The Horse Soldier: Beginnings Series Book 10

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Doctor, what’s your opinion? Will I walk again?”

  Andrea smiled at him. “I believe with a lot of hard work you will not need the use of a wheelchair forever. I believe that. But . . . are you ready to work hard, Tom?”

  “I’m very ready.”

  “Good.” Andrea laid a hand on his leg. “Dr. Hayes. Walk with me?”

  “Yes.” Dean lifted a hand and waved to Tom then followed Andrea out. “So you really believe he’ll walk again.”

  “The spinal cord is healing nicely. I see no reason for prolonged paralysis but I want to talk to you about something,”

  “Oh boy.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “You have this serious look on your face and . . .you’ve stopped walking.”

  “You know me.” Andrea smiled. “I’m concerned. I heard a rumor that’s spreading around Beginnings. Did Ellen kick you out?”

  Dean let out a breath with a laugh. “Man, one person sees you walking around in the middle of the night and things get out of hand.”

  “So she did kick you out?”

  “Last night. I’m back. It’s not permanent, I don’t think.” Dean shrugged. “We just had a disagreement.”

  “Sorry to hear that especially with her just coming back home.”

  “Well . . . if the truth be known, she’s up . . .” Dean paused. He had to remember how careful he had to be when he talked. “She’s still upset about Frank.”

  “Understandable. It is still soon.”

  “Yeah.” Dean nodded. “And you know, with her and this Robbie thing, she’s in this searching phase. Looking for a little of Frank. I guess I’m just not understanding enough. You warned me.”

  “I did,” Andrea said, “because I’ve been there. When my Miguel died, I was the same way. Remember how I befriended Alonso? All because he was Hispanic and he reminded me of Miguel. Right away I attached myself to him. It gives you a little of that back. You want to be around those who are most like those you’ve lost.” Andrea took a second to think and smile. “So you two made up?”

  “Not yet, no. Our conversation ended this morning with ‘fuck you’.”

  “Oh Dean.” Andrea tsked. “Language.”

  “I didn’t say it. She did.”

  “Why don’t you talk to her?”

  “I will,” Dean responded, “when I see her later. Maybe by that time she’s had a chance to cool down.”

  Andrea looked at her watch. “Why don’t you go home for lunch in a few hours? Spend some time with her.”

  “You know what? That might not be a bad idea. We can talk then. I have a meeting with Joe this afternoon. I’ll cut out early? Thanks, Andrea.” Dean started walking again, this time toward his lab.

  “Dean?” Andrea called out to him. “Why are you meeting with Joe?”

  “Um . . . it’s uh . . . personal thing about Ellen. You know, he’s her Dad and you also know Joe. You have to schedule time.” Dean tossed his hand up and moved again.

  Andrea looked oddly at him as Dean disappeared quickly down the hall.

  ^^^^

  “Is there is anything else I can get for you?” Ellen asked the UWA soldier, “Just let me know.” She fluffed his pillows up.

  “I’m fine.” He spoke weakly as he watched Ellen. “The book is very nice.”

  “I’ll read to you and my friend Danny will read to you also.”

  “Why . . . why are you being so kind to me? It’s a wonderful gesture on your part.”

  Ellen spoke as she tucked in his covers. “Well saving my life was a wonderful gesture on your part as well. I will never forget that.” Ellen rested her hand on the bed. “Ever. What you guys did to help me and Frank, I am grateful.” Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his forehead. “Thank you.” She looked up when she heard the clearing of a throat. Dean was walking into the room.

  “El, you’re not supposed to be working.”

  “I’m not. I’m visiting Gerry.”

  Dean walked closer to the bed. “Gerry, you’re doing better, I see.”

  “Yes and the woman is being very kind.”

  Dean’s eyes rose to Ellen.

  Ellen whispered. “It’s a respect thing he has. You can call me Ellen.”

  “No, that would be too much to ask,” Gerry said.

  Dean opened his chart. “What was your last recorded temperature? Are you sure you’re not feeling dizzy or abnormal in any way?”

  Ellen gasped. “Don’t answer that, Gerry. He’s being sarcastic because you’re being polite. He is the epitome of the word dick.”

  Dean slammed the chart. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you.”

  “Oh.” Ellen spoke long and drawn. “Really? Well you’re not getting a fight. You’ve secured an ending to that.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I think you know.”

  “El.” Dean stayed firm, speaking to her across Gerry. “Look, I want to talk to you. Can we go somewhere?”

  “Nope.”

  “El.”

  “Nope.”

  “Ellen, listen . . .”

  “Where’d you sleep last night?” Ellen asked with edge.

  “What?”

  “Where did you sleep last night?”

  “You kicked me out, so that is none of your concern now is it?” Dean spoke with resentment.

  “I think it is. Where did you spend the night?” Ellen asked again, this time stronger.

  “And I told you before it is none of your concern.”

  “Fuck you, it isn’t my concern.” Ellen snapped at him.

  “No El, fuck you. You kicked me out!”

  After his eyes and head shifted back and forth one too many times, Gerry had heard enough, especially from the doctor. “HEY!” He shouted the loudest he could. “Don’t you dare take that tone with the woman.”

  Dean’s moth dropped open and his head swung to a view of Gerry. “First off we’re arguing. Second she is my . . .”

  “I don’t care what she is to you. She is a woman and should be treated with respect. Where is your leader?”

  Dean blinked several times. “What?”

  “Where is your leader? I want to inform him of your behavior to the woman.”

  Ellen looked smug. “The leader is my father.”

  Gerry stared harshly at Dean. “Apologize to the woman or I will talk your leader. I hate to rat on a fellow man but you crossed the line with her. Apologize.”

  Dean was silent.

  “Apologize.”

  “Yeah Dean, apologize.”

  “Ellen, don’t,” Dean spoke strong.

  “If Frank were alive,” Gerry said. “He would kill you.”

  “He would,” Ellen came back.

  “Madam, whatever the relationship may be between you and this man, may I, as someone who has respect for a woman, tell you he is not even worth speaking to.”

  “Thank you,” Ellen spoke calmly. “You are absolutely right. He’s not. And I’ll be back, Gerry.” Ellen walked around the bed and out of the room.

  “El.” Dean chased her out. “Ellen, stop. I want to talk to you.”

  “Talk to you new lover.” Ellen spun, yelled, and spun back around the other way.

  “Where is this coming from? Ellen?” Dean followed her.

  “I know where you spent the night last night, Dean.”

  “O.K., so you know. Big deal.”

  “Big deal?” Ellen said with such a shock. “I certainly hope you enjoyed it because that body can lie next to your body from here on in.”

  “Why would I want to lie next to Henry? Do you think I had sex with Henry?”

  “Henry?” Ellen stopped walking.

  “Yeah, Henry. I stayed with Henry. Why do you think Henry and I are lovers? Is he starting trouble again?”

  “Henry does not start trouble.”

  Dean laughed. “Oh, I beg to differ. Did he tell you something happened between him and me last night? I can just see him d
oing . . .”

  “No, Bev did.”

  “Bev told you something about Henry and me?” Dean asked.

  “No, she told Todd from Fabrics she slept with you.”

  Maybe Dean could have had more tact but he didn’t. He immediately started to laugh. “And you believed her? God, Ellen what . . .El?”

  Ellen had sped off.

  ^^^^

  Binghamton Alabama

  There was so much disbelief in his voice as he spoke. George would have yelled had he not been so stunned. “Hid?”

  “Yes sir.” The sergeant that led the raid on Kingman answered nervously.

  “They hid.”

  “Yes.”

  “Five hundred men hid?”

  “We believe so.”

  “What are you? A moron?” George’s voice rose. “Five hundred men who live and train in one place cannot hide.”

  “Well sir, I couldn’t find them anywhere. They hid.” The Sergeant was so serious as he spoke. “You know how clever these UWA soldiers are. They can outsmart us at times.”

  “Sergeant, Elmo from Sesame Street can out smart you at times. Did it occur to you that they just weren’t there?”

  “No sir.”

  “No.” George closed his eyes and ran his hand down his face, mumbling, “This is why I need men like Frank Slagel.”

  “Excuse me.”

  “Nothing,” George said. “You’re dismissed. Send Lt. Merrick in.”

  “Right away.” The Sergeant left and was almost immediately replaced with Lt. Merrick.

  “President Hadley.” Lt. Merrick stood tall.

  “Lieutenant. Starting first thing tomorrow I want those UWA soldiers interrogated again for information and I will be present this time to make sure it’s done right.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “And the man that gave you the false information.”

  “Yes.”

  “Shoot him and shoot him now. Do it in front of his fellow soldiers.”

  “Yes sir.” Lt. Merrick, stone faced, left George’s office.

  George sat back in his chair at his desk and desperately tried to stay calm. He had other things on his mind that must be foremost. Frank and Dean. The Legion of Doom was what he planned to refer them once he had them on his side.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Jason reviewed the list of missing files Andrea had given him as he walked down through the tunnels to the cryo-lab. He didn’t quite understand how in a community as small as Beginnings, files could actually get lost. But Andrea explained it wisely. If Dean was working on the files, Dean will lose them and the risk would now run greater since he had a home office.

  Andrea hated the tunnels, especially when the weather was getting cold, so Jason graciously offered to search out the missing files. He buzzed himself into the cryo-lab, turning on the lights as he walked in the door. “Files, files.” He scratched his head at the mess. Sample cups laid around. Papers were scattered about. He didn’t see any files. He saw a small warming light on in the backroom, the former cryo-wall slash Henry-world. Hoping that the files would be in there, Jason walked in. He peeked at the glass dish with a brown substance that sat under the light. It grew something, but Jason hadn’t a clue what that was. His eyes skimmed about the room seeing nothing that resembled files. As he turned to leave the quiet lab, he jumped at the sound of a starting compressor. Wondering where it was coming from, Jason listened. It was close. It was in the room. Not seeing anything, he began to leave again when his eye caught it. Had the warming light not been on, Jason wouldn’t have been so curious as to what was hidden under the black blanket. It was large and covered and set in the corner. The closer Jason stepped to it the more he heard the running compressor.

  He reached and felt the solidness of the object, the metal feel and Jason slipped the cover from it enough to expose what it was. A long white freezer was hidden there. His fingers crept against the crease and he gripped the lid. It wouldn’t budge. It was locked.

  “Dr. Godrichson,” Johnny’s voice called out.

  Jason jolted. “Johnny.” He grabbed his chest.

  “What are you doing?”

  “What’s . . . what is he hiding in here? This is a weird new lab.”

  “Don’t know.” Johnny walked inside and recovered the case. “Not my business. Only El and Dean know.” He laid the files in Jason’s hands. “Andrea said you were here looking for these. I knew where they were. They were Ellen filed. Which means stuffed in a drawer until she felt like getting to them.”

  “Thanks.” Jason looked at the files as he felt led out. “I would have never found them,.”

  “Glad to help.” Johnny waited until Jason was clear of the room and followed him. Reaching back to close the back room door, Johnny looked once more inside, then at Jason, and then shut off the back room once again.

  ^^^^

  Robbie balanced his chair on its back legs as he sat in Joe’s office, looking so smug with his arms crossed against his chest. “Henry, you will just say or do anything to make me stay on that suspect list, won’t you?”

  “See, Joe.” Henry pointed. “He’s making it out to seem like I have it out for him.”

  “You do,” Joe said. “Saying he is George’s prodigal son, his golden boy, his right hand man and child by proxy is not motive or means. Dean?” Joe looked at Dean.

  “I’m with you, Joe. Robbie’s not a suspect,” Dean said as he peered more at his notes, looking more like his thoughts were elsewhere.

  “Then I say we scratch him off the list,” Joe stated, holding his pencil ready.

  “Joe!” Henry shouted. “That’s not fair.”

  “Try this. If Robbie stays so do you.” Joe looked at Henry.

  “All right,” Henry pouted. “But that’s blackmail, Joe, and it isn’t very nice.”

  “Well neither is telling Bev that Dean slept with you last night.” Joe raised his eyes up to Henry as he scratched out Robbie’s name.

  “Oh my God, Joe. I told Bev no such thing. Granted I don’t want her near me and it could be the best thing to do to get her away from Dean as well, but to tell her Dean and I slept . . .”

  “Henry!” Joe yelled. “That’s not what I meant. Someone told Bev that Dean stayed at your house. Care to clarify who that could be?” Joe raised his eyebrow at Henry.

  “Haven’t a clue, Joe.” Henry tossed his hands in the air.

  Grumbling a ‘hmm’ Joe returned to his notes. “All right. We have two more suspects to get to before we finalize this list. Me and Jason.” Joe cringed. “Henry, for Christ’s sake what?”

  “I don’t think you should be on the list that’s all. I don’t have a motive for you.”

  “Well I do,” Joe said and saw everyone looking at him. “I gave it some thought.”

  “Are you confessing?” Henry asked.

  “No!” Joe yelled. “I’m just giving you boys something to think about. O.K.? We’ll discuss me after Jason.”

  “Oh this must be plausible,” Henry said. “If he’s saving himself for last it has to be good. I’ll wait. Let’s talk about Jason.”

  Joe looked so annoyed. “All right. Jason. I don’t even think we have to discuss his means.”

  Robbie nodded in agreement. “Medical knowledge. Blood knowledge. Virus. He was working with Dean in the cryo lab too. Remember? And Dean said something about someone messing up the recipe or something.”

  “Formula,” Dean corrected. “Robbie’s right. Jason has all the medical knowledge and means as far as that goes.”

  “And,” Joe added, “the time machine. Especially with the new power supply, he could make trips back without notice. Here’s one thing for all of you to think about. When Robbie and Frank went to the Garfield project to get into the cryo-lab, soldiers and guards were waiting for them, almost like they were set up. Someone tipped them off. It could have been Jason.”

  Henry, as usual, seemed so excited. “Oh that’s good, Joe. I lost a piece
of my hair that day, remember. That bullet went and sailed right by me and nearly . . .” Henry saw the looks he was getting. “Nearly . . . it’s not a ripple in time comment, Joe.”

  “I know. It’s a lame comment. O.K., Jason?”

  “Stays,” Robbie answered without looking up.

  “Stays,” Dean reiterated.

  “Goes.” Henry snickered at the glances. “Kidding. Stays.” He took a second to laugh at himself. “O.K., Joe. Your turn. Give your theory about yourself.”

  Joe prepared his notes and readied himself to speak. Just as his mouth opened, there was a knock at the office door. “Come in.”

  “Aw!” Henry whined. He turned to see Ellen. “El, you put us in a commercial break.”

  Ellen seemed so nervous. “I’m sorry.” Ellen rubbed her arms as she stepped in closing the door.

  Joe looked up to her. “What’s wrong?”

  “I uh . . . I know you guys have this meeting but I have my nerve up and I need to say something, I need to speak to Robbie. Can I?”

  Dean rested his notes on his lap and watched Ellen bounce a little. He wondered why she was so nervous.

  “Do you need to leave with him?” Joe asked.

  “No.” Ellen shook her head drastically. “I want to do this now in front of all of you so there are no questions asked later. O.K.?” She turned to Robbie. “I have to tell you something.” She cleared her throat and looked only at him. There was a certain quiver to her voice. Ellen actually trembled. “I’ve known you since you were a kid. We’ve, uh . . . we’ve known each other a very long time. And Frank, Frank was very proud of you. He had always said that if something should happen to him, he wanted you to take care of his family, take care of me.” Again Ellen cleared her throat. “And . . . I’ve been through so much in my life, more so recently, I just want to stop. O.K.? I want to stop. I want to live a stable life. I want to just . . . stabilize. We’re really great friends and always have been. We never fight, ever. I love you. And if you would. I would be honored if you would just end this all with me . . . and . . . will you . . . will you marry me Robbie?”

  Robbie’s eyes widened and he stood up.

  Dean’s heart sunk and his notebook fell from his lap as he too stood up. “El, what are you . . .”