CHAPTER TEN
The feelings that stirred inside of Joe were similar to that one day when Robbie was twelve years old. He received a half a dozen staples in his head when Hal accidently tossed him through the window in a pseudo-wrestling match. He was a little dizzy and out of it, but Robbie had to be home alone. Joe had no choice. The case he was working on at that time didn’t allow for time off and he couldn’t leave Hal with Robbie. Joe overheard them discuss way too much the outcome of what would happen if the staples were removed prematurely.
So he called Robbie every half hour. He felt like the worst parent in the world leaving his ill child home to fend for himself even though Robbie was old enough. It was just like the current situation. Robbie was an adult, yet he needed assistance and Joe had to work.
Joe’s mood was not the best. He dealt with Frank in a brief meeting and then he intended to go to his office for his routine call to Hal, only to find out the rest of Jason’s body had been discovered.
It made Joe sick and it made him sad, all at the same time. Who did he really have other than his kids? In actuality, Joe had no one in Beginnings he could talk to on the same level or share a drink. Not that there wasn’t a ton of people he’d love to hang about with, but it seemed, although it was none of Joe’s doing, that the people of Beginnings kept their distance as if he were untouchable.
With Jason gone, it would make for some lonely evenings.
How long had Joe been gone, an hour maybe? Robbie sounded a bit perturbed when Joe radioed the second time, but Joe justified that as he wanted to share with Robbie the news Hal had about a new town. It was far away but full of people. The details would be shared later. Hal gave the numbers, told of the leader’s request to join Beginnings, and then told Joe he and Elliott had it all worked out and not to worry about it.
Joe worried. Hal hadn’t thought it through. His son only saw the numbers as he always did. Joe supposed after a few days, and a lot of Elliott logic, a viable plan of moving the town and settling them as a colony of Beginnings would be presented. He’d wait. He had a lot of other things on his mind.
But they were things he could think about at home. Gathering up his cigarettes, Joe locked the phone away and stood. He didn’t get very far. Henry knocked on the door and walked right in.
The look on Henry’s face led the projection of tension that flowed into the room with him. Feeling that, Joe sat back down. “What’s up, Henry?”
Henry shut the door less than gently. “This is bullshit, Joe.”
“I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
Henry’s hair flung as he shook his head in disbelief. “I think you do.”
“I won’t presume to know. Tell me.”
“Fine.” Henry held up his hand. “First, it was bad enough that Dean went behind the investigators back and did a paternity test . . .”
“Whoa-whoa-whoa,” Joe stopped him. “Why would you say he went behind the investigator’s back? How do you know we didn’t ask him?”
“Because it wasn’t important to the case.”
“You don’t think?” Joe asked with edge. “I can’t believe none of us thought of it. It is very important to the case, Henry. I think you disagree because you, well, you know.”
“That’s well and fine that you’re aware of it and Frank is part of the team. Dean. Yeah, he did the test. But I think it’s bullshit that everyone in this town knows,” Henry’s voice raised with emotions, “Dean and his games. He wants me to pay. He started it.”
“Henry . . .”
“No, it shouldn’t have been spread about. It’s wrong! It’s my business. I have people looking at me, saying things, and telling me I was wrong for what I did to Ellen and Dean. I’ve recieved three letters so far asking me to resign.”
Joe tried to be reasonable. “Henry, I believe you are responsible for beginning this whole mess.”
“No!” Henry yelled. “No, I’m not! And you know what Joe? What I did wasn’t all that wrong and I don’t deserve to be verbally crucified when I walk down the street! It’s vicious. Who ever started this whole mess, did it intentionally.”
“I don’t think so.” Joe shook his head. “I believe it was an accident.”
“Oh, you would say that, wouldn’t you?” Henry snapped. “It’s an accident to tell everyone? It’s an accident to get people roused up? It’s an accident to ask them to hate me and to want my resignation of everything. It’s no accident, Joe. I’ll tell you what. If she wanted a war, your fuckin daughter just started one.” Henry spun to the door.
“Hold it right there!” Joe’s calm was gone as he lifted from his chair and walked to Henry. “First off, if I ever hear you talk about my daughter like that again, I’ll personally nail your skinny ass. You’re wrong,” he stated with a strong point.
“She’s wrong.”
“You have no one to blame but yourself! No one!”
“All because I slept with Bev!”
“No! All because you litter.” Joe reached into his front pocket and with an extension of his hand to Henry’s chest, he slammed a crinkled note to him. “Recognize that? She wrote that to you. I intercepted that note up in Plastics, Henry. After looking into it, I found out that some discovered that crumbled on the street. Now . . .” Joe lowered his voice. “If you tell me Ellen crumbled that up and threw it away, I will take back what I said. Did she?”
Henry looked at the note. “No.”
“The next time you want to rant and rave that you’re the victim, make sure you’re not your own antagonist.” Joe said no more. He reached around Henry, opened the door, and walked out.
^^^^
If John Matoose would say to himself, ‘OK, I don’t think I have ever been so nervous’ he would be lying, but he was close to that point. The wooden chair was hard and his fingers tapped to each other in their fold over and over again. It looked like a principal’s office with books, two big windows, and a large oak desk. The room was very clean; even the ashtray had only one cigarette butt and the remnant of ashes were swept to one neat corner.
How long did he sit there? It was John’s own fault. He went there and said he didn’t mind waiting. Was it as long as he thought or was it his nerves? He heard the undistinguished voices along with the footsteps on the wooden stairs not far from the open door that. But as soon as he recognized the one voice as Hal’s, John swore his stomach flopped and went out of control.
“I’d appreciate that. Thanks,” Hal said in the hall.
John sat up, kept his eyes forward to Hal’s chair, and cleared his throat.
“Well.” Hal’s voice finally entered the room.
John closed his eyes when he heard the door close.
“I don’t believe you and I have ever had a conversation.”
John shifted his eyes to Hal’s large hand that extended down to him. He shook it and nervously smiled. “No. We uh, haven’t.”
“There’s always a first.” Hal walked around his desk and sat down. He let out a slight sigh of relief. “You know, you don’t think much of having a cast but, I’ll tell you, they’re heavy.” Hal smiled, pulled out a cigarette, and leaned back in his chair. “Sgt. Owens told me you needed to speak to me. What can I do for you?”
“I . . .” That was all John got out. He had to stop to clear his throat. “I don’t know what to call you, Hal or Capt. Slagel.”
“Hal’s fine.”
“Hal, do you know about me?” John asked.
“In what respect?” Hal asked.
“About my former connection to the Society.”
“Ah.” Hal took a hit of his cigarette. “I believe so, yes.”
“I’ve known your family for a good many years, since the beginnings of, uh Beginnings.” John paused to try to collect his words. “I haven’t known you. I’m hoping, since you, I’m . . .I’m hoping for confidentiality by coming to you.”
Hal tilted his head and lifted his hand. “Absolutely.”
Silence. John star
ed. He watched Hal bring the cigarette to his mouth and curve his index finger over it. He looked at his face and the lines on his forehead and even though Hal was much younger, all John saw was Joe.
“John?”
John shook his head once. “You know what? I am sorry for wasting your time.” He stood up.
“Mr. Matoose, you came here for a purpose. You asked for confidentiality. I have given it.” Hal stood as well.
“That means from your family too.” He saw the look Hal gave him. Frightened, John hurried to the door. “I’m sorry. Forget it.” He took another step to the door and, with a beating heart, John turned around and spewed the words out quickly. “I know I’m not supposed to know that you guys are looking for another Society insider but I think it’s your nephew you’re looking for.” John opened the door.
“Stop!” Hal ordered strongly and walked over to the door. His hand reached out and closed it. “Repeat that.”
John closed his eyes. “I think . . . no,” he exhaled, “I know it’s your nephew Johnny.”
“You know this for a fact?” Hal asked.
“I don’t expect you to believe me. I know my reputation.”
“You know this for a fact?” Hal repeated the question. “How?”
“He’s been blackmailing me into helping him,” John spoke softly. “He set the bomb but I don’t have physical proof of that. He tried to kill you because he thinks you killed Bev.” John lifted his eyes to try to see some sort of expression on Hal’s face.
Calmly, Hal nodded. “I see.” Slowly he turned, took a step to his desk, and then stopped. With youthful enthusiasm he hardly ever showed, he drew in his fist with an excited, “Yes!” Then he added just a twinge of a body dance.
“Hal?” John was confused.
“Oh, yes.” He clenched his jaw. “This is my lucky day. John, sit down.” Hal motioned to the chair. “First Richie, then you.” He walked around and sat down behind his desk with a huge grin. “You and I have a lot to discuss.”
John breathed out every ounce of nervousness he had. The moment he sat back down and looked at Hal, he knew he had made the right choice.
^^^^
With a letter in his hand, Henry’s entire body leaned into the door to close it. “Another one,” he whispered out and turned around to face Hector in the living room.
“Are you sure?” Hector asked.
“Positive. I don’t need to read it. I mean, they’re not slipping them under my door; they’re hand delivering them and stating their intentions as they do.” Henry dropped the note on the sofa table. It landed on a stack of letters. “What am I gonna do? Was it that bad? Did I do something that horrible?”
After a hard blink, Hector stood up. “It depends on what you’re referring to. Sleeping with Bev? No.” He shook his head. “Hiding it? No.” Another shake of his head. “Watching your friends’ marriage fall apart when you knew if you opened your mouth you could help, even just a little . . . um. Yes.”
“Thanks.”
“You asked.”
“Did you have to be so honest?” Henry walked over to the sofa and plopped down.
“Henry, I told you awhile ago, if it came out that you slept with Bev in that ‘pregnancy’ time frame, you would be in for a shit load of hurt.”
“But that’s not the reason everyone is writing those letters,” Henry said. “It’s because I slept with Bev. That’s why. I didn’t know she was the enemy when I did it. They have no right to judge me, none. It pisses me off. What about Kevin? What about the others she serviced, huh? What about them? I don’t see the women of the community and other ‘holier than thou’ individuals asking them to quit their jobs.”
“You my friend, have a valid point, but . . .” Hector lifted a finger. “None of them are on Council. None of them run a ‘trusted’ division, and not one of them is second in line for leadership. And you’re wrong.” Hector dropped his voice as he sat next to Henry. “You are very wrong. It’s not just because you slept with Bev that they want your resignation. It’s for hiding it. It’s for the lying. It’s for the betrayal. Whether you believe it or not, you betrayed your friends by your silence. Now . . . think about it. Trust in a leader is a very big thing. Can they trust you? If your close friends cannot, how can they?”
Henry gave a sulking expression. “What am I supposed to do?”
“What they ask. A good leader always does.”
“Quit?” Henry stood up. “Resign from Council? Pull back as head of Mechanics? Give up all authority in Beginnings? Bullshit. I deserve better.”
Henry’s words etched at Hector. “Why is that?” he asked with edge. “Why do you deserve better? Why do you deserve to have the mistrust overlooked and forgotten about?”
“Because I am an original. I started this place.” Henry pointed.
“That is so wrong!” Hector shook his head in disgust. “So what, you broke ground here and got things up and running. I hate to tell you this, Henry, but that was years ago and a lot of us have been here for years. We worked hard and have kept this place running. We didn’t have our own housing handed to us. We didn’t get a leadership position handed to us. We didn’t automatically get ‘head of this’ and ‘head of that’. For those of us who are in authority now, let me tell you, we worked for it and earned it.”
“And you’re saying I didn’t?”
“No! I’m not saying that,” Hector argued. “I’m saying just because you were here longer and you are labeled an original, doesn’t make you better. That’s been your problem, Henry. Wanna know why you have minimal friends? Why the letters asking for your resignation poured in so fast? You have placed yourself above everyone for so long that you thought you were untouchable. You’re not God, Henry. You’re a resident of Beginnings who made a mistake and in everyone’s eyes abused the authority. Admit your error, accept the consequences, and move on.”
“Then what?” Henry shook his head. “No, I won’t do it. I’ll fight.”
Hector calmed down and nodded. “For what? To keep your position and your Council spot? Sure. Fight. What’s that gonna give you? Will it give you the respect from the people back? Will it give you their trust again? No. The only way to do that is to start from scratch, work hard, and earn it back.”
“But what is that going to make me, Hector?” Henry asked.
Peacefully, Hector smiled. “Like everyone else.” He took a step closer to Henry. “Not a failure, not a loser, but finally . . . one in the majority.”
^^^^
Johnny’s head pounded. He swore he had reached the point of no return with his anger. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. First was the news that Henry had actually fathered Bev’s baby. That cause an outrage that made him wish he had a viable reason for beating the hell out of Henry. But those out of control feelings subsided when Johnny took a walk to his grandfather’s office. The walk cooled him down and made him realize that Henry being the father worked in his favor, because had Johnny had truly held the paternity award, he would have been screwed.
Calm and ready to call George, Johnny’s head throbbed again and his rage increased when the pass code he figured out was no longer accepted. With his thoughts flying off the handle as he barreled back toward town, Johnny once again calmed down when he took a moment to think of another reason, aside from Ellen, for the code change.
When routine security measure came as the justification, Johnny felt better until he stepped into the clinic and tried to access the strong pain medication for his headache.
He was locked out. His key didn’t even fit in the opening.
The banging of his fist in his frustration against the cooler rang out loud in the empty clinic and alerted Melissa who was walking down the hall.
“Johnny?” She stepped into the lab. “Is everything all right?”
Surprised, Johnny lifted his head. “Um. Why am I locked out of here?”
“Everyone is. Dean and Ellen orders.” Melissa shrugged. “What did you need?”
>
“I have a killer headache.”
“Oh, I have something at the nurse’s counter. Want me to get it?”
“Sure.” Johnny nodded. “Thanks. Oh, hey Melissa?”
Melissa stopped. “Yes?”
“What are we supposed to do for access to this at night?”
“Dean and Ellen will leave a supply. If there’s an emergency, we really should call them anyhow, right?”
“Did they leave anything super strong in the supplies tonight?” Johnny asked.
Melissa looked at him with an apologetic smile. “Not yet but Ellen’s supposed to come back. She’s fiddling with something down in the cryo, but I’ll get you something right now.”
‘Thanks.” Johnny nodded and faced the cooler again. The locked cooler, the changed pass code. Was it all a coincidence, his paranoia, or was it . . . Ellen? With the thought of her, Johnny headed to the cryo-lab.
^^^^
Like a crack addict seeking her fix, Ellen’s entire mood changed the second she walked into the cryo-lab. “I am here.” She actually smiled and enjoyed the foul aroma that flowed through the lab. It seemed like forever since she had been down there. Dean stopped by only to feed the hybrids. She only hoped that their work down in the cryo-lab wouldn’t be put on hold for very long.
She heard the scuffling of the deformed foot smacking against the cage and it made Ellen smile. “Hi,” she sang her word as she walked over to the failure cross of a rabbit and a squirrel. “Did you miss me? Yeah.” She bent to the cage. “Haven’t seen me, huh?” She sniffed. “Oh.” With a turn of her head, she saw the reason for the stench three cages down. “Well, it looks like Dean missed one this morning.”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 199