The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Oh, fuck me,” Hal murmured.

  Creed growled. He twitched his head from left to right, his body reached the height of eight feet as every muscle he had seemed to bubble and bulge. Creed stood alone and Hal knew he didn’t need any backup.

  A few sniffs of confidence and Hal projected that much. “OK, come on big guy.” Thinking, ‘what the fuck’, Hal raged forward.

  Speared!

  Creed wasn’t expecting the shoulder blasting hit that slammed him back into the concrete wall. Hal revved back and slammed his tight fist, with everything, he had into Creed’s gut.

  Creed’s huge hand came down with a grip to Hal. It engulfed Hal’s entire head. Feeling himself being lifted from the ground, Hal used Creed’s height to his own advantage.

  Hal’s knee went up straight between Creed’s legs. As he made his painful connection, instead of reaching for the fingers that held his head, Hal grabbed on to the back of Creed’s thighs and pulled the large man forward, sending him, in his weakened moment, rear first to the ground..

  With no time to waste, Hal spun hard to the left, his elbow pointed, he slammed downward into the side of Creed’s face a split second before Creed kicked out his leg into Hal’s side, sailing him back.

  Yelling a single, ‘fuck’ as he flew, Hal expected the landing, tucked his body, and brought himself into a backwards somersault. He rolled out of it, ready to fight again, only to be greeted by a surprising flash of blue light..

  A single moment of painful shock was all Hal experienced then everything turned black.

  ^^^^^

  “Time’s up.” Joe took a deep breath.

  “Pap, do you think they’re all right?”

  “I think so, Billy.” Joe took hold of Billy hand.

  “We’re just gonna walk right in?”

  “Yep. It’s worth a shot, now isn’t it. We can’t stand out here any longer.” With Billy and his gun concealed beneath his tan over shirt, Joe headed to the main ramp that Robbie had avoided.

  They walked down very peacefully, slowing even more when they saw the dogs just sitting there.

  “Pap?” Billy stared at the hairless creatures.

  “Keep moving. Don’t act afraid and don’t make any sudden movements.”

  The dogs, whose heads were perked with attention, returned to lying down positions when Joe and Billy walked by them.

  At the end of the ramp, a Drune held a stick high and stepped forward. “Halt.” He stood before four other Drune guards.

  “We’re halting.” Joe lifted his hand.

  “What is that you want?” The Drune asked.

  “I want to see your leader,” Joe said.

  “God.”

  “Whatever.” Joe winced. “He has my kids and I want them back.”

  “We cannot let you in.”

  “You will let me in,” Joe demanded. “Do what you need to do. Tell . . . God, that I am Joe Slagel from Begin . . .” His sentence wasn’t even completed and Joe knew some progress had been made when all five Drune guards dropped to their knees and bowed their heads to the floor before him.

  Joe glanced down to Billy with a smile and a wink. He whispered. “We’re in.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “He’s big,” Billy whispered to Joe as they stood at the end of a long hallway, somewhere in the hotel.

  Joe looked. Was Creed walking down that hallway with excitement or was it Joe’s imagination? Creed moved quickly and as he drew near, Joe thought he saw him smile. “Father.” Creed extended out his hand to Joe.

  “Father?” After a hesitation, and a look down at Billy, Joe shook his head. “Joe Slagel.”

  “Yes, Yes, I know. The leader of Utopia.” Creed smiled. “This is wonderful. What an honor.” He lowered his head.

  “You have my daughter.”

  “You mean my queen?” Creed asked.

  “No, we mean my mother,” Billy spoke.

  A crooked smile hit Creed as the corner of his mouth raised. He lowered to one knee directly before Billy. His eyes stared at the blue eyes of the young boy. “Look at you.”

  “Yes, look,” Billy said. “You really aren’t that impressive. Where’s my mom?”

  Creed laughed a little and stood back up. “He’s charming.” With an exhale, Creed stepped back. “How wonderful this is going to make your mother feel. This way. I’ll take you to her.” Creed began to lead the way.

  Before following, Joe gave a nod down to Billy. “See? What did I tell you?” He shook his head at the thought of Robbie, Frank, Hal, and Elliott. “Morons.”

  The walk wasn’t too long, Joe kept track, knowing they were still on the third floor.

  Creed pointed to the door where two guards stood in front. As soon as Creed approached them, they lowered their heads. “Have respect. You are in the presence of the God of Utopia, my Queen’s father.”

  Immediately, the guards dropped.

  “Pap,” Bill whispered and tugged on Joe’s pant leg. “We can really use this to our advantage.”

  “This room.” Creed knocked once and opened the door. “My queen.” He stepped inside. “You have a visitor.”

  From a chair by the window, Ellen gazed up. She couldn’t even speak when she saw Joe. Billy was still semi-hidden behind the body of Creed.

  “Joe,” The word seeped out as she raced to him.

  Joe made it to her first. “Dear God.” He grabbed on to her. “You’re all right. You’re all right.”

  “Don’t let me go. Please don’t let me go.” Ellen held tighter.

  “Gonna have to if you wanna give this one a hug.”

  Ellen’s head raised and with a step back of curiosity, she saw Billy. Her eyes widened.

  “Hey, mom.” Billy waved.

  Ellen screamed and with a swing down of her arms, she lifted Billy. “How . . . how . . . how . . .” She buried him while plastering him with kisses. “One, how . . .”

  “We kind of didn’t have a choice.” Joe closed one eye with a nod.

  “I stowed away,” Billy confessed.

  Holding Billy, Ellen turned and looked at Creed. “Do not even tell me you took my father hostage.”

  “Your father is not a hostage,” Creed explained. “He is free to go as he pleases.”

  “Then we can leave?” Ellen asked.

  “No.” Creed shook his head. “You cannot.”

  “He walked in peacefully.”

  “But the others did not,” Creed argued. “You are my queen and they will be killed.”

  “Whoa. Wait a second, pal.” Joe lifted his hand “I don’t give a rat’s ass who you are. You have my daughter, my sons, and another one of my men. I want them back.”

  “They infiltrated with hostility.”

  “They are my people,” Joe demanded.

  “And I am God.”

  “Well, yeah, I’m Joe Slagel. Now give my back my kids, right now. You hear? Don’t piss around with me.”

  “I apologize,” Creed stated, “but they have broken my law. Now as much as it pains me, I can honor the request for your daughter, but that is as far as I can go.”

  “Where are they?” Joe asked.

  “They are being held comfortably.”

  “Take me to them.”

  “I wanna go too, Joe.” Ellen grasped Joe’s arm. “I have to see that they’re OK.”

  Creed nodded. “Very well.” He motioned his head to the guard at the door. “Take my Queen and her father to see the four prisoners. Five minutes only.”

  Ellen began to walk and Creed extended his hand and stopped her.

  “The child stays here,” Creed said. “He is my assurance that you won’t try to escape with my prisoners.”

  Ellen held onto Billy. “Go on, Joe. I’m not leaving Billy.”

  “Mom, I’m fine. You can put me down. I am eight.”

  Ellen slowly set Billy to the floor.

  “I’m fine,” Billy assured. “Go see Uncle Frank.”

  Hesitantly, Ellen moved fro
m him.

  “Your child will not be harmed,” Creed said. “We are going to talk.”

  Billy rolled his eyes. “Swell.”

  Joe took Ellen’s hand and they left the room with the Drune.

  “This shit is never getting out of my hair.” Robbie pulled the webbing as he sat down. “Fuck.”

  “At least I stopped shocking things,” Elliott clenched his fist.

  “I’m glad for you. If I’m still zapping.” Hal pointed to the bed where Frank still lay unconscious. “How bad will he be when he wakes up?” Hal groaned, “What the hell is the matter with us. Huh? Three of us get jolted and one gets webbed. Where did we go wrong?”

  “You stormed in,” Joe stated as he walked in the room with Ellen. “You should have walked in.”

  “Ellen,” Hal whispered her name, but jumped ahead of her when she hurried to the bed. “Don’t touch him. He could be lethal right now.” Hal shrugged. “He’s still sparking.” He jumped back when he saw her reach for him. “Me too.”

  “I’m not,” Robbie said, “But I’m sticky. I was webbed,”

  Joe close his eyes. “Do you see what you did?”

  “Elliott?” Ellen saw him and spoke with such shock. “Elliott?”

  “You can . . . you can touch me.” Elliott smiled and before he was even finished, Ellen was in his arms.

  “Frank,” Hal called out his name. “Frank, Elliott is molesting Ellen. Frank, wake up.”

  “This sucks!” Robbie stood up. “What now?”

  “I told you all. All of you!” Joe scolded. “But no, not one of you would listen. Now look at the lot of you.”

  Hal scoffed, “Well, seems to me you’re in the same rut.”

  “No, I’m not,” Joe said. “Ellen and I are free to go. It’s you four assholes that are scheduled to die.”

  Growling, Robbie made an attempt to run his fingers through his hair and they only became stuck. “Shit,” he grunted.

  “Dad?” Hal walked to Joe. “Frank is out. We need to . . .” He looked over his shoulder at Elliott who still held on to Ellen. “Will you let my sister alone please. She is a married woman.”

  Robbie shrugged. “Not for long according to Frank.”

  Hal gave a fling wave of his hand. “Anyhow. What now? We need an answer. Where is Billy?”

  “That . . .” Joe lifted his finger. “Is what I am hoping ends up being our answer.”

  “What?” Hal asked confused.

  “Billy. You asked where he is. Well,” Joe said, “let’s see if Frank’s prophetic dream was really that prophetic, because if it was, then Billy could very well be doing what Frank said. He’s with Creed right now.” Joe paused. “The innocent one who finds the way.”

  ^^^^^

  “So,” With his hands folded, Billy gave an upward motion of his head to Creed. “Uncle Robbie tells me you go monster.”

  “If you want to call it that. It’s more of a metamorphosis. My DNA was affected when I was exposed to a high dose of gamma rays.”

  “Have you tried an inhibitor?” Billy asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “An inhibitor to block this problem. It has to be charged by secretions in the brain. If you devise an inhibitor that stops your brain from recognizing these excretions, you may be able to keep this thing in check.”

  “You’re brilliant.”

  “Yes, I am,” Billy said. “I take after my father.”

  “Frank?”

  Billy laughed. “No, my biological father.”

  “Your mother is my queen. I will be your father. You are my new son.”

  A chuckle escaped Billy. “Yes.” He nodded and spoke without emotion, “That should work. You’re God and my pap calls me, Christ Billy.”

  It bred a laugh from Creed. “You are only eight?”

  “It’s a state of age, not mind.”

  “I can see why they brought you here,” Creed said. “It was a wise choice.”

  “It was Frank’s choice.”

  “Frank is not that bright,” Creed said.

  “Well, doesn’t it depend on the situation?” Billy asked.

  “The situation was dealt out. None of those who tried to break in are that bright.”

  Billy gave a debating look.

  “I expected greater things from Frank. Your mother spoke so strongly of him. I expected him to be nearly invincible.”

  “He is.”

  “He went down as easy as any man.”

  “Oh, sure, but even you would go down if pelted with those electric things. Which by the way . . . brilliant invention.”

  “Thanks.”

  “But it’s an easy way to take out your opponent. like guns. I always say a battle isn’t a battle unless it is a battle of wits or strength. Then you find out who is the real victor.”

  “Valid point.” Creed raised a finger.

  “Then again, if you want to consider yourself a victor by using those blast balls and killing four men who are already your prisoners, that’s entirely up to you.”

  “Little man,” Creed spoke, “you are trying to manipulate me. Why?”

  “You’re claiming victory over Frank.”

  “I am the victor over Frank. Where is he now?”

  Billy shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me, but I am sensing it’s an ego thing with you.”

  “Your mother sees him as unbeatable. I am showing her that it isn’t so.”

  “You think?” Billy asked. “I have news for you. In my mother’s eyes, you haven’t defeated Frank.”

  “He went down.”

  “With those blast balls.” Billy shrugged. “You didn’t take him down, did you?”

  Slowly, Creed stood up. “I didn’t?”

  “Not that I saw. Come on. You’re a big man. You go monster. Where was the challenge, the skill? In my mother’s eyes and to tell you the truth, my eyes as well, Frank out skills you.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “You blindly took him out.”

  “You are right.” Creed folded his arms. “But I still am stronger than Frank.”

  “Most likely, probably, but who will ever know?” Billy tapped his fingers on the table. “So when do you plan on killing him?”

  “Soon.”

  “How?”

  “Execution.”

  Billy snickered. “Sorry.’

  “What?”

  “That’s going to do it? That will show you’re stronger?”

  “It will eliminate Frank.”

  “But not the war,” Billy stated. “You think it will stop there. You think if we don’t return, if Frank doesn’t return, the UWA will stand for that? Do you think it will make any difference to my real father when he seeks justice? He’ll deliver a virus he created and wipe you out, one in which we of the UWA are immune.”

  “He wouldn’t.”

  “Try him.”

  “He cannot be that brilliant. He didn’t cure the plague that ended the world.”

  “You don’t think?” Billy raised an eyebrow. “How many babies born here have you lost to the plague.”

  Creed hesitated. “Many.”

  Billy lifted a finger. “We lost one. One. My father beat the plague. He cured it. Now try again saying he isn’t brilliant. You called me brilliant. I’m nowhere near as smart as he is.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “Set us free, all of us.”

  Creed shook his head. “You, your grandfather, and mother are free to go. It is the intruders that aren’t.”

  “Frank. You’re intimidated by him. That’s why this is so personal to you.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You act it.”

  “You’re right.” Creed nodded. “You are right. You have something in mind. What is it?”

  “How about this?” Billy stood up. “A challenge, some sort of challenge. Prove to yourself, your people, and my mother who is the better man.”

  “You mean a challenge against Frank?�
��

  “If that’s the one you choose. Though I trust the skill of my Uncle Robbie, he’s shorthanded. Excuse the pun.”

  “No, it should be Frank. Perhaps give him a chance to prove what he has and who he is.”

  “Wow. That sounds fair,” Billy said. “If he defeats you, all of us walk.”

  “What if I defeat him?” Creed asked.

  “You continue with the original plan, with . . . the exception of this. I can’t speak for my pap, but I can for me and my mother. You beat Frank, she and I stay. So what kind of challenge? I say chess.”

  “No.” Creed shook his head. “Not one of intellect.”

  “Strength?’

  “Yes. Physical. A battle.”

  With no emotion, almost snidely, Billy spoke. “Oh no, don’t fight Uncle Frank. Please.”

  “The deal is made little man. Tomorrow morning, Frank faces . . .”

  “God?” Billy asked.

  Creed smiled. “Yes.”

  “A-huh.” Billy nodded. “Frank versus God. Well, I do have to say this is a new one.”

  ^^^^^

  “This is a new one.” Hal walked from the table where a meal had been placed for him, Robbie, and Elliott. “Frank versus God.”

  Joe gave a tilt of his head. “That’s what the guy said. He will challenge Frank.”

  “Physically?” Hal asked. “They man has been laying on his back for over an hour. He can’t fight anyone.”

  “They said he’ll be awake soon,” Joe stated.

  “Captain, why do you seem worried?” Elliot asked.

  “Yeah, Hal,” Robbie added “It’s Frank. Think of it this way, tomorrow we’ll be out of here.”

  “Little brother,” Hal dropped his vice to a whisper. “We know what he is up against.”

  Robbie shrugged. “Frank doesn’t. Again, it’s Frank.”

  “It will also be the biggest ego trip he has ever been on if he secures victory,” Hal said. “We’ll never live this down. My God,” he spoke in near revelation, “he’s literally going to be fighting for our lives.” Slowly, Hal turned and walked to the bed. He was glad that his father, brother, and friend had confidence in Frank. Hal did too, to an extent, but like he had said to Robbie, they were aware of what Frank had to face.

  Hal bent down by the bedside to his brother and whispered, “Please do not think I lack confidence in you. I do not. Though I argue with you on your ability, you boast and brag of the hero that you are. Well, tomorrow, big brother, you get to prove it and it will be one time in my life I will be happy to eat my words.”