“You still get them?” Hal asked. “Man, you used to be cursed with them when we were younger.”
“See.” Frank held up a finger as they walked through the tunnel. “I stopped, O.K. then I got them back after Henry fuckin’ kissed me.”
Hal spun around to look at Henry who walked with Dean behind them. “Why were you kissing my brother?”
Frank answered. “Because he has a crush on me.”
“Frank, you lie,” Henry corrected him. “You were making fun of my lip so I spread the cankerous thing to you.”
Dean interjected, “Now everyone who got them before, gets them again.”
Hal was confused. “I’m not understanding. Did people stop getting them?”
“Oh yeah.” Dean answered. “For nearly six years the virus that caused them was nonexistent.”
Hal snickered. “What did you do, Dean? Bring it back in a lab?”
Very seriously Dean answered not picking up on the sarcasm in Hal’s voice. “No, not at all. The scientists brought it back. When they woke up, they brought with them infections from the past that we thought were long gone.”
“Woke up?” Lost would be the best way to describe Hal. “Were they sleeping?”
Quickly Dean looked at Robbie, Frank, and Henry then back to Hal. “You don’t know.”
“Know what?”
“You don’t. Frank, he doesn’t know. Didn’t you tell him?” Dean asked.
“No, I didn’t tell him,. Why would I tell him?” Frank answered. “I thought he knew.”
“He didn’t,” Dean stated. “Robbie, did you know your brother didn’t know?”
“No.” Robbie shook his head. “I assumed he knew. Had I known he didn’t know, I would have made sure he knew.”
“Know what?” Hal asked.
Henry was shocked. “I can’t believe you don’t know. We should let him know.”
“What?” Hal asked again.
Frank stepped in. “Maybe it’s best he didn’t know. Really though, how would he know. I know if I didn’t know and someone told me, I wished I wouldn’t have known.”
“Me too,” Robbie agreed.
“Not me,” Dean stated.
“Me either!” Hal shouted. “Someone let me know what I don’t know.”
“All right.” Dean tried to use a calming voice. “We’ll let you know. Frank, tell him.”
“You tell him.”
“No you,” Dean said.
“Robbie.” Frank looked at his brother. “You let him know.”
“No. No. I’d rather not.” Robbie shook his head. “Henry.”
“He’s your brother,” Henry refused. “He’s your brother so one of you should ...”
“Hey!” Hal yelled again. “Someone let me know and let me know now! I’m getting pissed here.”
Dean upped his nerve. “O.K. see, you know that lab in the tunnels down here that Ellen and I use for experiments?”
Henry interjected, “The one with all the sick, disgusting, mutilated dead things.”
Hal shifted his eyes to Dean. “Yeah, what about it?”
“It was originally a cryo-lab. Cryogenics.”
“Hey.” Robbie snapped his fingers. “Let’s take him there since we’re already down in the ...”
“No,” Dean quickly interrupted Robbie. “No. It’s uh ... smelly and I just did some ... uh ... autopsies on those killer babies.” Dean cringed. “It would be best if we didn’t.”
Hal nodded in agreement. “I’d prefer not to see any open killer babies. So tell me about this cryogenics lab.”
Dean stopped walking. “Well, once upon a time there was a group of scientists frozen prior to the plague. And see, they were frozen in this little cryogenic lab here in Beginnings and then they woke up.”
“Where are they now?” Hal asked. “Living in Beginnings?”
Frank answered that one. “Living in the east. They were the start of the Caceres Society. Little did we know that not only was there a lab here, but all over the place and they went about defrosting their buddies.”
“Wait a second.” Hal held up his hand. “Do you mean to tell me that the whole entire reason that there is a war going on is because you people defrosted the founders of it?”
In a spinning point, Frank indicated to Henry. “It’s his fault ... and Dean’s.”
“What?” Henry was shocked. “Why is it my fault, Frank?”
“You found the wall,” Frank said, “by you and Ellen playing Beginnings Private Eyes. Don’t deny it, Henry. You did.”
“Yeah, but he ...” Henry pointed to Dean. “Defrosted them. I couldn’t have done it, Frank, and you know it.”
“Just so you know, Hal,” Frank defended. “Out of everyone who voted, I was the only one who voted to pull ... . yeah.” Frank’s eyes lit up. “I was, wasn’t I? I was the only one who voted to pull the plug and let them die. If everyone would have listened to me, this whole thing wouldn’t have started. DEAN!”
“What?” Dean laughed. “I merely did my job. Once they were defrosted, everyone voted to kick them out. Who knew the trouble they would have started.”
“Me,” Frank stated.
“Oh you did not,” Dean argued.
“Did too.” Frank placed his hands on his hips. “Robbie, in your history, did I warn everyone?”
“Yep,” Robbie nodded. “Frank hated them. He was mean to them from the get go. In fact he didn’t want Ellen to go with them.”
“That’s right,” Frank stated. “I duct taped her, if I recall, and Henry freed her.”
“That’s because it wasn’t nice, Frank,” Henry responded. “You couldn’t do that to her. By the way, I’m surprised, Robbie, in your history, with the way you are with Ellen, you didn’t go to Colorado with her.”
“I was supposed to. Don’t you remember?” Robbie asked. “Oh, yeah, you wouldn’t. You weren’t really there. Yeah, I was supposed to go to Colorado with her. The night before, when I was working under one of the Jeeps, the jack gave away and I rolled out but not in enough time. I broke my leg. Frank couldn’t go because of Brian, so Miguel did.” Robbie shrugged.
“Who’s Miguel?” Hal asked.
“Mom’s previous husband,” Robbie answered.
Dean saw the lost look on Hal’s face. “Andrea.”
“Oh.” Hal nodded. “What happened to him?”
“George shot him in the head.” Frank nodded. “Pow. But ... we didn’t find that out until later. He was a nice guy. I liked him.”
“Me too,” Henry said sadly.
“See Dean.” Frank pointed to him. “There’s another person you killed.”
“How do you figure, Frank?” Dean asked. “How am I responsible for killing Miguel?”
“You defrosted the scientists.”
“But I killed a bunch in Colorado, now didn’t I?”
“Oh,” Frank said dramatically. “Now you own up to it. Before it was,” Frank whined his voice, “No, not me. I just made the chemical. I didn’t kill them.”
“You’re an asshole, Frank,” Dean snapped.
“Bite me, Dean.”
“No thank you but I will kill you.”
“Yeah right,” Frank scoffed.
“Wait and see.”
“We’ll see,” Frank argued. “Anyhow Hal, that’s the story.”
Hal scratched his head. “I swear I’m more confused now than I was when you started.”
“Let me reiterate,” Frank said.
“Whoa,” Dean spoke sarcastically. “Big word.”
“Shut the fuck up, Dean. So,” Frank continued, “as I was saying ...”
“Frank,” Hal stopped him. “Can Robbie tell the story since he is the only one that was around in the time frame we’re dealing with now?”
“Huh?” Frank paused. “Oh yeah. Robbie, tell it right.”
Robbie winked. “Got it.” He cleared his throat. “O.K. We have these tunnels, where we’re in now. Henry is neurotic ...” He snickered at Henry’s.
“He swears he senses something else. Actually he picked up that something was draining power. So being neurotic and lonely, Henry, with nothing else to do starts this investigative crusade which leads him to ...” Robbie’s hand went out. “The wall. He swore something was behind the wall. We all think he’s nuts until Chester shows up.”
“Who’s Chester?” Hal asked.
Frank answered. “Some goof with yellow trim on his coat.”
Robbie swayed his head. “Chester was from the lab in Cleveland which held the main group of scientists who were on a timer to defrost. Only problem was, Chester was the only one immune to the plague so all but Chester died. Chester comes here, looking for the Garfield project. We let him in. Henry and Ellen go through his stuff and find the plans to the lab. George kills Chester, which we didn’t know. Henry opens the wall and finds the cryo-lab. In comes Dean. He follows directions there and defrosts them ... and cures them since none of them were immune to the plague, except Jason.”
“See,” Frank interrupted, “Dean is responsible.”
“Yeah,” Robbie agreed. “Dean started this whole mess. The scientists ended up being assholes, like most scientists are.” Robbie grinned at Dean. “We kicked them out. They went to Colorado and the rest is at history. Read it if you want to know because I’m getting bored right now.”
Hal was utterly confused. “You ramble, Robbie.”
“But he rambles good.” Frank nodded proudly. “He got that whole story out in less than two minutes. Good job.”
“Yeah,” Robbie agreed. “And I got to blame Dean in there.”
“Yeah,” Frank repeated. “You suck, Dean.”
Dean rolled his eyes. “Fine. Blame me for the scientist if you want, but if you do that, you have to blame me for Hal as well.”
Frank snickered. “Dean, uh ... I think my Dad and Mom get those honors.”
“No, Frank you idiot,” Dean snapped. “Had I not been responsible for releasing the scientists, then Hal wouldn’t have joined the Society ...”
“Traitor.” Frank looked at Hal.
“May I continue?” Dean asked, ignoring Frank’s ‘no’. “He wouldn’t have joined the Society because there wouldn’t have been a Society and he wouldn’t have a cause to fight. Therefore he would be settled up somewhere probably further east and you guys would have never known he was alive.”
“Finished?” Frank asked.
“Yes.”
“Good.” Frank twitched his head. “Man, Dean, do you just sit around all day thinking of ways to glorify yourself? You must.”
“He does,” Henry commented.
“I agree,” Robbie added.
“You guys are mean,” Hal said.
“Just the facts, little brother.” Frank held his hands up in defense. “Just the facts. He always has to come up with some lame story to make his little-man self look big-man important. That’s O.K., Dean.” Frank winked and patted Dean on the head in a pacifying manner. “You just do that but keep in mind, no matter what you do,” Frank snorted a snicker. “No one will ever look up to you.” He laughed. “They can’t.” He turned around and started walking. “Shall we continue on?” Whistling first, Frank then began to sing again as he led the way through the tunnels.
Dean grumbled with a sneer to his face. He stood there and watched as Robbie and Hal, along with Henry, followed Frank down the tunnels, each one passing him with a slight snicker to their face.
Frank stopped singing and walking. He looked back to Dean who still stood there. “You coming, Dean?”
Dean hesitated, but not for long. He tossed up his hands. “Sure why not.” Figuring Slagel brother torture and Frank’s singing would be better than Joe finding him, Dean hurried to catch up to the four who were making it well ahead of him.
IN RETROSPECT ... THE THIRD YEAR
Trial and Error
CHAPTER TWENTY
June 10 - Beginnings, Montana
Greg looked so different since he walked through the gates nearly two months earlier. What hair he had left was shaved closely to his head. He had gained weight, at least fifteen pounds, more bulk than anything else. Joe buzzed himself through the security door of Containment looking down at Greg who sat reading in the small front office.
“How’s it going, Greg?” Joe asked.
“Good, Mr. Slagel. I’m just reading the Bible that Andrea dropped off.”
“She’ll do that. If she starts to pester you with religion, let me know.”
“She did invite me to that chapel you have set up.”
“Yeah, she’s doing that to everyone. I’m as up for a minister as she is, but I’m not going to keep recruiting everyone.”
“Do you think that’s what she’s doing to me?”
Joe nodded. “Most definitely. She mentioned it already.”
“Oh.” Greg shut the Bible and pushed it aside. “I think I’ll tone down some. Jenny left a nice book.” Greg held up the tattered copy of ‘Lady Chatterly’s Lover’.
“That has certainly made its rounds.”
“Robbie used a high-lighter on his favorite parts.”
“Figures. I’m out of here.” Joe moved to the main door of Containment. “Robbie and George are stopping at that town. They’re looking to pick up four to six.”
“I’m ready.”
“If there’s any trouble ...”
“I’m ready.” Greg tapped his revolver with a wink.
“Good boy. See you in a bit,” Joe said as he walked out the door.
Greg gave a goodbye nod to Joe and opened up ‘Lady Chatterly’s Lover’. His eyes skimmed across the bright yellow highlighted section Robbie had done and the sexual content there. Greg let out a deep breath and closed the book. His eyes shifted to the Bible and he picked it back up. He figured since it had been such a long time since he was with a woman, the Bible was the best place for his eyes to be.
<><><><>
Ellen looked at her watch and she got a certain twitch of nervousness when she realized Robbie was close to landing with survivors. She hated Robbie being out there, especially with the stories of survivor encounters she had heard. With uneasiness and worry for Robbie, she said a little prayer, just a little one because she didn’t pray much and didn’t want to push her luck.
The survivor process was about to move into full swing. They planned to bring in twenty before winter, which, from what Ellen knew, that meant they would pick up fifty. Prior and during Containment, thirty of them would weed their way out.
Ellen and Robbie had three people in Containment. Two weeks earlier there were eight. A week before that, Robbie arrived with twelve. Four never made it to Containment.
With a short activity planned for the afternoon before greeting the survivors that Robbie and George planned on bringing, Ellen left her small office and walked to the Skills Room.
She saw Dan, the only male survivor to remain. Dan long hair had and he kept it pulled back. He was thin and not too tall, his face scarred from the battles he had seen in the world outside the walls of Beginnings. He looked up to her slowly as she walked in, the other two, both boys about eight, chewed on puzzle pieces.
“No-no.” Ellen approached the children. “Maggie makes cookies for you to snack on.” She took the piece from one of their mouths. He growled at her. “Nice, very nice. After three weeks you would think you would stop being children of the damned. Now if you hungry ...” Ellen heard the squeak of a chair and a bang as it hit the floor. She turned around to see Dan charging her way. Her eyes widened and she reached for the radio on her belt. Grabbing it, she started to run for the door calling out. “Greg. Trouble. Hurry.” Just as she reached the Skills Room door, it slammed closed and Dan grabbed Ellen.
Greg pressed the button under his desk. The Security door buzzed and he bolted to it. It stopped buzzing and locked by the time he tried to open it. Once again, he raced to his desk, pressed the buzzer, ran to the door, and again it stopped. “Shit.” Pulling his revolver and stretching as far as h
e could, with a grunt, he used the gun to press the button and when the buzzing sound started. he pulled open the door, tripped a little, and then raced through.
Down the very long corridor he flew looking quickly in the men’s and women’s quarters as he passed them. No Ellen. When he arrived at the Skills Room, he burst open the door.
Ellen screamed as Dan held on to her and the children gnawed on both her legs. With the instincts he was supposed to have, Greg extended his revolver and fired at Dan’s leg.
“Ow.” Dan peeped out but let go of Ellen.
Greg fired a second shot, this one into Dan’s chest. Another ‘ow’ came from Dan but still he went for Ellen. The children. It had to be the children that were stopping Ellen from getting away, obviously if they were gnawing on her legs. So without hesitation, Greg fired two shots, both hitting the children, then he raised his revolver and shot one last time, that one hitting Dan in the forehead. Dan flew back.
Frank clapped. “Good job. God job.” He walked from the corner of the room. “Only thing is, you shot the kids.”
Greg swayed his head. “They were attacking Ellen.”
“Kids, Greg. Little ones too.” Frank looked down at the two children who were covered with red paint. They laughed. Frank then quickly looked to a whining Dan. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Aw Christ.” Dan held his forehead. “Those pellets sting. He wasn’t supposed to hit me in the head.” Dan looked angry. “I agreed to do this if there were no head shots. He could have put an eye out.” Dan walked to Ellen. “Can you see if there’s a mark. I know it left a mark.”
Frank rolled his eyes. “All right Tommy Boy, look. The kids aren’t whining.”
“The kids are layered in clothing,” Dan pointed out.
Greg stepped forward. “I’m sorry. I am.”
“What are you doing?” Frank snapped. “Don’t apologize. This was a drill.”
Dan pouted. “He should apologize. Ellen, how bad is it?”
Ellen smeared away the red paint from his forehead. “There’s a lump, all right.”
“See.” Dan shook his head, looking in so much pain. “I knew it.”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 26