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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “El,” Frank’s voice cracked some and he kissed her softly. “That . . . that is a great thing to say to me.” He closed his eyes briefly and took a breath. “But.” He grabbed her hand again to walk and his voice perked up. “You and I both know, you go back, you change time, you see Dean, I’m history. Or at least the promise is for a while.”

  “You think?”

  “Fuck yeah. You’re gonna be overwhelmed. And for at least a week it’ll be ‘Frank who’ while you’re basking in Dean . . .” Frank paused to snicker. “Dean, little man la-la land.”

  Ellen smiled with a shrug. “You’re probably right. You know me so well.”

  “True.” Frank reached for the quantum door.

  “It was a nice thought on my part, don’t you think?” Ellen asked.

  “Absolutely.” With a smile, Frank opened the door and they walked in.

  ^^^^

  “Why now?” Joe asked with annoyance as he bounced from heel to toe in the quantum lab.

  Frank shrugged. “She’s female.”

  Joe shook his head. “Might as well do the check list and all. Henry?”

  So pale, Henry jolted his views from the doorway to Joe. “Huh?”

  “Are you all right?” Joe asked.

  “We’re playing with odds here Joe. Two out of three and third times a charm.”

  “You mean about bringing Dean back?”

  “No, about me getting fried.”

  “Henry,” Joe quipped. “Check list. Ready? History disk?”

  Henry held up the pouch.

  “Jason’s letter to himself?”

  Henry patted his backside.

  “Pendant?”

  Henry lifted it from around his neck.

  “You know the code, right?” Joe waited for a nodding response. “Now, most importantly.” Crisp, white, and sealed was the envelope Joe handed Henry. “This goes to Dean, for his eyes only. Tell him when you give it to him, after you show him the history that he has to figure out what needs to be done.”

  “Got it.” Henry stuck the envelope in his back pocket.

  Joe held up a finger. “Don’t confuse that and give it to Jason.”

  “Joe,” Henry gasped, “that isn’t very nice. I wouldn’t do that. Oh, and Joe, I brought my journal copies.”

  “Who cares?” Joe stepped back. “All right, now all we need is Tina Time and we’re . . .”

  “Here I am.” Ellen stepped forward.

  “Feel better?” Joe asked her.

  “Yes. Much. I could just see me getting excited and wiggling because I had to go to the bathroom. So . . . I’m ready.” She stepped to Frank and kissed him. “Wish me luck.”

  Frank mouthed the words, ‘good luck’ to her.

  “Positions,” Jason called out. “We’re ready.”

  “Wait,” Frank spoke up.

  “What, Frank?” Joe questioned with a snap.

  “This.” Frank stepped to Ellen. “Give me the coat.”

  Pale. Ellen’s face went pale. “No.”

  “El.” Frank grabbed the edges. “Give me the coat. When you bring Dean back, the last thing we need is for two of these tattered old things in Beginnings.” He began to slide the jacket off of her.

  Not only cold, but Ellen felt empty when the jean jacket left her body.

  Frank clenched it in his hand as he stepped away. “You won’t need this.” He winked.

  Jason typed a few strokes on his keyboard. “To us they won’t be gone long at all. Trust me. Henry and Ellen?” He waited until he knew he had their attention. “I’m putting you back at six-thirty-five in the morning on November first. That should give you time, Ellen, to catch yourself in the tunnel and not run into anyone else. Understand. Don’t waste time. And tell yourself nothing else but to get out of the lab when the password is uncovered.”

  “I understand,” Ellen answered.

  “I mean it,” Jason said sternly. “Nothing else.”

  Ellen nodded and looked to Henry. “I’m a little scared.”

  Henry leaned to Ellen whispering. “So am I.” He showed her his hand, Ellen took it, holding it tight, very tight.

  Watching Jason type, Ellen peeked to Frank wiggling her fingers in a goodbye wave. Trying to smile she heard the noise. The machine was running, before her, the archway illuminated. “Henry?”

  “We can do this El.” He gripped her. “Now.”

  Taking a deep breath and clinging to Henry with her eyes closed, Ellen and he stepped through, stepped through to an empty, dark lab.

  Feeling her hands about, Ellen shivered. “Oh, that felt good.” She looked more around. “Are we dead?”

  “I don’t think.” Henry checked out the lab, he saw the clock on the wall. “We’re on time. You’d better hurry.”

  “Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck.” Henry kissed her on the cheek. “And remember, only tell yourself to leave after the password is typed in. That’s all.”

  “I know.” Ellen walked to the door. “Look at my hands, they’re shaking.”

  “I see that. I’ll be here.”

  “Henry?” Ellen opened the door. “We’re gonna do this, right?”

  “We’re gonna do this.” Henry smiled.

  Taking a nervous breath Ellen left the lab.

  She ran. She ran with everything she had. Ellen knew she didn’t have much time. And she didn’t know how long it would take her to reach the long distance destination to where she figured she could cut herself off. The worrying that her calculations were off and that she perhaps would be too late stayed on her mind. It helped her to ignore any tiredness that happened upon her.

  Ellen was grateful in the tunnel and hoped that no one would see or hear her. Finding her spot, the bend at the ‘Y’ where her past-self would walk down, Ellen waited against the wall, keeping her fingers crossed that she hadn’t taken too long. She used the moment to catch her breath. It burned when she did. The excitement, the adrenaline, the fright--not to mention the running--caused it.

  And then she heard it, her own voice humming some song from the eighties. Leaning against the wall listening, Ellen rolled her eyes. She heard with open ears how really bad she sounded.

  The humming grew closer. What would she do? Should she jump out and scare herself. Knowing herself as well as she did she ran the risk of answering the question; ‘can two of the same masses occupy the same space’, when the past Ellen hit her. Deep in thought she never dreamt she’d get so nervous about seeing her own body but Ellen did. When she saw her past-self walk right by her, Ellen knew it was time. “Ellen.” She stepped out calling.

  Past-Ellen stopped, pulled her ear, and walked some more.

  “Ellen.”

  Past-Ellen stopped again. Slowly she turned around shrieking loudly when she saw herself. “You-you, look like-like me.”

  “And you sound like Os-Oscar. I am you.”

  “Am I dead?” Past-Ellen asked. “I died didn’t I? Oh my God.”

  “Shut up and listen to me.” Ellen grew annoyed with her past-self, how pitiful she looked when she was scared. “You have to listen and listen to every word I say. O.K.?” She waited for a frightened nod. “Jason’s time machine works. It really works. I’m from your future.”

  Gasping, Past-Ellen grabbed her chest. “That explains it. How far from the future?” She peered closer.

  “Not too close. We don’t know if two of the same masses can occupy the same space.”

  “I understand.” Past-Ellen waved. “Is it very far in the future? Because I’m aging well.”

  “Two weeks.”

  “Why two weeks.”

  “Stop with the questions and just listen. Please, it is so important,” Ellen told Past-Ellen nearly begging. “You do it today. You unlock the password.”

  “Yes.” Past-Ellen clenched her fist. “Is this why? Are you here to tell me what it is?”

  “No. You’re there, you’re right there.”

  “What is it? Tell me.”

>   “I can’t.”

  “Come on tell me,” Past-Ellen beckoned.

  “All right.” Ellen paused before saying anything to her past-self. “Murder.”

  “Oh, I’m close.” Past-Ellen smiled. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. But listen. You cannot tell anyone, not Frank, not Dean, not Joe, that you saw your future self. Not anyone. Swear on our kids you will not tell a soul.”

  Past-Ellen raised her hand. “I swear. This is serious isn’t it? Frank dies doesn’t he?”

  “No. Dean does.” Ellen watched her past-self look horrified. “That password you unlock opens the file to the vial information. It also names George as the main person. But . . . it is connected to a destruct program that goes off in three minutes. A second explosion happens after two hours. Frank gets out of holding and makes it in enough time to save you. Dean dies. By the time you give Joe the antidote that brings him out . . .”

  “Give Joe an antidote?” Past-Ellen asked.

  “Yes. God,” Ellen cringed. She had already said more than she should have. But thinking, the more information she gave, the more chance she had of making it work, Ellen began to spew to her past-self. “George has been giving him something called Salicain. Joe didn’t have a stroke. He was drugged. The antidote is in the vials. Frank pulls you out; you run and help Joe, by the time you get back . . .”

  “Dean’s gone.” Past-Ellen lowered her head. “What can I do to stop it? Don’t type in the password? I have to stop it. Dean can’t die.”

  “I know that. Believe you me, and you do. I know that. Type in the password, hit print, and get the hell out of there. Leave.”

  “Leave Dean?” Past-Ellen questioned.

  “Leave. Then go get help. He’ll get caught in the first explosion. He’ll have the information, but someone will be able to help him.”

  “Hold on.” Past-Ellen held up her hands. “If Joe is being drugged by George, does Joe know?”

  “Yes Joe knows.”

  “Then why don’t you tell me which vial contains the antidote. I’ll go get it, give it to Joe and then there won’t be an explosion.” Past-Ellen nodded with a ‘so-there’.

  “No!” Ellen held up her hand. “Just type in the password and let history happen. We can’t change it that much.”

  “But the cryo-lab gets destroyed, all the work we did. And it is still taking a chance that Dean can die. Tell me the vial.”

  “No.”

  “Come on. I won’t tell. Tell me the vial. I’ll still type in the password,” Past-Ellen said so convincingly to herself.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “O.K. Vial seventeen. But don’t use it. You have to at least let the explosion happen.”

  “I will.” Past-Ellen gave a thumbs up.

  “And you’d better go. You’re already late.” Ellen told herself.

  “I’m going.” Past-Ellen backed up.

  Final shot, reassurance, whatever, Ellen called to her past-self, “Please don’t screw this up. Please. The pain you go through is unbearable.”

  “Trust me.” Past-Ellen paused in her leaving. “I won’t let anything, anything happen to Dean.”

  Confident, Ellen watched her past-self pick up speed and move down the tunnels. After taking a moment to think and enjoy the tingle of hope that ran through her, Ellen headed back to Jason’s lab.

  What was taking Ellen so long, Henry wondered as he kept peering at his watch. Did she run into trouble? He started getting antsy noticing the time had surpassed seven-ten. Hearing the laboratory door open, Henry looked up.

  “Henry?” Jason walked in, a look of surprise on his face. “What are you doing here?”

  “Uh . . .waiting,” Henry nervously answered.

  “Waiting?” Jason stepped in.

  “Uh . . . yeah. Oh, Jason I have something for you.”

  “What is it?”

  Henry reached in his back pocket, made sure it was the correct envelope and handed it to Jason. “For you.”

  “What is it?” Jason looked at it.

  “A letter from you, but you can’t open it yet.”

  “A letter from me?”

  “Yeah,” Henry said, “but don’t open it until I’m gone.”

  Jason scratched his head with the hand that held the envelope. “When are you leaving?”

  “After I’m done waiting.”

  “What are you waiting for?” Jason asked.

  “Um . . .” The laboratory down opened and Henry smiled when he saw Ellen. “Her.”

  Jason turned around. “Ellen what are you doing here?”

  “Meeting Henry.” She walked over to him and grabbed his hand. “Ready.”

  Henry nodded. “All go well?”

  “I hope.” Ellen held up crossed fingers.

  Jason’s head spun in bewilderment. “What are you . . .” He saw them walk to the other side if the archway. “Where are you . . .”

  Henry lifted the transfer. “Bye Jason.” Punching in his birthday he restarted the machine, took tightly hold of Ellen’s hand, and stepped through.

  Ellen knew. Henry noticed it as soon as they returned. How could he not? Slowly she looked at him stunned. No longer were just Joe, Jason and Frank there, but also Andrea, John, Jenny, Johnny, and, not to mention, six or seven other people as well. “Henry?” She whispered as they all applauded the two. Ellen released Henry’s hand and looked. Where was he? If everyone was there, where was Dean?

  “El.” Frank approached her. “Is everything all right?”

  Ellen said nothing. She looked one more time at Henry and brushed past Frank. “Excuse me.” As fast as she could she bolted out the door and jumped in Henry’s jeep.

  Frank threw his hands in the air and looked at Henry who still had the same expression. “Henry, what did you do to my wife?”

  Just as dazed, Henry kept his focus forward. “Excuse me Frank.” Ignoring his welcome from the crowded room, Henry chased after Ellen. Joyfully or painfully, either way, the big question on whether the trip back in time worked would soon be answered.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  How long did five miles take to drive? Ellen pounded the steering wheel as she pushed the vehicle to its top speed, beckoning it in her mind to hurry. It wasn’t going fast enough. Something went wrong. She sensed it. But Ellen didn’t know if it was her gut telling her that or her fear.

  Though it only took a short amount of time, it seemed like an eternity for the center of town to come into view. With her heart racing, she sped forth, screeching the jeep to a stop at the clinic.

  She tripped as she jumped from the jeep, her knees skinning against the concrete as she did. The burning, the blood that started to happen was nothing compared to what she had to find out. Leaping up the steps to the clinic, she nearly tripped again. Catching her balance, she flung open the double doors with such force she banged them as if she were Frank.

  ‘Please, please, let him be here. Please.’ She prayed in her head as she slowed in her run down the hall. The blood rushed to her ears, burning them and her heart pounded even more. She knew if anyone was close enough to her, the strong beating would have been seen though her chest.

  Afraid, she approached the lab door. It was open. She closed her eyes and stood silent before turning the bend and going in. ‘Please dear God. Please. Don’t let me have failed.’ Opening her eyes, and readying herself, Ellen charged full speed into the lab. Her feet slid to a stop when she faced the back wall and she didn’t see him. ‘No.’ She looked to her left and to her right. Her heart, her beating heart, broke right there and then as it sunk to the depths of her soul and crumbled. Ellen’s arms and head dropped at the same time. Heavily her shoulders began to bounce as her eyes welled up. The first tear, huge, formed and fell so fast, she could have sworn she heard its landing when it smacked against the linoleum.

  “Back from the big time test already?”

  The voice. Like the shocking feeling of someone shouting �
��boo’ it ricocheted through her body. Ellen slowly lifted her head. It went through her stomach first, creeping up with such intensity it formed a lump in her throat. Swaying her head in a slow apprehension, the corner of her eye caught him first then her body spun around as if he were a magnet.

  “Are you all right?” He asked.

  She had to catch her breath. Her head filled with blood and the room started to spin. The tears that fell, fell even faster.

  “Ellen?”

  Throwing out her arms, she clenched her fist and threw her head back. “Oh God! Dean!” Raising her head forward, from her heart and her soul, she screamed the loudest and most emotional shriek ever to come from her small body. Her tearful cry out carried with her as she charged forth at him, leaping up unexpectedly and wrapping not only her arms around his neck, but her legs around his waist as well. “Dean!”

  “El.” Dean started to laugh, having to catch his balance on the counter behind him.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.” She spoke rapidly, her words never stopping her lips from kissing him. “Oh my God. Oh, Dean.” She ran her fingers through his blonde hair, messing it up over and over. “Hold me. Just hold me.”

  “I’m holding you. I take it you’re not mad about our argument this morning?”

  “What argument?”

  “Thanks, El.” He chuckled as she pecked kisses to his cheek like a chicken. “El? What is going on?”

  “Oh, God.” She grasped out her hands, feeling his face, his arms, his back, and reaching down to feel his legs. “Don’t let me go,” She spoke quickly, taking his face in her hands. “Dean, listen to me. I’m sorry. I am so sorry for anytime that I have ever hurt you.”

  “El . . .” Dean really tried to free himself from the crushing grip her hands held on his face.

  “No listen. I will never again, ever, take you for granted.”

  “So you say now. And what’s with the happy attitude?” Dean tried not to laugh.

  “Don’t let me go, hold me.”

  “El, I could release my arms and you’d still be on me. Did something scare you? Did something go wrong with the test?”

  “No, Dean. Everything went great.” She started in her kisses again then pulled back. “Did I tell you I was sorry?”