The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “I don’t know.” Stan shrugged. He started to lose his breath from the long journey up the wooded hill. “I hear it’s big.”

  “We really need to get back to Bowman. We have lost . . .” Another snap of a twig made Bud turn around. “I hope it’s not a bear.”

  “A bear would have gotten us already. Are there bears in Washington State?”

  “Of course there are bears in Washington State . . . I think,” Bud guessed. “I think Washington was more famous for Bigfoot.”

  Upon those words, both men stopped and looked behind them. They laughed at the thought that crossed both their minds.

  Stan grabbed his stomach as they neared the top. “I must be getting hungry. I smell food.”

  Bud slowed down. “I do too.”

  Stan hurried and looked at Bud. “Do you think we found that rumored colony?”

  “Don’t know. Do you think there are women?”

  “God, I hope not. You know how they are. All we need is more dictating women to pick and chose us and . . . do you hear that?” Stan asked, referring to a distant ‘naying’.

  “Shit. Bet that’s them. It sounds bigger than the thirty.”

  “It sure does. Bet me we can get a good look from this hill.”

  “They’re probably on the other side. That’s why we smell food,” Bud said.

  “Man, here I was thinking Captain Slagel was wrong.”

  “Really, how often is the Captain wrong? If he says there are colonies of survivors in the west, we have to believe him.” Bud paused to tie his horse to a tree and waited for Stan. “Looks like a clearing up ahead.”

  “Go on. I’ll catch up.” Stan fiddled with the rope. “My fingers are numb from the weather.”

  Laughing at Stan’s low resistance to the cold, Bud moved ahead. “I’m hearing more . . .” He stopped cold. “Holy shit.”

  “What?” Stan finished tying the horse and walked quickly to Bud. “Did you find the colony?”

  “Worse.”

  “Huh? What do . . .” Stan froze as he stood side by side with Bud. “Shit. It’s the biggest one we’ve seen and a colony all right.”

  Bud let out a worried breath. “A colony of Savages.”

  Stan swallowed and looked over the hill at what looked like was once a small town that was burned out and shelled. Below them the town swarmed with Savages, too many to count and too many for Bud and Stan to be discovered. Skinned bodies of people and animals hung from a wire and dangled over a deep fire pit, brazing like a stuffed pig at a cookout. “Captain’s gonna have to know about this.”

  “And quickly too. It’s bigger than the other two.”

  “I say this isn’t the place to stop for the night,” Stan suggested.

  “Yeah and I say let’s get the hell off this hill and as far away as possible.”

  “Now?”

  “Now.”

  Stan and Bud both turned around at the same time and when they did, they were greeted with a high whistling sound. It happened so quickly that Bud never saw it coming. A short spear sailed through the air and landed with precision dead center of Bud’s throat, sending him flying back with the force of the hit.

  “Bud!” Stan raced to him and saw his partner literally nailed to the ground. “Shit.” Stumbling and thinking of only getting off that hill, Stan raced to his horse. His fingers, numb and cold, moved sloppily as he tried to untie the rope. Slipping the knot and breathing heavily, Stan pulled his horse then mounted him. He couldn’t see anyone but knew the spear didn’t come from nowhere. With the horse moving in confused circles, Stan tried to gain control of him while he drew his sword in readiness. The second it clinked and raised to the air was the second Stan knew it was over. He saw them only for an instant. Eight savages came from the trees with bows and arrows ready and they fired upon Stan. All eight arrows landed in his chest. Still holding his sword high in battle mode, wide eyed, bleeding and ridged, he dropped sideways from his horse and died on the ground.

  The Savages engulfed him.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Beginnings, Montana

  “Son of a bitch.” Joe slammed his hand on the counter in the cryo-lab then ran his hand frantically over the top of his head in frustration.

  Danny Hoi snickered.

  “What in Christ’s name is so funny?”

  “Well, I was just thinking. How long can one man hide from you in Beginnings? Dean’s doing a pretty good job.”

  “If my asshole son would have told me Dean was with him we could have had this over with a while ago.” Joe began to pace around the lab. “I looked for him and I can’t find him.”

  “He’s little.”

  Joe glared at him and continued. “I call him. He doesn’t answer. I look for him again.”

  “He knows.”

  “He can’t know.”

  “He has to know, Joe. Why else is he avoiding you? I mean, what else can be down here that he’s afraid you’re gonna wanna talk to him about? Let’s face it,” Danny laughed. “You wouldn’t wanna meet him down here if it had nothing to do with what’s down here. Just don’t tell him I told you what was down here.”

  “You didn’t,” Joe stated.

  “That’s right. I didn’t. It’s been so long since we first, you know, discovered it at the same time. And my God what a discovery that was . . .”

  “Danny.”

  “Yeah Joe.”

  “I’m not a stupid man,” Joe quipped. “If you think for one second I believe you didn’t have a clue about that cryo-case before today, I’m gonna start calling you Frank.”

  “Sorry, Joe.”

  “And what the hell is this!” Joe moved all the way across the lab and looked into a large jar filled with pink fluid.

  “It’s a failed hybrid, I’m guessing.”

  Joe tilted his head to look at the animal floating in a jar. It had long ears like a rabbit, a snout like a pig, and a tail like a squirrel. “Why the hell would he leave something like this just sitting out?”

  “He didn’t.”

  “He didn’t?”

  “No. I found it when I was down here waiting for him and you. It looks neat. I thought you’d like to see it.”

  “Thank you very much.” Joe looked at his watched and huffed. “This has to be the strangest day. Like I don’t have enough shit to deal with around here with securing the perimeters from killer babies and now this.”

  “This is big.”

  “This is sick. Sick. I knew there was something wrong with him.”

  “You think he snapped?”

  Joe bobbed his head. “I’m gonna have to wonder.” Again he looked at his watch. “I’m giving him two more minutes then I’m screaming over the all-call radio for his little ass.” Joe began to watch the second hand of his watch. “Christ, Dean,” Joe mumbled. “Let’s get this over with.”

  ^^^^

  Not that he was interested, but Dean certainly made the appearance that he was with folded arms, nodding head, and a serious engrossed expression upon his face. Dan, the security man, rambled on about the new soldiers Frank brought and Dean kept thinking, while staring at Dan, how right Frank was that at Dan’s age, he really should have cut that long ponytail off.

  “And those guys . . . we have so many of them.” Dan whistled. “They’re now stuck building their own barracks.”

  “You don’t say,” Dean robotically responded while letting his mind wander off again.

  “There are so many of them. Two-seventy-five, I think. I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask Frank. He knows the exact number. Of course, Frank knows what he’s doing with them. I haven’t a clue. All I know is I am a Master Drill Sergeant and you aren’t listening to me, are you?”

  “Of course I am,” Dean said.

  “No you aren’t. What did I say?”

  “About?” Dean searched deep into his mind. Somewhere Dan’s words had to have seeped in.

  “About the . . .”

  “Dean!” Blasting through not only Dan’
s radio, but every radio in Beginnings and the speaker system, Joe’s voice rang out, loud and shocking. “I know your ass is hiding from me!”

  “Shit.” Dean backed up. “I have to go. Thanks for talking, Dan.”

  “What did you do?” Dan asked.

  “I don’t know. I think I do. I’m not sure.”

  “It has to be bad if Joe’s letting everyone know he’s looking for you.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Dean placed one hand in the front pocket of his Levi’s, turned around, and then stopped. His hand froze midway during its nervous sweep through his hair when he heard Joe again.

  “Dean! You have five minutes to find me. After that . . . Frank has carte blanche to hunt you down and bring you in by whatever mean he deems necessary.”

  ^^^^

  Frank’s soft, deep, raspy, ‘oh yeah’ was accompanied by a smile as he set the timer on his watch for five minutes. It didn’t give him much time to tell Ellen what he wan a tell her, but he figured he get some of it out and save the rest for later. After all, he was living in her home. And that’s where Frank headed.

  He opened the door to the modular home he deemed ‘Frank size’ and let the screen door slam loudly as an announcement to his entrance. Then he coupled that announcement with a loud call out. “I’m home!”

  “Oh, God.” Ellen came from the back hallway as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. “Hey, Frank.”

  “El, I have something to tell you.”

  “I’m on my way back out. You wanna walk me?” She spun around in her walk and looked to her brother Richie, who sat on the couch holding Nick. “He shouldn’t need fed for while but watch him. He’s teething early.”

  Frank jolted in shock when he saw Richie sitting on the couch. “I didn’t even see you.”

  Ellen rolled her eyes. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? You failed to tell me you brought him home.”

  Frank fluttered his lips. “It’s Richie.”

  “It’s my brother, Frank.” Ellen stopped and stood before him. “I would think that is someone I needed to know about.”

  “I was gonna tell you.”

  “Frank, I have to go.”

  Frank looked at Richie. “Why are you being so quiet?”

  “When can anyone talk when you’re around?” he asked.

  “True.” Frank nodded. “Anyhow . . .” He grabbed hold of Ellen’s arm as she raced to the kitchen.

  “Frank, I want to turn the pot back on before I go.”

  “Yeah, but El, I have to tell you something before I go and hunt down Dean in . . .” Frank looked at his watch. “Two minutes. Richie, thank you very much for eating up my time with Ellen.”

  “Frank.” Ellen moved from his hold. “Why are you hunting down my husband?”

  “Uh!” Frank shrieked.

  “What?”

  “Don’t call him that.”

  “He is.”

  “But it doesn’t count.”

  Ellen’s mouth dropped open. “I’m turning on my pot and then I have to get back to the clinic.”

  “O.K., but can I tell you this?”

  “What?” Ellen walked to the kitchen and to the stove.

  “Check this out.” Frank turned her from the stove, held up his hands, and stepped back as if to brace her. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” Ellen nodded. “This is big, huh?”

  “How can you tell?”

  “You’re all upbeat.”

  “I am.” Frank smiled. “O.K. ready?”

  “Frank.”

  “My brother Jimmy’s ghost yelled at me just about . . .” The beeping of Frank’s watch shut him up. “Shit.” He turned it off. “Fuck, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.” He backed up, stopped, returned, kissed her on the cheek, and raced out.

  “Frank, what . . .” Ellen tossed her hand up in the air, turned back to the stove, and then stopped when what Frank said to her sank in. Her hand paused on the burner dial. “Jimmy’s ghost?”

  ^^^^

  Bowman, North Dakota

  “Hey-hey-hey, Captain.” Sgt. Elliott Ryder was all smiles when he stood up from behind Hal’s desk, when Hal and Robbie walked in. “All yours. Hey, Robbie.”

  “Elliott. How was the trip back yesterday with Hector and them guys?” Robbie asked.

  Elliott bobbed his head. “Hector started speaking to me in Spanish. I guess he assumed I knew the language because of the way I look. I had to tell him I was born and bred and lived in Cleveland my entire life.”

  Hal laughed, gave a swat to Elliott’s back, and then moved to his desk to sit behind it comfortably. He rocked back in his chair in such a Joe style. “Since you made it back first, do you have anything?”

  “It’s all right there.” Elliott pointed. “The scouts from New Mexico came back with seven new men and one woman.”

  Hal began to cringe. “Just tell me what you did with the woman.”

  “Grace claimed her immediately.”

  With a ‘ha-ha’ ornery laugh, Robbie sat down in a chair across from Hal. “Man, I cannot wait to see the clash between your women and ours. God, I hope they don’t convince our women to become lesbians too. Not that it matters to me. There are too many men, not enough women, and then you guys couple that by turning what women you do have into . . .”

  “Robbie,” Hal stated his name strongly. “Enough. All right?”

  “O.K.” Robbie shrugged. “Can I grab something to eat before I head out? I’m starving and I hate flying on an empty stomach.”

  “Yes.” Hal nodded looking though the papers. “I’ll walk you to the mess.”

  “Hey, Hal. Let me ask you a question.” Robbie held up his finger. “How are you guys gonna handle not having a mess hall anymore?”

  “We’ll still have a mess hall.”

  “Why?” Robbie asked.

  “Because some of us spend too much time training our men and on look-out to cook.”

  “It’s got to be a big mess hall.”

  “Robbie, why is this important?” Hal asked.

  “It’s not. I’m just making idle conversation, that’s all.” Robbie tapped his fingers together. “How much longer, because I am really . . .”

  “Robbie.” Hal raised his eyes slightly. “Elliott, how is the moving coming along?”

  “Good. Good,” Elliott answered “I started going through the list like you wanted. You know, picking out which men of ours can be taken off detail and shipped to Beginnings to work.”

  “I wanna get them out and up there before we start moving the town in two weeks, especially with the brigade Frank brought back.”

  “Are we getting them?” Elliott asked.

  “Probably most of them will live in New Bowman. It’s roomier there. That’s where my dad is planning for growth. Yeah, they need those guys to get started on the new greenhouses.”

  “Is your Dad worried about food supply at all?”

  Hal shook his head. “Nah, they just won’t be dumping food on the Savage camps. They have plenty. They grow more all the time. Plus, we’re gonna clear our surplus and our fields. Their canning division is going to can what we have to put in Distribution. Food is the last of their. . .”

  “Speaking of food.” Robbie stood up. “I’m really hungry, Hal.”

  Hal huffed. “Robbie, I really have to get this done. I’m heading back to Beginnings in three days. There’s a lot to do when I’m commuting so much.”

  “And your point?” Robbie asked.

  “You’ve been around Frank too long.” Hal stood up. “It is my intention, little brother, to bring you under my wing.”

  Robbie snickered. “Sure. All right. Food?”

  Elliott kept his finger over his top lip to hide his laugher. He shifted his eyes about. “Take your brother to eat.”

  “I’ll be back.” Hal moved from around the desk and to Robbie.

  Elliott turned as they were leaving. “Hey, Robbie, tell your brother Frank, that I didn’t get too much of a chance to tal
k to him with his homecoming at all, but I look forward to meeting yet another Slagel.”

  “You got it.” Robbie nodded. “But you’ll get a pretty big chance in two days.”

  “What?” Hal asked shocked. “What do you mean?”

  “Didn’t he tell you?” Robbie asked. “Frank’s coming down here.”

  Hal couldn’t move, “When?”

  “In two days.” Robbie said. “I thought I said that.”

  “Why?” Hal asked.

  “He loves you, Hal.” Robbie chuckled and gave Hal’s arm a swat. “To bring you up, that’s why? And . . . Ellen has to come down and do that doctor thing she does down here with Red, I mean, Grey, or is it Blue.”

  “Blue.” Hal stated running his hand down his face. “Frank’s bringing her down?”

  “Yep.” Robbie nodded. “Of course I don’t think her husband knows. I don’t think Ellen knows. He’ll spend the day down here and then bring you guys up.”

  “He’s not flying is he?” Hal asked.

  “Dad won’t give him a chopper. Frank thinks he flies well.” Robbie closed his eyes and shook his head. “but he make us all throw up. Speaking of throwing up, I have to eat or I think I will. Let’s go.” Robbie opened the door.

  “Captain,” Elliott called out. “You shouldn’t worry about your oldest brother coming down. You’ve done well here. It’ll impress him.”

  Robbie bit his bottom lip. “Yeah, Hal, it will. Show off for him.”

  “You think?” Hal asked.

  “Yeah.” Robbie tugged him. “Food.”

  “Food.” Hal started to leave and stopped. “Elliott, I’ll be back. Start thinking of an agenda to occupy to occupy my brother, just . . . just on the chance he needs something to do.”

  “Got it.” Elliott winked. “Like I said, don’t worry. I don’t think you’ll feel that big-brother intimidation.”

  “It’s not intimidation I feel from my brother Frank. It’s irritation.” Hal saw Robbie open his mouth. “I know. I know. Food. Bye, Elliott.” Hal pulled the door shut.

  Elliott watched the door close. He laughed at Hal and found it really hard to believe that Frank was all that irritating because Frank, to Elliott--in the brief moment he had met him--really didn’t seem that bad.