The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  ***

  Danny wasn’t small by any means, but he wasn’t a large man either. Yet, he had a hard time squeezing his body by the chair that blocked Ellen’s office door. The chair didn’t budge, and it faced into Ellen’s office.

  “Sorry about that,” Ellen hunched.

  “Is that the only chair?”

  “No, one’s folded in the corner.”

  Danny retrieved it. “Why is …”

  “Reasons.” Ellen shrugged. "Ignore it.”

  “I will.” Danny set up his folding chair. “So, how’s it looking?”

  Ellen shook her head. “None.”

  “It’s early.” Danny said.

  “Danny maybe this isn’t as good as an idea as you think.”

  Danny’s gasped. “Me not have a good idea? Ellen, when does that happen?”

  “Never.”

  “Trust me. We just put the word out today. By tomorrow it will increase, by tomorrow at eight, your second one will be filled.”

  “You really think?” She asked.

  “Without a doubt,” Danny said. “There’s a town meeting tomorrow night. I just hung a revised notice right next to Joe’s newest memo.”

  “What does it say?”

  Danny handed her a copy.

  Ellen read it out loud. “Boggled down? Need to talk. Feel alone. You’re not. New Group therapy at Containment tomorrow at eight... Hosted by Ellen and Danny. Get it all out. Space limited. Reserve now. You may need it after the meeting.”

  “Huh?” Danny smiled. “What do you think?”

  “Wow, way to play on Joe’s community meeting.”

  “It’ll work.” Danny winked. “I bet.”

  “You think?”

  “I know.”

  “And you think people will really pay two Danny dollars.”

  “Without a doubt. Watch. Not only that, once it starts, you’ll get to use my nifty surprise I have.”

  “A surprise? I love surprises.”

  “I know.”

  “When do I get it?”

  “As soon as I know you need it.”

  Ellen’s phone rang. She held up her finger. “Containment. Oh, hey, Hap. Uh …hold on.” She covered the receiver and looked at Danny. “You’re the psychic one.” She returned to the phone. “Absolutely. I’ll mark you down. Thanks.” She hung up. “Wow.”

  “That’s one.”

  The phone rang again. Ellen answered. “Containment. Hey, Gemma … sure. I’ll mark you down.” After the call, she gleamed at Danny. “Wow.”

  “We’ll kick so much butt.”

  “I can get that new purse.”

  Another call, and Ellen as reached for it, Danny stopped her.

  “My surprise.” Danny said. “Let the voice mail get it.”

  “I have voice mail?” She asked.

  “Yep. I set it up today. My surprises. You can even shut off the ringer.” Danny reached for the phone. “Can I?”

  “Be my guest.”

  Danny silenced the ringer. “It’ll pick up in three rings.” he handed her a slip of paper. “Here’s how to dial in. Password is Frank.”

  Ellen snickered. “Wow, this is so cool. I have voice mail.”

  “But don’t spread it around, okay?”

  “Got it.” Ellen winked.

  Danny stood up., “I’ll let you get back to work. Enjoy your surprise.”

  “Oh I will, I can’t wait to ... oh!” Ellen jumped. “My light is blinking. Phone is ringing again. I’ll get another message. I’m popular.”

  “See ya later, El.”

  “Thanks, Danny!” Ellen watched the phone with a huge grin.

  Danny stood, moved to the door, and in the mist of squeezing by the chair, he paused. “Night Frank.”

  “See ya’ Danny.”

  “You know, you don’t have to sit in the doorway.”

  “She won’t let me in the office, and I can’t sit in the hall.”

  “I understand.” Danny tapped him on the shoulder. “Have a good one.”

  Ellen just stared at her phone. “This is amazing. All these calls. All these messages.”

  “Yeah, but just like in the old World, you’ll get annoyed with them,” Frank said.

  Ellen waited until the light didn’t blink and she picked up the phone and dialed. “Hey, Hal, is Elliott there?”

  “Why are you calling Elliott?” Frank asked.

  Ellen ignored him.

  “Good Lord, Ellen I’m in Beginnings. Why are you calling on this phone?”

  “Why do you take the company phone with you, then?”

  “The company phone?” Hal grumbled. “Call the other number.”

  “What other number. I don’t have the other number.”

  “It’s 547 …”

  “Stop.” Ellen said.

  “What?”

  “I don’t want to write it down. Can you call Elliott for me and tell him to call me.”

  Frank interjected. “Why are you calling Elliott?”

  “Laziness,” Hal quipped. “You’ve been hanging around my brother too much. Yes, Ellen I’ll call him for you.”

  “Thanks Hal. But can you tell him to call containment?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you tell him I won’t answer?”

  Pause. “Ellen, why do you want him to call you if you aren’t going to answer?” Hal asked.

  “I want him to leave a message. I got voice mail now. But don’t let people know. They may all want it.”

  “Ellen,” Hal said calmly. “Won’t people find out that you have voice mail when they call and get it?”

  “Oh. Yeah. I didn’t think of that.” Ellen shrugged. “But tell Elliott. Thanks, Hal.”

  “Why are you calling Elliott?” Frank asked.

  Ellen hung up and began to tap her fingers on her desk starting at the phone. “I bet he leaves a sweet message.”

  “Uh!”

  Ellen jumped slightly, but never took her eyes off the phone.

  “What? Am I dead? Why aren’t you talking to me?”

  Slamming her hand on her desk, Ellen turned her head toward Frank. “For your information, you aren’t even supposed to be here. You’re up to something, sitting there, watching me, lingering in my doorway like the grim reaper.”

  Frank sighed out. “You won’t let me in.”

  “I’m busy.”

  “Staring at the fuckin’ phone.” Frank stood up.

  “Hey!” Ellen pointed. “Out!”

  “No.”

  “Why are you here, Frank?”

  “My Dad said to read your mind.”

  Ellen gasped, “Oh my God, Joe is so intrusive. Well, just for that. She picked up the phone and started to dial.

  “Why are you calling my Dad?”

  “I’m not.” Ellen held up a finger to Frank. “Danny? Hi. Can you call Joe and tell him to call me. Thanks!” she hung up. “Now, go away Frank.”

  “Not until I get into your mind.”

  “If you want to know something, just ask.”

  “Fine.” Frank folded his arms and approached her desk. “My dad said you ran out of his office. He thinks you know something about the Bigfoot or monster running about. Do you?”

  Ellen stared with a smug look.

  “Fuck! El! Uh!” Frank cringed. “I don’t need to hear about Dean being nude.”

  Ellen snickered and drew silent.

  “Uh! Or Josephine.” He winced. “Or … oh! Oh! That is not right.”

  Ellen smiled. “That’s what you get for going in my head. Besides,” she shrugged. “I can block you out.”

  “Can not.”

  “Can too. Watch.” She started sorting through papers. “Brick wall.”

  “Nope.” Frank said snide.

  “No? Right.”

  “I know exactly what you’re thinking.” Frank walked around the desk. “Don’t try to hide it.”

  Ellen laughed. “What are you talking about?”

  “You know.” He wink
ed. “Ah, El, that is so sweet.”

  “Huh?”

  Frank stood before her. “Oh, really?” he smirked. “Ha. I think I can oblige.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Your thoughts.”

  “I’m thinking of a brick wall. And why are you towering over me?”

  Frank crouched before her. “The wall you’re thinking about is me.”

  “Right.” Ellen tried to turn her chair, but Frank spun it to face him.

  “You’re thinking about my body.”

  Ellen laughed loudly.

  “And how much you want me.”

  “So that's what you think I’m thinking.”

  “Well, among other things. How hot you are for …”

  “Frank!” Ellen laughed. “Stop.”

  Hands resting on Ellen’s knees, Frank peered up to her with puppy dogs eyes. “Tell me what you know.”

  “Frank,” Ellen sighed out. “Honestly I don’t know anything.”

  “You suspect.”

  Ellen stared out.

  “Come on El. Knock down the wall.”

  “A ha! You are getting the wall.”

  Frank swiped away her finger. “I won’t tell my dad.”

  Ellen stared.

  Frank pouted and gave a pleading look.

  Ellen exhaled. “Stop that.” She leaned down and kissed him.

  “Hey.” Frank smiled. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “So?” Frank asked.

  “So.” Ellen said with as sigh. “I don’t know anything. But you can say. I have some pretty big suspicions.”

  ***

  Jason Godrichson had a list of things he wasn’t fond of. One of which was spending too much time on paperwork for the court system. Entire trial transcripts had to be reviewed, Jason was required to write up a full report on his decision like a Supreme Court justice. It was ridiculous, especially given the nature of the trials in Beginnings. He was actually suggesting to Joe that maybe he’d be able to bypass the abundance of paperwork. It really wasn’t needed. A simple statement, saying the name of the complaint, defendant, and decision would suffice. To Jason, detailing why he reached his decision wasn’t important. Maybe a line or two. Then to log it, why did he have an assistant if he had to do all that work.

  There had to be an easier way. It angered Jason to think about it, then it angered Jason even more that he wasted time thinking about it.

  After the pause in his lab, he was ready to dive into work.

  He munched on his late lunch of a jam sandwich, which he hated, but he was hungry. But, the new computer program made him smile.

  “Lovely,” he snickered. “Danny, you are a genius. Look how efficiently this runs.” He shook his head. “Why can’t our courts operate the same way? Goodness.”

  “I thought you were done complaining about that?” Robbie asked.

  Jason turned his head. “I’m working. Shh.”

  “But I told you I’m here on official Security business.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jason looked at his screen.

  “What exactly are you working on?”

  “Why?” Jason asked.

  “Curious.”

  “My computer.”

  “Ha, ha. Seriously. What kind of program did Danny create?”

  “We’ve been working on the automatic time door.”

  “And that is…”

  Jason huffed. “Robbie. Let it go. Okay?”

  “So like the door will open automatically, and …”

  “No.” Jason gave the hush sign. “It is a backup in case the pendant to open the door gets lost.”

  “Cool.”

  “Yes, cool,” Jason said.

  “Jason look.” Robbie rolled his chair closer. “Seriously, I have to talk to you. Just a few questions.”

  “Is this about the monster running around outside of Beginnings?” He questioned while his fingers clicked.

  “Yes.”

  Jason snickered. “And your father actually is agreeing that there is a monster running around.”

  “He saw the footprint.”

  Jason stopped. “Where is this footprint?”

  “In a special secret place.”

  “A huh.”

  “Jason, look …”

  Jason turned to face Robbie. “If there is a monster in Beginnings, what can I do? I’m not an answer.”

  “No, not really. You can be. You’re a scientist.”

  “I create time, not monsters. See Dean about this.”

  Robbie shook his head. “If Dean did create something, he’s not gonna say. The secrecy of science.”

  “Or something else.”

  “What do you mean?” Robbie asked.

  “Well, Dean …” Jason paused, then shook his head. “Never mind.”

  “What? What? Tell me. Come on.”

  “Haven't you noticed the behavioral changes in Dean?”

  “Well, yeah.” Robbie said. “We think he’s experimenting on himself.”

  “Would this be his excuse you’re giving for him being chief suspect on the mutilator case?”

  Robbie’s mouth dropped open. “How do you know?”

  “You’re father and I talk.” Jason winked.

  “What do you think about it?”

  “What do you think about it?” Jason questioned right back.

  “Highly possible, especially since Frank saw the mutilator run about as fast as he. Which brings me back to Dean experimenting on himself.”

  “With?”

  “The advanced healing agent.”

  “Ah,” Jason nodded. “Mutilate himself like Frank.” He nodded again. “For what purpose?”

  “To make sure the agent is safe.”

  “It has obviously caused no physical side effects other than the speed.”

  “And insanity.” Robbie said.

  “So Frank is insane?”

  Robbie laughed. “No, why would you say that.”

  “In order for Dean run as fast as Frank, he probably consumed the same amount of agent. If Frank of all people, with his mind, is not insane, and the others who were given it aren’t clinically insane, why would the agent suddenly make Dean insane?”

  “It didn’t mesh right?” Robbie guessed.

  “Or perhaps Dean isn’t right.”

  This caught Robbie’s attention. He facially showed it.

  “Maybe taking the agent didn’t make Dean mad, maybe Dean’s madness made him take the agent.”

  “But is there any way to find out if he took the agent?” Robbie asked.

  “I thought you were here because of the monster.”

  “Well, yeah, but if Dean is truly a mad scientist, would all this tie in?”

  “Good point.” Jason held up a finger.

  “So, how?” Robbie asked. “Can we confirm Dean took the agent?”

  “Would confirming this confirm him as the mutilator?”

  Robbie fluttered his lips. ‘If he ruins fifty miles an hour, yeah.”

  “Send him in the Killer Baby region,” Jason said nonchalantly. “They’ll make him run.”

  Robbie chuckled. “True. But medically is there anyway.”

  “How did he confirm Frank’s mutilation?” Jason said. “DNA testing. Ellen could do that.”

  “So all we need is what?”

  “A blood sample. Recent.”

  Robbie smiled. “Thanks, Jason. We’ll get right on it.”

  “Anything else.”

  “Um …” Robbie stood. “No.” Just as he walked to the door, he paused. “Yes. Hey. If you need someone to test out that new time door. Call me. I would love to.”

  Jason only nodded, pretending he had returned to work. But as soon as Robbie left, his hands froze. “Everyone wants to time travel.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Joe’s voice was crystal clear as it played through the speaker phone.

  “Next message.” The electronic voice said. “Three thir
ty seven PM”

  “What the hell …” Joe said.

  Click.

  “Next message. Three thirty-seven PM.”

  “Christ.

  Click.

  “Next message. Three thirty-seven PM.”

  “Ellen. What the hell are you doing? Is this a joke?” A Joe pause. “Ellen? Christ.”

  Click

  “Next message. Three thirty-eight PM.”

  “Son of a bitch. What in the world …”

  “What’s going on, Joe?” Andrea asked in the background.

  “She got a goddamn answering machine.”

  “Leave a message.”

  “I’m not leaving a message.”

  Click.

  “Next message. Three thirty-nine PM.”

  “Ellen! Ellen! Ellen pick up.” Joe paused. “Ellen pick up. I’m not leaving a message. This is a joke. I know she is listening.”

  Click.

  “Next message. Three forty PM.”

  “Christ almighty. Fine. Call me.”

  Click.

  Ellen covered her mouth and giggled as she listened. “Isn’t this great?” she asked Frank who stood right there in Joe’s living room. “Wanna hear again.”

  Joe replied, “No.” Grabbed the phone from Ellen and hung it up. “And why do you keep playing it?”

  “It’s funny.” Ellen said. “Besides, you know its voice mail. I can’t hear you.”

  “I’m glad you’re finding humor in this.”

  “Oh, I am.”

  Frank leaned into El. “Play it again.”

  Before she did, the door opened, and Ellen looked to see Robbie and Hal walk in. “Let’s let them hear.”

  “Hear what?” Hal asked, approached Ellen and kissed her on the cheek.

  “I have voice mail now,” Ellen said. “I got over twenty messages and like ten are from Joe.”

  “Voice mail?” Hal shook off his coat. “How wonderful.”

  Joe interjected. “How short lived. I’m outlawing it tomorrow.”

  Ellen gasped. “Joe you can’t do that.”

  “Wanna bet?” Joe raised his eye brows.

  Robbie took off his coat, warmed his hands and huddled with Ellen, Frank and Hal by the phone. “Play it.”

  “No!” Joe said. “No playing my messages. This is ridiculous.”

  Hal turned. “Why did you call her so many times?”

  “I had a question to ask,” Joe answered. “But I got so aggravated, I forgot.”

  Andrea entered from the kitchen, singing out, “Appetizers!”