The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series

by Jacqueline Druga

  Henry sadly tucked his notebook under his arm and followed Joe like a child. Joe didn’t want to catch him staring at the wall again, and he vowed right there and then, Joe wouldn’t. Because Henry, would just be more careful.

  UNDISCOVERED NOTION

  CHAPTER FIVE

  January 18

  “It was a government conspiracy!” The one survivor stood in the skills room. He was older, graying, but stout. His voice yelled as if he were trying to be heard a mile away. “The government released the virus. They had too. I said it from the beginning.”

  “Oh, shut up!” Another male survivor stood up. “You say this every time it’s your turn to speak. Mr. Slagel, do we have to listen?”

  Joe sat legs crossed, a notebook across his lap as he tried not to smile. “Sorry Bill, everyone gets to say their peace. Continue, Gene.” Joe pointed his pencil at the man who first spoke.

  “A conspiracy I tell you. They wanted to wipe out mankind and start all over again.”

  “With who left?” Bill stood up arguing again. “Even if it was some big conspiracy like you put it, who cares now?”

  “I care!” With his thumb, Gene pointed backwards to himself.

  “That’s because you’re crazier than the rest of us. Now sit down, we’re tired of hearing your old man ranting.”

  “Old man?” Gene shouted. “I’ll show you old man.” Grabbing Bill with both hands he tossed him across the floor.

  Bill stood up. “I took it easy on you last week.” He dove to Gene and they began to brawl.

  “El!” Frank stormed into the skills room in his search for his wife. He spotted Bill and Gene in a twisted wrestle style fist fight, and it annoyed him. Walking further into the room toward his father, he grabbed both men and threw them back away from each other. “Knock off the fighting.” Frank pointed, then proceeded to his father. “Dad, have you . . .” He noticed Joe just smiling. “Why didn’t you stop them?”

  “I thought it was funny. Unlike Ellen, I let them go a little like I did when you and your brothers were teenagers. I always stopped it before it warranted an emergency room trip.”

  “Dad, have you seen . . .” Frank heard the sound of scuffling behind him again. Irritated and angry, he turned. “Hey! Knock it off now! You!” He pointed to Gene. “Sit over there! And Bill! You over there!” Frank continued in a scolding manner. “I’m trying to talk to my father and you’re being fuckin’ rude!” He ran his hand over his face, took a deep calming breath, and refaced his father. “Anyway, have you seen my wife? I checked her Ellen agenda and . . .”

  “She made you an agenda?”

  “Yeah. With me having to make sure she’s taking it easy. She’s having my baby, you know. She made the agenda so I can find her.”

  “Guess what? It’s not working. She’s not here. Go away, I’m conducting class.”

  “I need to check her. It’s important.”

  “Frank.” Joe slammed his pencil down. “Christ. Let the woman live. She’s just pregnant. She isn’t the Blessed mother.”

  Loud was the gasp of offense that came from Frank. “Oh! You blaspheme. And I’m telling.” He turned to leave. “Someone. I don’t know who. But I am. I’ll try at home.”

  “Good idea.” Joe shooed him. The moment that Frank walked out the skills room door, Joe led the survivors in a round of applause.

  ^^^^

  “Dean.” Ellen threw her hands in the air. “I have no idea what it is that you want me to look for.” She sat on the floor with Dean in the center of the living room. They had moved the coffee table out of the way to make room for the hordes of paper they had sprawled around them.

  “El.” He pointed to the first stack of twenty. “Just go through each sheet, see what we covered in our work that day. See if we missed anything.”

  Ellen crossed her legs Indian style. “How am I supposed to know? You tell me what to do.”

  “Exactly. I’m checking the formulas we missed. I need you to look over what we did. I think it is something so simple, that I can’t catch it.”

  “Is that an insult?”

  “No, no.” Dean showed her a sheet of paper. “Look, here’s the formula we’ve been following. Decreasing, increasing. Well, what if somewhere we skipped over the vital one. What if for example, we were supposed to use three drops of water and seven of my Radian mixture? But we didn’t. We moved to the next phase of four and eight. Get it?”

  “Shit.” Ellen threw down the paper. “We’ve tried thousands of combinations, Dean. And you’re using nineteen different agents in four steps.”

  “Exactly. I think we missed it. I think we missed it early on too.” He showed her another sheet of work. “Notice how since the first of the year our effectiveness has decreased? It’s there. I know it.”

  “But that last week of the month, we tried the most combinations. I think you’re wrong. You wouldn’t have skipped something. You’re too thorough.”

  “What else could it be?”

  “Perhaps you just haven’t found the right combination yet?” She spoke sarcastically.

  “Ha-ha-ha.” He looked at his watch. “We still have three hours before the twins get picked up. Let’s use the time . . .”

  “El!” With a loud Frank yell, he walked into the house. “El?”

  “God, Frank, I’m down here.” She lifted up her free hand, not turning around, just wiggling her fingers.

  Frank walked around to her. He stopped in shock when he saw the mess on the floor, but more so Dean. “What is going on?”

  Ellen rolled her eyes as she barely lifted her head to him. “What does it look like we’re doing? We’re working. We needed the space. Why are you home?”

  “Finding you.” Frank snapped. “El, your agenda said you’d be at the lab. You weren’t. You know how vital these pregnancy check ins with me are.”

  From her work Ellen looked at Dean who mouthed in question, ‘agenda?’ Ellen just shook her head. “I’m fine.”

  “But you’re on the floor.”

  “I can sit on the floor, Frank.” Ellen spoke nonchalantly as she sifted through the pages. “Check the list of things I can’t do, it’s on the fridge. Sitting on the floor is not mentioned.”

  “I’ll do that.” Frank turned and walked into the kitchen. His faded voice called back. “O.K. you’re right.”

  Dean met his glance with Ellen. “He’s neurotic.” He whispered.

  Frank came back in. “All right. Now that I know you’re fine. I’m heading back out. Don’t work too hard.” He leaned down again and kissed Ellen. “I’ll be home early.” He started to leave but slid to a stop. “Oh, hey El. Andrea gave me this really great book. I’ve been reading . . .” He noticed both of their heads turned and they looked upon him in astonishment. “I can read.” He snapped at them. “It’s a book on delivering babies. Remind me to show you something in there.”

  A sudden surge of fear entered Ellen. “Frank, why are you reading that book?”

  “El.” He walked to the door. “I’m delivering our kid. You think I’m letting him do it.” After pointing to Dean and shaking his head, Frank left.

  Ellen turned her attention to a stunned Dean who still stared at the door. “Dean.” She caught his attention, closed her eyes and shook her head. “No.”

  Letting out a sigh of relief, Dean relaxed and continued back to work.

  ^^^^

  “Soon enough it’s gonna have to stop being so weird around here.” Joe looked up to the sky as he stepped from his office that afternoon. He spoke to George as they headed from the utility buildings into town--clipboard in hands.

  “Talking about your morning in containment?” George asked.

  “Nah. That was funny. This damn weather.”

  George removed his jacket as they walked. “It is warm isn’t it? Not a trace of snow.”

  “And it’s terrible for morale. You know how the men look forward to it. I guess it’ll happen.” He let out a disappointment breath. “All right.
Let’s divvy the afternoon. Distribution or stock?”

  “Stock.” George answered. “Divisional reports or tour guide and housing?”

  Joe slowed in his walking to think as they approached town. “We do have two survivors getting out. I’ll take the reports. But make sure you give housing to Miguel. Make it temporary though. It won’t be long before those two are back.”

  “Shit.” George stopped cold, he looked up and cringed. He faced Joe.

  “What?”

  “I don’t think the Miguel housing will be temporary. It was brought to my attention to mention it to you, that one of them has found they developed deep feelings for someone else.”

  “Why the hell do I care?” Joe said crass. “I run the community not the love lives.”

  “Well, let’s say I forgot to tell you Andrea has feelings for . . .”

  “Hi, Joe.” Sweetly, almost flirtatiously Andrea approached with a wave and a tilted head.

  “You.” George continued with a snicker.

  Wide eyed, Joe peered around George to Andrea, then back to George. “Christ.” Shaking his head and tucking his clipboard in his arms, Joe walked to the warehouses.

  ^^^^

  The booming sound of the heavy metal lid being secured on the farm tool bin, didn’t make Henry jump, it made him smile. “Impressive.” He said to Miguel. “Such strength.”

  Oddly Miguel looked over his shoulder at Henry as he walked from the bin. “You aren’t hitting on me, are you?”

  “Me? No.” Henry shook his head. “I have a proposition for you. Since your break up with Andrea, I know you have been trying to stay busy.”

  “I have been trying. Yes.” Miguel said and moved to the next bin. “Potato harvest is not much to keep me busy.”

  “And the greenhouses are getting situated, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “So you may need a little extra of something to occupy that lonely, heartbroken mind.”

  “Henry . . .”

  “You’re a big guy, Miguel. Strong. Tough.” Henry clenched his fist. “You can utilize those natural physical attributes and, may I add, take things off your mind all at the same time.”

  Miguel lifted the steel lid to the next bin and held it open. “What do you have in mind?”

  “A secret project. No one is to know. What would you say about using that extra time of yours to tear down and move, I don’t know a, uh . . . . Thirty foot concrete wall?”

  The lid slammed shut with Miguel’s shock.

  ^^^^

  Round up time, Frank called it. Not that he would necessarily be there when everyone was finished being round up, but he felt a part of it. It was his duty, as a husband, father, and father-to-be. Especially with Ellen in her dangerous, delicate state.

  After stopping at the Beginnings equivalent of day care to inform Hap, the older worker, that he’d be by to help Ellen, Frank headed to the clinic. He moved up the steps and to the double doors when Andrea came out. “Hey, Andrea.” He reached for the door.

  “Oh, Frank.” Andrea paused on the bottom step. “Do you have a minute?”

  Frank looked at his watch. “Yeah. What’s up?”

  “I know you and I don’t see eye to eye.”

  Frank snickered. “Of course not, Andrea. I’m six-three you’re like, five something. And especially not now.” He said so serious. “You’re down there on that step.”

  Andrea just looked at him. Hard too. After blinking several times she stepped up to the top to join him. “Anyway . . .” She smiled. “I was wondering if I could bother you for some insight.”

  “Is it something medical you need help on?”

  “Um . . .” Containing her laugh, Andrea’s words peeped out. “No.” She cleared her throat. “On a personal level. You see, Frank. I was wondering, personally, what you could tell me about your father.”

  “All right. Let’s see. He’s like fifty-eight, I think. Brown hair. Glasses. Close to six feet, but I think he shrank. He used to be in the CIA before the . . .”

  “No.” Andrea held up her hand. “I mean personally. With . . . with women.”

  “Dog.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “He’s a dog. Well, was. Still would be if he could. He was married like eight times and engaged six. Or was it engaged eight. I don’t know. Why?”

  “Well.” Andrea blushed. “I was hoping you’d put in a good word for me. I’m finding myself attracted to your father and . . .” Frank’s loud laughter made her stop talking. “Frank?”

  Laughing again, Frank turned and opened the clinic door.

  ^^^^

  “No!” Dean raced like a madman across the lab to Ellen who held a dropper over a rack of test tubes. “You putting in too much.”

  “I am not. I’m putting in the right amount.” She ignored him. “Besides, how can you put in too much? I’m doing drops.”

  “Your drops are too big.”

  Ellen tried not to laugh. “My drops are too big?”

  “Yes, you need to be more gentle.” He moved closer. “Here.” He slid his hand down her arm to her hand holding it. “Relax your fingers.” He cupped his over hers and they took hold of the dropper. “Now don’t squeeze, just feel how much pressure I apply to the dropper.” He brought their joined hands to above the test tube. “Now see, that is a little drop. You do monstrous drops.”

  Ellen snickered as she felt him directly against her. “Thanks for the lesson, Dean. I really . . . feel it.”

  “Why!” Frank’s questioning voice bellowed into the lab. “Why is it every time I walk in here, you, Dean, are finding a reason to be up behind my wife. Back off! And in front of my kid, too.” Frank pointed to Johnny who sat across the lab.

  Johnny looked up from his urine samples. “That’s nothing, Dad. You should see the counter action they get going.”

  Ellen giggled. “It would be the only action I’m getting.”

  “Dad.” Johnny gasped. “Are you not putting out?”

  “I can’t. I don’t want the baby to be deformed. Sex will do that.” He hunched at the loud ‘what’ that came from Ellen. “Yeah, that blood disease you developed. Wait.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. “Prenatal Toxicodendron. Yeah. Look how good I said that.”

  “Give me this.” Ellen snatched it from him “Toxicodendron is the name of the poison ivy plant family.”

  “No, El. You’re wrong.” Frank insisted. “Dean told me . . .” Frank’s eyes widened. “Dean!”

  “You asked.” Dean lifted the beaker. “Now is there something you wanted?”

  “Yeah.” Frank answered then stared out. “I . . . shit. I forgot. I’ll come back.” He turned, took a couple steps, stopped and spun around. “Oh!” he blasted out in his remembrance causing a crash when Dean dropped his beaker. “I came to get El.”

  “I’m not leaving.” Ellen said. “Johnny’s picking up the twins. We have a lot to finish up on the anti . . . uh, cold strain we’re working on, that’s it.”

  Dean interjected. “So walk on over here, Frank. Maybe you’ll catch something,”

  “Aren’t you the funny little man..” Frank moved to the door. “Not too late, El. Since I know we can have . . . Sex.” He laughed at Dean’s grunt. “I’m ready to go.”

  Dean curled his lip in disgust. “Did I need to hear that?”

  “Absolutely.” Arrogantly Frank grinned and walked out.

  ^^^^

  Henry pouted, stomped and mumbled like a five year old walking in the tunnels. “Won’t help me.” He carried his tool box. “Fine.” He set it down and ran his hand over the concrete wall. “I’ll do it myself.” He lifted the lid to the tool box and looked at the wall once more. Maybe it was a bit neurotic of Henry, but he just couldn’t let it rest. The wires, pipes and lines that ran into that wall sent Henry on a thinking frenzy. After reviewing his ‘theory; list Henry finally figured it out. Secured deeply somewhere in the concrete had to be a type of circuit box. A different type. O
ne so advanced that it sent a signal to the computer component of the second solar generator telling that generator ‘do not shut down’. In all his years as a hospital maintenance engineer in the old world, he had never heard of such a box. But then again, Henry wasn’t dealing with a hospital. Beginnings--A.K.A., ‘The Garfield Project’ was designed by the government. And like Area 51, who knew what else they kept secret. Henry was certain the special box was one of them. And he had to see this phenomenal box for himself.

  Slowly, Henry lifted the tools he brought with him. The average size hammer in his right hand, the chisel in his left. Tapping, oh-so-lightly on the wall from the top, until he heard for himself where he wanted to start. A bit of it every day, Henry thought, no one would even know he was doing it. Henry placed the chisel to the spot on the wall that he heard through his tapping as hollow. He revved back his hammer.

  “Henry!”

  Henry jolted, dropping the hammer with an echo. “Oh, hi George.”

  “What the hell are you doing?” George walked up to him and snatched the chisel from his hand. “What is going on with you?”

  “I uh . . .” He bent down and picked up the hammer. “George. I came up with, like Joe wanted, a logical reason to get into this wall. A box. A special secret circuit box. I really feel it’s buried behind this wall.”

  “What are you nuts?” He also snatched the hammer. “The only thing your gonna see if you start breaking up this wall is a big hole.” George waved the hammer in front of Henry’s face. “This is sick Henry, plain and simple. Sick.”

  “But George. I feel it George. I feel . . .”

  “Psychopathic? Because that is what you are coming off as. Now . . .” With a deep breath George placed the hammer in one of his back pockets and the chisel in the other. "I like you Henry. Because I really like you, I will not mention this little masonry incident to Joe. Because as much as you’d like to think, this is not a logically based reason. And . . . I don’t want to see you jeopardize your position on the council. You do know that Andrea is bidding for it don’t you?”