“Sure.” He stood up first and held his hands out to her, helping Ellen to her feet.
“Frank.” Ellen spoke as she opened the door, she turned to face him as she paused on the steps. “I know you are thinking about this. But, try to let your mind be at ease. The baby’s coming. And we can now put some time aside for ourselves.” She laid her hand on his cheek. “I’m done with this cryogenics stuff. We can go back to being normal.” She smiled and spoke to him with confidence. “It’s over.”
“No, El.” He slid her hand to his lips, cupped it, and kissed it. “You’re wrong. It’s not over. Because I have a sickening feeling . . . It’s only the beginning.”
DIVIDED POSSESSION
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
June 7
Henry was nervous, his hands tapped continuously on his knees as he sat on a chair waiting on Dean who stood talking with Ellen across the lab. He was certain he was dying, or at the very least, he had some sort of cancer that would spread across his face and eventually kill him. He just wanted Dean’s diagnosis to be over with. He wished they would hurry up.
“I wanted to do this when Frank wasn’t around.” Ellen whispered.
“Andrea must have forgotten. I can do the exam.”
“Dean.” Ellen snickered. “It’s not just an exam. It’s . . . an exam.”
Professionally looking Dean nodded. “And I can handle it. Room three. I’ll be there in a moment.”
“And I’ll be . . .” Ellen winked. “Waiting.” She took a step to the door giggling and looked back at Henry. “Oh, Henry, your lip. That cold sore will go away, Frank used to get them all the time. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks, El.” Henry said. “But, no offense. I’ll wait for Dean’s prognosis of this thing. You’re just a nurse.”
Shrugging Ellen walked out.
Henry watched Dean staring at the door. “I’m telling.”
“Telling what?” Dean walked over to him grabbing a glove and placing it on.
“On you and what you’re gonna do to El. And what is on my lip?”
“Calm down Henry, it’s a cold sore.” Dean examined.
“But it’s huge.” His hand reached up to touch it, but quickly removed it. “Where did it come from? I’ve never had one before.”
“I venture to guess our newest members of the community. A cold sore is caused by a virus, and they . . .”
“Oh my God!” He panicked. “I have the plague?”
“Henry no. Just some sort of bug they brought with them. They were bringing with them germs that we thought were long gone. They’re back.” Dean took off his gloves and tossed them, then walked over to the sink and washed his hands.
“But I wasn’t kissing them. I swear.”
“That’s good to know. Now I have some ointment. It’ll help dry it up.” Dean walked to the counter to search for the medicine.
“Fast I hope.” Henry stood up. “So. How are you going to do it.”
“Do what?”
“Examine Ellen like . . . like that.”
“Henry.” Dean laughed and handed him the small jar. “I’m a doctor.”
“Still, Dean. That takes a lot of control to be . . . there. You still love her. I couldn’t have that much control doing that even if I didn’t love the person.”
“That’s what separates us.” Dean moved to the door. Frank stood there. “Frank.”
“Where’s my wife.” Frank asked. “I know she was trying to sneak an appointment in without me knowing.”
“She’s in the exam room. I have to do the exam.”Dean slipped by him. “Give us a couple minutes.”
“O.K.” Frank shrugged and walked in as Dean left. “I hate him touching her. But, it’s only an exam. Right.” He saw Henry turn his back. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Henry answered.
“Then look at me. Why am I staring at your back?”
Henry turned around.
Frank screamed. “Oh my God!” he overreacted. “What is on your lip?”
Henry, irritated, and nervy, marched up to Frank, grabbed his cheeks and kissed him on the lips. “The same thing that’s gonna be on your lip tomorrow.”
“Uh!” Frank wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “Fuck. Fuck. No wonder Dean is telling my wife I’m gay.” He ran to the sink, turned the water on and washed his mouth. “You probably have a crush on me or something.”
^^^^
Joe didn’t look pleased at all as he walked with Andrea to the make-shift hospital. His hands deep in his pockets as he jingled his keys he carried. “How long?”
“About an hour now.” Andrea stepped in perfect stride with him.
“Does Dean know?”
“I just sent word with Melissa. Him and Ellen are scheduled to be here shortly anyhow.”
“Demeanor?” Joe asked as he nodded to the guard and reached for the door.
“Well . . .” Andrea answered. “We really haven’t had a chance to capture their demeanor. They just began stirring. All except for him. He’s been awake for a few hours.”
“All right.” Joe paused before opening the door. “Let’s get them some food, until Dean and Ellen get here. I know they have this system of registration and examination planned for when they awake. Let’s let them get it ready and implement it. Until that process is complete, get the word out to all volunteers. No one is to say anything what so ever to these people about anything.”
“When do you plan on speaking to them.” Andrea asked as Joe opened the door for them. “After Dean and Ellen register them all?”
“Yes. Then I have an idea who I’m dealing with. I’ll read their reports. We’ve waited this long. I can wait another day.”
“Even before speaking to him.” Andrea pointed across the make shift hospital to Number Forty-Three who sat up in bed, reading and alert. “Something strikes me as different about him.”
Joe looked around to the antsy and stirring people in their beds, then to Number Forty-Three. “Yeah. You may be right. I just may make an exception.”
^^^^
“It’s about time.” Frank griped as Dean opened the examining room door. “You look weird.”
“Um . . .” Dean stepped aside. “No, not at all.”
Frank’s eyes shifted from Dean to Ellen who lay on the table. “El?”
“He was very gentle.” Ellen snickered.
“O.K.” Frank stated with lack of comprehension, even when Dean rolled his eyes. “Dean, how is she?”
“Fine.” Dean answered as he put the fetal monitor on Ellen’s stomach. The baby’s heartbeat rang out. “Listen how strong.” Dean smiled. “And she can go any day. I mean any day, Frank. She’s dilated two centimeters and fully effaced.” Dean waited for that mortified look to strike Frank when he realized what sort of check-up he gave Ellen. It didn’t happen, Frank looked pleased. And Dean knew why when Frank opened his mouth.
“Really? Wow, that is amazing Dean how you can tell that just by talking to her.”
Dean set down the instrument. “Right Frank. Ellen, see you at the hospital?”
“You got it.” She smiled and watched him leave. “Get my clothes for me Frank please, they’re on the chair.” She sat up.
“Sure.” He strutted over to the chair and his hand paused as he reached for them. “Why are you completely undressed? You’ve never . . .” He turned to her and gave the look that Dean had waited to see. “Oh my God!”
“Frank just hand me my clothes.”
“Please tell me Ellen, tell me it’s not true. Please tell me he guessed at that stuff right?” He set her clothes on her lap.
“No Frank. He examined me.”
“Oh my God. Oh my God.” Frank paced in small circles then found a chair and plopped into it, he covered his face with his hands. “You let him too? Oh, this is just going to bug me all day.”
“You are overreacting about this, Frank. He examined me. That’s it.” She slid from the table walking to him. “Calm down. He’s a doctor
and you shouldn’t let it bother you.”
“All right.” Frank slid his hands from his face. He was going to be man about it. “I’ll try.”
“Good,” Ellen began to dress, but paused. “Unless of course you look at it like, Dean knows me today a little bit better than you do. Then you can let it bother you.”
With a long whine and a grunt, Frank dropped his face into his hands again.
^^^^
“Jason Godrichson. Doctor.” Number Forty three extended his and to Joe.
“Joe Slagel. Leader.” Joe sat in the chair next to the bed. “I run the community here.”
“Nice to meet you. What can I help you with? The nice Asian man said you had to speak to me.”
Joe was a bit apprehensive, and possibly defensive since Chester had set precedence. “What can you tell me about these people?”
“I’m afraid not very much.”
“Is this your attitude?”
“No.” He answered calmly. “It’s my lack of knowledge. You see, I’m not really part of this.”
“But you defrosted with the rest of them.”
“I did. But I’m what you would call a stowaway.” Jason saw the confused look on Joe’s face “Let me explain. You see my father belonged to this organization. I don’t know much about it. But I do know he donated large sums of money to be a part of it. I thought perhaps he had gone eccentrically mad when he said he reserved his spot to be preserved when the world was faced with extinction. Well my father passed away and about six weeks later there’s a knock on my door. It’s these two men looking for Dr. Jason Godrichson. I said I was he, I am he, only I’m junior. They said it was time, checked my identification and I was whizzed off to this lab. I could have spoken up but I figured that I had no wife or children, what did I have to lose right? The world was obviously headed to destruction. No one was the wiser. I slipped right in during the commotion. But I owe you and your people an apology. You’re not getting the great chemist you would have gotten had my father been placed in cryogenics.”
Joe was at a loss. He listened to the man speak, and he felt his honesty. “So there’s nothing you can tell us about these people. Who they are, what their fields were?”
“No. But I can see what I can find out if you’d like.”
“I would like. You said you were a doctor. Can I ask your field?”
“Originally I was a physician, but then I turned my hobby into my life’s work. Quantum physics.”
“Oh brother.” Joe rolled his eyes. “A time guy. Can’t say we have a need for that.”
“Doesn’t look like you have a need for much. Of course, I haven’t seen very much of the place. From what I’ve seen, things are together nicely. How long was I out?”
“Six years.” Joe answered.
Calmly, Jason nodded. “Seems I missed a great deal. Can I ask where I’m at and what happened?”
“Plague. Wiped everything out. A group of us came here. Started things up, got things running. We began opening our doors to the outside not long ago, but only a select get in. It’s a jungle out there. We’re heavily secured because of it. I’m sure you saw the guards. Basically, if you live in Beginnings, you live safe.”
“A pull your weight, or leave society?” Jason asked.
“Without a doubt.” Joe stood up. “I’ll let you rest. And I’d appreciate anything you can find out for us.”
“Certainly.” Jason reached for his book. “Mr. Slagel, if I can, may I ask a favor?”
“Depends.”
“Could I have one of those cigarette in your pocket and . . . Possible, my clothes.” Jason lifted the gown he wore.
“Not a problem.” With a smile, Joe reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a cigarette. The clothes would have to wait just until he trusted Jason a little bit more.
^^^^
Ellen looked at the anally prepared agenda Dean had given her for them. She would start, patient by patient. Vitals, name, and anything else she could get from them. She’d write it down on the chart, drop it on the foot of the bed, and Dean would trail behind her, doing his follow up questioning and checking on Ellen.
Ellen reached the third patient as Dean reached the second. Dean said nothing to the man who just stared. He just picked up his chart and shook his head. “El.” He marched over to her. “El.” He tugged her away as she made her approach to the dark haired older woman lying awake in the bed. “Look what you wrote down.” He showed her the chart.
Ellen looked and shrugged. “O.K., so?”
“So?” Dean read it. “Skipped this one. Patient not viable? Ellen, please, be a bit more sensitive. You didn’t even do vitals on him.”
“Why?” She closed the chart and walked it back over to the bed. “Why Dean. What is our basic rule here? One must contribute. He’s a walking vegetable. So why worry about him?”
“Ellen!” Dean was taken aback. “You can’t. Never mind.” He would have argued with her, but he figured what would be the point. It wasn’t worth going bald over. He returned to the man.
After doing vital statistics, Ellen picked up the chart from the third patient’s bed, and flipped it open as she stood before the woman. She jotted her results. “I need your name.” Ellen held a pen.
The woman lifted herself slightly. “You don’t know it?” She spoke with an English accent.
“Not unless I’m psychic.”
The woman closed her mouth tightly and laid her head back.
“Look.” Ellen tapped at her chart with her pen as she glanced upon the woman she found recognizable from the bruise on her face. “I don’t have time for your games. You either give me your name, or I call you what we did in the lab, Ethel. Which is it?”
The woman slowly turned her head back to Ellen. “Joanna, Dr. Joanna Holmes. And you mentioned the lab. Though you do not know who I am, they permitted you in the lab?”
Becoming a sarcastic Ellen, she rested down the chart. “Oh sure. I am very trusted.”
Joanna did not pick up on her tone. “Who is it that places this trust in you?”
“The astounding Dr. Dean Hayes. How are you feeling? Any nausea, headache, dizziness?”
“None. Dr. Dean Hayes. I’m not familiar with the name.”
“Well he certainly would be pissed. He’s the top, well was, the top in his field.”
“Only the top minds would be part of the original project. From Cleveland?”
“Yes. The man.” Ellen nodded. “Him and um, Dr. Joe Slagel.”
“So you’ve been in the lab?” Joanna spoke with a bit of excitement as she edged in a lean to Ellen. “You’ve seen it?”
“How do you think we got you out of there. Sure I’ve been there a lot. I told you I’m very trusted. You could say I’m Dr. Hayes’ pet around here. He loves me. I often give myself to him as his sex slave just because it’s an honor to work with him.”
“I need to know.” Joanna cleared her throat. “Are the embryos safe?”
Ellen smiled. “I can assure you one of them is.” She ran her hand across her stomach.
Joanna reached her hand out. “He must trust you with this to try an implantation without finalizing the research. How is the pregnancy going?”
“Fast. Should be any day now.”
“Which number was it. Did they tell you?”
“Let me think.” Ellen ran through numbers quickly. She wanted it to sound important so she grasped at one off the top of her head. “Number 169.”
Joanna opened her mouth to comment when she noticed the young doctor waltz up and snatch her nurse away.
“El.” Dean led her far away from the patients. “What are you doing?”
“Talking.”
“You know the rules. You are not to converse on a basis other than medical until Joe has sifted through them. You know that. I agree with that.”
“Oh stop whining, Dean. I’m just having fun with her.” She reached up to him, ignoring his anger and ran her fingers through the top of his hair
to remove his bangs. “You need a haircut.”
“What does my hair have to do with anything?”
“You cannot pull off being one of the top minds in the project with hair . . .”
“Wait a second.” Dean stepped back. “Why would I . . . Oh, my God. What did you do?”
“I just told her you and Joe were like the tops in the project. Go along with it.”
“No, Ellen you can’t be telling these people stories.”
“Baby.”
Dean grunted loudly. “What else? What else did you tell her?”
Ellen began to laugh and started walking away.
“Ellen.” He snatched her back. “What?”
“O.K., it’s really funny when you think about it. I told her . . .” Ellen’s laughter interrupted her sentence. “She asked about the safety of the embryos.” She saw Dean’s eyes widen. “I told her that I was carrying one of them.”
“You what?!” His loud voice echoed in the room.
“I’m not going to talk to you if you’re going to yell at me.”
“Ellen.” Dean placed both hands on her face. He try to remain calm. He had too if he wanted her to see his point. But knowing Ellen, he could see in her eyes she wouldn’t.
“You’re gonna kiss me aren’t you?”
“What? No. No.” He released her face and stepped back, laid his hands on her shoulders and turned her. “Patients. And no more stories.” He shook his head at her pacifying thumbs up.
^^^^
The last folder in the stack of twenty-two passed from Joe’s hand to the ‘finished’ pile. “Talk about lack of information.”
George gave an answerless look as he lifted his hands. “Look who was doing the questioning. You make medical people ask first, you get medical answers.”
“Not always.” Joe lifted a folder. “Ellen has ‘arrogant asshole’ written here.”
“But if you think about it, it really does tell us a lot.”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 99