On Borrowed Time: Beginnings Series Book 26

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “Danny’s from California. Maybe I’ll send him in to quiz him.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “What’s his state of mind?” Joe asked.

  “Good. Really good. Almost too good.”

  “I’ll talk to Ryder and Danny. Get him situated. And thanks for this.” Joe hung up. He had to admit, the finding of a new survivor, clean, in good health and state of mind was odd. Maybe his mind was just wandering off the charts since Roy and Jason told about the unknown’ future person. But with so much at stake, Joe couldn’t take a chance to dismiss anything.

  Just as he lifted his phone to call Danny, there was a knock at the door.

  “Come in.”

  Henry stepped inside. He walked to Joe’s desk and handed him the phone. “Take a look. I’m not crazy.”

  Joe took the phone.

  <><><><>

  “Can I say it?” Danny asked Robbie.

  “Go on.”

  Danny grinned. “Eureka!”

  Robbie laughed and lifted the bullet casing. “The light is in here and will work?”

  “Yep,”

  “Where’s Roy?” Robbie asked.

  “At the clinic. He finished up here, poor guy hasn’t been to bed.”

  “Well he better get some sleep if he wants to be around to test this tonight.”

  “I can’t wait. It’s a weeknight, so the streets should be pretty clear after midnight. See where the beam aims,” Danny said. “Find out who was in that area, cross match that with the fingerprints on the three deadly weapons in Frank’s office and …”

  “See if any of them are the three on Frank’s list.”

  “A, B, C.”

  “Hopefully, get this in three weeks.”

  “I saw your nephew is back in Beginnings,” Danny said.

  “Yeah, my dad has him doing what he does best,” Robbie replied. “Sneaking around. Following Frank. Hanging back. You know like he did when he was working for George.”

  “That’s actually a really good idea. “

  “Frank won’t suspect it, and neither will the person trying to get Frank. They’ll just assume Johnny wants him dead again.”

  “He did shoot his father.”

  Robbie held up two fingers. “Twice.”

  The phone rang and Danny, indicated to Robbie to hold on and answered the phone. “What’s up, Joe?”

  A pause.

  “A huh. You don’t say.”

  Pause.

  “You don’t say.”

  Pause.

  “You don’t say. Okay, I’m on it.” He hung up.

  “What didn’t my dad say?” Robbie asked.

  “Get this. I have to go see a new survivor in Bowman and Henry snuck in the lab and took a picture. Your dad just called Ellen and Dean down there.”

  “Henry snuck in the lab?”

  “Whoops. My bad, let me clarify, the cryo lab.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yep.”

  Robbie jumped.

  “Whoa. Whoa. The casing.”

  Robbie handed it back to Danny. “Keep that safe. I’m gonna go try to head off Dean and Ellen.” He flew toward the door.

  “What do you think your dad is going to say?”

  “I haven’t a clue.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “What I always do.” Robbie grinned. “Act innocent.” Another flash of a smile and Robbie raced out.

  Danny stared at the casing in his hand, his super sleuth creation. He then put it somewhere safe. Danny truly felt that little invention was the key to a speedy ending in the ‘Who wants Frank dead?’ mystery.

  <><><><>

  “I am so sorry,” Elliott spoke rushed as he entered Hal’s office.

  The stranger sat in the chair, his back to Elliott. His hair was to his shoulder, and dark and curly. It didn’t look dirty and neither did the survivor.

  Elliott walked to the desk.

  The man was in his forties. In good shape and clean. He wore a flannel shirt with cut off sleeves and an old pair of tattered and clean blue jeans.

  He stood when Elliott walked by.

  “No, be seated.” Elliott told him and sat down. “Elliott Ryder.”

  “Michael,” he replied. “This town is amazing. And was that the president that picked me up.”

  “Former yes.” Elliott replied and had a seat.

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re in New Bowman. We’re a division of Beginnings, Montana, we have a lot of provinces now.”

  “How many people?”

  “Too many to count.” Elliott replied “This town houses our UWA division. Horse soldier. Freedom fighters. Civilization is rebuilding.”

  “It did after the bubonic plague.”

  “Yes, it did.” Elliott pulled papers forward. “I’m not sure where you’ll be placed. It depends on your skills.”

  “I understand.”

  “President Hadley told me you have been alone for a while.”

  “Yes, the remaining people I was with were wiped out by … by these people that had turned barbaric.’

  “We call them Savages.”

  “Perfect name.” Michael said.

  “What made you flag us down. You seemed quite settled.”

  “I’m tired of being alone. I figured if there was a chopper, there were people that were civilized.” Michael answered. “Can I ask you something.”

  “Sure.”

  “I got to see a little of this town. The business names. Some of them. Hoi-Hoi on the Range. Danaplex. Danbux. Hoi Theater.”

  Elliott laughed. “Our man of the hour. He alone will bring back everything we lost.”

  “Danny Hoi?”

  Elliott sat back. “Yes. You … you … know the name.”

  Michael grabbed his chest. “Please tell me he is an upbeat, eccentric, wiry Asian man.”

  Elliott’s eyes widened.

  A triple knock at the door and Danny, opened it. “Hey, Elliott, Joe said to come in.”

  “Him?” Elliott asked.

  Michael turned around and immediately sprung to his feet.

  Elliott knew Danny as a perky person, never had he seen a look of shock hit Danny. So much so, that Danny Hoi stumbled back.

  “Danny.” Michael rushed.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God.” Danny grabbed him and embraced him, lifting the tall man from his feet.

  “I take it you know each other?” Elliott stated.

  “Know?” Danny stepped back, placed his hands on Michael’s face. “This man was my best friend. I thought you were dead.”

  “I was in Washington when it hit. I made it all the way back,” Michael said. “To California. But … no one I knew was there.”

  “It’s good to have you. Welcome to Beginnings.” Danny embraced him. “And just in time too, our local priest has been on such a binge we hadn’t had mass in two weeks. Elliott here has been doing a musical service.”

  Elliott shrugged. “Tell me you can help out,” he said to Michael.

  “I can try.”

  “Try.” Danny laughed. “Elliott, he is a kick ass keyboard player and guitar player. Not to mention a rocking Catholic priest.”

  “You’re the Father Mike, that Danny spoke of?” Elliott asked and held out his hand. “It’s amazing everyone seems to make it here eventually.” They shook hands. “Welcome to Beginnings.”

  <><><><>

  “Are you shitting me?” Joe asked on the phone, his voice echoing down the halls of the cryo lab. “Danny knows him? Tell me this, can he calm Danny down.” Joe grumbled. “I didn’t think so. Well, we need a priest. Send him here. We’ll get him in containment and through the process. Thanks, Elliott.”

  After hanging up the phone, Joe mentally prepared for the lies and cover up stories he would get from Dean and Ellen. Even though Henry was wrong for sneaking in the lab, he was right in telling Joe that they had something there they shouldn’t.

  He pun
ched in the code and opened the door.

  Immediately he was pelted with a clean, flowery smell and Dean and Ellen nonchalantly working in the lab.

  “Joe,” Ellen said with a smile. “That was fast.”

  “Do you two know why I called you down here?” Joe asked.

  “Haven’t a clue,” Dean answered. “We assumed it had something to do with our plumbing issue.”

  “Henry fixed it.” Ellen said.

  “Speaking of Henry. He saw something down here.”

  Ellen scoffed. “Well, Joe, we have a lot of things down here, it could be any number of things. Can you be more specific.”

  “Yes.” Joe nodded. “Do you have an adult Killer Baby?”

  Dean laughed. “It wouldn’t be a Killer Baby.”

  “Dean. Answer the question.” Joe said. “Do you have an adult LEP?”

  “Yes.” Dean said.

  Joe was ready to blast out that they were lying. He was prepared for that. He wasn’t prepared for the truth. They were never honest with him. “Yes?”

  Ellen nodded. “Yes. We’d let you see him but he’s using the potty?”

  “He uses the potty?”

  Dean explained. “We let him use ours but it clogged it.”

  Joe closed eyes. “Where did you get an Adult LEP?”

  “From the fields,” Ellen said. “He was tending to the babies. We caught him.”

  “Would this be the same one that had his way with Jenny.”

  “We believe so, yes,” Dean replied.

  “And you didn’t kill it?” Joe asked.

  “No.” Ellen barked. “No. We can’t kill it.”

  “Yes, yes you can. It killed our men, took advantage of Jenny. It could have impregnated her and …”

  “And it if did,” Ellen cut him off. “Then she carries that virus that eventually makes all women sterile. I’m willing to bet, we killed it in the Aragon window time frame. But if we don’t kill it now, we have the host for the virus. We can cure it before it does its damage.”

  “Plus,” Dean added. ‘If this is our future, then we now have the means to learn it and possibly stop it. And Frank can learn it before he takes his time trip.”

  “This is dangerous.” Joe said.

  “It’s contained.” Dean said. “The benefits outweigh the dangers, trust me. That’s why we did not dispose of him. He has so much to teach us.”

  Joe ran his hand down his face. “I must be out of my goddamn mind.”

  Ellen shrieked. “We can keep him?”

  “Yes, but keep the smell to a minimal, don’t call Henry for anything and keep me posted. You hear?”

  Ellen jumped and hugged Joe. “Thank you. We’ll make this beneficial.”

  “And no sending it to containment.” Joe exhaled with a shake of his head. “Lobotomized savages, mutated rabbits, Killer Babies, mutants from the future. Oh, and let’s not forget Elvis..” He walked to the door. “Only in goddamn Beginnings.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Three Jacks,” Hal laid down his cards on the table of the Social Hall. He Frank and Elliott were the only ones there. Elliott was over by the stage closing down after practice.

  “Fuck.” Frank laid down his card. “I have a ten.”

  “Good God Frank. Why did you keep going?”

  “I was bluffing.”

  “Guess what, I didn’t fall for it.”

  Elliott walked over to the table. “Did you guys go meet the new guy yet?’

  “No,” Hal said. “I’m sure if he’s a friend of Danny Hoi’s, I can wait. One Danny is enough.”

  “He’s actually pretty great,” Elliott sat down. “Very laid back. Total opposite of Danny.”

  “And he’s a priest, you say?”

  “Yes, he is.” Elliott glanced down at his watch. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” Hal collected the card.

  “No,” Frank said. “One more hand. “Let me get a chance to win back my Danny Bucks.”

  “Double or nothing?” Hal asked.

  “Double or nothing.”

  Hal looked to Elliott. “You in.”

  Elliott shrugged. “Sure, deal me in.”

  Hal pulled the deck of cards to him and began to shuffle them.

  <><><><>

  Out of breath, Roy hurried to the Social Hall where Robbie and Danny stood outside. “All set.”

  “How long?” Robbie asked.

  “It’s on a timer,” Danny said. “Wait for it.”

  “Do you like what I made you?” Roy asked of Robbie.

  Robbie lifted the white board that was attached to a long stick. “Uh, yeah, what is it?”

  “It’s for you to hold it up when you follow the beam of light.”

  “Oh, cool.” Robbie tapped the stick end on the ground. “I’m nervous. Let’s do this.”

  With a deep breath, Danny carefully placed the casing in the indentation of the Social Hall. His hand hovered. “Odd.”

  “What is?” Robbie asked.

  Danny turned, crouched down. “Did you know this came in at an angle.”

  “Yeah, but not a big one.” Robbie replied.

  “Enough to make a difference in the beam. I can tell you right now. It didn’t come from the party area.”

  Robbie asked. “The living section?”

  “Beam goes straight through between distribution and containment. Living section. A roof or second story window. Someone had a clear shot.” Danny said. “You may need that contraption Roy made after all.”

  “If we can see the beam. I can’t see it now,” Robbie said.

  “Soon as the street lights go out. I sent a mass text to everyone letting them know I was testing the lights at midnight. So it’ll be dark. And …” Danny’s watched beeped. “Ready.”

  With a shifting noise and the sound of slowing power, a rolling outage of all street lamps from center town through the living section took place.

  It was black.

  Completely dark.

  Except for a single strand of blue light that shot straight from the Social Hall building. It was a straight line, perfect.

  Danny grinned. “We got it.”

  Roy looked. “Straight to the living section.”

  “Follow that beam.” Robbie, holding his Roy Contraption followed the light with Roy and Danny. He knew, this was it. They’d have the position of the shooter and maybe even a clue to the identity.

  <><><><>

  Great, just great. Johnny thought as he stood on the other side of the Social Hall. It all went black and he had to use his phone as light. Even then he kept it hidden, his placement in the town couldn’t be known. And that glow of the phone would give it away.

  He heard his Uncle Robbie talking with Danny about a beam, but he couldn’t see. His job wasn’t to watch Robbie, it was to watch his father and he had been in the Social Hall.

  Finally, not long after the blackness took over, his dad, Hal and Elliott emerged from the social.

  “Fucking can’t even see to lock up.” Frank said. “What the hell.”

  “If you’d read your text messages you’d know they were testing the streetlights.”

  “I didn’t pay attention to that.” Frank said. “Got it. You coming back to the house?”

  “No, Elliott and I are headed to New Bowman.”

  “But you lost your job” Frank said.

  “I didn’t lose my home. But that’s if we can see our way back to where I parked the jeep.”

  They continued to talk back and forth and Johnny listened. He wanted to so much be a part of the conversation, to walk with his father, but he had to keep his distance.

  Their voices softened and Johnny peeked around the side of the Social Hall to see what they were doing. When he did he saw it and it made his heart jump.

  Was it his imagination?

  He backed up, looked again and saw the movement on the roof of the school. Someone was up there.

  A text message was sent about the outages.
<
br />   Someone knew it was going to be dark.

  Perfect timing for whoever it was that wanted to take down his father.

  Johnny had a good view on the person. But he didn’t know, was it a shooter taking a sniper position or was it someone else Joe had following Frank.

  He couldn’t take chance, so Johnny slipped into view of Frank, Hal and Elliott.

  Hal gasped. “Johnny what …”

  Johnny spoke almost inaudible. “Yell at me, keep yelling. Don’t let on.” He waited until he had the acknowledgement of all three. “On the roof. Don’t turn. Don’t look. Not yet.”

  Hal nodded, playing into the ruse. “What the hell are you doing here? Sneaking again.”

  “Hal.” Frank blasted. “Don’t talk to my son like that.”

  “I’ll talk to him anyway I please,” Hal lowered his voice. “Still there?”

  Johnny nodded then continued the façade. “Yeah, Uncle Hal, what’s your problem.” He then whispered. “The school.”

  “Gentlemen,” Elliott spoke up. “I’m sure we can resolve this without yelling.” He shifted his eyes, then lowered his voice. “I see him. He’s watching.

  “I’m not yelling.” Frank spoke louder, his eyes moved to Johnny, then to Hal, then to Elliott who moved a few inches away.

  “Can you see who it is?” asked Hal.

  “I think.” Elliott said, trying to look inconspicuous. “Does your father have anyone else out here watching?”

  “I don’t know,” Hal said. “Who is it?

  <><><><>

  “Second street, for sure,” Danny said. “I can see it hitting that row. None of these houses are lined up. Whoever did this knows.”

  Robbie looked up and followed the beam, he made it to the second street. “This cannot be right. This has to be off. Can it be off.”

  “It could be.” Danny said. “Does this make sense.”

  “None.” Robbie exhaled and stopped walking. It was clear that the beam hit a townhouse and landed just to the right of the second floor window. His shoulder dropped in defeat, to him it was wrong and useless. Then … as he had that thought, a shot rang out.

  It was followed by another .. .then another.

  Three shots in the dead quiet streets of Beginnings carried loudly to him..