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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Molesting patients while they sleep, again, I see.” Joe called out to her as he stepped in the room.

  “Joe.” Ellen jumped and released the blanket she was lifting. “You scared me.”

  “Ellen why are you looking at that man?”

  “Have you Joe?”

  “No.” Joe mad a face and shook his head. “I don’t make it a habit to peek under the sheets of sleeping men.”

  “Stop it. Have you noticed him? Look at him. Look at his hair.” Ellen pointed. “It’s cut. Very neatly trimmed. And his face, shaven, or at least it was. And do you know when I rubbed the alcohol over his arm, there wasn’t any dirt?”

  “So what Ellen, where are you going with this? He cleaned up before he arrived.”

  “I’m just saying how odd he is. His glasses.” She picked them up. “Not a scratch on the lenses. They aren’t bent. And his hands, not a callous on them. Everyone here has hands that looked worked. Even Dean.”

  “Dean’s hands are not the hands of a worker.”

  “Yes, they are. Even mine are and I don’t work that hard.” She showed him. “See. This man is in impeccably good, unscathed condition for living in the wilderness for almost six years.”

  “That’s where he’s been.” Joe moved closer. “Where in the hell else do you think he came from? Outer space?” He noticed her mouth opening. “Jesus Christ, he’s not an alien.” He shook his head.

  “Well.” Very snooty Ellen picked up her tray. “I can see you aren’t in the mood for anyone else’s opinion.”

  “Ellen, you think the man’s an alien?"

  “I’ll just leave.” She hugged her tray and began to walk out. “I think I’ll go to the lab and take a nap.”

  “Yeah, yeah, you do that.” Joe grumbled as he pulled a chair closer to Chester’s bed. He paused before sitting down. “They're all gone, I tell ya. Every single resident.” He picked up the pair of good condition eye glasses. Scoffing a laugh, Joe set them down. “Looks like you’re gonna fit right in.”

  ^^^^

  They seemed so far away. That simple duffle bag and knapsack with cardboard rolls. But there were a mere few feet from Henry, only the wire of the storage walls separated them. He stared at Chester’s belongings, knowing they held answers about the man who mysteriously showed up asking about the Garfield Project. Answers Henry wanted so desperately to have. He knew he could peek at the things Chester brought, but doing so meant going into storage, and that meant breaking rules.

  Moment after moment Henry mind-argued with himself, and just when he justified his examination of the articles. Frank walked in.

  “I know there’s a good reason you’re reaching for that padlock.” Frank stated.

  “There is.” Henry released the lock. “I was checking it.”

  “I see.” Frank stepped closer. “You weren’t by any chance trying to get to that duffle bag and knapsack, were you?”

  “Who me?” Henry nervously laughed. “No. No. But . . .” he looked at Frank. “With him asking about the Garfield project, don’t you wonder if he brought anything, I don’t know . . . odd, with him. Something no one else would have.”

  “Don’t need to wonder. I know. He did.”

  “He did?” Henry questioned. “How do you know?”

  “I looked in his bag.” Frank stood proudly. “I’m security. It’s my job to check his stuff.”

  “And you found something odd. Something you normally wouldn’t see.”

  “Oh yeah, absolutely. I found. Get this. A collection of . . .” Very seriously Frank leaned closer to Henry and whispered as if others were actually around. “A collection of striped golf shirts. How do you like that? Like he’s gonna golf.”

  Upon Frank’s words, and after a quick look to the cage that held Chester’s stuff, Henry just left.

  ^^^^

  The smell of coffee was the thing that awakened Ellen from her sleep. The warm fresh aroma, the slight steam causing the moisture on the tip of her nose. With heavy eyes, she lifted up her head.

  “Have a good nap?” Dean set the mug down.

  Ellen groggily looked at her watched and her head snapped up. “Shit.” She removed her hair from her eyes. “I can’t believe I slept that long. On my arm too.” She reached for the mug, but stopped to feel her face. “I bet I have a red mark.”

  Dean stared past the dreaded red mark of sleep on her face. “No, not at all.”

  “Liar.”

  He laughed. “It’s cute.” He moved closer to her. “Look what I did for you.” He pointed to the counter right above where her head was laying, then reached around her and picked up a slide.

  “You did my smears, thank you.” From the slide, Ellen’s views shifted. She noticed his hand in front of her. She took hold of it and began to examine it.

  “What are you doing?” Dean asked.

  Ellen took the slide from his hand and looked at his palm. “See you do have calluses. I told Joe.”

  “You and Joe were discussing my calluses?”

  “It’s a long story.” She kept staring at his hand and she ran her fingers over it. “You have really great hands, Dean. I don’t think I’ve never noticed that before.”

  Dean opened his hand extending his fingers. “Great hands, huh?” He moved his lips close to her ear. “Great hands, you said once I had great lips. Imagine what I could do for you.”

  Both laughing at his flirtatious comment, they stopped, and together, both of them, swayed their heads to the door. Just to make sure.

  Ellen relaxed in relief. “I thought for sure Frank would be standing there.”

  “He does have an impeccable sense of timing doesn’t he?”

  “I think he has radar on me.” Ellen finished her coffee. “I better go. I want to get to containment today early.” As she stood from the stool and began to step away, her foot got caught and she started to lose her balance. She felt Dean quickly snatch her back.

  “Whatever you do, don’t fall in here Ellen, or Frank will have the lab off limits too.”

  Ellen began to chuckle shaking her head. “This is so weird.” She stopped laughing, and grabbed her small stomach.

  “What is?”

  “This baby. He started kicking and hasn’t stopped. He totally jumped out of the flutter stage.”

  “Is he kicking now?”

  Ellen nodded.

  “Can I feel? I always thought that was neat.” He waited for her approval and stepped in closer to behind her. He slid his hand down around the front of her to her belly. “There. I felt that.”

  “There it is again.” Ellen moved his hand to the kick.

  Dean, one hand on Ellen’s shoulder, the other one on her twitching stomach, smiled. “This is neat. I can’t believe Frank gets this.”

  Once again, his timing was right on. Frank walked in, vocal as usual. “All right. I can remain calm here. I don’t like what I see. So remaining calm . . . Dean, get your fuckin' hands off my wife.”

  Dean’s hand lifted in reaction and he stepped back. “Sorry Frank, I was just feeling the baby.”

  “El? Why are you letting him feel my son?” Frank moved to her and hunched to her level. “You look tired.”

  Dean shouted from across the room. “She shouldn’t be, she slept on the counter again.”

  Ellen dreaded that coming out. She gave a dirty look to Dean. “Thanks, Dean for . . .”

  “El.” Frank interrupted. “Why were you sleeping on the counter? Is he working you too hard?”

  Dean didn’t let Ellen answer. “Yeah, I’m the regular slave driver around here.”

  Franks head swayed back and forth. “Why does he have to butt into our conversation?”

  “Because you’re in my lab.” Dean replied.

  Frank turned his views to Dean. “I wouldn’t be having conversations with my wife in your lab if you didn’t have to have her in here all the time. Touching her all the time.”

  Dean laughed arrogantly at him as he continued his work. “Yeah, th
at’s why I bring her in here. To grope at your pregnant wife. Live out my fantasies. How many times do I have to tell you, Frank, I don’t need fantasies. I have memories. Besides, someone has to stimulate her intellectually.”

  “You know . . .” Frank’s huge handed pointed outward. “I come in here, I remain calm. I try to be civilized. But no, you want to trade insults with me.”

  “No, Frank I don’t. It would be inane, not to mention frustrating to me to get into a battle of wits with someone who still enjoys reading, ‘See Spot Run’.”

  “That’s it. Calms over.” Frank charged forth. “Let’s See Dean Run.”

  As Dean began to back up, Ellen, in a heroic move, grasped tightly to the back of Frank’s pants. She slid along with each step Frank took. “Go, Dean, run. I’ll hold him back.”

  “Dean!” Henry bolted in, stopping the tension, being in his own way superman for saving the day. “That guy is waking up.”

  Forgetting that there was even an argument starting, Dean stopped running from Frank and took off down the hall towards Chester’s room.

  Frank, deciding that Joe would want to be there to find out about the survivor, pressed in his wireless on his belt as he and Ellen walked down the hall. “Dad, this if Frank. Come in.”

  “Yeah, Frank?” Joe spoke into his radio, stepping out of Andrea’s office as he did. He spotted Frank a few feet away and put down his radio. “What’s up?”

  “That guy.” Frank continued speaking in his headset. “The one with the yellow . . .”

  “Frank! I’m right here.”

  “Oh.” Frank released the button. “Sorry. Chester’s awake.”

  ^^^^

  Chester groggily reached for his glasses and placed them on. It was an eerie sight at first watching all the people in his room; go from a blur into a focus. He sipped the water Andrea gave him. And placed it back down. “Thank you for your kindness.”

  Dean moved closer to the bed. “Chester, you passed out. Do you remember that?”

  “Yes I do.” He adjusted his glasses. “I remember being greeted by him.” He pointed to Frank. “I asked him if this is the Garfield Project.”

  “How do you know about that?” Dean questioned.

  “I was told to come here. I had the plans. How else was I to find this place? You know this.” He spoke assuredly. “Oh I understand, this is a test. I must gain your trust.”

  “It’s just that no other survivor knew that. And they weren’t as well maintained as you.”

  “I certainly wouldn’t think.” Chester sat up further in bed. “Is that what you call yourselves? Survivors? I can’t say whether I like that name or not. Anyway, no the other survivors shouldn’t be as maintained as I. The skin should be dryer. I was in the better facility.”

  Dean’s head shuddered. He stepped back. “Facility?” He turned back to Andrea and Joe. “Either one of you guys want to try him before council makes a decision.”

  Joe held his hand up and stepped forth. “Chester. What are you talking about facility?”

  “The facility in Cleveland. Of course I have no idea how long I was frozen. I know it was suppose to be for one year, somehow the time system must have gotten . . .” He stopped when he heard the burst of laughter in the room. “Why are you laughing?”

  “I’m sorry.” Joe rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and took a breath. He looked to everyone behind him for them to be quiet. “It’s just that you said you were frozen.”

  “Cryogenically frozen at the onset of the plague. Me and fifty-three others were frozen in the top facility in Cleveland.”

  Joe continued in his questioning. “Why were you and the others frozen Chester? And where are they now?”

  “They died, as soon as the air hit them they caught the plague and died. Unfortunately most were the cryogenics personnel. Top fifty minds in different science fields. I am a Bio-physicist.”

  “Sure you are.” Joe tried not to laugh. “And why did they freeze you and the other fifty top minds?”

  “To start the country over again. You know this. Aren’t you people the top fifty minds in engineering and medical that were frozen here?”

  Dean’s laughter came through the loudest. “You are greeted at the gate by Frank, and you have to ask that?”

  Chester was confused. “You’re not the top fifty minds?” He slid in his bed. “Then they’re still frozen in this community. I thought it was odd that you were released.”

  Andrea was having a hard time controlling herself. To be polite she left the room. George followed behind her. Henry sat in the corner of the room in a chair taking it all in. He didn’t want to take any tone of believing toward Chester, especially since he was the target of everyone’s ridicule.

  Joe was enjoying it, the delusion of the newest survivor. “So Chester there are fifty top minds frozen here in the community. Well pal, we’ve lived here for almost six years and we . . .”

  “Six years!” Chester sprang forth. “Six years? The plagues been over for that long? My God did the system screw up. I was not supposed to be out that long. How much damage was done in the last six years? We have to get those people and release them.”

  Joe noticed the excitement of Chester who began to thrash about. “Calm down. There are no fifty frozen people here. You would think we would have noticed that.”

  “You don’t believe me?” Chester became smug. “If there were a scientist amongst you, you would see that I am telling you the truth.”

  “I’m a scientist.” Dean spoke up. “I have a hard time believing this. You say they cryogenically froze the top fifty minds in different fields? Well I was considered the top mind in my field and I wasn’t frozen.”

  “Then obviously you weren’t.” Chester raised his eyebrows in arrogance to Dean. “Now if you people will show me to my quarters, I can get to work.” He flung off the covers and stepped out of bed.

  Joe stuck his hand out. “Hold up a minute. We have rules in the community, pal. We have steps everyone follows, and you, top mind or not.” He turned his head to snicker. “Have to follow them.”

  Chester straightened his clothes which had become wrinkled from sleeping in them. He seemed appalled by it. “I hardly think you are going to stop me if I walk right out that door.”

  Joe stepped back. “No. I won’t . . . He will.” He pointed to Frank.

  With arms crossed, Frank stood toe to toe with Chester. “I carried your ass for a mile.” He voice pushed Chester back. “Don’t think I can’t throw your ass back in that bed.” Frank’s placed his hands on his hips and his face close to the visitor’s.

  Chester jumped back and climbed into bed.

  “Now stay there!” Frank commanded and moved to Ellen to lead her out.

  “We’ll be back. Ellen, I need you to prep room in containment.” Joe spoke sternly and walked to the door.

  Chester’s head twitched as he watched his visitors leave. “Containment? What’s containment?”

  Joe smiled widely. “You’ll find out.” As Joe began to walk out he noticed Dean standing quiet by the door. “Don’t let that insult get to you, Dean. Consider where it’s coming from.”

  Dean shook his head and waved his hand. “No, no, that’s not it. But . . . if they really did freeze the top minds. I would have been one of them . . . right?”

  Joe reached over and patted him on the shoulder winking. “Sure, Dean. How could they forget you?” Finished with the pacifying, Joe grew perturbed. “Dean. Think about what you just said.”

  “You’re right. That was pretty ‘Frank’ of me. Don’t take him to containment yet. I have tests to finish on him.”

  “Not a problem.” Joe said and turned. “Frank.”

  “Yeah, Dad.” Frank answered.

  “I need you to stay by this door, make sure that Chester boy doesn’t run amok in the community. Just until we get another guard here.” He took three steps forward and stopped. “And if you will, intimidate the guy for us.”

  “No pr
oblem. I’ll just go in and stare. That usually works.” Frank winked.

  “You do that.” Joe gave the thumbs up. “Let’s go, Dean.”

  Before he followed, Dean inched his way to Ellen whispering. “Really, El, if they froze the top fifty minds, I . . .”

  “Dean!” Joe snapped. “Get over it. Get back to work. Ellen. Containment. Henry . . . um, whatever.” He waved out his hand and walked on.

  Behind the three that were led by Joe, Dean, dallied along, feeling--even without good reason--a little dejected.

  ^^^^

  For some odd reason, Joe kept hearing in his mind the Foreigner song, Cold as Ice. It really wasn’t his style of music, so his memory had placed Frank Sinatra singing it in a bubbly, swinging manner and Joe’s rear did a little swish of a jig as he moved around his desk. He stopped in the middle of laying down his paperwork because he wore he heard a giggle. Shrugging, cigarette dangling from his mouth, he knew he wasn’t alone when he smelled the warm aroma of chicken soup.

  With a ‘huh’ and removal of his cigarette, Joe turned around. “Andrea.”

  Andrea stood by the door, large mug in hand, waving and smiling. “Cute. I brought you lunch.”

  “Gotta go.” Joe swiped up his paper work, grabbed his coat and moved to the door.

  “Joe.” Andrea sang out. “What’s going on? We were getting so close. Sharing our grief, our sadness, our stories. I was starting to get used to . . .”

  “Stop.” Joe held up his hand. “That’s the problem. You were getting used to it. Now, you’re a married woman, Andrea. I know a lot of men in the community are into this ‘share a woman' respecting. . . . .”

  “Understandings. They’re called Understandings when two men share a woman.”