“Yes. Yes, I do.” Roy asked.
“You know, this bad boy can do a lot of work when it’s … standing at attention.”
Roy blinked. “Attention?”
Josephine raised a bony finger upwards.
Roy understood, “Yes, I suppose.”
“Know how that happens?” she winked.
Roy smiled. “Yes. It starts with the brain. A message from the brain causes the relaxation of the corpora cavernosa muscles. This allows blood to flow in and fill the open spaces. The blood then creates a pressure in the corpora cavernosa, making the penis expand. The tunica albuginea trap the blood in the corpora cavernosa, this is how the erection is sustained. But as I said, it begins with the brain. A thought, usually, fantasy; mainly an arousing visual can start the process.”
“An arousing visual, huh?” At that moment she ripped open her blouse exposing her breasts. “How’s that for arousing?”
Roy ran.
That night he ran.
He had later learned through rumors that the wicked old woman was telling people he had used his erection on her.
The thought of that disturbed him.
And there he was face to face with her again in the early morning hours of Beginnings.
She raised her hand high, stumbling drunk, and yelled out, “Wanna fool around.”
Games or no games, he wasn’t going to fall for her Tom Foolery.
So he spun on his heels and took a different route. The Fonz wouldn’t allow himself to be in that position. Roy felt like the Fonz with her and the effect he seemed to have on Josephine.
But no sooner did he turn, there stood Dan from Security.
“You are out and about early,” Dan said.
“Running?”
“Running?” Roy asked.
“Getting in shape?”
“Actually, my body is in top physical shape for its age and weight. Should I begin running, I could burn off more calories than needed; therefore I wouldn’t sustain the desired weight needed to make my body healthy.”
“Oh, yeah?” Dan asked. “Wow. OK. See ya.”
He left.
Roy was relieved.
Just as he made it to the tunnel area he saw Henry.
Immediately he wondered if anyone slept in Beginnings.
But he couldn’t remember his name. Was it Henry? Danny. Roy made the mistake, he thought he was cordial to just nod an acknowledgement when passing someone. Keeping his head slightly down, hands in his pockets, he merely gave a nod, and a, ‘hey’.
“So, are you being a dick or what?” Henry asked, stopping in the tunnel.
Roy turned around. “Why would I change my name?”
“I’m not talking about your name. I’m talking about your attitude.”
“I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”
“No, you never do anything wrong.”
“Thank you.”
Henry shook his head. “Man.”
“Yes.” Roy smiled. “Man.” He pointed to Henry. “See ya, Danny.” He turned back around.
“Henry,” Henry corrected. “My name is Henry.”
“I’m ... I’m sorry. In this light you look alike.”
Henry gasped. “That was like the worst racist remark you ever made. Next time you need a favor, don’t come to me.”
“I won’t.”
Whatever was said, or however he took it, Henry stormed off.
Roy finished his mission, but not without a bad case of nerves. He returned to the trailer before dawn, and huddled in a corner. Taking solace in being alone
Solace. Isolation. Seclusion. That was Roy’s way of life, and the way he preferred to live. He just wanted to get back to the future.
If he couldn’t get back, there was always Wisconsin. He dreamed of going to Wisconsin. A place he firmly believed was untouched by plague or war. At least in his mind, anyplace was less stressful than Beginnings.
<><><><>
.
The horse brushed by Elliott so closely, he nearly spun on his heels losing his balance. Was he not paying attention? Walking in his own world?
“Sorry, Sgt. Ryder,” the young soldier yelled out as he continued his ride down the main street.
Elliott watched. The horse moves side by side, to the left, right.
He had to be new. Once and a while, a new rider would lose control. Such as the private, he had begun to scream for help.
The Captain saw it. He knew what was happening. In fact, Hal stood at the corral fence, holding it open, laughing.
“You released him?” Elliott asked.
“Yes, it was funny.”
“He could get hurt.”
“He could,” Hal shrugged. “Net time he’ll learn to listen to instruction and poke his sword into the horse. Accident or no accident. What brings you here, Elliott? Other than to question my authority on riders. No pun intended.”
“No pun taken. I just received a phone call from your brother.”
Hal patted his chest, then pockets. “Shit. My phone.”
Elliot held it up. “I took the call.”
“See,” Hal grinned this is what makes you a good right hand man.”
“My ability to be a secretary.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm?” Hal asked. “Did you just Hmm me?”
“I believe I did. Your brother needs you in Beginnings stat.”
“Is there a family emergency?” Hal asked.
“No, he said it’s for a meeting.”
“Another meeting? Is this the same one we’re having tomorrow?”
“No, I asked. This one’s not about the clone. It’s about something else. He wouldn’t tell me anymore.”
“Good Fucking God, Elliott.”
Elliott stumbled back. “Good ... fucking God. Did you just add the ‘F’ word to you stock phrase.”
“Yes, yes, I did.” Hal snatched the phone from Elliott’s hand. “And you would too, with a brother like Frank. Him and these stupid meetings. Good …” He dialed. “Fucking God.”
<><><><>
“Hal!” Frank blasted in the phone. “I don’t care. No, let me repeat that. I really don’t fucking care. It’s ten fuckin miles from there to here.” He grunted. “Take a fuckin horse, or drive. Be here in one hour. Fine! Send Sgt. Ryder. But you’ll be sorry you missed it.” Frank hung up. “Fuckin asshole.”
A single knock on the trailer door, and Robbie poked his head in. “Hey, Frank.”
“Hey, Robbie.”
“You were calling? I can’t get a signal in the lab for some reason.”
“I did call. Yeah, I just wanted to have a meeting in an hour.”
“You’re getting pretty good with these meetings.”
“I fucking hate them. I wish everything would happen at once so I can have one meeting.”
“And this can’t wait until tomorrow.”
Frank cocked his eyebrows and shook his head. “So … no signal. Did you talk to Danny about that?”
“Yeah, he said a too small space with the computers may be interfering. I needed to speak to you about something anyhow.”
“Come in.”
Robbie did.
“What’s up?”
“We have a problem.”
“Fuck.”
“What?”
“Another one?”
“Sort of. I have a problem.” Robbie pulled up a chair. “I was running a fingerprint match. I figured why waste time on searching.”
“Run Dean’s.”
“Exactly.” Robbie held out his hand. “I did.”
“And?”
“No match.” Robbie handed him a sheet of paper. “I ran it four times Frank. Dean’s prints do not match the prints on the explosive or timer.”
Frank raised his eyes. “Would the clone have different prints?”
“No. Same.” Robbie said.
“This doesn’t make sense.”
“Not at all. The clone was ther
e. Seconds before the explosion. I thought for sure he set the device.”
“Obviously he didn’t.” Frank ran his hand over his goatee. “You know what this means don’t you?”
Robbie nodded. “The clone may have dropped it off. But he wasn’t the one who built and set it. I thought we had it. I was certain.”
“Someone else was in on killing, Dad.” Frank exhaled. “But who?”
“I have to start running prints. Everyone’s. Where do I start? Who do I start with?”
“I don’t know, little brother, I don’t know,” Frank said defeated. “Who would want to kill, Dad? You have your work cut out.”
<><><><>
His trip was delayed by three hours. As long as he was flying in during daylight hours, George didn’t mind the delay.
Besides, the reason wasn’t a bad reason. Bertha was up and really motivated. The doctors were impressed at her quick recovery and felt it was going to be even less time until she was back on her feet.
More so than Bertha on her feet, George was glad she was in her right mind. She remembered everything and her brain was what he wanted most. She knew what she was doing.
Along with Bertha, even though he was a defector, Tim Doyle was a brilliant man and George looked forward to working with him again. He was confident that with the warning on the impending war, things were going to be quite different than the future depicted.
He was over Ohio when the radio call came from Stewart. “Gotcha, Stew, where am I to land, did they say? I know there isn’t anywhere specific in Beginnings.”
“Sir, they didn’t say.”
“Repeat.”
“They didn’t say. We haven’t heard back from them.” George looked at his watch. “We sent the fax six hours ago.”
“Yes, sir, I know. They haven’t responded.”
“Did they get the fax?”
“I phoned and spoke to a …. Trish.”
“And?”
“She screamed and hung up.”
“Christ.” George exhaled. “Do we know where Robbie lands and takes off from?”
“I believe it’s New Bowman, Sir. But, I can’t find that on a map.”
“Probably a town renamed. Well, I’ll be in radio range soon. So keep me posted.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Out.” George lowered his mouth piece. He obviously wasn’t making a surprise visit. If Trish got the fax, chances were they knew. But how long did it take to get to them from the flighty history worker.
George relaxed. He was confident that when he flew over Beginnings he would spot the town. There weren’t many around and he had a good idea which one as New Bowman.
More than likely that was where they had set up the landing strips for Robbie.
He glanced out the window and to the world below. It wasn’t going to be long before he arrived. There were actually a lot of things he looked forward to. A lot of people he liked in Beginnings. Not to mention, Margaret was there. How would she react? Would she welcome him? Hate him?
A lot had occurred and changes had to be made between the interactions of both sides.
The thought of going to Beginnings actually gave him a twitch of nervous excitement. He couldn’t shake it, nor could George shake the happy unexplained feeling he had of going home.
<><><><>
“Well, just send a few men out,” Hal spoke with irritation on the phone as he walked across the main way of Beginnings toward the clinic. “How far out did he go?” He huffed. “We don’t know. I know I opened the gate, but I thought he would stop. OK. OK. He couldn’t have gone too far, the horse will eventually tire. Get some men out as a search party and see what you can do. Right now I’m heading into the clinic.” A pause. “Because my brother Frank is retarded and wants me to meet him here and walk with him to the boring room as he put it.” At the steps, Hal stopped again and smiled. “Slowly but surely, it may mean my stroke, but my brother is coming back. Talk to you soon.”
Shutting off his phone, Hal hooked it on his belt and walked into the clinic. A short ways up, by the clinic lab door, he saw Ellen. He was going to wave, but the way she was slightly hunched over, leaning toward the door, told Hal she didn’t want to be announced.
Her eavesdropping antics were obvious when she turned around with a finger to her mouth in a shush manner.
Hal gave her a curious look and mouthed the words, “What's going on?”
Ellen waved him down, and when Hal didn’t hunch far enough, she grabbed his ear to bring him closer. He released a silent ‘ow’.
“Andrea is in there talking to Joe.” Ellen snickered.
One eyebrow raised and Hal, sneakily peeked in. Andrea moved about the lab.
Ellen pointed to her own ear conveying she wanted Hal to listen.
“I wish you would be verbal,” Andrea said. “I do not understand why. OK. Try this again. You were in History today.” A pause. “I’ll take that as a no. That’s the rumor. I don’t want to doubt my sanity by thinking you’re with me and having someone else say you’re with them.” She exhaled loudly. “I have rounds and since you’re not talking. I figure you have your reasons.”
Both Hal and Ellen backed up when she neared the door.
“Oh,” Andrea said, and then smiled. “I see why. Hello you two.” Turning she walked down the hall.
En route, Frank walked the other way toward her.
“Hello, Frank.”
“Andrea,” Frank said in passing. “Dad.”
Ellen snickered and walked into the lab, hand covering her mouth.
Hal followed. “Ellen, stop.”
“Sorry. It’s funny. She has conversations with Joe’s ghost or at least she thinks she does.”
Hal rolled his eyes. “And you,” he said as Frank walked in.
“What?” Frank asked.
“You encourage.”
“Absolutely, I am a very supportive person,” Frank said. “What am I encouraging?”
Frustrated, Hal grumbled. “Andrea and her seeing Dad.”
“How did I do that?”
“You said hi to our father.”
“Hal, who am I to say what she sees and doesn’t see. What if she sees him?”
“Frank …”
“No, hear me out. You never know. And if it is her imagination, who are we to say she’s fucking nuts? If she’s happy, let her be.” Frank shrugged.
“Fine. Point taken. But I won’t say hello.”
“And if it is his ghost, you’re rude.”
Hal held out his hands. “Then I’m rude.”
“Fuck, add pissy to that to.”
“Are you ready?” Hal asked. “Can we try, if there’s time to add our other meeting to this?”
“If there’s time,” Frank said. “I still have a ton of shit to do.”
“Frank?” Ellen asked. “Another meeting?”
Hal replied disgruntled. “Yes.”
After a stern look to Hal, Frank turned to Ellen. “Yeah, babe, I’m sorry. This meeting is important. You’ll find out why later. And I have a ton of things to do afterwards, depending on the results.”
“So, I should take it I won’t see you again?” She asked.
“I’ll try.” Frank said, and then took notice of the sulk. “What?”
“Well, I talked to you earlier. You said we could go to the Hoi-Hoi on the Range tonight. They’re having line dancing and two stepping.”
Hal snickered.
Frank winced. “I don’t know if I can go. You can go, though.”
“I don’t want to go by myself. Eat by myself, dance by myself.”
“Good God, Ellen,” Hal said. “It’s line dancing. That means everyone is there.”
“Yeah, but I’ll have to sit on the sidelines and watch the two step.”
Hal glanced at Frank. “Sounds like a wonderful time, Frank.”
Frank snapped his finger. ‘You’re right. El, Hal wants to do it. He’ll meet you there.”
“I’ll do …”
>
Ellen cut Hal off. “Really? Oh, wow, great. Thanks, Hal.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
“Fine.” Hal said defeated. “Can we do this meeting now, Frank?”
Frank looked at his watch. “Yeah.”
At that moment Danny Hoi poked his head in the door. “Oh, hey, Shortcake, all done. It’s installed. Now we don’t need a guard. Only those with a code can get in Darrell’s room.”
“Thanks,” Frank said.
Danny left as fast as he stopped by.
Curiously, Hal faced Frank. “Was it my imagination or did he just call you Shortcake?”
“Yep. Been doing that all day. His pet name or something for me.” A dart of a kiss to Ellen and Frank walked to the door. “I don’t know what it is about my effect on the men in this community. Man…” He rubbed his chest. “I make them want to be gay so they can have me. What can I say?” After an exhale, he walked out.
Ellen bit her lip to hold back her laugh.
Hal shook his head. “He’s is so not right.” He gave Ellen a kiss to her cheek. “See you tonight.” Then Hal followed Frank.
<><><><>
What were they thinking?
In the clothing warehouse, items were often packed up and set aside. Items not used. At least that was what Roy figured. The box was marked useless.
He took the clothing; if he was going to be in Beginnings any longer he needed a change of clothes.
It was in the box he found the worn, brown, leather jacket.
His first thought was that he couldn’t believe it was marked useless.
Roy loved that jacket. So much so, he put it on, stood in front of the mirror, gave a double thumbs up, and say, “Hey”.
He grinned.
He stood admiring himself, even doing his hair in the Fonz style. He looked good.
After a prolonged fashion pause, Roy returned to his notes. He wanted to work on them before sundown so he could get all the light. Notes on the HG Wells. A simple dome like contraption that was no longer viable.
Caught up, Roy barely heard when the front door to the trailer, opened. Quickly he gathered his items and prepared to escape into his hiding spot. Until he head the call of his name.
He could relax. It was his one and only friend in Beginnings. The one and only person that knew he was there. That he was a genetic recreation.
Consigning Fate: Beginnings Series Book 23 Page 6