The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  Frank shook his head.

  “Oh my God,” Dean exclaimed. “Frank’s the President of this country and it still functions?”

  “Sir,” Lancing spoke up. “I know you are of importance, but I am going to ask you, out of respect, to not insult this man.”

  With a smile of enjoyment, Frank closed his eyes and shook his head. He had a soft demeanor to him. “Lancing, that’s fine. Really. Dean . . . Dean is coming straight from a time where, well, I was a very different man. He used to . . .” Frank winked. “He used to pick on me. So let him. I think I’ll enjoy it.”

  Dean scratched his head. He checked out Ellen who stared at Frank like a teenage girl at her idol. “What is going on?”

  “Sir,” Lancing said. “I really have to secure them in their quarters.”

  “I understand,” Frank replied. “I’ll see them at the meeting.”

  Lancing continued. “You do have the late private supper with them scheduled for after the meeting. Shall I get your secretary to finish picking out the menu?”

  “No,” Frank said. “I’ll do it.” He looked at Ellen and brought her hand to his lips. “Thank you for this.” He kissed her hand softly then gave it back to her. “See you in a little while.”

  “I’ll see you,” Ellen spoke in a near whisper. She felt Lancing take her arm and lead her away from Frank but Ellen kept looking back to him.

  “Bill,” Frank called out. “How . . . how did I do?”

  Billy stopped at the door as Dean an Ellen passed him with Lancing. “You did really well, Dad.” Giving Frank a smile, he pulled the door closed.

  “Dad?” Dean questioned. “Dad? President Slagel?” He said as they walked. “El, I feel like I’m in a remake of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.”

  Ellen chuckled as a courteous response but her mind was elsewhere, on Frank and on all the non-verbal information she received in that brief moment in his office.

  ^^^^

  “Dead.” Ellen stepped from the bathroom into the hotel room suite. She wore a thick white robe and combed her wet hair. “What are you doing?” She walked to the bed where Dean laid on his stomach, writing.

  “Oh, making notes of what was going on when we left Beginnings.” He looked at her. “Did you shower?”

  “Yeah. The bathroom is great.” She sat on the bed. “Dean, a hotel. Can you believe that?”

  “If I wasn’t here, no.” He bit the pencil then shifted his eyes to her bare leg that protruded from the robe. He lifted the edge of the robe slightly, peeked, smiled, and returned to his writing.

  “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “It’s been a while. Did you see . . . .” Dean paused to write. “El? What was Hal’s demeanor in Joe’s office?”

  “Lost,” Ellen stated.

  “Not mad?” Dean shrugged.

  “No. He was covering for Robbie. Remember Robbie was just sitting there all quiet. Hal got himself into something and was stuck. Lost.”

  “All right. Lost.” Dean wrote down. “Did you see the clothes they provided? They gave me a suit. A suit?”

  “I guess Sears and Roebucks Children’s department opened back up again.” She stood from the bed.

  “Oh, you’re funny. Thanks. No, when will I wear a suit?”

  “Didn’t they give you anything else?”

  “Yeah, but they included a suit.”

  “They must need you dressed up or something.” She opened the armoire. “Shit. They gave me a dress.”

  “See.”

  “I hope they at least give me pantyhose. I probably won’t be able to put them on. It’s been so long since I have worn them.”

  “You’ll feel like you’re strangling.”

  Smiling, while holding a shirt, Ellen turned around. “That’s cute.” She tossed the shirt on the chair and began to rummage for clothing, checking everything out. “Oh, wow. Make-up.”

  Biting the pencil, Dean peeked over his shoulder. “You’re not going to wear it, are you?”

  “Dean, why not?” She laughed. “If they have make-up, women are wearing it again. I’ll look so drab compared to them.”

  “I doubt it.” Dean rolled to his side to keep his eyes on Ellen when he realized she was getting dressed. “What um . . . what . . .” Dean’s words got lost as he slipped into concentrating more on her dressing.

  Ellen giggled. “Stop that.”

  “Sorry. It’s been a while. Anyhow . . .” Dean cleared his throat. “What were you saying when you came out of the bathroom. Who is dead.?”

  “Us.”

  Dean laughed. “No, El.”

  “Dean, why do you think we didn’t see us?”

  “Um, maybe because we aren’t allowed to deliberately see anyone from our time. Or maybe we’re spread out, living in Georgia or something.”

  “No, Dean. We’re dead.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Frank told me.”

  “El,” he snickered. “I was right there. What did he do? Whisper it in your ear.”

  “I can’t believe you, Mr. Scientist, aren’t seeing it. You’re in denial.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “Nope. Dead.” Ellen finished dressing and returned to the bed to sit with him. “The look on Frank’s face when he saw me, I know that look. Remember . . . well, no, you wouldn’t, but when you died on me and when I saw you for the first time after that, I had that same look. Only Frank’s was deeper. He was shocked. I’m gonna guess it’s been a really long time since I died.”

  “El, that’s sad.” Dean sat up. “So is that why you rushed to him like it’s been forever since you saw him?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “Because I wished, when I saw you, that you would have done the same thing to me. But how would you have known? I knew as soon as I saw him. And . . . even though it was only an hour since I saw him last, I kind of figured, he needed that return ‘good to see ya’ feel.”

  Dean’s expression dropped. “I wish I would have thought of that.”

  “Why would you? You were looking for yourself.”

  “I should have known. Billy was calling him Dad. And, honestly, why would they need us here, if we were already here?”

  “Denial.”

  “Denial.”

  Ellen breathed out. “So . . . I’m gonna guess, ten years, maybe a few more, no less.”

  “Where do you get that reasoning?” Dean asked.

  “Think about it. Our work is important. Important enough to bring us back but what have we done? All of our ‘for the future’ work is just getting off the ground. So going by that theory, we had to have accomplished much to make an impact.”

  “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”

  “I took a long shower.”

  “I thought you were just shaving your legs.”

  “That too.” Ellen smiled.

  Without forewarning, Dean slipped his hand behind her neck, pulled her to him, and kissed her. “Do you realize what’s happening right now?’

  “We’re on a bed in a hotel room?”

  “Aside from that.” Dean laid his hand on hers. “We’re twenty years in the future. They’re gonna shield us pretty much from anything and everything because they are sending us back. But . . . while we’re here, it’s gonna be you and me.”

  “O.K.” Ellen didn’t know where he was going.

  “You took a long shower. I was thinking too. It’s never been just you and me, ever. For the first time in our lives, our relationship will have no outside influence.”

  “It could be for a very short time.”

  “It could be for longer. Think how interesting it could be.” Dean peered with seriousness. “Our lives, the ones we know, are actually freeze framed. When we go back, everything will be right exactly where we left off. We have been given the chance to step out of our normal lives, return, and never miss a beat. We can take full advantage of it.” He looked up innocently from her hands to her eyes. “May I?”

  “Witho
ut a doubt, but . . .”

  Dean whined and plopped completely backwards to the bed. “I knew it.”

  “What?” Ellen leaned down to him. “I didn’t even say anything.”

  “I’m sitting here telling you we finally have no outside influence and you want to add it.” Dean raised his arm over his eyes.

  “Dean.” She moved his arm, hovering her face over his. “How much of an outside influence can Frank really be? He’ll never be alone one on one with us. I’m not saying make him an outside influence. I’m saying let’s make him a part of our lives. If I lost Frank tomorrow and, ten years from now, he re- entered my life, I’d want to bask in it. Relive what I had with him. Feel it again. Think about it.”

  “You’re right.” Dean had no argument to him. “I know what you’re saying. But Lancing is going to be around, or another time cop.”

  “Dean, you’re so witty tonight.”

  “Thanks. So what do you have in mind?”

  “Just basic stuff. Pay attention to him while we’re here. He’s not gonna wanna bring up memories, because he’s gonna think it’ll sound stupid to us because we just saw him. So let’s us bring up memories. He’s going to act like we’re long lost friends. We’ll act the same. It’ll be a gift.”

  “I’ll do it. But, since he requested it, don’t think I won’t pick on him.”

  “I think that will be a little hard,” Ellen said.

  “Because of Lancing?”

  “No, because of Frank, or haven’t you noticed? He’s a totally different man now,” she spoke almost sadly. “He seems like he lost his spark for life.”

  Dean swallowed intensely. “That’s because he lost you.” He cleared his throat. “But you’re back and I’ll bet the world won’t be ready, because it won’t be long before the old Frank is too.”

  Ellen smiled and leaned further down into him. “Dean?” she spoke softly. “Do you know how long it’s been since you and I were on a bed in a hotel together?”

  “Never for me.” He pulled her closer. “Frank changed that time frame with Robbie. I have no recollection.”

  “Maybe while we’re here I can fill you in sometime.”

  “Oh, I’d like that.” Moving Ellen to him, Dean began to kiss her, but not for long. The ‘click-click’ of the hotel room door, along with Billy’s ‘whoops, sorry’ separated them quickly.

  Ellen looked back at Billy who stood there with Lancing right behind him, then down to Dean with a smile. “What was that you were saying about outside influence?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Wasn’t that nice of Billy?” Dean spoke sarcastically as he and Ellen stepped from the hotel suite. “Stopping by to tell us to get dressed up.”

  “You look handsome,” Ellen commented as they followed the guard. “I can’t believe you forgot how to tie a tie.”

  “I was rusty. I didn’t forget.” Dean inched his fingers between the collar of his dress shirt and his neck. “I’m strangling here.”

  “You?” Ellen tugged on the waist of her pantyhose then lost her balance in the high heels she wore.

  Dean laughed. “Aren’t we the sight?”

  The guard held open the elevator door for them to step inside.

  “This is so weird,” Dean commented.

  “Dean, you look really handsome. You dress up well.” She reached and fixed the side of his hair.

  “You look great too, El. I don’t know if I like the make-up.”

  “I’m not wearing much, I don’t think. It’s less than I did in the old world.” She tapped the guard on the shoulder. “Soldier, compared to the women now, am I wearing too much, the same, or too little make-up?”

  “I really couldn’t tell you, Ma’am,” he answered.

  “Odd.” Ellen gave a quirky look. “What impact on the future would that have by telling me?”

  “It has nothing to do with that,” the guard said when the elevator stopped. “I mean . . . I really couldn’t tell you.”

  “Oh.” Ellen shrugged and whispered to Dean. “Maybe he’s gay.”

  “No, if he was gay, he’d know.”

  “True,” Ellen exhaled. “Talk about feeling like fish out of water.”

  “You feel that way too?”

  “Yeah. Dean? I wonder if they’ll allow us to bring back souvenirs.”

  “I doubt it.”

  Ellen slowed down and brought her lips to his ear. “Good thing I brought my purse then, huh?”

  A bright look hit Dean. “You know what? Yeah it is now. Just don’t hit me with it.” They resumed their pace.

  “Don’t you sort of feel like that couple in the one Planet of the Apes movie?” Ellen asked.

  So excited, Dean responded. “Oh, my God, El, you are so right.”

  “Hope they don’t plan on gunning us down on a barge somewhere.”

  At that exact moment, at the same time, Dean and Ellen stopped.

  “El.” Dean turned serious. “You know what thought I just had.”

  “I hope it’s not the same one I’m having.”

  “It could be. With all the stuff we’re working on.”

  “God, Dean, what if they brought us here to kill us? You know. Say we invent something that is really bad. They brought us here to wipe us out and stop it.”

  At that instant, the guard chuckled.

  Both Ellen and Dean looked back at him, then at each other.

  “Dean? Why is he laughing?”

  “He knows something.”

  The guard walked ahead of them. “Here we are.”

  Ellen peeked into the conference room. “It looks empty.”

  “They’ll be here.” The guard stepped in first. He motioned his hand to a long table where there were only two seats. “Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?”

  “We’re fine,” Dean responded and sat down at the same time as Ellen. He watched the guard step to the corner of the room then Dean’s eyes went forward. A distance of about eight feet separated the table where Dean and Ellen sat from the long table with more chairs. “I feel like we’re going to be on trial.”

  “It’s an inquisition.”

  “Our death.”

  Again, both Dean and Ellen looked to the guard, who again, laughed.

  “Dean? What if we’re dead already and we’re in some sort of purgatory.”

  “That’s actually not a bad theory,” Dean said. “Like we died when we stepped from Joe’s office, but don’t remember dying.”

  “We really should go back to our room and write down every single theory we come up with.”

  After looking at the guard, Dean slumped in his chair toward Ellen so as not to be heard. “Everything we write down, we have to hide in the lining of your purse just in case they check it.”

  Ellen nodded then they both sat straight up, when a door opened from behind the long table .

  Billy stepped out and grinned. He held up a finger then whispered out, “I feel important.”

  Ellen just stared. “He looks so much like you. But he has that grin . . .”

  “Robbie,” Dean said.

  “Yeah.” Ellen nodded. “He grins like Robbie. Shit.”

  “What?” After looking at Ellen, Dean looked forward to the group of men, including Frank, that Billy led over to them.

  “Stand up,” Billy instructed in a soft voice.

  Ellen stood up and waved to Frank who was second from last in what looked like a receiving line.

  “Mother, Father,” Billy said. “I’d like to introduce you to the Joint Council. First, General Yokasumi, Prime minister Of Japan.”

  An elderly gentle looking Asian man approached first. “Doctors Hayes. Pleasure to meet you.” He shook their hands with a slight bow.

  “Prime Minister Lexington, European Leader,” Billy introduced the next.

  Another man, around sixty, shook their hands and stepped aside.

  Billy introduced the next older gentleman, then the next. Countries were spewed forth in their introduc
tions. “And you know my father.”

  “The introduction is a formality,” Frank took Ellen’s hand and kissed it, squeezed it and let it go. He then grasped Dean’s.

  “Don’t kiss me, Frank,” Dean joked.

  Frank smiled, shook Dean’s hand, and stepped aside.

  Dean looked lost. He paid no attention to the remaining man while he was shaking hands with him. He kept looking at Frank who took his seat at the table.

  “All right,” Billy spoke up. “I’ll let Gen. Yokasumi take it from here. He’s the speaker for Joint Council.” Billy side stepped and took a lone chair.

  “Please be seated,” Gen. Yokasumi instructed Dean and Ellen. He folded his hands on the table before him. “First and foremost, I would like to say that is a great pleasure and honor to have you here with us. I am most jealous of President Slagel for the privilege he has of spending time with you as friends. I hope on such an occasion of remembrance, he shall invite us to bear witness and enjoy some stories.”

  Frank gave an agreement nod.

  “Now, I am sure you are so full of questions on why you are with us,” Gen. Yokasumi said. “I hope that we can answer but you must understand, some information cannot be shared. We cannot take a chance that events get changed.”

  Dean nodded. “But bringing us here, even without telling us anything, is taking that chance.”

  “We hope,” Gen. Yokasumi continued, “That your past experience with changing time will weigh heavy on any decision you make which will alter the time we live in now. We ask you do not make an attempt to do so. We shelter you for that fear. It took great thought and consideration in bringing you to our time. We have spent a great deal of time preparing for your arrival and dealing with the sifting of present time information that you receive. We realize there will be error and that our time theorist will not pick up everything you hear. That is a chance we take. When the problem we’ve brought you here for first came to light in most seriousness, your son . . .” He pointed to Billy. “Approached us with the possibility of bringing you back to solve this. You are intelligent people. We need not tell you why we had to go back in time to get you.”

  “We’re dead,” Ellen spoke up.