“You . . . fly as well? What are you, Superman?” Michael asked.
“I try,” Johnny said with a smile. “But I can do this. Let me.”
Michael gave it a few moments of thought. “All right. Let’s go.” He gave a leading tug to Johnny.
“Chief, I can take him,” Buzz suggested.
“Nope,” Michael spoke as he walked backwards. “You’re in charge of Lodi. I’m going out on this one.”
Buzz nodded as he watched Michael and Johnny walk away. “Cool. Wait.” He blinked. “I’m in charge of Lodi?”
^^^^^
Since it had seemingly self-adjusted to Joe’s backside, Danny had to shuffle some in Joe’s office chair to get comfortable. He did hold that look of irritation, like Joe, when the door opened and Dean walked in. “Well, Dean. Nice of you to finally join us.”
“I’m sorry,” Dean said as he closed the door. He looked at Danny, Henry, Jason, and Sgt. Owens. “I kind of lost track of time.”
Jason noticed all eyes shifted to him. “No, don’t look at me. I’m not responsible.” He gave a half smirk.
“No, I’m really serious,” Dean said as he sat down. “I lost time.” He scratched his head. “I think I may have dozed off in the lab. I don’t know. One minute I’m standing there, the next . . .” He shrugged.” Ten minutes had passed.”
“How are you feeling?” Danny asked.
“Good,” Dean said. “Amazingly refreshed for some reason.”
Henry rolled his eyes slightly.”He napped. You know you do that, Dean? You sleep on your counter.”
“Yeah,” Dean agreed. “So did I miss anything?”
“No,” Danny answered. “We were waiting on you. We actually were discussing the dart game tonight.”
“Oh,” Dean winced. “Henry, speaking of which, I can’t take Nick tonight.”
“What do you mean you can’t take Nick. You always take Nick on dart night,” Henry argued.
“I can get Andrea to watch him if you want.”
Henry huffed. “This is so weekend father like of you, Dean. Taking the kid only to pass him off to the grandparents.”
“Henry,” Danny tried not to laugh.
“Don’t worry,” Dean assured. “It won’t be long. I just have some boxes to pack and move. You know, time is short. Frank will be back and I want to get the new housing situated before he and Ellen return.”
“New housing situated?” Danny asked.
“Yes,” Dean spoke nonchalantly. “I’m moving Frank into the house and I’m taking his house. I’m breaking up with Ellen.”
“What?” Henry blasted. “What brought this on?”
Danny was just as shocked. “You’re breaking up with Ellen? It sounds like you’re just . . . . I don’t know giving her to Frank.”
Still speaking as if nothing was odd, Dean continued, “Oh really, I am. I just need space and some freedom for myself. In fact, I’m thinking of giving Ellen a divorce as a present.” He looked at Jason. “I’d like to discuss that with you.”
“No problem.” Jason nodded. “It will be a good time to test my new divorce ordinance.”
“Good.” Dean smiled, then noticed the silent faces of Danny and Henry just staring. “What? What’s wrong?”
Danny shook his head. “Just a little surprised that’s all. Let’s . . . .let’s just get on with the meeting. First order of business, the women . . .”
“Speaking of women.” Dean flipped open his notebook. “Has anyone noticed how attractive Josephine has been looking lately?”
Silence.
Dean shrugged. “Maybe it’s me.”
“Yeah, Dean,” Henry said. “It is, you weirdo.”
“OK, no name calling,” Danny spoke. “The . . . women, not including Josephine.” He cringed when Dean smiled. “They want to go on strike. I convinced them that they couldn’t fairly strike unless they negotiated in good faith. Does anyone object to me setting up the arbitration to occur in say . . . one week?” He saw he didn’t get a disagreement. “Good. Let’s let Joe and Hal handle that.”
Dean huffed.
Danny looked up. “What?”
“Hal.” Dean shook his head.
“Do you have a problem with Hal?” Danny asked.
“I hate him. He’s so arrogant,” Dean said.
Sgt. Owens, who was quiet, finally spoke up. “You hate Captain Slagel?”
“Yes, Dean answered. “In fact I can see him and me going at it.”
Henry snickered. “I would love to see him and you go at it.”
“You hate Hal?” Danny asked.
Before Dean could respond, a single knock happened upon the office door and John Matoose walked in.
“Danny, I hate to interrupt,” John said on his entrance. “But monitoring picked up a radio signal. In fact, it was an old Morse Code call for help.”
Immediately Danny peered “Joe?”
“No.” John shook his head. “It’s coming from near Davenport. There’s a community under attack.”
Jason interjected, “Must be a Savage attack. The Society wouldn’t make a move like that right now.”
John agreed. “My thoughts too. Danny, I’d like to load a bird with eight good men and fly there. I can be there in an hour and we can assist. I’d also like to get Sgt. Doyle to fly a second chopper to pick up any injured so we can get them here faster.”
Danny shook his head. “John, I don’t think so. That’s a lot of fuel plus you and Sgt. Doyle. Right now, we’re vulnerable as it is . . .”
“Danny,” John interrupted. “This is a community under attack.”
“And I have Beginnings to worry about. What if it is Society diversion?”
Henry disagreed, “I don’t think so. George is too wrapped up in finding Johnny. This is real.” Henry saw the debate on Danny’s face. “You’re in charge.”
Danny looked at Jason.
Jason gave a tilt of his shoulder. “I say . . . give the order.”
Danny nodded. “OK, John go ahead. Check in with me before you lift off.”
“Got it, thanks. I’ll check in during as well.” Grabbing his radio, John hurried to leave, immediately barking out orders as he did so.
Danny still stared at the closed door. He shook his head in awe. “Wow. Was I authoritarian or what? Man, I felt like Joe.” He chuckled. “OK, where were we?”
Dean lifted his pencil as a signal. “I hate Hal.”
Calmly, like Joe would do, Danny nodded in acknowledgment, smiled then continued on to the next subject.
^^^^^
Robbie pretty much knew he wasn’t in Beginnings anymore. Though he wasn’t the expert on Los Angeles, he guessed he wasn’t anywhere near Wilshire Boulevard.
The escape route, the sneak away tunnel the kids used, or at least one of them, took Robbie on a long journey through an old subway--where the means of going topside were blocked off-- to a maintenance tunnel, and finally a sewer system.
Having walked many of beats in Beginnings, Robbie estimated his distance traveled to be close to five miles. Not that he had walked the entire distance. The teens that routinely escaped had quite the barbaric set up, one that got him out freely without problems.
Jeremiah led him most of the way, then left him about a mile from the point of origin. Robbie continuously played the directions in his head.
“Whenever you come to any turn, look for a small red circle with an arrow in it” Jeremiah’s instructions were.
And they were there, right where Jeremiah said they would be.
A small opening that was hard for Robbie to squeeze through, led him to a set of subway tracks where–just like Jeremiah said–was a hand activated ‘push cart’ that rode the rails to the door to the maintenance tunnel. The Maintenance tunnel was easy and so was the sewer system.
The beam of light that came from the sun peeking through the manhole without a cover was Robbie’s final guiding light. He followed it, climbed the ladder, and made it to the street.
Initially, without a doubt, Robbie was blind when he emerged. Pain hit him with the bright sun and when the ability to see returned, Robbie was hit with the realization that he was lost.
He had never been to Los Angeles and he admitted to himself that he was glad he was able to see the apocalyptic version. To him, it was pretty cool and far better than any movie ever depicted it to look in a post downfall world.
Wherever he was, prior to the plague the street had been a main drag and obviously, the Drune teens frequented there. That was certain by the clearing circle made not too far from the manhole opening.
The paved streets were cracked, but not as much as Robbie had seen all over the country. He guessed because growth seemed so limited in Los Angeles. There was little green around, if any. The magnitude and the speed in which the plague hit was reiterated by the scene Robbie witnessed.
Like all over, signs of rioting and looting were minimal. Cars weren’t left abandoned. They actually were still parked in their spots. The paint of their bodies faded from the weather and the sun. Papers blew about the streets. Robbie found himself on a section of a street that seemed to be overrun with restaurants. Fast food. Thai. The warm breeze that hit him carried an eerie silence.
There was no noise.
Robbie gave a shudder, then a smile. He had seen it before in a movie and he had to do exactly like his hero, Robert Neville.
Stepping out further into the street, Robbie yelled out his loudest, “There is no phone ringing!”
He listened to his voice echo just a tad, then pretty pleased, Robbie grinned again. “Cool.”
With a look left to right, Robbie sought out the nearest corner. There had to be a street sign somewhere and there was. He saw it, and when he recognized the name, it made sense. Hollywood Boulevard. In actuality, the street name helped. Robbie knew from the view of Ellen’s room, that the building near Wilshire Blvd was by a park. With a starting point and a destination, Robbie needed two other things, a gun and a map.
Surely, with all the businesses about, Robbie would be able to find something. Turning again to begin his search one store at a time, he saw it. The vision of the building made Robbie slow down in awe. It called to him and screamed ‘follow me’ to Robbie’s inner curiosity.
It was something Robbie didn’t want to walk away from, not at all, not while it was still light out. Perhaps the place wouldn’t provide a map, but he stood a good chance of finding some sort of weapon in there.
With a purpose to go inside, Robbie moved in the direction of the House of Death Wax Museum.
^^^^
A stare of deep thought graced Joe’s face in the after moments of the phone call he had just ended.
“Well?” Frank asked.
“We sent two choppers,” Joe answered. “Danny said last contact with John Matoose they were nearing the coordinates.”
“So we should hear something again soon.”
“Hopefully.” Joe put the phone in his pocket and started to head back in the direction of the truck with Frank. “Hopefully that will ease our mind for when we stop to get some sleep.”
“Since I’m driving now, when do you want to stop?”
“Closer to California. I’d like to make the last leg a short one especially since we aren’t stopping for all that long.”
“Sounds good.”
“Frank.” Joe stopped walking. “What’s wrong with your brother?”
Frank peered over to where Hal stood with Elliott. “He’s whining. He’s having a problem with authority right now.”
Curiously, Joe looked at him. “Authority?”
“Captain,” Elliott spoke calmly, yet a bit of his voice held the tone of a hiding laughter.
“No, Elliott, I’m serious.” Hal tossed out his hand. “Look, I know I am probably making a big deal out of this. Do you think I am?”
“Yes.”
“Who asked you?” Hal continued, “But it irks me. He irks me. I didn’t think it was possible, but he’s doing it. He’s trying to take over, giving me orders, and undermining my authority. You name it.”
“Captain, taking the risk of you chewing me another asshole, I . . .” Elliott stopped when he saw Hal lift a finger. “What, Captain?”
Hal’s lips formed a circle as slowly produced t words. “Chewing? Me chewing you another . . . . asshole, as you said. Hmm. I hate to disappoint you Elliott, I don’t believe that I would chew you another asshole.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Speak it.”
“Fine,” Elliott stated. “You’re over reacting.”
“I am not,” Hal defended. “You see him with me. You hear him . . .”
“But, Captain . .”
“What, are you deaf? Good God, Elliott, it surprises me at times that you actually are my right hand man.”
“See, Captain . . .”
“And you interrupt as well.”
Elliott huffed, “All right then. You’re right. You have reason to feel this way.”
“Thank you.” Hal smiled. “Now, to just figure out what to do about it.”
“Just keep telling yourself it is short lived.”
“I could do that. However, I am still stuck on the fact that this is actually occurring. That I, Hal Slagel, am being shaken, my nerves unraveled. Do you think he does it on purpose?”
“No,” Elliott answered. “Not at all.”
“No? You don’t think he does it on purpose?”
“Actually, Captain. I believe he does it on . . .” Elliott pointed to Billy. “Frank’s request.”
Hal, with his hands behind his back, looked over to where Frank stood with Billy. “I never thought I’d see the day where my brother had mental retaliatory ammunition over me, but he does, in the form of a very small child. Odd.” Hal shrugged. “I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come for me and Billy. I’d like to like my nephew.”
“I’m sure it won’t last any longer than this trip. I mean, Frank is encouraging this now but when we get back, Dean is in control again.”
“That’s true.” Hal smiled. “Dean wouldn’t encourage it, because, unlike me and Frank, Dean and I actually have no problem with each other.”
^^^^^
“Hal Slagel is an arrogant asshole who I really think I am beginning to hate,” Dean said. In such a discussing style he sat in a chair perched center of his clinic lab with his hands folded. “What do you think?”
“About?” Josephine swayed some as she sat across from him. “And why . . . why are you asking me, Skippy?”
“Because I needed someone to talk to. You strike me as a very understanding woman.”
Her head tilted to the side and she gave Dean a quirky look. “I’m not. Never have been.”
“And, well, you know . . .” Dean shrugged “You are looking very attractive lately.”
“Well, that I am.” Josephine nodded. “Now what are you asking me about?”
“Your opinion of Hal Slagel.”
“Who?”
“Hal Slagel.”
Josephine took a deep breath, and stared up. “Hal Slagel. Hal Slagel.” She shook her head. “Nah, don’t know him. Name sounds familiar. I don’t know him.”
“Sure you do.”
“Skippy!” Josephine barked. “Didn’t I just tell you I don’t? Why you asking for my opinion if you are gonna argue with me?”
“I’m not arguing. It’s just that you do know him. Hal Slagel. Joe Slagel’s son.”
“Who?”
“Joe Slagel. Our leader of this community.”
“Oh.” Josephine nodded in discovery. “Joey. Yeah.”
“It’s his son I’m talking about.”
“You mean the mean drunk?” Josephine questioned.
“No, that’s Frank. The other son.”
“Armless?”
“Um, no that’s Robbie. I’m talking about Hal.”
“I don’t know Hal.”
“He runs the other town. He wears a red bandana and a
Civil War uniform.”
Josephine snapped her fingers. “Yeah. I know him. He looks like a younger Joey.”
“That’s because he’s Joe’s son.”
“Christ Almighty, another Slagel running around. It’s a goddamn take over. How long’s he been here?”
“Six months.”
“Where the hell have I been?”
Dean shrugged. “Busy. Speaking of busy, tonight are you . . .”
“Dean?” Misha’s voice carried softly into the lab.
Slowly, almost mesmerized Dean gazed up. From his lips, a soft uncontrolled whisper flowed. “She’s so beautiful.”
“Who?” Josephine spun hard to look and nearly fell of her chair. “Her? The foreigner? Christ. What, are you blind? Wait. You were sorry.”
Dean, still focused, stood up. “I have to be near her. I believe she can make me dance in the street.”
“Well so can a few good shots of bourbon.” Josephine stood up and noticed the way Dean stared. “Hey.” She snapped her fingers in front of him. “Knock it off. You’re married. I’m telling.”
Dean smiled and turned to Josephine. “Please. Please do. Tell everyone.” He boasted. “Excuse me.” With a hurry, Dean moved to Misha.
“Tell?” Josephine shrugged then, with a slight wobble, walked by Dean. “All right. If that’s what you want, I’ll tell.” She moved to the door, stopped, and gave a once over to Misha. “She ain’t all that. Nothing compared to what I was in my heyday. I wouldn’t kiss that mouth of hers, Skippy.” Josephine waved her finger. “Ya don’t know where it’s been.”
Really not getting what Josephine implied, Dean faced Misha with a smile. “Now, what can I do for you?”
Misha just smiled. Little did Dean know, he was already doing it.
^^^^^
Sgt. Doyle flew short distanced, split second reconnaissance in the first chopper. It was the lighter bird, empty all but for himself. He was able to maneuver, view, use the radar, and divert if he saw any signs of what was feared to be a set up.
About forty seconds behind him was John Matoose.
“There’s smoke ahead,” Sgt. Doyle spoke over the radio. “It’s thick so this has to be it.”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 314