The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Dad.” Frank laughed.

  Hal looked in thought as well. ‘Dad, it really might be worth a shot. How many times were psychics used by the CIA?”

  “Too many to tell.” Joe folded the paper. “You use to swear by them, Hal.”

  “True. May I go with you.” Hal stood.

  “Why not.”

  Frank whistled. “Whoa. Wait. Hold up. I’m open-minded, probably more than anyone but Ben from fuckin Fabrics is no fuckin psychic and I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

  Joe scooted from his seat. “Wanna drive, Hal?”

  “Sure.” Hal lifted his bandana from his pocket.

  “Dad.” Frank turned. “Bill, say something.”

  “Pap.” Billy hopped from his chair. “You’re a reasonable man. If Uncle Frank thinks that this is nuts, how does that make you look?”

  Joe nodded a few times then laid his hand on Billy’s cheek. “You’re welcome to come.” He grabbed his coat. “Let’s go, Hal.”

  Frank’s hand, in Joe fashion, went immediately to his face as Hal and Joe rushed away.

  “Uncle Frank?” Billy uttered with concern.

  “I know. I know.” Frank shook his head. “There’s a reason for my dad’s insanity, you know. It’s called . . . old age.” He grabbed Billy’s hand. “Let’s go.”

  ^^^^

  Eighties soft rock music seeped through the slight opening of the cryo-lab door that was propped open with a small brick. Margaret had folders in her hand. She reached up and daintily knocked. Nothing. “Dr. Hayes,” she called. Nothing again. She knocked once more.

  The music stopped.

  “Dr. Hayes?”

  The patter of footsteps made their way closer and the door opened.

  “Sorry to . . . oh my God,” Margaret said s shock. “Are you all right? You look upset.”

  Dean shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Stressed is the word on top of lack of sleep.” He opened the door wider “Come in.”

  “Thank you. I’m sorry to bother you.” Margaret stepped into the lab. “Andrea wanted me to give these to you. She said she had no clue when you were rising to the top again.”

  Dean snickered. “Neither do I.”

  “My goodness, look at this lab.” Margaret slowly spun clockwise. “This is amazing.”

  “It’s a little messy.”

  “And smelly.” She smiled and handed him the folders. “Are you sure you okay?”

  “Yeah. Yeah.” Dean flipped open a folder. “What’s up with Dan from Security?”

  “I cut off the tip of his finger.”

  Dean checked. “You’re supposed to help not . . .”

  “It wasn’t on purpose. I wasn’t doing any sort of operating. I was training and taking out a staple with the fine tweezers when Frank blasted in.”

  “Ouch.” Dean closed the chart. “Shit happens,” he said with a chuckle.

  “That’s a positive attitude. I’ll let you return to your work.”

  “Thanks for the files and for the smile.”

  Margaret stopped walking. “Anytime. Do you need some help down here? I don’t mean to sound so motherly but . . .”

  Dean waved his hand. “No, I’m doing a waiting game. You can say the countdown is on. The clock is ticking. It’s almost time up on something that means my world.”

  “An experiment?” Margaret asked. “No, I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

  “That’s Okay. Yes, it’s an experiment.”

  “You don’t seem so sure it will work.”

  “I’m nervous that it won’t, but hopeful it will.” Dean clenched his fist. “A lot rides on this, personally as well. It’s vital that it works.”

  “If it doesn’t, you have come up with a contingency, correct?”

  “Unfortunately . . .” Dean sadly chuckled. “There is no contingency for this one.”

  “This is a one shot deal?” Margaret asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Maybe you just didn’t think of one.”

  “There isn’t one.”

  “Have you tried? I mean with something this vital surely you would . . .”

  “Margaret.” Dean stopped her.

  “Oh,” Margaret closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I am way out of my league here. I’m sorry.” She lifted her hand. “I’ll go.”

  “I didn’t mean to snap.”

  “And I didn’t mean to pry. You can say it’s from being married to a politician.” She watched Dean wince. “George or not, he was a politician and a good one . . . at first.” She smiled. “We’d sit for hours and speak of contingencies. God, even if it meant the contingency was starting from scratch.” She turned.

  “Wait.” Dean’s eyes lifted “Repeat that.”

  “Repeat what?”

  “You would sit for hours. Why?”

  “To come up with any contingency, short or long, even if it meant starting from scratch.”

  Dean snapped his fingers. “That's it. That is it!” He rushed to her and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.”

  “For?”

  “For reminding me that I do have a contingency, I think. I’m pretty sure.” He stepped back in a hurry and turned. “But I want to double check on that. Will you excuse me?”

  “Absolutely, you go . . .” She watched Dean fly across the lab and disappear into the back. “Right ahead.” Margaret shrugged. "Glad I could help.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  It used to be a shoeshine pocket in a store. There was a single step that led to the wooden door with the glass window. The blind was half drawn and a sign that read ‘In’ blared in pink ink.

  “Christ.” Joe reached for the door handle. “Who gave him this store front?”

  Hal grinned.

  “Dad.” Frank reached out. “It’s Ben from Fabrics.”

  Joe flung out his hand. “It’s worth a shot.” He opened the door.

  Ding-ding.

  All four of them, Joe, Hal, Frank, and Billy stepped into the small parlor. A small round table was in the center of the darkened room. Candles burned.

  “Hello,” Joe called out.

  With dramatic flair, the curtain flung open and Ben stepped out. “Welcome,” he said. His head was wrapped in a turban and he wore a colorful full shall over his yellow leisure suit. “Welcome.” He saw Frank. “Even you.”

  Frank flipped him off.

  Ben resumed smiling. “Mr. Slagel, please tell me you are here to grace me with your presence for a reading.”

  “Yes,” Joe nodded.

  “Oh!” Excited, Ben clapped. “Goodie. Have a seat.” He pointed to the table. “There are more chairs. Pull them up. This is so great.”

  Joe sat at the round table right in front of the obviously covered crystal ball. Frank was to his left along with Billy and Hal to his right. He saw Ben holding out his hand. Joe shook it.

  “No.” Ben held out his hand again. ‘Your Danny Dollar card please.”

  “What? There’s a charge?” Joe asked surprised.

  “Six Danny Dollars.”

  “Christ.” Joe felt his pockets. “I don’t have it. Frank?”

  “What?” Frank asked.

  “Give him your card,” Joe instructed.

  “What? No.”

  “Frank!”

  “Fine.” Frank reached into his pocket, pulled out the card, and handed it to Ben. “Don’t fuckin overcharge me.”

  With a flutter of his eyes, Ben took the card and moved to the small counter. He stood before the machine, swiped the card, and waited. “It’s good.” He walked back to the table and handed Frank the card. “Thank you. Now . . .” he exhaled and sat down. “If we can release all negative energy. Let’s do a few breaths.”

  “Fuck the breaths!” Frank barked. “Get to the reading.”

  Ben gasped. “I need to focus.”

  Joe nudged Frank. “Let him focus.”

  Ben closed his eyes, lifted his hand, hummed badly for a few moments, and then exhaled. “I’m re
ady. How can I help you?”

  “Okay.” Joe pulled out the message. “I have this. It’s a message. But . . . it’s in code.”

  “I’m not very good at codes.” Ben took it.

  “Well, we don’t need you to crack it. We just want you to tell us what it may be about.”

  “I can do that. We can ask the cards. They will guide us.”

  Frank pointed. “What about this?” His index finger laid on the crystal ball.

  Ben smacked his hand. “Don’t touch my ball. The ball is used for the future. This is tapping in.” Ben took the folded paper and with a raise of his buttocks, he slapped the paper on the chair and sat back down.

  Frank audibly cringed.

  Hal sneered. “Will you behave, Frank?”

  Ben closed his eyes “I’m getting something. I’m getting a good vibe. I feel it.”

  Frank rolled eyes. “Of course you fuckin feel it. You’re sitting on it.”

  Hal, Joe, and Ben yelled, “Frank!”

  “Fine.” Frank folded hi arms.

  Ben pulled his cards forward. “I’ll shuffle but while I do so, I want all of you to think of your intention. Your intention is to find out what is in the message.” Ben began to shuffle.

  “Uh!” Frank blasted out.

  Joe bit his lip. “What in God’s name, Frank/”

  “Him.” Frank pointed to Ben. “He's not thinking our intention. He’s thinking his own. He’s thinking how hot Hal is and how Hal’s knee is touching him.”

  Hal scooted back.

  “Sorry.” Ben gave a blushing look.

  Hal nervously lifted his hand. “Quite . . . quite all right.”

  Frank leaned far back and angled his body toward Hal. “He wants you,” he whispered.

  “Frank,” Joe grunted. “Ben, could you . . .”

  “Yes.” Ben divided the deck into three piles. “Pick a pile.”

  Joe thought.

  “Oh. Oh.” Frank nudged Joe. “Pick three. Pick three.”

  Joe pushed Frank away. “Three, Ben.”

  “Yes.” Frank clenched his fist.

  In near disgust, Hal glared at Frank. "There is something wrong with you.”

  Ben finished putting the piles together. ‘We will begin.” He turned over the card with smile and bright ‘ah’. “The Sun card. That means the news is good. The message is about good news. Do you know who sent the message?”

  “Yes,” Joe answered. “That’s why I have a hard time believing it could be good news.”

  “Being a doubting Thomas are we?” Ben folded his hands. “Yes, it is good news, sent by the golden boy. His hair is blonde or almost blonde, and stunning. He’s fit and built. He is a god of all gods, handsome, hot . . .and . . .” he flipped another card. “Knight of Wands. He is a soldier.”

  Joe kept a poker face. Hal bit his nails.

  Frank saw the look on both his father and Hal’s face. They were being drawn in. “Most men are solders now, Ben. Be more specific.”

  Hal gave a quirky look. “Frank, I’d say he is being specific.”

  Ben turned another card. “Oh, my.” He giggled. “He’s gay. This is the King of Wands. With the two wands in a row, I would even say there is a family connection here somewhere.”

  “Uh.” Frank shouted. “Fuck, Hal, he’s talking about you.”

  Hal curled his lips in disgust. “He is not, Frank. I’m not gay.”

  ‘He said blonde, gay, and a family connection.”

  Joe intervened, “Robbie.”

  Ben smiled. “Robbie’s gay?”

  “No!” Joe snapped. “Robbie is the family connection to the messenger.”

  Frank breathed out, “Oh, yeah. Okay, I get it.”

  Hal nodded. “That’s pretty good, Ben.”

  “Yeah, you nailed the messenger,” Joe pointed to the three cards. “Now see if you can give us the message or at least an idea.”

  “I will try.” Ben turned a card. “King of cups. He’s moving, slowly with the flow. He’s making little progress in his journey, but knows where he’s going.”

  Hal looked at Joe. “Makes sense for why he would write.”

  Joe agreed. “He’s moving somewhere.” He waved to Ben. “Go on.”

  “Page of Cups.” Ben tilted his head. “Lots of movement. This is a long journey. He also brings something. However it could be purist of something. One of the two. I’m going to say he brings . . .” A flip of another card. “Page of Pentacles. Whatever it is, it is of great value.”

  Joe halted him. “He’s moving with something? What?”

  Ben turned a card. “Hmm. Three of Pentacles. Three suitors. I’m venturing to guess not only is this of value, but there are perhaps three people on this journey.” He saw Joe getting ready to raise a question and he continued with a card. “Ah. Emperor. Remember I said family? This is the father card. I placed this under the journey card, meaning he’s moving somewhere related to a father figure.” A flip of another card. “Definitely father. The father leads the way or they head to where the father is. One more card . . .” Ben smiled. “Three of Wands. Family again. The prodigal son returns.”

  Frank looked puzzled. “What the fuck is that?”

  With a swipe of his hand over his face, Joe exhaled.

  “Dad?” Hal questioned. “This makes no sense.”

  “It does to me.” Joe stood up and extended his hand to Ben. “I’ll take that paper now. You’ve been a great help.”

  Hal whispered to Frank, “What’s Dad thinking?”

  “I don’t know. He’s blocking me.”

  Taking Billy’s hand, Joe walked to the door. “Let’s go boys.”

  Shrugging, Hal followed. Once outside, he couldn’t contain his curiosity. “Dad? What made sense to you.”

  Joe waited until Frank joined. “Okay, what is the reason we sent Jess to the Society? A trade off. He was a spy here. Why was he a spy, or why did he claim to agree to be a spy?”

  Frank snapped his fingers. “They held his brother over his head.”

  “Exactly,” Joe said. “Jess knew his brother was somewhere in the Society. He believed he was dead but it makes perfect sense. Jess wrote us an explanation. How do you symbolize father? If you were heading to your father, you are heading . . .”

  Hal peacefully, and with discovery, smiled. “Home.”

  “That’s right,” Joe said. “Jess is heading home.”

  Frank added, “To Beginnings. Oh my God. He found . . .he found . . .”

  Joe winked “Jess found his brother and he’s heading back.”

  “You know,” Hal said, “that actually feels right to me.”

  “Me too,” Joe agreed. “Frank?”

  “It could make sense.” Frank scratched his head. “It would fit what Ben said. Bill, what are your thoughts?”

  Billy glanced up to the towering Slagels. He hesitated then he replied. “My thoughts.” He gave a single twitch of his head. “You’re all whacked.”

  ^^^^

  There were no skin formed white suits that rejected the cryogenics process dangling from wires in a sealed off room. No panel of life signals. Not this time. Animal cases were used. Each had its own LCD display of vital signs with a countdown timer and the timer was counting down.

  The frost was long gone. Brian and Caroline could be seen in full view as they lay in their individual small sealed glass cases. Dean watched with hope. Over the previous eight hours the temperature decreased, the pulse increased to a normal rate, respiration was normal, brain activity read ‘N’ for normal, not abnormal nor flat, and slight movement of limbs had begun. All was going as planned.

  He dared not move. Not an inch. His eyes stayed focus on Caroline’s stats. She was eleven minutes ahead of Brian.

  Timer: Two minutes.

  Heart: 116 PM

  Respiration: 20

  Brain function: Normal

  A slight twitch and her head turned to the left.

  One minute

  No change in vi
tals.

  Thirty seconds.

  Heart rate: 110

  Respiration: 18

  Brain function: Normal.

  The timer hit fifteen seconds and a ‘hiss’ sounded. Dean heard the ‘pop’ of the lid then saw it lift slightly, emerging a white steam. The musical sound of Carolina’s beeping heart monitor flowed through the room and was only interrupted by the single tone that indicated time was up.

  The lid opened.

  Apprehensive and trembling slightly, Dean looked in.

  Caroline cried.

  Just as he released an emotional sigh of relief, the parental side of Dean kicked in. He picked up a blanket and reached into the case.

  She wailed louder, but that didn’t stop Dean. After a grateful strong embrace, keeping a wrapped Caroline close to his chest, Dean lifted her head back to see her. He laughed. He couldn’t help it. Her little eyes watered, her face was red from the cold, and her mouth was wide open. It didn’t matter how shrill of a cry it was. As a father, he knew it wasn’t a painful cry. He ran his hand over her face. “Look at you. Oh, God. Welcome back.” Dean kissed her. “Welcome back.”

  Caroline pretty much could care less about the attention and Dean knew it. His eyes shifted to Brian’s timer that read a bit less than ten minutes and then he took Caroline to the crib just to the right. He had time. He knew it and wanted to examine her.

  A diaper was in reach and he quickly opened the blanket enough to place the diaper on the child. Whispering over and over, ‘I know’ in a calming manner, Dean checked out Caroline. Her heart was strong and her lungs were clear. She exhibited no sign of the new flu. Not yet and Dean wanted to take no chances. Amidst the crying, Dan lifted the ready syringe and uncapped it. He injected Caroline with a immunization to the new flu, just in case.

  Experience told Dean she would need fluids and that would come, but it had to wait. Brian would wake up next. A baby bottle of juice was waiting and Dean handed it to Caroline as he lifted her again. She took it quickly and hungrily began to consume it.

  He figured he’d hold her until it was close to Brian’s waking. His eyes never left the monitor display. In pleasure, he watched the vitals.