Robbie shrugged.
“I said I was enjoying it. Would I do something gay?”
Robbie only looked at Hal.
“Asshole.” Hal shook his head. “You know . . . it makes me think of that old song we used to sing in church.”
“Really? Which one?”
“Put your hand in the hand of a man who stills the waters . . .” Hal bopped his head from side to side.
“How about this one? When you’re down in trouble and you need a helping hand.”
“Or the favorite Beatles tune, I wanna hold your hand.”
Robbie chuckled. ‘We should name it.”
Hal stared in thought. “You realize that’s a great idea. What about . . .” The corner of Hal’s mouth rose. “Luke.”
“Luke.” Oddly Robbie looked at him. “Luke?”
“Cool hand?”
Laughing, Robbie got it and looked back to the case where his bionic arm dangled from blood circulating wires. “Can you believe it, Hal? Tomorrow at this time I’ll have two arms.”
“Keep in mind, little brother it will be dead weight for another day or two.”
“I know. But still.” Robbie looked at the arm. “I hope it gets tan.”
“I don’t see why it wouldn’t. You have to admit it is a work of art.”
“Dean kicked ass on it.” Robbie exhaled. “I got a little scared. I thought this dream wasn’t gonna happen.”
“And rightfully so. Good God, Robbie. We thought Dean was dead.”
“And without Dean, no arm attachment.”
“True,”
“I can’t believe we believed that rumor,” Robbie said.
“Well, look at the information,” Hal stated. “Ellen shot Dean. That in itself is very believable. She has a problem with that sort of thing.”
“Was it wrong of me to worry about my arm instead of Dean?”
“Not at all.”
The buzz of the cryo-lab door caught Robbie’s attention and he turned to look. “Speaking of Dean.”
Dean walked in. “Hey, Robbie. I see . . .” He slowed down his speech and his walk.
“Yes, you do, Dean,” Robbie said, “since you have that microchip and pretty soon I’ll be able to reach out and touch someone.”
Dean stepped closer as his eyes focused on Hal.
Robbie snapped his fingers before a seemingly too focused Dean. “Dean? What’s wrong?”
Hal whispered to Robbie. “It’s the infatuation he has with me.”
Robbie snickered. “I feel left out. He’s not staring at me.”
“Well, you’re not whole again. I am and I’m in uniform.”
“You’re cool, Hal.”
“I am.”
“Hey.” Robbie laughed. “That’s Frank’s line.” Mid laughter, he finally noticed Dean again and Dean was still staring. “Man, Dean, you Okay?”
Hal blinked. Suddenly he felt a little uncomfortable. “Dean?”
Dean inched closer. “Asshole!” he blasted.
Hal blinked again. “Me or him?”
“What the hell are you, you of all people, doing in my lab? God! You are like the last person I would want in here.”
Hal looked to his left, right, and behind him then returned to Dean. “Are you speaking to me?”
“Hello,” Dean said with edge. “I’m not speaking to Robbie. He’s invited.”
Strangely, Hal glanced at Robbie. “Is he all right?”
Robbie shrugged.
“I’m right here,” Dean said. “Then again it would be just like you to pretend I wasn’t. You and your holier than thou attitude.”
Hal was in shock. He ignored Robbie’s giggles and shook his head. “Dean, I’m sorry. Did I do something to you?”
“What didn’t you do?” Dean asked.
“Ex . . . excuse me. I don’t believe I did anything.”
“It’s not one thing. It’s everything.”
Giving a hard ‘knock it off look’ at Robbie, Hal went back to Dean. “Did something transpire since the last time I spoke to you?”
“He fell in love,” Robbie stated. “Maybe it’s a Misha factor.”
“And that’s another thing,” Dean continued. “You use your authority, Mr. Almighty Captain, Mr. I’m the only officer in my camp.”
Robbie couldn’t help it. He snorted a laugh. “Dean, why are you picking on my brother?”
“Maybe somebody should.”
“I’m . . .” Hal pointed across the lab but his eyes still stayed on Dean. “I’m going to go now. Excuse me.” With a shift of his body and a nod to Robbie, Hal gave one more odd look at Dean and walked out.
“Man, Dean.” Robbie shook his head. “You scared my brother.”
“Someone should.”
“Um . . . yeah,” Robbie said. “Maybe you should make that your mission.” He started to leave.
“I will.”
Robbie paused at the door. “Then you do that.”
“I have your support?” Dean asked.
“Oh, sure.” Robbie winked. “You’re giving me my arm back. If I were a woman, you’d have my heart. You can have my heart, Dean, but the body doesn’t come with it.”
“Thanks, Robbie.”
“You’re welcome.” Robbie opened the door, “Thanks for letting me see Luke, my arm.”
“Anytime,” Dean said. “You have a nice day.”
After nodding, Robbie walked out. He hesitated in the hall and shook his head with a snicker. “Man, he’s fuckin gone.” Laughing a little more, Robbie hurried to catch Hal. This was something they definitely had to tell Frank.
^^^^
The dart sailed with perfection from Danny Hoi’s hand, signaling off the siren of victory.
“Yes.” Danny, hand high, turned to his partner Henry as he moved to the bar. “Call me Mr. Bull’s-eye.”
Joe’s voice intervened, “I’d rather call you Mr. Information.”
“That too.” Danny smiled and then it dawned on him that it was Joe talking. “Oh.”
“Oh?” Joe said, surprised. “Not wanting to see me?”
“That’s not it at all, Joe. I’m happy, yet shocked. I thought you’d be asleep.”
Henry nudged into Danny. “Joe should be asleep. You know, a man of his age.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” Joe placed his hands in his pockets. “I need to speak to you two about something. You especially, Danny.”
“Okay. Time out.” Danny formed a ‘T’ with his hands. “Is this official Beginnings business?”
“What?” Joe asked.
“Well if it’s official Beginnings business then you are officially leader again. If you are officially leader again, we should have an official debriefing so we really can’t have official Beginnings business without the official . . .”
“Danny.” Joe sniffed. “Are you drunk?”
“No, sir, pleasantly intoxicated.”
After grumbling an ‘hmm’, Joe looked ay Henry. “How about you?”
“No, Joe, I’m sober. I have Nick,” Henry replied. “I haven’t had a drink all night.” He leaned to Joe and huffed a breath.
Joe winced. “Thank you for that. Okay, Henry, you’re fine. Danny, you’re too pleasantly intoxicated to talk about something you have had your hand in.”
Danny laughed.
“What? What’s so funny?” Joe quizzed.
“Joe.” Danny snickered. “I have my hand in a lot around Beginnings, New Bowman, and Jordan. Be specific.”
“Dean’s mind.”
Danny shook his head. “Of all the things I’ve touched, I can’t believe my hands have ever been inside Dean’s head.”
“Danny!” Joe’s hand slammed to the bar. “Can we be serious? This is serious. Do either of you know what’s going on with Dean?”
Danny shrugged. “Haven’t a clue.”
Henry added, “Me either, Joe.”
“Have you noticed he’s different?”
Danny answered, “No, I can’t say I have. Well, maybe
, but then again, Dean’s always different.”
“True,” Henry commented.
“You two don’t think it’s odd that his entire behavior has changed?”
Another shrug came from Danny. “He’s doing his job, right?”
“Well . . .” Henry spoke up. “I do think it’s odd about him and Josephine.”
“Josephine?” Joe asked. “You mean Misha.”
“Both,” Henry said. “He’s been pining over Josephine.”
Joe grumbled. “He’s pining over Josephine, divorces my daughter, and is in love with Misha all in less than a week. My son, Hal, just told me Dean was a total asshole to him. All of this and no warning signs went off to either of you bozos?” He watched them shake their heads. “Not at all?”
“Well . . .” Henry hem-hawed. “A little, but we attributed it to mid life crisis.”
“How about this?” Joe suggested. “His chip.”
Danny shook his head ‘no’. “I did a diagnostic, Joe.”
“Do another.”
“It’ll show the same thing,” Danny said. “It’s just Dean. He’s whacked.”
“No, Danny. I’ve known the man for years. This behavior and sudden change is too odd and . . .” Joe reached into his chest pocket. “I found this on my desk.”
“Is that for me?” Danny asked. “I was leader.”
“It was unmarked.” Joe unfolded it. “The letter is anonymous and it says that Dean is under something similar to a post hypnotic suggestion and to fix it all you have to do is a normal routine maintenance on him.”
Danny laughed. “Joe, that is so impossible. Henry, tell him.”
“A post hypnotic suggestion?” Henry laughed as well. “No, Joe. The chip is fine.”
“No one is saying anything about the chip. Usually I would dismiss such rubbish but come on. This sent warning signals off to me. Can you do the maintenance?”
Danny shook his head. “He’s not scheduled for another three weeks.”
“Do it now. I want some normalcy,” Joe stated.
“This is Beginnings,” Danny said.
Joe rolled his eyes.
“Joe,” Henry spoke up. “We can’t. If we run a maintenance tune up on his chip so close to the last one, chances are we will fry the chip. If we fry the chip, Dean’s blind again and out of commission. Really Joe, a post hypnotic suggestion of sorts? It’s ludicrous. Maybe Dean is just changing. I don’t buy it. It’s insane.”
“Insane?” Joe questioned. “This is goddamn Beginnings. When isn’t it insane? A post hypnotic suggestion is not insane. I remember not long ago, Frank had a post hypnotic suggestion and every time Dean said his name, he told Dean he loved him.”
Danny was serious and then he blurted out a laugh.
“Oh, my God!” Henry shirked “I forgot about that. That was so funny.”
“Henry,” Joe grumbled.
Danny lifted his hand. “Even if this is true, Joe, think about it. Who would do such a thing?”
“How about Misha?” Joe responded. “She seems to be the center of Dean’s attention.”
Danny had to disagree. “No, Joe. Misha isn’t smart enough.”
“Be that as it may, something is not right. Since Dean has mechanics in his brain, and that isn’t right, do this. Humor me.”
“Ok,” Danny said. “Two blondes and a brunette . . .”
“Danny.”
“Fine.” Danny nodded. “We’ll tune up, but it has to wait a few days.”
“Good. Fine. I’ll accept that,” Joe said. “Thank you. I’ll let you boys get back to your game.”
“Joe,” Danny called out as Joe turned to leave, “Even if this is true and Misha is the trigger of sorts to making Dean weird, if she’s around, we’re not gonna have normalcy until after that tune up.”
“You’re right. You know what . . .” Joe smiled. “You just gave me an idea.”
^^^^
Almost tearful, Misha resisted as Andrea pulled her down the hall of the clinic by the wrist. “I don’t understand.”
“Girl.” Andrea stopped, turned, and scolded. “Sweet Jesus how many times do I need to explain it to you?”
“But . . . But . . .” Misha’s feet dragged as Andrea pulled again.
“By orders of the President of Beginnings himself, my husband, out you go like a bad light bulb.” Andrea snapped her fingers. “I thank the good Lord for favors granted.” She pushed on the double doors. “The Jeep awaits and I am taking you myself.”
“Why isn’t Ellen under house arrest?”
“She’s vital. You are not.”
“Dean!” Misha screamed.
Dean hurried in from the street. “What’s going on?” He saw Misha’s tears and looked at Andrea. “What’s happening?”
Smugly, Andrea answered. “Ask the vixen.”
“Dean,” Misha sobbed. “I’m being temporarily evicted from Beginnings and placed on house arrest.”
“What!” Dean blasted. “That’s absurd.”
“Do you question authority in Beginnings?” Andrea asked.
“Yes,” Dean said.
“Tough. You ought to be grateful she’s not being kicked out.” Andrea’s head bobbed as she spoke.
“For what reason?” Dean asked.
With a huff, Andrea exhaled. “Community disruption and with the charge of sexual scandal over her head, that makes two problems and we don’t want to take a chance with the third because she’ll be out. So under law, she gets placed under house arrest, under guard, until a fair trial.” Andrea started pulling Misha again, this time unstoppable, to the Jeep.
“Wait!” Dean called out. “When did this law go into effect?”
“Dean, maybe if you weren’t so selfishly focused you’d read the Joe Board. It’s been posted for days.” Andrea directed Misha, nearly shoved her in the Jeep, and shut the door. “Pay attention.”
“I’m gonna go look.”
“It’s been taken down now. It’s old news.” Andrea walked around to the driver’s door. “I’ll be back.”
“What if I need to see her?” Dean said.
“Visit the House of Lesbians and look through a window. Out of sight, out of mind, we hope.” Andrea got into the Jeep.
“Out of sight out of mind? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Dean questioned then looked up when he heard the peeling out of the Jeep and before he knew it, Andrea was leaving Beginnings with Misha. A brief moment later, in the silence, Dean stood alone. He looked back and forth. “Why am I standing out here?” After a shrug of confusion, he went into the clinic.
^^^^
It wasn’t where Ellen wanted to be, not at all. She had been away from her home for over a month, and where she wanted to be most was with her family . . . her children. But her mind was so far out there in deep thought that she could barely enjoy the quiet time. Then again, the quiet time disappeared when Robbie and Hal stopped by. That was Ellen’s signal to search out Joe.
Joe’s house turned up empty, which surprised her. She supposed the hunt for Joe Slagel gave her more time to think and Ellen was grateful for the chill that filled the air because that made her numb. She needed to be numb. It was better than anger or worse, the hurt she so desperately tried to hide.
She found Joe in a place she didn’t want to be . . . the clinic. But it was better than not finding Joe at all. Perhaps she needed to speak to him, hear his thoughts and insight. Never would Ellen of expected the ‘Joe theory’ on Dean that she received.
In the hall, just outside of Andrea’s office, Ellen stared up at Joe.
“Well?” Joe asked.
“Post . . . hypnotic suggestion?” Ellen said.
“Not exactly, but like it.”
“Post hypnotic suggestion.”
“It makes sense.”
“No, Joe.” Ellen shook her head. “And what doesn’t make sense to me is the fact that why you, of all people, are buying into it.”
“Because it makes me a lot less concerned
. I’d rather buy into a hypnotic suggestion than a ‘Dean’s insane’ theory, especially when he operates on my son in less than ten hours.”
“First, there’s no doubt in my mind that the surgery will be fine. There is doubt about this suggestion.”
“You think it’s more?” Joe asked as they walked.
“I’m afraid to say . . . but yes.”
Joe sighed heavily. “I want it to be the suggestion because that is easily fixed.”
Ellen slowed some in her pace. “I think it should be a wait and watch. It’s very possible that Dean may just need . . . he may need a break of sorts.” Ellen raised her eyebrows then saw the look Joe gave her. “What?”
“You think he’s crazy?”
“I think it’s possible that he broke.”
“Nah.” Joe shook his head. “Granted, his behavior is whacked.”
“Yes. Yes it is,” Ellen said. “Trust me Joe, there’s nothing more that I want than to have it be a problem easily fixed by zapping his chip, but . . . but we need to watch his pattern. I’m concerned.”
“And rightfully so. But Ellen, come on. You know me. The hypnotic thing would just be par for course in this screwed up world of Beginnings. It’s not Dean. I’m convinced.”
“It wouldn’t be Dean either if he had some sort of breakdown, but look at all he’s done. He hands me over to Frank and writes a note, mind you. He was hostile to Hal. Hal? He suddenly falls in love with Misha and that makes no sense to me. I know my Dean. I also know he wouldn’t so easily divorce me.”
“Don’t forget about Josephine.”
Ellen stopped walking right before the lab door. “What about her?”
“You haven’t heard?” Joe saw Ellen shake her head. “Well, rumors have it that he’s been pining over Josephine.”
“Josephine?”
“Josephine.”
“And you still think it’s a hypnotic suggestion? Joe, would a suggestion make him pine over Josephine and be hostile to Hal.”
“I guess not, but the tune up is worth a shot.”
“So is watching Dean. Speaking of which . . .” Ellen looked into the lab and saw Dean working at the counter. “I want to pop in and see him for just a minute.”
“You aren’t gonna shoot him, are you?”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 325