“But I think you are missing the point,” Roy said. “I think you need to send assassins in with the mission to stop anyone that tries to get in the way of our LEP soldiers.”
Roy knew he was taking a risk. But also knew the history of Beginnings and Frank. Even wearing invisible suits, they couldn’t be victorious.
“No,” Spade said. “I don’t think so. We’ve sent thirty.”
“Then what is ten more?”
“First, the power supply …”
Roy fluttered his lips. “Power cell is unlimited. You know I invented that.”
Spade nodded.
He knew it was a subject of debate and thought for Spade, and until he had his information of when the government’s next trip would be, he had to figure out what he had to do.
He had to realize his error.
Roy believed that by giving Joe the forewarning of the war then Joe would be prepared.
Joe tried. But preparedness wasn’t the wrong doing.
He heard of the Aragon Window history.
They had a Great War there, too, but the world was different. It was free. Pleasant, not hungry and dying.
What was the difference?
Frank was the leader in that future. Danny explained to him that Dean was supposed to die and when his death was averted, he was able to be around to cure Joe from disease. Joe lived, when otherwise he would have died.
That was the one big difference he could think of.
The invasion would still take place, the same way, the same time, no matter who led Beginnings. Both times it would have been a surprise hit. But it was the action of the leader that made the difference.
History dictated Joe as a great leader. A founding father of the country. What could he have possibly done wrong?
During coffee, something General Spade liked to do with Roy, he broke into a conversation about that.
“The Great War,” Roy said. “Did you study it?”
“Yes,” Spade replied. “I love history.”
“What do you think Joe Slagel could have done to make a difference? Or do you not know that much about the war.”
“I know a lot about it,” Spade said. “See Roy, leaders make decisions all the time. Some good. Some bad. They don’t deliberately make bad decisions. They truly believe that they are correct in what they are doing. Advisors tell them differently. Example. In 1991 The President of the United States, George Bush defending Kuwait against the Tyranny of Iraq, went into Iraq and stopped them from invading Kuwait. George Bush should have pushed further, taking the leader of that country. He should have done that. He didn’t. Had he done so, it would have averted the Iraq war of 2002. During World War II, MacArthur told the president to push though Russia while they were weak. The US president didn’t do it. Had he done so, he would have avoided the cold war. See?”
Roy nodded.
“Now to say what Joe Slagel did wrong is easy in hindsight. It’s always easier in hindsight to see what you did wrong. I can sit here and tell you the decision he made. And what I would have done. But who is to say, in his position, at that time, I wouldn’t have made the same decision. There were a lot of factors to consider at the time of decision making. Factors, I know now, that they didn’t know.”
Roy slipped into thought. Did Frank know those factors when he was leader in the Aragon Window? Frank knew as much as Joe. What made Frank make such a different decision?
Roy asked. “So is it possible a different leader would have made a different decision?”
“Very possible,” Spade said. “It depends on the man, the views, the humanity.”
“Hmm.” Roy rubbed his chin. “So then tell me. What error did Joe Slagel make? What decision was it that you may not have made?”
General Spade proceeded to give Roy a history lesson and tell him all about the factors he knew regarding the Great War. He then told Roy the one crucial turning point. The one decision Joe and his cabinet made that was the wrong move. It was one decision. One error. One thing that totally changed the outcome of the world.
General Spade even pulled up history dockets where experts wrote about the error. How it was deemed a human decision that brought about inhumanity.
Roy copied that history information, just like he did the other information, tucked it in his backpack for safe ‘time travel’ constant keeping and made his move.
He plotted, planned, and knew his direction.
When the time came and the government was sending one last squad through, Roy made his trip.
Only instead of going back pre Great War, he went mid Great War.
He had to. It was the only way to get Joe to see that he made an error and that he had to make a change. If he went before the war, it was conceivable that Joe would feel the impact.
It wasn’t the scene he expected to see. It wasn’t the happy Beginnings. It was a scene of tents, fires in cans, gunshots, and explosions in the distance.
He asked where Joe was and was directed to the tent.
Roy could see the amber glow of a warming fire and stepped inside. “Joe.”
Joe looked up. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be with the others?”
“Not me, Joe.” Roy stepped closer. “You know who I am, don’t you.”
Joe stared for a few seconds, long and hard. “You. What … how …”
“Again.” Roy nodded. “Joe, I thought … I thought it would work.”
“I did, too.”
“But truth be known, Joe. You made some bad decisions. You didn’t think they’d be bad, but they were.”
“I made human decisions,” Joe said. “Human.”
“And you and I both know you’d do it again if you had the chance to do it over.”
“I based it on what I saw...”
“You based it on what you saw, yes. That is what made you make the decision.
“At the time, I felt it was right. Anyone would have done the same.”
He shook his head. “Not anyone. Not everyone. Would they have?”
Joe looked at him.
“Do you think Frank would have made that same decision?”
Joe chuckled in sadness. “Frank isn’t the same as me. He’s the only one who wouldn’t have made that decision.”
“He is.”
Joe closed his eyes briefly. “Why are you here, again? At this point …”
“At this point what?” Roy asked.
“Nothing can be done. “
“It’s not over, Joe. Not completely.”
“It’s never over. But at this point.”
“I think you know what needs to be done. None of this had to happen.”
“You’re right. But don’t you mean I know what needed to be done?”
“Need. Present tense. We can still make a change. You … you can make a change.”
“What are you saying?” Joe asked.
“It’s time, Joe, to make a decision.” Roy paused. “The ultimate decision.”
On that, Joe peered up with a heavy sigh.
“We have to go back.”
“Warning me again, may not …”
“Not warning you.” Roy interrupted. “Not warning you. Making you make not just the ultimate decision, but the ultimate sacrifice.”
Joe knew. He closed his eyes.
“You have to die.”
The ‘Hey, watch out!’ caught Roy’s attention in enough time for him to move his head to the side before being hit with a ball. He snickered as the boy ran by him, grabbed the ball, and stopped.
“Hey, Dad.” The child smiled, and ran the other way.
Roy tilted his head. He looked like another clone? Had Dean produced a clone in Beginnings?
Dad?
He lifted his hand in a wave to the child, took the last bite of his sandwich and stood. He had to get back to work. But before he did he looked at the concrete pedestal being erected for the statue of Joe Slagel. A statue to grace his Joe Park in his honor.
Stil
l lingering in the feel of his flashback, Roy walked to the concrete base. He rested his hand on it and looked to the empty space where the statue would stand.
The laughter of children was his background music and Roy smiled. “We made the right decision, Joe Slagel. We made the right decision.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The phone in the communications room still had a swirly chord, the old fashioned type, connected to the base of the phone. Jimmy wedged the phone between his shoulder and ear, kicking back in the chair, while playing with the chord.
“Oh, yeah?” he asked slyly and soft. “It’s Sunday, Muffin, should you be speaking to me like that?” He laughed. “I can’t. You can go ahead. I can’t. No, no naughty girl.” He giggled, and then looked at his watch. “Well, my relief isn’t due for a half an hour. Not that type of relief. Hold on.” He reached down for his belt. “Undoing my belt now. Now my button. My zipper.” He paused to give an ornery moan, lifted his rear from the chair, and loosened his pants.
The door opened and Frank walked in.
Jimmy froze.
“I don’t even want to know,” Frank said.
“Gotta go.” Jimmy said embarrassed, and hurriedly pulled up his pants. “I wasn’t having phone sex Frank.”
“I didn’t say you were.” Frank pulled a cigarette from his pocket.
“That was uh … Lars.”
“Lars.”
“Lars.” Jimmy fastened his pants. “Seems there’s some sort of rash that is hitting guys in the genital area. Well, only the guys who peed at the farm house.”
“Really.”
“Yeah.”
“Wow.” Frank shook his head.
“So, what are you doing here?”
“Aside from being the president and pretty much allowed to stop in any time I want. I heard you have brownies.”
Jimmy slid the plate his way.
“Thanks.” Frank took one. “Plus, I thought this would be a really cool chance for us brothers to get together before dinner with Andrea and talk about how this is going. She hates us talking shop over food.”
“I know. So when do the other brothers get here.”
“They should have been here.”
No sooner did Frank say that, the door opened and Hal walked in.
Jimmy cocked back a little by Hal’s presence. “You look frazzled.”
“I am.” Hal took a breath, “Let me just catch myself here.”
Frank asked. “Would that be the same thing as touching yourself here?”
“What?” Hal asked aghast.
“Yeah, it’s like the newest rage in communications.”
“Good God, Frank, where do you get this stuff from?” Hal asked.
Frank pointed to Jimmy. “Walked in just in time to stop him from having phone sex.”
Hal’s mouth dropped open.
Nervously, Jimmy responded. “I told you Frank Lars said a rash is going around and I was checking.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” Frank nodded. “I believe that one.”
“Good Lord, Jimmy,” Hal said. “Have a little more respect for yourself than to masturbate in a public place.”
“In my defense,” Jimmy raised his hand. “It’s not public.”
“It’s a work place.” Hal snapped. “You just don’t masturbate in a work place.”
“Hal?” Frank called him. “Why can’t you just say jerk off.”
“Why can’t I have a little class when I speak?” Hal said.
Frank fluttered his lips. “I don’t know about you, but doesn’t matter how you say it, it still comes off crude. Masturbate, jerk off, jack off, whack …”
“Frank,’ Hal tried to interrupt.
“Off.” Frank continued. “You have your monkey references. Spank the monkey, whack the monkey…”
“Frank…”
“How about being original ...” Frank nodded. “Slapping the ham, flogging the dolphin, jerkin the …
Jimmy laughed.
Hal shook his head. “You encourage. Frank!”
“Gherkin, punching the clown, choking the chicken…”
“Frank! Knock …”
“Jerk before work or in this case at work.”
“Enough!”
“And the ever popular …roughing up the suspect.” Frank cleared his throat.
Hal’s mouth formed the ‘R’. “Ever popular? Roughing …”
“Up the suspect, yeah.” Frank nodded.
“Roughing up the suspect?” Hal asked.
“Yeah.”
“How is that popular, Frank?”
“Uh … Hal …jerking off has always been popular with guys.”
“That’s not what I mean, you asshole.” Hal shook his head.
Another opening of the door, and Robbie walked in.
“A-ha!” Hal pointed.
“What?” Robbie asked.
“Robbie?” Frank asked. “What does roughing up the suspect mean?”
“Jerking off,” Robbie replied.
“See.” Frank pointed at Hal. “Popular.”
“Why do you ask?” Robbie questioned.
“Because Hal never heard of the term and I was telling him the term when I walked in and Jimmy was having phone sex.”
“No!” Jimmy shouted. “I was examining my penis for a rash.”
Robbie laughed. He stopped laughing when Hal stepped to him. “What?”
“Why were you running from me?” Hal asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Robbie said.
“Bullshit. You do. You ran from me.”
“I believe I wasn’t running anywhere, I was driving,” Robbie said.
“Running. Driving. Same difference in this situation.”
“Actually …” Robbie said. “It’s only the same difference when you’re talking about Frank.”
Hal rolled his eyes.
“Were you guys playing a game?” Frank asked.
“No, we were not playing a game,” Hal replied. “I was trying to catch our brother.”
“So you were playing a game.”
“No! Christ!” Hal blasted. “I wasn’t playing a game! Robbie!” Hal faced him. “I told you something very important, and you ran.”
“Drove.”
“Whatever.”
Frank interjected. “I hate that.”
“Who cares?” Hal snapped. “Robbie why did you drive away from me.”
“I had somewhere to go.”
“There,” Frank said. “Settled.”
“It’s not settled. I was trying to catch him. He wouldn’t stop.”
“Maybe he didn’t know,” Frank said.
“He knew. I flashed my lights. Beeped my horn. Called him …” Hal said. “And I lost him.”
This surprised Frank. “Robbie, why wouldn’t you stop?”
“I was in a hurry.”
“Oh.” Frank nodded.
“Oh?” Hal asked sarcastically. “He says ‘Oh’ and you accept it. I don’t Robbie why were you running from me?”
“Why were you chasing me?”
“Why were you running?”
“Why were you chasing.”
“Enough!” Hal yelled. “We will talk later about this. Right now …” he inhaled “We have a brother’s get together.”
Jimmy spoke up. “I’m glad you guys are here. I’ve made a lot of progress on this. Watch the board.”
They did.
At first it lit up, differently than the other one.
Frank blinked. “That’s new.”
Jimmy nodded. “It shows the entire globe spread out. Now I’m gonna ask the system to scan the skies for anything coming this way.” Jimmy clicked away. “I can also set it to scan every minute, two minutes …. There.” He sat back. The system ‘blinged’ and massive amounts of lights appeared to the east, west and south of the United States.
Hal’s ‘Holy shit’ was matched in volume with Frank’s...
“Fuck!” Frank backed up. “Robbie get o
n the horn we have …”
“Hold it.” Jimmy yelled. “This isn’t real. This is what it would look like if it were. I can assess what’s coming in the computer, can approximate what type of aircraft and how many. Right now, it’s saying five hundred.” Jimmy explained. “I can scan for sea, land, air … set a perimeter. It’s only gonna pick up a bigger movement. But we can tweak it to pick up as little as one man.”
“So we can conceivably find more people?” Hal asked.
“And you know they’re out there,” Jimmy said.
Frank exhaled. “This is what? What are we looking at?”
“A training software,” Jimmy said. “I was able to pull it out. It trains on different scenarios and on how to use the system. I’m learning it. That way when I really find the program, the real program, I’ll have it down pat and there’ll be no mistakes.”
Frank asked. “How long?”
Jimmy lifted his hands. “I’m not sure. Soon, though. Soon. I’ll find it, program it and we’re good to go.”
“Wow” Robbie said. “Ok, you know what I think.”
“Yes,” Frank stated. “I do.”
Robbie snickered.
Hal rolled his eyes.
Robbie continued. “I think now that we have this program, we should start training people on this. That way when this is up and running, we can have full round the clock surveillance.”
Frank agreed. He stepped closer to the board, facing it. “This has to be it. It’s fucking brilliant. It has to be the difference that is made in this war. If in the other futures we didn’t have this, we were hit by a surprise attack. This way, we can see it coming and get ready. Yeah … this has to be it. What else can there be?”
Robbie didn’t know for sure, but one thing he did believe was that the AL3S system couldn’t have been the one thing. If it was, then why the big plot to get his father out of the picture.
No. The difference in the war was Frank. He had to be. But how? What was it that Frank was going to do, that neither Hal, George nor his father would do?
It was all part of Robbie’s mystery to solve.
At least he thought …. Until Danny walked in.
“Whoa, hey.” Danny smiled. “It’s all Slagel and testosterone in here.” He smiled. “What’s going on?”
Robbie replied. “Picking on Jimmy.”
Consigning Fate: Beginnings Series Book 23 Page 29