“Thanks, Johnny,” Henry grumbled.
“No problem,. Thought I’d help you out.” Johnny grinned and walked out.
Henry thought he saw Bev stepping to him but he didn’t know if it was his imagination or not, so he hurried to the back of distribution. “Joe?”
“Come on back, Henry. Just getting the afternoon distribution ready.”
Henry stepped into the back room. “You wanted to see me, Joe?”
“Yeah, Henry.” Joe was hunched over a box. He stood up, reached in his back pocket, and pulled out the envelope he stole from his wife. “Wanted to let you know, Jason was telling the truth. Here.”
“You found them.” Henry stared at the letter. “It’s to Jake.”
“I found one letter. The others aren’t there.”
“Maybe we should check George’s things in storage. You know, all the stuff we took from his house.”
“We did,” Joe said.
“No.” Henry handed the letter back. “We checked for information about the Society. Not once did we look for a letter from the future to him.”
“Henry, that is an excellent suggestion. No, we didn’t, did we?” Joe smiled brightly. “I’ll get on that tonight.”
“O.K., let me know what you find.” Henry laid his hand on Joe’s shoulder. “I’d better get going. I’m behind.” Henry backed up. “Joe, I hope you find something that can clear Andrea.”
Joe watched Henry leave. He looked at the letter he held.“I do too, Henry.”
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
Carrying his own duffle bag, Dean was escorted into Leonard’s office. It was located in the same building as the labs. Dean stepped in the room and looked at the two gentlemen standing there. Dr. Morris was one of them.
“Dr. Hayes.” Leonard extended his hand.
Dean did not take it. “When do I see Frank?”
Awkwardly, Leonard withdrew his handshake. “I’m sure we’ll get to be on friendly terms.”
“I doubt it. When do I see Frank?”
Leonard cleared his throat. “This is Dr. Morris he . . .”
“When do I see Frank?” Dean asked again. “Are you listening?”
“We have labs for . . . .”
“Hello!” Dean raised his voice. “I’ll speak slowly. O.K.? When . . . do . . . I . . . see . . .Frank? A deal is a deal. Are you aware of the deal?”
“Yes, I am,” Leonard said.
“Then you are aware that I get to see Frank, then I call my wife for your safeguard as well as mine. Now when . . .”
“Do you see Frank, yes.” Leonard looked at Dr. Morris. “Would you like to?”
“Yes,” Dr. Morris answered. “Dr. Hayes, before you ask the annoying question again, let me explain something to you as a doctor. Mr. Slagel was injured when he came in here. He lost a lot of blood. He was shot, had pneumonia and so forth.”
“O.K.,” Dean said, wanting the doctor just to hurry along.
“O.K.,” Dr. Morris continued. “Now, you can check him for surgery marks and I’ll even authorize a scan of his brain to show you he has not been made into a CME.”
“O.K.” Again, Dean had attitude.
“O.K. I’m telling you this just so you are prepared,” Dr. Morris explained. “He’s a different man. He may not recognize you at all or speak to you with any knowledge of you.”
“Why is that?” Dean asked.
“Unless he knew you prior to the plague, you’ll fall into his amnesiac category.”
“O.K.”
“Mr. Slagel has amnesia.”
Dean nodded his head once. “Frank has amnesia.” Dean placed his bag over his shoulder. “O.K., now . . . when do I see Frank?”
Leonard tossed his hands up. “Right now.”
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
With a sneaky grin, Danny held up a gold key. “El? You’re not listening to me are you?”
“Um . . .” Ellen turned from her microscope. “Sorry. I’m engrossed. Is this mine?” She reached for it and Danny pulled it away. “Hey.”
“No, not hey. Listen to me.”
“O.K.” Ellen’s head turned slowly back to the microscope.
Danny grabbed her chin and made her look his way. “El, this will take a second. O.K.?”
“All right. Shoot.”
Danny opened her hand and laid the key in it. “This is the key to the freezer. I have the other one in case you lose this one.”
“Danny, I have a key to the freezer.”
“That’s not good anymore. I picked the lock and changed it for you.” He saw the look on Ellen’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you look in the case?”
“No.”
Ellen grabbed her chest. “Whew. Why were you picking the lock?”
“I had to install two wire contacts on the ends of the seal. I merely lifted the case an inch, that’s it. I taped the wires once the case was closed. It was open a matter of seconds.”
Ellen smiled. “Thanks. Contacts, why?”
“Dean knew, but Dean’s gone. It’s your alarm system on that case.”
“Oh!” Ellen was excited.
“Ellen, you, me, and Joe are the only ones who know about this. Swear to God you won’t tell a soul. You can’t.”
Ellen held up her hand. “I promise. So if someone picks the lock and opens the case, the alarm will go off?”
“Yes, really loud too. Your key disarms the system so don’t lose it. There’s a surcharge for a replacement.”
Ellen giggled and grabbed her key chain. “Look, Danny, I’m putting it on now. Maybe we can find out who is trying to get in the case.”
“That’s the point.” Danny smiled. “Any questions?”
“Nope.”
“Good. I’ll let you get back to your . . .” Before Danny could finish his sentence, Ellen had turned back to her microscope. “Never mind. I’ll see you later.” He moved a few steps. “El, what exactly is in that case that you don’t want anyone to see?”
Ellen raised her eyes from the microscope. She peered over her shoulder to Danny. “You can say it’s my and Dean’s life’s work.”
Danny shuddered. “Knowing you two, don’t get into details.” Enjoying the snicker he got from Ellen, Danny left the cryo-lab.
“Oh.” Ellen raised her head. “Oh.” She bit her bottom lip, checked to see if she was alone, and picked up the clipboard. “Where does Dean have that tooth mentioned?” She flipped through a page. “Shit.” She read what he wrote and looked into the microscope. “This can’t be . . .” Ellen smiled. “One way to find out.” Looking at the time and figuring it was safe to leave everything the way it was, she grabbed the phlebotomy tray that was always out and ready, and left the cryo-lab.
^^^^
“Preparing early?” Joe asked Jess as he and Robbie approached him and John in the empty social hall.
Jess looked up from his map. “Just in case I want to learn the region.”
Joe nodded and looked to Robbie. “Tell him.”
“The signal stopped,” Robbie said. “Get things together, Jess. We want to fly you out as planned, first light.”
“To?” Jess asked.
Robbie’s hand came down and landed on the map. “Binghamton Alabama.”
^^^^
Like a little girl with her pet, Ellen sat with Marcus on the floor of Melissa’s home. He sat beside her, nuzzling his head in a playful manner to Ellen’s hair. He made a happy grunt, smiling, and showing his filed down teeth.
“You’re a good little boy, Marcus.” Ellen told him, rubbing his head and laughing as Marcus’s foot thumped like a dog’s on the carpet. “Aren’t you.”
Marcus squealed in delight.
Ellen looked up to Melissa who sat on the couch. “I appreciate you letting me do this.”
“Whatever I need to do, I’ll do.”
Ellen smiled. “Thanks and right now I’m taking you up on that. Right now, I need you to hold do
wn your son.” Ellen reached into the phlebotomy tray and pulled out a syringe with a long thick needle attached. As soon as Marcus saw it, he squealed louder and began to race around the living room, jumping, leaping, and darting so quickly, Ellen and Melissa had a hard time catching him.
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
Frank’s office wasn’t so far down the main corridor of the building that he couldn’t hear the double glass doors open and close. He snarled and cringed when he heard the footsteps near. He knew what it meant. He heard the truck. He avoided going and looking out. It was a matter of seconds until he was going to meet that dreaded bigwig. Already, without a face attached, Frank was determining ways to get rid of him. “Shit.” Frank looked up when there was a knock on his door. “Yeah!”
Leonard opened the office door. “I’d like you to meet the new top scientist.”
“I’m busy,” Frank griped.
Leonard just walked in.
“Hey.” Frank snapped. He saw Dr. Morris enter second. “I said . . .” And then Frank felt like his heart literally dropped from his chest when Dean walked into his office. “I’m busy.” Frank lowered his head to his papers again, trying to hide the smile.
There was silence as Leonard and Dr. Morris both watched Frank, watched him for signs of his memory coming back.
Leonard looked for an answer from Dr. Morris and got one when Dr. Morris winked. Figuring there was no memory jarred, Leonard stepped to Frank’s desk. “Colonel Slagel, I would like you to meet Dr. Dean Hayes.”
Frank laid down his pencil and stood up. He walked around his desk and extended his hand to Dean. “Nice to meet you.”
Dean just stared at Frank. “Yes. Same here.”
Leonard walked closer to Dean, speaking in a low voice. “I’ll let you see for yourself, Dr. Hayes.” He brought his voice to a normal level. “Dr. Morris and I will be back shortly. Colonel, will you give Dr. Hayes the general synopsis of our base.”
“Yes, sir. My pleasure.” Frank walked back to his desk and sat down. He watched the door and watched Leonard and Dr. Morris as they walked out. He shifted his eyes to Dean who had set down his duffle bag. Seeing Dean’s mouth open to speak, Frank held up a finger to silence him. He listened to the foots steps and then stood up again, walking to his small window. Trying to look cool and calm, yet appearing sneaky, Frank took one quick stride passed the window, glancing out as he did. Catching the needed glimpse of Leonard and Dr. Morris as they conversed outside the building, then, shocking even Dean, Frank let out a deep, chesty, enthusiastic bellow as he charged to Dean. Wide grinned and with excitement, Frank threw his arms around Dean, lifting him up off his feet, and screaming again. “Oh my God!”
Dean laughed. He couldn’t help it as Frank set him to his feet. He too was just as excited to see Frank, so much they both had matching wide grins painted on their faces.
“Dean. Dean!” Frank ran his fingers through his own hair. “Oh my God! I never thought I’d be so happy to see you.”
Dean laid his hands on Frank’s arms. “And I never thought I’d be so happy to see you either. It’s good to see you, Frank. It is so good to see you alive.”
“Man, I’m happy.” Frank bit his bottom lip. “I could kiss you.”
“Frank, let’s not . . .”
“Fuck it.” Frank’s huge hands grabbed hold of Dean’s cheeks. He yanked him forward and kissed him quickly and with a loud ‘smack’ as he released Dean and stepped back “Man, am I glad to see you.”
“Yeah.” Dean touched his just kissed lips, snickered, and shook his head. “We miss you so much at home, Frank. God, do we miss you.”
“Really?” Frank moved back and sat on the edge of his desk.
“Really. It’s not the same there. And what is with this amnesia?”
“Selective amnesia.” Frank pointed to his temple.
“Selective amnesia?”
“Yeah, can’t remember anything past the plague.”
Dean laughed. “And they bought it?”
Frank fluttered his lips. “Hook, line, and fucking sinker. George too. I should win an academy award for this shit. I still can’t believe this. Man, my heart.” Frank grabbed his chest. “I thought for sure they’d see the shock on my face . . . and, hating to admit it, happiness when you walked in this office.”
“You were good. You had me worried for a second. Just a second.” Dean, with a smile still on his face, stared at Frank.
“So Dean.” Frank held out his hand. “What the fuck are you doing . . .” Frank’s office door opened. “Pivotal and strategically placed. Easy access for our troops that are working the country side. We’re right now . . . Oh, Leonard, I was just giving Dr. Hayes the basic concept of our community.”
“You’ll have to fill him in later,” Leonard said. “Dr. Hayes and I have business to conclude first and then I take him to his lab.”
Dean was surprised by this. “But he was just . . .”
“Later this evening.” Leonard stopped Dean. “Come, Dr. Hayes.”
Dean picked up his duffle bag, took a step to the door, stopped, and faced Frank. “Thank you for the talk. We’ll speak later. It was . . .” Dean held out his hand. “Nice meeting you.”
Frank grabbed his hand, shaking it. “Same.”
There was something strong and reassuring about the grip Dean felt Frank deliver in that handshake. It made him feel good and safe. As Dean left with Leonard, he knew all those bad feelings, all the hurt he went through the night before when he left his home and family, was all worth it. He had done the right thing. His heart told him everything was going to go as planned and work out, just as Joe promised. And love or hate, worst enemy or best friend, whatever Frank meant or was to him, nothing was ever going to touch that moment, that ‘feel good’ emotion, that rushed through Dean the moment that he saw Frank.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
She was scratched from the corner of her left eye to the corner of her mouth. One long thin scratch that barely bled, but Ellen was happy because she had obtained the blood cultures she needed from Marcus. She smeared them and had them running through the analysis program in the cryo -lab. She waited impatiently, very impatiently. Actually, Ellen grew annoyed when the phone rang and it drew her attention away from watching the indicator that told her the percentage on analysis ran. Leaning on the counter, injured face point blank at the computer screen, Ellen turned on the phone. “Lab, Dr. Hayes speaking.”
“I love you,” Dean spoke softly.
Ellen shrieked, nearly dropped the phone, and spun around so much in surprise, her back was now against the counter. “Oh my God.” Ellen embraced the phone as if she were embracing Dean. “You’re all right.”
“I’m fine. I arrived safely.”
“Are you sure, Dean? Tell me they aren’t holding a gun to your head or something.”
“No El. They aren’t.”
There was something about Dean’s voice, no fear, calm, soothing, and with a tint of happiness, that told Ellen he was honest. “Oh Dean, I’m so glad you called.”
“I thought for sure you’d ask right away. You didn’t ask.”
“Because I know you’ll tell me.”
“Frank’s fine, El. He’s alive and strong.”
Ellen closed her eyes tightly. Her face tensed up as a tear ran down her face. She tried to hold back the tears of hearing the news.
“He needs a haircut. God I don’t recall seeing Frank with this much hair on his head in years.”
Ellen laughed. “It gets curly.” She sniffed. “Will you tell him I said hi?”
“You know I will.”
“Will you tell him something else?”
“Anything.”
“Are you sure?” Ellen asked.
“El, anything. Anything.”
It was soft, but heard, a small sob and then Ellen sniffled again. “Will you tell him that I miss him and that I love him?”
“You know it.”
<
br /> “Dean. I am so proud of you for doing this. I love you so much. You don’t know how proudly I claim the name Hayes right now.”
Dean was quiet and emotional at first. “El, thank you for saying . . .” He stopped talking when he heard the warning siren. “What are you analyzing?”
“Oh.” Ellen wiped her eyes. “Um, you know how we were connecting the structure of that tooth you found in Marv.”
“Yes.”
“Well . . .” Ellen turned and looked at the screen and the results. Her mouth dropped open and the phone slid away from her lips.
“El? Talk to me. Is something wrong? Can I help?”
“Oh Dean,” Ellen spoke softly. “We have a problem.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Bowman, North Dakota
Hal felt like singing the song, ‘oh what a beautiful morning’ as he walked out of the mess hall after dinner. He had plenty to eat, no indigestion . . . no Craig. It was a wise decision on his part to make Craig one of the building crew. It gave him responsibility and got him out of his hair, but the happy thought of being ‘pain in the ass’ free had to be replace with more serious ones. It was time for major decisions on Hal’s part. He had talked to his father just prior to dinner and found out he was to be back in Beginnings in two days and would be gone for what could end up being a week. Now Hal had to pass out the authority in Bowman, not to just Sgt. Ryder, but to someone else as well because during that conversation with his father, Hal found out Sgt. Ryder was going to be a part of the plan as well. Hal prepared every one of his top men to be able to take the authoritarian position in Bowman. His decision would be difficult, not because he had no one qualified enough, but because he didn’t want to slight any of the men he had handpicked and trained himself. Unlike Beginnings, the deciding factor on who would lead Bowman was not placed on a popularity vote. Hal saw enough of that in the old world and Hal was seeing it in Beginnings. Not that he didn’t like Henry, he did, everyone did, but Henry was too nice and not quite the leader material Joe was or even Robbie for that matter. Hal didn’t want all his hard work and building of a strong community to go to waste in the event something happened to him. Though Hal was confident the rescue mission to get Dean and Frank would go off without a problem, there was still that chance and because of that chance, he had to give even more thought into who he placed in the leadership line. With that heavy on his mind, along with the latest Neville Stats, Hal walked home to do some serious thinking.
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 431