Herb looked at Joe, a look of pleasure was not on his wrinkled face. “How long did you say I have to be in a closed in vehicle with that guy?”
^^^^
Dean closed the large black case that set on the counter in the clinic lab. “O.K. El, the coolant pack in here should keep the meds good for five hours. The trip won’t be that long.”
“But get it put away as soon as possible.”
“Exactly.”
“What about stuff from the cryo-lab? Am I taking any experimental stuff?”
“Um . . .” Dean scratched his head.. “I don’t know. I was thinking about that.”
“Yes? No?” Ellen asked, enjoying his debating look.
“I’d like to send some down with you, but . . . you know they aren’t fully tested yet . . .on normal people, that is.”
“I can take a couple new drugs down just in case.”
“You know what? Let’s do that. Hal doesn’t have a processing, so who knows what he has. Take the new cold med down but only give it to . . .”
“I know, I know, semi-SUT-equivalents.”
“You got it.” Dean smiled, kissed Ellen quickly then kissed her again. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“No you won’t.”
“You don’t think?” Dean moved the black case to the other counter. “Think about it, El.” He walked to the lab door and closed it. The lock clicked. “How many hours in the day do I not spend with you. Not many.” He closed the blinds.
“What are you doing?”
“Saying goodbye. You leave me in a little over an hour.” Dean walked back to the counter. He placed his hands on Ellen’s waist and lifted her up to the counter.
She giggled. “Look at you impressing me with your strength.”
Dean took off his lab jacket.
“Really, Dean, what are you doing?” She felt her legs part and Dean found a spot between them. He looked so serious. “Dean.”
“El.” He smiled and kissed her.
“Anyone could walk in.”
“Oh no they can’t. It’s locked. No one is gonna get in here unless they are authorized and no one is around.” He pulled at her tee -shirt.
“Stop.”
“Nope.” He kissed her.
“Dean, I’m only going for a couple days.”
“And speaking of that, be careful. We know you’re ‘leaving Beginnings’ reputation.”
“Don’t we though.” Ellen ignored him as he manipulated her.
“Lift your arms.” Dean lifted them and then her shirt. He tossed it. He laid his hand on her cheeks and kissed her.
“You do know, if you want to attempt this counter action thing, you’re gonna need a step stool.”
“Ha, ha, ha.” Dean took off his own shirt. “Watch me.” He moved closer to her and, so softly, he caressed his lips on her neck.
Ellen’s voice soften. “Dean. No. We can’t.”
Dean’s fingers laid on her bra straps, sliding them slowly from her shoulders as he kissed her where the straps once were, then he moved his mouth down to her chest, so softly, barely touching,
“O.K., maybe we can. What the hell.”
Dean lifted his head and grinned. “Music to my ears.” His whole tone changed. He slipped his hand under her hair and despite Ellen’s giggle, he kissed her and backed her down to the counter.
Buzz . . .
Johnny’s laughter rang in the room.
Dean, stunned and still leaning on top of Ellen in his counter position, looked up.
“Dean” Ellen whispered. “You said no one was coming.”
Johnny just walked in as if nothing was going on. “Do you guys think you should be doing that in a clean sterile environment such as the clinic?”
“Christ.” Joe walked in. “I’d like to know that too.”
Dean’s eyes widened. “Can anyone else walk in here?”
And with that, a running Danny Hoi bolted in. “Whoa. Hey. Should I refrain from asking what’s up?”
Joe turned his head to Danny then back to Dean and Ellen. “Do you two mind?”
“Yeah.” Robbie entered the lab. “Unless you were planning on entertaining us.” He grunted painfully when Joe back handed him in the gut.
Dean, shaking his head, lifted himself then pulled Ellen up. “Of all moments to be grand central station.”
“It’s a goddamn clinic, Dean.” Joe scolded. “You have a home.”
“But Dad . . .” Robbie instigated. “They have that reputation of liking the clinic best. Dean, could you put on a shirt? I’m really turned on by you at this moment.” Robbie noticed the overly serious glance Joe gave him. “What? I’m kidding.”
Dean sought out Ellen’s shirt and gave it to her. He bent down and picked up his own. “Sorry El.”
Ellen tossed on her shirt. “No I think it’s pretty funny.” She slid from the counter. “Danny, what are you doing here and also Herb?”
Danny answered. “It’s the big leaving for Bowman meeting. I’m going as her protection, Dean.” Danny winked. “So fear not. No seriously, Joe wants me to hook them up. Not hook them up like Dean was about to well but . . . try to get communications semi . . .” Danny snickered. “Up. Sorry, Dean.”
Dean immediately looked down.. “You’re an ass, Danny.”
“I got you though,” Danny rambled. “Hey Joe, when are we gonna start this meeting? I’m getting excited, not Dean excited, but I want to go.”
Joe rubbed his own eyes harshly. “Danny, Christ. As soon as Henry gets here.”
“What about me.” Henry walked in. “Did I miss anything?”
Robbie looked at Hal and Henry. “Just Dean and Ellen having sex on the counter.”
Dean tossed his hands up. “We weren’t having sex.”
“Not yet,” Johnny corrected. “Had I been a minute later, perhaps.”
Robbie laughed. “Then it would have been over with.”
Hal looked mortified. “Should we be in here? They’re married and perhaps they want some time alone.”
Joe spun on his heels to his son behind him. “Not in a public place they don’t need time alone. Now can we all drop the Dean and Ellen pretending to be kids and get on with this goddamn meeting before I have a stroke?” Joe watched Henry shut the door. “Thank you.” He took in the faces in the lab, all the faces that awaited the finish off meeting before the Bowman trip. Joe knew the short briefing would be far from brief. They never were, when there were more than three people from Beginnings in the same room. He had to wonder how he ever got anything accomplished at any meeting he had. And that thought was reiterated when, in Joe’s small pause of thinking, the group took advantage of that and began chattering about things that had nothing to do with Bowman.
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
Dressed out of Caceres Society uniform and in shorts, Frank cooled down in his office after taking an unscheduled break from training on what seemed to be an extremely hot day for September. “Fuck.” Frank rubbed his hand over his head as he sat in his office.
Richie snickered. “It’s not that bad.”
“You’ve been in here all day. I ought to make you train with everyone.”
“No, you shouldn’t. Anyhow, go on.”
“Oh yeah.” Frank snapped forward in his chair and grabbed his water. He gasped at the coolness, put down his glass, and looked disgusted. “He’s about four feet tall, I swear.”
“No way.”
“Yep. O.K. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but no bigger than you. Skinny like you too.”
“Yeah but you like me.”
“True. But Dean. Man.” Frank shook his head. “You know just when you think he’s a nice guy, bam, he jerks you off. Not literally.”
“I hate them type of guys, Frank. They make you think you can trust them and they stab you in the back.”
Frank held out his hand. “My point exactly. You’re a little man. But Dean, he’s a little man with attitude.”
“What does my sis
ter see in him?”
“She says he’s well endowed, but I know she says that to bug me.”
“Women always do. So when did this all start?” Richie asked.
“Plague time.”
“O.K., just so we get this right, original plague time or post-time machine plague time.”
“Both. In the original plague, she wanted to have a baby so she asked him to get her pregnant. He knew her and I were close, but no. He had to pester her and bother her to make a relationship and you know your sister.”
“She can’t say no.”
“Exactly,” Frank said. “It was worse when time rippled.” Frank explained with seriousness. “Something happened with her and Pete because of a letter Robbie sent her. I don’t know. He was writing back and forth to her since he got my letter. Or something like that. So . . . Ellen arranges to go to Little Dean’s lecture. He sees how vulnerable she is and as soon as she tells him she’s in a bad marriage, he jumped on that.”
“Like a dog.”
“You know it. That’s when he knocked her up in that history.”
“See now here’s what I don’t understand,” Richie stated. “You and her were always close. She didn’t know this man from Adam, had a fling with him at some lecture . . .”
“After the lecture.”
“Of course. As I was saying, why didn’t you and her just raise the baby together?”
“I tried. She even said I tried in the history I don’t remember, but he made her feel guilty.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” Frank shook his head. “He’s been playing with her ever since. Seven fuckin years I had to share Ellen with this man because he uses the kid thing against her. I can’t tell you how many times he’s taken her from me. That’s what caused the strain in our marriage, you know. He took advantage of her again. She was going through a rough time, he was Mr. Understanding, and they had an affair.”
“This Dean guy, Frank, he sounds like a real asshole.”
“Wait until you meet him. You’ll hate him.”
“I already do.”
“Thanks.” Frank leaned back and rocked in his chair. “You know it’s bad enough that there are no women left and we have to share with someone else, but it should be a three way partnership.”
“This guy won’t let it be, will he?” Richie asked.
“Nope. Takes advantage of the situation every single time. But he does have one thing going for him. He’s smart.”
“Well I’m sorry, Frank, but that’s not everything. You’re smart.”
“I am.” Frank nodded.
“Wait until I see my sister. I’ll talk to her.”
“Please.” Frank ran his hand down his face. “All right.” He looked at his watch. “Breaks over.” He stood up. “Did you do that math yet for me, Richie?”
“Oh yeah. Almost forgot.” Richie pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and read it. “Using your estimate of fifty miles a day, the UWA soldiers that you let go should arrive back at their base in Bowman on October 23rd.”
“What?” Frank was shocked. “It’s only September.”
“Yep.”
“Fuck.” Frank rubbed his head.
“Now that’s barring they don’t run into trouble. They may find horses or bikes. They aren’t gonna find anything motorized. You said that yourself. Gas is not an option. So even finding a horse, I figured it still would take them two weeks because of stopping and letting the animal rest, eat and such. And the bikes, with as much time that has passed, won’t make it. They won’t. The tires will die.”
Frank let out a long breath. “O.K., so we’re looking at minimal three more weeks here. Shit. My father better send down a fuckin helicopter to lift my ass out of here.”
“What about Ellen?”
“We have time. We’ll find where she is. George will be coming back. If I have to, I’ll wait the time out, then lock him in a room and beat the hell out of him until he tells me where she is.”
“That’ll work.”
“Yeah” Frank walked to his office door. “Back to training.”
“Frank?” Richie called out. “Why . . . why are you training Society soldiers?”
Frank just grinned and walked out.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
Two trucks, one long and filled with food, the other a pickup, waited, engines running at the back gate. Hal and Ellen would ride in the pickup. Danny would drive Herb in the big truck, the one that would return with half the Bowman men who were going to Beginnings. Robbie was bringing down a truck for Ellen and the other half.
Ellen stood with Henry. He held Nick and they both watched Dean standing with Hal.
“Henry, what do you suppose they are discussing. Dean looks serious.”
“Probably medical stuff, El. You know Dean. He’s always trying to impress someone with it.”
Joe cleared his throat as he approached Ellen and Henry. “O.K., little lady, say your goodbyes. And listen to Hal, you hear me?”
“Yes.” Ellen smiled and embraced Henry and kissed Nick. “Help Dean with the kids, Henry. And watch Bev around him.”
“You mean watch Dean around Bev . . . ow.” Henry rubbed the back of his head. “Ow Joe, why’d you hit me?”
“Why are you starting shit? Go away.” Joe stepped between them, facing Ellen. “Stay low if there’s trouble,. You know how it follows you out there. And make . . .” Joe felt a tap on his shoulder, he looked to Henry behind him. “What Henry?”
“That wasn’t very nice, Joe, stepping between us.”
“Like I care.” Joe returned to Ellen. “As I was saying. Be careful.”
“Yeah, but I’m good. I have a Slagel watching me and you know they are the best protectors.”
“Without a doubt.” Joe laid his hand on her cheek. “Got a favor to ask you.”
“Sure.”
“Check on . . .check on the woman situation there. See if Hal’s right about the way they are. If they really are that way, we may have some problems when we all merge.”
“Got it, but I doubt they are as bad as Hal says. Come on Joe, you know how men get. I mean, all men but you.”
With a grumble, Joe kissed Ellen again, looked at his watch, and then at Hal and Dean. “What the hell are they so engrossed in talking about?”
The expression of seriousness and thinking, along with amazement on Dean’s face was what everyone seemed to notice as they watched him and Hal speaking. Dean looked up to Hal, folding his arms, and nodding his head slowly.
So poignant Hal appeared, explaining to Dean. “And I can assure you that in our community and on the trip, nothing what-so-ever will happen to Ellen. I will stake my life on it.”
“I believe that and I appreciate it.”
“O.K., so getting back to what brought me to that, I guess, Dean, as you can see, I guess it’s a matter of uh . . .”
“Pride? What? I’m lost. What exactly is it that you’re beating around the bush to ask me?”
“All right, well women are few, very few. And well, since Ellen will be staying with me, I’d like to sort of impress my men with a nice woman beside me.”
“O.K.” Dean blinked. “That’s fine. But . . .you want to show Ellen off?” Dean hid his snicker. “Ellen?”
“Dean, please. Ellen is wonderful.”
“O.K.”
“I don’t think you’re quite getting what I’m asking you.”
“Hal, the Slagel is coming out in you. You’re not asking me anything. Ask.”
Hal took a moment to gain his composure. “Think about it. Ellen is staying with me. Staying with me I want . . .”
“You want to sleep with her?”
“Oh my God! No, that’s not where I was going. Dean, I apologize if you thought that. No. I just want to make it, well, seem that way?”
Dean looked over to Ellen. “You want to borrow my wife to impress your men by making it look like you not only have a woman, but one that
isn’t like the ones in Bowman.”
“Exactly.”
“Hal, how are you going to explain the fact that she’s married to me?”
“I thought of that. See, once my men understand the understanding and share situations of Beginnings . . .”
Dean nodded. “You’ll say we had an understanding.”
“Does this sound stupid?”
“No, very Slagel like.”
“Can I?” Hal asked.
“Borrow my wife?” Dean shrugged. “Sure go on. Borrow away. But Hal . . .” Since Dean got a typical Slagel request, he wanted to see if he could get that typical Slagel reaction. Laughter. A snicker. Scoffing. So Dean took on a fake serious, bringing himself more on tip toes and looking Hal straight in the eye. “Hal, don’t touch her. I wouldn’t want to beat you up.” Setting himself back down on the soles of his feet, Dean waited.
It didn’t happen.
“I wouldn’t take advantage of your generosity that way, Dean. I would never place you in a position where you’ll have to get violent with me because I did.”
“What?” Dean was shocked.
“Hal!” Joe whistled loud and shrill. “Let’s go! Now!”
“Thanks Dean.” Hal shook a stunned Dean’s hand. “I’ll be in touch.” Hal darted off.
“Uh . . .” Dean tossed his hands up. “I was . . . where . . . God, is he a Slagel?” He scratched his head and walked over to Ellen.
Ellen felt Dean’s arms go around her from behind and his lips touch her neck. “It’s about time, Dean. I was beginning to think you were gonna miss Hal more.”
“I am.”
Ellen turned around face to face with Dean and she smiled. “See you in a couple days.”
“Yep. Be good. El? Did you know Hal wants to make everyone think you and he are well, you know, together?”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 407