Frank backed up. “I’m doing this,” he spoke into his headset.
“Frank. Goddamn it. No,” Joe ordered “Take them out.”
With a hop and turn, Frank took off running. “There’s too many!”
“Too many, my ass. Stop this game and take them out.”
“We have to.” Frank leaped over a fallen tree and darted left to right. “Come on, if it doesn’t work . . .”
“If it doesn’t work, you’re a dead man. You have a mile. That’s an awfully long distance.”
“I’m running. I have less.”
“Frank.”
“Dad!” Frank screamed. “I’m busy here. Don’t fuckin distract me. They’re throwing fuckin arrows.”
“Move your ass, Frank. They’re closing in,” Joe told him.
“I’m moving.”
“Closer.”
“Dad!”
“They’re too close to you Frank. You’re not gonna make. Turn around and lay fire with the M-16.”
“Ye of little faith.” Frank saw his target, the road. “Security synch with Tracking. I’m in view.”
“We got you,” Security came back.
“This is too risky, Frank. Stop!” Joe warned.
“Ready . . .” The road drew closer and closer. Frank charged up his run. “And . . . down the beams.” With a leap and a really big chance, Frank sailed his body up and out onto the road. He landed in his momentum and spun around quickly to see the Savages so near. “Wait . . . wait . . .” Frank grinned. “Now!” Frank called then held out his arms. “Come and get me.”
The Savages mimicked his leap onto the road. The Savages weren’t so lucky.
A ‘pop’ and a sizzle preceded the howling agonizing screams of the six Savages that were caught in the beam. The searing security beams not only fried but cut into the bodies of the Savages as well. Charred limbs flew up and out in a mad spin, landing behind the perimeter and on the road by Frank.
“Oh! Fuckin yes! This is beautiful!” Frank clenched his fist and gave an excited bodily stomp. “A sight to be seen.”
Joe’s exhaling grunt seeped over the radio. “Frank . . .”
Frank started to laugh. “You guys have to come out and see this. Oh my God!”
“Frank . . .”
“This is great! I knew what these things could do.” Frank rambled with enthusiasm. “I’ve seen what they did to animals but . . . man, get something going through there at a really high sped . . . it’s a fuckin Quisenart.”
“Frank!”
“What?”
“You moron. Get your ass back here.”
“What?” Frank was dumbfounded. “I was . . .”
“Making me have a heart attack. Do you know how close you cut it?”
“Dad, please,” Frank scoffed. “How much fun do I have in my life? I had fun.”
“You’re sick, Frank. A sick human being. You realize you’re burning in hell.”
“Yeah, so.”
“Get back here and get a cleanup crew for those bodies.”
“Why don’t we take them up to where the killer babies hang out and leave the limbs for food?” Frank suggested.
“Frank . . .”
“It’s cooked.”
“Frank!”
Frank laughed. “Kidding.” He finally caught his breath. “Hey, at least we eliminated that movement as a batch of killer babies, huh?” He turned to his right. “Hey!” Frank saw the truck coming fast down the road. “Ellen’s back already from taking Sgt. Fuckin Ryder to New Bowman. I’ll grab a ride.” Frank stepped into the road and waved up his hands. Ellen zoomed right by him. “Shit!”
“What?” Joe responded.
“She didn’t see me.”
“How in God’s name didn’t she see you and that massacre out there?”
“I don’t know. Man, is her mind occupied or what?” Frank watched the truck get smaller and smaller as it approached the tunnel in the distance. “I guess I’m walking back.” Upbeat and energetic from his early morning, mind spin-jumpstart, Frank, with a good walking speed, headed back.
^^^^
Ellen’s race into the Clinic lab was followed by a small huff of breath as she stood before the half empty counter catching her bearings. She closed her eyes, let her heart rate settle, and pulled forward the stack of filing she had been putting off for two weeks.
“Morning,” Dean softly spoke from across the lab.
“Um . . .” Ellen breathed heavily. “Morning.” She started to separate the papers.
“You didn’t need to rush back. Everything is . . .”
“I wanted to take care of something. Thanks.” Ellen kept her eyes on her work.
Dean slowly moved her way. “El, I’m going to need some help with the infant in the cryo-lab today. You know, use it to see if we can help the one Frank brought in last night. Can I get your help? If not I can get . . .”
“I’ll be there.” Ellen moved a paper to a stack.
Dean nodded. “Oh.” He picked up a stack of folders. “I finished all your workups last night. You know, since I didn’t have much to . . .”
“Thanks.”
“You’re, uh, welcome.” Dean laid them by her. “When are you going back to New Bowman?”
Ellen whispered. “Unbelievable.” She then looked at him. “Tomorrow, why? Do you want to get rid of me?”
“No. I . . . I could be overstepping my boundaries,. He is your patient.”
“Go on. I always respect your medical opinion.”
“O.K.” Dean shuffled through the stack of folders he laid down. “Your buddy, Ryder. When you go back, I think you should do a complete blood work up on him.”
“Elliott?” Ellen grabbed his chart.
Dean moved closer to Ellen and peered over her shoulder. He stood where he thought was a safe distance but at a closeness he needed. “Take a look at his count. Last time he was here we attributed it to infection. But not this time. Take a look.”
Ellen shifted through the results. “His leukocyte count is way too high.”
“My thoughts exactly, especially since he exhibited no signs of infection from his arrow wounds.”
Ellen slowly nodded. “I’ll do a full work up.”
“If we get the same readings, we know where to go with it.”
“I understand.” Ellen shut Elliott’s folder.
“I’m gonna head out down to the lab. I’m all caught up.”
“O.K.” Ellen resumed her separating.
“See you later?”
“Sure.”
Stepping back and looking once more at Ellen’s back, Dean lowered his head and walked out. He passed Frank as he did so.
“Hey, Dean,” Frank greeted then turned his head when Dean said nothing. He shrugged. “Hey, El.” Frank walked up to her. She didn’t turn around. He plopped his bloody arm down before her.
“Frank!” Ellen moved her filing.
“I’m injured.”
“God. What now?”
“Spear.”
“Savage spear?”
“Well El, since the kids aren’t tossing them at me, I say it’s safe to say yes.”
Ellen grunted at him and grabbed his arm.
“Ow.”
“We’ll get you cleaned up. Come with me.”
“So, why did you abandon me?” Frank asked as he followed her to the examining room.
“What?” Ellen opened the door. “Hop up.” She patted the table on the way to the sink.
“Why did you abandon me? I’m fuckin standing on the road, waving my arms. I’m injured and in need of dire help and you zip right by in the truck.”
“You were standing on the road?” Ellen brought a basin and pan of supplies to the examining table. “Where?”
“About a half a mile from the tunnels. You ran over three Savage limbs.”
“Frank, I’m sorry.” She began to clean his arm. “I wasn’t paying attention. I was, but I was listening to a Barbara Streisand song. There’s
a player in the truck you know.”
“Barbara Streisand? Why are you listening to her?”
“I felt like it. Jess gave it to me to listen to.”
“Barbra Streisand? El, you better tell Jess he should watch who he shares his music and food with. People are gonna start to think he’s gay.”
“I’ll warn him.” Ellen worked on Frank’s arm.
“So, tell me. Ryder spent the night at the house last night?”
“Yes.”
“Alone. No Dean. No kids. Alone with you.”
“Yes.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“Frank.” Ellen gripped his arm and he shrieked. “Stop that. Really, it’s none of your business.”
“I know. But did you?”
“Frank. No.” Ellen grabbed a bandage.
“Not that I would like that, but it would be understandable, you know with all that happened with . . . you and Dean?” Frank placed his face closer to Ellen’s.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know he’s out of the house and . . . I know.”
“You know?”
“I know. You know. I know what happened.”
“How do you know what happened?”
“Word . . . it gets around. I’m surprised you didn’t come to me with it.”
“Well, knowing what happened, I’m sure you see why. Right?”
“Right,” Frank agreed really wishing Ellen would tell him what had happened and he wouldn’t have to pretend he knew.
“So what was your reaction?”
“To?”
“You know.”
“Aghast,” Frank said.
“Aghast?”
“Yeah. Aghast, it means shocked. And . . . I was, um . .. .really . . . uh surprised at Dean.”
“You aren’t the only one. I’m done.” She grabbed the pan.
“Thanks.” Frank slid off the table. “So how long do you think this will affect the two of you?”
Ellen chuckled. “Forever, don’t you agree?”
“Um . . . yeah.”
“I really have to get back to work. Stop by later and let me check on that.”
“I will. And you’re all right?”
“No, not really. Come on, Frank, it was bad.” Ellen moved to the door. “I mean, really, need I say more.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Talk to you later.” Ellen opened the door and pulled it closed in her step out. She shook her head at Frank and it even made her chuckle on how he actually thought she believed he knew all about what happened.
^^^^
Art class.
At school, Jenny always deemed Friday the easy day. The kids had enough for the week and she always started them with art on Friday. And art class was the perfect class for Dean to interrupt. He could hear the laughter coming from the school and the broken English of Forrest Caceres as he taught. Dean sought a break from the long night of not sleeping and working and that break would be with his kids.
Fully intending to slip into the school, Dean let out a peep of surprise and jolted when the door opened and Jenny literally slipped out and immediately closed the door.
“Hey Jenny.”
“Dean, what are you doing here?” Jenny’s tone was hard.
Dean paused with a blink. Was Jenny giving him attitude? Nah! It was his imagination. “I came to see the kids. Mind if I sneak in?”
“Yes, I do.”
“O.K., then can you get them.”
“No . . . no I cannot.”
“What?”
“Dean,” Jenny hesitated, “you can’t see the kids.”
“What do you mean I can’t see my kids?”
“Lower your voice.”
“No.”
“Then come this way.” Jenny walked from the school door and down the path. “Dean.”
Dean reluctantly followed. “Why . . . why can’t I see them?”
“Ellen . . .”
“Oh great. Great!” Dean’s voice raised some more. “You believe Ellen?”
“I believe what Ellen showed me.”
“What the gods-eye, the tape, the wrinkled picture?” Dean pointed as he spoke. “Jenny, you know damn well, better than anyone, she took that conversation out of context. You were the one I was talking to! You were there! Remember?”
“Dean, listen . . .”
“No! Alex ate another bug to get out of school. She doesn’t make my skin crawl. I don’t hate my daughter. I want to see her.” Dean tried to get by her.
Jenny stopped him.
“Let me by, Jenny. I want to see my daughter. I need to see her.”
“You need to see her?”
“What . . . what is that tone for?”
“How badly, Dean? So badly it warrants this behavior?” Jenny crossed her arms.
“She’s my daughter. You’re stopping me. How the hell else am I supposed to react?”
“Not this shocked.”
“Excuse me?” Dean asked with a tilted head.
“You wanna see her so bad. When’s the last time you saw your daughter.”
“I saw her . . .” Dean paused to think. “I saw her . . .”
“Let me help you.” Jenny had edge. “Monday night. Monday night at Beginnings’ Day. It’s Friday.”
“I have seen her since . . .”
“No.” Jenny shook her head. “No, you haven’t. You went to the lab early Tuesday. Ellen dropped Alex off at school. She was sleeping when you left. Ellen took Alex from school Tuesday. You didn’t even see her leave. Yesterday . . . yesterday she had a traumatic experience. Did you once stop to see if she was all right?”
“I . . . I was busy. Things happened during the day that . . .”
“That what? Took precedence over your daughter? I’m sorry you and your little girlfriend have a problem, but when you stop letting it reflect on your child then, in my opinion, you’ll have the right to see her. Until then, I will follow the orders Ellen gave me.”
“I am her father. And I’m . . .” Dean closed his eyes. “Thank God.” He saw Joe. “Joe!”
“Call Joe over. Go on.”
“What’s wrong?” Joe felt the tension.
“Joe, tell her.” Dean pointed. “She won’t let me see my kids.”
“She what?” Instant anger hit him. “Jenny, you will let him see his kids.”
“No, Joe.”
“No Joe?” Joe stepped to her. “No Joe?”
“He is not allowed and I am sticking to my guns.” Jenny crossed her arms.
“You have no right,” Joe stated.
“I have every right.”
“Says who?” Joe squeaked out the words.
“Says you.” Jenny reached behind her. “Did you or did you not give Judge Hawthorn the authority to make domestic decisions.”
Joe went silent.
“You did.” Jenny slammed a piece of paper in Dean’s chest. “She did. I take it, Dean, you didn’t check your mailbox at the lab. Ellen saw her first thing this morning when she took Elliott back.
Before Dean could look at it, Joe took the order and opened it. “I don’t believe this shit. It’s a temporary order to keep you away from all your kids. Son of a bitch.”
“Joe,” Dean sounded confused and he stared blankly. “She can’t do this, can she? She can’t keep me from my kids.”
“We established Domestic Relation laws, Dean.”
“Oh my God.” Dean closed his eyes.
“But . . .” Joe held up his hand and the order. “She is not the top of the line. Joint Council is. We’ll go speak to Grace and get this straightened out. If we hit a brick wall, you bring this up to the Joint Council. You have a right to see your kids. You’re a good father. This is wrong. Let’s go. We’ll take a Jeep to New Bowman now.”
“Thanks, Joe.” Dean’s shoulders dropped in relief. “Thanks.”
Before Joe walked away with Dean, he harshly handed the order back to Jenny. “When you see my daught
er, you warn her to steer clear of me. She’s crossed a bad line. She’s dead wrong.” With no more said and with haste, Joe moved on with Dean.
^^^^
The legal eagle apparel was not present, mostly because both Danny and Henry stopped in the middle of the work morning to have an interview with Rev. Bob.
“Morning, Henry.” Danny was getting ready to sit at the prepared table.
“Morning.” Henry shut the door and walked over to the table. He didn’t carry a briefcase. He carried a tablet.
“Do you have your questions?” Danny asked.
“Yes. You?” Henry sat down.
“Right here.” Danny held up his tablet. “I brought a tape recorder. We’ll give you a copy of the tape and Trish will type up the transcripts.”
“Why are you so efficient?” Henry asked Danny.
“That’s me.” Danny looked at his watch. “Do you have a lot of questions? I have that oven at the bakery to work on.”
“Nah, you?”
“Nope.”
Both men looked up when they heard the shutting of a door. It came from down the hall where they held Rev. Bob. Johnson. One of Security escorted him to a chair across from Henry and Danny, stepped back, and stayed in the room.
“Good morning, boys,” Rev. Bob smiled. “You’re looking well.”
Danny nodded. “Thanks. How are you?”
“As well as can be expected. The good Lord is taking care of me.”
“Rev. Bob,” Henry spoke. “Since you’re a vital witness in the case, we’d like to ask you some questions.”
“Shoot.” Rev. Bob folded his hands on the table.
Danny turned on the tape recorder. “Henry?”
“You can go first.”
“Thanks.” Danny lifted his tablet. “Rev. Bob, you claim Andrea is working for George Hadley. Why is that?”
“She approached me and told me.”
“Why would she do that?” Danny asked.
“Because my cousin wanted to get me involved.”
“And you have always been an unwilling participant?”
“Always,” Rev. Bob answered.
“So, how long ago would you say it was that Andrea approached you?” Danny asked.
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 82