny.” Ellen looked back at Dean to get a charge out of his irritation, but he kept his back to her. “Anyhow, Jenny, how come you came up?”

  “Ben finished his preliminary sketches of the bridesmaid dresses.” She held them up. “What do you think? We need your approval.”

  Ellen peered through the window to closely check out the drawings of the dresses. “Not bad. What color?”

  “Blue.”

  “Figures. Good. I like . . . Except . . . can we lose the bow on the backside.”

  “My sentiments exactly.” Jenny tucked the sketches under her arm. “Nothing worse than having a large rear-end with a large bow on it to match.”

  “Couldn’t have said it better.”

  “I should be going. Ben said he’ll have the shell of the dresses done in a week so we can start the fittings. If you hear from John, I wasn’t up here.”

  This grasped Ellen attention. “Why? Aren’t you supposed to be here?”

  “He just gets a little weird when I mention I’m going to be here, so I’d rather him not know. He isn’t happy about us talking now, Ellen. He also isn’t happy about you joining the women’s group.”

  “So neither is Henry. That makes it even. But now . . . “ Ellen held her hand back. “I should go talk to him because he’s here and it really drives Dean nuts.”

  “You do that then. But don’t drive him too nuts. You still have a few days left in quarantine.”

  “True. Bye Jenny.” Waiting for Jenny to leave and for her to yell across her radio a long goodbye to Henry, Ellen walked back over to the section of the lab where Robbie, Henry, and Dean were. Dean’s back was still to them. “Sorry Henry.”

  “Just promise me, El, promise me you won’t stay friends with her when this whole thing is said and done.”

  “I promise you, Henry.”

  “I bet Frank is going crazy. I have to get back there to help him with the kids.”

  “Oh Henry.” Ellen pulled up a stool and sat next to him. “I bet you’re a wonderful help.”

  “I am, El. Guess what I learned how to do?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Burp a baby,” Henry said with a nod. “Yeah. Only I can’t figure out if the child really needs help in burping or if it is some sort of secret sick parent thing to torture your children when they keep you up all night.”

  “They do look tortured when you burp them.”

  “And they leak badly if you don’t.”

  “It’s a no win situation like being here with Dean.” She hid her giggle when Henry snickered. “See.”

  “I see.” Henry spun around to look at Dean. “And why is he being so snippy today?”

  “He always is anymore. He’s being very mean. Remember how he was when we were in quarantine before? Nasty.”

  “Oh you aren’t kidding. And he was jealous too, El. Don’t forget jealous,” Henry told her then looked to Robbie. “Robbie, you’re lucky that he’s not being that way with you. Or is he?”

  “He is.” Robbie said. “In fact Henry, he sunk as low as to include me in one of his and Ellen’s arguments and he insulted me. No, wait, he insulted my penis.”

  Dean wanted to spin around in his own defense but his eyes weren’t fully back yet so unfortunately, he had to stay with his back facing them. It was driving Dean nuts and he was counting down the minutes until Henry left. He held high hopes when Henry failed to come to the lab that he was actually avoiding Ellen. But if that was the case, it was a short lived phase. One Dean wished would return. There was too much work to do and Henry wasn’t making it easy.

  <><><><>

  Seven people weren’t many to be in containment, but even seven people made noise. They moved, they breathed, and they acted like human beings, not zombies. So why, when Joe walked into the skills room of containment, did he find those seven people like that, sitting straight up in a circle of chairs? None of them moved. None of them spoke and nor did they even acknowledged Joe when he walked into the room. Jason was the only one who moved. He stood walking slowly around the men. His one arm draped across his waist, the other hand rubbed his chin. There was a weird enjoyment look on Godrichson’s face, one that Joe couldn’t understand. Yes, he too enjoyed the quiet moment that was rare in containment but seeing the vision before Joe actually gave him the creeps. What had Jason done to them? “Jason,” Joe whispered “Oh hi Joe.” Jason was taken from his deep staring thought. “Just on time.”

  “I’m frightened, Jason. What the hell did you give these people? Some new drug?”

  “Who them?” Jason pointed. “No. I did it, Joe.”

  “Did what?”

  “I learned the art of hypnosis and rather well if I might add.”

  “Well, that certainly is a useful skill to have in Beginnings,” Joe said with sarcasm.

  “It is when you need to jar someone’s memory like your ape-like son has been asking me to do for Dean.”

  “Oh shit,” Joe remembered. “It’s been so long I had forgotten about it.”

  “Sorry, but even I need time to acquire mastery in an area. So I took the spare time I had, which isn’t much, and I mastered it.”

  “All these people are hypnotized?”

  “Yep,” Jason nodded. “They can’t hear you or see you. They are in their own limbo worlds right now waiting for the post hypnotic suggestion I am about to give them. It’s my little gift to Ellen.”

  “A post hypnotic suggestion is a gift?”

  “Oh sure Joe, especially in containment. These people knew they were being hypnotized. They agreed to help me out. I am going to tell them whenever they hear the word ‘Molotov’ they will respond with immediately ceasing whatever they are doing and finding the nearest place to sit. I picked a word not often used. That way if Ellen needs to get order in here, she just needs to say that word.”

  “That’s not exactly right, is it Jason? A good idea, but not the right thing to do.”

  Jason let out a breath. “I guess you’re right.” He took on a thinking look. “But I need to convince Dean it works. Frank said he won’t do it unless he’s convinced. I figured doing a post hypnotic suggestion would do it as proof.”

  “Yes, but you know Dean. He’ll argue it. He’ll say they really aren’t doing it under a suggestion. They are helping you out. You’ll have to try something else if you want to get him to be hypnotized.”

  “I got Os-Oscar to stop stuttering.” Jason held up his pencil making his point.

  “No shit?” Joe nodded with a closed mouth approval look. �
�Still, hate to be the damper here, but Diane can get him to not stutter by rehearsing what he has to say.” Joe shook his head. “Now if it was Frank you had to convince, and speaking of which, is that why you want him here?”

  “Yes to show him that I learned it.”

  “Good thing all it will take is your word. He’s dumb enough to believe you even if you lie. What does he know? And . . . isn’t he supposed to get hypnotized as proof to Dean that it’s safe. Wasn’t that the contingency on Dean’s doing it or not.”

  “If I recall.” Suddenly a bright smile hit Jason. “You know, we can hypnotize Frank and while he is under . . . Nah.”

  “No, no. I know where you’re going. Convince Dean to do it by suggesting to Frank he do something completely out of character for him, or something he wouldn’t do.”

  “Exactly.”

  Joe grinned wide. “You know, it would have to be something funny. A payback to him from me.”

  “Of course we’d have to remove it quickly after Dean is convinced.”

  “Of course,” Joe said.

  “We could have the key word make Frank speak intelligently.”

  “No.” Joe shook his head. “Not funny enough. How about making him sing Julie Andrews tunes?”

  Jason started to laugh. “Or dance a ballet. How about something completely out of character? We could make the key word trigger him to think he’s best friends with Dean.”

  “I can do you one better.” Joe held up his finger. “And this is good.” He proceeded to tell Jason his brilliant idea on what to do with Frank. The thought of it actually had them laughing so loudly, that it nearly brought tears to their eyes.

  “Joe, we’re mean.”

  “True, but for only what?” He shrugged. “Twenty-four hours?”

  “Should we really?” Jason took that after-laugh breath.

  Just as Joe was about to answer, the buzz of the containment door was heard followed by a heavy stomping of boots. If that wasn’t a tell-tale sign of who was there, the loud booming voice definitely was.