“Will they follow us?”
“Um. No, El. Not all. Next subject.” Frank lifted a stick and poked the fire. “Dean.”
“How was he? Seriously.”
“Aside from sleeping with Misha, performing lab experiments between them, and making the kids call her ‘mom’?”
“Frank.”
“He’s doing.” Frank laid down the stick. “He was pretty down. That’s probably why he turned to . . .”
“Frank!”
“El! I’m not lying.” Frank lifted his hands. “I swear.”
“The kids?”
“The kids are fine,” Frank stated. “They think we had to come and rescue you from the new town. I miss them.”
“I miss them too.”
“Joey lost a tooth.”
Excited, Ellen smiled. “Did he?” Then the smile dropped from her face. “Wait a second. Joey is four. How did he lose a tooth?”
“Dean did it”
“Frank,” Ellen whined.
Frank laughed. “He was playing with Marcus and they just got a little rough.”
“Were you able to pull the tooth fairy thing off?”
“We tried even though Dean Junior was insisting to Joey there was no tooth fairy.”
“So you were able to slip a treat under his pillow?” Ellen watched Frank shake his head. “Why not?”
“Billy. I sneak into Joey’s room, right? I creep up to the pillow and just as I get there, the light goes on. There’s Billy standing there with his arms crossed with this smug Dean-style look on his face, and he proceeds to wake Joey up to ruin it.”
“At least he didn’t ruin Santa.”
“No one can ruin Santa.” Frank smiled. “Santa brought me a Bionic Man doll. It was the coolest thing, El.”
Ellen opened her mouth to speak in correction but stopped. “Really?”
“Yeah. I have it at home. I would have brought it but, you know, under the circumstances, I didn’t want to chance having Steve Austin get ruined. I mean, I waited all my life for one. Sorry you missed Christmas.”
“I’m sorry too.” Ellen scooted closer to Frank for warmth and comfort.
“It was different this year. People, you know, were missing.” Frank brought up his knees and wrapped his arms around them. “You, Robbie . . . Johnny.” He swallowed hard.
“I know you think about him, Frank.”
“Every single day.” Frank’s head dropped. “What happened, El? What went wrong, huh? I tried. I really tried to be a good father yet all those years he spent with me, he hated me.”
“I don’t think he hated you.”
“He said so.”
“Frank,” Ellen spoke softly. “He was on the stand, under pressure.”
“He shot me.”
“If I make up an excuse, would you listen?”
The exhale from Frank was loud. “Come on, El. There is no excuse for that. You know it. He shot me. He hates me. All I ever did was love him. I keep playing our life over and over again in my mind. I know I made mistakes. I know it. But were my mistakes that bad to cause that much hatred toward me?”
“No. In my opinion, they were not.”
“But in Johnny’s mind, they are.” He brought his hand up and rubbed his face. “I wonder what he’s thinking now. I wonder if he’s gloating. If he’s happy.”
“I wonder . . . I wonder if he’s thinking about you, Robbie, and Joe.”
Frank slowly turned a look Ellen’s way. “Do you think he would?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“What kind of thoughts.”
“I don’t know. But . . . he’s a long way from home. A long way from his family, friends, home. I know Johnny. He spent a lot of his life in Beginnings and around everyone there. Is it that easy to get out of your system? No. He could not have hated Beginnings. No way.”
“Just his family.”
“I wouldn’t say his family.”
“Me.”
“Frank,” Ellen whispered. “I don’t even think he hated you. He just strongly disliked you.”
“You aren’t helping.”
“No one can.”
Frank shook his head. “Wanna hear something pathetic?” he asked. “I have this fantasy in my mind that Johnny regrets everything, honestly regrets it, and wants to come home.”
“What would you do if that fantasy came true?”
“It wouldn’t.”
“I’m not saying it would. I’m just asking,” Ellen said. “Tell me. What would you do?”
“It would take a lot . . . I mean . . .” Frank whistled. “A lot of forgiveness.”
“Would you?” Ellen asked. “Could you find it in you to ever forgive your son?”
In the silence, Frank didn’t answer. He only stared out.
^^^^
“Would my father ever forgive me?” Johnny asked Jess.
Jess brought the reminder of his wine into his mouth and tried with diligence not to laugh. “Where is this coming from?”
“We were talking about my relationship with him.”
“Past relationship. You don’t have one anymore. You tried to kill him.” Jess walked over and sat on the couch. “Would he forgive you? No. No, he wouldn’t, not after what I heard you had said on the stand. It was brutal.” Jess exhaled. “Why are you worrying about it anyhow? It’s not like you want your father’s forgiveness.”
“Maybe not . . .” Johnny shrugged. “But I’d like to have my Pap’s forgiveness.”
“Why?”
“It’s my Pap.”
“You shot him. You lied to him. You betrayed the home he built. Not that I’m an expert or anything . . .” Jess lifted his shoulder. “But I’d say forgiveness is not gonna be found within your family. I come from a family who was tight, very tight. Turning my back on them would not ever cross my mind. Dying for them is the only extreme I would do to for my brothers.” An ‘unbelievable’ chuckle came from Jess. “You don’t know what you had, do you? In this fucked up world where families dead and torn apart, you desert yours.”
Emotions of the truth caused Johnny to stand up and bring his hand across the top of his head to the back of his neck.
“It’s so sad, Johnny.” Jess stood up and walked behind him. “What in the world could George have promised you that would be worth losing so much? What was it he said he would give to you that could replace the love of a family? Tell me. I would sure like to know because in my opinion there is nothing . . .”
“Where do you get off?” Johnny spin hard around to Jess, his eyes glaring. “Huh? Where do you get off standing here . . .” His voice raised more. “Judging me. Taunting me!”
“There it is.” Jess smiled.
“What?” Johnny snapped with sarcasm.
“That glare. That was the glare in your eyes while you were in Beginnings. That hatred. The same hatred you stand before me and adamantly deny having.”
“I don’t remember it, asshole!”
Strongly, Jess’s hand came down in a swing to the back of Johnny’s neck. He gripped tight and lead him across the living room to a mirror on the wall. “Then take a look!” He shoved Johnny closer to the mirror. “Take a good look. It’s right there. Look at your eyes, Johnny.”
His hands slammed to the mirror, then Johnny pushed back, shoved his body hard in reverse and tossed Jess off of him. He turned in a perfect pivot with fist revving back.
Jess laughed. “What are you gonna do, hit me?” He shook his head as he gained better footing. “Go on. What does that prove?”
“What’s your game?” Johnny asked in a mean whisper.
“What’s yours?” Jess gave an ‘up’ nod. “You play this sad, lost, pity act. You don’t remember this. You don’t remember that. I don’t buy it. So why don’t you tell me the truth.”
“I did.”
“Yeah, right, Johnny.” Jess shook his head and walked back to the coffee table. He poured himself a drink.
“There’s too much bitterness.” Johnny
followed him. “Why is this so personal to you? You can’t hide that.”
“Yeah, it is personal. No matter what my job, I still had respect for the family bond your family has. I have respect for your grandfather. I saw the hurt your betrayal caused. I just want to know what caused it. I’m curious. I’m even more curious if you know where and when that betrayal happened.”
“I told you I have amnesia.”
“Even without it.” Jess finished his drink. “Did you get so wrapped up in it you never saw the beginning of it?”
“I don’t remember, Jess. I honestly don’t remember how I got to the point that you’re describing.”
“Then why are you so depressed?”
“What?” Johnny laughed. “I hurt my family.”
“Yeah, you hurt them but you don’t remember what you did. You’re living that pain, Johnny. How is that if you don’t remember that portion of your life? I think it’s simple Johnny. The answer is simple. You remember. You regret. Period.”
“No.”
“Then what is it? There is no other explanation for this depression.”
“I don’t know.” Johnny plopped down to the couch and buried his face in his hands. “I wish I knew. More than that, I wish I had my memory back. I want to fully remember what I did, because if I remember everything, then I’ll remember this hatred you talk about. If I remember hating my family so badly . . .” His fingertips pulled down over his eyes. “I’ll stop feeling so guilty and alone.”
“I have news for you, Johnny. Memory or not, guilt and pain-free or not . . .” Jess sat down next to him. “You lost your family. You will always . . . always be alone.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
January 21st
Elliott’s attention was stolen for a moment when his eyes caught a glimpse of the huge purple bruise on the elbow fold of Joe’s arm. It was large and encircling a tiny scab of blood. Elliott swallowed. Something about the bruise sunk deep within him.
Joe noticed the pause in Elliott’s words and where his fill-in Head of Security’s eyes were looking. With an awkward smile, Joe turned his arm and rolled down his sleeve. “Horrible isn’t it? It makes me miss my daughter and her gentler vampire ways.”
“I’m sorry.” Elliott shook his head. “It just brings back painful memories.”
“No, Elliott, that’s the wrong way to think. They should be joyful memories.”
“Sir?” Elliott questioned.
“You’re in remission, Elliott. When you had these bruises, you were dying. You aren’t dying anymore.”
Elliott smiled. “At least at last check.”
The buzz of the security door caused Joe to sit up his chair. “And speaking of last checked.”
Dean walked in. “Did I miss anything?”
“No,” Joe answered “Henry hasn’t given us the ‘heads up’ call yet so we have a minute. Can I ask you something?”
“Um. Sure.” Dean smiled quickly and then pointed to the coffee pot. “May I?”
There was something forced about the smile Dean flashed Joe and Elliott noticed. Dean, for as small as was, carried an abundance of uncomfortable weight.
Stirring his coffee, Dean walked to Joe and Elliott. “What did you want to ask, Joe?”
“My full body scan I did at the crack of dawn. Did you get to view it?”
The steam from the hot coffee made Dean sniffle. “Um, not, not yet. I’m sorry. I was busy.”
“I see.” Joe nodded. “I understand. I just don’t want to put off another treatment.”
“No.” Dean cleared his throat as the word cracked. “You just finished one so we have time.”
“Good.” Joe relaxed. “Good.”
‘Time?’ Elliott rewound the words just spoken by Dean and played them with his own thoughts. ‘They still have time? He didn’t read the scan yet?’ Elliott watched Dean. At that moment he wished he had the Frank mind reading skills because his gut instinct was screaming the Dean was hiding something. Intensity and focus must have been with Elliot because the ringing of the phone startled him to the point he jumped.
Joe laughed. “Some head of Security.” He pressed the speaker button. “Joe Slagel speaking.”
“Hey, Joe,” Henry said upbeat. “Boy, is it good to hear your voice.”
“I just spoke to you yesterday, Henry,” Joe said.
“Yeah, I know, but I miss you guys.”
“I under . . .”
“Are Dean and Elliott there again?” Henry asked.
“Yes, Henry they are,” Joe spoke with little patience. “Now . . .”
“Hi Dean. Hi Elliott.”
“Henry,” Joe interrupted. “Enough of the niceties. How’s it going there?”
“I slept terrible last night, Joe,” Henry rambled. “Just awful. “The bunk they gave me is lumpy. I bet the Society guy there doesn’t have to sleep on a lumpy bunk.”
“No, Henry, he doesn’t. Now . . .”
“And the food, Joe. Oh my God, is it terrible. No wonder George lost weight. Did I tell you he lost weight? He actually looks pretty good for . . .”
“Henry!” Joe blasted. “Enough! You’re beating around the goddamn bush. Why?”
Henry paused in silence and when he spoke again, his voice was soft. “Joe . . . it’s not looking good, at least from my point of view. From what I am getting, Frank and them found a haven on a mountain in Utah, or so they thought. The Society has them surrounded right now and they’re moving the men in, all one hundred and fifty of them.”
^^^^
Society Soldier, Corporal Gary Watts felt privileged and why not? He was chosen to be the one. There was something exciting about counting down the minutes, then seconds until ‘official’ time. His stomach actually fluttered with enthusiasm that he would be victorious. He would be the one to do it.
He was small, but not too small, wiry and fast. He hid well in the bush not far from the Beginnings camp. He had arrived quietly and waited for the moment. He sat back while visions of grandeur and of being decorated with ribbons from the Society danced in his head.
One more look at his watch told him it was time. He snickered in sadistic enjoyment, knowing he had the upper hand. Watching, he waited for the big guy to leave the ‘blue doll’s’ side. Gary listened to him tell a sleeping blue doll how much he loved her and to sleep because they were safe. The big guy stood, lifted an extremely large green duffle bag, and walked off.
No other time would be perfect. Creeping, hunting knife in hand, and without making a noise, Gary knew what he would do. It was like a game of ‘tag you’re it’, only a little more deadly. All he had to do was sneak up to the blue doll, wake her, and then kill her.
He was a few feet from the sleeping bag where the blue doll lay. The closer Gary drew, the more excited he became. She was in sight and within reach. In his mind, Gary spoke the words, ‘game over’, then lifted knife high and lunged for the blue doll.
BOOM!
The ground rocked from the explosion and Frank could hear the pleasurable sound of spraying debris and body parts. Knowing time was limited, he set down the duffle bag and unzipped it.
Ellen gasped for air.
“They fell for it. The dummy just exploded.” Frank helped Ellen out.
“Now what?”
“Now we head down the mountain and hopefully meet up with Robbie and Hal.”
“Should we have split up, Frank?” Ellen asked.
“It’s the only way we’ll pull off the diversions and traps. We’ll have to move fast. Ready?”
“Whenever you are.”
“Not just yet.” Frank shifted his eyes.
“Why not?”
“Get down.”
“Huh.”
Frank’s hand went out. At the same time he pulled his revolver from his harness, he pushed Ellen to the ground as he fired out to the two soldiers headed their way.
Quite used to it at that point in the game, Ellen huddled like a turtle in a shell on the ground and coughed aw
ay the dirt Frank kicked toward her face in the pivot. Fluttering out her lips, she opened her eyes to see, in the distance, more boots between Frank’s firmly planted feet. “Frank,” she called out. “Behind you.”
“I know.” Frank turned and rapidly fired at the four ensuing soldiers. “Fuck.” He fired again and swung forth his M-16. “Assistance!” Frank cried out through his headset. “Now!’
To his left were three more. He took them out as well but his inner gut told him it was far from over. Just having that thought, Frank reached down, heaved Ellen to her feet, made a motion to run, and turned into a wall of soldiers.
With nowhere to run and no way to hide, Frank shoved Ellen behind him, raised again to fire and then . . . Robbie appeared.
But only briefly. The screaming of his word, ‘relay’ and sizzling flashes preluded his leap forward to Ellen. Without stopping, without hesitating, he snatched her up and kept running.
Like a well rehearsed ballet, Robbie pulled Ellen across to his front, then set her down with a minimal amount of slowing down. “Sector seven. Sector seven, repeat. Fire off sector seven. I’m headed toward nine.”
Ellen huffed and ran. Her legs twisted trying to keep up with Robbie. She couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. “Robbie, slow . . .”
“Can’t El. Can’t. Hal, roger that.”
“Roger that. In five . . .”
In his run, Robbie mouthed the words, ‘four, three, two, one . . .’ He again lifted Ellen up with his one arm, reared left and charged a jump, just as another explosion rang out.
Tree limbs pelted them and just as they reached the bank, they dove over, slid feet first and separated mid-hill. They picked up momentum for a short period of distance, but were halted bodily by the obstacle of a fallen tree.
Ellen felt the bark slam into her back and just as she sat up, she was shoved back down by Robbie.
“Fuck,” he whispered, belly down, peering over the tree that gave them some protection. ‘Hal,” he called into the radio. “You close?”
“Sector?” Hal asked.
“Almost at nine. I see it. And soldiers are waiting.”
“Sector twelve is to your right a half mile, can you . . .?”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 288