The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Holy shit.”

  “The agent accentuates the positives.”

  “Frank was strong it made him stronger. You were smart, it made you smarter. Joe was miserable he’s unbearable now.”

  Dean laughed. “That’s funny.”

  “So, our mutilator, if it isn’t you ...” She paused to receive the dagger glance. “Not only has to have decent physical attributes, he has to also be smart.”

  “So that eliminates all of Frank’s men.”

  Ellen laughed. “That’s good. The mutilator will be caught, you’ll see.”

  “And it won’t be me,” Dean said. “On that, I can promise … you’ll see.”

  ***

  “Where’s he at now?” Joe asked Danny. They sat in the social hall.

  “Library.”

  “It’s closed.”

  “He knows this, he didn’t go in,” Danny held a tracker in his hand. Rectangular, seven inches long four wide, like a video game. “Moving at approximately two miles an hour. He’s … leaving the center of town.”

  “Heading to my office?” Joe asked.

  “Looks that way.”

  “Now can we be sure we are tracking Dean’s chip and not another chip in the community.”

  “Without a doubt,” Danny replied. “See, unlike the SUT-Buster, I was able to program the chip number into the tracking. When I designed this, I designed this on the chance we would lose control of our field workers.”

  “This is fantastic.”

  “I have two. But don’t tell Frank. He breaks things.”

  Joe nodded. “Speaking of Frank, he should be here any second. And … where is he now?”

  “Almost at your office.”

  Joe lifted his phone, “I better call him to let him know we moved to meeting to lessen suspicion.”

  “You don’t think people will be suspicious with us being here.”

  “No. Besides, people are picking up ballots and dropping them off all day at my office. I tried to have a simple phone call conversation with Robbie and couldn’t make it through.”

  “He’s at your office, Joe.”

  “Shit.” Joe cringed and dialed. “Uh, hey, Dean, where are you at? Shoot. I was hoping to catch you before you left. We moved the meeting to the Social Hall. Okay. See you soon.”

  “You were hoping to catch him before he left?” Danny chuckled.

  Joe shrugged. “He doesn’t know about this yet. I want to wait until he gets here.”

  The echoing ‘boom’ of the social hall door made Joe slightly roll his eyes as he looked to the way of the sound. “Frank.’

  “I love having meetings in the social hall.” Frank shook his head. “Not. I think you keep forgetting I’m a fucking alcoholic.”

  “No Frank, we don’t. We use this as a test of your stamina,” Joe said. “Now, let’s go to a table and have a seat. Dean will be here shortly.”

  “What about Hal?” Frank asked following Joe and Danny.

  “Hal can’t be here. He’s got some things to handle and with you leaving in two days, and Elliott filling in, Hal wants to finish things up… so I said we’d fill him in.”

  Frank saw the contraption in Danny’s hand. “That it?” he reached.

  “Yep.” Danny pulled it away. “You have to wait.”

  “Who’s gonna have it while I’m away?” Frank asked.

  “Me,” Joe answered. “Now, before Dean gets here. I was talking to Danny. While you’re gone, we’re gonna set it up with Jason to do another time test.”

  “He’s not gonna wanna do it.” Frank said. “He lost the report so no one found out.”

  “Exactly,” Joe nodded. “And that’s exactly, the leverage I’m going to use to get him to redo the test. I’ll ask him what he’s afraid of. And for the best interest of this community we need to go through again.”

  “You won’t do it until I get back, right?”

  “We won’t do it until you get back,” Joe said. “Trust me; we want you to go into the radioactivity before anyone else.”

  “Excellent.” Frank grinned.

  “Thought you’d like that.”

  “Do I get to wear one of those suit?”

  ‘Yes, Frank.”

  “Where we gonna get them?”

  Danny spoke up. “I’ll find them. Don’t worry.”

  “Where the hell is Dean?” Joe asked.

  Danny answered, “Should be here …” he looked at this unit. “Ready? Three, two and …” he turned to the door. “Dean.”

  The door opened. Dean looked oddly at Frank, Joe, and Danny all stared at him as if waiting. “Hello.”

  All three of them said ‘Hi’ at the same time.

  Dean tugged his ear, “That was weird.”

  “Come in, Dean.” Joe showed him a seat. “This won’t take much of your time.”

  “Are we waiting for anyone else?” Dean asked as he sat down.

  “No,” Joe replied. “We’re it. Robbie and Hal know, but that’s as far as it goes.”

  Dean sat down.

  “Basically, you did well today on the running test,” Joe said. “But it still doesn’t disprove the mounting evidence against you. The only thing that will do that is, to have a mutilator attack while you aren’t around, or we know where you are.”

  “I agree.”

  “First and foremost, you are not to tell a soul about this plan. No one. Not Margaret, no one.”

  “I understand. It could comprise it.”

  “Second, do not change your routine.” Joe instructed. “Keep taking those mysterious walks at night, because the mutilator is watching you.”

  Dean quickly lifted his head. “How ... how do you know I am taking walks?”

  Joe looked at Danny.

  Danny answered. “I overheard Margaret telling Jason that you were out the other night, not the night you were found naked …”

  Dean looked at Frank.

  Frank shrugged. “Sorry, it slipped.”

  Danny continued. “But another night and you were out until four.”

  Frank asked. “Why is Margaret telling Jason details? Oh! Oh!”

  Annoyed, Joe shifted his eyes to Frank. “What?”

  “What if Margaret and Jason are having an affair and that’s her way to clue Jason in on when would be a good time.”

  Joe nodded. ‘That’s not actually a bad theory. I mean, sorry, Dean, that could be horrible.” He cleared his throat.

  Dean waved out his hand. “That’s fine.”

  “That’s fine?” Joe asked. “It's fine your woman is having an affair.”

  Dean shrugged “Sure, share and share alike.”

  “Share and share alike?”

  “Yeah, Frank and I did it for years.”

  “Unknowingly.” Joe snapped. “Be that as it may, tell no one anything. Keep doing your late night walks or work.”

  “Someone going to be following me?” Dean asked.

  Frank smiled. “Oh, yeah, big brother is watching.”

  Danny slid the unit over. “I am now calling this the Dean-scope. I programmed your chip number into his SUT-Buster. Instead of miles, this thing is rigged for Beginnings. Now it tracks you within the community.”

  “Within how close?” Dean asked.

  “Ten feet.” Danny said. “Plus, today I’m going in your house and putting in a home base chip. You won’t know where, but once you venture seventy five feet from the house, it sets an alarm off to Frank who will have the unit. He’ll have to silence the alarm.”

  “So, Frank is watching me.”

  Frank grinned. “Until I go out of town on business,” Frank answered. “Danny and I are going with El to Lodi. My dad will watch you.”

  “Or Robbie,” Joe said.

  “I do have a question.” Dean asked. “If Frank is running around with that, how’s he gonna explain what it is.”

  Silence.

  Joe looked to Danny for an answer.

  Danny thought then snapped his finger. “F
rank will tell people it’s a monster monitor. It’s designed to catch moving object in Beginnings over ten feet tall.”

  “Oh!” Frank said excitedly. “That’s good. A monster buster. Got it.”

  Joe nodded. “So, Dean, you're covered. We have your agreement?”

  “One hundred percent,” Dean replied. “As bad as this sounds. I hope the mutilator strikes again, so I can clear my name.”

  “Good. Then we start now.” Joe said. “I need a nap.”

  Dean stood up. “Thanks, I mean it. And Frank. I owe you again for believing in me.”

  “No problem. I don’t want the community to hang you or anything. You know they will if they think you’re the mutilator.”

  Dean chuckled. “I appreciate that.”

  “Yeah.” Frank sniffed. “I want you to be my best man at my wedding to El.”

  Joe quickly looked. “Wedding.”

  “Yeah, El said she’d marry me.”

  Dean rolled his eyes.

  Danny let out an airy laugh. “Frank! That’s great. When?”

  “Soon.”

  “Goddamn,” Joe grinned, and embraced his son. “It’s about time she married your big ass again. I’m happy for you.”

  “Yeah, officially a Slagel again.”

  “Don’t screw it up. Neither of you.”

  Frank laughed.

  Joe looked around. “Where’s Dean?”

  “A-ha!” Frank grabbed the unit. “How do you turn this on?”

  Danny reached over. “The word power. It’ll boot up …” Danny switch it on. “When you want to know his location, press the word …”

  “Track.” Frank said. “Oh! Check it out, Dad, how cool is this. It tells you where and how far. And how fast.”

  Danny extended over Frank. “This button here, “Dest’, that’s where the unit estimates there going. This one here ‘Reg’, means region, gives you the region within ten feet.”

  “Excellent. Dean is …oh, man,” He chuckled. ‘Look at the dot move.”

  Proudly, Danny said. “That’s Dean.”

  “Dean’s moving 1.5 miles per hour.” Frank snickered. “Dean’s at ….center town. Dean’s heading to …. Fifteen feet from clinic.” He laughed and walked to the door.

  “Frank?” Danny called. “Where are you going?”

  “To tell Dean I know where he is.” He walked out.

  Joe turned to Danny. “A kid with a new toy.” He shook his head. “God help us.”

  ***

  No one really said regular church services in Lodi. Once in a while, someone would feel inspired to be the preacher. They’d do it for about a month, then quit. Attendance was never regular and most men in the town lived by the rule, they were their own temple.

  So when Lars saw Mike walking out of the old church, he knew something was up. Mike wasn’t one to pray. Actually, Mike was an atheist.

  “Why my dear chief Manis,” Lars called out, changing direction to head Mike’s way. “They say the lord works in mysterious ways. I recall once, your non believing butooey swore you’d never step foot in a church to worship.”

  “I wasn’t worshiping Lars. I was assessing.”

  Atypically, Lars gave a slow nod forward as if he understood, then shook his head. “Assessing what?”

  “We’re moving. I want to assess what we’re taking.”

  “I am sure they have churches out that way …”

  “It’s not that. It’s the lifestyle. I spoke to Mr. Slagel this morning, when Frank …” Mike paused. “When Ellen and … Frank come out, they’re …”

  “Why did you do that? Was it subconscious or on purpose.”

  “Do what?”

  “Painfully pause on Frank’s name.”

  Mike grumbled and started to walk.

  “Ah, the goblin of jealousy slips in your head. Did you, Michael Manis think you could land one of the few women on this planet?”

  “No, not at all Lars, I was hoping to be able to stay close with Ellen, but I don’t think Frank is going to let that. Now, we have Danny something or other, Asian.”

  “Ouch. Racist.’

  “What?’

  “Joking. Trying to lighten the mood. Why is this Danny person coming?”

  “Joe wants an assessment, so Beginnings can help us move our town. Danny is supposed to be Mr. Efficient.”

  “Mr. Everything,” Johnny’s voice interrupted.

  Jolting, Mike turned around. “I didn’t know you were behind us.”

  “I heard Danny’s name. He’s Mr. everything. Danny Hoi.” Johnny said. “If anyone can figure out anything, it’s Danny. He took Bowman, and made it old world. Reinstituted the money system, called Danny dollars.”

  Lars chuckled. “Danny dollars?”

  “Yeah, you earn one for every hour you work. The shops in Bowman take them. Bowman is my Uncle Hal’s town. Actually, there’s a little town south of Garfield County. Griffin, I think, not sure. You should sit with Danny and ask about going to that town. It’s a lot like Lodi. Bet you Danny can even get a gazebo.” Johnny winked.

  Lars smiled “All the comforts of Lodi. Home.”

  “No, Lars,” Mike said in a miserable manner. “Lodi is home. There will not be another Lodi.” He walked off.

  Lars stood with Johnny. “This is going to be tough.”

  “You think I should have told him about the house of Lesbians?”

  Lars shook his head. ‘Let’s save that ace in the hole for another time.” He laid his hand on Johnny’s back to walk with him.

  “Lars? Do you think they’re gonna let me in?”

  “Beginnings? No. Absolutely not. Bowman. No. Absolutely not.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “But, I have no doubts in my mind that you’ll be with us. Beginnings invited us, they may not have to store our baggage, but they have to allow us to bring it.”

  “So I’m baggage.”

  “Yes. Frail. In need of repair, and a might unpredictable, but baggage we love.”

  Johnny chuckled. Took some stock in Lars words and strolled along with him. Both engrossed in conversation on how to convert Mike to a better state in moving.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ‘Okay, what gives?’ Dean thought. The first note on the clinic lab door made him curious, but not interested enough. The second on his lab coat, stirred him but the third note from Ellen really had his thoughts scurrying.

  “I know a secret’

  ‘World’s greatest scientific discovery’

  ‘Too bad you’re not included.’

  Dean only had a few moments, and he had to get back to his house with the kids. Josh said he wanted to go to Bowman to catch the new flick at the Dan-a-Plex, so Dean had to hurry. The next Dan-Tram left in a half hour. He stared at the notes, well placed, well thought out and contemplated finding Ellen.

  “Dean!” Frank blasted.

  Dean jolted and spun around. “God, Frank. You scared me.”

  “Sorry.”

  “What’s up?”

  “I found you.” He held up the unit. “I thought you were going home.”

  “I … I am. I had to stop by the lab for my coat. Why are you looking for me?”

  “It’s my job. I just wanted to let you know I found you.”

  “Um, thanks.”

  “I’m on it.”

  “Hey, Frank, do you know where Ellen is.”

  Frank shook his head. “Not by this. She doesn’t have a chip, Dean.”

  “Huh?” Dean asked, and then realized what Frank was talking about. “No, I mean ... that’s right. Sorry.”

  “Are you looking for her?”

  “I wanted to talk to her before I went back to the house.”

  “Did you try calling?”

  “She has her voice mail on. I hate that.”

  “Me, too. Did you try containment?”

  “Not yet.”

  “There’s your answer,” Frank said. “She’s there.”

  “Thanks.”


  “Dean, you want to go play hide and seek later? See if I can find you.”

  The corner of Dean’s mouth raised. “Frank, of course you’ll find me, you have that.”

  “But let’s put a time limit on it. I say ‘go’, you hide, and you can move, and I have like ten minutes to find you and get you.”

  Dean nodded. “Sounds like fun.” He grabbed his jacket and placed it on.

  “You leaving?”

  “Uh yeah, Frank. That’s why I have my coat on.”

  “Okay.” Frank started down to the unit as Dean walked by him. “Ten feet from the door.”

  Dean laughed. He could hear Frank announce he was outside when he stepped out.

  Containment. Ellen was definitely there, and was busy playing some hand held game when Dean arrived. He leaned in the doorway watching her for a second, before he knocked.

  Ellen looked up. “Hey, Dean.” She returned to her game. “I thought you were bonding with the kids.”

  “I am. I will. I’m heading here. This first.”

  Ellen glanced his way again.

  Dean lifted the notes. “What gives?”

  “Nothing.” Ellen played.

  “Ellen.”

  “Shoot. I’m almost there.”

  “I’m talking to you.”

  “I know.” His fingers moved.

  “El,” he walked in the office and snatched up the game. “What gives?”

  “Hey!” Ellen reached for it. “Give it back.”

  “Tell me why you’re leaving these?”

  “Curious?”

  “Some.”

  Ellen rested back in her desk chair. “We’re both very scientific people. I’m just teasing you with the fact that I have a secret. Just like you have a secret.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “No … I don’t.”

  “Liar.” Ellen folded her arms. “But, doesn’t matter. If you did have a secret, my secret is better than yours.”

  “You don’t have a secret. You’re bluffing.”

  “You don’t know that. I’m saying I’m not.” She glanced at him smug.

  “What is it?”

  Ellen laughed. “I’m not telling you. But …” She stood up, walked around her desk and inched close to him dropping her voice seductively. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”