The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Um . . .” Robbie looked. “Yeah. Maybe just a few.”

  “Good boy.” Joe pushed the cart closer then unrolled the fork. He looked at Robbie seriously. “Do you need me to feed you?”

  “No, I . . .” The corner of Robbie’s mouth slowly raised in a crooked a smile. “Um, yeah. Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.” He glanced down to Robbie and like he did so often, no matter how old Robbie was, Joe saw that ten year old little boy. He picked up the fork.

  ^^^^

  Ellen held tightly onto Jenny’s hand and squeezed it with the comfort that she knew exactly what Jenny was feeling. Her mouth was close to Jenny’s ear as she spoke in an emotional whisper, “Just give me and Dean one more month.”

  Face red, Jenny nodded and clenched onto Ellen.

  “I know it can’t replace this loss but my God, won’t it be wonderful. One month, Jenny. We’ll have our babies back.”

  A long sluggish sniff came from Jenny as she tried to regain her composure. “Thank you for telling me that.”

  “You’re welcome.” Ellen exhaled then looked at John who stood at the end of the bed. “Now, I have to get back to work. I’m not going to release you today. In fact, it probably won’t be for a few more days.”

  John shifted his eyes in concern. “Is there something wrong you aren’t telling us?”

  “No,” Ellen answered. “We want to observe and make sure she doesn’t hemorrhage. Though she could get the rest at home, things are going to be a little hectic for you John,” she told him. “Mechanics is short again. Danny isn’t hurt, but he may, after yesterday, take the day off.”

  John snickered. “Somehow I doubt that but you’re right. It’s just me and him. We all know Scott is not a ‘go out and fix it’ guy.”

  “We remember what happened the last time Scott left his little desk at Mechanics and tried to fix something important.” Ellen looked at Jenny with a nod.

  Jenny exhaled. “Oh boy. Two of the children got hyperthermia in July.”

  John whistled. “We still can’t figure out how he got that air conditioner to blast uncontrollably like that. Give the man a little electronics and he’s a genius. Anything more . . .” John shrugged.

  Ellen looked at her watch. “I’d better go. I know Dean has to get some rest and I’m training Forrest for clinic work today. I’ll be by around lunch.” She started walking.

  “Ellen,” Jenny called out. “You’ll have me out of here before any service for Jason, won’t you?”

  “Without a doubt.” Ellen gave a nod and walked to the door. Surprisingly, she bumped right into Dean. “Talk about searching me out.”

  “Guilty.” Dean raised his hand and walked with her.

  “Going home?”

  “In a few. Forrest just showed up. I wanted to start with him until you got there.”

  “Where am I going to be?”

  Dean reached out and stopped Ellen from walking. “Robbie’s awake.”

  After Ellen’s eyes widened, she took off running.

  A loud ‘oh’ came from Ellen the second she raced inside of Robbie’s room. “Oh my God.” She flew over to his bed, grabbed his face, and plastered him with a blast of small peck kisses. “I was so worried about you. So worried.”

  Joe, holding a fork of eggs, moved her out of the way. “Do you mind, Ellen? He’s trying to have his breakfast.”

  “You’re eating.” She stepped back. “That’s good. Do you want me to feed him, Joe?”

  “No, I got it.” He moved the fork to Robbie’s mouth. “Open.”

  “How are you feeling?” Ellen asked.

  After he swallowed, Robbie answered, “I’m in a little pain.” He gave a half of a shrug. “Not too much.”

  “We’ve been injecting pain killer regularly into your IV.” She folded her arms. “Do you need something stronger?”

  “No.” Robbie shook his head. “I’ll let you know.”

  “O.K., we established the physical part. How are you, Robbie?”

  His lips moved from side to side in a debate he didn’t want to show. “I’ll be all right. Really.”

  “If you need anything, let me know,” Ellen told him. “In fact, I’m in the clinic all day.”

  “Thanks, El.”

  Taking a chance on getting yelled at again by Joe, Ellen walked to the bed and kissed him. “I’ll check back in a little bit.” After he nodded, she took a step back and stared at him with seriousness. “Robbie, I don’t want to take a chance on those bandages getting wet, so if you decide you want to clean up, tell me instead of Glen. I’ll come in and bathe you.”

  Ignoring his father’s grumbling warning of ‘stop that’, Robbie held back that raising corner of his mouth. “Will you, El? You don’t mind?”

  “Not at all. Just buzz me when you’re ready.” She smiled. “Bye, Joe.”

  Joe watched her leave and he shook his head.

  Robbie blinked innocently. “What? Did I do something?”

  Joe mumbled something inaudible and brought the spoon of oatmeal to Robbie’s mouth. “Open up.”

  ^^^^

  Forrest raised his bushy eyebrows as he looked up at Dean in the lab. “Und I am telling you, Don. I am note an Idi-oot.”

  “I’m not saying you are,” Dean spoke. “I just want to review procedure.”

  “Don.” Forrest snapped. “Ma mund is note de bust rut now. Ma Frund has pissed on. I huff come to de clin-uck to tuck ma mund off things. I con tuck a blood pressure. No?”

  “Can you?”

  “Don.” Forrest grew more perturbed. “Am I or am I note a doc-tear?”

  “Are you.”

  “Ut!” Forrest pointed to the door. “You, Don, are on ma nerves. Ut. Go oon get some slip. You huff duck circles.”

  “I’m going. I’m going.” Dean walked across the lab, stopped, looked back, and then left. As he walked out into the hall, he saw Hector coming in the door. Oddly to Dean, he was holding Nick.

  “Hey Dean,” Hector called. “I’m glad I caught you. What am I supposed to do with him now? I took him to the greenhouse this morning, but I have a lot to do. Is there a sitter during work hours?”

  “Hector?” Dean had a bit of a snap to his tone. “Why do you have Nick?”

  “I took him last night.”

  “What! You can’t just go and take my son.”

  Unexpected, Frank’s voice interjected, “He’s my son.”

  Dean looked at Frank. “My son. I raise him.”

  “Henry’s son,” Hector corrected. “He made him. Dean, Ellen said it was all right.”

  “Oh.” Dean nodded. “O.K., see ya.” Without saying anymore, Dean walked straight out.

  “Frank?” Hector looked up to him. “What do I do with him?”

  “Hector, you really shouldn’t take a kid if you don’t know what to do with him.”

  “I know what to do with the baby. I don’t know where to put him while I’m working. Is there a sitter?”

  “There’s the nursery,” Frank told him.

  “Really? Where’s that?”

  “How long have you been in Beginnings?”

  “Three years.”

  “Three years and you don’t have a clue where the fuckin nursery is? Man.” Shaking his head, Frank walked off.

  “O.K.” Hector looked at Nick. “I’m going to remain calm. Henry’s gonna have to wait until we find someone who . . . oh, there’s Melissa.” Hector hurried to catch a walking Melissa. “Melissa wait. Hey, do you know where the nursery is?”

  Melissa smiled. “Of course, I do. Don’t be silly.” She walked off.

  Turning around in the hall, Hector smiled when he saw Josephine walking toward the door. “Here’s our answer. Josephine!”

  “What.” A hiccup followed her word.

  “Do you know where the nursery is?”

  “Why?”

  “I have to take Nick there.”

  “Here.” She held out her hands as her body swayed some. “Give him to m
e.” Her feet exchanged over each other and she stumbled a bit. “I’ll take him for you.”

  “Um, no.” Hector smiled politely. “That’s all right.”

  “What? I’m not good enough.”

  “That’s not it. I just would rather do it. Can you tell me where it is?”

  “No!” she snapped and reached for the doors. “Find it yourself.”

  “God!” Hector heaved out. “What is wrong with people? Screw it. You’ll just hang out with me.” Adjusting Nick in his arms, Hector gave up and headed to Henry’s room.

  ^^^^

  Former Quantico Marine Headquarters

  Though he had entertained the thought quite a bit, George Hadley had to stop. The vision of Beginnings as the opening to The Stand replayed in his mind. Instead of piss-ant scientists lying about, he could visualize Dean Hayes in the cryo-lab, hunched over the counter with vomit and blood spewing from his mouth in the after result of a deadly experiment gone haywire. Beginnings were residents scattered about their homeland, dropping where they were when the ventilation system tossed Dean’s mistake into the air. There was silence in Beginnings except for the hint of a noisy breeze that swept through, clanking the gate.

  Pleasant.

  But it was time to face reality. He had a vested interest in Beginnings. He wanted and needed that communications set up. The Society was making progress and George knew before long, they wouldn’t need the satellite and overseas capabilities that Beginnings didn’t realize they had. He supposed he could forget about it all together. But with recent rumors about major plans of defectors in his camps and the thought of the growing retaliatory forces of the UWA, George couldn’t take the chance of leaving that technology in the hands of a budding army.

  They were in a cease fire but they still were, in a sense, at war.

  Two weeks.

  It had been two weeks since George had heard anything from Beginnings. First, he attributed it to a malfunction or communications breakdown, which suited him fine. But it was getting to the point that he had to know.

  All that he received when dialing the phone was dead silence. No ringing, no connection. Aside from the military aspects, George had personal interest there, Bev and Johnny. So with that, he pulled a lottery.

  Six men sat in his office while George made attempts as well. Each man, including himself, had one of the seven Beginnings phone numbers that George knew. In that small grouping, George gave instructions for them to start from the base number and add one. Hopefully by dialing out so much, they may get lucky.

  They did.

  “Sir.” Stewart held up the phone to George. “It’s ringing.”

  Dropping the phone he held, George raced over.

  ^^^^

  “Aside from visiting my brother . . .” Hal moved in an awkward limp across his office. “I suppose my father and brother will want to talk to me about the explosion so I may get held up.”

  Elliott nodded. “I understand. Everything will be fine here.”

  “You don’t have a treatment you’re blowing off today, do you?”

  “Nope.” He shook his head. “I am treatment free for a week. So . . .” Elliott turned to the sound of the ringing phone. “Do you want me to get it?”

  “No.” On one foot, because it was quicker, Hal hopped to his desk. “It’s probably my father wondering where I am.” He picked up the phone and pressed the button. “Yes, Dad?”

  “Fortunately,” George’s crass voice rang over the line, “I am not your father.”

  “Who is this?” Hal asked with edge.

  “Who is this? No. Who is this? Who the hell taught you phone etiquette anyhow?”

  “I will ask again. Who am I speaking to?”

  “George Hadley.”

  “Christ,” Hal mumbled.

  “Now who is this!” George blasted.

  “Captain Hal Slagel, United Western Alliance. What do you want?”

  “What do I want?” George had a sarcastic tone. “I’ll tell you what I want. Two weeks. Two weeks! What the hell is going on, on that side of the goddamn country?”

  ^^^^

  George supposed he should have been happy hearing the news that an accidental fire wiped out most of the Communications Room and until repairs were finished, only two phones were operational. The destruction of the Communication Room was good news, but his mind was heavy with something else. Bev and Johnny. They were in there and they were enemies of the state. If they were found out, there was no way George would know and no way he could help them. Short of going to Beginnings and seeing for himself that they were fine, there was nothing George could do but wait. A waiting game player, he was not. His mind started working immediately on alternate ways to check on his people. He was certain, in time, he would find that way.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “And then he pinged me,” Frank explained as he sat on the edge of Robbie’s bed.

  Robbie snickered a little slurred and dramatic under the effects of the pain medication that had been increased. “That is too funny.”

  “Wait.” Joe held up his hand. “I’m lost. Pinged?”

  “Pinged.” Frank nodded. “Yeah. He’s too little to call it anything else.”

  “What the hell is pinged?” Joe asked.

  “What Billy did to me.”

  Joe winced. “I know that. I don’t know what ping is.”

  “You know,” Frank said.

  “No, I don’t. What? Did he piss on you or something?”

  “Where would you get that?” Frank asked.

  “Ping, pissed. It was a guess.”

  “A bad one.” Frank fluttered his lips. “So, anyhow, Robbie.” He exhaled. “Then I find out he’s making this list of reasons not to worship me.”

  “He must already worship you, Frank,” Robbie said. “I mean, why would Dean be threatened?”

  “True.”

  “Boys!” Joe snapped. “What the hell is pinged!”

  “Dad!” Frank yelled back. “Why are you screaming?”

  “Because you’re aggravating me. You tell a goddamn story that only you two can laugh at.”

  “You didn’t think it was funny?” Frank asked.

  “No, Frank. I didn’t because I don’t have a clue what being pinged means.”

  “It’s what Billy did to me to wake me up.”

  Joe grumbled. “Fine, don’t tell me.”

  “Show him.” Robbie gave a twitch of his head in a point. “I don’t think he’ll understand any terminology, Frank.”

  “Good idea. All right . . .” Frank stood up and faced Joe. “See my fingers?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Pretend they’re small, all right?”

  “All right.” Joe nodded and waited.

  Frank smiled. “Ping.”

  “Ow!” Joe rubbed his forehead. “Asshole.” He swiped out his hand with a hard hit to Frank.

  Robbie genuinely laughed. “Frank. Thanks, man. I really needed to smile. Thanks, Dad.”

  A groan escaped Joe. “You would think that. You’re high, but glad I could help.”

  “It did.” Robbie looked up to Frank. “I knew if you stopped by you could take my mind off of anything by just listening to you talk.”

  “I’m wise,” Frank nodded.

  “You are.”

  “And Frank.”

  “Christ.” Joe shook his head.

  “Of course,” Robbie shrugged. “I don’t think anything can top that today.”

  With a knock on the open door, Hal popped his head in. “Morning.”

  Frank grinned widely. “You don’t think? Check out Hal’s cast.”

  Robbie tried, leaning left to right. “I can’t see it. Frank could you . . .”

  “Sure,” Frank said.

  “Hey!” Hal barked when he felt himself being picked up around the waist by Frank, carried to the bed, and hoisted up two feet from the floor.

  “Man, Hal, you weigh a ton.” Frank set him down.

  Robbie, with a t
ilted head, tried not to laugh. “Hal, that is um . . . beautiful. The color works.”

  “Asshole. There’s something wrong with you.” Hal straightened his clothing, glared at Frank, then grabbed his demeanor and returned his views to Robbie. “How are you feeling little brother?”

  “I’m pretty much stoned right now, Hal. They’re pumping me with all kinds of stuff.” Robbie winked. “Other than that . . . I’m doing.”

  “I’m here if you need me.” Hal ignored Frank’s snicker and walked closer to the bed. “Robbie, I just want to tell you, when you get out of here, if you’d like to spend some time recuperating in New Bowman . . .”

  ‘Why would he want to do that?” Frank interrupted.

  “Am I talking to you?” Hal asked.

  “Boys,” Joe warned.

  “No,” Frank replied. “I was wondering.”

  “Because perhaps I can offer him a peaceful recuperation.”

  “Perhaps,” Frank mocked, “you can’t.”

  “Why do you have to be like that?” Hal snapped.

  “Like what? Hey, you’re the one running around with a pink cast.”

  “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”

  “Boys,” Joe grumbled.

  Frank shrugged. “Not much, but you are.”

  “Boys.”

  “Pansy.” Frank smiled.

  “Dad.” Hal looked at Joe.

  “I quit.” Joe tossed his hands up. “I’d yell at you both but Robbie’s enjoying this too much.”

  “I am.” Robbie grinned. “It takes my mind off of things. Go on,” he said. “Fight.”

  Sarcastically, Joe shook his head. “Would you like me to run out and grab a few more to add to the confusion?” Mid-shake, Joe saw him. “Never mind. Ask and you shall receive.”

  With a sorrowful look on his face, Henry stood by the door. “Hey, Robbie.” His tone was soft.

  “Henry.” Robbie looked up. “How are you?”

  Henry nodded. “I’m good. How are you?”

  “Good,” Robbie replied. “Did you want to come in?”

  “No. Not now. I . . .just wanted to stop by. Maybe later I will again, if that’s O.K.”