The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  Dean knew it was in vain, but after a hesitating press to the button, he brought his radio to his mouth. “Frank.”

  The radio almost flew from Dean’s hand when Frank’s blasting voice came through. “What! What the fuck, Dean!”

  “I still can’t . . .”

  “Dean,” Frank stopped him. “Listen to me one more time. She’s in Beginnings. Go home.”

  “I did. She’s not there.”

  “I’m not gonna stop working to go find our wife.”

  Oddly, Dean looked at the radio. “My wife.”

  “You think?”

  “Frank, look . . .”

  “Dean. Over and out. Do you know what that means?”

  “Yes,” Dean answered.

  “Over and out.”

  Dean looked at the radio. “Frank?” he called in to it. “Frank?” He released the button and waited. Nothing. It had been three hours since Ellen stormed from the lab. He hadn’t seen or heard from her. Despite what he and Frank decided about being the ones to help Ellen, there was a higher source that could get through to her and Dean left the lab to find him.

  ^^^^

  If Johnny Slagel was to give himself credit for anything, it was for being the perfect student. Everything Dean taught him, he took in. He may not have ever applied the knowledge, but he had it. One of the first things Dean taught him were the chemistries, the cause and effects of a lot of medications.

  Everything known about the drug Drexocel was supposedly in theory. The correct amount given to a hyperactive child would cause the proper effect. The same dose given to someone without a chemical imbalance could cause brain damage and a little more than the average dose would cause Richie Martin.

  Johnny didn’t want that. It would draw too much attention and everything would be blown. But Richie had one effect of Drexocel Johnny needed, memory loss. For the first two weeks following Richie’s injection, he didn’t know who he was, where he was, or even that there was a plague. Though that knowledge came back to him, the two weeks he ran amuck and confused were still gone from Richie.

  That was what Johnny sought. Not two weeks, that would be too long. A day or two of confusion to stir things up would work just fine plus it would work in his favor. He wasn’t certain if his theorization would hold true but it was worth a shot. He calculated, kept his fingers crossed, and initiated a test of that theory. It wouldn’t be long before time would give him the results. To be the results he wanted, Johnny had to wait and hope.

  ^^^^

  Before he could say another word, Frank cut him off. “Robbie. Enough.”

  “But three hours Frank?” Robbie asked with concern.

  Frank let out a huff. “I told you our people are watching out for her. I’m betting she’s hiding. You heard Henry. He said she wanted to walk around for a while. She probably got lost. How many times has she done that before?”

  Robbie tilted his head. “True. But I . . .”

  “Robbie.” Frank reached out and placed the revolver in Robbie’s hand. “Dean and I will take care of it.”

  “But I know how you intend on doing that.”

  “Not anymore. We listened to what you said. We’re . . . we’re gonna handle it.” He lifted Robbie’s arm. “We aren’t gonna come down on her again about that drug unless she does something really drastic or dangerous so relax about it. Deal?”

  Half in agreement, Robbie nodded. “Deal.”

  “All right. Let’s practice shooting.” Frank clapped and stepped back. “Aim.”

  Robbie took a deep breath and focused on the target so far away. “I’m a little nervous.”

  “Please. You’ve shot left handed a million times. Just give it a try. If you miss, you miss. I guarantee you won’t miss for long. You’re too good. Go on.”

  Robbie inhaled through his nostrils. He felt the odd grip on the revolver and tried his best to hold a steady aim. With the chamber previously shifted, Robbie thought ‘what the hell’ and fired.

  The panicked scream startled both Frank and Robbie.

  Robbie spun to Frank. “That sounded like . . .”

  “Ellen.” Frank took off toward the target.

  ^^^^

  Ten Days. Joe had to wonder where in the instructions, ‘Must be turned in to me in ten days’, confused people. He had to chase down nearly half of them but since they were anonymous, Joe had to keep posting memos for everyone to turn in the secret punishment ballot.

  Frank was the worst at protecting anonymity. How many did he turn in for others, saying every single time, ‘This one isn’t Dan’s. Just so you know’, or ‘This one isn’t Steve’s.” Who did he think he was kidding? To Joe, the best was when he turned in his own. He laid the wrinkled ballot on Joe’s desk stating, ‘this isn’t mine’ while blasting in Frank’s unmistakable big and bold handwriting, were the words, ‘this sucks.’

  But the ballots were stacked up and Joe kept looking at the stack on his desk. He was as guilty as everyone one else. He had those ballots for three days, yet he had failed to take them to New Bowman to have them counted by Grace and the residents at the House of Lesbians.

  A part of Joe felt it a waste since the investigation had hit a stalemate. There were no more questions left to ask and no one left to ask them to. He dreaded even attempting a group suspect meeting for fear of rounding them all up for the insider again.

  Deep in thought on what to do, Joe peered up from his desk when Dean walked in.

  “Joe, I need to talk to you.” Concerned, Dean approached the desk. “May I?”

  “Sure.” Joe pointed to a chair. “Sit down.”

  Dean did. “Joe . . . this is about Ellen. I’m worried about her. I wasn’t gonna come to you, but I have no choice. This little disappearance is the final straw. It’s been three hours and I can’t find her.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  Dean blinked. “Why don’t you sound concerned.”

  “She’s hiding from you, Dean. Avoiding you. Christ, if you were nagging and calling my name over the goddamn radio every five minutes, I would avoid you too.”

  “No. Joe.” Dean shook his head. “See, Frank and I think she is taking . . .”

  “Anthium,” Joe completed the sentence. “I know what you think. I was there when Johnny made his little announcement as well.”

  “And?”

  “And what do you want me to tell you? She is, she isn’t. All I can tell you is what she told me when I asked her. She said ‘no’ . . .” Joe lifted his hands. “I won’t ask her again.”

  “Why isn’t everyone more concerned about this? The drug will kill her at the rate she is taking it. I’m close to locking her up somewhere and forcing her into detox.”

  “What makes you so sure she’s taking it?” Joe questioned.

  “Her behavior for one. The blood test she took.”

  “You made your wife take a blood test?” Joe asked in disbelief.

  “She volunteered. The results came up positive.”

  “A-ha. And um, how long does Anthium stay in your blood stream. Roundabout figure.”

  Confused, Dean looked at Joe. “Why?”

  “How long?”

  “Could remain in the blood stream for up to a month.”

  “What exactly did you test for? Amount or traces.”

  “Um . . . I . . . traces. Where are you going with this?”

  “After the explosion, Ellen was upset. Did you or did you not give her Anthium to help her sleep?”

  “But Joe . . .”

  “Did you . . . or did you not.”

  “Screw it.” Dean stood up. “I did. All right. I’m the cause of this all. No one is taking this seriously and I’ll tell you, one more episode from her, for her own good, I’m taking control. Whether you, Hal, Robbie, or Ellen like it. I’m her husband. I don’t want to see her end up dead.”

  “I think you’re over reacting,” Joe said.

  The insertion of Frank’s voice into the conversation was a surprise. “Think a
gain, Dad.” Frank stood in the open office door. “We have a problem.”

  ^^^^

  Three miles outside of Beginnings on his way back home was as far as Hal made it when he received Robbie’s radio call about Ellen. It was vague, but it was enough to warrant Hal turning immediately around.

  “That’s it, Elliott. I’ve had enough,” Hal stated strongly in his walk to his father’s house.

  “What are you going to do?” Elliott asked.

  “What I should have done a long time ago. I’m going to come right out and ask her.”

  “About Johnny?”

  Hal paused and looked at Joe’s house. “Yeah. I have to let her know she’s not alone. Maybe if I ask her, question her, she’ll feel safe enough to just let it out.”

  “You know what?” Elliott said. “I have to agree.”

  “Now let’s just hope we’re right about her knowing about him, because if we aren’t . . .” Hal started walking again. “We’ll look like fools.”

  “Not to mention the bad guys for coming down on your nephew.”

  With her hands tight to the side of her head, sitting in Joe’s living room chair, Ellen rocked back and forth. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

  Frank leaned down to her in intimidation. “What do you mean you don’t know, El? You ended up on the firing range.”

  “I don’t know.” She shook her head.

  “Frank,” Robbie stopped him, “just let her go. This isn’t helping her.”

  Dean huffed out. “Letting her go isn’t helping her. El . . . El . . . El” He called her name but she wouldn’t look up. He spoke stronger. “Ellen? Do you even know what is happening right now?”

  “I just . . . I just . . . .” She sighed out when the door opened. “Hal.”

  “Ellen.” Hal hurried in. “Are you all right?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I don’t . . . help me, Hal.”

  Hal hunched down to her level. His eyes raised to Frank and Dean who stood above her. “What happened?”

  Frank explained with irritation. “She was out on the firing range. She doesn’t remember how she got there. She doesn’t even remember the shot that woke her up.”

  Robbie interjected, “She probably does Frank. You and Dean screaming at her is just confusing her.”

  “The drug is confusing her,” Dean barked. “Wake up about it.”

  “Fuck you, Dean,” Robbie snapped back. “You wake up about it. Is this normal?’ He pointed to Ellen.

  “For someone on high doses of Anthium, yes.” Dean nodded.

  “What do you know?” Robbie shook his head and turned away.

  “Robbie.” Frank called to him. “Ask her.”

  “No,” Robbie replied. “I won’t play these games.”

  “They aren’t games. Fine, I will. El,” Frank spoke to Ellen. “El. Ellen!”

  Hal glared up. “Knock it off, Frank.”

  “I will not! You and Robbie knock it off. She doesn’t remember getting there. She doesn’t remember anything about today. Ask her. Ellen, where do you go after you attacked Johnny?”

  Ellen’s mouth puckered up. “I don’t know.”

  Elliott, who stood in the back, closed his eyes. He saw it on Hal’s face. Hal’s intention to get the truth out of Ellen would be in vain and would go nowhere right then.

  Frank tried again, only stronger. “Do you remember attacking Johnny?”

  Hal stood up. “Frank, leave her alone.”

  “Do you, El!” Frank repeated.

  “Frank!” Hal blasted.

  “No!” Ellen covered her eyes.

  Dean tossed his hands up. “That’s it, Joe. I want her put in the clinic and remove her from all duty until we get to the bottom of this.”

  Hal spun to Dean. “You will do know such thing.”

  “I’m her husband!”

  “Who happens to be a moron!”

  Frank stepped to Hal. “You think this high and mighty fuckin concern and chivalry shit is the thing to do? Coming down on Dean? She doesn’t remember anything, Hal!”

  Robbie bit his bottom lip when he saw what the hysterics of the room were doing to Ellen. He lowered down to her side and took her hand. “Dad. Stop this.” His eyes raised to Joe.

  Joe did. One piercing whistle from him brought silence to the room. “Thank you,” he spoke in the silence. “Ellen.” He held his hand to her. “Let’s go.”

  Dean’s shoulders dropped in relief. “Thank you, Joe.”

  Hal stepped forward. “Dad? What the hell?”

  Frank pulled Hal away. “Back off, Hal.”

  Confused, Robbie glanced to Joe. “Dad?”

  Joe only tilted his head. “Boys. Enough. Ellen, let’s go.”

  Ellen lifted her head. “Where?”

  “I’m hungry. I have to drop those ballots off at the House of Lesbians. I thought maybe you’d like to join your father for dinner and a movie in New Bowman. What do you say?”

  Her fingers griped Joe’s so tightly as Ellen let out a single sob and stood up.

  Joe pulled handkerchief from his pocket. “Wipe your face.” He walked with her to the door. “Hal, can we catch a ride?”

  Hal grinned. “With pleasure.” He took a step to the door and stopped when he heard Frank’s mocking ‘with pleasure’. Hal only turned around and grinned.

  Watching his father and Ellen leave, Frank knew flipping Hal off would make him feel a little bit better, but it wouldn’t erase the defeat and helplessness he felt at that moment.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Robbie just wasn’t into it. He couldn’t be. His mind was elsewhere as he tried his hardest to decipher the puzzle of Ellen’s behavior while his arm was before Danny Hoi..

  “Pay attention.” Danny looked up.

  “I’m sorry. What?”

  Danny shook his head. “I was giving you instructions. You aren’t paying attention.”

  “Because I’m wondering why are we doing this?” Robbie looked down at the arm Danny was attaching. “It doesn’t look real.”

  “It’s not supposed to look real. Appearance isn’t what I’m going for. We looking for usage, Robbie. This arm was considered an animated prosthetic. I think you’ll like it until we can attach the permanent one.”

  “But I look like that bowler guy in that Bill Murray movie.”

  Danny grinned. “That was funny. All right . . .” He rolled back his chair. “The fingers are open. Flexing the biceps should close the fingers. Try it.”

  Robbie tensed up his muscle and the fingers moved. “Oh, wow, cool.”

  “See.” Danny grinned. “It’s going to be a matter of aim and control.” Danny looked around the Mechanics office. “Um, here.” He reached across the counter and picked up a mug. “Try to lift this.”

  Robbie moved his arm. “It feels like fishing.” He watched as the fingers of the prosthetic arm touched the cup.

  “Aim,” Danny instructed.

  “Aiming,” Robbie grinned.

  “Now the control part. Flex and grab.”

  “Here goes.” Robbie flexed, the mug slipped into the palm of the prosthesis, and then it smashed.

  “Well.” Danny tilted his head. “We have to learn control. DO you want to leave it on or take it off.”

  “Um . . .” Robbie looked at it. “Leave it on. I’ll practice. But I have to get a glove or something. You know what?” He stood up. “I think I’ll show El when she gets back with my Dad.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Danny gathered up the tools. “Ellen’s not been herself. I’ve heard some rumors that she has a problem with some sort of drug from Containment.”

  “They aren’t true,” Robbie stated. “Something else is on her mind. I just have to figure it out and I will.” Robbie walked over to the door. “Thanks again, Danny.” As he stepped out, Robbie began his thought process. The answers laid in Ellen and that was where he had to begin, but since he couldn’t go to her, he decided to go to her world instead.

&nbs
p; ^^^^

  “Don’t worry about it,” Hal calmly told Elliott and John Matoose.

  Elliott, with some confusion, had to question. “Don’t worry about it?”

  “That is what Ellen said.” Hal tossed up his hands. “She said don’t worry about it.”

  John watched Hal pace about the living room. “What exactly did you say to her?”

  “I merely told her, I understand. I know she has a problem with Johnny and whatever it is, I would believe her, trust her, and help her.”

  “And?” Elliott asked.

  “And what? That’s it,” Hal stated. “She said her ‘not to worry’ line.”

  John Matoose grumbled, “You didn’t come right out and say Johnny was an insider?”

  “Um, Captain,” Elliott pacified. “That probably would have got her to open up.”

  “Good God, gentlemen. This is why I handled it.” Hal looked at their scoffing faces. “Oh.” He nodded. “So you think I should have come right out and said something. Right now, I am about to explain to you, especially you, Elliott, why I run the UWA and you are only third fiddle.”

  John quickly looked at Elliott. “I thought you were second.”

  “That’s only when the Captain is in his latent stages of pre-menstrual syndrome.”

  “Ha-ha-ha. ‘Mr. Fetch me a maxi-pad,” Hal quipped.

  John found the name Hal gave Elliott amusing, but he was unclear why. He had to know. “Mr. Fetch me a maxi-pad?”

  Elliott interceded before Hal could say anything, “Finish what you were saying, Captain. Why didn’t you tell Ellen about . . .”

  “A-A-Ah.” Hal held up a finger, shook his head then turned with an ornery grin to John. “You see, Mr. Matoose. Since joining us, it seems our fine women residents at the House of Lesbians knew to place their complete trust in Sgt. Ryder. So instead of the ‘Minstrel Man’, Sgt. Ryder became the heroic ‘Menstrual Man’. He always, without fail, delivered unto them the protection they desperately sought.” Hal winked. “Pretty good, huh?”

  John chuckled. “He’s kidding.”

  Elliott shook his head. “I did not ask for the honor. It seems the Captain is forgetting he bestowed that upon me and I got stuck from there on in.”